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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for forming leakage resistant seals between metal parts of electrochemical cells exposed to strong alkaline solutions. More particularly, it relates to a method for sealing the interface between the metal container and the metal cover of electrochemical cells containing alkaline electrolyte.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been found very difficult to form an electrically insulated liquid type seal between the metallic container and the metal cover of electrically chemical cells of the types using an alkaline electrolyte. Typical cell systems where this problem is encountered include mercury-cadmium cells, nickel-cadmium cells, nickel-zinc cells, silver oxide-zinc cells, silver oxide-cadmium cells, mercuric oxide-zinc cells and alkaline manganese dioxide-zinc cells. Although the problem is essentially in sealed rechargeable cells, it is also of major importance in the design of primary type batteries. This is particularly true of high quality batteries where the supplier endeavors to provide a high capacity battery capable of delivering its full output after extended storage.
In a typical cell, the active cell parts are assembled in a seamless metal cup. A metal cover forms the cell closure and the cup and cover form the two terminals of the cell. It is necessary to provide an insulating seal between the two metal parts and for this purpose a ring or grommet of non-conductive material has been used. This grommet may be shaped to slip over or be injected molded over the edge of the metal cover and is clamped to the metal cup by flanging the edge of the cup over the grommet. The material from which the grommet is made must be inert to the electrolyte contained in the cell and to the cell environment. It must be resilient and flexible and it must be resistant to cold flow under the pressure of the seal even under long periods of time. Materials such as nylon and polypropylene have been found to be suitable materials for this insulating gasket.
Unfortunately, it transpires that electrolyte, particularly alkaline electrolyte, has a strong tendency to creep on the metallic surfaces. This tendency is accentuated when an electrical potential is present. In actual experience it will be found that creepage is accentuated on a metal part which is in contact with and electrically negative to an alkaline electrolyte. The creepage is harmful in a number of ways. It represents a loss of electrolyte from a cell which at best has a very limited electrolyte supply. The electrolyte that leaks out can be harmful as it is a strong chemical. Also, in the case of alkaline electrolytes there is a reaction with air to form a white deposit. This deposit detracts from the appearance of the cell and can produce customer resistance.
Numerous designs of seals have been proposed for overcoming the leakage problem. These range from improved mechanical clamping of the grommet to seals based upon ceramic or metal fusion. One solution has been to coat the metal parts or grommet with an asphaltic compound. Unfortunately, asphaltic compounds slowly flow under the pressure exerted by the gases contained in the cell which results in eventual leakage. Also, the sticky asphaltic surface is difficult to handle during manufacturing processes. In particular, it tends to pick up dirt and lint from the air and these impurities can interfere with proper sealing.
Common adhesives have been unsatisfactory. For example, epoxy resins applied to metal, while making a perfect and permanent seal with nonpolar liquids, are found with alkaline electrolytes to be lifted off of the metallic surface by the greater surface forces of the electrolytes. Also, usual epoxies tend to be brittle. The stresses imposed on epoxy seals during the operation of closing the cell seem to create cracks or other capillary leakage paths so that the seal made with the normal epoxies have not been as reliable as seals made with asphaltic seal coatings.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,178 issued Nov. 25, 1975 to Carol Winger and U.S. Pat. No. 3,712,896 issued Jan. 30, 1973 to Ralph Feldhake disclose the application of a fatty polyamide and a fatty polyamide epoxy mixture to either the grommet or to the metal cover prior to injection molding the nylon grommet to the metal cover. These compounds provide an adequate seal but require extensive equipment and processing for successful application and use. What is required, is a method not requiring extensive equipment and having ease of processing which will provide an insulating seal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a process for preventing the alkaline electrolyte and the alkaline cell from wetting a surface where such wetting is not desired. As a result, the invention provides a process for manufacturing an improved grommet and metal cover which when used in a galvanic cell improves the leak resistance. It also provides a process for protecting certain surfaces and a galvanic cell from being wet by an attack from electrolyte.
Broadly, the invention provides a process for incorporating a sealant compound between a metal cover and grommet. The process is comprised of (1) swelling a grommet which has been placed tightly around the periphery of a metal cover until the grommet is loose upon the metal cover, (2) forcing a sealant solution between the swollen grommet and metal cover and then (3) shrinking the grommet to substantially its original size to trap the sealant compound. The sealant trapped between the grommet and metal cover cannot be removed by any normal procedure and thus acts as an effective leakage inhibitor.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Conventional alkaline cellsutilize a metal cover and a grommet to help seal against electrolyte leakage. The currently commercially available batteries are either of the "single top" or the "double top" variety. In both of these constructions, the metal cover also acts as the negative terminal for the battery.
In the "double top", there are two metal covers and negative terminals members, one above and in electrical contact with the other. The grommet surrounds the rim of both covers and extends well into the space of the two covers. Because of this latter feature, the leakage path is considerably longer than it would be with only a "single top". Usually, the grommet is injection molded around the periphery of the metal cover; however, the grommet can also be of the "snap on" variety. This "double top" construction has been further improved by a careful selection of the metals used for the cover members. In particular, it has been desirable to plate the inside of the inner cover with an easily amalgamateable metal and nickel plate all the other surfaces.
In the "single top" construction, a single sheet of metal has the grommet around its periphery. Many of the "single tops" are laminated or coated with a layer of another metal. This is to improve the cover's properties. The grommets of the "single top" are usually of the "snap on" variety, but they can also be injection molded around the periphery of the metal cover.
The grommet is made from a material that is not corroded by alkaline electrolyte, has a high compression and shear strength, and is capable of withstanding large forces without distortion of shape caused by cold flow. Materials which show these properties include the polyolefins, such as certain high density polypropylene and polyethylene, as well as materials of the nylon compounds, the polyfluorethylene compounds, etc. The nylons include 6, 6 nylon; 6, 12 nylon; 6 nylon, and 11 nylon. A particularly preferred material is a hard nylon composition commercially available under the trademark Zytel®, especially Zytel 101 which is a 6, 6 nylon.
In performing the injection molding operation, the metal cover is placed into a mold having a cavity the size and shape of the desired grommet. The grommet material is made liquid by heat and is forced at high temperature into the mold cavity and allowed to cool. The finished part is then removed from the mold. This method of molding plastic is old in the art and is the normal method for fabricating thermoplastic materials.
Once the grommet has been placed tightly around the periphery of the metal cover, the process of this invention can be utilized.
(1) SWELLING THE GROMMET
Any liquid which can be absorbed by the grommet material can be used for the swelling the grommet. However, care must be taken that the grommet is merely swollen and not dissolved or damaged by the liquid.
When the grommet is nylon, the following liquids are utilizable: water, methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, N-propyl alcohol, N-butyl alcohol, ethylene glycol, benzyl alcohol, phenylethyl alcohol, acetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, methylene chloride, chloroform, trichloroethylene, xylene or mixtures thereof. Most effective are benzyl alcohol, chloroform, methyl alcohol and methylene chloride. All of these liquids have an absorption level of nine percent or above by the nylon.
The time required for the swelling of the grommet varies with the liquid used and the temperature applied. For a given liquid, the lower the temperature, the longer the time required for the swelling. For example, when distilled water is used the grommets are placed in boiling water for about 2 hours to obtain the desired amount of swelling. The temperature utilized in the process can range from room temperature to the temperature at which there is degradation of the grommet material. For example, 6, 6 nylon degradates at approximately 250° C., therefore, that is the maximum temperature which should be utilized. When methylene chloride is used as the liquid the preferred range is 39° C., the boiling temperature of methylene chloride, to about 150° C.; the most preferred range is about 90° to 110° C. Using methylene chloride at a temperature of 39° C., it will take about 6 hours for the swelling to occur. At the preferred temperature range of 90° to 110° C., the time required will be about 0.5 to 3 hours. Methylene chloride is the preferred liquid for safety reasons.
In one embodiment using methylene chloride, the methylene chloride is placed with the grommets and covers into a closed vessel. When the temperature surpasses the boiling point of the methylene chloride, the pressure inside the vessel increases, therefore at 39° C. the pressure is atmospheric pressure but at 150° C. the pressure will be approximately 100 pounds per square inch. At the preferred temperature of 90° to 110° C., the pressure will be about 65 to 75 pounds per square inch.
(2) FORCING A SEALANT SOLUTION BETWEEN THE GROMMET AND THE METAL COVER
The sealant solution consists of a sealant material and a solvent for the material. Suitable sealants include rosin, polystyrene, polyolefins, polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polyamine, polyisobutylene and other thermoplastic elastomers. Preferred are bitumen, polyamine and polyolefins, the most preferred is bitumen.
Bitumen is a generic term for mixtures of natural and pyrogenous hydrocarbons and other non-metallic derivatives which are soluble in carbon bisulfide. One that is particularly useful has a softening point measured by ASTM P36-26 of 180° to 185° F., a penetration measured by ASTM D5-52 at 77° F. of 15 to 20, a specific gravity at 60° F. of 1.00 + and a viscosity at 350° F. of 65 seconds, at 375° F. of 39 seconds and at 400° F. of 29 seconds. The solvents useful for the preferred bitumen include many of those liquids which swell the preferred nylon grommet. Particularly preferrable are methylene chloride, water, xylene, trichloroethylene and polychloroethylene. The most preferred is methylene chloride because of safety reasons.
The weight percentage of bitumen to solvent may range from 0.5 to 90% by weight. Preferrably the range is 20 to 60% by weight, and most preferrably is 35 to 45% by weight.
Several methods can be used for forcing the sealant solution between the swelled grommet and the metal cover. One method is vacuum impregnation. In this method, the swollen grommet is placed into a vacuum system, the sealant solution is added and the vacuum is released. The atmospheric pressure forces the sealant solution between the swelled grommet and the metal cover. Another method is to place the swollen grommets into the sealant solution to a sufficient depth to cover the grommets in a pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is then sealed and its temperature elevated. This temperature and pressure is maintained for a sufficient time to impregnate the grommets. When the liquid for swelling the grommets and the solvent for the sealant are the same, it is possible and preferred for both the swelling of the grommets and the forcing of the sealant solution to occur during one step of the process.
(3) SHRINKING THE GROMMET TO TRAP THE SEALANT
In this step, the grommet is processed to return it to substantially its original size, thereby trapping the sealant between the metal cover and the grommet. The solvent of the solution must be removed under conditions which will not degrade the grommet material and will also allow the bitumen to remain. For example, when 6, 6 nylon is used as the grommet, it should be dried at below 60° C. when exposed to oxygen because temperatures above that may degrade the nylon. However when oxygen is not present, for example, in an inert atmosphere or a vacuum, the oven temperature may be higher, up to 120° C., preferably about 100° C. It is preferable to vacuum dry the grommets in an vacuum oven for approximately 24 to 48 hours.
It should be understood that the higher the temperature the less the time required, and the lower the temperature the higher the time required.
After the process is concluded the grommets are washed to remove the excess sealant from the outside of the grommets. Preferably methylene chloride is used. The temperature of the methylene chloride used for washing should be from room temperature to about -40° C., the preferred range -20° to -40° C.
The benefits of this process include (1) having sealant placed between the metal cover and the grommet, (2) relieving molding stresses within the grommet, (3) increasing thermal stability by increasing the crystallinity of the grommet, (4) changing the surface tension characteristics of the grommet. All of these benefits contribute to production of an electrochemical cell which is more leakage resistant than conventional cells.
EXAMPLE 1
Metal covers of the "double top" variety and having an injection molded 6, 6 nylon grommet were placed into a flask equipped with a reflux condenser. Distilled water was added to the flask. This mixture was boiled for 2 hours to swell the grommets. The tops and grommets were removed, drained and placed into a second flask containing a 30% by weight bitumen in perchloroethylene solution. The contents of the flask were refluxed for 30 minutes, forcing the bitumen solution between the swelled grommets and the cover. The bitumen solution was drained. The grommets and covers were dried in a vacuum oven at 60° C. for 48 hours to cause the grommets to shrink to substantially their original size. The covers and grommets were cleaned by tumbling with wood clips wet with perchloroethylene until the exterior surfaces were free of bitumen. The tops and grommets were dried of perchloroethylene and assembled into alkaline cells of a RW 44 size (RW 44 is a standard size button cell made by Ray-O-Vac Division of ESB Incorporated).
EXAMPLE 2
Metal covers of the "double top" variety having an injection molded grommet of 6, 6 nylon were placed into a flask fitted with a reflux condenser containing methanol and refluxed for two hours, after which the grommets were swollen and loose on the metal tops. The covers and grommets were removed and placed into a second flask containing a 20% bitumen in xylene solution and refluxed for 30 minutes. This forced the bitumen solution between the grommets and covers. The bitumen solution was drained. The grommets and covers were dried in a vacuum oven at 60° C. for 48 hours to cause the grommets to return to substantially their original size. The covers and grommets were cleaned by tumbling with wood chips wet with xylene. The tops and grommets were dried of zylene and then assembled into alkaline cells of the same size as in Example 1.
EXAMPLE 3
Metal covers of the "double top" variety and having a 6, 6 nylon grommet was transferred to a pressure vessel and placed into a 40% by weight bitumen dissolved in methylene chloride solution. This solution had been prepared as follows:
a. weigh out 12.57 kilograms of bitumen (Pioneer E C 75427 NoFlow 113 sold by the Pioneer Corp.)
b. add 14.29 liters of methylene chloride,
c. agitate the solution until all the bitumen has dissolved,
d. calculate the density of solution, it should be 1.14 to 1.17 grams per cc. The pressure vessel was sealed and heat was applied until the temperature reached 100° C. The pressure inside the vessel was approximately 64 pounds per square inch at this point. This temperature and pressure was continued for 2 hours to swell the grommet and to force the sealant solution between the metal cover and the grommet. After 2 hours the heat was turned off. The vessel was allowed to cool to room temperature while the pressure was reduced to atmospheric pressure. The cover and grommets were removed from the pressure vessel. The excess bitumen was removed by placing the covers and grommets into a cleaning vessel. Cold methylene chloride solution was used to wash the covers and grommets by immersing the covers and grommets into the methylene chloride. The temperature of the methylene chloride was -20° C. to -40° C. The cleaning vessel cover was placed upon it and the covers and grommets were tumbled for one minute at 20 revolutions per minute. The methylene chloride was drained. The above washing procedure was repeated twice. The covers and grommets were dried by placing them into a vacuum oven. The vacuum oven had a 28 inch vacuum and a temperature of 70° C. The covers were dried for 12 to 24 hours in the oven and then removed ready for use. The covers and grommets which were treated by this process were used to make RW 44 size alkaline cells.
EXAMPLE 4
Cells of various sizes were made by the process in Example 3. These cells had zinc anodes, separators comprising an absorbent (Webril) and a barrier material of polyethylene grafted with methacrylic acid between layers of cellophane. The depolarizer mix comprised 50% by weight AgO, 1.5% by weight polytetrafluoroethylene, lubricant and binder, and the balance Ag 2 O. These cells were tested for leakage under accelerated test conditions and compared to cells not having undergone the process. The results of these tests are on the following table. The treated cells showed marked improvement over the controlled cells.
______________________________________Percentage Leakage At Anode AsDetermined by 10X Magnification Visual TestofCells Having Grommets And CoverTreated By Process Of This InventionversusCells Not Treated By ProcessversusCommercially Available Cells 130° F/50% Room Relative Humidity Temperature Size 4 wks 8 wks 3 months______________________________________RW47 Untreated 100% 100% 0% Treated 1.8% 39.2% 0% Commercial Cell 19.5% 36.5% 21%RW48 Untreated 100% 100% 1% Treated 0.5% 34.3% 9.5% Commercial Cell 12. % 2.0% 4.0%RW44 Untreated 99.5% 100% 0.5% Treated 10. % 5.0% 2.0% Commercial Cell 15.5% 28.5% 48.5%RW49 Untreated 90% 98% 0% Treated 15% 58% 2.5%______________________________________ | A process for improving leakage resistant in a galvanic cell is provided. This is done by making an improved grommet and metal cover. The process comprises swelling a grommet which has been placed tightly around the periphery of a metal cover until the grommet is loose upon the metal cover, forcing a sealant solution between the swollen grommet and metal cover and then shrinking the grommet to substantially its original size to trap the sealant compound between the grommet and metal cover. | 8 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/205,950, filed Jul. 25, 2002.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] This invention relates generally to text input technology. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and system that allows users to input handwritten Chinese characters to a data processor by entering the first few strokes required to write a character, so that users can perform characters input tasks in a fast, predictive way.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Around the globe, over 1.2 billion people speak Chinese. This includes the People's Republic of China, Taiwan, Singapore, and a large community of overseas Chinese in Asia and North America. Chinese character strokes and symbols are so different and so complicated that they can be sorted and grouped in a wide variety of ways. One can analytically sort out as many as 35-40 strokes of 4-10 symbols or more per Chinese character, depending on how they are grouped. Because of this unique structure of Chinese language, computer users cannot input Chinese characters using alphabetic keyboards as easily as inputting Western language.
[0006] A number of methods and systems for inputting Chinese characters to screen, such as the Three Corners method, Goo Coding System, 5-Stroke method, Changjie's Input scheme, etc., have been developed. However, none of these input methods provides an easy to use, standardized input/output scheme to speed up the retrieval, typewriting process, by taking full advantage of computer technology.
[0007] Several other methods and system for inputting handwritten Chinese characters are also deknown. For example, Apple Computer and the Institute of System Science in Singapore (Apple-ISS) have developed a system which features an application for dictation and a handwriting input method for Chinese. This system incorporates a dictionary assistance service wherein when a first character is recognized, the device displays a list of phrases based on the first character and the user may select the proper phrase without inputting any stroke. This technique effectively increases the input speed.
[0008] Another example is Synaptics' QuickStroke system which incorporates a prediction function based on a highly sophisticated neural network engine. This is not a graphics capture application where the users have to write out the entire character before the software can recognize which character is intended. Instead, it can recognize a character after only three to six strokes of the character have been written. It can be used with a standard mouse, Synaptics TouchPad™, or a Synaptics pen input TouchPad.
[0009] Another example is Zi Corporation's text input solutions based on an intelligent indexing engine which intuitively predicts and displays desired candidates. The solutions also include powerful personalization and learning capabilities—providing prediction of user-created terms and frequently used vocabulary.
[0010] It would be advantageous to provide a handwritten Chinese character input method and system to allow users to enter Chinese characters to a data processor by drawing just the first few strokes and one selection movement such as mouse clicking or stylus or finger tapping.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0011] A handwritten Chinese character input method and system is provided to allow users to enter Chinese characters to a data processor by drawing just the first few strokes and one selection movement such as mouse clicking or stylus or finger tapping. The system is interactive, predictive, and intuitive to use. By adding one or two strokes which are used to start writing a Chinese character, users can find a desired character from a list of characters. The list is context sensitive, so in some cases no strokes are needed. It varies depending on the prior character entered. The system puts the handwritten-stroke-to-category mapping on top of the stroke category matching technology, including an optional “Match any stroke category” key or gesture. Compared to other existing systems, this system can save users considerable time and efforts to entering handwritten characters.
[0012] In one preferred embodiment, the handwritten Chinese character input system includes: (1) recognition means for recognizing a category of handwriting stroke from a list of stroke categories; (2) collection means for organizing a list of characters that commonly start with one or more recognized categories of handwriting strokes, the list of characters being displayed in a predetermined sequence; and (3) selection means for selecting a desired character from the list of characters.
[0013] In a typical embodiment, the strokes are classified into five basic categories, each having one or more sub-categories. The collection means contains predefined stroke order information. It also contain a display means to display a list of most frequently used characters when no strokes are entered, while strokes are being entered, and/or after a character is selected. The list of most frequently used characters is context sensitive. It varies depending upon the last Chinese character entered. The predetermined sequence may be based on any of: (1) number of strokes necessary to write out a character; (2) use frequency of a character; and (3) contextual relation to the last character entered.
[0014] The selection means is associated with any of: (1) mouse clicking; (2) stylus tapping; (3) finger tapping; and (4) button/key pressing.
[0015] The system also contains “stroke entry means,” such as an LCD touchscreen, stylus or finger pad, trackball, data glove, or other touch-sensitive (possibly flexible) surface.
[0016] The system may further includes means for displaying a numeric or iconic representation of each stroke that is entered and a full numeric or iconic representation of strokes for a Chinese character that is selected.
[0017] According to the preferred embodiment, a method for inputting handwritten Chinese characters includes the following steps:
adding a stroke into the stroke recognition apparatus; categorizing the added stroke into one of a predetermined number of categories; finding characters based on frequency of character use; displaying a list of found characters; if a desired character is in the list, selecting the desired character from the list; if a desired character is not visible in the list, adding another stroke; finding most common characters that appear after a previously selected character based on a present stroke sequence; and displaying another list of found characters.
[0026] The method may further comprise the steps of:
displaying a numeric representation for a stroke that is added; and displaying full stroke numeric representation for a character that is selected.
[0029] As an alternative, the method may comprises the steps of:
displaying an iconic representation for a stroke that is added; and displaying full stroke iconic representation for a character that is selected.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an apparatus for inputting handwritten Chinese characters according to one preferred embodiment of the invention;
[0033] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for inputting handwritten Chinese characters in a predictive manner according to another preferred embodiment of the invention;
[0034] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating five basic strokes and their numeric representation;
[0035] FIG. 4A is a pictorial diagram illustrating an overview of the Stroke Recognition Interface prior to any input;
[0036] FIG. 4B is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface when a first single horizontal stroke is added;
[0037] FIG. 4C is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface when a second horizontal stroke is added;
[0038] FIG. 4D is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface when a third horizontal stroke is added;
[0039] FIG. 4E is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface when a desired character appears to be the first character in the Selection List;
[0040] FIG. 4F is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface when the first character in the selection list is selected;
[0041] FIG. 4G is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface when a desired character is not the first character in the selection list;
[0042] FIG. 4H is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface when the desired character rather than the first character in the selection list is selected;
[0043] FIG. 4I is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface when the first desired character is selected and a stroke is added for another character;
[0044] FIG. 4J is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface when two strokes are added;
[0045] FIG. 4K is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface when third stroke is added;
[0046] FIG. 4L is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface where the desired character is indicated;
[0047] FIG. 4M is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface when the second desired character is selected;
[0048] FIG. 4N is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface where a third desired character appears in the most frequently used characters;
[0049] FIG. 4O is a pictorial diagram illustrating the Stroke Recognition Interface when a third desired character is selected without adding any stroke; and
[0050] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the input interface for touchscreen PDA according to the most preferred embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0051] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an apparatus for inputting handwritten Chinese characters according to one preferred embodiment of this invention. The apparatus includes three basic components: a Stroke Recognition Interface 20 for recognizing entered stroke patterns, an Input Device 24 for entering strokes, and a Processor 30 for performing data process tasks.
[0052] The Stroke Recognition Interface 20 has three basic areas: a Message Display Area 28 , a Selection List Area 26 , and a Stroke Input Area 22 .
[0053] Message Display Area 28 is the place where the selected characters are displayed. It represents an email or SMS message, or whatever application intends to use the generated text.
[0054] Selection List Area 26 is the place to display the most common character choices for the strokes currently entered on the stroke input window. This area may also list common characters that follow the last character in the Message Display Area 28 , that also begin with the strokes entered in the Stroke Input Area 22 .
[0055] Stroke Input Area 22 is the heart of the Stroke Recognition Interface 20 . The user begins drawing a character onscreen in this area, using an Input Device 24 such as a stylus, a finger, or a mouse, depending on input device and display device used. The display device echos and retains each stroke (an “ink trail”) until the character is selected.
[0056] Stroke Recognition Interface 20 may further includes a Stroke Number Display Area to display the interfaces interpretation, either numeric or iconic, of the strokes entered by the user. When a character is selected, the full stroke representation, either by numbers or by icons, is displayed here. This area is optional, but could be useful for helping users learn stroke orders and stroke categories.
[0057] The system may further include: the capabilities to match Latin letters and punctuation symbols and emoticons, with user-defined stroke sequences; user-defined gestures for predefined stroke categories, and unique gestures representing entire components/sequence/symbols; learning/adapting to user's handwriting style, skew, or cursive; optional training session with known characters; optional prompting user to clarify between ambiguous stroke interpretations, and/or a means to enter explicit strokes, e.g. via stroke category keys), and/or remedy a stroke misinterpretation; optional indication of level of confidence of stroke interpretations, e.g. color-coding each “ink trail” or a smiley-face that frowns when it is uncertain; means to display all strokes that make up a character, e.g. drag & drop from text editor to Stroke [Number] Display Area); as well as ability to delete the last stroke(s) in reverse order (and ink trail(s)) by some means.
[0058] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for inputting handwritten Chinese characters in a predictive manner according to the preferred embodiment of the invention. The method includes the following steps:
Step 50 : Adding a stroke into the Stroke Input Area 22 ; Step 52 : Categorizing the added stroke into a stroke category. Step 54 : Finding characters based on frequency of character use; Step 56 : Displaying a list of found characters. The list of characters is displayed in a predetermined sequence. The predetermined sequence may be based on (1) number of strokes necessary to write out a Chinese character; (2) use frequency of a Chinese character entered; or (3) contextual relation to the prior character entered; Step 58 : Checking whether the desired character in the list; Step 60 : If the desired character is not in the list, adding next stroke in the Message Display Area 28 ; Step 70 : If a desired character is in the list, selecting it by clicking a mouse or tapping a stylus or finger, depending on the input and display devices used; Step 72 : Putting the selected character in the Message Display Area 28 ; Step 74 : Checking whether the message is complete; Step 76 : Adding next stroke if the message is not complete; Step 62 (continued from Step 60 or Step 76 ): Finding most common characters that appear after a previously selected character based on a present stroke sequence. This also happens before the first stroke, i.e. before Step 50 ] and Step 80 : Displaying a list of found characters and the process continues on Step 58 .
[0071] The apparatus may have a function to actively display the interfaces interpretation, either numeric or iconic, of the strokes entered by the user. Therefore, the method described above may further comprise the steps of:
Displaying a numeric representation for a stroke that is added; Displaying full stroke numeric representation for a character that is selected; Displaying an iconic representation for a stroke that is added; and Displaying full stroke iconic representation for a character that is selected.
[0076] As an alternative, Step 54 may be replaced by:
Finding characters that commonly start with one or more recognized stroke patterns.
[0078] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing five basic strokes and their numeric representation. There is a government standard of five stroke categories for simplified Chinese characters. There are other classification of the stroke categories. The method and system according to this invention apply to any kind of classification.
[0079] One of the major advantages of the recognition system according to this invention is the great reduction of ambiguities arising in the subtle distinction between certain subtypes of the stroke categories. To reduce ambiguities, there are further definitions on the subtypes. For example, a horizontal line with a slight hook upwards is stroke 1 ; a horizontal line with a slight hook down is stroke 5 ; a horizontal line angled upwards is stroke 1 ; and a curved line that starts right diagonally then evens out to horizontal or curved up is stroke 4 , and etc.
[0080] One technique for resolving, or at least limiting, ambiguities, is the use of limited wildcards. These are stroke keys that match with any stroke that fits one type of ambiguity. For example, if the stroke may fit into either stroke category 4 or stroke category 5 , the limited wildcard would match both 4 and 5 .
[0081] Often the difference between a stroke of one type and a similar stroke of another type are too subtle for a computer to differentiate. This gets even more confusing when the user is sloppy and curves his straight strokes, or straightens his curved strokes, or gets the angle slightly off.
[0082] To account for all of the variation of an individual user, the system may learn the specific idiosyncrasies of its one user, and adapt to fit that person's handwriting style.
[0083] The specifics of the exaggeration needed may be determined as appropriate. Key to this aspect of the invention is that the user has to make diagonal strokes very diagonal, straight strokes very straight, curved strokes very curved, and angled strokes very angled.
[0084] The result on paper is a character that would look somewhat artificial and a caricature of its intended character. However, this greatly simplifies the disambiguation process for finding the strokes, which then helps the disambiguation of characters.
[0085] In the following paragraphs in conjunction with a series of pictorial diagrams, the operation process is described.
[0086] FIG. 4A illustrates an overview of the Stroke Recognition Interface before any stroke is added. Note that the Character Selection List shows the first ten most frequently used characters. If a user's first desired character is in the list, he just selects the character by clicking the mouse or by tapping a stylus or his finger, without need to add a stroke. If the desired character is not in the list, the user adds a stroke using mouse, stylus, or finger.
[0087] FIG. 4B illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface when a first single horizontal stroke is added. The stroke category is determined to be “1”, and is listed in the Stroke Number Area. The Selection List is re-ordered to predict the most likely character to be chosen based on the first stroke.
[0088] FIG. 4C illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface when a second horizontal stroke is added. After a second horizontal line is entered, the selection list is re-ordered again, showing only the most likely characters that start with two horizontal lines (stroke category 1 ). Note that the position and relative lengths of the strokes do not affect the selection list, only the stroke categories.
[0089] FIG. 4D illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface when a third horizontal stroke is added. After a third horizontal line is entered, the selection list is re-ordered again, showing only the most likely characters that start with three horizontal lines (stroke category 1 ).
[0090] FIG. 4E illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface when a desired character appears to be the first character in the Selection List. Note that the character drawn so far is identical to the first character listed in the selection list. If this were the character desired, simply click that character from the list.
[0091] FIG. 4F illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface when the first character in the selection list is selected. If the user chooses the first character, it is added to the message; at the same time, the stroke numbers are displayed at the bottom, and the input area is cleared, ready for the next character. Note that to select a character, the user has to take one additional mouse click (or stylus or finger press/tapping) than there are strokes. Novice users may find this annoying until they get used to the system, and lean to take advantage of its predictive features.
[0092] FIG. 4G illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface when a desired character is not the first character in the selection list. The strength of this system is its predictive abilities. If the user desired the very complex, but somewhat common, character pointed to in the above illustration, he needs not complete the stroke for that character. As soon as it is displayed in the selection list, it can be selected by clicking a mouse (or stylus or finger tapping) on the character.
[0093] FIG. 4H illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface when the desired character rather than the first character in the selection list is selected. Once the complex character is selected, we see that it is a 15-stroke character, added to the message with only three strokes and one additional click. The user gets a 15-stroke character using four movements. The saving of movement and hence time is about four to one. Additionally, the entire stroke order is displayed now, so if the user was used to an alternate stroke order for the character, he can learn the Government Standard stroke order used by this system.
[0094] FIG. 4I illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface when the first desired character is selected and a stroke is added for another character. Once the character is entered, the program is ready to accept the strokes for another character. Here the initial stroke is a different category, to enter in a very different character. Notice that the selection list is very different than it was with the first stroke of the previous character.
[0095] FIG. 4J illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface when two strokes are added. Note that the strokes entered already form a character that matches the most likely choice in the selection list. The character that we are aiming for in this example is already displayed (see the fifth character from the left) after the second stroke is added. But we want to continue to demonstrate the disambiguation feature of the system.
[0096] FIG. 4K illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface when the third stroke is added. After a third stroke is entered, the selection list contains two characters that are only slightly different from each other. In fact, these two characters have exactly the same stroke order, and choosing from the selection list is the only way to disambiguate the two characters. Note that the second character being pointed to one is less commonly used than not only the first, but also of a slightly more complex character.
[0097] FIG. 4L illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface where the desired character is indicated. Note that the desired character was first visible after the second stroke was entered, and is still a likely choice in the selection list (see the fourth character from the left). If a desired character is removed from the selection list for some reason, it is indication that the stroke order entered by the user does not match the Government Standard stroke order used in the system.
[0098] FIG. 4M illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface when the second desired character is selected. The character is selected, and added to the message. It is a 9-stroke character. We selected it at three strokes, but could have selected it at two strokes.
[0099] FIG. 4N illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface where a third desired character appears in the most frequently used characters. For very common characters, there is no need to enter any strokes. The ten most frequently used characters are displayed even when no strokes are entered. If the user wants to enter one of these common characters, simply selecting it will add it to the message. Note that the selection list of the most frequently used characters is context sensitive. The system displays the ten most frequent characters to follow the last character entered.
[0100] FIG. 4O illustrates the Stroke Recognition Interface when a third desired character is selected without adding any stroke. This is a saving of seven to one for the third character.
[0101] FIG. 5 illustrates a recommended layout of the input interface according to the most preferred embodiment, where the message area is omitted and the text goes directly into the active application, so there is no need for a message area.
[0102] In a typical embodiment, the stroke entry means is a handwriting input area displayed on a touchscreen on a PDA. Each entered stroke is recognized as one of a set of stroke categories. The graphical keys, each assigned to a stroke category, are optionally available to display and enter strokes, as an alternative input means. One of the graphical keys represents “match any stroke category”.
[0103] The method described above may be carried out by a computer usable medium containing instructions in computer readable form. In other words, the method may be incorporated in a computer program, a logic device, mobile device, or firmware and/or may be downloaded from a network, e.g. a Web site over the Internet. It may be applied in all sorts of text entry.
[0104] Although the invention is described herein with reference to some preferred embodiments, one skilled in the art will readily appreciate that other applications may be substituted for those set forth herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
[0105] Accordingly, the invention should only be limited by the claims included below. | A handwritten Chinese character input method and system is provided to allow users to enter Chinese characters to a data processor by adding less than three strokes and one selection movement such as mouse clicking or stylus or finger tapping. The system is interactive, predictive, and intuitive to use. By adding one or two strokes which are used to start writing a Chinese character, or in some case even no strokes are needed, users can find a desired character from a list of characters. The list is context sensitive. It varies depending on the prior character entered. Compared to other existing systems, this system can save users considerable time and efforts to entering handwritten characters. | 6 |
This application claims the benefit of Belgian Application No. 2004/0589 filed Dec. 2, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
On the one hand, the invention relates to a method for weaving face-to-face fabrics on a face-to-face weaving machine, the fabrics consisting of weft yarns, ground warp yarns and pile warp yarns, and one or several spacers being provided in order to keep the fabrics at a distance from one another during the weaving process, and a weaving reed being provided comprising reed dents, through which the said ground warp yarns and pile warp yarns are extending, and through which the spacers are extending every two or more reed dents.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a fabric, consisting of weft yarns, ground warp yarns and pile warp yarns and to a face-to-face weaving machine for weaving face-to-face fabrics consisting of weft yarns, ground warp yarns and pile warp yarns.
More specifically, the invention relates to a method for weaving shaggy fabrics.
Shaggy, fabrics, likewise called shag fabrics, are fabrics in which long coarse pile warp yarns are used. The pile height ranges from 15 mm to 100 mm. The thickness of the yarns is starting from 3000 denier and may reach 12000 deniers and even 30000 denier. Sometimes, for such shaggy fabrics, also yarns are used in which a thick and a thin yarn are united to form one single yarn in order to create additional effects,
Today, shaggy fabrics are mainly made of wool, hand-tufted or woven on single fabric weaving machines such as rod weaving machines or Axminster weaving machines. Such fabrics, however, are not suitable for being produced on a face-to-face weaving machine, as it is not always possible to interweave the thick pile warp yarns in the usual 2-and 3-shot weave as it is difficult to conceal the thick pile warp yarns in the fabric and as in fabrics made with a longer pile height (over 30 mm) there is the disadvantage that the pile retention leaves much to be desired and the quantity of yarn to be supplied, within one operating cycle of the machine, by the bobbin on the weaving rack will become too large because of the pile moving from the upper to the lower fabric. Moreover, the disadvantage mentioned last will cause a heavy load on the Jacquard machine, depending on the pattern to be woven.
In a single fabric rod weaving machine, these problems are less frequent, as the quantity of pile warp yarns that have to be supplied within one machine cycle is more limited, because only one fabric is woven and, moreover, the speed of the machine is lower. Also, when weaving on an Axminster weaving machine, these problems are less frequent, as the pile warp yarn have to be supplied for only one fabric, the weaving speed is lower and only one pile is inserted every three wefts. Furthermore, there are no problems either, caused by a dead pile.
Both single fabric rod weaving and Axminster weaving, however, have a significantly lower weaving efficiency than face-to-face weaving. Moreover, with none of these techniques it will be possible at the present time to produce shaggy or tufted fabrics by means of the cheaper yarns made of synthetic material or polypropylene.
To a man skilled in the art, it is not obvious to weave the thick yarns made of wool or polypropylene in several colors or with a long pile when making use of a face-to-face weaving technique. When using a Jacquard-weaving method with several colors and/or effects on a face-to-face weaving machine, each warp yarn system will comprise the various pile warp yarns having the various colors or effects, together with the ground warp yarns used to form the backing fabrics. In order to keep the upper and the lower fabric at a certain distance from one another, in face-to-face double-rapier weaving, spacers are used, likewise called lancets.
In most cases the number of warp yarn systems is corresponding with the number of reed dents of the weaving reed and each dent in the weaving reed comprises the said backing and pile warp yarns, as well as the spacer. In the event of shaggy fabrics, in which thicker yarns are used, the problem is that, within the reed dent, the thicker pile warp yarns will collide, mutually as well as with the ground warp yarns and with the spacer, when they have to take up their positions to form the shed desired in accordance with the pattern to be formed. This may cause several yarns to become entangled or warp yarns and spacers to get stuck in the reed dent. It may be possible to limit this risk by using a lower density of the reed, to reduce the number of reed dents, or using less colors or yarns that are less thick.
It is already known not to use the spacer in each warp yarn system or in each reed dent. Thus it will be possible to reduce the risk because the problem may occur only in part of the warp yarn systems, but the problem still exists and may still occur.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
On the one hand, the purpose of the invention is to provide a method for weaving face-to-face fabrics on a face-to-face weaving machine, the fabrics consisting of weft yarns, ground warp yarns and pile warp yarns, and one or several spacers being provided in order to keep the fabrics at a distance during the weaving process, and a weaving reed being provided, comprising reed dents through which the said ground warp yarns and pile warp yarns are extending, and through which the spacers are extending every two or more reed dents, wherein an equal pile height is maintained, and wherein the two fabrics, both at the back and on the pile face are aesthetically attractive.
This purpose according to the invention is attained by providing a method having the characteristics indicated in the first paragraph of this description, wherein the pile warp yarns and the spacers are separated from one another in the respective reed dents.
In this manner, it will nevertheless be possible to maintain a sufficient distance between the upper and the lower fabric, while there will be no interference problems in a reed dent between the various pile warp yarns and the spacers. In this manner, fabrics may be woven with more colors or thicker yarns may be used because of the absence of spacers between the pile warp yarns.
This means that in the pattern at the back of the fabric in the direction of the warp, lines will be found, where no pile is interlaced, because in these warp systems only a spacer with possible ground warp yarns will be found, but no pile warp yarn. However, on the pile face of the fabric, because of the height of the pile and the thickness of the yarns this irregular distribution of the pile in the weft direction will not be noticed.
Yet, in order to be able to reduce this effect of an irregular distribution of the pile in the weft direction, a smaller width may be provided for the reed dent in which a spacer extends than for the reed dent in which the pile and ground warp yarns are extending.
This has the advantage that the pattern at the back of the fabric will become aesthetically more attractive and that the effect of an irregular distribution on the pile face of the fabric will be still further reduced.
In a preferred embodiment of a method according to the invention, between each couple of reed dents with spacers at least two reed dents are provided with pile and ground warp yarns.
In a still more preferred embodiment according to the invention, the warp yarns are arranged in adjacent reed dents such that:
the pile warp yarns of a second reed dent are immediately fitting a first reed dent in which a spacer is provided; the ground warp yarns of the second reed dent are arranged on the side of a third reed dent, situated on the opposite side of the first reed dent with respect to the second reed dent; the ground warp yarns of the third reed dents are arranged on the side of the second reed dent. the pile warp yarns of the third reed dent are disposed on the side opposite the side adjacent to the second reed dent.
In this manner, the effect of an irregular distribution of the pile in the weft direction is still further reduced.
In an advantageous embodiment of a method according to the invention, in each reed dent of the weaving reed ground warp yarns are extending.
The fabrics preferably woven by means of this method are shaggy fabrics.
Another purpose of the invention is to provide a fabric consisting of weft yarns, ground warp yarns and pile warp yarns having an equally long pile height and moreover, are aesthetically attractive both at the back and on the pile face.
This purpose of the invention is attained by providing a fabric consisting of weft yarns, ground warp yarns and pile warp yarns, the fabric being woven by means of a method according to the invention as described above.
A last purpose of the invention is to provide a face-to-face weaving machine for weaving face-to-face fabrics consisting of weft yarns, ground warp yarns and pile warp yarns, the face-to-face weaving machine being provided for weaving fabrics having an equally long pile height and being aesthetically attractive both at the back and on the pile face.
This purpose of the invention is attained by providing a face-to-face weaving machine for weaving face-to-face fabrics consisting of weft yarns, ground warp yarns and pile warp yarns, the face-to-face weaving machine being provided to carry out a method according to the invention as described above.
In the following detailed description, the above-mentioned characteristics and advantages of a method for weaving fabrics according to the invention will be further clarified. This description is only intended to clarify the general principle of the present invention, therefore nothing in this description may be interpreted as a restriction of the field of application of the invention and of the patent rights demanded for in the claims.
In this description reference is made, by means of reference numbers, to the attached FIGS. 1 up to and including 4 , in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is representing a schematic cross-section of fabrics, woven according to a ¼ V-weave, in which a spacer is extending each three reed dents, backing and pile warp being there in the first two reed dents, and a spacer and ground warp yarns being there in the third reed dent;
FIG. 2 is representing a schematic cross-section of fabrics, woven according to a ¼ V-weave in opposite phase, in which every three reed dents a spacer is extending, backing and pile warp yarns being there in the first two reed dents, and a spacer and ground warp yarns being there in the third reed dent;
FIG. 3 is representing a schematic cross-section of fabrics, woven according to a ⅜ W-weave and the corresponding heddling, a spacer extending every three reed dents, backing and pile warp yarns being there in the first and second reed dent, and a spacer and ground warp yarns being there in the third reed dent;
FIG. 4 is representing a schematic cross-section of fabrics, woven according to a ⅜ W-weave and the corresponding heddling, a spacer extending every three reed dents, backing and pile warp yarns being there in the first and second reed dent, and a spacer and ground warp yarns being there in the third reed dent, and the disposition of the warp yarns in reed dent situated next to one another being adapted;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The method according to the invention for weaving face-to-face fabrics is carried out on a face-to-face weaving machine. A fabric ( 10 ), ( 20 ) (see FIGS. 1 up to and including 4 ) is consisting of weft yarns ( 2 ), ground warp yarns ( 3 ) (=backing warp yarns) and pile warp yarns ( 4 ). Furthermore one or several spacers ( 1 ) are provided in order to keep the fabrics ( 10 ), ( 20 ) at a distance from one another. Furthermore, the face-to-face weaving machine is provided with a weaving reed, comprising one or more reed dents (A), (B), (C), through which the said ground warp yarns ( 3 ) and pile warp yarns ( 4 ) on the one hand, and spacers ( 1 ) possibly together with ground warp yarns ( 3 ) on the other hand, are extending. Every two or more reed dents (A), (B), (C), the spacers ( 1 ) extend through the weaving reed. As represented in the FIGS. 1 and 2 , in a preferred embodiment, every three reed dents a spacer ( 1 ) is extending in a reed dent (C), while in this reed dent (C) only ground warp yarns ( 3 ) are extending and no pile warp yarns ( 4 ). In the two adjacent reed dents (A), (B), pile warp and ground warp yarns ( 3 ), ( 4 ) do extend, but there are no spacers ( 1 ). However, this does not mean that there are no other embodiments where a spacer ( 1 ) is used every 2 , 4 , 5 or more reed dents. Furthermore, the number of warp yarn systems between two successive reed dents (A), (B), (C) where there is a spacer ( 1 ) without pile warp yarns ( 4 ) is different across the width of the fabric ( 10 ), ( 20 ), for instance, alternating every three and every four reed dents (A), (B), (C).
By providing a spacer ( 1 ) every two or more reed dents without pile warp yarns ( 4 ) and a spacer ( 1 ) appearing together in the same reed dent, it will be possible, as already mentioned above, to maintain a sufficient distance between the fabrics ( 10 ),( 20 ), without any interference problems occurring between the various pile warp yarns ( 4 ) in a reed dent and the spacer ( 1 ), and consequently fabrics ( 10 ),( 20 ) can be woven having more colors or thicker yarns because of the absence of a spacer ( 1 ) between the pile warp yarns ( 4 ).
Consequently, in the pattern at the back of the fabric ( 10 ),( 20 ) lines will be found in the warp direction where no pile is interlaced, because in these warp yarn systems only a spacer ( 1 ), possibly with ground warp yarns ( 3 ), will occur, but no pile warp yarns ( 4 ) will be found. On the pile face of the fabric ( 10 ),( 20 ), however, the height of the pile and the thickness of the yarns will prevent that this irregular distribution of the pile in the weft direction will be noticed.
In order to reduce this effect of an irregular distribution of the pile in the weft direction, the disposition of the pile warp yarns ( 2 ),( 3 ),( 4 ) in reed dents (A),(B),(C) situated next to one another, may be adapted.
In FIG. 3 , a heddling for a face-to-face weaving machine is represented, where every three reed dents (A),(B),(C), a spacer ( 1 ) is extending through a reed dent (C). With this heddling, in a first reed dent (A), and in a second reed dent (B), from left to right, there are first of all the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) and next to them, the pile warp yarns ( 4 ). In the third reed tooth (C) there are, from left to right, first of all the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) and then there is a spacer ( 1 ). The subsequent first reed dent (not represented in the figure) starts again with ground warp yarns ( 3 ).
In this manner, at the back of the fabric ( 10 ),( 20 ) it will be noted that, in the third dent, the ground warp yarns ( 4 ), across the full width of the fabric ( 10 ),( 20 ), are not situated nicely right in the middle between the warp yarn system extending through the second reed dent (B), and the warp yarn system extending through the fourth reed dent which is built up like the first reed dent (A). Within the third reed dent (C), the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) are free to float across the width of the reed dent (C), because there is a large space available within this reed dent (C). This will enable the pile warp yarns ( 4 ) of the second reed dent (B) to be floating along towards the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) of the third reed dent (C) up to the line where the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) of the third reed dent (C) are tightly interlaced. The ground warp yarns ( 3 ) of the fourth reed dent, however, will maintain their position very well and will continue to form a straight line very well, because they are maintained in position by the lamella of the weaving reed between the third reed dent (C) and the fourth reed dent, and are tightly interlaced in that position. The ground warp yarns ( 3 ), being tightly interlaced and maintained in position, prevent the pile warp yarns from having any space whatsoever in the fourth reed dent to float. In order to enable these pile warp yarns ( 4 ) to have indeed a possibility to float, the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) of the fourth reed dent should not be allowed to get between the pile warp yarns ( 4 ) and the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) of the third reed dent. The pile warp yarns ( 4 ) in the second reed dent (B) which are interlaced less tightly than the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) do have space to extend to the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) of the third reed dent (C), because there are no ground warp yarns ( 3 ) tightly interlaced in the second reed dent (B) between the pile warp yarns ( 4 ) in the second reed dent (B) and the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) in the third reed dent.
As described above, the same possibility for the pile warp yarns ( 4 ) of the fourth reed dent to float freely, is also attained by making the pile warp yarns ( 4 ) in the first (A), the fourth, the seventh and the other reed dents immediately fit the third (C), the sixth, the ninth and the other reed dent, a spacer ( 1 ) being found in each of these reed dents. The ground warp yarns ( 3 ) of the first (A), the fourth, the seventh and the other reed teeth are arranged on the side of the second (B), the fifth, the eighth and the other reed dents. In this manner, the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) are situated in the first (A), the fourth, the seventh and the other reed dents and the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) of the second (B), the fifth, the eighth and the other reed dents directly next to one another, because of which the pile warp yarns ( 4 ) of both these series of reed dents will be able to float a bit further away from one another, towards the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) in the third reed dent (C) or, in case there is no backing warp yarn ( 3 ) to be found in the third reed dents, towards one another. Consequently, a more regular spreading is obtained in combination with the third (C), the sixth, the ninth and the other reed dents, where only a spacer ( 1 ) and/or ground warp yarns ( 3 ) are extending. As in this manner both the pile warp yarns ( 4 ) of the first (A), the fourth, the seventh and the other reed dents and of the second (B), the fifth, the eighth and the other reed dents may float along with the floating ground warp yarns ( 3 ) of the third (C), the sixth, the ninth and the other reed dents, this floating will additionally improve the regularity of the pile distribution in the weft direction when the present invention is applied.
In FIG. 4 , such a heddling for a face-to-face weaving machine is represented, every three reed dents (A),(B),(C) a spacer ( 1 ) being installed with only ground warp yarns ( 3 ) and the disposition of the pile warp yarns ( 3 ),( 4 ) in reed dents (A),(B),(C) being situated next to one another being adapted. Moreover, the warp yarns ( 3 ),( 4 ) in reed dents (A),(B),(C) situated next to one another are disposed such that:
the pile warp yarns ( 4 ) of a second reed dent (B) are directly fitting a first reed dent (A) in which a spacer ( 1 ) is arranged; the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) of the second reed dent (B) are arranged on the side of a third reed dent (C) which is situated on the opposite side of the first reed dent (A) with respect to the second reed dent (B); the ground warp yarns ( 3 ) of the third reed dent (C) are arranged on the side of the second reed dent (B); the pile warp yarns ( 4 ) of the third reed dent (C) are arranged on the side opposite to the side adjacent to the second reed dent (B). | On the one hand, the invention relates to a method for weaving face-to-face fabrics on a face-to-face weaving machine, the fabrics ( 10 ),( 20 ) consisting of weft yarns ( 2 ), ground warp yarns ( 3 ) and pile warp yarns ( 4 ), and one or several spacers ( 1 ) being provided in order to keep the fabrics ( 10 ),( 20 ) at a distance during the weaving process, and a weaving reed being provided, comprising reed dents (A),(B),(C) through which the said ground warp yarns ( 3 ) and pile warp yarns ( 4 ) are extending, and through which the spacers ( 1 ) are extending every two or more reed dents (A),(B),(C), wherein the pile warp yarns ( 4 ) and the spacers ( 1 ) are separated from one another in the respective reed dents (A),(B),(C). On the other hand, the invention relates to a fabric woven in accordance with such a method and a face-to-face weaving machine designed to carry out such a method. | 3 |
This is a division of application Ser. No. 384,578, filed Jun. 3, 1982 now abandoned.
REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
Reference is made to the previous Roy R. Vann U.S. Pat. Nos., 3,871,448; 3,931,855; 4,040,485; and 4,151,880 for further background of this invention, and to the references cited therein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There are many instances when it is desirable to run a tool string downhole into a borehole with a lower end portion of the tubing string being opened to the flow of well fluids from the borehole so that no differential in hydrostatic head is developed. In a producing well, it may be desirable to reperforate the existing producing formation or to perforate another production zone within the well. In such a situation, a hydrostatic head of drilling mud is used to maintain a bottomhole pressure that is greater than the formation pressure to insure that the well is under control at all times and thereby prevent any blowout. If a sufficient hydrostatic head were not established, the well could start "kicking" during the new perforating.
The general tubing conveyed perforation technique includes a tubing string with a closed vent assembly and perforating gun. The tubing string is run into the well substantially dry with only a small amount of fluid in the bottom of the string to cushion the impact of a bar dropped through the string to detonate the perforating gun. Thus, the vent assembly in the tool string is run into the well in the closed position. However, where it is necessary to maintain the hydrostatic head as in a producing well, the lowering of a dry tubing string into the well would reduce the hydrostatic head so as to possibly cause the loss of control over the well. Thus, it is desirable to run the tubing string into the well "wet" with a vent assembly open whereby well fluids can run into the tubing string to maintain the hydrostatic head. Further, if the well should start "kicking", the open vent assembly permits circulation down through the tubing and into the well to provide further means to kill the well at any time.
For example, often in a dual formation well where the production fluid from the two formations can be co-mingled, the lower zone is perforated and tested and then gently killed with calcium chloride and water such that the completion will not be damaged. If one were to go back into the well with dry tubing, there would be no means to maintain the hydrostatic head or to circulate through the tubing string such that the lower formation would start producing before the dry tubing string reached the location of the upper formations to be perforated. This would occur due to the reduction of the hydrostatic head to a value lower than the formation pressure causing the lower formation to start producing.
The present invention provides a means whereby a perforating gun can be run downhole on the end of a tubing string along with a packer actuated vent assembly held in the open position and which can be subsequently moved to the closed position upon the setting of the packer. Additionally, there is another vent assembly included in the tool string below the packer which can be moved from the closed position to the open position at any subsequent time such as just prior to the detonation of the perforating gun. This unique combination enables an extremely large casing type perforating gun to be run downhole with the tubing string open to the flow of well fluids whereby there is a zero back pressure on the tubing string. After the tool string has been positioned downhole in the borehole, the interior of the tool string can be isolated from the fluids contained within the casing annulus by closing the packer actuated vent assembly. Once the gun is suspended downhole adjacent to the production formation, the second vent assembly is moved into the open position and the gun is detonated at some subsquent time.
Further, once the packer is in position and can be set, the present invention provides the option of lowering the hydrostatic head in the tubing string by displacing the well fluids in the tubing string with another fluid such as nitrogen. As the nitrogen is pumped down the tubing string, the well fluid in the tubing string are displaced through the open packer actuated vent assembly of the present invention. Once the desired hydrostatic head is reached, as for example to obtain an underbalance, the packer actuated vent may be closed and the nitrogen bled off to obtain the desired hydrostatic head in the tubing string to provide the desired pressure differential for backsurging. The underbalance or pressure differential can also be achieved by swabbing the tubing string dry after the packer actuated vent assembly has been closed.
In the prior art, sliding sleeves actuated by wireline have been used to permit flow into the tubing string. Such a sliding sleeve is manufactured by Baker Oil Tools. However, such sliding sleeves are not dependable and do not always seal. Further, the wireline can be blown out of the hole and become tangled. Also, it is cheaper to use a vent assembly in the tool string which can be actuated by the setting of the packer than use a wireline operated sleeve.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprehends both method and apparatus for completing boreholes. According to the method of the present invention, a packer device is connected to a tubing string and an open vent assembly is associated with the packer device. The normally open vent assembly is moved to the closed position when the packer device is set downhole in the borehole.
A second vent assembly, normally in the closed position, is connected between a perforating gun and the packer-actuated vent assembly. The entire tool string is run downhole with the first vent assembly being in the open position. When the packer is set, the upper vent assembly is moved to the closed position, thereby isolating the interior of the tool string from the borehole annulus. At some subsequent time, the lower vent assembly is moved to the open position and the gun fired when it is desired to complete the well.
The method of the present invention is carried out by the provision of a packer actuated vent assembly having an outer barrel connected to the outer barrel of the packer, and a mandrel extension connected to the lower end of the mandrel of the packer device. A sliding valve element sealingly engages a radial port formed in the mandrel, and when the packer is set, the sliding valve element is moved from the open to the closed position relative to the port, thereby precluding flow therethrough. Therefore, when running into the borehole, flow can occur from the casing annulus, into the outer barrel, through the open port, up through the packer mandrel, up through the upper tubing, and to the surface of the ground, and thereafter, the tubing interior is isolated from well fluids.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is the provision of a packer actuated vent assembly which is moved from the normally open to the closed position when the packer is set downhole in a borehole.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a packer actuated vent assembly having a slidable valve element associated therewith and which is closed in response to the setting of a packer.
A further object of this invention is to provide a method of completing a borehole, wherein a packer actuated valve assembly equalizes the pressure between the casing annulus and tubing interior before the packer is set, and thereafter the interior of the tubing string is maintained isolated from the annulus.
A still further object of this invention is the provision of a vent assembly which is actuated to the closed position in response to the setting of a retrievable packer.
Another and still further object of this invention is the provision of both method and apparatus by which a vent assembly is moved to the closed position by utilizing the movement of the tubing string required in setting a retrievable packer.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of an open-to-closed packer actuated vent assembly permitting circulation through the tubing string as it is lowered into the well.
These and various other objects and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description and claims and by reference to the accompanying drawings.
The above objects are attained in accordance with the present invention by the provision of a method of completing a well for use with apparatus fabricated in a manner substantially as described in the above abstract and summary.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a vertical, part cross-sectional, broken view of a borehole formed into the surface of the earth;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged, broken, side elevational view of part of the apparatus disclosed in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, longitudinal, cross-sectional view of part of the apparatus disclosed in FIG. 2;
FIGS. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views taken along lines 4--4 and 5--5 of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, part cross-sectional view which discloses part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3, with some parts thereof being moved to an alternate position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 discloses a well head 8 connected to the illustrated borehole 10. Within the borehole there is disclosed a retrievable packer 12 connected to a packer actuated vent assembly 14 made in accordance with the present invention.
The packer 12 can take on any number of different forms so long as it is provided with a hollow mandrel for conducting flow of fluid axially therethrough, and so long as the mandrel is reciprocated relative to the packer body while the packer is being set. As for example, a Baker Lok-Set retrievable casing packer, product No. 642-12 page 498, Baker Oil Tool 1970-71 catalog, Baker Oil Tools, Los Angeles, Calif. Other packer apparatus which can be used with the present invention are exemplified by the patent to Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 2,893,492, or Keithahn, U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,795.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, in conjunction with some of the remaining figures of the drawings, packer 12 includes a packer body 20, hollow mandrel 88, packer rubbers 22, upper and lower slips 24, 26 and drag blocks 28. Interface 16 of the lower end of body 20 defines a shoulder of a threaded connection effected by the lower threaded marginal terminal end of the packer body 20 and the upper threaded marginal terminal end of the vent assembly 14. Sub 17 above packer 12 is attached to coupling member 18 of the mandrel 88 of the packer 12 so that the packer 12 can be series connected and supported by the illustrated tubing string 9. The lower edge portion 19 of the mandrel coupling 18 is movable towards the upper portion of body 20 of the packer 12 until the lower edge portion 19 abuts upper edge portion 21 of packer body 20, thereby causing the packer rubbers 22 to be set within the casing 7. Radially disposed slips 24 and 26 of packer 12 are forced in an outward direction by movement of the mandrel 88 so as to anchor the packer 12 to the interior surface of the wall of casing 7. Drag blocks 28 on packer 12 frictionally engage casing 7 to prevent movement of the packer body 20 relative to the casing 7 while packer mandrel 88 is being manipulated.
The vent assembly 14 of the present invention comprises a cylindrical barrel 30 having spaced radial ports 32 located intermediate the downwardly opening peripheral edge portion 34 of barrel 30 and the lower end 16 of body 20 of packer 12; and, a mandrel extension 36 having a lower marginal end threadingly engaging a sub or coupling 37 for connection of the vent assembly 14 into a pipe string 38 so that a perforating or jet gun 42 or the like can be run downhole into the borehole 10 and positioned adjacent to a hydrocarbon containing formation 43 shown in FIG. 2 (when it is desired to complete the well).
FIGS. 3 and 6 disclose some additional details of the before mentioned packer actuated vent assembly 14 of the present invention. As seen in FIG. 3, together with FIGS. 4-6, upper edge portion 31 of the outer barrel 30 of the vent assembly 14 is threadingly engaged with the lower end of the packer body 20 of the retrievable packer 12. The packer often includes a J-latch 46, as is known to those skilled in the art. J-latch 46 is used to hook on and set packer 12. An axial passageway 48 extends centrally through the outer barrel 30. The mandrel extension 36 is concentrically arranged with respect to the outer barrel 30 and forms an annular area 52 therebetween. Ports 54 are formed within the sidewall of the mandrel extention 36 and provide a flow path along which fluid can flow from the annulus 52 into the interior of the mandrel extension 36 and vice versa.
O-rings 56 and 58 are spaced from one another along alternate sides of ports 54 and are housed in grooves which circumferentially extend about the mandrel extension 36. A slidable valve element 60 has an inside surface area made in close tolerance slidable relationship with respect to the outer circumferentially extending sealing surface 62 of the mandrel extension 36. As best seen illustrated in FIG. 6, the sealing surface 62 preferably is formed along a medial portion of the exterior of the mandrel extension 36 so as to provide ample room for a seal between extension 36 and valve element 60, and at the same time reduce friction to a minimum by the provision of an undercut area at 64 around the medial portion of mandrel extension 36.
The lower end 66 of the valve element 60 is abuttingly received against the illustrated circumferentially extending shoulder 61 of extension 36. A boss 68 is formed at the upper end of the valve element 60 for reasons hereinafter described.
As seen in FIGS. 3, 5, and 6, a protective sleeve 70 is provided with an inside diameter 72 which is greater than the outside diameter of valve element 60, and therefore forms an upwardly opening cavity within which the before-mentioned valve element 60 is slidably received. The outer protective sleeve 70 serves to guard, shield, and protect valve element 60 thereby preventing material from accidentally hanging on valve element 60 before one is ready for boss 68 to engage internal shoulder 76 to close the vent assembly 14. Sleeve 70 also protects against debris fouling valve element 60. Fastener means 74 maintains the protective sleeve 70 in fixed relationship with respect to the mandrel extension 36.
Lower cylindrical shoulder 76 is rigidly affixed to the inside surface of the lower terminal end of the outer barrel 30. The inside diameter of the shoulder 76 is slightly spaced at 78 from the outer peripheral wall of the mandrel extension 36. The face of the shoulder 76 abuttingly engages face 80 of the boss 68 in order to move the valve element 60 into the closed position.
Lower radial port 32 forms a flow passageway for well fluid to flow into annulus 52, whereupon the fluid can proceed up the annulus 52 and into open ports 54, when ports 54 are in the open position.
As seen in FIG. 2, together with FIGS. 3 and 6, the lower threaded end 84 of the mandrel extension 36 connects sub or coupling 37 to the pipe string 38, as may be required in order to assemble additional tools downhole of the packer actuated vent assembly 14. Upper threaded surface 86 of the mandrel extension 36 is connected to the lower threaded end of the mandrel 88 of the retrievable packer 12. Mandrel 88 presents a lower shoulder 90 which abuttingly engages shoulder 92 of boss 68 of the valve element 60, in the event the element 60 should be moved to its extreme upward limit of travel, whereupon, lower end 66 of the valve element 60 continues to cover both of the O-rings 56 and 58. The dot-dash numeral at 94 indicates an auxiliary port formed within the outer barrel 30, if desired. Port 94 has the same purpose as ports 32 in the lower part of the barrel 30, i.e. to provide additional flow area into tubing string 9.
As particularly seen in FIG. 2, a second vent assembly 39 is connected in underlying relationship with respect to the packer actuated vent assembly 14 and is further included in the tool string above jet perforating casing gun 42 such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,706,344 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,140,188. Vent assembly 39 may include and incorporate any number of vent assemblies such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,880, U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,287, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 166,547 filed July 7, 1980. The bar actuated vent assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,287 is preferred. A second vent assembly is required so that tubing string 9 may be opened to the flow of production fluid prior to the detonation of the perforating gun. Thus, the tool string set forth in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 2 includes two vent assemblies; that is, the packer actuated vent assembly 14, which is run into the well open, and another vent assembly 39, which is run into the well closed. Vent assembly 14 is closed during the setting of packer 22; therefore, prior to perforation, the closed vent assembly 39 is opened for accomodating any subsequent flow of production fluids from formation 43. The present invention is not restricted to any specific type of vent assembly 39. The vent assembly 39 can be pressure operated, mechanically operated, or slick line operated.
Further, a pop-out vent assembly such as that shown and escribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 384,508 filed June 3, 1982 entitled "Gun Below Packer Completion Tool String", can be used as vent assembly 39. Such a pop-out vent assembly includes a vertical frangible disc mounted in the tubing string whereby the pop-out vent assembly collapses upon a predetermined pressure differential being achieved across the tubing string. For example, as the pressure differential across the tubing string reaches 300 psi, the frangible disc collapses and opens the tubing string to production flow. The pop-out vent can also be actuated by circulating nitrogen down the tubing string, setting the packer, and bleeding off the nitrogen pressure until the desired underbalance is achieved at which time the pop-out vent collapses, opens the tubing string to flow, backsurges the perforations upon perforating, and permits the production fluids to flow into the tubing and up to the surface. Also, the desired differential pressure to open the pop-out vent can be achieved by swabbing the tubing string.
In carrying out the method of the present invention, the tool string illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is assembled in the usual manner. The remaining components of the pipe string 38 are connected at threaded surface 84 for lowering the tool string downhole into the borehole 10. At this time, ports 54 of the packer actuated vent assembly 14 are in the illustrated open position of FIG. 3. Accordingly, as vent assembly 14 passes below the level of well fluids in the borehole 10, well fluids are free to flow into tubing string 9 thereby creating a hydrostatic head. Thus, the hydrostatic head within tubing string 9 and well annulus 52 are maintained equal to one another since the well fluids are free to flow between the tubing interior and the annulus 52. By maintaining a substantially constant hydrostatic head in borehole 10, the producing well remains killed since the hydrostatic head remains greater than the formation pressure. Further, if the well starts "kicking", well fluid may be circulated down the tubing string and through vent assembly 14 to kill the well at any time. Further, it may be desirable to circulate through vent assembly 14 as the string is lowered into the well where well fluids have been permitted to settle and possibly compact within the cased borehole 10.
Prior to setting the packer, it may be desirable to create a predetermined underbalance on the formation. This may be accomplished by pumping fluid, such as diesel or light production, down the tubing string to displace the well fluids in the tubing string through the vent assembly. The hydrostatic head in the tubing string can also be controlled by displacing the fluid in the tubing string with nitrogen whereby after vent assembly 14 is closed, the nitrogen can be bled out of the tubing string 9 to obtain the desired hydrostatic head for achieving the desired pressure differential for backsurging. Another method includes closing vent assembly 14 and swabbing it dry to reduce the hydrostatic head to achieve the desired unbalance. In summary, the desired underbalance can be obtained by replacing the well fluids in the tubing string with a lighter fluid and closing vent assembly 14 or by first closing vent assembly 14 and swabbing tubing string 9 substantially dry.
After packer 12 arrives at a location which positions perforating gun 42 adjacent to the formation 43 and the hydrostatic head in tubing string 9 is reduced to achieve the desired underbalance, packer 12 is set by manipulating upper tubing string 9 which in turn manipulates packer mandrel 88 setting packer 12 and slips 24, 26. Once the seals 22 of packer 12 are set, it is now safe to perforate the old formation or to perforate a new formation
As the packer mandrel 88 is manipulated, either by turning or by directly setting down, the packer mandrel 88 moves downhole relative to the packer body 20, carrying the packer mandrel 88 therewith until face 80 of boss 68 abuttingly engages the face of shoulder 76. As the mandrel extension 36 continues to move downhole, the valve element 60 is moved from the illustrated position of FIG. 3 into the dot-dash position 68', which is also the position seen illustrated in FIG. 6.
This action moves the valve element 60 into closed relationship relative to ports 54 so that well fluids cannot flow from the interior of the tubing string 9 outward or inward from the annulus 52.
Depending upon the well environment, the desired pressure differential may be achieved at this time by bleeding off nitrogen in the tubing string or by swabbing fluid out of the tubing string to obtain a predetermined hydrostatic head in the tubing string.
A suitable bar is dropped down through the tubing string 9 and travels through the upper tubing string, through the retrievable packer mandrel 88, through the mandrel extension 36 of the vent assembly 14, and through the second vent assembly 39, whereupon the bar engages and moves the valve element of vent assembly 39 to cause the port 40 to assume the open position. The bar continues to travel downhole and is arrested by the gun firing head of the perforating gun 42, whereupon the shaped charges thereof are detonated, and the casing 7 perforated. This forms a flow path along which hydrocarbons from formation 43 can then flow through the perforations, into the lower casing annulus, uphole into port 40 of the vent assembly 39, uphole through the packer actuated vent assembly 14, through the packer 12, and uphole through the tubing string 9 to the top of the ground where the production is gathered in the usual manner.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, modifications thereof can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. | A packer actuated vent assembly comprising an outer barrel attached to a packer body, and a mandrel extension attached to the lower end of the mandrel of the packer. A valve means on the mandrel extension has a slidable valve element which slidably engages a medial portion of the outer peripheral surface of the mandrel and normally is in the opened position. The valve element has a boss thereon which engages a shoulder on the barrel and is thereby moved from the opened to the closed position when the packer mandrel, and therefore the mandrel extension, is properly manipulated to seat the packer. This combination of elements enables a tubing string to be run downhole into a borehole with the tubing string in the open configuration, so that fluid contained within the annulus flows through the opened valve means into the tubing string, thereby balancing the fluid pressure on either side of the tubing string; and when the packer is set, the interior of the tubing string is isolated from the borehole annulus. | 4 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is the US National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2015/058412 filed Apr. 17, 2015, and claims the benefit thereof. The International Application claims the benefit of German Application No. DE 102014207461.4 filed Apr. 17, 2014. All of the applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to an arrangement of components of a fluid energy machine, in particular of a turbocompressor, with a longitudinal axis, comprising an inner bundle for arrangement in an outer housing, a low-pressure insert, and at least one cover for the axial face-side closure of the outer housing at at least one face side.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0003] Such fluid energy machines or arrangements of the type mentioned in the introduction are already known from, for example, EP 2 024 646 B1 or EP 1 952 030 B1. The latter document also describes an assembly method for a turbocompressor described therein. A fluid energy machine, in the case of which an axial face-side cover is provided for closing off a shell part of an outer housing, is already known from WO 2012/041757 A1.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,763 and DE 10 2012 203 144 A1 have already disclosed pot-type compressors with a face-side closure cover of the outer housing.
[0005] A field of use of the invention is that of turbo-type fluid energy machines, in particular turbocompressors, which have a so-called pot housing, wherein said pot housing has a shell part which is open axially at the face side on both sides and which is closed off in pressure-tight fashion axially at the face side by way of covers. As presented in EP 1 952 030 B1, so-called inner bundles are inserted axially into said pressure-type outer housing pots, wherein, in general, a rotor equipped with impellers extends axially in the coaxial center of the inner bundle.
[0006] A field of use of the invention furthermore lies in the field of centrifugal operating machines, that is to say radial turbocompressors or radial turboexpanders. All embodiments here which relate to radial turbocompressors also apply, mutatis mutandis, with a corresponding reversal of the flow direction, to radial turboexpanders.
[0007] Geometric statements such as radial, axial, tangential or circumferential direction always relate—unless stated otherwise—to the central axis of the longitudinal extent of the inner bundle, of the outer housing or of the axis of rotation of the rotor, wherein said axes are substantially coincident aside from slight planned or tolerance-induced deviations which are not of relevance for the present invention. Planned deviations may arise for example from rotational-speed-dependent changes of the oil film of oil bearings.
[0008] The assembly of a radial turbomachine in an axial direction is always associated with particularly great outlay, because the so-called inner bundle, connected to further components, for example the rotor, must be assembled to form a transportable unit and must be inserted axially without damage into the pot housing, which is generally of cylindrical form. Here, damage can be caused to adjacent components, for example to the corresponding cover seals or to the shaft seals, or damage can be caused in the event of an offset of the rotor relative to the static components—that is to say the stator—of said transportable unit.
[0009] Assembly utilizing gravitational force by way of a vertical insertion of said transportable unit into the outer housing is often ruled out at least at the operating site, because this necessitates a crane in the machine hall, which has a corresponding lifting height and load capacity. Furthermore, said assembly must subsequently be rotated into the operating position again, which likewise harbors the risk of damage and necessitates a reorientation of the housing.
[0010] EP 1 952 030 B1 addresses this in that, on the outer housing, a running surface is provided, and the assembled arrangement composed of a rotor, an inner bundle and further components is inserted axially into the outer housing by way of an additional apparatus, wherein the additional apparatus is substantially in the form of a horizontal C-shaped hook, such that one limb of the C is supported on the top of the outer housing and the other limb is affixed in flexurally rigid fashion to the inner bundle or is partially formed by the inner bundle. Such an apparatus has only a limited load capacity and is therefore suitable only for machines up to a particular structural size. Owing to the high torques, the apparatus can be easily deformed.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0011] Taking the highlighted problems and disadvantages of the prior art as a starting point, it is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement of the type mentioned in the introduction, which arrangement permits, in particular, efficient assembly and at the same time does not increase the installation outlay.
[0012] It is a further aim of the invention to improve the standardization for different structural sizes of a fluid energy machine or of a radial turbocompressor.
[0013] The invention solves the above disadvantages and problems of the prior art by way of an arrangement and by way of a method as per the independent claims. The respectively back-referenced subclaims comprise advantageous refinements of the invention.
[0014] In the context of the invention, a fluid energy machine is to be understood to mean a turbomachine which converts technical work into flow work or vice versa. The invention in particular relates to a radial turbocompressor. The invention is basically also applicable, mutatis mutandis, with a corresponding flow reversal, to radial turboexpanders. In particular, the so-called inner bundle of the arrangement is intended for being arranged in an outer housing or an outer housing shell of a fully assembled machine.
[0015] In the nomenclature of the invention, the attribute “face”, for example in the case of “face side” or “at the face side”, is defined in relation to the longitudinal axis, and refers to an areal extent with a surface normal in the direction of the longitudinal axis.
[0016] Here, the inner bundle comprises in particular the static flow-guiding components, which can also be referred to as flow stators or simply as stators. In the fully assembled arrangement of the fluid energy machine, a rotor extends along the central longitudinal axis of the inner bundle, which rotor has impeller blades or at least one impeller. In the case of a radial turbomachine, the inner bundle generally comprises the return stages by means of which, in the case of a compressor, the flow is, downstream of each impeller, returned radially inward from a radially outward direction. Furthermore, the so-called return stages have the task of imparting a different swirl to, or changing the swirl of, or substantially eliminating the swirl from the preceding impeller or the impeller blade stage from, the process fluid which absorbs or outputs the flow work.
[0017] The component referred to by the independent claim as “low-pressure insert” is, in the case of the radial turbocompressor, the flow guide of the inlet into the machine, and is also commonly referred to as induction insert. In general, and advantageously, a radial turbocompressor with an arrangement according to the invention has a process fluid supplied to it radially during operation, and is, by way of the low-pressure insert, distributed on the circumference about the axis of rotation or longitudinal axis of the machine and diverted into the axial direction and supplied to the inlet of the first impeller.
[0018] In the context of the invention, an outer housing for an arrangement according to the invention is in the form of a substantially cylindrical shell which, axially at the face side, advantageously on both sides, is designed to be closable, or is closed, by way of a cover. Said two covers advantageously have an identical axial fitting direction. This means that the cover, affixed according to the invention to the transportable unit, is led axially through the shell-like, advantageously internally cylindrical, structure of the outer housing in the direction of the final position of the cover.
[0019] During the axial movement, the inner bundle of the transportable unit advantageously reaches a final position which is advantageously defined by an axial abutment in the outer housing for the inner bundle.
[0020] In said position of the transportable unit, the cover may already be arranged in its axial final position, wherein said cover closes off the outer housing axially at the face side on one side.
[0021] Alternatively, and advantageously, the cover is, in said axial position, moved axially away from the inner bundle in the direction of a final axial position.
[0022] In both cases, it is advantageous, in the case of a radial turbocompressor, for a radial projection to be provided on the outer housing shell, which projection projects radially inward and on which projection the cover is supported so as to be prevented from being offset axially out of the outer housing shell. Said support absorbs the internal pressure acting on the cover in the case of the compressor.
[0023] In the case of the cover being separated from the inner bundle during the course of the assembly process, it is expedient for the cover to be pulled axially into the final position by way of a pulling apparatus provided on the outer housing. This may be realized for example by way of molded pieces or lugs provided on the outer housing and by way of screws that interact therewith, wherein for example the screws, which extend through a recess in the lugs, pull the cover axially in the direction of a final position when said screws are screwed in each case into a counterpart thread provided in the cover. This arrangement can permanently fix the cover in the final position on the outer housing during operation, such that the cover is securely positioned even in the presence of a negative pressure in the outer housing.
[0024] The shoulder in the outer housing for the cover is advantageously provided over the entire circumference and has at least one seal or interacts with a seal or with a seal carrier, such that, in the presence of an internal positive pressure, the cover of the transportable unit is forced axially outward and bears sealingly against said seal of the outer housing.
[0025] In the context of the invention, a transportable unit is to be understood to mean that the unit can be moved from a pre-assembly site to a final assembly site by way of conventional transportation aids without being damaged. The transportation aids include, for example, vehicles with corresponding support apparatuses and also cranes which, by way of corresponding load attachment means on the transportable unit, can lift said unit and also move it in a horizontal direction. Here, the transportable unit is provided for being fastened at defined suspension points by way of the attachment means and otherwise requires no additional stabilization, but rather inherently exhibits adequate stiffness such that no damaging offsetting of the individual components relative to one another occurs.
[0026] The arrangement according to the invention permits a particularly efficient process of assembly of a corresponding fluid energy machine, because the mounting of a cover in the shell-like outer housing for the axial face-side closure on one side of the outer housing and the axial insertion of the inner bundle and of the low-pressure insert can be performed in a single assembly step. The arrangement composed of the cover, the low-pressure insert and the inner bundle is advantageously also assigned the rotor, which extends along the longitudinal axis of the inner bundle or the axis of rotation of the rotor coaxially through said components, in such a way that said components surround the rotor in ring-shaped fashion at certain axial positions provided for that purpose. The rotor is advantageously fixed radially and axially in the arrangement. Here, the rotor advantageously does not have the task of imparting a centering or fixing action.
[0027] In a conventional embodiment, it is necessary for a cover to be arranged on or affixed to the outer housing shell in a separate mounting step before the rotor and/or the inner bundle are inserted into the outer housing.
[0028] Said configuration of the arrangement according to the invention is particularly advantageous if the outer housing is closed off axially at the face side on both sides by way of in each case one cover, wherein the first cover has the same axial assembly direction as the second cover and must accordingly be led in an axial direction through the outer housing shell before it reaches its final position.
[0029] The arrangement according to the invention therefore promotes the standardization of a fluid energy machine with an arrangement according to the invention, because, during the course of the standardization of the outer housing, it is advantageously the case that only the one or more covers is/are designed individually for a particular structural size, or advantageously, the one or more covers is/are also of identical design for a range of structural sizes and is/are merely carrier(s) for individualized other assemblies. Said individualized other assemblies include in particular a shaft seal affixed to the cover, which shaft seal is also supported on the cover, and a bearing unit which is affixed to and supported on the cover, which bearing unit serves for the radial and/or axial mounting of the rotor. Such a modular construction with individualization of the cover assemblies permits a uniform design of the outer housing shell across a range of structural sizes of the fluid energy machine.
[0030] Another embodiment of the invention provides that the inner bundle is detachably fastened to the low-pressure insert and the cover is detachably fastened to the low-pressure insert such that said three components are secured relative to one another so as to be prevented from being offset axially, radially and in a circumferential direction. Here, it is advantageously possible for a shaping of the cover extending in the circumferential direction to be coordinated with a second shaping, extending in the circumferential direction, of the low-pressure insert, such that radial centering of said two components with respect to one another is realized when they are in abutting contact. For a defined position in the circumferential direction with respect to one another, it is possible for in each case at least one centering pin to be provided between the individual components, which centering pin is inserted in form-fitting fashion into corresponding recesses of the two adjacent components. The intermediate bases and the low-pressure insert are braced against one another, in particular in the direction of the longitudinal axis, that is to say advantageously horizontally, by way of screws or similar fastening elements.
[0031] The cover, which is moved axially through the outer housing in the direction of the final position, may be detachably fastened to the low-pressure insert or positioned there in centered fashion by being placed on loosely. In order that the cover is correctly positioned in the circumferential direction, it is expedient for the circumferential position on the inner bundle or on the low-pressure insert to be secured, for example by way of a centering pin.
[0032] An axial fixing of the cover, as a constituent part of the transportable unit, to the transportable unit is advantageously designed such that said fastening is removable from the outside—that is to say from outside the outer housing—in the fully assembled state. This may particularly expediently be realized by way of a first mounting sleeve which axially supports the cover on the rotor, wherein the rotor extends through an opening of the cover.
