description stringlengths 2.98k 3.35M | abstract stringlengths 94 10.6k | cpc int64 0 8 |
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of and priority from provisional application 60/490,361 filed Jul. 25, 2003 the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a dryer seal and more particularly to a dryer seal of simplified construction incorporating an arrangement of fibrous material forming a multi-layer sealing element secured together by a simplified stitching arrangement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Automatic clothes dryers typically include a housing (also known as a bulkhead) and a rotating drum supported within the housing. It is known to use seal elements in the form of rings of felt which may be disposed between the housing and the drum so as to bear against the drum as it rotates. The use of a sealing element is desirable to prevent air leakage between the drum and the clothes dryer cabinet which could detrimentally affect the air flow system of the dryer. It is known to utilize seals in the form of multi-layered ring structures incorporating a folded over exterior layer such as wool or wool blend nonwoven material with a spacer material such as polyester or polyester blend material held within the folded over exterior. The legs projecting outwardly from the folded edge form a sealing contacting relation with the rotating drum. In known past constructions of this type the spacer material was typically held in place by two seams with a first positioning seam running between the upper edge of the spacer material and one side of the folded over exterior and a second holding seam extending at an inboard position through all three layers so as to establish a coordinated stable structure.
In the past the use of a first positioning seam and a second holding seam was believed to be necessary to maintain the desired spatial relation between the folded over exterior and the internal spacer material. Maintenance of this spatial relationship is required in order to retain the desired thickness of material between the drum and the housing. In the event that the internal spacer becomes disengaged from or unduly skewed relative to the folded over exterior, the seal efficiency may be greatly reduced thereby permitting hot air to exit the dryer drum and travel into the cabinet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides advantages and alternatives over the prior art by providing a dryer seal of substantially simplified construction which eliminates the need for double stitching while nonetheless providing desirable sealing characteristics. In particular the present invention provides a seal which functions in the desired manner of prior seals by using flared edges to maintain a sealing relation between a rotating dryer drum and the dryer cabinet. However, although the seal of the present invention operates in the same manner as known prior seals, it utilizes only a single connecting stitch line such as a lock or chain stitch between the folded over exterior and the internal spacer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The following drawings which are incorporated in and which constitute a part of this specification illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and, together with the general description above and the detailed description set forth below, serve to explain the principles of the invention wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary clothes dryer with the rotating drum and seal illustrated in phantom;
FIG. 1A is an exploded cut-away view of a seal according to the present invention with the seal mounted around a bulkhead flange;
FIG. 2 is an end view of a dryer seal according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an elevation plan view of an elongate strip of multi-layered construction which may be attached end to end to form the dryer seal illustrated in FIG. 2 ; and
FIG. 4 is a view taken generally through line 4 — 4 in FIG. 3 illustrating the arrangement of layers and single stitch line.
While the invention has been generally described above and will hereinafter be described in connection with certain potentially preferred embodiments and procedures, it is to be understood and appreciated that in no event is the invention to be limited to such illustrated and described embodiments and procedures. On the contrary, it is intended that the present invention shall extend to all alternatives and modifications as may embrace the broad principles of this invention within the true spirit and scope thereof.
DESCRIPTION
Reference will now be made to the various drawings wherein to the extent possible like reference numerals are utilized to designate corresponding components throughout the various views. In FIGS. 1 and 1A , there is illustrated a dryer 10 including a cabinet body 12 housing a heated rotating drum 14 . As illustrated, the cabinet body includes a door opening 16 for loading clothing articles into the mouth of the drum 14 . The door opening 16 may be closed by means of a door 18 .
As will be well known to those of skill in the art, the cabinet body 12 typically includes a bulkhead flange 20 ( FIG. 1A ) surrounding the door opening and projecting into the interior of the cabinet body. The bulkhead flange 20 is disposed generally around a reduced diameter drum opening 22 . An outer wall portion 24 of the drum is disposed in surrounding relation to the flange or ring 20 .
As shown, a seal 30 is disposed around the bulkhead flange 20 between the outer wall portion 24 and the bulkhead flange 20 . As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, dryers are typically vacuum systems. In operation the seal 30 prevents the draw of cool (non-heated) air from around the drum. With this flow path blocked, air is drawn more efficiently into the drum from a heated element area for use and eventual vent discharge.
As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the seal 30 includes a folded over exterior 36 and an internal fibrous spacer 38 . As the dryer is operated the drum 14 may experience a degree of oscillation up and down. The exterior 36 and spacer 38 define legs which may flair out or compress as required to adjust for this up and down oscillation and thereby maintain contacting sealing relation with the moving drum.
Although dryer seal arrangements using seals having flared ends were previously known, according to the present invention an improved construction for the seal 30 is provided which eliminates the need for multiple seams holding the spacer material in place. Thus, substantial efficiency is provided without sacrificing the ability to hold the spacer material in place (thereby avoiding dislocation or skewing) or giving up the ability to maintain contacting relation between the seal 30 and the oscillating drum 14 .
Referring to FIGS. 2–4 , it may be seen that the dryer seal 30 is preferably of substantially circular construction. According to one potentially preferred practice the dryer seal 30 is formed by adjoining the opposing ends of an elongate sealing structure 32 by use of end to end stitching 34 or other attachment means such as ultrasonic welding and the like as may be known to those of skill in the art.
Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 2 and 3 , according to one contemplated embodiment the sealing structure 32 is formed by folding an outer layer 36 around an interior spacer layer 38 and applying a single stitch line 40 through the layered structure so formed thereby securing the components in place relative to one another. As illustrated, the stitch line 40 is disposed at an inboard location relative to the folded over edge of the outer layer 36 . Such an arrangement thereby forms a single bulbous pocket structure 44 in which a proximal end 46 of the interior spacing layer 38 is held.
According to an exemplary formation practice, the outer layer 36 is a needle punched nonwoven textile material formed from entangled fibers of wool or wool blend material such as wool and polyester or other synthetic fiber. Recycled grey wool material may be particularly desirable. In such a construction, the wool provides a degree of natural lubricity which may aid in avoiding premature damage. In one exemplary construction the outer layer 36 is a needle punched grey wool felt having a thickness of about 0.13 inches. However, it is likewise contemplated that other materials and/or constructions may be utilized if desired.
The interior spacer layer 38 is preferably a needle punched nonwoven of polyester. In one exemplary construction this interior spacer layer is needle punched polyester having a thickness of about 0.17 inches and a mass per unit area of about 12 ounces per square yard. However, it is likewise contemplated that other materials and/or constructions may be utilized if desired.
The stitch line 40 which defines the inboard boundary of the pocket 44 is preferably formed by a chain stitch or lock stitch construction although other stitching arrangements as may be known to those of skill in the art may likewise be utilized. In one exemplary construction the stitch line incorporates a stitch density of about 5 to about 13 stitches per inch. However, it is likewise contemplated that other stitching arrangements may be utilized if desired. The stitch joints formed preferably exceed the tear strength of the felt.
As previously indicated and illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 4 , the portions of the outer layer 36 and interior spacer layer 38 which project outwardly from the pocket structure 44 define legs which can be compressed or flared as required to adjust for oscillation of the drum 14 . Thus, contacting sealing relation between the seal and the drum is maintained during such oscillation.
While the present invention has been illustrated and described in relation to certain potentially preferred embodiments and practices, it is to be understood that such embodiments and practices are illustrative and exemplary only and that the present invention is in no event to be limited thereto. Rather, it is contemplated that modifications and variations to the present invention will no doubt occur to those of skill in the art upon reading the above description and/or through a practice of the invention. It is therefore contemplated and intended that the present invention shall extend to all such modifications and variations which incorporate the broad principles of the present invention within the full spirit and scope thereof. | A dryer seal. The seal is formed from an elongate multi-layer structure having a strip of fibrous material folded upon itself to establish a folded perimeter edge and a pair of outwardly projecting portions projecting away from the folded perimeter edge. A fibrous interior spacer layer is located between the outwardly projecting portions and a single attachment seam extends at an inboard location substantially parallel to said folded perimeter edge. | 8 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/062,133, filed Oct. 24, 2013, which application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,520, filed Mar. 31, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,573,333, issued on Nov. 5, 2013, which is a utility conversion of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/165,382, filed Mar. 31, 2009, for “Methods For Bonding Preformed Cutting Tables to Cutting Element Substrates and Cutting Elements Formed by Such Processes,” the disclosure of each of which is incorporated in this disclosure in its entirety by this reference.
FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to cutting elements, or cutters, for use with earth-boring drill bits and, more specifically, to cutting elements that include thermally stable, preformed superabrasive cutting tables adhered to substrates with diamond. The present disclosure also relates to methods for manufacturing such cutting elements, as well as to earth-boring drill bits that include such cutting elements.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Conventional polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutting elements include a cutting table and a substrate. The substrate conventionally comprises a metal material, such as tungsten carbide, to enable robust coupling of the PDC cutting elements to a bit body. The cutting table typically includes randomly oriented, mutually bonded diamond (or, sometimes, cubic boron nitride (CBN)) particles that have also been adhered to the substrate on which the cutting table is formed, under extremely high-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) conditions. Cobalt binders, also known as catalysts, have been widely used to initiate bonding of superabrasive particles to one another and to the substrates. Although the use of cobalt in PDC cutting elements has been widespread, PDC cutting elements having cutting tables that include cobalt binders are not thermally stable at the typically high operating temperatures to which the cutting elements are subjected due to the greater coefficient of thermal expansion of the cobalt relative to the superabrasive particles and, further, because the presence of cobalt tends to initiate back-graphitization of the diamond in the cutting table when a temperature above about 750° C. is reached. As a result, the presence of the cobalt results in premature wearing of and damage to the cutting table.
[0004] A number of different approaches have been taken to enhance the thermal stability of polycrystalline diamond and CBN cutting tables. One type of thermally stable cutting table that has been developed includes polycrystalline diamond sintered with a carbonate binder, such as a Mg, Ca, Sr, or Ba carbonate binder. The use of a carbonate binder increases the pressure and/or temperature required to actually bind diamond particles to one another, however. Consequently, the diameters of PDC cutting elements that include carbonate binders lack an integral carbide support or substrate and are typically much smaller than the diameters of PDC cutting elements that are manufactured with cobalt.
[0005] Another type of thermally stable cutting table is a PDC from which the cobalt binder has been removed, such as by acid leaching or electrolytic removal. Such cutting elements have a tendency to be somewhat fragile, however, due to their lack of an integral carbide support or substrate and, in part, due to the removal of substantially all of the cobalt binder, which may result in a cutting table with a relatively low diamond density. Consequently, the practical size of a cutting table from which the cobalt may be effectively removed is limited.
[0006] Yet another type of thermally stable cutting table is similar to that described in the preceding paragraph, but the pores resulting from removal of the cobalt have been filled with silicon and/or silicon carbide. Examples of this type of cutting element are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,151,686 and 4,793,828. Such cutting tables are more robust than those from which the cobalt has merely leached, but the silicon precludes easy attachment of the cutting table to a supporting substrate.
SUMMARY
[0007] The present disclosure includes embodiments of methods for adhering thermally stable diamond cutting tables to cutting element substrates. As used herein, the phrase “thermally stable” includes polycrystalline diamond cutting tables in which abrasive particles (e.g., diamond crystals, etc.) are secured to each other with carbonate binders, as well as cutting tables that consist essentially of diamond, such as cutting tables from which the cobalt has been removed, with or without a silicon or silicon carbide backfill, or that are formed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes.
[0008] Some embodiments of such methods include preparation of the surface of a substrate to which a cutting table is to be bound before the cutting table is secured to that surface. In specific embodiments, preparation of the surface of the substrate may include removal of one or more contaminants or materials from the surface that may weaken or otherwise interfere with optimal bonding of the cutting table to the surface. In other specific embodiments, a substrate surface may be prepared to receive a cutting table by increasing a porosity or an area of the surface.
[0009] In such methods, preformed cutting tables, which are also referred to herein as “wafers,” are secured, under HTHP conditions, to substrates (e.g., tungsten carbide, etc.) with an intermediate layer of diamond grit. In some embodiments, a powder, particles, or a thin element (e.g., foil, etc.) comprising cobalt or another suitable binder may be used with the diamond grit. In other embodiments, cobalt or another suitable binder material that is present (e.g., as part of a binder, etc.) in the substrate may be caused to sweep into the cutting table as heat and pressure are applied to the cutting table. In further embodiments, a preformed diamond wafer formed by a CVD process may be disposed on a surface of a conventional PDC cutting table previously formed on a substrate. The CVD wafer may then be bonded to the PDC cutting table under HTHP conditions.
[0010] The present disclosure also includes various embodiments of cutting elements. One embodiment of a cutting element according to the present disclosure includes a substrate, a thermally stable cutting table and an adhesion layer therebetween. The adhesion layer includes diamond particles bonded to the diamonds of the thermally stable cutting table and to the substrate. In addition to diamond, the adhesion layer may include cobalt. The substrate may comprise a cemented carbide, such as tungsten carbide with a suitable binder, such as cobalt. In another embodiment, a preformed cutting table comprising CVD diamond and bonded to a PDC layer comprising cobalt under HTHP conditions is carried by a cemented carbide substrate.
[0011] Other features and aspects, as well as advantages, of embodiments of the present disclosure will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art through consideration of the ensuing description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] In the drawings:
[0013] FIGS. 1 and 1A illustrate an embodiment of a process for manufacturing PDC cutting elements from preformed cutting tables, with a specific embodiment of preformed cutting table being shown;
[0014] FIG. 1B depicts another specific embodiment of a preformed cutting table that may be used to manufacture a PDC cutting element in accordance with various embodiments of teachings of the present disclosure;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a carbon phase diagram;
[0016] FIG. 3 depicts a PDC cutting element that includes a substrate, a preformed cutting table, and a diamond adhesion layer between the substrate and the preformed cutting table;
[0017] FIGS. 4 and 4A depict another embodiment of a process for manufacturing cutting elements that include preformed wafers that consist of diamond;
[0018] FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a cutting element that includes a substrate, a PDC cutting table, and a wafer that consists of diamond atop the PDC cutting table; and
[0019] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of an earth-boring rotary drill bit including at least one PDC cutting element that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] With reference to FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a process for securing a preformed cutting table 20 to a substrate 30 is illustrated. In that process, at least one “cutter set,” which includes a substrate 30 and its corresponding preformed cutting table 20 , is assembled.
[0021] In the method of FIGS. 1 and 1A , at least one substrate 30 is introduced into a canister assembly, or synthesis cell assembly 50 , formed from a refractory metal or other material that will withstand and substantially maintain its integrity (e.g., shape and dimensions) when subjected to HTHP processing. Each substrate 30 may comprise a cemented carbide (e.g., tungsten carbide) substrate for a PDC cutting element, or any other material that is known to be useful as a substrate for PDC cutting elements. In some embodiments, substrate 30 may include a binder material, such as cobalt.
[0022] Particles 40 of diamond grit are placed on substrate 30 . More specifically, particles 40 are placed on a surface 32 to which a preformed cutting table 20 is to be secured. Particles 40 may be placed on surface 32 alone or with a fine powder or particles 42 of a suitable, known binder material, such as cobalt, another Group VIII metal, such as nickel or iron, or alloys including these materials (e.g., Ni/Co, Co/Mn, Co/Ti, Co/Ni/V, Co/Ni, Fe/Co, Fe/Mn, Fe/Ni, Fe (Ni.Cr), Fe/Si 2 , Ni/Mn, Ni/Cr, etc.).
[0023] Surface 32 may be processed to enhance subsequent adhesion of a preformed cutting table 20 thereto. Such processing of surface 32 may, in some embodiments, include removal of one or more contaminants or materials that may weaken or otherwise interfere with optimal bonding of cutting table 20 to surface 32 . In specific embodiments, metal carbonate binder, silicon, and/or silicon carbide may be removed from surface 32 of substrate 30 , as these materials may inhibit diamond-to-diamond intergrowth, which is desirable for adhering preformed cutting table 20 to surface 32 of substrate 30 . The removal of such materials may be effected substantially at surface 32 . In such embodiments, one or more materials may be removed to a depth, from surface 32 into substrate 30 , that is about the same as a dimension of a diamond particle of preformed cutting table 20 , or to a depth of about one micron to about ten microns. In other embodiments, the removal of undesirable materials may extend beyond surface 32 , and into substrate 30 . Such preparation, in even more specific embodiments, may include leaching of one or more materials from the surface of the substrate.
[0024] In other embodiments, an area of surface 32 of substrate 30 may be increased. Chemical, electrical, and/or mechanical processes may, in some embodiments, be used to increase the area of surface 32 by removing material from surface 32 . Specific embodiments of techniques for increasing the area of surface 32 include, but are not limited to, laser ablation of surface 32 , blasting surface 32 with abrasive material, and exposing surface 32 to chemically etchants.
[0025] The removal of such materials may, in some embodiments, enable cobalt or another binder to penetrate into substrate 30 to facilitate the bonding of preformed cutting table 20 to surface 32 .
[0026] A base surface 22 of preformed cutting table 20 is placed over particles 40 on surface 32 of substrate 30 . Base surface 22 of preformed cutting table 20 is of a complementary topography to the topography of surface 32 of substrate 30 . Preformed cutting table 20 may be substantially free of metallic binder.
[0027] Without limiting the scope of the present disclosure, preformed cutting table 20 , in one embodiment, may comprise a PDC with abrasive particles that are bound together with a carbonate (e.g., calcium carbonate, a metallic carbonate (e.g., magnesium carbonate (MgCO 3 ), barium carbonate (BaCO 3 ), strontium carbonate (SrCO 3 ), etc.) binder, etc.). Despite the extremely high pressure and extremely high temperature that are required to fabricate PDCs that include calcium carbonate binders, as this type of PDC is fabricated without a substrate (i.e., is free-standing), it may be formed with standard cutting table dimensions (e.g., diameter and thickness) in a suitable HPHT apparatus, as known in the art.
[0028] In another embodiment, depicted by FIG. 1B , a preformed cutting table 20 ′ may comprise a PDC having a face portion 27 ′ and a base portion 23 ′. Face portion 27 ′ of preformed cutting table 20 ′ is adjacent to and includes a cutting surface 26 ′, which may be filled with silicon and/or silicon carbide. Base portion 23 ′ of preformed cutting table 20 ′ is adjacent to and includes a base surface 22 ′, which consists essentially of diamond. Such an embodiment of preformed cutting element may be manufactured by removing (e.g., by leaching, electrolytic processes, etc.) cobalt or other binder material (e.g., another Group VIII metal, such as nickel or iron, or alloys including these materials, such as Ni/Co, Co/Mn, Co/Ti, Co/Ni/V, Co/Ni, Fe/Co, Fe/Mn, Fe/Ni, Fe (Ni.Cr), Fe/Si 2 , Ni/Mn, and Ni/Cr) from face portion 27 ′ without leaching binder material from base portion 23 ′. This may be accomplished, for example, by preventing exposure of base portion 23 ′ to leaching conditions and limiting the duration of the leaching conditions. Silicon or silicon carbide is then introduced into the pores that result from the leaching process, such as by the processes described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,151,686 and 4,793,828, the entire disclosures of both of which are hereby incorporated herein by this reference. Thereafter, binder material may be leached from base portion 23 ′, leaving pores therein or the binder material may remain. The porous base surface 22 ′ is placed adjacent the surface 32 of substrate 30 ( FIGS. 1 and 1A ).
[0029] With returned reference to FIGS. 1 and 1A , if desired, one or more other cutter sets 12 including a preformed cutting table 20 , a quantity of diamond grit particles 40 (and, optionally, binder material powder or particles 42 ), and a substrate 30 may then be introduced into synthesis cell assembly 50 so that a plurality of cutting elements may be manufactured with a single HTHP process. In embodiments where multiple cutter sets 12 are introduced into a single synthesis cell assembly 50 , the order of components of each cutter set 12 may be reversed from the order of components of each adjacent cutter set 12 . The cutter sets 12 that are located at ends 52 and 54 of a synthesis cell assembly 50 may be arranged with substrates 30 at ends 52 and 54 , or as the outermost elements, to minimize impact upon and the potential for damage to the expensive preformed cutting tables 20 .
[0030] Once each cutter set 12 has been assembled within synthesis cell assembly 50 , the contents of synthesis cell assembly 50 may be subjected to known HTHP processes. The temperature and pressure of such processes are sufficient to cause particles 40 (and, optionally, any binder material powder or particles 42 ) to bind each preformed cutting table 20 within synthesis cell assembly 50 to its corresponding substrate 30 . In some embodiments, the combination of temperature and pressure that are employed in the HTHP process are within the so-called “diamond stable” phase of carbon. A carbon phase diagram, which illustrates the various phases of carbon, including the diamond stable phase D, and the temperatures and pressures at which such phases occur, is provided as FIG. 2 .
[0031] An embodiment of a PDC cutting element 10 resulting from such processing is shown in FIG. 3 . PDC cutting element 10 includes substrate 30 , a binder layer 45 , and preformed cutting table 20 . Binder layer 45 secures preformed cutting table 20 to substrate 30 , and may be bonded to preformed cutting table 20 and integrated into the material of substrate 30 at surface 32 (see FIGS. 1 and 1A ). In some embodiments, binder layer 45 consists of diamond (e.g., polycrystalline diamond (PCD)). In other embodiments, binder layer 45 consists essentially of diamond. Other embodiments of binder layer 45 include diamond and lesser amounts of a suitable binder material.
[0032] In another embodiment of a method encompassed by the present disclosure, which is shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A , at least one cutting element 110 that includes a substrate 30 with a PDC table 120 already secured thereto is introduced into a synthesis cell assembly 50 .
[0033] A base surface 142 of preformed wafer 140 , which may consist essentially of or consist entirely of diamond that has been deposited by known chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes, is placed over a surface 122 of PDC table 120 . Base surface 142 of preformed wafer 140 is of a complementary topography to the topography of surface 122 of PDC table 120 .
[0034] As described in reference to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A , one or more other cutter sets 112 including a preformed wafer 140 and a cutting element 110 may be introduced into synthesis cell assembly 50 so that a plurality of cutting elements 110 may be manufactured with a single HTHP process. Once each cutter set 112 has been assembled within synthesis cell assembly 50 , the contents of synthesis cell assembly 50 may be subjected to known HTHP processes, as described in reference to FIGS. 1 and 1A .
[0035] An embodiment of a cutting element 10 ′ resulting from such processing is shown in FIG. 5 . Cutting element 10 ′ includes substrate 30 , a PDC table 120 , and a performed wafer 140 that consists essentially of or consists of, diamond. Base surface 142 of preformed wafer 140 may be secured to surface 122 of PDC table 120 by diamond-to-diamond bonding that occurs during the HTHP process, in which diamond from preformed wafer 140 is bonded with diamond-to-diamond bonding, to diamond crystals of PDC table 120 . Although the resulting structure may include cobalt or another binder material that may, if it were present on the face of preformed wafer 140 , compromise thermal stability, its presence beneath preformed wafer 140 during use of cutting element 10 ′ is at a location which is not subjected to temperatures that are known to be problematic for cutting tables that include cobalt binders.
[0036] Turning now to FIG. 6 , an embodiment of a rotary type, earth-boring drill bit 60 of the present disclosure is shown. Among other features that are known in the art, bit 60 includes at least one cutter pocket 62 . A cutting element 10 , 10 ′ according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is received within cutter pocket 62 , with substrate 30 (see FIG. 1 ) bonded or otherwise secured to the material of bit 60 . As used herein, the term “earth-boring drill bit” includes without limitation conventional rotary fixed cutter, or “drag” bits, fixed cutter core bits, eccentric bits, bicenter bits, reamer wings, underreamers, roller cone bits, and hybrid bits including both fixed and movable cutting structures, as well as other earth-boring tools configured with cutting structures according to embodiments of the disclosure.
[0037] Although the foregoing description contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure, but merely as providing illustrations of some embodiments. Similarly, other embodiments of the disclosure may be devised which do not exceed the scope of the present disclosure. Features from different embodiments may be employed in combination. The scope of specifically claimed embodiments encompassed by this disclosure is, therefore, indicated and limited only by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the foregoing description. All additions, deletions and modifications to the embodiments disclosed herein which fall within the meaning and scope of the claims are to be embraced thereby. | A cutting element for an earth-boring drill bit may include a thermally stable cutting table comprising a polycrystalline diamond material. The polycrystalline diamond material may consist essentially of a matrix of diamond particles bonded to one another and a silicon, silicon carbide, or silicon and silicon carbide material located within interstitial spaces among interbonded diamond particles of the matrix of diamond particles. The cutting table may be at least substantially free of Group VIII metal or alloy catalyst material. The cutting element may further include a substrate and an adhesion material between and bonded to the cutting table and the substrate. The adhesion material may include diamond particles bonded to one another and to the cutting table and the substrate after formation of the preformed cutting table. | 4 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to tailgate lifts, and especially to actuators and control means to help protect such lifts against inadvertent closing of the platform when loaded.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Tailgate lifts are widely known, one example being shown in Robinson U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,317 issued Sept. 5, 1978. It is a function of such a lift that in a lifting mode it can be run up and down so as to lift and to lower a load. Also, when it is near its upper position the actuator can be enabled to continue to operate so as to fold the gate in a folding mode so as to tilt up against the rear of the truck.
It is an object of this invention to provide an operative system to prevent the inadvertent folding of the platform when a load such as a person is on it because that load might be trapped between the truck and the folded platform or fall from the platform and thereby cause damage or injury.
It is an optional object of the invention to prevent operation of the actuator in the lifting mode when an excessive load is on the platform.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention is carried out in combination with a tailgate lift of the type which includes a platform that is adapted to be raised and lowered in a lifting mode while substantially level, and which near its upper limit is enabled to be tilted so as to open and close in a folding mode, by actuation of a hydraulic actuator. The actuator comprises a piston-cylinder combination having a power chamber at one side of the piston, and a supply port providing access to the power chamber. A hydraulic sump is provided, and a source of hydraulic fluid withdraws fluid from the sump and places it under pressure. A supply conduit connects the source to the supply port. A return conduit connects the supply port to the sump. A first open-closed selector valve is plumbed in the return conduit, and is adapted selectively to enable and to prevent flow of hydraulic fluid from the supply port to the sump. A first relief valve and an optional second relief valve are provided, the relief valves being individually plumbed to the supply conduit and being individually set to relief pressure settings to relieve pressure in the supply conduit at a respective pressure, thereby limiting the force which can be exerted by the actuator. The relief valves discharge fluid to the sump at the respective relief pressures. A second open-closed selector valve is interconnected between the supply conduit and the first relief valve, said second selector valve being adapted selectively to enable and to prevent flow from the supply conduit to the first relief valve. A mechanical selector is provided for causing platform folding mechanism to fold the platform upon the actuation of said actuator while the platform is near its uppermost position, the mechanical selector being connected to said selector valve whereby to enable passage of fluid from the supply conduit through the first relief valve when the platform is to be folded, whereby to prevent folding of the platform when there is a weight on it. When provided, the second selector valve limits the load which can be lifted on the platform.
The above and other features of this invention will be fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit drawing showing the control for an actuator according to the invention; and
FIG. 2 is a schematic showing of the lifting and folding modes of the platform.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As best shown in FIG. 2, a platform 10 for a tailgate lift is adapted to move along a generally vertical axis 11 on the rear of truck (not shown). Persons desiring to have specific details of the attachment of a tailgate lift to a truck of this type may refer to Robinson U.S. Pat. No. 4,111,317, which is incorporated by reference herein for that purpose.
The lower range A is where the platform moves up and down in a lifting mode while horizontal. The horizontal lines indicate successive positions attainable in the vertically up and down movement of the platform while in its horizontal position. The forward edge of the platform in its lowermost position is shown at point 12 and the uppermost lifting position is shown by point 13. When the platform is to be tilted in the folding mode it starts to tilt near point 13a just below point 13 (described as "near" or at point 13) and terminates when folded with its forward edge at point 13, having traveled approximately in the positions shown in arc B.
It is an optional function of this invention that the total weight of the platform plus any load on it should not exceed a given weight in the lifting mode, and a required function that it should not exceed the weight of the platform in the folding mode. As an example, a six hundred pound platform might be designed to carry an eighteen hundred pound load in the lifting mode. Therefore, the actuator for actuating the device in the lifting mode should not be able to overcome a weight greater than 2,400 pounds. Similarly if the platform is not permitted to be folded with a load on it such as a person or an object, then the actuator should not, in the intial position, be able to exert a force greater than that required to tilt a 600 pound platform, with no load on it. Especially with piston-cylinder type actuators, this load limitation can readily be exerted simply by controlling the hydraulic pressure applied to the actuator. This is the basic mode of control of the invention.
In FIG. 1 there is shown an actuator 20 in the nature of a piston-cylinder combination which includes a cylinder 21, a piston 22, and a rod 23, the rod being connected to the platform by means of appropriate linkage and rails. The cylinder includes a supply port 24 which gives access to a power chamber 24a in the cylinder on one side of the piston. The other side of the piston is appropriately vented by a vent port 25.
A sump 26 is provided from which a pump 27 withdraws hydraulic fluid, and thereby constitutes a force of hydraulic fluid under pressure. The pump may be actuated by a motor 50, and appropriate off-on switches and controls 51 will be provided.
A supply conduit 30 conveys hydraulic fluid under pressure to the power chamber of the actuator. It includes a unidirectional flow check valve 31 which permits flow only from the pump within a portion of the circuit yet to be described. A return conduit 35 branches from the supply conduit at point 36 to return to the sump through a first open-closed selector valve 37. When valve 37 is open it will drain the supply line at point 36, and will permit the piston to move down in FIG. 1, and the platform would then unfold and/or lower. When valve 37 is closed, the piston cannot move down and the platform cannot unfold or lower.
A second relief valve 38 is connected to supply conduit 30 at point 39, and is adapted to permit relief flow through relief conduit 40 at pressures at excess of its relief setting. A first relief valve 41 is connected to supply conduit also at point 39 and enables the flow of hydraulic fluid through relief conduit 42 at pressures at and above the relief setting of the first relief valve (which will be lower than the relief pressure of the second relief valve). A second open-closed selector valve 43 is plumbed in relief conduit 42. When open to flow it permits flow to the first relief valve, and when closed blocks flow therethrough. A selector handle 45 is mechanically connected to the selector valve 43 and is also mechanically connected to a cam selector (not shown). The cam mechanically determines whether or not the platform will be closed by operation of the actuator when the platform is in its uppermost position.
In operation, the pressure release setting of the second relief valve is selected at a pressure which will enable the actuator to exert only the desired maximum force to lift no more than the maximum designed weight of the platform. The relief setting of the first relief valve is selected at a lower value and will be set to permit the pressure supplied to the actuator to be no greater than that which will just close the platform without a load thereon. It will thereby be seen that when the selector handle is set to the non-folding (solid line) position, it is mechanically impossible for the platform to be folded and the second selector valve's relief pressure setting will limit the operation of the system. When the gate is to be folded, the handle will be turned to the folding (dashed-line) position, and the first relief valve's relief pressure will be controlling over the system because it is lower than that of the second relief valve.
The foregoing arrangement accounts for the upward and folding movements. The unfolding and lowering movements in the arrangement shown are caused by the weight of the platform itself exerted on the rod, which will pull it down. This will, of course be controlled by first selector valve 37 which if closed will prevent downward or unfolding movement. When the selector valve is open it will permit it to occur at a rate established by valve 37 or by some restrictor which may be in the circuit.
The relief pressures may be selective by a one-time selection of bias spring, or by an adjustably biased spring. The term "set" therefore includes, but is not limited to "adjustably set".
Persons skilled in the art will recognize that different hydraulic arrangements can be made including those which work on both sides of the piston, but that the system shown is elegant in its simplicity and of minimal expense. The maximum load to be carried in the two modes can readily be adjusted by changing the spring tension of the relief valves.
There has been provided in a simple hydraulic circuit an elegantly simple and reliable control which will prevent damage or injury to persons or objects by inadvertent folding of the platform and can be extended to limit the gross weight liftable by the platform.
This invention is not to be limited by the embodiment shown in the drawings and described in the description which is given by way of example and not of limitation, but only in accordance with the scope of the appended claims. | Actuator and control circuits for tailgate lifts of the type which lift and lower loads in a lifting mode and which fold in a folding (closing) mode. Control circuitry is provided which minimizes the risk of inadvertent folding of the gate when loaded. The circuitry can also be adapted to limit the lifting capacity of the actuator to the lifting of a safe load. | 1 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/749,347, filed Dec. 30, 2003, U.S. Pat. No. 7,091,129 B1.
FIELD
Atomic layer deposition.
BACKGROUND
Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a deposition technique used to coat various features in the manufacturing process of circuit devices. To coat features, a film is grown layer by layer by exposing the surface to alternating pulses of reactants, each of which undergoes a self-limiting reaction, generally resulting in controlled film thickness. Each reactant exposure provides an additional atomic layer to previously deposited layers.
A film growth cycle generally consists of two pulses, each pulse being separated by purges. For oxide films, the substrate is first exposed to an oxidizing agent which results in oxygen bonding with the surface of the substrate or previous layer.
In the ideal case, the exposed surface fully reacts with the oxidizing agent, but not with itself. Next, a reactant is exposed to the surface. The reactant reacts with the previous layer to form a single atomic layer directly bonded to the underlying surface. Finally, an oxygen containing species is exposed to the substrate, which reacts with the reactant to form a finished layer.
The film growth cycle may be repeated as many times as necessary to achieve a desired film thickness. In theory, each deposited layer formed by this process is defect free. However, the practical aspects of ALD do not necessarily lead to such defect-free films in which all of the bonds are fully formed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Various embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements.
FIG. 1 shows a substrate, in one embodiment, being exposed to a first reactant.
FIG. 2 shows the substrate of FIG. 1 in a hydroxyl-saturated state on a first surface.
FIG. 3 shows the substrate of FIG. 2 purged of the first reactant.
FIG. 4 shows the substrate of FIG. 3 being exposed to a second reactant and electromagnetic radiation.
FIG. 5 shows a rastering configuration.
FIG. 6 shows the substrate of FIG. 4 in a reactant-saturated state.
FIG. 7 shows the substrate of FIG. 6 purged of the reactant.
FIG. 8 shows the substrate of FIG. 7 exposed to a third reactant and electromagnetic radiation.
FIG. 9 shows the substrate of FIG. 8 in a hydroxyl-saturated state on a second surface.
FIG. 10 shows the substrate of FIG. 9 purged of the reactant and forming an atomic layer.
FIG. 11 shows an atomic layer, in one embodiment, being exposed to a fourth reactant.
FIG. 12 shows the atomic layer of FIG. 11 in a reactant-saturated state.
FIG. 13 shows the atomic layer of FIG. 12 purged of the reactant.
FIG. 14 shows the atomic layer of FIG. 13 being exposed to a fifth reactant.
FIG. 15 shows the atomic layer of FIG. 14 in a hydroxyl-saturated state.
FIG. 16 shows the atomic layer of FIG. 15 purged of the reactant and forming a second atomic layer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows a semiconductor substrate such as a portion of a semiconductor wafer (e.g., silicon wafer). Substrate 100 may also be formed of gallium arsenide or any other material suitable for use as a semiconductor substrate (e.g., semiconductor on insulator structure). Reference to a silicon substrate will be made herein.
FIG. 1 shows substrate 100 being exposed to a first reactant in the formation of a binary metal oxide dielectric layer on surface 102 of substrate 100 . First reactant 150 , in one embodiment, is an oxygen source. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , first reactant 150 is water (H 2 O). Other suitable oxygen sources include, but are not limited to, oxygen gas, ozone, peroxide and ammonium hydroxide (NH 4 OH).
In FIG. 1 , as substrate 100 is exposed to first reactant 150 , substrate 100 reacts with first reactant 150 to form hydroxyl moieties (OH) 155 on surface 102 of substrate 100 . In another embodiment, first reactant 150 is ammonia (NH 3 ). In embodiments where first reactant 150 is ammonia, NH 2 molecules form on surface 102 of substrate 100 .
FIG. 2 shows substrate 100 in a hydroxyl-saturated state. Hydroxyl saturation occurs when the surface of substrate 100 becomes saturated with hydroxyl moieties 155 . Representatively, to achieve a hydroxyl-saturated state on a silicon substrate, substrate 100 is exposed to first reactant 150 for about 0.1 to about 300 seconds and may be exposed by way of submersing substrate 100 into a bath, spraying first reactant 150 over the surface of substrate 100 , or any other method that substantially exposes substrate 100 to first reactant 150 . As described, the reaction between substrate 100 and first reactant 150 is self-limiting in that there is limited available silicon with which first reactant 150 may react. Therefore, increasing the exposure of substrate 100 to first reactant 150 beyond a time period of complete saturation is acceptable.
FIG. 3 shows substrate 100 in a hydroxyl-saturated state after purging the reactant. Once hydroxyl saturation is achieved, substrate 100 is removed from the reactant-containing environment and may be dried.
FIG. 4 shows hydroxyl-saturated substrate 100 being exposed to a second reactant and electromagnetic radiation. In one embodiment, second reactant 165 is a metal-containing substance or compound (e.g., a salt). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , second reactant 165 is zirconium tetrachloride (ZrCl 4 ). Other suitable reactant substances include, but are not limited to, salts (e.g., chloride salts, fluoride salts, bromide salts, iodide salts, etc.) of titanium, aluminum, gallium, cesium, indium, hafnium, tantalum, praseodymium, niobium, scandium, lutetium, cerium and lanthanum. Second reactant 165 , in general, is a metal chloride or any other suitable metal-containing substance or compound.
Hydroxyl-saturated substrate 100 is exposed to second reactant 165 by immersing substrate 100 into a bath containing second reactant 165 , spraying second reactant 165 over the surface of substrate 100 , or any other method that substantially exposes substrate 100 to second reactant 165 . As hydroxyl-saturated substrate 100 is exposed to second reactant 165 , hydroxyl moieties 155 on surface 102 of substrate 100 begin to react with second reactant 165 to form, in one embodiment, SiOZrCl 3 molecules 160 on surface 102 of substrate 100 and free hydrochloric acid (HCl) 175 . It is also possible for second reactant 165 to react with two hydroxyl moieties 155 to form O 2 ZrCl 2 molecule 180 while releasing two equivalents of HCl 175 .
Hydrochloric acid 175 is either in a liquid or gaseous state and is dispersed away from substrate 100 by a purge gas or vacuum in a chamber. Representatively, in a typical process to predominately or completely react hydroxyl moieties 155 with second reactant 165 , substrate 100 is, for example, placed in an immersion bath for about 0.1 to about 300 seconds. As described, the reaction between hydroxyl moieties 155 and second reactant 165 is self-limiting in that there is limited available hydroxyls with which second reactant 165 may react. Therefore, increasing the exposure of substrate 100 to second reactant 165 beyond a time period of complete saturation is acceptable.
During the reaction of hydroxyl moieties 155 and second reactant 165 , dangling bonds and reactant bonds can form. Dangling bonds occur when a reactant element, Zr in this example, bonds with another reactant element, Zr, instead of, in one case, an oxygen atom when forming an atomic layer film on a surface. Reactant bonds occur when a reactant compound, ZrCl 4 in this example, does not fully react with a reactant but instead bonds with desired bonds, Zr—O, to form Zr—Cl bonds in an ALD film layer.
During the early stages of film nucleation, dangling bonds and reactant bonds can alter the atomic configuration of the film and result in islanding and poor film growth. In addition, dangling bonds and reactant bonds inhibit the formation of subsequently deposited atomic layers.
To reduce or minimize the number of these defective bonds, substrate 100 is exposed to electromagnetic radiation 145 after hydroxyl/reactant bond formation. Substrate 100 may be exposed to electromagnetic radiation either while being exposed to second reactant 165 , after removal of substrate 100 from a second reactant 165 —containing environment, or both during exposure to second reactant 165 and after removal from a second reactant 165 —containing environment. As defective bonds are exposed to electromagnetic radiation 145 , the defective bonds become excited and rise to a greater energy level.
When the bonds reach an activation energy level, the bonds are in a state where they tend to seek out other elements with which to form new bonds. Thus, the electromagnetic radiation at the proper wavelength modifies the reaction kinetics to encourage the destruction of defective bonds and the formation of desirable bonds. For example, since the activation energy for the conversion of surface —ZrCl x to surface —ZrCl x-1 (OH) is approximately +1.6 kcal/mole, a photon-emitting device may be used to expose the target area to a wavelength that will cause energy levels to gain at least +1.6 kcal/mole. In one embodiment, the energy required to activate a reactant and/or dangling bond is insufficient to activate a desired bond (e.g., a Zr—O bond).
In one embodiment, electromagnetic radiation is supplied by a tunable laser. The tunable laser, in one embodiment, is a dye laser. In an embodiment where substrate 100 is a wafer, one technique for exposing substrate 100 to an electromagnetic radiation source is by revolving the wafer in the presence of a dye laser. The dye laser emits pulses of radiation onto the wafer along circular revolutions or rasters becoming subsequently larger or smaller as the laser is advanced from either a center or edge of the wafer, respectively. In one embodiment, a rastering speed is selected such that one or more pulses of a dye laser, for example, deliver sufficient energy to substrate 100 to activate undesired bonds (e.g., to deliver an energy to an undesired bond equal to or greater than an activation energy for the bond).
The selection of the wavelength of light depends on the type of defect encountered. In one embodiment, electromagnetic radiation 145 is targeted to an area of the electromagnetic spectrum wherein the defective bonds will become strongly excited, but the desired chemical bonds will remain unaffected. In one example, undesirable bonds such as Zr—Cl or Zr—Zr bonds in an ALD process for ZrO 2 formation would be targeted for a process using an oxygen source or a reactant such as H 2 O and ZrCl 4 , respectively. In this example, the desired bonds in the matrix would include Si-O bonds near the substrate surface and Zr—O bonds in subsequent layers.
FIG. 5 shows a rastering configuration for exposing defect bonds to electromagnetic radiation. In this configuration, wafer 510 is on a pedestal or similar stag that can be rotated. Laser 500 scans across the surface of wafer 510 to remove any defective bonds. Laser 500 is adjustable such that laser 500 can emit wavelengths of light at pre-determined frequencies. Thus, wafer 510 , and any defective bonds that may exist on wafer 510 in the dielectric layer, are exposed to enough electromagnetic radiation to excite the defective bonds as laser 500 scans across wafer 510 .
FIG. 6 shows substrate 100 in a reactant-saturated state. In this state, the surface of substrate 100 containing SiOH bonds has reacted with the reactant to form SiOZrCl 3 molecules 160 on the surface of substrate 100 .
FIG. 7 shows the surface of substrate 100 saturated with SiOZrCl 3 molecules 160 after removal of the reactant and HCR. After surface 102 of substrate 100 is saturated with SiOZrCl 3 molecules 160 , substrate 100 is removed from the reactant-containing environment and possibly dried. After substrate 100 is dried, SiOZrCl 3 molecule-saturated substrate 100 is exposed to another reactant.
FIG. 8 shows SiOZrCl 3 molecule-saturated substrate 100 being exposed to a third reactant and electromagnetic . In one embodiment, third reactant 250 is an oxygen source. In another embodiment, third reactant 250 is ammonia. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 , the oxygen source is H 2 O. Other suitable oxygen sources include, but are not limited to, oxygen gas, ozone, peroxide and ammonium hydroxide.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 , when SiOZrCl 3 molecules 160 on surface 102 of substrate 100 are exposed to third reactant 250 , a reaction occurs forming SiOZr(OH)Cl 2 molecules 255 on surface 102 of substrate 100 and free HCl molecules 275 . In embodiments where third reactant 250 is ammonia, a reaction occurs forming SiNZrCl 2 NH 2 molecules on surface 102 of substrate 100 and free HCl molecules 275 .
Hydrochloric acid 275 is either in a liquid or gaseous state and is dispersed away from substrate 100 by a purge gas or vacuum in a chamber. Representatively, in a typical process to predominately or completely react SiOZr(OH)Cl 2 molecules 255 with third reactant 250 , substrate 100 is, for example, placed in an immersion bath or sprayed for about 0.1 to about 300 seconds. As described, the reaction between SiOZrCl 3 molecules 160 and third reactant 250 is self-limiting in that there is limited available SiOZrCl 3 molecules 160 with which third reactant 250 may react. Therefore, increasing the exposure of substrate 100 to third reactant 250 beyond a time period of complete saturation is acceptable.
To reduce or minimize the number of defective bonds, substrate 100 is exposed to electromagnetic radiation 245 after hydroxyl bond formation. Electromagnetic radiation 245 may be any of the embodiments similar to electromagnetic radiation 145 discussed above.
Substrate 100 may be exposed to electromagnetic radiation 245 either while being exposed to third reactant 250 , after removal of substrate 100 from a third-reactant 250 -containing environment, or both during exposure to third reactant 250 and after removal from a third reactant 250 -containing environment. As defective bonds are exposed to electromagnetic radiation 245 , the defective bonds become excited and rise to a greater energy level.
When the bonds reach an activation energy level, the bonds are in a state where they tend to seek out other elements with which to form new bonds. Thus, the electromagnetic radiation at the proper wavelength modifies the reaction kinetics to encourage the destruction of defective bonds and the formation of desirable bonds. For example, since the activation energy for the conversion of surface—ZrCl x to surface ZrCl x-1 (OH) is approximately +1.6 kcal/mole, a photon-emitting device may be used to expose the target area to a wavelength that will cause energy levels to gain at least +1.6 kcal/mole. In one embodiment, the energy required to activate a reactant and/or dangling bond is insufficient to activate a desired bond (e.g., a Zr—O bond).
FIG. 9 shows the surface of substrate 100 after third reactant 250 has fully reacted with the SiOZrCl 3 molecules. After the SiOZrCl 3 molecules have fully reacted with third reactant 250 , the surface of substrate 100 becomes saturated with SiOZr(OH) 3 molecules 260 while forming additional free HCl molecules in a reaction represented by the equations:
SiOZr(OH)Cl 2 +2 H 2 O →SiOZr(OH) 3 +2HCl SiOZr(OH) 2 Cl+SiOZr(OH) 3 →SiOZr(OH) 2 −μO—(OH) 2 ZrOSi+HCl
FIG. 10 shows a finished first atomic layer formed by an ALD process after substrate 100 has been removed from the reactant-containing environment. In this example, atomic layer 105 is formed of zirconium oxide (ZrO 2 ) molecules 270 having hydroxyl moieties 255 bonded to ZrO 2 molecules 270 . Atomic layer 105 is now prepared and capable of having an atomic layer formed upon it.
FIG. 11 shows atomic layer 105 being exposed to a fourth reactant. In one embodiment, fourth reactant 265 is a metal-containing substance or compound (e.g., a salt). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11 , fourth reactant 265 is zirconium chloride. Other suitable reactant substances and compounds include, but are not limited to, salts (e.g., chloride salts, fluoride salts, bromide salts, iodide salts, etc.) of titanium, aluminum, gallium, cesium, indium, haffiium, tantalum, praseodymium, niobium, scandium, cerium, lutetium and lanthanum. Fourth reactant 265 , in general, is a metal chloride or any other suitable metal-containing substance.
Layer 105 is exposed to fourth reactant 265 by immersing layer 105 into a bath containing fourth reactant 265 , spraying fourth reactant 265 over surface 107 of layer 105 , or any other method that substantially exposes layer 105 to fourth reactant 265 . The exposure time should be long enough to maximize the reaction between layer 105 and fourth reactant 265 . In one embodiment, layer 105 is exposed to fourth reactant 265 for about 0.1 to about 300 seconds, but because the reaction is self-limiting, a longer exposure time will not adversely affect dielectric layer formation.
As layer 105 is exposed to fourth reactant 265 , the hydroxyl moieties 255 on surface 107 of layer 105 begin to react with fourth reactant 265 to form, in this embodiment, ZrOZrCl 3 molecules 260 on surface 107 of layer 105 and free hydrochloric acid 275 . Hydrochloric acid 275 is either in a liquid or gaseous state and is dispersed away from layer 105 by a purge gas or vacuum in a chamber. Representatively, in a typical process to predominately or completely react hydroxyls 255 with fourth reactant 265 , layer 105 is, for example, placed in an immersion bath or sprayed for about 0.1 to about 300 seconds. As described, the reaction between hydroxyl moieties 255 and fourth reactant 265 is self-limiting in that there is limited available hydroxyls with which fourth reactant 265 may react. Therefore, increasing the exposure of layer 105 to fourth reactant 265 beyond a time period of complete saturation is acceptable.
During the reaction of hydroxyl moieties 255 and fourth reactant 265 dangling and reactant bonds can form. To reduce or minimize the number of these defective bonds, layer 105 is exposed to electromagnetic radiation 245 . Layer 105 may be exposed to electromagnetic radiation either while being exposed to fourth reactant 265 , after removal of layer 105 from a fourth reactant 265 —containing environment, or both during exposure to fourth reactant 265 and after removal from a fourth reactant 265 —containing environment. In one embodiment, layer 105 is exposed to electromagnetic radiation 245 for about 0.1 to about 180 seconds. As the defective bonds are exposed to electromagnetic radiation 245 , the defective bonds become excited and rise to a greater energy level.
Sufficient exposure to electromagnetic radiation 245 during, after or both during and after exposure to fourth reactant 265 allows layer 105 to become substantially defect-free. Layer 105 is substantially defect free because defective bonds that may have formed are excited by the electromagnetic radiation to a higher energy level causing the defect bonds to be more likely to react with a precursor to form non-defective sites, in this case, Zr—O bonds on the substrate. Thus, defect bonds are reduced or minimized since the reaction essentially replaces the undesired bonds on the layer with desirable bonds.
FIG. 12 shows layer 105 in a reactant-saturated state. In this state, surface 107 of layer 105 containing ZrO(OH) bonds has reacted with the reactant to form ZrOZrCl 3 260 molecules on surface 107 of layer 105
FIG. 13 shows surface 107 of layer 105 saturated with ZrOZrCl 3 molecules 260 after purging the reactant. After surface 107 of layer 105 is saturated with ZrOZrCl 3 molecules 260 , layer 105 is removed from the reactant-containing environment and possibly dried. After layer 105 is dried, ZrOZrCl 3 molecule-saturated layer 105 is exposed to another reactant.
FIG. 14 shows ZrOZrCl 3 molecule-saturated layer 105 being exposed to a fifth reactant. In one embodiment, fifth reactant 350 is an oxygen source. In another embodiment, fifth reactant 350 is ammonia. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 14 , the oxygen source is H 2 O. Other suitable oxygen sources include, but are not limited to, oxygen gas, ozone, peroxide and ammonium hydroxide.
In this embodiment, when ZrOZrCl 3 molecules on surface 107 of layer 105 are exposed to fifth reactant 350 , a reaction occurs forming ZrOZr(OH)Cl 2 molecules 355 on surface 107 of layer 105 and free HCl molecules 375 . In embodiments where third reactant 250 is ammonia, a reaction occurs forming ZrNZrCl 2 NH 2 molecules on surface 107 of layer 105 and free HCl molecules 375 .
Hydrochloric acid 375 is either in a liquid or gaseous state and is dispersed away from layer 105 by a purge gas or vacuum in a chamber. Representatively, in a typical process to predominately or completely react ZrOZrCl 3 molecules with fifth reactant 350 , layer 105 is, for example, placed in an immersion bath or sprayed for about 0.1 to about 300 seconds. As described, the reaction between ZrOZrCl 3 molecules and fifth reactant 350 is self-limiting in that there is limited available ZrOZrCl 3 molecules with which fifth reactant 350 may react. Therefore, increasing the exposure of layer 105 to fifth reactant 350 beyond a time period of complete saturation is acceptable.
FIG. 15 shows the surface of layer 105 after fifth reactant 350 has fully reacted with the ZrOZrCl 3 molecules. After the ZrOZrCl 3 molecules have fully reacted with fifth reactant 350 , surface 107 of layer 105 has become saturated with ZrOZr(OH) 3 molecules 355 while forming additional free HCl molecules in a reaction represented by the equations:
ZrOZr(OH)Cl 2 +2 H 2 O→ZrOZr(OH) 3 +2HCl ZrOZr(OH) 2 Cl+ZrOZr(OH) 3 →ZrOZr(OH) 2 −μO—(OH) 2 ZrOZr+HCl
FIG. 16 shows a finished second atomic layer formed by an ALD process after layer 105 has been removed from the reactant-containing environment. Second layer 110 is formed of ZrO molecules 370 having OH molecules 355 bonded to ZrO molecules 370 . Layer 110 is now prepared and capable of having an atomic layer formed upon it.
The process of forming individual layers upon previous layers may be repeated until the number of desired layers and/or film thickness is reached. As each layer is deposited without defects, overall device integrity and manufacturing yield increases.
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of embodiments of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. | An atomic layer deposition process that reduces defective bonds formed when depositing atomic layers on a substrate or atomic layer when forming an integrated circuit device. As the layers are formed, a substrate or previous layer is exposed to a first reactant. After the substrate or layer has reacted with the first reactant, the substrate or layer is exposed to a second reactant. During or after exposure to the second reactant, electromagnetic radiation is applied to the substrate or layer. The electromagnetic radiation excites any defective bonds that may form in the deposition process to an energy level high enough to cause the elements forming the defective bonds to react with other elements contained in the second reactant. The reaction forms desirable bonds which attach to the substrate or previous layer to form an additional new layer. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for aiding the accurate placement or setting of ceramic-type tile. This invention has particular application for setting wall tile and may be advantageously used for setting floor tile.
The use of ceramic-type tile such as porcelain tile, quarry tile or glazed earthenware tiles for floors and walls has become increasingly popular because of their durability, traditional quality, and richness of appearance. Many people have become disenchanted with synthetic materials that imitate nautral earthen tiles, and have installed natural tiles themselves, using the new mastics, grouts and convenient tile cutting equipment provided by tile supplies. It is therefore unfortunate that results are often uneven and unprofessional looking, simply because of irregularities in spacing and alignment. Often such irregularities are not readily apparent during the tile setting procedure and do not readily become discernable until after the tiles have been grouted.
While temporary spacer insets have been devised for insertion between adjacent tiles to obtain uniform spacing, such spacers do not assure continual alignment, and may accumulate spacing or alignment inconsistencies and carry them from course to course. Further, insets do not function well on vertical walls where they may become dislodged.
In order to solve difficulties in placing tiles certain cooperative apparatus was devised to effectively and efficiently set tile. The apparatus is designed for the professional level in tile setting. The professional level tile setter will vastly increase his productivity achieving more accurate placement of tile with substantial savings in time. The apparatus is also particularly suitable for use by the amature tile setter where a professional appearing job is desired. Because the apparatus can be inexpensively manufactured, it is a minor additional expense, which is justified by the substantial saving in the time to complete a project.
The apparatus can be supplied in kit form, sized for a particular tile with replaceable rail elements sized for tiles of different dimension or for variations in the spacing between tiles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The tile setting apparatus of this invention comprises a plurality of components useable in whole or in part for setting tile. The apparatus is particularly adapted for setting wall tile, but may be used in part to set floor and ceiling tile. The apparatus is preferably supplied in kit form with a plurality of components that cooperate to facilitate the tile setting procedure and produce a professional result.
The tile setting kit includes a starter rack for a starter row of tile comprising a flat straight edge of thickness equal to the desired spacing between tiles. The straight edge has a series of perpendicularly disposed teeth along one face displaced the width of a tile for positioning tile on the straight edge. The rack is placed, for example, on the floor against a wall for starting a course of tile along the base of the wall. The teeth have a thickness equal to the desired grout space between adjacent tiles.
The primary working component of the kit is a moveable tile fence having a replaceable spacer rail with transverse teeth projecting from both faces of the rail. The tile fence is horizontally oriented with the spacer rail disposed along the top edges of a course of set tile. The downwardly projecting portions of the teeth are inserted in the spaces between adjacent tiles. The orientation of the tile fence is maintained by a support means comprising a pair of brackets with suction pads that engage the faces of two tiles in the set course. The tile fence has a bubble level incorporated in the structure of the fence to indicate the degree of level in the set course and permit corrective adjustment in the fence orientation. In this manner the next course of tiles set along the rail will continue to be true.
Tiles are rapidly set by a tile gun which comprises an important part of the tile kit, but which has other common uses. The tile gun is constructed with a handle and a barrel having a suction pad at the end of the barrel. The tile gun includes a suction release means that breaks the hold of the suction pad with minimum disturbance. Because a tile when gripped by the suction pad and pressed against a tile setting mastic is easily disoriented on the uncured mastic, the preferred release means is a controlled air passage to the underside of a suction cup which is regulated by a trigger operated valve. While a lift ring on the periphery of a suction cup works satisfactorily for most applications, such as the tile fence support, it is not as effective as the air passage means for rapid tile placement on a fresh mastic where a clean release is desired to prevent shift in the tile.
Since the use of the tile fence and tile setting gun substantially reduces the time to set a course of tiles, the mastic often has not cured sufficiently to support the fence and a new course of tiles without migration. To solve this problem, a pair of spacer units are provided which can be installed under the tiles on which the tile fence suction pads are engaged. The spacer units include a support structure with a suction pad to engage the face of a tile on which a spacer element is disposed in the space between the supporting tile and the above tile.
While a suction pad, and in particular a single suction cup is preferred as the engaging element for the tile fence and spacer units because of its particular adaptability for vertical surfaces, other means such as contact adhesive means or wide clamping means may be employed as mechanisms to grip a set tile. It is, of course, understood that for floor or counter top work where tiles are horizontally set, this gripping action is not needed and simple bracing structures may be used.
In order to maximize the utility of the tile setting kit, the preferred support means for orienting the fence is adapted for use of the fence on walls as well as floors. Setting tiles on walls has heretofore been a more challenging job than setting tiles on floors. Using the tile setting kit of this invention, setting tiles on all surfaces is substantially easier with improved results.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tile setting apparatus in typical use.
FIG. 2 is a bottom view, partially fragmented, of the tile setting fence.
FIG. 3 is an end elevated view of the fence of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the starter rack.
FIG. 5 is a top view of the spacer unit.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the spacer unit taken on the lines 6--6 in FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the tile gun.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the tile gun.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the perspective view of FIG. 1, the tile setting apparatus designated generally by the reference numeral 10 is shown in typical use for setting tile 12 on a wall 14. The tile setting apparatus 10 is preferably supplied in kit form with four primary components. A starter rack 16 is provided for setting the first course 18 of tiles 12. A moveable fence 20 is provided for setting each subsequent course, and is shown above the second course 22 for setting the third course 24 in the typical example of FIG. 1. For placement of individual tiles, a tile gun 26 is provided. The tile gun 26 grips the surface 28 of a tile 12, and permits the tile to be moved into position and set against a mastic 30 on the wall before the tile is released from the gun 26. Spacer units 32 are provided as a fourth component to the tile setting kit. The spacer units 32 are installed on the set tiles under the tile fence 20 to prevent weight of the fence from dislodging or dislocating tiles that have been previously set. These components are described in greater detail with further reference to the other figures of the drawings.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the starter rack 16 is simply constructed with an elongated straight edge 34 and a series of perpendicularly disposed, triangular spacer teeth 36. The thickness of the straight edge and width of the teeth conform to the desired grouting space between tiles. The displacement between teeth corresponds to the width of the tiles being set. The inexpensive construction of the starter rack permits a variety of different size racks to be made available to allow the user to select an appropriate rack for the size of tile and grouting space desired. It is contemplated that the kit include several popular sizes, with specialty sizes available from a supplier.
The tile setting fence 20 is constructed with an elongated frame structure 38 to which is attached a removable and replaceable rail 40. The rail 40 is similarly constructed to the rack 16 with an elongated straight edge 41 of thickness corresponding to the desired tile grouting space, and a series of transverse teeth 42 which project from both sides of the straight edge. The teeth 42 have a lower portion 44 engageable in the vertical spaces between the completed course 22 of tiles and have an upper projecting portion 46 which provide the guides and spacers for the course 24 being set. A stop bar 48 between the teeth prevent the straight edge 40 from contacting the mastic, and assists in maintaining the perpendicular disposition of the fence 20 with respect to the set tiles.
The tile setting fence 20 is maintained in position by a support means comprising a pair of brace units 50. Each brace unit has a dowel 52 projecting from the frame structure 38 with a suction mount 53 attached thereto. A suction pad 54 is fastened to the end of the mount 53 which is positioned on the dowel 52 to locate the pad 54 over the flat surface of a tile. A post 56 is connected to the end of the dowel 52 and is directed alongside the suction mount and pad to insure that the fence 20 is maintained perpendicular to the set tiles.
Installed on the center of the frame structure 38 of the fence 20 is a bubble level 58. The bubble level 58 ordinarily indicates that the frame member is level when the bubble is centered. However, the level includes adjustment screws 60 for altering the orientation of the level with respect to the frame structure 38 where the work performed is along a rise, as is common in tunnel work.
The rail 40 is fastened to the frame structure 38 by screws 61 to permit the rail 40 to be removed and replaced by other similarly constructed rails of different dimension to accomodate tiles of different size.
The spacer units 32 are provided to insure support of the tile setting fence 20. Since tiles are rapidly placed using the described apparatus, the mastic 30 may not have set sufficiently to hold a tile with the added weight of the fence 20 in beginning a new course, and prevent downward drift of the tile and fence by plastic flow of the mastic. A spacer unit 32 is therefore inserted in the grout space under the tile to which the suction pad is adhered. The spacer unit has a spacer rail 62 the width of a tile which is inserted in the horizontal grout space, and two end teeth 64 which are inserted in a portion of the vertical juncture spaces at the sides of the tile. A stop bar 66 prevents the spacer rail and end teeth from penetrating too deeply in the grout spaces to become fouled with the mastic. The stop bar, spacer rail and end teeth are connected to a bracket 68. The bracket 68 has a support brace 70 to which is mounted a strut 72 connected to a suction pad 74. The suction pad 74 has an internal metal inset 76 which threadably engages the threaded end of the strut 72. The suction pad 74 has a tab 78 located on the periphery of the circular cup 80 with a pull ring 82 for releasing the suction when the pad is engaged on a tile by lifting the edge of the cup.
The tile gun 26 is constructed to place tiles quickly and accurately. The design of the tile gun allows tiles to be placed with one hand without directly handling the tile on its edges with the resultant incidental finger contact in the mastic as occasionally is encountered using conventional procedures.
The tile gun is basically constructed with a hand grip structure 84, a suction pad 86 and an air relief mechanism 88. While a pull ring and tab relief similar to that on the spacer unit may be adapted for the tile gun, it is preferred that a more sophisticated relief be used to insure a tile being set is accurately placed and released without disturbance. The particular components selected for the basic unit may be varied as illustrated by the exemplar alternate embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8.
The tile guns shown in the alternate embodiments are mechanical in structure. It is to be understood that equivalent pneumatic, hydralic or electrical components may be substituted for the mechanical structure shown in the figures for triggering the release.
Referring to FIG. 7, the hand grip structure 84 comprises a handle 90 that is connected at one end to an elongated pad post 92. The suction pad 86 has an inset 94 that is threaded to the other end of the pad post 92. The air relief mechanism 88 includes a thumb trigger 96 in a pivot mount 98 on the handle 90. The thumb trigger is linked by a stud and nut assembly 100 to a lift rod 102, that is retained in a bore 104 concentrically located in the pad post. At the end of the lift rod 102 is a flaired seal 106 which engages a seat 108 at the end of the bore 104. The lift rod 102 is biased by a spring 110, that engages a collar 112 on the lift rod and directs the seal 106 against the seat 108 to close an air relief passage 114. The air relief passage passes through the wall of the post to the bore and down through the seat 108, inset 94 and pad 86 allowing the suction of underside 116 of the pad 86 an air relief when the lift rod 102 is displaced, lifting the seal from the seat, on depression of the thumb trigger.
Referring to the alternate embodiment of FIG. 8, the hand grip structure 84 comprises a similar handle 118 that is connected to a pad post 120 with a suction pad 86 connected thereto. The air relief mechanism 88 includes a thumb operated striker button 122 on the handle. The striker button 122 is threaded to a rod 124 and biased by a spring 126. The rod 124 extends through an O-ring seal 128 into a bore 130 in the pad post 120 to contact a ball 132. The ball 132 is biased by a spring 133 against a seat 134 in the bore 130 to seal an air passage 136 from outside of the pad post to the underside 116 of the pad 86 in the same manner as the previously described embodiment. Upon depressing the button 122, the ball 132 is displaced from the seat and an air relief is provided to the underside of the suction pad 86.
The air relief mechanism therefore comprises an air relief passage to the underside of the suction pad and a valve device in the air relief passage that is operated by a trigger to open the passage.
In this manner, the suction grip holding a tile to the tile gun is released, permitting accurate placement of a tile. It can be appreciated that the tile gun is useful for picking up and moving a variety of objects, for example, cans in a packed box, hot plates, glass, or other items of relatively smooth and flat surface.
While in the foregoing embodiments of the present invention have been set forth in considerable detail for the purposes of making a complete disclosure of the invention, it may be apparent to those of skill in the art that numerous changes may be made in such detail without deparating from the spirit and principles of the invention. | A tile setting kit for uniform placement of ceramic-type tiles, particularly for setting tiles on a vertical surface. The tile setting kit includes a starter rack with uniformly displaced spacers for the first course of tiles; an elongated guide frame having replaceable spacer rails with a plurality of uniformly spaced cross teeth arranged in accordance with selected size tile, the frame having further a bubble level for tile course alignment and a support structure with a brace arm and suction attachment that engages the adjacent lower course of set tiles; a spacer unit with suction attachment for support under the adjacent lower course to prevent slippage; and, a tile gun with a releasable suction grip for picking up and placing individual tiles. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for supplying an operating voltage to a number of connectable and detachable circuit units from an operating voltage source.
Connectable and detachable circuit units include circuits such as subscriber terminal circuits or groups of subscriber terminal circuits as used in telephone switching exchanges. Generally, a common voltage transformer supplies an operating voltage of approximately 5 volts to the circuit units.
In applications involving circuit units there is a need to exchange an older unit with a newer unit or connect additional units without disturbing the operation of the other existing units. Such additional connections are difficult, because the units also contain capacitors. The capacitors need to be charged. Therefore in the first moment of the connection, an increased load of the operating voltage occurs due to charging processes of the capacitors. In situations where the current efficiency of the voltage transformer is limited, the supply lines to the voltage transformers are not generally low-resistance, and a rapid compensation of the current surge cannot be carried out problem free, thus a dip in the operating voltage is expected. At a supply voltage of 5 V, a typical voltage dip lies in the range from 0.3 to 0.7 V, and the time duration lies in the microsecond (μs) range.
Switching circuits used in the subscriber terminal circuits operate securely only in the range from 4.5 to 5.5 V. In this voltage range disturbances in the operation of the circuit units often occurs. A possible solution to this problem is to provide the circuit units with what is called a leading contact pin. A special voltage is applied to the leading contact during the connection and before the actual operating voltage is applied. The special voltage charges the capacitors of the unit in a delayed fashion. The special voltage is derived from the normal operating voltage and is supplied via a centrally provided inductor to the charge pulse.
In the unit itself, a diode decouples the mentioned special voltage from the standard operating voltage. This solution is undesirable because of the high costs associated with the special contacts, the central coil and the decoupling diodes.
If a decoupling diode is defective, i.e. it is short-circuited or interrupted, the operation of the circuit is adversely affected. Even in units that are not sensitive to the voltage dips, but cause such voltage dips, it is not possible to forego the mentioned individual measures if overall a combination of units existing in the system that are sensitive to operating voltage dips.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a circuit arrangement in which a switching means activates a common operating voltage source to temporarily supply an operating voltage to all the circuit units. The operating voltage is increased for a time interval in relation to the normal value provided for the addition of circuit units to the system or the exchange in circuit units. During a dip in the operating voltage due to the charging of the capacitors within the added units, the operating voltage maintains a value that ensures proper operation of all the units.
Another object of the invention is to omit individual switching measures, such as leading contact pins and decoupling diodes.
A further object of the invention is to efficiently reduce the current necessary in a circuit arrangement due to the increased operating voltage from the outset and over the entire duration of operation.
A further object of the invention is to provide a circuit arrangement where the increase in the operating voltage can be initiated manually by using a switch, or automatically by sensing the motion of the unit into its final position as it is newly connected to the source of the operating voltage, which causes the increased operating voltage.
A further object of the invention is to provide construct a circuit arrangement where the respective degree of the increase in the operating voltage is made dependent on the total number of units supplied by the operating voltage so that as the number of units connected to the voltage source increases, the connection of an additional unit has less influence on the overall system.
A further object of the invention is to reduce power loss from an operating state in which no unit is connected to the power supply by lowering the operating voltage in relation to the normal voltage value.
In the following, the invention is explained in more detail on the basis of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a known circuit arrangement.
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the circuit arrangement according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As shown in FIG. 1, an operating voltage source DCC commonly supplies an operating voltage V O to a plurality of connectable and detachable circuit units SLM0 to SLM7. The circuit units SLM0 to SLM7, which may for example be subscriber terminal circuits of a telephone switching system, are connected to an output of the operating voltage source DCC via terminal contacts P and a supply line NV. A normal supply voltage, which may be 5 V, is supplied via the supply line NV.
Signaling information is transmitted to the circuit units via a line Si and terminal contacts S. The contacts P are, if necessary, leading to provide appropriate voltage in relation to the contacts S, in order to ensure that a signaling operation occurs only if the operating voltage V O is properly applied.
During the connecting of new circuit units or during the reconnecting after an exchange in circuit units, a special operating voltage V SP with an increased value, for charging capacitors C is supplied via contacts Q, which are leading contacts in relation to the contacts P, and via an additional supply line VL by the operating voltage source DCC.
FIG. 1 also shows, as a component of the circuit units SLM0 to SLM7, diodes D for decoupling the special voltage V SP from the actual normal supply voltage V.
In the additional supply line VL, a switching means is provided by an inductor L that is arranged in a central position and bridged by a diode Di. This switching means is supposed to provide an increase in voltage so that the charge surge during the contacting of the leading contacts Q remains relatively small.
FIG. 2 shows a circuit arrangement according to the invention in which the additional supply line VL with the inserted inductance L and the leading contact pins Q of the known circuit arrangement in FIG. 1 are omitted. In this circuit arrangement a control unit ST is connected to the voltage supply source DCC. When an additional circuit unit is connected to the voltage source or a unit is reconnected to the voltage source after an exchange from an older circuit unit to a newer circuit unit, the control unit ST ensures that the operating voltage source DCC supplies an increased operating voltage of approximately 5.3 V to the units SLM0 to SLM7 via the supply line NV/VL, instead of the normal operating voltage of 5 V. This increased voltage V O is low enough to be handled by the components within the circuit units SLM0 to SLM7, and yet above the normal operating voltage so that the voltage dip (e.g. 4.6 V), which occurs when the units are connected to the voltage source in order to charge the capacitors contained therein, does not lead to a dip in the operating voltage that causes an adverse effect on the operation of the units. The transition from the normal operating voltage to the increased operating voltage V O is a slow one so that the circuit units which are already in operation are not disturbed.
Additionally the control unit ST ensures that the operating voltage V O gradually returns to the normal voltage value after a predetermined time period which is sufficient to carry out either the connection process or the detachment process.
According to the design of the invention, the degree in which the operating voltage increases is preferably made dependent on the number of units SLM0 to SLM7 already connected. The increase in operating voltage is smaller when more units are already connected to the operating voltage source DCC. During connection of a very first circuit unit SLM0, the increase in operating voltage is almost negligible (or even nonexistent).
The control unit ST derives the required degree of increase in the operating voltage V O from the current value of current consumption at the voltage source DCC.
A manual switch S is used to activate the increased operating voltage output. However, in an alternative embodiment, the control unit ST can also sense the motion of units to be connected into their final position automatically by using sensors, such as photosensors PS. In this embodiment, the increase in operating voltage is triggered by the corresponding sensor signal.
Another possibility is to make the triggering of the increase in operating voltage dependent on the plugging in of a grounding strip (not shown). In order to avoid static discharges while an operator is working on a module, work guidelines require a grounding strip be used to connect the operator with a grounding frame. If such a connection is omitted during the plugging in of a module, a voltage dip will result in the named variant, and a voltage monitor (which is present in any case)will operate to reset the already-plugged modules. In this way, the named variant of the invention additionally serves for the monitoring of the proper behavior of the operating personnel.
In an operating state in which no unit is yet connected, it can be useful to lower the operating voltage below the normal operating value. The lowered operating voltage however still lies far enough above the allowable minimum value so that this minimum value is not reached during other voltage fluctuations, i.e. fluctuations not associated with the connection of units. As a result, the power loss can be reduced.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, those of skill in the art will recognize that changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. | A circuit arrangement that controls the increase in voltage output of an operating voltage source such that a voltage dip during connection (or reconnection after repair) of a pluggable unit remains higher than the minimum allowable value and controls the decrease in voltage output to a normal operating voltage after a predetermined time interval. The increase can occur manually by a switch or automatically thru the use of sensors. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present invention relates to the technical field of sludge treatment, and more especially, to a wastewater treatment system and the method thereof.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] With the rapid advance of the industrialization and the growth of the population, water pollution is worsening dramatically, exacerbating the shortage of already scarce freshwater resources that are being made unavailable to people. According to recent statistics, there are over two thousand kinds of water-borne contaminants, mainly organic matter, carbides, heavy metals and pathogenic microorganisms. For example, the Hai River, Huai River and Liao River in North China, are black and stinky, looking like large drainage ditches. In South China, Tai Lake, Chao Lake and Tien Lake suffer from severe eutrophication due to collection of large quantity of organic-polluted water, thereby often losing their utility values due to algae outbreak. At present, the annual sewage discharge in China is about 30 billion tons, 70%-80% of which is discharged without any pretreatment. Thus, China has a capacity to treat only around 20% of polluted water. Water pollution is still worsening, spreading from tributaries to main streams, from cities to countrysides, from earth surface to underground, and from land to sea.
[0005] The troublesome wastewaters, such as chemical wastewater, petrochemical wastewater, coking wastewater, garbage dump seepage, pharmaceutical wastewater, cyanide-containing electroplating wastewater and grinding wastewater, contain a large amount of biologically toxic matters and organic matters, which are very difficult to biodegrade. The organic matters contain complex constituents and have high COD (chemical oxygen demand). Therefore, the aforementioned wastewaters are very difficult to treat. Environmentalists have been working hard to explore methods for treating heavily polluted industrial wastewaters that are difficult to treat. Currently, the UV-catalyzed oxidation process is the most commonly investigated, wherein a vacuum UV generator is used to emit high-intensity ultraviolet rays. The high-energy photons, through direct photolysis, break the chemical bonds of organic matters in wastewaters and mineralize them. At the same time, the high-energy photons can also sensitize difficult-to-degrade organic matters to convert them into unstable sensitized states conducive to further degradation. Then, the organic matters are catalytically oxidized under the action of catalysts and hydrogen peroxide. At the same time, ultraviolet light, catalysts and oxidants are introduced to produce synergistic effects, generating free radicals of hydroxyl, oxygen ions and the like, which can decompose organic pollutants in highly-concentrated wastewater into CO 2 , water and other harmless constituents, while deodorizing, decolorizing, sterilizing and disinfecting the wastewater. This process can be used to attack various organic pollutants and microorganisms in wastewater until they are degraded into CO 2 , H 2 O and inorganic salts. However, many such wastewater treatment systems have stringent requirements for reaction conditions, are costly, and the treatment effects are unpredictable.
[0006] At present, the available methods for troublesome wastewater treatment include the Fenton process, the catalytic ozone oxidation process, the microwave process, the electrolytic catalysis process, the incineration process, the activated sludge process, the membrane treatment process, and other biological methods. The Fenton process, typically used in research and experiments, is a wastewater treatment method that involves chemical oxidation under acidic conditions with hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) as an oxidant and ferrous ions (Fe 2+ ) as a catalyst. The system composed of ferrous ions and hydrogen peroxide, which are also called Fenton's reagent, can generate hydroxyl free radicals with strong oxidizing property. In an aqueous solution, the system reacts with difficult-to-degrade organic matters to generate organic free radicals to destroy their structure and finally decompose them. In addition, Fe(OH) 3 generated in the reaction can remove certain water-borne organic matters by flocculation and absorption. However, the Fenton process has some drawbacks, such as occupying a large area, involving complicated chemical feeding and pipe connections, requiring demanding reaction conditions, requiring high chemical consumption and costs, requiring unavoidable pH adjustment and precipitation after the reaction, generating a large volume of sludge and hazardous wastes, requiring stringent chemical dosing proportion during operation, and having unpredictable treatment effects, that restrict the industrialization and large-scale application of Fenton process.
[0007] The ozone-based advanced oxidation wastewater remediation process, which is a special chemical remediation technique, refers to a process, in which ozone decomposes to generate hydroxyl free radicals •OH and a series of •OH chain reactions induced by hydroxyl free radicals that oxidize a variety of water-borne organic pollutants and difficult-to-degrade polymeric organic substances from microorganisms into small molecular substances of low or no toxicity, under conditions of high temperature, high pressure and in the presence of electricity, sound, light radiation and catalysts. The wastewater control equipment of ozone oxidation is mainly based on the catalytic oxidation techniques, and consists of an ozone generation apparatus, an ozone oxidation reactor for wastewater treatment, and other apparatus that are connect in series based on the treatment processes to form integrated wastewater treatment equipment. The current ozone oxidation treatment processes have low ozone utilization efficiencies, and therefore there is a high probability of residual ozone remaining, leading to secondary pollution in the environment. In addition, the high cost and low-flow treatment of such processes render them not suitable for large-scale applications.
[0008] Therefore, it is an urgent issue in environmental protection to find a high-efficiency wastewater treatment system and the method that would not cause secondary pollutions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide a wastewater treatment system using the ozone catalytic oxidation process that would not cause secondary pollutions and methods thereof.
[0010] To solve the technical problem above, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: A wastewater treatment system, comprising a wastewater pump, a tilted-plate catalytic tower, a first centrifugal pump, a first injector, a first oxygen generator, an ozone generator, a first catalytic reactor, a first heat exchanger, a packed catalytic tower, an aeration biological tower, and a water storage tank;
[0011] Wherein the wastewater pump, the tilted-plate catalytic tower, the first injector, the first oxygen generator, the first catalytic reactor, the first heat exchanger, the packed catalytic tower, the aeration biological tower and the water storage tank are all provided with inlets and outlets;
[0012] Wherein the outlet of the wastewater pump is connected with the first inlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower by a pipe; the first outlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower is connected with the inlet of the first centrifugal pump by a pipe; the outlet of the first centrifugal pump is connected with the first inlet of the first injector by a pipe;
[0013] Wherein the outlet of the first oxygen generator is connected with the inlet of the first ozone generator by a pipe; the output of the first ozone generator is connected with the second inlet of the first injector by a pipe; the outlet of the first injector is connected with the inlet of the first catalytic reactor by a pipe; the outlet of the first catalytic reactor is connected with the inlet of the first heat exchanger by a pipe; the outlet of the first heat exchanger is connected with the second inlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower by a pipe, the second outlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower is connected with the inlet of the packed catalytic tower by a pipe, the outlet of the packed catalytic tower is connected with the first inlet of the aeration biological tower by a pipe, and the outlet of the aeration biological tower is connected with the inlet of the water storage tank by a Pipe.
[0014] Further, the outlet of the water storage tank is provided with a sampling opening: the first oxygen generator is a first molecular-sieve oxygen generator; and the first injector is a first Venturi mixer.
[0015] The wastewater treatment system also comprises a cooling system that comprises a cooling water tank, a first circulating pump, a first heat exchanger, and a first ozone generator connected in turns by a pipe to form a cooling water circulating loop. The side of the first heat exchanger that contacts wastewater is applied with a catalyst coating for speeding up the catalytic oxidation of wastewater.
[0016] The wastewater treatment system also comprises an air blower, and the second inlet of the aeration biological tower is connected with the outlet of the air blower by a pipe. The wastewater treatment system also comprises a bouncer for changing the direction of the incoming ozone-containing water and enlarging the area of the same and a filter.
[0017] The first outlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower is provided with a filter, and the bouncer is arranged between the first ozone generator and the first Venturi mixer. The ozone intake of the first Venturi mixer is regulated by the flow of the first centrifugal pump and the valve on the pipe.
[0018] The wastewater pump is a submersible pump or a centrifugal wastewater pump. The pipe for connecting the wastewater pump and the tilted-plate catalytic tower is provided with a pressure controller and a flow controller.
[0019] Further, the first oxygen generator is provided with an air compressor, and the second inlet of the aeration biological tower is connected with the second outlet of the first oxygen generator by a pipe. The first outlet of the first oxygen generator is connected with the inlet of the first ozone generator by a pipe. An aeration network and an aeration tray are provided at the second inlet of the aeration biological tower, and a porous packing is provided in the aeration biological tower. Particle packing of inert noble metal powders are provided in the packed catalytic tower, and the specific surface area of the particle packing is 0.1-100 m 2 /g. Multiple layers of tilted folded-plates are provided in the aeration biological tower, and the projections of the folded plates overlap. The included angle between each layer of the folded plates and the central axis of the tower body is 30-89°.
[0020] Furthermore, the first heat exchanger is a plate-type heat exchanger or a shell-and-tube heat exchanger. The projection length of the folded plates of the aeration biological tower exceeds the length of the central axis of the tower body by 5-500 mm. The retention time of the mixture in the wastewater treatment system is longer than 10 s. The wastewater pump, the tilted-plate catalytic tower, the first centrifugal pump, the first Venturi mixer, the first oxygen generator, the first ozone generator, the second catalytic reactor, the first heat exchanger, the packed catalytic tower, the aeration biological tower, the air compressor, and the water storage tank are installed together in a first enclosure, and one or more first enclosure is provided and connected in series by a pipe.
[0021] A wastewater treatment method applied in the wastewater treatment system according to the present invention includes the following steps:
[0022] (1) performing pretreatment, absorption and precipitation of the wastewater; then allowing the wastewater to enter the tilted-plate catalytic tower, which has a function of divergence through the wastewater pump. Some wastewater enters the first centrifugal pump from the first outlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower, and the rest remains in the tilted-plate catalytic tower after divergence by the tilted-plate catalytic tower;
[0023] (2) transporting the wastewater to the first Venturi mixer through the pump at a certain speed, and the first Venturi mixer produces negative pressure to take in ozone produced by the first ozone generator and form a mixture of ozone and wastewater;
[0024] (3) after mixing in the first Venturi mixer, introducing the mixture into the second catalytic reactor through pipes, allowing the mixture to fully contact the catalyst coating in the second catalytic reactor to undergo an oxidation-reduction reaction under the catalysis of the catalyst;
[0025] (4) introducing the product of the oxidation-reduction reaction into the tilted-plate catalytic tower though the first heat exchanger, and the ozone and the oxygen remaining in the reaction mixes with the wastewater that does not enter the second catalytic reactor;
[0026] (5) introducing the reaction product into the packed catalytic tower through the second outlet of the tilted-plate catalytic power, and the remaining ozone and oxygen undergo a full oxidation-reduction reaction with the wastewater;
[0027] (6) introducing the reaction product into the aeration biological tower through the outlet of the packed catalytic tower. After treatment by the aeration biological tower, the water flows into the water storage tank which is provided with a sampling opening at the outlet for the purpose of sampling and testing at the outlet.
[0028] The tilted-plate catalytic tower of the wastewater treatment system according to the present invention comprises first feet, and the body of a tilted-plate catalytic tower is provided on the first feet. The body of the tilted-plate catalytic tower comprises a first tower bottom, and a first packing layer and a first tower top from bottom to top. The first tower bottom has an end cover of the first tower bottom at the bottom and has an ozone-containing water inlet and a wastewater inlet on the side walls. The end cover of the tower bottom is attached with a first emptying valve. The packing layer is filled with solid packing of catalysts. The first tower top is provided with an end cover of the first tower top and is provided with a wastewater outlet at its one side wall. A divergence wastewater outlet is provided below the wastewater inlet on the side wall of the first tower bottom.
[0029] Furthermore, the divergence wastewater outlet is provided with a filter mesh made of stainless steel. The end of the L-shaped wastewater inlet is connected with a trumpet mouth facing downward and opposite the filter. The end covers of the first tower bottom and the first tower top are arc-shaped. The body of the tilted-plate catalytic tower is made of stainless steel. The L-shaped ozone-containing water inlet is provided with a bouncer. Packing support plates are provided in the first packing layer, and solid packings, which are folded plates or tilted plates with rough surfaces, are loaded on the support plates. The surfaces are applied with an inert noble metal catalyst. The angle between the folded plates or tilted-plates is 80-90°. The packing layer is filled with the solid packings, which are arranged in multiple layers. The wastewater outlet is connected with a T-adaptor and provided with a sampling opening.
[0030] A packed catalytic tower of the wastewater treatment system according to the present invention comprises a second feet, and the body of a packed catalytic tower is provided on the second feet. The body of the packed catalytic tower comprises a water incoming segment, a supporting layer, a second packing layer, and a clean-water outgoing segment from the bottom to the top. The water incoming segment comprises a second tower bottom, and the second tower bottom has an end cover of the second tower bottom at the bottom. The end cover of the tower bottom is attached with a second emptying valve. The second packing layer is filled with packings and has a first water outlet on the upper end of one side wall. Folded plates are provided in the second packing layer, and one end of the folded plates are attached to the inner wall of the second packing layer, while the other end tilts downward. The clean-water outgoing segment comprises a second tower top, which has an end cover of the second tower top, and the end cover is provided with a packing filling opening.
[0031] Further, the body of the packed catalytic tower is made of stainless steel. The end covers of the first tower bottom and the first tower top are arc-shaped. The supporting layer is a round plate, which is evenly arranged with round holes or square holes with a diameter or side length of 4-10 mm and is made of stainless steel. The packings in the second packing layer are porous particle packings with a particle size of greater than 10 mm, and their surfaces are applied with an inert noble metal catalyst. Multiple layers of folded plates are alternately arranged in the second packing layer. The projections of the folded plates in the horizontal plane overlap, and the projection length of each layer of the folded plates in the horizontal plane exceeds the length of the central axis of the tower body by 5-500 mm. The angle between each layer of the folded plates and the central axis of the tower body is 30-89°. The first water outlet is connected with a T-adaptor and provided with a sampling opening. The first water outlet is connected with a backwash pump.
[0032] A wastewater treatment system according to the present invention comprises a pump, a filtering mixer, a second injector, an ozone generating unit, a reactor, a second heat exchanger, and a revolving mixer.
[0033] The filtering mixer, the second injector, the ozone generating unit, the second reactor, the second heat exchanger, and the revolving mixer are all provided with inlets and outlets. The first outlet of the pump is connected with the first inlet of the filtering mixer by a pipe. The first outlet of the filtering mixer is connected with the first inlet of the second injector by a pipe.
[0034] The first outlet of the ozone generating unit is connected with the second inlet of the second injector by a pipe. The outlet of the second injector is connected with the inlet of the reactor by a pipe. The outlet of the reactor is connected with the first inlet of the second heat exchanger by a pipe. The first outlet of the second heat exchanger is connected with the second inlet of the filtering mixer by a pipe, and the second outlet of the filtering mixer is connected with the inlet of the revolving mixer by a pipe.
[0035] Further, the pump is a submersible pump. The wastewater treatment system also comprises a second centrifugal pump arranged between the filtering mixer and the second injector. The second centrifugal pump is provided with an inlet and an outlet. The first outlet of the filtering mixer is connected with the inlet of the second centrifugal pump by a pipe. The outlet of the second centrifugal pump is connected with the first inlet of the second injector by a pipe. The inner surface of the reactor, the inner and outer surfaces of the internal parts of the reactor, the inner surface of the second heat exchanger, the inner and outer surfaces of the internal parts of the second heat exchanger, and inner surface of the pipes are all applied with a noble metal catalyst coating.
[0036] Further, the reactor is a second catalytic reactor. A second oxygen generator and a second ozone generator are provided within an ozone generating unit and connected by a pipe. The outlet of the second oxygen generator is connected with the first inlet of the second ozone generator by a pipe. The first outlet of the second ozone generator is connected with the second inlet of the second injector by a pipe.
[0037] The second outlet of the second heat exchanger is connected with the second inlet of the second ozone generator by a pipe. The second outlet of the second ozone generator is connected with the inlet of the cooling water tank by a pipe. The outlet of the cooling water tank is connected with the inlet of the second circulating pump by a pipe. The outlet of the second circulating pump is connected with the second inlet of the second heat exchanger by a pipe. The second ozone generator, the cooling water tank, the second circulating pump and the second heat exchanger form a cooling water circulating system. The inside of the revolving mixer is applied with a catalyst coating on the granular porous ceramic surface. The second ozone generator is provided with a cooling chamber. The second injector is a second Venturi mixer, and one or more second catalytic reactors are provided and are connected in series by a pipe.
[0038] Furthermore, the submersible pump, the second centrifugal pump, the ozone generating unit, the second injector and the second catalytic reactor are installed together in a second enclosure. One or more second enclosures are provided and connected in series by a pipe. The second inlet of the filtering mixer is provided with a filter. A gas flow meter is provided on the pipe for connecting the ozone generating unit and the second catalytic reactor. The retention time of the mixture in the second catalytic reactor is from 10 s to 500 s.
[0039] A wastewater treatment method used in a wastewater treatment system according to the present invention includes the following steps:
[0040] (1) performing pretreatment, absorption and precipitation of the wastewater;
[0041] (2) allowing the wastewater to enter the filtering mixer, which has the function of diverter, through the submersible pump;
[0042] (3) after diversion by the filtering mixer, introducing a portion of wastewater into the second centrifugal pump from the outlet of the filtering mixer, and the remaining portion of the wastewater remains in the filtering mixer;
[0043] (4) introducing the wastewater into the second injector through the second centrifugal pump at a selected speed, and the second injector produces negative pressure to take in ozone produced by the ozone generating unit, thereby forming a mixture of the ozone and the wastewater;
[0044] (5) introducing the mixture into the second catalytic reactor through pipes, allowing the mixture to fully contact the catalyst coating in the second catalytic reactor and to undergo an oxidation-reduction reaction under the catalysis of the catalyst;
[0045] (6) the second ozone generator, the cooling water tank, the second circulating pump, and the second heat exchanger form a cooling water circulating system to reduce the temperature of the second ozone generator. The wastewater exchanges heat with the cooling water that has been used to cool the second ozone generator in the heat exchanger to reduce the temperature of the cooling water. The second heat exchanger transports the wastewater to the filtering mixer, and the ozone remaining in the reaction mixes with the wastewater that does not enter the second catalytic tower;
[0046] (7) introducing wastewater that has been treated but still contains ozone into the revolving mixer from the filtering mixer. After being treated twice in a revolving mixer, the wastewater is discharged through the outlet of the revolving mixer into a body of water, in which the treated wastewater mixes with the untreated water therein to consume the remaining ozone.
[0047] The beneficial effects: a wastewater treatment system and a method thereof according to the present invention can treat more troublesome wastewater, improve the utilization rate of ozone, can be applied in a wide pH and temperature range of wastewater, take less floor area, are easy to install and operate, have low operation cost and stable treatment effects, and do not cause secondary pollution. The advanced catalytic oxidation process is adopted to generate hydroxyl free radicals, which have remarkable treatment efficacies for a majority of wastewaters. The wastewater treated by the catalytic oxidation process undergoes further reactions in the tilted-plate catalytic tower and the packed catalytic tower to significantly reduce the COD, increase the ratio of BOD/COD, and degrade toxic and hazardous substances, such that systems and methods according to the present invention have a wide application range.
[0048] (1) A bouncer for changing the incoming direction of the ozone-containing water and enlarging the area of the same is provided between the ozone generator and the first Venturi mixer. The bouncer changes the incoming direction of the ozone-containing water, increases the area of the ozone-containing water, increases the contact areas with the packings, improves the reaction efficiency, reduces the volume of the tilted-plate catalytic tower, and saves space.
[0049] (2) The wastewater inlet of the tilt-plate catalytic tower is connected with the wastewater pump, which is a submersible pump or a centrifugal pump, and a pressure controller and a flow controller are provided on the pipe to monitor and control the pressure and the flow in the pipe automatically. The wastewater pump will give an alarm or stop automatically for protection when the pressure in the pipe reaches the upper limit set. The water inlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower is provided with a trumpet mouth facing the filter mentioned above for backwashing the filter mesh to prevent blocking.
[0050] (3) A system of the present invention can treat troublesome wastewater repeatedly until wastewater meet the discharge standards, and conduct overflow treatment or circulate a portion for small-scale experiments while processing a large-scale troublesome wastewater so as to provide effective data support for large-scale industrial applications. The system can conduct overflow treatment for a large volume of wastewater lightly polluted by organic matter or be used with other wastewater treatment means (such as biochemical processes) to conduct catalytic oxidation pretreatment for troublesome wastewater before the troublesome wastewater enters a biochemical system. The system can also re-treat wastewater that has been treated by other wastewater treatment means but is still not up to the discharge standards.
[0051] Another wastewater treatment system and the method according to the present invention, which is easy to install and use, can improve the wastewater treatment capacity and ozone utilization rate, and can effectively filter foreign matters in the surface water at the inlet to prevent pipes from blockage. This wastewater treatment system not only can disinfect surface water and rainwater, but can also treat industrial re-circulating water and the wastewater that has been treated by factories but is not up to the discharge standards. The present invention has the following advantages:
[0052] (1) The filtering mixer provided at the inlet of the equipment has the functions of filtering and self-cleaning and a filter mesh element that does not need replacement, and it can remove foreign bodies in the wastewater efficiently to prevent pipes from being blocked. The untreated wastewater at the outlet of the filtering mixer mixes with the wastewater that has been treated but still contains residual ozone to make full use of the ozone that is not completely consumed in the reaction, greatly improving the utilization rate of ozone and the wastewater treatment capability.
[0053] (2) A revolving mixer is connected at the outlet of the filtering mixer to mix the wastewater that has been treated but still contains residual ozone with the wastewater nearby by revolving so as to spread the ozone into nearby waters efficiently, improving the wastewater treatment capability and the utilization rate of ozone to a large extent, reducing energy consumption and eventually reducing operation cost.
[0054] (3) The ozone surface water treatment equipment is an automatic integrated one, easy to operate, i.e. the equipment can be placed on the bank or on a platform, which can float on the water surface freely to realize quick control of wastewater.
[0055] (4) The inside of the second catalytic reactor, the second heat exchanger and the pipes according to the present invention are all applied with noble metal catalyst coating for enhancing the capacity of the ozone to oxide wastewater, and additionally, a catalyst coating carried on the granular porous ceramic surface can be added in the revolving mixer to increase the reaction rate of ozone catalytic oxidation to a large extent.
[0056] (5) It can degrade surfactants and other polymeric organic matter in the surface water efficiently, reduce the total level of phosphorus and ammonia nitrogen in water bodies, and quickly eliminate algae and fungus to make the water bodies nontoxic and harmless, so as to solve environmental pollution problems at the root and realize zero-pollutant and environmentally-friendly discharge.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0057] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of Embodiment 1 according to the present invention;
[0058] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of Embodiment 2 according to the present invention;
[0059] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a packed catalytic tower according to the present invention;
[0060] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a tilted-plate catalytic tower according to the present invention;
[0061] FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram of a system of Embodiment 7 according to the present invention;
[0062] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of Embodiment 7 according to the present invention.
[0063] In the figures, 1 , first centrifugal pump; 2 , first Venturi mixer; 3 , first oxygen generator; 4 , first ozone generator; 5 , first catalytic reactor; 6 , first heat exchanger; 7 , wastewater pump; 8 , tilted-plate catalytic tower; 801 , first foot; 802 , end cover of first tower bottom; 803 , ozone-containing water inlet; 804 , bouncer; 805 , solid packing for catalysts; 806 , first tower top; 807 , end cover of first tower top; 808 , wastewater outlet; 809 , wastewater inlet; 810 , trumpet mouth; 811 , divergence wastewater outlet; 812 , filter; 813 , first emptying valve; 814 , first tower bottom; 815 , first packing layer; 9 , packed catalytic tower; 901 , second foot; 902 , end cover of second tower top; 903 , first water inlet; 904 , folded plate; 905 , second tower top; 906 , packing filling opening; 907 , end cover of second tower bottom; 908 , first water outlet; 909 , second emptying valve; 910 , second tower bottom; 911 , second packing layer; 912 , supporting layer; 10 , aeration biological tower; 11 , water storage tank; 12 , air blower; 13 , second enclosure; 14 , submersible pump; 15 , second centrifugal pump; 16 , second Venturi mixer; 17 , second catalytic reactor; 18 , second heat exchanger; 19 , filtering mixer; 20 , revolving mixer; 21 , second oxygen generator; 22 , second ozone generator; 23 , cooling water tank; 24 , second circulating pump; 25 , precision filter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0064] The present invention will be further described hereinafter with the drawings and the embodiments to elucidate the technical solution and the technical aim of the present invention.
Embodiment 1
[0065] FIG. 1 illustrates a wastewater treatment system according to the present invention, comprising a first centrifugal pump 1 , a first Venturi mixer 2 , a 5 L/min first oxygen generator 3 , a 30 g/h first ozone generator 4 , a first catalytic reactor 5 with a mean outer diameter of 100 mm, a first heat exchanger 6 , a wastewater pump 7 with a flow rate of 2 m 3 /h, a tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 , a packed catalytic tower 9 , an aeration biological tower 10 and a water storage tank 11 ;
[0066] the first oxygen generator 3 , the first ozone generator 4 , the Venturi injector 2 , the first catalytic reactor 5 , the wastewater pump 7 , the first heat exchanger 6 , the wastewater pump 7 and the first centrifugal pump 1 are mutually connected by pipes and installed together in a first enclosure of steel structure, the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 , the packed catalytic tower 9 , the aeration biological tower 10 and a water storage tank 11 are installed together in another first enclosure, and the two first enclosures are connected by pipes and cables. The first oxygen generator 3 is tailor-made according to the oxygen demand of the first ozone generator 4 .
[0067] The wastewater pump 7 , the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 , the first Venturi mixer 2 , the first oxygen generator 3 , the first ozone generator 4 , the first catalytic reactor 5 , the first heat exchanger 6 , the packed catalytic tower 9 , the aeration biological tower 10 and the water storage tank 11 are all provided with inlets and outlets; the outlet of the wastewater pump 7 is connected with the first inlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 by a pipe;
[0068] the wastewater treatment system also comprises a cooling system which comprises a cooling water tank, a first circulating pump, a first heat exchanger 6 and a first ozone generator 4 connected in turns by pipes to form a cooling water circulating loop; the side of the first heat exchanger 6 that contacts with wastewater is applied with a catalyst coating for speeding up the catalytic oxidation of wastewater; the first heat exchanger 6 is a plate-type heat exchanger or a shell-and-tube heat exchanger;
[0069] the wastewater enters the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 by means of the wastewater pump 7 through pipes, and the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 has the function of divergence; some wastewater enters the first centrifugal pump 1 from the first outlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 and the rest remains in the tilted catalytic tower 8 after divergence by the tilted catalytic tower 8 ; the products of the oxidation-reduction reaction enter the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 though the first heat exchanger 6 , and the ozone and the oxygen remaining in the reaction mixes with the wastewater that does not enter the first catalytic reactor 5 ; the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 continues to make use of remaining ozone and oxygen for catalytic reaction, increasing the reaction rate and improving the treatment effect. The pipe for connecting the wastewater pump 7 and the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 is provided with a pressure controller and a flow controller. The wastewater inlet of the tilt-plate catalytic tower 8 is connected with the wastewater pump 7 to monitor and control the pressure and the flow in the pipe automatically. The wastewater pump 7 will give an alarm or stop automatically for protection when the pressure in the pipe reaches the upper limit set.
[0070] The first outlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 is connected with the inlet of the first centrifugal pump 1 by a pipe; the second inlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 is provided with a trumpet mouth facing the filter mesh mentioned above to backwash the filter mesh and prevent blockage.
[0071] The outlet of the first centrifugal pump 1 is connected with the first inlet of the first Venturi mixer 2 by a pipe; the wastewater is transported to the first Venturi mixer 2 through the first centrifugal pump 1 at a certain speed, and the first Venturi mixer 2 produces negative pressure to take in the ozone produced by the first ozone generator 4 and form the mixture of the ozone and the wastewater; the ozone intake of the first Venturi mixer 2 is regulated by the flow of the first centrifugal pump 1 and the valve on the pipe.
[0072] The first oxygen generator 3 is provided with an air compressor, the second inlet of the aeration biological tower 10 is connected with the second outlet of the first oxygen generator 3 by pipes, the first outlet of the first oxygen generator 3 is connected with the inlet of the first ozone generator 4 by a pipe; air is generated by making full use of the first oxygen generator 3 , saving energy effectively.
[0073] The oxygen made by the first oxygen generator 3 is introduced into the first ozone generator 4 , and the outlet of the first ozone generator 4 is connected with the second inlet of the first Venturi mixer 2 by a pipe;
[0074] The outlet of the first Venturi mixer 2 is connected with the inlet of the first catalytic reactor 5 by a pipe; the wastewater fully contacts the catalyst coating in the first catalytic reactor 5 and undergoes oxidation-reduction reaction under the action of the catalyst.
[0075] The outlet of the first catalytic reactor 5 is connected with the inlet of the first heat exchanger 6 by means of pipe; the outlet of the first heat exchanger 6 is connected with the second inlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 by a pipe.
[0076] The tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 is provided with solid packings for inert noble metal catalysts which are in the form of folded plates and tilted plates and arranged according the direction of water flow. The packing, arranged in N layers, fill the tower up, effectively increasing the contact area for the catalytic reaction and decreasing the volume of the catalytic tower and the floor area of the apparatus.
[0077] The second outlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 is connected with the inlet of the packed catalytic tower 9 by a pipe, and the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 continues to make use of remaining ozone and oxygen for catalytic reaction, increasing the reaction rate and improving the treatment effect.
[0078] The space above the folded plates in the packed catalytic tower 9 is not packed, and the particle packings fed are not only applied with inert noble metal powder catalysts on their surfaces, but also porous, providing a larger contact area with the wastewater so as to make better use of oxygen and ozone for reaction.
[0079] The packed catalytic tower 9 continues to make use of the remaining oxygen and ozone for catalytic-oxidation so as to further improve the effect of wastewater treatment; after gas-liquid separation in the top corner of the folded plates in the packed catalytic tower 9 , ozone and oxygen are blocked within the space, and the gases will enter the wastewater again due to the limitation of space, prolonging the contact and reaction time of the gases and the wastewater, improving the utilization rate of ozone and realizing a high reaction efficiency.
[0080] The outlet of the packed catalytic power 9 is connected with the first inlet of the aeration biological tower 10 by a pipe;
[0081] multiple layers of tilted folded-plates are provided in the packed catalytic tower 9 , particle catalytic packings applied with inertia noble metal powders are fed from the packing feeding opening at the tower top to fill the space among the folded plates, but a triangle top corner of the folded plates is not filled so that after remaining ozone and oxygen enter the packed catalytic tower 9 and are separated from the liquid, the ozone and oxygen are blocked within the space, and the gases will enter the wastewater again due to the limitation of space as they accumulate to a certain amount, prolonging the contact and reaction time of the gases and the wastewater, improving the utilization rate of ozone and realizing a high reaction efficiency.
[0082] Porous packings suitable for the attached growth of microorganisms are provided in the aeration biological tower 10 , multiple layers of tilted folded-plates are provided in the aeration biological tower 10 and the packed catalytic tower 9 , the projections of the folded plates overlap, and the included angle between each layer of the folded plates and the central axis of the tower body is 30-89°. The projection length of the folded plates exceeds the length of the central axis of the tower body by 5-500 mm;
[0083] The top corner of the folded plates in the aeration biological tower 10 is used to prevent the air from escaping, prolonging the contact and reaction time of the air and wastewater, improving the utilization rate of the air and ensuring the concentration of the dissolved oxygen in the tower. The aeration biological tower 10 is filled with porous packings to which microorganisms can attach, so the packings have a larger specific surface area, which helps the attached growth and reproduction of microorganisms.
[0084] The outlet of the packed catalytic power 10 is connected with the first inlet of the water storage tank 11 by a pipe. The packed catalytic tower 9 is filled with particle packings of inertia noble metal powders, and the particle packings have a specific surface area of 0.1-100 m 2 /g.
[0085] The outlet of the aeration biological tower 10 is connected with the inlet of the water storage tank 11 , and the outlet of the water storage tank 11 is provided with a sampling opening. The wastewater that is up to standard upon sampling and analysis can be discharged. The air for aeration in the aeration biological tower 10 comes from the divergence pipe of the air compressor of the first air generator 3 so as to make better use of the air generated by the air compressor and reduce wasted energy. The second inlet of the aeration biological tower 10 is provided with an aeration network and an aeration tray in such a way that the air is defused in very small bubbles into the wastewater to increase the contact area between the air and wastewater and the utilization rate of air, thereby ensuring that organisms grow and reproduce in aerobic conditions and degrade organic matter in the wastewater.
[0086] The wastewater treatment system also comprises a bouncer for changing the incoming direction of the ozone-containing water and enlarging the area of the same and a filter; the bouncer is arranged between the ozone generator and the first Venturi mixer 2 ; the bouncer changes the incoming direction of the ozone-containing water, enlarges the area of the same, increases the contacts area with the packings, improves the reaction efficiency, reduces the volume of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 and saves more space.
[0087] The first outlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 is provided with a filter mesh to remove foreign bodies in the wastewater as so to prevent foreign bodies from entering the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 and the pipes of the equipment. The wastewater can wash away the foreign bodies on the surface of the filter, achieving the effecting of cleaning the filter.
[0088] The outlet of the wastewater pump 7 , the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 , the first centrifugal pump 1 , the first Venturi mixer 2 , the first oxygen generator 3 , the first ozone generator 4 , the first catalytic reactor 5 , the first heat exchanger 6 , the packed catalytic tower 9 , the aeration biological tower 10 and the water storage tank 11 are all connected with a T-adaptor, and provided with a sampling opening valve for sampling and analysis.
[0089] The wastewater pump 7 is a submersible pump; the mixture retains over 10 s in the wastewater treatment system. The reaction time is determined by the flow of the wastewater pump 7 as well as the number and the specifications of the series or parallel reactor, and the effect of wastewater treatment is controlled through the ozone intake as well as the number and the operation time of the units of a piece of integrated wastewater treatment equipment.
[0090] The present invention can be changed in terms of the internal fittings of the equipment, the parameters of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 , the packed catalytic tower 9 and the aeration biological tower 10 , the retention time for reaction, the catalyst feeding amount and the dimensions to form a process system apparatus which have different treatment capacities, catalyst feeding amounts, ozone feeding amounts and reaction time based on the water yield and water quality of troublesome wastewater; besides, the process system can be made into one or more pieces of modular equipment depending on wastewater yield and wastewater quality, and these pieces of modular equipment are connected through pipes or cables, easy to disassemble and install.
[0091] A wastewater treatment method according to the present invention, including the following steps:
[0092] (1) conduct pretreatment, absorption and precipitation for the wastewater; the wastewater enters the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 by means of the wastewater pump 7 through pipes, and the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 has the function of divergence; some wastewater enters the first centrifugal pump 1 from the first outlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 and the rest remains in the tilted catalytic tower 8 after divergence by the tilted catalytic tower 8 ; the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 has a large volume so that only a part of the water is pumped into the first catalytic reactor 5 by the first centrifugal pump 1 and then flows back to the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 where it mixes with the water that remains in the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 and the mixture flows together into the packed catalytic tower 9 ; the pipe for connecting the wastewater pump 7 and the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 is provided with a pressure controller and a flow controller. The wastewater pump 7 , the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 , the first Venturi mixer 2 , the first oxygen generator 3 , the first ozone generator 4 , the first catalytic reactor 5 , the first heat exchanger 6 , the packed catalytic tower 9 , the aeration biological tower 10 and the water storage tank 11 are all provided with inlets and outlets.
[0093] (2) the wastewater is transported to the first Venturi mixer 2 through the first centrifugal pump 1 at a certain speed, and the first Venturi mixer 2 produces negative pressure to take in the ozone produced by the first ozone generator 4 and form the mixture of the ozone and the wastewater; the ozone intake of the first Venturi mixer 2 is regulated by the flow of the first centrifugal pump 1 and the valve on the pipe;
[0094] the first oxygen generator 3 is provided with an air compressor, the second inlet of the aeration biological tower 10 is connected with the second outlet of the first oxygen generator 3 by pipes; the inlet of the first ozone generator 4 is connected with the first outlet of the first oxygen generator 3 by a pipe; the oxygen made by the first oxygen generator 3 is introduced into the first ozone generator 4 ; the first oxygen generator 3 is provided according to the oxygen demand of the first ozone generator 4 .
[0095] A bouncer for changing the incoming direction of the ozone-containing water and enlarging the area of the same is provided between the first ozone generator 4 and the first Venturi mixer 2 ; the bouncer changes the incoming direction of the ozone-containing water, enlarges the area of the same, increases the contacts area with the packings, improves the reaction efficiency, reduces the volume of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 and saves more space.
[0096] (3) After mixing in the first Venturi mixer 2 , the mixture enters the first catalytic reactor 5 through pipes, fully contacts the catalyst coating in the first catalytic reactor 5 and undergoes an oxidation-reduction reaction under the catalysis of the catalyst;
[0097] (4) the products of the oxidation-reduction reaction enter the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 though the heat exchanger, and the ozone and the oxygen remaining in the reaction mixes with the wastewater that does not enter the first catalytic reactor 5 ; the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 continues to make use of remaining ozone and oxygen for catalytic reaction, increasing the reaction rate and improving the treatment effect. The tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 is provided with solid packings for inert noble metal catalysts and multiple layers of tilted folded-plates. The internal packings of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 are arranged in N layers according the direction of water flow, and fill up the inner space of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 , effectively increasing the contact area for the catalytic reaction and decreasing the volume of the catalytic tower and the floor area of the apparatus. The first outlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 is provided with a filter mesh of stainless steel to remove foreign bodies in the wastewater. The filter mesh removes the foreign bodies in the wastewater and prevents them from entering the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 and the pipes of the equipment. The wastewater can wash away the foreign bodies on the surface of the filter, achieving the effecting of cleaning the filter.
[0098] (5) the reaction products enter the packed catalytic tower through the second outlet of the tilted-plate catalytic power 8 , and the remaining ozone and oxygen undergo a full oxidation-reduction reaction with the wastewater, improving the effect of wastewater treatment; particle catalytic packings applied with inertia noble metal powders and with a specific surface area of 0.1-100 m 2 /g and tilted folded-plates are provided in the packed catalytic tower 9 , and the space between the folded plates and the inner wall of the packed catalytic tower 9 is filled with the packings. After gas-liquid separation in the top corner of the folded plates in the packed catalytic tower 9 , ozone and oxygen are blocked within the space, and the gases will enter the wastewater again due to the limitation of space, prolonging the contact and reaction time of the gases and the wastewater, improving the utilization rate of ozone and realizing a high reaction efficiency.
[0099] (6) the outlet of the packed catalytic tower 9 is connected with the first inlet of the aeration biological tower 10 by a pipe, and the reaction products enter the aeration biological tower 10 through the outlet of the packed catalytic tower 9 ; the outlet of the aeration biological tower 10 is connected with the inlet of the water storage tank 11 by a pipe for water to flow from the aeration biological tower 10 into the water storage tank 11 , and the outlet of the water storage tank 11 is provided with a sampling opening for sampling and analysis.
[0100] Porous packings suitable for the attached growth of microorganisms are provided in the aeration biological tower 10 , multiple layers of folded plates are provided in the aeration biological tower 10 and the packed catalytic tower 9 , the projections of the folded plates overlap, and the included angle between each layer of the folded plates and the central axis of the tower body is 30-89°.
[0101] The projection length of the folded plates exceeds the length of the central axis of the tower body by 5-500 mm;
[0102] The top corner of the folded plates is used to prevent the air from escaping, prolonging the contact and reaction time of the air and wastewater, improving the utilization rate of the air and ensuring the concentration of the dissolved oxygen in the tower.
[0103] The second inlet of the aeration biological tower 10 is provided with an aeration network and an aeration tray to increase the utilization rate of air, thereby ensuring that organisms grow and reproduce in aerobic conditions and degrade organic matter in the wastewater. The air for aeration in the aeration biological tower 10 comes from the divergence pipe of the air compressor of the first air generator 3 so as to make better use of the air generated by the air compressor and reduce wasted energy.
[0104] The apparatus in the wastewater treatment method comprises a first centrifugal pump 1 , a first Venturi mixer 2 , a 5 L/min first oxygen generator 3 , a 30 g/h first ozone generator 4 , a first catalytic reactor 5 with a mean outer diameter of 100 mm, a first heat exchanger 6 , a wastewater pump 7 with a flow rate of 2 m 3 /h, a tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 , a packed catalytic tower 9 , an aeration biological tower 10 and a water storage tank 11 ;
[0105] the wastewater pump 7 is a submersible pump; the mixture retains over 10 s, even over 100 h, in the wastewater treatment system. The reaction time is determined by the flow of the wastewater pump 7 as well as the number and the specifications of the series or parallel reactor, and the effect of wastewater treatment is controlled through the ozone intake as well as the number and the operation time of the units of an integrated wastewater treatment equipment.
[0106] The outlet of the wastewater pump 7 is connected with the first inlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 by a pipe; the first outlet of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 is connected with the inlet of the centrifugal pump 7 by a pipe.
[0107] The present invention, easy to install and operate, can improve the wastewater treatment capacity and the utilization rate of ozone, apply to a wide pH and temperature range of wastewater, and filter mesh foreign bodies in the wastewater effectively to prevent pipes from being blocked, takes less floor area, has low operation cost and stable treatment effects and does not cause secondary pollution. The equipment not only can treat various troublesome industrial wastewater and the wastewater that has been treated by factories but is not up to standard, but also can treat industrial re-circulating water, especially highly troublesome wastewater.
[0108] (1) A bouncer for changing the incoming direction of the ozone-containing water and enlarging the area of the same is provided between the first ozone generator 4 and the first Venturi mixer 2 ; the bouncer changes the incoming direction of the ozone-containing water, enlarges the area of the same, increases the contacts area with the packings, improves the reaction efficiency, reduces the volume of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 and saves more space.
[0109] (3) Multiple layers of tilted folded-plates are provided and arranged at an angle of 30-89° in the packed catalytic tower 9 , particle catalytic packings applied with inertia noble metal powders are fed from the packing feeding opening at the tower top to fill the space among the folded plates, but a triangle top corner of the folded plates is not filled so that after remaining ozone and oxygen enter the tower and are separated from the liquid, the ozone and oxygen are blocked within the space, and the gases will enter the wastewater again due to the limitation of space as they accumulate to a certain amount, prolonging the contact and reaction time of the gases and the wastewater, improving the utilization rate of ozone and realizing a high reaction efficiency. The particle packings fed are not only applied with inert noble metal powder catalysts on their surfaces, but also porous, providing a larger contact area with the wastewater so as to make better use of oxygen and ozone for rapid and high-efficiency catalytic reaction.
[0110] (4) The second inlet of the aeration biological tower 10 is connected with the air compressor of the first air generator 3 to make full use of the air generated by the air compressor of the first air generator 3 and save energy effectively. The second inlet of the aeration biological tower 10 is provided with an aeration network and an aeration tray in such a way that the air is defused in very small bubbles into the wastewater to effectively increase the contact area between the air and wastewater and the utilization rate of air, thereby ensuring that organisms grow and reproduce in aerobic conditions and degrade organic matter in the wastewater. Multiple layers of tilted folded-plates are provided and arranged at an angle of 50-60° in the aeration biological tower 10 , and the top corner of the folded plates is used to prevent the air from escaping, prolonging the contact and reaction time of the air and wastewater, improving the utilization rate of the air and ensuring the concentration of the dissolved oxygen in the tower. The tower is filled with porous packings to which microorganisms can attach, so the packings have a larger specific surface area, which helps the attached growth and reproduction of microorganisms.
[0111] (5) The advanced catalytic oxidation process is adopted in the present invention to generate hydroxyl free radicals, which has apparent effects for a majority of wastewater, and the wastewater treated by the catalytic oxidation undergoes further reactions in the tilted-plate catalytic tower and the packed catalytic tower to significantly reduce the COD, raise the ratio of B/C and degrade toxic and hazardous substances, so the present invention has a wide application range. The present invention can treat troublesome wastewater cyclically until the wastewater is up to standard, and conduct overflow treatment or bench-scale experiments for big-yield troublesome wastewater so as to provide effective data support for big-yield industrialization; conduct overflow treatment for big-yield water bodies lightly polluted by organic matter or be used with other wastewater treatment means (such as biochemical processes) to conduct catalytic oxidation pretreatment for troublesome wastewater before the troublesome wastewater enters a biochemical system; and re-treat the wastewater that has been treated by other wastewater treatment means but is still not up to standard.
[0112] (6) The equipment in the present invention, all made of stainless steel, is weak acid resistant and alkaline resistant, and the catalytic oxidation adopted, applying to a wide pH and temperature range of the wastewater, can ensure that the system has its effect of wastewater treatment from pH >6.5 and a water temperature of 0-50° C. The present invention can be changed in terms of the internal fittings of the equipment, the parameters of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 , the packed catalytic tower 9 and the aeration biological tower 10 , the retention time for reaction, the catalyst feeding amount and the dimensions to form a process system apparatus which have different treatment capacities, catalyst feeding amounts, ozone feeding amounts and reaction time based on the water yield and water quality of troublesome wastewater; besides, the process system can be made into one or more pieces of modular equipment depending on wastewater yield and wastewater quality, and these pieces of modular equipment are connected through pipes or cables, easy to disassemble and install.
[0113] A cyclic treatment experiment is made to the wastewater containing a high concentration of phenol from a petrochemical plant. The COD of the water is reduced from 1840 mg/L to 714 mg/L and the degradation rate of COD is 61.2% after treatment for 3 hours, and the specific data are shown in Table 1 below.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Degradation
Water Quality
After
Rate of COD
Parameter
Original Sample
Treatment for 3 h
(%)
COD (mg/L)
1840
714
61.2
Chromaticity
Yellow
Colorless
—
[0114] Table 1 shows that the wastewater becomes colorless at the outlet from the original yellow, indicating that the embodiment has good degradation effect for the phenol-containing wastewater and obvious de-coloration effect.
Embodiment 2
[0115] As shown in FIG. 2 , the difference between Embodiment 2 and Embodiment 1 lies in that: The wastewater treatment system also comprises an air blower 12 , and the second inlet of the aeration biological tower 10 is connected with the second outlet of the air blower 12 ; the outlet of the air blower 12 is connected with the inlet of the first oxygen generator 3 by a pipe. The wastewater pump 7 is a centrifugal wastewater pump; the first oxygen generator 3 is a molecular-sieve oxygen generator;
[0116] in Step (2), the second inlet of the aeration biological tower 10 is connected with the air blower 12 by a pipe.
[0117] Cyclic treatment is made to refuse leachate, and the data before and after treatment are shown in Table 2.
[0000]
TABLE 2
After
Water Quality
Original
Treatment
After Treatment
Degradation
Parameter
Sample
for 30 min
for 2 h
Rate
pH
7.82
7.72
7.50
—
COD (mg/L)
7525
1956
752.5
90%
Ammonia
490.2
323.2
306.1
37.6%
nitrogen (mg/L)
Total
1.70
1.57
0.75
55.9%
phosphorus
(mg/L)
Chromaticity
350
100
30
91.4%
[0118] As we can see from Table 2, after refuse leachate wastewater is treated for 30 min, the COD is reduced from 7525 mg/L to 1956 mg/L, and the COD is reduced to 752.5 mg/L and the degradation rate of COD is reduced to 90% after treatment for 2 h; the degradation rate of ammonia nitrogen, total phosphorus and chromaticity are 37.6%, 55.9% and 91.4% respectively after treatment for 2 h.
Embodiment 3
[0119] The difference between Embodiment 3 and Embodiment 1 lies in that: An overflow treatment experiment is made to the wastewater that has been treated by the wastewater treatment station of an alcohol plant but is not up to standard, and the data before and after the treatment are shown in Table 3.
[0000]
TABLE 3
Parameter
Overflow
COD After
Water Yield
Overflow Treatment
Degradation Rate of
(L)
COD (mg/L)
(mg/L)
COD (%)
100
451
382.2
15.3
200
452.6
393.6
13.0
300
468.5
409.9
12.5
400
480.2
460.2
4.16
500
480.2
460.2
4.16
600
468.5
429.4
8.35
700
468.5
429.4
8.35
800
452.6
423.1
6.52
900
468.5
439.2
6.25
1000
450.8
411.6
8.70
[0120] As we can see from Table 3, an overflow treatment is made to the wastewater that has been treated by the wastewater treatment station of an alcohol plant but is not up to standard, where the wastewater is introduced in different flows and the CODs of the wastewater are all reduced to some extent, and the lower the flow of the wastewater is, the longer the reaction time is, the higher the treatment efficiency is, and the higher the degradation rate of COD is.
Embodiment 4
[0121] The difference between Embodiment 4 and Embodiment 1 lies in that: An overflow treatment experiment is made to printing and dyeing wastewater, where treatment of the wastewater for one time with the system adopting the treatment method is regarded as one treatment cycle; when the inflow of the wastewater is 100 L/H, two treatment cycles are made to the wastewater by adopting the wastewater treatment method, the data of one treatment cycle and two treatment cycles are given in Table 4.
[0000]
TABLE 4
Degradation Rate of
Chromaticity
Name
COD (mg/L)
COD (%)
(degree)
Original water
1390
—
800
One treatment cycle
1000
28.1
600
Two treatment
858
38.3
50
cycles
[0122] As we can see from Table 4, two treatment cycles are made to printing and dyeing wastewater by adopting the wastewater treatment method, where the wastewater is introduced in the same flow equal to 100 L/H and the CODs of the wastewater are all reduced to some extent; in the second treatment cycle of the wastewater using the method, the reaction time is long, so it has higher the treatment efficiency, higher degradation rate of COD and more obvious degradation of chromaticity.
Embodiment 5
[0123] As shown in FIG. 4 , the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 according to the present invention comprises first feet 801 , the body of a reaction tower is provided on the first feet 801 , and the body of the reaction tower comprises a first tower bottom 814 , a first packing layer 815 and a first tower top 806 from bottom to top; the first tower bottom 814 has an end cover 802 of the first tower bottom at the bottom and has an ozone-containing water inlet 803 and a wastewater inlet 809 on the side walls, and the end cover 802 of the tower bottom is attached with a first emptying valve 813 ; the first packing layer 815 is filled with solid packings for catalysts 805 ; the first tower top 806 is provided with an end cover 7 of the first tower top, and provided with a wastewater outlet 808 at its one side wall; a divergence wastewater outlet 808 is provided below the wastewater inlet 809 on the side wall of the first tower bottom 814 .
[0124] The divergence wastewater outlet 811 is provided with a filter mesh 812 .
[0125] The end of the L-shaped wastewater inlet 809 is connected with a trumpet mouth 810 facing downward and just opposite to the filter mesh 812 . The wastewater inlet is used to wash away particle foreign bodies on the filter mesh and prevent the filter mesh from being blocked. The bore of the trumpet can be changed to increase the outgoing area of the water and the backwash area of the filter, thereby improving the mixing efficiency.
[0126] The end cover 802 of the first tower bottom is arc-shaped to increase the volume for storing precipitates and facilitate the sedimentation of precipitates under the gravity, and the emptying valve 813 at the bottom facilitates timely discharge of the precipitates in the wastewater and prevents the filter mesh and the packings from being blocked; the end cover of the tower top is arc-shaped to improve the pressure bearing capacity for the gases in the tower, and the divergence wastewater outlet 811 is connected with a filter mesh to filter mesh suspended particles and large fibrous foreign bodies to ensure the normal operation of the pump and the subsequent systems and prevent large particle matter from blocking the pipes and winding the impellers of the pump so as to provide a higher-efficiency catalytic reaction in the wastewater treatment.
[0127] The whole body of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 is made of stainless steel to provide effective protection against wastewater and ozone.
[0128] The L-shaped ozone-containing inlet 803 is provided with a bouncer 804 . The flow direction is changed and the flow rate is decreased after the incoming ozone-containing water is bounced by the bouncer so that the ozone-containing water mixes more uniformly with the wastewater in the tower, increasing the contact area with the catalysts in the tower, prolonging reaction time and improving the reaction efficiency.
[0129] Packing support plates are provided in the first packing layer 815 , solid packings which are folded plates or tilted plates with rough surfaces are loaded on the support plates, the surfaces are applied with an inert noble metal catalyst, and the included angle of 80-90° between the folded plates or tilted-plates can facilitate the flowing of the water and reduce resistance. The inert noble metal catalyst is implemented with one of existing inert noble metal catalysts, such as the inert noble metal catalyst of gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), osmium (Os) and ruthenium (Ru) disclosed in the prior art.
[0130] The solid packings, arranged in N layers, fill up the inner space of the first packing layer 815 , effectively increasing the contact area for the catalytic reaction and decreasing the volume of the catalytic tower and the floor area of the apparatus.
[0131] The wastewater outlet 808 is connected with a T-adaptor, and provided with a sampling opening for sampling and analysis of the treated wastewater.
[0132] The wastewater enters the tower through the wastewater inlet 809 , the flow of the wastewater is regulated by the valve provided at the wastewater inlet 809 , the flow direction is changed through the elbow of the wastewater inlet 809 , the wastewater inlet 809 is provided with a trumpet mouth 810 to increase the flow area, effectively flush the filter mesh at the divergence wastewater outlet 811 , prevent the filter mesh from being blocked and save energy. A part of the wastewater in the tower enters a piece of Virtue & Clean equipment for mixing and reaction with the ozone through the divergence wastewater outlet 811 after some foreign bodies are removed by the filter mesh 812 , the other part flows upward in the tower. The mixture of the wastewater and the ozone enters the tower through the ozone-containing water inlet 803 on the tilted-plate catalytic power 8 . As the water current is blocked and bounced by the bouncer 804 , the flow direction is changed so that the water current is spread around to improving the efficiency of mixing with the original wastewater, increase the contact area with the catalysts in the tower, and slow down the flow rate of the water, reducing the scouring and abrasion to the internal structure of the tower. The wastewater flows past multiple layers of solid packings for catalysts on the tilted plates arranged in the same direction with the water current, and under the action of the catalysts, the ozone and the wastewater react and produce oxidizing radical groups which rapidly oxidize and degrade hazardous matter and polymeric organic matter in the wastewater, thereby achieving the aim of treating the wastewater. The treated wastewater is vented through the wastewater outlet 808 at the upper part of the tower, and the pipe of the wastewater outlet 808 is provided with a Tee and a sampling valve for sampling. The end cover of the tower bottom of the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 is arc-shaped to increase the volume for storing precipitates and facilitate the sedimentation of precipitates under the gravity, the bottom is provided with a drainage valve 813 to facilitate timely discharge of the precipitates in the wastewater and drainage of the wastewater in the tower to prevent too many precipitates from blocking the filter mesh and the packings.
[0133] The tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 according to the present invention can be changed in terms of the dimensions design of the tower body based on the water yield and the water quality of the wastewater (the diameter and the height of the tower body are changed to change the volume in the tower), or the incoming flow can be regulated through the regulating valve at the inlet to ensure that the wastewater stays in the tower for a sufficiently long time to be suitable for treating the wastewater of various water yields and water quality, so the present invention have a wide application range.
[0134] The tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 designed and made in accordance with the technical solution of the present invention is connected with a Virtue & Clean integrated clean-waste water machine (it provides ozone and the ozone mixes with the wastewater) by a pipe for wastewater treatment. The method has a better wastewater treatment effect, shorter reaction time, higher reaction efficiency, greater degradation rate of COD and better effects for chromaticity and odor than the treatment method with ozone alone does.
[0135] For example, the tilted-plate catalytic tower 8 is connected with a Virtue & Clean integrated waste-clean water machine for treating printing and dyeing wastewater. After treatment, the decoloration effect is obvious and the COD is reduced from 1660 mg/L from 907 mg/L and the degradation rate reaches 45.4%. See Table 5 for details:
[0000]
TABLE 5
Water Quality
After
Degradation
Parameter
Original Sample
Treatment for 3 h
Rate
COD (mg/L)
1660
907
45.4%
Chromaticity
Dark brown
Light yellow
—
Embodiment 6
[0136] As shown in FIG. 3 , the packed catalytic tower 9 according to the present invention comprises second feet 901 , the body of a reaction tower is provided on the second feet, and the body of the reaction tower comprises a water incoming segment, a supporting layer 912 , a second packing layer 911 and a clean-water outgoing segment from bottom to top; the water incoming segment comprises a second tower bottom 910 , the second tower bottom 910 has an end cover 902 of the second tower bottom at the bottom, and the end cover 902 of the tower bottom is attached with a second emptying valve 909 ; the second packing layer 911 is filled with packings and has a first water outlet 908 on the upper end of its one side wall, folded plates 904 are provided in the second packing layer 911 , and one end of the folded plates 904 are attached to the inner wall of the second packing layer 911 while the other end tilts downward; the clean-water outgoing segment comprises a tower top 5 which has an end cover 902 of the second tower top, and the end cover 902 of the second tower top is provided with a packing filling opening 906 .
[0137] The body of the packed catalytic tower 9 made of stainless steel can provide effective protection against wastewater, acid and alkaline, and prolong the service life. The catalytic oxidation adopted in the tower, applying to a wide range of pH, temperature and organic matter content of the wastewater, can ensure that the system has its effect of wastewater treatment from pH >6.5, a water temperature of 0-50° C. and a concentration of COD>50 mg/L.
[0138] The end cover 907 of the second tower bottom is arc-shaped to increase the volume for storing precipitates and facilitate the sedimentation of precipitates under the gravity, and the bottom is provided with a drainage valve to facilitate timely discharge of the precipitates in the wastewater and prevent the packings from being blocked;
[0139] The end cover 902 of the second tower top is arc-shaped to increase the effective volume and the pressure bearing capacity of the tower so as to prevent the tower top from deforming or cracking due to too great pressure in the tower.
[0140] The stainless steel supporting layer 912 is a round plate, which is evenly arranged with round holes or square holes with a diameter or side length of 4-10 mm, and made of stainless steel.
[0141] The packings in the second packing layer 911 are porous particle packings whose surfaces are applied with an inert noble metal catalyst; the inert noble metal catalyst is implemented with one of existing inert noble metal catalysts, such as the inert noble metal catalyst of gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), osmium (Os) and ruthenium (Ru) disclosed in the prior art; the packings with a large contact area of 0.1-100 m 2 /g has a large contact area with the wastewater so as to make better use of oxygen and ozone for rapid and high-efficiency catalytic reaction. The packings can also filter, absorb and remove some suspended particles in the wastewater to provide clean outgoing water.
[0142] Multiple layers of folded plates are alternately arranged in the second packing layer 911 , the projection length of each layer of the folded plates in the horizontal plane exceeds the length of the central axis of the tower body by 5-500 mm, i.e. the projections of the folded plates in the horizontal plane overlap, and the included angle between each layer of the folded plates and the central axis of the tower body is 30-89°; a particle catalytic packing applied with inertia noble metal powders are fed from the packing feeding opening 906 at the second tower top 905 to fill the space among the folded plates, but a triangle top corner of the folded plates is not filled so that after remaining ozone and oxygen enter the tower and are separated from the liquid, the ozone and oxygen are blocked within the space, and the gases will enter the wastewater again due to the limitation of space as they accumulate to a certain amount, prolonging the contact and reaction time of the gases and the wastewater, improving the utilization rate of ozone, realizing a high reaction efficiency, effectively shortening the reaction time of the wastewater, reducing the volume of the packed catalytic tower and saving more space.
[0143] The first water outlet 908 is connected with a T-adaptor, and provided with a sampling opening for sampling and analysis of the treated wastewater.
[0144] The first water outlet 908 is connected with a backwash pump which is used to backwash the packed catalytic tower 9 periodically, the backwash water is discharged through the T-adaptor valve of the first water inlet 903 , the downward orientation of the tilted-plates in the tower reduces backwash resistance, speeds up backwash and provides a good backwash effect. The packings are not easily blocked and hardened thanks to backwashing, prolonging the service life.
[0145] The first water outlet 908 of the packed catalytic tower 9 is connected with a T-adaptor valve for connecting with a backwash pump which is used to backwash the packed catalytic tower periodically, the backwash water is discharged through the T-adaptor valve of the first water inlet 903 , the downward orientation of the tilted-plates in the tower reduces backwash resistance, speeds up backwash and provides a good backwash effect. The packings are not easily blocked and hardened thanks to backwashing, prolonging the service life.
[0146] The wastewater containing ozone, oxygen or air enters the tower through the first water inlet 903 and flows upward, particle catalytic packings applied with inertia noble metal powders are fed from the packing feeding opening 906 at the second tower top 905 , and the packing feeding opening 906 must be closed after the packings are fed to prevent gases from escaping. The packings fill the space among the folded plates, but a top corner of the folded plates is not filled, providing a larger contact area between the packings and the wastewater so as to make better use of oxygen and ozone for reaction. After gas-liquid separation in the top corner of the folded plates in the packed catalytic tower 9 , ozone and oxygen are blocked within the space, and the gases will enter the wastewater again due to the limitation of space, prolonging the contact and reaction time of the gases and the wastewater, improving the utilization rate of ozone and realizing a high reaction efficiency. The wastewater flows past the packings, and under the action of the catalysts on the packings, the ozone, the oxygen or the air and wastewater react and produce oxidizing radical groups which rapidly oxidize and degrade hazardous matter and polymeric organic matter in the wastewater, thereby achieving the aim of treating the wastewater. The packings can also filter, absorb and remove some suspended particles to provide clean outgoing water. The treated wastewater is vented through the first wastewater outlet 908 at the upper part of the tower, and the pipe of the first wastewater outlet 908 is provided with a T-adaptor and a sampling valve for sampling. The end cover 907 of the second tower bottom of the packed catalytic tower 9 is arc-shaped to increase the volume for storing precipitates and facilitate the sedimentation of big and heavy precipitates under the gravity, the bottom is provided with a second drainage valve 909 to facilitate timely discharge of the precipitates in the wastewater and drainage of the wastewater in the tower to prevent too many precipitates from blocking the packings;
[0147] The tilted-plate catalytic tower 9 according to the present invention can be changed in terms of the dimensions design of the tower body based on the water yield and the water quality of the wastewater, or the incoming flow can be regulated through the regulating valve at the inlet to ensure that the wastewater stays in the tower for a sufficiently long time to be suitable for treating the wastewater of various water yields and water quality, so the present invention have a wide application range.
[0148] The tilted-plate catalytic tower 9 designed and made in accordance with the technical solution of the present invention is connected with the first catalytic reactor 5 and a Virtue & Clean integrated clean-waste water machine (it provides ozone and the ozone mixes with the wastewater) by a pipe for wastewater treatment. The method has a better wastewater treatment effect, shorter reaction time, higher reaction efficiency, greater degradation rate of COD and better effects for chromaticity and odor than the treatment method with ozone alone does.
[0149] For example, the tilted-plate catalytic tower 9 is connected with the first catalytic reactor 5 and a Virtue & Clean integrated waste-clean water machine for treating printing and dyeing wastewater. After treatment for 30 min, the decoloration effect is obvious, suspended particles are decreased and the COD is reduced from 1860 mg/L to 867 mg/L and the degradation rate reaches 53.4%. See Table 6 for details:
[0000]
TABLE 6
Water Quality
After Treatment
Degradation
Parameter
Original Sample
for 3 h
Rate
COD (mg/L)
1860
867
53.4%
Chromaticity
Dark brown
Light yellow
—
Suspended particles
More
Few
—
Embodiment 7
[0150] As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 , a wastewater treatment system according to the present invention, comprising a submersible pump 14 , a filtering mixer 19 , a second Venturi mixer 16 , an ozone generating unit, a second catalytic reactor 17 , a second heat exchanger 18 and a revolving mixer 20 ; the number and the diameter of the second catalytic reactor 17 is one and 100 mm respectively, the capacity of the second ozone generator 22 is 50 g/h, and the ozone generating unit comprises a second oxygen generator 21 and a second ozone generator 22 . The submersible pump 14 , the second centrifugal pump 15 , the second oxygen generator 21 , the second ozone generator 22 , the second Venturi mixer 16 and the second catalytic reactor 17 are installed together in a second enclosure 13 , and one second enclosure 13 is provided.
[0151] The filtering mixer 19 , the second Venturi mixer 16 , the second oxygen generator 21 , the second ozone generator 22 , the second catalytic reactor 17 , the second heat exchanger 18 and the revolving mixer 20 are all provided with inlets and outlets; the first outlet of the submersible pump 14 is connected with the first inlet of the filtering mixer 19 by a pipe; the wastewater pumped by the submersible pump 14 enters the filtering mixer 19 which has the function of divergence through its inlet, 10 m 3 enters the second catalytic reactor 17 and the rest (20 m 3 ) flows through the straight pipe of the filter mesh of the filtering mixer 19 and stays in the filtering mixer 19 ; after revolving twice in the revolving mixer 20 , the 20 m 3 of water is discharged into waters where it mixes with untreated water therein, wherein revolving can increase the area which is affected by the 20 m 3 of water in the waters. The water enters the waters at a high rate, so it will cause the waters to flow and expand the area that will be affected. During operation, the gases in the water body will accumulate within the upper of the drum. The gases will be forced into the water body due to the limitation of space, and no waste will be caused. A revolving mixer 20 is connected at the second outlet of the filtering mixer 19 to revolve and mix the wastewater that has been treated but still contains residual ozone with the wastewater in the nearby waters; after treatment by revolving, the flow of the wastewater treatment system according to the present invention that affects the waters is 30 m 3 /h. In such a way, ozone is efficiently diffused into nearby waters, significantly increasing the wastewater treatment capacity, improving the utilization rate of ozone, and reducing energy consumption and operation cost.
[0152] The first outlet of the second ozone generator 22 is connected with the second inlet of the second Venturi mixer 16 by a pipe; the outlet of the second Venturi mixer 16 is connected with the inlet of the second catalytic reactor 17 by a pipe; the outlet of the second catalytic reactor 17 is connected with the first inlet of the second heat exchanger 18 by a pipe; the wastewater in the second catalytic reactor 17 enters the second heat exchanger 18 to cool the cooling water because the cooling water is heated in cooling the second ozone generator 22 and it must be cooled before cycling.
[0153] The first outlet of the second heat exchanger 18 is connected with the second inlet of the filtering mixer 19 by a pipe, so that the wastewater that has been treated in the second catalytic reactor 17 enters the filtering mixer 19 where it mixes with the 20 m 3 of wastewater that does not enter the second catalytic reactor 17 ;
[0154] the wastewater treatment system also comprises a centrifugal pump arranged between the filtering mixer 19 and the second Venturi mixer 16 ; the second centrifugal pump 15 is provided with an inlet and an outlet; the first outlet of the filtering mixer 19 is connected with the inlet of the second centrifugal pump 15 by a pipe; the outlet of the second centrifugal pump 15 is connected with the first inlet of the second Venturi mixer 16 ; the inner surface of the second catalytic reactor 17 , the inner and outer surfaces of the internal parts of the second catalytic reactor 17 , the inner surface of the second heat exchanger 18 , the inner and outer surfaces of the internal parts of the second heat exchanger, and inner surface of the pipes are all applied with noble metal catalyst coating, increasing the reaction rate of the ozone catalytic oxidation.
[0155] A second oxygen generator 21 and a second ozone generator 22 are provided within the ozone generating unit and connected by a pipe; the outlet of the second oxygen generator 21 is connected with the first inlet of the second ozone generator 22 by a pipe; the first outlet of the second ozone generator 22 is connected with the second inlet of the second Venturi mixer 16 by a pipe;
[0156] the second outlet of the second heat exchanger 18 is connected with the second inlet of the second ozone generator 22 by a pipe; the second outlet of the second ozone generator 22 is connected with the inlet of the cooling water tank 23 by a pipe; the outlet of the cooling water tank 23 is connected with the inlet of the second circulating pump 24 by a pipe; the outlet of the second circulating pump 24 is connected with the second inlet of the second heat exchanger 18 by a pipe;
[0157] the second ozone generator 22 , the cooling water tank 23 , the second circulating pump 24 and the second heat exchanger 18 form a cooling water circulating system. The flows of the second circulating pump, the filtering mixer 19 and the revolving mixer 20 are 0.5 m 3 /h, 30 m 3 /h and 30 m 3 /h respectively. The filtering mixer 19 is submerged in the water and the revolving mixer 20 suspends in the water.
[0158] The wastewater treatment system according to the present invention can be placed on a platform floating on the water and permanently connected with an integrated catalytic oxidation water treatment equipment by means of bolts into a whole body, and it can also placed on the bank of a wastewater pool for mobile treatment. In addition, a precision filter mesh 25 is provided between the filtering mixer 19 and the second heat exchanger 18 .
[0159] The second circulating pump 24 is used to drive the re-circulating water and form a heat exchange cycle which transmits the heat generated by the ozone generating unit to the treated water through the second heat exchanger 18 , and the water carries away the heat, saving a great quantity of cooling water or energy consumed in cooling the ozone generating unit; besides, the surface of the second heat exchanger 18 is applied with catalytic materials to catalyze the ozone oxidation of the wastewater and increase the reaction rate.
[0160] The inside of the revolving mixer 20 is applied with a catalyst coating carried on the granular porous ceramic surface, increasing the reaction rate of ozone catalytic oxidation to a large extent. The second ozone generator 22 is provided with a cooling room; the number of the second catalytic reactor 17 is one or more, and these second catalytic reactors 17 are connected in series or in parallel by a pipe.
[0161] The second inlet of the filtering mixer 19 is provided with a filter mesh to remove foreign bodies in the wastewater entering the second catalytic reactor 17 , while the wastewater not entering the second catalytic reactor 17 flows along the filter mesh directly and washes away the foreign bodies on the surface of the filter, achieving the effect of cleaning the filter. The wastewater that has been treated in the second catalytic reactor 17 by catalytic oxidation enters the filtering mixer 19 where it mixes and reacts with the wastewater that does not enter the second catalytic reactor 17 . A gas flowmeter is provided on the pipe for connecting the ozone generating unit and the second catalytic reactor 17 .
[0162] The retention time of the mixture in the second catalytic reactor 17 is 10 s-500 s; the ozone intake of the second Venturi mixer 16 is regulated by the flow of the second centrifugal pump and the valve on the pipe.
[0163] The second outlet of the filtering mixer 19 is connected with the inlet of the revolving mixer 20 by a pipe. After revolving twice in the revolving mixer 20 , the water is discharged into waters where it mixes with untreated water therein, wherein revolving can increase the area, which is affected by the water in the waters. The water enters the waters at a high rate, so it will cause the waters to flow and expand the area that will be affected. During operation, the gases in the water body will accumulate within the upper of the drum. The gases will be forced into the water body due to the limitation of space, and no waste will be caused. A revolving mixer 20 is connected at the second outlet of the filtering mixer 19 to revolve and mix the wastewater that has been treated but still contains residual ozone with the wastewater in the nearby waters; after treatment by revolving, the flow of the wastewater treatment system according to the present invention that affects the waters is 30 m 3 /h. In such a way, ozone is efficiently diffused into nearby waters, significantly increasing the wastewater treatment capacity, improving the utilization rate of ozone, and reducing energy consumption and operation cost.
[0164] The wastewater treatment method applied in the wastewater treatment system according to the present invention includes the following steps:
[0165] (1) conduct pretreatment, absorption and precipitation for the wastewater;
[0166] (2) allow the wastewater to enter the filtering mixer 19 which has the function of divergence through the submersible pump 14 ;
[0167] (3) some wastewater enters the centrifugal pump from the outlet of the filtering mixer 19 and the rest remains in the filtering mixer 19 after divergence by the filtering mixer 19 ; the filtering mixer 19 has the functions of filtering and self-cleaning and a filter mesh element that does not need replacement, and it can remove foreign bodies in the wastewater efficiently to prevent pipes from being blocked. The untreated wastewater in the filtering mixer 19 mixes with the wastewater that has been treated but still contains residual ozone to make full use of the ozone that is not completely consumed in the reaction, greatly improving the utilization rate of ozone and the wastewater treatment capability;
[0168] (4) the wastewater is transported to the second Venturi mixer 16 through the second centrifugal pump 15 at a certain speed, and the second Venturi mixer 16 produces negative pressure to take in the ozone produced by the ozone generating unit and form the mixture of the ozone and the wastewater;
[0169] (5) the mixture enters the second catalytic reactor through pipes, fully contacts the catalyst coating in the second catalytic reactor 17 and undergoes an oxidation-reduction reaction under the catalysis of the catalyst;
[0170] (6) the second ozone generator 22 , the cooling water tank 23 , the second circulating pump 24 , and the second heat exchanger 18 form a cooling water circulating system to reduce the temperature of the second ozone generator 22 ; the wastewater exchanges heat with the cooling water that has been used to cool the second ozone generator 22 in the heat exchanger 18 to reduce the temperature of the cooling water; the second heat exchanger 18 transports the wastewater to the filtering mixer 19 , and the ozone remaining in the reaction mixes with the wastewater that does not enter the second catalytic reactor 17 ;
[0171] (7) some wastewater that has been treated but still contains ozone enters the revolving mixer 20 from the filtering mixer 19 ; after revolving twice in the revolving mixer 20 , the water is discharged through the outlet of the revolving mixer 20 into waters where it mixes with untreated water therein; revolving can increase the area which is affected by the water in the waters, causing residual ozone to be consumed.
[0172] A PLC intelligence programmed monitoring and control system is adopted in the wastewater treatment system according to the present invention to conduct automatic monitoring, alarm and protection for many parameters such as water temperature, water flow, electrical parameters and gas flow so as to ensure that the safe and normal operation of the system is automatically controlled by preset programs and realize remote centralized control for easy management based on customers' needs.
[0173] The wastewater treatment system according to the present invention, easy to install and use, can improve the wastewater treatment capacity and the utilization rate of ozone and filter mesh foreign bodies in the surface water effectively to prevent pipes from being blocked. This wastewater treatment system not only can disinfect surface water and rainwater, but also can treat industrial re-circulating water and the wastewater that has been treated by factories but is not up to standard. The present invention has the following advantages:
[0174] (1) The filtering mixer 19 provided at the inlet of the equipment has the functions of filtering and self-cleaning and a filter mesh element that does not need replacement, and it can remove foreign bodies in the wastewater efficiently to prevent pipes from being blocked. The untreated wastewater at the outlet of the filtering mixer 19 mixes with the wastewater that has been treated but still contains residual ozone to make full use of the ozone that is not completely consumed in the reaction, greatly improving the utilization rate of ozone and the wastewater treatment capability.
[0175] (2) A revolving mixer 20 is connected at the outlet of the filtering mixer 19 to mix the wastewater that has been treated but still contains residual ozone with the wastewater nearby by revolving so as to diffuse the ozone into nearby waters efficiently, improving the wastewater treatment capability and the utilization rate of ozone to a large extent, reducing energy consumption and eventually reducing operation cost.
[0176] (3) The ozone surface water treatment equipment is an automatic integrated one, easy to operate, i.e. the equipment can be placed on the bank or on a platform which can float on the water surface freely to realize quick control of wastewater.
[0177] (4) The inside of the second catalytic reactor 17 , the second heat exchanger 18 and the pipes according to the present invention are all applied with noble metal catalyst coating for enhancing the capacity of the ozone to oxide wastewater, and additionally, a catalyst coating carried on the granular porous ceramic surface can be added in the revolving mixer 20 to increase the reaction rate of ozone catalytic oxidation to a large extent.
[0178] (5) It can degrade surfactants and other polymeric organic matter in the surface water efficiently, reduce the total level of phosphorus and ammonia nitrogen in water bodies, and quickly eliminate algae and fungus matter to make the water bodies nontoxic and harmless, so as to solve environmental pollution problems at the root and realize zero-pollutant and environmentally-friendly discharge.
Embodiment 8
[0179] The difference between Embodiment 8 and Embodiment 7 lies in that: The wastewater treatment system in the embodiment comprises four second catalytic reactors 17 with a diameter of 150 mm, one ozone generating unit with an ozone generating capacity of 60 g/h, and one 5 m 3 /h second circulating pump 24 . The outlet of the submersible pump 14 is connected with the filtering mixer 19 with a flow of 30 m 3 /h, and the second outlet of the filtering mixer 19 is connected with the revolving mixer 20 with a flow of 50 m 3 /h, then after revolving treatment by the revolving mixer 20 , the flow of the wastewater treatment system that affects the waters is 50 m 3 /h.
Embodiment 9
[0180] The difference between Embodiment 9 and Embodiment 7 lies in that: The wastewater treatment system in the embodiment comprises four second catalytic reactors 17 with a diameter of 200 mm, three ozone generating unit with an ozone generating capacity of 60 g/h, and one 12 m 3 /h second circulating pump 24 . The outlet of the submersible pump 14 is connected with the filtering mixer 19 with a flow of 50 m 3 /h, and the outlet of the filtering mixer 19 is connected with a revolving mixer 20 with a flow of 50 m 3 /h. The inlet of the filtering mixer 19 is connected with a submersible pump 14 with a flow of 50 m 3 /h so that the wastewater pumped by the submersible pump 14 enters the filtering mixer 19 which has the function of divergence through its first inlet, 20 m 3 enters the second catalytic reactor 17 and the rest (30 m 3 ) stays in the filtering mixer 19 ; the wastewater that has been treated in the second catalytic reactor 17 enters the filtering mixer 19 where it mixes and reacts with the 30 m 3 of wastewater that does not enter the second catalytic reactor 17 ; after revolving treatment by the revolving mixer 20 , the flow of the wastewater treatment system that affects the waters is 50 m 3 /h.
[0181] The above describes and illustrates the basic principles, main features and advantages of the present invention. It would be obvious to those skilled in the field that the present invention is not limited by the embodiments above, the embodiments and the descriptions in the specification are only intended for elucidating the principles of the present invention, the present invention may have many changes and modifications without departure from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and the protection scope claimed for the present invention is defined by the claims attached, the specification and the equivalents thereof. | A sewage treatment system includes a sewage pump, an inclined-plate catalytic reaction tower, a first centrifugal pump, a first jet device, a first oxygenator, a first ozonizer, a first catalytic reactor, a first heat exchanger, a filler catalytic tower, an aeration biological tower, and a water storage tank; the outlet of the sewage pump connects with the first inlet of the inclined-plate catalytic reaction tower; the first outlet of the inclined-plate catalytic reaction tower connects with the inlet of the first centrifugal pump; the outlet of the first centrifugal pump connects with the first inlet of the first jet device; the outlet of the first oxygenator connects with the inlet of the first ozonizer; the outlet of the first ozonizer connects with the second inlet of the first jet device; and the outlet of the first jet device connects with the inlet of the first catalytic reactor. | 8 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims benefit of German patent application number DE20001002383 20000120, publication date Jul. 26, 2001, which is herein incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a slab reinforcement with a reinforced concrete column and a slab part made of reinforced concrete or prestressed concrete. The invention further concerns a procedure for the fabrication of such slab reinforcements.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reinforced concrete or prestressed concrete parts, e.g. of a supported slab require shearing check in the form of shear reinforcement in the area of the columns and in other areas.
Known types of shear reinforcement include: shear reinforcement made of reinforcing steel in the form of S-shaped hooks or stirrups, “stud rails”, double-headed studs, stirrup mats, lattice beams, “Tobler” hip, “Geilinger” collar, “Riss” star.
Because of the poor anchorage, a shear reinforcement made of reinforcing steel in the form of S-shaped hooks or stirrups must embrace a mostly existing bending longitudinal reinforcement to prevent the shear reinforcement from tearing out. This is very expensive. In the case of high reinforcement ratios of the bending tensile reinforcement and a high shearing reinforcement ratio, conventional stirrups are regarded as unsuitable.
Stud rails are mostly placed onto the lower formwork, so that the lower layer of reinforcement is encompassed by its cross-section. Exact position and fixing of the rail is decisive for the load bearing performance. The stud rails are welded made-to-order pieces and therefore expensive.
Double-headed studs are usually threaded in from above between the upper and lower layers of the existing longitudinal bending reinforcement. In the case of high reinforcement ratios of the flexural tensile reinforcement and different mesh sizes of the upper and lower layers, this is very difficult and sometimes they cannot be installed. The double-headed studs are made to order and therefore expensive.
Stud rails and double-headed studs are very much used, but series production is not economical because of the high storage costs. Another problem is the danger of confusion and storage of different stud rails and double-headed studs on the construction site.
Tobler hip and collar are steel mounting parts consisting of steel sections welded together and made to order. The bearings structures are to be installed under steelworks conditions and are therefore expensive and labor-intensive. Due to their weight, the mounting parts need to be placed by means of cranes or other hoisting gear.
The functioning of all common solutions depends on concrete as a material. A look at the load paths (path of the shear forces) shows that the load is transferred in and out of the reinforcing elements several times until it reaches the non-critical area. Failure due to shear or compressive fracture, or tearing out of the reinforcing parts can occur.
Therefore, it is one of the objects of the invention, to provide a new slab/ceiling reinforcement and a method for its fabrication.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with a first characterizing feature of the invention, this objective is achieved by the subject matter of independent claim 1 . Because of the sheet metal reinforcing part, shear forces and moments can be absorbed and distributed better. If first cracks occur when the concrete's ultimate tensile strength is reached, the load can be distributed over the reinforcing part in a fan-like way. Participation of the concrete for the ties is not necessary. The loads are carried off directly via the reinforcing part in accordance with the principle of minimum deformation work. As a consequence, cracks due to shear forces remain small and the ultimate strength of the concrete part is maximized. The reinforcing part thus assumes the concrete's function when the concrete reaches its ultimate tensile strength. The reinforcing part encompasses the continuous bending reinforcement of the reinforced concrete column. In this way the punching shear reinforcement provides structural protection against cracking of the flat slab. A flexural reinforcement in the compression zone running over the reinforced-concrete column, as described in DE-A1-19741509, is thus not necessary.
To the best advantage, the invention is further developed in accordance with the characterizing features of claim 2, because the ultimate load of a reinforced concrete part can be improved in a simple way. Reinforced concrete part here always also means prestressed concrete part.
In accordance with another characterizing feature of the invention, the objective is achieved by the subject matter of claim 7. The shape allows easy installation of the reinforcing part between the upper and lower layers of the flexural reinforcement. Additional position guards are not required. Once the lower layer of reinforcement is installed, the reinforcing part is placed onto it and can thus serve as an additional spacer for the upper layer.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a slab reinforcement comprising a reinforced-concrete column; a slab portion of reinforced concrete or prestressed concrete with an upper layer of reinforcement and a lower layer of reinforcement which transfers loads into the reinforced-concrete column; reinforcing elements provided in the reinforced-concrete column which penetrate the slab part; at least one sheet metal reinforcing part; and anchoring means to anchor the concrete. The at least one sheet metal reinforcing part encompasses a reinforcing element of the reinforced-concrete column and, starting from this reinforcing element, between the upper layer of reinforcement and the lower layer of reinforcement of the slab part, basically extends over the complete distance between these layers of reinforcement, and is essentially perpendicular to a surface of the slab part.
The sheet metal reinforcing part in horizontal projection may have the shape of a U, V, hairpin or similar. The sheet metal reinforcing part may be corrugated, bent in the shape of a hat or bent in the shape of a trapezoid. The sheet metal reinforcing part may be made of steel, or alternatively a carbon fiber material or a plastic or a composite material.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacture of a ceiling reinforcement with a reinforced-concrete column with reinforcing elements and a ceiling portion of reinforced steel or prestressed steel. The method comprises: placing a lower layer of reinforcement; placing at least one sheet metal reinforcing part for shear reinforcement onto the lower layer of reinforcement in such a way that it is mainly at right angles to it and encompasses a reinforcing element of the reinforced-concrete column; placing an upper layer of reinforcement onto this at least one sheet metal reinforcing part in such a way that the latter serves as a spacer between the lower and the upper layer of reinforcement; and pouring concrete over the portion formed of the lower layer of reinforcement, the at least one sheet metal reinforcing part and the upper layer of reinforcement.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further details and advantageous developments of the invention result from the embodiment described in the following and shown in the drawing and from the subordinate claims
FIG. 1 A vertical section of an embodiment of an arrangement in accordance with the invention, looked at along line I-I in FIG. 2 .
FIG. 2 A horizontal projection, looked at in the direction of arrow II in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 An enlarged representation of a detail of FIG. 2 .
FIG. 4 A representation of the load paths in a sectional drawing analogous to FIG. 1 .
FIG. 5 A representation of the ties and struts, likewise in a sectional drawing analogous to FIG. 1 .
FIG. 6 An isometric drawing of a reinforcing part used in FIG. 1 through 3 .
FIG. 7 A side view of a reinforcing part.
FIG. 8 A section, looked at along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7 .
FIG. 9 A section, looked at along line IX-IX in FIG. 7 .
FIG. 10 A section, looked at along line X-X in FIG. 7 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows a detail of a building with a vertical element (column or wall) 10 of reinforced concrete. In this vertical element 10 are reinforcing elements 12 , 14 in the form of reinforcing bars. The bearing surface of column 10 is secured by means of steel stirrups 16 .
Connected to the vertical element 10 is a reinforced concrete slab 20 . (Alternatively this might be a beam system 20 .) Floor 20 has an upper reinforcement 22 and a lower reinforcement 24 with a concrete covering 26 and 28 , respectively, over each. Only part of floor 20 is shown.
Between the reinforcements 22 and 24 and preferably as spacers for these are sheet metal reinforcing parts which in FIG. 1 are marked as 30 for the left part of the floor 20 and with 32 for the right part of the slab. In the preferred embodiment such a reinforcing part 30 , 32 is V-shaped in horizontal projection, see FIG. 2 where two additional reinforcements 34 and 36 are shown. Alternatively the shape could be that of a U or a hairpin.
The points of the reinforcements 30 and 32 each project into the border area of the vertical element 10 and encompass a reinforcing element 12 , 14 , assigned to them, see FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 . Thus each sheet metal reinforcing part 30 , 32 is horizontally anchored in the vertical element 10 , engaged in it and can transfer its vertical force component into the bearing area secured by the stirrups 16 .
The reinforcing parts 30 , 32 , 34 , 36 , preferably are made of sheet steel, usually between 2 and 6 mm thick. The thickness depends on static requirements. If and when required, the reinforcing parts can also be made of carbon fibers, suitable plastics or a composite material.
The reinforcing parts 30 , 32 , 34 , 36 , are thin and flat. For example, reinforcing part 32 stands on the lower reinforcement 24 which is located within the concrete floor 20 . The upper reinforcement 22 lies on reinforcing part 32 and is located in the upper concrete covering 26 . Reinforcing part 32 has recesses (holes) 40 in its upper border. It also has recesses 42 at its lower border area with diameters usually greater than 32 mm. The recesses 40 , 42 , which could also be called openings, are preferably circular and in this embodiment are arranged vertically one above the other. When the concrete 29 is placed, concrete 29 extends through each of these recesses 40 , 42 , forming “concrete dowels”, i.e. anchorages, which transfer the shear forces from the concrete 29 into the respective sheet metal reinforcing part 30 , 32 , 34 , or 36 .
Furthermore, the reinforcing elements 30 , 32 , 34 , 36 , are preferably provided with beads 44 ( FIG. 8 ) in their middle section to improve anchoring in the concrete 29 . Also, the reinforcing elements preferably have recesses 46 at the upper border and recesses 48 at the lower border. This makes these borders look toothed. The recesses 46 and 48 improve the transfer of forces into the respective reinforcing element.
FIG. 1 also shows a shearing force Q acting on the slab 20 from the left and right sides. A counterforce F acts against these forces Q from below. Furthermore, a clockwise moment M acting on the right side and a counterclockwise moment M′ of the same amount acting on the left side, along with the forces mentioned, result in tensile and compressive stresses in the slab 20 .
FIG. 4 shows the load paths in a radial cut in the usual way of representation. The reference marks are the same as in FIG. 1 through 3 . 50 identifies a zone in which one or more cracks occur in the concrete 29 under high load and where the floor 20 would usually break when the load becomes too high. In this case the surface of the fracture has roughly the shape of a funnel or cone, therefore the zone 50 is also called “punching shear cone”. It can be seen that a large number of load paths 52 exist which are at angles and sometimes roughly perpendicular to this zone 50 and thus act against fracture in this place.
The struts starting at the column 10 are compressive struts. They are anchored in the inner area of the “punching shear cone” at the upper concrete dowels, i.e. the concrete dowels in the recesses 40 . This is the load transfer into the sheet metal reinforcing part 32 . From this anchorage, the struts, as shown, only run in the sheet metal reinforcing part 32 and a shear field is formed which effects a planar load path in the reinforcing part 32 up to the non-critical area outside the zone 50 .
FIG. 5 , likewise in a usual way of representation, shows the ties and struts in a section. Here, too, it can be seen that the ties run at angles and roughly perpendicular to the zone 50 , i.e. at angles and sometimes perpendicular to the “punching shear cone” and that therefore they act against fracture in this place because there are many possibilities of anchoring in the area of the “concrete dowels” mentioned (at recesses 40 , 42 ). If first cracks appear in the concrete 29 when the ultimate tensile strength is reached, the load is distributed to the “concrete dowels” over the entire sheet metal reinforcing part 32 in a fan-like way, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 . Participation of the concrete 29 for the ties is not necessary. The loads are carried off directly via the sheet metal reinforcing element 30 , 32 , in accordance with the principle of minimum deformation work. As a consequence, the cracks 50 due to shear forces remain small and the ultimate strength of the slab 20 is maximized.
When the ultimate tensile strength of the concrete 29 in the tensile truss bars is reached, the sheet metal reinforcing part 32 assumes the function of the concrete.
If a rigid body mechanism is assumed in the ultimate load state, i.e. the remaining slab 20 is separated from the punching shear cone 50 , then the shear forces are exclusively transferred via the sheet metal reinforcing part 32 . Flexural and shear reinforcements are not decoupled.
When the ultimate limit state is reached, there should be early warnings that the arrangement shown is about to fail. The ductility of the sheet metal reinforcing part 30 and 32 is important for this, because in the case of such an arrangement, the shearing forces are transferred via the sheet metal reinforcing part 30 , 32 . So, when the ultimate limit state is reached, the sheet metal reinforcing parts 30 and 32 will fail, which are preferably made of steel, and such failure is a ductile steel failure and not a non-ductile concrete failure in the form of a shear-compressive fracture, i.e. there are warning signs and the failure will not be sudden. This is also important with regard to earthquakes.
The behavior of the “concrete dowels” in the recesses 40 , 42 , is sufficiently elastic and if one of them fails, the adjoining dowels will take up the load, i.e. the load is just relocated. The recesses 40 , 42 , and the beads 44 support the concrete dowels in the anchoring of the inclined compressive struts.
Reinforcement bars can be placed through the recesses 40 , 42 , and they can also be attached at these recesses by means of tie wire. This would be a further improvement.
FIG. 6 shows an isometric drawing of the reinforcing part 32 of FIG. 1 through 3 . The same reference marks are used.
FIG. 7 , 8 , 9 and 10 show details of the embodiment in accordance with FIG. 1 through 3 in different cutting planes.
Naturally, the invention presented allows a large number of variations and modifications.
While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow. | The invention concerns a reinforced concrete or prestressed concrete part stressed by shearing forces with layers of reinforcement ( 22, 24 ) provided at its upper and lower sides. For shear protection at least one sheet metal reinforcing part ( 30, 32, 34, 36 ) is provided between these layers of reinforcement which mainly extends at right angles to a surface of the reinforced concrete part and mainly over the entire distance between the layers of reinforcement ( 22, 24 ) and crosswise to at least one crack ( 50 ) occurring in the reinforced or prestressed concrete part under transverse load. | 4 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/109,700 filed Oct. 30, 2008.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally related to a process for upgrading hydrocarbons. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved process to provide a gasoline product with a good drivability index and a low Reid Vapor Pressure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Gasoline regulations limit the amount of sulfur that can be present in motor fuel.
[0004] One area of interest from automakers is the distillation index or drivability index (DI), which is a measure of gasoline tendency to vaporize. It is calculated from a gasoline's distillation profile. The specific formula for Drivability Index (DI) is DI(° F.)=1.5(T10)+3(T50)+T90. The variables T10, T50, and T90 are the temperatures (in degrees Fahrenheit) at which 10%, 50% and 90% of the fuel vaporizes, respectively, during a standard ASTM D86 distillation test. To have desirable emissions characteristics, it is preferred that the drivability index is below 1200° F.
[0005] Another area of interest from automakers is the Reid Vapor Pressure, which defined as the absolute vapor pressure of volatile crude oil and volatile non-viscous petroleum liquids. A lower Reid Vapor Pressure is desirable.
[0006] However, it is challenging to produce gasoline with both the desirable Reid Vapor Pressure and the desirable Drivability Index since Reid Vapor Pressure and Drivability Index tend to act in an opposite fashion in such that Reid Vapor Pressure decreases with an increase in T10 while DI increases with an increase in T10. For example, removal of the lighter fuel components such as nC4 and C5's will shift the T10 and T50 to higher values, resulting in an increase in the Drivability Index unless steps are taken to remove the heavier portion of the gasoline which may result in a significant lost in octane.
[0007] Therefore, a hydrocarbon upgrading process that can address the Reid Vapor Pressure and Drivability Index issues simultaneously would be a benefit to both the art and to the economy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] One aspect of the invention discloses a process for upgrading hydrocarbons.
[0009] One embodiment according to the current invention comprising the following steps:
[0010] a) The hydrocarbon feedstock is passed to a first separation zone, where a first hydrocarbon stream and a remaining hydrocarbon stream are separated from the hydrocarbon feedstock. The first hydrocarbon stream comprises compounds having 5 carbon atoms per molecule (C5);
[0011] b) This first hydrocarbon stream is then passed to a metathesis reaction zone, where the first hydrocarbon stream undergoes a metathesis reaction to form metathesis reaction product stream comprising compounds having less than five carbon atoms per molecule (C4−), compounds having five carbon atoms per molecule (C5), and compounds having at least six carbon atoms per molecule (C6+);
[0012] c) The metathesis reaction product stream comprising C 4− , C 5 and C 6+ hydrocarbons is then passed to a second separation zone. There, the metathesis reaction product stream is separated into a second hydrocarbon stream comprising compounds having less than 6 carbon atoms per molecule (C5−) and into a third hydrocarbon stream comprising compounds having at least 6 carbon atoms per molecule (C6+);
[0013] d) The second hydrocarbon stream is then passed to a third separation zone. There, the second hydrocarbon stream is separated to form a fourth hydrocarbon stream comprising compounds having less than 5 carbon atoms per molecule (C4−) and a fifth hydrocarbon stream comprising compounds having 5 carbon atoms per molecule (C5).
[0014] e) The fourth hydrocarbon stream is passed to a hydrocarbon upgrading zone.
[0015] Another embodiment according to the current invention further comprises steps such as i) passing the third hydrocarbon stream to a gasoline blending zone; ii) recycling the fifth hydrocarbon stream to the metathesis reaction zone; iii) passing the remaining hydrocarbon stream in first separation zone to and gasoline blending zone; or any combination thereof.
[0016] The hydrocarbon feedstock according to one embodiment of the current invention may comprise compounds with 2 to 20 carbon atoms per molecule.
[0017] The hydrocarbon feedstock according to one embodiment of the current invention may contain less than 300 ppmv dienes, or less than 100 ppmv dienes. Within dienes also means diolefins.
[0018] The hydrocarbon feedstock according to one embodiment of the current invention may contain less than 30 ppmv sulfur, or less than 10 ppmv sulfur, or less than 5 ppmv sulfur.
[0019] The upgrading zone according to one embodiment of the current invention may be an alkylation reaction zone or an oligomerization reaction zone.
[0020] The temperature in the metathesis reaction zone according to one embodiment of the current invention may be in the range of from about 700° F. to about 800° F.
[0021] The metathesis catalyst according to one embodiment of the current invention may be silica-supported tungsten oxide in conjunction with magnesium oxide.
[0022] The metathesis catalyst according to one embodiment of the current invention may be regenerated with hydrogen.
[0023] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic flow diagram presenting one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] In accordance with the present invention, a process is provided for upgrading hydrocarbon feedstock. The process involves separating C5 compound from the hydrocarbon feedstock; metathezing C5 compound to produce C4−, C5, and C6+ compounds; separating C5 and C6+ compounds; upgrading C4− compounds; and recycling C5 for metathesis.
[0026] The process described herein is an integrated process. It refers to a process which involves a sequence of steps, some of which may be parallel to other steps in the process, but which are interrelated or dependent upon either to earlier or late steps in the overall process.
[0027] Any suitable hydrocarbon feedstock can be utilized in the present inventive process. Suitable hydrocarbon feedstock may comprise, but not limited to, the compounds with 2 to 20 carbon atoms per molecule. Suitable hydrocarbon feed stock may also contain, but not limited to, less than 300 ppmv dients, or less than 100 ppmv dients. Suitable hydrocarbon feed stock may further contain, but not limited to, less than 30 ppmv sulfur, or less than 10 ppmv sulfur, or less than 5 ppmv sulfur.
[0028] The hydrocarbon feedstock is passed to a first separation zone, where first hydrocarbon comprising compounds having 5 carbon atoms per molecule and a remaining hydrocarbon stream are separated from the hydrocarbon feedstock
[0029] While the remaining hydrocarbon stream is passed to a gasoline blending zone, the first hydrocarbon stream is passed to a metathesis reaction zone, where the first hydrocarbon stream undergoes a metathesis reaction. “Metathesis” refers to the interchange of carbon atoms between a pair of double bonds which is catalyzed by various metal compounds. In the present invention, the first hydrocarbon stream, which is passed into the metathesis reaction zone, is comprised of compounds having 5 carbon atoms per molecule, and the metathesis reaction product stream is comprised of olefins having either 4, 5, or 6 carbon atoms per molecule.
[0030] Any suitable metathesis catalyst can be utilized in the metathesis reaction zone. Suitable catalysts include, but are not limited to, transition metal halides or oxides with an alkylating co-catalyst, titanocene-based catalysts, ruthenium catalysts supported by phosphine ligands, and tungsten and/or molybdenum-containing catalysts. Other suitable catalysts are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,522,936 and 4,071,471, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. The catalyst according to an embodiment of the current invention is silica-supported tungsten oxide in conjunction with magnesium oxide. The catalyst according to an embodiment of the current invention may be regenerated by the use of hydrogen.
[0031] The temperature in the metathesis reaction zone depends on the type of catalyst used. For one embodiment where a tungsten oxide/magnesium oxide catalyst is used, the temperature in the metathesis reaction zone will be within the range of from about 700° F. to about 800° F.
[0032] The metathesis reaction product stream comprising C 4 , C 5 and C 6 olefins is then passed to a second separation zone. There, the metathesis reaction product stream is then separated into a second hydrocarbon stream comprising compounds having less than 6 carbon atoms per molecule and into a third hydrocarbon stream comprising compounds having at least 6 carbon atoms per molecule.
[0033] The second hydrocarbon stream is then passed to a third separation zone. There, the second hydrocarbon stream is separated to form a fourth hydrocarbon stream comprising compounds having less than 5 carbon atoms per molecule and a fifth hydrocarbon stream comprising compounds having 5 carbon atoms per molecule.
[0034] With the third hydrocarbon stream being passed to a gasoline blending zone and the fifth hydrocarbon stream being recycled back to the metathesis reaction zone for metathesis reaction as described above, the fourth hydrocarbon stream is passed to a hydrocarbon upgrading zone where the C4− compounds undergoes a hydrocarbon upgrading process.
[0035] The hydrocarbon upgrading zone according to one embodiment of the present invention may be an alkylation reaction zone, where the C4− compounds undergoes an alkylation reaction. Suitable alkylation reaction unit, condition and catalysts used therefore, are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,395,945 and 5,254,790, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
[0036] The hydrocarbon upgrading zone may also be an oligomerization reaction zone, where the C4− compounds undergoes an oligomerization reaction and produces higher octane low RVP gasoline blend.
[0037] Any suitable separation method may be used in any of the separation zones of the present invention mentioned above, suitable method may be, but not limited to, fractional distillation.
[0038] Now referring to FIG. 1 , a process system 10 is depicted which comprises the following steps.
[0039] A hydrocarbon feedstock is passed to a first separation zone 100 via conduit 20 . The feedstock is separated into first hydrocarbon stream comprising compounds having 5 carbon atoms per molecule and a remaining hydrocarbon stream without C5 components. The remaining hydrocarbon stream without the C 5 components passes to gasoline blending zone 106 via conduit 21 . The first hydrocarbon stream then passes into metathesis reaction zone 102 via conduit 22 to form a metathesis reaction product stream which passes into a second separation zone 104 via conduit 24 . In second separation zone 104 , the metathesis reaction product stream is separated into a second hydrocarbon stream and a third hydrocarbon stream. The third hydrocarbon stream comprises compounds having at least six carbon atoms per molecule and it passes through conduit 26 to gasoline blending zone 106 . The second hydrocarbon stream comprises compounds having 5 or less carbon atoms per molecule. It passes through conduit 28 to third separation zone 108 . There, the second hydrocarbon stream is separated into a fourth hydrocarbon stream comprising compounds having less than 5 carbon atoms per molecule and a fifth hydrocarbon product stream comprising compounds having 5 carbon atoms per molecule. The fifth hydrocarbon product stream returns to metathesis reaction zone 102 via conduit 30 . The fourth hydrocarbon product stream passes via conduit 32 to hydrocarbon upgrading zone 110 .
[0040] The following examples are presented to further illustrate this invention and are not to be construed as unduly limiting the invention as set out in the specification and the appended claims.
EXAMPLE I
[0041] A 5.33-gram quantity of an MgO/WO 3 /SiO 2 metathesis catalyst was contacted with a feed comprising the components listed below in Table I at a feed rate of 40 ml/hr. The weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) was 4.6 hr −1 and the liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) was 3.6 hr −1 . The temperature set point was 700° F. Results (on wt % basis) were measured hourly and are shown in Table I.
[0000]
TABLE I
Catalyst:
MgO/WO 3 /SiO 2 Metathesis Catalyst
Catalyst Weight, g
5.33
11 cc catalyst volume
WHSV (hr −1 )
4.8
1.17 olefin only
Feed Rate (mL/hr)
40
24.71 g/hr feed
LHSV (hr −1 )
3.6
Temp Set Pt, ° F.
700
700
700
Component
Feed #1
Prod 1
Prod 2
Prod 3
Ethylene
0.065
0.071
0.028
Propane
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
Propylene
0.008
1.238
1.180
0.599
Isobutane
0.078
0.097
0.080
0.075
Isobutene
0.533
2.088
1.953
1.257
Normal Butane
0.571
0.561
0.564
0.554
2-butene trans
0.384
1.425
1.417
0.966
2-butene cis
0.304
0.959
1.009
0.694
3-methyl butene-1
1.258
0.487
0.511
0.639
Isopentane
48.171
49.000
49.082
48.697
Isopentene
3.204
1.059
1.195
1.732
2-methyl butene-1
8.523
3.639
3.831
4.435
Normal Pentane
13.220
13.577
13.386
13.259
Trans-2-pentene
9.619
4.270
5.207
6.995
Cis-2-pentene
4.502
2.167
2.557
3.419
2-methyl butene-2
8.552
9.029
9.772
11.353
Unknown C 1 -C 5
0.187
0.001
0.001
0.001
C 6 +
0.000
10.403
8.255
5.325
Total
99.114
100.000
100.000
100.000
Total C5 = Conv
42.086
35.294
19.869
C4 = Selectivity
21.663
25.093
23.938
C6 + Selectivity
69.320
65.592
75.160
EXAMPLE II
[0042] The catalyst in Example I was then purged overnight with nitrogen at a rate of 50 sccm. The metathesis reaction was then run again with the same conditions as Example I, except that the temperature set point was 760° F. The results (on wt % basis) were once again measured and are shown in Table II.
[0000]
TABLE II
Temp. Set Pt, ° F.
760
760
760
760
760
Prod 4
Prod 5
Prod 6
Prod 7
Prod 8
Ethylene
0.092
0.075
0.100
0.073
0.066
Propane
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
Propylene
1.579
1.271
1.514
1.201
1.108
Isobutane
0.077
0.075
0.076
0.075
0.075
Isobutene
2.212
1.958
2.225
1.861
1.740
Normal Butane
0.553
0.555
0.558
0.552
0.552
2-butene trans
1.635
1.466
1.635
1.409
1.341
2-butene cis
1.193
1.073
1.193
1.034
0.986
3-methyl butene-1
0.508
0.572
0.495
0.589
0.628
Isopentane
47.888
48.778
48.718
48.713
48.697
Isopentene
0.874
1.109
0.899
1.176
1.273
2-methyl butene-1
3.781
4.156
3.944
4.228
4.325
Normal Pentane
13.099
13.359
13.318
13.353
13.352
Trans-2-pentene
3.776
4.615
4.023
4.806
5.047
Cis-2-pentene
1.905
2.322
2.029
2.422
2.552
2-methyl butene-2
9.178
9.953
9.451
10.164
10.419
Unknown C 1 -C 5
0.002
0.003
0.005
0.006
0.004
C 6 +
11.740
8.734
9.917
8.413
7.902
Total
100.000
100.000
100.000
100.000
100.000
Total C5 = Conv
43.850
36.264
41.553
34.419
32.010
C4 = Selectivity
24.419
25.334
25.863
25.119
24.931
C6 + Selectivity
75.083
67.540
66.928
68.546
69.233
EXAMPLE III
[0043] The catalyst was then regenerated with a nitrogen/hydrogen combination flow at a rate of 50 sccm for one hour. This was followed by a 50 sccm nitrogen purge overnight. The metathesis reaction was run, with the reaction conditions the same as in Example II. The results (on wt % basis) are shown in Table III.
[0000]
TABLE III
Temp Set Pt, ° F.
760
760
760
760
Prod 9
Prod 10
Prod 11
Prod 12
Ethylene
0.085
0.089
0.015
0.045
Propane
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.000
Propylene
1.503
1.191
0.313
0.782
Isobutane
0.075
0.081
0.072
0.074
Isobutene
2.202
1.946
0.905
1.398
Normal Butane
0.553
0.557
0.542
0.550
2-butene trans
1.668
1.347
0.661
1.041
2-butene cis
1.225
0.972
0.482
0.770
3-methyl butene-1
0.523
0.753
0.799
0.684
Isopentane
48.784
48.746
48.599
48.603
Isopentene
0.886
1.629
2.199
1.579
2-methyl butene-1
3.903
3.987
4.836
4.628
Normal Pentane
13.406
13.275
13.240
13.233
Trans-2-pentene
3.779
5.827
8.356
6.485
Cis-2-pentene
1.906
2.678
4.044
3.183
2-methyl butene-2
9.456
9.231
11.770
11.113
Unknown C 1 -C 5
0.003
0.004
0.002
0.003
C 6 +
10.127
7.777
3.180
5.875
Total C5 = Conv
42.641
32.399
10.427
22.396
C4 = Selectivity
25.475
26.346
22.627
24.888
C6 + Selectivity
66.605
67.317
87.034
73.567
EXAMPLE IV
[0044] Table IV below shows data for gasoline which has been depentanized, the “Kettle Product.” The “Full Range” category denotes gasoline which also includes the C 5 components.
[0000]
TABLE IV
Gasoline De-pentanization
Gasoline Fraction
Full Range
Kettle Product
RON
89.3
88.5
MON
80.1
79.1
Rvp (psia @ 100° F.)
4.82
2.27
D-86 Data (° F.)
Initial Boiling Point
115
156
T10
162
191
T50
255
268
T90
388
389
DI (calculated)
1396
1479
*DHA Results, vol %
C4 minus
0.230
0
C5
10.992
1.972
C6+
88.778
98.028
Based on these data, the C5 fraction removed from gasoline has
blending RON of 95.8, blending MON of 88.2 and blending Rvp of
25.5; Measured C5 Rvp - 17.36 psig.
[*DHA = Detailed Hydrocarbon Analysis]
[0045] While this invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration, it should not be construed as limited thereby but intended to cover all changes and modifications within the spirit and scope thereof. Reasonable variations, modifications, and adaptations can be made within the scope of the disclosure and the appended claims without departing from the scope of this invention.
REFERENCES
[0046] All of the references cited herein are expressly incorporated by reference. Incorporated references are listed again here for convenience:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,071,471 (Banks et al) “Catalysts for Conversion of Olefins”, granted Jan. 31, 1978. 2. U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,936 (Kubes et al) “Metathesis Catalyst”, granted Jan. 11, 1985. 3. U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,790 (Thomas et al) “Integrated Process for Producing Motor Fuels”, granted Oct. 19, 1993. 4. U.S. Pat. No. 6,395,945 (Randolph) “Integrated Hydroisomerization Alkylation Process”, grant May 28, 2002. | A process for upgrading hydrocarbons comprising removal of C5 hydrocarbons from a feedstock, metathesizing said C5 hydrocarbons to C6+ and C4− hydrocarbons, and upgrading said C4− hydrocarbons is disclosed. | 2 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a nonwoven fabric, and more specifically, to a durable, extensible nonwoven fabric comprising a fibrous blend of non-activated fusible fibers and a non-fusible fibers, wherein said fibrous blend is hydroentangled and subsequently subjected to compaction at an elevated temperature to activate said fusible fiber component, thus forming a nonwoven fabric exhibiting recoverable extensibility.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Nonwoven fabrics are used in a wide variety of applications where the engineered qualities of the fabric can be advantageously employed. Nonwoven fabrics are those fabrics consisting of fibrous materials, such as synthetic or natural fibers or combinations thereof. These fibers are then coalesced to form a web, which can then be further treated chemically, mechanically, or in combination, so as to achieve a nonwoven fabric with the desired physical properties.
[0003] Mechanically treating nonwoven fabrics with a compressive technology is known in the art. Various compressive methods include compacting, calendering, creping, compressive shrinkage, and use of so called stuffer boxes. Compressive techniques involve overfeeding fabric into a defined space, and steadily releasing the fabric from the defined space so as to enhance the physical characteristics of the fabric.
[0004] Applying a post-compressive treatment to a fabric, such as a nonwoven, enhances the fabric's aesthetic and performance qualities, providing the fabric with an improved hand, drape, and extensibility. Compressing a nonwoven fabric in a regulatory manner displaces the fabric in the z-dimension thereby imparting crenulations into the of the machine direction of an otherwise substantially planar fabric. The resulting compacted fabric exhibits some extensibility due to the compressive treatment. The treated nonwoven fabric can then be set by means of heat and pressure in order to retain the acquired properties of the fabric imparted by the post mechanical treatment.
[0005] The mechanical post treatment of compaction has been previously applied to nonwoven fabrics, and more specifically, to hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics so as to enhance the absorptiveness or pliability of a nonwoven fabric, however, the prior art fails to recognize the need for a fabric with durable extensibility. The present invention discloses a nonwoven fabric that exhibits the ability to retain its extensible properties subsequent to at least 20 home washings.
[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a durable and extensible nonwoven fabric derived from a hydroentangled fibrous blend comprised of non-activated fusible fibers, wherein the resulting nonwoven fabric is suitable for use in medical applications, such as stockings and wraps.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention relates to a nonwoven fabric, and more specifically, to a durable extensible nonwoven fabric comprising a hydroentangled fibrous blend of non-activated fusible fibers and non-fusible fibers, wherein said nonwoven fabric is subjected to compaction at an elevated temperature thereby activating said fusible fibers to bond with the surrounding fibrous composition and rendering said nonwoven fabric suitable for use in medical applications, such as stockings and wraps.
[0008] The nonwoven fabric of the present invention is a hydroentangled fibrous blend comprising fusible fibers. Once hydroentangled, the fabric is dried, but at a drying temperature less than that of the activation temperature of the fusible fiber. The nonwoven fabric may be subsequently wound, or in the alternative, directly fed into a compacting apparatus, wherein the hydroentangled fabric is subject to compaction at a temperature that activates the fusible fiber to bond with the surrounding fiber. The resulting nonwoven fabric exhibits durable extensibility and is capable of retaining the imparted extensible performance after at least 20 home washes. Prior to compaction, the fabric is optionally coated with a latex binder so as to impart durable recovery properties to the fabric.
[0009] The resulting nonwoven fabric of the present invention is suitable for use as a hospital issued or commercially available wrap or stocking utilized to reduce the potential for swelling about an injury site. The wrap or stocking is placed in contact with the skin so as to apply a controlled compressive force to the injury site. After or during the course of use, the wrap or stocking may be laundered, while exhibiting the ability to retain the recoverable extensibility performance of the nonwoven fabric.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] [0010]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus for the fabrication of the nonwoven fabric according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, hereinafter is described presently preferred embodiments of the invention, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as exemplifications of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated.
[0012] The fibrous blend of the present invention is comprised of a non-activated fusible fiber as well as a non-fusible fiber. The non-fusible fiber may be that of a synthetic or natural fiber, or a combination thereof. Synthetic fibers of the present invention may be utilized at a preferred range of 80%-95% by weight, and a most preferred range of 88%-92% by weight, wherein the synthetic fibers may be selected from thermoset polymers such as polyacrylates, or from thermoplastic polymers, including polyamides, polyesters, polyolefins, their derivatives and combinations thereof. Natural fibers of the present invention are cellulosic in nature such as cotton, wood pulp, or rayon.
[0013] In accordance with the present invention, at least a portion of the fibrous nonwoven web consists of thermally fusible fibers, also called binder fibers or bi-component fibers, that are activated through the application of heat and pressure that follow the compaction process. Fusible fibers are those fibers that comprise at least two polymer types. Suitable fusible fibers that can be utilized in the present invention include configurations such as side-by-side or sheath-core, as well as other geometric variations, wherein the fusible fiber may be employed at a preferred range of 5%-20% by weight, and a most preferred range of 8%-12% by weight.
[0014] In reference to FIG. 1, therein is illustrated an apparatus for practicing the method of the present invention for forming a nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric is produced by a process known as hydroentanglement. In this process, a web of loose fibers 2 is produced by a series of cards or by other known equipment that is capable of producing an unbonded web of fibers, and deposited on conveyor 6 . Web 2 is then supported on a perforated surface 8 and is subjected to treatment with a large number of fine water jets 10 , causing fiber web 2 to rearrange and become entangled into a coherent, durable, nonwoven web 12 . The apertured pattern in the support surface can be varied to provide a variety of apertured and non-apertured patterns. The now coherent web is transported to another conveyor 14 and passed through drier 18 for drying. The process of hydroentanglement is described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,706. to Evans, incorporated herein by reference.
[0015] Subsequent to the hydroentangling process, the nonwoven fabric may be wound and then fed into a compaction apparatus or directly fed into a compaction apparatus, such as a microcreper. The particular microcreping process employed was that as is commercially available from the Micrex Corporation of Walpole, Mass., and is referred to by the registered mark of the same company as “MICREX”. The apparatus for performing MICREXING is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,260,778; No. 3,416,192; No. 3,810,280, No. 4,090,385; and No. 4,717,329, hereby incorporated by reference, during the microcreping process the fabric is conveyed between roll 22 and blade 24 conversing toward the roll. The nonwoven web 12 is conveyed into a defined space 26 , firmly gripped and conveyed into a main treatment cavity 28 where microcreping or compacting takes place.
[0016] As a critical part of the method of the invention, the nonwoven fabric is exposed to pressure and heated to a temperature that activates the fusible fibers to form bonds with the surrounding fibrous composition. The fabric is exposed to the heat and pressure during the microcreping process in order to permanently retain the acquired crepe upon cooling. Conveniently, this may be accomplished by heating roll 22 in the creping apparatus upon which the fabric is supported.
[0017] In a first preferred embodiment, a nonwoven fabric comprised of a 10% fusible fiber supplied by KoSa, commercially known as T252 and 90% polyester supplied by Wellman, commercially known as T472, was fed into a microcreping apparatus, which was operated at a batcher speed of 30 yards per minute. Compression of 70 psi was utilized, with a roll temperature of 350° Fahrenheit. The resultant nonwoven fabric was compacted at 25%. The nonwoven fabric of the present invention has a preferred compaction range from about 10%-40% and a most preferred compaction range form about 15%-25%.
[0018] In a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the nonwoven web is coated with a latex binder prior to compaction in order to impart a durable, extensible nonwoven fabric with recovery properties. The latex binder can be coated onto the fabric using conventional application techniques, such as dipping, spraying, or printing. The dipping process is performed by running the web through a binder filled tank or pan, then removing the excess binder with squeeze rolls. The binder may be sprayed onto the web as well, coating one side or both sides. Spray guns operated by pressurized air or hydraulic jets operated by hydraulic pressure, apply the binder onto the web in the form of tiny droplets. The latex binder can also be printed onto the nonwoven web. By using a patterned roller, the binder can be applied to selected areas of the web or applied to the entire nonwoven web.
[0019] It is within the purview of the invention that the nonwoven fabric may be a composite, laminate, single layer or multiple layers in order to incorporate support and/or absorbent mechanisms into the fabric. The nonwoven may be imaged and/or apertured, or modified aesthetically through subsequent dyeing, and printing, or by using colored fibers during the manufacturing step, to achieve the affects of the desired end use application. The nonwoven fabric has a preferred basis weight range of 1.5-8.0 ounces per square yard, with a range of 3.0-5.0 ounces per square yard being most preferred.
[0020] The resulting hydroentangled and compacted nonwoven fabric exhibits a durable extensibility wherein the fabric is capable of retaining its extensibility subsequent to at least 20 wash cycles. Table 1 illustrates the stretch and recovery performance of the present invention after 5, 10, 15, and 20, wash cycles. A wash cycle refers to a complete cycle consisting of wash-spin-rinse-spin and is conducted by use of a heavy-duty automatic washer.
[0021] A number of end-use articles can be benefit from the durable, extensible nonwoven fabric of the present invention, including, but not limited to, a primary or secondary medical wrap or compression stocking. Further, the disclosed nonwoven fabric is suitable for mattress pad covers, wherein the skirt of the mattress pad cover must exhibit extensibility so as to expand over the thickness of the mattress on which the cover is fitted. The nonwoven fabric of the present invention may also be utilized as elastic waistband material in bottom weights for men or women, such as pants or shorts.
[0022] From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be affected without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concept of the present invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. The disclosure is intended to cover, by the appended claims, all such modifications as fall within the scope of the claims.
TABLE 1 No. of Wash Cycles Bulk (mils) Stretch (%) Recovery 5 0.032 13 98 10 0.036 15 97 15 0.041 15 97 20 0.041 17 99 | The present invention relates to a nonwoven fabric, and more specifically, to a durable extensible nonwoven fabric comprising a hydroentangled fibrous blend of non-activated fusible fibers and non-fusible fibers, wherein said nonwoven fabric is subjected to compaction at an elevated temperature thereby activating said fusible fibers to bond with the surrounding fibrous composition and rendering said nonwoven fabric suitable for use in medical applications, such as stockings and wraps. | 3 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/641,866, filed Dec. 18, 2009, which claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 61/139,616 filed on Dec. 21, 2008, each of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Application
The present application relates generally to a walking aid or other human-powered locomotion and stabilization aid having an illumination source. The walking aid may be used by individuals in recreational activities, as well as by physically challenged individuals engaged in their daily activities. The illuminated walking aid may facilitate moving more safely from one place to another where an individual or group would benefit from seeing the floor, ground, or other surface more clearly, or by being seen more easily by others.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recreational hiking poles and ski poles assist hikers, skiers, skaters, mountain climbers, and search and rescue teams when they need to stabilize themselves and their footing while engaged in such activities. Canes, walkers, crutches, and walking carts similarly provide physically challenged persons and people with physical disabilities with needed stability when moving from one place to another. The value of canes, walkers, hiking poles and similar devices in assisting individuals desiring greater stability correlates directly with how well the ends or tips of the poles, canes, etc. connect with the ground to achieve the desired and required weight-bearing traction and support. When compromised or deficient lighting or visibility conditions exist, whether outside in twilight, at night, or in overcast, rainy or snowy conditions, or when inside where lighting conditions may be poor, it is more difficult to ensure the necessary stable footing from the placement of the walking aid pole or cane base to achieve the required or desired safe traction and load-bearing stability.
These as well as other aspects and advantages will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description, with reference where appropriate to the accompanying drawings. Further, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this summary and elsewhere are intended to illustrate the invention by way of example only.
SUMMARY
The present application provides an apparatus for assisting movement including a shaft having a first end on which a handle is disposed and a second end for contacting a walking surface. The shaft further includes an offset portion located between the first end and the second end, and a generally longitudinal portion extending from the second end of the shaft. A plurality of light sources are oriented around the generally longitudinal portion of the shaft. The apparatus also includes at least one power source for powering the plurality of light sources.
In another embodiment, the apparatus for assisting movement includes a shaft having a first end on which a handle is disposed and a second end for contacting a walking surface and a housing secured to the shaft by a fastening mechanism. The housing includes a plurality of light sources. The apparatus further includes at least one power source for powering the plurality of light sources. The plurality of light sources are arranged in the housing so as to circumferentially illuminate an area surrounding the tip of the shaft.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Several example embodiments of the invention are described and shown herein with reference to the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of an apparatus for assisting movement of the present application;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the handle of the apparatus for assisting movement shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of the handle shown in FIG. 2 ;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional front view of the handle shown in FIG. 2 ;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a handle for use with an apparatus for assisting movement, such as the apparatus for assisting movement shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the apparatus for assisting movement shown in FIG. 5 ;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of the handle shown in FIG. 5 ;
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of another alternate embodiment of a handle for use with an apparatus for assisting movement, such as the apparatus for assisting movement shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional close up view of the handle shown in FIG. 8 ;
FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of the handle shown in FIG. 8 ;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a light source for use with an apparatus for assisting movement, such as the apparatus for assisting movement shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of the light source shown in FIG. 11 ;
FIG. 13 is a back perspective view of the light source shown in FIG. 11 ;
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the inside of the light source shown in FIG. 11 ;
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of a light source for a use with an apparatus for assisting movement, such as the apparatus for assisting movement shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 16 is a close up view of the light source shown in FIG. 15 ;
FIG. 17 is a close up view of the light source shown in FIG. 15 ;
FIG. 18 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of an apparatus for assisting movement;
FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 18 ;
FIG. 20 is a close-up cross-sectional view of a power source located in the apparatus shown in FIG. 18 ;
FIG. 21 is a close-up cross-sectional view of a housing secured to the apparatus shown in FIG. 18 ;
FIG. 22 is a close-up view of another embodiment of a housing that may be used with the apparatus of the present application;
FIG. 23 is a close-up cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a power source located in the apparatus for assisting movement;
FIG. 24 is a close-up view of another embodiment of a housing that may be used with the apparatus of the present application;
FIG. 25 is an additional view of the housing shown in FIG. 24 ;
FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of the housing shown in FIG. 24 ; and
FIG. 27 is a top cross-sectional view of the housing shown in FIG. 24 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the Figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein.
One example embodiment provides an illuminated apparatus for assisting movement, such as a walking aid, which provides light in a generally downward direction toward the feet of a user. The walking aid may be used for recreational pursuits, search and rescue activities, or physically challenged ambulatory movement. The walking aid allows the user to clearly see where their feet, skis, skates, and crampons and the tips of their walking, skiing and skating poles, canes or walkers should be placed so that the necessary load-bearing stability assistance results are achieved when lighting and visibility conditions are less than optimal. The walking aid provides circumferential lighting to illuminate areas in front of, to the sides of, and behind the walking aid, allowing for suitable movement over uneven terrain commonly encountered when hiking, climbing or skiing. The walking aid may also be used as a signaling device or for pointing and illuminating objects in the surrounding vicinity, for example.
The illuminated walking aid provides users with all forms of helpful features exemplified by a streamlined, weatherproof, and waterproof molded enclosure that is impervious to the challenging conditions to which it may be exposed. The illuminated walking aid further includes illumination sources that are adjustable from both directional and lighting intensity perspectives, as well as rechargeable and disposable battery power source flexibility. The streamlined and rugged embodiments are designed to easily shed branches and other obstructions as well as being able to easily stand up to other harsh elements commonly encountered during outdoor activities such as backpacking, hiking, mountaineering, and backcountry skiing.
Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an exemplary apparatus for assisting movement, such as a walking aid 100 , of the present application. As discussed above, the apparatus for assisting movement may be a hiking pole, ski pole, cane, walker, or other stabilizing or balancing device used to make walking, hiking, climbing, skiing, and similar activities safer and more efficient. The walking aid may include a pole 102 having a first end 104 and a second end 106 . The pole 102 may include a generally elongated shaft, which may have a cylindrical or non-cylindrical cross-section. Pole 102 may also be adjustable in length. In one embodiment, the pole 102 may include a handle 200 secured to the first end 104 . The handle 200 may be oriented generally along the elongated shaft, in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the generally elongated shaft, and in a generally vertical direction. In an alternate embodiment, the handle 200 may be oriented in a direction perpendicular to the generally elongated shaft. The handle 200 may be molded to the first end 104 , or alternatively, may be secured to the top end by any suitable connection mechanism.
Referring to FIG. 2 , the handle 200 may include a first end 202 and a second end 204 . The first end 202 of the handle 200 may be oriented toward the first end 104 of the pole and the second end 204 of the handle 200 may be oriented toward the second end 106 of the pole 102 . The handle 200 may also include a gripping portion 201 which facilitates gripping of the handle by a user. The handle 200 may further include a removable portion 206 at the first end 202 . The removable portion 206 may be attached to the first end by a hinge 207 , for example. The handle 200 may also include an inner cavity 208 , which is best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 , which may accommodate power sources, electronics, and light sources. The removable portion 206 can be closed to seal the inner cavity 208 to protect its contents from the elements. Thus, the handle 200 may be water resistant, and may be constructed of plastic, rubber, or metal, for example. The handle may also include a strap 209 connected to the first end 202 to aid a user in holding onto the handle 200 . Alternatively, the strap 209 may be connected anywhere on the handle 200 or pole 102 .
The second end 204 of the handle 200 may include at least one light source 210 , which may be a light emitting diode (LED), for example. Alternatively, the light source may be any other suitable light source, such as incandescent or fluorescent, for example. In other embodiments, three light sources are included on the handle 200 . The light source 210 may be positioned within a light compartment 212 located at the second end 204 of the handle 200 to protect the light source 210 . The light source may project generally downwardly toward any surface on which a user might move, such as the ground, floor, or surface upon which a person would walk, hike, climb, or ski.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the handle 200 may include at least one power source 214 mounted in a power source compartment 216 in an orientation perpendicular relative to the shaft of the handle. In one embodiment, the power source 214 may include three AAA batteries. In another embodiment, the power source 214 may include one or more rechargeable batteries. Alternatively, the power source may be any suitable energy generating device. The removable portion 206 of the handle allows the power source 214 to be easily loaded or recharged to power the illumination of the light source 210 . Both positive and negative wires 218 , 220 run from contacts 222 located in the power source compartment 216 down through the inner cavity 208 of the handle 200 to the light compartment 212 which contains the light source 210 , a circuit board 224 , light source lens 226 , and a light switch 228 . The light source lens 226 may surround the light source 210 and may diffuse or focus the light. One example of a light source lens 226 is shown in FIG. 3 .
The light switch 228 may take any form, including a control switch, a toggle, or a thumbwheel, for example. Pressing on the light switch allows the user to toggle the light between different modes for different lighting conditions, including levels for low, medium, and high brightness, as well as a strobe setting, which are all settings that may be integrated into the circuit board 224 . Alternatively, the light switch 228 may be mounted near the first end 202 of the handle under the power source compartment 216 , or in the removable portion 206 , so that a user may operate the switch with one forefinger or thumb while gripping the handle 200 .
The handle 200 may alternatively be configured with directionally controllable light sources (not shown). In this configuration, the light source 210 , the light source lens 226 , the circuit board 224 , and the adjacent portion of the enclosure which houses these components may be mounted on a locking pivot (not shown). By loosening the pivot, adjusting the light direction, and re-tightening the pivot, the light source may be tilted forward or backward to better control the area being illuminated in front of or behind the user.
The handle 200 may further include a “power on” power source indicator light located on the light compartment 212 . Alternatively, the power source indicator light may be mounted near the first end 202 of the handle under the power source compartment 216 , or in the removable portion 206 . Further, the handle 200 may include a remaining power indicator gauge located on the light compartment 212 to alert the user of how much power remains in the power source. Alternatively, the remaining power source indicator gauge may be mounted near the first end 202 of the handle under the power source compartment 216 , or in the removable portion 206 .
In operation, a user turns the light switch, or other such control, into the “power on” position. The user then may select the desired lighting level. The electronics and circuit board within the device regulate the power to the lights based on how the switch has been set. Some embodiments of the light source circumferentially illuminate the floor, ground, or desired surface, and also provide illumination of objects near the pole, including but not limited to the person using the device, to ensure stable footing or placement of skis, skates, crampons, pole and cane tips and ends. Other embodiments may include other forms of lighting, such as a spotlight or floodlight, for example, or noncircumferential lighting.
FIGS. 5-7 show an alternate embodiment of the handle 300 that may be connected to a walking aid, such as pole 102 . In this embodiment, the handle 300 has a first end 302 and a second end 304 . The first end 302 of the handle 300 may be oriented toward the first end 104 of the pole and the second end 304 of the handle 300 may be oriented toward the second end 106 of the pole 102 . The handle 300 may be oriented generally along the elongated shaft of the pole, in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the generally elongated shaft, and in a generally vertical direction. In an alternate embodiment, the handle 300 may be oriented in a direction perpendicular to the generally elongated shaft. The handle 300 may also include a gripping portion 301 which facilitates gripping of the handle by a user. The handle 300 may further include a removable portion 306 at the first end 302 . The removable portion 306 may be attached to the first end by a hinge, strap, or other suitable means (not shown), for example. The handle 300 may also include an inner cavity 308 , which is best seen in FIG. 7 , which may accommodate power sources, electronics, and light sources. The removable portion 306 can be closed to seal the inner cavity 308 to protect its contents from the elements. Thus, the handle 300 may be water resistant and may be constructed of ABS plastic, rubber, or metal, for example. The handle may also include a strap 309 connected to the first end 302 to aid a user in holding on to the handle 300 . Alternatively, the strap 309 may be connected anywhere on the handle 300 or pole 102 .
The second end 304 of the handle 300 may include at least one light source 310 , which may be a light emitting diode (LED). Alternatively, the light source may be any other suitable light source, such as incandescent or fluorescent, for example. In other embodiments, three light sources are included on the handle 300 . The light source 310 may be positioned within a light compartment 312 located at the second end 304 of the handle 300 . The light source may project generally downwardly toward the ground, floor, or surface upon which a person would walk, hike, climb, or ski.
As shown in FIG. 7 , the handle 300 may include at least one power source 314 mounted in the inner cavity 308 in a position parallel to the shaft of the handle. In one embodiment, the power source 314 may include three AAA batteries. In another embodiment, the power source 314 may include one or more rechargeable batteries. Alternatively, the power source may be any suitable energy generating device. The removable portion 306 of the handle allows the batteries to be easily loaded or recharged to power the illumination of the light source 310 . Both positive and negative wires 318 , 320 run from contacts 322 located in the inner cavity of the handle 300 to the light compartment 312 , which contains the light source 310 , a circuit board 324 , a light source lenses 326 , and a light switch 328 . Pressing on the light switch allows the user to toggle the light between different modes for different lighting conditions, including levels for low, medium, and high brightness, as well as a strobe setting, which are all settings that may be integrated into the circuit board 324 . Alternatively, the light switch 328 may be mounted near the first end 302 of the handle so that a user may operate the switch with a forefinger or thumb while gripping the handle 300 .
The handle 300 may alternatively be configured with directionally controllable light sources. In this configuration, the light source 310 , the light source lens 326 , the circuit board 324 , and the adjacent portion of the enclosure which houses these components may be mounted on a locking pivot (not shown). By loosening the pivot, adjusting the light direction, and re-tightening the pivot, the light source may be tilted forward or backward to better control the area being illuminated in front of or behind the user.
In operation, a user turns the light switch, or other such control, into the “power on” position. The user then may select the desired lighting level. The electronics and circuit board within the device regulate the power to the lights based on how the switch has been set. The light source circumferentially illuminates the floor, ground, or desired surface, and also provides illumination of objects near the pole, including but not limited to the person using the device, to ensure stable footing or placement of skis, skates, crampons, pole and cane tips and ends.
In yet another embodiment shown in FIGS. 8-10 , a handle 400 may be mounted to a pole, such as pole 102 . The handle 400 may include a first end 402 and a second end 404 . The first end 402 of the handle 400 may be oriented toward the first end 104 of the pole and the second end 404 of the handle 400 may be oriented toward the second end 106 of the pole 102 . The handle 400 may be oriented generally along the elongated shaft of the pole, in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the generally elongated shaft, and in a generally vertical direction. In an alternate embodiment, the handle 400 may be oriented in a direction perpendicular to the generally elongated shaft. The second end 404 of the handle 400 houses a power source 414 , contacts 422 , a light source 410 , a light source lens 426 , a light switch 428 and a circuit board 424 . The contacts 422 allow for current to run up one power source, across the contact 422 , and back down the adjacent power source 414 .
Referring to FIG. 10 , the handle 400 may include an internal canister 416 toward the second end 404 , which may be cylindrical or any other suitable shape. The canister 416 may be removeably connected to the first end 402 of the handle 400 at portion 406 . The canister 416 may be unlocked from its closed position and slid down the pole to provide access for replacing the power source 414 . Once the power source 414 has been replaced, the canister 416 may be slid back up the pole and locked back into the handle 400 . The canister 416 may be secured to the handle 400 by any suitable fastening mechanism.
The second end 404 of the handle 400 may include at least one light source 410 , which may be a light emitting diode (LED). Alternatively, the light source may be any other suitable light source, such as incandescent or fluorescent, for example. In other embodiments, four light sources are included on the handle 400 . The light source 410 may project generally downwardly toward the ground, floor, or surface upon which a person would walk, hike, climb, or ski. Pressing on the light switch allows the user to toggle the light between different modes for different lighting conditions, including levels for low, medium, and high brightness, as well as a strobe setting, which are all settings that may be integrated into the circuit board 424 . Alternatively, the light switch may be mounted near the first end 402 of the handle so that a user may operate the switch with a forefinger or thumb while gripping the handle 400 .
Referring now to FIGS. 11-14 , another embodiment of a light source is disclosed. In this embodiment, a detachable light source 500 may be removeably attached to a hiking pole, cane or other walking aid, such as walking aid 100 . Thus, the detachable light source 500 may be removed from the walking aid, if desired, and held in the hand of a user and used as a flashlight, hung or placed on a surface to serve as a lantern, or mounted to any other object.
The detachable light source 500 may be secured to the pole 102 of the walking aid 100 , preferably near the first end 104 of the walking aid 100 . Positioning the detachable light source near the first end 104 reduces the cantilevered weight effect caused by having the device mounted lower on the pole 102 towards end 106 . The higher mounting position also reduces the user's fatigue in carrying a light source as extra weight on a hiking pole. Alternatively, the detachable light source 500 may be secured to any area of the pole 102 . The detachable light source 500 may also be removed from the pole.
The example detachable light source 500 may include housing 502 configured to accommodate at least one light source 504 . The at least one light source 504 may be a light emitting diode (LED). Alternatively, the light source 504 may be any other suitable light source, such as incandescent or fluorescent, for example. The housing 502 may further comprise a clam shell closure or other clamping mechanism 506 which allows the detachable light source 500 to be attached to poles of varying diameters or having non-symmetrical cross sections. In one example, the clamping mechanism 506 may be removeably connected to the housing 502 so the detachable light source 500 may be removed from the clamping mechanism. Alternatively, the clamping mechanism 506 may be molded directly into the housing 502 .
The clamping mechanism 506 may include a first portion 511 and a second portion 512 . The clamping mechanism may further include an adjustment knob 508 having an outwardly extending member 510 connected to the first portion 511 . The knob 508 may be turned either clockwise or counterclockwise to tighten or loosen the detachable light source 500 from the pole 102 . The second portion 512 may include an aperture 514 for accommodating the outwardly extending member 510 of the knob 508 . Soft gripping surfaces 509 may be mounted to the inside surfaces of the first and second portions 511 , 512 to ensure that the light source 500 stays in place on the pole 100 .
The sealed housing 502 may protect all of the illuminator's components, including power sources and electronics. As shown in FIG. 14 , the housing 502 may include at least one power source 516 mounted inside of the housing 502 . The housing 502 may further include a removable portion 501 that may snap on and off of the detachable light source 500 for replacement of the power source 516 . The removable portion 501 may be attached to the first end by a hinge, strap, or other suitable means (not shown), for example. The power source 516 may be positioned parallel to the shaft of the pole 102 . In one embodiment, the power source 516 may include four AAA batteries. In another embodiment, the power source 516 may include one or more rechargeable batteries. Alternatively, the power source may be any suitable energy generating device. The housing 502 may be designed to be separable from the clamping mechanism 506 which holds the entire device securely onto the pole 102 .
At least one power source contact 518 may be mounted to the removable portion 501 , thereby allowing electrical current to be passed up one power source and down the next without the need for separate wiring to be run from the top of the device down to a circuit board 520 . Physical wires (not shown) may run from the at least one power source contact 518 to the circuit board 520 . All remaining wiring takes place in the form of a circuit built into the circuit board 520 itself.
The at least one light source 504 may be mounted directly to the circuit board 520 , and when illuminated, light passes from the light source 504 through its associated lens 522 . The detachable light source 500 may further include a light switch 524 , which may be mounted anywhere on the housing 502 . Pressing on the light switch 524 allows the user to toggle the light source 504 between different modes for different lighting conditions, including levels for low, medium, and high brightness, as well as a strobe setting, as described above.
In operation, the detachable light source 500 may be secured to the pole 102 by removing the outwardly extending member 510 from the aperture 514 in the back plate 512 . The housing may then be positioned around the pole 102 , and the outwardly extending member 510 may be placed back within the aperture 514 in the back plate 512 . The knob 508 may then be turned to tighten the detachable light source 500 securely onto the pole 102 . The soft gripping surfaces 509 ensure that the detachable light source 500 remains in place on pole 100 . The detachable light source 500 may be mounted onto the pole 102 so that the light source 504 points in a generally downward direction toward the floor or ground. Alternatively, the detachable light source 500 may be mounted onto the pole 102 so that the light source 504 points in any direction, if desired.
In yet another embodiment of a detachable light source shown in FIGS. 15-17 , a detachable light source 600 may include a directionally controlled light source. The detachable light source 600 may be attached to a hiking pole, cane or other walking aid, such as walking aid 100 . The detachable light source 600 may be secured to the pole 102 of the walking aid 100 , preferably near the first end 104 of the walking aid 100 . Alternatively, the detachable light source 600 may be secured to any area of the pole 102 .
The example detachable light source 600 may include a housing 602 configured to accommodate at least one light source 604 . The at least one light source 604 may be a light emitting diode (LED). Alternatively, the light source 604 may be any other suitable light source, such as incandescent or fluorescent, for example. The housing 602 may further comprise a clam shell closure or other clamping mechanism 606 similar to the clamping mechanism 506 described above with respect to the detachable light source 500 . The clamping mechanism 606 of the detachable light source 600 may include a first portion 608 and a second portion 609 . The first portion 608 may include an outwardly extending arm 610 . The outwardly extending arm 610 may be secured to a corresponding extending arm 612 of the housing 602 . The internal electronics for this embodiment are substantially the same as described above with respect to the detachable light source 500 .
In operation, a user may adjust the angle and direction of the light source 600 by unlocking the knob 614 . The detachable light 600 may then be tilted either forwards or backwards to provide for lighting further in front of the user, or to provide light to someone who is walking, hiking, skiing, etc behind the user. When the desired position of the light is obtained, the user may lock the detachable light source 600 in place by tightening the knob 614 . The detachable light source 600 may be secured to the pole 102 in the same manner as described above with respect to detachable light source 500 .
Referring now to FIG. 18 , another embodiment of an apparatus for assisting movement or walking aid 700 is shown. As discussed above, the apparatus for assisting movement 700 may be a cane, a walker, a hiking or ski pole, or any other stabilizing or balancing device. The walking aid 700 may have a generally elongated shaft 702 . The generally elongated shaft 702 may have a first end 704 and a second end 706 . The first end 704 may include a handle 708 . As shown in FIG. 18 , the handle 708 may be oriented substantially parallel to the walking surface. In an alternate embodiment, the handle 708 may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the walking surface. Other possibilities exist as well. The handle 708 may be similar to the handle 200 described above. Thus, in some embodiments, the handle 708 may include a gripping portion, a removable portion, and an inner cavity.
The second end 706 is in contact with the walking surface. Although the second end 706 is shown to have one leg, it should be understood that the second end may include any number of legs in contact with the walking surface to provide additional stability.
The shaft 702 may also include a generally longitudinal portion 710 extending upwardly from the second end 706 . A housing 712 containing at least one light source 713 (shown in FIGS. 19 and 21 ) may be oriented around the generally longitudinal portion 710 of the shaft 702 . The housing 712 may be permanently or removeably mounted to the shaft 702 . In one embodiment, the housing 712 may be mounted to the shaft 702 by a fastening mechanism 715 (shown in FIG. 21 ), such as by a plurality of screws, for example. Alternatively, any suitable fastening mechanism may secure the housing 712 to the shaft 702 .
The light source 713 may comprise an LED, for example. Alternatively, the light source 713 may be any other suitable light source, such as incandescent or fluorescent, for example. In one embodiment, a plurality of light sources may be positioned around the generally longitudinal portion 710 of the shaft. The light source 713 may project generally downwardly toward the ground, floor, or surface upon which a person would walk, hike, climb, or ski. Additionally or alternatively, the light source 713 may be directionally controllable. In another embodiment, the light source 713 or plurality of light sources may each project at any angle from 0-90 degrees from the walking surface.
The shaft 702 may further include an offset portion or bend 703 located between the handle 708 and the generally longitudinal portion 710 . The offset portion 703 may include a curved portion, for example, or may take any suitable shape. The offset portion 703 centers the line of force through the shaft 702 to the second end 706 , thereby providing more stability to the user. The offset portion 703 further provides comfort and support to the user. Alternatively, the housing 712 and light source 713 may be mounted to the apparatus for assisting movement 100 described above.
The shaft 702 may further include at least one power source 714 mounted within the shaft 702 toward the second end 706 of the shaft, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 . Alternatively, the power source 714 may be located in the handle 708 , in housing 712 , or anywhere else along the shaft 702 . In one embodiment, the power source 714 may include four AAA batteries. In another embodiment, the power source 714 may include one or more rechargeable batteries. Alternatively, the power source may be any suitable energy generating device. In one example, the second end 706 of the shaft 702 may include a removable portion 716 that allows the power source 714 to be easily loaded into power the illumination of the light source 713 .
In one example embodiment, the apparatus 700 may include a low battery indicator for alerting a user that battery function is declining. For example, when the batteries start to become low on power, a light or other indicator may begin to flash slowly, letting the user know that he or she should start considering the replacement of the batteries. As the batteries are just about to lose all power, the light may start to flash more quickly, indicating that a complete end of life for the batteries is about to occur. In another example, the indicator may be a sound or alarm. The low battery indicator may be located anywhere on the shaft 702 or the handle 708 of the apparatus 700 . The low battery indicator may also be used with any of the embodiments described above with respect to FIGS. 1-17 .
One or more wires 718 run from a circuit board 720 located in the housing 712 down through the shaft 702 to the power source 714 . A circuit board 720 and a light switch (not shown) are also located in the housing 712 . The circuit board and light switch may alternatively be located near the power source 714 . The light switch may take any form, including a control switch, a toggle, or a thumbwheel, for example, as described above.
In operation, a user turns the light switch, or other such control, into the “power on” position. The user then may select the desired lighting level. The electronics and circuit board within the device regulate the power to the lights based on how the switch has been set.
In another embodiment, the light source 713 may include motion and/or photo sensing (day or night) functionality. For example, once the light source 713 has been turned on, the light may sense if any motion is occurring in the apparatus 700 . If motion is sensed, the system then automatically checks to see whether a less than desirable amount of light exists within the surrounding area. If the system determines a less than adequate lighting situation exists, the light source will automatically turn on. If sufficient light exists in the surrounding area, the light source will not turn on even if it has sensed motion (i.e.—someone has touched or picked up their cane). The light source will remain on as long as it continues to sense motion and insufficient light. Once motion has completely stopped for an adequate period of time (such as for one minute, for example), the light source will turn off. Thus, a user may turn on the light switch one time between changes of batteries.
The light source 713 circumferentially illuminates the floor, ground, or desired surface, and also provides illumination of objects near the pole, including but not limited to the person using the device, to ensure stable footing or placement of skis, skates, crampons, pole and cane tips and ends. Although certain aspects show the light source providing circumferential illumination, other embodiments may include other forms of lighting, such as a spotlight or floodlight, for example, or noncircumferential lighting.
FIGS. 22-23 show an alternative embodiment of a housing 800 for attachment to the shaft 702 of walking aid 700 . The housing 800 includes one or more chambers or compartments 802 for encasing a light source, such as light source 713 described above. The housing 800 may be positioned anywhere on the shaft 702 so that the light source projects generally downwardly toward the walking surface.
As shown in FIG. 23 , a power source 806 is mounted within the shaft 702 toward the second end 706 of the shaft. Alternatively, the power source 806 may be located in the handle 708 or anywhere else along the shaft 702 . The power source 806 may comprise any of the power sources mentioned above with respect to FIG. 20 . Further, a circuit board 808 and a light switch 810 may also be located toward the second end 706 of the shaft near the power source 806 . The circuit board 808 and light switch 810 may alternatively be located in the housing 800 . The light switch 810 may take any form, including a control switch, a toggle, or a thumbwheel, for example, as described above.
In another embodiment, shown in FIGS. 24-27 , a housing 900 containing at least one light source 904 may be detachably connected to the shaft 702 . The housing 900 may be positioned on either the offset portion 703 or the generally longitudinal portion 710 of the shaft 702 . The housing 900 may also include a removable portion 902 for replacement of a power source 906 . The removeable portion 902 may be attached to the housing 900 by a hinge, for example.
The housing 900 may be attached to the shaft 702 by a fastening mechanism 908 , which may be one or more screws, for example. Alternatively, any other suitable fastening mechanism may be used to secure the housing 900 to the shaft 702 . One or more plugs 910 may cover holes used to insert a portion of the fastening mechanism. The housing 900 may further include a light switch 912 for controlling the light source 904 . The light switch 912 may take any form, including a control switch, a toggle, or a thumbwheel, for example, as described above. Alternatively or additionally, the light source 904 may include motion and ambient light sensing (day or night) functionality.
Referring to FIG. 27 , the light sources 904 are positioned within the housing 900 in such a way that the light rays 905 extend 360° around the shaft 702 . In one example, the light sources 904 may be positioned around the shaft 702 in a generally arcuate or curvilinear manner. In one embodiment, four light sources 904 may be located within the housing 900 , with the outer light sources being positioned between approximately 0° and about 26° above a central horizontal axis 906 of the shaft 702 , and on a radius approximately equal to the diameter of the shaft 702 . Positioning the light sources in such a manner provides for full circumferential lighting, though the light sources themselves may not completely surround shaft 702 . Further, in one example, the light sources 904 may include an LED having a brightness of 35,000 millicandelas. Other possibilities exist as well.
It should be understood that any of the features described above with respect to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 18-27 may also be used in combination with any of the features or embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-17 .
Additional features of the present invention include, but are not limited to, convenience, ease of use, ergonomics, sturdiness, reliability, portability and efficiency.
While the application has been described in connection with certain embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to those particular embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. | An illuminated apparatus for assisting movement is provided that is able to illuminate surface areas upon which one walks, hikes, skis, skates, runs, reads from, signals, examines or studies. The illuminated apparatus for assisting movement may provide both broad and focused illumination. The device may ensure safe footing, solid purchase, and stable load bearing by providing illuminated assistance for foot, ski and skate placement, as well as the placement of singular and multi-pole fixtures used for activities such as hiking, climbing, skiing, skating, running, and walking. The illuminated apparatus for assisting movement may be compact and lightweight. | 0 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of patent application Ser. No. 09/760,148, filed Jan. 12, 2001 now abandoned, which claims benefit of Provisional Patent Application No. 60/176,329, filed Jan. 14, 2000.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
© 2004 Thinkstream, Inc. A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR § 1.71(d).
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to systems and techniques for gathering and searching for information available at sites of a globally accessible information network such as the Internet and, in particular, to a distributed search architecture that facilitates real-time access to information residing on any number of distributed servers throughout the network and synthesizes the information for seamless access to specific information sought by a user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Although it has exhibited explosive growth and extensively impacted the worlds of information and commerce, the globally accessible computer network known as the Internet has effectively become an unstructured victim of itself. Internet information usage has largely lost its utility because traditional search engines can neither access the vast available information pool nor qualify it adequately. The best present search engine can keep track of and access only a small fraction of Internet World Wide Web pages (i.e., about one billion of 550 billion available documents). The accessible sites are categorized in rudimentary fashion using key words rather than intelligent assessment of content. A current common result of searches for information, even limited to the small fraction of the available information, is thousands, and often millions, of irrelevant responses.
Information collection and distribution on the Internet take place as follows. A conventional Internet search engine uses software (called “spiders”) that roams the Web to gather information, which is distilled, indexed, and cataloged in a central database. An Internet search conducted by a Web user of that search engine produces results that come from the database, not from the Internet itself. The results produced are references to Internet addresses, thereby requiring the Web user to open multiple sites in search of the information.
Current search engines do not include an ability to mass-search all sites and retrieve and organize the search results by content; therefore, searches are applied to all accessible information, irrespective of whether it is relevant. The result is a largely ineffective search engine effort and non-responsive returns on search queries. Examples of such traditional search engines include Northern Light™, Snap™, Alta Vista™, HotBot™, Microsoft™, Infoseek™, Google™, Yahoo™, Excite™, Lycos™, and Euroseek™.
The conventional search technology is, therefore, based on a model in which the indexes, references, and actual data (in the case of commerce networks) are centralized. All queries take place at central sites, and the data distributed are not updated in real time (and are typically stale) and usually require reformatting. The Internet is at best a frustrating search environment because the data reside in multiple formats and in a distributed world.
For applications in commerce, the existing Internet architecture can accommodate only a small fraction of the business participation that would otherwise be available to produce consumer benefits arising from competition. The Internet as a consequence effectively serves only the large dominant players, while effectively excluding everyone else. Part of the e-commerce perception is that virtually anything can be purchased over the Internet. While the perception is accurate, it ignores the fact that bias in the current system locks out a much greater part of the marketplace than it serves. Business to business commercial utilization of the Internet consists largely of e-mail communications.
For applications in delivery of services, particularly as various governmental entities have attempted to use the Internet, the lack of sensible structure is especially notable. These situations do not exist through the fault or incompetence of users but again stem from an inherent and systemic limitation of the “centralized” Internet.
The efforts of traditional search sites to retain and attract more consumer attention and thereby generate more advertising revenue have caused the attempt to centralize all online information to rise to the point of conflict. As stated above, the growth in the volume and the diversity of Internet content now lead to searches generating thousands of pages of results that encompass only a fraction of the overall body of relevant information. The market needs access to additional organizational structures, but the current system makes these requirements impossible to meet. Traditional search sites are designed and predicted to lead to further centralization, which will exacerbate the information accessibility problem.
Conventional wisdom has been that speed can offset the growth of Internet information. The industry emphasis has been on hardware improvements rather than next generation software. Five years ago, a state of the art personal computer used a 166 MHZ microprocessor chip. Currently, 800 MHZ microprocessor chips are standard, and 1,000 MHZ microprocessor chips are expected to be available soon. Ironically, while currently available machines can search for information much more quickly, they also create information at a rate consistent with their speed. They are in effect helping the problem keep pace with the solution. Insofar as emphasis has been placed on software, it has been to improve applications within the current architecture or to offer and market e-commerce alternatives within the current architecture. As a consequence, all such efforts are impeded before they begin.
Because of the sheer size of the Internet and the spiders operate from a central location, the spiders can cover only a small fraction of the entire Internet. The resulting database of search results is inherently limited not only in size but also in freshness. The required tradeoffs are self-defeating. Making the database broader and deeper would require excessive “roaming” time so that the information would become stale. Keeping the information fresh would require searching a smaller fraction of the available Internet documents, thereby making the results less comprehensive.
Total information is now growing at an exponential rate. Most of the new information winds up in the inaccessible category. There is no assurance that updated information will “bump” outdated information from the accessible information pool. The average age of newly returned World Wide Web links is 186 days. The milieu is frequently one of old information, insufficient information, disorganized information and, in short, unmanageable information. There is a pressing need, therefore, to fold the existing Internet into a new world of efficient organization that will competently manage future generations of growth.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a distributed information network that is constructed for gathering information from sites distributed across a globally accessible computer network, i.e., the Internet. These distributed sites are equipped to host and maintain their own information, while other associated technology enables inclusion of individual sites in mass Internet searches.
A preferred embodiment of the distributed information network includes a root server that stores a list of multiple distributed sites each of which represented by metadata corresponding to directly or indirectly available information content. Metadata are extended properties of a data object, which could be, for example, a single file, an object in a database, an e-mail message, a piece of memory, or a description of information content on a site. Metadata may be so simple as to represent a file name or size or so complex as to represent file author or database schema information. A user's network browser delivers an information search request to the root server, which in response develops a profiled information search request. Each one of multiple distributed sites is implemented with an information provider that is remotely located from the root server. The information provider of each of the distributed sites stores metadata corresponding to information content that is retrievable in response to the profiled information search request for search results derivable from the information content to which the metadata correspond. A profiled information communication link between the root server and each of the multiple distribution sites enables formation of a path for delivery of the search results to a destination site, such as the network browser, from a site or sites represented by the metadata of the profiled information search request.
The above-described preferred embodiment of a distributed information network provides an Internet search engine that advantageously uses the inherent strengths of the Internet—a distributed architecture. When a search request is initiated, the search engine queries multiple sites simultaneously and looks for the information, in whatever data format it resides, finds the information, and then returns the actual document to the user. A multithreaded-enabled client web browser sends simultaneous queries to distributed servers, thereby removing the bottleneck of a centralized server or searching body. The client web browser also manages the download of information from the server and, therefore, enables it to handle a dramatically greater number of clients than that handled by traditional present-day models. This distributed search application addresses the fundamental deficiencies in current Internet coverage: poor access, stale data stores, irrelevant information, and unstructured repositories of underutilized information.
The search architecture of the invention includes the ability to conduct a decentralized search of live data (structured or unstructured), search on specific parameters (price, brand, availability, reviews, and other such parameters), and present search results in clean, organized form on one display screen. The search architecture in effect moves the query to the location of the information. A user can continuously apply filters to search results and focus in on the specific product or information for what the user is looking.
Advantages of the distributed search architecture include conformance to industry standards; vertical and horizontal scalability, without requirements for additional hardware or degradation of performance; use of available bandwidth of the Internet instead of the available bandwidth of any one central search engine, thereby eliminating possible bottlenecks inherent with any centralized solution; delivery of accurate, current information; requirement of lower infrastructure resources (servers, electronic storage, and bandwidth) as a consequence of queries being distributed throughout the network; no performance degradation in relation to the number of sites searched and no limitations imposed on the number of sites searched; no effect of down sites on search results; and client management of all data sorting, filtering, and comparisons, thereby eliminating redundant network traffic and data processing currently required by present day architectures.
The use of distributed sites represents a fundamental change from the present central mass storage method and opens the doors to the remaining large fraction of stored but inaccessible information with the current architecture. The result is a creation of vast areas of new opportunities within e-commerce and corporate information sharing through information portals. Such new opportunities include applications in music and movie distribution, software application distribution, instant messaging, collaboration, auctions, individual commerce, parallel searches, and e-mail. This changeover allows more sophisticated business to business (B2B) and consumer e-commerce interaction.
The present invention provides an opportunity to establish new standards and methods for gathering information from distributed sites across the Internet. The invention is adapted to keep pace with current World Wide Web growth and has applicability to virtually every merchant, corporation, and consumer. The distributed sites are able to host and maintain their own information while the invention allows the individual sites to be included in mass Internet searches. The invention is implemented as a single distributed architecture, with its own intelligent search engine, to manage digital information and uses software for the Internet and its content management to achieve responsive results from Internet searches.
The distributed architecture can be analogously described, conceptually, as being similar to telephone area codes or postal service zip codes. The difference is that coding is content specific rather than geography specific. The distributed information network architecture can search existing sites, including the 84% currently inaccessible sites, intelligently categorize them according to content, and codify them as required with single or multiple codes for future intelligent retrieval. Future sites can be readily integrated as they come online to be immediately available, thus ending the present 186-day lag. If desired, commerce users can download e-commerce web site software that permits custom presentation of the full inventory of products offered. A customer shopping for a particular product can across multiple vendor sites immediately compare, for example, vendor prices, warranties, return policies, and shipping costs.
The distributed search network and technology has applicability to e-commerce and serves to eliminate bias, thereby resulting in “Main Street” and individual commerce being served as well as the electronic superstores that currently dominate product offering and services. Main Street and individual sellers have little chance to create visibility within the confines of the current marketplace because search results are marketed and there is no provision for actual “live” product comparisons. The invention presents a substantial opportunity for search results leading to an actual product, rather than a web site, and thereby offers solutions that eliminate bias and lead to a level playing field where sellers can be assured their sites and products are included.
The invention permits sellers and corporations to direct control over the timing and context of their own information and facilitate a trend of “de-centralization” as a natural evolutionary step for the Internet. The search engine also functions within an information portal that will allow efficient B2B cooperation. For instance, component vendors no longer require direct system links with OEMs to ensure timely and adequate supply. The invention allows immediate selection of category, product line, and brand name. All vendors enrolled in the architecture are represented for comparison. The invention makes possible substantial vertical markets to exist for its solutions where private networks of searchable and structured information can be used to create supply and procurement systems and information research networks.
Additional aspects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example of a distributed application network configured in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing in greater detail the internal structure of the root server shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a level one site server, showing the program flow when a distributed query is performed in the distributed application network of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a level two site node server that has no sites registered with the site provider and has no child server.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a site server on which coexist several different providers for a wide variety of information sources.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a site servers parser manager and its parsers for a file accessor and its data stores for use in supporting an explanation of a method of accessing and parsing data in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing in greater detail the structure and organization of certain component blocks of FIG. 6 .
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a distributed information network composed of an e-commerce network, a business to business network, a business to business supply side network, and an information network implemented with public and private servers.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing in greater detail the internal structure of an information application egg group of the distributed information network of FIG. 8 .
FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of a session authentication and security process for peer to peer network communications in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 11 is a flow diagram outlining the steps of a process for providing file sharing security in a distributed environment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example of a distributed application network 10 configured in accordance with the invention and showing information flow paths in response to a particular end user request. An application network is a collection of servers that participate in a particular application of the distributed information network of the invention. Examples of an application network include an e-commerce network, an information portal, or a peer to peer (P2P) network. Network 10 is a hierarchical system of distributed servers that store network content and communicate with other servers in the network. The hierarchical system is one in which a server can have any number of child servers, each of which can have any number of its own child servers, with an unlimited number of successive levels of dependent servers possible. This structure helps distribute the storage of content and the processing load on the network. FIGS. 2-4 show in greater detail the internal structures of, respectively, root, site, and site node servers represented as system component blocks in FIG. 1 . FIGS. 1-4 support the following explanatory overview of the core technology implemented in a distributed Internet architecture operating in response to a typical search for content by a user.
With reference to FIG. 1 , network 10 includes an operating system client, which is typically a web browser or client applet 12 that is stored in an end user's computer. The client applet is client-side software that is preferably written in JAVA language code (but could be written in any other software development language) and allows any computer to participate in the network. Client applet 12 is the software interface between the user and the application network. A root server 14 located remotely from the user's computer is implemented with a root profiler that stores a list of multiple sites distributed across a global computer network, such as the Internet. Root server 14 is the single “ancestor” of all servers and child servers and is the main point of entry for client applet 12 . Root server 14 has three children, site servers 16 , 18 , and 20 representing level one servers of Company A, Company B, and Company C, respectively. Site servers 16 , 18 , and 20 represent examples of information sources listed in the root profiler of root server 14 and qualified in response to a user's specific request. Skilled persons will appreciate that there are many different candidate information sources, such as, for example, state and other government networks, corporate data, commercial and educational information web sites, e-commerce web sites and individual desktop personal computers (PCS).
Each of site servers 16 , 18 , and 20 is implemented with an information provider that stores retrievable metadata, which is kept current by and under control of the company with which the site server is associated. Metadata are information about the locally resident content stored on each site server and the content on any child servers a site server might have. There are two basic types of metadata, which are topic data and site-profile data. A topic is a unit of content served up by an application network. The topic database at a site server stores information about the type of information stored at the site and its child sites. (In FIGS. 2 and 3 , the topic databases are labeled, respectively, “Topic Database” at root server 14 and “Content Type” databases at site server 16 .) The site-profile database stores information about which ones of the servers, including itself and its children, store what types of topics. Site servers 16 , 18 , and 20 provide, therefore, a set of metadatabases, which are databases of information about the information that is stored and exchanged on network 10 and which are databases that keep track of where particular types of information are stored on network 10 . The root profiler identifies site servers 16 , 18 , and 20 by content-specific codes that represent topic profiles indicative of the information content site servers 16 , 18 , and 20 contain. Site server 16 of Company A is associated with a level two server, Site A node server 22 . Site server 20 of Company C is associated with two level-two servers, Site C node server 24 and Site C child server 26 . Site C child server 26 is associated with two level-three servers, Site C 2 node server 28 and Site C 2 node server 30 .
FIG. 1 illustrates the operation of network 10 when a user causes web browser 12 to request from root server 14 the identification of qualified servers relating to a specific topic. Client applet 12 sends the request to site servers 16 , 18 , and 20 , all of which root server 14 identified as qualified in response to the topic the user requested. (The arrow-tipped broken lines drawn between root server 14 and each of site servers 16 , 18 , and 20 represent communication pathways for updating metadata about sites on the network and relationship activity (e.g., transaction tracking and reporting) that links them and do not indicate search pathways.)