[0033] Here, it is advantageous for the cover to also be a carrier of a shaft seal in order to seal off the gap between rotor and cover during operation.
[0034] For this purpose, too, it is the case in a preferred embodiment of the invention that the low-pressure insert is formed in one piece in a circumferential direction, comprising a cover-side first flow contour, guide vanes and a bundle-side second flow contour, wherein the cover is affixed to the first flow contour, and the inner bundle to a second flow contour by way of fastening options already discussed above. Here, it may advantageously be provided that the guide vanes are the only direct connection between the cover-side first flow contour and the bundle-side second flow contour. The low-pressure insert may in this case be formed for example as a welded construction, in the case of which the guide vanes are welded to the flow contour. Another possibility is provided by milling machining proceeding from a unipartite solid or by way of spark erosion. Another possibility for the manufacture of the low-pressure insert consists in the use of additive manufacturing methods, for example by way of laser sintering.
[0035] In order that, in the region of a parting joint of the low-pressure insert, no complicated seal arrangements are required in the region of the vicinity of the outer housing, it is advantageous if the low-pressure insert is of undivided form in the circumferential direction, or has no parting joint extending in a radial direction. In terms of assembly, this embodiment is possible according to the invention because, in general, the low-pressure insert can be pushed axially onto the rotor, which is generally combined with the inner bundle in form-fitting fashion, and affixed to the inner bundle. In the same way, the cover is advantageously pushed onto the rotor or affixed to the low-pressure insert. In order that no axial division of the rotor is required, it is expedient if the inner bundle or the assembly of return stages in the case of a radial machine is of divided form in a circumferential direction at a parting joint. Here, it is furthermore expedient for the inner bundle to be composed of axial inner bundle subsections which are individually of divided form in each case at a parting joint. Here, it is expedient for the individual inner bundle sections to each have a lower part and an upper part, and for the lower parts of the inner bundle subsections to be able to be joined together axially to form an inner bundle lower part, and the upper part of the inner bundle subsections can be combined, by being detachably fastened to one another axially, to form an inner bundle upper part, in that both the inner bundle lower part and the inner bundle upper part individually form a transportable unit as an intermediate step of the assembly process.
[0036] The arrangement according to the invention advantageously has, in an axial extension on that side of the inner bundle which is averted from the cover or from the low-pressure insert, a high-pressure collector which is advantageously of undivided form in a circumferential direction. Said undivided form of the high-pressure collector also has advantages with regard to the elimination of the need for a seal for a parting joint.
[0037] In order for the rotor to be added, without being damaged, to the arrangement according to the invention as a transportable unit, it is expedient for the first mounting sleeve to be provided which supports the rotor radially on the cover during transportation of the transportable unit comprising the rotor. Said first mounting sleeve is expediently designed so as to be removable axially from the outer side of the cover. Accordingly, it is advantageously the case that, firstly, the cover is affixed, detachably fastened or loosely placed on to the low-pressure insert in centered fashion, and subsequently, the first mounting sleeve is affixed, as a centered support for the rotor, to the cover. In this way, the rotor is guided concentrically with respect to the longitudinal axis in the inner bundle. For the purposes of support of the rotor with a centering action, it is expedient for a second mounting sleeve to be provided between the rotor and the high-pressure collector and to support the rotor on the high-pressure collector. The second mounting sleeve is also advantageously designed such that it can be removed from the outside from the arrangement after completed insertion into the outer housing. Here, at least one mounting sleeve may be of divided form in the circumferential direction and assembled by way of fastening elements such that the rotor is radially clamped. It is advantageous for at least one mounting sleeve, or both mounting sleeves, to bare not only radially against the rotor but also axially against a rotor shoulder, such that an axial offset is prevented owing to the form fit for the mounting sleeves with respect to the inner bundle, the cover and the low-pressure insert.
[0038] This axial securing of at least one mounting sleeve, advantageously of both mounting sleeves, permits the axial securing, already discussed above, of the cover, which is advantageously arranged axially loosely on the low-pressure insert and by means of which the first mounting sleeve can be secured axially.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0039] Below, the invention will be discussed in more detail on the basis of a specific exemplary embodiment with reference to drawings, in which:
[0040] FIGS. 1-5 show, in each case in an illustration of a longitudinal section, an arrangement A comprising components of a fluid energy machine FEM.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0041] All directional statements such as axial, radial, tangential or circumferential direction always relate—unless stated otherwise—to the longitudinal axis X of the rotor. The longitudinal axis X of the rotor R corresponds to the axis of rotation of the rotor R during operation. The central longitudinal axes of the impellers, of the inner bundle IB, of an outer housing OC, of a cover COV, of a low-pressure insert LPU and of a collector COL run in substantially coincident fashion, aside from planned or unplanned deviations which are not relevant in the context of the invention.
[0042] FIGS. 1-5 show, in each case in an illustration of a longitudinal section, an arrangement A comprising components of a fluid energy machine FEM, specifically of a turbocompressor TCO, with a longitudinal axis X. Here, FIGS. 1-5 show different stages of the assembly of the components in the context of an assembly process in successive steps, wherein FIG. 1 illustrates the smallest number of components and FIG. 5 illustrates the greatest number of components.
[0043] In FIG. 1 , lower parts of axial inner bundle subsections RS 1 , RS 2 , RS 3 have been assembled axially on one another axially along the longitudinal axis X to form an inner bundle lower part IBL of an inner bundle IB. The lower parts of axial inner bundle subsections RS 1 , RS 2 , RS 3 have been fastened to one another by way of screws. A rotor R extending along the axis X with four impellers IMP 1 , IMP 2 , IMP 3 , IMP 4 arranged in succession has been lowered into the inner bundle lower part IBL. Here, measures are implemented to ensure that the rotor R does not lie directly, for example via shaft seals, on the inner bundle lower part IBL and cause damage.
[0044] FIG. 2 shows the assembly sequence that follows the illustration of FIG. 1 , in which an inner bundle upper part IBU assembled axially from axial constituent parts has been mounted radially onto the inner bundle lower part IBL, so as to yield a complete inner bundle IB through which the rotor R extends along its longitudinal axis X. The longitudinal axis X extends substantially along a parting joint plane of the inner bundle IB. In this way, the rotor R has been connected in form-fitting fashion to the inner bundle IB, because the individual impellers IMP 1 , . . . , IMP 4 of the rotor R are fixedly affixed to a shaft SH of the rotor R, for example by way of a shrink fit. In order that the shaft SH can be of axially undivided form, the inner bundle IB, or the constituent parts of the inner bundle IB, are designed such that they can be broken down into lower parts and upper parts—that is to say divided in the circumferential direction at the parting joint.
[0045] FIG. 3 shows a further stage of the assembly of the arrangement A. A low-pressure insert LPU has now been mounted onto the inner bundle IB in an axial direction and has been connected axially to the inner bundle IB by way of fastening elements FEL
[0046] Like the individual axial subsections RS 1 , RS 2 , RS 3 of the inner bundle IB, the low-pressure insert LPU is also equipped with a central axial opening, such that the rotor R or the shaft SH of the rotor R can extend through said opening. By contrast to the components of the inner bundle IB, the low-pressure insert LPU is of undivided form in a circumferential direction. The low-pressure insert LPU has a first flow contour IGV 1 averted from the inner bundle IB and has a second flow contour IGV 2 which is situated relatively close to the inner bundle IB, wherein the first flow contour IGV 1 is fixedly connected to the second flow contour IGV 2 by way of guide vanes VA. The axial fastening by way of the first fastening elements FE 1 of the low-pressure insert LPU to the inner bundle IB is configured such that the second flow contour IGV 2 is fixedly screwed to the inner bundle IB. The first flow contour IGV 1 is in this case fastened to the second flow contour IGV 2 only by way of the guide vanes VA. The guide vanes VA are in this case advantageously formed in one piece with the two flow contours IGV 1 , IGV 2 . Said unipartite form may advantageously be realized by way of welding, or else may be the result of a manufacturing process proceeding from a solid. In the case of manufacturing from a solid, use may be made of a cutting machining process or machining by way of spark erosion. An alternative manufacturing method for the low-pressure insert LPU is provided by the relatively new method of “additive manufacturing” (for example laser sintering or selective laser melting). In the radial direction, the low-pressure insert LPU is positioned on the inner bundle IB by way of a first centering section CS 1 . Furthermore, an assembly aid is provided by way of dowel pins PB 1 , such that incorrect or wrongly positioned installation of the inner bundle IB relative to the low-pressure insert LPU in the circumferential direction is also prevented.
[0047] On the side illustrated axially on the right in FIG. 3 , opposite the side of the low-pressure insert LPU, there is also affixed to the inner bundle IB a collector COL which is centered and fastened axially on the inner bundle IB. Here, a third abutment shoulder ensures correct radial orientation of the collector COL on the inner bundle IB.
[0048] Furthermore, the collector COL is secured relative to the inner bundle IB by way of fastening elements FE 3 .
[0049] In order that damaging contact does not occur between the rotor R and the stator parts cover COV, inner bundle IB and collector COL, a first mounting sleeve AS 1 (see FIGS. 4, 5 ) is affixed to the cover COV, and a second mounting sleeve AS 2 is affixed to the collector COL, which mounting sleeves secure the rotor R on said two components so as to prevent it from being offset and serve as a support for supporting the weight force and other forces.
[0050] FIG. 4 shows the situation of the insertion of the arrangement A into an outer housing OC in which an insertion aid ASS also supports the insertion of the arrangement A counter to the weight force and orients the arrangement A centrally. Before the insertion as in FIG. 4 is performed, the cover COV is mounted onto the component combination illustrated in FIG. 3 , which component combination is arranged axially on the low-pressure insert LPU. By way of dowel elements PB 2 , the cover COV is also secured on the low-pressure insert LPU so as to be prevented from rotating in a circumferential direction, and a second centering shoulder CS 2 ensures a correct radial orientation of the cover COV on the low-pressure insert LPU. Axially, the cover is fixed to the rotor by way of the first mounting sleeve AS 1 , which rotor is held axially in position in the second mounting sleeve AS 2 . The unit TU thus formed is then mounted onto the insertion aid ASS.
[0051] The two mounting sleeves AS 1 , AS 2 can be dismounted from the cover COV from the outer side and also mounted again and can be dismounted from the collector COL from the outside and also mounted again. The second mounting sleeve AS 2 is of divided form in the circumferential direction, such that the rotor R or the shaft SH of the rotor R can be fixedly clamped in the radial direction by the mounting sleeve AS 2 in a manner which is not illustrated. An axial offset of the shaft SH with respect to the mounting sleeves AS 1 , AS 2 is furthermore prevented by axial abutment of in each case one radial shoulder of the shaft SH against the respective mounting sleeve AS 1 , AS 2 . On the cover COV and on the collector COL there are provided, in each case, suspension points CON, by means of which the arrangement A including the rotor R can be suspended and moved as a transportable unit TU. Following an axial insertion of the arrangement A into the outer housing OC, the mounting sleeves AS 1 , AS 2 are removed from the arrangement A. Following the insertion into the outer housing OC, the cover COV comes to bear against a shoulder of the outer housing OC from the inside. Here, after a final position of the inner bundle is reached, the cover COV is advanced axially from the inner bundle and is pulled into its axial final position. Here, a separate seal carrier (not illustrated) can ensure that the cover COV bears sealingly against the outer housing OC. Alternatively, a seal may also be provided in the outer housing OC or in the cover COV at a suitable location—in particular so as to make abutting contact in the axial direction.
[0052] In FIG. 5 , it is illustrated that a first attachment point HP 1 is provided on the cover COV and a second attachment point HP 2 is provided on the high-pressure collector COL, and the elements cover COV, low-pressure insert LPU, inner bundle IB, high-pressure collector COL are detachably fastened to one another such that the elements can be transported in suspended fashion, without being offset relative to one another, at the attachment points HP 1 , HP 2 without further support. For this purpose, said transportable unit TU is suspended by the attachment points HP 1 , HP 2 on a traverse LF which permits suspension without lateral forces.
[0053] The transportable unit TU or the arrangement A has at least one roller W 1 , advantageously a roller pair, by means of which the arrangement A is displaceable on the insertion aid ASS and in the interior of the outer housing OC with low friction such that the arrangement A can be moved into the final mounting position in the outer housing OC. A second roller W 2 is provided on a mounting bracket ASS 2 which is affixed axially to the collector COL and which permits additional orientation in the radial direction of the arrangement A on the insertion aid ASS and in the outer housing OC before the final position is reached. | An assembly method and an arrangement of components in a fluid energy machine, in particular a turbocompressor, with a longitudinal axis. The arrangement includes: an inner bundle to be arranged in an outer casing of the fluid energy machine, a low-pressure unit of the fluid energy machine, at least one cover of the fluid energy machine for the axial end-side closure of the outer casing on at least one end side, wherein these components are arranged axially adjacent to one another in the sequence cover, low-pressure unit, inner bundle and the cover is releasably attached to the low-pressure unit and the inner bundle is releasably attached to the low-pressure unit such that there results a transportable unit. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a transmission for a track-laying vehicle and more particularly relates to a parallel cross shaft transmission including constant-mesh spur gear sets wherein a coupling or clutch is associated with each set for selectively establishing a driving connection between cross shafts associated with the set.
The prior art includes various crawler tractor transmissions including bevel gear reverser sections which are coupled to speed change sections including cross shafts carrying selectively engagable spur gear sets. Specifically in U.S. Pat. No. 2,746,319 issued to Gates on May 22, 1956, there is disclosed a reverser section which includes a single output shaft selectively coupled to an input shaft of the speed change section through means of a pair of selectively engageable spur gear sets. In addition to the speed change section, the Gates patent discloses a steering section including a differential gear set which operates to effect power-turning by causing one track to be driven at a slower speed than the other.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,056,310 issued to Ruf on Oct. 2, 1962, discloses a transmission including a reversing section coupled to two output shafts such that both output shafts may selectively be driven in the same direction or in opposite directions, the latter condition being effected for driving one of the vehicle tracks in one direction and the other vehicle track in the opposite direction to accomplish spin-turning.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,535,954 issued on Oct. 27, 1970 to Chambers et al discloses a reversing section for selectively driving a single output shaft in opposite directions, the output shaft being coupled to a pair of final drive-connected shafts through means of respective spur gear sets forming parts of planetary gearing carried by the output and final drive-connected shafts. The planetary gear sets of the transmission are selectively operable to effect steering conditions whereby the vehicle may be power-turned with one track driving slower than the other track, pivot-turned with one track dead and the other rotating or spin turned with one track rotating forwardly and the other rotating reversely. While the transmission illustrated in this patent operates to effect three different modes of steering and several ground speeds in forward or reverse, the means for accomplishing the same includes relatively elaborate planetary gear sets which are relatively costly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a novel transmission for a track-laying vehicle, the transmission including a bevel gear reversing section coupled to a change speed section including parallel transverse cross shaft assemblies interconnected by constant-mesh spur gear sets.
An object of the invention is to provide a multi-speed transmission of relatively simple construction for use in a track-laying vehicle, the transmission having the capabilities of (a) driving both tracks at a selected speed respectively in forward or reverse for straight travel, (b) selectively effecting three different steering modes by respectively driving both tracks in the same direction but at different speeds, by driving only one track at a time and by driving one track in one direction while driving the other track in the opposite direction and (c) driving the tracks under an increased torque condition for each selected speed.
A more specific object is to provide a transmission as described in the aforegoing paragraph including a first cross shaft assembly comprising a pair of shaft sections that are respectively connected to the reversing section of the transmission for being constantly driven in opposite directions relative to each other.
A further object of the invention is to provide a transmission including couplings for establishing selected driving connections between various shaft sections and between the parallel shaft assemblies, the actuation of the couplings being effected through an advantageously arranged control lever assembly which features the capability of shifting the transmission between High and Low range conditions without disturbing the drive speed gear selection.
These and other objects will become apparent from a reading of the ensuing description taken together with the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a transmission constructed according to the principles of the present invention.
FIGS. 2-15 show the various paths of power flow through the transmission which may be accomplished by selectively actuating different combinations of the couplings between the shaft sections and between the shafts and the gear sets, with the paths for forward driving modes indicated in solid lines and with the paths for reverse driving modes indicated by dashed lines.
FIG. 16 is a table relating to FIGS. 2-15 and showing the couplings and clutches engaged for each driving mode.
FIG. 17 is a schematic view of a lever arrangement which may be used for controlling the various couplings of the transmissions with indicia being associated with each lever for indicating the direction that each lever must be moved, relative to a neutral position, for effecting actuation of a certain coupling.
FIG. 18 is a view showing an operator's hand positioned for actuating three of the levers simultaneously.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIG. 1, therein is shown a power train generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and including an internal combustion engine 12 having a fore-and-aft extending output shaft 14 connected to a drive shaft 16 through means of a torque converter 18. The drive shaft 16 provides the input for a bevel gear reverser section 20 including bevel gears 22 and 24 respectively, rotatably mounted on the shaft 16 at axially spaced locations with the gear 22 located between the gear 24 and the torque converter 18. Couplings or clutches 26 and 28 are respectively connected to the drive shaft 16 adjacent the gears 22 and 24 and are selectively operable to fix the gears 22 and 24 for rotation with the shaft 16. Forming an output of the reverser section 20 is a first cross shaft assembly 30 including, as viewed in FIG. 1, a shaft section 32 located rightwardly of the drive shaft 16 and having a bevel gear 34 fixed to its inner end and meshed with the bevel gears 22 and 24, and a shaft section 36 located leftwardly of the shaft 16 and having a bevel gear 38 fixed to its inner end and also meshed with the bevel gears 22 and 24. Thus, it will be appreciated that actuation of the coupling 26 will cause the shaft sections 32 and 36 to be rotated in opposite directions with these directions being reversed when the coupling 28 is actuated.
The first cross shaft assembly 30 is drivingly connected to a second or intermediate shaft assembly 40 through means of spur gears 42 and 44 respectively rotatably mounted on the outer ends of the shaft sections 32 and 36 and respectively meshed with spur gears 46 and 48 fixed to the cross shaft assembly 40. The spur gears 42 and 46 form a first gear set through which power flow may be selectively established by actuation of a coupling or clutch 50 fixed to the shaft section 32 and selectively engageable with the spur gear 42. Similarly, spur gears 44 and 48 form a second gear set through which power may flow from the shaft section 36 upon actuation of a coupling or clutch 52 fixed to the shaft 36 and selectively engageable with the spur gear 48. The second cross shaft assembly 40 is divided into right and left sections 54 and 56 respectively, coupled together by a coupling or clutch 58 located between the gear sets 42-46 and 44-48 at a position just leftwardly of the spur gear 46. Noteworthy is the fact that gears of the gear sets 42-46 and 44-48 are sized such that they are respectively operable to establish different drive ratios between the first cross shaft assembly 30 and the second cross shaft assembly 40 and to thereby establish High and Low working ranges in the transmission.
Extending parallel to the cross shaft assembly 40 is a final or third cross shaft assembly 60. Respectively coupled to the right and left ends of the cross shaft assembly 60 are right and left final drive assemblies 62 and 64 which are hereshown in dashed lines. The shaft assembly 60 includes intermediate, right and left shaft sections 66, 68 and 70, respectively. Extending between adjacent ends of the shaft sections 66 and 68 is a coupling or clutch 72 and extending between the adjacent ends of the shaft sections 66 and 70 is a coupling or clutch 74. Respectively associated with the couplings 72 and 74 are brakes 76 and 78.
Four different gear sets are provided for establishing respective driving connections between the second and third cross shaft assemblies 40 and 60, respectively with two of the gear sets acting as speed reduction sets and with the other two acting as speed selection sets. Specifically, rotatably mounted on the opposite ends of the cross shaft assembly 40 are right and left spur gears 80 and 82 which are respectively meshed with spur gears 84 and 86 respectively fixed to the shaft section 68 and 70. The gear sets 80-84 and 82-86 act as speed reduction sets which are respectfully operative when the transmission is in its High and Low working ranges. For establishing a driving connection through the gear set 80-84, there is provided a clutch or coupling 88 which is fixed to the right end of the shaft section 54 and selectively engageable for establishing a driving connection with the gear 80. Similarly, for establishing a driving connection through the gear set 82-86, there is provided a clutch or coupling 90 fixed to the left end of the shaft section 56 and selectively operable for establishing a driving connection with the spur gear 82. It is here noted that the gears of the gear sets 80-84 and 82-86 are of the same size so that the drive ratio established by the gear set 80-84 is the same as that established by the gear set 82-86.
One of the speed selection ger sets include a spur gear 92 rotatably mounted on the shaft section 56 of the shaft assembly 40 at a location just rightwardly of the spur gear 48, the gear 92 being meshed with a spur gear 94 fixed to the intermediate shaft section 66 at a location just rightwardly of the clutch or coupling 74. A driving connection is established through the spur gear set 92-94 by means of a clutch or coupling 96 fixed to the shaft section 56 and selectively operable to establish a driving connection with the spur gear 92. The other of the speed selection gear sets is located just rightwardly of the gear set 92-94 and it includes a spur gear 98 fixed on the shaft section 56 and meshed with a spur gear 100 rotatably mounted on the intermediate shaft section 66. For establishing a driving connection through the spur gear set 98-100, there is provided a clutch or coupling 102 fixed to the intermediate shaft section 66 and selectively operable for establishing a driving connection with the spur gear 100. It is here noted that gear 92 is bigger than gears 80 and 82 and gear 98 is bigger than gear 92, as shown in FIG. 1.
The various clutches or couplings described hereinabove may be of any known type but preferably are hydraulically actuatable. Except for couplings 58, 72 and 74, which are normally spring-engaged couplings, the couplings are normally spring-disengaged.
Referring to FIGS. 17 and 18, there are shown various actuator levers projecting upwardly from within and an actuator button located in a surface of a console 104, the levers and button being connected to valving, in a manner not shown, for selected operation to effect actuation of the clutches or couplings described hereinabove. specifically, located at the left side of the console 104 is a direction control lever 106, which may be pushed forward or pulled rearwardly from a neutral position to respectively establish forward and rearward driving conditions in the transmission by effecting engagement of an appropriate one of the couplings 26 and 28 as determined by the positions of a further control lever described below.
Located at the right side of the console 104 is a speed control lever 108, which may be pushed forwardly or pulled rearwardly from a neutral position to respectively establish driving connections through the gear sets 92-94 and 98-100 by respective actuation of the couplings 96 and 102.
A range control lever 110 is located just leftwardly of the speed control lever 108 and may be pushed forwardly or pulled rearwardly from a neutral position to respectively establish Low and High range driving conditions by respectively establishing driving connections through the gear sets 44-48 and 42-46 by respective actuation of the couplings 52 and 50. It is here noted that the range control lever 110 cooperates with the direction control lever 106 for controlling the actuation of the couplings 26 and 28. Specifically, the lever 110 is mechanically linked, in a manner not shown, to valve elements which control the flow of fluid to the couplings 26 and 28 such that, when the lever 106 is in its forward position for establishing the forward driving condition in the transmission, shifting the lever 110 forwardly to actuate the Low range coupling 52 will also effect actuation of the coupling 26 while shifting the lever 110 rearwardly to actuate the High range coupling 50 will also effect actuation of the coupling 28. Similarly, when the lever 106 is in its rearward position for establishing the reverse driving condition in the transmission, shifting the lever 110 forwardly to actuate the Low range coupling 52 will also effect actuation of the coupling 28 while shifting the lever 110 rearwardly to actuate the High range coupling 50 will also effect actuation of the coupling 26. Projecting from the lever 110 is a normally extended, depressable button 111 which is connected, in a manner not shown, to the linkage for effecting control of the flow of actuating fluid to the couplings 26 and 28 so as to nullify the action of the linkage whereby when driving the tractor forwardly with the range control lever 110 in its forward Low range effecting position, the direction of travel of the tractor may be reversed and the speed increased by merely pulling the lever 110 back to its High range position, to effect disengagement of the coupling 52 and engagement of the coupling 50 while simultaneously depressing the button 111 so that clutch 26 remains engaged.
Right and Left steering-control levers 112 and 114, respectively, are located between the levers 106 and 110 and each of the levers 112 and 114 are mounted for movement among forward, intermediate and rear positions and they may be actuated with one hand (the left one) either separately or together. The lever 112 is connected to control the operation of the couplings 72 and 88 such that when the lever 112 is in its forward position, only the clutch 72 is engaged, when the lever 112 is in its intermediate position, both of the clutches 72 and 88 are disengaged and when the lever 112 is in its rearward position, only the clutch 88 is engaged. Similarly, the lever 114 is connected to control the operation of the couplings 74 and 90 such that when the lever 114 is in its forward position, only the clutch 74 is engaged, when the lever 114 is in its intermediate position, both of the clutches 74 and 90 are disengaged and when the lever 114 is in its rearward position, only the clutch 90 is engaged.
It is here noted that it may be desirable to change the range selection while steering the tractor and for this purpose a branch 116 exceeds from the range control lever 110 toward the right steering control lever 112 so that the lever 110 may be manipulated simultaneously with the control levers 112 and 114 by one hand of an operator, as illustrated in FIG. 18.
A spin-turn control button 120 is located in a surface, of the console 104, that would normally face a seated operator. The control button 120 is mechanically interconnected, in a manner not shown, to the various control levers heretofore described and when pushed is operable to override, if necessary, existing conditions of the transmission to establish a spin turn condition wherein the couplings 50, 52, 88, 96 and 74 are engaged.
The operation of the transmission 10 is as follows. Assuming the transmission to be in a neutral condition, the couplings 58, 72 and 74 will be in their respective normally spring-engaged conditions and the remaining couplings of the transmission will be in their normally spring-released conditions. If it is then desired to drive the vehicle in its first gear forward, the operator will push the direction and range control levers 106 and 110 forwardly to respectively effect engagement of the clutches 26 and 52 and will push the speed control 108 forwardly to effect engagement of the clutch 96. With the clutch 26 engaged, the shaft sections 36 and 32 of the first cross shaft assembly 30 will respectively be caused to rotate in forward and rearward directions respectively. The engagement of the clutch 52 causes the shaft assembly 40 to be driven from the shaft section 36 by way of the Low range gear set 44-48. With the clutch 96 engaged, the rotation of the shaft section 56 will be transferred, by way of the speed gear set 92-94, to the intermediate shaft section 66 of the cross shaft assembly 60. As clutches 72 and 74 are engaged, the shaft sections 68 and 70 are connected for rotation with the shaft section 66. The condition of the transmission is then that illustrated in FIG. 2.
A first gear reverse driving condition can be established in a manner similar to that for first gear forward except that instead of being moved forwardly, the initial movement of the direction control lever 106 from its neutral position is rearwardly. This effects engagement of the clutch 28 and causes the shaft sections 36 and 32 to be respectively driven in the rearward and forward directions. The condition of the transmission 10 is then that illustrated in FIG. 3.
The transmission may be shifted from its first speed forward condition to a second speed forward condition by merely moving the speed control lever 108 from its forward to its rearward position. This movement disengages clutch 96 and then engages clutch 102 so as to effect a driving condition between the shaft sections 56 and 66 by way of the spur gears 98 and 100. This condition of the transmission is illustrated in FIG. 4. A second speed reverse condition, as illustrated in FIG. 5, can then be established in the transmission 10 by shifting the direction control lever 106 from its forward to its rearward position to effect disengagement of the clutch 26 and engagement of the clutch 28.
A third forward driving speed is obtainable by placing the direction control lever 106 in its forward position, by placing the speed control lever 108 in its forward position and by placing the range control lever 110 in its rearward High range position, the placement of these levers respectively effecting engagement of the clutch 28, the clutch 50 and the clutch 96. Thus, the shaft section 32 is driven in its forward direction and is connected to the shaft section 54 by means of the High range gear set 42-46. The normally engaged coupling 58 serves to cause the shaft section 56 to be driven with the shaft section 54, the intermediate shaft section 66 then being driven by the shaft section 56 by way of the speed gear set 92-94. As clutches 72 and 74 are engaged, the shaft sections 68 and 70 are connected for rotation with the shift section 66. The condition of the transmission when in its third gear forward condition is illustrated in FIG. 6. To then shift the transmission from its third gear forward position to its third gear reverse condition, it is necessary to only move the shift lever 106 from its forward position to its rearward position to effect disengagement of the clutch 26 and engagement of the clutch 28 of the reverser section 20 to thereby reverse the direction of rotation of the shaft section 32. The third gear reverse condition of the transmission 10 is illustrated in FIG. 7.
The transmission may be shifted from its third gear forward condition to its fourth gear forward condition by merely moving the speed control lever 108 from its forward to its rearward position to effect disengagement of the clutch 96 and engagement of the clutch 102. The shaft assembly 60 is then driven from the shaft assembly 40 by way of the speed gear set 98-100. The fourth gear forward condition of the transmission is illustrated in FIG. 8. To shift to a fourth gear reverse condition from the fourth gear forward condition, it is necessary only for the operator to move the direction control lever 106 from its forward to its rearward position to effect disengagement of the clutch 28 and engagement of the clutch 26 so as to cause the shaft section 32 to be changed from its forward to its rearward direction of rotation.
In the event that a working tool carried by the tractor should encounter a "hard" spot, the operator can compensate for the additional load without adjusting the tool by merely pulling both steering levers 112 and 114 from their respective forward to their respective rearward positions. Specifically, when the steering levers are moved from their forward to their rearward positions, they effect disengagement of the clutches 72 and 74 and engagement of the clutches 88 and 90. Thus, a driving condition is established between the cross shaft assembly 40 and the shaft section 68 by way of the speed reduction gear set 80-84 and with the shaft section 70 by way of the speed reduction gear set 82-86. It will be appreciated then that if the transmission is in its Low driving range, first gear for example, power flow therethrough, after pulling back on levers 112 and 114 will be as illustrated in FIG. 11, and if the transmission is in its High driving range, third gear for example, power flow therethrough, after pulling back on the levers 112 and 114, will be as illustrated in FIG. 10. It will also be appreciated that if the load is still too great when the transmission is in its High range reduction drive condition (FIG. 10) the operator need only to push the range control lever forwardly to its Low range position by engaging his thumb with the branch 116 as illustrated in FIG. 18. The Low reduction drive condition of FIG. 11 will then be established in the transmission. These driving conditions can be established in reverse by merely pulling the direction control lever 106 to its rearward position.
With the transmission in its first gear forward condition illustrated in FIG. 2, a right pivot-turn can be effected by moving the right steering lever 112 from its forward position to its intermediate position to effect disengagement, of the clutch 72 resulting in the shaft section 68 being disconnected from the intermediate shaft section 66. The power flow is then as illustrated in FIG. 12. To prevent the right track from rotating and to cause the tractor to pivot about the center of the right track the operator may apply the brake 76. If it is then desired to turn the vehicle back to the left without disconnecting power flow to the left drive track it is necessary only to pull the right steering lever 112 from its intermediate to its rearward position so as to effect engagement of the clutch 88 so as to establish a driving connection between the shaft section 54 and the shaft section 68 by way of the speed reduction gear set 80-84.
The transmission may be prepared for effecting a spin-turn by actuating the spin-turn control button 120. Such actuation effects simultaneous engagement of the couplings 50, 52, 88, 96 and 74 and disengagement of the couplings 58 and 72, regardless in what positions the various control levers are. Left or right spin-turns may then be accomplished by respectively moving the direction control lever 106 either forwardly or rearwardly from its neutral position for respectively effecting engagement of either the coupling 28 or the coupling 26 to thereby respectively establish either the transmission condition illustrated in FIG. 14, wherein the right final drive assembly 62 is driven forwardly while the left final drive 64 assembly is driven in reverse, or the transmission condition illustrated in FIG. 15 wherein the left final drive assembly 64 is driven forwardly while the right final drive assembly 62 is driven in reverse.
Thus, it will be appreciated that the transmission 10 may be placed in various operating conditions including Low and High range driving conditions with two speeds possible in each range and with a speed reduction being possible in each range, these conditions being possible in both forward and reverse travel. Further, it will be appreciated that the transmission may be controlled for effecting various types of turns including pivot turns with one track under power and the other free or braked, power-turns with both tracks under power in the same direction but at different speeds and spin-turns with both tracks counter rotating at the same speed. | A transmission for a crawler tractor includes a first cross-drive shaft arrangement including two separate sections with a forward/reverse bevel gear arrangement connecting the two sections to a drive input shaft so that each shaft section is capable of being driven in forward or reverse. A second cross shaft arrangement is connected to the first cross shaft arrangement by constant-mesh spur gears and a third cross shaft arrangement is connected to the second cross shaft arrangement by further sets of constant-mesh spur gears. The second and third cross shaft arrangements are separated into shaft sections and the spur gearing and connections between shaft sections may be controlled such that Low and High working ranges may be effected in the transmission with first and second speeds being possible in the Low range, third and fourth speeds being possible in the High range and with a reduction being possible in each of the Low and High ranges. The transmission is further controllable for driving the opposite tracks of a crawler tractor in either forward or reverse at the four speeds, or for turning the tractor either by pivot-turning (power on the outer track), or by power-turning (power on both tracks but at different speeds) or by spin-turning (power on both tracks at the same speed but is opposite directions). | 8 |
RELATED APPLICATION
The present invention claims priority from French applciation no. 0306931 filed on Jun. 10, 2003.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the field of sunshades and in particular to a motorized blind device with orientable slats comprising an orders transmitter and an orders receiver which is attached to the motorized blind, the orders transmitter comprising a first control interface and a second control interface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Interior or exterior venetian blinds, or curtains with vertical slats involve particular control constraints as compared with other sunshades such as screens, blinds, rolling shutters. Specifically, the control of the former must take account, on the one hand, of the longitudinal movement, along the height or the width of a window or a door, and, on the other hand, of the angular orientation of the slats. These sunshades require particular arrangements in order to be motorized.
A distinction is made between sunshades with orientable slats, sunshades with dual control and single-control sunshades.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Sunshades with dual control are, in the example of a nonmotorized interior venetian blind, controlled on the one hand by a string for raising and lowering the blind and, on the other hand, by a linkage mounted on the other side of the blind, to adjust the orientation of the slats. This latter control can be ensured by systems other than a linkage, such as rotary knobs, thumbwheels or sliders with magnets (in particular for the case of blinds mounted between two glazings), which make it possible to actuate, with the aid of a cable or of a rod, the rotation of the slats. A device of this type is for example disclosed in Australian patent application AU 200072376.
These systems for adjusting the orientation of the slats are intended to ensure a short angular movement and are not suitable for adjusting the height of a blind or the movement of a curtain. On the other hand, they allow fairly intuitive adjustment, suited to ergonomics in respect of the user.
In the case of single-control sunshades, a single means of control actuates the orientation and the translation of the slats.
To adjust the orientation of the slats on the basis of an intermediate halt position in the course of the raising or lowering of a blind, it is sufficient to operate the blind in the direction reverse to the previous. Single-control sunshades may be motorized more easily than dual-control sunshades. An actuator, placed in the support rail of the sunshade and generally furnished with a cord winder or belt winder, actuates the cord bearing the slats so as to orientate and/or move the latter. One then speaks of a single-motor blind.
Dual-control blinds generally require dual motorization, however. They will be referred to as twin-motor blinds.
It is not always very easy to obtain the desired orientation of the slats between the two closed positions.
This is due to the fact that the speed of rotation of the motor for orienting the slats is the same as that used for raising or lowering the blind in the case of a single-motor. The speed must be high enough for the time to raise or lower the blind to be sufficiently small. If, upon a command to orient the slats, the angular orientation of the slats is exceeded, then the motor has to be activated in the reverse sense so as to reach the desired position. Owing to the speed of rotation of the motor, the desired precise orientation is difficult to achieve on the first go.
Thus, although the control of a sunshade with orientable slats is possible with a conventional device used for other types of sunshades or other closures of the home, it is awkward.
In motorized blind systems, recourse is traditionally had to orders transmitters with one or more buttons making it possible to control the movement and the orientation of the slats according to various ergonomics.
For example, a bipolar inverter with 5 positions comprises an element tilting about an axis. Heavy pressure on one of the up or down buttons locks the element in a fixed position and triggers an order for continuous activation of the actuator in the sense instructed by this button as far as the position of limit of travel in the sense given by the button. Thus, the blind is actuated in translation (up or down). Conversely, light pressure is interpreted as a momentary order which ceases as soon as the element is released. This light pressure makes it possible to control the orientation of the slats.
This ergonomics is intuitive insofar as the lightest pressure is that which triggers the smallest movement and that the user is active in the course of orientation of the slats. On the other hand, this configuration does not make it possible to distinguish between the various controls and the inverter is not suitable for the control of twin-motor blinds.
A second exemplary orders transmitter keypad known from patent application EP 0 273 719, the content of which is incorporated by reference, comprises in addition to the up and down buttons, separate buttons for controlling the orientation of the slats in the clockwise sense and in the trigonometric sense. The buttons are then generally disposed in an aligned manner. Even if fundamentally the kinematics of orientation of the slats is obtained on the basis of activating the motor for translating the slats, the user is not aware of this.
This alignment of buttons suggests that the extra buttons as compared with the conventional up or down buttons correspond to intermediate positions. This type of transmitter offers no advantage in terms of ergonomics.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,908, the content of which is incorporated by reference, discloses a device for controlling the orientation of the slats of a venetian blind comprising a potentiometer. The orientation of the slats is controlled directly as a function of the rotation applied to the potentiometer. The control of orientation is not actually intuitive insofar as it uses a correspondence with physical quantities. Its essential aim is to make it possible to correct the differences between various blinds of one and the same simultaneously controlled group so as to ensure consistency and uniform esthetic appearance. Moreover, such a control device is complicated and expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to provide control within the framework of a blind device with orientable slats alleviating the drawbacks cited and improving the known devices of the prior art. In particular, the invention proposes a blind device with orientable slats which is simple, inexpensive, which is multi-purpose (suitable for various types of motorization of blinds) and whose ergonomics of orientation of the slats is intuitive.
The device according to the invention is one which comprises means of interpretation for differentiating between the orders to translate and to orient the slats on the basis of the actions performed on the two control interfaces, in which the second control interface comprises an element that can be moved in two opposite senses along substantially one and the same first direction and in which two electric contacts are respectively actuatable by movement of the element in the first sense and in the second sense. The two electric contacts provide the power supply to an electric motor for driving the blind in two different senses.
Various embodiments of the device are defined by the dependent claims 2 to 14 .
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The appended drawing represents, by way of example, several embodiments of a blind device with orientable slats according to the invention.
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a first embodiment of the blind device according to the invention.
FIG. 2 a is a view of a detail of a first embodiment of a manipulatable element of the second control interface.
FIG. 2 b is a view of a detail of a second embodiment of a manipulatable element of the second control interface.
FIG. 3 is an electrical diagram of a second embodiment of the blind device according to the invention.
FIG. 4 is an electrical diagram of a third embodiment of the blind device according to the invention.
FIGS. 5 to 7 are views of details of a manipulatable element of the control interface according to variant embodiments.
FIGS. 8 to 11 are tables explaining the relations between control interfaces, electric contacts and reactions of the actuator(s) in various embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The motorized blind device 1 with orientable slats represented in FIG. 1 comprises an orders transmitter 2 furnished with a first control interface 2 a and with a second control interface 2 b , an orders receiver 6 linked to a mechanical assembly 4 comprising horizontal slats 5 orientable about their axis, a motor 3 for orienting the slats and a motor 3 ′ for moving the slats vertically.
The first control interface 2 a represented in FIG. 2 a comprises three control buttons 11 , 12 and 13 . The buttons 11 and 12 make it possible, in a conventional manner, to raise and lower the blind respectively by activating the motor 3 ′. The button 13 makes it possible to deactivate the motor 3 ′ so as to halt the up or down motion of the blind.
The orders transmitter 2 furthermore exhibits on one of its lateral faces a second control interface 2 b comprising a thumbwheel 14 . This thumbwheel, represented in FIG. 2 a , is moveable in rotation with respect to the face of the orders transmitter 2 about an axis 15 . On its circumference it exhibits a boss 19 which makes it possible to actuate the electric contacts 20 a or 20 b according to the sense of movement of the thumbwheel. When the user turns the thumbwheel 14 in the clockwise sense S 1 , the boss 19 will act on the part 17 a of the contact 20 a so as to bring it into contact with its part 18 a and thus close the contact 20 a . When the user turns the thumbwheel 14 in the trigonometric sense S 2 , the boss 19 will act on the part 17 b of the contact 20 b so as to bring it into contact with its part 18 b and thus close the contact 20 b . The thumbwheel 14 is moveable between its two extreme positions in which the boss 19 abuts against a stud 16 a , respectively against a stud 16 b . Alternatively, the contacts 20 a and 20 b may themselves serve as stops.
The thumbwheel may possibly exhibit a shape 22 such as a portion of a heart cam cooperating with a spring leaf 23 acting on the latter so as to bring the thumbwheel into a position in which none of the contacts 20 a , 20 b is activated. This form of execution may be replaced by a system comprising one or more spiral springs for restoring to the rest position.
The thumbwheel can be replaced as represented in FIG. 5 by another element such as a slider 14 ′ moveable between two stops 16 ′ a and 16 ′ b in a groove made in the control interface 2 .
One or more helical springs of low rigidity then make it possible to return the slider to its central rest position, in which the contacts 20 a or 20 b are not actuated.
The advantage related to the embodiments of thumbwheel or slider type is their mode of actuation: specifically, to bring the element into a limit of travel position, the motion of the element must be made to glide and be accompanied by the user. This is especially intuitive for controlling the orientation of the slats insofar as the motion is slow and monitored by the user, throughout the maneuver of orienting the slats.
In variant embodiments, the thumbwheel or the slider may remain in their limit of travel positions actuating the contacts 20 a and 20 b or the contacts themselves may remain in their closed position.
In these cases, in addition to the angular actuation of the thumbwheel or the translation actuation of the slider, these elements may also be actuated along a second direction D 2 , for example, perpendicular to the first direction of movement D 1 described previously. The element then comes back to an intermediate position between its two limits of travel, in which position the contacts 20 a and 20 b are not actuated or the contacts regain their open position.
In a second embodiment represented in FIG. 2 b , the displacement of the thumbwheel 43 may also not be limited by two ends of travel, but the thumbwheel may be moved in rotation without stop. Each displacement of the thumbwheel of a certain angle (defining a displacement step of the thumbwheel) in a direction, actuates an electric contact. The actuation of a contact causes, the displacement of a step of the actuator (angle of rotation or time of actuation, for example, defined in the actuator) in the direction corresponding to that of the movement of the thumbwheel.
It is possible to transmit a control command for each displacement step of the thumbwheel. But preferably, the number of displacement steps of the thumbwheel is counted until it is stopped and then, a control command comprising the number of counted displacement steps is transmitted.
The electric contacts 40 a , 40 b may then be actuated by teeth 44 on the thumbwheel 43 via the rotation of a lever 41 about an axis 42 .
FIGS. 6 and 7 represent embodiments of orders transmitters in which the thumbwheel is disposed on the front face of the orders transmitter. In FIG. 6 , the thumbwheel turns about a horizontal axis and, in FIG. 7 , the thumbwheel turns about a vertical axis.
The actuation of the contacts 20 a and 20 b makes it possible to define a control order for rotating the motor in one sense or the other, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 3 . An action A 1 by the user on the thumbwheel 14 in the clockwise sense S 1 closes the contact 20 a , an action A 2 in the trigonometric sense S 2 closes the contact 20 b . The contacts are connected to means of interpretation X which make it possible to differentiate between the translation orders and the rotation orders. The means of interpretation X then make it possible to transmit the orders directly to the corresponding actuator or actuators.
This differentiation is important since it makes it possible to work a blind with two motors as well as a single-motor blind, while possibly reducing the latter's speed of rotation for the orientation of the slats.
The means of interpretation are generally composed of a microprocessor which makes it possible to analyze both the actuation of the electric contacts and possibly their actuation time. The interpretation means also comprise a memory. As a function of the various contacts and/or of the activation time of these contacts, the means of interpretation can determine whether it is an order to translate the slats that the user wishes to transmit or an orientation order.
The control buttons 11 , 12 , 13 for the up and down control of the blind can actuate contacts 21 a and 21 b distinct from the contacts 20 a and 20 b . The various contacts then serve to differentiate between the actions on the first interface and on the second interface, corresponding respectively to translation and orientation orders for the slats.
They may also actuate only the same contacts 20 a and 20 b as the thumbwheel 14 . In this case, other means are provided for differentiating between the translation and orientation orders for the slats.
For example, the second interface comprises a third electric contact 20 c linked to the thumbwheel. This third contact 20 c can be actuated either by pressure on the thumbwheel 14 in the second direction D 2 , or by movement out of the rest position by manipulation of the thumbwheel 14 . This embodiment is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4 . The contact 20 c is connected to the means of interpretation X by way of a module 7 for ordering reduced speed.
Thus, the orders triggered by manipulating the thumbwheel contain information relating to the speed of the actuator, useful in the case of a single-motor blind.
The electric contact 20 c makes it possible to differentiate between the commands input by way of the first interface and those input via the second interface.
This electric contact 20 c may in addition have a function of controlling the stop of the rotation of the actuator and thus of controlling the stop of the up or down movement of the blind. If it is actuated when the actuator is off, it may have a function of setting the blind in an intermediate position.
Alternatively or in combination, the activation time of the control interfaces may serve to differentiate between the translation and orientation orders. In this case, the means of interpretation X comprise means 26 for differentiating between the orders comprising a detector of the activation time 24 of the control interfaces and a comparator 25 for comparing the activation time with one or more threshold values placed in memory at the level of the means of interpretation X.
Thus, even independently of the electric contacts of the two interfaces, a brief pulsed action on the first interface 2 a may be interpreted by the means of interpretation X as a translation command for the slats, while a short-duration sustained action on the second interface 2 b is interpreted as an orientation command for the slats. In the same way, a manipulation of the thumbwheel may also cause the transmission of a command of translation of the blind (for example at fast speed).
Each actuation of the contact 20 a or 20 b may generate a control command which is interpreted by the actuator as a rotation command of a defined step, even if the thumbwheel of the second interface 2 b has ends of travel.
Various alternatives and results of the manipulations of the two control interfaces 2 a and 2 b are summarized in the tables of FIGS. 8 to 11 .
FIG. 8 illustrates the results of the actions exerted on the various buttons of the control interfaces, in the case where the first control interface comprises electric contacts 21 a , 21 b and the second control interface comprises electric contacts 20 a , 20 b.
The table of FIG. 9 illustrates the results of the actions on the control interfaces, when the two interfaces are connected to the same electric contacts, and differentiation is effected by measuring the actuation time of these interfaces. This time is compared with a certain threshold placed in memory (at the level of the means of interpretation X). The result of the comparison makes it possible to differentiate between the translation and orientation orders.
The table of FIG. 10 illustrates the results of the actions on the control interfaces, when the two interfaces are connected to the same electric contacts and when the means of interpretation X comprise a third electric contact 20 c actuated as soon as the thumbwheel is actuated in a sense S 1 or S 2 , for example a contact normally open in the rest position. This third contact makes it possible to differentiate the orientation orders and to couple them with an order to reduce the speed of the actuator in the case of a single-motor device.
The table of FIG. 11 illustrates the results of the actions on the control interfaces, when the two interfaces are connected to the same electric contacts and when the means of interpretation X comprise a third electric contact 20 c actuated as soon as the thumbwheel is actuated in a second direction distinct from the first (for example, by pressure on the thumbwheel).
A simultaneous action by pressure and movement of the thumbwheel distinguishes the control orders. A no-pressure movement of the thumbwheel corresponds to an actuation on the first control interface in the corresponding sense.
The control interface may be a wire remote control such as described previously, but it may also consist of a wireless portable remote control, communicating for example by way of radio or infrared waves with a device for powering the motor.
In this case, the various actions exerted on the various control buttons, sliders or thumbwheels are converted in the control interface by an electronic device into an electromagnetic signal.
The interpretation of the control orders may be done either at the level of the control interface, or at the level of the device for powering the motor, that is to say, the means of interpretation are located at the level of the orders transmitter or at the level of the orders receiver.
In the first case, the means of interpretation X differentiate the orders given by the user by action on one or other of the control interfaces 2 a , 2 b , and the orders transmitter 2 transmits a control order directly toward the orders receiver 6 of the actuator 3 or 3 ′ concerned.
In the second case, the orders transmitter 2 transmits a set of data (for example one or more identifiers of actuated contacts, a duration of actuation) to the orders receiver 6 furnished with the means of interpretation X. These data are then analyzed by the means of interpretation X which determine therefrom the order to be given to the actuator 3 , 3 ′ concerned.
In the case of a single-motor, it is possible to couple the means of interpretation with a module for ordering a reduction in the speed of the actuator. Thus, the orientation commands for the slats may be effected at slow speed.
In an exemplary embodiment, the means of interpretation X directly trigger a command for high-speed rotation of the actuator as soon as they detect a translation command for the slats, while they trigger a command for low-speed rotation of the actuator if they detect an orientation command for the slats, this low-speed command being sustained as long as the control interface is actuated, or at least for a duration equal to the time required for the slats to tilt from one extreme position to the other extreme position, if the control interface is actuated for a greater duration.
The device according to the invention may obviously be applied to any type of blind or curtain with orientable slats. | The motorized blind ( 4 ) device ( 1 ) with orientable slats ( 5 ) comprises an orders transmitter ( 2 ) and an orders receiver ( 6 ) which is attached to the motorized blind, the orders transmitter ( 2 ) comprising a first control interface ( 2 a ) and a second control interface ( 2 b ). This device is one which comprises means of interpretation for differentiating between the orders to translate and to orient the slats on the basis of the actions performed on the two control interfaces, in which the second control interface ( 2 b ) comprises an element ( 14 ) that can be moved in two opposite senses along substantially one and the same first direction and in which two electric contacts are respectively actuatable by movement of the element ( 14 ) in the first sense and in the second sense. Such a device is simple, inexpensive, multi-purpose and its ergonomics for orienting the slats is intuitive. | 4 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Taiwan Patent Application No. 104111105, filed on Apr. 7, 2015, in the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
1. TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a purge device to clean semiconductors or photolithographic masks in semiconductor manufacturing. More particularly, the purge device comprises a rotation platform and a micronozzle array.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
[0003] In the semiconductor industry, the cleanliness of semiconductors and photolithographic masks plays an important role in semiconductor manufacturing. Pollutants on semiconductors or photolithographic masks usually result in defects on wafers. And the most common method to remove the pollutants is by purging the pellicles with filter guns. However, the purging process with filter gun requires close contact between the filter gun and the pellicle, spaced at millimeter-scale, and the purging angle is manually changed in 360° to purge the pellicle. The manual process usually leads to accidental damages on pellicles and photolithographic masks. One exemplary damage is that the filter gun may accidently scratch on or penetrate through the pellicles. This is one of the problems needed to be solved in the semiconductor industry.
[0004] Several purge devices have been proposed to ameliorate the problems from manually operating the filter guns. One of the purge devices is provided in China Patent Application Publication No. 103995434. The purge device utilizes a rotatable suspension system to support nitrogen knives to purge the bottom surfaces of photolithographic masks. The rotatable suspension system maintains the nitrogen knives and the photolithographic masks in a constant distance and therefore prevents the pellicles from being damaged during the manual operation of filter guns.
[0005] One disadvantage of China Patent Application Publication No. 103995434 is that some zone is unreachable by the purge device and thus the particle removal efficiency (PRE) of the purge device is low. On the other hand, Taiwan Patent No. M285024 provides a rotatable device to purge photolithographic masks. The rotatable device utilizes centrifugal force to rapidly remove pollutants and chemical purgers on the subjects. The rotatable device may cooperate with chemical purgers to dissolve and remove pollutants. Furthermore, the chemical purgers and the airflow induced by the rotatable device together may further generate a moisturized environment to improve the PRE of the rotatable device.
[0006] One disadvantage of Taiwan Patent No. M285024 is that the rotatable device is a wet cleaning system and thus requires an additional step of blow-drying after the wet cleans. Another disadvantage of the rotatable device is that even though the rotation platform, used to support the photolithographic masks, in the rotatable device is able to freely rotate in 360°, the nozzles are still fixed and thus some zone on the photolithographic masks is unreachable. Accordingly, there is a need for a purge device based on dry cleaning system. And the configuration and operation of the purge device may effectively reduce unreachable zones on photolithographic masks.
SUMMARY
[0007] At least one embodiment of the present invention provides purge devices having micronozzles and operating methods thereof. The purge device having micronozzles comprises a base, at least one track configured on the base, a rotation platform, and a micronozzle array. More particularly, the micronozzle array further comprises an air duct and a plurality of nozzles, in which the air duct is connected with the nozzles.
[0008] The at least one track may be connected with the rotation platform and/or the micronozzle array under different embodiments. In a first group of embodiments, the micronozzle array is connected with the at least one track, while the rotation platform is configured on the base. In a second group of embodiments, the micronozzle array is configured on the base, while the rotation platform is connected with the at least one track. In a third group of embodiments, both the micronozzle array and the rotation platform are connected with the at least one track, in which the micronozzle array and the rotation platform may either share the same track or be connected with different tracks.
[0009] Accordingly, the operating methods of purge devices having micronozzles may be modified under different embodiments. In a first group of embodiments, a subject (i.e., a photolithographic mask) is placed onto the rotation platform, and the rotation platform is then rotating while the micronozzle array is activated to slide along the at least one track to purge the subject. In a second group of embodiments, a subject is placed onto the rotation platform, and the rotation platform is then rotating and sliding along the at least one track while the micronozzle array is activated to purge the subject. In a third group of embodiments, a subject is placed onto the rotation platform, and the rotation platform is then rotating and sliding along the at least one track while the micronozzle array is activated to slide along the at least one track to purge the subject.
[0010] At least one embodiment provided in the present invention improves the purging efficiency by manipulating the relative movement between the rotation platform and the micronozzles. Since the rotation platform enable 360° rotation and the micronozzle array is able to move over the entire photolithographic mask, the purge device having micronozzles may effectively reduce unreachable zones. Moreover, the distance and angle between the rotation platform and the micronozzle array are mechanically controlled, thus pellicles are well-protected from mechanical damages.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a purge device having micronozzles according to some embodiments of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a micronozzle array according to some embodiments of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embedded rotation platform according to some embodiments of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating method of a purge device having micronozzles according to some embodiments of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating method of a purge device having micronozzles according to some embodiments of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating method of a purge device having micronozzles according to some embodiments of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating method of a purge device having micronozzles according to some embodiments of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a robotic arm according to some embodiments of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] At least one embodiment of the present invention provides a purge device. More particularly, at least one embodiment of the present invention provides a purge device having micronozzles. Most of the elements and configuration in the embodiment are based on known techniques. The examples depicted in the following sections are provided for the purpose of detailed explanation of the features of the embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a purge device having micronozzles according to some embodiments of the present invention. The purge device having micronozzles comprises a base 10 , at least one track 20 configured on the base 10 , a rotation platform 30 , and a micronozzle array 40 . The micronozzle array 40 further comprises an air duct 42 and a plurality of nozzles 48 , in which the nozzles 48 are connected with the air duct 42 and the air duct 42 is further connected with an external channel 46 . Moreover, the base 10 may further comprises a carrier arm 12 configured to support the micronozzle array 40 .
[0021] The rotation platform 30 , on the other hand, comprises a holder 32 configured to accommodate and hold a photolithographic mask 50 . The holder 32 may be a square frame, a bracket, a pyramid, or a clasp. However, other forms of holder suitable for holding and fixing photolithographic masks 50 may be used in other embodiments.
[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a micronozzle array according to some embodiments of the present invention. The micronozzle array 40 comprises an air duct 42 and a plurality of nozzles 48 , in which the air duct 42 is connected with the nozzles 48 . In addition, the air duct 42 is further connected with an external channel 46 . The external channel 46 is configured to provide clean gas (i.e., nitrogen and the extreme clean dry air) to the nozzles 48 via the air duct 42 . In some preferred embodiments, the angle θ between the nozzles 48 and the rotation platform 30 is between 15° and 25°. The purge device having micronozzles shows a better purging efficiency when the angle θ of the nozzles 48 and the rotation platform 30 is between 15° and 25° in the embodiments. In some other preferred embodiments, the aperture diameter of each nozzle is between 0.3 mm and 3 mm. The purge device having micronozzles also shows a better purging efficiency when the aperture diameter of nozzles is between 0.3 mm and 3 mm in the embodiments.
[0023] In some embodiments, the rotation platform 30 is installed onto the base 10 (as illustrated in FIG. 1 ). In some other embodiments, the rotation platform 30 is embedded into the top surface of the base 10 . FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an embedded rotation platform according to some embodiments of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating method of a purge device having micronozzles according to some embodiments of the present invention. The purge device having micronozzles in FIG. 4 comprises a base 10 , at least one track 20 configured on the base 10 , a rotation platform 30 configured on the base 10 , and a micronozzle array 40 connected with the at least one track 20 . The micronozzle array 40 further comprises an air duct 42 and a plurality of nozzles 48 , in which the air duct 42 is connected with the nozzles 48 .
[0025] The operating method of the purge device having micronozzles in FIG. 4 comprises a step of placing a subject (e.g., a photolithographic mask 50 ) on the rotation platform 30 , a step of rotating the rotation platform 30 in the direction C, and a step of activating the micronozzle array 40 and sliding the micronozzle array 40 along the at least one track in the direction B to purge the subject.
[0026] More particularly, in the operating method of the purge device having micronozzles in FIG. 4 , the rotation platform 30 is rotating in the direction C but not sliding. And the micronozzle array 40 , on the other hand, is sliding back and forth along the at least one track 20 and purging the subject (e.g., the photolithographic mask 50 ) with the nozzles 48 .
[0027] In some embodiments, the purge device having micronozzles is cooperating or further connected with a detection device. The detection device is configured to detect pollutants on photolithographic masks. The purge device having micronozzles in the embodiments may utilize the location data fed from the detection device to determine locations in need for purging. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating method of a purge device having micronozzles according to the aforementioned embodiments. The micronozzle array 40 in FIG. 5 is able to slide along the at least one track 20 to a specific location to clean pollutants on the photolithographic mask 50 rather than continuously moving back and forth.
[0028] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating method of a purge device having micronozzles according to some embodiments of the present invention. The purge device having micronozzles in FIG. 4 comprises a base 10 , at least one track 20 configured on the base 10 , a rotation platform 30 connected with the at least one track 20 , and a micronozzle array 40 configured on the base 10 . The micronozzle array 40 further comprises an air duct 42 and a plurality of nozzles 48 , in which the air duct 42 is connected with the nozzles 48 .
[0029] The operating method of the purge device having micronozzles in FIG. 6 comprises a step of placing a subject (e.g., a photolithographic mask 50 ) on the rotation platform 30 , a step of rotating the rotation platform 30 in the direction C and sliding the rotation platform 30 along the at least one track 20 in the direction B, and a step of activating the micronozzle array 40 to purge the subject.
[0030] More particularly, in the operating method of the purge device having micronozzles in FIG. 6 , the rotation platform 30 is not only rotating in the direction C but also sliding back and forth along the at least on track 20 . And the micronozzle array 40 , on the other hand, is stationary and is to purge the subject (e.g., the photolithographic mask 50 ) with the nozzles 48 . In some preferred embodiments, the rotation platform 30 rotates in the direction C and slide to a specific location to purge the subject.
[0031] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operating method of a purge device having micronozzles according to some embodiments of the present invention. The purge device having micronozzles in FIG. 7 comprises a base 10 , at least one track 20 configured on the base 10 , a rotation platform 30 connected with the at least one track 20 , and a micronozzle array 40 connected with the at least one track 20 . The micronozzle array 40 further comprises an air duct 42 and a plurality of nozzles 48 , in which the air duct 42 is connected with the nozzles 48 . The rotation platform 30 and the micronozzle array 40 are both connected with the at least one track 20 , in which the rotation platform 30 and the micronozzle array 40 may be either connected with the same track or connected with different tracks.
[0032] The operating method of the purge device having micronozzles in FIG. 7 comprises a step of placing a subject (e.g., a photolithographic mask 50 ) on the rotation platform 30 , a step of rotating the rotation platform 30 and sliding the rotation platform 30 along the at least one track 20 b , and a step of activating the micronozzle array 40 and sliding the micronozzle array 10 along the at least one track 20 a in the direction B to purge the subject.
[0033] More particularly, in the operating method of the purge device having micronozzles in FIG. 7 , the rotation platform 30 is rotating and sliding back and forth or sliding to a specific location on the at least on track 20 b . And the micronozzle array 40 , on the other hand, is sliding back and forth or sliding to a specific location on the at least on track 20 a to purge the subject.
[0034] In some embodiments, the purge device having micronozzles further comprises a robotic arm. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating a robotic arm according to the aforementioned embodiments. The base 10 comprises a robotic arm 60 , in which a clamp 62 is further configured on the robotic arm 60 . The robotic arm 60 and the clamp 62 are configured to handle and transport the photolithographic mask 50 to the base 10 or from the base 10 . However, in some other embodiments, other devices capable of handling and transporting the photolithographic mask 50 may be used to replace the robotic arm 60 .
[0035] The following table provides data about the particle removal efficiencies (PREs) of a purge device having micronozzles in accordance with the present invention and the PREs of a conventional purge device. In accordance with the purge device having micronozzles in this embodiment, the nozzles and the photolithographic mask is spaced at 0.5 mm to 3 mm at minimum and the angle between the nozzles and the photolithographic mask is 20°. Moreover, the nozzle diameter is ranging from 0.1 mm to 1 mm in this embodiment. In contrary, the plurality of air knives and the photolithographic mask is spaced at 0.5 mm to 3 mm at minimum and the air knives and the photolithographic mask is 20° in accordance with the conventional purge device. Moreover, the outlet of each air knife is 150 mm long and 0.5 mm gap. In the following table, result 1 to result 5 represent the data of the purge device having micronozzles in this embodiment and result 6 to result 10 represent the data of the conventional purge device. According to the table, the purge device having micronozzles in accordance with the present invention shows better PREs in large particles, medium particles, and small particles when compared with the conventional purge device.
[0000]
Particle
Large Particles
Medium Particles
Small Particles
(Diameter >54 μm)
(Diameter = 44-54 μm)
(Diameter = 10-44 μm)
Count
Count
PRE
Count
Count
PRE
Count
Count
PRE
Result
(Before)
(After)
(%)
(Before)
(After)
(%)
(Before)
(After)
(%)
1
1
0
100.0
1
0
100.0
107
73
31.8
2
6
0
100.0
1
0
100.0
274
2
99.3
3
1
0
100.0
2
0
100.0
23
0
100.0
4
2
0
100.0
1
0
100.0
179
99
44.7
5
18
0
100.0
4
0
100.0
178
98
44.9
Avg. PRE
100.0
Avg. PRE
100.0
Avg. PRE
64.1
6
19
0
100.0
11
6
45.5
294
128
56.5
7
5
1
80.0
5
2
60.0
140
134
4.3
8
25
2
92.0
14
3
78.6
227
164
27.8
9
2
1
50.0
2
1
50.0
220
159
27.7
10
13
3
76.9
12
4
66.7
256
204
20.3125
Avg. PRE
79.8
Avg. PRE
60.1
Avg. PRE
27.3
[0036] At least one embodiment of the present invention provides the purge device having micronozzles and the operating method thereof. The purge device having micronozzles improves the purging efficiency and protects the pellicle from being damaged by manipulating the relative movement between the rotation platform and the micronozzles
[0037] There are many inventions described and illustrated above. The present inventions are neither limited to any single aspect nor embodiment thereof, nor to any combinations and/or permutations of such aspects and/or embodiments. Moreover, each of the aspects of the present inventions, and/or embodiments thereof, may be employed alone or in combination with one or more of the other aspects of the present inventions and/or embodiments thereof. For the sake of brevity, many of those permutations and combinations will not be discussed separately herein. | The present invention provides purge devices having micronozzles and operating methods thereof. The purge device having micronozzles are operated to clean pellicles used in semiconductor manufacturing. The purge devices having micronozzles comprises a base, at least one track configured on the base, a rotation platform, and a micronozzle array, in which the micronozzle array further comprises an air duct and a plurality of nozzles. Additionally, the rotation platform and the micronozzle array are able to move relatively to another along the at least one track. | 7 |
This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/690,467, filed Jul. 24, 1996, now abandoned.
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention is related to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,941.
The present invention relates to novel compounds. The compounds may generally be classified as dyes and can be employed in ink compositions useful in ink jet printing. More particularly, the compounds may be classified as flocculating dyes which may be used to prevent color bleed in, for example, color ink jet printing systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Ink jet printing is accomplished by ejecting ink from a nozzle toward paper or another print medium. The ink is driven from the nozzle toward the medium in a variety of ways. For example, in electrostatic printing, the ink is driven by an electrostatic field. Another ink jet printing procedure, known as squeeze tube, employs a piezoelectric element in the ink nozzle. Electrically-caused distortions of the piezoelectric element pump the ink through the nozzle and toward the print medium. In still another ink jet printing procedure, known as thermal or bubble ink jet printing, the ink is driven from the nozzle toward the print medium by the formation of an expanding vapor phase bubble in the nozzle. These various printing methods are described in "Output Hard Copy Devices," edited by Durbeck and Sherr, Academic Press, 1988 (see particularly chapter 13, entitled "Ink Jet Printing").
Preferably, an ink jet printer is capable of printing with colored ink, such as magenta, cyan and yellow, as well as black ink. When two colors are printed side by side, particularly when black ink is printed next to any other colored ink, the colors can "bleed" into one another. "Bleed" is defined as the migration of one ink color into a region of another ink color, particularly when black ink moves into a region of any other color. It is desirable to have a clean, crisp border between areas of two different colors. When one color bleeds into the other color, the border becomes irregular and ragged. Bleed is particularly undesirable when black ink is printed next to a light color ink, such as yellow.
Numerous methods have been developed in an attempt to reduce or eliminate the bleed between different colors of ink, particularly the bleed between black ink and colored ink.
One method to reduce bleed between inks is to incorporate one anionic ink and one cationic ink as disclosed in European Patent 633,142, Stoffel, et al., published Jan. 11, 1995. Both the anionic and cationic inks are aqueous solutions and contain a colorant which may be either a pigment or a dye. In one of the two inks, a polymer must be added which is of the same ionic character as the ink in which it is incorporated.
Cationic dyes are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,023, Stoffel, issued Mar. 30, 1993. In this patent, a cationic yellow dye is used with an anionic black dye. Bleed is further reduced by adding a multivalent precipitating agent to the yellow ink. This multivalent precipitating agent is typically a multivalent salt, such as calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and aluminum chloride.
Bleed can also be alleviated by using pH sensitive dyes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,045, Shields, et al., issued Jan. 19, 1993, describes the use of a dye which is rendered insoluble by contacting it with another ink of the proper pH. This reaction occurs at the border of the two inks and is distinguished from systems where the pH of the paper is used to render the dyes insoluble. The pH of the second ink can be either higher or lower than that of the first ink. However, the pH difference should be greater than one unit. The '045 patent discloses dyes with proper pH. U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,668, Shields, et al., issued Jun. 14, 1994, which is a continuation in part of the '045 patent, discloses not only dyes but inks containing either pigments or dyes.
Color bleed is controlled by employing zwitterionic surfactants or ionic or non-ionic amphiphiles according to the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,416, Moffat, et al., issued Apr. 21, 1992. The inks described contain one or more cationic dyes.
Bleed resistance is increased in dyes by counter-ion substitution in U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,439, Lauw, issued Aug. 30, 1994. A dye having one or more sulfonate or carboxylate groups is provided with a counter-ion comprising an amine, which is used for its surfactant properties. Such a dye is produced in an ionic exchange process.
The use of precipitating agents is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,383, Shields, et al., issued Jun. 27, 1995. Color bleed between two ink compositions is controlled by incorporating a precipitating agent in the second ink which precipitates the first ink coloring agent. When the two ink compositions contact each other on the paper, a precipitate is formed which prevents migration and color bleed problems.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,302, Hackleman, et al., issued Sept. 15, 1987, the ink includes a reactive species which forms a polymer when the ink hits the paper. The reactive species either reacts with a component in the substrate, i.e., the paper, or alternatively reacts with a material which is applied to the substrate before the ink is applied.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,540, Shields, et al., issued Dec. 19, 1995, teaches the use of gel forming inks to alleviate bleed. In such a system, one ink contains a gel forming species and the other ink contains a gel initiating species, typically a protonated tertiary amine. When the two inks come in contact with each other, gel is formed, thereby preventing movement of the coloring agent.
Micro-emulsions comprising water insoluble black dyes are also used to prevent bleed between the black ink and the colored ink. Such inks are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,440, Wickramanayake, issued Aug. 30, 1994, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,957, Wickramanayake, et al., issued Jul. 13, 1993. In each case the black dyes are water insoluble. They are used in conjunction with colored inks that contain water soluble dyes. The water insoluble black dyes will not migrate through the water based color inks and, thus, bleed is prevented.
Bleed is also controlled by adding additional agents to the ink composition. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,056, Prasad, issued Mar. 23, 1993, a bleed retarding agent which has a polar portion and a non-polar portion is added to the ink. A particularly preferred bleed retarding agent is 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,372, Matrick, issued Nov. 3, 1992, an ester or amide diol is added to the ink to improve the penetration of the ink into the paper. This also provides rapid drying.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first aspect, the instant invention is directed to novel compounds. The use for the novel compounds is not limited; however, they are often employed as dyes in ink compositions. In this capacity, the dyes can act as flocculating dyes (defined below). This means they behave as a flocculent to an anionic pigment dispersion of a second ink composition in their proximity, thereby preventing color bleed. Additionally, these new compounds when employed in ink compositions unexpectedly provide an array of commercially desirable color choices not currently known, and they unexpectedly display superior lightfastness properties while simultaneously retaining waterfast and flocculent properties characteristic of dyes with cationic groups.
The compounds, which again may be employed as flocculating dyes, include those having the formulae represented below in the Detailed Description of the Invention. It is noted in the instant invention that wherever a cationic group is present, there will also be a counter anion present. Illustrative examples of such counter anions include monoalkyl sulfates as well as halides.
In a second aspect, the instant invention is directed to a novel method for making the above-described compounds.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The instant invention is directed to novel compounds which may be employed as flocculating dyes. "Flocculating dye" is defined herein to mean a compound that 1) has at least one cationic functional group, i.e., a group that exhibits a positive charge, 2) is capable of flocculating an anionic pigment dispersion (second ink) in its proximity, and 3) exhibits sufficient solubility in water so that it may be used in an ink for ink jet printers.
The compounds of this invention are prepared, for example, by reactions including the halosulfonation, amine substitution and alkylation of phthalocyanine pigments. They may also be prepared, for example, by diazotization and coupling of intermediates containing cationic groups or amine groups which may be converted to cationic groups by alkylation. Furthermore, they may be prepared by conversion of selected reactive dyes to amphoteric dyes by reacting the dyes with selected amines and optionally alkylating to form pendant quaternary amine groups.
Suitable reactive dyes may include any of the dyes comprising the reactive functional groups found in the dye chemistry literature. Those containing mono- or di-chlorotriazine, vinylsulfone and/or sulfatoethylsulfone groups are preferred, wherein the reactive dyes may contain anionic groups. Illustrative examples of suitable reactive dyes which may be employed in this invention include C.I. Reactive Red 180 and C.I. Reactive Yellow 2.
In a preferred embodiment, however, the novel compounds of the instant invention comprise at least one cationic group and no anionic groups. Most preferably, they comprise more than one cationic group and no anionic group.
The compounds of the present invention, again, unexpectedly display superior color and lightfastness properties while simultaneously retaining their characteristic waterfast and flocculent properties. Such compounds may, for example, be classified as cyan, magenta and yellow dyes and they include those represented by the formulae hereinbelow.
The first novel compound of this invention is represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein m is about 0-6; n is about 2-4; each R is independently (C 1-4 ) alkyl, arylalkyl or hydroxyalkyl; PC is a metallic or non-metallic phthalocyanine group, wherein when a metallic group is present, it is preferably a transition metal such as Ni, but preferably Cu; R 1 is H or --CH 3 ; and each R 4 is independently H, (C 1-4 ) alkyl or hydroxyalkyl.
Preferably, the first novel compound is a cyan dye and selected from the group consisting of: ##STR2## wherein R 1 is H or --CH 3 and n is about 3 or 4.
A second novel compound of this invention is represented by the formula: ##STR3## wherein Q 1 is hydroxyalkyl or ##STR4## Q 2 is H, lower alkyl, --N ##STR5## Q 3 is H or (C 1-4 ) alkyl; each R 2 is independently H, lower (C 1-4 ) alkyl or hydroxyalkyl;
each M is independently H.sup.⊕, Na.sup.⊕, K.sup.⊕, Li.sup.⊕ or N.sup.⊕ (R 2 ) 4 ; and
Z is an aromatic, aliphatic, amine or alkoxy group.
Preferably, the second novel compound is a magenta dye selected from the group consisting of: ##STR6## wherein M, Q 3 and R 2 are as previously defined.
Most preferably, the second novel compound is a magenta dye having the formula: ##STR7## wherein M and Q 3 are as previously defined.
Additional novel compounds of this invention include compounds selected from the group consisting of: ##STR8## wherein each m is about 0 to 6;
each R is independently lower (C 1-4 )alkyl, arylalkyl or hydroxyalkyl;
R 5 is lower (C 1-4 ) alkyl or CO 2 M;
R 6 is halogen, lower alkyl or lower alkoxyl;
each R 7 is independently H, lower alkyl or lower alkoxyl;
each R 3 is independently lower (C 1-4 ) alkyl or hydroxyalkyl; ##STR9## m' is about 0 to 6; and A is --OH or --NH 2 .
Preferably, the compounds are yellow dyes and selected from the group consisting of: ##STR10##
Still other novel compounds include those selected from the group consisting of: ##STR11## wherein each M is independently H.sup.⊕, Na.sup.⊕, K.sup.⊕, Li.sup.⊕ or N.sup.⊕ (R 2 ) 4 ; and each R 2 is independently H, (C 1-4 ) alkyl or hydroxyalkyl, and wherein the compounds may generally be classified as yellow dyes often prepared from Reactive Yellow 2.
The reagents used to make the compounds of this invention are commercially available and/or conventionally made.
When preparing the novel compounds of this invention via a preferred and novel method, the dye is often dissolved in an aqueous solution and subsequently subjected to a desired amine which may also and preferably be dissolved in an aqueous solution. There is no limitation with respect to the order of which the resulting dye and amine solutions are combined other than that the combination allows for the formation of the desired novel compounds. When performing the preferred method, the amine solution is an aqueous amine solution which is added slowly, e.g., dropwise, to the aqueous dye solution. The resulting reaction mixture may be mixed to enhance the reaction between the dye and the amine. The mixing procedure is not limited and can include, for example, stirring, shaking as well as shear mixing.
There is no limitation with respect to how much of each of the two solutions are added to each other; however, it is often preferred that the moles of dye exceed the moles of amine. Preferably, the molar ratio of dye molecule to amine is no greater than about 2:1. In a most preferred embodiment, the molar ratio of dye molecule to amine is 2:1, the reactive dye is C.I. Reactive Red 180 and an additional step of alkylating the desired product is performed by adding a dialkyl sulfate to the reaction mixture.
When preparing the compounds of the instant invention, there is no limitation with respect to the reaction temperature. The reaction temperature may be ambient to elevated and the only temperature limitation is that the temperature is maintained at a level capable of allowing the desired compounds of this invention to be formed. The reaction temperature is preferably ambient when C.I. Reactive Red 180 is employed.
A novel method, therefore, for making the compounds described in this invention comprises the step of contacting:
(a) a reactive dye solution; and
(b) an amine solution,
wherein a molar ratio of dye to amine of no greater than about 2:1 is maintained.
The method may further comprise the step of mixing the dye and amine solution, and the mixing may be achieved by any conventional method, including those mentioned above.
The resulting product solution obtained from preparing the compounds of this invention can generally be used as is to make an ink composition. Optionally, the product solution can be purified to remove any inorganic salts and any other impurities. Preferably, the product solution is purified via ultrafiltration. Alternatively the product, a flocculating dye, can be isolated from solution and used to make an ink composition.
The following examples are detailed descriptions of methods of preparing the novel compounds. The detailed descriptions fall within the scope of, and serve to exemplify, the more general description set forth above. The examples are presented for illustrative purposes only, and are not intended as a restriction on the scope of the invention. The examples further describe the qualitative results when utilizing the instant novel compounds in inks.
EXAMPLE 1
The dye intermediate N'-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-sulfanilamide having the structure: ##STR12## is prepared as follows: 3-dimethylaminopropylamine (105 g, 1 mole) is dissolved in 500 mL water, cooled with 500 g ice, and with good stirring treated with 239 g N-acetylsulfanilyl chloride during about 15 minutes. The pH is allowed to drop to 7 during another 10 minutes, when the mixture becomes viscous. The pH is raised to about 11.5 and maintained there by adding 50% sodium hydroxide solution (160 g) as required until the reaction is complete, resulting in complete solution. The temperature is allowed to rise to 20° C. After an additional hour during which a clear solution forms, hydrolysis of the acetyl group is effected by adding 100 g of 50% sodium hydroxide solution and heating at 90° C. for three hours. Cooling to room temperature, and neutralizing with hydrochloric acid to pH 9.5 gives an oily precipitate, which soon crystallizes. The product is collected, dried and recrystallized from isopropanol, giving a high yield of product having the desired structure as confirmed by NMR spectroscopy.
EXAMPLE 2
The yellow dye having the structure: ##STR13## is prepared by diazotizing the intermediate prepared in Example 1 and coupling with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-aminopyrazole, then converting the dimethylamino group to trimethylammonium by reaction of the resultant azo intermediate with dimethyl sulfate in aqueous solution. N'-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-sulfanilamide (6.44 g) is dissolved in 25 mL water with 7 mL 37% hydrochloric acid, iced to 0° C. and diazotized by adding a solution of 1.75 g of sodium nitrite in 5 mL water. Excess nitrite is removed with a small amount of sulfamic acid. To the stirring diazonium salt solution is added 4.4 g of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-aminopyrazole which is allowed to dissolve and couple. The reaction is diluted with 100 mL water and the pH slowly raised by dropping in 28 g 3N NaOH. The product precipitates but begins to redissolve as the pH rises. Further sodium hydroxide (50 g, 3N) is added, followed by 4 g dimethyl sulfate. A yellow solution forms. After stirring for 1 hour, the pH is lowered to 9.5 by addition of sodium bicarbonate and a yellow oily layer forms, which is separated by decanting. This is redissolved in deionized water (50 mL) with adjustment of the pH to 5.5. The volume is made up to 110 mL with water, giving an approximately 10% solution of a bright lemon-yellow cationic dye suitable for use in making inks for ink-jet printing. Prints prepared from ink made from this dye had excellent wet-fastness on paper.