Network 10 processes a user topic query request as follows. A network user browses a web page on root server 14 . If it is not already installed on the user's personal computer, the client applet is downloaded and installed (with the user's permission). Client applet 12 downloads a current topic database 48 from root server 14 , displaying the topic structure typically as a hierarchical tree of categories. Client applet 12 then allows the user to navigate the category tree until the user finds the category of topics of interest. As soon as the user navigates to a category level that is of sufficient specificity to be associated with particular site servers, client applet 12 sends either an automatic or user-commanded query to root server 14 . When client applet 12 indicates a search, the query request is sent to root server 14 for a list of site servers that qualify. Root server 14 returns to client applet 12 a packet of information containing a list of all qualified site servers on application network 10 that have the type of content requested. Site servers 16 , 18 , and 20 represent the site servers appearing on the list in the example illustrated in FIG. 1 . As the user navigates down the tree toward the topic level, client applet 12 uses the available metadata to display an attribute selector. This lets the user select specified attributes, features, characteristics, specifications, and other aspects of the topic that enable the user to narrow the focus of the search. When the topic query is sufficiently specific, the user executes it. The user's client applet 12 in this example compiles a list of site servers 16 , 18 , and 20 , performs a topic query on each of them, and awaits the results site servers 16 , 18 , and 20 produce. Processing of the topic query request entails directing it to all three of the level one site servers 16 , 18 , and 20 . Site servers 16 and 20 then pass the topic query request to the three level-two servers 22 , 24 , and 26 . Site C child server 26 further passes the topic query request to Site C 2 node servers 28 and 30 . This process takes place while bypassing any servers that do not have the pertinent content. The results obtained are directed back, again while bypassing all other servers, to client applet 12 for display to the user. The user can then review the search results and click through to any of the linked content sources. Administration application software 32 ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ) communicates with root server 14 to keep track of the number and types of topic search requests processed, as well as update the metadatabases on the site servers.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing in greater detail the internal structure of root server 14 . FIG. 2 shows the program flow when a site server list is compiled in root server 14 and delivered to client applet 12 in response to a topic query request made by a user. With reference to FIG. 2 , the topic query request initiated by client applet 12 passes through the World Wide Web to a web server 50 on which web pages associated with root server 14 are stored. (Web server 50 may be physically separate from or a part of root server 14 .) Web server 50 passes the topic query request to root server 14 , which uses its information providers to query its database for all servers that match the request type. Root server 14 is implemented with a query parser interface 52 that includes a site provider 54 and a core provider 56 to interpret the topic query request. Each of site provider 54 and core provider 56 is preferably a JAVA language-based program that runs on root server 14 . The site provider 54 and core provider 56 components of query parser interface 52 consult the local metadatabases to determine which site servers lead to the specific type of topics content requested. This entails identifying site servers that themselves have the right topics or are associated with descendant servers that have the right topics. Site provider 54 identifies site servers corresponding to the content-specific codes representing the topic profiles, and core provider 56 identifies properties of the topics. Query parser interface 52 accesses and retrieves information from topic database 48 and a site profile database 60 to assemble the packet of information containing the list of qualified site servers to search. The packet of information represents a profiled information search request generated by root server 14 . An administrative interface module 62 contains software for maintaining the databases and reporting on the frequency of access to them.
An example of a topic query request would be the identification of sellers of VCRs of a particular type. Site provider 54 retrieves from site profile database 60 the identities of site servers of companies that sell VCRs. Core provider 56 retrieves from topic database 48 the properties (e.g., cost of purchase, compact disk compatibility, and stereophonic sound capability) of the specified type of VCR. Root server 14 returns the assembled packet of information to the user by way of web server 50 . The topic query request is then distributed through client applet 12 to the level one servers of the sites identified.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of level one site server 16 , showing the program flow when a topic query requested is performed. (Although site server 16 has only node server 22 , FIG. 3 shows in phantom lines two child site servers of greater hierarchical level to demonstrate network scalability.) With reference to FIG. 3 , site server 16 receives from client applet 12 a topic query request made by a user and profiled by root server 14 . Site server 16 is implemented with a query parser interface 78 and processes the topic query request by determining whether site server 16 itself or an associated child node site server can support the topic query. Query parser interface 78 includes a site provider 82 , a content Type A provider 82 , a content Type B provider 84 , and a content Type C provider 86 , all of which represent different ways of collecting content information by bridging a topic query request and a database. For example, content Types A, B, and C may represent, respectively, e-commerce information, data, and site content (HTML).
Site provider 80 , e-com provider 82 , data provider 84 , and HTML provider 86 access and retrieve content information from, respectively, a child site database 90 , a content Type A (an e-com) database 92 , a content Type B (data) database 94 , and a content Type C (site content (HTML)) database 96 . Each child node site server returns its search results to server 16 , as is described below with reference to FIG. 4 . The information providers of query parser interface 78 and the search results received from any child node sites are the sources from which site server 16 builds a site list that returns the complete search results to client applet 12 .
When the content at any server changes, a site administrator uses administration application software 32 ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ) to update the metadatabases on the site server. Those updates are automatically sent to all associated parent servers of greater hierarchical levels. An administration interface of each server (administrative interface 98 of server 16 ) at each level (and administrative interface 62 of root server 14 ) updates the local metadatabases. Each server along a lineage always has a current picture of the content available locally and through its child sites. Root server 14 hosts, therefore, complete and current metadatabases of what kind of information is stored on network 10 (in topic database 48 ) and the first step on the path to where the information is stored on network 10 (in site profile database 60 ).
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a level two Site A node server 22 , which has no site registered with its site provider 100 and has no child server. With reference to FIG. 4 , a content Type A (e-com) provider 102 , content Type B (data) provider 104 , and content Type C (HTML) provider 106 residing in query parser interface 108 of Site A node server 22 provide qualified topics to be searched in a content Type A (an e-com) database 110 and a content Type B (site) content database 112 . The results obtained from searches of databases 100 and 102 are returned to parent site server 16 for delivery to client applet 12 . An administrative interface 114 updates the local metadatabases.
Site server 16 , together with Site A node server 22 ; site server 20 , together with Site C node server 24 ; and site server 20 , together with Site C child server 26 and site C 2 node 30 , each form a local information network in accordance with the invention.
Site server 16 can be implemented with a local root profiler, which as indicated in FIG. 1 , includes Site A node server 22 in its list of distributed local sites. Site A node server 22 is also expandable to accommodate its own local root profiler but in the example depicted in FIGS. 1 and 4 provides only local metadata in response to a local profiled information search request accompanied by an information content-specific local code corresponding to the information content of the local metadata.
Site server 20 can be implemented with a local root profiler, which as indicated in FIG. 1 , includes Site C node server 24 and Site C child server 26 in its list of distributed local sites. Similarly, Site C child server 26 can be implemented with its own local root provider, which as indicated in FIG. 1 , includes Site C 2 node servers 28 and 30 in its list of distributed local sites. Each of Site C 2 nodes 28 and 30 is also expandable to accommodate its own local root profiler.
The sites included in the level one servers and servers in successive levels function, therefore, either to list distributed sites or to provide metadata for processing by the distributed network.
FIG. 5 shows a site server 120 on which coexist multiple different providers for a variety of information sources. The structural organization of site server 120 facilitates the capability of a distributed information network of the invention to access and extract useful information from a particular information source once it has been discovered. With reference to FIG. 5 , site server 120 has a provider manager 122 that routes an incoming search query to an appropriate one or appropriate ones of the five providers shown in the example presented. The providers include a provider 124 to an e-commerce database A 126 and a B2B database A 128 , a provider 130 to a WINDOWS file system 132 , a provider 134 to a UNIX file system 136 , a provider 138 to a content database 140 , and a provider 142 to an e-commerce database B 144 . Each of providers 124 , 130 , 134 , 138 , and 142 has a respective accessor 124 a , 130 a , 134 a , 138 a , and 142 a . An accessor is capable of finding, opening, writing, and reading an object irrespective of the type of platform or data store. (A data store is a storage mechanism, such as a file system, database, e-mail system, or zip file, that may contain data in an organized format.) An accessor also has the ability to “spider” (i.e., examine the contents of) a data store or search for a single data object. (A data object is a single file, an object in a database, an e-mail message, a search result, or a piece of memory.) The appropriate providers for responding for a particular search query use their accessors to query their associated information sources or data stores. The accessors translate between the query language of a root server of the distributed information network and the query language of a data store. This implementation facilitates access to any information source and is described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 .
File system accessors 130 a and 134 a use a parser manager 146 , which functions as a computer language interpreter and in the example presented includes six parsers equipped to recognize documents in six different software file formats. A parser knows how to read the contents of a data object and thereafter extract metadata and store them in a common format. The six parsers include WORD document, EXCEL document, JPG Image, MP3 audio, POWERPOINT, and PDF parsers. Irrespective of where and how a particular file is stored, parser manager 146 directs the file to the appropriate parser. For example, if a file represents a WORD document, the WORD document parser extracts the metadata for the provider. The providers, together with parser manager 146 , enable access to any type of information including: static web pages, word processor or spreadsheet documents, images, music, video, and legacy database information. The providers are expandable to automatically handle new data types.
The providers of the distributed information network allow retention by the information source itself of ownership of all data. The providers act as a window directly into the data source, thereby enabling information sources to control who has access to particular information and to control how results are displayed.
The role of an accessor stems from the existence of data in many forms and at many locations in many platforms. As stated above, the present invention implements a technique that accesses and parses the data in a consistent and secure manner and thereafter stores the metadata in a common format. FIGS. 6 and 7 support the following explanation of this technique. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an exemplary site servers parser manager and its parsers for a file accessor and its data store. FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing in greater detail the structure and organization of a provider manager with seven accessors and a parser manager with seven parsers.
With reference to FIG. 6 , a site server 200 functions to deliver to a parser manager 202 information from a data store 204 through an accessor 206 a . (Accessor 206 a is one of multiple accessors shown in FIG. 7 .) A provider (not shown) in site server 200 is also connected to database 208 in a structural arrangement analogous to that shown for site server 120 and databases 126 , 128 , 140 , and 144 in FIG. 5 . Parser manager 202 directs information to multiple parsers, including, for example, a WORD documents parser 210 ; an e-mail parser 212 ; a database data parser 214 ; and other information parsers 216 representing collectively from FIG. 7 a web page parser 218 , an archived data parser 220 , LOTUS Notes or EXCHANGE databases parser 222 , and an images, movies, or music parser 224 . With reference to FIG. 7 , an accessor manager 230 maintains a list of registered accessors, of which there are seven shown by way of example. Accessors 206 a , 232 a , 234 a , 236 a , 238 a , 240 a , and 242 a are associated with, respectively, a file system data store 206 , an e-mail system data store 232 , network files data store 234 , databases data store 236 , LOTUS Notes data store 238 , an Internet server data store 230 , and zip files data store 232 .
With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 , the technique for accessing and parsing data is a mechanism for walking (i.e., reading a file system) a data store and parsing it, irrespective of the location of the data or their type. By handling data stores and data objects generically, the system passes around a generic object that represents a data object. This data object is capable of accessing itself from the data store by loading and saving the information and to parse its data for extended properties. Process block 250 represents a spider event that initiates the process of accessing a data store and parsing it. A spider event begins with a starting location and a starting accessor. There is one accessor associated with each data store. An accessor has the ability to spider a data store or search for a single data object.
An accessor walks a list of objects on its data store and either creates an alias (called a “Moniker”) out of the object or loads another accessor to process the object. A Moniker is an object that wraps a data object, which may be a file, a piece of data in memory, or an abstract link to any type of object. The Moniker is what is passed among accessors, parsers, servers, and clients. Accessors have a find first/find next interface that returns Monikers or references to other accessors. Accessors also have a user interface with the ability to include or exclude data and set starting and ending locations when processing a data source.
Accessor manager 230 maintains a list of all registered accessors and loads them as necessary. The Moniker is created by the accessor. The accessor then indirectly loads a parser. The Moniker may be shared among remote servers or clients. With a Moniker, one can ask for file information, extended properties, or any other dynamic information.
Parser manager 202 can load a parser for a given file type. A parser processes a file by extracting data. A parser may support many data types or a single specific data type. There may be multiple parsers supporting the same data type, and parser manager 202 determines the best parser based on the platform, installed components, or other factors. Any parser can use any accessor.
The use of an accessor, parser, and Moniker provides an ability to walk any data store or data stores imbedded in other data stores (e.g., zip files on file systems or e-mail) and open and parse data irrespective of the file format.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a distributed information network 300 composed of several application networks, demonstrating a distributed Internet architecture representing a hybrid of centralized and peer to peer models. With reference to FIG. 8 , distributed information network 300 includes an internal network 302 composed of a root server 304 , a stage server 306 , an e-commerce hosted shopping site server 308 , e-commerce datafeed site servers 310 , and information public sub-root servers 312 , 314 , and 316 . Root server 304 operates in the manner described above for root server 14 of FIG. 1 , and stage server 306 enhances metadata collected from various servers in network 300 .
In particular, stage server 306 uses models, model attributes, and field sets to perform various information manipulations, comparisons, arrangements, and other processes for presentation to the client user the retrieved information in a way that bridges the information gap inherent in current prior art search engines. As indicated in FIG. 8 , to administer its operation, stage server 306 is organized by clients, such as e-commerce, business to business (B2B), and community information. B2B e-commerce refers to trade that is conducted between a business and its supply chain or between a business and other business end-customers. E-commerce hosted shopping site server 310 is an online marketplace that introduces consumers directly to products. Site server 310 provides through root server 304 real-time, direct access to each subscribing merchant's catalog that leads to an actual product listing, rather than a link to a web site. The information provider technology described above enables advanced custom tailoring of information such as dynamic pricing and category filtering. E-commerce datafeed site servers 310 store in internal network 302 client-provided information as an accommodation to information providers that do not want live searches conducted at their sites.
Information public sub-root servers 312 , 314 , and 316 represent three examples of sub-root servers for public community interest groups, each of which potentially having a growing number of information providers and information consumers. These sub-root servers, which are hosted and administered by a network manager and operate in cooperation with root server 304 , give real-time, direct access to every information source in its network to ensure all current information is accessible with no dead links returned.
E-commerce hosted shopping site 308 and information community sub-root servers 312 , 314 , 316 , and 354 represent an information portal that opens up the Internet such that any user can publish any type of information or access any type of device. The information portal can support an indefinite number of information types (e.g., web sites, file servers, databases, and image files) and any number of information sources, irrespective of whether they are structured or unstructured.
Root server 304 has multiple level one servers, including a commerce site server A 318 and commerce site server B 320 .
Commerce site server A 318 represents a B2B e-commerce level one server with an e-commerce provider 322 and B2B provider 324 that are analogous to the providers described with reference to site server 16 of FIG. 3 . Commerce site server A 318 has a level two commerce child site node server A 1 326 , which has a communication link with e-commerce provider 322 and represents an e-commerce private information network. Commerce child site node server A 1 326 has an e-commerce provider 328 and information provider 330 that are analogous to the providers described with reference to child site node server 22 of FIG. 4 . Commerce child site node server 326 is a private internal network in which, for example, the employees of the company owner of commerce site server A can access companywide internal proprietary documents, such as EXCEL documents. Commerce site server A 318 is shown having a communication link with an e-commerce private shopping client 332 that shops for only the products of the entity that owns commerce site server A and its child sites.
Commerce site server B 320 represents a B2B e-commerce and B2B supply side e-commerce level one server with an e-commerce provider 334 and B2B provider 336 that are analogous to the providers described with reference to site server 16 of FIG. 3 . Commerce site server B 320 has two level-two child site node servers 338 and 340 , both of which have communication links with B2B provider 236 and represent B2B suppliers. The two B2B supplier servers 338 and 340 can establish a B2B supply side connection by which the entity that owns commerce site server B 320 can shop for supplies. Commerce site server B 320 is shown having a communication link with a B2B private shopping client 342 that shops for only the products of the entity that owns site server B 320 and its child sites.
An e-commerce shopping client 350 and a B2B portal shopping client 352 each shop multiple markets through root server 304 . E-commerce shopping client 350 enables business to consumer (B2C) retail shopping of multiple sites in multiple markets. B2B portal shopping client 352 enables B2B shopping of multiple sites in a given market and thereby creates a market making opportunity for an unlimited network merchant participants to create a live and dynamic network catalog of products.
FIG. 8 shows information public sub-root servers 312 , 314 , and 316 and an information private sub-root server 354 associated with what are called information application egg groups, each of which is composed of a client and a node server. An information application egg group 356 has a communication link with information public sub-root server 312 ; an information application egg group 358 has a communication link with information public sub-root servers 356 and 358 ; and an information application egg group 360 is associated with private sub-root server 354 . Peer to peer (P2P) communication links 362 , 364 , and 366 are established, respectively, between information application egg groups 356 and 358 , between information application egg groups 358 and 360 , and between information application egg group 356 and information provider 330 of commerce child site server Al 326 . P2P communication links are connections between stand alone computers by which a file can be downloaded from one of the computers to the other without action of a root server. Information private sub-root server 354 hosts and administers its own server and determines who gets access, rights, and privileges associated with it.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing in detail the components and structure of an information application egg group in operative association with root server 304 of internal network 302 . With reference to FIG. 9 , a registration server-root server represents the role played by root server 304 ; sub-root-community 1 and sub-root-community 2 represent the roles played by any two of information public sub-root servers 312 , 314 , and 316 ; and sub-root-community 3 represents the role played by information private sub-root server 354 . An information application egg group is composed of two parts, which are indicated by the horizontal line dividing into two portions each of information application egg groups 356 , 358 , and 360 in FIG. 8 . The client part of an exemplary information application egg group 400 includes as its components a client user computer 402 , such as a PC and a local users profile 404 on a file system 406 . The ability to share files is a user right, and profile 404 records the identifications of local users authorized by the client user. File system 406 stores files downloaded from target community servers. The server part of information application egg group 400 includes as its components site server 200 ; parser manager 202 and its associated parsers 210 , 212 , 214 , and 216 ; data store 204 and its associated accessor 206 ; and database 208 . This server component configuration is the same as that presented in FIG. 6 ; therefore, for purposes of clarity, the same reference numerals are used to indicate common components in FIGS. 6 and 9 . In a preferred embodiment, the functions of the client and server parts are combined so that they reside on the same platform.
In accordance with the invention, for information application egg group 400 , a search by a client user causes a search query to reach community site server 200 , which is included in the search process and produces a file from data store 204 for delivery to the client user.
One problematic issue arises in a P2P network, such as that established by any of P2P communication links 362 , 364 , and 366 , stems from the fact that content can reside at any peer server on the P2P network. These servers lack specific knowledge of other peer servers on the network, other than a reference server that functions as the authoritative source of network information (i.e., a directory service). To prevent unauthorized peer clients from searching peer servers on the P2P network, the invention implements a method that indicates to a peer server that a peer client requesting a search is allowed to do so.
The method is carried out by operation of registration server-root server 304 of FIG. 9 , which is a central server known to all clients and used as a repository for public keys within the P2P network. When joining the P2P network for the first time, a client passes to registration server-root server 304 a public key portion of client-generated public/private key pair, together with an e-mail address and other information as required by a network administrator. The client is identified as one of the information application egg groups in FIGS. 8 and 9 . The client at that time obtains the public key identifying registration server-root server 304 and stores its public key for future reference. The registration connection process is indicated by the arrow-tipped broken line between sub-root-community 1 server and site server 200 and the solid line connecting sub-root community 1 server and registration server-root server 304 in FIG. 9 .
FIG. 10 is a flow diagram of the session authentication and security process carried out in a P2P network. Each of sub-root community 1 - 3 servers of FIG. 9 replicates the authorization functions of registration server-root server 304 . Thus, these community servers store the public keys of client users of the P2P network. With reference to FIG. 10 , the next time after registration, the client establishes communication with the sub-root community 1 server to request a challenge bit string. Sub-root community 1 server generates in response a random bit string and sends it to the client as a challenge bit string. The client then encrypts the challenge bit string using the client's private key and returns the encrypted challenge bit string to sub-root community 1 server. Sub-root community 1 server then decrypts the challenge bit string returned by the client using the public key sub-root community 1 server has on file for the client and compares the results of the decryption to the original challenge bit string. For successful verification, the result of decryption of the challenge bit string with the public key matches the original challenge bit string thereby, providing the identity of the client.
Once the client's identity has been established, sub-root community 1 server returns to the client an access token that allows the client to query other peer servers in the P2P network. This access token includes, for example, the IP address reported by the client during the challenge/response and a time stamp from sub-root community 1 server. The access token is then signed using the private key of sub-root community 1 server.
When it wishes to search a target peer server for information, the client passes the access token along with the query request packet. The target peer server 200 that receives the request then validates the access token. The validation process can take one of two forms. Since it knows the public key of the sub-root community 1 server, target peer server 200 can itself validate the access token. Alternatively, the access token can be passed to the sub-root community 1 server and validated there. If the time stamp is used to create an access token with a limited lifetime, checking back with sub-root community 1 server would eliminate any problems with time zones. A determination of a valid access token results in delivery of a download data request accompanied by the access token to target peer server 200 , which in response downloads data to client 402 .
Proof of client identity is undertaken at the start of any session with a remote system, so that if a search is performed during a session that is different from a file transfer session, the access token would be resent and reverified when the file transfer session is started.
To demonstrate additional capability of distributed information network 300 , FIG. 9 shows with an arrow-tipped broken line a community query connection between client 402 and private sub-root community 3 server to illustrate the ability of client 402 to search a private community server. An authentication process is undertaken to open a session with a private community server.
Another problematic issue arises in connection with a distributed environment in which files or other information is shared. Because the share permissions preferably reside at the data source, security risks stem from a potential attacker wishing to share unapproved content and having physical access to the computer containing the data and share information. This situation allows for two classes of attack. The first class is the replacement of the data source itself. This is most easily accomplished by overwriting a shared file with an unapproved file. The second class of attack is modification of the share information, which typically will reside in a database. Altering these data can allow the data to point to an unapproved file rather than to the approved content.
FIG. 11 is a flow diagram outlining the five steps of a process for providing file sharing security in a P2P network. With reference to FIG. 11 , sub-root community 1 server functioning as an administrator has, as described with reference to FIG. 10 , approval authority for content and is identified by a public/private key pair. The public key portion of this key pair is distributed to all peer node servers on the P2P network.
An event when a user wishes to share content represents step 1 of the process. Information about such content (shown as row 1 information of the share server file table) including the name of the file, the size of the file, and the hash of the file is sent to the sub-root community 1 (authorizing) server. (A “hash” is formed by a cryptographic algorithm, is a condensed representation of the contents of a file.) The sub-root community 1 server examines the file to ensure the content is appropriate.
Step 2 entails use by sub-root community 1 server of the row 1 information to access the file remotely. Step 3 entails approval of the file by sub-root community 1 server, which hashes the file name, file size, and file hash. When it approves the file for sharing, the sub-root community 1 server, using its private key, signs the information that was sent to it. Step 4 represents that the signature, together with the shared content, is stored in the file table on the share server.
Step 5 represents when a share server receives a request for download of a file of shared information to a peer server. The share server in response retrieves the file name, obtains the file size from the file system, and computes the file hash. These three values are then hashed and compared against the decrypted signed hash returned from sub-root community 1 server. If any of these values do not match, the file is not made available to the peer server requesting the download. Otherwise, the file is made available to the peer server.
Although it is described with reference to a P2P network, the file sharing security process can be implemented in any network in which a server can achieve controlled access to a file residing on a remotely located server.
It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments of this invention without departing from the underlying principles thereof. As a first example, the functions of a client (e.g., client applet) and a root server can be combined so that they reside on the same platform. As a second example, an applet, an application, a network browser, or other type of operating system client can be used to initiate a topic query or search. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims. | A distributed information network is constructed for gathering information from sites distributed across a globally accessible computer network, i.e., the Internet. The distributed information network preferably includes a root server that stores a list of multiple distributed sites each represented by metadata. A network browser delivers an information search request to the root server, which in response develops a profiled information search request. The information provider of each of the distributed sites stores metadata corresponding to information content that is retrievable in response to the profiled information search request for search results derivable from the information content to which the metadata correspond. A profiled information communication link between the root server and each of the multiple distribution sites enables formation of a path for delivery of the search results to a destination site, from a site or sites represented by the metadata of the profiled information search request. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to head covering apparel, and more particularly pertains to several embodiments of new and improved shape retainers for caps.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of reinforcing structures for visor caps, such as the type worn by sportsmen, baseball players, and the like, is well known in the prior art. As can be appreciated, quite frequently visor caps are constructed without adequate stiffening so that after they have been worn for some time, their appearance is degraded due to structural deformation and sagging. The problem of cap sagging is even further evident when such caps are laundered or dry cleaned and in many cases, circular stiffening material built into the cap crowns experiences substantial deformation during such cleaning operations. As such, there has been a number of attempts to develop either removable or permanently attached stiffening structures designed to overcome the problem of structural degradation resulting from cap washing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,681,451, which issued to E. Lipschutz on June 22, 1954, discloses a cap reinforcement structure which is designed to be either removably or permanently installed within a visor cap. The Lipschutz reinforcing frame includes a topmost circular ring and a lowermost semicircular ring interconnected thereto by a plurality of cross-extending pivotally interconnected support members. The entire structure is formed from plastic, and the top circular ring is adjustable in diameter to accommodate a conforming fit within a chosen cap. While being separate from the cap at the time of installation, the Lipschutz reinforcement frame in its preferred embodiment is designed to be permanently retained within the cap after installation and can be retained in the cap during a laundering or cleaning process. If any cap deformation or sagging occurs, the topmost circular ring can be adjustably expanded in diameter to offset cap structure deformation.
While being functional for its intended purpose, the Lipschutz reinforcement frame is substantially complex from a manufacturing standpoint due to the necessity of effecting a pivotal attachment of the cross-extending structural members. Further, the frame structure is difficult to remove from the cap once assembled and may in some cases lack sufficient structural strength to offset cap deformation.
As such, there appears to be a continuing need for new and improved cap reinforcement and shape retaining structures which could be easily attached within an interior portion of a cap while possessing sufficient structural strength to obtain or maintain cap shape after laundering. Further, such a reinforcement frame should be easily removable from the cap after laundering, if desired, and should also be manufactured in an inexpensive and efficient manner. In this regard, the present invention addresses this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of cap reinforcement structures now present in the prior art, the present invention provides several embodiments of improved cap shape retaining frames which may be easily adjusted in size within a cap to thus obtain a desired shape after laundering or cleaning, while such frames are also easily and inexpensively manufactured. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide new and improved cap reinforcing and shape retaining frames which have all the advantages of the prior art cap reinforcing and shape retaining frames and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, a first embodiment of the present invention comprises a stamped or molded section of flat plastic which can be formed into a circle to conform to the interior shape of a cap. Suitable fastening means are provided for holding the desired circular shape of the reinforcing frame. Additionally, a forward portion of the circular frame includes an upwardly extending section designed to particularly support and shape the front of a baseball cap after laundering. In this regard, the frame structure possesses suitable structural rigidity to maintain cap shape after washing, i.e., during expected material deformation and shrinkage accompanying the drying process. The first embodiment of invention is desirably of an integral design, and various sizes could be manufactured to accommodate conventional and commercially available cap sizes.
A second embodiment of the invention addresses the use of a cap support and shape retaining frame which may be formed into a circle by suitable fastening means and which also has an adjustably movable forwardly positioned removable section. The removable section is designed to support the immediate front portion of a baseball cap during a drying process and can be adjusted upwardly relative to the circular frame structure so as to sufficiently tension and support the cap's front section. Suitable fasteners are provided to allow the adjustable movement of the cap front supporting section. More particularly, such fasteners could include integral plastic snaps which are frictionally resiliently engagable with apertures molded into respected parts of the cap supporting frame structure.
A third embodiment of the invention also envisions an adjustably removable cap front supporting section which is selectively attachable to the circular support ring structure with such attachment being accomplished by hook and loop fasteners. In this regard, the movable section includes a plurality of arm members slidably positionable within slots formed in the circular support section, and a removable sweat band is attachable across these arms members and within an interior peripheral portion of the support ring once the cap support structure has been positioned as desired within the cap's interior. As such, the sweat band functions both to hold the movable hat supporting section in a desired position while also providing comfort to the hat wearer. This third embodiment of the invention is designed to permit a person to wear his cap immediately after laundering and while the drying process is proceeding without any attendant discomfort being experienced.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved cap support structure which has all the advantages of the prior art cap support structures and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved cap support structure which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved cap support structure which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved cap support structure which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such cap support structures economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved cap support structure which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved cap support structure which is designed to be temporarily positioned within a baseball-type cap immediately after laundering, thereby to facilitate a retention of the desired cap shape.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of the cap shape support structure forming the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a third embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1 thereof, a first embodiment of a new and improved cap shape support structure embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.
More specifically, it will be noted that the first embodiment of the cap shape support structure 10 primarily consists of a section of resilient flat plastic 12 designed to be selectively formed into a ring shape within the interior portion of a baseball cap. In this regard, the flexible construction of the plastic member 12 allows it to be looped into the desired ring shape within the cap and to then be fastened into such shape by means of a pair of integral outwardly extending fastening straps 14, 16. The first strap 14 may include a plurality of through-extending apertures 18, and the connecting strap 16 may include a plurality of integral protuberances 20 which are frictionally resiliently engagable with selected ones of the apertures. Accordingly, a desired diameter can be acquired when the plastic member 12 is formed into a ring as a result of proper interconnecting of the straps 14, 16.
As further illustrated in FIG. 1, the rectangularly shaped plastic member 12 includes an integral upwardly extending rectangularly shaped member 22 which extends partially along a longitudinal length of the member 12. In this regard, the upwardly extending member 22 in interconnected to the member 12 by a plurality of cross-extending integral arms 24, and the member 22 serves to provide substantial rigid support to the front forwardly positioned material adjacent the visor of the baseball cap. Inasmuch as this first embodiment 10 of the invention is of an integral construction, various sizes thereof would have to be manufactured to accommodate various sizes of commercially available caps.
FIG. 2 of the drawings illustrates a modified embodiment of the invention which is generally designated by the reference numeral 26. As is apparent from reference to the drawing, the embodiment 26 of the invention includes a flexible plastic flat member 28 which may be selectively formed into a ring shape within an interior portion of a cap and fastened thereto by connecting straps 30, 32. The connecting straps 30, 32 may include similar fastening means to those illustrated in the embodiment 10 of the inventions; however, any conceivable and functional fastening means could be utilized provided that the functional purpose of the invention is achieved. Therefore, all conceivable and functional fastening means are within the intent and purview of the present invention.
A novel feature of the second embodiment 26 of the invention includes the adjustable attachment of the upwardly extending flexible plastic member 34, which serves to support the front material portion of a cap adjacent the cap's visor, to the support ring 28. As illustrated, the support member 34 is adjustably attachable to the member 28 through a plurality of functionally appropriate fasteners 36. More specifically, the member 34 could include a plurality of downwardly extending integral arms 38 each of which includes a plurality of through-extending apertures 40 which are selectively engagable with upwardly extending protuberances 42 integrally formed in the member 28. As such, when the embodiment 26 of the invention is positioned within a recently laundered cap, the member 34 may be adjustably positioned to support the front portion of the cap in a tensioned manner and can be lockably positioned relative to the member 28 through the use of the fastening means 36. This embodiment 26 of the invention can be removed from a cap after the cap has dried, and the cap is then ready to be worn by the user.
FIG. 3 of the drawings illustrates a further modified embodiment of the invention which is generally designated by the reference numeral 44. The embodiment 44 of the invention is designed to be inserted into a recently laundered cap so as to facilitate its drying in a desired configuration and shape, while also permitting a user to immediately wear the hat before the drying process is complete. More particularly, the embodiment 44 includes a flexible plastic section 46 which may be looped in a ring-like manner within an interior portion of the cap and fastened thereto by connecting straps 48, 50. The straps 48, 50 are similar in construction to the straps 18, 20 and 30, 32 illustrated in the respective previous embodiments 10, 26 of the invention. Similarly, a front cap supporting section 52 is adjustably positionable relative to the member 46. The member 52 includes a plurality of integral downwardly extending arms 54 which are slidably received through plastic loops 56 integrally or otherwise fixedly secured to the member 46. Inwardly facing surfaces 58 of the arms 54 include hook fasteners of the type commonly referred to as Velcro. Once the section 52 has been positioned as desired within a cap, a sweat band 60 having Velcro loop fasteners on an inward surface thereof is interconnected between the arms 54 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3.
Accordingly, the front cap supporting section 52 is retained in a desired position so as to tension the cap material, while the sweat band 60 allows the cap to be immediately worn by a user before the drying process is complete. After the cap is dry, the embodiment 44 can be removed from the cap or if desired, it can be retained therein depending upon the wishes of the user.
With respect to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further description of the manner of usage or operation will be provided.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles 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 shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. | Several embodiments of cap shape retaining supports are designed to be removably positioned within recently washed caps. The supports serve to maintain a desired cap shape while the particular cap drys. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a room temperature curable organopolysiloxane composition, and more particularly to a room temperature curable organopolysiloxane composition useful as building sealing materials and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a filling application to the joint portions of concretes and sashes, the peripheral portions of glasses, and the like, there are generally used sealing materials such as synthetic rubbers. Conventionally known sealing materials include various materials, such as silicones, polysulfides, polyurethanes, acryl resins, SBR, and butyl rubbers, among which silicone sealing materials are widely used from the view point of excellent adhesion, resistance to heat and weatherability, and durability. The silicone sealing material, which is generally charged in a cartridge, is filled in portions to be applied, such as joints, and the filled portions are surface-finished with a spatula or the like, followed by curing. In that case, the sealing material is required to have non-flowability and good application workability. In order to satisfactorily improve the non-flowability and the application workability, it is necessary to add a large amount of silica fillers and to blend the resulting composition. However, since a blender used undertakes a very large load when blending, it brings the disadvantages that productivity decreases, that in an extreme case, the production comes to be impossible, and that the characteristics of a cured sealing material obtained by curing become poor. Also, there is known a silicone rubber composition to which boric acid or alkyl borate has been added in order to improve the flowability of a silicone composition [Japanese Patent Publication (kokoku) No. 39-22438]. This composition, however, has the drawbacks that a satisfactory effect can not be obtained unless the composition is heat-treated, and that its curing reaction may be inhibited.
Further, there is known a silicone rubber composition prepared by adding to a composition made up of a liquid organopolysiloxane and a hydrophobic silica, an organic liquid having a vapor pressure equal to or more than a specific value [Japanese Patent Publication (kokoku) No. 49-5510]. However, this composition is disadvantageous in that the organic liquid used has flammability, volatility or toxity.
Furthermore, there is known a method for improving the flowability of a silicone rubber composition by adding a polyether composition to a silicone rubber. However, the silicone rubber composition obtained by this method has the drawbacks that the composition can not be readily applied. Especially when surface-finishing is performed with a spatula, the spatula can be detached with difficulty, causing stringing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a room temperature curable organopolysiloxane, which does not cause flowing and dropping when filling in portions to be applied; keeps good application workability, such as good detachability, when surface-finishing; and further has excellent sealing properties, thus being useful as, for example, sealing materials.
The present inventors have earnestly studied to find that the non-flowability and good application workability of a silicone rubber composition are related closely to the wettability of the surface of a silica filler to a silicone oil, both of which are contained in the composition, and in order to increase the wettability, it is effective to add a low molecular weight straight chain organosiloxane having silanol groups; and that the straight chain organosiloxane does not degrade the physical properties of a silicone rubber obtained by curing the composition. Thus, the present invention has been accomplished.
More specifically, the present invention is a room temperature curable organopolysiloxane composition comprising:
(A) a diorganopolisiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both ends of its molecular chain having a viscosity of 25 to 1,000,000 cSt at 25° C., represented by the following general formula (1):
HO(RR'SiO).sub.p H (1)
wherein R and R', which may be the same or different, are each a unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group, and P is an integer of 10 or more;
(B) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of organosilanes and straight chain organosiloxanes represented by the following general formula (2):
HO(R.sup.1 R.sup.2 SiO).sub.L H (2)
wherein R 1 and R 2 , which may be the same or different, are each a unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group, and L is an integer of 1 to 5, and a straight chain organosiloxane represented by the following general formula (3):
(R.sup.3).sub.3 SiO(R.sup.1 R.sup.2 SiO).sub.M [R.sup.1 Si(OH)O].sub.N Si(R.sup.3).sub.3 ( 3)
wherein R 1 and R 2 are as defined above, R 3 is a unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group, N is an integer of 2 to 5, and M is 0 or a positive integer provided that M+N equals to 2 to 5;
(C) a hydrolyzable silane represented by the following general formula (4):
(R.sup.4).sub.A SiX.sub.(4-A) ( 4)
wherein R 4 is a unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group, X is a hydrolyzable group, and A is 0 or 1; and
(D) a silica filler having a specific surface area of 50 m 2 /g or more.
The composition according to the present invention does not cause flowing and dropping when filling in portions to be applied; keeps good application workability, such as good detachability, when surface-finishing; and further has excellent sealing properties, thus being useful as, for example, sealing materials.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention is hereinafter described in more detail.
Diorganopolysiloxane of the component (A)
The component (A) used in the present invention, a diorganopolisiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both ends of its molecular chain, is represented by the following general formula (1):
HO(RR'SiO).sub.p H (1).
In the formula (1), R and R' are each a unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, preferably 1 to 8 carbon atoms, exemplified by alkyl groups such as methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl groups; cycloalkyl groups such as cyclohexyl group; alkenyl groups such as vinyl and allyl groups; aryl groups such as phenyl and tolyl groups; aralkyl groups such as benzyl and phenylethyl groups; and groups derived from the above groups by the substitution of at least part of the hydrogen atoms bonded to the carbon atoms of the above groups with halogen atoms, cyano groups or the like, such as chloromethyl, trifluoropropyl and cyanoethyl groups. Out of these, preferred are methyl, phenyl and 3,3,3-trifluoropropyl groups, and especially preferred is the methyl group.
In the formula (1), P is an integer of 10 or more, preferably 10 to 2,000. The diorganopolysiloxane has a viscosity of 25 to 1,000,000 cSt, preferably 1,000 to 100,000 cSt, at 25° C.
Organosilane or straight chain organosiloxane of the component (B)
The component (B) used in the present invention is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of an organosilane or straight chain organosiloxane represented by the following general formula (2):
HO(R.sup.1 R.sup.2 SiO).sub.L H (2),
and a straight chain organosiloxane represented by the following general formula (3):
(R.sup.3).sub.3 SiO(R.sup.1 R.sup.2 SiO).sub.M [R.sup.1 Si(OH)O].sub.N Si(R.sup.3).sub.3 (3).
In the formulas (2) and (3), the unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group represented by R 1 , R 2 or R 3 may be the same as the unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group represented by R or R' in the above general formula (1). R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are preferably methyl, phenyl, trifluoropropyl and vinyl groups, more preferably the methyl group. L is an integer of 1 to 5, N is an integer of 2 to 5, and M is 0 or a positive integer provided that M+N equals to 2 to 5.
Specific examples of the organosilane or straight chain organosiloxane, which is low in molecular weight and has silanol groups, represented by the above general formula (2), include, for example, dihydroxydimethylsilane, dihydroxymethylvinylsilane, dihydroxymethylphenylsilane, dihydroxymethyl-3,3,3-trifluoropropylsilane, dihydroxydiphenylsilane, 1,3-dihydroxytetramethyldisiloxane, 1,5-dihydroxyhexamethyltrisiloxane, 1,7-dihydroxyoctamethyltetrasiloxane, 1,9-dihydroxydecamethylpentasiloxane, 1,3-dihydroxy-1,3-divinyl-1,3-dimethyldisiloxane and 1,5-dihydroxy-1,3,5-trivinyl-1,3,5-trimethyltrisiloxane.
Specific examples of the straight chain organosiloxane, which is low in molecular weight and has silanol groups, represented by the above general formula (3), include, for example, 2,3-dihydroxyoctamethyltetrasiloxane, 2,3-dihydroxy-2,3-divinylhexamethyltetrasiloxane and 2,3,4-trihydroxynonamethylpentasiloxane.
These organosilanes or straight chain organosiloxanes having a low molecular weight can be prepared readily by subjecting organoalkoxysilanes to hydrolysis in the presence of an ion-exchange resin.
These organosilanes and straight chain organosiloxanes of the component (B) can be used singly or in a combination of two or more thereof.
The component (B) acts as an agent for providing non-flowability to the composition.
The component (B) is formulated in an amount of preferably 0.1 to 10 parts by weight, more preferably 0.2 to 5 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the component (A). If the amount is too small, the composition may be poor in non-flowability, while if the amount is too large, the composition may be lowered in storability.
Hydrolyzable silane of the component (C)
The component (C) used in the present invention is a hydrolyzable silane represented by the following general formula (4):
(R.sup.4).sub.A SiX.sub.(4-A) ( 4)
In the formula (4), the unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group represented by R 4 may be similar to the unsubstituted or substituted monovalent hydrocarbon group represented by R or R' in the above general formula (1). R 4 is preferably methyl, ethyl, phenyl, trifluoropropyl and vinyl groups, more preferably the methyl and phenyl groups. In the formula (4), the hydrolyzable group represented by X includes, for example, alkoxy groups such as methoxy, ethoxy and butoxy groups; ketoxime groups such as dimethyl ketoxime and methyl ethyl ketoxime groups; carboxyl groups such as acetoxy group; alkenyloxy groups such as isopropenyloxy and isobutenyloxy groups; amino groups such as N-butylamino and N,N-diethylamino groups; and amido groups such as N-methyl acetamido group. Further in the formula (4), A is 0 or 1.
As the hydrolyzable silanes represented by the above general formula (4), there can be suitably used any hydrolyzable silanes which are generally used in the condensation-curable silicone rubber compositions of this type. Specific examples of the hydrolyzable silane include, for example, methyltriacetoxysilane, vinyltriacetoxysilane, methyltributanoximesilane, vinyltributanoximesilane, methyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, ethyl 2-trimethoxysilylpropionate, 2-ethylhexyl 2-trimethoxysilylpropionate, 2-ethylhexyl 2-methyldimethoxysilylpropionate, vinyltriisopropenoxysilane, phenyltriisopropenoxysilane and methyltributylaminosilane.
The component (C) is formulated in an amount of preferably 3 to 20 parts by weight, more preferably 5 to 15 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the above component (A). If the amount is too small, the composition may be decreased in stability so that a phenomenon such as gelation is liable to occur during storage. If the amount is too large, a cured composition obtained by curing the composition may be increased in volume shrinkage so that the physical properties of the composition lowers after curing or the curing speed is down.
Silica filler of the component (D)
The component (D) used in the present invention is a silica filler having a specific surface area of 50 m 2 /g or more, preferably at least 100 m 2 /g, more preferably 100 to 400 m 2 /g.
Specific examples of the silica filler having a specific surface area of 50 m 2 /g or more include, for example, hydrophilic silicas obtained by high-temperature hydrolysis of silicon tetrachloride in oxyhydrogen flame, and hydrophobic silica obtained by surface-treatment of a hydrophilic silica with chlorosilane or silazane. These silica fillers may be used singly or in a combination of two or more thereof.
The component (D) acts as a reinforcing filler for providing non-flowability to the composition before curing as well as providing mechanical strength to the cured composition obtained by curing, by using this component in combination with the component (B).
The component (D) is formulated in an amount of preferably 1 to 500 parts by weight, more preferably 5 to 100 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of the component (A). If the amount is too small, the composition before curing may be provided with insufficient non-flowability, while if the amount is too large, the composition before curing may be decreased in discharge amount so that the workability of the composition is reduced.
Preparation of the composition
The composition of the present invention is obtained as a one-pack type room temperature curable composition by uniformly mixing predetermined amounts of the above components (A) to (D) in a dry atmosphere.
To the present composition, it is possible to add various compounds unless the flowability is inhibited. These compounds include, for example, condensation catalysts such as alkyltin ester compounds, e.g. dibutyltin diacetate, dibutyltin dilaurate and dibutyltin dioctoate, alkoxytitanium and titanium chelate compounds; reinforcing agents such as precipitated silica powder, quartz powder, carbon powder, talc and bentonite; fibrous fillers such as glass fibers, carbon fibers and organic fibers; basic fillers such as calcium carbonate, zinc carbonate, zinc oxide, magnesium oxide and celite; heat resistance improvers such as red oxide and cerium oxide; cold resistance improvers; dehydrating agents; anti-corrosive agents; adhesion improvers such as γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane; and liquid reinforcing agents such as a network polysiloxane comprised of triorganosiloxy units and SiO 2 units. They can be added in a desired amount to the composition, if necessary.
EXAMPLES
The present invention will now be described in more detail. In the following, Me stands for the methyl group, and viscosity was measured at 25° C.
Example 1
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
1.0 part by weight of HO(Me 2 SiO)H,
10.0 part by weights by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 110 m 2 /g and the surface of which had been rendered hydrophobic by treatment,
6.0 parts by weight of methyltributanoximesilane, and
0.1 part by weight of dibutyltin dioctoate.
From the composition was prepared a sheet with a thickness of 2 mm, which was then left in an atmosphere of 20° C. and 55% RH for seven days, to form an elastomeric product. The product was examined for rubber properties [hardness, elongation (%)], and [tensile strength (kgf/cm 2 )] to give the results given in Table 1. The hardness was measured using A type hardness tester. Slump was measured to examine non-flowability of the composition according to JIS-A-5758, and discharge rate was measured to examine processability. The results are given together in Table 1. Furthermore, to compare stringing characteristics, the composition was charged in a glass plate with an inner diameter of 27 mm and a depth of 15 mm so as to have a flat and smooth top surface. A disk with a diameter of 15 mm was brought into contact with the top surface of the composition, and then the disk was raised at a rate of 500 mm/min, whereupon the length of the resulting string was measured. The result is given in Table 1.
Example 2
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
1.0 part by weight of HO(Me 2 SiO) 2 H,
10.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 110 m 2 /g and the surface of which had been rendered hydrophobic by treatment,
6.0 parts by weight of methyltributanoximesilane, and
0.1 part by weight of dibutyltin dioctoate.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 1. The results are given in Table 1.
Example 3
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
1.0 part by weight of HO(Me 2 SiO) 5 ,
10.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 110 m 2 /g and the surface of which had been rendered hydrophobic by treatment,
6.0 parts by weight of methyltributanoximesilane, and
0.1 part by weight of dibutyltin dioctoate.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 1. The results are given in Table 1.
Example 4
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
1.0 part of Me 3 SiO(Me(OH)SiO) 2 SiMe 3 ,
10.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 110 M 2 /g and the surface of which had been rendered hydrophobic by treatment,
6.0 parts by weight of methyltributanoximesilane, and
0.1 part by weight of dibutyltin dioctoate.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 1. The results are given in Table 1.
Comparative Example 1
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
10.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 110 m 2 /g and the surface of which had been rendered hydrophobic by treatment,
6.0 parts by weight of methyltributanoximesilane, and
0.1 part by weight of dibutyltin dioctoate.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 1. The results are given in Table 1.
Comparative Example 2
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
1.0 part by weight of HO(Me 2 SiO) 15 H,
10.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 110 M 2 /g and the surface of which had been rendered hydrophobic by treatment,
6.0 parts by weight of methyltributanoximesilane, and
0.1 part by weight of dibutyltin dioctoate.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 1. The results are given in Table 1.
TABLE 1______________________________________ Comparative Examples Examples 1 2 3 4 1 2______________________________________Appearance col- col- col- col- col- col- or- or- or- or- or- or- less less less less less lessSlump (mm) 0 0 0 0 5 2Stringing 33 30 27 39 110 70characterisitics(mm)Time required 6 6 6 6 8 7before becomingtack-free (min)Discharge rate 48 32 40 39 32 40(g/5 sec)TensileHardness 35 35 36 35 32 36Elongation (%) 400 350 400 380 250 310Tensile 19 19 20 21 12 19strength(Kgf/cm.sup.2)______________________________________
Example 5
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
1.0 part by weight of HO(Me 2 SiO) 5 ,
8.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 170 m 2 /g and the surface of which had been rendered hydrophobic by treatment,
6.0 parts by weight of vinyltributanoximesilane, and
0.1 part by weight of dibutyltin dioctoate.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 2 except for not measuring discharge rate. The results are given in Table 2.
Example 6
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
1.0 part by weight of HO(Me 2 SiO) 5 H,
8.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 170 m 2 /g and the surface of which had been rendered hydrophobic by treatment,
6.0 parts by weight of methyltriacetoxysilane, and
0.1 part by weight of dibutyltin dioctoate.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 2 except for not measuring discharge rate. The results are given in Table 2.
Example 7
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
1.0 part by weight of HO(Me 2 SiO) 5 H,
8.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 170 m 2 /g and the surface of which had been rendered hydrophobic by treatment,
6.0 parts by weight of vinyltriisopropenyloxysilane, and
0.5 part by weight of tetramethylguanidinopropyltrimethoxysilane.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 2 except for not measuring discharge rate. The results are given in Table 2.
Example 8
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
1.0 part by weight of HO(Me 2 SiO) 5 H,
8.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 170 m 2 /g and the surface of which had been rendered hydrophobic by treatment,
6.0 parts by weight of vinyltrimethoxysilane, and
1.0 part by weight of tetraisopropoxytitanium.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 2 except for not measuring discharge rate. The results are given in Table 2.
Comparative Example 3
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
1.0 part by weight of polypropylene oxide terminated with a methyldiisopropenyloxy group at both terminal ends and having 4,000 cSt,
8.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 170 m 2 /g and the surface of which had been rendered hydrophobic by treatment,
6.0 parts by weight of vinyltributanoximesilane, and
0.1 part by weight of dibutyltin dioctoate.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 2 except for not measuring discharge rate. The results are given in Table 2.
TABLE 2______________________________________ Compara- tive Examples Examples 5 6 7 8 3______________________________________Appearance color- color- color- color- color- less less less less lessSlump (mm) 0 0 0 0 0Stringing 35 28 39 40 63characterisitics(mm)Time required 8 5 2 2 8before becomingtack-free (min)Hardness 18 20 28 25 25Elongation (%) 570 570 500 470 400Tensile 21 16 18 17 18strength(Kgf/cm.sup.2)______________________________________
Example 9
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
1.0 part by weight of HO(Me 2 SiO) 5 H,
10.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 200 m 2 /g,
5.0 parts by weight of methyltributanoximesilane,
5.0 parts by weight of vinyltributanoximesilane, and
0.1 part by weight of dibutyltin dioctoate.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 3 except for not measuring discharge rate. The results are given in Table 3.
Example 10
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
0.5 part by weight of HO(Me 2 SiO) 5 H,
0.5 part by weight of Me 3 SiO(Me(OH)SiO) 2 SiMe 3 .
10.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 200 m 2 /g,
5.0 parts by weight of methyltributanoximesilane,
5.0 parts by weight of vinyltributanoximesilane, and
0.1 part by weight of dibutyltin dilaurate.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 3 except for not measuring discharge rate. The results are given in Table 3.
Comparative Example 4
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
10.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 200 m 2 /g,
5.0 parts by weight of methyltributanoximesilane,
5.0 parts by weight of vinyltributanoximesilane, and
0.1 part by weight of dibutyltin dilaurate.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 3 except for not measuring discharge rate. The results are given in Table 3.
Comparative Example 5
An organopolysiloxane composition was prepared by mixing under water-free conditions:
100.0 parts by weight of a dimethylpolysiloxane terminated with a hydroxyl group at both terminal ends having a viscosity of 20,000 cSt,
1.0 part by weight of polypropylene oxide terminated with a methyldiisopropenyloxy group at both terminal ends and having 4,000 cSt,
10.0 parts by weight of a fumed silica having a specific surface area of 200 m 2 /g,
5.0 parts by weight of methyltributanoximesilane,
5.0 parts by weight of vinyltributanoximesilane, and
0.1 part by weight of dibutyltin dilaurate.
The composition was measured and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1 in respect to the items indicated in Table 3 except for not measuring discharge rate. The results are given in Table 3.
TABLE 3______________________________________ Comparative Examples Examples 9 10 4 5______________________________________Appearance color- color- color- color- less less less lessSlump (mm) 0 0 Dropped DroppedStringing 58 62 -- --characterisitics(mm)Time required 8 8 8 8before becomingtack-free (min)Hardness 30 30 33 32Elongation (%) 430 420 280 320Tensile 22 20 15 20strength(Kgf/cm.sup.2)______________________________________ | This composition comprises (A) a diorganopolysiloxane terminated with hydroxyl groups at both ends of its molecular chain having a viscosity of 25 to 1,000,000 cSt at 25° C., (B) a low molecular weight organosilane or straight chain organosiloxane having silanol groups, such as HO(Me 2 SiO)H, Me 3 SiO[Me(OH)SiO] 2 SiMe 3 or mixtures thereof, (C) a hydrolyzable silane, and (D) a silica filler having a specific surface area of 50 m 2 /g or more. The composition has good non-flowability and exhibits good application workability when surface-finishing with spatula, and therefore is useful as building sealing materials. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This is a division of application Ser. No. 277,470 filed Aug. 2, 1972, now abandoned.
The present invention is concerned with means for counteracting clogging of drain pipes in drainage plants by earth components which have a tendency to form ochre.
It is known that drain pipes tend to a premature clogging, which is usually named "ochre formation" and is due to a conversion of water-soluble components present in earth into oxide compounds which are insoluble in water and deposit on the internal surfaces of drain pipes and also in drain filters. No effective means have hitherto been found to prevent this clogging process so that one had to face the fact of a relatively limited working life due to this so-called ochre formation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide means for preventing clogging of drain pipes by ochre formation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
For the solution of this problem, the present invention proceeds from the consideration that the components of the earth which otherwise would give rise to ochre formation are subjected to physico-chemical influences which prevent ochre formation at the entrance of the drain stream into the cavities of the drain pipe.
Following from this appreciation of the problem, it has been solved, according to the present invention, by the addition of a reagent, preferably of a tannin, which converts the above-mentioned components of the earth into non-clogging compounds which drain off.
In order to ensure a conversion of the ochre forming components which is as complete as possible, an amount of the reagent should be available which is stoichiometrically necessary for the conversion. Therefore, the reagent is preferably added in an amount which depends upon the amount of ochre-forming components within the drainage area of the drain plant. An optimum exploitation of the available amount of reagent may be obtained by placing and arranging the reagent in such a manner that it will lead to a dissolving of an amount of the reagent by the drain water equal to the stoichiometrically necessary amount for a complete conversion of that amount of ochre-forming components which is carried along by the drain water.
The effective proportion of solution of ochre-forming components and of the reagent, respectively, may be controlled in such a manner that, having regard to the given solubilities, the stoichiometric amount is obtained by physical influences on the process of dissolving the reagent, for example, by the structure of an appropriate reagent dispenser, because the effective dissolving of the reagent depends not only upon the solubility but also on the manner in which the reagent is connected to or included within the dispenser and the manner in which the dispenser is exposed to the flow of drain water. In most cases, the desired ratio may be achieved by an appropriate arrangement of the reagent dispenser within the area of the drain flow.
When it is not possible or is difficult to ensure the stoichiometric ratio, it may be important to utilize a stoichiometric excess of the reagent which may be measured in dependence upon the effective ratio of solution of said component and reagent inasmuch as this ratio differs from the stoichiometric ratio. The desired dependence of the operative amount of reagent on the amount of drain water may easily be secured when the reagent is subjected to dissolving by suitable exposure to the natural drain water; otherwise this dependence may be obtained fairly exact by additional means.
Generally the available amount of reagent should be dependent upon the amount of ochre-forming components in the earth, taking into account that the operative amounts of both components will depend upon the amount of drain water, whereas the ratio of the operative amounts will depend upon the ratio of effective dissolving of ochre-forming components and reagent, respectively, and also taking into account that the latter ratio should be high enough to ensure that at least the stoichiometric amount of reagent is reached. On the other hand, tannin-dispensing products are mostly available at such a low price that it is preferred to use a large excess of reagent in order to ensure the desired stoichiometric ratio, even under unfavourable circumstances, which may be reached by a stoichiometric excess of, for example, 100% or more.
It is often advisable to provide a supply of reagent to the drainage area which is sufficient for the entire working life of the drain plant. In other cases, it may be preferred to provide smaller amounts of reagent from time to time during the working life of the drain plant. This may be done by inoculation of the drainage area with the reagent. The drain ground may be inoculated by placing the reagent upon the surface of the drainage area or a drain filter, if present, may be inoculated by injecting tannin into it by probes.
Preferably, the reagent is introduced together with a natural carrier or a carrier can be impregnated with the reagent. The drain pipes themselves may be used as a carrier when they have been made from porous material which can be saturated with the reagent.
The reagent may also be added, together with water from a supply thereof, preferably in a flushing back procedure. Such a method can also be used for cleaning out drain pipes after ochre formation has taken place.
Reagent dispensers are preferably arranged within the drain filter, especially in the form of an inner layer of the drain filter or in the form of material containing the reagent. It is, of course, also possible to provide one or more reagent dispensers within the cavity of a drain pipe, for example in the form of a layer on the inner surface of the drain pipe or in the form of water-permeable stuffings.
Drain wells are especially suitable for a subsequent addition of a reagent.
Reagent dispensers are preferably applied in the form of fibrous or granular material which is placed loosely into the drain pipe or into the ground to be drained or is included after having been manufactured to form water permeable mats or strips.
The reagent may be a natural or synthetic tannin. Tannin-containing natural products are usually available in fibrous or granulate form so that they may be used as reagent dispensers without further processing. In most cases, natural tannin dispensers with a high content of tannin are preferred, for example mimosa bark, catechu, by-products of tea-production, quebracho or extracts of tannin-containing natural products.
We have found that particularly good results are obtained when more than 25 grams and preferably 70 to 100 grams of reagent are used per meter length of drain pipe.
For a better understanding of the present invention, several embodiments thereof will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a drain pipe with a reagent dispenser in the form of granular inclusions;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a drain pipe with granular inclusions, in another embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a modification of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is another modification of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 illustrates a method of inoculating the ground above a drain pipe;
FIG. 6 illustrates a method of inoculating a drain filter;
FIG. 7 illustrates a drain pipe in conjunction with a band-like reagent dispenser;
FIG. 8 illustrates a drain pipe with an inside layer which acts as a reagent dispenser;
FIG. 9 illustrates a drain pipe with a water-permeable stuffing;
FIG. 10 illustrates a drain well with a reagent dispenser;
FIG. 11 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view through a drain pipe coupling constructed as a reagent dispenser; and
FIG. 12 illustrates another embodiment of a drain pipe coupling.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
According to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, a corrugated plastic drainage pipe 1 is provided with slots or holes 3 in the corrugation troughs 2. The pipe 1 is enveloped by a drainage filter 4, several types of which are shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.
FIG. 1 shows a drainage filter comprising a homogeneous layer 5 of granular tannin-containing filter material, for example quebracho, having an average thickness of 1 mm. The layer 5 consists of a relative loose material in order to obtain a suitably high F/Q ratio of the average filter surface F to the total cross-section Q of the water-bearing pores and channels between the particles of the filter, which F/Q ratio may be, for example 1: 0.4. Furthermore, the thickness d of layer 5 should be great enough to ensure a sufficiently long duration of flow T of the drain water from its entrance at the outside 6 to its exit at the inside 7 of the filter layer 5. This duration of flow is dependent upon the amount of drain water per unit of the average filter surface F or per unit of length of the drain pipe and is also dependent upon the above mentioned ratio F/Q and the thickness d. The duration of flow can be influenced by the dimensions of F, Q and d in such a manner that an almost complete prevention of ochre formation is achieved, having regard to the properties of the reagent and the ochre-forming components in the earth.
The reactivity of the reagent dispenser is largely dependent upon the concentration of tannin within the filter material and also on the size of the surface area of the granular or fibrous material, the surface area increasing with decreasing grain size. However, the reduction of grain size is limited by the demand for a good permeability for the drain water, which is subjected to a sufficient size of pores. An average grain size of 0.2 to 0.03 mm. has proved to be suitable for the present purposes. The optimum grain size or fiber size is also dependent upon the nature and origin of the reagent dispenser. Thus, the size can be greater if the dispenser is made from the bark of tannin-containing trees. The good influence of tannin is due to the fact that ferric compounds are formed which cannot cause clogging of the drain pipe by ochre formation. The filter material may be composed of normal granular or fibrous filter material 8 and tannin-containing filter material 9 of greater size as reagent dispenser.
In FIG. 1, the loose filter layer 5 is held in place by water-permeable boundary layers in the form of perforated foils 10 and 11, namely, an inner foil 10 covering the water-bearing corrugations 12 of the drain pipe 1 to prevent the ingress of filter material and an outer foil 11 forming external holding means and allowing water to enter into the filter layer 5. The filter layer 5 with foils 10 and 11 can be applied to the drain pipe in conventional manner.
The foils are shown in the drawing diagrammatically. In actual fact, the holes in the foils are much smaller in order to prevent the passage of particles from the earth into the filter layer 5 and from the filter layer into the corrugations of the drain pipe. Furthermore, the number of the holes is much greater than shown in the drawing.
FIG. 2 shows diagrammatically an embodiment in which filter material 8, 9 is, as in FIG. 1, embedded within the pores 14 of a wide-pore carrier body 13, a perforated foil 10 being provided on the inside of the carrier body 13. The carrier body 13 itself can be strong enough to be used as a drain pipe so that the inside of the filter layer 5 forms the cavity of the drain pipe.
The carrier body 13 may, for example, be made from a fibrous material, such as straw, which is glued together and which has previously been mixed with a granular or fibrous reagent-containing material or the wide pores of which are consolidation, are filled with granular reagent material, Natural reagent dispensers can be used to form a drain pipe or a full water-bearing drain track.
FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment in which the filter layer 5 is bordered on the inside and outside by straw layers 15 and 16. These straw layers are preferable because they provide an exceptionally low resistance to the passage of drain water and, on the other hand, hold together the filter layer 5 in a satisfactory manner.
The drain filter, together with its boundary layers, can be manufactured as a preformed band 4, preferably by quilting, the preformed band being placed around the drain pipe by being pulled together with the drain pipe 1 through a conical nozzle in such a manner that the two edges of the band are brought in contact with one another, thus forming a longitudinal seam 17. The band 4 thus wrapped around the drain pipe 1 is fixed in position by a winding 18 consisting, for example, of two counterwound plastic threads 19,20. Drain filters 4 of different thickness d may be employed by reason of having different qualities. Boundary layers may consist of a textile, gauze or fabric which is strong enough to hold together the filter 4 from manufacture until laying. A reagent dispenser can also be formed by loosely introducing tannin-containing filter material into a drain trench during the laying of a drain pipe.
FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment in which the drain filter comprises two layers, namely, a relative thin inner layer 21 of fibrous tannin-containing material, such as quebracho, or mimosa and a relatively thick outer layer 22 of a conventional filter material. The outer layer preferably consists of straw which can be fixed by a winding 18.
The addition of tannin or other reagent into an existent drainage can be performed easily in liquid form by inoculation of the ground or filter, as is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, tannin being poured on to the surface of the ground from a spray device S (FIG. 5) or being injected by a probe 23 (FIG. 6) into the ground or into filter 4.
FIG. 7 illustrates a drainage in which band shaped reagent dispensers 24 are introduced during the mechanical laying of drain pipes beneath and possibly above the drain pipe 1.
Provided that there is a sufficiently high affinity of reagent and ochre-forming components of the earth, it is advisable to place the reagent within the drain pipe, for example as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the drain pipe 1 is provided with a layer 25 of reagent-containing material, whereas in the embodiment of FIG. 9, the cavity of the drain pipe 1, especially of a clay pipe with longitudinal grooves 26 on its outside over the whole length or over parts of its length, is filled with stuffings 27 consisting of water-permeable mimosa or other reagent-containing material.
Reagent dispensers may be continuously distributed or may be concentrated at the beginning of the drain pipe or at certain intervals along the drain pipe.
A reagent dispenser 28 may also be located within drain wells 27' as is shown in FIG. 10.
Especially in drain plants, the drain systems of which consist of clay pipes or other short pipes which are joined together by sockets or other connectors, as is shown in FIG. 11 or 12, the reagent dispenser may be formed as a connector 29 (FIG. 11) consisting of a middle disc-like part 30 of a thickness equal to the gap between the adjoining pipes 1,1 and two stuffing like projections 31,32 engaging the two pipes. The middle part 30 may be provided on its outside with a torus 33 but may also have substantially the same diameter as the pipes 1, as is indicated by dotted lines 34. The latter shape is especially suitable in the case of mechanical laying of drain pipes.
FIG. 12 illustrates a reagent dispenser formed as a filter ring 37 inserted within a conventional socket 36. In drain systems consisting of a row of clay pipes, all the drain water flows through the filter rings 37. In plastic drain pipes, however, at the joints of which only a small part of the entire drain water enters the drain pipe, it is advisable to provide additional stuffing shaped reagent dispensers 38, which may be inserted into the socket 36, as is shown in FIG. 12.
The reagent dispensers may consist entirely of biologically decomposable material, such as mimosa and quebracho, or partly of biologically decomposable natural material and non-decomposable synthetic material.
Reagent components other than tannins may be used which have the desired affinity to the ochre-forming components within the ground to be drained. The choice of the appropriate reagent will be best made depending upon the results of individual soil research for ochre-forming components. | A plastic or clay drain system includes porous plastic or clay pipes at least partially covered with filter material and a dispenser of tannin for introducing tannin into the drain flow. | 2 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is in the field of non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) gas sensors of a type used to measure the concentrations of unwanted or combustible gases so that an alarm can be enunciated when their concentration approaches or exceeds a harmful or dangerous level. More specifically, the present invention relates to a comparatively small, simple and low cost apparatus having no moving parts and capable of measuring the concentration of most common gases in the atmosphere.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The NDIR technique utilizing the characteristic absorption bands of gases in the infrared has been widely used for decades in the gas analyzer industry for the detection of these gases. Such gas analyzers utilize the principle that various gases exhibit substantial absorption at specific wavelengths in the infrared radiation spectrum. The term “non-dispersive” as used herein refers to the apparatus used, typically a narrow-band optical or infrared transmission filter instead of a dispersive element such as a prism or diffraction grating, for isolating for the purpose of measurement the radiation in a particular wavelength band that coincides with a strong absorption band of a gas to be measured. The NDIR technique has long been considered as one of the best methods for gas measurement. In addition to being highly specific, NDIR gas sensors are also very sensitive, relatively stable and easy to operate and maintain. In contrast to NDIR gas sensors, the majority of other types of gas sensors today are in principle interactive. Interactive gas sensors are less reliable, short-lived and generally nonspecific, and in some cases can be poisoned or saturated into a nonfunctional or irrecoverable state.
Despite the fact that interactive gas sensors are mostly unreliable and that the NDIR gas measurement technique is one of the best there is NDIR gas sensors still have not enjoyed widespread high volume usage to date. There are three main reasons for this. First, there are several applications in existence today that would require a very large number of gas sensors typically running into millions of units per annum. One very prominent example of these is the long overdue smart fire detector that needs the assistance of gas sensors for detecting specific effluent gases from a fire such as Carbon Monoxide and Carbon Dioxide. Detection of these effluent gases when a fire first breaks out would greatly help the conventional smoke detector not only to eliminate most of its nuisance false alarms but also to detect fires like smoldering or even fast-moving ones in a much shorter time. But gas sensors to be deployed in such an application must be extraordinarily reliable and just about all gas sensors ever designed and manufactured to date, irrespective of what technology is being employed, invariably have significant output drifts over time.
Another high volume usage example in the millions of units per annum range is the so-called “harmful or dangerous gas level fuse.” Many gas heaters, inclusive of kerosene heaters and gas water heaters, are required by law to have a safety device equipped with the heater in order to warn users of poor ventilation and hence low oxygen levels in the heater's enclosed space. Either an NDIR high Carbon Dioxide fuse (for detecting CO2 levels>5,000 ppm) or an NDIR high Hydrocarbon fuse (for detecting lower explosion limit [LEL]>2.5%) would be a much better candidate for use than an expensive, short lifespan and unreliable electrochemical oxygen sensor. However, such NDIR gas level fuses must once again be extraordinarily reliable and should not require frequent re-calibration in order to assure their output accuracy over time.
The second reason why today's NDIR gas sensors do not enjoy widespread high volume usage has to do with their size. They are typically several inches in length, width and height dimensions. Like in the application cases mentioned above with regard to their potential use as an augmented smart smoke detector or as a “harmful or dangerous gas level fuse,” their sizes are generally considered to be too big. Even if they have overcome their output drift reliability problem, their physical dimensions remain a significant impediment to their utilization and must be drastically reduced to gain usefulness. Although the size of NDIR gas sensors has indeed been greatly reduced to just a couple of inches in all three dimensions during the past couple of years, they still have to be further reduced, preferably to just thumb-sized scales, in order to remove their size hindrance in a number of high volume usage applications.
Recently the present author in issued U.S. Pat. No. 8,003,944 (“Saturation filtering NDIR gas sensing methodology”), Aug. 23, 2011, U.S. Pat. No. 8,143,581 (“Absorption biased NDIR gas sensing methodology”), Mar. 27, 2012 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,217,355 (“Self-commissioning NDIR gas sensors”), Jul. 10, 2012 disclosed teachings which are capable of eliminating substantially all NDIR gas sensor output drifts over time. These methodologies represent for the first time an NDIR gas sensor that can now be designed and manufactured to overcome this performance deficiency. Furthermore, these methodologies, when appropriately implemented, are capable of reducing the size of NDIR gas sensors to thumb-sized dimensions thereby removing for the first time any size hindrances affronting them in many high volume usage applications.
The third reason why NDIR gas sensors do not enjoy widespread high volume usages is their unit sensor cost which has been too high for almost all such applications. Recalling about four decades ago, an NDIR medical CO2 sensor was sold for more than $10,000.00 each. By the early 1990's, the unit price for an NDIR CO2 sensor dropped to less than $500.00. Today the unit price of an NDIR CO2 sensor goes for about $200.00, reflecting the fact that the unit production cost for such a sensor has to be just around $50.00 or less. But even this unit production cost today is considered to be too high for many applications including the two examples mentioned above, namely the augmented smart smoke detector and the “harmful or dangerous gas level fuse”. For both of these applications, the unit production cost for an NDIR gas sensor has to be well under $10.00.
Since the first two out of three main reasons why NDIR gas sensors do not enjoy widespread high volume usages today appear to be under control for elimination as noted above, the object of the present invention is to reduce the unit production cost for NDIR gas sensors to an absolute minimum possibly just a few dollars. This unit production cost is likely to be the ultimate bottom price for future non-interactive NDIR gas sensors. As it turns out, when comparing the difficulty to overcome this third reason as versus overcoming the first two, it is indeed the toughest.
The current invention reduces unit cost by reducing component cost while at the same time rendering the implemented NDIR gas sensor with significantly reduced output drifts over time and also with thumb-sized dimensions. As a result, the current invention not only eliminates the first two reasons why NDIR gas sensors have not enjoyed to date widespread usages as discussed above, but also allows an NDIR gas sensor to be designed and manufactured for the first time with volume unit production cost well under $10.00.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is generally directed to a single beam NDIR gas sensor and process for using it in which infrared radiation is emitted from a single infrared source into a sample chamber that is alternatively pulsed at a high temperature and at a low temperature, the infrared radiation is detected after it passes through a narrow band pass filter with a spectral characteristic that substantially overlaps a strong absorption band for the gas to be detected, and the concentration of the gas is determined by use of an absorption bias between a signal output of the detector at the high temperature and a reference output of the detector at the low temperature, the convoluted output of the single infrared source and the narrow band pass filter being substantially coincident with the strong absorption band.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to advance an improved single-beam NDIR gas sensor and methods of using it.
This and further objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art in connection with the drawings and the detailed description of the invention set forth below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 . The infrared absorption band of CO2 gas at 4.259μ.
FIG. 2 . Novel narrow band pass filter designs for the current invention.
FIG. 3 . Low and high amplitude voltage cycles for driving the source in the current invention.
FIG. 4 . Spectral radiant emittance for the low (˜200° C.) and high (˜400° C.) amplitude drive for the source.
FIG. 5 . Convoluted spectral radiation outputs for the source during the low and high amplitude drive cycles.
FIG. 6 . Signal processing curves for the differential temperature source single beam gas measurement technique.
FIG. 7 . Calibration curve for the differential temperature source single beam gas measurement technique.
FIG. 8 . Block diagram illustrating core elements of a single beam NDIR gas sensor in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In order to improve the performance and cost of the ever popular dual beam NDIR gas sensor, one has to seek favorable opportunities in the gas sensor assembly end of this class of devices. Needless to say, if one can reduce the number of detectors from two to one, including the narrow band pass transmission filter that normally comes with them, which in effect reduces the dual beam configuration into a single beam one, while at the same time rendering this new and simplified technique adequately workable for an accurate, reliable and stable NDIR gas sensor, then the goal of achieving an ultra low cost NDIR gas sensor might be accomplished. The use of only one infrared source and one detector to configure an NDIR gas sensor is commonly known as the Single Beam methodology and was in fact the first one deployed almost six decades ago. Although a single beam implementation for an NDIR gas sensor is absolutely the simplest methodology possible, over the years people soon found out that it has numerous drawbacks, including severe sensor output drifts, output changes due to optics contamination and external temperature dependences.
The first task at hand therefore is to find out how to create spectrally and functionally a dual beam equivalent performance situation with only a single infrared source and a single detector. One conclusion that one can draw rather quickly is that since the roles played by the detectors are quite rigid, reducing the number of them from two to one would seem to be almost impossible. The only remaining approach would be to try to do something with the infrared source which is more dynamic or flexible. As disclosed earlier in U.S. Pat. No. 5,026,992 (1991) by the present author, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference, one can change the spectral characteristic output of a blackbody source according to Planck's radiation curves by driving it at different power levels in order to reach different operating blackbody temperatures. This can be readily achieved since one has to pulse the infrared source anyway as in the case for the dual beam gas sensing technique. By so doing it is possible to create two beams at different times with different spectral output characteristics for the source.
The present invention takes advantage of the fact that one can create both a Reference channel and a Signal channel by using the technique of a differential temperature source with just one infrared source and one detector or the so-called Single Beam methodology approach. This is accomplished by the use of a low amplitude source drive cycle as the Reference channel when the source temperature is rendered very low followed by a high amplitude source drive cycle as the Signal channel when the source temperature is rendered relatively high.
Following the teaching for the design of an output stable dual beam NDIR gas sensor as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,143,581 by Wong (2012) where an absorption bias was created between the Reference channel and the Signal channel in order to afford sensor calibration for the gas of interest, if a similar absorption bias can be created for the current Single Beam approach between the Reference channel (low amplitude source drive) and the Signal channel (high amplitude source drive), then the sensor output for the currently invented Single Beam methodology will also be stable over time. For the methodology to work as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 8,143,581, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference, both the Reference channel detector and the Signal channel detector must have narrow band pass filters with the same spectral characteristics, namely the same CWL and FWHM. Because of this, the ratio for the Signal channel detector output over the Reference channel detector output will not be affected by the spectral changes of the source due to aging over time. In the currently invented differential temperature source Single Beam methodology, this condition is satisfied because both the Reference channel and the Signal channel share the same detector having the same filter but are operated at different times.
The current invention discloses a novel and critical sensor component design feature that is necessary for creating the needed absorption bias between the Reference channel (low amplitude drive cycle) and the Signal channel (high amplitude drive cycle) for the differential temperature source Single Beam sensor design approach in order to achieve stable output performance. This novel design feature is a strategic design for the narrow band pass filter installed and located in front of the infrared detector. In order to illustrate more clearly this novel design feature, we shall use an NDIR CO2 sensor as an example, although the present invention is not limited solely to detection of CO2 gas.
FIG. 1 shows the infrared absorption band of CO2 gas at 4.259μ showing respectively, 1 and 2, the P and R branches of sharp absorption lines. The current novel component design feature dictates that the spectral characteristic for this filter should substantially overlap the R branch absorption lines of CO2 gas as shown by filter 3 in FIG. 2 , which means the spectral characteristic for this filter should closely overlap the R branch absorption lines. As depicted in FIG. 2 , this filter 1 will have a CWL=4.285μ and a FWHM=0.049μ. The transmittance of the filter at CWL is not critical but should be better than 0.7. Alternatively, the current novel design feature can also dictate that the spectral characteristic for this filter has to overlap as closely as possible the P branch absorption lines of the CO2 gas as shown by filter 4 in FIG. 2 with CWL=4.237μ and FWHM=0.031μ. For clarity of discussion, we shall focus only on the use of filter 3 in FIG. 2 to describe details regarding the current invention. With the design for the spectral characteristics of this filter 3 specified above, it is now possible to adjust the voltage levels for both the low and the high amplitude drive cycles respectively for the Reference and the Signal channels in order to create an absorption bias between the channels for the gas of interest (in the current example CO2) as will be explained in more detail below.
The differential temperature source technique is achieved via creating a low amplitude drive cycle and a high amplitude drive cycle for the source alternately in time. During the low amplitude cycle, the driving voltage for the source is kept low and during the high amplitude cycle the driving voltage is kept relatively high. FIG. 3 shows a typical voltage waveform (typical frequency of 1 Hz and 20% duty factor) for driving the source of the sensor in the current invention. With reference to FIG. 3 , the low cycle voltage drive amplitude, VL, 5 is typically a fraction of the high cycle voltage drive amplitude, VH, 6. For a source whose output approximates very closely that of a blackbody, such as a Micro-Electro-Mechanical Source (MEMS), the design objective is to achieve a source blackbody temperature of ˜200° C. during the low amplitude drive cycle and a temperature of ˜400° C. during the high amplitude drive cycle as shown schematically in FIG. 4 . In FIG. 4 , curve 7 represents a blackbody temperature of ˜200° C. for the source during the low amplitude drive cycle and curve 8 represents a blackbody temperature of ˜400° C. for the source during the high amplitude drive cycle. Also shown in FIG. 4 is the spectral location 9 for the designed filter 3 (see FIG. 2 ) specified above for the current invention, namely with a CWL=4.285μ and a FWHM=0.049μ.
FIG. 5 shows respectively the convoluted spectral output 10 of the source output 7 and that for the designed spectral filter characteristics 3 (see FIG. 2 ) during the low amplitude drive cycle when the temperature of the source is ˜200° C. FIG. 5 also shows the convoluted spectral output 11 of the source output 8 and that for the designed spectral filter characteristics 3 (see FIG. 2 ) during the high amplitude drive cycle when the temperature of the source is ˜400° C. Also shown in FIG. 5 is the R branch 2 of the CO2 absorption band at 4.259μ. One can see from FIG. 5 that for a particular concentration of CO2 gas in the sample chamber, there is more absorption of the source radiation during the high amplitude drive cycle than that during the low amplitude drive cycle. For the high amplitude drive cycle, the strongest sharp lines of the R branch coincide with the peak of the convoluted spectral radiation output of the source whereas for the low amplitude drive cycle, the strongest sharp lines of the R branch coincide only with the rising portion of the convoluted spectral radiation output. Thus there exists an absorption bias between the Signal channel (high amplitude drive cycle) and the Reference channel (low amplitude drive cycle) for the currently invented Single Beam design methodology similar to that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 8,143,580. The Signal channel (high amplitude drive cycle) is designed to effectively have a longer sample chamber path length than the Reference channel (low amplitude drive cycle) thereby creating the needed absorption bias.
Curve 12 of FIG. 6 shows the output VR of the Reference channel detector (during the low amplitude drive cycle) as a function of CO2 concentrations in the sample chamber. Curve 13 of FIG. 6 shows the output VS of the Signal channel detector (during the high amplitude drive cycle) as a function of CO2 concentrations in the sample chamber. An NDIR CO2 gas sensor implementing the Absorption Biased methodology processes the value of the ratio G=VS/VR as a function of CO2 concentrations in the sample chamber. Such a functional relationship between the ratio G and the CO2 concentrations in the sample chamber is the de facto calibration curve for the sensor as depicted by Curve 14 of FIG. 6 . This de facto calibration curve 14 is further formulated by normalizing the value of G=VS/VR by G0 or X=G/G0 where Go is the value of G=VS/VR when there no target gas, in this case CO2, present in the sample chamber.
This special formulation of the calibration curve for the presently invented differential temperature source Single Beam gas measurement technique as shown by Curve 15 for the CO2 gas in FIG. 7 follows closely the teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 8,143,580 for an absorption Biased designed NDIR gas sensor. This calibration curve enables us to separate the invariant Physics constituent of the NDIR gas measurement principle from the other inevitably changing components constituent of the sensor over time. In other words, any changes in the calibration curve of the presently invented differential temperature source Single Beam NDIR gas sensor will only be reflected in the changing value of G0 over time. It will not be reflected in the Physics measurement principle for such an NDIR gas sensor which is supposed to always remain invariant.
FIG. 8 conceptually illustrates a single-beam NDIR gas sensor, shown generally as 100 , made in accordance with the teachings set forth above. A single light source 101 is alternatively pulsed between a high temperature and a low temperature by electronics 106 so that it emits radiation into sample chamber 102 . A narrow band pass filter 103 with a spectral characteristic that substantially overlaps a strong absorption band for the chosen gas is located between the single infrared source 101 and a detector 104 . Detector 104 provides electrical output to electronics 105 for determining a sample concentration of the chosen gas by use of an absorption bias between a signal output of the detector at the high temperature and a reference output of the detector at the low temperature. As discussed above, a convoluted output of the single infrared source 101 and the narrow band pass filter 103 is substantially coincident with the strong absorption band of the gas being detected at the high temperature. Such a sensor can be recalibrated according to the teachings set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 8,178,832, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference, or self-commissioning according to the teachings set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 8,217,355, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference; in either such case, instead of relying upon an absorption bias created by a signal channel and a reference channel, the absorption bias is created according to the teachings set forth herein, and either recalibration or auto-calibration is achieved in the same manner as taught in such references.
Thus, while the invention has been described herein with reference to certain embodiments, those embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and not to limit the scope of the invention. Additional embodiments thereof will be obvious to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this detailed description. Further modifications are also possible in alternative embodiments without departing from the inventive concept as defined by the following claims. | A differential temperature source methodology for the design of a single beam NDIR gas sensor is advanced. This methodology uses a low and a high amplitude voltage cycle to drive a closely approximated Blackbody source for generating at different times two distinct detector outputs obtained from the same detector equipped the same narrow band pass filter but strategically designed for the detection of only a particular portion of the absorption band for the gas of interest. The ratio of the high amplitude cycle detector output over the low amplitude cycle detector output is used to calibrate such an NDIR gas sensor after it is normalized by a similar ratio when there is no target gas present in the sample chamber. | 6 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention generally relates to the health monitoring of complex systems, and more particularly relates to systems and methods that utilize inferred indications of successful corrective actions as feedback concerning the efficacy of those corrective actions.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Man has yet to invent a useful machine or a vehicle that can function throughout its designed useful life without some kind of maintenance or repair being performed. In fact, the lack of reasonable routine maintenance or repair will shorten the useful life of any asset, particularly for complex systems such as aircraft and manufacturing systems.
[0003] When a useful asset suffers a casualty in the field, there are a number isolation tests that may be applied to disambiguate the failure mode (“FM”), and then to narrow repair options down to a finite group of corrective actions (“CA”). Or conversely, to establish that a CA will not fix the FM. A CA may include either an isolation procedure or a repair procedure. Each isolation procedure and each related repair procedure has an estimated time cost and a material cost that are necessary to complete the procedure and also has a probability that the procedure will indentify and/or correct the FM.
[0004] With complex systems, such as aircraft, a casualty may result from a number of potential FM's that could be the underlying cause of the casualty. Each FM may have a particular probability of being the cause of the casualty. As a non-limiting example, an inoperative radio casualty may be caused by three probable FMs: a lack of electric power, a faulty circuit board, or a faulty squelch switch. Each FM may have an expected or a historical probability of causing that particular casualty. The probabilities of causing a particular casualty may be determined over time by testing or by historical performance and may be stored in a database for later use.
[0005] Further, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that some isolation procedures and repair procedures may be capable of identifying or correcting multiple FMs simultaneously, whether the FMs are related or not. Therefore, each repair procedure and isolation procedure has a probability of correcting or identifying one or more failure modes. Because one of a set of related FMs may have caused a casualty, the set of FMs is referred to as an ambiguity group. The more efficacy data that can be garnered from the field concerning the correction of an ambiguity group, the more accurate will be the correction probabilities and the lower the maintenance costs. As such, accurate feedback from maintainers is important to increase diagnostic accuracy and minimize maintenance cost. However, due to workload pressure and human nature often accurate maintainer feedback is not available.
[0006] Accordingly, it is desirable to capture as much relevant data concerning the correction of failure modes in complex systems that may be used to improve the maintenance of those systems. In addition, it is desirable to capture the relevant information despite any lack of repair feedback from the repair facility. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the invention and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background of the invention.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0007] A system is provided for improving the repair efficacy of a repair action for a complex system using inferred feedback. The system comprises a network, a first local computing device, a second local computing device, and a reasoner. The first local computing device is configured to collect failure mode data related to a failure mode from the complex system and to transmit the failure mode data over the network. The second computing device is configured to transmit repair action data and to receive repair data over the network, the repair action data and the repair data being related to the failure mode data. The system also includes a reasoner in communication with the first local computing device and the second local computing device, the reasoner being configured to correlate the operating status of the complex system, the repair action data and the repair data that is related to a specific failure mode, and to update a success probability of the repair action based at least in part on the correlation.
[0008] A system is provided for improving the repair efficacy of a corrective action for a complex system using inferred feedback. The system comprises a means for receiving repair data related to a fault code and a means for tracking repair action data taken in response to the fault code. The system further comprises a means for correlating the tracked repair action and the repair data that is related to a fault code with the operating status of the complex system, and a means for updating a probability of success of the repair action based at least in part on the correlation of the repair data, the repair action data and the operating status of the complex system.
[0009] A method is provided for inferentially validating a repair procedure for a fault code generated by a complex system. The method comprises downloading a repair procedure to a computing device. The repair procedure has a probability of success for correcting the fault code. Repair action data that is associated with the fault code is input into to the computing device and is tracked and correlated with the downloaded procedure. The method then adjusts a probability of success of the repair procedure in clearing the fault code generated by the complex system based at least on the correlation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and
[0011] FIG. 1 is a prior art functional block diagram of a maintenance communication system;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an improved maintenance communication system according to an embodiment;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a simplified functional block diagram of an exemplary Core Service Base Architecture according to an embodiment; and
[0014] FIG. 4 is a simplified flow diagram of an exemplary method for refining the efficacy of one or more corrective actions for a complex system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. As used herein, the word “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Thus, any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. All of the embodiments described herein are exemplary embodiments provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary, or the following detailed description.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a prior art functional block diagram of a maintenance communications network 100 (“MCN”) as may be known in the art. A non-limiting example of such a network 100 is the Zing™ system operated by Honeywell International, Inc. of Morristown, N.J.
[0017] A MCN 100 system collects, processes, and interprets data generated by the various computing devices 11 associated with components or subsystems within a complex system 10 , such as and aircraft, including engines, gearboxes, drive trains, rotor systems, secondary power systems, environmental controls and other dynamic components as well as monitoring other on board computing systems and avionics.
[0018] It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that aircraft are but one non-limiting example of a complex system 10 . Complex systems, as the term is used herein, may apply to any it multi-component system and may include manufacturing and chemical plants, vehicles of all types, computer systems, communication systems, combat systems, and the like.
[0019] Data from the complex system 10 can be viewed in the field within a test cell. This data is retained to allow a more detailed analysis by any skilled technician 80 with access to a personal computing device 90 . Non-limiting examples of personal computing devices may be a laptop computer, a desk top computer, a cell phone or other type of suitable personal communications device. The personal computing device 90 may be a wired device or a wireless device.
[0020] The data generated from the various subsystems of the complex system 10 may be collected and routed through one or more routers 20 . Router(s) 20 may be any suitably configured wireless or wired router. The router 20 may also be a general purpose computer configured to function as a server, a switch, or a router, as is known in the art.
[0021] The collected data may be transmitted to and from the complex system 10 , the personal computing device 90 and a Core Service Based Architecture (“CSBA”) 50 via, a network 30 . Network 30 may be any suitable intranetwork or internetwork known in the art. Non-limiting examples of Network 30 include the Internet, a special purpose intranet, a packet switched telephone network, a cellular telephone network, a satellite network, a plain old telephone system (POTS), and the like as may satisfy the requirements of a particular application.
[0022] The CSBA 50 is represented by a functional block diagram of the Honeywell Zing™ system infrastructure that receives, processes, supports and provides maintenance information to technicians 80 operating in the field. The Zing™ system is a non-limiting example of a CSBA 50 , which comprises one or more computing devices.
[0023] The CSBA 50 may be protected from unauthorized intrusion by a firewall 40 , as may be known in the art. The CSBA 50 may store type of pertinent maintenance data in one or more data bases 60 or data warehouses 70 . For example, database 60 may contain information concerning an ongoing repair operation. On the other hand, data warehouse 70 may contain longer term information such as repair procedures, repair records, technical manuals, specification sheets, drawings and the like.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a functional bock diagram of an improved CSBA 50 that includes an automatic learning system 200 (“ALS”) that is configured to infer and/or deduce information about the efficacy, or ground truth, of one or more CA's from the actions performed by the technician 80 on his personal computing device 90 . The term “ground truth” means the actual status or situation as opposed to what may be reported or not reported. The ALS 200 constructs a model of maximum repair accuracy guided by information stored in a database (e.g. database 60 ) and background repair information stored in a data warehouse (e.g. data warehouse 70 ). ALS 200 uses pattern regression, machine learning from examples and neural networks, among other techniques to solve problems of interest.
[0025] The ALS 200 is depicted in FIG. 2 as residing in or being in communication with the Decision Support Services 51 of the CSBA. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that this depiction of the ALS 200 is merely exemplary. The ALS 200 may be located with or may communicate with any other suitable functional areas of the CSBA 50 without departing from the scope of the subject matter being disclosed herein. Additional exemplary, non-limiting background information concerning the computing algorithms of an ALS 200 is more fully described in Automatic Learning Techniques in Power Systems , Louis A. Wehenkel (Kluwer Academic Publishers (1998), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram depicting the pertinent modules of the CSBA 50 . The reference numbers therein refer to like numbers in the other figures. The CSBA 50 includes one or more modules 52 , 53 that are configured to receive casualty codes from the complex system 10 and to analyze the casualty codes (e.g. 52 ) or to determine an ambiguity group of FM's related thereto (e.g. 53 ). Other modules 54 of the CSBA 50 are configured to download repair and isolation procedures/technical manuals that are relevant to the FM's of an identified ambiguity group. The repair procedures may or may not be provided until requested by the technician using his personal computing device 90 or other available computer.
[0027] One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the term “module” as used herein refers to a computer system/subsystem that may include purely hardware components, purely software instructions, firmware or a combination thereof. A module may be a standalone component or it may be a subcomponent of any suitable system or subsystem. A module may be a special purpose module or a general purpose module.
[0028] The CSBA 50 also includes a Repair Action Reasoner 250 . The Repair Action Reasoner 250 is a module that receives repair action information from the technician 80 through his personal computer device 90 and other repair data concerning the complex system 10 and deduces and/or infers the efficacy of one or more repair actions.
[0029] The term “repair action” as used herein means any repair procedure, repair instruction, corrective action, technical manual, isolation procedure or the like provided by the CSBA 50 that provides the technician 80 with specific direction having a predetermined probability of remedying a particular FM or set of related FM's in an ambiguity group.
[0030] The term “repair action information” as used herein refers to any information inputted by the technician 80 into his personal computing device 90 , or other computer, that is in any way related to a particular repair action for the complex system 10 . As non-limiting examples, repair action information includes any and all keystrokes/mouse clicks made by the technician on his personal computing device, requests for specific repair instructions and the order in which they were requested, the operating status of the complex system (e.g. online or off line), test results and the order in which they were inputted, web pages viewed, website tracked actions, hyperlinks clicked on, parts and materials that were ordered and those parts and materials that were not ordered, e-mail sent, and the like. The term repair action information is not intended to include a formal repair action report whereby the technician 80 intentionally and clearly communicates feedback concerning the repair actions completed, the specific cause(s) of the failure mode and/or what specific repair action resolved a specific FM or a group thereof.
[0031] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an exemplary method for determining the efficacy of one or more corrective actions for a casualty in a complex system. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the steps in the processes in the method may be combined, broken down into sub-processes, re-arranged and other functionally similar processes substituted without deviating from the scope of the disclosure herein.
[0032] At process 410 , one or more repair actions are downloaded from the CSBA 50 to the personal computing device of the technician 80 . The repair action(s) downloaded may be in response to a specific request by the technician 80 , in which case the request may constitute an example of repair action information.
[0033] At process 420 , the CSBA 50 receives and analyzes any repair action information associated with a repair action(s) that has been entered by the technician 80 into his personal computing device 90 . One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the receipt of a repair action and the technician's response thereto may be an iterative process in terms of trial and error, which is represented by the dashed arrow between processes 420 and 410 . Thus, during this process both repair action information and repair actions may be generated for analysis.
[0034] At process 430 , the repair action reasoner 250 correlates at least the repair action(s), the repair action information associated with the repair action(s) and the operational status of the complex system 10 to determine if the complex system has been repaired and determine which repair action resolving the casualty.
[0035] At process 440 , the Repair Action Reasoner 250 of the ALS 200 infers/deduces the success of the repair action(s) based at least in part on the correlation for process 430 and data stored in the data base 60 and/or data warehouse 70 . The details accomplishing such induction or deduction are beyond the scope of this disclosure and will not be discussed herein. Details on the exemplary operation of automatic learning systems and the exemplary reasoning algorithms involved therein are known in the art and more fully described in “ Automatic Learning Techniques for Power Systems ” by Wehenkel, which has been incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0036] At process 450 , revised success probabilities are determined by the ALS 200 . The revised success probabilities replace the previous probabilities stored in the database 60 and/or data warehouse 70 . As an example, Table 1 presents five exemplary failure modes FM1-FM5 included in an ambiguity group for a particular FM that is presenting specific casualty codes from the complex system 10 . Each of FM1-FM5 may be associated with a repair action A-E having one of the associated success probabilities listed in Table 1. The realized success probabilities adjust historically determined success probabilities by the new data concerning the efficacy of the current repair actions.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Ambiguity Group
FM1
FM2
FM3
FM4
FM5
Initial
10%
20%
20%
30%
20%
Probability
Repair Action
A
B
C
D
E
Successful
NO
NO
YES
NO
YES
Repair Actions
Revised
5%
15%
30%
20%
30%
Probability
[0037] After the complex system 10 had been restored to service, the ALS 200 may inferentially determine from the record of the technician's computer activity that repair actions C and E resolved the complex system casualty. The ALS 200 then recalculates the historical success probabilities to include the latest repair results. As such, the probabilities of success of FM1 and FM2 may be adjusted downward from 10% and 20%, respectively and the probability of success maybe adjusted upward for 20% to 30%. Similarly, the success probability of FM4 may be adjusted down from 30% to 20% and that of FM5 adjusted upward form 20% to 30%. The revised success probabilities may then be used to more accurately provide maintenance guidance for a complex system that presents the same casualty codes.
[0038] Although a detailed review of the mathematics of probability is beyond the scope of this disclosure, in data rich environments where the numbers of complex systems or sub-systems thereof occur in sufficiently large numbers to accommodate meaningful statistics, the correlation between FM's may be expressed as a deviation form an independent condition where the FM's are not related. In a simplified example, the probability that an FM(1) will occur when FM(2) is already presents is given by the relationship:
[0000]
P
(
FM
(
1
)
^
FM
(
2
)
)
P
(
FM
(
1
)
P
(
FM
2
)
=
(
n
12
)
(
n
system
)
n
1
n
2
Where
n system is the number of systems in the population n 1 is the number of Failure Mode 1 that has occurred n 2 is the number of Failure Mode 2 that has occurred
[0043] While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description of the invention, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment of the invention. It being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. | Methods and systems are provided for improving the repair efficacy of a repair action using inferred feedback. The method comprises downloading a repair procedure, which has a probability of success for correcting the fault code. Repair action data is input into to the computing device and is tracked and correlated with the downloaded procedure. The method then adjusts a probability of success of the repair procedure in clearing the fault code generated by the complex system based at least on the correlation. The system comprises a means for receiving repair data, a means for tracking repair action data taken, a means for correlating the tracked repair action and the repair data, and a means for updating a probability of success of the repair action based at least in part on the correlation of the repair data, the repair action data and the operating status of the complex system. | 6 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/949,826, filed Sep. 24, 2004, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,788,486 on Aug. 31, 2010, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/506,024, filed Sep. 24, 2003, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/551,400, filed Mar. 9, 2004, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein, as if set forth in their entireties.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an organizer, and, more specifically, to a system and method for distributing and creating presentations, and/or related published information.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Today's business environment demands that secure and precise information be effectively distributed between business principals and management, peers, subordinates, supporting departments, suppliers, customers, clients, and any number of authorities, such as government regulatory bodies. Obstacles to the dissemination of such information may prevent accurate decision making and may bring, for example, unnecessary liability upon those distributing, what may be, erroneous information.
The availability of secure and precise information may be limited by technology, such as by the absence of a central or assessable repository, and by the inherent limitations of human oversight. For instance, a presentation created by one author may be approved for content as accurate, but distributed only to select colleagues via email, for example. Approval of content may be limited due to the availability of an approval body, for example. A similar presentation may be created by a colleague, but may not be approved for a variety of reasons and may contain certain erroneous portions. Use and dissemination of the erroneous presentation may further increase miscommunication and misinformation between colleagues, or may lead to erroneous information being released to the public, which may lead to the breakdown of a sales message or, worse yet, to the assumption of legal liability due to the nature of erroneous information allowed to be included in the presentation.
Thus, there is a need for an invention that provides a systematic solution to presentation creation and dissemination. The present invention addresses these issues by providing a systematic apparatus and method for distributing and creating presentations, and/or related published information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a slide customization system, comprising: an administrator, wherein at least one information item is received at the administrator; at least one database, wherein the at least one information item is stored; a validator, wherein validation of the at least one information item is performed by said validator by validating the at least one information item with at least one validation attribute selected by the administrator from a plurality of validation attributes, and wherein the validation of the selected ones of the validation attributes with the at least one information item is stored to said at least one database; a compiler, wherein said compiler manipulates the selected ones of the validation attributes and the information item associated therewith in accordance with an output request, and in accordance with unique limitations of one or more of the selected ones of the validation attributes, and wherein the manipulation is in accordance with at least one output selected from the group consisting of a report, a search result, and an order placement.
The present invention also includes a method for creating and disseminating presentations, said method comprising: receiving a logging onto the application; receiving a selection of at least one presentation from said information; searching said information utilizing a searcher; receiving a validation of said information; and generating reports concerning said information.
The present invention solves problems experienced with the prior art because it provides a systematic solution to information management and dissemination. Those and other advantages and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention hereinbelow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Understanding of the present invention will be facilitated by consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts and in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 4 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 4A is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 5 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 6 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 7 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 8 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 9 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 10 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 11 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 12 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 13 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 14 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 15 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 16 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 17 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 18 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 19 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 20 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 21 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 22 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 23 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 24 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention; and
FIG. 25 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention.
FIG. 26 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 27 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 28 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 29 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 30 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 31 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 32 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention;
FIG. 33 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention; and
FIG. 34 is an embodiment of a display of the current invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, many other elements found in a typical system and method. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other elements are desirable and/or required in order to implement the present invention. However, because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein. The disclosure hereinbelow is directed to all such variations and modifications to planning technologies known, and as will be apparent, to those skilled in the art.
The present invention may include a plurality of tools, which may be organized, for example, in accordance with business rules, and which may include a data base, an organizer, a presentation builder, a viewer and sorter, and/or a validation function, and which may include corporate meetings, presentations, discussion groups, product development meetings, or any assemblage of people at a place for a common purpose. The present invention may allow designated users to create audio and/or visual works, such as a presentation, on-line and/or using or by a presentation builder. The present invention may utilize the communication provided by the network, in conjunction with an organized hierarchy of at least one data base, in order to allow users of the system to view, sort and create custom presentations utilizing pre-approved materials, for example, into an approved presentation, thereby improving the flow of information and the operational efficiency of personnel, such as presentation builders, and thereby reducing costs associated with the creation of presentations and increasing the control over information management.
The present invention may enable users to access at least one database to generate, for example, multiple presentations for different products and projects within an enterprise, such as a client, to view and sort pre-existing presentations, to create custom presentations based on pre-existing information, to provide a search and retrieval system that allows for a detailed search of existing presentation materials, and to permit the publication of created and pre-existing publication materials such as, for example, by way of printing or downloading. The present invention may be utilized by multiple organizations, wherein each organization may have multiple products or other motivations for the dissemination of presentation materials. The users of the system may include, for example, system administrators, presentation planners, speakers, sales team members, educators, trainers, or other individuals or entities that may have a need to use presentation materials for the dissemination of information
A slide customization system in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 . The slide customization system may be utilized, for example, for collecting, storing, building and disseminating information and ideas in many forms, such as, for example, slide presentations. Users may search, view, and organize information related to at least one document or slide presentation. Administrators may interact with the slide customization system to add information, provide interactive guidance on presentation selection, and control the flow of information, for example. Administrators may additionally control the use and content of the slide customization system. The slide customization system may include network access 102 to administration function modules 104 , at least one database, such as an information database 108 , for example, and a compiler 112 . The slide customization system may also include a viewer and sorter 116 and search functionality 120 , for example. The slide customization system may be, or may include, for example, a Microsoft Windows distributed Internet applications architecture, as discussed further hereinbelow.
The administration function 104 may include administrative controls, information entry and management, and security and access control 104 a - c . The information database 108 may include a presentation builder, external references, and a validation function 108 a - c . The compiler 112 may include network portal, storage and order placement 112 a - c . These functions may be supported by viewer and sorter 116 , search functionality 120 and report mechanism 118 .
The slide customization system of FIG. 1 may include this multiplicity of integrated components and at least one logical and/or relational database. A presentation in the slide customization system may necessitate or include one or more of the functions or modules of FIG. 1 , depending on the requirements of the user. A presentation is at least one group of information of at least one type of information contained in the slide customization system. Information can be in the form of, for example, computer generated presentations, articles, overheads, 35 mm slides, brochures, and transcripts. Information may also include author, title, date, location and format, for example. Thus, for each piece of information, there may be a set of data attributes that may be tracked. Some of the data attributes for each piece may be required, and others may be used at the administrator's discretion.
The slide customization system may utilize, for example, dynamic link libraries (DLL) that link the information data, such as the administrator's choice of component and fields, and HTML, xml, or ASPX templates, for example. These DLLs may process the HTML templates before presentation to a user of the interface, replacing tags and information in the HTML template with the defining attributes captured. Thereby, the administrator may have control of the layout and presentation of the data, and the slide customization system may thus ensure that capture validation and storage of data is consistent across all information.
The information database 108 may include presentation builder, external references and validation functions, for example. The presentation builder may allow the user to create presentations, and may include the ability to assemble in any manner any portion of existing presentations and information within the system, for example. Further, one or more external references may be associated to information in the slide customization system. An external reference may include access to information not wholly contained within the system, or other pieces of information referring to non-included information, for example. One or more created presentations may be validated before compilation. Validation may include, for example, the verifying and approval of presentation content and references.
The reporting may report real time status of user activities, for example, a tabular format including site usage by functionality, hits to the slide customization system, user browser environment, user referral information and individual user usage. Reporting may be a real time, internet-based format for secure access from any computer having access to the network, such as the internet or an intranet, on which the slide customization system is resident. Users may, for example, export and download a report in Microsoft Excel format to a local machine from the reporting module. Pre-defined reports may be available for any selected period.
Security and access control 104 c may authenticate a user. Users of the system may log into the system via an internet portal and access the system through the protections of a user name and password, for example. In addition, the security module may provide access control once the user has been authenticated. Multiple levels of access control may be defined. For example, one level may be for system administrators and another may be for a client user. System administrators may have full access to the application to add, delete and update the data, and client users may have limited access.
An auditing function may additionally be provided. The slide customization system may track creations, reads, updates, additions, edits and deletions from the databases, in order to provide a history of changes for auditing. The audit log may grow very large, and thus may require periodic purging. The audit log may track systems usage and help to resolve issues regarding data quality. Each audit record may be corresponded to a field in the person or place database or in the data captured, and may include a user ID and the date and time of any modification made, along with the new value for the field.
FIG. 2 represents an exemplary database, which may be, or be within, for example, an information listing. The information listing may provide a common store for any information and/or presentation data. Providing references to information in a single table may provide a consistent, normalized view of the data, and may provide a common access point for critical stores of information. Each piece of information may be stored in the information database, thereby providing a common value for all sub-systems. This common-valuing may allow analysis of attribute data across all information types.
In operation, a user may log-in, and that log-in may alert the slide customization system as to the functions to which that user may be granted access, and, if access is granted, to what level access may be exerted. Once connected and authenticated, the slide customization system may offer the user a menu of available choices. In an embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3 , users are prompted to enter a user name and password for access to the system. User name and passwords may be assigned before a user accesses the system, or may be created by a user or an authorized user of the system. If an unrecognized or invalid user name or password is entered and submitted to the system, the system may respond by allowing the user to try again, or may, alternatively, deny access to the slide customization system. The user may also contact the administrator via phone, e-mail or through a provided help screen. If a recognized user name and password is entered into the fields provided in FIG. 3 and the user clicks on the “Go” icon, the user may be permitted to enter the Slide Customization System.
FIG. 4 is an embodiment of the main menu of the Slide Customization System and may include buttons for accessing various modules of the application such as: Master Slide Kit, My Slide Kits, Slide Search, Create A New Slide Kit, My Profile, Help, and Log Off, for example. These individual modules from the main menu may allow users to view all of the master slide kits, search for individual slides based on slide note text content, view personalized slide kits, add to personalized slide kits, create new slide kits based on the content from the master slide kits, and conduct various administrative functions. More particularly, the Master Slide Kit button may allow the user access to view all the slide presentations contained within the system. Clicking the My Slide Kit button may allow a user to store customized slide kit presentations and may allow them to download the same presentations into third-party platforms such as Microsoft PowerPoint, for example. The Slide Search button may provide users the ability to search presentations within the system by topic and/or keyword. Further, the Create A New Slide Kit button may allow a user to customize slide presentations within the system. Clicking the My Profile button may allow a user to update his or her profile and log in information, while the Help button may provide access to basic instructions for website navigation. Further, the Log off button may allow users to log off the website securely.
FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the Master Slide Kits main menu which may be reached by a user after clicking the Master Slide Kit button as shown in FIG. 4 . The system may contain several master slide kits and may represent topical presentations that can be used without modification or as a source of material for new or existing presentations. The slides and information included in the Master Slide Kits may be pre-approved by an administrator of the system and may further be limited by category, content and/or user access, for example. The Master Kits main menu may include several hyperlinked menu options such as, for example, Home, Master Slide Kits, Slide Search, My Slide Kit, Create New Slide Kit, My Profile and Help. Further, the main menu may also provide a description of, and access to, all of the slides contained within the system. If more slides are contained in the system than may be adequately shown on the Main Menu screen, a scroll bar may allow a user to view various slides in several segments. An individual slide may be represented by a header containing the title of the slide presentation's computer file name or other name associated with the slide presentation, for example. A slide presentation may also be represented in a Master Kits Main Menu by a portion of the actual slide presentation being shown, such as by using a thumbnail view, for example. Options for viewing and manipulating the slide presentation within the system may include options such as View Slide Show, Add Section to a New Kit, and/or Download This Presentation, for example. These options may be associated with each individual slide presentation shown in the Master Kits Main Menu. A user may click the View Slide Show button to view in its entirety the slide presentation as it exists in the system at that point. A user may click the Add Section To An Existing Kit which may allow the user to add new slides or existing slides from within the system to the current slide presentation being manipulated. Clicking the Add Section To A New Kit button may allow a user, for example, to add a portion of the chosen slide presentation to a new slide presentation thus allowing the user to build a new presentation based in part on pieces of slide presentations currently existing within the system. Further, a user may also click the Download This Presentation button allowing the user to download a presentation from the system in any suitable form, including but not limited to, a PowerPoint presentation or a Word Document, to a floppy diskette or via network to a desktop or similar information storage device.
As illustrated in FIG. 6 a user may view a slide show in its entirety after clicking on the View Slide Show button associated with an existing slide presentation within the system as illustrated in FIG. 5 . A user of a system may manually advance the slides using the arrow buttons provided in the Master Kit Slide Show window or may click the Start Auto Slide Show button to advance each slide automatically. A user may also enter the amount of time the system should delay the advancement of each slide. By way of non-limiting example only, a user may enter 10 seconds as the interval between slides so as to instruct the system to automatically advance from slide to slide in 10 second intervals.
Another embodiment of the Master Kit Slide Show may include notes associated with the slide presentation. These notes may include comprehensive speaker's notes, their comments and/or comments of a user of the system, for example. Notes and comments associated with each slide in the slide presentation may be shown in conjunction with each individual slide. By way of non-limiting example only, Slide 13 of a slide presentation may have associated with it unique comments entered by the person who created that particular presentation; which notes may be viewed along with the individual Slide 13 . After viewing slides, as illustrated in FIG. 7 , a user may decide to incorporate all or a portion of the viewed slides into the user's own new or existing presentation saved within the system. By clicking the Add Section To An Existing List button or the Add Section To A New List Hyperlink button from the Master Slide Kits Main Menu window, a user may accomplish this function. A user may further download the entire slide kit as a PowerPoint presentation by clicking the Download This Presentation button hyperlink from the Master Slide Kits Main Menu window. These functions, as mentioned above, will be explained in greater detail below.
Any given embodiment of the present invention may include several master slide kits providing topic presentations that may be used without modification or as source material for new or existing unique presentations. All or a portion of the components of the Master Slide Kits presented within the system may be utilized in the process for creating new slide kits by the user. By clicking the Create a New Slide Kit button as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 4 a user may access the Naming A New Customized Slide Kit window as illustrated in FIG. 8 . The user may then enter the name for the slide kit to be created and may continue in the process of creating a new slide kit by clicking the Continue button, which will forward the user to the Creating A New Customized Slide Kit window as illustrated in FIG. 9 . This window may include information regarding a newly created slide kit or existing kits created by the user within the system, which information may further include slide kit name, date created, date last modified, number of slides within the kit, for example. The list of newly created and existing kits may also provide the user the ability to delete individual kits within the system or download a particular kit from the system in any suitable form such as, for example, in a PowerPoint format.
Once again, by clicking the Create a New Slide Kit hyperlink, a user will be forwarded to the Searching for Master Kits window as illustrated in FIG. 10 . The Searching for Master Kits window may be parsed into two portions and may include a Search Slides portion and a Create Kit portion. The Search Slides portion may include, for example, a dropdown box menu listing the titles of all of the presentation kits already existing within the system. The Search Slides portion may also provide a text box wherein a user may enter search phrases such as text strings and keywords for searching within the system both in the title of the presentations contained within the system and within the text of each presentation, for example. The user may choose a method for searching existing slides; either searching the words within the text of a slide, words within the notes associated with the slides or searching both slide and text notes or searching the title of the slide presentations themselves, for example. Once a search criteria has been chosen by the user and a search phrase has been entered in the text box, the user may search the system by clicking the Search hyperlink as illustrated in FIG. 10 . The system search functionality may also default to a keyword search of all available slides unless otherwise indicated by the user.
FIG. 11 illustrates a completed slide search using the drop down menu as provided in the Search Slide portion. Each slide from the selected Master Slide Kit may be displayed as a thumbnail image in conjunction with a checkbox within the Search Slide portion of the Search Results window as again illustrated in FIG. 11 . For slides to be added to a user developed presentation, the slides may be moved from the Search Slide portion to the Create Kits portion by selecting via the checkbox from the Search Slide portion and copying them to the Create Slide portion by clicking the Add Slide hyperlink icon as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 11 . The Search Slide portion may further include a Select/Deselect All Slides hyperlink which may allow a user to select all the slides to be copied to the Create Kits portion or to Deselect any slide previously selected by the user. Further, the Search Slide portion may provide further search refinement within the chosen Master Slide Kit by clicking the Search hyperlink allowing the user to search individual slides for specific keywords or text phrases. Further, given that the thumbnail images of the slides contained within the Master Slide Kits may be of such a size so that the text of the slide is hard to read, a user may click on the individual thumbnail image to have displayed an enlarged image of the individual slide, as illustrated in FIG. 12 , for example. This enlarged image may be shown within a distinct window and may include the slide image and any comments associated with that slide. A window showing the enlarged image may also include a hyperlink allowing the user to close the window and return to the Search Results window or allow the user to remove the slide within the distinct window from the Create Kits portion if added to that portion. As further illustrated by FIG. 11 , a user may remove slides from the Create Kits portion by clicking the Remove Slides hyperlink. A user may also save the customized presentation created in the Create Kits portion by clicking the Save hyperlink or downloading the presentation in a suitable form such as, for example, in PowerPoint format by clicking the Download PowerPoint Presentation hyperlink.
A user may add slides to a previously created presentation slide kit within the system as illustrated in FIG. 13 . The system may allow the user to add slides to an existing slide kit using components of Master Slide Kits previously loaded into the system or by using newly created portions saved to the system by other users. By clicking the My Slide Kits button, the system will display previously created slide kits created by the user, As further illustrated in FIG. 13 , the information associated with each created slide kit includes in part, as discussed above, the Slide Kit Name, which may also be a hyperlink allowing the user to simply click the name of the created customized slide kit to access the kit for editing purposes. The user may also click the Download PowerPoint File button to launch a slide kit or presentation within PowerPoint and/or to download the file directly to an alternate storage medium.
Clicking the hyperlink sensitive name of the customized slide kit will allow a user to access the Searching For Slide Kits window as illustrated in FIG. 14 . Similarly to Searching For Master Kits window, the Search for Slide Kits window may be divided into a Search Slides portion and a Customize Slide Kits portion. The Search Slides portion retains the functionality as discussed above, namely, the ability for the user to search in a variety of ways the Master Slide Kits existing on the system. The Customize Slide Kits portion may provide user access to a previously created slide kit which the user may desire to edit. A user may remove slides from the Customized Slide Kits portion by clicking the Remove Slides hyperlink icon or search for a particular Master Slide Kit and add slides from the Search Slides portion to the Customized Slide Kit portion as illustrated in FIG. 15 .
Another embodiment of the present invention may provide the user the ability to alter the download capabilities of the system or provide for an alternate means of obtaining presentations created within the system as illustrated in FIG. 16 . The system may provide for a Non-editable File/Download Option such that presentations downloaded in a suitable format such as, for example, in PowerPoint format, which may not be editable in their current downloaded form. The system may further provide users with the ability to order and have deliverable a presentation in a more hard copy format such as, for example, as overheads or 35 millimeter slides. By clicking the Order Slides hyperlink, as illustrated in FIG. 16 , a user will be provided an Order List window as illustrated in FIG. 17 . The Order List window may allow a user to review the slides in the order, delete slides that the user does not wish to have ordered in hard copy or add slides from other presentations to a hard copy order. A user may click to confirm the order being placed by clicking the Confirm Order button as illustrated in FIG. 17 . The user upon clicking the Confirm Order button may be presented with the Shipping Information window which may ask the user where hard copies of the slides should be shipped. The information requested in the shipping information window may include the name of the user; the address type, whether residential or business; address or mailing information; phone contact; fax number; and e-mail address, for example. Once the user has populated the appropriate fields in the Shipping Information window, the user may click the Confirm Order button which will then allow the system to process the user's order for hard copy slides.
The Slide Customization System offers a unique searching capability not found in other web-based presentation kit tools. Specifically the system may allow the user to conduct a keyword search to individual slide and note text level. The user may then incorporate an individual master slide; not necessarily the entire master kit. This may provide efficiency not found in other known systems. A user may click the Slide Search button from the main menu which may forward the user to a search window as illustrated in FIG. 19 . The Search Slides Tools illustrated within the search window. may allow a user to display master slides based on user defined criteria. A user may select a specific slide kit or search all sides contained within the system through the use of a dropdown list. If a desired slide kit is found within the dropdown list, the user may click the hyperlinked name of the slide kit to further access the slide kit within the system. A user may also type a keyword or a text string phrase in the text box provided in the search window, which may allow the user to search all slides available within the system as previously discussed above. When using a keyword or text string search, a user may view results of such a search in the Master Slide Results window as illustrated in FIG. 20 .
The Master Slide Results window may include a number totaling the number of slides returned from the search, the slides or master kits captured by the search and the title of the Master Slide Kit, for example. The search results may return individual slides compatible with the search query contained within various master slide kits. By way of non-limiting example only, a search for the keyword ‘health’ may return an individual slide which includes the word ‘health’ further included in a Master Slide Kit entitled “Health Concerns Impacting Contraceptive Therapy Selection.” In this example, the keyword search selected the slide based on the word ‘health’ existing within the slide, not based on the word ‘health’ existing in the Master Slide Kit title. The search performed by the system may, in the alternative, search for keywords or text phrases within just the title of Master Slide Kits and/or both the title of the Master Slide Kit and individual slides within the system. From the search results within the Master Slide Results window, a user may further select or deselect slides, add selected slides to an existing kit or add selected slides to a new kit accessing such functionality by clicking on hyperlinks named the same. Selection and deselection of slides within the Master Slide Results window may also be accomplished by clicking the Check box associated with each individual slide results. The Search Results window may also include thumbnails of the individual slides returned in the search thumbnails displayed may be clicked on individually to display an enlarged version of the slide and may also include any text or comments associated with the slide and as previously explained above.
Some administrative tasks, such as altering user profiles, may be performed by individual users. However, many tasks within the slide customization system are restricted and designed for use by authorized system administrators. These restricted tasks may include, for example, adding or deleting master slide kits from within the system, adding, deleting or changing user profiles and altering or changing system access on an individual user basis. Generally users of the system may enter and update their own personal profile that is contained within the slide customization system. This user profile may consist of a first name, last name and password, for example. The user profile window as illustrated in FIG. 21 may be used for changing information associated with an individual user such as the users first name, last name, password, address, contact information both personal and business and other identifying information. The profile window may be accessed by a user of this system by clicking the My Profile button as illustrated in FIG. 4 . A profile window of any user may be accessed by an administrator of the system by clicking the Admin button as illustrated in FIG. 4A and then clicking the User Manager button to further access a profile window of a particular user. The profile window may most often be used by a user of the system to change or update passwords.
Further users of the system and/or authorized administrators may add or remove master slide kit presentations from the slide customization system. Master slide kits are provided, for example, by companies for use by their employees in creating further slide presentations. By way of non-limited example only, a pharmaceutical company may produce a slide presentation that has gained approval by their legal department. Such a presentation may be presented in the slide customization system as a master slide kit from which, for example, representatives of the pharmaceutical companies may draw from for the creation of further slide presentations. Although access may vary from clicking the Admin or My Profile buttons or simply typing a direct address into a internet browser, the Master Kit Administration window as illustrated in FIG. 22 may allow a user or administrator of the system to add, delete or edit master slide kits. The master kit administration window may allow a user to create a new presentation, delete an existing presentation or edit an existing presentation. To delete or remove a master kit from the system, the user may click the X hyperlink shown in conjunction with the existing master slide kit title as presented in the Master Kit Administration window. This window further includes the group associated with the particular master slide kit and the number of slides contained therein. A user and/or administrator of the Slide Customization System may add presentations to the system by clicking the New Presentation button as illustrated in FIG. 22 . Following the clicking of the Create New Presentation hyperlink or the presentation icon as presented in FIG. 22 , the Adding New Master Presentation window as illustrated in FIG. 23 will be presented. Once a name for the new master slide kit has been entered in the text box provided, clicking the Save button may add the presentation to the Slide Customization System. The Adding New Master presentation window may also provide for the entry of a group to be associated with the presentation be added to the system. Once the name and/or group of the new presentation is added to the system, a user may be returned to the Master Kit Administration window as shown in FIG. 22 . By way of non-limiting example only, a user may have added a slide presentation with the title “CCME” which may be shown in the Master Kit Administration window as having just one slide. A newly created master slide kit may have then associated with it a slide presentation from outside or within the system such as, for example, a power point presentation. This association of a slide presentation with a master slide kit may require authorized administrative access and/or may only be completed by an authorized administrator. To associate a slide presentation with a master slide kit the administrator may click on the title of the presentation as shown in the window illustrated in FIG. 22 .
As illustrated in FIG. 24 , some slide presentations may exist within the Slide Customization System that may be associated with a newly created or added master slide kit. Slide presentations existing within the system may be listed in the Power Point File administration window and may be uploaded by clicking on the title of the slide presentation. Such files may also be deleted from the Power Point File administration window by clicking the X hyperlink as previously discussed above. Slide presentations may also be uploaded from outside the slide customization system by clicking the upload hyperlink. The Upload Screen window, as illustrated in FIG. 25 , may allow a user to type in the direct address for file location for the slide presentation sought or may allow a user to browse a local computer or connect to network by clicking the browse button. Once a slide presentation is located and the appropriate information is populated in the text-box provided, the slide presentation may be associated with the master slide kit by clicking the upload button. The presentation upload process is illustrated more fully in FIG. 26 and may provide the administrator with status updates as the slide presentation is uploaded and completed. Once the presentation upload window has signaled successful completion of the upload process, the administrator may click the return to presentation hyperlink to return to the master kit administration window for confirmation that the uplink has been completed or directly to the main menu of the slide customization system.
An administrator may also rename individual slides within a master slide kit and assign slide level categories for the individual slides within each master slide kit. To access this Slide Rename window as illustrated in FIG. 27 , an administrator may click the title of a presentation from the Master Kit Administration window of FIG. 22 and then choose the slide presentation associated with that master slide kit from the list provided in the Power Point File administration window as illustrated in FIG. 24 . Clicking on the title provided, will allow the administrator to access the Slide Rename window. The Slide Rename window may provide a thumbnail display of each individual slide contained within the selected slide presentation, a numerical designation of each individual slide, the title of each slide and/or the category each individual side has been placed into, if any, for example. To further assist with organizing slides between presentations and master slide kits, thus creating a stronger web of information regarding subject matter contained within the slide customization system an administrator may change, add or delete titles associated with each slide and associate each slide with categories contained within the slide customization system. By clicking on a thumbnail of a slide shown in the Slide Rename window an administrator may be presented with the Slide Rename window as illustrated in FIG. 28 . The Slide Rename window may present the title of the slide selected, if any, and may present categories contained within the slide customization system for example. The title of a slide may be changed by editing the text within the text box provided for the title of each slide. Categories presented in the Slide Rename window may be associated with each slide by clicking the check box on and off thus selecting and deselecting the association of the categories provided to the selected slide. Modifications made within the slide rename window may be saved to the system by clicking the Save hyperlink.
Individual slides may have associated with them a particular title and may also have a category or categories associated with them as described above. The addition or deletion of categories from the slide customization system is illustrated in the editing slide designations window of FIG. 29 . From this window, an administrator may add or delete categories that may be assigned to individual slides. As previously described above with other portions of the system, a category may be deleted by clicking the X button associated with each category title. A category may be edited by clicking the hyperlinked title of the category or a category may be added to the system by clicking the add hyperlink as illustrated in FIG. 29 . The addition of the slide category and/or the editing of a slide category may take place in the slide category window and illustrated in FIG. 30 . The text box provided in the slide category window may contain the existing category name clicked from the editing slide category designations window for which editing may take place or the text box may be blank if, for example, an administrator clicked the add hyperlink for the addition of the new category to the system. The text box may be altered and changes saved to the system by clicking the Save hyperlink as shown in FIG. 30 .
An administrator may also add and delete users from the Slide Customization System by accessing the Edit Users Accounts window as illustrated in FIG. 31 . This window may display current or existing users of the system indicating the users name, logon I.D. and listed e-mail address, for example. The edit users accounts window may also list existing users in alphabetical order according to their last name contained in their user I.D. An administrator may delete users from the system by clicking the delete or X hyperlink as previously described above associated with each user. An administrator may find particular names within the system by scrolling through the list of users and may also jump to portions within the list by clicking the appropriate hyperlink letter associated with the first letter of the sought users last name, for example. A user may be added to the system by the administrator by clicking the Add New hyperlink from the edit users accounts window. An administrator may add or edit information associated with the user of the system using the user manager window as illustrated in FIG. 32 . The text fields provided in the user manager window may include but are not limited to first name of the user, last name, password and a confirmatory password field. An administrator who is editing an existing user's profile may be presented with populated fields in the user manager window. Once information is entered and/or edited within the user manager window, changes may be saved to the system by clicking the Save hyperlink.
The slide customization system may further provide an administrator with access to reporting functionality, as shown in FIG. 34 . The reports available to the administrator in the report list window may include, for example; summary statistics, visitor browser environment, and, individual user usage. These reports may also be accessed by clicking the hyperlink entitled the same. For example, by clicking the hyperlink entitled summary statistics, the administrator may access a summary statistics report window illustrated in FIG. 34 . The summary statistics report window may include general statistics about the users and uses of the system. The summary statistics window may include a table entitled “general statistics” which may provide a count of the users of the system for the chosen day, the number of users for the chosen week, the number of users for the chosen month, the number of users for the given year, and the total users of the system since its inception, for example. The statistics report may also provide a graph incorporated in the statistics report which may provide, for example, an hourly breakdown graph. This graph may illustrate the usage of the system during a twenty-four hour period. By way of non-limiting example only, the hourly breakdown may show that during the time period from 7:00 am to 8:00 am the percentage of users using the system is three (3%), while that same time period in the pm, zero (0%) percent of users registered on the system.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations may be made in the apparatus and process of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modification and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and the equivalents thereof. | A slide customization system, comprising an administrator, wherein at least one information presentation is received at the administrator, at least one database, wherein the at least one information presentation is stored, a validator, wherein validation of the at least one information presentation is performed by the validator by validating the at least one information presentation with at least one validation attribute selected by the administrator from a plurality of validation attributes, and wherein the validation of the selected ones of the validation attributes against the at least one information presentation is stored to said at least one database, and a compiler. | 8 |
This is a continuation application under 37 CFR 1.62 of prior application Ser. No. 08/318,528, filed Oct. 5, 1994 now abandoned, which is a cont. of Ser. No. 08/175,488, filed Dec. 29, 1993, aban., which is a cont. of Ser. No. 07/915,411, filed Jul. 16, 1992, aban., which is a div. of Ser. No. 07/690,509, filed Apr. 24, 1991, aban.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reproducing apparatus for reproducing a field-recorded video signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a video signal reproducing apparatus which reproduces a video signal formed by recording only either one of fields constituting one frame of video signal, as in the case of field recording adopted by a still video system, it is common practice to perform the processing of alternately outputting a recorded field signal and a signal, which has been line-interpolated by a 1H (horizontal scanning line) delay line, at intervals of one vertical scanning period in order to prevent a flicker (luminance fluctuations which are visually perceived in a vertical direction).
A circuit of the type shown in FIG. 1 has conventionally been used as a circuit for effecting the above-described interpollution processing. FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing one example of a reproduced signal processing circuit for a still video system.
The circuit shown in FIG. 1 comprises an input terminal 1 for receiving a luminance signal Y+S which has been reproduced, an input terminal 2 for receiving a select signal HOKAN for selecting a field to be interpolated or a field not to be interpolated, an input terminal 3 for receiving a color-difference line-sequential signal (R-Y/B-Y) which has been reproduced, an input terminal 4 for receiving a control signal LINE for effecting simultaneous conversion of such a color-difference line-sequential signal, and input terminals 5 and 6 for respectively receiving subcarrier signals FSC0 and FSC90 having phase angles of 0° and 90° which are used for quadrature two-phase modulation of a chrominance signal.
The luminance signal inputted through the input terminal 1 is applied to a 1H delay line (1H DL) 7, and also to an adder 9 as well as to a terminal b of a switch 10. The signal having passed through the 1H delay line 7 is applied to a low-pass filter (LPF) 8, where a clock component is eliminated from the signal. Thereafter, the signal is inputted to the adder 9. In the adder 9, the input signal is added to the luminance signal inputted from the input terminal 1 to form a line-interpolated signal. The line-interpolated signal is applied to a terminal a of the switch 10. The switch 10 is alternately switched at intervals of one vertical scanning period by the select signal HOKAN. If the switch 10 makes connection with the terminal a, the interpolated signal is inputted to an adder 11, while if the switch 10 makes connection with the terminal b, the non-interpolated signal is inputted to the same. In consequence, interpolated and non-interpolated signals are alternately selected and inputted to the adder 11 at intervals of one vertical scanning period.
In the meantime, the color-difference line-sequential signal inputted through the input terminal 3 is applied to a 1H (horizontal scanning line) delay line (1H DL) 13 and also to a terminal e of a switch 15 as well as to a terminal g of a switch 16. The signal having passed through the 1H delay line 13 is applied to a low-pass filter (LPF) 14, where a clock component is eliminated from the signal. Thereafter, the signal is applied to a terminal d of the switch 15 and to a terminal h of the switch 16. Each of the switches 15 and 16 is switched at intervals of one horizontal scanning period by the control signal LINE inputted through the input terminal 4 so that a color-difference signal R-Y and a color-difference signal B-Y are successively outputted through a terminal f and a terminal i, respectively. The color-difference signals R-Y and B-Y are inputted to a modulator (MOD) 17. The modulator 17 modulates the color-difference signals R-Y and B-Y by using subcarriers which have respectively been inputted through the terminals 5 and 6, and forms a quadrature two-phase modulated signal by addition. The quadrature two-phase modulated signal is supplied to a band-pass filter (BPF) 18, where an unwanted component is eliminated from the signal. Thereafter, the signal is supplied to the adder 11, where it is added to the aforesaid luminance signal to form a composite signal. The composite signal is outputted through an output terminal 12.
The above-described conventional example uses the 1H CCD delay line 7 for the purpose of interpolating a luminance signal and, in addition, the 1H CCD delay line 13 for the purpose of effecting simultaneous conversion of a color-difference line-sequential signal, whereby the luminance signal and the color-difference signal are each delayed by one horizontal scanning line. Such a CCD delay line is small compared to a glass delay line and has a number of advantages such as a small distortion and a wide frequency band. However, the CCD delay line has two disadvantages: large power consumption and clock noise. These disadvantages have made it difficult to adopt the circuit of FIG. 1 for products of reduced size and power consumption.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a video signal reproducing apparatus which is arranged to balanced-modulate a color-difference line-sequential signal by using a subcarrier whose phase switches by 90° at intervals of one horizontal scanning period, add the balanced-modulated signal to a luminance signal before interpolation, and cause the balanced-modulated signal together with the luminance signal to pass through a single interpolating circuit, thereby effecting both interpolation of the luminance signal and simultaneous conversion of a color-difference signal by means of a single delay line so as to achieve reduced power consumption.
To achieve the above object, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a video signal reproducing apparatus for reproducing a video signal recorded on a magnetic recording medium, which comprises modulating means for receiving a color-difference line-sequential signal and modulating the color-difference line-sequential signal at intervals of one horizontal scanning period, adding means for adding a luminance signal to the color-difference line-sequential signal modulated by the modulating means, delay means for delaying a signal outputted from the adding means or the modulated color-difference line-sequential signal by one horizontal scanning line, and subtracting means for subtracting the signal outputted from the adding means and not delayed by the delay means from a signal which has been delayed by the delay means by one horizontal scanning line.
In the above-described arrangement, the color-difference line-sequential signal modulated by the modulating means is added to the luminance signal, and a signal obtained by the addition or the modulated color-difference line-sequential signal is delayed by one horizontal scanning line. The signal obtained by adding the modulated color-difference line-sequential signal to the luminance signal which has not been delayed is subtracted from the signal delayed by one horizontal scanning line to obtain line interpolation information for the luminance signal as well as simultaneous color-difference signals.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the construction of a reproduced signal processing circuit for a conventional example of a still video system;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the construction of a reproduced signal processing circuit for a still video system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing waveform examples of subtracter output signals which are obtained from a modulator output and a 1H-delayed signal;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing waveform examples of a luminance signal component obtained in the circuit of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically showing the construction of a reproduced signal processing circuit for a still video system according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a chart showing the spectra of waveforms of both a luminance signal and a chrominance signal in the second embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing one example of a reproduced signal processing circuit for a still video system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, identical reference characters are used to denote portions which are substantially identical to those of the conventional example of FIG. 1.
The circuit shown in FIG. 2 comprises an input terminal 1 for receiving a luminance signal Y+S, an input terminal 3 for receiving a color-difference line-sequential signal R-Y/B-Y, an input terminal 19 for receiving a subcarrier for modulating a chrominance signal, an input terminal 2 for receiving a control signal for interpolating the luminance signal, an adder 20 for adding the luminance signal to the chrominance signal, a switch 21 for selecting the output of the adder 20 or the output of a band-pass filter 18 which will be described later, a 1H CCD delay line (1H DL) 7 for interpolation, a low-pass filter (LPF) 8 for eliminating a clock component from the output of the 1H CCD delay line 7, a subtracter 31 for providing interpolation information, an adder 22 for adding the luminance signal, the chrominance signal and the interpolation information, a modulator (MOD) 17 for modulating the chrominance signal, a band-pass filter (BPF) 18 for the chrominance signal, and an output terminal 12 through which a composite video signal is outputted.
In the above-described arrangement, the luminance signal inputted through the input terminal 1 is applied to both of the adders 20 and 22. The chrominance signal which has been inputted through the input terminal 3 for receiving the color-difference line-sequential signal, is modulated by the modulator (MOD) 17 by using the subcarrier inputted through the terminal 19. The phase of the subcarrier inputted through the input terminal 19 switches at intervals of 1H (one horizontal scanning line) so that when the color-difference signal R-Y is to be modulated, the phase becomes 90°, or when the color-difference signal B-Y is to be modulated, the phase becomes 0°.
The phase relationship of the subcarrier in the output from the modulator 17 is shown as E in FIG. 3. The signal E is band-limited by the band-pass filter 18, whereby only a frequency component around the frequency of the subcarrier is extracted. The result is added to the luminance signal (Y+S) by the adder 20. The chrominance signal which has thus been added to the luminance signal is applied to a terminal j of the switch 21, while the chrominance signal, before added to the luminance signal, is applied to a terminal k of the switch 21. The switch 21 is alternately switched at intervals of one field so that the signal provided at the terminal j is selected when the luminance signal is to be interpolated or the signal provided at the terminal k is selected when the luminance signal is not to be interpolated. The selected signal is provided at a terminal l.
The waveform of the luminance-signal component of the signal provided at the terminal l when interpolation is to be performed is shown as A in FIG. 4. The signal indicated by A passes through the 1H CCD delay line 7 and is supplied to the low-pass filter 8, where a clock component is eliminated from the signal, thereby providing a 1H-delayed signal as shown in Part B of FIG. 4. Then, the subtracter 31 subtracts the signal A from the 1H-delayed signal B to provide a signal shown as C. The signal C is added to the input luminance signal by the adder 22, so that a luminance signal interpolated as shown in Part D of FIG. 4 is obtained.
In a case where no interpolation is carried out, the signal provided at the terminal k is selected by the switch 21, so that no luminance signal is provided at the terminal l. Accordingly, no luminance-signal component is outputted to the subtracter 31, and the luminance-signal component of the output of the adder 22 becomes a non-interpolated luminance signal.
The chrominance signal appears as the signal E of FIG. 3 whichever of the signals provided at the terminals j and k is selected by the switch 21. Accordingly, the chrominance-signal component provided at the terminal l is formed into a signal delayed by 1H (one horizontal scanning line) as shown in Part F of FIG. 3 by passing through the 1H CCD delay line 7 and the low-pass filter 8.
In consequence, the subtracter 31 subtracts the signal E from the signal F to form a signal in which the R-Y components of the chrominance signal follow one after another in succession as shown in Part G of FIG. 3 and the B-Y components of the chrominance signal follow one after another in succession as shown in Part H of FIG. 3. Thus, a chrominance signal component in which the quadrature two-phase modulated R-Y and B-Y components have been multiplexed can be obtained as the output of the subtracter 31.
As described above, the switch 21 is alternately switched between the terminals j and k at intervals of one field by the interpolation control signal (HOKAN) provided at the input terminal 2. Accordingly, from the adder 22, an interpolated signal and a non-interpolated signal can be alternately outputted as the luminance signal whereas a signal which has been converted into a line-simultaneous, quadrature two-phase modulated signal can be obtained as the chrominance signal. Thus, a composite signal can be outputted through the terminal 12 on the basis of the above-described signals.
Although the foregoing description has been made as to the reproduction of a field-recorded signal, the above-described embodiment as it stands can also be applied to a frame-recorded signal by adopting an arrangement in which the non-interpolation side of the switch 21 is kept selected by the interpolation control signal.
As is apparent from the foregoing description, in accordance with the above-described embodiment, in spite of its circuit scale approximately equivalent to that of a circuit construction where no interpolation is performed, it is possible to effect both the interpolation of a luminance signal and the simultaneous conversion of a color-difference line-sequential signal, thereby outputting these signals as a composite signal.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically showing the construction of a reproduced signal processing circuit for a still video system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, identical reference characters are used to denote portions which are substantially identical to those of the first embodiment described above.
The circuit shown in FIG. 5 comprises a low-pass filter (LPF) 24 for band-limiting a luminance signal, an adder 25 for adding the luminance signal to interpolation information, a trapping circuit (TRAP) 26 for eliminating a subcarrier from a chrominance signal, a high-pass filter (HPF) 27 for eliminating the interpolation information from the luminance signal, an adder 28 for adding the luminance signal to the chrominance signal, an output terminal 29 through which the luminance signal is outputted, and an output terminal 30 through which the chrominance signal is outputted.
In the above-described arrangement, the luminance signal is band-limited by the low-pass filter 24 and inputted to the adder 20. The cut-off frequency of the low-pass filter 24 is selected to be approximately 1.5 MHz so that a frequency component around the subcarrier frequency of the chrominance signal is eliminated. A color-difference line-sequential signal is processed in a manner similar to that explained in connection with the first embodiment. After modulated by the modulator 17, the color-difference line-sequential signal passes through the band-pass filter 18 and is added to the low-frequency component of the luminance signal by the adder 20.
The output spectrum of the adder 20 is shown in FIG. 6.
As shown in FIG. 6, a luminance signal 51 is band-limited by the LPF 24 so that the luminance signal 51 and a chrominance signal 52 do not overlap in frequency band.
Referring again to FIG. 5, a signal in which the low-frequency component of the luminance signal has been added to the chrominance signal is applied to a terminal q of the switch 21, while the chrominance signal is applied to a terminal r of the switch 21. These signals are alternately selected and provided at a terminal s at intervals of one field. The signal provided at the terminal s is processed in a manner similar to that explained in connection with the first embodiment. In the case of the luminance signal, its interpolation information is outputted from the subtracter 31. In the case of the chrominance signal, a signal which has been converted into a line-simultaneous, quadrature two-phase modulated signal is outputted from the subtracter 31. Unlike the case of the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the frequency band of the luminance signal and that of the chrominance signal do not overlap in the output of the subtracter 31. It is, therefore, possible to easily separate the luminance and chrominance signals from each other.
The interpolation information for the luminance signal is in turn inputted to the trapping circuit 26, where a chrominance component is eliminated from the interpolation information. Thereafter, the result is added to the initial luminance signal by the adder 25, and is outputted through the luminance signal output terminal 29 and is also inputted to the adder 28.
In the meantime, the chrominance signal is inputted to the high-pass filter 27, where a luminance component is eliminated from the chrominance signal. Thereafter, the result is outputted through the chrominance signal output terminal 30 and is also added to the adder 28. In the adder 28, the luminance signal and the chrominance signal are added and outputted through the output terminal 12 as a composite signal.
It is to be noted that the second embodiment is also applicable to frame reproduction by adopting an arrangement in which the non-interpolation side of the switch 21 is kept selected by the interpolation control signal.
In accordance with the second embodiment in which the luminance signal is band-limited by the low-pass filter 24, it is possible to achieve the following advantages. (1) separation of the luminance signal and the chrominance signal is facilitated, whereby an output in which the luminance signal and the chrominance signal are independent from each other can be obtained (as an output at the terminal s). (2) Since only the low-frequency component of the luminance signal is subjected to interpolation, it is possible to prevent a luminance fluctuation in the high-frequency component of a picture having a strong vertical correlation. (3) Since only the low-frequency component of the luminance signal is subjected to interpolation, it is possible to suppress occurrence of an irregularly stepped portion in an oblique line.
As described above, in accordance with the second embodiment, a color-difference line-sequential signal is balanced-modulated by using a subcarrier whose phase switches by 90° at intervals of one horizontal scanning period, and the balanced-modulated color-difference line-sequential signal is added to a luminance signal. The signal obtained by the addition is delayed by 1H, and a non-delayed signal is subtracted from the 1H-delayed signal, thereby making it possible to effect both interpolation of the luminance signal and simultaneous conversion of a chrominance signal by means of a single delay line.
As described above, in accordance with either of the aforesaid embodiments, a color-difference line-sequential signal is balanced-modulated at intervals of one horizontal scanning period, then the balanced-modulated signal is added to a luminance signal before interpolation, and then the balanced-modulated signal together with the luminance signal passes through a common interpolating circuit. Accordingly, it is possible to effect both interpolation of the luminance signal and simultaneous conversion of a color-difference line-sequential signal by means of a single delay line, thereby reducing the power consumption of the entire apparatus. | A video signal reproducing apparatus for reproducing a video signal recorded on a magnetic recording medium includes a modulating circuit for receiving a color-difference line-sequential signal and modulating the color-difference line-sequential signal at intervals of one horizontal scanning period, an adding circuit for adding a luminance signal to the color-difference line-sequential signal modulated by the modulating circuit, a delay circuit for delaying a signal outputted from the adding circuit or the modulated color-difference line-sequential signal by one horizontal scanning line, and a subtracting circuit for subtracting the signal outputted from the adding circuit and not delayed by the delay circuit from a signal which has been delayed by the delay circuit by one horizontal scanning line. The video signal reproducing apparatus is arranged to provide line interpolation information for the luminance signal as well as simultaneous color-difference signals. | 7 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based upon and claims priority to prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-76390 filed on Mar. 24, 2008 in the Japan Patent Office, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD
An embodiment of the invention discussed herein relates to a test apparatus, an information processing system and a test method.
BACKGROUND
In the conventional method of fabricating an SVP (Service Processor) board in a factory, a yield of fabricated SVP boards is checked. The yield is checked by confirming an operation of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a HUB, and an I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit, a standard on an inter-IC bidirectional serial bus developed by Philips) controller mounted on the SVP board.
Normally, the yield of SVP boards is checked by conducting a test utilizing the I2C function. With regard to an SVP board having no element having the I2C function, however, the test cannot be conducted utilizing the I2C function.
If the test may not be conducted utilizing the I2C function, the operator conducts the test by a simple method in which a voltage is applied to the SVP board by contact with a terminal and a resulting output voltage confirmed thereby to check the yield of the SVP board.
A technique for conducting an online loopback test has been disclosed. Also, a technique has been disclosed to conduct a connection test between end systems without installing a test program in the end systems.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-16664 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 5-204807
SUMMARY
According to an aspect of the invention, a test apparatus for testing an information processing apparatus includes a control unit connected to the control signal line through the connector unit to receive the command information from the processing unit to execute the program, and a switching unit connected to the control unit to connect the second communication signal line and the fourth communication signal line under the control of the control unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagram depicting an example of the configuration of a backplane 10 ;
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the I2C sequence;
FIG. 3 is a function block diagram depicting an SVP configuration according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a first flowchart depicting the steps of the process executed by the test jig and the SVP board according to the embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a second flowchart depicting the continuing steps of the process following the first flowchart depicted in the FIG. 4 , and the steps of the process is executed by the test jig and the SVP board according to the embodiment; and
FIG. 6 is a diagram depicting the hardware configuration corresponding to the SVP board.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
The test apparatus, the information processing system and the test method according to a preferred embodiment of the invention will be explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First Embodiment
First, the configuration of the backplane of the server constituting an information processing apparatus carrying the SVP board according to this embodiment will be explained. FIG. 1 is a diagram depicting an example of the configuration of the backplane 10 . As depicted in FIG. 1 , the backplane 10 , having a LAN path unit 11 and an I2C path unit 12 , is connected to connectors 70 to 78 .
The connector 70 is connected to a KVM (Keyboard, Video, and Mouse) interface 20 . Also, the connectors 71 and 72 are connected to GbE switches 30 and 31 , respectively. The connectors 73 and 74 are connected to I/O units 40 and 41 , respectively. Further, the connectors 75 and 76 are connected to system boards 50 and 51 , respectively. The connector 77 is connected to a memory & I/O interconnect system (XAI & XDI board) 60 , and the connector 78 to an SVP board 100 .
In the example depicted in FIG. 1 , the LAN path unit 11 controls the boards including the GbE switches 30 , 31 , the I/O units 40 , 41 , and the SVP board 100 by a LAN (local area network) and also constitute a communication path. The I2C path unit 12 , on the other hand, controls the boards (the KVM 20 , the GbE switches 30 , 31 , the I/O units 40 , 41 , the system boards 50 , 51 , the memory & I/O interconnect system 60 and the SVP board 100 depicted in FIG. 1 ) through the I2C buses and also constitutes a communication path.
The I2C buses are each an inter-IC bidirectional serial bus developed by Philips. The I2C bus signal line includes a serial clock line (SCL) and a serial data line (SDA). Using these two lines and the I2C buses, the communication is conducted between the control side (master) and the IC side (slave). The data transfer through the I2C buses is started by a start condition and ended by a stop condition.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the data transfer sequence along each I2C bus. Before starting the data transfer, as depicted in FIG. 2 , the master issues the start condition and acquires the right to use the I2C bus, after which the data is transferred (step S 10 ).
Then, the device address is transmitted, the read/write operation is controlled, and the ACK (acknowledgment) from the slave is received by the master (step S 11 ). Next, the master receives the memory address in the device and the ACK from the slave (step S 12 ).
The data transfer is started by the master, and the ACK is received from the slave (step S 13 ). Upon complete data transfer, the master issues the stop condition to release the bus (step S 14 ).
Returning to FIG. 1 , the KVM 20 is a device functioning as an interface with various input devices (for example, the keyboard and the mouse not depicted). The GbE switches 30 and 31 are connected to the communication path meeting the Gigabit Ethernet (registered trademark) standard to switch the paths thus connected.
The I/O units 40 and 41 are devices connected to the LAN card for communication through the LAN. Only the I/O units 40 and 41 are depicted for the convenience of explanation. Nevertheless, the backplane 10 may be equipped with other I/O units.
The system boards 50 and 51 are devices carrying a CPU, a memory and the like to execute a specific process assigned to them. The system boards 50 and 51 execute the input/output process using the I/O unit 40 or 41 . For example, the system board 50 executes the input/output process by conducting the communication using the I/O unit 40 while the system board 51 executes the input/output process by conducting the communication using the I/O unit 41 . Although only the system boards 50 and 51 are depicted by way of explanation, the backplane 10 may also include other system boards.
The memory & I/O interconnect system 60 is a device to store information on the relation between the system board and the I/O unit. The memory & I/O interconnect system 60 , for example, stores information indicating that the system board 50 utilizes the I/O unit 40 and the system board 51 utilizes the I/O unit 41 . The SVP board 100 will be explained below.
The SVP board 100 is a device for executing the various control operations in the server by reading a program. The SVP board 100 , for example, conducts a diagnostic test on the server autonomously. FIG. 3 is a function block diagram depicting the configuration of the SVP board according to this embodiment. As depicted in FIG. 3 , the SVP board 100 includes a memory 110 , a CPU 120 , I2C control units 130 a , 130 b , and HUBs 140 a and 140 b.
Also, the SVP board 100 is connected to a test jig 200 and terminal units 300 a and 300 b by a connector 78 . As depicted in FIG. 3 , the test jig 200 includes relays 210 a , 210 b , and GPIOs (general-purpose I/Os) 220 a and 220 b . The other parts of the configuration are similar to those of a typical SVP board and therefore not explained.
The memory 110 is a storage unit to store the data and the programs needed for the various processes executed by the CPU 120 . The memory 110 stores, for example, the test program for conducting the self-diagnostic test. The procedure of the test program will be explained later with reference to a flowchart.
The CPU 120 is an arithmetic operation unit for executing the various processes by reading the programs stored in the memory 110 as a storage unit. Especially, the CPU 120 conducts the self-diagnostic test of the SVP board 100 by reading the test program from the memory 110 .
The I2C control units 130 a and 130 b are each connected to the CPU 120 through a control line. The I2C control units 130 a and 130 b are devices to open/close the relays 210 a and 210 b by writing a value of “0” or “1” in the channel held by the GPIOs 220 a and 220 b upon receipt of an open/close instruction for the relays 210 a and 210 b from the CPU 120 .
The I2C control unit 130 a , upon reception of an instruction from the CPU 120 to close the relay 210 a , closes the relay 210 a by writing a value of “1” in channel ch 1 of the GPIO 220 a . By closing the relay 210 a , the LAN 152 and the LAN 154 are connected to each other.
Upon reception of an instruction from the CPU 120 to open the relay 210 a , on the other hand, the I2C control unit 130 a opens the relay 210 a by writing a value of “0” in channel ch 1 of the GPIO 220 a . By opening the relay 210 a , the LAN 152 and the LAN 154 are disconnected from each other.
The I2C control unit 130 b , upon reception of an instruction from the CPU 120 to close the relay 210 b , closes the relay 210 b by writing a value of “1” in channel ch 0 of the GPIO 220 b . By closing the relay 210 b , the LAN 153 and the LAN 155 are connected.
Upon reception of an instruction from the CPU 120 to open the relay 210 b , on the other hand, the I2C control unit 130 b opens the relay 210 b by writing a value of “0” in channel ch 0 of the GPIO 220 a . By opening the relay 210 b , the LAN 153 and the LAN 155 are disconnected from each other.
The HUBs 140 a and 140 b are devices for connecting the LANs. The HUB 140 a is connected to the LANs 151 to 153 . The HUB 140 a is also connected to the terminal unit 300 a through the LAN 151 . Further, the HUB 140 a is connected to the relays 210 a and 210 b through the LANs 152 and 153 .
The HUB 140 b is connected to the LANs 154 to 156 . The HUB 140 b is also connected to the terminal unit 300 b through the LAN 156 . Further, the HUB 140 b is connected to the relays 210 a and 210 b through the LANs 154 and 155 .
The GPIO 220 a is connected to the I2C control unit 130 a through the connector 78 via a control line. Also, the GPIO 220 a closes the relay 210 a when a value of “1” is written in channel ch 1 by the I2C control unit 130 a . On the other hand, the GPIO 220 a opens the relay 210 a when a value of “0” is written in channel ch 1 .
The GPIO 220 b , on the other hand, is connected to the I2C control unit 130 b through the connector 78 and a control line. Also, the GPIO 220 b closes the relay 210 b when a value of “1” is written in channel ch 2 by the I2C control unit 130 b . The GPIO 220 b opens the relay 210 b when “0” is written in channel ch 2 .
The relay 210 a is connected to the GPIO 220 a through the control line, and in response as an acknowledgement to an instruction from the GPIO 220 a , connects or disconnects the LANs 152 and 154 . The relay 210 b , on the other hand, is connected to the GPIO 220 b through the control line, and in response as an acknowledgement to an instruction from the GPIO 220 b , connects or disconnects the LANs 153 and 155 .
Next, the process of the CPU 120 to execute the test program will be explained. A case to test a control system # 1 , a LAN system # 1 , a control system # 2 , and a LAN system # 2 shall be considered as an example. The control system # 1 includes the I2C control unit 130 a , the GPIO 220 a , the relay 210 a , and a control line. The LAN system # 1 includes the LANs 152 and 154 . Also, the control system # 2 includes the I2C control unit 130 b , the GPIO 220 b , the relay 210 b , and a control line. Further, the LAN system # 2 includes the LANs 153 and 155 .
(Test on Control System # 1 and LAN System # 1 )
The CPU 120 controls the I2C control unit 130 a to write “1” in channel ch 1 of the GPIO 220 a thereby to close the relay 210 a and connect the LANs 152 and 154 .
If the relay 210 a fails to be closed in the process, the CPU 120 judges that a fault has occurred in the control system # 1 . Then, the CPU 120 stores in the memory 110 the information indicating that a fault has occurred in the control system # 1 , while at the same time adding a value of “1” to the number of errors. The initial value of the number of errors may be 0.
If the relay 210 a is closed, on the other hand, the CPU 120 displays, on a display (not depicted in FIG. 3 ) or the like, information indicating that the relay 210 a is closed, and switches to a standby state waiting for the input of the completion confirmation by the operator. The operator accessing the display operates the terminal unit 300 a and transmits to the terminal unit 300 b a ping signal indicating that the communication of the network in the LAN system # 1 is confirmed.
Upon completion of the transmission of the ping signal from the terminal unit 300 a to the terminal unit 300 b , the operator inputs the information indicating that the confirmation is complete, through an input unit (not depicted), and notifies the CPU 120 .
The CPU 120 , having received the notification from the operator that the confirmation is completed, controls the I2C control unit 130 a to write a value of “0” in channel ch 1 of the GPIO 220 a , and by opening the relay 210 a , disconnects the LANs 152 and 154 .
The CPU 120 , on the other hand, upon failure to receive the information indicating that the confirmation is complete from the operator for longer than a specific time, stores in the memory 110 the information indicating that a fault has occurred in the LAN system # 1 , while at the same time adding 1 to the number of errors. Then, the CPU 120 controls the I2C control unit 130 a to write a value of “0” in channel ch 1 of the GPIO 220 a , and by opening the relay 210 a , disconnects the LANs 152 and 154 .
(Test of Control System # 2 and LAN System # 2 )
The CPU 120 controls the I2C control unit 130 b to write “1” in channel ch 0 of the GPIO 220 b . By thus closing the relay 210 b , the LANs 153 and 155 are connected to each other.
If the relay 210 b fails to be closed in the process, the CPU 120 judges that the control system # 2 has developed a fault. The CPU 120 stores in the memory 110 the information indicating that the control system # 2 has developed a fault, while at the same time adding 1 to the number of errors.
If the relay 210 b is closed, on the other hand, the CPU 120 displays on a display (not depicted) the information indicating that the relay 210 b is closed, and switches to the standby mode to wait for the input of a completion confirmation by the operator. The operator accessing the display operates the terminal unit 300 a , and transmits to the terminal unit 300 b a ping signal indicating that the network communication in the LAN system # 2 is confirmed.
When the ping signal transmission is completed from the terminal unit 300 a to the terminal unit 300 b , the operator inputs, through an input unit (not depicted), the information indicating that the confirmation is complete and notifies the CPU 120 .
The CPU 120 , upon reception of the information indicating that the confirmation is complete from the operator, controls the I2C control unit 130 b to write “0” in channel ch 0 of the GPIO 220 b , and by thus opening the relay 210 b , disconnects the LANs 153 and 155 .
If the CPU 120 fails to receive the information on the completion confirmation from the operator for longer than a specific time, on the other hand, the information indicating that the LAN system # 2 has developed a fault is stored in the memory 110 , while at the same time 1 is added to the number of errors. Then, the CPU 120 controls the I2C control unit 130 b to write “0” in channel ch 0 of the GPIO 220 b , and by thus opening the relay 210 b , disconnects the LANs 153 and 155 .
Upon completion of the test on the control system # 1 and the LAN system # 1 and the test on the control system # 2 and the LAN system # 2 , if any one of the control systems # 1 and 2 and/or the LAN systems # 1 and 2 has developed a fault, the information on the system which has developed the fault, which is stored in the memory 110 , is displayed on a display or the like If any one of the control systems # 1 and 2 and/or the LAN systems # 1 and 2 has developed a fault (the number of errors is 1 or more), the operator can confirm the point of the error.
If neither the control systems # 1 and 2 nor the LAN systems # 1 and 2 has developed a fault (the number of errors is 0), on the other hand, the CPU 120 erases the test program stored in the memory 110 by writing in the memory 110 a program for a product registered in advance. In other words, the CPU 120 writes the product program or the like over the test program.
Next, the steps of the process executed by the SVP board 100 and the test jig 200 according to this embodiment will be explained. FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts depicting the steps of the process executed by the SVP board 100 and the test jig 200 according to this embodiment.
As depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5 , by switching on power of the SVP board 100 (test jig 200 ) (step S 101 ), the test mode is started (step S 102 ). The CPU 120 controls the I2C control unit 130 a to set “1” in channel ch 1 of the GPIO 220 a to judge whether the relay 210 a is connected or not (step S 103 ).
If the relay 210 a is not connected (NO in step S 104 ), the CPU 120 stores in the memory 110 the information indicating that the control system # 1 has developed a fault (step S 105 ), while at the same time adding 1 to the number of errors (step S 106 ). The process then proceeds to step S 107 .
If the relay 210 a is connected (YES in step S 104 ), on the other hand, the CPU 120 switches to the standby mode to wait for the input of the completion confirmation by the operator (step S 107 ) while at the same time judging whether the completion confirmation has been received from the operator or not (step S 108 ).
If the completion of confirmation is not received from the operator (NO in step S 109 ), the CPU 120 stores in the memory 110 the information indicating that the LAN system # 1 has developed a fault (step S 110 ), while at the same time adding 1 to the number of errors (step S 111 ). Then the process proceeds to step S 112 .
If the completion of confirmation is received from the operator (YES in step S 109 ), on the other hand, the CPU 120 controls the I2C control unit 130 a to set “0” in channel ch 1 of the GPIO 220 a and disconnects the relay 210 a (step S 112 ).
Then, the CPU 120 controls the I2C control unit 130 b to set “1” in channel ch 1 of the GPIO 220 b and judges whether the relay 210 b is connected or not (step S 113 ).
If the relay 210 b is not connected (NO in step S 114 ), the CPU 120 stores in the memory 110 the information indicating that the control system # 2 has developed a fault (step S 115 ), while at the same time adding 1 to the number of errors (step S 116 ). The process then proceeds to step S 117 .
If the relay 210 b is connected (YES in step S 114 ), on the other hand, the CPU 120 switches to the standby mode to wait for input of the confirmation completion by the operator (step S 117 ) and judges whether the confirmation of completion from the operator has been received or not (step S 118 ).
If no confirmation of completion is received from the operator (NO in step S 119 ), the CPU 120 stores in the memory 110 the information indicating that the LAN system # 2 has developed a fault (step S 120 ), while at the same time adding 1 to the number of errors (step S 121 ). The process then proceeds to step S 122 .
The CPU 120 , upon reception of confirmation of completion from the operator (YES in step S 119 ), on the other hand, controls the I2C control unit 130 b to set “0” in channel ch 0 of the GPIO 220 b and disconnects the relay 210 b (step S 122 ).
Then, the CPU 120 judges whether the number of errors is 0 or not (step S 123 ), and if the number of errors is not 0 (NO in step S 124 ), outputs the fault information stored in the memory 110 (step S 125 If the number of errors is 0, on the other hand, the CPU 120 writes the product program in the memory 110 (step S 126 ).
In this way, the CPU 120 reads the test program stored in the memory 110 , and autonomously conducts the self-diagnostic test by opening/closing the relays 210 a and 210 b , thereby reducing the burden on the operator.
Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the SVP board 100 depicted in FIG. 3 will be explained. FIG. 6 is a diagram depicting the hardware configuration corresponding to the SVP board 100 . As depicted in FIG. 6 , the SVP board 400 includes an FMEM (flash memory) 410 , a CPU 420 , a CPLD (complex programmable logic device) 425 , a switching HUB 430 , a Fast Ethernet (registered trademark) 440 , an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory) 440 a , an I2C system 450 , and a LAN system 460 . The other parts of the configuration are similar to those of a typical SVP board and thus shall not be explained.
The FMEM 410 is a storage unit corresponding to the memory 110 depicted in FIG. 3 , and the CPU 420 is an arithmetic operation unit corresponding to the CPU 120 depicted in FIG. 3 . The CPLD 425 outputs various control signals to the LAN system 460 .
The switching HUB 430 is a hub for connecting the CPU 420 and the LAN system 460 . Also, the Fast Ethernet (registered trademark) 440 selects the main one of various Ethernets (registered trademark). The EEPROM 440 a stores various information used by the Fast Ethernet (registered trademark) 440 .
The I2C system 450 corresponds to the control systems # 1 and # 2 and includes a connector 451 , I2C/SMBus controllers 452 a to 452 f , multiplexers 454 a to 454 d , and bus switches 455 a to 455 f . Also, the I2C system 450 is connected with the CPU 420 through a control line.
The connector 451 corresponds to the connector 78 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 3 . Also, the I2C/SMBus controllers 452 a to 452 f correspond to the I2C control units 130 a and 130 b depicted in FIG. 3 .
The multiplexers 454 a to 454 d connect the I2C/SMBus controllers 452 a to 452 f and the bus switches 455 c to 455 f . Also, the bus switches 455 a to 455 f switch the connected bus.
The LAN system 460 corresponding to the LAN systems # 1 and # 2 depicted in FIG. 3 includes a connector 461 , switching HUBs 462 a to 462 e , a Fast Ethernet (registered trademark) 463 , and an EEPROM 463 a . The connector 461 , the switching HUBs 462 a to 462 e , the Fast Ethernet (registered trademark) 463 , and the EEPROM 463 a are each connected to the CPU 420 through a control line.
The connector 461 corresponds to the connector 78 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 3 . Also, the switching HUBs 462 a to 462 e correspond to the HUBs 140 a and 140 b depicted in FIG. 3 . The Fast Ethernet (registered trademark) 463 selects the main one of the various Ethernets (registered trademark). The EEPROM 463 a stores the various information used by the Fast Ethernet (registered trademark) 463 .
As described above, in the SVP board 100 ( 400 ) according to this embodiment, the GPIOs 220 a and 220 b are connected to the CPU 120 through the I2C control units 130 a and 130 b by way of the connector 78 and the control line. The CPU 120 controls the GPIOs 220 a and 220 b to open/close the relays 210 a and 210 b based on the test program stored in the memory 110 . According to this embodiment, therefore, the diagnostic test time of the SVP board 100 is simplified and automated, thereby reducing the burden on the operator.
Of all the processes described above as automatic ones in this embodiment, the whole or a part of the processes can be alternatively executed manually, or conversely, the whole or a part of the manual processes described above can alternatively be executed automatically by a well-known method. Further, the processing steps, the control procedure, the specific names and the information including the various data and parameters described herein above and the accompanying drawings can be arbitrarily modified unless otherwise specified.
Each component element of the SVP boards 100 and 400 depicted in FIGS. 3 and 6 is a conceptual function and do not need to be configured physically as depicted. The specific form of distribution or integration of each device is not limited to those depicted in the drawings, but the whole or a part thereof can be functionally or physically distributed or integrated in arbitrary units in accordance with the various loads and operating conditions. | A test apparatus for testing an information processing apparatus includes a control unit connected to the control signal line through the connector unit to receive command information from the processing unit to execute the program, and a switching unit connected to the control unit to connect the second communication signal line and the fourth communication signal line under the control of the control unit. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There is a need for quality control in the field of broadcasting in order to ensure that the composite video signal is maintained without distortion throughout the video system. To this end, various test signals have been developed to test the quality of the video system. One of the more widely used test signals is the multifrequency burst, hereinafter referred to as multiburst.
The multiburst test signal is produced by a multiburst generator. This generator produces a series of equal-amplitude bursts or packets of sine waves from 0.5 MHz to 4.2 MHz (NTSC television system) or from 0.5 MHz to 5.8 MHz (PAL television system) and white and black reference levels. The output also contains composite sync so that the complete signal will pass in the normal manner through various television equipment and circuits. Multiburst is generally used for a quick check of gain versus frequency response. The signal is passed through the video equipment and monitored on an oscilloscope. The video equipment's response to the various frequency bursts is apparent by their relative amplitudes.
This multiburst signal is usually generated by successively switching a function generator or a series of oscillators on for a short time. However, the high-speed switching circuitry used produces undesirable harmonic-frequencies or sidebands that may interfere with other video equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, the starting position of multiburst signals supplied to the output switch of the multiburst generator is progressively changed in proportion to a ramp occurring at the television field rate (59.94 Hz in the NTSC system). The result is that on an oscilloscope triggered at the television line rate (15,734.26 Hz in the NTSC system), the multiburst packets will be filled with closely spaced traces of burst frequency. Additionally the shape of the burst packets is modified by switching the burst signals with a controlled risetime signal at the line rate.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a multiburst signal with controllably shaped burst packets which eliminate unwanted sideband signals.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a multiburst signal that provides a more accurate display of burst amplitude.
The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out an distinctly claimed in the following description. The invention, however, both as to organization and method of operation together with further advantages and objects thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the embodiments described are not intended to be exhausting nor limiting of the invention but are for the purpose of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and principles thereof and the manner of applying it in particular use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may best be suited to the conditions of the particular use.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the circuit for providing the multiburst signal of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the variable start circuit of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a combination schematic and block diagram of the risetime control and the output switching circuit of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a schematic of one embodiment of the output switching circuit of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a representation of an oscilloscope display of the output of the function generator of FIG. 1 as it would appear if the variable start circuit were disabled;
FIG. 6 is a representation similar to FIG. 5 when the variable start circuit of FIG. 1 is not disconnected;
FIG. 7 shows the various signals present in the variable start circuit of FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 is a representation of the response of the analog multiplier of FIG. 3 to an input switching pulse; and
FIG. 9 is a representation of the approximate sine wave envelope developed by the analog multiplier of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 includes a variable start circuit 12 which is controlled by a negative-going ramp 20 at the television field rate. Variable start circuit 12 also receives a start or run signal 22 from the start/stop control 10. This circuit also includes a function generator 14 for supplying the bursts of sine wave signals to output switching circuit 16. Risetime control circuit 18 modifies line-rate pulse 28 to produce the switching pulse 30.
The start/stop control 10 of FIG. 1 is of the type that generates a rectangular run signal such as signal 22 at the television line rate. Run signal 22 is ordinarily directly connected to function generator 14 which generates the usual packets of six frequencies comprising the multiburst signal. During one line scanning period a burst of each of the six frequencies is developed. The signals are normally the same amplitude. One way to construct the function generator is to successively enable six oscillators by a chain of multivibrator gates. Various other circuits, including a programmable function generator, may be used.
As previously mentioned, the run signal generated by start/stop control 10 is normally connected directly to function generator 14. In the present invention, however, the run signal 22 is first modified by the variable start circuit 12. Voltage ramp 20 is applied to the variable start circuit 12 at the television field rate. During each ramp the starting point of the run signal is progressively delayed such that an oscilloscope display triggered at the television line rate will appear as signal 26 in FIG. 1.
In the absence of the variable start circuit 12, the multiburst signal at the output of function generator 14 would appear on an oscilloscope screen as signal 27 in FIG. 5. Variations in the amplitude of the individual sine waves within the burst packets may occur, but may go unnoticed if, for example, the display were expanded horizontally for closer inspection. Any variations in amplitude may be easily viewed in the oscilloscope display of FIG. 6 resulting from progressively delaying the starting point of function generator run signal.
A circuit for progressively delaying the function generator run signal is shown in FIG. 2. The inputs to this circuit are the run signal 22 and the field-rate ramp 20. The run signal 22 is connected to the trigger input of monostable multivibrator 100 and the field-rate ramp 20 is applied to the timing input of monostable multivibrator 100. A third input to the circuit in FIG. 3 is line-rate signal 22 to NAND gate 110. Line-rate signal 28 and the output pulse 29 from monostable multivibrator 100 are the two inputs to NAND gate 110. The modified run signal 24 is the output of NAND gate 110.
The width of output pulse 29 is established by the charging time of the RC network of resistor 130 and capacitor 140 which are connected to the timing input of monostable multivibrator 100. In this circuit the width of output pulse 29 is progressively widened by progressively increasing the RC network charging time. The charging time is increased throughout each television field by decreasing the charging current applied to the RC network 130-140. The progressively decreasing field-rate ramp 20 supplies the progressively decreasing charging current and the width of output pulse 29 is increased proportionally. Output pulse 29 is combined with line-rate pulse 28 in NAND gate 110 to produce the results shown in FIG. 7. In FIG. 7 are shown representative oscilloscope traces of the signals of the variable start circuit 12. Trace A depicts the decreasing field-rate ramp 20 and trace C depicts output pulse 29 from the monostable multivibrator 100 when field-rate ramp 20 is near its peak at the beginning of the field. Output pulse 29 and line-rate pulse 28 are logically combined in NAND gate 110 to produce the modified run signal 24 shown in trace D. Trace E depicts output pulse 29 later in the television field (when the field-rate ramp has run down) and trace F represents the modified run signal 24 at the same time. Trace G depicts the modified run signal as it would appear on an oscilloscope triggered at the television line rate. As mentioned previously, progressively delaying the run signal as described above results in a signal from function generator 14 such as that shown in FIG. 6.
The filled burst packets 26 from the function generator 14 would normally be connected directly to output terminal 40. However, the present invention shapes these burst packets to eliminate the sideband signals generated by the fast switching rates of the function generator 14. The shaping is accomplished by passing the burst packets through a switching circuit that is controlled by a switching waveform having controlled rise and fall times.
FIG. 3 is a suitable circuit for shaping the burst packets. The circuit includes the output switching circuit 16 and risetime control 18. The input signals to this circuit are, of course, the burst packets 26 and the line-rate pulse 28. Output switching circuit 16 is an analog balanced multiplier and can be a commercially available device such as a MC1595. The risetime control 18 includes transistor 200 and diodes 210 and 220.
By way of operation, the line-rate pulse 28 is fed to the base of PNP transistor 200 where it is shaped into switching pulse 30. When the line-rate pulse 28 is positive, the waveform at the collector of transistor 200 gradually increases until it reaches the limit set by diode 210. The output waveform remains at this level until the line rate pulse 28 goes low. At that point the output pulse gradually falls until it reaches the lower limit set by diode 220. The result is switching pulse 30 as it appears in FIG. 3. This switching pulse, along with the burst packets, is applied to analog balanced multiplier 16.
Full-wave balanced multiplication takes place in multiplier 16 between the burst packets 26 and the switching pulse 30. Multiplier 16 further modifies the burst packets by shaping the switching function into an approximate sine wave. This is accomplished by operating the multiplier in its non-linear switching region. FIG. 8 is a graph of the response of a typical multiplier to an input switching voltage.
This response curve is due to the well known non-linear properties of transistor junctions. Therefore, in order to produce linear switching, the switching pulse is normally constrained to be between points A and B in the graph. However, in the present invention the switching pulse drives the multiplier into its non-linear operating region in order to obtain the approximate sine wave envelope surrounding the burst packet shown in FIG. 9. The result of shaping the burst packets is the elimination of the sideband signals that are normally generated by multiburst generators.
FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of multiplier 16. In this instance the multiplier is constructed using discrete transistors or a monolithic transistor array. The inputs to the multiplier are the switching pulse 30 and burst packets 26. The operation of this circuit is essentially the same as the operation of the multiplier in FIG. 3. Transistor pairs 300-310 and 320-330 are each operating as single-pole double-throw switches. They switch between the burst packets and the dc current supplied by current source 360 according to switching pulse 20. Since these switches are current-mode gates with cross-coupled collectors, full-wave balanced multiplication results between the burst packets and the switching pulse. The previously-described approximate sine wave envelope is also produced by this circuit in the same manner.
While there has been shown and described the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. | A multifrequency burst test signal generator for use in testing television equipment is described. The starting position of the multiburst signals is progressively delayed throughout the television field thereby filling the burst packets. Also the shape of the burst packets is modified to reduce the spurious sideband signals created by the signal generator switching circuits. | 7 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to fluid ducts and, more particularly, to the releasable, sealed joining together of fluid duct members.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Air flow is routed using tubular duct assemblies. The duet assemblies must be structurally robust to withstand the temperatures, vibrations, and fluid flow pressures to which they can be expected to encounter. In a typical automotive application, a duct assembly should tolerate sustained, continuous temperatures of 250° F. and higher and pressures of 30 pounds per square inch or more.
In the past, such duct assemblies have been constructed with a steel tube body with silicone and rubber end connectors, in order to withstand these pressures and temperatures. Typically for a conventional duct assembly, the end connectors are assembled with four band clamps and two hoses. These hose-and-clamp end connections prevent the pressurized fluid in the duct from bleeding out of the assembly along leak paths.
It has been proposed to form a duct assembly with a thermoplastic tube body and metal wire circumferential connections. For details, refer to patent publication no, US 2006/0022460 (publication of application Ser. No. 10/902,685, filed Jul. 29, 2004).
While previous duct assembly designs have been satisfactory, there remains room in the art for improvement. Reduction of weight and cost without loss of function is important to the advancement of automotive technology. Additionally, decreasing packaging, complexity and cost without sacrificing performance would also be desirable. Furthermore, functionality could be improved if the number of potential leak paths in the duct work can be reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a duct assembly having a reduced cost of construction, reduced weight, fewer leak paths, a simple installation, and ease of recycling.
It is another advantage of the present invention to provide a duct assembly that is smaller and thus provides advantages in packaging. It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide a duct assembly that has fewer parts and thus has complexity.
In general terms, the present invention provides a duct assembly connector having a collar that defines a bore and has inwardly directed teeth such that the teeth engage an annular projection around a sleeve that fits inside the collar. The teeth are selectably retractable so that the sleeve can be disengaged from the collar. Retraction of the teeth is effected by rotation of a locking ring about the collar.
One aspect of the duct connector is that it is lightweight. That is because the structure for engaging the collar with the sleeve is formed as a single piece rather than as multiple pieces.
Another aspect of the duct connector is that it is not costly to manufacture. That is because the number of parts is minimized.
Yet another aspect of the duct connector is that it is more reliable. That is because the number of parts is minimized, thus decreasing the odds of any one part failing at a given time.
These and other features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description are described below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the connector with the connector and fluid port locked together and with duct members shown in phantom in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the connector with the connector and fluid port separated and with duct members shown in phantom in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of an embodiment of the connector structures in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows a plan view of an embodiment of the connection assembly with the collar in a rest position in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 shows a detail section view of the connection assembly of FIG. 4 , with a locking tooth engaging the fluid port.
FIG. 6 shows a plan view of an embodiment of the connection assembly with the collar in a forced position in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 shows a detail section view of the connection assembly of FIG. 6 , with a locking tooth disengaged from the fluid port.
FIG. 8 shows a detail section view of the seal between the connector housing and the fluid port in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIG. 1 , the connection assembly 100 is shown in perspective with the connector 200 and the fluid port 300 locked together. The opposed duct members 2 , 3 to which the connection assembly 100 is to be fixed are shown in phantom. In FIG. 2 , the connection assembly 100 is shown in perspective with the connector 200 and the fluid port 300 separated. An annular projection 310 is visible in FIG. 2 encircling the exterior surface of the fluid port 300 . The opposed duct members 2 , 3 are again shown in phantom.
The disclosed connector assembly 100 is well suited to the situation where fluid ducts of differing materials need to be joined together, but is not limited to such an interface. The connector assembly may be embodied to accommodate the situation where the fluid port is an open end of a metal duct and the connector is fixed to an end of another metal duct. The connector assembly may also be embodied to accommodate situations where the fluid port is an open end of a plastic duct and the connector is fixed to an end of a metal duct. Another situation for which the connector assembly may be embodied is where the fluid port is an open end of a metal duct and the connector is fixed to an end of plastic duct. Also, the connector assembly may be embodied to accommodate the situation where the fluid port is an open end of a plastic duct and the connector is fixed to an end of a plastic duct.
According to one embodiment the fluid port is a metal throttle body port and the connector is fixedly joined to an end of a plastic duct. When the connector and the duct to which it is fixedly joined are both formed of thermoplastic, they may be joined by welding, gluing, or may be formed together as an integral and unitary single piece (such as by injection molding or by hydroforming). According to another embodiment, the fluid port is a metal throttle body port and the connector is fixedly joined to an end of a metal duct.
Referring to FIG. 3 , an exploded view shows the components of the connector 200 . A seal 210 fits inside a connector housing 220 . In one embodiment, the seal 210 is disposed in an undercut or groove 222 formed in an inner surface of the housing 220 . The seal 210 preferably press fit into the undercut or groove 222 . A retainer 230 is then disposed into the connector housing 230 thickness at its front-facing side 212 .
The connector housing 220 is substantially cylindrical and hollow and is internally counter bored to have two undercut surfaces. The first undercut surface 222 is sized to hold the seal 210 in press fit engagement. The second surface 224 is an undercut surface that is sized to hinder axial progress of the fluid port 300 (see FIG. 2 ) through the housing 220 . Radially spaced around the outer periphery of the housing 220 are plural housing slots 226 . Each of the housing slots 226 is immediately adjacent one of plural cam surfaces 228 .
The retainer 230 has a chamfer 232 at its front inside edge to ease insertion of the fluid port 300 into the connector 200 . Radially spaced around the outer periphery of the retainer 230 are plural retainer slots 234 . Each of the retainer slots 234 is disposed so as to align with a respective one of the housing slots 226 when the retainer 230 is disposed inside the housing 220 .
An annular collar 240 is sized to fit around the outside of the housing 220 and has plural inwardly biased locking members 242 . Each of the locking members 242 has a locking tooth 244 at its free end and each of the locking teeth 244 are sized to extend through a respective one of the plural housing slots 226 and a respective one of the plural retainer slots 234 . The inner surface 246 of each of the locking members 242 engages a respective one of the cam surfaces 228 on the outside of the housing 220 . The locking teeth 244 are each beveled on one side only to facilitate the teeth 244 sliding over the annular projection 310 while being displaced outwardly when the port 300 is inserted into the connector 200 .
When installed about the housing 220 with its locking teeth 244 extending through the housing slots 226 and into the retainer slots 234 , the collar is free to rotate about the housing 220 between two extreme positions, lock and unlock. Referring to FIG. 4 , an embodiment of the connection assembly 100 is illustrated in a plan view with the collar 240 in a lock position. The collar 240 is placed in the lock position by rotating it in the direction the locking members 242 point until the free ends 442 of the locking members 242 are in contact with the visible ends 426 of the housing slots 226 .
The lock position allows each locking tooth 244 to be pushed by the spring bias of the locking member 242 inward through the housing slot 226 and the retainer slot 234 and project into the interior cavity of the connector 200 . This is shown in the detail section view of FIG. 5 , which is taken along the section line labeled V-V in FIG. 4 . By projecting into the interior cavity of the connector 200 , the locking tooth 244 can engage the fluid port 300 at the annular projection 310 . In this way, the connector 200 is locked to the fluid port 300 .
Referring to FIG. 6 , a plan view of the connection assembly 100 is illustrated with the collar 240 in the unlock position. The collar 240 is placed in the unlock position by rotating it in the direction opposite how the locking members 242 point until the locking tooth 244 contacts the hidden end 626 of the housing slot (see FIG. 7 ). In the unlock position of the collar 240 , there is a pronounced gap 630 between the free end 442 of the locking member 242 and the visible end 426 of the housing slot 226 .
In the unlock position, each cam surface 228 engages the inner surface 246 (see FIG. 3 ) of the corresponding locking member 242 so as to move each locking member 242 outward against its bias. When locking members 242 have been moved outwards by rotation of the collar 240 into the unlock position, each locking tooth 244 is likewise caused to move outward so that the teeth 244 extend inward only through the housing slot 226 and into the retainer slot 234 , without projecting into the interior cavity of the connector 200 . This is shown in the detail section view of FIG. 7 , which is taken along the section line labeled VII-VII in FIG. 6 . Because the locking teeth 244 have been moved outward and do not extend into the interior cavity of the connector 200 , the teeth 244 are disengaged from the annular projection 310 of the fluid port 300 .
One aspect of the connector 100 is that it provides for a sealing connection that prevents leaks. Referring to FIG. 8 , a detail section view of the connector (taken at the detail line VIII shown in FIG. 7 ) shows the seal 210 . The seal 210 is retained in place in the undercut surface 222 . The seal 210 can also be compressed between the connector housing 220 and the fluid port 300 .
In another embodiment, the rear-facing side 214 of the seal 210 has an internal void 216 to enable the seal 210 to compress readily between the connector housing 220 and the fluid port 300 , and to provide a secure seal despite differences in how the connector housing 220 and the fluid port 300 may expand and contract with changes in temperature. It is noted that this exemplary seal is not the only type of seal that may be used to practice the invention and that seals having diverse cross-sections (e.g., O-rings) may be successfully be used.
To sealingly lock the fluid port 300 to the duct 2 and its connector 200 , the end of the fluid port 300 is inserted into the connector 200 with the collar in the lock position. The outer diameter of the fluid port 300 matches the inner diameter of the seal 210 . The annular projection 310 of the port 300 engages the locking teeth 244 of the inwardly biased locking members 242 , urging the teeth 244 to move radially outward. The teeth 244 then snap inwardly into place behind the annular projection 310 and secure the fluid port 300 to the duct 2 . The seal 210 is sealed to the port 300 and prevents leakage through the connector assembly 100 .
According to one embodiment, the duct 2 , the housing 220 , the retainer 230 , and the collar 240 are all constructed from a thermoplastic material. One example of a suitable material is non-filled Nylon 6, formed using a suction blow molding. During the suction blow molding process, a molten thermoplastic material is sucked into a closed mold by a vacuum created by a suction fan. Once the molten thermoplastic material has reached its final position, air is blown into the mold, forcing the thermoplastic material against the sides of the mold. After cooling, the part is removed. It is to be understood, however, that the duct 2 , the housing 220 , the retainer 230 , and the collar 240 may alternatively be constructed from various other materials using a variety of different processes.
The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and do come within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of legal protection afforded this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims. | A duct connection assembly suited to connect a thermoplastic fluid duct to a metal intake port. A connector housing is affixed to the end of the fluid duct and functions to releasable seal the fluid duct onto the intake port using an annular projection around the end of the port. When the port is inserted into the connector housing a snap lock connection is provided by a plurality of locking teeth that project inwardly through the housing from a collar to engage with the annular projection. Quick disconnect of the port from the fluid duct is effected by rotation of the collar with respect to the connector housing so that cam surfaces on the housing interact with the locking teeth to move the teeth radially outward to disengage from the annular projection. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a remote control toy car and, more particularly, to a remote control toy car control system, which has a dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism, a forward backward transmission control mechanism, and a differential assembly arranged into a system.
Regular gasoline engine remote control toy cars commonly use a transmission mechanism to increase the torque. However, because the transmission mechanism of a conventional gasoline engine remote control toy car provides only one transmission mode, it is less efficient to accelerate the speed, and the torsion cannot be increased during low speed. In order to eliminate these problems, dual-gearshift position transmission mechanisms are developed. However, prior art dual-gearshift position transmission mechanisms are commonly heavy, complicated, and expensive. Furthermore, the parts of the prior art high-precision dual-gearshift position transmission mechanisms wear quickly with use.
Further, regular gasoline engine remote control toy cars can be controlled to move forwards as well as backwards. However, the forward transmission and the backward transmission are controlled by two separated systems, i.e., when moving the toy car forwards, the user must start the forward transmission system to drive the toy car forwards; when moving the toy car backwards, the user must stop the forward transmission system and then start the backward transmission system. This forward backward transmission design is complicated, consumes much gasoline, and requires much installation space.
Like real cars, the wheels at the inner side and the wheels at the outer side have different speed of revolution when going round corners. In order to balance the speed between the wheels at the inner side and the wheels at the outer side when going round corners, a speed differential assembly shall be installed. However, because the forward transmission mechanism, the backward transmission mechanism, and the differential assembly are separated mechanisms, they cannot be installed in a common housing. Therefore, prior art gasoline remote control toy cars are commonly heavy and expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been accomplished to provide a remote control toy car control system, which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks. It is one object of the present invention to provide a remote control toy car control system, which has a dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism, a forward backward transmission control mechanism, and a differential assembly arranged into a system. It is another object of the present invention to provide a remote control toy car control system, which achieves the advantages of high/low dual-gearshift position automatic shifting control, easy forward/backward steering control, impact structure, high economic effect, high performance, and stable functioning. To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the remote control toy car control system comprises a dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism, a forward backward transmission control mechanism, and a differential assembly. The dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism comprises a first drive gear and a second drive gear fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the engine of the remote control toy car; a first driven gear meshed with the first drive gear; a second driven gear meshed with the second drive gear, the gear ratio between the first second drive gear and the second driven gear being smaller than the gear ratio between the first drive gear and the first driven gear; a transmission tube connected in series to the first driven gear and the second driven gear; a one-way axle bearing mounted between the transmission tube and the first driven gear; and a clutch fixedly mounted on the transmission tube and coupled to the second driven gear. The forward backward transmission control mechanism comprises a first gear fixedly mounted on the transmission tube of the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism, the first gear comprising external teeth arranged around the outer diameter thereof and internal teeth arranged around the inner diameter thereof; a second gear, the second gear comprising internal teeth arranged around the inner diameter thereof and external teeth arranged around the outer diameter thereof; a movable gear adapted to be moved between a first position where the movable gear is meshed with the internal teeth of the first gear, and a second position where the movable gear is meshed with the internal teeth of the second gear; a first idle gear wheel meshed with the external teeth of the first gear; and a second idle gear wheel meshed with the first idle gear wheel and the external teeth of the second gear. The differential assembly comprises a shell; a hollow polygonal shaft mounted in the shell and inserted through the movable gear of the forward backward transmission control mechanism for enabling the movable gear to be moved axially along the polygonal shaft; a first center axle axially inserted through the hollow polygonal shaft and the transmission tube for free rotation relative to the hollow polygonal shaft and the transmission tube; a first center axle gear fixedly mounted on the first center axle; a second center axle axially coupled to the first center axle for enabling the second center axle and the first center axle to be separately rotated; a second center axle gear fixedly mounted on the second center axle; a plurality of first planet gears mounted in the shell and respectively meshed with the second center axle gear; and a plurality of second planet gears mounted in the shell and respectively meshed with the first center axle gear.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded, sectional plain view of a remote control toy car control system according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional assembly view of the remote control toy car control system according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 but showing the movable gear moved into engagement with the first gear of the forward backward transmission control mechanism according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is another exploded, sectional plain view of the remote control toy car control system according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is front and side sectional views of the first gear of the forward backward transmission control mechanism according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is front and side sectional views of the second gear of the forward backward transmission control mechanism according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is front and side sectional views of the movable gear of the forward backward transmission control mechanism according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a sectional plain view of the differential assembly of the present invention, showing the relationship between the second center axle gear and the first and second planet gears.
FIG. 9 is a sectional plain view of the present invention showing the connection between the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism and the differential assembly.
FIG. 10 is a schematic drawing showing the remote control toy car control system of the present invention installed in the remote control toy car.
FIG. 11 is a sectional plain view of an alternate form of the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism according to the present invention.
FIG. 12 is an exploded, sectional plain view of an alternate form of the remote control toy car control system according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 , and 10 , a remote control toy car control system in accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism 1 , a forward backward transmission control mechanism 2 , and a differential assembly 3 . The dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism 1 , the forward backward control mechanism 2 , and the differential assembly 3 are arranged together and mounted on holders 5 (see FIG. 2 ). The positioning of the control system in the frame structure of the toy car is as shown in FIG. 10 .
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 again, the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism 1 comprises a first drive gear 101 and a second drive gear 102 connected to the engine 10 , a first driven gear 11 , a second driven gear 12 , a clutch 13 , a sleeve 14 , and a one-way axle bearing 15 . The first drive gear 101 and the second drive gear 102 are fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the engine 10 . The first drive gear 101 has a diameter smaller than the second drive gear 102 . The one-way axle bearing 15 is mounted in the center hole of the first driven gear 11 . The sleeve 14 is mounted in the center hole of the second driven gear 12 . The first driven gear 11 and the second driven gear 12 are arranged in parallel between two holders 5 and respectively meshed with the first drive gear 101 and the second drive gear 102 . The gear ratio between the first driven gear 11 and the first drive gear 101 is 5:1. The gear ratio between the second driven gear 12 and the second drive gear 102 is 3:1. The two holders 5 have the respective center hole mounted with a respective two-way axle bearing 16 . Further, a transmission tube 26 is inserted through the two-way axle bearings 16 in the two holders 5 , the clutch 13 and the one-way axle bearing 15 , and fixedly secured thereto. The transmission tube 26 has an inner thread 261 at one end.
When starting the engine 10 , the first drive gear 101 and the second drive gear 102 are synchronously rotated with the output shaft of the engine 10 , and drive the first driven gear 11 and the second driven gear 12 to rotate synchronously. Because the gear ratio between the first drive gear 101 and the first driven gear 11 is greater than the gear ratio between the second drive gear 102 and the second driven gear 12 and because the clutch 13 is disengaged from the sleeve 14 at the initial stage after started the engine 10 , the second driven gear 12 is rotated at a relatively higher speed than the first driven gear 11 . However, because the sleeve 14 is disengaged from the clutch 13 , it runs idle. Therefore, at the initial stage after started the engine 10 , the first drive gear 101 drives the first driven gear 11 to rotate at a low speed, and the first driven gear 11 drives the one-way axle bearing 15 to rotate the transmission tube 26 at a low speed. When rotating the transmission tube 26 , the clutch 13 is rotated with the transmission tube 26 . When accelerating the engine 10 , the revolving speed of the transmission tube 26 is increased. When the revolving speed of the transmission tube 26 reached the set value, the internal stop member (not shown) of the clutch 13 is forced outwards by the centrifugal force into engagement with the coupling element (not shown) of the sleeve 14 , thereby causing the second drive gear 102 to rotate the second driven gear 12 at a high speed, and therefore the transmission tube 26 is rotated at a high speed. Further, when the speed of the engine 10 dropped below the set value, the internal stop member of the clutch 13 is disengaged from the sleeve 14 , and the output power of the engine 10 is transmitted through the first drive gear 101 , the first driven gear 1 and the one-way axle bearing 15 to the transmission tube 26 to reduce the revolving speed of the transmission tube 26 , enabling the transmission tube 26 to provide a relatively higher torsional force. Thus, the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism achieves dual-gearshift position switching automatically.
Referring to FIG. 4, the forward backward transmission control mechanism is comprised of a case formed of a first shell 20 and a second shell 20 A, a first gear 21 , a second gear 22 , a movable gear 23 , a first idle gear wheel 24 , and a second idle gear wheel 25 . The first gear 21 , the second gear 22 , the movable gear 23 , the first idle gear wheel 24 , and the second idle gear wheel 25 are mounted inside the case of the first shell 20 and the second shell 20 A.
As shown in FIG. 5, the first gear 21 has a threaded gear shaft 213 threaded into the inner thread 261 of the transmission sleeve 26 , external teeth 211 arranged around the outer diameter, and internal teeth 212 arranged around the inner diameter.
As shown in FIG. 6, the second gear 22 has external teeth 221 arranged around the outer diameter, and internal teeth 222 arranged around the inner diameter.
As shown in FIG. 7, the movable gear 23 has an annular groove 232 around the periphery, a lever 28 fastened to the annular groove 232 , and external teeth 231 around the periphery. The movable gear 23 further has a polygonal center through hole coupled to the polygonal shaft 31 of the differential assembly 3 such that the movable gear 23 can be moved axially along the polygonal shaft 31 of the differential assembly 3 but is prohibited from rotary motion relative to the polygonal shaft 31 of the differential assembly 3 . The lever 28 is coupled to a server through a linkage (not shown). The user can operate the remote controller to move the lever 28 , causing the movable gear 23 to be shifted axially along the polygonal shaft 31 of the differential assembly 3 , so as to force the external teeth 231 of the movable gear 23 into engagement with the internal gear 212 of the first gear 21 or the internal gear 222 of the second gear 22 .
As illustrated in FIG. 4, the first idle gear wheel 24 and the second idle gear wheel 25 are supported on a respective shaft between the first shell 20 and the second shell 20 A and meshed together for free rotation. The first idle gear wheel 24 is also meshed with the external teeth 211 of the first gear 21 . The second idle gear wheel 25 is also meshed with the external teeth 221 of the second gear 22 .
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 , and 4 again, when the user drive the server and to move the movable gear 23 along the polygonal shaft 31 to the position shown in FIG. 2, the output power of the engine 10 is transmitted through the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism 1 and the transmission tube 26 to the first gear 21 , causing the first gear 21 to be rotated clockwise. During clockwise rotation of the first gear 21 , the first idle gear wheel 24 and the second idle gear wheel 25 are driven to rotate the second gear 22 counter-clockwise. Because the internal teeth 222 of the second gear 22 are meshed with the movable gear 23 . The movable gear 23 is rotated with the second gear 22 counter-clockwise, thereby causing the polygonal shaft 31 of the differential assembly 3 to be rotated counter-clockwise. On the contrary, when moving the movable gear 23 to the position shown in FIG. 3, the external teeth 231 of the movable gear 23 are disengaged from the internal teeth 222 of the second gear 22 and meshed with the internal teeth 212 of the first gear 21 . At this time, clockwise rotation of the first gear 21 drives the movable gear 23 to rotate clockwise, thereby causing the polygonal shaft 31 of the differential assembly 3 to be rotated with the movable gear 23 clockwise.
Referring to FIG. 7 and FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 again, the differential assembly 3 , except the aforesaid polygonal shaft 31 , further comprises a first center axle 4 , a second center axle 41 , a plurality of first planet gears 33 , and a plurality of second planet gears 34 . The first center axle 4 and the second center axle 41 are axially coupled together, and can be rotated relative to each other. The polygonal shaft 31 is a tubular shaft of polygonal cross section, having an annular groove 311 around the periphery. After insertion of the polygonal shaft 31 through the center hole of the second gear 22 and the center hole of the movable gear 23 , a C-shaped clamp 27 is fastened to the annular groove 311 to secure the second gear 22 to the polygonal shaft 31 , enabling the movable gear 23 to be moved between the first gear 21 and the second gear 22 . The first center axle 4 is inserted through the polygonal shaft 31 and the transmission tube 26 , and can be rotated relative to the polygonal shaft 31 and the transmission tube 26 . The first center axle 4 and the second center axle 41 are respectively connected to different output systems. A first center axle gear 40 and a second center axle gear 410 are respectively fixedly mounted on the first center axle 4 and the second center axle 41 . The first planet gears 33 and the second planet gears 34 are mounted in a cover shell 32 in reversed directions. The first planet gears 33 are meshed with the second center axle gear 410 . The second planet gears 34 are meshed with the first center axle gear 40 .
When controlling the forward backward transmission control mechanism 2 to rotate the polygonal shaft 31 of the differential assembly 3 , the first planet gears 33 and the second planet gears 34 are turned around the second center axle gear 410 and the first center axle gear 41 , thereby causing the first center axle gear 40 and the second center axle gear 410 to rotate the first center axle 4 and the second center axle 41 , and therefore the first center axle 4 and the second center axle 41 synchronously give an output. At the same time, the first center axle gear 41 and the second center axle gear 410 are rotated on the respective axis, causing the first center axle 4 and the second center axle 41 to produce a speed difference.
The main feature of the present invention is to arrange the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism 1 , the forward backward transmission control mechanism 2 , and the differential assembly 3 together, so that the remote control toy car has the advantages of high/low dual-gearshift position automatic shifting control, easy forward/backward steering control, impact structure, high economic effect, high performance, stable functioning, and etc.
FIG. 9 shows an alternate form of the present invention. According to this alternate form, the remote control toy car control system eliminates the aforesaid forward backward transmission control mechanism 2 , and directly couples the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism 1 to the differential assembly 3 . As illustrated, the outer shell of the differential assembly 3 has an outer thread 36 threaded into the inner thread 261 of the transmission tube 26 . The transmission tube 26 is coupled to the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism 1 in the same manner as the aforesaid first embodiment. By means of this arrangement, the output power of the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism 1 is transmitted through the transmission tube 26 to the differential assembly 3 , causing the outer shell of the differential assembly 3 to be rotated with the transmission tube 26 . When rotating the differential assembly 3 , the planet gears 34 and 33 drive the first center axle gear 40 and the second center axle gear 410 to rotate, thereby causing the first center axle 4 and the second center axle 41 to provide a respective rotary output power differentially.
FIG. 11 shows another alternate form of the present invention. According to this alternate form, the remote control toy car control system is comprised of a dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism 1 A, a forward backward transmission control mechanism 2 , and a differential assembly 3 . The forward backward transmission control mechanism 2 and the differential assembly 3 are same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 . According to this embodiment, the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism 1 A comprises a drive gear 1 A 01 coupled to the engine 1 A 0 , a driven gear 1 A 1 , a first transmission gear 1 A 2 , a clutch 1 A 3 , a second transmission gear 1 A 4 , an idle gear wheel 1 A 6 , and a one-way axle bearing 1 A 5 .
The first transmission gear 1 A 2 comprises a protruded block (not shown) suspended in the recessed front side thereof, a series of teeth 1 A 211 disposed around the periphery, and a two-way axle bearing 1 A 8 mounted in the center through hole thereof. The second transmission gear 1 A 4 comprises a series of teeth 1 A 41 disposed around the periphery and a one-way axle bearing 1 A 5 mounted in the center through hole thereof. The transmission tube 26 is inserted through the one-way axle bearing 1 A 5 , the clutch 1 A 3 , and the two-way axle bearing 1 A 8 , keeping the transmission tube 26 secured to the one-way axle bearing 1 A 5 , the clutch 1 A 3 and the two-way axle bearing 1 A 8 . The idle gear wheel 1 A 6 has a big gear 1 A 61 and a small gear 1 A 62 mounted thereon. A gear shaft 1 A 7 is inserted through the axial center through hole of the idle gear wheel 1 A 6 and connected between two opposite sidewalls of the outer shell of the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism 1 A, keeping the big gear 1 A 61 meshed with the teeth 1 A 21 of the first transmission gear 1 A 2 and the small gear 1 A 62 meshed with the teeth 1 A 41 of the second transmission gear 1 A 4 . After installed in the outer shell of the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism 1 A, the first transmission gear 1 A 2 has a part extended out of the outer shell of the dual-gearshift position transmission mechanism 1 A and fixedly connected to the driven gear 1 A 1 , which is meshed with the drive gear 1 A 01 .
Referring to FIG. 12 and FIG. 11 again, when starting the engine 1 A 0 , the drive gear 1 A 01 drives the driven gear 1 A 1 and the first transmission gear 1 A 2 to rotate, thereby causing the idle gear wheel 1 A 6 to rotate the second transmission gear 1 A 4 . By means of the effect of the one-way axle bearing 1 A 5 , the transmission tube 26 is rotated with the second transmission gear 1 A 4 at a low speed at this time. During rotary motion of the transmission tube 26 , the clutch 1 A 3 is rotated with the transmission tube 26 synchronously. When the speed of the engine 1 A 0 surpasses a predetermined level after starting, the centrifugal force produced from the rotary motion of the clutch 1 A 3 forces the movable stop element (not shown) of the clutch 1 A 3 outwards into engagement with the protruded block of the first transmission gear 1 A 2 , for enabling the driving power of the engine 1 A 0 to be transmitted through the driven gear 1 A 1 and the first transmission gear 1 A 2 to the transmission tube 26 to accelerate the speed of revolution of the transmission tube 26 . On the contrary, when the speed of the engine 1 A 0 drops below the predetermined level, the stop member of the clutch 1 A 3 is returned and disengaged from the first transmission gear 1 A 2 , enabling the driving power of the engine 1 A 0 to be transmitted through the first transmission gear 1 A 2 , the idle gear wheel 1 A 6 and the second transmission gear 1 A 4 to the transmission tube 26 , and therefore the transmission tube 26 is rotated at a low speed to provide a high torsional output.
A prototype of remote control toy car control system has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 1 ˜ 12 . The remote control toy car control system functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.
Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. | A remote control toy car control system is constructed to include a dual-gearshift transmission mechanism coupled to the engine of the remote control toy car for transmission output power of the engine between a high torque position and a low torque position, a forward backward transmission control mechanism coupled to the output end of the dual-gearshift transmission mechanism for controlling forward/backward movement of the toy car, and a differential assembly coupled to the forward backward transmission control mechanism for enabling the rear wheels of the toy car to turn at different speeds when going round corners. | 5 |
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/957,370, filed Nov. 30, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,110,811; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/924,712, filed Oct. 26, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,842,929; the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to radiation therapy. More particularly, the present invention relates to the calibration and quality assurance of radiation delivery.
2. Background of the Invention
Cancer is a group of diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control, often invading other tissues. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2007 in the United States alone there will have been an estimated 1,444,920 new cases of cancer. It is estimated that in that same period 559,650 people will die in the United States due to various forms of cancer. Many forms of treatment are available and continue to be discovered. One of these forms of treatment is radiation therapy which is used, often in combination with other types of treatment, on roughly half of all cancer sufferers.
Radiation is often utilized in the treatment of cancer in order to control malignant cells and shrink tumors. Due to its harmful effects, physicians often attempt to limit the radiation to other parts of the body. This is accomplished by focusing the radiation on the tumor itself. However, the radiation field often may include normal tissue around the tumor to allow for uncertainties in the position of the tumor. One cause of these uncertainties is the natural movement of organs in the body which cause the position and shape of the tumor to change. Unfortunately, by increasing the field of the radiation, the normal tissue can also be affected. Radiation to these areas may cause side effects during treatment, in a period of time after the treatment, or cumulative side effects from re-treatment. To avoid this result, shaped radiation beams are often aimed from several angles to intersect at the tumor. Because these beams do not change direction with the movement of the tumor, excess radiation is received in a marginal volume around and including the tumor and its possible spatial deformation and positions.
Newer techniques allow for radiation to be aimed such that it follows the movement of the tumor and synchronizes the delivery of the radiation with this movement to limit the excess radiation. The equipment for this process is very complex and even small deviations can have large repercussions. To avoid these deviations, the equipment must frequently be calibrated and the quality of the results must be assured.
In radiation protection, or health physics, a phantom is a device that simulates the human body or part of the human body and is used to calibrate or test the calibration of a detector that measures radiation emanating from within the body. Phantoms can be used in the calibration of radiation delivery devices. However, most phantoms do not provide an accurate representation of the movements internal to the human body and the movement of a tumor within the body. Thus, the calibrations of these radiation delivery devices are not as accurate as they might be particularly with regard to the calibration of systems and methods employed and embodied in these devices to track patient, organ, and tumor/target motions.
In a living human patient, such motions may not always be predictable, having apparently spontaneous variation in rate, depth, etc., due to complex physiological, somatic, and psychological controls. A phantom that can simulate organ and tumor/target movement within the moving body in a more lifelike manner allows the proper calibration and quality assurance of such radiation delivery devices that track organ, tumor/target, and body motion and consequently and programmatically adjust radiation delivery. Furthermore, the organ, tumor/target, and body motion should include both predictable and spontaneous movements to accurately mimic the s of same of an actual human patient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a phantom that has the ability to mimic the breathing of a living patient by inflating and deflating its lungs. The phantom is realistic in physical and radiographical appearance, action, and composition. A computer hosts control software that communicates with a control interface. This control interface communicates with a pneumatic motion controller. The pneumatic motion controller ultimately controls the moving components of the breathing phantom. The patterns of lung inflation and deflation of the breathing phantom are determined by the control software. The software program generates lung inflation and deflation in simulation of life-like breathing patterns including: coughing, sneezing, singletus, holding breath, and hyperventilation.
In one exemplary embodiment, the present invention is an apparatus for calibrating a motion-tracking enabled radiation therapy machine comprising a synthetic skin in the shape of a body, a synthetic inflatable lung within the skin, and a controller connected to the lung. The controller inflates and deflates the lung to mimic the respiratory movement of a living patient.
In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention is an apparatus for calibrating a motion-tracking enabled radiation therapy machine comprising a body that has substantially similar radiation attenuation properties to that of living tissue, a radiation detector within the body, an inflatable lung within the body, and an inflator attached to the lung, capable of mimicking the respiratory movement of a living patient.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, the present invention is a method of calibrating a motion-tracking enabled radiation therapy machine comprising the steps of testing the radiation therapy machine on a phantom, and adjusting the radiation therapy machine based on the results. The phantom is of the type having an inflatable lung with the ability to mimic respiratory movement of a living patient, and containing a moving target which also may contain a type of device that detects and measures radiation dose and spatial dose distribution.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a schematic of a radiation calibration device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic of a personal computer according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a control interface according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of an electro-pneumatic motion controller according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5A shows a schematic view of a breathing phantom according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5B shows a perspective of a breathing phantom according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6A shows a proportional front view of a breathing phantom according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6B shows a proportional side view of a breathing phantom according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6C shows a proportional bottom view of a breathing phantom according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 shows an X-ray of a breathing phantom according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 shows a flow chart for a radiation calibration method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a phantom that has the ability to mimic the breathing of a living patient by inflating and deflating its lungs. The phantom is realistic in physical and radiographical appearance, action, and composition. An additional and asynchronous motion is provided for by a target incorporated into the respiring device. Another feature is the application of the invention in the calibration of X-ray and infrared systems used in radiation therapy treatment machines to track the radiation beam with the motion of a target, or tumor, within a moving system. The clinical application of radiation is regional and the present invention is designed to mimic the motion of lung, chest-wall, overlying dermis, and the independent motion of a tumor within a lung. In the invention, these motions are programmatically controlled and may be made similar or dissimilar in predictable fashion. In a living human patient, the motion may not always be predictable, having apparently spontaneous variation in rate, depth, etc., due to complex physiological, somatic, and psychological controls. The invention allows for the predictable simulation of such statistical variations under general program control using standard pseudo-random numerical generation. In the field of radiation use for humans, clinical, research, weapons development, and health physics, such a device is called a phantom, alluding to the mannequin nature of the device. Thus, a feature of this invention is a “breathing phantom.”
A “phantom”, as used in this disclosure, refers to a device that simulates the human body or part of the human body and is used to calibrate or test the calibration of a radiation therapy machine. A “target”, as used in this disclosure, refers to the physical volume within the phantom that acts as a tumor. The target reacts in the presence of radiation, whether by housing radiation detectors, having radiation sensitive material, etc. A “radiation detector”, as used in this disclosure, is any device or material that gives a user feedback on the amount of radiation it has received. A radiation detector could be an electronic device that sends readouts to a computer, a material that decays or changes colors when exposed to radiation, or anything else capable of determining levels of radiation.
The invention is comprised of four interacting, communicating systems. A computer 120 hosts control software that communicates with a control interface 140 . Control interface 140 communicates with a motion controller 160 . Motion controller 160 ultimately controls the moving components of the breathing phantom 180 . The patterns of lung inflation and deflation of the breathing phantom is determined by the control software.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment the control computer 120 contains software ultimately used to create movement in the phantom 180 . This control computer 120 is connected to a control interface 140 by a connection, such as a USB digital connection, and sends signals through this connection. Alternatively, the connection could be made utilizing any standard or purpose-designed computer digital signaling interface that is capable of maintaining data integrity and communication rates appropriate to the connection. The control interface 140 communicates with an electro-pneumatic motion controller 160 , in a feedback control system. This communication includes sending an analog signal to the motion controller 160 in order to create movement in the lungs 183 . The control interface's communication with the motion controller 160 also includes sending a signal through the motion actuator 186 to control the target 184 . The motion controller 160 provides feedback on the movement of the target 184 . The electro-pneumatic motion controller 160 provides regulated air pressure to the lungs 183 of the breathing phantom 180 . This is accomplished through a conduit 166 , such as an air hose, that is connected to the base of the lungs 183 . The motion controller 160 also provides regulated air pressure to the target motion actuator 186 . This actuator 186 moves the target 184 in a rectilinear motion. In other embodiments, the actuator 186 also moves the target 184 in rotational or asymmetric or random directions.
FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of the control computer. In this embodiment, the operating system 221 controls software 222 on the control computer 220 . This software 222 creates a chest motion waveform 223 and target waveform 224 which will create the desired motions in the phantom. The inputs 225 and outputs 226 allow the control computer 220 to communicate with the control interface.
The personal computer control software includes several components. The operating system 221 of the computer is commercially (or otherwise) available software enabling the discrete and integrated logic of an electronic computer circuit and ancillary systems to perform computational and data processing functions. In the present embodiment, common systems software 221 includes MICROSOFT WINDOWS, LINUX (versions of UNIX), and APPLE COMPUTER CORP′S MAC OS, which provide the platform for an engineering and automation development system 222 , such as NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS LABVIEW, in which custom Virtual Instrumentation software is devised for the purpose of automating and controlling the breathing phantom.
FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of the control interface of the present invention. The control interface 340 may be a hardware electronic device that provides signals 344 / 346 representing the temporal pressure waves that translate into motion of the breathing phantom and target subsystem. The control interface 340 translates, with an onboard Digital to Analog (D/A) converter 341 , the programmed digitized waveforms 326 into analog voltage signals. These analog voltage signals 344 / 346 are interpreted within the electro-pneumatic motion controller sub-system and translated into pneumatic pressure patterns applied to the breathing phantom. The control interface 340 generates control signals for each component, target 344 and lung 346 , allowing for independent and uncoupled motion. In practice, these motions will be coupled to simulate a target that is attached to the pleura or chest wall. The control interface 340 provides for the real-time read-back of achieved pressure waveforms from the electro-pneumatic motion controller, allowing servo control. The control interface 340 is realized in an integrated product such as MEASUREMENT COMPUTING CORPORATION, model USB-1208LS, that is comprised of a USB interface (digital Universal Serial Bus standard), digital Input/Output logic, eight channels of Analog to Digital voltage input, and two channels of Digital to Analog conversion for voltage output. The inputs are used to sense and convert signals read-back from the motion controller and the outputs are applied to the motion controller to control pressures applied to the breathing phantom. Analog input and output connections have a range of 0 to 5V direct current. These signals are communicated via standard network cable of Category 5e/6 specification over distances of up to 150 feet.
FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of an electro-pneumatic motion controller of the present invention. This motion controller 460 is generally comprised of an air pump 461 , power supply 462 , target pressure regulator 463 , and chest motion pressure regulator 464 . The motion controller 460 receives signals 444 / 446 from the control interface. Signals are received for both lung control 446 and target control 444 . When these signals 444 / 446 are received, the power supply 462 supplies power to the air pump 461 , chest motion pressure regulator 464 , and target pressure regulator 463 . The air pump 461 produces air which is regulated by the pressure regulators 463 / 464 . The target pressure regulator 463 sends air pressure through a conduit 465 , such as a hose, to the target actuator. The chest motion pressure regulator 464 sends air through a conduit 466 , such as a hose, into the lungs of the phantom. The motion controller 460 sends both target feedback 443 and chest motion feedback 445 to the control interface.
In one exemplary embodiment, the electro-pneumatic motion controller 460 is comprised of standard industrial components: a pressurizing air-pump, a 25 Watt, 24 Volt (DC) power supply that powers both electro-pneumatic air pressure regulators for target motion and for lung respiration motion, hose connections communicating pressures controlled by regulators to the breathing phantom target and lung subsystems. The motion controller also has a provision for power inlet from building power at 115 VAC nominal, signal input/output via a Category 5e/6 connector, and pressurized air source ports.
FIG. 5A shows an exemplary embodiment of a breathing phantom according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the phantom 580 is generally comprised of a torso with a skin 581 , lungs 583 , and a target 584 . A target motion actuator 586 receives air pressure through a hose 565 from the target pressure regulator. This air pressure is converted to linear motion in an actuator rod 585 which is connected to the target 584 and can move the target 584 within the phantom 580 . In other embodiments the air pressure may also be converted to rotational or other desired motion of the actuator rod 585 , allowing the target 584 to rotate or perform other motion in addition to the linear movement. The air pressure from the chest motion pressure regulator travels through a hose 566 and into the base of the lungs 583 . This air pressure allows the lung 583 to be inflated and deflated to simulate breathing motion.
In one exemplary embodiment of the breathing phantom, the torso mannequin 580 is comprised of a complex plastic simulation of a humanoid torso including lungs 583 , ribcage/chest-wall bone 582 , skin and sub-dermis 581 , and a target 584 within one lung volume. The target 584 is comprised of a sensor holder. This allows for the measurement of radiation using various measuring tools including but not limited to TLD (thermo-luminescent detectors), radiochromic film(s), and telemetric MOSFET detectors which can be positioned within target assemblies of various geometries. With respect to the target actuator 586 , the target 584 is attached to the end of the linear actuator moving rod 585 . Regulated pressure acts against a return spring to move the target in a nonlinear rate of motion along the axis of the actuator motion. In one embodiment, this is accomplished using an electrically operated linear actuator in which an electrical solenoid acts against a return spring in a similar fashion.
Under the programmed application of increasing and decreasing air pressure, the phantom lungs 583 inflate with air and deflate to replicate human lung respiratory function. As the lungs expand and contract, the simulated ribcage bones 582 also move as does the anterior and antero-lateral skin surface 581 . Under the independent programmed application of air pressure to one of several industry standard pneumatic motion actuators 586 , target motion within one phantom lung is accomplished in linear, rotational, or combined motions. In one embodiment, the actuator is an SMC CORPORATION model NCQ8B065-125S linear cylinder with pneumatic extension and spring return. In this embodiment, the target motion is linear. Further embodiments utilize an actuator capable of rotating the target or multiple actuators to accomplish both linear and rotational motion. The materials and composition of the phantom are devised to be a faithful simulation of the physical form of a human thorax and to the radiological image properties, such as plastic or elasto-plastic. The particular type of material to be used in this invention would be apparent to one having ordinary skill in the art after consideration of the present disclosure.
FIG. 5B shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the breathing phantom. From this view, one can see the skin 581 and sub-dermis. The skin 581 covers the ribcage and chest wall, which house the lungs 583 and target. The air hose 566 can be seen running into the base of the right lung 583 , where it delivers air into the lung.
FIG. 6A shows a proportional front view of an exemplary embodiment of the phantom. In this embodiment, the lungs 683 are a single structure. An air port 667 allows the lungs 683 to be inflated and deflated to simulate human breathing. At the same time, an actuator rod (not shown) inserted through the tumor port 687 allows for a target volume to be moved independent of the rest of the phantom 680 . In this embodiment, the phantom 680 is covered in a synthetic skin 681 which has similar radiation attenuation properties to that of human skin.
FIG. 6B shows a proportional side view of an exemplary embodiment of the phantom. In this embodiment, the ribs 682 are located adjacent to the lungs 683 and above the air port 667 and tumor port 687 . The air port 667 and tumor port 687 are approximately centered with respect to the side of the lungs 683 .
FIG. 6C shows a proportional bottom view of an exemplary embodiment of the phantom. In this embodiment, the tumor port 687 and air port 667 are approximately centered on the bottom of the lungs 683 . The ribs 682 and spinal column 688 allow for a more human like simulation as they will affect the travel of radiation into the phantom 680 .
FIG. 7 shows a transmission radiograph x-ray examination of an embodiment of the present invention. This x-ray shows a device that looks similar to a human thorax. A cross-sectional image set using x-ray computed tomography provides the same result. This remains true during programmed motion(s). From the x-ray, one can see the lung volumes 783 , as well as the air port 767 at the bottom of one lung (e.g., right lung) where it connects to the air hose. The springs and metal pieces from the target actuator 786 can be seen towards the bottom of the other lung (e.g., left) 783 . The ribcage 782 and a backbone can be seen as well.
FIG. 8 shows a method of using the phantom to calibrate a radiation therapy machine according to one exemplary embodiment. The method first entails loading a breathing phantom 890 onto a radiation therapy machine. Radiation is then delivered 891 to a target within the phantom. This could be accomplished using respiration guided radiation delivery 893 or image guided radiation delivery 892 . During the radiation delivery, the lungs of the phantom inflate and deflate 894 , mimicking the breathing of a human. This will cause movement in the target. However, at this same time, the user can choose whether to independently move the target 895 . During radiation delivery, the radiation therapy machine systems and methods track phantom respiratory and target motions to provide servo-controlled adaptation of radiation delivery to the motion(s). During the radiation delivery and during phantom and target motions, the radiation therapy machine servo mechanisms are adjusted 896 to match the known phantom and target motions and predictions of expected radiation dose measures. If the radiation delivery performance is within performance expectations 897 , the process terminates. If radiation delivery performance specifications are not met, however, the radiation delivery system is re-calibrated 898 . After re-calibration 898 , the sequence of events will start again, with delivery of radiation 891 .
The described four component system is but one exemplary embodiment of the breathing phantom invention. Other embodiments would be identifiable by one versed in the field of humanoid simulation for radiological applications and in the allied fields of industrial and laboratory control and automation.
The foregoing disclosure of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many variations and modifications of the embodiments described herein will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the above disclosure. The scope of the invention is to be defined only by the claims appended hereto, and by their equivalents.
Further, in describing representative embodiments of the present invention, the specification may have presented the method and/or process of the present invention as a particular sequence of steps. However, to the extent that the method or process does not rely on the particular order of steps set forth herein, the method or process should not be limited to the particular sequence of steps described. As one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, other sequences of steps may be possible. Therefore, the particular order of the steps set forth in the specification should not be construed as limitations on the claims. In addition, the claims directed to the method and/or process of the present invention should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written, and one skilled in the art can readily appreciate that the sequences may be varied and still remain within the spirit and scope of the present invention. | Devices and methods are disclosed which relate to the calibration and quality assurance of motion tracking enabled radiation therapy machines. A phantom, capable of mimicking human breathing through inflation and deflation of the lungs, houses an independently moving target (tumor) that detects the amount of radiation received from the radiation therapy machine. This amount can be compared with a desired amount to determine if adjustment or repositioning is necessary. The servo-mechanism(s) of the motion tracking enabled radiation therapy machine(s) are adjusted in comparison of detected versus programmed motion of the respiring phantom having incorporated independently moving target that incorporated radiation dose detector(s). In the invention, motion tracking and irradiation mechanisms of the radiation therapy machine are adjusted to calibrate with reference to performance specifications of the radiation therapy machine. | 0 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 500,422, filed Aug. 26, 1974, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,947,927.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In carrying ski equipment, particularly over the long distances from parking lot to ski lift, it is desirable to be able to tie the equipment together to form a compact bundle that can be carried in one hand by means of a handle. Conventional ties are only suitable for holding skis together, are bulky and awkward to use and, because of angular metal parts, are difficult and, indeed, dangerours to carry while skiing. In my prior application Ser. No. 500,422, I describe a tie which readily assembles to securely strap any size skis and poles together, which is rapidly released, and which is easily and safely carried about when not in use. The tie comprises an elongate, flexible tape having opposite free end segments which matingly engage adjacent portions of a central segment on the same tape side via coupling surfaces formed of interengagable filamentary loops and hooks. The free end segments are threaded through respective ones of a pair of eyes operable on the opposite tape side, are bent back, cinched tightly and coupled to the central segment to form a figure eight, the loops of which separately enclose the skis and poles.
Material formed with such loops or hooks is relatively costly. The present invention provides a tie which uses substantially less such material by extending the eyes by means of elongate lengths of bare strap material. In particular, the eyes are distally carried by strap material secured to the aforesaid opposite tape side.
A pair of ties can be used to secure the opposite ends of an assembly of a pair of skis and a pair of poles. When not in use, each tie can be simply wrapped around a ski pole and secured thereon by its own coupling surfaces, or safely carried unobtrusively in one's pocket. When the skis are stored, the ties can be used in single loop fashion to secure them together without affecting the camber of the skis. Prior art cited in prosecution of my prior application Ser. No. 500,422 is U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,486,672 to Esopi, 3,430,299 to Copen, 3,653,565 to McAusland and 3,307,872 to Murcott.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tie according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tie of FIG. 1 formed into a figure eight configuration;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pair of skis and a pair of ski poles strapped together with ties of this invention; and
FIG. 4 is a view on line 4--4 of FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to FIG. 1, in one embodiment, a tie 10 of the present invention is in the form of an elongate strip of flexible tape material which can be of cloth, polymer yarn, plastic or the like, and is exemplified by a nylon tape. The strip includes a central segment 12 and two free end segments 14 and 16 integrally connected thereto. The upper surface of each end segment 14 and 16 is provided with means which couple with conjugate means on the upper surface of the central segment 12. In the present illustration, the upper surface of each end segment 14 and 16 consists of a multiplicity of small filamentary hook members of curled or crinkled configuration constituting a sort of mat surface. The upper surface of the central segment 12 is formed of a mating surface consisting of a multiplicity of small loops made of filamentary material, the material being stiff enough so that the loops project outwardly from the face of the tape. The two types of surfaces display the property that when they are brought into juxtaposition, a number of the individual filamentary hook members become intertwined with the outwardly projecting loops and thereby retain the parts in coupled or fastened relation. Preferably, the interengaging surfaces are those incorporated in fastening tapes sold commercially under the trademark "VELCRO" by Velcro Corp., New York, New York. In this regard, one or more of the following VELCRO U.S. Patents can be of interest: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,717,437, 3,000,084, 3,009,235, 3,076,244, 3,130,111, 3,147,528, 3,154,837, 3,192,589 and 3,387,345.
The surfaces may be readily separated from one another by peeling apart, but when fastened, they strongly resist longitudinal movement. For convenience of reference, the surfaces of the end segments 14 and 16, with their individual filamentary hook members forming mats, may be referred to as male surfaces, while the surface of the central segment 12 with its multiplicity of loops of filamentary material may be referred to as a female surface.
Referring further to FIG. 1, the present tie also includes a pair of eyes 18 and 20, each formed of metal or plastic loops. Each eye 18 and 20 is connected to the central segment 12 so as to be operable on the smooth side 13 (FIG. 2) of the tape, opposite the filamentary material; i.e., the eyes 18 and 20 serve as loops for the end segments 14 and 16 whereby the end segments 14 and 16 can be doubled back, cinched tightly and coupled to the central segment 12 to form the loops of a figure eight. The eyes 18 and 20 are secured at the distal ends of elongate lengths 17 and 19 of strap material. The strap material is secured, such as by stitches 21, to the smooth tape side 13 intermediate the end segments 14 and 16. The lengths 17 and 19 of strap material can be defined by the ends of a single piece of material, as shown, or can be individual pieces separately secured to the smooth tape side 13. In either case, the proximal regions of the resultant lengths 17 and 19 are secured so as to be spaced longitudinally from the end segments 14 and 16 and from at least a portion of the adjacent mating surfaces therefor of the central region 12. In the embodiment illustrated, the strap material lengths 17 and 19 are located closely adjacent one to the other approximately midway of the length of the tie.
One length 19 of strap material can be substantially longer than the other length 17, in this embodiment at least twice as long. By such configuration, loops of appropriate different sizes can be formed, as will be described hereinafter, for securement of skis and ski poles, respectively and to each other. The lengths 17 and 19 of strap material can be formed of any desired flexible substance such as cloth, polymer yarn, plastic or the like, a particularly useful material being polypropylene webbing.
The eyes 18 and 20 are secured to the distal lengths 17 and 19 of strip material by passing the strap material through the respective eye and forming retaining loops 22 and 24 by stitching such as at 26 and 28.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the end segments 14 and 16 are joined to the central segments 12 by stitching 32 and 34. Alternatively, the end segments 14 and 16 can be joined to the central segment 12 by means of heat-sealing adhesive, as known, applied to a top surface portion of the central segment 12 from which the filamentary female surface has been removed (or which is originally manufactured with a bare surface). It will be appreciated that a reverse configuration can be used and that the other junctions which are illustrated in FIG. 1 as stitched can also be connected by the use of heat-sealing adhesive or the like.
Referring now to FIG. 2, to form a figure eight configuration, each end segment 14 and 16 is threaded through an eye 18 and 20, respectively, and doubled back so that its male surface matingly confronts the adjacent female surface of the central segment 12.
Referring to FIG. 3, there is illustrated the manner of securement of a pair of skis 38 and 40 and ski poles 42 and 44. The end segment 14 of the tie 10 is wrapped around the poles 42 and 44, threaded through its eye 18, doubled back, cinched tightly, and secured against an adjacent female portion of the central segment 12. In like manner, the end segment 16 of the tie 10 is wrapped around one end of the skis 38 and 40, threaded through its eye 20, doubled back, cinched tightly, and secured against an adjacent female portion of the central segment 12. In similar manner, the opposite ends of the ski poles 42 and 44 and skis 38 and 40 are secured by a second tie 10'.
The length of tape segment 12 between the proximal ends of the strap material lengths 17 and 19 constitutes a spacer segment 46 separating the skis and poles. Its length is such as to cause the baskets 43 and 45 of the poles 42 and 44, repectively, to pull tightly against the edge of the skis 38 and 40, flexing about its rubber or leather axle. The result is a firm securement of the poles to the skis. Additionally, the loner strap material length 19 should be sufficiently long so that the eye 20 thereon is located along a side of one of the skis when the spacer segment 46 is positioned over the center of the two skis 38 and 40 and the tie 10 is tightly cinched.
Referring additionally to FIG. 4, I have found that for a wide variety of pole basket shapes and skis, a suitable dimension for the spacer segment 46 is about 1/2 inch as indicated at 52. A desirable length for the longer strap material length 19 is 3 inches or more. For a particular embodiment, the length which bears the female portion of the tie is about 71/2 and that of each male free end segment 14 and 16 is about 13/4 inches. Tapes 1/2 inch to 2 inches wide can be used. The result is a compact, rigidly secured bundle which can be gripped centrally by the poles, e.g. at 47, and carried. When it is desired to untie the equipment, the ties 10 and 10' are merely peeled apart and can then be wrapped around the tops of the poles 42 or 44 or else are easily carried in a pocket. Additionally, when it is desired to store the skis 38 and 40, the ties can be used as simple straps, securing the skis 38 and 40 together at their ends, e.g. at 48 and 50, thereby preserving the camber of the skis. | A tie useful for securing together a pair of skis and a pair of ski poles for ease of carrying them as one unit with the poles acting as a carrying handle. The tie includes an elongate, flexible tape having opposite free end segments which matingly engage adjacent portions of a central segment on the same tape via filamentary loops and hooks. Eyes are distally carried by lengths of strap material secured to the opposite tape side. The free tape end segments are threadable through the eyes and are bent back and coupled to the central segment to form a figure eight, the loops of which separately enclose the skis and poles. | 8 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application relates to and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of Provisional Application Serial No. 60/159,717 filed Oct. 15, 1999 by the same inventor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to seals for use in a mechanical press and more particularly to seals which are selectively engageable and have low maintenance requirements. Specifically, this invention relates to the use of selectively engageable seals to control lubricant leakage in a mechanical press.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mechanical presses of the type performing stamping and drawing operations employ a conventional construction that includes a frame structure having a crown and a bed and which supports a slide in a manner enabling reciprocating movement toward and away from the bed. Conventional presses additionally include a gib. A gib is a mechanism in stamping or drawing presses which works to contain the lateral motion of a reciprocating slide in a direction substantially normal to the direction of the slide's reciprocating movement.
Press machines are widely used for a variety of workpiece operations and employ a large selection of die sets, with the press machine varying considerably in size and available tonnage depending on its intended use.
State of the art mechanical presses provide lubrication between the gib and the slide to facilitate and contain slide movement. The lubrication contained between the slide and the gib has a tendency to be pushed out and may leak onto the bed of a press. Factors such as press speed, tipping moment, applied load, and wear contribute to the likelihood of lubrication leaks.
Lubrication from portions of a mechanical press contained in the crown (among other places) may leak into the area between the slide and the gib. Additional lubricant entering the area between the gib and the slide exacerbates the problem of lubrication exiting the area between the gib and the slide and possibly finding its way onto the bed of the mechanical press. Leaking lubricant from other portions of a mechanical press (e.g. the crown) may also leak into other portions of the press (e.g. the bed) and cause problems.
Leaking lubricant may pass from the gib, down the slide and onto the parts being stamped on the press. In some production environments, oil leaks will cause scrapping of stamped product which leads to increased cost and production time.
Different sealing arrangements have been utilized in an effort to prevent lubricant from contacting stock material in a mechanical press. Current state of the art seals include seals which have flexible wiper portions which experience mechanical wear. This mechanical wear causes these seals to fail and leak. Frequent removal and replacement of these seals necessitate that the press be off-line and disassembled to obtain service access to the gib assembly.
What is needed in the art is a seal mechanism for sealing the area between the gib and the slide of a mechanical press in which the seal mechanism is adjustable controlled, and does not require frequent maintenance.
What is additionally needed in the art is a seal mechanism for a mechanical press which is selectively actuatable depending upon the operating condition of the mechanical press.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to improve upon the aforementioned mechanical press sealing mechanisms, wherein it is desired to prevent lubricant from contacting stock material without experiencing frequent down time for seal replacement. The present invention also improves upon the current state of the art sealing mechanisms for a mechanical press by providing a selectively actuatable sealing arrangement which is responsive to press operational condition.
The present invention provides a seal mechanism for a mechanical press which includes seal surfaces which can be selectively engaged and are made from a highly wear resistant, low friction material.
The invention, in one form thereof, comprises a press which includes a sealing mechanism. The press includes a bed which is connected to a pair of uprights. The uprights are further connected to a crown. In this form of the current invention, the press includes a gib attached to the press and a selectively inflatable seal. The selectively inflatable seal is connected to the press and can be disposed between the slide and the uprights, the slide and the crown, or the slide and the gib.
The invention, in another form thereof, comprises a press which includes a selectively inflatable seal. In this form, an inflator selectively inflates the linear seal. A controller, which selectively actuates the inflator may be employed. The controller receives values corresponding to press operational condition and signals the inflator to inflate the linear seals when one of the values exceeds a predetermined measure. The values received by the controller include, for example, a measure of press tipping moment, a measure of applied load, a measure of press speed and/or a measure of sensed oil leaks.
The invention, in another form thereof, comprises a press including a press frame. A slide is mounted within the frame for reciprocation relative to the frame. A gib is connected to the frame and a plurality of linear seals are located between the gib and the slide and selectively form a cavity therebetween. In one form of the current invention, the linear seals are lengthwise substantially parallel to the direction in which the slide reciprocates.
The invention, in another form thereof, includes a plurality of wear plates which have wear plate contact surfaces and which maintain a position between the slide and the gib. The wear plates are connected either to the slide or the gib and are configured such that the wear plate contact surfaces are opposite and substantially parallel to gib contact surfaces or slide contact surfaces, respectively. A plurality of linear seals selectively form a cavity with the gib and the slide. The plurality of wear plates are located within the cavity. In one form of the current invention, the wear plates have a surface finish that is approximately within the range of 16 to 32 microfinish.
The invention, in another form thereof, includes a plurality of linear strips of wear material which are affixed to a plurality of linear seals such that when the linear seals are actuated, the linear strips of wear material contact the slide and form the seal contact surface. The strips of wear material are formed from a highly wear resistant, low friction material which can be, for example, TEFLON or TURCITE.
The invention, in another form thereof, comprises a press which includes a press frame. A slide is mounted within the frame for reciprocation relative to the frame and a gib is connected to the frame. A plurality of linear seals selectively form a cavity with the gib and the slide. A collection means, for example, a collection tray, collects lubricant from the cavity.
The invention, in another form thereof, comprises a press including a plurality of inflatable linear seals which selectively form a cavity with the slide and the gib of the press. In this form, an inflator selectively inflates the linear seals. A controller, which selectively actuates the inflator may be employed. In one form of the current invention, the controller receives values corresponding to press operational conditions and signals the inflator to inflate the linear seals when one of the values exceeds a predetermined measure. The values received by the controller include, for example, a measure of press tipping moment, a measure of applied load, a measure of press speed and/or a measure of sensed oil leaks.
The invention, in another form thereof, comprises a press which includes a press frame. A slide is mounted within the press frame for reciprocation relative thereto. A gib is connected to the frame and includes a plurality of linear grooves. A plurality of linear seals occupy the grooves in the gib and selectively form a cavity with the gib and the slide. The plurality of linear seals comprise a plurality of linear strips of steel which have sealing surfaces. A plurality of linear strips of wear material are affixed to the sealing surfaces of the plurality of linear strips of steel. In this form, the linear grooves include pressure chambers which selectively apply a pressure to the linear seals causing the linear seals to form a cavity with the gib and the slide.
The invention, in another form thereof, comprises a press which includes a press frame. A slide is mounted within the press frame for reciprocation relative thereto. A gib is connected to the frame and a linear seal surrounds the slide and selectively forms a seal between the slide and the gib.
The invention, in another form thereof, comprises a press. The press includes a frame and a slide mounted within the frame for reciprocation relative thereto. The slide has four corners each of which has a front-to-rear and a left-to-right touch surface. A plurality of wear plates having wear plate contact surfaces are affixed to each of the touch surfaces of the slide. In this form, the invention includes a plurality of seal contact blocks which correspond in number to the wear plates. One of said plurality of seal contact blocks extends outwardly from each wear plate. A gib is affixed to the frame and has a plurality of gib contact surfaces corresponding in number to the wear plates. The gib contact surfaces are opposite and substantially parallel to the wear plate contact surfaces. A plurality of inflatable linear seals are connected to the gib. One of the plurality of linear seals selectively contacts each of the contact blocks. In this way, the linear inflatable seals form four sealed cavities one at each of the four corners of the slide. Each of the sealed cavities vertically encloses the front-to-rear and the left-to-right touch surface at each corner of the slide. A linear strip of wear material is affixed to each of the linear seals such that it forms the surface of the linear seal which contacts the slide. A collection tray is configured for collecting lubricant from each of the sealed cavities.
An advantage of the present invention is the ability to prevent lubricant from contacting stock material without utilizing a sealing arrangement which requires frequent maintenance.
Another advantage of the present invention is that the seals of the present invention may be selectively engaged depending upon the operational condition of the mechanical press.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a mechanical press incorporating the sealing arrangement of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top sectional view of the slide and the gib of a mechanical press including an embodiment of the sealing arrangement of the current invention;
FIG. 3 is a top sectional view of the slide and the gib of a mechanical press including an embodiment-of the sealing arrangement of the current invention;
FIG. 4 is a top sectional view of the slide and the gib of a mechanical press including an embodiment of the sealing arrangement of the current invention; and
FIG. 5 is a top sectional view of the slide and the gib of a mechanical press including an embodiment of the sealing arrangement of the current invention.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, mechanical press 10 comprises a crown assembly 12 , a bed 14 having a bolster assembly 16 connected thereto and uprights 18 connecting crown assembly 12 with bed 14 . Uprights 18 are connected to or integral with the underside of crown assembly 12 and the upper side of the bed 14 . Tie rods 20 extend through crown assembly 12 , uprights 18 and bed 14 and are attached on each end with tie rod nuts 22 . Leg members 24 are formed as an extension of bed 14 and are generally mounted on the shop floor 28 by means of shock absorbing pads 26 .
Drive mechanism 30 is attached to crown assembly 12 of mechanical press 10 and connected by a clutch/brake mechanism (not shown) to a standard crankshaft (not shown) to which connecting rods 32 are attached. A slide 34 is operatively connected to connecting rods 32 . During operation, drive mechanism 30 rotates the crankshaft (not shown) which operates the eccentrically connected connecting rods 32 to cause slide 34 to reciprocate in a rectilinear fashion toward and away from bed 14 .
FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the seal mechanism of the current invention. Specifically, FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the sealing arrangement utilized at a corner of slide 34 . A seal mechanism in accordance with the current invention could be utilized at each corner of slide 34 . As slide 34 reciprocates during press operation, the sealing arrangement of the current invention works to prevent lubrication from exiting-the area between slide 34 and gib 50 .