EXAMPLE 3
Preparation of pyrazolone from N'-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-sulfanilamide having the structure: ##STR14## A solution of 0.2 g mole (51.5 g) of the intermediate prepared as in Example 1 in 215 mL water, is iced to 0° C., and stirred in an ice bath. Hydrochloric acid (95 mL, 37%) is added followed by a solution of 14 g of sodium nitrite. After stirring for ten minutes with a slight excess of nitrite present, the excess is removed with sulfamic acid. The diazonium salt solution is neutralized to pH 6 by sifting in 28 g of sodium bicarbonate at 0° C. During 15 minutes, 25.2 g of sodium sulfate is sifted in, and the pH rises to 9.4. To the bright orange colored solution, after 30 minutes and at <5° C., is added 22 g sodium bisulfite during 10 minutes. The solution is pale yellow and diazo nearly disappears. Colorless crystalline precipitate begins to form. The reaction is then stirred an additional two hours, heated to 75° C. and 70 g 37% hydrochloric acid is added. The temperature is increased to 90-95° C. and held for four hours with sulfur dioxide evolving. The solution is stirred and cooled overnight. Sodium hydroxide (55 g, 50%) is added to pH 6. Ethyl acetoacetate (26 g; 0.2 mole) is added at 35° C. Heating to the boiling point, and acidification with hydrochloric acid (20 mL) gives a yellow tarry precipitate. After 2 hours, sodium hydroxide (90 g; 50%) is added and the reaction is heated again to 95° C. to hydrolyze excess ethyl acetoacetate. Upon cooling the solution is filtered from salt, which separates. The filtrate is neutralized with acetic acid to pH 6. Pink tar separates and is isolated by decanting. It redissolves readily in water at pH 7 as a pale pink solution, useful as a coupler for making cationic azo dyes. Y 1 is as defined in Example 2.
EXAMPLE 4
The yellow dye having the structure: ##STR15## is prepared by diazotizing 0.05 g mole of the intermediate from Example 1, as in Example 2, and adding the diazonium salt solution to a solution of 0.05 mole of pyrazolone coupler prepared as in Example 3. The pH of the coupling mixture is slowly raised to 10. At pH 8 to 10, the product, a yellow monoazo dye intermediate, is completely precipitated. It redissolves completely at pH 12. Methylation by addition of two equivalents of dimethyl sulfate and subsequent neutralization to pH 7, gives a solution of bright yellow cationic dye suitable for use in making inks for ink-jet printing, the prints having very good wet-fastness on paper. Y 1 is as defined in Example 2.
EXAMPLE 5
Synthesis of the dye intermediate having the structure: ##STR16## Intermediate prepared as in Example 1 (0.2 mole, 51.5 g) is dissolved and diazotized as described in Example 3. The pH of the diazo is raised to 4.0 by adding 16 g sodium bicarbonate at 0° C. A solution of 0.21 mole of o-anisidinomethane-sulfonic acid (prepared by reaction of formaldehyde-bisulfite adduct with o-anisidine in known manner) is added keeping the pH at 4-5 by adding 24 g sodium bicarbonate and temperature at 0-5° C. After stirring for 16 hours the diazo is all coupled. The pH is raised to 11 by adding 40 g sodium hydroxide (50%). Solid sodium hydroxide (45 g) is added to the solution and the reaction is heated at 90-95° C. for one hour. A tarry brown precipitate forms, which is isolated after cooling and redissolved in water at 800 mL volume. Salting 15% on volume with sodium chloride and stirring gives a crystalline product, which is filtered. The cake is redissolved in water, the pH raised to 11, Darco (<100 mesh, 3 g) and Filtercel (4 g) added, and the solution filtered. This intermediate is useful for preparing cationic yellow dyes.
EXAMPLE 6
Preparation of bis-cationic yellow dye having the structure: ##STR17## is prepared by reaction in usual manner of the intermediate prepared in Example 5 with cyanuric chloride; and the resultant product is reacted sequentially with N'-(2-diethylamino)ethylamine, aminoethylethanolamine, and dimethyl sulfate. The dye is suitable for preparation of yellow inks for ink-jet printing, the prints obtained having excellent light- and wet-fastness properties. Y 1 is defined as in Example 2.
EXAMPLE 7
Preparation of yellow bis-cationic dye having the structure: ##STR18## m-Toluidine (0.1 mole, 10.83 g), 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl-trimethylammonium chloride (66 g), isopropanol (60 g) and 25 g sodium carbonate were heated together under reflux for 3 hours until evolution of carbon dioxide stopped. The solution is filtered from inorganic salts, 100 mL of water added to the filtrate, and the isopropanol removed by distillation at reduced pressure. The resultant solution (107.5 g) is useful in preparing dyes having two pendant cationic groups which confer high solubility and excellent wet-fastness properties.
Aniline (0.05 mole) is diazotized in the conventional manner and added to 59 g of the solution of the intermediate prepared above which is iced to 0° C. The pH of the coupling is raised slowly to 6.1 by sifting in, with good stirring, 7 g of sodium bicarbonate. After stirring for some hours, the diazo is all gone, and the reaction is a reddish-yellow solution (262 g) containing about 8.5% solids. This is subjected to ultrafiltration, to remove inorganic salts. It is found useful for preparation of yellow inks for ink-jet printing, the prints having excellent wet-fastness and good light-fastness properties.
In this example when the m-toluidine is replaced with an equivalent amount of aniline, otherwise proceeding in a similar manner, a yellow cationic dye is obtained having similar properties. Also, when the m-toluidine is replaced with an equivalent amount of o-anisidinel, otherwise proceeding in a similar manner, a yellow cationic dye is obtained having similar properties.
When, in this example, the diazotized aniline is replaced with a molar equivalent amount of, for example, another aromatic amine such as o-, m-, or p-toluidine, o-, or p-anisidine, o-, or p-phenetidine, m-chloroaniline, etc., yellow cationic dyes are obtained having similar properties.
EXAMPLE 8
Preparation of yellow cationic dye having the structure: ##STR19## N'-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-sulfanilamide (0.025 mole) is diazotized according to the procedure given in Example 2. To the diazonium salt solution is added dropwise 4.2 g of Fischer's Base (i.e., 2,3,3-trimethylindolenine) dissolved in 10 g acetic acid. The coupling is stirred for one hour, then neutralized slowly, first with 7 g sodium bicarbonate, then with 12% sodium hydroxide solution to raise the pH finally to 11.5. The yellow, water-soluble product tars out, and is isolated by decanting the aqueous layer. The residue is dissolved in 100 mL of deionized water, treated with Darco and Filtercel and clarified. To the filtrate is added 7 g dimethyl sulfate. The pH is kept at about 6-7, until the pH stabilized, using 11.5 mL 12% sodium hydroxide. The reaction is stirred for 16 hours (pH 6.5) giving approximately 5.5% bright yellow solution of the cationic dye, which is useful for making yellow inks for ink-jet printing, the prints having good wet-fastness.
EXAMPLE 9
0.01125 mol C.I. Reactive Red 180 (purified for ink-jet use) is dissolved in 250 mL of de-ionized water. 0.01125 mol diethanolamine is then added dropwise. After addition, the temperature of the mixture is raised to 50° C., and the pH of the mixture is kept at 7.5 by dropping in 2N NaOH. The reaction is carried out under these conditions for 18 hours, then cooled to room temperature. Dropwise addition of an equimolar amount of dimethyl sulfate while keeping the pH at 7-8 by addition of 2N NaOH alkylated the N atoms to form quaternary N groups.
A dye of the following structure results: ##STR20##
EXAMPLE 10
0.0225 mol C.I. Reactive Red 180 (purified for ink-jet use) is dissolved in 250 mL of de-ionized water. 0.01125 mol 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol is then added dropwise. After addition, the temperature of the mixture is raised to 50° C., and the pH of the mixture is kept at 7.5 by dropping in 2N NaOH. The reaction is carried out under these conditions for 18 hours, then cooled to room temperature. Dropwise addition of an equimolar amount of dimethyl sulfate while keeping the pH at 7-8 by addition of 2N NaOH alkylated the N atoms to form quaternary N groups.
A dye of the following structure results: ##STR21##
EXAMPLE 11
The compound in example 11 was prepared in a manner similar to the one described in example 10 except that 4-aminomorpholine was used in lieu of 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol.
A dye of the following structure results: ##STR22##
EXAMPLE 12
The compound in example 12 was prepared in a manner similar to the one described in example 10 except that 4-(2-aminoethyl)morpholine was used in lieu of 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol.
A dye of the following structure results: ##STR23##
EXAMPLE 13
The compound in example 13 was prepared in a manner similar to the one described in example 10 except that 2-aminopyrimidine was used in lieu of 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol.
A dye of the following structure results: ##STR24##
EXAMPLE 14
The compound in example 14 was prepared in a manner similar to the one described in example 10 except that aminopyrazine was used in lieu of 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol.
A dye of the following structure results: ##STR25##
EXAMPLE 15
The compound in example 15 was prepared in a manner similar to the one described in example 10 except that 3-dimethylaminopropylamine was used in lieu of 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol.
A dye of the following structure results: ##STR26##
EXAMPLE 16
The compound in example 16 was prepared in a manner similar to the one described in example 10 except that 4-amino-1,2,4-triazole was used in lieu of 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol.
A dye of the following structure results: ##STR27##
EXAMPLE 17
The compound in example 17 was prepared in a manner similar to the one described in example 10 except that ethanolamine was used in lieu of 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol.
A dye of the following structure results: ##STR28##
EXAMPLE 18
0.01125 mol C.I. Reactive Yellow 2 (purified for ink-jet use) is dissolved in 250 mL of de-ionized water, 0.01125 mol diethylaminoethylamine is added dropwise. After addition, the temperature of the mixture is raised to 70° C., and the pH of the mixture is kept at 8 by dropping in 2N NaOH. The reaction is carried out under these conditions for 18 hours, then cooled to room temperature. Dropwise addition of an equimolar amount of dimethyl sulfate while keeping the pH at 7-8 by addition of 2N NaOH alkylated the N atoms to form quaternary N groups.
A dye of the following structure results: ##STR29##
EXAMPLE 19
The compound in example 19 was prepared in a manner similar to the one described in example 18 except that 2-(2-aminoethylamino)ethanol was used in lieu of diethylaminoethylamine.
A dye of the following structure results: ##STR30##
EXAMPLE 20
The compound in example 20 was prepared in a manner similar to the one described in example 18 except that 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine was used in lieu of diethylaminoethylamine.
A dye of the following structure results: ##STR31##
EXAMPLE 21
Copper phthalocyanine (11.5 g, 0.019 moles) is chlorosulfonated in a known manner. (cf. The Chemistry of Synthetic Dyes, vol. VI, pp. 312-323; K. Venkataraman, Ed., Academic Press, New York and London, 1972). After drown-out and icing, the paste of copper phthalocyanine tetrasulfonyl chloride (73 g) is repasted with 200 g of ice.
N,N-diethylethylenediamine (9.3 g, 0.079 moles) is mixed with 50 g of ice, and is stirred well. The paste of CPC tetrasulfonyl chloride is added in a thin stream. The mixture is stirred 16 hours during which the pH drops from 12 to 8. The precipitated product is filtered. The filter cake is redissolved in 50 mL deionized water and sufficient 2N sodium hydroxide to give complete solution at a pH of 10-11. Dimethyl sulfate (10 g, 0.079 moles) is then added dropwise at pH of 10. The pH is maintained by adding 2N sodium hydroxide as required with stirring. After the pH has stabilized at 10, the solution is purified by ultrafiltration. The product has the structure: ##STR32##
EXAMPLE 22
Using the method of Example 21, but substituting an equimolar amount of 3-dimethylaminopropylamine in place of the N,N-diethylethylenediamine, the following dye molecule is produced: ##STR33##
EXAMPLE 23
A control ink was prepared using commercial basic dye, C.I. Basic Red 15 (all percentages are by weight based on total weight of the ink).
______________________________________ 2% C.I. Basic Red 15 15% 2,2-Thiodiethanol (humectant) 6% 1,2-Hexanediol (penetrant) 0.1% Proxel ™ GXL (Biocide) 76.9% DI Water______________________________________
The components were added together and stirred thoroughly. The pH was maintained at 5 by adding glycolic acid and/or NaOH.
A Lexmark® Ink Jet Cartridge was charged with the resulting control ink and inserted in a Lexmark WinWriter® 150C printer. The resulting plain paper printed images were exposed to a Xenon Arc Fadometer for about 24, 48, and 72 hours. After about 72 hours, the paper printed images essentially disappeared (DE determined by CIE Lab Values was approximately 70).
EXAMPLE 24
Example 24 was conducted in a manner similar to the one described in example 23 except that the dye in example 9 was used to produce a first ink in lieu of C.I. Basic Red 15. After about 72 hours of Xenon Arc Fadometer exposure, the resulting plain paper printed images clearly appeared (DE determined by CIE Lab Value was approximately 10). After comparing the color of the paper printed images in examples 23 and 24 (after 72 hours), the images in example 24 (based on qualitative observations) displayed a higher color value/saturation than the images prepared in example 23. This indicates that the novel compounds (when employed in ink compositions) retained a large array of colors and gave superior lightfastness properties when compared to conventional commercial dyes.
EXAMPLE 25
The paper printed image made in example 24 was sprayed with water. Based on qualitative observations, the printed image washed/spread in a manner consistent with images made from inks comprising cationic dyes. This qualitative test indicated that the waterfast properties of the instant novel compounds were consistent with conventional cationic dyes.
EXAMPLE 26
A Lexmark Ink Jet Cartridge similar to the one prepared in example 24 (first ink) and a commercially available second ink cartridge (anionic carbon black pigment dispersion) were applied side by side using a Lexmark WinWriter 150C Printer. The results demonstrating the flocculating properties of the novel compounds prepared in this invention may be described as follows in the following illustration:
A commercially available anionic carbon black pigment ink dispersion and the control magenta ink of Example 23 were printed side by side. Visual analysis/inspection of the resulting print sample revealed that bleeding/migration between the two inks took place. The bleeding/migration was confirmed because letters of the print sample did not have clean and sharp edges.
A commercially available anionic black ink pigment dispersion and the magenta ink of Example 24 were printed sided by side. Visual analysis/inspection of the resulting print sample revealed that bleeding/migration between the two inks did not take place. The lack of bleeding/migration was confirmed because letters of the print sample did have clean and sharp edges.
In summary, numerous benefits have been described which result from employing the concepts of the invention. The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto. | A flocculating dye reduces bleed between two inks when they are applied side by side. A first ink comprises the flocculating dye which flocculates the dispersant-pigment of the second ink. | 2 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the invention is control systems for subsurface safety valves (SSV) and more particularly a device that allows changeover to a redundant system while isolating a closure spring from the hydrostatic pressure effects of one of the control lines from the surface to the SSV.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
SSVs are used in production strings to control the well. They are mounted in the string and are hydraulically controlled from the surface. Typically a control line runs parallel to the production string and is connected to the SSV housing. Applying pressure moves a piston that is connected to a flow tube. The flow tube is pushed against a closure spring by the piston. The flow tube also engages a flapper to rotate it 90 degrees so that the flow tube can advance as the open flapper is now outside the flow tube. The housing has a seat and the flapper is biased by a torsion spring against the seat. The movement of the piston to urge the flow tube to move winds the torsion spring and compresses the closure spring at the same time. When pressure is removed or lost from the control line, the closure spring pushes the flow tube and interconnected operating piston against the hydrostatic pressure in the control line so that as the flow tube rises the torsion spring is enabled to rotate the flapper into contact with the seat.
If a problem occurs within the SSV it usually means that it has to be pulled with the production string. Variations involving balance control lines or pressurized chambers in the SSV housing have been developed to allow offsetting of hydrostatic pressure since the hydrostatic pressure in the main control line is offset and that allows a smaller closure spring to close the valve without having to also overcome the hydrostatic pressure in the control line.
Problems could occur in the hydraulic actuation system such as a control line leak or an operating piston seal leak, for example. Dual operating control systems have been developed so that one operates the SSV while the other system is isolated until needed. In these systems, each control system had its own control line and operating piston where both operating pistons were engaged to the flow tube. In order not to burden the single closure spring with the added hydrostatic pressure from two parallel control lines the system that is offline is isolated with a rupture disc so that the hydrostatic pressure above the disc is not felt by the closure spring until the disc is broken, generally by raising tubing pressure.
However, in subsea systems the delivered pressures are controlled and can't be arbitrarily raised to affect a switch to the backup control system by raising the pressure in the system above the normal operating range. This condition in subsea systems has been addressed by the present invention. There are the two control lines each going to a discrete independent operating piston. Each piston is coupled to a rod and the two rods interact. The rod associated with the piston where control line pressure is applied is free to move to operate the SSV in the normal manner. The movement of the first piston and its associated rod results in support for the other rod in a variety of ways explained below. The result is that the rod associated with the non-pressurized system has the hydrostatic pressure in its control line isolated from the closure spring. Removing applied pressure from the control lines lets the system go back to neutral so that either of the two redundant systems can be thereafter activated. Those skilled in the art will gain a better understanding of the invention from the description of the preferred embodiment with the associated drawings that appear below with the understanding that the claims define the full scope of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A system is provided for switching between redundant control systems for a subsurface safety valve (SSV) while being able to isolate the closure spring from hydrostatic pressure in the control line of the system that is not being used. There are two control lines that connect to discrete operating pistons that are both coupled to the flow tube. Each operating piston is connected to a control rod with the control rods terminating near opposed ends of a pivoting member. Pushing down on one rod pushes up on the other rod so that the other rod is held supported and the hydrostatic pressure in its associated control line doesn't materially affect the force needed by the closure spring to close the SSV. Releasing control line pressure puts the system in neutral to allow either of the systems to be reselected.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a section view of one embodiment of the system in a neutral position;
FIG. 2 is the view of FIG. 1 with one system activated and the other having its hydrostatic pressure isolated;
FIG. 3 is an alternative embodiment in the neutral position;
FIG. 4 is the view of FIG. 3 with one system actuated and the other having its hydrostatic pressure isolated;
FIG. 5 shows how the isolated system is released from isolation;
FIG. 6 shows how the isolated system is held in isolation;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of FIG. 6 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
For clarity, most of the common components of SSVs are omitted from the FIGS. Instead the focus is on showing the flow tube and operating pistons that are attached to it. Those skilled in the art will know that a closure spring is below the flow tube and is compressed when the flow tube is forced down by the operating piston. In turn, pressure in a control line is delivered to an operating piston that can be of an annular or rod shape and is sealed in a bore in the SSV housing. Of course, the flow tube rotates the flapper when moved down and the torsion spring on the flapper pivot rotates the flapper to its seat when the closure spring pushes up the flow tube.
With all that as an introduction to typical components in a SSV, the drawings will show how those systems interact when redundant systems are provided and there is a need to be able to switch between them as well as to isolate hydrostatic pressure from the control line associated with the system that is not in use.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are illustrative of one embodiment. Arrows 10 and 12 schematically illustrate control lines from the surface to a SSV housing 14 . The housing 14 is shown cut away so that the flow tube 16 within can be seen. Line 12 leads to operating piston 18 and line 10 leads to operating piston 20 . As is well known in the art the operating pistons 18 and 20 have seals in a bore in the housing 14 so that applied pressure in their respective control lines 12 and 10 results in movement of the respective piston. Piston 18 has a clamp or similar device 22 attached to it while piston 20 has a similar device 24 . Devices 22 and 24 are designed to move in tandem with their respective piston. Flow tube 16 has a radial surface 26 that is designed to be engaged by clamps 22 or 24 when either one is moved from the FIG. 1 position by pressure applied in control lines 10 or 12 . As is well known in the art, the flow tube 16 has its downward motion resisted by a closure spring. Additionally, downward movement of the flow tube 16 rotates a flapper 90 degrees and away from its seat and behind the flow tube 16 to define the valve open position. The closure spring acting on the flow tube 16 returns it to the valve closed position shown in FIG. 1 .
Mounted within the housing 14 is a pivoting member 28 on which rests the lower ends 30 and 32 of rods 34 and 36 respectively. Rod 34 is clamped to piston 18 and rod 36 is clamped to piston 20 respectively by clamps 22 and 24 for tandem movement. Shown illustratively on rod 36 but also useful on rod 34 is a wear pad 38 that gives lateral support to the rod 36 when pivoting member 28 is rotated against it, as shown in FIG. 2 . As also shown in FIG. 2 , the pivoting member 28 is underneath lower end 30 so as to support rod 34 . Since rod 34 is attached to piston 18 through clamp 22 , the hydrostatic pressure in control line 12 is supported in the FIG. 2 position from pivot pin 40 .
FIG. 2 shows control line pressure applied to control line 10 while no external pressure is applied to control line 12 . Piston 20 with attached clamp 24 has been pushed down. Clamp 24 has engaged surface 26 so that the flow tube 16 moves in tandem with clamp 24 . That very movement brings down rod 36 , which causes pivoting member 28 to rotate clockwise about pivot pin 40 until pivoting member 28 is pushing laterally on wear pad 38 . At the same time, another portion of pivoting member 28 has gotten under lower end 30 because of the frusto-conical shape of member 28 . In the FIG. 2 position, rod 34 and piston 18 clamped to it are fully supported from member 28 so that the hydrostatic pressure from line 12 , which at this time has no applied pressure, is transmitted through rod 34 and pivot pin 40 laterally into wear pad 38 . When pressure is removed from line 10 , the closure spring that acts on the flow tube 16 pushes it up to allow the components to return from the FIG. 2 position back to the FIG. 1 position. Subsequently, applying pressure to line 12 simply makes the member 28 rotate counterclockwise as clamp 22 lands on shoulder 26 to push the flow tube 16 down to open the SSV.
What is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a SSV with a redundant control system where the control system that is off line has its hydrostatic pressure in its respective control line isolated from having any force applied to the flow tube 16 so that the closure spring shown schematically as 29 can be sized for the hydrostatic pressure from a single control line when there are redundant control systems in place, particularly in a situation where pressures higher than the normal operating pressures to open the SSV cannot be applied, such as in subsea systems. It should be noted that unlike a backup system that is isolated with a rupture disc, this system continues to isolate hydrostatic pressure from the control line of a dual system that is not in active use regardless of how many times cycling has gone on between the redundant systems. In a system where the redundant system is isolated with a rupture disc, once the disc is broken, the hydrostatic pressure in the associated control line will no longer be isolated.
FIG. 3 shows a preferred embodiment that is similar in operation to FIGS. 1 and 2 except in the manner the hydrostatic pressure in the off line system is isolated from the flow tube 16 ′. Instead of transmitting the hydrostatic force through pivoting member 28 and its pin 40 into a lateral load on a wear pad such as 38 on the rod that has been pushed down by the control system that has had pressure applied to it, the preferred system of FIG. 3 employs a series of collets 42 that have a support surface 44 . Collets 42 are sprung radially outwardly but do not move longitudinally. As shown in FIG. 4 the collar 22 ′ gets pushed up in the manner previously described until it goes higher than support surface 44 . From that point piston 18 ′ is supported and the hydrostatic pressure in line 12 ′ is effectively isolated from flow tube 16 ′ and from the closure spring that eventually has to push it up when applied pressure is removed from control line 10 ′. Clamp 22 ′ resists all the hydrostatic, when landed on support surface 44 , so that little if any lateral force is transmitted through pivoting member 28 ′ to rod 36 ′ after clockwise rotation of member 28 ′. Just as before for moving down the flow tube 16 ′ there is a shoulder 26 ′ for either clamp 22 ′ or 24 ′ to engage to push down the flow tube 16 ′. The difference is how a clamp such as 22 ′ once resting on support surface 44 is enabled to move down beyond it. This can better be understood by looking at the section views of FIGS. 5 and 6 . In FIG. 6 , clamp 22 ′ is shown supported from surface 44 of collets 42 . Shoulder 26 ′ is also illustrated in the pushed down position that has resulted from clamp 24 ′ pushing it down. When applied pressure in control line 10 ′ is removed the closure spring abutting flow tube 16 ′ will push it up relative to surface 44 that is stationary but sprung radially outwardly. As the flow tube 16 ′ comes up with rod 36 ′ shoulder 26 ′ is also moving up and bringing circumferential channel 46 close to the ends 48 of collets 42 . The conclusion of this movement is shown in FIG. 5 where the ends 48 have been pulled inwardly by landing in channel 46 . As soon as that happens, the hydrostatic pressure in line 12 ′ can push down rod 34 ′ and the pivoting member 28 ′ rotates counterclockwise from the FIG. 4 position back to the FIG. 3 position. FIG. 7 is simply a perspective view of FIG. 6 .
While motion of the components in one direction and a return to the neutral position has been described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that with a redundant system available, either one can be actuated first and the difference is simply the pivot direction of member 28 or 28 ′. Thus, the advantage of isolating hydrostatic pressure from one of the surface control lines from the flow tube is simply accomplished in either embodiment particularly in a situation where the hydraulic system is regulated not to exceed the normal range of operating pressures. Additionally, the illustrated systems offer an advantage over rupture disc isolation in that they are cycle independent as compared to a rupture disc system which works once and is disabled. Further, the use of a rupture disc for an isolator carries additional risks of fragments breaking off the disc when it is deliberately broken and causing the piston below to jam or its seals to leak. Either event will normally require pulling a string with the SSV at significant cost. While a variety of solutions to a changeover from one redundant system to another have been illustrated, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention encompasses redundant systems that allow for changeover any number of times while isolating the closure spring from hydrostatic of any redundant line(s). While one backup system has been illustrated, more than one backup system can be integrated into a SSV.
While clamped rods have been illustrated in conjunction with pivoting member 28 , those skilled in the art will appreciate that such rods can be eliminated for protruding structures directly from a piston. In FIG. 1 for example, clamp 24 can still engage surface 26 but rod 36 can be replaced with a tab coming out of piston 20 and positioned to engage pivoting member 28 to rotate it clockwise. In the same manner, rod 34 can also be replaced.
The above description is illustrative of the preferred embodiment and many modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention whose scope is to be determined from the literal and equivalent scope of the claims below. | A system is provided for switching between redundant control systems for a subsurface safety valve (SSV) while being able to isolate the closure spring from hydrostatic pressure in the control line of the system that is not being used. There are two control lines that connect to discrete operating pistons that are both coupled to the flow tube. Each operating piston is connected to a control rod with the control rods terminating near opposed ends of a pivoting member. Pushing down on one rod pushes up on the other rod so that the other rod is held supported and the hydrostatic pressure in its associated control line doesn't affect the force needed by the closure spring to close the SSV. Releasing control line pressure puts the system in neutral to allow either of the systems to be reselected. | 4 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a U.S. National Stage Entry of International Patent Application Serial Number PCT/EP2012/005118, filed Dec. 12, 2012.
Field
The present invention relates to a transportable reformer for the catalytic reforming of hydrocarbons using steam at elevated pressure to produce synthesis gas. Such synthesis gas can be used, for instance, to produce ammonia, hydrogen and methanol, and the reformer is designed to enable transportation.
BACKGROUND
Reactors for the catalytic reforming of hydrocarbons using steam have been known for a long time and in a multitude of embodiments. For large-scale plants, one type has established itself, in which a top-fired box furnace with vertically arranged reaction tubes, or rather reformer tubes, is used. Here, the reformer tubes are arranged in rows. The feedstock flows through the catalyst-packed reformer tubes from top to bottom and, in so doing, is subjected to a so-called reforming process.
The gas outlet temperatures are normally 850° C. and above. The process gas leaving the reformer tubes is collected in manifolds, inside or outside the fired zone of the furnace. There are burners positioned in the “gaps” between the rows of tubes, said burners firing vertically downwards. The fired zone of the whole reformer is also called the furnace box. On average the temperatures in the furnace box range from 1000 to 1250° C. The furnace walls are provided with a protective refractory lining for heat insulation and for protection from the high temperatures that prevail due to heating.
The furnace box, in which the firing devices are located, has a number of brick tunnels at the bottom of the box for collecting the flue gases. These are basically arranged horizontally, in parallel and at right angles to the vertical tubes. The flue gas generated flows through the furnace box from top to bottom and is drawn off through these flue gas tunnels at the bottom which have openings at the sides.
DE 1 767 980 discloses a tube furnace for carrying out reforming reactions in the presence of catalysts, with vertically arranged tube layers consisting of individual tubes suspended elastically at their upper ends and joined to submanifolds at their lower ends, as well as top downfiring burners parallel to the tube layers, said aforementioned submanifolds resting on the hearth of the furnace as a support for the tubes and each submanifold being connected to a manifold externally of the furnace via a lateral outlet, said manifold resting on a support permitting sliding displacement transversely thereof and being connected to a discharge or transfer conduit supported by an elastic suspension means. In the above, the submanifolds correspond to the manifolds in the present invention, albeit the submanifolds are arranged within the furnace on its hearth. The smoke discharge flues—corresponding to flue gas tunnels—are partly inside the furnace and partly below the furnace.
One type of reformer is described, for example, in detail in WO 2010/149361 A2. Essentially, a reformer consists of a feed system for the feedstocks destined for reforming, a reformer tube and outlet manifold system and a firing zone with the equipment required for firing. With regard to the so-called “box form” of the reformer, separate foundations are required to support the firing zone and the manifolds and reformer tubes. For this reason, the reformer cannot be transported as is, as without specific action the manifolds do not, for example, have a fixed connection to the firing zone. Furthermore, bulky transport braces would be required for the self-supporting brick flue gas tunnels within the firing zone.
Due to its size the reformer has, until now, been assembled from prefabricated components direct at its final destination. This assembly is lengthy and requires considerable amounts of personnel and tools. At some destinations it is not unusual for completion of the plant to be delayed due to a lack of competent personnel.
SUMMARY
Therefore, the invention relates to the problem of providing a transportable reformer that is transported to the destination or place of operation in a manageable number of reformer parts, where it can be easily assembled to form a complete reformer, or is even transported ready-assembled to the destination from the place where it is put together or assembled.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The present disclosure is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a transportable reformer of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2 is a side partial cross section view of an embodiment of a transportable reformer of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The objective is solved by a transportable reformer for the catalytic primary reforming of hydrocarbons using steam at elevated pressure, the transportable reformer having a reformer tube system and a firing zone,
said reformer tube system comprising, as the reaction chamber, a plurality of vertical tubes that are arranged in rows and are suitable for being packed with catalyst, as well as devices for feeding the hydrocarbons to be reformed and steam to the reaction chamber, and comprising in the top part of the firing zone a plurality of firing devices arranged in parallel, said firing devices arranged in parallel being positioned between each of the reformer tubes and consisting of a plurality of burners arranged in rows, and said burners basically being able to generate flames that are directed downwards and which are suitable for heating the reformer tubes, as well as manifolds for discharging the reformed synthesis gas from the reaction chamber, said manifolds being outside the reaction chamber, and flue gas tunnels for discharging the flue gas generated in the firing zone, a plurality of said flue gas tunnels being arranged horizontally in parallel underneath the firing zone and said flue gas tunnels being arranged between each of the manifolds, said flue gas tunnels and the firing zone being firmly connected to each other, and said manifolds being connected to the flue gas tunnel in such a way that they are integrated with the rest of the reformer and so the ready-assembled reformer is designed as a transportable reformer.
In the prior art the flue gas tunnels are positioned inside the reaction chamber at the bottom in order to discharge the flue gases generated in the firing zone. The flue gas tunnels according to the invention are arranged horizontally, in parallel, outside and below the reaction chamber, between each of the manifolds. As the flue gas tunnels are positioned outside the reaction chamber, the flue gas tunnels can be firmly connected with the manifolds, reaction chamber and outer housing to form a system so that a reformer built according to this system is transportable.
The reformer can be pre-assembled to the point that it only needs to be transported from the place of assembly to the destination and fixed on a pre-prepared solid base or concrete columns.
If requested, the reformer can also be formed from a manageable number of interdependent parts on a modular basis, the interdependent parts being prefabricated so that they can be joined together at the place of assembly or so that the modules of interdependent parts are transported from the place of assembly to the destination and assembled at the destination. For example, the reformer can basically consist of an interdependent top and an interdependent bottom part, said top part basically comprising a feed system, reformer tube system and a firing zone, and the flue gas tunnels and manifolds being in the bottom part.
As a consequence of the flue gas tunnel arrangement according to the invention, the flue gas tunnels may be of various shapes, and the flue gas tunnels can thus have a U, V or a trapezoidal cross section.
The flue gas tunnel is positioned so that the openings are facing upwards in order that the flue gas generated in the reaction chamber can flow into the flue gas tunnel, the opening being covered by a cover slab provided with a flue gas inlet.
The flue gas inlets through the cover slabs into the flue gas tunnel are shaped as slots, holes, swirl inducers or gaps between the cover slabs.
So that the hot flue gas can flow through the flue gas tunnel, the flue gas tunnel has an inner and an outer wall, the inner wall of the flue gas tunnel being composed of a refractory lining and the outer wall of the flue gas tunnel of steel, with the inner wall and outer wall being firmly attached to each other.
Here, the outer wall is usually made of steel; the refractory lining of the inner wall may, for example, be constructed of stones, concrete, fibres or other refractory materials. Of course, the inner wall and the outer need to be interconnected in such a way that they can, in themselves, be transported. So that the reformer can be transported as a whole, the flue gas tunnels are, for example, connected to the bottom of the firing zone and the manifolds, on the other hand, to the flue gas tunnels or the bottom of the firing zone. Below the manifolds there are fasteners and supports at predefined intervals across the entire length to support said manifolds. These fasteners and supports may be of various constructional designs.
At the same time, the fasteners or supports of the manifolds are each arranged on a separate girder which in each case connects two flue gas tunnels at the outer walls so that the loads of the reformer tube system are passed into the outer walls of the flue gas tunnels.
The manifold supports can each be arranged vertically on a separate girder, each of said girders horizontally connecting two flue gas tunnels at the outer walls so that the loads of the reformer tube system are passed into the outer walls of the flue gas tunnels. In a first step, the reformer tube system is thus firmly connected to the furnace box. The arrangement of the supports on the girders can be designed in the shape of an equal-sided trapezoid as with this variant equal stability and load distribution is also achieved.
Attaching the manifolds to the rest of the reformer as above constitutes only one variant. The fasteners or supports of the manifolds can also be designed differently as long as the same effect is achieved. For example, the manifolds can also be attached via a pipe hanger construction at the bottom of the furnace box.
As the fully assembled reformer is fixed to a pre-prepared spot at the destination, usually with fixed sturdy concrete columns, there is a specific pre-determined distance between the floor and the manifolds. This also results in the manifolds being cooled naturally. In order to ensure the manifolds are thus cooled in any event, a warm-air stack is provided so that one end of each gap between two flue gas tunnels is connected to a separate or common warm-air stack, the natural draught of which guarantees a constant supply of fresh air in the gaps.
FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 illustrate the design of the flue gas tunnel and the manifolds of the transportable reformer according to the invention.
The fully assembled reformer can be transported as a whole. The reaction chamber basically comprising the reformer tube system and firing devices is only shown in a simplified way here.
FIG. 1 shows a plurality of flue gas tunnels ( 1 ) and manifolds ( 2 ) arranged horizontally in parallel below the firing zone, said flue gas tunnels ( 1 ) being positioned between each of the manifolds ( 2 ). The depth of the flue gas tunnels can be between 2 m and 3 m, preferably 2.5 m, the width of the flue gas tunnels is between 0.5 m and 0.8 m, and the refractory lining ( 3 ) of the flue gas tunnel ( 1 ) is approximately 0.2 m to 0.35 m. The diameter of the manifolds ( 2 ) including the refractory lining is between 0.5 m and 0.66 m. In some examples, such as that shown in FIG. 1 for instance, all of the plurality of flue gas tunnels ( 1 ) of the transportable reformer are disposed below the firing zone of the furnace and/or beneath the bottom of the furnace for the reasons set forth above. In other words, in some cases none of the plurality of flue gas tunnels ( 1 ) are disposed in the firing zone of the furnace or above the bottom of the furnace, as can be seen in FIG. 1 , for example.
In addition to the firing device ( 7 ), process gas tubes ( 6 ) and manifold ( 2 ), FIG. 2 also shows a warm-air stack ( 8 ) so that a constant supply of fresh air between the manifolds is guaranteed.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS AND DESIGNATIONS
1 Flue gas tunnel
2 Manifold
3 Refractory lining
4 Girder
5 Cover slab
6 Process gas tube
7 Firing device
8 Warm-air stack | Disclosed is a transportable reformer for the catalytic primary reforming of hydrocarbons using steam at elevated pressure, comprising a reforming tube system, a furnace disposed about the reforming tube system, a plurality of manifolds in communication with the reformer tubes, a plurality of flue gas tunnels disposed beneath and in gaseous communication with the furnace, wherein each of the manifolds is integrally coupled to, disposed between, and supported by the opposing outer walls of an adjacent pair of flue gas tunnels such that the reformer is configured to be transportable as a single unit without additional support structures. | 2 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method of visualizing a sequence of ultrasound images of an object in motion, wherein said motion is a complex motion composed of motion components from a plurality of origins.
[0002] The present invention further relates to a computer program product for implementing such a method.
[0003] The present invention yet further relates to an ultrasound system for executing such a computer program product.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The advent of 3D ultrasound imaging techniques has transformed ultrasound imaging into a powerful diagnostic tool as such techniques provide a powerful visualization tool of the anatomy of a subject under investigation at a fraction of the cost of other diagnostic tools such as MRI. A particularly powerful aspect of ultrasound imaging is the ability to capture tissue motion, which can assist a clinician in diagnostic evaluations of the subject under investigation.
[0005] The most common visualization mode used in ultrasound imaging is a 2D image, also referred to as the B-mode. The advent of 3D ultrasound imaging techniques has not changed this because 3D visualization is more difficult to achieve and interpret, and most valuable information is retrieved from inside tissues, so that the cut planes or slices in B-mode allow for a more intuitive retrieval of the information of interest than 3D views. Since ultrasound imaging techniques are able to produce images in real-time or to record time sequences of an anatomical object in motion, important information can also be extracted from the tissue motion of such an object. In such a scenario, the visualization may simply consist of tracing the variations of a line representing a portion of interest of the tissue over time; this visualization mode is also referred to as the M-mode. However, due to probe motion, anatomical motion or both, a plane or line that is fixed in the reference frame of the probe usually is not fixed in the reference frame of the anatomical object of interest.
[0006] US 2007/0269092 A1 discloses an ultrasound diagnostic imaging system and method, wherein volumetric data in respect of an anatomical region of interest is acquired throughout a physiological cycle in relation thereto, a 3D view of the volumetric data is built, the motion of a structure of interest (in space and/or time) is analyzed within the volume throughout the above-mentioned physiological cycle, and this motion is used to move a 3D view of the structure of interest, as presented to a user, so that it tracks the structure of interest and retains it centred in the 3D view. This for instance is useful to compensate for out of viewing plane movement of the structure of interest, thereby providing a stabilized view of a region of interest of the structure.
[0007] However, the motion of the structure of interest often is a complex motion, wherein different motion components from different origins combine to produce the overall motion of the structure of interest. For instance, when imaging a heart, the overall motion in the 3D image sequence may have a number of origins, such as probe motion, breathing motion and blood pumping motion, i.e. cardiac muscle activity, which in itself is a complex combination of twist and compression in both the longitudinal and radial directions of the heart. In such a situation, motion stabilization may not be sufficient to provide a clinician with a clear picture of the relevant motion.
[0008] For instance, a clinician such as a cardiologist may be interested in the motion of the myocardium in a short-axis view of the left ventricle of a heart. A heart 10 is schematically depicted in FIG. 1 . Heart motion is usually modelled in the medical community by a combination of simple motions, including a rotation around the main (long) axis 20 of the heart 10 . In a normal heart, a twisting and untwisting motion appears around the long axis 20 as the result of different rotation speed and amplitude between the basal and apical areas of the heart 10 . This is explained in more detail by Gerald Buckberg et al. in Cardiac Mechanics Revisited: The Relationship of Cardiac Architecture to Ventricular Function, Circulation, 2008; 118: 2571 2587; see in particular page 2573. The clinician may select a 2D view plane 30 or a multi-planar reconstruction view, corresponding to the short-axis view at mid-distance between the septum and the mitral annulus at a given time point in the cardiac cycle, and play a full heart cycle sequence. The apparent motion that is displayed in this 2D view is not the motion of the targeted part of the myocardium because out-of-plane motion of the heart 10 drags the targeted part out of the view.
[0009] EP 2 397 076 A1 discloses a medical image processing device comprising an image acquisition unit that acquires three-dimensional image data including a moving organ; an image display unit that displays the three-dimensional image data as a three-dimensional image; an object-to-be-measured setting unit that sets a desired object to be measured on the three-dimensional image displayed on the image display unit; a diagnostic index calculating unit that calculates the amount of displacement of the three-dimensional image data in each time phase for the desired object to be measured and calculates a diagnostic index on the basis of the amount of displacement calculated in each time phase; and a control unit that performs control to display the diagnostic index on the image display unit.
[0010] Therefore, it is desirable to have the 2D view follow this out-of-plane motion. However, stabilization techniques cannot be applied for this purpose, as such techniques would completely compensate for the motion of the target tissue, i.e. a complex motion including rigid translation, twist and contraction components, such that the clinician would not see any motion at all. On the other hand, some form of motion compensation is desirable; due to the global motion of the heart 10 , differentiating between normal and abnormal twisting/untwisting of such areas can be very difficult. This is problematic, given that these motions are critical indicators of the left ventricular function of the heart 10 .
[0011] The problem of such global motion is schematically depicted in FIG. 2-4 . FIG. 2 schematically depicts an object to be visualized in a 3D imaging sequence, such as the heart, which object comprises a plurality of regions 32 of interest, e.g. apical and basal regions of the heart oriented along the long axis 20 , wherein within such a region of interest, features 34 of interest may be present, such as different sections of the myocardium within a single region. FIG. 2 schematically depicts the object as captured in the 3D imaging sequence at point in time t 1 . FIG. 3 schematically depicts the object as captured in the 3D imaging sequence at point in time t 2 . By comparing FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , it will be apparent that the object of interest has undergone a complex motion in which the object as a whole has been displaced and rotated, wherein regions 32 of interest in addition have rotated relative to each other and wherein features 34 within regions 32 furthermore have moved relative to other parts of the region 32 .
[0012] Consequently, when the motion of the object under investigation is visualized, it is difficult for the clinician to draw meaningful conclusions from the visualized motion. For example, left ventricle motion may be visualized using the well-known myocardial segmented visualization model of the left ventricle of the American Heart Association as originally published in Circulation, 2002, 105, pages 539-542. Such a short-axis visualization is schematically depicted in FIG. 4 , which depicts the basal plane 41 and apical plane 42 of the left ventricle in such a segmented visualization as derived from the 3D ultrasound image sequence including the 3D images captured at t=t 1 and t=t 2 respectively.
[0013] As can be seen from comparing these segmented visualizations, the myocardium in both the basal plane 41 and the apical plane 42 has been subjected to a degree of rotation θ a and θ b respectively from t 1 to t 2 , but due to the fact that this rotation is a complex rotation composed of a plurality of rotational components, it is impossible for the clinician to determine if there is a difference in rotation between the basal plane 41 and apical plane 42 originating from cardiac twisting. In other words, these visualizations do not allow the clinician to easily differentiate between normal and abnormal twisting/untwisting of such areas.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The present invention seeks to provide a method of visualizing a sequence of ultrasound images in which such complex motions can be decomposed.
[0015] The present invention further seeks to provide a computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium containing computer program code for implementing such a method when executed on a processor of an ultrasound system.
[0016] The present invention yet further seeks to provide an ultrasound system comprising such a computer program product.
[0017] According to a first aspect, there is provided a method of visualizing a sequence of 3D ultrasound images of an object in motion, wherein said motion is a complex motion composed of motion components from a plurality of origins, the method comprising acquiring said sequence of 3D ultrasound images, said sequence including a first 3D ultrasound image acquired at a first point in time and a second 3D ultrasound image acquired at a second point in time; providing a motion tracking model modelling a contribution to the complex motion, said contribution originating from a subset of said motion components; determining said complex motion from the first and second 3D ultrasound images; and visualizing a contribution of the motion tracking model to the complex motion of said object in order to obtain a motion-decomposed visualization of said complex motion. The complex motion is e.g. formed of translational and rotational motion components.
[0018] By providing a motion tracking model that tracks or models part of the complex motion to which an object in motion such as a heart is subjected during the sequence, the complex motion may be decomposed such that in a visualization the contribution of the motion tracking model becomes apparent to the user evaluating the visualized motion. Such decomposition may facilitate the user, e.g. a clinician such as a cardiologist, to more easily reach diagnostically relevant conclusions. The complex motion may be decomposed such that the translational and rotational motion components become apparent to the user.
[0019] In an embodiment, the 3D ultrasound images are decomposable in a plurality of slices each depicting a different segment of the object, wherein the motion tracking model comprises a reference rotation and wherein said visualizing comprises visualizing a rotation of the segments of said object relative to said reference rotation. The complex rotation depicted in such slices, e.g. short axis views of the heart, may be decomposed in this manner, e.g. by providing a motion tracking model that tracks or simulates global rotation, such that it becomes more apparent how these segments rotate relative to each other, which will aid the user to determine if the relative rotation, e.g. twisting/untwisting of the myocardium, is abnormal.
[0020] The reference rotation may be associated with one of said segments. For instance, the reference rotation may represent a global rotation component as well as a normal local rotation component of the segment such that the motion-decomposed visualization of the segment visualizes a deviation from the expected local rotation of the segment, with the motion-decomposed visualization of the rotation of the remainder of the segments depicting rotation relative to the expected normal rotation of the segment with which the reference rotation is associated.
[0021] In an embodiment, the motion tracking model may be defined by the user, for instance using a graphical user interface. In this embodiment, providing the motion tracking model may comprise selecting a first point and a second point in the first 3D ultrasound image acquired at the first point in time to define a reference axis in said first 3D ultrasound image, and selecting a third point in said first 3D ultrasound image for tracking a rotation around said reference axis; tracking the motion of the first point, second point and third point by comparing the second 3D ultrasound image acquired at the second point in time with the first 3D ultrasound image; and defining the motion tracking model from said tracked motion of the first point, second point and third point. This for instance facilitates the definition of a reference rotation for a segment of the object in motion in which the third point is located, such that the rotation relative to this reference rotation may be visualized for the other segments. Moreover, where such a reference rotation depicts a global rotation, motions that are internal to the segment containing the third point, e.g. local contractions and so on may be visualized more clearly.
[0022] Alternatively, providing the motion tracking model may comprise providing a predefined motion tracking model, for instance a tracking model that approximates global motion of the object in motion.
[0023] In an embodiment, the predefined motion tracking model comprises a translational component and a plurality of rotational components along a central axis, said rotational components modelling rotation of different regions of the object along said central axis. This for instance may be used when decomposing the complex motion of a heart, wherein the different rotational components simulate normal twisting/untwisting of the heart during the cardiac cycle. The use of such a model in the motion-decomposed visualization of the cardiac motion immediately highlights if such motion deviates from normal behaviour.
[0024] The visualizing may comprise subtracting the motion tracking model from the complex motion; and displaying the subtraction result to obtain said motion-decomposed visualization of said complex motion. This has the advantage that the user is presented with a visualization of the decomposition result, which may allow the user to reach clinically relevant conclusions in a more straightforward manner.
[0025] Alternatively, the visualizing may comprise displaying said complex motion; and displaying a representation of the motion tracking model as an overlay on said displayed complex motion. This for instance allows the user to readily distinguish between the motion component modelled by the motion tracking model and the overall motion for a particular segment of the object under investigation.
[0026] In an embodiment, the visualization is a B-mode visualization of a left ventricle of a heart in short axis view, said visualization being based on a segmented graphical representation of the myocardium. Such a representation has the advantage that the user can easily determine the amount of twisting/untwisting by the graphical representation of the myocardium in the visualization.
[0027] The step of providing the motion tracking model may comprise selecting a motion tracking model on a graphical user interface, for instance by selecting a predefined motion tracking model from a library of such motion tracking models or by defining points to be tracked in the sequence of 3D ultrasound images as previously explained.
[0028] In an embodiment, the method further comprises adjusting the motion tracking model on said graphical user interface following said visualization; and visualizing a contribution of the adjusted motion tracking model to the complex motion of said object in order to obtain an adjusted motion-decomposed visualization of said complex motion. This allows the user to interactively apply a motion decomposition to the sequence of 3D ultrasound images by scaling the contribution of the motion tracking model to the overall complex motion, thereby fine tuning the motion tracking model and motion decomposition, which may assist a user in a better understanding of the decomposition of the various contributions to the overall complex motion of the object under investigation.
[0029] According to another aspect, there is provided a computer program product including a computer-readable medium comprising computer program code for, when executed on a processor of an ultrasound system, implementing the method according to one or more of the above embodiments. Such a computer program product facilitates the user of such an ultrasound system to evaluate a sequence of 3D ultrasound images in a more straightforward manner.
[0030] According to yet another aspect, there is provided an ultrasound system comprising the aforementioned computer program product, a probe for transmitting ultrasound waves and collecting a sequence of ultrasound echoes in response to the transmitted ultrasound waves; and a processor for generating ultrasound images from the collected ultrasound echoes, wherein the processor is adapted to execute said computer program code. Such an ultrasound system allows its user to evaluate a sequence of 3D ultrasound images in a more straightforward manner.
[0031] The ultrasound system may further comprise a workstation for displaying the motion-decomposed visualization of said complex motion, said processor being adapted to control said workstation.
[0032] The ultrasound system may further comprising a graphical user interface for defining and/or adjusting the motion tracking model on said workstation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] Embodiments of the invention are described in more detail and by way of non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0034] FIG. 1 schematically depicts a cross-section of a human heart;
[0035] FIGS. 2 and 3 schematically depict complex motion of an object in motion such as a human heart as captured by a sequence of 3D ultrasound images;
[0036] FIG. 4 is a visualization of such complex motion using a segmented graphical representation;
[0037] FIGS. 5 and 6 schematically depict the tracking of a motion component of an object in motion according to an embodiment;
[0038] FIG. 7 schematically depicts an aspect of defining a motion tracking model based on the tracking of the motion component as depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6 ;
[0039] FIG. 8 schematically depicts a visualization of a motion-decomposed motion of a heart motion captured in a 3D ultrasound image sequence according to an embodiment;
[0040] FIG. 9 schematically depicts a visualization of a motion-decomposed motion of a heart motion captured in a 3D ultrasound image sequence according to another embodiment;
[0041] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment; and
[0042] FIG. 11 schematically depicts an ultrasound system according to an example embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0043] It should be understood that the Figures are merely schematic and are not drawn to scale. It should also be understood that the same reference numerals are used throughout the Figures to indicate the same or similar parts unless indicated otherwise.
[0044] FIG. 5 schematically depicts a 3D ultrasound image of a heart in motion at a first point in time t=t 1 , wherein the heart is schematically represented by a plurality of short axis slices 32 along the long axis 20 wherein each slice 32 depicts a different slice of the heart along the long axis 20 . Each slice 32 may comprise a region 34 of interest, e.g. a left ventricle view including the myocardium for evaluation of myocardial behaviour during the 3D ultrasound image sequence of the heart.
[0045] In accordance with an embodiment, the user may create a user-defined motion tracking model by selecting a first point A and a second point B in the 3D ultrasound image at t=t 1 , wherein points A and B define a reference axis in the ultrasound image, which may be used to track rotation around this reference axis. To this end, the user may further define a third point C located in one of the slices 32 , wherein the thus defined reference frame may be used to track the motion of this reference frame throughout the sequence of 3D ultrasound images. By an informed selection of points A, B and C, e.g. by a clinician such as a cardiologist, the motion to which these points have been subjected from t 1 to t 2 may be used as a reference motion, i.e. a motion tracking model, wherein motions within the object under investigation may be decomposed as motions relative to this reference motion.
[0046] The motion to be tracked is schematically depicted in FIG. 6 , which schematically depicts a second 3D ultrasound image of the sequence at point in time t=t 2 , in which the heart has undergone a complex motion compared to the point in time t=t 1 . The motion to which the reference frame defined by points A, B and C have been subjected may be tracked in the sequence of 3D ultrasound images.
[0047] FIG. 7 schematically depicts the tracked motion of the reference frame defined by points A, B and C. The tracked motion can be seen as a composition of the affine transform T that follows the axis A-B from time t 1 to t 2 and a model of rotation R around this axis, wherein T and R have been measured from the 3D ultrasound image sequence, with T being measured from the translation of the axis A-B and R being measured from the rotation of point C around the axis A-B to compose the motion tracking model to be used in the motion decomposition of the complex motion of the object under investigation.
[0048] In an embodiment in which the 3D ultrasound image sequence captures a heart in motion, a particularly advantageous visualization of the cardiac motion, e.g. to visualize twisting/untwisting, is the 2D short-axis view (SA), i.e. the plane 30 orthogonal to the main axis 20 of the heart 10 as shown in FIG. 1 . For instance, a particularly intuitive visualization is obtained when using the aforementioned 17 segment-based myocardium visualization model of the AHA, as this facilitates accurate location of the SA planes, e.g. the basal plane 41 and the apical plane 42 . Such a 2D short axis view may be transferred into such a segmented visualization model in any suitable manner, as is well-known per se. For instance, the various AHA segments may be identified in various short axis views of a first 3D image, and associated with objects, e.g. tissue parts, that can be tracked using available tracking techniques, after which the thus associated segments may be tracked in the 3D image sequence by tracking the associated objects. As previously explained with the aid of FIG. 4 , it is clear when evaluating the complex motion visualized in this segmented model that both the basal plane 41 and the apical plane 42 undergo a rotation, but it is virtually impossible to determine if this rotation is more or less than a normal rotation of these planes over the time interval t 1 -t 2 .
[0049] In an embodiment, the chosen visualization (here a segmented visualization by way of non-limiting example) may be adapted by subtracting the motion tracking model from the overall motion captured in the 3D ultrasound image sequence in order to obtain a motion-decomposed visualization in which only a part of the overall (complex) motion is visualized. Using the example previously depicted in FIG. 4 , a motion-decomposed visualization as schematically depicted in FIG. 8 may be obtained. By subtracting the contribution of the motion tracking model from the overall motion, in particular the rotational component R(t 1 →t 2 ) modelling the rotational component of the motion tracking model from the overall rotations θ b and θ a respectively, it becomes immediately apparent that the remaining rotation component is larger for the basal plane 41 compared to the apical plane 42 . This demonstrates that the use of such a motion tracking model can assist the user in obtaining a more straightforward visualization of decomposed motion components, e.g. motion components of interest such as diagnostically relevant motion components.
[0050] In an alternative embodiment, the chosen visualization (here a segmented visualization by way of non-limiting example) may be adapted by overlaying the motion tracking model onto the overall motion captured in the 3D ultrasound image sequence in order to obtain a motion-decomposed visualization in which the contribution of the motion tracking model to the overall (complex) motion is visualized. This is schematically depicted in FIG. 9 , in which the dashed lines in the anatomical model representation at t=t 2 depict the contribution of the rotational component R(t 1 →t 2 ) of the motion tracking model to the overall visualized rotation. In addition to clearly demonstrating that the remaining rotation component is larger for the basal plane 41 compared to the apical plane 42 , this furthermore visualizes the contribution of the tracked motion to the overall motion captured in the 3D ultrasound image sequence.
[0051] At this point, it is noted that the user-defined motion tracking model is particularly suitable to visualize rotation of further parts of the object under investigation such as the heart relative to a tracked rotation of a particular part of the object, particularly the segment of the object containing the user-selected point C, which may be considered a reference segment. As will be understood by the skilled person, when applying the motion tracking model to the complex motion of the reference segment, this reference segment will appear as a stationary segment in which only motions relative to the tracked rotation, e.g. localized tissue rotations or contractions, may be visualized in the motion-decomposed view.
[0052] However, because segments of the object under investigation other than a reference segment may rotate at different speeds than the reference segment, such differences in speed, i.e. relative rotations, will become apparent when applying the motion tracking model to the tracked overall motion in order to obtain the motion-decomposed visualization of the object of interest. In other words, the motion tracking model may be considered to comprise a reference rotation, i.e. the tracked rotation R(t 1 →t 2 ), wherein the motion-decomposed visualization comprises the visualization a rotation of the segments of said object relative to this reference rotation.
[0053] At this point, it is noted that the motion tracking model does not have to be user-defined. Alternatively, the motion tracking model may be automatically generated from the sequence of 3D ultrasound images using well-known motion estimation techniques such as tissue tracking, speckle tracking and so on. As such motion estimation techniques are well-known per se, they will not be explained in further detail for the sake of brevity only. In yet another embodiment, an a priori motion tracking model may be provided, which for instance may be a model representative of a normal motion of the object under investigation, e.g. the normal or expected motion of a healthy heart in such a sequence. In order to make such an a priori model more realistic, the model may comprise different rotational components around a central axis, e.g. at different locations along the long axis 20 in case the model represents normal heart motion in order to reflect the different degrees of twisting/untwisting of the different short axis segments of the heart along the long axis 20 . Such an a priori model can be seen to provide a set of reference rotation speeds for the heart, wherein application of the model to an actual sequence of 3D ultrasound images capturing the complex motion of the heart throughout the sequence may highlight deviations in the expected degree of rotation for particular segments of the heart.
[0054] In an embodiment, such an a priori or predefined motion tracking model may be used in combination with a further tracking model in which for instance translational motion, e.g. the displacement of the axis A-B, is separately compensated for, such that the a priori motion tracking model may be based on one or more rotational components only and may be applied once the translational motion of the object of interest in the sequence of 3D ultrasound images has been compensated for.
[0055] In an embodiment, the motion tracking model may be scalable. In other words, a user may adjust the contribution of the various components, e.g. translational and rotational components, such as the displacement of axis A-B and the rotation R around this axis as depicted in FIG. 7 such that the user can interactively adjust the motion tracking model and update the visualization of the 3D ultrasound image sequence in accordance with the updated motion tracking model. This for instance allows the user to interactively select a particular segment of an object of interest as a reference segment by adjusting the motion tracking model such that the selected segment becomes stationary in the visualization, such that the user can evaluate motions in other parts of the object of interest, e.g. a heart, relative to the interactively selected reference segment.
[0056] The user may make such adjustments to the motion tracking model in any suitable manner. By way of non-limiting example, a graphical user interface may be provided that allows the user to make the desired adjustments, for instance by representing the various components of the motion tracking model as dials, sliders or the like in the graphical user interface, wherein the user may adjust these components by adjusting the dials, sliders or the like, which adjustments trigger the generation of an updated visualization of the object under investigation based on the adjustments made to the motion tracking model.
[0057] In the above description, aspects of the present invention have been explained by way of a visualization mode in 2D short axis view by way of non-limiting example only. It should be understood that the teachings of the present invention may be applied to any suitable visualization mode, including but not exclusively limited to a 1-D visualization mode (M-mode), 2D visualization mode (B-mode) or 3D visualization mode (volume rendering). As previously explained, the visualization mode may be defined either manually from a point in time in the 3D ultrasound image sequence or from an anatomical model or a reference that is automatically adapted to the actual sequence, e.g. the aforementioned segmented visualization of a left ventricle of a heart in 2D short axis view.
[0058] In summary, the various embodiments of the visualization method 100 described in detail above may be summarized by the flow chart depicted in FIG. 10 . The method 100 starts in step 110 , e.g. by initializing an ultrasound system for capturing a sequence of 3D ultrasound images of an object of interest in motion, such as a heart. The method then proceeds to step 120 in which the sequence of 3D ultrasound images of the object of interest in motion is captured. Such a sequence may be captured in any suitable manner as is well-known per se to the skilled person.
[0059] In step 130 , the motion tracking model is provided. As previously explained in more detail, this for instance may be a user-defined motion tracking model, an automatically generated motion tracking model or an a priori (predefined) motion tracking model, such as a motion tracking model including a reference rotation such that subsequent motion-decomposed visualization of the complex motion of the object under investigation may comprise visualizing a rotation of various segments of said object relative to said reference rotation.
[0060] Next, the complex motion of the object to be visualized is derived from the 3D sequence of ultrasound images in step 140 ; this is known per se and will not be explained in further detail for the sake of brevity only. It is noted that although in method 100 the provision of the motion tracking model is performed after capturing the sequence of 3D ultrasound images and before the determination of the complex motion, it is equally feasible that the motion tracking model for instance is provided after the determination of the complex motion in step 140 or before step 120 , for instance when using an a priori motion tracking model. In step 150 , the motion tracking model is applied to the overall motion captured in the sequence of 3D ultrasound images, for instance by subtracting the motion tracking model from the overall motion or by overlaying a visualization of the motion tracking model or a visualization of the overall motion as previously explained after which the result of step 150 is visualized in step 160 , for instance on a display of an on cart or off-cart workstation of ultrasound system, or on any other display for displaying such a visualization result. As previously explained, any suitable visualization form may be chosen for this purpose.
[0061] In an optional embodiment, the method 100 further comprises a step 170 in which a user may decide to adjust the motion tracking model as previously explained, in which case the method may return to step 150 and apply the adjusted motion tracking model to the overall motion and visualize the result in step 160 . If step 170 is not available or if the user decides that no further adjustments to the motion tracking model are of interest are required, the method may terminate in step 180 .
[0062] FIG. 11 schematically depicts an example embodiment of an ultrasound system 400 that may be used in accordance with the visualization methods of the present invention. The ultrasound system 400 may be a system for acquiring real-time 3D cardiac images, either as 2D tomographic slices or as volumetric image data. In operation, a probe or scanhead 410 which includes a 1D or 2D array transducer 412 transmits ultrasonic waves and receives ultrasonic echo signals. This transmission and reception is performed under control of a beamformer 420 which possesses received echo signals to form coherent beams or raw echo signals from the anatomy being scanned. The echo information from the beamformer is then processed by the B-mode processor, 450 , the Doppler processor, 440 , and, if contrast agents are used during imaging, the contrast signal processor, 445 . The B-Mode processor performs functions that include, but are not limited to, filtering, frequency and spatial compounding, harmonic data processing and other B-Mode functions well known in the art. The Doppler processor applies conventional Doppler processing to the echoes to produce velocity and Doppler power signals. The contrast processor applies specific processing to echo signals that are obtained when contrast agents are present in the tissue being scanned.
[0063] The processed data is then passed through either a 2D scan converter 460 or a 3D scan converter 470 , depending on whether a 2D tomographic or 3D volumetric region of tissue is being imaged. The scan converter geometrically corrects the data from the linear or polar geometry that the scanhead acquired the beams in, to a Cartesian format (x,y or x,y,z) with appropriate scaling in each dimension. Each scan converted image or 3D volume is then placed in a 2D memory, 465 , or 3D volume memory, 475 . The memory 465 blocks store a few seconds up to several minutes worth of recent 2D or 3D data, depending on the type of data being acquired.
[0064] The Volume MPR slice display processor and 3D renderer, 480 , processes volume data from the 3D volume memory based on the central controller, 430 , and user input from the user interface, 435 , to provide one or several 2D MPR slice images and/or a volume rendered image of the 3D volume from a given viewpoint using methods well known in the art. The display processor, 490 , based on input from the central controller, 430 , takes 2D images either from the 2D memory 465 or the volume MPR slice view processor and 3D rendered, adds graphics overlays and text annotation (e.g. patient information) and passes the composted images on to the display, 495 , for presentation to the operator. The central controller can direct the display processor to display the most recently acquired data in memory as a real-time display, or it can replay sequences of older 2D or 3D volume data. At least one of the Volume MPR slice display processor and 3D renderer 480 and the display processor 490 may be adapted to execute the computer program code embodying the method according to embodiments of the present invention. In an embodiment, the Volume MPR slice display processor and 3D renderer 480 and the display processor 490 cooperate to generate the motion-decomposed visualization of the image(s) of interest.
[0065] It should be understood that the ultrasound system 400 is merely an example of an ultrasound systems that may be used to acquire a sequence of 3D ultrasound images in accordance with embodiments of the method of the present invention. The exact implementation of the ultrasound system 400 is largely irrelevant to the present invention, as long as the ultrasound system is capable of implementing the method 100 . It will therefore be understood by the skilled person that any suitable ultrasound system may be used.
[0066] Aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer-readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon for implementing the visualization method according to various aspects of the present invention when executed on a suitable processor, such as the processor of an ultrasound system.
[0067] Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Such a system, apparatus or device may be accessible over any suitable network connection; for instance, the system, apparatus or device may be accessible over a network for retrieval of the computer readable program code over the network. Such a network may for instance be the Internet, a mobile communications network or the like. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium may include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of the present application, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
[0068] A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
[0069] Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.
[0070] Computer program code for carrying out the method of the present invention by execution on a suitable processor may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the processor as a stand-alone software package, or may be executed partly on the processor and partly on a remote server. In the latter scenario, the remote server may be connected to the processor through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer, e.g. through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider.
[0071] Aspects of the present invention are described above with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions to be executed in whole or in part on one or more processors of the ultrasound system 400 , such that the instructions create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable medium that can direct the system 400 to function in a particular manner.
[0072] The computer program instructions may be loaded onto the one or more processors to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the one or more processors, to produce a computer-implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the one of more processors provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or figures depicting the motion tracking and visualization results. The computer program product may form part of the ultrasound system 400 , e.g. may be installed on the ultrasound system 400 .
[0073] It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. The word “comprising” does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those listed in a claim. The word “a” or “an” preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The invention can be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinct elements. In the device claim enumerating several means, several of these means can be embodied by one and the same item of hardware. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. | Disclosed is a method ( 100 ) of visualizing a sequence of 3D ultrasound images of an object ( 10 ) in motion, wherein said motion is a complex motion composed of motion components from a plurality of origins, the method comprising acquiring ( 120 ) said sequence of 3D ultra-sound images; providing ( 130 ) a motion tracking model modelling a contribution to the complex motion, said contribution originating from a subset of said motion components; determining ( 150 ) said complex motion from the first and second 3D ultrasound images; and visualizing ( 160 ) a contribution of the motion tracking model to the complex motion of said object in order to obtain a motion-decomposed visualization of said complex motion. A computer program product for implementing such a method on an ultrasound system and an ultrasound system including such a computer program product are also disclosed. | 6 |
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device in a quick coupling for detachably coupling a working implement to the operating arm of an excavating machine, said quick coupling comprising two parallel link arms supported by the operating arm, each link arm having an abutment portion with a support surface, and a locking means comprising a stationary wedge support attached to the working implement with an engagement surface facing the working implement and a movable tension pin displaceable by a power cylinder and having an engagement surface for wedging cooperation with the engagement surface of the wedge support, said locking means having support surfaces to cooperate by means of pressure with the support surfaces of the link arms.
A quick coupling of the type described above has proved advantageous in several respects and has enjoyed wide practical use. It has the following advantages, for instance It has extremely low weight (about 30 kgs for a machine up to 14 tons) and therefore saves material, as well as being light to use and assamble; the construction is simple, making it quick and easy to mount the bucket to the excavating machine; it has no intermediate elevational piece which would cause building height and increased weight; thanks to its low weight it does not necessitate altering the bucket volume; it enables the force-absorbing dome of the bucket to be retained, thanks to the link arm construction in that the link arms may have an arc-shape adapted to the dome; it entails improved, even optimum conditions for the force transmission between bucket and operating arm and the link arms are not affected to any noticeable extent since the forces are transmitted directly to the hooks from the stick and vice versa via the stick shaft and sleeve, if any, abutting the hooks; thanks to its design and to said improved force transmission, the stipulated geometry of the bucket can be retained; it withstands diagonal breaking movements of the bucket since the link arms make the coupling resilient, because of the fact that the link arms have no rigid, stiffening joint between them and they can therefore move freely up and down at their end portions at the four contact points with the bucket, independently and in relation to each other and will thus always follow the diagonal breaking movements of the bucket when this is temporarily deformed and becomes distorted by lateral point stresses during work; it maintains a play-free joint between implement and operating arm at the contact points between operating-arm attachment means and hooks, even when the link arms follow the diagonal breaking movements of the bucket; it is self-adjusting with respect to any slight wear which may occur at the contact surfaces, and a play-free joint is thus always guaranteed.
The quick coupling described above and known through patent specification EP 0 139 652 is designed for manual locking with the aid of a wedge-like tension pin which the operator forces into the desired locking position in the quick coupling with the aid of a suitable tool. Although the manual effort required is relatively little, there has been increased demand for the actual locking step with the tension pin to be carried out automatically from the driver's cab. The problem has been to achieve a hydraulically controlled locking device which is reliable to use, simple to manufacture and install, can be mounted without affecting the other features and functions of the quick coupling, does not increase the dimensions of the quick coupling, can be mounted in a protected place to avoid damage and dirt and which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
The object of the present invention is to provide a locking device for a quick coupling of hydraulic or pneumatic type which can be operated from the driver's cab, and which solves the problem mentioned above. An essential advantage of the locking device according to the invention is also that it can be manufactured as an ancillary unit for already existing quick couplings, thus converting them simply from manual to hydraulic or pneumatic insertion of the tension pin without any structural alterations having to be performed on the quick coupling.
This is obtained according to the present invention in that the locking means comprises a locking unit supported by the link arms, said locking unit having a rigid housing extending between the link arms, in which the tension pin is axially displaceable by the power cylinder between, in relation to the wedge support, an outer free position and an inner locking position, said housing having an opening located at a central portion thereof and disposed vertically in line with the wedge support of the working implement for friction-free receipt of the wedge support therein when the tension pin is in its free position, that the housing is provided with opposite supporting pins axially aligned to each other and arranged removably and with clearence freely to be received in opposite openings in the link arms, said supporting pins and openings being provided with said pressure-cooperating support surfaces, that the tension pin is of such sufficient length that its front end portion located at the engagement surface in locking position of the tension pin is positioned in a cavity of the housing and has a support surface for pressure-cooperation with a support surface in the cavity, and that one of the supporting pins is provided with a through-hole to receive a rear end portion of the tension pin in its locking position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be described further in the following, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows schematically from the side the outer end portion of the operating arm of an excavating machine, and top portion of a bucket connected to the operating arm via a quick coupling with a locking device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows schematically from above parts of the quick coupling with the locking device according to FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 shows schematically parts of the quick coupling with the locking device according to FIG. 1, seen from the side.
FIGS. 4 and 5 show the locking device according to FIGS. 1 to with a tension pin in locking position, seen from above and from the side, respectively.
FIGS. 6 and 7 show the locking device with its tension pin in free position, seen from above and from the side, respectively.
FIGS. 8 and 9 show the tension pin of the locking device, seen from the side and from above, respectively.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to FIG. 1 the locking device according to the invention relates to a quick coupling of the type described in patent specification EP 0 139 652 for detachably coupling a working implement 50 to the operating arm 51 of an excavating machine, and which includes an attachment means 1 for the implement 50 and an attachment means 2 for the operating arm 51. The implement attachment means 1 is arranged on an outwardly facing surface 3 which may be the upper side of the working implement 50, for instance a bucket, or of a separate plate for attachment onto the working implement 50, or the upper side of a rotator, for instance, carrying the working implement.
The implement attachment means 1 comprises a coupling device in the form of two hooks 52, spaced from each other and welded to said surface 3 at the front edge of the bucket opening 53, and open towards the upper side 3 of the bucket 50 to form semi-cylindrical support surfaces 54 for intimate cooperation with corresponding support surfaces of the operating arm attachment means 2. The implement attachment means 1 is provided with a hook-like wedge support 4 secured to the upper side 3 of the bucket 50 at its center line extending between said hooks 52. The wedge support 4 is positioned a predetermined distance from the hooks 52 and is provided with a functional engagement surface 5 (FIG. 3) facing down towards the upper side 3 of the bucket 50 to cooperate with a corresponding engagement surface 6 (FIG. 5) on a displaceable tension pin 7 as will be explained below. The wedge support 4 and tension pin 7 constitute parts of a locking means of the quick coupling.
The implement attachment means 1 is also provided with two shoulder-like counter members 8 (FIG. 3) welded to the upper side 3, said counter members 8 being aligned with the hooks 52 and arranged between the wedge support 4 and the hooks 52, in the vicinity of the wedge support 4, i.e. at some considerable distance from the hooks 52. Each counter member 8 has a flat, functional support surface 9, located in the same plane and inclined inwardly towards the hooks 52 to cooperate with corresponding support surfaces on the operating arm attachment means 2 of the operating arm, as will be explained below.
As shown in FIG. 1 the operating arm 51 of the excavating machine comprises a stick 55 and a hydraulic operating cylinder 56 arranged on the front side of the stick 55 (facing away from the excavating machine}. At its free end the stick 55 is provided with a horizontal pin or shaft 57 pivotably carrying the bucket 50 and thus forming the center of oscillation of the bucket 50, while the hydraulic cylinder 56 either directly, or indirectly via links 58, is provided with a horizontally arranged pin or shaft 10 lying parallel to the stick shaft 57 and thus located in front of this and joined to the bucket 50 to give a controlled swinging movement of the bucket 50 about the center of the stick shaft 57.
The stick shaft 57 and the shaft 10 form parts of an attachment means 2 of the operating arm 51, which also includes a link means in the form of two parallel link arms 11, 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2), each comprising a shaft support means 58 located at one end of the link arm, in the form of a sleeve or bushing, for instance, with a horizontal hole to receive the stick shaft 57 and a shaft support means arranged at a predetermined distance from said hole in the form of a cylindrical sleeve 13 with a horizontal hole to receive the shaft 10. The sleeve 58 disposed at said one end has on its outer side a functional, concave or semi-cylindrical support surface 60 extending transversely or axially (in relation to the stick shaft 57), having a predetermined radius corresponding to the radius of the semi-circular support surfaces 54 of the hooks 52. Maximum contact is thus obtained between these support surfaces 54, 60. The support surfaces 54 of the hooks 52 preferably encompass the largest possible sector angle, i.e. 180° The support surface 60 of the sleeve 58 cooperating with the hooks 52 is thus located immediately outside the stick shaft 57, as close to this as is permitted by the wall thickness of the sleeve 58, suitably about 15 mm. The support surface 60 is also located in line with and on both sides (similarly) of the central plane running through the centers of the shafts 10, 57, and on the side of the stick shaft 57 facing away from the link arms 11, 12.
Each link arm 11, 12 comprises an abutment portion 14 (FIGS. 1 to 3) protruding freely in a backward direction from the shaft 10, i.e. in the backwardly extension of the link arm 11, 12, and forms an obtuse angle with the waist of the link arm, located between the shafts 10, 57. The abutment portion 14 is provided with a through-going rectangular opening 15, the lower limit of which forms a functional, flat support surface 16, arranged to cooperate under pressure with a corresponding support surface of a supporting pin of said locking means, as will be described below. The two openings 15 are arranged in line with each other.
Furthermore, each link arm 11, 12 is provided immediately below the sleeves 13 with a counter member 17 (FIG. 3) designed with a functional, flat support surface 18 arranged to engage with said functional support surface 9 of the counter member 8 of the bucket attachment means 1 to form a wedge effect. Said functional support surfaces 9, 18 incline towards the hooks 52 with the same inclination. The inclination is such that an extended plane of the support surfaces 18 of the counter members 17 forms an acute angle with an extended plane of the support surfaces 16 of the abutment portions 14, in order to achieve the required wedge-effect when the link arms 11, 12 are clamped between the fixed wedge support 4 and the hooks 52 on the bucket 50 via the counter members 17 with the aid of the displaceable tension pin 7 of the locking means.
According to the present invention the locking means of the quick coupling comprises a separate locking unit 19 (FIGS. 2 and 4 to 7) having an elongate housing 20 to receive the tension pin 7, and a hydraulic cylinder 21 to move the tension pin 7 between an outer free position and an inner locking position in relation to the wedge support 4. At its opposite end parts the housing 20 is provided with supporting pins 22, 23 inserted in the openings 15 of the link arms 11, 12. The lower sides of the supporting pins 22, 23 thus form functional support surfaces 24 for cooperation with the support surfaces 16 of the openings 15. The supporting pins 22, 23 are so dimensioned in relation to the openings 15 that they can easily be inserted without friction into their positions in the openings 15, providing a loose play joint which will allow the link arms 11, 12 to move freely in relation to each other when the quick coupling is subjected to breaking forces or other stresses, as explained in said patent specification EP 0 139 652. In the embodiment shown the housing 20 is divided into a first part 25 and a second part 26, from which said pins 22, 23 protrude. The parts 25, 26 of the housing 20 are aligned with and rigidly connected to each other by a connecting element 27 extending substantially between the link arms 11, 12 and mounted on the side of the housing parts 25, 26 located nearest to the shaft 10. The hydraulic cylinder 21 of the locking unit 19 extends along the side of the connecting element 27 facing away from the housing parts 25, 26 and is attached to the connecting element 27 in a suitable manner, e.g. detachably as shown in FIG. 2, by means of a lateral extension of the end plate 28 of the hydraulic cylinder 21, said end plate 28 being provided with a pin 29 for friction-free insertion into a corresponding hole in the end of the connecting element 27, which is thus shortened to leave space for the end plate 28. Furthermore, the connecting element 27 is also provided with a longitudinal slot 30 (FIGS. 5 and 7), through which a side pin 31 of the tension pin 7 extends to connect the tension pin 7 to the piston-rod 32 of the hydraulic cylinder 21. The slot 30 is somewhat longer than the length of the first housing part 25. The housing 20 is provided with an opening 33, freely accessible at least from below and in front, said opening being formed as a gap in that the housing parts 25, 26 being spaced from each other. The opening 33 is located in the vertical center plane of the quick coupling and is slightly wider than the width of the wedge support 4, allowing the wedge support to be received in the opening 33 without inconvenience when the bucket and operating arm is coupled together via the quick coupling.
The second housing part 26 is provided with a cavity 34 (FIGS. 2 and 5) of sufficient height and axial extension (with respect to the housing 20) to permit requisite axial displacement of the tension pin 7 in the second housing part 26 when actuated by the hydraulic cylinder 21. The first housing part 25 is also provided with a cavity 35 which is, however, through-going and has a cross-sectional area slightly larger than that of the tension pin 7 allowing the tension pin 7 to move to and fro therein without obstruction when influenced by the hydraulic cylinder 21. The supporting pin 22 pertaining to the first housing part 25 is provided with a through-hole 36 forming an extension of the cavity 35 in the housing part 25, so that the rear end portion 45 of the tension pin 7 can be moved freely through the supporting pin 22 in a direction out from the link arm 11 when actuated by the hydraulic cylinder 21.
The tension pin 7, shown in more detail in FIGS. 8 and 9 is elongate with rectangular cross-section increasing from the foremost end 37 to form a wedge portion 38 having on its upper
side a functional, flat engagement surface 6. The wedge portion 38 is of predetermined length, its length being greater than the width of the wedge support opening 33, so that when the tension pin 7 is inserted in locking position, a sufficient length of its front end portion 40 will be located in the cavity 34 of the second housing part 26. However, this end portion 40 must at the same time be sufficiently short when the tension pin 7 is fully withdrawn to its free position, for the front end 37 to be located in the cavity 35 of the first housing part 25, free from the wedge support 4, thus allowing the bucket to be disconnected from the quick coupling. The engagement surface 6 of the wedge portion 38 has the same inclination as the engagement surface 5 of the wedge support 4 so that the desired wedge-effect is obtained. The lower side of the tension pin 7 has functional front and rear support surfaces 41. 42 for cooperation under pressure with corresponding inner support surfaces 43, 44 (FIG. 5) on the second housing part 26 and the supporting pin 22 of the first housing part 25. The intermediate surface 39, located in the first housing part 25 seen in the locking position of the tension pin 7, is thus free from pressure cooperation with this housing part 25. The length of the tension pin 7 is sufficient so that a rear end section 45 is obtained having an axial extension substantially equivalent to the thickness of the link arm 11. The tension pin 7 itself thus compensates for the weakening effect resulting from the shape of the supporting pin 22 with at least one relatively thin bottom wall so that the supporting pin 22 is reinforced by the inner tension pin 7 when inserted and maintained in its locking position by the hydraulic cylinder 21. Furthermore, the wedging force F (FIG. 5) existing in locking position is distributed between a larger partial force F 2 exerted on the front end section 40, and a smaller partial force F 1 exerted on the supporting pin 22. This advantageous distribution is thus obtained by the end section 40 being located closer than the rear end section 45 to the wedge position where the wedge-force F is exerted.
As is clear from FIG. 6, one end of a tension spring 48 is secured to the lower side of the hydraulic cylinder 21, its other end being secured to the outer end of the piston rod 32. This tension spring 48, which has been omitted in the other figures for the sake of simplicity, endeavours to retain the piston rod 32 in the hydraulic cylinder 21, and thus the tension pin 7 in locking position. The tension spring 48 thus constitutes a safety device in the event of the hydraulic pressure failing in the cylinder if the hoses to the hydraulic cylinder become damaged, for instance. Besides this safety device, the safety system also includes a pilot-controlled non-return valve which forms a hydraulic lock in the hydraulic circuit which ensures that the necessary pressure is always maintained in the hydraulic cylinder when the tension pin 7 assumes locking position. Moreover, double control means, independent of each other, are provided in the driver's cab for connection of the hydraulic cylinder 21.
In the embodiment shown the double-acting hydraulic cylinder 21 is disposed so that its greatest force is utilized to move the tension pin 7 out of its locking position. This is advantageous in view of the wedge forces which must be momentarily overcome then. Since the hydraulic rod 32 takes up part of the pressure surface on the piston only a small force is obtained when the tension pin 7 is moved to locking position. However, this has proved sufficient to achieve the desired wedge-effect.
The bucket 50 is coupled extremely quickly and easily to the operating arm 51 of the excavating machine by means of the quick coupling described. The first step is to adjust the operating arm 51 so that the stick shaft 57 is brought into direct engagement with the hooks 52 of the bucket 50, after which the counter member 8 of the bucket 50 and the counter member 17 of the link arms 11, 12, by connection of the hydraulic cylinder of the operating arm 51, are brought into alignment with each other at said support surfaces 9. In this starting position the wedge support 4 of the bucket 50 is located in the opening 33 between the two housing parts 25, 26 of the locking unit 19 and the upper edge 46 at the front end 37 of the tension pin 7 is located in a sufficiently low level in relation to the engagement surface 5 of the wedge support 4 for the tension pin 7 to be moved in under the lip 47 of the wedge support 4 by connection of the hydraulic cylinder 21. The engagement surfaces 5 and 6 thus achieve a permanent wedge-action and a play-free joint is obtained. The wedge-force thus produced is transmitted to the slidingly cooperating counter members 8, 17 so that the support surfaces 18 of the link-arm counter-members 17 slide down along the support surfaces 9 of the counter member 8 of the bucket attachment means. This sliding movement builds up a permanent wedge-force which results in increased permanent abutment of the shaft sleeves 59 against the hooks 52 so that a permanent joint is obtained, entirely play-free, this abutment force against the hooks 52 deriving from said wedge-forces transmitted via the counter members 8, 17.
The play-free joint thus obtained will be subject to very little wear. Such a little wear as does occur will not in any case give rise to any clearance since it is automatically and immediately compensated by the inherent wedge-force so that the joint remains play-free and a wedge-force is always maintained since the hydraulic cylinder 21 constantly exerts pressure on the tension pin 7. In other words, the joint is self-adjusting.
The openings 15 in the link arms 11, 12 are provided in an existing quick coupling on the market to receive a through-going tension pin which is inserted manually with the aid of a tool to produce a wedge-action with the wedge support 4. The supporting pin 22, 23 of the locking unit 19 are designed to fit into these openings 15: This enables both new and old quick couplings of the described link-arm type to be equipped with a hydraulic or pneumatic locking unit 19 according to the present invention. In the latter case the unit may be considered an ancillary unit for quick couplings existing on the market enabling them to be easily converted to automatic locking control from the driver's cab, either hydraulically or pneumatically. | A detachable coupling for connecting an implement, e.g. bucket, to an excavator. The coupling has two parallel link arms that are pinned to the operating arms of the excavator. A locking unit held between these arms has a slidable tension pin that engages a wedge support affixed to the implement. Two pins at either end of the locking device fit loosely into apertures in the link arms. When the tension spring is wedged against the wedge support, the pins are pressed against a surface of the aperture in the link arms to form a rigid coupling between the implement and excavator. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a replaceable filter cartridge for use in a gravity-fed water treatment system. In particular this invention relates to a novel structural filter cartridge for a carafe/pitcher system in an air vent facilitates water flow and in which only the carbon block is replaceable.
Carafe/pitcher water filtration systems are batch treatment and filtration devices in which water is filtered, treated and stored in a container. The treated water is discharged from a spigot on the container, providing a self-contained water treatment system. These self-contained systems typically have upper and lower chambers separated by a filter cartridge.
The water treatment process relies on gravity to force water through the filter cartridge to remove harmful contaminants from the water. The upper chamber receives untreated water to be filtered while the lower chamber receives and stores the filtered water. The water is forced through the filter cartridge by gravity.
The presence of unwanted and potentially harmful contaminants in drinking water are a cause for health concern. As such, there is a desire for water treatment devices suitable for use in the home and as portable instruments for water treatment. As a result, many water treatment devices and methods have been developed to remove contaminants or otherwise treat the water to obtain a suitable drinking water.
Some of these water treatment devices and methods utilize treatment materials, which, of their own nature, can be distasteful to consumers of the treated water. For example, municipal water treatment facilities use chlorine as an active agent to remove bacterial contaminants but the odor and taste of the treated water can be offensive. It is known to use activated carbon to treat water to remove the offensive odor and taste of chlorine-treated water, however, the flow rate of water through the activated carbon can be hampered. When the life of the carbon has been exhausted, the entire cartridge, that is the plastic housing containing the carbon is discarded along with the carbon.
In addition to chemical and particulate contaminants, several types of harmful contaminants in drinking water are a cause for health concern. Even municipal water treatment fails to adequately remove all of the hazardous contaminants. Most municipal systems use chlorine as disinfectant to remove bacteria. It is known that excess chlorine normally used by the municipality is in itself a source to create harmful chemicals commonly known as disinfectant by products, (DBP). These DBP, along with herbicides and pesticides, often present and known as volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), are harmful chemicals in the water system. Besides these volatile organic chemical contaminants, biological contaminants including protozoan cysts as Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium , excreted by animals, are present in certain waters.
Cysts are not easily removed by conventional oxidizing agents. Common methods of removing cysts are to trap them in a filter that has a porosity less than 2 microns. Such filters with pore sizes less than 2 microns typically are used in water purification systems that use high water line pressure.
Gravity filtration is one of the oldest ways of filtering water. Starting from a simple filter cloth to remove suspended impurities to carbon granules along with certain ion exchange media to remove chlorine and certain heavy metals, gravity filtration systems have upper and lower chambers separated by filter cartridge. The system relies on gravitational forces acting on the untreated water in the upper chamber to force the water through the cartridge and into the lower chamber to produce filtered water.
Gravity filtrations systems in residential use vary in sizes, defined by the capacity of the two chambers. One such gravity filtration system in common residential use is the carafe type of filter with the top container having a capacity less than 3 liters. The pressure of the untreated water is sufficient to force the water through a limited amount of activated carbon granules and ion exchange resins.
Replaceable filter cartridges for household use are known. In one device, a filter cartridge contains particles of activated charcoal and carbon or other suitable absorbent material. Water is filtered by passing it through the tubular wall of the cartridge from the space between the cartridge and the housing toward the inside of the tubular cartridge. The filter cartridge is generally cup-shaped and the cartridge structure provides a long flow path for water traveling from the inlet to the outlet. This provides effective odor and taste filtering of the water due to the long contact time.
In another system, a filter tube has a plurality of randomly disposed glass fibers having interstices to define the porosity of the filter. The glass fibers are bonded at the junctions of the fiber cross-overs with a hardened silicone resin bonding agent. However, the bonding agent can impart hydrophobicity to the filter and restrict the scope of the filter applications in that organic bonding agents can have a color, which darkens with sunlight and use.
Another system discloses a pass-through pitcher filter that has a compact filter element including a thin annular disk of molded granular activated carbon and a peripheral annular seal element. The seal element allows the filter to be replaceably mounted on the lower end of an upper plastic reservoir, and the reservoir is adapted to be supported in the top of a pitcher for receiving filtered water. The plastic reservoir and filter are placed on a pitcher for receiving and dispensing the treated water. This assembly relies on gravity flow of water from the reservoir to the pitcher via the filter. The seal element utilizes a synthetic rubber material and is preferably molded around the carbon filter disk.
The filter element is made from a rigid sintered block of activated granular carbon and includes a suitable binder, such as polyethylene, compressed and heated to form a molded porous block. An annular synthetic rubber seal is attached to the periphery of the carbon block. However, when the filter element is used initially or after it has remained unused for a period of time, surface tension between water in the reservoir which is to be filtered and the dry porous carbon block may inhibit normal gravity flow of the water through the filter element. To initiate flow, manual pressure is applied to a bellows element of the reservoir to compress air in the reservoir to force water through the carbon block to initiate water flow.
Yet another system includes a filter cartridge for a gravity-fed water treatment device that has a hydrophilic porous particulate filter with an interior volume filled with granular filter activated carbon, an ion exchange resin or a combination of granular carbon and resin. The porous particulate filter is microporous and has a pleated sheet filter media, and is arranged to establish with a pressure of about 0.5 pounds per square inch (psi) a flow rate of water by gravity through the filter cartridge.
Such a device has a low flow rate, which is not practical for a gravity fed water treatment device. To overcome the low flow rate, the porous particulate filter contains a hydrophilic material. Moreover, such a device does not typically remove volatile organic chemicals, and it is not capable of doing so without specified treating chemicals or materials.
Accordingly, there is a need for a water filter having improved fluid flow over known filters. Desirably such a filter has a removable filter medium adapted for field removal, cleaning, and replacement. More desirably, such a filter is capable of removing harmful chemicals known as disinfectant by-products (DBP) and volatile organic chemicals (VOC) and protozoan cysts, as well as heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury. More desirable still, such a water filtering system uses carbon block filters that are bio-static such that any trapped bacteria will not multiply and grow.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A filter cartridge for a gravity-fed water treatment device includes a cartridge shell defining an upper portion having an upper interior volume and a lower portion having a lower interior volume. The lower portion has openings therein. The shell includes a top cap having openings therein. The top cap is mounted to the lower part of the cartridge shell.
A hydrophilic carbon block having an outer wall and a central opening defining an inner wall is positioned in the shell. The carbon block has a block cap disposed on a top of the carbon block. The block cap has a central opening therein.
A sealing member extends about the cartridge shell lower portion. The sealing member supports a bottom of the carbon block. The sealing member has an opening therein aligning, at least in part, with the carbon block central opening and open to the lower interior volume.
A vent tube extends upwardly through the block cap and the top cap. The vent tube is sealed at about the block cap opening and has a vent tube outlet disposed upwardly a predetermined distance.
The filter cartridge receives a source of untreated water through the top cap openings and supplies treated water through the cartridge shell lower portion openings. The filter cartridge is disposed between the untreated water source and the treated water supply. Water flows by force of gravity through the top cap openings, through the hydrophilic carbon block from the outer wall to the central opening, and through the shell lower portion openings. Air is vented from the lower portion lower interior volume through the vent tube and the vent tube outlet. The vent outlet is located at a height greater than a maximum height of water in the filter cartridge.
An O-ring can be disposed between the vent tube and the block cap to prevent untreated water from flowing into the central opening bypassing flowing through the carbon block wall. The vent tube has an open top having a cap thereon and the vent tube outlet is one or more openings in a side wall of the vent tube.
In a preferred embodiment, the hydrophilic carbon block is formed as a cylinder having an open, longitudinal central region. The carbon block can be formed from a polymeric binder and an activated carbon powder. Preferably, the carbon block is surface treated for hydrophilicity. The polymeric binder can be, for example, an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene. A preferred binder has a molecular weight of about 3 million.
The carbon block can be surface treated with an anionic surfactant wetting agent, such as diethylhexyl sodium sulfosuccinate. A present block has a wall thickness measured between the outer wall of about 3 mm to 10 mm. The activated carbon powder has a mesh size of about 40×300 and preferably about 40×140.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, in conjunction with the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
The benefits and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is an elevational view, shown in partial section, of a filter cartridge embodying the principles of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the filter cartridge of FIG. 1 ; and
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the filter cartridge shown in an exemplary carafe or pitcher.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
While the present invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.
It should be further understood that the title of this section of this specification, namely, “Detailed Description Of The Invention”, relates to a requirement of the United States Patent Office, and does not imply, nor should be inferred to limit the subject matter disclosed herein.
Most gravity-type filtration systems for typical home use are pour through pitcher-type systems. In such a system, activated carbon granules are filled in the bottom of a cartridge to form a carbon “column” to contact the water and remove bad taste and odor. In some filter systems, ion exchange resin is added to the activated carbon to remove heavy metals.
The carbon granules are usually of mesh size of 20×50 and use about 50 grams per cartridge. This has a limited capacity and requires fairly frequent replacement in order to remain effective. In replacing these cartridges, the entire cartridge including any plastic housing or body is discarded along with the carbon filter medium.
Carbon blocks made of activated carbon powder can provide enormous surface area to remove volatile organic chemicals in addition to removing bad taste and odor. Depending on particle size and size distribution of the carbon particles, the block can be of various nominal porosities. Conventional carbon blocks are generally tubular in design, and having a central opening or bore. Water flows from the outer surface radially inwardly, through the wall into the inner bore of the carbon block. For water to flow at an acceptable rate through the carbon block, the water requires a driving force greater than gravity. As such, these systems are generally used in homes with a water line connection to provide the motive force. And, for cyst reduction ability, carbon blocks typically have a porosity of less than 2 microns.
However, in a gravity filter system, particularly the carafe type of filter it is desirable to use carbon blocks instead of carbon granules to increase the adsorption capacity of the filter. Bommi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,396,461, which is commonly assigned with the present application and is incorporated herein by reference, teaches a dome shaped carbon block to increase the surface area coupled with a hydrophilic surface modified binder to increase the flow rate to an acceptable level for gravity application.
Accordingly, referring to the figures, there is shown a filter system 10 that uses a carbon block 12 of tubular design positioned in a cartridge housing 14 , embodying the principles of the present invention. The carbon block 12 is easily replaceable and discarded, while the plastic cartridge housing 14 is reused. In known commercially available pitchers, the cartridge including the plastic housing along with the carbon media is discarded which is not eco-friendly design.
In the present filter system 10 , activated carbon powder of mesh size 40×300 is used, and preferably carbon powder having a mesh size of 40×140 and 140×200 is used in making the carbon block. Activated carbon can be manufactured from various sources, including bituminous, peat and wood. A preferred source for the carbon is coconut shell based activated carbon. Coconut shell is preferred because of its wide availability and because it is a renewable resource. One known replaceable carbon block filter is made from coconut shell based activated carbon, manufactured by and commercially available from Global Ecocarb Pvt Ltd, of India under the trademark GREENCARBON®.
In manufacture of the carbon block 12 , coconut shells are charred in an environmentally friendly process, emitting no methane into the atmosphere. The carbon block 12 can be surface modified to increase its hydrophilicity. One suitable surface treatment is an anionic surfactant wetting agent, such as diethylhexyl sodium sulfosuccinate. The carbon block 12 can also be surface modified to increase its kinetics to be able to remove heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury. The carbon block 12 can also be impregnated with silver to provide bio-static characteristics to prevent the growth of bacteria and the consequent fouling of the carbon.
The carbon block 12 can be formed from a hydrophilic material and can include a polymeric binder and the activated carbon powder. A suitable polymeric binder is an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene. Such a polymeric binder has a molecular weight of about three million molecular.
FIG. 3 illustrates an assembled cartridge 18 in a pitcher or carafe 16 . Water to be filtered UW is poured into the top container 20 of the pitcher 16 and filtered water FW is collected in a bottom storage container 22 . The cartridge assembly 18 provides flow communication between the top container 20 and the bottom container 22 .
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the cartridge assembly 18 includes a plastic housing 14 having upper and lower portions, 24 , 26 , respectively, and in which the replaceable carbon block filter 12 is housed. The upper portion or cap 24 , has openings 28 , exemplary of which are the vertical slots, through which water enters the cartridge 18 . The lower portion 26 is formed as a sealed unit with an opening 30 in the bottom 32 . In a present unit, a collar 34 extends upwardly from the base 32 of the lower portion 26 to define the opening 30 . The carbon block 12 has a bottom cap 36 made of a bio-degradable plastic. The bottom cap 36 , which is sealed to the bottom of the carbon block 12 , is held in place at the bottom 32 of the plastic housing 26 , cooperating with the opening 30 in the bottom of the lower portion 26 by a seal 38 , such as the illustrated O-ring. In this arrangement, the interior or bore 40 of the block 12 is in flow communication with the bottom storage region 22 of the pitcher 16 .
The top of the carbon block filter 12 has an end cap 42 that is also made of bio-degradable plastic. The top end cap 42 has an outlet 44 and an air vent tube 46 is held in place in the outlet 44 by a seal 48 , such as the exemplary O-ring. The top end cap 42 is sealed to the carbon block 12 .
The air vent tube 46 is closed at the top 50 and includes a plurality of holes 52 , such as pin holes at an upper end 54 of the vent tube 46 . The perforated tube 46 provides a path for the escape of air that is present in the bottom container 22 that is displaced by water flowing into the bottom container 22 . Without the vent path, the pressure in the bottom container 22 would increase as water enters the bottom container 22 , thus providing increased resistance to water flow.
A plastic cover 24 , such as the illustrated perforated cover is fitted on to the top of the lower portion 26 of the plastic housing 14 . The cover 24 can be secured in place on the housing by a friction fit, a threaded or bayonet mount, or other removable mounting. In this arrangement water in the upper compartment 20 of the pitcher 16 is isolated from water in the bottom storage region 22 by the carbon block 12 .
To increase the flow rate through the block 12 and to optimize the surface area over which filtration occurs, the height h 12 of the replaceable carbon block 12 is configured to occupy part of the top container 20 and part of the bottom container 22 . Also to increase the flow rate it is desirable to have the water flow from the outer surface 56 of the block 12 to the inner bore 40 .
Water to be filtered UW flows from the top container 20 through the openings 28 in the cover 24 and flows through the carbon filter 12 . As water flows into the carbon block 12 , air inside the porous block 12 is allowed to escape through the air vent tube 46 . It has been found that the release of air through the vent tube 46 facilitates an increase in water flow rate through the carbon block 12 . Filtered water FW then flows from out of the bore 40 (at the bottom of the block) and is collected in the bottom container 22 .
When it is desired to replace the carbon block 12 , the air vent tube 46 is pulled out from the top of the carbon block 12 and the cover 24 is opened. The replaceable carbon block 12 is simply pulled out of the plastic housing 14 lower section 26 . In such a configuration, only the replaceable carbon block 12 is discarded and the plastic housing lower section 26 , air vent tube 46 and cover 24 are re-used, greatly reducing the amount of materials that are treated as waste.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present filter system 10 is not limited to any specific height or diameter or thickness of carbon block 12 . Indeed, the dimensions of the block 12 will vary, depending upon the pitcher/carafe 16 configuration and specifications, such as, the water height in the top container 20 and the desired flow rate. In the present filter system 10 , the block 12 has a wall thickness t 12 measured between the outer wall 56 and the inner wall 58 of about 3 mm to about 10 mm.
In addition, the present vented filter system 10 is not limited to a pitcher/carafe 16 application but can be used in any gravity-type system in which water to be purified flows under gravity pressure from an upper container to a lower container through the filter assembly 10 .
Moreover, it will be understood that based on the impurities in the water, the size and shape of the media holding chamber in the housing 14 can be varied to increase contact and dwell time as desired to accommodate bacteria and virus eradicating media.
All patents referred to herein, are incorporated herein by reference, whether or not specifically done so within the text of this disclosure.
In the present disclosure, the words “a” or “an” are to be taken to include both the singular and the plural. Conversely, any reference to plural items shall, where appropriate, include the singular.
From the foregoing it will be observed that numerous modifications and variations can be effectuated without departing from the true spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated 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. | A filter cartridge has a shell defining an upper portion with an upper interior volume and a lower portion with a lower interior volume. The cartridge is for use in gravity-fed water treatment systems having an upper untreated supply and a lower filtered container. A hydrophilic porous particulate carbon powder block filter in a polymeric binder is disposed in the cartridge. The filter has a central opening and is open on both ends. The top end of the block is fitted with an air vent tube. The lower end of the block is fitted into a rubber gasket to direct water flow into the lower container. As water flows through the filter cartridge, air is vented through the block filter central opening and out through the vent tube. | 1 |
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/372,861, filed July 5, 1989, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a movable platform which is preferably used in construction sites, such as of buildings or bridges.
Conventionally, it is difficult for constructing personnel to observe conditions at elevational sites of, for example, buildings or bridges during and/or after construction. Therefore, an apparatus which has an extendable arm and a camera affixed to the forward end of the arm was developed. The position of the camera is remote-controlled so that conditions may be observed without moving the observer to the site.
However, if this apparatus is used, the field of the camera is limited, and it is difficult to position the camera in a desired location. Therefore, accuracy of observation cannot be improved. Furthermore, if the site to be observed is distant, the expandable arm must be long, requiring that the platform be large-scale and therefore costly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a movable platform for construction sites, such as building construction sites or bridge. According to the present invention, the platform can be safely conveyed by observation personnel. The self-movable platform of the present invention comprises: (a) a stage having two opposite end portions for conveying objects thereon; (b) a pair of elongated arms attached to the respective end portions of the stage, slidable and rotatable with respective to the stage in a horizontal plane; (c) a plurality of holding means installed in the arms, the holding means being adapted to hold hanging means of the structure, to hang therefrom; (d) driving means to slide and rotate the elongated arms with respect to the stage and the hanging means; and (e) a control means for sliding and rotating the driving means and for holding and releasing the holding means, whereby the stage being conveyed with respect to the structure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a movable platform according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing the platform.
FIG. 3 is a front view showing the platform.
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the movable platform when the platform is compacted.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the movable platform when the platform is compacted.
FIG. 6 is a front view showing a speed-reduction unit used in the platform.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the speed-reduction platform.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to the accompanying drawings, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter.
FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 depict a movable platform which has a pair of elongated arms 11 formed in a generally rectangular solid, and an elongated connection stage 3 connecting the bottoms of the arms 11. A personnel stage 2 of a generally elliptical shape for observation personnel with a pair of handrails is mounted on the middle of the connection stage 3. On the personnel stage 32, a control panel 5 is installed for controlling the stage platform according to commands from an operator.
Two motors 31 are installed inward of the connection stage 3 below one of the arms 11. One of the motors 31 is connected via a transmission 21 and a shaft 102 to a pinion 32 of vertical axis. Another one of the motors 31 is connected via another transmission 21, the same type of unit as the one mentioned just above, to a shaft 100 and a plate 33 of circular cross section and vertical axis. The shaft 100, with a larger diameter than shaft 102, has a hole through which the shaft 102 passes concentrically. Therefore, while the shafts 100 and 102 are disposed concentrically to each other, they are respectively connected to the circular plate 33 and the pinion 13 without making contact. The transmissions 21 preferably have a structure as will be described later.
Each of the arms 11 has a pair of elongated rails 12 disposed parallel to each other in a horizontal plane, to form the skeleton of the arm 11. A rack 13 held in engagement with the pinion 32 is formed at an entire side of one of rails 12. Therefore, as one of the motors 31 rotates, the arm 11 moves horizontally along the longitudinal axis of the arm 11.
Above the circular plate 33, four guide rollers 35, the shafts of which stand perpendicularly on the circular plate 33, are installed so that the guide rollers always contact the rails 12. As best shown in FIG. 1, two guide rollers 35 which contact one of the rails 12, and two other guide rollers 35 which contact another rail 12, are spaced apart at a distance between the outer sides of the rails 12. Four pairs of guide rollers 34 with axes parallel to the circular plate 33 are provided to the circular plate 33 in such a manner that each pair of guide rollers 34 sandwich the rail 12. Therefore, as another motor 31 rotates, the circular plate 33 rotates with the guide rollers 35 to pivot the arm 11. When the arm 11 is pivoting, the arm 11 does not incline since the guide rollers 35 restrict vertical movement of the arm 11.
Above the arms 11, a pair of holders 14 similar to a vise each of which has a pair of jaws 15, is installed at both ends of each of the arms 11. When each of the holders 14 receives a signal from the control panel 55, the jaws 15 are moved to approach to, or be spaced apart from each other by a driving force such as an electric force, oil pressure, or pneumatic force. The holders 14 preferably have an oil pressure cylinder for vertical extension and retraction.
Legs 16, extending downward from the arms 11, are installed in the arms 11. The legs 16 can be extended and retracted by, for example, oil pressure cylinders. At the bottom of the connecting stage 11, rollers 6 are installed so that the movable platform can travel to all directions on the ground.
The above-mentioned transmission 21 is a speed-reduction unit, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The speed-reduction unit 21 consists of a Hindley worm 23 having a helical groove 22 and a wheel 25 which engages the worm 23, and which has an axis perpendicular to that of the worm 23. The shaft of the Hindley worm 23 is connected with one of the shafts of the motors 31 of FIG. 2. The shaft (not shown) of the wheel 25 is connected with one of the shafts 100 and 102. The wheel 25 includes a circular plate and a plurality of recesses 24 of rectangular cross section on the outer peripheral surface of the circular plate with the recesses 24 being evenly disposed and spaced angularly apart from each other at a pitch equaling an integer multiple of the groove 22 of the worm 23. The recess 24 has a hollow extending inward from the bottom thereof, and an aperture of a smaller cross section that the hollow extending inward from the bottom of the hollow. At the recesses 24, a plurality of roller unit 26 are respectively equipped, each of which has a roller support 28 provided in the hollow of the recess 24, and a pair of concentric rollers 27 of a circular cross section rotatably supported by the roller-support 28 in such a manner that the common axis of the rollers 27 is generally perpendicular to the axis of the wheel 25. The roller-support 28 further has a rod portion extending concentrically from the bottom of the roller-support 28 to be inserted into the aperture of the recess 24. A pair of springs 29 are interposed between the bottom of the roller support 28 and the bottom of the hollow of the recess 24 to push the roller support 28 outwardly. As described above, the pairs of the rollers 27 which project outward radially from the outer peripheral surface of the circular plate, are able to be radially extended and retracted, and is always pushed to the worm 23 by the springs 29. Furthermore, the rollers 27 can rotate along the groove 22 of the worm 22 with little friction between the groove 22 and the rollers 27. Therefore, as the worm 23 rotates, the wheel 25 can rotate without any backlash between the groove 22 and the rollers 27, so that the wheel 25 can rotate very smoothly. Furthermore, between the above-mentioned elements, there are suitable clearances, so that the rollers 27 can be inclined slightly in response to the warp of the face of the groove 22.
In order to operate the above construction, the observation personnel first climbs on the personnel stage 2 and, by using the control panel 5, drives the motors 31 to alternately move the arms 11 straight and/or rotationally in a horizontal plane. The holders 14 are controlled to be shut for holding hanging means of the construction site when the arms 11 are stopped at a desirable location, and is controlled to be opened for releasing them when the arms 11 are moved. Accordingly, under the condition that the entire movable platform is suspended at the construction site, the platform can travel beneath the hanging means.
Furthermore, since the driving force to the arms 11 is transmitted through the speed-reduction unit shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 without backlash, the platform does not receive any non-anticipated oscillation or shaking to startle the observation personnel on the personnel stage 2.
When the arms 11 are located at the desired position, the extendable and retractable legs 16 can be suitably extended under control of the control panel 5 in order to support the entire movable platform. For moving the arms 11, the legs 16 can be retracted so that the entire movable platform is supported by the rollers 6. While moving the arms 11, the rollers 6 support the entire movable platform and allow the platform to move smoothly. If necessary, the holders 14 can be equipped to the legs 16.
In the above-described movable platform, the arms 11 can be rotated about both ends of the connecting stage 1 in an angle range of about 120°. In addition, the arms 11 can slide straight on both ends of the connecting stage 1, from one end of the arms 11 which have holders 14, to another end of the arms 11 which also have holders 14. Therefore, the platform can be used for most construction situations.
Furthermore, when the observation is completed, the platform can be configured as shown in FIG. 5 so that a large storage space is unnecessary. Since the construction of the platform is not complicated, the platform may be provided at a low cost.
While the holders 14 are similar to a vise, holders utilizing electromagnetic force or suction-cup holders utilizing pneumatic force can be used. It is possible that the vise-type holders include the electromagnetic means or suction-cup means utilizing pneumatic force for more certain grip force of the holders. In the structure, when the holders grip the hanging means of the structure, the electromagnetic or suction-cup means is activated.
The driving mechanisms for the arms 11 are not limited to the rack 13 and the pinion 32 mechanism nor to the circular plate 33 and the accessory mechanism. Instead of these mechanisms, for example, a timing belt, wire, pneumatic means, or oil pressure means can be used.
While the control panel 5 for driving the arms 11 and holders 14 is installed in the personnel stage 2 in the above embodiment, the arms 11 can be controlled by another control means disposed elsewhere. | The present invention relates to a movable conveyor for construction sites. The platform includes: (a) a stage having two opposite end portions for conveying objects thereon; (b) a pair of elongated arms attached to the respective end portion of the stage, slidable and rotatable with respective to the stage in a horizontal plane; (c) a plurality of holders installed in the arms, the holders being adapted to grasp the structure and to hang therefrom; (d) a driving mechanisms to slide and rotate the elongated arms with respect to the stage and the holders; and (e) controller for sliding and rotating the driving mechanisms and for holders and releasing the holding, whereby the stage is conveyed with respect to the structure. | 5 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/841,414 filed Jul. 22, 2010 now U.S. Pat. No. 8,101,582, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/960,196 filed Dec. 19, 2007 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,795,316).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to the field of ophthalmic anti-infective/anti-inflammatory compositions and associated methods of treatment in mammals, particularly humans. More specifically, the present invention is directed to new ocular anti-infective/anti-inflammatory compositions containing tobramycin and dexamethasone.
The use of tobramycin and dexamethasone in combination to treat ophthalmic infections and attendant inflammation is known. Similarly, the use of these compounds in combination to treat inflammation and prophylactically treat (i.e., prevent or ameliorate) infections, such as in conjunction with an ocular surgical procedure, is also known. A product of this type is marketed by Alcon Laboratories, Inc. in the United States and other countries as TOBRADEX® (tobramycin 0.3%/dexamethasone 0.1%) Ophthalmic Suspension. This product has been available in the United States since 1988. It has been widely accepted as being the state-of-the-art ophthalmic anti-infective/anti-inflammatory product for many years. Further details regarding the composition of TOBRADEX® brand ophthalmic suspension are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,694.
The present invention is directed to the provision of improved tobramycin/dexamethasone compositions for topical ocular application. In particular, the invention is directed to the provision of compositions that contain xanthan gum and have a pH in the range 5 to 6. The viscosities of the compositions at the time of manufacture and during storage in a container prior to use are considerably less than would normally be expected based on the concentrations of xanthan gum utilized. This lowering of the viscosity prior to use is advantageous relative to dispensing of the compositions from a dropper bottle (e.g., DROPTAINER™, Alcon Laboratories, Inc.) or other container when administering the compositions to a patient. The reduction of the viscosities of the compositions at the time of manufacture and during storage prior to application to the eye is attributable to ionic interactions between the tobramycin and xanthan gum which occur at a pH of 5 to 6. Those interactions, if left uncontrolled, lead to the formation of clumps of tobramycin and xanthan gum and/or precipitation of the xanthan gum. The present invention is based in part on the discovery of formulation components and parameters that have been shown to be effective in controlling the tobramycin/xanthan gum interactions.
As indicated above, the compositions of the present invention contain xanthan gum. The use of xanthan gum as a component of ophthalmic compositions is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,177; U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,978; U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,524; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,547. The '978 patent describes the use of is xanthan gum in combination with tobramycin. It indicates that xanthan gum and tobramycin are incompatible at a pH of 5.0 to 7.8, and teaches that this incompatibility problem can be avoided by formulating tobramycin/xanthan gum compositions to have a pH in the range of 7.9 to 8.6. A product based on the invention described in the '978 patent is marketed by affiliates of Alcon Laboratories, Inc. in Europe and several other countries.
The '524 and '547 patents describe xanthan-based ophthalmic compositions formulated as non-gelled liquids that gel upon topical application to the eye. The compositions of the '524 and '547 patents are formulated so that their total ionic strength is approximately 120 mM or less, and preferably about 94 mM or less. The compositions of the '524 and '547 patents that have a total ionic strength greater than about 120 mM do not gel upon contact with the eye. The compositions of '524 and '547 patents are generally viscous and gel upon topical application to the eye. In contrast, the compositions of the present invention generally have lower viscosities in the bottle, but the viscosities increase significantly following application to the eye, as interactions between tobramycin and xanthan gum are broken down.
The tobramycin/dexamethasone compositions of the present invention are formulated at a pH of 5 to 6. This pH range is necessary in order to maintain the stability of dexamethasone. The use of a pH in this range for an ophthalmic tobramycin/dexamethasone composition is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,694. TOBRADEX® (tobramycin 0.3%/dexamethasone 0.1%) Ophthalmic Suspension also has a pH in this range.
The present invention resulted from an effort to create improved tobramycin/dexamethasone formulations, particularly compositions that provide for enhanced bioavailability of tobramycin and/or dexamethasone upon topical application to the eye, via the use of xanthan gum as a vehicle for tobramycin and dexamethasone. However, as described above, it was discovered that ionic interactions between tobramycin and xanthan gum at a pH of 5 to 6 lead to clumping and/or precipitation of the xanthan gum. In addition, it was discovered that xanthan gum slowly undergoes deacetylation during storage, thereby resulting in a stability problem. As explained in greater detail below, the present invention is based on the discovery of solutions to these problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to the provision of improved pharmaceutical compositions that contain tobramycin and dexamethasone and are suitable for topical application to the eyes of human patients. The compositions of the present invention are based in-part on the discovery of formulation parameters that control ionic interactions between tobramycin and xanthan gum, while maintaining the stability of dexamethasone. The control of those interactions has enabled the present inventors to provide compositions having physical properties that are very advantageous. More specifically, the compositions of the present invention have advantageous rheological properties, as a result of the controlled interactions between tobramycin and xanthan gum, and those properties enhance the bioavailability of drugs administered topically to the eye, particularly tobramycin and dexamethasone. In addition, the compositions provide significant improvements relative to the suspension of relatively insoluble forms of dexamethasone therein (i.e., dexamethasone alcohol), such that even if a patient occasionally fails to comply with instructions to shake a bottle containing the compositions prior to application to the eye, the availability of dexamethasone suspended in the compositions is not significantly diminished.
Solutions or suspensions containing xanthan gum at the concentrations utilized in the present invention are normally very viscous. As explained in greater detail below, the present invention is based in part on the finding that tobramycin, which is a cationic molecule, interacts ionically with the negatively charged xanthan gum molecules, thereby lowering the viscosity of the compositions. Upon application to the eye, the viscosity of the tobramycin/xanthan gum compositions of the present invention is restored (i.e., increases), as a result of disruption of the ionic interactions between tobramycin and xanthan gum, thereby resulting in increased ocular retention and enhanced ocular bioavailability. However, during manufacture of the compositions, as well as during storage of the compositions prior to use, the ionic interactions between tobramycin and xanthan gum must be controlled, so as to avoid the formation of precipitates and clumping, and maintain a uniform dispersion of the xanthan gum in the compositions. The present invention is based in-part on the identification of formulation features and parameters that control the ionic interaction between tobramycin and xanthan gum during the manufacturing and storage phase while maintaining the stability of dexamethasone.
Tobramycin is a positively charged molecule, while xanthan gum is negatively charged. When combined in an aqueous solution or suspension at an acidic pH, the tobramycin will cause the xanthan gum to precipitate or form clumps. Such precipitation or clumping is unacceptable in two respects. First, the tobramycin and xanthan gum are no longer uniformly distributed in the composition. This is unacceptable because each drop of the composition, upon dispensing from a suitable bottle or other container, must provide a uniform and predictable amount of the components of the composition, particularly the active ingredients. Second, the precipitation or clumping effect of tobramycin on xanthan gum results in a loss of the viscosity-enhancing effect of the xanthan gum on the composition, such that the viscosity of the composition may revert to a value equivalent to water (i.e., about 1 centipoise).
U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,978 is based in-part on the discovery that these ionic interactions may be controlled by utilizing an alkaline pH (i.e., a pH of 8.0 or greater). However, the use of an alkaline pH is not possible in the tobramycin/dexamethasone compositions of the present invention, because dexamethasone is not stable at this pH level. Dexamethasone is stable at a pH of 5 to 6, but at this pH the negatively charged xanthan gum and positively charged tobramycin interact to form precipitates and/or agglomerated clumps of material.
The present inventors have discovered that the above-discussed problems can be overcome by utilizing ionic species to control the ionic interaction between tobramycin and xanthan gum, so as to avoid formation of precipitates or clumps and maintain the viscosity of the present tobramycin/dexamethasone suspensions or solutions within an acceptable range prior to application to the eye. This control is achieved via inclusion of ionic species that associate with xanthan gum or tobramycin, thereby reducing direct interactions between these compounds. The ionic species utilized for this purpose can be any pharmaceutically acceptable agents that dissociate into anions and cations at a pH in the range of 5 to 6, but preferably are inorganic electrolytes or organic buffering agents, such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride or sodium sulfate.
Upon application to the eye, the viscosity of compositions of the present invention is restored, due to disruption of the complexes between xanthan gum and tobramycin. That is, upon application to the eye, the viscosity of the compositions of the present invention rises, thereby increasing the length of time during which compositions are retained on the corneal surface and enhancing ocular bioavailability. For example, as a result of this enhanced ocular bioavailability, it has been determined that a dexamethasone concentration of only 0.05 w/v % in the compositions of the present invention is bioequivalent to a dexamethasone concentration of 0.1 w/v % in TOBRADEX® Ophthalmic Suspension.
The present invention is also based in-part on the discovery that the xanthan gum-based compositions of the present invention possess superior suspension properties. More specifically, dexamethasone particles remain suspended in the compositions of the present invention significantly longer, relative to the prior TOBRADEX® formulation. This improvement provides important advantages, particularly with respect to patients who sometimes forget or overlook the instructions to “shake well before using” that apply to all ophthalmic suspension compositions.
The present invention is also based in-part on a finding that xanthan gum is much more effective as a viscosity enhancing agent in the compositions of the present invention if it is at least partially deacetylated. More specifically, xanthan gum slowly undergoes deacetylation in aqueous solutions. It has been determined that such deacetylation further lowers the pH of the compositions, thereby increasing ionic interactions between tobramycin and dexamethasone. These interactions initially result in a loss of viscosity and ultimately cause clumping and/or precipitation of xanthan gum and tobramycin. The present inventors have determined that this problem can be overcome by deacetylating xanthan gum prior to its inclusion in the compositions of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a graph showing the effect of sodium chloride concentration on the viscosity of a representative formulation of the present invention, as described in Example 3;
FIG. 2 is a graph showing the effect of pH on the viscosity of a representative formulation of the present invention, as described in Example 3;
FIG. 3 is a graph showing the effect of a phosphate-buffered saline solution having a pH of 7.4 on the viscosity of a representative formulation of the present invention, as described in Example 3;
FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating the relationship between sodium chloride equivalent concentration and viscosity, as described in Example 4; and
FIG. 5 is a graph showing ocular bioavailability data for three representative formulations of the present invention, in comparison to a prior art formulation, as described in Example 5.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The compositions of the present invention are formulated as sterile aqueous suspensions comprising tobramycin at a concentration of 0.1 to 0.5 weight/volume percent (w/v %), preferably 0.3 w/v %; dexamethasone at a concentration of 0.03 to 0.1 w/v %, preferably 0.05 w/v %; an aqueous vehicle containing deacylated xanthan gum at a concentration of 0.3 to 0.9 w/v %, preferably 0.6 w/v %; and ionic species in an amount sufficient to limit interactions between tobramycin and xanthan gum, such that the viscosity of the suspensions is maintained within the range of 10 to 700 centipoise (“cps”) preferably 10 to 300 cps, for a period of 18 months subsequent to the date of manufacture. The suspensions have a pH in the range of 5 to 6.
The ionic species utilized in the present invention can be any pharmaceutically acceptable compound that dissociates into cationic and anionic components at a pH in the range of 5 to 6. The compounds may be inorganic or organic, but will preferably be inorganic electrolytes, organic buffering agents or combinations thereof. Examples of such ionic species include sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium sulfate, sodium citrate, potassium citrate, sodium phosphate, potassium phosphate, sodium acetate, sodium borate, boric acid/mannitol complexes, boric acid/sorbitol complexes and combinations thereof.
The total amount of ionizable species present in the compositions of the present invention affects the viscosity of the compositions. The compositions must contain one or more ionizable compounds in an amount sufficient to reduce or preclude ionic interactions between tobramycin and xanthan gum, such that the formation of precipitates or clumping in the compositions is avoided, without exceeding the viscosity ranges specified above. The compositions therefore must contain ionic species in an amount sufficient to provide the compositions with a viscosity at the time of manufacture (referred to herein as “initial viscosity”) of at least 10 cps, preferably an amount sufficient to provide an initial viscosity of 15 cps or greater, and most preferably an amount sufficient to provide an initial viscosity of 25 cps or greater. The initial viscosity of the compositions is preferably in the range of 25 to 175 cps.
The effect of ionic species on ionic strength and viscosity is dependent on the particular ionic species selected. For example, the effect of sodium sulfate on ionic strength and viscosity is about 5.3 times greater than the effect of sodium chloride. The relative effect of different ionized salts maybe determined by means of routine experimentation, within the pH range, tobramycin concentrations, xanthan gum concentrations and viscosity ranges specified herein. The only critical parameters, so far as the compositions of the present invention is concerned, is that the amount of ionizable salts must be sufficient to avoid formation of precipitates or clumping of tobramycin and xanthan gum, without elevating the viscosity of the composition above 700 cps or, more preferably, 300 cps.
The viscosities of the ophthalmic suspensions of the present invention may increase somewhat over time, due to loss of moisture from the compositions. The suspensions are therefore formulated so as to maintain the viscosities thereof within the range of 10 to 700 cps, preferably 10 to 300 cps, over a period of 18 months. The viscosity of the compositions of the present invention from the time of manufacture until application to the eye is referred to herein as the “in vitro viscosity” of the compositions.
The viscosity values expressed herein are based on the use of a Brookfield viscometer at a shear rate of approximately 6 sec −1 and at a temperature of 25° C. A shear rate of approximately 6 sec −1 can be achieved using spindle CP-52 at 3 revolutions per minute “rpm”), spindle CP-51 at 1.5 rpm, spindle CP-42 at 1.5 rpm or spindle CP-41 at 3 rpm. Spindles CP-52 and CP-51 are typically used to measure viscosities greater than 300 centipoise (“cps”). Spindles CP-42 and CP-41 are generally typically used to measure viscosities less than 300 cps.
As indicated above, the viscosity of the compositions of the present invention is restored upon application to the eye, such that the viscosity of a composition following topical ocular administration is greater than its viscosity while stored in a container, following manufacture and prior to application to the eye. This increase is caused by a shift in the pH and ionic strength of the compositions when a small amount thereof (i.e., one or two drops) comes into contact with the lacrimal fluid of human eyes (i.e., tears). That is, the electrolytes in the lacrimal fluid raise the pH and ionic strength of the compositions, which causes the viscosity of the compositions to increase, thereby enhancing the ocular retention and bioavailability of the compositions.
It is not readily possible to measure the viscosity of the compositions of the present invention in vivo, i.e., following application to the eye. However the simulated in vivo viscosity model described below can be utilized to evaluate the effect of lacrimal fluid on the viscosity of the compositions of the present invention in vivo. The viscosity of the compositions of the present invention in vivo (i.e., following topical application to the eye) is simulated by adding a small amount of the following phosphate-buffered saline solution to the compositions:
Phosphate-Buffered Saline Solution Utilized for Simulated In Vivo Viscosity Measurements
Ingredient Amount (w/v %) Dibasic Sodium Phosphate 0.57% (anhydrous) Monobasic Sodium Phosphate 0.08% Monohydrate Sodium Chloride 0.65% Purified Water QS to 100% pH 7.4
The addition of the above-described phosphate-buffered saline solution (“PBS solution”) to the compositions of the present invention simulates the effect of lacrimal fluid on the viscosity of the compositions. The PBS solution is added to the compositions at a ratio of 1 to 10, i.e., one part PBS solution per ten parts of the tobramycin/dexamethasone/xanthan gum compositions of the present invention.
For purposes of the present specification, the actual in vivo viscosity for a composition of the present invention is presumed to be the same as the simulated in vivo viscosity for such composition. All references to “in vivo viscosity” herein are therefore interchangeable with “simulated in vivo viscosity”. All references herein to “simulated in vivo viscosity” and “in vitro/in vivo viscosity ratio” are based on the use of the above-described viscosity measurement procedures and simulated in vivo viscosity model.
The ratio of the viscosity of a composition of the present invention prior to application to the eye to the viscosity of the same composition following application of one drop thereof to the eye is referred to herein as the “in vitro/in vivo viscosity ratio”. The compositions of the present invention preferably have an in vitro/in vivo viscosity ratio in the range of from 1/100 to 65/100 or 0.01 to 0.65.
The foregoing ratio may also be expressed in terms of percentages, i.e., the in vitro viscosity divided by the simulated in vivo viscosity multiplied by 100. The foregoing range for the ratio of in vitro to simulated in vivo viscosity is therefore equivalent to a range wherein the in vitro viscosity of a composition of the present invention is from 1% to 65% of the simulated in vivo viscosity of said composition.
The relative viscosity values may also be expressed as a ratio of in vivo viscosity to in vitro viscosity. The compositions of the present invention preferably have an in vivo/in vitro viscosity ratio of 100/1 to 100/65, which is equivalent to a range wherein the in vivo viscosity of a composition is from about 1.5 to 100 times greater than the in vitro viscosity of said composition.
The tobramycin, dexamethasone and xanthan gum utilized in the sterile ophthalmic suspensions of the present invention are known compounds and are readily available from various sources. A non-salt form of dexamethasone, such as dexamethasone alcohol, is preferred. However, a salt form of dexamethasone, such as dexamethasone sodium phosphate, can also be utilized. When a dexamethasone salt is selected, the ionic strengths contributed by the ions formed upon dissociation of the dexamethasone salt must be considered when determining the concentrations of ionizable species required to control the ionic interactions between tobramycin and xanthan gum.
A pharmaceutical grade of xanthan gum should be utilized. The xanthan gum should preferably be polish-filtered prior to use. The selection of appropriate filtering techniques can be readily determined by a person skilled in the art. As discussed above, the xanthan gum must be deacetylated, so as to enhance the stability of the suspensions of the present invention during storage. The acetate content of xanthan gum is based on the acetate bound to the xanthan gum. The acetate content is typically expressed as a percent of xanthan gum, based on weight. The xanthan gum raw material will typically have up to 6% bound acetate. The deacetylated xanthan gum utilized in the present invention contains less than 2% bound acetate, and preferably less than 1% bound acetate. The importance of deacetylating xanthan gum and a process by which deacetylation may be performed are further explained in Examples 1 and 2, below.
As indicated above, the compositions of the present invention have a pH of from 5 to 6. The compositions will also have an ophthalmically acceptable osmolality, which is typically in the range of 200 to 400 milliOsmoles per kilograms of water (mOsm/kg). When selecting buffering agents suitable for maintaining the pH of the compositions within the specified range of 5 to 6 and/or selecting an osmolality-adjusting agent, the impact of such agents on the ionizable species content of the compositions must be considered. For example, if the addition of sodium chloride for purposes of adjusting osmolality increases the ionic species concentration beyond a level that is acceptable (i.e., relative to the targeted viscosity value), it may be necessary to replace all or part of the sodium chloride with a non-ionic osmolality-adjusting agent, such as propylene glycol.
The compositions of the present invention may contain various other ingredients that are typically utilized in ophthalmic pharmaceutical compositions, such as antimicrobial preservatives (e.g., benzalkonium chloride) and wetting agents (e.g., tyloxapol and Polysorbate 80). The compositions are preferably formulated and packaged as multi-dose products, but may also be formulated without a conventional antimicrobial preservative and packaged in a sealed, unit dose vial.
The compositions of the present invention are useful in the treatment of ocular inflammatory conditions wherein either an infection or a risk of infection exists. As utilized herein, the term “treatment” encompasses both active treatment of an existing condition and prophylactic treatment of a patient that is at risk of developing a condition (e.g., infection). The compositions of the present invention are particularly useful in treating ocular inflammation associated with injuries to the eye resulting from trauma, as well as inflammation associated with ocular surgical procedures (e.g., cataract surgery, retinal surgery, LASIK surgery) and ocular injections (e.g., retrobulbar injections, posterior juxtascleral injections and anterior juxtascleral injections).
Such treatments can be performed by applying a small amount (e.g., one to two drops) of a composition of the present invention to the affected eye or eyes of a patient from two to four times per day. However, both the amount of the dose and the dosing frequency may be modified by clinicians.
Example 1
The preparation of tobramycin/dexamethasone/xanthan gum formulations utilizing xanthan gum that has not bee deacetylated is described below. The stability of the resulting formulations was also evaluated, as explained below.
Preparation of Xanthan Gum Stock Solution
Hot water was added to a vessel. Xanthan gum was weighed and slowly added to the vessel while mixing. The temperature was adjusted to 60° C. and the xanthan gum and water were mixed until uniform. Purified water was added to bring the composition to the final target weight and mixed until uniform. The temperature was increased to 70° C. prior to filtering through an appropriate polishing filter e.g., 1.2 um filter.
Preparation of Tobramycin/Dexamethasone Formulations Using Xanthan Gum Stock Solution
The amounts of tobramycin, sodium chloride, boric acid and disodium edetate specified in Table 1A below were added to a portion of the purified water and dissolved. Hydrochloric or sulfuric acid was added to reduce pH. Tyloxapol and dexamethasone were added as slurry or as powder. Batch quantity of xanthan gum stock solution was added and mixed well. 1N hydrochloric acid or 1N sulfuric acid were added to reach the target pH. Purified water was added to bring to final volume and mixed well. The viscosities of the resulting formulations were measured at a shear rate of 6 sec −1 . The respective viscosity values are shown in Table 1A below.
TABLE 1A
Formulation Number
107201
107209
W/V %
W/V %
INGREDIENTS
Tobramycin
0.3
0.3
Dexamethasone
0.1
0.1
Xanthan Gum
0.9
0.9
Sodium chloride
0.42
0.08
Tyloxapol
0.05
0.05
Boric Acid
0.5
1
Disodium Edetate
0.01
0.01
Sodium Hydroxide
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
to 5.5
to 5.7
Hydrochloric Acid
Adjust pH
None
to 5.5
Sulfuric Acid
None
Adjust pH
to 5.7
Purified Water
Qs to 100%
Qs to 100%
RESULTS
Viscosity at shear
418
642
rate 6 sec−1 (cps)
The formulations described in Table 1A were subjected to accelerated stability testing. As shown in Table 1B, below, the pH and viscosities of the formulations, which were prepared using xanthan gum that has not been deacetylated, decrease upon storage. This eventually makes the formulations unusable. Specifically, the uniform nature of the suspensions was lost.
TABLE 1B
Stability of pH and Viscosity of Tobramycin/Dexamethasone
Formulations Prepared Using Non-Deacetylated Xanthan Gum
Formulation Number
107201
107209
107201
107209
Analysis
pH
Viscosity of Formulation (cps)
Initial
5.48
5.74
418
642
40° C., 4 Weeks
5.33
5.56
187
217
40° C., 8 Weeks
5.08
5.36
86
141
40° C., 16 Weeks
4.86
4.89
25
37
50° C., 1 Week
5.37
5.73
175
240
50° C., 2 Weeks
5.20
5.25
95
160
50° C., 4 Weeks
5.10
5.14
48
91
50° C., 8 Weeks
4.70
4.81
Not
Not
Uniform
Uniform
60° C., 1 Week
5.20
5.16
68
132
60° C., 2 Weeks
Not
4.83
Not
43
Uniform
Uniform
60° C., 4 Weeks
Not
Not
Not
Not
Uniform
Uniform
Uniform
Uniform
Example 2
The preparation of tobramycin/dexamethasone formulations in accordance with the principles of the present invention, including the use of deacetylated xanthan gum, is described below.
Preparation of Xanthan Gum Stock Solution and Pretreatment with Base
Hot water was added to a vessel. Xanthan gum was weighed and slowly added to the vessel while mixing. 2.5 ml of 1 N NaOH or equivalent per 1 g of xanthan gum was added and then mixed for 20 minutes. 1.66 ml of 1N HCl or equivalent per 1 g of xanthan gum was then added. Purified water was added to adjust the target weight followed by mixing for 15 minutes. The deacetylated xanthan gum was then filtered through an appropriate filter e.g., 1.2 um filter.
Preparation of a Tobramycin/Dexamethasone Formulation Using Pre-Treated Xanthan Gum Stock Solution
The specified amounts of tobramycin, sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, disodium edetate, and propylene glycol were added to a portion of the purified water, following by addition of tyloxapol and dexamethasone as a slurry or as powder. The pH was adjusted using 1 N hydrochloric acid to a pH slightly higher than the target pH. The deacetylated xanthan gum stock solution described above was then added and the resulting suspension was mixed well. The pH was adjusted with HCl and/or NaOH solution to the target level and the viscosity of the formulation was measured.
TABLE 2A Formulation Number 108536 W/V % INGREDIENTS Tobramycin 0.3 Dexamethasone 0.1 Xanthan Gum 0.6 Sodium chloride 0.24 Propylene Glycol 0.6 Tyloxapol 0.05 Sodium Sulfate (Anhydrous) 0.25 Disodium Edetate 0.01 Benzalkonium Chloride 0.01 Sodium Hydroxide Adjust pH to 5.75 Hydrochloric Acid Adjust pH to 5.75 Purified Water Qs to 100% RESULTS Viscosity at shear 116 rate 6 sec−1 (cps) Simulated In Vivo 1059 Viscosity at shear rate 6 sec−1 (cps) Viscosity of Formulation 11% as a % of Simulated In Vivo Viscosity
As shown in Table 2B, below, the pH values for Formulation 108536, which contains deacetylated xanthan gum, were fairly stable upon storage, unlike that of Formulations 107201 and 107209 in Example 1. As a result, the viscosities of Formulation 108536 remained stable or increased during storage, rather than decreasing, as in Example 1.
TABLE 2B
Stability of pH and Viscosity of Tobramycin/Dexamethasone
Formulations Prepared Using Deacetylated
(Pre-treated) Xanthan Gum
Formulation Number
108536
Analysis
pH
Pre-dose Viscosity (cps)
Initial
5.84
116
40° C., 4 Weeks
5.80
166
40° C., 8 Weeks
5.81
167
40° C., 12 Weeks
5.81
181
40° C., 16 Weeks
ND
ND
40° C., 26 Weeks
ND
ND
50° C., 1 Week
ND
ND
50° C., 2 Weeks
5.79
152
50° C., 4 Weeks
5.78
179
50° C., 8 Weeks
5.76
271
50° C,. 12 Weeks
5.73
372
50° C., 16 Weeks
ND
NA
60° C., 1 Week
5.79
150
60° C., 2 Weeks
5.78
172
60° C., 3 Weeks
ND
ND
60° C., 4 Weeks
5.66
235
ND = Not Determined
Example 3
The effect of tobramycin on the initial viscosity of the compositions of the present invention and the recovery of viscosity upon application of the compositions to the eye are further illustrated herein. The formulation shown in Table 3A below, which is a different lot of Formulation Number 108536 described in Table 2A above and is representative of the compositions of the present invention, was prepared utilizing deacetylated xanthan gum. The initial viscosity of the formulation was measured at a shear rate of 6 sec −1 and determined to be 42 cps.
TABLE 3A
Component
% w/v
Function
Tobramycin
0.3
Active
Dexamethasone (Micronized)
0.1
Active
Benzalkonium Chloride
0.01
Preservative
Tyloxapol
0.05
Wetting Agent
Disodium Edetate
0.01
Preservation Aid
Sodium Chloride
0.23 ± 0.04
Tonicity Agent
Sodium Sulfate
0.25
Tonicity Agent
Xanthan Gum
0.6%
Viscosity Modifier
Propylene Glycol
0.6
Tonicity Agent
Hydrochloric Acid and/or
Adjust pH
pH Adjustment
Sodium Hydroxide
to 5.7
Purified Water
QS 100
Vehicle
A second formulation, which was identical to the formulation shown in Table 3A, except for the omission of tobramycin, was also prepared. The second formulation was determined to have an initial viscosity of 836 cps.
A slight increase in pH or addition of small amount of ions (e.g. sodium chloride, phosphate buffer) reduces the ionic interactions between tobramycin and xanthan gum, thereby restoring the formulation viscosity. This phenomenon is graphically presented in FIGS. 1-3 . FIG. 1 shows that the viscosity of the formulation described in Table 3A increases from 42 cps to over 1,000 cps upon addition of 0.2 g of sodium chloride to 100 mL of the formulation. FIG. 2 shows that the viscosity of the formulation increases from 42 cps at pH 5.7 to over 1,100 cps is when pH is adjusted upward to 6.2, and to 1,300 cps when pH is at 6.4. FIG. 3 shows that the viscosity of the formulation increases from 42 cps to 1,059 cps upon addition of 10 mL of the above-described PBS solution to 100 mL of the suspension.
When tobramycin was removed from the formulation shown in Table 3A, the viscosity of the formulation did not increase after mixing with the PBS solution. Specifically, a modified version of the formulation, without tobramycin, was determined to have a viscosity of 667 cps when 10 ml of phosphate buffered saline solution was added to 100 ml of the formulation. In other words, the viscosity of the modified formulation was actually reduced from an initial viscosity of 836 cps to a simulated in vivo viscosity of 667 cps, following addition of the phosphate buffered saline solution.
Example 4
As discussed and illustrated below, the viscosity of the compositions of the present invention is affected by the ionic strength of the compositions and pH, as well as the amounts of tobramycin and xanthan gum selected within the specified ranges of 0.1 to 0.5 w/v % and 0.3 to 0.9 w/v %, respectively. The formulations and associated data presented in Tables 4A-4E are provided to further illustrate and explain the interaction of these factors.
A comparison of Formulations A-D and the respective viscosity values for is these compositions illustrates the impact of tobramycin on the viscosity of a composition containing xanthan gum at a concentration of 0.6 w/v %. Specifically, Formulation A, which contains tobramycin at a concentration of 0.3 w/v %, has an initial viscosity of 15 centipoise (“cps”), while Formulation C, which is identical to Formulation A except for the absence of tobramycin, has an initial viscosity of 919 cps. Thus, the presence of tobramycin in Formulation A contributes to the lowering of the viscosity of the composition. This effect of tobramycin is also evident based on a comparison of Formulations B and D. (Formulations A and B do not contain dexamethasone, but are otherwise representative examples of the tobramycin/dexamethasone compositions of the present invention. Formulations C and D are provided for comparative purposes and are not representative examples of the compositions of the present invention.)
The viscosity of Formulation A is stabilized by the inclusion of 23.9 mM (0.34%) of sodium sulfate, which is a preferred ionizable species. Formulation A also includes about 10 mM of sodium chloride, as deacetylated xanthan gum stock solution contains sodium chloride, formed by the addition of sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid during the deacetylation step. The ionic contributions from EDTA (disodium edetate) and benzalkonium chloride are insignificant, as their concentrations are very low.
The viscosity of Formulation B is stabilized by the inclusion of 138.2 mM sodium chloride, which is also a preferred ionizable species.
The viscosity of the compositions of the present invention can be stabilized using sodium chloride or sodium sulfate. However the concentration of sodium sulfate required is much smaller than the concentration of sodium chloride. Approximately 1 mM of sodium sulfate is equivalent to 5.3 mM of sodium chloride. This is demonstrated by Examples A, B and E though L.
The viscosities of Formulations A, B and E though L versus sodium chloride equivalent ionic concentration is plotted in FIG. 4 . The sodium chloride equivalent ionic concentration for these formulations is defined as “sodium chloride concentration (mM)+5.3 sodium sulfate concentration (mM)”. The viscosities of the formulations containing 0.3% tobramycin and 0.6% xanthan gum increases as the sodium chloride equivalent ionic concentration increases. The viscosity is in the preferred range of 10 to 300 cps for sodium chloride equivalent ionic concentration range of 134 to 150 mM.
Other ionizable species can be used in place of sodium chloride or sodium sulfate. The preferred ionized salts are sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, sodium citrate, sodium phosphate, sodium borate, sodium acetate, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride. The different ionized species will need a different factor (which is 5.3 for sodium sulfate) to determine the sodium chloride equivalent concentration. This factor can be determined by making samples with different ratios of sodium chloride and the other salt. The viscosity results of those samples can then be analyzed to determine the factor for determining the sodium chloride equivalent concentration. This factor will be greater than one for salts with multivalent ions.
For a given active moiety and its concentration, the sodium chloride equivalent ionic concentration range that provides relatively low viscosity depends on pH and xanthan gum concentration. For a 0.3% tobramycin solution, Formulations M and N show that a higher sodium chloride equivalent ionic concentration is required to provide the similar viscosity at lower pH of 5.5 compared to that at pH of 5.75.
Formulations O, P and Q show that at a fixed pH (5.5), lower sodium chloride equivalent ionic concentrations are required as xanthan gum concentration is increased from 0.6% to 0.9%.
TABLE 4A
Formulation
A
B
C
D
INGREDIENTS
W/V %
W/V %
W/V %
W/V %
Tobramycin
0.3
0.3
None
None
Xanthan Gum
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
Sodium Chloride
0
0.75
0
0.75
Sodium Sulfate
0.34
0
0.34
0
Tyloxapol
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
Disodium Edetate
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
Benzalkonium Chloride
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
Propylene Glycol
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
Hydrochloric Acid
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
to 5.7
to 5.7
to 5.7
to 5.7
Sodium Hydroxide
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
to 5.7
to 5.7
to 5.7
to 5.7
Purified Water
Qs to 100%
Qs to 100%
Qs to 100%
Qs to 100%
Sodium Chloride from
10.0
10.0
10.0
10.0
Xanthan Stock, mM
Sodium Chloride
0.0
128.2
0.0
128.2
added, mM
Total Sodium Chloride
10.0
138.2
10.0
138.2
Concentration (mM)
Sodium Sulfate
23.9
0.0
23.9
0.0
Concentration (mM)
Sodium Chloride
137
138
137
138
concentration (mM) +
5.3 Sodium Sulfate
Concentration (mM)
Viscosity at shear
15
22
919
915
rate 6 sec−1 (cps)
Simulated In Vivo
783
817
786
786
Viscosity at shear
rate 6 sec−1 (cps)
Viscosity of Formulation
2%
3%
117%
116%
as a % of Simulated
In Vivo Viscosity
TABLE 4B
Formulation
E
F
G
H
12076: 14I
12076: 17Q
12076: 14J
12076: 14K
INGREDIENTS
W/V %
W/V %
W/V %
W/V %
Tobramycin
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
Xanthan Gum
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
Sodium Chloride
0.1
0.55
0.23
0.35
Sodium Sulfate
0.3
0.1
0.25
0.2
Tyloxapol
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
Disodium Edetate
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
Benzalkonium Chloride
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
Propylene Glycol
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
Hydrochloric Acid
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
to 5.7
to 5.7
to 5.7
to 5.7
Sodium Hydroxide
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
to 5.7
to 5.7
to 5.7
to 5.7
Purified Water
Qs to 100%
Qs to 100%
Qs to 100%
Qs to 100%
Sodium Chloride from
10.0
10.0
10.0
10.0
Xanthan Stock, mM
Sodium Chloride added, mM
17.1
94.0
39.3
59.8
Total Sodium Chloride
27.1
104.0
49.3
69.8
Concentration (mM)
Sodium Sulfate
21.1
7.0
17.6
14.1
Concentration (mM)
Sodium Chloride
139
141
143
144
concentration (mM) +
5.3 Sodium Sulfate
Concentration (mM)
Viscosity at shear
40
58
83
83
rate 6 sec−1 (cps)
Simulated In Vivo
857
823
836
823
Viscosity at shear
rate 6 sec−1 (cps)
Viscosity of Formulation
5%
7%
10%
10%
as a % of Simulated
In Vivo Viscosity
TABLE 4C
Formulation
I
J
K
L
INGREDIENTS
W/V %
W/V %
W/V %
W/V %
Tobramycin
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.3
Xanthan Gum
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
Sodium Chloride
0.45
0.5
0.6
0
Sodium Sulfate
0.15
0.15
0.1
0.4
Tyloxapol
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
Disodium Edetate
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
Benzalkonium Chloride
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.01
Propylene Glycol
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.6
Hydrochloric Acid
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
to 5.7
to 5.7
to 5.7
to 5.7
Sodium Hydroxide
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
to 5.7
to 5.7
to 5.7
to 5.7
Purified Water
Qs to 100%
Qs to 100%
Qs to 100%
Qs to 100%
Sodium Chloride from
10.0
10.0
10.0
10.0
Xanthan Stock, mM
Sodium Chloride added, mM
76.9
85.5
102.6
0.0
Total Sodium Chloride
86.9
95.4
112.5
10.0
Concentration (mM)
Sodium Sulfate
10.6
10.6
7.0
28.2
Concentration (mM)
Sodium Chloride
143
151
150
159
concentration (mM) +
5.3 Sodium Sulfate
Concentration (mM)
Viscosity at shear
95
433
547
1016
rate 6 sec−1 (cps)
Simulated In Vivo
823
811
820
854
Viscosity at shear
rate 6 sec−1 (cps)
Viscosity of Formulation
12%
53%
67%
119%
as a % of Simulated
In Vivo Viscosity
TABLE 4D
Formulation
M
N
Batch No.
05-39669
05-39450
INGREDIENTS
W/V %
W/V %
Tobramycin
0.3
0.3
Dexamethasone
0.1
0.1
Xanthan Gum
0.6
0.6
Sodium chloride
0.24
0.36
Sodium Sulfate
0.25
0.25
Propylene Glycol
0.6
0.5
Tyloxapol
0.05
0.05
Boric Acid
None
None
Disodium Edetate
0.01
0.01
Sodium Hydroxide
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
to 5.75
to 5.5
Hydrochloric Acid
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
to 5.75
to 5.5
Purified Water
Qs to 100%
Qs to 100%
Sodium Chloride from
10.0
10.0
Xanthan Stock, mM
Sodium Chloride added, mM
41.0
61.5
Total Sodium Chloride
51.0
71.5
Concentration (mM)
Sodium Sulfate
17.6
17.6
Concentration (mM)
Sodium Chloride
144
165
concentration (mM) +
5.3 Sodium Sulfate
Concentration (mM)
Viscosity at shear
116
151
rate 6 sec−1 (cps)
Simulated In Vivo
1059
977
Viscosity at shear
rate 6 sec−1 (cps)
Viscosity of Formulation
11%
15%
as a % of Simulated
In Vivo Viscosity
TABLE 4E
Formulation
O
P
Q
INGREDIENTS
W/V %
W/V %
W/V %
Tobramycin
0.3
0.3
0.3
Dexamethasone
0.1
0.1
0.1
Xanthan Gum
0.6
0.8
0.9
Sodium chloride
0.36
0.23
0.1
Sodium Sulfate
0.25
0.25
0.25
Propylene Glycol
0.5
0.5
None
Tyloxapol
0.05
0.05
0.05
Boric Acid
None
None
0.5
Disodium Edetate
0.01
0.01
None
Sodium Hydroxide
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
to 5.5
to 5.5
to 5.5
Hydrochloric Acid
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
Adjust pH
to 5.5
to 5.5
to 5.5
Purified Water
Qs to 100%
Qs to 100%
Qs to 100%
Sodium Chloride from
10.0
13.3
14.9
Xanthan Stock, mM
Sodium Chloride added, mM
61.5
39.3
17.1
Total Sodium Chloride
71.5
52.6
32.0
Concentration (mM)
Sodium Sulfate
17.6
17.6
17.6
Concentration (mM)
Sodium Chloride
165
146
125
concentration (mM) +
5.3 Sodium Sulfate
Concentration (mM)
Viscosity at shear
151
163
636
rate 6 sec−1 (cps)
Simulated In Vivo
977
1554
2208
Viscosity at shear
rate 6 sec−1 (cps)
Viscosity of Formulation
15%
11%
29%
as a % of Simulated
In Vivo Viscosity
Example 5
Rabbit Bioavailability Study Results
The ocular bioavailability of three representative compositions of the present invention was evaluated relative to TOBRADEX® (tobramycin 0.3%/dexamethasone 0.1%) Ophthalmic Suspension. The formulations of the compositions of the present invention are shown in Table 5A, below. The formulation of TOBRADEX® Ophthalmic Suspension is shown in Example 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,149,694.
TABLE 5A
Formulation Number
109443
109442
108536
W/V %
W/V %
W/V %
INGREDIENTS
Tobramycin
0.3
0.3
0.3
Dexamethasone
0.01
0.05
0.1
Xanthan Gum
0.6
0.6
0.6
Sodium chloride
0.21
0.21
0.24
Propylene Glycol
0.6
0.6
0.6
Sodium Sulfate (Anhydrous)
0.25
0.25
0.25
Tyloxapol
0.05
0.05
0.05
Disodium Edetate
0.01
0.01
0.01
Benzalkonium Chloride
0.01
0.01
0.01
Sodium hydroxide
pH 5.75
pH 5.75
pH 5.75
Hydrochloric acid
pH 5.75
pH 5.75
pH 5.75
Purified Water
100%
100%
100%
RESULTS
Viscosity at shear
29
32
130
rate 6 sec−1 (cps)
Simulated In Vivo
872
872
955
Viscosity at shear
rate 6 sec−1 (cps)
Viscosity of Formulation
3%
4%
14%
as a % of Simulated
In Vivo Viscosity
The respective compositions were administered to both eyes of male New Zealand rabbits. Following administration of the formulations, aqueous humor samples were collected from both eyes at 0.5, 0.75, 1, 2, and 3 hours and concentrations of dexamethasone were determined using the LC-MS/MS procedure described below.
Concentrations of dexamethasone in the rabbit aqueous humor were measured using a validated HPLC tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS) method. In this procedure, a 25.0 microliter aliquot of aqueous humor is spiked with beclomethasone as internal standard and extracted using methyl-t-butyl ether. The organic layer is evaporated to dryness and reconstituted in 20:80 10 mM ammonium formate:methanol and injected on a reversed-phase HPLC column under isocratic conditions with a mobile phase of the same composition as used for sample reconstitution. The column effluent is subjected to positive ion electrospray ionization and the protonated molecular ions of dexamethasone and beclomethasone subjected to collisional fragmentation. Multiple reaction monitoring of the m/z 393.1→373.4 and 409.3→391.4 transitions for dexamethasone and beclomethasone, respectively, allows for specific detection. The working range of the procedure is 1.00 to 200 ng/mL.
Mean aqueous humor concentrations for dexamethasone versus time are plotted in FIG. 5 . The maximum concentrations (C max ) of dexamethasone in the aqueous humor and area under the curve (AUC) values are provided in Table 5B, below;
TABLE 5B
AUC 0-3 h
Formulation
C max (ng/mL)
(ng*h/mL)
TOBRADEX ® (tobramycin
69.4 ± 21.6
118 ± 6
0.3%/dexamethasone 0.1%
Ophthalmic Suspension)
Formulation 109443
45.6 ± 16.6
103 ± 9
(tobramycin 0.3%/
dexamethasone 0.01%)
Formulation 109442
106 ± 19
191 ± 10
(tobramycin 0.3%/
dexamethasone 0.05%)
Formulation 108536
129 ± 36
291 ± 14
(tobramycin 0.3%/
dexamethasone 0.1%)
The foregoing results show that the aqueous humor concentrations for the xanthan-based formulations of the present invention, containing dexamethasone at concentrations of 0.05% and 0.1%, respectively, are much higher than those for TOBRADEX® Suspension, which contains 0.1% dexamethasone. These results demonstrate the superior bioavailability of the compositions of the present invention. | Ophthalmic pharmaceutical compositions containing tobramycin, dexamethasone and deacetylated xanthan gum are described. The compositions provide longer ocular retention for enhanced ocular bioavailability of tobramycin and dexamethasone. In a preferred embodiment, the compositions also provide for improved suspension of dexamethasone. The concentration of ionizable species in the compositions is controlled so as to prevent precipitation of the xanthan gum as a result of ionic interactions between tobramycin and xanthan gum, while allowing for a restoration of viscosity upon topical application of the compositions to the eye. The use of deacetylated xanthan gum is disclosed, so as to avoid formulation instability caused by pH drift during storage. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The industrially most important known per salts are sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate which are employed in washing agents.
While sodium percarbonate is readily soluble but not very storage stabile, the reverse for sodium perborate (hereinafter unless otherwise indicated there is always understood the tetrahydrate) which is very difficultly soluble but instead is substantially safer to store. Also sodium perborate is more abrasion resistant than sodium percarbonate.
In order for the sodium percarbonate to approach the storage stabiliy and abrasion resistance of sodium perborate there have already been many proposals.
Thus silica in the form of sodium silicate was added to the sodium percarbonate which was formed both from solid soda and more preferably from aqueous soda solutions by reaction with hydrogen peroxide, see British Pat. No. 174,891.
However, the stability was not substantially improved by the simple mixing.
Also the use of a fluidized bed which consists of soda particles on which aqueous hydrogen peroxide was sprayed was not successful, see French Pat. No. 2,076,430.
Therefore, the art has already gone to producing sodium percarbonate by spraying a sodium percarbonate suspension or solutions of hydrogen peroxide and soda on nuclei already present. In that case, these nuclei can consist of sodium percarbonate or also of another per salt, as e.g. sodium perborate.
However, this process has prove to be difficult to carry out industrially since either a premature crystallization takes place in the injection nozzle or an inhomogeneous product is formed according to German OS 2,060,971.
By the impregnation of the percarbonate nuclei with the two aqueous solutions of hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate before introduction into a fluidized bed dryer to be sure homogeneous particles are formed, but besides other constituted technical difficulties in the carrying out of this process, the thus obtained percarbonate particles also were not stabile enough, see German OS 2,250,720.
To be sure these disadvantages are supposed to be overcome by the process of German OS 2,733,935 in which namely a condensed phosphate of an alkali metal, such as e.g., sodium hexametaphosphate is present during the impregnation of the nuclei, which then themselves are freed from water in a fluidized bed dryer, but the simultaneous addition of this sodium percarbonate together with sodium perborate in a washing agent mixture requires first the production of the sodium percarbonate according to German OS 2,733,935 and additionally the separate production of sodium perborate according to known processes.
Thus previously there must always be carried out two separate processes of production if two materials are to be introduced into a washing agent either separately or as a common product, e.g. according to German OS 2,060,971.
The object of the application therefore is the development of a process according to which a per salt is producible in a single step which is more readily soluble than sodium perborate and has a higher active oxygen content than this.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been found that a per salt can be produced in a single step that is more readily water soluble and has a higher active oxygen content than sodium perborate if sodium perborate and/or sodium percarbonate containing nuclei are brought together with an aqueous solution which is supersaturated in sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate and besides contains both sodium silicate and sodium hexametaphosphate.
The total content of dissolved solids is between 20-40 weight %, preferably 25-35 weight % based on the aqueous solution.
Within these solids boundaries, the portion of sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate in the solution can be varied as desired. Above 40 weight % the solution is scarcely still sprayable, below 20 weight % it is uneconomical to operate because too much water must be vaporized.
The amount of hydrogen peroxide must be at least sufficient for the formation of the two active oxygen carriers. The upper limit on the hydrogen peroxide is not critical. There can be used commercial aqueous solutions, preferably solutions of 50-70 weight % H 2 O 2 .
The portions of the individual materials in the aqueous solution employed in the invention amount to, based on the dissolved solid portion 5 to 60 weight % sodium carbonate as Na 2 CO 3 .1.5H 2 O; 1 to 20 weight % B 2 O 3 as NaBO 2 .3H 2 O.H 2 O 2 ; 0.05 to 5 weight % SiO 2 as sodium silicate and 0.01 to 5 weight % P 2 O 5 as sodium hexametaphosphate.
Those skilled in the art until now had the view that a solution which simultaneously contained sodium percarborate and sodium perborate would not be usable industrially since as is known sodium percarbonate as the more readily soluble component should cause salting out on the more difficultly soluble sodium perborate.
Therefore it was surprising that in spite thereof a solution of this type was producible and usable according to the process of the invention. This solution is produced as follows.
The aqueous solution to be mixed with the already present nuclei consists of two separate solutions. The solution I contains the components: soda and sodium metaborate corresponding to the ratios selected of the percarbonate to perborate, as well as the stabilizer sodium silicate, preferably as a waterglass solution of 38° Be and the sodium hexametaphosphate needed to breakdown the supersaturation of sodium percarbonate.
The solution II contains the equivalent amount of hydrogen peroxide, preferably as a 50-70 weight % solution, that is calculated for the quantitative change of the previously given amount of soda to sodium percarbonate. A slight excess of hydrogen peroxide of 10 weight % over the equivalent amount is advisable.
The mixture of solutions I and II must begin so far before the inlet in the spraying unit that the mixed solution is present homogeneously at the entrances; however, the mixing must not be entered so far from the spraying unit that precipitation begins already. This can be established by a preliminary test.
PREPARATION OF SOLUTION I (ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE)
There was first dissolved in an amount of water sufficient for the production of a clear solution sodium hexametaphosphate and subsequently the required amount of soda. The amount of water is besides sufficient according to the established ratio of "percarbonate to perborate" as well as to dissolve the corresponding amount of sodium metaborate, preferably in the form of caustic soda and crystalline Na 2 B 4 O 7 .10H 2 O. To this solution was then added the previously established amount of waterglass 38° Be. The amount of solids can be determined in a simple manner by weighing the solids to be added, the amount of water and the finished solution.
PREPARATION OF SOLUTION II (ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE)
It is a matter of a measured amount of 50-70 weight % hydrogen peroxide solution which is approximately equivalent to the amount of soda and sodium metaborate in the solution I. The crystallization nuclei are those of sodium percarbonate or sodium perborate which either originate from other processes of production or result from the carrying out of the process of the invention, as e.g. cyclone dust and/or ground oversize particles. These latter also have simultaneously as nuclei a content of sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate, besides a certain amount of silicate and sodium hexametaphosphate.
As spraying units there have proven above all binary nozzles in which there is employed as driving gas an inert gas, the best being air.
The process can be carried out either discontinuously (batchwise) or continuously.
The technological advance of the process of the invention is that in a single operation there is obtained a per salt which is more readily soluble than perborate and has a higher active oxygen content than this possesses and whose stability against decomposition in moist air is considerably high. Furthermore, it is significant that in the stated limits a per salt can be obtained whose content of percarbonate and perborate is adjustable as desired. This is of significance in the later use in washing agents. A process of this type for at will adjusting a percarbonate-perborate content in one and the same product which besides has the above mentioned properties of the product was not previously known. This process also was not obvious, since those skilled in the art, as stated, assumed that an aqueous solution which simultaneously contains sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate could neither be produced nor manipulated because of the precipitation of the sodium perborate.
Unless otherwise indicated all parts and percentages are by weight.
The process can comprise, consist essentially of or consist of the stated steps with the materials set forth.
The invention will be explained further in connection with the following examples.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
EXAMPLE 1
There were present in a rotating drum (diameter=250 mm, height=250 mm) having four equally spaced central flares (width=15 mm) and at an angle of inclination of 15° C. and rotating at a speed of 30 rpm, 700 grams of sodium percarbonate having a particle size of <0.4 mm.