Slide 34 includes front-to-rear touch surface 88 and right-to-left touch surface 90 . Front-to-rear wear plate 52 is connected to slide 34 at front-to-rear touch surface 88 . Right-to-left wear plate 54 is connected to right-to-left touch surface 90 of slide 34 . Front-to-rear wear plate 52 includes front-to-rear wear plate contact surface 60 . Right-to-left wear plate 54 includes right-to-left wear plate contact surface 62 .
Gib 50 includes gib contact surfaces 66 which are opposite and substantially parallel to front-to-rear wear plate contact surface 60 and right-to-left wear plate contact surface 62 . Seal contact blocks 86 are connected to slide 34 and have a surface finish that is approximately within the range of 16 to 32 microfinish.
Linear inflatable seals 56 are connected to gib 50 and include wear material 70 positioned on the sealing surface of linear inflatable seals 56 . Inflator 74 is operatively connected to linear inflatable seals 56 . Controller 76 is communicatively connected to inflator 74 .
During press operation, controller 76 will signal inflator 74 to inflate linear inflatable seals 56 when necessary. Upon actuation, linear inflatable seals 56 will contact seal contact blocks 86 and form a sealed cavity 64 . Collection tray 72 is operatively located beneath sealed cavity 64 . In some embodiments, the cavity may remain open at particular locations to control captured oil flow.
Controller 76 may be manually operated or may receive signals corresponding to the operational state of the press from sensors (not shown) and automatically signal inflator 74 to actuate linear inflatable seals 56 when a particular press operational value exceeds a predetermined measure. Such sensed values can include values corresponding to press tipping moment, applied load, press speed, or sensed oil leaks.
FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the sealing arrangement taught by the current invention. In this embodiment, linear inflatable seals 56 are connected to gib 50 through seal mounting blocks 92 . In this embodiment, linear inflatable seals 56 have a sealing surface which contains wear material 70 . Upon inflation of linear inflatable seals 56 , wear material 70 contacts front-to-rear wear plate 52 and right-to-left wear plate 54 and forms sealed cavity 64 .
FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the sealing arrangement of the current invention. In this embodiment, front-to-rear wear plate 52 and right-to-left wear plate 54 are connected to gib 50 . Slide 34 includes slide contact surfaces 68 which are opposite and substantially parallel to front-to-rear wear plate contact surface 60 and right-to-left wear plate contact surface 62 . Linear inflatable seals 56 are connected to gib 50 by way of seal mounting blocks 92 and selectively form sealed cavity 64 .
FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the current invention which utilizes linear seals 58 . Linear seals 58 are formed from linear strips of steel which have sealing surfaces. Wear material 70 is connected to the sealing surfaces of linear seals 58 . Gib 50 includes linear grooves 78 which house linear seals 58 . Linear grooves 78 include bearings 82 and pressure chambers 84 . Inflator 74 is operatively connected to pressure chambers 84 and is communicatively connected to controller 76 .
Slide 34 includes front-to-rear touch surface 88 and right-to-left touch surface 90 . Front-to-rear wear plate 52 and right-to-left wear plate 54 are connected to front-to-rear touch surface 88 and right-to-left touch surface 90 , respectively.
Gib 50 includes gib contact surfaces 66 which are opposite and substantially parallel to front-to-rear wear plate contact surface 60 and right-to-left wear plate contact surface 62 . Upon actuation, linear seals 58 form sealed cavity 64 . Collection tray 72 is operatively located to receive lubrication exiting sealed cavity 64 .
While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims. | An apparatus which forms a controlled engageable low maintenance seal between the slide and the gib of a mechanical press and which prevents lubricant from exiting the area between the slide and the gib and entering the die space. The sealing arrangement is selectively actuatable depending upon an operational condition of the press. | 1 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/410,739 filed Nov. 5, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The U.S. Government has certain rights pursuant to grants from the National Science Foundation through Grant Number DMR-0820341 and in part by the NSF through Grant Number DMR-0922680.
The present invention is directed to an improved method and system for analyzing properties of particles including particle size, indices of refraction, controlling particle porosity development and particle porosity characterization measured by holographic characterization. More particularly the invention concerns a method, system and computerized method of analysis for characterization of particle porosity by determining refractive indices of particles, such as colloidal spheres, by holographic video microscopy.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The properties of colloidal particles synthesized by emulsion polymerization typically are characterized by methods such as light scattering, whose results reflect averages over bulk samples. Therefore even as many applications advance toward single-sphere implementations, methods for characterizing colloidal spheres typically offer only sample-averaged overviews of such properties as spheres' sizes and porosities. Moreover, such characterization methods as mercury adsorption porosimetry, nitrogen isotherm porosimetry, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray tomography require preparation steps that may affect particles' properties. Consequently, such methods do not allow for determining porosity for individual particles, particularly in suspension nor allow characterization of porosity development in particles and can even modify particle properties. Consequently, a substantial need exists for a method and system for determining particle porosity and analyzing its development in particles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The recent introduction of holographic characterization techniques now has enabled direct characterization of the radius and refractive index of individual colloidal spheres with very high resolution. Such article-resolved measurements, in turn, provide previously unavailable information on the distribution of properties in colloidal dispersions. We have used these techniques to be able to measure the porosity of individual colloidal spheres, and to probe the processes by which porosity develops during their synthesis.
The objects, aspects, variations and features of the invention will become more apparent and have a fuller understanding of the scope of the invention described in the description hereinafter when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings described hereinbelow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows an in-line holographic video microscope system;
FIG. 2A illustrates a holographic video microscope image of a nominally 1.2 μm diameter polystyrene sphere in water; and FIG. 2B shows a fit of the image in 2 A to the predictions of Lorenz-Mie theory for the sphere's position, {right arrow over (r p )}(t), its radius, a p , and its refractive index, n p ; and FIG. 2C shows a distribution of measured radii and refractive indexes for a randomly selected sample of 2,500 spheres such as the example in FIG. 2A ; each point represents the result for one sphere and has distribution values of gray scale level as noted in the side bar of FIG. 2C , the relative probability density ρ(a p ,n p ) for finding spheres of radius a p and refractive index n p ;
FIG. 3A shows a holographic video microscope image of a nominally 1.5 μm diameter silica sphere in water; FIG. 3B shows a fit of the image in FIG. 3A to the predictions of Lorenz-Mie theory for the sphere's position, {right arrow over (r)} p (t), its radius, a p , and its refractive index, n p ; and FIG. 3C shows distribution of measured radii and refractive indexes for a randomly-selected sample of 1,000 similar spheres, and each point represents the result for one sphere and value levels are determined by the gray scale side bar indicator of FIG. 3C for the relative probability density ρ(a p ,n p ) for finding spheres of radius a p and refractive index n p ;
FIG. 4A illustrates a distribution of droplet sizes and refractive indexes for emulsified silicone oil in water; FIG. 4B shows anti-correlated properties of a monodisperse sample of emulsion polymerized silica spheres in water; and FIG. 4C shows equivalent results for a monodisperse sample of PMMA spheres in water (note for each of these figures the gray scale side bar indicator of FIG. 3C can be used to determine value levels);
FIG. 5A illustrates distribution of the scaled volumes and porosities of individual colloidal spheres composed of polystyrene (from the data in FIG. 2C ); FIG. 5B shows silica (see FIG. 4B ), and FIG. 5C shows PMMA (see FIG. 4C ) (note for each of these figures the gray scale side bar indicator of FIG. 3C can be used to determine value levels); and
FIG. 6A shows distribution of the scaled volumes and porosities of individual colloidal spheres composed of (a) silica (from the data in FIG. 3C ; FIG. 6B shows styrene ( FIGS. 3B and 3C ) and PMMA ( FIG. 6C ), all dispersed in water; lower distributions were computed for the value of n 2 that eliminates correlations between p and V p (1−p); upper plots show the distribution of scaled particle volumes for these optimal values, together with fits to Gaussian distributions (note for each of these figures the gray scale side bar indicator of FIG. 3C can be used to determine value levels).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The method and system includes an in-line holographic video microscope system 10 in which individual colloidal spheres are illuminated by the collimated beam 20 from a fiber-coupled diode laser 30 (iFlex Viper, λ=640 nm, 5 mW) on the stage of an otherwise conventional light microscope 40 (Nikon TE 2000U). Light 45 scattered by a sample particle 35 , such as for example a sphere, interferes with the unscattered portion of the beam 20 in the focal plane of the microscope's objective lens 50 (Nikon Plan-Apo, 100×, numerical aperture 1.4, oil immersion). The preferred form of the system 10 includes eyepiece 70 . The interference 55 pattern is magnified by the microscope system 10 , and its intensity is recorded with a video camera 60 (NEC TI-324AII) at 30 frames/s and a resolution of 135 nm/pixel. The example in FIG. 2A shows the hologram of a polystyrene sphere dispersed in water.
Each particle's image is digitized at a nominal 8 bits/pixel intensity resolution and analyzed using predictions of the Lorenz-Mie theory of light scattering to obtain the particle's position in three dimensions, its radius, and its complex refractive index. FIG. 2B shows the pixel-by-pixel fit to the measured hologram in FIG. 1 . The microscope system 10 is defocused for these measurements so that each particle's interference pattern subtends a 100×100 pixel field of view. Motion blurring is minimized by setting the camera's exposure time to 0.1 ms and the illuminating laser's intensity is regulated to make optimal use of the recording system's dynamic range. Fitting to such a large amount of data reliably yields estimates for the adjustable parameters with part-per-thousand resolution.
Hereinafter, we shall describe the method and system of the invention in the context of the particle being a sphere, although the method and system can be readily applied to any particle shape by well known modification of the Lorenz-Mie method or use of other well known analytical formalisms. The data in FIG. 2C were collected from 5,000 polystyrene spheres selected at random from a monodisperse sample (Duke Scientific, catalog number 5153, lot 26621). The suspension was diluted with deionized water so that no more than 10 spheres were in the field of view at any time, and was flowed in a microfluidic channel past the observation volume at a peak speed of 100 μm/s. The entire data set was acquired in 15 min. Each data point in FIG. 2C represents the radius and refractive index of a single sphere, with error bars comparable in size to the plot symbols. Individual symbols are shown for various gray scale levels according to the sample-estimated probability density ρ(a p ,n p ) for finding a sphere with radius a p and refractive index n p (see side bar indicator of FIG. 3C for levels of values).
These results suggest a mean particle radius a p =0.778±0.007 μm that is consistent with the manufacturer's specification. The mean refractive index n p =1.572±0.003 is significantly smaller than the value of 1.5866 obtained for bulk polystyrene at the imaging wavelength. It is consistent with previous bulk measurements on colloidal polystyrene spheres.
More surprising is the distinct anti-correlation between radius and refractive index revealed by the data in FIG. 2C . Such a relationship could not have been detected with bulk probes, such as dynamic light scattering. It suggests that the larger particles in a sample are less optically dense than those on the smaller end of the distribution, and thus presumably more porous.
Each data point in FIG. 3C represents the radius and refractive index of a particular silica sphere, with error bars comparable in size to the plot symbol. The entire plot comprises results for 1,000 spheres selected at random from a monodisperse sample (Duke Scientific, catalog number 8150), with plot symbols in gray scale (see side bar for indicator of levels of values) according to the sample-estimated relative probability density; ρ(a p ,n p ), for finding a sphere of radius a p and refractive index n p . These data were obtained by flowing the aqueous dispersion through a microfluidic channel past the observation volume at a peak speed of 100 μm/2. This is slow enough that motion blurring has no measureable influence on the characterization results. The suspension was diluted with deionized water to the point that no more than 10 spheres were in the field of view at any time, thereby minimizing overlap between neighboring spheres' scattering patterns. The entire data set was acquired in 5 min.
The spheres' average radius a p =0.786±0.015 μm is consistent with the manufacturer's specification. By contrast, the mean refractive index n p =1.444±0.007 is significantly smaller than the value of 1.4568 for fused silica at the imaging wavelength. Similar discrepancies have been reported in previous measurements on dispersions of colloidal silica spheres.
The data in FIG. 3C also reveal a distinct anticorrelation between radius and refractive index. Such a relationship could not have been detected with bulk probes, such as dynamic light scattering. It suggests that the larger particles in a sample are less optically dense than those on the smaller end of the size distribution.
The data in FIG. 4A-4C demonstrate that observed anti-correlation is not an artifact of the technique, but rather is a common feature of colloidal samples synthesized by emulsion polymerization. FIG. 4A shows results for a very polydisperse sample of silicone oil droplets (Dow Corning 200 fluid) stabilized with Pluronic L92 surfactant in water. Although the range of particle radii is large, the distribution of refractive indexes are consistent with a bulk value of n p =1.404±0.002 within the part-per-thousand resolution estimated from the uncertainty in the fitting parameters. This is reasonable because the droplets all are composed of the identical material and are not at all porous and contain fluid at bulk density. Results for smaller droplets are more strongly influenced by the surfactant, which has a bulk refractive index of 1.38. Variation in surfactant coverage thus causes variation in the apparent refractive index. The peak of the probability distribution nevertheless falls within error estimates of the refractive index of bulk silicone oil for all sizes. The lack of covariance between measured radii and refractive indexes in this sample therefore demonstrates the absence of instrumental or analytical bias in the methods used to study emulsion polymerized colloidal samples.
The data in FIGS. 4B and 4C show additional results for monodisperse aqueous dispersions of colloidal silica spheres (Duke Scientific, catalog number 8150) and colloidal polymethymethacrylate (PMMA, Bangs Laboratory, catalog number PP04N) spheres, respectively, both synthesized by emulsion polymerization. These samples both display anti-correlations between size and refractive index comparable to that of the polystyrene sample in FIGS. 2A-2C , but with different correlation coefficients. Observations on similar samples obtained from different manufacturers reveal a range of apparent correlation coefficients that may reflect differing growth conditions.
In view of the above generalization, chemically synthesized colloidal spheres are known to be less dense than the bulk material from which they are formed. The difference may take the form of voids that can be filled with other media, such as the fluid in which the spheres are dispersed. A sphere's porosity p is the fraction of its volume comprised of such pores. If the pores are distributed uniformly throughout the sphere on lengthscales smaller than the wavelength of light, their influence on the sphere's refractive index may be estimated with effective medium theory. Specifically, if the bulk material has refractive index n 1 and the pores have refractive index n 2 , then the sphere's porosity is related to its effective refractive index n p by the Lorentz-Lorenz relation.
p = f ( n p ) - f ( n 2 ) f ( n 1 ) - f ( n 2 ) ( 1 )
where f(n)=(n 2 −1)(n 2 +2). Provided that n 2 can be determined, Eqn. (1) provides a basis for measuring the porosity of individual colloidal spheres in situ.
The value of n 2 is readily obtained in two limiting cases. If the suspending medium wets the particle, then it also is likely to fill its pores. In that case, we expect n 2 =n m , where n m is refractive index of the medium. If, at the other extreme, the particle repels the solvent, then the pores might better be treated as voids with n 2 =1.
We can model the growth of a colloidal sphere as the accretion of N monomers of specific volume v. Assuming a typical sphere to be comprised of a large number of monomers, and further assuming that all of the spheres in a dispersion grow under similar conditions, the probability distribution for the number of monomers in a sphere is given by the central limit theorem:
P N ( N ) = 1 σ N 2 π exp ( - [ N - N 0 ] 2 2 σ N 2 ) , ( 2 )
where N 0 is the mean number of monomers in a sphere and σ N 2 is the variance in that number.
Were each sphere to grow with optimal density, its volume would be Nv. Development of porosity p during the growth process increases the growing sphere's volume to
V
p
=
4
3
π
a
p
3
=
vN
1
-
p
,
(
3
)
The probability distribution for finding a sphere of volume V therefore depends on the porosity:
P ( V p | p ) = 1 - p σ V 2 π exp ( - [ V p ( 1 - p ) - N 0 v ] 2 2 σ V 2 ) , ( 4 )
where σ v =vσ N . An individual sphere's porosity, in turn, can be estimated from its measured refractive index through the Lorentz-Lorenz relation (Eqn. (1) above) where n 1 is the refractive index of the sphere at optimal density, n 2 is the refractive index of the surrounding fluid medium, and f(n)=(n 2 −1)/(n 2 +2). If the porosity develops uniformly as a particle grows, then the probability distribution P p (p) of particle porosities will be independent of size. In that case, the joint probability
P ( V p ,p )= P v ( V p \p ) P p ( p ) (5)
may be factored into a term that depends only on porosity p and another that depends only on the rescaled volume V p (1−p). In another form of the invention other analytical methods can be used to measure porosity, such as the “parallel model” where n p =p n (1−p)n 2 or the series model where 1/n p =p/n 1 +(1−p)n 2 .
If, furthermore, a sphere's porosity develops uniformly as it grows, Eqs. (3) and (4) suggest that the rescaled volume, V p (1−p), should be independent of porosity p. This is indeed the case for the data in FIG. 2C whose marked anti-correlation largely (although not completely) disappears when replotted in FIG. 5A . Here, we have used n 1 =1.5866 for bulk polystyrene and n 2 =1.3324 for water. Comparably good results are obtained with the silica spheres from FIG. 4B (n 1 =1.4568) and the EMMA spheres from FIG. 5C (n 1 =1.4887).
Small residual anti-correlations between scaled volume and porosity, particularly evident in the silica data in FIG. 5B , primarily arise in the tails of the size and porosity distribution. Considering only those spheres in the upper half of the relative probability distributions in FIGS. 5A-5C remove any statistically significant relationship as measured by Kendall's rank correlation test. The residual covariance between p and V p (1−p) is less than 10−4 for the high-probability fraction in all three samples. The observed correlations in the complete data sets therefore arise primarily in the tails of the distribution, and may reflect real temporal or spatial variations in the growth conditions. The absence of correlations in the highest-probability sample is consistent with the simplified model for the development of porosity, and also with the use of effective medium theory for interpreting individual spheres' light-scattering properties. More specifically, our neglect of radial gradients in porosity appears to be justified for the samples we have investigated.
Within the assumptions of the model of Eqns. (1)-(5), the correct choice for n 2 should decorrelate the rescaled volume V p (1−p) and the porosity p. We therefore select the value of n 2 for which the Pearson's correlation coefficient between p and V p (1−p) vanishes. The scatter plots in FIGS. 6A-6C show the distribution of particle volumes and porosities obtained with these optimal values of n 2 . The upper plots show estimates for P V (V p \p) obtained by integration over p, together with fits to the anticipated Gaussian form. Agreement is good enough in all three cases to justify the use of eqn (4) to interpret the experimental data.
The results for the silica sample in FIG. 6A were obtained using n 1 =1.4568 for fused silica. The estimated value of n 2 =1.31±0.03 is consistent with the value of 1.3324 for water at the imaging wavelength. This suggests that pores in the hydrophilic silica spheres are filled with water. The associated mean porosity, p=0.092±0.004, is comparable to the 8 percent porosity determined by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption for similar samples.
The equivalent results for the polystyrene sample in FIG. 6B were obtained using n 1 =1.5866 for bulk polystyrene. In this case, the estimate value of n 2 =1.13±0.05 is substantially smaller than the refractive index of either water or styrene. Rather than solvent-filled voids, the pores in the spheres seem rather to represent density fluctuations in the cross-linked polymer matrix. The failure of water to invade these pores is consistent with the hydrophobicity of polystyrene. With these choices for n 1 and n 2 , the sample-averaged porosity is estimated to be p=0.054±0.008.
More surprisingly, the results for water-borne PMMA spheres plotted in FIG. 6C yield n 2 =1.33±0.01, and therefore suggest that the spheres' pores are filled with water, even though PMMA is hydrophobic. The porosity, p=0.02±0.01, estimated using n 1 =1.4887 for bulk PMMA, is comparable to previously reported values for similar spheres. Whereas, the polystyrene spheres appear to exclude water, the substantially less porous PMMA spheres seem to imbibe it. These observations suggest either that the two samples have substantially different pore morphologies, or else that hydrophilic groups are present within the pores of the PMMA sample.
The values obtained for single-particle porosities should be interpreted carefully and in some cases account for inhomogeneity in a particle's porosity. In some embodiments, the pores are assumed to be substantially filled with the same fluid in which the spheres are dispersed, and furthermore that the imbibed fluid retains its bulk refractive index. Departures from these assumptions can possibly give rise to some errors in the estimated porosity values. Even though single-particle values for n p are believed to be both precise and accurate, the precision of the porosity distributions in the previous embodiment needs to be carefully constructed and evaluated.
Correlations in the radii and refractive indexes of colloiodal spheres measured through holographic particle characterization can be ascribed to porosity. Holographic characterization, therefore, can be used to assess the porosity of individual colloidal spheres and to gain insight into the medium filling their pores.
The present implementation uses sample averages to infer the refractive index of the medium filling the individual spheres' pores. Given this parameter, the porosity can be estimated for each sphere individually. The need to aggregate data from multiple particles could be eliminated by performing holographic characterization measurements in multiple wavelengths simultaneously. The resulting spectroscopic information, in principle, could be used to characterize both the porosity of a single sphere and also the medium filling its pores in a single snapshot.
Particle-resolved porosimetry probes the mechanisms by which porosity develops in samples of emulsion-polymerized colloidal spheres. For the samples we have studied, porosity appears to have developed uniformly as the particles grew, both within individual spheres, and throughout the sample as a whole. Differences between results for polystyrene and PMMA samples point to possible differences in the shapes or properties of their pores.
Holographic particle characterization can therefore be used to assess the porosity of individual colloidal particles and insights into the methods by which porosity develops in samples of emulsion-polymerized colloidal spheres and other particle shapes. For the variety of samples we have studied, porosity appears to develop with a probability distribution that is largely independent of the distribution of monomer number in the spheres. This leads to an apparent anti-correlation in the distribution of particles' radii and refractive indexes, which is stronger in more porous materials and is entirely absent in fully dense spheres. These observations, in turn, have ramifications for possible uses of emulsion polymerized colloidal particles in such applications as colloidal photonics.
In another aspect of the invention a conventional computer system can execute computer software stored in an appropriate memory, such as a ROM or RAM memory, embodying the analytical methodologies set forth hereinbefore to determine porosity of the subject particles.
The foregoing description of embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the present invention in various embodiments, and with various modifications, as are suited to the particular use contemplated. | A method for analyzing porosity of a particle and a medium disposed in the porosity of the particle. A video-holographic microscope is provided to analyze interference patterns produced by providing a laser source to output a collimated beam, scattering the collimated beam off a particle and interacting with an unscattered beam to generate the interference pattern for analyzation to determine the refractive index of the particle and a medium disposed in the porosity of the particle to measure porosity and the medium. | 6 |
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 14/298,484, filed Jun. 6, 2014, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REAMING WELL BORE SURFACES NEARER THE CENTER OF DRIFT,” which is a continuation of U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 13/442,316, filed Apr. 9, 2012, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REAMING WELL BORE SURFACES NEARER THE CENTER OF DRIFT,” which claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/473,587, filed Apr. 8, 2011, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REAMING WELL BORE SURFACES NEARER THE CENTER OF DRIFT.” U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 14/298,484 is also a continuation of U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 13/517,870, filed Jun. 14, 2012, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REAMING WELL BORE SURFACES NEARER THE CENTER OF DRIFT,” which is a continuation of U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 13/441,230, filed Apr. 6, 2012, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REAMING WELL BORE SURFACES NEARER THE CENTER OF DRIFT,” which claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/473,587, filed Apr. 8, 2011, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REAMING WELL BORE SURFACES NEARER THE CENTER OF DRIFT.” U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 14/298,484 is also a continuation of U.S. non-provisional application Ser. No. 13/644,218, filed Oct. 3, 2012, entitled “WELLBORE CONDITIONING SYSTEM,” which claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/566,079, filed Dec. 3, 2011, and 61/542,601, filed Oct. 3, 2011, both entitled “WELLBORE CONDITIONING SYSTEM.” All of which are hereby specifically and entirely incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention is directed to methods and devices for drilling well bores, specifically, the invention is directed to methods and devices for increasing the drift diameter and improving the quality of a well bore.
2. Background of the Invention
[0003] Horizontal, directional, S curve, and most vertical wells are drilled with a bit driven by a bent housing downhole mud/air motor, which can be orientated to build or drop angle and can turn right or left. The drill string is orientated to point the bent housing mud/air motor in the desired direction. This is commonly called “sliding”. Sliding forces the drill bit to navigate along the desired path, with the rest of the drill string to following.
[0004] Repeated correcting of the direction of the well bore causes micro-ledging and “doglegs,” inducing friction and drag between the well bore and the bottom hole assembly and drill string. This undesired friction causes several negatives on the drilling process, including but not limited to: increasing torque and drag, ineffective weighting on bit transfer, eccentric wearing on the drill string and BHA, increasing the number of days to drill the well, drill string failures, limiting the distance the well bore can be extended, and issues related to inserting the production string into the well bore.
[0005] When a dogleg, spiraled path, or tortuous path is cut by a drill bit, the relatively unobstructed passageway following the center of the well bore may yield a smaller diameter than the well bore itself. This relatively unobstructed passageway is sometimes referred to as the “drift” and the nominal diameter of the passageway is sometimes referred to as the “drift diameter”. The “drift” of a passageway is generally formed by well bore surfaces forming the inside radii of curves along the path of the well bore. Passage of pipe or tools through the relatively unobstructed drift of the well bore is sometimes referred to as “drift” or “drifting”.
[0006] In general, to address these difficulties the drift diameter has been enlarged with conventional reaming techniques by enlarging the diameter of the entire well bore. Such reaming has been completed as an additional step, after drilling of the well bore is completed. Doing so has been necessary to avoid unacceptable increases in torque and drag during drilling. Such additional reaming runs add considerable expense and time to completion of the well. Moreover, conventional reaming techniques frequently do not improve the well bore, but instead simply enlarge certain areas of the well bore.
[0007] Accordingly, a need exists for a reamer that reduces the torque and drag on the drill string and produces closer to drift well bore.
[0008] A need also exists for a reamer capable of enlarging the diameter of the well bore drift passageway, without needing to enlarge the diameter of the entire well bore.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention overcomes the problems and disadvantages associated with current strategies, designs and provides new tools and methods of drilling well bores.
[0010] One embodiment of the invention is directed to a well bore reaming device. The device comprises a drill string, a bit coupled to the drill string, a bottom hole assembly coupled to the drill string, a bottom eccentric reamer coupled to the drill string, and a top eccentric reamer coupled to the drill string. The bottom and top eccentric reamers are diametrically opposed on the drill string.
[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the device further comprises cutting elements coupled to the top eccentric reamer and to the bottom eccentric reamer. Preferably, the cutting elements of the bottom eccentric reamer have a prearranged orientation with respect to the orientation of the cutting elements coupled to the top eccentric reamer. Each eccentric reamer preferably comprises multiple sets of cutting elements. In the preferred embodiment, each set of cutting elements are arranged along a spiral path along the surface of each eccentric reamer. In the preferred embodiment, the device further comprises a flow area adjacent to each set of cutting elements.
[0012] Preferably, the bottom eccentric reamer and the top eccentric reamer are spaced at a prearranged position. The outermost radius of the bottom and top eccentric reamers is preferably less than the innermost radius of the well bore and casing. In the preferred embodiment, the bottom eccentric reamer is identical to the top eccentric reamer.
[0013] Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a method of reaming a well bore. The method comprises providing a drill string, providing drill bit coupled to the drill string, providing a bottom hole assembly coupled to the drill string, providing bottom eccentric reamer coupled to the drill string, providing top eccentric reamer coupled to the drill string, positioning the top and bottom eccentric reamers at diametrically opposed positions on the drill string, and rotating the drill string in the well bore.
[0014] The method preferably further comprises coupling cutting elements to the top eccentric reamer and to the bottom eccentric reamer. The cutting elements coupled to the bottom eccentric reamer preferably have a prearranged orientation with respect to the orientation of the cutting elements coupled to the top eccentric reamer. Preferably, the method further comprises providing each eccentric reamer with multiple sets of cutting elements.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises arranging each set of cutting elements along a spiral path along the surface of each eccentric reamer. Preferably, the method further comprises providing a flow area adjacent to each set of cutting elements. The method, preferably, further comprises spacing the bottom eccentric reamer and the top eccentric reamer at a prearranged spacing and orientation. Preferably the outermost radius of the bottom and top eccentric reamers is less than the innermost radius of the well bore and casing. The first eccentric reamer is preferably identical to the second eccentric reamer.
[0016] Other embodiments and advantages of the invention are set forth in part in the description, which follows, and in part, may be obvious from this description, or may be learned from the practice of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0017] The invention is described in greater detail by way of example only and with reference to the attached drawing, in which:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a cross-section elevation of a horizontal well bore.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a magnification of the down-hole portion of a top reamer.
[0020] FIG. 3 illustrates the layout of cutting elements along a down-hole portion of the bottom reamer.
[0021] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the location and arrangement of cutting elements on another embodiment of a reamer.
[0022] FIG. 6 is an embodiment of a reamer having four sets of cutting elements.
[0023] FIG. 7 illustrates the arrangement of cutting elements on each of four blades.
[0024] FIG. 8 illustrates the eccentricities of a reamer.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] As embodied and broadly described, the disclosures herein provide detailed embodiments of the invention. However, the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. Therefore, there is no intent that specific structural and functional details should be limiting, but rather the intention is that they provide a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
[0026] A problem in the art capable of being solved by the embodiments of the present invention is increasing the drift diameter of a well bore. It has been surprisingly discovered that providing diametrically opposed reamers allows for improved reaming of well bores compared to conventional reamers. This is accomplished, in one embodiment, by cutting away material primarily forming surfaces nearer the center of the drift. Doing so reduces applied power, applied torque and resulting drag compared to conventional reamers that cut into all surfaces of the well bore.
[0027] FIG. 1 depicts a cross-sectional view of a horizontal well bore containing a reamer. The reamer has a bottom eccentric reamer and a top eccentric reamer. The top and bottom eccentric reamers are preferably of a similar construction and are preferably diametrically opposed (i.e. at an angular displacement of approximately 180°) on the drill string. However other angular displacements can be used, for example, 120°, 150°, 210°, or 240°. The diametrically opposed positioning causes the cutting elements of each of the top and bottom reamers to face approximately opposite directions. The reamers are spaced apart and positioned to run behind the bottom hole assembly (BHA). In one embodiment, for example, the eccentric reamers are positioned within a range of approximately 100 to 150 feet from the BHA. Although two reamers are shown, a single reamer or a larger number of reamers could be used in the alternative.
[0028] As shown, the drill string advances to the left as the well is drilled. Each of the reamers preferably has an outermost radius, generally in the area of its cutting elements, less than the inner radius of the well bore. However, the outermost radius of each reamer is preferably greater than the distance of the nearer surfaces from the center of drift. The top and bottom reamers preferably comprise a number of carbide or diamond cutting elements, with each cutting element preferably having a circular face generally facing the path of movement of the cutting element relative to the well bore as the pipe string rotates and advances down hole.
[0029] In FIG. 1 , the bottom reamer begins to engage and cut a surface nearer the center of drift off the well bore shown. As will be appreciated, the bottom reamer, when rotated, cuts away portions of the nearer surface of the well bore, while cutting substantially less or none of the surface farther from the center of drift, generally on the opposite side of the well. The top reamer performs a similar function, reamer nearer the center of drift as the drill string advances. Each reamer is preferably spaced from the BHA and any other reamer to allow the centerline of the pipe string adjacent the reamer to be offset from the center of the well bore toward the center of drift or aligned with the center of drift.
[0030] FIG. 2 is a magnification of the down-hole portion of the top reamer as the reamer advances to begin contact with a surface of the well bore nearer the center of drift. As the reamer advances and rotates, the existing hole is widened along the surface nearer the center of drift, thereby widening the drift diameter of the hole. It will be appreciated that the drill string and reamer advance through the well bore along a path generally following the center of drift and displaced from the center of the existing hole.
[0031] FIG. 3 illustrates the layout of cutting structure along a down-hole portion of the bottom reamer illustrated in FIG. 1 . Four sets of cutting elements, Sets A, B, C and D, are angularly separated about the exterior of the bottom reamer. FIG. 3 shows the position of the cutting elements of each Set as they pass the bottom-most position shown in FIG. 1 when the bottom reamer rotates. As the reamer rotates, Sets A, B, C and D pass the bottom-most position in succession. The Sets of cutting elements are arranged on a substantially circular surface having a center eccentrically displaced from the center of rotation of the drill string.
[0032] Each of the Sets of cutting elements are preferably arranged along a spiral path along the surface of the bottom reamer, with the down-hole cutting element leading as the reamer rotates (e.g., see FIG. 6 ). Sets A and B of the reamer cutting elements are positioned to have outermost reamers forming a 6⅛ inch diameter path when the pipe string is rotated. The cutting elements of Set B are preferably positioned to be rotated through the bottom-most point of the bottom reamer between the rotational path of the cutting elements of Set A. The cutting elements of Set C are positioned to have outermost cutting faces forming a six inch diameter when rotated, and are preferably positioned to be rotated through the bottom-most point of the bottom reamer between the rotational path of the cutting elements of Set B. The cutting elements of Set D are positioned to have outermost reamers forming a 5⅞ inch diameter when rotated, and are preferably positioned to be rotated through the bottom-most point of the bottom reamer between the rotational path of the cutting elements of Set C.
[0033] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the location and arrangement of Sets 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 of cutting elements on another reamer embodiment. Sets 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 of cutting elements are each arranged to form a path of rotation having respective diameters of 5⅝ inches, 6 inches, 6⅛ inches and 6⅛ inches. FIG. 5 illustrates the relative position of each of Sets 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 of cutting elements. The cutting elements of Set 2 are preferably positioned to be rotated through the bottom-most point of the reamer between the rotational path of the cutting elements of Set 1 . The cutting elements of Set 3 are preferably positioned to be rotated through the bottom-most point of the reamer between the rotational path of the cutting elements of Set 2 . The cutting elements of Set 4 are preferably positioned to be rotated through the bottom-most point of the reamer between the rotational path of the cutting elements of Set 3 .
[0034] FIG. 6 is a photograph illustrating an embodiment of a reamer having four sets of cutting element, with each set arranged in a spiral orientation along a curved surface having a center eccentric with respect to the drill pipe on which the reamer is mounted. Adjacent and in front of each set of cutting elements is a flow area formed in the surface of the reamer. The flow area allow fluids, such as drilling mud for example, and cuttings to flow past the reamer and exit away from the reamer's cutting structure during operation.
[0035] The positioning and arrangement of Sets of cutting elements may be rearranged to suit particular applications. For example, the alignment of the Sets of cutting elements relative to the centerline of the drill string, and the distance between the bottom eccentric face and the top eccentric face along with the outer diameter of the reamer body can be adjusted to each application.
[0036] FIG. 7 depicts the blades of an embodiment of a reamer. The reamer is designed to side-ream the “near” side of a directionally near horizontal well bore that is crooked to straighten the crooks. As the 5.25″ body of the reamer is pulled into the “near” side of the crook the cut of the rotating reamer will be forced to rotate about the body's threaded center and cut an increasingly larger radius into just the “near” side of the crook without cutting the opposite side. This cutting action will act to straighten the crooked hole without following the original bore hole path.
[0037] FIG. 8 depicts the radial layout of an embodiment of a reamer. The tops of the PDC cutters in each of the two eccentrics of the reamer rotate about the threaded center of the tool and are placed at increasing radii starting with the No. 1 cutter at 2.750″ R. The cutters' radii increase 0.018″ ever 5 degrees through cutter No. 17, where the radii become constant at the maximum of 3.062″ which is the 6.125″ maximum diameter of the tool.
[0038] Other embodiments and uses of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. All references cited herein, including all publications, U.S. and foreign patents and patent applications, are specifically and entirely incorporated by reference. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered exemplary only with the true scope and spirit of the invention indicated by the following claims. Furthermore, the term “comprising of” includes the terms “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of.” | A well bore reaming device and method are disclosed. The device includes a drill string, a bottom eccentric reamer coupled to the drill string, and a top eccentric reamer coupled to the drill string, wherein the bottom and top eccentric reamers have a prearranged spacing and orientation. | 4 |
REFERENCE TO PROVISIONAL APPLICATION
[0001] This application is based on and hereby refers to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/723,121, filed Oct. 3, 2005, entitled “Collapsible Sidewalk and Similar Assemblies for Facility Protection Against Incursions by Automotive or Other Vehicles,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by this reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to systems and techniques for inhibiting vehicle movement in an area of interest and more particularly, but not exclusively, to systems incorporating compressible or other deformable materials that may hamper certain vehicular movement while admitting, for example, pedestrian or other traffic.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Terrorist targets may include buildings, monuments, or other fixed (or slowly-moving) structures located in urban or suburban areas. Because of their static locations in, typically, well-paved places, these fixed structures may be particularly susceptible to attacks by automobiles, trucks, buses, or other land-based vehicles. Vehicular traffic indeed is common on roadways adjacent to many of these fixed structures; should a threat vehicle exit a roadway and approach an unprotected fixed structure rapidly, it conceivably could impact the structure, or come sufficiently close to the structure to damage it via detonation of on-board explosives, before countermanding action may occur.
[0004] Accordingly, various systems have been designed to protect fixed structures from land-based vehicular attack. Guard posts with moveable barriers (“check points”) constitute one mechanism for deterring threat vehicles, for example. Other mechanisms include bollards (or other posts) positioned either in a roadway or between a roadway and an object to be protected. Existing bollards may either be embedded in the ground or in a suitable foundation or elevated from a storage position underground to a raised, above-ground position. The former bollards are frequently referred to as “passive” devices, as their positions are fixed, while the latter bollards—and other moveable barriers—are denoted “active” ones.
[0005] Another fixed-object protective system is disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0018711 of Rogers, et al., published after the filing date of the provisional application to which this application claims priority. Detailed in the Rogers publication is a four-part vehicle barrier system. In a first part, roadway surfaces and traffic patterns are devised to reduce maximum travel speeds of moving vehicles. Thereafter, vehicles exiting legitimate roadways must traverse a “first impact element” (typically a curb), a deformable bed, and a “second impact element” (such as a wall) before transiting to the protected structure. In combination, these elements are intended to arrest forward motion of the vehicle.
[0006] Identified in the Rogers publication as constituting the deformable bed is compressible cellular concrete of Engineered Arresting Systems Corporation (ESCO), the assignee of this application. See Rogers ¶0038. Among patents issued to ESCO's predecessor-in-interest is U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,681 to Angley, et al., which describes utilizing beds of cellular concrete to decelerate vehicles including landing fixed-wing aircraft past ends of runways. Because weights and speeds of landing aircraft are high relative to those of land-based vehicles, arresting beds must be of substantial strength to slow the aircraft without damaging it. As noted in the Angley '681 patent, cellular concrete may be formulated to have adequate strength for this purpose.
[0007] Also described in the Angley '681 patent are apparatus and methods of determining compressive gradient strength (CGS) of arresting materials. For purposes of arresting runaway aircraft, materials having CGS of approximately 60/80 or 80/100 usually are used. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,025 to Angley, et al., col. 4, 11. 5-10. However, such materials may not deform adequately to arrest vehicles of lesser weights.
[0008] Accordingly, ESCO developed cellular concrete of lower CGS for land-based vehicle arresting purposes. Further, because the four-part system of the Rogers publication is impractical in some situations, alternatives to these systems need be devised. Such alternative systems beneficially may inhibit vehicle incursions without need of the first and second impact elements of the Rogers publication, although either or both elements may be included if desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention provides these sorts of alternative protection systems. Incorporated into the systems are deformable materials sufficient to disable certain vehicular traffic yet support weights and weight distributions typically associated with pedestrian or other non-threat traffic. The materials may comprise any deformable substance suitable to accomplish this objective, with presently-preferred materials including either or both of low-CGS cellular concrete and foamed glass. Hollow shapes of ceramic or glass additionally may form or be incorporated into the deformable materials.
[0010] Consistent with the present invention, deformable materials may be positioned above, at, or below grade. Examples of above-grade positioning include ramps and steps, while below-grade positioning may, for example, be in the form of beds within pits. Plastics or other water-impervious or —inhibiting materials may be coated onto or laminated or otherwise attached or bonded to the deformable materials to limit or prevent egress of moisture. Otherwise exposed surfaces of the deformable materials may be covered by cobblestones, pavers, dirt, or other landscaping supplies, with the coverings functioning (at least in certain circumstances) to distribute loads over different areas. Such coverings additionally may be selected to improve aesthetic appeal of the systems, as they tend to mask (disguise) the presence of the deformable materials. In any event, the coverings are not intended to support the weight of a threat vehicle, although combinations of coverings and deformable materials preferably support expected pedestrian loads.
[0011] Bodies of deformable materials of the invention—whether located above, at, or below grade—further may include either or both of rigid (i.e. generally non-deformable) structures or vehicle-immobilization devices. In one embodiment of the invention, tire-shredding devices are incorporated into a below-grade bed of deformable material. Not only do these devices decelerate vehicles by increasing frictional (drag) forces to which the vehicles are subjected, they also both lower vehicle heights relative to grade (by decreasing air pressure within the tires) and change the point-load characteristics of vehicles within the bed. This latter result further distinguishes vehicle load profiles from those of average pedestrian traffic, enhancing ability of the innovative systems to be optimized for their primary purposes.
[0012] Other versions of the invention alternatively or additionally utilize anchored cables with vehicle grabbing hooks. An exemplary version of this type may operate conceptually similar to anchor and tailhook systems employed to arrest airplanes landing on, for example, aircraft carriers, although land-based vehicles likely will themselves lack tailhooks. Accordingly, vehicle-grabbing hooks of the invention systems will be positioned in conjunction with the deformable materials.
[0013] Versions of deformable materials containing cellular concrete may (but need not necessarily) have wet density of 10-25 pounds per cubic foot (pcf) and preferably (although again not necessarily) have CGS less than 60. If desired, the concrete may be formed in blocks, with an array of blocks comprising the overall threat-inhibiting system. Regardless of composition, the deformable materials preferably remain deformed following contact with threat vehicles; otherwise, they might not function adequately to arrest or disable the vehicles.
[0014] Systems of the present invention alternatively may comprise pits or other areas that are generally hollow (i.e. lacking any bed of deformable material). These areas, denominated “air moats,” typically may (but need not necessarily) include one or more vehicle-immobilization devices masked by a covering. Should a threat vehicle encounter such an area, it will break through the covering into the hollow portion and engage the vehicle-immobilization devices.
[0015] It is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide systems and techniques for disabling certain vehicular traffic while not inhibiting pedestrian or certain other non-threat traffic.
[0016] It is also an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide systems and techniques for positioning deformable materials above, at, or below grade.
[0017] It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide systems and techniques for inhibiting vehicle incursions utilizing cellular concrete or foamed glass as compressible material.
[0018] It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide systems and techniques for covering deformable materials so as to mask the presence of such materials and, in some cases, redistributing loads.
[0019] It is an additional optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide systems and techniques for inhibiting vehicle incursions by incorporating immobilization devices into the deformable materials.
[0020] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in appropriate fields by reference to the remaining text and drawings of this application.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary block of deformable material.
[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates a first alternative block of deformable material into which hollow forms have been incorporated.
[0023] FIG. 3A is a top plan view of a bed of deformable material into which at least one vehicle immobilization device has been incorporated. FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along lines A—A of FIG. 3A .
[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates a bed of deformable material, indicating an exemplary travel path of a threat vehicle within the bed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] FIG. 1 depicts exemplary block 10 of the present invention. As shown, block 10 may comprise material 14 together with exterior layer 18 . Material 14 may be or include any substance suitable for arresting (or at least inhibiting) movement of certain vehicles while supporting weight of and permitting transit of pedestrians. Material 14 preferably is collapsible, or otherwise permanently deformable, under weight of vehicles that could be used to attack buildings, monuments, or other fixed or relatively immobile structures. In some preferred versions of the invention, material 14 comprises cellular concrete having CGS less than sixty and wet density between 10-25 pcf. Alternatively or additionally, material 14 may comprise foamed glass.
[0026] Block 10 may have any dimensions appropriate for its intended purposes. An exemplary version of block 10 has length and width of forty-eight inches and depth of twenty-six inches. Other examples of block 10 may have depths between 15-36 inches and, like the version of FIG. 1 , need not have identical lengths and widths.
[0027] Exterior layer 18 may be coated, applied, bonded, laminated, mechanically connected, or otherwise attached to material 14 . Some versions of block 10 include as exterior layer 18 a plastic coating surrounding all sides of block 10 . Such plastic (or similar) coating is intended to be water-impervious or -inhibiting so as to impede moisture ingress into material 14 . Exterior layer 18 also may serve to channel water or other liquids to edges of a block 10 for drainage or to protect joints between adjacent blocks 10 . Layer 18 further may function as a base for any loose material additionally covering block 10 .
[0028] Multiple blocks 10 may be installed in an array to form arresting bed 22 ( FIG. 4 ). Depicted in FIG. 4 is bed 22 extending below grade (i.e. below roadway R), having been fitted into pit P dug into the ground G or otherwise formed in a foundation. If desired, pit P may be bounded with solid matter on its bottom, top, or sides. Because blocks 10 are pre-formed, such solid matter is not needed to retain material 14 from spreading; instead, the solid matter would be used as another barrier to protect against moisture entering into material 14 .
[0029] Alternatively or additionally, bed 22 may be positioned above grade. For example, bed 22 may comprise a series of steps leading to or from an object. Bed 22 may instead comprise a ramp, bridge, or other transit-facilitating structure.
[0030] For blocks 10 of bed 22 positioned at or above grade, otherwise exposed surfaces 26 may be subject to some sort of treatment 30 . In these instances, treatment 30 may comprise any or all of cobblestones, pavers, dirt, or other landscaping supplies laid atop surfaces 26 and which, if desired, may be pleasing aesthetically to pedestrians. However, treatment 30 may have functional attributes as well, as it serves both to mask or disguise the existence of material 14 (thereby avoiding informing terrorists of the presence of bed 22 ) and, at least in some circumstances, to redistribute loads to which blocks 10 of bed 22 otherwise would be exposed. Indeed, appropriate selection of treatments 30 for a particular bed 22 may facilitate differentiating pedestrian and threat loads to which bed 22 may be subjected, allowing CGS and other characteristics of material 14 to be optimized for the particular bed 22 .
[0031] FIG. 4 illustrates, somewhat schematically, a threat vehicle V—in the form of a truck—exiting roadway R toward bed 22 (covered by treatment 30 ). As vehicle V loads bed 22 , treatment 30 and material 14 will begin collapsing (or otherwise deforming), increasing drag on and thereby inhibiting continued movement of the vehicle V. Arrow 34 generally indicates the path of vehicle V in bed 22 ; at remote end 38 of bed 22 , vehicle V will be sufficiently below grade and travelling sufficiently slowly as to be unable to return to grade. Hence, the multiple “impact elements” of the Rogers publication are not required to be used in connection with the present invention, nor are any special traffic patterns or roadway surfaces needed.
[0032] Certain preferred versions of bed 22 comprise blocks 10 of generally uniform depth and generally uniform CGS. The majority of blocks 10 preferably are shaped as rectangular solids. However, some or all of blocks 10 need not be so shaped, depending on the shape or type of area in which they are to be placed. Likewise, blocks 10 in an array need not have uniform depth, nor need they have uniform CGS. (As an example, blocks 10 adjacent entry end 39 of bed 22 may have lesser CGS than blocks 10 adjacent remote end 38 ; this configuration lowers vehicle V quickly into bed 22 and then slows its speed.) Weights of individual blocks 10 within a bed 22 preferably are within thirty percent of the average weight for all blocks 10 within the bed 22 .
[0033] FIG. 2 details a first alternate block 40 of the present invention. Block 40 may be similar to block 10 in many respects. However, incorporated into block 40 are one or more discrete items 44 . Items 44 may be hollow and preferably are crushable so as to assist material 14 in arresting movement of vehicle V. Non-limiting examples of items 44 include hollow shapes of ceramic or glass.
[0034] Illustrated in FIGS. 3 A-B is bed 22 into which vehicle-immobilization devices 48 have been placed. As depicted, devices 48 comprise sharp objects intended to puncture (inflated) tires of vehicle V. Devices 48 need not be formed as shown in FIGS. 3 A-B, however; instead, they may comprise one or more of any mechanism designed to reduce mobility of a threat vehicle entering bed 22 .
[0035] The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. The contents of the Rogers publication, the Angley '681 patent, and the Angley '025 patent are incorporated herein in their entireties by this reference. | Detailed are systems and techniques for protecting structures from vehicular attack. The systems incorporate deformable materials sufficient to disable or otherwise inhibit certain vehicular traffic yet support weights and weight distributions typically associated with pedestrian or other non-threat traffic. Bodies of deformable materials further may include rigid structures or vehicle-immobilization devices. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to cloth dust collector processes and apparatuses wherein dust laden gas streams are conducted through cloth or fabric filtration elements, thereby separating the dust on the collection side of said elements while allowing the gas stream, freed of its dust burden, to pass through to the exhaust side and to be thereafter removed and treated in any conventional or desired manner. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved detection method for such apparatuses.
In many industrial processes there are produced products or byproducts in suspended dust form, that is to say, in the form of solid particulate matter entrained in a gaseous medium. For instance, furnace and thermal carbon blacks manufactured by the thermal decomposition or partial combustion of hydrocarbonaceous feedstocks are normally first produced in the form of a suspension of the carbon black product entrained in a byproduct flue gas stream. The process stream is conducted from the carbon black forming reactor, cooled and then subjected to product separation and collection. Conventionally, said separation and collection of the carbon black product from the flue gas stream is accomplished by bag filtration thereof.
The general bag filtration and collection technique generally comprises the flowing of a dust laden gaseous stream through one or more porous cloth or fabric bag filtration elements, said elements having a porosity which is, at once, sufficient to allow the gas stream to pass therethrough while being insufficient to allow passage of the dust component. As a result, the dust component is separated from the gas stream and is deposited on the collection side of the filter bags. Means are usually provided by which to periodically remove the collected dust from the bags, such as by repressurization or reversal of the gas flow through the bags, mechanical shaking or vibration of the bags and the like. Upon removal from the filter bags, the separated dust is normally conveyed into a collection hopper and is periodically removed therefrom.
The filter bags are usually composed of woven or unwoven textile materials such as glass, cotton, wool, polyamide or polytetrafluoroethylene fibers. Said filter bags are disposed in one or more compartments of an enclosed bag filter vessel and are affixed to an apertured partition or "cell plate" thereacross which, in essence, divides said vessel into a collection side and an exhaust side and, in consort with the affixed bags, isolates the exhaust side from contact with the dust component introduced into the collection side. In operations the dust laden process stream is introduced into the collection side of the vessel whereupon it flows through the filter bags, thereby to deposit the dust component thereof on the collection side thereof. Meanwhile, the gaseous components of the process stream pass through the filter bags into the exhaust side of the vessel whereupon they are exited and treated or otherwise disposed of in any suitable manner. Generally, the process stream and the bag filtration apparatus are maintained at temperatures above the dewpoint of the process stream in order to mitigate against condensation and occlusion of the filter bags by condensed liquids. During operations, as the dust collects on the filter bags, the pressure drop across the bag filter tends to increase. Thus, it is conventional practice that the filter bags be periodically purged of their respective collected dust burdens upon attainment of a preselected maximum allowable pressure drop across the apparatus, such as by mechanical shaking or by reverse gas flow through the bags. In certain commercially available bag filters the filter bag elements are not, strictly speaking, in the generally tubular "bag" form but rather are envelope-shaped. In some bag filters the filter bags are hung, without substantial support, between an upper hanger plate and the apertured cell plate of the vessel. In other bag filters each filter bag or element is provided with a rigid or semi-rigid cage or screen skeletal support structure and which structure is adapted to prevent stretching or collapse of the filter element. Further details relating to bag filter design and operations may be had by reference to Chemical Engineers' Handbook, John H. Perry, Third Edition, 1950, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., pgs. 1029-1034.
During the course of operations of bag filter apparatus there normally ultimately occurs deterioration of one or more of the filter bags to the extent that leaks develop through which dust can escape from the collection side into the exhaust side of the vessel. Leaks can also develop in the isolating components of the bag filter other than the cloth filter bags themselves such as, for instance, by failures or weldments, gaskets, improper filter bag installations and the like. These leaks, of course, are deleterious since they can lower the collection efficiency of the apparatus and can cause great difficulties in the downstream handling or disposal of the dust adulterated or polluted gas stream conducted from the exhaust side of the bag filter vessel. It is, therefore, obviously necessary that such leaks be detected and remedied. In prior art practice, bag filter leak detection has generally been accomplished simply by arduous, detailed and time consuming visual inspection of the passive bag filter after it has been taken off the process line, purged of noxious gaseous components and cooled. Accordingly, the enclosing vessels of bag filters are normally provided with access hatches which allow entry of service and inspection personnel into the collection and exhaust sides thereof. As mentioned, leak detection is conventionally undertaken by personnel who enter the vessel and undertake careful visual inspection of the interior of the bag filter. Over and above the tedious and time consuming nature of the task, such passive visual inspections also often fail to elicit the locations of all significant leak sites with the result that the bag filter, once repaired to the satisfaction of the inspection and service crew, is often discovered to continue to have significant leaks when placed back into service. This, of course, can require that the filter be again taken off the process line, cooled, purged and reinspected. Passive visual inspection of bag filters is often further complicted and made even more difficult by the nature of the process dust collected therein. Thus, bag filters employed in the separation and collection of a dark colored dust, such as carbon black, are particularly difficult to inspect for leaks since the dust residuum in the bag filter tends to mask leak sites and the uniform dull black or grey colorations of the filter bags normally found in such a bag filter mitigates strongly against effective visual inspection thereof. In accordance with the present invention, however, there is provided a method for bag filter leak detection by which the efficiency and effectiveness of leak detection by visual inspection is markedly improved.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is a principal object of the invention to provide a novel method for detecting leaks in bag filter apparatus.
It is another object of the invention to provide an efficient and effective bag filter leak detection method.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a novel improved visual inspection method for bag filter leak detection whereby filter down time and the number of undetected leaks per inspection are substantially reduced.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, the detection of leaks in bag filter apparatus by visual inspection is facilitated by flowing a tracer composition through the bag filter while visually inspecting the filter from the exhaust side thereof. The tracer composition comprises a gaseous dispersion of a very light fluffy sub-micron particulate contrast medium.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The gaseous component of the leak tracer composition can comprise any gaseous material which is substantially inert with respect to the materials of construction of the bag filter and to the disperse phase contrast medium forming part of the composition. For purposes of convenience and economy as well as for the reason of safety with respect to the presence of inspection personnel, air is a preferred gaseous component for the preparation and use of the leak tracer compositions of the invention.
The disperse phase of the leak tracer composition employed in the method of the invention can be substantially any finely-divided particulate fluffy solid having an average ultimate primary particle diameter of less than about 100 millimicrons, a bulk or apparent density of less than about 10 lbs/ft 3 and which particulate solid has a color which contrasts substantially with that of the dust material normally collected in the bag filter under test. By adherence to these criteria it is assured that the particulate contrast medium employed: (1) can be readily formed into and maintained as a gaseous dispersion thereof; (2) will pass, in the disperse phase, through leak sites of even relatively minute dimensions; and (3) will be sufficiently different in color as to be visually observable as it flows in the disperse phase through such leak sites. Specific examples of colloidally sized particulate materials which can be generally employed as the disperse phase of the tracer compositions of the present invention are: fluffy channel and furnace carbon blacks; colloidal silicas such as those produced commercially by pyrogenic high temperature hydrolysis or oxidation of a silicon compound such as silicon tetrachloride; colloidal polymeric powders such as urea-formaldehyde resins, melamine-formaldehyde resins, polyepoxides, polyesters, polyolefins and the like. For detecting leaks in bag filters employed in the collection of carbon blacks, we have found the so-called "fumed" or pyrogenic silicas to represent a preferred particulate contrast medium. Such fumed silicas are normally characterized by having an average ultimate particle diameter of between about 10 and about 50 millimicrons, an apparent density of between about 2 and about 5 lbs/ft 3 and a white color in bulk form.
In practicing the method of the invention, the bag filter is prepared for inspection in the conventional manner, that is to say, it is taken off the process line and, if the process stream previously flowing thereto has been substantially heated and/or comprises noxious or explosive components, the filter apparatus is cooled and/or purged free of such components. While the tracer dispersion of the invention can be introduced into the collection side of the bag filter vessel by way of the conventional process line inlet ducting or conduit thereinto, it is generally convenient to open an access hatch into the collection side of the vessel and to station a portable blower or fan at the hatch opening. The tracer composition can then be conveniently formed merely by introducing the particulate tracer medium into the suction of the blower serving the collection side of the filter vessel, said blower thereby entraining the medium in the gas flow therethrough and flowing the resulting cloud of gas-dispersed tracer medium through the bag filter. Inspection personnel stationed in the exhaust side of the enclosing bag filter vessel visually inspect the filter bags and other dust isolating structures of the bag filter as the leak tracer composition flows through the bag filter. A leak is generally expressed as an observable discrete stream of the tracer composition flowing through the leak site into the exhaust side of the vessel or by deposition of the particulate tracer medium on surfaces opposite the leak site.
In a specific example of the leak detection method of the invention, there is employed as the test filter a furnace carbon black plant unit bag filter manufactured by Wheelabrator-Frye, Inc., Mishawaka, Ind. Said bag filter comprises a number of separate filtration compartments. Each compartment has disposed therein 264 cloth filter bags, each said bag having a length of twelve feet and a diameter of 51/2 inches. The normal process stream handled by this bag filter is furnace carbon black suspended in byproduct flue gases. During conventional operations, several of the compartments of the bag filter are employed for separation and collection of the carbon black or are maintained on heat load for reserve purposes while one or more remaining compartments are held off-line for inspection and servicing. Accordingly, the following description relates to the inspection procedure concerning one of said filter compartments, it being understood that the same or similar procedure is equally applicable to any of the remaining compartments.
After being shunted off the process line, the filter compartment is purged with an air-rich heat load. The inlet, exhaust and representing dampers of the compartment are then disabled and secured in the shut position. A hatch into the exhaust side of the compartment is opened and there is installed at the opening thereof a portable 1/3 horsepower exhaust fan. Next, a main door into the exhaust side of the compartment and an access hatch into the collection side of the compartment are opened. A 30 horsepower pressure blower is moved into position at the access hatch opening into the collection side of the compartment.
Inspection personnel then enter through the main door into the exhaust side of the compartment and the blower and exhaust fan are placed into operation. In preparing the tracer composition, twenty pounds of a white colloidal pyrogenic fluffy silica, produced by high temperature hydrolysis of silicon tetrachloride, and having an average ultimate particle diameter of about 15 millimicrons and an apparent density of about 2.5 lbs/ft 3 are entrained in air by introduction of the silica, in bulk form, into the suction of the blower serving the collection side of the compartment over a period of about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, the inspection personnel, employing artificial lights, inspect the filter bags and cell plate from the exhaust side of the filter and detect leak sites by observing the flow of the tracer composition through such leak sites and/or the deposition of the silica tracer medium on surfaces opposite the leaks. Employing the tracer method of the invention even minute pinhole leaks are ordinarily readily detected and accurately located. Further, the overall time required for inspection of the filter compartment employing the method of the invention averages between 15 and 20 minutes whereas, employing the passive visual inspection procedures of the prior art, said inspections average about 4 hours per bag filter compartment and can require up to about 12 hours per compartment.
The reduction in inspection times normally attendant the practice of the present invention can confer yet additional and significant benefits. Specifically, significant reduction in time required to inspect the bag filter can allow inspection personnel to enter the bag filter enclosure and complete their inspection efforts at substantially higher compartment temperatures than would be the case if relatively longer term exposures of the personnel to the heated environment were necessary. Thus, the present invention generally allows for a substantially less stringent and time consuming cool-down of the bag filter in preparation for its inspection and, in fact, can often avoid the necessity for such cool-down altogether. In turn, reduced cool-down requirements are directly translatable into even further time and energy savings when, subsequent to inspection and servicing, the bag filter is reheated in preparation for its placement back into service.
While this invention has been described hereinbefore with respect to certain embodiments, it is not limited, and it should be understood that variations and modifications thereof may be made which are obvious to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. | A method for the detection of leaks in bag filter apparatus is disclosed wherein there is employed a leak tracer composition comprising a gaseous dispersion of a very light, sub-micron particulate contrast medium. The tracer composition is flowed through the bag filter apparatus and leaks are detected by visual inspection of the filtration elements from the exhaust side thereof. | 8 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a burner, a combustor, and a gas turbine.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In recent years, from the viewpoints of prevention of global warming and effective use of resources, gas turbines are requested to use a byproduct hydrogen gas secondarily generated from a manufacturing process of a petrochemical plant etc. in addition to a natural gas that is a main fuel of the gas turbines.
[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a gas turbine combustor having a combustion cylinder forming a combustion chamber thereinside, a casing covering the outside of the combustion cylinder and forming a flow path of a compressed air (hereinafter referred to as “combustion air”) supplied from a compressor around the combustion cylinder, a first fuel nozzle corresponding to a main burner disposed upstream of the combustion cylinder and injecting a first fuel (coal gasification gas) into the combustion chamber, and a plurality of second fuel nozzles corresponding to reheating burners disposed downstream of the first fuel nozzle and penetrating a circumferential wall of the combustion cylinder from the casing, and the gas turbine combustor injects a second fuel (hydrogen-containing gas) radially inward from the circumferential wall of the combustion cylinder into the combustion chamber so as to diffuse and combust the second fuel in a combustion product gas.
[0004] On the other hand, a lean premixed combustion method (Dry Low Emission combustion method) is attracting attention as a method of suppressing a NOx emission amount without using water or steam and, in recent years, gas turbines having combustors (DLE combustors) employing this combustion method are operating at plant facilities etc.
[0005] Therefore, the present applicant has proposed a combustor of a gas turbine including a reheating burner injecting a lean premixed gas acquired by preliminarily mixing a combustion air, a hydrocarbon-based first fuel (e.g., a natural gas), and a second fuel (e.g., a hydrogen gas) in a downstream region in a combustion chamber of a DLE combustor in PCT/JP2014/065657 (unpublished).
[0006] This reheating burner is a burner mixing the combustion air introduced into a premixing flow path from the upstream side and the first and second fuels in the premixing flow path to generate the premixed gas and injecting the premixed gas from the downstream side into the combustion chamber for combustion, and has first and second fuel injection holes injecting the first and second fuels into a premixing chamber.
PRIOR ART DOCUMENT
Patent Document
[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-75174
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Considering the generation of the premixed gas composed of the combustion air, the first fuel, and the second fuel in the structure of the reheating burner proposed by the present applicant, the hydrogen gas has an extremely small specific gravity as compared to the natural gas (density of hydrogen gas: 0.09 kg/m3N, density of natural gas: 0.62 kg/m3N). Therefore, the hydrogen gas itself injected from the second fuel injection hole has a small penetrating force (i.e., a kinetic energy when the hydrogen gas is injected), so that stirring and mixing with other fluids become insufficient in the premixing flow path, which makes it difficult to generate a lean premixed gas having a uniform concentration distribution. Thus, a local high-temperature region generated during combustion results in an increase in NOx emission amount and, therefore, room for further improvement exists.
[0009] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a burner capable of premixing a hydrocarbon-based first fuel (e.g., natural gas), a second fuel (e.g., hydrogen gas), and a combustion air and injecting a lean premixed gas having a uniform concentration distribution into a combustor combustion chamber and capable of suppressing a NOx emission amount, a combustor equipped with the burner, and a gas turbine.
[0010] A burner of the present invention is a burner mixing a combustion air introduced into a premixing flow path from an upstream side and a fuel in the premixing flow path to generate a premixed gas and injecting the premixed gas from a downstream side into a combustion chamber for combustion, the burner comprising an outer cylinder having the premixing flow path formed inside; a first air introduction part supplying the combustion air from the outer edge toward the center of the outer cylinder on the upstream side of the premixing flow path; a first fuel introduction part introducing a first fuel into the premixing flow path; and a second fuel introduction part introducing a second fuel having a specific gravity smaller than the first fuel into the premixing flow path, wherein the second fuel introduction part is formed projecting from an upstream-side end portion of the premixing flow path toward the downstream side into the premixing flow path, wherein the second fuel introduction part has a plurality of second fuel injection nozzles injecting the second fuel to a compressed air introduced from the first air introduction part, wherein the second fuel is injected from the second fuel injection nozzles to the combustion air to generate a primary air-fuel mixture, and wherein the first fuel is introduced from the first fuel introduction part to the primary air-fuel mixture to generate a secondary air-fuel mixture.
[0011] According to this construction, the second fuel is injected from the second fuel injection nozzles to the combustion air flowing from the outer edge toward the center of the outer cylinder on the upstream side of the premixing flow path to generate the first air-fuel mixture. In this case, the second fuel is injected into the flow of the combustion air from the second fuel injection nozzles projecting from the upstream-side end portion of the premixing flow path into the premixing flow path, avoiding a low speed area (viscous boundary layer) of the compressed air generated in the vicinity of the upstream-side end portion of the premixing flow path. Therefore, for example, even in the case of the second fuel having a small specific gravity and a low penetrating force like a hydrogen gas, the lean primary air-fuel mixture having a uniform concentration distribution is generated without a risk of retention in the low flow area described above. Subsequently, the first fuel is introduced from the first fuel introduction part to the primary air-fuel mixture to generate the secondary air-fuel mixture (premixed gas). In this case, since the first fuel has a greater specific gravity than the second fuel, the first fuel and the primary air-fuel mixture are sufficiently stirred and mixed so that the lean secondary air-fuel mixture is generated with a more uniform concentration distribution than the primary air-fuel mixture. As a result, the lean premixed gas having a uniform concentration distribution is supplied to the combustion chamber, and the NOx amount can be suppressed in a combustion exhaust gas.
[0012] The first fuel introduction part included in the burner may have a first fuel injection nozzle projecting concentrically with the outer cylinder from the upstream-side end portion of the premixing flow path into the premixing flow path and injecting the first fuel toward the outer edge of the outer cylinder.
[0013] According to this construction, the primary air-fuel mixture flowing from the outer edge toward the center of the outer cylinder on the upstream side of the premixing flow path flows along the outer circumference of the first fuel injection nozzle toward the downstream side of the premixing flow path and, subsequently, the first fuel is injected from the first fuel injection nozzle to the primary air-fuel mixture to generate the secondary air-fuel mixture. In this case, since the first fuel is injected in a direction intersecting with the flow direction of the primary air-fuel mixture, the mixing of the first fuel and the primary air-fuel mixture is promoted, so that the secondary air-fuel mixture is generated with a uniform concentration distribution. As a result, the lean premixed gas having a uniform concentration distribution is supplied to the combustion chamber, and NOx can be suppressed in the combustion exhaust gas.
[0014] The burner may comprise a straightening protrusion part projecting concentrically with the outer cylinder from the upstream-side end portion of the premixing flow path into the premixing flow path; the first fuel introduction part included in the burner may be formed in the upstream-side end portion of the premixing flow path on the outer edge side relative to the straightening protrusion part; and the first fuel introduction part may have a plurality of first fuel injection holes inclined toward the outer edge of the outer cylinder.
[0015] According to this construction, the secondary air-fuel mixture is generated by injecting the primary air-fuel mixture from the first fuel injection holes inclined toward the outer edge of the outer cylinder to the primary air-fuel mixture flowing from the outer edge toward the center of the outer cylinder on the upstream side of the premixing flow path. In this case, since the first fuel is injected in a direction intersecting with the flow of the primary air-fuel mixture, the mixing of the primary fuel-air mixture and the first fuel is promoted in the premixing flow path, so that the secondary air-fuel mixture is generated with a uniform concentration distribution. As a result, the lean premixed gas having a uniform concentration distribution is supplied to the combustion chamber, and the generation of NOx can be suppressed. Additionally, since the secondary air-fuel mixture changes the direction and flows along the straightening protrusion part toward the downstream side and is injected into the combustion chamber without lowering the speed, a backfire can be suppressed.
[0016] The burner may comprise a straightening protrusion part projecting concentrically with the outer cylinder from the upstream-side end portion of the premixing flow path into the premixing flow path, and the first fuel introduction part may include a plurality of first fuel injection nozzles injecting the first fuel from the outer edge toward the center of the outer cylinder on the downstream side relative to the first air introduction part.
[0017] According to this construction, the primary air-fuel mixture flowing from the outer edge toward the center of the outer cylinder on the upstream side of the premixing flow path changes the direction and flows along the straightening protrusion part toward the downstream side. Subsequently, the first fuel is injected from the first fuel injection holes toward the center of the outer cylinder to the primary air-fuel mixture to generate the secondary air-fuel mixture. In this case, since the first fuel is injected in a direction intersecting with the flow of the primary air-fuel mixture, the mixing of the primary fuel-air mixture and the first fuel is promoted in the premixing flow path, so that the secondary air-fuel mixture is generated with a uniform concentration distribution. As a result, the lean premixed gas having a uniform concentration distribution is supplied to the combustion chamber, and the generation of NOx can be suppressed. Additionally, since the primary air-fuel mixture flows along the straightening protrusion part toward the downstream side without lowering the speed, a reduction in flow speed is suppressed when the direction is changed. Therefore, the premixed gas is injected into the combustion chamber while maintaining a sufficient flow speed, so that the backfire can be suppressed.
[0018] The burner may comprise a second air introduction part introducing the combustion air from the outer edge of the outer cylinder into the premixing flow path, on the downstream side relative to the first air introduction part. The outer cylinder may be made up of a first cylindrical body on the upstream side and a second cylindrical body on the downstream side arranged coaxially with each other; the first cylindrical body and the second cylindrical body may be arranged to partially overlap in the direction of the axis; and the second air introduction part may be defined by the first cylindrical body and the second cylindrical body and may be an annular gap gradually decreasing in diameter from the upstream side to the downstream side. In this case, the inner diameter of the second cylindrical body may be substantially the same as the inner diameter of the first cylindrical body on the downstream side thereof. A portion of the combustion air is blown onto the outer circumference of the first cylindrical body and is then introduced as a secondary air into the second air introduction part. By introducing the secondary air from the second air introduction part, the retention of the premixed gas can be suppressed in a boundary layer. The secondary air is uniformly straightened while flowing through the second air introduction part from the upstream side to the downstream side. Since the secondary air is fed into the premixing flow path, the retention of the air-fuel mixture can more effectively be suppressed in the boundary layer. On the other hand, the secondary air flows through the annular gap gradually decreasing in diameter from the upstream side to the downstream side and thereby can form a flow guiding the premixed gas retained in the boundary layer toward the center of the flow path. If the inner diameter of the second cylindrical body is made substantially the same as the inner diameter of the first cylindrical body on the downstream side thereof, the flow rate of the premixed gas flowing through the premixing flow path can be balanced.
[0019] According to this construction, the occurrence of the low speed area is restrained in the vicinity of the inner surface of the outer cylinder and the backfire can be suppressed.
[0020] The first fuel may be a natural gas or a liquefied natural gas, and the second fuel may be a hydrogen gas or a hydrogen-containing gas.
[0021] A combustor of the present invention is a gas turbine combustor of a comprising a combustion cylinder forming a combustion chamber combusting a fuel; a premixing type main burner disposed upstream of the combustion cylinder; and a reheating burner disposed through a downstream-side circumferential wall portion of the combustion cylinder, wherein the reheating burner is the burner according to any of the above descriptions.
[0022] This construction enables provision of a combustor having a reheating burner capable of injecting a premixed gas having a uniform concentration distribution into the combustion chamber of the combustor and capable of suppressing a NOx emission amount.
[0023] Furthermore, a gas turbine of the present invention comprises the combustor described above.
[0024] This construction enables provision of a gas turbine equipped with a combustor capable of suppressing a NOx emission amount.
[0025] The present invention can provide the burner capable of suppressing a NOx emission amount by premixing the first fuel (e.g., natural gas), the second fuel (e.g., hydrogen gas), and the combustion air and injecting the premixed gas having a uniform concentration distribution into the combustor combustion chamber, the combustor equipped with the burner, and the gas turbine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0026] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a general construction of a gas turbine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross section of a combustor according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross section of a reheating burner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 4 is a transverse section of a premixing flow path when viewed in a direction A-A of FIG. 3 .
[0030] FIG. 5 is a diagram of a modified example of the first embodiment.
[0031] FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross section of a reheating burner according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross section of a first example of a reheating burner according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
[0033] FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross section of a second example of the reheating burner according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0034] FIG. 9 is a vertical cross section of a third example of the reheating burner according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0035] FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross section of a fourth example of the reheating burner according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
[0036] FIG. 11 is a longitudinal cross section of a reheating burner according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0037] A burner, a combustor, and a gas turbine according to embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description is merely an exemplification of a form of the present invention and is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention, the application of the present invention, or the use thereof.
First Embodiment
[0038] A general construction and function of a gas turbine is shown in FIG. 1 . In the gas turbine 1 , a compressor 2 sucks an atmospheric air to generate a compressed air 200 . The compressed air 200 is combusted together with a fuel in a combustor 3 to generate a high-temperature high-pressure combustion product gas (hereinafter referred to as “combustion exhaust gas 300 ”). The combustion exhaust gas 300 is supplied to a turbine 4 and used for rotating a rotor 5 . The rotation of the rotor 5 is transmitted to the compressor 2 and used for generating the compressed air 200 (hereinafter referred to as “combustion air 200 ”), while the rotation of the rotor 5 is transmitted to a generator 6 and used for electric generation, for example.
[0039] FIG. 2 shows the combustor 3 . In this embodiment, the combustor 3 is a reverse-flow can-type combustor in which a flow direction of the compressed air 200 supplied from the compressor (see FIG. 1 ) (a direction from the top to the bottom of FIG. 1 ) and a flow direction of the combustion exhaust gas 300 (a direction from the bottom to the top of FIG. 1 ) are opposed to each other. The combustor may be an annular type having a plurality of fuel injection valves on a circumference thereof.
[0040] The combustor 3 includes a combustion cylinder 34 and a casing 35 concentrically arranged on a central axis 302 . A burner unit 30 is attached to the top of the combustion cylinder 34 , and a combustion chamber 33 for combusting a fuel etc. injected from the burner unit 30 is formed inside the combustion cylinder 34 . The combustion cylinder 34 is surrounded by a cylindrical casing 35 so that an annular combustion air flow path 37 is formed between the combustion cylinder 34 and the casing 35 , in which the combustion air 200 supplied from the compressor flows. The casing 35 and the combustion cylinder 34 support a plurality of reheating burners 36 on the downstream side relative to the burner unit 30 .
[0041] In this embodiment, the burner unit 30 is disposed along the central axis 302 and includes a premixing type main burner 31 for injecting a premixed gas generated by mixing the fuel and the combustion air 200 into the combustion chamber 33 and a diffusion combustion type pilot burner 32 for injecting the fuel directly into the combustion chamber 33 . The main burner 31 is concentrically disposed around the pilot burner 32 . The main burner 31 and the pilot burner 32 are in communication with a first fuel supply source 305 (natural gas supply source) through a piping 304 .
[0042] In this embodiment, the main burner 31 has an outer cylinder 310 and an inner cylinder 312 arranged concentrically along the central axis 302 . In this embodiment, as shown in the figure, the inner cylinder 312 also serves as a combustion air injection cylinder 322 b of the pilot burner 32 described later. An annular space between the outer cylinder 310 and the inner cylinder 312 is used as a premixing flow path 314 for mixing the fuel and the combustion air. The premixing flow path 314 has one end opened to the combustion chamber 33 and the other end opened radially outward through a plurality of air intake ports 315 to the combustion air flow path 37 . A plurality of main fuel nozzles 316 for injecting a first fuel is arranged radially outside the air intake ports 315 . Although not shown, preferably, the plurality of the air intake ports 315 and the plurality of the main fuel nozzles 316 corresponding thereto are arranged at regular intervals in the circumferential direction around the central axis 302 . Although not shown, the main fuel nozzles 316 each have a plurality of fuel injection holes (not shown) formed at a position facing the air intake port 315 to inject the first fuel toward the air intake port 315 and are connected to the first fuel supply source 305 (natural gas supply source) through a piping 304 a including a flow regulating valve so that, when the flow regulating valve is opened at the time of normal operation, the fuel supplied from the first fuel supply source 305 is supplied from the air intake ports 315 to the premixing flow path 314 along with the combustion air supplied from the combustion air flow path 37 and is mixed in the premixing flow path 314 , and the premixed gas is injected into the combustion chamber 33 . In this embodiment, a plurality of swirl vanes (swirlers) 317 is provided in the air intake ports 315 to impart a swirling force to the combustion air flowing into the premixing flow path 314 so as to promote premixing with the first fuel.
[0043] The pilot burner 32 includes a fuel injection cylinder 322 a extending along the central axis 302 and a combustion air injection cylinder 322 b concentrically covering the fuel injection cylinder 322 a , and a fuel injection path (not shown) formed in the fuel injection cylinder 322 a is connected to the first fuel supply source 305 (natural gas supply source) through a piping 304 b including a flow regulating valve so that, when the flow regulating valve is opened at the time of startup, the natural gas supplied from the first fuel supply source is injected into the combustion chamber. An annular air flow path 324 is formed between the fuel injection cylinder 322 a and the combustion air injection cylinder 322 b and has one end connected to the combustion air flow path 37 and the other end connected to the combustion chamber so that the compressed air supplied from the compressor is injected into the combustion chamber.
[0044] The reheating burners 36 are each attached to the casing 35 and the combustion cylinder 34 along four axes 360 included on a plane orthogonal to the central axis 302 and circumferentially arranged at equal intervals. As described in detail later, the reheating burners 36 are connected to a first fuel supply source 305 (natural gas supply source) and a second fuel supply source 307 (hydrogen gas supply source) through a piping including a flow regulating valve and are configured such that, when the flow regulating valve is opened at the time of high-load operation, the first fuel and the second fuel can be mixed with the combustion air taken in from the combustion air flow path 37 to generate a premixed gas so as to inject the premixed gas into the combustion chamber. The first fuel refers to a gas containing 60 vol % or more hydrocarbons and 10 vol % or less hydrogen gas, or a liquid containing 60 vol % or more hydrocarbons. The second fuel refers to a gas containing 50 vol % or more hydrogen. In this embodiment, a natural gas is illustrated as an example of the first fuel and a hydrogen gas is illustrated as an example of the second fuel.
[0045] The operation of the combustor 3 so constructed will hereinafter be described with reference to FIG. 2 . As shown in FIG. 2 , when the gas turbine (not shown) is started, the flow regulating valve is opened, and the natural gas supplied from a main fuel supply source to the pilot burner 32 is injected into the combustion chamber 33 . The gas is diffusively mixed in the combustion chamber 33 with the combustion air injected from the annular air flow path 324 into the combustion chamber 33 and is ignited by an ignition source not shown to form a pilot flame from diffusion combustion.
[0046] When the gas turbine shifts to a normal operation, the premixed gas injected from the premixing flow path 314 of the main burner 31 is ignited by the pilot flame in the combustion chamber 33 and is combusted in a primary combustion region S 1 on the upstream side of the combustion chamber 33 . By combusting a lean premixed gas, the combustion flame temperature in the combustion chamber 33 decreases and an amount of NOx in the combustion exhaust gas of the main burner is suppressed.
[0047] When high-load combustion is requested so as to raise the output of the gas turbine, a premixed gas of the natural gas, the hydrogen gas, and the combustion air 200 generated in the reheating burners 36 is introduced into the combustion chamber 33 and is mixed with the combustion exhaust gas of the main burner 31 and combusted in a secondary combustion region S 2 on the downstream side relative to the primary combustion region S 1 . By combusting a lean premixed gas, an amount of NOx in the combustion exhaust gas is suppressed.
[0048] A reheating burner according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0049] The reheating burner 36 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3 . FIG. 3 shows a cross section corresponding to that in FIG. 2 , and FIG. 4 shows a cross section taken along A-A indicated by arrows of FIG. 3 . In the following description related to the structure and the operation of the reheating burner 36 , the terms “upstream side” and “downstream side” are used with respect to a flow direction of a fluid in the reheating burner 36 .
[0050] As shown in FIG. 3 , the reheating burner 36 includes an outer cylinder 364 having a plurality of construction elements, for example, a head block 361 , a first cylindrical part 362 , and a second cylindrical part 363 arranged in order from the outside toward the inside on the axis 360 in a radial direction with respect to the central axis 302 of the combustor 3 . The head block 361 is fitted and fixed to an attaching hole 352 formed in the casing 35 , and a flange part 365 of the first cylindrical part 362 is fixed to the head block 361 via a plurality of coupling pieces 366 , while the second cylindrical part 363 is fitted and fixed to a through-hole 340 formed in the combustion cylinder 34 . A premixing flow path 367 for mixing the fuel and the combustion air 200 is formed as an internal space surrounded by the head block 361 , the first cylinder 362 , and the second cylindrical part 363 .
[0051] The reheating burner 36 also includes a first fuel introduction part 368 for introducing the natural gas supplied from the first fuel supply source into the premixing flow path 367 , a second fuel introduction part 369 for introducing the hydrogen gas supplied from the second fuel supply source into the premixing flow path 367 , and a first air introduction part 370 for introducing the combustion air 200 from the combustion air flow path 37 into the premixing flow path 367 .
[0052] The first air introduction part 370 is formed as a plurality of gap spaces (air intake ports) surrounded by the flange part 365 of the first cylindrical part 362 , the head block 361 , and the plurality of the coupling pieces 366 coupling the flange part and the head block, so that a portion of the compressed air 200 (the combustion air 200 ) flowing through the combustion air flow path 37 can be introduced from the first air introduction part 370 into the premixing flow path 367 . The combustion air 200 introduced into the premixing flow path 367 flows from the outer edge (radially outer side) toward the center (radially inner side) of the outer cylinder 364 . The coupling pieces 366 are arranged at equal intervals of 45 degrees on a circumference concentric with the outer cylinder 364 and are arranged at circumferential positions separated from second fuel injection nozzles 384 described later, and air intake holes are arranged at circumferential positions corresponding to the second fuel injection nozzles 384 .
[0053] The first fuel introduction part 368 includes a first fuel supply path 380 extending in the head block 361 along the axis 360 from the upstream side to the downstream side and a first fuel injection nozzle 381 having a bottomed cylindrical shape projecting from a downstream-side wall surface of the head block 361 along the axis 360 into the premixing flow path 367 .
[0054] The upstream side of the first fuel supply path 380 is in communication with the first fuel supply source through a piping 306 including a flow regulating valve, and the downstream side of the first fuel supply path 380 is in communication with the premixing flow path 367 through a plurality of first fuel injection holes 382 formed by radially penetrating a circumferential wall of the first fuel injection nozzle 381 . The first fuel injection holes 382 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction and the axial direction. The holes are arranged at intervals of 90 degrees in the circumferential direction. With such a construction, the natural gas supplied from the first fuel supply source is injected via the first fuel supply path 380 and the first fuel injection nozzle 381 into the premixing flow path 367 .
[0055] The second fuel introduction part 369 has a second fuel supply path 383 extending in the head block 361 from the upstream side to the downstream side and a plurality of cylindrical second fuel injection nozzles 384 projecting from the downstream-side wall surface of the head block 361 into the premixing flow path 367 . The upstream side of the second fuel supply path 383 is connected to the second fuel supply source through a piping 308 including a flow regulating valve. The downstream side of the second fuel supply path 383 has an annular flow path 385 formed surrounding the first fuel supply path 380 and spreading concentrically with the outer cylinder 364 . The downstream side of the annular flow path 385 is in communications with the premixing flow path 367 through the internal spaces of the second fuel injection nozzles 384 . The second fuel injection nozzles 384 are arranged at equal intervals of 45 degrees on a circumference concentric with the outer cylinder 364 and extend in parallel with the outer cylinder. With such a construction, the hydrogen gas supplied from the second fuel supply source is injected via the second fuel supply path 383 and the second fuel injection nozzles 384 into the premixing flow path 367 .
[0056] The operation of the reheating burner 36 having the construction described above will hereinafter be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 . The combustion air 200 introduced from the first air introduction part 370 into the premixing flow path 367 flows from the outer edge toward the center of the outer cylinder 364 on the upstream side of the premixing flow path 367 , and the hydrogen gas is then injected from the second fuel injection nozzles 384 to the combustion air 200 to generate a primary air-fuel mixture. In this case, the hydrogen gas is injected into the flow of the combustion air 200 from the second fuel injection nozzles 384 projecting from the upstream-side end portion of the premixing flow path 367 (the downstream-side wall surface of the head block 361 ) into the premixing flow path 367 , avoiding a low speed area (viscous boundary layer) generated in the vicinity of the upstream-side end portion of the premixing flow path 367 (in the vicinity of the downstream-side wall surface of the head block 361 ). Therefore, even in the case of the hydrogen gas having a small specific gravity and a low penetrating force, the lean primary air-fuel mixture having a uniform concentration distribution is generated without a risk of retention in the low flow area described above. Subsequently, the primary air-fuel mixture changes the direction and flows along the outer circumference of the first fuel injection nozzle 381 toward the downstream side of the premixing flow path 367 before being mixed with the natural gas injected from the first fuel injection nozzle 381 to generate a secondary air-fuel mixture.
[0057] In this case, since the natural gas has a greater specific gravity than the hydrogen gas, the natural gas and the primary air-fuel mixture are sufficiently stirred and mixed so that the lean secondary air-fuel mixture is generated with a more uniform concentration distribution than the primary air-fuel mixture. Additionally, since the first fuel (natural gas) is injected from the first fuel injection nozzle 381 in a direction intersecting with the flow direction of the primary air-fuel mixture, the mixing of the first fuel and the primary air-fuel mixture is promoted so that the concentration distribution of the secondary air-fuel mixture becomes uniform. As a result, a lean premixed gas 700 (secondary air-fuel mixture) having a uniform concentration distribution is supplied to the secondary combustion region S 2 downstream of the primary combustion region S 1 of the combustion chamber 33 , and the NOx amount can be suppressed in the combustion exhaust gas.
[0058] The reheating burner according to the first embodiment described above can variously be modified. For example, as shown in FIG. 5 , the reheating burner may be configured to inject the hydrogen gas from second fuel injection holes 386 formed in the circumferential walls of the second fuel injection nozzles 384 to a flow of the combustion air 200 in a direction opposite to the flow. According to the construction, since the hydrogen gas injected from the second fuel injection holes 386 collides with the combustion air 200 , the dispersion effect of the hydrogen gas is improved. As a result, the mixing of the hydrogen gas and the combustion air 200 is promoted, so that the more uniform primary air-fuel mixture can be generated. In the case of this modification example, the number of the second fuel injection holes 386 may be one; however, by making a plurality of the second fuel injection holes 386 as shown in FIG. 5 , the dispersion effect of the hydrogen gas is further improved and the facilitation of mixing of the hydrogen gas and the combustion air can be expected.
Second Embodiment
[0059] A reheating burner according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 6 shows the reheating burner 36 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The basic structure of the reheating burner 36 according to this embodiment is the same as the reheating burner 36 according to the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 3 and, therefore, the same constituent portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described.
[0060] The reheating burner 36 according to this embodiment has two points different from the reheating burner 36 according to the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 3 in that an inverted conical straightening protrusion part 390 extending in the premixing flow path 367 coaxially with the outer cylinder 364 is formed on the downstream-side wall surface of the head block 361 and that the first fuel introduction part 368 is configured to inject the natural gas from a plurality of first fuel injection holes 391 surrounding the straightening protrusion part 390 . The upstream side of the first fuel injection holes 391 is in communication with the first fuel supply path 380 and the downstream side of the first fuel injection holes 391 is in communication with the premixing flow path 367 . The first fuel injection holes 391 are arranged on the circumference concentric with the outer cylinder 364 at equal intervals at circumferential positions corresponding to the second fuel injection nozzles 384 and the first air introduction part 370 . The first fuel injection holes 391 are located closer than the second fuel injection nozzles 384 to the center of the outer cylinder 364 and are inclined toward the outer edge (radially outward) of the outer cylinder 364 from the upstream side to the downstream side.
[0061] The operation of the reheating burner 36 having the construction described above will be described. To the primary air-fuel mixture flowing from the outer edge toward the center of the outer cylinder 364 on the upstream side of the premixing flow path 367 , the first fuel (natural gas) is injected from a plurality of the first fuel injection holes 391 formed in the downstream-side wall surface of the head block 361 (the upstream-side end portion of the premixing flow path 367 ) to generate the secondary air-fuel mixture. In this case, since the first fuel is injected in a direction intersecting with the flow of the primary air-fuel mixture, the mixing of the primary air-fuel mixture and the first fuel in the premixing flow path 367 is promoted, so that the secondary air-fuel mixture (premixed gas) having a uniform concentration is generated. As a result, the lean premixed gas 700 (secondary air-fuel mixture) having a uniform concentration distribution is supplied to the secondary combustion region S 2 downstream of the primary combustion region S 1 of the combustion chamber 33 , and NOx can be suppressed in the combustion exhaust gas. Additionally, since the secondary air-fuel mixture flows to the downstream side without lowering the flow speed along the straightening protrusion part 390 and is injected into the combustion chamber 33 , a backfire can be restrained from occurring due to a reduction in flow speed of the secondary air-fuel mixture.
[0062] Although an inverted conical straightening protrusion part 390 is employed in this embodiment, the shape of the straightening protrusion part 390 is not limited to an inverted conical shape. The part may have any outer circumferential shape capable of guiding the primary air-fuel mixture from the base end side to the distal end side. In particular, the part may have any shape as long as the cross-sectional area decreases from the base end side toward the distal end side, and may have a partial spherical shape, for example.
Third Embodiment
[0063] A reheating burner according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIGS. 7 to 10 show variations of the reheating burner 36 according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The structure of the reheating burner 36 of this embodiment is the same as the reheating burner 36 according to the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 3 except that the burner has a second air introduction part 393 for introducing the combustion air 200 into the premixing flow path 367 on the downstream side relative to the first fuel introduction part 368 and, therefore, the same constituent portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described.
[0064] FIG. 7 shows a first example of the reheating burner according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The second air introduction part 393 of the first example is a gap formed between the first cylindrical part 362 (the first cylindrical body) and the second cylindrical part 363 (the second cylindrical body). As shown in FIG. 7 , the combustion air 200 flowing through the combustion air flow path 37 is distributed into a primary air 201 flowing in from the first air introduction part 370 and a secondary air 202 flowing in from the second air introduction part 393 before being introduced into the premixing flow path 367 .
[0065] The secondary air 202 flowing into the premixing flow path 367 from the second air introduction part 393 suppresses occurrence of a low speed area in the vicinity of the inner wall surface of the second cylindrical part 363 . As a result, a backfire can be prevented from being caused by movement of a combustion flame formed in the combustion chamber 33 to the vicinity of the inner wall surface of the second cylindrical part 363 .
[0066] FIG. 8 shows a second example of the reheating burner according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The reheating burner 36 of the second example includes a second cylindrical part 363 A having a diameter larger than the first cylindrical part 362 and has a construction in which an upstream-side end portion of the second cylindrical part 363 A and a downstream-side end portion of the first cylindrical part 362 are overlapped in the axial direction of the outer cylinder. The second air introduction part 393 of the second example is an annular gap formed between the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical part 362 and the inner circumferential surface of the second cylindrical part 363 A. The secondary air 202 introduced into the premixing flow path 367 from the second air introduction part 393 is straightened while flowing through the annular gap from the upstream side to the downstream side, so as to flow intensively in the vicinity of the inner wall surface of the second cylindrical part 363 A having a high concentration of the secondary air-fuel mixture 700 , and is therefore more effective than the first example.
[0067] FIG. 9 shows a third example of the reheating burner according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The reheating burner 36 of the third example has a construction for increasing the flow speed of the premixed gas 700 injected through the premixing flow path 367 into the combustion chamber 33 . In the second air introduction part 393 in this construction, the annular gap defined by the first cylindrical part 362 and the second cylindrical part 363 gradually decreases in diameter toward the downstream side of the reheating burner 36 . Specifically, in the reheating burner 36 of the third example, an inner circumferential surface 363 B of the second air introduction part 393 in the second cylindrical part 363 A gradually decreases in diameter from the upstream side to the downstream side. A tapered part 394 gradually decreasing in diameter from the upstream side to the downstream side is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the downstream-side end portion of the first cylindrical part 362 at a position facing the inner circumferential surface 363 B. In the third example, the inner diameter of the second cylindrical part 363 may be substantially the same as the inner diameter of the first cylindrical part 362 on the downstream side thereof. The reheating burner 36 of the third example is the same as the reheating burner 36 of the second example shown in FIG. 8 except the construction described above and, therefore, the same constituent portions are denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described. The reheating burner 36 of the third example having the construction described above produces the following effects. In particular, a portion of the compressed air 200 is blown onto the outer circumference of the first cylindrical part 362 and is then introduced as the secondary air 202 into the second air introduction part 393 . By introducing the secondary air 202 from the second air introduction part 393 , the retention of the premixed gas 700 can be suppressed in a boundary layer. The secondary air 202 is uniformly straightened while flowing through the second air introduction part 393 from the upstream side to the downstream side. Since the secondary air 202 is fed into the premixing flow path 367 , the retention of the air-fuel mixture can more effectively be suppressed in the boundary layer. On the other hand, the secondary air 202 flows through the annular gap (the tapered part 394 ) gradually decreasing in diameter from the upstream side to the downstream side and thereby can forma flow guiding the premixed gas 700 retained in the boundary layer toward the center of the flow path (the radial inner side of the second cylindrical part 363 A). If the inner diameter of the second cylindrical part 363 is made substantially the same as the inner diameter of the first cylindrical part 362 on the downstream side thereof, the flow rate of the premixed gas 700 flowing through the premixing flow path 367 can be balanced. As a result, the occurrence of the low speed area is further suppressed in the vicinity of the inner wall surface of the second cylindrical part 363 A, so that the backfire can effectively be prevented from being caused by movement of a combustion flame formed in the combustion chamber 33 to the vicinity of the inner wall surface of the second cylindrical part 363 A.
[0068] FIG. 10 shows a fourth example of the reheating burner according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The reheating burner 36 of the fourth example includes the second cylindrical part 363 A having a diameter larger than the first cylindrical part 362 and has a construction in which the upstream-side end portion of the second cylindrical part 363 A is fixed to the flange part 365 of the first cylindrical part 362 . The second air introduction part 393 of the third example is a plurality of inflow ports formed in a circumferential wall portion of the second cylindrical part 363 A. This reheating burner 36 of the fourth example can produce the same effects as the second example.
[0069] In the reheating burner 36 according to the third embodiment of the present invention described above, the ratio between the primary air 201 flowing in from the first air introduction part 370 and the secondary air 202 flowing in from the second air introduction part 393 may normally be 1:1; however, it is confirmed in the experiments by the inventors that the ratio of the primary air 201 may be increased if consideration is given to the reduction of NOx and that the ratio of the secondary air 202 may be increased if consideration is given to the backfire prevention.
Fourth Embodiment
[0070] A reheating burner according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 11 shows the reheating burner 36 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the reheating burner 36 of this embodiment, the same constituent portions as those of the reheating burner 36 according to the first and second embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 6 , respectively, are denoted by the same reference numeral and will not be described.
[0071] As shown in FIG. 11 , the reheating burner 36 according to this embodiment has three points different from the reheating burner 36 according to the first embodiment described with reference to FIG. 3 in that the first fuel introduction part 368 is configured to inject the natural gas from a plurality of first fuel injection holes 395 circumferentially arranged at equal intervals in the first cylindrical part 362 , that the same straightening protrusion part 390 as the second embodiment is formed on the downstream-side wall surface of the head block 361 , and that the second fuel supply path 383 is formed along the axis 360 .
[0072] As shown in FIG. 11 , the first fuel introduction part 368 is made up of a columnar passage part 396 formed on the upstream side of the head block 361 , a first annular passage part 397 formed on the downstream side of the head block 361 , a branch passage part 398 formed on the downstream side relative to the first annular passage 397 and extending from the downstream side of the head block 361 through the coupling pieces 366 to the first cylindrical part 362 , and a second annular passage part 399 formed in the flange part 365 of the first cylindrical part 362 and allowing branch passages 398 to join together. The first annular passage part 397 is disposed concentrically with the outer cylinder 364 to surround the second fuel supply passage 383 . The branch passage part 398 has two branch passages and is configured to penetrate two circumferentially opposed coupling pieces 366 . The second annular passage part 399 is disposed concentrically with the outer cylinder 364 . As shown in the figure, the plurality of the first fuel injection holes 395 is circumferentially formed at equal intervals in the inner surface of the first cylindrical part 362 . The first fuel injection holes 395 extend radially outward to communicate with the second annular passage part 399 .
[0073] As shown in the figure, the second fuel supply path 383 extends from the upstream side to the downstream side along the axis 360 and has the upstream side connected to the second fuel supply source through the piping 308 having a flow regulating valve and the downstream side to which the second fuel injection nozzles 384 are connected through a header portion 385 A.
[0074] It is noted that the reheating burner 36 of this embodiment can employ a construction in which the secondary air 202 is introduced into the premixing flow path 367 as described in the first to fourth examples of the reheating burner 36 of the third embodiment.
[0075] The operation of the reheating burner 36 so constructed will hereinafter be described with reference to FIG. 11 .
[0076] Since the primary air-fuel mixture flowing from the outer edge toward the center of the outer cylinder 364 on the upstream side of the premixing flow path 367 flows along the straightening protrusion part 390 to the downstream side without lowering the flow speed and is injected into the combustion chamber 33 as the premixed gas 700 (secondary air-fuel mixture) mixed with the first fuel, the backfire can be restrained from occurring due to a reduction in flow speed of the premixed gas. In this case, since the first fuel (natural gas) has a greater specific gravity than the second fuel (hydrogen gas), the first fuel and the primary air-fuel mixture are sufficiently stirred and mixed by the first fuel, so that the lean premixed gas 700 is generated with a more uniform concentration distribution than the primary air-fuel mixture. Additionally, since the first fuel is injected in a direction intersecting with the flow direction of the primary air-fuel mixture, the mixing of the first fuel and the primary air-fuel mixture is promoted so that the concentration distribution becomes uniform. As a result, the lean premixed gas 700 having a uniform concentration distribution is injected to the secondary combustion region S 2 downstream of the primary combustion region S 1 of the combustion chamber 33 , and NOx can be suppressed in the combustion exhaust gas.
EXPLANATIONS OF LETTERS OR NUMERALS
[0000]
1 gas turbine
2 compressor
3 combustor
4 turbine
5 rotor
6 generator
31 main burner
32 pilot burner
33 combustion chamber
34 combustion cylinder
36 reheating burner (fuel injection device)
37 combustion air flow path (air flow path)
200 compressed air (combustion air)
300 combustion exhaust gas
360 axis
361 head block
362 first cylindrical part
363 second cylindrical part
364 outer cylinder
366 coupling piece
367 premixing flow path
368 first fuel introduction part
369 second fuel introduction part
370 first air introduction part
380 first fuel supply path
381 first fuel injection nozzle
382 first fuel injection hole
383 second fuel supply path
384 second fuel injection nozzle
390 straightening protrusion part
393 second air introduction part
700 premixed gas | The present invention provides a burner, a combustor equipped with the burner, and a gas turbine, with which it is possible to premix a first hydrocarbon-based fuel (for example, natural gas), a second fuel (for example, hydrogen gas), and combustion air, and to spray into the combustion chamber of the combustor a thin and uniform concentration distribution of the premixed air, and with which it is possible to suppress the amount of NOx discharged. On the upstream side of the premix flow path, hydrogen gas is sprayed from second fuel spray nozzles, which project into the premix flow path, into the flow of the combustion air flowing toward the center from the outer edge of an outer cylinder, whereby a primary air-fuel mixture having a uniform concentration distribution is generated without affecting a low-speed region of the combustion air. Natural gas is then sprayed from first fuel spray nozzles into the primary air-fuel mixture, whereby the natural gas, which has a high specific gravity, and the primary air-fuel mixture are adequately mixed in a stirring fashion, and a secondary air-fuel mixture (premixed air) is generated that is lean and has a more uniform concentration distribution than the first air-fuel mixture. By combusting this type of premixed air in the combustion chamber, NOx in the combustion exhaust gas can be suppressed. | 5 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a process cartridge comprising a photosensitive drum and at least one process member extending between two positioning members. In particular, the process cartridge is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] The following discussion of the background to the invention is intended to facilitate an understanding of the present invention. However, it should be appreciated that the discussion is not an acknowledgment or admission that any of the material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction as at the priority date of the application.
[0003] Recently, home and office printing systems which print text and images on a medium such as paper comprise two components, a printer and a process cartridge. Typically, the process cartridge is mounted to the printer and is comprised of the elements of the printing system most frequently requiring replacement or repair.
[0004] These elements typically consist of ink or toner, rollers, blades, augers, drums, gears, fixings and the like. It is advantageous that these be placed in the process cartridge to facilitate economical replacement upon failure of any of the above-mentioned elements.
[0005] An electrophotographic printing system is a precise combination of many components, the elements of a process cartridge in a electrophotographic system must be precisely placed in order to function correctly. For example a developer roller in a process cartridge must be precisely spaced from a photosensitive drum to facilitate even transfer of toner therebetween, the same can be said for a combination of blades and rollers provided in the process cartridge.
[0006] Conventionally, a process cartridge has been formed by connecting the various elements to each other and surrounding them with a plastic housing. There is traditionally provided a point on the process cartridge that may receive a rotational driving force for rotating any elements in the process cartridge requiring rotation such as drums, rollers and the like. These rotatable elements are typically connected through a gear train to facilitate transfer of the rotational driving force between the said elements.
[0007] In the area of non-contact electrophotographic process cartridges that use magnetic toner it has long been recognised that control of the gap between the photosensitive drum and developer roller is critical to efficient and high-quality performance of the printing system. However, it is known that this gap may be affected by such factors as the non-circularity, non-concentricity or wear of the operable surface of either the photosensitive drum or the developer roller.
[0008] In seeking to alleviate the problems caused by such factors, typically process cartridges have been constructed such that either the photosensitive drum or the developer roller has a spacer provided at both ends thereof. Regulation of the distance of the gap between the photosensitive drum and the developer roller is then achieved by urging the two components together with the spacers setting the gap between their circumferences and hence tightly regulating the development gap of the electrophotographic system.
[0009] In order to achieve such urging there has traditionally been two methods of construction. In the first method of construction, the process cartridge consists of two assemblies that are swingingly engaged. One assembly supports a photosensitive drum and the other supports a developer roller with collar-like spacers at each end. Springs are employed so as to urge the two assemblies together with the photosensitive drum separated by the spacer collars from the developer roller and hence the developer gap is set between the two circumferences. An example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,029 (Canon Kabushiki Kaisha).
[0010] In the second method of construction, the process cartridge consists of a lower assembly and an upper assembly. The lower assembly supports both the photosensitive drum and the developer roller, with an urging system to guide the developer roller towards the photosensitive drum. As with the first system, the developer roller has a spacer collar at each longitudinal end and hence the circumferences are separated in a spaced relationship.
[0011] The problems with both two-part construction methodologies is, firstly, that assembly of such process cartridges is dependent on spring forces and the precision of the spacer collars Further the spacer collars are prone to contamination by toner in the system. Furthermore, both methods require lateral mounting systems within the process cartridge for the electrophotographic components, especially the photosensitive drum and developer roller, in order to provide the lateral urging which is required to bring the drum and developer roller together into spaced relationship. This lateral supporting system requires the process cartridge to be substantially longer than the process width of the photosensitive drum. The process width is the maximum image width that the process cartridge can generate. This width is determined by the width of the photosensitive drum which can support a latent (electrostatic) image and also the toner supporting width of the developer roller, presented by the roller for development of the latent image.
[0012] With the increased demand by manufacturers to produce smaller printers (because of the reduced material costs) and the same increased demand from consumers for smaller printers (for space and aesthetic reasons), the ability to produce smaller process cartridges provides great benefits to both parties.
[0013] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge having a very convenient method of controlling the space between components of the process cartridge.
[0014] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge occupying very little excess space beyond the process width required to print.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Throughout this document, unless otherwise indicated to the contrary, the terms “comprising”, “consisting of”, and the like, are to be construed as non-exhaustive, or in other words, as meaning “including, but not limited to”.
[0016] In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention there is a process cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, the process cartridge containing,
a first positioning member, a second positioning member, a rotatable photosensitive drum extending between and connected to the first positioning member and second positioning member, at least one process member extending between and connected to the first positioning member and second positioning member such that the distance between the rotatable photosensitive member and the process member is fixed by the first positioning member and the second positioning member.
[0021] Preferably, the at least one process member is a rotatable developer roller or a rotatable primary charge roller.
[0022] More preferably, the rotatable photosensitive drum is adapted to receive an external driving force through a driving force receiving member provided at one longitudinal end of the rotatable photosensitive drum.
[0023] More preferably, at least one process member or rotatable photosensitive drum is partially located within an aperture located in at least one of the first positioning member or the second positioning member.
[0024] Preferably, the first positioning member or second positioning member is in the form of a metal plate.
[0025] More preferably, the process cartridge further comprises a housing member adjacent to the first and second positioning members. Preferably the housing member is a toner hopper adapted to contain toner.
[0026] Preferably, the housing member is a scavenger unit adapted to contain toner.
[0027] Preferably, the first positioning member or second positioning member is in the form of a thin metal plate.
[0028] Preferably, the distance between the first positioning member and the second positioning member is at most about 1.15 times that of the maximum process width of the process cartridge.
[0029] More preferably, the distance between the first positioning member and the second positioning member is at most about 1.10 times that of the maximum process width of the process cartridge.
[0030] More preferably, the process cartridge further comprises a housing member adjacent to the first and second positioning members.
[0031] Preferably, the housing member is a toner hopper adapted to contain toner. More preferably the housing member is a scavenger unit adapted to contain toner.
[0032] Preferably, the first positioning member or second positioning member is in the form of a metal plate.
[0033] In accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention there is a process cartridge detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus wherein the process cartridge containing,
a first positioning member, a second positioning member, a housing member adapted to contain toner, the housing member extending between the first and second positioning members such that any toner contained within is constrained directly by the first and second positioning members.
[0037] Preferably, the process cartridge further comprises at least two process members extending between and connected to the first and second positioning members such that the distance between the two process members is fixed.
[0038] More preferably at least one of the two process members is a rotatable photosensitive drum, a rotatable developer roller or a rotatable primary charge roller.
[0039] More preferably, at least one process member is adapted to receive an external driving force through a driving force receiving member provided at one longitudinal end of the process member.
[0040] More preferably, at least one process member is partially located within an aperture located in at least one of the first positioning member or the second positioning member.
[0041] Preferably, the first positioning member or second positioning member is in the form of a thin metal plate. More preferably, the housing member is a toner hopper adapted to contain toner.
[0042] More preferably, the housing member is a scavenger unit adapted to contain toner.
[0043] Preferably, the distance between the first positioning member and the second positioning member is at most about 1.15 times that of the maximum process width of the process cartridge.
[0044] More preferably, the distance between the first positioning member and the second positioning member is at most about 1.10 times that of the the maximum process width of the process cartridge.
[0045] Preferably, the housing member is a toner hopper adapted to contain toner. More preferably, the housing member is a scavenger unit adapted to contain toner.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0046] The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0047] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a process cartridge according to a first aspect of the present invention.
[0048] FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of a first positioning member of the process cartridge shown in FIG. 1 .
[0049] FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the bearing plate of the process cartridge shown in FIG. 1 .
[0050] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a process cartridge according to a second aspect of the present invention.
[0051] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the process cartridge shown in FIG. 1 .
[0052] FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of an alternative first positioning member of a process cartridge according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0053] In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention there is a process cartridge 10 as shown in FIG. 1 . The process cartridge 10 comprises a first positioning member 12 at one longitudinal end and a second positioning member 14 at an opposing longitudinal end. Extending between the first and second positioning members are the following process members: a photosensitive drum 16 , a developer roller 18 , a triboelectric blade (not shown), a cleaning blade (not shown) and a primary charge roller 20 . Furthermore, the following housing members extend between the first and second positioning members; a toner hopper 26 , a scavenger unit 28 . Finally, a bearing plate 70 is removably connectable to the first positioning member 12 , whilst a second bearing plate (not shown) may be connected to the second positioning member 14 .
[0054] The primary charge roller 20 is rotatable and mounted around a shaft 30 , similarly the developer roller 18 is rotatable and mounted around a magnet 32 . The photosensitive drum 16 is rotatable, however it is not mounted around a shaft or magnet.
[0055] The photosensitive drum 16 is rotated by a driving force receiving member (not shown) located at one longitudinal end of the photosensitive drum 16 . Similarly, the developer roller 18 is rotated by a driving force receiving member (not shown) located at one longitudinal end of the developer roller 18 . Both the photosensitive drum 16 and developer roller 18 may be fitted with a concentric boss (not shown) at each longitudinal end to assist in supporting and mounting the photosensitive drum 16 and developer roller 18 , as will be explained below. If the boss is provided at a longitudinal end of the photosensitive drum 16 or developer roller 18 that is intended to be driven, the boss may be adapted to receive a driving force. This may be through a gear such as a helical gear or spur gear or through a projection or recess. The primary charge roller 20 is rotated through contact with the rotating photosensitive drum 16 .
[0056] The toner hopper 26 and scavenger unit 28 are formed from extruded plastic and form a housing in which toner can be securely stored. In the preferred embodiment, the toner hopper 26 and scavenger unit 28 are open ended such that the first and second positioning members 10 , 12 provide the ends of the toner hopper 26 and scavenger unit 28 . In this manner, if the toner hopper 26 and scavenger unit 28 are filled with toner (not shown) the toner directly contacts the first positioning member 10 and second positioning member 12 .
[0057] The first and second positioning members 12 and 14 are preferably formed from punched metal, however any strong, rigid material may be used as would be obvious to a person skilled in the art.
[0058] The process members are mounted directly to the first and second positioning members 12 , 14 respectively so as to precisely locate their position. FIG. 2 provides a closer view of a typical first positioning member 12 . The first positioning member 12 contains a photosensitive drum supporting portion 40 , a developer roller supporting portion 42 , a primary charge roller supporting portion 44 , a triboelectric blade supporting portion 46 , a toner hopper supporting portion 50 and a scavenger unit supporting portion 52 .
[0059] The photosensitive drum supporting portion 40 is in the form of an aperture adapted to rotatably mount the photosensitive drum 12 . The photosensitive drum 12 is thus precisely located through secure, close engagement of the concentric boss with the first positioning member 12 through the bearing plate 70 which will be described in detail shortly.
[0060] Similarly, the developer roller supporting portion 42 is in the form of an aperture adapted to rotatably mount the developer roller 18 . The developer roller 18 is thus precisely located through secure, close engagement of the concentric boss with the first positioning member 12 through the bearing plate 70 which will be described in detail shortly.
[0061] The primary charge roller supporting portion 44 is a rectangular shaped aperture adapted to receive the primary charge roller 20 and thus securely locate the primary charge roller 20 .
[0062] The triboelectric blade supporting portion 46 is adapted to receive a triboelectric blade, preferably the triboelectric blade supporting portion 46 is in the form of a bracket protruding from the first positioning member 12 so as to provide a platform to which a triboelectric blade may be secured. The cleaning blade supporting portion 48 is substantially similar to the triboelectric blade supporting portion 46 .
[0063] The toner hopper supporting portion 50 is in the form of at least one aperture, so as to facilitate the joining of the toner hopper 26 to the first positioning member 12 through a screw, rivet or similar connecting member (not shown). Similarly, the scavenger unit supporting portion 52 is adapted to allow attachment of the scavenger unit 28 to the first supporting portion 12 .
[0064] The bearing plate 70 is provided to provide rotational and longitudinal support to the photosensitive member 12 , developer roller 18 and primary charge roller 20 . The bearing plate 70 comprises three bearing retainers 72 , 74 and 76 . The apertures are provided for placement over the ends of the photosensitive member 12 , developer roller 18 and primary charge roller 20 respectively. Once placed over the ends of the three process members, support is provided to secure the members in place and prevent lateral movement during use of the process cartridge 10 and rotation of the process elements.
[0065] The bearing plate 70 might also be adapted to provide electrical contact to one or more of the process elements that it supports.
[0066] The bearing plate 70 is made of a flexible but hard plastic. The bearing plate 70 has three bearing retainers 72 , 74 and 76 . Bearing retainer 72 projects from one side of the bearing plate 70 and is of a size to be securely retained within the photosensitive member supporting portion 40 . Bearing retainer 74 projects from the same side of the bearing plate 70 and is of a size to be securely retained within the developer roller supporting portion 42 . Bearing retainer 76 projects from the same side of the bearing plate 70 and is of a size to be securely retained within the primary charge roller supporting portion 44 . However, while bearing retainers 72 and 74 provide a retaining opening similar in size and shape to that of the photosensitive member supporting portion 40 and developer roller supporting portion 42 , to which they are received, the bearing retainer 76 has a wide base portion that is narrowed after a predetermined distance away from the bearing retainer 72 .
[0067] Optional side covers may be placed over the ends of the process cartridge 10 , such as the side cover 80 .
[0068] The method of constructing the process cartridge 10 will now be described.
[0069] The bearing plate 70 is inserted into the first positioning member 12 such that the bearing retainers 72 , 74 and 76 are received within the photosensitive drum supporting portion 40 , developer roller supporting portion 42 and primary charge roller supporting portion 44 .
[0070] The process members are then secured to the first positioning member in the following manner, the developer roller 18 , photosensitive drum 16 and primary charge roller 20 are then inserted into bearing retainer 74 , bearing retainer 72 and bearing retainer 76 respectively such that the drive force receiving members are provided at the non-inserted end.
[0071] The triboelectric blade is then securely affixed via the triboelectric blade supporting portion 46 to the first positioning member 12 using screws, glue or other fastening means.
[0072] The cleaning blade is then securely affixed via the cleaning blade supporting portion 48 to the first positioning member 12 using screws, glue or other fastening means.
[0073] Once all process members are secured to the first positioning member 12 , the partially assembled process cartridge 10 is rotated such that the first positioning member 12 is substantially horizontal and the process members are extending vertically outwards from the first positioning member 12 .
[0074] A fixture (not shown) can then be used to clamp the vertically extending process members into a predetermined position and hold them steady. The second positioning member 14 may then be placed over the ends of the process members furthest from the first positioning member 12 , thus securing the process members in place between the first positioning member 12 and the second positioning member 14 .
[0075] Next, the toner hopper 26 and scavenger unit 28 can be moved into position between the first positioning member 12 and second positioning member 14 . The toner hopper 26 and scavenger unit 28 are first secured to the second positioning member 14 via screws or other fastening means. Then, the toner hopper 26 and scavenger unit 28 are secured to the first positioning member 12 via the toner hopper supporting portion 50 and scavenger unit supporting portion 52 using screws or other fastening means.
[0076] If desired, a side cover may be placed over either end of the cartridge 10 , such as the side cover 80 . The side cover 80 has apertures 82 to receive the photosensitive drum 16 and developer roller 18 (and their respective driving force receiving members).
[0077] Alternatively to the above method, all components of the cartridge 10 could be clamped by a fixture (not shown), in order to hold the components in a fixed position, prior to placement of the first positioning member 12 , second positioning member 14 , toner hopper 26 and scavenger unit 28 .
[0078] In the described method, the combination of the accurate positioning of the supporting portions provided for in the first positioning member 12 and the additional flexibility provided by the bearing plate 70 allows for accurate control of the distance between the photosensitive drum 16 and the developer roller 18 when factors such as non-concentricity, non-circularity and wear come into play. It also allows for accurate positioning of the primary charge roller 20 relative to the photosensitive drum 16 and the developer roller 18 .
[0079] Furthermore, the use of the combination of the first positioning member 12 and bearing plate 70 facilitates minimal variation between cartridge width and process width. The first embodiment of the present invention allows a ratio of the width of the cartridge to the process width of at most about 1.15. Meaning, the cartridge is at most about 1.15 times as wide as the process width. It also allows for simple construction of the cartridge compared to those cartridges in the prior art. Cartridge width is defined as the distance from the first positioning member to the second positioning member.
[0080] A second embodiment of the present invention has been further envisaged and is shown in FIG. 4 , whereby a process cartridge 100 is provided having first and second positioning members 12 and 14 with process members extending therebetween. The process members are selected from a group consisting of a photosensitive drum 16 , developer roller 18 , primary charge roller 20 , triboelectric blade 102 and a cleaning blade 104 .
[0081] A toner hopper 26 and scavenger unit 28 are provided as separate units attached adjacent to the first and second positioning members 12 and 14 . Therefore, the toner hopper 26 and scavenger unit 28 do not extend between the first positioning member 12 and the second positioning member 14 .
[0082] In this embodiment the locations of the process members are precisely mounted using the first and second positioning members 12 and 14 as described for the first embodiment. Therefore the gap between the developer roller 18 and the photosensitive drum 16 is precisely controlled and the cartridge width is still kept to a minimum.
[0083] The process cartridge 100 shown in FIG. 4 shows the first positioning member 12 incorporating a bearing plate similar to the bearing plate 70 of the first embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood by a person skilled in the art that a bearing plate can be used as a separate member or incorporated in a positioning member without detrimentally affecting the function of the process cartridge.
[0084] An alternative first positioning member 12 is shown in detail in FIG. 6 , the first positioning member 12 contains a photosensitive drum supporting portion 40 and a developer roller supporting portion 42 adapted to receive the outer diameters of the photosensitive drum 16 and developer roller 18 . The two portions 40 and 42 and the corresponding bearing retainers 72 and 74 are combined to form a shape substantially similar to a “figure 8”. When a photosensitive drum 16 and a developer roller 18 are supported within the supporting portions 40 and 42 , the gap between the photosensitive drum 16 and developer roller 18 is precisely controlled by the supporting portions 40 and 42 limiting lateral movement of the drum 16 and roller 18 . This alternative construction eliminates variations caused by non-concentricity of the bosses featured in the previous embodiments,
[0085] FIG. 5 demonstrates on example of the process cartridge 100 of FIG. 4 , the distance between the first positioning member 12 and second positioning member 14 is 232.5 mm, while the process width (defined as the maximum printable width of the cartridge) is 222.5 mm. This results in a ratio of the distance between the first and second positioning member of 1.04 times the process width. This is just one example of a possible process cartridge using the present invention, it will be understood by a person skilled in the art that many such configurations are possible in order to facilitate printing of different paper types and page widths, whilst remaining under a maximum ratio of about 1.15.
[0086] All embodiments of the present invention defined above result in a cartridge construction whereby the distance between the first positioning member and the second positioning member is at most about 1.15 times that of the maximum process width of the process cartridge. More preferably all embodiments of the present invention result in a cartridge construction whereby the distance between the first positioning member and the second positioning member is at most about 1.10 times that of the maximum process width of the process cartridge.
[0087] All process cartridges described above are intended for use in a electrophotographic printing machine, as such any element typically placed within a electrophotographic printing machine can be placed within the process cartridge, these elements would be readily understood by a person skilled in the art.
[0088] Although the embodiments described above are directed to use directly within a electrophotographic printing machine, they are also suited for use within a mounting frame which may be removably mounted to a electrophotographic printing machine.
[0089] It should be further appreciated by the person skilled in the art that the features described above, where not expressly indicated to the contrary, are not mutually exclusive and that a combination of features may be produced to form yet further embodiments of the invention. | A process cartridge comprising a photosensitive drum and at least one process member extending between two positioning members. In particular, the process cartridge is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus. The a process cartridge is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, and contains a first positioning member, a second positioning member, a rotatable photosensitive drum extending between and connected to the first positioning member and second positioning member, and at least one process member extending between and connected to the first positioning member and second positioning member such that the distance between the rotatable photosensitive member and the process member is fixed by the first positioning member and the second positioning member. In a second embodiment, a housing member is adapted to contain toner, the housing member extending between the first and second positioning members such that any toner contained within is constrained directly by the first and second positioning members. | 6 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to protect personal and communication information for mobile device, more specifically, relates to a method to sign in website without using password or other personal information, a method for anti-surveillance of communication, a way to build internet credit system to make safe trading.
Background Art
[0002] It is a requirement that people is trusted by remote people when doing business in internet without asking for sensitive personal information, vice versa.
[0003] It is risky if you know nothing about the user in remote who is doing business with you, because it is possible that the remote-end is a scammer. People trend not to expose any private information to protect their information from abused, yet, this makes business difficult in internet. Even the remote-end is trusted website, it is still risky to submit private information, because hackers may stole the information from website in future. Hence, people trend to hide behind internet mainly for protecting themselves.
[0004] Techniques such as finger printer, strong password, real name authentication, iris scan etc are implemented to identify the remote people. Though it make vender or website safer, however it isn't equal for customers. All those methods need us expose private information, and we haven't a way to protect us from bad websites.
[0005] Any kind of your personal information is not secure anymore when the information in a form of digital which can be easily copied. If your finger print in digital format and the data are hacked by internet rogues, in some extreme case, your physical fingers may become a target, when the profit is big enough. To guarantee the trading or social network based on trusted persons or websites, there is a requirement to build a trust system among internet and keep people's sensitive information against any kind of leakage. It is a urgent requirement to keep our information from transfering in internet when we do business in internet.
[0006] It is another requirement that to sign up in website without personal information like user name and password. As internet becomes a part of our daily life, we have to remember a lot of username and password for accessing different website, and some password are long enough to be remembered. It is a user's dilemma: if user writes password down or use password which is easy to remember, password can be easily guessed; if user sets different strong password for different website, it is hard to be remembered for most of users. In addition to set password, there are different kinds of electronic forms in different websites waiting us to fill. To be simple and no information leakage, we need a way to sign up and login in website without username and password, and at the same time , the remote website can be authenticated before we signing up or logging in.
[0007] It is required to protect and even recover the private data in your mobile device before or after the mobile device is stolen or lost and protect our communication from surveillance. As the progress of techniques, the mobile device becomes more and more powerful that portable mobile device become popular tool for daily life like online shopping, information searching, online payment, communication with friends, even access social network. Hence, mobile device becomes the ideal device to store personal information which includes but not limits to password, bank account, personal pictures, personal identification, personal contact list and so on. Eventually, the value of the data in mobile device may worth more than the device itself. However, the mobile device is much easier to be stolen or lost. The device may be left carelessly, or drop in somewhere at home but difficult to be found, or even be stolen. In addition, it is required to generate random number which is unpredictable to against surveillance. When any data are transferred across internet, the encryption key for encrypting the data is generated by random number. Yet, the random number generated by computer is pseudo-random number which can be predicted. As long as the random number can be predicted, the key of communication can be predicted and the data of communication can be decrypted.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0008] The objects are listed as follows.
[0009] It is an object of the present invention to build trust among internet users only by the trust system on internet. This object can be divided into several small objects in details as follows. The first small object is to build a credit system for internet users based on the Global Unique Identifier (GUID). For example, internet users get a GUID from public-key center together with private-key and public-key. Then the businesses like purchasing something from website, payment and remarks related to this GUID contribute to the credits of the GUID. As the result, users can check the credit value of remote user before trade in internet. The second small object is to make internet users free from remember too many user names and passwords and fill too many electronic forms. This object is an important way to protect our personal information by not requiring sending your information across the internet. The third small object is to support a method to authenticate the website, and know the trust credit of this website before we sign up in this website or purchase anything. Internet users haven't efficient method and enough time to investigate websites, so many camouflaged or harmful website can cheat users again and again. It is time to stop bad website by our internet trust system.
[0010] The second object of the present invention is to protect personal data in mobile devices like mobile phone, pad, laptop, wearable devices and so on. This object can be divided into several small objects in details as follows. The first small object is to generate an unpredictable key for encryption. The asymmetric-key stored in your mobile device and communication need to be encrypted with random symmetric-key which should be unpredictable. The second small object is to support dual data encryption against surveillance. This techniques generates the symmetric-key by both communication ends, and encrypted with different asymmetric-key when transmitted in internet. The third small object is to chase the position of your phone with and only with the specified GUID. For example, when mobile device is stolen or missed, only the device with the dedicated GUID can chase this mobile device. The fourth small object is the mechanism to detect stolen status by the mobile device itself and destroy your personal information which can't be recovered after your mobile device is stolen. For example, after the mobile device is stolen, the mobile device can automatically detect the status of itself, and then keep the mobile device from read or write and then destroy the personal information with low level format.
Solution to Problem
[0011] The solution of the objects is based on three important techniques: the first is to using GUID and public-key center to initialization, accumulating and querying user's internet credit, the second is to using public-key center and asymmetric-key method to authenticate users and retrieve the status of private-key and device-ID, the third is to only use GUID to sign on or log in websites to protect sensitive information transferring in internet, instead of using password, user name or personal information forms.
[0012] The object of building a credit system for internet users is realized by: using GUID to identify internet users, using the GUID to retrieve related public-key from public-key center, authenticating users by asking for encryption of some random number by the GUID's private-key, allocating GUID for every internet users and assigning initial internet credits according to the information provided by the users, ranking individual users and company users separately according to the information provided, linking bank credit to internet credit if the user allows and inputs all information required, accumulating credits according to the user's activities in internet, such as how many deals, and how many deals done without complaint, how many good or bad remarks and so on, any users with GUID can get the internet credit of other users including company users by their GUID, any users can check whether the remote end is the right owner of this GUID by asking for authentication in public-key center.
[0013] The object of making internet users free from remember too many user names and passwords and fill too many electronic forms is realized by: using GUID to log in different websites, giving the website the right to get signing up information from public-key center, the website authenticating the user's GUID, the website signing up and create profile automatically for the user with GUID and the user's information which includes email address and nickle name and so on, the user logging in using GUID and being authenticated by the public-key center.
[0014] The object of supporting a method to authenticate the websites and know the trust credit of the websites before we sign up in this website or purchase anything is realized by: checking the GUID of the website by asking for authentication in public-key center, gaining the right to access the internet credit of the website, making comments on the website after a deal is completed, adjusting the credit level by user's comments.
[0015] The object of generating an unpredictable key for encryption is realized by: generating pseudo-random number, encrypting the pseudo-random number by user's private-key. This object can be realized also by: collecting sample values of environment voice, collecting the temperature and the speed of fans, using the user's private-key to encrypt the values of natural inputs and get the unpredictable random number.
[0016] The object of making dual data encryption against surveillance is realized by: generating half of the symmetric-key by both communication ends using unpredictable random number, encrypting the half of the symmetric-key by remote-end's public-key, combining and generating the full communication symmetric-key separately by both the communication ends.
[0017] The object of chasing the position of your mobile device with and only with the dedicated GUID is realized by: calculating the hardware information of the mobile device, encrypting the hardware information using private-key and registering it as device-ID to public-key center, storing private-key status and device-ID status in public-key center, setting GUID which the mobile device will response the chasing message, returning the position information if available to the chasing device with the dedicated GUID, taking further actions like opening microphone, enacting camera or sounding alarms according to the instruction of the chasing device.
[0018] The object of detecting stolen status by mobile device itself and destroying personal information using low-level format is realized by: encrypting the private-key by inputting password, encrypting personal information by public-key such as password, contact book information and so on, checking the status of the private-key and device-ID every time the private-key is used for billing or important information retrieving like decrypting personal information like private-key or contact book and so on, setting status of this device as stolen or missing, setting the further actions for the mobile device with the device-ID, the mobile device refusing to do any business before the mobile device can get the proper status of private-key and device-ID from public-key center, destroying personal information using low-level format after get the indicator from the public-key center or the chasing devices with the dedicated GUID.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0019] The GUID is unique globally and protected by private-key. No any one except the owner of GUID can use GUID in internet, because there are no any personal information need to be transmitted in internet. Even attackers steal your private-key from your mobile devices, they can't decrypt it because private-key is protected by unsaved password. Even attacker can decrypt your private-key, you still can protect your personal information and your key by setting the status of private-key and device-ID as stolen, then your can obsolete the leaked key.
[0020] The internet credit of users build a trust system based on GUID, and keep our personal information from abused. When we do business in internet, the internet credits of the GUID tells whether the remote-end can be trusted or not, so, you don't need to leak any your personal information to remote-end and trusted by remote-end. The online payment using GUID is a safer and more convenient ways than almost all current online payment method. Even your private-key is leaked, you can easily and without delay to obsolete the private-key to protect your money.
[0021] Being signed up and Logging in website with GUID and free from user name and password and any other kind of personal information forms will make users use internet in a better way. Also, users have a very quick and convenient way to check the credit and keep away from the phishing or malicious website. We and make our accounts safer than before and without setting and remember any password, and we don't need to worry about when and where and how some websites leak their clients payment and account information, because even we had purchased something in the websites the websites still haven't any payment method can be stolen or hacked. Also, at the same time, the websites with our technique will gain trust from customers easier than before.
[0022] User changes the status of private-key and device-ID stored in public-key center when user realizes the mobile device is stolen or missing, whenever the mobile device get the abnormal status, it will destroy personal information according to the settings for this device. The device will refuse to access any private information stored in the device before the status is clear. Also, the missed mobile device allow to be chased by any device with specific GUID. Even the Operation System of the missed mobile device is changed, we can identify this device by calculating the device-ID and refuses this device being used by other user with different GUID.
[0023] The dual symmetric-key and the unpredictable ways to generate random number help to protect communication easier to anti-surveillance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0024] { FIG. 1 } illustrates the procedure to define Global-Unique-ID(GUID).
[0025] { FIG. 2 } illustrates the way to sign up or log in website without using user name and password.
[0026] { FIG. 3 } illustrates the way to build up internet credit system.
[0027] { FIG. 4 } illustrates the way to store the asymmetric-key in mobile device.
[0028] { FIG. 5 } illustrates the way to keep personal information and password in a secure way.
[0029] { FIG. 6 } illustrates how the owner takes actions to find the mobile device as soon as the owner is aware that the mobile device is missing or stolen.
[0030] { FIG. 7 } illustrates the further actions for different status of the asymmetric-key and the device-ID.
[0031] { FIG. 8 } illustrates how mobile device detects it's status and take further actions.
[0032] { FIG. 9 } illustrates the details of how mobile device performs the further action of ‘finding your phone’.
[0033] { FIG. 10 } illustrates the details of how dual asymmetric-key to generating combined key for symmetric-key data communication.
[0034] { FIG. 11 } illustrates the details of generating secure random number.
DESCRIPTION
Description of Embodiments
EXAMPLES
[0035] There are three embodiments. Example 1 embodies the way to sign up and log in website without providing user name and password. Example 2 embodies the way to build up internet system based on GUID. Example 3 shows the embodiment of protecting personal data in mobile device. Example 4 shows the method of protecting communication by dual asymmetric-key. Example 5 shows the embodiment of generating securer random number.
Example 1
[0036] This embodiment will be described based on accompanying drawings. In this example, the details of how to sign up and log in website without providing user name and password are described.
[0037] { FIG. 1 } illustrates the procedure to define Global-Unique-ID(GUID). The GUID is constructed by 12 digits like what the 101 shows. The leftest is the most important digital. If the GUID is constructed by digits less than 12, the left most digital will be filled with zero to make the GUID with 12 digits. The 102 is the asymmetric-key index for individual users which contain only one character from ‘a’ to ‘z’. The 103 is the asymmetric-key index for commercial users which may need more asymmetric-keys for supporting different customer's. The first character is from ‘A’ to ‘Z’, and total 3 characters. The 105 is typical GUID for 512 bit asymmetric-key which means the user is low credit user. The 106 is the GUID with less than 12 digits. The 107 is an example of GUID for individuals and the 108 is for commercial users.
[0038] { FIG. 2 } illustrates the way to sign up or log in website without user name and password.
[0039] The step 120 , user send log-in request to website with the user's GUIDI (GUID with asymmetric-key index) and ask for the website's GUIDI. Then, in the step 121 , the website responses with it's GUIDI. In 121 , the website responses user with it's GUIDI. In 122 , the website checks the validation and get the public-key of the user from public-key center, in the step, the website log in the public-key center. At the same time, in 123 , the user gets the description and credit of the website and get the website's public-key with the GUIDI of the website. In the step 124 , user can decide whether this is the right website the user wants to visit, based on the description of the public-key.
[0040] In step 125 , user generates a random number uRand and encrypts uRand together with user's IP address by user's private-key (uPri). This message can be decrypted by anyone with user's public-key, but it is difficult to be modified. In step 126 , the website decrypts the message, and get uIP and uRand, then compares the uIP with the source IP of this TCP package. If the two IP isn't the same, then drops this message because it may be attacked.
[0041] In step 127 , website generates a random number (wRand) and encrypts wRand together with uRand and website's IP address by website's private-key, and then send this message to user. In step 128 , user decrypts the message using website's public-key and gets wIP and wRand and uRand, and then compares the wIP with the source IP and the uRands. If all are the same, then the user can make sure that it is the right website, otherwise, the website or the communication data is modified. In step 129 , user sends a message to allow the website to get user's logging in information. The uLogin message is generated by encrypting user's GUIDI (UID) and website's GUIDI (WID) and authentication code by user's private-key. The authentication code which can be recognized by public-key center is a code to share the parts of user's information with the WID. Also, the user forms authentication message by encrypting uLogin and wRand using user's private-key. In step 130 , the website decrypts user's authentication message and gets wRand and uLoin. If the wRand isn't the same as the original wRand, then the website will refuse the user. Then the website checks it's database for this user. In step 131 , if the database has the record for this user, the website sends conformation message and let the user logs in. If the user is a new user, In step 132 , the website generating an information request for public-key center by encrypting the uLoin and website's GUIDI using website's private-key. In step 133 , the public-key center will decrypt the message and get WID and uLogin and authentication code, and decrypt the uLogin by user's public-key and get UID and SID. Then WID and SID are compared and generate a message by decrypting a message which contains all user's information indicated by the authentication code. In step 134 , the website will decide to sign up the user or not by the user's information decrypted by the message. If the website decide to allow this user, then build a new account for the user and allow user to log in by send a conformation to the user. After step 134 , the user logs in website successfully without provide any user name and password or transfer any keys or password across the internet. And the user can create or complete the user's information in the log-in page in the website.
Example 2
[0042] This embodiment will be described based on accompanying drawings. In this example, the details of building up internet system based on GUID are described.
[0043] { FIG. 3 } illustrates the way to utilize and accumulate internet credits. In the internet credit systems, any users including company users are part of the credit system. The credit center will get transaction report from authorized users like the company users or the user with good credit. The credit-center build up the credit with basic information like transaction amount, transaction type, with or without good or bad remarks. In this example, the User-Seller and User-Buyer will do business based on the name of GUID. In step 250 , both User-Seller and User-Buyer get credits of GUID from public-key center before make business decision. Then in step 251 , the User-Seller who is the company user report the brief transactions with unique transaction ID to Credit-center after they complete their transaction. And both User-Seller and User-Buyer have the right to report or not to report their attitude about this transactions to Credit-Center which will affect the credit of each other. By step 250 to 252 , users with GUID build their credits and using the credits to gain trust among each other.
Example 3
[0044] This embodiment will be described based on accompanying drawings. In this example, the details of protecting personal data in mobile device are described.
[0045] { FIG. 4 } illustrates the way to store the asymmetric-key in mobile device. The asymmetric-key is very important property and is protected by password. To keep the password confidential, attacker should be very difficult to know password by reverse calculation even when the file of asymmetric-key is leaked. From 201 to 207 , show how the asymmetric-key file is constructed. The 201 stores the user's GUIDI. The 202 is the public-key of this GUIDI which doesn't need to be encrypted, the public-key is constructed by length, n and e whose format can be defined according to real environment. The 203 is the public-key center's GUIDI which used to log in public-key center. The 204 is the public-key of public-key center's GUIDI. The 205 is optional for password free mode which is used when the owner of this asymmetric-key can access asymmetric-key without input password every time. The Fpw (encrypted Rpw which is the key for decrypt asymmetric-key) is the key used by symmetric-key for decrypting user's private-key. The 206 is the encrypted private-key by Fpw. The 207 is the hash (MD5) value of the asymmetric-key file to check whether the file is attacked or not.
[0046] From 208 to 217 show how to decrypt user's private-key. If the owner of this GUIDI set password free then Fpw is used to record the key for decrypting private-key and then the owner can access the asymmetric-key without any input, otherwise, the password is asked. In 209 , the valid of Fpw is checked by checking the decrypted private-key is valid or not. if password free is set and Fpw is valid, then go to 216 to retrieve Fpw directly, otherwise go to 210 asking for password. In 210 , the program asks user to input password. Then the 211 get Hpw by hash the password using MD5 or SHA. In 213 , get tRpw by encrypting Hpw using user's public-key, In 215 , get Rpw by encrypting tRpw using public-key center's public-key. If attacker wants to get password by reversing calculation, the attacker need know the private-key of the public-key center and the private-key of the user and then crack the MD5. The attacker can't get all this information, so the password set by the user is safe enough.
[0047] In 216 , user can access private-key without password, in this case, the program reads Fpw from asymmetric-key file. Then decrypts the Fpw by a key set in program and get Rpw. The key is calculated by the device-ID and a fixed number set in the program. The Fpw can calculated by Rpw at the same way.
[0048] In 217 , the private-key is calculated by Rpw with AES symmetric method, then the program can use private-key to encrypt or decrypt data or password for customer.
[0049] If the password free is set, then, the Fpw will be generated by Rpw and rewrite to asymmetric-key file.
[0050] { FIG. 5 } illustrates the way to keep personal information and password in a secure way. From 301 to 304 illustrates the method to initialize application. In 301 , the application retrieves the asymmetric-key by inputting password. In 302 , calculates the device-ID, which includes the static device-ID and dynamic device-ID, the static device-ID is the identification of this physical mobile device, and the dynamic device-ID is the identification of accessing services whose changing will trigger force-status-checking before using private-key. In 303 , if it is the first time for installation, the mobile device have to connect to public-key center to verify the validation of the private-key and the device-ID using current private-key. In 304 , after the private-key is authorized, the device-ID is sent to public-key center, and the static device-ID is searched in public-key center, if this static device-ID exist already and the status of this device-ID isn't unregistered, then the public-key center will refuse this device-ID, the mobile device will wait for further actions according to the setting of the static device-ID in the public-key center.
[0051] From 305 to 309 , the mobile device lunchs a new security zone to protect personal data. There are two ways to protect personal data, one is directly using user's public-key to encrypt for small size personal data like password list, the another is to protect using symmetric-key (FDpw). The mobile device already have public-key by accessing asymmetric-key file, so we need a method to generate and store symmetric-key. In 305 , a random number is generated using system random functions or using nature input, and the random number is encrypted by user's private-key to get a password which is difficult to be guessed. In 306 , the method to store Fdpw is decided by settings. The weak mode is storing FDpw in local file and the strong mode is storing Fdpw in public-key center. In 307 , the FDpw is encrypted by user's public-key and get eFDpw, and store eFDpw into file. In 308 , the mobile device connects public-key center and backups the eFDpw in server, and in this step the validation of the private-key and the device-ID is checked. In 309 , a disk or a fold or any kind of data zone which is protected by the password Fdpw is created.
[0052] From 310 to 317 , it is the way to access personal data. In 311 , the application know where to get FDpw by the configuration file. In 312 , open symmetric-key file and get eFDpw. In 317 , the application connects public-key center and get eFDpw, in this step, the status of private-key and device-ID is checked. If the status is abnormal, the application will take further actions. Then in 313 , the application get FDpw by decrypting eFDpw. Even eFDpw is leaked, it is still difficult to be decrypted by attacker. In 316 , the FDpw can be used to decrypt or encrypt, and mount related disk. The 318 and 319 is the abnormal handling process, when the status of private-key and device-ID is abnormal. The application will refuse to use private-key or FDpw before take further actions.
[0053] { FIG. 6 } illustrates how the owner takes actions to find the mobile device as soon as the owner is aware that the mobile device is missing or stolen. In 502 , the owner logs in public-key center using any asymmetric-key with the same GUID. In 503 , the owner set the status of the mobile device according to the status of the mobile devices. Then set the status accordingly. This step is very important for the owner to protect the private-key. After the changing of status, any online-payment or accessing to this asymmetric-key will be refused. The details of further actions are listed in FIG. 7 . In 504 , the owner will try to link with the lost mobile device using default TCP/UDP port. In 506 , if the mobile device is still active in internet, the owner can connect to the lost mobile device and get it's location periodically and command the mobile device to take further operations like opening microphone to record and sending voice to the owner, or sending location periodically or deleting all the personal information by low-level formatting and so on. In 505 , if the mobile device is broken from the internet, then the owner still can connect this device by short wireless links such as blue tooth or WIFI using default TCP/UDP port.
[0054] { FIG. 7 } shows the further actions for different status of the asymmetric-key and the device-ID. As long as the status of Device-ID is ‘lost’ status, in 511 and 512 , the mobile device will refuse to use asymmetric-key, and delete the personal information, and be ready to be chased whenever the internet or short wireless is available. In 513 , if the status of Device-ID is only ‘Finding’, the data will not be deleted but the mobile device will refuse to use asymmetric-key, and the mobile device is ready to be chased. In 514 and 515 , the ‘register’ status of device-ID means this device-ID belong to a dedicated user. If the status of asymmetric-key is invalid, the action is to prop alarm because the device may be in good status. In 516 , the ‘Under-changing’ status of device-ID means this mobile device is never been assigned to a dedicated user, so the device is free to accept or bind new asymmetric-key. In 517 , the asymmetric-key exists and is invalid, that status indicates that the device-ID may belong to a dedicated user but be transferred to a new user, yet, the old user's private-key is still in mobile phone, so in this case, the mobile device will refuse to use the asymmetric-key and waits for being bound to a new asymmetric-key.
[0055] { FIG. 8 } illustrates how mobile device detects it's status and take further actions. As we know, the mobile device is very hard to know itself is stolen or missing, so the mobile device need a method to get the status. We design two modes. The strong mode will ask for the status of the device from public-key center every time the device uses asymmetric-key, so the asymmetric-key is protected strongly, yet it need to access internet all the time so isn't fit for some off-line application. The weak mode will check the status of asymmetric-key or device-ID only when force status check is set. The force status check is set when the application is just start or the mobile device is been blocked or the mobile device is in idle status for a dedicated time. In 701 , every time the asymmetric-key is used, the force status will be checked, if it is set, the mobile device will check the status anyway. In 704 , the asymmetric-key key is free to be used, here, it is used for decrypting to get password FDpw. In 708 , the data zone is mounted or written by FDpw. In 702 , the mobile device will connect the public-key center by asymmetric-key and check the status of the device-ID and this asymmetric-key. In 703 , the status checking is performed. From 705 to 709 , the different combination of further action for abnormal key or device-ID is performed by the mobile device. 705 will destroy the asymmetric-key only, 706 will destroy secure data, 707 will finding the phone, 709 will chasing the phone. The combinations of further actions are showed in FIG. 7 .
[0056] { FIG. 9 } illustrates the details of how mobile device performs the further action of ‘finding your phone’. The protected device is the device that is missing or stolen, the trusted device is the device with dedicated GUIDI which is trusted by the protected device, the public-key center is the service provider. From 801 to 802 , the mobile device check status of asymmetric-key and device-ID from public-key center. In 803 , the mobile device is triggered to be found by the owner. So, in 804 , the mobile device will regularly update it's IP address and the listening port for accepting chasing. From 805 to 809 , the owner of the protected mobile device using trusted device to log in public-key center and get chasing settings. In 805 and 806 , the trusted device connect to public-key using private-key. In 807 and 808 , the trusted device requests and gets chasing settings including the TCP/UDP port and IP address. After the trusted device get details of how to reach the protected device, In 810 and 811 , it connects to protected device using it's private-key. To finish authentication, device B encrypt a random number from device A using device B's private-key, and the device A decrypts the message from B by device B's public-key, if device A can get the same random number, then device A trusts device B is authorized by dedicated GUIDI. In 812 , the protected device get the list of further actions. In 813 , the protected device deletes personal information or sending location information according to the list of further actions till receives the message from trusted device to indicate ‘finish chasing’.
Example 4
[0057] This embodiment will be described based on accompanying drawings. In this example, the details of protecting communication by dual asymmetric-key are described.
[0058] { FIG. 10 } illustrates the details of how to use dual asymmetric-key to generating combined key for symmetric-key data communication. In 902 , the device A and device B connect to public-key center using their asymmetric-key, and get the communication settings of each other which include but not limited to IP address and TCP/UDP ports and GUIDI, and the encrypt protocols and the method to combine two part of keys. The public-key center, never store or interfere the key exchanging and data communication of the devices, so the communication will not be attacked from public-key center. In 901 , device A generates a random number (RNA) and constructs a key message (KMA) which encrypts RNA by device B's public-key. Device B get RNA by decrypting KMA using it's private-key. The RNA can and only can be decrypted by device B by this step. In 903 , device B generates a random number (RNB) and constructs a key message (KMB) which encrypts RNB by device A's public-key. Device A get RNB by decrypting KMB using it's private-key. After step 901 and 903 , both device A and device B get RNA and RNB, and then combines RNA and RNB using the same method which is known by both devices. The method can be free defined because it will not affect the secure level. One of the method can use RNA to encrypt RNB and using the encrypted number as the key. After 903 , the two device's communications such as voice, video, text and so on are all encrypted by the dual key. We can freely choose AES, DES or other algorithm to generate the symmetric-key, as long as it is fixed defined by both devices in step of 902 .
Example 5
[0059] This embodiment will be described based on accompanying drawings. In this example, the details of generating securer random number are described.
[0060] { FIG. 11 } illustrates the details of generating secure random number. From 931 to 933 , illustrate how to using nature input to generating random number. In 931 , the device opens microphone and collect a random length of nature voice, the input can be but not limited to video, speed of fan, temperature. In 932 , counting the volume of sampled voice and uses the result as the random number (NRN). The nature voice may not be completely silent, so, after a random length of time to collect nature voice, this random number will be more difficult to be guessed. In 933 , we all know that this random number can be guessed by knowing the environment of the device, so, we using the device's private-key to encrypt this NRN and use the result as the final RN. As long as the NRN is random, the RN will be random, because from NRN to RN is a fixed procedure.
[0061] From 961 to 933 , illustrate how to generate random number without the assistance of getting nature input. As we all know that the CPU or some software have many different ways to generate random password, but there are all pseudo random number. Yet, a key that can't be guessed by attacker doesn't have to be perfect random number. In 961 , we get current time as seed for generating pseudo random number. In 962 , we generate a pseudo random number (SRN) by any means including but not limited to Rand( ) functions supported by system. Then In 963 , the final Random Number (RN) is generated by decrypting SRN using user's private-key. Though, in theory, RN is a pseudo random number, RN is very difficult to be guessed. Attacker need the private-key to get the final RN. | A method includes building trust system among internet users, signing up in websites without password and protecting personal data in mobile device. Global Unique Identifier (GUID) is used to identify and accumulate internet credit for users and websites. First, user applies for GUID together with asymmetric-key, then the internet credit of this GUID can be accumulated based on transactions. Also, user can sign on or log in websites via GUID without using password and user name. In addition, dual data encryption and unpredictable random number is presented to anti-surveillance of communication. The personal information in mobile device are protected by asymmetric-key pairs and destroyed automatically after being stolen and mobile device's device-ID is used to chasing the stolen devices. In summary, the present invention is a securer way to build a trust system among internet users and protect data in mobile device. | 7 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a solar power diagnostic tool which temporally correlates the quantification of photovoltaic (“PV”) energy production and performance by measuring the current-voltage (“IV”) curve, while providing continuous power to the load when the module is under test, and communicates wirelessly over low power radio devices.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Photovoltaic systems play a critical role in worldwide energy production. The industry that supports the development and consumption of these systems continues to innovate and develop new technologies which will benefit tremendously from enhanced measurement and evaluation solutions for all stages of research, certification, development, implementation, and maintenance. Current solutions typically require considerable wiring, are difficult to configure and often cannot be left in the field to collect data in real environments or while connected to inverters or the grid.
SUMMARY
[0003] The solar power diagnostic tool which simultaneously measures the IV curve for a photovoltaic module under sunlight, or a group of connected modules in series or parallel, and while providing uninterrupted electrical energy to the subsequent solar modules while testing is in progress. Accordingly, this solar power diagnostic tool may provide an IV tracer that allows for the continuous power supply to the load when the solar panel is under test. The system may allow for this testing to be fully automated while also not requiring power generation downtime, to allow solar arrays to continuously operate while their health is being constantly monitored.
[0004] The device may include features that are specifically designed to provide flexibility and low impact integration into an array, and may have the unique capability to perform the core function of measuring an IV without disrupting the power flow through the array. The device also may have the ability to alter the speed of an IV sweep, which allows greater flexibility to test a wide range of PV modules with variation in things such as materials, cell configurations, and technical processes. Accordingly, this can make different IV sweep speeds more accurate and informative depending on the characteristics of the module under test. By allowing flexibility to also change the interval between IV sweeps, the amount of power used by the instrument can be weighed against the amount of data desired. The instrument may also be designed to use the lowest amount of power possible, while providing the greatest amount of accuracy and control for testing.
[0005] The solar power diagnostic tool may include a custom circuit which stores energy in a capacitor, which is used to power the load when the device solar panel is under test. This backup power source may also be a battery. The system may include a transceiver, transistor, capacitor and microcontroller. The transceiver may be wireless. The transistors may be high power. The capacitor may be high power. The system may further be utilized by products that need an IV curve tester, which also require constant power supply to the electrical load. The system may also be used to discharge a battery, and to monitor the unit throughout the discharge process.
[0006] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings. Other objectives, features, and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following Detailed Description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and with the claims.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of certain embodiments of the present invention, in which like numerals represent like elements throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of the invention connected with series connected solar devices.
[0009] FIG. 2 provides a flow diagram for the typical states the invention passes through in monitoring a solar power generation device and performing one IV curve measurement
[0010] FIG. 3 depicts an IV curve captured by the solar power diagnostic tool.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] A detailed explanation of the system and method according to the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below.
[0012] Manufacturers and operators of power generation devices such as solar PV modules need to perform analysis on the quality and reliability of their devices while they are operating in the field. This includes comparisons of theoretical versus actual maximum power, and the ability of the device to retain these characteristics over time. Current solutions typically require considerable wiring, are difficult to configure and often cannot be left in the field to collect data in real environments or while connected to inverters or the grid.
[0013] Furthermore, existing measurements of photovoltaic systems are often performed by inverters, and increasingly by DC to DC optimizers embedded on each module. The IV curve is a critical measurement because it can allow insights into such things as maximum power output, efficiency, shunt resistance, series resistance, recombination current, diode quality factor, the presence of errors in the module circuitry, and the impacts on the module of shading or soiling. Measured over time and matched with environmental measurement data such as irradiance and temperature, these measurements provide dramatically more insights into the module's performance and degradation. These existing measurement devices typically do not have the capability to capture the full power quadrant IV curve of an individual solar module.
[0014] Careful time-correlated quantification of photovoltaic energy production and performance in outdoor arrays and test sites can benefit the PV industry in numerous ways. Existing IV measurement instruments are typically designed for taking one-time measurements after the module or string of modules has been disconnected from the array. Additionally, existing inverter technology is often highly sophisticated and can include safety features and performance enhancement features that could be negatively impacted by devices that switch a module out of the array without providing uninterrupted electrical power to the PV array. Furthermore, theses existing systems require one to physically sever panel connections for purposes of testing, which results in an energy loss.
[0015] However, a compact, simple implementation and robust design would greatly boost the abundance of data collected in the field from PV devices. More field data will help replace less reliable indoor accelerated lifetime testing and give a better predictor of solar module lifetime. The real world data could also be used to enhance the models constructed to extrapolate predicted performance from lab tests. Also, continuous monitoring will maximize return-on-investment for array owners due to increased response of failure conditions, and moreover, will allow for more granular detection further pinpointing the specific device responsible for the failure in underperforming arrays.
[0016] The various solar power diagnostic methods, and systems described herein can be implemented in part or in whole using computer-based systems and methods. Additionally, computer-based systems and methods can be used to augment or enhance the functionality described herein, increase the speed at which the functions can be performed, and provide additional features and aspects as a part of or in addition to those described elsewhere in this document. Various computer-based systems, methods and implementations in accordance with the described technology are presented below.
[0017] Referring to FIG. 1 , the solar power diagnostic tool may acquire current-voltage (“IV”) curve traces of a solar power generation device. The solar power diagnostic tool may include a processor 220 , a resistive load 230 , a backup power source 240 , a switch electrically connected to the solar power generation device and the backup power source, a voltage measurement device, a current measurement device, an accelerometer and a communications device. The processor 220 may be a microcontroller, and may control the process, dataflow and timing of the solar power diagnostic tool.
[0018] The backup power source 240 may store energy to emulate a solar power generation device under test 210 and for providing power to subsequent power generation devices 300 . The backup power source 240 may include a capacitor, a battery or a transistor. The solar power diagnostic tool may include a waterproof assembly containing circuitry and the backup power source. The solar power diagnostic tool may include circuitry that resides in a combiner box or enclosure other than a waterproof assembly. The switch may switch power between the solar power generation device and the backup power source. The voltage measurement device may measure the voltage of the solar power generation device under test 210 as the resistive load 230 is changing the voltage and current that the solar power generating device is operating under. The current measurement device may measure the current of the solar power generation device under test 210 as the resistive load is changing the voltage and current that the solar power generation device is operating under. The current may be measured using a Hall effect. The accelerometer may measure the orientation of the solar power diagnostic tool.
[0019] The resistive load of the solar power diagnostic tool may be ohmic. A transistor may be utilized to create the resistive load. High power transistors may be used to create a variable ohmic load to perform the IV sweep of the solar panel. The resistive load may include field-effect transistors (FETs), which may cause the solar power generation device under test to operate in the power quadrant from an open-circuit to within a small limit of a short-circuit. The resistive load may include capacitors.
[0020] The solar power generation device may include a group of solar photovoltaic modules that are connected in series, or may include a group of solar photovoltaic modules that are connected in parallel. The solar power diagnostic tool may include a bypass diode, which may pass solar string current if the solar power diagnostic tool fails in an open-circuit state. The solar power diagnostic tool may include inputs for temperature sensing devices for ambient temperature and module temperature.
[0021] The processor may carefully charge the backup power source slowly so as not to significantly detract from the energy being supplied to the electrical load. Once the backup power source 240 is charged, the processor 220 may switch the backup power source 240 into the resistive load 230 , and then may switch the solar power generation devices under test 210 out of the resistive load 230 , so that the electrical power generation is never severed. The solar power diagnostic tool may be fully automated, and may provide continuous power supply to the resistive load 230 while the solar power generation device is under test. After the IV curve of the solar panel has been swept, the processor 220 may connect the solar panel back to the load. A ohmic load, capacitive or inductive load may be used to sweep the IV curve.
[0022] The solar power diagnostic tool may include a communications device to allow for data transport. The data transport may occur over an IEEE 802.15.4 or 80.11 communication protocol. The communications device may be a wireless transceiver. The processor 220 may communicate with a high power transistor acting as the resistive load 230 , and may walk the solar panel's operating point through a resistance window supplied from the high power transistor, which may be in a range between milliohms and mega ohms. The communications device may be a hardwired communication link.
[0023] The solar power diagnostic tool may utilize two switches (“S 1 ” and “S 2 ”) in a series and shunt configuration with the subsequent and measured solar power generation device under test (“SDUT”). The negative and positive polarity of SDUT may be connected electrically to points P 3 and P 4 , respectively. The negative polarity of the subsequent solar devices at higher electrostatic potential may be connected electrically to point P 2 while the positive polarity of the preceding solar devices at lower electrostatic potential is connected to point P 1 . SDUT may be in series switch S 1 , and S 2 may be in parallel (shunt) with S 1 and SDUT combined.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 2 , the solar power diagnostic tool may operate under and transition between three primary states, and with one failure state in the event that the system malfunctions. These states may include a sleep state 400 , a charging bypass power supply state 500 , which may be a pre-measurement state, a tracing current-voltage (IV) curve state 600 , 700 , 800 , which may be the measurement state, and a bypass diode state, which may be the instrument failure state.
[0025] During the sleep state, the solar power diagnostic tool may draw just enough power to keep its internal batteries charged through a linear regulator designed to source a trickle DC current over an especially wide operating voltage range. In this state, switch (S 1 ) may be closed, and when solar radiation is present, the solar power generation device under test (“SDUT”). may generates a positive voltage and passes charge from (P 1 ) to (P 2 ) and through to subsequent solar devices. In this state, (A 1 and V 1 ) may be measured on user-defined intervals. These values may represent the string current (A 1 ) and solar device operating voltage (V 1 ) which can be used to determine power generation from the SDUT
[0026] During pre-measurement charging bypass power supply state, the bypass charge storage element (C 1 ) may be below the voltage of the SDUT, which may be undesirable for the measurement state, and thus (C 1 ) may acquire charge in this pre-measurement charging bypass power supply state through the pulsation of switch (S 2 ). The pulsation may include pulse-width modulation. Charging may be complete when the voltage across (V 2 ) is equal to (V 1 ). (A 2 ) may be used to monitor the rate of charging, and may actively control feedback to pulsation of S 2 .
[0027] The measurement tracing current-voltage curve state is when the current-voltage curve may be measured and may be triggered on a user-defined periodic interval when switch (S 1 ) is opened, (S 2 ) is closed changing the string current (I 1 ) to flow from the preceding solar device to the subsequent device through (C 1 ) instead of SDUT. Simultaneously, the ohmic load of the connected solar device may be varied to walk the current-voltage operating points for SDUT. At each point the voltage and current readings (A 1 and V 1 ) may be stored in a microprocessor for later transmission. When the fullest spectrum of resistance has been swept by the ohmic load, and a series of A 1 and V 1 readings have been taken, (S 1 ) may be closed and the charging bypass power supply stage may commence.
[0028] The bypass diode state may only be triggered in the event that a failure inside the instrument between points P 1 and P 2 creates a power sink, which may cause the bypass diode to turn on and route charge around the instrument. This feature may ensure that an instrument failure does not compromise the entire string current.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 3 , an IV curve 900 may be swept while simultaneously allowing continuous power supply to the load when the solar panel is under test. The processor 220 may communicate with a high power transistor acting as the resistive load 230 , and may walk the solar panel's operating point through a resistance window supplied from the high power transistor, which may be in a range between milliohms and mega ohms. The communications device may be a hardwired communication link.
[0030] A method for acquiring current-voltage (IV) curve traces of a solar power generation device may include charging a backup power source until the backup power source has a voltage equal to a solar power generation device under test, in a charging mode. The solar power diagnostic tool may draw just enough power to keep an internal power source of the solar power generation device charged, in a standby mode. A software trigger may be defined that may occur at a regular interval and identifies a solar power diagnostic tool to perform a next step. A switch event so that the current from the backup source in a solar power diagnostic tool may flow to a next device in a string of solar modules, and current from the solar power diagnostic tool may flow through the solar power diagnostic tool rather than to the string of solar modules, may be performed. A high power variable resistance at a speed determined by the processor may be varied from open circuit to short circuit, while taking readings of the current-voltage operating points of the solar power generation device under test, and storing data for transmission. A switch event may be performed so that the current from the solar power generation device under test may be reconnected to the string of solar modules and the current form the backup power source of the solar power diagnostic tool may be disconnected from the string of solar modules. The steps of this method may be repeated until the solar power diagnostic tool is disconnected or turned off.
[0031] While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail herein, it should be understood that various changes and modifications might be made to the invention without departing from the scope and intent of the invention. The embodiments described herein are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternate embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its scope.
[0032] From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and objects set forth above, together with other advantages, which are obvious and inherent to the system and method. It will be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated and within the scope of the appended claims. | A measurement instrument capable of electrically isolating the connected photovoltaic (“PV”) module in an array of PV modules to perform a health diagnosis including of current versus voltage measurements on the attached device by using a resistive load to acquire the current-voltage (“IV”) curve in the positive power quadrant of the module. The instrument is capable of switching a charge storage element into the array during the period when the solar module is under test to provide uninterrupted electrical power to the PV array. The measurement instrument contains a battery and charger allowing the device to run from the connected PV module's energy. The instrument contains a microprocessor to allow a high degree of configuration through software, including altering the speed of an IV sweep, the interval between sweeps, and integrating temperature and tilt measurements. The instrument is equipped with low power radio devices to communicate wirelessly, further negating the need for a common ground. | 7 |
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/659,268, filed Jun. 6, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,510, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/368,516, filed Jan. 4, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,787.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to semiconductor integrated microcircuit manufacturing and more particularly to temporarily packaging singulated integrated circuit dice for shipping.
2. State of the Art
Semiconductor integrated circuit chips are typically constructed en masse on a single wafer or other substrate of silicon or other semiconductor material. After the circuits are created, the wafers or substrates are split up, or "singulated", into individual integrated circuit chips or dice. Typically, each die is then individually encapsulated into integrated circuit packages which are capable of being attached to printed circuit boards. However, dice are often sold or transferred to other manufacturing sites in the unpackaged form. The unpackaged dice must therefore be shipped through the mail or by other freight means to destinations which can be cities, states or even countries apart. Freight travel often involves subjecting articles so transported to a harsh, contaminant-laden environment in terms of dirt and dust, as well as mechanical shock and vibration. This environment requires that the dice be temporarily packaged to protect them from such exposure.
Over the years, the industry has developed packages called die-pacs which temporarily contain the dice during shipping. Currently, die-pacs are protective containers similar to that shown in FIG. 1. The containers are made of black conductive polypropylene to keep out dust and other contaminants and to protect the die from static charges and from crushing and impact type forces caused by rough handling. The container comprises a lower bed structure 1 which is capable of being mated to a cover structure 2. When mated, an inner cavity 3 is formed for storing the die 4 or dice. The bed and cover are held together through temporary securing means such as interlocking clasp brackets 5 and 6. The position of the die within the cavity of the container is secured by a layer of silicone gel adhesive material 7 contacting the undersurface of the die and a surface of the bed facing the inner cavity.
The silicone gel is similar to common household cellophane wrapping material. However, silicone gel has greater resiliency and will not hold a static electric charge of any significance.
Prior to shipping, the singulated dice are placed atop the silicone gel layer on the bed through robot deposit or other means. The cover is then mated and secured to the bed using the interlocking clasp brackets. The die-pac is then ready for shipment.
Upon arrival of the die-pac at its destination, the interlocking clasp brackets are removed and the cover lifted from the bed. Robot-operated pickup means then remove the die or dice from the bed.
There are, however, certain problems which have arisen using the popular silicone gel die-pac. First, the adhesive nature of the silicone gel, which is strong enough to maintain the position of the die during transport, requires either expensive manual removal of the dice or that the robot pickup means be sufficiently strong to remove the die from the gel. This relatively powerful pickup means sometimes can damage the sensitive die during the pickup operation. When less strong means are used, there are often many unsuccessful attempts made before the die is picked-up. Repetitive attempts to pick-up a die increases the probability of damaging the die during the pick-up process.
Second, it has been found that residue from the silicone gel often contaminates portions of the die. This residue is in the form of silicon compounds such as silicon oxides and silicon-metal compounds. Tests have shown particularly high concentrations of compounds such as polydimethylsiloxane (CH 3 --(Si--O) n --CH 3 ). These compounds generally contaminate the surfaces of a die, resulting most commonly in reduced conductivity of the die's electrical contact points, thereby forcing further costly processing prior to packaging. Severe contamination will even cause a die to be non-functional.
Therefore, it would be valuable to have a method for shipping singulated dice which does not subject the dice to the problems associated with the prior art packaging techniques as referenced above.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides packaging and methods for inexpensively protecting singulated dice during shipping from contamination and damage, as well as facilitating removal of the singulated dice from packaging upon reaching their destination.
The invention may utilize current die-pac structural designs so as to minimally impact the current automation devices for loading and removing dice from shipping die-pacs, although the invention is not so limited, as set forth in greater detail below.
The invention provides a die-pac which allows less powerful means for removing the dice from the die-pac after it has reached its destination.
These and other advantages are achieved by a structure having an ultraviolet (UV) light or other electromagnetic radiation (EMR) transmissive or penetrable plate upon which has been placed a layer of UV light or other EMR-sensitive adhesive for securing the position of the die or dice during shipping. The adhesive is sensitive to selected, predetermined wavelengths of EMR in that its adhesiveness, stickiness or coefficient of friction is alterable by exposing the adhesive to such selected wavelengths of EMR, such as UV light. Upon arrival of the structure at its destination, the adhesive is subjected to an EMR source emitting such radiation within the selected wavelengths, thereby reducing its adhesiveness, and allowing for less powerful pickup of the dice during removal. The specific adhesive used as disclosed herein provides less harmful silicon residues to the dice during shipping.
The structure of the invention is readily adaptable to current die-pac designs having a matable bed and cover for enclosing the die or dice for protection during shipping. Such die-pac designs may be simplified in construction in comparison to current die-pacs to provide less expensive, while still adequate, protection for the bare dice under transport.
Further, it is also contemplated that the present invention may be embodied in the form of a tape-and-reel transport system for bare dice.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective cut-away view of a prior art die-pac using silicone gel adhesive as the die-securing means;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a die holding bed according to the invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional end view of the die holding bed of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional end view of a vessel structure capable of containing one or more die holding beds during shipping;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional end view of a die-pac according to the invention;
FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional end view of a die-pac similar to that of FIG. 5, but having a simplified structure;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional end view of an alternate embodiment of a die-pac constructed according to the invention having a nylon web interposed between the tape and the bed surface;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional end view of an alternate embodiment of a die-pac constructed according to the invention showing multiple dice and a bed portion made completely of EMR-transmissive material;
FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the steps necessary for shipping singulated dice packaged in die-pacs according to the invention;
FIG. 9 is a side, partial sectional view of a simplified die support structure for a die-pac;
FIG. 10 is a top view of the simplified die support structure of FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a schematic side sectional elevation of a tape-and-reel die transport assembly and associated EMR chamber according to the invention;
FIGS. 12A and 12B are schematic top views of two die-support tapes of different design employing EMR-sensitive adhesives in different patterns;
FIG. 13 is an enlarged side sectional view of a die-support tape including die containment cavities; and
FIG. 14 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a die-support tape defining a continuous channel for receiving dice therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawing, FIGS. 2 and 3 respectively show a perspective view and a cross-sectional end view of a structure according to the invention for releasably holding a microcircuit die. The structure comprises a bed structure 10 made of substantially rigid conductive material such as black conductive polypropylene. A portion of the bed forms a plate 11 made of material which is penetrable by (i.e., transmits) ultraviolet (UV) light, such as substantially clear plastic, glass or polycarbonate. The plate 11 has an upper face 12 and a lower face 13. The position of the die 14 is secured above a section 16 of the plate by a layer of ultraviolet light sensitive adhesive 15 contacting the undersurface 17 of the die.
Upon arrival of the holding structure at its destination, the lower face 13 of the plate portion of the bed is subjected to UV light of sufficient intensity. The light penetrates through the plate and into the UV light-sensitive adhesive layer existing between the die and the upper face of the plate. This exposure reduces the coefficient of friction of the adhesive. The die can then be easily removed through vacuum pick-up means.
FIG. 4 shows that one or more of the holding beds may be loaded into a vessel structure 18 to further protect the die 14 or dice from the shipping environment, which may include dust, heat, shock, vibration and static charges. The structure comprises at least one cavity 19 capable of enclosing a die or dice, and means for securing the position of the die or dice within the cavity. In this case, the vessel may contain a plurality of holding beds 20. The means for securing comprise a pair of parallel grooves 21, 22 for each holding bed to be loaded into the vessel. Each pair of grooves is set into the inner surface 23, 24 of parallel walls 25, 26 of the vessel. The grooves are sized and dimensioned to releasably engage opposite ends 27, 28 of a holding bed. Upon arrival of the vessel at its destination, the vessel may be opened and the holding beds removed to be irradiated.
An alternate embodiment of the invention is directed toward implementation of the invention using the typical, currently used die-pac structure. FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional end view of a typical die-pac structure. The die-pac is a container which comprises a lower bed structure 30 which is capable of being mated to a cover structure 31. The cover and the bed are made of protective, hard, conductive material such as black conductive polypropylene. Once mated, an inner cavity 32 is formed between the bed and cover. The cavity is sized and dimensioned to contain the die 33 therein. The bed and cover are held together through temporary securing means such as interlocking clasp brackets 34 which engage the edge flanges 35, 36 of the mated bed and cover.
The position of the die within the cavity of the container is held by a layer of ultraviolet light-sensitive adhesive 37 contacting the undersurface 38 of the die and secured over the upper face 39 of a plate portion 40 of the bed structure 30. As in the previous embodiment, the plate portion 40 is made of UV light-penetrable material such as transparent plastic, glass, or polycarbonate.
In this embodiment, the adhesive layer is formed using ultraviolet sensitive tape (UV tape) of the type which is currently used to hold IC wafers firmly in place during the singulation process. UV tape typically comprises a layer of ultraviolet curable, pressure sensitive adhesive 37 such as acrylic attached to a UV-penetrable polyvinyl chloride backing 41. The backing 41 has an undersurface 42 which is secured above the upper face 39 of the plate 40 and a top surface 43 which carries the UV-sensitive adhesive 37. The undersurface 42 may be secured directly to the upper face 39 using any number of means available in the art such as epoxy. However, the means used must not substantially interfere with the penetration of UV light through the plate portion 40 and onto the UV-sensitive adhesive 37. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5A, plate portion 40 may be eliminated from the bed structure 30 and an aperture 140 employed instead, backing 41 then comprising a more robust or thicker material (such as a thicker tape) bonded at its edges 142 over aperture 140 using adhesives, heat, ultrasound or other techniques known in the art.
UV tape is currently available from suppliers such as Kanematsu USA, Inc., of New York, N.Y. under the brand name Furukawa UV Tape; Uniglobe Kisco Co., of Santa Clara, Calif., under the brand name Bando Dicing Tape; and others. Although UV-sensitive adhesive tape is the preferred adhesive, other EMR-sensitive adhesives such as glues and gels may be used in place of the UV tape without departing from the invention.
FIG. 6 shows an alternate embodiment of the invention wherein a layer of webbing material 44 has been interposed between a UV-sensitive adhesive layer 45 and a UV-penetrable plate portion 46 of a support bed 47. The webbing further protects the die 48 from mechanical shock. The webbing must either be made from UV transparent material or woven coarse enough to allow UV light to pass through to the tape. The webbing is preferably made of nylon.
FIG. 7 shows an alternate embodiment of the invention wherein different means are used to attach a die-pac cover 49 to a bed structure 50. Here is shown a hinged connection 51 between the bed and cover which can be snapped closed using a common prong/detent snap mechanism 52. This embodiment is included to show that many well-known means for releasably enclosing dice may be used without departing from the invention.
This embodiment further shows that more than one die 53, 54 and 55 may be placed within the cavity 56 formed between the cover and bed of the die-pac. The UV-penetrable plate portion 57 of the bed is shown extending across the length of the cavity. This is not required. All that is required is that sections 58, 59 and 60 of the bed located beneath the dice be capable of passing UV light and allowing the adhesive layer to be exposed.
In general, any means for containing the dice may be used without departing from the invention so long as those means allow for the penetration of electromagnetic radiation which will reduce the coefficient of friction of the adhesive layer.
As stated above, all of the structure below the adhesive layer must be penetrable by the UV light, including the UV tape backing. When webbing is used, it must be penetrable. In this respect, the structure below the adhesive layer may be referred to collectively as the EMR-penetrable "plate" portion.
The pre-exposure stickiness, level of adhesion or coefficient of friction of the UV-sensitive adhesive should generally be strong enough to securely hold the dice during the rigors of shipping, and be weak enough after exposure and curing to allow for vacuum pick-up. The adhesive should not contain a significant concentration of any undesirable compounds which would result in contamination of the die or dice.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) tests performed on dice exposed to an amount of silicone gel and dice exposed to a comparable amount of UV tape reveal generally that the UV tape exhibits about one half the amount of contamination of silicone gel.
Although UV light is used in the preferred embodiment, other types of electro-magnetic radiation may be used so long as the plate portion is penetrable by it, and the adhesive layer is sensitive to it. For the commercially available UV-sensitive adhesive tape disclosed above and for most clear plastic, glass or polycarbonate, UV light having a wavelength of between 250 and 350 nanometers has been found to be adequate. UV sensitive adhesives by different manufacturers are responsive to different but largely overlapping wavelength ranges, and the invention may thus be practiced effectively with such different adhesives using a wide-spectrum UV source.
FIG. 8 shows exemplary process steps for transporting or shipping a singulated die according to the invention. The process begins with placing 61 the die on an unexposed UV-sensitive layer of adhesive such as UV tape attached to the upper surface of a substantially transparent portion of a bed. The term "substantially transparent" in this specification means that the portion is capable of passing through UV light with a satisfactorily low amount of attenuation. The next step involves enclosing 62 the die within the die-pac and sending 63 the die-pac to its destination. During transport, the die-pac should not be irradiated by any UV light source. This is usually accomplished by placing the die-pac within an opaque antistatic bag. Upon arrival, there are the steps of: exposing 64 a portion of the tape existing between the die and the substantially transparent portion of the bed to electromagnetic radiation in the form of ultraviolet light; opening 65 the die-pac; and removing 66 the die from the die-pac. The exposing step may occur prior to or after the opening step of the die-pac.
Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10 of the invention, shown is a simplified die support structure 100 usable with the vessel structure 18 of FIG. 4 or as part of a die-pac as illustrated in FIGS. 5, 5A and 6 of the drawings, in lieu of the structures employed therein. Die support structure 100 includes an outer, self-supporting rectangular frame 102 of a material such as black conductive polypropylene, within which is supported a carrier sheet or film 104 of a suitable EMR-penetrable material such as polyvinyl chloride (UV-penetrable) bearing an EMR-sensitive adhesive 106 such as acrylic on at least portions of its upper surface 108. As depicted, die support structure 100 carries four dice 110, adhered to carrier sheet or film 104 by four "dots" 112 of adhesive 106. As an alternative to a completely EMR-penetrable material, sheet or film 104 may comprise an EMR-opaque material patterned with EMR-penetrable inserts such as tape segments applied over apertures in the EMR-opaque material (see also FIG. 5A), or EMR-penetrable segments formed integrally with the EMR-opaque material.
The carrier sheet or film 104 may be stretched taut, and thereafter upper frame member 120 placed thereover in alignment with mating lower frame member 122, the two members 120 and 122 thereafter "snapped" together to maintain carrier sheet or film 104 in its stretched state for support of dice 110. Excess carrier material may then be trimmed from the exterior of frame 102, or a sharp edge, such as 124, formed on one of upper and lower frame members 120 or 122 to sever carrier sheet or film 104 from a larger segment. If desired, the carrier sheet or film 104 may be formed with a supporting webbing 126 similar to webbing 44 of the embodiment of FIG. 6. The webbing 126, shown in broken lines in FIG. 9, may optionally be incorporated within the predominant material of sheet or film 104, or lie above or below it and preferably adhered thereto. Such webbing 126 may assist in maintaining the carrier sheet or film 104 in a taut state during transport and consequent exposure to temperature extremes. Flanges 130 extending from opposing sides of frame 102 may be mated to a cover structure such as 31 (FIG. 5), frame 102 and cover structure 31 then being locked together with clasp brackets 34 or other suitable clamping elements, as previously disclosed with respect to other embodiments.
FIG. 11 depicts yet another embodiment of the invention, in this instance a tape-and-reel transport assembly 200, herein illustrated with reel 202 feeding a continuous carrier tape 204 bearing a plurality of bare dice 206 secured by EMR-sensitive adhesive segments 208 over EMR-penetrable windows 210 (elements 206, 208 and 210 shown enlarged for clarity) in carrier tape 204 into an EMR chamber 220 to effect release of the dice 206 through sequential exposure to an EMR source 222 within chamber 220. EMR source 222 is preferably placed below and aimed upwardly through carrier tape 204 as it passes through EMR chamber 220. EMR source 222 may be continuously activated, intermittently activated responsive to the presence of a carrier tape-adhered bare die thereover, or continuously activated but shielded by a shutter structure until such time as a carrier tape-adhered bare die is disposed thereover. Reel 202 carrying a tape 204 bearing dice 206 adhered thereto and wound around reel 202 would typically be disposed for transport in a case 300 as known in the art, or at least in an EMR-opaque antistatic bag 302 (both shown in reduced size in FIG. 11). As with the previously-described embodiments, the current best mode of practicing this embodiment employs UV-sensitive adhesives and a UV EMR source.
FIGS. 12A and 12B depict several variations in the structure of carrier tape 204 according to the invention. FIG. 12A illustrates a carrier tape 204a having indexing holes 240 at equal intervals along each lateral edge thereof for precise, controlled movement of tape 204a by indexing pins or sprockets as known in the art, such feature being conventional. As tape handling equipment for TAB (tape automated bonding) operations is conventionally most often designed to handle either 35 mm or 70 mm wide tape (depending upon packaged die size), it is contemplated, although not required, that the present invention might be practiced with tapes of those widths so as to facilitate use of existing equipment. Tape 204a may be substantially comprised of a flexible, EMR-opaque metallic or non-metallic (such as synthetic resin) material, and includes EMR-transmissive segments 242 formed therein or placed over apertures formed therein at die placement locations 244. Segments 242 carry an EMR-sensitive adhesive patch 246 on their upper, or carrier, surfaces. Dice 206 are then placed on adhesive patches 246, adhering thereto until they are subsequently released by selective EMR exposure, as previously described. After adherence of dice 206, tape 204a is then wound about a reel 202 for transport, reel 202 then being typically placed in reel case 300 or an EMR-opaque anti-static bag 302. Segments 242 and adhesive patches 246 may be embodied in several ways. For example, segment 242 may comprise an adhesive-coated tape as previously mentioned. Alternatively, adhesive 246 may comprise dots, crosses or X's of adhesive applied through a stencil or by a printing head, or sprayed, onto segments 242.
FIG. 12B depicts a carrier tape 204b comprised of two robust, mutually parallel edge strips 260 containing indexing holes 240, with a continuous intervening die support strip 262 of EMR-transmissive material disposed therebetween. The entire tape 204b or only die support strip 262 may be formed of EMR-transmissive material, as desired or required. The edge strips 260 may be of greater thickness than die support strip 262 to eliminate stretching of tape 204b, and to facilitate the use of a thinner, and thus more EMR-transmissive segment for die support strip 262. Further, edge strips 260 may extend above the upper surface of support strip 262 so as to provide a recessed channel for containing and protecting dice 206 when tape 204b is wound on reel 202. If desired, transversely-extending brace members 263 may extend between edge strips 260 to stabilize the die support areas and reduce the tendency of carrier tape 204b to flex when the dice adhered thereto are retrieved. An EMR-sensitive adhesive may be applied to die support strip 262 in the manner described with respect to FIG. 12A, or, as depicted, may comprise a single continuous adhesive strip 264 or two mutually parallel adhesive strips 266 (shown in broken lines).
FIG. 13 depicts an enlarged side sectional view of a segment of a tape 204c, depicting die containment cavities 270 having EMR-penetrable bottoms 272 for carrying and enclosing dice 206 adhered to EMR-sensitive adhesive material 274. When wound on a reel 202, cavities 270 will protect dice 206 on tape 204c against damage and contamination. It should be noted that prior art tape structures employing cavities typically require a lid or shutter over the mouth of each cavity to prevent the enclosed die from falling out, which requirement is eliminated by the present invention.
FIG. 14 depicts a transverse cross-sectional view of a tape 204d defined by a central channel-shaped member 280, at least the bottom 282 of which is comprised in whole or in segments of an EMR-transmissive material. Longitudinally-spaced dots or segments or a continuous strip or strips of EMR-sensitive adhesive material 284 are applied to bottom 282 inside channel shaped member 280. Dice 206 are carried on adhesive material 284, protected within the confines of channel-shaped member 280. Lateral flanges 286 extend transversely to tape 204d along the length thereof, and may be placed at the upper, midportion or lower extents of the channel sidewalls 288 as shown in broken lines. Flanges 286 may include apertures for engagement by tape-handling mechanisms.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, additions, deletions and modifications may be made to those illustrated, features of different embodiments combined, and other embodiments devised, without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. | A structure and method for protecting semiconductor integrated microcircuit dice during shipping. The structure secures the position of the die or dice atop an EMR-penetrable element using an adhesive layer, the stickiness, adhesiveness or coefficient of friction of which is alterable by exposure to EMR of a predetermined wavelength range, such as ultraviolet light. Once the structure reaches its destination, prior to removal of the dice, the adhesive layer is exposed to EMR, such as ultraviolet light, through the element. This exposure reduces the stickiness, adhesiveness, or coefficient of friction of the adhesive to facilitate die removal. The EMR-sensitive adhesive does not leave contaminating silicon residue on the removed die. The invention may be realized using currently commercially available UV tape and modified die-pac designs having UV light penetrable die transport portions, or tape-and-reel type die transport structures. | 8 |
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefore.
CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER RELATED APPLICATIONS
This patent application is co-pending with a related patent application entitled METHOD TO ACCELERATE WETTING OF AN ION EXCHANGE MEMBRANE IN A SEMI-FUEL CELL (Navy Case No. 84277), by Louis G. Carreiro, Charles J. Patrissi, and Steven P. Tucker, employees of the United States Government, and related patent application entitled A BIPOLAR ELECTRODE FOR USE IN A SEMI-FUEL CELL (Navy Case No. 84257) by Charles J. Patrissi, Maria G. Medeiros, Louis G. Carreiro, Steven P. Tucker, Delmas W. Atwater, employees of the United States Government, Russell R. Bessette and Craig M. Deschenes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrochemical systems and more specifically to a novel semi-fuel cell design based on a seawater electrolyte and liquid catholyte combination that uses an ion exchange membrane to isolate the seawater electrolyte and liquid catholyte combination from the seawater anolyte solution.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Primary batteries employing aqueous electrolytes have been under investigation for several years leading to the development of semi-fuel cells, a hybrid of fuel cells and batteries that combine the refillable cathode or catholyte oxidizer of fuel cells with the consumable anode fuel of batteries. The metal anode and liquid catholyte are consumed to produce energy. Semi-fuel cells are currently being considered as electrochemical energy sources for unmanned undersea vehicles due to the availability of seawater to act as an electrolyte in combination with the liquid catholyte or alone as the anolyte solution. The semi-fuel cell anode is often made of aluminum, magnesium or lithium due to the high faradaic capacity, low atomic weight and high standard potential of these metals. The catholyte is usually a strong oxidizer such as hydrogen peroxide in solution with the seawater electrolyte.
Seawater semi-fuel cells, also known as solution phase semi-fuel cells because the catholyte is in solution with the seawater, are an ideal electrochemical energy source for undersea vehicles. The use of seawater from the undersea vehicle's surroundings minimizes the volume and weight of reactants that need to be carried in the vehicles. This provides an important weight savings to the vehicle. Seawater semi-fuel cells have a high faradaic capacity, and have a high energy density at low current densities while being relatively inexpensive, environmentally friendly, capable of a long shelf life, and not prone to spontaneous chemical or electrochemical discharge.
In order to meet the high energy density requirements of underwater vehicles semi-fuel cells currently being developed are used in stack or multi-stack configurations. The use of bipolar electrodes having an anode on one side and a catalyzed cathode on the other is beneficial in minimizing cell stack size and weight.
In prior art semi-fuel cells, each cell is hydraulically fed in parallel with a seawater and/or sodium hydroxide (NaOH) aqueous electrolyte. The catholyte is carried separately and injected directly into the seawater and/or seawater/sodium hydroxide mixture upstream of the stack inlet at the required concentration, determined by the system power load. Electrochemical reduction of the catholyte, occurs on the electrocatalyst surface of the cathode current collector, receiving electrons from the anode oxidation reaction.
The electrochemical reactions for an aluminum hydrogen peroxide semi-fuel cell are given below:
Cathode: HO 2 − +H 2 O+2 e − ->3OH − E°=0.88 V
Anode: Al+4OH − ->AlO 2 − +2H 2 O+3e − E°=−2.33 V
Cell Reaction: 2Al+3HO 2 − ->2AlO 2 − +OH − +H 2 O E cell =3.21 V
In addition to the primary electrochemical reaction, the following undesired parasitic reactions can also take place:
Corrosion: 2Al+2H 2 O+2OH − ->2AlO 2 − +3H2↑
Direct Reaction: 2Al+3H 2 O 2 +2OH − ->2AlO 2 − +4H 2 O
Decomposition: 2H 2 O 2 ->2H 2 O+O 2 ↑
The electrochemical reactions for a magnesium hydrogen peroxide semi-fuel cell are given below:
Anode: Mg->Mg 2+ +2 e − E°=−2.37 v
Cathode: H 2 O 2 +2H + +2 e − ->2H 2 O E°=1.77 v
Cell Reaction: Mg+H 2 O 2 +2H + ->Mg 2+ +2H 2 O E cell =4.14 v
In addition to the primary electrochemical reaction, the following undesired parasitic reactions could also take place:
Decomposition: 2H 2 O 2 ->2H 2 O+O 2(g)
Direct Reaction: Mg+H 2 O 2 +2H + ->Mg 2+ +2H 2 O
Corrosion: Mg+2H 2 O->Mg 2+ +2OH − +H 2(g)
The electrochemical reactions for the lithium-hydrogen peroxide semi-fuel cell are given below:
Anode: Li->Li + +e − E°=−3.04 v
Cathode: H 2 O 2 +2H + +2 e − ->2H 2 O E°=1.77 v
Cell Reaction: 2Li+H 2 O 2 +2H + ->2Li + +2H 2 O E cell =4.81 v
In addition to the primary electrochemical reactions, the following undesired parasitic reactions could also take place:
Decomposition: 2H 2 O 2 ->2H 2 O+O 2
Direct Reaction: Li+H 2 O 2 +2H + ->2Li + +2H 2 O
Corrosion: 2Li+2H 2 O->2Li + +2OH − +H 2(g)
Of the parasitic reactions listed above, the direct reactions are the most detrimental to the operation of the semi-fuel cell since both the metal anode, either magnesium, aluminum or lithium and the the hydrogen peroxide catholoyte are consumed in a single step. A direct reaction occurs when the catholyte, in this case H 2 O 2 , is allowed to come into direct physical contact with the metal anode, resulting in a chemical reaction which does not produce electron transfer and only consumes active energetic materials, thus reducing the overall energy yield of the semi-fuel cell. In most cases this parasitic reaction will consume over 50% of the available energetic materials.
Whereas magnesium, lithium or aluminum corrosion can be suppressed by pH adjustment and hydrogen peroxide decomposition minimized by careful temperature control, in order to minimize or completely prevent the parasitic direct reaction, the metal anode side of the bipolar electrode must be physically isolated from the liquid catholyte.
What is needed is a semi-fuel cell that enables the separation of the metal anode from the catholyte while maintaining necessary ion transfer to affect the necessary electrochemical balance for the reaction to take place. This is accomplished through a new semi-fuel cell design that incorporates an ion exchange membrane to allow a separated flow of anolyte and catholyte in the semi-fuel cell thereby isolating the metal anode of the bipolar electrode from the catholyte.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a general purpose and object of the present invention to eliminate the parasitic direct reaction of the catholyte with the metal anode in a semi-fuel cell, thereby improving the overall energy yield of the semi-fuel cell.
This general purpose and object is accomplished with the present invention by using a semi-permeable membrane capable of ion exchange placed between the anode and cathode compartment of a semi-fuel cell in order to isolate the anolyte and catholyte solutions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows part of a semi-fuel cell stack with a membrane separating the anolyte from the catholyte.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIG. 1 there is shown part of semi-fuel cell stack 10 with a metal anode 12 and a catalyzed cathode 14 . In a preferred embodiment, the metal anode is aluminum or magnesium, however, it can also be lithium or other suitable metals or alloys and is not limited as such. Between the anode 12 and cathode 14 is a flow path 30 through which two separate electrolyte fluids the anolyte 16 and catholyte 18 may flow from their respective reservoirs 32 and 34 . In a preferred embodiment, the anolyte 16 is seawater or aqueous sodium hydroxide, and the catholyte 18 is hydrogen peroxide in solution with seawater or aqueous sodium hydroxide and/or acid. Separating the flow path 30 into two separate compartments is an ion exchange membrane 20 that is electrically conductive, capable of exchanging ions and is resistant to both the anolyte 16 and the catholyte 18 . When the metal anode 12 is magnesium or lithium, a cation exchange membrane is favored. When the metal anode 12 is aluminum, an anion exchange membrane is favored. In the preferred embodiment, the membrane 20 is a perfluorinated ionomer membrane such as Nafion®, however other ion exchange membranes such as Flemion®, Aciplex XR®, Gore®, PBI (polybenzimidayole), PES (poly-p-phenylene ether sulfone), PEEK (poly-p-phenylether ether ketone) can be used. The membrane 20 can also be a microporous membrane such as Viskase®, Celgard®, FAS® or UCB® Films. The membrane 20 is situated such that the anolyte 16 flows on one side of the membrane 20 making contact only with the metal anode 12 . On the other side of the membrane the catholyte 18 flows into the flow path 30 making contact only with the catalyzed cathode 14 . In this way the anode 12 is physically separated from the cathloyte 18 by the membrane 20 that separates the two electrolytes but allows ions to pass through it maintaining the necessary ion transfer to affect the proper electrochemical balance for the reaction to take place.
The advantages of the present invention over the prior art are that the electrochemical efficiency of a semi-fuel cell is improved by nearly 80% by virtue of reducing and even eliminating the parasitic direct reaction. Furthermore with the separate flow of the anolyte 16 and catholyte 18 , corrosion of the metal anode 12 can now be suppressed by separately adjusting the pH of the anolyte 16 and catholyte 18 in their individual respective reservoirs 32 and 34 . In addition the decomposition parasitic reaction is also reduced because the catholyte 18 is not heated. Under normal operating conditions the anolyte 16 may be heated to facilitate the electrochemical reaction. This is especially true when the metal anode 12 is aluminum. In prior art semi-fuel cells electrolytes contained both the anolyte 16 and catholyte 18 in the same solution. However, heating the hydrogen peroxide catholyte 18 accelerates the decomposition parasitic reaction generating oxygen gas, which is an undesirable byproduct, particularly in underwater vehicles. By separating the flow of the anolyte 16 and catholyte 18 through the use of the ion exchange membrane 20 , the anolyte 16 can be heated in its own reservoir 32 by a heater 36 without heating the catholyte 18 .
Other advantages of the present invention include a reduction in the amount of reactants that need to be carried in the undersea vehicle employing the semi-fuel cell. The high efficiencies minimize the necessary reactants thus lowering the overall weight and volume of the undersea vehicle. The high efficiencies also lower the gas generation due to corrosion, decomposition or other inefficiencies. Lower corrosion rates of the anode also translate to prolonged anode lifetime.
Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention may become apparent in light of the above teachings. For example, the metal anode may be made of a variety of metals or alloys. Instead of an ion exchange membrane a micro-porous membrane could be used.
In light of the above, it is therefore understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. | A new semi-fuel cell design that incorporates ion exchange membranes to create separate compartments for the anolyte and catholyte to flow through the semi-fuel cell thereby isolating the metal anode of the bipolar electrode from the catholyte while still allowing the necessary ion transfer to affect the necessary electrochemical balance for the reaction to take place in the semi-fuel cell. | 8 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to biphenyl derivatives exhibiting activity towards central nervous system diseases by acting on the 5-HT 7 receptor, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, a method for preparing the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions including the compounds as an active ingredient.
BACKGROUND
The neurotransmitter serotonin acts on the 14 different types of serotonin receptors located at various organs and thereby incurs various physiological phenomena. Among them, the 5-HT 7 receptor is the most recently cloned serotonin subtype receptor and is known to be distributed particularly at high densities in the hypothalamus, thalamus, hippocampus and cortex. Also, it is known to play important roles in thermoregulation, circadian rhythm, learning and memory, sleep, hippocampal signaling, or the like. It is also known that this receptor is involved in neurological disorders such as depression, migraine, anxiety, pain, particularly inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain, or the like.
Although there have been many efforts for development of antagonists or agonists of the 5-HT 7 receptor, very few selective 5-HT 7 receptor antagonists are reported. WO97/29097, WO97/49695 and WO03/048118 disclose sulfonamide-based antagonists, WO99/24022 and WO00/00472 disclose tetrahydroisoquinoline derivatives acting on the 5-HT 7 receptor, and WO 2010/012817 discloses 1-aryl-4-arylmethylpiperazine derivatives acting on the 5-HT 7 receptor.
However, there is still a need of a 5-HT 7 receptor regulator which is selective for the 5-HT 7 receptor, has a good pharmacodynamic profile, exhibits good absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME), and is effective for neurological disorders such as depression, migraine, anxiety, pain, particularly inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain, etc. and diseases related with thermoregulation, circadian rhythm, sleep, smooth muscle, etc.
SUMMARY
The inventors of the present disclosure have made efforts to develop a novel compound acting on the 5-HT 7 receptor as a 5-HT 7 receptor regulator, which is effective for neurological disorders such as depression, migraine, anxiety, pain, particularly inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain, etc., thermoregulation, sleep, or the like by acting on the central nervous system or is effective for diseases related with smooth muscle, etc.
The present disclosure is directed to providing biphenyl derivatives of novel structures and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.
The present disclosure is also directed to providing a method for preparing biphenyl compounds, including preparation of biphenyl aldehyde intermediates via Suzuki coupling and reductive amination of the biphenyl aldehydes with various arylpiperzines.
The present disclosure is also directed to providing pharmaceutical compositions acting on the 5-HT 7 serotonin receptor, which include the biphenyl compounds or the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof as an active ingredient.
The present disclosure is also directed to providing drugs for preventing or treating neurological disorders such as depression, migraine, anxiety, pain, particularly inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain, etc. and diseases related with thermoregulation, circadian rhythm, sleep or smooth muscle, which include the biphenyl compounds or the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof as an active ingredient.
In an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a biphenyl compound represented by Chemical Formula 1, which acts on the 5-HT 7 serotonin receptor and exhibits effect for neurological disorders such as depression, migraine, anxiety, pain, particularly inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain, etc. and diseases related with thermoregulation, circadian rhythm, sleep or smooth muscle, a method for preparing the compound and a pharmaceutical composition including the compound.
In Chemical Formula 1, each of R 1 and R 2 , which are the same or different, is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy and nitro; each of R 3 and R 4 , which are the same or different, is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, nitro and phenyl; and n is 0 or 1.
In another general aspect, there is provided a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating a disease regulated by the action of the 5-HT 7 receptor selected from depression, migraine, anxiety, inflammatory pain, neuropathic pain, thermoregulatory disorder, insomnia and smooth muscle disorder, which includes the biphenyl derivative according to the present disclosure or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
In another general aspect, there is provided a method for preparing the biphenyl derivative according to the present disclosure, including: (a) preparing a biphenyl aldehyde intermediate by Suzuki coupling an aryl boronic acid with bromobenzene aldehyde; and (b) preparing the biphenyl derivative according to the present disclosure by reductive aminating the biphenyl aldehyde intermediate with an arylpiperazine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
The advantages, features and aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, which is set forth hereinafter.
In an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a biphenyl derivative represented by the following chemical formula:
wherein each of R 1 and R 2 , which are the same or different, is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy and nitro; each of R 3 and R 4 , which are the same or different, is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy, nitro and phenyl; and n is 0 or 1.
In an exemplary embodiment, the biphenyl derivative has a structure of Chemical Formula 2 or Chemical Formula 3:
In another exemplary embodiment, the biphenyl derivative represented by Chemical Formula 2 has a structure of Chemical Formula 4 or Chemical Formula 5:
In another exemplary embodiment, each of R 1 and R 2 , which are the same or different, is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy and C 1 -C 6 alkyl; and each of R 3 and R 4 , which are the same or different, is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, phenoxy, C 1 -C 6 alkyl and halogenated C 1 -C 6 alkyl.
In another exemplary embodiment, each of R 1 and R 2 , which are the same or different, is independently selected from hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, methyl and methoxy; and each of R 3 and R 4 , which are the same or different, is independently selected from hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, methoxy, ethoxy, isopropoxy, phenoxy, methyl, isopropyl and trifluoromethyl.
In another exemplary embodiment, (A) R 1 is hydrogen and R 2 is selected from hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 6 alkyl and C 1 -C 6 alkoxy; and (B) (i) if R 3 is hydrogen, R 4 is selected from hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 6 alkoxy, phenoxy, C 1 -C 6 alkyl and halogenated C 1 -C 6 alkyl, or (ii) each of R 3 and R 4 is C 1 -C 6 alkoxy or C 1 -C 6 alkyl.
In another exemplary embodiment, (A) R 1 is hydrogen and R 2 is selected from fluoro, chloro, methyl and methoxy; and (B) (i) if R 3 is hydrogen, R 4 is selected from hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, methoxy, ethoxy, isopropoxy, phenoxy, methyl, isopropyl and trifluoromethyl, or (ii) each of R 3 and R 4 is methoxy or methyl.
In another exemplary embodiment, the biphenyl derivative is selected from:
1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-phenylpiperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-fluorophenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-fluorophenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(4-fluorophenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-chlorophenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(4-chlorophenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-ethoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-isopropoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-phenoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-methylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(4-methylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-isopropylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(biphenyl-2-yl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)piperazine; 1-(2′-fluorobiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(2′-chlorobiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(3′-chlorobiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(4′-chlorobiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(2′-methoxybiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(3′-methoxybiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(4′-methoxybiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(2′-methylbiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-phenylpiperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-fluorophenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-fluorophenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(4-fluorophenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-chlorophenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(4-chlorophenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-ethoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-methylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(4-methylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine; 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)piperazine; 1-(2′-fluorobiphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(2′-chlorobiphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; 1-(2′-methoxybiphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine; and 1-(2′-methylbiphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating a disease regulated by the action of the 5-HT 7 receptor selected from depression, migraine, anxiety, inflammatory pain, neuropathic pain, thermoregulatory disorder, insomnia and smooth muscle disorder, which comprises the biphenyl derivative according to the present disclosure or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for preparing a biphenyl derivative represented by Chemical Formula 2, comprising: (a) preparing a biphenyl aldehyde intermediate represented by Chemical Formula 8 by Suzuki coupling an aryl boronic acid represented by Chemical Formula 6 with bromobenzene aldehyde represented by Chemical Formula 7; and (b) preparing the compound represented by Chemical Formula 2 by reductive aminating the biphenyl aldehyde intermediate with an arylpiperazine represented by Chemical Formula 9:
wherein each of R 1 and R 2 , which are the same or different, is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy and nitro; and each of R 3 and R 4 , which are the same or different, is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, aryloxy and nitro.
In an exemplary embodiment, (A) R 1 is hydrogen and R 2 is selected from fluoro, chloro, methyl and methoxy; and (B) (i) if R 3 is hydrogen, R 4 is selected from hydrogen, fluoro, chloro, methoxy, ethoxy, isopropoxy, phenoxy, methyl, isopropyl and trifluoromethyl, or (ii) each of R 3 and R 4 is methoxy or methyl.
The biphenyl compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 according to the present disclosure may be prepared into a pharmaceutically acceptable salt according to a method commonly employed in the art. For example, a pharmaceutically acceptable addition salt may be formed using a nontoxic inorganic acid such as hydrochloric acid, bromic acid, sulfonic acid, amidosulfuric acid, phosphoric acid and nitric acid or a nontoxic organic acid such as acetic acid, propionic acid, succinic acid, glycolic acid, stearic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid and methanesulfonic acid.
Hereinafter, the substituents used to define the biphenyl compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 according to the present disclosure will be described in detail.
As used herein, “alkyl” includes linear, branched and cyclic carbon chains having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. Specifically, the alkyl may be methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, or the like.
As used herein, “alkoxy” means alkyl bonded to oxygen, wherein the alkyl is the same as defined above. In the biphenyl compound represented by Chemical Formula 1, each of R 1 and R 2 may be specifically hydrogen, halogen, C 1 -C 6 alkyl or C 1 -C 6 alkoxy.
More specifically, in the biphenyl compound represented by Chemical Formula 1, each of R 1 and R 2 may be hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, methyl, dimethyl, methoxy, ethoxy, isopropoxy, dimethoxy, nitro or phenoxy.
Specific examples of the biphenyl compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 are as follows.
Compound 1: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-phenylpiperazine
Compound 2: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-fluorophenyl)piperazine
Compound 3: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-fluorophenyl)piperazine
Compound 4: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(4-fluorophenyl)piperazine
Compound 5: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-chlorophenyl)piperazine
Compound 6: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine
Compound 7: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(4-chlorophenyl)piperazine
Compound 8: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 9: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-ethoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 10: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-isopropoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 11: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 12: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 13: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 14: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 15: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-phenoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 16: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 17: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-methylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 18: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(4-methylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 19: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 20: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 21: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 22: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 23: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-isopropylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 24: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(biphenyl-2-yl)piperazine
Compound 25: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)piperazine
Compound 26: 1-(2′-fluorobiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 27: 1-(2′-chlorobiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 28: 1-(3′-chlorobiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 29: 1-(4′-chlorobiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 30: 1-(2′-methoxybiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 31: 1-(3′-methoxybiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 32: 1-(4′-methoxybiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 33: 1-(2′-methylbiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 34: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-phenylpiperazine
Compound 35: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-fluorophenyl)piperazine
Compound 36: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-fluorophenyl)piperazine
Compound 37: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(4-fluorophenyl)piperazine
Compound 38: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-chlorophenyl)piperazine
Compound 39: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine
Compound 40: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(4-chlorophenyl)piperazine
Compound 41: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 42: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 43: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 44: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 45: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-ethoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 46: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 47: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-methylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 48: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(4-methylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 49: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 50: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 51: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 52: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
Compound 53: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)piperazine
Compound 54: 1-(2′-fluorobiphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 55: 1-(2′-chlorobiphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 56: 1-(2′-methoxybiphenyl-3-yl methyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
Compound 57: 1-(2′-methylbiphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
The present disclosure further provides a method for preparing the biphenyl compound represented by Chemical Formula 1. The preparation method according to the present disclosure may be expressed by Scheme 1. In Scheme 1, each of R 1 and R 2 is the same as defined in Chemical Formula 1.
First, a biphenyl aldehyde is obtained from Suzuki coupling of an arylboronic acid (2) with bromobenzene aldehyde (3).
Various catalysts including Pd may be used for the Suzuki coupling reaction. In the following examples, Pd(PPh) 4 was mainly used. As for a reaction solvent, a commonly used organic solvent may be used. Specifically, N,N-dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, etc. may be used. In the following examples, N,N-dimethylformamide was mainly used. Reaction temperature may be maintained at 50-200° C. Reaction time is about 3-24 hours, specifically 7-10 hours.
After the reaction is completed, the reaction mixture is extracted using an organic solvent and purified by column chromatography to obtain the biphenyl compound (4). This biphenyl compound is reductively aminated with an arylpiperazine (5) to obtain the biphenyl derivative represented by Chemical Formula 1, which is a target compound.
As a reducing agent used in the reaction, various reducing agents such as NaBH(OAc) 3 , NaBH 3 CN, etc. may be used. In the following examples, NaBH(OAc) 3 was mainly used. Reaction temperature may be around room temperature. The reaction temperature may be specifically 10-500° C., more specifically 20-30° C. Reaction time may be 3-24 hours, specifically 4-8 hours. After the reaction is completed, the reaction mixture is extracted using an organic solvent to obtain the compound represented by Chemical Formula 1.
The present disclosure also provides a pharmaceutical composition for prevention and treatment of diseases, comprising the biphenyl compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient.
The pharmaceutical composition of the present disclosure may be prepared into formulations suitable for oral or parenteral administration using the biphenyl compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof together with a commonly used carrier, adjuvant, diluent, etc. For oral administration, it may be prepared into tablet, capsule, solution, syrup, suspension, etc. And, for parenteral administration, it may be prepared into formulation for intraabdominal, subcutaneous, intramuscular or transdermal injection.
The pharmaceutical composition of the present disclosure may be administered at a dosage of 0.01-1,000 mg/day for an adult based on the regulator acting on the 5-HT 7 serotonin receptor. The administration dosage may be changed depending on the age, body weight, sex and health condition of a patient and the severity of disease. Depending on the discretion of a doctor or a pharmacist, the administration may be made once or several times a day with regular time intervals.
Accordingly, the present disclosure provides a medical use of the biphenyl compound represented by Chemical Formula 1, a pharmaceutically acceptable thereof or a pharmaceutical composition comprising same for prevention and treatment of diseases.
Since the biphenyl compound of the present disclosure functions as a regulator acting on the 5-HT 7 serotonin receptor, the present disclosure covers a medical use for prevention and treatment of neurological disorders such as depression, migraine, anxiety, pain, particularly inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain, etc. and diseases related with thermoregulation, circadian rhythm, sleep or smooth muscle.
The present disclosure further provides a method for preventing or treating diseases by administering the biphenyl compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to a patient.
EXAMPLES
Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in more detail through examples and test examples. However, the following examples and test examples are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.
Examples
Biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde
2-Bromobenzaldehyde (315 μL, 2.70 mmol), phenylboronic acid (395 mg, 3.24 mmol), Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 (31 mg, 0.027 mmol) and Na 2 CO 3 (430 mg, 4.05 mmol) were dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide (20 mL) in a reaction vessel and refluxed at 160° C. for 6 hours. After the reaction was completed, the reaction mixture was diluted with EtOAc and saturated NaHCO 3 solution was added. The organic layer obtained by extracting the aqueous layer with EtOAc was dried with anhydrous MgSO 4 and then filtered. The filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure and the concentrate was purified by column chromatography (hexane:diethyl ether=8:1) to obtain 369 mg of the target compound (2.03 mmol, 75.0%).
1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 10.0 (s, 1H), 8.05 (dd, J=6.6 Hz, J=1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (dd, J=6.1 Hz, J=1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.51-7.46 (m, 5H), 7.40 (dd, J=5.9 Hz, J=2.0 Hz, 2H).
1-Bromo-2-phenoxybenzene
2-Bromophenol (1.22 mL, 11.6 mmol), phenylboronic acid (2.8 g, 23.1 mmol), Cu(OAc) 2 (4.2 g, 23.1 mmol) and pyridine (4.66 mL, 57.8 mmol) were dissolved in dichloromethane (100 mL) in a reaction vessel holding 1 g of 4 Å M.S. and stirred at room temperature for 18 hours. After the reaction was completed, the reaction mixture was diluted with dichloromethane and filtered through Celite. The filtrate was extracted with 1 N NaOH and brine, and the organic layer was dried with anhydrous MgSO 4 and filtered again. The filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure) to obtain 436 mg of the target compound (1.75 mmol, 15.1%).
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.63 (dd, J=8.1 Hz, J=1.8 Hz, 1H), 7.36-7.23 (m, 3H), 7.13-7.08 (m, 1H), 7.04-6.94 (m, 4H).
1-(2-Phenoxyphenyl)piperazine
1-Bromo-2-phenoxybenzene (432 mg, 1.73 mmol), piperazine (299 mg, 3.47 mmol), Pd 2 (dba) 3 (48 mg, 0.052 mmol), BINAP (54 mg, 0.087 mmol) and NaOt-Bu (249 mg, 2.60 mmol) were dissolved in toluene (10 mL) in a reaction vessel and refluxed at 100° C. for 20 hours. After the reaction was completed, the reaction mixture was diluted with EtOAc and filtered through Celite. The filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure and the concentrate was purified by column chromatography (MC:mixture solution (MC:MeOH:H 2 O:NH 3 =80:20:1:1)=6:1) to obtain 283 mg of the target compound (1.11 mmol, 64.3%).
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.31-7.24 (m, 2H), 7.14-6.92 (m, 7H), 3.07 (t, J=4.5 Hz, 4H), 2.84 (t, J=4.5 Hz, 4H).
Compound 1: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-phenylpiperazine
1-Phenylpiperazine (266 mg, 1.64 mmol) was dissolved in methanol (7 mL) in a reaction vessel and, after adding biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol), the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours. 2 hours later, NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) was added and the mixture was further stirred for 8 hours. After the reaction was completed, the reaction solution was diluted with dichloromethane and saturated NaHCO 3 solution was added. After extraction, organic layer was dried with anhydrous MgSO 4 and then filtered. The filtrate was concentrated and the concentrate was purified by column chromatography (hexane:diethyl ether=8:1) to obtain 50 mg of the target compound (0.15 mmol, 18.3%).
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.76 (d, J=6.9 Hz, 1H), 7.64-7.44 (m, 8H), 7.21-7.01 (m, 4H), 3.65 (s, 2H), 3.20 (brs, 4H), 2.71 (brs, 4H).
Compound 2: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-fluorophenyl)piperazine
20 mg of the target compound (0.06 mmol, 7.32%) was obtained using 1-(2-fluorophenyl)piperazine (296 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.76 (d, J=6.9 Hz, 1H), 7.64-7.44 (m, 8H), 7.21-7.01 (m, 4H), 3.65 (s, 2H), 3.20 (brs, 4H), 2.71 (brs, 4H).
Compound 3: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-fluorophenyl)piperazine
80 mg of the target compound (0.23 mmol, 28.0%) was obtained using 1-(3-fluorophenyl)piperazine (296 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.60-7.57 (m, 1H), 7.50-7.30 (m, 8H), 7.24-7.16 (m, 1H), 6.69-6.51 (m, 3H), 3.50 (s, 2H), 3.17 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.53 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H).
Compound 4: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(4-fluorophenyl)piperazine
96 mg of the target compound (0.28 mmol, 34.0%) was obtained using 1-(4-fluorophenyl)piperazine (296 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.64-7.33 (m, 9H), 7.05-6.89 (m, 4H), 3.65 (s, 2H), 3.13 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.68 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H).
Compound 5: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-chlorophenyl)piperazine
60 mg of the target compound (0.17 mmol, 20.7%) was obtained using 1-(2-chlorophenyl)piperazine hydrochloride (382 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.60 (d, J=6.6 Hz, 1H), 7.52-7.31 (m, 9H), 7.27-7.21 (m, 1H), 7.06 (dd, J=8.1 Hz, J=1.5 Hz, 1H), 6.98 (td, J=7.5 Hz, J=1.5 Hz, 1H), 3.53 (s, 2H), 3.05 (brs, 4H), 2.59 (brs, 4H).
Compound 6: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine
31.7 mg of the target compound (0.09 mmol, 10.6%) was obtained using 1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine hydrochloride (382 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.56-7.23 (m, 9H), 7.12 (t, J=8.1 Hz, 1H), 6.84-6.72 (m, 3H), 3.46 (s, 2H), 3.11 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.48 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H).
Compound 7: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(4-chlorophenyl)piperazine
20 mg of the target compound (0.06 mmol, 7.3%) was obtained using 1-(4-chlorophenyl)piperazine hydrochloride (382 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.63-7.23 (m, 11H), 6.89-6.85 (m, 2H), 3.54 (s, 2H), 3.16 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H), 2.57 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H).
Compound 8: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
74 mg of the target compound (0.21 mmol, 37.5%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (211 mg, 1.10 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.55 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (355 mg, 1.65 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.59 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 1H), 7.48-7.29 (m, 8H), 7.04-6.86 (m, 4H), 3.86 (s, 3H), 3.51 (s, 2H), 3.06 (brs, 4H), 2.06 (brs, 4H).
Compound 9: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-ethoxyphenyl)piperazine
112.3 mg of the target compound (0.30 mmol, 36.6%) was obtained using 1-(2-ethoxyphenyl)piperazine hydrochloride (400 mg, 1.65 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.59 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 1H), 7.48-7.29 (m, 8H), 7.04-6.86 (m, 4H), 3.86 (s, 3H), 3.51 (s, 2H), 3.06 (brs, 4H), 2.06 (brs, 4H).
Compound 10: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-isopropoxyphenyl)piperazine
108 mg of the target compound (0.28 mmol, 50.8%) was obtained using 1-(2-isopropoxyphenyl)piperazine (240 mg, 1.09 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.55 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (355 mg, 1.65 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.58 (d, J=9.0 Hz, 1H), 7.42-7.24 (m, 8H), 6.92-6.82 (m, 4H), 4.57 (septet, J=6.3 Hz, 1H), 3.47 (s, 2H), 3.05 (brs, 4H), 2.53 (brs, 4H), 1.32 (s, 3H), 1.29 (s, 3H).
Compound 11: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
124 mg of the target compound (0.35 mmol, 42.7%) was obtained using 1-(3-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (315 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
Compound 12: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
128.8 mg of the target compound (0.36 mmol, 65.3%) was obtained using 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (212 mg, 1.10 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.55 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (355 mg, 1.65 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
Compound 13: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)piperazine
167.9 mg of the target compound (0.43 mmol, 78.6%) was obtained using 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)piperazine (245 mg, 1.10 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.55 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (355 mg, 1.65 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.60 (d, J=6.3 Hz, 1H), 7.45-7.30 (m, 8H), 6.82 (d, J=8.7 Hz, 1H), 6.59 (brd, J=2.4 Hz, 1H), 6.47 (dd, J=8.7 Hz, J=2.7 Hz, 1H), 3.89 (s, 3H), 3.87 (s, 3H), 3.54 (s, 2H), 3.09 (brt, J=4.5 Hz, 4H), 2.57 (brt, J=4.5 Hz, 4H).
Compound 14: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)piperazine
The target compound was obtained according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
Compound 15: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-phenoxyphenyl)piperazine
151 mg of the target compound (0.36 mmol, 64.9%) was obtained using 1-(2-phenoxyphenyl)piperazine (277 mg, 1.09 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.55 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (355 mg, 1.65 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.52-7.49 (m, 1H), 7.39-7.22 (m, 10H), 7.08-6.87 (m, 7H), 3.36 (s, 2H), 3.06 (brs, 4H), 2.35 (brs, 4H).
Compound 16: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methylphenyl)piperazine
140.7 mg of the target compound (0.41 mmol, 74.7%) was obtained using 1-(2-methylphenyl)piperazine (193.8 mg, 1.1 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.55 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (355 mg, 1.65 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
Compound 17: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-methylphenyl)piperazine
153.8 mg of the target compound (0.45 mmol, 54.9%) was obtained using 1-(3-methylphenyl)piperazine (289 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.82-7.79 (m, 1H), 7.67-7.51 (m, 8H), 7.36 (t, J=7.5 Hz, 1H), 6.95-6.88 (m, 3H), 3.70 (s, 2H), 3.34 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H), 2.73 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.54 (s, 3H).
Compound 18: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(4-methylphenyl)piperazine
70.4 mg of the target compound (0.21 mmol, 47.7%) was obtained using 1-(4-methylphenyl)piperazine (155 mg, 0.88 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (80 mg, 0.44 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (284 mg, 1.32 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.75-7.70 (m, 1H), 7.61-7.41 (m, 8H), 7.32-7.28 (m, 2H), 7.18-7.09 (m, 2H), 3.64 (s, 2H), 3.03 (brt, J=4.5 Hz, 4H), 2.68 (brs, 4H), 2.43 (s, 3H).
Compound 19: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
52.7 mg of the target compound (0.15 mmol, 18.3%) was obtained using 1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)piperazine (312 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.57 (d, J=6.9 Hz, 1H), 7.44-7.03 (m, 7H), 7.05 (t, J=7.5 Hz, 2H), 6.88 (t, J=7.2 Hz, 2H), 3.47 (s, 2H), 2.84 (brt, J=4.5 Hz, 4H), 2.52 (brs, 4H), 2.24 (s, 3H), 2.17 (s, 3H).
Compound 20: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
201.6 mg of the target compound (0.57 mmol, 69.0%) was obtained using 1-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)piperazine (312 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.78-7.75 (m, 1H), 7.62-7.42 (m, 8H), 7.14-7.06 (m, 3H), 3.67 (s, 2H), 3.01 (brt, J=3.9 Hz, 4H), 2.69 (brs, 4H), 2.42 (s, 3H), 2.41 (s, 3H).
Compound 21: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
35.8 mg of the target compound (0.10 mmol, 12.2%) was obtained using 1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine (312 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.59-7.26 (m, 7H), 7.05 (d, J=7.5 Hz, 1H), 6.82-6.76 (m, 2H), 3.47 (s, 2H), 2.84 (brt, J=4.5 Hz, 4H), 2.52 (brs, 4H), 2.24 (s, 3H), 2.17 (s, 3H).
Compound 22: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
58 mg of the target compound (0.16 mmol, 19.5%) was obtained using 1-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine (312 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.57-7.54 (m, 1H), 7.47-7.20 (m, 8H), 6.53-6.50 (m, 3H), 3.45 (s, 2H), 3.10 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.49 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.26 (s, 6H).
Compound 23: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-isopropylphenyl)piperazine
100 mg of the target compound (0.27 mmol, 49.1%) was obtained using 1-(2-isopropylphenyl)piperazine (223 mg, 1.09 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.55 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (355 mg, 1.65 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.58 (dd, J=6.9 Hz, J=1.8 Hz, 1H), 7.44-7.22 (m, 9H), 7.15-7.05 (m, 3H), 3.48-3.46 (m, 3H), 2.84 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.52 (brs, 4H), 1.18 (s, 3H), 1.16 (s, 3H).
Compound 24: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(biphenyl-2-yl)piperazine
148 mg of the target compound (0.37 mmol, 66.5%) was obtained using 1-(biphenyl-2-yl)piperazine (260 mg, 1.09 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.55 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (355 mg, 1.65 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.50-7.48 (m, 2H), 7.43-7.21 (m, 14H), 7.07-6.99 (m, 2H), 3.36 (s, 2H), 2.79 (brt, J=4.5 Hz, 4H), 2.26 (brs, 4H).
Compound 25: 1-(biphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)piperazine
19.2 mg of the target compound (0.05 mmol, 5.6%) was obtained using 1-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)piperazine hydrochloride (437 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.57-7.54 (m, 1H), 7.41-7.25 (m, 9H), 7.07-7.00 (m, 3H), 3.47 (s, 2H), 3.17 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H), 2.51 (brs, 4H).
Compound 26: 1-(2′-fluorobiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
379 mg of the target compound (1.01 mmol, 32.5%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (1.2 g, 6.20 mmol), 2′-fluorobiphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (620 mg, 3.10 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (2.0 g, 9.30 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.64 (dd, J=6.8 Hz, J=1.5 Hz, 1H), 7.44-7.11 (m, 7H), 7.03-6.92 (m, 3H), 6.86 (d, J=7.9 Hz, 1H), 3.85 (s, 3H), 3.48 (s, 2H), 3.00 (brs, 4H), 2.52 (brs, 4H).
Compound 27: 1-(2′-chlorobiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
69 mg of the target compound (0.18 mmol, 21.7%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (311 mg, 1.62 mmol), 2′-chlorobiphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (175 mg, 0.81 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (523 mg, 2.43 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.59 (dd, J=7.6 Hz, J=0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.46-7.24 (m, 6H), 7.17 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H), 6.99-6.88 (m, 3H), 6.82 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 1H), 3.81 (s, 3H), 3.44 (d, J=13.5 Hz, 1H), 3.28 (d, J=13.5 Hz, 1H), 2.96 (brs, 4H), 2.47 (brs, 4H).
Compound 28: 1-(3′-chlorobiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
250 mg of the target compound (0.64 mmol, 40.5%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (603 mg, 3.14 mmol), 3′-chlorobiphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (340 mg, 1.57 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (1.0 g, 4.71 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.71 (brs, 1H), 7.56-7.52 (m, 1H), 7.43-7.30 (m, 6H), 7.06-6.92 (m, 3H), 6.90 (d, J=7.5 Hz, 1H), 3.89 (s, 3H), 3.47 (s, 2H), 3.10 (brs, 4H), 2.65 (brs, 4H).
Compound 29: 1-(4′-chlorobiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
215 mg of the target compound (0.55 mmol, 42.4%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (497 mg, 2.58 mmol), 4′-chlorobiphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (280 mg, 1.29 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (832 mg, 3.87 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.61 (dd, J=6.4 Hz, J=2.3 Hz, 1H), 7.51-7.31 (m, 7H), 7.09-6.98 (m, 3H), 6.92 (d, J=7.2 Hz, 1H), 3.91 (s, 3H), 3.52 (s, 2H), 3.12 (brs, 4H), 2.66 (brs, 4H).
Compound 30: 1-(2′-methoxybiphenyl-2-yl methyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
382 mg of the target compound (0.98 mmol, 59.6%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (634 mg, 3.30 mmol), 2′-methoxybiphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (350 mg, 1.65 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (1.1 g, 4.95 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.62 (dd, J=7.6 Hz, J=1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.36-7.25 (m, 3H), 7.19-7.15 (m, 2H), 7.00-6.89 (m, 5H), 6.80 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H), 3.79 (s, 3H), 3.71 (s, 3H), 3.46 (d, J=13.4 Hz, 1H), 3.33 (d, J=13.4 Hz, 1H), 2.98 (brs, 4H), 2.48 (brs, 4H).
Compound 31: 1-(3′-methoxybiphenyl-2-yl methyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
176 mg of the target compound (0.45 mmol, 96.4%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (181 mg, 0.94 mmol), 3′-methoxybiphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.47 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (303 mg, 1.41 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.55-7.53 (m, 1H), 7.34-7.26 (m, 4H), 7.03-6.80 (m, 7H), 3.80 (s, 6H), 3.48 (s, 2H), 3.02 (brs, 4H), 2.58 (brs, 4H).
Compound 32: 1-(4′-methoxybiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
149 mg of the target compound (0.38 mmol, 81.6%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (181 mg, 0.94 mmol), 4′-methoxybiphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.47 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (303 mg, 1.41 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.53-7.51 (m, 1H), 7.38-7.24 (m, 5H), 6.95-6.87 (m, 5H), 6.80 (d, J=7.2 Hz, 1H) 3.80 (s, 3H), 3.79 (s, 3H), 3.46 (s, 2H), 3.02 (brs, 4H), 2.57 (brs, 4H).
Compound 33: 1-(2′-methylbiphenyl-2-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
186 mg of the target compound (0.50 mmol, 97.9%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (196 mg, 1.02 mmol), 2′-methylbiphenyl-2-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.51 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (329 mg, 1.53 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.58 (dd, J=7.5 Hz, J=1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.35-7.10 (m, 7H), 6.96-6.86 (m, 3H), 6.79 (d, J=7.5 Hz, 1H), 3.78 (s, 3H), 3.34 (d, J=13.5 Hz, 1H), 3.22 (d, J=13.5 Hz, 1H), 2.98 (brs, 4H), 2.47 (brs, 4H), 2.05 (s, 3H).
Compound 34: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-phenylpiperazine
48.6 mg of the target compound (0.15 mmol, 18.3%) was obtained using 1-phenylpiperazine (266 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.61-7.18 (m, 11H), 6.93-6.81 (m, 3H), 3.63 (s, 2H), 3.20 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H), 2.64 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H).
Compound 35: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-fluorophenyl)piperazine
190.8 mg of the target compound (0.55 mmol, 67.2%) was obtained using 1-(2-fluorophenyl)piperazine (296 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.63-7.32 (m, 9H), 6.98-6.84 (m, 4H), 3.64 (s, 2H), 3.13 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H), 2.65 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H).
Compound 36: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-fluorophenyl)piperazine
113.2 mg of the target compound (0.33 mmol, 59.4%) was obtained using 1-(3-fluorophenyl)piperazine (198 mg, 1.10 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.55 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (355 mg, 1.65 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.67-7.37 (m, 9H), 7.22 (q, J=7.2 Hz, 1H), 6.72-6.55 (m, 3H), 3.67 (s, 2H), 3.26 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H), 2.67 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H).
Compound 37: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(4-fluorophenyl)piperazine
74.7 mg of the target compound (0.22 mmol, 26.8%) was obtained using 1-(4-fluorophenyl)piperazine (296 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.64-7.33 (m, 9H), 7.05-6.89 (m, 4H), 3.65 (s, 2H), 3.13 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.68 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H).
Compound 38: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-chlorophenyl)piperazine
200.0 mg of the target compound (0.55 mmol, 67.2%) was obtained using 1-(2-chlorophenyl)piperazine hydrochloride (382 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.63-7.59 (m, 3H), 7.52-7.33 (m, 7H), 7.21 (t, J=8.1 Hz, 1H), 7.04 (dd, J=8.1 Hz, J=1.5 Hz, 1H), 6.96 (td, J=7.2 Hz, J=1.5 Hz, 1H), 3.66 (s, 2H), 3.09 (brs, 4H), 2.69 (brs, 4H).
Compound 39: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine
11 mg of the target compound (0.03 mmol, 3.7%) was obtained using 1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine hydrochloride (382 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.63-7.58 (m, 3H), 7.52-7.32 (m, 6H), 7.15 (t, J=8.1 Hz, 1H), 6.86 (brt, J=2.1 Hz, 1H), 6.80-6.75 (m, 2H), 3.63 (s, 2H), 3.21 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H), 2.63 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H).
Compound 40: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(4-chlorophenyl)piperazine
12 mg of the target compound (0.03 mmol, 4.03%) was obtained using 1-(4-chlorophenyl)piperazine hydrochloride (382 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.62-7.32 (m, 9H), 7.23-7.17 (m, 2H), 6.84-6.81 (m, 2H), 3.64 (s, 2H), 3.17 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H), 2.64 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H).
Compound 41: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
47 mg of the target compound (0.13 mmol, 23.8%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (209 mg, 1.09 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.55 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (355 mg, 1.65 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.67-7.63 (m, 3H), 7.56-7.37 (m, 6H), 7.03-6.84 (m, 4H), 3.88 (s, 3H), 3.69 (s, 2H), 3.14 (brs, 4H), 2.74 (brs, 4H).
Compound 42: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
126.1 mg of the target compound (0.35 mmol, 42.9%) was obtained using 1-(3-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (315 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.78-7.45 (m, 8H), 7.33-7.27 (m, 1H), 6.69-6.53 (m, 3H), 3.90 (s, 3H), 3.75 (s, 2H), 3.34 (brs, 4H), 2.76 (brs, 4H).
Compound 43: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
128.2 mg of the target compound (0.36 mmol, 65.0%) was obtained using 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (212 mg, 1.10 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.55 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (355 mg, 1.65 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.67-7.63 (m, 3H), 7.56-7.37 (m, 6H), 6.96-6.87 (m, 4H), 3.80 (s, 3H), 3.68 (s, 2H), 3.15 (brt, J=4.5 Hz, 4H), 2.70 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H).
Compound 44: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)piperazine
166.8 mg of the target compound (0.43 mmol, 78.0%) was obtained using 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)piperazine (244.5 mg, 1.10 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.55 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (355 mg, 1.65 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.66-7.61 (m, 1H), 7.45-7.30 (m, 9H), 6.83-6.80 (m, 1H), 6.59-6.58 (m, 1H), 6.46 (dd, J=8.7 Hz, J=2.7 Hz, 1H), 3.98 (s, 3H), 3.89 (s, 3H), 3.54 (s, 2H), 3.10 (brs, 4H), 2.58 (brs, 4H).
Compound 45: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-ethoxyphenyl)piperazine
48 mg of the target compound (0.13 mmol, 23.4%) was obtained using 1-(2-ethoxyphenyl)piperazine monohydrogen chloride (266 mg, 1.09 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.55 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (355 mg, 1.65 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.62-7.60 (m, 3H), 7.51-7.31 (m, 6H), 6.97-6.81 (m, 4H), 4.04 (q, J=6.9 Hz, 2H), 3.64 (s, 2H), 3.13 (brs, 4H), 2.68 (brs, 4H), 1.43 (t, J=6.9 Hz, 3H).
Compound 46: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methylphenyl)piperazine
41.2 mg of the target compound (0.12 mmol, 14.7%) was obtained using 1-(2-methylphenyl)piperazine (289 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.73-7.70 (m, 3H), 7.61-7.43 (m, 6H), 7.30-7.03 (m, 4H), 3.74 (s, 2H), 3.04 (brt, J=4.5 Hz, 4H), 2.75 (brs, 4H), 2.40 (s, 3H).
Compound 47: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-methylphenyl)piperazine
118.7 mg of the target compound (0.35 mmol, 42.3%) was obtained using 1-(3-methylphenyl)piperazine (289 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.80-7.77 (m, 3H), 7.69-7.47 (m, 6H), 7.31 (t, J=7.8 Hz, 1H), 6.91-6.83 (m, 3H), 3.78 (s, 2H), 3.36 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.79 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.48 (s, 3H).
Compound 48: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(4-methylphenyl)piperazine
54.3 mg of the target compound (0.16 mmol, 36.4%) was obtained using 1-(4-methylphenyl)piperazine (154.8 mg, 0.88 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (80 mg, 0.44 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (283.8 mg, 1.32 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.71-7.69 (m, 1H), 7.58-7.40 (m, 8H), 7.19 (d, J=8.1 Hz, 2H), 6.95 (d, J=8.4 Hz, 2H), 3.61 (s, 2H), 3.22 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H), 2.65 (brt, J=5.1 Hz, 4H), 2.40 (s, 3H).
Compound 49: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
58.3 mg of the target compound (0.16 mmol, 20.0%) was obtained using 1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)piperazine (312 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.63-7.34 (m, 9H), 7.09-6.88 (m, 3H), 3.65 (s, 2H), 2.92 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.66 (brs, 4H), 2.26 (s, 3H), 2.21 (s, 3H).
Compound 50: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
62.1 mg of the target compound (0.17 mmol, 21.2%) was obtained using 1-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine (312 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.79-7.46 (m, 9H), 7.22-6.93 (m, 3H), 3.80 (s, 2H), 3.08 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.80 (brs, 4H), 2.45-2.38 (m, 6H).
Compound 51: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
156.4 mg of the target compound (0.44 mmol, 53.7%) was obtained using 1-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)piperazine (312 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.87-7.53 (m, 9H), 7.22-7.16 (m, 3H), 3.85 (s, 2H), 3.14 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.86 (brs, 4H), 2.51 (s, 3H), 2.50 (s, 3H).
Compound 52: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine
138.6 mg of the target compound (0.39 mmol, 47.6%) was obtained using 1-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)piperazine (312 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.81-7.78 (m, 3H), 7.70-7.48 (m, 6H), 6.74-6.70 (m, 3H), 3.79 (s, 2H), 3.36 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.79 (brs, 4H), 2.45 (s, 6H).
Compound 53: 1-(biphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)piperazine
14.0 mg of the target compound (0.04 mmol, 4.3%) was obtained using 1-(3-trifluorophenyl)piperazine hydrochloride (437 mg, 1.64 mmol), biphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (150 mg, 0.82 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (529 mg, 2.46 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.62-7.30 (m, 10H), 7.10-7.02 (m, 3H), 3.64 (s, 2H), 3.25 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H), 2.64 (brt, J=4.8 Hz, 4H)
Compound 54: 1-(2′-fluorobiphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
164 mg of the target compound (0.44 mmol, 87.1%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (192 mg, 1.00 mmol), 2′-fluorobiphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.50 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (322 mg, 1.50 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.61 (brs, 1H), 7.52-7.41 (m, 4H), 7.36-7.30 (m, 1H), 7.26-7.15 (m, 2H), 7.06-6.95 (m, 3H), 6.91 (dd, J=8.1 Hz, J=1.2 Hz, 1H), 3.88 (s, 3H), 3.70 (s, 2H), 3.16 (brs, 4H), 2.75 (brs, 4H).
Compound 55: 1-(2′-chlorobiphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
61 mg of the target compound (0.16 mmol, 33.7%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (177 mg, 0.92 mmol), 2′-chlorobiphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.46 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (297 mg, 1.38 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.46-7.44 (m, 2H), 7.42-7.23 (m, 6H), 7.00-6.87 (m, 3H), 6.84 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 1H), 3.83 (s, 3H), 3.65 (s, 2H), 3.10 (brs, 4H), 2.70 (brs, 4H).
Compound 56: 1-(2′-methoxybiphenyl-3-yl methyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
103 mg of the target compound (0.27 mmol, 56.4%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (181 mg, 0.94 mmol), 2′-methoxybiphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.47 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (303 mg, 1.41 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.51 (brs, 1H), 7.45-7.27 (m, 5H), 7.04-6.87 (m, 5H), 6.83 (dd, J=7.8 Hz, J=0.9 Hz, 1H), 3.82 (s, 3H), 3.78 (s, 3H), 3.63 (s, 2H), 3.09 (brs, 4H), 2.69 (brs, 4H).
Compound 57: 1-(2′-methylbiphenyl-3-ylmethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine
77 mg of the target compound (0.21 mmol, 40.5%) was obtained using 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine (196 mg, 1.02 mmol), 2′-methylbiphenyl-3-carbaldehyde (100 mg, 0.51 mmol) and NaBH(OAc) 3 (329 mg, 1.53 mmol) according to the synthesis method of Compound 1.
1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 7.36-7.30 (m, 3H), 7.26-7.19 (m, 5H), 6.99-6.81 (m, 4H), 3.82 (s, 3H), 3.62 (s, 2H), 3.09 (brs, 4H), 2.69 (brs, 4H), 2.27 (s, 3H).
Formulation Examples
The novel compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 according to the present disclosure can be prepared into various formulations depending on purposes. Some formulation examples comprising the compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 are provided for illustrative purposes but they do not limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Formulation Example 1
Tablet (Direct Compression)
5.0 mg of the active ingredient was sieved, mixed with 14.1 mg of lactose, 0.8 mg of crospovidone USNF and 0.1 mg of magnesium stearate, and then compressed into a tablet.
Formulation Example 2
Tablet (Wet Granulation)
5.0 mg of the active ingredient was sieved and mixed with 16.0 mg of lactose and 4.0 mg of starch. After adding an adequate amount of a solution of 0.3 mg of Polysorbate 80 dissolved in pure water, the mixture was granulated. After drying and sieving, the granule was mixed with 2.7 mg of colloidal silicon dioxide and 2.0 mg of magnesium stearate. The granule was compressed into a tablet.
Formulation Example 3
Powder and Capsule
5.0 mg of the active ingredient was sieved and mixed with 14.8 mg of lactose, 10.0 mg of polyvinylpyrrolidone and 0.2 mg of magnesium stearate. The mixture was filled in hard No. 5 gelatin capsule using an appropriate apparatus.
Formulation Example 4
Injection
An injection was prepared using 100 mg of the active ingredient as well as 180 mg of mannitol, 26 mg of Na 2 HPO 4 .12H 2 O and 2974 mg distilled water.
Test Example
% inhibition at 10 μM and binding affinity (K i ) of the novel compound represented by the Chemical Formula 1 according to the present disclosure for the 5-HT 7 serotonin receptor were measured as follows.
Test Example 1
Binding Affinity for 5-HT 7 Serotonin Receptor
Human recombinant 5-HT 7 receptor expressed in CHO cells was used. A reaction mixture (final concentration 0.25 mL) prepared from 1 nM [ 3 H]LSD, 5-HT 7 receptor membrane (15 μg/well), test compound of various concentrations and 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.4) containing 10 mM MgCl 2 and 0.1 mM EDTA was incubated at 25° C. for 90 minutes. After the incubation, reaction was terminated by rapid filtration through Whatman GF/C glass fiber filter previously soaked in 0.3% polyethyleneimine using a Brandel harvester and washed with cold 50 mM Tris-HCl buffer. The filter was covered with MeltiLex, sealed in a sample bag and dried in an oven. Counting was carried out using MicroBeta (Wallac). Nonspecific binding was measured in the presence of 0.5 μM mianserin. The K i value of the test compound was obtained from nonlinear regression analysis (GraphPad Prism Program, San Diego, USA) of isotherms obtained by repeating experiments 3 times in duplicate test tubes at 10-11 varied concentrations.
The % inhibition at 10 μM and binding affinity (K i ) of the novel compound according to the present disclosure for the 5-HT 7 serotonin receptor are given in Table 1.
TABLE 1
Test compounds
% inhibition (10 μM)
K i (nM)
Compound 1
59.7
537.0
Compound 8
95.1
431.9
Compound 9
86.2
192.0
Compound 21
93.8
658.0
Compound 22
84.0
367.3
Compound 23
87.0
273.7
Compound 24
93.8
255.5
Compound 25
95.9
64.0
Compound 36
91.3
79.0
Compound 38
88.3
66.0
Compound 47
95.4
15.0
As described above, since the biphenyl compound represented by Chemical Formula 1 according to the present disclosure or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof exhibits superior activity for the 5-HT 7 serotonin receptor, it is useful for treatment and prevention of neurological disorders such as depression, migraine, anxiety, pain, particularly inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain, etc. and diseases related with thermoregulation, circadian rhythm, sleep or smooth muscle.
While the present disclosure has been described with respect to the specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined in the following claims. | Provided are biphenyl derivatives exhibiting activity towards central nervous system diseases by acting on the 5-HT 7 receptor, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, a method for preparing the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions including the compounds as an active ingredient. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is generally directed to an apparatus and method for implanting an anterior installed intervertebral fusion cage system which can be selectively expanded anteriorly between two adjacent vertebrae to cause them to change position relative to each other and produce a normal alignment of the spine, while promoting fusion of the vertebrae. More particularly, the invention discloses an apparatus and method for surgically positioning an implant having a fusion cage and one or more alternative expansion caps which may be intercoupled with the cage to cause expansion of the anterior portion of the cage to form an adjustable wedge for alignment of two adjacent vertebral bodies in accordance with a predetermined and desired spinal curvature.
The implant of the present invention preferably presents an anterior surface which is flush or slightly recessed within the intervertebral joint, so that it does not abrade or otherwise injure surrounding tissues. In certain embodiments the device further includes structure for supporting a substantial portion of the front of the implant against a layer of harder, more compact bone at the anterior surface of the vertebrae in order to reduce the likelihood of subsidence of the device into the bone. Adjacent cages between a pair of vertebrae are preferably linked transversely to provide additional stabilization of the vertebrae.
The spine is a column of stacked vertebrae, each having a rounded, anterior element, or vertebral body which is weight-bearing. The vertebral bodies are separated from each other and cushioned by a series of fibrocartilage pads or discs which impart flexibility to the spine. Aging, injury and disease, such as degenerative disc disease, may result in drying out or collapse of the discs, causing back and leg pain. In some cases the disc or vertebra is damaged beyond repair or must be removed for medical reasons.
While the spinal column appears to be straight when viewed from an anterior or posterior vantage point, when viewed laterally it is apparent that it is actually comprised of four curved regions. In some congenital conditions such as scoliosis and kyphosis, excessive curvature or other displacement of the spinal vertebrae of the spine occurs.
Treatment of weakness, injury or improper curvature by removal of a disc and fusion of adjacent vertebral bodies (arthrodesis) has become relatively commonplace in recent years. More than 20,000 such interbody fusions of the lumbar region alone are now performed annually in the United States. Fusion of adjacent vertebral bodies is generally accomplished by implantation of a cage-like device in the intervertebral space. The cages are apertured, and include a hollow interior chamber which is packed with live bone chips, usually harvested from the patient's hip, less frequently from the leg, spine or ribs, or bone may be obtained from a bone bank. A bone substitute may also be employed. Following implantation, bone from each of the adjacent vertebrae grows through the apertures to fuse with the bone of the other vertebrae above and below the cage, thus stabilizing the area. The fusion process may take six to twelve months and it is desirable to stabilize both the vertebrae and the cages during the fusion process.
Once the fusion cage has been inserted, the angular orientation of the top and bottom surface of each cage is of importance, because this orientation determines the fixed angular alignment of the facing surfaces of the two vertebrae upon fusion. The cervical and lumbar curves each present a region of normal anterior convexity and posterior concavity or physiological lordosis. There is a need for an implant which can be adjusted in situ to conform to and maintain lordosis of the segments involved in the fusion or adjusted to correct a preexisting deformity and to restore or initiate proper angular vertebral alignment along the spine.
Like most other bones, the bones of the spine and, in particular, the vertebral bodies, consist of a core of spongy, cancellous tissue surrounded by a rim of harder, more compact bone. One problem associated with the implantation of intervertebral fusion cages has been eventual subsidence of the cage into the softer or spongier bone that is normally on opposite sides of a disc following implant. However, there is an anterior crescent of harder bone close to the edge of the vertebral bodies. There is a need for an implant which can be installed to provide support along the full length of the upper and lower face of the implant cage, for positioning the cage against a substantial length of the harder, outer rim of bone to provide better anterior support.
Normally, a pair of fusion cage implant devices are inserted into the area previously occupied by a disc in spaced relationship to each other. In order to provide lateral stability, it is desirable to link the two cages together. There is a need for the cages to be adjustable in situ to preserve or restore coronal, axial and sagittal alignment. It is also preferable that the cages be linked by a structure which is recessed within the intervertebral joint. When the cages are inserted into the anterior portion of the intervertebral space, any structure which projects beyond the anterior surface of the vertebral body may cause irritation or damage to the surrounding tissues and vasculature, especially major arteries that are located close to the spine, or to the ligaments and muscles along the spine.
The apparatus and method of the present invention are specifically designed to provide both independent intervertebral implants and transversely linked pairs of implants, which can be selectively expanded anteriorly to conform the vertebrae to a desired angle of curvature of the affected spinal region while supporting the anterior margin of the adjacent vertebral bodies and to do so without abrading or damaging the surrounding tissues subsequent to insertion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for implanting an intervertebral cage containing a bone graft to allow for the fusing together of adjacent vertebrae, while maintaining or correcting the angular alignment of the spine. The invention provides an improved fusion cage that allows selective adjustment between adjacent vertebrae. The apparatus includes a pair of cage units that have tops and bottoms and are each adjustably coupled to an expansion cap, such that the top and bottom form a wedge which may be adjusted to support the adjacent vertebrae at a predetermined angle. The cage is formed of a resilient material and is generally U-shaped including a pair of legs connected by a rear plate. The expansion cap is urged, normally by a bolt threaded to the rear plate to wedge between and, thus, separate the free or anterior ends of the legs to a desired angular configuration.
The cage unit is fenestrated and hollow, to receive a packed, harvested bone graft or bone substitute material. Alternatively, the connecting bolt may be fixed to the rear of the cage unit and the cap driven by rotating a nut on the bolt. The cage unit and expansion cap may be configured for self-locking engagement. The expansion cap may also include anterior upper and lower horizontal bone supporting structure and an anterior recess. A pair of adjustable cage units is fixedly intercoupled by a recessed link. A set of caps is provided with each cap producing a different expansion so that a surgeon may select the cap best suited to provide the desired angular configuration between adjacent vertebrae. The caps are also configured to provide additional end plate support along a substantial portion of the front edge of the vertebral bodies.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide an improved method and apparatus for fusing together adjacent vertebrae; to provide such a method and apparatus for implanting an intervertebral fusion cage system for introducing a bone graft between adjacent vertebrae; to provide such a method and apparatus for implanting an intervertebral fusion cage system while maintaining or correcting the angular alignment of the vertebrae of the spine; to provide a method and apparatus for implanting an intervertebral dual cage system; to provide such a method and apparatus for adjustment of the alignment and balance of the spine in situ; to provide such a method and apparatus for especially engaging along a substantial length thereof the anterior, hard and compact bone layers of adjacent vertebral bodies; to provide such an apparatus having an intervertebral cage which is adjustable in situ; to provide such an apparatus having two such independently adjustable intervertebral cages; to provide such an apparatus having two intervertebral cages joined by a fixed link and that can be inserted non-parallel to each other (either in toe in and toe out or skew) and/or biased to provide better purchase to the overall system; to provide such an apparatus having two such intervertebral cages joined by a link which is recessed from the anterior surfaces of the adjacent vertebrae; to provide such an apparatus having a set of expansion caps that each provide a different degree of expansion to allow for variation in the angular configuration between the top and bottom of the cage or alternatively provides a cap that is adjustably coupled with the fusion cage for adjustment of the angle between facing surfaces of two vertebral bodies; to provide such an apparatus having an expansion cap and cage having structure permitting self-locking installation of the expansion cap onto the cage; to provide such an apparatus wherein the cages are round for insertion, but having caps with upper and lower generally linear support regions for engaging the anterior, more compact and hard bone layers of vertebrae; to provide such a fusion cage which includes an interior chamber for supporting a bone graft; to provide such a fusion cage having a group of modular or interchangeable caps with each cap producing a different degree of relative angulation between the top and bottom surfaces of the cage with the caps being usable sequentially and interchangeably to increase the expansion and resulting angulation until the surgeon is satisfied with the result; to provide such a fusion cage which is fenestrated to permit outgrowth of a bone graft into the surrounding vertebrae; to provide such an apparatus having an insertion tool which may be coupled with a fusion cage and uncoupled following insertion of the cage into an intervertebral region; to provide a method for using such an apparatus for implanting a cage unit between two adjacent vertebral bodies, packing the cage unit with a bone graft, coupling the cage unit with an expansion cap for forming the cage unit into a wedge having a predetermined angle associated with each cap between top and bottom surfaces thereof, and permitting the bone graft to grow and fuse the adjacent vertebral bodies together; providing such an apparatus and method which are relatively easy to use, inexpensive to produce and particularly well-suited for their intended usage.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of the invention.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of an anterior expandable spinal fusion cage apparatus in accordance with the present invention, illustrating a pair of cages, a pair of expansion bolts and a linked expansion cap unit.
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a pair of adjacent vertebrae of a patient with the fusion cage apparatus implanted between the vertebral bodies and showing the expansion cap unit secured to the fusion cages.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of one cage and expansion cap of the apparatus, prior to final assembly with one of the bolts positioned through the illustrated expansion cap preparatory to engagement with a threaded bore in a rear wall of the cage.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating the expansion cap in an expansion configuration in the fusion cage, taken along line 4 — 4 of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view at a reduced scale showing an insertion tool aligned with a cage unit of the invention.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the tool of FIG. 5 coupled with the cage unit and positioned in the intervertebral region between adjacent vertebrae during implantation of the cage unit, with portions of vertebra broken away to show detail thereof.
FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a cage unit between a pair of adjacent vertebrae at a further reduced scale and showing the cage unit of FIG. 6 in place in the intervertebral space and the insertion tool uncoupled and removed.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged front elevational view of a first modified embodiment of a single implant in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 8, illustrating one of a set of expansion caps secured to a fusion cage, taken along line 9 — 9 of FIG. 8 .
FIG. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view of the expansion cap of FIG. 9 .
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the cage of FIG. 9 coupled with a second of the set of extension caps configured to provide less anterior vertical height than the cap shown in FIG. 9 .
FIG. 12 is a greatly enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view of the expansion cap of FIG. 11 .
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the cage unit of FIG. 8 coupled with a third of the set of expansion caps configured to provide less anterior vertical height than the cap shown in FIG. 11 .
FIG. 14 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view of the expansion cap of FIG. 13 .
FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of a second modified embodiment of a fusion cage apparatus in accordance with the invention, illustrating a cylindrical fusion cage with a fixed stud, an expansion cap, a face plate and nuts.
FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 15, preparatory to final installation of the expansion cap with respect to the cage, taken along line 16 — 16 of FIG. 15 .
FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 16, illustrating vertical expansion of a front of the cage produced by installation of the expansion cap.
FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of a third modified embodiment of a fusion cage apparatus in accordance with the invention, illustrating a cage, an expansion cap and a bolt prior to installation.
FIG. 19 is a front elevational view on a reduced scale of the cage of FIG. 18 .
FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the cage of FIG. 19, taken along line 20 — 20 of FIG. 19 .
FIG. 21 is a rear elevational view of the expansion cap of FIG. 18 .
FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of the expansion cap, taken along line 22 — 22 of FIG. 18 .
FIG. 23 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of a spinal column showing the cage of FIG. 18 implanted with the expansion cap prior to final assembly on the cage.
FIG. 24 is a view similar to FIG. 23, illustrating the expansion cap assembled onto the cage to urge the top and bottom of the cage to form a wedge which engages the adjacent vertebrae and positions the vertebrae in proper physiological alignment.
FIG. 25 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a fourth modified embodiment of a fusion cage apparatus in accordance with the invention, illustrating an apparatus having a fusion cage and expansion cap configured for self-locking.
FIG. 26 is a front elevational view on a reduced scale of the cage of FIG. 25 .
FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of the fusion cage of FIG. 25, taken along line 27 — 27 of FIG. 26 .
FIG. 28 is a rear elevational view of the expansion cap of FIG. 25 .
FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view of the expansion cap of FIG. 25, taken along line 29 — 29 of FIG. 28 .
FIG. 30 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of a spinal column showing the fusion cage of FIG. 25 implanted with the expansion cap prior to expansion.
FIG. 31 is a view similar to FIG. 30, illustrating the expansion cap assembled on the cage and locking structures of the cage and expansion cap in mating engagement and with the cage expanded to form a wedge which supports the adjacent vertebrae in proper physiological alignment.
FIG. 32 is a perspective view of a pair of the implanted cages as depicted in FIG. 31, illustrating a cage link prior to assembly.
FIG. 33 is a perspective view of the cages and cage link of FIG. 32 subsequent to final assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.
I. Dual Cage System with Fixed Link
Referring now to the drawings, an anterior expandible spinal fusion cage system in accordance with the invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 1 and is shown in FIGS. 1-6. An anterior view of a human spine showing the intervertebral region 2 , which is the functional location of implantation of the fusion cage system 1 , between upper and lower adjacent vertebral bodies or vertebrae 3 and 4 , is shown in FIG. 2 .
The expandible fusion cage system 1 broadly includes a pair of substantially identical, anteriorly inserted and anteriorly expandable cages or implants 10 and 11 coupled with a cap unit or expansion module 12 by a pair of set screws or bolts 13 and 14 . The description “anteriorly expandable” is used to indicate that anterior ends 15 (FIG. 4) of the cages 10 and 11 are expandable rather than posterior ends 16 thereof
Each of the implants 10 and 11 presents a generally truncated cylindrical overall configuration that is generally U-shaped when viewed from the side, having a horizontal central axis A extending the length thereof. An open-sided central chamber 20 is defined by a pair of spaced apart curvate top and bottom walls or legs 21 and 22 , each having an outer surface 23 and 24 . The walls 21 and 22 are apertured by a plurality of radial ports or windows 30 , which open into the central chamber 20 . The outer surfaces 23 and 24 include partial threads 31 which are interrupted by the windows 30 .
The top and bottom walls 21 and 22 are coupled in spaced relationship by an enclosed rear wall, plate or web 32 having a central, threaded bore 33 and relieved corners. A front portion 34 of each of the cages 10 and 11 includes upper and lower margins 40 and 41 framing inwardly curved, upper and lower neck portions 42 and 43 , each terminating at a shoulder 44 and 45 . Each cage front 34 opens into an associated central chamber 20 .
The cages 10 and 11 are designed with curvate or arcuate top and bottom walls 21 and 22 so that the cages 10 and 11 can be received in respective cylindrical grooves, which are predrilled into the inferior and superior surfaces, respectively of the pair of adjacent vertebral bodies 3 and 4 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the cages may also be of a more generally rectangular configuration for implantation by tapping into the intervertebral region 2 , or they may be constructed in any other geometric configuration which is suitable for implantation in an intervertebral region 2 .
The expansion module 12 includes a pair of identical rectangular expansion caps or wedges 50 and 51 intercoupled in parallel alignment by a generally rectangular link 52 . The link 52 is preferably recessed a distance of from about one to about five millimeters from faces 53 of the expansion caps in order to maintain an overall flush anterior profile of the implanted cage system 1 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in certain forms the link 52 may also connect the caps 50 and 51 at a slightly convergent or divergent angle (that is the axis of the cages 10 and 11 may toe in or converge or toe out and diverge from the anterior side or may even be skewed relative to each other), such that when the cages 10 and 11 are installed at corresponding angles, the cages 10 and 11 will be more difficult to disturb and also preferably provide a slight loading or bias to the cages 10 and 11 during tightening of the caps 50 and 51 to further stabilize the intervertebral cage system 1 .
The link 52 is sized to maintain the implants at a selected spacing, to enhance lateral stability and to permit a bone graft to grow from the chamber 20 outwardly, through the windows 30 and into the central portion of the intervertebral region 2 , to fuse the vertebral bodies 3 and 4 together.
The expansion caps 50 and 51 each present a generally rectangular, planar face 53 having a central aperture 54 , which includes a conical countersink 55 to permit flush installation of the bolts 13 and 14 having correspondingly shaped heads 62 into the caps 50 and 51 . The expansion caps 50 and 51 are of unitary construction, each including a wedge 60 having a generally frustotriangular cross section coupled with a base 61 having a generally rectangular cross section. The expansion cap bases 61 are sized for insertion between the upper and lower margins 40 and 41 at the front of each of the cages 10 and 11 . A beveled geometric configuration of the wedge 60 permits sliding engagement of the wedge 60 with surfaces of the necks 42 and 43 of the cages 10 and 11 , which force the walls or legs 21 and 22 apart as the base 61 is snugged against the implant shoulders 44 and 45 , which serve as stops.
The bolts 13 and 14 are sized and shaped to be received in the expansion cap apertures 54 , with a screw head 62 received against the expansion cap countersink 55 . Each screw also includes a shank 63 of reduced diameter and terminating in a threaded surface 64 , which is operably received in a respective cage matingly threaded bore 33 . Each screw head 62 also includes an opening 70 configured to receive a driving tool such as a wrench, screwdriver or the like (not shown).
The cages 10 and 11 , expansion module 12 , and bolts 13 and 14 are constructed of a strong, inert material having some elasticity such as a stainless steel or titanium alloy, although carbon fiber, porous tantalum or any other biocompatible material or combination of materials may be employed.
An insertion tool 71 for use in association with certain embodiments of the invention is depicted in FIGS. 5 - 7 ind includes a handle 72 coupled with a centrally bored shank portion 73 and a bolt 74 sized for registry within the bore of the shank 73 . The handle 72 is centrally apertured for insertion of the bolt 74 therethrough and through the bored shank 73 . The bolt 74 includes a hex type head 75 at one end and a threaded surface 76 at the opposed end. The portion of the shank 73 remote from the handle 72 is expanded to correspond to the diameter of the implant cage 10 . A pair of opposed grooves 80 are machined into the expanded shank 73 , leaving corresponding opposed lands 81 so that the shank 73 is sized and shaped to slidably but snuggly mate with the fusion cage 10 . The lands 81 include threads 82 , which correspond to the threads 31 of the top and bottom walls 21 and 22 of the cage 10 .
In use, the anterior surface of a selected intervertebral region 2 of the spine of a patient is surgically exposed. The soft tissues are separated, the disc space is distracted and the disc is removed, along with any bone spurs which may be present. The spaced upper and lower vertebral bodies 3 and 4 to be stabilized and fused are then anteriorly drilled between to form a pair of opposed cage receiving grooves 84 having fixed spacing and alignment predetermined to match the alignment of the cages 10 and 11 and the spacing of the expansion module 12 . One set of grooves 84 is depicted in FIG. 6, receiving one of the cages 10 . Although an anterior approach is preferred, it is foreseen that a posterior, or even lateral approach could also be employed. The grooves 84 are then threaded (not shown) to correspond with the threads 31 of the cages 10 and 11 .
An implant insertion tool 71 is positioned adjacent a fusion cage 10 so that the cage top and bottom walls 21 and 22 are aligned with the grooves 80 in the tool. The tool 71 and the cage 10 are urged toward each other until the cage walls 21 and 22 are received in the grooves 80 and the tool threads 83 are in registry with the implant cage threads 31 , to form a continously threaded surface as shown in FIG. 6 .
The bolt 74 is then inserted through the apertured handle 72 and advanced rearward until it contacts the threaded bore 33 in the rear wall of the implant 32 . A driving tool such as a socket wrench (not shown) is employed to rotate the bolt 74 until the threaded surface 76 of the bolt is matingly received in the bore 33 .
A user then grasps the handle 72 and positions the tool 71 and intercoupled cage 10 adjacent the intervertebral bore 84 . The user rotates the handle 72 to drive the tool 71 and cage 10 into the bore 84 .
When the cage 10 is properly positioned, a driving tool (not shown) is employed to rotate the bolt head 75 counter clockwise, while the cage 10 is immobilized, until the threaded surface of the bolt 76 is disengaged from the threads of the implant bore 33 . The insertion tool 71 is then removed from the intervertebral bore 84 and the cage 10 remains in place. This procedure is repeated for installation of a second cage 11 at a predetermined location spaced from the first cage 10 . Although the curvate outer surfaces 21 and 22 of the cages 10 and 11 are particularly well suited for such threaded insertion into a predrilled intervertebral set of grooves 84 , it is foreseen that they may also be inserted either by tapping into a predrilled set of grooves 84 or by tapping directly into the distracted intervertebral region 2 .
As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the expansion module 12 is installed anteriorly, onto the cages 10 and 11 by alignment of the base 61 of each expansion cap 50 and 51 between a respective upper and lower cage margins 40 and 41 . A respective set screw or bolt 13 or 14 is inserted through the aperture 54 of each expansion cap 50 and into the threaded bore 33 in the rear wall 32 of the cages 10 and 11 .
The bolts 13 and 14 are then tightened to bring the rear surfaces of the base 61 of each expansion cap 51 into sliding engagement with the upper and lower implant neck portions 42 and 43 . Continued tightening of the bolts 13 and 14 causes each base 61 to wedge the front portions of the top and bottom cage walls 20 and 21 apart, so that the cages 10 and 11 each begin to assume a generally trapezoidal shape when viewed from the side. The bolts 13 and 14 are further tightened until the rear surface of each expansion cap base 61 contacts each respective upper and lower shoulder 44 and 45 , which cooperatively serve as a stop. In this manner, the shoulders 44 and 45 serve to prevent greater distraction of the disc space or region than is desired.
The expansion caps 50 and 51 are sized so that, upon coupling with the cages 10 and 11 , they form a wedge which supports the vertebral bodies 3 and 4 at the proper height as well as a desired angular alignment to achieve physiological lordosis at the intervertebral region 2 . While expansion caps 50 and 51 of a selected size are depicted in FIGS. 1-4, those skilled in the art will appreciate that caps producing varying degrees of expansion may be employed to produce the desired effect.
The surgeon then transplants a quantity of packed bone cells or a suitable bone substitute material or bone growth enhancer into each of the chambers 20 , as well as into the area 2 between the implant cages 10 and 11 . The bone cells may be introduced into the chambers 20 by a lateral approach through the open area between the top and bottom implant walls 21 and 22 . Alternatively, the bone cells may be introduced into the chambers 20 by an anterior approach through the implant front 34 prior to installation of the expansion module 12 or by a combination of these methods. Bone for use in the graft may be preferably harvested from the patient as live bone, from a bone bank or from a cadaver. Demineralized bone matrix, bone morphogenic protein or any other suitable material may also be employed.
Following implantation, the bone grows between vertebrae 3 and 4 through the windows 30 with the bone in the chambers 30 and between and around the cages 10 and 11 to fuse the vertebral bodies 3 and 4 together.
II. Alternate Fusion Case System
The structure of a first modified embodiment of an anterior expandable spinal fusion cage system in accordance with the invention is shown in FIGS. 8-14 and is generally represented by the reference numeral 101 . The system 101 is in many ways similar to the embodiment previously described, except the expansion caps are not joined and the cages may be fitted with expansion caps of various sizes.
In particular, the fusion cage system 101 includes a cage 102 which will normally be used in pairs between adjacent vertebrae as in the present embodiment, and a set of expansion caps, here including a large expansion cap 103 , an intermediate expansion cap 104 and a small expansion cap 105 , and a set screw or bolt 106 . Although only three caps 103 , 104 and 105 are illustrated and described in this embodiment, it is foreseen that many different caps, each producing a different decree of expansion in cage 102 , may be incorporated in the set to allow the surgeon to achieve a desired degree of expansion and consequent positioning of the vertebrae relative to each other. Expansion caps are constructed of varying sizes in order to provide an implant system 101 to allow a surgeon to first try a cap producing less expansion and then, if the surgeon finds that the expansion resulting from the first cap is insufficient to produce a desired alignment between the adjacent vertebrae, to remove the first cap and insert one producing more expansion of the cage 102 . The process is repeated until the desired alignment between the vertebrae is achieved. Normally the surgeon would start with the cap providing the least expansion and then larger caps in order of size, if the first is insufficient. Expansion caps 103 , 104 and 105 are depicted in FIGS. 11, 12 and 14 , as representative examples of a full range of possible sizes.
The cage 102 presents a generally truncated cylindrical overall configuration that is generally U-shaped when viewed from the side, including an open-sided central chamber 111 , bounded by a pair of curvate top and bottom walls 112 and 113 . The chamber 111 is further enclosed by a rear wall 114 .
The front portion 121 of the cage 101 includes upper and lower margins 122 and 123 framing inwardly curved upper and lower neck portions 124 and 125 , each portion terminating at a shoulder 131 and 132 . The cage front portion 121 opens into the central chamber 111 .
The large, intermediate and small expansion caps 103 , 104 and 105 are of unitary construction, each including a wedge-shaped head 133 having a generally frustotriangular configuration when viewed from the side, coupled with a base 134 having a generally trapezoidal configuration. An angle A is formed by the junction of the head 133 and base 134 . The size of the angle A generally conforms to the angle at the cage front 121 , but the alignment varies depending upon degree of expansion of the cage 102 .
The rear surface of the expansion cap head 133 , which extends from base 134 , slidingly engages the surfaces of the implant neck 124 and 125 , forcing them apart until the base 134 rests against the shoulder stops 131 and 132 .
In use, the fusion cage system 101 is implanted in a manner substantially similar to the embodiment previously described. Initially, the smallest expansion cap 105 is selected for coupling with an implant 102 . The bolt 106 is then tightened until the rear surface of the expansion cap base 134 contacts the upper and lower shoulders 131 and 132 and the rear surfaces of the expansion cap head 133 rests against the upper and lower neck surfaces 124 and 125 .
In the set of caps depicted, the first cap 105 produces no expansion in the anterior portion of the cage 102 , but rather simply stabilizes the cage 102 where no expansion is needed. That is, the cage 102 upper wall 112 and lower wall 113 remain parallel after insertion. The surgeon then checks the alignment of the vertebrae and, if greater expansion is required, the first cap 105 is removed and the next larger cap 104 is inserted. The cap 104 causes the cage upper wall 112 and lower wall 113 to be nonparallel and wider to the front, see FIG. 11 . If the surgeon is then satisfied with the alignment of the vertebrae, the cap 104 is left in place. If greater frontward expansion is required, the cap 104 is removed and the cap 103 is inserted. The cap 103 produces greater anterior expansion of the cage 102 , see FIG. 9, providing a wedge-shaped configuration of the cage 102 and thus angularly realigning the vertebrae above the cage 102 relative to those below the cage 102 to cause normal physiological lordosis.
In particular, as is best shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, upon installation, the expansion caps 103 and 104 each cause the fusion cage 102 to form a generally trapezoidal configuration when viewed from the side. When used to expand, the larger the expansion cap, the greater the distance the anterior portions of the top and bottom walls 112 and 113 are wedged apart and the greater the angle associated with the intersection of planes passing through the faces of the adjacent vertebral bodies and the larger the central chamber 111 for receiving the bone graft. Thus, either by trial or by experience, the surgeon can adjust the angle of planes passing through the facing surfaces of adjacent vertebrae in situ to achieve a desired angular alignment of vertebrae for producing a desired curvature of the spine.
III. Cylindrical Fusion Case System with Fixed Screw
A second modified embodiment of an anterior expandable spinal fusion cage system in accordance with the invention is generally represented by the reference numeral 201 and is shown in FIGS. 15-17 to include an expandable implant or fusion cage 202 , an expansion cap assembly 203 and a cover assembly 204 . The cage 202 has a generally open-sided cylindrical configuration, having a central axis C, and upper and lower walls 210 and 211 , discontinuously circumscribing a central chamber 212 . Each of the walls 210 and 211 is apertured by a plurality of radially aligned windows 220 . The walls 210 and 211 also each include partial threads 221 , which are interspaced by the windows 220 .
The cage 202 has an enclosed rear wall 222 , which is perpendicularly coupled at the center with a post or stud 223 . The implant 202 has upper and lower front ends 230 and 231 coupled with upper and lower axially convergent beveled surfaces 232 and 233 . The front ends 230 and 231 open into the central chamber 212 .
The post 223 is coaxial with axis C throughout the length of central chamber 212 , and includes a shank 240 , which terminates in a threaded surface 241 .
The expansion cap 203 is generally frustoconical in shape and includes an axially converging circumscribing wall 242 intercoupling a rear wall 243 , and an outer, radially expanded face 244 . The rear wall 243 has an aperture 245 to receive the post 223 . The face 244 is sized and configured for registry with the implant upper and lower front ends 230 and 231 upon installation.
The cover assembly 204 includes a generally lozenge-shaped cover plate 250 and a pair of retaining nuts 251 and 252 . The cover plate 250 includes upper and lower parallel linear or planar surfaces 253 and 254 and a central, generally circular recess 255 for receiving the nut 252 . The recess 255 serves to receive the nut 252 and prevent the nut 252 from projecting into the adjacent tissues, where it might cause irritation or damage. The center of the recess 255 includes an aperture 256 , for receiving the post 223 . It is foreseen that the cap 203 and cover assembly 204 may be manufactured as a single unit.
In use, the fusion cage 202 of the cage system 201 is inserted into a predrilled threaded set of grooves forming a bore-like structure in and between adjacent vertebral bodies and a bone graft is introduced in much the same manner as the embodiments previously described. As best shown in FIGS. 15, 16 and 17 , once the cage 202 is implanted, the expansion cap 203 is positioned at the front or anterior end of the case 202 at the front ends 230 and 231 , as is seen in FIG. 16, so that the expansion member or cap 203 is anteriorly located and anteriorly accessible. The expansion cap 203 is installed over the post 223 , so that the rear surface of the wall 242 rests against the front end surfaces 230 and 231 .
A first nut 251 is threaded onto the threaded surface of the post 241 by rotation thereof and is snugged against the rear wall of the expansion cap 243 , forcing the upper and lower walls 210 and 211 apart, so that the implant cage 202 assumes the generally wedge shape depicted in FIG. 17 . The nut 251 is tightened until the rearward approach of the face ring rear wall 243 is stopped by contacting the front end surfaces 230 and 231 .
The cover plate 250 is installed over the expansion cap by positioning the central aperture 256 over the post 223 and threading the second nut 252 onto the threaded surface of the post 241 . The nut 252 is tightened until the rear surface of the cover plate 250 is snug against the surface of the face ring 244 .
Advantageously, the fusion cage system 201 is installed to a slightly inset depth between a pair of adjacent vertebrae such as partially illustrated vertebra 246 , so that the cover plate upper and lower horizontal surfaces 253 and 254 provide continuous horizontal support for the harder, anterior bone margins of the adjacent vertebral bodies. In this manner, the system 201 minimizes subsidence of the cage 202 into the bone 246 .
IV. Rectangular Fusion Case System with Anterior Support
A third modified embodiment 301 of an anterior expandable spinal fusion cage system in accordance with the invention is shown in FIGS. 18-24 and includes a cage implant or fusion cage 302 , coupled with an expansion cap 303 by a bolt 304 . The cage 302 is generally U-shaped when viewed from the side and presents a generally rectangular configuration overall, having upper, lower and rear walls 310 , 311 and 312 collectively defining an open-sided central chamber 313 . The walls 310 and 311 each have an outer surface 314 and 315 , respectively, and include an elongate central slot 320 , which extends lengthwise and opens into the central chamber 313 . The outer surfaces 314 and 315 each include a series of ridges 321 , which are interrupted by the slot 320 .
The rear wall 312 includes a central, threaded bore 322 . The cage 302 has upper and lower front ends 330 and 331 and upper and lower beveled or slanted surfaces 332 and 333 .
The expansion cap 303 is generally rectangular when viewed from the front, and includes a front face 340 perpendicularly joined with generally horizontal top and bottom walls 341 and 342 and planar side walls 343 . The sidewalls 343 converge inwardly and join with a generally square shaped rear wall 344 , having a central bore 350 . The bore 350 includes a conical countersink 351 to permit installation of the bolt 304 , flush with the rear wall 344 .
The bolt 304 is sized to be operably received first by the expansion cap bore 350 and then through the matingly threaded rear wall bore 322 . The bolt 304 includes a head 352 and a shank 353 , which terminates in a threaded surface 354 . The bolt head 352 includes an opening 355 configured to receive a driving tool such as an Allen wrench (not shown).
In use, the fusion cage system 301 is installed into an intervertebral region 360 of the spine 361 of a patient as shown in FIGS. 23 and 24. Anterior exposure of the intervertebral joint 361 , distraction of an affected disc 362 and preparation of the space between a pair of adjacent vertebral bodies 363 is performed as previously described.
Because the rectangular configuration of the implant cage 302 is best suited to installation by tapping into the interbody space it is not necessary to drill between the adjacent vertebral bodies 363 . The implant cage 302 is inserted so that the front 323 is situated at a predetermined location which is slightly posterior to the outer bone margins 364 of the adjacent vertebral bodies 363 .
The expansion cap 303 is installed anteriorly, onto the cage 302 by alignment of the sidewalls 343 between the upper and lower ends 330 and 331 . The bolt 304 is aligned with and operably received in the expansion cap bore 350 as well as the fusion cage bore 322 . A driving tool (not shown) is inserted into the opening 355 and employed to rotate the bolt 304 to cause the expansion cap sidewalls 343 to slidingly engage the upper and lower beveled surfaces 332 and 333 of the fusion cage 302 . Continued tightening of the bolt 304 biases the implant upper and lower walls 310 and 311 apart into a wedge shape. The bolt 304 is tightened until the cap face 340 is snugged against the upper and lower ends 330 and 331 of the fusion cage 302 . In this configuration, the horizontal top and bottom expansion cap walls 341 and 342 engage and abut against the outer bone margins of the vertebral bodies 364 . In this manner, the top and bottom walls 341 and 342 of the expansion cap provide continuous horizontal support for the harder, anterior margin of bone 364 of the adjacent vertebral bodies 363 .
It is foreseen that the cage of the present embodiment may be utilized with cages of the type shown in the previous embodiment, including a set of caps producing different expansions, caps with linear or near linear vertebra end plate support and pairs of caps that are connected together by a cross link.
V. Rectangular Fusion Cage System with Cross Link
FIGS. 25-33 illustrate a fourth modified embodiment 401 of an anterior expandable spinal fusion cage system in accordance with the invention. The structure and function of the fourth embodiment 401 is in many ways similar to that of the embodiment 301 previously described, with the major distinction being that the system incorporates a cross linking feature.
FIGS. 30 and 31 depict installation of the system 401 in a spinal column 402 having an intervertebral region 403 .
The system 401 includes a pair of implant cages 411 and 412 and a pair of expansion caps 413 and 414 joined by a cross link 415 . The implants 411 and 412 are similar to the implant cage 302 of the previous embodiment in that each presents a generally rectangular cross section which is best suited for installation by tapping into the intervertebral region 403 .
The implant cages 411 and 412 are generally U-shaped when viewed from the side, and each includes a top wall 421 , bottom wall 422 , and rear wall 423 , defining an open-sided central chamber 424 there between. The rear wall 423 includes a central bore 425 and the walls include a plurality of windows 426 , which open into the central chamber 424 .
The implants 411 and 412 include upper and lower front ends 431 and 432 , which differ from those of the embodiment previously described in that each is stepped toward a channel or groove 433 and 434 formed in the top and bottom walls 421 and 422 , respectively. The upper and lower front ends 431 and 432 are coupled with beveled surfaces 435 and 436 .
The expansion caps 413 and 414 are of identical construction and are similar to the expansion caps of the previous embodiment in that they are generally rectangular when viewed from the front, include a front face 441 , horizontal top and bottom walls 442 and 443 , convergent sidewalls 444 and a rear wall 445 . The expansion caps 413 and 414 differ from those previously described in that the horizontal top and bottom walls 442 and 443 each extend rearwardly to include top and bottom flanges 451 and 452 along the length thereof.
The caps 413 and 414 include in each rear wall 445 a threaded bore 453 for receiving a bolt 454 , but do not include a countersink for recessing the bolt. The cross link 415 is generally U-shaped and includes a pair of apertures 455 and 456 for receiving the bolt 454 in feet 458 thereof.
The modified apparatus 401 is installed by tapping a pair of implant cages 411 and 412 into an intervertebral region 403 in a predetermined, spaced relationship. A pair of expansion caps 413 and 414 is aligned over the cages 411 and 412 in a manner similar to that of the apparatus 401 of the previous embodiment. A connector link 415 is installed in overlapping relationship between the expansion caps 413 and 414 , so that each of the apertures 455 and 456 are in alignment with one of the bores 453 . The apertures and aligned bores 453 receive a pair of bolts 454 . Tightening advances the bolts 454 rearwardly and into the aligned bores 435 in the rear walls 423 of the cages 411 and 412 . The bolts 454 are tightened until the top flanges 451 and 452 of the expansion caps 413 and 414 are received into the upper and lower implant cage channels 443 and 444 , in mating engagement. In this manner, a pair of implant cages 411 and 412 are joined in spaced relationship at a predetermined angle and locked into place.
It is to be understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangement of parts described and shown. | A fenestrated, hollow intervertebral cage containing a packed, harvested bone graft for fusing adjacent vertebrae together while maintaining or correcting the angular alignment and balance of the spine. Use of the device for an anterior interbody fusion results in a fused bone segment having a predetermined fixed angular orientation. The apparatus has a cage unit adjustably coupled to an expansion cap, and an adjustable wedge to support the adjacent vertebrae with facing surfaces at a predetermined angle relative to each other. A connecting bolt may be threaded or fixed to the rear of the cage unit. In certain embodiments, the cage unit and expansion cap are interlocking. Also in certain embodiments, especially utilizing round cages, the expansion cap may also include upper and lower horizontal bone-supporting surfaces and an anterior recess for receiving fasteners. A pair of independently adjustable cage units can be fixedly intercoupled by a link. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the application of orthodontic brackets to the surface of tooth enamel and, more particularly, to adhesive systems and the formulation, activation and deactivation of such systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Adhesive systems for bonding orthodontic brackets to teeth appear to have been produced as an afterthought and as a derivative technology of dental cements and sealants.
Many of the desired properties of a bracket adhesive appear unavailable in present commercial bracket adhesives which require preparation of enamel by etching, thorough and critical mixing of two component liquid adhesives, constantly changing viscosity and limited pot life and subsequent slow setting by chemical reaction. Furthermore, the present adhesive systems are generally designed for permanent bonding and therefore do not provide a mechanism for removal which avoids damage to the teeth.
There is a present need for an adhesive system specifically developed to bond othodontic brackets to teeth. This adhesive should be simple to apply, perform a holding function with high reliability for variable periods, then be easily removed by mechanical or chemical means without damage to the enamel surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides dry adhesive systems for application of dental brackets to teeth. Critical mixing of liquid ingredients and short pot lives are avoided. The adhesives are activated by application of reagent to the adhesive and/or to the surface of the tooth enamel. The adhesive may be prepackaged in rolls and cut to size or in precut patches with protective release films on each surface or a patch of adhesive may be preapplied to the rear surface of the bracket.
The adhesives can readily be removed without damage to the enamel by an application of a deactivation reagent to the bonded surfaces. The adhesive system of the invention is simple to apply, provides a high reliability bond, yet is readily removed without damage to the enamel surface.
These and many other features and attendant advantages of the invention will become apparent as the invention becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an end view in elevation of the adhesive film patch of the invention;
FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of a continuous roll form of the adhesive;
FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of a patch adhered to an orthodontic bracket;
FIG. 4 is an edge view in section of a bracket adhered to tooth enamel with the adhesive patch of the invention; and
FIGS. 5(a) through 5(g) are a combination chart and schematic illustration of the process of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIG. 1, the orthodontic bracket adhesive is a patch 10 sized for the particular application. The patch is formed of a layer of solid resilient adhesive 12, having each surface covered with a manually strippable cover film 14, 16 of a protective material such as a vinyl, Teflon or polyeyhylene film. The patches 10 may be marketed in precut form such as narrow or medium lateral/anterior medium or wide cuspid or bicuspid, molar or central brackets to cover the complete dental arch or as shown in FIG. 2 the adhesive may be supplied in sheet or roll form 18 and cut to desired configuration by the Orthodontist or his technician or assistant. Another very convenient form of use would be to preapply the adhesive patch 20 to the rear surface 24 of a bracket 26 as shown in FIG. 3. Only the rear cover film 26 need be stripped and the surface 28 of the adhesive and/or mating surface 30 of the tooth enamel activated to complete an installation as shown in FIG. 4.
A technique procedure is illustrated in FIG. 5. The surface 40 of the enamel is prepared according to usual orthodontic practice by polishing, rinsing, etching with 50% phosphoric acid, rinsing, and air drying. Sealing the enamel need not be practiced. The front cover film 42 of the adhesive patch 44 is pulled off and discarded. The front surface 46 of the adhesive film 48 is activated by applying a liquid layer 50 of activator from a brush 52 or other coating method such as pad, roller or dipping.
The activated surface 46 is then applied to the rear surface 54 of a bracket 56. After the bond has set, the rear release film 58 is stripped from the adhesive film 48 and the surface 60 of the adhesive film is activated by means of brush 52. The activated surface 60 is then applied to the etched surface 40 of the tooth enamel.
It is apparent that the bracket adhering technique of this invention eliminates mixing, proportioning, solvent purge, critical pot life, critical open time for reagents and clean-up problems. The method of this invention utilizes ambient temperature application and cure providing minimum bond strength for handling in minutes and tough complete bonds in a short period of 1 to 3 hours. The brackets for each patient can be organized and prepared for enamel bonding before the patient's appointment. Excessive adhesive overhanging or exuding from under the bracket are also avoided. The technique results in neat, clean, attractive hygienic appliances.
The adhesive film patch is utilizable with any dental appliance that is to be adhesively secured to enamel, particularly orthodontic brackets. Referring again to FIG. 4 the bracket 56 is formed of a base plate 70, usually curved, having a rear concave surface 54 for attaching to tooth enamel. The front surface 72 of the bracket carries fasteners 74 of various types such as hooks or fasteners for engaging wires, tubes, adhesive bonds or cords.
The adhesive film incorporated in the patch is a solid, resilient, continuous film of organic resin material capable of surface activation by liquid to produce a temporary state of high tack capable of aggresive bonding to the orthodontic bracket and tooth enamel. The adhesive film returns to the normal holding state in a few seconds to a few minutes. The activation of one surface does not affect the other surface. Therefore the bracket-patch assembly with rear release film can be stored for later use.
The holding state is retained until the film is reactivated. Removal of the bracket could occur at any time without damage to the tooth surface by reactivating the adhesive at the edge of the bond and applying light lifting pressure to the bracket. This mechanism could be applied to experimentally relocate the bracket during initial installation or subsequent to long term service.
It is understood that the adhesive system would present required direct bonding ability, bond strength and creep resistance, resistance to variables of oral environment, and be generally inert and nontoxic.
The adhesive film must be capable of temporary activation by liquid reagent and be capable of deactivation with liquid reagent to permit removal from the enamel. The film can be selected from resilient linear polymers such as acrylic copolymers, ionomer carboxylate salt resins, linear phenoxy or polyethersulfones (PES). These polymers can be surface activated with special reagents which are a combination of resin soluble solvent, resin swelling solvent and resin insoluble solvent. For example, polyethersulfone can be activated and deactivated with a reagent comprising in weight percent 40%-60% methylene chloride, 35%-50% chloroform and 1%-8% methanol. Other suitable systems can be selected from the Polysulfone solubility map disclosed by I. Cabasso et al, "Polysulfone Hollow Fibers Spinning Properties", J. Appl. Poly Sci., 20 2377 (1976), the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
The adhesive film of the invention may also be formulated from reactive adhesives in which prepolymers or polymers are surface activated by curing agent, catalyst or cross-linking agent. Some of these systems are based on methacrylate monomers and cure by free radical reactions rather than addition polymerization. Such systems have recently been introduced by several companies and offer the features of handling and cure properties desired in this invention.
Surface energy analysis was conducted on smooth film surfaces of test polymers using published test methods (J. Poly Sci., A-2 9, (1971) and J. Poly Sci., Poly. Phys. Ed., 11, 785 (1973). A special test was developed to test adhesion to ivory (elephant dentive) by the simple lap shear test.) Ivory plates were bonded to 1/8"×1"×4" aluminum alloy plates with Devcon 5 min. Epoxy adhesive and sanded with 600 grit Silicon carbide surface paper. This test permitted simple and reproducible tests of adhesive activation and bond strength with an easily interpreted result. A uniform thin film of PES 100P resin having a Tg of 250° C. was cast from solution using a special centrifugal casting method described by Kaelble (J. Appl. Poly. Sci., 9, 1209 (1965) for use in solvent activation and bonding studies.
A summary of surface energy analysis for PES 100P is presented in Table 1.
Table 1______________________________________Surface Energy AnalysisAdhesive Film PES 100PTest γLV Advancing ContactLiquid dyn/cm Angle (Degrees)______________________________________Water 72.8 57Glycerine 64.0 57Formamide 58.3 48Eth. Glycol 48.3 461-Br-Naphthalene 44.6 15E-200 43.5 23TCP 40.9 11E-15-20 36.6 19E-1200 31.3 19Hexadecane 27.6 16Solid Surface Tensions γ.sup.d ± δ.sup.d (dyn/cm) 28.0 ± 2.4 γ.sup.p ± δ.sup.p 14.9 ± 2.4 γ + δ 42.9 ± 0.9______________________________________
The lower portion of Table 1 summarizes the calculated values of dispersion -d and polar -p contibutions to solid surface tension γ=γ d +γ p as well as the calculated values for the standard deviations from the means δ d ,δ p , and δ. These results show that PES resin has high surface tension and polar response γ p .
A summary of bond strength data using the ivory adherend lap shear test is presented in Table 2.
Table 2______________________________________Bond Strength to Ivory in Lap Shear at 22° C.______________________________________Adhesive: PESTest ε.sub.y (cm) σ.sub.y (psi) Drying Condition______________________________________1 ˜0.050 16 two hour dry2 ˜0.15 225 weekend dry3 ˜0.10 72 weekend dry4 ˜0.10 143 two hour 60° C.5 ˜0.14 ##STR1## two hour 60° C.Adhesive: Weldmaster*Test ε.sub.y (cm) σ.sub.y (psi) Failure______________________________________1 0.055 616 interfacial2 0.047 358 interfacial3 ˜0.070 >650 not broken4 0.070 466 interfacial5 0.035 201 uncured______________________________________ *Reactive Adhesive National Starch and Chemical Corp. ε.sub.y = the shear displacement of the bond at yielding or failure σ.sub.y = the shear stress of the bond at yielding or failure
Bonding Method
Ivory sanded with 600 grit silicon carbide paper, water rinsed and air dried. a 0.007 to 0.015 inch thick film of bonding material is cut to size 0.5×1.0 inch and activated by cotton swab of solvent on one side and adhered to ivory. Second side is thin activated by solvent swab and two ivory surfaces bonded by light hand pressure.
For Weldmaster bonding involved following manufacturers recommended procedure to apply adhesive to one ivory surface, activator to the second and gently press together to initiate curing reaction.
The average strength of PES 100P is raised by extendingthe drying time or raising the drying temperature. The activator utilized comprised 53% methylene chloride (solvent) 43% chloroform (swelling) and 4% methanol (non-solvent). The paper by Cabasso et al, referenced above, displays the solubility range for polysulfone polymers in terms of the three component solubility parameters:
δ.sup.2 =δ.sub.d.sup.2 +δ.sub.p.sup.2 +δ.sub.h.sup.2
where the subscripts respectively denote dispersion -d, polar -p, and hydrogen -h bonding contribution to the cohesive energy density δ 2 . The solvent activation system lies well within the dished curve defining the area of solubility in the reference indicating the content of non-solvent such as methanol should be increased and/or a less soluble solvent should be utilized in the activator system to prevent overactivation and swelling. The solvent system described could be utilized for deactivation and removal of the PES 100P adhesive patch from enamel.
The shear test results of the Weldmaster adhesive are notable in giving a consistent high level of strength. Experience with this adhesive demonstrated full cure in 24 hours and substantial strength in three hours.
It is to be realized that only preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and that numerous substitutions, modifications and alterations are permissible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. | Orthodontic brackets are adhered to the surface of tooth enamel by activating the surface of an adhesive patch and applying the activated surface to the enamel. The adhesive patch may be preformulated and prefabricated into a solid film sandwiched between easy release protective liners and the film can be applied to the bracket by surface activation as discussed above. The invention also includes removal of the bracket by a deactivation of the surface of the adhesive patch. | 0 |
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present invention relates to radio communication systems. More particularly, and not by way of limitation, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for determining downlink signaling power from a base station/Node B to a mobile station operating in a cellular radio communication network.
[0002] Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) is emerging as the leading global third generation (3G) standard. Specifications are evolving with the introduction of enhancements in the WCDMA uplink that are now part of the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Release 6. The main requirements driving this evolution are reduced delays, improved uplink high-data-rate coverage, and higher capacity. To meet these requirements, the following enhancements have been introduced: a short 2 ms Transmission Time Interval (TTI) for data transmissions, fast scheduling, and fast Hybrid Automatic Transmission Request (HARQ). To support these enhancements, a new uplink transport channel has been introduced, the Enhanced Dedicated Channel (E-DCH), in which a set of separate channelization codes is utilized for the data and the associated control signaling. The number of channelization codes carrying the E-DCH and their spreading factors depend on the data rate being utilized. The Enhanced Dedicated Physical Control Channel (E-DPCCH), carrying information for HARQ and transport format, uses a new code. These channels are code-multiplexed with the Dedicated Physical Data Channels (DPDCH) and Dedicated Physical Control Channels (DPCCH) of previous releases that use a 10 ms TTI for circuit switched services such as speech.
[0003] HARQ is one of the key enablers for meeting the WCDMA objectives with fast retransmission and soft combining. To support uplink HARQ operations, Acknowledgment Channels (ACKCHs), also known as E-DCH HARQ Indicator Channels (E-HICHs) in WCDMA, are needed in the downlink for the base station to signal Ack (Acknowledgment) or Nack (Not Acknowledgment) messages.
[0004] In addition to HARQ, transmission rate control is used to adjust cell-wide uplink interference (also known as uplink noise rise) so that the target cell-wide quality of service, in terms of delays, throughput, and/or call blockage can be met. To achieve this, two additional downlink signaling channels are introduced in WCDMA, namely the E-DCH Absolute Grant Channel (E-AGCH) and the E-DCH Relative Grant Channel (E-RGCH). E-AGCH provides fast signaling to adjust the maximum allowable transmit data rate for scheduled users, whereas E-RGCH is a 1-bit (or three-level) message sent within a TTI to fine-tune the transmit data rate of an active user.
[0005] To maximize the benefits of HARQ and rate control, these downlink-signaling channels need to be received with high reliability. To achieve this, the E-HICH, E-AGCH, and E-RGCH must be sent with sufficient power. However, using excessive power to send E-HICH, E-AGCH, and E-RGCH results in lower available power for data and voice communications, which leads to lower data throughput or voice capacity in the downlink. Thus, it is important to have a good trade-off between downlink signaling reliability and power consumption.
[0006] In previously disclosed solutions for this problem, an E-DPDCH user is typically assigned an associated dedicated physical channel (DPCH) in both the uplink and the downlink. This DPCH is mainly used to keep the power control loop working. With power control (both inner and outer loops), the transmit power of the DPCH is appropriately determined so that the target performance of the DPCH can be met. Thus, a simple solution for determining the transmit power of the E-HICH, E-AGCH, and E-RGCH is to apply an offset to the transmit power of the DPCH. For example, if the power control mechanism has set the transmit power of DPCH as P DPCH , and the nominal desired SINRs of the DPCH and the E-HICH are x and y, respectively, the transmit power of E-HICH (P EHICH ) can be determined by:
[0000] P EHICH =( y/x ) P DPCH .
[0007] This scheme works well when the associated DPCH is not in the soft handoff (SHO) mode. During soft handoff, the power of the DPCH is decreased by a SHO gain. For signaling channels, however, SHO gain is not available because different active cells may send different downlink signaling messages. As a result, the transmit power of the E-HICH can be determined by:
[0000] P EHICH =( zy/x ) P DPCH ,
[0000] where z accounts for the SHO gain of the DPCH. Since the Radio Network Controller (RNC) knows whether an associated DPCH is in soft handoff mode or not, the RNC can signal the power adjustment factor, y/x or zy/x to the Node Bs.
[0008] Another known way to determine the transmit power of the E-HICH is based on the Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) report, which indicates the received signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) of the High-Speed Downlink Shared Channel (HS-DSCH) for a nominal power allocation, (E c /I or ) HSDSCH , where the factor E c /I or is defined as the ratio of the transmit power utilized for a particular channel to the total transmit power of the base station. Expressed in another way:
[0000] (γ HSDSCH ) dB =CQI+γ 0 ,
[0000] where (γ HSDSCH ) dB is the SINR of the HS-DSCH in dB, and γ 0 is the HS-DSCH SINR to which CQI=0 corresponds. If it is assumed that the CQI feedback indicates that received SINR for the HS-DSCH, when the base station allocates (E c /I or ) HSDSCH of power to transmit HS-DSCH, is γ HSDSCH , and the target received SINR for E-HICH is γ EHICH , then, the transmit power allocation needed to satisfy the target received SINR for E-HICH is:
[0000]
(
E
c
/
I
or
)
EHICH
=
(
E
c
/
I
or
)
HSDSCH
(
γ
EHICH
γ
HSDSCH
)
.
Converting the above equation to dB,
[0009] ( E c /I or ) EHICH,dB =( E c /I or ) HSDSCH,dB +(γ EHICH ) dB −(γ HSDSCH ) dB =( E c /I or ) HSDSCH,dB +(γ EHICH ) dB −CQI−γ 0
[0000] The equation above can be used to compute the required power allocation factor of E-HICH. The transmit power for E-HICH is then:
[0000] ( P EHICH ) dB =( P BS ) dB +( E c /I or ) EHICH,dB
[0000] where (P BS ) dB is the total base station power in dB. This works well when the cell that needs to send the E-HICH happens to be the serving cell for the HS-DSCH because in this case, CQI is readily available to the base station. The transmitted power of the E-AGCH and the E-RGCH can be determined in a similar fashion.
[0010] There are several problems with these known approaches, however. First, in practice, the downlink SHO gain of the DPCH is not known to the RNC. Thus, it is very difficult for the RNC to obtain a good estimate of z. As a result, performance of the E-HICH, the E-AGCH, and the E-RGCH is often not adequate in soft handoff mode, particularly for channels from non-scheduling cells. Second, for the CQI-based approach, the issue of determining the transmit power of the E-HICH, the E-AGCH, and the E-RGCH from the non-HS-DSCH serving cells is not addressed.
[0011] What is needed in the art is a solution for determining the transmit power of the E-HICH, the E-AGCH, and the E-RGCH that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art. The present invention provides such a solution.
SUMMARY
[0012] In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of determining a transmit power level for a signaling channel from a first node to a second node operating in a cellular radio communication network, wherein the transmit power level is calculated to achieve a desired signaling message error rate. The method includes determining by the first node, a diversity order of a control channel from the second node to the first node; and setting the transmit power level for the signaling channel based on at least the desired signaling message error rate and the diversity order of the control channel. In one embodiment, the signaling channel is a downlink signaling channel from a base station to a mobile station, and the control channel is an uplink control channel from the mobile station to the base station. To achieve a desired signaling message error rate of one percent, for example, the downlink transmit power level may be set at a fraction of the total base station transmit power equal to approximately −26 dB when the diversity order of the uplink control channel is high, to approximately −23 dB when the diversity order of the uplink control channel is medium, and to approximately −20 dB when the diversity order of the uplink control channel is low.
[0013] In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of determining a downlink transmit power level for a downlink signaling channel from a base station to a mobile station operating in a cellular radio communication network, wherein the transmit power level is calculated to achieve a desired signaling message error rate. The method includes determining by the base station, whether the cell transmitting the downlink signaling channel is the serving cell for the High-Speed Downlink Shared Channel (HS-DSCH); and upon determining that the cell sending the downlink signals is the serving cell for the HS-DSCH, determining the downlink transmit power level for the downlink signaling channel as an offset from the reported CQI value. This offset can be calculated based on the nominal power of the HS-DSCH used for the CQI estimation and the difference between the target SINR of the E-HICH and the HS-DSCH SINR to which CQI=0 corresponds. However, if it is determined that the cell sending the downlink signals is not the serving cell for the HS-DSCH, the base station determines a diversity order of an uplink control channel from the mobile station to the base station, and sets the downlink transmit power level for the downlink signaling channel based on the desired signaling message error rate and the diversity order of the uplink control channel.
[0014] In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to a system in a base station in a cellular radio communication network for determining a downlink transmit power level for a downlink signaling channel, wherein the transmit power level is calculated to achieve a desired signaling message error rate. The system includes means for determining a diversity order of an uplink control channel from the mobile station to the base station; and means for setting the downlink transmit power level based on the desired signaling message error rate and the diversity order of the uplink control channel. The means for determining the diversity order of the uplink control channel may include a path searcher for resolving a number of uplink signaling paths taken by the uplink signal, and a channel classifier for determining the diversity order based on the number of resolved uplink signaling paths.
[0015] The system may also include means for determining by the base station, whether the cell transmitting the downlink signaling channel is the serving cell for the HS-DSCH; and means responsive to a determination that the cell sending the downlink signals is the serving cell for the HS-DSCH, for determining the downlink transmit power level for the downlink signaling channel as an offset from the reported CQI value. Once again, this offset can be calculated based on the nominal power of the HS-DSCH used for the CQI estimation and the difference between the target SINR of the E-HICH and the HS-DSCH SINR to which CQI=0 corresponds. In this case, the downlink transmit power level is set based on the desired signaling message error rate and the diversity order of the uplink control channel only if the cell sending the downlink signals is not the serving cell for the HS-DSCH.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] In the following section, the invention will be described with reference to exemplary embodiments illustrated in the figures, in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a graph of simulation results showing outage probability as a function of E c /I or , for the E-HICH and the E-RGCH for various operating scenarios for a low diversity channel;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a graph of simulation results showing outage probability as a function of E c /I or for the E-HICH and the E-RGCH for various operating scenarios for a high diversity channel;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps of a first exemplary embodiment of the method of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps of a second exemplary embodiment of the method of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a simplified functional block diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the system of the present invention; and
[0022] FIG. 6 is a simplified functional block diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the system of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] The present invention uses information from the uplink channel to determine whether the channel is a low diversity order channel or a high diversity order channel, and sets the downlink transmit power accordingly. The uplink and downlink mostly likely share the same multi-path profile. Thus, based on information from the path searcher and/or channel estimator, the base station can determine whether a user has a high or low diversity order channel. The path searcher measures multipath delays and determines whether the signal is arriving at the base station via 1, 2, 3, or more resolvable paths, and thus whether the channel has a diversity order of 1, 2, 3, or more. For the exemplary embodiment described herein, a channel with a diversity order of 1 or 2 is defined as low; a diversity order of 3 is defined as medium; and a diversity order of 4 or more is defined as high diversity order.
[0024] In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the E-HICH, E-AGCH, and E-RGCH are transmitted at a fixed power level. This fixed power level is determined so as to provide a desired reception quality for a worst-case user (usually the farthest from the base station). FIG. 1 is a graph of simulation results showing outage probability as a function of E c /I or (power allocation factor) for the E-HICH and the E-RGCH for various operating scenarios for a low diversity channel. Here, outage probability is defined as the percentage of E-HICH/E-RGCH receptions having a message error rate higher than 1 percent. It can be seen from FIG. 1 that in low diversity channels, an E c /I or of approximately −21 dB is needed to guarantee that approximately 99 percent of signaling from the scheduling cells achieves an E-HICH/E-RGCH message error rate less than 1 percent. If non-scheduling cells use E c /I or =−21 dB to signal E-HICH/E-RGCH, the outage probabilities range from 2% to 10%, which are acceptable.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a graph of outage probability as a function of E c /I or for the E-HICH and the E-RGCH for various operating scenarios for a high diversity channel. Comparing FIGS. 1 and 2 , signaling power required in high diversity channels is shown to be much less. In this case, with E c /I or =−26.5 dB, the outage probabilities are lower than their counterparts in low diversity channels using E c /I or =−21 dB.
[0026] Using the E-HICH as an example, the simulation results show that for a 10-ms TTI with 8-ms E-HICH message duration, the E-HICH needs to have E c /I or of approximately −26 dB to guarantee that approximately 99 percent of the users in the cell have a probability of missed detection of the E-HICH of less than 1 percent in a high diversity order channel such as the 3GPP Typical Urban channel. If the channel has a medium diversity order, then E c /I or =−23 dB is needed. If the channel is of a low diversity order (for example, the Pedestrian A channel defined in 3GPP), then E c /I or =−20 dB is needed to guarantee that approximately 99 percent of the users in the cell have a probability of missed detection of the E-HICH of less than 1 percent. Note that with a low diversity order channel, a user is more likely to experience a deep fade, and thus a higher transmit power is needed to compensate for deep fades. In this way, the power level of the E-HICH is controlled according to the user's uplink multi-path profile.
[0027] The transmit power of the E-AGCH and E-RGCH are determined in a similar fashion.
[0028] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps of the first embodiment of the method of the present invention. Looking first at the uplink received signal (for example, the Dedicated Physical Control Channel (DPCCH)), at step 11 , the path searcher and/or channel estimator in the base station determine the diversity order of the uplink received signal. At step 12 , it is determined whether the diversity order is high, medium, or low. If the diversity order is high, the process moves to step 13 and sets the downlink transmit power for the E-HICH according to a low power allocation factor (for example, E c /I or =−26 dB). If the diversity order is medium, the process moves to step 14 and sets the downlink transmit power for the E-HICH according to a medium power allocation factor (for example, E c /I or =−23 dB). If the diversity order is low, the process moves to step 15 and sets the downlink transmit power for the E-HICH according to a high power allocation factor (for example, E c /I or =−20 dB). The process is then repeated at step 16 for the E-AGCH and the E-RGCH.
[0029] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps of a second exemplary embodiment of the method of the present invention. This embodiment builds upon the CQI-based approach mentioned earlier. At step 21 , it is determined whether the E-DPDCH receiving cell is the HS-DSCH serving cell for the mobile terminal of interest. If so, the process moves to step 22 where the CQI feedback is used to determine the transmit power of the E-HICH. If the E-DPDCH receiving cell is not the HS-DSCH serving cell, and thus the CQI feedback is not available for the mobile terminal of interest, the process determines the transmit power of the E-HICH according to the user's uplink multi-path profile, as described in the first embodiment. Thus, the process moves from step 21 to step 23 where the path searcher and/or channel estimator in the base station determine the diversity order of the uplink received signal. At step 24 , it is determined whether the diversity order is high, medium, or low. If the diversity order is high, the process moves to step 25 and sets the downlink transmit power for the E-HICH according to a low power allocation factor (for example, E c /I or =−26 dB). If the diversity order is medium, the process moves to step 26 and sets the downlink transmit power for the E-HICH according to a medium power allocation factor (for example, E c /I or =−23 dB). If the diversity order is low, the process moves to step 27 and sets the downlink transmit power for the E-HICH according to a high power allocation factor (for example, E c /I or =−20 dB). The process is then repeated at step 28 for the E-AGCH and the E-RGCH.
[0030] Once again, the transmit power of the E-AGCH and E-RGCH are determined in a similar fashion.
[0031] It should also be noted that the present invention may be implemented in such a manner that a greater number or lesser number of diversity orders are determined. For example, if only two diversity orders are determined, the path searcher and/or channel estimator in the base station may determine whether the diversity order of the uplink received signal is high or low. In this case, a diversity order of 1 or 2 may be defined as low while a diversity order of 3 or more is defined as high. If the diversity order is low, the downlink transmit power may be set to a high power allocation factor (for example, E c /I or =−20 dB). If the diversity order is high, the downlink transmit power may be set to a low power allocation factor (for example, E c /I or =−26 dB).
[0032] FIG. 5 is a simplified functional block diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the system of the present invention. The system includes a base station receiver 31 and a base station transmitter 32 . The receiver includes a path searcher 33 and a channel classifier 34 . The path searcher measures multipath delays and calculates an average path power. The delays and the average path power are sent to the channel classifier, which uses that information to determine the channel diversity order. The channel diversity order is sent to the base station transmitter for use in determining the proper transmit (Tx) power level for each channel.
[0033] The base station transmitter 32 includes a transmit power controller 35 , power amplifiers 36 - 38 , and an adder 39 . The transmit power controller controls the power amplifiers based on the number and types of input signals, the desired outage probability for each type of signal, the channel diversity order, and the total transmit power of the base station.
[0034] FIG. 6 is a simplified functional block diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the system of the present invention. In this embodiment, a demodulator and decoder 41 in the base station receiver 31 determines CQI values from the received signal as well as the multipath delays and the average path power received from the path searcher 33 . The CQI values are supplied to the transmit power controller 35 together with the channel diversity order. If the E-DPDCH cell is the HS-DSCH serving cell for the mobile terminal of interest, the CQI values are used to determine the transmit power of the E-HICH as discussed above. If the E-DPDCH cell is not the HS-DSCH serving cell for the mobile terminal of interest, the transmit power controller controls the power amplifiers 36 - 38 based on the number and types of input signals, the desired outage probability for each type of signal, the channel diversity order, and the total transmit power of the base station, as described in the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0035] As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the innovative concepts described in the present application can be modified and varied over a wide range of applications. Accordingly, the scope of patented subject matter should not be limited to any of the specific exemplary teachings discussed above, but is instead defined by the following claims. | A system and method for determining a downlink transmit power level for a downlink signaling channel such as the E-DCH HARQ Indicator Channel (E-HICH) in a cellular radio communication network, wherein the transmit power level is calculated to achieve a desired signaling message error rate. The base station determines a diversity order of an uplink control channel from a mobile station, and sets the downlink E-HICH transmit power based on the desired signaling message error rate and the diversity order of the uplink control channel. Optionally, the base station may first determine whether the cell transmitting the E-HICH is the serving cell for the High-Speed Downlink Shared Channel (HS-DSCH). If so, the base station determines the downlink transmit power level for the downlink signaling channel as an offset from the reported Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) value. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention provides stable pharmaceutical compositions of the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist, (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol, methods of preparing such pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treating stroke, spinal cord trauma, traumatic brain injury, multiinfarct dementia, CNS degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pain, AIDS dementia, psychotic conditions, drug addictions, migraine, hypoglycemia, anxiolytic conditions, urinary incontinence and an ischemic event arising from CNS surgery, open heart surgery or any procedure during which the function of the cardiovascular system is compromised, using the pharmaceutical compositions of this invention. (1S,2S)-1-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol (hereafter referred to as the “Compound”) is a neuroprotecting agent that is useful for the treatment of stroke, spinal cord trauma, traumatic brain injury, multiinfarct dementia, CNS degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pain, AIDS dementia, psychotic conditions, drug addictions, migraine, hypoglycemia, anxiolytic conditions, urinary incontinence and an ischemic event arising from CNS surgery, open heart surgery or any procedure during which the function of the cardiovascular system is compromised. The Compound exhibits activity as an NMDA receptor antagonist. NMDA is an excitatory amino acid involved in excitatory neurotransmission in the central nervous system. NMDA antagonists are compounds that block the NMDA receptor by interacting with the receptor's binding site.
[0002] Antagonists of neurotransmission at NMDA receptors are useful therapeutic agents for the treatment of neurological disorders. U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,695 is directed to series of competitive NMDA antagonists useful for the treatment of neurological disorders, including epilepsy, stroke, anxiety, cerebral ischemia, muscular spasms, and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease. U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,878 is directed to a second series of competitive NMDA receptor antagonists useful for the treatment of similar neurological disorders and neurodegenerative disorders. U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,751 discloses a method of treating urinary incontinence in a mammal, which comprises administering an effective amount of a competitive NMDA antagonist.
[0003] Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,160 and commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,168 (the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference) disclose the Compound and methods of using the Compound for treatment of diseases or conditions that are susceptible to treatment by blocking NMDA receptor sites, including stroke, spinal cord trauma, traumatic brain injury, multiinfarct dementia, CNS degenerative diseases, epilepsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pain, AIDS dementia, psychotic conditions, drug addictions, migraine, hypoglycemia, anxiolytic conditions, urinary incontinence and ischemic events.
[0004] Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,008,233 (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference) discloses the methanesulfonate trihydrate of the Compound and uses thereof for treatment of the aforesaid diseases and conditions.
[0005] The Compound is preferably administered as an intravenous infusion lasting many hours. Such administration is intended to maintain a desired blood level of the compound for the duration of the therapy. Typically, therapy with the Compound is initiated in the hospital emergency room and continues for a desired time in the ICU or other critical care units.
[0006] Formulations and dosage presentations of the Compound should be designed for convenient and efficient administration and should be especially suited for the emergency setting. Degradation of the Compound in such formulations should be minimized.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] This invention provides relatively stable formulations of the Compound in aqueous solutions made by reducing or removing the presence of trace metal ions in the solutions. Stability is further improved through the use of a pharmaceutically acceptable buffer. Additional stability is afforded by reducing the presence of oxygen in the formulations.
[0008] One aspect of the present invention is pharmaceutical compositions comprising a pharmaceutically effective amount of (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof and water, wherein said compositions contain less than about 2 parts per million of free copper ion and less than about 2 parts per million of free iron ion.
[0009] Another aspect of the present invention is pharmaceutical compositions comprising (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, water and a pharmaceutically acceptable chelating agent, preferably ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, citric acid, succinic acid or tartric acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, at a concentration effective to chelate with trace metal ions present in said composition.
[0010] A further aspect of the present invention is pharmaceutical compositions comprising (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in an aqueous solution, wherein the percent of the degradation product, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, is no more than about 0.15 percent of said composition following storage at 50° C. for 12 weeks, preferably no more than about 0.07 percent and most preferably no more than about 0.04 percent.
[0011] An additional aspect of this invention is pharmaceutical compositions comprising (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in an aqueous solution, wherein the percent of the degradation product, 4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidine, is no more than about 0.2 percent of said composition following storage at 50° C. for 12 weeks, preferably no more than about 0.1 percent and most preferably no more than about 0.05 percent.
[0012] An additional aspect of this invention is methods of treating stroke, spinal cord trauma, traumatic brain injury, multiinfarct dementia, CNS degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pain, AIDS dementia, psychotic conditions, drug addictions, migraine, hypoglycemia, anxiolytic conditions, urinary incontinence and an ischemic event arising from CNS surgery, open heart surgery or any procedure during which the function of the cardiovascular system is compromised, in mammals, comprising administering to a mammal in need of such treatment a pharmaceutical composition of this invention.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the composition aspects of this invention, the compositions are substantially free of free copper ion and free iron ion.
[0014] In another preferred embodiment of the composition aspects of this invention, the compositions contains less than about 2 parts per million of any free trace metal ion, and more preferably is substantially free of any free trace metal ion.
[0015] Another preferred embodiment of the composition aspects of this invention provides that the compositions comprise a pharmaceutically acceptable buffer at a concentration effective to maintain the pH of the compositions at between about 3.8 to about 5.0 and more preferably at between about 4.0 to about 4.5. In a more preferred embodiment, the anion of the buffer is selected from acetate, citrate, tartrate, formate and lactate, most preferably lactate.
[0016] A further preferred embodiment of the composition aspects of this invention provides that the compositions are substantially free of oxygen.
[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the method of treatment aspects of this invention, the mammal is a human.
[0018] The term “chelating agent” as used herein means any compound that sequesters, forms a complex or otherwise interacts with trace metal ions such that the destabilizing effect of such metal ions to the Compound in aqueous solution is minimized. Exemplary chelating agents include ethylenediaminetetra-acedic acid (EDTA) and its salts, trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexanetetra-acedic acid (DCTA) and its salts, bis-(2-aminoethyl)ethyleneglycol-NNN′N′-tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and its salts, diethyllenetriamineepenta-acetic acid (DTPA) and its salts, tri-(2-aminoethyl)amine (tren), NNN′N′-tetra-(2-aminoethyl)ethylenediamine (penten), nitrilotriacedic acid (NTA) and its salts, 2,3-dimercapto-1-propanesulfonic acid (DMPS) and its salts, meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinnic acid (DMSA) and its salts, hydroxyl acids such as citric, tartaric, lactic, succinic, etc. and their salts, and certain amino acids such as glycine, histidine, and glutamic acid and their salts.
[0019] The term “Degradant 1” as used herein refers to the degradation product of the Compound, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde.
[0020] The term “Degradant 2” as used herein refers to the degradation product of the Compound, 4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidine.
[0021] The terms “free copper ion”, “free iron ion” and “free trace metal ion” as used herein means copper ions, iron ions or trace metal ions, respectively, that when present in an aqueous composition comprising the Compound are in a form or state as to enable them to cause, initiate, encourage or catalyze degradation of the Compound.
[0022] “Headspace” refers to the difference in volume between a closed container (e.g., a vial) and the volume of liquid contained in that container. The headspace can be quantified as a percent of the total volume of the closed container.
[0023] The expression “means to remove trace metal ions” as used herein means any means that may be used to remove trace metal ions from an aqueous solution. For example, such means can include the use of metal chelating resins or other chelating reagents that are known to those skilled in the art.
[0024] The term “non-reactive gas” as used herein means any gas that does not react or interact chemically with a pharmaceutical composition or any of its components. Such gas is preferably nitrogen, but may be argon, helium, or any other gas known by those skilled in the art for its non-reactive properties.
[0025] The expressions “percent of Degradant 1” and “percent of Degradant 2” means the percent of the applicable degradation product present in a pharmaceutical composition of the Compound in weight versus weight (w/w) terms. The percent is calculated from peak areas derived from HPLC analysis according to the formula:
Percent of Degradant=[( A SAMP ×D SAMP )/( R AVG ×C LAB )]×100
[0026] where:
[0027] A SAMP =impurity peak area
[0028] D SAMP =dilution factor, calculated as:
D
SAMP
=C
LAB
/C
SAMP
[0029] where:
[0030] C LAB =label concentration of the Compound in the formulation being tested (free base concentration)
[0031] C SAMP =concentration of the free base of the Compound in the sample tested (based upon dilution of the label concentration used to make the sample)
[0032] R AVG =is the average standard response factor (“R”) obtained from analysis of a standard solution, calculated as:
R=A STD /( C STD ×PF )
[0033] where:
[0034] A STD =peak area of the Compound in the standard solution
[0035] C STD =concentration of the Compound in the standard solution
[0036] PF=potency factor of the Compound in the standard solution, calculated as the molar weight of the free base of the compound divided by the molar weight of the actual compound in the standard solution.
[0037] The dilution factor, D SAMP , accounts for dilution that may be necessary so that the sample tested is within the validated concentration limits of the HPLC method.
[0038] The expression “pharmaceutically acceptable” as used herein refers to carriers, diluents, excipients, buffers and/or salts that are compatible with the other ingredients of the formulation and are not deleterious to the recipient thereof.
[0039] The term “substantially free” as used herein with respect to the presence of trace metal ions in pharmaceutical compositions comprising the Compound, means a quantity that is less than that which would have a substantial effect on degradation of the Compound in such compositions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, such an amount is less than about 2 ppm for any applicable trace metal ion. The term “substantially free” as used herein with respect to the presence of oxygen in or in contact with pharmaceutical compositions comprising the Compound, means a quantity of oxygen that is less than that which would have a substantial effect on degradation of the Compound in such compositions. For example, in compositions packaged in closed containers or vials having a headspace wherein such headspace is 25% or less of the volume of the container or vial, the term “substantially free” means that there is less than 10% oxygen in such headspace.
[0040] The term “trace metal ion” as used herein means any metal ion that, when present in an aqueous pharmaceutical composition comprising the Compound, causes, initiates, encourages or catalyzes degradation of the Compound, especially ions of transition metals and most especially iron and copper ions.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0041] The active ingredient in the present pharmaceutical compositions is (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol, which may be present as its free base or as a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, preferably the methanesulfonate (mesylate) salt. The preparation of (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,160 and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,008,233. The preparation of the mesylate salt trihydrate is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,008,233.
[0042] In a representative example, (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol is administered to a stroke or head trauma patient at the emergency site or in the hospital emergency room by intravenous infusion. Therapy would continue in the ICU or other critical care units. The amount of the compound to be administered would, in part, depend on the body weight of the patient.
[0043] A concentrated solution of (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol that can readily be diluted according to the needs of the patient provides the required dosing flexibility. The concentrated solution would, if necessary, be diluted to the appropriate concentration for administration to the patient.
[0044] Formulations of the present pharmaceutical compositions may be in the form of concentrated solutions intended to be diluted in a suitable IV diluent prior to administration. The formulations may also be prepared as ready to use forms that are at concentrations that can be administered without further dilution. The preferred concentration of the compositions in concentrate form is 10 milligrams of the free base of the active compound, (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol, per 1 milliliter of solution (i.e., 10 mgA/mL). The preferred concentration of the ready to use forms is 1.25 mgA/mL.
[0045] The composition is administered full strength or is diluted as required. A preferred dosage concentration for administration to the patient is 0.1 mgA/mL to 10 mgA/mL. A more preferred dosage for administration is at a concentration of 0.5 mgA/mL to 2.0 mgA/mL. An even more preferred dosage concentration is 1.25 mgA/mL. The preferred IV diluent of the composition is normal saline solution (0.9% NaCl).
[0046] Two degradants produced by the chemical degradation of (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol in aqueous solutions are the compounds 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (hereafter “Degradant 1”) and 4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidine (hereafter “Degradant 2”). While not essential to the practice of this invention and not intending to be limited in any manner thereby, it is believed that such degradation is the result of oxidation of (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol.
[0047] Trace metal ion contamination has been found to be a critical factor in the degradation of the Compound. Such effects are exemplified by spiking experiments of solutions containing the Compound with iron or copper ions. Table 1 shows the effect of iron and copper ions in unbuffered water for injection (WFI) solution on degradation product formation.
TABLE 1 Effect of Fe 2+ and Cu + spiking on degradation of the Compound. Numbers represent percent of Degradant 1 (w/w). Days at 70° C. WFI only Fe 2+ (20 ppm) Cu + (20 ppm) Day 0 0.002% 0.024% 0.085% Day 3 0.007% 0.061% 0.107% Day 7 0.009% 0.110% 0.128%
[0048] An effective means of improving the chemical stability of the Compound is achieved by removing trace metal ions from the aqueous formulation. One method of metal ion removal is by employing agents specifically designed for this purpose. Exemplary metal ion removing agents include chelating resins such as Chelex® (Chelex is a trademark of Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, Calif.). However, other pharmaceutically acceptable chelating resins or reagents performing the same function would be acceptable so long as they do not detrimentally affect the Compound or other components of the formulation.
[0049] Treatment for removal of trace metal ions may be performed on individual components of the formulation prior to final formulation or such treatment may be performed on the formulation itself. For example, water that is to be used in the formulation may be treated to remove trace metals. Alternatively, concentrated buffer solutions may be treated prior to dilution with water and formulation with the active ingredient. In another alternative, the aqueous solution containing all components of the formulation except for the active pharmaceutical ingredient may be treated to remove metal ions. A still further alternative is to treat the complete formulation that contains all components, including the active ingredient.
[0050] An alternative to removal of trace metal ions is to incorporate certain compounds in the formulation that will form a chelate with the trace metal ions, thereby minimizing their degradation effect. Examples of such chelating agents include ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) disodium and citrate and tartrate buffers. The preferred concentration of EDTA disodium, citrate buffer and tartrate buffer is 10 mM each. Citrate and tartrate are believed to act as chelating agents for trace metal ions. In addition, succinate is believed to act as a chelating agent. Other chelating agents will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure.
[0051] Aqueous solutions of the Compound are susceptible to pH shift. The compound is believed to exhibit its best chemical stability between pH 4.0 and 4.5. When the Compound is formulated with only water, the pH of the formulation increases above 5. This pH shift results in conditions favorable to the oxidative degradation reaction, thus accelerating the degradation of the aqueous formulation. The increase in pH also decreases the solubility of the compound, thereby increasing the possibility of precipitation out of solution.
[0052] The pH shift may be minimized by using a suitable buffer. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any pharmaceutically acceptable buffer that maintains the pH of the formulation within a certain range may be used. The pH range of such buffer is preferably between about 3.8 and about 5.0, and most preferably between 4.0 and 4.5. Suitable buffers include, but are not limited to, acetate, benzoate, citrate, formate, lactate and tartrate buffers, preferably lactate.
[0053] Table 2 exemplifies the use of various buffers to stabilize the pH of formulations containing 10 mgA/ml of the Compound.
TABLE 2 pH at 70° C. Initial Buffer lot (post-TS) 2 days 4 days 7 days 21 days 10 mM acetate 4.16 N/T 4.14 4.14 4.17 10 mM benzoate 4.21 N/T 4.16 4.20 N/A 10 mM citrate 4.16 4.16 N/T 4.17 4.11 10 mM formate 4.17 4.18 N/T 4.16 4.13 3 mM lactate 4.24 4.21 N/T 4.20 4.14 10 mM tartrate 4.15 4.17 N/T 4.17 4.07
[0054] In order to further improve stability of the active compound, it is preferable that the oxygen content in the formulation be reduced. This can be done by sparging the formulation solution with nitrogen, argon or other non-reactive gas and, when the compositions of the invention are packaged in vials or similar containers containing a headspace, using such inert gas for the headspace. When the compositions of the invention are packaged so that they contain a headspace, it is preferable that the oxygen content in the headspace be less than about 12% and most preferably less than about 8%. Oxygen may be removed by other methods, including the use of a vacuum to remove air and oxygen. Other methods of oxygen removal will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
[0055] A preferred presentation of the composition aspects of the invention comprises the Compound at a concentration of 10 mgA/mL. This concentration is near the maximum solubility of the Compound (about 12 mgA/mL at 5° C.). The preferred solution of the composition is 10 mM lactate buffer. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that buffer solutions of other anions may be used, including, but not limited to, buffer solutions of the anions acetate, citrate, tartrate and formate.
[0056] A preferred packaging of the compositions is a 40 cc, Flint Type I molded glass vial with rubber stopper and aluminum shell. Alternative presentations can include other vial or container types, pre-filled syringes or pre-filled IV bags. Other packaging presentations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
[0057] Vials are preferably sterilized by terminal sterilization methods employing an autoclave. Preferably, sterilization is for 8 minutes at 121° C. Sterilization may cause a slight shift of pH. In the lactate buffered formulation, pH shifted slightly down. In order to achieve a mid-point in the preferred pH range, the initial pH is preferably set to 4.5. The terminal sterilization cycle reduces the pH to about 4.2.
EXPERIMENTAL EXAMPLES
[0058] The present invention is illustrated by the following examples, but is not limited to the details thereof.
[0059] Percentages of Degradant 1 and Degradant 2 where measured using reverse-phase HPLC analysis on a Kromasil® C4 column, 5 μm, 25 cm length×4.6 mm ID (EKA Chemicals, Bohus Sweden). Column temperature was 30° C.±5° C. Mobile phase A: water/acetonitrile/trifluoracetic acid, 90/10/0.1 (v/v/v). Mobile phase B: water/acetonitrile/trifluoracetic acid, 40/60/0.1 (v/v/v). Gradient profile: linear. Detection: UV @ 215nm. Flow rate: 1.5 mL/min. Injection volume: 10 μL.
Example 1
[0060] Effect of Treatment with a Chelating Resin.
[0061] Solutions of sodium chloride of 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9% were treated with 5% w/w of Chelex® resin and stirred slowly for 1 hour. The pH of the solutions was adjusted to 4.6 while stirring with the Chelex resin. The mixture was then filtered. Control samples of sodium chloride solutions of 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9% were prepared which were not treated with the Chelex resin. Treated and untreated solutions were combined with (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol at a concentration of 1.25 mgA/ml and stored in sealed 5 cc Flint type I molded vials containing 4.0 ml solution fill and 2.0 ml air headspace at 70° C. for 7 days. The results of this experiment are represented in Table 3.
TABLE 3 Numbers represent percent of Degradant 1 (w/w). % NaCl Untreated Treated 0.3 0.034% 0.004% 0.6 0.038% 0.003% 0.9 0.033% 0.003%
Example 2
[0062] Effect of Formulating with a Chelating Agent.
[0063] The following solutions were made to a concentration of 10 mM each at pH 4.2:
[0064] 1. Unbuffered normal saline (0.9% NaCl);
[0065] 2. 10 mM Citrate buffer in normal saline (0.9% NaCl);
[0066] 3. 10 mM Tartrate buffer in normal saline (0.9% NaCl); and
[0067] 4. 10 mM EDTA disodium in normal saline (0.9% NaCl);
[0068] Solutions of each were combined with (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol to a concentration of 1.25mgA/ml and the pH was adjusted to 4.2. Each formulation was subjected to an 8 minute autoclave cycle at 121° C. and then stored at 70° C. The results of this experiment are represented in Table 4 below.
TABLE 4 Numbers represent percent of Degradant 1 w/w). 0.9% NaCl 10 mM 10 mM 10 mM Saline Tartrate Citrate EDTA Day 0 N/A 0.002% 0.000% 0.000% Day 3 N/A 0.003% 0.001% 0.000% Day 7 0.033% 0.006% 0.001% 0.002%
Example 3
[0069] 4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde (Degradant 1).
[0070] NMR analysis was performed at ambient temperature on a Bruker Avance DRX 500 MHz NMR spectrometer using a Bruker 5mm gradient broadband inverse probe (Bruker Instruments, Inc., Billerica, MA). Sample was dissolved in 99.9% deuterated dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).
13 C-NMR 1 H-NMR Carbon (PPM) H’s Attached Proton (PPM) δ Proton Multiplicity 115.84 1 6.92 doublet 128.43 0 132.10 1 7.74 Doublet 163.32 0 190.95 1 9.77 Singlet
Example 4
[0071] 4-Hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidine (Degradant 2).
[0072] NMR analysis was performed at ambient temperature on a Bruker Avance DRX 500 MHz NMR spectrometer using a Bruker 5 mm gradient broadband inverse probe. Sample was dissolved in 99.9% deuterated dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).
13 C-NMR 1 H-NMR Carbon (PPM) H’s Attached Proton (PPM) δ Proton Multiplicity 39.05 2 1.49 doublet 1.77 triplet 42.03 2 2.70 doublet 2.92 triplet 70.41 0 124.70 1 7.46 doublet 125.97 1 7.18 triplet 127.76 1 7.30 triplet 150.76 0
Example 5
[0073] Formulation of (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol in Lactate Buffer.
Concen- Weight tration Component Grade Function (mg/vial) (mg/ml) (1S,2S)-1-(4- Pharm Active 586.01 14.577 hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4- ingredient (equal to hydroxy-4- 10 mgA/ml) phenylpiperidin-1- yl)-1-propanol mesylate trihydrate Lactic Acid USP Buffer 41.12 1.023 Sodium Hydroxide NF pH modifier Ca 13.87 Ca 0.345 Hydrochloric Acid NF pH modifier 0 0 Water for Injection USP Vehicle 39711.76 987.855
[0074] The pH of the initial formulation is set at pH 4.5 to accommodate the slight pH down-shifting upon terminal sterilization. The terminal sterilization cycle lowers the pH to about 4.2. Sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid are used as needed to adjust the solution to the desired pH.
Example 6
[0075] Accelerated Stability Study.
[0076] A 10 mgA/ml solution of (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol in 10 mM lactate buffer was prepared. The pH of three separate portions was adjusted so that the initial post terminal sterilization pH was 3.9, 4.2 or 4.6. The formulation was packaged in vials containing varying concentrations of oxygen or in air. Terminal sterilization was by autoclave at 121° C. for 8 minutes. Samples were stored in 40 ml Flint type I vials with 40 ml fill and 10 ml headspace for 12 weeks at 30° C., 40° C. and 50° C.
[0077] The results of this experiment are presented in Table 5 and Table 6 below.
TABLE 5 Numbers represent percent of Degradant 1 (w/w). Head space, pH Initial Post T.S. 30° C. 40° C. 50° C. 4% O 2 , pH 4.2 0.002% 0.004% 0.003% 0.005% 0.009% 6% O 2 , pH 4.2 0.002% 0.004% 0.004% 0.005% 0.011% 10% O 2 , pH 4.2 0.004% 0.003% 0.004% 0.006% 0.015% Air, pH 4.6 0.003% 0.003% 0.008% 0.015% 0.033% Air, pH 4.2 0.003% 0.004% 0.004% 0.006% 0.032% Air, pH 3.9 0.003% 0.003% 0.009% 0.019% 0.040%
[0078] [0078] TABLE 6 Numbers represent percent of Degradant 2 (w/w). Head space, pH Initial Post T.S. 30° C. 40° C. 50° C. 4% O 2 , pH 4.2 0.003% 0.006% 0.008% 0.010% 0.017% 6% O 2 , pH 4.2 0.003% 0.006% 0.008% 0.010% 0.019% 10% O 2 , pH 4.2 0.002% 0.006% 0.009% 0.013% 0.024% Air, pH 4.6 0.002% 0.005% 0.012% 0.018% 0.043% Air, pH 4.2 0.001% 0.005% 0.008% 0.012% 0.042% Air, pH 3.9 0.001% 0.003% 0.013% 0.023% 0.051% | This invention relates to stable pharmaceutical compositions of the NMDA receptor agonist, (1S,2S)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(4-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidin-1-yl)-1-propanol], methods of preparing such pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treating stroke, spinal cord trauma, traumatic brain injury, multiinfarct dementia, CNS degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, pain, AIDS dementia, psychotic conditions, drug addictions, migraine, hypoglycemia, anxiolytic conditions, urinary incontinence and an ischemic event arising from CNS surgery, open heart surgery or any procedure during which the function of the cardiovascular system is compromised using the pharmaceutical compositions. | 0 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a division of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11/252,003, filed Oct. 17, 2005.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to processing and displaying financial information which may include one or more digital images of a hardcopy bank instrument from which certain personal information is excised from the viewable image. The partial view digital image of the hardcopy bank instrument contains only the information necessary to identify particular transaction information associated with the hardcopy bank instrument and is exclusive of any payor personal information. In addition, the invention is directed toward a method of automatically locating and reproducing the relevant portion of the hardcopy bank instrument in the form of a digital image. Further, the invention includes the ability to process and display one or more partial view digital images of each hardcopy bank instrument in conjunction with associated payment and/or reporting activity in an electronic format, such as on an online banking web site or in other formats, such as a traditional paper activity statement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The use of electronic banking and record keeping has been increasing and conceivably may be the method by which most banking and other financial transactions will be conducted in the future. Electronic and online banking presents a user with the technological option of bypassing the time-consuming, paper-based aspects of traditional banking so that financial accounts may be managed more quickly and efficiently. For example, a user may access online banking through a global communication network to view account balances and account activity of certain financial accounts; transfer money between accounts; pay bills; view images of cancelled checks and print copies of viewed checks or other transactions and activity.
[0004] One shortcoming of existing online banking methodologies relates to user privacy and security of both financial and related personal information. In many cases, only one layer of security exists between a user, whether authorized or unauthorized, and access to this information. This layer of security is typically in the form of a shared secret. The shared secret is a common security method for accessing financial or personal user information, which may be confidential and forms an integral part of user authentication in the current online environment. The shared secret usually consists of a word or group of words, numeric data or some random combination of letters and numerals that are exchanged between and known to both the user and the holder of the financial or personal user information. When the user provides the shared secret data that matches the data previously exchanged between the parties, the user is granted access to the information.
[0005] There are several forms of shared secrets that may be utilized in any combination. For example, the most common type of shared secret is a user identifier and password. Challenge questions are another type of shared secret often used to provide a greater level of confidence of user authentication because the challenge questions are directed toward somewhat more personal data. For example, when the user logs into an online banking web site, the financial institution may display, to the user, at least one of a group of preselected challenge questions for which the user has previously provided an answer. The user must provide the appropriate answer to access the online banking web site and user information. Shared secrets serve as a barrier to access and should never be disclosed by the user. However, there are multiple ways to purloin shared secret data regardless of whether such data has been disclosed by the user.
[0006] For example, e-mail phishing is one of the fastest growing methods of fraudulently acquiring sensitive access information. Phishing is a term used to describe the action of assuming the identity of a legitimate organization, or web site, such as through the use of email or a web page, with the objective of convincing a user to innocently share user names, passwords and financial or personal information. The information provided by the unwary user is often used to commit crimes, such as fraud and identity theft.
[0007] To gain a user's trust and information, a potential wrongdoer electronically poses as a financial institution or other legitimate company. The wrongdoer sends an e-mail to the user that is formatted to appear as legitimate correspondence from an institution with which the user may have an account. The e-mail may contain a reproduced logo or other indicia of legitimacy copied from a web site of an organization or corporation, which is intended to deceive the user. The e-mail typically requests that the user update certain personal information online such as financial data and financial account numbers, account usernames, credit card numbers, passwords, social security numbers or other similar information that a legitimate organization or corporation is likely to have regarding that user. The wrongdoer informs the user that the information can be updated by visiting a particular website, for which a link is typically included in the email. The link directs the user to a counterfeit website designed to trick the user into divulging the personal information.
[0008] Many financial institutions prefer to supplement shared secrets with additional security measures in order to gain access to sensitive information. One method utilized to provide assurances against phishing practices is the use of a digital image in conjunction with an associated phrase during user log in. Specifically, the user chooses a particular image from a range of graphical files provided by the financial institution. The user adds a personalized phrase to be associated with the selected image. Only the user and the financial institution know which image and particular phrase have been selected. When the user logs in to the financial institution website, the secret image and associated personalized phrase are displayed to the user. Therefore, the image and phrase function as a type of reverse password to assure the user that the site is the legitimate site of the financial institution.
[0009] Some financial institutions have added a physical object as a barrier to access, which serves the purpose of a key. One example of a physical object is a security token that is utilized to prevent access by an unauthorized user. An example of this is the RSA SecurID Authenticator, which is a security token manufactured by RSA Security, Inc. of Bedford, Massachusetts. The security token functions like an ATM card as the user must be identified by both something that the user knows and something that the user has before access is granted. Security tokens are currently used to securely access virtual private networks and other remote access applications, web servers and applications and network operating systems. Security tokens have been utilized recently in other applications, including online banking applications.
[0010] To use a security token, a user is provided with a personal device which displays a code number. The device is synchronized to a server and based on logic, time and other parameters, the server can recognize whether numbers entered by a user, as displayed on the personal device, match the corresponding register of the server. Specifically, the user reads an ever-changing number on the screen of a device and types the number, as requested, during log in. A server at the financial institution maintains a separate, synchronized register which corresponds to the number displayed on the personal device. When the user enters the appropriate number, the server validates the user. The user therefore requires a password plus a physical object to gain access to an account. An unauthorized user would have to obtain the token, as well as the log in credentials of the user, to access any financial and personal user information.
[0011] Each of the above described methods of protecting financial and personal user information are useful to keep unauthorized individuals from gaining access to this information through improper means at the initial point of access. However, once the correct log in credentials are obtained and access is granted, the financial and personal user information may be freely accessible by anyone. It should be noted that an unauthorized user does not necessarily need to obtain the appropriate log in credentials to access the user's retained information.
[0012] For example, such unauthorized access may be obtained through the cache of an Internet browser program. The browser cache contains temporary files, similar to a travel record, of the items a user has seen, heard or downloaded from the Internet, including images, sounds, web pages and cookies. A computer requires less time to display a web page when some of the elements of the page or even the entire page can be called up from the local temporary Internet folder. Thus, storing these files in the browser cache enables more efficient Internet browsing. Caching is not limited to entire web pages but can also include user names, passwords, financial and other sensitive information that may have been entered by the user on a web page.
[0013] Typically, a computer terminal with multiple users or a public computer terminal, such as one located in a library, hotel or other public place, is accessible to almost anyone. Most often, browser settings are usually not set to automatically delete temporarily stored information. Consequently, public computers are not a safe place to view certain financial and personal user information. Clearing the browser cache ensures that any individual engaged in a subsequent browser session or otherwise having access to the same computer terminal, particularly on a public computer terminal, will not have access to this information.
[0014] Some financial institutions utilize a session cookie to prevent subsequent users from viewing online banking web pages previously viewed by another user. However, a session cookie only protects the user who has logged off from the online banking session. A user may leave a computer terminal unattended while logged into an online banking web site for a number of reasons, including carelessness. In such a situation, any person gaining access to the computer has access to the same information as the authorized user.
[0015] After the unauthorized user gains access to financial and personal user information, there are a number of ways the victim can be defrauded. The unauthorized user can utilize the bank's online bill-paying function, an increasingly popular and heavily marketed feature, to have checks made out to himself or to pay his own bills. In an account with wire transfers enabled, the unauthorized user could transfer money to another account, often one in an overseas bank.
[0016] Many online banking web sites incorporate access to full digital images of hardcopy bank instruments into account activity reports or other electronic statements. Prior art embodiments reproduce a full view digital image of an online banking user's canceled checks which include all of the financial and personal information printed on the face of the check, such as the user's name, address and account number. Other information handwritten on the face of the check may include a telephone number, social security number or credit card account number, as required by the payee. The unauthorized user can view an image of a canceled check online and then use the check image to create a forged check or misappropriate the information on the face of the check for improper purposes. With regard to privacy and security of financial and personal user information, it is therefore desirable to reduce the amount of personalized information that is part of an electronic transmission associated with online banking, even with appropriate account protections in place.
[0017] Systems which specifically include the use of such images include, for example, Blossman, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,721,783, issued Apr. 13, 2004, which discloses an e-mail controller that delivers monthly account activity statements and notices through communication and other e-mail networks as an alternative to printing paper account activity statements. The emailed statements include at least one of a full front view and back view image of each processed hardcopy bank instruments, such as deposit slips or canceled checks. The e-mail controller comprises an electronic formatted statement shell in which lists of transactions associated with a user account can be inserted. Further, an image link is provided in the statement shell that defines an electronic path from a listed transaction to at least one full view image of a hardcopy bank instrument. The file associated with each image link is stored in an appropriate database. The hardcopy bank instruments may be serial numbered, such as a check, although non-serial numbered bank instruments may also be included. Non-serial numbered bank instruments include NSF notices, deposit correction notices and account sweep transaction notices.
[0018] A digital image of each hardcopy bank instrument can be created using a typical proof-of-deposit imaging system which includes an image database file, an imaging device and software and a check clearing/proof-of-deposit subsystem. The imaging device, in conjunction with imaging software, is used to scan a full front view and back view of each hardcopy bank instrument and create at least one digital image of the instrument. Each view is typically a separate digital image. Each hardcopy bank instrument and corresponding image or images are sorted according to accounts held at the particular financial institution performing the imaging and accounts held at other institutions. The bank instrument information is electronically coded, if appropriate, in a database record linked to the corresponding images. This information includes the dollar value of the paper check or hardcopy bank instrument and other information necessary to post the transaction, such as a serial number, a sequence number or bank account number.
[0019] The user can pre-establish preferences with respect to the statements that include the manner by which the user prefers the digital images to be presented. For example, the user can set a minimum dollar value for the inclusion of certain images with respect to both serial numbered and non-serial numbered hardcopy bank instruments. The user may also choose to receive front views only of hardcopy bank instruments, back views only of hardcopy bank instruments or both front and back views of hardcopy bank instruments. Accordingly, there are two image links for each hardcopy bank instrument that may be included in the electronic statement shell. The first image link defines the electronic path to the front view of the hardcopy bank instrument and the second image link defines the electronic path to the back view. Only the image links defining the path to digital images that meet the user's preferences are included in the emailed statements.
[0020] The hardcopy bank instrument images created in Blossman are full front view and back view images. Each image link inserted into the electronic statement shell represents an image link corresponding to a full view image of at least one side of the bank instrument. When the user sets preferences regarding the selection of hardcopy instrument images to be received with the electronic statement, the user's choices are limited to one or both of the full front and back view images. The user must accept a full view image of at least one side of a selected hardcopy instrument, and the full view image contains all of the user's financial and personal information. This limitation of choice can be problematic with respect to receipt of the electronic statement and corresponding images by e-mail. Specifically, the use of a web-based e-mail presents the same issues with respect to the browser cache, as described above. Blossman's transmission of hardcopy bank instruments containing all of the user's information enables an unauthorized viewer to misappropriate such information.
[0021] Fu, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,754,697, for Selective Document Image Data Compression Technique, issued May 15, 1995, relates to a document image data compression technique and, specifically, the selection and compression of certain essential information apart from the background information in a document. Fu discusses the obligation of financial institutions to retain certain types of financial information, including checking account information, for a period of seven years. Typically, a financial institution provides cancelled checks to account holders on a regular periodic basis. If the financial institution chooses to retain the physical check, the information must be stored. Storage of such information in a digital format is much more preferable than in a hardcopy or micro-film format due to the physical space requirements of the documents.
[0022] Digital images still require a large amount of disk space to store and a large amount of bandwidth to transmit. A digital image with increased resolution consumes a considerable amount of diskspace. Although compression techniques have evolved, issues still exist with respect to image quality. Thus, the imaging technique utilized must be sensitive enough to enable accurate detection and depiction of the relevant transaction information, including the signature on the check, the amount and the payee name.
[0023] Fu provides a method of creating an image of a hardcopy bank instrument having certain information extracted from the background. The image is created through a process that involves contrast enhancement; conversion to a two-color format and compression of the resulting data. Fu discloses that it is only necessary to store a portion of the information of a document in a digitized image. Therefore, the non-essential or background information can be eliminated before the image is compressed and stored or transmitted.
[0024] For example, bank checks include different types of information including colored check designs, the account information of the user printed along the bottom of the check, the financial institution identification information and other data that is entered by the payor. The background information is defined by Fu as the design pattern and artwork on the printing stock upon which the financial institution and user information is printed. The background information does not include any information that would identify the payee, the payor or the financial institution. This identifying information remains as part of the digital image that is created from the method disclosed by Fu.
[0025] Fu provides an image of a hardcopy bank instrument from which certain information has been eliminated. However, this information is limited to background information consisting of mainly printed check designs, artwork and color. The object of Fu is to create a two-color black and white image in the interest of minimizing file size for storage and exchange. In creating this compressed image, Fu maintains all of the financial and personal identifying information within the image so that user account and transaction information can still be identified from the resulting image.
[0026] Prakash, United States Patent Publication No. US 2005/0036680, published on Feb. 17, 2005, discloses a System and Method for Segmenting an Electronic Image. Prakash discloses that many financial institutions are seeking to store and process more hardcopy bank instruments in the form of electronic images. However, these files are typically large and the creation of such images involves sophisticated techniques and equipment. Further, a bank may want to identify and store only specific textual or written areas from the foreground of a check image such as dollar amounts, signatures, and payees, while eliminating any necessary background information, such as a check design or other artwork.
[0027] Prakash discloses the conversion of a hardcopy bank instrument into a compressed image, such as a JPEG image. Next the compressed image is segmented into blocks, with a typical bank check comprising approximately 5,967 blocks. Each segment of the compressed image is analyzed and assigned an appropriate frequency coefficient. For example, if the image is a JPEG image, the proper coefficient is a Discrete Cosine Transform, or DCT, coefficient value which represents the average video value of the block. Once the coefficient value is computed for each block, the sums are examined and used to distinguish between foreground segments and background segments. The identified foreground segments that contain the desired information will be stored, outputted or processed, as needed. The resulting image of Prakash is based on the elimination of certain background data. However, similar to Fu, the background data that is eliminated comprises only data such as a check design or artwork. Thus, any data that may identify the payor, the payee or the financial institution is maintained as part of the image.
[0028] What is lacking in the art is a method of providing sufficient graphical or other financial data from a hardcopy bank instrument sufficient to enable the user to extract useful transaction information. The image or other data is carefully edited, however, to exclude or otherwise mark any particular personal information which might enable a third party to utilize such data for improper purposes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0029] A financial report and a method for processing and displaying relevant financial information is disclosed which includes an abbreviated electronic record of or relating to a hardcopy bank document or transactional information. The methodology is preferably employed during the processing of a document to extract certain information from the original document. The abbreviated electronic record may be in the form of a partial view digital image or an assemblage of textual information relating to a particular transaction. This information is ultimately included in a financial report, as will be described further herein.
[0030] The report and method are preferably directed to the creation of an abbreviated electronic record in the form of a partial view image that may be created from either a paper copy of the bank instrument or a previously created full view digital image. A digital image of the document is reproduced from which certain portions likely to contain personally identifying information, such as preprinted information regarding the payor or the payor's financial institution, or similarly identifying handwritten information, have been excised from the viewable image. The resulting image is a partial view image that contains only certain preselected identifying information relating to the transaction which enables the user to identify the transaction or document. The information remaining is also not useful for any third party. In certain circumstances, this partial view image may be substituted by a textual summary. This assemblage of textual information may be determined from metadata that is coded during the processing of the hardcopy bank document.
[0031] The financial report may further substitute the image and/or text with a simple hyperlink that directs a user to a separate display of a partial view digital image upon its selection.
[0032] In the case of a bank instrument, such as a check, the partial image preferably contains only that information sufficient to identify the associated transaction to the account holder. In a preferred embodiment, hardcopy bank instruments from which partial view images may be created include deposit slips, withdrawal slips and NSF notices. Specifically, if the hardcopy bank instrument is a check, as illustrated in the preferred embodiment, the payee name and amount of the check may be displayed for the viewer in the absence of the payer's personally identifying information from the front of the same check.
[0033] The disclosed method may also be directed toward the selection of the portion of the abbreviated electronic record that is to be displayed. A partial view image may be created using well-known imaging devices and associated software from a full view image by dividing the full view image into a series of sections or regions to determine the location of certain reference points and boundaries which define the partial view image of the hardcopy bank instrument. The image format of the full view and partial view images may be JPEG, PDF, TIFF, GIF, PNG or any other known electronic format suitable for the reproduction of such images. If the relevant portion of the full view image cannot be located from the described methodology to create the partial view image of the hardcopy bank instrument, an error handling process may be invoked that is used to extract an approximation of the relevant portion. The partial view image of the hardcopy bank instrument may be saved and stored in an appropriate database record and associated with other files corresponding to a full view image of the same hardcopy bank instrument and certain coded metadata.
[0034] The partial view image may also be stored in a database for fast retrieval upon request of the user or the financial institution. Such request may be in the form of an online account activity report or other electronic statement. When the user requests account activity for a certain period of time, the partial view image of the bank instrument may be presented in connection with a particular associated transaction, being directly viewed, accessible by hyperlink or the like. The partial view image may be a static image or it may have additional features. The user may select the partial view image for a full view image of at least one side of the hardcopy bank instrument. The user may also request a partial view image of a hardcopy bank instrument in connection with the use of budgeting or reconciliation software. The partial view image may also be incorporated into periodic paper account statements.
[0035] These and other advantages and features of the present invention will be more fully understood upon reference to the presently preferred embodiments thereof and to the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the methodology for creating a digital image of a hardcopy bank instrument according to the present invention.
[0037] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a typical bank check.
[0038] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the data extraction methodology for creating a digital image of a partial view of a hardcopy bank instrument according to the present invention.
[0039] FIG. 4 is a block diagram representing the line detection algorithm utilized in the data extraction process according to the present invention.
[0040] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of account activity report including partial digital images.
[0041] FIG. 6 is a representation of a digital image of each of the full front and back view of a payor check displayed in connection with the account activity report displayed on an online banking web site.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0042] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the creation of a digital image of a partial view of a hardcopy bank instrument from either the actual hardcopy bank instrument or a full view digital image of at least one of the front view or the back view of the hardcopy bank instrument. The full view digital image from which a partial view digital image is created is a typical image that can be exchanged electronically by financial institutions, printed for account activity purposes or displayed on online banking websites.
[0043] Certain legislation has been recently enacted regarding the processing of paper checks that permits financial institutions to exchange digital images of hardcopy bank instruments as the equivalent of the same. Although the legislation does not mandate the use of such images, digitalization is encouraged to reduce paper and permit financial institutions to easily automate the payment clearing and check collection process. Accordingly, a full view digital image of a hardcopy bank instrument may be created at any point in the collection process. The digital image may be created by any collecting financial institution involved in the processing of the bank instrument or the financial institution of the user upon which the bank instrument is drawn. Such financial institutions may include any national or state financial institution, federal or state savings financial institution, credit union or savings association.
[0044] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , at step 10 the user issues a hardcopy bank instrument, such as a check 135 , to a payee that is drawn on the user's financial institution, which is also referred to as the payor bank. FIG. 2 is a representation of the face of a typical check 135 which is addressed to a payee. Check 135 includes personalization text 140 which may have up to five lines available for the personalization of check 135 . The information typically listed in personalization text 140 of check 135 includes a payor name and address in addition to other optional information that the payor may choose to include such as a telephone number, a driver's license number or a social security number. Cut 141 is located to the left of personalization text 140 and may include an optional cut, such as a decorative image, or a monogram, if the design of check 135 permits.
[0045] Check number 142 includes the sequential number of check 135 and appears in both the upper right corner of check 135 and in MICR line 170 at the bottom of check 135 , as further described below. Check number 142 serves the purpose of a tracking number so that the payor can track either a specific check or the number of checks that have been issued. Date 145 is typically the date that the payor presents check 135 as a form of payment to the payee, although check 135 may have a date that is not the current date. Payee line 147 represents the area where the payor identifies the individual or business to which the check is written. Dollar box 150 is the area where the numeric amount of the check is written in Arabic numerals. The numeric dollar amount is written in text on amount line 152 which is typically located below payee line 147 on check 135 . Padlock icon 157 references security features that are included on check 135 to aid a bank in identifying check fraud. The security features are usually described on the back of check 135 .
[0046] Financial institution information 155 includes the identifying information regarding the financial institution where the payor holds an account associated with check 135 . Financial institution information 155 must include at least the financial institution name, although other information, such as the address of the financial institution, may be included if the design of check 135 permits, or if required by the financial institution.
[0047] Memo 160 is an area provided on check 135 where the payor can write personal information that may assist the payee in associating check 135 with a particular customer account, for example, if the payee is a merchant. Such payor-provided information of memo 160 may include an account number, a driver's license number, a credit card account number, a social security number or a telephone number. The payor may also choose to include information in memo 160 of check 135 that will assist with later identification and association of check 135 with a particular transaction for the purpose of the personal bookkeeping of the payor.
[0048] The payor endorses signature line 165 to authorize the processing of check 135 by the payee. MICR line 170 is the area that contains certain identifying information, in numeric format, to faciliate the automated processing of check 135 . MICR line 170 consists of several fields of numbers printed in magnetic ink near the bottom of the front of the check. These numbers include routing number 166 , which identifies the bank on which the check is drawn; account number 167 , which identifies the account of the payor from which the funds are to be withdrawn and check number 142 . However, other information may be included in MICR line 170 , if required by the financial institution.
[0049] Certain information that can be printed or handwritten on check 135 includes personally identifying information that may be used for an improper purpose. For example, by knowing routing number 166 and account number 167 , an unauthorized viewer can cause a money transfer from the account of the user. More importantly, if the user has handwritten any personal or other identifying information in memo 160 , such as a social security number, this identifying information, when used in connection with the information contained in personalization text 140 , may subject the user to a risk of identity theft. Similarly, the information indicated by financial institution information 155 and signature line 165 , when either is used in combination with other personally identifying information of check 135 , can also provide an unauthorized viewer with an advantage. Many of the purposes served by online banking do not require access to a full view image of the relevant hardcopy bank instrument. The most common need for the entire canceled check is in the rare case of fraud. An online banking user typically requires access to only that partial view of an image of check 135 that provides the payee information necessary to identify the transaction. Any question regarding the validity of check 135 , in most cases, can be resolved by separately requesting a full copy of check 135 from the user's financial institution.
[0050] In the prior art embodiments of an online banking web site that displays account activity in conjunction with imaged hardcopy bank instruments, at least a full front view image of check 135 representing each particular element of check 135 , as described, is typically presented to the user. The present method is directed to the creation of an abbreviated record of check 135 , as further described with respect to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 . The abbreviated record may be in the form of a partial view image of a hardcopy bank instrument or an assemblage of textual information that relates to the same. The abbreviated record is displayed in connection with a user's account activity reports or electronic statements on an online banking web site. It is noted that although the method is directed to the creation of an abbreviated record in the form of a partial view image of check 135 , abbreviated records can be created of many other hardcopy bank instruments, including but not limited to deposit slips, withdrawal slips and NSF notices.
[0051] Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the payee deposits a hardcopy check 135 at step 20 at the payee's financial institution, also referred to as the depository bank. Check 135 is processed at step 30 which includes the crediting of the payee account for the amount of check 135 . The amount of check 135 corresponding to the numeric amount in dollar box 150 is then encoded in the lower right hand corner of the face of check 135 along MICR line 170 . After the amount of check 135 is encoded, each check 135 is sorted automatically based on routing number 166 contained within MICR line 170 and transported to the proper payor bank. When the payor bank receives check 135 from the depository bank or other financial institution in the collection process, the payor bank provides the appropriate credit to each financial institution in the chain of collection.
[0052] Next, an imaging device, equipped with the appropriate imaging software, is used to capture a full view image of both the front and back of check 135 at step 105 . The full view image of check 135 is created through the use of well-known imaging devices of the type typically used to create electronic copies of hardcopy bank instruments. The imaging software has an associated database, such as an image database, in which each image that is created can be saved to a database record and stored for retrieval. Each full view image of the front view and back view of check 135 is a digital image that may be saved in a variety of formats, as further described with respect to FIG. 3 .
[0053] The check also may have been imaged by another financial institution in the collection process. For example, at step 40 the check may have been imaged by the depository bank. The check created at step 40 is an electronic reproduction of the original hardcopy check in digital format. Specifically, this reproduction must contain images of both the front and back view of the original hardcopy check. MICR line 170 must be fully visible so that associated automated processes are not affected and the check image is suitable for such automatic processing in the same manner as the hardcopy check.
[0054] Regardless of whether the full view image of the hardcopy instrument is created by the depository bank or the payor bank, certain metadata associated with check 135 must be coded at step 110 to the appropriate database record of a database that may also contain full view images. The metadata, which can be coded at any time before the creation of the partial view digital image of check 135 , includes information such as the date on which check 135 was processed, check number 142 , account number 167 , an amount, a payee and the sequence number of the transaction. The metadata must be coded to the appropriate database record either associated with or containing the full view image or images of check 135 that is further associated with any related partial view image of check 135 . The metadata must be coded so that the full front view and back view images of check 135 , in addition to the partial view image of check 135 are searchable by the online banking user. The metadata and partial view digital images, in connection with specific transaction data for most or all of a user's transaction, are used to create a transaction list for account activity reports or electronic statements, as further described with respect to FIG. 5 .
[0055] To create a partial view digital image of check 135 , a full view image of one view of check 135 and the associated metadata are read from the particular database record at step 115 . A partial view digital image of at least one full view image, preferably the front view, of the stored check image is created at step 120 , as further described with respect to FIG. 3 . Once the partial image of the full front view of the check image is created, the partial view image is stored at step 125 in association with the full front and back view images of check 135 and its associated metadata.
[0056] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 , a partial image of check 135 can be created at any time after receipt by the payor's financial institution of check 135 at step 30 or full view image of check 135 at step 50 . The partial view image of check 135 is preferably created from a full front view image of check 135 . If at least one full view image of check 135 is not created by any collecting bank during the payment collection process of check 135 , the image must be created by the payor's financial institution. The image format of the full view image may be a JPEG, PDF, TIFF, GIF, PNG or any other known electronic format suitable for the reproduction of such images. The full view image format is preferably a one bit, two color black and white image to enable the creation of a partial view image with this method, however the image may be a gray scale or other color image.
[0057] To create the partial view image of check 135 , the imaging software is initialized and a full front view image of check 135 is obtained at step 105 , if such full view image is not received at step 50 . Once the metadata is coded to the database record associated with or containing the full view image or images of check 135 , the full view image or images and metadata are read from the database file. Referring to FIG. 3 , the imaging software automatically calculates certain preliminary measurements from the full front view image at step 195 that are used in further calculations performed in subsequent steps. Such certain preliminary measurements may include the height and the width of the full view image of check 135 .
[0058] At step 200 , two points on the full view image are located that correspond to the vertical trisection of the full view image of check 135 into three horizontal sections. The first point is the origination point for the creation of the partial view image and the second point is the terminus point for the creation of the partial view image, as further explained below. A right-handed Cartesian coordinate system is utilized to calculate the location of the origination point and terminus point and the location of both the first horizontal line and the second horizontal line, as described below. The Cartesian coordinate system is the industry standard for working with digital image data. To locate the two points, the full front view image of check 135 is divided into six equal sections. Specifically, the full front view image of check 135 is divided into one-third sections horizontally from the top to the bottom of the image. Next, the full front view image of check 135 is divided into one-half sections vertically from the left side to the right side of the image. The two points are located on the dividing line between the one-half vertical sections with the first point located on the lower boundary of the first one-third horizontal section and the second point located on the lower boundary of the second one-third horizontal section.
[0059] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 , at step 205 , starting at the origination point which is the point closest to the top of the image, the full front view image is scanned along a line extending vertically downward in preferably one-pixel increments from this point until a first horizontal line is located. Alternatively, such scanning may continue until the terminus point is reached at which time an error handling procedure is invoked at step 255 if a horizontal line is not detected, as further described below.
[0060] The first horizontal line that is located is typically payee line 147 of check 135 . If a horizontal line is detected at step 210 , the imaging software continues to scan from this horizontal line along the line extending vertically downward from the origination point until a second horizontal line is located at step 215 . Again, the vertical distance is scanned in one-pixel increments and such scanning may continue until the terminus point is reached at which time the error handling procedure at step 255 is invoked if a second horizontal line does not exist, as further described below. The first and second horizontal lines are detected through the use of a line detection algorithm 220 , as represented by the block diagram of FIG. 4 . At steps 205 and 215 , line detection algorithm 220 is employed to locate the first and second horizontal lines which are used to determine the boundaries of the partial view image of check 135 , as further described in subsequent steps.
[0061] Referring to FIG. 4 , the location of a reference point, which is preferably the origination point, on a scanned, monochrome digital image is located at step 300 , as previously described in FIG. 3 with respect to step 200 . At step 305 , the full front view image of check 135 is scanned horizontally for a preselected distance from the origination point. This distance is approximately twenty-five pixels in either direction horizontally from the location of the origination point. The image is scanned vertically downward from the given point along a distance of the vertical line, as described with respect to FIG. 3 . At one-pixel increments, the imaging software attempts to detect a change or contrast of the pixel color of the image to a color other than white at step 310 . If the color of the pixel at a particular increment is white at step 320 , a line has not been detected. If the color of the pixel at the particular increment is not white at step 315 , a line has been detected. With respect to the first horizontal line located at step 205 of FIG. 3 , this line should be payee line 147 of check 135 .
[0062] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 , at step 215 the second horizontal line is located utilizing line detection algorithm 220 . Once the first horizontal line is located, this line becomes the reference point at step 300 . Again, the full image view is scanned horizontally a distance of approximately twenty-five pixels in both left and right directions from the location of the reference point. The image is scanned vertically downward from the reference point along a distance of the vertical line, as described with respect to FIG. 3 . At preferably one-pixel increments, the imaging software attempts to detect a change or contrast in the pixel color of the image to a color other than white at step 310 . If the color of the pixel at a particular increment is white at step 320 , a line has not been detected. If the color of the pixel at the particular increment is not white at step 315 , a line has been detected. The second horizontal line located at step 215 of FIG. 3 should be amount line 152 of check 135 .
[0063] If both horizontal lines exist at steps 205 and 215 , the distance of each line from the top edge of check 135 is calculated at step 230 by the imaging software. The calculated distances of each horizontal line from the top edge of check 135 are subtracted from each other at step 235 . Based on the height of check 135 , as previously determined at step 195 , the result obtained at step 235 is compared to the amount equal to one-twelfth the height of check 135 . If the difference between the calculated distances is greater than one-twelfth of the height of check 135 , at step 240 the second, or lower, horizontal line becomes the horizontal line from which all subsequent steps are taken. If the difference between the calculated distances is less than one-twelfth of the height of check 135 , at step 245 the first, or higher, horizontal line becomes the horizontal line from which all subsequent steps are taken. Based on the horizontal line selected at either step 240 or step 245 , a point below this line is located at step 250 . The point should preferably be approximately five pixels below the selected horizontal line.
[0064] At step 260 , using the right-handed Cartesian coordinate system, the location of the point located at step 250 is analyzed to determine if the point is in the middle one-third of check 135 . If the point is in the middle one-third of the check, at step 265 a section of the check is extracted as the partial view image of check 135 . The lower boundary of partial view image is the horizontal line that intersects the point selected at step 260 and the upper boundary is located at a distance above lower boundary equal to one-eighth the height of check 135 . From this extracted section, the left ten percent and the right three percent are automatically cropped and removed at step 270 . At step 273 , the imaging software automatically resizes the extracted section to the appropriate dimensions. The extracted section is saved at step 275 as the partial view image of check 135 and the cropped portions are deleted. The image can be saved in any format as a one-bit, two-color black and white image, as previously described.
[0065] The resulting partial view image of check 135 contains the information necessary to identify the transaction and does not include any financial or identifying personal user information. Specifically, the partial view image of check 135 contains payee line 147 and dollar box 152 . The partial view image of check 135 does not contain any information that may have been handwritten in memo 160 , the numerical identifying information of MICR line 170 financial institution information 155 , signature line 165 , or the payor name and address contained within personalization text 140 .
[0066] The size of a standard bank check may vary greatly between financial institutions. Further, the payor has a wide range of sources other than the payor's financial institution from which a selection of checks may be obtained. Most hardcopy checks, and those images created from such checks, should conform to the methodology described in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 to produce a partial view image of check 135 . However, there may be instances of nonconformity, indicated by the nonexistence of a first horizontal line at step 210 ; the nonexistence of a second horizontal line at step 225 ; an intersection with the terminus point if neither horizontal line exists, or if the point selected at step 250 is determined not to be located in the middle one-third section of the check. In any such instance, the middle one-third section of the image of check 135 is extracted and stored in the appropriate database record as the partial view image of check 135 at step 275 .
[0067] Referring to FIG. 5 , abbreviated electronic records can be incorporated into the generation of online account activity reports or electronic statements. A financial institution may have as many databases as required to enable the generation of such activity reports or statements, including image databases that contain images of documents relevant to each user's account and financial information databases that contain information relevant to each user's specific transactions. For example, most transaction data is coded in an appropriate database record according to at least the user's account number and the sequence number of the transaction. Similarly, each partial view digital image and full view digital image of check 135 , or other hardcopy bank instrument, is stored in an appropriate database record according to coded metadata that can include the user's account number, document number, processing date, payee, if any, amount and sequence number, as previously described with respect to FIG. 1 . When a user requests an account activity report or an electronic statement with respect to the user's particular account, each relevant database is automatically queried with respect to the particular searchable coded data or metadata. The query results are presented on the screen for the user with each transaction being merged with an associated abbreviated electronic record, if such image has been created.
[0068] FIG. 5 is a representation of an online account activity report 400 that is typical with respect to most online banking web sites. Online account activity report 400 contains an account summary 405 which provides certain information such as account number, the current balance, the available balance and date from which activity is available. A transaction history 415 for selected dates may be presented, or transaction history may start with the latest or the earliest transaction and proceed in the appropriate direction. Transaction history 415 usually includes transactions of all types, such as a point-of-sale transaction 417 , an ATM transaction 418 and a check transaction 425 . Check transactions 425 a - c include check number 142 and any other transactional data, as coded by the bank. Check transactions 425 a - c are further represented in the various formats of an abbreviated electronic record. Each abbreviated electronic record of check 135 includes the named payee of payee line 147 and the dollar amount indicated by dollar box 150 of check 135 represented in FIG. 2 , as extracted during the extraction process described in FIG. 3 . For example, abbreviated electronic record of check transaction 425 a includes a partial view image 440 of check 135 presented in connection with the particular associated transaction. Alternatively, the abbreviated electronic record of check transaction 425 c is represented as an assemblage of textual information 430 . Abbreviated electronic record 425 b is represented as an assemblage of textual material in association with a hyperlink 435 directing a user to a separate display of partial view digital image 440 upon selection of the hyperlink. It is to be specifically noted that a new hyperlink may also be presented, not in association with any particular text or other information. This hyperlink would thus provide access to the image containing the relevant transaction information.
[0069] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 , partial view image 430 of check 135 may be a static image within the online account activity report 400 , or partial view image 430 of check 135 may have additional features. Referring to FIG. 6 , within online account activity report 400 the user can select partial view image 430 of check 135 , to view a full front view image 450 and back view image 460 of check 135 . The partial view image 430 is linked to the full front view image 450 and back view image 460 which are also stored in the appropriate database record. A financial institution may choose not to provide this feature. Alternatively, if a user chooses to view the full front view image 450 and back view image 460 of check 135 , the financial institution may require the user to execute an opt-out provision pertaining to a disclaimer of privacy and security of the user's personal identifying information. In this instance, all of the user's personal information that is excised from the partial view image 430 of check 135 is now displayed for the user or anyone else presenting themselves as the user.
[0070] The present method can also be applied to the creation of an abbreviated electronic record of other types of standard documentation evidencing account transactions for insertion into an online account activity report or electronic statement in an online banking program, or other similar application. The partial images may also be incorporated into requests associated with budgeting software and reconciliation software and also monthly paper bank statements.
[0071] While the present preferred embodiment of the invention is described, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise embodied and practiced with the scope of the following claims. | A financial report and method for processing and displaying relevant financial information in connection therewith include at least one transaction and abbreviated record relating to the transaction which contains only nonpersonally identifying information. The abbreviated electronic record can be one of a partial view image or an assemblage of textual information relating to the transaction. A hyperlink can also be included or substituted for the image or text. The invention also provides a method of selecting the portion of the abbreviated record that is displayed for the user which includes the division of an underlying document or image into relevant and irrelevant regions for selective inclusion in the report. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns a method for regulating the supply of weft thread on weaving machines, and also a device which uses this method. In particular, the invention concerns a method and device applicable to weaving machines in which the weft yarn is taken from a yarn supply by means of a yarn draw-off device driven by a motor and consisting of at least one yarn draw-off roller.
A weft preparation mechanism for weft threads is known from French patent application No. 2.508.501, in which use is made of yarn draw-off rollers, an accumulator device and a thread clip for controlling the insertion of the weft thread into the shed. In this mechanism the yarn draw-off rollers are coupled mechanically to the main shaft of the weaving machine. The speed of the yarn draw-off rollers cannot be altered with respect to the speed of the main shaft of the weaving machine. Such a known device has the disadvantage that the insertion thread length cannot be regulated in a simple manner. It is useful to be able to adjust the speed of the yarn draw-off rollers for a number of reasons, for instance to suit the condition and the type of weft yarn supplied. For example, a weft thread drawn from a yarn supply is always under a certain tension, which can vary for various reasons, such as variation in the speed of the thread. Since the yarn draw-off rollers serve to measure off the weft yarn under tension, it is clear that the actual length of the weft yarn released from the yarn draw-off rollers will be smaller than the length measured off. Also, the variations in the tension of the weft yarn as it is drawn off the yarn package cause variations in the thickness of the thread, so that the effective winding diameter of the yarn draw-off rollers is also subject to variation, with the result that variations can also occur in the effective quantity of thread taken from the yarn supply.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has as its object a device and a method which do not have the above-mentioned disadvantages, and by means of which the yarn draw-off mechanism including the yarn draw-off rollers can be controlled in an optimum manner.
The present invention also concerns a method for regulating the supply of weft thread on weaving machines, in which the weft yarn is wound off from a yarn package by means of at least one yarn draw-off roller driven by a motor and fed to a weft accumulator device, characterized in that the motor of the yarn draw-off device is controlled by a train of pulses, where the speed of said motor is proportional to the frequency of said pulse train, and in which the the pulse train is generated on the basis of, on the one hand, a set value, and on the other hand, a signal which at any given moment is proportional to the speed of the main shaft of the weaving machine, such that the number of pulses delivered by the pulse train per revolution of the main shaft of the weaving machine is in proportion to said set value. The method according to the invention offers the advantage that the speed of the yarn draw-off roll or rollers is proportional to the speed of the weaving machine, and also that corrections to the speed of the yarn draw-off rollers can be made in a suitable manner by altering said set value or by letting said value vary according to a particular function.
In a variant of the invention, in addition to the yarn draw-off device being controlled as described above, the thread clip for inserting the weft thread is also controlled in accordance with the above-mentioned method.
In a special application, the method is used for adjusting the insertion length on weaving machines. In particular use is made of an insertion device in which the weft thread is led from a yarn package to the insertion device along, respectively, a yarn draw-off mechanism having at least one yarn draw-off roller, a device for forming an accumulation of thread, and a thread clip. The insertion device may for example be a main injector nozzle. The present invention also includes the step of commanding the thread clip at fixed set points of time in the weaving cycle and controlling the drive of the yarn draw-off device in such a way that, between each successive insertion of the same weft yarn, in the corresponding device for forming an accumulation of thread a thread accumulation is formed whose length is smaller than the length required for one pick, the drive continuing to be operated further in such a way that precisely one length of thread necessary for insertion is drawn off by the yarn draw-off device between two successive closings of the thread clip.
The invention also concerns devices which use the method according to the invention; these are described in more detail below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order to explain the characteristics of the invention, the following preferred embodiments are described, by way of example only and without being limitative in any way, with reference to the accompanying drawings, where:
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the device according to the invention;
FIG. 2 shows a part of the device in FIG. 1;
FIGS. 3 to 6 and 7 to 10 are diagrams showing the relationship between a number of signals which occur in the device;
FIGS. 11 and 12 show the effect of variations of the tension in the weft yarn at the yarn draw-off rollers;
FIGS. 13 to 18 illustrate the setting of the above-mentioned set value when weaving with several threads;
FIGS. 19 to 21 show the steps of operation of the present invention, for a particular variant;
FIGS. 22 to 25 show a number of diagrams relating to the particular method applied in FIGS. 19 to 21;
FIG. 26 shows a variant for the diagram shown in FIG. 22.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an insertion device on a weaving machine, in which the weft yarn 1 is led from the yarn supply 2 to a thread insertion mechanism 7 along, respectively, a yarn draw-off device 3, a device 4 for forming a thread accumulation 5 and a thread clip 6. In the embodiment shown, the yarn draw-off device 3 consists of two yarn draw-off rollers 8. The device 4 shown for forming a thread accumulation 5 may for example be of the type in which the weft thread 1 is laid spirally against the inside wall of a tube 9 by means of a blower 10. The thread injection mechanism 7 is formed by a main injector nozzle etc.
Also shown in FIG. 1 are the drive 11 of the thread draw-off device 3, the shed 12, the reed 13, the woven cloth 14, a weft stop motion 15 and a cutter 16.
One particular feature of the invention is that at least the drive of the motor 11 of the yarn draw-off roller 8, which preferably consists of a stepper motor, is controlled according to the method mentioned in the preamble, e.g. by means of the device 17 as shown in FIG. 1 and described in detail below.
For this purpose, the device 17 includes, in addition to the yarn draw-off device 3 and its drive 11 already mentioned above, a setting unit 18, an arithmetic unit 19, and a mechanism 20 which provides a signal 21 which at each moment is proportional to the speed of the weaving machine, in particular the speed of the main shaft 22.
The setting unit 18 provides a set value A, the setting of which is described in more detail further on. The arithmetic unit 19 is designed so that at the output U, to which is connected the drive 11, a pulse train is supplied, generated on the basis of the set value A and the above-mentioned signal 21, such that the number of pulses delivered at the output U per revolution of the main shaft 22 is equal to, or possibly a multiple of, said value A. In order to achieve this, the arithmetic unit 19 consists of a counter 23 and a buffer 24, whose operation is described in more detail further on.
The mechanism 20 which provides the signal 21 is formed by a pulse generator 25 which is mounted on the main shaft of the weaving machine and which generates a fixed number of pulses per revolution, and a frequency multiplier 26, such that the signal 21 consists of a pulse train with a constant number of pulses per revolution of the main shaft 22. This number is henceforth referred to as Z. Also shown schematically in FIG. 1 is the main drive 27 of the weaving machine.
The counter 23 has two inputs 28 and 29, and is designed so that the values which appear at the two inputs are summed and the result R passed from the output 30 to the buffer 24. The logic of the counter 23 is such that each time the sum obtained in the counter 23 is greater or equal to the value Z, one pulse is supplied at the output U, and in this case the sum present in the counter is reduced by Z. In other words, if the value of the sum is exactly equal to the value Z the result R=0 is obtained, while if the sum is greater than the value Z the result R supplied to the buffer 24 is equal to the remainder in the counter.
The buffer 24 passes the value R from its input to its output each time a pulse of the signal 21 is supplied to the clock input. The output E of the buffer is fed back to the counter 23, in particular to input 29. The above-mentioned set value A is supplied to input 28.
The operation of the arithmetic unit 19 is further illustrated by the table which follows the description. For the sake of simplicity, low numbers have been chosen for the values A and Z in the table. In the example, A=4 and Z=16. As shown in the table, in the initial state A=4, the output of the buffer E=0 and the result R at the counter is equal to 4. At the moment a pulse of the signal 21 arrives at the buffer 24, the value R is passed to the input 29 of the counter 23. For example R=A+E=4+4=8. A similar reasoning applies to subsequent pulses. As already described, each time the sum in the counter reaches the value Z=16, an output pulse is supplied to the output U.
From the foregoing it is clear that for every Z pulses supplied to the buffer 24, A pulses are supplied to the drive 11. It is also clear that the frequency of the pulse train supplied to the drive 11 is at each moment proportional to the revolution of the main shaft 22. Also, by altering the value A corrections can be made to the number of pulses supplied to the drive 11, in order to regulate the quantity of weft yarn 1 drawn off.
From FIG. 1 it is clear that in the case where the yarn draw-off rollers 8 turn with constant speed, the value A must be equal to the number of pulses which have to be supplied to the drive 11 in order to wind off a length of weft thread L equal to the weaving width. In the theoretical case, when the disturbance functions which occur in practice are not taken into account, the value A can simply be calculated or determined beforehand, as further illustrated in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2 the drive of motor 11 is coupled to the draw-off rollers 8 by means of a transmission 31. The transmission 31 has a transmission ratio j. The yarn draw-off rollers have a diameter d.
In order to wind off one unit of length, K/πXdx; pulses are necessary at the motor 11, where K represents the number of pulses necessary to make the motor 11 carry out one revolution.
For a length L, it is therefore necessary to have KxL/πXdXj pulses; in other words:
A=KXL/πXdxj,
at least when operating with a constant yarn draw-off speed.
In order to illustrate the operation of the device 17, four curves are shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, where respectively FIG. 3 represent the signal 21, FIG. 4 represents the pulse train supplied to the drive 11 in the case where A=10 and A remains constant during one complete revolution of the main axis 22, FIG. 5 represents the speed of the yarn draw-off rollers 8 and FIG. 6 represents the corresponding quantity of thread or thread length 1 which has passed through the yarn draw-off mechanism 3 from the beginning of the corresponding cycle. FIGS. 3 and 4 show clearly that for every Z pulses of the signal 21, ten pulses are supplied to the motor 11 per revolution of the main shaft 22. Since the signal 21 here is a regular pulse train, or in other words since the speed of the main shaft 22 remains constant, clearly also the pulses in FIG. 4 are supplied at constant time intervals.
FIGS. 7 to 10 show similar curves for the case in which the value A increases at time t =M during a cycle of revolution of the main shaft 22. From FIG. 8 it can be clearly seen that at moment M the frequency of the pulse train supplied to the drive 11 of the yarn draw-off mechanism 3 follows this variation proportionately. FIG. 9 shows how the speed of the yarn draw-off rollers 8 increases proportionately, and FIG. 10 shows how the thread quantity or thread length 1 increases in proportion.
It is therefore clear that should the set value A be altered, more or less pulses are supplied to the motor 11, so that the quantity of weft thread drawn off the package 32 per unit time alters, or in other words so that more or less yarn is wound off.
Thanks to the use of the device 17 described for this purpose, the method and the device according to the invention are particularly suited to making allowance for the condition and type of the weft yarn supplied during weft yarn preparation, and for a number of parameters of the insertion mechanism used.
For example, it is always the case that the weft thread drawn from a yarn package is under a certain tension, which varies for various reasons such as variation in the speed of the thread. Since the yarn draw-off rollers 8 measure off the weft thread 1 under tension, it is obvious that the weft yarn leaving the yarn draw-off rollers will have an effective length smaller than the length measured off, as a result of contraction of the thread. Furthermore, as a result of the tension variations in the weft yarn drawn off the yarn package, variations in the thickness of the thread also occur, so that the effective winding diameter of the yarn draw-off rollers 8 also undergoes variations, with the result that deviations occur in the effective quantity of thread drawn off.
FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate the effect just described which the alterations in the thickness of the weft yarn 1 have on the winding off process of the yarn draw-off mechanism 3. In FIG. 11 a weft yarn 1 with a yarn thickness d1 is wound off by means of a simple yarn draw-off roller 8 with a diameter of D. The effective winding diameter of course amounts to D1, and thus for each revolution a yarn quantity of XD1 is drawn off. On the other hand, if as shown in FIG. 12 the yarn thickness is d2, where d2 is smaller than d1, then clearly the effective winding diameter D2 will be smaller than said effective winding diameter D1, so that for each revolution less thread will be wound off.
It is clear that, according to the present invention, the variation just described, as well as other variations, can be simply taken into account by processing said variations in the setting unit 18 and from them calculating the optimum value of A. For this purpose, the setting unit 18 can use various parameters, such as the transition between two packages 32 and 33 detected by a detector 34, and also the thickness of and the tension in the weft yarn 1 and the speed of the yarn draw-off rollers 8, which can for example be measured respectively by appropriate measuring devices 35, 36 and 37. When calculating the value A, it is also possible to take into account the characteristics of the yarn draw-off rollers 8, the effect of the speed of the weft yarn and of its accelerations, the diameter of the active package 32, which determines the yarn draw-off tension, the binding pattern and the free length of thread detected at the weft detector 15. On the basis of all the above-mentioned data, the yarn draw-off rollers 8 are controlled by means of the set value A so as to produce a compensating effect, and so that the effective thread length supplied corresponds to the actual thread length required.
The above-mentioned value A does not necessary have to be a fixed value which is modified according to the above-mentioned parameters. A predefined function for the value of A can for example also be put into the setting unit 18. This last is of particular importance when weaving with several weft threads, where the weaving machine has as many devices according to FIG. 1 as the number of different weft yarns being worked with. Since the time interval between two successive insertions of the same sort of weft yarn may be relatively large, the yarn draw-off rollers 8 are not activated continuously but are systematically activated and deactivated. In the present invention, this is done by letting the corresponding value A describe an appropriate function.
This operation is further illustrated by the diagrams in FIGS. 13 to 18, in which three weft yarns are being used. The diagrams in figs. 13, 15, 17 show respectively the curve of the values A(1), A(2) and A(3), i.e. for each of the three colours. The curves correspond to the respective velocities V(1), V(2) and V(3) of the respective motors 11 used for each of the three yarns. As shown in FIGS. 13, 15 and 17, the yarn draw-rollers are activated alternately at overlapping intervals, where each activation period T1, T2 and T3 is formed for example by a first phase 38 during which the yarn draw-off rollers 8 are gradually brought up to speed, a second phase 39 during which the yarn draw-off rollers 8 turn with constant speed, and a third phase 40 during which the yarn draw-off rollers 8 are gradually brought to a halt once more.
Since, at least in the example shown, an insertion i of one corresponding type of weft yarn occurs only once every three weaving cycles C1, C2 and C3, it is clear that each activation period T1, T2 and T3 can be greater than the one period C1 or C2 or C3 necessary for accomplishing a weaving cycle.
FIGS. 14, 16 and 18 show the curve of the quantity of thread in the tube 9 for the respective thread insertion mechanisms. During the periods i indicated, insertion is carried out and the corresponding tube is thus completely emptied.
The present invention also concerns a method for regulating the length of weft thread inserted into the shed, in which optimum control of the same is obtained by using the above-mentioned device 17. In order to achieve this, in the first instance the thread clip 6 is opened and closed at well-defined times in the weaving cycle, where these times can be set beforehand. The drive 11 of the yarn draw-off mechanism 3 is controlled so that, as shown in FIG. 19, with the thread clip 6 closed a thread accumulation 5 is first formed, which however is never greater than the length of thread required for one insertion. After the thread clip 6 is opened, as shown in FIG. 20 the thread accumulation 5 formed is released, so that the weft yarn 1 is brought with its leading end 41 into the shed 12. During the last phase of the insertion the thread supply of weft yarn 1 is taken directly from the yarn draw-off rollers 8, until the thread clip 6 closes, as shown in FIG. 21. Obviously the drive 11 should be controlled in such a way that when the thread clip 6 closes the leading end 41 of the weft yarn 1 must be located precisely at the receiving side of the shed 12, i.e. at the weft detector 15. Subsequently, after the beat-up movement of the reed 13, the length of weft thread inserted can be cut off by means of the cutter 16 in the conventional way.
FIGS. 22 to 25 show a number of diagrams illustrating the last-mentioned special application, when working with two weft threads X and Y, for example different colours. By way of example the period P of a weaving pattern repeat consists of three weaving cycles, where in the first weaving cycle C1 an insertion of weft yarn Y is carried out, while successive insertions of weft yarn X are carried out in cycles C2 and C3.
FIG. 22 also shows the velocity V(X) of the yarn draw-off mechanism of the weft yarn X, while FIG. 23 shows the quantity Q(X) of the above-mentioned thread accumulation 5. FIGS. 24 and 25 similarly show the values V(Y) and Q(Y).
The first insertion of colour X occurs between times t4 and t6, while the second occurs between times t7 and t9. For the first insertion, two cycles C1 and C2 are available for forming an accumulation Q(X) of one weft thread length, while for the second insertion only one cycle C2 is available. This also explains why during the first two cycles C1 and C2 the drive 11 of the yarn draw-off mechanism for weft thread X can operate at half velocity V(X) =a relative to the third cycle C3 where V(X)=b=2a.
For colour Y, only one insertion occurs for every three cycles, so that the yarn draw-off mechanism for this colour Y can run at constant velocity V(Y)=e, where e=1/3b.
Here it should be noted that areas S1 and S2 under the velocity curve 42 and the area S3 under the velocity curve 43 are representative of the quantity of weft thread released at the respective insertions. For ideal control of the drives 11 of the respective yarn draw-off mechanisms of the weft threads X and Y, S1=S2=S3.
It should also be noted that each insertion period i consists of two phases 44 and 45, where during phase 44 the thread accumulation 5 formed is carried into the shed 12, while during phase 45 thread insertion occurs directly from the corresponding yarn draw-off mechanism. The start and end of the insertion period Y are of course determined by respectively the opening and closing of the corresponding thread clip.
Note also that the velocity curve 42 in FIG. 22 is only the theoretical curve of the velocity V(X). It is also clear that this velocity V(X) will not actually jump suddenly at times t0, t6 and t9. A possible curve obtainable in practice is shown by the dotted line 46, where the maximum velocity V(X) =c in practice will actually be higher than said theoretical maximum velocity V(X) =b.
The curve 46 also shows the required variation of the value A, i.e. the function which must be inputted to the setting unit 18. Here it should be noted that for each pulse 21 coming from the main shaft 22 the setting unit 18 adjusts the value A.
It is obvious that the beginning and the end of each insertion period i are determined respectively by the moment of opening and closing of the corresponding thread clip 6.
Finally it should be noted that the areas S1A and S2A under the curve 46 in FIG. 22 in practice do not have to be equal to each other as are the above-mentioned areas S1 and S2 in the ideal case. It always happens that the yarn draw-off speed (c) for the preparation of each second insertion of the weft yarn X is greater than the yarn draw-off speed (a) for the preparation of each first insertion of the weft yarn X where, as is known, in the first case the thread diameter is usually decreased as a result of the higher draw-off tension. This in turn leads to the result (as already explained with the help of FIGS. 11 and 12) that the thread length actually drawn off is smaller than the measured-off length, so that in order to compensate for this it is necessary to operate at a higher speed than is theoretically required, thus giving rise to the difference in value between S1A and S2A.
Since as constant a speed as possible of the drive 11 of the yarn draw-off mechanism 3 is sought, the difference in velocity between V(X) =a and V(X) =b is reduced as much as possible. As shown in FIG. 26 this is achieved by not having the two insertions of the colour X occur at the same point within their respective periods C2 and C3, but instead carrying out the first insertion earlier and the last insertion later, with displacements over a period T corresponding to five or so degrees of revolution. As a result, the base of the above-mentioned area S1 becomes shorter, while the base of the above-mentioned area S2 is lengthened, so that the speed a likewise increases to a1 and the speed b decreases to b1, so that the velocity V(X) is subject to a less great difference W=b1-a1 than was the case in the condition corresponding to FIG. 22.
By this means, not only is the drive 11 of the yarn draw-off mechanism 3 controlled according to the above-mentioned method, i.e. by means of the setting unit 18 and the arithmetic unit 19, but the thread clip 6 is also controlled in the same manner. This is shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 1.
The thread clip 6 is of the type which is pressed together by means of a spring 47 and which can be opened once more by energizing a solenoid 48. By means of a rotating cam 49 the thread clip 6 can be closed against the force of the solenoid 48 at a very precise time. The drive 50 of the cam 49 is provided by e.g. a stepper motor. The moment of closing of the thread clip 6 is set by using a setting unit 51 and an arithmetic unit 52 similar to the setting unit 18 and the arithmetic unit 19 of the drive 11 of the yarn draw-off rollers 8. Clearly, a suitable function for the set value B is read into the setting unit 51. By setting the value B it is relatively simple to set and modify the above-mentioned period T.
The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and shown in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, such a method and device for regulating the supply of weft thread on weaving machines can be made in different variants while still remaining within the scope of the invention.
__________________________________________________________________________CLOCK INPUTTO BUFFER(Z PULSES SET BUFFER COUNTERPER REV.) VALUE OUTPUT OUTPUT PULSE TRAINZ = 16 A E R TO DRIVE 11__________________________________________________________________________START 4 0 4PULSE1 4 4 82 4 8 123 4 12 16 + RESET 1st PULSE4 4 0 45 4 4 86 4 8 127 4 12 16 + RESET 2nd PULSE8 4 0 49 4 4 810 4 8 1211 4 12 16 + RESET 3rd PULSE12 4 0 413 4 4 314 4 8 1215 4 12 16 + RESET 4th PULSE16 4 0 4 (TOTAL = A)__________________________________________________________________________ | A method for regulating the supply of weft thread on weaving machines includes the steps of winding the weft thread from a thread supply by means of a draw-off roller driven by a motor, supplying the thread to an accumulator, and controlling the draw-off roller motor by a pulse train generated on the basis of a set value and a second pulse train whose frequency is proportional to the main shaft of the weaving machine. By adjusting the set value, the speed of the draw-off roller can be adjusted to account for such factors as thread type, thickness extensibility and diameter, and also thread supply package diameter and variations in thread draw-off speed. A device for implementing the method of the invention includes, in a preferred embodiment, a cam, a set value setting unit, a shaft pulse generator for generating the second pulse train, a buffer, and a counter which adds the set value and the second pulse train to generate the first pulse train. | 3 |
This invention pertains to concentrated liquid fabric softener compositions comprising a fabric substantive agent in conjunction with a fabric softening component. The fabric substantive agent is selected from polyamines, alkylpyridinium salts and mixtures thereof. The fabric softening component can be represented by quaternary ammonium salts, alkylimidazolinium salts, fatty esters, ethers of fatty alcohols, fatty compounds which are interrupted by a sulfur or a nitrogen atom, and mixtures thereof. In preferred composition herein, the fabric softening component is represented by a mixture of a quaternary ammonium salt and an additional fabric softening component selected from fatty esters, ethers of fatty alcohols and fatty compounds containing a long alkyl chain which are interrupted by a sulfur or nitrogen atom.
The concentrated liquid softeners of this invention, in addition to easy pourability and water dispersability, provide a series of important advantages inclusive of: consumer convenience in transport, storage and usage flexibility inasmuch as housewives are not any longer limited in selecting "their" degree of softeness by the capacity of the fabric softener dispenser in automatic washing machines. Another convenience aspect relates to the possibility now offered to the consumer to either utilize a concentrated product as such or to utilize it in a conventional concentration after predilution.
Although it was well recognized that concentrated fabric softener compositions could provide convenience and utilization facilities to housewives, as of yet no technical solutions could be made available to overcome known deficiencies, especially, pourability and water dispersability, inherent to conventional products containing more than about 10 to 12% active materials. Attempts have been undertaken to solve these problems through the use of electrolytes, inclusive of calcium chloride in e.g. levels up to 2000 ppm. However, such remedies have not provided a satisfactory solution to the problems inasmuch as all that can be achieved is to possibly incorporate a few percent more actives into conventional liquid fabric softeners. However, the prior art does not provide a solution to formulate a commercially viable liquid rinse-softener product containing active ingredient levels as claimed herein, or more broadly above about 15%, which do not have the physical appearance and use shortcomings set forth above.
It is a main object of this invention to provide concentrated fabric softener compositions having pourability and water-dispersability properties which are substantially comparable to liquid softeners having conventional active concentration ranges i.e. from about 3 to about 10% by weight.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a liquid concentrated softener composition the physical aspects of which resemble conventional low-active softeners and which is not subject to any phase-stability or other deficiencies which can develop during prolonged storage.
The above and other objects of this invention can now be obtained through the combined use of a fabric-substantive agent and a fabric-softening component in defined ranges as can be seen from the following description of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been discovered that concentrated liquid fabric softeners can be prepared which are capable of providing a series of convenience, usage and, generally, economical advantages.
The concentrated compositions herein comprise: from about 25% to about 55% by weight of an active system containing a fabric-substantive agent and a fabric-softening component, the fabric-substantive agent being selected from the group of:
(1) a compound having the formula ##STR1## wherein R is selected from an alkyl or alkenyl group having from 10 to 24 carbon atoms in the alk(en)yl chain, and R-O(CH 2 ) n1 --; the R 1 's which may be the same or different each represent hydrogen, --(C 2 H 4 O) p H, --(C 3 H 6 O) q H, --(C 2 H 4 O) p' (C 3 H 6 O) q' H, a C 1-3 alkyl group or the group --(CH 2 ) n2 --N(R') 2 , wherein R' is selected from hydrogen, --(C 2 H 4 O) p H,--(C 3 H 6 O) q H,--(C 2 H 4 O) p' (C 3 H 6 O) q' H and a C 1-3 alkyl group, where n, n 1 and n 2 each represent an integer from 2 to 6, m is an integer from 1 to 5, each p, q and (p'+q') may be 0 or a number such that (p+q+p'+q') does not exceed 25, and, if in the salt or partial salt form, A.sup.(-) represents one or more anions having total charge balancing that of the nitrogen atom(s);
(2) an alkylpyridinium salt wherein the alkyl chain has from about 10 to 24 carbon atoms; and
(3) mixtures thereof; with the proviso that the fabric-substantive agent has a water-solubility of more than about 5% by weight at pH 2.5 and 20° C., the fabric-softening component being selected from the group of
(a) a quaternary ammonium salt having the formula ##STR2## wherein R 2 and R 3 represent hydrocarbyl groups having from 12 to 24 carbon atoms, R 4 and R 5 represent hydrocarbyl groups having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and X is an anion;
(b) an alkylimidazolinium salt having the formula ##STR3## wherein R 6 is a C 1-4 alkyl group, R 9 is hydrogen or a C 1-4 alkyl group, R 8 is a C 8-25 alkyl group; and R 7 is a C 9-25 alkyl group; and A.sup.⊖ is an anion;
(c) a fatty ester of mono- or polyhydric alcohols having from 1 to about 24 carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain, and mono- or polycarboxylic acids having from 1 to about 24 carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain with the provisos that the total number of carbon atoms in the ester is equal to or greater than 16 and that at least one of the hydrocarbon radicals in the ester has 12 or more carbon atoms;
(d) ethers of fatty alcohols having from 10 to 24 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain and mono- or polyalcohols having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms, whereby the total number of carbon atoms in the ether is equal to or greater than 16;
(e) compounds of the formula R 10 --X--R 11 wherein R 10 has from about 12 to 24 carbon atoms and R 11 from 1 to 6 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain which can be interrupted by not more than one oxygen link, and X stands for sulfur, ##STR4## and (f) mixtures thereof, whereby the weight of the fabric-substantive agent to the fabric-softening component is in the range from about 6:1 to about 1:4; and a liquid carrier.
The preferred fabric-substantive agent herein can be represented by alkoxylated diamines. Preferred compositions contain a ternary active system comprising the polyamines in combination with a mixture of two fabric softening components namely a first cationic softening component selected from the quaternary ammonium salt and the alkylimidazolinium salt and an additional nonionic softening component selected from fatty esters, ethers of fatty alcohols and fatty compounds containing a long-alkyl chain and a non-terminal amide group. In such preferred compositions, the cationic softening component represents less than half of the total mixture of the cationic softening component and the nonionic softening component.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The concentrated liquid softener composition of this invention comprises a fabric-substantive agent and a fabric softener component. The fabric-substantive agent can be represented by polyamines, alkylpyridinium salts and mixtures thereof. The fabric-softening component can be represented by quaternary ammonium salts, alkylimidazolinium salts, a series of nonionic softening components, and mixtures thereof. The individual ingredients are described in more detail hereinafter.
Unless indicated to the contrary, the "%" indications stand for percent by weight.
A first essential component herein is a fabric-substantive agent selected from the group of specific polyamines, alkylpyridinium salts and mixtures thereof. The polyamine component has the formula: ##STR5## wherein R is selected from an alkyl or alkenyl group having from 10 to 24, preferably from 16 to 20 carbon atoms in the alk(en)yl chain, and R--O--(CH 2 ) n1 --; the R 1 's which may be the same or different each represent hydrogen, --(C 2 H 4 O) p H, --(C 3 H 6 O) q H, --(C 2 H 4 O) p' (C 3 H 6 O) q' H, a C 1-3 alkyl group or the group-(CH 2 ) n2 -N(R') 2 , wherein R' is selected from hydrogen, --(C 2 H 4 O) p H, --(C 3 H 6 O) q H, --(C 2 H 4 O) p' (C 3 H 6 O) q' H and a C 1-3 alkyl group, where n, n 1 and n 2 each represent an integer from 2 to 6, preferably 2 or 3, m is an integer from 1 to 5, preferably 1 or 2, each p, q, and (p'+q') may be 0 or a number such that (p+q+p'+q') does not exceed 25. Preferably, each p, q and (p'+q') are 1 or 2. If in the salt or partial salt form, A.sup.⊖ represents one or more anions having total charge balancing that of the nitrogen atom(s).
Preferred fabric-substantive polyamines contain not more than one --C 2 H 4 OH, --C 3 H 6 OH, or --(C 2 H 4 O)(C 3 H 6 O)H group attached to each nitrogen atom, except that up to two of these monomeric groups (in this context, the mixed oxyethylene/oxypropylene radical containing 1 mole of each of the monomers is equally defined as a monomer), can be attached to a terminal nitrogen atom which is not substituted by an alkyl group having from 10 to 24 carbon atoms.
Polyamine species suitable for use herein include:
N-tallowyl,N,N',N'-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)1,3-propanediamine di-hydrochloride;
N-soybean alkyl-1,3-propane diammonium sulfate;
N-stearyl-N,N'-di(2-hydroxyethyl)-N'-(3-hydroxypropyl)-1,3-propanediamine dihydrofluoride;
N-cocoyl N,N,N',N',N'-pentamethyl-1,3-propane diammonium dichloride or dimethosulfate;
N-oleyl N,N',N'-tris(3-hydroxypropyl)-1,3-propanediamine dihydrofluoride;
N-stearyl N,N',N'-tris(2-hydroxyethyl) N,N'-dimethyl-1,3-propanediammonium dimethylsulfate;
N-palmityl N,N',N'-tris(3-hydroxypropyl)-1,3-propanediamine dihydrobromide;
N-(stearyloxypropyl) N,N',N'-tris(3-hydroxypropyl)1,3-propanediammonium diacetate;
N-tallowyl N-(3-aminopropyl)1,3-propanediamine trihydrochloride;
N-oleyl N-[N",N"-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)3-aminopropyl]N',N'-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)1,3 diaminopropane trihydrofluoride.
It is understood that the polyamines can also be represented by components comprising a heterocyclic moiety resulting from internal cyclization of the polyamines having the general formula indicated above. The cyclization can be produced in reacting the polyamines with formic acid followed by thermal dehydration. Typical examples of suitable polyamines containing such a heterocyclic moiety are: 1-[N-hydrogenated tallowylaminopropyl]-pentahydropyridinium dihydrochloride; 1-[N-stearylaminopropyl]-5-(hydroxyethyl)-tetrahydropyridinium sulfate.
Preferred species frequently contain an ethylene oxyde or propylene oxide radical condensed on one or more of the nitrogen atoms of the polyamine. The most preferred species contain one ethylene oxide or one propylene oxide group directly condensed onto each nitrogen atom.
A.sup.(-) may represent a halide or any appropriate acidic radical such as a di-acetate, or higher saturated or unsaturated acyl groups up to C 22 , and more in general all nitrogen charge balancing anions which are known to be suitable for use in these compositions. Preferred nitrogen charge balancing anions can be represented by halides, C 1-22 alkyl, C 1 -C 16 alkylaryl, arylsulf(on)ates, arylcarboxylates and C 1 -C 12 alkylcarboxylates. Examples of the preferred charge balancing anions include: fluoride, bromide, chloride, methyl sulfate, toluene-, xylene-, cumene-, and benzene-sulfonate, dodecylbenzenesulfonate, benzoate, parahydroxybenzoate, acetate, propionate and laurate.
The fabric substantive agent herein can also be represented by alkyl pyridinium salts having the following formula ##STR6## wherein R 12 is a C 10 -C 24 , preferably C 16 or C 18 alkyl radical, and A.sup.(-) is a suitable anion as defined hereinbefore, preferably a halide, especially chloride and bromide.
Individual species of the fabric-substantive agent can be used as well as mixtures thereof. For example, a combination of differently substituted mixtures of polyamines can be used or a mixture of polyamine(s) and alkylpyridinium salts.
Suitable fabric-substantive agents herein are additionally characterized by a water-solubility of more than about 5% at pH 2.5 and 20° C.
A second essential ingredient in the compositions of this invention is a fabric-softening component selected from the group of: quaternary ammonium salts; alkylimidazolinium salts; fatty esters; fatty ethers; fatty compounds containing a sulfur or nitrogen linking atom and mixtures thereof.
The quaternary ammonium salt has the formula ##STR7## wherein R 2 and R 3 represent hydrocarbyl groups having from 12 to 24, preferably from 16 to 22 carbon atoms, R 4 and R 5 represent hydrocarbyl groups having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and X is an anion, preferably selected from halide and methylsulfate.
Representative examples of quaternary ammonium salts herein include ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride; ditallow dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate; dihexadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium chloride; dioctadecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; dieicosyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; didocosyl dimethyl ammonium chloride; di(hydrogenated tallow) dimethyl ammonium methyl sulfate; dihexadecyl diethyl ammonium chloride; dihexadecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide; ditallow dipropyl ammonium bromide; di(coconutalkyl)dimethyl ammonium chloride. Ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride, di(hydrogenated tallow-alkyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride and di(coconut-alkyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride are preferred.
The alkylimidazolinium salts herein have the formula ##STR8## wherein R 6 is an alkyl containing from 1 to 4, preferably 1 or 2 carbon atoms, R 7 is an alkyl containing from 9 to 25 carbon atoms, R 8 is an alkyl containing from 8 to 25 carbon atoms, and R 9 is hydrogen or an alkyl containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms. Preferred imidazolinium salts include 1-methyl-1-[(tallowylamido-)ethyl]-2-tallowyl-4,5-dihydroimidazolinium methyl sulfate--commercially available under the trade name VARISOFT 475, from ASHLAND CHEMICAL Company-- and 1-methyl-1-[(palmitoylamido)ethyl]-2-octadecyl-4,5-dihydroimidazolinium chloride. Also suitable herein are the imidazolinium fabric softening components of U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 687,951 to Pracht and Nirschl, incorporated herein by reference. A - is an anion having the meaning given above, preferably a halide or a methosulfate.
Suitable fatty esters herein are derived from mono- or polyhydric alcohols having from 1 to about 24 carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain, and mono- or polycarboxylic acids having from 1 to about 24 carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain with the provisos that the total number of carbon atoms in the ester is equal to or greater than 16 and that at least one of the hydrocarbon radicals in the ester has 12 or more carbon atoms.
The fatty acid portion of the fatty ester can be obtained from mono- or polycarboxylic acids having from 1 to about 24 carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain. Suitable examples of monocarboxylic fatty acids include behenic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, lauric acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, isobutyric acid, valeric acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid and β,β"-dihydroxyisobutyric acid. Examples of suitable polycarboxylic acids include: n-butyl-malonic acid, isocitric acid, citric acid, maleic acid, malic acid and succinic acid.
The fatty alcohol radical in the fatty ester can be represented by mono- or polyhydric alcohols having from 1 to 24 carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain. Examples of suitable fatty alcohols include: behenyl, arachidyl, cocoyl, oleyl and lauryl alcohol, ethylene glycol, glycerol, ethanol, isopropanol, vinyl alcohol, diglycerol, xylitol, sucrose, erythritol, pentaerythritol, sorbitol or sorbitan.
Preferred fatty esters herein are ethylene glycol, glycerol and sorbitan esters wherein the fatty acid portion of the ester normally comprises a species selected from behenic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, palmitic acid or myristic acid.
Sorbitol, prepared by catalytic hydrogenation of glucose, can be dehydrated in well-known fashion to form mixture of 1,4 and 1,5-sorbitol anhydrides and small amounts of isosorbides. (See Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 2,322,821, issued June 29, 1943). This mixture of sorbitol anhydrides is collectively referred to as sorbitan. The sorbitan mixture will also contain some free, uncyclized sorbitol.
Sorbitan esters useful herein can be prepared by esterifying the "sorbitan" mixture with a fatty acyl group in standard fashion, e.g., by reaction with a fatty acid halide or fatty acid. The esterification reaction can occur at any of the available hydroxyl groups, and various mono-, di-, etc., esters can be prepared. In fact, mixtures of mono-, di-, tri-, etc., esters almost always result from such reactions. Esterified hydroxyl groups can, of course, be either in terminal or internal positions within the sorbitan molecule.
It is also to be recognized that the sorbitan esters employed herein can contain up to about 15% by weight of esters of the C 20 -C 26 , and higher, fatty acids, as well as minor amounts of C 8 , and lower, fatty esters. The presence or absence of such contaminants is of no consequence in the present invention.
The glycerol esters are also highly preferred. These are the mono-, di- or tri-esters of glycerol and the fatty acids as defined above.
Specific examples of fatty alcohol esters for use herein include: stearyl acetate, palmityl di-lactate, cocoyl isobutyrate, oleyl maleate, oleyl dimaleate, and tallowyl propionate. Fatty acid esters useful in the present invention include: xylitol monopalmitate, pentaerythritol monstearate, sucrose monostearate, glycerol monostearate, ethylene glycol monostearate and sorbitan esters. Suitable sorbitan esters include sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan palmitate, sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monomyristate, sorbitan monobehenate, sorbitan monooleate, sorbitan dilaurate, sorbitan distearate, sorbitan dibehate, sorbitan dioleate, and also mixed tallowalkyl sorbitan mono- and di-esters. Glycerol esters are equally highly preferred in the composition herein. These are the mono-, di-, or tri-esters of glycerol and the fatty acids of the class described above. Glycerol monostearate, glycerol monooleate, glycerol monopalmitate, glycerol monobehenate, and glycerol distearate are specific examples of these preferred glycerol esters.
The fatty esters used herein contain a number of carbon atoms equal to or greater than 16; normally, the fatty esters contain at least one alkyl radical having 12 or more carbon atoms.
The esters of fatty alcohol have from 10 to 24, preferably from 16 to 22 carbon atoms, in the fatty alcohol group and from 2 to about 8 carbon atoms in the etherifying moiety. Suitable fatty alcohols are of natural or synthetic origin and include behenyl, arachidyl, cocoyl, oleyl, lauryl, myristyl and palmityl alcohol. The etherifying moiety can be represented mono- or polyalcohols and by alkylene oxides having preferably a degree of polymerization of not more than 2. Examples of suitable species include: ethylene glycol, glycerol, ethanol, isopropanol, vinyl alcohol, diethyleneglycol, di(propylene oxide), sorbital, ethoxypropylene oxide and pentaerythritol.
The total number of carbon atoms in the ether is equal to or greater than 16.
Specific examples of fatty alcohol mono-ethers are: batyl alcohol (stearyl glycerol mono-ether), behenyl ethyleneglycol monoether, octadecyl vinyl ether, cocoyl sorbital mono-ether, tallowyl diethyleneglycol ether, palmityloxypropyloxypropanol, and arachidylpentaerythritol monoether.
The fabric softening component can also be represented by a compound having the formula: R 10 --X--R 11 wherein R 10 has from about 12 to 24, preferably from 16 to 22 carbon atoms and R 11 from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain which can be interrupted by not more than one oxygen link and X stands for sulfur, ##STR9## Suitable examples of this compound include: N-stearyl methacrylamide, stearyl vinyl sulfide, N-palmityl-2-hydroxyethylamide, and N-tallowyl-3-hydroxypropylamide.
The liquid fabric softener compositions of this invention contain from about 25% to about 55% of an active system comprising the fabric sustantive agent and the fabric softening component, described in more detail hereinbelow, in a weight ratio of about 6:1 to 1:4. The fabric sustantive agent represents from about 25% to about 85% and the fabric softening component from about 15% to about 75%, the amounts being expressed by reference to the sum of fabric substantive agent and fabric softening component. In a preferred aspect of this invention, the fabric substantive agent represents from about 50% to about 85%, preferably from 65% to 80% and the fabric softening component selected from the quaternary ammonium salt and the alkyl imidazolinium salt --herinafter termed cationic softening component--represents from 15% to 50%, preferably from 35% to 20%. In another aspect of this invention, the fabric substantive agent represents from about 35% to about 65% and the fabric softening component selected from the fatty esters, the ethers of fatty alcohols and fatty compounds containing sulfur or nitrogen linking atoms--hereinafter termed nonionic softening component--represents from 35% to 65%.
In a preferred execution, the fabric softener composition herein is comprised of a ternary active system namely: the fabric substantive agent and a binary fabric softening component system containing a cationic softening component (thus selected from a quaternary ammonium salt and an alkyl imidazolinium salt) and a nonionic softening component (thus selected from fatty esters, fatty esters, and fatty compounds containing a sulfur or nitrogen linking atom). This preferred ternary active mixture contains from about 25% to about 65%, more preferably from 30% to 45% of the fabric substantive agent, from about 8% to about 35%, more preferably from 15% to 25% of the cationic softening component, and from about 15% to about 60%, more preferably from 30% to 55% of the nonionic softening component. In the preferred ternary executions, the weight ratio of the cationic softening component to the nonionic softening component is equal to or smaller than 1 (≦1), preferably ≦0.7.
In additon to the above essential components, the compositions herein may contain other textile treatment or conditioning agents. Such agents include silicons, as for example, described in German patent application DOS 26 31 419 incorporated herein by reference.
The optional silicone component can be used in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 4%, preferably from 0.3% to 3% of the softener composition. In other preferred executions of this invention, the weight ratio of the sum of fabric softening component and silicone to total fabric substantive agent is in the range from 2:1 to 1:3.
The compositions herein can contain optional ingredients which are known to be suitable for use in textile softeners at usual levels for thier known function. Such adjuvants include emulsifers, perfumes, preservatives, germicides, viscosity modifiers, colorants, dyes, fungicides, stabilizers, brighteners, and opacifiers. These adjuvants, if used, are normally added at their conventional low levels (e.g., from about 0.1% to 5% by weight).
The polyamine fabric-substantive agent herein delivers the claimed advantages in either fully neutralized or only partly protonated form. The compositions of this invention have normally a pH below about 7.5, preferably in the range from 2.5 to 6.0.
The compositions can normally be prepared by mixing the ingredients together in water, heating to a temperature of about 60° C. and agitating for 5-30 minutes.
The ternary compositions containing a cationic and a nonionic softening component are preferably prepared in first melting the nonionic softening component followed by dispersing under stirring the fabric substantive agent and the cationic softening component in the molten nonionic softening component. The active mix is then dispersed in the aqueous seat, containing if needed a pH regulator.
Normally, at 60° C., the subject softening agents exist in liquid form and therefore form true emulsions with an aqueous continuous phase. On cooling, the disperse phase may wholly or partially solidify so that the final composition exists as a dispersion which is not a true liquid/liquid emulsion. It will be understood that the term "dispersion" means liquid/liquid phase or solid/liquid phase dispersions and emulsions.
The following experimental evidence serves to illustrate the invention and to facilitate its understanding.
EXAMPLE I
A concentrated liquid fabric softener was prepared having the composition listed hereinafter. The glycerol monostearate was molten at 65° C. The ditallowdimethylammoniumchloride and the N-tallowyl-N,N', N'-tri(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,3propane diamine (unneutralized) were dispersed, under stirring, in the molten glycerolmonostearate to thus form the (molten) active material premix. The (active material) premix was thereafter dispersed under vigorous stirring in a waterseat having a temperature of about 60° C. Prior to adding the premix, hydrochloric acid and minor ingredients were added to the waterseat to adjust the pH of the liquid softener composition to 4.5 (measured at 20° C.).
______________________________________INGREDIENTS PARTS BY WEIGHT______________________________________N-tallowyl-N,N',N'-tri(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,3-propanediamine dihydrochloride 12Ditallowyldimethylammoniumchloride 4Glycerolmonostearate 16Water and minor ingredients balance to 100pH of composition as is at 22° C.:5______________________________________
The concentrated composition of this invention was easily pourable at ambient temperature after preparation and after a prolonged storage.
This composition showed excellent phase stability and homogeneity after a 2 weeks storage.
This composition also showed excellent fabric rinse-softener properties either on adding to the rinse in its concentrated form thereby reducing the quantity to be added to thus take into account the higher level of actives, or after predilution to the usual liquid rinse softener concentration (5% to 8%).
Substantially comparable fabric-softener performance can be obtained from the composition of example I where N-tallowyl-N,N', N'-tri(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,3 propanediamine is replaced with a substantially equivalent amount of a polyamine selected from the group of:
N-soybean alkyl-1,3-propane diammonium sulfate;
N-stearyl-N,N'-di(2-hydroxyethyl)-N'-(3-hydroxypropyl)-1,3-propanediamine dihydrofluoride;
N-cocoyl N,N,N', N', N'-pentamethyl-1,3-propane diammonium dichloride or dimethosulfate;
N-oleyl N,N', N'-tris(3-hydroxypropyl)-1,3-propanediamine dihydrofluoride;
N-stearyl N,N', N'-tris(2-hydroxyethyl) N,N'-dimethyl-1,3-propanediamonium dimethylsulfate;
N-palmityl N,N', N'-tris(3-hydroxypropyl)-1,3-propanediamine dihydrobromide;
N-(stearyloxyproply) N,N', N'-tris(3-hydroxypropyl)1,3-propanediammonium diacetate;
N-tallowyl N-(3-aminopropyl)1,3-propanediamine trihydrochloride;
N-oleyl N-[N", N" bis(2-hydroxyethyl)3-aminopropyl]N', N'-bis(2hydroxyethyl)3-aminopropyl]N', N'-bis (2-hydroxyethyl)1,3 diaminopropane trihydrofluoride.
1-[N-hydrogenated tallowylaminopropyl]-pentahydropyridinium dihydrochloride; and
1-[N-stearylaminopropyl]-5-(hydroxyethyl)-tetrahydropyridinium sulfate.
A series of concentrated liquid fabric softeners have the compositions given hereinafter are prepared in a conventional manner:
__________________________________________________________________________INGREDIENTS PARTS BY WEIGHTExamples: II III IV V VI VII VIII__________________________________________________________________________N-oleyl-N,N',N'-tri(3-hydroxypropyl)-1,3-propanediamine dihydrofluoride 8 20N-tallowyl-N,N', N'-tri(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,3-propanediamine dihydrochloride 36 16N-soybean alkyl-1,3-propanediammoniumsulfate 22N-cocoyl-N,N,N',N',N'-pentamethyl-1,3-propanediammonium dimethosulfate 10 12Ditallowyldimethylammonium chloride 6 10 6 8 5Glycerol monostearate 12 12 4 14Stearyl acetate 8Stearylglyceryl mono-ether 12N-stearyl methacrylamide 18Water and minor ingredients balance to 100__________________________________________________________________________
The compositions of examples II through VIII show excellent phase stability, homegeneity, pourability and dispersability after a prolonged storage.
Substantially comparably performing fabric-softening compositions result from the compositions of examples II, VI and VIII wherein the glycerol monostearate is substituted by an equivalent amount of a nonionic softening component selected from the group of: xylitol monopalmitate, pentaerythritol monostearate, sucrose monostearate, batyl alcohol, ethyleglycol monoether, octadecylvinylether, cocoylsorbitolmonoether, tallowyldiethyleneglycol ether, palmityloxypropyloxypropanol; and arachidylpenterythritol monoether.
A series of additional liquid fabric softeners in accordance with the invention herein are prepared thereby using the sequence of processing steps and manufacturing conditions set forth in example I above.
__________________________________________________________________________EXAMPLES IX X XI XII XII XIV XV__________________________________________________________________________N-hydrogenated tallowyl N,N',N'-trihydroxyethyl)1,3-propanediamine di-hydrochloride -- -- -- 6 -- 16 18N-soybean alkyl-1,3-propanediammonium sulfate 16 -- -- -- -- 6 --Glycerol monostearate 12 12 12 -- -- -- 14Stearyl glyceryl monoether -- -- -- 14 -- 18 --N-tallowyl N-(3-aminopropyl)1,3-propanediamine trihydrochloride -- 18 -- -- 22 -- --Polyram L 200 ®.sup.(1) dihydrobromide -- -- 16 -- -- -- --Di-hydrogenated tallowyl dimethylammonium chloride -- -- 4 4 -- -- --N-(stearyloxypropyl)N,N',N'-tri(3-hydroxypropyl)1,3-propanediammoniumdiacetate -- -- -- 12 -- -- --1-methyl 1-(tallowylamido)ethyl-2-tallowyl 4,5-dihydroimidazoliniummethosulfate -- -- -- -- 6 -- 8Water and minor ingredients Balance to 100__________________________________________________________________________ .sup.(1) Polyram L 200 ® has the chemical formula: ##STR10## it is sold by Pierrefitte-Auby. | Concentrated liquid fabric softeners containing a fabric substantive agent, inclusive of polyamines and alkylpyridinium salts, in conjunction with a fabric softening component, inclusive of quaternary ammonium salts; alkylimidazolinium salts; fatty esters; fatty ethers; and fatty compounds containing a sulfur or nitrogen linking atom, are disclosed. The subject concentrated softener compositions are easily dispersible in aqueous medium and thus can evenly deposit onto fibers to thereby provide textile handling benefits inclusive of softening, static control, ease-of-ironing, fluffiness, pliability and smoothness. | 3 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to effluent scrubbers and more particularly to an improved scrubber inlet system for use with effluent scrubbers.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the semiconductor industry, exhaust gas scrubbers are used to cleanse the unreacted silicon gases that are exhausted from silicon deposition systems. These gas scrubbers typically operate by passing the exhausted gas through an environment permeated with a misted or atomized fluid, such as water, which reacts with the unreacted particles in the gas to form solid deposits which rain from the gas into a collection reservoir.
Cross-sectional views of prior art gas scrubbers having elements similar to some of the gas scrubber models manufactured by Shannon, Inc. and Airprotek, Inc. are illustrated in FIGS. 1a and 1b, respectively. Both of these scrubbers cleanse the silicon gas exhausted from the deposition system by reacting it with water from one or more scrubbing jets, so as to form solid Silicon Dioxide (SiO2).
The problem with these types of silicon gas scrubbers is that an SiO2 coating is constantly being formed within the inlet pipe and unwashed walls of the scrubbing chamber. For example, in both FIGS. 1a and 1b, gas 1 passes through the inlet pipe 2 into the open area or transition region 3, where some of the gas mixes with the fluid mist 4. Silicon gas 1, which has mixed with fluid mist 4, is then carried by gas turbulence 7 and diffusion back-up and deposited on the insufficiently washed inner walls of the scrubbing chamber, so as to form a build-up 5. This SiO2 build-up results in a significant problem which, until the present invention, remained unsolved.
As is shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, the build-up of SiO2 results in the development of restrictions in the inlet flow pipe, as well as other places. These restrictions develop because the transition region between the inlet pipe and the scrubbing spray are dampened sufficiently so as to cause the silicon gas to react, but are insufficiently washed so as to prevent build-up. The transition region and inlet pipe are dampened for two reasons: first, because water mist from the scrubbing jet 6 is diffused back into the transition region 3 and entry pipe 2; and second, because an abrupt volume change occurs as gas exits the narrow inlet pipe and enters the large scrubbing chamber, thereby creating heavy gas turbulence 7 and causing water mist and precipitated solids to be swept back into the inlet pipe and onto the walls of the transition region.
The resulting restrictions cause back-pressure to be created in the reaction chamber of the silicon deposition system from which the gas is exhausted. Excessive back-pressure will result in loss of process control and require the deposition system to be shut down until the restriction can be removed. Silicon gas scrubbers presently require restriction removal between every 1 to 5 days, depending on specific conditions.
Restriction removal is performed by shutting the deposition system down, flushing the system and the scrubber out with nitrogen gas to make the surrounding environment safe to humans, unscrewing an access union 8 (FIG. 1b), mechanically plunging out the build-up, rinsing the inlet port with water, and then re-tightening the access union. In all, the average downtime for restriction removal is about 35 minutes: 10 minutes for a nitrogen gas pre-purge, 15 minutes devoted to the actual cleaning process, and 10 minutes for a nitrogen gas post-purge. At the present time, silicon deposition system downtime typically costs over $500.00 per hour.
One possible, but not completely effective, means of avoiding the solidification of SiO2 in the inlet port would be to use a venturi-type scrubbing system instead. Venturi scrubbers operate by passing uncleaned gas through a venturi and spraying or injecting water into the gas flow, thereby causing the solid particles in the gas to be impacted by the faster moving water droplets. This gas and water mixture is then passed into a cyclone or other apparatus which separates the dust-laden water droplets from the gas. The rapid and violent mixing of gas and fluid in venturi scrubbers, to some extent, helps to limit the amount of unclean gas which is exposed to unflushed walls.
Some examples of venturi-type scrubbers are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,620,510; 3,567,194; 3,638,925; 3,841,061; and 4,578,226. In these types of venturi scrubbers, the injected fluid is primarily used to scrub the incoming gas when forced through the venturi, and the fluid is given a rotational effect to improve the balance of the fluid/gas mixture. Since the overall purpose of a venturi scrubber is to inject cleaning fluid into the gas flow, no attempt is made by these scrubbers to introduce a mist free flow of fluid into the venturi. In addition, venturi scrubbers are generally not suitable for scrubbing silicon gas exhausted from silicon deposition systems because they develop restrictions rapidly and the venturi effect can adversely affect air pressure stabilization within the reaction chamber.
There are a number of other types of effluent gas scrubbing devices which utilize a centrifugal flow of fluid or gas to accomplish the scrubbing operation or to prevent particle adherence to internal surfaces of the scrubber. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,185, issued to Miczek, discloses a scrubber where water flows down the scrubbing chamber as a concentric sheet and tangentially introduced gas flows up the chamber in a helical path, such that dust particles, driven by centrifugal forces, are forced into the sheet of water and carried away. Use of a swirling sprayer within the scrubbing chamber (see FIG. 2) is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,281,254.
Another type of gas scrubber which uses a rotating film of fluid is the electro-inertial precipitator unit disclosed in Reif et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,418. Reif et al disclose injecting a fluid film onto the inner surface of a collector tube through which gas passes. Electrostatic and centrifugal forces operating on the gas passing down the tube cause the dust particles within the gas to mix with the liquid and be washed away.
A system which is structurally similar to the present invention, but related to a non-analogous art, is the falling film heat exchanger disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,545,028, issued to Haldeman. Haldeman discloses a heat exchanger in which a film of fluid adhering to the inlet pipe surface is used to absorb and retransmit heat between either two liquids, or a gas and a liquid, or perhaps even two gases. This patent does not concern itself with scrubbing uses, and is apparently not intended to prevent build-up of condensed material at the lower end of the inlet tube 17, (see FIG. 5).
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
List of Objectives
It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to provide an effluent gas scrubber system which minimizes the rate of restriction due to solid precipitate build-up and reduces inlet port cleaning time when restrictions do occur.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved scrubber inlet system which creates an abrupt, mist-free, dry-to-wet transition between the dry incoming gas plumbing and the wet, completely flushed walls of the scrubbing chamber.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved scrubber inlet system which minimizes gas turbulence in the stream of incoming gas, thereby minimizing the transport of moisture back up into the dry-to-wet transition region.
Another objective of the present invention is to isolate the dry-to-wet transition region from the mist producing nozzles of the scrubbing chamber by means of a water coated transition tube, thereby eliminating the diffusion of mist as a source of moisture in the dry, unflushed incoming gas pipes.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide an effluent gas scrubber system with a readily interchangeable gas inlet pipe.
Briefly, a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises an effluent gas scrubber having an improved scrubber inlet system including a transition tube having a fluted lower portion for directing precipitate carrying gas into a well flushed initial scrubbing chamber of the gas scrubber, a fluid reservoir affixed to the upper portion of the transition tube and having a plurality of fluid supply jets tangentially positioned along internal cavity forming walls of the reservoir so as to cause the fluid within the internal cavity of the reservoir to swirl, and a readily interchangeable gas inlet pipe which is co-axially positioned within the cavity and with respect to the transition tube so as to create a transition gap between the transition tube and the inlet pipe through which a swirling flow of fluid may exit the cavity and smoothly enter the upper portion of the transition tube without breaking its surface tension and thereby thoroughly coating the entire length of the transition tube with fluid, and so as to provide a smooth and abrupt transition between the dry-walled inlet pipe and the wet-walled transition tube.
List of Advantages of the Invention
An important advantage of the present invention is that it minimizes the rate of restriction build-up in the transition region and the inlet pipe, thereby reducing the number of required reactor shutdown periods for maintenance by typically a factor of 10 or more.
Another advantage of the present invention is that it simplifies the cleaning process of the inlet pipe, thereby reducing the length of shutdown periods when maintenance is required.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, contained in and illustrated by the various drawing figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIGS. 1a and 1b are cross-sectional views of prior art effluent gas scrubbers;
FIG. 2 is a partially-broken, partially cross-sectioned, elevational view of an effluent scrubbing system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an improved scrubber inlet system as shown in FIG. 2 and in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a partially-broken, partially cross-sectioned, elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 2 illustrates an effluent scrubbing system, shown generally at 10, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The scrubbing system is comprised of two main components, the scrubbing chamber shown generally at 12 and the scrubber inlet system shown generally at 14. Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention is ideally suited for use in the semiconductor industry, it also has application in any industry where the cleansing of effluent gas is required.
During the silicon deposition process used to create semiconductors, layers of silicon are deposited onto wafers by injecting silicon gas over the wafers at high temperature. Reacted silicon gas is deposited on the wafer and unreacted silicon gas is passed out of the reaction chamber's exhaust, where it is treated by an effluent scrubber before being released to the atmosphere. Hence, unreacted silicon gas travels from the reaction chamber into the gas scrubber through a supply pipe 16.
Supply pipe 16 is glued to a first threaded union 17a, which is in turn threadably engaged to the union nut 17b. Union nut 17b is then threadably engaged to a second threaded union 17c, which is glued to inlet pipe 18. The flow of gas throughout the scrubbing system is illustrated by block arrows 19. O-rings 20 seal the connection between the supply pipe 16, threaded unions 17a and 17c, and the inlet pipe 18. There is only a slight variation between the diameter of the inlet pipe 18 and the coating of water on the inside diameter of the transition tube 24, such that the exhaust gas experiences only a minimal volume change as it flows between the two, resulting in only minimal gas turbulence at the dry-to-wet transition region 25. It should be noted that a wide variety of different unions 17 may be utilized in addition to the arrangement shown above to removably affix the supply pipe 16 to the inlet pipe 18.
The inlet pipe 18 is co-axially positioned within a cylindrically-shaped fluid reservoir 22, which is integrally connected to the upper portion of a transition tube 24. Another O-ring 26 forms a seal between the inlet pipe 18 and the fluid reservoir 22. O-ring 26 prevents fluid, typically water, from escaping the reservoir 22. The water is supplied to the reservoir through fluid inlet port 28 and transferred through annular channel 30 to a plurality of fluid supply jets 32.
The supply jets 32 inject fluid at a high velocity into the cylindrical cavity 34 formed within the reservoir 22. Supply jets 32 are positioned along the reservoir's cavity forming inner walls so as to tangentially inject fluid into the cavity 34 and thereby cause the fluid within the cavity 34 to swirl or spin rapidly. As depicted in FIG. 2, the supply jets 32 are illustrated by a circled dot and a circled cross, which represent the tip and feathers of an arrow, thereby indicating the direction of fluid flow out of and into the page respectively.
Fluid exits the reservoir's cavity 34 through a small transition gap 33 formed between the bottom of the cavity 34, the bottom of the inlet pipe 18 and the top of the transition tube 24. The transition gap 33 is formed so that as fluid 35 exits the cavity 34, it maintains a high rotational velocity as it travels down the length of the transition tube 24. The rotational direction of the fluid in the reservoir's cavity and the transition tube 24 is shown by the directional arrows 36 and 38. By swirling or spinning the fluid in the transition tube, the internal walls of the transition tube may be completely coated with a washing flow of fluid and continuously flushed so as to prevent SiO2 buildup.
The dry-to-wet transition region 25 of the scrubber inlet system 14 of FIG. 2 is better illustrated with reference now to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a partially-broken, cross-sectional view of the inlet pipe 18, reservoir 22 and transition tube 24, further illustrating the transition of the exhaust gas 19 between the dry inlet pipe 18 and the wet transition tube 24. An important feature of the present invention is that this dry-to-wet environment transition is accomplished abruptly. Hence, the unreacted silicon gas 19 makes a quick transition from a dry environment to a totally wet, well-flushed environment without first passing through a region that is not well-flushed and constantly dampened by fluid mist.
A second important feature of the present invention is that the dry-to-wet environment transition is smooth as well as abrupt. This is achieved by making the diameter of the wet transition tube 24 slightly larger than the diameter of the dry inlet pipe 18, such that there is once again only a minimal change in volume between the inlet pipe 18 and the water lining the transition tube 24, resulting in only minimal gas turbulence. The spinning motion of the fluid exiting the cavity 34 also adds to the abrupt but smooth, dry-to-wet transition, because the swirling fluid creates a smoother, substantially mist free, uniform wall of fluid than would be achieved if the fluid was allowed to collect into individual streams. Thus, with regard to the present invention, the abrupt dry-to-wet transition minimizes the formation of stagnant wet surfaces on which SiO2 may collect and the smoothness of that transition reduces the extent of gas turbulence, which can cause fluid mist to be carried back into the dry inlet pipe 18.
With reference now back to FIG. 2, the remainder of the scrubbing system may be described. Since the design of the transition region 25 reduces the quantity of SiO2 which can form within the inlet pipe 18 and transition tube 24, there is a greatly reduced need to shut down the reactor system to remove restrictions in the scrubbing system's gas inlet. Depending on the type of system to which the present invention is compared, the reduction in required maintenance may be as great as ninety percent. However, because the transition will always produce some mist due to evaporation, and the drop in water pressure at the dry-to-wet transition region 25, some SiO2 buildup will occur, eventually leading to the necessary shutdown of the deposition reactor.
With regard to the present invention, the amount of time required to clean restrictions in the inlet pipe 18 is minimal. Inlet pipe 18 sits within and is supported by the reservoir 22 and O-rings 20 and 26. Inlet pipe 18 may be readily removed by unthreading the union nut 17b from the supply pipe 16 and removing the inlet pipe 18 from its O-ring seat. Although it is still necessary to purge the scrubbing system with nitrogen before and after performing maintenance, the amount of maintenance that is required may be accomplished in approximately one minute, thereby reducing the amount of time required to maintain prior art systems from 35 minutes to 21 minutes. At $500.00/hour, this time savings represents a significant overall savings in maintenance costs.
After the gas and fluid have entered the transition tube 24, they flow down the tube until they reach the fluted lower portion of the tube 24, where they enter the scrubbing chamber 12. An additional important feature of the present invention is the interface opening 40 between the transition tube 24 and the scrubbing chamber 12. It should be noted that if the scrubbing chamber is not sufficiently isolated from the dry-to-wet transition region 25, fluid mist from the scrubbing chamber could reach the transition region 25 and still result in SiO2 buildup. Accordingly, the dry-to-wet transition region 25 should be located at one end (the upper end) of the transition tube 24 and the scrubbing chamber 12 should be located at the other end (the lower end) of the transition tube 24.
The interface opening 40 is created by excising (or fluting) a half-cylindrical, lengthwise portion of transition tube 24 from its lower end, so as to allow gas to pass from the transition tube to the initial scrubbing chamber without creating unflushed surfaces in the transition tube or the scrubbing chamber.
Once the gas has reached the scrubbing chamber 12, it travels up through the various stages of the chamber and is released into the environment through exhaust pipe 50. Fluid issuing from the transition tube, as well as the fluid cascading down the internal walls of the scrubbing chamber 12, flows into the collection tank 52, where it is either recirculated or released as sewage water. Within the scrubbing chambers 12 are a number of scrubbing jets 54 and 56. The scrubbing jets are supplied with fluid from fluid supplies 58. The quantity of fluid sprayed by the scrubbing jets within the chamber must be enough to provide a constant and thorough coating of the chamber's walls, so as to prevent SiO2 buildup within the chamber.
Since the gas first entering the scrubbing chamber has the highest concentration of particulate matter, scrubbing jet 54 should provide more fluid for scrubbing than the other scrubbing jets. In addition, the drops of spray produced by scrubbing jet 54 should be large, so that fine mist, which may travel back up the transition tube 24, is kept to a minimum. For instance, a five gallon per minute coarse spray nozzle may be used for scrubbing jet 54, while one gallon per minute fine mist nozzles may be used for the other scrubbing jets. To further reduce the creation of fine mist in the first stage of the scrubbing chamber and improve purging efficiency, a baffle 60 may be provided in between the spray of scrubbing jet 54 and the spray of scrubbing jets 56.
Alternatively, as is depicted in FIG. 4, a third scrubbing chamber 70 could be added to further enhance the scrubbing efficiency of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and to provide for a novel pumping arrangement. In this alternative embodiment, the basic scrubbing chamber 12 and scrubber inlet system 14 are the same as those utilized in the preferred embodiment. The only changes to these elements are that the fluid inlet port 28 is shifted to the opposite side of fluid reservoir 22, and the exhaust pipe 50 is moved from the top of the scrubbing chamber to the side, where it connects to third scrubbing chamber 70.
The third scrubbing chamber 70 has two primary functions. First, it provides additional gas scrubbing to further cleanse the silicon gas being processed by the system. Second, it allows a greater quantity of fluid from the scrubbing chamber to be recirculated for additional use by the system.
As previously mentioned, the highest concentration of unreacted gas flows into scrubbing chamber 12. For this reason, the fluid in collection tank 52 typically has a high degree of acidity and dissolved solids, which tend to lead to rapid aging of the recirculation pump 72. To extend the life span of the recirculation pump 72 and to reduce the requirement for fresh fluid from fluid entry port 73, the drain pipe 74 drains fluid from the highly acidic collection chamber 52 while allowing the less saturated fluid in third scrubbing chamber 70 to be recirculated. Thus, pump 72 is saved from having to process an excessive amount of highly acidic fluid, fresh fluid requirements are reduced and pump life is extended.
Although the present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, it is anticipated that alterations and modifications thereof will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that the following claims be interpreted as covering all such alterations and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. | An effluent gas scrubbing system is disclosed having an improved scrubber inlet system including a transition tube having a fluted lower portion for directing particulate carrying gas into the mist saturated scrubbing chamber of a gas scrubber, a fluid reservoir affixed to the upper portion of the transition tube and having a plurality of fluid supply jets tangentially positioned along internal cavity forming walls of the reservoir so as to cause the fluid within the internal cavity of the reservoir to swirl, and a readily interchangeable gas inlet pipe which is co-axially positioned within the cavity and with respect to the transition tube so as to create a transition gap between the transition tube and the inlet pipe through which a swirling flow of fluid may exit the cavity and enter the upper portion of the transition tube so as to thoroughly coat the entire length of the transition tube with fluid, and so as to provide a smooth and abrupt transition between the dry-walled inlet pipe and the wet-walled transition tube. | 1 |
[0001] This is a continuation of continuation app. Ser. No. 09/456,995 filed on Dec. 7, 1999, which in turn is a continuation of app. Ser. No. 08/563,394 filed on Apr. 17, 1996.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to foamed plastic products and in particular to foamed plastic products having an outer protective skin which is extruded onto a resilient foamed product. The present invention is also directed to a method of manufacturing of the product.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Various types of foamed plastic products are known and many of these products are produced by an extrusion process and produce a body portion which is relatively soft and resilient. Foamed polyethylene extruded products have been used for pipe insulation and have also been applied about structural members to provide a resilient outer cushion member. For example, foamed polyethylene cushion members have been applied to supports of gymnastic equipment, playground equipment, football standards and basketball poles to reduce the possibility of injury by striking of the structural member.
[0004] Foamed polyethylene can be extruded in a number of different shapes and is very valuable for the type of applications described above. Unfortunately, the product is relatively soft, and thus, the outer surface can tear easily, even though there is a very thin skin portion produced at the outer surface of the product during the extrusion process. To overcome this problem, fabric or tape have been applied about the product, and thus, provides a further surface which protects the underlying polyethylene from damage
[0005] It would be desirable to have a foamed polyethylene product which has a tougher outer surface and one which can be produced in a cost effective manner. Some solutions to the above problem have been proposed and one such solution involves using a separately foamed cylindrical sheath, which when exposed to heat shrinks about a product. The outer sleeves are placed about a polyethylene foamed product and then heat is applied to the sheath which then contracts to the diameter of the foamed polyethylene. This results in a two-stage process to marry the polyethylene foamed body and the outer sheath and it also requires somehow placing the foamed polyethylene body within the outer sheath. Examples of these types of structures and other arrangements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,607,497, 3,813,372, 3,832,260 4,634,615, 4,776,803, 4,780,158, 4,861,412, 4,950,352 and 5,360,048.
[0006] The present invention seeks to address the problems outlined above and produce a product which can be produced at lower cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] A polyethylene product according to the present invention comprises a foamed body portion of polyethylene in combination with an outer skin of non-foamed thermal plastic polyethylene which is fused to the foamed body portion.
[0008] According to an aspect of the invention, the foamed body portion has a boundary layer which has undergone thermal degration and acts an intermediary securing by heat sealing the outer skin to the body portion.
[0009] According to a further aspect of the invention, the skin includes a significant amount of color pigment and is of a color unrelated to the body portion.
[0010] According to a further aspect of the invention, the outer skin includes a significant amount of ultraviolet stabilizers and the body portion does not have any significant amounts of ultraviolet stabilizers.
[0011] According to a further aspect of the invention, the polyethylene product with the body portion and the outer skin is of a generally cylindrical shape with an open central cavity which is placed about an elongate member, such that the elongate member is within the cavity whereby the polyethylene product provides an outer resilient sheath about the elongate body member.
[0012] A method of manufacturing, according to the present invention, produces a foamed polyethylene product having an outer tough sheath about a foamed polyethylene body portion. The method comprises extruding the foamed polyethylene body portion of a desired cross section, partially cooling the extruded body portion, and subsequently extruding a thin thermal plastic skin directly onto the body portion, resulting in fusing or heat sealing of the skin to an upper layer of the body portion, which due to the heat of the extruded skin, causes limited collapse of a boundary layer of the foamed body portion and securement of the skin to the body portion.
[0013] According to an aspect of the invention, the step of extruding the skin is conducted in-line with the step of extruding the polyethylene body portion and prior to complete cooling of the polyethylene body portion.
[0014] According to a further aspect of the invention, the method includes a step where the polyethylene body portion is pulled through a cylindrical extruding die which applies the extruded skin to the foamed body portion as it is pulled through the die.
[0015] According to a further aspect of the invention. The extruding die applies a skin having a thickness of approximately 0.003 inches.
[0016] According to a further aspect of the invention, the foamed body and the skin are of different colors.
[0017] According to yet a further aspect of the invention, the cylindrical die includes a control arrangement for adjusting the extrusion discharge rate from the cylindrical die and the method includes adjusting of the control arrangement to produce a desired outer skin thickness.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in FIG. 1, which is a schematic view of the two-stage in-line extrusion process;
[0019] [0019]FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the foamed polyethylene body after the first stage of the extrusion process; and
[0020] [0020]FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the final product.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] There are many known arrangement for extruding foamed polyethylene product and one such extruder is shown as 2 in the Figure. Product leaves the die of the extruder at 4 and almost immediately foam to full product dimensions, as generally indicated at 6 . Thus, the foamed product 6 , shortly downstream of the extruding die, is still relatively hot, but the outer skin 7 has formed and cooling is generally occurring from the outside in. Often, the extruded foamed polyethylene is exposed to cooling air or water cooling to reduce the time necessary to reduce the general temperature of the polyethylene foam. This foam has law thermal conductivity and this characteristic extends the time period required to fully cool the product. In any event, shortly downstream of the extrusion die 4 , the polyethylene foamed product passes through the cross head sheath extruder 8 . This extruder is basically a cylindrical ring through which the polyethylene foam is pulled and the cross heed extrudes a skin onto the outer surface of the polyethylene foam using the foam for support.
[0022] Surprisingly, it was found that the cross head sheath extruder 8 can extrude a skin 11 directly onto the foamed polyethylene body 6 to produce the skinned product 14 . Extruding of the skin onto the body portion 14 only causes a limited amount of thermal degradation in the polyethylene foam body, which thermal degradation assists in adhering or fusing the skin 11 to the body portion. It would seem that the excellent thermal insulating properties of the foamed body portion protect the underlying layers of the foamed body portion from the higher temperatures of the hot skin and allow sufficient time for the skin to cool. There is no appreciable collapse or loss in the overall shape of the product. In this way, there is very little damage to the foamed body portion and a tough, preferably polyethylene skin can be easily applied about the foamed body portion.
[0023] [0023]FIG. 2 slows the foamed product 6 before extruding the skin on the product and FIG. 3 shows the skinned polyethylene product 14 .
[0024] A further feature of the present invention is the reduction in color pigment that may be possible, in that the outer skin can have a very rich color while the foamed body can be of a completely different color or be essentially void of any color pigment. Furthermore, if the foamed core was made of recycled material, the color of the body portion does not matter, as the outer sheath provides the finished surface.
[0025] Another advantage of the present invention is using this method to first extrude the polyethylene foamed body and then apply a polyethylene outer skin to the foamed body. Any waste product is of polyethylene and as such, can be recycled and reused as part of the material for extruding the polyethylene foamed body. Therefore, there is no waste material, as any scrap product can be recycled.
[0026] The outer skin can be of a material other than polyethylene such as polypropylene, surlyn, ethylene vinyl acetate, or other extrudable materials which, when extruded in this manner, become sufficiently secured to the polyethylene foam body.
[0027] The cross head sheath extruder 8 can have different cross heads for different types of product, for example larger product or smaller product, and different cross heads for different cross sections of product.
[0028] The foamed body portion 6 need not have a solid core and can have an open center, as would be the case with pipe insulation. This shape is most appropriate for feeding over an elongate structural member, such as a metal tube member or pipe member, and is particularly useful as a cover support member for a play structure. For example, it would be useful in protecting the support pole of a basketball hoop, for providing protection around a roll bar, for providing protection around play structures which have tubular members, such as climbing structures, and other similar types of applications.
[0029] The outer sheath also provides a very tough layer which allows other uses for the polyethylene foamed body portion. For example, this could be useful for boat bumpers or protective strips where the outer skin provides a toughness to the product which overcomes the problems associated with tearing of merely the body portion if it was used alone.
[0030] Another advantage of the present product is that the color pigment can be concentrated in the outer skin and the inner foamed body does not need to have any particular color pigment. This results in a cost saving and also allows a simple way to easily change the color of the product during extrusion. For example, the line could be extruding one product having a black coating and at an appropriate time, the raw material for the cross head extruder could be replaced with a different raw material having a different color pigment. There would be a short overlap where some scrap product may have to be recycled as the cross head extruder basically finishes extruding with the one color and starts extrusion with the next, but the extrusion line can basically continue to run and there is no requirement to deal with changing color regarding extruding of the foamed body portion.
[0031] A further advantage is that UV stabilizers can be placed in the outer skin and the inner foamed body does not need these stabilizers. This is important with respect to pipe insulation where the stabilizers significantly contribute to the cost of the product. By concentrating these UV stabilizers in the outer skin, i.e. the portion which is exposed to the sun, the body portion can be absent of these stabilizers in many cases, causing no appreciable effect on longevity of the product.
[0032] Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims. | A foamed polyethylene product has an outer sheath of non-foamed polyethylene fused to an underlying foamed body portion. Preferably, the product is produced in an in-line method when the foam body is extruded and subsequently the skin is extruded directly on the body portion. This process only causes limited thermal degradation of an outer layer of the body portion which improves adhesion of the skin to the body portion. | 1 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/683,643, filed May 23, 2005.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is related to meltblowing processes that produce non-woven polymeric materials. More particularly, the present invention is related to meltblowing while utilizing fluid flow from an auxiliary manifold in conjunction with ducts dispensing a secondary flow into the fiber emerging for the meltblowing die.
BACKGROUND
Nonwoven webs with useful properties can be formed using the meltblowing process in which filaments are extruded from a series of small orifices while being attenuated into fibers using hot air or other attenuating fluid. The attenuated fibers are formed into a web on a remotely-located collector or other suitable surface.
More recently, the literature in this field has described how secondary flows of fluid can be directed onto the fibers after they have been extruded from the orifices and attenuated, but before they have impacted on the collector. By manipulating the velocity and temperature of the secondary flows, the properties of the fibers, and thus the nonwoven web they form on the collector, can be modified in useful ways.
However, there are limitations to the use of secondary flows in this way. As the rate of fabric formation is increased, at a certain point the known techniques break down. The streams of attenuating fluid and the streams of secondary fluid begin to interact in unwanted ways as production rates increase. One particular failure mode that begins to manifest is the appearance of swirling recirculation zones downstream of the orifices. Some of the emerging fibers are swept into the recirculation zones and are swept off in unwanted directions, causing waste, reducing production, and fouling equipment. There has been an ongoing effort to improve the uniformity of nonwoven webs. The art desires a mechanism by which the advantages of a secondary flow for the fiber properties can be extended to the high production rates that reduce the costs of production.
SUMMARY
Embodiments of the present invention address these issues and others by providing methods and apparatus that reduce the recirculation zones to thereby decrease the amount of errant fibers fouling the die face. An auxiliary manifold dispenses fluid between the flow of quench gas and the orifice of the die. The fluid from the manifold reduces the area of low pressure, which thereby reduced the recirculation of quenching gas. As a result, the amount of errant fibers at the die face is also reduced.
One embodiment is a meltblowing apparatus having a die having a plurality of filament orifices for expelling polymeric material. At least one duct is positioned to direct a stream of gas towards the expelled polymeric material. The embodiment has at least one auxiliary manifold positioned relative to the die and the at least one duct such that a fluid is dispensed from the auxiliary manifold between the stream and the filament orifices to thereby substantially isolate the polymeric material from recirculation zones. Often enough in actual practice, two ducts will be provided, one on either side of the curtain of expelled polymer. In such cases, it is preferred to have two auxiliary manifolds, each positioned to isolate the polymeric material from its corresponding recirculation zone.
In preferred embodiments, the auxiliary manifold dispenses the fluid with a substantially uniform mass flow per unit length along the length of the positions of the filament orifices. In the detailed description below, guidance will be provided as to how to conveniently prepare a manifold dispensing substantially uniform mass flow, even when the fluid is compressible.
Another embodiment of the invention is a meltblowing apparatus having a die having a plurality of filament orifices for expelling polymeric material, the die expelling streams of polymeric material entrained in streams of air from a plurality of air knives within the die. At least one duct is positioned to direct a secondary flow of gas towards the expelled polymeric material and in a direction away from the die. Also at least one auxiliary manifold is positioned relative to the die and the at least one duct such that a fluid is dispensed from the auxiliary manifold into a location between the secondary flow and the streams of polymeric material and toward an area of recirculation zones of gas that is adjacent the die and with a mass flow rate less than the mass flow rate of the secondary flow to thereby substantially isolate the recirculation zones between the duct and the plurality of orifices.
Another aspect of the invention is a method of meltblowing, comprising:
expelling polymeric material from a plurality of filament orifices of a die;
directing a stream of gas towards the expelled polymeric material; and
dispensing fluid from an auxiliary manifold, wherein the fluid is dispensed between the stream and the filament orifices to substantially isolate the polymeric material from areas of recirculation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a conventional meltblowing apparatus of the prior art that can develop large recirculation zones.
FIG. 2 shows the two-dimensional geometrical representation of a cross-section of a meltblowing apparatus utilized in designing an auxiliary manifold.
FIG. 3 shows the geometrical representation of FIG. 2 after having been meshed into finite elements allowing for modeling of streamlines to be utilized in designing the auxiliary manifold.
FIG. 4 shows the geometrical representation of FIG. 2 after having an auxiliary manifold added.
FIG. 5 shows the geometrical representation of FIG. 4 after having been meshed into finite elements allowing for modeling of streamlines that result from the introduction of the auxiliary manifold.
FIG. 6 shows a three-dimensional geometrical representation of the auxiliary manifold having the conditions defined by the two-dimensional geometrical representation of meshed elements shown in FIG. 5 .
FIG. 7 shows the distribution of mass flow and direction over the third dimension of the auxiliary manifold after an initial attempt of design within the geometrical representation of FIG. 6 that has resulted in a non-uniform distribution and non-perpendicular direction of flow.
FIG. 8 shows the distribution of mass flow and direction over the third dimension of the auxiliary manifold after a subsequent attempt of design within the geometrical representation of FIG. 6 that has resulted in a substantially uniform distribution and a substantially perpendicular direction of flow.
FIGS. 9A-9D shows a flowchart illustrating an example embodiment of a method of designing a manifold.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiments of the present invention provide for a meltblowing apparatus which can treat the polymeric fibers emerging from the die with a controlled secondary flow so as to optimize the properties of the resulting nonwoven fabric, and it can do this even at high production rates. Techniques for planning the fabrication of suitable auxiliary manifolds will also be discussed.
Referring now to FIG. 1 , a cross-sectional view of a conventional meltblowing apparatus of the prior art that can develop large recirculation zones is illustrated. A meltblowing apparatus 20 including a meltblowing die 22 is illustrated in a representative cross-section. The meltblowing die 22 is used to expel a stream 24 of extended polymeric filaments towards a collection belt 26 moving in direction “D,” is illustrated. According to conventional practice, the meltblowing die 22 is provided with cavities 28 and 30 for directing two streams of heated gas against the stream 24 just after the stream 24 has been extruded from a line of extrusion orifices 32 . The heated gas jets emerging from cavities 28 and 30 to extend and thin the filaments emerging from the extrusion orifices 32 so that they have the proper size and dispersion to form the desired fabric 34 upon the collection belt 26 . Although a belt is depicted in connection with this example, those acquainted with the meltblowing art will understand that a rotating drum can be used for the purposed of taking off the filaments as fabric.
The meltblowing apparatus 20 further includes a pair of ducts 40 and 42 , one upstream and one downstream of the stream 24 compared to the direction “D”. Secondary flow is expelled from ducts 40 and 42 against the filament stream 24 so the filaments, when they impinge upon the collection belt 26 , have the properties desired in the fabric 34 .
The foregoing description generally follows the disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 6,861,025 to Breister et al, and is adequate for the production of meltblown fabrics at low and moderate speeds of collection belt 26 . However, as the process is run harder and faster, e.g. after the production of fabric exceeds approximately 35 g/hour/hole, difficulties arise in the form of erratic motion imparted to some of the emerging filaments. At higher extrusion rates, the orderly accumulation of filaments upon collection belt 26 becomes disrupted, and some filaments begin to collect upon the surface of die 22 and on the ducts 40 and 42 . This observation suggests that paired areas of recirculation, taking the form of standing vortices had formed roughly at the positions marked A and B.
In that it is desirable to be able to increase line speed while maintaining the desirable properties of the fabric 34 , and in that disrupting the posited recirculation zones A and B seem likely to be amenable to solution by a gas-dispensing manifold that is elongated in the direction perpendicular to the two-dimensional representation of FIG. 1 .
An initial geometrical representation was set up according to FIG. 2 . A simplifying assumption was made that the problem was symmetrical in spite of the recognized complication that the collection belt ( 26 in FIG. 1 ) is in motion and does generate some fluid motion by the no-slip condition. The existing geometry of the cavity ( 28 in FIG. 1 ), the duct ( 42 in FIG. 1 ) and collection belt ( 26 in FIG. 1 ), are represented virtually as geometric representations 28 v , 42 v , and 26 v , respectively. Boundary conditions are set as being the known gas pressures that provide the best, albeit inadequate, operating conditions when collection belt 26 is operated at high line speed. In the geometrical representation, those pressures are assumed to exist uniformly along lines 50 , 52 , and 54 .
This two-dimensional geometry and these boundary conditions are provided to a commercially available flow analysis package to determine the presence of the recirculation zones in preparation for adding an auxiliary manifold and determining what the desired mass profile should be to adequately isolate the recirculation zones. Although a number of commercial offerings are considered suitable, the FLUENT solver, commercially available from Fluent, Inc. of Lebanon, N.H., may be used. The k-epsilon two-equation model is selected for this problem, and the use of renormalized groups is enabled. The function taking viscous heating of the gas is also enabled. Once the described geometry and boundary conditions are in place, and the space defined in FIG. 2 has been meshed into finite elements, the solver is run in a manner so as to visualize the streamlines representing gas flow after an equilibrium condition has established itself. These streamlines are illustrated in FIG. 3 . In this figure, the hypothesis that recirculation zones at A and B are formed is strengthened by the appearance of the closed streamlines around those locations.
In this example, it is believed that the recirculation zones may be disrupted by an additional flow of gas emerging from an aperture 60 in a new manifold 62 as shown in FIG. 4 . As is true for the rest of the geometry, the gas-dispensing manifold 62 is posited to be elongated in the direction perpendicular to the two-dimensional representation of FIG. 1 , and that any given cross-section is representative of the flow at any other cross-section taken along that perpendicular. For simplicity, a boundary condition line 64 is established within the manifold 62 , at this stage it is presumed that a uniform pressure can be maintained uniformly along line 64 at every possible cross-section. Later in the design process, this simplifying assumption may be verified and addressed as necessary.
As a starting point for this particular example, it is assumed that the mass flow emerging from manifold 62 to disrupt the recirculation zones should be 50% of the mass flow known to be needed from the duct 42 in order to achieve the needed treatment of the filaments at the desired production rate (over 35 g/hour/hole being sought). As another starting point, the pressure along boundary condition line 64 is arbitrarily set at some reasonable value, such as 20 psig total, merely from being a reasonable fraction of the static pressure capacity of a readily available compressor. A starting size for aperture 60 is derived by simple orifice equations from the assumed mass flow needed from manifold 62 at the assumed pressure within manifold 62 .
With these assumptions in place, the solver is again employed to analyze the new geometry and boundary conditions. For this example, a number of trials may be run varying the position of aperture 60 around the circumference of manifold 62 . Analysis of the streamlines produced by the trials suggested that best results would be achieved not by aiming the outflow from manifold 62 at the center of recirculation zone B, but in front of it so as to create a curtainwall of moving gas to isolate the emerging filaments from the recirculation zone. This condition is illustrated in FIG. 5 , and at this point it can be said that a dispensing direction has been determined for the manifold 62 to go along with the mass flow rate previously assumed for the given input pressure. It is further assumed for this example that the distribution of flow over the elongated length of the manifold in the third dimension should be uniform to properly isolate the recirculation zones.
Once the best direction for aiming the outflow of manifold 62 are determined for this particular example, an additional group of trials with the solver are performed in order to determine whether the assumed mass flow from manifold 62 can be reduced while still maintaining isolation of the recirculation zones in order to save energy costs in providing that flow. In these experiments for this particular example, it has been found that the mass flow may be reduced to 30% of the mass flow emerging from the duct before the flow from the manifold can no longer isolate the stream of filaments 24 from the recirculation zone.
By this point, a viable solution to the practical problem needing resolution has been achieved, i.e., the desired mass flow profile, provided it turns out to be possible to provide the identified mass flow appropriately along the elongated length of the manifold 62 in the direction perpendicular to the two-dimensional representation. The previously made simplifying assumption that this would turn out to be possible still must be verified. In order to carry out this challenge, a 3-D mathematical representation 9 of the gas inside the manifold 62 and in its immediate environs is created. In this representation, the geometry of the manifold 62 p is essentially inverse, defining a boundary across which the gas cannot flow. This geometrical representation is illustrated in FIG. 6 . In this Figure, one-half of manifold 62 has been converted to this virtual representation 62 p , because the simplifying assumption has been made that the situation is symmetrical. Also included in the representation is the solution domain 70 p of the exhausted gas emanating from the virtual representation of the manifold 62 p . Although it may not be intuitively obvious that the volume of gas adjacent to the outside surface of manifold 62 p so far around the circumference from the slots 80 p need to be included in the 3-D mathematical representation, intuition is incorrect. Not including this seemingly extra volume in the 3-D mathematical representation often causes invalid results.
The representation of the manifold 62 p may be designed while recognizing that it may be necessary to increase structural strength by providing the aperture 60 p as a series of slots 80 p separated by bridges 82 p . Other geometries for the apertures 60 p are possible, of course, and are considered within the scope of the invention. In the instant description, a cylindrical tube of 51 mm in outside diameter, 45 mm inside diameter, and 188 cm long (a relatively lengthy manifold compared to the trial and error manifolds of the prior art that are typically much shorter than 60 cm) was selected as a starting point for manifold 62 by reason of such a size being conveniently positionable in the meltblowing apparatus 20 . As a starting point for the analysis for this particular example, it was assumed that the tube would be provided with slots 38 mm long and 3.2 mm wide, separated one from the next by 3.2 mm by bridges in accordance with the orifices of the meltblowing apparatus of interest. A rule of thumb is to maintain the total surface area of the exits to an amount that is no more than the total area of the inlet of the manifold.
The gas volume within and adjacent to the exterior of the inverse representation of the manifold 62 p is then meshed into finite hexahedral elements such that at least some of the hexahedral elements are oriented relative to the dispensing direction, depicted as “F” in this Figure. As a boundary condition, the manifold 62 p is assumed to be filled from one end 84 , or both ends 84 and 86 . More specifically, the mass flow in, e.g. kg/sec/m that provided isolation of the recirculation zones in the 2D representation is multiplied by the length of the manifold 62 p . Then the entry of one half of that total mass flow (because the assumption is being made that the other half to the total mass flow is being handled by the symmetrical other half of the manifold) into the representation through the surface of end 84 , or end 84 and end 86 , is set as a boundary condition.
This three-dimensional geometry and these boundary conditions are provided again to the FLUENT solver, and once again the k-epsilon two-equation model is employed. Also, the use of renormalized groups, and (because the fluid in the instant example is compressible air) the function taking viscous heating of the gas into account are also enabled. The solver is then run so as to provide the vector and the magnitude of the velocity of the fluid at various points. This vector field was used to prepare a false color visualization of the velocity of the fluid passing through each slot in the dispensing direction, so as to by derivation provide an indication of the actual distribution of mass flow over the elongated length of the manifold. This is illustrated as FIG. 7 , where the gas is entering the manifold from one end in flow direction “F”. It can be observed from the Figure that the flow is not uniform along the elongated length of the manifold such that the trial geometrical parameters have failed to yield the desired mass flow profile.
According to embodiments of the present invention, if an analysis of these trial geometrical parameters of slot length, slot width, slot spacing, manifold diameter, etc., fails to describe the delivery of the needed mass flow from the manifold in a fashion sufficiently the same as is desired, it is needful to refine these geometrical parameters, and rerun the analysis. It has been found that reducing the ratio of the combined outlet area to the combined inlet area tends to make the flow more uniformly distributed, should uniform flow over the elongated length of the manifold be desired for a particular application. In the present example, when the visualization of FIG. 7 demonstrates that the flow from the 6.4 mm wide slots was insufficiently uniform, the geometrical parameters of the 3-D model are adjusted to 1.59 mm wide and the model is once again put to the solver. The solver is again run so as to provide a visualization of the velocity of the fluid passing through each of these narrower slots in the dispensing direction. This is illustrated as FIG. 8 , and it can be observed from the Figure that the velocity, and by derivation the mass flow profile, has a much more uniform distribution of flow along the elongated length of the manifold than was the case in FIG. 7 . For this particular example, the uniformity of the flow profile is considered to be sufficiently good to generate an even curtainwall of gas flow to isolate the filaments from the recirculation zones across an entire production web.
To test this estimate for this particular meltblowing situation, a real manifold was fabricated from metal according to the parameters that generated FIG. 8 , and this manifold was installed in a meltblowing line according to the direction and positions identified in the 2-D analysis as illustrated in FIG. 4 . The manifold was pressurized to 20 psig total at both ends, and fabric was made. It was observed that the unwanted accumulation of filaments on the surface of the die and the ducts is arrested, and the properties of the fabric were not adversely affected.
A caveat is appropriate to note concerning the step of reducing the ratio of the combined outlet area to the combined inlet area of the manifold when needful to achieve the necessary degree of uniformity of output along the length of the manifold. Heedlessly reducing the ratio more than necessary tends to give rise to other difficulties, particularly difficulties related to the amount of pressure needed to drive the mass flow. Higher pressures are more costly to achieve with respect to providing a suitable compressor to supply the manifold 62 , and higher pressures may require that the manifold 62 be constructed out of more expensive materials in order to withstand the stresses of pressurization.
In fact, in some circumstances it may prove difficult in iterating the geometrical parameters in the three-dimensional model so as to achieve the target mass flow rate, and the target distribution of flow along the length of the manifold, within the limitations of the equipment one hoped to use. When this has occurred, an optional step may be performed. The maximum mass flow rate the desirable equipment can provide with the needed level of uniformity along the length of the manifold is noted, and the 2-dimensional representation is reconstructed with that level of mass flow rate. Then the parameters of the exact position and dispensing direction of the manifold can be iterated and reanalyzed, seeking a combination where the manifold's maximum output of mass flow while retaining the target distribution of flow is sufficient to achieve the goal previously set for the desired mass flow profile, e.g. in the present example the isolation of the recirculation zone. It will be understood that it will sometimes be impossible to achieve some mass flow profiles involving combinations of mass flow and distribution of flow for some combinations of manifold geometry and gas supply equipment. It will further be understood that some configurations that the method allows as being suitable for the desired dispensing will be unsuitable for having sufficient structural strength for containing the internal pressure or for spanning the distance between supports when emplaced. It is contemplated that requirements for suction manifolds that evacuate, rather than dispense fluid, are suitable for treatment by the method of the present invention.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to various embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes in the form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. | Methods and apparatus for meltblowing utilize an auxiliary manifold to dispense a fluid between an orifice of a die that is expelling polymeric fibers and an exit of a duct that is dispensing a secondary flow of gas onto the fibers. The fluid dispensed from the auxiliary manifold reduces a recirculation zone of the secondary flow between the exit and the orifice that, absent the fluid from the manifold, results in errant fibers that are blown back into the face of the die by the recirculating secondary flow. | 3 |
TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to an inspection device for an internal combustion engine.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a ducted fan gas turbine engine 10 comprising, in axial flow series: an air intake 12 , a propulsive fan 14 having a plurality of fan blades 16 , an intermediate pressure compressor 18 , a high-pressure compressor 20 , a combustor 22 , a high-pressure turbine 24 , an intermediate pressure turbine 26 , a low-pressure turbine 28 and a core exhaust nozzle 30 . A nacelle 32 generally surrounds the engine 10 and defines the intake 12 , a bypass duct 34 and a bypass exhaust nozzle 36 .
Air entering the intake 12 is accelerated by the fan 14 to produce a bypass flow and a core flow. The bypass flow travels down the bypass duct 34 and exits the bypass exhaust nozzle 36 to provide the majority of the propulsive thrust produced by the engine 10 . The core flow enters in axial flow series the intermediate pressure compressor 18 , high pressure compressor 20 and the combustor 22 , where fuel is added to the compressed air and the mixture burnt. The hot combustion products expand through and drive the high, intermediate and low-pressure turbines 24 , 26 , 28 before being exhausted through the nozzle 30 to provide additional propulsive thrust. The high, intermediate and low-pressure turbines 24 , 26 , 28 respectively drive the high and intermediate pressure compressors 20 , 18 and the fan 14 by interconnecting shafts 38 , 40 , 42 .
It is known in modern gas turbine engines 10 to use a boroscope to inspect the interior of the engine 10 both after assembly and during servicing to detect the fitness of the engine 10 . Thus, engines 10 are known to have inspection ports in various locations to allow boroscopes to be inserted. FIG. 2 shows such a port 210 for a compressor 18 which includes an outer casing wall 212 and an inner casing wall 214 which house annular arrays of compressor rotor blades 216 and stator vanes 218 . The port 210 includes flanged apertures 220 , 222 through the inner 214 and outer 212 walls and is shown in a closed configuration in which the apertures 220 , 222 are sealed with a plug 224 . In this known example, the plug 224 constitutes sealing members 226 , 228 for the inner and outer wall apertures 220 , 222 which are linked by a link rod 230 . The plug 224 can be realisably secured within the port 210 in any suitable manner and configured to be removed from the exterior of the compressor 18 when boroscope access is required. As will be appreciated, once removed, a boroscope can be inserted as required.
Typically, the inspection ports 210 are located around the engine core so that, for example, each stage of the compressor 18 may have a circumferential distribution of inspection ports, as might the combustor or various turbine stages.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved way of inspecting the interior of an internal combustion engine.
STATEMENTS OF INVENTION
In a first aspect, the present invention provide an internal combustion engine having a cavity for inspection, comprising: an inspection device mounted within a housing, the housing at least partially located within the cavity to be inspected and having a shutter which is actuable between a closed configuration and an open configuration; and an actuation mechanism for moving the shutter between the closed configuration and the open configuration.
Providing an inspection device behind a shutter allows the inspection device to be left in situ and used whenever the engine conditions allow. For example, in the case of a gas turbine engine, the inspection device may be placed within a section of compressor and exposed to view the operation of the compressor during start up or close down periods when the temperature is not excessive. Having an inspection device can provide important information about the operation of the engine and can aid engine health monitoring schemes.
The inspection device may be configured to allow visual inspection of the cavity. The inspection device may be an optical device. The optical device may comprise a camera. The optical device may be configured to receive infrared spectrum. In an alternative embodiment, the optical device may be a fibre optic cable or other light channeling medium or conduit. The optical device may be coupled to a light sensor which is remote to the inspection device.
The inspection device may be retractable between a stowed position and an inspection position.
The shutter may be retractably stowed within the housing when in the closed configuration and actuated into the cavity so as to expose the inspection device when in the open configuration.
The shutter may be configured to be actuated by the inspection device when the inspection device is moved between the stowed and inspection positions. The shutter may be acutable so as to move laterally across a field of view of the inspection device when moving between the open and closed configurations. The shutter may include a cleaning device for cleaning the inspection device.
The shutter and inspection device may be simultaneously actuable. The inspection device, actuation mechanism and shutter may comprise a single module which includes one part of a two part mounting system for mounting the device to the engine. The mounting system may be a threaded bore and corresponding boss or flange.
The actuation mechanism may be one taken from the group including pneumatic, hydraulic or electrical. The actuation mechanism may be linear or rotary.
The housing may be at least partially formed by a wall of the cavity. The cavity may include moving parts of the internal combustion engine.
The shutter may include first and second shutter plates. The first and second shutter plates may be symmetrically arranged. The shutter may be cup shaped. The shutter plates may be pivotably mounted. The shutter plates may be biased against a restraining element which retains the shutter plates in place when in the closed position. Upon actuating the shutter from the closed configuration to the open configuration may include moving the shutter plates relative to the restraining element such that the bias results in the inspection device being exposed to the cavity.
The internal combustion engine may be a gas turbine engine.
In a second aspect, the present invention provides an aircraft having the internal combustion engine according to the first aspect.
The actuation mechanism may be operable from the cockpit of an aircraft or as part of an engine health monitoring system.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention will now be described with the aid of the following drawings of which:
FIG. 1 shows a typical gas turbine engine.
FIG. 2 shows a known arrangement for a boroscope inspection port.
FIGS. 3 a and 3 b show a retractable inspection device in a stowed and inspection position accordingly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
FIG. 3 shows a portion of an internal combustion engine 310 in the form of a compressor wall 312 of a gas turbine engine, similar to the one shown in FIG. 2 . The wall 312 is adjacent to the gas flow path 314 of the compressor which represents a cavity 316 . As noted above, inspecting such a cavity can be beneficial for determining the condition of the engine, both prior to use and during a service interval.
The engine 310 includes an inspection device 318 in the form of a camera which is mounted within a housing 320 . In the described embodiment, the housing is in the form of an aperture 322 in the compressor wall 312 . The inspection device 318 is retractably mounted in the housing 320 so as to be movable between a stowed position (as shown in FIG. 3 a ) where the inspection device 312 is shielded from the environment of the cavity, and an inspection position (as shown in FIG. 3 b ) in which the inspection device 318 is exposed to the cavity so as to allow inspection.
The engine 310 also includes a shutter 324 which provides an environmental shield for the inspection device 318 in the stowed position. The shutter 324 is arranged to be actuable between a closed configuration ( FIG. 3 a ) and an open configuration ( FIG. 3 b ). In the described embodiment, the shutter 324 is also retractably mounted within the housing 320 so as to have a stowed position which corresponds to the closed configuration, and an inspection position which corresponds to the open configuration.
The shutter 324 includes a cup shaped shield 326 having an internal chamber which fits over and receives the inspection device 318 when in the stowed position. The cup shaped shield 326 is inverted within the housing aperture 322 such that a base 326 of the cup faces the gas flow path 314 with the side walls 328 being snugly received within the aperture 322 of the compressor wall 312 , with the inspection device 318 located within the internal chamber of the shutter 324 . In this way, the shutter 324 and housing 320 combine to provide an enclosed protective space for the inspection device 318 , with the base of the shutter 324 shielding the inspection device 318 from the cavity 316 .
The shutter 324 is made from two shutter plates 326 a , 326 b which are similar to each other in construction and arranged in a symmetrically opposing manner so as to each provide half of the cup shaped shield 326 when in a closed configuration. Each shutter plate 326 a , 326 b is pivotably mounted 329 to an actuation mechanism 330 towards a distal end of the shutter 324 relative to the cavity such that, when they are not constrained by the housing 320 , rotating the shutter plates 326 a , 326 b , about the pivot 329 results in each shutter plate 326 a , 326 b being moved away from the inspection device 318 to expose it to the cavity 316 .
As the shutter plates 326 a , 326 b are symmetrically arranged, they form a pincer or scissor-like arrangement such that the cup-like structure of the shutter 324 pivotably parts along a midline so as to reveal the inspection device 318 .
As described above, the shutter 324 can be thought of a shield to protect the inspection device 318 from the ambient operating environment which may be beyond the safe operating environment for the inspection device 318 . For example, in the case of a compressor, the in use operating temperature may be several hundred degrees which would damage the inspection device 318 . Thus, in this case, the shutter acts as a thermal shield and may be made from any suitable temperature resistant metal alloy or ceramic as known in the art.
The inspection device 318 of the embodiment is a camera. The camera may be configured to detect infrared emitted within the compressor but it will be appreciated that other visual and non-visual inspection devices may be advantageously used depending on the application. Having an infrared camera is particularly advantageous as it allows the thermal condition of the engine to be analysed during, for example, a wind down period. This can provide an invaluable insight into the condition of the engine and allow detection of flaws in components.
In the described embodiment, the camera is arranged to sense visible light and includes a wide angle lens 331 in the form of a 150 degree lens and a plurality of LEDs 333 to illuminate the interior of the cavity to be inspected.
In another embodiment, the inspection device is in the form of a light channeling medium or conduit such as fibre optic cable or light pipe which terminates at 331 as shown in FIG. 3 b , in view of the cavity. Such a fibre optic may include the aforementioned wide angle lens. The camera, or sensor which detects the light, is located remote to the cavity. Thus, once exposed to the cavity, the end of the fibre optic 331 collects light from the cavity and channels them to the sensor which detects them. It will be appreciated that the sensor will have some associated electronics to process the signal of the sensed image which may or may not be local to the sensor. In this way, the shielding requirements may be much reduced as sensitive electronic components associated with the sensor and signal processing equipment need not be protected from the environment of the cavity to the same degree.
As described above, the inspection device 318 is retractable between a stowed position and an inspection position in conjunction with the shutter plates 326 a , 326 b , ( FIGS. 3 a and 3 b respectively). An actuation mechanism 330 is included in the arrangement and is operable to move the inspection device 318 and shutter 324 between the stowed position and the inspection position.
The actuation mechanism 330 of the described embodiment is a linear actuator 332 which is operable to retract and deploy the inspection device 318 and shutter 324 simultaneously. Thus, the actuation mechanism 330 includes driving mechanism 332 located within a actuation housing 334 . The driving mechanism 332 is linked to the shutter 324 and inspection device 318 via push rods 326 which are operably extended in use after an appropriate driving signal is provided. The type of linear actuator and driving mechanism 332 may be hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical and it will be appreciated that non-linear, e.g. rotary, actuators may also be suitably applied.
As will be appreciated, the actuation of the shutters 324 can be achieved in multiple ways. In one advantageous embodiment, the shutter plates 326 a , 326 b , are resiliently biased against a restraining element in the form of the walls of the housing aperture 322 such that pushing the shutter 324 into the cavity 316 results in the lateral movement and associated opening of the shutter plates 326 a , 326 b . Withdrawing the shutter 324 back into the recess causes the shutter plates 326 a , 326 b to contact the shoulder 338 of the housing aperture 322 which rotates the plates 326 a , 326 b about the pivot, thereby closing them.
The inside surface of the shutter 324 which faces the inspection device 318 lens (or sensor as the case may be) may include a cleaning device 340 which acts to clean the inspection device 318 upon opening of the shutter plates 326 a , 326 b and the associated lateral movement. In one advantageous embodiment, the cleaning device 340 may be a cloth or bristled structure.
The inspection device 318 arrangement may be inserted into the housing aperture 322 and secured by any known means. In one embodiment, the inspection device 318 and shutter 324 are threadingly engaged within the compressor wall 320 such that they can be removed for maintenance purposes. In this case, the shutter 324 , inspection device 318 and actuation mechanism 330 are constructed and presented to the engine 310 as a single module.
Providing an inspection device 318 behind a shutter 324 allows the inspection device 318 to be left in situ and used whenever the engine conditions allow. For example, in the case of a gas turbine engine 10 , the inspection device 318 may be placed within a section of compressor and exposed to view the operation of the compressor during start up or close down periods when the temperature is not excessive, but while it is still hot enough to give off a useful thermal signature. Having an inspection device can provide important information about the operation of the engine and can aid engine health monitoring schemes. Arranging the device to be retractable is particularly advantageous as it allows a broader field of view to be accommodated.
Thus, in use, upon engine shut down, the actuator mechanism 330 is energised so as to push the device into the gas stream flow path 314 to allow the wide angle lens 331 to view the rotating components as they windmill down to stop. Once the rotation speed is low enough to enable a sufficient video capture rate, the rotations are recorded and logged directly to the EMU (Engine Monitoring Unit). Once the required capture is complete, the actuation mechanism 330 pulls the device back into the aperture 322 and the shutter is closed so as to seal off the gas path.
Although not shown, the inspection device 318 arrangement also includes a means of removing the data captured by the camera. Hence, the inspection device 318 may be hard wired to the EMU or could be wirelessly connected.
It will be appreciated that the trigger for energising the actuation mechanism 330 may be automatic or may be provided by an operator. The operator may be local to the engine, for example, a pilot or maintenance staff, or may be a remote monitor such as an engine health monitoring system.
As will be appreciated, the above described embodiments are illustrative of the broader inventive concept which is defined by the appended claims. As such other variations on the above described embodiments will be possible.
For example, although the invention is described primarily from a view point of being used on a compressor of a gas turbine engine 10 , it will be appreciated that the invention is applicable to various types of internal combustion engine and may be implemented at various locations around such an engine. For example, in the case of a gas turbine engine, the invention may be utilised in the compressor, combustor, or any other area in which active inspection may be beneficial. Further, there may be annular arrays of the inspection devices 318 around a given compressor stage so as to give a fuller, if not complete, view.
In other embodiments of the invention, the shutter 324 may include a single plate or an iris like structure. Further, the shutter may not be retractable with the inspection device but may be configured to move laterally with respect to the inspection device and housing aperture. Further still, the inspection device may be suitable type which may provide valuable data, such as a thermocouple, visible light spectrum, or pressure to name a few. | This invention relates to an internal combustion engine having a cavity for inspection, comprising: an inspection device mounted within a housing, the housing at least partially located within the cavity to be inspected and having a shutter which is actuable between a closed configuration and an open configuration; and an actuation mechanism for moving the shutter between the closed configuration and the open configuration. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to processes and equipment for producing wire, such as wire for use as feedstock in welding and coating deposition processes. More particularly, this invention relates to a process and apparatus for forming wire through the application of microwave energy on a powder.