In each case 1/5 of 520 grams of a solution (Solution I) which contains 5 grams of sodium hexametaphosphate, 102.1 grams of soda, 7.2 grams of sodium metaborate and 30.5 grams of waterglass solution of 38° Be were mixed together homogeneously with 15 grams of hydrogen peroxide solution of 70 weight % H 2 O 2 (Solution II). The thus produced spray solution in a first process step was sprayed through a binary nozzle on the particles present in the rotating drum.
The sprayed product was subsequently dried for about 1 hour at 55°-60° C. in a drying cabinet.
Process steps 2 to 5 were carried out in a manner corresponding to process of step 1, each time with 1/5 of the solution I.
EXAMPLE 2
As described in Example 1 there were present in a rotating drum at an angle of inclination of 15° and 30 rpm 700 grams of sodium percarbonate having a particle size of <0.4 mm.
In each case 1/5 of 559 grams of a solution (Solution I) which contains 5 grams of sodium hexametaphosphate, 90.7 grams of soda, 14.4 grams of sodium metaborate and 30.5 grams of water glass solution of 38° Be were mixed together with 13.6 grams of hydrogen peroxide solution containing 70 weight % of H 2 O 2 (Solution II) according to Example 1 before spray solution was sprayed in a first process type by a binary nozzle on the particles in the rotating drum.
The sprayed product was subsequently dried for about 1 hour at 55°-60° C. in a drying cabinet.
The process steps 2 to 5 were carried out according to process step 1.
EXAMPLE 3
As described in Example 1 there were present in a rotating drum under an angle of inclination of 15° and 30 rpm 700 grams of sodium percarbonate having a particle size of <0.4 mm.
In each case 1/5 of 545 grams of a solution (Solution I) which contains 5 grams of sodium hexametaphosphate, 88.9 grams of soda, 21.5 grams of sodium metaborate and 30.5 grams of waterglass solution of 38° Be were mixed together with 15.4 grams of hydrogen peroxide solution containing 70 weight % hydrogen peroxide (Solution II) according to Example 1 before spraying. The thus produced spray solution in a first process step was sprayed through a binary nozzle on the particles in the rotating drum.
The sprayed product was subsequently dried for about 1 hour at 55°-60° C. in a drying cabinet.
Process steps 2 to 5 were carried out according to process step 1.
EXAMPLE 4
As described in Example 1 there were present in a rotating drum under an angle of inclination of 15° and 30 rpm 700 grams of sodium percarbonate having a particle size of <0.4 mm.
In each case 1/5 of 559 grams of a solution (Solution I) which contains 5 grams of sodium hexametaphosphate, 77.6 grams of soda, 28.7 grams of sodium metaborate and 30.5 grams of waterglass solution of 38° Be were mixed together with 14.7 grams of hydrogen peroxide solution containing 70 weight % hydrogen peroxide (Solution II) according to example 1 before spraying. The thus produced spray solution in a first process step was sprayed through a binary nozzle on the particles in the rotating drum.
The sprayed product was subsequently dried for 1 hour at 55°-60° C. in a drying cabinet.
Process steps 2 to 5 were carried out according to process step 1.
TABLE 1__________________________________________________________________________ Product from Process of Production Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Pc:Pb Pc:Pb Pc:Pb Pc:Pb Starting Material 9:1 8:2 7:3 6:4__________________________________________________________________________Active Oxygen (Oa) % 13.68 13.68 13.56 13.66 13.66Na.sub.2 O % 37.51 37.20 37.20 37.28 37.20B.sub.2 O.sub.3 % -- 1.39 1.74 1.92 2.26CO.sub.2 % 27.10 26.20 26.00 25.60 25.40SiO.sub.2 % 0.01 0.80 0.82 0.79 0.81Time to Dissolve (minutes) 0.5 1.55 1.30 1.55 2.10Bulk density kg/l 0.91 0.79 0.78 0.81 0.81Sieve analysis on0.8 mm % 0 4 8 4 40.5 mm % 0 55 66 62 610.4 mm % 1 20 15 16 180.2 mm % 70 21 11 18 170.1 mm % 28 0 0 0 0Residue % 1 0 0 0 0Decomposition of active 95.5 11.5 12.4 10.2 9.0oxygen after 10 days at 30° C.and 92.9% rel. humidityParticle fraction employed <0.4 → 0.315 <0.4 → 0.315 <0.4 → 0.315 <0.4 → 0.315 <0.4 → 0.315mm as nuclei__________________________________________________________________________
In Examples 1 to 4 different mixture ratios of sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate were specified. Under the term "sodium perborate" in this application there is meant, as is customary, the tetrahydrate.
With increasing content of sodium perborate to be used the solubility time increases but the stability in moist atmosphere also increases.
In Table 1
Pc=sodium percarbonate
Pb=sodium perborate tetrahydrate.
EXAMPLE 5
As described in Example 1 there were present in a rotating drum under an angle of inclination of 15° and 30 rpm 700 grams of per salt having a particle size of <0.4 mm.
In each case 1/5 of 559 grams of a solution (Solution I) which contains 5 grams of sodium hexametaphosphate, 90.7 grams of soda (sodium carbonate), 14.4 grams of soidum metaborate and 30.5 grams of waterglass solution of 38° Be were mixed together with 13.6 grams of hydrogen peroxide solution containing 70 weight % hydrogen peroxide (Solution II) according to Example 1 before spraying. The thus produced spray solution in a first process step was sprayed through a binary nozzle on the particles in the rotating drum.
The sprayed product was subsequently dried for about 1 hour at 55°-60° C. in a drying cabinet.
Process steps 2 to 5 were carried out according to process step 1.
As can be ssen from Table 2 the composition of the final product, up to the content of SiO 2 , scarecely differs from the nuclei initially present.
The entire disclosure of German priority application P 2940192.1 is hereby incorporated by reference.
TABLE 2______________________________________ Starting Test Material Product______________________________________Active oxygen % 13.70 13.85Na.sub.2 O % 35.24 36.33B.sub.2 O.sub.3 % 5.66 5.12CO.sub.2 % 21.22 21.94P.sub.2 O.sub.5 % 1.82 1.92SiO.sub.2 % 1.02 2.92Solubility time (minutes) 2.2 2.5Bulk Density kg/l 0.82 0.78Sieve analysis on0.8 mm % 0 40.5 mm % 0 500.4 mm % 1 250.2 mm % 65 210.1 mm % 33 0Residue % 1 0Decomposition of active oxygen 12.0 8.5after 10 days at +30° C. and 92.9%rel. humidityParticle fraction employed <0.4 → 0.315 <0.4 → 0.315in mm as nuclei______________________________________ | There is produced a stabile per salt which contains simultaneously sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate by introducing a solution supersaturated with both sodium percarbonate and sodium perborate to nuclei which consist of sodium percarbonate and/or sodium perborate. | 2 |
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application serial Nos. 60/401,636, filed Aug. 6, 2002, and 60/403,447, filed Aug. 13, 2002, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The field of the invention is that of elevators and cable and rope lifting systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In all traction elevators, the groove of a driving sheave must have a profile such that the required amount of traction can be developed within the permissible angle of contact between the rope and the groove. In single wrap elevators with overhead machines, the angle of contact can be a small as 145° but is never larger than 180°. In single wrap elevators with machines below, the degree of contact may be as much as 220°. To keep the wear of the grooves to a minimum, it is necessary to provide ample bearing surface for the ropes. This is generally accomplished by providing several ropes, each supported in its own sheave groove. (Electric Elevators, Book I, F. Hymans, Intl. Textbook Co., pp. 23-24.)
[0004] When the angle of contact between the hoist/support ropes and drive sheave is small, so-called rope-pinching sheave grooves have been employed to increase the traction between the rope and sheave grooves. However, elevator systems utilizing pinching-type sheaves are limited to slower, non-high-speed operation due to the wear and tear on the ropes and sheaves and due to the vibration associated with such systems. For example, a common rope-pinching configuration is the V-groove. Elevator operating speed is generally limited to about 125 feet per minute with a V-groove system. Another rope-pinching configuration is the undercut U-groove. Elevator operating speeds are generally limited to about 600 feet per minute, i.e., the medium speed range, with the undercut-U-groove. (Electric Elevators, Book I, F. Hymans, Intl. Textbook Co., pp. 25-26.)
[0005] A substantially non-pinching-type groove, such as a U-groove, causes the least amount of damage and wear to the rope and sheave groove itself but provides poor traction between the sheave and rope. In fact, about 270° of contact between the sheave and rope is required to obtain a workable amount of traction with a U-groove system. However, this degree of contact is not obtainable using a single wrap elevator system. Certain prior art systems have provided metallic sheaves which form a rope-engaging groove which is then lined with synthetic material to increase the traction between the sheave and a rope running therein. However these liners are not suitable for rugged or high speed applications. Firstly, since the liners are thin, they have a very limited workable lifetime due to wear. Secondly, a potentially hazardous situation exists when these liners are worn through since a rope running in the sheave will then engage with the lower coefficient of friction, metallic, groove-forming part of the sheave.
[0006] Metallic sheaves, such as iron and steel sheaves, whether lined or unlined, have generally been used since they are resilient to deformation and failure under elevator operation and other lifting applications. Entirely synthetic polymer-based sheaves, since they generally lack the resilience of structural metals, have not been applicable as sheave discs in conventional sheave assemblies, especially under high load, high-speed operating conditions.
[0007] Hence, heretofore, it has not been possible to use substantially or entirely synthetic sheave discs in elevator sheave assemblies or in similar, critical sheave applications. Further, heretofore it has not been practical to use U-groove type sheaves, nor obtain the advantages thereof, in a single wrap elevator system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The invention provides sheave discs wherein the groove-forming peripheral part of the sheave disc itself is at least substantially composed of synthetic polymeric material. In contrast, the groove-forming part of prior art sheaves have been metallic and have only been lined with synthetic materials.
[0009] The invention provides modular elevator sheave assembly systems having a component comprising a sheave disc support member and a plurality of sheave discs having an inner perimeter and an outer diameter, wherein the inner perimeter is sized to fit on the outer perimeter of the sheave disc support member of the first component. Sheave disc flanking flanges are further provided. These flanges laterally support the sheave discs and allow sheave discs which are predominantly or even entirely composed of synthetic polymer materials to be used.
[0010] The invention further provides that the sheave discs are at least substantially non-rope-pinching. Thus the sheave discs may have at least substantially U-shaped rope engaging grooves. The invention still further provides that at least the groove-forming part of the sheave is at least substantially composed of synthetic polymeric materials.
[0011] The modular sheave assemblies of the invention are suitable for both elevator drive sheave and deflector sheave applications. In drive sheave applications, durable synthetic polymer sheaves providing a high friction of coefficient rope-engaging surface are employed. For example, a synthetic polymeric material having a coefficient of friction of about 0.2 is sufficient for the raising and lowering of an elevator car using nylon jacketed, aramid fiber suspension rope, such as Kevlar rope, in slow or high-speed operation, using sheave discs having U-shaped channels.
[0012] In deflector sheave applications, the sheave channel need not present a high friction surface, and preferably presents a low friction surface so as to minimize the wear of the support cable or rope that engages with the channel. For example, sheave discs composed entirely or predominantly with a synthetic material having a coefficient of friction of about 0.11 are well-suited for deflector sheave applications with nylon-jacketed Kevlar rope.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIGS. 1 A- 1 C show an interchangeable sheave disc according to the invention.
[0014] [0014]FIGS. 2A and 2B show a modular drive sheave assembly according to the invention.
[0015] [0015]FIGS. 3A and 3B shows a modular deflector sheave assembly according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] The invention provides modular elevator sheave assembly systems having a component comprising a sheave disc support member and a plurality of sheave discs having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the inner diameter being sized to fit on the outer diameter of the cylindrical sheave disc support member of the first component. The invention further provides that the sheave discs have at least substantially non-rope-pinching rope-engaging grooves, e.g., U-shaped grooves. The invention still further provides that the groove-forming part of the sheaves itself is composed, at least substantially, of synthetic polymeric material.
[0017] The modular sheave assemblies of the invention are suitable for both elevator drive sheave and deflector sheave applications. In drive sheave applications high friction, durable synthetic polymer sheaves are employed. For example, a synthetic polymeric material having a coefficient of friction of about 0.2 is sufficient for the raising and lowering of an elevator car using nylon-jacketed, aramid fiber suspension rope, such as Kevlar rope, rope, in slow or high-speed operation, using sheave discs having U-shaped channels.
[0018] In deflector sheave applications, the sheave channel need not present a high friction surface, and preferable presents a low friction surface so as to minimize the wear of the support cable or rope that engages with the channel. For example, sheave discs composed entirely or predominantly of a synthetic polymeric material having a coefficient of friction of about 0.11 are well-suited for deflector sheave applications.
[0019] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the selection of particular synthetic polymer materials to form the sheave discs of the invention will be determined by the particular physical properties of the ropes used with the sheaves and the requirements, for example, speed and load bearing requirements, of the particular supporting/lifting application.
[0020] [0020]FIG. 1A shows an example of an interchangeable sheave disc according the invention. Eight holes are formed in the sheave disc to accommodate bolts or other types of tying members, which serve to tie the sheave discs, flanges and weldments together in the modular sheave assembly of the invention. A line-up keyway is also formed in the sheave disc of FIG. 1A. Similarly configured line-up key slots in the sheave discs and flanges used to form a modular sheave assembly permit the rapid alignment of the bolt holes therein by the progressives insertion of an elongated key through the key slots of neighboring discs and flanges. FIG. 1B shows an edge-wise view of the sheave disc shown in FIG. 1A, showing the non-rope-pinching configuration of the rope engagement slot of the sheave disc. FIG. 1C is a blow-up of the portion of the sheave-disc circled in FIG. 11B.
[0021] According to the invention, at least the groove-forming part of a sheave disc, including material below the lowest point of the sheave groove, is formed by an at least substantially, synthetic polymeric material, i.e., a resin-based material. Thus, in contrast to synthetic material lined-grooves of metallic sheaves, the sheaves of the present invention continuously provide a functioning, high-speed synthetic material groove surface as a groove is worn down over prolonged periods of operation.
[0022] In one embodiment of the invention, the entirety of the modular drive sheave discs are made of an at least substantially polymeric synthetic material, i.e., a resin material. In still another embodiment of the invention, an inner annulus of the modular sheave disc may be metallic or otherwise non-polymeric, but at least 10 mm of depth below the lowest point of the rope-engaging groove of the groove-forming part of the sheave is composed of the synthetic polymeric material. In still another embodiment of the invention, an inner annulus of the modular sheave disc may be metallic or otherwise non-polymeric, but from about 40 mm to about 100 mm of depth below the lowest point of the rope-engaging groove of the sheave is composed of an at least substantially or predominantly synthetic polymeric material. The synthetic polymer sheave discs, or synthetic polymer component of the sheave discs, of the invention may be manufactured, for example, by molding to form, by machining of “blanks” to form or by any combination of the two processes.
[0023] [0023]FIG. 2A shows an example of an assembled modular drive sheave assembly according to the invention. The modular drive sheave assembly of FIG. 2A has 3 component sheave discs and, hence, 3 rope-engagement grooves are shown. FIG. 2B is an exploded view drawing of the modular drive sheave assembly of FIG. 2A showing the relationship between its component parts. Member 1 is a sheave hub weldment drive which comprises an end-plate sheave flange and a cylindrical sheave disc and flange support member. Members 2 are intermediate sheave flanges which separate neighboring sheave discs. Members 3 are the synthetic drive sheave discs. Member 4 is an outside sheave flange. Each of members 1-4 has similarly configured holes so that bolts or other types of tying members can be passed through the consecutive members. Members 5 are screw threaded bolts and members 6 and 7 are spring-type washers and nuts, respectively, for tightening down and securing the bolts. Member 8 is an expansion-type bushing having an end-plate component and a cylindrical shaft component. The cylindrical shaft component of bushing member 8 has an inner recess diameter for accepting a support shaft and an outer diameter which is sized and configured to fit into a similarly dimensioned inner recess in the sheave and flange support member of member 1. Further, the shaft of the bushing has a longitudinal projection projecting radially from the main diameter of the shaft which interlocks with a similarly sized longitudinal recess within the main recess of the sheave and flange support member of member 1. The end plate of bushing member 8 also has holes through which bolts or other tying members can pass in order to secure member 8 to the sheave and flange support member of member 1.
[0024] Advantageously, the invention provides modular drive sheave discs with grooves having a non-rope-pinching configuration, yet which (1) provide a suitable degree of traction for high speed elevator operation using aramid fiber suspension ropes, such as, nylon-jacketed Kevlar suspension ropes and (2) which are formed themselves of the synthetic tractive material so that a functioning, high-speed-capable, synthetic groove surface is continuously provided as a groove is progressively worn down.
[0025] Suitable synthetic polymeric materials for the entirely polymeric drive sheave discs of the invention or those wherein only an inner annulus is metallic or non-polymeric include, for example, those having a coefficient of friction of about 0.2. Such a material provides good traction in connection with a nylon-jacketed Kevlar elevator suspension rope and enables high speed elevator operation therewith. Furthermore, synthetic polymeric materials further having a tensile strength of about 25 N/mm 2 and a hardness of in the range of about 80 to about 85 shore D provide favorable mechanical strength and wear characteristics under the same operating conditions. One such material is the resin-based, thermosetting plastic material, trade name Becorit D 670 BT. This material provides a substantially constant friction value under various conditions, including aqueous submersion, and is highly abrasion resistant. Additionally, Becorit D 670 BT is non-swelling and is generally resistant to oils and greases.
[0026] The sheave disc-flanking flanges provide lateral support to the sheave discs, for both the drive sheave and deflector sheave embodiments of the invention, and generally facilitate the use the non-metallic, resin-based sheave discs of the invention. Specifically, since the synthetic polymeric materials of which the sheave discs are composed will generally not be as resilient to failure or structural deformation, especially lateral deformation, as a metallic sheave disc, the sheave flanking flanges play an important role in constraining and maintaining the structure of the sheave discs during their operation within a sheave disc assembly according to the invention. One important aspect of this is that the flanges help maintain the groove in a constant, laterally-stabilized or “centered” alignment as the ropes progressively wear the groove down. Hence, the flanges minimize lateral travel of the groove itself. Accordingly, the flanges of the invention may be composed, for example, of a high-strength material such as, but not limited to, iron, steel or another metal or alloy or a carbon fiber composite material.
[0027] Further, in the event of failure of a synthetic sheave disc within the sheave disc assemblies of the invention, the flanges themselves advantageously form a laterally constraining rope groove which serves to keep the rope from traveling in a hazardous fashion.
[0028] [0028]FIG. 3A shows an example of an assembled modular deflector sheave assembly according to the invention. The modular drive sheave assembly of FIG. 3A has 3 component sheave discs and, hence, 3 rope-engagement grooves are shown. FIG. 3B is an exploded view drawing of the modular drive sheave assembly of FIG. 2A showing the relationship between its component parts. Member 1 is a sheave hub deflector weldment which comprises an end-plate sheave flange and a cylindrical sheave disc and flange support member. Members 2 are intermediate sheave flanges which separate neighboring sheave discs. Members 3 are the synthetic deflector sheave discs. Member 4 is an outside sheave flange. Each of members 1-4 has similarly configured holes so that bolts or other types of tying members can be passed through the consecutive members. Members 5 are screw threaded bolts and members 6 and 7 are spring-type washers and nuts, respectively, for tightening down and securing the bolts. Members 8 and 9 are a bearing and hub, respectively, which cooperate with each other to provide a freely rotatable hub on which the sheave and flange support member of member 1, and the members supported thereon, may freely rotate. The bearing and hub subassembly formed by members 8 and 9 is sized and configured to fit in a complementary sized and configured inner recess within the sheave and flange support member of member 1.
[0029] Like the modular drive sheave discs, the invention also provides that the modular deflector sheave discs can be entirely composed of an at least substantially synthetic polymeric material, or that at least the groove forming part of the sheave is at least substantially composed of such a polymeric material.
[0030] Suitable synthetic polymeric materials for the entirely polymeric deflector sheave discs of the invention or those wherein only an inner annulus may be metallic or non-polymeric include, for example, those having a coefficient of friction of about 0.11. Such a material provides good cooperation between the sheave groove and nylon-jacketed Kevlar elevator suspension rope. Synthetic polymeric materials further having a tensile strength of about 27 N/mm 2 and a hardness of about 64 to about 67 shore D provide favorable mechanical strength and cause minimal wear to both the polymeric channel material and rope. One such polymeric material is the abrasion-resistant, thermoplastic material, trade name Becorit D 530 BT. This material is principally comprised of Macromelekel groups, plus additives and colorings agents. Further, Becorit D 530 BT is resistant against diluted acids, diluted alkalines, sulphuric acid (80%) and ethylene glycol. Other properties of this material include a permissible surface pressure of about 4.5 N/mm 2 , elongation of about 450%, plastic hardness (DIN53456 H135 N) of about 38 N/mm 2 and volumetric weight (density) of about 0.94 g/cm 2 .
[0031] Still another advantage of the modular sheave assembly design of the invention is that the modular sheaves can be readily disassembled and reassembled for inspection and replacement of worn component parts such as the sheave discs.
[0032] Further advantageously, the invention also provides a modular sheave system, for example, in the form of a kit, wherein common parts, such as intermediate flanges, end-plate flanges and sheave hub weldments and/or parts thereof, may be used interchangeably between modular drive sheave assemblies and modular deflector sheave assemblies.
[0033] The examples presented herein are intended to be illustrative and not limiting of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be determined solely in connection with the appended claims and their equivalents. | The invention provides modular drive and deflector sheave assemblies for raising and lowering elevator cars and for deflecting a support rope or cable in different directions with minimal wear. The drive sheave assemblies of the invention provide sufficient traction between a support rope, e.g., nylon-jacketed Kevlar suspension rope, and sheave to raise and lower elevator cars without requiring more than 180° of contact between the rope and drive sheave. Such a drive sheave assembly can advantageously have a non-rope-pinching groove, thereby minimizing wear on the rope and vibration during operation. | 5 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation-in-part of my copending U.S. application Ser. No. 008,963 filed Jan. 30th, 1987 which in turn is a continuation-in-part of my copending U.S. application Ser. No. 626,121 filed June 29th, 1984 now abandoned, which was refiled as U.S. application Ser. No. 027,128 on Mar. 16, 1987, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the drilling of deep wells such as oil and gas wells, it is common practise to drill utilizing the rotary drilling method. A suitably constructed derrick suspends the block and hook arrangement, together with a swivel, drill pipe, drill collars, other suitable drilling tools, for example reamers, shock tools, etc. with a drill bit being located at the extreme bottom end of this assembly which is commonly called the drill string.
The drill string is rotated from the surface by the kelly which is rotated by a rotary table. During the course of the drilling operation, drilling fluid, often called drilling mud, is pumped downwardly through the hollow drill string. This drilling mud is pumped by relatively large capacity mud pumps. At the drill bit this mud cleans the rolling cones of the drill bit, removes or clears away the rock chips from the cutting surface and lifts and carries such rock chips upwardly along the well bore to the surface.
In more recent years, around 1948, the openings in the drill bit allowing escape of drilling mud were equipped with jets to provide a high velocity fluid flow near the bit. The result of this was that the penetration rate or effectiveness of the drilling increased dramatically. As a result of this almost all drill bits presently used are equipped with jets thereby to take advantage of this increased efficiency. It is worthwhile to note that between 45-65% of all hydraulic power output from the mud pump is being used to accelerate the drilling fluid or mud in the drill bit jet with this high velocity flow energy ultimately being partially converted to pressure energy with the chips being lifted upwardly from the bottom of the hole and carried to the surface as previously described.
As is well known in the art, a rock bit drills by forming successive small craters in the rock face as it is contacted by the individual bit teeth. Once the bit tooth has formed a crater, the next problem is the removal of the chips from the crater. As is well known in the art, depending upon the type of formation being drilled, and the shape of the crater thus produced, certain crater types require much more assistance from the drilling fluid to effect proper chip removal than do other types of craters. For a further discussion of this see "Full Scale Laboratory Drilling Tests" by Terra-Tek Inc., performed under contract Ey-76c-024098 for the U.S. Department of Energy.
The effect of drill bit weight on penetration rate is also well known. If adequate cleaning of the rock chips from the rock face is effected, doubling of the bit weight will double the penetration rate, i.e. the penetration rate will be directly proportional to the bit weight. However, if inadequate cleaning takes place, further increases in bit weight will not cause corresponding increases in drilling rate owing to the fact that formation chips which are not cleared away are being reground thus wasting energy. If this situation occurs, one solution is to increase the pressure of the drilling fluid thereby hopefully to clear away the formation chips in which event a further increase in bit weight will cause a corresponding increase in drilling rate. Again, at this increased drilling rate, a situation can again be reached wherein inadequate cleaning is taking place at the rock face and further increases in bit weight will not significantly affect the drilling rate and, again, the only solution here is to again increase the drilling fluid pumping pressure thereby hopefully to properly clear the formation chips from the rock face to avoid regrinding of same. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that bit weight and drilling fluid pressure must be increased in conjunction with one another. An increase in drilling fluid pressure will not, in itself, usually effect any change in drilling rate in harder formations; fluid pressure and drill bit weight must be varied in conjunction with one another to achieve the most efficient result. For a further discussion of the effect of rotary drilling hydraulics on penetration rate, reference may be had to standard texts on the subject.
It should also be noted that in softer formations, the bit weight that can be used effectively is limited by the amount of fluid cleaning available below the bit. In very soft formations the hydraulic action of the drilling fluid may do a significant amount of the removal work.
In an effort to increase the drilling rate, the prior art has provided vibrating devices known as mud hammers which cause a striker hammer to repeatedly apply sharp blows to an anvil, which sharp blows are transmitted through the drill bit to the teeth of the rolling cones. This has been found to increase the drilling rate significantly; the disadvantage however is that the bit life is significantly reduced. In a deep well, it is well known that it takes a considerable length of time to remove and replace a worn out bit and hence in using this type of conventional mud hammer equipment the increased drilling rate made possible is offset to a significant degree by the reduction in bit life.
One proposal for cyclically interrupting flow through a drill stem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,780,438 issued Feb. 5, 1957. This patent proposes the use of a rotary valve member actuated by a spiral rotary valve actuator. Axially disposed co-operating passages are provided in the valve structure and thrust bearings take up axially oriented loads on the rotary valve member. Disadvantages of this proposal include the fact that the axially oriented passages are prone to blockage by debris. The high shock forces on the rotary valve member would tend to rapidly destroy the thrust bearings supporting the rotary valve. The overall arrangement would be very inefficient in providing fluctuating forces on the drill bit. The free telescoping movement of the housing above the rotary valve would destroy most of the desired water hammer effect and would appear to eliminate most of the pressure drop below the bit considering that the apparatus is acting in a closed system.
Another prior art flow pulsing arrangement is shown in the Zublin U.S. Pat. No. 2,743,083 issued Apr. 24, 1956. This patent shows several embodiments of an invention. In all of these embodiments, however, the arrangement is such that pressure pulses above the rotor and consequent pressure drops below the rotor act on almost the whole projected area of the rotor. High axial forces on the rotor bearings result thus materially shortening the bearing life. Furthermore, the valving arrangements provided are prone to jamming due to debris in the drilling fluid and if sufficient clearance is provided to alleviate jamming problems the structural configuration of the valve makes it difficult to achieve a meaningful level of pressure build-up.
My above-noted copending U.S. pat. applications Ser. Nos. 008963 and 626,121 (disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference hereto) disclose improved forms of flow pulsing apparatus including a rotor having blades which is adapted to rotate in response to the flow of drilling fluid through the tool housing. A rotary valve forms part of the rotor and alternately restricts and opens the fluid flow passages thereby to create cyclical pressure variations. The flow passages comprise radially arranged port means in a valve section of the housing with the rotary valve means being arranged to rotate in close co-operating relationship to the port means to alternately open and close the radial ports during rotation.
Because of the fact that the drilling fluid typically contains a substantial portion of gritty material of varying size as well as other forms of debris such as sawdust and wood chips, and since it is not practical to attempt to screen or filter all of this material out of the drilling fluid, all of the above-described rotary valve arrangements are prone to jamming due to debris binding in the valve surfaces. Accordingly, there is a requirement that a degree of clearance be maintained between the valve surfaces and in my above-noted copending applications various improvements have been incorporated thereby to allow the radial clearances between the valving surfaces to be kept as small as possible while at the same time avoiding jamming under ordinary circumstances. It should be kept in mind, of course, that in order to achieve the maximum water hammer effect, the clearances should be kept as small as possible thereby to achieve the maximum possible conversion of the flow energy of the drilling fluid into dynamic pressure energy to produce the optimum water hammer effect. The structures described in my copending applications above require a minimum radial clearance in order to avoid binding and jamming. Hence, it can readily be seen that the total "leakage" area when the valve is "closed" will be equal to the clearance dimension multiplied by the total distance around the valve ports. Since there is a need to keep the total leakage area relatively small, it follows that the total distance around the valve ports must be kept reasonably small as well, resulting in much smaller than optimum port holes which in turn restrict the flow unduly even when the valve is fully open thus creating a substantial pressure drop across the open valve. This restriction of the flow through the fully open valve reduces the overall operating efficiency of the system for reasons which will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.
Another disadvantage associated with rotary valve flow pulsating arrangements is that the timing or frequency of the fluctuation is strictly governed by the angular velocity of the rotor. Another disadvantage is that the shape of the pressure pulse curve cannot be easily varied or changed to better suit conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides improved flow pulsing apparatus adapted to be connected in a drill string above a drill bit and includes a housing providing a passage for a flow of the drilling fluid toward the bit. A turbine means is located in the housing and it is rotated during use about an axis by the flow of drilling fluid. A novel valve arrangement operated by the turbine means periodically restricts the flow through the passage to create pulsations in the flow and a cyclical water hammer effect to vibrate the housing and the drill bit during use. This valve means is reciprocated in response to the rotation of the turbine means to effect the periodic restriction of the flow as opposed to being rotated as in the other arrangements described above.
As a further feature of the invention cam means are provided for effecting the reciprocation of the valve means in response to rotation of the turbine means. The cam means preferably comprises an annular cam surrounding the axis of rotation of the turbine with cam follower means engaging the annular cam with relative rotation occurring between the follower means and the cam on rotation of the turbine to effect the reciprocation of the valve. The valve means includes a valve member which is mounted for reciprocation along the axis of rotation of the turbine. The axis of rotation, when the flow pulsing apparatus is located in the drill string, extends longitudinally of the drill string in a generally vertical orientation.
The valve member is preferably arranged such that during use it is bathed in drilling fluid so that the resulting pressure forces on the valve member substantially balance and cancel each other out, i.e. the valve member is essentially hydraulically neutral.
The valve structure preferably includes an annular ring fixed to the housing and surrounding the axis of rotation. The above-noted valve member is arranged such that an annular flow passage is defined between itself and this ring. The valve member is mounted for reciprocation toward and away from the annular ring such that the area of the annular flow passage varies from a maxiumum to a minimum.
In one embodiment of the invention a reciprocal valve member is secured against rotation while the annular cam and cam follower are arranged to interact between the turbine means and the valve member to effect reciprocation of the latter on rotation of the turbine.
In another version of the flow pulsing apparatus, both the turbine means and the valve member are fixed together for both rotary and reciprocating motion. In other words, during operation, with the cam follower in engagement with the annular cam and with relative rotation therebetween, the turbine and fixed valve member rotates and at the same time reciprocate to provide for fluctuation in the area of the annular flow passage as described above.
By utilizing the reciprocating valve structure described and claimed herein, a maximum restriction of the flow area can be achieved thus enabling maximum conversion of flow energy to dynamic pressure energy thus achieving a maximum pressure pulse or water hammer effect. At the same time this novel valving arrangement is capable of providing a large fluid flow area when the valve is open thus reducing head losses in the valve full open position and thus in turn allowing increased throughput of drilling fluid thus increasing overall drilling efficiency.
Since the preferred form of the invention provides a valve member that is essentially hydraulically balanced or neutral with no substantial fluid pressure forces thereon which would impede its movement, a highly efficient operation can be achieved. The reciprocating valve member is not nearly as prone to seizure by virtue of entrapped particles and debris as compared with relatively rotatable valving surfaces as described previously.
The cam arrangement noted above permits timing and frequency to be varied without being strictly dependent on angular velocity as before and moreover the shape of the cam can be varied as desired to achieve the desired shape of the pressure pulses being produced.
The above-noted annular ring portion of the valve structure can be mounted for easy removal and replacement from a differently sized ring thereby allowing the flow pulsing apparatus to be tuned for a different total flow volume.
The cam follower can be arranged to apply a non-symmetrical force to the movable valve member thus inducing a degree of lateral vibration which assists in self-cleaning of the valve. However, a symmetrical follower arrangement is also provided for when circumstances dictate.
The reciprocating valve member, as noted above, is resistant to the possibility of seizing due to particles as compared with rotational valve arrangements especially when the high degree of restriction (otherwise known as ratio of restriction) is taken into account, i.e. when the reciprocating valves' ability to achieve maximum closure and maximum water hammer effect, is taken into account. However, in the event that binding does occur, the mechanical arrangement can be such that the valve member simply stays open until the particle is washed away. A degree of purposely induced vibration can assist in cleaning. The reciprocating action of the valve actually tends to push troublesome particles through the valve opening and the valve surfaces can be provided with relatively sharp edges which can assist in cutting through certain types of particles and debris.
The operating life of the tool in terms of its wearing ability is also enhanced by virtue of the fact that the reciprocating valve member is essentially hydraulically neutral and hence does not transfer any resultant unbalanced hydraulic forces to the moving assembly. Certain of the prior art arrangements, as noted previously, are subject to large unbalanced hydraulic forces during operation thus materially shortening their lives.
The turbine assembly is preferably mounted on self-cleaning sleeve bearings which have a very substantial clearance allowing vibration of the rotary parts relative thereto in order to induce movement of drilling fluid into and out of these bearings. The bearings should be made of an extremely hard material such as tungsten carbide. The bearings are devoid of any seals so that the drilling fluid can move freely in and out. It has been found that this arrangement provides a relatively long operating life and does away with the problems associated with prior art conventional bearings which were prone to seal damage, contamination of lubricant by grit and rapid bearing wear.
The flow pulsing apparatus of the present invention can be advantageously combined with a shock tool as described hereinafter. A flow pulsing apparatus may also be combined with an integral blade stabilizer or reamer. These and other features including relationships concerning the ratio of restriction to ensure pulsating flow, relationships concerning lower and upper usable pulsation frequencies as well as the shape of the pressure pulse will be described hereinafter.
Further features of the invention and the advantages associated with same will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating the relationship between drilling rate and bit weight and illustrating the effect that increased cleaning has on drilling rate;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section at the bottom of a well bore illustrating apparatus according to the invention connected in the drill string immediately above the drill bit;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 but additionally incorporating a form of shock tool located immediately below the flow pulsing apparatus;
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the bottom end of the well bore illustrating a jet of drilling fluid emitted toward the wall and bottom of the bore hole;
FIG. 5 (comprising parts 5A, 5B and 5C) is a longitudinal half section of apparatus for producing a pulsating flow of drilling fluid in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
FIGS. 6 and 7 are cross-section views taken along lines 6--6 and 7--7 respectively of FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary half section view of a flow pulsing apparatus very similar to that shown in FIG. 5 but with a modified cam arrangement;
FIG. 9 is a longitudinal half section view of a flow pulsing apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
FIGS. 10 and 11 are plan and cross-section views respectively of typical annular cam arrangements for the flow pulsing apparatus;
FIG. 12 is an exploded view of apparatus in accordance with the invention incorporating a shock tool which is interposed between the drill bit and the flow pulsing apparatus;
FIG. 13 is a graph illustrating pressure fluctuations with time;
FIG. 14 is a graph illustrating the design of the cam; and
FIG. 15 is a graph relating flow area restriction with raise in pressure for differing fluid flow rates.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference will be had firstly to FIG. 1. As noted previously the effect of bit weight on penetration rate is well known. With adequate cleaning, penetration rate is directly proportional to bit weight. There are some limitations depending of course upon the type of formation being drilled. There is also, in any particular situation, a maximum upper limit to the magnitude of the weight which the bit can withstand.
With reference to FIG. 1, it will be seen that drilling rate is generally proportional to bit weight up to point A where drilling rate drops off rapidly owing to inadequate cleaning which means that formation chips are being reground. From point A, increased cleaning resulted in a proportional increase in drilling rate up to point B where, again, inadequate cleaning was in evidence with a consequent fall off in drilling rate. Again, by increasing the cleaning effect, drilling rate once again became proportional to bit weight up to point C where again, a fall off in drilling rate is in evidence.
FIG. 1 thus demonstrates clearly the importance of effective hole bottom cleaning in obtaining an adequate drilling rate.
It is noted that FIG. 1 has been described mainly in relation to the drilling of harder formations. In softer formations, where the hydraulic action of the drilling fluid does at least part of the work, the relationships shown in FIG. 1 would still apply, although for somewhat different reasons, as those skilled in the art will appreciate.
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown in cross section the lower end portion of a bore hole within which the lower end of a drill string 10 is disposed, such drill string including sections of hollow drill pipe connected together in the usual fashion and adapted to carry drilling fluid downwardly from drill pumps (not shown) located at the surface. The drill string is driven in rotation by the usual surface mounted equipment also not shown. Attached to the lower end of the drill collar 12 via the usual tapered screw thread arrangement is a drilling fluid flow pulsing apparatus 16 in accordance with the invention. To the lower end of the flow pulsing apparatus is connected a relatively short connecting sub 18 which, in turn, is connected via the usual screw threads to a drill bit 20 of conventional design having the usual rolling cone cutters and being equipped with a plurality of cleaning jets suitably positioned to apply streams of drilling fluid on to those regions where they have been found to be most effective in removing chips from the bottom of the well bore. One of such cleaning jets 22 is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 4 (the remainder of the drill bit not being shown) thereby to illustrate the manner in which the jet of drilling fluid is directed against the side and bottom portions of the well bore during a drilling operation. The location and arrangement of the jet openings on the drill bit 20 need not be described further since they are not, in themselves, a part of the present invention but may be constructed and arranged in an entirely conventional manner.
FIG. 3 is a view very similar to that of FIG. 2 and like components have been identified with the same reference numbers as have been used in FIG. 2. However, it will be seen from FIG. 3 that, interposed between the flow pulsing apparatus 16, and the lower connecting sub 18, is a shock tool 24. As will be described in further detail hereafter, this shock tool is arranged to respond to the fluctuating or pulsing fluid flow being emitted from flow pulsing apparatus 16 thereby to cause vibration or oscillation of the drill bit 20 in the direction of the drill string axis thereby to further enhance the efficiency of the drilling operation.
Referring now to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the flow pulsing apparatus 16 is shown in detail. Apparatus 16 includes an external tubular housing 26, the wall of which is sufficiently thick as to withstand the torsional and axial forces applied thereto during the course of the drilling operation. Housing 26 is in two sections which are connected together via tapered screw threaded portion 28, with the upper end of the housing having a tapered internally threaded portion 30 adapted for connection to a lower end portion of the drill string. The housing 26 also includes a tapered internally threaded section 31 which may be connected to the drill bit 20 or, alternatively, by the use of a short connecting sub, not shown, threaded into the upper end of the shock tool 24 illustrated in FIG. 3.
Housing 26 may advantageously incorporate an integral blade stabilizer or reamer, the lobes 27 of which are shown in phantom in FIGS. 5 and 6. This enables the IBS or reamer to be placed close to the bit without requiring extra lengths of tool sections which would tend to reduce somewhat or attenuate the pulsing flow and thus reduce the efficiency of the device.
The housing 26 has a removable cartridge 32 located therein, cartridge 32 containing the turbine and valve means to be hereafter described. For purposes of this disclosure, the cartridge shell, which includes end portions 34, 36 may be considered as part of the housing means. Cartridge shell portions 34, 36 are screwed on to the opposing ends of a hollow metal intermediate section 38. The upstream portion 34 includes an axially arranged nose portion 40 of outwardly stepped conical and cylindrical shapes centered in the flow passage 42 along which the drilling fluid moves after having passed through a screen section 44 which removes large particles (1/8"-1/4" diameter) from the drill fluid. Screen section 44 is described in more detail in copending application Ser. No. 008963 filed Jan. 30, 1987 and the disclosure is hereby incorporated by reference to it.
Upstream nose portion 40 is held in position by a series of radial supports 46(FIG. 6) extending between such nose portion 40 and shell portion 34.
A turbine 50 having helically curved vanes 51 to which the fluid applies torque in known fashion and an elongated rotor 52 is supported at its upstream end in the nose portion 40 and at its downstream end by a turbine stator assembly 54. Stator assembly 54 includes a plurality of radial vanes 56 fixed to cartridge shell and which support stator hub 58 axially in the center of the fluid flow path.
Turbine rotor 52 includes a reduced diameter upstream portion 60 and it is about this portion 60 that an annular valve member 62 of tungsten carbide is located for reciprocation along the axis of turbine rotation. Valve member 62 co-operates with an annular valve ring 64 which is mounted in an annular recess provided in shell intermediate section 38 and held in place by a truncated conical entry ring 65 which bears against a shallow step provided in the shell portion 34. Valve member 62 has a reduced diameter portion 66 defining a throat, and a sharply defined annular shoulder 68. An annular flow passage is defined between ring 64 and annular shoulder 68, which passage varies in area from a maximum to a minimum as the valve member 62 reciprocates.
The nose portion 40 includes a top bearing holder 70 which supports a bearing sleeve 72 made of tungsten carbide. Bearing sleeve 72 receives a short stub shaft 74, also of tungsten carbide, stub shaft 74 being in a force fit relation with the upstream end of turbine rotor portion 60. The downstream end of turbine rotor 52 also receives a tungsten carbide bearing sleeve 76 therein in force fit relation, which sleeve 76 receives a short stub shaft 78, the latter being in press fit relation to a bearing holder 80 mounted in the turbine stator assembly 54. A substantial degree of radial clearance, e.g. 0.020 to 0.050 inch, is provided between the stub shafts 74, 78 and their associated bearing sleeves so that the turbine rotor is free to vibrate laterally during operation. Further, since no seals are provided, the drilling fluid is free to circulate in these relatively loose sleeve bearings. This action sweeps away gritty particles which might otherwise accumulate in the bearings and cause rapid wear. A relatively long bearing life has been achieved in this fashion. The lower stub shaft 78 also has a domed end 79 which makes almost point contact with the end of bearing sleeve 76 thus assuring low rotational drag.
The above-noted top bearing holder 70 also supports about its outer circumference, an elongated valve support sleeve 82 of tungsten carbide. Sleeve 82 is suitably keyed to the bearing holder 70 and sealed thereto with O-ring seals. The upper end of annular valve member 62 is embraced by the sleeve 82 in a relatively loose fitting fashion, e.g. with a radial clearance of 0.020 to 0.050 inch to reduce the chances of binding due to the presence of grit between the contacting surfaces. Valve member 62 is restrained against rotation by means of an axially extending key 84 (FIG. 6) fixed to bearing holder 70 and which loosely enters a slot defined in the upper end of the valve member 62.
In order to effect reciprocation of valve member 62 on rotation of the turbine 50, the downstream end of the valve member 62 is provided with a cam surface 86. Cam surface 86 is in the form of an annulus surrounding the axis of turbine rotation. The cam shape will be described later, it being noted here that it provides valve opening and closing ramps, as well as dwell sections at the valve open and valve restricted positions. In the valve restricted position there is still enough flow as to allow the turbine 50 to move away from the stalled position.
The turbine rotor includes a laterally projecting finger which acts as a cam follower 90 as it engages annular cam surface 86. Since the valve member 62 cannot rotate, it must reciprocate along the axis of rotation with its support sleeve 82 if the cam follower 90 is to remain in contact with the cam surface 86. This contact is normally assured by two things, namely gravity, which acts on the valve member 62, and fluid drag forces which act on the surface of valve member 62. At the same time, if a large piece of debris should hold the valve open momentarily, no damage occurs as the camming surfaces merely separate until the obstacle has been flushed away.
The use of the single cam follower finger 90 confers a special benefit in the sense that it applies a non-symmetrical force to the valve member 62 which tends to make it rock slightly about an axis transverse to the reciprocation axis. This tends to provide a self-cleaning effect, reducing the possibility of grit causing jamming of the valve member 62 in the support sleeve 82. However, the use of the single finger follower arrangement is not mandatory and in FIG. 8 there is shown an identical valve arrangement except that a symmetrical two-finger cam follower 91 is shown in contact with the annular cam surface 86. The vibratory cleaning effect is not present but by using two followers, there is somewhat greater design flexibility in terms of selecting the vibrational frequency in terms of rate of turbine rotation.
It should also be noted that the valve member 62 and turbine 50 are both hydraulically neutral with hydraulic pressure forces thereon balancing and cancelling each other out. Concerning valve member 62 it will be noted that the drilling fluid has free access to the interior of the member, between itself and the turbine rotor and hence the fluid pressures can act on it in all directions. By avoiding significant hydraulic loadings, the contact forces at the bearings and cam surfaces are kept to relatively low levels thus reducing wear and helping to provide long equipment life.
An alternate embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 9. As before, the cartridge 100 is in three sections 102, 104 and 106. The upstream cartridge section 102 is provided with radial ribs 108 as before which support a central nose portion 110. The nose portion 110 leads into an enlarged central hub 112 having an enlarged central cavity 114 on its downstream end.
A rotor 118 extends along the axis of the cartridge as before, turbine 116 including an elongated rotor 118 to which is mounted a series of helical turbine blades which respond to flow of drilling fluid by exerting torque on the rotor 118. The downstream end of turbine rotor is journalled in a central hub assembly 120 which is secured by radial ribs 122. Hub assembly includes a tungsten carbide stub shaft 124 which enters into a tungsten carbide bearing sleeve 126 secured in the downstream end of the rotor in a loose fit unsealed arrangement as before.
The downstream end of rotor 118 is provided with an enlarged portion 125 which serves to carry a pair of diametrically opposed cam follower pins 128 both of tungsten carbide and secured to rotor 118 by suitable retaining means. Follower pins 128 make contact with an annular cam ring 130 which surrounds the axis of rotation and which cam ring is non-rotatably mounted in an annular recess on hub assembly 120. An annular body 132 of shock absorbing material reduces shock loadings.
The upstream end of tubine rotor 118 is located within the central cavity 114 on the downstream end of hub 112. Cavity 114 is provided with a tungsten carbide valve bushing 136 held in place with retaining screws and sealed to hub 112 by suitable O-ring seals. A sleeve-like cylindrical valve member 138 also of tungsten carbide is mounted to the upstream end of the turbine rotor 118 and fixed thereto by retaining nuts 140. This valve member 138 is slidably and rotatably disposed in valve bushing 136. Hence, as the turbine is rotated by a flow of drilling fluid, the cam action will cause the entire turbine together with valve member 138 to reciprocate axially up and down.
As with the previous embodiment, the central cartridge section is provided with an annular valve ring 142 such that an annular flow passage is defined between itself and the annular shoulder 144 defined by the valve member 138 the area of which passage goes from a maximum to a minimum to cause the flow to pulse as the turbine together with the valve member both rotates and reciprocates during operation. As before, the arrangement is such that the valve never closes completely as there must be at least some flow to avoid a stalled turbine condition.
The annular cam ring 130 is shown in plan in FIG. 10. Regions 146 correspond to the down, valve restricted position; ramps 148 correspond to the opening of the valve and in regions 150 the valve is full open. Ramps 152 cause the valve to descend to the restricted condition again.
FIG. 13 is a graph of the pressure above the restricting valve plotted against time. T cl represents closure time while T r represents the time the valve is restricted. T op represents the time to open the valve while T o represents the time the valve is open. The full cycle time is the sum of T cl +T r +T op +T o . For best results To should be equal to or slightly greater than the sum of the remaining times, i.e.
T.sub.o ≧(T.sub.cl +T.sub.r +T.sub.op).
In FIG. 14 the cam design is represented. A change in ramp angle A will change T cl while a change in ramp angle B will change T op . These angles, and the dwell sections on the cam T r and T o are preferably selected to satisfy the timing relationship suggested above.
During operation the pulsating pressurized flow being applied to the cleaning nozzles or jets of the drill bit provides greater turbulence and greater chip cleaning effect than was hitherto possible thus increasing the drilling rate in harder formation. In softer formations where the eroding action of the drill bit jets has a significant effect, the pulsating, high turbulence action also has a beneficial effect on drilling rate. By making use of the water hammer effect, these high peak pressures are attained without the need for applying additional pumping pressure at the surface thus meaning that standard pumping pressures can be used while at the same time achieving much higher than normal maximum flow velocities and pressures at the drill bit nozzles.
In the embodiments described above, owing to the water hammer effect created as a result of the pulsating flow of drilling fluid, mechanical vibrating forces will be applied to the flow pulsing apparatus which will act in the direction of the drill string axis, which pulsing or vibrating action will be transmitted to the drill bit. This pulsating mechanical force on the drill bit complements the pulsating flow being emitted from the drill bit jet nozzles thereby to further enhance the effectiveness of the drilling operation, i.e. to increase the drilling rate.
The above-described mechanical pulsing action can be further enhanced by the use of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 12. In FIG. 12 a form of shock tool 160 is connected via the usual tapered screw threads 162 to the lower end, i.e. the outlet end of the flow pulsing apparatus 16. The shock tool 160 includes an outer casing portion 164, within which is slidably located an elongated mandrel 166. The lower end of mandrel 166 has an internally threaded section 168 which allows the same to be connected to the drill bit 20 either directly or by way of a short sub-section.
Suitable annular seals 172 and 170 are provided between the housing 164 and the upper and lower ends of the mandrel 166 thereby to assist in preventing contaminants from entering between these two components and hindering their relative axial movement. The upstream and downstream ends of mandrel 166 are provided with a collar portion 174 and ledge 176 and these provide annular steps against which the upper and lower ends of a spring stack 178 alternately engage during operation. The lower and upper ends of spring stack 178 rest against shoulders 180, 182 respectively, fixed relative to housing 164. This spring stack 178 is conveniently comprised of a plurality of annular belleville-type washers although any suitable compression spring means may be provided.
It will be seen by reference to FIG. 12 that the upper end of the mandrel, as well as the central passageway through the mandrel, which is filled with pressurized drilling fluid during use, in effect defines an open area piston. During operation there is of course a pressure differential between the pressure of the drilling fluid within the mandrel and the pressure of the drilling fluid which is outside of the shock tool 160 altogether, namely, the drilling fluid which is returning upwardly between the tool and the wall of the well bore. By virtue of the fact that the drilling fluid leaving the flow pulsing apparatus 16 is pulsating at a predetermined frequency as noted above, this pressure differential also is varying accordingly and as this pulsating differential pressure acts on the open area piston noted above, it serves to extend the mandrel 166 relative to the housing 164 with the result being that the shock tool 160 effectively performs as a "mud hammer". Those skilled in this field will appreciate that for this action to take place the drill bit weight should be reduced by lifting up on the drill string so that the latter does not apply any appreciable downward force to the bit. This hammering effect is of course directly transmitted to the drill bit 20. Again, the drilling fluid leaving the jet openings 22 in the drill bit 20 will be subject to the pressure fluctuations described above and will exhibit the desired enhanced hydraulic effect. The shock tool 160, behaving as a "mud hammer" applies a strong pulsing or vibrating action to the drill bit thus causing it to drill more effectively. At the same time, it should be realized that the peak loadings applied to the drill bit are somewhat less than in the case of a conventional mud hammer in that, owing to the hydraulic action involved, the pressure peaks are somewhat rounded or curved. These curved peaks effectively do less damage to the drill bit at higher loadings thus resulting in a longer bit life.
The use of the shock tool 160 as shown in FIG. 12, is optional and under many drilling conditions its use is unnecessary.
Although the invention is not to be strictly limited to any particular mathematical relationship or theory of operation, the following relationships may be useful to those skilled in this art.
RATIO OF RESTRICTION
It was noted before that the reciprocating valve permits a relatively high degree or ratio of restriction of the flow to take place and consequently it can provide a large water hammer effect. It can be shown that the following relationship should be observed if an adequate water hammer effect is to be achieved (neglecting drill string elasticity): ##EQU1## where: A o =area open to flow at the entry into the full open valve. This area is designed in accordance with allowable space including outside diameter of tool and mechanical strength of the tool joint (m 2 ).
A r =area of the flow passage at full restriction of the valve member, i.e. the valve member in the lowest position (m 2 ).
W c =velocity of a pressure wave (sound) in drill fluid (e.g. 1220 m/sec.)
W=velocity of the flow of drilling fluid through the drill collars above the flow pulsing apparatus (m/s).
p=specific mass of drilling fluid, i.e. the density (kg/m 3 ) divided by the acceleration of gravity (m/s 2 ).
H o =pressure head across the open valve (kg/m 2 ).
FREQUENCY BOUNDARIES (Low Frequency)
In order to avoid a frequency that would resonate with the natural frequency of the drill collar section of the drill string the following observations apply:
(a) For a bottom hole assembly (BHA) without the shock tool: min frequency (f) of flow pulsing 4212/L cycles/sec * L=length of the drill collar section * based on speed of compression wave in steel of 16850 ft/sec.
(b) For bottom hole assembly (BHA) including a shock tool (e.g. as described above): ##EQU2## where: K st =spring constant of shock tool.
M=total mass of bottom hole assembly (slugs).
FREQUENCY BOUNDARIES (high Frequence)
The limit on high frequency requires a brief review of the operation of the valve.
(a) when valve is fully open (A o ) - the pressure above and below the valve is equal to a nominal pressure.
(b) valve starts to close, then becomes fully restricted and thereafter starts to open (A r ) - Pressure above valve=H r (head across restricted valve)+nominal pressure. Pressure below valve=nominal pressure -H r .
(c) valve opens - high pressure above valve is released and pressure pulse moves down through valve (A o ).
During that portion of the cycle (b) as described above, the net downward force on the (BHA) bottom hole assembly is increased from the normal. It is necessary that the drill bit descend during that time interval in order to function efficiently. The time that it takes the drill bit to descend is proportional to the rate of penetration (ROP) and to the acceleration of the drill bit.(A db ). A db follows Newton's second law and equals the sum of all forces acting on the bottom hole assembly divided by the mass of the bottom hole assembly.
It can be shown that the time for the drill bit (or BHA) to descend is given by the following: ##EQU3## where D=amount of descent/cycle (M) (related to rate of penetration)
as noted previously, in connection with the pressure cycle diagram
T.sub.o ≧(T.sub.cl +T.sub.r +T.sub.op) and
T.sub.o ≧f/2
T.sub.bha ≧(T.sub.cl +T.sub.r +T.sub.op)=f/2
from which it follows that ##EQU4##
An examination of the graph of FIG. 15 will reveal some of the major advantages of the invention. The reciprocating valve member permits the restriction area A r to be made relatively small. By way of example, the rotary valve member described in my copending application filed Jan. 30th, 1987, by virtue of the required radial clearances and the required size of the valve ports, was not able to provide a restriction area of less than about 0.60 square inches. However, with the reciprocating valve of the present structure, the restriction area (A r ) can be made as small as desired just so long as sufficient flow can be provided as to move the turbine away from the stalled condition. The water hammer effect increases at a very high rate as the restriction area decreases, especially in the areas when the slopes of the curves have decreased and make shallow angles with the horizontal (pressure) axis. The effect is especially notable at low total flow rates. With previous rotary designs and a maximum permissible restriction of about 0.60 square inches, the water hammer effect only provides a pressure rise of about 100 psi at a flow rate of 230 gallon/minute. With an area restriction (A r ) of 0.20 square inches at the same flow rate, the pressure rise when the valve is restricted is over 1000 psi, a ten-fold difference. The effect is somewhat less dramatic at higher flow rates but in all cases the increase in water hammer effect coupled with the greater flow rates made possible by the larger valve open area (A o ) provide a very effective flow pulsing operation and enable higher drilling rates to be achieved than hitherto. | Flow pulsing apparatus is adapted to be connected in a drill string above a drill bit. The apparatus includes a housing providing a passage for a flow of drilling fluid toward the bit. A turbine in the housing is rotated about an axis by the flow of drilling fluid. A valve is operated by the turbine to periodically restrict the flow through the passage to create pulsations in the flow and a cyclical water hammer effect to vibrate the housing and the drill bit during use. A cam is provided for effecting reciprocation of the valve along the axis of rotation of the turbine to effect the periodic restriction of flow. | 4 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to commonly-assigned, co-pending application: U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/002,128, entitled “METHOD FOR MAKING MESOPOROUS MATERIAL”, filed Dec. 14, 2007 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/002,139, entitled “METHOD FOR MAKING MONODISPERSE SILVER AND SILVER COMPOUND NANOCRYSTALS”, filed Dec. 14, 2007. The disclosure of the above-identified application is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for making colloidal nanocrystals.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Nanocrystals are defined as nanometer sized, single crystalline fragments of the corresponding bulk crystals. The term “nanometer-sized” is typically used to refer to particles with an approximate size range between about 1 nanometer (nm) to about 1000 nm in diameter. More typically, “nanometer-sized” refers to an approximate range of sizes between about 1 nm-100 nm in diameter. Nanotechnology is one of the fastest growing fields in industry. Nano-based microscopic devices have countless applications. Currently, the method for making nanomaterials is a key area of focus for research scientists. Colloidal nanocrystals are nanometer-sized fragments of corresponding bulk crystals dispersed in solvents or other types of matrices. Colloidal nanocrystals are one of the many materials being explored for a variety of applications because of their novel, size dependent properties. For example, the size dependent emission properties of semiconductor nanocrystals make them highly desirable as labeling reagents for biomedical applications and as color tunable emitting materials in LEDs and lasers.
Conventional methods for making colloidal nanocrystals include solvent volatilization method, surface self-assembly method, and settling self-assembly method. However, these methods need special and toxic raw materials that limit their applications and their suitability for mass-production, and the size, size distribution, and crystallinity of the colloidal crystals are not controllable.
Therefore, there is a growing demand for a less toxic, more controllable method for simpler mass production of colloidal crystals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A method for making the colloidal crystals includes the following steps: dissolving a nanocrystal powder in an organic solvent, and achieving a solution A of a concentration of 1-30 mg/ml; dissolving a surfactant in water, and achieving a solution B of a concentration of 0.002-0.05 mmol/ml; mixing the solution A and the solution B in a volume ratio of 1: (5-30), and achieving a mixture; stirring and emulsifying the mixture, until a emulsion C is achieved; removing the organic solvent from the emulsion C, and achieving a deposit; washing the deposit with deionized water, and achieving colloidal nanocrystals.
Compared with the conventional method, with the inorganic metal salt and octadecyl amine as the raw material, the present method for making colloidal nanocrystals is economical, timesaving and low toxic, and thus is suitable for industrial mass production. The colloidal nanocrystals made by the present method have good size control, narrow size distribution and good crystallinity, and therefore have significant advantages for applications in catalysis, ceramics, energy storage, magnetic data storage, sensors, ferrofluids, etc.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Many aspects of the present method can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present method.
FIG. 1 is a transmission electron microscope (TEM) image of colloidal nanocrystals of barium chromate according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diameter distribution curve of the colloidal nanocrystals of barium chromate according to a first embodiment
FIG. 3 is a zeta-potential diagram of the colloidal nanocrystals of barium chromate according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a TEM image of colloidal nanocrystals of silver selenide according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a zeta-potential diagram of the colloidal nanocrystals of silver selenide according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a TEM image of colloidal nanocrystals of cadmium sulfide according to a third embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a TEM image of colloidal nanocrystals of ferroferric oxide according to a fourth embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a TEM image of colloidal nanocrystals of lanthanum fluoride (LaF3) according to a fifth embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a TEM image of colloidal nanocrystals of titanium oxide according to a sixth embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a TEM image of colloidal nanocrystals of a mixture of gold (Au) and LaF3 according to a seventh embodiment.
The exemplifications set out herein illustrate at least one preferred embodiment of the present method, in one form, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Reference will now be made, in detail, to the drawings to describe embodiments of the present method.
One method for making colloidal nanocrystals includes the following: (1) a nanocrystal powder coated with a certain ligand is dissolved in an organic solvent, and a solution A with concentration of 1-30 mg/ml is achieved; (2) a surfactant is dissolved in water, and a solution B with concentration of 0.002-0.05 mmol/ml is achieved; (3) a volume ratio of 1: (5-30) mixture of the solution A and B is stirred and emulsified, until a uniform and stable emulsion C is achieved; (4) the organic solvent of emulsion C is removed, and a deposit is achieved; (5) the deposit is then washed with deionized water, and the colloidal nanocrystals are achieved.
In step 1, the nanocrystal powder is a material selected from the group consisting of metal nanocrystals, oxide nanocrystals, and metal fluoride nanocrystals. Additionally, the nanocrystals are in a shape of sphere, bar, sheet, or cube, and have diameters in the range of 0.5-100 nm. The ligand coating the nanocrystals is a material selected from the group consisting of oleic acid, oleyl amine, octadecyl amine, odecyl mercaptan, trioctylphosphine oxide and triphenyl phosphine. The organic solvent is a material selected from the group consisting of cyclohexane, n-hexane, trichloromethane and toluene.
In step 2, the surfactant can be anionic surfactant, cationic surfactant, amphoteric surfactant, or nonionic surfactant, such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SDS) and hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB).
In step 3, the process of emulsification can be accomplished through the use of a high-speed stirring method, an ultrasonic method, or the use of a colloid mill.
In step 4, the organic solvent is removed by a heating process using a temperature in the range of 40-95° C. for 1-20 hours, or by a reduced pressure distillation process for 1-20 hours.
The present method is further illustrated by the following examples, which are not to be construed in any way as imposing limitation upon the scope thereof. On the contrary, it is to be clearly understood that resort may be had to various other aspects, embodiments, modifications, and equivalents thereof which, after reading the description herein, may suggest themselves to one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit of the present method or the scope of the appended claims.
EXAMPLE 1
Barium chromate (BaCrO4) nanocrystals coated with oleic acid are provided. The BaCrO4 nanocrystals have a diameter of about 7 nm and a dispersing coefficient of about 4.3%. The BaCrO4 nanocrystals are dissolved in an organic solvent of cyclohexane, and a cyclohexane solution with concentration of about 5 mg/ml is achieved. A surfactant of sodium lauryl sulfate (SDS) of 28 mg is dissolved in a solvent of 10 ml of deionized water, and a water solution with a concentration of about 0.01 mmol/ml is achieved. 1 ml of cyclohexane solution is mixed with the deionized water solution, further emulsified by an ultrasonic method, until a uniform and stable emulsion is achieved. Thereafter, the emulsion is heated to 70° C. for 5 h by a water heating method, in order to remove the organic solvent therefrom, and a deposit is achieved. The deposit is then washed with deionized water, and the BaCrO4 colloidal nanocrystals are achieved. Then, the BaCrO4 colloidal nanocrystals are dispersed in water to avoid re-aggregation.
Referring to FIG. 1 , the BaCrO4 colloidal nanocrystals according to the first embodiment have an ordered configuration. Referring to FIG. 2 , the BaCrO4 colloidal nanocrystals have a uniform diameter distribution in a range of about 100-140 nm. Referring to FIG. 3 , the surfaces of the BaCrO4 colloidal nanocrystals have negative charges, and thus the BaCrO4 colloidal nanocrystals are easily dispersed in water.
EXAMPLE 2
Silver selenide (Ag2Se) nanocrystals coated with octadecyl amine are provided. The Ag2Se nanocrystals have a diameter of about 10 nm and a dispersing coefficient of about 4.8%. The silver selenide (Ag2Se) nanocrystals are dissolved in an organic solvent of cyclohexane, and a cyclohexane solution with concentration of about 5 mg/ml is achieved. A surfactant of CTAB of 35 mg is dissolved in a solvent of 10 ml of deionized water, and a water solution with a concentration of about 0.01 mmol/ml is achieved. 2 ml of cyclohexane solution is mixed with 10 ml of water solution, further emulsified by ultrasonic method, until a uniform and stable emulsion is achieved. Thereafter, the emulsion is heated to 80° C. for 2 h by water heating method, in order to remove the organic solvent therefrom, and a deposit is achieved. The deposit is then washed with deionized water, and the Ag2Se colloidal nanocrystals are achieved. Then, the Ag2Se colloidal nanocrystals are dispersed in water to avoid re-aggregation.
Referring to FIG. 4 , the Ag2Se colloidal nanocrystals according to the second embodiment have a well-ordered configuration and uniform diameter distribution in a range of about 140-180 nm. Referring to FIG. 5 , the surfaces of the Ag2Se colloidal nanocrystals have negative charges, and thus the Ag2Se colloidal nanocrystals are easily dispersed in water.
EXAMPLE 3
The cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanocrystals coated with oleic acid are provided. The CdS nanocrystals have a diameter of about 14 nm and a dispersing coefficient of about 7.5%. The CdS nanocrystals are dissolved in an organic solvent of cyclohexane, and a cyclohexane solution with concentration of about 15 mg/ml is achieved. A surfactant of SDS of 28 mg is dissolved in a solvent of 10 ml of deionized water, and a water solution with a concentration of about 0.01 mmol/ml is achieved. 1 ml of cyclohexane solution is mixed with water solution, further emulsified by ultrasonic method, until a uniform and stable emulsion is achieved. Thereafter, the emulsion is heated to 60° C. for 10 hours by water heating method, in order to remove the organic solvent therefrom, and a deposit is achieved. The deposit is then washed with deionized water, and the CdS colloidal nanocrystals are achieved. Then, the CdS colloidal nanocrystals are dispersed in water to avoid re-aggregation.
Referring to FIG. 6 , the CdS colloidal nanocrystals according to the third embodiment have a well-ordered configuration and uniform diameter distribution in a range of about 50 nm-1 μm.
EXAMPLE 4
Ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) nanocrystals coated with oleic acid are provided. The Fe3O4 nanocrystals have a diameter of about 7 nm and a dispersing coefficient of about is 4.5%. The Fe3O4 nanocrystals are dissolved in an organic solvent of cyclohexane, and a cyclohexane solution with concentration of about 15 mg/ml is achieved. A surfactant of SDS of 28 mg is dissolved in a solvent of deionized water of 10 ml, and a water solution with a concentration of about 0.01 mmol/ml is achieved. 1 ml of cyclohexane solution is mixed with water solution, further emulsified by ultrasonic method, until a uniform and stable emulsion is achieved. Thereafter, the emulsion is heated at 60° C. for 10 h by water heating method, in order to removing the organic solvent therefrom, and a deposit is achieved. The deposit is washed with deionized water after separated, and the Fe3O4 colloidal nanocrystals are achieved. Then, the Fe3O4 colloidal nanocrystals are dispersed in water to avoid re-aggregation.
Referring to FIG. 7 , the Fe3O4 colloidal nanocrystals according to the forth embodiment have a well-ordered configure and a uniform diameter distribution in a range of about 100-120 nm.
EXAMPLE 5
The lanthanum fluoride (LaF3) nanocrystals coated with oleic acid are provided. The LaF3 nanocrystals have a diameter of about 8 nm and a dispersing coefficient of about is 3.8%. The LaF3 nanocrystals are dissolved in an organic solvent of cyclohexane, and a cyclohexane solution with concentration of about 5 mg/ml is achieved. A surfactant of SDS of 28 mg is dissolved in a solvent of deionized water of 10 ml, and a water solution with a concentration of about 0.01 mmol/ml is achieved. 1 ml of cyclohexane solution is mixed with water solution, further emulsified by ultrasonic method, until a uniform and stable emulsion is achieved. Thereafter, the emulsion is heated at 70° C. for 5 h by water heating method, in order to removing the organic solvent therefrom, and a deposit is achieved. The deposit is washed with deionized water after separated, and the LaF3 colloidal nanocrystals are achieved. Then, the LaF3 colloidal nanocrystals are dispersed in water to avoid re-aggregation.
Referring to FIG. 8 , the LaF3 colloidal nanocrystals according to the fifth embodiment have a well-ordered configure and a uniform diameter distribution in a range of about 150-200 nm.
EXAMPLE 6
The titanium oxide (TiO2) nanocrystals coated with oleic acid are provided. The TiO2 nanocrystals have a diameter of about 40-70 nm and a dispersing coefficient of about is 3.8%. The TiO2 nanocrystals are dissolved in an organic solvent of cyclohexane, and a cyclohexane solution with concentration of about 5 mg/ml is achieved. A surfactant of SDS of 28 mg is dissolved in a solvent of deionized water of 10 ml, and a water solution with a concentration of about 0.01 mmol/ml is achieved. 2 ml of cyclohexane solution is mixed with water solution, further emulsified by ultrasonic method, until a uniform and stable emulsion is achieved. Thereafter, the emulsion is heated at 80° C. for 2 h by water heating method, in order to removing the organic solvent therefrom, and a deposit is achieved. The deposit is washed with deionized water after separated, and the TiO2 colloidal nanocrystals are achieved. Then, the TiO2 colloidal nanocrystals are dispersed in water to avoid re-aggregation.
Referring to FIG. 9 , the TiO2 colloidal nanocrystals according to the sixth embodiment have a well-ordered configure and a uniform diameter distribution in a range of about 80-100 nm.
EXAMPLE 7
The LaF3 nanocrystals and aurum (Au) nanocrystals with a mass ratio of 20:1 are mixed, wherein the LaF3 nanocrystals are coated with oleic acid. The mixture is dissolved in an organic solvent of cyclohexane, and a cyclohexane solution with concentration of about 5 mg/ml is achieved. A surfactant of SDS of 28 mg is dissolved in a solvent of deionized water of 10 ml, and a water solution with a concentration of about 0.01 mmol/ml is achieved. 1 ml of cyclohexane solution is mixed with water solution, further emulsified by ultrasonic method, until a uniform and stable emulsion is achieved. Thereafter, the emulsion is heated at 70° C. for 5 h by water heating method, in order to removing the organic solvent therefrom, and a deposit is achieved. The deposit is washed with deionized water after separated, and the mixture of Au and LaF3 colloidal nanocrystals are achieved. Then, the mixture colloidal nanocrystals are dispersed in water to avoid re-aggregation.
Referring to FIG. 10 , the mixture of Au and LaF3 colloidal nanocrystals according to the sixth embodiment have a well-ordered configuration and a uniform diameter distribution in a range of about 150-200 nm. The mixture colloidal nanocrystals have a core-shell structure (i.e., Au acts as a core, and LaF3 acts as a shell).
While certain embodiments have been described and exemplified above, various other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing disclosure. The present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described and exemplified but is capable of considerable variation and modification without departure from the scope of the appended claims. | A method for making colloidal nanocrystals includes the following steps: dissolving a nanocrystal powder in an organic solvent, and achieving a solution A of a concentration of 1-30 mg/ml; dissolving a surfactant in water, and achieving a solution B of a concentration of 0.002-0.05 mmol/ml; mixing the solution A and the solution B in a volume ratio of 1: (5-30), and achieving a mixture; stirring and emulsifying the mixture, until an emulsion C is achieved; removing the organic solvent from the emulsion C, and achieving a deposit; then washing the deposit with deionized water, and achieving colloidal nanocrystals. The present method for making colloidal nanocrystals is economical and timesaving, and has a low toxicity associated therewith. Thus, the method is suitable for industrial mass production. The colloidal nanocrystals made by the present method have a readily controllable size, a narrow size distribution, and good configuration. | 2 |
[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application Ser. No. CN201610219405.3 filed on 8 Apr. 2016.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The invention belongs to the technical field of macromolecular material synthesis, and in particular, relates to a preparation method of polyesteramides by organic catalysis.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The aliphatic polyesteramides (PEA) are a new kind of biodegradable macromolecule material. Compared with the aliphatic polyester, the introduction of the amide group leads to the formation of hydrogen bond between the amide groups, so that the polymer has better mechanical properties performance and strength, while the presence of ester bond confers the good biodegradability of the material, which makes it have a wide application prospect.
[0004] Y. Tokiwa prepared the polyesteramides by the ester-amide bond exchange reaction of polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyamide PA-6, PA-66, PA-612, PA-11 and PA-12, with anhydrous zinc acetate as catalyst, under the high temperature and the protection of nitrogen. The degree of randomness of the polymer increases with the extension of the time of the ester-amide bond exchange reaction. The polyesteramides prepared by this macromolecule reaction method is unstable and has poor reproducibility (J Appl Polym Sci, 1979, 24: 1701-1711).
[0005] Patents of Timmermann et al. (Bayer), WO9942514 (1999), WO9928371 (1999), DE4327024 (1995) and WO9935179 (1999), have reported to prepare the biodegradable polyesteramides through polycondensation using dibasic acid, dibasic alcohol, diamine and/or caprolactam, etc. This product has good mechanical properties and biodegradable properties, and a series of such polyesteramides came to the market using BAK as trade mark. However, in this kind of polyesteramides, the ester bond and the amide bond distributed randomly, and this kind of polymers had poor crystallinity, low melting point and poor heat resistance. Additionally, the preparation method used is the direct melting polycondensation method, and it has high requirements for the vacuum, which should be below 0.5 mmHg
[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,343,931 (1982) has reported the synthesis of diamido diols using glycolic acid or lactic acid and aliphatic diamines. Then the diamido diols were reacted with diacyl chloride to prepare biodegradable polyesteramides. However, acyl chloride is too lively and easy to corrode the reactor and cause the environmental pollution in this reaction.
[0007] In China, Xiaobo Liu, et al. have reported that two diamido diol intermediates were prepared by reacting glycolic acid with 1,12-dodecylenediamine, caprolactone and hexamethylene diamine. Then the diamido diol intermediates was carried out melt polycondensation reaction with the dibasic acid in the certain proportion to prepare the polyesteramides with different molecular weight and thermodynamic properties by adjusting the proportion of two diamide diols. However, this method was also carried out through the direct polycondensation synthesis which requires the high vacuum and the demanding equipment requirements. Additionally, it will easily cause the monomer evaporation loss and make the ratio of raw materials difficult to control under high temperature and high vacuum if preparing polyesteramides using direct polycondensation of binary acid and diamido diols. Therefore, it was difficult to obtain the macromolecular polymers.
[0008] Chinese patent, CN 1,310,194A(2001), CN 1,124,304C(2003), and CN 101,020,746A(2007), have reported preparing macromolecular polymers using diisocyanate or bisoxazoline chain extended aliphatic polyester prepolymer. However, the amide bond of polyesteramides prepared by this method had a low content of amide bond, and the thermal and mechanical properties were not improved obviously compared with the aliphatic polyester.
SUMMARY
[0009] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for preparing polyesteramides by organocatalysis so as to solve the problem that the preparation process of the prior art which is not easy to control and the amide bond content of the product is low.
[0010] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the invention is as follows:
[0011] A method for preparing polyesteramides by organocatalysis, and The polyesteramides are prepared by a ring-opening polymerization reaction of comonomer under the action of an activator with epsilon-caprolactone and epsilon-caprolactam taken as the comonomer, and an I type carbene carboxylate compound or an L type carbene carboxylate compound taken as catalysts.
[0000]
[0012] Wherein:
[0013] Wherein:
[0014] R 1 is independently selected from isopropyl alcohol, tert-butyl alcohol, 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, adamantyl or cyclohexyl.
[0015] R 2 is independently selected from isopropyl alcohol, tert-butyl alcohol, N-heptyl, 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, 2,6-isopropylphenyl, adamantyl or cyclohexyl.
[0016] n=0, 1 or 2
[0017] Wherein the preferred embodiment is:
[0018] R 1 is isopropyl alcohol, tert-butyl alcohol, 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, adamantyl or cyclohexyl.
[0019] R 2 is isopropyl alcohol, tert-butyl alcohol, N-heptyl, 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, 2,6-isopropylphenyl, adamantyl or cyclohexyl.
[0020] Wherein the structures of the compound (A) and the compound (L) is
[0000]
[0021] In the above structure, Mes is 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, Dipp is 2,6-isopropylphenyl and Ad is adamantyl.
[0022] Wherein the initiator is acyl caprolactam, isocyanates, carbonates, carbamate derivatives, N-acyl structure-containing compounds, isocyanate-containing compounds or ester-containing compounds.
[0023] Wherein:
[0024] The isocyanates are tolylene diisocyanate (TDI) or diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI);
[0025] The carbonate is propylene carbonate (PC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), diethyl carbonate (DEC), carbonic acid diphenyl carbonate (DPC)
[0026] The carbamate derivatives is ethyl carbamate or methyl carbamate.
[0027] The compounds containing an N-acyl structure is N-acyl caprolactam, N,N′-(pentane-1,5-diyl) bis (2-azacycloheptane-1-formamide) or N,N′-(hexane-1,6-diyl) bis (2-azepane-1-carboxamide)
[0028] The compounds containing an isocyanate or ester structure is diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), propylene carbonate (PC), dimethyl carbonate (DMC), diethyl carbonate (DEC) or diphenyl carbonate (DPC).
[0029] Wherein the mass ratio of the comonomer and the catalyst is 10˜500:1.
[0030] Wherein the molar ratio of the initiator and the catalyst is 0.1˜10:1.
[0031] Wherein the ε-caprolactone accounts for 5˜95% of the total comonomer content.
[0032] Wherein the polymerization reaction of anionic polymerization products polycaprolactone is carried out under the protection of an inert gas at 160˜200° C. for 10˜60 min, wherein the inert gas is nitrogen or argon.
[0033] Wherein the ε-caprolactam is desiccated at 60° C. under a vacuum of −0.1; and caprolactone is distilled off with distilled water under reduced pressure before reaction using calcium hydride.
[0034] The equation of the present invention is as follows:
[0000]
[0035] Wherein the compound (L) is L-type carbene carboxylate compound, which can be purchased from the market, or prepared by the following methods:
[0036] (1) The primary amines (R—NH2) and triethyl orthoformate are reacted under the catalysis of BF3.Et2O and monitored by TLC. Then the amide compound is obtained by heating, refluxing and spin desiccation.
[0037] Wherein R is isopropyl, tert-butyl, N-heptyl, 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, 2,6-isopropylphenyl, adamantyl or cyclohexyl.
[0038] (2) The amidine compound obtained above is stirred and reacted in acetonitrile with the dibromoalkane, and then the solvent is evaporated to dryness. The residue of solvent is dissolved by stirring in methylene chloride and filtered, and the yellow liquid is concentrated and recrystallized using diethyl ether. The precipitated pale yellow solid is washed with cold diethyl ether and vacuum dried to obtain the carbene precursor bromide salt.
[0039] Wherein the dibromoalkane is any one of 1,2-dibromoethane, 1,3-dibromopropane and 1,4-dibromobutane.
[0040] (3) The carbene precursor bromide salt obtained as described above is dissolved in THF, followed by addition of 1 equivalent of potassium hexamethyldisiloxane or lithium hexamethyldisiloxane or potassium tert-butoxide dissolved in THF. The solution is stirred at room temperature for 2 hours and distilled under reduced pressure, extracted with ether and filtered. CO2 is bubbled into the solution to filter the precipitated solid. Then the L-type carbene carboxylate is obtained through being washed with ether or n-pentane and vacuum drying.
[0041] In step (2), the reaction time is 20˜168 h.
[0042] In step (3), the molar ratio of carbene precursor bromide salt or potassium hexamethyldisiloxane or lithium hexamethyldisiloxane or potassium tert-butoxide is 1:1˜1.2.
[0043] The reaction equation is as follows:
[0000]
[0044] Wherein the compound (I) is I-type carbene carboxylate compound which can be purchased from the market, or prepared by the following methods:
[0045] Ethanol, glyoxal (1 equivalent) and primary amine (R—NH2) (2 equivalent) and a few drops of formic acid are to the round flask, and the solution is stirred for 15 hours. The yellow precipitate is formed a few hours later. The round bottom flask is immersed in ice bath and stirred for 30 minutes as well as filtered to obtain the yellow solid.