Conventional uses for wires (including rods and filaments) include structural uses such as bearing mechanical loads, electrical uses for carrying electrical currents and telecommunications signals, and as feedstock for a variety of processes. Examples of feedstock usage include certain thermal spray processes such as wire arc spray, certain welding processes such as gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), plasma arc welding (PAW), and laser beam welding (LBW), and certain physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes. Common processes for producing wires include drawing, rolling, extrusion, sintering powders, and bonding powders together with a binder. The wires may have a homogeneous construction and composition, or may comprise a sheath surrounding a core that may be in the form of a solid bulk, loose or sintered powders, or strands formed of a material that may be the same or different from the sheath material. For example, shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) processes employ a solid metal wire encapsulated in a non-metallic sheath formed of a flux material that forms a protective slag over the molten weld puddle during the welding operation. Wires comprising a powder enclosed in a sheath have been fabricated by rolling, drawing, and extrusion processes, such as by placing a powder in a continuous metallic strip and then closing the strip around the powder in a manner that forms a continuous consolidated sheath.
While the above wire production methods have been successfully employed for many years, there is an ongoing need for methods that are simpler, require less extensive equipment, and capable of producing wires that are difficult to fabricate by conventional methods.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally provides a process for forming wires, such as wires used as feedstock in welding and coating deposition processes, and involves the use of microwave energy to form wires by consolidating powder materials.
The process generally entails feeding through a passage a quantity of powder particles of a size and composition that render the particles susceptible to microwave radiation. As the particles travel through the passage, the particles within the passage are subjected to microwave radiation so that the particles couple with the microwave radiation and are sufficiently heated to melt at least a radially outermost quantity of particles within the passage. The particles are then cooled so that the radially outermost quantity of particles solidifies to yield a wire comprising a consolidated outermost region surrounding an interior region of the wire.
As a result of being subjected to the microwave radiation, the radially outermost quantity of particles may be fully molten, while particles within the interior region may or may not. For example, particles located radially inward from the radially outermost quantity of particles may be only partially melted when subjected to the microwave radiation, such that a sintered sublayer is formed surrounding the interior region of the wire and surrounded by the consolidated outermost region. Furthermore, particles within the interior region of the wire may not undergo any significant melting when subjected to the microwave radiation, such that the interior region of the wire essentially remains in powder form.
According to the invention, the powder particles may be formed of one or more metallic and/or nonmetallic materials capable of being heated by microwave radiation, and are sufficiently small to promote their susceptibility to microwave heating. In terms of producing a wire with a solid outermost region (e.g., layer or sheath) enclosing a loose powder material, the process of this invention is considerably less complicated than previous rolling, drawing, and extrusion processes used for this purpose. Furthermore, the process is capable of producing wires that are difficult to fabricate by conventional methods, such as thin weld wires with diameters of about 3.0 mm and less, and weld wires with advanced alloy compositions (for example, alloyed for high oxidation resistance) that cannot be formed by such conventional methods as drawing.
Wires produced by the process of this invention can find use in a variety of applications, including but not limited to feedstock for processes such as thermal spraying, welding, brazing (torch brazing), and PVD processes. For example, wires produced by this invention can be used in coating processes to repair or build up a substrate surface, or to form a thermal, mechanical, and/or environmentally-resistant coating, and in welding and brazing operations to repair and join components.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be better appreciated from the following detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 schematically represents an apparatus for producing wire by microwave heating in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a wire in process within the apparatus of FIG. 1 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention will be described with specific reference to certain equipment, materials, processes, and processing parameters for producing wire, such as wire suitable for use in depositing coatings to protect, repair, and build up surfaces of components and for use in welding and brazing processes to repair and join components, including components of gas turbine engines. However, the invention has application to a variety of equipment, materials, processes, and processing parameters for producing wire for a variety of other applications other than those discussed, and such variations are within the scope of this invention. In addition, though the following discussion will make reference to the production of wire, this term is intended to include articles that might be described as rods and filaments.
FIG. 1 schematically represents an apparatus 10 for producing a wire 22 ( FIG. 2 ) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus 10 is represented as comprising a hopper 12 and feed tube 14 directly below the hopper 12 , through which a powder 20 within the hopper 12 passes before exiting at a lower opening 16 of the tube 14 . The proportions of the hopper 12 and tube 14 are for illustrative purposes only, and variations in sizes and proportions are within the scope of the invention. The tube 14 is seen in FIG. 2 as having a circular cross-sectional shape to yield a wire 22 having a cylindrical shape, though various other cross-sectional shapes are possible and such shapes are encompassed by the term “tube.”
The powder 20 is represented in FIG. 1 as traveling down through the tube 14 solely under the influence of gravity, though it is foreseeable that the flow could be assisted to promote throughput as well as promote compaction of the powder 20 within the tube 14 . As the powder 20 flows through the tube 14 , the powder particles are subjected to microwave radiation 18 , as discussed in more detail below. According to the invention, the powder particles are at least partially melted by the microwave radiation 18 to an extent sufficient to consolidate at least the radially outermost region of the powder 20 within the tube 14 and form the wire 22 . The particles can be formed of a variety of materials, limited only by the requirement that the particles have a composition that is suitable for the intended use of the wire 22 and are capable of being heated by microwave radiation 18 . With respect to the former, if the wire 22 will be used to deposit a coating or metallurgically join (e.g., weld or braze) components, the powder 20 should be compatible with the material that forms the component (or its surface region) being coated or joined. Compatibility is assured if the particles and component have the very same composition, though suitable compatibility can also be achieved if the particles and component do not have compositions prone to detrimental interdiffusion that would lead to the loss of desired mechanical or environmental properties. As such, the powder particles can be formed of an alloy essentially the same as the component, or an alloy whose base composition is similar to that of the component but modified to contain alloying constituents different from or at different levels than the component in order to achieve, for example, thermal, mechanical, and/or environmental properties superior to that of the substrate. As such, the powder 20 may have a variety of different compositions compatible with substrates formed of various materials, notable examples of which include nickel, cobalt, and iron-base superalloys commonly used for gas turbine engine components, as well as other metals, alloys, intermetallic materials, ceramic materials, and ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials.
With respect to the requirement that the powder particles are capable of being heated by microwave radiation 18 , potential materials include electrical nonconductors (including ceramic materials) and conductors (including metallic and intermetallic materials) under appropriate conditions. According to a preferred aspect of the invention, at least some and preferably all of the powder particles are sufficiently small to be highly susceptible to microwave radiation 18 , thereby coupling with the microwave radiation 18 to significantly enhance selective heating and at least partial melting of the particles. For this purpose, it is believed the particles should have a surface area to volume ratio on the order of at least 0.06 μm 2 /μm 3 , more preferably about 0.14 μm 2 /μm 3 or higher. Because microwave radiation has varying electric and magnetic fields, direct electric heating can be significant in certain nonconductive materials, whereas conductive materials are primarily heated through electromagnetic effects. Therefore, depending on the composition of the particles, coupling with the microwave radiation 18 will generally be the result of the particles being sufficiently conductive to generate eddy currents induced by the magnetic field of the microwave radiation 18 , and/or possessing a level of electrical resistivity capable of generating joule heating from the eddy currents. It is known that the magnetic loss component of susceptibility for a material in very fine powder size is dependent on factors such as microwave power and frequency. Conversely it is believed that, for a given microwave power and frequency, the interaction between microwave energy and a particular material will be optimum at a distinct particle size for conventional microwave conditions (about 2.45 GHz and about 1 to about 10 kW power). Particle sizes above or below the optimum particle size will not couple as well with microwave radiation. Consequently, suitable and preferred maximum sizes for the particles will depend on the particular application, temperatures, and materials involved. Generally speaking, it is believed that a maximum particle size is on the order of about 140 mesh (about 100 micrometers), more preferably 325 mesh (about 44 micrometers) and smaller. Minimum particle sizes can be as little as nanoscale, e.g., less than 100 nanometers.
In contrast to the particles, bulk materials such as the tube 14 tend to reflect microwave radiation. This aspect of the present invention makes possible the melting of the powder 20 within the tube 14 without melting the tube 14 . However, the tube 14 should be sufficiently transparent to the microwave radiation 18 in order to minimize reflection and enable the radiation 18 to penetrate into the powder 20 within the tube 14 . A variety of materials are believed to be suitable for use as the material for the tube 14 , notable examples of which include inorganic materials such as microwave-transparent ceramics, particularly high purity quartz and alumina.
A wide range of microwave frequencies could be used with the present invention, though in practice regulations will generally encourage or limit implementation of the invention to typically available frequencies, e.g., 2.45 GHz and 915 MHz, with the former believed to be preferred. However, it should be understood that other frequencies are also technically capable of use. A benefit of using a lower frequency is the greater associated wavelength, which may be better suited for higher power transmission or processing of larger components. Suitable microwave power levels will depend on the size and composition of the particles, but are generally believed to be in a range of about 1 to about 10 kW, though lesser and greater power levels are also foreseeable.
The microwave radiation 18 is preferably applied to the powder 20 in a uniform and symmetrical manner capable of passing through the tube 14 and uniformly penetrating into at least the radially outermost regions of the powder 20 within the tube 14 . As a nonlimiting example, the microwave radiation 18 can be generated with an applicator chamber of any suitable shape and size. Such a chamber can be formed with a metallic cylinder that surrounds the tube 14 , with the top and bottom of the cylinder sealed by metallic plates or honeycomb mesh. For example, the top seal through which the powder 20 flows can be a honeycomb mesh, while the bottom seal can be a metal plate with a hole through which the wire 22 exits the tube 14 , with a very tight clearance to choke the microwaves. One or more magnetrons can be used to ensure a uniform field around the tube 14 , and the diameter of the applicator chamber can be several decimeters in diameter to promote good mixing of the microwave field (e.g., 30 cm for a 2.45 GHz system).
The particular dimensions and properties of the wire 22 represented in FIG. 2 will depend on the composition of the powder 20 and the intended use of the wire 22 . For use as a weld wire, diameters of about 2 mm to about 5 mm are typical, though significantly smaller and greater diameters are also within the scope of the invention. In FIG. 2 , the particles within the radially outermost region or layer 24 of the wire 22 were fully melted by the microwave radiation 18 , such that on cooling the outermost layer 24 forms a dense and substantially nonporous sheath or shell. In contrast, a sublayer 26 beneath the outermost layer 24 was only partially melted and is therefore a sintered, generally porous region of the wire 22 , Finally, the interior 28 of the wire 22 , shown as having a larger radial thickness than the layer 24 and sublayer 26 combined, was not melted at all such that the powder particles within the interior 28 are loose but held within the solid sheath formed by the layer 24 and sublayer 26 . Depending on the composition and particle size of the powder 20 and the particulars of the microwave radiation 18 , the extent that the outermost layer 24 extends into the cross-sectional area of the wire 22 can vary considerably from that represented in FIG. 2 , and foreseeably the entire cross-section of the wire 22 could by fully melted by the microwave radiation 18 such that the resulting wire 22 is a homogenous solid. Usage and desired properties of the wire 22 can be optimized by varying the thickness of the outermost layer 24 , such that the outermost layer 24 is thicker for wires intended for certain applications and thinner for other applications. To provide structural strength and rigidity to the wire 22 , a suitable radial thickness for the outermost layer 24 is believed to be about 10% to about 20% of the radius of the wire 22 .
Variations in properties can also be obtained by forming the powder 20 to contain particles of different sizes and/or compositions. For example, two different powders could be simultaneously fed into the tube 14 from separate (e.g., concentric) hoppers, so that the resulting wire 22 has regions with different structures and/or compositions. For example, the outermost layer 24 can be formed of a flux material to permit the wire 22 to be used in certain welding operations. Additionally, the powder 20 can be composed of particles of different compositions and/or size to tailor coupling of the powder 20 with the microwave radiation 18 , for example, to promote and/or limit melting of the powder at various locations through the cross-section of the wire 22 . As an example, the outermost layer 24 can be formed to contain certain metal oxides (for example, nickel oxide) that readily couple with microwaves to promote the sintering/melting process. If the wire 22 is a weld wire, such oxides can be limited to those that will form a slag on top of the molten metal weld pool that can be easily eliminated from the final weldment. Another example is to formulate the powder 20 to contain one or more materials that are highly susceptible to microwave radiation and, in powder form, will preferentially couple with the microwave radiation 18 . For example, a high-susceptibility material can be provided in the form of separate particles mixed into the powder 20 , or can be alloyed with the individual powder particles. Depending on the composition of the powder 20 and the intended use of the wire 22 , suitable high-susceptibility materials can be chosen on the basis of their ability to dissolve into the composition of the particles when molten without creating inhomogeneities in the wire 22 or a weldment, brazement, etc., produced with the wire 22 . In view of the foregoing, potentially suitable high-susceptibility materials are believed to include, but are not limited to, silicon, germanium, gallium, cobalt, iron, zinc, titanium, carbon (e.g., carbon nano-tubes or fine graphite powder), aluminum, tantalum, niobium, rhenium, hafnium, molybdenum, nickel oxide, and silicon carbide.
While the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims. | A process and apparatus for forming wires, such as wires used as feedstock in welding, brazing, and coating deposition processes. The process and apparatus generally entail feeding through a passage a quantity of powder particles of a size and composition that render the particles susceptible to microwave radiation. As the particles travel through the passage, the particles within the passage are subjected to microwave radiation so that the particles couple with the microwave radiation and are sufficiently heated to melt at least a radially outermost quantity of particles within the passage. The particles are then cooled so that the radially outermost quantity of particles solidifies to yield a wire having a consolidated outermost region surrounding an interior region of the wire. | 2 |
[0001] The present invention concerns a manually operated washing device with improved characteristics, minimising the use of water and detergent.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] There are many instances when the need for manual washing arises. In developing countries, modem washing machines are still sparsely available, and the main part of the laundry is washed by hand in available buckets and basins, or in rivers and streams. This washing is almost exclusively done by women and constitutes a heavy work load for them. Regular washing in cold water often leads to arthritis, and the contact with detergents can cause allergies and eczema.
[0003] In industrialised countries, a single garment, underwear or delicate materials are frequently washed manually, often in the washbasin. In families with children, the need of washing a single, soiled garment often arises. Not only do many people suffer from allergies and eczema, which are aggravated by contact with water and detergents, the over-use of detergents is a growing problem.
[0004] The object of the present invention is to make available a device for efficient and easy manual washing, using a minimal amount of water and detergents, and avoiding or at least minimising the contact with water and detergents.
PRIOR ART
[0005] Various hand-operated washing devices have been disclosed, such as the device according to U.S. Pat. No. 1,780,155, consisting of a compressible cupshaped rubber body with a down-ward oriented non-yieldable flat surface. The flat surface is formed by the cupshaped body ending in an outward-oriented bead and an inward-oriented flange. The body, above the flange and bead is provided with a series of annularly arranged spaced openings and the walls provided by these openings are inclined downwardly.
[0006] The device according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,370,445 is in turn made entirely of a flexible material, forming an upper bellshaped member and a lower, collapsible semi-spherical member. The lower member has a number of openings or ports, preferably provided with integral annular beads or ribs projecting downwardly and outwardly thereof, in direct surrounding relation to the respective ports.
[0007] The closest prior art is however the manually operated washing device disclosed in FI 28 800, granted in 1957, as this consists of a container for water, detergent and clothes, in which a piston with a flexible cupshaped organ can be vertically moved, a grid at the bottom of the container and a channel for conducting water from the lower part of the container to the upper part of the container. The channel thus makes it possible to circulate the water by vigorously operating the piston.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The above defined problem is solved by a manually operated washing device according to the invention, the device having a movable plunger and an inner and an outer structure for containing water and the material to be washed. The material to be washed is placed in an inner structure having perforations in its bottom surface, and this inner structure placed in an outer structure and soaked in water. The device has spacing means to maintain a distance between the inner structure and the outer structure. These spacing means are preferably located on the outer surface of the inner structure. The inner structure further has openings near its upper rim.
[0009] Further embodiments of the invention will be evident from the description and claims, read together with the attached drawings.
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The invention will be described in closer detail in the following description, with reference to the attached drawing, in which
[0011] [0011]FIG. 1 shows a cut-out perspective view of a device according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION
[0012] The present inventor has studied the available devices and found them less than satisfactory with regard to function and result. The device according to FI 28 800 is awkward to use, and the plunger does not suffice to create a strong flow, efficiently removing dirt and rinsing the materials to be washed. By replacing the plunger of FI 28 800, with a more advanced plunger as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,780,155 or U.S. Pat. No. 3,370,445, a slightly more efficient device may be created, however still without creating a functional device. The channel provided in FI 28 800 for circulation of the water, is undersized and impractical.
[0013] The present inventor has surprisingly found, that a manually operated washing device having a movable plunger ( 1 ) must also comprise an inner ( 2 ) and an outer structure ( 3 ) for containing water and the material to be washed. Further, the inner structure shall have perforations ( 4 ) in its bottom surface, and spacing means ( 5 and 10 ) to maintain a distance between the inner structure and the outer structure. By limiting the perforations to the bottom surface and providing a space between the inner and outer structure, efficient water circulation is achieved. The perforations can have any shape, such as circular, square, rectangular, triangular or be shaped as slits. Preferably, the perforations are round holes having a diameter of about 8 mm.
[0014] The inner structure also has means for allowing water to re-enter from above, for example by lowering the rim of the inner structure or by providing openings ( 6 ) near its upper rim. These openings are preferably shaped as elongate apertures, making it easy to lift the inner structure.
[0015] According to the invention, the plunger ( 1 ) consists of a handle ( 7 ), a flexible bellshaped member ( 8 ) and a inflexible, perforated end surface ( 9 ). The handle may be a wooden rod, a T-shaped wooden or plastic handle or similar. The flexible bellshaped member is preferably made of a natural or synthetic flexible rubber material. The inflexible, perforated end surface is preferably made of thermoplastic material with sufficient strength, but it may also be made of metal, preferably corrosion resistant. According to a preferred embodiment, the inflexible, perforated surface has rounded knobs, protruding from the surface.
[0016] The inner ( 2 ) and outer structures ( 3 ) may be two generally cylindrical containers, the inner fitting into the outer. It is however preferred, that at least the outer structure has a cross section, which lacks rotational symmetry. Preferably both the outer and inner structure have an elliptical cross section, a cross section which resembles a rhomboid with rounded corners, or a cross section which resembles a square with rounded corners. By this arrangement, the position of the inner structure relative to the outer structure is secured, avoiding movements of the structure. By choosing the geometry of the inner and outer structures, the flow of water in the device can be controlled. Further, the correct assembly of the device is ensured.
[0017] In order to make sure that the water circulates efficiently, the inner structure is arranged at a distance above the outer structure. Preferably the distance between the bottom of the inner structure and the bottom of the outer structure is in the interval of 15 mm to 60 mm. Most preferably, the distance is about 30 mm.
[0018] Similarly, there is arranged a space between the side walls of the inner structure and the side walls of the outer structure. Preferably, the space between the sides of the inner structure and the sides of the outer structure is in the interval of 10 mm to 30 mm. Most preferably, the distance is about 20 mm.
[0019] The distance below and around the inner structure is preferably maintained with the aid of spacing means ( 5 and 10 ). The spacing means can be attached to either the inner or the outer structure, but they are preferably attached to the bottom and the sides of the inner structure. This has the advantage of facilitating the cleaning of the device.
[0020] The inner structure may further be equipped with a mark, e.g. a line indicating a maximal load. The outer structure may likewise be equipped with a mark, e.g. a line indicating a maximal water level.
[0021] The inner and outer structures are preferably made of a thermoplastic material, e.g. moulded in suitable plastic.
[0022] Preferably the outer structure is equipped with a rim and a handle so that it can function as a bucket.
[0023] When using the device according to the invention, the device is assembled and the outer structure is filled with water to the mark and detergent is added. The material to be washed, e.g. a single garment of delicate fabric, is placed in the inner structure. After mixing and assuring that the detergent is fully dissolved, the inner structure is placed in the outer structure. The material is allowed to soak for a time, sufficient for the detergent to act on the dirt. Using the plunger, water and detergent is forced through the material. By the action of the plunger, water is forced through the material to be washed and also circulated in the device.
[0024] The operation of the handle has a dual effect: Firstly, the function of the flexible bellshaped member and the inflexible, perforated surface creates a pumping action, forcing water in and out of the material. Secondly, the movement of the plunger acts as a piston within the inner structure, forcing water to leave the inner structure through the perforations in its bottom surface, and to re-enter over its upper rim or through the openings provided near its upper rim. The construction of the device according to the invention generates extremely good conditions both for removing the dirt from the material, and for mixing and diluting the dirt.
[0025] For rinsing, the inner structure can be removed from the outer structure and the dirty water emptied. The outer structure is then filled with clean water and the inner structure replaced in its position. By working the plunger, the material is efficiently rinsed. This procedure can be repeated until the desired result is achieved.
[0026] The device according to the invention not only has the advantage of minimising the amount of water and detergent needed, it also makes it possible for the operator to avoid wetting his/her hands and exposing them to possibly allergy-provoking detergents.
[0027] A further advantage is that the materials washed, e.g. a delicate fabric, is never subjected to any wringing or twisting action, as is the case in normal manual washing or in machines centrifuging the laundry. One example of material, where the wringing action is detrimental, is wool. Wool is not unsuited for washing or the action of water, but very sensitive for mechanical working when wet. In a device according to the invention, the mechanical working is minimised, as the plunger only delicately touches the material but efficiently forces water to circulate through the same.
[0028] The invention has many advantages for elderly and disabled, for singles and for persons suffering from allergies or arthritis or other conditions, aggravated by the contact with water. The invention is specially advantageous for out-door use, for holiday use or for use in developing countries, where a considerable amount of washing is done in rivers and streams.
[0029] Although the invention has been described with regard to its preferred embodiments, which constitute the best mode presently known to the inventor, it should be understood that various changes and modifications as would be obvious to one having the ordinary skill in this art may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims appended hereto. | A manually operated washing device suitable for delicate textiles or for small amounts of laundry, which device both makes it possible to avoid direct contact with water and detergents, and minimises the amount of water and detergents necessary for obtaining a good result. | 3 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a barrel shifter for use with the arithmetic and logic units of a computer, and particularly to a barrel shifter of the type having means for supplying, as a function of selection signals coming from a decoding circuit, an output word composed of M consecutive bits extracted from a basic word of N1 bits which is formed, for example, from two input words of N bits each.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Barrel shifters are widely used for making rightward, leftward, and circular shifts of words of N bits, depending on the loading mode. Rightward shifts ar effected by setting the left input word to zero, rightward shifts by setting the right input word to zero, and circular shifts by setting the two input words to be identical to the word to be shifted.
In general, computer designers attempt to ensure the integrity of their systems by detecting and eliminating binary data corrupted by logic errors or physical malfunctioning of the system. The use of parity bits associated with the data is a convenient method of error detection while the data is being processed, either during logic operations or data shifting. First, each data word is subdivided into several fields or groups of bits. Then, "exclusive-OR" logic circuits are used to calculate the parity bit associated with each group. However, this operation requires time to generate the parity to be checked, particularly when the width of the group requires several exclusive-OR gate stages arranged in a cascade.
In particular, when the data is processed by an operator such as a barrel shifter, it is sometimes useful to calculate the parity bits associated with each result coming from the exclusive-OR operator. This calculation can be made by the usual method using the result itself. However, there is significant delay between the time that the parity information is calculated and the moment when the information is available for subsequent processing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The barrel shifter of the invention includes means for forming a parity word composed of parity bits associated with each respective group of n consecutive bits that can be obtained by partitioning a basic word, and includes selection means controlled by selection signals for producing the parity bits from groups of n consecutive bits which constitute the output word (n being a divisor of M). The means for forming a parity word are arranged in parallel with a decoding circuit such that the parity word and the selection signals are produced simultaneously. Thus, the machine time necessary for decoding the shift value is also used to precalculate the parity values of all the groups of bits that can be obtained by partitioning the basic word. The parity values are then provided together with the output word.
According to a first embodiment of the invention, the barrel shifter includes a shift matrix with N1 data input lines and M output lines; a decoding circuit able to activate, as a function of a command signal representing the value of the shift to be effected (which is between 0 and N1-M) a corresponding selection line to supply a data output word of n bits via the output lines; a plurality of parity-generating circuits associated with the n-bit data word that can be extracted from the input lines (to form one parity word N1-n+1 bits long); and a parity bit selection circuit controlled by the decoding circuit to supply the parities of the n-bit words via the parity output lines. This arrangement allows a decoding circuit common to the shift matrix and the parity bit selection means to be used. Advantageously, the parity bit selection circuit includes a selection matrix with N1-n+1 parity input lines and k parity output lines (where k=M/n) controlled from the decoding circuit by selection lines as a function of the shift value to be effected.
According to a particular embodiment of the barrel shifter of the invention, the parity selection matrix is interlaced in the shift matrix, with parity input lines (pi) parallel to the data input lines (di) in an arrangement of one parity line (pi) associated with one (di+2) of n data input lines of each group of n consecutive bits that can be extracted from the basic word (for example, for n=4, di, di+1, di+2, and di+3), parity output lines (qi') parallel to the data output lines (si) according to an arrangement of one parity output line (qi') associated with one (s(ni'+2)) of the output lines forming a group of n consecutive bits belonging to the output word (for example, for n=4, s4i', s4i'+1, s4i'+2 and s4i'+3), each selection line (lj) controlling the status of an output line (si) from the status of the data input line d(i+j) and the status of an output line q(i') from the status of the parity input line p(ni'+j).
This particular arrangement allows very significant savings in surface area used as compared with the surface are required by the use of two distinct matrices. For example, when the interlaced matrices incorporate switching transistors in a chip made by preloaded CMOS technology, the increase in surface area is only about 15%, as compared with the surface area of the switching shift matrix of a simple barrel shifter without the capacity for generation of parity bits.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying figures, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a barrel shifter according to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a parity bit generating circuit used in the circuit illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an operational schematic illustrating the formation of the parity word in the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the interlaced selection matrices used in the barrel shifter of the invention; and
FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a switching cell made by CMOS technology and used in the selection matrices illustrated in FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
According to an embodiment of the invention described here as a nonlimiting example, a barrel shifter 100 in FIG. 1 includes a double selection matrix 112 (incorporating a shifted word selection matrix 113 and a parity selection matrix 115), a decoding circuit 114, and a parity word generating circuit 116. The barrel shifter 100 has two sets or two buses of N data input lines 118 and 120, labeled from do to dN-1 for bus 118 and labeled dN to d(2N-1) for bus 120, shift control lines 122, a set of M lines 124 for data output after shifting, labeled sO to s(M-1), and a set of k parity output lines, labeled q0 to q(k-1).
Thus, the barrel shifter 100 is designed to generate the parities of k groups (or multiplets) of an n bit size which, after shifting, constitute the output word of an M bit size. In current applications, the size M of the output word is equal to that (N) of each of the input words, i.e. M=N, the size of the basic word N1 then being equal to 2N. As a nonlimiting example, in the variant described here of the embodiment of the invention and illustrated in FIG. 1, the sizes of the input and output words are 32 bits (M=N=32) and the size n of the multiplet is 4 bits (n=4), with the parity output then having a size of 8 bits (k=8). However, the example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and provided for illustration has been chosen with M=N=8 bits and n=4 bits (k=2) so as not to complicate the drawings.
Considering FIG. 1, the concatenation of the two input words with size N (for example, N=32) gives the possibility of extracting, by shifting, a number L=N1-M+1 (for example, 33) of groups different from M (for example, M=32) consecutive bits and able to form the output word, including the zero shift. For this purpose, shift selection matrix 113 is controlled by L selection lines 128 (labeled lo to l(N1-M)) coming from the output terminals of decoding circuit 114. Decoding circuit 114 can be of a classical type, for example with a binary coded input value. In this case, we have a number C of shift control lines 122 such that 2 C ≧N1-M+1, these lines being associated with a register D for inputting the shift value.
As shown in FIG. 1, input lines 118 and 120 are associated with two data registers A and B while output lines 124 and 126 are associated with two registers, one a data output register S and the other a parity output register Q.
Data lines 118 and 120 are also connected to the input terminals of the PAR circuit 116 that generates the parity word. The PAR circuit 116 includes a set of elementary circuits GP, each generating one parity bit.
Referring to FIG. 2, each elementary circuit GP has several inputs by cascading several "exclusive-OR" circuits, each having two inputs. FIG. 2 illustrates the particular case of a circuit with 4 inputs designed for generation of one parity bit per quartet. Recall that the parity bit (labeled pi) will assume the value 1 if the number of bits with value 1 in the multiplet considered is odd and will assume the value 0 if it is even.
Generation of the parity word in circuit 116 is effected as follows, illustrated schematically in FIG. 3. After concatenation in an appropriate register of input words A and B (in the same order as that used for shifting), each parity bit pi is generated from all the multiplets of consecutive bits (in this case quartets) that it is possible to extract. The number of multiplets is equal to 2N-N+1 (for N1=2N), i.e., 61 in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, and 13 in the example illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. This generation of parity bits is effected in a register P by the GP circuits (GPo to GP(2N-n)) in parallel, almost simultaneously with the decoding of the shift command sent via line 122. The parity signals are supplied to N1-n+1 input lines 130 (labeled po to p(2-Nn)) of the parity selection matrix 115 before validation by a clock signal CK of the selection signal generated by decoding the circuit 114.
The double selection matrix 112 shown schematically in FIG. 4 shows the interlacing of shift matrix 113 and parity matrix 115. Shift matrix 113 has input lines (do to d7 and d8 to d15) for words A and B, respectively, output lines S (so to s7), and selection lines (l0 to l8). Parity matrix 115 has input lines (po to p12), output lines (q0 to q1), and selection lines (l0 to l8), the latter lines being common and in fact the same as those of shift matrix 113.
From the topological standpoint in a particular embodiment in CMOS technology, selection lines L (the set of vertical lines shown in FIG. 4) are on metal layer 1, output lines S and Q (horizontal lines shown in FIG. 4) are on metal layer 2, and data lines A, B, and P are arranged in a two-layer staircase to allow crossings in a general arrangement of oblique parallel layers (metal layer 1 for the vertical path and metal layer 2 for the horizontal path above the selection lines with inter-layer metal connection at each change of orientation). Moreover, lines A and B are contiguous to ensure the concatenation of words A and B, and lines P are interlaced in lines A and B according to the arrangement shown in FIG. 4. Likewise, output lines S and Q are disposed in parallel interlaced layers which cover not only input lines A, B, and P but also selection lines L running vertically. One input line, one output line, and one selection line meet at a switching cell CC whose schematic, shown in FIG. 5, will be presented hereinbelow.
From the functional standpoint, when a switching cell CC is validated by the associated selection line, it reproduces in the associated output line the logical value of the associated input line (oblique line). When it is not validated, cell CC is kept in a state of high impedance.
The particular topological arrangement of FIG. 4 (output lines S and selection lines L perpendicular, staircase input lines oblique, preferably at a 45° angle) has the advantage of optimizing the surface area occupied. Thus, shift matrix 113 has M lines and 2N-M+1 columns (or, in FIG. 4, a 3×9 matrix) and parity matrix 115 has k lines and 2N+1 columns (or, in FIG. 4, a 2×9 matrix). This topology is used in the practical embodiment of double selection matrix 112 in the form of an LSI microcircuit in CMOS technology.
More precisely, parity input lines (pi) have a staircase arrangement parallel to that of the data input lines (di) according to an arrangement of a parity line (pi) associated with a line (in the particular case illustrated in FIG. 4, line (di+2) for example) of the n=4 data input lines of each group of n consecutive bits that can be extracted from the basic word (di, di+1, di+2, and di+3).
Likewise, parity output lines (qi') are parallel to output lines (si) according to an arrangement of a parity output line (qi') associated with a line (in the particular case illustrated in FIG. 4 where (pi) is associated with (di+2), line (s(ni'+2)) to keep the correspondence between parity and group of consecutive bits) of the n=4 output lines (sni', sni'+1, sni'+2, sni'+3) forming a group of n consecutive bits belonging to the output word. Thus, parity output lines (qi') are regularly spaced every n output lines (si).
Finally, each selection line (lj) controls, via the switching cell CCij, the status of output line (si) from data input line d(i+j) and via switching cell CC*i'j, the status of output line (qi') from parity input line p(ni'+j).
FIG. 5 represents a switching cell CCij associated with an input line d(i+j), with output line (si), and with selection line (lj). This arrangement uses so-called "preloaded CMOS" technology where each horizontal line (relative to FIG. 5) of the matrix corresponds to a line (s'i) which is preloaded at a positive voltage Vdd during the so-called clock signal preloading phase (signal CK=0 during the preloading phase). During the so-called clock signal CK evaluation phase (signal CK=1 during the evaluation phase), this line (s'i) assumes a logic state matching the output value (si). To do this, each preloaded line (s'i) is connected to the input 154 of an inverter 156 whose output corresponds to the output line (si). Each switching cell CC is principally composed of two NMOS transistors 150 and 152 wired in series. The drain of transistor 150 is connected to the preloaded line (s'i) directly at input 154 of inverter 156 while the source of transistor 152 is connected to the ground (low-level potential) of the circuit. The gate 158 of transistor 150 is connected to the selection line (lj), more precisely to the output 160 of a validation AND gate 162 incorporated into decoding circuit 114. The AND gate 162 receives at the input the corresponding signal (l'j) generated in decoding circuit 114 and clock signal CK (validation being effected during the evaluation phase where CK=1). The gate 164 of transistor 152 is connected to data input line d(i+j) (for example for a shift of 5 units, or j=5, the value of bit 4 of the output word, or s4, will be equal to that of data bit d9).
Moreover, a preloading PMOS transistor 166 is connected by its source to a voltage source Vdd and by its drain to line (s'i). This PMOS transistor 166 receives clock signal CK at its gate 168.
If switching cell CC* belongs to parity matrix 115, its basic electrical schematic remains unchanged. However, selection line (lj) is associated with an output line (qi') through a preloaded line (q'i') and with a parity data line p(ni'+j) (for example for a shift of five units (j=5), the parity value of quartet 1 (n=4, i'=1) of the output word will be that of the parity bit of line p9).
The switching cells operate as follows: with each clock cycle (not shown) of the barrel shifter, the CK signal assumes first a low value (CK=0 during the preloading phase) then a high value (CK=1 during the evaluation phase). During the so-called preloading phase with CK=0, PMOS transistor 152 conducts and the input of inverter 156 is brought to potential Vdd. Moreover, output 160 of AND gate 162 is brought to a low level during this entire preloading phase. As a result, NMOS transistor 150 is blocked. During the so-called evaluation phase where CK=1, PMOS transistor 166 is again blocked while signal CK=1 is sent to the inputs of all the AND gates controlling the selection lines at the output of decoding circuit 114. Depending o the shift value transmitted by control line 122, a single pre-selection line, for example (l'j), will be activated and raised to a high value (l'j=1). Thus, output 160 of the corresponding AND gate 162 and the entire corresponding selection line (lj) associated with column (j) of the shift and parity matrices controlling grids 158 of NMOS transistors 150 is brought to a high potential, which will have the effect of causing these same transistors 150 to conduct, thus allowing the values of signals (di+j) and p(ni'+j) to be read.
In the case where d(i+j)=0, gate 164 of transistor 152 remains at a low voltage, keeping the latter in a blocked state. Line (s'i) remains at a high level which delivers a low-level output signal (si=0) at the output of inverter 156. Conversely, when d(i+j)=1, the gate 164 is brought to a high level which causes transistor 152 to conduct. Blockage of transistor 166 and causing transistors 150 and 152 to conduct cause the voltage of line (s'i) to drop to a low level. The output of inverter 156 then switches to the high level (si=1).
Thus, during this evaluation phase, all the output lines (si) and (qi') activated by the same selection line (lj) will be representative of the binary values present in the associated data and parity lines. It should be noted that the time required for SEL circuit 114 to decode the shift value and the time required for PAR circuit 116 to generate the parity word are of the same order; this allows synchronism to be ensured in terms of availability of output words and parities of the groups of bits of which these words are composed. In fact, all the operations of shifting and generating parity bits of the multiplets of which the output word is composed are carried out during a single clock cycle.
Moreover, the interlacing of the shifting and parity matrices saves considerable space when the components are being integrated in a chip. In practice, the physical limitation is the minimum required spacing between two parallel transistor interconnection lines in one of the chip metallization layers (in the particular case described, for metal layer 1, the positioning of the lines of metal layer 2 being predetermined). For a chip based on a single shift matrix for two input words of 32 bits and one output word also of 32 bits (2×32 inputs, 32 outputs, and 33 selections), a chip according to the invention with generation of parity bits of each quartet of the output word (comprising at most 61 parity inputs and 8 parity outputs) has an increased matrix active surface area of about 15%. However, without departing from the scope of the invention, another embodiment thereof (not shown) has the two matrices, the shift switching matrix and the parity matrix, structured physically separately, each around one specific chip (or one microcircuit).
Other modifications and implementations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as claimed. Accordingly, the above description is not intended to limit the invention except as indicated in the following claims. | A barrel shifter circuit is provided for use with the arithmetic and logic units of a computer. The circuit includes a generator of a parity word composed of parity bits, each associated with one of a plurality of groups of n bits, each group of n bits being obtained by partitioning input words A and B. The circuit also includes a parity matrix associated with a shift matrix for producing the parity bits of the groups of n consecutive bits that constitute an output word S, provided via parity output lines Q. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a new and distinctive soybean cultivar, designated 9525889614912. There are numerous steps in the development of any novel, desirable plant germplasm. Plant breeding begins with the analysis and definition of problems and weaknesses of the current germplasm, the establishment of program goals, and the definition of specific breeding objectives. The next step is selection of germplasm that possess the traits to meet the program goals. The goal is to combine in a single variety an improved combination of desirable traits from the parental germplasm. These important traits may include higher seed yield, resistance to diseases and insects, better stems and roots, tolerance to drought and heat, and better agronomic quality.
Choice of breeding or selection methods depends on the mode of plant reproduction, the heritability of the trait(s) being improved, and the type of cultivar used commercially (e.g., F 1 hybrid cultivar, pureline cultivar, etc.). For highly heritable traits, a choice of superior individual plants evaluated at a single location will be effective, whereas for traits with low heritability, selection should be based on mean values obtained from replicated evaluations of families of related plants. Popular selection methods commonly include pedigree selection, modified pedigree selection, mass selection, and recurrent selection.
The complexity of inheritance influences choice of the breeding method. Backcross breeding is used to transfer one or a few favorable genes for a highly heritable trait into a desirable cultivar. This approach has been used extensively for breeding disease-resistant cultivars. Various recurrent selection techniques are used to improve quantitatively inherited traits controlled by numerous genes. The use of recurrent selection in self-pollinating crops depends on the ease of pollination, the frequency of successful hybrids from each pollination, and the number of hybrid offspring from each successful cross.
Each breeding program should include a periodic, objective evaluation of the efficiency of the breeding procedure. Evaluation criteria vary depending on the goal and objectives, but should include gain from selection per year based on comparisons to an appropriate standard, overall value of the advanced breeding lines, and number of successful cultivars produced per unit of input (e.g., per year, per dollar expended, etc.).
Promising advanced breeding lines are thoroughly tested and compared to appropriate standards in environments representative of the commercial target area(s) for three or more years. The best lines are candidates for new commercial cultivars; those still deficient in a few traits may be used as parents to produce new populations for further selection.
These processes, which lead to the final step of marketing and distribution, usually take from eight to 12 years from the time the first cross is made. Therefore, development of new cultivars is a time-consuming process that requires precise forward planning, efficient use of resources, and a minimum of changes in direction.
A most difficult task is the identification of individuals that are genetically superior, because for most traits the true genotypic value is masked by other confounding plant traits or environmental factors. One method of identifying a superior plant is to observe its performance relative to other experimental plants and to a widely grown standard cultivar. If a single observation is inconclusive, replicated observations provide a better estimate of its genetic worth.
The goal of plant breeding is to develop new, unique and superior soybean cultivars and hybrids. The breeder initially selects and crosses two or more parental lines, followed by repeated selfing and selection, producing many new genetic combinations. The breeder can theoretically generate billions of different genetic combinations via crossing, selfing and mutations. The breeder has no direct control at the cellular level. Therefore, two breeders will never develop the same line, or even very similar lines, having the same soybean traits.
Each year, the plant breeder selects the germplasm to advance to the next generation. This germplasm is grown under unique and different geographical, climatic and soil conditions, and further selections are then made, during and at the end of the growing season. The cultivars which are developed are unpredictable. This unpredictability is because the breeder's selection occurs in unique environments, with no control at the DNA level (using conventional breeding procedures), and with millions of different possible genetic combinations being generated. A breeder of ordinary skill in the art cannot predict the final resulting lines he develops, except possibly in a very gross and general fashion. The same breeder cannot produce the same cultivar twice by using the exact same original parents and the same selection techniques. This unpredictability results in the expenditure of large amounts of research monies to develop superior new soybean cultivars.
The development of new soybean cultivars requires the development and selection of soybean varieties, the crossing of these varieties and selection of superior hybrid crosses. The hybrid seed is produced by manual crosses between selected male-fertile parents or by using male sterility systems. These hybrids are selected for certain single gene traits such as pod color, flower color, pubescence color or herbicide resistance which indicate that the seed is truly a hybrid. Additional data on parental lines, as well as the phenotype of the hybrid, influence the breeder's decision whether to continue with the specific hybrid cross.
Pedigree breeding and recurrent selection breeding methods are used to develop cultivars from breeding populations. Breeding programs combine desirable traits from two or more cultivars or various broad-based sources into breeding pools from which cultivars are developed by selfing and selection of desired phenotypes. The new cultivars are evaluated to determine which have commercial potential.
Pedigree breeding is used commonly for the improvement of self-pollinating crops. Two parents which possess favorable, complementary traits are crossed to produce an F 1 . An F 2 population is produced by selfing one or several F 1 's. Selection of the best individuals may begin in the F 2 population; then, beginning in the F 3 , the best individuals in the best families are selected. Replicated testing of families can begin in the F 4 generation to improve the effectiveness of selection for traits with low heritability. At an advanced stage of inbreeding (i.e., F 6 and F 7 ), the best lines or mixtures of phenotypically similar lines are tested for potential release as new cultivars.
Mass and recurrent selections can be used to improve populations of either self- or cross-pollinating crops. A genetically variable population of heterozygous individuals is either identified or created by intercrossing several different parents. The best plants are selected based on individual superiority, outstanding progeny, or excellent combining ability. The selected plants are intercrossed to produce a new population in which further cycles of selection are continued.
Backcross breeding has been used to transfer genes for a simply inherited, highly heritable trait into a desirable homozygous cultivar or inbred line which is the recurrent parent. The source of the trait to be transferred is called the donor parent. The resulting plant is expected to have the attributes of the recurrent parent (e.g., cultivar) and the desirable trait transferred from the donor parent. After the initial cross, individuals possessing the phenotype of the donor parent are selected and repeatedly crossed (backcrossed) to the recurrent parent. The resulting plant is expected to have the attributes of the recurrent parent (e.g., cultivar) and the desirable trait transferred from the donor parent.
The single-seed descent procedure in the strict sense refers to planting a segregating population, harvesting a sample of one seed per plant, and using the one-seed sample to plant the next generation. When the population has been advanced from the F 2 to the desired level of inbreeding, the plants from which lines are derived will each trace to different F 2 individuals. The number of plants in a population declines each generation due to failure of some seeds to germinate or some plants to produce at least one seed. As a result, not all of the F 2 plants originally sampled in the population will be represented by a progeny when generation advance is completed.
In a multiple-seed procedure, soybean breeders commonly harvest one or more pods from each plant in a population and thresh them together to form a bulk. Part of the bulk is used to plant the next generation and part is put in reserve. The procedure has been referred to as modified single-seed descent or the pod-bulk technique.
The multiple-seed procedure has been used to save labor at harvest. It is considerably faster to thresh pods with a machine than to remove one seed from each by hand for the single-seed procedure. The multiple-seed procedure also makes it possible to plant the same number of seeds of a population each generation of inbreeding. Enough seeds are harvested to make up for those plants that did not germinate or produce seed.
Descriptions of other breeding methods that are commonly used for different traits and crops can be found in one of several reference books (e.g., Allard, 1960; Simmonds, 1979; Sneep et al., 1979; Fehr, 1987).
Proper testing should detect any major faults and establish the level of superiority or improvement over current cultivars. In addition to showing superior performance, there must be a demand for a new cultivar that is compatible with industry standards or which creates a new market. The introduction of a new cultivar will incur additional costs to the seed producer, the grower, processor and consumer; for special advertising and marketing, altered seed and commercial production practices, and new product utilization. The testing preceding release of a new cultivar should take into consideration research and development costs as well as technical superiority of the final cultivar. For seed-propagated cultivars, it must be feasible to produce seed easily and economically.
Soybean, Glycine max (L), is an important and valuable field crop. Thus, a continuing goal of plant breeders is to develop stable, high yielding soybean cultivars that are agronomically sound. The reasons for this goal are obviously to maximize the amount of grain produced on the land used and to supply food for both animals and humans. To accomplish this goal, the soybean breeder must select and develop soybean plants that have the traits that result in superior cultivars.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, there is provided a novel soybean cultivar, designated 9525889614912. This invention thus relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 9525889614912, to the plants of soybean 9525889614912 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing the soybean 9525889614912 with itself or another soybean line.
DEFINITIONS
In the description and tables which follow, a number of terms are used. In order to provide a clear and consistent understanding of the specification and claims, including the scope to be given such terms, the following definitions are provided:
Maturity Date. Plants are considered mature when 95% of the pods have reached their mature color. The number of days are either calculated from September 1 or from the planting date.
Seed Yield (Bushels/Acre). The yield in bushels/acre is the actual yield of the grain at harvest.
Lodging Resistance. Lodging is rated on a scale of 1 to 5. A score of 1 indicates erect plants. A score of 2.5 indicates plants are leaning at a 45° angle in relation to the ground and a score of 5 indicates plants are laying on the ground.
Phytophthora Tolerance. Tolerance to Phytophthora root rot is rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with a score of 1 being the best or highest tolerance ranging down to a score of 5 which indicates the plants have no tolerance to Phytophthora.
Emergence. This score indicates the ability of the seed to emerge when planted 3" deep in sand and with a controlled temperature of 25° C. The number of plants that emerge each day are counted. Based on this data, each genotype is given a 1 to 5 score based on its rate of emergence and percent of emergence. A score of 1 indicates an excellent rate and percent of emergence, an intermediate score of 2.5 indicates average ratings and a 5 score indicates a very poor rate and percent of emergence.
Iron-Deficiency Chlorosis. Plants are scored 1 to 5 based on visual observations. A score of 1 means no stunting of the plants or yellowing of the leaves and a score of 5 indicates the plants are dead or dying caused by iron-deficiency chlorosis, a score of 2.5 means plants have intermediate health with some leaf yellowing.
Brown Stem Rot. This is a visual disease score from 1 to 5 comparing all genotypes in a given test. The score is based on leaf symptoms of yellowing and necrosis caused by brown stem rot. A score of 1 indicates no symptoms. Visual scores range to a score of 5 which indicates severe symptoms of leaf yellowing and necrosis.
Shattering. The amount of pod dehiscence prior to harvest. Pod dehiscence involves seeds falling from the pods to the soil. This is a visual score from 1 to 5 comparing all genotypes within a given test. A score of 1 means pods have not opened and no seeds have fallen out. A score of 2.5 indicates approximately 50% of the pods have opened, with seeds falling to the ground and a score of 5 indicates 100% of the pods are opened.
Plant Height. Plant height is taken from the top of soil to top node of the plant and is measured in inches.
Seed Protein Peroxidase Activity. Seed protein peroxidase activity is defined as a chemical taxonomic technique to separate cultivars based on the presence or absence of the peroxidase enzyme in the seed coat. There are two types of soybean cultivars, those having high peroxidase activity (dark red color) and those having low peroxidase activity (no color).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Soybean cultivar 9525889614912 has superior characteristics and was developed from the cross A5959/2×AG6101. F 1 and F 2 plants were advanced by a modified pedigree selection. F 3 derived F 4 lines were selected in 1995. In 1997 F 3 derived F 6 plants of 9525889614912 were entered in a yield test at 4 locations in the lower Midwest where it placed first of 50 entries.
9525889614912 is an early maturity group VI variety with very high yield potential and resistance to Roundup™ herbicide. 9525889614912 has superior yields compared to lines of similar maturity and has excellent agronomic characteristics, including excellent lodging resistance. 9525889614912 is well adapted to the early maturity Group VI growing areas of the southern corn belt, including: Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas.
Some of the criteria used to select in various generations include: seed yield, lodging resistance, emergence, disease tolerance, maturity, late season plant intactness, plant height and shattering resistance.
The cultivar has shown uniformity and stability for the traits, as described in the following variety description information. It has been self-pollinated a sufficient number of generations with careful attention to uniformity of plant type. The line has been increased with continued observation for uniformity.
Soybean cultivar 9525889614912 has the following morphologic and other characteristics (based primarily on data collected at Marion, Ark.).
VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION
1. Seed Shape: Spherical Flattened (L/W ratio>1.2; L/T ratio=<1.2)
2. Hilum Color: (Mature Seed)--Buff
3. Flower Color: White
4. Pod Color: Tan
5. Leaflet Shape: Ovate
6. Plant Pubescence Color: Gray
7. Plant Habit: Determinate
8. Maturity Group: VI
9. Physiological Responses: Roundup™ Herbicide: Resistant
10. Plant Lodging Score: 1.6
This invention is also directed to methods for producing a soybean plant by crossing a first parent soybean plant with a second parent soybean plant, wherein the first or second soybean plant is the soybean plant from the line 9525889614912. Further, both first and second parent soybean plants may be from the cultivar 9525889614912. Therefore, any methods using the cultivar 9525889614912 are part of this invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid breeding, and crosses to populations. Any plants produced using cultivar 9525889614912 as a parent are within the scope of this invention. As used herein, the term "plant" includes plant cells, plant protoplasts, plant cells of tissue culture from which soybean plants can be regenerated, plant calli, plant clumps, and plant cells that are intact in plants or parts of plants, such as pollen, flowers, seeds, pods, leaves, stems, and the like. Thus, another aspect of this invention is to provide for cells which upon growth and differentiation produce the cultivar 9525889614912.
The cultivar 9525889614912 is similar to AG6101. While similar to AG6101, there are numerous differences including: 9525889614912 has a white flower color and AG6101 is purple.
TABLES
In Table 1 that follows, the traits and characteristics of soybean cultivar 9525889614912 are compared to several competing varieties of commercial soybeans of similar maturity. In the tables, column 1 shows the yield in bushels/acre for the instant invention and the Competitor Variety. Column 2 indicates the days to maturity after September 1 for the instant invention and the Competitor Variety. Column 3 shows the plant height in inches for the instant invention and the Competitor Variety. Column 4 indicates the plant lodging for the instant invention and the Competitor Variety. Column 5 shows the general appearance rating scores for the instant invention and the Competitor Variety. Lodging and General Appearance Rating scores are rated 1=Best and 5=Worst.
TABLE 1______________________________________1997 AGRONOMIC DATA BU/A MAT HGT LDG GR______________________________________Overall Mean 56.21 39.00 31.90 1.80 2.20 Number of Locations 4 4 3 3 3 9525889614912 61.38 42.00 35.00 1.60 1.70 Asgrow A5959 61.26 39.10 31.50 1.90 1.70 Asgrow AG5901 56.88 40.90 30.50 1.80 2.30 Asgrow AG5602 53.79 36.40 30.30 1.60 2.20 Asgrow AG5801 53.64 39.10 30.50 1.40 1.50______________________________________
DEPOSIT INFORMATION
A deposit of the Asgrow Seed Company soybean cultivar 9525889614912 disclosed above and recited in the appended claims has been made with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), 10801, University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110. The date of deposit was Oct. 7, 1999. The deposit of 2,500 seeds were taken from the same deposit maintained by Asgrow Seed Company since prior to the filing date of this application. All restrictions upon the deposit have been removed, and the deposit is intended to meet all of the requirements of 37 C.F.R. §1.801-1.809. The ATCC accession number is ATCC PTA-829. The deposit will be maintained in the depository for a period of 30 years, or 5 years after the last request, or for the effective life of the patent, whichever is longer, and will be replaced as necessary during that period.
Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be obvious that certain changes and modifications may be practiced within the scope of the invention, as limited only by the scope of the appended claims. | A novel soybean cultivar, designated 9525889614912, is closed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean multivar 9525889614912, to the plants of soybean 9525889614912 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing the cultivar 9525889614912 with itself or another soybean variety. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds and plants produced by crossing the cultivar 9525889614912 with another soybean cultivar. | 0 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of the application with Ser. No. ______ entitled TELECOMMUNICATIONS CHASSIS AND CARD WITH FLAME SPREAD CONTAINMENT filed on Feb. 28, 2001.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This invention relates to chassis for holding telecommunications cards such as repeater circuits. More specifically, the present invention relates to chassis and cards with structures for flame spread containment and/or high card density.
BACKGROUND
[0003] It is desirable for a chassis for holding telecommunication circuit cards to support a high density of cards, yet the chassis must effectively dissipate heat developed during operation while containing the spread of flames should a fire be imposed within the chassis. The cards installed in the chassis perform electrical operations, such as signal transception and amplification that generate a significant amount of heat. Typically, a chassis is installed in a rack that contains several other chassis stacked above and below. The heat and flames that may develop within a chassis in the rack have the potential to harm circuit cards housed in the chassis above and below the chassis where the heat and/or flames emanate from, and the flames should be contained to avoid damaging cards in the other chassis.
[0004] The chassis must also provide external protection for the circuit cards it houses. Thus, the chassis cannot freely expose the circuit cards to areas outside the chassis when attempting to dissipate heat and flames. Additionally, the chassis must provide a structural interconnection that maintains electrical continuity between the circuit cards and external transmission mediums such as copper wires or fiber optic cables while facilitating insertion and removal of the cards. A sufficient structure must be used to facilitate this circuit card modularity, which further limits the chassis' ability to provide outlets for heat and flames.
[0005] Additionally, to reduce the chassis size for a given number of circuits, the circuit card density must be increased. Increasing circuit card density is difficult not only due to heat dissipation and potential flame spread, but also because of electromagnetic noise that must be contained. Generally, increasing circuit card density involves employing smaller cards, and smaller cards require higher component density within the cards. Achieving effective heat dissipation with adequate flame spread and electromagnetic noise containment may even be more difficult for smaller card designs with higher component densities.
[0006] Thus several factors must be accounted for in the chassis and card design. Chassis designs with large interior spaces for directing heat and flames away from circuit cards may be undesirable because the chassis may become too large when accommodating a high density of circuits. Chassis designs with open exteriors for directing heat and flames away from the circuit cards may be undesirable because the circuit cards may not be sufficiently protected from externalities such as falling objects or heat and flames spreading from a chassis positioned above or below in the rack. Card designs that are relatively large require a larger chassis to house the same quantity of cards.
[0007] Thus, there is a need for a chassis and card design whereby the chassis may contain a high density of readily removable circuit cards while providing effective heat dissipation and flame and electromagnetic noise containment.
SUMMARY
[0008] The present invention provides a chassis and card design that may accommodate a high density of readily removable circuits while providing heat dissipation and flame and electromagnetic noise containment features. Ventilation and containment structures are employed to direct heat away from internal circuitry while preventing flames from spreading within the chassis. Additionally, chassis designs of the present invention may provide exterior features that establish protection from externalities and prevent the harmful spread of heat and flames to chassis or other equipment stacked above or below. Card designs of the present invention may provide conductor structures for containing electromagnetic noise and/or individual components placed in locations for coordination with the ventilation structures of the chassis.
[0009] The present invention may be viewed as a chassis for housing repeater cards. The chassis includes an inner housing with vertical sidewalls, a first surface, and a second surface. The first surface and the second surface have a first and second row of openings. The chassis also includes one or more repeater cards positioned between the first surface and the second surface. The one or more repeater cards has a DC-DC converter and a transceiver with the DC-DC converter being positioned between a first opening of the first row of the first surface and a first opening of the second row of the second surface at least partially aligned with the first opening of the first row of the first surface. The transceiver is positioned between a first opening of he second row of the first surface and a first opening of the second row of the second surface at least partially aligned with the first opening of the second row of the first surface.
[0010] The present invention may also be viewed as a repeater card. The repeater card includes a printed circuit board having a ground layer and a power layer separated by a dielectric with the ground layer having a chassis ground plane, a logic ground plane, and a first channel ground plane, and with the power layer having a logic power plane and a first channel power plane. The logic ground plane substantially overlaps with the logic power plane and the first channel ground plane substantially overlaps with the first channel power plane. A DC-DC converter is mounted to the printed circuit board and electrically linked to the logic ground plane, the logic power plane, the first channel ground plane, the first channel power plane, and the chassis ground plane. A transceiver is mounted to the printed circuit board and electrically linked to the DC-DC converter, the logic ground plane, the logic power plane, the first channel ground plane, and the first channel power plane.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] [0011]FIG. 1A is a top front perspective view of a chassis loaded with repeater cards
[0012] [0012]FIG. 1B is a bottom front perspective view of the chassis loaded with repeater cards.
[0013] [0013]FIG. 2 is a top front perspective view of an empty chassis with card slot covers in place.
[0014] [0014]FIG. 3A is a top view of the empty chassis.
[0015] [0015]FIG. 3B is a front view of the empty chassis.
[0016] [0016]FIG. 3C is a right side view of the empty chassis.
[0017] [0017]FIG. 4A is a top view of the loaded chassis.
[0018] [0018]FIG. 4B is a front view of the loaded chassis.
[0019] [0019]FIG. 4C is a right side view of the loaded chassis.
[0020] [0020]FIG. 5A is a bottom rear perspective view of the loaded chassis.
[0021] [0021]FIG. 5B is a top rear perspective view of the loaded chassis.
[0022] [0022]FIG. 6A is another top view of the loaded chassis.
[0023] [0023]FIG. 6B is a rear view of the loaded chassis.
[0024] [0024]FIG. 6C is a left side view of the loaded chassis.
[0025] [0025]FIG. 7 is a side view of the empty chassis with the outer sidewall removed.
[0026] [0026]FIG. 8 is an exploded top rear perspective view of the empty chassis.
[0027] [0027]FIG. 9 is a top view of the empty chassis with the top cover layers and top surface of the inner housing removed.
[0028] [0028]FIG. 10 is an exploded top front perspective view of the empty chassis.
[0029] [0029]FIG. 11A is a top view of the empty inner housing of the empty chassis.
[0030] [0030]FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional front view of the empty inner housing of the empty chassis along lines A-A of FIG. 11A.
[0031] [0031]FIG. 11C is a partial top front perspective view of the empty inner housing of the empty chassis.
[0032] [0032]FIG. 12 is a top front exploded perspective view of the inner housing of the chassis loaded with three cards.
[0033] [0033]FIG. 13 is a bottom front exploded perspective view of the inner housing of the chassis loaded with three cards.
[0034] [0034]FIG. 14 is a top rear exploded perspective view of the inner housing of the chassis loaded with three cards.
[0035] [0035]FIG. 15 is a bottom rear exploded perspective view of the inner housing of the chassis loaded with three cards.
[0036] [0036]FIG. 16A is a top front perspective view of the backplane of the chassis.
[0037] [0037]FIG. 16B is a top view of the backplane of the chassis.
[0038] [0038]FIG. 16C is a front view of the backplane of the chassis.
[0039] [0039]FIG. 16D is a right side view of the backplane of the chassis.
[0040] [0040]FIG. 17A is a partial top front perspective view of a card mounted to a floor surface of the inner housing of the chassis.
[0041] [0041]FIG. 17B is a top rear perspective view of a card mounted to a floor surface of the inner housing of the chassis.
[0042] [0042]FIG. 17C is a top front perspective view of a card mounted to a floor surface of the inner housing of the chassis.
[0043] [0043]FIG. 17D is a partial top rear perspective view of a card mounted to a floor surface of the inner housing of the chassis.
[0044] [0044]FIG. 18A is a partial bottom front perspective view of cards partially installed relative to a ceiling surface of the inner housing of the chassis.
[0045] [0045]FIG. 18B is a partial top front perspective view of cards partially installed relative to a ceiling surface of the inner housing of the chassis.
[0046] [0046]FIG. 18C is a partial bottom rear perspective view of cards partially installed relative to a ceiling surface of the inner housing of the chassis.
[0047] [0047]FIG. 18D is a partial top rear perspective view of cards partially installed relative to a ceiling surface of the inner housing of the chassis.
[0048] [0048]FIG. 19A is a top view of a repeater circuit card.
[0049] [0049]FIG. 19B is a left side view of the repeater circuit card.
[0050] [0050]FIG. 19C is a front view of the repeater circuit card.
[0051] [0051]FIG. 20A is a top front perspective view of the repeater circuit card.
[0052] [0052]FIG. 20B is an exploded top right perspective view of the repeater circuit card.
[0053] [0053]FIG. 20C is an exploded top left perspective view of the repeater circuit card.
[0054] [0054]FIG. 21 is an exploded top rear perspective view of a heat baffle.
[0055] [0055]FIG. 22 is top front perspective view of a rack holding multiple chassis and the heat baffle.
[0056] [0056]FIG. 23A is front view of a rack holding multiple chassis and the heat baffle.
[0057] [0057]FIG. 23B is a right side view of a rack holding multiple chassis and the heat baffle.
[0058] [0058]FIG. 24A is top front perspective view of a rack holding multiple chassis and the heat baffle positioned for installation.
[0059] [0059]FIG. 24B is right side view of a rack holding multiple chassis and the heat baffle positioned for installation.
[0060] [0060]FIG. 25 is a side view of the circuit board of the circuit card showing the relative position of the components of a repeater circuit.
[0061] [0061]FIG. 26 is a schematic of alarm circuitry of the repeater circuit.
[0062] [0062]FIG. 27 is a schematic of transceiver configuration circuitry of the repeater circuit.
[0063] [0063]FIG. 28 is a schematic of power supply circuitry of the repeater circuit.
[0064] [0064]FIG. 29 is a view of a ground conductor layer of the printed circuit board supporting the repeater circuit.
[0065] [0065]FIG. 30 is a view of a power conductor layer of the printed circuit board supporting the repeater circuit.
[0066] [0066]FIG. 31 is a view of a component layer of the printed circuit board supporting the repeater circuit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0067] Various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts and assemblies through the several views. Reference to various embodiments does not limit the scope of the invention, which is limited only by the scope of the claims attached hereto.
[0068] [0068]FIGS. 1A and 1B show a loaded chassis 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The chassis includes vertical sidewalls including right sidewall 104 . A top mesh cover 102 is included, and this cover as well as other mesh covers discussed below typically are perforated rolled steel wherein the perforations provide air passages. An exemplary mesh cover is made of aluminum and has 63% of its surface occupied by relatively small and densely positioned air passages, but other materials and air passage percentages for the mesh covers are also applicable. Cover 102 may have angular portions 102 ′. As with all surfaces of the chassis 100 , the rolled steel may be used and may have a clear chromate plating to reduce electromagnetic interference. The chassis 100 also has a bottom mesh cover 116 that covers the bottom of the chassis 100 .
[0069] A backplane 106 having external connectors 108 is included for establishing electrical communication between the circuit cards 110 housed by the chassis 100 and external cabling passing through the chassis rack. The external connectors 108 may be a terminal block, but other connector types are suitable as well. The cards typically have a mounting screw 110 ′ that secures the card to the chassis 100 . The chassis 100 includes mounting flanges 112 and 114 for installation of the chassis 100 in a rack. A ground connector 109 is included for providing chassis ground.
[0070] FIGS. 2 - 3 C show an empty chassis 100 . The empty chassis 100 has card slot covers 111 that cover each card slot reserved for a circuit card 110 . The card slot covers are held in place by a screw 111 ′ that is secured to the chassis 100 . FIGS. 3A and 3C also show a backplane cover 118 that is more clearly shown in FIGS. 5 A and 5 B. The backplane cover 118 , typically made of lexan, prevents exposure of circuit leads and pins on the backside of the backplane 106 .
[0071] FIGS. 4 A-C show a loaded chassis 100 . The loaded chassis 100 is filled with circuit cards 110 held in place by the fastener 110 ′. The circuit cards 110 have a finger 175 extending from a faceplate 174 . The finger 175 provides a handle for an operator to grip when inserting or removing the circuit cards 110 from the chassis 100 . The finger 175 and circuit card 110 are shown and described in more detail below.
[0072] FIGS. 5 A- 6 C illustrate the chassis 100 with the focus shifted to the rear portion where the backplane 106 , external connectors 108 , and backplane cover 118 are located. The vertical sidewall 105 is also visible in these views. Also visible in these views is a backplane power connection 106 ′ that generally mates to a power connection in a rack to provide power to circuit cards 110 through internal connectors discussed below and receive alarm signals generated by the circuit cards 110 .
[0073] [0073]FIG. 7 shows a side view of the chassis 100 with the sidewall 104 removed. As can be seen, the chassis 100 consists of several layers including the top mesh cover 102 , an air gap 103 , a second mesh cover layer 120 and 122 , a top surface 132 , a middle floor 134 , and the bottom surface 138 . The second mesh cover layer 120 and 122 overlays the top surface 132 , and the top mesh cover 102 overlays the second mesh cover layer 120 and 122 . The air gap 103 is established by ridges 130 formed in the top surface 132 that create recessed portions 131 in the top surface. Cover projections 123 are provided to maintain spacing between cover layer 102 and the underlying mesh strips 120 and 122 . The sidewalls 104 , 105 , the middle floor 134 , and the top surface 130 and bottom surface 138 are held together by fasteners 132 ′, 142 ′, 140 ′, and 138 ′.
[0074] The middle floor includes a top plate 142 and a bottom plate 140 separated by an air gap 143 . The top plate 142 overlays the bottom plate 140 . Similar to air gap 103 , ridges 158 in the bottom plate 140 create recessed portions 141 that establish the air gap 143 in the middle floor 134 . The bottom mesh cover 116 directly underlays the bottom surface 138 . The relationship of these layers relative to the inner housing 101 is further illustrated in FIG. 8.
[0075] [0075]FIG. 8 shows the exploded view from a top rear perspective of the chassis 100 . The underlying mesh cover layer 120 and 122 is shown as two individual strips of mesh material. These two strips 120 and 122 lie within the recesses 131 formed in the top surface 132 between the ridges 130 . Inner sidewalls 126 within inner housing 101 are also visible in FIG. 8. These inner sidewalls 126 create compartments 125 and 127 within a bottom chamber 125 ′ and top chamber 127 ′, respectively, within the inner housing 101 . Internal connectors 124 located on the inner side of backplane 106 are also visible and are used to mate with the circuit card 110 . The airgap 143 in the middle floor 134 is also shown.
[0076] [0076]FIG. 9 shows a top view of the chassis 100 with the top cover 102 , second cover layer strips 120 and 122 , and the top surface 132 of the inner housing 101 removed. The top plate 142 is visible and openings including slots 154 are visible. The bottom plate 140 is partially visible through the slots 154 where the bottom plate's slots 150 are not in perfect alignment due to shape, position, or size with the slots 154 of the top plate 142 . As described below, these slots 150 and 154 permit heat from circuit cards 110 in bottom chamber 125 ′ to be dissipated while containing flames emanating from the bottom chamber 125 ′.
[0077] [0077]FIG. 10 shows an exploded view of the chassis 100 with the inner housing intact from a top front perspective. The internal connectors 124 are shown. The internal connectors fit within the compartments 125 and 127 and the circuit cards 110 slide into the inner housing 110 from the front. A connector on the circuit card 110 then slides into engagement with the internal connector 124 . Generally, one card corresponds to one internal connector 124 . As shown, seven cards fit into a single compartment 125 or 127 . Also shown in FIG. 10 are cover projections 123 on the mesh cover layer formed by the individual mesh strips 120 and 122 . The cover projections 123 assist in maintaining the air gap 103 formed between the top mesh cover 102 and the mesh strips 120 , 122 .
[0078] FIGS. 11 A- 11 C show the inner housing 101 from several views. In FIG. 1A, looking down onto the top surface 132 , a slight misalignment between the slots 154 of the top plate 142 and be seen because top plate 142 is visible through slots 160 in the top surface 132 of the inner housing 101 . As discussed above, misalignment of the slots may result from different sizes or shapes of the slots in one surface relative to those of another or may result from slots of the same size and shape not having a common position in one surface relative to the slot position in another surface. As shown, slots 144 in the bottom surface 116 and slots 154 in the top plate 142 have the same size, shape and common position and are aligned but misalignment is introduced by slots 150 in bottom plate 140 because slots 150 in the bottom plate have a different size. Similarly, slots 150 in the bottom plate and slots 160 in the top surface have the same size, shape, and common position and are aligned, but slots 154 in the top plate have a different size and therefore, introduce misalignment. This misalignment facilitates the flame containment while allowing heat dissipation to occur.
[0079] [0079]FIG. 11B shows a front cross-sectional view taken through line A-A of FIG. 11A. The air gap 143 can be seen in this view. Also visible is the side-to-side alignment of openings 144 and 154 in the bottom surface 116 and the top plate 142 , respectively. The side-to-side alignment of openings 150 and 160 in the bottom plate and the top surface, respectively, can also be seen. Misalignment between openings 144 and 150 , between openings 150 and 154 , and between 154 and 160 is visible as well.
[0080] [0080]FIGS. 12 through 15 show exploded views of the inner housing 101 from top front, bottom front, top rear, and bottom rear perspectives, respectively. Several circuit cards 110 are shown in installed positions relative to the top plate 142 or the bottom plate 140 . Inner side walls 126 include ribs 126 ′ that are sized to fit within ridges 130 of the top surface 132 or 158 of the bottom plate 140 . Ribs 126 ′ prevent flames from spreading over the inner sidewall 126 through the ridge 130 or 158 and into adjacent compartments and further support the middle floor 134 and the top surface 132 . Mounting tabs 138 ′ on the bottom surface 138 and mounting tabs 142 ′ on the top plate 142 extend vertically upward to contact the vertical sidewalls 126 , 104 , 105 and hold them in place. Similarly, mounting tabs 132 ′ on the top surface 132 and mounting tabs 140 ′ on the bottom plate extend vertically downwardly to contact the vertical sidewalls 126 , 104 , 105 and hold them in place.
[0081] As shown, the inner housing 101 provides eight compartments including four top chambers and four bottom chambers, with each chamber holding up to seven circuit cards 110 . Thus, for the chassis 100 , the inner housing 101 shown can accommodate fifty-six circuit cards 110 . It is to be understood that the number of chambers spanning the width of chassis 100 may vary from the number shown, as may the number of chambers that span the height. Four are shown spanning the width and two are shown spanning the height only as an example. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the number of circuit cards per compartment may vary and that seven are shown only as an example.
[0082] To hold each circuit card, the bottom surface 138 is provided with projections 146 shown as lances that hold guides on the circuit cards 110 . The top plate 142 of middle floor 134 also has projections 152 to hold guides on the circuit cards 110 installed above the middle floor 134 . To provide guidance for the top of the circuit cards 110 installed in the bottom chamber 125 , a bottom plate 140 of the middle floor 134 has grooves or fin slots 156 running from the front edge where the cards 110 are inserted to the back edge where the backplane 106 is located. The leading edge of the top plate 142 of middle floor 134 is also grooved or slotted to align with the grooves or fin slots 156 of the bottom plate 140 . The top surface 132 of the inner housing 101 also has grooves or fin slots 148 that provide guidance to the top of the circuit cards 110 . The separation 143 in the middle floor 134 aids in the ability to provide grooves or fin slots 156 on the bottom side while providing projections 152 on the top side.
[0083] The ventilation slots 144 of the bottom surface 138 allow air passing up through the bottom mesh cover 116 to pass between the circuit cards 110 in the bottom chambers 125 . Slots 150 of the bottom plate 140 at least partially align with the slots 144 in the bottom surface 138 and air passing up between the circuit cards 110 located in the bottom chambers 125 may pass through the slots 150 in the bottom plate 140 . The top plate 142 has slots 154 that are at least partially aligned with the slots 150 of the bottom plate 140 and air passing up through the slots 150 in the bottom plate pass through the separation and then through the slots 154 in the top plate 142 .
[0084] After air has passed through the middle floor 134 , it may rise between circuit cards 110 installed in the top chambers. Slots 160 of the top surface 132 allow the air to pass through the top surface 132 . The mesh cover created by the mesh strips 120 and 122 allows the air to pass into the separation between the mesh strips 120 , 122 and the top mesh cover 102 . Air then may pass through the top meshcover 102 .
[0085] Thus, air can be successfully channeled through the bottom cover 116 up through the chassis 100 and out through the top cover 102 . When chassis are stacked, air passing out the top mesh cover 102 of the lower chassis 100 passes into the next chassis 100 through the bottom mesh cover 116 . This continues until air passes out of the top mesh cover 102 of the highest stacked chassis 100 . Heat generated by the circuit cards 110 is channeled up through each chassis passing through the small separation between cards 110 until it exits out of the rack.
[0086] The slots 144 may be provided in several rows on the bottom surface 138 , and three rows are shown including a first row 224 , a second row 226 , and a third row 228 . A solid area 210 on the bottom surface 138 may be included, such as between the first row 224 of slots and a first edge 234 of the bottom surface 138 . The third row 228 of slots of the bottom surface 138 may be positioned between the second row 226 of slots and a second edge 240 that is opposite the first edge 234 of the bottom surface 138 .
[0087] Similarly, the slots 150 and 154 of the middle floor 134 may be positioned in several rows, such as the three-row configuration shown. The slots of first row 218 of the middle floor 134 at least partially overlap with the slots of the first row 224 of the bottom surface 138 . The slots of second row 220 of the middle floor 134 at least partially overlap with the slots of the second row 226 of the bottom surface 138 . The slots of the third row 222 at least partially overlap with the slots of the third row 228 of the bottoms surface 138 .
[0088] The middle floor 134 may also include a solid area 208 that is positioned between the first row 218 of slots and a first edge 323 of the middle floor 134 . The third row 222 of slots of the middle floor 134 may be positioned between the second row 220 of slots and a second edge 238 opposite the first edge 232 of the middle floor 134 . The solid area 208 at least partially overlaps with the solid area 210 of the bottom surface 138 .
[0089] The slots 160 of the top surface 132 may be positioned in several rows as well, including the three adjacent rows that are shown. The slots of the first row 212 of the top surface 132 at least partially overlap with the slots of the first row 218 of the middle floor 134 . The slots of the second row 214 of the top surface 132 at least partially overlap with the slots of the second row 220 of the middle floor 134 . The slots of the third row 216 of the top surface 132 at least partially overlap with the slots of the third row 222 of the middle floor 134 .
[0090] The top surface may also include a solid area 206 that is positioned between the first row 212 of slots and a first edge 230 of the top surface 132 . The third row 216 of slots may be positioned between the second row 214 of slots and a second edge 236 of the top surface 132 opposite the first edge 230 . The solid area 206 at least partially overlaps with the solid area 208 of the middle floor 134 .
[0091] The spacing between the top plate 142 and the bottom plate 140 of the middle floor 134 diffuses flames emanating from circuit cards 110 in the bottom chamber 125 ′ before they may pass into the top chamber 127 ′. Likewise, mesh strips 120 , 122 and the separation between the mesh strips 120 , 122 and the mesh cover 102 diffuse flames emanating from circuit cards 110 in the top chamber 127 ′. Additionally, the bottom mesh cover 116 of the next chassis up in the rack assists in diffusing any flames not fully diffused by the mesh cover layers in the top of the chassis 100 . Inner side panels 126 create barriers to flames escaping to the sides of the chambers so that the flame becomes trapped within a chamber between the two side panels 126 , the floor, and the ceiling.
[0092] In the event of a fire, material on a given circuit card burns, soot is formed and rises. The soot may collect in the perforations of the mesh covers to clog the holes. This clogging effect assists in choking the fire. Furthermore, the bottom cover 116 catches material as it would fall from a burning card. The mesh strips 120 , 122 are positioned so that they overlay the first and second rows of slots of the top surface 132 , middle floor 134 , and bottom surface 138 . Thus, the third row of slots of the top surface 132 , middle floor 134 , and bottom surface 138 are not covered by the mesh strips 120 , 122 but only by the mesh cover 102 . As a result, a less resistive pathway is created through up through the third row and additional ventilation is provided through the third row 228 , 222 , and 216 .
[0093] The opposite effect is created by providing the solid areas of the top surface 132 , middle floor 134 , and bottom surface 138 . The overlapping solid areas 206 , 208 , and 210 prevent upward air flow. As a result, air is channeled from the front edges 234 , 232 , and 230 toward the third row 228 , 222 , and 216 and eventually up through the mesh cover 102 . Electrical components, such as large capacitors that tend to burn but do not produce significant amounts of heat may be positioned between the overlapping solid areas so that less ventilation is provided across them.
[0094] Electrical components that do produce significant amounts of heat may be positioned between the overlapping rows of slots so that ventilation is adequate. Electrical components that may produce heat and are susceptible to some burning may be positioned between the overlapping first rows or between the overlapping second rows so that ventilation is provided, but mesh strips 120 , 122 provide additional flame diffusion. Layout of a repeater circuit card as it relates to the slots and solid areas of the chassis 100 is discussed below with reference to FIGS. 17A and 25.
[0095] FIGS. 16 A- 16 D show the backplane. As previously discussed, the backplane 106 provides several internal connectors 124 sized to engage an electrical connector on the circuit card 110 . The connectors 124 generally provide signals to the circuit card 110 and/or receive signals from it. The connectors 124 pass signals between the card and the external connectors 108 . The external connectors are sized to engage electrical cables passing up through a chassis rack.
[0096] As shown, fourteen external connectors 108 are provided and fifty-six internal connectors 124 are provided. Thus, each external connector communicates with four internal connectors 124 . A power connector 106 ′ is also located on the backplane and is sized to engage a power connector in the chassis rack. The power connector 106 ′ provides power to each of the internal connectors 124 that then channel the electrical power to the circuit card 110 .
[0097] FIGS. 17 A- 17 D show several views of the repeater circuit card 110 installed relative to the bottom surface 138 of the inner housing 101 of the chassis 100 . The cards 110 mount in the same fashion to the top plate 142 . The repeater circuit card 110 has a guide 164 that is generally perpendicular to the card 110 and that fits between the projections 146 of the bottom surface 138 and the projections 152 of the middle floor 134 . The guide 164 includes slots 166 that partially align with the slots 144 in the bottom surface. Likewise, the slots 166 partially align with the slots 154 in the top plate 142 of the middle floor 134 . Thus, the air passing through the bottom surface 138 and/or through the middle floor 134 passes through the slots 166 in the guide 164 on each circuit card 110 and then between each circuit card 110 and on through the area above.
[0098] As discussed above and shown in detail in FIG. 17A, electrical components such as a capacitor 242 that do not produce significant heat but are susceptible to burning may be positioned on specific locations of the card 110 . For example, the capacitor 242 may be positioned such that when the card 110 is fully installed in the chassis 100 , the component 242 is positioned between solid areas such as above the solid area 210 of the bottom surface 138 and below the solid area 208 of the middle floor 134 .
[0099] Components that do produce heat such as a DC-DC converter 244 or a transceiver 246 , may be positioned on the card 110 such that when the card is fully installed in the chassis 100 the components 244 , 246 are positioned between overlapping rows of slots. As shown, the component 244 is positioned between the first row 224 of the bottom surface 138 that overlaps with the first row 218 of the middle floor 134 . The component 246 is positioned between the second row 226 of the bottom surface 138 that overlaps with the second row 220 of the middle floor 134 . The circuitry including DC-DC converter 244 and transceiver 246 of a repeater circuit card 110 are discussed in more detail below.
[0100] The circuit card 110 has a connector 168 that mates with card edge connector 124 on the backplane 106 of the chassis 100 once the card 110 has been fully inserted into a card position in the inner housing 101 . A card faceplate 174 abuts the bottom surface 138 of the inner housing 101 and may provide a connection to the middle floor 134 or top surface 132 to lock the card 110 in place. In addition to the guide 164 aligning the card 110 in conjunction with the projections 146 , 152 within a card position in the inner housing 101 , fin 170 also assists by guiding the top of the card 110 when introduced into a groove or fin slot 148 , 156 .
[0101] FIGS. 18 A- 18 D show various views of repeater cards 110 with a position relative to grooves or fin slots 148 in recessed areas 131 defined by ridges 132 in the top surface 132 of the inner housing 101 . As the card 110 is being inserted into a card position in the inner housing 101 , the fin 170 must align with the groove 148 for the card to fit perpendicularly relative to the top surface 132 . A perpendicular orientation of the card relative to the top surface 132 is used in this embodiment for the guide 164 of the card 110 to seat on the middle floor 134 , or bottom surface 116 and fit between the guide projections 146 , 152 . A perpendicular orientation also permits the card connector 168 to easily slide into and out of the backplane connector 124 .
[0102] The card 110 is guided by the groove 148 as it is inserted, and once the guide 164 reaches a projection 146 , 152 , the guide 164 also assists in maintaining the card 110 within a designated card position. Once the card is fully inserted, the card connector 168 maintains electrical connection to the internal backplane connector 124 and the card faceplate 174 abuts the top surface 132 .
[0103] FIGS. 19 A- 19 C show various plan views and FIGS. 20 A- 20 D show various exploded views of a T 1 repeater card 110 . It is to be understood that the chassis 100 may accommodate circuit cards 110 having functionality other than that of a repeater circuit. The repeater card 110 has a main printed circuit board 172 housing various electrical circuitry 172 ′. Typically with a repeater circuit, the card 110 will include a transceiving device to receive and reconstruct a signal having a data component and a clock component. The repeater circuitry 172 ′ also usually includes amplification. This circuitry 172 ′ may generate a significant amount of heat that must be dissipated by the chassis 100 .
[0104] As shown, the connector 168 received by internal backplane connector 124 is an extension of the printed circuit board 172 . The guide 164 with slots 166 that fits between the projections 146 , 152 attaches to the bottom edge of the printed circuit board 172 and is positioned transversely relative to the circuit board 172 . The guide is typically made of sheet metal. The fin 170 that fits within the groove 148 , attaches to the top edge of the printed circuit board 172 and lies in a plane parallel to that of the printed circuit board 172 . The fin 170 is also typically made of sheet metal.
[0105] Faceplate 174 attaches to a front edge of the repeater card 110 . The faceplate typically has light emitting diodes (LEDs) 177 that allow visual inspection of the circuit card's operation. As discussed, the faceplate 174 may establish a fixed connection to the middle floor 134 or the top surface 132 with fastener 110 ′ to hold the card 110 within the inner housing 101 . A generally forward positioned finger 175 extending away from the faceplate 174 in a direction opposite to the printed circuit board 172 may be integrated into the faceplate 174 to assist in the insertion and removal of the card 110 from the chassis 100 .
[0106] [0106]FIG. 21 illustrates a heat baffle 177 that may be utilized by an embodiment of the present invention. The baffle 177 has a hood portion 179 . The hood portion 179 has a sloped portion 176 and triangular side panels 188 . The triangular side panels 188 have mounting flanges 190 that rest on the surface of a chassis 100 . The baffle 177 also has a base portion 181 having a floor 182 and a face 192 . The base portion 181 lies directly over the top mesh layer 102 and the hood portion 179 directly overlays the base portion 181 with the face 192 being fixed to the sloped region 176 with clips 184 that pass through slots 186 to pinch the face 192 to a lip 189 extending from the sloped region 176 . The heat baffle 177 may be utilized by inserting the baffle between chassis 100 stacked in a rack. As heat and/or flames rise from the top cover 102 of a chassis 100 , the heat and/or flames are diverted out the front or back of the rack depending upon the orientation of the baffle 177 .
[0107] The hood portion 179 of the baffle 177 is typically a solid sheet of rolled sheet metal. Thus, heat and flames cannot permeate the sloped surface 176 and are redirected. However, the base portion 181 is typically a mesh material such as permeated rolled sheet metal that allows heat to pass through while diffusing flames. The hood portion is fixed to the rack holding the chassis 100 with mounting flanges 178 and 180 . The mounting flanges 178 , 180 are shown as being mounted to a first position used where the front of the chassis 100 extends beyond a rail of the rack. Where the chassis 100 has a front edge flush with the mounting rail of the rack, the flanges 178 , 180 attach so that they are flush with the front edge of the baffle 177 .
[0108] FIGS. 22 shows a top front perspective view of a rack 194 holding several chassis 100 with a heat baffle 177 installed. The heat rises through the chassis 100 as previously discussed and exits out the top cover 102 of the top chassis and is redirected to the rear of the rack 194 by the heat baffle 177 . The typical chassis includes a base 196 with a front portion 198 . Two vertical siderails 200 and 202 are included and are fixed to the base 196 . Each chassis 100 and the heat baffle 177 slides into position between the siderails 200 and 202 and mounting flanges 112 , 114 of the chassis 100 and the flanges 178 , 180 of the baffle 177 abut the rails 200 , 202 . Cable bars 204 extend from the siderails 200 , 202 and wrap behind each chassis 100 and baffle 177 .
[0109] [0109]FIGS. 23A and 23B show a front and right side view, respectively, of the rack 194 holding several chassis 100 with the heat baffle 177 installed. As shown, the heat baffle 177 is oriented with the face 192 directed to the rear of the rack 194 . The front edge of the heat baffle 177 is flush with the front edge of the chassis 100 , and the rear edge of the heat baffle 177 slightly overhangs the rear edge of the chassis 100 to prevent heat and/or flames from curling down directly into the backplane FIGS. 24A and 24B show a top front perspective view and a right side view, respectively, of the rack 194 with the baffle 177 positioned for installation. The baffle 177 slides into the rack 194 above the top-most chassis 100 and rests on the top cover 102 of the top-most chassis 100 . The flanges 178 , 180 (shown unattached) are attached to the baffle 177 at the front edge so that when the baffle 177 is inserted into the rack, the front edge of the baffle 177 is flush with the front edge of the chassis 100 when the flanges 178 , 180 contact the siderails 200 , 202 , as can be seen in FIG. 22.
[0110] [0110]FIG. 25 shows a side view of a repeater circuitboard 172 of a card 110 suitable for installation in the chassis 100 . The repeater circuit board 172 has several components positioned on the board 172 in relation to the solid areas, rows of slots, and mesh strips of the horizontal surfaces of the chassis 100 . The repeater circuit board 172 includes power supply capacitor 242 , DC-DC converter 244 , and transceiver 246 previously discussed. The board 172 has LEDs 262 , 264 , and 266 that provide external visual indications of the repeater circuit's operation. Other components of the board 172 include but are not limited to relays 248 , 250 , and 252 , a programmable logic device (PLD) 268 , multi-position switches 254 and 256 , an oscillator 286 , and isolation transformers 258 , 258 ′, 260 , and 260 ′. These components and their functions are discussed in more detail below.
[0111] The capacitor 242 is positioned such that solid areas of the chassis 100 are above and below to prevent ventilating the capacitor 242 . The solid areas direct air toward the rear of the board 172 past the DC-DC converter 244 and transceiver 246 with some air passing up through the first row and second rows of slots and the remainder passing up through the less restricted third row of slots. The DC-DC converter 244 may be a model that is highly flame resistant to further enhance the flame containment of the chassis 100 . An epoxy encased DC-DC converter 244 such as the Ericsson PFK 4611SI is suitable. A monitor jack, which might ordinarily be placed between the LEDs 264 and 266 , is absent in the embodiment shown to reduce the material on the board 172 that is susceptible to burning.
[0112] [0112]FIG. 26 shows the alarm circuitry 271 of the repeater circuit board 172 . The alarm circuitry 271 controls the LEDs 262 , 264 , and 266 . During normal operation, the LEDs 262 , 264 , and 266 are one color, such as green, to indicate normal operation. The power LED 262 turns red if the logic power plane 272 loses voltage from the output of the DC-DC converter 244 . This occurs due to relay 252 changing state in response to the loss of logic power thereby causing voltage received directly from the backplane connector 168 to activate the red diode of LED 262 instead of the green diode.
[0113] The channel A LED 264 and channel B LED 266 are electrically connected to the PLD 268 and to a logic ground plane 270 . The PLD 268 receives power from the logic power plane 272 and receives control signals from the transceiver 246 . When a channel is operating normally, the PLD 268 causes the green diode of the LED to illuminate.
[0114] If the transceiver 246 detects that channel A has no signal, then LOS0 line passing from the transceiver 246 to the PLD 268 is triggered causing the PLD 268 to light the red diode along with the green diode of LED 264 to create a yellow illumination. If the transceiver 246 detects that channel B has no signal, then LOS1 line passing from the transceiver 246 to the PLD 268 is triggered causing the PLD 268 to light the red diode along with the green diode of LED 266 to create a yellow illumination. If either channel has a loss of signal, then a minor alarm signal is generated and provided through the backplane connector 168 by relay 250 changing state due to a control signal from the PLD 268 . The minor alarm line is electrically linked to a chassis ground plane 274 .
[0115] If the transceiver 246 detects that it has failed, then the DFM line passing from the transceiver 246 to the PLD 268 is triggered causing the PLD 268 to light the red diode and turn off the green diode of LEDs 264 and 266 to create a red illumination. A major alarm signal is also generated and provided through the backplane connector 168 by relay 248 changing state due to a control signal from the PLD 268 . The major alarm line is electrically linked to the chassis ground plane 274 as well with coupling capacitors.
[0116] The PLD 268 and relays 248 , 250 , and 252 may be selected so as to minimize power consumption and reduce the amount of heat being generated by each circuit board 172 in the chassis 100 . The Atmel model ATF16V8BQL PLD draws only 100 milliwatts when active and is a suitable PLD for controlling the relays 248 and 250 and LEDs 264 and 266 . The NAIS TX-S relay draws only 20 milliwatts when active and is a suitable relay for controlling the LED 262 and the major and minor alarm signals.
[0117] [0117]FIG. 27 shows the transceiver circuitry located on the board 172 . The transceiver 246 , such as the Level One model LXT332, is electrically connected to the logic power plane 272 and the logic ground plane 270 . The transceiver is also electrically linked to a channel A power plane 276 , a channel A ground plane 280 , a channel B power plane 278 , and a channel B ground plane 282 . Each channel has its own power and ground plane to avoid cross-talk and to avoid electrical noise from the power supply circuit of FIG. 28 and chassis 100 .
[0118] The transceiver 246 is electrically linked to an oscillator 286 that is electrically connected to the logic power plane 272 and logic ground plane 270 . The oscillator 286 provides a reference frequency signal to the transceiver 246 . The transceiver 246 is also electrically connected to two multi-position switches 254 and 256 . Each multi-position switch controls the line build-out function of the transceiver 246 for one of the channels.
[0119] The multi-position switch 254 , 256 may be user adjusted to provide a connection between the logic power plane 272 and various pins of the transceiver 246 . The transceiver 246 then determines the signal level and signal shape for the output signal of a channel based on which pins receive the logic power plane voltage. The signal level and signal shape varies depending upon the length of cable used to carry the output signal. The longer the cable, the stronger the output signal and the more its shape is altered from the shape desired at the other end of the output signal cable. For example, if a square wave is desired at the other end, then as cable length increases the output signal must have more overshoot and a greater amplitude due to the cable's impedance attenuating and rounding-off the signal.
[0120] The transceiver 246 receives its input signals for each channel from the backplane connector 168 through an isolation transformer. Channel A input signal passes through isolation transformer 260 , and channel A output signal passes through isolation transformer 260 ′. Channel B input signal passes through isolation transformer 258 , and channel B output signal passes through isolation transformer 258 ′. As shown in FIG. 25, the input isolation transformer 260 and output isolation transformer 260 ′ of channel A are contained in one unit. Similarly, the input isolation transformer 258 and output isolation transformer 258 ′ of channel B are contained in another unit.
[0121] [0121]FIG. 28 shows the power supply circuitry. The backplane connector 168 receives −48V DC power and provides it through the board 172 to the DC-DC converter 244 . The −48V line and the −48 V return line are linked by the capacitor 242 to eliminate ripple. These lines are also coupled to the chassis ground plane 274 . The DC-DC converter 244 outputs a voltage that is electrically connected to the logic power plane 272 , the channel A power plane 276 , and the channel B power plane 278 . The DC-DC converter 244 has a return that is electrically connected to the logic ground plane 270 , the channel A ground plane 280 , and the channel B ground plane 282 . Ferrite beads are used to isolate each power plane connected to the DC-DC converter 244 and each power plane is AC coupled to each ground plane.
[0122] [0122]FIG. 29 shows a ground layer of the circuit board 172 . The ground layer includes the chassis ground plane 274 that extends around the periphery 288 of the circuit board 172 and is electrically connected to the chassis ground provided through the chassis ground connector 109 of the chassis 100 . The chassis ground plane 274 surrounds the logic ground plane 270 , the channel A ground plane 280 , and the channel B ground plane 282 . The chassis ground plane 274 , logic ground plane 270 , channel A ground plane 280 , and channel B ground plane 282 are copper sheets that are isolated from each other within the single ground layer of the printed circuit board 172 .
[0123] [0123]FIG. 30 shows a power layer of the circuit board 172 that is adjacent to the ground layer and separated from it by a dielectric layer. The power layer includes the logic power plane 272 , the channel A power plane 276 , and the channel B power plane 278 . The logic power plane 272 substantially overlaps with the logic ground plane 270 of the ground layer. The channel A power plane 276 substantially overlaps with the channel A ground plane 280 . Likewise, the channel B power plane 278 substantially overlaps with the channel B ground plane 282 . This arrangement minimizes electrical noise and cross-talk.
[0124] [0124]FIG. 31 shows a component layer of the circuit board 172 . The electrical components previously discussed are typically mounted to the component layer. The transceiver 246 is mounted in transceiver area 294 . The isolation transformers 258 , 258 ′, 260 , and 260 ′ are mounted in transformer areas 296 and 298 . It is generally desirable to minimize the distance between the isolation transformer areas 296 , 298 and the transceiver area 294 . A distance of one and one-third inches or less is suitable.
[0125] Also located on the component layer are chassis ground pads 290 and 292 . These chassis ground pads 290 and 292 are electrically connected to the chassis ground plane 274 . The metal faceplate 174 of the circuit card 110 mounts to holes within the chassis ground pads 290 and 292 and metal-to-metal contact is established between the chassis ground pads 290 , 292 and the faceplate 174 . This metal-to-metal contact maintains the faceplate 174 at chassis ground.
[0126] While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes in the form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. | A chassis and associated telecommunication circuit card are disclosed. The chassis has heat dissipation and flame containment features while accommodating a high density of the circuitry cards. Embodiments include an inner housing with a double-layer middle floor dividing the chassis into top and bottom chambers. Each layer has partially aligned slots, and an air gap is provided between the two layers. Embodiments also include a double-layer mesh cover with an air gap existing between the two mesh layers. Projections and grooves are provided on the inner surfaces of the inner housing to receive circuit cards having a guide on one edge and a fin on another. The circuit card includes conductor structures such as multiple board layers with paired and segregated conductors. The circuit card also includes some components positioned to cooperate with the ventilation features of the chassis and includes some components chosen for low-power consumption or reduced flammability. | 7 |
GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST
The Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. DAAA21-89-C-0013 awarded by the U.S. Army.
The invention described herein was made under a contract with the Government and may be used and licensed by or for the Government.
FIELD OF USE
This invention describes the direct functionalization of nitrocubanes via irradiation in the presence of an oxalyl halide.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Considerable effort in recent years has been directed toward the synthesis of polynitrocubanes because of the potential use of this class of energetic materials as explosives, propellants, fuels and binders (Chemistry of Energetic Materials; Ed., G. A. Olah; D. R. Squire; Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, Cal., 1991. Also see Carbocyclic Cage Compounds; Ed., E. J. Osawa; O. Yonemitsu; VCH Publishers, Inc., New York, N.Y. 1992). The compact structures of cage molecules result in high densities, and the introduction of NO 2 groups further enhances the density. The strain energy present in the cubane skeleton (>166 kcal/mol) is an added bonus to its performance. Furthermore, preliminary results with polynitrocubanes indicate that such compounds are thermally very stable and are also very insensitive energetic materials. Consequently, it is of interest to introduce functional groups on the cubane skeleton which can be converted to nitro group or other active functionalities.
Direct functionalization of nitrocubanes, while an attractive approach, has not heretofore been realized. Cationic or anionic reactions, due to the activity of the nitro groups give either decomposed products or recovered starting materials. We report here an efficient direction functionalization of a nitrocubanes molecule by its irradiation in a solution of oxalyl halide (for a related case see Wiberg, K. B.; 10 th Annual Working Group Meeting, Jun. 3-6, 1992, Kiamesha Lake, N.Y. For much simpler cases see Wiberg, K. G.; Williams, Jr., V. Z.; J. Org. Chem., 1970, 35, 369; Appliquist, D. E.; Saski, T.; J. Org. Chem.; 1978, 43, 2399). This new and potentially powerful synthetic development will greatly shorten the number of steps necessary to obtain nitrocubane derivatives which are otherwise difficult to synthesize.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A solution of 1,4-dinitrocubane (Eaton, P. E.; et al; J. Org. Chem.; 1984, 49, 185; Eaton, P. E.; Wicks, G. E.; J. Org. Chem.; 1988, 53, 5353) in oxalyl chloride was irradiated under a sunlamp for 12 h at room temperature. After removing oxalyl chloride under reduced pressure, the reaction mixture was hydrolyzed and partioned between ethyl acetate and 5% aqueous NaOH. From the organic phase was isolated 2-chloro-1,4-dinitrocubane, 3, and 2,5-dichloro-1,4-dinitrocubane, 4. After acidification of the alkaline layer with HCl and extraction with ethyl acetate, 2-carboxy-1,4-dinitrocubane, 5, was obtained in 68% yield. ##STR1##
The structures of 3,4 and 5 were confirmed by NMR spectrometry. Furthermore, Compound 5 was converted to the corresponding 2-carbomethoxy-1,4-dinitrocubane 6 by esterification using MeOH, and the molecular structure of 6 was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following section describes specific experimental procedures used for the synthesis:
A mixture of 1,4-dinitrocubane, 1, (388 mg, 2.0 mmol) in oxalyl chloride (50 mL) was photolyzed under a sunlamp for 18 h at room temperature. Oxalyl chloride was removed on a rotary evaporator and the solid residue was partioned between EtOAc (40 mL) and NaOH solution (5%, 30 mL). After stirring for 3 h, the organic phase was separated, washed with brine, dried over anhydrous Na 2 SO 4 and concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was chromatographed on silica gel using hexane/CH 2 Cl 2 (1:1) to give 2-chloro-1,4-dinitrocubane 3, m.p. 145°-147° C.; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 ); δ4.84 (m, 2H); 4.71 (m, 3H); and 2,5-dichloro-1,4-dinitrocubane, 4, m/p. 188°-190° C.; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 ); δ4.90 (dd, 2H); 4.78 (dd, 2H).
The alkaline layer was acidified with HCl (10%) and organic materials were extracted with EtOAc (2×30 mL). The organic phase was washed with brine, dried over Na 2 SO 4 , and concentrated via rotary evaporator to give 400 mg or a crude product which was triturated with hexane/acetone 10:1, (5.0 mL) to give 2-carboxy-1,4-dinitrocubane, 5, m.p. 187°-189(Dec)° C.; 1 H NMR (acetone -d 6 ); δ4.96 (m,2H); 4.74 (m,3H).
Compound 5 (100 mg, 0.4 mmol) was stirred with MeOH (20 mL) and MeSO 3 H (4 drops) at reflux overnight. The reaction mixture was concentrated and then dissolved in ethyl acetate (20 mL). The solution was washed with aqueous Na 2 CO 3 (5%), then brine, dried over anhydrous Na 2 SO 4 and concentrated. The residue was triturated with ether/hexane (1:1) to give 2-carbomethoxy-1,4-dinitrocubane 6 m.p.=165° C.; 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 ), δ4.92 (M,2H); 4.62 (m, 3H), 3,80 (s, 3H).
In another experiment, the solid residue from the reaction of 1,4-dinitrocubane (100 mg) and oxalyl chloride (20 mL) under a sunlamp (vide supra) was treated with methanol (20 mL) for 4h at room temperature. The excess methanol was evaporated and the residue was dissolved in ethyl acetate (20 mL). The organic layer was washed with 5% aqueous Na 2 CO 3 and then brine. After drying over Na 2 SO 4 and then concentration, the crude produce was chromatographed on silica gel using hexane/CH 2 Cl 2 (1:1) to give compounds 3,4, and 6. | An efficient direct functionalization of nitrocubanes has been achieved by irradiation of a solution in an oxalyl halide to yield halogenated and halocarbonylated derivatives of nitrocubanes. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process and apparatus for closing one end of a tubular bar, which is filled with flowable solids. Such tubular bars are used to make spacer frames for insulating glass. The tubular bars consist of aluminum or steel and are filled with a readily flowable, granular desiccant and are then processed further to form closed frames in that the bars are bent and/or are interfitted by means of connectors, which are fitted in alternation into the ends of the tubular bars. Perforation holes are usually provided on that side of the tubular bars which in the complete insulating glass pane faces the interior space of the insulating glass pane. Through said perforations the desiccant contained in the tubular bar can absorb and bind moisture from the interior of the insulating glass pane.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To prevent a flow of the desiccant out of the tubular bars during the process steps for making the spacer frames. The tubular bars must be closed at their ends. This has usually been effected in that a foamed rubber plug has been inserted into each end of each tubular bar. To retain the foamed rubber plugs in the tubular bars, said plugs are initially thicker than the tubular bars and are compressed with the fingers and when compressed are pushed into the tubular bars, where they tend to expand so that they are sufficiently retained. It is also known to insert into one of the two ends of a tubular bar at the beginning a connector which will be required in any case for the formation of a closed frame and to insert a foamed rubber plug only into the opposite end of the tubular rod.
The use of foamed rubber plugs to seal the tubular bars has the disadvantage that the plugs may easily be chafed and caught at edges, corners and burrs of the tubular bars so that portions of the foamed rubber plugs can be worn off or torn off. This is undesirable because such detached foamed rubber particles may deposit on the outside of the spacer frame or may contaminate the work-place. Besides, foamed rubber plugs cannot easily be used in an automatic process of closing tubular bars.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of the invention to eliminate said disadvantages by the provision of a new process which is of the kind described first hereinbefore and in which foamed rubber plugs are not required and which permits a clean operation that can be automated.
It is a second object of the invention to provide for carrying out the process a reliably operating apparatus which is simple and economical.
As applied to a process, the invention suggests to accomplish the first object set forth hereinbefore by the provision of a process of closing one end of a tubular bar which is substantially but not entirely filled with flowable solids, particularly for use in the making of spacer frames for insulating glass, wherein a thread is introduced into the tubular bar and is caused to form a ball of thread therein.
As applied to an apparatus the invention suggests to accomplish the second object set forth hereinbefore by the provision of an apparatus for closing one end of a tubular bar which is substantially but not entirely filled with flowable solids. The apparatus comprises a hollow needle, means for threading a thread into said hollow needle, and blowing means for blowing air into the hollow needle at a point which is upstream of the forward end of the hollow needle.
Numerous advantages are afforded by a process in which a tubular bar which is substantially but not entirely filled with flowable solids is closed at one end in that a thread is introduced into an unfilled end portion of the tubular bar and the thread is caused to form a ball of thread in such end portion. In the first place a thread is relatively small in cross-section and for this reason can easily be introduced into a tubular bar without being chafed or caught at the edge of said bar. For this reason there is no risk of a wearing or tearing of lint from the thread. In the second place, threads to be processed can easily be withdrawn from a roll. In the third place the ball of thread can very easily be formed in the tubular bar because a thread which has been introduced into the tubular bar will readily form irregular loops as soon as it strikes an obstacle and will thus be formed into a ball of thread as long as additional thread is introduced from the outside. In the fourth place the roughness of the inside surfaces of the tubular bar, the burrs and other projections existing on said surfaces as a result of the manufacture of the tubular bar will be sufficient to ensure that the ball of thread when it has been formed will sufficiently firmly be retained in the tubular bar, particularly because the retaining force which the ball of thread must be able to take up is only small. In the fifth place the process can easily be adapted to tubular bars which differ in cross-sectional area because threads having a larger or shorter length depending on the cross-section of the bar have been cut from the roll of thread and formed into relatively large or relatively small balls. In the sixth place the thread is a dry material, which can easily be handled and need not meet special quality requirements and which can be processed at any temperature with extremely simple mechanical means and which is available at any time. In the seventh place the use of a thread will not involve a need for waiting times (heating-up times or the like) when an apparatus for carrying out the process in accordance with the invention is put into operation. In the eighth place the step of feeding and introducing a thread length into an end of a tubular bar can easily be automated.
On principle, a mechanical thread feeder might be used to introduce the thread into the tubular bar. But it will be particularly desirable to blow the thread into the tubular bar so that the thread can be introduced into the tubular bar at a high velocity and the turbulence of the blown air in the tubular bar will promote the formation of a ball of thread.
In order to ensure that the thread will not be chafed or caught at the edge of the tubular bar, the thread is desirably introduced into the tubular bar by means of a hollow needle, which extends into the tubular bar. It will be recommendable to cover the respective end of the tubular bar as the thread is blown into the bar in order to ensure that the flowing air will not move the thread out of the tubular bar. The end of the tubular bar need not be airtightly sealed. It may even be desirable to leave certain gaps, which are so narrow that the thread does not extend through said gaps but which facilitate the outflow of the blown air. In connection with tubular bars for spacer frames for insulating glass, which bars are perforated on one side, the perforation holes will be sufficient to permit an escape of the air which has been blown into the bar. Besides, air can flow through the loosely packed flowable solids and may escape from the opposite end of the tubular bar.
For an accommodation of balls of thread in the tubular bar, the bar must contain an adequate free space. To make sure that the intended free space is sufficiently large, it is recommendable to suck part of the flowable solids from the end portion of the tubular bar, e.g., in that the end of the tubular bar is moved for a short time past a suction nozzle, which extracts surplus solids from the tubular bar.
The threads used in the process in accordance with the invention preferably consist of wool because the surface texture of such threads will promote the felting thereof so that they can easily form durable balls of thread.
The apparatus in accordance with the invention for carrying out the new process comprises as essential elements a hollow needle, through which an unballed thread can continuously be fed, means for introducing the thread into said hollow needle, and blowing means for blowing air into the hollow needle at a point which is upstream of the forward end of the hollow needle. The blown air serves as an entraining fluid for the thread and causes the thread to emerge from the forward end of the hollow needle. When the forward end of the hollow needle is inserted into the end of the tubular bar, the thread emerging from the hollow needle will readily form in the tubular rod a ball of thread in a size which will depend on the length and thickness and nature of the thread.
The blowing means are preferably connected to the hollow needle by an injector, e.g., in that a compressed air is supplied through a bore, which is forwardly inclined toward the forward end of the hollow needle and opens into the hollow needle. A thread which has been introduced into the hollow needle will be entrained to and out of the forward end of the hollow needle by a burst of compressed air from a compressed air source. The free end portion of the hollow needle is preferably enclosed by a covering member, which can be engaged with the end of each tubular bar in order to ensure that a thread which has been blown into the tubular bar will not be carried by the air out of the bar. The forward extremity of the hollow needle preferably protrudes slightly beyond the covering member so that the thread can be more easily introduced into the tubular bar. A projection of 1 to 2 mm will be quite sufficient. To ensure that the air which has been blown into the hollow needle by means of the injector will not escape from the hollow needle at its rear end, the hollow needle is preferably adapted to be closed between the rear end of the hollow needle and the mouth of the injector. It will be particularly desirable to provide such closing means in the form of a cutter blade, which is moved to an open position when a thread is to be introduced into the hollow needle and which will sever the thread from the thread supply when the cutter blade is moved to close the hollow needle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The drawing is a diagrammatic representation of an illustrative embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A roll 2 of thread is freely rotatably mounted on a stand 1. A thread 3 is being unwound from said roll and is initially moved through an eyelet 4 and then trained around two deflecting rollers 5 and 6, which are disposed on opposite sides of a thread tensioner 7. The thread 3 is subsequently delivered to a cyclically operating thread feeder, which in the present case comprises a driven roller 8 and a roller 9, which is resiliently urged against the roller 8 and either rotates freely with the roller 8 or is driven to rotate synchronously with the roller 8 in the opposite sense. The thread coming from the thread feeder 8, 9 is trained around another deflecting roller 10 and then enters a hollow needle 11, which comprises four consecutive length portions 11a, 11b, 11c and 11d. A small tube 12 which is inclined with respect to the hollow needle laterally enters the first length section 11a of the hollow needle and by a solenoid valve 13 is connected to a compressed air source 14, such as a compressor. A second injector 18 is provided in a similar manner in the adjacent second length section 11b of the hollow needle and consists of an inclined small tube 16, which is connected to the compressed-air source 14 by a solenoid valve 17.
A cutting device 19 is provided between the two length sections 11a and 11b of the hollow needle and consists of two stationary cutter rings 20 and 21 and a transversely displaceable cutter blade 22, which is disposed in the gap between the two cutter rings 20 and 21. The annular knife edges of the two cutter rings 20 and 21 are disposed inside the hollow needle 11.
In the illustrated embodiment the hollow needle is secured to a flange 23 and extends therethrough. A third length section 11c of the hollow needle consists of a flexible tube, which consists of a smooth plastic, such as a polyamide, and is fitted on that end of the second length section 11b of the hollow needle which protrudes beyond the flange 23. The flexible tube 11c is connected by a butt joint to the fourth length section 11d of the hollow needle. That fourth length section 11d consists of a small tube, which is fitted in a cover block 24. The third and fourth length sections of the hollow needle are interconnected by a sleeve 25 at the rear of the cover block 24.
The cover block 24 is slidably mounted on a deck 26, which also supports a tubular bar 27, which with the exception of an unfilled end portion is filled with flowable granular solids 28.
The mode of operation of the apparatus is as follows:
At the beginning, the thread 3 is trained by hand around the deflecting rollers 5 and 6 and is passed between the rollers 8 and 9 of the thread feeder, then trained around the roller 10 and introduced into the hollow needle 11 until the leading end of the thread is disposed below the cutting device 19, which is in an open position. When a tubular bar has not yet been placed in front of the cover block 24, the cutter blade 22 is then operated to sever the thread and to close the hollow needle between the length sections 11a and 11b. The solenoid valve 17 is then opened so that air is blown into the hollow needle below the cutter blade 22 and said air will blow the severed thread out of the hollow needle 11. The solenoid valve 17 is subsequently closed. A tubular bar 27 can now be placed on the deck 26 so that one end of the bar 27 engages the cover block 24 and the forward end 11e of the hollow needle protrudes to some extent into the tubular bar 27. The cutter blade 22 is now retracted to open the cutting device 19. The thread feeder 8, 9 is operated for a preselected period of time to withdraw a preselected length of the thread 3 from the roll of thread 2 and to feed the thread in the same length into the hollow needle 11. This is assisted in that the solenoid valve 13 is opened to operate the injector so that the thread hanging in the first length section 11a of the hollow needle will be urged downwardly. When the thread feeder 8, 9 has pulled the thread in the preselected length from the roll of thread 2 and has delivered that thread length to the hollow needle, the means for driving the thread feeder 8, 9 are stopped, the solenoid valve 13 is closed, the cutting device 19 is operated to sever the thread and the length section 11b of the hollow needle is closed at its top. The solenoid valve 17 is now opened so that the second injector 18 is operated to blow air into the hollow needle and said air entrains the severed thread out of the hollow needle 11 and into the tubular bar 27, where the thread is formed into a ball in the free space between the flowable solids 28 and the cover block 24. The solenoid valve 17 is then closed and the cycles of operations which have been described can be repeated to close a succeeding tubular bar. | A process is described in which a tubular bar (27) which is substantially but not entirely filled with flowable solids (28), is closed at one end. To close the tubular bar (27) at its end, a thread (3) is introduced into the tubular bar (27) and is caused to form a ball of thread therein. The thread (3) is preferably introduced into the tubular bar by being blown through a hollow needle (11). | 4 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of preparing the weft and its removal from the open shed in jet weaving machines upon determining a weaving fault.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A method of preparing the weft and its removal from the shed of warp threads is known. Upon stoppage of the weaving machine and its taking up of the open shed position with the faulty weft, a clamp is extended towards its free end by a combined motion performed by a pair of pneumatic cylinders. The free end of the weft is gripped by the clamp and, thereupon, a flexible belt is slipped out from a box, fixed in front of the shed on the beam of a shaped reed. At the end of the belt, a vane with bent sides is mounted, which is inserted into the shed below the clamp. One side of the vane is guided along the beam, and by the other bent side, the weft held by the clamp is entrapped.
By the motion through the shed along the shaped reed, the entrapped faulty weft, which is entrapped by the other side of the vane, is mechanically disengaged from the interlacing point. Upon passing through the whole shed length, the vane is shifted back to the box by winding back the flexible belt. Thereupon, the clamp presents the clamped end of the disengaged faulty weft to the suction nozzle, which removes it by sucking it off the shed. Upon termination of this unweaving cycle, it is possible to restart the weaving cycle on the machine.
A disadvantage of this known method of weft preparation and its removal from the shed lies in its extraordinary demand for numerous and exact sequential disengaging motions. This mechanical weft disengagement is neither careful nor reliable, as the weft to be disengaged can break when the vane contacts an uneveness of the weft fiber or when the weft is otherwise pulled beyond its stress limit. In such a case, neither the preparation, nor the removal of the weft can be finished.
Another known method is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,221, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In the '221 patent, a mispicked weft is removed from fabric by stopping the loom with the mispicked weft still connected to the inserter, after having been beaten up by the reed. The mispicked weft is then exposed at the fell, specifically by loom reversal. Another weft connected to the mispicked weft is then inserted from picking side to arrival side, from which side both wefts are withdrawn.
The advantages of the '221 patent are that no mechanical weft extractor is used, so there is no risk of damaging the warps and the mispicked weft is effectively peeled from the fabric fell. It has been discovered, however, that a significant improvement in this method is attainable if the preparation of the weft and its removal are performed within the course of the first revolution quadrant of the weaving machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The method according to the present invention provides that preparation of the weft and its removal are performed within the course of the first revolution quadrant of the weaving machine.
Advantages of the method according to the present invention include its reliability and its efficiency upon considerate treatment of warp threads and the weft. A further substantial advantage of the method is its applicability in all types of jet weaving machines.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
An exemplary performing of the method of preparing the weft and its removal according to the present invention is diagrammatically represented in the accompanying drawings, of which
FIGS. 1-3 demonstrate, in phases, the method of forming a long loop upon application of a pressure medium as insertion means;
FIGS. 4 and 5, show the final phase of the weft removal from the shed prepared according to FIGS. 1 to 3; and
FIG. 6 schematically illustrates with a circle four quadrants of one revolution of a weaving machine and shows individual phases of kinematic motion of the machine, where the illustrated operative positions of the machine correspond to points marked on the circle.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
During the weaving process in a known weaving machine, the insertion of weft 1 across shed 2 of warp threads 3 is tracked and checked by weft stop motion 4 at the exit side of shed 2.
Upon performing the method as shown in FIGS. 1-3, weft stop motion 4 emits, on determining short pick of weft 1 towards the end of shed 2, a signal to a control device 15, which thereupon stops the length measurement of weft 1 by measuring device 16, together with simultaneous prevention of the inlet of the pressure medium, forming the inserting means, into the inserting nozzle 5. By measuring the length of weft 1, a controlled regulation of its tensile stress upon weaving is performed. Simultaneously with the signal for weaving stoppage, a signal for blocking cutter 6 is emitted, for the purpose of preventing separation of weft 1 at the inlet side of shed 2 (FIG. 1). In the course of the stoppage of the weaving process, renewed measuring maintains constant tension stress in free part 7 of the length of weft 1, for the purpose of preventing break-off of the mispicked length 9 of weft 1 form the free part 7 of its length upon beat-up.
Upon stoppage of the weaving process, the weaving machine is reversed into the shed 2 with the mispicked length 9 of weft 1. For the purpose of preventing any increase of tensile stress in the free part 7 of weft 1, e.g. at least a part of the measured following weft length 10 is released, which is thereupon, as required, withdrawn. The reversing of the weaving machine run is stopped in a position in which, during the normal weaving process, the insertion of weft 1 is started. This is advantageous because in this still first quadrant of the weaving machine revolution, the motion of warp threads 3 precedes that of the reed 8 with the inserting channel, moving away from interlacing point 11. The consequence thereof is that the shed 2 of warp threads 3 is considerably opened, reed 8 is not excessively remote from interlacing point 11, and the auxiliary nozzles 12 project into shed 2, via the lower branch of warp threads 3, only by their upper parts with exit openings.
When the shed 2 opens in the position where there the mispicked length 9 of weft 1 is, the pressure fluid begins to flow through the inserting nozzle 5 and starts acting thereupon. By action of the pressure medium flow traction, the released measured following length 10 of weft 1 begins to be withdrawn, while being continuously completed in its length. By action of the pressure medium flow in the main nozzle 5 and subsequently also in the auxiliary nozzles 12, weft 1 is withdrawn from the completed measured length 10 and forms a loop 13 in the shed 2 (FIG. 2), which continuously extends, until its front part appears at the exit side of shed 2, where its presence is identified by weft stop motion 4 (FIG. 3).
The front of loop 13 of weft 1 is gripped behind the weft stop motion 4 by a withdrawing mechanism 14, and by its action, the loop 13 of weft 1 is withdrawn from shed 2, weft 1 remaining parallely doubled (FIG. 4).
Referring to FIG. 6, at 0 degrees the weaving machine is in the position where reed 8 is in the front dead center, i.e. beaten-up to the fell 11, with the warp threads aligned.
In the first quadrant, as shown in FIG. 6, the motion of warp threads 3 precedes that of the reed 8 with the inserting channel, moving away from interlacing point 11. The consequence thereof is that the shed 2 of warp threads 3 is considerably opened, reed 8 is not excessively remote from interlacing point 11, and the auxiliary nozzles 12 project into shed 2, via the lower branch of warp threads 3, only by their upper parts with exit openings.
At 180 degrees, the shed 2 from warp threads 3 is fully opened, reed 8 is in the rear dead center and there is a maximum protrusion of auxiliary nozzles 12 into the shed 2.
In the third quadrant, the shed 2 is closing and the reed 8 is in its phase of motion towards the fell 11.
In the fourth quadrant, alignment of the warp threads 3 takes place, i.e. a complete closing of the shed 2. Auxiliary nozzles 12 are placed under the warp threads 3 and the reed 8 before beat-up to the fell 11.
Upon performing the method according to the present invention, two versions of removing the weft 1 are basically feasible in weaving machines:
Either, before withdrawal of the parallely doubled weft 1, loop 13 is separated at the inlet side of shed 2 by cutter 6, or the cutter is blocked further, and the length of weft 1 remains continuous. In that case, simultaneously with the withdrawal of the parallely doubled length of weft 1 from the shed 2 by drawing one length thereof, which is connected by its free part 7 to the measured following length 10, the latter is drawn into the shed 2. By withdrawing the parallely doubled weft 1 from the shed 2, its following single length 10 remains prepared therein (FIG. 5), and the weaving process can be renewed by beating said single length up into the interlacing point 11 of the manufactured fabric.
When a fabric is woven from a material where there is a possibility of formation of a start mark, then before withdrawal of the parallely doubled weft 1, its length, which is connected to the free part 7 it is separated therefrom by cutter 6, e.g. by displacing said length of weft 1 towards the interlacing point 11 into the active area of cutter 6 by reed 8. Upon withdrawing the parallely doubled length of weft 1, the shed 2 thus remains empty, and the normal weaving process is renewed by inserting the following length 10 of weft 1 by nozzle 3, together with the simultaneous starting of the remaining mechanisms of the weaving machine.
This version of the method for preparing weft 1 is advantageously applicable in pneumatic weaving machines with a closed weft inserting channel formed by confusor teeth and a both passive and active method of insertion, also with an open inserting channel formed by profiled dents of the beat-up reed. All functions of measuring the weft 1, its withdrawing into the shed 2 in the form of a loop 13 and its consequent withdrawing from the outlet side of the shed 2, as well as cutting, are controlled by a known control device 15, to the output of which are connected the measuring device 16 of the weft 1, main nozzle 5 and auxiliary nozzles 12. Outlets of the control device 15 are also connected with cutter 6 and with a withdrawing device 14 arranged off the shed 2 behind the weft stop motion 4. The weft stop motion 4 is connected by its outlet with the inlet of the control device 15.
A substantial advantage of the method specified above, in addition to its applicability on many types of weaving machines with either pneumatic, hydraulic, or mechanical insertion of weft 1, is in the constant connection of the mispicked length 9 of weft 1 with its following length 10.
Although the invention is described and illustrated with reference to a plurality of embodiments thereof, it is to be expressly understood that it is in no way limited to the disclosure of such preferred embodiments but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims. | Method of preparing a weft and its removal from an open shed in jet weaving machines automates the preparatory operation of weft upon finding a weaving fault. This is achieved by performing both the preparation and the withdrawal of the weft in the course of the first quadrant of the jet weaving machine revolution. The method includes the step of supplying a further unseparated weft length, forming a loop between the unseparated weft length in the open shed while the loop elongates due to the action of an inserting medium until the loop face emerges from the shed on the shed outlet side and removing the weft from the shed by a weft withdrawing device. | 3 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to supporting attachments or standoffs for ladders.
2. Description of Prior Art
In certain work or repair situations, it is necessary for a member of the service crew to work on equipment located in awkward positions. One of the most common is when the equipment is mounted extending outwardly from a wall at a height above ground level. The worker needed a ladder or support on which to stand to reach the equipment. The ladder would be placed against the wall at its upper end for support. However, since the equipment on which work was needed extended outwardly from the wall, it was awkward for the worker. Often, the worker once standing high enough on the ladder to reach the equipment was so close to the wall that it was necessary to lean backward from the ladder to be able to repair or service the equipment.
There have been a number of supports or standoffs proposed in the prior art for use in these situations. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,797,037; 4,061,203 and 4,502,566 relate to supports or attachments of this type. Rather than being specifically designed for certain types of ladders, each of these supports was adapted for use on general purpose ladders. The supports were also removable from the ladder and connectable at various locations or heights on the ladder. There has been some concern, however, about the ability of these connections to the ladder to adequately bear the ladder user's weight and transfer it to the ladder.
The wall standoff apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,566, for example, was connected to the side rails of the ladder by clamping jaws. The ladder attachment of U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,203 had U-bolt fasteners which fitted over the juncture of a ladder rung with the ladder side rails. The ladder support of U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,037 utilized adjustably positioned plate or channel members mounted at spaced positions on opposite sides of each ladder rail for connection purposes.
The structures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,331,217; 4,359,138; 4,369,860 and 4,394,887 primarily involved spacer mechanisms interposed between an upper portion of the ladder and the supporting wall or roof surface. Certain of these spacer mechanisms made provisions for shelves or surfaces for support of tools, paint or work items which the ladder user might need.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,754,842; 4,339,020 and 4,823,912 related to protective pads attached on those portions of ladder supports. These pads served to protect against slippage of the ladder and support on the wall surface. They also reduced the likelihood of damage or marking of the wall surface.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Briefly, the present invention provides a new and improved ladder standoff apparatus for supporting a ladder at a spaced position from a surface or wall on which work was to be performed, such as an item of wall mounted equipment. The apparatus of the present invention permits a user of the ladder to work on items on the wall such as items of equipment extending outwardly from the wall, the wall itself or the wall surface without having to unsafely lean or assume an unbalanced position.
The apparatus of the present invention supports a ladder against a wall to permit a ladder user to work on items on the wall. The apparatus includes connector yoke members for fitting on a rung of the ladder and channel members for fitting along and receiving rails or side members of the ladder. The connector yoke and channel members are connected to each other in a manner to fit onto the ladder and provide stability and support to the ladder user.
The apparatus also includes spacer arm members which extend inwardly from the channel members to space the ladder from the wall. Contact uprights are formed extending from the spacer arm members to engage the wall and transfer the load of the ladder to the wall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a ladder standoff or support apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an elevation view of an apparatus according to the present invention supporting a ladder against a wall on which an item of equipment is mounted.
FIG. 3 is an elevation view of an apparatus according to the present invention on an upper portion of a ladder adjacent an item of equipment on a wall.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the drawings, the letter A designates generally an apparatus for supporting a ladder L against a wall W to permit a ladder user to work on items on the wall W. The ladder L, as is conventional, has a number of rungs 10 formed extending between upright side rails or members 12. The rungs 10 may be cylindrical in cross-section, rectangular or square, as desired.
In the embodiment in the drawings, the item on the wall is a box B containing electrical power distribution equipment, known as a C.T. box. It should be understood, however, that other items or types of equipment on the wall W or even the wall itself or its surface or structure above the wall W may be serviced or repaired by the ladder user.
The ladder includes a pair of connector yoke members Y spaced from each other for fitting over spaced portions 14 and 16 of an upper one of the ladder rungs 10. The yoke members Y are generally inverted U-shaped members 18 in the embodiment shown. Other shapes conforming to differing cross-sections of ladder rungs 10 could be used as well, if desired, such as rectangular, cylindrical or the like.
The yoke members Y are formed extending upwardly from a pivot sleeve 20 along a rear portion 22 to a hinged connection 23 near a central span 24. The yoke members Y each extend downwardly from the central span 24 along a front portion 26 to a connector hook pair 28 formed extending outwardly along sides of a connector slot 30.
A threaded connector pin 32 is pivotally mounted extending outwardly from an axle or rod 31 in each of the pivot sleeves 20. The threaded connector pins 32 are adapted to receive a threaded locking nut or washer 34 at an outer end 36. The locking nuts 34 are each movable inwardly on the connector pins 32 into engagement with one of the connector pairs 28. Connector fingers or probes 38 are formed on the connector pins 32 inwardly from their outer ends 36. The connector fingers 38 fit within spaces 40 rearwardly of the connector hook pairs 28 of each of the yoke members Y.
When the yoke members Y are fitted over the appropriate ladder rung 10, the connector pins 32 are pivoted upwardly until the connector fingers 38 are fitted (FIG. 2) within the space 40 rearwardly of the connector hooks 28. The locking nuts 34 are then threaded downwardly over the connector pins 32 until firm contact is made with connector pairs 28. When this is accomplished, the ladder rung 10 is enclosed within the yoke members Y and the apparatus A is attached to the ladder L.
Extending upwardly from each of the yoke member Y are support beams 42. The support beams 42 are connected at lower portions 44 to each other by telescoping sleeve members 46 and 48. Spaced openings or ports 50 are formed on each of the telescoping sleeve members 46 and 48. The sleeve member 46 and 48 are movable with respect to each other to adjust the relative lateral spacing between the support beams 42. When the support beams 42 are at the desired lateral spacing from each other, a pin or bolt 50a or other suitable connector is inserted through an aligned pair of the openings or ports 50 and suitably secured. In this manner, the relative lateral spacing of the support beams 42 and consequently the yoke members Y from each other may be adjusted.
A pair of outwardly facing channel members C are mounted on the support beams 42 extending along the length of the ladder rails 12 above the yoke member Y. The channel members C have central portions 51 for contacting outer side surfaces 52 of the ladder rails 12. Channel legs 54 are formed extending outwardly from each side of the central portion 51 of the channel member C to receive the ladder rails 12.
It is to be noted that the channel members C are located above the connection of the yoke members Y with the ladder L. Thus, in the event there should be any tendency of the apparatus A to pivot under load at the connection of the yoke member Y with the ladder rung 10, channel members C fitted extending along the ladders rails 12 and in contact therewith tend to counteract any such turning moment or force.
A cross bar 56 is fitted above and between an upper portion 58 of one of the support beams 42 and a sleeve member 60 mounted to a similar upper portion 58 above the other support beam 42. The sleeve member 60 is relatively slideably movable along the cross bar 56 and has an opening 62 formed therein which may be aligned with any of several spaced openings 64 along the cross bar 56. The sleeve member 60 may thus move laterally along the cross bar 56 as the telescoping sleeve members 46 and 48 are moved to adjust the lateral spacing of the yoke members Y. When the desired lateral spacing is achieved, a locking pin 64a or bolt is inserted through the aligned openings 62 and 64 and secured to lock the support beams 42 at their desired lateral spacing from each other at their upper ends 58.
Spacer arm members S are formed extending inwardly from the channel members C and the cross bar 56. The spacer arm members S are rods or beams 66 which may be of any suitable cross-section and may be solid or hollow, rectangular or tubular. The rods or beams 66 of spacer arm member are suitably long, such as a foot or more, to achieve the required spacing of the ladder L from the wall W. The spacer arm members S are preferably formed extending at an angle 68 (FIG. 2) of approximately 105° to support beams 42. In this way, the ladder L will be tilted at an angle with respect to a vertical wall W so that the ratio of horizontal to vertical extent is one foot of horizontal extent for each four feet of vertical extent, a commonly used safety and stability factor for ladders.
Contact upright members U are formed extending upwardly at inner ends 70 of each of the spacer arm members S. The contact upright members U are preferably arcuate or curved members in their upward extent so that they may adaptably engage the surface of the wall W at varying angles of contact depending upon the surface material of the wall W and the angle of contact between the apparatus A the wall surface.
The contact upright member U are rods or bars 72 which may be rectangular or tubular in cross-section, as desired. It is also typical to provide padded sleeve members 74 which slide downwardly over and fit over the contact upright members U. The padded sleeve members 74 serve to provide protection against slippage of the apparatus A and ladder L along the wall W. The padded sleeve members 74 also serve to protect the surface of the wall W during use of the ladder L to work on the box B.
In the operation of the present invention, the relative spacing of the telescoping sleeve members 46 and 48 and the position of the sleeve member 60 along the cross bar 56 are adjusted to fit the rung 10 of the ladder L with which the apparatus A is to be used. The channel members C are then fitted along the ladder rails 12 as the yoke members Y are fitted over and attached to the desired one of the upper rungs 10 of the ladder L. The apparatus A is then in position for use with the ladder L.
The ladder L is then moved to is desired location near the wall W and tilted toward the wall W until the upright members U contact the surface of the wall W at or beneath the box B. A service crew member or ladder user can then scale the ladder L to work on the box B. When so working, the crew member is able to safely stand in an upright position spaced from the wall W by the length of the spacer arm members S. This can be done without requiring the crew member to lean backwardly to perform the required work.
As has been pointed out, the channel members C are fitted along the length of ladder rails 12 above the connection of the yoke members Y to the ladder L. Thus, any tendency of the apparatus A to pivot or rotate at the yoke members Y with respect to the ladder L under load is counteracted by the engagement of channel member C along the ladder rails 12.
Having described the invention above, various modifications of the techniques, procedures, material and equipment will be apparent to those in the art. It is intended that all such variations be included within the scope and spirit of the appended claims. | An apparatus is provided for fitting at an upper portion of a ladder. It is adapted for use in situations where an electrical service crew member must work on electrical equipment (such as transformer boxes) which are mounted on upper portions of building walls. The apparatus provides a safe and stable support for the ladder. The apparatus provides this support while keeping the ladder located an adequate distance from the wall. The crew member can thus comfortably stand on the ladder and still have access to the equipment to remove the cover of the box and work on its contents. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates in general to the field of measuring devices and in particular relates to devices that measure level, plumb, acute and obtuse angles.
In prior and present times, measuring 0°, 45°, and 90° for building construction purposes have required a carpenter's spirit level which contains a module having a bubble in a vial and permanently located in a wooden or metal bar. This well know apparatus gives accurate readings at the level and plumb positions as long as the module remains in good condition, that is, the glass surrounding the module remains unbroken.
Another aspect of the prior art carpenter's level is that for a relatively long unit at least three or more modules are required to satisfy the various positions of the eye when taking a measurement. This type of assembly is somewhat expensive in view of the redundancy of the modules required of prior art devices.
At the present time, electronic levels represent the state of the art in measuring devices. These products measure level, plumb, acute and obtuse angles but are relatively expensive and require periodic battery replacements. They are three to four times the cost that is applied to a conventional wood or metal carpenter's level and, in addition, their accuracy is sometimes questionable because battery and electronic circuitry changes over time effects measurements being taken.
In view of the relatively high price of the electronic modules and the obvious need to protect such a unit from theft, some craftsman prefer and rely upon the conventional wooden or metal carpenter's level.
The present invention is designed to economize the manufacturing costs associated with the well known multi-module carpenter level and at the same time to provide a new version of the carpenter's level with the versatility of the electronic unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A newly designed rectangular module for determining the level, plumb, and all angular positions of a circle have been provided in this disclosure for use either singly or in various combinations of the invention with slight modification. The module may be used singly or in combination with a carpenter's square or simple ruler; in addition, the module is utilized for slidable engagement with a leveling bar as conventionally used in the building trade. The module, which is formed in a four-sided member employs a bubble in an enclosed liquid containing vial and may have a circular or straight constructional configuration.
In the circular embodiment, the points of the compass in degrees surround the bubble carrying vial. A rotating member having a line indicator is located in proximity to the circular vial for simultaneous viewing of the bubble and the various peripherally located compass points. When the module is placed on one of its sides, the bubble comes to rest at a certain angular position and the rotating member is turned until the indicator intersects the bubble. In view of the close proximity of the indicator to the compass points, the plumb, level, and all other angles of the compass can be easily read for benefit of the artisan user.
The above-described four-sided module is arranged with grooves in three of its side edges and is accompanied by a set screw through the intermediate track. This arrangement allows a single module, which is easily portable on one's person, to be attached to either a carpenter's square or straight edge to allow the artisan to easily and economically measure angles or deviations from certain required angles such as level and plumb.
Another embodiment of the invention allows the module to be positioned for slidable engagement in a metal bar that is used by the building trade to measure the level and plumb positions. The single module of the invention is slidably attached to the leveling bar; and therefore, the single module of the invention is able to replace a plurality of modules in the conventional carpenter's level since it may be slidably arranged to eye level anywhere along its length for easy viewing when plumb, level, and other measurements are taken.
In the module embodiment having a linear vial construction, the latter is located inside a knob for rotating an indicator line with respect to the points of the compass until the bubble is centered. The module of this embodiment may also be coupled for slidable engagement with a metal bar such that the resulting structure also resembles a carpenter's level. As in the previously mentioned embodiment, only one module is required since it can be moved to the eye level for measuring plumb, level, as well as all other angles.
It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved measuring module.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved carpenter's level.
It is a further object of the invention to design a carpenter's level such that angular positions between the level and plumb positions may be readily ascertained.
It is also an object of the invention to design a bubble module that can be attached to a simple straight-edge or carpenter's square to provide a modified carpenter's level.
It is a final object of the invention to provide a carpenter's level that is economical to manufacture and more versatile than those now existing in the market place.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the rectangular module of the invention and including a circular bubble containing vial in combination with a rotating dial and a plurality of angular compass points.
FIG. 2 is a view of the module of FIG. 1 utilized with a carpenter's square or simple straight edge.
FIG. 2a is a side view of the module of FIG. 2 as utilized with a carpenter's square.
FIG. 3 is a view of the module of FIG. 1 and slidably engaged with a carpenter's level.
FIG. 3a represents the use of the carpenter's level as represented in FIG. 3 to determine the plumb position.
FIG. 3b represents the use of the carpenter's level as represented in FIG. 3 to determine the level position.
FIG. 3c represents the carpenter's level as represented in FIG. 3 to determine an angular orientation.
FIG. 4 represents a module of the invention in which a linear vial is employed inside of a turning knob arrangement.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the module of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken through the vial of FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 is another sectional view taken through the edge support structure of FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken through the center of the module depicted in FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, a non-electronic module 10 is depicted for determining not only the level, plumb and forty-five degree positions, but in addition is able to produce all other angles of the compass. The module 10 is preferably rectangular in shape and includes the various points 26 of the compass in degree form upon one of its upper surfaces. The compass points 26 surround an opening 14 formed in the top surface of the module 10 and, at the center of the opening a stationary boss 19 is located. The opening 14 formed between the boss 19 and the outer diameter is utilized for seating of a concentric vial 16 in which a measuring bubble 15 is formed.
A circular transparent dial member 18 is oriented above the vial 16 such that its outer diameter substantially covers various lines associated with certain numerics of the compass. The dial 18 incorporates three separated lines 21, 22, 23 for determining the angle being measured wherein the two outer lines are employed by the user to envelop the bubble 15; the third line 21 essentially is an indicator for bisecting the bubble and to align itself with the resulting numeric.
On top of the dial 18 there is located a knob 20 to provide a facile grasping member to allow the artisan such as a carpenter to obtain a desired measurement. The knob 20 includes an opening 24 at its center which acts in cooperation with the center threaded opening 17 of the boss 19. When a threaded bolt (not shown) is positioned in the threaded opening 17, the rotation of the dial 18 is able to occur without affecting the vial 16, which remains stationary.
In the event that the module 10 alone were utilized as a measuring device, all surface edges would be perfectly smooth and, therefore, devoid of any external member. Any edge, although the longer edges are preferable, might be used to measure a surface angle. Therefore, once an edge is placed against the surface to be measured, the bubble comes to rest and the dial 18 is turned until the bubble is enveloped by the lines 22, 23. As understood, if a horizontal measurement is perfectly level, the marker 21 points to 0°; and, if a vertical measurement is taken and it is perfectly plumb the marker 21 is aligned with the 90° point of the compass. On the other hand, if the measurement to be taken deviates from the plumb or level positions, the module 10 is able to indicate the degrees of deviation, which is of considerable assistance to the worker.
The angle measuring module 10 of FIG. 1 is of relatively small size and is, accordingly, made easily portable. By way of example, a small pouch (not shown) may be furnished for storing the module 10 so that it may be carried in a tool belt on the person of the artisan. This combination allows the worker to make quick measurements when more professional equipment is not available.
The embodiment above described may be modified as shown in FIG. 1 into a sliding module. This is accomplished upon one of the longer edges of the module 10 by incorporating a groove 12 in which is located a longitudinal spring 11. Two rails 9, 9a are formed by this groove formation; in addition, two notches 8, 8a are formed on either longitudinal side of the module 10 for purposes that will become evident with respect to the operation described hereinbelow.
In FIG. 3, the modified slidable module 10 is combined with a straight metal bar 28, which is two to eight feet in length, to form the well recognized carpenter's level 30. The metal bar 28 incorporates two flat and parallel surface edges 7, 7a for placement upon a surface which is to be measured. The module 10 is positioned between the grooves 50, 51 for slidable engagement along the edges provided by the notches 8, 8a. The module 10 is prevented from sliding unintentionally in the bar 28 by way of the spring 11 which maintains a slight force against the groove 50. Two end terminals 31, 32 are positioned at either extremity of the metal bar 28 to prevent the module 10 from sliding out of the grooves 50,51.
As understood in the building trade, for example, either edge 7, 7a is positioned upon a surface whose inclination whether it be level, plumb, or any other angle is to be measured. The slidability of the module 10 is of great convenience to the worker taking this measurement since he may adjust the unit to accommodate his eye position. This feature is particularly noteworthy when the plumb position is being measured and where the module 10 may be easily brought to the eye position. It should be understood that various measurements may be taken with a single slidable module only which is to be contrasted with existing multi-module carpenter's spirit levels.
FIG. 3a represents the level 30 of this invention being utilized to evaluate the plumb of a structure 60. In measuring the plumb, the edge 7 or 7a is positioned against the surface of the structure 60 and the bubble will assume the position depicted. The dial 18 (see FIG. 1) is then rotated so that the lines 22, 23 envelop the bubble 15 and if the indicator 21 is aligned with the 90° compass point, the level 30 has measured a perfectly plumb surface in structure 60.
FIG. 3b illustrates the position of the level 30 when a level measurement of the structure 60 is being taken. In a manner previously described, the bubble 15 will come to a rest position and the dial 18 is rotated until the lines 22, 23 embrace the width of the bubble. If the indicator line is superimposed upon the 0° compass point, a perfectly level inclination has been measured.
The same procedure above described is employed in measuring a 45° pitch as shown in FIG. 3c. In this measurement, the bubble comes to rest at the position depicted. The dial 18 is again rotated until the indicator line 21 bisects the bubble. If the incline is precisely 45°, the line 21 will be exactly aligned with this compass point.
The knob 20 in FIGS. 1 and 3 is made of a rubberized material that is able to absorb shock due to dropping or other harmful effects. This aspect of the module 10 is particularly significant when the level 30 may be dropped from second floor roof heights.
Returning now to FIG. 2 there is illustrated a module 13 used in combination with a carpenter's square 25. The module 13 is identical in operation to module 10 described with respect to FIG. 1 except that it includes grooves formed in several of its side edges. Three of the grooves 57, 59, 59a are respectively located along the bottom and side of the module 13 for purposes that will become clear immediately below.
When the module 13 is combined with the carpenter's square 25, it is conveniently positioned in the corner to provide stability to the unit. This stability occurs when the vertical leg of the square 25 fits into a left-hand groove 59a (shown in dotted form) whereas the level leg of the square fits into the groove 57. To further unite the module 14 with the square 25, a thumb screw 75 is turned until it tightens against the square 25.
The joining of the module 13 of this invention and the square 25 provides a useful combination for the tradesman. As an example, the carpenter's square can readily determine a 90° angle, it cannot determine when this angle is being measured from a perfectly level reference surface. The module 13 is able to evaluate this factor in the manner previously described by a turning of the dial 18 with respect to the bubble placement. In other words, it may easily be determined if the level position from which a 90° angle is being measured is at 0° or several degrees removed from this position. On the other hand, if the artisan wishes to scribe a line with an angle of 22°, for example, the carpenter's angle 25 is turned until the bubble is in the vicinity of this compass point. The dial 18 is thereafter turned until the bubble is bisected by the indicator 21. When the indicator 21 becomes aligned with the 22° point, a line may be drawn using the lower portion of the square 28 as an edge.
The embodiment of FIG. 2 allows for the use of a simple straight edge in place of the horizontal section 6 of the carpenter's angle 25. This arrangement provides a simple and easily portable level for measuring various angles, and therefore, is of significant value for the artisan who must make a quick measurement.
Referring now to the drawing of FIG. 4, there is depicted another embodiment of the invention. This embodiment comprises a module 40 which has a similar shape to the module 10 of FIG. 1 except that is does not include a boss 19. A well 65 having a track 63 along its side is formed and whose purpose will become clear hereinbelow. The various compass points 45 surround the opening 65 in a manner previously discussed. A circular opening 44 is provided for allowing the turning knob 41 to be pushed out of the well 65.
A shelf edge 46 of knob 41 has a diameter that fits into the well opening 65 of the module 40. The knob 41 located on top of the shelf 46 is utilized for grasping and turning the shelf 46 upon which are located diametrically opposed line indicators 55, 55a (see FIG. 5). The knob 41 includes a center portion 67 which is open and allows for placement of a linear vial 42 having a bubble 43. The bubble 43 is positioned between the markers 68, 69 when the module 40 is measuring the horizontal or plumb orientations, for example. In the embodiment of FIG. 4 the vial 42 is oriented along a diameter in the opening 67 which is perpendicular to the diameter passing through the indicator lines 55, 55a.
Strategically placed around an edge of shelf 46 are spring loaded buttons 66 which extend into the circular track 63 to allow for easy rotation of the knob 41, and to allow for positive connection between block 40 and knob 41 without the use of screw connectors.
This aspect of the invention is viewed with greater clarity in the plan view of FIG. 5 and, a sectional view through the button shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. The button 66 is extended from the edge of shelf 46 via a spring 66a and is compressed when the knob 41 is placed in the opening 44 and the button is positioned in the groove or track 63. Returning to FIG. 5, the module 40 is situated for slidable engagement in the metal bar 47 for use as a carpenter's level. The drawing shows the bubble 43 centered between the markers 68, 69. As understood, the centered bubble 43 together with the markers 55, 55a which are in alignment with the 0° compass points indicate that the carpenter's level is measuring a level surface.
The sectional view of FIG. 6 of the drawings depicts the placement of the linear vial 42 in the body of the knob 41 and shelf 46 as may be viewed in greater perspective in the sectional view of FIG. 8. As may be clearly seen, the knob 41 is placed in a well 65 of the module 40. The module 40 is dimensioned for ease of slidability within grooves 71, 72 of the metal bar 47.
The upper surface of the module 40 is slanted so that the numbers comprising the compass points will not easily wear away over time.
In summary, the present invention furnishes a new and improved module for measuring the various angles of the compass. It may be used above as a small portable device for obtaining a quick reading of the angle; or it may be combined for greater accuracy with other well known tools of the building trade such as the metal bar employed in the carpenter's level and the 90° carpenter's square. The module of the invention which includes a circular or linear bubble containing vial may also be readily combined with a simple straight edge to provide an easily portable measuring tool.
This invention has been described by reference to precise embodiments, but it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this invention is subject to various modifications and to the extent that those modifications would be obvious to one of ordinary skill they are considered as being within the scope of the appended claims. | A module for measuring level, plumb and various angles by a simple hand manipulation. The module, which contains a bubble in a vial, is in one modality located in a carpenter's leveling bar and is slidable therein so that it may always be oriented at eye level for ease of viewing. The module is compact in size and design for ease in carrying on one's person and, it may be attached to a framing square or a straight edge, for example, such that measuring of the horizontal, vertical, and acute or obtuse angles may be readily accomplished in a portable fashion. In another mode, the measuring module which is formed upon a four-sided support member may be utilized without any additional structural element to provide a self contained angular measuring mechanism. | 6 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a hacksaw frame for manual use and which provides for mounting a hacksaw blade in various orientations and locations with respect to the frame.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hacksaw frames have been developed to receive replaceable hacksaw blades. The blades conventionally have small openings, one at each end for engagement on pins forming part of the hacksaw frame. The frame can apply tension to the blade to positively locate the blade on the pins and to maintain the blade in a straight orientation during use.
There are a number of limitations to hacksaw frames. First of all, the blade is normally arranged so that it is impossible to cut through an object lying on a flat surface because the frame engages the surface before the blade is finished cutting. It is also difficult to cut an element projecting from a surface flush with that surface. This again is because the frame tends to interfere with the surface and force the user to cut the item proud of the surface rather than flush with it. Also, it is not convenient to use the hacksaw when the surface is larger than the hacksaw because the user's hand further forces the hacksaw away from the surface.
It is among the objects of this invention to provide an improved hacksaw frame which permits the user to perform cuts that were previously not readily done with prior art hacksaw frames.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides an improved frame for a hacksaw blade. The frame has a handle member and a frame member coupled together and defining a pair of aligned star shaped openings. Blade attaching components are releasably engaged in the respective openings for carrying a hacksaw blade. In the preferred embodiment the attaching components can be engaged in any one of eight angular positions, and the attaching components preferably includes curved portions to offset a hacksaw blade from the star shaped openings whereby the hacksaw can be used to cut through an item down to a supporting surface and also, with some adjustment to flush out an item projecting from a surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a hacksaw frame according to a preferred embodiment of the invention and including a pair of blade attaching components and a hacksaw blade;
FIG. 2 is a top view of the hacksaw frame shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view on line 3--3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view on line 4--4 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view on line 5--5 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 illustrates an end view of the hacksaw frame with the blade arranged for flush cutting on a surface;
FIG. 7a is a side view of a blade attaching component shown to the left of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7b is a top view of the blade attaching component;
FIG. 7c is an end view of the component;
FIG. 7d is a view from the other end of the component;
FIGS. 8a, 8b, and 8c are views similar to FIGS. 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d and showing the blade attaching component to the right of FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 is a front view of a spring clip used to retain the component shown in FIG. 8a;
FIGS. 10a and 10b illustrate an alternative embodiment of the component shown in FIG. 7a;
FIGS. 11a and 11b illustrate an alterative embodiment for the component shown in FIG. 8;
FIGS. 12a and 12b illustrate a further alternative embodiment for the component shown in FIG. 7 and
FIGS. 13a and 13b illustrate a further alternative embodiment for the component shown in FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference is first made to FIG. 1 which illustrates a hacksaw frame indicated generally by the numeral 20 and carrying a conventional hacksaw blade 22. The frame consists of a handle member 24 connected to a tubular frame member 26 at a joint 28 which permits axial movement of the member 26 in relation to the member 24 to adjust for various lengths of hacksaw blade 22 as is conventional in the art.
The hacksaw blade 22 is supported on a pair of pins 30, 32 associated with respective blade attaching components 34, 36 which will be described more fully with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.
Reference is next made to FIG. 3 which is a sectional view on line 3--3 of FIG. 1 and showing the section through an end portion of the frame member 26. It will be seen that there is a star shaped opening 38 formed in the member 26 and this opening extends axially parallel to the blade 22. The opening 38 is made up essentially of two squares offset one from the other by 45 degrees to give 8 points equally spaced.
At the other end of the frame 20, the attaching component 34 fits in the handle member 24 and FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate sections of the handle member to show the shape in this part of the member. As seen in FIG. 4, the handle member is hollow with a downwardly extending aperture 40. An opening 42 seen in FIG. 5 is similar to opening 38 in the frame member 26 and is arranged to be in axial alignment with that opening. Because the opening 42 extends into the handle member 24, it terminates in the aperture 40 providing access to the opening 42 for reasons which will be explained. For the moment it is sufficient to understand that the attaching components 34, 36 fit in the respective openings 42, 38 and that adjustment in these openings is possible to change the orientation of the hacksaw blade 22.
Although it can not be seen in FIG. 1, the pins 30, 32 are complemented by a further pair of pins 44 (one of which can be seen in FIG. 6) for attaching the hacksaw blade to these pins and providing a different orientation. It will be seen in FIG. 6 that a surface 45 shown in ghost outline can be approached with the hacksaw blade on pins 44 without interference either from the hacksaw itself or the user's hand. It will be evident how this achieved with reference to FIGS. 7a through 8c which describe in more detail the blade attaching components 34, 36.
Reference is now made to FIG. 7a which illustrates the attaching component 36 in side view. The view 7b is from the bottom of FIG. 7a, view 7c is from the left end, and view 7d from the right end. As can be seen from these views, the attaching component 36 has a threaded end portion 46 which is round and which blends into a generally square portion 48. In turn, this portion blends into a curved portion 50 which forms a right angle and meets an end piece 52. This end piece is cut to form a recess 54 associated with the pin 32 for receiving the hacksaw blade 22 (FIG. 1). As can be seen in FIG. 7b, the single pin is deformed so that the pin 32 is formed from a single piece of material and also provides one of the pins 44. The angle of the pin is conventional so that the blade remains on the attaching component when the blade is tensioned.
FIG. 8a illustrates the attaching component 34 at the other end of the blade 22 (FIG. 1). This component has an end portion 56 separated from a collar 58 by a neck 60. At the other end, the end portion 56 meets a curved portion 62 which blends into an end piece 64. This end piece defines a recess 66 which in use is aligned with recess 54 (FIG. 7d) so that the blade 22, (FIG. 1) lies in both recesses in engagement with the respected pins 32, 30. As seen in FIG. 8b, the pin 32 is in fact a continuation of the same material forming one of the pins 44.
It will be seen in FIG. 7b and 8b that the pins 44 project through angled surfaces 68 which perform a similar function to the recesses 54, 66. However, when the blade is engaged on the pins 44 and engagement with the angled surfaces 68, the hacksaw can be used in the position shown in FIG. 6 where the blade is capable of flush cutting any projection through the surface 45 shown in ghost outline in FIG. 6.
The attaching components 34, 36 seen in FIG. 1 are held in place in two different ways. The component 34 is engaged in the opening 42 (FIG. 5) and held in place by a circlip 70 shown in FIG. 9. After the attaching component 34 has been engaged in the opening 42, the circlip can be engaged through the aperture 40 (FIG. 4) in the bottom of the handle and placed around the neck 60 (FIG. 8a) to retain the attaching component 34 in place. This component can be entered into the opening 42 (FIG. 5) in one of eight positions since the square cross-section of the end piece 56 will fit in the opening 42 in eight positions.
At the other end, the component 36 is engaged in the opening 38, (FIG. 3) to match the position of the component 34 and is held in place loosely at first by a wing nut 72 threaded on the end portion 46 (FIG. 7a) of the component 36. The hacksaw blade 22 is then engaged over the pins 30, 32 or the pins 44 whichever is required and the blade is tensioned in position using the wing nut to lock the blade in position in the frame 20. Clearly, the user has many options due to the possibility of placing the components 34, 36 in the frame in one of eight positions. Of course, if preferred, this embodiment could be modified by providing arrangements to accommodate more or less than eight positions.
Because the blade can be engaged in two positions on the attaching components 34, 36, there are in fact 16 possible positions for the embodiment described.
One of the advantages of the present structure is that the attaching components 34, 36 can be removed and different attaching components substituted. This improves the utility of the frame and many variations are possible. To demonstrate this, two further embodiments are shown in FIGS. 10a through 13b.
Reference is next made to FIGS. 10a and 10b. FIG. 10a includes an end view and it will be seen that an attaching structure similar to structure 36 provides a different arrangement of relationships but is nevertheless of similar structure to the attaching component 36. In particular, instead of having the curved portion 50 shown in FIG. 7a, there is an offset 90 which will have the effect of moving the hacksaw blade out of the confines of the frame and present the blade below the frame in somewhat similar fashion to FIG. 1 without as much offset. The complementary attaching component is shown in FIGS. 11a and 11b and it will be seen at a similar offset 92 is provided to match the offset 90 shown in FIG. 10a.
It will be appreciated that in FIGS. 10a and 11a, the offsets 90, 92 are shown in one plane and that the offset is actually a compound offset which can be seen in FIGS. 10b and 11b. As a result, the blade is both below the frame and drawn in FIG. 1 and the blade is positioned in alignment with the handle to give minimum torsional loading on the handle as the blade is pushed to cut an item.
As seen in FIGS. 11a and 11b, an opening 94 is provided and a pin can be engaged through this opening to retain the attaching component in the handle member 24 (FIG. 1) with access to the pin provided in the aperture 40 shown in FIG. 4. This is an alternative to the circlip used in previous embodiments and illustrated in FIG. 9.
In some situations it may be preferable to use the hacksaw with the blade in a conventional arrangement. FIGS. 12a and 12b illustrate a suitable attaching component for the frame member and FIGS. 13a, 13b an attaching component for the handle member. In these cases, the blade would be held in alignment with the openings 38, 42 (FIGS. 3 and 5) provided in the frame.
These and other embodiments are within the scope of the invention and it is intended that such embodiments be included in the claims. | The invention provides an improved frame for a hacksaw blade. The frame has a handle member and a frame member coupled together and defining a pair of aligned star shaped openings. Blade attaching components are releasably engaged in the respective openings for carrying a hacksaw blade. In the preferred embodiment the attaching components can be engaged in any one of eight angular positions, and the attaching components preferably includes curved portions to offset a hacksaw blade from the star shaped openings whereby the hacksaw can be used to cut through an item down to a supporting surface and also, with some adjustment to flush out an item projecting from a surface. | 1 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for reducing the concentration of pollutants in exhaust emissions of internal combustion engines, and more specifically to such devices operating on the basis of enriching the oxygen content of air taken in by the engine, and the method associated with their use.
2. Background Art
The use of denitrified air to reduce the content of toxic compounds from exhaust gases of automotive engines is known in the prior art. Nakajima et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,817,232, for example, discloses the delivery of denitrified air, containing oxygen in a major proportion, to a carburetor of an internal combustion engine.
The disclosed apparatus, however, is applicable to an internal combustion engine only after major modifications in the engine structure. Moreover, the patented structure requires the use of two pumps, forming an integral part of the air intake system for the engine, along with an air denitrifying unit. The latter operates by using a nitrogen impermeable membrane, for example, or a specified molecular sieve formed of pulverized zeolite.
Such a structure is complex, expensive, requires major engine modification, and is thus not easily adaptable for use with older cars, subsequent to production and sale.
McKerahan, U.S. Pat. No. 1,339,211 discloses the use of a rotary concentrator for delivering oxygenated air at its output, in order to obtain a fuel saving by more complete combustion in smelting furnaces, blacksmith fires, steam boilers, gas engines and the like.
The disclosure, however, merely contemplates the use of centrifugal action to separate and concentrate oxygen. There is no disclosure of any readily available device to be used for such a concentrator. No suggestions are provided for reduction of output pollution with the aid of a static concentrator, nor is any indication provided for combining the device with carburetor intakes for automotive internal combustion engines in order easily and inexpensively to update an automotive engine to comply with pollutant emission standards.
In summary, the prior art requires complex devices having a number of moving parts for air oxygenation of internal combustion engines. The prior art thus fails to provide simple, inexpensive devices for pollution reduction in new and existing automobiles, and particularly fails to provide use of static gas separator structures for such applications.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to overcome the difficulties of the prior art, and to provide an inexpensive device for reduction of pollutant emissions from automotive internal combustion engines.
It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a simple method and apparatus for retrofitting existing automobiles to comply with stricter emission standards therefor.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a static gas separator for use in conjunction with an air inlet for an automotive internal combustion engine in order to increase combustion efficiency and reduce pollutant emission thereby.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a stationary, coaxial, multiconical structure in conjunction with an air inlet of an internal combustion engine to increase the operating efficiency and to decrease the pollutant emissions thereof.
In accordance with the foregoing and other objects of the invention, a frustoconical structure is utilized for reducing the nitrogen content and enriching the oxygen content of air provided for use in an internal combustion engine. The structure has no moving parts and may be mounted on newly produced or existing engines, and is useful to conserve fuel as well as to reduce the emission of pollutants by the engine.
When used with internal combustion engines for aeronautical use, the oxygen enriching structure disclosed herein further provides for increased flight ceilings and increased flight speeds.
Mounting structure is provided for connecting the separator to an air inlet of the engine, thereby to retrofit existing cars with the device for compliance with pollutant emission standards. The inventive gas separator may be simply attached to an inlet in an air horn for a carburetor breather, for example. Such use advantageously satisfies stricter emission standards without requiring the use of unleaded or high-octane gasoline.
The present invention further includes the method of using the above described structure by connecting the separator to an engine air inlet thereby to change the composition of air supplied to the engine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent upon reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which like numbers refer to like parts.
FIG. 1 shows, in simple block diagram form, an illustration of the broad concepts embodied by the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal view of the invention;
FIG. 3 shows a partial end view of the invention;
FIGS. 4a and 4b show two connections of the inventive separator to an automotive internal combustion engine.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawing, an apparatus for reducing pollutant emissions of an internal combustion engine as used on automotive vehicles, for example, is shown in FIG. 1. In the figure, standard components of an automotive internal combustion engine are shown as an air inlet 10, an air cleaner 12, and a carburetor 14.
As is known in the art, typical engines operate by mixture of a fuel with air in carburetor 14, the resulting charge being provided to the engine for timed detonation in a plurality of cylinders. It is also known to provide individually mixed charges for each of the individual cylinders in a system known as a gas injection engine. Since carburetion of the fuel does not form part of the present invention, it is seen that the block labelled carburetor in FIG. 1 may be replaced by a plurality of individual gas injection devices, each mixing and providing an individual charge for individual cylinders.
Whether a fuel injection or a carburetion system is used, however, a common feature is the need to obtain air, through an inlet 10, for mixing with the fuel. The air inlet supplies air to an air cleaner, for removal of particles harmful to the fuel injectors or carburetor, screening and filtering of the air prior to passage to the carburetor or fuel injectors.
The present invention provides a static gas separator 16, easily connected to inlet 10, for modifying the composition of the air supplied to the carburetor.
By separating heavier from lighter components of the incoming air, it is possible to separate the oxygen and nitrogen components thereof. The present invention contemplates using the separator to provide oxygen rich air to air inlet 10 for mixture with fuel in carburetor 14 and for combustion in the engine.
By removing nitrogen from the air supplied to the carburetor, the formation of oxides of nitrogen as products of combustion is reduced. If all the nitrogen is removed from the incoming air, no nitrogen oxides will be formed in combustion. Accordingly, an immediate benefit of the use of the separator 16 is the reduction, or elimination, of nitrogen oxides from the exhaust emissions of the engine. These oxides are undesirable byproducts of the internal combustion process, and their production is tightly controlled under current regulations for limitation of automotive pollution.
A further advantage of the use of a separator as shown in the Figure is that, with oxygen enriched air, more complete combustion is obtained, thus reducing the quantities of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide in the engine exhaust. Production of most of the undesirable pollutant emissions is thus reduced by use of the separator as contemplated herein.
Additionally, with more complete combustion of the fuel, an additional benefit of the present invention is that of increased fuel efficiency.
Moreover, use of the invention with aeronautical engines permits flights to ascend to heights beyond previous ceilings, inasmuch as the rarified air at the higher altitudes is oxygen enriched by the invention prior to combustion in the engine. Lower octane fuel may generally be used in engines utilizing the inventive separator, whether for land based or aeronautical use.
Referring now to FIGS. 2-3, the separator of FIG. 1 is generally shown at 16. The static structure is seen to include a tapered, frustoconical shape, provided by an outer shell 18. Arrows 20 are provided to indicate the general direction of air flow into the device.
Shell 18, which is formed as a frustum of a cone, includes a wide opening 22 and a narrow opening 24. The wide opening 22 acts as an inlet for the flowing air, and narrower opening 24 provides an outlet for the device. While the preferred embodiment described herein is shown as a right cylindrical frustoconical structure, other tapered shapes may also be used. The significant aspect of the structure is its narrower outlet when compared with its broad inlet.
In order to enhance the operative effect of the structure, a number of additional frustoconical elements are utilized. As seen in the Figures, elements 26 and 28 are each formed as a frustum of a cone, each disposed coaxially with shell 18. Additionally, the frustoconical elements 26 and 28 are preferably disposed so that a single point 30 is the apex for each truncated cone.
As further shown in FIG. 2, the wide openings of elements 26 and 28 are substantially coplanar with opening 22 of shell 18. The air flowing into the inlet of the separator thus encounters the effects of all of the cones simultaneously.
Similarly, the narrow openings of elements 26 and 28 are similarly coplanar with opening 24 of shell 18, to form the outlet of the device. The various openings need not, however, be coplanar as depicted for the preferred embodiment.
A plurality of baffles are placed in the structure, preferably regularly spaced as shown by baffles 32 which are spaced 120° apart. The baffles are used to support the structure, particularly to separate the various elements and to maintain a desired spacing therebetween, as shown at FIG. 2.
In addition to providing structural integrity for the static separator of the invention, the baffles also serve to direct the gas flow longitudinally from inlet to outlet. The longitudinal baffles thus serve to decrease turbulence in the air flowing through the device.
The plurality of frustoconical structures terminate at a collar 34 at their narrow ends, from which issues the gas shown as entering the structures by arrows 20. While the theory of operation of the device is not required to be disclosed, it is believed that the heavier constituent molecules of the entering fluid, upon colliding with the tapered sides of the device, are directed thereby towards the center of the outlet thereof, at 24. More specifically, the heavier molecules are directed towards the apex of the various conical structures, at 30. The lighter constituent molecules, upon such collisions, are similarly directed. However, during the random collisions which occur between the heavier and lighter molecules subsequent to such focusing of the fluid, the lighter molecules, having the lesser kinetic energy and momentum, are deviated from their paths, while the heavier molecules, having the greater kinetic energy and momentum, retain their velocities towards the apex at 30. As a result of such collisions, the lighter molecules exit the narrow opening at 24, and collar 34, having more randomly distributed velocities and directions, while the heavier molecules are primarily directed towards the center of the exit opening.
The exiting fluid is thus seen to have a greater concentration of its heavier molecular components at the center of the outflow, and a greater concentration of lighter molecular components at the periphery of the outflow.
An appropriately sized outlet tube 36, subtending an appropriate central portion of the outlet area, thus provides an outlet fluid stream at 38 which includes a greater concentration of the heavier molecular components than the outlet fluid stream at 40, emerging from the peripheral areas of outlet 24. In order to provide an unobstructed path for the outlet fluids, an inversely tapered section 42, coaxial with the tapered frustoconical shell 18 and elements 26, 28, is provided.
In the preferred embodiment, wherein the fluid passing through the device is a gas, and more specifically air, the heavier, central portion of the outlet stream includes a greater concentration of oxygen molecules, while the lighter, peripheral portion of the outlet stream includes a greater concentration of nitrogen molecules. Accordingly, the outlet stream 38, issuing from outlet tube 36, is oxygen enriched as compared to the concentration of oxygen in the inlet stream 20. Upon supplying the oxygenated stream issuing from outlet tube 36 to an internal combustion engine, the several advantages previously described accrue beneficially to the engine's operation.
It is understood, however, that a collecting tube, not shown, may be provided to gather the peripheral, lighter outlet stream issuing from section 42. Moreover, any number of central outlet tubes may be provided, each subtending a successively greater central area, thereby to provide successively lighter outlet streams separated from the inlet fluid stream. Such outlet tubes may be disposed as coaxial cylindrical members within the inversely tapered section 42 to collect the appropriately concentrated streams, with various conduits provided to convey the collected streams to their ultimate destinations.
It is understood that the entering size of outlet tube 36 is of significance in determining the concentration of heavier molecules in the fluid stream collected thereby. An appropriately sized conduit is connected to the orifice to convey the collected stream to a utilization device therefor.
Referring now to FIGS. 4a and 4b, the air inlet 10 to an internal combustion engine is shown at 10a and 10b, respectively.
In FIG. 4a, the air inlet is shown as including an air horn 44 extending from an air cleaner container 46, typically mounted on a carburetor. A damper 48 is typically provided in such air horns, operated by a vacuum control 50 receiving engine vacuum via a hose 52. In operation, a push rod 54 is activated by control 50 in response to vacuum conditions of the engine to move damper 48, thereby to select varying mixtures of air from opening 56, receiving ambient air, and opening 58 at the bottom of horn 44, receiving heated air.
In the present embodiment, such a connection may be modified to receive at its bottom opening 58 a conduit 60, connected at its other end to outlet tube 36 of the present static separator. A set screw 62 is provided to determine the minimum position for damper 48, thereby to determine the minimal input concentration of oxygenated air to the engine. Preferably, damper 48 is positioned to provide only oxygenated air to the engine. Control 50 may be disconnected, and opening 56 may be effectively sealed. Alternatively, other controls may be provided to determine the setting of damper 48 in response to specific engine operating conditions, in which non-oxygenated air may be input through opening 56.
Referring now to FIG. 4b, an alternate connection of the inventive device to an engine air inlet 10b is shown. Specifically, the separator 16 provides an oxygenated outlet stream at outlet tube 36. Outlet tube 36 is connected to conduit 60, appropriately shaped for mounting directly onto the air inlet of carburetor 14.
Similar connections may be provided for mounting an oxygenating concentrator on a turbine engine, by appropriately sizing the conduit for proper connection thereto.
It is appreciated that to obtain greater quantities of oxygenated air, as may be required by larger engines, a plurality of such concentrator devices may be operated in tandem, with the streams collected by the various outlet tubes 36 thereof being combined for input to an engine. Alternatively, larger separators may be used, to provide greater outlet stream volumes from individual devices.
It is further understood that with greater inlet stream velocity, the heavier molecules in inlet stream 20 are possessed of greater momentum and kinetic energy. It is thus noted that the separation effect is more pronounced for faster flowing fluids than for slower flowing streams of fluid, since the heavier molecules are deviated still less from their focused orientation by collisions with lighter molecules. Accordingly, a fan-like arrangement is shown in phantom at FIG. 2.
A fan 64 may be placed in front of opening 22 of the device, the fan operated by an electric motor 66, for example.
In a specific application of the present static separator, a 1974 Chrysler Newport was modified by the addition of the device to reduce pollutant emission. The emissions of hydrocarbons, in parts per million, and percentages of carbon monoxide were measured at speeds of 500-600 RPM, representing idling conditions, and at speeds of 900-1000 RPM, representing operating speeds. The tests were conducted without the device, with the device, and finally with the device and a fan connected to impart added velocity to the incoming air stream. As expected, substantial improvements were shown in reduction of output pollutants. The results are summarized in Table I below.
TABLE I______________________________________SEPARATOR: OFF ON ON OFF ON ONFAN: OFF OFF ON OFF OFF ONPARAMETER______________________________________RPM 900-1000 500-600HC (ppm) 259 39 13 351 367 42CO (%) 1.99 0.48 0.05 3.13 2.05 0.32______________________________________
As is apparent from the above results, substantial improvements in pollutant emissions are attained, with increased improvements for increased incoming air speed. The separator was mounted by a bracket 68, shown at FIG. 2, to receive air from the engine cooling fan. At increased engine speed, the air entry velocity is thus also increased. In every category, pollutant emissions were reduced with increased engine speed, and further reduced with the addition of an operating fan. Such a device, or any other device for generating air flow through the separator, may thus advantageously be used further to reduce pollutant emissions.
There has thus been described a fluid separating device, for separating a fluid stream into a plurality of streams having differing concentrations of heavier to lighter constituents thereof. The device includes an inlet and a narrower outlet, and a structure at the outlet for separating the outlet stream into its various components. The device structure may be tapered, and preferably is frustoconical in shape, and may include any number, 1, 2, . . . , K of frustoconical elements therein.
The outlet separating structure for the outlet stream includes apparatus for separating a central portion of the outlet stream from a peripheral portion thereof. Any number of such separating structures may be used. Specifically, where K frustoconical elements are used, for example, there may be K separating devices, each including a coaxial inlet subtending a portion of the outlet stream. The subtended portion may correspond to one of the frustoconical elements, but need not necessarily do so. The separating structure further may include an inversely tapered device, to minimize the possibility of the lighter components recentralizing in the outlet stream.
In a specific use of the fluid separating device, a gas, such as air, is separated into outlet streams having greater and lesser concentrations of oxygen. Such a device is used in conjunction with an internal combustion engine to provide an enriched, oxygenated air flow thereto, resulting in increased efficiency of operation, reduced emission of pollutants, and reduced consumption of fuel.
The preceeding specification describes the preferred embodiment of the invention as an illustration and not a limitation thereof. It is appreciated that equivalent variations and modifications of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. Such modifications, variations and equivalents are within the scope of the invention as recited with greater particularity in the appended claims, when interpreted to obtain the benefits of all equivalents to which the invention is fairly and legally entitled. | Apparatus for reduction of pollutant emissions by internal combustion engines includes a tapered, coaxial multiconical structure used as a gas separator. The gas separator is used to provide oxygen enriched air to an engine, thus providing a reduction in the amount of nitrogen provided thereto. The resulting exhaust gas includes fewer oxides of nitrogen, reduced quantities of hydrocarbons, and decreased percentages of carbon monoxide. Air is directed through the structure, entering at a wide mouth thereof. A fan may be provided for directing the air through the structure. The air exiting at the central portion of the narrow end of the structure, which has an increased ratio of oxygen to nitrogen, is directed by a conduit to the engine inlet. The structure is inexpensive, and easily mounted on existing engines, thus providing a retrofitting device for conforming older cars to current pollution standards. | 8 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a continuation application of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/912,492, which was filed on Aug. 5, 2004, which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The present application claims priority benefits to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/912,492.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an improved data processing system and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for optimizing performance in a data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for profiling multithreaded or multitasking processes to improve performance.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In analyzing and enhancing performance of a data processing system and the applications executing within, it is helpful to know which software modules are using system resources. Effective management and enhancement of data processing systems require knowing how and when various system resources are being used. Performance tools are used to monitor and examine resource consumption as various software applications are executing. For example, a performance tool may identify modules that execute most frequently, allocate the largest amount of memory, or perform the most I/O requests.
In analyzing and enhancing performance of a data processing system, a developer may focus on where time is being spent by the processor in executing software code. Such efforts are commonly known in the computer processing arts as locating “hot spots.” Ideally, one would like to isolate such hot spots at the instruction level in order to focus attention on areas that might benefit most from improvements to the code.
For example, isolating such hot spots to the instruction level permits compiler writers to find significant areas of less than optimal code generation, at which they may focus their efforts to improve code generation efficiency. Another potential use of instruction level detail is to provide guidance to the designer of future systems. Such designers employ profiling tools to find threads, modules, functions, codepaths, characteristic code sequences, or single instructions that require optimization for a given hardware environment.
Multitasking can describe a processor or set of processors that operate on one process or subprocess before another is completed. The term “process” is sometimes used interchangeably with “task,” “thread,” and other such terms. A multitasking system splits time between processes depending on factors such as input/output (I/O) activity, interrupts, or the expiration of a fixed time interval. Threading can be a form of multitasking.
Threading can improve single-application performance by constantly feeding instructions to a single processor. For example, a single-threaded web server would be trapped in a wait state every time it fetched data from a disk. However, a multithreaded web server can handle new requests with one thread while another thread waits on the data from the disk. Multiple threads running on a processor can be analyzed to determine how much time a processor spends on each thread. Such a multithreaded arrangement improves performance by allowing the processor to operate continuously rather than wait for a slow process, such as I/O, to complete.
Process scheduling is the method by which the operating system determines which thread to run on the processor. Threads are sometimes assigned a class depending on the thread's priority. Threads running in a lower-priority class often only receive the processor time left over by higher-priority classes. Schedulers may allocate processor time to threads based on class and may interrupt a thread before the thread is complete. Schedulers may determine the order in which a thread should run and how much processor time each thread is allocated while running.
Sample-based profiling can describe a technique of periodically interrupting the operation of process execution at regular intervals. At each interruption, samples are taken to inform a developer which function was executing just before the interruption. After the interruption, normal processing is restarted. The interrupting and restarting of the process is looped for a predetermined length of time, for a predetermined number of events of interest, or upon an event such as user input.
At each time interval, the processor collects a sample that is then used to determine the function the processor is running. By sampling for many time intervals, a profiler can determine statistically on which functions a processor is spending its time. A profiler can then generate a report summarizing the sampled data.
An example profiler stops an application and samples the program counter of the currently executing thread. The profiler repeatedly stops the processor over many clock cycles to obtain a statistically meaningful quantity of data. The program counter values may be resolved against a load map and symbol table information for determining the function on which the processor is executing. The profiler increments a counter for the area of the particular area of code that is executing. Some profilers process information on the fly and create data structures representing an ongoing history of the runtime environment. Other profilers add data to a buffer or file for processing after sampling.
If profiling was carried out for 100 interrupts, a profile might indicate that the processor was running code from function A during 50 interrupts, the processor was running code from function B during 25 interrupts, and the processor was running code from function C during 25 interrupts. Such data would indicate to the developer that processor time was split among functions A, B, and C on a percentage basis of 50%, 25%, and 25%, respectively. If functions A, B, and C all were written to have equal distribution, the example profile would tend to indicate that functions B and C are not receiving enough processor time and function A is processor-bound, requiring too much processor time.
A sample-based profiler may obtain information from the stack of an interrupted thread. A “stack” is a region of reserved memory in which a program or programs store status data, such as procedure and function call addresses, passed parameters, and local variables. A “stack frame” is a portion of a thread's stack that represents local storage (arguments, return addresses, return values, and local variables) for a single function invocation. Every active thread of execution has a portion of system memory allocated for its stack space. A thread's stack could consist of sequences of stack frames. The set of frames on a thread's stack could represent the state of execution of that thread at any time. Many operating systems provide software timer interrupts useful to profilers. These timer interrupts can be employed to sample information from a call stack.
In a multitasking system, threads can be queued before the threads are executed. One technique for queuing threads is to maintain a single, centralized queue that may be referred to generically as a “run queue.” If a processor becomes available, the next available thread is assigned from the run queue to the processor.
In some multi-processor systems, queuing threads may be accomplished by maintaining separate queues for each processor. Thus, when a thread is created, it could be assigned to a processor in a round robin fashion. With such a technique, some processors may become overloaded while other processors are relatively idle. Furthermore, some low priority threads may become starved, i.e. not provided with enough processing time, because higher priority threads are added to the run queue of the processor for which the low priority threads are waiting.
Previous sample-based profiling systems collected data relating to a specific process the processor was executing during each scheduled interruption of a process. Such profilers provided no data or limited data on a process that was runnable but not running when the interruption occurred. Runnable but not running means that the only resource the process is waiting on is the CPU itself. Such previous profiling systems are limited in the ability to determine whether a process is starved of processor time. Thus, there is a need for an apparatus and method for profiling processes are runnable but not running in a multithreaded environment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention is a computer program in a computer readable medium for profiling a multithreaded system. The computer program has first instructions for interrupting the operation of an application running in a multithreaded system. Second instructions identify, for a desired process, if this process is runnable but not running. Third instructions increment a counter for the process, signifying that it was runnable but not running, or signifying a function of the process was running. In an embodiment, the computer program loops for a predetermined amount of time or until otherwise interrupted. An embodiment includes instructions for generating a report summarizing function counts to allow developers the ability to see function characteristics including which functions may be starved of processor time.
Another embodiment is a method for profiling a multithreaded process after identifying a process to be profiled. Instructions are executed on a processor in a multithreaded manner and the executing of instructions is interrupted. A determination is made of whether the process is runnable but not running and a counter is incremented for the process if the process is runnable but not running.
Another embodiment is a data processing system for processing a multithreaded application. A profiler system waits a predetermined period of time, interrupts the processing of the multithreaded application, identifies a thread that is runnable but not running, and increments a counter for the thread that is runnable but not running. The multithreaded application is restarted and a report is generated summarizing the value of the counter.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention can be used to profile process starvation for processes operating in a multithreaded environment. For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a representative hardware environment for practicing the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating steps in a profiler.
FIG. 3 is an illustration of an example report generated by a profiler.
FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating steps performed by an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an illustration of an example report generated by an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment's steps for determining whether a task is runnable but not running.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following description, numerous specific details are shown in flow diagrams to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known circuits, software, and hardware functions have been summarized as flow chart elements in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. For the most part, details concerning software encoding and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention and are within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.
Refer now to the drawings wherein depicted elements are not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated by the same reference numeral through the several views.
FIG. 1 illustrates a representative hardware environment for practicing the present invention. An exemplary hardware configuration of data processing system 113 is shown having central processing unit (CPU) 110 , such as a conventional microprocessor, and a number of other units interconnected via system bus 112 . Data processing system 113 could include random access memory (RAM) 114 , read only memory (ROM) 116 , and input/output (I/O) adapter 118 for connecting peripheral devices such as disk units 120 and tape drives 140 to bus 112 . Data processing system 113 could include user interface adapter 120 for connecting keyboard 124 , mouse 126 , and/or other user interface devices such as a touch screen device (not shown) to bus 112 . Further, processing system 113 could include communications adapter 134 for connecting data processing system 113 to a data processing network, and display adapter 136 for connecting bus 112 to display device 138 . CPU 110 may include other circuitry not shown herein, which will include circuitry commonly found within a microprocessor, e.g., execution unit, bus interface unit, arithmetic logic unit, etc. CPU 110 may also reside on a single integrated circuit. Communications adapter 134 could be any network adapter such as an Ethernet adapter. Disk unit 120 could be any computable readable medium and could be used for storing a computer program embodiment in conjunction with the present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates profiling steps taken by a profiler. First, an application is started in step 202 for executing on CPU 110 . In step 204 , the developer identifies to the operating system (OS) a specific process, for example process “ABC,” in need of profiling. Process ABC may include function_A, function_B, and function_C, for example. In step 206 , the developer starts the profiler and then in step 214 the profiler interrupts the application after a predetermined period or after the occurrence of some event. In step 216 , the profiler then determines whether process ABC was running at the time processing on CPU 110 was stopped. If process ABC was running function_A, for example, then in step 208 the profiler collects samples for function_A. If process ABC was not running when CPU 110 was interrupted, then a determination is made in step 218 whether the time for sampling has expired. If the time for sampling has not expired, then in step 220 , the profiler waits for a proper amount of time for the next interrupt and then loops through steps 214 , 216 , and 208 until a determination is made in step 218 that the time for sampling has expired. When the time for sampling has expired, step 210 stops sampling and step 212 generates a report.
FIG. 3 is an illustration of a report 300 that might be generated in step 212 of FIG. 2 . The report 300 could inform a software developer how much processor time was spent on function_A, function_B, and function_C. The report 300 generated by the profiler might indicate on line 302 that function_A had 50 hits, on line 304 that function_B had 25 hits, and on line 306 that function_C had 25 hits. A hit would be indicated by the value of the counter for that function. If the software developer expected each function to share the processor equally, the report 300 might cause the software developer concern because the processor appears to have executed function_A 50% of the time and remainder of time was split equally between function_B and function_C. The software developer would likely investigate further to determine why function_A was receiving twice as much processor time as each of function_B and function_C. Profiling as described in this paragraph is useful, but such profiling may be deficient for determining information on functions, threads, or processes that were not running when the CPU 110 was stopped. Further, in the above scenario the software developer might mistakenly attempt optimization of function_A to achieve a better balance when the problem was with a parameter other than function_A. With such profilers, no sample is taken if process ABC is runnable but not running, which means that the process is ready to run, is not running, and is waiting for the processor rather than waiting for I/O, lock, or the like. To aid in software development, a method and apparatus are needed for profiling processes that are runnable but not running.
FIG. 4 illustrates profiling steps taken by an embodiment of the present invention. First, in step 402 an application is started on CPU 110 by profiler 400 . In step 404 , the developer identifies a specific process in need of profiling to the operating system. For example, the developer could instruct that process ABC is in need of profiling. Process ABC includes function_A, function_B, and function_C. The developer in step 406 starts the profiler and then in step 414 the profiler interrupts the application after a predetermined period or after the occurrence of some event. In step 416 , the profiler determines whether process ABC is running and in step 408 the profiler collects samples for process ABC if the process is running. If process ABC is not running, the profiler in step 424 determines whether process ABC is runnable but not running. If process ABC is runnable but not running, the profiler in step 422 collects a sample and then cycles to step 418 for possible further profiling. If process ABC is waiting on I/O or is otherwise not runnable, the profiler cycles back to step 418 for further profiling without collecting a sample in step 422 . In step 408 , samples are collected if process ABC is running and in step 422 samples are collected if process ABC is runnable but not running. In step 420 , the profiler 400 waits for the proper period for the next interrupt and then loops, as appropriate, through steps 414 , 416 , 408 , 424 , and 422 until a determination is made in step 418 that the time for sampling has expired. When the time for sampling is over, sampling is stopped in step 410 and a report is generated in step 412 .
FIG. 5 shows an example of a report 500 illustrating data generated by sampling as shown in FIG. 4 . Data on line 502 represents that function_A from process ABC was running during 5% of the 1000 samples. Data on line 504 represents that function_B from process ABC was running during 2.5% of the samples. Likewise, data on line 506 represents that function_C was running during 2.5% of the samples. In an embodiment, data on line 508 represents that during 90% of samples taken, process ABC was runnable but not running. By collecting information on such processes that are runnable but not running, a developer can better determine how to optimize a process, application, or system. This method and apparatus of the present invention potentially prevents a developer from diving into an area for performance optimization where such optimization may not be needed. Using the technique described in FIG. 2 , a developer might conclude that optimizing function_A, as shown in FIG. 3 will yield the most improvement. However, with the data from FIG. 5 , if CPU starvation is observed, the prudent approach may be to solve the starvation problem before attempting to optimize function_A.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating a methodology 600 for an embodiment profiler determining whether a process is runnable but not running. Methodology 600 could be incorporated into step 424 from FIG. 4 . If the identified process in step 416 is not running at the time of interruption in step 414 , the profiler reads the run queue in step 602 . If a process is not queued for the CPU in step 604 , in step 418 the profiler determines whether the time for sampling has expired. If the process is queued for the CPU in step 604 , the profiler in step 606 determines whether the process is waiting only for the CPU or whether the process is waiting for I/O, lock, or some other event. If the process is queued for the CPU and waiting only for the CPU, a sample is collected and the process counter is incremented in step 422 . In an alternate embodiment, the run queue can be read again in step 602 as necessary to look for any other process flagged for profiling. After determining whether a process is runnable but not running and sampling accordingly, the profiler returns to step 418 for determining whether the time for sampling has ended.
Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. | A profiler of a multithreaded process that determines whether a process is runnable but not running by determining whether a process is both waiting for the processor and also not waiting for other events such as I/O. Counters are maintained for each such process that is runnable but not running. Reports are generated summarizing data relating to any process that may be starved due to lack of processor time. Information obtained by the method and apparatus assists developers in optimizing resources in multithreaded environments. | 6 |
RELATED APPLICATION
The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. (7126).
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a self calibrating demodulator system and, more particularly, to a self calibrating demodulator system which is calibrated on a reference signal in order to eliminate demodulator caused distortions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Demodulators are used in television applications in order to demodulate the intermediate frequency (IF) output of a tuner down to baseband for further processing by a receiver. Professional demodulators are special examples of demodulators that are typically used in a laboratory or on a production line in order to test modulators, transmitters, and translators. However, professional demodulators have other uses such as monitoring broadcasts or cable transmissions, testing receivers, field testing television transmissions, and as exhibits used in demonstrations and seminars. In such cases, the professional demodulator receives an input signal to be monitored and provides various outputs representing the input signal which is received over an RF channel.
When testing transmission equipment, for example, there are generally two sources of distortion in the output of a professional demodulator. One source of distortion is the transmission equipment itself. The professional demodulator is typically provided with distortion correcting components, such as equalizers, in order to reduce distortion caused by the transmission equipment being tested.
The other source of distortion is the professional demodulator itself. This type of distortion is generally caused by variations in component performance characteristics and by component performance characteristics which change over time. For example, the tuner of a professional demodulator contributes to such demodulator caused distortion. In the case of tuner caused distortion, not only does the performance characteristics of the tuner change over time, but the performance characteristics of the tuner also change from channel to channel.
It is standard practice to calibrate a professional demodulator in the factory in order to reduce demodulator caused distortion. However, such calibration, although satisfactory at the time the professional demodulator leaves the factory, can soon become unsatisfactory because of the time related changes of the demodulator's performance characteristics.
Moreover, calibrating the professional demodulator in the factory poses the additional problem of determining the channel to which the professional demodulator should be calibrated. That is, a professional demodulator that is optimally calibrated in the factory at one channel is not optimally calibrated at another channel because, as discussed above, the performance characteristics of the demodulator's tuner change from channel to channel. Thus, a professional demodulator that is optimally calibrated in the factory at one channel may not be optimally calibrated when being used to test equipment operating at a different channel.
Accordingly, what is needed is a demodulator that overcomes one or more of the above stated problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a demodulating arrangement comprises a reference signal source, an input, a switch, a tuner, a demodulator, a calibration filter, an equalizer, and a controller. The reference signal source is arranged to produce a substantially distortion free reference signal at a selected one of a plurality of channel frequencies. The input is arranged to receive an external source signal at the selected channel frequency. The switch is arranged to selectively pass the substantially distortion free reference signal and the external source signal in order to provide a switch output. The tuner is arranged to selectively tune to the switch output in order to provide a tuner output. The demodulator is arranged to demodulate the tuner output. The controller is arranged to control the switch, the tuner, the calibration filter, and the equalizer so that the switch is arranged to connect the substantially distortion free reference signal to the tuner each time the tuner is tuned to a new channel, so that the tuner is tuned to the reference signal, so that the calibration filter is initially set to pass the reference signal to the equalizer, and so that the equalizer calibrates the calibration filter according to demodulator caused distortion in the reference signal.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided to calibrate a demodulator. The demodulator has a calibration filter and an equalizer. The calibration filter includes taps, and the equalizer includes taps having tap values. The method comprises the following steps: a) supplying a substantially distortion free calibration reference signal to the demodulator, wherein the tap values of the taps of the equalizer adjust to reduce distortion in the calibration reference signal; b) transferring the adjusted tap values to the taps of the calibration filter; and, c) supplying an external source signal to the demodulator so that the calibration filter reduces demodulator caused distortion in the external source signal based upon the transferred tap values and so that the equalizer reduces distortion caused by other sources.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a calibration arrangement for a demodulator comprises a demodulator, an equalizer, a calibration filter, and a controller. The demodulator is arranged to demodulate a substantially distortion free calibration reference signal. The equalizer is arranged to reduce demodulator caused distortion in the calibration reference signal. The controller is arranged to adjust the calibration filter dependent upon the reduction of the demodulator caused distortion in the calibration reference signal effected by the equalizer so that the calibration filter reduces the demodulator caused distortion in an external source signal.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from a detailed consideration of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a self calibrating demodulator system in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 illustrates additional features that may be provided in the self calibrating demodulator system shown in FIG. 1; and,
FIG. 3 shows an exemplary equalizer that may be used in the self calibrating demodulator system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A self calibrating demodulator system 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a demodulator 12, a calibration filter 14, and an equalizer 16. The demodulator 12, for example, may include an analog IF root raised cosine surface acoustic wave (SAW) bandpass filter providing anti-aliasing filtering, bandlimiting, and good adjacent channel rejection. The filter output may be amplified with gain controlled amplifiers and may be synchronously demodulated using a frequency-phase locked loop which may be arranged to track the small VSB pilot that is typically provided in ATSC compliant VSB signals. The level-controlled I-channel analog output may be lowpass filtered in order to remove unwanted frequencies created in the down conversion mixer of the demodulator 12.
The calibration filter 14, for example, may be a 64 tap linear tapped delay line variable filter capable of correcting demodulator caused distortions (magnitude and/or group delay) such as, for example, demodulator caused linear distortions. As shown in FIG. 3, the equalizer 16, for example, may comprise a pre-calibration section 16A including 64 feedforward taps, a post-calibration section 16B including 192 feedback taps, and a summer 16C. The output of the pre-calibration section 16A is supplied to a first input of the summer 16C, and the output of the summer 16C is fed back through the post-calibration section 16B to a second input of the summer 16C. The equalizer 16, for example, optimizes the data eyes of any received distorted signals. The equalizer 16 may also be followed by a phase tracker (not shown) in order to remove phase noise.
During self calibration, the demodulator 12 is provided with a substantially distortion free calibration reference signal, such as a substantially distortion free ATSC compliant VSB calibration reference signal, at any selected one of a number of RF channels. Preferably, the substantially distortion free calibration reference signal may be provided at each of the RF channels in use so that the self calibrating demodulator system 10 can be used to test any transmitter. The substantially distortion free calibration reference signal is demodulated by the demodulator 12. The calibration filter 14 is initially set so that is does not filter the demodulated calibration reference signal. Accordingly, the demodulated calibration reference signal passes substantially unchanged through the calibration filter 14 to the equalizer 16. The equalizer 16 adjusts in order to reduce any frequency and/or phase distortion introduced into the substantially distortion free calibration reference signal by the demodulator 12 and any other equipment of the self calibrating demodulator system 10 which is upstream of the calibration filter 14. When the output of the equalizer 16 is a demodulated version of the substantially distortion free calibration reference signal provided to the demodulator 12 (within some tolerance), the distortion reducing adjustment made by the equalizer 16 is used to re-configure the calibration filter 14 so that the calibration filter 14 removes any demodulator caused distortion when the demodulator 12 is provided with an external source signal instead of the substantially distortion free calibration reference signal.
After self calibration, an RF channel signal from an external source such as transmission or other equipment being tested may then be provided to the demodulator 12 which demodulates this external source signal. The reconfigured calibration filter 14 removes demodulator caused distortion from the demodulated external source signal, and the equalizer 16 removes transmission equipment or channel caused distortion from the demodulated external source signal. The output of the equalizer 16, therefore, produces a substantially accurate indication of the performance of the equipment being tested or the amount of channel propagation distortion.
As shown in FIG. 2, various other functions may be provided in the self calibrating demodulator system 10, if desired. For example, an input switch 20 has first and second inputs 22 and 24. The first input 22 receives a channel signal at RF from an external source, such as equipment to be tested. The second input 24 receives the substantially distortion free calibration reference signal at an RF channel frequency selected to match the frequency of the RF channel signal at the input 22.
The substantially distortion free calibration reference signal at the second input 24 is provided by a reference test source 26 and a reference up converter 28. The reference test source 26, for example, may be an ATSC-compliant VSB reference generator containing four fields of mode 8T VSB test data. In addition, the reference test source 26 may contain two fields each of mode 2, 4, 8, and 16 VSB test data.
As is known, "mode" refers to the number of modulation levels that are used to transmit bits of information. Thus, if mode=2, two modulation levels are used to transmit one bit of non-trellis encoded data; if mode=4, four modulation levels are used to transmit two bits of non-trellis encoded data; if mode=8, eight modulation levels are used to transmit three bits of non-trellis encoded data; if mode=8T, eight modulation levels are used to transmit two bits of trellis encoded data; and, if mode=16, sixteen modulation levels are used to transmit four bits of non-trellis encoded data.
The reference test source 26 stores the substantially distortion free calibration reference data in modulated form. The reference test source 26 may include a digital to analog converter (not shown) so that the stored calibration reference data is converted to analog as it is clocked out of the reference test source 26. The calibration reference data may be arranged so that, as it is clocked out of the reference test source 26, it is converted by the digital to analog converter to a low IF signal.
The reference up converter 28 contains a synthesizer whose frequency reference is provided by the oscillator 30. Accordingly, the modulated data from the reference test source 26 is up converted by the reference up converter 28 to a selected one of a plurality of RF channels to which a tuner 32 is tuned as controlled by a controller 34, and the upconverted modulated data is provided to the second input 24 as the substantially distortion free calibration reference signal. For example, if the self calibrating demodulator system 10 is being used to test a transmitter that transmits over channel A, then the reference up converter 28 is controlled by the controller 34 to upconvert the low IF signal from the reference test source 26 to the frequency of channel A. On the other hand, if the self calibrating demodulator system 10 is being used to test a transmitter that transmits over channel B, then the reference up converter 28 is controlled by the controller 34 to upconvert the low IF signal from the reference test source 26 to the frequency of channel B. In this manner, the same substantially distortion free calibration reference data can be used for a variety of RF channels.
During self calibration, the controller 34 controls the input switch 20 to pass to the tuner 32 the calibration reference signal at the second input 24 of the input switch 20. The controller 34 also instructs the reference test source 26 to provide the calibration reference data to the reference up converter 28 and controls the reference up converter 28 to provide an output RF signal based on this calibration reference data at the frequency of the selected RF channel. The controller 34 controls the tuner 32 to tune to this channel.
The tuner 32 converts the RF calibration reference signal to IF and supplies the calibration reference signal at IF to one input of an output switch 35. Another input of the output switch 35 receives an external IF signal. The output of the output switch 35 (in this case the calibration reference signal at IF) is demodulated by the demodulator 12 in order to provide baseband data to an analog to digital converter 36. The analog to digital converter 36 may be arranged to sample the baseband I-channel output of the demodulator 12 at the conventional symbol rate of a digital television system and to convert this output from the demodulator 12 to corresponding digital values.
During self calibration, the controller 34 controls the calibration filter 14 so that the output of the analog to digital converter 36 is passed through only one tap of the calibration filter 14. Accordingly, the calibration filter 14 does not filter, or otherwise impose a substantial change on, the digital, demodulated calibration reference signal. The digital, demodulated calibration reference signal is equalized for optimum data eyes in the equalizer 16, as discussed above.
As the tap values of the taps of the equalizer 16 adjust to reduce distortion in the digital, demodulated calibration reference signal, all or part of the tap values can be read from the equalizer 16 by the controller 34 for further analysis. For example, the controller 34 may be arranged to transfer the correction values (e.g., ten-bit tap gain values) of the sixty-four correction taps from the pre-calibration section 16A of the equalizer 16 to the calibration filter 14 when adjustment is complete. Also, signal to noise parameters before and after the equalizer 16 may be calculated by the controller 34 in order to indicate how much correction is being performed by the equalizer 16 and consequently how much distortion is in the digital, demodulated calibration reference signal.
Following self calibration, the input switch 20 is controlled by the controller 34 so that an external source signal at RF on the first input 22 is passed to the tuner 32. The tuner 32 tunes to the selected RF external source signal thereby converting the selected RF external source signal to an intermediate frequency which is then demodulated to baseband by the demodulator 12 and converted to digital by the analog to digital converter 36. The calibration filter 14 reduces or substantially removes demodulator caused distortion from the digital, demodulated external source signal output of the analog to digital converter 36, and the equalizer 16 reduces or substantially removes transmission equipment caused distortion from the filtered, digital, demodulated external source signal output of the calibration filter 14.
An automatic gain control 40 may be provided in order to perform automatic gain control on the total received baseband VSB signal. After analog to digital conversion by the analog to digital converter 36, the average power in the output of the calibration filter 14 is compared by the automatic gain control 40 to a pre-defined DC value, and the RF/IF gains are varied until the baseband I-channel digital signal is at its proper level. This automatic gain control prevents both analog and digital circuits from overloading, and is performed in the digital domain so that there is no "droop" problem. The RF automatic gain control may be delayed from the IF automatic gain control until a preset input level (i.e., the AGC delay point) so that the RF gain of the tuner 32 is maximum at minimum input signal level in order to achieve an improved noise figure.
A clock recovery block 42 may be provided in order to recover certain synchronization signals from the output of the calibration filter 14. For example, if the demodulator 12 is arranged to demodulate ATSC compliant digital television signals, the clock recovery block 42 recovers the symbol clocks and the segment and frame syncs of ATSC defined fields. The clock recovery block 42, for example, may use traditional narrow band digital correlation techniques in order to extract the symbol clocks and the segment and frame syncs.
The self calibrating demodulator system 10 may also include a capture memory 44. For example, if the demodulator 12 is arranged to demodulate digital television signals, the capture memory 44 can be arranged to capture any one of the 313 segments in either of two transmitted ATSC defined fields. The capture memory 44 may be arranged so that, once the field and segment field numbers have been identified by the controller 34, the capture of specific segments may begin.
A decoder 46 may be provided in order to decode the data at the output of the equalizer 16. Again, if the self calibrating demodulator system 10 is designed to process digital television signals, the decoder 46 may perform data de-randomization, Reed-Solomon forward error correction decoding, trellis decoding for VSB mode=8T, and data de-interleaving.
The self calibrating demodulator system 10 may also include various outputs. For example, a parallel low voltage differential system (LVDS) interface 50 may be provided in order to supply data meeting the digital video broadcast (DVB) parallel output standard. A serial interface 52 may be provided as a 75 Ω serial output which is SMPTE 310M compatible. A bit error rate tester decoder 54 may likewise be provided. For example, the bit error rate tester decoder 54 may contain a go/no-go detector capable of detecting any bit errors in a 2 23 pseudo-random sequence test signal. The bit error rate tester decoder 54 may also be arranged to create appropriate burst clock and data signals that are buffered and available on BNC connectors.
Various output monitors 56, 58, and 60 are provided to monitor the data before equalization, after equalization, and after decoding.
Certain modifications of the present invention have been discussed above. Other modifications will occur to those practicing in the art of the present invention. For example, as described above, the calibration filter 14 may be a 64 tap linear tapped delay line variable filter. However, the calibration filter 14 can be any other suitable type or length of filter.
Moreover, as described above, the equalizer 16 may be a 256 tap filter such as a 256 tap FIR filter having a 64 tap pre-calibration section and a 192 tap post-calibration section. However, the equalizer 16 may be any other suitable equalizer.
Furthermore, the reference generator which is provided to supply the substantially distortion free reference signal to the input 24 is described above as an ATSC-compliant VSB reference generator comprising the reference test source 26 and the reference up converter 28. It should be understood, however, that the reference generator may be any reference generator suitable for supplying a reference signal to the input 24.
Also, as described above, the reference test source 26 stores substantially distortion free calibration reference data which may be ATSC-compliant VSB reference data. This data should include the frame and segment synchronization and DC bias of a typical ATSC compliant VSB digital broadcast signal. Such data produces a reference signal useful in calibrating the demodulator 12. However, the reference data stored in the reference test source 26 may also be randomized, Reed Solomon forward error corrected, trellis encoded in the case of the 8T VSB mode, and interleaved so that the generated reference signal can also be used during a self-test in order to verify the decoding circuits of the self calibrating demodulator system 10.
Additionally, the controller 34 may be arranged to cause the switch 20 to automatically switch the input 24 to the output of the switch 20 and to cause the reference test source 26 and the reference up converter 28 to supply a substantially distortion free calibration reference signal through the switch 20 to the tuner 32 whenever the controller 34 causes the tuner 32 to tune to a new channel or upon each new start-up use of the self calibrating demodulator system 10.
Moreover, the present invention is directed to a calibration arrangement and method which is suitable for calibrating an ATSC compliant VSB demodulator. However, the present invention may also be used calibrate a QAM compliant demodulator.
Accordingly, the description of the present invention is to be construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. The details may be varied substantially without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the exclusive use of all modifications which are within the scope of the appended claims is reserved. | A reference signal source produces a substantially distortion free reference signal which is supplied to a demodulator that is arranged to demodulate the substantially distortion free reference signal. A calibration filter and an equalizer are included downstream of the demodulator. A controller sets the calibration filter to initially pass the reference signal to the equalizer without substantial change to the reference signal. The controller subsequently calibrates the calibration filter in accordance with the demodulator caused distortion reduced by the equalizer. | 7 |
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a new means of delivering lipid soluble materials in cosmetic, pharmaceutical and personal care products. More particularly, the present invention relates to a means for delivering lipid soluble materials in a preparation designed for topical application. In some embodiments, the present invention adds a decorative and/or fragrance element to a topical preparation.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
Delivery of active ingredients to the top layers of the skin or stratum corneum has been a major focus of cosmetic and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Liposomes can deliver water soluble ingredients to the stratum corneum. These ingredients include water soluble vitamins such as ascorbic acid, or the B vitamins, Kojic acid, amino acids, and the like. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,834. Monolayer, bilayer and multi-lamellar liposomes have been employed as a method of encapsulating these water soluble active ingredients.
Bilayered and multi-lamellar phosphatidyl choline based liposomes are also capable of encapsulating lipophilic ingredients within the lipophilic zones of their structures. However, loading is difficult and the concentration of active ingredient is usually quite small.
The surfactants, emulsifiers and emollients normally found in cosmetic creams, lotions or ointments destabilize liposomes. Moreover, liposome production requires the use of costly, specialized equipment, has a slow rate of production, and uses expensive ingredients (95+% phosphatidyl choline). These factors limit the use of liposomes to special and/or expensive formulations.
A more cost effective method of delivering lipid soluble materials is microencapsulation. Microcapsules may be prepared using a variety of techniques and encapsulation materials (shells). The most commonly used encapsulation materials are cross linked gelatin, gelatin:acacia gum coacervates, ethyl cellulose, polyurethanes, epoxies and acrylics. Such microcapsules can be formed by a variety of different methods including simple and complex coacervation, in-situ ionic or covalent crosslinking, and spray-drying using Wurster chambers (Glatt). Patents describing such methods include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,623,489; 4,610,890; 4,830,773 and 5,093,182.
Gelatin is often employed as the encapsulating material in cosmetic applications. Gelatin is easily crosslinked with formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde to form structurally sound capsules. Unfortunately, these capsules do not rub well into the skin. Such capsules become more crosslinked, which over time results in a "plastic-like" shell that must be rinsed off the skin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, the present invention includes a method for making a suspension including a lipid containing flake. This flake can be decorative and is useful for cosmetic, personal care, and pharmaceutical preparations.
The flake suspension is made from a pseudoplastic hydrophilic gel and a liquid phase waxy material. These materials are brought together at their respective surfaces. Desirably, as these materials are brought in contact, the waxy material is solidified. This solidified waxy material is then broken up into flakes, desirably of a small size.
The flakes of the present invention can incorporate lipid soluble active ingredients, coloring agents, fragrance or a combination thereof. The flakes are incorporated into conventional topical application product formulations, although such formulations may need to be modified to reflect the presence of a lipid soluble active ingredient in the flakes.
The flakes of the present invention deliver lipid soluble active ingredients, especially in preparations for topical use, much better than the delivery systems heretofore available. Moreover, this advantage is achieved without requiring a substantial investment in new or expensive equipment.
Additionally, the flakes of the present invention can add a decorative and/or fragrance element to the compositions in which they are employed. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, flakes of more than one color are combined in a single product. The resulting product is reminiscent of confetti.
The present invention solves many of the problems that have been associated with decorative beads and flakes in personal care and cosmetic products. The expensive equipment previously required to produce beads and flakes is not needed using the formulations and techniques of the present invention. The present invention also allows incorporation of large amounts of oil-soluble active ingredients which play an important role in today's personal care products. The rub-in characteristics of the product of the present invention are superior to those of conventional decorative ingredients.
Moreover, as the flake matrix lowers the effective surface area to volume ratio, the present invention has the potential to increase the stability of labile ingredients such as vitamin A, vitamin C palmitate, vitamin E and other antioxidants, and other unstable oil soluble ingredients.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the process in which the flakes of the present invention are formed; and
FIG. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A preferred process for preparing the lipophilic flakes of the present invention involves pumping a liquid phase waxy material, for example a molten wax, onto the surface of a pseudoplastic hydrophilic gel. In this process, it is further preferred that the gel is stirred to form a vortex during the step in which the waxy material is added to the surface of the pseudoplastic hydrophilic gel. Preferably, the vortex is formed by high shear mixing. As the liquid phase waxy material impinges upon the gel, desirably the waxy material is solidified. A preferred method of solidifying the waxy material when the waxy material is in the liquid phase as a molten wax is by cooling.
The solidified sheet formed at the contact of the waxy material and the gel is, in a preferred embodiment, carried into the vortex of the mixing chamber. There the sheet is broken into small flakes (see FIG. 1). The dimension of these flakes is controlled by a number of factors which include the configuration of the mixing chamber, the mixing blade configuration and dimensions in relation to the mixing chamber, the gel rheological characteristics, the temperature and composition of the liquid phase waxy material and the mixing speed. For instance, as the velocity of the surface approaching the vortex increases, the flakes will be thinner. As the velocity of the gel at the tip of the blade increases, the flakes will be subjected to greater shear rates, and therefore become smaller. These parameters are alterable by changing gel characteristics, temperature, or other processing parameters.
Typically, the mixing chamber is cylindrical to facilitate the formation of a vortex. The mixing blade may be a standard propeller type or a turbo having 1/3 to 1/2 the diameter of the mixing chamber. The mixing speed will vary depending upon the preferred size of the flake and the rheology of the gel. A preferred flake size is about 3 to 30 mils (thousandths of an inch) thick with a surface of between about 1×1 mm to about 10×10 mm.
Unless noted otherwise, all measurements are by weight.
Any typical pseudoplastic hydrophilic gel such as Lubrajel (United-Guardian, Inc.), solutions of Stabileze (International Specialty Products), cellulose gums, cellulose gum esters, alginate gums, acrylic acid polymers, poly vinyl methyl ether/maleic anhydride (PVM/MA) decadiene crosspolymer, carbomer such as carbomer 940, hyaluronic acid or the like can be used in the process of the present invention. Useful cellulose gum esters include short chain (i.e., C 1 -C 6 ) alkyl esters (such as the methyl, ethyl and propyl esters) as well as short chain (i.e., C 1 -C 6 ) hydroxy alkyl esters. Gels with high pseudoplastic indices such as Lubrajel (glyceryl polymethacrylate) or Stabileze (PVM/MA decadiene crosspolymer), provide superior rheological characteristics for such in-situ flake formation.
The pseudoplastic gel may also contain a cationic gelling agent such as polyquaternium 1,2,3.
The gels used in the present invention are typically water based, desirably containing, on a total weight basis, between about 30 and 99.9 parts water, and more desirably between about 60 and 99.8 parts water. These gels can also include sodium hydroxide (desirably between about 0.005 and 0.1 parts), triethanolamine (desirably between about 0.02 and 2 parts), citric acid (desirably between about 0.02 and 2 parts), and an effective amount of a preservative. Preservatives useful in the gels used in the present invention include methyl and/or propyl paraben, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, quaternium 15, or phenoxyethanol.
A preferred waxy material formulation is 40 parts Beeswax, 50 parts Vitamin E acetate (liquid form) and 10 parts of cosmetic grade Cloisonne Gold pearlescent pigment, such as that available from The Mearl Corporation. Typically, the waxy material includes between about and 99 percent of a wax type compound such as beeswax, fatty acid alcohols (desirably derived from intermediate chain fatty acids such as the about C 16 to about C 26 fatty acids including cetyl and stearyl), bayberry wax, rice bran wax, carnauba wax, microcrystalline waxes, ceresine wax, ozokerite wax, candelilla wax, sphingoceryl wax, montan wax, Japan wax, and spermaceti wax.
Additionally, the waxy material may comprise: a lipid soluble topically active ingredient, a pigment, silicone oils, fragrance, a plasticizer, and a hydrophilic modifier effective to enhance the rub-in characteristics of the flake.
Useful lipid soluble topically active ingredients include retinoic acid and dexamethasone; sunscreens such as octyl dimethyl PABA, octyl methoxycinnamate and oxybenzone; antipruritics such as corticosteroids; topical anesthetics such as Benzocaine, Dibucaine and Lidocaine; natural extracts such as eucalyptol; ginseng; lanolin; menthol; methyl salicylate; antifungals such as miconazole and clotrimazole; anti-dandruff medications such as coal tar extracts, selenium sulfide and zinc pyrithione; vitamins such as vitamin A, D, E and vitamin C lipophilic esters. Preferredly, such lipid soluble topically active ingredients comprise between about 0.5 and 50 percent of the waxy material.
Useful pigments include Cloissone Gold pigment (The Mearl Corporation), blue pigment (Cloissone Blue), silver-blue pigment (Duochrome Blue) and Flamenco Red. Preferredly, such pigments comprise between about 2 and 20 percent of the waxy material.
Useful silicone oils include cyclomethicone and dimethiconol. Preferably, such oils comprise between about 25 to 75 percent of the waxy material when the final product is to be a shampoo.
Useful fragrances include natural or synthetic oil soluble fragrances suitable for cosmetic applications. Preferredly, such fragrances comprise between about 0.05 and 50 percent of the waxy material.
Useful plasticizers include an application appropriate lipid soluble emollient, vegetable oil, mineral oil, petrolatum, oil soluble plant extracts and oil soluble vitamins. The ratio of plasticizer to wax is effective to provide cosmetically acceptable rub-in characteristics. A useful vegetable oil is peanut oil. Typically, the plasticizer constitutes between about 5 and 60 percent of the waxy material. Oil soluble vitamins useful as plasticizers in the present invention include Vitamin A, Vitamin C palmitate, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K, and preferredly, the oil soluble vitamin is in a liquid form. Typically, when used, an oil soluble vitamin is present between about 5 and 50 percent of the waxy material.
When oil soluble vitamins are used as plasticizers, they also act as topically active ingredients.
Materials useful as hydrophilic modifiers which are effective to enhance the rub-in characteristics of the flake include ester or ether derivatives of PEG such as PEG-7 hydrogenated castor oil and PEG-4 lauryl ether. Typically, the hydrophilic modifiers comprise between about 2 and 20 percent of the waxy material.
It is preferred that all of the materials employed to make the waxy material used in the process of the present invention are homogeneously blended before they are incorporated into the process of making the present invention. Preferredly, the wax type compound is liquified by melting at a temperature of between about 45 and 70° C. In the liquid phase, the waxy material components are blended with moderate speed stirring.
The following examples illustrate the invention without limiting it thereto.
______________________________________Decorative Shower Gel Flakes______________________________________Phase "A"Stearyl Alcohol 50 partsPetrolatum 40 partsCloissone Gold pigment (The Mearl Corporation) 10 partsPhase "B"PVM/MA decadiene crosspolymer 0.2 partsSodium hydroxide 0.04 partsWater QS to 100 partsPreservative QS______________________________________
The phase "A" components are melted at about 55° C. and blended. Once blended, phase "A" is added slowly to phase "B" at a ratio of 1:20 (A:B). Concurrent with the addition of phase "A" to phase "B", the admixture is mixed at a high shear rate.
The flake suspension produced by this process is added to a conventional shower gel formulation at a use concentration of between about 4 and 8 percent (by weight) of the total gel formulation.
______________________________________Vitamin A and E fortified Cosmetic Flakes______________________________________Phase "A"Synthetic Beeswax 40 partsPetrolatum 10 partsVitamin E Acetate (oil) 20 partsVitamin A Palmitate 20 partsBlue pigment 10 partsPhase "B"Carbomer 940 0.4 partsTriethanolamine 0.2 partsWater QS to 100 partsPreservative QS______________________________________
The phase "A" components are melted at about 50° C. and blended. Once blended, phase "A" is added slowly to phase "B" at a ratio of 1:20 (A:B). Concurrent with the addition of phase "A" to phase "B", the admixture is mixed at a high shear rate.
The flake suspension of this example is incorporated into a conventional, clear, water-based cosmetic gel. Typical use concentration is between about 3 and 6 percent. This preparation should deliver Vitamin A and E in a clear water-based product.
______________________________________Alcohol-free Fragrance Bursting Flake______________________________________Phase "A"Candelilla wax 10 partsRice Bran Wax 10 partsSpermaceti wax 20 partsFragrance compound 40 partsVitamin C Palmitate 10 partsSilver-blue pigment 10 partsPhase "B"Glyceryl polymethacrylate (Lubrajel DV) 30 partsWater 70 partsPreservative QS______________________________________
The phase "A" components are melted at about 55° C. and blended. Once blended, phase "A" is added slowly to phase "B" at a ratio of 1:20 (A:B). Concurrent with the addition of phase "A" to phase "B", the admixture is mixed at a high shear rate.
The flake suspension of this example is incorporated into a conventional, clear, water-based cosmetic gel. Typical use level is in such a gel is between about 3 and 5 percent. Upon application to the skin, this alcohol-free system should deliver a burst of fragrance.
______________________________________Retin-A Topical Acne Gel______________________________________Phase "A"Bayberry wax 20 partsOzokerite wax 20 partsCetyl alcohol 75 partsSphingoceryl wax 20 partsPetrolatum 30 partsRetinoic Acid 2.5 partsPhase "B"Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose 1.75 partsSodium hydroxide 0.01 partsCitric acid 0.02 partsWater QS to 100 partsPreservative QS______________________________________
The phase "A" components are melted at about 65° C. and blended. Once blended, phase "A" is added slowly to phase "B". Concurrent with the addition of phase "A" to phase "B", the admixture is mixed at a high shear rate.
This flake suspension is incorporated into a conventional, clear, water-based cosmetic gel at a level effective to provide 0.01% (by weight) retinoic acid.
______________________________________2-in-1 Hair Conditioning Shampoo______________________________________Phase "A"Stearyl Alcohol 25 partsBeeswax 25 partsCyclomethicone and dimethiconol 50 partsPhase "B"Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose 1.75 partsSodium hydroxide 0.01 partsCitric acid 0.02 partsWater QS to 100 partsPreservative QS______________________________________
The phase "A" components are melted at about 55° C. and blended. Once blended, phase "A" is added slowly to phase "B" at a ratio of 1:15 (A:B). Concurrent with the addition of phase "A" to phase "B", the admixture is mixed at a high shear rate.
The flake suspension is then incorporated into a conventional shampoo formulation at a concentration of between 5 and 10 percent. As the flakes are rubbed into the hair, it is believed that the cyclomethicone and dimethiconol are released and which should provide conditioning and shine to the treated hair.
______________________________________Dexamethasone Dermatitis Treatment Gel______________________________________Phase "A"Stearyl Alcohol 50 partsDexamethasone 2 partsPeanut Oil 45 partsPEG-7 Hydrogenated Castor Oil 3 partsPhase "B"Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose 1.75 partsSodium hydroxide 0.01 partsCitric acid 0.02 partsWater QS to 100 partsPreservative QS______________________________________
The phase "A" components are melted at about 55° C. and blended. Once blended, phase "A" is added slowly to phase "B" at a ratio of 1:15 (A:B). Concurrent with the addition of phase "A" to phase "B", the admixture is mixed at a high shear rate.
The flake suspension is then incorporated into a carbomer gel at 5 percent. The final topical drug product contains 0.1% dexamethasone and is believed to be suited for the treatment of dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis and other pruritic conditions. | Described herein is a method for making a flake for use in a topical application. The flake is formed by contacting a liquid phase waxy material that may contain pigments, fragrance, plasticizer, hydrophilic modifier with a pseudoplastic hydrophilic gel, and/or an active ingredient. The waxy material contacts the surface of the gel and after the two materials have contacted, the waxy material is solidified and forms a sheet. This sheet is then broken into pieces to form the flakes of the present invention. The flakes can be used in formulating any topical product that can contain a lipid material. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure pertains to a pumping agitator for circulating wash liquids between the tub and basket of a clothes washing machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses a number of different types of washing machine agitation and liquid flow systems including the following.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,554,229; 2,621,505; and 2,274,402 each disclosure a somewhat different liquid circulation system for a washing machine wherein a clothes basket or receptacle contains an agitator for washing clothes in washed liquid within the receptacle while some wash liquid is continuously overflowing the receptacle and a separate pump is utilized to pump this overflow liquid back into the receptacle by way of a filter.
U.S. Pat. Nos. Re 18,280 and Re 20,424 each disclose a different form of agitator for circulating wash liquid through the agitator itself in order to create liquid currents within the machine's washing basket for aiding the roll-over pattern of the basket's contents.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,022,655; 3,068,680; 3,330,135; and 3,381,505 each disclose a different form of agitator utilizing pumping vanes for circulating wash liquid through the agitator for wash liquid filtering.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,744,402; 2,916,900; and 3,543,541 disclose different forms of washing machine agitators each including vanes below or within the skirt portion of the agitator for pumping wash liquid through the agitator for filtering purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,130 discloses an agitator including radial downwardly-facing pumping vanes on the bottom of the agitator skirt for inducing a flow of wash liquid from the tub to the basket of an automatic washer through filter openings in the basket; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,626,728 (assigned to the assignee of this invention) discloses and integral basket and agitator wherein the bottom of the basket carries downwardly-facing vanes for inducing wash liquid flow from the washing machine's tub into the basket through holes in the bottom of the basket.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,118 discloses an agitator for an automatic washer having a double skirt portion which defines radial flow passageways therethrough; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,135 discloses an agitator including hollow upstanding vanes on a skirt portion of the agitator for defining radial flow passageways through the agitator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An agitator of a vertical axis washing machine according to the present invention includes spaced upper and lower skirt portions and a plurality of peripherally spaced, radially-extending flow channels or passageways between the skirt portions. Each flow channel has a first end at the periphery of the skirt in communication with the interior of the basket and a second end in communication with a center post portion of the tub through a distribution chamber and openings in the center post portion of the basket wall. Holes in the bottom of the basket spaced radially outwardly of the agitator skirt provide for a limited flow of liquid from the basket to the tub. As the agitator oscillates it acts as a centrifugal pump drawing wash liquid from the area of the tub center post portion through the openings in the basket center post wall and radially outwardly through the passageways of the agitator into the basket. Peripheral scallops formed between the flow channel outlets augment centrifugal forces to provide a strong pumping action.
If the flow of liquid from the basket back to the tub is sufficently limited a saving of water is each washing cycle will occur since the pumping action of the agitator will maintain the volume of liquid in the tub at a minimum, while maximizing the amount of water in the effective part of the treatment zone. In any event, a desirable toroidal action or roll-over of basket contents will be effected by the pumping action of the agitator according to the present invention, and a simple, positive fluid circulation system for filtering and/or otherwise treating the wash liquid will be provided. The device of the present invention accomplishes these advantages with virtually no additional drive power required for the agitator system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of an automatic washing machine partially cut away to show the placement therein of the pumping agitator of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the tub and basket of the automatic washer, with the agitator shown partially in elevation view and partially cut away to show a portion of the pumping means in cross-section.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the agitator assembly including the pumping means of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a view along line IV--IV of FIG. 2, through the center post of the oscillatible agitator, showing the vanes and skirt of the agitator assembly.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view from above through the flow channels of the pumping means of the present invention, also showing lower wall portions of the basket and tub taken along line V--V of FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is a partial view similar to FIG. 2 but showing a basket including a perforated sidewall portion.
FIG. 7 is a detailed view in cross-section of the lower center post area of the tub showing the relationship of the tub, the basket, and the agitator according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing an alternative embodiment of the pumping agitator according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A washing machine, more specifically, a clothes washing machine of the vertical axis type, is shown in FIG. 1. The washer, indicated at 10, includes a cabinet 11 having a top access door 12. Directly beneath the access door a tub 13 and a clothes basket 14 are mounted within the cabinet, the basket and tub being coaxial and the basket contained in the tub as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
Within the basket and coaxial therewith is mounted agitation means shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as an agitator assembly 15 comprising an auger portion 16 and an agitator portion 17. The auger portion 16 includes helical vanes 16a, and the agitator portion 17 includes an upstanding barrel portion 19 and a skirt portion 20. A plurality of scrubbing vanes are mounted directly above and adjacent the skirt portion 20, and in the illustrated embodiment shown in FIG. 3 the agitator includes rigid vanes 18b fixed to an upper surface of the skirt portion 20 and flexible vanes 18a attached to surfaces of the barrel portion 19.
Drive means 22 are provided for oscillating the agitator portion 17 in a conventional manner as is well-known in the art. The drive means also drives the auger portion 16 of the agitator assembly so that the auger rotates unidirectionally as the agitator portion 17 oscillates. Thus the auger portion 16 rotates relative to the oscillating agitator portion 17 to auger the clothes or other fabrics adjacent the auger portion downwardly towards the lower portion of the receptacle or treatment zone where agitation is taking place. The construction and operation of a double acting agitator including an auger portion similar to the one just described is disclosed in the co-pending U.S. patent application of Clark Platt, Ser. No. 595,792, now U.S. Pat. 3,987,651, issued Oct. 26, 1976, assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
The basket 14 and the tub 13, upon the start of a washing cycle, will be filled with water to a level 50 (see FIG. 2), which will be common in both the basket and tub if a certain form of input stream splitter is used or if water can flow through apertures in the bottom portion of the basket 14 quickly enough with regard to the input rate to raise the level in the tub at the same rate as it is raised in the basket. As soon as water fill is complete, through operation of conventional controls in a known manner, the drive means 22 will begin to operate the agitator assembly 15. Thus during a washing cycle the tub 13 contains washing liquid and the basket 14 contains washing liquid and items to be washed such as, for example, clothing or other fabrics. The agitation means subject the basket contents to a washing action as the agitator portion 17 creates a turbulence adjacent the items being washed, with the rotating auger portion 16 moving the items to be washed downwardly in proximity to the scrubbing vanes and the oscillating scrubbing vanes contacting the items and subjecting them to a scrubbing action.
In a washing machine having a pumping agitator according to the present invention, laundry detergent and other appropriate additives may be introduced into the wash liquid by dumping them directly either into the basket or into the space between the tub and the basket, and the pumping action of the agitator will thoroughly mix them with the liquid already in the tub.
The drive means also spins the basket during a centrifuging operation at the conclusion of the washing cycle. During the centrifuging operation liquid in the basket is drained or forced out into the hub through holes in the basket sidewall or through spin outlet openings 42 in the upper sidewall of the basket subjacent a spin overflow lip 43. The liquid is then pumped from the tub to drain.
While the agitator means according to the present invention is shown as including an auger means which rotates unidirectionally relative to the oscillating agitator portion, it should be understood that the principles of the present invention may be applied equally well to an agitation means without the auger portion.
The details of the improved agitator 17 according to the present invention are shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5. It will be observed that the agitator according to the invention is a pumping agitator including water pumping means 21 integral with the skirt portion 20. The skirt portion includes spaced lower and upper wall portions 25 and 25a respectively, and circumferentially-spaced radially-extending pumping channels are defined by lateral walls 29 and the lower and upper wall portions 25 and 25a. Eight such pumping channels or walled flow passages 26 are shown in FIG. 5, and each one includes a radially inner end portion 27 and a radially outer end portion 28. The outer end portion of each flow passage is joined to the outer end portions of adjacent flow passages by radially inwardly-scalloped peripheral wall segments 55, and the inner end portions 27 of adjacent flow channels are joined by peripheral wall segments 34. The lower and upper wall portions 25 and 25a respectively may be attached to one another adhesively or by any other convenient means such as screws 38.
As shown in FIG. 7, the lower wall portion 25 extends radially inwardly of the end portions 27 and includes an annular flange portion or water lip seal 31 which terminates adjacent a center post portion 32 of the basket 14. A distribution chamber 33 is therefore defined by surfaces of the agitator 17, the basket center post portion 32, the lower wall portion 25, and the peripheral walls 34 (see FIG. 5); and the distribution chamber 33 communicate with each of the flow passages 26.
Openings 36 are provided in the center post area 32 of the basket wall so that fluid communication will exist between the interior 100 of the basket and the volume 45 of the interior of the tub defined outside the basket as shown in FIG. 6. Therefore, as the agitator 17 oscillates, the skirt portion 20 of the agitator acts as a centrifugal pump and pumping means 21 tends to pump liquid from the volume 45 between the basket and the tub, specifically from the space 45a beneath the basket, and into the basket. This liquid is pumped through the basket openings 36, into the distribution chamber 33, and outwardly through the flow channels 26 as indicated by the arrows 26a in FIGS. 2, 5, 6 and 7. The liquid directed outwardly through the flow passages passes outwardly into the basket and tends to create favorable liquid currents in the basket which aid roll-over of the basket contents.
Roll-over, or toroidal movement of the contents within the basket is defined, for purposes of this application, as a movement pattern of the contents including fabrics being washed downwardly along the center post of the agitator assembly, outwardly along the bottom region of the basket, upwardly along the outer perimeter regions of the basket, and inwardly towards the upper portion of the agitator assembly. During the wash cycle this roll-over or toroidal movement pattern is repeated continuously and contributes significantly to good washing results.
The pumping agitator according to the present invention improves roll-over of the basket contents during the wash cycle by the centrifugal pumping action it generates. Thus in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the auger portion 16 of the agitator assembly will move fabrics including articles of clothing downwardly along the agitator assembly center post, and the scrubbing vanes adjacent the skirt portion 20 will tend to move fabrics outwardly along the lower regions of the basket. In addition, the liquid being pumped outwardly through the skirt portion 20 will cause outwardly directed currents along the bottom region of the basket which liquid currents will be directed upwardly along the outer perimeter of the basket by contact with the basket sidewall. The oscillatory to-and-fro motions of the agitator skirt follow one another so rapidly that there will be little or no flow of liquid radially inwardly through the flow channels 26 in opposition to the momentum of the outwardly moving fluid.
Openings in the lower portion of the basket wall such as those indicated at 40 in FIGS. 2 and 5 will allow liquid to flow from the basket back to the tub. The volume of liquid flowing from the basket to the tub may be increased by increasing the size and number of holes through the basket walls. For example, in FIG. 6 the basket is shown as having an apertured sidewall so as to allow practically unrestricted flow of liquid through openings 14a from the basket to the tub. Of course, the total flow even in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 will be limited by the pumping capacity of the pumping agitator, but generally the greater the flow volume the greater will be the pumping agitator's contribution to the roll-over pattern of the basket contents during a wash cycle.
The liquid barrier or water lip seal means comprising the annular flange 31 encompassing the basket center post below the openings 36 serves to insure that the pumping agitator will draw liquid from the tub through the first set of openings 36 and substantially prevent radially-inward liquid flow in the basket under the lower portion of the agitator, that is in the region 100a between the lower portion of the agitator skirt portion and the lower wall portion of the basket. Such radially-inward flow would substantially impair the pumping efficiency of the pumping agitator and would also have an undesirable tendency to pull clothes under the agitator skirt. Providing the water lip seal or barrier means ensures a positive net flow into the basket through the first set of openings 36 and back into the tub through the second set of basket openings 40 or 14a. Appreciable liquid flow in the basket under the lower portion of the agitator is prevented inasmuch as virtually all liquid passing through the first set of openings 36 must pass through the pumping agitator. Thus any counter flow of liquid from the basket to the tub through holes 36 must also first pass through the flow channels 26.
A somewhat modified form of liquid barrier means is shown in FIG. 8. In this form of the invention an annular water lip seal or flange 31a extends downwardly from the lower wall portion 25 of the skirt 20 to contact the bottom surface of the basket. This modified form of flange also prevents appreciable liquid flow between the agitator and the bottom of the basket and ensures efficient pumping of liquid through the opening 36.
With the first set of openings 36 and the second set of openings 40 defined through a bottom wall portion 41 of the basket a substantially continuous flow of liquid will be maintained from the tub to the basket through holes 36 and from the basket to the tub through holes 40. In addition, heavy particles such as sand or the like will pass from the basket to the tub through the holes 40 and settle on the bottom of the tub in a sump portion 45 thereof until the washing cycle is completed, at which time these heavy sediment particles are discharged to a drain along with the used wash liquid.
Referring again to FIG. 2, the basket there shown includes a first set of openings 36 and a second set of openings 40 but the outer sidewall 14b of the basket is substantially imperforate (although there are spin outlet openings 42 in the upper sidewall of the basket as mentioned above). With this arrangement and with an appropriate number of properly sized holes 40 the pumping agitator, when oscillated during the washing cycle, will initially pump liquid from the tub into the basket faster than the liquid can run from the basket back into the tub through the holes 40. In this way, when the pumping rate has stabilized, the liquid level in the basket will be maintained during the washing cycle at a level substantially above the level of the wash liquid in the tub outside the basket. Thus, as seen in FIG. 2, wash fluid is pumped from the center post portion 35 of the tub 13 into the basket 14, and washing fluid in the sump portion 45 of the tub is consequently drawn radially inwardly beneath the bottom portion 41 of the basket. The apertures 40 in the lower wall portion 41 of the basket are appropriately sized so that only a very limited quantity of fluid from the basket may flow out of the basket to replenish the fluid drawn from the tub sump 45 through the openings 36 and the distribution chamber 33 and into the main portion of the basket. The net removal of water from the space between the basket and the tub by the pumping agitator will raise the water level 50 inside the basket to an operating level 52 while the liquid level in the space between the tub and basket is reduced to a level 51. The foregoing assumes that only the apertures 36, 40, and 42 are provided in the walls of the basket 14.
This difference in water levels between liquid in the basket and liquid in the tub outside the basket is held relatively stable during the washing cycle through the above-described basket construction and pumping action of the agitator and is advantageous because all the washing occurs within the basket and the volume of wash liquid in the tub region outside the basket generally contributes nothing to the washing operation. The pumping agitator in combination with a substantially imperforate basket or in combination with a basket having an appropriate number of appropriately sized holes such as, for example, the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 will thus provide a highly desirable water saver feature. Less liquid is added to the tub at the beginning of the cycle, and consequently less detergent and less additives are needed and less energy is required to heat the reduced volume of water. When the washing cycle begins the pumping agitator will quickly bring the liquid level in the basket up to the level required for the washing operation, and will maintain this higher level in the basket so long as the agitator continues to oscillate.
Although substantial pumping action is provided by the pumping agitator merely from centrifugal forces operating on fluid within the flow channels, it has been shown that addition of the radially inwardly-scalloped wall portions 55 joining the lateral walls 29 of the flow channels 26 between their outer end portions 28 will substantially augment the net flow from the pumping means 21. As shown in FIG. 5, a counter-clockwise oscillation of the agitator portion 17, which comprises the pumping means 21, relative to the basket 14 will induce a generally clockwise peripheral motion of fluid adjacent and about the axis of the pumping means 21, as indicated by the arrows 56. An opposite motion will be produced upon a clockwise oscillation of the agitator 17. The flow indicated by the arrows 56 produces a verturi-like effect on fluid within the flow channels 26, which will increase the efficiency of the pumping means and significantly multiply the flow rate through the flow channels 26.
It has been found that the combination of a tub having a 23 gallon capacity, a basket having four 1/2 inch holes 36 equally spaced around the center post and sixteen 3/8 inch holes 40 circumferentially spaced along the bottom of the basket, and a pumping agitator according to the present invention, provided an initial flow rate of 5 gallons per minute and an equilibrium flow rate during the wash cycle of about 3 gallons per minute. A four inch liquid level differential was maintained at equilibrium between the basket and the tub outside the basket, and this amounted to a liquid savings of approximately 4 gallons. To achieve this indicated water savings the skirt portion of the agitator including the pumping vanes had a diameter of 123/4 inches and osciallted with a 196° stroke at a rate of 68 strokes per minute in a basket having an outside diameter of approximately 211/2 inches and a center post diameter of approximately 3-3/16 inches. It was found that the 4 inches liquid level differential was maintained regardless of the quantity of liquid in the tub so long as the liquid level in the tub was no less than 7 inches.
Although various modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art. | In a clothes washer an agitator that is also a water pump draws water from the zone between the basket and the tub of the clothes washer and pumps it to the inside of the basket thereby raising the water level in the area where washing occurs during agitation and also promoting good clothes roll-over action in the treatment zone. A method of laundering articles includes the step of pumping laundering liquid into a treatment zone and radially outwardly along a lower portion of the zone during agitation to obtain a desired level of laundering liquid in the part of the zone where laundering occurs. | 3 |
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to diesel engine fuel injectors of the type wherein a solenoid valve controls the pressure in a chamber acting on a needle injection valve.
In these types of injectors, the control valve acts as a normally closed valve in a control chamber to separate fuel in a needle control chamber and associated passages at high pressure from a region of low pressure. A spring or the like on the solenoid armature or stem, urges a shaped pintle or the like against a commensurately shaped control chamber seat. The injection event is initiated by energizing the solenoid, which lifts the control valve off its seat, thereby connecting the high pressure fuel in the needle control chamber and passage to the low pressure region or sump and in a known manner lifts the injection needle off its seat at the bottom of the injector body. The lifting needle exposes injection orifices at the tip of the body to high pressure fuel, and thereby starts the injection event.
If changes occur in the control valve, such as valve stroke change or seat leakage, fuel delivery to the engine will change. Changes in fuel delivery result in changes to engine power and exhaust. This undesirable effect can cause the engine to become overloaded by excess fuel and out of compliance with emission regulations. All injector control valve seats will exhibit some wear over the life of the injector. The control valve seat is exposed to high velocity fluid and high contact stresses when the control valve shuts against the control valve seat.
To operate at very high injection pressures associated with common rail fuel systems, the pintle of the injector control valve must be pushed into its seat by a high enough spring load to assure that it seals. Such spring load accelerates the control valve into the seat. The resulting contact stresses can be very high when the valve closes onto the seat. Higher injector seat stresses produce accelerated wear, resulting in increased seat leakage which eventually requires replacement of the entire injector.
High injector pressures also increase the risk of cavitation damage to the valve seat and in other fluid passages of the injector upstream of the control seat. Rapid reduction of upstream fluid pressure occurs when the control valve opens, producing bubbles. Upon re-pressurization after the control valve closes, such bubbles collapse. Collapsing bubbles focus streams of fuel onto the metal surfaces in the injector with enough energy to implode on the metal surface, causing damage.
The present invention addresses these problems.
SUMMARY
One improvement to the injector is focused on slowing the closing velocity of the control valve. This reduces seat stresses and significantly increases seat life. This improvement comprises means for resisting fuel flow in the closing direction through the control valve seat as the control valve closes. The control valve can be slowed by means downstream of the control valve seat, acting on the pintle, for resisting the closing action of the control valve spring, thereby reducing the impact of the control valve.
The means for producing the desired resistance can be fixed, such as an orifice, or active, such as a pressure regulator, which act to regulate the pressure in a fluid volume against which the control valve acts during closure. This pressure regulation can be considered as a form of fluid back pressure against the control valve.
The pressure regulator can be in the form of a pressure regulating valve in a low pressure chamber in fluid communication between the pressure regulated volume and the low pressure sump. This regulating valve opens to permit flow from the control valve chamber through the pressure regulated chamber to the low pressure sump in response to rising fluid pressure from the lifting of the control valve and closes to prevent flow from the control chamber through the regulated chamber to the low pressure sump in response to decreasing fluid pressure below the valve seat, from the closing of the control valve. The regulating valve opens after the control valve opens and the regulating valve closes after the control valve closes, thereby providing a diminishing back pressure on the control valve as the valve closes against its seat.
A second improvement is to provide a restriction downstream of the control valve seat sufficient to prevent cavitation from occurring upstream of the control valve seat. Maintaining higher pressure upstream of the control valve seat prevents vapor bubbles from forming while the control valve is open, so no bubbles can collapse and cause damage upon re-pressurization when the control valve closes. An annular flow collar or the like can be tuned to achieve enough throttling of flow as the control valve opens to avoid upstream vapor bubble formation but not so much throttling that the time interval to end of injection is excessively slowed.
Providing a collar on an extension or nose of the control valve pintle downstream of the control valve seat is one technique for achieving a predictable and constant throttling effect over the life of the control valve. This directs and throttles flow through an annular flow path between the collar and the surrounding passage wall. Such technique is passive, in the sense that there are no moving parts other than the normal reciprocation of the control valve.
Although providing a pressure regulated volume downstream of the control valve for slowing down the control valve closure rate can also help reduce cavitation upstream of the control valve seat and providing a throttle for maintaining backpressure upstream of the control valve seat when the control valve opens can also help slow down the closure rate, optimum performance is achievable by using a combination of the two techniques.
As a further preference, the pressure regulating valve can open against a low pressure of, for example 5 psi, provided by a valve in a drain line upstream of the sump, which has the beneficial effect of limiting the amplitude of fluid pressure pulsations in the injector.
In an additional preference, an orifice is located in fluid communication between the pressure regulated volume and one of the low pressure chamber or low pressure sump, thereby providing a path for relieving residual pressure in the regulated volume when the regulating valve closes after the control valve closes. Preferably, the pressure is regulated to a pre-determined pressure using a spring-loaded sealing member (plate or ball) which also includes a small orifice leading from the pressure regulated volume to the drain. The orifice can be located in the sealing member or can be drilled through the seat block in the pressure regulating chamber to a drain return passage to the fuel tank. The pressure is maintained at a pre-selected pressure which is higher than the drain return pressure only when the control valve has been activated into the open position to allow flow past the control valve seat into the pressure regulated volume.
As described generally above, when the control valve is activated with current, the control valve lifts off its seat and flow enters the pressure regulated volume. According to one aspect of the invention, the pressure in the pressure regulated volume acts on the bottom of the control valve with a force which biases the control valve to lift off its seat more rapidly when the control valve is activated. When the current is stopped, the valve begins to close but is slowed due to the pressure in the pressure regulated volume. The reduced closing velocity in turn reduces contact stresses on the seat. The components can be selected and configured to achieve an optimum closing velocity that best meets the trade-off between durability and the ability of the injector to open and close quickly.
Once the control valve seats, flow no longer reaches the downstream pressure regulated volume and the pressure therein decays via flow through the orifice to the drain. With the pressure decayed to the drain return pressure (which has lower pressure than in the pressure regulated chamber), the spring force closing the valve is subject to little counteracting pressure pushing the control valve off its seat. The only lifting force is from the low pressure contained in the drain. The orifice allows the pressure to decay after the control valve seats. This allows the spring load to succeed at sealing the valve to the maximum amount possible without the loss of sealing that would occur if the set regulation pressure were to remain in the pressure regulated volume.
The actual pressure maintained in the pressure regulated volume is determined by the amount of spring load pushing against the regulator plate (or ball), in combination with the orifice hole size, and also depends on the operating pressure fed to the common rail injector. The higher the pressure in the common rail, the higher the flow past the control valve into the pressure regulated volume when the control valve is actuated open.
Simply increasing the pressure in the injector drain circuit would not provide the advantages as disclosed herein. This approach would not drop the pressure at the nose of the control valve between injection events. At high pressures it is desirable to have the full spring force acting through the sealing surface of the pintle on the control valve seat to assure maximum sealing. If the pressure did not decay in the pressure regulated volume when injection ended, the valve seat would not succeed at sealing at higher injection pressures due to the lifting force in the pressure regulated volume. The orifice in combination with the pressure regulator is thus an important preferred feature.
The sizing of the orifice and the regulating valve spring needs to assure that sufficient flow restriction occurs at the lowest injection pressure operating condition. The regulated pressure should be high enough to avoid excessive seat closing velocity and also high enough to avoid the development of cavitation in the fluid in the control valve seat area and upstream fluid passages. If the orifice is made too small, then the time to drain off pressure between injections could become too slow and seat leakage would be more likely to occur between injections when the current is turned off.
Whereas regulation of the pressure downstream of the control valve seat for slowing down the valve closure rate is beneficial at all fuel pressure operating conditions, cavitation is not a problem at low fuel system pressure, so the throttling of flow past the control valve seat can be optimized for operation at high fuel system pressure.
The addition of the throttling feature on the nose of the control valve facilitates optimization by permitting design of the throttle primarily for cavitation control with secondary effect on slowing down valve closure, and design of the pressure regulator primarily for slowing down valve closure with secondary effect on cavitation control.
It can thus be appreciated that when all preferred features are combined, the control valve pintle extends downstream of the valve seat and forms a throttling collar; a pressure regulated volume is provided downstream of the throttle, with the regulation achieved by a regulating valve in a low pressure chamber downstream of and biased toward the regulated volume; and an orifice is provided in the regulating valve.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a fuel injector that embodies preferred aspects of the present invention, including a nose on the control valve pintle extending into the pressure regulated volume, a biased plate valve acting on the pressure regulated volume, and an orifice in the plate valve;
FIG. 2 is a detail view of how the preferred aspects of FIG. 1 can be implemented;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 1 , showing another embodiment in which the pressure regulating valve is offset from the axis of the control valve;
FIG. 5 shows a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 4 ;
FIG. 6 shows another embodiment in which the pressure regulation is provided only by a biased plate valve with orifice;
FIG. 7 shows another embodiment in which the pressure regulation is provided by the profile on the extended nose of the control valve pintle, without a plate valve;
FIG. 8 shows another embodiment similar to FIG. 4 , but with a ball type pressure regulating valve;
FIG. 9 shows four schematics of a fuel system in a Base design according to the prior art and three embodiments according to the present disclosure;
FIG. 10 is a Table showing the fuel pressure at various locations in the fuel system according to the schematics of FIG. 9 ;
FIG. 11 is a graph showing the relationship between throttle flow area and pressure drop across the control valve seat, for a common rail pressure of 2000 bar.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIGS. 1 and 2 show one embodiment of an injector 100 having a needle valve 102 with tip 104 that engages a seat 106 in the injector body during a closed condition between injection events. In this closed condition, a needle control chamber 108 is supplied with high pressure fuel 110 from a high pressure supply pump (not shown) and likewise the same high pressure fuel 110 is supplied to an annular surface 128 at an intermediate position on the needle. Due to the area differences, the fluid pressure force on the injection needle is substantially higher at the control chamber 108 at the upper end of the needle. The needle is held against the seat 106 as a result of this net downward hydraulic force as supplemented by the spring 112 in the chamber 108 .
A fluid path 114 a,b connects the high pressure needle control chamber 108 with a control valve chamber 116 . The control valve 118 has a stem-like pintle with a generally conical sealing area which when seated at 124 separates the high pressure existing in 108 , 114 , and 116 , from a low pressure sump, e.g., via pump inlet or return line 122 . Preferably, a low pressure chamber 120 can be provided between the seat 124 and the return line 122 .
Flow restrictors or orifices “Z” can be provided in the high pressure line 110 leading to the needle control chamber 108 and “A” between the passages 114 a,b from the needle control chamber 108 to the control valve chamber 116 .
A solenoid actuated armature 126 selectively lifts the pintle portion of control valve 118 off seat 124 thereby exposing the chamber 108 to the low pressure sump 122 via path 114 , 116 , and 120 . The reduced pressure in chamber 108 enables the continued presence of the high pressure at the lower surface 128 of needle 102 to overcome the spring 112 and thereby lift the nose 104 from seat 106 and inject high pressure fuel that surrounds the lower portion of the needle.
According to FIGS. 1 and 2 , flow resistance or restricting means 130 are provided downstream of the seat 124 of the control chamber 116 , to control the time dependent pressure in a pressure regulated volume 132 immediately downstream of the seat 124 . The restriction produces sufficient back pressure to slow down the engagement of the control valve 118 against seat 124 , while keeping this back pressure low enough so as not to unduly resist the prompt re-seating of the control valve 118 onto seat 124 . This objective is difficult to achieve because of the need to accommodate a range of high pressure fuel in the common rail (and thus a range of differential pressure between chamber 116 and chamber 132 ) as well as a range of injection frequencies (i.e., injection events per unit time). The pressure regulated volume 132 preferably has a cross sectional area approximately that of the outlet of the control chamber 116 at seat 124 and is provided immediately upstream of low pressure chamber 120 (considering flow direction from chamber 116 toward return or drain line 122 ).
In a target operating context, the fuel pressure in needle control chamber 108 , passages 114 a,b and control chamber 116 can be in the high range of 2000-3000 bar down to a low range of 200-300 bar, with steady state pressure typically at least 1200 bar. With the present invention, fuel flow past seat 124 to substantially ambient pressure at 120 during operation in the high pressure range is resisted so that the upstream pressure in chamber 116 and passages 114 a,b is maintained well over 100 bar. The restriction is designed so that fuel flow past the seat 124 during operation in the low pressure range will result in maintaining a pressure in upstream passages well above 50 bar without adversely affecting the reseating of pintle 118 .
If a low pressure check or bypass valve 122 ′ is provided in the drain 122 to prevent the drain pressure from dropping below about 5 psi, the amplitude of the pressure pulses in the pressure regulated volume 132 and upstream passages 114 a,b can be reduced considerably. One such valve 122 ′ can be located at the downstream end of a common drain in fluid communication with the low pressure chambers 120 from all the injectors.
It can thus be understood that the pressure regulated volume 132 is situated in fluid communication between the valve seat 124 and the low pressure sump 122 . A pressure regulating valve 130 is located in low pressure chamber 120 , which regulating valve opens to permit flow from the control chamber 116 through the regulated volume 132 and low pressure chamber 120 to the low pressure sump 122 in response to rising fluid pressure from the lifting of the control valve 118 and closes to prevent flow from the control chamber 116 through the regulated chamber 132 to the low pressure sump in response to decreasing fluid pressure from the closing of the control valve 118 . The regulating valve 130 opens after the valve 118 opens and the regulating valve closes after the valve 118 closes, thereby providing a diminishing back pressure on the valve 118 as the valve closes against its seat 124 .
As used herein, “pressure regulating valve” should be broadly understood as a device that is designed to hold a fluid pressure in an associated pressure regulated chamber or volume.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 , the pressure regulating valve 130 is a plate valve having an upper disc-like portion 130 a with a coil spring 130 b seated on the plate 130 a and against a recess in wall of chamber 120 at opposite end 130 c , urging portion 130 a against shoulder or similar seat 136 at the upstream face of the low pressure chamber 120 . The fluid in the regulated volume 132 can escape through orifice 134 in plate 130 a and thereby relieve any residual pressure that may be present in the regulated volume 132 when the regulating valve 130 has re-seated at 136 . In FIG. 2 the orifice 134 is shown as part of the plate valve 130 a , but other restrictive flow paths could be provided, for example, through a wall of the pressure regulated chamber 132 or low pressure chamber 120 .
FIG. 3 shows one such example in a more generalized embodiment in which the control chamber 116 and associated control valve 118 interact with the seat 124 and the regulated volume 132 is in fluid communication with the low pressure chamber 120 which in turn is in fluid communication with the low pressure sump 122 , but the difference relative to FIG. 2 , is that the back pressure in regulated volume 132 can be provided only by an orifice 138 between the regulated volume 132 and the low pressure chamber 120 . Moreover, this orifice 138 also avoids residual pressure in the regulated volume 132 after the control valve 118 has closed.
It should be understood that the advantage of the arrangement of FIG. 2 relative to FIG. 3 , is that the time dependent pressure profile in the regulated volume 132 as the control valve 118 closes, can be optimized through the selection of one or more of the rate of the coil spring 130 b , the shape of the periphery of the plate 130 a , and the profile immediately surrounding the seat 136 . This optimization can accommodate a wider range of high pressure fuel in passage 114 .
FIGS. 1-3 show a further preference in which anti-cavitation throttle means 140 is provided on tip or nose at the seating end of the control valve pintle 118 . This feature 140 preferably extends below seat 124 into regulated volume 132 and can include a recess 142 (e.g., an in indented dome or a blind bore with or without a conical or frusto conical counterbore). This throttle means 140 substantially eliminates any cavitation and in the embodiment of FIG. 2 allows the location of the regulator valve plate 130 a to be optimized without affecting cavitation at the control valve seat 124 . The plate valve 130 and control valve throttle 140 preferably are used in combination to reduce the control valve seating velocity and reduce or eliminate cavitation damage.
The exterior of nose 140 has a smooth or stepped frustoconical angle 144 a at its upper end for sealing against seat 124 and a downstream cylindrical collar portion 144 b below the valve seat 124 . This provides a reduction in flow area and can be considered a throttling collar 144 b having a purposely designed clearance within the cylindrical bore wall above or defining the pressure regulated volume 132 . The throttling diameter allows pressure upstream of the throttle to be increased, which increase helps avoid upstream cavitation damage, such as in passages 114 a,b . The throttle collar 144 b can increase upstream pressure with less effect on slowing down of the control valve 118 than the pressure regulating valve 130 and as shown in FIG. 3 , can be deployed without the regulating valve 130 .
FIG. 4 shows another embodiment, in which the pressure regulated volume 132 ′ includes a downstream low pressure fluid passage 146 to a restriction upstream of the low pressure return line 122 . As an analog to the embodiment of FIG. 2 , the restriction is a plate valve 130 ′, biased with a spring to closure on the upstream face of a low pressure chamber 120 ′, with an orifice 134 ′. However, this restriction could be a simple orifice or a biased plate without orifice.
FIG. 5 shows a variation of FIG. 4 , incorporating a floating control valve seat which offers both improved alignment for the seat to the control valve and potentially improved manufacturability. The regulating valve 130 ′ and low pressure chamber 120 ′ downstream of passage 146 are similar to those shown and described with respect to FIG. 4 . Optionally, the spring may be seated in a friction fit cup 150 or the like as a manufacturing convenience. The control valve chamber 116 has a floating control valve 152 with associated seat 154 at its upper internal edge. The floating seat 152 rests on ring 156 . The bore formed by the floating seat 152 and ring 156 extends from the seat 154 through to a port 164 in the upper surface 160 of plate 166 . Spring 162 in control chamber 116 bears on the top of seat 152 , whereby a downward biasing force is continuous applied to the seat 152 and ring 156 , such that the bottom of ring 156 seats against surface 160 . The control valve pintle including extended throttling nose are as described in FIGS. 3 and 4 and relate to control seat 154 and pressure regulated chamber 158 in the same manner as described with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4 . Although the seat 152 is biased by spring 162 , which acts to hold the seat against the plate 166 , the sealing is actually performed by the fluid pressure in control chamber 116 acting above the seat. Radial freedom is provided by radial clearance between the seat ring 156 and seat block 168 . Angular freedom is accomplished with a spherical contact between the seat ring 156 and floating seat 152 .
FIG. 6 shows another embodiment 170 , in which the control valve 172 and control chamber 174 are generally conventional. The tip of the control valve pintle 172 is tapered to seal against seat 178 , but has no substantial extension into the pressure regulated volume 180 . The pressure regulating function is performed by valve assembly 182 with preferred orifice and low pressure chamber and drain, as shown in FIG. 2 .
FIG. 7 shows yet another embodiment 184 , where the pressure regulating function is performed only by the control valve 186 . Control chamber 188 , sealing surface 190 , and seat 192 are as shown at 174 , 176 , and 178 in FIG. 6 . However, the pintle 186 has nose 196 that extends into the cylindrical volume 194 , and cylindrical collar 198 is closely spaced from the cylindrical bore wall of volume 194 . The nose 198 extends with a bullet shaped tip 200 into a conical flow volume 202 that enlarges from the end of the cylindrical volume 194 . The shape of the tip also has an effect on the back pressure. As in previously described embodiments, when the control valve 186 lifts off seat 192 , the fluid flow is throttled into low pressure chambers 202 , 204 , which in turn is in fluid communication with a sump at substantially ambient pressure.
As described with respect to FIG. 2 , the low pressure chambers such as 120 , 120 ′, and 204 from each injector are connected to a common drain line 122 and a low resistance valve 122 ′ between the drain line and the fuel tank 123 provides a baseline pressure on the order of 3-10 psi in the low pressure chambers. In general, the drain includes a line from the injector to a fuel reservoir at ambient pressure and the drain line includes means for maintaining fuel at the injector drain outlet to the drain line, at a pressure of at least about 3 psi above the pressure in the reservoir.
FIG. 8 presents another embodiment 206 which incorporates features from FIGS. 4 and 7 , but has a different pressure regulating valve. Pintle 208 passes through control chamber 210 for sealing against seat 212 and has an extension with cylindrical throttle collar 214 in a cylindrical volume defined by wall 216 . The cylindrical portion of wall 216 immediately below the collar 214 is the operative volume of the pressure regulated volume. The cylindrical wall opens frustoconically 218 in a downstream direction where region 220 is in fluid communication with volume 224 on which the pressure regulating valve 226 directly operates.
The pressure regulating valve 226 includes an upstream valve seat 228 with central passage and associated ball 230 . Ball counter seat 232 has a passage 234 leading into low pressure volume 236 where a coil spring 238 has a one bearing on seat 234 and another end bearing on a shoulder 240 . The low pressure volume 236 is in fluid communication through passage 242 with the low pressure sump. The seats 228 and 232 are slidable in the entry bore region of pressure regulating valve 226 . As in previously described embodiments, an orifice 244 is provided, in the upstream seat 228 , in fluid communication between volume 224 and the low pressure volume 236 .
FIGS. 9 and 10 represent fuel systems, by which an integrated approach to pressure management according to embodiments of the present invention can be described and compared to a previously known base design. FIG. 8 can be related to FIGS. 2 and 3 , in that the common rail pressure P 2 is in high pressure passage 110 ; reduced pressure P 3 follows orifice Z, further reduced pressure P 4 follows orifice A and is the pressure at the control chamber 116 . It is known that orifice A provides flow restriction for pressure management associated with the control valve.
In the Base design the pressure drops from P 4 to P 7 through the control valve seat 124 . In the Base design, there is no significant restriction between the control valve seat 124 and the sump (fuel tank), so the pressure immediately past the control valve seat 124 is P 7 , the same as or slightly above the sump pressure P 8 . The valve seat 124 experiences a flow velocity corresponding to the pressure drop and there is no back pressure to slow down the reseating of the control valve.
However, with the present invention a flow restriction produces a pressure in the pressure regulated volume at P 5 or P 6 >>P 7 immediately past the control valve seat 124 . The Table of FIG. 10 shows that with a low rail pressure of 300 bar (P 2 ) the pressure drop P 4 to P 7 in the base design is about 16 bar but the pressure at P 4 is only about 16 bar. In each of the three embodiments according to the present disclosure (Configurations 1 - 3 ), the pressure drop P 4 to P 5 or P 6 is in the range of about 10-15 bar (so the flow velocity over the valve seat is somewhat similar), but the pressure at P 4 remains much higher, i.e., in the range of about 26-65 bar, which helps reduce cavitation. With a high rail pressure of 2000 bar, the pressure at P 4 for Configurations 1 - 3 remains at least about 40 bar greater than in the Base design.
The throttling feature at the pintle nose according to Configurations 2 and 3 when integrated into the Base design provides an increased operating pressure prior to pressure zone P 5 which raises pressure in the injector above the fluid vapor pressure to prevent cavitation at the valve seat and spherical area after the exit of orifice A. As a result, the valve seating velocity can be decreased by varying the throttle diameter to create differential lifting area/force. A slight increase in closing delay can be measured, which is evidence of the valve slowing down.
The main advantage of the throttle feature is a net increase in zones P 2 -P 5 to pressures above vapor pressure and elimination of cavitation at the seat which is located in zone P 5 . Conventional injectors do not have a secondary restriction that is part of the control valve. FIG. 11 (differential pressure vs. throttle area) shows that a small change in throttle flow area removes the restriction and the benefit of maintaining a high pressure P 5 relative to pressure P 6 is no longer achieved.
The regulator plate in the low pressure chamber which raises pressure in zone P 6 (pressure regulated volume) for Configurations 1 and 3 is designed to reduce the closing velocity of the control valve. The slowing of the control valve reduces the impact velocity thus reducing the impact forces and stresses in the contact region. Zone P 6 is maintained at a pressure while the valve is open and the injector is delivering fuel to the cylinder. When the control valve is commanded to close the regulator maintains pressure while the control valve opening reduces to the point when the valve closes. At the point the control valve closes, the pressure in zone 6 reaches drain pressure (0-0.5 bar). The cycle then repeats again when the valve is open. The optimum pressure under the control valve and above the regulator plate in zone P 6 while the valve moves toward closure, is about 40 bar. | A needle type fuel injector has a needle control chamber at a pressure subject to a control valve in a control valve chamber which in an opening phase is lifted from its seat to expose the control valve chamber, connecting passages, and needle control chamber to a low pressure drain and in a closing phase is urged against the seat to isolate the control valve chamber, connecting passages, and needle control chamber from the drain. Resistance to the flow or displacement of fuel through the control valve seat is provided by a pressure regulating valve as the control valve rapidly closes against its seat, thereby reducing the rate of closure and thus the impact of the control valve on the seat. | 5 |
BACKGROUND
It is a desirable feature to have a complete guard enclosure surrounding a work chamber of a machining center, to contain chips and coolant. In production machining centers, it is frequently desirable to provide for a pallet exchanger where a first pallet supported workpiece may reside within the work chamber, while a second pallet is at an operator service station outside the work chamber. The second pallet is mounted with a new, rough workpiece, and, at the end of a machining cycle, the pallets are interchanged with one another, usually by automatic means having either a linear or rotary path.
As machines and pallets increase in size, the guard enclosure can become so large as to inhibit operator access to the work zone for purposes such as inspection and measurement at prescribed times during a machining cycle.
An access door may be placed in the guard enclosure for the operator to carry out prescribed tasks, and the present invention thus concerns itself with provision of an access door in a guard enclosure which will tend not to increase the size of a guard which provides comparable enclosure but does not have an operator access door.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is shown embodied in combination with a machine tool pallet transfer system having a pair of pallet stations substantially oppositely disposed on a rotatable deck with a predetermined diameter for alternate rotation of said stations between service and machining locations, where an operator access guard comprises:
a guard base located below the deck;
a guard housing attached adjacent the guard base and substantially enclosing at least a portion of the pallet transfer system within its interior;
a guard partition attached to the pallet transfer system for rotation with the rotatable deck, the guard partition interfacing with the interior of the guard housing to effectively enclose the machining location and isolate the pallet stations from one another during machining operations; and
an operator's access station located in the guard housing adjacent the machining location, the access station comprising an access door which is reciprocable at least partially within the interior of the guard housing between opened and closed positions, and at least partially within the rotation diameter of the rotatable deck when in the opened position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machining center.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machining center, taken along the line II--II of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an elevational section view of the machining center, taken along the line III--III of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 perspective view, similar to FIG. 1, showing details of the operator's access door, supports, and hydraulic interlock device.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative interlock device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a machine 10, available from Cincinnati Milacron Inc. , Cincinnati, Ohio, under the trademark "MAXIM" CNC horizontal machining center, model 630. The machine 10 has a main, horizontal longitudinal axis, "Z", utilized for movement of a workpiece 11 in machining operations, and the rotary spindle axis 12 is horizontal (see FIG. 2). For convenient reference, the left end of the machine 10, as viewed in FIG. 2, may be considered to be the front.
With reference also to FIGS. 2 and 3, the machine 10 has a bed 13 which supports a slidable column 14 for tool movements along a horizontal axis, "X", and the tool 15 is rotatably supported in a spindle carrier 16 which is slidably supported on the column 14 for tool movements along a vertical axis, "Y".
The machine 10 has a pallet transfer system 17 for interchanging a pair of pallets 18a,b normally disposed along the Z-axis between a machining location 19 proximal the tool 15, and a service location 20 away from the tool 15. The pallets 18a,b are carried between the machining and service locations 19,20 by a rotatable pallet deck 21. The pallet deck 21 is supported by an overhead support 22 for rotation about a vertical axis "A". The overhead support 22 includes a rotary actuator 23 for driving the pallet deck 21, and a vertical piston (not shown) for lifting the deck 21 off locators (not shown) at index times.
The deck 21 comprises a frame 24 having two pairs 25a,b of parallel arms extending in opposite directions along the Z-axis. The deck 21 also has a guard partition 26 extending transversely across the Z-axis, spanning the inside of a guard housing 27. The partition 26 is a sheet metal fabrication with vertical rubber wipers 28 touching the housing 27, and, as the pallet deck 21 is rotated, the wipers 28 sweep through a predetermined rotation diameter, "D".
Once a pallet 18a,b moves to the machining location 19, it may be fed along the Z-axis, with respect to the tool 15, by a feed screw means 29, including a movable carrier 30, depicted in FIG. 3.
A guard base 31 below the deck 21 supports an adjacent guard housing 27. The guard housing 27 substantially encloses and isolates the working location 19 to contain chips and coolant during machining operations. The service location 20, to the front of the machine 10, is at least partly open for convenient access.
At the right side, adjacent the rear of the guard housing 27 is an electrical enclosure 32, which houses a computer numerical control 33 (CNC) which may be any of a variety of CNC's well-known in machine tool arts for controlling machine functions. The CNC 33 depicted is available from Cincinnati Milacron Inc. under the trademark "ACRAMATIC" CNC, model 950MMC. At the left side of the machine 10, adjacent the guard housing 27 is an enclosure 34 for a tool storage chain (not shown) and the tool chain is serviced by an overhead movable tool changer unit 35, not part of this invention.
The spacing of the guard housing side walls 27a,b in the region of the pallet deck 21 is at least the extent of the sweep diameter "D". At an area in front of the CNC 33, the guard base 31 has a rectangular notch 36, where the side edges 31a,37 of both the guard base and the machine bed, are parallel to the Z-axis, but moved closer to the Z-axis than the radius of the sweep diameter D. This notch 36 constitutes an operator access station. The housing wall 27c immediately above the notch 36 has an access opening 38 so an operator may reach into the working location 19 at prescribed intervals for measurement and inspection. The access opening 38 is covered by a slidable access door 39 which includes an integral window 40.
Referring to FIG. 4, the access door 39 is supported by two sets of rollers 41 carried in an overhead channel 42 secured to the roof structure 43 of the guard housing 27. The door 39 may be slid to an "opened" position 44, uncovering the access opening 38, when the pallet deck 21 is stationary. As seen also in FIG. 2, the opened door extends into the sweep diameter "D" of the deck.
The rotary actuator 23 for the deck 21 is powered by hydraulic fluid, and the actuator 23 has a pressure supply line 45 and an exhaust line 46.
In order to prevent rotation of the deck 21 when the door 39 is opened, a special hydraulic interlock device 47 is used, which has a valve body 48 attached to the roof structure 43. A plunger 49 within the valve body 48 is spring-biased to the downward position, permitting free flow between two ports 50a,b in the body 48. The actuator pressure supply line 45 is connected through the valve ports 50a,b. The bottom end of the plunger 49 is fitted with an antifriction cam roller 51. An angle bracket 52 is secured to the top of the access door 39, to present an upstanding fin 53 for actuating the plunger 49. A lead taper 54 on the fin 53 engages the roller 51 as the door 39 is opened, thus raising the plunger 49 and blocking flow through the valve body 48.
The door 39 has a latch 55 which may be manually disengaged by the door handle 56. A door switch 57 signals a "door closed" condition to the CNC 33.
It will be appreciated that other interlock devices may be substituted for the device 47 shown: For example, as depicted in FIG. 5, a solenoid-operated interlock pin 58 is provided on the roof structure 43, adjacent the door 39. The pin 58 remains in the "locked closed" position, prohibiting door movement, until the CNC 33 determines that the pallet deck 21 is stopped. At prescribed intervals in the machine control program (not shown), the pin 58 is retracted, enabling the door 39 to be opened. In order for the machining cycle to commence, the CNC 33 must receive a signal from a door switch 57 detecting that the door 39 has been slid to the fully-closed position.
While the invention has been shown and described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is intended that the invention extends to all designs and modifications as come within the scope of the following claims. | A rotary deck for interchanging a pair of pallets in a machining center is partially enclosed within a guard housing surrounding the machining zone. The deck sweeps a predetermined diameter with the pallets. An operator access door is mounted to cover an opening in the housing, adjacent the machining zone. The door slides into the sweep diameter when opened and the deck is stationary; an interlock prevents deck rotation when the door is opened. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to liquid filters, particularly for water irrigation systems, however also useful for other industrial or domestic applications.
[0002] More specifically, the invention concerns filter devices of the type disclosed in our U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,037 issued Jun. 4, 2002 which is hereby incorporated by reference (hereinafter called “the Patent”).
[0003] The Patent relates to filter devices utilizing a battery of filter discs with reverse flushing water flow cycles wherein the discs were caused to spin under the impact of water jets impinging thereon (hereinafter referred to as “Spin-Clean Filters”).
[0004] For better understanding of the invention herein disclosed, reference shall be made to FIG. 1 which depicts the reverse flow spin-cleaning stage of the filter device (conforming FIG. 10 of the Patent except that the spin-cleaning stage is provoked by the reverse flow proper rather than by an external pressure command, a feature which is understood to be encompassed within the scope of the Patent).
[0005] Using the same reference numerals as in the Patent, the water (or other liquid) admitted through the outlet port 20 flows into the conduit 30 a (and conduits 30 b and 30 c that are not shown) and, through an opening 102 a (not existing in the Patent exemplified embodiment) into the cylinder space 40 of the cylinder-and-piston assembly 28 . Under a pressure sufficient to overcome the force of the spring 52 , the piston 58 along with the cap member 60 will slide towards the distal end of the filter 10 , relieving the clamping of the filter discs battery 70 . The stroke of piston 58 is delimited by a protrusion 104 formed at the housing member 12 (shown but not referenced in the Patent drawings). As will be explained later on, this need for an extra, exterior element for stopping the progress of the piston has been found disadvantageous and hence remedied by one aspect of the present invention.
[0006] Turning now to the proximal end of the filter device 10 , there has been used a female screw-threaded ring portion 38 of the fixed member against which the filter discs are pressed for mounting the integral main filter core member 24 to the filter housing structure 14 intermediate female screw-threaded ring 82 . This mounting or coupling arrangement has also been found worthy of improvement as will be explained in detail below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Thus provided according to one aspect of the invention is a liquid filtering device, particularly for irrigation water installations comprising a cylindrical housing with an inlet port and an outlet port; a cylindrical filter member installed within the housing so that, water flowing from the inlet port to the outlet port enters the filter member in a radial direction, and is discharged through the outlet port, and vice-versa during reversed, filter flushing flow cycles; a core member centrally mounted within the cylindrical space defined by, and forming a support for, the filter member; a fixed member abutting against the filter member at one axial end thereof; a piston assembly mounted to the core member comprising a piston and a displaceable member coupled to the piston and abutting against the filter member at the other axial side thereof; wherein said mounting of the core member comprises a female screw-thread forming part of the said fixed member; a female screw-threaded split ring matching the female screw-thread; and a circular convergent cone shaped trough encompassing the ring fixedly mounted to said housing; the arrangement being such that upon threading together, the ring becomes attracted towards the fixed member and thus self-tightened by frictionally clamping within the cone-shaped trough.
[0008] According to another aspect of the invention, the piston assembly is provided with means for limiting the progress amount of the piston, such as a coil spring, the number and size of the coils being designed so as to limit the stroke of the piston following a predetermined compression thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] These and additional constructional features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly understood in light of the ensuing description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the filter device of the Patent in reverse flush flow, spin-cleaning mode of operation;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a filter device incorporating the improvements of the preset invention;
[0012] FIG. 3 shows the split-ring before assembly;
[0013] FIG. 4 shows the seat member of the split-ring;
[0014] FIG. 5 shows the split-ring in the preparatory state for insertion into the seat member;
[0015] FIG. 6 shows the assembled state of the split-ring;
[0016] FIG. 7 a is a partial cross-section showing the initial state of engagement of the core coupling ring and the split-ring;
[0017] FIG. 7 b shows the final state of engagement;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a group of filter devices installed in parallel; and
[0019] FIG. 9 is a schematic view of several filter devices installed in series.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] As clearly seen in FIG. 2 , the mounting of the filtering discs battery 170 to the inlet/outlet housing member 114 has been modified. Rather than female screw-threaded ring 82 ( FIG. 1 ) there is provided an assembly comprised of seat member 200 and screw-threaded split-ring 202 shown in more detail in FIGS. 3-7 .
[0021] The seat member 200 is formed with a circular trough portion defined by circular rim 200 a , convergent cone-shaped wall 200 b and planar radial wall 200 c.
[0022] The seat member 200 is shown as integrally formed with the outlet fitting but other variations may be employed such as by welding.
[0023] The ring 202 is split as shown and made of an elastic or springy material to allow its closing by force ( FIG. 5 ) into a reduced diameter which must be smaller than the opening defined by the rim 200 a.
[0024] The outer surface 202 a of the ring 202 is beveled by the same angle as the seat cone wall 200 b . The inner side is provided with a screw-thread matching that of the core member ring 138 .
[0025] The height of the ring 202 is less than the distance between the inner surfaces of the rim 200 a and of the radial wall 200 c.
[0026] The mounting of the core member 124 is perfected in the following manner. First, the split-ring 202 is inserted into the trough portion by forcing it to close and placing thereinside, whereupon the ring will resume its partially open state ( FIG. 7 a ). It is designed so that in this position the screw threads of the ring 138 and of the split-ring 202 will match.
[0027] Upon relative rotation, the split-ring becomes dragged along the cone-shaped wall 200 b up to a certain point ( FIG. 7 b ). Consequently, a self-tightening effect occurs whereby a highly secured and sealed coupling of the threaded members to each other is attained in a more effective way than in the Patent construction ( FIG. 1 ).
[0028] If necessary, stop means such as projection 200 d may be provided to avoid the unison rotation of the two parts, at-least at the beginning of the operation where the friction between the beveled ring portions 202 a and the seat wall portion 200 b might be insufficient.
[0029] The dismantling of the core member 124 from the seat member 200 for maintenance or replacement purposes follows in the reverse order.
[0030] Turning now to the distal side of the filter device 110 , it will be readily seen that, by properly choosing the number and diameter of the coils, the spring 252 functions as an autonomic stop, limiting the stroke of the piston 158 (and cap member 160 ).
[0031] This seemingly minor and even almost obvious modification presents, however, the advantage of completely dispensing with the stop cap ( 104 — FIG. 1 ). Moreover, the length of the piston stroke can be governed and properly selected irrespectively of the housing(s) size.
[0032] This variability becomes even more significant where the filter devices are used in groups, either in parallel or in series.
[0033] In FIG. 8 a battery of five filter devices 310 is shown (only three are seen) operating in parallel. The filters are mounted on a common base formed in inlet/outlet housing member 314 , either by the arrangement described above or otherwise.
[0034] Noteworthy in the present context is that the cylinder and piston assemblies 328 incorporate the integral piston-stroke limiting means rather than external stop-by-abutment means (cap 104 in FIG. 1 ). This entails a significant saving in the design and structure of the other housing member 312 .
[0035] The filter devices 410 of FIG. 9 operate in tandem between the common inlet and outlet, e.g. to achieve superfine quality of filtered liquid.
[0036] This type of construction is only enabled by implementation of the self-limiting piston-stroke means proposed according to the present invention.
[0037] Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will readily appreciate that numerous changes, variations and modifications can be effected without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in and by the appended claims. | In a liquid filter of the reverse-flow flush-cleaning type, the present invention provides the improvement of mounting the pack of discs ( 170 ) intermediate an assembly comprising a seat member ( 200 ) and screw-thread split-ring ( 202 ). | 1 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to automated assembly of multiple conductor cable and an electrical connector having multiple, conducting electrical contacts to which the cable conductors are electrically connected. The invention further relates to a tool for quickly securing the cable to a metal, strain relief clamp which anchors the cable to the connector to prevent removal the conductors from the contacts.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An electrical connector as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,335, includes two parallel rows of electrical contacts. The contacts of a plug version of the connector resiliently engage those of a receptacle version, when the two versions are interfitted. The contacts of each version have wire-receiving portions each in the form of a resilient plate having a slot. A conductor of the cable is trimmed and inserted into the slot, with the sides of the slot providing jaws which slice through the insulation of the conductor and resiliently engage the wire of the conductor. Suitable apparatus have been developed for trimming and inserting the conductors into the contacts. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,803,695; 3,864,802; and 3,995,358. Each apparatus requires an operator to grasp a pair of wires and insert them into the apparatus. Subsequently, the apparatus is actuated, either manually, or automatically upon sensing the presence of the inserted wires, to trim the wires and transfer the trimmed wires into the contacts of the connector. One type of apparatus requires all conductor pairs in the apparatus before mass insertion of the conductors simultaneously in the contacts. Another type is automatically triggered by sensing each pair of conductors to trim and insert the pair into a pair of corresponding contacts. While an operator is in the process of selecting and locating the next pair of conductors, the apparatus has automatically moved, relative to the connector, into registration with additional contacts with which the next pair of conductors is to be connected.
The object of each newly developed apparatus is to decrease the time required to connect all the conductors to the connector contacts. One time consuming task has been the requirement for anchoring the cable to the connector, to prevent tension on the cable from dislodging one or more conductors from their connections with the contacts. A self-latching strap or tie, provides the anchor in one early version. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,051. Another version utilizes a U-shaped clamp which receives a plug having ratchet teeth which interlock with teeth on the U-shaped clamp as the plug is ratcheted into the open end of the clamp to engage the cable. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,330. Still another version requires a single piece metal clamp preassembled onto the connector. The clamp includes a pair of spaced apart jaws, which receive the cable therebetween, and which are bent toward each other to grip the cable. The present invention provides a tool having a mechanism for holding the cable between the clamp jaws and for closing the jaws on the cable, so that the cable is anchored to the connector during and after connection of the conductors to the connector contacts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The tool according to the present invention may be used in conjunction with conductor trimming and insertion apparatus, using the same work station on which a connector is located during wire trimming and insertion operations. The tool of the present invention is pivoted away from the work station when not in use. A hand pivoted lever is operative by a single lever stroke to pivot the tool into position on the work station, to insert the cable in between the clamp jaws, and to close the jaws in gripped relationship on the cable. Release of the lever retracts the mechanism used for cable insertion and jaw closing, and pivots the tool away from the work station.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a tool operative with one lever stroke to pivot the tool to an operative position at a work station and to insert a cable between jaws of a clamp, as well as to close the jaws on the cable.
Another object is to provide a tool which closes a strain relief clamp on a cable, and which may be used in conjunction with a work station of apparatus for trimming and inserting wire pairs into the contacts of an electrical connector to which the cable clamp is preassembled.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tool operative with one lever stroke, first, to pivot the tool position on a work station of apparatus for trimming and inserting wire pairs into the contacts of an electrical connector to which a metal strain relief clamp is preassembled, then to insert a multiple conductor cable into the clamp, and then to close the jaws of the clamp on the cable to anchor the same to the connector, and, upon release of the lever, to retract the tool from the cable and the clamp and pivot the tool away from the work station.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description taken in conjunction with the following described drawings.
DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 of the drawings is a perspective of a preferred embodiment of the tool according to the present invention, mounted on a work station of apparatus for trimming and inserting conductors of a multiple conductor cable.
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective with parts exploded of a rack and pinion drive and a toolhead of the tool.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged perspective with parts exploded illustrating a hand operated lever and shaft for driving the pinion.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevation with the assembled parts shown in FIG. 3 illustrated in section or broken away.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged elevation of the tool mounted on the work station of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and illustrating structure allowing pivoting of the tool either to an operative position or away from the work station.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged elevation illustrating the tool head portion of the tool, and specifically, a plunger portion which inserts a multiple conductor cable into the jaws of a metal strain relief clamp.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged elevation of the cable closing portion of the toolhead, illustrating closure of the clamp jaws onto the cable inserted by the plunger.
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation in section of the toolhead as shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation in section of the toolhead as shown in FIG. 7.
FIGS. 10, 11, and 12 are enlarged perspectives of an electrical connector and metal strain relief clamp together with a multiple conductor cable secured to the clamp and with the conductors of the cable trimmed and inserted into contacts of the connector.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
With more particular reference to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a tool 1, mounted on a machine apparatus 2 for trimming and inserting pairs of conductors into corresponding contacts of an electrical connector. Associated with the machine is an instrument console 4 which electrically programs the machine for certain functions, such as, positioning the machine elements in a start position or indexing the machine elements to desired positions with respect to an electrical connector mounted on a work station of the machine.
FIG. 2 illustrates the tool 1 as comprising a housing or casing 6 having a clevis 8 provided with a central slot 10, the end of which defines an inverted shoulder 12. A bore 14 extends through the bifurcated clevis.
The housing includes a stepped, vertical channel 16 having a central stepped section 18 into which protrudes a pinion 20. A generally rectangular ram 22 slidably mounts in the channel 16 and is provided with an integral vertical rack 24 having teeth which mesh with the teeth of the pinion 20. The rack is vertically slidable along the stepped channel section 18. A cover plate 26 overlies the ram and is secured to the housing by threaded fasteners 28 threadably secured in tapped bores 30 in the housing. The ram is provided with a vertical bore 32 slidably mounting a rod portion 34 of a plunger 36. A coil spring 38 encircles the rod portion and is compressed against the bottom of a stepped shoulder 39 is the bore 32, upon vertical movement of the plunger relative to the ram. The upper end of the rod portion is provided with an encircling groove 40 into which is received a snap ring 42 of a diameter which prevents passage of the ring vertically into the bore 34.
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a lever actuated drive shaft for the pinion. The housing 6 is provided with an enlarged bore 44 mounting the outer races of a spaced apart pair of bearings 46 and 48. The inner races of the bearings mount a rotatable shaft 50. The pinion 20 is mounted over the shaft and held in place by a key 52 along the keyway 54 in the shaft. The key is retained by tightening a set screw 55 threaded into the hub of the pinion. One end of the shaft is provided with an encircling groove 56 into which is mounted a snap ring 58 which will not pass through the inner race of the bearing 48.
Further details of the lever actuated drive shaft will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. Adjacent the bearing 46 is provided a block 60 rotatably mounted in the bore 44. A set screw 61 threaded along a bore in the housing 6 is tightened to engage and lock the block against rotation and adjusts the initial orientation of the lever 88. A concentric bore 62 in the block receives the shaft 50 therethrough. A coil spring 64 encircles the shaft 50 with one end 66 of the spring fixedly secured in a recess 68 in the end of the block. The other end 70 of the spring is received in a recess 72 of an encircling flange 74 machined integral with the shaft 50. The coils of the spring 64 are encircled by a partially cylindrical bezel 76 that registers inside a counterbore recess of the flange 74. A ball detent includes a ball 78 and loading spring 80 within a recess 82 of the block 60. The ball registers within a detent 84 in the end of the flange 74. An enlarged end hub 86 integral with the flange includes a lever 88 transverse to the axis of the shaft 50.
Pivoting the lever will normally rotate the shaft and drive the rack and pinion. However, initial pivoting of the lever must overcome the ball detent, and load the coil spring 64. This feature is advantageously utilized to pivot the tool into operative position on a work station. FIG. 5 shows the tool 1 mounted by a pin 90 through its clevis 8 at an anvil type work station 92 of the apparatus 2. An elongated electrical connector 94 of a type previously mentioned is mounted on the anvil. As shown in FIG. 5, the tool initially is pivoted away from the anvil 92, out of the way of the connector 94. Initial pivoting of the lever will pivot the tool counterclockwise to an upright position, until the shoulder 12 registers against a corresponding shoulder 96 on the work station. The tool is then in an operative position, with the engaged shoulders providing resistance to further pivoting of the tool. Sufficient resistance is provided that further pivoting the lever will overcome the ball detent and load the coil spring 80 permitting the shaft to rotate and drive the rack and pinion. When the lever is released, the stored energy in the coil spring will cause reverse rotation of the shaft. The released lever will shift the center of gravity of the tool, so that the tool will pivot away from the anvil, returning to its position shown in FIG. 5. The stored spring energy also tends to "throw" the lever when released, further assisting in pivoting the tool away from the work station.
The connector 94 is more particularly illustrated in FIGS. 10, 11, and 12. The connector includes a plastic body 98 having electrical contacts with wire-receiving portions 100 each in the form of a resilient metal plate having a slot. The sides of the slot provide jaws which slice through insulation of the conductor and resiliently engage the wire of the conductor. The wire receiving portions are arranged in two parallel rows, exposed along a side 102 of the connector. An opposite side 104 of the connector is mounted against the anvil.
Adjacent the rows of contacts on the connector side 102 is located a metal, strain relief clamp 106. The clamp includes a base portion 108 secured to the connector and a pair of spaced apart jaws or clamp arms 110. A multiple conductor electrical cable 112 is first inserted in between the jaws, as shown in FIG. 12. The jaws are then closed on the cable. Thereby, the cable is secured to the connector in preparation for the apparatus 2 to trim pairs of the cable conductors 114 and insert them into the wire receiving slots of the connector contacts. Subsequently, a plastic cover 116 is secured over the connector end 102, the contact wire receiving portions 100, a portion of the cable and the cable clamp 106.
The tool 1 is used for inserting the cable in the clamp and for closing the clamp on the cable with a single stroke of the lever. The tool also must pivot away from the anvil to allow the apparatus 2 access to the connector for inserting trimmed conductors into the connector contacts.
In operation of the tool, reference is made to FIGS. 6 through 8. An end of the plunger 36 protrudes from an end of the ram and has spaced aligned yokes 118, joined by a blunt edge blade 120. As the rock 23 is driven vertically downward by rotation of the pinion 20, the yokes engage a short length of the cable 112 which has been located over the clamp jaws 110 by an operator. The yokes align the cable length while the blade engages the length axially, and inserts the cable length in between the clamp jaws. Continued pivoting of the lever will advance the ram 22 toward the clamp jaws, forcing the plunger to retract inwardly of the ram, compressing the coil spring 38. The end 122 of the ram has an inverted opening 124 provided with flared side walls 126. The sidewalls 126 engage the clamp jaws 110, forcing them into progressively narrower widths of the opening 124, until the jaws are forcibly bent toward each other, compressibly encircling the cable. FIG. 7 shows the ram end 122 depressing and actuating a lever type, electrical switch 128 which turns on a light (not shown) to indicate that sufficient displacement of the ram has occurred to close the clamp jaws.
Release of the lever will allow upward movement of the ram. Initially, the plunger blade 120 may be clamped between the jaws 110. The stored energy in the compressed coil spring 38 will force the ram upward while the plunger remains. The ram will release the jaws, allowing them to spring apart slightly, due to residual spring energy stored upon bending the jaws toward each other. The blade will then be freed, permitting vertical upward retraction of the plunger from the jaws. The tool will then be free to pivot away from the anvil in the manner previously described.
Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in detail, other modifications and embodiments which would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art are intended to be covered by the spirit and scope of the appended claims. | The present invention relates to a tool having a hand operated lever operative with one lever stroke to pivot the tool into position on a work station, to insert a multiple conductor cable in between a pair of clamping and gripping jaws of a metal clamp of an electrical connector to which the conductors are to be connected, and to close the jaws onto the cable. Release of the lever retracts the cable insertion mechanism and pivots the tool away from the work station. | 8 |
CROSS REFERENCE STATEMENT
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/410,409, filed Sep. 12, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to the preparation of certain Group 4 metal amide complexes by means of an amine elimination process to produce metal complexes. More particularly the present invention relates to a novel process for conversion of initial Group 4 metal amides to the corresponding metal diamide complexes.
The manufacture of Group 4 metal amide complexes has been previously taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,938, U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,935, U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,352, U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,302, U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,444, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,232,256, and elsewhere. In WO02/38628 Group 4 metal complexes containing “spectator ligands” such as amino-substituted cyclic amine compounds were prepared using such a process in the first step of a two step process. Suitable amide complexes include Group 4 metal tetra(N,N-dialkylamino) compounds, especially titanium-, zirconium- or hafnium-tetrakis(N,N-dimethylamide) compounds. Suitable alkylating agents include trialkylaluminum compounds, especially trimethylaluminum, and alumoxanes.
A persistent problem of the foregoing processes is the inability to produce the diamide complex in high yield and purity. Because the exchange step is an equilibrium process, complete conversion generally cannot be attained even after resorting to the use of elevated temperatures and/or venting or vacuum removal of amine byproducts. A process in which complexation of the metal by a ligand is facilitated, thereby resulting in the use of lower reaction temperatures, shorter reaction times, and/or characterized by higher yields, is still desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention there is provided an improved process for the preparation of Group 4 metal amide complexes comprising a monovalent or divalent Lewis base ligand the steps of the process comprising contacting a Group 4 metal amide with a neutral source of a monovalent or divalent, Lewis base ligand group and a solid, Lewis acid under amine elimination conditions to form a Group 4 metal amide complex containing at least one less initial amide group per metal moiety than the original Group 4 metal amide, and recovering the resulting metal complex.
The products are highly valuable for use as catalysts in combination with activating cocatalysts such as alumoxanes or cation forming agents in the polymerization of olefins to high molecular weight polymers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
All references to the Periodic Table of the Elements herein shall refer to the Periodic Table of the Elements, published and copyrighted by CRC Press, Inc., 1999. Also, any references to a Group or Groups shall be to the Groups or Groups reflected in this Periodic Table of the Elements using the IUPAC system for numbering groups. For purposes of United States patent practice, the contents of any patent, patent application or publication referenced herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, especially with respect to the disclosure of synthetic techniques and general knowledge in the art. The term “comprising” when used herein with respect to a composition, mixture or process is not intended to exclude the additional presence of any other compound, component or step.
Suitable Group 4 metal amides for use in the present invention correspond to the formula, M(NR 2 ) m X n ,
wherein M is a Group 4 metal, especially hafnium;
R independently in each occurrence is a C 1-20 hydrocarbyl group, a C 1-20 halohydrocarbyl group, or two R groups are joined together thereby forming a divalent derivative, preferably R, each occurrence is C 1-4 allyl;
X is an anionic ligand other than an amide group of up to 20 atoms not counting hydrogen or two X groups are joined together thereby forming a divalent derivative, preferably each X group is hydride, halide, or a hydrocarbyl-, silyl-, hydrocarbyloxy- or siloxy-group of up to 10 atoms; most preferably chloride or methyl;
m is an integer from 1 to 4 and n is an integer equal to 4-m.
Preferred Group 4 metal amides are Group 4 metal tetrakis(N,N-dihydrocarbyl)-amides, especially Group 4 metal tetralis(N,N-dimethyl)amides, most especially hafnium tetraks(N,N-dimethyl)amide.
The foregoing Group 4 metal amides are contacted with a neutral source of the desired Lewis base ligating species thereby generating free amine. Suitable ligand sources are monovalent and divalent compounds of the formula L-H or H-L-H wherein L is a monovalent or divalent Lewis base ligand, in which case the resulting free amine corresponds to the formula NHR 2 . Examples of suitable Lewis base ligating species sources include aliphatic and aromatic diamine compounds, and hydrocarbylamine substituted aromatic heterocyclic compounds.
In particular, suitable sources of Lewis base ligating species include difunctional Lewis base compounds disclosed in WO 02/38628, especially hydrocarbylamine substituted heteroaryl compounds of the formula R 1 HN-T-R 2 (I), wherein
R 1 is selected from alkyl cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, cycloheteroalkyl, aryl, and inertly substituted derivatives thereof containing from 1 to 30 atoms not counting hydrogen;
T is a divalent bridging group of from 1 to 20 atoms other than hydrogen, preferably a mono- or di-C 1-20 hydrocarbyl substituted methylene or silane group, and
R 2 is a C 6-20 heteroaryl group, especially a pyridin-2-yl- or substituted pyridin-2-yl group.
Preferred examples of the foregoing difunctional Lewis base compounds correspond to the formula:
wherein
R 1 and T are as previously defined, and
R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are hydrogen, halo, or an alkyl, cycloalkyl, heteroalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aryl, or silyl group of up to 20 atoms not counting hydrogen, or adjacent R 3 , R 4 , R 5 or R 6 groups may be joined together thereby forming fused ring derivatives.
Highly preferred examples of the foregoing difunctional Lewis base compounds correspond to the formula:
wherein
R 3 , R 4 , R 5 and R 6 are as previously defined, preferably R 3 , R 4 , and R 5 are hydrogen, or C 1-4 alkyl, and R 6 is C 6-20 aryl, most preferably naphthyl;
Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 , Q 4 , and Q 5 are independently each occurrence hydrogen or C 1-4 alkyl, most preferably Q 1 and Q 5 are isopropyl and Q 2 , Q 3 and Q 4 are hydrogen; and
R 7 and R 8 independently each occurrence are hydrogen or a C 1-20 alkyl or aryl group, most preferably one of R 7 and R 8 is hydrogen and the other is a C 6-20 aryl group, especially a fused polycyclic aryl group, most preferably an anthracenyl group.
The most highly preferred difunctional Lewis base compound for use herein corresponds to the formula:
Under the reaction conditions of the present invention, it has been discovered that the hydrogen of the 2-position of the naphthyl group substituted at the 6-position of the pyridinyl group is subject to elimination, thereby uniquely forming metal complexes wherein the metal is covalently bonded to both the resulting internal amide group and to the 2-position of the naphthyl group, as well as stabilized by coordination to the pyridinyl nitrogen atom through the electron pair thereof. Accordingly, preferred metal complexes contain 2 less amide groups than the original Group 4 metal amide reagent and a difunctional Lewis base ligand additionally coordinated to the metal by means of an electron pair.
The foregoing reaction is performed in the presence of the solid Lewis acid. Examples of suitable solid Lewis acids included silica, alumina, clay, aluminosilicates, and borosilicates, preferably alumina. Such reagent uniquely promotes amine elimination by acting as an acceptor or scavenger for the amine. In a preferred embodiment, the scavenger is accessible to volatile amine by-products but the remainder of the reaction mixture does not contact the Lewis acid scavenger. As one example, the Lewis acid may be retained in a column or vessel in operative communication with the headspace of the reactor and the amide groups of the Group 4 metal amide are N,N-dimethylamide groups that form the highly volatile amine, N,N-dimethylamine.
According to the process, the Group 4 metal amide and Lewis base compounds are employed in approximately stoichiometric amounts, preferably in molar ratios (based on amide compound to Lewis base compound) from 1:2 to 2:1. The quantity of solid Lewis acid compound used is preferably from 2:1 to 10 to 1, more preferably from 4:1 to 6:1 based on Group 4 metal amide compound.
As an illustration, starting from hafnium tetrakis(dimethylamide) and excess alumina scavenger, the resulting metal complex prepared according to the present invention in high yield and efficiency is:
The amide elimination conditions used in the present process include moderate temperatures from 0 to 100° C., especially from 25 to 75° C., reduced, atmospheric or elevated pressures from 0 to 100 kPa, preferably atmospheric pressure, times from 1 minute to 10 days, preferably from 10 minutes to 2 hours, and use of an aliphatic or aromatic solvent, preferably toluene or ethylbenzene. The resulting complexes may be recovered by filtration, extraction, precipitation, or other suitable technique.
The resulting Group 4 metal complexes are activated to form the actual catalyst composition by combination with a cocatalyst, preferably an aluminoxane, a cation forming cocatalyst, or a combination thereof and desirably employed to polymerize olefins or combinations of olefins, especially ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene and mixtures thereof; mixtures of the foregoing monomers with vinylaromatic monomers or conjugated or non-conjugated dienes; and mixtures of all of the foregoing monomers. The process is characterized by low temperatures and pressures, typically from 25 to 50° C. and pressures from atmospheric to 10 MPa.
Suitable alumoxanes for use herein include polymeric or oligomeric alumoxanes, especially methylalumoxane, triisobutyl aluminum modified methylalumoxane, or isobutylalumoxane; neutral Lewis acid modified polymeric or oligomeric alumoxanes, such as the foregoing alkylalumoxanes modified by addition of a C 1-30 hydrocarbyl substituted Group 13 compound, especially a tri(hydrocarbyl)aluminum- or tri(hydrocarbyl)boron compound, or a halogenated (including perhalogenated) derivative thereof, having from 1 to 10 carbons in each hydrocarbyl or halogenated hydrocarbyl group, more especially a perfluorinated tri(aryl)boron compound or a perfluorinated tri(aryl)aluminum compound.
The Group 4 metal complexes may also be rendered catalytically active by combination with a cation forming cocatalyst, such as those previously known in the art for use with Group 4 metal olefin polymerization complexes. Suitable cation forming cocatalysts for use herein include neutral Lewis acids, such as C 1-30 hydrocarbyl substituted Group 13 compounds, especially tri(hydrocarbyl)aluminum- or tri(hydrocarbyl)boron compounds and halogenated (including perhalogenated) derivatives thereof, having from 1 to 10 carbons in each hydrocarbyl or halogenated hydrocarbyl group, more especially perfluorinated tri(aryl)boron compounds, and most especially tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane; nonpolymeric, compatible, noncoordinating, ion forming compounds (including the use of such compounds under oxidizing conditions), especially the use of ammonium-, phosphonium-, oxonium-, carbonium-, silylium- or sulfonium-salts of compatible, noncoordinating anions, or ferrocenium-, lead- or silver salts of compatible, noncoordinating anions; and combinations of the foregoing cation forming cocatalysts and techniques. The foregoing activating cocatalysts and activating techniques have been previously taught with respect to different metal complexes for olefin polymerizations in the following references: EP-A-277,003, U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,157, U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,802, U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,106, U.S. Pat. No. 5,721,185, U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,723, U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,872, U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,087, U.S. Pat. No. 5,883,204, U.S. Pat. No. 5,919,983, U.S. Pat. No. 5,783,512, WO 99/15534, WO99/42467, (equivalent to U.S. Ser. No. 09/251,664, filed Feb. 17, 1999).
EXAMPLES
The skilled artisan will appreciate that the invention disclosed herein may be practiced in the absence of any component which has not been specifically disclosed. The following examples are provided as further illustration of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting. Unless stated to the contrary all parts and percentages are expressed on a weight basis. The term “overnight”, if used, refers to a time of approximately 16–18 hours, the term “room temperature”, refers to a temperature of about 20–25° C., and the term “mixed alkanes” refers to a commercially obtained mixture of C 6-9 aliphatic hydrocarbons available under the trade designation Isopar E®, from Exxon Chemicals Inc. In the event the name of a compound herein does not conform to the structural representation thereof, the structural representation shall control.
The synthesis of all metal complexes and the preparation of all screening experiments were carried out in a dry nitrogen atmosphere using dry box techniques. All solvents used were BPLC grade and were dried and deoxygenated before their use.
Example 1
A metal complex was prepared according to the following reaction scheme:
To a flask fitted with a condenser column packed with dried alumina in a glovebox was added 100 ml of xylene and 16.25 g (0.029 mol) of (1). Hafnium tetrakis(dimethylamide) (12.12 g, 0.034 mol) suspended in 20 ml xylene was added. The resulting suspension was heated to reflux and maintained in that condition for 4 hours. The mixture was then devolatilized leaving 34 g of crude product. To this material 50 g of pentane was added and stirred overnight. The resulting mixture was filtered and the solids washed twice with 12 ml of pentane. The resulting solid was dried under dynamic vacuum yielding 21.3 g of the desired diamide complex as a pale yellow solid.
Catalytic activity was confirmed by polymerization of 450 g of propylene monomer in 500 ml hexane in a 2 L polymerization reactor at 90° C. using 1.0 μmole of catalyst and a hexane solution of methyldi(octadecylammoniurn)tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)borate cocatalyst in 1:1 B:Hf molar ratio. | A process for the preparation of a Group 4 metal amide complex comprising a monovalent or divalent Lewis base ligand the steps of the process comprising contacting a Group 4 metal amide with a neutral source of a monovalent or divalent, Lewis base ligand group and a solid Lewis acid scavenging agent under amine elimination conditions to form a Group 4 metal amide complex containing at least one less amide group per metal moiety than the initial Group 4 metal amide. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to tilt limit detecting apparatus in general and more particularly to an improved tilt limit detector which is capable of withstanding higher degrees of shock and vibration.
A tilt limit detecting apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,556 in which a bubble level contains a prescribed amount of opaque fluid and a photo detector arrangement transverse to the longitudinal axis is provided to sense bubble movement in response to tilting of the device. The photo detector arrangement includes a pair of light source-photo cells combinations, the first of which is normally positioned at the center of the bubble in the level position with the second combination spaced the distance y from the first such that the distance y is less than the bubble length x. The opaque fluid acts as a shutter interposed between the light source-photocell combinations so that with the connection of suitable electronic circuitry to the photocells angular tilts in excess of the allowable limit which generally equals x/2 in radians are detected as well as the particular direction, clockwise or counterclockwise identified.
Although this device works well in some applications it suffers from a number of deficiencies. Since its principle of operation is based on bubble size i.e., the bubble length must be larger than the light source-photocell combination spacing, it is unsuitable for a switch with a great length of bubble travel, large tilt switching angles and consequently for a switch to endure environmental adversities. During shock and vibration the deformation of the bubble and its switching travel length are closely related. Thus, the switch disclosed in the aforementioned patent is not recommended for dynamically affected vehicles, platforms or devices. The described switch was designed primarily for a static condition.
In view of these deficiencies of the prior art device the need for an improved tilt limit detecting apparatus of this nature which is capable of operating with great lengths of bubble travel and is not susceptible to shock and vibration becomes evident.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides such a tilt limit detecting apparatus. In accordance with the present invention a long vial filled with an opaque liquid with a bubble formed therein is utilized along with a photo detector arrangement which has a pair of light source-photo transistor combinations one at each vial end. At the level position of the switch the bubble remains in the center position of the vial. The degree of tilt which will result in the bubble moving to a point where it will intersect the light source-photo transistor combination and thus in a sense open the shutter, is a function of vial curvature. This controls the amount of tilt detected along with the amount of bubble movement. Theoretically, in a straight vial the length of travel tends toward infinity after the least amount of tilt. Because a long vial is used and the sensors placed at the ends in an adverse dynamic environment when at the central level position of the bubble, deformation of the bubble cannot reach far enough apart to intersect the light source-photo transistors combination and generate outputs. Similarly, angular deflection caused by a vibration frequency will not cause instantaneous bubble movement toward the vial ends.
In additin to its improved arrangement with respect to the length and placement of the detectors, the present invention provides another improvement which relates to the shape of the vial itself. Typically, in the prior art cylindrical shaped vials have been used. A problem results because of the angle at which the light on the light source-photo detector intersects the glass cylinder. Because of the angle of intersection, refraction through the glass becomes possible and repeatable results cannot always be assured. It must be remembered that the bubble is in the top of the vial and at that point the vial has a large degree of curvature. In accordance with the present invention a vial which does not have as great curvature at the point of intersection of the light from the light source is utilized. Such a vial may be in a square shape, rectangular shape, oval shape or the like. By so shaping the vial, problems and unwanted light being refracted through the vial are avoided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal elevational view of the vial of the tilt limiting detecting apparatus of the present invention.
FIGS. 2a, b, and c are cross sections through the device of FIG. 1 illustrating various shapes which may be used in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the vial of the FIG. 1 illustrating the basic principle upon which the present invention operates.
FIG. 4 is an electrical schematic view illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a similar view illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a similar view illustrating a third possible embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 6 after being encased.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 7 illustrating the physical arrangement of the various elements of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a view illustrating the manner in which adjustment of the device of FIG. 8 may be carried out.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 illustrates an elevation view of the vial of the present invention. As illustrated, it includes a glass vial 11 which is filled with an opaque liquid 13 with enough air left to form a bubble 15. The vial shown is straight, i.e., it has no curvature. As noted above, such a vial, theoretically will result in the bubble 15 moving to infinity with the slightest amount of tilt. Generally, some curvature will be provided, the degree determined by the amount of angle which it is desired to detect. For small angles, the vial can be made with the curvature built in, i.e., it will be straight on the outside but have curved surfaces on the inside. For larger angles the whole vial itself may be curved.
FIGS. 2a, b, and c illustrated various cross sections which may be used for the vial 11 to avoid unwanted refraction through its walls. As illustrated by FIG. 2a the vial may be square or, as illustrated by FIG. 2b rectangular or, as illustrated by FIG. 2c in an oval shape.
FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of the manner in which the detector light paths are arranged. Shown is a vial 11 containing opaque liquid 13 with a bubble 15. In this embodiment the vial is set up to measure tilts of 15° to either side. Typically, the length dimension a would be 80 mm and the height dimension b 8 mm. This assumes the square cross section of FIG. 2a. The light sources and detectors are set up along the paths 19 and 21 respectively so as to intersect the vial at points 23 and 25. The positioning of the light source and photo detectors is carried out so that they accurately detect the desired angle, i.e., 15°.
FIG. 4 illustrates a first embodiment of the vial present invention in combination with a light source-detector arrangement. This arrangement is designed to operate a relay 25 having a relay coil 25a and contacts 25b when the desired tilt is reached. Shown is the vial 11 filled with opaque fluid 13 and bubble 15 as described before. At the lines 19 and 21 of FIG. 3 the light source photo detector arrangements are placed. In the illustrated embodiment, the light sources comprise light emitting diodes 27 and 29 respectively. The light emitting diodes 27 and 29 are supplied with a positive voltage, preferably 25 volts through resistors 31 and 33 respectively. The detectors comprise photo transistors 35 and 37 respectively. The photo transistors have their collectors coupled through respective resistors 39 and 41 to the positive voltage source and have their emitters coupled to the respective bases of amplifier transistors 43 and 45. The transistors 43 and 45 have their emitters grounded and their collectors connected in common to one side of the relay coil 25a, the other side of which is connected to the positive voltage. If the vial 11 is tilted sufficiently to either side, the bubble 15 will move to a position where the light from one of the light emitting diodes 27 or 29 will intersect through the bubble along one of the lines 19 or 21 and fall on the photo transistors 35 or 37 causing it to turn on, and thereby turn on transistor 43 or 45 to operate the relay from which an indication may then be obtained. Also shown on the figure are small lenses 47 associated with each of the light emitting diodes and photo transistors.
FIG. 5 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention in which the final output is obtained from a light emitting diode 51 in this embodiment the transistors 43 and 45 are eliminated as is the relay 25. The emitters of the transistors 35 and 37 are connected directly to the light emitting diode 51. In other respects the circuit is the same although, it should be noted, it can be driven with a much lower voltage, e.g., 3 volts. A further embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by FIG. 6 which is almost identifical to FIG. 4 except that the collectors of the transistors 43 and 45 are connected to indicator lights 61 and 63 respectively having their other terminal connected to the positive voltage and indicating respectively left tilt and right tilt.
FIG. 7 illustrates in perspective view apparatus such as that of FIG. 6 encased. The device has four terminals 62, 64, 65 and 67 corresponding to the same terminal numbers on FIG. 6. The arrangement of FIG. 4 may be obtained simply by connecting the terminal 67 and 65 together and to an appropriate output device, e.g., a relay. With the emboidment of FIG. 5, only one terminal in addition to the power terminals need be provided for the light emitting diode. Typical dimensions for the device of FIG. 7 include a base 69 having a width of approximately 0.875 inches [22.3 mm] and length of 2.25 inches [57.2 mm]. The overall height including the base and the cover 71 enclosing the vial and electronics can typically be 0.875 inches [22.3 mm]. Instead of the type terminals shown, a locking clip type connector may be provided. The base 69 includes on each side a mounting hole 73 so that it may be bolted into place.
FIG. 8 illustrated a plan view of the inside of the arrangement of FIG. 7. Mounted to the base 69 is a holder 75 for the vial 11. the vial is held in place in blocks 77, one being disposed at each end. The blocks contain cut outs for receiving the light emitting diodes 27 and 29 and photo transistors 35 and 37 respectively. Preferably, the blocks are made with threaded holes in their bottom and are secured in place by bolting from the bottom of the member 75 through slotted holes permitting alignment. The light emitting diodes and photo transistors, since they are contained within the block 77 cannot be seen on this figure. However, the transistors 43 and 45 are visible as are the resistors 31, 33, 39 and 41. During construction, the blocks 77 with their components are put in place, the vial placed in the cradle they form. Thereafter, the necessary wiring is carried out and the assembly, without the base 69 put on a test jig where known tilts can be established. The blocks 77 are then adjusted and tightened down so as to obtain an output at the desired angle of tilt whereafter epoxy 79 is used to insure everything stays in place. Thereafter, the cover 71 is placed on the device. This can be more clearly seen from the elevation view of FIG. 9, the blocks 77 form a cradle for the vial 11 an contain in opposite sides thereof [not shown] the respective light sources and photo transistors. The block 77 contain threaded holes 79 and the base 75 contains slotted holes 81 permitting bolts 83 to be inserted therethrough and the member 77 position back and forth on the test jig until the axes 19 and 21 established through the bubble 15 at the desired angle of tilt. Preferably, a threaded hole will be provided on each side thereby permitting adjustment both rotationally and longitudinally to obtain proper alignment.
Particularly when using a square or rectangular vial 11, it is possible to make the base 69 and blocks 77 in one piece and simply expoxy the vial 11 into place properly aligned with the base i.e., so as to be level. This substantially reduces cost without degrading performance appreciably. | A tilt limit detecting apparatus which includes an elongated vial containing an opaque liquid with a bubble therein and light source-photo transistor pairs at each end aligned to intersect the bubble when the vial is tilted and in which the vial has a cross section which results in the optical axes between the light sources and photo transistors intersecting the vial at an angle which at least approaches 90°. | 6 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/684,551, entitled “Peer-to-Peer Data Synchronization Architecture,” and filed on Mar. 9, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present invention relates to data synchronization, and more specifically, to synchronizing data between or among multiple devices in a peer-to-peer environment.
[0003] Handheld devices and portable computers are becoming increasingly more powerful and functional devices. Many handheld devices are now multifunction devices with multiple device roles including: personal digital assistant (PDA), cellular phone, portable media player, voice recorder, video recorder, global positioning system (GPS), camera, and electronic file storage. Similarly, portable computers now have increased functionality and mobility. Because of these improvements in handheld devices and portable computers, data is commonly shared among multiple handheld devices and portable computers, with multiple devices accessing and modifying shared data files.
[0004] Additionally, advances in wireless Internet coverage and in wireless network capabilities made a broad range of data (such as electronic files, image files, audio files and video files) accessible to mobile communication devices, laptop computers, and other types of portable communication systems. Network improvements have also allowed electronic data to be accessed and modified from virtually any location. This combination of improved wireless network access and improved portable device functionality has caused users increasingly to access and modify electronic data from multiple, often widely separated, locations using multiple different portable devices.
[0005] Because multiple devices can access and modify the same data, the different data modifications should be synchronized to ensure the each device accesses the most recent version of the data. For example, a user may use one portable device to edit an electronic document in one location, and later use a different portable device to access the same electronic document from a different location. Synchronization ensures that the electronic document accessed by the second portable device includes the modifications made using the first portable device. Synchronization is also used where a multiple users can access and modify the same data from multiple devices in various locations, requiring the data to be synchronized among the multiple devices.
[0006] Existing methods for data synchronization require the data modifications to be transmitted to a central server. The central server then transmits the modifications to other devices. To synchronize data, the devices must remain connected to the centralized server. When the centralized server is unavailable, modifications to data stored on each device cannot be transmitted to other devices. Thus, data cannot be synchronized between multiple devices when the server is unavailable.
[0007] Therefore, there is a need for a method to synchronizing data between or among peer devices without requiring a centralized server to update the data.
SUMMARY
[0008] Various embodiments of the invention allow data to be synchronized between or among multiple devices in a peer-to-peer environment, without the need for a centralized system that keeps track of the shared data. To enable the peer-to-peer synchronization, each device in the peer network keeps track of the changes it makes to any shared data files and also keeps track of its own knowledge of the changes made by other devices. When two or more peer devices are able to communicate, they share with each other their information about any changes made by them or by other devices to the data. In this way, devices in a peer network can achieve synchronization, and changes made on one peer device can be propagated onto other peer devices without requiring direct communication between the devices.
[0009] In one embodiment, when a change is made with respect to a shared data file on a particular device, the device logs the change according to a change identifier. The change identifier may include a unique identifier associated with the change, a unique identifier associated with the changed data, and a unique identifier associated with the device that made the change. Additionally, the change identifier may include a priority level for the change, which is used for conflict resolution by the devices. The change identifiers may be stored on each device in a change log. Because the change identifiers track the changes that have been made to the shared data files on each device, they allow the peer devices to maintain synchronization without the need for a central system that keeps track of the shared data files.
[0010] Upon a communication between two or more peer devices in the peer network, the peer devices share their knowledge about the changes made to the shared data. In one embodiment, to synchronize the shared data upon establishment of a data connection between two peer devices, each device sends to the other its most recent change according to the device table. In response, the other device determines what change identifiers to send back, and then sends those. After receiving the changes from the other device, each device then stores the changes, updates its own device table, and then implements the changes that it determines are necessary. In one embodiment, the devices implement a policy or algorithm to resolve any conflicts in the changes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The disclosed embodiments have other advantages and features, which will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description and the appended claims, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an architecture of the system, according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a high-level block diagram of a device, according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0014] FIG. 3 is an example of a table associating changes with a device, according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0015] FIG. 4 is an example of a log recording the changes made on a device, according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of adding data to local device, according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of modifying data stored on a device, according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of deleting data stored on a device, according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0019] FIG. 8 is a trace diagram illustrating data synchronization between two devices, according to one embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Embodiments of the invention allow shared data stored on multiple devices to be synchronized between or among the devices. When the shared data are modified on one device, for example, a change identifier is generated that describes the data modifications, the device modifying the data, and the number of modifications to the data. The change identifier is transmitted to one or more other devices, which can use the change identifier to update their locally stored data according the modifications described by the change identifier and thereby synchronize the shared data that was modified on one device. Rather than transmitting the changes to a central server, each device transmits a change identifier directly to other devices, which can use the change identifier to locally reproduce the described changes. Because the change identifiers are transmitted from device to device, fewer resources are necessary to synchronize shared data stored on multiple devices.
System Architecture
[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a system 100 for synchronizing data between devices. For purposes of illustration, FIG. 1 shows the system 100 comprising three devices: device A 110 A, device B 110 B, and device C 110 C; however, the system 100 may include any number of devices. Device A 110 A, device B 110 B, and device C 110 C are remote from each other in the sense that they are not integrated with each other, but each device may be physically located anywhere with respect to the other devices (e.g., in the same room in a house and communicating over a Bluetooth connection, or across the world and communicating via the Internet). In an embodiment, the system 100 further comprises a network 130 and a remote server 120 . Network 130 allows device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C to communicate with each other. Alternatively, device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C may directly communicate with each other. In one embodiment, the system 100 further comprises a remote server 120 used to allow device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C to locate each other.
[0022] Devices A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C may each include computing capabilities and data communication capabilities. For example, device A 110 , device B 110 B and device C 110 C may each be a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a portable digital assistant (PDA), a smartphone, or any device able to transmit and receive data and perform actions on data. In one embodiment, one or more of device A 110 , device B 110 B and device C 110 C comprises a desktop computer with data communication capabilities. In another embodiment, one or more of device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C comprises a mobile communication device that is structured to fit, and be controlled from, the palm of a hand while providing computing capabilities with wireless communication capabilities. Further embodiments of device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C are described in more detail below.
[0023] Further, device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C each include data storage capabilities for storing data shared between each other. The shared item of data may comprise one or more data files, such as electronic documents, graphical images, audio files, video files, e-mails, and/or any other electronic representations of information. When data are shared, each of device A 110 , device B 110 B and/or device C 110 C using the shared data stores local copies of the shared data. Because the shared data are stored on multiple devices, the shared data stored on device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C need to be synchronized so each device has a current version of the shared data.
[0024] The remote server 120 contains information that can be used to identify and access device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C and other devices connected to a network 130 , such as Internet protocol (IP) addresses, or similar network addresses. In an embodiment, the remote server 120 stores this identification information, and device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C access the remote server 120 to determine the identification information of each other. This allows device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C to find additional devices using the remote server. Alternatively, device Al 10 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C may locally store and maintain information capable of identifying each other and enabling direct communication and data access between or among the devices in a peer-to-peer configuration.
[0025] In an embodiment, the network 130 is used to transmit information between device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C. In one embodiment, the network 130 enables device A 110 A, device B 110 B, device C 110 C and the remote server 120 to communicate with each other. The network 130 may comprise a conventional wireless data communication system, for example, general packet radio service (GPRS), IEEE 802.11 (or WiFi), IEEE 802.16 (or WiMax), Bluetooth, or any other suitable wireless communication system. Alternatively, the network 130 may comprise a conventional wired data communication system, such as Ethernet, digital subscriber line (DSL), integrated services digital network (ISDN), or any other suitable wired communication system.
[0026] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of a device 110 , such as device A 110 A, according to an embodiment. Other devices, such as device B 110 B and device C 110 C may be implemented with the same or a similar structure. Those of skill in the art will recognize that other embodiments can include different and/or additional features and/or components than the ones described here.
[0027] Device A 110 A comprises an application 210 , a data store 230 , a synchronization module 230 , a communication module 240 , a change store 250 and a device-change table 260 . The application 210 allows a user to access and modify a data file on the device 110 . Local device 110 may also include a visual display device, such as a liquid crystal display or cathode ray tube display, allowing the application 210 to present information to the user. Further, local device 110 may include an input device, such as a keyboard, a digitizer pad, a “touch” sensitive display (e.g., pressure-sensitive (resistive), electrically-sensitive (capacitance), acoustically-sensitive (SAW, or surface acoustic wave), or photo-sensitive (infra-red)) that allows the application 210 to receive input from the user.
[0028] The application 210 allows a user to access and modify data files that are stored in the data store 220 . Alternatively, the application 210 may use and modify data files without any direct user input. The application 210 may present information to the user and receive input from a user. Alternatively, the application 210 may generate metadata, for storage or transmission, describing the contents of the data store 220 accessed or modified by a user. Typically, the device 110 will contain a number of different applications 210 that each perform different functions (such as word processors, email clients, and various types of computer software for viewing and manipulating media), but for simplicity, an embodiment with a single application 210 is described herein.
[0029] The data store 220 stores data for use by the local device 110 . The stored data can be received from the remote device 115 or the remote server 120 , or the stored data can be locally generated by a user of device 110 . The data store 220 can be a hard disk drive, a flash memory device, or some other suitable mass storage device. Further, the data store 220 can be a volatile storage device, a non-volatile storage device, or a combination of a nonvolatile storage device and a volatile storage device.
[0030] The data store 220 may include shared data item 225 corresponding to data stored on device A 110 A and another device, such as device B 110 B or device C 110 C. Each device 110 using the shared item 225 stores a local copy of the shared item 225 . The shared item 225 may comprise textual data, graphical data, video data, audio data, multimedia content, or any other information capable of being represented electronically. When a user modifies the shared item 225 on device A 110 A, the copies of the shared item 225 stored on device B 110 B and device C 110 C need to be modified accordingly so each device accesses the same version of the shared item 225 .
[0031] The synchronization module 230 enables the copies of the shared item 225 stored on device A 110 A, device B 110 B and/or device C 110 C to be synchronized. The synchronization module 230 receives information describing changes to the shared item 225 by the device A 110 A or device B 110 B or device C 110 C. Additionally, the synchronization module is used to generate information describing changes to the shared item 225 made by device A 110 A, or a user of device A 110 A. In an embodiment, the synchronization module 230 applies a hash function to the shared item 225 to generate a value describing the contents of the shared file 225 . The synchronization module 230 also can extract the contents of the shared file 225 from received data. For example, the synchronization module 230 applies an inverse hash function to a received data to determine the data associated with the received value.
[0032] In response to receiving a change description, the synchronization module 230 determines whether or not to modify the local copy of the shared item 225 . In an embodiment, the synchronization module 230 applies locally-stored conflict resolution rules to determine how to modify the shared item 225 . Alternatively, the synchronization module 230 may receive conflict resolution rules from another source and use the received rules to determine how to modify the shared item 225 . In an embodiment, the synchronization module 230 may be a software module configured to run on a general purpose processor in the device 110 . Alternatively, the synchronization module 230 may be implemented using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or other suitable data-processing device.
[0033] The change store 250 stores the changes made to the shared item 225 . The changes may be made by a user of device A 110 A or by user of device B 110 B or device C 110 C and received by the communication module 240 of device A 110 A. The change store 250 can be a hard disk drive, a flash memory device, or some other suitable mass storage device. Further, the change store 250 can be a volatile storage device, a non-volatile storage device, or a combination of a nonvolatile storage device and a volatile storage device. In an embodiment, the change store 250 comprises a portion of the data store 220 configured to store data corresponding to modifications of the shared file 225 . Alternatively, the change store 250 may comprise a separate storage device. An example structure of the change store 250 is further described below in conjunction with FIG. 3 .
[0034] The device-change table 260 stores information associating changes to the shared item 225 with the device making the changes. For example, if a user of device B 110 B modifies the shared item 225 , the device-change table 260 stores data associating the specified change with device B 110 B. In an embodiment, the device-change 260 database comprises a portion of the data store 220 configured to store data associating shared item 225 changes with the device 110 A, 110 B, 110 C making the changes. Alternatively, the device-change table 260 may comprise a portion of the change store 250 configured to associate changes to the shared item 225 with the devices 110 , 110 B, 110 C making the change. In yet another embodiment, the device-change 260 database comprises a separate storage device. An example configuration of the device-change table 260 is further described below in conjunction with FIG. 4 .
[0035] The communication module 240 enables device A 110 A to communicate with network 130 , device B 110 B, device C 110 C and/or remote servers 120 . In an embodiment, the communication module 240 comprises a transceiver such as for infrared communication, Bluetooth communication, 3G communication, radio frequency communication, or any other wireless communication technique. In an alternative embodiment, the communication module 240 comprises a conventional wired connection, such as Ethernet, USB, etc. or other wired communication technique. Alternatively, the communication module 240 comprises both a wired connection and a transceiver. The communication module 240 allows data files and/or information to be distributed using network protocols, such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), Internet Protocol (IP), Hypertext Transmission Protocol (HTTP), or other protocols capable of communicating data or information.
[0036] FIG. 3 is an example implementation of a change store 250 recording changes to a shared item 225 , according to one embodiment of the invention. In the example of FIG. 3 , for purposes of illustration, the change store 250 is depicted as including a change number 310 and a change identifier 320 . In other embodiments, different and/or additional information may be included in the change store 250 .
[0037] The change number 310 comprises data describing the order in which changes are made to the shared item 225 . For example, the change number 310 may comprise a numeric counter that is incremented each time the shared item 225 is modified, so that the most recent changes correspond to higher values of the numeric counter. However, the change number 310 may use any format capable of identifying the order in which modification are made to the shared file 225 .
[0038] The object identifier 320 uniquely identifies the modification of the shared item 225 . While the change number 310 determines the sequence in which the shared file 225 is changed, the object description 320 describes the changed shared item 225 and the changes to the shared item 225 . In an embodiment, the object identifier 320 comprises the result of a hash function applied to the contents of the shared item 225 . As the contents of the shared file 225 are modified, the result of the hash function changes, so that the hash function describes the changed shared item 225 . When the object identifier 320 is produced using a hash function, the same hash function may be used by device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C to simplify determination of the shared file 225 modification. Alternatively, the object identifier 320 may comprise the shared item 225 , metadata describing the changes and the shared item 225 , instructions describing how to change a locally stored copy of the shared item 225 , or any other data capable of describing the shared item and associated changes.
[0039] FIG. 4 is an example of a device-change table 260 associating changes with devices, such as device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C, according to one embodiment of the invention. In the example of FIG. 4 , the device-change table 260 is shown as including a device identifier 410 and a change number 310 . In other embodiments, different and/or additional information may be included in the device-change table 260 .
[0040] The device identifier 410 indicates which device, such as device A 110 A device B 110 B or device C 110 C changes the shared item 225 . In one embodiment, the device identifier 410 comprises an alpha-numeric value uniquely identifying each device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C. For example, device A 110 A, device b 110 B and device C 110 C may each be assigned a unique alphanumeric string identifier. Alternatively, the device identifier 410 may comprise a network address or a serial number for each of device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C. The above descriptions are merely examples and the device identifier 410 may comprise any data that uniquely identifies each device.
[0041] The device-change table 260 associates each change number 310 with a device identifier 410 , indicating which of device A 110 A, device B 110 B or device C 110 C made each change to the shared item 225 . In one embodiment, the device-change table 260 also includes the change description 360 . In an embodiment, the device-change table 260 and the change log 250 may be combined into a single storage system associating a change number 310 with a device identifier 410 and an object identifier 360 .
[0042] As a shared item 225 may be changed in different ways, for example by being created or added, by being modified or by being deleted, data stored by device A 110 A allows device B 110 B and device C 110 C to determine how to change the shared item 225 . The combination of object identifier 360 and change number 310 allows other device B 110 B and device C 110 C to determine the necessary changes, and the order in which to make the changes so the locally stored copies of the shared item 225 are synchronized with device A 110 A.
System Operation
[0043] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of adding a shared data item 225 to a device, such as device A 110 A, according to one embodiment of the invention. Those of skill in the art will recognize that other embodiments can perform the steps of FIG. 5 in different orders. Moreover, other embodiments can include different and/or additional steps than the ones described here.
[0044] Initially, a shared data item 225 , or other shared data, is added 510 to the data store 220 on device A 110 A. In an embodiment, a user may create a new shared data item 225 . Alternatively, a user may indicate that an existing data item is to be shared between or among multiple device A 110 A, device B 110 B and device C 110 C, for example, moving a data item into a shared folder or setting a field or flag associated with the data item. In yet another embodiment, the shared data item 225 is added 510 responsive to software running on device A 110 A, such as an automatically generated log file. An object identifier is then generated 520 on device A 110 A.
[0045] The object identifier 320 uniquely identifies the shared item 225 . In an embodiment, the object identifier 320 describes the contents of the shared item 225 . For example, the synchronization module 230 applies a hash function to the added 510 shared item 225 to produce an object identifier 320 describing the contents of the shared item 225 . However, the object identifier 320 may comprise any information capable of uniquely describing the contents and/or identity of the shared item 225 . Device B 110 B and/or device C 110 C can then use the object identifier 320 to identify the added 510 shared item 225 and create a local copy of the shared item 225 .
[0046] The generated 520 object identifier 320 is then used to generate 530 a change identifier identifying the changes made to the shared item 225 ; thus, the change identifier indicates that the data identified by the object identifier 320 is now shared between or among device A 110 A, device B 110 B and/or device C 110 C. In an embodiment, the change identifier is generated 520 by associating the object identifier 320 with a device identifier 410 indicating which of device A 110 A, device B 110 B or device C 110 C added 510 the shared data item 225 . In an embodiment, the change identifier further associates the object identifier 320 with a change number 310 describing the order in which the shared item 320 is changed. This object identifier 320 and change number 310 pair is then stored 540 in the change log 250 . The device identifier 410 and associated change number 310 is then stored 540 in the device-change table 260 . Alternatively, the object identifier 320 , device identifier 410 and change number 310 are stored 540 together in the change log 250 , or other suitable storage location.
[0047] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of modifying a shared data item 225 stored on a device, such as device A 110 A according to one embodiment of the invention. Those of skill in the art will recognize that other embodiments can perform the steps of FIG. 6 in different orders. Moreover, other embodiments can include different and/or additional steps than the ones described here.
[0048] Initially, the shared item 225 is modified 610 on a device 110 A. In an embodiment, the data modification 610 is responsive to user actions. Alternatively, the modification 610 may be responsive to actions performed by software running on the local device 110 . Examples of data modification 610 include rotating an image, resizing an image, cropping an image, editing an electronic document, and a variety of other actions altering characteristics or contents of the shared item 225 . An object identifier 320 identifying the modified 610 shared item 225 is then determined 620 . When the shared item 225 already exists, the existing object identifier 320 is used to identify the shared item 225 . In an embodiment, determining 620 the object identifier 320 comprises applying a hash function to the shared item 225 , which creates a new object identifier 320 as the contents of the shared item 225 change.
[0049] The change identifier indicating the modifications is then generated 630 and associated with the determined 620 object identifier 320 . Hence, the change identifier describes the modifications to the shared item 225 , such as that the data identified by the object identifier 320 is shared between or among devices 110 A, 110 B, 110 C. In an embodiment, the change identifier associates the generated 620 object identifier 320 with a device identifier 410 identifying the device 110 A, 110 B, 110 C making the modification. Alternatively, the change identifier further associates a change number 310 with the object identifier 320 . The object identifier 320 and change number 310 pair is then stored 640 in the change log 250 . The device identifier 410 associated with the change number 310 is then stored 640 in the device-change table 260 . In another embodiment, generating 630 the change identifier comprises associating the object identifier 320 with a corresponding change number 310 and a device identifier 410 and storing 640 this group of data in the change log 250 , or other storage location.
[0050] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of deleting a shared data file 225 stored on a device 110 A, 110 B, 110 C according to one embodiment of the invention. Those of skill in the art will recognize that other embodiments can perform the steps of FIG. 7 in different orders. Moreover, other embodiments can include different and/or additional steps than the ones described here.
[0051] Initially, a shared data item 225 is deleted 710 . In one embodiment, deleting 710 the shared item 225 comprises removing the shared item 225 from the data store 220 . The removal may be temporary, such as moving the shared item 225 to a removable storage device or to a portion of data store 230 that is not shared or erasing the shared item 225 , or permanent. Alternatively, deleting 710 the shared item 225 comprises indicating the shared item 225 is no longer shared between or among devices 110 B, 110 C. An object identifier 320 uniquely identifying the deleted 710 shared item 225 is then generated 720 . When the shared item 225 already exists, the existing object identifier 320 is used to identify the shared item 225 . In an embodiment, determining 720 the object identifier 320 comprises applying a hash function to the shared item 225 , creating a new object identifier 320 based on the contents of the shared item 225 change.
[0052] The generated 720 object identifier 320 is then used to generate 730 a change identifier identifying the shared item 225 and indicating that the shared item 225 has been deleted 710 . Thus, the change identifier indicates that the local copies of the shared item 225 identified by the object identifier 320 stored on device B 110 B and/or device C 110 C are to be deleted to synchronize shared item 225 . In an embodiment, the change identifier is generated 730 by associating the generated 720 object identifier 320 with a device number 410 identifying which device, such as device A 110 A, device B 110 B or device C 110 C deleted 710 a local copy of the shared item 225 . This object identifier 320 and device identifier 410 pair is then stored 740 in the device-change table 260 . Alternatively, a corresponding change number 310 is associated with the object identifier 320 and the object identifier 320 -change number 310 pair is stored 740 in the change table 250 . Alternatively, generating 730 the change identifier comprises associating the object identifier 320 with a corresponding change number 310 and a device identifier 410 . This group of data is then stored 740 in the change log 250 , or other storage location.
[0053] Although the shared item 225 is deleted 710 , the generated 730 change identifier is stored 740 . This allows other device B 110 B and/or device C 110 C to synchronize data with device A 110 A by using the change identifier to identify the shared item 225 deleted 710 by device A 110 A. For example, a laptop user may delete 710 an electronic document that is also shared with the user's mobile communication device and desktop computer. The change identifier identifying the electronic document remains stored 740 in the laptop after the electronic document is deleted 710 . When the mobile communication device and desktop computer connect with the laptop computer, each device uses the stored 740 change identifier identify the electronic document and to delete copies of the electronic document stored on the mobile communication device and desktop computer, thus synchronizing the shared data between the laptop computer, desktop computer and mobile communication device.
[0054] FIG. 8 is a trace diagram illustrating data synchronization between device A 110 A and device B 110 B, according to one embodiment of the invention. Those of skill in the art will recognize that other embodiments can perform the steps of FIG. 8 in different orders. Moreover, other embodiments can include different and/or additional steps than the ones described here. For purposes of illustration, FIG. 8 shows data synchronization between device A 110 A and device B 110 B, but data may be synchronized between any number of devices.
[0055] Initially, device A 110 A and device B 110 B establish 810 a connection with each other. The connection may be established using a wireless connection (e.g. Bluetooth, 802.11a/b/g, or other suitable wireless connection) or a wired connection (e.g. Ethernet, USB, Firewire, or other suitable wired connection). Either device A 110 A or device B 110 B may establish 810 the connection so long as device A 110 A and device B 110 B can communicate with each other.
[0056] After establishing 810 the connection, device A 110 A sends 820 the change identifiers describing the most recent changes to the shared item 225 to device B 110 B. In an embodiment, device A 110 A sends 820 the change numbers from the device-change table 260 to device B 110 B. This provides device B 110 B with the current status of the shared item 225 on device A 110 A. By sending the contents of the device-change table 260 , device A 110 A transmits a listing of the changes made to the shared item 225 made by device A 110 A, regardless of whether the change originated at device A 110 A or another device.
[0057] After receiving the change numbers or change identifiers, device B 110 B determines 825 the changes needed by device A 110 A. In determining 825 the necessary changes, device B 110 B examines its local change store 250 to determine 825 if there are any stored changes more recent than those received from device A 110 A. As a result of the determination 825 , device B 110 B sends 830 the appropriate changes to device A 110 A. The changes sent 830 to device A 110 A can originate with any device, provided device B 110 B has stored information about the changes in its device-change table 260 . In an embodiment, device B 110 B sends 830 the locally stored changes that are more recent than change numbers received from device A 110 A. Although described above with regard to time of changes, the determination 825 and sending 830 can be based on different criteria, such as changes made by a particular device, changes with a specified priority level, or any other suitable characteristic of the change.
[0058] Device B 110 B then sends 835 the change identifiers describing the most recent changes to the shared item 225 to device A 110 A. In an embodiment, device B 110 B sends 835 the change numbers from the device-change table 260 to device A 110 to describe the most recent changes to the shared item 225 known to device B 110 B, including changes made by other devices and communicated to device B 110 B. After receiving the change numbers or change identifiers, device A 110 A determines 840 the changes needed by device B 110 B. In determining 840 the necessary changes, device A 110 A examines its local change store 250 to determine 840 if there are any stored changes more recent than those received from device B 110 B. As a result of the determination 840 , device A 110 A sends 845 the appropriate changes to device B 110 B. The changes sent 830 to device B 110 B can originate with any device, provided device A 110 A has stored information about the changes in its device-change table 260 . In an embodiment, device B 110 B sends 830 the locally stored changes that are more recent than change numbers received from device A 110 A. Although described above with regard to time of changes, multiple criteria can be used for the determination 840 and sending 845 , such as changes made by a particular device, changes with a specified priority level, or any other suitable characteristic of the change.
[0059] Device A 110 A then locally stores 850 the received change identifiers in a local change table 250 . This allows the change table 250 of device A 110 A 110 B to contain most recent changes to shared data item 225 , even if the most recent changes were initially communicated to device B 110 B but not to device A 110 A.
[0060] After storing 850 the change identifier received from device B 110 B, device A 110 changes 860 the shared data item 225 corresponding to the received change identifiers. During changing 860 , device A 110 A determines whether or not the changes described by the received change identifier should be made to the locally-stored shared item 225 . For example, device A 110 A may apply a predetermined set of conflict resolution rules to the received change identifier to determine the order in which to apply the received changes to the local copy of the shared item 225 . Various conflict resolution schemes may be implemented, such as recording timestamps of changes made, assigning priority to changes from certain devices, or any other suitable conflict resolution scheme. Alternatively, the change identifier may include information indicating the priority of the described change or other information indicating how the changes should be made to the shared item 225 .
[0061] After changing 860 the local copy of the shared item 225 , device A 110 A updates 870 the local device-change table 260 to reflect the current changes. As the device-change table 260 maintains a record of what device initiated the changes to the shared item 225 , it is updated to reflect the changes sent 830 by device B 110 B. This updating 870 enables the device-change table 260 to indicate changes to the shared item 225 recently made by device A 110 A, which allows other devices accessing device A 110 A to determine which changes have been most recently made.
[0062] Similarly, device B 110 B locally stores 855 the change numbers or identifiers received from device A 110 A so its local change table 250 contains the most recent changes to the shared item 225 . Device B 110 B then changes 865 the local copy of the shared item 225 according to the received change numbers or identifiers. During changing 865 , device B 110 B determines whether or not the changes described by the received change identifier should be made to the locally-stored shared item 225 by applying a predetermined set of conflict resolution rules (e.g. examining the timestamps of the received changes, the device making the change, examining a priority level included in the change identifier, etc.) to the received change identifier. In an embodiment, the conflict resolution rules determine the order in which the received changes are applied to the local copy of the shared item.
[0063] After changing 865 the local copy of the shared item 225 , device B 110 B updates 875 the local device-change table 260 to reflect the changes sent 845 by device A 110 A. This updating 875 allows other devices accessing device B 110 B to ascertain the most recent changes to the shared item 225 .
[0064] Thus, device A 110 A and device B 110 B exchange change numbers or change identifiers indicating the current changes to the shared item 225 on both devices 110 A, 110 B. Each device 110 A, 110 B then determines whether the other device 110 B, 110 A needs to receive more recent change numbers or change identifiers and sends the more recent change numbers or change identifiers to the other device. Each device 110 A, 110 B then stores the received change identifiers or numbers, determines whether or not to change the data responsive to the received change identifiers or change numbers and updates the local device-change table 260 to reflect the implemented changes
SUMMARY
[0065] Some portions of above description describe the embodiments of the invention in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are commonly used by those skilled in the data processing arts to convey the substance of their work effectively to others skilled in the art. These operations, while described functionally, computationally, or logically, are understood to be implemented by computer programs or equivalent electrical circuits, microcode, or the like. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times, to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules, without loss of generality. The described operations and their associated modules may be embodied in software, firmware, hardware, or any combinations thereof.
[0066] In addition, the terms used to describe various quantities, data values, and computations are understood to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “determining” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system or similar electronic computing device, which manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission, or display devices.
[0067] Embodiments of the invention may also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general-purpose computing device selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus. Furthermore, the computers referred to in the specification may include a single processor or may be architectures employing multiple processor designs for increased computing capability.
[0068] Embodiments of the invention may also relate to a computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave, where the computer data signal includes any embodiment of a computer program product or other data combination described herein. The computer data signal is a product that is presented in a tangible medium and modulated or otherwise encoded in a carrier wave transmitted according to any suitable transmission method.
[0069] The algorithms and displays presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer or other apparatus. Various general-purpose systems may also be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these systems will appear from the description above. In addition, embodiments of the invention are not described with reference to any particular programming language. It is appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement various embodiments of the invention as described herein, and any references to specific languages are provided for disclosure of enablement and best mode of embodiments of the invention.
[0070] Finally, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. Accordingly, the disclosure of the embodiments of the invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims. | To enable the peer-to-peer synchronization among multiple devices, each device in the peer network keeps track of the changes it makes to any shared data and also keeps track of its own knowledge of the changes made by other devices. When two or more peer devices communicate, they share with each other their information about any changes made to the shared data by them or by other devices. This allows the devices to synchronize with each other to the extent that each of the devices knows what changes have been made by it or by other devices in the peer network. | 6 |
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 60/471128, filed May 16, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The field of the invention is remote source lighting.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Remote source lighting systems and methods such as the use of fiber optic and/or prism guides to transmit light are known and provide numerous advantages over more traditional lighting systems and methods. However, known remote source lighting apparatus and methods can still be improved to better achieve such advantages. As such, there is a continuing need for improvements to remote source lighting apparatus and methods.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention is directed to transparent or translucent rod assemblies comprising one or more optical fiber cores and possibly one or more illuminators, as well as methods for making and using such assemblies. For simplicity, the invention will be described using the term “transparent” in place of “transparent or translucent”.
[0005] In some instances rod assemblies comprising a transparent rod with a optical fiber core will be formed by providing a hollow-core rod and using the rod as a mold to create in creating an optical fiber core for the assembly.
[0006] Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] [0007]FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a transparent rod assembly comprising an RLS.
[0008] [0008]FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the RLS of FIG. 1A.
[0009] [0009]FIG. 2A is a view of a towel rack comprising an RLS rod assembly.
[0010] [0010]FIG. 2B is a detail view of a bracket portion of the assembly of FIG. 2A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] In FIG. 1A a transparent rod assembly 100 comprising an RLS is shown. Assembly 100 comprises a transparent rod 110 , an optical fiber core 120 , an illuminator 130 , one or more conductors 191 , and a power source 190 . The RLS of assembly 100 is shown removed from the encapsulating rod in FIG. 1B. As previously mentioned, the “transparent” rod can be transparent or translucent. Assembly 100 may part of a towel rack, a toilet paper dispenser, or any other apparatus that would benefit from the inclusion of a transparent rod assembly comprising an RLS.
[0012] Rod 110 may comprise any transparent or translucent material or any combination of materials so long as at least some of the light emitted by core 120 will be emitted by rod 110 . In some instances 110 may be structured such that light emitted by core 120 is patterned, color shifted, or otherwise modified prior to being emitted by rod 110 .
[0013] Core 120 may comprise a single optical fiber, a plurality of optical fibers, or some other form of optical wave guide. In less preferred embodiments core 120 may remain hollow except possibly where it is coupled to an illuminator. In some embodiments the core may comprise a gas that facilitates the transmission of light along core 120 and which may modify the light as it is transmitted. Core 120 may be formed by providing a hollow rod 110 and filling rod 110 with an appropriate material. In such instances rod 110 may act as a mold used to shape core 120 . Core 120 may comprise any material or combination of materials suitable for transmitting light along the length of rod 110 .
[0014] Illuminator 130 may be any illuminator suitable for transmitting light into core 120 such that it is emitted by rod 110 . However, it is preferred that illuminator 130 comprise an LED illuminator. In some instances illuminator 130 may comprise a cluster LED such as an RGB cluster LED. Illuminator 130 may also comprise one or more control circuits used to control the illuminator. Illuminator 130 is shown positioned within rod 110 but in alternative embodiments illuminator 130 may be positioned outside of rod 110 , possibly by extending core 120 out of rod 110 prior to coupling an end of the core to the illuminator.
[0015] Power source 190 may be an external power source such as a socket coupled to electrical utility power source or may be an internal power source such as a battery or capacitor. If an external power source, one or more conductors 191 may be used to provide power and possibly control signals to illuminator 130 .
[0016] Assembly 100 may comprise one or more control circuits adapted to facilitate the selection of the color and/or intensity of light to be emitted by assembly 100 .
[0017] In FIGS. 2A and 2B a transparent rod assembly in the form of a towel rack is shown mounted on wall 280 and comprises rod 210 , core 220 , illuminator 230 , and end brackets 240 A and 240 B. As can be seen in FIG. 2B, illuminator 230 is positioned within bracket 240 B. Assembly 200 also comprises a power source (not shown).
[0018] The variations described in regard to assembly 100 of FIG. 1A are equally applicable to assembly 200 . The primary difference between the two assemblies 100 and 200 is the inclusion of end brackets in 200 and the position of the illuminator 230 at least partially outside of rod 210 .
[0019] It is contemplated that it may be particularly advantageous for the power source for the assembly 100 to comprise one or more batteries and/or capacitors positioned within the assembly or an external power source. If an external power source, it is preferred that power be routed into the assembly through bracket 240 B with any conductors and or plugs being hidden by bracket 240 B and/or wall 280 .
[0020] Alternative embodiments may comprise a plurality of cores, illuminators, controllers, and/or power sources in any combination.
[0021] Thus, specific embodiments, applications, and methods relating to remote source lighting systems have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims. Moreover, in interpreting both the specification and the claims, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. | An apparatus having a side emitting fiber encased in a translucent or transparent rod such as a towel rack, curtain rod, or toilet paper dispenser. | 5 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a relay welding detection circuit, and more particularly, to a relay welding detection circuit for detecting the welding of a relay which is used for a charging circuit for charging a battery of, for example, an electric vehicle and a power supply system including the relay welding detection circuit.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A relay circuit for connecting and disconnecting a quick charger to and from a battery connecting junction circuit during charging has been used in a charging circuit of an electric vehicle. A mechanical relay contact (hereinafter, abbreviated to a relay) is used in the relay circuit, and the relay is turned on and off and is welded when a high voltage is applied and a large amount of current flows. A relay welding detection circuit for detecting the welding of the relay has been known (for example, see Patent Literature 1).
[0003] In the related art, when the input-side impedance of the relay welding detection circuit is not a predetermined value (for example, 1 MΩ or less), for example, the problem that a current flows from a quick charger to the welding detection circuit arises. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the input-side impedance of the relay welding detection circuit. In addition, when a detection voltage is insulated and detected, it is necessary to supply driving power to the secondary side.
CITATION LIST
Patent Literature
[0004] PTL 1
[0005] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-310219
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0006] In the relay welding detection circuit according to the related art, power for an insulating device, such as a photocoupler, is ensured from the quick charger. Therefore, the impedance of the relay welding detection circuit is low, and the quick charger determines that to a current flowing to the impedance is a leakage current and does not start charging.
[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a relay welding detection circuit which can have high impedance and a power supply system using the relay welding detection circuit.
Solution to Problem
[0008] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a relay welding detection circuit that is provided in a charging path from an external power supply to an electric storage apparatus, that includes a power supply-side relay and a ground-side relay whose on or of state is independently controllable, and that detects the welding of the relays. The relay welding detection circuit includes: a power supply section that is capable of supplying welding detection power independently from the external power supply; a voltage detection circuit to which almost no current flows from a side of the power supply-side relay close to the external power supply and which controls Whether to supply the welding detection power to the power supply section on the basis of a voltage on the external power supply side of the power supply-side relay; and a control section that independently controls the on or off state of the power supply-side relay and the ground-side relay, that detects the welding of the relays on the basis of whether the voltage detection circuit has supplied the welding detection power, and that is electrically insulated from the voltage detection circuit.
[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a power supply system for an electric vehicle that supplies/cuts off a current to an electric storage apparatus for supplying power to a vehicle driving motor in a charging path from an external power supply to the electric storage apparatus. The power supply system includes: a relay welding detection circuit that includes a power supply-side relay and a ground-side relay whose on or off state is independently controllable and that detects the welding of the relays; a power supply section that is capable of supplying welding detection power independently from the external power supply; a voltage detection circuit to which almost no current flows from a side of the power supply-side relay close to the external power supply and which controls whether to supply the welding detection power to the power supply section on the basis of a voltage on the external power supply side of the power supply-side relay; and a control section that independently controls the on or off state of the power supply-side relay and the ground-side relay that detects the welding of the relays on the basis of whether the voltage detection circuit has supplied the welding detection power, and that is electrically insulated from the voltage detection circuit. The voltage detection circuit is a switch using a transistor. A collector terminal of the transistor is electrically connected to a positive terminal of the power supply section. An emitter terminal of the transistor is electrically connected to a charging path on the external power supply side of the ground-side relay. A base terminal of the transistor is electrically connected to a charging path on the external power supply side of the power supply-side relay. A negative terminal of the power supply section is connected to a negative terminal of the electric storage apparatus.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a relay welding detection circuit which can have high impedance and a power supply system including the relay welding detection circuit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the schematic structure of a power supply system of an electric vehicle according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the process of an operation according to the embodiment.
[0013] FIGS. 3A to 3D are timing charts of the embodiment.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the schematic structure of a power supply system of an electric vehicle according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the process of an operation according to the embodiment.
[0016] FIGS. 6A to 6D are timing charts of the embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0017] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Embodiment 1
[0018] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the schematic structure of a power supply system of an electric vehicle according to Embodiment 1.
[0019] Charging terminal 12 is provided in body 10 of the electric vehicle. Cover 11 is provided in charging terminal 12 . When charging is not performed, cover 11 is closed and charging terminal 12 is shielded from the outside. When charging is performed, cover 11 is opened. During charging, power is supplied from external power supply PW to charging terminal 12 through power supply plug SP.
[0020] A positive (+) terminal of first battery 14 for supplying power to a vehicle driving motor is connected to power supply-side terminal 12 P of charging terminal 12 through power supply-side relay RYP.
[0021] Ground-side terminal 12 N of charging terminal 12 is connected to a negative (−) terminal of the first battery through ground-side relay RYN.
[0022] In addition, a negative terminal of second battery 15 (power supply section) for supplying power to in-vehicle accessories is connected to the negative terminal of first battery 14 .
[0023] A positive terminal of second battery 15 is connected to an anode terminal of photodiode 16 A forming photocoupler 16 and a cathode terminal of photodiode 16 A is connected to a collector terminal of transistor switch 17 .
[0024] An emitter terminal of transistor switch 17 is connected to ground-side terminal I 2 N of charging terminal 12 and a base terminal thereof is connected to power supply-side terminal 12 P (the side of power supply-side relay RYP close to external power supply PW of charging terminal 12 through current-limiting resistor R. A transistor (for example, an FET or a MOS transistor) is used as the switch since the impedance of the terminal for controlling the turning on and off of the switch is very high. That is, the amount of current flowing from the side of power supply-side relay RYP close to external power supply PW to transistor switch 17 (corresponding to a voltage detection circuit) is nearly zero.
[0025] A collector of phototransistor 16 B forming photocoupler 16 is connected to a voltage detection terminal of control section (controller) 18 . An emitter terminal of phototransistor 16 B is connected to the body ground of the vehicle. Control section 18 is electrically insulated from the high voltage side (transistor switch 17 ) by photocoupler 16 .
[0026] Control section 18 forms relay welding determining apparatus 19 that outputs control signal Vryp for controlling the turning an and off of power supply-side relay RYP and control signal Vryn for controlling the turning on and off of ground-side relay RYN.
[0027] Next, an operation according to Embodiment 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the process of a welding detection operation according to Embodiment 1. In the welding detection operation, control section 18 controls power supply-side relay RYP and ground-side relay RYN and determines whether the voltage output from first battery 14 is transmitted to the side of power supply-side relay RYP close to the external power supply PW to detect welding during the control operation. When electric energy is supplied from external power supply PW to first battery 14 , the voltage on the side of power supply-side relay RYP close to external power supply PW is fixed to the voltage supplied from external power supply PW. Therefore, the welding detection operation s performed when no electric energy is supplied from external power supply PW to first battery 14 .
[0028] First, control section 18 performs a control operation of outputting control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn off power supply-side relay RYP (Step S 11 ).
[0029] The expression ‘control operation of turning off power supply-side relay RYP’ is used since it is difficult to turn off power supply-side relay RYP when power supply-side relay RYP is in a welded state.
[0030] FIGS. 3A to 3D are timing charts according to Embodiment 1.
[0031] Control section 18 performs a control operation of outputting control signal Vryn to ground-side relay RYN to turn off ground-side relay RYN (Step S 12 ).
[0032] The expression ‘control operation of turning off ground-side relay RYN’ is used since it is difficult to turn off ground-side relay RYN when ground-side relay RYN is in a welded state.
[0033] Then, control section 18 determines whether a voltage is detected from voltage detection terminal Vde, that is whether a voltage from quick charger QC is detected (Step S 13 ; time t A ).
[0034] When it is determined in Step S 13 that an abnormal voltage is detected from voltage detection terminal Vde (Yes in Step S 13 ), it is determined that power supply-side relay RYP and ground-side relay RYN are welded (Step S 21 ).
[0035] Specifically, it is determined that the relays are welded when the voltage of voltage detection terminal Vde is changed from an “H” level to an “L” level at time t A , as illustrated in the timing chart of FIG. 3B .
[0036] Control section 18 performs a control operation of outputting control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn off power supply-side relay RYP and a control operation of outputting control signal Vryn to ground-side relay RYN to turn off ground-side relay RYN and ends the process (Step S 24 ).
[0037] When it is determined in Step S 13 that an abnormal voltage is not detected from voltage detection terminal Vde (No in Step S 13 ), control section 18 outputs control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn on power supply-side relay RYP since at least one of power supply-side relay RYP and ground-side relay RYN is in an off state at that time (Step S 14 ).
[0038] Then, control section 18 determines whether a voltage is detected from voltage detection terminal Vde, that is whether a voltage from quick charger QC is detected (Step S 15 ; time t B ).
[0039] When it is determined in Step S 15 that an abnormal voltage is detected from voltage detection terminal Vde (Yes in Step S 15 ), it is determined that ground-side relay RYN is welded (Step S 22 ).
[0040] Specifically, it is determined that the relay is welded when the voltage of voltage detection terminal Vde is at the “H” level at time t A , but is changed from the “H” level to the “L” level at time t B , as illustrated in the timing chart of FIG. 3C .
[0041] Then, control section 18 performs a control operation of outputting control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn off power supply-side relay RYP and a control operation of outputting control signal Vryn to ground-side relay RYN to turn off ground-side relay RYN (Step S 24 ) and ends the process (end). In FIGS. 3B to 3D , “end” is the same meaning as “end” illustrated in FIG. 2 .
[0042] When it is determined in Step S 15 that a voltage is not detected from voltage detection terminal Vde (No in Step S 15 ), the control section 18 performs a control operation of outputting control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn off power supply-side relay RYP since ground-side relay RYN is not welded and is in an off state at that time (Step S 16 ).
[0043] Then, control section 18 outputs control signal Vryn to ground-side relay RYN to turn on ground-side relay RYN (Step S 17 ).
[0044] Then, control section 18 determines whether a voltage is detected from voltage detection terminal Vde, that is, whether a voltage from quick charger QC is detected (Step S 18 ; time t C ).
[0045] When it is determined in Step S 18 that an abnormal voltage is detected from voltage detection terminal Vde (Yes in Step S 18 ), it is determined that power supply-side relay RYP is welded (Step S 23 ).
[0046] Specifically, it is determined that the relay is welded when the voltage of voltage detection terminal Vde is at the “H” level at time t A and time t B and is changed to the “L” level at time t C , as illustrated in the timing chart of FIG. 3D .
[0047] Then, control section 18 performs a control operation of outputting control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn of power supply-side relay RYP and a control operation of outputting control signal Vryn to ground-side relay RYN to turn off ground-side relay RYN (Step S 24 ) and ends the process (end).
[0048] When it is determined in Step S 18 that an abnormal voltage is not detected from voltage detection terminal Vde (No in Step S 18 ), it is determined that power supply-side relay RYP and ground-side relay RYN are not welded, that is, power supply-side relay RYP and ground-side relay RYN are normal (Step S 19 ).
[0049] In this state, specifically, it is determined that the voltage detection terminal Vde is maintained at the “H” level at any of times t A , t B , and t C , as illustrated in the timing chart of FIG. 3A .
[0050] Then, the control section outputs control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn off power supply-side relay RYP and ground-side relay RYN (Step S 20 ) and ends the process (end).
[0051] As described above, according to Embodiment 1, it is possible to form a high-impedance relay welding detection circuit capable of reliably detecting the welding state of the relay, without using power from the external power supply and to perform an appropriate process such as a warning process.
Embodiment 2
[0052] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the schematic structure of a power supply system of an electric vehicle according to Embodiment 2. In FIG. 4 , the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.
[0053] A positive terminal of battery 14 for supplying power to a vehicle driving motor is connected to power supply-side terminal 12 P of charging terminal 12 of electric vehicle 10 through power supply-side relay RYP. Ground-side terminal 12 N of charging terminal 12 is connected to a negative terminal of battery 14 through ground-side relay RYN.
[0054] In addition, one terminal of capacitor (power supply section) C for supplying power to in-vehicle accessories is connected to power supply-side terminal 12 P of charging terminal 12 through current-limiting resistor R. Ground-side terminal 12 N of charging terminal 12 is connected to the other terminal of capacitor C.
[0055] A collector of phototransistor 20 B forming second photocoupler 20 is connected to a connection point between capacitor C and current-limiting resistor R.
[0056] An anode terminal of photodiode 20 A forming second photocoupler 20 is connected to control terminal Vc 2 of control section 18 , and a cathode terminal thereof is connected to the body ground of vehicle body 10 .
[0057] An emitter terminal of phototransistor 20 B is connected to an anode terminal of photodiode 16 A forming first photocoupler 16 and a cathode terminal of photodiode 16 A is connected to a collector of transistor switch 17 .
[0058] An emitter terminal of transistor switch 17 is connected to ground-side terminal 12 N of charging terminal 12 , and a base thereof is connected to power supply-side terminal 12 P of charging terminal 12 through current-limiting resistor R.
[0059] A collector of phototransistor 16 B forming first photocoupler 16 is connected to voltage detection terminal Vde of control section (controller) 18 . An emitter of phototransistor 16 B is connected to the body ground of vehicle body 10 .
[0060] Control section 18 farms relay welding determining apparatus 21 that outputs control signal Vryp for controlling the turning on and off of power supply-side relay RYP and control signal Vryn for controlling the turning on and off of ground-side relay RYN. Control section 18 outputs an “H” level control signal from control terminal Vc 2 when it is determined whether the relay is welded.
[0061] Next, an operation according to Embodiment 2 will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a welding detection operation according to Embodiment 2.
[0062] First, control section 18 performs a control operation of outputting control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn off power supply-side relay RYP (Step S 31 ).
[0063] Here, similarly to Embodiment 1, the expression ‘control operation of turning off power supply-side relay RYP’ is used since it is difficult to turn off power supply-side relay RYP when power supply-side relay RYP is in a welded state.
[0064] Then, control section 18 performs a control operation of outputting control signal Vryn to ground-side relay RYN to turn off ground-side relay RYN (Step S 32 ).
[0065] The expression ‘control operation of turning off ground-side relay RYN’ used since it is difficult to turn off ground-side relay RYN when ground-side relay RYN is in a welded state.
[0066] Control section 18 outputs an “H” level control signal from control terminal Vc 2 to turn on second photocoupler 20 (Step S 33 ).
[0067] As a result, power can be supplied to photodiode 16 A of first photocoupler 16 .
[0068] Then, control section 18 determines whether an abnormal voltage is detected from voltage detection terminal Vde, that is, whether a voltage from quick charger QC is detected (Step S 34 ; time t D ).
[0069] When it is determined in Step S 34 that an abnormal voltage is detected from voltage detection terminal Vde (Yes in Step S 34 ), it is determined that power supply-side relay RYP and ground-side relay RYN are welded (Step S 43 ).
[0070] Specifically, it is determined that the relays are welded when the voltage of voltage detection terminal Vde is changed to an “L” level at time t D , as illustrated in the timing chart of FIG. 6B .
[0071] Then, control section 18 performs a control operation of outputting control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn of power supply-side relay RYP and a control operation of outputting control signal Vryn to ground-side relay RYN to turn off ground-side relay RYN (Step S 46 ), outputs an “L” level control signal from control terminal Vc 2 to turn off second photocoupler 20 (Step S 47 ), and ends the process (end).
[0072] When it is determined in Step S 34 that an abnormal voltage is not detected from voltage detection terminal Vde (No in Step S 34 ), control section 18 outputs control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn on power supply-side relay RYP since at least one of power supply-side relay RYP and ground-side relay RYN is in an off state at that time (Step S 35 ).
[0073] Then, control section 18 determines whether an abnormal voltage is detected from the voltage detection terminal Vde, that is, whether a voltage from quick charger QC is detected (Step S 36 ; time t E ).
[0074] When it is determined in Step S 36 that an abnormal voltage is detected from voltage detection terminal Vde (Yes in Step S 36 ), it is deter that ground-side relay RYN is welded (Step S 44 ).
[0075] Specifically, it is determined that the relay is welded when the voltage of voltage detection terminal Vde is at an “H” level at time t D and is changed to an “L” level at time t E , as illustrated in the timing chart of FIG. 6C .
[0076] Then, control section 18 performs a control operation of outputting control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn off power supply-side relay RYP and a control operation of outputting control signal Vryn to ground-side relay RYN to turn off ground-side relay RYN (Step S 46 ), outputs an “L” level control signal from control terminal Vc 2 to turn off second photocoupler 20 (Step S 47 ), and ends the process (end).
[0077] When it is determined in Step S 36 that an abnormal voltage is not detected from voltage detection terminal Vde (No in Step S 36 ), the control section performs a control operation of outputting control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn off power supply-side relay RYP since pound-side relay RYN is not welded and is in an off state at that time (Step S 37 ).
[0078] Then, control section 18 outputs control signal Vryn to ground-side relay RYN to turn on ground-side relay RYN (Step S 38 ).
[0079] Then, control section 18 determines whether an abnormal voltage is detected from voltage detection terminal Vde, that is, whether a voltage from the quick charger is detected (Step S 39 ; time t F ).
[0080] When it is determined in Step S 39 that an abnormal voltage is detected from voltage detection terminal Vde (Yes in Step S 39 ), it is determined that power supply-side relay RYP is welded (Step S 45 ).
[0081] Specifically, it is determined that the relay is welded when the voltage of voltage detection terminal Vde is maintained at an “H” level at any of times t D and t E , but is changed to an “L” level at time t F , as illustrated in the timing chart of FIG. 6D .
[0082] Then, control section 18 performs a control operation of outputting control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn off power supply-side relay RYP and a control operation of outputting control signal Vryn to ground-side relay RYN to turn off ground-side relay RYN (Step S 46 ), outputs an “L” level control signal from control terminal Vc 2 to turn off second photocoupler 20 (Step S 47 ), and ends the process (end).
[0083] When it is determined in Step S 39 that an abnormal voltage is not detected from voltage detection terminal Vde (No in Step S 39 ), it is determined that power supply-side relay RYP and ground-side relay RYN are not welded, that is, whether power supply-side relay RYP and ground-side relay RYN are normal (Step S 40 ).
[0084] Specifically, this state is obtained when the voltage of voltage detection terminal Vde is maintained at an “H” level at any of times t D , t E , and t F , as illustrated in the timing chart of FIG. 6A .
[0085] Then, the control section outputs control signal Vryp to power supply-side relay RYP to turn off power supply-side relay RYP and ground-side relay RYN (Step S 41 ).
[0086] Then, control section 18 outputs an “L” level control signal from control terminal Vc 2 to turn off second photocoupler 20 (Step S 42 ) and ends the process (end).
[0087] As described above, according to Embodiment 2, it is possible to form a high-impedance relay welding detection circuit capable of reliably detecting the welding state of the relay, without using power from the external power supply, and perform an appropriate process such as a warning process.
[0088] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-074689, filed on Mar. 30, 2011, including the specification, drawings and abstract, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0089] The relay welding detection circuit and the power supply system using the relay welding detection circuit according to the present invention can he applied to a so-called hybrid vehicle or plug-in hybrid vehicle, in addition to the electric vehicle driven by the battery.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0090] 10 Vehicle
[0091] 11 Cover
[0092] 12 Charging terminal
[0093] 12 N Ground-side terminal
[0094] 12 P Power supply-side terminal
[0095] 14 First battery
[0096] 15 Second battery (Power supply section, Electric storage section)
[0097] 16 Photocoupler
[0098] 16 A Photodiode
[0099] 16 B Phototransistor
[0100] 17 Transistor switch
[0101] 18 Control section
[0102] 19 Relay welding determining apparatus
[0103] 20 Second photocoupler
[0104] 20 A Photodiode
[0105] 20 B Phototransistor
[0106] 21 Relay welding determining apparatus
[0107] C Capacitor (Power supply section, Electric storage section)
[0108] PW External power supply
[0109] QC Quick charger
[0110] R Current-limiting resistor
[0111] RYN Ground-side relay
[0112] RYP Power supply-side relay
[0113] SP Power supply plug
[0114] Vc 2 Control terminal
[0115] Vde Voltage detection terminal
[0116] Vryn Control signal
[0117] Vryp Control signal | The relay-welding detection circuit detects welding of relays (RYP, RYN) provided on a charging path from an external power supply (PW) to a first battery ( 14 ), and is provided with: a second battery ( 15 ) that can supply a welding-detection power supply independently of the external power supply (PW); a transistor switch ( 17 ) that is a circuit in which there is substantially zero current flowing in from the external power supply (PW) side of the relays, and that controls whether or not to supply the welding-detection power supply to the second battery ( 15 ) on the basis of the voltage at the external power supply (PW) side of the relays; and a control unit ( 18 ) that is electrically insulated from the transistor switch ( 17 ), and that to detects welding of the relays (RYP, RYN) on the basis of whether or not the transistor switch ( 17 ) has supplied the welding-detection power supply. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for the production of fatty alcohols, in which natural fats and oils are subjected to catalytic high-pressure hydrogenation in a tube bundle reactor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fatty alcohols are normally produced from fatty acid methyl esters which are subjected to high-pressure hydrogenation in the presence of heterogeneous copper-chromium spinels, so-called Adkins catalysts. Although fatty acids may be used instead of the esters, this does mean that the stability of the catalysts has to meet particular requirements.
A particularly elegant method for the production of fatty alcohols is the direct hydrogenation of the natural fats and oils on which they are based. A process such as this also affords advantages by reducing the outlay on equipment and improving profitability because the starting materials used do not have to be so highly refined and, instead of the glycerol formed in the transesterification of fatty acid methyl esters, 1,2-propanediol is formed as a valuable secondary product.
The processes of the prior art have the disadvantage that the valuable 1,2-propanediol is not the only secondary product of the hydrogenation reaction. Instead, a complex mixture is obtained which, besides propane, propene, propanols and other substances, contains propanediols as one of many components so that isolation is out of the question on economic grounds. Accordingly, the profitability of processes for the direct hydrogenation of natural fats and oils is critically linked with the question of how selectively 1,2-propanediol is formed as a secondary product.
Accordingly, the problem addressed by the present invention was to develop a process for the direct hydrogenation of triglycerides which would be distinguished by particularly high selectivity for the formation of 1,2-propanediol as a secondary product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a process for the production of C 8-22 fatty alcohols, in which triglycerides, such as natural fats and oils, are hydrogenated in a reaction zone, such as in a tube bundle reactor, in the presence of a copper-zinc catalyst. The hydrogen pressure in the reaction zone is from about 200 to about 280 bar, the temperature of the entrance of the reaction zone is from about 200° C. to about 230° C., and the temperature of the exit of the reaction zone is from about 190° C. to about 220° C. The amount of 1,2-propanediol formed is optimized by reducing the temperature of the exit of the reaction zone to a range of from about 190° C. to about 220° C.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Other than in the operating examples, or where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients or reaction conditions used herein are to be understood as modified in all instances by the term "about".
It has surprisingly been found that the selectivity for 1,2-propanediol in the direct hydrogenation of triglycerides can be distinctly improved if copper-zinc catalysts are used and if the heat of reaction is dissipated as quickly as possible during the reaction. It has proved to be particularly advantageous in this regard to establish a reaction zone entry temperature of 210° to 230° C. and a reactor exit temperature of 205° to 215° C. The hydrogen pressure can be from 200 to about 280 bar.
Natural fats and oils are suitable starting materials for the process according to the invention. Natural fats and oils are understood to be triglycerides which may contain small quantities of partial glycerides and optionally free fatty acids. Typical examples are palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, olive oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil, linseed oil, coriander oil, soybean oil, lard and beef tallow which exclusively or predominantly contain C 8-22 fatty acids. Other suitable starting materials are of course correspondingly synthesized triglycerides. The iodine value of the starting materials used is largely uncritical because the catalyst used provides for the saturation of double bonds present in the fatty chain.
Copper-zinc catalysts for the production of C 8-22 fatty alcohols by hydrogenation of natural fats and oils are known. They are produced by:
a) adding alkali metal carbonate compounds to aqueous solutions containing water-soluble copper(II) and zinc(II) salts to a pH value of 6 to 10,
b) separating and drying the resulting precipitate of basic copper(II) and zinc(II) carbonate,
c) calcining the dried catalyst for 1 to 60 minutes at temperatures of 400° to 600° C. and
d) subsequently reducing the calcined catalyst to particulate form.
In the context of the invention, water-soluble copper(II) and zinc(II) salts are understood to be the sulfates, nitrates and halides free from or containing water of crystallization. It is preferred to use copper(II) nitrate and zinc(II) nitrate because the anion can be washed out particularly easily after precipitation of the hydroxides. The aqueous solutions may contain the water-soluble copper(II) and zinc(II) salts in molar ratios or 1:10 to 10:1. Particularly active catalysts are obtained with molar ratios of 1:2 to 2:1 and, more particularly 1:1.
In the context of the invention, alkali metal carbonate compounds are understood to be aqueous 0.05 to 50% by weight and preferably 25 to 50% by weight solutions of lithium, potassium or, in particular, sodium carbonate or sodium hydrogen carbonate.
For the further stages of the production process, the alkali metal compound is added in portions to the aqueous solution containing the copper(II) and zinc(II) salts at 50 to 90° C. until a pH value of at least 6 is reached. A pH value in the range from 8 to 9 has proved to be optimal for precipitation. The mixture of basic copper(II) and zinc(II) carbonate formed is separated from the aqueous solution, for example by filtration or centrifugation, washed and dried.
After the precipitation step, the dried catalyst may be calcined for 1 to 60 minutes and preferably for 5 to 15 minutes at temperatures in the range from 400° to 600° C. and preferably at temperatures in the range from 450° to 550° C. The basic copper/zinc carbonates are converted into irregular crystallite fragments which may then readily be compacted. Alternatively, the catalyst may be activated in known manner by treatment with hydrogen under reducing conditions.
For use in the tube bundle reactor, the catalyst has to be reduced to a particulate form. To this end, the catalyst may be converted into cylindrical pellets, for example in a rotary pelleting machine, or into cylindrical extrudates in a screw extruder preceded by a perforated disk.
Another important criterion for the practical application of the process according to the invention lies in the use of tube bundle reactors which have the advantage over tube reactors of a larger surface and hence easier heat exchange. Thermal oil is preferably used as the cooling medium which is circulated on the countercurrent principle. The surface on which heat exchange can take place does of course increase with the number of tubes present in the bundle. A number of 15 to 70 and preferably 25 to 60 tubes with an optimal length of 5 to 12 m and preferably 6 to 9 m for a preferred internal diameter of 3 to 9 cm and, more particularly, 5 to 7 cm may be regarded as appropriate.
In order to increase the selectivity for 1,2-propanediol, the lower part of the tube bundle reactor has to be cooled during the hydrogenation of the fats and oils to such an extent that the product leaving the reactor has a temperature of 190° to 220° C. To this end, it is advisable to introduce the cooling medium at the reactor exit with a temperature of 180° to 200° C. The low entry temperature of the cooling medium reciprocally provides for a relatively high entry temperature of 200° to 230° C. of the triglyceride to be hydrogenation which is also of advantage in regard to higher selectivity for 1,2-propanediol.
The 1,2-propanediol may be separated from the fatty alcohols by methods known per se, for example by distillation.
The conversion achieved in the process according to the invention is between 90 and 95% of the theoretical, based on fatty alcohol, while the selectivity for 1,2-propanediol of approximately 90% of the theoretical are obtained. The fatty alcohols may be used, for example, for further derivatization for the synthesis of anionic or nonionic surfactants while the 1,2-propanediol may be used as a component for the production of polyesters.
The following Examples are intended to illustrate the invention without limiting it in any way.
EXAMPLE 1
A) Production of the catalyst:
In a heatable 450 liter stirred vessel, 24.6 kg (102 mol) copper(II) nitrate trihydrate and 30.3 kg (102 mol) zinc(II) nitrate hexahydrate were dissolved in 204 l fully deionized water. 43.1 kg (407 mol) 50% by weight sodium carbonate solution were introduced into a second, 140 liter vessel. Both solutions were first heated to 70° C. and the sodium carbonate solution was subsequently pumped over a period of 30 minutes (throughput rate 110 l/h) into the solution of the two nitrates, resulting in the formation of a precipitate consisting of the dibasic carbonates of copper and zinc. On completion of the precipitation step, the precipitate was stirred in its mother liquor for 30 minutes at 90° C. to achieve a uniform particle size distribution with a sharp maximum. The solid was then filtered off and washed with fully deionized water to a residual nitrate content of less than 50 ppm in the effluent. The filter cake was placed on shelves and dried in a drying cabinet for 12 h at 120° C. to a residual moisture content below 1% by weight. The basic copper/zinc carbonate was obtained in the form of dry brown-black powder. The powder was ground and subsequently calcined in air in a rotary kiln over a period t of 8 minutes at a temperature T c of 550° C. The calcined powder was then transferred to a rotary pelleting machine in which it was converted into cylinders measuring 4×4 mm which had an average fracture hardness of 4 to 6 kp. The precipitate above, consisting of the dibasic carbonates of copper and zinc, obviously provide a catalyst wherein the metals present consist of copper and zinc.
EXAMPLE 2
The tests were carried out in a V4A steel tube bundle reactor comprising 31 tubes (length 6 m, internal diameter 6.5 cm). The starting material used was refined palm kernel oil (saponification value 244) having the following fatty acid composition:
______________________________________Caproic acid 1% by weightCapric acid 4% by weightCaprylic acid 5% by weightLauric acid 50% by weightMyristic acid 15% by weightPalmitic acid 7% by weightStearic acid 2% by weightOleic acid 15% by weightLinoleic acid 1% by weight______________________________________
The throughput amounted to 800 l/h and the volume of hydrogen circulated to 20-30 Dm 3 /h. Pellets produced as described in Example A) were used for the catalyst bed. Thermal oil was used as the medium for the cooling circuit. The hydrogen pressure was 270 bar. Before the beginning of tests, the catalyst bed was activated in a stream of hydrogen at 215° C.
Particulars of the test procedure and the characteristic data of the products are set out in Table 1.
TABLE 1______________________________________Direct Hydrogenation of Refined Palm Kernel OilT(Reactor) T(Cooling med.) Ex. ##STR1## ##STR2## ##STR3## ##STR4## S.V. ##STR5## ##STR6##______________________________________1 212 205 190 206 21.6 9.0 88.2C1 215 223 215 230 0.6 1.7 16.7C2 215 216 205 216 1.9 4.2 41.2______________________________________Legend:T(Reactor) = Reactor temperatureT(Cooling med.) = Temperature of cooling mediumE = EntryEt. = ExitS.V. = Saponification value of the hydrogenation productPD = Yield of 1,2-propanediol (% by weight)S = Selectivity, based on propane-1,2-diol (% of the theoretical) | C 8-22 fatty alcohols are produced by a process which comprises contacting a triglyceride with hydrogen in the presence of a copper-zinc catalyst and in a reaction zone. The hydrogen pressure in the reaction zone is from about 200 to about 280 bar, the temperature of the entrance of the reaction zone is from about 200° C. to about 230° C., and the temperature of the exit of the reaction zone is from about 190° C. to about 220° C. The amount of 1,2-propanediol formed is optimized by the lower temperature of the exit portion of the reaction zone. | 1 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/CN2015/098648 with a filing date of Dec. 24, 2015, designating the United States, now pending, and further claims priority to Chinese Patent Application 201410814161.4 with a filing date of Dec. 24, 2014. The content of the aforementioned application, including any intervening amendments thereto, are incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to the display field of LEDs, and particularly relates to an LED display module and a preparation method thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0003] Due to the characteristics of flexible size and strong environmental adaptability, an LED display screen is widely applied in the field of media. At present, LED display devices universally used in a market are generally of black box body type, lamp bar screen and grid screen type structures and strip structure. In some special occasions, environments such as glass curtain walls, shopwindows, stage backgrounds, emporiums, hotels, airports and the like need an LED display module to be high in permeability and good in daylighting and light transmission effects and also keep certain pixel density at the same time; while the LED display devices of the black box body type, lamp bar screen and grid screen type structures cannot be coordinated with peripheral using environments. For example, if the box body type LED display devices are installed on the glass curtain walls and background walls, light may be completely blocked, and the light transmittance effect is lost; lamp bar screens and grid screens are difficult to satisfy glass curtain wall structures of various sizes; if the using cost is greatly increased, it is very inconvenient for later maintenance; and the strip LED display screens are formed as follows: LED light-emitting units are installed on strip circuit boards and fixed by a non-transparent housing, a plurality of such lamp bars form a unit module, and a plurality of unit modules are cascaded to form a display screen. Because the non-transparent housing occupies a larger space, certain light transmittance effect may be provided only when a pixel pitch between two unit modules is above 40 mm, but the display screen is not suitable for an application occasion with a smaller watching distance if the pixel pitch is too large. Meanwhile, because it is apparent that the strip structure of such non-transparent display module may bring people a bounding feeling whether installed indoors or outdoors and is not suitable for high-grade application occasions such as the shopwindows, emporium glass curtain walls and the like, the market calls for the LED display screen with high pixel density and high permeability.
SUMMARY OF PRESENT INVENTION
[0004] The present invention aims to overcome defects of the above existing similar product structure to provide an LED display module and a preparation method thereof, and is intended to provide an LED display module with high pixel density and high permeability.
Technical Solution
[0005] The present invention is realized as follows: on one hand, an LED display module is provided, comprising a plurality of lamp beads, linearly arranged lamp bead boards, linearly arranged driving PCBs, a frame, a transparent glass board, connecting boards and a fixing piece. The plurality of lamp beads are fixed to board surfaces of the lamp bead boards. The lamp bead boards are fixed to the driving PCBs. The board surfaces of the lamp bead boards are perpendicular to the board surfaces of the driving PCBs. The driving PCBs are fixed to the connecting boards. Each connecting board comprises a first sub-connecting board and a second sub-connecting board arranged on both ends of one side of the driving PCBs. The frame is fixed to the glass board. The board surfaces of the driving PCBs are perpendicular to the board surface of the glass board. The fixing piece is fixed to the frame. The frame comprises a first sub-frame positioned on the top of the driving PCBs, and a second sub-frame positioned on the bottom of the driving PCBs. The first sub-frame and the second sub-frame are L-shaped. The first sub-frame comprises a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is arranged on the top of the driving PCBs, and the second surface is arranged on the board surfaces of the driving PCBs. The second sub-frame comprises a third surface and a fourth surface. The third surface is arranged on the bottom of the driving PCBs, and the fourth surface is arranged on the board surfaces of the driving PCBs.
[0006] Further, the plurality of lamp beads are arranged on the board surfaces of the lamp bead boards at an equal distance.
[0007] Further, an axial direction of a light emitting plane of the lamp beads is perpendicular to a plane direction of the transparent glass board.
[0008] Further, connecting needle seats are respectively arranged on both ends of the driving PCBs; the driving PCBs are fixedly connected with the first sub-connecting board and the second sub-connecting board through the connecting needle seats; and the board surfaces of the driving PCBs are perpendicular to the board surface of the first sub-connecting board and the board surface of the second sub-connecting board.
[0009] On the other hand, a preparation method of the LED display module is provided, comprising the following steps:
[0010] (1) automatically pasting a plurality of lamp beads on the board surfaces of the lamp bead boards;
[0011] (2) automatically pasting a driving IC encapsulated by a QFN technology on the driving PCBs;
[0012] (3) flatly fixing the lamp bead boards in a special pallet with every 8 tamp bead boards as a group; and after coating tin glue on back surfaces of 8 lamp bead boards, vertically placing 8 driving PCBs into a pallet positioning frame and fixedly putting into an automatic reflow soldering device through a pallet fixture for processing with a furnace;
[0013] (4) welding pin headers of the lamp bead boards on the driving PCBs through pallet fixation by adopting a semi-automatic spot welder device;
[0014] (5) connecting and welding the welded lamp bead boards and the driving PCBs left and right through a fixture to realize 32 left or right lamp bar driving PCBs;
[0015] (6) fixedly welding connection pin headers of the 32 left or right lamp bar driving PCBs by adopting a semi-automatic spot welder device, and arranging one connecting board respectively on left and right to complete an old test of a left and a right module PCBA semi-finished products;
[0016] (7) assembling the transparent glass board and the frame to complete a pallet rack;
[0017] (8) assembling the left and the right module PCBA semi-finished products into the pallet rack to complete a double-rod structural module; and
[0018] (9) fixing the fixing piece to the frame to obtain the LED display module.
[0019] Specifically, the thickness of the lamp bead boards and the driving PCBs is 0.5-1.5 mm, and the length of the lamp bead boards and the driving PCBs is 315-325 mm.
[0020] Specifically, the thickness of the connecting boards is 1.5-2.5 mm, and the height of the connecting boards is 155-165 mm. [0012] Specifically, the fixing piece and the frame are made of aluminum alloy, and the lamp bead boards, the driving PCBs and the connecting boards are made of glass fibers.
[0021] Specifically, the glass board is a high-transparency homogeneous substrate made of PMMA polymer material.
Beneficial Effects
[0022] The present invention has the beneficial effects that: the high-transparency transparent glass board is adopted as a mounting body in the present invention, and the driving PCBs are transversely arranged on the transparent glass board, so that blocking to the light by the driving PCBs may be greatly reduced, and the transparency of the LED display module is improved; and meanwhile, by fixing a plurality of lamp beads on the board surfaces of the linearly arranged lamp bead boards, the pixel density of the LED display module is improved.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a stereoscopic schematic diagram of an LED display module provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic diagram of A part in FIG. 1 .
[0025] FIG. 3 is an exploded schematic diagram of an LED display module provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of B part in FIG. 3 .
[0027] FIG. 5 is a front view of an LED display module provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 6 is an enlarged schematic diagram of C part in FIG. 5 .
[0029] FIG. 7 is a top view of an LED display module provided by the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 8 is an enlarged schematic diagram of D part in FIG. 7 .
[0031] FIG. 9 is a bottom view of an LED display module provided by the present invention.
[0032] FIG. 10 is an enlarged schematic diagram of E part in FIG. 9 .
[0033] FIG. 11 is a left top view of an LED display module provided by the present invention.
[0034] FIG. 12 is a right top view of an LED display module provided by the present invention.
[0035] FIG. 13 is a flow chart of a preparation method of an LED display module provided by an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0036] Technical schemes in the embodiments of the invention will be described clearly and completely in combination with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the invention below.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 12 , embodiments of the present invention provide an LED display module, comprising a plurality of lamp beads 1 , linearly arranged lamp bead boards 2 , linearly arranged driving PCBs 3 , a frame 4 , a transparent glass board 5 , connecting boards 6 and a fixing piece 7 . The plurality of lamp beads 1 are fixed to board surfaces of the lamp bead boards 2 . The lamp bead boards 2 are fixed to the driving PCBs 3 . The board surfaces of the lamp bead boards 2 are perpendicular to the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 . The driving PCBs 3 are fixed to the connecting boards 6 . Each connecting board 6 comprises a first sub-connecting board 61 and a second sub-connecting board 62 arranged on both ends of one side of the driving PCBs 3 . The frame 4 is fixed to the glass board 5 . The board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 are perpendicular to the board surface of the glass board 5 . The fixing piece 7 is fixed to the frame 4 .
[0038] Preferably, the plurality of lamp beads 1 are arranged on the board surfaces of the lamp bead boards 2 at an equal distance. The plurality of lamp beads 1 are arranged on the board surfaces of the lamp bead boards 2 to ensure the pixel density of the LED display module. Preferably, 3528 lamp beads 1 are arranged, and 3528 lamp beads 1 are pasted on the board surfaces of the lamp bead boards 2 through an automatic pasting mode.
[0039] Preferably, the fixing piece 7 comprises a first sub-fixing piece 71 and a second sub-fixing piece 72 which are arranged at two ends of one side of the frame 4 and are both in a U-like shape. The first sub-fixing piece 71 comprises a first bottom board 711 , a first side board 712 , a second side board 713 and a first transverse board 714 . The bottoms of the first side board 712 and the second side board 713 are connected with the two opposite sides of the first bottom board 711 respectively. The first transverse board 714 is arranged on one side of the top of the second side board 713 and extends outward. The first bottom board 711 , the first side board 712 and the second side board 713 form a space used for accommodating the first sub-connecting board 61 . The second sub-fixing piece 72 comprises a second bottom board 721 , a third side board 722 , a fourth side board 723 and a second transverse board 724 . The bottoms of the third side board 722 and the fourth side board 723 are connected with the two opposite sides of the second bottom board 721 respectively. The second transverse board 724 is arranged on one side of the top of the third side board 722 and extends outward. The second bottom board 721 , the third side board 722 and the fourth side board 723 form a space used for accommodating the second sub-connecting board 62 .
[0040] Preferably, a first fixing block 31 is arranged on the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 , and a second fixing block 32 is arranged on one side of the driving PCBs 3 close to the frame 4 . Through arrangement of the first fixing block 31 and the second fixing block 32 , the firmness of the driving PCBs 3 may be further improved. Because made of the PMMA polymer material, the first fixing block 31 and the second fixing block 32 have high transparency. In this way, the first fixing block 31 and the second fixing block 32 have the function of fixing the driving PCBs 3 without influencing the transmittance of the LED display module.
[0041] Preferably, the frame 4 comprises a first sub-frame 41 positioned on the top of the driving PCBs 3 , and a second sub-frame 42 positioned on the bottom of the driving PCBs 3 . The first sub-frame 41 and the second sub-frame 42 are L-shaped. The first sub-frame 41 comprises a first surface 411 and a second surface 412 . The first surface 411 is arranged on the top of the driving PCBs 3 , and the second surface 412 is arranged on the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 . The second sub-frame 42 comprises a third surface 421 and a fourth surface 422 . The third surface 421 is arranged on the bottom of the driving PCBs 3 , and the fourth surface 422 is arranged on the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 .
[0042] Preferably, a plurality of light transmission holes 43 distributed at intervals are formed in the second surface 412 and the third surface 421 respectively. With arrangement of the light transmission holes 43 , the weight of the LED display module may be lightened, and the transparency of the LED display module may also be improved. Preferably, the first fixing block 31 is arranged on the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 , and the second fixing block 32 is arranged on one side of the driving PCBs 3 close to the frame 4 , and extends out of the edge of the driving PCBs 3 . Through arrangement of the first fixing block 31 and the second fixing block 32 , the firmness of the driving PCBs 3 may be improved. In addition, as made of the PMMA polymer material, the first fixing block 31 and the second fixing block 32 have high transparency. In this way, the first fixing block 31 and the second fixing block 32 have the function of fixing the driving PCBs 3 without influencing the transmittance of the LED display module.
[0043] Preferably, the width of the cross section of the lamp beads 1 is equivalent to that of the board surfaces of the lamp bead boards 2 . Because the width of the cross section of the lamp beads 1 is equivalent to that of the board surfaces of the lamp bead boards 2 , blocking to the light by the lamp beads 1 may be avoided, and the transparency of the LED display module is guaranteed.
[0044] Preferably, the axial direction of the light emitting plane of the lamp beads 1 is perpendicular to the plane direction of the transparent glass board 5 , so that the luminous brightness of the LED display module may be improved, and the occupying space of a driving circuit is effectively saved.
[0045] Preferably, connecting needle seats 33 are respectively arranged on both ends of the driving PCBs 3 ; the driving PCBs 3 are fixedly connected with the first sub-connecting board 61 and the second sub-connecting board 62 through the connecting needle seats 33 ; and the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 are perpendicular to the board surface of the first sub-connecting board 61 and the board surface of the second sub-connecting board 62 .
[0046] According to the LED display module provided by the present invention, the high-transparency transparent glass board 5 is adopted as the mounting body, the lamp beads 1 are fixed on the board surfaces of the lamp bead boards 2 , the lamp bead boards 2 are fixed on the driving PCBs 3 , the board surfaces of the lamp bead boards 2 are perpendicular to the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 , the driving PCBs 3 are fixed on the connecting board 6 , and the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 are perpendicular to the board surface of the glass board 5 . In this way, by transversely arranging the driving PCBs 3 on the glass board 5 , blocking to the light by the driving PCBs 3 may be greatly reduced, and the transparency of the LED display module is improved; and meanwhile, by fixing a plurality of lamp beads 1 on the board surfaces of the linearly arranged lamp bead boards 2 , the pixel density of the LED display module is improved.
[0047] Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention provide a preparation method of an LED display module. A flow chart of the preparation method is shown in FIG. 13 . The method comprises the following steps:
[0048] S 01 . automatically pasting a plurality of lamp beads on the board surfaces of the lamp bead boards;
[0049] S 02 . automatically pasting a driving IC encapsulated by a QFN (Quad Flat No-lead Package) technology on the driving PCBs;
[0050] S 03 . flatly fixing the lamp bead boards in a special pallet with every 8 lamp bead boards as a group; and after coating tin glue on back surfaces of 8 lamp bead boards, vertically placing 8 driving PCBs into a pallet positioning frame and fixedly putting into an automatic reflow soldering device through a pallet fixture for processing with a furnace;
[0051] S 04 . welding pin headers of the lamp bead boards on the driving PCBs through pallet fixation by adopting a semi-automatic spot welder device;
[0052] S 05 . connecting and welding the welded lamp bead boards and the driving PCBs left and right through a fixture to realize 32 left or right lamp bar driving PCBs;
[0053] S 06 . fixedly welding connection pin headers of the 32 left or right lamp bar driving PCBs by adopting a semi-automatic spot welder device, and arranging one connecting board respectively on left and right to complete an old test of a left and a right module PCBA semi-finished products;
[0054] S 07 . assembling the transparent glass board and the frame to complete a pallet rack;
[0055] S 08 . assembling the left and the right module PCBA semi-finished products into the pallet rack to complete a double-rod structural module; and
[0056] S 09 . fixing the fixing piece to the frame to obtain the LED display module.
[0057] Specifically, the thickness of the lamp bead boards and the driving PCBs is 0.5-1.5 mm, and the length of the lamp bead boards and the driving PCBs is 315-325 mm. The thickness of the lamp bead boards and the driving PCBs is preferably 1 mm, and the length of the lamp bead boards and the driving PCBs is preferably 320 mm.
[0058] Specifically, the thickness of the connecting boards is 1.5-2.5 mm, the height of the connecting boards is 155-165 mm, the thickness of the connecting boards is preferably 2 mm, and the height of the connecting boards is preferably 160 mm.
[0059] Preferably, the fixing piece and the frame are made of aluminum alloy.
[0060] Preferably, the lamp bead boards, the driving PCBs and the connecting boards are made of glass fibers. The glass fibers have the advantages of light weight, high strength and the like. Therefore, the lamp bead boards, the driving PCBs and the connecting boards have the advantages of light weight, high strength and the like.
[0061] Preferably, the glass board is a high-transparency homogeneous substrate made of the PMMA polymer material and has the characteristics of beauty, high transparency and easiness in machining, and the transparency of the LED display module is improved by taking the glass board as a substrate of the LED module.
[0062] The present invention is described below in detail in combination with specific examples.
Embodiment 1
[0063] The LED display module in the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , comprises a plurality of lamp beads 1 , linearly arranged lamp bead boards 2 , linearly arranged driving PCBs 3 , a frame 4 , a transparent glass board 5 , connecting boards 6 and a fixing piece 7 . The plurality of lamp beads 1 are fixed to board surfaces of the lamp bead boards 2 and are electrically connected with the lamp bead boards 2 . The lamp bead boards 2 are fixed to the driving PCBs 3 and are electrically connected with the driving PCBs 3 . The board surfaces of the lamp bead boards 2 are perpendicular to the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 . The driving PCBs 3 are arranged in the frame 4 . The frame 4 is fixed to the glass board 5 . The driving PCBs 3 are fixed to the connecting boards 6 . The board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 are perpendicular to the board surface of the glass board 5 . The fixing piece 7 is fixed to the frame 4 . the frame 4 comprises a first sub-frame 41 positioned on the top of the driving PCBs 3 , and a second sub-frame 42 positioned on the bottom of the driving PCBs 3 . The first sub-frame 41 and the second sub-frame 42 are L-shaped. The first sub-frame 41 comprises a first surface 411 and a second surface 412 . The first surface 411 is arranged on the top of the driving PCBs 3 , and the second surface 412 is arranged on the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 . The second sub-frame 42 comprises a third surface 421 and a fourth surface 422 . The third surface 421 is arranged on the bottom of the driving PCBs 3 , and the fourth surface 422 is arranged on the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 .
[0064] A preparation method is as follows:
[0065] (1) automatically pasting 3528 lamp beads on the board surfaces of the lamp bead boards, wherein the thickness of the lamp bead boards is 1.0 mm, and the length of the lamp bead boards is 320 mm;
[0066] (2) automatically pasting a driving IC encapsulated by a QFN technology on the driving PCB, wherein the thickness of the driving PCBs is 1.0 mm, and the length of the driving PCBs is 320 mm;
[0067] (3) flatly fixing the lamp bead boards in a special pallet with every 8 lamp bead boards as a group; and after coating tin glue on back surfaces of 8 lamp bead boards, vertically placing 8 driving PCBs into a pallet positioning frame and fixedly putting into an automatic reflow soldering device through a pallet fixture for processing with a furnace;
[0068] (4) welding pin headers of the lamp bead boards on the driving PCBs through pallet fixation by adopting a semi-automatic spot welder device;
[0069] (5) connecting and welding the welded lamp bead boards and the driving PCBs left and right through a fixture to realize left or right lamp bar driving PCBs with a length of 640 mm;
[0070] (6) fixedly welding connection pin headers of the 32 left or right lamp bar driving PCBs by adopting a semi-automatic spot welder device, and arranging one connecting board respectively on left and right to complete an old test of a left and a right module PCBA semi-finished products, wherein the thickness of the connecting boards is 2 mm. and the height of the connecting boards is 160 mm.
[0071] (7) assembling the glass board and the frame to complete a pallet rack;
[0072] (8) assembling the left and the right module PCBA semi-finished products into the pallet rack to complete a double-rod structural module; and
[0073] (9) fixing the fixing piece to the frame to obtain the LED display module.
[0074] In the embodiment of the present invention, the lamp bead boards arranged at the positive end, facing audiences, of the board surfaces of the driving PCBs, and the driving PCBs adopt a T-shaped connection mode technology. Through combination of the left and the right module PCBA semi-finished products, the effects of infinite extension splicing with width of 1280 mm and height of 160 mm, calculation of the density of 40000 display pixel points per square and 48% of transparency under high density may be achieved.
Embodiment 2
[0075] The LED display module in the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , comprises lamp beads 1 , linearly arranged lamp bead boards 2 , linearly arranged driving PCBs 3 , a frame 4 , a transparent glass board 5 , connecting boards 6 and a fixing piece 7 . The lamp beads 1 are fixed to board surfaces of the lamp bead boards 2 and are electrically connected with the lamp bead boards 2 . The lamp bead boards 2 are fixed to the driving PCBs 3 and are electrically connected with the driving PCBs 3 . The board surfaces of the lamp bead boards 2 are perpendicular to the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 . The driving PCBs 3 are arranged in the frame 4 . The frame 4 is fixed to the glass board 5 . The driving PCBs 3 are fixed to the connecting boards 6 . The board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 are perpendicular to the board surface of the glass board 5 . The fixing piece 7 is fixed to the frame 4 . the frame 4 comprises a first sub-frame 41 positioned on the top of the driving PCBs 3 , and a second sub-frame 42 positioned on the bottom of the driving PCBs 3 . The first sub-frame 41 and the second sub-frame 42 are L-shaped. The first sub-frame 41 comprises a first surface 411 and a second surface 412 . The first surface 411 is arranged on the top of the driving PCBs 3 , and the second surface 412 is arranged on the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 . The second sub-frame 42 comprises a third surface 421 and a fourth surface 422 . The third surface 421 is arranged on the bottom of the driving PCBs 3 , and the fourth surface 422 is arranged on the board surfaces of the driving PCBs 3 .
[0076] A preparation method is as follows:
[0077] (1) automatically pasting 3528 lamp beads on the board surfaces of the lamp bead boards, wherein the thickness of the lamp bead boards is 1.0 mm, and the length of the lamp bead boards is 256 mm;
[0078] (2) automatically pasting a driving IC encapsulated by a QFN technology on the driving PCB, wherein the thickness of the driving PCBs is 1.0 mm, and the length of the driving PCBs is 256 mm;
[0079] (3) flatly fixing the lamp bead boards in a special pallet with every 8 lamp bead boards as a group; and after coating tin glue on back surfaces of 8 lamp bead boards, vertically placing 8 driving PCBs into a pallet positioning frame and fixedly putting into an automatic reflow soldering device through a pallet fixture for processing with a furnace;
[0080] (4) welding pin headers of the lamp bead boards on the driving PCBs through pallet fixation by adopting a semi-automatic spot welder device;
[0081] (5) connecting and welding the welded lamp bead boards and the driving PCBs left and right through a fixture to realize left or right lamp bar driving PCBs with a length of 512 mm;
[0082] (6) fixedly welding connection pin headers of the 32 left or right lamp bar driving PCBs by adopting a semi-automatic spot welder device, and arranging one connecting board respectively on left and right to complete an old test of a left and a right module PCBA semi-finished products, wherein the thickness of the connecting boards is 2 mm, and the height of the connecting boards is 160 mm.
[0083] (7) assembling the glass board and the frame to complete a pallet rack;
[0084] (8) assembling the left and the right module PCBA semi-finished products into the pallet rack to complete a double-rod structural module; and
[0085] (9) fixing the fixing piece to the frame to obtain the LED display module.
[0086] In the embodiment of the present invention, the lamp bead boards arranged at the positive end, facing audiences, of the board surfaces of the driving PCBs, and the driving PCBs adopt a T-shaped connection mode technology. Through combination of the left and the right module PCBA semi-finished products, the effects of infinite extension splicing with width of 1024 mm and height of 256 mm, calculation of the density of 15625 display pixel points per square and 67.5% of transparency under high density may be achieved.
[0087] The above embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present invention, but not a limitation to structures and styles of products of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several equivalent variations and modifications without departing from structural principles of the present invention, and the equivalent variations and modifications all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. | Disclosed are an LED (Light Emitting Diode) display module and a method of fabricating the LED display module. Lamp beads in the LED display module are fixed to the surface of a linearly arranged lamp bead plate, the lamp bead plate is fixed to a driving PCB (Printed Circuit Board), the surface of the lamp bead plate is perpendicular to the surface of the driving PCB, the surface of the driving PCB is perpendicular to the surface of a glass plate, and a fixed member is fixed on a frame. The transparent glass plate with high transparency is employed as a mounting body and the driving PCB is transversely disposed on the glass plate, so that shielding of light by the driving PCB can be remarkably reduced and the transparency of the LED display module is improved. | 6 |
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention pertains to distributed computing systems, including distributed telecommunication systems, and more in particular to dynamic scaling of distributed computing infrastructures or “clouds”.
BACKGROUND
Cloud computing has gained substantial momentum over the past few years, fueling technological innovation and creating considerable business impact. Public, private or hybrid cloud infrastructure shortens users' time to market (new hosting infrastructure is only a few mouse-clicks away), and claims to reduce their total cost of ownership by shifting the cost structure from higher capital expenditure to lower operating expenditure.
One of the key advantages of cloud computing is the ability to build dynamically scaling systems. Virtualization technologies (including XEN, KVM, VMware, Solaris and Linux Containers) facilitate clustered computing services to acquire and release resources automatically. This enables dynamically right-sizing the amount of resources that are actually needed, instead of statically over-dimensioning the capacity of such clustered services. Some key advantages emerging from dynamic right-sizing include (1) the ability to reduce the services' operational cost and (2) the ability to gracefully handle unanticipated load surges without introducing opportunity loss by compromising the service's SLA.
Although most existing dynamic scaling solutions have been targeting web and enterprise applications, also clustered and “cloudified” telecommunication services (such as SIP farms hosted by public or private clouds) can significantly benefit from the advantages of dynamic scaling. To guarantee carrier grade service execution, for instance, telecommunication operators typically over-dimension the employed resources—at the expense of reducing their resource utilization ratio, and thus raising their operational cost. This cost increases even more when the operator needs to provision sufficient resources to handle sporadic unanticipated load surges (caused by events with a significant social impact) or anticipated load spikes (e.g. caused by New Year's Eve texting).
SUMMARY
Accordingly, it is an object of embodiments of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for proactive scaling of elastic (telecommunication) systems that more efficiently balance the tradeoff between reducing infrastructure cost, and providing enough overcapacity to deal with sudden increases in load.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for dynamically assigning resources of a distributed server infrastructure, the method comprising the steps of: comparing an observed relative load of an assigned portion of the distributed server infrastructure with a desired relative load; if the observed relative load exceeds the desired relative load: assigning additional resources, and redistributing tasks from the assigned portion to the additional resources; and if the desired relative load exceeds the desired relative load: selecting removable resources, redistributing tasks from the removable resources to other resources in the assigned portion, and removing the removable resources from the assigned portion; wherein the redistributing of tasks is performed in such a way that state information related to the tasks is preserved.
It is an advantage of the method according to the present invention that dynamic resource allocation can take place in computing environments in which preservation of session state information is of importance.
“Load” or “relative load”, as used herein, can represent various metrics related to the degree to which the assigned resources are occupied, and more specifically the total work volume of the tasks being carried out by the resources. These metrics may include CPU usage, memory usage, response time, etc.
The target (i.e., the desired relative load) is not necessarily a single value, but may instead be specified as a range, having a lower threshold (low water mark) and a higher threshold (high water mark). In this way, hysteresis can be implemented, which reduces the risk of instability in dynamic systems.
In an embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the steps are applied iteratively.
It is an advantage of this embodiment, that the amount of allocated resources can be optimized on an ongoing basis.
In an embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the frequency of the iterative application of the steps is varied in function of a difference between the observed relative load and the desired relative load.
It is an advantage of this embodiment, that the allocation or removal of resources can happen faster in periods of rapidly growing or declining demand for resources.
In an embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the distributed server infrastructure is used to deploy an elastic telecommunication system.
In an embodiment of the method according to the present invention, the selecting removable resources comprises determining an individual load of resources among the assigned portion and selecting resources for which the individual load is lowest.
In an embodiment, the method according to the present invention further comprises assigning further additional resources in accordance with a time schedule, the time schedule representing recurring usage patterns for the distributed server infrastructure.
It is an advantage of this embodiment, that the resource allocation is performed in a proactive manner, to avoid opportunity loss due to SLA violations in times of rapid increase in demand for resources.
In a particular embodiment, the observed relative load is used to update the schedule.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program configured to cause a processor to carry out the method as described above.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for dynamically assigning resources of a distributed server infrastructure, the system comprising: a monitoring agent configured to observe a relative load of an assigned portion of the distributed server infrastructure; a processor, operatively connected to the monitoring agent, the processor being configured to compare the observed relative load with a desired relative load; and a management agent, configured to transmit instructions to the distributed server infrastructure, and to act according to the following rules in response to the comparing: if the observed relative load exceeds the desired relative load: instruct the server infrastructure to assign additional resources, and redistribute tasks from the assigned portion to the additional resources; and if the desired relative load exceeds the observed relative load: select removable resources, redistribute tasks from the removable resources to other resources in the assigned portion, and instruct the server infrastructure to remove the removable resources from the assigned portion.
The advantages of the system according to the present invention are analogous to those described above with respect to the method according to the present invention. Features of specific embodiments of the method according to the present invention may be applied to the system according to the present invention with similar benefits and advantages.
In an embodiment, the system according to the present invention further comprises a scheduler operatively connected to said management agent, and said management agent is further configured to act according to the following rules in response to a signal from said scheduler: if said signal is indicative of an expected increase in demand for resources: instruct said server infrastructure to assign additional resources, and redistribute tasks from said assigned portion to said additional resources; and if said signal is indicative of an expected decrease in demand for resources: select removable resources, redistribute tasks from said removable resources to other resources in said assigned portion, and instruct said server infrastructure to remove said removable resources from said assigned portion.
In an embodiment of the system according to the present invention, the distributed server infrastructure comprises a plurality of SIP servers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Some embodiments of apparatus and/or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present invention are now described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a network in which embodiments of the present invention may be deployed;
FIG. 2 illustrates a control loop process;
FIG. 3 illustrates a control loop process according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 illustrates a control loop process according to another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 illustrates the distribution of the number of processed calls per 15 minutes as measured during a month, with separate graphs for weekdays and week-ends; and
FIG. 6 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the system according to the present invention.
Throughout the figures, like reference signs have been used to designate like elements.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an exemplary network in which embodiments of the present invention may be deployed.
Although the invention is hereinafter primarily described in terms of embodiments relating to telecommunication systems, in particular virtual SIP servers implemented in a “cloud” infrastructure, the skilled person will appreciate that the invention is not limited thereto. The invention may be applied to various kind of distributed computing infrastructures, in particular where the concerned computing tasks are stateful.
Based on daily observations, it can be deduced that short-term load variations of a communication system largely adhere to recurring patterns (based on end users' daily routines). To illustrate this, FIG. 5 depicts the average number of processed calls per 15 minutes, collected by the inventors from a local trunk group in June 2011. From this data, it can be deduced that static peak load dimensioning results into an average capacity usage of only 50% (averaged out over 24 hours).
In addition to short-term load variations, telecommunication services are also exposed to long-term load variations. Small and medium size carriers, for instance, typically want to gradually increase the number of end users they support—starting for example with a pilot project that involves around ten thousand users, and gradually providing more infrastructure if the service becomes more successful. These examples illustrate that dynamically scaling clustered telecommunication services (depending on their current load) is a promising technique to (1) reduce their operational cost and (2) gracefully handle anticipated as well as unanticipated load surges.
According to the insight of the inventors, the value (and successful adoption) of dynamic scaling support for telecommunication services depends on
(1) its ability to maximize resource utility (thus reducing the operational cost), (2) its ability to preserve the services' stringent carrier grade requirements (thus minimizing SLA violation penalties and the cost of losing customers), and (3) the ability to minimize the operating cost (overhead) of the scaling support.
Furthermore, according to the insight of the inventors, successful adoption of dynamic scaling in telecommunication requires an ability to cope with the predominantly stateful nature of these telecommunication services. While stateless web applications or RESTful webservices can scale in or out by nature without breaking ongoing interactions, this is typically not the case for (call) stateful telecommunication services such as B2BUAs or SIP proxies controlling middle boxes that implement firewall and NAT functions. Before removing a (cloud) instance that belongs to a stateful telecommunication service, one needs to ensure this instance is driven to a safe execution state. Such a state is reached once all sessions currently being processed by the affected instance have been terminated (which may significantly delay the removal of the affected cloud instance), or by transparently migrating these sessions towards other service instances.
To meet these requirements, embodiments of the present invention pertain to a Cloud Scaling Feedback Control System (CSFCS) 150 that implements dynamic scaling behavior for “cloudified” stateful telecommunication clusters—to maximize their utility (thus reducing the operational cost) while at the same time maintaining one or more key operating parameters (such as maximum response time). An embodiment of the CSFCS 150 is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 6 .
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary SIP-based telecommunication network comprising two exemplary user agents 101 , 201 interconnected by a single SIP domain 100 . The SIP domain 100 comprises a first Client Elasticity Gateway (CEG) 111 and a second CEG 211 , shielding a server cluster. Without loss of generality, the cluster is illustrated as containing three elastic SIP servers 121 - 123 . The number of allocated SIP servers may increase or decrease as a result of the application of the method according to the present invention.
Without loss of generality, we consider the interaction between the first SIP CEG 111 and the topologically adjacent UA 101 . SIP CEG 111 plays the role of User Agent Server (UAS) in all its communication with the UA 101 , and the role of User Agent Client (UAC) in its relation with the SIP servers 121 - 123 of the elastic SIP cluster. The SIP CEG 111 thus conceals the elastic SIP servers 121 - 123 from the client 101 by acting as a single SIP server. It may include load balancing support and/or failover support by interacting with an Elasticity Control System (ECS) as described in European patent application no. 11 290 326.5 entitled “Method for transferring state information pertaining to a plurality of SIP conversations” in the name of the present Applicant. Further in accordance with the cited application, the SIP CEG 111 terminates elasticity control messages originating from the elastic SIP cluster 121 - 123 , so it conceals the dynamics of the elastic SIP cluster from the UA 101 —including instructions to redirect messages to another SIP server.
The CSFCS 150 according to the present invention may act in addition to or in replacement of the ECS of the cited application; the CSFCS 150 according to the present invention may in fact coincide with the ECS.
Today's cloud scaling support (such as offered by Amazon Web Service™, Google App Engine™ and Heroku™) provides the required ingredients to build application specific feedback control systems that automatically increase and decrease the amount of allocated cloud instances—being virtual machines, containers or service instances. Cloud load balancers distribute incoming traffic across these cloud instances, concealing their existence from client applications. Cloud monitoring components observe these cloud instances and report on metrics such as CPU utilization, response-time, drop-rate, queue lengths and request counts. Additionally, APIs are offered to create and release service instances, and to automatically initiate these operations when collected metrics exceed specified thresholds. Although these building blocks enable the development of web and enterprise applications that automatically scales out and back, they do not offer a unified solution tailored towards stateful telecommunication services (such as SIP clusters) that need to meet stringent carrier grade requirements listed above.
For the sake clarifying the invention, a feedback process is depicted in FIG. 2 . Based on a specified set point 220 (defining the key operating parameters, such as average instance load or maximum response time) on the one hand, and monitoring data 210 reporting on operational metrics of the load balancer and/or the affected (cloud) instances on the other hand, the “elasticity control” 230 calculates how many (cloud) instances are currently needed (denoted as Δx(i) in FIG. 2 ). If a global measurement exceeds 240 (upper branch) a specified high threshold (high-water mark), the feedback systems instruct the (cloud) infrastructure to acquire new resources and to launch new service instances 250 . Similarly, if the global measurement drops below 240 (lower branch) the low threshold (low-water mark), the feedback control system instructs the (cloud) infrastructure to release spare resources 269 .
The reactive nature of these feedback systems (they react when an operating parameter is currently exceeding a specified threshold) typically assumes that extra resources 250 can be provisioned immediately. However, booting new cloud instances (such as virtual machines) and initiating the services these cloud instances are hosting takes introduces an extra delay (up to a few minutes). Without anticipating this delay, SLA requirements might be violated during the actual provisioning of new resources, which in turn breaks the stringent carrier grade requirements of telecommunication services.
It is thus advantageous to be able to predict short-term load surges. Based on these predictions, the elasticity control determines how much resources will be needed in the near future, and pro-actively provisions the required resources to handle these load forecasts.
According to the insight of the inventors, it is advantageous to also take into account the potentially stateful nature of the distributed infrastructure, in particular in the case of telecommunication systems. Two contributions of the feedback system according to the present invention are now described, and may be deployed jointly or independently.
Firstly, successful adoption of dynamic scaling support for telecommunication services highly depends on its ability to preserve the services' stringent carrier grade requirements and to minimize opportunity loss due to SLA violations. Instead of responding to load changes in a reactive manner (for instance when a high-water mark is exceeded), the present solution exploits the potential value of pro-active resource provisioning based on short-term load forecasting. Hence, embodiments of the present invention are based on the observation that daily call load variations usually adhere to recurring patterns (illustrated in FIG. 5 ). This allows deducing load predictions (and the associated decisions to increase or decrease the amount of virtual servers) from a history of load observations. In case of unanticipated load surges that significantly diverge from these recurring patterns, we fallback to limited look-ahead predictions taking into account only on a few prior observations. Simulations and experiments indicate that this pro-active resource provisioning significantly reduces the amount of SLA violations.
Secondly, embodiments of the process according to the invention provide extra steps compared to the process depicted in FIG. 2 . These extra steps handle session state. As explained above, a cloud instance can only be released safely once it is not accommodating any session (or other execution) state anymore. Since waiting for all ongoing sessions to terminate may significantly delay the removal of the affected cloud instance (hence compromising the ability to maximize resource utility and reducing operational cost), our cloud scaling system coordinates the migration of these sessions towards other instances.
An exemplary feedback flowchart, as might result from the application of the above improvements, is depicted in FIG. 3 . Based on a specified set point 320 (defining the key operating parameters, such as average instance load or maximum response time) on the one hand, and monitoring data 310 reporting on operational metrics of the load balancer and/or the affected (cloud) instances on the other hand, the “elasticity control” 330 calculates how many (cloud) instances are currently needed (denoted as Δx(i) in FIG. 2 ). If a global measurement exceeds 340 (upper branch) a specified high threshold (high-water mark), the feedback system instructs the (cloud) infrastructure to acquire new resources and to launch new service instances 350 . Subsequently, tasks or sessions are started on these newly launched instances. In addition to the assignment of fresh sessions to the newly launched instances, the load on the cloud infrastructure may be balanced by migrating 355 existing sessions from already running instances to the newly launched instances. Upon migrating these sessions, care must be taken to maintain session integrity and to correctly transfer state information. Similarly, if the global measurement drops below 340 (lower branch) the low threshold (low-water mark), the feedback control system instructs the (cloud) infrastructure to release spare resources 369 . Prior to this release, any sessions that are still running on the resources marked for release are preferably migrated 355 , along with the associated state association, to remaining instances.
Where the distributed services concern SIP services, the addition and removal of instances may occur as follows:
If an increase in the number of cloud instances is required, the CSFCS first invokes the cloud infrastructure to activate these new cloud instances (containing the telco service instances—such as SIP servers). Next, the CSFCS activates these new telco service instances and registers them to the load balancer(s)—from this point on they can accept new requests. Finally, the CSFCS rebalances ongoing sessions (if needed) to let the new telco service instances take on part of the load of their peers. If a decrease in the number of cloud instances is required, the CSFCS first prepares the safe removal of the affected telco service instances. This involves first waiting until all ongoing transactions are finished, and subsequently migrating ongoing sessions to the remaining servers. The CSFCS deactivates and deregisters the affected telco service instances—hence preventing them from accepting and processing new sessions. Finally, the CSFCS can safely instruct the cloud infrastructure to deactivate the cloud instances accommodating these quiescent service instances.
Further details about the methods by which sessions may be migrated without loss of session information can be found in European patent applications EP 11 290 327.3 and EP 11 290 326.5, in the name of the Applicant. Embodiments of the present invention comprise session migration steps according to the methods described in those documents, which shall expressly be considered to be incorporated by this reference.
Although the comparison between the observed load and the desired load is schematically represented in the Figures as a single comparison, this is done for clarity purposes only. It is possible to use a single threshold value to trigger both addition and removal of resources. However, it is advantageous to choose a low threshold and a high threshold which are not the same. The use of non-identical low and high thresholds implies that the “desired load” is in fact a range, and the method as described will act to keep or return the system in/to the desired operated range.
A more elaborate embodiment of the process according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 4 .
The illustrated method formally starts at the starting point labeled 300 , and returns to this point periodically with a frequency determined by the variable delay 399 . The delay element 399 is only a logical delay, representing any technical means suitable to implement the desired periodicity).
The instantaneous load of the network 100 is determined 310 and compared 330 to a desired load or set point 320 . The desired load may be a value or a range stored in a memory, retrieved via a management interface, etc. The result of the comparison 330 is used to assess 340 whether it is necessary to increase or decrease the amount of assigned resources; the details of the two branches of the selection 340 have already been described above in connection with FIG. 3 . The above mentioned steps are periodically repeated with a symbolic delay 399 ; as illustrated by the dashed line, this delay 399 may be reconfigured in function of the measured load, and more in particular in function of the rate at which the measured load changes.
The most current load observations 310 and/or any other available load data may be stored in an appropriate storage means 370 , such as an internal memory, a disk drive, etc. Another periodical process 380 - 390 provides an ongoing assessment of whether the allocated resources are in line with the usage that may be expected given the known time-recurring patterns (in particular, the expected usage in function of the time of day and the day of the week). Again, the delay element 389 is only a logical delay, representing any technical means suitable to implement the desired periodicity.
Various limited look-ahead load predictions have been evaluated, including linear extrapolation, spline extrapolation and adaptive Kalman predictions. Simulations have indicated that linear extrapolation presents very good results in terms of minimizing the occurrence of over-estimation (i.e., situations in which a higher load had been predicted than actually measured), while Kalman predictions present very good results in terms of minimizing the occurrence of under-estimation (i.e., avoiding situations in which a lower load had been predicted than actually measured).
The CSFCS may be configured to apply the most suitable look-ahead technique, depending on the actual cost of over and under-estimation.
To further reduce the occurrence of over and under-estimation, CSFCS can also be configured to dynamically adapt the sampling rate if needed. In an embodiment, the CSFCS halves the sampling interval when the prediction exceeds a specified threshold. When the error drops below a lower error, in contrast, the sampling interval is gradually increased. Simulations have indicated that this techniques results in more accurate load predictions, but at a higher monitoring cost (more frequent sampling).
Beside supporting the above mentioned limited look-ahead predictions, the CSFCS may also exploit recurring load variation patterns. In an embodiment, every monitoring result is added to a time-series representing a specific timestamp k for a specific class of days (weekdays, holidays, weekends, etc.). Kalman filters, linear extrapolation, and spline extrapolation are then used to predict the future load on timestamp k (e.g. tomorrow), taking into account the history of previous measurements that occurred at the same timestamp k. In case of unanticipated load surges that significantly diverge from these recurring patterns, the CSFCS may fall back on limited look-ahead predictions taking into account only on a few prior observations.
Hence, embodiments of the cloud scaling feedback control system according to the present invention optimizes the resource utilization ratio of a telco cloud, by
(1) exploiting recurring load variation patterns (inherent to telecommunication services) to pro-actively scale out and back (cloudified) telecommunication clusters, (2) falling back to limited-lookahead predictions (taking into account only a few prior measurements) in case of unanticipated load surges that significantly diverge from these recurring load variation patterns, and (3) minimizing the impact of session state on resource utility by coordinating the migration of session state (instead of waiting until all ongoing sessions have been terminated).
All this enables the maximization of the resource utility in a telecommunication cloud (thus reducing the operational cost) while at the same time maintaining one or more key operating parameters (such as maximum response time).
A person of skill in the art would readily recognize that steps of various above-described methods can be performed by programmed computers. Herein, some embodiments are also intended to cover program storage devices, e.g., digital data storage media, which are machine or computer readable and encode machine-executable or computer-executable programs of instructions, wherein said instructions perform some or all of the steps of said above-described methods. The program storage devices may be, e.g., digital memories, magnetic storage media such as a magnetic disks and magnetic tapes, hard drives, or optically readable digital data storage media. The embodiments are also intended to cover computers programmed to perform said steps of the above-described methods.
FIG. 6 schematically illustrates a system, i.e. a CSFCS 150 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. The CSFCS 150 interacts with a network 100 comprising distributed server resources, such as the SIP network 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 . For this purpose, the CSFCS 150 is understood to have the necessary interfaces (hardware and software), as are known to the person skilled in the art of communication networking. On the one hand, a monitoring agent 151 retrieves information about the current load state of the infrastructure from the network 100 , and on the other hand a management agent 154 is configured to send instructions to the server infrastructure. Input from the monitoring agent 151 is compared to a set point 153 by a processor 152 , to determine whether the presently allocated infrastructure is under- or overloaded. Depending on this comparison, and acting in a fully analogous way as described for the methods according to the present invention, the processor 152 will cause the management agent 154 to instruct the infrastructure to allocate more or less resources, as required, while ensuring state preservation by carrying out the necessary session migrations in a state-respecting manner. Optionally, a scheduler 155 uses stored knowledge about recurring usage patterns to cause the management agent 154 to proactively instruct the infrastructure to allocate more or less resources, as required according to the usage expected in the (near) future. The skilled person will appreciate that one or more of the monitoring agent 151 , processor 152 , set point 153 , management agent 154 , and scheduler 155 may be implemented in a common hardware component. The CSFCS 150 , and most particularly the processor 152 and the management agent 154 , may further be configured to carry out other functions related to the various embodiments of the method according to the invention as described above.
The functions of the various elements shown in the figures, including any functional blocks labeled as “processors”, may be provided through the use of dedicated hardware as well as hardware capable of executing software in association with appropriate software. When provided by a processor, the functions may be provided by a single dedicated processor, by a single shared processor, or by a plurality of individual processors, some of which may be shared. Moreover, explicit use of the term “processor” or “controller” should not be construed to refer exclusively to hardware capable of executing software, and may implicitly include, without limitation, digital signal processor (DSP) hardware, network processor, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), read only memory (ROM) for storing software, random access memory (RAM), and non volatile storage. Other hardware, conventional and/or custom, may also be included. Similarly, any switches shown in the FIGS. are conceptual only. Their function may be carried out through the operation of program logic, through dedicated logic, through the interaction of program control and dedicated logic, or even manually, the particular technique being selectable by the implementer as more specifically understood from the context. | A method for dynamically assigning resources of a distributed server infrastructure, the method comprising the steps of comparing an observed relative load of an assigned portion of said distributed server infrastructure with a desired relative load; if said observed relative load exceeds said desired relative load assigning additional resources, and redistributing tasks from said assigned portion to said additional resources; and if said desired relative load exceeds said desired relative load: selecting removable resources, redistributing tasks from said removable resources to other resources in said assigned portion, and removing said removable resources from said assigned portion; wherein said redistributing of tasks is performed in such a way that state information related to said tasks is preserved. | 6 |
CLAIM OF PRIORITY
This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to Jeffrey W. Dlott et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/705,373, entitled “METHOD AND SYSTEM AUTOMATICALLY TO CERTIFY AN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT,” filed on Nov. 2, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to information systems (IS) technology and information appliances for, inter alia, agricultural certification compliance, agricultural regulatory compliance, agricultural process management, and agricultural product marketing. More particularly, the present invention relates to capturing and providing data about agricultural products, practices and conditions with high integrity and credibility to consumers, regulatory agencies and certification authorities, agricultural process managers and agricultural product developers, processors and handlers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Consumers and purchasers of food and other agricultural products are becoming increasingly concerned about the exact natures of the foods that they are eating and the effect of agricultural practices on the environment. The public is directing the government to establish and enforce increasingly stringent regulations on the practices of farmers, ranchers, and food processors. Independent certification organizations with progressive agendas for environmental stewardship are gaining significant momentum and influence in the marketplace. The predominance of agriculture as the primary cause of surface water pollution in the United States is fueling the concerns of the voting public and consumers in general about the good environmental stewardship aspects and obligations of agricultural operations. The contribution of pollution to rivers, lakes and estuaries by agricultural operations, via the generation and/or introduction into the environment of pesticides, nutrients, siltation, pathogens and organic enrichment, is becoming more evident in the public and commercial discourse.
The work of M. Tetrault and D. Grandbois, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,461, issued 23 Mar. 1997, “Process and system for treatment of pig and swine manure for environmental enhancement”, is an example of inventive efforts to reduce the environmental impact of agricultural operations. Tetrault and Grandbois developed a protocol to remove water and sludge from animal waste of such a composition that the water and the sludge may be safely returned to the external environment and thus reduce pollution of animal manure, both liquid and solid, as generated by domestic animal farms. The efforts disclosed by Tetrault and Grandbois are biological and chemical in concept and in application and do not employ the value of information technology to the challenges of reducing pollution generation on farms.
R. Hargrove and C. Zind, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,619, issued Apr. 27, 1999, “Farm management system”, present a technique of using an interactive information technology to, quoting here from the Abstract, “acquire, portray, and process field related data to thereby set rates on a field by field basis, verify that each policy complies with company, state, and federal regulations, verify that the configuration of each field allows the field to be insurable, and provide a method to validate claims of crop damage caused by weather.”
Looking in developments outside the scope of agricultural practices, U.S. Pat. No. 5,999,909, issued 7 Dec. 1999, “Methods for establishing certifiable informed consent for a procedure”, A. Rakshit and W. Judd, reports in the Abstract that, “a method for establishing certifiable patient informed consent for a medical procedure, where, in one embodiment, the patient interacts with a video training system until mastery of all required information is successfully achieved. Training techniques which permit elicitation of measurable behaviors from a patient as a guide to discerning the level of knowledge of the patient are utilized. Certification is only granted when the measurable behavior approximately coincide with the legal and medical standards for establishing informed consent.” Rakshit and Judd thereby use an information technology system to correlate a statistical probability of subjective understanding of a respondent in a particular instant with the behavior of this sole respondent and upon the bases of earlier comprehensive studies of the association of numerous respondents' behaviors with their contemporaneous levels of understanding.
Conventional approaches have attempted to thoughtfully empower agricultural process managers with tools and techniques efficiently and effectively to address the concerns of consumers, certifying bodies and governmental agencies. The existing suites of environmental certification standards (e.g., Federal and State organic food laws and non-governmental eco-label certification programs) neither require nor prescribe real-time certified monitoring of agricultural production practices. There presently exists a mismatch between the methods and tools of prior art data collection, as well as conventional automated analysis systems, and the informational needs and demands of the agricultural process manager, public and regulatory and certifying agencies, agricultural product processing, transportation and distribution agents, and consumers. In addition, there is a rapidly increasing concern on the part of the public and dedicated environmental organizations about the over use of pesticides and any resulting degradation of the environment by agricultural operations.
Much of the raw data required by an agricultural manager to make critical decisions is obtained in the field. In particular, agricultural managers spend significant portions of their budgets on pesticide acquisition and application. Decisions made in pesticide use are largely based upon field data describing pest population detection and counts, and this data is managed outside of any formal reporting and documenting structure.
The external pressures upon agricultural managers to justify pesticide use and to document the integrity of their pesticide decision-making is rapidly growing. Most agricultural managers are as concerned about the environment as other citizens, and actively seek to improve the quality of their decision-making and to demonstrate their sincerity to the public.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a method of automatically certifying an agricultural product. Agricultural product data relating to an agricultural product is received at a management information system. The agricultural product data is automatically compared against compliance requirements stored by the management information system. A compliance result is automatically generated based on the automatic comparison of the agricultural product data against the compliance requirements.
Other features of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description which follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary agricultural system within which the present invention may be deployed.
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of how seasonal production systems can be managed as long-term production systems, and seasonal production systems may deliver seasonal production impacts and long-term productions impacts.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart providing an overview of a method, according to the present invention, of capturing, managing, processing and outputting data pertaining an agricultural product.
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of the capture of data at multiple units that together constitute a chain of custody, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of a data record, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, that may be generated by a data capture device at each of the units of a chain of custody and thereafter communicated to the agricultural information system.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a compliance and chain of custody system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present, that includes a chain of custody constituted by a collection of custodians, each of which provides input to the agricultural management information system.
FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating a plurality of data capture devices, connected via a network to each other and to an agricultural management information system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 5A-8D are diagrams illustrating details regarding the operation of an exemplary hand-held device that includes a barcode reader.
FIG. 8E illustrates an exemplary chart on which may be printed a collection of barcodes, each of which represents product data that may be ready by a barcode reader.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware components of a hand-held device, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating system components implemented, for example, in software within a hand-held device.
FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, of capturing data pertaining to an agricultural product.
FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary collection of data records that may be maintained within a database in an agricultural management information system.
FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating further architectural details of an agricultural management information system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, of automatically generating a compliance result based on the automated comparison of agricultural product data against compliance requirements in the form of certification requirements.
FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, of communicating agricultural product information to a user.
FIG. 16A illustrates the communication of a user interface by an agricultural management information system, via a network, to a computer system for display.
FIG. 16B illustrates exemplary labels, each bearing a respective barcode, as applied to an assortment of agricultural products.
FIG. 17A illustrates exemplary seasonal reports and historic reports of a number of leafhoppers identified within a particular trap both seasonally and over a number of years, the reports being generated by the agricultural management information system.
FIG. 17B illustrates an example of a weekly pest management monitoring report, as generated by the agricultural management information system.
FIG. 17C illustrates an exemplary aggregate report that graphically illustrates water use efficiency per year measured in acre/feet for a group of wine grape growers, the aggregate report being generated by the agricultural management information system.
FIG. 17D illustrates an exemplary pesticide use report, as generated by the agricultural management information system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A method and system automatically to certify an agricultural product are described. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.
Agricultural System—Overview and Terminology
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary agricultural system 10 that includes an agricultural production system 15 and agricultural production outputs 16 . The production system 15 may in turn conceptually be viewed as including one or more components that contribute towards the agricultural production outputs 16 . These components may include production units 18 , production practices 20 , inputs 22 , biological processes 24 , and time 26 . The outputs 16 may include agricultural products 28 and impacts 30 on environmental, economic and social systems.
For the purposes of the present specification, agricultural systems 10 shall be taken to include, but not be limited to, land-based (e.g., cropland, grassland, pasture and range, forest land, plantations, hen-house, etc.), water-based (e.g., oceans, lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, tanks, etc.), fermentation (e.g., winemaking, brewing, baking, etc.), biochemical (e.g. extraction or biosynthesis of proteins, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, etc.), chemical (e.g., distilling, etc.) or other production processes and actions to prepare agricultural products for ingestion or use by a human, animal, or plant.
Agricultural products 28 may be taken to include, but not be limited to, grains, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, meats, poultry, eggs, fish, seafood, herbs, beverages, wine, beer, distilled spirits, flowers, nursery plants, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, nutraceuticals, nutritional supplements, medicines, plant and animal derived oils, cotton, fiber, paper, milk, cheese, breads, leather, and other processed products.
Units 18 may include, but not limited to, a specified unit of cropland (e.g., agricultural field), forest land (e.g., natural forest, managed forests, plantations, etc.), grassland pasture and range used by grazing animals, animal rearing and processing facilities (e.g., feed-lot, slaughter-house, hen-house, etc.), a defined fresh or salt water area where fish, seafood and other plants and animals are captured or otherwise collected (e.g., specified length of ocean-front coast, lake-front coast, lake, river, stream, pond, bay, open-ocean, lake, aquaculture tank, etc.), processing facility (e.g., fermentation plant, dehydration plant, mixing plant, distillery, kitchen, bakery, bottling plant, canning plant, etc.) or tank, barrel, vat, or other fermentation, biochemical, or chemical chambers. A unit may also be a biologically meaningful unit (e.g., an ecosystem, watershed, biological community, habitat, or species population range), a politically meaningful unit (e.g., a country, state, region, county, city, town, village or other voting unit) or a geographically meaningful unit (e.g., a section, township, and range).
The terms agricultural product processing or food processing mean herein any operation or action made to prepare an agricultural product 28 for ingestion or use by a human, animal, or plant.
The terms farm, ranch, forest operation, fishing operation, and processing facility include herein an agricultural production venture, enterprise, operation, location, site or other point of origin, wherein or whereby an agricultural, chemical or biochemical process is sponsored, effected or managed and that produces an agricultural product 28 that is meant to be, or is likely to occasionally be, used or ingested by a human, animal, or plant or is meant to be combined with other materials in subsequent processes or mixtures, whereafter one or more resultant products or derivative products of a subsequent process, are meant to be, or are likely to be occasionally be, used or ingested by a human, animal, or plant. The meaning of the terms farm, ranch, forest operation, fishing operation, and processing facility further include an agricultural production venture, enterprise, operation, location, site or other point of origin, wherein or whereby an agricultural product 28 that is meant to be, or is likely to occasionally be, used in a subsequent agricultural, industrial, chemical, biochemical or commercial process or manufacture, is generated or sponsored. Examples of a farm, ranch, forest operation, fishing operation, and processing facility include vineyards, wineries, orchards, vegetable gardens, vegetable farms, ranches, pig farms, chicken farms, meat packing plants, fish cannery, vegetable cannery, freezing facilities, drying facilities, bakery, extraction facilities, biosynthesis facilities, egg farms, fish hatcheries, aquaculture facilities, tree and plant nurseries, forests, plantations, and fresh water and salt water fishing areas and locations.
The term lot is defined as two or more agricultural products 28 that originate from the same unit of production 18 . Further, agricultural products 28 of a lot may be harvested or processed in substantially the same way during substantially the same time period with substantially the same procedures and equipment. A unique alphanumeric identifier or other suitable designation known in the art is used to identify a lot. Examples of lots include, but are not limited to, two apples harvested from the same tree on the same field on the same day or during another designated time period, a volume or an amount of grapes harvested from a particular area of a specific vineyard during a certain time period, lettuce heads harvested from the same field during the same time period, a volume of wine fermented in a single barrel or vat, a volume of wine divided and placed into a plurality of bottles, canned fruit, vegetables, or meat manufactured on the same day or during another designated time period on the same assembly line, frozen fruit, vegetables, or meat manufactured on the same day or during another designated time period on the same assembly line.
Production practices 20 are practices employed, for example, by farm, ranch, forest operation, fishing operation, and processing facility managers to combine production units 18 , inputs 22 , biological processes 24 , and time 26 to produce the agricultural products 28 . Examples of production practices 20 may include, but are not limited to, crop residue management, cropping management, pest management, nutrient management, soil management, water management, human resource management, fermentation management, quality control management, biochemical process management, etc.
Inputs 22 may include but are not limited to production inputs (e.g., nutrients, pesticides, seeds, seedlings, bacterial strains, yeast strains, energy, machinery and other technologies, water, etc.), management inputs (e.g., farm managers, facility managers, boat or fleet managers, product line manager, quality control managers, pest managers, etc.), labor inputs (e.g., farm worker, ranch-hand, factory worker, production line worker, etc.), and capital inputs that are in any way used in the production of agricultural products 28 .
Biological processes 24 include, but are not limited to biologically meaningful physical, chemical, biochemical, individual organism, population, community, watershed, ecosystem, and biosphere processes that influence in a positive or negative manner the production of agricultural products 28 and impacts 30 . The biosphere is the largest biological unit and includes all parts of the earth where life exists. Several key nutrients and inorganic molecules essential for life cycle on a biosphere scale. Examples include the water cycle, nitrogen cycle, and carbon cycle. The term ecosystem refers to communities of interacting organisms and the physical environment in which they live. Example ecosystems include grassland, forest, freshwater, coastal, and agricultural. Ecosystem processes include such functions as air and water purification, evaporation, precipitation, soil production, soil erosion, climate control, ecosystem-level nutrient cycling, and the capture and flow of energy via food chains and food webs.
Ecosystems are composed of smaller biologically meaningful units including watersheds, communities, populations, and individual organisms. A watershed is a geographically defined area where water from streams, neighborhoods, agricultural areas, and rivers carries sediments and dissolved materials to a common outlet such as a wetland, estuary, lake, pond, sea or ocean. Communities are the assemblages of species populations that occur together in space and time. Species diversity, community biomass and productivity, succession, community-level nutrient cycling and energy flow, interspecific competition, decomposition, mutualism, predation, and parasitism are examples of community properties. Populations are composed of groups of actually or potentially interbreeding individuals at a given locality. Example population processes include reproduction, gene flow, intraspecific competition, and dispersal. Individual organism processes include growth, fitness, reproduction, maintenance, and survival. Biochemical processes include such examples as photosynthesis and metabolism.
Impacts 30 may include, but are not limited to, intended and unintended alternations to biological, economic and social processes and systems as a result of agricultural production system 15 . The term biological impact is herein defined as an unintended or intended impact of agricultural production system 15 on biological processes and conditions. The agricultural production system 15 can have impacts on air, water, and land from pollutants (e.g., sediment, dust and other particulate matter, nutrients, pesticides and their breakdown products, other organic and inorganic chemicals, salts, pathogens, etc.) and use patterns (e.g., cultivation, deforestation, wetland drainage, burning, changes to water flows, etc.) that may alter physical, chemical, biochemical, individual organism, population, community, watershed, ecosystem, and biosphere processes. Example physical impacts include alternations to soil, water, or air temperatures, changes in light intensity on land or water surfaces, water turbidity, etc. Example chemical impacts include alternations to soil or water pH, percent dissolved oxygen in water, concentration of particulate matter in air, concentration of minerals (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorous, selenium, etc.) in soil or water, and contamination of soils or water by inorganic or organic pollutants (e.g., pesticides, fertilizers, pesticide-breakdown products, etc.). Examples of impacts on individual organisms include altered growth, fitness, reproduction, maintenance, and survival.
Examples of impacts on species populations include significant reduction in overall numbers (e.g., endangered or threatened species status), significant increases in overall numbers and range (e.g., invasive species), and alternation of population age, genetic structure and diversity. Examples of community impacts include alterations of species diversity and abundance (e.g., invasive species, loss of wild populations, etc.), changes in the structure and functioning of food chains and food webs, and changes in nutrient cycling and energy flows. Examples of ecosystem impacts include alternations in water quality, water quantity, water duration, and water seasonal timing, large-scale changes in species diversity and abundance, decreases in total biomass and productivity, and alternations in nutrient cycling and energy flow. Examples of biosphere impacts include alternations to the carbon cycle (e.g., increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere), nitrogen cycle (e.g., increased nitrates in deep ground water) and global climate change.
The term economic impact is herein defined as an unintended or intended impact of an agricultural production system 15 not accounted for in the trade value or sale price of agricultural product 28 . The term social impact is herein defined as an unintended or intended impact of an agricultural production system 15 on the health, safety, educational, and standard of living conditions and opportunities of individuals and communities and the treatment of animals. Example economic impacts resulting from agricultural production systems 15 include the individual, community, and government cost of additional water treatment to remove agricultural pollutes (e.g., sediments, nutrients, pesticides, pathogens, etc.), increased health care costs associated with pesticide poisonings, increased taxes to pay for air quality and water quality regulatory oversight and clean-up. Examples of social impacts that may result from agricultural production system 15 include poverty from low paying and season jobs, limited availability of affordable and safe housing, dangerous working conditions (e.g., exposure to pesticides), limited opportunities for education or training, decreased consumer confidence in safe and affordable agricultural products 28 , inhumane treatment of animals, and increased regulatory oversight.
FIG. 2 illustrates how seasonal production systems 15 can be managed as long-term production systems 17 and seasonal production systems 15 deliver seasonal production impacts 30 and long-term production impacts 31 . Examples of long term production systems 17 include crop rotation, changes in cropping patterns, etc. Examples of long term production impacts 31 include accumulated environmental, economic and social impacts such as siltation of water courses, groundwater pollution, decreases in biodiversity, and decreases in quality of life for individuals and communities.
Overview—Methodology
FIG. 3 is a flow chart providing an overview of an exemplary method 40 of capturing, managing, processing and outputting data pertaining to an agricultural product. At a high level, the method 40 may conceptually be viewed as composing a data capture and chain of custody record creation component 42 , a certification/accreditation/compliance component 44 and a reporting component 46 . Contributors, processors and users of the data concerning the agricultural product include custodians 48 of the agricultural product, an agricultural management information system 50 , a regulatory/certification/accreditation authorities 52 , consumers 54 of the agricultural product 28 , and agricultural managers 56 .
The method 40 commences at block 58 with the capture, by custodians 48 of an agricultural product 28 , of product data pertaining to the agricultural product, the product data reflecting a condition pertaining to the product at a custodial location. In one embodiment, as will be described in further detail below, a series of custodians, each controlling a custodial location along a chain of custody, perform data capture operations to capture product data reflecting conditions pertaining to the product at each of the respective custodial locations.
At block 60 , a data record is created by each custodian 48 , the record embodying the product data captured at block 58 .
At block 62 , the created data record is communicated from a respective custodian 48 to the agricultural management information system 50 that, at block 62 , proceeds to store the received data record together with an internal identifier 64 .
At block 66 , the agricultural management information system 50 performs a certification process to create and store a certification record indicating that a particular agricultural product, for which data has been received from one or more custodians 48 , complies to one or more certification or accreditation standards specified by one or more certification or accreditation authorities. This certification record may, at block 68 , be communicated to the relevant certification or accreditation authority, that, at block 70 , may optionally generate a certification or accreditation report.
At block 72 , the agricultural management information system 50 may optionally perform a regulatory compliance process to create and store a compliance record. At block 74 , this compliance record may optionally be transmitted to a regulatory compliance authority that then generates, at block 76 , a regulatory compliance report.
At block 78 , a consumer 54 may generate a request for certain information regarding an agricultural product (e.g., whether the product complies with certain certification standards). As will be described in further detail below, this request may be inputted into a network communication device (e.g., a network-coupled personal computer) which is then communicated to the agricultural management information system 50 .
At block 80 , the agricultural management information system 50 retrieves data pertaining to one or more agricultural products identified in the consumer request and, at block 82 , transmits the received data to the consumer 54 as a response to the initial request. At block 84 , the consumer 54 may then view the product data including, for example, certification/accreditation/compliance information as well as custodial history information as derived from the data originally captured by the custodians 48 at block 58 .
In a similar manner, at block 86 , an agricultural manager 56 may generate a report request for a report pertaining to one or more agricultural products, this request being transmitted to the agricultural management information system 50 at block 88 . At block 90 , the agricultural management information system 50 retrieves one or more reports and other pertinent data and, at block 92 , transmits the retrieved report data to the agricultural manager 56 . At block 94 , the agricultural manager 56 is then able to view one or more management reports derived from the management data.
FIG. 3 provides a high-level overview of the method 40 . Further details regarding each of the operations, as well as the systems underlying such operations, will now be discussed.
Data Capture and Chain of Custody
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of the exemplary capture of data at multiple units 100 that together constitute a chain of custody. The submission, by each of such units 100 , to the agricultural management information system 50 for storage within a database 103 , of records 102 that embody the captured data pertaining to the agricultural product. The units 100 may conceptually be viewed as comprising units of production 104 , and units of processing, storage and distribution 106 . Within the context of each unit, data may be captured regarding each of a number of operations to generate individual data records of product data reflecting conditions pertaining to a relevant agricultural product at a respective unit. For example, a unit of production 104 , as defined above with reference to FIG. 1 , may include pre-production operations 108 , production operations 110 and processing operations 112 . According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, data pertaining to agricultural products at the relevant unit of production 104 may be gathered as part of the operations 108 - 112 to compose the data records 102 . The exemplary records 102 are shown to include location data to indicate the location of the relevant unit of production, measured data reflecting a measured or otherwise ascertained metric, time and date information, and authentication information.
Similarly, each of a number of units of processing, storage and distribution 106 may include combinations and permutations of processing operations 112 , storage operations 114 and transport operations 116 , agricultural product data being captured as part of such operations.
While the described operations are illustrated in FIG. 4 as being performed at various units, it will be appreciated that any permutation, variation or combination of the described operations may occur at any of the described units, and that the data capture need not necessarily be performed as part of the described operations.
By implementing the capture of product data at each of a chain of units that constitute a chain of custody of an agricultural product and the submission of such product data to the agricultural management information system 50 , for example in the form of the records 102 , it will be appreciated that the agricultural management information system 50 is able to provide a global view of a chain of custody and conditions pertaining to the agricultural product at each custodial location constituting the chain of custody.
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of a data record 102 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, that may be generated by a data capture device at each of the units 100 of a chain of custody and communicated to the agricultural management information system 50 . In one embodiment, the record 102 may be constructed by the data capture device at the custodial location, and communicated to the agricultural management information system 50 as a record. In an alternative embodiment, the agricultural product data, as captured by the data capture device, may simply be communicated to the agricultural management information system 50 , which then formats the received data as the record 102 .
A unique identification field 120 stores, for each record, a unique identifier for the particular record that also serves to identify the relevant agricultural product for which the record 120 pertains. In one exemplary embodiment, a unique identifier for a record stored in a field 120 may comprise a Universal Product Code (UPC), or a derivative thereof.
A time field 122 , for each record 102 , stores a time at which the agricultural product data included within the record 102 was captured. A date field 124 similarly stores a date on which the relevant data was captured. A place field 126 stores location data indicating a location (e.g., any one of the units 100 discussed above with reference to FIG. 4 ) at which the agricultural product data was captured. In one embodiment, the data in the place field 126 indicates one of multiple custodial locations for a particular agricultural product.
A person field 128 stores an identifier for a person, or operator, at a custodial location who was responsible for the capture of the agricultural product data. An activity field 130 may store information identifying an activity (e.g., any one of the operations 108 - 116 described above with reference to FIG. 4 ) pertaining to the agricultural product and to which the captured data pertains. For example, an activity indicated in the activity field 130 may be the application of a fertilizer to a unit of production, the applying of the pesticide at a unit of production, the harvesting of an agricultural product, the packaging of an agricultural product, etc.
An equipment serial number field 132 stores an identifier for data capture equipment utilized in the capture of the data embodied within the record 102 . For example, the equipment may comprise a hand-held device, examples of which are provided below. A custodian field 134 stores an identifier of a custodian 48 that operates or manages a particular custodial location in a chain of custody (e.g., a unit 100 ).
The record 102 may also include a number of optional verification identifiers. More specifically, a digital signature field 136 may store a digital signature utilized to encrypt the record 102 for secure and confidential transmission. A witness field 138 may include a digital witness identifier that provides a further level of authentication for the digital signature 138 . A Global Positioning System (GPS) field 140 may include longitudinal and latitudinal location information, in one embodiment, to be utilized to authenticate place information stored within the place field 126 . The contents of the GPS field 140 may also be utilized to enhance reports generated by the agricultural management information system 50 , by providing a further level of detail regarding location of a custodial location.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a compliance and chain of custody system 150 that includes a chain of custody constituted by a collection of custodians 48 , each of which provides input, for example in the form of a record 102 , to the agricultural management information system 50 . The system 150 is also shown to include a collection of regulatory/certification/accreditation authorities 52 that interact with the agricultural management information system 50 to at least partially automate regulatory compliance, certification or an accreditation processes. The exemplary custodians 48 include an agricultural production system 15 , a packaging custodian 152 , a transportation custodian 154 , a processor custodian 156 , a wholesale custodian 158 and a retail custodian 160 . Outside the chain of custody, a consumer 54 is also shown to interact with the agricultural management information system 50 .
Each of the custodians 48 is further shown to access one or more data capture devices 170 that are utilized to capture product data at the respective custodial locations 48 . Each data capture device 170 is furthermore shown to be in communication with the agricultural management information system 50 , so as to facilitate the communication of the captured product data from the data capture device 170 to the agricultural management information system 50 .
A data capture device 170 utilized by a custodian 48 may be a hand-held device (e.g., a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a mobile telephone, or any other known hand-held device), or a fully-functional computer system (e.g., a desktop Personal Computer (PC) or a notebook computer system). Further, as described in further detail below, the data capture device 170 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, may be equipped to perform read and/or write operations of an external information source. In one embodiment, the data capture device 170 may be connectable to an external data source associated with a particular custodial location. In alternative embodiments, the data capture device 170 may be constructed to perform a wireless read of information associated with a custodial location utilizing any electromagnetic frequency communications (e.g., optical, infrared (IR) or radio frequency (RF) communications).
The agricultural management information system 50 , as will be described in further detail below, comprises one or more applications executing on one or more computer systems, as well as one or more databases maintained on one or more data storage systems.
The data capture devices 170 communicate with the agricultural management information system 50 utilizing a communications network, such as the Internet, the Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS), cellular telephone networks, a Wide Area Network (WAN) or a Local Area Network (LAN).
A collection of authorities 52 are also shown to interact with the agricultural management information system 50 . Such authorities 52 include, merely for example, a certification authority 162 (e.g., The Food Alliance, California Certified Organic Farmers, etc.), an accreditation authority 164 (Marine Stewardship Council, Forest Stewardship Council, etc.), a non-profit organization 166 (e.g., an environmental watchdog, social, economic organization, or universities), and federal, state, and local public agencies 168 (e.g., The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The Food And Drug Agency (FDA), The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR), etc.). The interaction of the authorities 52 with the agricultural management information system 50 will also be described in further detail below.
Data Capture
Further details regarding exemplary embodiments of the capture 42 of data concerning an agricultural product will now be described.
FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic representation illustrating a plurality of data capture devices 170 , connected via a network 180 (e.g., the Internet) to each other and to the agricultural management information system 50 . Each of the data capture devices 170 is located at a respective custodial location 48 within a chain of custody to capture pertinent data. The data capture devices 170 also include a stand-alone computer system 184 that communicates agricultural product information on a data storage media 186 (e.g., a CD ROM or any other optical, magnetic or opto-magnetic storage medium) that is provided to the agricultural management information system 50 . Accordingly, the computer system 184 is not required to be coupled to the network 180 .
One of the data capture devices 170 is shown to comprise a hand-held device 182 that communicates utilizing radio-frequency communications 190 with a base computer system 192 . The hand-held device 182 is also shown to communicate directly with the network 180 via radio-frequency communications 190 . The hand-held device 182 is utilized by an operator conveniently to record data concerning an agricultural product at various locations within a chain of custody and production cycle through which the agricultural product proceeds. The hand-held device 182 may be utilized by any of the custodians 48 , described above with reference to FIG. 6 , at any one of the custodial locations 48 . For example, farmers, transporters (e.g., truckers and railroad freight handlers) processors, distributors, retailers, insurers, marketers, resellers, regulatory agents, inspectors, environmentalists and any third party may utilize a hand-held device 182 to capture appropriate data.
The hand-held device 182 , and also the computer systems 181 , includes a data reader in the exemplary form of a barcode reader 194 . An alternative embodiment of the present invention, the data reader may include any optical, infrared, radio frequency, magnetic or opto-magnetic reader or a network device before receiving communications or information via a network.
FIGS. 8A-8D are diagrams illustrating further details regarding the operation of an exemplary hand-held device 182 , that receives input from a barcode reader 194 . Data capture at an exemplary custodial location in the form of a production unit will now be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8A-8D .
Turning firstly to FIG. 7 , the present invention proposes a method by which product data, reflecting a condition pertaining to an agricultural product, be associated with location data identifying a location within the chain of custody. Further, the present invention proposes that a product identifier may also be associated with the captured location and product data. Referring specifically to FIG. 7 , at a specific custodial location 201 , location data in the form of location code 202 , encoded as a barcode, is shown to be physically associated with the custodial location 201 . For example, as shown in more detail in FIG. 8B , the location code 202 may be printed on a weather-resistant tag 210 that is fixed to a physical structure in the exemplary form of a post 212 located at the custodial location 201 . Accordingly, the post 212 may be positioned at a specific location at a custodial location 201 to provide a reference location for the capture of product data.
FIG. 8C illustrates an exemplary situation in which a tag 210 , on which the location code 202 is again represented in the form of a barcode, is attached to an insect trap 214 .
It will be appreciated that, utilizing the barcode reader 194 , the hand-held device 182 may be utilized conveniently and reliably to capture a location code 202 from a location identifier (e.g., the tag 210 ) that is physically associated with a custodial location 201 by being attached to a post or trap, or being otherwise secured at the custodial location 201 .
Having captured location data utilizing the hand-held device 182 , the present invention proposes allowing a custodian 48 to capture product data, reflecting a condition pertaining to an agricultural product, at the relevant custodial location 201 . To this end, FIG. 8A shows the hand-held device 182 to include a keypad 216 via which a custodian 48 may enter product data reflecting a condition pertaining to the product at the first location identified by the relevant location code 202 . For example, with reference to FIG. 5C , a display screen 218 of the hand-held device 182 may present a user interface via which, utilizing the keypad 216 , or touch-sensitive functionality provided by the screen 218 itself, the custodian 48 may enter an indication of the number of bugs 220 captured in the trap 214 at a particular time. It will be appreciated that, within different environments and at different custodial locations 201 , a wide variety of agricultural product data may be captured. Accordingly, a wide variety of data capture applications may be executed by the data capture device (e.g., the hand-held device 182 ) to prompt a custodian 48 for appropriate data in a convenient and reliable manner. Such prompting may occur via a user interface presented on the display screen 218 . The data input may be via the keypad 216 , or via a touch screen functionality.
In a further alternative embodiment, referring to FIG. 8D , a particular custodian 48 may be provided with a chart 222 , or handbook, of barcodes, each barcode embodying a product data code 204 that is associated with a particular chart 222 . For example, each product data code 204 contained within a particular chart 222 may reflect a unique condition that is observable or determinable by a custodian 48 . For example, a product data code 204 may reflect an observed condition pertaining to an agricultural product at a custodial location identified by the location code 202 . It will be appreciated that a wide variety of conditions may be of interest from an agricultural management perspective, and any one of these conditions may be associated with a particular product data code 204 . FIG. 8E illustrates an exemplary chart 222 on which are printed a collection of barcodes. The collection of barcodes includes product data codes 204 that in the illustrated embodiment provide product data in the form of a numeric count of pests that may be observed within a trap 214 , such as that illustrated in FIG. 8C . Utilizing a barcode reader 194 , such as that illustrated in FIG. 8A , a custodian 48 may conveniently input a numeric value to a hand-held device 182 . It will readily be appreciated that by selecting a sequence of the product data codes 204 , any numeric value may conveniently be entered into a hand-held device 182 .
In addition to the product data codes 204 , the chart 222 includes examples of location/data type codes 205 , each of which indicates both a data type (e.g., leafhopper count, mite count, thrips count, mildew levels) and a particular location at which the relevant data type was captured (e.g., the northwest, northeast, southwest or southeast region of a unit or production). Utilizing the location/data type codes 205 , a custodian 48 is conveniently able, by performing a single read of a code 205 , to input both location and data type information to a hand-held device 182 , whereafter a count, that comprises the indicated data type, may be entered utilizing the product data codes 204 .
It will of course be appreciated that, in alternative embodiments, the location and data type codes may be distinct. For example, the chart 222 may contain a first set of data type codes (e.g., leafhopper, mite, thrips, mildew), a second set of location codes (e.g., northwest, northeast, southwest and southeast) and a third set of product data codes 204 . In this embodiment, it will be appreciated, the number of barcodes printed on a chart 222 may be advantageously reduced. However, it will be appreciated that data input would, utilizing this embodiment, require the input of three codes, as opposed to the two codes that are advantageously required for a complete input utilizing the chart 222 illustrated in FIG. 8E .
The chart 222 is also shown to include a collection of command codes 207 utilizing which a custodian 48 may conveniently input commands (e.g., “done with vineyard”) into a hand-held device 182 . It will be appreciated that any number of commands, applicable to a particular application or environment, may appear on a chart 222 .
Having captured the location data (e.g., the location code 202 ) and the product data (e.g., the product data code 204 ), a custodian 48 may where appropriate and possible capture product identification data as embodied within a product identification code 206 (e.g., a Universal Product Code (UPC)) embodied within a barcode associated with a particular agricultural product as illustrated in FIG. 7 . It will be appreciated that a product identification code 206 may not be associated with an individual product at all locations along a chain of custody, and may only become associated with an individual product and during a packaging stage. For example, at a unit of production 18 (e.g., a farm unit producing thousands of lettuce heads), a product identification code 206 is not associated with each individual agricultural product. However, at a downstream packaging custodian 152 , such product identification codes 206 may be associated with each individual agricultural product.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the record 102 described above with reference to FIG. 5 is composed by the hand-held device 182 . In an alternative embodiment, the information to compose the record 102 is communicated from the hand-held device 182 to a computer system 181 , that composes the record 102 . In a further embodiment, the information captured by the hand-held device 182 is simply relayed via the computer system 181 to the agricultural management information system 50 that then composes the record 102 . In a further embodiment, the information captured by the hand-held device 182 is communicated via wireless transmission directly to the agricultural management information system 50 that then composes the record 102 . In any event, it will be appreciated that, to compose the record 102 , information types to populate the various fields, should be captured. Accordingly, the hand-held device 182 is required to capture information to populate the fields of the record 102 , either automatically or by prompting input of the appropriate data. While the capture of the data for the record 102 is described as being performed by the hand-held device 182 above and below, it will be appreciated that the information could similarly be captured by any of the computer systems 181 illustrated in FIG. 7 to which a reader (e.g., a barcode reader 194 ), may be attached, and into which information may be inputted via a keyboard or a cursor control device, responsive to prompting presented on a display screen of the computer screen 181 . However, for the purposes of illustration, the description herein shall be limited to data captured via the hand-held device 182 .
FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating the hardware components of the hand-held device 182 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. A processor 230 is coupled via buses to a Random Access Memory (RAM) 232 , a static memory 234 and a storage device 236 (e.g., a disk drive or flash memory device). The display screen 218 also receives signals from the processor to generate a display (e.g., a user interface to receive agricultural product data).
The hand-held device 182 is powered by an internal power source 238 (e.g., batteries), and also has a digital signature module 240 to store a digital signature that uniquely identifies the hand-held device 182 . A network modem or port 242 (e.g., a USB or FireWire port) allows the hand-held device 182 to be coupled to a network. A receive/transmit module 244 enables the hand-held device to transmit and receive optical (e.g., infrared), radio frequency or any other electromagnetic frequency signals.
The hand-held device 182 is also shown to include at least one input module 246 via which a custodian may input data into the hand-held device 182 . The input module may comprise the keypad 216 , a touch-screen capability associated with the display 218 , a voice recorder, a video recorder, an optical code recognition (OCR) module or radio frequency module associated with the receive/transmit module 244 , the barcode reader 194 or any other hardware module that facilitates the input of data into the hand-held device 182 .
An external power source 248 may also be utilized to provide power to the hand-held device 182 . An optional GPS module 250 may provide longitudinal and latitudinal position information to the hand-held device 182 . In an alternative embodiment, the hand-held device 182 may include a relative position system (e.g., a three-point transponder) that detects the location of the hand-held device 182 relative to a base unit (e.g., associated with the computer system 192 ), the base computer system 192 including a GPS module. By combining the relative positioning information received from the hand-held device 182 with the location information derived by a GPS module of the base computer system 192 , position information for the hand-held device 182 may be derived.
FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating system components implemented, for example, in software within the hand-held device 182 . The hand-held device 182 is shown to include a number of subsystems, including an operating system 260 , a storage system 262 that controls the RAM 232 , the static memory 234 and the storage device 236 , and a verification system 264 that verifies data inputted into the hand-held device 182 via the input modules 246 . Specifically, the verification system 264 may verify location data, as represented by a location code 202 , inputted via the barcode reader 194 . To this end, the verification system 264 may receive input from the GPS module 250 or location transponder 252 . Further, the verification system 264 may operate to verify the authenticity and trustworthiness of the inputted data by receiving a witness confirmation 266 of the inputted data. In this embodiment, a witness with a unique identifier 138 confirms some or all data captured by the operator of the hand-held device 182 and adds a unique witness identifier 138 to the captured data or data report 102 prior to transmission to the agricultural management information system 50 . Such witnesses may include a second custodian, certification agent, accreditation agent, third-party representative, or government agent. A data capture system 268 controls the one or more input modules 246 , and may interface with a number of specific subsystems, namely a voice recognition system 270 , a handwriting recognition system 272 , an OCR system 274 and a IR or RF system 276 . Any one of the systems 270 - 276 may be dedicated at the controlling of a specific input module 246 . A processor and memory system 278 operates to control the processor 230 and the memory 234 .
A report generation system 280 , in one embodiment, operates to generate a report or record from the data received from the data capture system 268 , as well as data retrieved internally from other systems and subsystems of the hand-held device 182 . To this end, a date and time system 282 provides date and time information to the report generation system 280 . Further, the storage device 236 , in one embodiment, stores identification information identifying a person (or process) that is responsible for the input of the data via the one or more input modules 246 and also that stores an equipment serial number associated with the hand-held device.
A transmission system 284 is responsible for operating the network modem/port 242 and the receive/transmit module 244 to facilitate the output of information from the hand-held device 182 . In one embodiment, the transmission system 284 may transmit captured data utilizing RF communications to a base computer system 192 that then, via the Internet, communicates this data to the agricultural management information system 50 . In an alternative embodiment, the hand-held device 182 may be physically coupled to the base computer system 192 in order to transfer information to the base computer system 192 for propagation to the agricultural management information system 50 . In yet a further embodiment, the hand-held device 182 may be coupled directly to the Internet, and may itself communicate the captured data to the agricultural management information system 50 .
Data Capture—Methodology
FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a method 300 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, of capturing data pertaining to an agricultural product. The method 300 commences at decision block 302 , with the determination as to whether a record or report generated by the report/record generation system 280 , and composed of the previously captured data pertaining to an agriculture product, is to be stored. If so, at block 304 , the report, or record, is stored. Following a negative determination at decision block 302 , at decision block 306 , a determination is made as to whether input data has been received via one of the input modules 246 of the hand-held device. If not, a wait state is entered at block 308 .
On the other hand, if input data is detected at decision block 306 , at block 310 the hand-held device accepts location data in the form, for example, of a location code captured from a location identifier (e.g., a tag 210 or a chart 222 having a printed barcode thereon). Alternatively, the location data may be automatically determined utilizing OCR technology, with a location code composing a numeric sequence read from a location identifier
In yet another alternative embodiment, a location code may be embedded in a transponder that is activated by the hand-held device 182 , so the location code is communicated as a radio frequency communication from the transponder to an appropriate receiver embedded within the hand-held device 182 .
It will of course be appreciated that the location data can be communicated to the hand-held device 182 in any one of a number of ways from media on which the location data is stored in such a way as to be physically associated with a location identified by the location data. By obtaining the location data from media that is physically associated with the relevant location, the integrity of this information and the reliability of the capture operation, may be increased. Furthermore, the convenience to a custodian 48 performing the location data capture is increased. By having the location data appear, or be stored, on a media at the relevant custodial location, a relatively low-tech and cost effective system for capturing the location data is provided.
At block 312 , the hand-held device 182 accepts agricultural product data, for example in the form of a product data code 204 as describe with reference to FIGS. 8D and 8E . Alternatively, the product data may be inputted into the hand-held device via the keypad 216 or a touch- (or pressure) sensitive display 218 . At block 312 , product identification data 206 , as described above with reference to FIG. 7 , may also optionally be inputted if such information is available.
At decision block 314 , a determination is made as to whether further external data input is required in order to complete a report or record to which the hand-held device 182 contributes. If so, the method 300 loops back to block 312 to receive further data. If not, at decision block 316 , the method 300 again loops back to block 312 . Alternatively, if the collection of information by the device 182 is deemed to be finished at decision block 316 , at block 318 the device 182 may append a digital signature to the data, at block 320 append time and date information to the captured data, at block 322 include a geographic position reference, such as a GPS value or other suitable geographic positioning identifier, to the data, and at block 324 append witness information to the data. It should be noted that the addition to the data of the digital signature, time and date stamp, geographic position reference and witness verification may optionally be performed, and serves to enhance the perceived credibility of the information as entered a custodian. Further, this optional data may serve to address or satisfy a certain regulatory, accreditation, or certification requirements.
At decision block 327 , a determination is made as to whether the report/record is to be transmitted. If so, a transmission occurs at block 328 .
At decision block 330 , a determination is made as to whether the record/report is to be stored. If so, a storage operation occurs at block 332 .
The acceptance of the location and product data at blocks 310 and 312 , as previously noted, may be through an optical, radio frequency, infrared, video, or audio signal read operation of an appropriate code. For example, a product or data code may be stored in a one, two or multi-dimensional barcode. Alternatively, a product or data code may be stored within a transponder, or by a radio frequency transmitter that communicates utilizing, for example, the BlueTooth protocol. In yet a further exemplary embodiment, a location or data code may be encoded as an audio signal.
The product data captured at block 312 may comprise any data pertaining to an agricultural product. For example, the product data may be environmental data, indicating environmental conditions associated with an agricultural product. Such environmental data may, for example, reflect growing environment and conditions (e.g., soil nutrient levels, atmospheric conditions, pesticide application, etc.). Environmental data may also include conditions such as water, air and land quality adjacent to the unit of production 18 . Environmental data may further comprise the health and status of species populations, a community, watershed, and ecosystem associated with the unit of production 18 . The product data may also include characteristic data indicating a specific characteristic of an agricultural product. For example, such characteristic data may indicate the size, weight, calorie, color, brix, or other observable or measurable characteristic of an agricultural product. The product data may also comprise activity data recording details of an activity performed with respect to an agricultural product. For example, the activity data may reflect the timing and volume of pesticides applied at a particular unit of production 18 . The activity data could also reflect data concerning any processing, distributing, packing, treating or handling of the agriculture product at any one of the custodial locations discussed above.
The product data may furthermore include economic data indicating costs of production associated with an agricultural product (e.g., material, water, energy, equipment, management, land, capital, and labor costs). Further, labor (or personnel) data may be captured at block 312 to identify personnel that contributed toward the production or processing of the agricultural product. Such personnel or data may include personnel identification, labor location and labor time, merely for example.
It should also be noted that the product data captured at block 312 may comprise audio or video data that is captured into a portable data capture device (e.g., an audio cassette recorder or a video recorder). Such captured audio or video may be digitized, and stored by the agricultural management information system 50 as part of the record 102 .
Chain of Custody—Database
FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary collection 400 of data records 102 that may be maintained within the database 103 of the agricultural management information system 50 . FIG. 12 also illustrates that the collection 400 of records 102 may be indexed by a common product code (e.g., a Universal Product Code (UPC) 402 or a lot code 404 ). Specifically, the UPC 402 or the lot code 404 may comprise the unique identifier 120 of an agricultural product data record 102 , as illustrated in FIG. 5 . Each of the records 102 may be linked to further records and reports pertaining to a specific agricultural product, or agricultural product lot, so that a hierarchical data structure of records and reports that comprises the collection 400 is defined. An exemplary chain of custody 406 for an agricultural product is also illustrated in FIG. 12 .
In addition to records 102 that are generated at various custodial locations along the chain of custody 406 , the collection 400 may also include reports 408 for various authorities (e.g., regulatory, accreditation, certification). For example, a first set of reports 410 may be generated for an organic certification authority based on information contained in the records. A further set of records 412 may be generated for a non-profit watchdog organization, and yet another set of reports 414 generated for a regulatory authority (e.g., the EPA). Each of the reports 408 may furthermore have one or more lot codes 404 and one or more UPCs 402 associated therewith. The generation of the exemplary reports 408 will be described in further detail below.
Architecture—Agricultural Management Information System 50
FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating further architectural details of the agricultural management information system 50 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The agricultural management information system 50 is shown to receive data records 102 , including at least location and product data, from custodians 48 , automated data capture mechanisms 450 , and other submitters 452 . In an alternative embodiment, raw data may be received at the agricultural management information system 50 , which then itself composes the record 102 .
The agricultural management information system 50 is shown to include a certification server 454 that is responsible for generating reports utilizing records, pertaining to an agricultural product, obtained from custodial locations constituting a chain of custody for the relevant agricultural product. To this end, FIG. 13 illustrates a first database 103 storing a collection of records 102 , each of the multiple records 102 being associated with a unique identifier 120 , which may comprise a UPC, lot number, or Combination of UPC and lot number. Accordingly, a one-to-many mapping between the unique identifier 120 and multiple records 102 is maintained.
The certification server 454 also has access to a second database 105 , which is shown to include product records 456 that include detailed information regarding agricultural products, guideline records 458 (e.g. organic certification guidelines, Marine Stewardship Council accreditation guidelines, EPA Clean Water Act standards, etc.), agricultural production system records 460 that include details regarding agricultural production systems 15 (e.g., such as those described with reference to FIG. 1 ), custodian records 462 that contain records regarding various custodians in a chain of custody, lot records 464 that may contain additional information regarding a lot of agricultural products, and quality records 466 (e.g., size, color, purity, brix level, harvest date, etc.).
In summary, the certification server 454 receives raw data, or unprocessed records 102 , from the various submitters, and outputs a processed record 102 that is expanded to include further information derived from the above mentioned tables 456 - 468 of the database 105 and information that is generated by the certification server 454 itself.
The certification server 454 includes a control module system 470 that is responsible for coordinating the functioning of the various components of the certification server 454 . These components include a certification tool 472 that is responsible for automatically generating a compliance result based on the automatic comparison of product data, embodied in a record 102 , with compliance requirements as specified in a particular guideline record 458 . In one embodiment, the certification tool 472 may functionally operate to certify a particular product, identified by a UPC and/or a lot number, as complying with certification guidelines, as described in a guidelines record 458 , for any one of multiple certification authorities. Merely for example, The Food Alliance has issued a set of guidelines entitled “Commodity Specific Guidelines for Wine Grapes in the Pacific Northwest”, these guidelines specify cultural practices (e.g., cover crops, adjacent area management, stock selection, harvest and storage practices), crop nutrition guidelines (e.g., fertilizer applications and soil pH levels) insect/mite management guidelines, disease/nematodes management guidelines, and weed management guidelines that should be complied with in order to receive a wine grape certification from The Food Alliance. Similarly, the Conservation Agriculture Network has issued a banana standard entitled “Complete Standards for Banana Certification”, which specifies ecosystem conservation, wildlife conservation, fair treatment and good conditions for workers, community relations, agro-chemical management, waste management, water resource conservation, soil conservation and environmental planning and monitoring requirements that must be complied with in order to receive an appropriate certification from the Conservation Agriculture Network. Again, the compliance requirements for the above standards and guidelines may be embodied within one or more records within the guideline records 458 of the database 105 . The certification tool 472 operates automatically to compare agricultural product data, in the form of the records 102 , against the compliance requirements specified within such guidelines or standards, and to generate a compliance result based on this automatic comparison. The compliance result typically comprises a report 474 , which the certification server 454 may report to a user 451 . For example, the report 474 may be generated in real-time responsive to an inquiry from the user 451 . Alternatively, the report 474 may be generated once sufficient agricultural product data has been collected from the various submitters, and the report 474 may then be stored as part of the record 102 and accessed at any time.
The certification server 454 also includes a report tool 475 that operates to generate custom reports (e.g., daily, seasonal or yearly pest management reports) based on the agricultural product data received from various submitters. Further details regarding the report in process will be provided below.
An identification generator 476 operates to generate the unique identifier 120 which may be associated with multiple records within the database 103 of the system 50 . As described above, the unique identifier may be a UPC, a lot number, or the combination thereof (e.g., an encrypted identifier).
A custody tool 478 operates to include further custodial information within a record 102 , as extracted from the custodian records 462 .
A regulatory tool 480 operates substantially in the same way discussed above with respect to the certification tool 472 , but instead operates to generate a regulatory compliance certificate as a compliance result based on the comparison of the agricultural product data against regulatory compliance requirements as specified in one or more guideline records 458 . An accreditation tool 473 operates substantially in the same way discussed above.
An interface 482 , that accesses communication parameters 484 , facilitates access to the database 105 . For example, the interface 482 may be implemented by a Database Management System (DBMS) so as to enable the control module system 470 to issue secure queries against the database 103 .
Methodology—Creation of Compliance Result
FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating a method 500 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, of automatically generating a compliance result based on the automated comparison of agricultural product data against compliance requirements in the form of certification requirements. While the method 500 is described below as generating a certification record based on a comparison against certification guidelines, it will be appreciated that any compliance result may be generated using substantially the same methodology. For example, a compliance record (e.g., regulatory) or an accreditation record may be generated substantially in the same manner.
The method 500 commences with the submission at block 502 from a submitter (e.g., custodian 48 , an automated data capture mechanism 450 or other submitter 452 ) of a record 102 , such as for example, the record illustrated in FIG. 5 . In addition to the information specified in FIG. 5 , the record 102 may also specify a particular product, particular production practices/processes 20 applied to that product, inputs used to produce/process the product 22 , biological process 24 that influenced the production/processing of that product, the duration of time 26 that took place to produce/process the product, resultant impacts 30 , and a guideline specifier that may be utilized to locate a guideline record 458 within the database 103 . To this end, a custodian, for example, may when submitting agricultural product data specify that the record is contributing towards a determination as to whether a particular agricultural product complies with certain organic standards criteria. In a further embodiment, a witness may authenticate some or all the data submitted to add an additional level of credibility.
At block 504 , the certification server 454 receives the record 102 from the submitter and, at block 506 , the identification generator 476 adds an internal identifier 120 (or key) to the record 102 . Again, the internal identifier may comprise a UPC, a lot number, or a code derived from the UPC and/or the lot number.
At block 508 , the control module system 470 of the certification server 454 stores the original received record 102 in combination with the identifier 120 within the database 103 .
At block 510 , the certification tool 472 (or the regulatory tool 480 or accreditation tool 473 ) generates a compliance result in the exemplary form of a certification record (or regulatory compliance record or accreditation compliance record) by performing a comparison of compliance requirements against the captured agricultural product data. As described above, the compliance requirements for a specific certification record may be specified in a guideline record 458 . The creation of the certification record 510 may include generating a compliance report that provides metrics, derived from the agricultural data, against a number of factors specified by an certification/accreditation/regulatory authority.
Further, the certification record 510 may indicate an affirmative compliance result or negative compliance result. The affirmative compliance result may comprise a standard certification, a government regulatory compliance approval, or an accreditation.
At block 514 , the created certification record is then stored, either as an integral part of the product data record, or in a relational database as a distinct record that is keyed (or linked) to the agricultural product data record 102 .
Methodology—User Product Information Retrieval
FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating a method 520 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, of communicating agricultural product information to a user (e.g., a consumer, farmer or certification authority).
The method 520 commences at block 522 with the input of a serial number (e.g., a UPC) by an inquiring user 451 to the agricultural management information system 50 . In one exemplary embodiment, the input of the serial number to the system 50 may be via a computer system 532 coupled via a network 180 to the agricultural management information system 50 , as is illustrated in FIG. 16A . In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 16A , a product identifier in the form of a UPC embodied in a barcode 536 printed on a label 534 is inputted to the computer system 532 via a barcode reader 194 that performs a read operation of the relevant barcode 536 .
FIG. 16A also illustrates that the agricultural management information system 50 may communicate a user interface 538 , via the network 180 , to the computer system 532 for display on a display device 540 that forms part of the computer system 532 . The user interface 538 may include a serial number input field 542 . The serial number may be inputted into the input field 542 manually, utilizing a keyboard 544 , or automatically utilizing the barcode reader 194 .
The user interface 538 is also shown to present a menu of certification options 546 , each option 546 having an associated check box that may be utilized to prompt the user to identify certain certification standards, criteria or guidelines, merely by example. By selecting associated check boxes, a user is able to identify, for example, certain certification standards by which the user is interested.
In one embodiment, the user interface 538 comprises a markup language document (e.g., a hypertext markup language (HTML) document) that is generated by a web server that forms part of the agricultural management information system 50 . The input by the user to the interface 538 is communicated, via the network 180 , back to the agricultural management information system 50 as a request for agricultural product information.
FIG. 16B shows example labels 534 , each bearing a respective barcode 536 , as applied to an assortment of agricultural products.
Further, while FIG. 16A illustrates a personal computer system 532 as being an input device, it will be appreciated that the request for agricultural product information may be inputted, by user 451 , into any of a number of network-connected devices for communication via the network 180 to the agricultural management information system 50 . For example, an appropriate interface to harvest information to be included in such a request may be presented on a PDA, a mobile telephone, a hand-held computer, a pager, or a radio-based communication device. While the UPC is also described in FIG. 16A should be entered via a keyboard 544 , or utilizing a barcode reader 194 , it will be appreciated that multiple other input mechanisms may be utilized to input the UPC. Specifically, an optical, radio, infrared, audio or video input mechanisms associated with a computing device may be utilized.
Returning to the method 520 , illustrated in FIG. 15 , at block 524 , the user may optionally input a lot number for a particular agricultural product. The lot number may be entered in any one of the ways described above for the input of the serial number.