[0046] Wherein R is any one of isopropyl, tert-butyl, 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, adamantyl or cyclohexyl.
[0047] (2) The imine obtained above (1 equivalent) is dissolved in ethyl acetate at 0° C. Paraformaldehyde (1.3 equivalent) and HCl in dioxane (1.6 equivalent) are stirred in ethyl acetate suspension in the ice bath for 10 minutes, and then added to the imine solution until the solution turns to red. The round bottom flask is removed from the ice bath and the reaction is stirred for an additional 15 hours. The obtained black solution is filtered to white solid which is then washed with diethyl ether. And then the solid is dissolved in acetonitrile and methanol. Sodium hydrogen carbonate is added to this solution to be stirred for 30 minutes, and the sodium hydrogen carbonate is filtered to be removed. The solvent is then removed in vacuum. The solid is dissolved in methanol and recrystallized using ethyl ether which is slowly added to methanol to obtain the carbene precursor chloride salt.
[0048] (3) The carbene precursor chloride salt obtained as described above is dissolved in THF, followed by addition of 1 equivalent of potassium hexamethyldisiloxane or lithium hexamethyldisiloxane or potassium tert-butoxide dissolved in THF. The solution is stirred at room temperature for 2 hours and distilled under reduced pressure, extracted with ether and filtered. CO2 is bubbled into the solution to filter the precipitated solid. Then the I-type carbene carboxylate is obtained through being washed with ether or n-pentane and vacuum drying.
[0049] In step (3), the molar ratio of carbene precursor chloride salt or potassium hexamethyldisiloxane or lithium hexamethyldisiloxane or potassium tert-butoxide is 1:1˜1.2.
[0050] The reaction equation is as follows:
[0000]
[0051] Beneficial Effects
[0052] Compared with current technology, the present application comprises following advantages:
[0053] The preparation method of the invention uses carbene as the catalyst, the ε-caprolactone and the caprolactam as the reaction monomer, and the total yield is up to 91.2-97.1%. The preparation of degradable polyesteramides in different melting point (Tm) ranged from 50˜200° C. could be obtained by adjusting the formula ratio of the raw material. At the same time, by the tensile test performed at a room temperature of 15° C., the humidity of 50% and the speed of 200 mm/min, the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide, and made of the polyesteramides prepared by the method, has the tensile strength between 10 MPa and 60 MPa, and the Young's modulus between 0.1 GPa and 2 GPa. At the same time, the structure and properties of the products prepared by the present invention have a great relationship with the molar ratio of caprolactam and caprolactone. In comonomer, the melting point of polyesteramides increases, the tensile strength increases and the Young's modulus increases with the increase of the content of caprolactam.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0054] FIG. 1 is the 1 H NMR spectrum of the product of polyesteramides in embodiment 1;
[0055] FIG. 2 is the thermogravimetry analysis of the product of polyesteramides in embodiment 1;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0056] The present invention will be better understood according to the following embodiments. However, it will be readily understood by technicians in this field that the description of the embodiments is only for the purpose of illustrating this invention and should not limit the invention as detailed in the Claims.
[0057] In the following embodiments, caprolactam is vacuum dried to remove water in a vacuum pump at 60° C. before the reaction, and the caprolactone is distilled to remove water using calcium hydride under reduced pressure before the reaction.
[0058] In the following embodiments, the tensile strength and Young's modulus of the hot pressed die sheet are measured under the conditions of room temperature 15° C., humidity 50%, and speed 200 mm/min.
Embodiment 1
[0059] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 1.14 g (0.01 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 1.13 g (0.01 mol), N-acetyl caprolactam 0.0155 g (0.0001 mol) and 1,3-diisopropylimidazole-2-carboxylate (I-1) about 0.5 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with nitrogen, and the temperature is raised to 180° C. to be incubated for 1 hour in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 50/50 polyesteramide. The reaction yield is 92.3%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 86.3° C. And the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 40.2 MPa and Young's modulus of 271 MPa. The 1 H NMR spectrum of the polyesteramides is shown in FIG. 1 , and the thermogravimetric analysis of the polyesteramides is shown in FIG. 2 .
Embodiment 2
[0060] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 1.14 g (0.01 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 0.565 g (0.005 mol), N,N′-(pentane-1,5-diyl) bis (2-azepane-1-carboxamide) 0.076 g (0.0002 mol) and 1,3-di tert butyl imidazole-2-carboxylate (I-2) about 0.2 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with argon, and the temperature is raised to 170° C. to be incubated for 30 minutes in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 66/33 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 94.7%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 57.7° C. And the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 31.9 MPa and Young's modulus of 196 MPa.
Embodiment 3
[0061] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 0.57 g (0.005 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 1.13 g (0.01 mol), N,N′-(hexane-1,6-diyl) bis (2-azepane-1-carboxamide) 0.197 g (0.0005 mol) and 1,3-dicyclohexylimidazole-2-carboxylate (I-3) about 1 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with nitrogen, and the temperature is raised to 160° C. to be incubated for 20 minutes in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 33/66 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 91.2%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 152.3° C. And the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 46.9 MPa and Young's modulus of 302 MPa.
Embodiment 4
[0062] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 1.14 g (0.01 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 3.39 g (0.03 mol), tolylene diisocyanate 0.0087 g (0.00005 mol) and 1,3-bis (2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) imidazole-2-carboxylate (I-4) about 2 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with nitrogen, and the temperature is raised to 190° C. to be incubated for 10 minutes in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 25/75 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 93.4%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 161.3° C. And the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 48.2 MPa and Young's modulus of 427 MPa.
Embodiment 5
[0063] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 0.57 g (0.005 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 2.26 g (0.02 mol), diphenylmethane diisocyanate 0.25 g (0.001 mol) and 1,3-bisadamantylimidazole-2-carboxylate (I-5) about 3 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with argon, and the temperature is raised to 170° C. to be incubated for 15 minutes in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 20/80 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 95.8%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 170.3° C. And the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 49.8 MPa and Young's modulus of 784 MPa.
Embodiment 6
[0064] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 0.57 g (0.005 mol), Ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 2.825 g (0.025 mol), propylene carbonate 0.0102 g (0.0001 mol) and 1,3-diisopropyl imidazoline-2-carboxylate (L-6) about 5 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with nitrogen, and the temperature is raised to 180° C. to be incubated for 40 minutes in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 16.7/83.3 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 93.2%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 183.1° C. And the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 62.3 MPa and Young's modulus of 1.1 GPa.
Embodiment 7
[0065] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 0.57 g (0.005 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 3.955 g (0.035 mol), dimethyl carbonate 0.045 g (0.0005 mol) and 1,3-bis (2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) imidazoline-2-carboxylate (L-7) about 10 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with nitrogen, and the temperature is raised to 190° C. to be incubated for 1 hour in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 12.5/87.5 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 92.4%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 191.7° C. And the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 74.7 MPa and Young's modulus of 1.4 GPa.
Embodiment 8
[0066] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 0.57 g (0.005 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 4.52 g (0.04 mol), diethyl carbonate 0.0354 g (0.0003 mol) and 1,3-diisopropyl tetrahydropyridine-2-carboxylate (L-8) about 10 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with argon, and the temperature is raised to 200° C. to be incubated for 30 minutes in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 11.1/88.9 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 95.7%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 195.9° C. And the hot pressed die sheet which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 89.3 MPa and Young's modulus of 1.6 GPa.
Embodiment 9
[0067] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 0.342 g (0.003 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 6.441 g (0.057 mol), diphenyl carbonate 0.0214 g (0.0001 mol) and 1,3-bis (4-heptyl) tetrahydropyridine-2-carboxylate (L-9) about 5 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with nitrogen, and the temperature is raised to 200° C. to be incubated for 1 hour in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 5/95 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 94.8%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 200.0° C. And the hot pressed die sheet which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 100.0 MPa and Young's modulus of 2 GPa.
Embodiment 10
[0068] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 1.71 g (0.015 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 0.065 g (0.005 mol), ethyl carbamate 0.0178 g (0.0002 mol) and 1,3-dicyclohexyltetrahydropyridine-2-carboxylate (L-10) about 1 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with nitrogen, and the temperature is raised to 160° C. to be incubated for 10 minutes in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 75/25 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 93.5%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 52.5° C. And the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 30.2 MPa and Young's modulus of 185 MPa.
Embodiment 11
[0069] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 2.28 g (0.02 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 0.065 g (0.005 mol), methyl carbamate 0.075 g (0.001 mol) and 1,3-bis (2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) tetrahydropyridine-2-carboxylate (L-11) about 0.5 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with nitrogen, and the temperature is raised to 180° C. to be incubated for 40 minutes in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 80/20 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 95.4%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 51.7° C. And the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 28.7 MPa and Young's modulus of 174 MPa.
Embodiment 12
[0070] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 2.85 g (0.025 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 0.065 g (0.005 mol), N-acetyl caprolactam 0.031 g (0.0002 mol) and 1,3-bis (2,6-isopropylphenyl) tetrahydropyridine-2-carboxylate (L-12) about 2 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with nitrogen, and the temperature is raised to 190° C. to be incubated for 30 minutes in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 83.3/16.7 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 96.1%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 51.4° C. And the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 25.1 MPa and Young's modulus of 161 MPa.
Embodiment 13
[0071] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 3.99 g (0.035 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 0.065 g (0.005 mol), N-acetyl caprolactam 0.0465 g (0.0003 mol) and 1,3-bis (2,4-dimethoxyphenyl) tetrahydropyridine-2-carboxylate (L-13) about 3 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with nitrogen, and the temperature is raised to 200° C. to be incubated for 10 minutes in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 87.5/12.5 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 92.8%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 52.0° C. And the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 20.8 MPa and Young's modulus of 132 MPa.
Embodiment 14
[0072] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 4.56 g (0.04 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 0.065 g (0.005 mol), N-acetyl caprolactam 0.155 g (0.001 mol) and 1,3-bis (2,4,6-trimethylphenyl) tetrahydrodiazepine-2-carboxylate (L-14) about 0.5 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with nitrogen, and the temperature is raised to 190° C. to be incubated for 20 minutes in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 88.9/11.1 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 97.1%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 51.8° C. And the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 15.6 MPa and Young's modulus of 124 MPa.
Embodiment 15
[0073] Raw materials of the above polyesteramides, ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) 5.13 g (0.045 mol), ε-caprolactam (ε-CLa) 0.065 g (0.005 mol), N-acetyl caprolactam 0.0775 g (0.0005 mol) and 1,3-bis (2,6-isopropylphenyl) tetrahydrodiazepine-2-carboxylate (L-15) about 2 wt %, are introduced into the ampoule. The atmosphere of ampoule is replaced with nitrogen, and the temperature is raised to 180° C. to be incubated for 1 hour in order to obtain the P (CL/CLa) 95/5 polyesteramides. The reaction yield is 93.4%. The melting point (Tm) of the obtained product is 51.2° C. And the hot pressed die sheet, which is 1.00 mm thick and 6.00 mm wide has the strength of 10.0 MPa and Young's modulus of 117 MPa. | A method for preparing polyesteramides by organocatalysis. The polyesteramides are prepared by a ring-opening polymerization reaction of comonomer under the action of an activator and an initiator, with ε-caprolactone and ε-caprolactam taken as the comonomer, and an I type carbene carboxylate compound or an L type carbene carboxylate compound taken as catalysts. | 2 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure relates to a method for measuring biological contamination in a sea water desalination facility, and specifically, it relates to a method for measuring biological contamination of the sea water desalination facility, which can distinguish degree of biological contamination of a reverse osmosis membrane and its contamination source without further separation of desalination equipments such as the reverse osmosis membrane, and a system thereof.
BACKGROUND
In a sea water desalination facility, a membrane filtration process using a reverse osmosis membrane is broadly being applied to many industries or water treatment area as well as desalination of sea water, and its predominance has been proved in many ways such as performance or energy efficiency. On the other hand, in operating a reverse osmosis membrane filtration process, proliferation of microorganisms to the form of biofilm on the membrane surface of the treated water side (non-treated water side of the reverse osmosis membrane) causing increase of operating pressure of the reverse osmosis membrane, or biofouling (contamination caused by organism attachment) causing decrease of water permeability or separation performance of the reverse osmosis membrane become problems. The biofouling is a membrane surface fouling caused by various contaminants such as organic or inorganic floating particles, dissolved organic matters (DOM), dissolved solids and biogenic materials, and major contamination source is organic contamination related to large amount of organic matters.
“Biofilm” is a structure formed by microorganism on the pipe wall or the reverse osmosis membrane face when water flows therein, and mainly contains extra cellular polymeric substances consisting of polysaccharides, proteins and the like, and bacteria.
As countermeasures to the biofouling in the reverse osmosis membrane filtration plant, many techniques of adding a disinfectant which inhibits increase of the biofilm to treated water, and of adding a cleanser which cleans the reverse osmosis membrane were suggested. But, the method for accurately and easily evaluating or verifying effectiveness of condition for adding the disinfectant or cleanser by measuring degree of biofouling became a problem.
As the conventional methods for detecting biofouling, the first method is to analyze the structure of the biofilm itself without disassembling the reverse osmosis membrane or the biofilm, and uses atomic force microscope, optical coherence tomography, scanning electron microscope, magnetic resonance imaging, confocal laser scanning microscope and transmission electron microscope. But, there are problems that expensive devices and experts are needed, and only the biofouled surface can be checked.
The second method is a biological analysis method such as real-time monitoring of amplified product of PCR (real-time PCR), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) gene analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization and the like, but it has problems of taking several days and requiring experts.
The third method is to quantitatively analyze biofouling by biomass accumulation, and may include ATP measuring method, total direct cell count (TDC), heterotrophic plate count (HPC) and the like, but theses technologies has problems that it also needs expert knowledge, and consumes chemical enzyme. And TDC has a problem of large standard deviation, and HPC has a problem that only small part of the microorganism sample can be checked.
Therefore, a method which can quickly monitor degree of biofouling (biological contamination) without separation or disassembly of equipments such as a reverse osmosis membrane in a sea water desalination facility is needed, and further, there has been no biofouling monitoring method using a natural phosphor contained in brine in the sea water desalination facility.
Throughout this application, various publications and patents are referred and citations are provided in parentheses. The disclosures of these publications and patents in their entities are hereby incorporated by references into this application in order to fully describe this invention and the state of the art to which this invention pertains.
SUMMARY
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for measuring biological contamination of a sea water desalination facility without further separation of equipments in the sea water desalination facility.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a system for measuring biological contamination of a sea water desalination facility using a fluorescence spectrophotometer in the sea water desalination facility.
In one aspect of the present invention, provided is a method for measuring biological contamination of a sea water desalination facility comprising the following steps of:
a) collecting any one selected from a group consisting of raw sea water flowing into the sea water desalination facility, pre-treated water prepared by pre-treating the raw sea water, product water (permeate) produced after the pre-treated water goes through a desalination process and brine; and b) measuring wavelength and strength of a natural phosphor, which is contained in the raw sea water, pre-treated water, product water (permeate) or brine, using a fluorescence spectrophotometer.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, wavelength range of the fluorescence spectrophotometer may be 220˜600 nm.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the natural phosphor is at least one selected from a group consisting of lipo-pigment, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), flavin coenzyme, tyrosine, tryptophan, fulvic acid and humic acid.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sea water desalination facility may be a reverse osmosis membrane filtration plant comprising a raw water intake part, a pre-treatment part and a reverse osmosis filter containing an osmosis membrane module.
In another aspect of the present invention, provided is a system for measuring biological contamination of a sea water desalination facility, wherein the sea water desalination facility further comprises a fluorescence spectrophotometer detecting a natural phosphor from any one selected from a group consisting of raw sea water flowing into the sea water desalination facility, pre-treated water prepared by pre-treating the raw sea water, product water (permeate) produced after the pre-treated water goes through a desalination process and brine.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sea water desalination facility may be a reverse osmosis membrane filtration plant comprising a raw water intake part, a pre-treatment part and a reverse osmosis filter containing an osmosis membrane module.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a sea water desalination plant containing a reverse osmosis system. Circles are sampling points of raw sea water before pre-treatment, pre-treated water after pre-treatment but before passing through a RO membrane, brine and product water (permeate), respectively.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Hereinafter, the present invention is described in detail.
The present invention is to measure degree of biofouling (biological contamination caused by organism attachment) of equipments in a sea water desalination facility, the equipments may be an intake pump, an intake pipe, pipes of a desalination process, a filter membrane and the like. Particularly, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the present invention is characterized that in a sea water desalination plant using a reverse osmosis membrane system, replacement period of a reverse osmosis membrane system, or the injection amount of a disinfectant and cleanser can be decided in advance by detecting degree of biofouling (biological contamination caused by organism attachment) of the reverse osmosis membrane and its contamination source.
As shown in FIG. 1 , the present invention relates to a method for measuring degree of biofouling of the reverse osmosis (RO) membrane filter and its contamination source in the sea water desalination plant system using the RO membrane system by collecting raw sea water, pre-treated water which passed through an intake tank and then pre-treated, product water (permeate) which passed through a filter membrane system and brine; and detecting each natural phosphors contained in the collected samples using a fluorescence spectrophotometer without further separation of the filter membrane from the plant.
Accordingly, the present invention measures degree of biological contamination of a sea water desalination facility and its contamination source by collecting raw sea water, pre-treated water, product water (permeate) or brine, respectively, and measuring wavelength and strength of a natural phosphor, which is contained in the raw sea water, pre-treated water, product water (permeate) or brine, using a fluorescence spectrophotometer.
The raw sea water may be directly collected from the surface layer of ocean or deep water, and the pre-treated water refers to water prepared by subjecting the raw sea water to membrane treatment using a sand filter, a microbble, ultrafiltration membrane or microfiltration membrane, a loose reverse osmosis membrane and the like. The product water refers to permeate prepared by passing the pre-treated water through a filter containing a reverse osmosis module, and the brine refers to non-permeate to be discarded to ocean.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fluorescence spectrophotometer is a Three-dimensional excitation-emission (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy, and it is preferred to have high sensitivity and selectivity without sample degradation. Accordingly, the fluorescence spectrophotometer is characterized by short sample analysis time figuring out the characteristic of a dissolved organic matter (DOM) and easy handling.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the natural phosphor may be lipo-pigment, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), flavin coenzyme, tyrosine, tryptophan, fulvic acid or humic acid.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, wavelength range of the fluorescence spectrophotometer according to the present invention may be 220˜600 nm.
The biofouling is membrane surface fouling caused by various contaminants The contaminants may include organic or inorganic floating particles, dissolved organic matters (DOM), dissolved solids and biogenic materials, and may be major contamination source in the most sea water desalination process.
Bacterial cell surface comprises lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which is a kind of dissolved organic matter interacting with the cell surface, and extra cellular polymeric substances (EPS) of membrane, and the bacterial cell comprises natural phosphors such as amino acids, lipo-pigments, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (pyridinic NADPH), flavin coenzymes and the like. Kinds of the phosphors can be confirmed by detecting the natural phosphors because they have characteristic excitation and emission (fluorescence) wavelength.
In the early stage of biofouling, most materials form a biofilm by being attached to the sea water desalination facility, particularly the surface of the reverse osmosis membrane. After forming the biofilm, the process of falling off and re-attaching microorganism molecular aggregates is repeated. The materials float from the reverse osmosis membrane process to concentrated waste water, and at this time, biological contaminants such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS), extra cellular polymeric substances (EPS), dissolved organic matters (DOM) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotides (NADH) are concentrated in brine. Because most of the biological contaminants are natural phosphors, biological contamination of the reverse osmosis membrane can be confirmed by detecting the natural phosphors in the brine.
Further, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is characterized that the present invention is a system for measuring biological contamination, wherein the reverse osmosis membrane filtration plant comprising a raw water intake part, a pre-treatment part and a reverse osmosis filter containing an osmosis membrane module further comprises a fluorescence spectrophotometer detecting a natural phosphor from each of raw sea water of the raw water intake part, pre-treated water which passed through the pre-treatment part, and brine and product water (permeate) which passed through the reverse osmosis membrane filter.
The system of the present invention may be a system for measuring biological contamination of the reverse osmosis membrane, which can detect the natural phosphor contained in the brine by further comprising the three-dimensional excitation-emission (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention to the intake tank intaking the raw sea water and the pipe where the brine, which passed through the RO membrane system, flows of the general reverse osmosis membrane filtration plant of FIG. 1 .
In the sea water desalination facility according to the present invention, the collecting of the sample to measure biological contamination is described with the raw sea water, the pre-treated water, the product water (permeate) and brine (non-permeate), but it is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the sample can be collected from various equipments in the sea water desalination facility, for example, an intake pipe, an intake tank, a pre-filtration device, various pumps and pipes, a filter such as a reverse osmosis membrane module, a discharge pipe and the like, respectively to measure the degree of biological contamination.
EXAMPLE
Hereinafter, the present invention will be more particularly described by the preferred examples. However, these are intended to illustrate the invention as preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention.
Example 1
Firstly, the brine samples were collected from reverse osmosis membrane plants located at Fujairah (United Arb Emirates), Yeon-do (South Korea), Tok-do (South Korea), respectively. The samples were collected from four points of the plants located at Yeon-do and Tok-do, respectively, and the four points are raw sea water, pre-treated water right before entering the RO membrane system, brine and product water which passed through the RO membrane, respectively. Further, feed water and biologically contaminated membrane of the Fujairah plant were used.
The samples were analyzed with a spectrophotometer (F-2500 FL spectrophotometer, Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation, Japan), and the excitation and emission were conducted at the range of 220˜600 nm with sampling interval of 10 nm. The excitation and emission slits were maintained to 5 nm, and the scanning speed was set to 3000 nm/min to analyze the samples.
As a result, it was confirmed that there were many proteins and various dissolved organic matters in the raw sea water and the brine.
The peak pattern of the brine was simpler than that of the raw sea water, and it means that most biological contamination sources are made up of biologically similar synthetic molecules. Therefore, the biological contamination sources can be separated by the fluorescence spectrophotometer.
Fluorescent excitation and emission wavelength and strength data to the samples collected from the sea water desalination plant at Yeon-do and Tok-do were listed in Tables 1 and 2, respectively.
In the following tables, DOC refers to dissolved organic carbon, and, Cond refers to conductivity.
TABLE 1
peak 2
peak 4
peak 1
(270-280/
peak 3
(230/
DOC
Cond.
(220/290)
410-440)
(330/410)
330-340)
Yeon-do
(mg/L)
(mS/cm)
strength
strength
strength
strength
Raw sea
3.83
34.1
79.91
132.7
96.18
60.70
water
Brine
3.99
42.0
76.39
80.80
91.97
38.52
Pre-treated
4.22
36.4
83.44
72.07
84.51
63.96
water
Product
0.54
0.39
149.7
—
—
79.83
water
TABLE 2
peak 2
peak 1
(250-260/
peak 3
DOC
Cond.
(220/290)
400-410)
(330-340/410)
Tok-do
(mg/L)
(mS/cm)
strength
strength
strength
Raw sea
7.37
50.8
115.3
76.72
118.1
water
Brine
7.09
51.1
125.8
52.59
84.17
Pre-treated
7.35
50.6
109
92.74
89.99
water
Product
0.49
0.58
142.6
—
—
water
As shown in Tables 1 and 2, the peak 1 and 4 are related to protein materials, the 2-1 is related to humic material, and the peak 3 is related to fulvic acid. It was confirmed that the peak strength in the wavelength range related to each material was more reduced in the brine than in the raw sea water. This meant that the reverse osmosis membrane was biofouled as much as the strength difference, and the degree of contamination and contamination source of each peak could be find out.
According to the present invention, the degree of biological contamination can be quickly measured by detecting natural phosphors contained in raw sea water, pre-treated water, product water (permeate) or brine without further separation or disassembly of equipments of a sea water desalination facility, and contamination sources can be distinguished. Therefore, replacement period of various equipments of a desalination process such as a reverse osmosis membrane, and the kind and amount of a disinfectant and cleanser put into the equipments can be decided.
While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosures. Indeed, the novel methods and apparatuses described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms; furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosures. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosures. | The present invention relates to a method for measuring degree of biological contamination in a sea water desalination facility, and is characterized by comprising the following steps of: a) collecting any one selected from a group consisting of raw sea water flowing into the sea water desalination facility, pre-treated water prepared by pre-treating the raw sea water, product water (permeate) produced after the pre-treated water goes through a desalination process and brine; and b) measuring wavelength and strength of a natural phosphor, which is contained in the raw sea water, pre-treated water, product water (permeate) or brine, using a fluorescence spectrophotometer. | 6 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a support panel and more particularly to a support panel for supporting brackets and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Support panels are commonly used in office, commercial and other environments in order to position various items, goods and products within easy reach and/or sight of people. For example, specially-adapted support panels are often used as part of trade shows to display new products, in retail stores to display goods for sale, and in garages, workshops and other places where storage is required, to organize and make easily available various tools.
[0003] Support panels define channels adapted for the mounting of various support members (for example, shelves, racks, hangers and the like). Typically, such support members are provided with brackets which engage the channels in order to securely hold the support members in place on the support panel. Hence, the mounting of shelves etc. is performed in an easy and efficient manner, without the use of screws or other types of fasteners. Support panels assembled from such walls are sometimes referred to as slat walls.
[0004] A problem with existing support panels is that the panel structure is not adapted to fully support the load that can be placed upon the panel by the brackets. If the load placed on a bracket exceeds the structural strength of a structure defining the channel, the structure is likely to fail, not only dropping the load, but also damaging the channel rendering that channel unusable. Thus, it is desirable to have support panels with channel structures that optimize the load carrying ability of channels for both value and safety purposes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The invention provides improved systems and methods for secure mounting of brackets and other load-bearing members on support panels. In preferred embodiments, the invention provides structures adapted for the removable mounting of such structures.
[0006] In one aspect the invention provides support panels adapted for supporting removable load bearing members such as brackets. Panels according to such aspect can comprise hollow bodies having front and a back walls separated by voids, and one or more channels defined by the hollow bodies for receiving load bearing members. The channels can include openings defined in said front wall, and base and flange portions defined by the hollow bodies for engaging the load bearing members. Such panels further comprise one or more support ribs extending between the front and back walls to transfer forces exerted on the flange portions by the load bearing members to the back walls and/or to other structural portions of the panels.
[0007] It has been found that superior load-bearing qualities can be achieved by providing the support ribs at angles offset from the perpendicular with respect to the front and back walls of the panels.
[0008] In other aspects, the invention provides modular wall assemblies comprising pluralities of such panels, wherein the panels are joined by mating edges which can define further channels for receiving and supporting load-bearing members without any compromise in strength.
[0009] The invention also provides for flat rear panel surfaces which allow mounting on stud walls without the need for backing (such as drywall), where joined panels act as an adequate sealing means for a wall especially at the corners where a void would be present.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The invention will now be described by example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a modular support panel in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a cross section of the modular support panel of FIG. 1 viewed along lines 2 - 2 ;
[0013] FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial view of the cross section of panel of FIG. 2 as viewed in circle portion 3 .
[0014] FIG. 4 is an enlarged, partial view of a modular support panel having two support ribs in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
[0015] FIG. 5 is an enlarged, partial view of a modular support panel having two support ribs in accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention;
[0016] FIG. 6 is an enlarged, partial view of a modular support panel having a T-shaped channel in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a portion of a wall formed from multiple modular support panels 30 of FIG. 1 in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Referring to FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a modular support panel is indicated generally at 30 . As will be described further below, one or more modular support panels 30 can be used in combination with each other or with other suitable devices or materials to form a support panel wall or a portion thereof. Moreover, as will also be described in greater detail below, modular panels 30 include channels 58 for receiving and securely supporting load-bearing members such as brackets.
[0019] Referring to FIG. 2 , each modular panel 30 has a front wall 34 and a back wall 38 that are substantially parallel to each other and separated by distance D. Front wall 34 and back wall 38 are spanned by first edge 42 and second edge 46 to form one or more hollow bodies 72 . Front wall 34 and back wall 38 are also spanned by one or more separation ribs 50 defining one or more voids 54 within hollow body(ies) 72 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 , modular panel 30 includes three separation ribs 50 , one for each of hollow bodies 72 . Each separation rib 50 is connected to its respective front wall 34 and back wall 38 in a substantially perpendicular configuration. Moreover, each separation rib 50 runs substantially parallel with ends 42 and 46 . In other embodiments, the configuration of ribs 50 can vary based on a variety of criteria such as costs, desired panel strength and other criteria as would be understood by persons skilled in the relevant arts.
[0020] In a preferred embodiment, panel 30 is integrally formed from PVC through an extrusion process. In other embodiments, panel 30 may be constructed from other plastics or materials, and formed through different processes, as understood by those with skill in the relevant arts. In yet other embodiments, one or more elements of panel 30 may be formed separately, and attached to panel 30 through additional processes.
[0021] As will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts, the use of hollow panels offers a number of advantages including, for example, reduced structural weight, and potential for improved insulation and/or fire retardation by, for example, filling voids 54 with insulating or fire retarding foams or other materials. Materials used to fill voids 54 can be chosen based on numerous criteria such as desired panel strength, rigidity, fire retardation concerns, thermal and or audio insulation, cost and weight.
[0022] Modular support panel 30 defines, by itself and/or in cooperation with one or more other support panels 30 , one or more channels 58 for receiving brackets or other removable load-bearing members. As shown in FIG. 3 , channels 58 include respective openings 62 for receiving the load-bearing members, as well as respective base portions 66 and retaining flange 78 for supporting the load-bearing members. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a channel 58 defined by an integral channel wall having a base portion 66 and a side portion 70 . In the embodiment shown, side portion 70 extends from base portion 66 and curves up to front wall 34 . A side portion 74 connected in a substantially perpendicular manner to front wall 34 and base portion 66 defines the other side of channel 58 . In this embodiment, base portion 66 is reinforced with separation rib 67 , one of which comprises a section of side portion 74 .
[0023] Referring still to FIG. 3 , flange 78 can be formed in various configurations, using different structures. For example, as shown in FIG. 3 , flange 78 extends a distance D 1 from side portion 74 to form an integral u-shaped structure comprising inner surface 88 and outer surface 82 . Outer surface 82 is connected to front wall 34 and inner surface 82 is connected to side portion 74 . In this embodiment, side portion 74 comprises spanning rib 68 , which spans the distance between inner surface 88 and outer surface 82 of flange 78 . Preferably, flange 78 is configured to define at least a portion of receiving channel 58 and to support loads applied to an inner surface of the flange, the loads comprising at least a vector component normal to the front wall 34 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 , flange 78 is substantially parallel with front wall 34 , the outer surface 82 of flange 78 being in substantial alignment with the outer surface of front wall 34 . In other embodiments, flange 78 can take other shapes such as L-shaped protrusions or other configurations as would be understood by those skilled in the relevant arts. Flange 78 can be constructed from substantially the same material as the majority of panel 30 , or can be constructed of a different suitable material. In yet other embodiments, flange 78 can be aligned with front wall 34 in a non-parallel fashion, and/or connected at other locations on side portion 74 , such that front portion 82 is not aligned with front wall 34 .
[0024] As will be understood by those of skill in the relevant arts, a suitable support member, such as a shelf (not shown) with a bracket that complements the shape of channel 58 , can be used with support panels 30 . In use, the bracket is inserted into channel 58 such that the shelf is held substantially perpendicular to support panels 30 . In order to support the shelf in this configuration, and any extra weight that the shelf itself must support, the bracket exerts a force, or a load, at least partially on inner surface 88 of flange 78 and at least partially on base portion 66 .
[0025] Panels 30 , in accordance with the invention, can comprise additional structural members for providing support to load-bearing portions of panel 30 . For example, in some embodiments of the invention, panels 30 comprise one or more support ribs 86 located within void 54 for transferring torsional, bending, and/or other loads applied to flange 38 by, for example, a removable load-bearing support member. Support rib 86 can be proximate to side portion 74 , and extends between front wall 34 and back wall 38 . In general, support rib 86 supports the load-bearing capabilities of flange 78 and may allow for greater loads to be supported by support panel 30 .
[0026] Referring now to FIG. 4 , support rib 86 is shown connected to front wall 34 and back wall 38 . Support rib 86 and back wall 38 define angle 110 through their connection. Angle 110 is preferably less than about 90 degrees such that support rib 86 is closer to side portion 74 at front wall 34 than at back wall 38 . As will be understood by those familiar with such structures and the support of load-bearing members, the value of angle 110 and the orientation of support rib 86 in relation to back wall 38 can be varied. For example, angle 110 can be in the range of about 20 to about 85 degrees, more preferably in the range of about 40 to about 70 degrees, and even more preferably in the range of about 50 to about 70 degrees. An angle 110 of about 65 degrees has been found to serve particularly satisfactorily.
[0027] Support rib 86 is preferably attached to front wall 34 at a distance from side portion 74 that is between zero to about 4 times D 1 (the distance that flange 78 extends from side portion 74 , as described above). It is even more preferred that support rib 86 is attached to front wall 34 at a distance from side portion 74 that is in the range of between about 0.5 times to about 3.5 times D 1 , and even more preferred that support rib 86 is attached to front wall 34 at a distance from side portion 74 that is in the range of between about 1.5 times to about 3.0 times D 1 , and even more preferred that support rib 86 is attached to front wall 34 at a distance from side portion 74 that is in the range of between about 2 times to about 2.7 times D 1 . In some embodiments, support rib 86 can be attached to front wall 34 at a position as close to side portion 74 as the corner formed by side portion 74 and front wall 34 .
[0028] Front wall 34 and back wall 38 may be generally parallel to each other and are separated by distance D 2 . A suitable distance D 2 , as well as suitable thicknesses of the walls and other components of the panel, can be determined by a person skilled in the relevant arts, and will generally be dependent on the materials used to construct them, as well as the desired loads that they are expected to bear, and various manufacturing practicalities.
[0029] In another embodiment of the present invention, a second support member 86 is used, as shown in FIG. 4 . Second support member 86 can be attached to front wall 34 at a distance anywhere along void 54 , but it is preferred that it is attached to front wall 34 at a distance from side portion 74 that is between zero to about 4 times D 1 . It is even more preferred that support rib 86 is attached to front wall 34 at a distance from side portion 74 that is in the range of between about 0.5 times to about 3.5 times D 1 , and even more preferred that support rib 86 is attached to front wall 34 at a distance from side portion 74 that is in the range of between about 1.5 times to about 3.0 times D 1 , and even more preferred that support rib 86 is attached to front wall 34 at a distance from side portion 74 that is in the range of between about 2 times to about 2.7 times D 1 .
[0030] It is not required that each support member 86 has the same angle 110 . The angles will be determined by the particular load requirements. For example, an embodiment is shown in FIG. 5 where second support member 86 has a smaller angle 110 than the first support member. In this embodiment, second support member 86 is shown attached to front wall 34 at the same distance from side portion 74 as the first support member. In other embodiments, second support member 86 can have a different able 110 and be attached to front wall 34 at a different distance from side portion 74 .
[0031] In theory, there is no limit to the number of support ribs 86 that could be used; however, a skilled person could determine a practical number of support ribs 86 , and their relative location, useful to support a desired load.
[0032] Referring back to FIG. 2 , multiple panels 30 can be joined, at their respective mating ends 42 and 46 , to form a continuous modular wall assembly. Ends 42 and 46 can comprise male-female or other mating configurations such as that shown, which includes a female joint portion 112 at end 42 and a male joint portion 114 at end 46 . The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 further comprises flange portion 118 and wall structures 119 , 120 , 121 at ends 42 , 46 , such that when an end 42 is joined or otherwise placed in a proximate configuration to an end 46 to form a wall assembly, a channel 58 for receiving a load-bearing member can be formed by the respective ends 42 , 46 .
[0033] FIG. 5 shows a portion of a modular wall assembly, or modular support panel system, 200 in accordance with such an embodiment of the invention. Panel system 200 is formed by joining two modular panels 30 a and 30 b . Modular panel 30 a and modular panel 30 b are similar to modular panels 30 , and like elements in modular panel 30 a and modular panel 30 b bear reference numbers similar to those of like elements in modular panels 30 .
[0034] In the embodiment shown, a channel 122 is formed, or defined, where an end 42 meets an end 46 . Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5 , the opening 62 of channel 122 is defined by front wall(s) 34 and flange 118 . Furthermore, portion 119 of end 42 between front wall 34 a and female joint 110 a forms one side portion of channel 122 . Portion 121 of end 46 between front wall 34 b and male joint 114 forms another other side portion. A portion 120 of male joint 114 that remains outside female joint 110 forms a base portion for channel 122 .
[0035] In the embodiment shown, a support rib 130 is located proximate to end 46 . As should be apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts, all variations discussed above for support rib 86 are also applicable to support rib 130 and are within the scope of the invention.
[0036] Modular wall assembly 200 can be secured to an existing wall system, or suitably supported by other means known in the art. For example, modular wall assembly 200 can be mounted directly on structural supports (e.g. stud walls). Alternatively, modular wall assembly 200 may comprise suitable supporting means to enable it to be self supporting such that minimal extra supporting means are required.
[0037] As shown, for example, in FIG. 2 , it can be advantageous in some embodiments for panel 30 to include a plurality of channels 58 . As will be understood by those skilled in the relevant arts, the relative spacing and configuration of channels 58 can be selected to accommodate desired loading configurations when load-bearing members are installed.
[0038] In another embodiment of the present invention, a panel 30 with opposing flanges 78 forming a “T” channel, as shown in FIG. 6 , is provided. In this embodiment, an opening 300 is defined between opposing flanges 78 . Opening 300 leads into channel 310 , which is defined by side portions 320 and base portion 330 . Support members 86 are provided to support each flange 78 and may be mirror reflections of each other or different. The parameters for support members 86 are as already described. In this embodiment, support member 86 can support only one flange 78 of the “T” channel or both.
[0039] While the invention has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the relevant arts that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the true scope of the invention in the appended claims. The invention is therefore not to be limited to the exact components or details of methodology or construction set forth above. | Support panels and modular assemblies thereof, the panels adapted for supporting removable load bearing members such as brackets. The panels comprise hollow bodies defining channels for receiving and supporting load bearing members. The hollow bodies further include support ribs extending between front and back walls of the panels to transfer forces exerted on flange portions of the channels by the load bearing members to the back walls and/or to other structural portions of the panels, the support ribs being offset from the perpendicular relative to the front and back walls of the panels. Pluralities of the panels may be joined by mating edges, which can define further channels for receiving and supporting load-bearing members, to form modular wall assemblies without the need for mounting overtop existing surfaces as said panels can be mounted directly on structural supports (e.g. stud walls). | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to suction pipes or aspirators and, more particularly, to aspirators for textile machines or yarn drawing equipment.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
For a long time, textile yarn drawing equipment for spinning machines has been equipped with aspirators for maintaining the working parts clean and for removal of torn threads. In this respect, cylindrical suction pipes have been employed and have been associated at their front end or suction opening with a cylinder of the drawing works, while being connected at their opposite rear end with an air pressure sink or pumping arrangement. Since the cross-section of such suction pipes is chosen to be as narrow as possible, in order to maintain low air consumption, while the torn threads are, however, only picked up reliably in the projected extension of the suction opening, part of the material to be removed is not apprehended by the available suction.
In an effort to enlarge the range of action without enlargement of the cross-section of the suction pipe, it has already been proposed to utilize a suction pipe with triangular cross-section. One edge of the suction opening of that suction pipe is arranged in parallel to the axis of the cylinder serving as guiding surface for the air stream, whereby the air is aspired primarily from that cylinder. Since such triangular configuration is, however, aerodynamically unfavorable and in particular causes the formation of eddy currents or turbulence, that known cylindrical suction pipe has adjacent its suction opening a constricted cross-section changing into an enlargement for improved aerodynamics. However, that known suction pipe is strongly subject to clogging and a removal of threads causing such congestion is rather cumbersome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a general object of this invention to overcome the disadvantages and to meet the needs expressed or implicit in the Information Disclosure Statement or in other parts hereof.
It is a related object of this invention to provide improved aspirators, suction techniques and suction pipes, in which congestability is reduced without increase of air consumption.
It is a germane object of this invention to provide improved aspirator systems, textile drawing equipment, and methods for removing broken threads and debris therefrom.
Other objects will become apparent in the further course of this disclosure.
In its realization of these objects, the subject invention first overcame the prejudice in the art against a choice of a triangular configuration for the cross-section of suction pipes. In particular, the choice of a triangular configuration in the manner and to the extent of the subject invention contradicts the general efforts of those skilled in the art to provide suction pipes with as aerodynamically favorable properties as possible; which heretofore led to the then prevailing opinion that a cylindrical suction pipe was best.
In the realization of its objects, the subject invention also had to overcome the difficulty that the aerodynamic evaluation of triangular configurations is encumbered by the fact that it is aerodynamically not the dimensions of the triangle, but rather the diameter of the inscribed circle, that determines attainable flow.
According to one aspect thereof, the subject invention resides in an aspirator comprising means for removing broken threads and debris from textile drawing equipment, including a suction pipe having at a front end a triangular opening and having in continuation of that triangular suction opening a triangular cross-section at right angles to a longitudinal axis of the suction pipe, the triangular cross-section being congruent with the triangular suction opening and extending along a major portion of the length of the suction pipe which can be the whole length of said suction pipe.
It is exactly that extension of the triangular configuration from the suction opening over the major extent of the suction pipe that enables an inhibition of congestion or clogging of the pipe by dust or torn threads during suction, without any increase in the air throughput. This inventor is of the opinion that the larger clearance of the suction pipe at the corner of the triangular configuration beyond the aerodynamically determinant diameter of the inscribed circle is decisive for the effective operation of the subject invention. This difference between aerodynamically effective and actual physical diameters permits operation with air volumes or throughputs similar to those permissible for cylindrical suction pipes, the diameter of which is equal to the inscribed circle of the triangular cross-section, while simultaneously providing the larger physical clearance of the extended triangular section according to the subject invention. In addition to thus providing a larger area for the effective removal of torn threads and debris, the extended triangular configuration according to the subject invention also promotes the occurrence of such eddies and turbulence at the suction opening as to reduce the probability of threads coming to lie transversely to the suction opening where they could constitute an increased risk of congestion or clogging.
The triangular configuration herein disclosed subjects the air stream and thereby the particles entrained thereby to a centering action which may be augmented by providing the suction pipe with sharp edges at the suction opening according to a preferred embodiment of the subject invention. By virtue of this centering action, and the air deflection at the pipe edges which are not parallel to the cylinder axis, a contraction of the sucked-in air stream occurs which can be compared in effect to the action of a funnel tapering in the direction of the suction opening. By virtue of this funneling action, which amounts to an enlargement of the field of suction, not only threads located in the extended projection of the suction pipe, but also threads in the vicinal region, are reliably reached for removal by suction. Accordingly, the funneling action of the subject invention also guarantees an apprehension of broken threads in the usual case of yarn running, in addition to the direction of delivery also over wide amplitudes, transversely back and forth between relatively widely spaced limits, as is the case in spinning and yarn stretching machines.
According to a preferred embodiment, the mostly triangular shape of the suction pipe passes over into a round cross-section, which facilitates connection of the suction pipe to a pump or other air pressure sink or a preferably yieldable mounting of the suction pipe in an elastomeric or rubber cuff.
From another aspect thereof, the subject invention resides in an aspirator for textile drawing equipment having a drawing cylinder and comprising at least one suction pipe connected to an air pressure sink and having a triangular suction opening at the drawing cylinder for removing broken threads and debris. The suction pipe, in continuation of its triangular suction opening, has a triangular cross-section at right angles to a longitudinal axis of the suction pipe, the triangluar cross-section being congruent with the triangular suction opening and extending along a major portion of the length of said suction pipe.
The expression "aspirator" as herein employed may refer either to the suction pipe itself or to an aspirator system including the suction pipe.
From a further aspect thereof, the subject invention resides in a method of removing broken threads and debris from textile drawing equipment having a drawing cylinder, comprising, in combination, the steps of providing at least one suction pipe with a triangular suction opening at the drawing cylinder for removing broken threads and debris, providing the suction pipe in continuation of its triangular suction opening with a triangular cross-section at right angles to a longitudinal axis of the suction pile, the triangular cross-section being congruent with the triangular suction opening and extending along a major portion of the length of the suction pipe, and connecting the suction pipe to an air pressure sink.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent in the further course of this disclosure, and no restriction to any aspect or feature is intended by the subject Summary of the Invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The subject invention and its various aspects and objects will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like or functionally equivalent parts, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a top view on an enlarged scale of the suction pipe according to FIG. 2 at its suction opening;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the suction pipe according to a preferred embodiment of the subject invention;
FIG. 3 is a side view, partially in section, of a yarn drawing machine including the suction pipe according to a preferred embodiment of the subject invention; and
FIG. 4 is part of an elevation of the combination according to FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
According to the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the suction pipe 1 has an equilaterally triangular cross-section indicated in FIG. 2 schematically at 2', and a like triangular suction opening 2 having sharp edges 3 at one of the ends of the pipe for realizing the above mentioned centering effect. The other pipe end is connected to an air pressure sink diagrammatically shown at 10, and has a round cross-section schematically indicated in FIG. 2 at 2". In this respect, the ratio of the length of the pipe section with round cross-section to the total length of the suction pipe preferably is about 2:10. In other words about 80% of the length of the suction pipe 1, from the suction opening 2 on, are preferably triangular in cross-section according to the expressed preference of the subject invention.
Qualitatively speaking, the triangular cross-section 2' extends preferably to the vicinity of the connection of the suction pipe to the air pressure sink or vacuum exhaust system, and changes to a circular or similar cross-section 2" in that vicinity so as to facilitate connection of the suction pipe 1 to the pressure sink. Reference should in this respect also be had to the extensive description set forth above in the Summary of the Invention of the reasons for and effects of the extension of the triangular cross-section 2' beyond the suction opening 2 and along most of the suction pipe 1.
While the aerodynamically ideal configuration of the triangular section of the suction pipe has flat surfaces and sharp corners, rounded corners and bent surfaces as practical may be provided instead. By way of example, the corners or apexes 4, 5 and 6 of the suction pipe 1 are rounded internally, as well as externally, according to FIG. 1.
In this respect, the suction pipe 1 may be formed by connecting a flat piece and a V-shaped piece of sheet metal, by pressing a tube of round cross-section, or by bending of sheet metal and interconnection of the abutting edges. Hard-rolled stainless steel is preferred as material for the suction pipe 1, because of its durability against mechanical action. For suction pipes with large cross-section or exposure to high wear, such as in the case of hard yarns, the pipe 1 may be provided with a ceramic oxide film at the suction opening 2.
Because of its continuation of the triangular configuration of the suction opening over the major part of the length of the suction pipe, the subject invention avoids congestion of the pipe, while at the same time keeping the air consumption low. By way of example, the illustrated aspirator, at air speeds of 25 to 35 m/sec., reliably untangles thread loops or loop sections sucked in upon a break in the thread. Also, any occurring congestion is removed without problem from the suction pipe according to the subject invention.
The aspirator according to the subject invention is particularly suited for thread or yarn drawing equipment in ring spinning machines. A familar type of drawing machine is shown at 7 in FIGS. 3 and 4 and will be recognized by those skilled in the art as being of the famous "Rieter" type.
According to FIGS. 3 and 4, the suction pipe 1 is associated with the lower supply cylinder 8 of that well-known "Rieter" drawing machine. A connection cuff 9 of flexible and preferably elastic synthetic material or rubber mounts the suction pipe 1 yieldably at the rear end of the pipe associated with the air pressure sink or pumping system 10.
The connection cuff 9, in turn, is held at an opening 11 in the wall 12 of the air pressure sink 10 and thereby connects that sink or pumping system to the suction pipe 1. The end section of the pipe 1 at the suction opening 2 perpendicularly penetrates the downwardly extending leg 14 of the rectangularly bent sheet-metal structure 13. The leg 15 of the sheet-metal structure, which is parallel to the suction pipe 1, is arranged above that suction pipe and is equipped with a bent spring 16. That spring 16 carries a cleaning roller 17 pressed against the lower supply cylinder 8 and against a tensioning belt 18. In this manner, the cleaning roller 17 is in frictional engagement with the supply roller 8 and the tensioning belt 18 to be dragged along therewith for continuously cleaning the supply cylinder.
As indicated in FIG. 4, each aspirator assembly comprises more than one suction pipe 1, all of which are held by the same mounting structure 13. In this manner, each drawing work 7 or grooved supply cylinder 8 has a suction pipe associated therewith.
The suction pipes 1 penetrating the sheet-metal structure 13 at 14 and being yieldably mounted at the side of the air pressure sink, are tiltable between an upper active position A shown in solid outline, and a lower rest position B shown in phantom outline.
Lateral flanges, one of which is seen at 21 in FIGS. 3 and 4, are arranged on the frame 25 carried by the machine bed 26. Each of these sheet-metal flanges 21 has an elongate hole 22 for receiving a guiding bolt 19 projecting from the pipe mounting structure 13.
For a tilting of the suction pipe and mounting structure 13, the guiding bolt 19, which is outside the hole 22 in the working position A, is pressed into the elongate hole 22 and is moved downwardly with the actuator handle 23. The cleaning roller 17, mounted with the spring 16 on the leg 15 and extending over several drawing works, is thereby disengaged from its frictional engagement with the supply cylinder 8 and tensioning belt 18, and is moved downwardly. In that downward position, the cleaning roller 17 rests only in a curvature of the bent spring 16, and is, therefore, upwardly liftable and removable.
During its return to the working position A, the suction pipe and thereby the guiding bolt 19 are pressed by the elastic connecting cuff 9 in the direction of the band of threads. The guiding bolt 19 thereby comes to lie outside the extent of the elongate hole 22 and arrests the suction pipe 1 in that position.
In general terms, when the aspirator arrangement is used as herein disclosed, the suction pipe 1 is preferably associated with the lower supply cylinder roller 8 of the drawing works 7. In that arrangement, the suction pipe 1 may simultaneously carry a cleaning device, such as a cleaning roller 17 or a wiping blade for the supply roller 8. That cleaning organ executes the same movement as the suction pipe, when that suction pipe 1 is moved from its working position A to the preferably lower rest position B.
One of the three sides of the triangular suction pipe 19 may project beyond the corners 4 and 5, for instance, of the triangular cross-section, whereby a rail-like projection is formed on both sides of the pipe 1, which facilitates the spatial orientation, such as the mounting and guidance of the suction pipe, as well as the arrangement of further elements, such as the cleaning roller 17.
The combination of suction pipe 1 and machine 7 herein disclosed carries out a method of removing broken threads and debris from textile drawing or processing equipment and also constitutes a particular use of the suction pipe 1 as herein disclosed.
The cleaning roller 17 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 may be viewed as an additional device for cleaning the drawing cylinder 8. Such additional cleaning device is mounted on the suction pipe or pipes 1 and is carried with such suction pipe or pipes into proximity to that drawing cylinder.
Other variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the subject invention will become apparent or be suggested to those skilled in the art by the subject extensive disclosure. | In order to remove broken threads and debris from textile drawing equipment having a drawing cylinder, a suction pipe connected to an air pressure sink is provided with a triangular suction opening at the drawing cylinder for removing the broken threads and debris. For substantially improved performance at essentially the same air throughput, the suction pipe, in continuation of its triangular suction opening, is provided with a triangular cross-section being congruent with the triangular suction opening and extending along a major portion of the length of the suction pipe, such as to the vicinity of its connection to the air pressure sink. | 3 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present disclosure is generally related to outdoor cooking grills and, more particularly, is related to an apparatus and method for providing an improved cooking grate for an outdoor cooking grill.
BACKGROUND
Outdoor cooking grills are popular for many reasons including enhanced food flavor and enjoyment of the outdoor cooking process. Gas-fired cooking grills are popular for home use and differ from traditional barbecue grills in that they rely upon a gas flame for heat energy, as opposed to the combustion of charcoal briquettes or the like. Conventional burner gas grills frequently utilize tubular burners having multiple combustion ports or orifices. The grills often employ an inert material, such as so-called “lava rocks” or ceramic tiles, to absorb drippings from food cooking on a grate positioned above the material and to radiate heat for providing a more even heat distribution. Infrared burner gas grills provide a generally planar heat source where the combustion occurs at or near the surface of a ceramic or fiber element. The planar configuration of infrared burners reduces or eliminates the need for the inert material with respect to heat distribution.
A disadvantage with such grills is that food drippings, such as liquefied greases and oils, that come into contact with gas flames or other heat sources during cooking cause flash flames or “flare-ups,” which can result in the charring of the food product being grilled. Although vaporization of the food drippings is desirable because the vapors enhance the flavor of food cooked on a grill, the flare-ups frequently associated with the food drippings can be detrimental to the resulting quality of grilled food. One attempted solution to the problem of flare-ups includes U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,780 to Campbell, which discloses a grate for a cooking grill that utilizes the spacing between the rails to prevent flames from passing through the spaces. Another device, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,260, utilizes one or more tiles positioned between the heat source and the cooking surface. The tiles include channels for allowing food drippings to flow through to the heat source. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,114,666 utilizes a ceramic infrared radiant energy emitter that is positioned above the heat source. The emitter re-radiates thermal energy that is absorbed from the burner below. Other devices, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,911,812, utilize fluid channels to direct the food drippings away from the hottest section of the cooking grill. Still other devices, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,314,870 utilize various forms of drip pans placed between the item being cooked and the heat source. In some cases, the above described devices require additional grill structural features for proper implementation. For example, the tiles of the '260 patent and the emitter of the '666 patent require a support structure between the heat source and the cooking grate. Similarly, other of the devices reduce the flavor of the cooked food by completely eliminating or reducing the favorable impact of the food drippings. Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.
SUMMARY
Briefly described, one embodiment, among others, can be implemented as a cooking grate for improving cooking performance on an outdoor cooking grill, comprising: a metallic plate configured to be placed over a heat source in the outdoor cooking grill, the metallic plate having a plurality of perforation holes; and a plurality of cooking surface ribs configured to support food during cooking and positioned above the metallic plate.
Embodiments of the present disclosure can also be viewed as providing methods of providing an improved cooking grate for an outdoor cooking grill comprising: perforating a metallic plate, configured to be positioned above a heat source on the outdoor cooking grill; forming a plurality of cooking surface ribs, configured to be received by the plurality of cooking rib supports and positioned above the metallic plate; and assembling a cooking grate by attaching the plurality of cooking rib supports to the metallic plate utilizing the plurality of cooking rib supports.
Embodiments of the present disclosure can also be viewed as providing an apparatus for improving cooking performance on an outdoor cooking grill, comprising: a grate bar assembly, configured to support food on the outdoor grill; a grate housing, configured to receive the grate bar assembly; a first end cap, attached to the grate housing; and a second end cap, attached to the grate housing.
Embodiments of the present disclosure can also be viewed as providing a cooking grill, comprising: a housing having a cavity; a heat source mounted within the cavity of the housing; and a cooking surface, supported in the housing at a position above the heat source. The cooking surface comprises a perforated plate and a plurality of cooking surface ribs positioned above the perforated plate.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Many aspects of the disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating an outdoor cooking grill as utilized in an embodiment of the disclosure herein.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a cooking grate as disclosed herein.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a cooking grate as disclosed herein.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of a cooking grate as disclosed herein.
FIG. 5 is a partial top view illustrating an embodiment of a cooking grate having exposed and covered sections.
FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view illustrating an embodiment of cooking surface ribs as disclosed herein.
FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a rib mount as disclosed herein.
FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of a cooking grate as disclosed herein.
FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a grate housing as disclosed herein.
FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a grate bar assembly as disclosed herein.
FIG. 11 is a partial top cut-away view of an embodiment of a cooking grate as disclosed herein.
FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of a cooking grate as disclosed herein.
FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of an exemplary method as disclosed herein.
FIG. 14 is an exploded perspective view illustrating another alternative embodiment of a cooking grate as disclosed herein.
FIG. 15 is a partial exploded perspective view illustrating another alternative embodiment of a cooking grate as disclosed herein.
FIGS. 16A and 16B are side views of alternative embodiments of a cooking grate as disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Having summarized various aspects of the present disclosure, reference will now be made in detail to the description of the disclosure as illustrated in the drawings. While the disclosure will be described in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit it to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
Reference is now made to FIG. 1 , which is a side view illustrating an outdoor cooking grill as utilized in an embodiment as disclosed herein. The outdoor cooking grill 100 includes a grill housing 102 having a cavity 103 . Located inside the cavity 103 is a heat source 104 , which is attached to a fuel supply line 106 . The heat source 104 of this embodiment is a gas fired burner fueled by natural gas or propane gas. The heat source 104 can be constructed as a hollow heat resistant structure having multiple combustion ports. Alternatively, the heat source 104 can be an infrared burner utilizing a ceramic and/or fiber material configured in a generally planar geometry, where combustion occurs on or near the planar surface.
The cooking grill 100 includes a cooking grate 108 positioned above the heat source 104 and supported within the cavity 103 by cooking grate supports 110 . One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the cooking grate supports 110 can be configured as separately attached members or integrally formed into the grill housing 102 . Further, the grill supports 110 can be configured as multiple distinct points of support around the periphery of the grill housing 102 or as a supporting surface, such as a lip or ledge, integrally formed in the grill housing 102 .
Reference is now made to FIG. 2 , which is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a cooking grate as disclosed herein. The cooking grate 108 includes a metallic plate 124 having perforation holes 125 . The cooking grate 108 also includes cooking surface ribs 122 for supporting food during cooking. The cooking surface ribs 122 are supported by rib mounts 120 . The rib mounts 120 are attached to the metallic plate 124 and provide support for the cooking surface ribs 122 relative to the metallic plate 124 .
Reference is now made to FIG. 3 , which shows an exploded view of the cooking grate of FIG. 2 and better illustrates relational configuration between the rib mounts 120 , the cooking surface ribs 122 , and the metallic plate 124 . The cooking grate 108 can also be configured to include end walls 126 and side walls 128 . The end and side walls 126 , 128 can be formed from the same material as the metallic plate 124 or, in the alternative, can be constructed separately and attached to the metallic plate 124 using any number of mechanical fastening techniques including, but not limited to, bonding, welding, or fastening with mechanical fasteners such as rivets, screws, bolts, clips, and clamps among others. The rib mounts 120 are formed of a heat resistant material and can optionally be attached to the metallic plate 124 or can be configured to maintain their position based on the interference fit of the cooking surface ribs 122 . Each of the cooking surface ribs 122 is constructed of an elongated heat resistant sheet or plate material that is formed to have a generally U-shaped profile. One of ordinary skill in the art knows or will know that the cooking surface ribs 122 can be constructed of different materials using different techniques within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. For example, the cooking surface ribs 122 can be elongated sheet formed into a profile other than U-shaped or can be constructed out of a solid elongated heat resistant material including, but not limited to, metallic or ceramic bar, rod, or wire.
The metallic plate 124 also includes multiple perforation holes 125 . During cooking, the perforation holes 125 are configured to allow a portion of the liquid drippings from the food to drop to the heat source. As the drippings are vaporized by the heat source, the flavor of the food is enhanced by the resulting vapors. Additionally, the remaining portion of the drippings are vaporized by the elevated temperature of the metallic plate 124 . Further, the configuration of the perforations reduces the flow of air from the cavity 103 and thus to the spaces between the ribs 122 , which reduces or eliminates requisite combustion air for grill flare-ups.
Alternative embodiments of the cooking grate can be configured without the rib mounts 120 . For example, the cooking surface ribs 122 can be directly attached to the metallic plate 124 through any of the mechanical fastening techniques discussed above. Alternatively, the cooking surface ribs 122 may be supported by a structural component in the grill housing (not shown). An exemplary structural component for supporting the cooking surface ribs 122 can include a ledge or lip feature attached to or integrated into the grill housing, among others. Similarly, although the cooking surface ribs are illustrated as substantially parallel, other cooking surface rib arrangements are consistent within the scope and spirit of this disclosure.
Brief reference is now made to FIG. 4 , which is an exploded view illustrating an alternative embodiment of a cooking grate as disclosed herein. The cooking grate 108 includes a metallic plate 124 , the rib mounts 120 , and the plate side walls 126 as formed from a single sheet. The perforation holes 125 are configured in rows such that the rows coincide with areas of the metallic plate not covered by the cooking surface ribs 122 . In some embodiments, integrally formed rib mounts 120 serve a similar structural function as the plate end walls. Although the figures generally depict two rib mounts 120 , one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a single centrally located rib mount may be utilized within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Also contemplated within the scope and spirit of this disclosure is a configuration that justifies more than two rib mounts 120 .
Reference is now made to FIG. 5 , which is a partial top view illustrating an embodiment of a cooking grate having exposed and covered sections. The partial view of the cooking grate includes the metallic plate 124 and the rib mounts 120 . The perforation holes 125 are arranged in rows between similarly placed sections of non-perforated plate. Additionally, the rib mount 120 includes multiple notches 134 to receive the cooking surface ribs, such that when the cooking surface ribs 122 are in place, there are covered sections 130 and exposed sections 132 . Although in some embodiments the perforation holes 125 are generally located in the exposed sections, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the perforation holes 125 could also be arranged in the covered sections 130 within the scope and spirit of this disclosure.
Brief reference is now made to FIG. 6 , which is a partial perspective view illustrating an embodiment of cooking surface ribs as disclosed herein. The cooking surface ribs 122 can be formed of an elongated heat resistant material including, but not limited to, metal or ceramic. Although the cooking surface ribs 122 are illustrated as being generally U-shaped, one of ordinary skill in the art knows or will know that other geometries are contemplated within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. For example, other possible geometries include, but are not limited to, V-shaped, C-shaped, W-shaped, O-shaped, D-shaped, triangular, and rectangular among others. The rib mounts 120 , as illustrated in the partial view of FIG. 7 , are configured with notches 134 to receive and support the cooking surface ribs 122 . The rib mounts 120 can be formed by stamping and breaking or bending a sheet or plate of heat resistant material such as metal.
Reference is now made to FIG. 8 , which is an exploded perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of a cooking grate as disclosed herein. The cooking grate includes a grate bar assembly 140 , a grate housing 142 configured to receive the grate bar assembly, and end caps 144 , which are attached to the grate housing over the grate bar assembly 140 . As illustrated in FIG. 9 , which is an exploded perspective view of the grate housing of FIG. 8 , the grate housing 142 includes first and second housing components 146 , 148 . The housing components 146 , 148 each include a substantially planar surface 150 , 151 having multiple perforation holes 160 , 161 . End walls 152 , 153 are formed along one edge of each of the substantially planar surfaces 150 , 151 and mating surfaces 154 , 155 are formed along another edge of the substantially planar surfaces 150 , 151 . The first and second housing components 146 , 148 are constructed such that the grate housing 142 is formed by bonding the mating surface 154 of the first housing component 146 to the mating surface 155 of the second housing component 148 .
Reference is now made to FIG. 10 , which is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of a grate bar assembly. The grate bar assembly 140 includes multiple grate bars 158 arranged in a parallel configuration and attached to support brackets 156 . The support brackets 156 are constructed of elongated heat resistant material and may be formed in a variety of profiles to increase structural rigidity including U-shaped, S-shaped, rectangular, triangular, and circular among others. The support brackets 156 are arranged substantially perpendicular to the multiple grate bars 158 . The grate bars 158 of this embodiment feature relief sections 159 for receiving the support brackets 156 . One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that alternative embodiments can utilize a single support bracket 156 located in a substantially central position or more than two support brackets 156 within the scope and spirit of this disclosure.
Reference is now made to FIG. 11 , which is a partial top cut-away view of an embodiment of a cooking grate. The cooking grate includes a grate housing consisting of a first housing component 146 attached to a second housing component 148 at their respective mating surfaces 154 , 155 . The mating surfaces can be attached using a variety of techniques including, but not limited to, mechanical fasteners, welding, and bonding among others. The mechanical fasteners can include, but are not limited to, screws, rivets, bolts, retaining clips, and resilient elements among others. The top section of the cut-away view illustrates grate bars 158 attached to the grate housing 142 and an end cap 144 installed over the grate bars 158 . Note that although the grate bars 158 are illustrated as covering non-perforated sections of the grate housing 142 and the joined mating surfaces 154 , 155 of the first and second housing components 146 , 148 , one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that this feature is not intended to limit the scope or spirit of this disclosure.
Reference is now made to FIG. 12 , which is an exploded perspective view illustrating an alternative embodiment of a cooking grate as disclosed herein. The cooking grate includes two grate bar assemblies 182 , 184 , a grate housing 180 configured to receive the grate bar assemblies 182 , 184 , and end caps 186 . Similar to an embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 8 , the grate housing 180 can include multiple housing components, each having a substantially planar surface and multiple perforation holes. One benefit of utilizing multiple housing components is increased structural integrity that can prove to be beneficial in a thermally diverse environment. The housing components can further include cleanout holes 188 located near the edges for scraping debris on the grate housing into the grill housing below. The grate bar assemblies 182 , 184 can generally be constructed consistent with the grate bar assembly described above regarding FIG. 10 . In use and operation, the grate bar assemblies 182 , 184 can be lifted off of the grate housing 180 for ease of cleaning.
Reference is now made to FIG. 13 , which is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a method as disclosed herein. The method includes perforating a metallic plate in block 170 . The metallic plate provides a structure that collects a portion of food drippings during the cooking process such that the elevated temperatures of the metallic plate vaporize the food drippings thereby enhancing the flavor of the food. The perforations in the metallic plate permit a portion of the food drippings to transfer to the heat source below for further vaporization. The perforations do not, however, allow the requisite air for unwanted combustion to flow from the grill cavity to the areas between the ribs. The absence of additional combustion air reduces or prevents the occurrence of excessive flare-ups fueled from the drippings by reducing the requisite oxygen for the flare-up combustion process.
In optional block 172 , cooking rib supports are fabricated to provide support and alignment of the cooking surface ribs, which are formed in block 174 . The cooking rib supports are generally elongated and configured to receive the generally elongated cooking surface ribs in a substantially perpendicular arrangement. The cooking grate is assembled in block 176 by attaching the cooking rib supports to the metallic plate at, for example, opposite edges and then attaching the cooking surface ribs to the cooking rib supports such that the cooking surface ribs are arranged to create a substantially planar cooking surface above the metallic plate. Alternatively, in the absence of cooking rib supports, the cooking surface ribs can be supported by a structural feature, such as a ledge or a lip, either attached to or integrated into the grill housing (not shown). In some embodiments, the cooking surface ribs can also be directly attached or mounted to the perforated plate.
Reference is made to FIG. 14 , which is an exploded perspective view of another alternative embodiment of a cooking grate. The cooking grate includes a grate housing 202 that includes side walls 206 formed at opposing edges of the of the grate housing 202 and inverted, generally U-shaped channels 208 formed at other opposing edges of the grate housing 202 . The U-shaped channels 208 are configured to receive rib mounts 210 , which are configured to receive cooking ribs 204 . Additionally, the U-shaped channels, in combination with the side walls 206 , provide increased structural integrity. While the cooking grate 200 is illustrated as a single unit, it is contemplated within the scope and spirit of this disclosure that more than one cooking grate 200 of this configuration can be utilized in combination to create a larger cooking surface. Further, multiple cooking grates can be permanently or removeably secured to one another in some embodiments.
Reference is now made to FIG. 15 , which is a partial exploded perspective view illustrating another alternative embodiment of a cooking grate as disclosed herein. The cooking grate includes a plurality of cooking ribs 224 configured to be supported by a grate housing 220 . Some embodiments provide that the cooking ribs 224 can be removably or non-removably attached or secured to the grate housing 220 . The cooking ribs can be further connected in groups such that multiple cooking ribs can be installed and removed at the same time. The grate housing 220 can be formed of a single piece of planar heat resistant material including but not limited to metallic plate, among others. The grate housing 220 can include one or more side walls 222 configured to receive the outermost cooking rib and to provide additional structural integrity to the grate housing 220 . Further, the grate housing 220 can include channels 226 formed into the top surface and configured to receive the cooking ribs 224 or the housing can be substantially flat. The grate housing also includes perforated sections 228 that are arranged on the raised area between the channels 226 , when designed in this configuration. The perforated sections include perforation holes configured to permit drippings from food to pass through the cooking grate in limited quantities. The channels 226 alternate with perforated sections 228 that are arranged between the cooking ribs 224 when installed into the grate housing 220 . The unitary nature of cooking grates in these embodiments provides a design capable of being manufactured in a cost effective manner.
Reference is now made to FIGS. 16A and 16B , which are side views of alternative embodiments of a cooking grate as disclosed herein. The cooking grate of FIG. 16A includes multiple cooking ribs 224 configured to provide a cooking surface. The cooking grate also includes a grate housing 220 configured with channels 226 for receiving and supporting the cooking ribs 224 . Between and defining the channels 226 , are perforated sections 228 having perforation holes. Additionally, the grate housing 220 includes side walls 222 configured to provide structural integrity and to receive the outermost cooking rib.
FIG. 16B provides a cooking grate 230 having a unitary design. The forming process can include pressing, folding, and bending among others. The cooking grate 230 is formed to create cooking ribs 234 separated by perforated sections 232 . The cooking grate 230 can be formed of a planar heat resistant material including but not limited to metallic sheet. Metallic sheet can include titanium, aluminum, mild steel, stainless steel, and tempered steel among others. The cooking grate is formed as a unitary structure that is cost effective to manufacture.
Although the above descriptions and drawings illustrate a generally rectangular geometry, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the scope and spirit of this disclosure is not limited to a specific geometry. For example, the apparatus and methods herein are directly applicable to grates and grills having circular, elliptical, or a variety of polygonal geometries. Additionally, where metal material is recited above, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the metal can be any one or a combination of a variety of steels including mild, carbon, or stainless or any other heat resistant metal or combination or alloy thereof.
In the use and operation of an embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 , a user places the cooking grate 108 on the cooking grate supports 110 located in the cavity 103 of an outdoor cooking grill 100 . The heat source 104 is supplied with fuel from the fuel supply line 106 and ignited from an ignition source (not shown). Food is placed on top of the cooking grate 108 and is cooked as a result of the heat generated by the heat source 104 and by the radiant heat from the perforated plate. As the food cooks, food drippings, including, for example, liquefied fat, drip down onto the cooking grate 108 . A portion of the food drippings may flow through the perforation holes 125 of the cooking grate and contact the heat source 104 . The elevated temperature of the heat source can vaporize the food drippings thereby providing flavor enhancing vapor to the food. However, since the perforations limit the flow of air up through the perforated plate to the area between the ribs, the presence of additional air necessary for combustion of the food drippings is reduced or eliminated thereby reducing or eliminating flare-ups. Additionally, any portion of the food drippings that does not flow through the perforation holes 125 is vaporized by the elevated temperature of the cooking grate.
It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, particularly, any illustrated embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the disclosure. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) of the disclosure without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present disclosure and protected by the following claims. | Provided is a cooking grate for improving cooking performance on an outdoor cooking grill. The cooking grate has a metallic plate, configured to be placed over a heat source in the outdoor cooking grill, where the metallic plate has a plurality of perforation holes. The cooking grate further includes a plurality of cooking surface ribs, configured to support food during cooking and positioned above the metallic plate. Also provided are methods of providing an improved cooking grate for an outdoor cooking grill including the steps of: perforating a metallic plate, configured to be positioned above a heat source on the outdoor cooking grill; forming a plurality of cooking surface ribs, configured to receive food to be cooked thereon. | 8 |
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/416,449, filed on Apr. 3, 1995, now abandoned, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/185,741, filed on Jan. 21, 1994, now abandoned.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a sensor, of the catalytic calorimeter type, for sensing the concentration of combustible gases in a gas mixture.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Combustible gases in the presence of oxygen create a hazardous mixture; mines, tankers and many industrial processes are exposed to or handle such mixtures. Industrial safety requires the monitoring and control of such mixtures in such environments. The energy industry on the other hand combusts such mixtures under control to create energy and is also interested in the monitoring and control of such mixtures for optimising efficiency.
Devices based on the monitoring of the change in the resistance of a temperature dependent and catalytic element and relating this change to the concentration of a combustible gas which is catalytically combusted on the element, have been available for many years. The simplest is just a heated platinum wire forming a part of a wheatstone bridge. The `Pellistor` is probably the most common form of this type of device (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,092,799/63, 3,200,011/65, 3,564,474/71). In its basic form it consists of a platinum coil which acts both as a heater and as a temperature sensor. The coil is encapsulated by a refractory pellet of porous alumina in which a catalyst is dispersed in one element. The platinum coil heats the catalyst to a suitable temperature at which the oxidation of the combustible gas is induced on the surface of the catalyst. The heat generated will be conducted to the coil and raise its temperature and hence alter its resistance. A coil in a pellet with no catalyst is used as a reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has as an object the provision of a catalytic calorimeter for sensing combustible gases which has increased sensitivity as compared to the known devices mentioned above.
The present invention provides a sensor for a combustible gas comprising:
a chamber, having inlet means and outlet means, the chamber being adapted to direct a gas to be tested along a flow path through said chamber from said inlet means to said outlet means;
heater means arranged to heat the chamber and its contents to a predetermined temperature; and
an even number of substantially identical temperature sensitive resistive elements arranged within the chamber and symmetrically with respect to said flow path, half of said elements being sensing elements and having a catalyst associated therewith to facilitate combustion of said combustible gas in the vicinity of said sensing elements thereby increasing their temperature, the remainder of said elements being reference elements not having a catalyst associated therewith.
Important features of the present invention include the separation of the functions of heating the gas to reaction temperature and sensing the combustion with temperature sensitive elements. This enables the temperature sensitive elements to be specifically designed to optimise this function. In the present invention there are provided reference temperature sensitive elements which do not have catalyst associated with them. The reference elements and the sensing elements are arranged to be accurately symmetrical with the regard to the gas flow so as to provide the best possible cancellation of effects not associated with the combusting of the combustible gas.
The above mentioned separation also means that the heater for the chamber can be independently designed to provide proper heating of the chamber sensors and gas. To increase the sensitivity it is preferable to ensure that the sensor is heated to be at the required reaction temperature and the gas is also at that temperature as it reaches the sensor. In the preferred embodiment the sensor is positioned within a heated vessel at a location of very small or zero temperature gradient.
Preferably the invention comprises four identical temperature sensitive elements fabricated on a ceramic substrate symmetrically arranged around a central point. Alternate ones of the elements are associated with a catalyst which then become the sensing elements and the others are reference elements. The catalyst is preferably disposed in a porous substrate covering the elements. The change in the value of the resistance of the elements under the reactive elements due to the catalytic oxidation of the combustible gas on the surface of the catalyst raising the local temperature, is used to monitor the concentration of the combustible gas.
The invention will be better understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment, given by way of example and with respect to the attached drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates the form of a substrate used in the preferred embodiment;
FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) show two possible configurations of the sensor elements in the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the sensor head unit of the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the sensor device according to the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 5 illustrates the temperature distribution within the reactor vessel of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the reactor vessel illustrating the gas flow within the vessel;
FIGS. 7(a)-7(b) and 8(a)-8(c) illustrate the specific preferred construction of some parts of the sensor according to the preferred embodiment; and
FIG. 9 is a graph illustrating typical experimental results achieved with a device made according to the preferred embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the preferred embodiment of this invention, four temperature sensitive and radially extended elements are formed symmetrically on a thin substrate by a suitable process such as thick or thin film technology. The temperature sensitive element could be a material such as platinum, a semi-conductor (thermistor) suitably manufactured or a material such as diamond powder thin film thermistor suitably deposited which displays temperature dependent behaviour.
The substrate 10, shown in FIG. 1, is made of a material with poor heat conductivity properties such as a suitable ceramic, and has to be thin so that it can be positioned inside the reactor under a region of constant temperature where it will suffer no temperature gradients. In addition the use of a thin section reduces heat exchange to the surroundings and between the separate elements. This heat exchange between elements is further reduced by the choice of substrate material and by the inclusion of thin slots 2 between elements so as to break the heat conductive paths. The slots 2 also allow the gas from under the element to move to the top of the element encouraging proper gas exchange. As only two of the elements have a catalyst dispersed above them and the other two act as reference elements with no combustion over them, it is very important that no heat from the catalytic elements finds its way to the reference elements, as this would reduce the sensitivity. The four sensor elements have to be as near identical as possible. FIGS. 2(a) and (b) show two suitable designs as examples, comprising the track of the resistive elements 6 and pads 7 to which the lead wires are connected. What is important is that the elements are as near identical as possible in their electrical characteristics (resistance value and sensitivity to temperature) and in their physical form, so as to reduce the common mode effects such as those due to the thermal conductivity of the background non combusting gases, the effect of flow variation, changes in the ambient temperature and in the temperature of the sample gas and so on.
The four elements are covered with a very thin glass layer which electrically insulates them from any overlays; but is thin enough to allow the heat to conduct to the elements. Each of the four elements is then covered with a uniform porous ceramic coating; but only in the ceramic above two diametrically opposed elements is the catalyst dispersed. Alternatively two diametrically opposed elements can be sealed with glass or any other inert coating whilst the other two treated as described earlier and doped with a catalyst. The catalyst could be one of the precious metals or their oxides (Pt, Rh, Ir, Pd . . . ) or any other suitable catalyst chosen usually to suit the combustible gas required to be monitored. It could be applied mixed with the ceramic, or dispersed as a compound which is decomposed later, or electro-deposited. It is important to disperse only the appropriate amount of catalyst. Too little will lead to loss of sensitivity, and too much leads to eventual sintering and blocking of pores in the ceramic.
As shown in FIG. 3 substrate 10 is mounted inside a protective shroud assembly 11 which is seated by way of ledge 16, on a ceramic table 17 and fits onto the end assembly 15. The table 17 sits on the end assembly 15 and centrally over a four bore ceramic unit 13. Wires 12 to the four element sensor are hermetically sealed within the four bore ceramic unit 13 which is itself hermetically sealed at surface 14 to the metallic end assembly 15.
The total assembly of the sensor device, including the parts shown in FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. 4. The sensor head unit is inserted into a suitably designed reactor vessel 25 and screwed gas tight through an appropriate seal 26 at the end. The reactor vessel is spatially heated on the outside by an appropriate heater 27 that surrounds tightly the reactor vessel. With the aid of a temperature sensor, such as a platinum resistance thermometer 28, and appropriate electronics the temperature inside the reactor is controlled.
The temperature sensor position within the body is chosen carefully so that the sensor position is in the flat portion of the temperature profile along the axis of the reactor as shown in FIG. 5, which shows temperature plotted against distance from the sensor plate. As is apparent, the temperature distribution inside the reactor peaks and flattens at a position nearly in the middle of the reactor across its longitudinal axis and tails off nearly symmetrically towards each end. (The plot of FIG. 5 was obtained for a reaction temperature of 260° C., with the external ambient temperature being 25° C.)
The sensor element 10 is positioned with its plane perpendicular to the axis of the reactor and at a point where the temperature gradient is nearly flat. This positioning and the fact that the element is very thin ensures very constant ambient temperature conditions around the sensor, and hence allows the sensor to resolve the very small temperature changes on its catalytic surface.
The gas mixture is admitted to one end of the reactor indicated by arrow 29 and distributed round the inside of the body of the reactor, and the outside shroud of the element, so that it gradually reaches the inner temperature of the reactor, and at the point of low temperature gradient the gas has attained exactly the temperature of that region. The incoming gas, at that point, is induced to turn in partially towards the element as shown in FIG. 6 by the shaping 42 of the inner side of the shroud and the top inner end 43 of the vessel 25. A combination of flow and diffusion causes the gas to reach the surface of the element where the catalytic reaction takes place. The products of combustion 40 join some of the incoming gas and leave the vessel through outlet pipe 30. This is encouraged by the shape of the top part of the inner side of the reactor vessel 43.
In the above it is very important that the incoming gas should reach the same temperature of the elements and that the sensor disc should be positioned at the flat part of the temperature gradient inside the vessel. It is also important that the inside and particularly the top part of the reactor vessel is designed so that the element is not exposed to direct fast gas flow. The element should receive only very low direct flow and the arrival of gas at this sensor element should be mainly due to diffusion. The main part of the gas flow induces the gases at the surface of the element to be sucked to the outlet thereby removing the products of combustion and enabling fresh gas to arrive at the surface of the element.
The four element sensor can be connected as a bridge circuit (DC or AC) with the non catalytic elements acting as reference units and the catalysed elements as combustible gas sensitive units. The bridge is balanced in the presence of a non-combustible gas such as air, and calibrated by admitting a combustible/air gas mixture of known concentration. With appropriate electronic circuitry and display the unbalance in the bridge due to the catalytic combustion of the combustible gas altering the resistance of the elements underneath it due to the resultant heat generated may be related to the concentration of the combustible gas. The choice of gas necessitates a choice of appropriate catalyst and appropriate operating temperature.
In the following, particularly preferred materials and dimensions for the components of the arrangement described above are described.
A thin (0.2 mm) stabilized zirconia disc (10 mm diameter) is chosen for the substrate. The zirconia has about four times worse thermal conductivity than alumina thus minimizing the heat feedback from the catalytic elements, which are heated by the combustion, to the non catalytic elements (reference elements). Fused quartz is another possible material for a substrate and the choice should be part of an overall material compatibility view. Slots 2 shown in FIG. 1 in a cross formation divide the disc into four quadrants. The shape of the slots and their dimensions (about 0.15×1.5 mm) aim to increase the thermal resistance between the quadrants and hence reduce thermal feedback between elements without compromising the strength of the disc. The slots also provide a path for the gases under the disc to find their way to the surface of the disc thus improving gas circulation. The disc has also four notches 3 on its outer perimeter (0.15×0.7 mm). These provide anchor points for the lead wires and take the strain off the weld points. They are equally spaced around the perimeter of the disc and slightly displaced to one side of the cross pattern. This ensures their correct positioning in respect to the termination of the resistive elements.
Four identical resistive elements are produced one on each quadrant. The designs shown in FIGS. 2(a) & 2(b) are for thick film screen printing technology, although other technologies of producing the elements may be used. The design of the pattern should be considered in conjunction with the technology to be used to implemented it and should aim to produce as nearly as possible identical electrical and spatial characteristics. Each of patterns a or b produce the right characteristics if used with the right screens. A platinum resistor ink such as Engelhardt T-11502 produces very good elements when fired and sintered correctly, these can be further matched so that the resistor bridge elements are matched to better than 0.1%.
One side of the end termination 7 of each resistor 6 overlaps the notches 3 described earlier so that a platinum/10% Ir wire of about 0.2 mm diameter, which is slightly flattened on its end can be brought through the notch, bent over the pad and soldered, welded or cemented to it with Pt paste; ensuring thus a good ohmic contact. The symmetry of the design and the positioning of the disc under a constant temperature ensures that the thermoelectric effects are negligible. This wire is preferred because its thermal coefficient of expansion is near that of the zirconia and because the alloy is stronger than pure platinum wire.
A very thin electrically insulating glass coating is then applied over all the disc uniformly covering all four elements. A glass such as Hereaus Cermallay-EMD1-9053 would provide suitable cover.
A slurry of zirconia is then screened over the elements and fired appropriately to provide a stable and porous matrix of about 0.1 mm thick and of an average pore size of about 0.5-5 microns. Other suitable ceramic materials could be used, such as alumina for example.
The chosen catalyst, platinum in the case of sensing CO as the combustible gas, may be premixed as a very fine powder in the zirconia slurry. A simpler way of introducing it is to use chloroplatinic acid, dispersed on the two required elements and then heated to decomposition to form platinum. Other techniques such as electroplating may be used.
A final thin coat of ceramic (e.g zirconia, alumina) may be added if extra protection is needed to the surface. It acts effectively as a filter. Its presence usually reduces the sensitivity of the sensor. Again the non-catalytic reference elements can be sealed by material other than zirconia e.g. glass.
A short length of four bore alumina rod 13 (about 6 mm long, 5 mm diameter and 0.75 bore) shown in end and side views in FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) has four lengths of nicrome wire 12 hermetically sealed into it with appropriate sealing glass and at the same time the rod is sealed into the stainless steel base 15 with the same glass 14. Table 17 shown in first and second ends and side views in FIGS. 8(a), 8(b) and 8(c) (14 mm diameter 2 mm top and 6 mm legs) has four holes in the top (c) which the wires from the disc go through leaving the disc about 1 mm above the table. The lower end of the table is cut across like a cross (a) leaving effectively four legs 50 for positioning and seating correctly on the rod and inside the shroud, and allowing space 51 to house the wires and access to weld them or fuse them from the side. The wires from the disc and those from the rod are bent and welded together. The slots under the table leave ample space to do that. A stainless steel shroud 11 is pushed into position aligning the table with the base until its inner edge 16 rests on the top of the table. Suitable lead wires are connected to the end wires.
The sensor head is then pushed into the reactor unit 25 which is made of stainless steel, and sealed gas tight with screws and a high temperature gasket 26. The temperature sensor 28 and the heater 27 are placed in the correct places.
The temperature control system (not shown) which drives the heater 27 and senses the temperature by the platinum resistance thermometer 28 ensures constant operating temperature. For CO a good operating temperature is 280 degrees Centigrade. An oscillator feeds the bridge with AC and the output is initially balanced when air is passed through the reactor. The electronic system is calibrated to read zero. A span gas say 2000 ppm CO in air is admitted into the reactor, the balance of the bridge is disturbed and a voltage output from the electronic system say 1 volt will correspond to 2000 ppm CO. FIG. 9, which is a plot of output voltage against CO(ppm), shows a typical curve of voltage output against the gas concentration.
The advantages of the system described become apparent on examining the results. The high sensitivity allows the resolution of about a few ppm CO; an improvement of at least 10 times of what was possible earlier with devices such as Pellistors. The effect of water vapour and ambient gases are reduced by a factor of at least ten, improving the baseline stability and permitting lower ranges to be monitored. | A combustible gas sensor comprises four glass insulated radially extended and symmetrical temperature sensitive elements which are coated with a porous ceramic but only two elements having a catalyst. The sensor is mounted inside a temperature controlled reactor vessel in a region of no temperature gradient into which a combustible gas mixture is admitted and reacted on the catalytic surfaces. The change in the resistance of the elements under the catalyst is a measure of the concentration of the combustible gas. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to the control of a magnetic resonance facility with the use of an external control device.
[0003] Description of the Prior Art
[0004] A magnetic resonance facility makes it possible to constantly generate images of a specific volume segment of a patient. As a result, the operator or therapist can continually monitor the patient during an operation or treatment on the basis of these images. However, to control the magnetic resonance facility, in order for example to change the manner in which the images are acquired, or the volume segment to be acquired, it is necessary according to the prior art for corresponding instructions to be entered laboriously via an input console of the magnetic resonance facility, and this console is not located in the vicinity of the patient.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] An object of the present invention is to address the problem of improving the control of a magnetic resonance facility such that this control can ensue at any point (for example, even in the vicinity of the patient).
[0006] In accordance with the present invention, a method for operating a magnetic resonance facility using an external control device is provided. Here the magnetic resonance facility includes an interface, in order to implement a communication with the external control device via this interface. The magnetic resonance facility executes the following steps.
[0007] A communications link is established between the external control device and the magnetic resonance facility via the interface.
[0008] An instruction is acquired from the external control device via the interface and the communications link.
[0009] The instruction is carried out by the magnetic resonance facility.
[0010] An external control device as used herein means a control device (for example, a mobile device, such as a tablet, a PC, a smartphone or any device that is suitable for communication via a standardized internet protocol), that is spatially removed from the magnetic resonance facility. The interface can be a wireless or wired interface. In particular, the interface is standardized and uses for example a REST (“Representational State Transfer”)-based HTTP protocol, which allows the external control device to use any technology that supports TCP/IP and HTTP. That is, LANs, WANs and all kinds of internet links are supported as the communications link.
[0011] The instruction with which the external control device controls the magnetic resonance facility can be what is known as a write or change instruction, with which a sequence in the magnetic resonance facility can be written or changed, for example. It is also possible, however, for the instruction to involve (only) what is known as Read access to data or information items relating to the magnetic resonance facility, in order to be able to display specific image data on the external control device, for example.
[0012] The method according to the invention allows the use of an external control device in any location such that the magnetic resonance facility can be controlled from this random location (in the direct vicinity of the patient, for example) via said external control device.
[0013] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, authorization data for the external control device are acquired by the magnetic resonance facility in the context of the establishment of the establishment of the communications link. The authorization data include a license that contains information regarding which services or instructions can be carried out by the magnetic resonance facility via the external control device. Each instruction acquired is then carried out by the magnetic resonance facility as a function of an authorization, which is defined by this license. Here, the license is preferably an autonomous (“self-contained”) license, which fully defines the respective authorization without the magnetic resonance facility requiring further information sources to acquire the authorization (apart from the license). The license is generated individually for each external control device or user of each external control device.
[0014] Through this authorization according to the invention, it is possible to specify very precisely which service or which instruction (or operation or method) in the magnetic resonance facility may be carried out by use of the respective external control device.
[0015] A number of types of authorization can exist, and the authorization defined by the license includes one or more types of authorization. Each instruction in the magnetic resonance facility and/or each service in the magnetic resonance facility is assigned to one of these types of authorization. The instruction acquired is now carried out by the magnetic resonance facility if the authorization includes that type of authorization that is assigned to the instruction and/or if the authorization includes that type of authorization that is assigned to the service that provides the instruction.
[0016] Through the embodiment described above, the method according to the invention allows a very precise gradation of authorizations for operations and methods (instructions) in the magnetic resonance facility on the part of the respective external control device. As a result, it is possible to comply with legal and commercial conditions.
[0017] Through the authorization described above, only authorized users can connect to the magnetic resonance facility via the external control device, a specific (that is, user-specific) license, which is assigned to a specific authorization is used.
[0018] A communications link can be established with the same magnetic resonance facility by a number of external control devices (in each case). Therefore, a plurality of communications links can exist at the same time between the same magnetic resonance facility and various external control devices.
[0019] This embodiment according to the invention makes it possible for a plurality of external control devices to access the same magnetic resonance facility at the same time. Likewise, a number of processes or tasks of the same external control device can access the same magnetic resonance facility at the same time. For example, image data can be acquired with an external control device while at the same time parameters in a sequence of the same magnetic resonance facility are changed by a different external control device.
[0020] Via the interface, an information service can be provided, which provides the external control device with one or a number of the following operations or instructions:
Acquiring a list of sequences that can be carried out by the magnetic resonance facility. Via this instruction, the external control device can acquire a list of sequences available to the magnetic resonance facility, the external control device being able to open and start each of these sequences. Acquiring a current status of a specific or selected sequence. The following status levels exist for a sequence: current:
[0024] The sequence is currently running on the magnetic resonance facility.
open:
[0026] The sequence is open so that, for example, parameters in the sequence can be changed.
stopped:
[0028] The sequence has been stopped and can be continued.
Acquiring the remaining scanning time in a sequence that is currently running on the magnetic resonance facility. This information is of interest in particular for non-interactive sequences, which do not require any action by a user (such as, for example, a table movement or a pause for breath), since the remaining scanning time then shows precisely the time interval that the sequence currently running still requires until it comes to an end.
[0030] According to a further embodiment as per the invention, a control service is provided by the magnetic resonance facility via the interface, which service provides one or more of the following operations or methods (instructions) to the external control device:
Opening a specific sequence. The opening of the sequence is a prerequisite for changing the parameters in this sequence. Closing a specific sequence. The closing of an open sequence includes in particular retaining parameter changes previously carried out or rejecting parameter changes that were previously carried out with respect to the sequence. Starting the currently open sequence. As a result of this instruction, the status of the sequence changes from open to running, and MR data is acquired by means of the magnetic resonance facility depending on the sequence. Aborting the sequence that is currently running. As a result of this instruction, the sequence is stopped and the protocol is automatically closed. The sequence cannot be continued, only started afresh.
[0035] In order to carry out one of the aforementioned instructions from the control service for a specific sequence, the specific sequence in particular is selected beforehand from the list of available sequences that is provided by the information service.
[0036] Furthermore, a change service can be provided by the magnetic resonance facility via the interface, which service provides the external control device with one or a plurality of the following instructions:
Changing one or a plurality of parameters for a specific sequence. This also includes changing the parameters in a sequence that is currently running. Stopping the sequence that is currently running. Stopping or pausing a sequence means that the sequence does not currently acquire any MR data such that the magnetic resonance facility is silent. Unlike an aborted sequence, a stopped sequence can be continued. Continuing the sequence that is currently stopped. The previously stopped sequence is continued such that the sequence acquires MR data again.
[0040] The change service according to the invention allows the external control device to change the scanning properties of sequence by changing the parameters of a sequence accordingly in order in this way to influence and/or change the result (in particular the MR images generated using the MR data acquired by the sequence). Here, the parameters for the sequence that is currently running can be changed by the external control device, it being possible to limit the number of parameters that are to be changed by the external control device, as set out hereinafter.
[0041] Furthermore, a patient data service can be provided by the magnetic resonance facility via the interface, via which service the external control device can acquire one or a plurality of the following information items:
The patient's name. The patient's age. The patient's body length. The patient's weight.
[0046] Using this patient data, the sequence, for example, in which the MR images of the patient are generated can be adjusted to the patient. Access to this patient data via the external control device is advantageously restricted only to users with a corresponding authorization.
[0047] According to a further embodiment of the invention, an interactive service can be provided by the magnetic resonance facility via the interface, via which service a report or notification issued by the magnetic resonance facility is forwarded to the external control device.
[0048] Via this interactive service according to the invention, notifications and/or reports from the magnetic resonance facility that provide information on an action of the magnetic resonance facility, which is some cases requires dialogue input by a user, can be forwarded to the external control device. This can include for example a notification or a report or information about a pending table movement, about an automatic adjustment of the protocol that is currently open, or about a warning regarding a nerve-stimulation (for example due to the rapidly changing magnetic gradient fields) or the administration of a contrast agent to the patient.
[0049] If the notification or report requires a confirmation so that the currently stopped sequence in the magnetic resonance facility is continued, this confirmation can be forwarded to the magnetic resonance facility by the external control device.
[0050] For example, the control device can periodically query whether a confirmation is required. If this is the case, the external control device can display on its display panel the report acquired by the magnetic resonance facility via the interactive service in order to then acquire a corresponding user input (for example, a confirmation or abort instruction) and forward it to the magnetic resonance facility.
[0051] The interactive service is in particular designed generically. The external control device therefore has no knowledge of the semantics of the report acquired by the interactive service but shows on its display panel only the report that has been transmitted and the options for responding (a confirmation and where necessary an abort instruction). The response inputted by the user of the external control device is then transmitted to the magnetic resonance facility.
[0052] If the report is transmitted before the start of the respective sequence, an abort instruction leads to the sequence not being started. A response (including an abort response to the report) will not necessarily entail an effect on the running or further running of the sequence. For example, an abort response may lead only to a movement of the table not being carried out.
[0053] According to a further embodiment of the invention, a parameter service is provided by the magnetic resonance facility via the interface, through which service an interface is provided to the external control device in order to acquire, via this interface parameter information, relating to parameters for sequences in the magnetic resonance facility.
[0054] It is possible accordingly, via the interface provided by the parameter service, to provide not only parameters and subsets of parameters, but also information items about the parameters.
[0055] For example, a subset of those parameters that may be changed by the external control device with respect to the specific sequence can be provided by the magnetic resonance facility to the external control device via this interface, regarding the specific sequence.
[0056] While only those parameters that may be changed can be provided to the external control device in the form of the subset, it is advantageously ensured that the external control device in this embodiment does not change other parameters that should not be changed by the average user with respect to the specific sequence. This subset of the modifiable parameters usually differs between the various sequences since each sequence has its individual properties and requests.
[0057] The parameter information can include one or a plurality of information items from an information set, wherein the information set itself includes the following information:
Information on the availability and modifiability of the parameter. This information states whether the respective parameter is available for the corresponding sequence and whether the respective parameter can be modified for the corresponding sequence. A designation of the parameter. An internationally usual designation is advantageously used here. A type and a unit for the parameter. Valid values for the parameter. If this parameter value is an element in a finite list (for example “yes”, “no”), this finite list of the valid parameter values is provided to the external control device. Information on a selectable value range for the parameter. This information can include, for example, a minimum value and a maximum value, between which is a valid value for the parameter. A detailed description of the parameter. This description provides a precise definition of the parameter. A clear identification of the parameter. Through this identification, the parameter can be clearly referenced in an instruction sent by the external control device to the magnetic resonance facility.
[0065] The interface in the parameter service also advantageously provides the option of generating a previously described subset of the parameters and of changing said subset. In other words, for a specific sequence it is possible to generate or change a subset that includes those parameters of the sequence that can be changed (later) by the external control device with respect to said sequence.
[0066] This configuration of the subsets of those parameters that can be changed by the external control device with respect to a specific sequence can for example be provided only if the external control device or to be more precise, the user of the external control device, has a corresponding authorization. This changing or generating of a subset can also include generating and changing the previously described parameter information for each parameter in the respective subset.
[0067] Normally, generating and changing the subsets of those parameters that can be changed by the external control device with respect to a specific sequence are the responsibility of a specialist, such that it is also sufficient if this generating and changing process is only possible directly on the magnetic resonance facility (and not via an external control device).
[0068] Furthermore, each parameter in any sequence of the magnetic resonance facility can be changed via the external control device, depending on the authorization data (that is, depending on the authorization).
[0069] The interface that is provided by the parameter service according to the invention is advantageously a generic interface. As a result, the external control device can access any parameter in a sequence in a uniform manner, without having to know any inherent properties of the parameter. As a result, advantageously the subset of those parameters that may be changed by the external control device with respect to a specific sequence can likewise be extended in any manner without a change of the software in the external control device being required. In other words, it is also possible to add to this subset a parameter that is hitherto not been known to the external control device. Even the number of parameters within this subset is freely selectable without any changes to the software in the external control device being necessary. Due to the generic nature of the interface, the external control device does not require any kind of semantic prior knowledge of the number and the type of parameters nor any internal prior knowledge of the meaning and designation of a parameter. Any information required to carry out the instructions described in advance is provided to the external control device via the generic interface.
[0070] In the context of the present invention a magnetic resonance facility is likewise provided. Here the magnetic resonance facility includes a scanner having a basic field magnet, a gradient field system, at least one RF antenna, an interface for communicating with an external control device and a control device, to activate the gradient field system and the at least one RF antenna, for receiving measurement signals received by the RF antenna/antennas, and for evaluating the measurement signals. The magnetic resonance facility is designed so as to acquire an instruction from the external control device via the interface and carry out this instruction.
[0071] The advantages of the magnetic resonance facility according to the invention essentially correspond to the advantages of the method according to the invention, which have been described above in detail.
[0072] The present invention also encompasses a non-transitory, computer-readable data storage medium encoded with programming instructions (program code) that, when the storage medium is loaded into a computer or computer system of a magnetic resonance facility, cause the computer or computer system to operate the magnetic resonance facility to implement any or all embodiments of the method according to the invention as described above. The computer may require components such as libraries and auxiliary functions, in order to implement the respective embodiments of the method. The program code can be a source code (C++for example), which still has to be compiled (translated) and linked up or just has to be interpreted, or an executable software code that only remains to be loaded into the corresponding computation unit or control device to run the program.
[0073] The electronically readable data-carrier can be a DVD, a magnetic tape, a hard disk, or a USB stick, on which electronically readable control data, in particular software (see above), is stored.
[0074] Finally, the present invention encompasses a system that includes a magnetic resonance facility according to the invention and an external control device. Here the control device itself includes a control, an interface for communicating with a magnetic resonance facility and a display unit. The control device is designed to establish a communications link with the magnetic resonance facility via the interface and to send an instruction to the magnetic resonance facility via the interface.
[0075] The advantages of the system according to the invention essentially correspond to the advantages of the method according to the invention, as described in detail above.
[0076] The present invention has the following advantages:
The invention allows remote control of an entire MRI examination via the external control device. All the relevant information on the currently running sequence or on an open sequence, the list of available sequences, and the patient data can be displayed on the external control device. No direct dialogue with the magnetic resonance facility is necessary. This means that the user (the operator or therapist, for example) can carry out the entire treatment including all the MR imaging via the external control device, without leaving the patient alone or asking for help from another person who is in direct control of the magnetic resonance facility. A number of external control devices can be connected to the magnetic resonance facility at the same time. Communication between the external control device and the magnetic resonance facility can be based on a standardized protocol which makes it easier to integrate further services. With the external control device alone, a specialist is in a position to configure the parameters available to an external control device for each sequence, depending on the type of sequence and depending on the context and the application, in which the sequence is used. The software according to the invention run in an external control device does not have to be altered, due to implementation rules for example. Instead, it is sufficient to change parameter information items on the magnetic resonance facility itself and to provide them to the external control device via the corresponding interface.
[0084] The present invention allows the following actions via the external control device:
Properties of the currently running MR sequence (for example, slice position, slice orientation) can be changed. The currently running MR sequence can be stopped and continued. A list of the MR sequences available from the magnetic resonance facility can be opened, it being possible to change and start the open sequence. The currently running MR sequence can be aborted. The name of the MR sequence that is currently open or currently running can be displayed. The remaining scanning time for a currently running non-interactive MR sequence can be displayed. The properties of an open MR sequence can be edited while a different non-interactive MR sequence is running.
[0092] Reports from the magnetic resonance facility, for example, a warning of a table movement or of an automatic adjustment of the MR sequence can be displayed and confirmed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0093] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a magnetic resonance facility according to the invention with a communications link with an external control device.
[0094] FIG. 2 shows a software component according to the invention of the magnetic resonance facility in combination with external control devices.
[0095] FIG. 3 shows a menu for setting the parameters that are modifiable with respect to a sequence according to the present invention.
[0096] FIG. 4 shows an example of a configuration of the modifiable parameters according to FIG. 3 .
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0097] FIG. 1 shows a magnetic resonance facility 5 according to the invention (a magnetic resonance imaging or magnetic resonance tomography device) in a communications link 25 with an external control device 30 . Here, a basic field magnet 1 in the magnetic resonance facility 5 generates a chronologically constant strong magnetic field to polarize or align the nuclear spins in an examination region of an object O, such as a part of a human body that is to be examined, lying on a table 23 in the magnetic resonance facility 5 . The high homogeneity of the basic magnetic field that is required for the nuclear spin resonance measurement is defined in a typically spherical measurement volume M defined, in which the volume segment of the human body that is to be examined is arranged. To support the homogeneity requirements and in particular to eliminate chronologically invariable influences, “shim plates” of ferromagnetic material are applied. Chronologically variable influences are eliminated by shim coils 2 .
[0098] In the basic field magnet 1 , a cylindrical gradient field system or gradient field system 3 composed of three windings is used. Each partial winding is supplied by an amplifier with current to generate a linear (also chronologically modifiable) gradient field in the respective direction of the Cartesian coordinate system. The first winding in the gradient field system 3 generates a gradient G x in the x-direction, the second winding generates a gradient G y in the y-direction and the third winding generates a gradient G z in the z-direction. The amplifier includes a digital-analog converter, which is activated by a sequence control 18 to generate gradient pulses at the correct time.
[0099] Within the gradient field system 3 is one (or a number of) radio-frequency antennas 4 , which convert the radio-frequency pulses emitted by a radio-frequency power amplifier into an alternating magnetic field to excite the nuclei and thereby deflect the nuclear spins of the object O that is to be examined or of the region of the object O that is to be examined, from the alignment produced by the basic magnetic field. Each radio-frequency antenna 4 has one or more RF transmission coils and one or more RF receiving coils in the form of an annular, preferably linear or matrix-shaped arrangement, of component coils. The RF receiving coils in the respective radio-frequency antenna 4 also convert the alternating field emanating from the precessing nuclear spins, usually nuclear spin echo signals excited by a pulse sequence from one or more radio-frequency pulses and one or more gradient pulses, into a voltage (measurement signal), which is supplied to a radio-frequency receiving channel 8 of a radio-frequency system 22 via an amplifier 7 . The radio-frequency system 22 , which is part of a control computer 10 of the magnetic resonance facility 5 , further includes a transmission channel 9 , in which the radio-frequency pulses to excite the nuclear magnetic resonance are generated. Here the respective radio-frequency pulses are represented digitally as a succession of complex numbers, based on a pulse sequence that is preset in the facility's computer 20 in the sequence control 18 . This sequence of numbers is supplied in each case as a real part and as an imaginary part via respective inputs 12 of a digital-analog converter in the radio-frequency system 22 , and from this to a transmission channel 9 . In the transmission channel 9 , the pulse sequences are modulated onto a radio-frequency carrier signal, whose basic frequency corresponds to the resonant frequency of the nuclear spins in the measured volume.
[0100] Switching from transmitting to receiving mode is achieved via a duplexer 6 . The RF transmission coils in the radio-frequency antenna(s) 4 radiate the radio-frequency pulses to excite the nuclear spins in the measured volume M and the resulting echo signals are sampled via the RF receiving coil(s). The nuclear resonance signals acquired accordingly are demodulated to an intermediate frequency in the receiving channel 8 ′ (first demodulator) of the radio-frequency system 22 in a phase-sensitive manner, digitized in the analog-digital converter (ADC) and emitted via the output 11 . This signal is demodulated again to a frequency of zero. The demodulation to a frequency of zero and the splitting into the real and imaginary parts takes places in a second demodulator 8 after the digitization in the digital domain. In an image processor 17 , an MR image is reconstructed from the measured data thus acquired via an output 11 . The management of the measured data, of the image data and of the control program is achieved via the facility's computer 20 . On the basis of a target set using control programs, the sequence control 18 monitors the generation of the respective desired pulse sequences and the respective sampling of k-space. In particular, the sequence control 18 monitors the timing with which the gradients are switched, the transmission of the radio-frequency pulses with a defined phase amplitude, and also the reception of the magnetic resonance signals. The time base for the radio-frequency system 22 and sequence control 18 is provided by a synthesizer 19 . The selection of corresponding sequences or control programs to generate an MR image can be carried out, for example via the external control device 30 , which is linked via a standardized communications interface 24 to the magnetic resonance facility 5 according to the invention.
[0101] FIG. 2 essentially shows a software component 41 of the magnetic resonance facility 5 in combination with two external control devices 30 , 31 . The software component 41 , which runs in the computation system of the magnetic resonance facility 5 , includes an authorization service 42 , a patient data service 43 , a change service 44 , an information service 45 , a control service 46 and an interactive service 47 . The software component 41 is connected to a program queue 48 . The two external control devices 30 , 31 each have a communications technology connection to the magnetic resonance facility 5 via a communications link 25 .
[0102] Via this communications link 25 , the respective external control device 30 , 31 can issue the magnetic resonance facility 5 with a command that is provided by one of the services 42 - 47 . Depending on the authorization of the user of the external control device 30 , 31 , this instruction is then carried out by the respective service 42 - 47 by the magnetic resonance facility 5 .
[0103] FIG. 3 shows a menu, for defining the parameters that may be modified for a specific sequence by the external control device. In this menu, “Slices” 51 states the number of slices to be acquired, “Slice thickness” 52 states the respective slice thickness, “FoV read” 53 states the length of the layer in the read direction, “FoV phase” 54 states the length of the layer in the phase encoding direction, “TR” 55 states the repetition time and “Concatenation” 56 states the number of repeats. There is normally no access to this menu via the external control device.
[0104] FIG. 4 shows, as an example, the respective parameter values for the parameters 51 - 56 shown in FIG. 3 .
[0105] This input mask shown in FIG. 4 is used in particular for inputting the parameter values via the external control device 30 , 31 .
[0106] A typical workflow according to the invention is set out below.
1. An external control device logs onto the magnetic resonance facility with a valid license, which is evaluated by the authorization service. The authorization of the external control device, or more precisely of the user of the external control device, is acquired from the authorization service by the license. The following steps are carried out only if the authorization is sufficiently high for the corresponding action or operation.
[0108] 2. The external control device acquires the list of available sequences of the magnetic resonance facility by means of the information service.
[0109] 3. With the use of the control service, the external control device opens an interactive sequence previously selected from the aforementioned list. The external control device subsequently modifies various parameters in this sequence via the change service and starts the sequence via the control service. In an interactive sequence that is running, the parameters can be changed, as a result of which a change in real time is made possible. A sequence that is running can be stopped by the change service (that is, the sequence is paused and the magnetic resonance facility does not acquire any MR data) and continued later.
4. After a certain time, the external control device aborts the sequence that is currently running by means of the control service, opens a non-interactive sequence, modifies some parameters in this sequence and starts this sequence. In this embodiment, the protocol of a non-interactive sequence is immediately closed when the sequence is started.
[0111] 5. While the non-interactive sequence is running, the external control device opens a different sequence and modifies the parameters thereof. In order to start the sequence that has been opened, the sequence that is currently running either has to be aborted or it is necessary to wait until the sequence that is running has been terminated
6. The external control device logs off from the magnetic resonance facility.
[0113] Although modifications and changes may be suggested by those skilled in the art, it is the intention of the Applicant to embody within the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of the Applicant's contribution to the art. | A magnetic resonance facility is operated by an external control device. The magnetic resonance facility includes an interface for communicating with the external control device and establishes a communications link between the external control device and the magnetic resonance facility via the interface, acquire an instruction from the external control device via the interface, and carries out the instruction on the magnetic resonance facility. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a manual liquid pump, and more particularly to a manual liquid pump having an auto shut-off valve to prevent overfilling.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Conventional manual liquid pumps usually comprise a drawing device, a joint pipe and an outlet gun. The drawing device is used to fill gas or air into a storage container by hand to draw the liquid out of the storage container. The joint pipe is connected to the drawing device to transport the liquid drawed out of the storage container. The outlet gun is connected to the joint pipe opposite to the drawing device and is used to fill the liquid drawed out of the storage container into a bucket or a can.
[0005] The conventional manual liquid pump can be used to transport liquid from the storage container to a bucket or can. However, the conventional liquid pump cannot detect the liquid level of the liquid that filling the bucket or can. When the liquid has filled the bucket or can, and the user still operates the conventional manual liquid pump to transport the liquid into the bucket or the can, the liquid will continue to be added causing overflow. If the liquid is a volatile liquid such as the gasoline, such overflow is dangerous liquid.
[0006] To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a manual liquid pump to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The main objective of the present invention is to provide a manual liquid pump having an auto shut-off valve to prevent overfilling.
[0008] The manual liquid pump in accordance with the present invention has a drawing device, a connecting tube, an outlet gun and a detecting device. The drawing device is inserted into a container to draw liquids and has a caution shaft. The connecting tube has an inner and outer pipe. The inner pipe is mounted in the outer pipe and is connected to and actuates the caution shaft. The outlet gun has a returning valve being selectively actuated to close and prevent liquid from flowing through the outlet gun, instead forcing the liquid down the inner pipe and actuating the caution shaft to warn users to stop pumping. The detecting device is mounted in the nozzle and actuates the return valve when a liquid level is too high to prevent overfilling and spillage for safer operation.
[0009] Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a manual liquid pump in accordance with the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is an enlarged, exploded perspective view of a drawing device of the manual liquid pump in FIG. 1 ;
[0012] FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view in partial section of the drawing device of the manual liquid pump in FIG. 1 ;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded view of an outlet gun of the manual liquid pump in FIG. 1 ;
[0014] FIG. 5 is an enlarged top view of the outlet gun of the manual liquid pump in FIG. 1 , showing internal elements;
[0015] FIG. 6 is an enlarged exploded view of a detecting device of the manual liquid pump in FIG. 4 ;
[0016] FIG. 7 is enlarged side view in partial section of the detecting device of the manual liquid pump in FIG. 6 ;
[0017] FIG. 8 is an operational side view of the detecting device of the manual liquid pump in FIG. 7 ; and
[0018] FIG. 9 is an operational side view in partial section of the drawing device of the manual liquid pump in FIG. 3 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] With reference to FIGS. 1 , 2 and 4 , a manual liquid pump in accordance with the present invention comprises a drawing device ( 10 ), a connecting tube ( 20 ), an outlet gun ( 30 ) and a detecting device ( 40 ).
[0020] The drawing device ( 10 ) has a body ( 11 ), a drawing mount ( 12 ), a piston rod ( 13 ), a pushing block ( 14 ), a pivot seat ( 15 ) and a caution shaft ( 16 ).
[0021] The body ( 11 ) has a drawing barrel ( 111 ) and a mounting ring ( 113 ). The drawing barrel ( 111 ) is used to insert into a container (not shown) and has a top, a bottom, a center and a drawing pipe ( 112 ). The drawing pipe ( 112 ) is formed on the bottom of the drawing barrel ( 111 ). The mounting ring ( 113 ) is hollow, is detachably connected to the drawing barrel ( 111 ) and has a bottom and a top. The bottom of the mounting ring ( 113 ) is detachably mounted around the top of the drawing barrel ( 111 ).
[0022] With further reference to FIG. 3 , the drawing mount ( 12 ) is formed on the body ( 11 ) and has a top, a bottom, a sidewall, an internal surface, a chamber ( 121 ), a rod hole ( 122 ), two drawing holes ( 123 ), a dovetail groove ( 124 ), a shaft hole ( 125 ), an output tube ( 126 ) and a pivotal recess ( 127 ). The bottom of the drawing mount ( 12 ) is formed on the top of the mounting ring ( 113 ) of the body ( 11 ). The chamber ( 121 ) is defined in the drawing mount ( 12 ). The rod hole ( 122 ) is formed in the top of the drawing mount ( 12 ) and communicates with the chamber ( 121 ) and aligns with the center of the drawing barrel ( 111 ). The drawing holes ( 123 ) are formed in the bottom of the drawing mount ( 12 ) and communicate with the chamber ( 121 ) and the drawing barrel ( 111 ). The dovetail groove ( 124 ) is formed in the bottom of the drawing mount ( 12 ) near the drawing holes ( 123 ). The shaft hole ( 125 ) is formed in the top of the drawing mount ( 12 ) and communicates with the chamber ( 121 ). The output tube ( 126 ) is formed on and protrudes from the sidewall of the drawing mount ( 12 ) and communicates with the chamber ( 121 ). The pivotal recess ( 127 ) is formed in the internal surface of the drawing mount ( 12 ) near the output tube ( 126 ).
[0023] The piston rod ( 13 ) is movably mounted in the body ( 11 ) and the drawing mount ( 12 ) and the piston rod ( 13 ) has an inner end, an outer end, an external surface, a check valve ( 131 ) and an operating head ( 132 ). The inner end of the piston rod ( 13 ) extends into the body ( 11 ) through the rod hole ( 122 ) and into the chamber ( 121 ) of the drawing mount ( 12 ). The check valve ( 131 ) is connected to the inner end of the piston rod ( 13 ) and mounted between the drawing barrel ( 111 ) and the mounting ring ( 113 ). The outer end of the piston rod ( 13 ) extends out of the top of the drawing mount ( 12 ) from the rod hole ( 122 ). The operating head ( 132 ) is formed on the outer end of the piston rod ( 13 ) to allow the piston rod ( 13 ) to be moved up or down relative to the drawing mount ( 12 ) and the body ( 11 ).
[0024] The pushing block ( 14 ) is mounted securely in the drawing mount ( 12 ) and has a top, a bottom, a sidewall, an inserting hole ( 141 ), a pushing axle ( 142 ) and a returning conduit ( 143 ). The inserting hole ( 141 ) is formed in the top of the pushing block ( 14 ). The pushing axle ( 142 ) is movably mounted in the inserting hole ( 141 ) of the pushing block ( 14 ) and has a top end. The returning conduit ( 143 ) is formed on and protrudes from the sidewall of the pushing block ( 14 ) and aligns with the output tube ( 126 ) of the drawing mount ( 12 ).
[0025] The pivot seat ( 15 ) is pivotally mounted in the drawing mount ( 12 ), abuts the pushing block ( 14 ) and has a top, a bottom, a mounting segment ( 151 ), an engaging hole ( 152 ), a pushing segment ( 153 ) and a lifting segment ( 154 ). The mounting segment ( 151 ) is defined in the bottom of the pivot seat ( 15 ) and is pivotally mounted in the mounting recess ( 127 ) of the drawing mount ( 12 ). The engaging hole ( 152 ) is formed through the top and the bottom of the pivot seat ( 15 ) and is mounted around the piston rod ( 13 ). The pushing segment ( 153 ) is defined in the top of the pivot seat ( 15 ) and abuts the top end of the pushing axle ( 142 ) of the pushing block ( 14 ). The lifting segment ( 154 ) is defined in the bottom of the pivot seat ( 15 ) opposite to the mounting segment ( 151 ) and aligns with the shaft hole ( 125 ) of the drawing mount ( 12 ).
[0026] The caution shaft ( 16 ) is mounted in the chamber ( 121 ) of the drawing mount ( 12 ), abuts the pivot seat ( 15 ) and has a lower end, an upper end and a mounting spring ( 161 ). The lower end of the caution shaft ( 16 ) abuts the lifting segment ( 154 ) of the pivot seat ( 15 ) to hold the caution shaft ( 16 ) in the chamber ( 121 ) of the drawing mount ( 12 ). The upper end of the caution shaft ( 16 ) is mounted in the shaft hole ( 125 ) of the drawing mount ( 12 ). The mounting spring ( 161 ) is mounted around the caution shaft ( 16 ) between the internal surface of the drawing mount ( 12 ) and the lower end of the caution shaft ( 16 ).
[0027] With further reference to FIG. 6 , the connecting tube ( 20 ) is connected to the drawing device ( 10 ) and has a distal end, an outer pipe ( 21 ), and an inner pipe ( 22 ). The outer pipe ( 21 ) is connected to the drawing mount ( 12 ) of the drawing device ( 10 ) and has a rear end and a front end. The rear end of the outer pipe ( 21 ) is mounted around the output tube ( 126 ) of the drawing mount ( 12 ) and communicates with the chamber ( 121 ) of the drawing mount ( 12 ) and the drawing barrel ( 111 ) of the body ( 11 ). The inner pipe ( 22 ) is mounted in the outer pipe ( 21 ) and is connected to the pushing block ( 14 ) of the drawing device ( 10 ) and has a rear end and a front end. The rear end of the inner pipe ( 22 ) is mounted in the returning conduit ( 143 ) of the pushing block ( 14 ) through the output tube ( 126 ) and communicates with the inserting hole ( 141 ) of the pushing block ( 14 ).
[0028] With further reference to FIG. 5 , the outlet gun ( 30 ) is implemented with two half-casings and is connected to the distal end of the connecting tube ( 20 ) and has a rear end, a middle, a front end, a handle ( 31 ), an interior ( 32 ) and a nozzle ( 33 ).
[0029] The handle ( 31 ) is formed in the rear end of the outlet gun ( 30 ) and is mounted around the front end of the outer pipe ( 21 ) of the connecting tube ( 20 ).
[0030] The interior ( 32 ) is defined in the middle of the outlet gun ( 30 ) and receives the front ends of the outer pipe ( 21 ) and the inner pipe ( 22 ).
[0031] The nozzle ( 33 ) is formed in the front end of the outlet gun ( 30 ) and has a free end, an opening ( 331 ) and a holding panel ( 332 ). The opening ( 331 ) is defined in the free end of the nozzle ( 33 ) and communicates with the interior ( 32 ). The holding panel ( 332 ) is semicircular and is mounted in the opening ( 331 ) of the nozzle ( 33 ) and has a holding hole ( 333 ). The holding hole ( 333 ) is formed in the holding panel ( 332 ).
[0032] With further reference to FIG. 7 , the detecting device ( 40 ) is mounted in the outlet gun ( 30 ) and has a mounting jacket ( 41 ), a returning seat ( 42 ), a returning valve ( 43 ), an actuating element ( 44 ), a returning spring ( 45 ), a flow pipe ( 46 ) and a floating shaft ( 47 ).
[0033] The mounting jacket ( 41 ) is mounted in the interior ( 32 ) of the outlet gun ( 30 ), is connected to the outer pipe ( 21 ) of the connecting tube ( 20 ) and has a rear end, a front end, an external surface, an attachment tube ( 411 ), a mounting chamber ( 412 ), a gap ( 413 ) and a hook ( 414 ). The attachment tube ( 411 ) is formed on the rear end of the mounting jacket ( 41 ) and mounted in the front end of the outer pipe ( 21 ). The mounting chamber ( 412 ) is defined in the mounting jacket ( 41 ) near the front end and communicates with the attachment tube ( 411 ) and the inner pipe ( 22 ) extends into the mounting chamber ( 412 ) of the mounting jacket ( 41 ). The gap ( 413 ) is formed through the external surface of the mounting jacket ( 41 ) in the front end and communicates with the mounting chamber ( 412 ). The hook ( 414 ) is formed on and protrudes from the external surface of the mounting jacket ( 41 ) near the rear end and aligns with the gap ( 413 ).
[0034] The returning seat ( 42 ) is mounted in the mounting jacket ( 41 ), is connected to the inner pipe ( 22 ) of the connecting tube ( 20 ) and has a center, a central tube ( 421 ) and multiple fins ( 422 ). The central tube ( 421 ) is formed on the center of the returning seat ( 42 ) and communicates with the attachment tube ( 411 ) and the mounting chamber ( 412 ) of the mounting jacket ( 41 ) and is mounted in the front end of the inner pipe ( 22 ). The fins ( 422 ) are parallelly formed around the central tube ( 421 ) in at even intervals.
[0035] The returning valve ( 43 ) is connected to the mounting jacket ( 41 ) and has a base ( 431 ), a cover ( 432 ) and a pivot shaft ( 433 ). The base ( 431 ) is connected to the front end of the mounting jacket ( 41 ) and has an inner end, an outer end, an external surface, a through hole ( 434 ), a pivot hole ( 435 ) and a slit ( 436 ). The inner end of the base ( 431 ) is mounted in the mounting chamber ( 412 ) of the mounting jacket ( 41 ). The through hole ( 434 ) is formed through the base ( 431 ) and communicates with the mounting chamber ( 412 ) of the mounting jacket ( 41 ). The pivot hole ( 435 ) is formed through the base ( 431 ) and communicates with the through hole ( 434 ). The slit ( 436 ) is formed through the external surface of the base ( 431 ) and communicates with the through hole ( 434 ) and the pivot hole ( 435 ) and aligns with the gap ( 413 ) of the mounting jacket ( 41 ).
[0036] The cover ( 432 ) is pivotally connected to the inner end of the base ( 431 ) to selectively close the through hole ( 434 ) of the base ( 431 ) and has a bottom face and two guiding tracks ( 437 ). The bottom face of the cover ( 432 ) faces the through hole ( 434 ) of the base ( 431 ). The guiding tracks ( 437 ) are formed parallelly on the bottom face of the cover ( 432 ). The pivot shaft ( 433 ) is mounted in the pivot hole ( 435 ) of the base ( 431 ).
[0037] The actuating element ( 44 ) may be number-3 shaped, is pivotally connected to the returning valve ( 43 ) and has a connecting end ( 441 ), a middle, a mounting end ( 442 ), two guiding posts ( 443 ) and a circular hole ( 444 ). The connecting end ( 441 ) of the actuating element ( 44 ) passes through the through hole ( 434 ) of the base ( 431 ) and is connected to the cover ( 432 ). The middle of the actuating element ( 44 ) is mounted in the slit ( 436 ) of the base ( 431 ) and is pivotally connected to the pivot shaft ( 433 ). The mounting end ( 442 ) of the actuating element ( 44 ) extends out of the outer end of the base ( 431 ). The guiding posts ( 443 ) are formed on the connecting end ( 441 ) and are movably mounted in guiding tracks ( 437 ) of the cover ( 432 ). The circular hole ( 444 ) is formed through the middle of the actuating element ( 44 ) and is mounted around the pivot shaft ( 433 ).
[0038] The returning spring ( 45 ) is attached to the mounting jacket ( 41 ) and the actuating element ( 44 ) and has two ends. One of the ends of the returning spring ( 45 ) is mounted on the hook ( 414 ) of the mounting jacket ( 41 ). The other end of the returning spring ( 45 ) is mounted on the mounting end ( 442 ) of the actuating element ( 44 ).
[0039] The flow pipe ( 46 ) is mounted in the nozzle ( 33 ) of the outlet gun ( 30 ), is connected to the returning valve ( 43 ) and the holding panel ( 332 ) of the nozzle ( 33 ) and has a rear end and a front end. The rear end of the flow pipe ( 46 ) is mounted around the outer end of the base ( 431 ) of the returning valve ( 43 ). The front end of the flow pipe ( 46 ) is mounted in the holding hole ( 333 ) of the holding panel ( 332 ).
[0040] The floating shaft ( 47 ) is movably mounted in the nozzle ( 33 ) of the outlet gun ( 30 ) parallel to the flow pipe ( 46 ) and has an inner end and an outer end. The inner end of the floating shaft ( 47 ) is mounted in the nozzle ( 33 ) near the outer end of the base ( 431 ) and abuts the actuating element ( 44 ) near the mounting end ( 442 ). The outer end of the floating shaft ( 47 ) extends to the free end of the nozzle ( 33 ).
[0041] When the manual liquid pump is used to transport liquid from a container to another one, the mounting barrel ( 111 ) and the drawing pipe ( 112 ) of the body ( 11 ) are placed in a container and the nozzle ( 33 ) of the outlet gun ( 30 ) is placed in a tank. Then, the operating head ( 132 ) of the piston rod ( 13 ) is moved reciprocatorily to make the check valve ( 131 ) move relative to the mounting barrel ( 111 ). Then, the liquid will draw and transport liquid from the container to the tank through the drawing pipe ( 112 ), the mounting barrel ( 111 ), the drawing holes ( 123 ), the chamber ( 121 ), the output tube ( 126 ), the outer pipe ( 21 ), the attachment tube ( 411 ), the returning seat ( 42 ), the through hole ( 434 ) of the base ( 431 ) and the flow pipe ( 46 ).
[0042] With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 , when the liquid is drawn to fill the tank, the liquid in the tank will flow back up the nozzle ( 33 ) and make the floating shaft ( 47 ) move further into the nozzle ( 33 ). Then, the inner end of the floating shaft ( 47 ) will push the mounting end ( 442 ) of the actuating element ( 44 ) to rotate relative to the base ( 431 ) and the connecting end ( 441 ) of the actuating element ( 44 ) will make the cover ( 432 ) close the through hole ( 434 ) of the base ( 431 ).
[0043] Should the piston rod ( 13 ) remain in operation, liquid flowing into the mounting jacket ( 41 ) will be stopped by the cover ( 432 ) closing the through hole ( 434 ) of the base ( 431 ) and will flow into the inserting hole ( 141 ) of the pushing block ( 14 ) via the central tube ( 421 ), the inner pipe ( 22 ) and the returning conduit ( 143 ). As the inserting hole ( 141 ) fills up with the liquid, the pushing axle ( 142 ) will move upward relative to the pushing block ( 14 ) and the top end of the pushing axle ( 142 ) will push the pushing segment ( 153 ) of the pivot seat ( 15 ) upward. Then, the mounting segment ( 151 ) of the pivot seat ( 15 ) will move relative to the mounting recess ( 127 ) to make the pivot seat ( 15 ) rotate relative to the drawing mount ( 12 ). With rotation of the pivot seat ( 15 ) relative to the drawing mount ( 12 ), the engaging hole ( 152 ) of the pivot seat ( 15 ) will engage the external surface of the piston rod ( 13 ) and the upper end of the caution shaft ( 16 ) will extend out of the shaft hole ( 125 ) of the drawing mount ( 12 ). This reminds a user to stop moving the piston rod ( 13 ) to prevent the liquid from flowing over the container. Therefore, the manual liquid pump can be operated safely.
[0044] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and features of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the details, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. | A manual liquid pump has a drawing device, a connecting tube, an outlet gun and a detecting device. The drawing device is inserted into a container to draw liquids and has a caution shaft. The connecting tube has an inner and outer pipe. The inner pipe is mounted in the outer pipe and is connected to and actuates the caution shaft. The outlet gun has a returning valve being selectively actuated to close and prevent liquid from flowing through the outlet gun, instead forcing the liquid down the inner pipe and actuating the caution shaft to warn users to stop pumping. The detecting device is mounted in the nozzle and actuates the return valve when a liquid level is too high to prevent overfilling and spillage for safer operation. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for cutting glass fiber, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for cutting simultaneously a plurality of glass fibers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In case of practical use of glass fibers as optical transmission lines, connection of the fibers is required during installation. This connecting requires that there be small transmission losses at the connecting point, and that the connecting method be inexpensive, accurate and easy to perform.
One conventional method of connection involves abutting the planar edges of the fibers by setting them in V-shaped grooves or by inserting them into a connector that performs the same function. Another conventional method is to melt-bond the abutted planer edges.
In the above methods, the planar edges of the fibers are required to be perpendicular to the axis of the fibers and have a mirror surface, otherwise, a clearance space or air bubbles may be created at the connection point, thereby increasing transmission losses.
In order to obtain the desired smooth planar edge surface, various analyses have been conducted on the various cutting methods. One such cutting method involves removing the coating layer from the raw fiber line (hereinafter referred to as a raw line) and then scoring the surface of the raw line at the point where the cut is desired. Then the raw line is subjected to a tensile stress causing the cut to occur. A variation on this method is to cut the raw line under tension.
In practice, however, it is difficult to faithfully cut the line and provide the required smooth mirror surface. Several methods have been used to correct an unsatisfactory cut. One such method is to grind the cut edge so as to polish the surface. Another method is to use solvents and the like to reduce chemically the unconformable areas of the cut edge.
In addition, in case of the connection of a plurality of fibers, such as a cable having multiple fibers and ribbon-like fibers, the edge cutting becomes an even more important and difficult problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for cutting simultaneously a plurality of raw glass fibers.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for cutting a plurality of raw glass fibers so as to provide the required smooth mirror planar surfaces.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for cutting automatically a plurality of raw glass fibers so as to provide the required smooth mirror planar surfaces.
Specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cutting simultaneously a plurality of glass fibers at an uncoated end portion so as to provide smooth mirror planar cut surfaces. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of removably securing each of the fibers on either side of a cutting point, placing each of the secured fibers on a resilient material provided in the region of the cutting point, scoring the outer surface of each of the fibers at the cutting point, and arcuately bending each of the fibers between the secured portions so as to impart a tension along the axial direction of each of the fibers, whereby the cutting occurs at the cutting point.
The first embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention comprises a resiliently flexible member having a resilient member provided on the upper surface thereof. A first fixing portion is disposed at a first end of the resiliently flexible member and has a clamping plate on the upper surface for removably securing each of the optical fibers at a coated portion. A second fixing portion is disposed at a second end of the resiliently flexible member and has a clamping plate on the upper surface for removably securing each of the optical fibers at an uncoated tip end. A cutting piece is provided for scoring the surface of each of the optical fibers at the cutting position along the uncoated end portions. In addition, a flexible material can be provided along the lower surface of the clamping plate of the second fixing portion, and a plurality of parallel grooves can be provided on the upper surface of the second fixing portion having center lines in the direction of the first fixing portion.
The second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention provides for automatic cutting of the glass fibers and comprises a structure provided with a vertically moveable guiding shaft at the bottom thereof. A base is slidably disposed in the structure and is secured to the upper portion of the vertically movable guiding shaft for upward translation therewith. A leaf spring support is slidably disposed in the structure above the vertically movable guiding shaft and is separated from the base by a first plurality of compression springs. A first fiber holding member and a second fiber holding member are slidably disposed in the structure above the leaf spring support at respective ends of the leaf spring support. The first fiber holding member is secured to the structure for vertical movement by a second spring and the second fiber holding member is secured to the structure for vertical movement by a third spring. A cutter assembly is disposed in the structure above the leaf spring support. A cutter lifting member is fixedly secured to the base and extends upwardly to be disposed below the bottom surface of the cutter assembly when the base is in a normal lower position. After the fibers to be cut are inserted in an opening in the structure, the entire sequence of steps of the method of the present invention take place as the vertically movable guiding shaft is moved upwardly to its furthest upper position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the fibers to be cut in accordance with the method and apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the cutting apparatus which performs the cutting of the fibers in accordance with the method of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a side view showing the fibers mounted for cutting on the cutting apparatus shown in FIG. 2, and shows the cutter 15 in scoring engagement with the surfaces of the uncoated fibers at the cutting point;
FIGS. 4 and 5 are explanatory illustrations showing the arcuate bending of the cutting apparatus of FIG. 2 to apply tension axially to the uncoated fibers after scoring so as to cause the cutting to occur;
FIGS. 6 and 7 show cross-sectional views taken along the lines A--A and lines B--B of FIG. 3, respectively;
FIG. 8 is a front view of the second embodiment of the cutting apparatus which performs the cutting of the fibers in accordance with the method of the present invention (line J--J of FIG. 9);
FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are cross-sectional views of the second embodiment of the cutting apparatus taken along lines D--D, E--E, C--C, and G--G of FIG. 8, respectively; and
FIG. 13 is an illustration showing the input opening for the optical fiber to be cut.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A perspective view of a plurality of fibers 1 to be cut is shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the fibers 1 are linearly aligned with each other, and the coating layers 2 of the respective fibers 1 have been mutually bonded by heating. Thereafter, the coating layers 2 at the cut edge side are removed so as to expose raw lines 4 on which surfaces the cut is to be made.
A perspective view of a first embodiment of a cutting device 5 which carries out the cutting method of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the cutting state of the fibers mounted in the device of FIG. 2.
The coated portions 3 of the plurality of fibers 1 are placed on a coating support portion 6 of the cutting device 5 and are fixed thereto by a clamping plate 7.
The portions of the respective raw-lines 4 are placed in respective grooves 9 provided in parallel in the top surface of an uncoated line fixing portion 8. The respective raw lines are held in the grooves 9 by a flexing member 11 provided on the lower surface of a clamping plate 10 that is clamped onto uncoated line fixing portion 8, as shown in FIG. 2. Even if the outer diameters of raw lines 4 are different, the flexing member 11 exhibits a sufficient non-permanent deformation to provide sufficient fixing of raw lines 4, as shown in FIG. 6. The materials used to make the flexible member 11 are, for example, rubber, plastic and synthetic materials. Thus, fixing of the raw fibers 1 to the cutting device 5 has been completed.
The fixing portions 6 and 8 of the cutting devices are interconnected by a leaf spring 12 having a resilient member 13 provided on its upper surface.
As shown in FIG. 3, upon the completion of fixing of the raw fibers 1, a cutter 15 made, for example, of diamond or ultra-hard alloy, is brought into pressing engagement with the raw lines 4 at the desired cutting position 14, whereby all of the lines at the pressing points are scored by the cutter 15.
The primary effect produced by the resilient member 13 is to apply uniformly the cutting force of cutter 15 to all of the surfaces of the line 4 at the cutting points, as shown in FIG. 7. A suitable material for resilient member 13 is rubber or plastic or the like.
If the lines 1 are directly placed on a rigid member, such as metal plate, a part of the cut surface may be damaged if the cutting force to perform the required scoring is too great. In contrast, the smooth edge surface may not be obtained if the cutting force is too small, even in the case where the outer diameter of the lines 1 are equal.
The secondary effect produced by the resilient member 13 is to make uniform the cutter force applied to the raw lines even in the case when the cutter pressing force is not uniform. Thus, the desired smooth mirror surfaces can be obtained regardless of operator handling or the operational condition of the cutter.
As determined by the inventors through experiments, the pressing force needed to be applied by the cutter 15 to a single uncoated line 4 so as to obtained the desired scoring of the surface is about 10 grams.
Next, the leaf spring 12 of the cutting device 5 is bent arcuately so as to exert tension on the uncoated lines 4 in an axial direction thereof, as shown in FIG. 4. The tension causes the uncoated lines 4 to break along the scored points so as to produce the required smooth surfaces perpendicular to the axes of the lines 4.
Although the explanation given above has been in terms of a plurality of fibers 1, is apparent that a single fiber 1 can also be cut in accordance with the method of the present invention.
Because the resilient member 13 is adhered to the upper surface of the leaf spring 12, a substantially uniform cutting force is applied to the uncoated lines 4 regardless of the outer diameters thereof. In addition, because the leaf spring 12 of the cutting device 5 is bent arcuately so as to exert tension on the uncoated lines 4 along the axial directions thereof, the desired perpendicular smooth mirror cut surface can be obtained at the point of scoring on the uncoated lines 4.
Another embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out the cutting operation of the method of the present invention is now described.
Briefly, this embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that a support having a leaf spring is raised by the operation of a guide which is vertically movable and supports the coating portions and fiber portions of the optical fiber line. Then, the fiber surfaces at the cutter positions are brought into scoring engagement against the cutter by further ascending of the support. Therefore, a cutter accomodating member is urged upwardly by a cutter lifting member so that the leaf spring is bent upwardly by a stem so that a tension is provided to the uncoated lines along the axial directions thereof, causing the cut to occur.
The present embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention is described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 13.
Referring now to FIGS. 8 and 9, reference numeral 30 designates a leaf spring having one end fixed to a vertically movable base 32 by rivets 34, 34', as shown by FIG. 10, and having the other end free. A rubber plate 36 is adhered to the upper surface of leaf spring 30.
As shown in FIG. 9, the vertically movable base 32 is connected to a lower base 38 by side spacers 40, 40'. The base 32, spacers 40, 40', and lower base 38 are collectively referred to as leaf spring support 42.
As shown in FIG. 8, a reference numeral 44 designates a stem connected to a base 46 for bending the leaf spring 30.
Interposed between bases 46 and 32 are provided compression springs 48, 48' so as to urge mutually these bases into opposite directions.
Reference numeral 50 denotes a guiding shaft for guiding the base 46 along a boss 52. Reference numeral 54 denotes a frame for guiding the vertical movement of the leaf spring support 42. Reference numeral 56 designates an operational piece. A compression spring 58 is interposed between the leaf spring support 42 and the frame 54 to urge downwardly the leaf spring support 42, as showing in FIG. 9. A cutter 60 is housed in a cutter accomodating member 62. The cutter 60 is urged downwardly by a spring 64. The accomodating member 62 is housed in a guiding cylinder 66 fixed to an upper plate 68 and is urged downwardly by a spring 70. A fiber holding member 72 is provided with a rubber plate 74 along the lower surface thereof. The fiber holding member 72 is fixed to guide shafts 76, 76', as shown in FIG. 6, and is vertically slidable in bosses 78, 78'. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, a compression spring 80 is mounted between the upper plate 68 and the fiber holding member 72 so as to urge downwardly the member 72. Similarly, a coating portion holding member 82 is provided with a rubber plate 84 at the lower surface thereof. As shown in FIG. 11, the coating portion holding member 82 is fixed to guide shafts 86, 86' and is vertically slidable in guiding bosses 88, 88'. Further, a compression spring 90 is mounted between upper holding plate 68 and the coating portion holding member 82, so as to urge downwardly the member 82. Reference numeral 92 designates a cutter lifting member fixed to the base 42 for lifting the cutter accomodating member 62, as shown in FIG. 9.
Reference numerals 94, 94', as shown in FIG. 11 designate lifting rods for lifting the coated portion holding member 82 so as to release the holding of the coated fibers 3 at the final step of the cutting operation to allow the coated fibers 1 to be removed from the present embodiment. Reference numeral 96 denotes insertion openings for the coated fibers 3, as shown in FIG. 13.
The operation of the cutting device according to this embodiment is now explained.
The coated fibers 3 having the coating layers 2 removed therefrom are inserted into the core insertion opening 96. Next, the vertically movable guiding shaft 50 is lifted by upwardly pushing the operational piece 56 to lift the base 46, so that the leaf spring support 42 is lifted by the action of the compression springs 48, 48'.
This results with the uncoated lines 4 being held by the engagement between the rubber plate 36 fastened to the leaf spring 30 and the rubber plate 94 of the fiber holding member 28. Meanwhile, the coating layer 2 is held by the engagement between the rubber plate 36 and the rubber plate 86 of the coating portion holding member 82. Because the resultant force of the springs 80 and 64 is smaller than the resultant force of the spring 48, 48', the fiber holding member 72 and coating portion holding member 82 are lifted by the further urging of the operational piece 56. Immediately thereafter, the tip of the cutter 60 abuts the uncoated lines 4, whereat the cutter 60 is urged toward the uncoated lines 4 by the biasing force of the spring 64 to obtain thereby the scoring in the surfaces of the uncoated lines 4. By the further urging of the operational piece 56, the tip of the cutter lifting member 92 abuts the lower surface of the cutter accomodating member 62, to thereby lift the cutter accomodating member 62. Next, the fiber holding member 72 abuts the lower surface of the upper plate 68. In this case, the coating portion holding member 82 does not abut the upper plate 68. Further, by the upward movement of the operational piece 56, springs 48, 48' begin to be compressed, so that the base 46 begins to be lifted while the leaf spring support 42 is maintained in its position. Cutter 66 is further lifted by the action of the cutter lifting member 92, and the stem 44 for bending the leaf spring 30 abuts the lower surface of the leaf spring 32 so as to upwardly flex same, thereby causing the uncoated lines 4 to break along the respective cutter positions 14. By the further lifting of the operational piece 56, the tip of the lifting rod 94, which lifts the coating portion holding member 82, abuts the lower surface of the coating portion holding member 82 thereby lifting same, resulting in that the holding of the coating layer 2 of the coated fibers 3 are released and cut coated fibers 3 can be removed therefrom.
As explained above, in the present embodiment for automatically cutting the optical fiber according to the method of the present invention, it is possible to sequentially achieve the following operational steps in a single operation by lifting the operational piece: holding of the coated fibers 3 and the uncoated lines 4, scoring of the surfaces of the uncoated lines 4 by the cutter 60 at the cutting position 14, bending of the leaf spring 30 so as to provide tension along the axial direction of the coated fibers, and releasing of the coated fiber 3. That is, in the present embodiment, the cutting operation of the fibers 1 is carried out in a single operation, and the present embodiment is extremely efficient and practical to use. | A method and apparatus for cutting simultaneously a plurality of glass fibers at an uncoated end portion so as to provide smooth mirror planar cut surfaces. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of removably securing each of the fibers on either side of a cutting point, placing each of the secured fibers on a resilient material provided in the region of the cutting point, scoring the outer surface of each of the fibers at the cutting point, and arcuately bending each of the fibers between the secured portions so as to impart a tension along the axial direction of each of the fibers, whereby the cutting occurs at the cutting point. Two embodiments of the apparatus of the present invention which perform the cutting operation in accordance with the method of the present invention are disclosed. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to new fluorine-containing blocked polyisocyanates, their preparation and their use for the preparation of polyurethane plastics, preferably as crosslinking components for stoving lacquers, in particular for coil coatings.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] The formulation of blocked polyisocyanates with OH-containing polycondensates or polymers (polyesters or polyacrylates) to give binders for “one-component” stoving lacquers or stoving coating compositions is known. The incorporation of fluorine into lacquer binders for the purpose of achieving a particular water- and soil-repellent coating is also prior art.
[0005] There are various publications in the patent literature in which fluorine is mentioned as a modifying component either in the OH or in the NCO component of coating compositions.
[0006] Blocked polyisocyanates with a content of incorporated fluorine are described, for example, in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5 541 281 and 5 576 411. These are polyisocyanates with allophanate, isocyanurate and urethane groups which are prepared by the reaction of fluorine-substituted alcohols and monomeric diisocyanates. It is understood that the preparation of fluorine-containing polyisocyanates from the base isocyanates is a relatively expensive process, inter alia, because of the thin film distillations to be carried out to remove the starting isocyanates (purification). Also, it must be taken into account that such fluorine-containing isocyanates have a limited field of use and are therefore so-called niche products.
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative solution for the preparation of fluorine-containing polyisocyanates. An alternative to the known route is the modification of commercially available lacquer polyisocyanates with fluoro-alcohols. It is an additional object of the present invention to provide fluorine-containing blocked polyisocyanates from conventional lacquer polyisocyanates by a simple process, which can be employed for the preparation of polyurethane plastics, preferably stoving lacquers with a water- and soil-repellent surface.
[0008] This object may be achieved with the blocked polyisocyanates according to the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention relates to blocked fluorine-containing polyisocyanates which have a fluorine content, calculated as F=19, of 1.0 to 20.0 wt. %, preferably 4.0 to 10.0 wt. %, and are suitable for preparing stoving coatings having a water- and soil-repellent surface, wherein the fluorine-containing polyisocyanates are based on the reaction product of aliphatic polyisocyanates or polyisocyanate mixtures having an NCO content of 10 to 25 wt.% and a functionality of at least 2.5 with monofunctional isocyanate blocking agents and fluorinated monoalcohols wherein
[0010] i) 75 to 95 equivalent-% of the isocyanate groups are reacted with isocyanate blocking agents,
[0011] ii) 5 to 25 equivalent-% of the isocyanate groups are reacted with fluorinated monoalcohols and
[0012] iii) the equivalents of i) and ii) add up to 100%.
[0013] The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of blocked fluorine-containing polyisocyanates by initially introducing polyisocyanates, optionally in a solvent, into a reaction vessel at a temperature of 50 to 70° C. with stirring, then adding a monofunctional fluorine-substituted alcohol and carrying out the reaction at 80 to 110° C. until the calculated NCO content is obtained, and then reacting the remaining NCO groups with the corresponding amount of blocking agent at 70 to 100° C. until NCO groups are then no longer detected, e.g. by means of the IR spectrum.
[0014] The present invention additionally relates to the use of the fluorine-containing blocked polyisocyanate according to the invention as a crosslinking agent in the preparation of polyurethane plastics.
[0015] The present invention finally relates to substrates which are coated with lacquers containing the blocked fluorine-containing polyisocyanates according to the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] [0016]FIG. 1 represents a water wetting angle of greater than 90°.
[0017] [0017]FIG. 2 represents a water wetting angle of less than 90°.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] It is essential to the invention that the new blocked polyisocyanates are prepared from three components
[0019] aliphatic polyisocyanates,
[0020] NCO blocking agents and
[0021] fluorinated aliphatic monoalcohols.
[0022] In addition, the blocked polyisocyanates can also contain known additives, such as solvents, flow agents [e.g., Acronal 4F (BASF) or Tego Protect 5002 (Goldschmidt)], antioxidants or stabilizers against thermal yellowing. Additional examples are described in EP-A 0 829 500 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,242,530, herein incorporated by reference).
[0023] Suitable lacquer polyisocyanates which may be used to prepare the polyisocyanates according to the invention are known and include lacquer polyisocyanates prepared from (cyclo)-aliphatic diisocyanates, with an NCO content of 12 to 25 wt.% and containing biuret, isocyanurate, allophanate, iminooxadiazinedione (asymmetric trimer), urethane and/or uretdione groups. Examples of aliphatic and cycloaliphatic diisocyanates include 1,6-diisocyanatohexane (HDI), 1-isocyanato-3,3,5-trimethyl-5-isocyanato-methyl-cyclohexane (isophorone-diisocyanate or IPDI), bis-(4-isocyanatocyclohexyl)-methane [H 12 MDI (Desmodur W, Bayer AG)], 2,6-and 2,5-bisisocyanato-norbornane, 1,4-bis-isocyanatomethyl-cyclohexane and 1,3- or 1,4-tetramethylxylylene-diisocyanate. Polyisocyanates which contain predominantly isocyanurate groups and are prepared from 1,6-diisocyanatohexane, IPDI and/or H 12 MDI are preferred.
[0024] Suitable blocking agents include oximes such as butanone oxime; secondary aliphatic amines such as diisopropylamine; CH-acid compounds such as malonic or acetoacetic esters; NH-acid heterocyclic compounds such as 1,2,4-triazole, imidazole or 3,5-dimethylpyrazole; lactams such as ε-caprolactam; alcohols such as methanol, ethanol or n-propanol; and mixtures of these blocking agents. ε-Caprolactam, diisopropylamine or ethanol are particularly preferred.
[0025] Suitable fluorine containing alcohols for preparing the polyisocynates according to the invention include aliphatic or cycloaliphatic alcohols having a molecular weight of 150 to 500 and a fluorine content of 30 to 80 wt. %. Preferred are the addition products of perfluoroethyl iodide, perfluorobutyl iodide or perfluorohexyl iodide onto allyl alcohol to give the corresponding fluorinated alcohols. Especially preferred are pentafluoropentan-1-ol (M 178, fluorine content: 53%), nonafluoroheptan-1-ol (C 7 H 7 F 9 O, M 278, F=61.5%) and undecafluorononan-1-ol (M 378, F =55%), are preferred. 4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,7-nonafluoroheptan-1-ol is most preferred and may be obtained according to the following literature reference: N. O. Brace, J. Fluorine Chem. 1982, 20, 313-328.
[0026] The fluorine-containing blocked polyisocyanates according to the invention are preferably used as crosslinking agents (components) for the preparation of binders for polyurethane lacquers.
[0027] For the preparation of a storage-stable lacquer binder from the polyisocyanates according to the invention as the crosslinking agent and e.g. an OH component, the preferred equivalent ratio of blocked NCO groups:OH groups is 1:1. Suitable isocyanate-reactive components are the OH- and/or NH-containing components known from polyurethane chemistry and preferably from lacquer technology. Examples include OH group-containing poly(meth)acrylate resins, polyester polyols, polyesterurethanpes, (poly)amino-alcohols and polyamines.
[0028] The lacquer binders contain the fluorinated blocked polyisocyanates according to the invention, OH- and/or NH-containing crosslinking components, and optionally known additives.
[0029] The lacquers prepared with the fluorine-containing blocked polyisocyanates according to the invention as crosslinking agents impart to the resulting coating surface water-repellent and consequently self-cleaning properties. They are used for coating any desired substrates, such as stone, masonry, concrete, wood, glass, ceramic, plastics and metals. They are preferably used for coating metal sheets, such as vehicle body components.
[0030] On the one hand, the water wetting angle and the critical angle of inclination are used as physical measurement parameters for evaluating these properties. Apparatuses for measuring water wetting angles are commercially available.
[0031] The water wetting angle of a drop of water on a lacquer surface provides information about the degree of wetting of the drop on the lacquer. The water wetting angle itself arises from projecting a tangent on the drop lying on a flat surface. If the curvature of the drop is a hemisphere, this tangent forms an angle of 90° with the lacquer surface (FIG. 1). On water-repellent surfaces, for the same volume the drop is pushed away more by the surface, the wetting area becomes smaller and the water wetting angle measured is greater than 90°. In the extreme case, such as with drops of mercury, contact with the surface takes place only at one point. The wetting angle is then 180°.
[0032] Wetting angles of <90° (FIG. 2) result with water drops which run and no longer have a spherical shape but a dome-like shape.
[0033] It has been found by experiment that on surfaces with a water wetting angle of >90° and the lowest possible angle of inclination at which the drop starts to roll off, the dirt taken up is transported away with the water rolling off.
[0034] The fluorinated blocked polyisocyanates according to the invention can be prepared in a simple manner with the lacquer polyisocyanates available on a large industrial scale. With the new crosslinking agents, it is possible to obtain coil coating lacquers with good water- and dirt-repellent properties, as is illustrated in more detail in the following examples.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
Preparation of 4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,7-nonafluoroheptan-1-ol
[0035] The perfluorinated alcohol was prepared by a process known from the literature by free-radical addition of commercially available perfluorobutyl iodide onto allyl alcohol and subsequent hydro-deiodination with lithium aluminium hydride (N. O. Brace. J. Fluorine Chem. 1982, 20, 313-328).
[0036] This alcohol was a colorless liquid (b.p. 50mbar 83-85° C.) with a molecular weight of 278 and a fluorine content of 171 g or 61.5%.
Example 2
(according to the invention)
[0037] Preparation of a blocked polyisocyanate crosslinking agent with the perfluoro-alcohol according to example 1
[0038] Batch:
58.8 g (0.3 of an isocyanurate-containing lacquer polyisocyanate eq.) based on 1,6-diisocyanatohexane (HDI) with an NCO content of 21.4%, a viscosity at 23° C. of approx. 3,000 mPas and a functionality (F) of approx. 3.5 245.0 g (0.7 of an isocyanurate-containing lacquer polyisocyanate eq.) based on 1-isocyanato-3,3,5-trimethyl-5- isocyanatomethyl-cyclohexane (IPDI) with an NCO content of 12.0% and dissolved to 70% in Solvent Naphtha 100, F = 3.2 27.8 g (0.1 perfluoro-alcohol according to example 1 eq.) 102.0 g (0.9 8-caprolactam eq.) 80.0 g 1-methoxy-propyl acetate (MPA) 80.0 g isobutanol 593.6 g (0.9 blocked NCO groups eq.) Solids content (calc.): 60.6% Fluorine content based on solids: 17.1 g or 4.7% Viscosity at 23° C.: approx. 850 mPas Blocked NCO equivalent (calc.): 660 g
[0039] Procedure:
[0040] The two polyisocyanates, MPA and the perfluoro-alcohol were heated to 100° C., while stirring. The mixture was subsequently stirred at 100° C. for approx. 1 hour until the NCO content reached the calculated value of 9.2% or was just below this level. The total amount of solid caprolactam was then introduced and the mixture was subsequently stirred at 110° C. until, after approx. 2 hours, an NCO content was no longer detected by IR spectroscopy. Isobutanol was added, the mixture was allowed to cool and the crosslinking agent solution characterized above with a blocked NCO equivalent of 660 g was obtained.
Example 3
(comparison)
[0041] Using the polyisocyanate component according to example 2 and ε-caprolactam, an analogous crosslinking agent was prepared, but without the perfluoro-alcohol. This crosslinking agent had a solids content of 65% and a blocked NCO equivalent of 528 g.
Example 4
(according to the invention)
[0042] The preparation of coil coating binders and coil coating clear lacquers and the testing of these stoving lacquers is described.
[0043] a) Binders
[0044] Binder I
Amount for F content the lacquer Equivalent based on batch weight solids [based on Components [g] Solids [g]/[%] 100 wt. %] Alkynol 1665 1) 1,000 650.0 — 45.5 Crosslinking 660 360.1 17.1/4.7 30.0 agent according to example 2 Binder I 1,010.1 17.1/1.69 75.5
[0045] Binder I contains 1.69 wt.%, based on the solids, of fluorine in incorporated form.
[0046] Binder II
Equivalent Amount for the lacquer weight Solids batch Components [%] [g] [based on 100 wt. %] Alkynol 1665 1) 1,000 650.00 48.0 Crosslinking agent 528 343.2 25.3 according to example 3 (comparison)
[0047] Binder II contains no bonded fluorine.
[0048] b) Composition of the clear lacquers
Lacquer II Clear lacquer components Lacquer I (comparison) Alkynol 1665 45.5 48.0 Crosslinking agent according to 30.0 — example 2 — 25.3 Crosslinking agent according to 4.3 6.1 example 3 — 19.2 CAB 531-1 2) 10% in SN 200 S 3) 9.4 — Solvent Naphtha 100 9.4 — Diacetone alcohol 1.4 1.4 1-Methoxypropyl acetate Dibutyltin dilaurate 4) , 10% in SN 100 Total amount [parts by wt.] 100.0 100.0 Solids content [%] approx. approx. 48 Fluorine per lacquer batch [%] 48 — 0.85
[0049] The clear lacquer batches were mixed homogeneously by means of a Skandex mixer. The lacquers were adjusted to the processing viscosity (approx. 70 sec DIN 4/23° C.) by the addition of Solvent Naphtha 200 S.
[0050] The clear lacquers were applied by knife-coating onto chromated aluminium sheets (1 mm thick). Immediately after application of the lacquer, the sheets/lacquers were stoved in an Aalborg oven on a turntable at an oven temperature of 350° C. After a residence time of 38 sec at 350° C., an object temperature (PMT) of 232° C. was established. Before application of the above clear lacquers in a dry layer thickness of 8 to 10 μm, a brown-pigmented base lacquer layer (19 to 22 μm) was applied.
[0051] c) Clear lacquer properties
Lacquer II Lacquer I (comparison) Water wetting angle 99.4° 74.0° Critical angle of inclination 28° 36° Entrainment of carbon black 2) 100% 30% Flow [0 = very good; 5 = poor] 0 0 Layer thickness [μm](ECCA-T1) 1) 0 0 Gardner gloss 20°/60° (ECCA-T2) 1) 61/90 58/89 MEK wiping test, double strokes 2 kg 100 W 100 W (ECCA-T11 and DIN EN 12720) Micro-hardness 10-30 sec/30 sec 6.0/5.0 5.9/4.3 release 80 80 Impact test inch/lb (ECCA-T5) 0 0 Adhesion 6 mm in # (ECCA-T6) 0.5 T 0.5 T T-bend test adhesion normal (ECCA- 0.5 T 0.5 T T7) T-bend test elasticity normal (ECCA T7)
[0052] The uptake of carbon black was evaluated visually after a running time of the drop of 5 cm.
[0053] As can be seen from the above, the lacquer properties were equally good for the two clear lacquers. The two lacquers differ only in the water-repellent properties. The fluorine-containing lacquer I had a significantly higher water wetting angle, i.e. the wetting area of the drop of water was smaller, and a lower angle of inclination than the comparison lacquer, i.e. the tendency to roll off and therefore the self-cleaning of the surface was promoted. This could be demonstrated with the aid of the uptake of carbon black by a drop of water with the “Manual experiment to test the self-cleaning properties” described above. On the fluorine-containing lacquer I, the complete amount of carbon black was entrained (entrainment 100%) up to saturation of the drop of water after a running time of 5 cm. On the comparison lacquer II, carbon black remained, especially at the edges of the running track, and the entrainment was only approx. 30%. The fluorine-containing coating thus clearly shows self-cleaning properties.
[0054] Although the invention has been described in detail in the foregoing for the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention except as it may be limited by the claims. | The present invention relates to blocked fluorine-containing polyisocyanates which have a fluorine content, calculated as F=19, of 1.0 to 20.0 wt.%, preferably 4.0 to 10.0 wt.%, and are suitable for preparing stoving coatings having a water- and soil-repellent surface, wherein the fluorine-containing polyisocyanates are based on the reaction product of aliphatic polyisocyanates or polyisocyanate mixtures having an NCO content of 10 to 25 wt.% and a functionality of at least 2.5 with monofunctional isocyanate blocking agents and a fluorinated monoalcohols wherein
i) 75 to 95 equivalent-% of the isocyanate groups are reacted with isocyanate blocking agents,
ii) 5 to 25 equivalent-% of the isocyanate groups are reacted with fluorinated monoalcohols and
iii) the equivalents of i) and ii) add up to 100%.
The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of these blocked fluorine-containing polyisocyanates and to their use as crosslinking agents in the preparation of polyurethane plastics, especially polyurethane coatings. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to electromagnetic borehole telemetry, and more particularly to efficient and controllable coupling of energy from a downhole energy source to an earth-drillstring system.
In electromagnetic borehole telemetry, it is known to couple electromagnetic energy to the earth-drillstring system by means such as toroidal coupling transformers, ferrite rod antennae, impedance matching switching amplifiers, and other similar devices, in order to provide an optimum matching of the energy source impedance to the earth-drillstring load impedance. The significant technical problem in electromagnetic transmission through and/or along the earth-drillstring system is the high attenuation of signal due to the generally high conductivity of the earth portion of the transmission path. Several approaches have included provision of repeater amplification means along the transmission path, to offset the severe attenuation problem.
Systems proposed for such intended usages include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,354,887; 2,389,241; 2,411,696; 2,492,794; 3,079,549; 3,115,774; 3,048,561; 3,793,632; 3,967,201; 4,057,781; 4,181,014; 4,348,672; and 4,691,203.