At block 526 , the agricultural management information system 50 , having now received a serial number and/or a lot number, proceeds to locate records associated with the serial and/or lot numbers. To this end, reference is again made to FIG. 12 , which illustrates a hierarchy of records 102 and reports 408 associated with a specific UPC 402 and lot code 404 within the collection 400 being maintained within the database 103 of the agricultural management information system 50 .
At block 528 , having identified the appropriate records 102 , the agricultural management information system 50 , and more specifically the certification tool 472 of the certification server 454 , proceeds to compare the identified records with certification criteria specified within an appropriate guideline record 458 . Similarly, in an alternative embodiment, at block 528 , the regulatory tool 480 may compare located records with regulatory criteria as specified within a guideline record 458 . In a further embodiment, at block 528 , the accreditation tool 473 may compare located records with accreditation criteria as specified within a guideline record 458 . Examples of certification criteria are provided in FIG. 15 .
At block 530 , the results of the comparison operation performed at block 528 are reported to the user. In one exemplary embodiment, the comparison results may be reported in the form of a markup language document (e.g., a HTML document) that is generated by a web server of the agricultural management information system 50 , and communicated via a network 180 to a computer system 532 operated by the user. The certification results may, in one embodiment, simply comprise a list of standards (e.g., certification, regulatory, accreditation, etc.) with which the relevant agricultural product complies. This embodiment may be directed towards a consumer who is interested in only high-level information. In an alternative embodiment, more detailed information may be communicated as part of the comparison results. For example, the certification tool 472 may provide a listing of criteria, with a metric indicated for each of the relevant criteria. The metric may comprise a certification status (e.g., pass, fail) or a relative compliance label (e.g., a grade, percentage value, rating relative to a standard, grade in terms such as poor, fair, good or super, or a statistically derived confidence interval). The resolution of information displayed with respect to a standard, and the criteria that define that standard, are customized to accommodate the requirements of a particular user.
While the comparison of the records with the criteria, at block 528 , is described above as being performed responsive to the receipt of a request for agricultural product information, it will be appreciated that the comparison operation may be performed off-line, prior to the receipt of any request, and the results of the comparison stored as a report 408 within the collection 400 for later retrieval responsive to a request.
The method 520 discussed with reference to FIG. 15 provides an example of reporting a level of compliance of an agricultural product, based on agricultural product data collected along the chain of custody, with a standard (e.g., a certification standard). It will nonetheless be appreciated that the information embodied in the records 102 , as stored by the database of the agricultural management information system 50 , is also very useful to a farmer (or producer, processor, etc.) for the purposes of evaluating performance of and reviewing of, an agricultural production system 15 over time (e.g., a season or one or more years as described in FIG. 2 ). To this end, a user may, in a manner similarly described with reference to FIG. 15 , input information pertaining to an agricultural production system (e.g., a unit of production identifier), responsive to which the report tool 474 of the certification server 454 locates records associated with the relevant agricultural production system 15 (e.g., a field of land). In addition to an identifier for an agricultural product system 15 , the request from the farmer may include a specific characteristic in which the user is interested. For example, the user may be interested in the number of pests (e.g., leafhoppers) observed at a particular trap within a particular season, or over a number of years. In this case, the report tool 475 is able to extract the appropriate data from the located records, and generate textual or graphic reports. To this end, FIG. 17A shows exemplary seasonal reports 600 and historic reports 602 of the number of leafhoppers identified within a particular trap both seasonally and over a number of years. Additionally, the report tool 475 generates graphs to provide a visual representation of observed or measured values for a particular characteristic.
FIG. 17B provides a further example of a weekly pest management monitoring report 620 that may be generated by the report tool 474 responsive to a request from a user 451 . Once again, the information displayed in the report 620 is extracted from the connection 400 of records 102 , responsive to a user inquiry.
Individual reports may also rank, rate, and/or provide descriptive and inferential statistics so as to provide a meaningful comparative view of the captured agricultural product data. Such reports go beyond a mere “yes/no” compliance, and enable a user to differentiate between custodians of an agricultural product based on a selected one, or multiple, metrics (e.g., environmental conditions, quality, time to market, etc.). A user 451 (e.g., a consumer) is then able to perform a comparative selection based on one or more metrics. For example, a consumer may request information regarding “good”, “better” or “best” based on one or more metrics, or may elect to receive information regarding the top ten-percent of environmentally sound products, merely for example.
Similarly, at the end of a production cycle (e.g., a season) or a predefined time period (e.g., every six months, every twelve months, etc.), a user 451 (e.g., a farmer or other producer) may be presented with a summary report (or aggregation) of all compliance reports for the predetermined time period. Such a summary report may be utilized by the producer as a benchmark for future production cycles, to calculate end-of-cycle balances or for multiple other purposes.
To this end, FIG. 17C provides an example of an aggregate report 622 that graphically illustrates water use efficiency per year measured in acre/feet for a group of winegrape growers. In this example, a rating system is based on the most efficient growers determined by the top ten percent of growers along a water use efficiency scale. In one embodiment, the report 622 may be hyperlinked so as to allow a user conveniently to “click through” the illustrated graph to identify the names of the growers in, for example, the top ten-percent for water use efficiency.
FIG. 17D illustrates a further exemplary report in the form of a pesticide use report 624 that provides a graphic depiction of pesticide use per year measured by pounds applied per acre. In this example, a rating system is based on a five-category scale that ranges from “best” 626 to “poor” 628 , with equal intervals defined at 20 lbs. per year. Accordingly, in contrast with the report 622 discussed with reference to FIG. 17 which provides a percentage-based rating, the report 624 illustrated in FIG. 17D provides discrete, descriptive classifications or ratings of growers. Again, the report 624 may provide a “click through” functionality so as to enable a user 451 conveniently to identify growers falling within each of the respective categories.
Further, a request to user 451 may require that a sample population be limited according to specified criteria. For example, the user 451 may specify that only a specific type of custodian (e.g., a grower, processor, transporter) be considered within a specific biologically meaningful unit (e.g., ecosystem, watershed, biological community, habitat, species population range, etc.), politically meaningful unit (e.g. country, state, region, county, city, town, village, etc.), and/or geographic region (e.g., section, town, range, etc.). Furthermore, the user 451 may request that the report only consider growers involved in one or more certification programs (e.g., organic, sustainable, integrated pest management, genetically-modified organism free, etc.). While irrigation water and pesticide use have been provided as examples of metrics of interest above, it will be appreciated that any one of a predetermined set of metrics may be selected. For example, user 451 may wish to view a comparative rating of a custodian based on energy use, impacts on water quality, impacts on air quality, level of biodiversity found in and around the production unit, time to market, ripeness, etc.
The reports discussed above may, in one embodiment, be generated as markup language documents that are communicated from the agricultural management information system 50 , via the network 180 , to a computer system 532 .
Thus, a method and system to automatically certify an agricultural product, have been described. Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. | Various embodiments of the present disclosure include methods and apparatus for tracking and reporting agricultural-producer information. In an example embodiment, an apparatus comprises a hand-held device including a display and one or more input devices to sense product identification indicia associated with or affixed to a food product that is grown or raised in an agricultural operation. The hand-held device includes at least one processor to determine a machine-readable identification code from the product identification indicia; send the identification code to at least one remote server; receive, from the at least one remote server, information that is associated with the product, the information including agricultural producer-specific information that is associated with the production of the food product; and display at least some of the received agricultural producer-specific information on the display in human readable form. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention is related in general to the field of maintenance management systems. In particular, the invention comprises utilizing a set of procedures for addressing maintenance issues.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] In many industries, such as strip-mining activities, it is common to use heavy equipment to facilitate acquiring, moving, and placing large and heavy items. In the strip-mining industry, heavy equipment may include Dozers, Drills, Haul Trucks, Loaders, and Shovels.
[0005] A Dozer is a tracked or wheeled piece of equipment that moves earth with a large blade to clear or level areas. A Drill is another tracked piece of equipment utilized to create holes, usually for the placement of explosives, utilizing rotation or percussion. Haul Trucks carry waste and ore material between locations at the mine site. Often, these Trucks operate in a cycle of loading, hauling, dumping, and returning for the next load. Loaders are rubber-tired pieces of equipment used to move rock and load trucks. Shovels are similar to loaders, however they are usually larger and are tracked vehicles. Shovels are generally either powered by diesel engines or large electric motors.
[0006] Strip-mines and similar industrial locations are stressful environments for these heavy pieces of equipment. Some equipment, such as drills, may experience extreme use resulting in severe stress and strain on both static components (frames, superstructure, and undercarriage) and moving parts (engines, motors, gears, shafts, and hoses). The mine can be a very hostile environment for all equipment. There are severe loading issues for all mine equipment. Other equipment, such as haul trucks, may be utilized in a near-constant cycle (load, haul, dump, return) that results in steady and persistent wear in some components and unpredictable wear in other components. Temperatures in these environments may also be extreme and can vary greatly over a period of hours or months. There are numerous reasons that equipment breaks down. Some of the principal reasons include, use of equipment beyond its design, operator abuse, poor design, manufacturer defects, poor or incorrect maintenance, wear-out, accident, etcetera. Dust and dirt can also accumulate on moving parts and result in excessive and premature wear. Impurities, including water, fuel, dust, and dirt, may be inadvertently introduced into lubricating fluids, resulting in additional wear.
[0007] This wear on both static and dynamic parts often leads to failure of an equipment component. Failure is characterize by the termination of the ability of the equipment to perform its required function to a set standard. Failure results in downtime, which is calculated as the measurement of time the equipment is unavailable to fulfill its performance requirements divided by its intended utilization period.
[0008] Because the cost of heavy equipment is very high, any downtime decreases the return on investment for the associated equipment. The impact of a failure may be higher in hidden costs (i.e. production losses) than the actual repair capital costs of the equipment. An equipment's reliability is measured as a probability that it will perform satisfactory for a given period of time, under specified operating conditions, and its Mean Time Between Failure (“MTBF”) is a measure of its uptime (the opposite of downtime) in a given period of time divided by the number of failures in that time period. For these reasons, downtime is carefully tracked and extraordinary measures are employed to prevent or minimize it, as much as possible.
[0009] Maintenance activities are performed to ensure equipment performs its intended function, or to repair equipment which has failed. Preventive maintenance entails servicing equipment before it has failed by replacing, overhauling, or remanufacturing components at fixed intervals, regardless of their condition. Periodic maintenance, such as scheduled replacement of components or lubricants, is performed at regular intervals based on either use or time.
[0010] Predictive maintenance is a strategy based on measuring the condition of equipment in order to assess whether it will fail during some future period, and then taking appropriate action to either prevent the failure or make allowance for the anticipated equipment downtime. One method of implementing predictive maintenance is termed Oil Analysis, whereby lubricants (including hydraulic fluid and engine oil) are sampled and subjected to a variety of tests. These tests are designed to identify contaminants, such as water, fuel, and dust, and measure lubricant viscosity.
[0011] Data from a piece of equipment may be transmitted from the field to the maintenance office or to a service center or off-site Original Equipment Manufacturer (“OEM”) facility for analysis, referred to as remote condition monitoring. Remote condition monitoring may be utilized for failure reporting, or to report the status of the equipment such as time-in-use or lubricant levels. Another method of maintenance planning is to employ trend analysis, whereby predictive maintenance tools analyze the equipment's operating conditions and estimate the potential wear and failure cycle of the equipment. These preventative and predictive maintenance programs are designed to facilitate the implementation of planned maintenance, whereby maintenance tasks are organized to ensure they are executed to incur the least amount of downtime at the lowest possible cost.
[0012] The effectiveness of these maintenance strategies is measured by the Mean Time Between Failure (“MTBF”), the equipment uptime divided by the number of failures in a particular period of time. Another measurement tool of maintenance effectiveness is the Mean Time To Repair (“MTTR”). However, the MTTR can be influenced by additional factors, such as failure response time, spare parts availability, training, location, and weather. Once a failure has occurred, failure analysis may be performed to determine the root cause of the failure, develop improvements, and eliminate or reduce the occurrence of future failures.
[0013] Maintenance tasks are generally managed through the use of work orders, documents including information such as description of work, priority of work, job procedure, and parts, material, tools, and equipment necessary to complete either a preventative maintenance or repair task. Work order requests are proposals to open work orders and submitted to persons authorized to generate work orders.
[0014] Once a failure has occurred, or is eminent, a piece of equipment may generate an alarm, or the equipment is being utilized outside its operating profile. Alarms may be generated by on-board sensors, OEM monitoring systems, or trend analysis. Additionally, equipment operators and maintenance technicians may initiate an alarm during an operational pre-inspection or based on equipment performance. If an operator does not have the authority to issue an alarm, the condition may be communicated to a maintenance analyst, who, in turn, generates an alarm.
[0015] The problem with the current state of alarm handling is that alarms are not handled in an organized manner or, in many cases, not at all. Alarms may not be discovered until failure because there is no formal process for handling the alarms, and if there is a process for reviewing this information they are typically ineffective because of the large number of alarm events. After problem identification, there are often several different procedures in place to handle them. The response to an alarm will often include different people who apply their own methods for handling it. This leads to an inconsistency in how the alarm is handled and a corresponding degradation in the efficiency and effectiveness of the alarm handling process. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a consistent, effective, and efficient method for handling alarms which can be tracked, measured, and improved upon.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] This invention is based on utilizing an Interactive Maintenance Management System (“IMMS”) to establish a procedure for handling each alarm that occurs. The alarm handling procedure begins at the piece of heavy equipment (“Equipment”), when the Alarm is generated, and continues through the Workflow Timeline of the Maintenance Department, until the cause of the alarm has been addressed. All alarms which are generated will be handled by this system. Variations in the maintenance management process may be dictated by the severity of the associated Alarm.
[0017] Once an alarm has been generated, it is transmitted from the Equipment to a Central Computer over a communications network, such as a site-wide radio network. The Central Computer analyzes the received Alarm and establishes a Priority based on the severity of the Alarm. The Alarm is routed to the appropriate responsible Maintenance Personnel, if required.
[0018] Some routed Alarms require a response from the appropriate Maintenance Personnel. If so, the IMMS will wait for an Acknowledgment. If no Acknowledgment is received, the IMMS will forward the Alarm to the next person on a Notification List. Once an Alarm has been received by a Maintenance Personnel, he analyzes any Supporting Information to determine whether the Alarm is valid. If the Alarm is determined to be invalid, it is either managed or dismissed. Alternatively, this may be done by a computerized routine.
[0019] In one scenario, once a valid Alarm has been determined, a plan of action (“Plan”) is generated and the sent to a responsible Supervisor, along with the Alarm and Supporting Information. The Supervisor then assigns and forwards the Plan to a Maintenance Technician who then completes the necessary work.
[0020] One aspect of this invention is a method of maintaining and repairing Equipment in an efficient and cost-effective manner utilizing algorithms. Another aspect of the invention is to provide a means for tracking, measuring and improving the maintenance management system. It is still another objective to provide a maintenance system in which generated Alarms are not ignored, overlooked, or misplaced. Additionally, the most severe alarms should be addressed first in an expeditious manner.
[0021] Various other purposes and advantages of the invention will become clear from its description in the specification that follows and from the novel features particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Therefore, to the accomplishment of the objectives described above, this invention comprises the features hereinafter illustrated in the drawings, fully described in the detailed description of the preferred embodiments and particularly pointed out in the claims. However, such drawings and description disclose just a few of the various ways in which the invention may be practiced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIG. 1 is an illustration of an overview of the Interactive Maintenance Management System (“IMMS”), according to the invention.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating an overview of the method of Alarm Handling, according to the invention.
[0024] FIG. 2 (A) is a flow chart illustrating the first variation of the Analysis Process step, indicated in FIG. 2 .
[0025] FIG. 2 (B) is a flow chart illustrating the second variation of the Analysis Process step, indicated in FIG. 2 .
[0026] FIG. 2 (C) is a flow chart illustrating the third variation of the Analysis Process step, indicated in FIG. 2 .
[0027] FIG. 2 (D) is a flow chart illustrating the fourth variation of the Analysis Process step, indicated in FIG. 2 .
[0028] FIG. 2 (E) is a flow chart illustrating the fifth variation of the Analysis Process step, indicated in FIG. 2 .
[0029] FIG. 2 (F) is a flow chart illustrating the sixth variation of the Analysis Process step, indicated in FIG. 2 .
[0030] FIG. 2 (G) is a flow chart illustrating the seventh variation of the Analysis Process step, indicated in FIG. 2 .
[0031] FIG. 3 (A) is a flow chart illustrating the first variation of the Set Snooze Criteria action, indicated in FIG. 2 .
[0032] FIG. 3 (B) is a flow chart illustrating the second variation of the Set Snooze Criteria action, indicated in FIG. 2
[0033] FIG. 3 (C) is a flow chart illustrating the third variation of the Set Snooze Criteria action, indicated in FIG. 2
[0034] FIG. 3 (D) is a flow chart illustrating the fourth variation of the Set Snooze Criteria action, indicated in FIG. 2
[0035] FIG. 3 (E) is a flow chart illustrating the fifth variation of the Set Snooze Criteria action, indicated in FIG. 2
[0036] FIG. 3 (F) is a flow chart illustrating the sixth variation of the Set Snooze Criteria action, indicated in FIG. 2
[0037] FIG. 3 (G) is a flow chart illustrating the seventh variation of the Set Snooze Criteria action, indicated in FIG. 2
[0038] FIG. 3 (H) is a flow chart illustrating the eighth variation of the Set Snooze Criteria action, indicated in FIG. 2
[0039] FIG. 3 (I) is a flow chart illustrating the ninth variation of the Set Snooze Criteria action, indicated in FIG. 2
[0040] FIGS. 4 (A)- 4 (F) are flowcharts illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0041] As a general overview of the invention, FIG. 1 shows an Interactive Maintenance Management System (“IMMS”) 10 . A piece of heavy equipment (“Equipment”) 12 is located at a strip mine 14 . A Central Computer 16 is located at a Central Office 18 , along with a Transceiver 20 of the Communications Network. Another Transceiver 22 is located at each piece of Equipment 12 . Additionally, an Alarm Generator 24 is located on the Equipment 12 . Additionally, a Maintenance Department 26 is provided as a location for servicing and repairing the Equipment 12 .
[0042] Numerous technical and administrative positions are necessary to facilitate the operation of the IMMS. The Equipment Operator can be a key part of the condition monitoring and Alarm generation system, in that he can detect equipment deterioration and abnormal conditions which are not detected by on-board sensors. A Maintenance Dispatcher is the person responsible for ensuring good communication between maintenance and administrative personnel. Equipment problems are communicated to the Maintenance Dispatcher and he, in turn, passes the information to the Shop Maintenance Supervisor, typically over voice radio. When the Shop Maintenance Supervisor verifies that a repair has been completed, he informs the Maintenance Dispatcher that the equipment is no longer down. The responsibilities of the Maintenance Dispatcher may alternatively be handled by an Operations Dispatcher, or a secondary Operations Dispatcher, depending on the size of the mining operation and its operational configuration.
[0043] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, Alarms may be categorized at one of three different priority levels. The highest level of Alarm, Level 1, is typically associated with Equipment which is experiencing downtime. Additionally, this level may indicate a problem which raises safety concerns or may lead to potential equipment damage. Level 2 Alarms are those generated when Equipment may be functioning, but prolonged use may result in component failure. Nuisance Alarms are considered Level 3 and represented those which may be disregarded. An example of a Level 3 Alarm is one generated by a faulty sensor.
[0044] A key person in the efficient operation of the IMMS is the Maintenance Assistant. It is his role to analyze Alarms, establish an Alarm Priority and recommend a Job Action Plan. Additionally, the Maintenance Assistant ensures that appropriate Supporting Information is passed on with the Alarm.
[0045] The Shop Maintenance Supervisor prioritizes and assigns tasks to Shop Maintenance Technicians who, in turn, affect the actual repair of the Equipment, once it has been delivered to the Maintenance Department 26 . Shop Maintenance Technicians perform scheduled repairs, such as oil changes and engine overhauls, and unplanned maintenance due to Equipment failure.
[0046] Some repairs do not require the facilities of the Maintenance Department 26 . Additionally, in some circumstances, Equipment which is experiencing a failure may not be able to be moved to the Maintenance Department. In those circumstances, a Field Maintenance Technician performs unplanned repairs and service on-site. These Field Maintenance Technicians generally visit the Maintenance Department only to get parts, material, tools, and equipment necessary to effect repairs on the Equipment.
[0047] The Field Maintenance Supervisor prioritizes and assigns the job repairs tasks to the Field Maintenance Technicians. Additionally, they coordinate activities with the Maintenance Dispatcher and Shop Maintenance Supervisor.
[0048] The Maintenance Department is supported by a team of Administrative and Engineering staff. The Maintenance Analyst researches all available data, including Equipment history, trend data, and real-time data, to handle Level 2 Alarms that are non-critical. These problems generally require a more careful and long-term troubleshooting approach, as these problems are generally not as straightforward and obvious as those generating Level 1 Alarms. One responsibility of the Maintenance Analyst is to identify trends or re-occurring problems.
[0049] The Maintenance Engineer is responsible for developing maintenance programs and supporting the day-to-day engineering needs of the Maintenance Department. Their job requires extensive use of remote condition monitoring and a review of maintenance history. Maintenance Planners are responsible for short and long-term planning of maintenance tasks. It is the responsibility of the Planners to schedule planned maintenance. Overseeing the IMMS is the Maintenance Superintendent. It is his/her job to establish the goals of the Maintenance Department and evaluate the effectiveness of the IMMS.
[0050] An overview of the operation of the IMMS 10 is illustrated in the flow-chart of FIG. 2 . Initially, an Abnormal Event is Received 102 at the Central Office 18 by the Central Computer 16 . Abnormal Events may be generated in numerous ways. The first is a signal originating from the Alarm Generator 24 , located on the Equipment 12 . An onboard monitoring system generates an Alarm based on an abnormal event occurring on the Equipment. Alternatively, an Embedded Device, Programmable Logic Controller (“PLC”), or other computerized system monitors equipment operating and/or production parameters from one or more sensor or monitoring system. Production parameters from mine management systems would include data such as excavation records (i.e. equipment id, operator id, location, activity times, payload, material type, material characteristics, etcetera), dump records (equipment id, operator id, location, activity times, payload, material type, material characteristics, etcetera), equipment status time (i.e. ready time, delay time, standby time, breakdown time, etcetera). When one or more parameters exceeds an established threshold, an Abnormal Event is generated.
[0051] Additionally, Abnormal Events may be generated utilizing off-board computer based on sensory input from OEM monitoring systems, third-party monitoring systems, sensors, data acquisition systems, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) production data from mine management systems, maintenance history from work order management system, and health information from predictive maintenance database based on fixed or configurable single parameter or multi-parameter thresholds. Various third-party predictive maintenance technology suppliers store their data in a database or other electronic medium. Predictive maintenance technology includes areas such as vibration analysis, fluids analysis (i.e. oil analysis), ultrasonic analysis, ultrasonic testing, infrared analysis, eddy current analysis, mag-particle analysis, etcetera. Another means for generating an Abnormal Event is through the use of remote condition monitoring. Additionally, maintenance or operational personnel may enter the Event directly into the Central Computer 16 , based on input from Equipment operators, Field Maintenance Technicians, or pre-shift inspections. Yet another method of generating Abnormal Events is through Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) systems. ERPs are integrated information system that serve all departments within an enterprise. Evolving out of the manufacturing industry, ERP implies the use of packaged software rather than proprietary software written by or for one customer. ERP modules may be able to interface with an organization's own software with varying degrees of effort, and depending on the software, ERP modules may be alterable via the vendor's proprietary tools as well as proprietary or standard programming languages. An ERP system can include software for manufacturing, order entry, accounts receivable and payable, general ledger, purchasing, warehousing, transportation and human resources.
[0052] Abnormal Events are received as data packets, e.g., a block of data used for transmission in packet-switched systems. Once an Event has been received 102 , the Event and associated information is Stored In Database 104 . Data such as time, date, an Abnormal Event Identifier, Equipment identifier, location, Equipment operator, operational status, action, Alarm snapshot, and production information may be stored in a Database along with the Abnormal Event. Once the Event has been stored in the Database, the Event is examined to determine whether Abnormal Event Snoozed 106 . For the purposes of this description, “snooze” is defined as temporarily turning off an alarm, pending attention at a later time. If the status is Snoozed, the IMMS algorithm is terminated 108 , if not the algorithm proceeds to the Analysis Process 110 phase. Either an analyst or a computational routine Validates the Alarm and determines an appropriate response to the Event. The Analysis Process 110 can be simple or complex and is examined in more detail below.
[0053] The next step of the process is to Snooze Abnormal Event 112 . In this phase, a logical operator determines if the abnormal event requires snoozing or suppressing from inject into the Analysis Process 110 . A logical operator represents a decision process where a condition is evaluated for true (yes) and false (no). Traditional Boolean logical operators can be used in the evaluation (and, or, xor, not, etcetera). If no Snoozing is necessary, the algorithm Terminates 114 , else notification of the event is blocked until such time as Snooze Criteria are violated. In Set Snooze Criteria 116 , the Abnormal Event is Snoozed based on such factors as time, occurrence frequency, minimum allowable system or component health factors, predefined events, minimum allowable system or component health factor, and other user definable criteria. A minimum allowable system or component health factor is the minimum level of which a system or component is still considered in good health. The factor may be based on a single parameter or a compilation of multiple parameters from various sources. Sources of parameters include OEM monitoring systems, predictive databases, mine management systems, ERP, SCADA, etcetera. The factor is established either by pre-set configurations or manually be the user.
[0054] The next evaluation is Snooze Criteria Violated 118 . Another logical operator evaluates whether the Snooze criteria have been violated and, if so, advances the algorithm to Snooze Released 120 . Snooze Released is the criteria evaluated for violation such as time, occurrence frequency, minimum allowable system or component health factor, predefine event (i.e. completion of repair, component change-out, etcetera), and user defined criteria. The algorithm then terminates 122 .
[0055] FIG. 2 (A) illustrates the optional step of Display for Action or Information 130 , followed by the Analysis of Abnormal Event 132 . The Abnormal Event is displayed in a common job queue or sent directly to one or more individuals. Individuals are defined in the distribution list for that event. Analysis 132 is the process of validating the Abnormal Event and, either through analysis or the utilization of a computational routine, determining the appropriate action. The algorithm illustrated in FIG. 2 (B) builds on these steps by adding the Create Repair Record 134 decision point, the Create Repair Record 136 action, the Snooze Abnormal Event 138 , and the Terminate 140 action. In the Create Repair Record 134 decision point, a logical operator evaluates whether the abnormal event meets the criteria for creation of a Repair Record is to be created, the algorithm returns to step 112 of FIG. 1 . The criteria for creation of a Repair Record may be related to consequences of failure (potential repair costs, production losses, or safety implications if the system goes to failure), availability of maintenance personnel, availability of facilities, production requirements, planned maintenance activities, confidence in diagnosis of problem, parts availability, etcetera. The criteria may be evaluated manually or through a computerized routine. A Repair Record is created in step 136 . A logical operator then evaluates whether the Abnormal Event meets the criteria to be snoozed. Is so, the algorithm returns to step 112 of FIG. 1 , else the algorithm Terminates 140 .
[0056] A third variation of the Analysis Process 110 is illustrated in FIG. 2 (C). After the Analysis of Abnormal Event 132 , the decision point of Ignore Abnormal Event 142 is encountered, wherein a logical operator evaluates whether the Abnormal Event meets the criteria to be ignored. If so, the algorithm advances to the Documentation Reason 144 action, wherein the user enters the appropriate information to document why the Abnormal Event is being ignored, and then Terminates 146 . If not, the algorithm advances to the Create Repair Record 134 decision point, the Create Repair Record 136 action, the Snooze Abnormal Event 138 , and the Terminate 140 action. FIG. 2 (D) is a fourth variation of the Analysis Process 110 . The Send to Analyst 148 decision point is evaluated by a logical operator to determine whether the Event should be sent to an Analyst. If not, the algorithm terminates 150 , else returns to step 130 of FIG. 2 (B). In FIG. 2 (E), the output of the Send to Analyst 148 decision point is sent to step 130 of FIG. 2 (C).
[0057] In FIG. 2 (F), the algorithm is sent to step 148 of FIG. 2 (D) and the Send to 3 rd Party 152 decision point, where a logical operator evaluates whether notification of the Abnormal Event should be sent to 3 rd party outside maintenance organizations such as OEMs, distributors, solutions centers, or predictive maintenance contractors. Solutions Centers is a generic name for an outside organization that provides a mix of consulting or analysis services. In this case, the solution center would receive a packet of data concerning an abnormal event, analyze the data, and provide feedback if required. If so, this branch of the algorithm enters the Package and Send to 3 rd Party 156 action step and terminates 158 . The algorithm of FIG. 2 (G) is similar to that of FIG. 2 (F) with the algorithm being sent to step 148 of FIG. 2 (E).
[0058] The many variations of Set Snooze Criteria 116 are illustrated in FIGS. 3 (A)- 3 (I). In FIG. 3 (A), the Set Snooze Criteria 116 comprises the Select Snooze Duration Based on Time 160 action, wherein the abnormal event is Snoozed based on a fixed period of time selected either manually or by a computational device. In FIG. 3 (B), this action is replaced by the Select Snooze Duration Based on Abnormal Event Frequency 162 , wherein the Abnormal Event is Snoozed based on a fixed occurrence rate selected either manually or by a computational device. Alternatively, the Set Snooze Criteria 116 can be replaced by Select Parameter(s) to Monitor and Rule(s) to Establish Severity Limits 164 ( FIG. 3 (C)), Select Events to Act as Triggers 166 ( FIG. 3 (D)), or Select User Defined Criteria to Act as Trigger 168 ( FIG. 3 (E)). In step 164 , the Abnormal Event is Snoozed based on the component, sub-system, or system health. An example of a component is a fuel pump, a sub-system may be fuel delivery system, and an example of a system is an engine. A system is defined as a group of related components that interact to perform a task. A subsystem can be defined as follows: A unit or device that is part of a larger system. For example, a disk subsystem is a part of the computer system. The bus is a part of the computer. A subsystem usually refers to hardware, but it may be used to describe software. A component can be defined as an element of a larger system. A hardware component can be a device as small as a transistor or as large as a disk drive as long as it is part of a larger system. Thresholds are defined by upper limits, lower limits, and rate of change limitations for individual sensors, multiple sensors, OEM monitoring systems, or other predictive maintenance systems, established either by an analyst or by a computational device.
[0059] The Select Event to Act as Trigger 166 step Snoozes an Abnormal Event based on the occurrence of one or more Events. One or more operational, administrative, and maintenance actions can be selected as triggers for the release of the Snooze, selected by either an analyst or a computational device. Administrative events are those related to management of people or facilities. For example, the maintenance shop or wash bay becomes available or a specific skilled maintenance technician starts work. Maintenance events are related to the execution of the maintenance process. For example, a specific scheduled repair or inspection on the equipment with the snoozed abnormal event is completed. The Select User Defined Criteria to Act as Trigger 168 step Snoozes an Abnormal Event based on user established criteria. This user-established criteria may include production/operation/logistics based factors (i.e. number of gallons of fuel consumed, material moved, operational cycles completed, distance traveled, operating hours, work performed, etcetera).
[0060] FIG. 3 (F) introduces step Snooze Based on Time 170 and Add Snooze Criteria 172 decision points. In step 170 , a logical operator evaluates whether the Abnormal Event meets established criteria based on time. If true, the algorithm proceeds to Select Snooze Duration Based on Time 160 , else it proceeds to step 162 . Step 172 utilizes a logical operator to evaluate whether the Abnormal Event requires additional snooze criteria to complement any already selected.
[0061] The algorithm of FIG. 3 (G) is similar to that of FIG. 3 (F), but introduces Snooze Based on Frequency 174 , which utilizes a logical operator to evaluate whether the Abnormal Event meets the criteria to be Snoozed based on occurrence rate. FIG. 3 (H) introduces Snooze Based on Severity 178 , wherein a logical operator evaluates whether the Abnormal Event meets the criteria to be Snoozed based on the health status of a component, sub-system, or system. Finally, FIG. 3 (I) introduces Snooze Based on Event 182 , which uses a logical operator to evaluate whether the Abnormal Event meets the criteria to be Snoozed based on the occurrence of a defined event. An Event 182 is an action initiated either by the user or the computer. The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the flow charts of FIG. 4 (A)- 4 (F).
[0062] Others skilled in the art of handling Abnormal Events may develop other embodiments of the present invention. The embodiments described herein are but a few of the modes of the invention. Therefore, the terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow. | An Interactive Maintenance Management System (“IMMS”) is an alarm handling system for handling Abnormal Events that indicate present or imminent equipment failure. The IMMS may be utilized in industrial situations, such as strip-mines, to reduce equipment downtime and reduce or prevent equipment failure. The IMMS utilizes a flexible response system to track, analyze, and improve performance of the alarm handling system. | 4 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to journal equipped rotational devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to industrial rolls and the like which are employed to process and/or convey stock material or goods or to drive conveyors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Rolls are widely employed in manufacturing and in materials handling to process and/or convey stock material or goods. For example, carrier rolls may be arranged to convey stock material or goods directly, as in a typical roll conveyor or may be arranged to drive a flexible support, such as a belt, web, or screen, which transports the stock material or goods, as in a typical belt conveyor. Nip, press and calendar rolls may be used to squeeze or to control the thickness or movement of a stock material.
In the paper making and non-woven fabric making industries, for example, carrier rolls are employed to transport webs of fibrous stock through the various stages of production and processing. The carrier rolls may be referred to as drive rolls, idler rolls, wire rolls, felt rolls, paper rolls, table rolls, blow rolls, head rolls, tail rolls, etc. In a known Fourdrinier paper making machine, a wire roll is utilized to drive a wire screen. The wire screen transports a fibrous web from a head box to a web transfer station. At the web transfer station, the fibrous web is transferred from the wire screen to a felt carrier. The felt carrier is driven by a felt roll and transports the fibrous web to a web drying station, where one or more dryer felt rolls is typically employed to transport the fibrous web through the drying station.
It is apparent to those skilled in the art that wear of the bearing surfaces on the journals becomes a significant concern. Excessive wear of the bearing surfaces may lead to wear-induced failure of the carrier roll. If failure occurs, then the entire manufacturing or conveying line must be stopped while the roll is removed for service or replacement.
It is essential that most industrial rolls be balanced to within a predetermined residual imbalance value for service. Balancing requires equipment that typically only roll manufacturers would have. Most conventional industrial rolls require rebalancing when a journal is repaired or replaced. This has typically necessitated returning a failed roll to the manufacturer for service. If a spare roll is not immediately available, the line can be incapacitated for days or even weeks awaiting a roll replacement.
Numerous assembly methods have been employed to fabricate the carrier rolls described above and other industrial rolls. One common method has been to fixedly install an axially elongated piece of cylindrical metal stock in each open axial end of a cylindrical metal body and machine an end of the stock which protrudes from the cylindrical metal body into a journal. Another method has been to install a machined journal shaft through an annular metal end head, and mount the end head, with the journal shaft, in an open axial end of the cylindrical metal body. Yet another method has been to assemble a tubular body and a pair of end heads into a roll body and thereafter mount a machined journal to each of the respective end heads. One version of this last method is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627, assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated by reference herein.
Prior to the above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627, rolls were balanced together with their journals as a single assembly without regard to the degree of imbalance of the roll body or the journal components. According to such prior methods, an assembled carrier roll would be supported on its journals and rotated in a dynamic balancing machine to determine the state of imbalance of the roll. Thereafter, conventional steps, such as the removal of metal from or the addition of metal to the roll would be performed to bring roll to within the desired predetermined residual imbalance value.
According to the method of the above referenced U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627, a carrier roll was constructed by assembling individual, precision pre-balanced journals with a separate, pre-balanced roll body. Damaged journals could thereafter be removed and replaced with other, at least equally prebalanced journals. No further dynamic balancing of the assembled carrier roll was required to bring the roll back to within its prescribed residual imbalance value.
The use of individually prebalanced components as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627 permits replacement of the journals without the necessity of rebalancing the entire roll. However, the rolls and methods used to make the rolls disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627 suffer from certain drawbacks. The rolls are more expensive to initially manufacture than conventional rolls by a significant fraction. The disclosed journal members have relatively large head flanges requiring that the journals be machined from constant diameter billets. A great deal of machining was required and a great deal of scrap metal was generated in their manufacture. Also, the flange end faces had to be machined square to the axis of rotation, which is a more difficult and time consuming process than simply symmetrically machining the axially extending circumferential surface of the billet. Also, the various roll components had to be prebalanced individually. The large transverse flanges of the journal members were a potential source of imbalance. Also, the roll bodies had to be prebalanced without their journal members, a more difficult operation than simply balancing a roll body on its journal members.
The rolls of U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627 also have certain structural limitations. The large head flange tended to act as a stress concentrator in the journal, limiting the loads which the journal could support and thus the types of tube rolls and applications which could beneficially use the design. Also, the large head flange precluded use of the design in small diameter rolls. While the journal members were removable, the use of removal screws could result in damage to the facing surface of the roll body. This could cause a misalignment of the next mounted journal member resulting in a greater than expected or possibly allowed residual imbalance.
The predetermined residual imbalance value to which a carrier roll is balanced during or after assembly may be specified by a user when ordering the carrier roll from a manufacturer. That is, the user may specify permissible residual imbalance of the carrier roll in accordance with his specific needs and/or the conditions under which the carrier roll is to operate. Alternately, if the permissible residual imbalances are not specified, it has been the practice of the industry to balance carrier rolls to within a particular Balance Quality Grade. For example, the practice of the industry has been to prebalance carrier rolls for paper making lines to a G-6.3 residual imbalance value, as defined in Acoustical Society of America Standard 2-75 for "Balance Quality of Rotating Rigid Bodies", incorporated by reference herein. This Standard has been approved by the American National Standards Institute as standard ANSI S2.19-1975, the entirety of which is also incorporated by reference herein.
It would be extremely desirable to provide a design for a method of constructing industrial rolls of the type which require prebalancing and which include removable, replaceable journals in which it is only necessary to assemble the roll and balance the roll once as a single assembly.
It would further be desirable to provide a design and method of industrial roll construction which permit the removal and/or replacement of journal without rebalancing of the roll and which do not suffer from some or all of the drawbacks of the roll design and methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627.
It would further be very desirable to provide a design and method of roll construction which enjoy at least the benefits of the roll constructed in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627 and which are less expensive to manufacture than are the rolls of the design of that patent.
It would further be extremely desirable to provide a design and method of constructing rolls with at least the benefits enjoyed by the rolls of U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627 but having journals of greater strength and smaller overall size for greater applicability and use.
It would further be very desirable to provide a design and method of industrial roll construction which enjoy at least the benefits of the roll design and method of U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627 but which avoid the necessity of a relatively large head flange and its consequent disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the invention is an apparatus comprising a body at least generally symmetric about an axis of rotation that includes an axial end portion having a journal opening therein which extending along the axis of rotation and a journal stop surface. The journal opening defines an internal axially extending annular surface. A journal member is supported within the journal opening with one axial end of the journal member disposed in the roll body. The journal member includes a journal section and a bearing section. The journal section extends into the journal opening. The bearing section is disposed outwardly of the journal opening and extends axially away from the roll body. The journal section includes an outwardly extending stop surface abutting the journal stop surface of the roll body and an external, axially extending annular surface. At least one of the internal and external axially extending annular surfaces in the journal opening and on the journal member defines a substantially frustoconical journal surface. A substantially annular sleeve is interposed radially between the internal axially extending annular surface in the journal opening and the external axially extending annular surface on the journal section. The substantially annular sleeve includes at least one substantially frustoconical sleeve surface opposing the at least one substantially frustoconical journal surface. Art urging member is mounted to one of the body and the journal member so as to urge the at least one substantially frustoconical sleeve surface into engagement with the at least one substantially frustoconical journal surface.
In another aspect, the present invention is an industrial roll which comprises a roll body including an end portion having an axially extending journal opening therein and a journal stop surface. The opening includes a frictional engagement portion, an interference engagement portion. A journal member is supported within the journal opening. The journal member includes a journal section extending into the journal opening and terminating within the roll body and a bearing section disposed outwardly of the journal opening and extending axially away from the roll body. The journal section comprises a frictional engagement journal portion received within the frictional engagement portion of the journal opening, a stop surface abutting the journal stop surface and an interference engagement portion in releasable interfering engagement with the interference engagement portion of the journal opening maintaining the abutment of the stop surfaces and preventing withdrawal of the journal member from the journal opening. A substantially annular sleeve is interposed between the frictional engagement portions of the journal opening and the journal member. The substantially annular sleeve comprises at least one substantially frustoconical circumferential sleeve surface engaging a substantially frustoconical surface provided on at least one of the frictional engagement portions of the journal opening and the journal member. An urging member is carried on the one of the roll body and the journal member urging the substantially frustoconical sleeve surface into engagement with the substantially frustoconical frictional engagement surface.
In yet another aspect, the invention is a method of connecting a journal member to an end of a rotational body. The journal member comprises a stub shaft including a bearing section and a journal section. The journal section includes a stop surface, and an interference engagement portion. The end of the body is provided with a journal opening which includes an interference engagement portion complementary to the interference engagement portion of the journal member and a journal stop surface. The method includes the steps of inserting the journal member into the journal opening in the rotational body end; releasably engaging the interference engagement portion of the journal member with the interference engagement portion of the journal opening so as to hold the stop surface on the journal member in abutment with the journal stop surface of the roll body, while preventing axial withdrawal of the journal member and securing the journal member from rotation with respect to the journal opening.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing Summary of the Invention, as well as the following Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purposes of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings an exemplary embodiment which is presently preferred. However, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of one end of a carrier roll according to an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view, partially in cross-section, of the one end of the carrier roll in FIG. 1, showing the details of the end head and the journal assembly;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the threaded collar section of the journal member, taken along lines 3--3 in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an axial end view of a lock washer employed in the carrier roll;
FIG. 5 is an axial end view of the threaded nut; and
FIG. 6 depicts diagrammatically an alternate roll body construction for larger rolls.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed for the indication of like elements throughout, there is shown an exemplary preferred embodiment of a rotational apparatus or, more particularly, an industrial roll according to the invention, indicated generally at 10, in the form of a carrier roll, which might be used in a paper making machine. According to the preferred embodiment, roll 10 includes a rotational body or, more specifically, a roll body 12 having a pair of opposing axial ends, one of which is indicated a 14. A journal assembly 18 is connected to the axial end 14 of the roll body 12. The journal assembly 18 is, in turn, adapted to be supported by a bearing cartridge (e.g. shown in partial cross-section at 22). According to the preferred embodiment, the axial end 14 of the roll body 12 and the opposing axial end of the roll body are of identical mirror construction. Similarly, the journal assembly 18 and that at the opposing axial end of the roll 10 are of identical, mirror construction and are connected to the respective axial ends of the roll body 12 in an identical fashion. Accordingly and for the sake of brevity, the construction and connection details of the other axial end and its journal assembly will be omitted from the following description, it being understood that these details are, in the preferred embodiment, identical to the construction details of the axial end 14 and the journal assembly 18.
In the preferred embodiment 10, the roll body 12 includes a shell portion comprising a cylindrical shell 24 which may be surrounded by a cover 26. The cylindrical shell 24 is hollow and extends the entire axial length of the roll body 12. Preferably, the cylindrical shell 24 is made from drawn-over-mandrel steel tubing, centrifugally cast steel pipe, or other materials conventionally employed in the construction of shells for carrier rolls, but other materials conventional for other types of industrial rolls might be employed. The cover 26 constitutes the working surface of the roll 10 and is preferably made from rubber, glass fiber reinforced epoxy or other materials conventionally employed in the construction of "felt" covers for paper making carrier rolls. The cover 26 is preferably formed in-situ on the cylindrical shell 24, and conventional "pipe" threads (not shown) may be provided on the cylindrical shell 24 to aid in the curing of the cover 26.
At the axial end 14, the roll body 12 further includes an end portion preferably in the form of a separate end head 28 preferably having a machined outer peripheral surface 30. The outer peripheral surface 30 is preferably press fit or heat shrink fit within an internally machined section 32 of the cylindrical shell 24, thereby establishing a high degree of concentricity between the end head 28 and the cylindrical shell 24 which extends axially from the end head 28. Other assembly methods and configurations conventional for the industrial rolls or other rotational bodies in question also may be used. In the preferred embodiment 10, the end head 28 is preferably cast from steel, iron, or other materials conventionally employed in the construction of end heads for the subject carrier rolls.
Referring now to FIG. 2, an axially extending journal opening 34 is preferably machined or otherwise provided in the axial end 14 of the roll body 12, within the end head 28, so as to extend completely therethrough and define an internal axially extending annular surface. The journal opening 34 is coaxial with a central longitudinal axis 10' of both the roll 10 and body 12 and extends from an outer axial side 44 of the end head 28 (e.g. defined relative to the roll body 12) entirety therethrough to an inner axial side 46 thereof and opening into a hollow interior of shell 24. In the preferred embodiment, the journal opening 34 includes for frictional engagement, a preferably tapered portion 36, a projecting stop surface preferably in the form of an annular shoulder 38, an interference engagement portion preferably in the form of an internally threaded portion 40, and a preferably cylindrical support portion 42 for supporting a journal. The tapered frictional engagement portion 36 is located adjacent to the outer axial side 44 of the end head 28 and defines an internal axially extending annular surface 36a which tapers radially inwardly as it extends in an axial direction towards the inner axial side 46 of the end head 28 to define an at least substantially frustoconical journal surface. The cylindrical support portion 42 is located adjacent to the inner axial side 46 of the end head 28. The internally threaded portion 40 is located axially between the tapered portion 36 and the cylindrical support portion 42, and the annular shoulder 38 is located axially between the tapered portion 36 and the internally threaded portion 40.
In the preferred embodiment, a minimum diameter of the tapered portion 36 is greater than a diameter of the internally threaded portion 40. Similarly, the axially innermost diameter of the internally threaded portion 40 is greater than a diameter of the cylindrical support portion 42. Accordingly, diametral steps are provided in the journal opening 34 between the tapered portion 36 and the internally threaded portion 40 and between the internally threaded portion 40 and the cylindrical support portion 42. The annular shoulder 38 is preferably formed as the diametral step between the tapered portion 36 and the internally threaded portion 40. However, the stop surface may be positioned elsewhere in the journal opening and even positioned externally from the opening on the transverse surface of the roll end 14.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the journal assembly 18 comprises a journal member 48, a preferably substantially annular tapered sleeve 50, a lock washer 52, an "urging" member preferably in the form of a threaded nut 54, and a shroud 56.
The journal member 48 is preferably formed as and at least comprises a stub shaft which terminates within the roll body 12. That is, an axial end 58 of the journal member 48 is disposed within the roll body 12, preferably at a position inside the end head 28. In the preferred embodiment, the journal member 48 is preferably machined from high strength steel or other support material suitable for the loads and wear to be sustained. The journal member 48 includes a journal section indicated generally at 60, which extends into the journal opening 34, and a bearing section indicated generally at 62, which is disposed outwardly of the journal opening and which extends axially away from the roll body 12. By "disposed outwardly of", it is meant only that the bearing section 62 is exposed at the outer axial side 44 of the end head 28.
As shown in FIG. 2, the journal section 60 of the journal member 48 preferably includes a preferably cylindrical journal portion 64 for frictional engagement, a projecting stop surface preferably in the form of an annular step 66, a preferably externally threaded interference engagement portion 68, and a preferably cylindrical terminal portion 70. In the preferred embodiment, the cylindrical journal portion 64 defines an external, axially extending annular surface 64a which is received within the internal axially extending annular surface 36a defined by the preferably tapered frictional engagement portion 36 of the journal opening 34. The annular step 66 comprises an outwardly extending annular surface which abuts with an inwardly extending annular surface defining at least part of the annular shoulder 38 of the journal opening 34 and accordingly establishes the necessary axial positioning of the journal member 48 relative to the end head 28 and roll body 12. The externally threaded interference engagement portion 68 comprises threading in the form of screw threads 68a which threadingly engage and thereby releasably mate with screw threads 40a provided on the internally threaded portion 40 of the journal opening 34. The cylindrical terminal portion 70 is received, without significant radial clearance and preferably with only sliding contact, within the cylindrical support portion 42 of the journal opening 34. Thus, the location of the journal member 48 relative to the end head 28 is stabilized radially and pivotally by the engaged threads 68a and 40a and by the close fit of cylindrical terminal portion 70 in cylindrical support portion 42, even when the carrier roll 10 is subjected to relatively high transverse loads.
The bearing section 62 of the journal member 48 includes one or more bearing surfaces 72, 72'. Each such bearing surface 72, 72' may be, for example, a cylindrical surface having a diameter selected to be received within a bearing cartridge in the roll operating environment. A distance between the annular step 66 and a transverse center plane 74 or 74' of the bearing surface 72, 72', respectively, is selected in such a manner that the assembled roll 10 presents the same distance between bearing centers as the bearing cartridges in the roll operating environment.
The journal member 48 further comprises a threaded collar section 76 located axially between the journal section 60 and the bearing section 62. As shown in FIG. 3, the threaded collar section 76 is provided with at least one and preferably a plurality of axially extending, symmetrically located keyways uniformly spaced apart from one another like the pair of keyways 78, which are spaced uniformly 180 degrees apart.
The substantially annular tapered sleeve 50 is positioned radially between the tapered frictional engagement portion 36 of the journal opening 34 and the cylindrical frictional engagement journal portion 64 of the journal member 48. In the preferred embodiment, the substantially annular tapered sleeve 50 is a longitudinal split 51 extending the length of the member and may further include a plurality of other longitudinal splits uniformly spaced around the member and extending from the smallest O.D. end of the sleeve towards but not completely through its largest O.D. end. Sleeve 50 preferably includes a substantially frustoconical outer sleeve surface 80 and a cylindrical inner sleeve surface 82. The substantially frustoconical outer sleeve surface 80 frictionally engages the internal axially extending annular surface 36a defined by the tapered portion 36 of the journal opening 34 while the cylindrical inner sleeve surface frictionally engages the opposing cylindrical surface 64a of the journal member 48.
According to the preferred embodiment, lock washer 52 is carried on the threaded collar section 76 of the journal member 48. As shown in FIG. 4, the lock washer 52 preferably includes a radially inwardly extending tab 84, which engages with either one of the pair of axially extending keyways 78 provided in the threaded collar section 76. In an undeformed state, the lock washer additionally includes a plurality of outwardly extending tabs 86. The tabs 86 are preferably spaced circumferentially around the periphery of the lock washer at a predetermined uniform pitch.
The preferred threaded nut 54 shown in FIG. 5 comprises screw threads 88 which threadingly engage screw threads 76a provided on the threaded collar section 76 of the journal member 48. As shown in FIG. 1, the threaded nut 54 is positioned on the journal member 48 by being tightened onto the threaded collar section 76 to urge or force the tapered sleeve 50 axially inwardly and the substantially frustoconical outer sleeve surface 80 of annular tapered sleeve 50 into frictional engagement with the substantially frustoconical axially extending annular surface 36a provided for frictional engagement in the tapered portion 36 of the journal opening 34 and the cylindrical inner surface 82 into engagement with the cylindrically shaped annular surface 64a of the cylindrical journal portion 64 of the journal member 48. The forced engagement of the substantially annular tapered sleeve 50 with the tapered portion 36 of the journal opening 34 is, in the preferred embodiment, substantially self-locking due to the small angle of taper which characterizes the frustoconical surfaces, to sustain both torsional and axial loads. Moreover, this forced engagement functions to establish precise radial and angular positioning of the journal member 48 relative to the end head 28. The engagement of the internally threaded portion 40 of the journal opening 34 with the externally threaded portion 68 of the journal member 48 prevents the axial withdrawal of the journal section 60 of the journal member 48 from the journal opening 34, which might otherwise occur when the substantially annular tapered sleeve 50 is forced into engagement with the tapered portion 36 of the journal opening 34.
The preferred threaded nut 54 has a castellated periphery, as shown generally at 90 in FIG. 5. A plurality of radial grooves or notches 92 are formed at the periphery 90 of nut 54 defining respective castellations 94. The grooves 92 are preferably spaced circumferentially around the periphery 90 of the threaded nut 54 at a predetermined pitch different from the pitch of the tabs 86 on the lock washer 52.
The lock washer 52, in cooperation with at least one of the grooves 92 provided in the threaded nut 54, constitutes a locking assembly which locks the threaded nut 54 in position on the threaded collar section 76. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, one of the outwardly extending tabs 86 provided on the lock washer 52 is preferably deformed into registry with at least one of the grooves 92 formed in the castellated periphery of the threaded nut 54. The deformed tab 86 cooperates with the radially inwardly extending tab 84 to prevent rotation of the washer 52 and the threaded nut 54 relative to the threaded collar portion 76 of the journal member 48. While diametrically opposing keyways 78 and a single tab 84 are shown, it will be appreciated that greater number of tabs and keyways preferably uniformly spaced about the appropriate peripheries of section 76 and washer 52 may be provided. It is further conceivable that even a single keyway and tab might be accommodated, even though not preferred due to the imbalances that may be created by a single keyway.
It will thus be seen that the journal section 60 of journal member 48 and the journal opening 34 have three main sections, an end section, center section and front section. The end section, which comprises the cylindrical support portion 42 and cylindrical terminal portion 70, acts as a fulcrum, passing bending movements from the journal member into the end head and provides a large diameter access to the interior of the roll body 12 for balancing. The center section, which comprises the internally threaded portion 40 of the journal opening and externally threaded portion 68 of the journal member in combination with the stop surfaces provided by annular shoulder 38 and annular step 66, give accurate, known location for journal member and subsequently the bearing receiving the journal member. The front section, which includes the tapered portion 36 of the journal opening and the cylindrical journal portion 64 of the journal member with threaded collar section 76, achieves with the tapered sleeve 50, threaded nut 54 and lock washer 52, a fit similar to that of a conventional stick journal shrink fit. Unlike a stick journal, the fit is that can be easily removed by removing the sleeve.
In the preferred embodiment, shroud 56 covers the outer axial side 44 of the end head 28 and sealingly surrounds and engages a peripheral surface (e.g., bearing surface 96) of the journal member 48. The shroud 56 does not need to be engaged with the surface 96 and could be engaged elsewhere. The shroud 56 is attached in any conventional manner, e.g., by bolting to the end head 28 of the roll body 12, and is adapted to cooperate with a sealed housing 98 of bearing cartridge 22 for safety and to protect the various components of the journal assembly 18 from contact damage and adverse environmental conditions. Since the shroud is not load-bearing, it may be formed of relatively light material(s), such as molded plastic, to minimize any imbalance contribution it may make.
Labyrinth-type sealing elements 100 may be provided on the bearing cartridge housing 98 and on a remote axial end 102 of the shroud 56. The labyrinth-type sealing elements 100 form a seal between the bearing cartridge housing 98 and the shroud 56. An annular space 104 is formed (or delimited) between the shroud 56 and the end head 28. The annular space 104 is, in the preferred embodiment empty, a film or coating of a corrosion inhibiting substance, such as Cosmoline®, being applied to the parts. However, the space could be filled with another substance such as grease or petroleum jelly. The partial filling of the annular space 104 between shroud 56 and end head 28 preferably occurs either prior to the securing of the shroud 56 to the end head 28 while the axial outer side 44 of the end head 28 remains uncovered or after securement of the shroud 56 to the end head 28, e.g. by means of a grease fitting or the like (not depicted), which can be provided in the shroud 56.
The carrier roll 10 in the preferred embodiment is adapted to be mounted within various types of bearing cartridges. In one example depicted in FIG. 2, bearing cartridge 22 includes an adjustable bearing assembly indicated generally at 106, which surrounds bearing surface 72 provided on the bearing section 62 of the journal member 48. The adjustable bearing assembly 106 includes a roller bearing 108 having a conically tapered inner periphery 110. A tapered sleeve 112 is interposed radially between the bearing surface 72 and the conically tapered inner periphery 110 and is urged into engagement with the conically tapered inner periphery 110 by a threaded nut 116 and lock washer 118 carried on the bearing section 62. An additional radial ball bearing assembly 114 may be provided to support a second bearing surface 72' of the journal member, if desired or the second surface 72' and second bearing assembly 114 deleted. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the carrier roll 10 may used with other bearing cartridges, it merely being necessary to adapt the physical dimensions of a substitute journal member to the physical characteristics of the particular bearing cartridge.
The construction of the roll body 12 is generally as described above and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627 incorporated by reference. Preferably each journal member is turned on a computer numeric control ("CNC") lathe, such as a Dainiche Model B-7, and the keyways 92 and one or more pairs of spanner flats 117 milled onto the turned shaft.
The construction of the rolls according to the present invention offer several advantages over the prior art. Specifically, the journal 48, which varies relatively little in diameter over its length, and is of a relatively minimal cross-sectional dimension, requires less machining than do journals of previous designs including those of U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627. Costs for journals constructed according to this invention are estimated to exceed the costs of manufacturing conventional rolls with non-removable "stick" journals by less than ten percent. In contrast, cost of manufacture of rolls according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627 exceeds such conventional roll manufacturing costs by much more than ten percent. These costs are believed to be capable of even greater reduction if sufficient demand is generated for continuous roll manufacture in economies of scale. Additionally, stress concentration factors, which arose in previous journals like those of U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627 from the machining of bolt holes, from severe diametral changes and from the use of high bolt torsional loads, are eliminated or drastically reduced in the journal 48 while the transverse loads are being carried over greater areas, e.g. 64/36, 68/40 and 70/42, and greater shaft thicknesses. Virtually all the critical surfaces in the carrier roll 10 and on the journal 48, in particular, are rotational surfaces. This facilitates manufacturing to exacting tolerances and manufacturing the bearing members, in particular, in a single operation on a single machine. The relatively minimal outer diameters and symmetry of the journal members 48 tend to minimize any residual imbalance such journal members could provide. Ancillary parts of the journal assembly, such as the threaded nut 54, the lock washer 52, the substantially annular tapered sleeve 50, etc., are all generally axially symmetrical. Therefore, the imbalance in the carrier roll produced by these parts is negligible. The roll 10 is easily taken apart and reassembled. The journal assemblies are easily replaced with identical or different assemblies and with virtually no distortion of the bearing members and end heads, thereby reducing the possibility of deleteriously affecting the balance of the individual components.
According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the assembling of the journal assembly 18 to the roll body 12 occurs in the following manner. The roll body 12 and individual journal member(s) 18 are manufactured. Neither is balanced during or after manufacturing or during assembly. One journal member 48 is inserted into the journal opening 34 provided in the axial end 14 or roll body 12 in its end head 28. A like journal is installed in the other axial end of the roll body 12. The externally threaded portion 68 of the journal member 48 is screwed into the internally threaded portion 40 of the journal opening 34 until the stop surface formed by annular step 66 on the journal member abuts the annular shoulder 38 provided in the journal opening. This provides precise axial positioning of the journal member 48 and its bearing surface centers 74, 74' relative to the end head 28. Interference engagement of the threads prevents axial withdrawal of the member 48 from opening 34 and retains contacting surfaces of the annular step 66 and annular shoulder 38 in abutment. A wrench may be applied to flats 117, if necessary.
The tapered sleeve 50 is then inserted between the cylindrical journal portion 64 of the journal member 48 and the substantially frustoconical portion 36 of the journal opening 34. The tapered outer surface 80 of tapered sleeve 50 is urged into engagement with the tapered annular surface 36a of tapered portion 36 of the journal opening 34, while the cylindrical inner surface 82 is pressed into engagement with cylindrical journal portion 64, whereby a precise radial and angular positioning of the journal member 48 relative to the end head 28 is established. The urging of the tapered sleeve 50 into engagement with the tapered portion 36 of the journal opening 34 is accomplished by mounting the threaded nut 54 onto the threaded collar section 76 of the journal member 48 and screwing the nut towards the tapered sleeve 50. Once the threaded nut 54 has been tightened sufficiently, the threaded nut 54 is locked in place by deforming one of the tabs 86 of the lock washer 52 in registry with one of the groove(s) 92 formed in the periphery 90 of the threaded nut 54 into the groove.
The bearing assembly components are covered with the protective coating or film of a corrosion inhibiting substance (or space 104 filled with a comparable protective material) and shroud 56 is secured to the end head of the roll body 12 so as to sealingly surround the journal member 48 and form the annular space 104 between the shroud 56 and the end head 28. It will also be apparent that the assembly of a complete roll 10 according to the preferred embodiment merely entails the attachment of two journal assemblies to the two opposing axial ends of the roll body 12.
Disassembling of the journal assembly 18 from the roll body 12 (e.g. for purposes of repair, etc.) occurs in substantially a reverse order as the assembling method described above. In particular, the removing of the journal member 48 from the journal opening is preferably accomplished by unlocking the locking assembly, constituted by the lock washer 52 in one of the grooves 92 and the threaded nut 54, so as to permit removal of the threaded nut 54 from the journal member 48, and removal of the tapered sleeve 50 from between the journal member 48 and the journal opening 34. The tapered sleeve 50 is preferably provided with external threads 50a. A conventional withdrawal sleeve can be applied to the journal member 48 after the nut 54 and lock washer 52 have been removed to draw the tapered sleeve 50 out from between the tapered portion 36 with the journal opening 34 and cylindrical journal portion 62 of the journal member 48 using the external threads 50a. Thereafter, the journal member 48 is unscrewed from the journal opening 34.
The roll 10 according to the preferred embodiment may be advantageously balanced to within a predetermined Balance Quality Grade such as G-2.5 or, more preferably, G-1.0 or better (smaller) residual imbalance value as defined in Acoustical Society of America Standard 2-1975 for "Balance Quality of Rotating Rigid Bodies", incorporated by reference herein.
The balancing of the carrier roll 10 is accomplished as follows. Manufacture of the roll body 12 is generally as described above and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627. It is presently believed possible referred to maintain the residual imbalance value of each of the components of the journal assemblies, particularly the bearing members, as well as the roll body within a Balance Quality Grade of G-0.4 or better. This can be accomplished, in part, by accurately machining the journal members and by the use of high quality bearing assembly parts such as those of SKF Industries of King of Prussia, Pa. For example, according to the manufacturer, the Dainiche Model B-7 CNC lathe was designed to provide roundness to within one-half mil (0.012 mm) and a total indicator reading (T.I.R.) of within 0.7 mil (0.018 mm) and, when properly installed, has actually provided roundnesses of one-tenth of a mil (0.003 mm) and T.I.R.s of 0.4 mil (0.010 mm). Four inch diameter bearing members 48, which weighed between about 20 and 30 kg and which were turned on a Dainiche B-7 CNC lathe, have exhibited residual imbalances unmeasurable on dynamic balancing equipment having a sensitivity as low as 10 gram-inches.
Once manufacture of the roll body and journal members has been completed, the roll assemblies are mounted to a roll body without prebalancing any of the components and the resulting roll is dynamically balanced as an assembly with its journals to within its permitted predetermined residual imbalance value. The roll body 12 without cover is mounted on a dynamic balancing machine such as a Hard Bearing Balancing machine by Schenk Treble, which measures the residual static and dynamic imbalance of the roll 10. The machine then determines at which particular position(s) on an internal surface S of the roll body 12 particular balance weight(s) is (are) required to be secured in order to bring the residual imbalance of the roll body 10 to within the predetermined permitted imbalance value. The roll 10 is demounted from the dynamic balancing machine, one of its journal members 48 removed and a balance weight is passed through the journal opening 34 and secured to the internal surface S of the roll body 12 preferably by drilling a hole through the roll body 12 at the particular position. The balance weight is positioned on the internal surface S of the roll body 12 at the particular position so that a threaded hole provided in the balance weight is aligned with the drilled hole in the roll body 12. A threaded fastener is then passed through the drilled hole and screwed into the threaded hole in the balance weight so as to fasten the balance weight to the internal surface S of the roll body 12. The original journal assembly or a replacement assembly is then remounted and the residual imbalance level verified by dynamic balancing of the roll again as described above.
For journal members 48 manufactured by high quality CNC lathes or comparable equipment, in the journal member configuration disclosed, it is believed that the residual imbalance value of each roll body 12 and each pair of roll assemblies 22 can be held to within a Quality Grade of G-0.4 or better (less), if the entire roll 10, is dynamically balanced by the above method to within a Quality Grade of G-1.0. Where the roll 10 is to be covered, the uncovered roll can be balanced as above, the cover applied and cured and the roll with cover trim balanced dynamically. In addition, consideration should be given to dynamically straightening as well as dynamically balancing such hollow tube industrial rolls, particularly where higher rotational speeds or greater length to width ratios are sought. See K. H. Schminke, "Die Bedentung des Auswuchtens bei schnellaufenden Papiermaschinen", Das Papier, 45 Jahrgang, 7/91, incorporated by reference herein.
One will appreciate that all of the desirable objects set forth at the end of Background of the Invention section above are satisfied by at least the described preferred embodiments of the present invention. The design has numerous additional advantages. For example, the design allows on-site replacement of damaged journals, in many cases without the necessity of even having to remove the roll of the machine, saving significant repair time. The design allows different journals to be fitted to any given roll body, given a choice of bearing centers or styles of bearing arrangement. This will allow a common roll body to be fitted with a variety of different journals for varied locations without the need to stock a specific spare roll for each location. The present design aids in the manufacture of rolls that are flexible and require critical straightening and balancing as such rolls can be fully checked by running on their journals in a dynamic balancer. Balance weights and positions can then be determined, one of the journal removed, the balance weights attached, the journals refitted while balance of the roll is maintained. Unlike the prior replaceable journal design, the present design can be used in any roll and is not limited, for example, to the sizes of the paper making rolls described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,627, but may be larger or smaller, heavier or lighter. The present invention can be used with rolls subject to significant transverse loads, such as nip, press and calendar rolls. In limited testing to date, a 4.5 inch diameter journal withstood 1760 ft.-lbs. of torque before slipping. It has been found that slipping torque is directly proportional to torque applied to the threaded nut 54. It is believed that six basic joints sizes ranging from 3.5" to 8" will be adequate for all tube-type carrier rolls ranging from 6" up to 24" in diameter and from paper rolls through felt rolls to breast rolls with faces ranging from 60" up to 430" in length. The journal member/rotational body coupling is also believed applicable for any journal-type roll application and further for other industrial rotational body applications such as but not limited to replaceable journals on reel spools.
While a preferred journal member/roll body engagement has been described, it will be appreciated that alternate engagements and modified engagements might also be successfully employed. For example, the end of the journal/roll body engagement provided by journal support portion 42 of the journal opening 34 and terminal portion 70 of the journal member 48 might both be eliminated where transverse loading of the roll permits. While mutually engaging threading is preferred for the interference coupling between the opening 34 and journal member 48, other conventional interference engagements which are also at least generally axially symmetric might be employed. These include but are not limited to bayonet and breach locking type mechanisms and more sophisticated arrangements including, but not limited to radially spreadable panels or engagement members. Threading is preferred both in terms of the extent of the area of engagement and full range of adjustment which is provided. Lastly, while a sleeve with tapered outer surface and cylindrical inner surface is shown and preferred, other combinations including tapered outer and tapered inner surfaces and cylindrical outer and tapered inner surfaces could also be used. While the urging member locking assembly is mounted to the bearing member, it may be threadingly coupled with the end of the roll body urging a tapered sleeve into engagement with a tapered surface along the bearing member. While one piece of tapered sleeves are shown, it will be appreciated that multi-piece sleeves might also be employed, through not preferred.
While a press or shrink fit engagement between the tubular shell and end heads of the roll body has been described, other configurations and methods of joining the end heads with the roll shells may be employed. For example, FIG. 6 depicts, diagrammatically, one possible arrangement more suited for use with large diameter rolls. In FIG. 6, a rotationally symmetric end head 128 is mounted to the outer end of cylindrical shell 124 and radially centered by means of a tapered sleeve 150 which is urged into position, being pulled toward the outer side of the end head by an urging bolt 154. The end head 128 is fixed axially and rotationally in place by engagement members passed between the end head and the shell itself, preferably a plurality of bolts, one of which is indicated at 160.
It will be appreciated that conventional rolling bearing mounting and dismounting tools may also be used to assure that adequate urging forces are applied to the tapered sleeve 50 to assure good fit. For example, hydraulic mounting and dismounting tools from sources such as SKF, might be employed to both initially mount and to remove a tapered sleeve.
From the foregoing description, it can be seen that the present invention provides an improved journal member and mount for rolls and other rotational members that provide numerous advantages over existing construction. It will recognized by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the above-described embodiments of the invention without departing from the broad inventive concepts thereof. It is to be understood, therefore, that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but rather is intended to include all modifications and changes which are within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims. | A rotational device such as an industrial roll includes a rotational body such as a roll body and at least one journal member in the form of a stub shaft removably mounted and terminating within a journal opening provided in an end of the body. Engaged threaded portions provided in the journal opening and on the journal member prevent withdrawal of the journal member from the journal opening or separation of the abutting transverse stop surfaces on the journal member and in the journal opening. The journal opening includes a tapered portion and a tapered sleeve is interposed radially between the tapered portion of the journal opening and the journal member. A nut threaded onto the bearing member urges the tapered sleeve into engagement with the tapered portion of the journal opening further preventing relative rotational or transverse movement between the roll body and journal member. The abutting stop surfaces accurately position the bearing member axially with respect to the rotational body. The journal member is precision made and essentially dynamically balanced sufficiently by manufacture so as to not require separate dynamic balancing. The device is dynamically balanced as a whole on its journal member(s) and only the balance of the body is adjusted to bring the device into acceptable dynamic balance. | 3 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0023196, filed on Feb. 27, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to a ramp signal generator used in a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor (CIS) or the like and, more particularly, to a ramp signal generator including a programmable gain amplifier (GPA) as a voltage buffer.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] When a CMOS image sensor (CIS) including a single slope analog-digital converter (ADC) uses a current steering digital-analog converter (DAC) for a ramp signal generator, the CIS may control its gain by adjusting the amount of current flowing therein.
[0006] With an increase in gain of the OS, the slope of the ramp voltage decreases. This is because the ramp voltage is generated by current flowing through a constant resistor and the current decreases to increase the gain.
[0007] Thus, when the CIS has a high gain, very little current may flow and cause serious setting time delays when driving the comparator array. Furthermore, with a reduction in current, the current flowing through each current cell may also decrease and reduce the overdrive voltage of the transistors. In an extreme case, the transistors may operate in a sub-threshold region instead of the saturation region. This may result in the transistors not transmitting an accurate signal current.
SUMMARY
[0008] Various embodiments are directed to a ramp signal generator capable of controlling the magnitude of a voltage using a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) as a voltage buffer.
[0009] In an embodiment, a ramp signal generator may include a ramp signal generation unit suitable for generating a ramp signal a gain amplification control unit suitable for outputting a gain amplification control signal for controlling a voltage gain in response to a control signal from a control unit, and a PGA suitable for controlling the voltage gain by amplifying the ramp signal provided from the ramp signal generation unit in response to the gain amplification control signal from the gain amplification control unit.
[0010] The gain amplification control unit may include a reset control block suitable for outputting a reset switch control signal to the PGA in response to a reset control signal from the control unit, a variable common mode voltage (VCM) generation unit suitable for generating a variable VCM in response to a VCM level control signal from the control unit, and applying a generated VCM to the PGA, and a gain control block suitable for outputting a capacitor control signal to the PGA in response to a gain control signal from the control unit.
[0011] The PGA may include a sampling capacitor having a sampling capacitor value and suitable for sampling the ramp signal provided from the ramp signal generation unit, a feedback capacitor having a feedback capacitor value which is controlled in response to the capacitor control signal from the gain control block, a differential amplifier suitable for amplifying the ramp signal sampled through the sampling capacitor at the ratio of the sampling capacitor value and the feedback capacitor value, and a reset switch suitable for resetting the differential amplifier to the VCM applied from the variable VCM generation unit in response to the reset switch control signal from the reset control block.
[0012] In an embodiment, a ramp signal generator may include a ramp signal generation unit suitable for generating a ramp signal through current steering, and a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) suitable for controlling a voltage gain in response to a control signal and amplifying the ramp signal based on a controlled voltage gain.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a voltage mode gain control unit to help understand the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a ramp signal generator using a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Various embodiments will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Throughout the disclosure, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures and embodiments of the present invention.
[0016] Throughout the specification, when an element is referred to as being “coupled” to another element, the element may be “directly coupled” to the other element or “indirectly coupled” to another element, with elements existing therebetween. Similarly if two units or entities are “electrically coupled this may mean they are “directly coupled” or “indirectly coupled”, with further units or entities existing therebetween. Furthermore, when it is stated that when a unit or entity comprises” (or “includes” or “has”) some elements, it should be understood that it may consist of only those elements or it may comprise (or include or have) additional elements as well the listed or stated elements. Additional, in this document, the singular form may include the plural form, and vice versa.
[0017] FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a voltage mode gain control unit to help understand the present invention.
[0018] The voltage mode gain control unit for promoting an understanding of the present invention may control the gain of a ramp signal using a non-inverting voltage amplifier 20 .
[0019] As illustrated in FIG. 1 , the voltage mode gain control unit for promoting an understanding of the present invention may include a buffer amplifier 10 , a plurality of resistors 24 , and a differential amplifier 22 . The buffer amplifier 10 may maintain a constant output voltage (ramp signal) from a capacitive element (not illustrated) at the front stage of the voltage mode gain control unit. Specifically, the buffer amplifier 10 serves to prevent a change in waveform of the ramp signal due to the operation of the voltage mode gain control unit.
[0020] A voltage amplification gain Gv is determined depending on the resistance values of the plurality of resistors 24 , as expressed by Equation 1.
[0000]
Gv
=
(
1
+
Rb
Ra
)
×
Rd
Rc
+
Rd
[
Equation
1
]
[0021] Thus, as the resistance values Ra, Rb, Rc, and Rd of the resistors 24 are set using variable resistors, the gain of the ramp signal may be controlled.
[0022] The voltage mode gain control unit may further include a filtering unit 30 formed at an output terminal thereof, in order to remove various forms of noise.
[0023] The filtering unit 30 may include a transconductance amplifier 2 and a compensation capacitive element 34 . The transconductance amplifier 32 may be coupled in series to the output terminal of the voltage mode gain control unit, and the compensation capacitive element 34 may have one end coupled to an output terminal of the transconductance amplifier 32 . The filtering unit 30 may serve to remove noise included in the ramp signal and then output the ramp signal.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a ramp signal generator using a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] A CMOS image sensor (CIS) using a single-slope ADC changes the slope of a ramp voltage by adjusting a current flowing in a ramp signal generation unit 210 , when performing gain control in an analog domain. The ramp signal generation unit 210 may be implemented with a current steering DAC, for example.
[0026] The flowing current may differ in the range of a one-time gain to a 16-times gain. The maximum current may where there is a one-time gain.
[0027] For example, when the fun swing of the ramp voltage is 800 mV and a resistance of 200Ω is used, the current flow is 4 mA. In this case, the one-time gain is applied.
[0028] Since the flowing current becomes 4 mA/16 with the 16-times gain, a very small current may flow to cause serious setting time delays when driving a comparator array. Furthermore, with a decrease in current flow, the current flowing in each current cell may also decrease to reduce the overdrive voltage of the transistors. In an extreme case, a transistor may operate in the sub-threshold region instead of the saturation region. Then, the transistor may not transmit accurate current.
[0029] In order to remove the above-described concerns, the flowing current may be set to have a large value. However, the current may be significantly increased in the case of the one-time gain. That is, when the current is set to sufficiently drive a load based on the 16-times gain, the current may be significantly increased in the case of the one-time gain. Then, the magnitude of the resistance may be reduced to less than 200Ω in order to maintain the full swing at 800 mV.
[0030] In order to remove these concerns, a voltage buffer for driving the load may be additionally provided. When the voltage buffer is implemented with a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) 230 to control the magnitude of the voltage outputted from the voltage buffer, the ramp signal generation unit 210 may be configured in such a form to reduce current consumption and increase resistance.
[0031] Although current consumption is increased by the addition of the voltage buffer, the total current consumption may be significantly reduced because the reduction in current consumption of the ramp signal generation unit 210 is much greater than the increase of the current consumption.
[0032] As the PGA 230 performs the gain control function of the ramp signal generation unit 210 at the output terminal of the ramp signal generation unit 210 , the current consumed by the ramp signal generation unit 210 may be significantly reduced.
[0033] The ramp signal generator using a PGA in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 2 .
[0034] As illustrated in FIG. 2 , the ramp signal generator using a PGA in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention includes a ramp signal generation unit 210 , a gain amplification control unit 220 , and a PGA 230 . The ramp signal generation unit 210 may generate a ramp signal (ramp voltage). The gain amplification control unit 220 may output a gain amplification control signal for controlling a voltage gain in response to a control signal from a control unit (not illustrated). The PGA 230 may control the voltage gain by amplifying the ramp signal provided from the ramp signal generation unit 210 in response to the gain amplification control signal from the gain amplification control unit 220 .
[0035] The above-described components will now be described in more detail.
[0036] First, the ramp signal generation unit 210 generates a ramp voltage (ramp signal) used as a reference voltage and applies the generated ramp voltage to one terminal (negative terminal) of a differential amplifier 234 of the PGA 230 , and it may be implemented with a common current steering DAC. Since the PGA 230 performs the gain control function of the current steering DAC at the output terminal of the ramp signal generation unit 210 , the current steering DAC used in the embodiment of the present invention does not perform the gain control function.
[0037] The gain amplification control unit 220 includes a reset control block 221 , a variable common mode voltage (VCM) generation unit 222 , and a gain control block 223 . The reset control block 221 may output a reset switch control signal to the PGA 230 in response to a reset control signal from the control unit (not illustrated). The variable VCM generation unit 222 may generate a variable common mode voltage in response to a VCM level control signal from the control unit, and apply the generated common mode voltage VCM to the PGA 230 . The gain control block 223 may output a capacitor control signal to the PGA 230 in response to a gain control signal from the control unit.
[0038] The reset control block 221 then generates the reset switch control signal for turning on or off a reset switch 231 of the PGA 230 in response to the reset control signal from the control unit, and outputs the generated reset switch control signal to the reset switch 231 of the PGA 230 . The reset control signal provided from the control unit is a reset control timing signal which is generated once as a pulse before each row of the CIS starts a read-out operation and is received from a control unit within a CIS chip. As an example the control unit may include a digital core block.
[0039] The variable VCM generation unit 222 may generate a variable common mode voltage in response to a VCM level control bit from the control unit, and apply the generated common mode voltage VCM to the differential amplifier 234 of the PGA 230 . The VCM level control bit may include 0 or 1, and is received from the control unit within the CIS chip. The variable VCM generation unit 222 may increase or decrease the common mode voltage VCM based on the value of the VCM level control bit having a 0 or 1, and apply the generated common mode voltage VCM to the other terminal (positive terminal) of the differential amplifier 234 . The generated common mode voltage VCM may linearly increase or decrease based on the value of the VCM level control bit having a 0 or 1. The control unit may include a digital core block, for example.
[0040] The gain control block 223 may generate a capacitor control signal for controlling feedback capacitor value and sampling capacitor value or the feedback capacitor value of the PCA in response to the gain control signal from the control unit, and output the generated capacitor control signal to the sampling capacitors 233 and the feedback capacitor 232 of the PGA 230 . At this time, the gain control signal provided from the control unit is a gain control bit including a 0 or 1, and may be received from the control unit within the CIS chip. Then, the gain control block 223 may generate the capacitor control signal for increasing or decreasing the feedback and sampling capacitor values or the feedback capacitor value in response to the value of the gain control bit including a 0 or 1 , and output the generated capacitor control signal to the feedback and sampling capacitors 232 and 233 or the feedback capacitor 232 . Thus, as expressed by Equation 2 below, the voltage amplification gain linearly increases or decreases. The control unit may include a digital core block, for example.
[0041] The voltage amplification gain of the PGA 230 is not changed while the PGA 230 is operated, but previously set before the CIS performs an operation for one frame. That is, the digital core block of the CIS may determine the voltage amplification gain based on the brightness of the surrounding environment.
[0042] Then, the PGA 230 may control a voltage gain by amplifying the ramp signal provided from the ramp signal generation unit 210 at the ratio of the capacitor value controlled in response to the gain amplification control signal from the gain amplification control unit 220 .
[0043] The PGA 230 may include a reset switch 231 , a feedback capacitor 232 , a sampling capacitor 233 , and a differential amplifier 234 . The reset switch 231 may reset the differential amplifier 234 to the common mode voltage VCM provided from the variable VCM generation unit 222 in response to the reset switch control signal from the reset control block 221 . The feedback capacitor 232 may have a feedback capacitor value CF which is controlled in response to the capacitor control signal from the gain control block 223 . The sampling capacitor 233 may sample the ramp signal provided from the ramp signal generation unit 210 . The differential amplifier 234 may amplify the ramp signal sampled by the sampling capacitor 233 based on the ratio of the value of the sampling capacitor 233 and the value of the feedback capacitor 232 (sampling capacitor value/feedback capacitor value), and output the amplified ramp signal as a signal VOUT.
[0044] The reset switch 231 may be formed between one input terminal and an output terminal of the differential amplifier 234 . When the reset switch control signal provided from the reset control block 221 is turned to an on-state, the reset switch 231 may be closed. Then, a closed loop feedback network may be formed in the PGA 230 , and one input node VINN and an output node VOUT of the differential amplifier 234 may have the same level as the common mode voltage VCM inputted to the other input terminal of the differential amplifier 234 from the variable VCM generation unit 222 . This means that the operating (potential) points of the input node and the output node of the differential amplifier 234 are reset to the level of the common mode voltage VCM in order for the differential amplifier 234 to operate at a proper operating point. The variable VCM generation unit 222 is used to apply a variable function in order to prevent a malfunction of the differential amplifier 234 , which may occur when the differential amplifier 234 has no proper operating point.
[0045] The feedback capacitor 232 may be provided between the input terminal and the output terminal of the differential amplifier 234 , and has a value (amount) which is controlled to increase or decrease in response to the capacitor control signal from the gain control block 223 . The feedback capacitor 232 may then be implemented with a combination of a plurality of capacitors and switches (not illustrated). Each of the switches may be opened or closed to determine whether to use the corresponding capacitor.
[0046] The sampling capacitor 233 may be provided between the output terminal of the ramp signal generation unit 210 and the input terminal of the differential amplifier 234 , and may have a value (amount) which is controlled to increase or decrease in response to the capacitor control signal from the gain control block 233 . The sampling capacitor 233 may be implemented to have a fixed capacitor value.
[0047] The differential amplifier 234 is an inverting differential amplifier which inverts an input of the input terminal (negative terminal). As the reset switch 231 is turned on, the differential amplifier 234 may be reset to the level of the common mode voltage VCM inputted to the other input terminal thereof. Then, when the ramp signal sampled by the sampling capacitor 233 is inputted to the input terminal thereof, the differential amplifier 234 may amplify the ramp signal based on the ratio of the value of the sampling capacitor 233 and the value of the feedback capacitor 232 (sampling capacitor value/feedback capacitor value), and output the amplified ramp signal as a signal VOUT.
[0048] Thus, the voltage amplification gain Gv may be determined based on the ratio of the sampling capacitor value CS and the feedback capacitor value CF, as expressed by Equation 2 below.
[0000] Gv =CS(sampling capacitor value)/CF(feedback capacitor value) [Equation 2]
[0049] As described above, when the ramp signal is inputted through the sampling capacitor 233 from the ramp signal generation unit 210 , the PGA 230 may amplify the ramp signal based on the ratio of the sampling capacitor value CS and the feedback capacitor value CF, which is controlled in response to the gain amplification control signal from the gain amplification control unit 220 .
[0050] The ramp signal generator in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention may control the slope of the ramp signal (ramp voltage) generated from the ramp signal generation unit 210 (current steering DAC) using the capacitor-based PGA 230 thereby controlling the entire gain of the CIS.
[0051] The ramp signal generator in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention may be applied to various structures using a single-slope ADC.
[0052] Now, the PGA 230 in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention and the voltage mode gain control unit 20 of FIG. 1 will be comparatively described.
[0053] In the voltage mode gain control unit 20 of FIG. 1 , the passive element used in the feedback network is implemented with a resistor. On the other hand, in the embodiment of the present invention, the capacitor may be used to prevent current consumption in the feedback network.
[0054] Furthermore, the voltage mode gain control unit 20 of FIG. 1 receives the ramp voltage through the resistor. In this case, when the current steering DAC is used, an accurate voltage may not be obtained because the resistor for generating the voltage of the current steering DAC and the resistor in the feedback network of the voltage mode gain control unit 20 are coupled in parallel to each other. Thus, in the voltage mode gain control unit 20 of FIG. 1 , the buffer 10 may be inserted between the part for generating the ramp voltage and the voltage mode gain control unit 20 to isolate the two circuits from each other. In this case, an additional current for the buffer 10 is generated. In the embodiment of the preset invention, however, since the capacitor is used in the feedback network, the above-described situation does not occur.
[0055] Furthermore, a capacitor has more accurate matching characteristics than a resistor. Thus, the PGA using a capacitor in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention may perform gain control more precisely than the voltage mode gain controller 20 of FIG. 1 , which controls the gain using the resistor.
[0056] Furthermore, in the voltage mode gain control unit 20 of FIG. 1 , the starting level of the ramp voltage is determined depending on the current flowing in the feedback network. However, in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, the starting level of the ramp voltage may be controlled by changing the common mode voltage inputted to the PGA.
[0057] In accordance with the embodiment of the present invention, the voltage buffer may be implemented with the PGA so as to control the magnitude of the voltage.
[0058] Furthermore, the amount of current flowing in the ramp signal generation unit may be reduced.
[0059] Furthermore, although current consumption is increased by the addition of the voltage buffer, the total current consumption may be significantly reduced because the reduction in current consumption of the ramp signal generation unit is much larger than the corresponding increase in current consumption.
[0060] Although various embodiments have been described for illustrative purposes, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. | According to an embodiment of the inventive concept disclosed in this application, a ramp signal generator may include a ramp signal generation unit suitable for generating a ramp signal, a gain amplification control unit suitable for outputting a gain amplification control signal for controlling a voltage gain in response to a control signal from a control unit; and a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) suitable for controlling the voltage gain by amplifying the ramp signal provided from the ramp signal generation unit in response to the gain amplification control signal from the gain amplification control unit. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a burner for use in a furnace and more particularly to a gas fired burner useful in steam producing or waste heat boilers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gas burners for use in steam producing boilers that use air as a combustion oxidant typically involve highly turbulent and relatively high pressure drop designs which mix the fuel and air in the furnace section of the boiler. The flame envelope produced by such burners, whether they are arranged singly or in a multiple array, fills the open boiler furnace. Examples of known boilers that may be equipped with burners having the described operating characteristics are disclosed in the publication Steam: its generation and use, 40th ed., 1992, at pages 25-7 to 25-9, published by The Babcock & Wilcox Company.
Waste heat recovery boilers, also known as heat recovery steam generators, can utilize a duct burner design to boost the amount of heat available to the boiler. Typically, burners of such a design are placed in an open duct and are used to heat air or gases in the duct. Unlike the highly turbulent burners employed in above-referenced steam producing boilers, duct burners operate at higher excess air levels. A known waste heat recovery boiler design is depicted and described in the aforementioned Babcock & Wilcox publication at page 31-3.
The burner of the present invention, which has been termed a distributive integral gas burner (DIGB), has been developed to combine certain desirable features of the more conventional turbulent burners with those of duct burners. One of the objectives of the present invention has been to provide a burner with relatively low air side pressure drop while maintaining high burner efficiency with low excess air. Included among the benefits anticipated with such a burner are the ability to perform burner firing in narrower furnace confines, to reduce the power consumption of forced draft fans used with the boiler, to obtain reduced NO x emissions and to increase boiler steam ratings within a given boiler footprint. In order to achieve such benefits, the present invention utilizes a vertical fuel manifold which is placed between two air foils that define a vertically elongated venturi throat therebetween. Another aspect of the present invention, also aimed at the achievement of the enumerated benefits, is that it includes air foils which may have perforations to allow a secondary gas to be supplied behind the air foils and injected through the perforations and into the flame for reducing NO x production.
U.S. Pat. No. 244,746 discloses a plurality of transversely elongated rectangular ducts which alternately carry fuel and air and together form a horizontally elongated gas burner. The patent does not indicate that air foils should be provided between the alternating air and fuel passages or that perforations should be provided for admitting a secondary gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 741,465 employs curved tubular passages for directing a flame.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,911,117 discloses circular gas jets having a venturi structure downstream of the jets.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,950,046 and 1,99417 describe the use of air foil structures in a gas burner; however, elongated passages bounded by air foils to form a venturi are not disclosed in either of these patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,219,096 describes a structure having elongated passages, but the passages are provided for combining different gaseous fuels for combustion. The described structure does not employ elongated throats between adjacent air foils.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,989 discloses elongated throat channels for a fuel plus air mixture; however, air foils are absent from the structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,329 utilizes a gas manifold and U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,414 discloses a burner with primary and secondary combustion chambers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a gas burner design that operates with low fuel pressure, low combustion velocities and low turbulence and in a very small amount of furnace volume.
Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is drawn to a burner having a manifold for delivering a gaseous fuel, or a mixture of gaseous fuel and other gases such as combustion air and/or spent flue gas, into a mixing chamber. The mixing chamber is provided with an inlet for combustion air, which is located upstream of the manifold.
Another aspect of the present invention is drawn to a burner having a pair of air foils situated diametrically opposite to each other within the mixing chamber and slightly downstream of the manifold. The air foils define a long, narrow and straight venturi throat which terminates at an outlet of the mixing chamber.
In one embodiment of the invention, the air foils may be used as conduits to introduce gases such as spent flue gas or ambient air or a combination of the two into the combustion zone where the mixture of combustion air and fuel gas flows through the venturi throat. In such case, each air foil is provided with a means for delivering a gas to its interior and a plurality of perforations in its surface, which permit the gas supplied to the air foil interior to flow through the air foil and into the venturi throat. It is believed that where spent flue gas and/or an abundance of excess air is supplied through the air foil the effect will be to assist in minimizing NO x formation from the combustion process. Ambient air alone may be delivered through the air foils where high mass air heaters are desired, and also to assist in minimizing NO x formation.
It will be noted from the descriptive matter provided hereinbelow that the burner of the present invention is a linear type design opposed to a circular or port design, and can be any length consistent with the associated equipment. It also will be noticed that the burner may be positioned in a variety of orientations. It may be positioned vertically to allow close proximity with the vertical "water walls" without causing "flame impingement". It is envisioned that such positioning capability will facilitate quicker heat absorption which in turn will prevent the flue gas temperatures from reaching threshold levels above which thermal NO x forms. It also is envisioned that the low velocities and low pressure resistances inherent in the present invention will help to save forced draft fan power, and in the case of turbine exhaust gas application, will allow for low back pressure values and eliminate the need for fans to boost turbine exhaust gas static pressure. It is further envisioned that the burner of the present invention will exhibit higher turndown ratio operation (in the range of 20:1) which in turn will allow the burner to operate with low specific volume cold fresh air for straight combustion, or high specific volume, high temperature, low O 2 content engine exhaust gas for combustion air in a combined cycle type of operation. In contrast to the burner of the present invention, known high turbulence burners generally are limited to approximately 5:1 turn down with 10:1 being extremely good.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects intended to be obtained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a steam producing boiler apparatus wherein the burner of the present invention may be used;
FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view, showing how the burner of the present invention might be arranged in a burner array in a steam producing boiler;
FIG. 3 is a plan view, partly in section, illustrating a first embodiment of the burner of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a plan view, partly in section, illustrating a second embodiment of the burner of the present invention; and
FIG. 5 is a side elevational view, partly in section along line 5--5 of FIG. 4, showing the second embodiment of the burner of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings generally, wherein like numerals represent the same or functionally similar elements throughout the several drawings, and to FIG. 1 in particular, there is shown one example of a steam producing boiler generally designated 10 in which the burner of the present invention may be used. Boiler 10 has a furnace space 11 for receiving flames from a multiple burner array 12. Burner array 12 is located at an entrance to furnace space 11, preferably in an inlet windbox or plenum 14 connected to inlet duct 13 of the boiler 10. Burner array 12 provides the fuel for combustion into the furnace space 11 of boiler 10. Boiler 10 also includes a back wall 15 at which combustion exhaust gases moving horizontally along furnace space 11 turn through 180 degrees and then move horizontally through a bank of boiler tubes (not shown) which are fluidically connected between upper and lower steam drums 16a and 16b, respectively. The combustion exhaust gases subsequently pass through exhaust gas flue 17 and leave the unit through a stack 18. Forced draft fan means 19 provides the necessary air for combustion at desired flow rates and static pressures to overcome all resistances in the system and exhaust the combustion gases to/through the stack 18.
Burner array 12 is comprised of a plurality of vertically extending and horizontally spaced burners 20 of the present invention. Each burner 20 receives fuel from a fuel manifold extending into the burner 20. The burners 20 are spaced across the width and height of the entrance to furnace space 11 to evenly distribute the fuel for combustion into the furnace space 11.
The boiler of FIG. 1 is further outfitted with one or more vertically extending, horizontally spaced chill tube sections or assemblies 23 within the furnace space 11. Assemblies 23 are comprised of boiler tubes 24 (as seen in FIG. 2) which are fluidically connected between upper and lower steam drums 16a, 16b of boiler 10 for immediately absorbing heat from the burner flames. Preferably,.each chill tube assembly 23 comprises a plurality of tubes 24 arranged in a single row that extends parallel with the combustion exhaust gas flow through the furnace space 11. One or more chill tube assemblies 23 may be provided, arranged adjacent to each other across the width of the furnace space 11. As shown in FIG. 1, the one or more chill tube assemblies 23 also may be provided in one or more rows, with two or more chill tube assemblies 23 in each row. FIG. 1 shows two (2) such rows, with a pair of chill tube assemblies 23 in each row. Advantageously, the burners 20 are positioned such that their flames are centered between adjacent chill tube assemblies 23, the first of which assemblies is situated immediately downstream of burner array 12.
In addition to the chill tube assemblies 23, the boiler 10 is provided with a vertically extending side wall tube assembly 25 and a vertically extending division wall tube assembly 26. Assemblies 25 and 26 are comprised of a plurality of boiler tubes 24, which also are fluidically connected between upper and lower steam drums 16a, 16b of boiler 10 for immediately absorbing heat from the burner flames. Typically, each of the assemblies 25 and 26 comprises a plurality of tubes 24 arranged in a single row that, like each tube row of the chill tube assemblies 23, extends parallel with the combustion exhaust gas flow through the furnace space 11.
The boiler 10 of FIG. 1 also is provided with one or more internal air duct assemblies 80 which are positioned within the furnace space 11 and in line with the chill tube assemblies 23. FIG. 1 shows two air duct assemblies 80. Each air duct assembly is provided with a plurality of apertures 81 which can take the form of a plurality of circular holes or elongated slots spaced along the walls forming the air duct assemblies 80. Each of the air duct assemblies 80 is connected at its top to air duct plenums 82. Air duct plenums 82 are connected by an interconnecting air duct 83. The air duct plenum 83 that is located closest to burner array 12 is connected to an air staging duct 84 which is in turn connected to inlet duct 13. A portion of the air flowing through inlet duct 13, which air has yet to be heated by burner array 12, is diverted into air staging duct 84 and transported ultimately to air duct assemblies where the air is discharged into the furnace space 11 through apertures 81. The air discharged through the apertures 81 serves to minimize oxygen availability at the base of the flame and thus minimize NO x formation and/or promote reburning of NO x in exhaust gas streams.
FIG. 2 provides a cross sectional view of a portion of boiler 10, wherein a plurality of horizontally spaced burners 20 of the present invention are illustrated in burner array 12 (FIG. 1). (While FIG. 2 shows a row of three burners 20, it should be understood that the number of burners 20 in any row of burner array 12 need not be limited to that number.) As indicated by the arrows on the far left side of FIG. 2, combustion air supplied from inlet windbox or plenum 14 enters each burner 20 and flows toward a tubular, vertical fuel manifold 27 which is situated on the central axis of the burner 20. Each fuel manifold 27 is fluidically connected with a main fuel line (not shown) which supplies pressurized gaseous fuel to each of the manifolds 27. As combustion air flows past each fuel manifold 27, the pressurized fuel is discharged through a plurality of apertures provided in each manifold 27 and combines with the combustion air. In FIG. 2, discharge of fuel from each manifold 27 is indicated by two arrows emanating from the periphery of each manifold 27. Preferably, each manifold 27 will have the apertures evenly arranged and extending longitudinally along the wall of the manifold 27; but, numerous other arrangements of holes are understood to be advantageous in different velocity regions. The apertures will be situated on the periphery of the wall so that the fuel flowing from each arrangement will be directed generally toward a line tangential with an airfoil 28 located just slightly downstream of manifold 27. Accordingly, each burner nozzle 20 shown in FIG. 2 is provided with a pair of airfoils 28 which are arranged diametrically opposite to one another within the burner nozzle 20. Each airfoil 28 vertically extends from the top to the bottom walls of burner nozzle 20 and thereby defines with its curved surface a venturi throat 28a through which the mixture of combustion air and fuel flows toward the outlet end of the burner nozzle 20. Before reaching the outlet end, the mixture of combustion air and fuel is ignited by a known ignition means (not shown in FIG. 2); combustion occurs and the combustion gases produced thereby expand at the discharge end of the venturi throat 28a. The flame discharged from the burner 20 is directed into furnace space 11 where chill tube assembly 23, side wall tube assembly 25 and division wall assembly 26 are located. Boiler tubes 24 that comprise the assemblies 23, 25 and 26 absorb thermal energy from the flame and transfer that energy to steam drums 16a, 16b for steam production.
FIG. 3 is a plan view, in partial section, showing the makeup of a singular burner 30 of the present invention. (Certain minor differences between the burners 20 shown in FIG. 2 and the burner 30 depicted in FIG. 3 may be observed; however, such differences are largely attributable to the physical arrangement of the burners 20 in the rows of burner array 12. It will be seen from the following description that the singular burner 30 essentially has the same pertinent functional features and operating characteristics as the row arrangement of burners 20 described in FIG. 2.) Burner 30 is provided with a combustion air supply conduit 31 and a combustion air inlet section 32 through which combustion air flows into a long, rectangular mixing chamber 33 having width W and height H (not shown in FIG. 3, but see FIG. 5). Tubular, vertical fuel manifold 27 is situated on the central axis of the mixing chamber 33 at a point that is downstream of the inlet section 32 where the combustion air flows into the mixing chamber. The fuel manifold 27 is in fluid communication with a gaseous fuel supply means (not shown), or alternatively, a means (also not shown) for supplying any one of a mixture of gaseous fuel and combustion air; gaseous fuel and an inert gas, such as spent flue gas; or gaseous fuel, combustion air and an inert gas. Where a fuel/air, a fuel/air/inert gas, or a fuel/inert gas mixture is provided to the manifold 27, the combustion air and/or inert gas may be introduced into the gaseous fuel by either forced or induced techniques before the fuel flows into the manifold 27. In the case of a fuel/air mixture, it has been observed through testing of the present invention that the quantity of fresh air injection into the gaseous fuel stream is very important, particularly so that the stoichiometric air flow into the fuel is maintained below a combustible mixture. In order to achieve good flame formation and clean burnout with low carbon monoxide (CO), it has been observed that it is necessary to have at least four percent (4%) of the stoichiometric oxygen (O 2 ) requirements as premix air. It also has been observed that to prevent premature burning and "flashbacks" it is necessary to keep the premix air below 40 percent of the stoichiometric requirements. Most often, tests of the present invention were conducted with premix air at quantities between five percent (5%) and twelve percent (12%) of stoichiometric conditions. Additionally, introduction of inert gas (such as spent flue gas) into the fuel gas may help to minimize NO x formation. It has been observed that the low pressures at which the fuel manifold 27 operates reduces the power required to raise the inert gas pressure to a level high enough to flow into the manifold 27.
As in the case of the burners 20 depicted in FIG. 2, fuel, or the fuel/air, the fuel/air/inert gas, or fuel/inert gas mixture, is discharged into the flow of combustion air supplied to the mixing chamber 33 from conduit 31. The fuel (or mixture) is discharged through a multitude of evenly distributed perforations (depicted by the arrows emanating from manifold 27) and is directed tangentially toward the two vertical airfoils 28 each of which is situated just downstream of the manifold 27 and along opposite walls of mixing chamber 33. Preferably, the airfoils 28 will be fabricated of a solid piece of heat resistant, metallic or ceramic matter. Alternatively, the airfoils 28 may be formed of a piece of heat resistant, rigid sheet metal that will define a dead air space between the sheet metal and the vertical wall of the mixing chamber 33.
Each airfoil will have a leading edge 34, a trailing edge 35 and an apex 36. As shown in FIG. 3, the trailing edge 35 is situated at the outlet 37 of mixing chamber 33. The leading edge 34 is located at a distance L 1 from the outlet 37, and the apex 36 is positioned at a distance L 2 from the outlet 37 and at a distance D 1 from the vertical side wall of mixing chamber 33. The portion of the airfoil 28 that extends between the apex 36 and the trailing edge 35 will be inclined at an angle α relative to the vertical side wall of the mixing chamber 33. The distance between opposing apexes of the airfoils 28 is designated by dimension D 2 in FIG. 3. The fuel manifold 27 will be situated at a distance M from the outlet 37 of the mixing chamber. It should be noted that the aforementioned dimensions for the airfoils 28 and the manifold 27 may vary according to the specific equipment with which the burner nozzle 30 will be utilized as well as the combustion characteristics that are desired or required of the burner nozzle 30 itself.
Just as in the case of the burners 20 depicted earlier in FIG. 2, the airfoils 28 define a venturi throat 28a through which the mixture of combustion air from conduit 31, gaseous fuel discharged from the fuel manifold 27 and any other gases introduced through the manifold 27 flow. Ignition of the mixture is established in the venturi throat 28a by an ignition means (not shown) and combustion occurs as the combustion gases produced thereby expand toward the outlet 37. The gases then further expand into the furnace space 11.
FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 illustrate another embodiment of the singular burner 30. In this second embodiment, burner 30 is provided with means for introducing additional gases into venturi throat 28a through airfoils 28, each of which airfoil will be fabricated from a piece of heat resistant, rigid sheet metal. More specifically, burner 30 is provided with a tubular airfoil gas delivery means 40 to which spent flue gases or ambient air, or both, may be supplied under pressure to the interior of each air foil 28. As shown in FIG. 4, the airfoil gas delivery means 40 is positioned between the vertical wall of mixing chamber 33 and the airfoil 28 and near the apex 36. As indicated in FIG. 5, the airfoil gas delivery means 40 preferably extends from the bottom wall of mixing chamber 33 up to and through the top wall of chamber 33. As also indicated by FIG. 5, the airfoil gas delivery means 40 is provided with a plurality of perforations or apertures 41 in its wall so that gas provided to delivery means 40 flows evenly distributed into the interior of the airfoils 28. The airfoils 28 are provided with a plurality of perforations or apertures 42 which allow the gas behind the airfoils 28 to flow into venturi throat 28a and mix with the combustion air supplied through conduit 31 and the fuel or mixture of fuel and other gases discharged through fuel manifold 27. The velocities and pressures of the gas delivered to venturi throat 28a through airfoil 28 will vary according to the process and desired effects. The extent of the surface area of the airfoil 28 that is provided with perforations or apertures 42 also can be varied to create desired effects. It has been suggested that spent flue gas may be introduced through airfoils 28 in instances where there is a need for lower NO x control and that ambient air may be provided through the airfoils 28 where high mass air heaters are desired.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. | A burner apparatus useful in steam producing or waste heat boilers. The apparatus includes a fuel delivery means placed between two airfoils that define an elongated venturi throat. The airfoils may be provided with a plurality of perforations to allow a secondary gas (ambient air and/or spent flue gas) to be supplied to the venturi throat for reducing NO x production. | 5 |
FIELD
[0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an indirectly heated cathode (IHC) ion source, and more particularly, an IHC ion source having a repeller made of two different materials.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Indirectly heated cathode (IHC) ion sources operate by supplying a current to a filament disposed behind a cathode. The filament emits thermionic electrons, which are accelerated toward and heat the cathode, in turn causing the cathode to emit electrons into the ion source chamber. The cathode is disposed at one end of the ion source chamber. A repeller is typically disposed on the end of the ion source chamber opposite the cathode. The repeller may be biased so as to repel the electrons, directing them back toward the center of the ion source chamber. In some embodiments, a magnetic field is used to further confine the electrons within the ion source chamber. The electrons cause a plasma to be created. Ions are then extracted from the ion source chamber through an extraction aperture.
[0003] One issue associated with IHC ion sources is that the cathode and repeller may have a limited lifetime. The cathode is subjected to bombardment from electrons on its back surface, and by positively charged ions on its front surface. This bombardment results in sputtering, which causes erosion of the cathode.
[0004] Further, in some embodiments, tungsten or carbon like material may grow on the surface of the repeller. These deposits may reduce the efficiency of the ion source, or may lead to issues with the plasma, such as, for example, non-uniformity of extracted ribbon ion beams. Further, these deposits may also introduce contaminants into the extracted ion beam and reduce the life of the ion source.
[0005] Therefore, an IHC ion source in which material did not build up on the repeller may be beneficial. This IHC ion source may have improved life, performance and beam uniformity.
SUMMARY
[0006] The IHC ion source comprises an ion source chamber having a cathode and a repeller on opposite ends. The repeller is made of two discrete parts, each comprising a different material. The repeller includes a repeller head, which may be a disc shaped component, and a stem to support the head. The repeller head is made from a conductive material having a higher thermal conductivity than the stem. In this way, the temperature of the repeller head is maintained at a higher temperature than would otherwise be possible. The higher temperature limits the build-up of material on the repeller head, which improves the performance of the IHC ion source. In certain embodiments, the repeller head and the stem are connected using a press fit or an interference fit. Differences in the coefficient of thermal expansion of the repeller head and the stem may cause the press fit to become tighter at higher temperatures.
[0007] According to one embodiment, an indirectly heated cathode ion source is disclosed. The indirectly heated cathode ion source comprises an ion source chamber into which a gas is introduced; a cathode disposed on one end of the ion source chamber; and a repeller disposed at an opposite end of the ion source chamber, the repeller comprising a repeller head disposed within the ion source chamber and a stem that supports the repeller head and exits the ion source chamber through an opening; wherein the repeller head is made of a first material and the stem is made from a second material, different than the first material. In certain embodiments, the first material has a first thermal conductivity and the second material has a second thermal conductivity and the first thermal conductivity is greater than the second thermal conductivity. In some embodiments, the second thermal conductivity is less than half of the first thermal conductivity. In some embodiments, the second thermal conductivity is less than a third of the first thermal conductivity. In certain embodiments, the repeller head and the stem are connected using a press fit. In some embodiments, the repeller head comprises a cavity disposed on a back surface, and wherein the stem is inserted into the cavity. In other embodiments, the repeller head comprises a post disposed on a back surface, and a cavity is disposed at an end of the stem, and the post is inserted into the cavity.
[0008] According to a second embodiment, a repeller for use within an ion source chamber is disclosed. The repeller comprises a repeller head disposed within the ion source chamber; and a stem that supports the repeller head and exits the ion source chamber through an opening; wherein the repeller head is made of a first material and the stem is made from a second material, different than the first material, wherein the first material has a higher thermal conductivity than the second material. In some embodiments, the repeller head comprises tungsten. In certain embodiments, the stem is in electrical communication with a repeller power supply to supply a voltage to the repeller head.
[0009] According to a third embodiment, a repeller for use within an ion source chamber is disclosed. The repeller comprises a disc-shaped repeller head disposed within the ion source chamber and biased at a voltage; and a stem attached to a back surface of the disc-shaped repeller head and exiting the ion source chamber through an opening; wherein the disc-shaped repeller head and the stem are both electrically conductive and made from materials having a melting point greater than 1000° C., and wherein a thermal conductivity of the disc-shaped repeller head is at least twice as great as a thermal conductivity of the stem. In certain embodiments, the stem is made from a material selected from the group consisting of tantalum, titanium, rhenium, hafnium, stainless steel, KOVAR® and INVAR®.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0010] For a better understanding of the present disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein by reference and in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is an ion source in accordance with one embodiment;
[0012] FIGS. 2A-2D show views of the connection between the repeller head and the stem according to various embodiments;
[0013] FIG. 3 shows a view of the connection between the repeller head and the stem according to another embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] As described above, indirectly heated cathode ion sources may be susceptible to performance issues due to material build-up on the surface of the repeller. As the material grows on the surface of the repeller, the uniformity of the extracted ribbon ion beam may be degraded.
[0015] FIG. 1 shows an IHC ion source 10 that overcomes this issue. The IHC ion source 10 includes an ion source chamber 100 , having two opposite ends, and sides connecting to these ends. The ion source chamber 100 may be constructed of an electrically conductive material. A cathode 110 is disposed inside the ion source chamber 100 at one of the ends of the ion source chamber 100 . This cathode 110 is in communication with a cathode power supply 115 , which serves to bias the cathode 110 with respect to the ion source chamber 100 . In certain embodiments, the cathode power supply 115 may negatively bias the cathode 110 relative to the ion source chamber 100 . For example, the cathode power supply 115 may have an output in the range of 0 to −150V, although other voltages may be used. In certain embodiments, the cathode 110 is biased at between 0 and −40V relative to the ion source chamber 100 . A filament 160 is disposed behind the cathode 110 . The filament 160 is in communication with a filament power supply 165 . The filament power supply 165 is configured to pass a current through the filament 160 , such that the filament 160 emits thermionic electrons. Cathode bias power supply 116 biases filament 160 negatively relative to the cathode 110 , so these thermionic electrons are accelerated from the filament 160 toward the cathode 110 and heat the cathode 110 when they strike the back surface of cathode 110 . The cathode bias power supply 116 may bias the filament 160 so that it has a voltage that is between, for example, 300V to 600V more negative than the voltage of the cathode 110 . The cathode 110 then emits thermionic electrons on its front surface into ion source chamber 100 .
[0016] Thus, the filament power supply 165 supplies a current to the filament 160 . The cathode bias power supply 116 biases the filament 160 so that it is more negative than the cathode 110 , so that electrons are attracted toward the cathode 110 from the filament 160 . Finally, the cathode power supply 115 biases the cathode 110 more negatively than the ion source chamber 100 .
[0017] A repeller 120 is disposed inside the ion source chamber 100 on the end of the ion source chamber 100 opposite the cathode 110 . The repeller 120 may be in communication with repeller power supply 125 . As the name suggests, the repeller 120 serves to repel the electrons emitted from the cathode 110 back toward the center of the ion source chamber 100 . For example, the repeller 120 may be biased at a negative voltage relative to the walls of the ion source chamber 100 to repel the electrons. Like the cathode power supply 115 , the repeller power supply 125 may negatively bias the repeller 120 relative to the walls of the ion source chamber 100 . For example, the repeller power supply 125 may have an output in the range of 0 to −150V, although other voltages may be used. In certain embodiments, the repeller 120 is biased at between 0 and −40V relative to the walls of the ion source chamber 100 .
[0018] In certain embodiments, the cathode 110 and the repeller 120 may be connected to a common power supply. Thus, in this embodiment, the cathode power supply 115 and repeller power supply 125 are the same power supply.
[0019] Although not shown, in certain embodiments, a magnetic field is generated in the ion source chamber 100 . This magnetic field is intended to confine the electrons along one direction. For example, electrons may be confined in a column that is parallel to the direction from the cathode 110 to the repeller 120 (i.e. the y direction).
[0020] Disposed on another side of the ion source chamber 100 may be a faceplate including an extraction aperture 140 . In FIG. 1 , the extraction aperture 140 is disposed on a side that is parallel to the X-Y plane (parallel to the page). Further, while not shown, the IHC ion source 10 also comprises a gas inlet through which the gas to be ionized is introduced into the ion source chamber 100 .
[0021] A controller 180 may be in communication with one or more of the power supplies such that the voltage or current supplied by these power supplies may be modified. The controller 180 may include a processing unit, such as a microcontroller, a personal computer, a special purpose controller, or another suitable processing unit. The controller 180 may also include a non-transitory storage element, such as a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or another suitable memory. This non-transitory storage element may contain instructions and other data that allows the controller 180 to maintain appropriate voltages for the filament 160 , the cathode 110 and the repeller 120 .
[0022] During operation, the filament power supply 165 passes a current through the filament 160 , which causes the filament to emit thermionic electrons. These electrons strike the back surface of the cathode 110 , which may be more positive than the filament 160 , causing the cathode 110 to heat, which in turn causes the cathode 110 to emit electrons into the ion source chamber 100 . These electrons collide with the molecules of gas that are fed into the ion source chamber 100 through the gas inlet. These collisions create ions, which form a plasma 150 . The plasma 150 may be confined and manipulated by the electrical fields created by the cathode 110 , and the repeller 120 . In certain embodiments, the plasma 150 is confined near the center of the ion source chamber 100 , proximate the extraction aperture 140 . The ions are then extracted through the extraction aperture as an ion beam.
[0023] The repeller 120 is made up of a repeller head 121 and a stem 122 . The repeller head 121 may be a disc-shaped structure which is disposed within the ion source chamber 100 . The stem 122 is attached to the repeller head 121 and exits through an opening in the ion source chamber 100 to allow connection of the repeller 120 to the repeller power supply 125 . In certain embodiments, the stem 122 may be held in place by a clamp (not shown) on the exterior of the ion source chamber 100 , which may be constructed from molybdenum or a molybdenum alloy, such as, for example, TZM, which comprises titanium, zirconium, carbon with the balance being molybdenum. The stem 122 has a much smaller cross-sectional area than the repeller head 121 . The repeller head 121 is intended to provide a charged surface to repel electrons. In contrast, the stem 122 is intended to provide mechanical support and electrical conductivity between the repeller head 121 and the exterior of the ion source chamber 100 . Thus, to minimize the size of the opening in the ion source chamber 100 , the cross-sectional area of the stem 122 may be minimized.
[0024] The repeller head 121 may be made of a first electrically conductive material, having a first thermal conductivity. The stem 122 may be made of a second electrically conductive material, different from the first electrically conductive material, and having a second thermal conductivity less than the first thermal conductivity.
[0025] In some embodiments, the second thermal conductivity is less than half of the first thermal conductivity. In certain embodiments, the second thermal conductivity is less than a third of the first thermal conductivity.
[0026] In operation, the repeller head 121 is heated by the energy introduced into the ion source chamber 100 . For example, the plasma 150 may have an elevated temperature. Further, the repeller head 121 may be struck by energetic ions or electrons disposed inside the ion source chamber 100 . Radiation of the plasma 150 and the other components in the ion source chamber 100 will also transfer heat to the repeller 120 . These various phenomena serve to heat the repeller head 121 . Some of this heat is removed by thermal conduction through the stem 122 to the components external to the ion source chamber 100 . By using a second material having a lower thermal conductivity than the repeller head 121 , the amount of heat that is removed from the repeller head 121 may be reduced.
[0027] For example, traditionally, the repeller head 121 and the stem 122 are both constructed from tungsten. During operation, the repeller head may maintain a first temperature of about 600° C. during normal operation, and a second temperature of about 800° C. during high power operation. By replacing the tungsten stem, which has a thermal conductivity of around 150 W m −1 K −1 , with a stem made of tantalum, for example, which has a thermal conductivity of around 50 W m −1 K −1 , the temperature of the repeller head 121 increases to 720° C. during normal operation and 1100° C. during high power operation. Thus, a material having a thermal conductivity that is about a third that of tungsten causes a significant increase in the temperature of the repeller head 121 .
[0028] Increased temperature of the repeller head 121 may reduce the rate and amount of material that build up on the surface of the repeller head 121 . For example, it has been observed that less material builds up on the cathode 110 , which is known to be at a higher temperature than the repeller 120 .
[0029] The repeller head 121 and the stem 122 may be joined using a press fit. For example, one of the repeller head 121 and the stem 122 may include a cavity, while the other comprises a post that may be inserted into the cavity. FIG. 2A shows a first embodiment where a hole 126 is drilled through the repeller head 121 . The stem 122 is pressed into the hole 126 .
[0030] FIG. 2B shows a second embodiment illustrating the connection between the repeller head 121 and the stem 122 . In this embodiment, a recessed cavity 123 is created within the back surface of the repeller head 121 , such that the recessed cavity 123 does not extend to the front surface of the repeller head 121 . In this disclosure, the front surface of the repeller head is that surface that faces toward the center of the ion source chamber 100 . The back surface of the repeller head 121 is that surface that faces toward an end of the ion source chamber 100 . The stem 122 is then inserted into the recessed cavity 123 .
[0031] FIG. 2C shows a third embodiment illustrating the connection between the repeller head 121 and the stem 122 . In this embodiment, a cavity 124 is created on the back surface of the repeller head 121 by extending the material such that it forms a raised annular ring 131 . The stem 122 then is pressed into the cavity 124 .
[0032] In another embodiment, the embodiments of FIGS. 2B and 2C may be combined such that there is a raised annular ring 131 and a recessed cavity 123 . This embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 2D .
[0033] In each of these embodiments, it may be desirable that the coefficient of thermal expansion of the stem 122 is greater than that of the repeller head 121 . In this way, as the repeller 120 heats, the stem 122 expands more than the cavity, which tightens the fit.
[0034] Further, in certain embodiments, the repeller head 121 may be made of tungsten. Thus, for the embodiments of the FIGS. 2A-2D , the stem 122 may have a lower thermal conductivity than tungsten and a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than tungsten. Table 1 illustrates some materials that have these properties. Additionally, each of these materials is electrically conductive. The first row of Table 1 shows the characteristics of tungsten for comparison purposes. It is noted that this table is not intended to be exhaustive; rather it simply illustrates several possible materials that may be used for the stem 122 in these embodiments where the repeller head 121 is made of tungsten.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Coefficient of
Thermal
Thermal
Conductivity
Expansion
Melting
Material
(W/mK)
(ppm/K)
Point (° C.)
Tungsten
174
4.5
3422
Tantalum
57
6.3
3017
Titanium
22
8.6
1668
Rhenium
48
6.2
3192
Hafnium
23
5.9
2233
300 Series SST
16.4
17-18
1400
KOVAR ®
17
5.3
1449
[0035] Of course, this table is only illustrative, as the repeller head 121 may be constructed of a different material, such as molybdenum, tantalum, rhenium or another metal. Regardless of the material used for the repeller head 121 , the material for the stem 122 is selected so as to have a lower thermal conductivity than the repeller head 121 .
[0036] In certain embodiments, there may be a minimum acceptable melting temperature for the first material and the second material to allow proper operation within the IHC ion source 10 . In some embodiments, this minimum melting temperature may be 1000° C. In other embodiments, this minimum melting temperature may be 1400° C. Each of the materials listed in Table 1 satisfy this limitation.
[0037] Other connections between the repeller head 121 and the stem 122 are also possible. For example, FIG. 3 shows an embodiment where the repeller head 121 has a post 127 extending from its back surface. The stem 122 has an annular ring 128 extending from its distal end, creating a cavity 129 at the end of the stem 122 . In this embodiment, the post 127 from the repeller head 121 extends into the cavity 129 created by the annular ring 128 on the end of the stem 122 .
[0038] In this embodiment, it may be beneficial for the repeller head 121 to have a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than the stem 122 , such that the post 127 expands more than the cavity 129 . Table 2 shows a possible material that may be used for the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 when the repeller head 121 is made of tungsten. It is noted that this table is not intended to be exhaustive, rather it simply illustrates one possible material that may be used for the stem 122 in this embodiment. As described above, this material is also electrically conductive.
[0000]
TABLE 2
Coefficient of
Thermal
Thermal
Conductivity
Expansion
Melting
Material
(W/mK)
(ppm/K)
Point (° C.)
Tungsten
174
4.5
3422
INVAR ®
10
0.6
1427
[0039] As described above, in certain embodiments, there may be a minimum acceptable melting temperature for the second material to allow proper operation within the IHC ion source 10 . In some embodiments, this minimum melting temperature may be 1000° C. In other embodiments, this minimum melting temperature may be 1400° C. The material listed in Table 2 satisfies this limitation.
[0040] While the previous description discloses a press fit between the post and the cavity, other configurations are also possible. For example, in certain embodiments, the post may be cooled while the cavity is heated during the insertion process, such that an interference fit is created when the post and cavity reach a common temperature. In other embodiments, only the post is cooled prior to insertion. In yet other embodiments, only the cavity is heated prior to insertion. In each of these embodiments, the temperatures of the post and cavity are manipulated to allow the post to fit within the cavity during insertion. After thermal equilibrium is reached, an interference fit is created. Thus, an interference fit is a special type of press fit.
[0041] In yet other embodiments, the repeller head 121 and the stem 122 may be welded, soldered or otherwise joined together.
[0042] The embodiments described above in the present application may have many advantages. As described above, IHC ion sources are susceptible to short life and performance degradation due to the material build-up on the repeller. By reducing the thermal conductivity of the stem 122 , the repeller head 121 retains more of the heat imparted to it by the plasma and energetic electrons and ions. This serves to raise the temperature of the repeller head 121 , which reduces the build-up of material on its front surface. In certain embodiments, the temperature of the repeller head 121 may increase 150-250° C. through the use of a stem 122 that is made of a second material, having a thermal conductivity that is one third that of tungsten.
[0043] The present disclosure is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments described herein. Indeed, other various embodiments of and modifications to the present disclosure, in addition to those described herein, will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Thus, such other embodiments and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, although the present disclosure has been described herein in the context of a particular implementation in a particular environment for a particular purpose, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that its usefulness is not limited thereto and that the present disclosure may be beneficially implemented in any number of environments for any number of purposes. Accordingly, the claims set forth below should be construed in view of the full breadth and spirit of the present disclosure as described herein. | The IHC ion source comprises an ion source chamber having a cathode and a repeller on opposite ends. The repeller is made of two discrete parts, each comprising a different material. The repeller includes a repeller head, which may be a disc shaped component, and a stem to support the head. The repeller head is made from a conductive material having a higher thermal conductivity than the stem. In this way, the temperature of the repeller head is maintained at a higher temperature than would otherwise be possible. The higher temperature limits the build-up of material on the repeller head, which improves the performance of the IHC ion source. In certain embodiments, the repeller head and the stem are connected using a press fit. Differences in the coefficient of thermal expansion of the repeller head and the stem may cause the press fit to become tighter at higher temperatures. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of containers used to retain hot liquid and which enables the liquid to be consumed while a person holds the container in the person's hand with the lid of the container being in either the open or closed condition.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, containers used to retain a liquid, whether hot or cold, are known in the prior art. The following list of patents are patents known to the present inventor which are containers of various designs used to retain liquids for consumption by person holding the container and consuming the liquid contents retained within the container:
The following 21 patents and published patent applications are relevant to the field of the present invention:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 2,690,861 issued to Earl S. Tupper on Oct. 5, 1954 for “Dispensing Closure”:
2. U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 189,586 issued to George S. Nalle, Jr. on Jan. 10, 1961 for “Tumbler”.
3. U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 192,296 issued to Walfred M. Nyman on Feb. 27, 1962 for “Cup or Similar Article”.
4. U.S. Pat. No. 3,194,468 issued to Ronald Baron on Jul. 13, 1965 for “Plastic Drinking Cups”.
5. U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 204,783 issued to Ronald E. Johnson and assigned to Columbus Plastics Products, Inc. on May 17, 1966 for “Drinking Cup”.
6. U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 212,352 issued to Paul Davis on Oct. 8, 1968 for “Cup”.
7. U.S. Pat. No. 3,437,253 issued to Paul Davis et al. on Apr. 8, 1969 for “Disposable Plastic Cup With Stiff Gripping Section”.
8. U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,715 issued to Bryant Edwards on May 13, 1969 for “Double Wall Container”.
9. U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,262 issued to Teunis Van't Hoff on Sep. 20, 1971 for “Cup, Mug or Other Drinking Vessel, More Especially Made of Plastic”.
10. U.S. Pat. No. 3,860,135 issued to Michael A. Yung et al. on Jan. 14, 1975 for “Container And Container-Cap Combination”.
11. U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 248,358 issued to Tommy Thomas on Jul. 4, 1978 for “Cup”.
12. U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,081 issued to Brad M. McCabe on May 10, 1994 for “Integral Beverage Container”.
13. U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,011 issued to Dan E. Fischer on May 17, 1994 for “Stackable Container System”.
14. U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,094 issued to Thomas P. Rapchak et al. on Sep. 16, 1997 for “Container and Closure Assembly”.
15. U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,716 issued to Liming Cai et al. on Jun. 16, 1998 for “Cup Protector”.
16. U.S. Design Pat. No. D437,733 issued to Sascha Kaposi on Feb. 20, 2001 for “Ribbed Side Drinking Vessel”.
17. U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,981 issued to Joey L. Rohlfs on Jun. 3, 2003 for “Disposable Sipper Cups”.
18. U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,728 issued to Raymond Newkirk et al. on Aug. 5, 2003 for “Thermal Cup Holder”.
19. U.S. Pat. No. 6,955,289 B2 issued to John Green on Oct. 18, 2005 for “Container Having an Integral Lid”.
20. United States Published Patent Application No. 2006/0043100 to Joseph E. Johnson et al. for “Vial With Hinged Cap And Method of Making Same”.
21. United States Published Patent Application No. 2009/0223969 to Tony V. Bouie on Sep. 10, 2009 for “Lid Assembly and Method For Use Thereof”.
There is a significant need for an improved container which provides advantages which are lacking in the prior art containers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a container used to retain hot liquids in manner which enables the liquid within the container to be consumed by a person holding the container in the person's hand and drinking the liquid when the lid is in either the open or closed condition. The present invention container has the unique features of having a self-sealing lid which is retained on the container through a living hinge. The lid further accomplishes a positive and effective seal when the lid is closed so that leakage from the container is eliminated or at least minimized during normal use thereof. The design of the lid enables the liquid within the container to be consumed with the lid in either the closed or open condition.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a container for retaining hot liquids which can be consumed from the container while a person is grasping the sidewall of the container with the person's hand.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container having a lid retained onto the container by an integral living hinge which enables the lid to be placed in an open condition so that liquid may be poured into the container and which enables the container to thereafter be sealed with a positive and effective seal.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a container having integral tab means to enable the container to be opened after it has been positively sealed so that more liquid can be poured into the container or liquid can be removed from the container.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a container with a lid retained by a living hinge so that the lid is integral with the container and will not be inadvertently lost or soiled which is a problem with prior art containers which have a separately affixed lid.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container which enables liquid to be consumed from the container when the lid is in either the closed or open condition.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a container made out of biodegradable material so that the material can be reused and is eco-friendly.
Further novel features and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, discussion and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring particularly to the drawings for the purpose of illustration only and not limitation, there is illustrated:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention container with an integral lid retained on the container by a living hinge, the container shown with the lid in the closed condition;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the container with the lid in the closed condition;
FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the container with the lid in the closed condition;
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the container with the lid in the closed condition;
FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the container with the lid in the closed condition;
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the container with the lid in the closed condition, the view taken when viewed from the left side, the right side elevatonal view being a mirror image thereof;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the present invention container with an integral lid retained on the container by a living hinge, the container shown with the lid in the open condition;
FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the container with the lid in the open condition;
FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the container with the lid in the open condition;
FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the container with the lid in the open condition;
FIG. 11 is a rear elevational view of the container with the lid in the open condition; and
FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the container with the lid in the open condition, the view taken when viewed from the left side, the right side elevational view being a mirror image thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Although specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention as further defined in the appended claims.
Referring to FIGS. 1 through 12 , the present invention cup or container 110 includes a bottom 112 and a rim 114 and a continuous wall 116 interconnecting the bottom 112 and the rim 114 . The continuous wall has an exterior surface 118 and an interior surface 120 . The container has an interior chamber 122 surrounded by the wall 116 and bottom 112 . Disposed below the rim 114 at a distance “H 1 ” is an interior groove 126 which extends for a continuous given circumferential distance along the interior circumference of interior wall 120 . The rim 1114 is aligned with and extends for approximately the same circumferential distance as the groove 126 . The continuous wall 116 extends for approximately the same circumferential distance as the rim 114 and at a given height “H 2 ” and then slopes downwardly to a lower wall 116 A having a height “H 3 ” which is below rim 114 and above interior groove 126 .
The lid 130 of the present invention is generally circular in shape and has a top surface 132 and a bottom surface 134 with a sip opening 136 extending through the lid 130 from the bottom surface 134 to the top surface 132 , the sip opening 136 preferably located adjacent the exterior circumference 138 of the lid 130 . A flexible living hinge 160 is integrally formed with the container wall 116 and lid 130 with an interior end 162 formed with and resting against lower wall 116 A and an exterior end 164 terminating in a vertical member 166 formed into lid 130 . The living hinge 160 has an recess or cut 168 about which the living hinge 160 can rotate.
The lid 130 has at least one and preferably a pair of spaced apart tabs 140 and 148 integrally formed with the lid and adjacent the exterior circumference 138 of the lid 130 . First tab 140 includes a vertical section 142 , first bent section 144 and a transverse section 146 . Second tab 148 includes a vertical section 150 , a first bent section 152 and a transverse section 154 . In the preferred embodiment, the first and second tabs 140 and 148 are located on the rim 130 at approximately equal distances from the location where the lid 130 is attached to the living hinge 140 and at locations on the lid 130 at opposite spaced apart locations from the sip opening 136 .
When in the closed condition, the lid 130 and living hinge 160 are rotated about cut 168 in living hinge 160 so that circumference 138 of lid 310 is retained within groove 126 . The fit enables the lid 130 to form a seal at the location of the groove 126 so that liquid 400 contained in the interior chamber 122 will not spill out. The tabs 140 and 148 are positioned so that respective transverse sections 146 and 154 rest over and against rim 114 . As a result, because of the tight fit of the lid 130 within groove 126 , it would be difficult to pull the lid 30 free without the transverse sections 146 and 154 which extend above and rest on the rim 114 so that one or both tabs 140 and/or 148 can be pulled on to overcome the force of the lid 130 within the groove 126 to open the container 110 and permit more liquid 400 to be poured into chamber 122 or to permit the liquid to be consumed by a person placing the person's lips on the rim 114 . With the lid 130 in the closed condition, the liquid can be consumed by sipping the liquid 400 through sip opening 138 in lid 130 . When in the closed condition, the space surrounded in the interior wall 118 and lid 130 can retain any liquid 400 that spilled out of sip opening 138 or may bleed out of the chamber 122 at the location of the intersection of the lid 130 and groove 126 .
Therefore, through this design, any liquid but primary liquid 400 that is hot can be retained in the chamber 122 and sipped through opening 138 while the tight sealing fit of the lid 130 within interior groove 126 will assure that no liquid 400 will inadvertently spill out.
The entire container 110 including the wall 116 and bottom 112 , lid 130 , living hinge 160 and tabs 140 and 148 are preferably made out of biodegradable material which can be melted down and reformatted into a new container. The container 110 and its components can also be made out of polyurethane foam, or food grade polyethylene terephthalate (PET) so that it is a disposable container.
Of course the present invention is not intended to be restricted to any particular form or arrangement, or any specific embodiment, or any specific use, disclosed herein, since the same may be modified in various particulars or relations without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention hereinabove shown and described of which the apparatus or method shown is intended only for illustration and disclosure of an operative embodiment and not to show all of the various forms or modifications in which this invention might be embodied or operated. | A container used to retain hot liquids in manner which enables the liquid within the container to be consumed by a person holding the container in the person's hand and drinking the liquid when the lid is in either the open or closed condition. The container has the unique features of having a self-sealing lid which is retained on the container through a living hinge. | 1 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a method for controlling the motion of a yarn stopper magnet in a measuring yarn feeder for a textile machine, and to a stopper magnet of a measuring yarn feeder.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In a method of this type known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,681 the coils are supplied with a voltage which is essentially constant during the whole motion of the stopper element. The voltage is high in order to achieve short motion times, for example of the magnitude of 5 ms for a motion of the magnitude of 4 mm. After the motion and a bounce, if any, to/in any end position, the voltage is usually decreased to an essentially lower value so that a suitable holding force is achieved without any overheating (in the long run). It is also usual that the motion- and/or holding voltage is controlled in order to compensate for the temperature-dependence of the stopper magnet. This type of power supply causes several limitations when the motion times are very short. The inductance of the stopper magnet gives an electric time constant which can be of the same magnitude as the motion time. The current, and subsequently also the force in the stopper magnet, will then rise relatively slowly. The consequence of this will, on one hand, be a time loss before the motion starts and, on the other hand, also a slow acceleration with a further time loss in the beginning of the motion. Furthermore, the force of the stopper magnet is usually position-dependent. At a certain current the force increases, and thereby also the acceleration of the armature, essentially when the armature is approaching its end position. This will cause the final speed of the armature to be high, often in the magnitude of 4 m/s. A short motion time means a high supplied energy amount with a high temperature as a consequence. A short motion time means also a high final speed with a high load at the end position as a consequence. The end position dampers are furthermore usually of a material, the load capability of which decreases drastically at an increasing temperature.
[0003] In solutions according to the prior art, usually a mechanical spring was used to keep the stopper magnet in any of the end positions in a current-free state. On stopper magnets with only one coil, this spring was usually used also for the return motion of the stopper element. This design has disadvantages, because the spring will cause a risk for mechanical wear and a not-inessential decrease of the force which is available for the motion.
[0004] According to a method as known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,868 a solenoid equipped with a driver circuit is actuated for each of consecutive picking strokes by first supplying very high current which current is maintained relatively high over the entire picking stroke of the armature. Since the time constant of the pick capacitor circuit, i.e. the value of a resistor times the value of a capacitor, is much greater than the time constant of the solenoid, the drive circuit will hold strong current much longer than needed to build up a strong current in the solenoid. The current is decisive for the transmitted force. There is relatively strong current, i.e. high force, even when the armature has reached the end position. As a further consequence of the time constant of the pick capacitor circuit increased voltage is supplied to the coil over the entire picking stroke of the armature.
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to achieve a short motion cycle of the stopper magnet with a low input energy amount and a relatively low final speed (kinetic energy), and to reduce the demand for control in order to compensate for the temperature dependence of the stopper magnet. Additionally, the risk for mechanical wear ought to be reduced while a sufficiently strong holding force ought to be maintained in the end position of the stopper magnet.
[0006] During the initial start part of the motion cycle of the stopper magnet, the electromagnetic coil is supplied with a voltage, which may be constant or may vary, which is considerably higher than the average voltage level during the remaining part of the motion cycle. Due to this increased voltage supplied in the initial start part of the motion cycle the magnetic field in the coil builds up very quickly. Thus, the motion of the movable parts of the stopper magnet starts comparatively early. Moreover, due to the increased voltage in the initial start part of the motion cycle the accelerating force for the armature is very high at the beginning of the motion of the stopper magnet. This high acceleration further reduces time losses at the beginning of the motion cycle.
[0007] By providing a permanent magnet mounted to the yarn stopper element and soft iron magnetic material in a fixed part of the stopper magnet a holding force is achieved for the yarn stopper element in the end position of the stopper magnet by the magnetic attraction between the permanent magnet and the soft iron magnetic material. The movable parts can be held in the end position of the stopper magnet without physical contact to the fixed parts, and, thus, without friction or wear. The stopper magnet can preferably be operated by the above-mentioned method for reducing the input energy amount and the final speed. Further advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.
[0008] Further advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] In the following, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, in which:
[0010] [0010]FIG. 1 shows a sectional view through a yarn stopper magnet according to the present invention;
[0011] [0011]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the current applied to the electromagnetic coils and the position of the stopper element over the time when operated in a first way according to the present invention; and
[0012] [0012]FIG. 3 shows a similar diagram as in FIG. 2 when the stopper magnet is operated in a second way according to the present invention.
[0013] The units of time, current and position in FIGS. 2 and 3 are arbitrary.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] [0014]FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a measuring yarn feeder 1 according to the present invention, comprising a stopper magnet 2 . The stopper magnet 2 is spaced apart from a drum 3 of a yarn feeder by a gap 4 . Yarn 5 is wound around the drum 3 . In order to be fed to a textile machine, the yarn 5 is pulled off the drum 3 in a direction indicated by arrow 6 .
[0015] In order to determine the length of yarn 5 being fed to the textile machine, the measuring yarn feeder comprises a measuring element (not shown) for detecting the number of windings of yarn 5 that have been pulled off the drum 3 . After a predetermined number of windings have been pulled off, the pulling-off of yarn 5 is to be stopped. This is achieved by the stopper magnet 2 pushing its stopper element 13 forward through gap 4 and into a recess 7 in the drum 3 . Further pulling-off of yarn 5 is prevented, since the yarn 5 engages the stopper element.
[0016] The stopper magnet 2 comprises two coaxial electromagnetic coils 8 and 9 . These coils 8 and 9 can be operated independently from each other by applying a voltage via respective electrical connections 10 and 11 .
[0017] On the axis of the electromagnetic coils 8 and 9 , the stopper magnet 2 has a central aperture 12 . In axial alignment with the coils 8 and 9 , the stopper element 13 extends through the aperture 12 . The stopper element 13 is moveable in an axial direction of the aperture 12 . By this movement, the lower end of the stopper element 13 , which is the so-called stopper pin 14 , can be brought into engagement with the recess 7 in drum 3 or retracted therefrom.
[0018] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the stopper element 13 is designed as a metal tube that is at least partly filled with a plastic 15 , for example polyurethane. This serves to reduce the mass of the stopper element 13 in comparison with other embodiments in which the stopper element 13 is made of a solid metal rod, for example of steel.
[0019] The central portion of the stopper element 13 is surrounded by an armature 16 . The armature 16 is made of magnetic or magnetizable material, for example soft-magnetic iron. In this embodiment the armature 16 is formed as a shell, which are bound together and to the stopper element 13 by the polyurethane filling 15 .
[0020] The stopper element 13 is guided in an outer casing 17 of the stopper magnet 2 by two cylindrical bearings 18 .
[0021] A permanent magnet 19 is mounted on an end portion of the stopper element 13 , which is the end portion opposite to the stopper pin 14 . In proximity to the location of this permanent magnet 19 , a member 20 of soft-magnetic iron is placed in the fixed part of the stopper magnet 2 . This member 20 of magnetisable material may be either one piece, for example ring-like, or formed in several separate parts. It could also be provided in the form of adaption of any of the existing fixed parts of the stopper magnet 2 . The aim of this design is to achieve a wear-free end position holding for the stopper element 13 with a desirable value and characteristic of the holding force. This is achieved by the magnetic attraction between the permanent magnet 19 and the member 20 of soft-magnetic iron when the stopper element 13 reaches its extended end position.
[0022] As another important advantage, the magnetic attraction between the permanent magnet 19 of the stopper element 13 and the magnetisable member 20 provides sufficient force to hold the stopper element 13 in its locking position even in the case of a current break.
[0023] On the top and bottom end of the aperture 12 , dampers 21 are provided in order to reduce undesirable bouncing of the stopper element 13 in its locking position. The dampers 21 are of a material which, in this connection, can be considered as resilient and energy-absorbing, for example polyurethane.
[0024] Adjacent each damper 21 , a counter-mass 22 , 23 is provided within the aperture 12 . Each counter-mass 22 , 23 is shaped as a hollow cylinder, receiving the stopper element 13 in its central throughhole. Holding brackets 24 keep the counter-masses 22 , 23 in their positions in proximity to the dampers 21 , but they leave the counter-masses 22 , 23 free to move slightly in an axial direction in the aperture 12 .
[0025] The mass of each counter-mass 22 , 23 is of the same magnitude as the total mass of the movable parts of the stopper magnet 2 , i.e. as the sum of the masses of the stopper element 13 , the armature 16 and the permanent magnet 19 . When these moveable parts reach one of their end positions, an end of the armature 16 collides with an end portion of the respective counter-mass 22 , 23 . Being of the same mass as the moveable parts, the counter mass 22 , 23 absorbs the complete momentum (m times v) of the moveable parts, thereby in the ideal case immediately stopping the moveable parts without bouncing. Being accelerated by the impact, the counter-mass 22 , 23 travels towards the damper 21 , being slowed down by the latter. When the counter-mass 22 , 23 returns to the stopped armature 16 due to the elastic properties of the damper 21 , it has already lost most of its kinetic energy and is unable to move the armature 16 and the stopper element 13 out of their position.
[0026] The counter-masses 22 , 23 are made of a hard, inelastic material; preferably magnetisable or soft-magnetic machine steel is used. These magnetic properties enable the counter-masses 22 , 23 to perform a second function: being located at least partly within the electro-magnetic coils 8 , 9 , the magnetisable counter-masses 22 , 23 can serve as the yokes of the coils 8 , 9 . Thus, they increase the magnetic field at the armature 16 .
[0027] In the following, a method for controlling the motion of a yarn stopper magnet 2 in a measuring yarn feeder according to the present invention is described. This method may preferably be used in a stopper magnet 2 as described with respect to FIG. 1, but it may also be employed in alternative stopper magnets, for example with only one electromagnetic coil. According to this method, the coil/coils 8 , 9 is/are supplied during a part of the motion time with a voltage, constant or varying, which is essentially higher, at least twice as high as what has been the case in known solutions according to the state of the art. In particular, this increased voltage has an amplitude considerably exceeding the average voltage level during the remaining part of the motion. The increased voltage may, for example, be applied in the start-“moment”, i.e. when the stopper element 13 is supposed to begin its motion. In FIG. 2, this time is designated by to.
[0028] From FIG. 2 it is to be seen that this high voltage (“via the system inductance”) will generate a current-“spike” which is essentially higher than the average level of the control current during the remaining part of the motion cycle (the approximately horizontal part of the graph in FIG. 2). By start-“moment” in this case is meant a time which for example may have a duration of appr. 1 ms. It starts when the motion process shall start (t 0 ), the time is, on one hand, smaller, preferably essentially smaller, than the whole motion time and, on the other hand, it is not essentially greater than the electric time constant of the stopper magnet. Thereafter, i.e. after for example said 1 ms (t 1 ), the voltage is controlled, analogously according to a function that may be chosen or in one or several selectable steps, so that a suitable current, and thereby also a suitable force is generated along the motion and at the end position. An example of a motion and a current characteristic is, as has been said earlier, shown in FIG. 2. Compared with solutions known so far, the method according to the present application will give an essentially lower final speed (lower kinetic energy) of the stopper element, provided the motion time (t 0 -t 2 ) is the same. The consequence will be lower load on the end position which the stopper element 13 has reached at the time t 2 . Furthermore, the method will, compared with prior art, give a lower input of energy amount with a lower temperature as a consequence.
[0029] Compared to the prior art, a comparatively greater part of the working cycle of the stopper magnet 2 will be mainly inductive. The consequence will be that the influence of the resistance, and thereby also the temperature variation of the resistance, will be reduced.
[0030] The measuring yarn feeder 1 may, for example, be driven by applying an AC voltage of 220 V in the main line. This AC voltage is rectified, yielding a DC voltage with a value of approximately 300 V. A voltage with a value of approximately 300 V could then be used as the increased voltage, while the average voltage applied to the coils 8 , 9 has a value in the range between approximately 50 and 150 V. Although the coils are designed to receive only the average voltage, they will not be adversely affected by the voltage increase due to the very short duration of the voltage increase. Moreover, in comparison with prior art techniques, the total amount of applied energy and, accordingly, the total amount of heat induced in the coils is lower. Thus, the risk of over-heating the coils is further reduced.
[0031] In a different embodiment, the stopper magnet 2 is driven by a generator supplying a voltage of 48 V. In this case, the total voltage of 48 V would be used as the value of the increased voltage, while the average voltage in the remaining part of the motion would have a value between 15 and 25 V, for example.
[0032] The following variant/modification of the invention can further reduce the input energy amount and the final speed. The variant can be used in combination with the embodiment mentioned above, or separately:
[0033] In certain cases of operation, there can exist information in advance in connection with the stopper magnet 2 , i.e. “before-hand”, about when a motion cycle shall start. Then, the holding current in the end position where the armature 16 is then situated, can be reduced considerably or be completely shut off just before the start-“moment” t 4 . By “just before the start-moment” in this case is meant a time that ends when the start-“moment” is beginning. The time shall be at least so long that a considerable reduction of the holding current can be achieved; the time shall, however, not be so long that the motion can start too early, for example due to gravity or other forces in the system. The variant gives, in the start-“moment” t 4 a reduction of the holding force that must be overcome in order that the motion shall be able to start. The consequence will be that the motion will start earlier.
[0034] In FIG. 2, this method of operation is shown for the return motion of the stopper element 13 . This return motion is supposed to begin at a time t 4 . From an earlier time t 3 onwards, the holding current in the end position is reduced such that the holding current has a value of 0 at the time t 4 or slightly later. This enables the stopper element 13 to start its motion exactly at t 4 . At a later time t 5 , the stopper element 13 has reached its original position again.
[0035] In yarn stopper magnets according to the state of the art there is usually a force close to the end position that is strong, in many cases stronger than desirable. This means that the requirements of the damping capability of the end positions are small.
[0036] In the new method described above for reduction of input energy amount and final speed (kinetic energy) of the stopper element 13 , the voltage is controlled, and thereby also the force, to a desirable level. With the object, on one hand to minimize the amount of input energy, and on the other hand, to minimize the final speed, the voltage is held on the smallest possible level at the end of the motion. This will mean, compared with the prior art, that the force that is available for bounce damping in the end position will decrease. Two dampers and an inter-mediate counter-mass in each end position, for example according to FIG. 1, will give good results. A low current at the end of the motion can be achieved with a small bounce being kept.
[0037] An even more sophisticated method for controlling the motion of the stopper magnet 2 is shown in FIG. 3. It aims particularly at compensating for deviations in the motion time.
[0038] In the prior art, there is no compensation for deviations in motion time that depends on variations in load or friction. There is compensation for temperature dependence but this will make a feed-back and a temperature sensor necessary.
[0039] The present invention also aims at proposing a new method for achieving, without sensors or feed-back, compensation for deviations in motion time.
[0040] Shortly before the nominal arrival-“moment” t 12 of the stopper element 13 (i.e. the calculated arrival time with negligible friction in case of only one voltage increase), a second voltage increase is provided, constant or varying (which “via the system inductance” results in the second, lower current-“spike” in FIG. 3). This voltage increase is essentially higher as compared with the corresponding voltage in the prior art or the corresponding voltage in the same phase in the control process according to FIG. 2, but it is preferably smaller than the first voltage increase. By “nominal arrival-moment t 12 ” in this case is meant a time that for example can have a duration of appr. 2 ms. It starts (t 11 ) in close proximity to the time when the movable part or parts hit(s) the end position at the end of a motion without deviation in motion time. The time is, on one hand, shorter than the motion time and further not essentially greater than the electric time constant of the stopper magnet 2 . Herafter, the voltage is controlled, analogously according to a chosen curve or in one or several selectable steps, so that a suitable current, and thereby also force, will be obtained in the end position.
[0041] In a comparison with the FIG. 2 method, this method will give a certain increase of input energy amount. For a motion without deviation in motion time, the final speed, and thereby also the load on the end position, will be only marginally influenced. For a motion with a deviation, for example caused by an increased load or friction, the supply of the second voltage increase does have an influence, since it compensates at least a part of the time losses. Therefore, it is possible to operate the stopper magnet 2 in a method in which a second voltage increase as shown in FIG. 3 is always applied, irrespective of the actual load or friction. This makes the design and operation of the stopper magnet 2 very simple and reliable, since there is no need for sensors in order to determine whether a second voltage increase should be applied or not.
[0042] The requirements on the damping capability of the end positions are reduced since the force that is available for bounce damping in the end position is increasing. The motion time for a motion can deviate upwardly for many reasons, lower input voltage to the control system, increased load or increased friction, to mention some of them. When this occurs, the voltage increase in the nominal arrival moment will cause a speed increase at the end of the motion. The speed increase counter-acts the time increase, but the final speed becomes essentially the same or lower as compared with a normal motion. The consequence will be a system that, without feedback or sensors and without increasing the load on the end positions, will compensate for a great part of the deviations that normally occur in the motion time. Examples of motion and current are, as said earlier, shown in FIG. 3.
[0043] The solutions in question are not restricted only to one stopper magnet with two coils. They are also applicable in the case of a forward motion of the soft iron armature with the stopper element by means of one electromagnet coil and a return motion by means of for example one return spring.
[0044] In relation to the invention, (electric) voltage means preferably either DC voltage or the RMS value of a modulated voltage, e.g. PWM technology. | The invention relates mainly to a method for controlling the motion of a yarn stopper magnet in a measuring feeder for textile machines, preferably for weaving machines of air- or waterjet-type. The stopper magnet has a soft-iron armature connected to a yarn stopper element, which armature co-acts with at least one electromagnetic coil in order to achieve the desired motion of the stopper magnet. During an initial part of the time for the motion, according to the invention, said electromagnetic coil/-coils is/are supplied with a control voltage with an amplitude considerably exceeding the average level of the control voltage during the remaining part of the motion, in order to achieve an optimally fast motion with low input energy amount and thereby a low heat development, as well as low kinetic energy (speed) of the stopper element at the end of its motion. | 3 |
This patent application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 13/461,460 filed on May 1, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,089,357 B2.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of orthopedic surgery and in particular to making incisions in the skin and soft tissues to go directly to the surface of a fractured bone to affix locking screws into the bone. The present invention further relates to the use of a locking nail and guide means to reach to the surface of the bone so that a proper incision can be made to enable a locking screw to be affixed into the bone and the embedded locking nail with a minimum of surgical cutting and blood loss. The present invention also relates to the field of scalpels used to make the required incision so that a locking screw can be affixed into the bone with a minimum of surgical cutting and blood loss.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The fairly recent development of intra-medullary locking nails has been a significant breakthrough in the surgical management of fractures of the long bones in humans and animals.
Locking nails provide superior fixation to that provided by on-lay plates secured by screws. Equally significantly, they can be installed in the bone with far less surgical injury to the patient. The skin incisions are smaller. The soft-tissue trauma is less. The amount of blood-loss is much less. The overall recovery from surgery is speedier and more pain-free. The impact of locking nails on the surgical management of long-bone fractures cannot be overstated.
The installation of a locking nail, which is a long metal rod and will be interchangeably referred to as a rod or a nail, is accomplished by inserting it, through a small skin incision, into one end of the bone, and advancing it into the bone cavity (medullary cavity) so that the rod is embedded within that cavity. This metal rod has preformed holes at intervals along its length for receiving screws that are inserted transversely or obliquely through the shaft of the bone. In this way the traversing screws lock the bone fragments to the embedded rod, or conversely, lock the rod to the bone. Each traversing screw is inserted into the bone through a small skin incision, and herein lays the problem.
For the placement of each traversing screw, the technical problems for the surgeon include, firstly, making the small skin incision at the correct location and correct angle on the skin surface, and extending the incision through the skin and soft-tissues, down to the bone surface. Instruments are now passed through this small skin and soft-tissue path, to drill a hole that passes through one side of the bone, through r 3 the unseen hole in the rod, and into the bone on the far side of the rod.
The challenge of finding the exact spot on the bone's outer surface to drill the first hole, and then to drill in precisely the right direction for the drill bit to pass centrally through the hole in the rod, has been ingeniously solved by the use of a targeting guide. The targeting guide is attached to an outrigger that is rigidly, and removably, attached to one end of the rod. When the nail is embedded in the bone, this attached outrigger and targeting guide protrude from the insertion wound, and lie outside the body. Note that in some device brands, the outrigger and targeting device are a single part. The targeting guide lies parallel with the embedded nail. Within the targeting guide, along its shaft, are tunnels (the targeting guide tunnels) that line up precisely with the holes in the embedded, and unseen, rod. In placing a screw through the bone and the hole in the embedded rod, various instruments are passed through the matching targeting guide tunnel in the targeting guide. Drill bits are long and narrow and sometimes brittle, and their rotating motion can damage soft-tissues. For this reason they are supported and guided, and the tissues are protected from them, by passing them through a metal sheath, the drill-guide. There is no standard nomenclature in the industry for the terms “outrigger”, “targeting guide” and “targeting guide tunnel”, but the usage of these terms in this patent application can leave no doubt as to the meaning of these terms as used here.
The drill guide is a metal tube that has an outer diameter such that it snugly passes through the matching targeting guide tunnel. The inner diameter of the drill guide is such that the drill bit snugly passes through it. Its leading edge cones down to a bullet-nose.
As a first step for inserting a screw through the wall of the bone and into the underlying rod-hole, the drill-guide is inserted into the matching targeting guide tunnel. The drill guide is advanced to the skin. A mark is made at the site of skin contact. The drill guide is withdrawn, and an incision is made through the skin and soft-tissues until the scalpel blade reaches the bone.
The drill guide is now advanced through this skin incision and soft-tissue path, until its advancing end comes into contact with the bone. The drill-guide, thus placed, is now perfectly located to guide a drill bit to the correct site on the surface of the bone, at precisely the correct angle, to drill through the bone and through the hole in the rod. The drill bit is then advanced deeper into the bone, or out through the opposite cortex (wall) of the bone. Once a hole has been drilled through the bone and the hole in the rod, the drill guide is removed from the targeting guide tunnel and a screw guide sleeve is inserted into the targeting guide tunnel. The screw guide sleeve is used to guide the screw and the screwdriver to the nearside hole in the bone, and through it to the hole in the nail, and out through the hole into the bone on the other side of the nail.
The current practice for cutting the skin incision and a path through the soft-tissues down to the bone is crude and imprecise. The current practice starts wherein the skin entry-site is located by advancing the drill guide through its targeting guide tunnel until it touches the skin. A mark then is made on the skin at the contact site. The drill guide is partly withdrawn away from the skin but is left in the targeting guide tunnel. The surgeon then makes a free-hand skin incision at the marked skin site, using a regular, standard, single-bladed scalpel. The bulky targeting guide blocks direct access to the skin and the surgeon has to work around it. The only direct access to the marked skin site would be though a targeting guide tunnel. As things currently stand, the scalpel is now directed in front of or behind the targeting guide, angled obliquely through the skin incision and soft-tissues, at an approximately anticipated compensating angle, to a mentally calculated and imprecise location on the bone surface. Because this is not the best angle for the incision, the surgeon makes an oversized, irregular skin cut and soft-tissue path that is not at an ideal angle.
For the scalpel to make the skin incision and soft-tissue path at the correct angle and with the shortest path from the skin to the bone would require that the scalpel pass directly though the targeting guide tunnel. Since the targeting guide tunnel guides the drill guide to the precise location on the bone for drilling the hole into the bone, the same tunnel could usefully serve to accurately guide a scalpel through the skin and soft-tissues to the same, precise target point on the bone.
One problem with this solution is that commercially available scalpels do not have handles that are long enough to pass through the targeting guide tunnel and cover the distance down to the bone. If the a scalpel had a longer handle, the surgeon could make a straight pass with the blade, directly through the targeting guide tunnel, through the skin and soft tissues, and down to the bone.
The above solution by itself is not presently viable because an incision made through the targeting guide tunnel with the currently available fixed-blade scalpels would be too small to accommodate the drill guide or the screw driver sleeve. This is because the widest blade that could pass through the targeting guide tunnel would have a width equal to the internal diameter of the targeting guide tunnel. However, a skin incision whose length equals the internal diameter of the targeting guide tunnel would be insufficient to allow passage of a cylindrical instrument (such as the drill guide) that has an external diameter that equals the internal diameter the targeting guide tunnel. If the skin had no elasticity, the length of the smallest skin incision that will allow passage of the drill guide can be calculated; it is equal to half the circumference of the drill guide. The circumference (C) of the cylindrical drill guide is calculated as π multiplied by the diameter (D) of the drill guide (C=πD). Thus, if the diameter of drill guide were 10 mm, the circumference of the drill guide would be 3.14 multiplied by 10 mm, which equals a circumference of 31.4 mm. In non-elastic skin the length (L 1 ) of the smallest skin incision that would accommodate the drill guide would therefore be half the circumference (C) of the drill guide. L 1 =πD×0.5 Thus, in non-elastic skin, a skin incision 15.7 mm long is needed for a 10 mm cylindrical drill guide to pass through it: i.e. an incision that is 57% longer than the diameter of the cylindrical drill guide. It can be seen that at present, the widest scalpel blade that could pass through a 10 mm diameter targeting guide tunnel, cannot be 15.7 mm wide, but instead only 10 mm wide, and further, that a 10 mm rigidly guided scalpel blade cannot make an incision that is greater than 10 mm wide, such as the 15.7 mm that is needed in the present example, if the scalpel cuts only in a thrusting mode, with no side to side slicing motion. This percentage is constant: in non-elastic skin, the incision needed for passage of a cylindrical instrument will need to be 57% longer than the diameter of that instrument for all sizes of instrument.
Human skin does have elasticity, and normally, an incision in human skin will stretch 25% to 30%. This is still less than the 57% needed for a cylindrical instrument to pass through a skin incision that equals in length the diameter of that cylindrical instrument.
Therefore, even allowing for the elasticity of normal human skin, the widest, fixed-blade scalpel blade that could be passed through any size targeting guide tunnel could not make a skin incision adequate for the passage of the corresponding drill guide.
Given the elasticity of human skin, the present invention scalpel instruments can make an incision that is less than the 57% enlargement, and still be adequate.
Assuming a skin stretch of 25%, a 12.6 mm incision will stretch to 15.75 mm, which is sufficient for the passage of a 10 mm cylindrical instrument. This is 2.6 mm (26%) greater than the drill guide diameter of 10 mm.
In summary, assuming a skin incision that will stretch 25%, the incision will need to be 26% longer than the diameter of any cylindrical instrument, to enable the said instrument to pass through that incision.
Locking screws placed through the lateral aspect of the proximal femur have to pass through a tough, inelastic fascial layer, called the fascia lata. The fascia lata poses a special problem over the proximal femur in locking nail fracture fixation. The iliotibial band is not quite as thick or tough as the fascia lata, but it poses a similar problem over the lateral aspect of the distal femur. The term “deep fascia” will be used to describe either. The deep fascia forms a barrier to the passage of the drill guide and other instruments. It lies against the bone at the deepest part of the narrow soft tissue incision tunnel. A pointed knife thrust straight into it will only make a small puncture hole. Slicing motion is required to adequately enlarge the puncture hole for passage of the instruments. It is impossible to enlarge the puncture hole without enlarging the soft tissue tunnel as well, thereby causing additional soft tissue damage.
In current practice, the surgeon passes the scalpel anterior or posterior to the targeting guide and through the skin and soft tissues, to blindly slice the deep fascia. Made in this oblique fashion, the fascial incision does not line up perfectly with a straight line between the targeting guide tunnel and the target point on the bone surface. The surgeon therefore makes long sweeping motions with the tip of the knife, making an unnecessarily oversized fascial incision. The fascial incision cannot be repaired later, since it lies in the depth of a narrow soft-tissue tunnel. The fascia lata connects to the iliotibial band. Both play a vital role in normal gait. Excessive damage to the fascia lata or iliotibial Band may later result in impaired gait.
There are many “perforating” arteries just deep to the fascia lata. The larger the fascial incision the more blood vessels will be cut, causing proportionately increased bleeding.
A tunnel-guided-knife as described herein will predictably make the smallest possible skin and soft tissue incision. However, a sharp-pointed blade plunged through the skin straight down to the bone, and then withdrawn back along the identical path, guided in and out by the rigid targeting guide tunnel, will have a terminal configuration that strictly matches the profile of the blade.
Any blade, other than a chisel-shaped blade, will always have a sharp-pointed leading edge, which will cause the terminal end of the tunnel to be triangular. A chisel-blade is impractical since it will not penetrate the skin. A triangular end-tunnel will be of no consequence where the entire tunnel is through soft tissues, such as fat and muscle. However, the deep facia along the lateral thigh is a tough barrier that lies adjacent to the bone.
Any in-and-out blade, other than a chisel, will penetrate the deep fascia with an incision that is always less than the full width of the blade, and likely to be little more than a puncture point. Enlarging the deep fascial incision with a pointed blade would require side-to-side slicing motion, which is not possible with a fixed blade, attached to a rigid cylindrical handle, which is guided by a rigid targeting guide tunnel. Making a minimal incision in the deep fascia at the terminal end of a minimal skin and soft tissue tunnel thus represents a special challenge in using a tunnel-guided knife.
For the sake of speed and convenience, given the technical problems of blindly passing a scalpel anterior or posterior to the targeting guide, surgeons frequently make an initial skin incision, soft-tissue path and fascial incision that is much larger than the minimum needed to get the job done. Alternatively, the surgeon may start with a small, tentative skin incision and enlarge it when he/she finds that it is too small for the drill guide to pass through. This free hand, secondary enlargement will often result in a jagged incision, and the subsequent healed scar will be jagged and cosmetically unsatisfactory.
Additionally, skin incisions and soft-tissue tunnels must be made for each screw, and there is at least one and generally multiple screws that must be applied. At the end of the operation the surgeon has to close each of the individual skin wounds, a process which can be time-consuming, the total time being directly related to the length of each incision.
In the operation of locking nail fracture fixation, there are compelling reasons for the locking-screw incisions through the skin, soft tissues and deep fascia to be as small as possible. The smallest incisions can only be made through the targeting guide tunnel. Ideally each incision needs to be just large enough to accommodate the outer diameter of the drill guide. Skin and soft tissue incisions made through the targeting guide tunnel with a fixed-blade scalpel are too small. A pointed knife thrust straight into the deep fascia through the targeting guide tunnel will only make a small puncture hole, and slicing motion is required for an adequate incision.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a multi-functional double bladed surgical tool. The present invention resolves all the problems discussed above. The present invention is a method and a surgical instrument for predictably and efficiently making the skin incision, soft-tissue path and deep fascial incision, with the smallest, least damaging, and most precise incision. The present invention makes the quickest, cleanest, most precise incision from the skin to the bone than has been seen in the prior art. Additionally, the resulting incision will be much less traumatic than can be made free hand, with a conventional scalpel. It will also enable the surgeon to make the incision quicker and easier, complete the surgery quicker and easier, and allow the patient to heal with less scarring and with less likelihood of, and reduction of adverse secondary effects.
The present invention also relates to a method and apparatus for efficiently making a skin incision and a soft-tissue path from the skin to the bone. The invention herein relates more specifically to a surgical method and a surgical instrument, heretofore unseen in the prior art, for making a skin incision and soft-tissue path from the skin to the bone, and for making the smallest, least damaging, most precise skin incision and soft-tissue path to the bone, and doing so in a manner that is quicker and easier for the surgeon and resulting in the overall operation being quicker and easier for the surgeon, and the patient experiencing less trauma, less scarring, greater healing and less likelihood of damaging or adverse side effects.
Described herein is a method and novel instrument for making an incision of precise and minimal dimensions, in a precise and exact direction, having the shortest path from the skin to the bone. The result is the smallest skin and soft-tissue incision possible, made speedily and accurately. It will be seen that this additionally results in the least amount of tissue trauma possible, shortened operating and anesthesia time, and less blood loss. Further, the incision is easier to repair, and heals with a cosmetically superior scar.
Additionally described herein, is a technique and instrument for making a skin and soft-tissue incision utilizing the targeting guide. Since the targeting guide tunnel guides the drill guide to the precise location on the bone for drilling the hole into the bone, the same targeting guide tunnel can usefully serve as the perfect targeting device for guiding a scalpel through the skin and soft-tissues to the same target point on the bone. In order to do so, the scalpel handle will need to be a cylinder. Conventionally, scalpel handles are flat in order to give the surgeon maximum, ergonomic, manual control over the direction and rotation of the cut. However, a scalpel with a cylindrical handle having a diameter that is the same as that of the targeting guide tunnel through which it is being passed will be provided maximum directional control by the targeting guide tunnel. The surgeon's wet, gloved hand may still have difficulty with rotational control over the smooth cylindrical handle, and therefore the blade. This can be overcome by flattening opposite surfaces of the cylindrical handle so that the handle becomes a partial cylinder. Thus, regardless of the shape of the handle, so long as its perimeter fits snugly within the inner diameter of the targeting guide tunnel, the goals and advantages of the present invention will be achieved.
The present invention further overcomes the problem that presently available conventional scalpels are six to eight inches long, which is insufficient to achieve the objectives of the present invention. The barrel of the present invention scalpel instrument will be longer to pass through the targeting guide down to bone, and still leave sufficient handle protruding for the surgeon to grasp.
The present invention further overcomes the problems with the prior art scalpels by creating a scalpel instrument that is capable of achieving the objectives of the invention. The present invention apparatus is a novel scalpel instrument that can be passed through the targeting guide tunnel to accurately make a most minimal but adequate incision to accommodate the drill guide and other instruments.
In a first embodiment, two or more blades are employed to form the cutting edge. The present invention teaches a means for radially narrowing the cutting edge of the blades of the scalpel instrument for inward passage through the targeting guide tunnel, a means for radially restoring the blades and their cutting edge to its full width after passage through the targeting guide tunnel in preparation for making an adequate skin incision, and a means for radially narrowing the blades and their cutting edge for withdrawal of the scalpel through the targeting guide tunnel after the incision has been made.
The present invention also teaches a means for accurately and predictably making a most minimal but adequate, incision in the deep fascia, at the exact and precise location that it is needed, by means of the two blades functioning together as a surgical scissors apparatus, or viewed alternately as two blades each independently making slicing incisions in the deep fascia. The present invention teaches a means for making the blades of a single instrument function interchangeably as a surgical scalpel and a surgical scissors. The present invention teaches the method of making a cruciate incision in the deep fascia as being the most minimal, least damaging incision possible
In a second embodiment, the present invention teaches a means for creating an adequate incision using a single-blade scalpel, wherein the blade rotates for deployment.
The innovative and novel scalpel instruments of the present invention may be made available with barrel handles of different diameters. The surgeon selects a scalpel of suitable barrel diameter to match the targeting guide tunnel of the manufacturer-specific locking nail device in use. For each scalpel barrel diameter, the cutting edges will make adequate skin and fascial incisions to accommodate passage of instruments of matching diameter, through the resulting skin and deep fascial incisions. The present invention scalpel could be used with the instrumentation of any locking nail manufacturer, as long as the correct scalpel barrel diameter is selected to fit that targeting guide tunnel.
The cutting edge of the first embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument contracts radially for inward passage through the targeting guide tunnel, then expands radially for making the incision, and again contracts radially for the exit passage through the targeting guide tunnel. The mechanism for causing the cutting edge of the scalpel to expand or contract radially is immaterial to the apparatus, method, technique, objectives, and principles described in this patent. It is within the scope of the present invention that the mechanism for causing the cutting edge of the scalpel to expand or contract radially could utilize alternative methods, or use one or more blades to achieve the same desired result.
In the preferred embodiment and method, two or more blades are mounted within the scalpel barrel, near the leading edge of the scalpel. In the contracted position of the blades, the cutting edge does not protrude radially beyond the profile of the scalpel barrel. A mechanism actuated by the surgeon causes the blades to protrude radially from the handle when needed. The blades are configured in such a way that, in the radially protruded position, they act together, as a single cutting edge that is wider than the scalpel barrel. The two blades are also configured so that in moving from the contracted to the protruded position and back again the blades function together as a surgical scissors. A single instrument thus functions interchangeably as a scalpel and a surgical scissors.
The present invention method and scalpel instrument is discussed here for illustrative purposes as used in orthopedic surgery. This description in no way implies that the use of the knife, or the technique, is limited to orthopedic surgery, limited to fracture surgery, limited to surgery on bone, or limited to surgery on humans.
Further novel features and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following drawings, detailed description and discussion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring particularly to the drawings for the purpose of illustration only and not limitation, there is illustrated:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument illustrating the position wherein the two blades are radially expanded and in a convex V-shape configuration;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument illustrating the position wherein the two blades are radially retracted and in the concave V-shape or open-scissors position;
FIG. 3 is a detail of a preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument with the cutting edges of the two blades in the concave V-shape or open scissors formation, the illustration in a partially open condition to show the actuation mechanism;
FIG. 3A is a detail of a preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument with the cutting edges of the two blades illustrated in a convex V-shape radially expanded condition not illustrating the internal actuation mechanism as in FIG. 3
FIG. 3B is a detail of the two blades of the preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel separated so that the angular slots in each blade are visible;
FIG. 3C is a detail of the two blades of the preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel illustrated with one blade crossing over the other blade during a portion of a scissors-action cycle;
FIG. 4 is a detail of a preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument illustrating a preferred means of radially expanding the two blades, and the position of the cutting edges of the two blades in the convex V-shape radially expanded, formation, the illustration in a partially open condition to illustrate the actuation mechanism;
FIG. 4A is a detail of a preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument illustrating the position of the cutting edges of the two blades in the concave V-shape or open scissors formation, the illustration shown in a totally closed condition and not illustrating the interior actuation mechanism as in FIG. 4 ;
FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the insertion device of the locking nail, including a locking nail, a targeting device, and an outrigger;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a locking nail, a targeting device and an outrigger, joined together, illustrating the relationship of the three to each other;
FIG. 7 is an illustration, not to scale, of a partial cross-section of a bone covered with skin and soft tissues with the locking nail inserted into the bone and a perspective view of the aligned targeting guide in place with the present invention scalpel instrument inserted through a targeting guide and the deployed blades moved out of the scalpel and presented to and about to penetrate the skin and soft tissues with the scalpel blades in a convex V-shape formation;
FIG. 8 is a detail illustration of prior art and the presentation of prior art scalpel advanced through the skin and soft-tissue to a bone;
FIG. 9 is a detail illustration of prior art and the inadequacies of the incision and soft-tissue tunnel to the bone;
FIG. 10 is a detail illustration, not to scale, the next step after FIG. 7 , wherein there is illustrated a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument in use in the method of the present invention, wherein the blades of the scalpel instrument are in the convex V-shape formation and have advanced through the skin and soft-tissue, penetrated the deep fascia, and have reached the bone;
FIG. 11 is a detail illustration, not to scale, of the next step after FIG. 10 wherein there is illustrated a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument in use in the method of the present invention, wherein the blades of the scalpel instrument are in the convex V-shape formation, and having reached the bone in FIG. 10 , and are now being withdrawn; Also illustrating that a soft-tissue tunnel has been made in the skin and soft tissues from the previous steps; the terminal end of the tunnel is convex V-shaped, the deep fascia has been penetrated by the sharp tip of the scalpel;
FIG. 12 is an illustration, not to scale, of the next step after FIG. 11 wherein there is illustrated a partial cross-section of a bone covered with skin and soft tissues with the locking nail inserted into the bone and a perspective view of the aligned targeting guide in place with the present invention scalpel instrument inserted through a targeting guide tunnel and the blades in the retracted concave V-shape open-scissors position, also illustrating that a convex V-shape soft-tissue tunnel has been made from the previous steps;
FIG. 13 is an illustration of the preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument in use in the method of the present invention, wherein the blades of the scalpel instrument are in the concave V-shape open-scissors formation, and the scalpel instrument has traversed the wider soft-tissue tunnel path created by the present invention scalpel when it was in the convex V-shape formation, and has now reached the bone; the two sharp tips of the blades have penetrated the deep fascia and have come to rest against the bone; the incision in the deep fascia has a length equal to the diameter of the drill guide, and not the width of the deployed scalpel blades, and is smaller than the skin and soft-tissue tunnel;
FIG. 14 is a detail illustration, not to scale, of the next step after FIG. 13 , of the preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument in use in the method of the present invention, wherein the blades of the scalpel instrument are in the concave V-shape open-scissors formation, and the scalpel instrument is being withdrawn; the first arm of the cruciate incision has been made by a scissoring action of the present invention scalpel invention, the incision in the deep fascia is narrower than the width of the skin and soft-tissue tunnel;
FIG. 14A is a detail illustration, not to scale, of the first step in making a cruciate incision in the deep fascia, the two blades of the present invention scalpel instrument have punctured the deep fascia in the concave V-shape position;
FIG. 14B is a detail illustration, not to scale, of the incision in the deep fascia after the present invention scalpel instrument has punctured the deep fascia in the concave V-shape position with the two blades having moved toward each other in a scissors-action and have completed the first arm of the cruciate incision in the deep fascia;
FIG. 14C is a detail illustration, not to scale, of completing the cruciate incision in the deep fascia after the present invention scalpel instrument has punctured the deep fascia in the concave V-shape position and by scissors-action having completed one arm of the cruciate incision in the deep fascia, the scalpel instrument then partly withdrawn and rotated 90 degrees and then advanced toward the bone to penetrate the deep fascia a second time in the concave V-shape position;
FIG. 14D is a detail illustration, not to scale, of the next step in the method, illustrating the preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument being withdrawn from the cruciate incision, after completing the second arm of the cruciate incision by a scissors action, thus making a cruciate incision in the deep fascia with two equal arms, an incision large enough to allow passage of the bullet-nosed leading end of the drill guide to pass through the deep fascia and down to the surface of the bone as seen in FIGS. 14E and 14F , thereby allowing full access to the bone and the future placement of a screw unimpeded and without further damage to the soft-tissue, through the most minimal incision that could be made to accommodate the bullet nose of the drill guide;
FIG. 14E is a detail illustration not to scale, illustrating the bullet-nosed drill guide having passed through the targeting guide tunnel, having passed through the soft tissue tunnel in the skin and soft tissues and about to pass through the cruciate incision in the deep fascia;
FIG. 14F is the next step in the method, illustrating the bullet-nosed drill guide having passed through the cruciate incision in the deep fascia and against the bone, in readiness for the drill to pass through the drill guide and drill a hole through the bone for placement of a screw into the bone;
FIG. 15 is an illustration, not to scale, of a partial cross-section of a bone covered with skin and soft tissues with the locking nail inserted into the bone and a perspective view of the aligned targeting guide in place with the present invention scalpel instrument inserted through a targeting guide tunnel in the step after FIG. 14 and scalpel instrument removed from the skin and soft-tissue, and leaving a perfectly aligned tunnel in the skin and soft tissues;
FIG. 16 is an illustration, not to scale, of a partial cross-section of a bone covered with skin and soft tissues with the locking nail inserted into the bone and a perspective view of the aligned targeting guide in place with the screw guide sleeve inserted through the opening in the skin and soft tissues left by the present invention and a screw driver inserting an affixing screw which passes through an opening in the locking nail within the bone; and
FIG. 17 is an illustration of the bone after the use of the method and apparatus of the present invention has been utilized and two screws are properly and precisely affixed at the correct angles to the bone, and through holes in the locking nail.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Although specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention.
In FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument 10 . The scalpel instrument 10 preferably has two blades 20 and 30 , but may have one or more. The scalpel instrument 10 has a long barrel 40 , having a length L 1 ″ that is long enough to traverse the length of a targeting guide tunnel and further extend through the skin and soft-tissue of a patient to the patient's bone. It has been found that the preferable length L 1 ″ of the barrel 40 is nine and a half inches to meet most current requirements, however the length of the barrel 40 may be whatever length is surgically required. The diameter D 1 of the barrel 40 is preferably the same as the inner diameter of the targeting guide tunnel 116 A, 116 B, 116 C, 116 D, 116 E etc. as illustrated in FIG. 5 . As targeting guide tunnels come in different diameters, the scalpel instrument 10 of the present invention may come in corresponding diameters. Additionally, it is preferable that the barrel 40 of the present invention scalpel be shaped as a circular cylinder, but may also be of any shape, such as triangular, rectangular, octagonal, and so on, as long as the outer diameter D 1 of the barrel 40 fits snugly within the inner diameter of the targeting guide tunnel.
The scalpel instrument 10 also has two blades 20 , 30 . While the scalpel instrument 10 may have any number of blades, the preferred embodiment is shown with two blades 20 and 30 . In the default position, the two blades 20 and 30 lay one atop the other with their cutting edges facing the centerline, as best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4A .
The blades 20 and 30 are expanded and retracted by a retraction means 50 . The retraction means 50 may be of any form, but are here shown as a spring-loaded plunger 52 with a finger hold 70 and 72 located near the proximal end 64 of a plunger rod 60 and may or may not have a transverse rod 66 located at the tip of the distal end 62 . The preferred embodiment utilizes a transverse rod 66 , but the objectives of the present invention may be fulfilled by other means such as just the distal tip of the plunger rod 60 . If the retraction means 50 is of a spring-loaded plunger 52 , the spring 54 may be located anywhere on the apparatus as is useful and required to perform the objectives of the present invention. The two blades 20 and 30 have matching slots 22 and 32 respectively that are identical to each other when the blades 20 and 30 are placed flat one over the other facing the same direction, and are also at an angle to the direction of the plunger rod 60 , as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3B . When the blades 20 and 30 are installed, the blades 20 and 30 are facing opposite directions, and therefore, the base of the two slots 22 and 32 are aligned, but the angles of the slots 22 and 32 are now going in opposite directions, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 3B . The transverse rod 66 is engaged in the matching slots 22 and 32 of the respective blades 20 and 30 . The default position for the spring-loaded plunger 52 is in the retracted concave V-shape position, as shown in FIG. 2 and detailed in FIGS. 3 and 3B . This corresponds to the fully open position of the scissor blades, 20 and 30 . Placing two fingers, such as the first finger and second finger of a hand, into the finger holds 70 and 72 , the thumb is available to depress the cover 56 of spring-loaded plunger 52 . The thumb depresses the cover 56 and thereby depresses the spring-loaded plunger 52 , causing the spring 54 to compress and the plunger rod 60 to move forward up the barrel 40 of the shaft towards the distal end 42 of the barrel 40 . As the plunger rod 60 moves forward, the transverse rod 66 advances along the matching slots 22 and 32 until it reaches the ends 24 and 34 of the slots 22 and 32 . The transverse rod 66 has pushed both blades 20 and 30 simultaneously upward and because of the slots 22 and 32 of each blade 20 and 30 being oriented in opposite directions, the proximal ends of the two blades 20 and 30 angle outwardly and cross over each other as illustrated in FIG. 3C , so that the proximal ends of the blades expand beyond the confines of the handle, while the pointed tips of the distal ends of the blades 20 and 30 move in corresponding opposite directions, and come together as a single, sharp point in a convex V-shape formation cutting surface of the present invention scalpel, as detailed in FIGS. 3A and 4 , and shown in FIG. 1 . The cutting edges are thus in the shape of a sharp-pointed, two-edged scalpel. A portion of the blades 20 and 30 resides within the barrel 40 of the scalpel instrument 10 at the distal end 42 of the barrel 40 .
The fully expanded position of the proximal ends of the blades simultaneously represents the fully closed position of the scissors ends of the blades as seen in FIGS. 3A and 4 . The retraction, partial or full, involves the partial or full release of the retraction mechanism, which in the preferred embodiment entails the release of the spring-loaded plunger 52 , wherein the plunger rod 60 withdraws down the length L 1 of the barrel 40 , and the transverse rod 66 will correspondingly withdraw down the matching slots 22 and 32 to engage the aligned ends 26 and 36 of the matching slots 22 and 32 of the blades 20 and 30 causing the blades 20 and 30 to radially retract one over the other and further to withdraw down the barrel 40 of the scalpel instrument 10 . It should be noted that when the blades 20 and 30 are in full retraction position, the blades 20 and 30 are in concave V-shape or open-scissors formation, as detailed in FIGS. 3 and 4A . The barrel 40 of the scalpel instrument 10 is long enough to reach the bone in this position.
When the cutting edge of the targeted scalpel forms a sharp pointed convex V-shape, as illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 4 , if the scalpel is inserted straight down to the bone through the targeting guide tunnel, and then withdrawn straight out, without any sideways movements, the terminal end of the path made in this manner will be a triangular shaped space that will have the triangular dimensions of the triangular cutting edge, and the deepest part of the path created by the cutting edge will be a point. This will be of little consequence if the present invention scalpel instrument traverses only soft-tissues such as fat and muscle, since the drill guide can easily be advanced to the bone through such soft-tissue, and the objectives of the present invention will be achieved. However, the fascia lata and the iliotibial band lie against the bone and therefore, as soon as the advancing tip of the blade penetrates the deep fascia it will come up against the bone, and will be prevented from further advancement, and from making an adequate incision in the deep fascia, having made only a small puncture hole.
Although the drill guide has a conical leading end, FIG. 14E , it will not pass through a small puncture hole. The surgeon may safely, easily and quickly overcome the thick deep fascia in the most precise and efficient manner by placing the mobile, two-bladed present invention scalpel instrument in a second cutting position, FIG. 4A . The present invention scalpel instrument may have two blade positions, such that in the first blade position it is configured in a convex V-shape, sharp pointed, double-edged cutting surface with a single point as the leading edge, as shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 4 . A second blade position has two advancing points, which together form the shape of a concave V-shape, as illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4A . Additionally, the cutting edges of the blades face toward the centerline when they are in the concave V-shape position. In moving from the concave V-shape to the convex V-shape position, the blades cross over each other so that the cutting edges face away from the centerline in the convex V-shape position. As the blades move from the concave V-shape to the convex V-shape position and back again, activated by the surgeon through the spring-loaded plunger, they function as a surgical scissors as seen in FIGS. 4A, 3C and 4 .
The surgeon will advance the blade the full distance from the skin to the bone in the first blade position as a convex V-shape until the present invention scalpel instrument's sharp tip touches bone. The present invention scalpel instrument is then withdrawn about one half inch, then is changed to the second blade position, the concave V-shape position, or open-scissors position, and again advanced towards the bone until the two sharp points of the concave V-shape penetrate the deep fascia. The surgeon then depresses the spring-loaded plunger causing the two center-facing cutting edges to move towards each other as surgical scissors, or as two independent slicing instruments, which now complete an incision between the two puncture points. Even then, as discussed before, this single incision will not be wide enough to allow passage of the cylindrical drill guide, because the single incision will only be as wide as the external diameter of the drill guide and in non-elastic tissue the incision needs to be 57% larger than the diameter of the drill guide. Therefore the present invention scalpel instrument, still in the second blade position, concave V-shape configuration, is again withdrawn about one half inch, rotated ninety degrees and again advanced to the bone until the two sharp points again penetrate the deep fascia. Using the scissors-function, a second fascial incision is made at 90 degrees to the first incision, thus creating a cruciate incision. The two arms of the cruciate incision are each only as long as the external diameter of the drill guide, but in the cruciate configuration, the two together create a larger opening in the fascia. In the inelastic fascia such a cruciate incision will still not allow passage of the full drill guide. Fortunately the drill guide has a conical nose, which will easily pass through this smaller cruciate fascial incision.
The present invention method and the present invention scalpel apparatus now have made it fairly easy to advance the bullet-nosed drill guide through this minimal cruciate opening in the deep fascia as seen in FIGS. 14E and 14F . The cruciate incision in the deep fascia, with each of its two arms equal in length to the diameter of the drill guide is therefore the smallest incision possible to accommodate the instruments.
The scalpel instrument described here is unique in that it is two instruments in one: a surgical scissors and a double-edged, sharp pointed surgical scalpel. In the fully retracted position as seen in FIG. 4A , the blades are an open-scissors with the sharp blade-edges facing the centerline. Moving from the retracted position FIG. 4A to the deployed position, FIG. 3A the sharp edges of the two blades move toward each other in a scissoring action. The blades cross over each other, FIG. 3C , so that in the fully deployed blade position, FIG. 3A , the two cutting edges face away from the centerline, forming a sharp pointed scalpel, with sharp, side-cutting edges, functioning usefully to puncture the skin, and make an incision as wide as the deployed cutting surface. As the blades move from the contracted to the deployed position and back again with the cutting surfaces facing each other, they usefully function as a surgical scissors. The deep fascia is first pierced by a forward thrusting motion of the two sharp pointed blades in the concave V-shape position or open-scissors position, seen in FIG. 4A , and the first “arm” of the cruciate incision is then completed by the scissoring action of the blades by the two cutting edges moving towards each other. The present invention scalpel instrument is partially withdrawn, rotated 90 degrees, again advanced toward the bone, the two sharp points again penetrate the deep fascia, and the second “arm” is completed by a scissoring action, thus completing the cruciate cut.
The advantages of the present invention method and apparatus are numerous. By making an incision through the skin and soft-tissues with the present invention method and scalpel instrument, the surgeon makes a minimal incision quickly and accurately. The skin incision and soft-tissue path will be precisely the correct width needed for passage of the drill guide and other instruments, the incision through the deep fascia will be slightly smaller but adequate for the passage of the bullet-nosed drill guide, damage to the fascia lata, iliotibial band and other soft-tissues will be minimized, bleeding will be decreased, the time to make the incision will be shorter, the time taken to close each wound will be shorter, the time under anesthesia will be shortened, and the resulting scar will be more cosmetic.
The surgical scalpel of the present invention is tunnel guided through human or animal skin and soft tissues to its destination at the surface of any underlying bone. This requires an adequate cutting surface that is thrust forward along the path of the knife. It is preferable for the soft-tissue tunnel to have the same width all along its length, from the skin incision to the bone. The present invention scalpel in the convex V-shape configuration creates such a tunnel from the skin to the fascia. However, the sharp-pointed blade only makes a puncture hole in the deep fascia. Then, by a scissor cutting method, a cruciate incision is made in the deep fascia that is smaller than the soft tissue tunnel, but sufficient for passage of the bullet nose of the drill guide.
It is a well-known fact that the slightest contact of a scalpel's cutting edge against any metal surface will immediately dull the sharpness of the cutting edge. If a scalpel is used that has an advancing edge in a convex V-shape configuration, that is with its blades facing away from the center line of the blade, in passing the tunnel guided knife through a metal tunnel guide there is great likelihood that some or all of the cutting surfaces will touch the sides of the metal targeting tunnel guide at least some point along its excursion, especially as the knife edge is being introduced into the opening of the targeting guide tunnel. The sharp cutting edges of a knife in the concave V-shape, where only the inner edges of the concave V-shape are sharp and the outer edges are dull will therefore be protected from any such metal-to-metal contact.
Additionally, since the sharp cutting edges of each of the multi-blade embodiments of the present invention face inwards, and the dull outer edges outward, there is less likelihood that operating room personnel will cut themselves on the blades. Additionally, since all the cutting surfaces face inwardly in the concave V-shape position, the cutting surfaces described here will only cut on forward thrusting, or on scissoring. Therefore the skin cannot be additionally, accidentally, cut on withdrawal of the instrument, even if this instrument is unintendedly rotated upon withdrawal.
Referring now to the FIGS. 5 through 17 , there is shown the method 400 and apparatus 10 for making a precise and minimal skin and soft-tissue tunnel, and a minimal cruciate incision in the deep fascia. In FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 there is shown an outrigger 110 to which a locking nail 130 is attached at a first end 112 of the outrigger 110 and a targeting device 114 is attached at a second end 118 of the outrigger 110 . A locking nail 130 is inserted into the bone 200 , usually through the base 210 of the bone 200 . The locking nail 130 has multiple screw holes 132 A, 132 B, 132 C, 132 D, 132 E, etc. through which a screw 140 , see FIG. 16 , will be affixed, however once the locking nail 130 is inserted into the bone 200 , the screw holes 132 A, 132 B, 132 C, 132 D, 132 E cannot be seen. The targeting guide 114 has numerous holes, the targeting guide tunnels, 116 A, 116 B, 116 C, 116 D 116 E, etc. that align with the screw holes 132 A, 132 B, 132 C, 132 D, 132 E, etc of the locking nail 130 . The locking nail 130 and the targeting guide 114 are each removably affixed to the outrigger 110 , which, among other things, maintains the alignment of the screw holes 132 A, 132 B, 132 C, 132 D, 132 E, etc. of the locking nail 130 and the corresponding targeting guide tunnels 116 A. 116 B, 116 C, 116 D, 116 E, etc. of the targeting guide 114 . Once it has been determined which screw hole 132 A, 132 B, 132 C, 132 D, 132 E of the locking nail 130 should be engaged with a screw 140 , a targeting guide tunnel 116 is selected from hole 116 A, 116 B, 116 C, 116 D, 116 E, etc. which corresponds to a respective hole 132 A, 132 B, 132 C, 132 D and 132 E in the locking nail 130 . For purposes of illustration only, the targeting guide tunnel 116 B is now in position exactly where the screw hole 132 B of the locking nail 130 is located at the exact angle at which the screw 140 will be inserted and affixed to the locking nail 114 , and is now in position for the present invention scalpel 10 to create a soft-tissue tunnel 230 , followed by insertion of the screw 140 , and surgical closing procedures.
FIG. 7 is a partial cross-section of a bone 200 covered with skin and soft tissue 240 with the locking nail 130 inserted into the bone 200 and a perspective view of the aligned targeting guide 114 in place with the present invention scalpel instrument 10 inserted through a targeting guide tunnel 116 B in the targeting guide 114 and the blades 20 and 30 moved out of the scalpel 10 and about to enter the skin 240 with a convex V-shape point for the scalpel blades 20 and 30 .
FIGS. 8 and 9 are examples of prior art and limitations thereof when making an incision and soft-tissue tunnel. It can be seen that current methods of creating an incision and a soft-tissue tunnel, are performed crudely and unguidedly. The surgeon must present the scalpel to the skin at an angle because the scalpel cannot be brought perpendicular to the spot because the targeting device 114 , previously shown, is in the way. The surgeon must work around the targeting device 114 , which therefore means that the scalpel is presented at an angle that is not 90 degrees to the bone. It can be seen that an incision from this angle through the skin and soft-tissue to the bone, creates an initial incision that is not where a screw 140 will be presented for entrance and is not of the required size. Nor does it create a soft-tissue tunnel that follows the same path that the screw 140 will travel to the bone. Additionally, it can further be seen that the soft-tissue tunnel ends in a single point at the bone. Under current practice, in order to create a skin incision that is located where the screw 140 will be presented, the surgeon must wiggle the scalpel back and forth, in a free-hand manner, to create the initial incision. Additionally, the surgeon must continue to wiggle the scalpel back and forth as it passes through the soft-tissue, so as to create a soft-tissue tunnel that will allow the screw 140 to progress perpendicularly to the fascia, and further, once the scalpel has reached the fascia, the surgeon continues to wiggle the scalpel back and forth, slicing the fascia and scraping against the bone, so as to cut a an oversized, straight line path between the targeting guide tunnel and the point of screw insertion on the bone surface. All of this is performed free hand, without guidance, and with the surgeon guessing the approximate locations of where the scalpel blade is as compared to the tunnel that must be made. It can be seen that quite a bit of skin and soft-tissue is cut, far more than is necessary, to make an incision and soft-tissue tunnel for a screw 140 . Usually the surgeon makes a long, longitudinal incision in the deep fascia. If a cruciate incision is made the damage is doubled, as the surgeon performs the above procedure, partly withdraws the scalpel and performs the same procedure blind, entering the previous incision at an angle approximately ninety degrees to the first incision. It can be seen that the prior art is imprecise and creates a greater amount of damage to the patient than what is surgically necessary.
FIG. 10 is an illustration of the next step after FIG. 7 wherein there is illustrated a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument 10 in use in the continuing method 400 of the present invention, wherein the blades 20 and 30 of the scalpel instrument 10 are in the convex V-shape formation and have advanced through the skin and soft-tissue 240 and reached the bone 200 . It can be seen that the skin incision and the soft-tissue tunnel 230 that is created by the present invention is wider than the handle barrel 40 of the scalpel instrument 10 , and is at an angle that is the exact path that the screw 140 will follow. It can be seen that the sharp convex V-shape tip of the cutting surface made by the two blades 20 and 30 has penetrated the deep fascia 801 , has come to rest against the bone 200 , through a small puncture hole, and is prevented from further penetration through the deep fascia 801 , by the bone 200 , leaving an insufficient pathway through the deep fascia 801 for the bullet-nosed end of the drill guide 802 , to pass through.
FIG. 11 is an illustration of the next step after FIG. 10 wherein there is illustrated a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument 10 in use in the continuing method 400 of the present invention, wherein the blades 20 and 30 of the scalpel instrument 10 are in the convex V-shape formation, have reached the bone 200 , and are now being withdrawn. It can be seen that at this point the soft-tissue tunnel 230 ends in a convex V-shape formation, matching the shape of the blades 20 and 30 of the scalpel 10 , leaving an insufficient opening in the deep fascia 801 , for passage of the bullet-nosed tip of the drill guide 802 , to pass through. It is desirous that the soft-tissue tunnel 230 does not end with a point at the bone 200 . It will be seen that the next steps in the present invention method 400 will create a complete tunnel 230 that will have access to the bone 200 , and terminates in the cruciate incision in the deep fascia, and not merely the single point where the two blades 20 and 30 meet the bone 200 , as created in this step of the method 400 so far.
FIG. 12 is a partial cross-section of a bone 200 covered with skin and soft-tissue 240 with the locking nail 130 inserted into the bone 200 and a perspective view of the aligned targeting guide 114 in place with the present invention scalpel instrument 10 inserted through a targeting guide tunnel and the blades 20 and 30 moved into the concave V-shape or open-scissors configuration; also illustrating that the soft-tissue tunnel 230 is, at this step in the method 400 , a convex V-shape incision 242 that has been made in the skin and soft tissues 240 , and deep fascia 801 , from the previous steps.
FIG. 13 is a detail illustration of the next step in the method 400 after FIG. 12 , wherein there is illustrated a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument 10 in use in the method 400 of the present invention wherein the blades 20 and 30 of the scalpel instrument 10 are in the concave V-shape or scissors formation and have traversed the path of the previously made soft-tissue tunnel 230 , the sharp tips of the blades 20 and 30 have penetrated the deep fascia 801 , reached the bone 200 and, using the scissors action of the blades 20 and 30 , are about to make a first incision in the deep fascia 801 .
FIG. 14 is an illustration of the next step in the method 400 after FIG. 13 , wherein there is illustrated a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument 10 in use in the method 400 of the present invention, wherein the scalpel instrument 10 is in the concave V-shape or open-scissors formation, had previously reached the bone 200 ; had previously made a scissoring incision in the deep fascia 801 , and is now being withdrawn. It can now be seen that the soft-tissue tunnel 230 does not end in a convex V-shape incision 242 , which was created previously, but now ends in a straight-line incision 243 , the scalpel instrument 10 was then partly withdrawn and rotated 90 degrees and advanced toward the bone 200 , so that the sharp tips of the blades 20 and 30 of the present invention scalpel 10 have again penetrated the deep fascia creating a second incision in the deep fascia intersecting the first incision at 90 degrees thus creating a cruciate incision 803 , through the deep fascia 801 , which is slightly smaller than the soft tissue tunnel 230 but which will sufficiently allow passage of the bullet-nosed end of the drill guide 803 , to the surface of the bone 200 as seen in FIG. 14E an 14 F, thereby allowing full access to the bone 200 , and the future placement of a screw 140 , unimpeded and without further damage to the soft tissue 240 .
FIG. 14A is a detail illustration of the first step in making a cruciate incision in the deep fascia; the two blades of present invention scalpel instrument have punctured the deep fascia in the concave V-shape position.
FIG. 14B is a detail illustration of the incision in the deep fascia after the present invention scalpel instrument has punctured the deep fascia in the “M” position and the two blades have moved toward each other in a scissors-action and have completed the first arm of the cruciate incision in the deep fascia.
FIG. 14C is a detail illustration of the cruciate incision in the deep fascia after the present invention scalpel instrument has punctured the deep fascia in the concave V-shape position and by scissors-action has completed one arm of the cruciate incision in the deep fascia; the scalpel instrument was then partly withdrawn and rotated 90 degrees and then advanced toward the bone to penetrate the deep fascia a second time in the concave V-shape position.
FIG. 14D is a detail illustration of the next step in the method 400 , illustrating the preferred embodiment of the present invention scalpel instrument being withdrawn from the cruciate incision 803 , after completing the second arm of the cruciate incision by a scissors action. thus making a small cruciate incision in the deep fascia with two equal arms, the length of each arm equal to the diameter of the barrel of the scalpel device, the cruciate incision smaller than the soft tissue tunnel 242 , but large enough to allow passage of the bullet-nosed leading end of the drill guide 802 to pass through the deep fascia and down to the surface of the bone as seen in FIGS. 14E and 14F , thereby allowing full access to the bone 200 and the future placement of a screw 140 unimpeded and without further damage to the soft-tissue 240 .
FIG. 14E is the next step in the method 400 , illustrating the bullet-nosed drill guide 802 having passed through the targeting guide tunnel 116 B, having passed through the soft tissue tunnel in the skin and soft tissues 230 , and is about to pass through the cruciate incision 803 , in the deep fascia.
FIG. 14F is the next step in the method 400 , illustrating the bullet-nosed drill guide 802 has passed through the cruciate incision 803 , in the deep fascia and is against the bone 200 , in readiness for the drill to pass through the drill guide 802 , and drill a hole through the bone 200 for placement of a screw 140 , into the bone 200 .
FIG. 15 is the next step in the method 400 , illustrating a partial cross-section of a bone 200 covered with skin and soft-tissue 240 with the locking nail 130 inserted into the bone 200 and a perspective view of the aligned targeting guide 114 in place with the present invention scalpel instrument 10 inserted through a targeting guide tunnel 116 B in the targeting guide 114 the blades 20 and 30 , in concave V-shape retracted formation, removed from the skin and soft-tissue 240 , thereby creating a soft-tissue tunnel 230 that ends in a straight-line incision 243 at the bone 200 . It can be seen that the soft-tissue tunnel 230 made by the present invention method 400 and apparatus 10 , is in exact alignment with the screw hole 132 B and the targeting guide tunnel 116 B. It can further be seen that the straight-line incision 243 of the soft-tissue tunnel has been made with minimal trauma and minimal damage to the soft-tissue and deep fascia 240 . It can further be seen that the soft-tissue tunnel 230 has not been made free hand, or by chance, but was carefully and precisely guided by the present invention method 400 using the present invention scalpel 10 . It can further be seen that the present invention method 400 and apparatus 10 creates a soft-tissue tunnel 230 far more quickly, and yet still exceedingly precisely, than prior art methods and scalpels.
FIG. 16 is the next step in the method 400 , illustrating a partial cross-section of a bone 200 covered with skin and soft-tissue 240 with the locking nail 130 inserted into the bone 200 and a perspective view of the aligned targeting guide 114 in place with the screw guide sleeve 220 , in the targeting guide tunnel 116 B. The scalpel 10 of the present invention has been removed from the targeting tunnel 116 B and the method 400 of the present invention continues by inserting the screw guide sleeve 220 into the skin and soft-tissue tunnel 230 that ends at the bone. When the screw guide sleeve 220 reaches the bone 200 , a screw 140 is guided through the screw guide sleeve 220 and surgically inserted with a screw driver 804 through the bone 200 and through a screw hole 132 B in the locking nail 130 , which corresponds with targeting guide tunnel 116 B.
FIG. 17 is the next step in the method 400 , illustrating the bone 200 after the use of the method 400 and apparatus 10 of the present invention has been utilized. It can be seen that the locking nail 130 remains in place in the bone 200 and that two screws 140 A, 140 B, have been properly and precisely affixed at the correct angles to the bone 200 .
Described even more broadly, the present invention is a scalpel, comprising: (a) one mobile blade configured in such a way that its narrowest dimension is the same as, or narrower than, the width of a scalpel barrel, while the widest dimension of the blade is sufficiently wider than the width of the barrel to make an incision in skin; (b) the blade is set in such a way that it does not protrude radially outside the profile of the scalpel barrel in the contracted position; and (c) the blade is designed to create an incision of a given width by protruding beyond the radius of the barrel by a mechanism that rotates the blade 90 degrees so that by rotating the blade 90 degrees after passage through a targeting guide tunnel, a wider dimension protrudes radially from the sides of the barrel, and thereby presents a cutting edge that is wider than the scalpel barrel.
Of course the present invention is not intended to be restricted to any particular form or arrangement, or any specific embodiment, or any specific use, disclosed herein, since the same may be modified in various particulars or relations without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention herein above shown and described of which the apparatus or method shown is intended only for illustration and disclosure of an operative embodiment and not to show all of the various forms or modifications in which this invention might be embodied or operated. | A surgical tool including an elongated housing having an outer diameter at a location adjacent the front end which can pass through a targeting tunnel of a targeting guide. The surgical tool also includes a first blade with a first cutting edge, a second blade with a second cutting edge, each blade being movably connected adjacent to a first end of an actuation mechanism in the elongated housing. The blades include an at-rest scissors position and a scalpel position. When in the at-rest position the width of the blades does not extend beyond an outer diameter of the elongated housing and when the blades are in a scalpel position, the blades extend beyond the outer diameter of the elongated housing. | 0 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to construction materials used in retaining roof trusses, and in particular to a continuous roof truss restraint to accommodate high wind loads.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Property damage frequently occurs when a structure is exposed to wind gusts, down bursts, tornados, sustained high winds, or the like. Some areas of the country are prone to sustained high winds such as those produced from hurricanes. Wind damage may cause the loss of personal property and life should the roof of a structure be destroyed, exposing both the building interior and its contents to the elements.
[0003] Current building codes for hurricane prone areas include roof restraints, commonly referred to as tie-downs or hurricane straps. The tie-downs consist of thin metal straps extending in a vertical format to connect a wall support member directly to the truss support. In a similar construction technique, walls formed from concrete employ the use of tie-down straps with securement made in a vertical format between the concrete wall and the roof truss directly above the concrete wall, by use of nails or screw fasteners (Tapcons). Foam core construction, capable of withstanding extremely high winds by use of a concrete coating, currently employ the same tie-down strap as used in other types of construction.
[0004] Tie-down straps typically require 6 to 8 fasteners in addition to those fasteners required to fasten the framing members together. The use of fasteners on the strap results in a load transfer directly from the roof truss to the vertical support below wherein loss of strength in the wall support can result in strap failure, as all of the strap fasteners may fail along the same alignment. For example, a tie-down strap may be two inches wide with the fasteners located along a parallel plane. Should a breach of the vertical support occur along the parallel plane, the holding strength of all the fasteners are compromised. Thus, if the single vertical support is weak, the tie-down strap is unable to distribute the loading horizontally and is not effective.
[0005] Further, tie-down straps are narrow strips of metal which do not prevent wind from passing between the straps. Thus, failure of a soffit may allow structural damage by allowing the environment to enter the structure. Once the wind is exposed to the interior of the structure, the uplift forces could be so great that the remaining tie-down straps can fail. Finally, current installation of tie-down straps is not consistent and the strength of which is partially dependent upon the skill of the installator. A number of patents have been granted to address various aspects of tie-down strip problems.
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,460 discloses a roof securing system utilizing an elongated strap for reinforcing the attachment of underlying sheathing members to the truss structure of the roof.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,212 discloses the use of retaining clips for roof tiles. This patent focuses on retention of the lower end of a shingle to prevent the shingle from lifting and being removed by heavy winds.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,156 discloses a hurricane tie-down member formed from a planar saddle having a pair of side arm members and flat anchor surfaces. The saddle portion transfers upward forces to a vertical load bearing wall by the side arm members that terminate at their lower ends in flat anchor surfaces, which in turn are anchored to the vertical wall.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,372 discloses a hurricane tie connector for wood frame construction which employs two plane tension connector bases upon a right angled triangular base member including a generally straight base edge and a generally straight truncated edge joined by an inside edge, a right angled triangular web member having a straight base edge and a truncated edge joined by an inside edge and joined to the base member along the inside edge.
[0010] Despite the of construction and the inherent securement of roof trusses to the wall frame members, the ability to secure a roof structure to a wall structure remains of unique concern. This area of construction remains susceptible to failure should high winds contact the cantilever overhang and either expose the interior of the structure or weaken the vertical support structure.
[0011] Thus, the prior art fails to provide a method or device which provides a tie-down strap that distributes loading along a horizontal plane and creates a wind barrier furthering a roof's ability to withstand uplift forces along both the exterior and interior walls.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention is directed toward an apparatus and method of building construction which addresses the traditional framed wall and trussed roof construction and provides a construction technique that enhances storm and hurricane resistance. The apparatus is a structural member positionable between the vertical wall supports and the angled roof truss by use of a cap member placed along a horizontal plane to cover a plurality of vertical wall support members. An inner strap member is secured along a first side edge of the cap member and securable to the obtuse roof truss support along an opposite side edge. An outer strap member is secured along a second side edge and securable to the oblique roof truss support along an opposite side edge. The cap member and inner and outer strap creates a continuous tie down hurricane strap capable of preventing separation of the roof trusses from the vertical walls along the interior and exterior of the structure, and inhibit wind from entering between the straps. In effect, the apparatus provides a continuous restraint in a horizontal format. In an alternative embodiment, elements of the inner strap member, outer strap member, and cap member can be formed as a unitary structure wherein the inner strap member and outer strap member are integrally formed with the cap member.
[0013] The apparatus can be manufactured from a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, galvanized steel and plastic. The structural member provides an enhanced tensile load characteristics being effective to render the structure impervious to damage from winds in the range of about 155-310 mph.
[0014] Accordingly, it is an objective of the instant invention to teach a unique method of building construction utilizing a continuous tie-down strap capable of withstanding hurricane force winds.
[0015] It is a further objective of the invention is to teach a tie-down strap that provides a vertical wall header for use with panel interface construction capable of being made impervious to wind velocities in the range of about 155-310 mph.
[0016] Another objective of the invention is to teach a tie-down apparatus that can be used on wood, metal, or concrete framed construction and can be covered with exterior coatings as it can be used as part of the framing structure instead of individual straps.
[0017] Still another objective of the invention is to teach the use of a tie-down apparatus that can be preassembled with inner and outer straps coupled to a cap member, or assembled at site where the inner and outer straps are coupled to the cap member after the cap member is secured.
[0018] Another objective of the invention to disclose a horizontal disposed tie-down connector that further operates as a header.
[0019] Other objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0020] [0020]FIG. 1 is perspective view illustrating multiple roof trusses and vertical support members secured to together by the continuous tie-down apparatus of the instant invention;
[0021] [0021]FIG. 2 is cross-sectional view illustrating the continuous tie-down apparatus;
[0022] [0022]FIG. 3 is a side view of the tie-down apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2,
[0023] [0023]FIG. 4 is a side view of an alternative embodiment fo the tie-down apparatus of the instant invention;
[0024] [0024]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the tie-down apparatus illustrated in FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] With reference to FIG. 1, a metal structure such as that found in a concrete foam structure patented by the instant inventor under U.S. Pat. No. 6,185,891, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference, employ rigid panels of environmentally sensitive rigid styrene foam placed within an underlying structure of wall members 10 , 12 & 14 and roof members 16 , 18 & 20 . In such an embodiment, foam having a thickness of 8″ is inserted between the wall and roof members during an assembly stage and multiple foam panels are adhesively engaged to each other at joints with a polyurethane adhesive or the like to form a rigid, adhesively engaged, sealed structure.
[0026] The tie-down apparatus of the instant invention can be formed into an integral part of the construction and consists of cap member 22 having a top surface 24 and downwardly depending side edges 26 and 28 . The cap member 22 is placed over the upright wall members 10 , 12 & 14 and secured thereto by rivet, screw, or the like fastener 30 . It is reminded that this system can be applied to wood frame or cement block, or the like construction that current employ conventional tie-down straps. The cap member 22 maintains the wall members at a predetermined distance in the form of a header or tie beam allowing preassembly of walls.
[0027] The cap member 22 provides support for inner strap 32 having a sidewall 34 securable to sidewall member 26 by use of a fastener 30 previously described. The inner strap 32 includes an angled top portion 36 securable to the truss member 16 , 18 , and 20 , the angled top portion 36 meeting the truss members at an obtuse angle. In this embodiment, the metal formed truss member 16 is formed into an I-beam shape by use of two C-shaped channels secured back to back. The truss member 16 is fastened 38 along the obtuse angle 36 formed between the supports by the previously mentioned fastening means 30 . Similarly an outer strap 40 includes an angle 42 securable to the I-beam as depicted by numeral 44 on truss member 16 at the oblique angle presented. The outer strap 40 includes a downwardly depending member 46 for fastening directly to cap member 22 by the previously mentioned fastening means 30 .
[0028] The assembly provides a cap member that prevents movement of the vertical supports 10 , 12 , and 14 and by use of the inner and outer straps provide for a distribution of stress along a horizontal plane for the truss members 16 , 18 , and 20 . The assembly further operates as a continuous strap for wind abatement by preventing air that may enter the soffit from passing between the truss members along the vertical supports, which would otherwise result in an upward lift to the roof. The inner strap 40 provides additional strength to the roof which is not available with the single strap design. In addition, the use of a continuous strap along the interior wall prevents air from entering the backside of the assembly should structural damage occur to windows, wherein the inner portion of the structure otherwise exposed to high winds.
[0029] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, set forth is a perspective and side view of a single vertical beam 10 , formed from C-channels 52 and 54 , the beam 10 is secured to a foundation header 56 or directly to a foundation 56 . The securement may include a lower tie-down strap 60 of conventional design. The cap member 22 is depicted with depending member 26 wherein sidewall 34 of inner strap 32 is attached thereto. The inner strap having an upper portion 36 formed along an obtuse angle that meets the pitch of the roof truss 16 . Similarly outer strap 40 includes an outer angle portion 42 formed from an oblique angle that is also fastened to the truss member 16 with fasteners.
[0030] In an alternative embodiment, elements of the inner strap member, outer strap member, and cap member can be formed as a unitary structure. FIGS. 4 and 5 respectively illustrate a side and perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in which the inner and outer straps are formed integral to the cap member, thus forming the roof restraint 62 . The roof restraint 62 is a unitary structure which includes an inner strap portion 75 and an outer strap portion 81 which are integrally formed with a horizontal cap portion 71 . The roof restraint 62 is a continuous structure, similar to that shown in FIG. 1, which positionable over multiple vertical wall supports to create a continuous hurricane strap. The horizontal cap portion 71 has a first edge 85 and a second edge 86 having a distance therebetween sufficient to span the width of the beam 10 . The outer strap portion 81 is contiguous to horizontal cap portion 71 and depends downwardly from the second edge 86 at an angle equal to the pitch of the roof truss 16 . The inner strap portion 75 is contiguous to the first edge 85 of the cap portion 71 . The inner strap portion 75 has a first and second contiguous planar sections 87 and 88 meeting at a line of intersection 91 . The first section 87 extends perpendicularly upward from the cap member and the second section 88 extends outwardly at an angle from the line of intersection 91 so as to be in alignment with the pitch of the roof truss 16 . The inner strap portion 75 and outer strap portion 81 fastened to truss member 16 by fasteners 78 and 74 . As best seen in the perspective view shown in FIG. 5, the cap portion 71 is fastened by fasteners 64 to the I-beam 10 .
[0031] It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of 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 and described in the specification and drawings. | A method and apparatus to address high wind loading between vertical wall supports and roof trusses. The device is a continuous tie-down hurricane strap employing a cap member for securing multiple truss members with an inner and outer strap member secured along the length of the cap member to address both interior and external wind uplift. The inner and outer straps can be integrally formed with the cap member. | 4 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/186,101, filed Mar. 1, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to image compression and, more particularly, a method of distortion adaptive frequency weighting for image compression.
Communication systems are used to transmit information generated by a source to some destination for consumption by an information sink. Source coding or data compression is a process of encoding the output of an information source into a format that reduces the quantity of data that must be transmitted or stored by the communication system. Data compression may be accomplished by lossless or lossy methods or a combination thereof. The objective of lossy compression is the elimination of the more redundant and irrelevant data in the information obtained from the source.
Video includes temporally redundant data in the similarities between the successive images of the video sequence and spatially redundant data in the similarities between pixels and patterns of pixels within the individual images of the sequence. Temporally redundant data may be reduced by identifying similarities between successive images and using these similarities and an earlier image to predict later images. Spatially redundant data is characterized by the similarity of pixels in flat areas or the presence of dominant frequencies in patterned areas of an image. Reduction of spatially redundant data is typically accomplished by the steps of transformation, quantization, and entropy coding of the image data. Transformation converts the original image signal into a plurality of transform coefficients which more efficiently represent the image for the subsequent quantization and entropy coding phases. Following transformation, the transform coefficients are mapped to a limited number of possible data values or quantized. The quantized data is further compressed by lossless entropy coding where shorter codes are used to describe more frequently occurring data symbols or sequences of symbols.
Quantization is a lossy process and a significant part of the overall compression of video data is the result of discarding data during quantization. The underlying basis for lossy compression is the assumption that some of the data is irrelevant and can be discarded without unduly effecting the perceived quality of the reconstructed image. In fact, due to the characteristics of the human visual system (HVS) a large portion of the data representing visual information is irrelevant to the visual system and can be discarded without exceeding the threshold of human visual perception. As the lossiness of the compression process is increased, more data are discarded reducing the data to be stored or transmitted but increasing the differences between the original image and the image after compression or the distortion of the image and the likelihood that the distortion will be visually perceptible and objectionable.
One measure of human visual perception is contrast sensitivity which expresses the limits of visibility of low contrast patterns. Contrast is the difference in intensity between two points of a visual pattern. Visual sensitivity to contrast is affected by the viewing distance, the illumination level, and, because of the limited number of photoreceptors in the eye, the spatial frequency of the contrasting pattern. Contrast sensitivity is established by increasing the amplitude of a test frequency basis function until the contrast reaches a “just noticeable difference” (JND) where humans can detect the signal under the specific viewing conditions. As illustrated in FIG. 1 , a plot of the JND produces a contrast sensitivity function (CSF) 10 expressing human visual contrast sensitivity as a function of the spatial frequency of the visual stimulus for specific viewing conditions. Since human eyes are less sensitive to high frequency patterns, high frequency components of an image can be quantized more coarsely than low frequency components or discarded with less impact on human perception of the image.
Frequency weighting is a commonly used technique for visually optimizing data compression in both discrete cosine transform (DCT) and wavelet-based image compression systems to take advantage of the contrast sensitivity function (CSF). CSF frequency weighting has been used to scale the coefficients produced by transformation before application of uniform quantization. On the other hand, CSF frequency weighting may be applied to produce quantization steps of varying sizes which are applied to the different frequency bands making up the image. In a third technique, CSF frequency weighting may be used to control the order in which sub-bitstreams originating from different frequency bands are assembled into a final embedded bitstream. The CSF has been assumed to be single valued for specific viewing conditions. However, the CSF is determined under near visually lossless conditions and observation indicates that the contrast sensitivity of the human visual system is affected by image distortion which is, in turn, inversely impacted by data compression efficiency. What is desired therefore, is a method of improved visual optimization of image data source coding useful at the low data rates of systems employing high efficiency data compression.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exemplary graph of the contrast sensitivity function (CSF).
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an image communication system.
FIG. 3 is a graphic illustration of the quantizer steps of an image quantizer and quantization of an exemplary transform coefficient.
FIG. 4 is a graphic illustration of a basis function for a wavelet transform.
FIG. 5 is a graph of a distortion weighting function.
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of wavelet compression and the assembly of an embedded bitstream.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 2 , in a communication system 20 information originating at a source 22 is transmitted to a consuming destination or sink 24 . To reduce the quantity of data to be transmitted or stored and the rate of data transfer required of the communication system 20 , the data output by the source 22 may first be compressed by a source encoder 26 . Source encoders typically apply lossless and lossy processes to reduce the quantity of data obtained from the source 22 . For example, if the source 22 output is a video sequence comprising a succession of substantially identical frames, the quantity of transmitted data and the rate of data transmission can be substantially reduced by transmitting a reference frame and the differences between the reference frame and succeeding frames. The output of the source encoder 26 is input to a channel encoder 28 that adds redundancy to the data stream so that errors resulting from transmission 30 can be detected or corrected at the channel decoder 32 at the destination. The source decoder 34 reverses the source encoding processes with, for example entropy decoding 33 , dequantization 35 , and inverse transformation 37 , to reconstruct the original information output by the source 22 for consumption by the information sink 24 . If the source encoding includes a lossy compression process, some of the information output by the source 22 is discarded during source coding and output of the source decoder 34 will be an approximation of the original information. If the original information obtained from the source 22 was an image, the reconstructed image will be a distorted version of the original.
The quantity of data required to digitally describe images is so great that digital imaging and digital video would be impractical for many applications without lossy data compression. An objective of the digital video source encoder 26 is the reduction of temporally redundant information between successive images of the video sequence and spatially redundant information within the individual images of the sequence. Within the source encoder 26 , the video sequence is subject to transformation 36 , quantization 38 , and entropy encoding 40 . In the transformation module 36 , the spatial domain signal describing an image is converted to a plurality of transform coefficients by the application of a reversible transform. The resulting array of transform coefficients describe the amplitudes of the constituent frequencies making up the image data. The discrete cosine transform (DCT) and wavelet transforms are commonly used for coding the spatial data of individual images, referred to as intra-frame coding or intra-coding. The differences between successive images are also isolated in the source encoder 26 and transformation is applied to the data representing those differences or residual data. Transformation is a lossless process. Likewise, entropy encoding 40 in the source encoder 26 is a lossless process. Entropy coding typically involves run length, variable length, arithmetic encoding to compress the quantized data. While entropy encoding reduces the quantity of data, the compression is insufficient for most image and video applications.
Most of the data compression is the result of discarding image data during quantization or the mapping of the transformed image data to a limited number of possible data values in a quantizer 38 . Transform coefficients 42 produced by transformation 36 are input to the quantizer 38 and quantization indices 44 are output and sent to the entropy encoder 40 . Referring to FIG. 3 , an exemplary transform coefficient 60 is input to an exemplary quantizer 38 having a uniform quantizer step size 64 (wQ) where w is a weighting factor that may be used to adjust the magnitude of the quantizer step. For example, the quantizer step size may be adjusted as a function of the frequency of the image signal component represented by the input transform coefficient 60 to take advantage of the contrast sensitivity function (CSF). Weighting factors can be stored in a quantization table 46 . In addition to the midpoint uniform threshold quantizer illustrated in FIG. 3 , quantizers incorporating, by way of example, non-uniform step sizes, a dead zone, and an output index at the centroid of the step are also used for video encoding.
In the quantizer 38 , the value of the transform coefficient 60 is compared to the values within the limits or bounds of the various quantizer steps and, in the case of the midpoint uniform threshold quantizer, the value of the midpoint of the quantizer step range having bounds bracketing the input transform coefficient 60 is output as the corresponding quantizer index 62 . Quantization is a lossy process in which data that more precisely describes a transform coefficient is discarded to produce the corresponding quantization index 44 . The quantity of data discarded during quantization depends upon the number of levels and, therefore, the step sizes 64 available in the quantizer 38 to describe inputs between the minimum and maximum transform coefficients. As the magnitude of the steps 64 (wQ) increase, more data are discarded, increasing the compression efficiency and reducing the data rate, but making the reconstructed image an increasingly rougher approximation or more distorted copy of the original.
An additional function of the quantizer 38 is rate control for the encoder. Most communication systems require a relatively constant data rate. On the other hand, video source encoding has an inherently variable data rate because of the differences in quantities of data encoded for inter-coded and intra-coded images. To control the data rate and avoid failing the system, the output of the quantizer 38 may stored temporarily in a buffer 48 . The quantity of data in the buffer 48 is fed back 50 to the quantizer 38 . As the buffer 48 fills and empties, the magnitudes of the quantization steps are increased or decreased, respectively, causing more or less data, respectively, to be discarded. As a result, the data rate at the output of the quantizer 38 is varied so the buffer 48 does not overflow or underflow causing a loss of data.
For wavelet based compression, data reduction may also be accomplished by controlling the order in which sub-bitstreams originating in the various frequency sub-bands are assembled into the final embedded bitstream. Referring to FIG. 6 , in a wavelet compression process an image 100 is decomposed by filtering and subsampling into a plurality of frequency sub-bands 102 for each of a plurality of resolution levels. Following transformation, the resulting wavelet coefficients are quantized or mapped to quantizer indices representing a range of coefficients included within a plurality of quantizer steps. Differing types of quantizers may be used, for example, the JPEG 2000 standard specifies a uniform scalar quantizer with a fixed dead band about the origin. Quantization with this quantizer is accomplished by dividing each wavelet coefficient by the magnitude of the quantization step and rounding down. The result is a multiple digit quantization index for each code block 104 , a fundamental spatial division of the sub-band for entropy coding purposes. Each sub-band may be considered to be a sequence of binary arrays comprising one digit or bit 105 from each quantization index known as bitplanes. The first bitplane 106 comprises the array of the most significant bit (MSB) of all the quantization indices for the code blocks of the sub-band. The second bitplane 108 comprises the array of the next most significant bit and so forth with the final bitplane 110 comprising the least significant bits (LSB) of the indices. The bit stream is encoded by scanning the values of the bits making up the successive bitplanes. As each bitplane is scanned, more information (the next most significant digit of each code block) is coded for the code block. On the other hand, the encoder may stop coding at any time, discarding the information represented by the less significant bitplanes that were not encoded. Quality layers can be encoded in the embedded bitstream by altering the limits of the truncation to be applied to the data of the various bitplanes.
Discarding data increases the compression efficiency but distorts the image as the difference or error between original and reconstructed pixels increase. On the other hand, limitations of the human visual system (HVS) make it possible to discard some data with little or no effect on the perceived quality of the image. Further, the characteristics of the HVS makes the impact on perceived quality resulting from discarding certain image data more important than the impact produced by discarding other image data.
Visual optimization of the source encoding process exploits the perceptual characteristics of the vision system to balance perceived image quality against data rate reduction resulting from compression. FIG. 1 illustrates the contrast sensitivity function expressing a relationship between contrast sensitivity and spatial frequency. Contrast sensitivity measures the limits of visibility for low contrast patterns and is a function of the viewing distance, the illumination level, and spatial frequency of the contrasting pattern. The contrast sensitivity function is established by increasing the amplitude of sinusoidal basis functions of differing frequencies until the contrast between the maximum and minimum of the amplitude of each basis function reaches a just noticeable difference (JND) threshold of human visibility when viewed under specific conditions. Since human eyes are less sensitive to high frequency signals, high frequency components of an image can be more coarsely quantized or discarded with little impact on human perception of the image.
One technique for exploiting the contrast sensitivity of the human visual system is frequency weighting of the step size of the quantizer 38 . The quanitzer step size is weighted by altering the weighting factor (w) for the appropriate quantizer step 64 . The quantization step size may be weighted for the effect of the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) by altering the weighting (w), (where w=1/w i ) of the quantiztion step 64 and w i equals:
w i k/T i
where:
w i =the CSF weighting factor T i =the contrast detection threshold for the ith frequency k=a constant normalization factor.
Contrast sensitivity weighting can also be accomplished by weighting the transform coefficients 42 input to the quantizer. Likewise, frequency weighting may be accomplished by using a weighting factor to vary the number of bits encoded for the code blocks of the sub-bands representing the various frequency components of the image.
However, observation of the output of video systems led the current inventor to the conclusion that in addition to spatial frequency, viewing distance, and illumination, the contrast sensitivity of the human visual system is also sensitive to the distortion of the image. Under a condition of significant distortion associated with low system bit rates, the human visual system is relatively less sensitive to high frequency errors and more sensitive to errors in lower frequency image components than it is under the near visually lossless conditions under which the contrast sensitivity function is established. Therefore, as the data rate decreases and distortion increases, increasing the lossiness of compression at higher frequencies relative to the lossiness at lower frequencies improve the perceived image quality.
The CSF is established under near visually lossless conditions where the distortion signal is small with a magnitude on the order of the detection threshold for all frequencies. However, for low system data rates the distortion signal is typically large as a result of discarding significant portions of the image data in the quantizer 38 . As a result, as the system data rate decreases the distortion signal becomes increasingly visible. FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary effective basis distortion function 80 for a wavelet-based compression process. The effective basis distortion function 80 is the product of a basis function f i (x) with unit peak-to-mean amplitude for the ith sub-band and a distortion (d i ) normalized with respect to the detection threshold (T i ) for the basis function at the ith sub-band frequency. The effective basis distortion function is defined as:
g ( x ; d ) = d i f i ( x ) , if d i f i ( x ) > 1 = 0 , otherwise
Portions of the effective basis distortion function 80 exceeding the normalized visibility detection threshold (1/d) 82 are visible. As the distortion increases, side lobes 84 of the original basis function become visible as the absolute value of the product of the distortion and basis function 86 exceeds the level of detection 82 . The side lobes 84 become increasingly visible as the frequency of the basis function decreases.
To compensate for the increased visibility of the side lobes 84 of the basis function at low frequencies and low bit rates, the contrast sensitivity function weighting is adjusted as follows:
w i ′=w i λ i
where:
w i ′=adjusted contrast sensitivity weighting w i =contrast sensitivity function weighting λ=low bit rate compensation factor i=ith frequency sub-band
and where:
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As illustrated in FIG. 5 , if the distortion, the peak-to-mean amplitude of the distortion of each basis function, is less than the frequency detection threshold (T i ) (that is, d i , is less than 1) no compensation 90 is made for the potential perceptibility of the side lobes of the basis functions. On the other hand, if the peak-to-mean amplitude of the basis function is greater than the threshold (T i ), then the portion of the basis function having an amplitude greater than the threshold T i will contribute to visual distortion and compensation is applied. As a result, compensation is common constant 90 for all frequencies below the distortion threshold 94 (d i ≦1). For distortion above the threshold 94 compensation is applied with compensation converging at a maximum value 96 (b i ).
The distortion adaptive visual frequency weighting adjusts the frequency weighting for the contrast sensitivity function on the basis of the instant normalized peak-to-mean amplitude of the distortion signal. Distortion adaptive visual frequency weighting can be applied to vary the relative sizes of the quantizer steps to be applied to transform coefficients representing higher and lower frequency components of the image. The range of transform coefficients between upper and lower limits defining the quantizer step is decreased for lower frequencies, relative to the range of transform coefficients included in a quantizer step to which higher frequencies are mapped, as the distortion of the image increases. In the alternative, the relative sizes of quantizer steps can be varied if the distortion increases beyond a threshold distortion. Since the distortion increases as the data rate decreases, distortion adaptive frequency weighting can be responsive to data rate or to changes in data rate beyond a threshold rate of change. Likewise, the value of the transform coefficient before quantization can be adjusted in response to distortion. In a third technique, distortion adaptive visual frequency weighting can be applied during the embedded coding process to, for example, control the bit-stream ordering for quality layers or to establish a maximum amount of adjustment or a most aggressive weighting to apply in very low bit rate encoding. Distortion adaptive visual frequency weighting can also be applied to non-embedded coding at very low bit rates. Weighting tables incorporating the compensation factor can be established to produce a target visually normalized distortion.
All the references cited herein are incorporated by reference.
The terms and expressions that have been employed in the foregoing specification 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 equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims that follow. | The ability of the visual system to detect contrast in an image is a function of the frequency of the contrasting pattern and the distortion of the image. The visual system is more sensitive to contrasting patterns of lower frequency. When the image is significantly distorted, the visual system is even more sensitive to lower frequencies than higher frequencies. An image encoder employs lossy data compression processes producing a distorted reconstructed image. A method of quantizing image data including the step of varying the magnitude of a quantization step as a function of the distortion of an image is disclosed for further visually optimizing image quantization. Another method utilizes distortion adaptive weighting to vary the limit of code block truncation during embedded bitstream coding to visually optimize image compression by increasing relative lossiness of compression at higher frequencies. | 7 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
This is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending provisional patent application filed in the United States Patent Office on Jun. 9, 1997, Ser. No. 60/049,202, titled COLLAPSIBLE KNEE EXERCISE DEVICE.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Patients undergoing therapeutic treatment after a leg or knee operation, are frequently placed with their back on the floor and their legs raised. A supporting device is disposed on the underside of the knee. The outer extremity of the leg is then exercised to restore the bending capability of the knee.
Physical therapists who perform this treatment travel from patient to patient and therefore need a supporting device that can be readily transported between patients.
Some related prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,549 which issued Dec. 24, 1991 to Clyde R. Harvey for a "Knee Exercise Device"; U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,031 which issued Apr. 18, 1989 to Horst A. Olschewski for "Pool Exercise Device"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,055 which was issued Feb. 14, 1995 to Robert B. Gangloff for a "Portable Exercise Bar Device". Gangloff shows a hinged support used for performing pull-ups or chin-ups while the person's legs and heels of the feet remain on the floor. The Olschewski device shows a vertically adjustable horizontal bar. The Harvey device shows an exercise device for treating an injured knee of a patient lying on his back with the underside of his knee on the support.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The broad purpose of the present invention is to provide a portable, collapsible, exercise device for treating the knee of a person lying on his back with his leg in a raised position.
An exercise device illustrating this invention comprises a pair of hinged upright supports. A horizontal bar spans the two supports with its ends attached to the supports. The base of each support includes a tubular sleeve connected by a hinge beneath the bar and adjacent to the floor. When the bar is removed, the hinge swings up to a position between the supports as they are moved closely adjacent one another. This position permits the user to readily carry the support and the bar.
When the device is to be used, the two supports are spread by opening the hinge. When the two supports are fully open, the horizontal bar is mounted between them at an adjusted height. The preferred device can be quickly and readily assembled for treatment, easily carried, and inexpensively manufactured.
The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a tubular frame formed by a pair of spaced generally V-shaped members having their lower ends telescopically received in a pair of U-shaped ground-engaging members. The telescopic connection is such that the V-shaped members can be raised and lowered to a selected height. A bar is supported between the V-shaped members to support the patient's leg in a raised position. This embodiment of the invention can be quickly collapsed into four tubular components and the cross bar.
Still further objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains upon reference to the following detailed description.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The description refers to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates an exercise device of the present invention in an upright leg-supporting position;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the FIG. 1 exercise device taken on line 2--2 in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 illustrates the horizontal leg support separated from the main support frame;
FIG. 4 shows the two upright supports partially collapsed;
FIG. 5 shows the two upright supports fully collapsed with the bar separated from the support;
FIG. 6 is an illustration of the manner in which the exercise device is used to treat a patient;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view a preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 8 is a view as seen from the right side of FIG. 7 of the supporting device;
FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view showing a typical telescopic connection between the adjustable legs; and
FIG. 10 is an enlarged view showing the manner in which the leg-support cross bar is connected to the V-shaped members.
FIG. 11 is a side view of FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an exercise device 10 mounted in an upright position for supporting a user in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6. The user or patient 12 lies on floor 14 with leg 16 raised in an upright position and supported on support bar 22 of the exercise device 10.
Device 10 comprises a pair of substantially identical upright support frames 18 and 20, a horizontal support bar 22 and a hinge pin 24. Upright support frame 20 comprises an aluminum tubular frame member 26 bent to form a pair of upright legs 28 and 30 jointed to form an upper end 32. The lower ends of the legs are connected by a horizontal tubular base 34. A horizontal frame member 36 has its ends welded to legs 28 and 30 about 9" above the bottom of base 34. A 3/4" wide vertical strap 38 has its upper end welded to upper end 32 and its lower end welded to horizontal frame member 36. Strap 38 is formed with a bright chrome finish. Strap 38 has a vertical series of 9/32" adjustment holes 40 spaced 3/4" apart. Similarly, upright support 18 has a horizontal frame member 42 connected to a vertical strap 44 with nine adjustment holes 40 aligned with the holes 40 in strap 38.
Referring to FIG. 2, a sleeve 50 is slideably rotatably mounted on lower base 34. The other upright support 18 also has a lower tubular base 52 supporting a sleeve 54. A plate element or foot 56 extends horizontally from sleeve 50 and can be swung about base 34. Similarly, a plate-type foot 58 has one end welded to sleeve 54 so that the foot can be swung between a horizontal position illustrated in FIG. 2, and an upright vertical position in which both feet are disposed between the legs of the upright support as illustrated in FIG. 4.
A hinge 60 has its ends welded to foot 56 and foot 58, and supports hinge pin 24 in such a manner that by folding the two feet upwardly, the two support frames 18 and 20 are moved toward one another as illustrated in FIG. 4. The two feet can be moved to their uppermost position in which support frames 18 and 20 are closely adjacent one another as illustrated in FIG. 5.
Horizontal support bar 22 preferably has a metal core 61 with a pair of threaded ends 62 and 64 aligned along the longitudinal axis 66 of the bar. The threaded ends 62 and 64 are receivable within a selected pair of aligned holes 40 in the two vertical straps 38 and 44. A wing nut 67 fastens threaded end 64 to strap 38, and a second wing nut 68 fastens the other threaded end to strap 44. The support bar is covered with (or includes) a dense polyurethane foam covering 70 to protect the user's leg. Covering 70 extends the full length of the bar.
In use the exercise device is opened to the position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and placed on floor 14 as illustrated in FIG. 6. The user's leg is then disposed on top of support bar 22. The bar is on the underside of the knee. The physical therapist can then apply a downward pressure on the raised leg end to exercise the user's knee, or a weight can be suspended from the person's ankle to provide the necessary resistance. The other leg of the person will lie on the floor outside (alongside) the supporting frame.
When the treatment has been completed, the user unscrews the ends of the support bar from the upright supports and then collapses the device by swinging the hinge pin 24 upwardly so that the two support frames 18 and 20 are closely adjacent one another as illustrated in FIG. 5.
FIGS. 7-10 illustrate the preferred embodiment of the invention which comprises a tubular frame 100 preferably formed of a pair of generally identical inverted V-shaped tubular frame members 102 and 104.
A pair of U-shaped tubular frame members 106 and 108 support the V-shaped members. Frame member 106 has a pair of legs 110 and 112 which telescopically receive the lower ends of tubular legs 114 and 116 of frame members 102 and 104. Similarly, U-shaped frame member 108 has a pair of legs 118 and 120 which telescopically receive the lower ends of legs 122 and 124 of frame members 102 and 104.
Frame members 106 and 108 serve as rigid connectors for the two spaced-apart side members 102 and 104.
FIG. 9 shows a typical telescopic connection between lower leg 120 and leg 124. Leg 124 has an opening 126. A button 128 is slideably mounted in opening 126 and in a selected one of four longitudinally spaced openings 130a, 130b, 130c and 130d which are 15/8" apart. A U-shaped leaf spring 132 inside tubular leg 124 is connected to the button to bias it outwardly. The user adjusts the height of leg 124 by depressing the button until it clears opening 130a and moves the two legs with respect to one another to an adjusted height. A similar adjustment connects the other three pairs of telescopic legs.
The two U-shaped frame members 106 and 108 have horizontal midsections 136 and 138 to provide a stable base for a weight disposed on the frame. The horizontal midsections 136 and 138 are each about 12" long.
A pair of tubular brace members 140 are mounted between the legs of the V-shaped members as illustrated in FIG. 8. A typical brace member has a mid-section that is bent downwardly. The ends of each brace have internal plugs 142 and 144 which threadably receive a pair of threaded fasteners 146 and 148, respectively to releasably support the brace member between the legs of the associated V-shaped member 102 or 104. Each frame member has an A configuration, as viewed in FIG. 8.
Referring to FIG. 10, a tubular bar 150 has its ends connected to the two brace members 140. An internal nut 152 at each end of the bar 150 receives a threaded fastener 154 to releasably connect bar 150 to each brace member 140. The ends of the tubular bar 150 are made to be concave so as to have an interlocking fit on brace members 140, as shown in FIG. 10. The bar is about 121/2" long. A foam rubber covering 156 having a diameter of about 2" encloses the bar along its length. A larger padded cover, not shown, can be mounted around cover 156 to increase the overall diameter to 4".
The outer end of at least one fastener 154 carries an enlarged head or knob 155 to permit the user to quickly remove fastener 154 when the device is to be collapsed.
The device is used in the same way as illustrated in FIG. 5. The bar supports the underside of the patient's knee about 18"-20" above the ground, depending on the adjusted positions of the connector members 106 and 108 on the legs of V-shaped frame members 102 and 104. Cross bar 150 can be adjusted several inches depending upon the patient's dimensions. The device can be broken down into five major pieces, that is, two V-shaped legs, the two U-shaped frame members 106 and 108, and the leg-support bar 150 which is connected to brace members 140.
Rubber straps can be connected through openings in the lower part of legs 118 and 120 and mounted on the user's legs to provide a form of resistance exercise.
FIGS. 8 and 11 show the leg-support device of FIG. 7 equipped with a strap-type resistance member 160 for increasing the effort required to move the lower leg while supported on support bar 150. Resistance member 160 comprises a flexible fabric panel 162 having holes near its opposite ends for receiving a resilient elastomeric tubing 164. End sections of the elastomeric tubing extend through spaced holes 166 in section 136 of frame member 106. A manually-actuable clamp 168 is adjustably connected to each end section of tubing 164 to anchor the tubing end sections to frame member 106.
Each clamp 168 comprises a spring arm 170 and a swingable detent 172 for holding the spring arm in a position wherein the tubing is squeezed between opposed areas of the clamp. The tubing extends through aligned holes in opposite ends of the clamp, whereby the clamp can be slidably adjusted along the tubing when spring arm 170 is separated from detent 172.
As shown in FIG. 8, clamp 168 is locked to the rubber tubing 164, to form an anchorage for the tubing. The clamp can be adjusted along the, tubing to change the anchorage point. Each end section of the tubing is equipped with a clamp-type anchorage of the type shown in FIG. 8.
Resistance member 160 is oriented so that fabric panel 162 can extend upwardly around and over the ankle area of the person using the exercise device; the person's ankle extends through the space designated by numeral 161 in FIG. 11. The rubber tubing is stretched taut by movement of the person's leg against the resistance offered by fabric panel 162 and tubing 164. By adjusting the positions of the clamps 168 on the tubing sections, it is possible to change the tubing anchorage points, and the resultant elongation of the tubing when the person's leg is exercised. The resistance to leg movement is related to the elongation of the rubber tubing. Changing the tubing anchorage points adjusts the tubing elongation and associated resistance to leg movement.
In a second exercise, the person rests his ankle on the padded crossbar 150, 156, and position the fabric panel 162 over (around) his knee. The leg is bent up and down around the knee joint, against the resistance offered by panel 162 and the elastic tubing 164.
In a further exercise activity, the exercise device is placed so that frame member 106 rests on the floor. The person extends his leg through the device so that the knee joint rests on padded cross bar 150, 156, and the heel of the foot is in pressure contact with fabric panel 162, i.e. the fabric panel engages the arch of the person's foot in the fashion of a stirrup. The person can exert a pushing action on fabric panel 162, to exercise the foot and leg muscles. This exercise strengthens the quadricap and hamstring muscles.
The exercise device can be used and adjusted by the patient, without assistance by other people. The patient lies on his back while performing the various exercises. Assembly or disassembly of the exercise device can be accomplished in a relatively easy fashion. The two U-shaped frame members 106 and 108 are separable from frame members 102 and 104. The padded crossbar 150, 156 is separable from frame members 102 and 104. In preferred practice of the invention, the components are formed out of aluminum tubing.
In the preferred practice of the invention, the leg-support bar is a rigid tubular bar covered with an annular foam rubber sleeve, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10. The outside diameter of the rubber sleeve is at least two inches, whereby the leg-support bar presents a relatively large surface area to the patient's skin area behind the knee joint. The support surface is relatively soft so as to conform to the skin contour while providing a large surface area that reduces unit area forces on the skin surface. The radial thickness of the foam rubber sleeve is preferably at least one half inch.
In the preferred form of the invention depicted in FIGS. 7 through 11, the A-frame structures 102 and 104 combine lightness, strength and rigidity. Frame structures 102 and 104 are interconnected by three widely-spaced cross members 136, 138 and 150 that give the frame structure a desired rigidity without increasing the weight or cost of the exercise device. Cross members 136 and 138 provide a wide-stance support for the device. The upwardly-convergent nature of the inverted V-shaped members 102 and 104 is beneficial in that it tends to minimize the overall size. Portions of members 102 and 104 above leg-support ember 150 tend to prevent the person's leg from slipping off the support member.
In both illustrated embodiments of the invention, the leg-support member 22 or 150 is vertically adjustable to provide a comfortable condition for a range of different patients and a range of different exercises, as previously described. Adjustment of the leg support member can be accomplished relatively easily without special tools. | A person's leg muscles can be strengthened with a leg-support cross piece adapted to underlie the person's knee joint while the person lies with his back on a floor surface. The lower portion of the leg is swung up and down around the supported knee joint to exercise the leg muscles. An elastic strap type resistance unit may be extended from the framework that supports the cross piece for partial encirclement of the person's ankle, to increase the effort involved in swinging the leg. | 8 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/368,684, filed Mar. 26, 2002, which is hereby incorporated by reference to the extent not inconsistent with the disclosure herewith.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention is in the field of improving the water solubility of benzimidazole derivatives and other weak bases and providing pharmaceutical formulations of the same. Benzimidazole derivatives are useful for inhibiting the growth of cancers, tumors and viruses in mammals, particularly in humans and warm-blooded animals (U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,479,526; 5,880,144; 6,245,789; 5,767,138; 6,265,437). Certain benzimidazole derivatives used in combination with other compounds have been reported to be useful as fungicides (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,954,993; 4,593,040; 5,756,500; 4,835,169; 4,980,346). However, benzimidazole derivatives, including carbendazim, are poorly water soluble. The projected oral dose of carbendazim for cancer treatment is up to several hundred mg per day which is far greater than its water solubility. Other weak bases suffer from the same lack of water solubility.
[0003] A method of improving the water solubility of benzimidazole derivatives and other weak bases and pharmaceutical formulations of the same is needed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Provided are compositions of weak bases having greater water solubility than the weak bases alone. More specifically, provided are compositions comprising a weak base having a pKa below about 7; an acidic buffer having a buffer pKa below about 7; and optional pharmaceutically acceptable additives, wherein the composition has a pH below about 5. Also provided are methods of increasing the water solubility of a weak base, comprising: contacting the weak base with an acidic buffer, and optionally adding one or more pharmaceutically acceptable additives. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions of weak bases. Particular pharmaceutical compositions are suitable for administration to mammals comprising: a pharmaceutically active weak base compound having a compound pKa below about 7; an acidic buffer having a buffer pKa below about 7; and optional pharmaceutically acceptable additives, wherein the composition has a pH below about 5.
[0005] As used herein, “weak base” or “weak bases” are those compounds having a pKa below about 7. Weak bases include prodrugs and salts of weak bases and salts of prodrugs. Preferred weak bases have a pKa below about 5. Other preferred weak bases have a pKa below about 4. Weak bases having pKa values below about 7 and compounds in all pKa ranges below about 7 are included in the invention. Some classes of weak bases include: imidazole derivatives having a pKa below about 7, pyridine derivatives having a pKa below about 7, aniline derivatives having a pKa below about 7 and compounds containing combinations thereof having a pKa below about 7. Imidazole derivatives are defined as compounds which include the structure:
[0006] Some preferred imidazole derivatives include the following:
Compound pKa 6.8 ˜7 6.7
[0007] Pyridine derivatives are defined as compounds which include the structure:
[0008] Some preferred pyridine derivatives include the following:
Compound pKa 3.4 3.5
[0009] Aniline derivatives are defined as compounds which include the structure:
[0010] where R is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms. The aromatic ring may have other substituents, as known in the art.
[0011] Some preferred aniline derivatives include the following:
Compound pKa ˜5 4 4.6 2.5 5.4
[0012] One class of imidazole derivatives include those with the formula:
[0013] where n is an integer from 1 to 3, R is hydrogen, alkyl having from 1 to 7 carbon atoms, chloro, bromo, fluoro, oxychloro, hydroxy, sulflhydryl, or alkoxy having the formula —O(CH 2 ) y (CH 3 ), wherein y is an integer from 0 to 6. One particular compound of this class is PG 300995:
[0014] Another class of imidazole derivatives includes benzimidazoles and benzimidazole derivatives. As used herein, “benzimidazoles” are those having the formula:
[0015] wherein X is hydrogen, halogen, alkyl of less than 7 carbon atoms or alkoxy of less than 7 carbon atoms; n is a positive integer of less than 4; Y is hydrogen, chlorine, nitro, methyl, ethyl or oxychloro; R is hydrogen, alkylaminocarbonyl wherein the alkyl group has from 3 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkyl group having from 1 to 8 carbons and R 2 is 4-thiazolyl, NHCOOR 1 wherein R 1 is aliphatic hydrocarbon of less than 7 carbon atoms, or an alkyl group of less than 7 carbon atoms. A preferred class of benzimidazoles are those wherein R is hydrogen. Another preferred class of benzimidazoles are:
[0016] wherein R is an alkyl of 1 through 8 carbon atoms and R 2 is selected from the group consisting of 4-thiazolyl or NHCOOR 1 wherein R 1 is methyl, ethyl or isopropyl and pharmaceutically acceptable acid salts thereof with both organic and inorganic acids.
[0017] As used herein, “benzimidazole derivatives” include benzimidazoles as defined above, prodrugs and salts of benzimidazoles and salts of prodrugs. “Prod rugs” are considered to be any covalently bonded carriers which release the active parent drug (weak base) according to the formula of the parent drug described above in vivo when such prodrug is administered to a mammalian subject. Prodrugs of the weak bases are prepared by modifying functional groups present in the compounds in such a way that the modifications are cleaved, either in routine manipulation or in vivo, to the parent compounds. Prodrugs include compounds wherein hydroxy, amine, or sulfhydryl groups are bonded to any group that, when administered to a mammalian subject, cleaves to form a free hydroxyl, amino, or sulfhydryl group, respectively. Examples of prodrugs include, but are not limited to, acetate, formate, or benzoate derivatives of alcohol and amine functional groups in the weak bases; phosphate esters, dimethylglycine esters, aminoalkylbenzyl esters, aminoalkyl esters and carboxyalkyl esters of alcohol and phenol functional groups in the weak bases; and the like.
[0018] Salts of benzimidazole derivatives and other weak bases include pharmaceutically acceptable salts. Pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the weak bases include the conventional salts or the quaternary ammonium salts of the weak bases formed, for example, from non-toxic inorganic or organic acids. For example, such conventional non-toxic salts include those derived from inorganic acids such as hydrochloric, hydrobromic, sulfuric, sulfamic, phosphoric, nitric and the like; and the salts prepared from organic acids such as acetic, propionic, succinic, glycolic, stearic, lactic, malic, tartaric, citric, ascorbic, pamoic, maleic, hydroxymaleic, phenylacetic, glutamic, benzoic, salicylic, sulfanilic, 2-acetoxybenzoic, fumaric, toluenesulfonic, methanesulfonic, ethane disulfonic, oxalic, isethionic, and the like.
[0019] The salts of the weak bases are synthesized from the weak bases which contain a basic or acidic moiety by conventional chemical methods. Generally, such salts are prepared by reacting the free acid or base forms of these compounds with a stoichiometric amount of the appropriate base or acid in water or in an organic solvent, or in a mixture of the two; generally, nonaqueous media like ether, ethyl acetate, ethanol, isopropanol, or acetonitrile are preferred. Lists of suitable salts are found in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 17th ed., Mack Publishing Company, Easton, Pa., 1985, p. 1418, for example, the disclosure of which reference is hereby incorporated by reference.
[0020] The compositions of the invention are useful for administration to animals, preferably mammals, and preferably humans. The compositions of the invention are administered using any form of administration and any suitable dosage that provides a pharmaceutically active dose in an animal, preferably a mammal, as known in the art. Preferably, the compositions of the invention are used for oral, slow intravenous injection or infusion administration, as known in the art. Because the compositions are acidic, other forms of administration may be unsuitable. If the compositions are injected, the injection speed should be slow to avoid local irritation, as known in the art.
[0021] “Pharmaceutically acceptable” and “non-toxic” mean suitable for use with humans and/or animals without undue adverse side effects (such as toxicity, irritation and allergic response) commensurate with a reasonable benefit/risk ratio. “Pharmaceutically active” means capable of causing an intended physiological change in an animal, preferably a mammal. “Pharmaceutically acceptable additives” include cosolvents, surfactants, complexants, hydrotropes and other components that are desired for pharmaceutical use, as known in the art, such as pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, preservatives, emulsifying agents, diluents, sweeteners, flavorants, viscosity controlling agents, thickeners, colorants and melting agents. Any level of pharmaceutically acceptable additives and any individual pharmaceutically acceptable additive or combination of additives may be used, as long as these additives do not reduce the solubility below a desired level or make the composition toxic, as defined above. The term “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier” is known in the art, see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,479,526. As used herein, “cosolvent” means a liquid or solid that mixes with water to form a solution of lower polarity than pure water. Examples of cosolvents are ethanol, ethylene glycol, glycerine, propylene glycol (PG), poly(ethylene glycol) and glycerol. Preferred concentrations of cosolvents are between 0.5 to 50 volume % and all individual values and ranges therein. As used herein, “surfactant” is a substance which can orient and accumulate at the water-air or water-organic interface and reduce the surface or interfacial tension. Examples of surfactants include Tween 20, Tween 80, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and myristoyl camitine (MC). Preferred concentrations of surfactants are between 0.5 to 20 volume % and all individual values and ranges therein. As used herein, “complexant” means a substance which forms a molecular interaction with a solute having a definite stoichiometry (complex). The complex may be more soluble or less soluble than the pure solute. Most complexing agents that are used for solubilizing organic solutes in water are of the inclusion or stacking variety. Inclusion complexing agents can accept the solute into a cavity while stacking complexants form layered complexes. As used herein, “hydrotrope” means a substance which resembles a stacking complexing agent but which does not form a stoichiometric complex. Hydrotropes are a cross between a complexant and a surfactant. Examples of complexants include cyclodextrins (hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin, HPβCD, sulfobutyl ether β-cyclodextrin, SBEβCD), and other substituted alpha, beta, or gamma cyclodextrins and planar aromatic compounds which are water soluble such as benzoate and hydroxybenzoate salts, caffeine, and nicotinamide. Preferred concentrations of complexants and/or hydrotropes are between 0.5 to 40 volume % and all individual values and ranges therein. As used herein, “acidic buffer” means a compound or compounds that, when added to an aqueous solution, reduces the pH and causes the resulting solution to resist an increase in pH when the solution is mixed with solutions of higher pH. The acidic buffer must have a pKa below about 7. Some currently preferred ranges of pKa of the acidic buffer are below about 5, below about 4 and below about 3. Acidic buffers with all individual values and ranges of pKa below about 7 are included in the invention. Examples of acidic buffers are phosphate, citrate, acetate, succinate and combinations thereof. Suitable acidic buffers include acids and bases, as known in the art. One preferred acidic buffer is a combination of phosphoric acid and sugars that has a pH between 1 and 2. One composition is 10 mL of liquid contains 3.75 g fructose, and 3.75 g glucose, stabilized at pH 1.3 to 2.0 with orthophosphoric acid. One such combination is Emetrol® (Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Corporation, Kalamazoo, Mich.). Other examples include soft drink syrups. The pH of the composition formed from the weak base and acidic buffer and optional pharmaceutically acceptable additives must be below about 5 and all values and ranges therein. Some currently preferred ranges of pH of the resulting composition are below about 4, below about 3, below about 2, below about 1.5 and below about 1. As used herein, “about” is intended to indicate a range caused by experimental uncertainty. When used in conjunction with a pH, “about” means a value of ±0.5 pH units. When used in conjunction with a pKa, “about” means a value of ±0.5 pKa units.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0022] [0022]FIG. 1 shows the structure of carbendazim (methyl 2-benzimidazolecarbamate).
[0023] [0023]FIG. 2 shows the pH-solubilization profile of carbendazim.
[0024] [0024]FIG. 3 shows the total solubility of carbendazim in cosolvent solutions at (A) pH 7.00, (B) pH 2.10.
[0025] [0025]FIG. 4 shows the total solubility of carbendazim in surfactant solutions at (A) pH 7.00, (B) pH 2.10.
[0026] [0026]FIG. 5 shows the total solubility of carbendazim in surfactant solutions at pH 2.05; the filled circle indicates MC, the open circle indicates SLS.
[0027] [0027]FIG. 6 shows the total solubility of carbendazim in cosolvent solutions at (A) pH 7.00, (B) pH 1.95.
[0028] [0028]FIG. 7 shows the pH profile of the compound designated PG 300995.
[0029] [0029]FIG. 8 shows the pH profile of the compound designated BPU NSC 639829.
[0030] [0030]FIG. 9 shows the pH profile of the compound designated AMPB.
[0031] [0031]FIG. 10 shows the plasma concentration of carbendazim as a function of time.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0032] The invention may be further understood by reference to the following non-limiting examples. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that all weak bases other than those particularly exemplified can be used without undue experimentation.
[0033] Synthesis
[0034] Weak bases, including benzimidazole derivatives are commercially available or can be prepared in a number of ways well known to one skilled in the art of organic synthesis without undue experimentation. The benzimidazole derivatives are synthesized using the methods described below, together with synthetic methods known in the art of synthetic organic chemistry, or variations thereon as appreciated by those skilled in the art without undue experimentation. Each of the references cited below are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
[0035] Benzimidazole derivatives may be prepared according to the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,738,995 issued to Adams et al, Jun. 12, 1973. The thiazolyl derivatives may be prepared according to the method described in Brown et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 83 1764 (1961) and Grenda et al., J. Org. Chem., 30, 259 (1965).
[0036] Materials
[0037] Carbendazim was provided by the Procter & Gamble Company and used as received. Hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) with an average molecular weight of 1390 and an average degree of substitution of 4.4 was obtained from Cyclodextrin Technologies Development Inc. (Gainesville, Fla.). Sulfobutyl ether β-cyclodextrin (SBEβCD) with an average molecular weight of 2160 and an average degree of substitution of 7 was a gift from Cydex, L. C. (Overland Park, Kans.). All other chemicals were of reagent grade, purchased from Sigma (St. Louis, Mo.) or Aldrich (St. Louis, Mo.) and used without further purification. Buffers were prepared according to the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation.
[0038] pH-Solubilization Profile
[0039] The buffer systems used for the pH-solubilization profile were 0.01 M sodium citrate/HCl with pH range 1.2-4.0, 0.01 M citrate-phosphate-borate/HCl with pH range 4.0-8.0, and 0.01M glycine/NaOH with pH range 8.0-12.0. In all the above mentioned buffers the ionic strength was maintained at 0.1M using sodium chloride. The effect of buffer species on the solubility of carbendazim at very low and high pH was not observed because the Ksp of each salt was not reached. Solubility at different pH was determined in the same manner as described below.
[0040] Solubility Determination
[0041] An excess amount of carbendazim was added to vials containing 2 ml of an aqueous solution of pH 2.00±0.15 and 7.00±0.15 at different concentrations (0, 1, 2.5, 5, and 10%) of cosolvents (EtOH, PG, PEG 400, and Glycerol), surfactants (Tween 20, Tween 80, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and myristoyl camitine (MC)) and cyclodextrins (HPβCD and SBEβCD). In addition the cosolvents and cyclodextrins were studied at 20%. The sample vials were rotated at 20 rpm using an end-over-end mechanical rotator (Glas-Col Laboratory rotator, Terre Haute, Ind.) at ambient temperature for 10 days. Ten days was selected to ensure equilibrium because the strong crystal structure and high melting point (305° C.) (Budavari, S., 1996. The Merck Index, Twelfth ed. Merck & Co, New Jersey) of carbendazim contributes to a very slow dissolution rate. For solutions having pH greater than 9, the solubility was measured after 3 days rotation instead of 10 days because of the unstable nature of carbendazim in alkaline condition. The samples were filtered through a 0.45-μm filter and the pH at equilibrium was measured before performing HPLC analysis.
[0042] High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) Analysis
[0043] The HPLC assay used an Econosphere C8 column (150*4.6 mm, Alltech, Los Altos, Calif.) with a mobile phase composed of pure methanol. The flow rate was controlled at 1.0 ml/min (125 solvent Module, Beckman, Fullerton, Calif.) and the effluent was detected at 280 nm (168 detector, Beckman, Fullerton, Calif.). All experimental data are the average of duplicate values with an average error less than 3%.
[0044] [0044]FIG. 1 shows the unionized and the ionized forms of carbendazim. The formation of a resonance-stabilized cation and anion is believed responsible for the high solubilities at low and high pH that are shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows that carbendazim has an intrinsic solubility of 6.11 μg/ml and its solubility increases with decreasing pH below 4.5 (the pKa of its basic guanadinium group), and with increasing pH above 10.6 (the pKa of its carbamide group). FIG. 2 also shows that the experimental pH-solubilization profile fits very well with the theoretical line calculated by the Henderson-Hasselbalch equation for an intrinsic solubility of 6.11 μg/ml, a basic pKa of 4.5 and an acidic pKa of 10.6. FIGS. 7 - 9 show the pH profile of three other drugs, obtained using analogous methods.
[0045] [0045]FIG. 3A shows the aqueous solubility of carbendazim versus the concentration of EtOH (filled circle), PG (triangle), PEG 400 (diamond), and Glycerol (open circle) at pH 7. In all cases there is an exponential increase in the solubility with increasing cosolvent concentration. The extent of solubilization depends both on the concentration and the polarity of cosolvents. The order of solubilization by four cosolvents is PEG 400>EtOH>PG>Glycerol.
[0046] [0046]FIG. 3B shows the aqueous solubility of carbendazim versus the concentration of the same cosolvents at pH 2. From FIG. 3B, we can conclude that there is only a slight effect of cosolvent on the total drug solubility at pH 2, with the cosolvents following the same order as at pH 7. While the percentage increase is smaller at pH 2, the number of milligrams solubilized is larger.
[0047] [0047]FIG. 4 shows the total solubility of carbendazim at pH 7 and 2, respectively, for different concentrations of Tween 20 (filled circle) and 80 (open circle) solutions. The critical micelle concentrations of Tween 20 and 80 are 0.006 and 0.0014%, respectively (Florence, A. T., Attwood, D., 1988. Physicochemical Principles of Pharmacy, Second ed. Chapman and Hall, New York) which is well below the minimum concentration of surfactant used for solubilization. At pH 7, the total drug solubility increases equally with increasing the concentration of either surfactant. On the other hand, there is no significant change in the total solubility with increasing the surfactant concentration at pH 2, because the polar cationic species does not partition into the nonpolar region of the micelle. Also at high concentrations of micelles (which do not form homogeneous aqueous solutions), the volume of free water is reduced. This reduces the amount of the ionized species in the free water. Therefore, the net effect of micellization on the total drug solubility is the result of the increase in the solubility of the unionized drug by the micelle, the decrease in the amount of the ionized drug in the free water, (i.e. the volume of the solution not occupied by the micelles), and the increase (if any) in the solubility of the ionized drug in the micelle.
[0048] [0048]FIG. 4 also shows that there is no significant difference on a weight basis between Tween 20 and 80 in solubilizing carbendazim at either pH 7 or 2. Solubilization at pH 2 is more efficient than solubilization at pH 7.
[0049] Due to the high polarity of ionized carbendazim at pH 2, the ionic surfactants, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and myristoyl carnitine (MC), were also studied at pH 2. FIG. 5 shows the total drug solubility of carbendazim at pH 2 for different concentrations of SLS (open circle) and MC (filled circle). These surfactants are also efficient solubilizers of the ionized drug at low pH.
[0050] [0050]FIG. 6 shows that the total drug solubility increases both at pH 7 and 2 for HPβCD (filled circle) and SBEβCD (open circle). This suggests the formation of an inclusion complex between β-cyclodextrin and the benzene ring of drug molecule even though a large polar group is attached to the benzene ring when the drug is ionized at pH 2. FIG. 6A shows that both HPβCD and SBEβCD have the same capacity to solubilize unionized carbendazim at pH 7. On the other hand, FIG. 6B shows that SBEβCD increases the solubility more than HPβCD at pH 2, because the resultant complex is stabilized by the interaction between the anionic cyclodextrin and the cationic drug.
[0051] Formulations of benzimidazole derivatives for drug use include those discussed herein, as well as other formulations (compositions) that include components that increase the water solubility of benzimidazole derivatives and may include other components known in the pharmaceutical arts, such as those described above. One such component is an acid-sugar solution such as Emetrol® (Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Corporation, Kalamazoo, Mich.) (an anti nausea liquid) available over the counter. It is a solution of phosphoric acid and sugars with a pH between 1 and 2 that is an excellent vehicle for carbendazim and other weak bases. Such acid-sugar solutions can be given to humans orally in 15-30 ml doses, five times in an hour, four times a day. This amounts to a maximum daily dose of 600 ml. Since the solubility of carbendazim at pH 1 and 2 are 16 and 1.6 mg/ml, up to 100 mg carbendazim can be given orally in 100 ml of the vehicle. Soft drink syrups (with or without sweetening agents) and other acidic solutions suitable for consumption by mammals can also be used as vehicles for oral formulations.
[0052] Since an oral formulation is typically administered along with a fluid like water or juice it is essential to study the effect of dilution of the formulation with these fluids. This can be investigated by a simple serial dilution precipitation study, for example, serial dilutions of the formulation with equal volumes of Seven Up, water, and pH 7 buffer.
[0053] 0.1 ml formulation was added to a test tube containing 1, 10, or 25 ml each of soda solution (Seven Up), 0.01M pH 7 phosphate buffer solution, or water. The mixed solution was shaken by hand for 5 seconds. The presence or absence of carbendazim crystal was determined visually and the final pH was recorded. The visual determination of the carbendazim crystals was also performed at one day later after dilution.
TABLE 1 Precipitation results for oral formulations Dilution with Vehicle Seven Up (3.26) Water (5.50) pH 7 Buffer Ratio 1:10 1:100 1:250 1:10 1:100 1:250 1:10 1:100 1:250 Formulation Dose(mg/ml) pH 3.01 3.18 3.22 3.00 3.75 4.15 6.50 6.96 6.97 pH 2 Buffer 1 Initial − − − − − − + − − 1 day − − − − − − + − − 5% MCpH 2 Initial − − − − − − + − − 2 1 day − − − − − − + − −
[0054] [0054] TABLE 2 Summary of solubility of carbendazim in different vehicles Solubility of carbendazim (mg/ml) Vehicle Unionized (pH 7.00 ± 0.15) Ionized (pH 2.00 ± 0.15) Buffered solution 0.006 1.64 20% Ethanol 0.016 1.94 20% PG 0.014 1.66 20% Glycerine 0.010 1.52 20% PEG 400 0.027 1.93 10% Tween 20 0.030 1.26 10% Tween 80 0.028 1.33 5% SLS N/A 3.66 5% MC N/A 2.73 20% HPβCD 0.049 2.96 20% SBEβCD 0.050 5.20
[0055] Table 1 shows the result of a precipitation study for two oral formulations, 1 mg/ml carbendazim buffered solution at pH 2 and 2 mg/ml carbendazim in 5% buffered MC solution at pH 2. It is evident from Table 1 that both above formulations did not precipitate in Seven Up and water at dilutions varying from 10 to 250 times. The final pHs of the diluted solutions were also measured and listed in Table 1. When the formulation is diluted to the point at which the concentration of hydrogen ion or hydroxide ion is not sufficient to maintain the solubility of the drug above the concentration present, precipitation will occur. Therefore, soda and water can be used efficiently to administer the above formulations orally. The dramatic shift in the pH of the formulations from 2 to 6.9 is responsible for the precipitation when diluted with pH 7 buffer solution by 1:10 ratio. However, when diluted 100 and 250 times with pH 7 buffer solution no precipitation is observed visually. On observation under the microscope, the formulations diluted 100 times did show some small crystals of the drug.
[0056] Table 2 summarizes the solubility of carbendazim in different vehicles at pH 7 and pH 2.
[0057] Mouse Study
[0058] The bioavailability of carbendazim was studied in the mouse. An intravenous dose, a formulation of carbendazim in corn oil, and a formulation of carbendazim in phosphoric acid corresponding to the phosphoric acid concentration in Emetrol were each given to a mouse. The blood levels versus time profile of the Emetrol formulation is shown in FIG. 10. The blood level on the graph is indicative of the amount of drug absorbed divided by the blood volume of the mouse. The 75% bioavailability of carbendazim from the Emetrol formulation is more than ten times greater than that of the corn oil formulation
TABLE 3 Cmax Route Formulation Dose (mg/mL) % Bioavailability IV — 6.4 μg 15 100% PO (by mouth) Corn oil 132.0 mg 15-20 4.8-6.4% PO (by mouth) Emetrol 4.7 mg 7 75%
[0059] Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention. For example, pharmaceutically acceptable additives other than those specifically mentioned may be used to improve the water solubility of the weak bases. In addition, weak bases other than those specifically exemplified may be used without undue experimentation using the guidance presented herewith. All references cited herein are incorporated by reference to the extent not inconsistent with the disclosure herewith. | A pharmaceutical composition for administration to mammals comprising: a weak base compound having a compound pKa below about 7; an acidic buffer with a buffer pKa below 7; and optional pharmaceutically acceptable additives, wherein the composition has a pH below about 4 is provided. Preferred pharmaceutically active compounds are imidazole derivatives, pyridine derivatives, and aniline derivatives. The pharmaceutical compositions have greater water solubility than the weak base. | 0 |
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
[0001] The invention relates to footbath systems for livestock, including methods for treating hooves of livestock.
[0002] The invention arose during continuing development efforts directed toward treatment of the hooves of dairy animals as they enter and/or exit a milking parlor. The invention provides improvements in such systems, and is applicable to various livestock, including dairy animals, including cows, goats, sheep, buffalo, and to other livestock including horses and cattle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0003] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a livestock footbath system in accordance with the invention.
[0004] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a water and chemical supply system for the footbath of FIG. 1 .
[0005] FIG. 3 is a perspective view from a different angle of a portion of FIG. 2 .
[0006] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the footbath of FIG. 1 .
[0007] FIG. 5 is like FIG. 4 and shows a further embodiment.
[0008] FIG. 6 is a top elevation view of the footbath of FIG. 4 .
[0009] FIG. 7 is a side elevation view of the footbath of FIG. 4 .
[0010] FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 7 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] FIG. 1 shows a footbath system 20 for livestock, including dairy animals such as 22 . A footbath pan 24 is provided for livestock to walk through. The pan has an inlet manifold 25 , FIGS. 1 , 4 , for receiving footbath liquid, and walls 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 containing the footbath liquid therein, for example as shown at 34 . A combined water containing and chemical mixing tank 36 , FIGS. 2 , 3 , is separate from pan 24 . Tank 36 receives water from a water source 38 , and receives one or more chemicals from one or more chemical sources such as 40 for mixing in tank 36 to provide a pre-mixed footbath liquid. Tank 36 supplies the pre-mixed footbath liquid to pan 24 , to be described.
[0012] Tank 36 , FIG. 2 , has an inlet conduit 42 receiving water from water source 38 . Tank 36 has one or more outlet conduits 44 , 46 , 48 , 50 supplying the pre-mixed footbath liquid to respective footbath pans such as 24 . Tank 36 is disposed in serial fluid flow communication between inlet conduit 42 and outlet conduits 44 - 50 , such that water flows from upstream to downstream from inlet conduit 42 into tank 36 and then from tank 36 to outlet conduits 44 - 50 . Tank 36 isolates outlet conduits 44 - 50 from inlet conduit 42 such that liquid pressure in outlet conduits 44 - 50 supplying pre-mixed footbath liquid to a respective pan such as 24 , e.g. at conduit 44 , FIG. 4 , is isolated from water pressure in inlet conduit 42 supplying water from water source 38 . Each of the outlet conduits 44 - 50 has a respective valve 52 , 54 , 56 , 58 , each having an on-state permitting liquid flow from tank 36 through the respective outlet conduit to the respective pan such as 24 , and having an off-state blocking liquid flow from tank 36 through the respective outlet conduit to the respective pan. A pump 60 , FIGS. 2 , 3 , pumps liquid from tank 36 via drain outlet conduit 62 then through outlet conduits 44 - 50 to a respective pan such as 24 at a pressure independent of water pressure from water source 38 . Valves 52 - 58 are provided in respective outlet conduits 44 - 50 downstream of pump 60 .
[0013] Tank 36 has a chemical inlet conduit 64 , FIG. 2 . Chemical source 40 is a chemical container storing one or more chemicals and supplying the one or more chemicals through chemical conduit 64 to tank 36 . In one embodiment, container 40 is a hopper storing one or more powder chemicals, and chemical conduit 64 includes an auger transporting the powder chemicals to tank 36 . Powder chemicals may be desirable in various applications for the convenience of the dairy farmer enabling him to merely dump the powder into hopper 40 for storage and subsequent usage. The chemicals typically include, but are not limited to, germicides, bacteriacides, other medical treatments, and so on, to treat the hooves of livestock.
[0014] Tank 36 has the noted outlet conduits 62 , 44 - 50 , FIGS. 2 , 3 , supplying the pre-mixed footbath liquid to one or more footbath pans such as 24 , FIG. 4 , 24 a , FIG. 5 , etc. The outlet conduit includes an upstream segment 62 receiving the pre-mixed footbath liquid from tank 36 , and a plurality of parallel downstream segments 44 - 50 receiving the pre-mixed footbath liquid in parallel from upstream segment 62 and supplying the pre-mixed footbath liquid to respective pans such as 24 , 24 a , and so on. Valves 52 - 58 are provided in respective downstream segments 44 - 50 of the outlet conduit.
[0015] In the preferred embodiment, footbath pan 24 is axially elongated along a longitudinal axis 70 , FIGS. 4 , 6 . The noted walls include upstream and downstream end walls 26 and 30 , and a pair of sidewalls 28 and 32 extending axially longitudinally therebetween. End walls 26 , 30 and sidewalls 28 , 32 have a height sufficient to contain footbath liquid around the livestock's hooves. The livestock initially steps into the pan over upstream end wall 26 and then walks axially (rightwardly in FIGS. 1 , 4 , 6 , 7 ) while between sidewalls 28 , 32 and then exits the pan by stepping over downstream end wall 30 . Each of end walls 26 and 30 has a respective length extending laterally along lateral direction 72 between sidewalls 28 and 32 . Each of sidewalls 28 , 32 has a respective length extending longitudinally along longitudinal axial direction 70 between end walls 26 and 30 . The above noted outlet conduit 44 from tank 36 is connected to a pan inlet 74 supplying liquid into pan 24 at manifold 25 .
[0016] A door 76 , FIGS. 4-8 , has a closed position, FIG. 4 , retaining liquid in pan 24 , and has an open position, FIGS. 5 , 7 , 8 , draining liquid from the pan, as shown at arrow 78 . The door forms at least a portion of, and preferably most or all of, a designated one of the noted walls 26 - 32 , preferably downstream end wall 30 . Door 76 preferably has a length of at least 50% of the length of the noted designated wall, e.g. downstream end wall 30 , for reasons noted below. Door 76 has an upper edge 80 pivoted on a hinge 82 about an upper pivot axis, and has a lower edge 84 swingable in an arc 86 about the noted upper pivot axis between the closed position and the open position. Door 76 is preferably at the downstream end wall and extends laterally along lateral direction 72 substantially the entire lateral length of downstream end wall 30 , which in the preferred embodiment enhances desired flow, noted below. Door 76 is actuated between the closed and open positions by pneumatic cylinder 88 .
[0017] Pan inlet 74 , FIG. 4 , preferably supplies liquid in non-turbulent flow into and along pan 24 via inlet manifold 25 . Inlet manifold 25 has one or more flow ports 90 , FIG. 4 , provided by one or more slots or openings or the like, along a given lateral span 91 and preferably discharging liquid at high volume, low velocity flow, namely selected to provide a Reynolds number less than 600,000, to provide non-turbulence. In a further preferred embodiment, the flow is selected to provide a Reynolds number between 300,000 and 600,000, to provide non-turbulent transitional flow. In a yet further preferred embodiment, the flow is selected to provide a Reynolds number less than 300,000, to provide non-turbulent laminar sheet flow. Door 76 is distally opposite flow ports 90 and preferably has a length at least as great as the noted lateral span 91 thereof. In the preferred embodiment, the noted non-turbulent flow is along a rectilinear flow path from the inlet at flow ports 90 to the outlet at door 76 without eddy currents, and further preferably in the noted laminar sheet flow. At the downstream end, if the lateral length of door 76 is not as great as the lateral length of downstream end wall 30 , then it is preferred that tapered ramp surfaces be provided as shown at 92 , 94 , to guide the noted flow in non-turbulent manner, and without eddy currents, to door 76 .
[0018] The present system provides a method for treating hooves of livestock, including dairy animals. The method includes the steps of providing a footbath system including a footbath pan 24 for livestock to walk through, the pan having walls 26 - 32 containing footbath liquid therein, providing a combined water containing and chemical mixing tank 36 separate from pan 24 , supplying water from a water source to the tank, supplying one or more chemicals from a chemical source 40 to the tank, mixing the water and the one or more chemicals in the tank to provide a pre-mixed footbath liquid, and supplying the pre-mixed footbath liquid from the tank to the pan. The method includes providing the tank with an inlet conduit 42 receiving water from the water source 38 , providing the tank with an outlet conduit 62 , 44 - 50 , supplying the pre-mixed footbath liquid to one or more pans 24 , 24 a , etc., disposing the tank 36 in serial fluid flow communication between inlet conduit 42 and outlet conduit 62 , 44 - 50 , supplying water to flow from upstream to downstream from inlet conduit 42 into tank 36 and then from tank 36 to outlet conduit 62 , 44 - 50 , isolating outlet conduit 62 , 44 - 50 from inlet conduit 42 by tank 36 therebetween such that liquid pressure in outlet conduit 62 , 44 - 50 supplying the pre-mixed footbath liquid to pans 24 , 24 a , etc., is isolated from water pressure in inlet conduit 42 from water source 38 . The method further includes providing tank 36 with a chemical inlet conduit 64 , providing the chemical source 40 as a chemical container storing one or more chemicals, and supplying the one or more chemicals from the container 40 through the chemical conduit 64 to tank 36 . The method further includes providing the container 40 as a hopper, storing one or more powder chemicals in the hopper, providing the chemical conduit 64 as an auger, and transporting powder chemicals with the auger to tank 36 . The method further includes providing the pan with a door 76 having a closed position retaining liquid in the pan, and having an open position draining liquid from the pan, providing the pan with an inlet 74 including inlet manifold 25 , and supplying liquid from the inlet manifold 25 at flow ports 90 in non-turbulent flow into and along pan 24 . The method includes supplying the liquid in non-turbulent flow into and along pan 24 in each of the noted closed and open positions of door 76 .
[0019] In one embodiment, the system has a drain mode, a flush mode, and a fill mode. In the drain mode, the method preferably includes opening door 76 without liquid flow into pan 24 at inlet 74 . In the flush mode, the method preferably includes opening door 76 and supplying liquid in non-turbulent flow from the inlet at flow ports 90 into and along pan 24 . In the fill mode, the method preferably includes closing door 76 and supplying the liquid at inlet 74 in non-turbulent flow into and along pan 24 . In the fill mode, the method further preferably includes additionally supplying one or more chemicals into pan 24 through the same inlet 74 and same manifold 25 and same flow ports 90 supplying water into the pan in non-turbulent flow.
[0020] The present system desirably eliminates high velocity jet nozzle flow into the pan, and consequent turbulence and eddy currents. Prior art systems typically include an agitation phase prior to the drain phase, wherein high velocity turbulent and eddy current flow is used for agitation, followed by draining and flushing. The present system desirably eliminates turbulent agitation and eddy current flow because of undesirable splatter and jet spray, and undesirable release of bacteria and odor upon break-up and/or dissolution of manure and the like. Laterally elongated door 76 is desired over prior smaller discharge orifices because door 76 facilitates easy drainage without agitation and turbulence. The high volume, low velocity inlet flow at ports 90 at Reynolds number less than 600,000, and preferably less than 300,000 to provide laminar sheet flow, is further desired because it enables the noted chemicals to be introduced through the same inlet flow ports 90 as the water, without requiring a second separate set of one or more chemical inlets as in the prior art using a first set of high velocity jet nozzle ports for water inlet, and a second set of ports for chemical inlet.
[0021] In another embodiment, one or more liquid chemical containers 102 , 104 , 106 , FIG. 2 , may be used instead of, or in addition to, powder chemical container 40 . The liquid chemicals are pumped by respective pumps 108 , 110 , 112 through respective conduits 114 and 116 , 118 and 120 , 122 and 124 , from respective storage tank containers 102 , 104 , 106 to mixing tank 36 . The footbath liquid may include water plus one or more chemicals, or water only, or one or more chemicals only. The system may be manually controlled, or in another embodiment may be automated including a control panel 126 or the like responsive to livestock count, sensed chemical conditions in the footbaths, timing patterns, including time of day or week, and so on. In a further embodiment, one or more of the footbaths may have folding hatch doors such as 128 , 130 , FIG. 5 , for closing and covering the footbath when not in use. In further embodiments, auger 64 may instead be a conveyor or some other transport mechanism transporting chemicals therealong to tank 36 . In further embodiments, the various chemical inlets may be unused or not connected, e.g. for a water-only flush, fill, etc., wherein tank 36 only contains water, which water is the sole constituent of the footbath liquid.
[0022] In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. The different configurations, systems, and method steps described herein may be used alone or in combination with other configurations, systems and method steps. It is to be expected that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims. | A footbath system for livestock includes a water and/or chemical containment tank, a footbath pan with a drainage exit door, non-turbulent flow, and a multiple branch system. | 0 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an electronic life detection system using microwaves reflected by a living being and modulated by its body oscillations, having a microwave transmitting/receiving device for generating and radiating the microwaves and also for receiving and conditioning the reflection signal by elimination of the reflected signal contained in unmodulated form in the received signal by a first signal-conditioning device and also having an indicating device for outputting the indication results.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known to use the wave field emanating from a person in an analogous way as a detection field.
For example, such an electronic surveillance system based on the infrared radiation emanating from persons is described in DE 38 32 428 A1.
Finally, the use of microwave radiation for movement detection on open land or inside premises which is based on the modulation of a microwave beam by objects moving in the area exposed to the radiation is also known.
Furthermore, also known are search devices which operate with microwaves and are used for locating persons cut off from the outside world by earthquakes or avalanches.
The use of microwaves for locating buried persons is based on the fact that microwaves are to some extent capable of penetrating rubble and rock debris and that the reflected components exhibit different characteristics, depending on the material.
K. Chen et al. "An X-band microwave life-detection system", IEEE Transactions on biomedical engineering, Vol. BME 33, No. 7, July 1986 discloses such an electronic life detector, operating with microwaves, as mentioned above.
In the case of this electronic life detector, microwaves of a certain frequency are continuously radiated into a spatial area to be investigated.
If there is a living person there, the signal reflected from the scanned area has an unmodulated component and a component modulated by the body functions, specifically breathing and heartbeat, of the person cut off from the outside world. The unmodulated component of the reflected signal is eliminated by a compensation loop which can be controlled in its phase and attenuation constant.
The informational content of the modulated component of the reflected signal is thus selected by a phase comparison with the emitted (scanning) signal.
In the cited publication there is also described a modification of the process suitable for contactless patient monitoring which makes do without a directional aerial and with an output power of 0.1 mW.
This known apparatus is, however, suitable only to a limited extent for use under unfavourable conditions in which the received reflection signals are very weak and/or fluctuating greatly in their intensity, and in particular for a preventive surveillance of buildings.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,751 discloses an apparatus in which the microwaves radiating through a living body are subjected to a frequency analysis. This process is not suitable, however, for the detection of living beings, since a building or an area where people are buried is not usually accessible from opposing sides.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is therefore based on the object of providing an electronic life detection system of the generic type mentioned at the beginning which, by virtue of extended application capabilities, is suitable under unfavourable conditions and, in particular, for the surveillance of buildings.
This object is achieved by an electronic life detection system using microwaves reflected by a living being and modulated by its body oscillations, having a microwave transmitting/receiving device for generating and radiating the microwaves and also for receiving and conditioning the reflection signal by elimination of the reflected signal contained in unmodulated form in the received signal by a first signal-conditioning device and also having an indicating device for outputting the indication results, characterized by a second signal-conditioning device, which is arranged downstream of the microwave transmitting/receiving device and subjects the microwave signal processed by the first signal-conditioning device to a frequency analysis.
The invention embraces a recognition of the idea that the presence or identity of persons or other living beings can be detected on the basis of the modulated component of the reflected microwave signal if it is subjected to a frequency analysis. The frequency spectrum forms a type of "electronic fingerprint" of the living being with characteristic features, which on the one hand permits a detection by comparison with stored patterns, but on the other hand also permits a distinction between different living beings.
It can be advantageously used for increasing accuracy in the detection of living beings, preferably persons, present in buildings without authorization or else in recognising the identity of living beings.
In the case of the electronic life detection system according to the invention, the receiving circuit is designed such that it permits a measurement even in the case of very small signal-to-noise ratios and without overdriving.
Consequently, an unfalsified sensing of the modulation frequencies (i.e. consequently of the underlying body-oscillation frequencies) of living beings present in the area to be investigated is possible, and consequently--depending on the area of application--so too is their identification and/or the establishing of their physical condition.
For this purpose, advantageously an automatic sensitivity control is provided.
Furthermore, the system is designed such that the microwave transmitting/receiving device is followed downstream by a signal conditioning device, which subjects the received signal, pre-conditioned within the receiving device, to a frequency and/or correlation analysis.
The system preferably has--in particular if used for surveillance tasks in which it is required to distinguish between persons or detect their current physical condition--a first and second memory device for storing model or actual signal values respectively and a comparator unit for comparing the signal quantities taken from the memory devices and for outputting a signal characterizing the result of the comparison to an indicating device.
For carrying out the data comparison, it is of particular advantage if the signals determined, sensed in the time domain, are subjected to a frequency analysis, in particular in the form of a fast Fourier transformation (FFT). The FFT-conditioned signals in this case respectively represent a frequency spectrum.
The accuracy of detection is increased in an advantageous way by the scanning of a building to be subjected to surveillance being performed by scanning in the sense of a spatial scanning with a highly concentrated microwave beam by means of a correspondingly designed directional aerial with variable alignment. The changing of the alignment of the aerial is in this case preferably performed electronically.
According to a preferred configuration of the invention, the electronic surveillance system for the mobile surveillance of a plurality of buildings for the purpose of detecting persons who have entered one or more of these buildings without authorization has first and second memory devices, the memory addresses Z 1 to Z n of which are assigned to the individual buildings to be subjected to surveillance and the memory content of which comprises signal quantities relating to building-specific features for the normal situation, premises-related security measures for the event of unauthorized use of a building, time-variable occupancy and use criteria, positional data of the buildings in the respective area of land and of the location of a vehicle for carrying out the mobile surveillance and building-specific additional information.
After compensation of their unmodulated component and automatic level setting, the microwaves reflected from the building and picked up by the mobile detector of the surveillance system are subjected to a fast Fourier transformation and then compared with the signal quantities available in the memory device and assigned to the same building or section of building or land.
In the signal processing unit, a device is provided for the optional accumulation of a plurality of measuring signals, which is put into operation if the signal-to-noise ratio of an individual measurement is not adequate for obtaining a Fourier transform which is comparable with respect to noise with the one which is stored.
The memory devices are designed such that they can be cyclically driven by a multiplexer. Putting the sending and receiving devices into operation and reading out the building-specific signal quantities from the memory devices of the surveillance system is always performed whenever the vehicle used for mobile surveillance has taken up a location which is defined and can be checked by a separate control system.
For setting off an alarm owing to persons present in the building without authorization, it is necessary that the deviation of the stored (model) signal quantities from the detected (actual) signal quantities satisfies predetermined criteria or--more simply--exceeds a certain amount.
A comparator unit, operating in an advantageous way by a correlation method, and a suitably dimensioned threshold stage bring about the required setting off of the alarm, for instance on an indicating device, when there is a corresponding signal-quantity deviation. For the reading out of the signal data, in particular of the positional data for the individual buildings, from the second memory device there is provided a multiplexer, which is driven by a random generator. As a result, in an advantageous way, a manipulation of the sequence of surveillance of the individual premises--and consequently of the constitution of a control journey--is avoidable and results in an increase in the effectiveness of the surveillance measures.
Advantageous further developments of the invention are characterized in subclaims and/or are presented in more detail below together with the description of the preferred configuration of the invention with reference to the figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1a shows a block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the invention in schematized representation,
FIG. 1b shows the schematized representation of the microwave transmitting/receiving device shown in FIG. 1a,
FIG. 1c shows the schematized representation of the signal processing device shown in FIG. 1b,
FIG. 2 shows the schematized representation of a detail of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 shows the schematized representation of a first signal memory of the embodiment,
FIG. 4 shows the schematized representation of a second signal memory of the embodiment,
FIG. 5 shows an advantageous configuration of the display device corresponding to the embodiment and
FIG. 6 shows a representation of detected signal data which, on the basis of the modulation of reflected microwave components, serve for the detection of persons or domestic animals.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 1a a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the electronic surveillance system is represented in schematized form, the main elements of which are a microwave transmitting/receiving device 9 with a transmitter 9.1 and a receiver 9.2, a first and a second memory device 2 and 4, in which the main surveillance-specific quantities of data of individual buildings to be subjected to surveillance are stored, and a comparator unit 11.
By means of an aerial 23, the transmitter 9.1 transmits into the area to be subjected to surveillance a surveillance signal which, partially reflected in the said area, is fed as a received signal via the aerial 23 to the receiver 9.2. From there, it passes to a conditioning unit, which obtains from it an actual signal quantity 10.1.
The first memory device 2 sends signal quantities 2.1 and 2.3 (building features under normal conditions and current occupancy criteria for a particular building Z x ) to the comparator unit 11, which is also sent the actual signal quantity 10.1.
The comparator unit is designed such that it executes a comparison of the model signal quantities with the associated actual signal quantity by a correlation method on the basis of frequency spectra formed from the signal quantities by fast Fourier transformation.
The result of the comparison is fed to a threshold switch 12. The exceeding of a degree of permissible deviation between the model and actual signal quantities characterizing the building to be subjected to surveillance, predetermined in advance to avoid any false alarm caused by measuring errors, results in activation of the switching stage 13, by which the signal quantities 2.2 (premises-related security measures from the first memory device 2) and 4.1 (building-specific additional information from the second memory device 4) pass via a summing circuit 14 to the alarm-signalling device or indicating unit 7, where the setting off of an alarm is performed with a simultaneous display of all information relevant for service personnel (cf. the description with respect to FIG. 5).
The reading out of the signal quantities from the memory addresses assigned to the individual buildings Z 1 to Z n is performed from the two memory devices 2 and 4 in each case by an external control 3 and 19, respectively.
The control 19 for the memory device 4 with the signal quantities 4.2 (positional data of the buildings to be subjected to surveillance) comprises a cyclical multiplexer 5 and a random generator 6 driving the latter. The selection of the building to undergo a control check first and of the buildings subsequently to undergo control checks is in this way performed randomly and, advantageously, in a way safeguarded against any manipulation.
The positional data 4.2 are displayed on the indicating unit 7 and at the same time fed to a further comparator unit 15, which by means of a navigation system 16 allocates to the mobile microwave transmitting/receiving device installed in a vehicle the predetermined location for the specific surveillance task.
Once this location has been taken up, the transmitter 9.1 and the receiver 9.2 are switched on. The result of location comparison is fed at the same time to a gate circuit 8, which is also connected to the comparator unit 11. If the recognition signal quantities of the building concerned are verified by the comparator unit and if the microwave transmitting/receiving device 9 is in operation, the cyclical multiplexer 3 is stopped precisely at the memory address Z x which corresponds to the building specifically under investigation.
Consequently, if there is a firm degree of deviation between the model signal quantities 2.1, 2.3 and the actual signal quantity 10.1, for the purpose of issuing alarm information, the signal quantities 2.2 (security measures on establishing unauthorized use of the building) are displayed together with the positional data and building-specific additional information on the indicating or alarm-signalling device 7.
Practical results have shown that, surprisingly, in a frequency range from 1.3 to 1.6 GHz the microwave power required for measuring body signals through structural surrounds is particularly low, so that this frequency range is particularly well suited for a surveillance system.
FIG. 1b shows the configuration of the microwave transmitting/receiving device 9 in details.
The device 9 is controlled by a control 900. In response to a corresponding command of the control 900 a microwave generator 901 emits a microwave signal with a power of 20 mW, which is fed to an amplifier 902, which amplifies it to a power of 200 mW. The output of the said amplifier is connected to a directional or voltage coupler 903, which branches off part of the signal power, while the main part is fed via a power control stage 904 to a circulator 905 and from the latter to a combined transmitting/receiving aerial 23, via which the microwaves are radiated into the area to be subjected to surveillance.
The aerial has a pronounced directional characteristic and is guided step by step over a spatial area to be subjected to surveillance--in dependence on the size of the area and the distance of the measuring vehicle from the latter--by an aerial control 906 known per se. The required data are fed to the aerial control from the comparator unit 15, which receives them in the way described above.
The microwave signals reflected from the area to be subjected to surveillance are received by the aerial 23 and passed to the directional or voltage coupler 909 where the component of the transmitted signal removed in the directional coupler 903 and adjusted in amplitude and phase in the attenuator 907 and the controllable phase shifter 908 is added to the received signal such that the unmodulated component of the received signal and the branched-off transmitted signal cancel each other out, so that only the modulated component of the received signal remains for further signal processing.
This signal is fed to a modulator 912, where it is modulated with a modulation voltage generated by an audio-frequency generator 910, likewise controlled by means of the control 900, and fed via an adding stage 911, the function of which is explained further below.
The signal passes via a microwave preamplifier 913, a demodulator 914, a narrow-band amplifier 915, a rectifier 916 and a low-frequency amplifier 917 to a branching point, from which it is fed on the one hand via a band-pass filter 919 finally to the second signal processing unit 10, on the other hand via an automatic gain control circuit 918 of the conventional type to the adding stage 911. There, it is impressed onto the modulation voltage which is then fed to the modulator 912.
The additional modulation of the modulated component of the microwave received signal with an audio-frequency voltage obtained in its amplitude by a feedback from the signal itself serves for automatically ensuring an optimum operating range of the stages 913 to 919 and consequently for improving the signal-to-noise ratio and for preventing overdriving in the signal preprocessing path, which would falsify the measured frequency spectra and consequently have terrible effects on the information value of the subsequently obtained actual signals.
FIG. 1c shows a schematized construction of the signal processing unit 10 more precisely. The unit 10 is controlled by a control (CPU) 100, which also controls the control 900 of the transmitting/receiving device 9.
The signal from the band-pass filter 919 passes to a spectral analyzer 101 with digital signal processor hardware or software which executes in a known way a frequency analysis by fast Fourier transformation (FFT) of the signal for transforming from the time domain into the frequency domain. The transformed signal is at the same time stored in a RAM 102 and fed to a display 104 for visual display for the operator and to a comparator 103. The display 104 may in this case also be identical to the indicating device 7.
In the case of an embodiment designed especially for rescue tasks, the indicating device(s) of the life detection system is (are), moreover, also advantageously assigned an acoustic indicator, and/or optical indicator producing a clear signalling effect, for the reception of modulated signals--i.e. the accomplished detection of living persons--independently of their more precise evaluation. The drive signal for such a signal generator may be picked up after the band-pass filter 919 or after the spectral analyzer 101.
The comparator 103 also receives from a calibration signal generator 105 a signal of which the signal-to-noise ratio corresponds to a value required for correct further processing in the comparator 11. This signal is obtained, for example, from model signals 2.3 stored in the memory device 2.
If the signal-to-noise ratio of the measuring signal is less than that of the calibration signal, or than a predetermined minimum value, the comparator emits a signal identifying this fact to the CPU, which thereupon instructs the control 900 of the transmitting/receiving device to execute a further measuring operation. The measuring signal obtained as a result of this in turn passes into the spectral analyzer 101, the memory 102 (where it is deposited in a different memory location than the first measuring signal) and the display 104. However, at the initiation of the CPU 100, it does not pass directly to the comparator 103, but is fed jointly with the first measuring signal from the memory 102 to a spectra accumulator 106, known per se, where it is superimposed with the first measuring signal and, as a result, the signal-to-noise ratio is improved. The spectrum obtained in the spectra accumulator 106 is fed to the comparator and checked as to whether it has the required signal-to-noise ratio. If this is the case, the CPU 100 instructs the comparator 100 to output the spectrum to the comparator 11 and instructs the control 900 to wait for a new control command. If the signal-to-noise ratio is not yet adequate, the measurement is repeated and the measuring result accumulated until the required value has been reached or the operation is aborted.
An input device 107 serves for the abortion of the measuring operation and for the input of operator commands controlling the signal processing.
FIG. 2 shows an advantageous embodiment of the gate circuit 8 described in FIG. 1.
The gate circuit 8 includes an AND gate 18, the inputs of which are connected on the one hand directly to the threshold stage 12 of the first comparator unit (reference 11 in FIG. 1) and on the other hand via a negator 17 to the comparator unit 15 for the control of the measuring locations.
Once the correct location for the measuring has been taken up, i.e. model and actual recognition signal quantities of the spatial area to be investigated match, the AND gate 18 switches through, and the cyclical multiplexer 3 stops at the memory location Z x assigned to the spatial area currently to be subjected to surveillance of the first memory device (reference 2 in FIG. 1), the content of which can be displayed.
In FIGS. 3 and 4 the construction of the first and second memory devices 2 and 4 is represented in schematized form. For a surveillance area of n buildings, each of the two matrix memories contains n rows which are denoted by Z 1 to Z n and are respectively assigned to one of the buildings. The signal quantities 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 relate--in this sequence--to building-specific features (feature signal), premises-related security measures (general signal criteria) and body-oscillation spectra of all persons or domestic animals normally present in the building. The matrix memory 4 likewise contains, row by row, assigned to the individual buildings, the positional data 4.2 and additional information 4.1, by which, for example, control times can be predetermined.
A favourable form of representation of the result of surveillance and--in the event of an alarm--of alarm information is represented in FIG. 5 as a display of the indicating unit 7.
The display is divided into three indicating areas 20, 21, 22 in which textual information is respectively displayed. The upper area 20 is intended for an indication of the position of the building and the measuring locations to be taken up. At the same time, a control note on the surveillance respectively carried out is indicated (and stored). In the middle indicating area 21, there appears in the given case as a result of the evaluation of the model signal quantities with the actual signal quantities an alarm indication and a display of relevant security or else rescue measures which are to be carried out in the event of an alarm, taking into account special building-specific circumstances. The third display field 22 serves for indicating the quality of the signal transmission and consequently of the information on the requirement, if need be, for the surveillance operation to be repeated.
In FIG. 6, to illustrate the measuring principle, the measuring result of a direct microwave detection of the breathing of a person is represented in the form of a diagram. The amplitude-time diagram 24 shows the normal breathing rhythm of a male person for the time range of 1 minute. The frequency spectrum 23 derived from this waveform by means of a Fourier transformation shows in the first quarter of the represented normalised frequency range three characteristic peaks, the frequency position and amplitude value of which are specific to the individual person.
A refined measuring technique allows on this basis the preparation of individual, fingerprint-like body oscillations, the characteristic features of which--in particular frequency components from harmonics--allow the identification of a person even independently of their current breathing and heart rhythm. On this basis, the model signal quantity which is, for instance, underlying a surveillance includes the body-oscillation patterns of all persons and/or animals justifiably present in a building or section of a building in question. Within the scope of a reference measurement, in which all entitled persons are present in the building, the model signal quantity can be coherently determined or else synthesised from individual, separately recorded body-oscillation spectra of entitled persons. If frequency patterns which are atypical for the authorized persons occur in the measured actual signal quantity, this means the presence of an unauthorized person.
Similarly, information on the physical condition of detected persons--for instance avalanche or earthquake victims--can be obtained from the body-oscillation spectra even before they are saved, which permits a precise determination of the required rescue measures.
A metrologically less refined surveillance system within the scope of the invention comprises the assignment of an identifying signal generator to each person authorized to be present in a section to be subjected to surveillance, if need be also to domestic animals. Such an identifying signal generator emits an identifying signal which can be sensed by means of the microwave scanning of the area in question, is detected together with the body oscillations of the persons and/or animals authorized to be present in this area and identifies the said persons or animals in the frequency pattern as authorized persons or animals. If components without identifying signal assignment then occur in the frequency pattern, these are to be assigned to an unauthorized person or animal and result in an alarm being set off. In a specific development, the identifying signal generator is an infrasonic transmitter--expediently variable in its frequency--which delivers a characteristic frequency peak close to the body-oscillation fundamental frequencies, which is easily detectable by the microwave receiver.
In the case of this latter variant, no individual body-oscillation patterns have to be recorded from the authorized persons and/or animals and evaluated, instead a measuring device operating substantially in the range of the fundamental oscillations suffices.
A further development of the invention is that the surveillance system is not mobile but installed in a fixed place. This dispenses with some of the functional groups and process steps described in the above exemplary embodiment, in particular those associated with the correct localisation of the building to be subjected to surveillance and of the measuring vehicle.
In special configurations, it is also possible to dispense with a directional aerial and its control and to radiate and record the measuring signal by means of simple, even fixedly installed, metal surfaces. | The invention relates to an electronic life detection system, in particular for the searching for buried persons and the surveillance of buildings, having a microwave transmitting/receiving device for generating and radiating microwaves into an area to be investigated and for registering the microwave signal reflected from the area under surveillance and modulated with the frequencies corresponding to the life functions of any living beings present in the area, which device has a first signal-conditioning device, and a second signal-conditioning device. | 0 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to improving the operating stability of blue light-emitting phosphor materials used for full color ac electroluminescent displays employing thick film dielectric layers with a high dielectric constant. More specifically, the invention relates to improved rare earth activated thin film barium thioaluminate phosphors laminated with one or more silicon oxynitride layers.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] Thick film dielectric electroluminescent devices as exemplified by Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,015 exhibit superior characteristics to that of traditional TFEL displays. High performance red, green and blue phosphor materials have been developed for use with thick film dielectric structures to provide increased luminance performance. These phosphor materials include europium activated barium thioaluminate based materials for blue emission, terbium activated zinc sulfide, manganese activated magnesium zinc sulfide or europium activated calcium thioaluminate based materials for green emission, as well as traditional manganese activated zinc sulfide that can be appropriately filtered for red emission.
[0003] The thin film phosphor materials used for red, green and blue sub-pixels must be patterned using photolithographic techniques employing solvent solutions for high resolution displays. Traces of these solutions remaining in the display following photolithographic processing together with reaction of moisture or oxygen present in the processing environment may react chemically with certain phosphor materials that are sensitive to oxidation or hydrolysis reactions to cause performance degradation of the completed display. Continued chemical reactions during operation of the display may cause continued performance degradation thereby shortening the life of the display.
[0004] To overcome such performance degradation problems, researchers have proposed the use of various silicon materials including silicon nitride (Si 3 N 4 ), silicon oxide (SiO 2 ) and silicon oxynitride (SiON) as insulators in conjunction with phosphor materials to help decrease degradation of the phosphor. Insulator or barrier layers of these materials are traditionally taught for use with zinc sulfide phosphors in TFEL, OLED and EL devices as exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,188,565, 4,721,631, 4,774,435, 4,880,661, 4,897,319, 4,954,747, 5,598,059, 5,644,190, 6,322,860, 6,388,378 and 6,392,334 as well as by U.S. Patent Application Nos. 2001/0055458, 2002/0001733, 2002/0005506, 2002/0006051, 2002/0037430 and 2002/0084464 and in Mikami et al., (Proceedings of the 6 th International Conference on the Science and Technology of Display Phosphors (2000) pp 61-64) and J. Ohwaki et al., (Review of the Electrical Communications laboratories Vol. 35, 1987).
[0005] Silicon materials have also been suggested for use as a film insulating layer on top of a barium magnesium oxythioaluminate phosphor used within EL panels as for example disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0031685.
[0006] The Applicant's U.S. Patent Application No. 2002/0094451 teaches that silicon oxynitride is not desirable for use as an insertion layer with an europium activated barium thioaluminate phosphor but rather that barium titanate is suitable as it provides for superior luminance and increased barrier properties for the diffusion of contaminant species such as lead from the thick dielectric layer into the phosphor. Therefore one skilled in the art would be discouraged to use silicon oxynitride (SiON) with thioaluminate phosphors based on the teachings of the prior art.
[0007] While the aforementioned references and patents may teach the use of a conventional silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride as “barrier” or “insulator” material for the purpose of preventing reaction of a zinc sulfide phosphor with water from the ambient environment or some other “stabilizing” type function, there remains a need to provide an improved rare earth activated alkaline earth thioaluminate phosphors used in thick dielectric film electroluminescent displays in order to provide both improved luminance and a long operating life with minimal degradation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention relates to a thick film dielectric electroluminescent device employing a thin film alkaline earth thioaluminate phosphor doped with a rare earth activator species that has a long operating life with minimal luminance degradation. The improved operating life is achieved by providing adjacent the phosphor film, one or more silicon oxynitride passivating layers having a limited quantity of oxygen.
[0009] The silicon oxynitride passivating layers of the invention may be represented as Si 3 N x O y H z where 2≦x≦4, 0≦y≦2 and 0≦z≦1. The silicon oxynitride layers of the invention may also comprise a composite material containing two or more of such silicon oxynitride compositions having different values of x, y and z. The anions (N, O and H) within the composition of the layer must be sufficiently strongly bonded within the layer so as not to migrate into the phosphor layer during device fabrication or operation.
[0010] The alkaline earth thioaluminate phosphor may comprise a material of the form AB x C y :RE where A is at least one of Mg, Ca, Sr or Ba, B is at least one of Al, Ga or In and C is least one of S or Se and where 2≦x≦4 and 4≦y≦7. The thioaluminate phosphor may also include oxygen at a relative atomic concentration that is less than 25 atomic percent. The RE is selected from one or more rare earth activator species that generate the required light spectrum and is preferably Eu or Ce.
[0011] According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided an improved phosphor structure for a thick dielectric film electroluminescent device, said structure comprising;
a rare earth activated alkaline earth thioaluminate phosphor thin film layer; a silicon oxynitride layer provided directly adjacent the top and/or bottom of said phosphor thin film layer, wherein said silicon oxynitride layer comprises a composition of Si 3 N x O y N z where 2≦x≦4, 0<y≦2 and 0≦z≦1.
[0014] According to another aspect of the invention is a thick film dielectric electroluminescent device comprising;
a thin thioaluminate phosphor layer of formula AB x C y :RE where A is at least one of Mg, Ca, Sr or Ba, B is at least one of Al, Ga or In and C is least one of S or Se, 2≦x≦4 and 4≦y≦7 and Re is selected from terbium and europium; and a passivating silicon oxynitride layer provided directly adjacent the top and/or bottom of said phosphor thin film layer, wherein said silicon oxynitride layer comprises a composition of Si 3 N x O y H z where 2≦x≦4, 0<y≦2 and 0≦z≦1.
[0017] According to yet another aspect of the present invention is a phosphor laminate for use in a thick film dielectric electroluminescent display, said laminate comprising;
a rare earth activated alkaline earth thioaluminate phosphor thin film layer; a silicon oxynitride layer provided directly adjacent the top of said phosphor thin film layer, wherein said silicon oxynitride layer comprises a composition of Si 3 N x O y H z where 2≦x≦4, 0<y≦2 and 0≦z≦1.
[0020] According to still another aspect of the present invention is a phosphor laminate for use in a thick film dielectric electroluminescent display, said laminate comprising;
a rare earth activated alkaline earth thioaluminate phosphor thin film layer; a silicon oxynitride layer provided directly adjacent the top and the bottom of said phosphor thin film layer, wherein said silicon oxynitride layer comprises a composition of Si 3 N x O y H z where 2≦x≦4, 0<y≦2 and 0≦z≦1.
[0023] According to yet another aspect of the present invention is a phosphor laminate for use in a thick film dielectric electroluminescent display, said laminate comprising;
a rare earth activated alkaline earth thioaluminate phosphor thin film layer; a silicon oxynitride layer provided directly adjacent the bottom of said phosphor thin film layer, wherein said silicon oxynitride layer comprises a composition of Si 3 N x O y H z where 2≦x≦4, 0<y≦2 and 0≦z≦1.
[0026] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples while indicating embodiments of the invention are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from said detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] The present invention will become more fully understood from the description given herein, and from the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and do not limit the intended scope of the invention.
[0028] FIG. 1 shows a schematic drawing of the cross section of a thick film dielectric electroluminescent device showing the position of silicon oxynitride layers of the present invention.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a graph comparing the luminance versus cumulative operating time for the thick film dielectric electroluminescent devices having a europium activated barium thioaluminate phosphor annealed in situ in the sputtering chamber in low pressure oxygen and having an adjacent silicon oxynitride layer against a similar devices without the silicon oxynitride layer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0030] The present invention relates to the use of rare earth activated alkaline earth thioaluminate thin film phosphors in a thick film dielectric electroluminescent device where the phosphor film is in contact with at one or both surfaces with a passivating silicon oxynitride layer having a limited quantity of oxygen such that this layer improves the electrical and chemical stability of the phosphor film and its interface with the rest of the electroluminescent device.
[0031] FIG. 1 shows a schematic drawing of the cross section of a thick film dielectric electroluminescent device of the present invention generally indicated by reference numeral 10 . The device 10 has a substrate 12 with a metal conductor layer 14 (ie. gold), a thick film dielectric layer 16 (i.e. PMT-PT) and a smoothing layer 18 (i.e. lead zirconate titanate) thereon. A variety of substrates may be used, as will be understood by persons skilled in the art. In particular, the substrate is a thick film dielectric layer on a ceramic substrate. Examples of such substrates include alumina and glass ceramic composites. A passivating silicon oxynitride layer 20 is shown to be present adjacent the phosphor layer 22 . While this passivating layer 20 is shown on both sides of the phosphor 22 , it is understood that only one such layer either above or below the phosphor may be used. A thin film dielectric layer 24 and then an ITO transport electrode 26 are present above the phosphor.
[0032] The passivating silicon oxynitride layer acts to minimize migration of oxygen into the phosphor material during device operation that may react with the phosphor material to cause performance degradation. The silicon oxynitride layer may provide this function by acting as a barrier to oxygen migration or by reacting with the oxygen to tie it up so that it is no longer available to react with the phosphor to an extent to cause a reduction in device luminance.
[0033] The invention is particularly applicable to electroluminescent devices employing a thick film dielectric layer having a high dielectric constant wherein the thick film dielectric layer is a composite material comprising two or more oxide compounds that may evolve chemical species that are deleterious to phosphor performance in response to thermal processing or device operation and wherein the surface of the thick dielectric is rough on the scale of the phosphor thickness resulting in cracks or pinholes through the device structure and contains voids that may contain or absorb such species, thus contributing to a loss of luminance and operating efficiency over the operating life of the device.
[0034] The silicon oxynitride layers of the invention are represented as Si 3 N x O y H z where 2≦x≦4, 0<y≦2 and 0≦z≦1. As such, silicon nitrides are also encompassed by the present invention. The silicon oxynitride layers of the invention may also comprise a composite material containing two or more of silicon oxynitride compositions having different values of x, y and z. The anions (N, O and H) within the composition of the layer must be sufficiently strongly bonded within the layer so as not to migrate into the phosphor layer during device fabrication or operation. The silicon oxynitride layers may have a thickness of about 30 nm to about 70 nm and any range or ranges in between
[0035] The thioaluminate phosphor used in conjunction with the silicon oxynitride layers comprises a material of the form AB x C y :RE where A is at least one of Mg, Ca, Sr or Ba, B is at least one of Al, Ga or In and C is least one of S or Se and where 2≦x≦4 and 4≦y≦7. The thioaluminate phosphor may also include oxygen at a relative atomic concentration that is less than about 20 atomic percent. RE is one or more rare earth activator species that generate the required light spectrum and is preferably Eu or Ce.
[0036] To ensure that the silicon oxynitride layers adhere well to the phosphor film the composition of the silicon oxynitride should be controlled. The silicon oxynitride layers may be deposited by any suitable method as is understood by one of skill in the art. However, it has been demonstrated that the reactive sputtering of a silicon nitride target in a low pressure nitrogen atmosphere followed by annealing of the film in air provides a proper composition of the films. The ratio of argon to nitrogen is within the range of about 4:1 to 1:1 and the working pressure is maintained within the range of about 8×10 −4 mbar to 6×10 −3 mbar. If the ratio of argon to nitrogen is too low, the deposited film will have a sufficient internal stress and can delaminate after deposition. If the ratio is too high the deposited film may be chemically reactive and have an unacceptably high electrical conductivity.
[0037] The present invention may comprise a variety of embodiments. For example, in a first embodiment of the invention a thick film dielectric electroluminescent device has a thick dielectric layer and a barium thioaluminate phosphor film wherein the ratio of aluminum to barium is between 2 and 4. A silicon oxynitride layer is positioned adjacent the phosphor film and a thin film upper dielectric layer upon which is disposed an indium tin oxide transparent conductor film.
[0038] In a second embodiment of the invention is a thick film dielectric electroluminescent device has a thick dielectric layer and a barium thioaluminate phosphor film wherein the ratio of aluminum to barium is between 2 and 4. A silicon oxynitride layer is positioned adjacent the phosphor film and an indium tin oxide transparent conductor film in place of an upper alumina or other thin film dielectric layer.
[0039] In a third embodiment of the invention a thick film dielectric electroluminescent device has a thick dielectric layer and a barium thioaluminate phosphor film wherein the ratio of aluminum to barium is between 2 and 4. A silicon oxynitride layer is positioned adjacent the phosphor film and the thick dielectric layer so that it is in direct contact with the phosphor film
[0040] In a fourth embodiment of the invention is a thick film dielectric electroluminescent device has a thick dielectric layer and a barium thioaluminate phosphor film wherein the ratio of aluminum to barium is between 2 and 4. Two silicon oxynitride layers are provided, one positioned between the phosphor film and an indium tin oxide transparent conductor film and the other positioned between the phosphor film and the thick dielectric layer so that it is in direct contact with the phosphor film.
[0041] In a fifth embodiment of the present invention a thick film dielectric electroluminescent device is as described in any of the first to fourth embodiments where the phosphor composition that includes magnesium with the ratio of the atomic concentration of magnesium to barium plus magnesium is in the range 0.001 to 0.2.
[0042] In a sixth embodiment of the invention a thick film dielectric electroluminescent device of any of the first to fifth embodiments where the phosphor is activated with trivalent europium or cerium, preferably europium. and wherein the atomic ratio of europium or cerium to barium or barium plus magnesium is in the range of about 0.005 to about 0.04 and preferably in the range of about 0.015 to 0.03.
[0043] While the mechanism by which the silicon oxynitride layers effect the improvement is not fully understood, it is believed that they act as a barrier to chemical species that may cause a reduction in the realizable luminance of the phosphor material by causing a reduction in the efficiency with which electrons are injected into the phosphor film during operation of the device, by causing a reduction in the efficiency with which electrons interact with the activator species in the phosphor material to emit light, or by reducing the efficiency by which light generated in the phosphor is transmitted from the device to provide useful luminance. The degradation may involve reaction of oxygen or water with the phosphor material to change the chemical composition of at least a portion of the phosphor material. Preventing oxygen from reacting with the phosphors may help ensure that the rare earth activator species remain dissolved in the crystal lattice of the host thioaluminate compounds. Reaction of the phosphor with oxygen may cause precipitation of aluminum oxide from the phosphor, causing the remaining material to become more barium rich. It is known many different thioaluminate compounds exist with different ratios of alkaline earth elements to aluminum and that not all of them are efficient phosphor hosts. Further, the rare earth species may come out of solution in the host thioaluminate to precipitate as oxysulfide species such as RE 2 O 2 S where RE represents a rare earth element. The formation of these compounds in a sulfur-bearing environment at very low oxygen partial pressure is well known, as for example described by R. Akila et al in Metallurgical Transactions , Volume 18B (1987) pp. 163-8. The silicon oxynitride layers of the invention may reduce the rate of these reactions by acting as a barrier or a scavenger for oxygen originating from outside of the phosphor layer, for example from within the thick dielectric structure of the device, residual species from chemicals used in the photolithographic processes used to pattern the phosphor and adjacent thin film layers, or the external environment.
[0044] The above disclosure generally describes the present invention. A more complete understanding can be obtained by reference to the following specific Examples. These Examples are described solely for purposes of illustration and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Changes in form and substitution of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient. Although specific terms have been employed herein, such terms are intended in a descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
[0045] A thick dielectric electroluminescent device incorporating thin film phosphor layers comprising barium thioaluminate activated with europium was constructed. The thick film substrate was comprised of a 5 cm by 5 cm alumina substrate having a thickness of 0.1 cm. A gold electrode was deposited on the substrate, followed with a thick film high dielectric constant dielectric layer in accordance with the methods exemplified in Applicant's co-pending international application PCT CA00/00561 filed May 12, 2000 (the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference). A thin film dielectric layer consisting of barium titanate, with a thickness of about 100-200 nanometers, was deposited on top of the thick film dielectric layer using the sol gel technique described in Applicant's co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/761,971 filed Jan. 17, 2001 (the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference).
[0046] A barium thioaluminate phosphor film activated with about 5 atomic percent of europium with respect to barium was reactively sputtered using an Edwards model AUTO 306 sputtering system in a hydrogen sulfide atmosphere on top of the barium titanate layer using an aluminum metal target and a europium doped barium sulfide target according to the methods of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/867,080 filed May 29, 2001 (the entirety of which is incoporated herein by reference). The targets were in the form of 3 inch diameter discs. The deposition was carried out so that the atomic ratio of aluminum to barium in the deposited film was from about 2.6 to about 2.9 as shown in Table 1 below. The substrate during deposition was at a temperature of 250° C. The chamber was initially evacuated to a pressure of 2×10 −5 mbar and then hydrogen sulfide was injected at a rate of 2.5 to 4.5 sccm and argon was injected at a rate of 7 sccm to maintain a gas pressure in the range 1.1 to 1.4×10 −3 mbar during the deposition. The rf power applied to the aluminum target was 200 watts and the power to the barium sulfide target was about 130 watts. The growth rate of the film was 4 to 6 Angstroms per second and the film thickness was in the range of about 360 nm to 420 nm. The atomic ratio of aluminum to barium in the phosphor film, as measured by energy dispersive x-ray analysis on a film deposited under the same conditions on a silicon wafer was found to be about 2.6:1
[0047] Following deposition the deposited phosphor was annealed under nitrogen in a belt furnace with a peak temperature of about 700° C. for about 12 minutes.
[0048] Fifty nanometer thick silicon oxynitride layers were sputter-deposited using a 3 inch cylindrical Si 3 N 4 target. The sputtering atmosphere was maintained by injecting nitrogen at a rate of 3 sccm and argon at 7 sccm into the sputtering chamber to maintain a pressure of 1.1×10 −3 mbar. The substrate was at a temperature of 250° C. during the deposition. The rf power to the sputtering target was 250 watts. The deposition rate was 5 Angstroms per second. Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopic analysis of the film shows that it contains 2 to 20 atomic percent of oxygen coming to the film from the phosphor-silicon nitride interface and residual atmosphere of the deposition chamber. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the film had an amorphous structure.
[0049] Next a 50 nanometer thick alumina layer was deposited and an indium tin oxide upper conductor film was deposited according to the methods of Applicant's co-pending international application PCT CA00/00561 (the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference) and the completed device was annealed in air at about 550° C. and then annealed under nitrogen at about 550° C. following deposition of the indium tin oxide and prior to testing.
[0050] The electroluminescence of the completed device was measured by applying a 240 Hz alternating polarity square wave voltage waveform with a pulse width of 30 nanoseconds and an of amplitude 60 volts about the optical threshold voltage for the device. The data on the initial luminance and time of reduction of the luminance to half of the initial value (half-life) are shown in Table 1. The ratio of the operational half-life over that for a similar device constructed without the silicon oxynitride layer, as shown in Table 1 was about 12.
TABLE I Without silicon With silicon Phosphor oxynitride layer oxynitride layer Half-life Al/Ba Example Luminance, Half-life Luminance Half-life Improvement Ratio Number (cd/m 2 ) (hours) (cd/m 2 ) (hours) Ratio 2.6 1 105 17 118 205 12 2.6 2 105 17 82 190 11 2.9 3 133 6 70 390 65
Example 2
[0051] An electroluminescent device similar to that of example 1, except that the alumina dielectric layer between the silicon oxynitride layer and the indium tin oxide layer was omitted. The performance and life data for this device are shown in the second line of Table 1 and are compared against the performance and life data for a device constructed with an alumina layer in place of the silicon oxynitride layer.
Example 3
[0052] An electroluminescent device similar to that of example 1, except that the silicon oxynitride layer was positioned between the barium titanate dielectric layer and the phosphor layer and between the phosphor layer and the upper alumina layer and that the atomic ratio of aluminum to barium in the phosphor layer was 2.9:1 rather than 2.6:1. The performance and life data for this device are shown in the third line of Table 1 and are compared against the performance and life data for a similar device without the silicon oxynitride layer.
Example 4
[0053] Two electroluminescent devices were constructed similar to that of Example 1, except that instead of the phosphor layers being annealed under nitrogen in a belt furnace following deposition, they were annealed in situ in the sputtering chamber without breaking vacuum. The annealing was done by rotating the devices so that they were adjacent to a radiant heater. The temperature of the devices was monitored using a thermocouple attached to them. The annealing was done for 10 minutes under an oxygen pressure of 8×10 −3 mbar at a temperature of about 825° C. for one of the devices and at a temperature of about 860° C. for the other device. Two additional devices were constructed in a similar manner, but without silicon oxynitride layers. The test method was the same as for Example 1 except that the frequency of the applied voltage during life test was 1200 Hz rather than 240 Hz to accelerate the test. The luminance of these devices versus operating time is shown in FIG. 2 . As can be seen from the figure, the devices annealed at 825° C. and 860° C. that did not have silicon oxynitride layers had half-lives of about 205 hours and 260 hours respectively, whereas the corresponding devices with silicon oxynitride layers had much longer half lives in excess of 2000 hours. This example also illustrates the benefit of annealing the phosphors in situ under low oxygen pressure in the vacuum deposition chamber and of selecting an optimum annealing temperature to extend the device life.
[0054] Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described herein in detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims. | A novel structure is provided to improve the operating stability of thioaluminate based phosphors used in ac thick film dielectric electroluminescent displays. The novel structure comprises a rare earth activated alkaline earth thioaluminate phosphor thin film layer and a silicon oxynitride layer provided directly adjacent the top and/or bottom of the phosphor thin film layer, wherein said silicon oxynitride layer comprises a composition of Si 3 N x O y H z where 2≦x≦4, 0<y≦2 and 0≦z≦1. The invention is particularly applicable to phosphors used in electroluminescent displays that employ thick dielectric layers subject to high processing temperatures to form and activate the phosphor films. | 8 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to vehicle sliding doors and, more particularly, to a swing-arm and carriage support arrangement for a vehicle sliding door having a track mounted on the inside of the door.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known in the art relating to vehicle sliding doors to provide a middle track on the inside of the door to improve the exterior lines of the vehicle. It is also known to use a pair of swing-arms to pivot the door out of the door panel in the manner of a four bar parallelogram linkage. One sliding door arrangement discloses a single swing-arm having its one end pivoted to a body pillar and its other end pivoted to a carriage sleeve slidably supported on a longitudinal bar fastened on the inside of the door, for resisting the entire weight of the door. The swing-arm, which is limited to ninety degrees of rotational travel, has a rigid guide arm, fixed at the swing-arm other end, and includes a guide roller on its free end that travels in a curved end of a stationary body guide rail at the door bottom edge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a swing-arm and roller carriage arrangement for a middle track mounted on the inside of a vehicle sliding door. The door has guide rollers situated at upper and lower front corners of the door adapted for cooperation with associated upper and lower guiding tracks extending along the vehicle body above and below the door opening. The swing-arm, pivoted to a body rear edge pillar of the door opening, rotates the carriage and door outboard and rearwardly, through a predetermined obtuse angle, to an intermediate door open position, wherein carriage roller means, supporting the weight of the door, are located aft of the opening rear edge pillar. As a result, upon the door being moved longitudinally on the roller means to its full-open position, the door's center of gravity is displaced a dimension of the order of about 78 mm aft of a transversely extending pin that rotatably supports the roller means on the carriage. As the support pin transfers the weight of the full-open door from the carriage to the swing-arm, the small aft displacement of the support pin from the center of gravity minimizes loading moments about the pin tending to longitudinally tip the door. Further, the small aft displacement of the support pin results in a relatively large longitudinal offset between the carriage roller means transverse pin and the door's upper and lower front guide rollers, thereby providing increased stability of the door in its full-open position.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide the sliding door swing-arm with a trough-plate shape, when viewed in plan, including a longitudinally extending bight section terminating in front and rear oppositely diverging legs, with its front leg free end in the form of leg-half hinge knuckles, pivoted by a vertical carriage pin, to a carriage-half hinge knuckle, and its rear leg in the form of leg-half hinge knuckles, pivoted by a vertical body pin, to body-half hinge knuckles mounted adjacent an aft vertical edge of the door opening, wherein, in the door closed position, the bight section is offset inboard providing packaging space for portions of the carriage.
It is still another feature of the invention wherein the swing-arm trough-plate shape, with the door in its closed position, has its longitudinal bight section offset inboard and terminating in front and rear oppositely diverging legs, enabling the swing-arm to be rotated through an obtuse angle of the order of 124 degrees, by virtue of the swing-arm bight section and rear legs clearing body structure adjacent the aft edge of the door opening.
It is yet another feature of the invention to provide a swing-arm and carriage sliding door supporting arrangement, wherein a first carriage latch, pivoted adjacent its midpoint, has a hook on one end resiliently biased into locking engagement with a striker on the inside of the door when the door is in its closed position. The engaged first carriage hook prevents the door from sliding on the carriage roller means during rotation of the swing-arm and door from their door closed position to a door intermediate-open position. The other end of the first carriage latch has an arcuate ramp biased into contact with a cylindrical collar, concentrically surrounding the carriage pivot pin and fixed on the upper end of a leg-half hinge knuckle for rotation therewith. An arcuate ramp edge on the other end of the first carriage latch is resiliently biased into contact with the collar cylindrical surface. As the door approaches its intermediate-open position the first carriage latch ramp portion is rotated, against its bias, by an arcuate cam portion of a cam-hook formed on the collar cylindrical surface, disengaging the first carriage latch hook from its striker and allowing the door to slide rearwardly on the carriage roller means to its full-open position.
It is a still further feature of the invention to provide a rotatable swing-arm latch that acts between the swing-arm and the carriage, wherein the swing-arm latch includes a hook resiliently biased into engagement with an outboard surface of the carriage that extends forward of its carriage hinge pin, such that a surface of the swing-arm front leg is urged into flush abutment with an opposed inboard surface of the carriage, whereby the engaged swing-arm latch operates to rigidify the swing-arm and carriage, thereby providing lateral stability to the door as it travels longitudinally on the carriage roller means.
It is another feature of the invention wherein, during forward closing movement of the door on the carriage roller means a beveled check, formed on a check plate secured on the inside of the door, cams the swing-arm latch hook to its disengaged position, allowing the door to swing inboard through a predetermined acute angle, until a hook of a second carriage rotational latch is biased into engagement with the hook portion of the cam-hook. The engaged cam-hook allows limited door and swing-arm inboard swinging, after which the second carriage latch hook disengages the cam hook, while the first carriage latch ramp edge rides off the cam portion of the cam-hook and biases the first carriage latch hook into engagement with the door striker, upon the swing-arm rotating the door to its closed position.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the invention taken together with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, exploded, perspective, exterior view of a van type vehicle body, showing a side door opening together with a swingable sliding door for closing the opening, in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, interior side view of the sliding door of FIG. 1, with the door shown in its closed position;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the sliding door in its full rearward open position;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view of the sliding door swing arm, hinged to an aft door opening pillar bracket;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal sectional view, taken substantially on the line 5--5 of FIG. 2, showing the central hinge swing arm and carriage mechanism, hinged to the doorway aft pillar, with the sliding door in its closed position;
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, showing the swing-arm pivoted from its door closed position substantially 90 degrees counter-clockwise, wherein the door is at its maximum lateral outboard position;
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5, showing the swing-arm pivoted substantially 124 degrees from its door closed position to its door intermediate-open position, wherein the door has completed its outboard swinging movement, and is free for rearward longitudinal sliding travel to the door full-open position; and
FIG. 8 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings in detail, numeral 10 in FIG. 1 generally indicates an exploded perspective view of a van-type vehicle body with a right side exterior panel 11 provided with a side doorway opening 12, defined at its forward edge by a front body pillar 13 and at its rearward edge by an aft body pillar 14. A sliding side panel door 15, shown in FIG. 2 closing the side opening 12, includes an exterior door panel 16, supporting an outer handle 17, and an interior door panel 18, with the panels joined to define forward 19 and aft 20 vertical edges. FIG. 1 shows the door opening 12 further defined by a body lower sill step 21 and an upper roof panel edge 22.
With reference to FIG. 2, the door 15 is slidably supported by an upper front guide roller 23, mounted on the interior panel 18 by an upper bracket 24, secured adjacent an upper forward corner of the inner panel 18. The guide roller 23 travels longitudinally in an upper channel-shaped track 25, terminating at its forward end in a conventional inwardly curved section 26, fixed to an underside of body roof panel 27. A lower front guide roller 28 is mounted by bracket 29 adjacent a lower forward corner of the inner panel 18. The lower guide roller 28 travels longitudinally in a lower track 30, fixed on the body sill step 21, and terminates at its forward end in a inwardly curved lower track section 31. The conventional forward upper 26 and lower 31 curved track sections allow door 15 to move from its open position, held suspended parallel to and adjacent right side panel 11, to its closed position of FIG. 2, wherein the sliding door leading edge 19 is brought towards a trailing edge 34 of right side front door 36. Thereafter, the sliding door outer panel 16 is positioned flush with the front door 36 and into sealing engagement with a sliding door seal, not shown, surrounding the door opening 12.
With reference to FIG. 2, a middle track 40 is shown supported on the interior door panel 18, adjacent the door's vertical midpoint, intermediate the upper 25 and lower 30 body mounted tracks. The middle track 40, shown in FIG. 8 formed with a generally C-shaped vertical cross section, includes a vertical base plate 42 fixed, as by welding, to the door interior panel 18. The base plate 42 is formed with upper 44 and lower 45 horizontally disposed, inboard extending, extensions, coextensive with the middle track 40. The upper extension 44 terminates in downstanding upper guide flange 46, while the lower extension 45 terminates in upstanding lower guide flange 47, wherein the upper 46 and lower 47 flanges define a common vertical plane.
As seen in FIG. 5, a plan view of swing-arm 50, in its door closed position, defines a generally trough-plate shape, including a longitudinally extending bight section 51 formed with opposite front 52 and rear 53 outboard diverging, asymmetrical legs. The free end of swing-arm rear leg 53 is formed with integral upper 54 and lower 55 rear leg-half hinge knuckles having aligned holes, not shown, aligned with holes of associated upper 56 and lower 57 rear body-half hinge knuckles of an aft body hinge bracket 58, receiving a vertical body hinge pin 59. FIG. 5 shows a wire coil torsion spring 60, encircled about body hinge pin 59, and having its one end anchored to the swing-arm rear leg 53 and its other end anchored to body hinge bracket 58. The torsion spring 60 operates to resiliently bias the swing-arm 50 in a first clockwise rotational direction about axis "A-1" of the body hinge pin 59.
The hinge bracket 58, defined by a substantially right-angle cross-section, includes longitudinal 61 and transverse 62 flanges suitably secured to associated surfaces of the aft pillar 14, as by bolts 63. The swing-arm front leg 52, which diverges forwardly and outboard from the bight section 51, defines an external acute angle "B-1" of about 55 degrees with bight section 51, while the swing arm rear leg 53, which diverges rearwardly and outboard from the bight section 51, defines an external acute angle "B-2" of about 35 degrees with the bight section.
Referring to FIG. 4, the swing-arm forward leg 52 has its free end formed with upper 64 and lower 65 front leg-half hinge knuckles provided with through holes, not shown, aligned with a through hole of a center carriage-half hinge knuckle 66, so as to receive a vertical carriage hinge pin 67. The carriage-half hinge knuckle 66 is secured to and extends inboard from a longitudinally extending carriage, generally indicated at 70. The torsion spring 60 urges the swing-arm outboard through an obtuse angle of about 124 degrees, shown by angle "C" in FIG. 5, wherein the swing-arm aft rotation is stopped by the hinge bracket 58. It will be noted in FIG. 5 that the obtuse angle "C" is defined by the rotation of carriage pivot pin axis "A-2", about body pivot pin axis A-1, from an inboard, door closed position to a dashed-line, full-aft position of pin 67.
As seen in FIGS. 5 and 8, the carriage 70 includes a forward longitudinal carriage plate 71, having an aft portion of its inboard face 72 secured, as by a welded lap-joint, to a forward face portion 73 of an aft longitudinal carriage plate 74. A forward carriage roller bracket 75, which extends outboard from surface 74 of the carriage forward plate 71, supports a carriage lateral load-bearing forward roller 76, pivoted on vertical roller pin 77. As viewed in FIG. 8, the forward roller 76 is movably retained within a lower channel, defined by the middle track base plate 42, lower extension 45, and upstanding guide flange 47.
With reference to FIG. 4, the carriage rearward and upwardly angled aft plate 72 pivotally supports an upper, longitudinally disposed, aft twin-wheel carriage hanger 80, pivoted about a transverse axis "A-3" of a hanger support pin 82, which transmits the weight of the open door from the carriage 70 to the swing-arm 50. The hanger 80 rotatably supports twin fore 83 and aft 84 tandem rollers, each rotatable about a transverse axis of associated fore 86 and aft 87 pivot pins, respectively. The roller pivot pins 86 and 87 are symmetrically disposed on either side of the hanger support pin axis "A-3", whereby the door weight is equally distributed to each of the rollers 83 and 84. As seen in FIG. 8, the forward 83 and aft 84 tandem rollers each has an associated peripheral groove 88 and 89, received for rolling travel along the upper guide flange 46 of the middle track 40.
With the door 15 in its closed position of FIG. 5, a first carriage latch 90 is rotationally supported, adjacent its midpoint, by a latch pivot pin 91 extending vertically through a horizontal portion of an open-ended, box-like bracket 92 mounted on the carriage. The first carriage latch 90 has a hook 93, formed adjacent its one aft end, adapted for locking engagement with a striker portion 94 of an L-shaped bar 95. The bar 95 includes a transverse right-angled foot 96 terminating in the striker 94, with the foot extending inboard from a longitudinal leg 97 suitably attached, as by welding, to an interior surface of the middle track base plate 42.
FIG. 5 shows the first carriage latch 90 formed with a convex, arcuate ramp edge 98, adjacent its opposite forward end, is resiliently biased into contact with a cylindrical-shaped collar 99 by a wire coil torsion spring 100, wrapped about the first carriage latch pin 91. It will be observed that with the door 18 in its closed position, the torsion spring 100 biases the first carriage latch hook 93 in a counter-clockwise rotational direction into locked engagement with the striker 94. The collar 99, which concentrically surrounds the upper end of the carriage hinge pin 66, is suitably fixed to swing-arm front leg-half hinge upper knuckle 64, so as to rotate therewith.
In operation, upon a user initially pulling outward on the door handle 20, the swing-arm 50 is pivoted clockwise outboard about its body hinge pin axis "A-1", assisted by a resilient biasing force, imparted by the torsion spring 60 to the swing-arm. FIG. 6 shows the swing-arm 50 rotated laterally outboard, through an angle of the order of 90 degrees, about body hinge pin axis "A-1", from its FIG. 5 door closed position, to a door maximum outboard position.
Referring to FIG. 4, the swing-arm bight section 51 includes a through slot 102 having a forward radiused terminus adjacent vertical corner juncture 104. A vertical pivot pin 106 extends through the slot 102 with one end of a swing-arm latch 108 received in the slot 102. A coil torsion spring 110, encircling the pin 106, biases the swing-arm latch 108 in a counter-clockwise rotational direction. As the swing-arm latch 108 rotates to its maximum counter-clockwise position of FIG. 7, an angled face 111, formed on its end hook 112, rides-over a beveled corner 113 and lockingly engages forward end 114 of the carriage 70. It will be noted in FIG. 7 that the engaged swing-arm latch 108 clamps inboard surface 72, of the carriage forward plate 71, into flush contact with opposed, longitudinally coextensive surface 68 of the swing-arm forward leg 52, providing rigidity to the carriage hinge pin 67 connection. As a result with the swing-arm being rearwardly displaced a predetermined longitudinal dimension from the carriage forward free end 114, increased lateral stability is provided for the door 15 during its longitudinal fore and aft travel on the carriage twin rollers 83 and 84.
It will be further noted in FIG. 7 that as the swing-arm latch 108 lockingly engages the carriage forward edge 114, a convex cam 115, of a cam-hook 116 formed on the collar cylindrical-surface, is rotated into contact with edge ramp 98 of the first carriage latch 90. Upon the latch 90 being rotated clockwise, its hook 93 is moved from its latched to its unlatched position, releasing the striker 94, thereby allowing the door to slide rearwardly on the carriage twin rollers 83 and 84.
Referring to FIG. 5, a second carriage latch 120 is shown rotatably supported at an upper end on the pivot pin 91, above the first carriage latch 90. A torsion spring 122, wrapped about the pin 91, resiliently biases hook 124, on the second carriage latch one end, in a counter-clockwise direction, while an arcuate ramp edge 125, adjacent its opposite rear end, is resiliently biased into contact with the free end of striker 94. Upon the door being swung to its FIG. 6 position, the ramp edge is free of the striker 94 causing the second carriage latch hook 124 to be biased into contact with the cylindrical surface of the collar 99 as seen in FIG. 7.
As viewed in FIGS. 2 and 6, upon initial movement of the door 15 a predetermined dimension in a forward closing direction, a check 130, formed on a check bar 131 secured to the underside of middle track lower extension 45, cams the swing-arm latch 108 clockwise against its spring bias, disengaging the swing-arm latch hook 112. This allows the swing-arm 50 to be rotated through a predetermined acute angle, of the order of 34 degrees, shown by angle "D" in FIG. 7, causing the collar cam-hook 116 to be rotated clockwise, engaging the second carriage latch hook 124. The engaged latch hook 124 allows limited door and swing-arm inboard swinging, after which a check 132, formed on a check bar 133 secured to the middle track base plate 42, shown in FIG. 2, disengages the cam-hook 116. During the second carriage latch hook 124 disengagement, the first carriage latch ramp edge 98 rides off the cam 115 of the clockwise rotating cam-hook, resiliently biasing the first carriage latch hook 93 into locked engagement with the striker 94, thereby allowing the swing-arm 50 to rotate the door 15 to its closed position. It will be noted that in the event of partial opening of the door, check 130 prevents the swing-arm latch 108 from rotating into locked engagement with the carriage forward edge 114. This results in easier door closing effort, by virtue of rotating the swing-arm 50 counter-clockwise only about 90 degrees to its FIG. 6 position, rather than rotating the swing-arm to its intermediate-open carriage engaging position of FIG. 7.
Referring to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the sliding door of 15 of the disclosed embodiment has an overall width "W" of about 1285 mm. With the door in its full-open position, the swing-arm 50 locates the transverse axis "A-3" of the twin roller carriage hanger pin 82 at a dimension "X" of about 512 mm. Each of the upper 23 and lower 28 guide rollers is spaced a dimension "Y" of about 100 mm from the door leading edge. The center of gravity 140 of the door is located a dimension "Z" of about 78 mm aft of the support pin axis "A-3". It will be noted that the door center of gravity 140 is closer, by about 50 mm, to the door's forward edge 19 than its front to rear midpoint, because of the door's radiused-out portion 142.
It will be appreciated that because of the swing-arm 50 and roller 70 supporting arrangement for the middle track 40, the axis "A-3", which defines the door weight line of action, is about 78 mm, i.e. about three inches, from the door's center of gravity. Thus, the weight of the door 15 is transferred by the support pin closely adjacent center of gravity 140. Further, the supporting arrangement provides a large longitudinal offset dimension "X" between the forward upper 23 and lower 28 guide rollers and the transverse support pin load axis "A-3" of the twin rollers 83 and 84 load. In the disclosed embodiment the offset dimension "X" is about 412 mm, i.e. almost one-third of the door width, thereby insuring that the door remains stable even in its full-open position.
Referring to FIG. 5, it will be appreciated that the trough-plate shape of the swing arm results in the bight section 51 being offset inboard from a vertical plane that includes the vertical hinge pin axes "A-1" and "A-2". As seen in FIG. 7, the bight section offset, together with the outboard diverging front 52 and rear 53 legs, provides a clearance space 146 which enables a portion of the aft pillar 14 and body side panel 11 stricture to be received in the space 146, thereby allowing the swing-arm to be rotated through its obtuse angle "C" of about 124 degrees. Further, the space 146 provides room to package portions of the carriage 70 therein.
Although the invention has been described by reference to a specific embodiment, it should be understood that numerous changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the described embodiment, but that it have the full scope defined by the language of the following claims. | An arrangement for mounting a sliding door to a vehicle body for movement between an open position and a closed position. The arrangement includes a guide track mounted to the sliding door, a carriage support arrangement carried by the sliding door and a swing arm. The swing arm is connected to the carriage for pivotal movement about a first axis and to the body for pivotal movement about a second axis. With the sliding door unlatched, the swing-arm rotates the carriage support arrangement and the sliding door through an obtuse swing angle, thereby reducing longitudinal tipping forces on the sliding door. Further, when the swing-arm and sliding door are in the full-open position, the sliding door's center of gravity is only slightly offset aft of the carriage support arrangement, thereby reducing the force needed to remove the swing-arm, carriage support arrangement and vehicle sliding door to a fully-closed position. | 4 |
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of Provisional Application No. 60/402,466 filed Aug. 9, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
[0002] This invention relates generally to storage systems and, more particularly, to a modular storage system having as its foundation a mounting clip that mounts to exposed wall studs or ceiling joists without the use of tools or additional fasteners. It provides a safe and secure connection that can be removed and reinstalled as desired.
[0003] In garages, basements, shops, offices, and buildings under construction, there are collections of items that are stored for short and long term. With varying degrees of organization, there can be clothing, tools, office supplies, sporting equipment, bicycles, recreational toys, yard furniture, yard tools, paint cans, gas cans, gardening accessories, lawn chemicals and any other item that can be stored in such areas. The degree of organization depends in large part on the availability of suitable storage space that may or may not be dedicated to the particular item being stored.
[0004] The notion of “a place for every thing and every thing in its place” has spurred home centers to stock large inventories of shelving and related items. Entire stores are now devoted to selling products for efficient storage of household and office items.
[0005] Shelving can be mounted on a wall and provide ample space for small items that are not desirably stored on a floor. Shelves and specialized racks are mounted on walls or ceilings using nails, screws or other suitable connectors. Mounting these items can vary in the degree of difficulty and the success and safety of a storage unit will, in large part, depend upon the skill of the installer.
[0006] To simplify installation, storage systems are known that use a single type of wall connection component on which various types of hangers can be mounted. A wall connection in one such system is a vertical standard having a series of vertical slots into which shelf brackets are inserted. The standards are screwed to a wall and are most secure when the screws are driven into the wooden studs supporting the wall.
[0007] Shelves are then mounted on the brackets and a number of different hooks, racks, and hangers can then be attached to store clothing, linens, office supplies, kitchen sundries, shop and yard tools, bicycles, skis and other sporting equipment.
[0008] These systems enable one to master the installation of a single type of component and realize the benefit of numerous different storage receptacles that are for general storage or dedicated receptacles. They typically provide a permanent installation of the standard, but are able to be rearranged with whatever storage receptacle is required for a given time. The systems are popular and efficient organizers, but they tend to be expensive and require numerous components for even basic installations.
[0009] Different types of clips, hangers, and mounts have been devised to simplify storage and/or installation. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,852,802; 3,586,284; 4,286,444; 5,067,200; 5,172,529; 5,199,218; 5,842,581; and 6,315,134.
[0010] Despite efforts in the prior storage systems, there is none that provides a truly secure connection that can be installed without the use of tools. There is no known system that permits easy relocation of a mounting standard to suit changing storage needs. Further, there is no known storage system that provides installers of any skill level the identical measure of safety and precision for the wall or ceiling connection. Finally, there is no known system having a connector that is versatile enough to be used as a connector for assembly of “knock-down” or temporary furniture that can be used on construction sites, for example.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention provides a mounting clip that can be installed on an exposed wall stud or ceiling joist without the use of tools. It provides a secure connection for a variety of hangers, receptacles, or other useful articles that can be supported on a wall or ceiling. The mounting clip of the invention can be installed, removed and reinstalled with consistent strength of the connection. The connection is so strong that it can be used to permanently secure plumbing, electrical and other building components in place. A mounting clip in accordance with the present invention can also be used to assemble temporary furniture and stand-alone storage units that require no connection to a wall.
[0012] The present invention is adaptable for use with any number of storage components that may be shelving units, racks, receptacles, or other dedicated storage unit. The mounting clip includes a clamp and an accessory mount. The clamp secures a clip to a board, pipe, or panel and the accessory mount enables connection to a variety of storage components.
[0013] One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a mounting clip that has a base plate, a clamping jaw, and a hand-operated lever that pivots to secure the clip to any exposed wooden building stud or joist component. The mounting clip's base plate and clamping jaw include opposing teeth that penetrate the wood when the lever is pivoted about its hinge.
[0014] A hinge is used to join the base plate and clamping jaw and enable relative clamping movement of the two. Preferably, the hinge is an over-the-center type that provides a very secure clamping action that is safe and consistent every time the mounting clip is installed. When the lever has been operated to secure the mounting clip into place there is one or more tab or “ear” that extends up adjacent to the clamping jaw. The tab has a hole through it that can receive a pin only when the mounting clip is in a fully installed position to serve as a clip lock. The base plate and clamping jaw must pivot relative to one another to be disengaged from the stud. To pivot relative to one another requires the base plate to move relative to the ear. This arrangement enables the pin in the tab holes to prevent accidental or unintentional disengagement when in place.
[0015] The clamping mechanism of the base plate and clamping jaw is activated by a lever that is hinged to the base plate at a location that is offset form the hinge that joins the base plate and clamping jaw. The optimum arrangement of hinges permits installation and removal by hand without the use of tools.
[0016] The pin is inserted through the hole in the tab and can serve the additional function of supporting any kind of storage system component that can possibly be designed to be joined to the pin. Shelf brackets, hooks, racks, baskets, cabinets, and other storage components are easily joined to the mounting clip by the pin. The pin thus prevents the clip from being disengaged and can simultaneously provide a connection point to a wall or ceiling. The pin can also support a pivoting storage component that can move relative to the clip due to the hinge action provided by the pin.
[0017] The clips are inexpensive to manufacture relative to the popular shelf standards used in modular storage systems today.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] [0018]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a clip in accordance with the present invention, in an open position.
[0019] [0019]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the clip of FIG. 1 in a partially closed position.
[0020] [0020]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the clip of FIG. 1 is a partially closed position.
[0021] [0021]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the clip of FIG. 1 in a closed position.
[0022] [0022]FIG. 5 is the clip of FIG. 1 in a partially closed position being mounted on a wall stud.
[0023] [0023]FIG. 6 is the clip of FIG. 1 in a closed position and mounted on a wall stud.
[0024] [0024]FIG. 7 is a set of eight clips mounted on wood boards to support shelves.
[0025] [0025]FIG. 8 is a set of four clips mounted on two wall studs to support shelves.
[0026] [0026]FIG. 9 is an adaptor for connection to a clip pin and a storage member.
[0027] [0027]FIG. 10 is another embodiment of an adaptor.
[0028] [0028]FIG. 11 is another embodiment of an adaptor.
[0029] [0029]FIG. 12 is another embodiment of an adaptor and having a pair of outwardly extending flanges to provide a pair of aligned holes through which a pivoting storage member can be secured.
[0030] [0030]FIG. 13 is the adaptor of FIG. 11 installed on a clip with two pivotable rack members extending outwardly for storage of items such as bicycles.
[0031] [0031]FIG. 14 is the installation of FIG. 11 with the two pivotable rack members pivoted to the side.
[0032] FIGS. 15 A-D illustrates various dimensions of the embodiments described above.
[0033] [0033]FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a mounting clip in an open position in accordance with the present invention.
[0034] [0034]FIG. 17 is a side view of the mounting clip illustrated in FIG. 16.
[0035] [0035]FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the mounting clip illustrated in FIG. 16 in a closed position.
[0036] [0036]FIG. 19 is a side view of the mounting clip illustrated in FIG. 16 in a closed position.
[0037] [0037]FIG. 20 is another perspective of the mounting clip illustrated in FIG. 16 in the closed position.
[0038] [0038]FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the mounting clip illustrated in FIG. 16 with a latch pin inserted to prevent inadvertent opening of the mounting clip.
[0039] [0039]FIG. 22 is another perspective view of the mounting clip of FIG. 16 in a closed position.
[0040] [0040]FIG. 23 is a side view of the storage clip illustrated in FIG. 16 in a closed position.
[0041] [0041]FIG. 24 is another side view of the storage clip illustrated in FIG. 16 in a closed position.
[0042] [0042]FIG. 25 is another side view of the storage clip illustrated in FIG. 16 in a closed position.
[0043] [0043]FIG. 26 is a perspective view of the mounting clip illustrated in FIG. 16 with an alternate embodiment of an adaptor in accordance with the present invention.
[0044] [0044]FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the mounting clip illustrated in FIG. 16 with an alternate embodiment of an adaptor in accordance with the present invention.
[0045] [0045]FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the mounting clip illustrated in FIG. 16 with an alternate embodiment of an adaptor in accordance with the present invention.
[0046] [0046]FIG. 29 is a perspective view of the mounting clip illustrated in FIG. 16 with an alternate embodiment of an adaptor in accordance with the present invention.
[0047] [0047]FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a shelf system for use with the adaptor of FIG. 26.
[0048] [0048]FIG. 31 is a perspective view of a shelf system for use with the adaptor of FIG. 26.
[0049] [0049]FIG. 32 is a perspective view of a shelf for use with the adaptor and mounting clip in accordance with the present invention.
[0050] [0050]FIG. 33 is a perspective view of a shelf for use with the adaptor and mounting clip in accordance with the present invention.
[0051] [0051]FIG. 34 is a perspective view of a bar support system for use with the adaptor and mounting clip of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0052] In the following detailed description of drawings the same reference numeral will be used to identify the same or similar elements in each of the figures. FIGS. 1 through 4 illustrate a mounting clip 20 in accordance with the present invention. The mounting clip 20 generally includes a clamp 22 and one or more accessory mount 24 . The clamp 22 in the illustrated embodiment includes a lever 26 , a base plate 28 joined to the lever 26 by a hinge 30 , and a clamping jaw 36 joined to the lever 26 by another hinge 38 . FIGS. 1 through 4 illustrate the mounting clip 20 moving from an opened position (FIG. 1), through intermediate positions (FIGS. 2 and 3), to a closed position (FIG. 4).
[0053] The illustrated lever 26 has triangular flanges 27 , which provide a location for connecting the base plate hinge. 30 and the clamping jaw hinge 38 to the lever. The two hinges 30 and 38 are spaced apart to provide sufficient leverage to secure the mounting clip 20 to a stud 56 .
[0054] The base plate 28 is preferably bent into an L-shape as illustrated, and has inwardly extending teeth 32 at one end and outwardly extending flanges 34 on the other end. The teeth 32 are shaped and dimensioned to engage and penetrate a wood stud 56 (FIGS. 5 and 6), while the flanges 34 provide a place for joining the lever 26 via a hinge 30 .
[0055] The clamping jaw 36 has inwardly extending teeth 40 that oppose the base plate teeth 32 to provide a solid stud connection. The clamping jaw 36 is sized to mate with the base plate 28 in the closed position (FIG. 4). In all other positions (FIGS. 1 to 3 ), the base plate 28 and clamping jaw 36 are at an angle to one another.
[0056] The clamping jaw 36 in this illustrated embodiment includes a clip lock 48 that preferably includes upwardly extending flanges or ears 50 , between which the base plate 28 is disposed. The ears 50 have aligned holes 52 that receive a pin 54 (FIG. 4), which in turn is joined to any suitable bracket or storage member used in a modular and versatile storage system, as described in more detail below. When a pin 54 is in place, the mounting clip 20 cannot be opened because the base plate 28 must move outward from the clamping jaw 36 to be removed from the stud 56 . The displacement of the clamping jaw 36 from the base plate 28 occurs as soon as the mounting clip 20 lever 26 has been raised to release the mounting clip 20 . This relationship requires the clip lock to be arranged to prevent even a slight movement of the mounting clip toward the opened position. (See: FIG. 3.) The illustrated clamping jaw 36 is in a dimension sufficient to connect to a nominal 2″ wooden member (1½″ actual). Should the member be of another size, the clamping jaw 36 can be dimensioned accordingly. With the illustrated embodiment, the clamping jaw 36 is the only piece that would need to be changed for adapting to members of different widths. The lever 26 and the base plate 28 remain the same dimensions, thus saving considerable manufacturing costs.
[0057] The mounting clip 20 is illustrated as having teeth 32 that penetrate wood studs as described above. The illustrated teeth are triangular, but they could be other shapes, sizes, and orientations. This design is perfectly acceptable where the resulting indented appearance of the stud is unimportant after the mounting clip 20 is removed. When appearance is important or the mounting clip 20 will be joined to materials that cannot be penetrated by the teeth 32 , the mounting clip 20 can be fitted with compressible or high friction materials. Teeth, compressible materials or friction materials are all generally comprised in a category of clamp enhancers, but these may not be necessary when the clamp is designed to exert adequate pressure on the surface to which the clamp is mounted. Friction pads, rubber boots, plastics, adhesives, etc. can be used as clamp enhancers to further secure the mounting clip 20 for added security, and other materials or shapes of teeth can be used as well.
[0058] One category of clamp enhancers applies a highly localized pressure on the board or other member by effectively reducing the size of the clamp's interior space when in the closed positions. Without a clamp enhancer of this latter type, the mounting clip 20 defines an interior space dimension. These clamp enhancers effectively reduce the interior space dimension so that the clamping pressure is increased. Further, because the clamp enhancers preferably have a smaller surface area than the faces of the clamp 22 , the force exerted by the clamp enhancers is greater. Teeth are thus able to penetrate wood and resilient pads grip better. Clamp enhancers can be: formed integrally with; joined to; or simply disposed in the space that is surrounded by the clamp 22 .
[0059] The mounting clip 20 is illustrated as being connectable to a substantially rectangular member, but it can be shaped to connect to other shapes as well. For example, pipes, bars, and other round objects can be considered for use with a mounting clip 20 that has an arcuate base plate 28 and clamping jaw 36 .
[0060] In operation, the mounting clip 20 is placed with the lever 26 in the opened position, the base plate teeth 32 on the opposite side of a stud, and the clamping jaw 36 teeth 40 on the near side of the stud. (See: FIG. 1.) The ear holes are blocked in this position, so no pin 54 can be inserted and no brackets or other components can be added in this open position.
[0061] [0061]FIGS. 2 and 3 show the lever 26 moving toward the closed position, which moves the base plate 28 down and over the clamping jaw 36 . The teeth 32 of the respective parts move toward one another to penetrate a wood stud. The spacing of the hinges 30 and 38 provides leverage so that manual force is enough to force the teeth 32 into the wood stud.
[0062] In FIG. 4, the mounting clip 20 is in a closed position where the lever 26 is parallel to the long face of the stud, the base plate 28 and clamping jaw 36 are nested in a mating position, and the teeth 32 have penetrated the stud. In this position, and only in this position, it is possible to insert a pin 54 through the clip lock 48 , which in the illustrated example is a pair of ear holes in the clamp jaw ears 50 .
[0063] [0063]FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a mounting clip 20 in the open and closed position, respectively, and in engagement with a stud of a nominal 2″×4″ dimension (1½″×3½″ actual). In the closed position, the mounting clip 20 is generally L-shaped in cross-section. This shape enables two mounting clips 20 to be joined to opposite sides of a single 2″×4″ board at the same point or elevation on the board so that storage or furniture components can extend at equal heights on opposite sides of the board. Of course, 2″ wide boards of deeper dimensions can be used, such as 6″, 8″, 10″, 12″, etc. The depth is preferably no less than 1½″ to provide adequate clamping surface for the mounting clip 20 .
[0064] A pin 54 (generally referred to as an “accessory mount”) can secure brackets of many shapes and sizes to the secured mounting clip 20 . The remaining drawings in the packet illustrate brackets, hangers, hinges, and other storage components that mate with the ear holes 52 so that a pin 54 can be inserted to provide secure storage even for very heavy loads. The drawings should be self-explanatory in this regard.
[0065] [0065]FIG. 7 illustrates a set of eight mounting clips 20 being used to connect four extrusions 58 that have recesses 59 for receiving sheets of material 60 such as plywood, plastic, glass, steel, etc. to construct a self-supporting table and shelving unit. With this embodiment, it is seen that the illustrated mounting clip 20 can be used on any board whether or not the board is used to build a wall or ceiling.
[0066] [0066]FIG. 8 illustrates a set of four mounting clips 20 used to support a pair of extrusions 58 for a pegboard. The pegboard 62 can be mounted on the extrusions 58 and objects mounted on the pegboard 62 . The extrusions 58 in this embodiment can be identical to the extrusions 58 in the FIG. 7 embodiment to provide a generic panel connector.
[0067] [0067]FIG. 9 illustrates an adaptor 64 to be used with the mounting clip 20 . The adaptor 64 is preferably made of plastic and includes holes 65 at each end through which the pin 54 extends. Detents 67 adjacent to the holes 65 permit storage components to be joined to the pin 54 and rest in the detents 67 to resist unwanted movement. The detents 67 are rounded to permit desired movement of the shelving components from one detent 67 to another.
[0068] [0068]FIG. 10 illustrates a second style of adaptor 66 that is similar to the FIG. 9 adaptor 64 with an additional transverse bore 68 . A pin (not illustrated) can be inserted through the bore 68 to secure storage components.
[0069] [0069]FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 illustrate another embodiment of an adaptor 70 having a central portion 71 , and two wing portions 72 . The central portion 71 has pin holder locations 73 that engage a pin 54 in a manner similar to the bushings described above.
[0070] The wing portions 72 have retainer tabs 76 engage racks 80 (FIG. 13) that can be re-positioned as desired to give a user different storage configurations. To move a rack 80 , it is lifted above the retainer tab 76 and reset to a new position. Gravity will typically hold the rack 80 in place when the adaptor is oriented in a vertical position with the stops directed upward.
[0071] [0071]FIG. 14 is another adaptor 84 embodiment that provides transverse holes 88 for receipt of a transverse pin (not illustrated). The transverse pin can pivot to permit movement of a storage compartment connected thereto, and preferably this style of adaptor 84 can be used to mount a pulley used for hoisting heavier items.
[0072] The illustrated mounting clip 20 is preferably made of stainless steel to withstand corrosive environments or cold-rolled steel and/or plated if desired. Other materials will work also. The parts can be stamped out of sheet stock and bent to shape with adequate precision. The pin 54 is also preferably made of cold-rolled or stainless steel and it can be plated as desired. The adaptors described above are preferably plastic and are more preferably molded polypropylene or glass-filled nylon, or they can be zinc.
[0073] [0073]FIGS. 15A through 15D illustrate the preferred dimensions of a mount clip 20 for joining to a nominally sized two (one and one-half) inch board.
[0074] [0074]FIGS. 16 through 25 illustrate another embodiment of a mounting clip 200 in accordance with the present invention. This clip 200 includes a clamp 222 and an accessory mount 224 , which is similar to the clamp 20 described above with a few exceptions. The clamp 222 includes a lever 226 , a base plate 228 , a first hinge 230 , a clamping jaw 236 , and a second hinge 238 .
[0075] The lever 226 includes a cover 225 that provides added leverage due to its flared distal end 227 . The smooth edges and corners also are less likely to cause discomfort to a user while being installed and uninstalled due to the ergonometric shape of the cover 225 . Further, the cover 225 can provide a surface on which a corporate logo or other design 229 can be placed. Preferably, the cover 225 is made of a base 217 of relatively rigid material such as an olefin plastic, and a relatively soft grip 219 that is preferably a thermoplastic elastomer. The cover 225 includes tabs 205 which allow the cover to be snapped into the lever 226 . Other means can also be used to connect the two.
[0076] The clamp 222 components are also somewhat modified in the mounting clip 200 as compared to the clamp 20 described above. The base plate 228 has inwardly extending teeth 232 , but these are a different shape than those described in relation to the embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 4 . In the mounting clip 200 , the teeth 232 , 240 are formed around generally circular openings. In a preferred embodiment, the teeth 232 and 240 are formed by piercing the base plate 228 and clamping jaw 236 so that the teeth 232 and 240 are essentially irregular triangular shapes that do not penetrate the wood excessively, but provide adequate grip. This formation of teeth is preferred over continuous ring-shaped teeth because the teeth 232 and 240 will not have as severe an impact on the board on which the clip is mounted. This is particularly beneficial when the clips 200 are going to be moved along the length of a board from time-to-time. It is not as critical when the clips 200 are relocated less frequently.
[0077] To further reduce the impact on the board, the teeth 232 and 240 are not all in a straight line vertically or horizontally (FIGS. 16 through 19). With such an arrangement, the mounting clip 200 can be relocated repeatedly up and down a board with minimal degradation of the board.
[0078] Further, the teeth 232 and 240 do not need to penetrate the board very deeply due to their shape and size. The increased number, shape, and arrangement of teeth permit the use of shorter teeth that are not as likely to damage the associated board.
[0079] The base plate 228 is also formed with integral ribs 231 to provide rigidity. The clamping jaw 236 includes mating ribs 233 , also for rigidity.
[0080] The base plate 228 of the mounting clip 200 also includes a pair of holes 235 through which nails, screws, or other fasteners can be driven into a board on which the mounting clip 200 is mounted. This provides additional load bearing capability, as well as serving as a theft inhibitor, but it is not necessary for most storage loads. A mating pair of slots 237 in the clamping jaw 236 aligns with the holes 235 so that whatever type of fastener is used, it can be installed after the mounting clip 200 has been moved to a closed position. (See: FIG. 21).
[0081] The mounting clip 200 , otherwise is very similar to the mounting clip 20 in design, materials, and operation. As viewed in FIG. 20, when the mounting clip is closed, a pin 241 can be inserted through holes 252 . When in this position, it is not possible to open the mounting clip 200 because the pin 241 prevents the over-center hinge effect of the mounting clip 200 by retaining clamping jaw 236 closely adjacent to the base plate 228 . Other clip locking arrangements are possible in accordance with the present invention, but this particular arrangement is preferred so that the pin 241 can be readily installed and used to support accessories. Further, the pin 241 could be replaced by a lock that would deter unauthorized removal of the clips.
[0082] In alternate embodiments, the pin 241 is inserted through the holes 252 after an adaptor is placed over the mounting clip 200 . Various adaptors are illustrated in FIGS. 26, 27, 28 , 29 , 30 and 31 . Adaptors link the mounting clip 200 to a modular system of storage racks, shelves, cabinets, pulleys, straps, and others or they may serve as storage components themselves. Despite the variety of adaptors, they are all preferably shaped to be used on single shape of a mounting clip 200 , so that the mounting clips 200 can be used with any adaptor or storage type that a user desires. This reduces storage system manufacturing costs and simplifies installation and assembly.
[0083] Referring to FIG. 26, there is an adaptor 300 joined to a mounting clip 200 via a pin 241 . The adaptor 300 includes a pair of aligned slots 302 , through which a strap, rope, chain, or preferably, a bar 306 (FIGS. 30, 31, and 34 ) is fed and other elements of a storage system are mounted thereon. For example, FIGS. 30, 31, and 34 illustrate an adaptor 300 with an elongated bar extending through the slots 302 . The bar 306 also extends through a similar adaptor 300 joined to a mounting clip 200 on another stud, joist, or free-standing member. The bar 306 also is inserted through a shelf 310 having a slot 312 that mates with the bar 306 . The shelf 310 of FIGS. 30 and 31 can be installed with either side facing up. In the FIG. 30 embodiment, the shelf 310 is simply flat for receiving any desired item to be stored.
[0084] In the FIG. 31 arrangement, the shelf 310 is “upside down,” (with wall studs blocking the ends) the shelf defines a recess into which items can be stored that might otherwise be susceptible to falling or rolling of the shelf 310 . Various webs 313 can be joined to or formed integrally with a shelf 310 to stiffen the shelf 310 to support heavier loads.
[0085] [0085]FIG. 27 illustrates another adaptor 350 , which is nearly identical to the adaptor 300 , except that adaptor 350 includes a pair of spaced apart flanges 352 that have aligned holes 354 through which a pulley axle can be inserted, for example. Other storage components can also be mounted on the flanges 352 .
[0086] [0086]FIG. 28 illustrates an adaptor 370 that is similar in operation to the adaptor 70 illustrated in FIG. 12, except that adaptor 370 includes a recess 356 for securing the pin 241 and a pair of slots 302 for use as described above. This adaptor 370 also includes retention slots 276 for limiting movement of storage elements such as rack 80 illustrated in FIG. 12.
[0087] [0087]FIG. 29 illustrates an adaptor 390 with a pair of reinforced flanges 392 that can be used as described above in relation to adaptor 350 in FIG. 27.
[0088] [0088]FIG. 34 illustrates an embodiment wherein the components are joined to ceiling joists to support loads that can be placed on top of the shelf 310 or hung therefrom.
[0089] Also, because the modular storage components are interchangeable and may be used in different storage situations, it is possible to use them without a mounting clip of the type described herein. Instead, a mounting plate without the clamp feature of the mounting clip, can be fastened to a flat surface, such as a wall, and used with adaptors and storage components such as those described herein.
[0090] The bar 306 and shelf 310 are preferably extruded plastic or aluminum, but other shapes and materials can be used.
[0091] The foregoing detailed description is intended for clearness of understanding the invention, and no unnecessary limitations therefrom should be read into the following claims. | A storage system having a releasably mounted mounting clip that can be connected to a wall stud or ceiling joist. A variety of storage components can be joined to the mounting clip. The mounting clip can also be used to join boards and panels to construct furniture and stand-alone storage units. | 8 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims for the benefit of the earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/120,558 and 11/120,559, both filed on May 3, 2005, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. This application also claims for the benefit of the earlier foreign filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-0071277, filed Sep. 7, 2004, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Further, this application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. (not assigned), filed concurrently herewith and entitled “System for Processing Combustion Exhaust Gas Containing Soot Particles and NOx.,” which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to system and method for processing combustion exhaust gas containing soot particles and NOx.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Technology
[0005] Exhaust gas emitted from a diesel engine includes air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide (CO), unburned hydrocarbon (HC), nitrogen oxide (NOx), particulate matters containing soluble organic fractions (SOF), and the like. The permissible amount of exhaust gas emitted from a diesel engine is generally regulated by law and often determined by means of the management and design of engine and the post processing of exhaust gas.
[0006] In a general diesel engine, HC and CO are purified to a predetermined level by means of Pt-based diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), NOx emission is controlled by means of an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system of a diesel engine, and particulate matters (PM) are collected by means of a diesel particulate filter (DPF) such that the amount of particulate matters to be discharged will be controlled within a predetermined range. However, such a technique is performed by causing particulate matters collected in the diesel particulate filter to be burnt at a high temperature using an additional device such as heater or burner or by causing the particulate matters to be oxidized using catalyst coated on an inner surface of the diesel particulate filter to regenerate the filter. Therefore, its utility is greatly reduced.
[0007] As another technology, the Johnson Matthey company has proposed such a technique that a diesel particulate filter is regenerated by causing NO in exhaust gas to be oxidized into NO2 having superior oxidation activity upstream of the diesel particulate filter and causing particulate matters collected in the diesel particulate filter to be oxidized using the oxidized NO2 as an oxidizing agent. Such a technique is disclosed in EP-A-0341832 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,487 and is well known in the art as a trademark CRTTM.
[0008] According to the aforementioned technique, however, platinum (Pt) susceptible to the poisoning due to sulfur existing abundantly in diesel exhaust gas is used as an oxidizing agent for causing NO to be oxidized into NO2. Therefore, there is a limitation in that only fuel such as ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) should be used. Further, since about 3 to 8% of NOx can be simply reduced from the exhaust gas, there is a need for an additional technique for reducing nitrogen oxide.
[0009] In this connection, the Johnson Matthey Company has developed a four-way post-processing system called a SCRTTM system in which selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst is applied to a diesel particulate filter. This system is known as a system capable of reducing particulate matters and nitrogen oxide by about 75 to 90 % as well as removing HC and CO. However, this system requires post-processed volume of the exhaust gas 13.6 times as large as the engine displacement. Therefore, it is tentatively applied to a large diesel engine but came to light that its utility is greatly lowered. Further, the poisoning problem due to sulfur still remains.
[0010] Furthermore, Toyota Motor Corporation has developed a diesel particulate NOx reduction (DPNR) system by which both particulate matters and nitrogen oxide can be reduced by causing NOx adsorber catalyst to be coated onto a general diesel particulate filter (DPF) and platinum oxidation catalyst to be placed onto the diesel particulate filter. This system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. (Hei) 6-159037 and the like.
[0011] The DPNR technique will be described with reference to FIG. 1 . In FIG. 1 ( a ) showing a lean burn condition of a diesel engine, O2 and NO react with each other near oxidation catalyst, i.e. Pt, and active oxygen O* and NO2 are produced. Further, NO2 exists in adsorber catalyst in the form of its salt. Then, particulate matters (PM) are oxidized by means of O* so produced and O2 in the exhaust gas, and the oxidized PM again reacts with O2 in the exhaust gas to be oxidized into CO2.
[0012] In addition, in FIG. 1 ( b ) showing a rich burn condition of a diesel engine, NOx, which has been adsorbed to the adsorber catalyst in the form of its salt by means of hot temperature and instantaneous rich exhaust conditions, is converted into NO and O* which in turn are discharged. Further, the discharged NO and O* react with HC and CO through oxidation catalytic reaction and are converted into CO2, H2O and N2. Furthermore, even under the rich burn condition where there is shortage of oxygen, the particulate matters (PM) reacts with O* emitted from the adsorber catalyst such that it can be oxidized into CO2.
[0013] However, the DPNR system of Toyota Motor Corporation, in which a continuous regeneration approach is employed, still has the following technical limitations. First, since platinum is used as oxidation catalyst, reduction in performance resulting from the poisoning due to sulfur existing abundantly in diesel exhaust gas cannot be avoided. Second, since the adsorbed nitrogen oxide can be purified only if a rich burn condition should be periodically provided, high fuel efficiency that is one of most significant advantages of a diesel engine is lowered. Further, there are problems in that costs are increased because an additional fuel injection system should be installed to an upper end of the DPNR system in order to provide a periodic rich burn condition, and that a stable operation cannot be performed because the post injection should be made in the fuel injection system of the diesel engine.
[0014] In addition, since there is a limit to the amount of NOx adsorbed by the adsorber catalyst under the lean burn condition of a diesel engine, the diesel engine needs to be periodically operated under a rich burn condition or at a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio where there is shortage of oxygen. This means that the aforementioned conventional technique is not suitable for a diesel car engine that usually operates in a lean burn condition without the occurrence of a periodic high-load condition in view of its combustion characteristics.
[0015] Furthermore, the conventional technique has the following problems. That is, high activation temperature and resultant high energy are required to allow platinum constituting the oxidation catalyst to have sufficient oxidizing power, and the platinum oxidation catalyst cannot provide any functions of purifying the exhaust gas until it reaches the activation temperature.
[0016] Moreover, according to the conventional technique, since HC and CO are rapidly oxidized by means of the platinum oxidation catalyst under the rich burn condition where NOx adsorber catalyst can be regenerated, the reduction of NOx can be prevented. To avoid this, the conventional technique adopts the post injection method in which greater amount of fuel is injected in consideration of the amount of HC and CO under the rich burn condition. However, this results in waste of diesel fuel.
SUMMARY OF CERTAIN INVENTIVE ASPECTS
[0017] An aspect of the invention provide a system for processing a composition comprising soot particles and NOx. The system comprises an inlet configured to receive a composition comprising soot particles and gaseous components, the gaseous components comprising NOx compounds, which comprise NO and NO 2 ; an outlet configured to discharge a processed composition; a soot remover located between the inlet and outlet, the soot remover comprising a filter, a first light-activated redox catalyst and a first light source, the filter being configured to filter soot particles while passing most of the gaseous components therethrough, the soot particles comprising hydrocarbons that may not pass the filter, the first light source being configured to generate light so as to activate the first light-activated redox catalyst, wherein at least part of the filtered soot particles is removed by an oxidation reaction thereof in the presence of the first redox catalyst, and wherein some or all of the hydrocarbons are broken into smaller molecules that can pass through the filter; and a NOx converter located between the inlet and outlet, the NOx converter comprising an adsorber, a second light-activated redox catalyst and a second light source, the adsorber being configured to adsorb at least part of the NOx compounds, the second light source being configured to generate light so as to activate the second light-activated redox catalyst, wherein at least part of the NOx compounds is adsorbed in the adsorber and converted to N 2 by a reduction reaction thereof in the presence of the second redox catalyst.
[0018] In the foregoing system, the filter may be made of a porous ceramic material. At least one of the first and second light-activated redox catalysts may be selected from the group consisting of TiO 2 , ZnO, CdS, ZrO 2 , SnO 2 , V 2 O 2 , WO 3 , SrTiO 3 , and a mixture comprising one or more of the foregoing compounds. At least one of the first and second light sources may comprise a plasma generator comprising two discharge electrodes configured to create a plasma discharge state upon application of a voltage therebetween. The system may further comprise a controller configured to change intensity of the light generated by at least one of the first and second light sources, and wherein the degree of at least one of the removal of soot particles and the conversion of NOx may be attributable to the change of the intensity of the light. At least part of the smaller molecules broken from hydrocarbons may participate in the reduction reaction of NOx compounds as a reducing agent. The system may further comprise a control circuit configured to control intensity of the light generated by at least one of the first and second light sources. At least part of the NOx compounds may participate in the oxidation reaction of hydrocarbons as an oxidizing agent. The system may further comprise a pre-oxidizer located between the inlet and the soot remover, wherein the pre-oxidizer may be configured to oxidize at least part of components of the composition passing therethrough.
[0019] Another aspect of the invention provides a system for processing a combustion exhaust composition. The system comprises: an inlet configured to receive a composition comprising soot particles and gaseous components, the gaseous components comprising NOx compounds; an outlet configured to discharge a processed composition; a soot remover located between the inlet and outlet, the soot remover comprising a filter configured to filter soot particles while passing most of the gaseous components, the soot remover being configured to provide an oxidizing agent to the filtered soot particles such that at least part of the filtered soot particles is oxidized and broken into smaller molecules that can pass through the filter; and a NOx converter located between the soot converter and outlet, the NOx converter comprising an adsorber configured to adsorb at least part of the NOx, the NOx converter being configured to provide a reducing agent to the adsorbed NOx such that at least part of the adsorbed NOx is reduced and converted to N 2 .
[0020] The foregoing system may further comprise a pre-oxidizer located between the inlet and the soot remover, wherein the pre-oxidizer may be configured to oxidize at least part of components of the composition, thereby converting the at least part of the components to oxidized species thereof. The pre-oxidizer may comprise a light-activated redox catalyst and a light source configured to generate light for activating the light-activated redox catalyst. The pre-oxidizer may comprise a plurality of channels elongated in a general direction from the inlet toward the soot remover, and wherein the redox catalyst may be provide in at least one of the channels. The oxidizing agent provided to the filtered soot particles may comprise at least part of the oxidized species converted in the pre-oxidizer. At least one of the soot remover and the NOx converter may further comprise a light-activated redox catalyst and a light source configured to generate light for activating the light-activated redox catalyst. The soot remover may comprise a first cell having an opening toward the inlet and a second cell having an opening toward the NOx converter, wherein the filter may be located between and separates the first and second cell. The soot remover may further comprise a plasma-activated redox catalyst and a pair of discharge electrodes configured to create a plasma discharge in the vicinity of the filter. The reducing agent provided to the adsorbed NOx may comprise at least part of the small molecules broken from soot particles. The NOx converter may comprise a plurality of channels elongated in a general direction from the soot remover toward the outlet, and wherein a redox catalyst may be provided in at least part of the channels. The system may further comprise an automobile comprising an internal combustion engine, wherein the inlet may be connected to an exhaust of the internal combustion engine of the automobile.
[0021] Another aspect of the invention provides a system for processing exhaust gas of an engine. The system comprises: a first reactor configured to oxidize at least part of HC, CO, NO and particulate matters contained in an exhaust gas; a second reactor configured to collect the particulate matters with a filter and oxidizing the collected particulate matters; a third reactor comprising a light source, a light-activated redox catalyst and an adsorber configured to adsorb NOx contained in the exhaust gas, the third reactor being configured to remove at least part of the adsorbed NOx by a reduction reaction thereof; and a controller for controlling intensity of light from the light source. The first, second and third reactors are located in a conduit for flowing exhaust gas of an engine.
[0022] Still another aspect of the invention provides a method of processing a composition comprising soot particles and NOx. The method may comprise: flowing a composition comprising soot particles and gaseous components through a conduit in a flow direction, the gaseous components comprising NOx compounds, which comprise NO and NO 2 ; filtering the soot particles with a filter located in the conduit while passing most of the gaseous components through the filter, the soot particles comprising hydrocarbons that may not pass through the filter; removing at least part of the filtered soot particles from the filter by an oxidation reaction of some or all of the hydrocarbons, which are broken into smaller molecules that can pass through the filter; adsorbing at least part of the NOx compounds with an adsorber located in the conduit; and converting at least part of the adsorbed NOx compounds to N 2 by a reduction reaction of NOx compounds.
[0023] In the foregoing method, the adsorber may be located in the conduit past the filter in the flow direction. At least part of the smaller molecules passing through the filter may participate in the reduction reaction of NOx compounds as a reducing agent. At least one of the oxidation and reduction reactions may be conducted in the presence of a redox catalyst. The catalyst may be selected from the group consisting of TiO 2 , ZnO, CdS, ZrO 2 , SnO 2 , V 2 O 2 , WO 3 , SrTiO 3 , and a mixture comprising one or more of the foregoing compounds. The redox catalyst may be provided in the vicinity of at least one of the filter and the adsorber. The redox catalyst may comprise a photocatalyst that can be activated by applying light thereto, and wherein the method may further comprise applying light to the photocatalyst so as to activate the redox catalyst. Applying light may comprise providing creating plasma discharge in the vicinity of the photocatalyst. A degree of activation of the photocatalyst may be controllable by intensity of the light applied thereto, and wherein the method may further comprise changing the intensity of the light, thereby controlling the degree of activation of the redox catalyst. At least part of the smaller molecules passing through the filter may participate in the reduction reaction NOx as a reducing agent. The method may further comprise increasing the intensity of the light applied to the photocatalyst for the oxidation reaction of hydrocarbons so as to supply more reducing agents for the reduction reaction of NOx compounds. At least part of the NOx compounds participate in the oxidation reaction of hydrocarbons as an oxidizing agent.
[0024] The method may further comprise subjecting the composition to oxidation conditions in an area in the conduit before the filter in the flow direction, wherein at least part of components of the composition may be oxidized in the oxidation conditions before reaching the filter. At least part of the NOx compounds are oxidized to NO 2 by the oxidation conditions, and wherein NO 2 may participate in the oxidation reaction of hydrocarbons as an oxidizing agent. The oxidation conditions are provided by activating a redox catalyst provided in the area by applying light thereto, and wherein the method may further comprise changing the intensity of the light, thereby controlling a degree of activation of the redox catalyst and controlling the oxidation of components of the composition while passing through the area. At least part of the oxidized components in the oxidation conditions may participate in the oxidation reaction of hydrocarbons as an oxidizing agent, and wherein the method may further comprise increasing the intensity of the light applied to the photocatalyst so as to supply more oxidizing agents for the oxidation reaction of hydrocarbons. The filter may be made of a porous ceramic material. The composition may comprise an exhaust gas from combustion of fuel comprising hydrocarbons. The method does not supply an oxidizing agent or a reducing agent other than the exhaust gas and air from the surrounding. Flowing, filtering, removing, adsorbing and converting are substantially continuously carried out in a single apparatus comprising the conduit.
[0025] A further aspect of the invention provides a method for purifying exhaust gas of an engine. The method comprises: oxidizing at least part of hydrocarbons, CO, NO and particulate matters contained in the exhaust gas by an oxidation reaction in the presence of a light-activated redox catalyst in a first reactor; collecting with a filter the particulate matters of the exhaust gas after the first reactor, and oxidizing at least part of the collected particulate matters by an oxidation reaction in the presence of a light-activated redox catalyst in a second reactor; and adsorbing with an adsorber NOx contained in the exhaust gas after the second reactor and removing at least part of the adsorbed NOx by a reduction reaction in the presence of a light-activated redox catalyst in a third reactor, controlling the activity of at least one of the light-activated redox catalysts in the first, second and third reactors by adjusting intensity of light applied to the light-activated redox catalyst in the at least one of the reactors.
[0026] A further aspect of the invention provides a system and method for purifying or processing exhaust gas or soot of a diesel engine, which is particularly suitable to a diesel car engine that usually operates in a lean burn condition without the occurrence of a periodic high-load condition in view of its combustion characteristics. A still further aspect of the invention provides a system and method for purifying exhaust gas, by which fuel consumption can be reduced by solving the problems of the related art in which additional fuel has been further injected to create an atmosphere where NOx can be reduced. A still further aspect of the invention provides a system and method for purifying exhaust gas of a diesel engine, by which harmful materials such as HC, CO, PM and NOx can be purified at a relatively low temperature, and exhaust gas purification efficiency can be enhanced due to the structure that does not require the time needed for activating the catalyst. A still further aspect of the invention provides a system and method for purifying exhaust gas of a diesel engine, by which efficiency of purifying exhaust gas can be improved and waste of energy needed in purifying the exhaust gas can also be reduced by controlling components, such as HC, CO, C or NO 2 , in the exhaust gas as oxidizing or reducing agents for stepwise oxidation or reduction.
[0027] According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for purifying exhaust gas of a diesel engine, which comprises a first reactor for at least partially oxidizing HC or particulate matters in the exhaust gas; a second reactor for collecting the particulate matters in the exhaust gas passed through the first reactor onto a diesel particulate filter provided therein and then oxidizing the collected particulate matters to regenerate the diesel particulate filter; a third reactor which includes a light source, photocatalyst responsive thereto and adsorber, thereby adsorbing NOx in the exhaust gas passed through the second reactor with the adsorber and removing NOx through reduction reaction using a gaseous reducing agent generated by oxidizing the particulate matters collected in the second reactor; and a controller for controlling intensity of light from the light source according to concentration of the exhaust gas. According to the present invention, therefore, NOx removal efficiency can be improved by oxidizing at least a part of the particulate matters collected on the second reactor into gaseous ones using a light source in the third reactor such that the third reactor is in an atmosphere state where NOx can be reduced. Further, the fuel consumption can be greatly reduced since NOx can be sufficiently removed without additional supply of the fuel. Herein, a concentration of the exhaust gas means including the concentration of respective components in the exhaust gas as well as the concentration of oxygen in the exhaust gas.
[0028] Here, it is preferred that the first reactor include a light source of which light intensity can be adjusted by the controller, and photocatalyst responsive to the light source, thereby at least partially oxidizing HC or particulate matters through photocatalytic oxidation reaction.
[0029] Further, it is preferred that the second reactor include a light source of which light intensity can be adjusted by the controller, and photocatalyst responsive to the light source, thereby oxidizing the particulate matters collected on the diesel particulate filter through the photocatalytic oxidation reaction to regenerate the diesel particulate filter.
[0030] Preferably, the first reactor causes a part of HC, CO or particulate matters to be oxidized into CO 2 and NO to be oxidized into NO 2 , the second reactor uses NO 2 in the exhaust gas passed through the first reactor as an oxidizing agent for oxidation of the particulate matters, and the third reactor uses at least one of the gaseous HC and CO and the solid C, which have been partially oxidized in the second reactor, as a reducing agent for reduction of NOx.
[0031] Further, it is preferred that the first, second and third reactors be consecutively installed within a casing having exhaust gas inlet and outlet and that the light source be a low temperature plasma unit for irradiating low temperature plasma onto the photocatalyst.
[0032] More preferably, the low temperature plasma unit includes a rod-shaped ground electrode, a mesh-type discharge electrode for covering an exhaust gas passage in each reactor, and a ceramic insulation for supporting the discharge electrode in the reactor. In addition, the photocatalyst is preferably TiO 2 . Alternatively, the filter in the second reactor is alternately plugged with conductive metal at its intake inlets and exhausts outlets, and said metal function as electrodes.
[0033] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for purifying exhaust gas of a diesel engine, comprising the steps of (a) at least partially oxidizing HC, CO, NO or particulate matters in the exhaust gas; (b) regenerating a diesel particulate filter by collecting the particulate matters in the exhaust gas passed through step (a) onto the diesel particulate filter and then oxidizing the collected particulate matters using NO 2 obtained through oxidation of NO as a reducing agent; and (c) adsorbing NOx in the exhaust gas passed through step (b) with adsorber and regenerating the adsorber through the NOx reduction by causing at least one of HC, CO and C obtained in step (b) to be used in the NOx reduction reaction.
[0034] At this time, it is preferred that the NOx reduction reaction be controlled in step (c) by controlling intensity of light causing photocatalytic reaction, that an amount of NOx to be used as an oxidizing agent in step (b) be adjusted in step (a) by controlling intensity of light causing photocatalytic reaction, and that an amount of HC, CO and C to be used as a-reducing agent in step (c) can be adjusted in step (b) by controlling intensity of light causing photocatalytic reaction.
[0035] Preferably, a low temperature plasma unit for irradiating low temperature plasma onto photocatalyst is used as a light source causing the photocatalytic reaction.
[0036] According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for purifying exhaust gas of a diesel engine, comprising the steps of at least partially oxidizing HC, CO, NO or particulate matters in the exhaust gas through photocatalytic oxidation reaction using a light source, in a first reactor; collecting the particulate matters in the exhaust gas passed through the first reactor onto a diesel particulate filter and then oxidizing the collected particulate matters through photocatalytic oxidation reaction using a light source, in a second reactor; and adsorbing NOx in the exhaust gas passed through the second reactor with adsorber and removing NOx through photocatalytic reduction reaction using a light source, wherein an amount of NO 2 to be generated as an oxidizing agent in the second reactor, an amount of HC and CO to be generated as a reducing agent in the third reactor and an amount of NOx to be reduced in the third reactor are adjusted by controlling the light sources of the respective reactors.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0038] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an operating principle of a system for purifying exhaust gas of a diesel engine;
[0039] FIG. 2 is a view schematically showing the configuration of a system for purifying exhaust gas of a diesel engine according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0040] FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a purifier constituting a main part of the exhaust gas purification system shown in FIG. 2 ;
[0041] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 3 for explaining a first reactor of the exhaust gas purification system;
[0042] FIG. 5 a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 3 for explaining a second reactor of the exhaust gas purification system;
[0043] FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 3 for explaining a third reactor of the exhaust gas purification system; and
[0044] FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating a process of stepwise removing pollutants from the exhaust gas in respective reactors of the exhaust gas purification system shown in FIGS. 2 to 6 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0045] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0046] As shown in FIG. 2 , a system 100 for purifying exhaust gas according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises first, second and third reactors 120 , 140 and 160 that are successively installed to an exhaust pipe 2 of a diesel engine to successively purify pollutants from the exhaust gas. The reactors 120 , 140 and 160 are formed into a single purifier 100 for successively purifying or processing hydrocarbons (HC), CO, PM, NOx and the like from the exhaust gas, as explained later. In certain embodiments, the reactors are a carrier or honeycomb monolith containing catalyst, or a filter according to their functions. Further, each reactor or at least one reactor may contain a plasma producing apparatus.
[0047] Each of the reactors 120 , 140 and 160 contains TiO2 photocatalyst that can be activated by light emitted from a light source, for example, low temperature plasma light created by each of low temperature plasma units 122 , 142 and 162 . The degree of the photocatalytic reaction varies according to the intensity of light applied to the photocatalysts. In one embodiment, each of the low temperature plasma units is controlled by a controller 200 according to oxygen concentration (or dilution concentration) of the exhaust gas and the like.
[0048] In certain embodiments, an oxygen sensor 210 for measuring oxygen concentration of the exhaust gas may be provided upstream of the purifier 100 . The controller 200 determines whether a diesel engine operates in a lean or rich burn condition, for example, based on an oxygen concentration measured by the oxygen sensor 210 . Based on the determination, the controller 200 may wholly or individually control the photocatalytic reactions of the reactors 120 , 140 and 160 by adjusting the electric power applied to the plasma units by the power source 240 of the low temperature plasma units 122 , 142 and 162 . Further, a differential pressure sensor 220 for measuring the pressure difference between the upstream and downstream of the purifier may be provided such that the controller 200 can also control the supply of electric power to the aforementioned low temperature plasma units 122 , 142 and 162 depending upon the differential pressure of the exhaust gas measured by the differential pressure sensor 220 .
[0049] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the purifier 100 shown in FIG. 2 , FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 3 , FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 3 , and FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 3 .
[0050] As shown in FIG. 3 , the purifier 100 according to an embodiment includes a stainless steel casing 110 in which the first, second and third reactors 120 , 140 and 160 are installed. The casing 110 is configured in such a manner that its front and rear ends are connected to the exhaust pipe 2 to allow the exhaust gas flowing out of the diesel engine to be introduced through the upstream side thereof and the exhaust gas purified or processed in the first, second and third reactors 120 , 140 and 160 to be discharged through the downstream side thereof.
[0051] Further, the reactors 120 , 140 and 160 include carriers or structures 124 , 144 and 164 ; ceramic supports 123 , 143 and 163 installed at front and rear ends of the carrier or structures 124 , 144 and 164 for supporting the carriers; and low temperature plasma units 122 , 142 and 162 ; respectively. The carriers 124 , 144 and 164 are supported in parallel with one another within the casing 110 by means of the ceramic supports 123 , 143 and 163 , respectively. Further, the low temperature plasma units 122 , 142 and 162 are installed at both front and rear ends of the carriers 124 , 144 and 164 , respectively. The low temperature plasma units 122 , 142 and 162 include rod-shaped ground electrodes 122 a , 142 a and 162 a that are installed at both front and rear ends of the carriers 124 , 144 and 164 and penetrate through the ceramic supports 123 , 143 and 163 ; and mesh-type discharge electrodes 122 b , 142 b and 162 b that cover the passages of the exhaust gas at the front and rear ends of the carriers 124 , 144 and 164 , respectively. The aforementioned ceramic supports 123 , 143 and 163 perform a function of insulating the ground electrodes 122 a , 142 a and 162 a , the discharge electrodes 122 b , 142 b and 162 b , and the casing 110 from one another in addition to the function of supporting the carriers 124 , 144 and 164 , respectively.
[0052] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 , the first reactor 120 includes the honeycomb ceramic carrier 124 with TiO2 photocatalyst 125 coated thereon. The photocatalyst 125 reacts with the low temperature plasma created in the low temperature plasma unit 122 to cause the photocatalytic reaction which in turn promotes the oxidation reaction for purifying or processing HC, CO and the like from the exhaust gas as described below.
[0053] Referring further to FIGS. 3 and 5 , the second reactor 140 includes the SiC DPF carrier, i.e. the diesel particulate filter 144 , with TiO2 photocatalyst 145 coated thereon. The diesel particulate filter 154 may include plugging 144 a for plugging each of exhaust outlets adjacent to intake inlets for the exhaust gas thereof and a porous filter wall 144 b placed between intake inlets and exhaust outlets for filtering out the particulate matters (PM) from the exhaust gas. Further, as will be explained later in detail, the photocatalyst 145 promotes the reaction with low temperature plasma created in the low temperature plasma unit 142 and thus the reaction of oxidizing particulate matters, i.e. PM, collected in the diesel particulate filter 144 .
[0054] Alternatively, the aforementioned intake inlets and exhaust outlets of the diesel particulate filter 144 may be plugged alternately with the plugging 144 a made of a conductive metal, and that surfaces of the plugging may be coated with conductive metal. If a high voltage is applied to the plugging 144 a and thus the low temperature plasma is created, the collected particulate matters can be easily and effectively oxidized and removed.
[0055] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6 , the third reactor 160 includes a honeycomb shaped ceramic carrier 164 that is coated with a TiO2 photocatalyst 165 and an adsorber (Ads) made of potassium, barium and/or the like. The adsorber (Ads) adsorbs NOx, i.e. nitrogen oxides, for a certain period of time, and the photocatalyst 165 is activated with the low temperature plasma created in the low temperature plasma unit 162 to enhance reduction reactions which reduce NOx compounds. As the NOx compounds are reduced, the adsorber is regenerated. Further, the ceramic carrier 164 includes not only the photocatalyst 165 but also may include one or more cocatalysts containing rhodium (Rd), silver (Ag) and/or nickel (Ni) in order to increase the reducing power of the photocatalyst 165 .
[0056] FIG. 7 illustrates a process of stepwise treating the pollutants in the exhaust gas within the respective reactors 120 , 140 and 160 by the exhaust gas purification or processing system according to an embodiment. The process of purifying or processing the exhaust gas of a diesel engine will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7 .
[0057] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 7 , in the first reactor 120 , the low temperature plasma unit 122 creates a low temperature plasma and generates a certain wavelength of light, such as ultra violet light onto the photocatalyst 125 , and thus creates reactive oxygen and free radicals. The reactive oxygen causes HC, CO and NO in the exhaust gas and a part of soluble organic fractions (SOF) of the particulate matters (PM) to be oxidized. HC and CO are oxidized and turn to CO2 and water, SOF may also turn to CO2 and water. Further, NO among the NOx compounds is converted to NO2, which then can be used as an oxidizing agent for the oxidation of the particulate matters (PM) and in the second reactor.
[0058] The controller 200 may decrease the electric power applied to the low temperature plasma unit 122 to slow the oxidation reaction in the presence of the photocatalyst 125 under a lean burn condition where oxygen is rich in the exhaust gas. On the other hand, the controller may increase the electric power applied to the low temperature plasma unit 122 to facilitate the oxidation reaction in the presence of the photocatalyst 125 under a rich burn condition where there is a shortage of oxygen. Further, the controller 200 may control the amount of NO2, which is generated in the first reactor and used as an oxidizing agent in the second reactor 140 depending upon the composition of the exhaust gas.
[0059] In the second reactor 140 , most of the particulate matters (PM) that are not fully oxidized in the first reactor 120 are collected on the diesel particulate filter 144 . The collected particulate matters (PM) are then oxidized and converted to smaller molecules including CO, HC, H2, water, NO and the like. The NO2 existing in the exhaust gas and created in the first reactor 120 can be used as oxidizing agent of the particulate matters. Free radicals and reactive oxygen may also be used as oxidizing agent in the second reactor 140 . By such oxidation reactions the diesel particulate filter 144 in the second reactor 140 can be continuously regenerated. Furthermore, since the TiO2 photocatalyst 145 is used as the redox catalyst for the regeneration of the diesel particulate filter 144 , the diesel particulate filter 144 can be continuously regenerated even at a lower exhaust temperature. In addition, since the TiO2 photocatalyst 145 can be rapidly activated by applying light generated in a low temperature plasma, the time needed for regenerating the diesel particulate filter 144 can be greatly reduced.
[0060] The controller 200 may control the amount of electric power to be supplied to the low temperature plasma unit 142 in view of the concentration of the components such as HC, CO, PM, etc. in the exhaust gas. In particular, soluble organic fractions (SOF) in the particulate matters (PM) may be at least partially oxidized to carbon monoxide (CO), and smaller hydrocarbons (HC). The resulting partially oxidized components including carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons may be used as a reducing agent for NOx in the third reactor 160 .
[0061] In the third reactor 160 , NOx compounds in the exhaust gas passed through the first and second reactors 120 and 140 is adsorbed by the adsorber (Ads) and then temporarily kept in the honeycomb carrier 164 of the third reactor 160 . Then, NOx compounds adsorbed in the adsorber (Ads) are reduced by a photocatalytic reduction reaction, in which HC, CO and C are used as a reducing agent. The adsorber (Ads) can be regenerated by the reduction reactions.
[0062] The controller 200 can control the reducing power of the reduction reactions by controlling the supply of electric power to the low temperature plasma unit 162 . The reduction reaction of NOx can be performed without being greatly subjected to the influence of oxygen even under the lean burn condition where oxygen is rich in the exhaust gas, and consequently, it is not necessary to supply an additional reducing agent for the NOx reduction. Moreover, the controller 200 can prevent nitrogen in the exhaust gas from being oxidized and thus the nitrogen oxide from being additionally produced by properly controlling the low temperature plasma unit 162 .
[0063] In a case where the aforementioned exhaust gas purification or processing system for a diesel engine is used to purify or process an exhaust gas of a diesel engine, the first reactor 120 can remove significant portion of carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons at low-temperature and low-load conditions regardless of the exhaust temperature. Further, the diesel particulate filter 144 of the second reactor 140 can collect the particulate matters (PM), which are often created in an accelerating period of the diesel engine. Further, the second reactor 140 can also continuously oxidize the collected particulate matters (PM) and thus continuously regenerate the diesel particulate filter 144 by the application of an appropriate voltage to the low temperature plasma unit 142 .
[0064] Furthermore, the third reactor 160 can adsorb NOx compounds which are created early in the accelerating period of the diesel engine, with the adsorber (Ads) and then effectively remove the adsorbed NOx compounds by reducing them with HC, C and CO as a reducing agent. Further, the production of HC, C and CO can be controlled easily by changing the electric power applied to the plasma units of the first and second reactors 120 and 140 which improve the NOx removal efficiency and energy consumption efficiency.
[0065] In addition, TiO2 that is used as the photocatalyst 125 , 145 and 165 in at least one of the reactors 120 , 140 and 160 is excellent in the anti-poisoning against sulfur to the extent that inherent photocatalytic performance can be maintained even when the concentration of sulfur components in the diesel fuel is 50 ppm or more. Thus, the reduction in performance due to the sulfur components in the diesel fuel can be prevented.
[0066] Although the foregoing embodiments used a photocatalyst in all the reactors 120 , 140 and 160 , the photocatalyst may not be used in all the reactors. Other embodiments may have a photocatalyst in at least one of the reactors. For example, a photocatalyst is provided in the third reactor, in which the adsorption and reduction of NOx are performed.
[0067] Furthermore, although it has not been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the exhaust gas purification or processing system can have a feature of warning a system malfunction by making an alarm sound or light when there is something wrong in the electric power or current applied to the respective reactors.
[0068] According to embodiments, NOx compounds can be easily adsorbed by the adsorber and the adsorbed NOx compounds can be easily reduced and removed without additional supply of the fuel or reducing agent under various combustion conditions of the diesel engine, by controlling photocatalytic reactions. Further, there is little need for a periodic high-load condition to reduce or remove NOx. Therefore, there is an advantage in that the exhaust gas purification system and method of the present invention can be more preferably employed in the diesel car engine although it is not limited to diesel engines.
[0069] In addition, the present invention has solved the problems of the prior art in which additional fuel should be further injected to create an atmosphere where NOx can be reduced. Therefore, there is another advantage in that the fuel consumption can be greatly reduced.
[0070] Further, harmful materials such as HC, CO, PM and NOx can be purified or processed at a relatively low temperature. Since the time needed for activating the catalyst is not substantially required, the exhaust gas purification or processing efficiency can be enhanced.
[0071] Furthermore, the present invention can use the components of exhaust gas, such as HC, CO, C or NO2, oxidizing or reducing agents in the oxidation or reduction reactions. Therefore, the exhaust gas purification efficiency can be further improved and the waste of energy needed in purifying the exhaust gas can also be reduced.
[0072] In addition, in the foregoing embodiments where TiO2, which is excellent in anti-poisoning against sulfur components, is used as a photocatalyst, reduction in durability of the system due to the sulfur components can be prevented, and even diesel fuel containing the sulfur components greater than the conventional fuel can be used.
[0073] Various features and aspects of the present invention have been described with reference to the specific embodiment thereof. However, various variations, modifications and changes to the present invention can be made in the art within the scope of the invention defined by the appended claims. Therefore, it should be construed that the foregoing descriptions and accompanying drawings do not restrict but illustrate the technical scope of the present invention. | The invention relates to a system and a method for processing exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine such as a diesel engine. The disclosed system and method can be particularly suitable to the diesel engine that usually operates in a lean burn condition without the occurrence of a periodic high-load condition in view of its combustion characteristics. According to the system and method, an exhaust composition containing soot particles and gaseous components are processed to remove the soot particles and to reduce the amount of NOx compounds. The soot particles are first filtered with a filter that passes gaseous components of the composition and collecting the soot particles. The collected soot particles are oxidized in the presence of a light-activated redox catalyst to turn to smaller molecules that can pass through the filter. The NOx compounds are temporarily adsorbed by an adsorber and reduced in the presence of a light-activated redox catalyst to turn to N 2 . | 5 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/388,832 filed on Jun. 13, 2002.
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a computer method and system for simulating an online session while offline, and more particularly, to such a method and system in the field of customer relationship management.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The Internet provides the capability to provide services to customers without requiring them to install additional software on their local computers. Specifically, by exploiting the customer's web browser, all functional logic and all data can reside at a remote server rather than at the customer's local computer (i.e., the client). As such, the customer, via instructions submitted through web pages that are displayed in the web browser, can remotely invoke the functional logic to view, create, update, delete or otherwise modify the data residing on the remote server.
In the field of customer relationship management (“CRM”), the foregoing use of the Internet is ideal for enabling sales, customer support, and marketing teams and individuals to organize and manage their customer information. For example, all leads, opportunities, contacts, accounts, forecasts, cases, and solutions can be stored at a secure data center but may be easily viewed by any authorized sales-person (e.g., with a proper username and password) through a web browser and Internet connection. One key benefit of such an online CRM solution is the ability to share data real-time and enable all team members to leverage a common set of information from one accessible location. For example, sales managers can track forecast rollups without requiring each sales representative to submit individual reports, as well as instantly access aggregated sales data without requiring each sales representative to manually submit such data. Similarly, reseller sales representatives and other external partners can be granted secure access to a company's sales data by providing them a username and password for the web site.
Nevertheless, such an online CRM solution suffers from the requirement that a user must have access to an Internet connection in order to access and manipulate the data residing on the remote server. For example, when a sales representative or manager is working in the field, such an Internet connection may not be readily available. As such, what is needed is a method for simulating an online session while the user is offline (e.g., without a network connection). Furthermore, it would be advantageous if such a method minimized the amount of user training and client-side installation and customization by taking advantage of pre-existing interfaces and technologies on the client computer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a method and system for simulating an online session between the client and a remote server when the client is offline. The client includes a local interface that can communicate with the remote server. During an online session, the data and the functional logic that is invoked to manipulate the data reside on the remote server. As such, the user transmits instructions to view, create, update, delete, or otherwise modify portions of data through the local interface and subsequently through the underlying network. These instructions are ultimately received at the remote server, which then invokes the proper functional logic to perform the instructions in order to manipulate the data.
In preparation for simulating an online session when the client is offline, when the client is online, it imports at least a subset of the data that resides at the remote server. Furthermore, the client imports at least a subset of the functional logic used to manipulate the data as an embedded portion of a format or document that is capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface. To initiate an offline session, the user invokes the local interface (as in the online session). However, rather than accessing the remote server, the local interface accesses local documents formatted with the embedded functional logic. As in the online session, the user transmits instructions to view, create, update, delete, or otherwise modify portions of data through the local interface. However, rather than transmitting the instructions through an underlying network, the local interface invokes the embedded functional logic in the documents to manipulate the imported data in response to the instructions. As such, the present invention provides an offline simulation of an online session between the client and a remote server. Because the same local interface that is used in the online session is also used in the offline session, user training for the offline session is minimized or even eliminated. Furthermore, since functional logic is embedded into a format capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface, the need to install additional standalone software applications is also minimized or eliminated. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an online session between a client with a local interface and a remote server with a relational database and functional logic.
FIG. 2 is an example of a client initiation of an online CRM session with a remote server.
FIG. 3 is an example of the presentation of CRM data on a client's web browser during an online CRM session.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an offline session.
FIG. 5 is a expanded block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the various phases used to provide a client with the capabilities of engaging in an offline CRM session.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of a process for conducting an offline CRM session.
FIG. 7 is an example of a login session to connect to a remote server during a synchronization process.
FIG. 8 is an example of a visual representation of a synchronization process with the remote server.
FIG. 9A is a first example of the presentation of CRM data during an offline session (Home View).
FIG. 9B is a second example of the presentation of CRM data during an offline session (Home View).
FIG. 9C is a third example of the presentation of CRM data during an offline session (Home View).
FIG. 9D is a fourth example of the presentation of CRM data during an offline session (Home View).
FIG. 9E is a fifth example of the presentation of CRM data during an offline session (Home View).
FIG. 10A is an example of the presentation of “Accounts” CRM data during an offline session (Home View).
FIG. 10B is an example of the presentation of “Accounts” CRM data during an offline session (All Accounts View).
FIG. 10C is an example of the presentation of “Accounts” CRM data during an offline session (Specific Account View).
FIG. 10D is an example of the presentation of “Accounts” CRM data during an offline session (New Account View).
FIG. 11A is an example of the presentation of “Contacts” CRM data during an offline session (Home View).
FIG. 11B is an example of the presentation of “Contacts” CRM data during an offline session (All Contacts View).
FIG. 11C is an example of the presentation of “Contacts” CRM data during an offline session (Specific Contact View).
FIG. 11D is an example of the presentation of “Contacts” CRM data during an offline session (New Contact View).
FIG. 12A is an example of the presentation of “Opportunities” CRM data during an offline session (Home View).
FIG. 12B is an example of the presentation of “Opportunities” CRM data during an offline session (All Opportunities View).
FIG. 12C is an example of the presentation of “Opportunities” CRM data during an offline session (Specific Opportunity View).
FIG. 12D is an example of the presentation of “Opportunities” CRM data during an offline session (New Opportunity View).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following detailed description will first describe the structure of an online session that may be simulated by an offline session in accordance with the invention. The structure of the offline session, itself, is then detailed. Following the description of the offline session, preparation of the client prior to conducting such offline sessions (e.g., installation and synchronization phases) is described.
Online Session
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an online session between a client 100 and a remote server 200 . The client includes a local interface 110 while the remote server 200 includes a database 210 and functional logic 220 that is invoked to manipulate the data residing in the database 210 . The client 100 establishes communication channels through a network 150 that connects the client 100 to the remote server 200 .
In one environment, the network 150 used by the online session may be the Internet. In such an environment, the client 100 may be a laptop or desktop computer and the local interface. 110 may be a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. The functional logic 220 at the remote server 200 may be invoked through an underlying application or specification such as a CGI program (including, for example, scripts such as Perl), Java servlet (including, for example, JavaServer Pages, or JSP, technology), daemon, service, system agent, server API solution (including, for example, ISAPI or NSAPI) or any other technique or technology known in the art. The database 210 may be a relational database management system such as Oracle or DB2. The communication channels between the local interface 110 and the remote server 200 may be governed by the HTTP protocol. For example, by selecting various options from a web page, a user transmits instructions in the form of an HTTP message through the Internet to the remote server. Upon receiving the HTTP message, the underlying program, component, or application at the remote server performs the pertinent functional logic to interact with and manipulate the data in the database in accordance with the instructions. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the foregoing general online client-server scheme is merely illustrative and that various alternatives, possibly exploiting different technologies, standards and specifications, may also be utilized to create an online session over the Internet in accordance with FIG. 1 . Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that functional logic, program, service, agent, API or other computer code and/or data referred to herein or otherwise utilized may be stored, loaded and/or executed from or otherwise embodied in a suitable computer-readable medium, in accordance with the requirements of a particular implementation.
In the field of customer relationship management (“CRM”), such an online client-server scheme can provide the capability to track contacts, leads and customer inquiries without needing a complex software solution on the client-side. For example, in one instance of an online CRM session, the user securely logs into the remote server by entering a username and a password through his local web browser, as shown in FIG. 2 . Once the user successfully logs into the remote server, he may be presented with an initial home page that provides access to further features and information. As shown in FIG. 3 , for example, the initial home page may provide the user with a brief synopsis of his upcoming events 310 and tasks 320 . Furthermore, the initial home page provides access 330 to further pages that enable the user the track, manage and organize other data including campaigns, leads, accounts, contacts, opportunities, forecasts, cases, and reports. Those skilled in the art will recognize that FIGS. 2 and 3 are merely examples of one way of presenting CRM information on a local interface and that there exist innumerous ways (e.g., look and feel) to present CRM information on a local interface in accordance with the online client-server scheme presented herein. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that the online CRM session described herein is merely an example of one area in which the online client-server scheme may be exploited and that there exist innumerous fields and areas in which this online client-server scheme may be exploited.
Offline Session
As shown in FIG. 4 , during an offline session, in contrast to an online session as described earlier and illustrated in FIG. 1 , the client 100 can no longer establish a communications channel through the network 150 to connect to the remote server 200 . As such, at least portions of the data from the database 210 and portions of the functional logic 220 at the remote server 200 are imported to the client 100 so that the client 100 can conduct an offline session in isolation. In FIG. 4 , at least a subset 130 of the data 210 is imported to the client 100 . Similarly, at least a subset 120 of the functional logic 220 is also imported to the client. This imported functional logic 120 is embedded into a format capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface.
In an embodiment of an offline session in which the local interface 110 is a web browser, both the data 130 and functional logic 120 may be stored according to an open standards formatting protocol. For example and without limitation, the data 130 may be stored in a single or a series of documents in XML (Extensible Markup Language), possibly including, for example, XSL stylesheets (which are XML documents, themselves) for rendering the data into HTML documents. As is known to those skilled in the art, XML may be considered a markup language (or a specification for creating markup languages) that is used to identify structures within a document. Similarly, the functional logic 120 may be embedded in a document utilizing a markup language and may be expressed as a scripting language within the document. For example and without limitation, the functional logic 120 could be expressed as JavaScript or VBScript that is embedded in an HTML (HyperText Markup Language) document. As used herein, the term “embedded” may mean either actually embedding the JavaScript (or any other functional logic in a format capable of being interpreted and performed by the web browser) code in the HTML document, or alternatively, accessing a separate JavaScript document by, for example, providing the URL (relative or full address) of the JavaScript source code file in the HTML document. As such, when the HTML document is rendered by the web browser, depending upon certain actions taken by the user, certain portions of the functional logic 120 (e.g., JavaScript) may be interpreted and performed by the web browser. Such functional logic 120 may interact with the data 130 expressed as XML. For example and without limitation, a user may request to view portions of the data 130 on the web browser. In response to the request, by calling an XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language for Transformations) processor that is incorporated into the web browser (e.g., MSXML Parser) or any other comparable XSLT technology residing at the client, the functional logic 120 may access the appropriate portions of the data 130 (e.g., in XML documents) in conjunction with the appropriate XSL stylesheets, in order to transform or render such data 130 into an HTML document that is visually presented on the web browser.
Preparation of Client for Offline Session
Prior to conducting an offline session as described in the foregoing, an initial installation phase and subsequent synchronization sessions may be needed to prepare the client 100 for such an offline session. During the installation phase, an installation or setup executable may be downloaded from the remote server 200 to the client 100 . As depicted in FIG. 5 , during the installation phase 500 , the executable prepares the client for conducting an offline session by, for example and without limitation, (1) establishing a directory structure in the client's file system (Step 510 ), (2) downloading navigational markup documents with embedded functional logic (e.g., HTML files with embedded JavaScript code or HTML files and related separate JavaScript files) (Step 520 ); (3) downloading other miscellaneous installation components possibly including static HTML files, stylesheets, XSL templates, ActiveX controls, system shortcuts, local language components and, if not already available, an XML parser that may be integrated into the web browser (e.g., MSXML Parser) (Step 530 ).
Furthermore, prior to going offline, a user may synchronize the imported subset of data 130 at the client with the data residing in the database 210 . For example, if synchronization is occurring for the first time, all data residing in the database 210 that is needed for conducting an offline session may be downloaded from the database 210 to the client 100 (Step 550 ). This downloaded data may, for example, be defined and customized according to the user's criteria for conducting an offline session. In one implementation, the synchronization process may download this data as XML documents (e.g., according to data type such as accounts, contacts, opportunities, etc.). Once such XML documents are downloaded, XSL templates that are used to visually render the data (e.g., 130 in FIG. 4 ) on the web browser may be constructed at the client by utilizing the formatting instructions provided by the XML documents. Alternatively, such XSL templates might also be generated at the server and subsequently downloaded to the client. During subsequent synchronization processes prior to going offline 540 , as depicted in FIG. 5 , modified data records and data records created since the previous synchronization may be downloaded to the client (Step 560 ). Furthermore, the synchronization process 540 may also provide the opportunity to download (or modify) user customizations (e.g., XML layout information used to construct XSL templates at the client or the XSL templates themselves) for the visual representation of data and other information on the web browser (Step 570 ). Similarly, upon reestablishing a connection with the remote server 200 , the user may also desire to conduct a synchronization process 580 in order to upload any modified or newly created data records to the remote database 210 (Step 590 ). In one implementation of the synchronization process, the communication channel between the client 100 and the remote server 200 may be established through the HTTP protocol using XML-RPC and a related HTTP/HTTPS server based XML API. Those skilled in the art will recognize that there are alternative synchronization processes other than the one presented in FIG. 5 that may be conducted in accordance with the present invention. For example and without limitation, all synchronization processes, regardless of whether the subsequent activity is an offline session or the re-establishment of an online connection, may simultaneously download modified and newly created data records from the server database to the client as well as upload modified and newly create data records from the client to the server database. Additionally, those skilled in the art will recognize that any variety of techniques and models known in the art may be used implement the synchronization process in order to maintain consistency and coherency while accessing data (e.g., atomic, sequential or causal consistency, etc.).
FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a process for initiating and conducting an offline CRM session. As depicted, in this embodiment, an initial installation process should be conducted before an offline session can begin (e.g., Steps 610 , 510 , 520 , 530 ). After installation, a user may initiate an offline session by opening an HTML page downloaded to the client during the installation phase (Step 620 ). While still online, the user may then synchronize local client data with the remote database before going offline (Step 630 and expanded in Steps 632 , 634 , 550 , 560 , 590 ). As shown in FIG. 6 , this may involve downloading data from the remote server (Step 550 ) as well as uploading data to the remote server (Step 590 ), and if necessary, an initial download of all offline session data (Step 550 ). As previously discussed, one implementation of such downloading and uploading may be implemented through HTTP communications channels using XML-RPC. Once synchronization is complete, the user may go offline and manipulate, view, and modify his customer relationship data by selecting from various options through the web browser (Step 640 ). For example and without limitation, the user may view his calendar, tasks, and activities (Step 642 ). Additionally, data may be organized into certain categories such as accounts, contacts, and opportunities. The user may be able to maneuver through the web browser to access, edit, create, delete, or otherwise modify data within these categories (Steps 642 , 644 , 646 , 648 ).
FIGS. 7 to 12D represent examples of the local interface 110 as a web browser that may serve as visual examples for certain steps in the flowchart of FIG. 6 . For example, FIG. 7 illustrates a login interface to access the remote server to initiate a synchronization corresponding to 632 of FIG. 6 . Similarly, FIG. 8 illustrates the synchronization process of downloading modified and newly created records from the remote database as in 560 of FIG. 6 (and possible uploading of any modified or newly created records to the remote database as in 590 of FIG. 6 ). Corresponding to Step 642 in FIG. 6 , FIG. 9A illustrates one example of an offline home page and FIGS. 9B to 9E illustrate various other alternative “Home” views that may be accessed by the user during an offline session. Similarly, corresponding to Step 644 in FIG. 6 , FIGS. 10A to 10C illustrate various views of data organized into an Accounts category. Corresponding to Steps 646 and 648 in FIG. 6 , FIGS. 11A to 11D illustrate various views of data organized into a Contacts category and FIGS. 12A to 12D illustrate various view of data organized into an Opportunities category, respectively.
The various embodiments described in the above specification should be considered as merely illustrative of the present invention. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the forms disclosed. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that still other variations and modifications may be practiced without departing from the general spirit of the invention set forth herein. For example and without limitation, those skilled in the art will recognize that there exist alternative proprietary technologies, languages and open standards (e.g., other than JavaScript, XML, XSLT, XML-RPC, HTML, HTTP, etc.) that may be practiced in the context of the Internet and World Wide Web in accordance with the invention set forth herein. Furthermore, while much of the foregoing discussion has been described in the context of the World Wide Web and the Internet (e.g., local interface 110 is a web browser), those skilled in art will recognize that the invention disclosed herein may be implemented in other network environments as well. Similarly, while much of the foregoing discussion utilized the CRM area as an example, those skilled in the art will also recognize that other fields and areas may exploit the invention disclosed herein. Therefore, it is intended that the present invention be defined by the claims that follow. | Systems and Methods for conducting an offline session simulating an online session between a client and server in a network environment. The client imports data and functional logic from the server prior to going offline. The imported functional logic is embedded into a format or document that is capable of being interpreted and performed by the local interface at the client that is used to interact with server when online. Whether offline or online, the user utilizes the same local interface at the client to transmit instructions to the functional logic to manipulate the data. In an offline session, such instructions cause the imported and embedded functional logic to execute, thereby manipulating the data imported at the client. Known synchronization methods may also be used to maintain consistency and coherency between the imported data at the client and the database at the server. | 7 |
BACKGROUNG OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to work shop vices and methods for holding work pieces, and particularly to methods and apparatus for holding at a single time a multiplicity of work pieces having slight size variations that are to be worked upon together.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
For purposes of carrying out machining, polishing, buffing and other operations on items of metal or plastic or the like, it has long been known to place such a work piece in an ordinary work shop vice so that the piece may be held rigidly in place while the surface of such piece is worked upon. A vice may also be used to hold an item that has already been worked upon, e.g., items that have been glued together may be placed in a vice so as to maintain their fixed relationship while the glue hardens, or an item that has been painted may be held while the paint dries, and so on. Often, however, it is necessary to carry out machining and the other types of operations already mentioned on a large number of such items in sequence, and it then becomes tedious to place each item within a vice, tighten down the vice to hold the item in place, carry out the operation, loosen the vice so as to remove the item, and then replace that item with another similar item for a like operation.
Recognizing the inefficiency of the process just described, it has also long been known to provide a vice that has been adapted to accommodate at once a number of similar work pieces. In lieu of the usual vice that simply has two flat jaws facing one to the other, one of such jaws may be modified to include a number of cavities along the face thereof, said cavities being of a size and shape to accommodate insertion therein of a corresponding number of units of a particular type of work piece. An example of this procedure is shown in FIG. 1, wherein vice jig 10 is seen to comprise a first jaw 12 that has a simple flat surface, and facing thereon a second jaw 14, the side of which that faces onto first jaw 12 having been provided with a number of cavities 16 sized and shaped to accommodate a number of work pieces 18. Such work pieces will then be held in place upon movement of first and second jaws 12, 14 in the directions of arrows 20, 22, respectively.
(For purposes of clarity in the drawing, the top-most cavity 16 in FIG. 1 is shown without an included work piece 18. Also, although the shapes of cavities 16 and work pieces 18 are shown in FIG. 1 to be circular for ease of illustration, those shapes may be rectangular or any other such shape wherein some particular shape of cavity 16 has been designed to accommodate a particular kind of work piece 18.)
For many operations that are relatively undemanding, the apparatus of FIG. 1 as described to this point may serve quite well. However, for carrying out more precise operations such a procedure may be inadequate. For example, in the fabrication of second jaw 14 the precise dimensions of the several cavities 16 may not be identical. The individual dimensions of particular work pieces 18 may likewise not be exactly the same. In that case, the apparatus as described so far will not be able to hold a multiplicity of work pieces 18 under a pressure that is the same for each. Such an effect will come about if the combination of dimensions of cavity 16 and work piece 18 vary too much from one location to another along second jaw 14.
Thus, a particular work piece 18 may be held so loosely that it will become ejected when an attempt is made to work on it. Conversely, a pressure that would adequately hold a smaller work piece 18 within a slightly over-sized cavity 16 might inflict actual physical damage upon a neighboring and slightly larger work piece 18 that happened to have been placed within an under-sized cavity 16. Some means for equalizing the pressure on work pieces 18 of varying sizes that are to be held within cavities 16 that may also vary in sizes is required.
For that purpose, it has long been one practice to approximate such an equalizing effect by placing a strip 24 within vice jig 10 so as to face onto the interior surface of first jaw 12 and onto the facing surfaces of work pieces 18. Strip 24 may variously constitute a piece of leather, rubber, blotting paper, cloth, or any other such flexible material that is also resilient and can serve to assist in holding work pieces 18 under a pressure that may be at least somewhat more equal than would be the case in the absence of strip 24. Such a make-shift procedure can become inconvenient, however, since a worker must somehow manage to hold the several work pieces 18 in place while simultaneously installing strip 24 and closing first and second jaws 12, 14 together. The numerous ways in which strip 24 might happen to have become placed will also render it quite uncertain whether the desired effect of equalizing the strength with which the various work pieces 18 are held will actually have been produced.
With regard to single work pieces, and particularly those that may be irregular in shape, it is known to provide means by which such a piece can be held under essentially constant pressure along the full length thereof. That is, U. S. Pat. No. 1,453,176 issued Apr. 24, 1923 to Perrine describes a compensating jaw which includes a number of rods set in a row and leading through a corresponding number of channels to an elongate cavity containing an enclosed fluid. By virtue of the hydrostatic pressure exerted by such fluid, when such jaw is forced against an object of irregular shape, the respective rods each acquire an extension outwardly from the jaw for which that hydrostatic pressure will be equalized, i.e., the several rods may become extended to different distances in accordance with the shape of the object being held, but the pressure on each rod (and hence the pressure by which the work piece is held at that corresponding point) will be the same. However, no such device seems to have been developed that could accommodate a multiplicity of similar work pieces of varying size. What is needed and would be useful, therefore, is a device that could hold a multiplicity of items under such an equal pressure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention comprises a method and apparatus for holding a multiplicity of work pieces within mutually facing vice jaws wherein one of such jaws is provided with a multiplicity of cavities for holding a corresponding number of work pieces, and the other jaw includes a corresponding multiplicity of hydraulically-operated pistons, each within a cylinder and each facing on to respective ones of said cavities. These pistons are free to move axially along their respective cylinders in response to an external force that is generated when the jaw is tightened down on a series of work pieces disposed within said cavities, and against a hydrostatic force caused by a fluid contained within a cavity that is disposed inwardly from and communicates with each of said pistons. The effect of such action is to hold each such work piece in place with the same pressure, even though the respective cavities and work pieces may vary in dimensions, one to the other.
Particular types of piston may include on the inward sides thereof a fixed rod of smaller dimension that passes through a correspondingly smaller-sized cylinder. At the interior end of said rods there is placed a malleable seal which, under hydrostatic pressure, is forced transversely against the inner surface of said smaller-sized cylinder, thereby to prevent leakage of fluid past the rod and thence past the piston. A slip ring about the circumference of the rod prevents the piston and rod from being ejected from the device in the event one or more of such cavities happens not to include a work piece.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are correspondingly numbered and in which:
FIG. 1 shows a vice jig from the prior art that is adapted to hold a multiplicity of work pieces under approximately even pressure by use of a resilient sheet.
FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the present invention which holds a multiplicity of work pieces under even pressure by means of a corresponding multiplicity of hydraulically-operated pistons.
FIG. 3 shows in greater detail a preferred embodiment of the pistons of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the pistons of FIG. 2, including therein a rod and malleable seal.
FIG. 5A shows a first step in the installation of a piston-and-rod structure that incorporates a slip ring.
FIG. 5B shows a second, completion step in the installation of a piston-and-rod structure that incorporates a slip ring.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 2 shows a vertical plan drawing of a vice jig 30 comprising in the first instance a structure equivalent to second jaw 14 of FIG. 1, including therein cavities 16 and work pieces 18. However, vice jig 30 further comprises a first jaw 32 having a centrally-located fluid chamber 34 extending along the length thereof and extending outwardly therefrom to a distance sufficient to accommodate first and second caps 36, 38 at opposite ends thereof. Along the length of fluid cavity 34 and communicating therewith are a number of hydraulic units 40 from which extend in each case a piston 42 that faces onto corresponding work pieces 18 in second jaw 14. (Optionally, fluid chamber 34 need not extend the full dimension of first jaw 32, but at one end thereof may terminate therewithin, so long as said termination occurs sufficiently outwardly that fluid chamber 34 would still communicate at the end so terminating with the outward-most of hydraulic units 40. In that case only one of caps 36, 38 would be employed, i.e., that at the particular end of fluid chamber 34 that still extended outwardly from first jaw 32 as shown in FIG. 2.)
FIG. 3 shows in cross-section an embodiment of hydraulic unit 40 that includes a single disc-shaped piston 42 within cylinder 44. Near to each end of piston 42 is an annular groove 46 adapted to accommodate an annular O-ring 48 to provide containment of fluid 50 within chamber 34 and cylinder 44. Fluid 50, or the fluids in any of the hydraulic unit embodiments to be described hereinafter, may simply be water or any other convenient fluid. In the course of fabricating a vice jig 30 that includes the aforesaid hydraulic unit 40, with one or the other but not both of caps 36, 38 in place the selected number of pistons 42 are placed within respective cylinders 44, and an appropriate amount of fluid 50 is added to chamber 34 so as to fill the same as well as the portions of cylinders 44 that are inward from the inward one of O-rings 48. That one of caps 36, 38 not already in place is then installed by any convenient means so as to fix the amount of contained water and hence the positions of pistons 42. The amount of fluid 50 so added will determine the extent to which pistons 42 extend out of their respective cylinders 44, and since chamber 34 will have been entirely filled, the presence of such fluid will prevent any of pistons 42 from falling out. Again, since all of pistons 42 are in hydraulic communication by virtue of chamber 34 and respective cylinders 44, any inward pressure directed against pistons 42 by work pieces 18 will move pistons 42 into that set of respective positions at which such a pressure is the same on each piston 42, although the axial positions at which such equal pressure actually occurs may vary from one piston 42 to another because of variations in the sizes of cavities 16 and work pieces 18.
Alternatively, as shown in cross-section in FIG. 4, a hydraulic unit 52 may incorporate a thinner piston 54 in a shorter first cylinder 56 using but a single groove 58 containing an annular O-ring 60, said piston 54 further extending at the inner side thereof into a narrower rod 62 that extends further inwardly through a similarly narrow second cylinder 64 into fluid chamber 66. Hydraulic unit 52 further comprises a malleable seal 68, which may be made of heavy rubber or the like, which abuts the inwardly-facing end of rod 62 and faces onto fluid chamber 66. Hydraulic pressure arising from fluid 70 within fluid chamber 66 will act to compress malleable seal 68 against the inwardly-facing end of rod 62, thus causing seal 68 to spread out laterally against the inner walls of second cylinder 64 so as to prevent any of fluid 70 from flowing therepast.
A circumstance not accommodated by hydraulic units 40 or 52 of FIGS. 3 or 4 is that in which one or more cavities 16 do not include a work piece 18, e.g., as was shown for purposes of clarity in the prior art drawing of FIG. 1. In such a case, external pressure on the outwardly facing surfaces of pistons 42 or 54 by adjacent work pieces 18 will create a hydraulic pressure in respective fluids 50 or 70 that will act to expel a piston 42 or 54 that was not similarly subjected to such an external force, i.e., a piston 42 or 50 at a location which contained no work piece 18. A hydraulic unit 72 that prevents such occurrence is shown in cross-section in FIGS. 5A and 5B.
Specifically, hydraulic unit 72 comprises a piston 74 disposed within cylinder 76 and having near the outward side thereof a groove 78 that contains an annular O-ring 80 as before. Also included is a rod 82 that extends inwardly from piston 74 through smaller cylinder 84 towards fluid chamber 86. Near the inward end of rod 82 is disposed an annular ring slot 88 which contains an annular slip ring 90. In the position of piston 74 and rod 82 as shown in FIG. 5A, the outer surface of slip ring 90 abuts the inner wall of smaller cylinder 84, so that axial movement of piston 74 and rod 82 as in the direction of arrow 92 is possible.
In the position of piston 74 and rod 82 as shown in FIG. 5B, on the other hand, ring slot 88 has been moved past the inner wall of smaller cylinder 84, whereby slip ring 90 has been allowed to expand to a circumference larger than the circumference of smaller cylinder 84. Leftward movement of piston 74 and rod 88 is thus precluded at the point at which the now-expanded slip ring 90 comes into contact with the leftward wall of fluid chamber 86. For that reason, a vice jig which employs hydraulic units of the form of hydraulic unit 72 can be used in those instances wherein fewer work pieces 18 are to be worked upon than the number of cavities 16.
That is, upon application of external pressure to those of hydraulic units 72 that face onto a work piece 18 when the vice is closed together, the resulting internal hydraulic pressure will again force outward those ones of hydraulic units that do not face onto a work piece 18, but only to the point at which such movement is prevented from continuing further by contact between slip rings 90 and the wall of fluid chamber 86. No pistons 74 (nor any fluid) will thereby become ejected from the device, while at the same time the invention will nevertheless carry out its purpose of providing equal pressure to those of work pieces 18 that are in fact present.
It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that other arrangements and disposition of the aforesaid components, the descriptions of which are intended to be illustrative only and not limiting, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which must be identified and determined only from the following claims and equivalents thereof. | A vice jig that can accommodate a multiplicity of similarly sized and shaped work pieces provides by a hydraulic piston mechanism an even pressure on all such work pieces upon closure of the vice, in spite of variations in the specific sizes of those work pieces and of the cavities in which the work pieces are held. the invention can accommodate a number of work pieces that is fewer than the number of cavities provided therefor, without there occurring any ejection of any such pistons or of hydraulic fluid. | 1 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is the US National Stage of International Application No. PCT/DE02/00238 filed Jan. 24, 2002 and claims the benefit thereof. The application is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a method for determining the parameters that are to be used, particularly codec modes, using TFO, for transmitting data between a first user and at least one second user using TFO.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0003] Mobile radio networks are known to the specialist from various standards such as GSM etc. When transmitting from one mobile radio user to another mobile radio user via a mobile radio network, data (voice data or other data) in accordance with predetermined parameters (relevant bit rate, coding etc., known as codecs) is transmitted in coded form on the air interface of the mobile radio network. In a Transcoder Rate Adaptation Unit (TRAU) of a base station, the data is reformatted (transcoded) (as a rule the common fixed-network PCM format etc.), is transmitted further circuit-switched or packet-switched, recoded again (transcoded) before transmission to the second user via a second air interface with the parameters known to the second user (a codec mode known to this user) into a format suitable for transmission via the air interface. The repeated re-coding impairs the voice quality. If two communicating users within a mobile radio network know of at least one similar transmission format (or defining parameters), i.e. at least one same codec, data from one telecommunication user to another telecommunication user can be transmitted without transcoding. This method of transmission, also known as tandem free operation (operation without dual tandem transcoding) increases the quality and reduces the required bandwidth, because a smaller bandwidth can be used for transcoder-free transmission than for transcoded transmission.
[0004] For a multi-rate codec AMR-WB (which divides the radio bandwidth, according to radio conditions, into wanted and protective signals and enables eight out of nine different modes) the (at least) two users exchange the modes that are to be supported for communication between them (supported codec set) and which are actually to be used (active codec set). The modes (maximum of four in GSM) on which both users agree is then determined by means of a specified algorithm. Generally the voice quality is also taken into account during this. For example, there is a rule which states that at least one of the bottom three (for AMR half-rate) or five (for AMR full-rate) modes must be present for a TFO communication.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0005] The object of this invention is to provide a method that results in a well thought-out decision when choosing between the parameter sets (codec modes etc.) offered to the two users. The object is achieved by means of the independent claims.
[0006] In this way, the (at least) two users select the parameter sets which are to be used (codec modes etc.) from the parameter sets known to them, corresponding to the candidate election on the basis of an election, the method is very flexible with regard to any subsequent introduction of new parameter sets or the changing of the benchmark scales for the parameter sets.
[0007] For this purpose, a weighting, (a number of votes), can be provided for each parameter set that a user knows (e.g. codec mode). Depending on which mode a user offers to the connection in the active code set, he receives a total number of votes. The user with the most votes determines what mode is first selected from the modes that both users support (common supported codec sets, CSCS). In accordance with one voting method (corresponding for example to DeHondt or StLague/Schepers), it is determined which user can search for a mode as a second, until all the modes to be selected (the minimum of the maximum number of modes in the active code set (MACS) of the users) are allocated. In order to ensure that the method leads to the same result for all users regardless, the same procedure should be made known to both users. For example, the following can be specified for TFO: If one user offers only low and the other only high modes, the user offering the high modes must first select his lowest modes, and the user offering the lowest modes must first select his highest modes. A further example of this is where the next possible mode must be selected from an offer with the highest number of votes.
[0008] The method is particularly suitable for determining parameter sets (codec modes) for TFO in the mobile radio-communications as well as for other areas.
[0009] The method enables a dynamic selection of parameters. Furthermore, it enables the interest of at least two users to be taken into account. It can also be very flexibly adapted to adapted master conditions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Further features and advantages are given in the following description of an example of an embodiment, with reference to drawings. These are as follows.
[0011] FIG. 1 A method in accordance with the invention whereby an identical determination of parameter sets is effected independently by all users (MS).
[0012] FIG. 2 A further method in accordance with the invention whereby a determination of parameters (parameter sets) for the user is effected by a trust control centre.
[0013] FIG. 3 An example of the application of the method for AMR-WB TFO.
[0014] FIG. 4 A further method in accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0015] FIG. 1 shows a plurality of users 1 -N between whom data is to be transferred, whereby for the transmission of data between the users, parameters are to be negotiated which determine how the data is to be transferred (scanning rate, bandwidth, coding etc., particularly codec modes for TFO) or, for example also which options can be supported in a protocol.
[0016] For this purpose, the users disclose between themselves the number of parameter sets supported by them (number of supported codec modes, supported protocol options etc.), the individual parameter weighting, supported parameters and the parameters presently in use in step A 1 , in order to prepare the parameter voting by means of an election method.
[0017] In step A 2 , each user determines, in accordance with a predetermined method, the parameters to be used for the transmission of data to other users, taking account of parameter sets (codecs etc.) supported by this user and by other users. For this, a weighting factor (a number of votes) for the parameters is first determined in step A 2 . 1 , if these are not already specified in a protocol known to all users, with the weight factors stating the number of votes a user has in each case for which parameter set (codec). Based on the weighting factors (negotiated or specified by a protocol) and the parameter sets offered by this and the other user, the total number of votes per user and the number of parameter sets to be selected are determined. In step A 2 . 3 , the voting method to be used is determined on the basis of the number of votes available to a user in each case (whereby the user in the case of the method shown in FIG. 1 knows how many votes the users have and how they apply them). This can, for example, be similar to the DeHondt method, or another method, used to elect candidates to parliament, but used in this case for the election of parameter sets (codec modes etc.) for transmission in a mobile radio network etc.
[0018] In step A 2 . 4 , the users (mobile stations, PDA, etc.) vote (corresponding to a parliamentary election but with a different number of votes for the voting users), but each user 1 -N determining according to an identical method which user selects, e.g. which codec mode (whereby, for example, in a protocol known to all users it can be determined that each user chooses the highest (or lowest) codec mode available to him, or codec modes are given certain votes according to their level). In step A 2 . 5 , an election result is thus obtained in the form of a list of all the parameters used by all the users 1 -N (e.g. mobile radio codecs).
[0019] Then, in step A 3 , the parameters determined in this way by each user 1 -N are used to transmit data (voice data etc.) between the users.
[0020] In FIG. 2 , instead of a (vote for) determination of the parameters in each user (mobile station, PDA etc.) in accordance with an identical method, a determination of the parameters takes place in a control centre. To do this, the information relevant to selecting the parameters is sent in step B 1 to the control centre (for instance, the examples of information given for this purpose in FIG. 2 ). In step B 2 , a selection of the parameters (codecs etc.) takes place in the control centre.
[0021] In step B 3 , the parameters determined in the control centre that can now be used for the transmission of data are sent to each user 1 -N. In step B 4 , the determined parameters (the available and/or actual selected codecs) are used by each user for the transmission of data (voice data etc.) to another user.
[0022] In FIG. 2 , instead of a (vote for) determining the parameters in each user (mobile station, PDA etc.), a determination of the parameters in a control centre takes place in accordance with an identical method.
[0023] In FIG. 4 , instead of a (vote for) determining the parameters in each user (mobile station, PDA etc.), a determination of the parameters takes place in accordance with an identical method in several decision units in the network (Transcoder (TC), Transcoder Rate Adaptor Unit (TRAU) Base Station Subsystem (BSS), Radio Network Controller (RNC) etc.) allocated to the users. For this purpose, in step C 1 the information relevant to selecting the parameters is sent to the decision units (for instance, the information given as examples for this purpose in FIG. 2 ). In step B 2 , a selection of the parameters (codecs etc.) takes place in the decision units.
[0024] In step C 3 , the parameters determined in the decision units that can now be used for the transmission of data are sent to each user 1 -N. In step C 4 , the determined parameters (the available and/or actual selected codecs) are used by each user for the transmission of data (voice data etc.) to one of the other users.
[0025] FIG. 3 shows an example of an application for the use of the methods for determining codecs for a TFO communication (AMR-EB-TFO) between users. Various modes are given in FIG. 3 a by showing their transmission rate parameters (6, 65, 8, 85 to 23, 85 kbits/s). For example, the method can be defined so that the number of votes specified for this (2, 4, . . . , 1) are available in each case to the user that supports this mode (for example 2 votes for the first mode, 4 for the second etc.)
[0026] As shown in FIG. 3 b , the first user (side B) can, for example, support the parameter sets (codec modes 6 , 65 / 8 , 85 / 12 , 65 / 14 , 25 / 15 , 85 / 19 , 86 kbits/s) given under SCS and proposes the modes 6 , 65 / 8 , 85 / 12 , 65 / 14 , 25 shown in bold under ACS, for which he receives 2+4+6+8=20 votes.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 3 c , the second user (side A) supports the modes 8 , 85 - 23 , 85 shown in bold under SCS and proposes the modes 15 , 85 / 18 , 25 / 19 , 85 / 23 , 05 / 23 , 85 shown in bold under ACS, for which he receives 10+9+7+3+1=30 votes.
[0028] Whereas ( FIG. 3 b , MCAS=4) the first user (B) desires a maximum of four of the modes to be used, the second user (A), according to FIG. 3 c (MACS=5) would like a maximum of five of the modes to be supported. Therefore, the number of parameters to be given (modes), in FIG. 3 d , is set to the minimum number of modes receiving the maximum support from the two users (minimum of 4 and 5), i.e. four, so that four parameter sets (modes) are to be selected from the four modes 8 , 85 / 12 , 65 / 14 , 25 / 15 , 85 / 19 , 85 , given under CSCS (Common Supported Code Set) and known to both users (modes shown in bold under SCS in FIGS. 3 b and 3 c ).
[0029] Based on the number of votes determined in FIG. 3 b and FIG. 3 c , who has what voting right is determined, for example in accordance with the DeHont or Stlague/schepers method etc. in this case user A has voting right 1 and voting right 3 , but user B has voting right 3 and voting right 4 (i.e. for the second and fourth codec mode to be selected). In the simplest case, the voting method can be such that voting takes place alternately after the first vote.
[0030] FIG. 3 e shows that B has voted for mode 15 , 85 , which, for example, can mean that A automatically selects the largest mode (that should be known to a control centre in accordance with FIG. 2 or to all users in accordance with FIG. 1 ).
[0031] As shown in FIG. 3 f , A now votes for mode 14 , 85 because, for example, it is predetermined that B votes for a mode proposed by A that is as high as possible, as a first mode.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 3 g , B now votes for mode 19 , 85 because it is predetermined that A has supported a mode, proposed by B, that is the lowest possible (according to FIG. 3 d ) as a CSCS supported mode, with 19 , 85 being the lowest in this case.
[0033] Then, in FIG. 3 h , A votes for the next highest mode proposed by A contained in the CSCS set, i.e. 12 , 65 . This means that finally modes 12 , 65 , 14 , 25 , 15 , 85 and 19 , 85 have been selected and are now available or determined for the transmission of data between users. The method is very flexible and can also be used with any new codec modes introduced and be quickly adjusted to various assessments of the voice quality of the AMR-WB mode by changing the number of votes for the codec mode in the voting method. | The invention relates to a method for defining parameters that are to be used for transmitting data between a first user and at least one second user, or for selecting protocol options or functions, which permits an efficient, flexible and adaptable selection of codec modes. According to said method, each user has a number of votes that can be cast for the selection of parameters, whereby a decision device determines which parameters are to be used by the users for transmitting data, according to a predetermined election method, taking into consideration the number of votes. | 7 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to ferrous powder compositions containing specific polymeric binder-lubricant blends which can give rise to an association product, also known as interpolymer complex, by strong intermolecular acid-base interactions. Such compositions can be used to produce remarkably high green strength compacts or/and soft magnetic composites with improved processability and magnetic properties, together with good mechanical properties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The Processes for producing metal parts from ferrous powders using powder metallurgy (P/M) techniques are well known. Such techniques typically involve mixing of ferrous powders with alloying components such as graphite, copper or nickel in powder form, filling the die with the powder mixture, compacting and shaping of the compact by the application of pressure, and ejecting the compact from the die. The compact is then sintered wherein metallurgical bonds are developed by mass transfer under the influence of heat. The presence of an alloying element enhances the strength and other mechanical properties in the sintered part compared to the ferrous powders alone. When necessary, secondary operations such as sizing, coining, repressing, impregnation, infiltration, machining, joining, etc. are performed on the P/M part.
It is common practice to use a lubricant for the compaction of the ferrous powder. The lubricant can be admixed with the ferrous powders or sprayed onto the die wall before the compaction. The lubricant is used to improve the compressibility of ferrous powders and the uniformity of densification throughout the part. It also reduces the metal powder/die wall friction, and in turn lowers the ejection force that is required to remove the compact from the die, thus minimizing die wear.
Die-wall lubrication is known to lead to compacts with high green strength. Indeed, die-wall lubrication enables mechanical anchoring and metallurgical bonding between particles during compaction. However, die-wall lubrication is not yet widely used because it increases the compaction cycle time, leads to less uniform densification and is not applicable to complex shapes. On the other hand, an admixed lubricant most often reduces the strength of the green compact by forming a lubricant film between the metal particles which limits microwelding and eases the slipping of the particles when stresses are applied.
When complex parts or parts with thin walls are to be produced, as well as when green parts have to be machined, parts with a high green strength are required. A number of patents describe lubricating components leading to compacts with enhanced green strength compared with conventional lubricants such as synthetic waxes and metallic stearates. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,336 Luk discloses iron-based powder compositions containing binder-lubricants which increase the strength of green compacts, in terms of transverse rupture strength (TRS) values, up to about 5,000 psi, and which generally reduce the ejection forces during removal of the compacted part from the die cavity. The binder-lubricants comprise a dibasic organic acid and one or more additional components such as solid polyethers, liquid polyethers, and acrylic resins. Such binder-lubricants are added to the iron-based powders preferably in liquid form, dissolved or dispersed in an organic solvent. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,276, Luk discloses the use of a polyether or poly(alkylene oxide) in a particulate form as a green strength enhancing lubricant. Green compacts with transverse rupture strength values of about 6,000-7,000 psi are obtained. However, dimensional variations during sintering are higher compared to mixes containing conventional lubricants, which may alter the sintered properties.
Non-sintered soft magnetic parts especially for AC magnetic applications can also be produced using P/M techniques. In this case, the iron-based powder compositions contain an organic dielectric resin which forms an insulating coating between the iron particles and also bind those particles so as to impart mechanical strength to the pressed parts. A wide range of thermoset or thermoplastic resins have been described for the production of such magnetic composites, alone or in conjunction with inorganic insulating coatings, as diclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,140 (Rutz et al.), or European Patent 583,808 (Gay). Different techniques have been used to electrically insulate particles, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,896 (Ward et al.). Among them, wet techniques, which employ soluble resins, have most often been used to obtain a uniform coating at the surface of the iron particles for high frequency applications. On the other hand, it has been shown that by dry mixing iron and phenolic resin powders and compacting the mix using die wall lubrication, magnetic parts with good permeability and low losses (especially eddy current losses) at frequencies up to 50-100 kHz could be easily obtained. After compaction, compacts are heated at temperatures between 100° C. and 300° C. to crosslink the thermoset resin. The resin has such a low viscosity that it flows inside the compact at the very beginning of the curing treatment to wet, bind and isolate the iron particles. Good mechanical properties, i.e., TRS values as high as 17,000-20,000 psi were obtained.
Even if die wall lubrication can be used to enable the production of soft magnetic iron/resin composites, it is often preferable that the iron-based powder compositions contain an admixed lubricant to improve the processability of such magnetic materials in an industrial environment. Standard known lubricants are, e.g., zinc stearate, amide wax, stearic acid or PTFE, as well as boron nitride for warm compaction at temperatures higher than 250° C. Even if they improve most often the processability of iron/resin powder mixtures, they decrease the strength of pressed parts significantly. There is thus a need for a lubricated powder composition that will give rise to improve processability of soft magnetic composites, while maintaining their good magnetic and mechanical properties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide ferrous powder compositions containing specific polymeric binder-lubricant blends which can give rise to an association product, also known as interpolymer complex, by strong intermolecular acid-base interactions. Such binder-lubricant blends may be dry mixed in powder form with ferrous powders, or dissolved and sprayed on the surface of ferrous powders.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide ferrous powder compositions which when formed by P/M techniques give parts with a high green strength and improved sintered properties.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide such lubricated ferrous powder compositions that can also be used to produce non-sintered soft magnetic composites, especially for AC magnetic applications, with improved processability and magnetic properties, together with good mechanical strength.
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a metallurgical powder composition comprising a metallic powder and a polymeric blend comprising a binder and a lubricant, the amount of the polymeric blend being from about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of the composition, the binder and the lubricant being selected such that they form an association product by strong intermolecular acid-base interactions when mixed with each other, whereby the green strength of the powder composition, when compacted, exceeds 5000 psi, preferably 8,000 psi.
Typically, the metallic powder is a ferrous powder such as an iron or iron-based material. The composition may further contain, for certain applications, an alloying powder in the amount of up to 15 wt. % of said composition. The alloying powder may be, for example, one or more of the following: graphite, copper, nickel and ferro-alloys.
Typically, the binder is a thermoset or thermoplastic polymer having a strong acid character such as phenolic resins or carboxylic polyacids (for example, polymethacrylic acid and copolymers, hydrolyzed or monoester maleic anhydride copolymers).
In a specific embodiment of the invention, the lubricant is a polymer having a strong basic character, such as poly(alkylene oxide) having the general formula
--[O(CH.sub.2).sub.x ].sub.y --
where x is from 1 to about 7. Preferably, the poly(alkylene oxide) is a poly(ethylene oxide) with x=2 and y is selected such that the poly(ethylene oxide) has a weight average molecular weight from about 5,000 to about 8,000,000 and more preferably below 400,000.
Alternatively, the lubricant is a polymer having also a strong basic character, such as a poly(alkylene ester) having the formula
--[O(CH2).sub.x O--C(O)--(CH2).sub.y --C(O)--].sub.n --
or --[O(CH2).sub.z --C(O)--].sub.n
for instance ##STR1## where x, y or z is from 1 to about 18 and n is such that said poly(alkylene ester) is solid at room temperature, for example a polycaprolactone (z=5) having a number average molecular weight from about 43,000 to about 80,000.
The compositions of the present invention are preferable to those described in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,290,336 and 5,498,276 in that higher green strength together with better sintered properties can be obtained.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The metallurgical powder compositions of the invention comprise a mixture of metal powders having a maximum particle size of generally about 600 microns. Optionally, an alloying powder in the amount of less than 15 weight percent can be admixed. The compositions include a blend of polymeric binder and lubricant, which can give rise to an association product or interpolymer complex by strong intermolecular acid-base interactions. The binder may be a thermoset or thermoplastic polymer having a strong acid character such as phenolic resins or carboxylic polyacids. The lubricant may be a polymer with a strong basic character such as a poly(alkylene oxide), e.g. poly(ethylene oxide), or a poly(alkylene ester) e.g. polycaprolactone.
Using these metallurgical compositions, it has been found that compacts with remarkably high green strength can be produced together with sintered properties superior or equivalent to those obtained from metallurgical compositions containing other lubricants. Such lubricated ferrous powder compositions can also be used to produce non-sintered soft magnetic composites, especially for AC magnetic applications, with improved processability and magnetic properties, together with a good mechanical strength.
The ferrous powders employed in the present invention are any of the pure iron or iron-containing (including steel or ferromagnetic) powders generally used in P/M methods. Essentially any ferrous powder having a maximum particle size less than about 600 microns can be used in the composition of the invention.
Typical ferrous powders are iron and steel powders including stainless steel and alloyed steel powders. Atomet® 1001 steel powders manufactured by Quebec Metal Powders Limited of Tracy, Quebec, Canada are representative of such iron and steel powders. These Atomet® powders contain in excess of 99 weight percent iron, less than 0.2 weight percent oxygen and 0.1 weight percent carbon, and have an apparent density of 2.50 g/cm 3 and a flow rate of less than 30 seconds per 50 g. Virtually any grade of steel can be used.
Considering the production of soft magnetic composites, typical ferrous powders are preferably high purity iron powders, preferably at least 97% pure, more preferably at least 99% pure, and most preferably at least 99.75% pure. Suitable iron powders are commercially available. For example, Quebec Metal Powders Limited of Tracy, Quebec, Canada manufactures and markets a number of high purity iron powders, including Atomet® 1001 HP, Atomet® 110HP and Atomet® 68. Those skilled in the art will readily be able to identify alternative suitable iron powders.
In accordance with the present invention, the metal powder is admixed with a polymeric binder-lubricant blend. The blend comprises a polymeric lubricant with a strong basic character such as poly(alkylene oxide), or poly(alkylene ester).
The poly(alkylene oxide) for the purposes of the present invention has the following general formula:
--[O(CH2).sub.x ].sub.y --
wherein x is from about 1 to about 7 and y is selected such that the poly(alkylene oxide) has a weight average molecular weight greater than 5,000. Preferably, the poly(alkylene oxide) is a poly(ethylene oxide) with x=2, and y is selected such that the poly(alkylene oxide) has a weight average molecular weight from about 5,000 to about 8,000,000, more preferably below 400,000. Commercially suitable poly(ethylene oxide) is for instance POLYOX®N-10 available from Union Carbide Canada of Willowdale, Ontario, Canada.
The poly(alkylene ester) suitable for the purposes of the present invention has the following general formula:
--[O(CH2).sub.x O--C(O)--(CH2).sub.y --C(O)--].sub.n --
or --[O(CH2).sub.z --C(O)--].sub.n
wherein x, y and z is from 1 to about 18 and n is such that the poly(alkylene ester) is in solid form at room temperature. The melting temperature will vary depending on its structure, i.e on the value of x, y and z. Commercially available poly(alkylene esters) are polycaprolactones (z=5) from Union Carbide Canada of Willowdale, Ont., TONE® P767 and TONE® P787. These polymers have a melting point of about 60° C. and have respectively a number average molecular weight of 43,000 and 80,000.
In accordance with the present invention, the polymeric lubricant is used in conjunction with a thermoset or thermoplastic polymeric binder having a strong acid character. Typical thermoset resins are phenolic resins, specifically resoles (one step) or novolacs (two-step). Typical thermoplastic resins are poly(4-vinylphenol) or carboxylic polyacid polymers such as polymethacrylic acid and copolymers, as well as hydrolyzed or monoester maleic anhydride copolymers. Suitable thermoset phenolic resins for these applications are commercially available, for instance, from the Occidental Chemical Corporation: VARCUM® resin series 29217, 29306, 29318, 29338, 7716 and others.
In accordance with the present invention, the polymeric binder and lubricant to form the blend to be admixed with the metal powder, are those that are capable of complexing by intense intermolecular interactions between donors (acid) and acceptors (basic) groups of each polymer, which act like a physical crosslinking. Such intermolecular interactions may happen by intimate mixing of the two polymers during either dissolution, compaction or heat curing of the binder in case of thermoset resins. As well as providing good processability to the metal powders, the binder-lubricant blend improves the green strength of pressed parts. The formation of interpolymer complexes between polymers having strong acceptors and donors groups is well documented in the prior art. For instance, I. A. Katime et al. made a review in The Polymeric Materials Encyclopedia, 1996 (CRC Press, Inc.) on hydrogen-bonded blends, on the detection and characterization of hydrogen bonds and how they affect the properties of the mixtures. U.S. Pat. No. 3,125,544 (Winslow et al.) describes the possibility of forming an association product between a polyether and a phenolic resin. The authors report that, depending on the ratio thermoplastic polyether/thermoset phenolic resin used, tougher thermosets or more rigid thermoplastics can be produced. Such polymeric blends were obtained preferentially by mixing a phenolic resin with an aqueous solution of a polyether, e.g. poly(ethylene oxide). Blending in the melt state using a thermoplastic blending equipment such as an extruder was also described.
The metallurgical powder compositions of the invention can be prepared by various methods. The first method involves dry mixing metallic and alloying powders with the other additives and the polymeric binder and lubricant powders. The second method consists of dissolving the polymeric binder-lubricant blend and spraying the resulting solution on the powder mix in a rotating blender. The solvent is then evaporated under vacuum while heating the blender shell. The third method involves, first, making a dry mix, then spraying a solvent into the mixture while the blender is still rotating. This procedure dissolves partially the binder-lubricant particles, which adhere to the metal particles. The blend is then dried by evaporating the solvent, preferably under vacuum pumping while heating the blender shell. After drying, a free-flowing powder is obtained.
Another alternative is to produce a dry mix of metallic and alloying powders with the other additives and the polymeric binder and lubricant powders and to treat the obtained mix with another polymeric binder in order to improve the flowability, the resistance to dusting and to reduce segregation of the constituents. In this case, a polymeric binder such as polyvinylpyrrolidone dissolved in a solvent is sprayed in the dry mixture, desirably while the blender is still rotating. This procedure desirably binds the fine metal, alloying and binder-lubricant blend particles to the metal particles. Any type of polymeric binder known in the prior art to be suitable to produce segregation-free mixes can be used as for example polyvinylpyrrolidone or polymethacrylate and copolymers.
EXAMPLES
High Green Strength Iron Based Powder Compacts
Example 1
The polymeric binder-lubricant blends comprises a thermoset phenolic resin and a poly(ethylene oxide). Using conventional dry-mixing blenders, different powder mixtures were prepared containing 98.65 wt % ATOMET 1001 steel powder (Quebec Metal Powders Ltd.), 0.6 wt % graphite powder (South Western 1651) and different combinations of phenolic resin and poly(ethylene oxide) powders as described in Table 1. The phenolic resin was a resole-type phenolic resin from Occidental Chemical Corporation (Varcum® 29217). The poly(ethylene oxide) is POLYOX® N-10 from Union Carbide.
Transverse rupture strength bars (3.175×1.270×0.635 cm) were compacted at 65° C. and 45 tsi in a floating compaction die, and ejection pressures were recorded for each mixture. After a curing treatment (1h/175° C. in air), the density and strength (transverse rupture strength according to MPIF 15 Standard) were evaluated. Results are compared in Table 1 with a similar mixture containing the same constituents except that the binder-lubricant of the present invention was replaced by 0.75 wt % of an amide wax lubricant (Atomized ACRAWAX C from Lonza) and no curing was applied.
TABLE 1______________________________________POLYOX Varcum ACRAWAX Ejection N-10 29217 C Pressure Density TRS % % % Tsi g/cm.sup.3 psi______________________________________-- -- 0.75 2.75 7.12 2,004 0.75 0 -- 2.4 7.20 6,057 0.65 0.1 -- 2.7 7.18 10,399 0.45 0.3 -- 3.0 7.16 11,127 0.35 0.4 -- 3.4 7.14 12,044______________________________________
While maintaining low ejection pressures, the replacement of a part of the polymeric lubricant POLYOX N-10 by the phenolic resin Varcum 29217 enables the production of pressed and cured parts having a much higher mechanical strength than parts containing the polymeric lubricant alone or the conventional amide wax lubricant ACRAWAX C.
Example 2
Two different polymeric binder-lubricant blends are used: phenolic resin--poly(ethylene oxide) blend and phenolic resin--polycaprolactone blend. The thermoset phenolic resin and poly(ethylene oxide) were the same than those used in example 1 and TONE® P767 from Union Carbide was used as the polycaprolactone lubricant. The two blends, consisting of 0.1 wt % of phenolic resin and 0.65 wt % of polymeric lubricant were dissolved in a solvent and mixed with a dry mixture of 98.65 wt % ATOMET 1001 steel powder (Quebec Metal Powders Ltd.) and 0.6 wt % graphite powder (South Western 1651). The mixtures were then dried by evaporating the solvent.
TRS bars were compacted at 65° C. and 45 tsi in a floating compaction die and ejection pressures were recorded for each mixture. After a curing treatment (1h/175° C. in air), the density and strength (TRS) were evaluated. Results are given in Table 2.
TABLE 2______________________________________Varcum ® POLYOX TONE ® Ejection 29217 ® N-10 P767 Pressure Density TRS % % % tsi g/cm.sup.3 psi______________________________________0.1 0.65 -- 2.2 7.26 8,909 0.1 -- 0.65 3.0 7.19 13,800______________________________________ Varcum ® 29217: thermoset phenolic resin POLYOX ® N10: poly(ethylene oxide) TONE ® P767: polycaprolactone
The results show that even when dissolved in a solvent and coated on the surface of the steel powders, the binder-lubricant blends of the invention produce green parts having significantly higher green strength after curing than comparable prior art compositions, while the ejection pressures are at a low level. The phenolic resin--polycaprolactone blend gave a green strength higher than the phenolic resin--poly(ethylene oxide) blend. This suggests that the basic ester groups of the polycaprolactone, interacting strongly with the acidic phenolic groups of the phenolic resin, adhere more to the surface of the iron particles than the ether groups of the poly(ethylene oxide).
Example 3
Effect of Sintering
Two different materials were pressed and sintered: Mix A containing 98.65% ATOMET 1001+0.6% graphite+0.1% Varcum® 29217 phenolic resin powder+0.65% POLYOX® N-10 powder and a conventional Mix B containing 98.65% ATOMET 1001+0.6% graphite+0.75% Atomized ACRAWAX C.
TRS bars were compacted at 65° C. and 45 tsi in a floating compaction die. After compaction, green compacts made from Mix A were heat treated during one hour in air at 175° C. to cure the phenolic resin. For both Mix A and Mix B, compacts were sintered for 30 minutes at 1120° C. in a dissociated ammonia atmosphere. The density, dimensional change from die size (according to MPIF 44 Standard) as well as the transverse rupture strength (MPIF 41) after sintering were measured. Data are reported in Table 3.
TABLE 3______________________________________Property Mix A Mix B______________________________________Green Density (g/cm.sup.3) 7.16 7.12 Green Strength (psi) 9,206 2,004 Sintered Density (g/cm.sup.3) 7.13 7.09 Dimensional change (%) 0.26 0.25 Sintered Strength (psi) 105,569 99,358______________________________________
As well as increasing the green density and green strength of compacts, the results show that the use of the polymeric binder-lubricant blend of the invention (Mix A) gives sintered parts with properties equivalent of better than those of parts made from mixes containing a conventional ACRAWAX C lubricant (Mix B).
The good sintered properties obtained by using the polymeric blend of the invention may be attributed to the formation of the interpolymer complex between the polymeric lubricant and polymeric binder that minimizes dimensional change during sintering.
Soft Magnetic Iron/Resin Composites
Example 4
Soft magnetic iron/resin composites using only a phenolic resin as binder exhibit good mechanical and magnetic properties, but they necessitate lubrication of the die walls during compaction of parts. The use of a polymeric lubricant such as polyethylene oxide in conjunction with a phenolic resin improves the processability of such soft magnetic composites, while maintaining good performance properties.
Using conventional dry-mixing blenders, two different powder mixtures were prepared containing 99.2 wt % ATOMET 1001 HP (High Purity powder manufactured by Quebec Metal Powders Ltd.) and either 0.8% of phenolic resin or 0.4 wt % /0.4 wt % of phenolic resin/poly(ethylene oxide) powders. The phenolic resin was a resole-type phenolic resin from Occidental Chemical Corporation (Varcum® 29217). The poly(ethylene oxide) was POLYOX® N-10 from Union Carbide.
TRS bars were compacted at 65° C. and 45 tsi in a floating compaction die and ejection pressures were determined. After a curing treatment (1h/175° C. in air), the density and transverse rupture strengths were evaluated. Results are given in Table 4.
TABLE 4__________________________________________________________________________POLYOXVarcum Ejection Before curing After curing ® N-10® 29217 Die wall Pressure Density TRS Density TRS % % lubrication tsi g/cm.sup.3 psi g/cm.sup.3 psi__________________________________________________________________________0 0.8 No 4.6 7.14 3,196 7.14 16,319 0 0.8 Yes 2.4 7.17 -- 7.16 17,607 0.4 0.4 No 2.9 7.27 5,471 7.27 14,178__________________________________________________________________________
Even if the strength after curing is slightly reduced compared to a mix containing 0.8% phenolic resin, the mix containing 0.4% phenolic resin/0.4% POLYOX® N-10 gives a low ejection pressure and is therefore effective to improve processing of parts without the need of die-wall lubrication. This binder-lubricant blend enables pressing of parts with a very high density while maintaining good mechanical properties. As described previously, the high strength results from the intense intermolecular reaction that occurs between the phenolic resin and the poly(ethylene oxide) polymers admixed with the metal powder. Indeed, infrared measurements revealed the existence of strong hydrogen bonds between hydroxyl phenolic groups of the phenolic resin and ether groups of the poly(ethylene oxide) polymer.
Example 5
Comparison of Different Phenolic Resin/Lubricant Systems
Soft magnetic iron/resin composites were produced with different phenolic resin--lubricant blends. The resole-type phenolic resin VARCUM®29217 from Occidental Chemical Corporation was used in conjonction with three different lubricants: Poly(ethylene oxide) POLYOX®N-10 from Union Carbide, lithium stearate (Li-St) from Blachford Inc. and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) S-5742 from Shamrock Technologies.
Using conventional dry-mixing blenders, three different powder mixtures were prepared containing 99.1 wt % ATOMET 1001HP (High Purity iron powder manufactured by Quebec Metal Powders Ltd.), 0.6 wt % of phenolic resin powder and 0.3 wt % of poly(ethylene oxide) or lithium stearate or polytetrafluoroethylene powders as described in Table 5. TRS bars were compacted at 65° C. and 45 tsi in a floating compaction die. After a heat treatment (1h/175° C. in air), the density and transverse rupture strengths were evaluated.
TABLE 5______________________________________Binder Lubricant Density TRS 0.6% wt 0.3% wt g/cm.sup.3 psi______________________________________phenolic resin PTFE 7.17 12,220 phenolic resin Li-St 7.15 7,700 phenolic resin POLYOX N-10 7.20 14,890______________________________________
Results in Table 5 show that the polymeric binder-lubricant blend of the present invention gives soft magnetic composites with the highest density and strength. Inferior properties are obtained when using other conventional lubricants such as polytetrafluoroethylene or lithium stearate in conjonction with the same phenolic resin.
Example 6
Magnetic Properties
Using the mixtures described in Example 4, rings were compacted at 45 tsi and 65° C. in order to measure the magnetic properties of the composites at frequencies of 60 and 400 Hz and a magnetization of 0.5 Tesla. The results are shown in Table 6.
TABLE 6______________________________________POLYOX Varcum ® N-10 ® 29217 Density Frequency Permeability Core Loss % % g/cm.sup.3 Hz μ W/lb______________________________________0.4 0.4 7.29 60 541 1.6400 533 10.9 0 0.8 7.20 60 394 1.6400 389 11.8______________________________________ * Magnetization of 0.5 Tesla
Besides improving the processability of parts, the polymeric binder-lubricant blend of the present invention (0.4% Varcum®29217/0.4% POLYOX® N-10) enables the production of iron/resin parts with similar or better magnetic properties (permeability and core losses) than those obtained using the binder phenolic resin alone (0.8% Varcum®29217). The improvement of the magnetic properties may be explained by the increase in density of parts pressed from the mix containing the polymeric binder-lubricant blend of the invention. Indeed, it is known that the permeability is strongly influenced by the effective length of distributed air-gaps in soft magnetic iron/resin compacts which is related to the density. | Complexable polymeric binder-lubricant blends are disclosed for production by powder metallurgy techniques of ferrous compositions with remarkably high green strength upon compaction, or soft magnetic ferrous powder/resin composites with improved processability and magnetic properties. An exemplary composition consists of a ferrous powder, a thermoset phenolic resin and poly(ethylene oxide), both polymers exhibiting, when intimately mixed, strong intermolecular acid-base interactions giving rise to an interpolymer complex which imparts a high strength to the resulting ferrous powder compact. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved clutch/brake mechanism. More particularly, this invention relates to a clutch/brake mechanism for a power driven mechanism.
Many types of clutch/brake mechanisms have been used in powered apparatuses, such as lawn mowers. For example, an axially-movable drum connected to a shaft has been placed between a driving disc and a brake. As the drum-like structure moves between first, intermediate and second positions on the shaft, the mechanism experiences the brake engaged/clutch disengaged, the brake disengaged/clutch disengaged, and the brake disengaged/clutch engaged, respectively. While this mechanism is directed at preventing simultaneous engagement of both the brake and clutch, it provides relatively poor braking and clutch power.
Another clutch/brake mechanism employs camming members between interleaved brake and clutch disks as are known in the art. The interleaved clutch and brake disks provide adequate clutch and brake power. However, the device creates undesirable simultaneous engagement of both the brake and clutch.
The present invention set forth below alleviates the problems and shortcomings associated with previous clutch/brake mechanisms.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a clutch/brake mechanism for use in a power driven system which delivers relatively high braking and driving power while avoiding simultaneous engagement of the brake and the clutch. The mechanism includes a drive shaft operatively connected to the power driven system. An output drive is rotatably connected to the shaft. Means are connected to the shaft for drivingly engaging the drive shaft to the output drive such that the drive shaft and the output drive are cooperatively rotatable.
Included in the mechanism is a brake for braking the output drive against rotation. Means are connected to the shaft for disengaging the drive engaging means. Means for actuating the disengaging means and the brake means are included, wherein effective disengaging of the engaging means occurs through relatively slight actuation of the actuator means and effective braking of the output drive occurs through relatively considerable actuation of the actuator means. The mechanism is further characterized in that substantially no simultaneous engagement of the engaging means and brake occurs throughout actuation of the actuator means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken along line 1--1 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 2 is an end view.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view through line 3--3 of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The clutch/brake mechanism 10 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 for a rear wheel drive of a lawn mower. Such a mower would have two clutch/brake mechanisms, one associated with each rear wheel for driving and steering the mower. The mechanism includes a drive shaft 12 having an inner portion 14, an intermediate portion 16 and an outer portion 18. Disposed about the outer portion 18 is a generally cylindrical housing 20 having a reduced diameter portion 22 with grooves 24 to form a high torque drive sprocket. The power drive system 26 includes a high torque drive sprocket 28 for driving the drive shaft 12. The outer portion 18 of the shaft 12 provides support for bearings 30 for rotating a hub disk member 32 about the outer portion 18 of the shaft 12. A pair of snap rings 34a and 34b are connected to the shaft 12 to prevent axial movement of bearings 30.
The housing 20 is axially inwardly from and adjacent to the hub disk member 32. The hub disk member 32 has a hub portion 35 and a disk portion 36. The housing 20 and hub disk member 32 are substantially coaxial about the shaft 12 with the housing 20 having an outer rim portion 38 abutted and connected to the disk portion 36 of hub disk member 32 by bolts 40.
The shaft 12 has keyways 42a and 42b, and 44a and 44b (see FIG. 2). A pressure plate 46 is axially slidably connected to the shaft 12 and inwardly adjacent the hub disk member 32. The pressure plate 46 has lugs 48 which extend radially inwardly and key to keyways 42a and 42b.
The housing 20 has a plurality of grooves 50 in its inner wall surface 52. Driven clutch plates 54 are axially slidably disposed within the grooves 50 and extend radially inwardly toward the shaft 12. The axially outermost of the clutch plates 54 is adjacent to the pressure plate 46. Disposed between the driven clutch plates 54 are a number of driving clutch plates 56. Each of the driving clutch plates 56 have lugs 58 extending radially inwardly which key to keyways 44a and 44b (see FIG. 2). While it is preferred to have a plurality of driving and driven clutch plates, the use of one driving and one driven clutch plate could also work. A pressure plate 60 is connected to the shaft 12 axially inwardly from and adjacent to the axially innermost of the driven clutch plates 54. A snap ring 62 is connected to the shaft 12 to prevent axial inward movement of the pressure plate 60. A second hub disk member 64 is disposed axially inwardly from the housing 20. The second hub disk member 64 is mounted on bearings 66 for rotating the second hub disk member 64 about the shaft 12. Hub disk member 64 has a hub portion 67 and a disk portion 68 similarly connected by bolts to an inner rim portion 70 of the housing 20.
Four Belleville springs 72 are disposed between the snap ring 34a and pressure plate 46 to bias against the pressure plate 46 so that the driven clutch plates 54 frictionally engage the driving clutch plates 56. A diaphragm or coil spring could be used to bias the pressure plate 46. Camming members 74 and 76 are mounted on bearings 78 and 80, respectively, for relative rotation about the intermediate portion 16 of the shaft 12. Elongated disengaging members or pins 82 are slidably disposed in the keyways 42a and 42b. A ring 84 is axially slidably connected to the shaft 12 adjacent to and between bearings 80 and the pins 82. The ring 84 has lugs 85 which key to keyways 42a and 42b. Alternatively, the pins 82 and ring 84 could be one integral part.
Camming arms 86 and 88 are attached to the camming members 74 and 76, respectively, and extend radially outwardly from camming members 74 and 76 at approximately 180° from each other in their operating positions. The camming arms 86 and 88 are operatively connected to a manual control lever (not shown) which controls the degree of relative rotation between the camming members 74 and 76. A snap ring 90 is connected to the shaft 12 to prevent axial inward movement of the camming member 74.
A unique aspect of the preferred embodiment of the present invention resides in the camming members 74 and 76. Camming member 74 preferably has three cam channels 92a (see FIG. 3). Similarly, camming member 76 has three cam channels 92b. As seen in FIG. 4, cam channel 92a has a well portion 94a which is defined by relatively steep incline portions 96a and 98a. Incline portion 98a rises relatively sharply to a point 100a. Adjoining point 100a is shallow portion 102a which is defined by a relatively flat wall portion 104a. The well portions 94a and 94b are a relatively small percentage of the total length of the cam channels 92a and 92b. Together, well portion 94a and shallow portion 102a make up the cam channel 92a. Cam channel 92b is similarly formed. Rollingly disposed between the complementary cam channels 92a and 92b are cam balls 106.
A band brake 108 (see FIG. 1) is made to frictionally contact surface 110 of the housing 20. The brake is connected to the control lever at one end and grounded to the frame at its other end and extends around surface 110 without contacting surface 110 in its unactuated position. By design, the amount of braking power which can be delivered to the housing 20 is substantially proportional to the degree of relative rotation between the camming members 74 and 76. In this case, the braking power is a function of the length of the complimentary cam channels 92a and 92b. Instead of a band brake, a brake pad could be used which would be mounted to the frame and spaced from the surface 110. In such case the brake pad would similarly engage the surface 110 and apply braking power as a function of relative rotation of the camming members 74 and 76.
By using the camming members 74 and 76, disengaging of the clutch plates 54 and 56 and braking of the housing 20 can be controlled by the one lever. It is also contemplated that separate control levers could be used, one connected to camming members for disengaging clutch plates and another for actuating the brake.
Position A is shown in FIG. 3 and 4, wherein the clutch is engaged and the brake is disengaged. Camming balls 106 rest in the deepest point of well portions 94a and 94b, and camming arm 86 is about 165° separated from camming arm 88.
As viewed in FIG. 3, when camming arm 86 is counterclockwise rotated relative to camming arm 88, the arms 86 and 88 approach about 185° separation. Camming balls 106 move up incline portions 98a and 98b toward points 100a and 100b, respectively, as seen in FIG. 4. This causes a relatively large and quick separation of camming members 74 and 76. In turn, camming member 76 moves axially outwardly actuating the ring 84 and the pins 82 so that the pressure plate 46 moves axially outwardly to disengage the driven clutch plates 54 from driving clutch plates 56. At position B, the camming arms 86 and 88 at about 185° separation, the camming balls 106 are positioned about the points 100a and 100b and the clutch plates 54 and 56 and brake 108 are disengaged.
In position C, the clutch plates 54 and 56 are disengaged and the brake 108 is engaged. In moving into position C (as seen in FIG. 3), the camming arm 86 is further counterclockwise rotated relative to camming arm 88 to about 215° separation and camming balls 106 move toward terminating points 112a and 112b of the shallow portions 102a and 102b, respectively.
The present invention provides for a clutch/brake mechanism which reduces operator lever force and travel. The present invention delivers relatively high driving and braking power while controlling the engaging/disengaging of the clutch/brake mechanism so that engaging or disengaging of either the brake or clutch can take place separately from disengaging or engaging of the clutch or brake, respectively. Another advantage is that the this clutch/brake mechanism requires relatively few parts and is relatively easy to assemble. Still another advantage of the present invention is that it provides for positive forward and reverse torque.
The present invention has been set forth above in a specific embodiment, although not for the purpose of limiting the scope of the invention. It is conceived that derivations, alterations, modifications and improvements will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. | A clutch/brake mechanism designed for use in a power driven system which delivers relatively high braking and driving power while avoiding simultaneous engagement of the clutch and the brake includes a device for actuating the clutch and the brake such that the clutch is effectively engaged by relatively slight actuation of the actuator device and the brake is effectively engaged by relatively considerable actuation of the actuator device. | 5 |
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