The large number of patents and extensive published literature on the subject attest to the large amount of work done in this field and the difficulties of achieving the desired results. Despite the extensive work shown by the prior art, there has been very little commercial success obtained. One significant explanation is that too much was expected from each chosen approach, and that when the limitations of the physical problem prevented full realization of the goals, the effort was dropped in favor of other approaches. Also, it is believed that the complexities of certain approaches, when reduced to practice, resulted in poor equipment reliability in downhole drilling environments, excessively high initial equipment cost, and excessively high operation costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A major objective of the present invention is to provide a simple, low cost, highly reliable electromagnetic telemetry system for use in boreholes. In contrast to prior art, the emphasis is on simplicity to achieve the desired cost and reliability advantages, rather than the achievement of all of the desired transmission bandwidth under the worst case transmission conditions. The invention provides a simple, straightforward apparatus and method to be employed in those drilling situations wherein a suitable signal to noise ratio can be achieved.
The electromagnetic borehole telemetry apparatus of the present invention comprises the combination of a direct switching element to couple energy from a downhole energy source to the earth-drillstring system, a downhole energy source that may be adapted to a variety of voltage levels, a means to control the switching element in response to the desired information to be telemetered, a means to adapt the voltage level of the downhole energy source to the level best suited for the conditions of usage, and an insulated joint means achieving injection into the earth-drillstring system of energy to be transmitted.
As will appear, the direct switching element may comprise a semiconductor switch or a mechanical switch. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the direct switching element is a "magnetic reed switch" similar to a type manufactured by Hamlin, Inc., 612 East Lake Street, Lake Mills, Wis. Such a reed switch can be operated mechanically by moving a magnetic element near it, or magnetically by means of a solenoidal coil wound around it. It has very low contact resistance when closed, very high open circuit resistance when open, excellent operation at very high temperatures, excellent resistance to severe shock and vibration, and extremely low cost for such outstanding switch properties.
The downhole energy source typically comprises a multi-cell battery, configured so that the cells may be controllably connected in various series-parallel combinations to achieve a net voltage level from as low as that of one cell to as high as that of all cells in series. Alternatively, the energy source may comprise a battery or other source of electrical power, together with a DC to AC converter means and a transformer/rectifier means that may, by means of different tap connections on the transformer, provide a range of output voltages.
The means to control the switching element in response to information to be telemetered may comprise a simple voltage level supply or source to control a semiconductor switch, or a mechanical or magnetic solenoid means to control a magnetic reed switch of the preferred type. The control means may be used, for example, to control the time duration, wave shape, or frequency of the output energy to be transmitted.
The means to adapt the voltage level of the downhole energy source to a level best suited for conditions of usage may comprise means for controllably connecting or reconnecting a multi-cell battery to achieve the desired voltage, or means for controllably connecting or reconnecting taps on a transformer, to change the output voltage of a transformer/rectifier. These were referred to above in connection with the energy source. The means to effect such connection or reconnection may include manual connection or reconnection means operable at the well surface before the telemetry system is introduced into the borehole. Such means suffices if the downhole impedance conditions can be adequately predicted, based on known or assumed, or experimentally determined geological structure. Alternatively, reconnection of the energy source control elements may be accomplished automatically downhole in response to some measured parameter or some control signal. One such contemplated means allows adaptation of the energy source based on the measured output power transmitted into the earth-drillstring system. Thus if the load impedance represented by the earth-drillstring system increases, for any reason, the voltage level may be automatically increased until the original power level is again transmitted. Alternatively, signals can be transmitted from the surface to the downhole telemetry system, by any of a number of means, that will command the adaptation of the downhole energy source voltage to achieve a usable signal level at the surface with the lowest possible transmitted power. Such means assures the longest possible operation of battery (or other energy storage) powered downhole equipment.
The insulated joint means referred to provides both electrical insulation and the necessary mechanical strength. The joint design may be either axial or radial, as will appear.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which:
DRAWING DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is an elevation illustrating in schematic form a drilling rig, a borehole, and a downhole telemetry apparatus showing the overall use of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the principal elements of the electromagnetic borehole telemetry apparatus and their relationships;
FIG. 2a is a section showing an insulated joint;
FIG. 3 is a section showing a typical "magnetic reed switch";
FIG. 3a is a representation of a control transistor;
FIGS. 4a and 4b are circuit diagrams that show alternative configurations for downhole energy sources; and FIG. 4c shows a cell switch control;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of circuit means to control the switching element; and
FIG. 6 is a circuit schematic showing one form of means to control or adapt the voltage level of the downhole energy source.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
With reference first to FIG. 1, there is represented at 10 a well bore extending downwardly into the earth formation from the surface of the earth, represented at 11. A tubular drill string 12 (typically of steel) extends downwardly from the drilling rig 13, and is formed of a number of threadedly interconnected pipe sections carrying at their lower end a directional drilling unit 14. This unit includes a "bent sub" 15 taking the form of a tubular pipe having a slight bend at 16 causing the hole drilled by unit 14 to advance laterally in a predetermined direction as it advances downwardly. At its lower end, the bent sub 15 carries a bit 17 which is driven rotatively relative to the sub by a motor contained in the sub and driving the bit to drill the hole as the drill string advances longitudinally. The motor may be driven by any convenient source of power, as for example by the pressure of drilling fluid which is forced downwardly through the interior of drill string 12 and then discharges past the bit and upwardly about the outside of the drill string to the surface of the earth.
At a location above the drilling unit 14, the string 12 contains an instrument assembly 18 constructed in accordance with the invention for sensing the direction or azimuth to which the bent sub 15 is turned in the hole, and then transmitting that information upwardly to a signal receiving or readout unit 19 at the surface of the earth. The signals are transmitted by unit 18 as electrical currents through the drill string and through surrounding earth conductivity. These currents are sensed as a difference in potential between two electrodes, one 21 contacting the drill string near the earth surface and the other 22 contacting the earth at a distance from the drill string. Electrode 21 is connected by an insulated conductor 23 to input 19a at a first side of the signal receiving and potential difference sensing unit 19. The second electrode 22 contacts the earth at a substantial distance from the drill rig 13 and is connected to input 19b at a second side of the signal receiving unit 19 by insulated wire 24. The electrode 22 may be formed of any highly conductive metal, such as copper, having a substantial area in contact with the earth's surface. It may take the form of a plate, a rod implanted to any depth in the earth or a conductor wire completely surrounding the drill rig 13 at a substantial distance.
As seen in FIG. 2, the instrument assembly or unit 18 contains sensing means 30 to generate the data to be transmitted to the surface. Such means 30 may include, for example, accelerometers to determine the spacial orientation of the unit 18 with respect to the earth's gravity field, magnetometers to determine the orientation of the unit with respect to the earth's magnetic field, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, or any other kind of sensor which may provide useful information about the conditions in or at the bottom of the well bore. Instrument assembly 18 also contains circuitry including an energy source 32, a direct switching element 31, a switching element control 33, and a voltage level adapter 34. The output of assembly 18 is an electrical current provided at wires 38 and 42 that are connected to the metallic (steel) drill string by contacts as shown at 36 and 37 respectively. Electrical isolation between points 36 and 37 is provided by the electrically insulated joint 35 in the pipestring, for example a KEVLAR sub, as seen in FIG. 2a.
In operation the instrument assembly 18 functions so that the sensed data provided by sensing means 30 is provided as an output on lead 40, as an input to the switching control means 33. The latter reacts to the signal arriving on lead 40 and provides an output on lead or mechanical connection 44 that controls the state of the direct switching element 31. The control is such that the state of the switching element 31 is either open, (a very high resistance state), or closed, (a very low resistance state). In its closed state the direct switching element 31 connects the output of the electrical energy source 32 to the output wire 38, thus allowing electrical current to flow from the energy source 32 into the drill string 12 at upper contact 36. Source 32 is connected to 31, as via lead 39. When the direct switching element 31 is in its open state, current is blocked from flowing from the energy source 32 into the drill string.
The output current, and associated voltage, in lead 38 are sensed at lead 43 and supplied to the voltage level adapter 34. The sensing means 30 may be of any desired type as indicated above. Merely as illustrative, it may for example sense components of the Earth's gravity and magnetic fields as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,499 incorporated herein by reference. The remainder of the apparatus and its means of operation to transmit the output of the sensing means to the surface will be better understood by the detail descriptions of the elements of the instrument assembly 18 provided below.
One embodiment of the direct switching element 31 is shown in FIG. 3. The input lead 39, coming (as shown in FIG. 2) from the energy source 32 is connected to movable reed 47 having at its tip a contact 49. The output lead 38, connected as shown in FIG. 2 to the drill string 12 at contact 36, is similarly connected to a movable reed 48 having at its tip a contact 50. The two reeds 47 and 48 are made of magnetic materials and are sealed, in an inert atmosphere, in a glass envelope 51. Whenever a magnetic field is caused to exist along the generally elongated axis of the reeds, they tend to become aligned more strongly with the direction of the magnetic field and the two contacts 49 and 50 touch each other to make a continuous low resistance path from lead 39 to lead 38. When the magnetic field is removed from the reed region as referred to, the slight spring action of the reeds causes the contacts to separate, thus establishing a high resistance path from the input lead to the output lead.
Around the glass envelope 51 is a solenoid coil 46 consisting of multiple turns of wire. The wire 45 at one end of the coil is shown connected to an electrical ground or common connection. The wire 44 at the other end of the coil is shown connected to the switching element control 33. As is well known, a current entering the coil by wire 44 and exiting the coil at wire 45 will create a magnetic field extending along the axis of the coil at is interior region. This filed then provides the field referred to above causing the contacts 49 and 50 to touch and provide a low resistance path from lead 39 to lead 38. The switching control element 33 may provide a selected or pre-determined pattern of current on lead 44 to achieve the same pattern of current flowing from lead 39 to 38. Since the electrical current required to force contacts 49 and 50 together will in general be very small compared to the output current flowing from 39 to 38, a very efficient control of output current is provided by the direct switch element 31.
Alternatively, in place of the magnetically controlled magnetic reed switch shown in FIG. 3, a semiconductor switch can be used. A very low resistance is desired in the conduction path when the switch is closed and a very high resistance is desired when the switch is open. One particularly suitable semiconductor switch is of the MOSFET type, a IRFZ44 N-Channel transistor manufactured by International Rectifier Co., El Segundo, Calif. that provide a very low ON resistance of only 0.028 ohms. Such a MOFSET device had three terminals, the source, drain and gate. See elements 120, 121 and 122 in the transistor 123 seen in FIG. 3a. When a suitable voltage is applied to the gate terminal 122 the effective resistance between the source 120 and drain 121 is very low. When the voltage is removed from gate 122, a high resistance is seen between terminals 120 and 121. When such a semiconductor switch is used to replace the magnetic reed switch in FIG. 2 for example, the source terminal would be connected to lead 39, the drain terminal would be connected to lead 38, and the gate terminal would be connected to lead 44 coming from the switching control element 33. In this case the lead 44 would be driven to a suitable voltage when it was desired to force the direct switching element into its low resistance state. The pattern of current flowing from lead 39 to lead 38 would then similarly follow the voltage pattern applied at lead 44.
The energy source 32 may take a variety of forms. FIG. 4a shows one form in which a group of individual battery 55 cells may interconnect in a number of ways to provide the same total energy output at different output voltage levels. For example, the twelve individual cells shown may be connected all in parallel (see 4a-1) to provide an output voltage, V, that is equal to each individual cell voltage. Alternatively, the same twelve cells may be connected as six parallel connections of two-cell sets that are connected in series (see 4a-2). This provide the same total energy output capability, but at an output voltage of 2V. Similarly, the connections can be made as four parallel connections of three-cell series cells (see 4a-3); three parallel connections of four-cell series cells (see 4a-4); two parallel connections of six-cell series cells (see 4a-5); or lastly as twelve cells in series (see 4a-5). These combinations provide output voltages of 3V, 4V, 6V and 12V respectively. The various output points are indicated at 130 to 135. All have the same total output energy capability.
FIG. 4c shows a switch 137 connected to all cells, and operable to connect them in the configurations described. One output 138 is shown, instead of points 130-135. A switch control appears at 136. This adaptability in voltage level while retaining the full energy capability of the cells permits a high degree in optimization of the power output of the telemetry system.
If a high electrical resistance is found or seen at the driving point contact 36, then a high voltage may be used. On the other hand, if a low electrical resistance is found or seen at the driving point 36, then a low voltage may be used. See subsequent discussion of the use of adapter 34 for this purpose. In this way, the voltage of the energy source may be adapted to the resistance encountered to provide nearly constant power output, independent of the effective load resistance seen at the contact 36.
Alternatively, the energy source 32 may comprise a fixed battery of any configuration, a means to convert such battery power to alternating current, a transformer assembly as shown in FIG. 4b and a single output rectifier assembly. In FIG. 4b, the transformer primary 60 is shown as connected to terminals 63 and 64, the stated source of alternating current. The magnetic course 61 provides efficient coupled to the, for example twelve, individual secondary windings 62. Each of the twelve secondary winding is provided with terminals 65 and 66. It is easily seen that these twelve individual secondary windings can each be regarded as equivalent to the individual battery cells 55 in FIG. 4a or 4c, and that they may then be connected, or switched as at 137 just as the individual battery cells were, to provide an alternating current output ranging from V, the voltage of one secondary, to 12V, the voltage of all twelve connected in series. This output can then be rectified as at 140 to provide a direct current output on lead 39 having the same voltage range and therefore the same capability to match a variable load resistance as shown in FIG. 4a. Similarly, the individual secondary windings could be output windings on a drilling mud turbine driven alternator, rather than secondary windings on a transformer driven by alternating current provided by a battery and suitable electronics. See alternator 141 schematically shown in FIG. 4b, and mud flow indicated by arrows 142 driving turbine 143 driving the alternator.
The examples shown by FIGS. 4a and 4b can be extended to either greater or smaller numbers of individual sources. As shown, the available voltage range of twelve to one permits adapting to load resistance ranges of one hundred and forty four to one, since power output is equal to the square of the output voltage divided by the load resistance.
FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of the switching control element 33. The input lead 40, from the sensor assembly, may, as indicated, comprise a number of individual signal lines from each individual sensor. These individual signal lines, shown as 70a to 70h, are connected to the input of an electronic multiplexing circuit 71 that, under control of its input control signal at 85 will connect one of the inputs 70a to 70h to the output lead 72. The control at 85 will, in general, simply select the input leads in a continuing sequence so that all are sequentially connected to the output lead 72, such multiplying techniques being known (for example, a rotary lead successively engaging circularly spaced controls to which leads 70a-70h are connected). Lead 72 is in turn connected directly to a sample-and-hold circuit 73 that connects the input lead 72 to the output 74 and holds its voltage constant for the time required for the analog-to-digital converter 75 to sense the held analog voltage and provide a digital representation of the input voltage on lead 74 as a parallel digital output at 76 to a short time memory unit 77. The latter accumulates digital data representative of all of the sensor outputs and holds this data until a complete set has been gathered for transmission to the surface. When a complete message is ready for transmission to the surface, that message is transmitted serially from the memory unit 77 on lead 78 to an electronic shift register 79. When the complete message is stored in the shift register, the message is shifted out of the shift register 79 one bit at a time under control of a clock signal on the input line 83. As each bit of data is shifted out on line 80 it is amplified in power by amplifier 81 having its output connected to the switch 31 drive line 44.
Shown at 82 is the control logic assembly that controls the timing of the process, and producing clock signals at 83. In addition to the shift control signal shown at 83, discussed above, logic assembly 82 also provides control signals at lead 85 that select which item of sensor data is to be presented to the output lead 72 at any time and a control signal at 84 that controls the sample-and-hold circuit 73. Together, all of the elements shown within the switching control means or element 33 provide the selection of what data is to be transmitted, the timing for its transmission, and the actual format and timing of the output data stream.
As stated previously, the output voltage of the energy source 32 may be adapted to meet the desired power level into whatever load resistance is found at contact 36 on drill string 12. FIG. 2 showed a general approach as discussed previously in which a signal on lead 43 provides information about the output voltage and current, such signal flowing to the voltage level adapter 34 which provides an output at 41 to energy source 32. FIG. 6 shows one means to provide the combined functions of the voltage adapter and energy source, 34 and 32.
For simplicity in ease of understanding, the energy source and voltage level adapter is shown in FIG. 6 with only four individual battery cells and thus three output voltage levels of V, 2V, and 4V. Four individual battery cells 55 are shown together with six single-pole three-position switches 56. The six switches 56 are ganged together by shaft 58 that is driven, for example, by an electromechanical stepping motor contained as part of the switch actuation means 57. When switches 56 are in position 1 (see terminals "1"), it may be seen that all four of the individual battery cells 55 are directly in parallel and the output voltage between leads 39 and 42 is V, the individual voltage for each cell. When the switches 56 are in (terminal) positions 2, it may be seen in the figure that the top two battery cells are in parallel, the bottom two battery cells are in parallel, and the group of two parallel cells at the top is in series with the group of two parallel cells at the bottom. The output voltage level between lead 39 and 42 is therefore 2V. When the switches 56 are in (terminal) positions 3, it may be seen that all four individual battery cells are in series and the resultant output is 4V. In consideration of the realized output levels here from four individual cells and those shown in the discussion of FIG. 4a it may be seen that the number of combinations that realize the full total energy of the individual cells is found by finding the number of individual even divisors there are for the number of cells. For example, with twelve cells, the even individual divisors are 12, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 2. For only four cells they are 4, 2 and 1. If one had twenty four cells they would be 24, 12, 8, 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1. Recognizing this, the required number of cells to achieve a range of voltage control is readily determined.
The switch activation means 57 shown in FIG. 6 may, as previously stated, contain an electromechanical stepping motor to select the output position for the shaft 58 and thereby determined the output voltage between leads 39 and 42. The input lead 43, coming from the output of the direct switching element 31 as shown in FIG. 2 might, for example represent the voltage at the output line 38 and the current flowing in the line 38 to the contact 36 on the drill string 12. Within the switch activation means 57, electronic means is typically employed for multiplying the sensed voltage and the sensed current to provide the output power into the upper drill string from point 36. This computed power can then be compared to a pre-stored desired power output and circuitry can then operate the stepper motor to select the position of the output shaft that provides a power output most nearly the desired or selected level. Thus 57 represents multiplier and comparator circuitry.
Alternatively, the input signal shown at 43 in FIG. 6 can be derived from information transmitted downwardly from the surface. For example, electrical transmission or pressure modulation of the mud flow coming from the surface can be used to transmit a signal or signals to cause the output power at 36 to increase or decrease as desired. This permits the surface control to increase power when low received signal strength at 21 or 19 is encountered, and to decrease power, and consequently increase battery life, when more than adequate signal strengths are encountered at 21 or 19. FIG. 1 shows a mud pressure modulation means 160 connected in mud flow line 161, and control lead 162 from 19 to 160.
The insulated pipe joint shown at 35 in FIG. 2 may be of any suitable type and is not explicitly a part of this invention. All that is required is that the upper portion of the drill string 12 be electrically insulated from the lower portion of the bottom hole assembly 15, so that the output electrical current provided between terminals 36 and 37 will not be shorted out by the structure.
In the above, the control 33 may control the time duration of the energy or voltage transmission at 36, or the wave shape, or the frequency of such transmission. | An apparatus for borehole electromagnetic telemetry is provided comprising a direct switching element to couple energy from a downhole energy source to the earth-drillstring system, a downhole energy source that may be adapted to a variety of voltage levels, a system to control the switching element in response to the desired information to be telemetered, a system to adapt the voltage level of the downhole energy source to the desired level for the conditions of usage, and an insulated joint so that the energy to be transmitted can be injected into the earth-drillstring system. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a type of transaction terminal known as a PINpad, and in particular to a system and method for enabling displayed user prompts and numeric keypad assignments, i.e., the manner in which digits input through the numeric keypad are interpreted and processed, to be secured so as to permit entry of information other than PIN numbers using the keypad of the PINpad. The invention also relates to a system and method for enabling the secured user prompts and keypad assignments to be varied or updated after installation of the PINpad.
[0003] The invention uses a prompt table to associate the user prompts with keypad assignments, thereby permitting numeric keys on the keypad to be used for entry of numerical data other than PINs if and only if pre-formatted prompts or messages appropriate to the data have been previously displayed, and are still on the display when the data is entered. Unlike conventional static prompt tables used for the same purpose, however, the dynamic prompt tables of the preferred embodiment of the invention are in the form of authenticatable files that may be loaded into the PINpad, thereby permitting variation in the prompts and keypad assignments.
[0004] In accordance with the principles of an especially preferred embodiment of the invention, the authentication procedure involves use of a smart card having an embedded private key to sign the prompt table file, a signer's public key certificate to be transferred with the prompt table file, and authentication of the signer's public key certificate based on an owner's or sponsor's public key certificate stored in the PINpad.
[0005] 2. Description of Related Art
[0006] A PINpad is a small device featuring a basic keypad with numeric keys, function keys, and a small display. The PINpad's primary function is to permit a user to enter a PIN, and to securely communicate the PIN to an external computing device. This means that the PIN never leaves the device in plaintext, but rather must always be encrypted before being retrieved from the PINpad. A typical displayed message is “Enter your PIN.” Once the PIN is entered, the PINpad encrypts the number and sends it to a remote location for verification by comparison with a PIN stored in a database.
[0007] In addition to entry of PINs for verification, the PINpad may be used to enter non-numeric information such as selection of a transaction type or amount approval. In the first generation of PINpads, these functions were handled by dedicated function keys, with the numeric pad being solely for the purpose of entering PINs.
[0008] However, there has been an increasing demand for PINpads capable of handling entry of numeric information other than PINs, such as zip codes, odometer readings, or license numbers, which are echoed back on the display sent out in plain text rather than cipher, upon display of appropriate prompts such as “Enter License Number.” In order to limit the ability of a malicious programmer to modify the prompts and trick the user into entering a PIN or other sensitive information when the information will be sent out in plaintext, the conventional approach is to pre-store prompts and enable the numeric keys only when a corresponding prompt is displayed. The association of prompts and numeric key enablement is handled by a static table known as a “prompt table” that is included in the PINpad firmware.
[0009] The prompt table protects data entry by enabling numeric keys to be used for data entry other than a PIN if and only if pre-formatted and known messages are previously displayed and are still on the display when the digits are entered. The messages are gathered in the static prompt table.
[0010] The major disadvantage of the conventional static prompt table is its inflexibility. The messages have to be known up-front when the PINpad is built, since the prompt table is included in the PINpad firmware. If new messages are necessary for a given application, then a new firmware version has to be created and a new PINpad version built. Moreover the programmer needs to know how the messages are ordered in this prompt table so as to be able to select the correct one at the correct time. In addition, messages in this arrangement can only be displayed in association with a specific display function.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It is accordingly a first objective of the invention to provide a system and method for enabling the numeric keypad of a PINpad to be used for entry of data other than PINs, while ensuring that prompts associated with the data entry correspond to the type of data entered, thereby preventing a malicious programmer from causing a prompt to be displayed that calls for input of sensitive data such as a PIN, when digits input to the keypad are to be sent out in plain text.
[0012] It is a second objective of the invention to provide a system and method of using a prompt table to enable the numeric keypad of a PINpad to be used for entry of data other than PINs, and that further permits variation in the prompts and key assignments permitted by the prompt table.
[0013] These objectives are achieved, in accordance with the principles of a preferred embodiment of the invention, by arranging a prompt table that correlates user prompts with key assignments to be dynamically loaded into the PINpad as an authenticatable file, at any time during the PINpad life, and by using digital signing techniques to ensure that the prompt table loaded in the this method is authentic. Further, the invention enables multiple prompt tables to be loaded and co-exist in the device, thereby enabling several languages to be invoked or the use of the PINpad device in connection with different remote applications with different needs.
[0014] Unlike the conventional static prompt table mechanism, the display of a prompt controlled by the dynamic prompt table of the preferred embodiment of the invention may be carried out using an existing display interface function, thereby eliminating the need for a special interface. The mechanism is implemented in such a way that any message sent to the display will enable the numeric keys to be echoed on the display, but entered digits will only be processed for transmission outside the PINpad if the message is part of one of the loaded prompt tables. In other words, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, only the messages present in one of the loaded prompt tables activate the numeric keys. Since addition of new prompts or messages can be carried out simply by uploading a new prompt table file, the programmer requires no knowledge of the organization of existing prompt table files to activate the numeric keys.
[0015] While the method of the invention may be used with any terminal system capable of file authentication and generation of a random number, and is not to be limited to any particular authentication method, in an especially preferred embodiment of the invention, the clear file containing the random number is signed by a system that includes a private key contained on a smart card protected by multiple PINs, and a corresponding public key certificate modified to include a clear string in, for example, the FileType field, and in particular that includes the following elements:
[0016] a certification authority/smartcard management system that issues smartcards containing a signer certificate, a private key for generating digital signatures, one or more PINs for accessing each of the smartcards, and an embedded secured processor capable of performing all digital signing operations that require access to the private key;
[0017] a customer file signing tool including a smartcard reader arranged to digital sign a file upon input by the user of one or more PINs corresponding to the PIN or PINs on the smart card, the smartcard performing all operations that require access to the private key before supplying the results of the operations to the customer file signing tool for further processing as necessary to generating a digital signature that can be appended to the file together with the signer certificate and downloaded to the terminal;
[0018] a terminal to which the signed file is to be downloaded, the terminal including a means for verifying the digital signature according to the signer certificate, and a higher level “sponsor certificate” or “owner certificate” for authenticating the signer certificate. It is noted that the term “sponsor certificate” is generally equivalent to the term “owner certificate,” and that these terms are used interchangeably herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] [0019]FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating a method of clearing or restoring a terminal to its default state in accordance with the principles of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
[0020] [0020]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a key management and file authentication system in which the method and system of the preferred embodiment may be utilized.
[0021] [0021]FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a key management and file authentication method corresponding to the system illustrated in FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0022] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the preferred method of enabling the numeric keypad of a PINpad to be used for entry of data other than PINs, and of enabling the prompts and keypad assignments used to facilitate entry of such data to be varied, involves the following steps:
[0023] providing a file including a prompt table having as entries a list of prompts and corresponding keypad assignments (step 100 );
[0024] digitally signing the prompt table file (step 110 );
[0025] loading the prompt table file into a terminal (step 120 ); and
[0026] authenticating the prompt table file (step 130 ), after which data entered through the keypad may be processed, according to entries in the prompt table, as non-PIN data if and only if a corresponding prompt has been, and continues to be, displayed on a display of the PINpad.
[0027] Turning to FIG. 2, the preferred system includes a terminal 2 having a display 20 and standard display interface 21 , a numeric keypad 22 , function keys 23 , software for displaying prompts in response to pressing of selected ones of the function keys 23 and for processing data input through the numeric keypad in accordance with the selected functions, and one or more prompt table files arranged to initiate said data processing in response to display of prompts listed in the prompt table.
[0028] According to the principles of the invention, the prompt table files are arranged to be loaded into the terminal using an appropriate file authentication method. One example of a file authentication arrangement, although it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, for purposes of the present invention, any file authentication system capable of authenticating a signed prompt table file may be used, and that the specific file authentication system illustrated in FIG. 2, and the method illustrated in FIG. 3, are included herein solely for purpose of illustration and not by way of limitation.
[0029] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the system of the preferred embodiment of the invention includes, in addition to terminal 2 arranged as set forth above, a certification authority/smart card management system 4 that issues smart cards 6 containing one or more signer certificates 9 , one or more private keys 3 corresponding to the signer certificates for generating digital signatures, and PINs 13 for enabling controlled access to the digital signing process carried out by the file signing tool 5 for the purpose of signing the above-described prompt table files.
[0030] Optionally, to protect the private key, smartcards 6 may be arranged to store the private key 3 in such a manner that the private key can only be accessed by a secure processor embedded in the smartcard, the secure processor being programmed so that it performs all digital signing operations that require access to the stored private key. In addition, further protection for the signing operation may be provided by requiring entry of one or more PINs before the smartcard can be used in a prompt table file signing operation.
[0031] Smartcards that include a secure processor and the capability of storing information in a manner that ensures that the stored information can only be accessed by the secure processor are commercially available from a number of sources, and the present invention can use any such smartcards. In addition, the present invention could utilize other types of portable storage/processing devices, including optical cards having internal secure processors. The exact structure of the smartcard is not critical, so long as the smartcard is capable of performing all necessary file signing operations that require access to the stored private key. It is possible, for example, to perform all digital signing operations on the smartcard, or to assign operations that do not require key access to the file signing tool 5 . Of course, it is essential that the private key (or keys) stored on the card cannot be accessed by physically tampering with the card, but tamper protection features are readily available in conventional smartcards.
[0032] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the entity that prepares the smartcard 6 is certification authority/smartcard management system 4 . While the certification authority/smartcard management system of the preferred embodiment of the invention is not to be limited to a particular hardware configuration, one possible configuration is a regular PC 7 running Windows NT, a smartcard DataCard reader/printer 5 that prints information on the cards and that loads the private keys and certificates into the smartcard, and a GCR410 smartcard reader used to validate the generated smartcard before sending it out. The private key may be generated by any private-public key generating algorithm, of which a number are well-known.
[0033] Also in the preferred embodiment, the signer certificate 9 associated with the private key 3 stored on the card may, by way of example and not limitation, comply with the IUT X509-V3 generic certificate standard, and in particular the PKIX-X509 profile. Since this is a publicly available standard well-known to those skilled in the art, further certificate definitions are not included herein, except to note that several private field extensions to the pre-defined version, serial number, algorithm identifier, issuer, validity period, key owner name, public key, and signature fields of the certificate may be added to define specific key properties. Especially advantageous are extensions that limit file types attached to the certificate, key width (which permits multiple keys to be loaded in the same field is the key is “narrow,” for example in the case of sponsor certificates), and an identifier for a replacement certificate.
[0034] The customer file signing tool 5 may also include a regular PC 10 running Windows NT, and a GCR410 smartcard reader 11 that receives the smartcard and uses it to process the prompt table files for downloading to the terminal 1 . In particular, the file signing tool must at least be capable of receiving the prompt table file and supplying data necessary to the digital signing process to the smartcard reader for transfer to the smartcard, of receiving the digital signature 12 from the smartcard, and of supplying the digitally signed prompt table file to the terminal 1 , preferably together with the signer certificate retrieved from the smartcard.
[0035] If the smartcard is to be protected by a PIN 13 , then the file signing tool 5 must be capable of relaying an input PIN to the smartcard for comparison with a PIN stored on the card by the certification authority 4 . In order to enable multiple PINs to be established, it is simply necessary to include a field in the memory area of the card designating the number of PINs, and to store the multiple PINs on the card. Corresponding PINs must be sent separately from the certification authority to the file signing entity, for distribution to the person or persons that carry out the file signing. These PINs may be distributed to multiple individuals and correct entry of all PINs required to enable signing of a file, thus ensuring that a single individual cannot access the card without cooperation from all PIN holders, or the multiple PINs may be associated with multiple access levels. In the latter case, one PIN might be used to permit signing of certain non-critical types of files, while multiple PINs might be required to permit signing of critical file types.
[0036] As indicated above, terminal 2 is a PINpad having the capability of authenticating a downloaded file by decrypting the digital signature 12 with a corresponding public key 14 derived from the signer's public key certificate 9 , and of authenticating the public key certificate 9 by means of an owner's certificate 15 that has previously been installed in the terminal, for example by the certification authority, and preferably by using appropriate authentication procedures. One example of such a transaction terminal is manufactured by VeriFone, Inc., a division of Hewlett Packard, which utilizes a single chip microcontroller with GPV3 functionality implemented as an on-chip hard-coded ROM and fixed-use RAM with sufficient input/output capabilities to drive a display, scan a keypad, support a magnetic card reader and primary interface, and a communications port for communicating with a main processor internal or external to the host platform. Additional support for authentication may be provided by an optional transaction speed coprocessor arranged to provide RSA cryptography functions, and to communicate with the core processor by means of triple DES encoding or a similar data protection algorithm. The input/output features of the terminal may be omitted when the core is used as a security module in a PINpad.
[0037] Such a terminal is capable of receiving the prompt table file downloaded from the file signing tool, and of authenticating the file by extracting the public key 14 from the signer certificate 9 , decrypting the digital signature 12 using the public key 14 , and comparing the values extracted from the decrypted digital signature with either (i) a reference value, (ii) values extracted from the signed file, and/or (iv) values extracted from the signer certificate, depending on the specific algorithms used to generate the digital signature, and on the specific authentication method used by the terminal, which may be pre-determined or selected based on information provided in the public key certificate.
[0038] If the signer certificate used to authenticate the prompt table file is downloaded to the terminal 2 together with the digitally signed file, then it is necessary for the terminal to authenticate the signer certificate. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the signer certificate is signed by the certification authority 4 and authenticated by an owner or sponsor certificate previously installed in the terminal.
[0039] Although not shown, the terminal may also include further certificates used to authenticate the one or more owner or sponsor certificates during installation. The terminal 2 may include a single partition or multiple partitions which can be assigned to different sponsors, such as different banks and/or credit card companies, for storing application programs that control data communications, customer prompts, and so forth. Each of these partitions has a different owner's or sponsor's certificate for authenticating signer's certificates.
[0040] The partitions may, preferably, be arranged in a hierarchy that permits different levels of authentication within a partition. Initially, the terminal is provided with a root platform certificate in a secure root directory. The root certificate is used to authenticate an operating system partition certificate and an application partition certificate that permit operating software loaded by the manufacturer or that authenticates the operating system owner certificate of another party such as the key management authority to be authenticated so that the other party can load operating system software, and that permits the key management authority to authenticate owner or sponsor certificates for the application areas of the terminal.
[0041] Although not required by the present invention, the partitions may advantageously be arranged in a hierarchy that permits different levels of authentication within a partition. Initially, the terminal is provided with a root platform certificate in a secure root directory. The root certificate is used to authenticate an operating system partition certificate and an application partition certificate that permit operating software loaded by the manufacturer or that authenticates the operating system owner certificate of another party such as the key management authority to be authenticated so that the other party can load operating system software, and that permits the key management authority to authenticate owner certificates for the application areas of the terminal.
[0042] In addition to securing the terminal against unauthorized access through file transfers, the terminal should of course be physically secured, for example by arranging the terminal to erase information if an attempt is made to pry open the case without proper authentication, or that renders the terminal inoperative upon repeated such attempts. Similar protection against physical tampering may also be provided for the smartcard or secure processing unit. Such tamper prevention arrangements are well-known and are not part of the present invention.
[0043] Turning to FIG. 3, the specific authentication method used in the preferred embodiment of the invention involves three principal subroutines or sub-methods carried out, respectively, by certification authority 4 , file signing tool 5 , and terminal 2 : certification, signing, and authentication. The certification subroutine begins when a request for a sponsor certificate is received by the certification authority (step 200 ). The certification authority then collects data concerning the identity of the requester for the purpose of creating the certificate or, if the requester is an existing customer, authenticates the requester (step 210 ) by asking the requester to the use the file signing tool and an existing signer certificate to sign a file supplied by the certification authority, thus enabling the certification authority to verify that the requester is entitled to new signer or clear certificates for a particular sponsor certificate. The order is then confirmed by the requester, signer certificates for the previously generated sponsor certificate are generated, and the signer certificates, private key(s), and PIN(s) are loaded onto a smartcard (step 220 ). Finally, the smartcard is sent to the requester (step 230 ), as is a separate communication containing the PIN(s) necessary to use the smartcard.
[0044] When the sponsor wishes to load a prompt table file into a terminal, the prompt table file is transferred to the file signing tool, (step 240 ), the smartcard is inserted into the card reader of the file signing tool (step 250 ), and all necessary PINs are input (step 260 ). If the set of entered PINs is complete and correct, the file signing tool generates a digital signature (step 270 ), retrieves the signer certificate (step 280 ), and then downloads the digitally signed file together with the signer certificate to the terminal (step 290 ).
[0045] Upon receipt of the digitally signed prompt table file, the terminal authenticates the file by decrypting the digital signature and verifying that the resulting plaintext information or values correspond to those included in the signer certificate (step 300 ). The terminal then authenticates the signer certificate by referring to a sponsor certificate previously stored or loaded into the terminal (step 310 ), completing the authentication process.
[0046] Having thus described a preferred embodiment of the invention in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention, it will nevertheless be appreciated that numerous variations and modifications of the illustrated embodiment may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended that the invention not be limited by the above description or accompanying drawings, but that it be defined solely in accordance with the appended claims. | Prompt tables that permit numeric keys on the keypad of a PINpad terminal to be used for entry of numerical data other than PINs if and only if pre-formatted prompts or messages appropriate to the data have been previously displayed, are provided in the form of an authenticatable files that may be loaded into the PINpad, thereby permitting variation in the prompts and keypad assignments. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to latch structure, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved child safety lock apparatus wherein the same is directed for the remote actuation requiring a predetermined poundage to effect actuation of the organization.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Latch structure of various types have been utilized in the prior art such as exemplified in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,925,257; 4,048,050; 4,697,306; 4,286,809; and 4,111,505.
The prior art has heretofore employed various safety latch structure but wherein the instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by directing the latch structure for continuous engagement prior to the closure of a remote switch, wherein the remote switch requires a predetermined poundage such as eighty pounds minimum to effect disengagement of the latch structure relative to an associated cabinet and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of lock apparatus now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a child safety lock apparatus wherein the same is arranged to prevent disengagement of the lock structure prior to closure of a switch member requiring a predetermined poundage for operation. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved child safety lock apparatus which has all the advantages of the prior art safety lock structure and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention provides a latch structure arranged for use with cabinets and the like arranged to include a remote treadle operated switch housing arranged to effect selective actuation of an electromagnetic member to effect disengagement of a latch member. The latch member includes a latch housing having a slide rod, with the slide rod having a slide rod head for selective ferromagnetic attraction to the electromagnetic member to disengage the latch member.
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of all of its structures for the functions specified.
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. 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 child safety lock apparatus which has all the advantages of the prior art safety lock apparatus and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved child safety lock apparatus which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved child safety lock apparatus which is of a durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved child safety lock apparatus 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 child safety lock apparatus economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved child safety lock apparatus 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.
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 an isometric illustration of the invention.
FIG. 2 is an orthographic view, taken along the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1 in the direction indicated by the arrows.
FIG. 3 is an orthographic view, taken along the lines 3--3 of FIG. 1 in the direction indicated by the arrows.
FIG. 4 is an orthographic view, taken along the lines 4--4 of FIG. 3 in the direction indicated by the arrows.
FIG. 5 is an orthographic view of a modified rod structure within the switch housing.
FIG. 6 is an orthographic view, taken along the lines 6--6 of FIG. 5 in the direction indicated by the arrows.
FIG. 7 is an isometric illustration of a modified latch housing structure.
FIG. 8 is an orthographic view, taken along the lines 8--8 of FIG. 7 in the direction indicated by the arrows.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 8 thereof, a new and improved child safety lock apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.
More specifically, the child safety lock apparatus 10 of the instant invention essentially comprises a switch housing 11 arranged to effect disengagement of a latch member 12 through an electromagnetic member 13. The electromagnetic member 13 includes an electromagnetic member support bracket 14 mounted to the electromagnetic member for securement to an associate cabinet structure (not shown), with a forward end 15 of the electromagnetic member 13 arranged in a coaxially aligned facing relationship relative to the latch member 12. The latch member 12 is configured with a latch housing cylinder 16 coaxially aligned relative to the electromagnetic member 13. A housing cylinder is arranged having a first end wall 17 spaced from a second end wall 18, with the second end wall 18 arranged in a parallel relationship relative to the electromagnetic forward end 15. A housing cylinder mounting bracket 19 is provided also to permit selective securement of the latch member 12 to an associated cabinet structure in any desired manner utilizing whatever fastening structure or adhesives as desired.
A slide rod 20 is coaxially directed through the latch housing cylinder 16, and more specifically through the second end wall 18, having an abutment block 21 mounted fixedly to the slide rod 20 between the slide rod 20 and the first end wall 17 within the latch housing cylinder 16. A slide rod spring 22 is captured between the abutment block 21 and the first end wall 17 within the latch housing cylinder 16, as illustrated, to normally bias the abutment block 21 and an associated latch plate 24 that is slidably and orthogonally directed through the first end wall 17 permitting the biasing from the slide rod spring 22 to project the latch plate 24, in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 2. The slide rod 20 is formed with a slide rod head 23 fixedly mounted in an orthogonal relationship relative to the slide rod at an outermost distal end thereof in a facing parallel relationship relative to the electromagnetic member forward end 15, whereupon actuation of the electromagnetic member 13 effects ferromagnetic attraction of the slide rod head 23 that at least is formed of a ferrous magnetically adherable material.
The switch housing 11 is formed with a switch housing top wall 25 and a side wall 26 having a flexible pleated construction to permit projection of the switch housing top wall 24 towards the switch housing bottom wall 27 in a parallel relationship. A bottom wall insert 28 is removably mounted such as by threaded disengagement, as illustrated in the FIGS. 3 and 4, within the switch housing bottom wall 27. The insert 28 is arranged to include a battery holder bracket or a plurality of such brackets 29 arranged to mount battery members 35 that are arranged for selective actuation of the electromagnetic member 13. A support post 30 is orthogonally and fixedly mounted to the insert 28 within the switch housing, and the support post includes a first plate 31 fixedly mounted to the support post in an orthogonal relationship parallel and spaced relative to the insert 28 to provide for positioning of the battery holder brackets 29 between the first plate 31 and the insert 28. A second plate 32 oriented parallel and in a spaced relationship relative to the first plate 31 is arranged between the first plate 31 and the switch housing top wall 25. The first plate 31 is arranged of a first width, with the second plate 32 having a second width substantially less than the first width such that a switch spring 33 is captured between the switch housing top wall 25 and the support post first plate 31. The switch housing top wall 25 includes a top wall contact plate 34 arranged in a facing relationship relative to the second plate 32 such that compression of the top wall 25 towards the second plate 32 effects closure of the switch and electrical communication of the batteries 35 with the electromagnetic member 13 to effect electromagnetic attraction to the slide rod head 23.
The FIGS. 5 and 6 indicates the use of a modified support post 36 having a threaded post end portion 37 positioned between the first plate 31 and the second plate 32 to receive a second plate internally threaded socket tube 38 in an adjustable relationship to provide for selective spacing of the second plate 32 relative to the contact plate 34. Electrical communication with the battery members 35 is effected by a collar 39 arranged for threaded mounting about the modified support post 36 having a contact leg 40 orthogonally and fixedly mounted to the collar, with the contact leg 40 having a contact leg spring contact plate 41 arranged in biased engagement with the second plate 32. It should be understood that a collar 39 is formed of an electrically insulative material such that electrical communication between the battery 35 and the contact leg 40 and associated contact leg spring 41 is not grounded by the collar 39.
The FIGS. 7 and 8 indicates the use of a lubricant reservoir housing 42, having a housing cap 43 removably mounted therefrom to permit replenishment of fluid within the reservoir cavity 46. A flexible membrane 44 of an annular configuration is arranged in surrounding relationship relative to the latch plate 24 between the first end wall 17 and the abutment 21. A fluid lubricant impregnated compressible wick 45 is positioned between the flexible membrane 44 and the first end wall 17 such that upon biased compression and projection of the abutment block 21 to the first end wall 17, lubricant is extracted from the compressible wick structure 45 to direct lubricant relative to the latch plate 24 to maintain its ease of sliding through the first end wall 17.
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, the same should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly no further discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention shall 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. | A latch structure arranged for use with cabinets and the like is arranged to include a remote treadle operated switch housing arranged to effect selective actuation of an electromagnetic member to effect disengagement of a latch member. The latch member includes a latch housing having a slide rod, with the slide rod having a slide rod head for selective ferromagnetic attraction to the electromagnetic member to disengage the latch member. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an FM-receiver for receiving an FM-signal with transmission identification. An aerial input is connected to a tuning unit to which there are connected, in succession, an IF unit, an FM-detection circuit, a pilot regeneration circuit, a demodulation arrangement for demodulating a code signal which comprises transmission identification information. A clock regeneration circuit is connected to both the pilot regeneration circuit and the demodulation arrangement and comprises a resettable phase search circuit for producing a clock signal the frequency of which is derived from a regenerated pilot frequency and the phase of which is derived from the demodulated code signal to provide clock-controlled decoding circuit for decoding the code signals and a clock-controlled signal processing unit.
Such an FM-receiver is disclosed in Netherlands patent application No. 8000607, which has been laid open to public inspection.
The information for the transmission identification is transmitted in the form of continuously repeated digital code words. The consecutive code words form together a code signal which is binary phase-modulated on what is commonly referred to as a code sub-carrier in the spectrum of an FM-signal. The frequency of this code sub-carrier is in a given, fixed relationship to the frequency of a pilot e.g. the (19 KHz) stereo pilot or the (57 KHz) traffic pilot which is included in the transmitted FM-signal. The frequency of the clock signal with which coding of the code signal has been effected in the transmitter is also in a given relationship to the frequency of this pilot.
In the prior art FM-receiver the first mentioned frequency relationship is employed for stable demodulation of the code signal. The frequency relationship between the clock signal and said pilot is used in association with the demodulated binary code signal for an accurate frequency and phase synchronization of the regenerated clock signals and, after synchronization, for a direct coupling of the regenerated clock signal to the pilot. As a result thereof, once a clock signal has been synchronized it has a high degree of stability and is only disturbed in the event of a drop-out or a considerable amplitude reduction of the relevant pilot.
In practice, in certain circumstances, more specifically with mobile reception, disturbances may occur in the received FM-signal which in the prior art FM-receiver result in annoying disturbances in the reproduction of the transmission identification information. The disturbances in the reproduction may have two different causes. They may be the result of a phase derangement or phase-slip of the regenerated clock signals owing to a drop-out or a considerable amplitude reduction in the received pilot during a certain period of time. Disturbances of such a type can be eliminated by resetting the clock regeneration circuit, so that the phase synchronization of the clock signal is recovered by means of the phase search circuit. For that purpose, the prior art FM-receiver has been equipped with a manually operable reset button.
However, the disturbances in the reproduction may also be the result of disturbances of the code signal itself. Since the amplitude of the code sub-carrier in the received FM-signal is much smaller than the amplitude of the pilot, the last-mentioned disturbances are of a much more frequent occurrence than the disturbances owing to a phase-slip of the clock signal.
Although it is possible to reduce to a certain extent the number of errors in the decoded signal by means of an error correction circuit, it has been found in practice and particularly with mobile reception that disturbances of the code signal occur with such a frequency and such a long duration that even after a possible error correction annoying and repeatedly occurring disturbances in the reproduction of the transmission identification cannot be prevented from occurring.
Consequently, with the prior-art FM-receiver the reproduction of the transmission identification is unstable and sensitive to noise, while the majority of disturbances in the reproduction cannot be eliminated by operating the reset button.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an FM-receiver for receiving an FM-signal with transmission identification with a stabilized reproduction and/or other processing of the transmission identification and an automatic recovery of the phase synchronization of the clock signal.
According to the invention, an FM-receiver is characterized by a switchable writing circuit, a memory circuit and a reading circuit, which are arranged between the decoding circuit and the signal processing unit. An interference detection arrangement for measuring interference in the received FM-signal and a control signal generating circuit connected thereto are coupled to a control input of the switchable writing circuit and to a resetting input of the clock regeneration circuit for blocking the writing circuit when interferences of a first level are received and resetting the clock regeneration circuit when interference of a second level are received. The first interference level is lower than the second level and at least substantially equal to the interference level at which noticeable decoding errors occur, and the second interference level is at least substantially equal to the interference level at which a phase slip of the clock signal occurs.
When the invention is used, the interference level of the received FM-signal is measured and used as an indication for the error probability in the decoded code signal owing to disturbances in the code signal itself and the probability of occurrence of a phase slip of the regenerated clock signal owing to disturbances in the received pilot signal.
For interference levels lower than the so-called first interference levels errors are not present in the decoded code signal or in such a small number as to be disregarded and/or they can be eliminated by means of an error correction circuit. The operation of the FM-receiver in accordance with the invention then corresponds to the operation of the prior art FM-receiver.
For interference levels in the received FM-signal which is located between the first and the second interference levels the decoded code signal is noticeably disturbed, even after an eventual error correction, and writing of the code signal into the memory circuit is blocked. However, the phase synchronization of the regenerated clock signal remains uneffected, so that the clock-control signal processing operation, such as for example the optical display of the transmission identification, may continue uninterrupted, use then being made of the code information stored in the memory circuit prior to the relevant disturbances. As a result thereof, the FM-receiver in accordance with the invention continues, in contrast with the prior art FM-receiver, to reproduce or process in a different way correctly without interruption the transmission identification at the occurrence of this type of frequently occurring disturbance.
For interference in the received FM-signal exceeding the second interference level the control signal generation circuit generates a reset signal for the clock regeneration circuit. This results, in contrast with the prior art FM-receiver, in an automatic phase synchronization of the regenerated clock signal without external control.
In a preferred embodiment of an FM-receiver in accordance with the invention, the interference detection arrangement comprises a signal amplitude and multi-path detector, which is connected by an integrator to a threshold circuit which is included in the control signal generation circuit and has first and second threshold voltages which correspond to the first and second interference level, respectively. The integrator output voltage blocks the writing circuit when the first threshold voltage is passed and resetting the clock regeneration circuit when the second threshold voltage is passed.
This measure is based on the recognition of the fact that the extent to which a code signal and/or the pilot is disturbed does not directly depend on the extent of multi-path and magnitude of the signal amplitude or the signal-to-noise ratio of the received FM-signal but does so through a time integral.
The use of the last-mentioned measure in accordance with the invention furnishes, by means of the interference detection arrangement, a true measure of the disturbing effect of both rapidly repeated interference phenomena, such as for example bursts, which are produced by man made noise and interference phenomena of a longer duration, such as, for example, screening by tunnels, a low field strength and multi-path reception in hilly country etc. An adequate, and especially timely blocking of the writing circuit and resetting of the clock regeneration circuit is possible by means of such an interference detection arrangement.
In a further embodiment of an FM-receiver in accordance with the invention the writing circuit comprises, arranged between the decoding arrangement and the memory circuit, a switching arrangement as well as an error detection circuit connected to the decoding arrangement. The error detection circuit comprises a comparator circuit for mutually comparing one or more corresponding code bits in several consecutive code words connected to a control input of the switching arrangement for blocking the writing circuit in the event of unequal code bits. This control input of the switching arrangement also is connected to the control signal generating circuit.
When this measure is used, a bit-wise blocking of faulty code bits can be effected below the first interference level by means of the switching arrangement. The repetition of the transmission identification information in iterative, mutually equal code words renders it possible to detect, by means of the comparison circuit, faulty code bits by comparison and also to effect a certain error correction by storing only correct code bits in the memory circuit. The degree of error correction depends on the quality of the error detection, that is to say on the number of comparisons, and also determines the interference level at which decoding errors significantly disturb the reproduction or other processing operations of the transmission identification. Above this so-called first interference level the decoded code signal is disturbed for such a long period of time and so frequently that faulty code bits are no longer recognizable. By continuously blocking the writing circuit these faulty code bits are prevented from being entered into the memory circuit where they might cause noticeable disturbances.
In a still further preferred embodiment of such an FM-receiver in accordance with the invention, the comparison circuit comprises a resettable code bit incrementing circuit for automatically incrementing, after a resetting signal, the number of code bits to be mutually compared. This code bit incrementing circuit is connected to the control signal generation circuit for a resetting operation when the second interference level is passed.
When this measure is used, the number of mutual comparisons of corresponding code bits in consecutive code words is variable, and increases, after a resetting signal from the control signal regeneration circuit, from one code bit per code word in a number of consecutive code words, for example 3 code words, to, for example, 4 bits per code word, writing only being effected when four corresponding code bits in the relevant mutually consecutive code words are equal. Reproduction of the transmission identification can then be effected after recovery of the phase synchronization of the clock signal, followed by a rapid increase in the reliability of the information reproduced, and after a disturbance of only the code signal to maintain a high degree of reliability.
In a further preferred embodiment of such an FM-receiver in accordance with the invention, the signal amplitude and multi-path detector comprises a multiplying circuit having first and second inputs, the first input being connected to an output of the pilot regeneration circuit and the second input being connected to an output of the FM-detection circuit, and an output being connected to the integrator.
When this measure is used, the signal amplitude and the multi-path is measured on the basis of the amplitude and the phase of the relevant pilot, which has a comparatively large amplitude. This results in a particularly reliable measure for both the disturbance of the pilot and the disturbance of the code signal, while in addition a simple implementation of the signal amplitude and multi-path detector is possible.
In a further preferred embodiment of an FM-receiver in accordance with the invention, in the event of an undisturbed reception the signals at the two inputs of the multiplying circuit have mutually equal phases, the integrator having a time constant of 0.7 msec. and the first and second threshold voltages of the threshold circuit deviating in the order of magnitude of 8 dB and 14 dB, respectively from the maximum integrator output voltage.
The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the Figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an FM-receiver in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of an interference detection circuit and a control signal generation circuit for use in an FM-receiver in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a second embodiment of a writing circuit for use in the FM-receiver of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows an FM-receiver in accordance with the invention which is suitable for the reception of FM-signals with transmission identification and comprises an aerial input having connected thereto a tuning unit 1, to which there are connected, in succession, an IF-unit 2 and FM-detection circuit 3, a stereo decoder 4, audio output stages 5 and 5' and left and right loudspeakers 7 and 8. In said circuits a desired FM-signal is selected in known manner from the signals received at the aerial A and converted into audio-frequency and, possibly, stereophonic sound signals.
The FM-detection circuit 3 produces an FM-multiplex signal, which comprises, in addition to stereophonic or non-stereophonic audio information, a 19 KHz stereo pilot and/or 57 KHz traffic pilot and a code subcarrier which is binary phase-modulated by a code signal. The code signal comprises the transmission identification information to be processed. The frequency of this code-subcarrier is in a given fixed relationship to the stereo pilot frequency f p and therewith also to the traffic pilot frequency 3 f p , for example 7/8 f p , 9/8 f p , 27/8 f p or 31/8 f p (16.6125 KHz, 21.375 KHz; 54.625 KHz or 59.375 KHz). The clock signal with which coding of the code signal has been carried out in the transmitter has a frequency which is also in a given fixed relationship to said pilot frequencies, for example 1/32 f p (594 Hz).
A pilot of the FM-multiplex signal, e.g. the 57 KHz traffic pilot at the output of the FM-detection circuit 3 is applied as a control signal to a phase-locked loop, which functions as a pilot regeneration circuit 10, for regeneration of the traffic pilot. The pilot regeneration circuit 10 may optionally be combined with a stereo pilot regeneration circuit, not shown, included in the stereo decoder for decoding the stereo signal. The code signal-modulated code subcarrier is removed by filtering from the FM-multiplex signal by means of a code filter 11 connected to the FM-detection circuit 3, and is applied to a demodulation arrangement 12 in which demodulation of the code signal is effected. For that purpose the demodulation arrangement 12 is connected to an output of the pilot regeneration circuit 10.
The demodulation binary baseband code signal is thereafter decoded in a decoding circuit 13 connected to the demodulation arrangement 12, that is to say this signal is converted into a digital signal by sampling it at instants determined by a clock signal still to be described. The decoded code signal thus obtained is thereafter stored in a memory circuit 15 by means of a switchable writing circuit 14, which will be further described hereinafter. The stored code signal can be applied to a signal processing unit 17 through a reading circuit 16 connected to the memory circuit 15. By means of the signal processing unit 17 the transmission identification can be optically displayed and/or used, for example, for search tuning, operating a tape recording apparatus or the sound reproduction of the FM-receiver, etc.
In the signal processing operations in the decoding circuit 13, the writing circuit 14, the memory circuit 15, the reading circuit 16 and the signal processing unit 17 a clock signal is used which is regenerated in a clock regeneration circuit 18 connected to the pilot regeneration circuit 10 and the demodulation arrangement 12.
The clock regeneration circuit 18 comprises a resettable phase search circuit 18' and is extensively described in the above-mentioned Netherlands patent application No. 8000607, which has been laid open to public inspection. To understand the invention it is sufficient to mention that the frequency of the clock signal is obtained by frequency division of the (stereo) pilot frequency (f clock =1/32 f p ) and that the phase of the clock signal is statistically determined on the basis of the phase in which the value of the binary baseband code signal changes. This statistical phase determination is carried out by the phase search circuit 18' after a resetting signal has been applied to a resetting input 9 of the clock regeneration circuit 18, after a given phase search period and results in phase synchronization of the clock signal. After this phase synchronization the regenerated clock signal only depends on the (stereo) pilot and interferences in the code signals can no longer disturb the clock signals.
The function of the clock signal during the signal processing operations and also the construction of the decoding circuit 13, the memory circuit 14, the reading circuit 16 and the signal processing unit 17 are sufficiently known and are described in the publication "The SPI system for FM-tuning", published by N. V. Philips' Gloeilampenfabrieken, Electronic Components and Materials Division, 1978, and in the article "Station and Programme identification in FM sound broadcasting" by G. C. M. Gielis, J. B. H. Peek and J. M. Schmidt, published in "Philips Technical Review", Vol. 39, 1980, no. 8, pages 216-225.
The FM-receiver in accordance with the invention also comprises an interference detector 20-26 comprising a mixing stage 20 which operates as a signal amplitude and multi-path detector and to which through a first input 21 the regenerated pilot is applied from the output of the pilot regeneration circuit 10 and also through a second input 22 the received FM multiplex signal, more specifically the relevant pilot thereof, an integrator 23 and a threshold circuit 24 which has first and second output terminals 25 and 26 and functions as a control signal generating circuit.
FIG. 2 shows a practical embodiment of the circuit 20-26 in which the elements which correspond to the elements of the FM-receiver shown in FIG. 1 have been given the same references. The integrator 23 comprises a parallel RC network R 1 C 1 having an RC time constant of 0.7 msec. and the threshold circuit 24 comprises two threshold-responsive transistor circuits T 1 , T 2 and T 3 , T 4 , which are connected to the output of the integrator 23 by an amplifier A.
The transistor circuit T 1 , T 2 comprises two switching transistors T 1 , T 2 , the base of the switching transistor T 1 being connected to the amplifier A through a base resistor R 2 , the collector being connected to a positive supply voltage (5 V) through a collector resistor R 3 and also to the base of the switching transistor T 2 through a base resistor R 4 and the emitter being connected to ground through an emitter diode D. The emitter of the switching transistor T 2 is connected to the positive supply voltage and the collector thereof is connected to a negative supply (-6 V) through a collector output resistor R 5 . The collector of the switching transistor T 2 is then also connected to the second output terminal 26.
Switching transistor T 3 of the transistor circuit T 3 , T 4 is connected to the output of the amplifier A through a base resistor R 6 and to the positive supply voltage through a collector resistor R 7 . The emitter is connected to ground while the collector is connected to the base of transistor T 4 through a base resistor R 8 . The emitter of the transistor T 4 is connected to the positive supply voltage while the collector is connected to the negative supply voltage through a collector output resistor R 9 and also to the first output terminal 25.
The integrator 23 and the threshold circuit 24 are dimensioned such that the switching voltage of the transistor T 1 , that is to say the voltage at which the switching transistor T 1 switches from conduction to nonconduction and vice versa, is twice as large as the switching voltage for the switching transistor T 3 and amounts to 0.4 of the maximum integrator output voltage (100 mV). This maximum output voltage is reached in the event of an undisturbed reception, the received pilot in question having a maximum amplitude at the same phase as the regenerated pilot.
With brief disturbances of the received pilot, caused for example by multi-path reception and bursts, the amplitude and phase of the regenerated pilot remain substantially unchanged because of the time constant of the phase locked loop which functions as the pilot regeneration circuit 10. The output voltage of the mixer stage 20 is therefore, in the event of disturbances of this type, a reliable measure of the phase and amplitude of the received pilot. When this type of disturbances follow each other rapidly then an integration thereof is effected in the integrator 23, which results in a decrease in the integrator output voltage. Also for disturbances which proceed slowly, for example owing to field strength variations due to geographical circumstances, the signal is for example shielded, the integrator output voltage decreases.
When the integrator output voltage decreases to below the first threshold voltage, that is to say the switching voltage of the switching transistor T 1 (40 mV), then this transistor T 1 is cut-off, which also holds for the transistor T 2 . The voltage at the output terminal 26 changes in response thereto suddenly and rapidly from a high to a low value, so that the writing circuit 14 is blocked in a manner to be described hereafter. As the integrator voltage decreases still further then, when the second threshold voltage is passed, that is to say the switching voltage of the transistor T 3 (20 mV), this transistor and also the transistor T 4 , are cut-off. As a result thereof the voltage at the output terminal 25 also changes suddenly and rapidly from a high value to a low value and adjusts the clock regeneration circuit 18 and the writing circuit 14 to the initial state. This initial or reset state is maintained until the integrator output voltage exceeds the second threshold voltage (20 mV).
In a practical embodiment the resistors R 1 to R 9 , inclusive had the values 15 KΩ; 15 KΩ; 3.9 KΩ; 8.2 KΩ; 39 KΩ; 15 kΩ; 3.9 KΩ; 8.2 KΩ; 39 KΩ; respectively; the capacitor C 1 had the value 47 nF; the diode D 1 was of the type BAX 13 and the transistors T 1 to T 4 , inclusive, were of the types BC 109 (NPN) and BC 179 (PNP).
FIG. 3 shows by means of a block diagram an embodiment of the writing circuit 14, in which the elements, corresponding to the elements of the preceding Figure have been given the same reference numerals. The writing circuit 14 comprises a clock-controlled delay circuit 27, which is connected to an output of the decoding circuit 13.
The delay circuit 27 comprises three consecutively arranged shift registers SR 1 to SR 3 , inclusive, the shift register SR 1 having a length of 4 bits and the shift registers SR 2 and SR 3 each having a length equal to one code word length (128 bits). The corresponding bit positions of the shift registers SR 1 -SR 3 are separated from each other by one code word length. Four bit positions, the so-called first to fourth bit positions, inclusive of the shift registers SR 1 -SR 3 are connected to outputs b 11 -b 31 ; b 12 -b 32 ; b 13 -b 33 and b 14 -b 34 , respectively, of the delay circuit 27. The outputs b 11 -b 31 , that is to say the first bit positions of the shift registers SR 1 to SR 3 inclusive, are directly connected to inputs X 11 -X 31 of a comparison circuit 30, which serves as an error detection circuit, while the remaining outputs b 12 -b 32 , b 13 -b 33 and b 14 -b 34 , that is to say the second to fourth bit positions, inclusive of the shift registers SR 1 to SR 3 , inclusive are connected to inputs X 12 -X 32 , X 13 -X 33 and X 14 -X 34 , respectively of the comparison circuit 30 through a controllable switching circuit 28. An output of the comparison circuit 30 is connected to a control input of a controllable switching arrangement 31 arranged between the first bit position (b 31 ) of the shift register SR 3 and a code input of the memory circuit 15 and serving as a writing circuit, and is also connected to a counting input of a counting circuit 29, which serves as a resettable incrementing circuit. The counting circuit 29 is connected to the switching circuit 28 and has a resetting input which is connected to the output terminal 25 of the control signal generating circuit 24.
In the reset position of the counting circuit 29 only the bit positions of the shift registers SR 1 to SR 3 , inclusive are connected to the comparison circuit 30 and this comparison circuit generates a termination or write signal when there is mutual agreement between the bit values. Consequently, the bit value in the region of b 31 is written by a next clock pulse into the memory circuit 15 in a bit position indicated at address outputs A 1 -A 7 of address counter 32, which is connected to the memory circuit 15. In addition, the counting position of the counting circuit 29 is incremented by one.
When the bit values in the so-called first bit positions (b 11 -b 31 ) have mutually different values, the controllable switching arrangement 31 is blocked and no bit value or a predetermined fixed bit value is written into the memory position indicated by the address counter 32. The counting position of the counting circuit 29 then remains unchanged.
This signal processing operation is repeated for the subsequent bits of the code signal until the counting circuit 29 reaches counting position 15.
At the subsequent incrementation of the counting position the second bit positions (b 12 -b 32 ) are connected to the comparison circuit 30 and a further incrementation of the counting position is realized and a termination or write signal is generated only when both the mutual bit values in the first bit positions and those in the second bit positions are equal. This increases the reliability of the error detection. When the counting position reaches the counting position 32, the reliability of the error detection position is again increased as the comparison is extended to 3 bits per word. In the ultimate counting position 4 a very high reliability of the error detection is obtained as the comparison is then on the basis of 4 bits per word.
For a given signal quality, that is to say for a given bit error probability, the reliability of the stored bit information is at the cost of the rate of storage. By controlling, in the above-described manner, the degree of reliability in dependence on the signal quality, an optimum ratio is obtained between the rate of storage, that is to say the rate at which the information is available, for example, for optical display and the reliability of the stored information for different values of the bit error probability.
The switching arrangement 31 has a further control input terminal which is connected to the output terminal 26 of the control signal generation circuit 24. When the integrator output voltage decreases to below the said first threshold voltage, then the switching arrangement 31 is blocked by the output terminal 26 and as a result thereof also writing code bits into the memory circuit 15 is blocked. However, the code bits already stored in the memory circuit 15 remain available for further processing, for example for optical display.
When the integrator output voltage decreases still further to below the second threshold voltage, then the counting circuit 29 and the clock regeneration circuit are reset to their initial position by the output terminal of the control signal generation circuit 24. Then also the information stored in the memory circuit can optionally be erased and/or reading the memory circuit be temporarily blocked. After synchronization of the regenerated clock signal a further incrementation of the counting position of the counting circuit 29 then follows and thereby, as described above, an increase in the reliability of the information stored in the memory circuit 15.
For a person skilled in the art it will be obvious how the circuit shown can be realized, for example by means of the integrated circuits HEF 4024, 4027, 4071, and 4081 (for the controllable switching circuit 28 and the resettable counting circuit 29), integrated circuit HEF 4081 (for the switching arrangement 31), the integrated circuit HEF 4024 (for the address counter 32), the integrated circuit HEF 4585 (for the comparison circuit 30) and the integrated circuit HEF 4720 (for the memory circuit 15).
It will be obvious that the invention is not limited to the embodiment shown. It is, for example, very well possible to employ the inventive idea by using another prior art interference detection arrangement which is known per se and is described in, for example, German patent application No. 2929647, which has been laid open to public inspection, or a different error correction, for example an error correction based on the so-called cyclic redundancy check, before effecting storage in the memory circuit 15, and/or by keying the pilot regeneration circuit to another pilot when the before-mentioned stereo or traffic pilot, which is possible when the frequency of said other pilot also has a fixed relationship with the clock frequency of the code-signal and the frequency of the code subcarrier. | FM-receiver for receiving an FM-signal with transmission identification. An aerial input is connected to a tuning unit (1) to which there are connected, in succession, an IF-unit (2), an FM-detection circuit (3), a pilot regeneration circuit (10) for regenerating a pilot, a demodulation arrangement (12) for demodulating the code signal which contains transmission identification information, and a clock regeneration circuit (18) which is connected to both the pilot regeneration circuit (10) and the demodulation arrangement (12). The clock regeneration circuit comprises a resettable phase search circuit (18') for producing a clock signal whose frequency is derived from the regenerated pilot and whose phase is derived from the demodulated code signal, a clock-controlled decoding circuit (13) for decoding the code signal and a clock-controlled signal processing unit (17). For the purpose of stabilizing the processing, for example, for the reproduction of the transmission identification information, more specifically with mobile reception, use is made, in the event of disturbances of the code signal, of correctly decoded bits which were stored during undisturbed reception in a memory circuit ( 15). Only in the event of extreme interferences the phase search circuit (18') of the clock regeneration circuit (18) and also the other clock-controlled circuits (13-17) are reset to correct a possible phase slip of the clock signal. | 7 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 2002-7991, filed Feb. 14, 2002, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates an apparatus for manufacturing a collimator having a glass tube assembly and a metal sleeve, and more particularly, to an apparatus for automatically assembling the glass tube assembly into the metal sleeve.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] A collimator is an optical communication device transforming light received from a light source into a beam of parallel rays. The collimator is usually employed as a component in a variety of equipment, such as optical communication equipment and semiconductor manufacturing equipment, which is in need of parallel rays.
[0006] As shown in FIG. 1, a collimator 10 generally includes a pigtail 12 and a GRIN (gradient index) lens 14 which are arranged along a coaxial line, a glass tube 15 accommodating and supporting the pigtail 12 and the GRIN lens 14 , and a metal sleeve 16 protecting the glass tube 15 in an outside thereof.
[0007] The pigtail 12 is made of glass, and a fiber 13 forming an incidence path of the light is provided in one end part of the pigtail 12 , through which the light is transmitted. In the other end part of the pigtail 12 is formed a first inclined part 12 a having a predetermined inclination angle with a plane having the coaxial line.
[0008] Further, the GRIN lens 14 disposed coaxially with the pigtail 12 is provided with a second inclined part 14 a in one end corresponding to the first inclined part 12 a of the pigtail 12 . The first inclined part 12 a of the pigtail 12 and the second inclined part 14 a of the GRIN lens 14 are disposed obliquely to the plane to face each other.
[0009] To manufacture the collimator 10 having the above configuration, the GRIN lens 14 is first inserted into the glass tube 15 , and fastened therein. Herein, the one end of the GRIN lens 14 which is formed with the second inclined part 14 a is located inside the glass tube 15 , and the other end thereof protrudes from the glass tube 15 by a predetermined length.
[0010] After the GRIN lens 14 is fixedly attached to and supported by one side of the glass tube 15 , the pigtail 12 is inserted in the other side of the glass tube 15 . Herein, the one end part of the pigtail 12 which is formed with the first inclined part 12 a is inserted inside the glass tube 15 to mate with the second inclined part 14 a of the GRIN lens 14 which has already been supportedly inserted inside the glass tube 15 .
[0011] At this time, the first inclined part 12 a of the pigtail 12 is disposed to be parallel to the second inclined part 14 a of the GRIN lens 14 through an aligning process so as to obtain desired optical properties. Further, if the alignment between the pigtail 12 and the GRIN lens 14 complies with predetermined conditions of the desired optical properties, the pigtail 12 is fixedly attached to an inside of the glass tube 15 .
[0012] Thereafter, the glass tube 15 accommodating and supporting the GRIN lens 14 and the pigtail 12 is inserted into the metal sleeve 16 having a tube shape, and then the glass tube 15 is fastened (fixedly coupled) to the metal sleeve 16 by applying an epoxy resin 17 to one end of the metal sleeve 16 , so as to complete the manufacturing process of the collimator 10 .
[0013] However, the conventional collimator 10 has been manually manufactured . That is, a combining process of assembling the glass tube 15 accommodating the pigtail 12 and the GRIN lens 14 with the metal sleeve 16 is manually performed . As a result, it is inconvenient and takes much time in manufacturing the collimator, thereby decreasing a productivity thereof. Moreover, a manufacturing efficiency and a reliability of the collimator are remarkably decreased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Accordingly, the present invention has been made to overcome the above and other problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing a collimator having a glass tube assembly and a metal sleeve.
[0015] Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing a collimator, in which not only a reliability of the collimator is increased but also a manufacturing time period of the collimator is reduced, thereby increasing the productivity thereof.
[0016] Additional objects and advantageous of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
[0017] These and other objects of the present invention may be achieved by providing an apparatus for manufacturing a collimator by fastening or fixedly attaching a glass tube assembly including a pigtail having a fiber and a GRIN lens coaxially arranged with the pigtail to a metal sleeve having a tube shape . The collimator manufacturing apparatus includes a supporting part, a sleeve grip part connected to the supporting part and having at least one holder holding the metal sleeve therein, a fiber chucking part provided above the sleeve grip part and chucking the fiber, and a lift unit lifting and lowering the fiber chucking part to control the glass tube assembly to be inserted in the metal sleeve along a longitudinal direction of the metal sleeve.
[0018] According to an aspect of the present invention, the sleeve grip part includes a fixed block formed with the holders recessed along a lengthwise direction thereof, and a movable block having one end rotatably combined with one end of the fixed block and the other end removably combined with the other end of the fixed block to hold and support the metal sleeve in the holders.
[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention, inside the movable block is provided a buffer member buffering and supporting the metal sleeve.
[0020] According to another aspect of the present invention, in the other end of the fixed block is formed a slit, and in the other end of the movable block is formed a locking pin inserted into and releasing from the slit selectively.
[0021] According to another aspect of the present invention, the locking pin is rotatably combined with the other end of the movable block.
[0022] According to another aspect of the present invention, the fiber chucking part includes a fixed bracket having a first chucking plate, a movable bracket having one end rotatably coupled to one end of the fixed bracket and the other end removably coupled to the other end of the fixed bracket, and a second chucking plate chucking the fiber in cooperation with the first chucking plate of the fixed bracket.
[0023] According to another aspect of the present invention, in the other end of the movable block is provided a magnet removably coupled to the other end of the fixed block.
[0024] According to another aspect of the present invention, the collimator manufacturing apparatus includes a fiber guiding block incorporated with and supported by the supporting part, disposed between the fiber chucking part and the sleeve grip part, and having at least one fiber passing part through which the fiber passes.
[0025] According to another aspect of the present invention, the lift unit includes a lifting block combined to the fiber chucking part and moving up and down together with the fiber chucking part, a pair of supporting blocks having one end slidably engaged with the lifting block and the other end supported by the supporting part, a cam provided between the supporting blocks above the lifting block and having an asymmetric curvature having a variable radius so as to lift and lower the lifting block at a predetermined height due to rotation thereof, and a link part linked to the cam and rotatably supported by the pair of supporting blocks and having opposite ends exposed to an outside of the supporting blocks.
[0026] According to another aspect of the present invention, the collimator manufacturing apparatus includes an elastic member provided between the fiber guiding block and the lifting block to maintain the lifting block to be spaced-apart from the fiber guiding block. A handle is provided in the link part.
[0027] According to another aspect of the present invention, the supporting part is provided with a winding part partially winding the free end part of the fiber thereon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
[0029] [0029]FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a collimator;
[0030] [0030]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention for manufacturing the collimator of FIG. 1;
[0031] [0031]FIG. 3 illustrates a partial operation of the apparatus of FIG. 2; and
[0032] [0032]FIGS. 4A and 4B, and FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate processes of manufacturing the collimator in order in the apparatus of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0033] Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. The embodiments are described in order to explain the present invention by referring to the figures.
[0034] The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout, and repetitive descriptions will be partially avoided as necessary. Herein, the configurations of the collimator described referring to FIG. 1 will be incorporated herein.
[0035] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for manufacturing a collimator, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, includes a supporting part 20 , a sleeve grip part 30 gripping a metal sleeve (tube) 16 , a fiber chucking part 40 chucking a fiber 13 of a glass tube assembly 19 , and a lift unit 60 vertically lifting and lowering the glass tube assembly 19 disposed inside the metal sleeve 16 at a predetermined height in a lengthwise direction parallel to the metal sleeve 86 and the glass tube assembly 19 .
[0036] The supporting part 20 supports the sleeve grip part 30 , a fiber guiding block 50 , etc., and is provided with a winding part 22 partially winding a free end part of the fiber 13 thereon.
[0037] The sleeve grip part 30 is provided with a plurality of holders 31 a holding and supporting the metal sleeve 16 therein. The sleeve grip part 30 is provided with five holders 31 a . Therefore, five glass tube assemblies 19 can be inserted into five metal sleeves 16 at once. However, the sleeve grip part 30 may be provided with more or less than the five holders 31 a.
[0038] The sleeve grip part 30 includes a fixed block 31 formed with the holders 31 a , and a movable block 32 rotatably combined with the fixed block 31 . The holders 31 a are recessed along the lengthwise direction of the fixed block 31 . Therefore, the metal sleeves 16 are each fitted to the holders 31 of the fixed block 31 , and then the movable block 32 is rotated to be combined with the fixed block 31 , thereby preventing the metal sleeves 16 from being separated from the holders 31 a.
[0039] Herein, between the movable block 32 and the fixed block 31 are provided a first hinge part 34 rotating the movable block 32 against the fixed block 31 , and a locking part 37 locking the movable block 32 to the fixed block 31 .
[0040] The first hinge part 34 includes a hinge pin 34 a provided in one end of the movable block 32 , and a hinge hole (not shown) provided in one end of the fixed block 31 so as to rotatably support the hinge pin 34 a . Herein, the hinge hole may be directly provided in the fixed block 31 or as shown in the accompanying drawing, formed in a first dummy block 35 provided in the one end of the fixed block 31 .
[0041] The locking part 37 includes a slit 37 a formed in a second dummy block 36 provided in the other end of the fixed block 31 , and a locking pin 37 b provided in the other end of the movable block 32 to be selectively inserted into and released from the slit 37 a . Herein, the locking pin 37 b is rotatably combined to the other end of the movable block 32 .
[0042] Thus, the locking pin 37 b is released from the slit 37 a by rotating, and then the movable block 32 is rotated outwardly from the fixed block 31 about an axis of the first hinge part 34 . Thereafter, the metal sleeves 16 are each inserted into the holders 31 a , and the movable block 32 is rotated toward the fixed block 31 . Then, the locking pin 37 b is locked to the slit 37 a , thereby preventing the metal sleeves 16 fitted to the holders 31 a from being separated from the holders 31 a.
[0043] At this time, when the movable block 32 is rotated toward the fixed block 31 , the movable block 32 pushes the metal sleeve 16 against the fixed block 31 . If the movable block 32 presses the metal sleeve 16 , the glass tube assembly 19 made of glass and inserted in the metal sleeve 16 can be broken. Therefore, it is desirable that inside the movable block 32 is provided a buffer member 33 buffering and supporting the metal sleeve 16 .
[0044] On the other hand, besides the above configurations, the locking part 37 may include a magnet provided in the other end of the movable block 32 and removably coupled to the other end of the fixed block 31 . In this case, the other end of the fixed block 31 includes a magnetic body corresponding to the magnet of the locking part 37 .
[0045] The fiber chucking part 40 includes a fixed bracket 41 having a first chucking plate 41 a and a movable bracket 42 having a second chucking plate 42 a . The movable bracket 42 has one end rotatably coupled to one end of the fixed bracket 41 , and the other end removably coupled to the other end of the fixed bracket 41 . The second chucking plate 42 a of the movable bracket 42 chucks the fiber 13 in cooperation with the first chucking plate 41 a of the fixed bracket 41 .
[0046] Herein, between one end of the movable bracket 42 and one end of the fixed bracket 41 is provided a second hinge part 43 . The second hinge part 43 is similar to the above-described first hinge part 34 provided between the movable block 32 and the fixed block 31 , and therefore repetitive description will be avoided.
[0047] In the other end of the movable bracket 42 is provided a magnet 44 removably coupled to the other end of the fixed bracket 41 . Thus, in a state that the fiber 13 is disposed on the first chucking plate 41 a of the fixed bracket 41 , the movable bracket 42 is rotated toward the fixed bracket 41 about an axis of the second hinge part 43 and locked onto the fixed bracket 41 when the magnet 44 is magnetically coupled to the other end of the fixed bracket 41 . As a result, the fiber 13 is chuked between the first and second chucking plates 41 a and 41 b . Herein, it is possible that between the first and second chucking plates 41 a and 41 b , a buffer member 45 is provided so as to prevent the fiber 13 chucked between the first and second chucking plates 41 a and 41 b from being damaged.
[0048] Between the fiber chucking part 40 and the sleeve grip part 30 is provided the fiber guiding block 50 supported by the supporting part 20 . The fiber guiding block 50 is provided with a plurality of fiber passing parts 50 a through which the fiber 13 passes.
[0049] On the other hand, the lift unit 60 includes a lifting block 61 combined with the fiber chucking part 40 to move up and down together with the fiber chucking part 40 , a pair of supporting blocks 63 having one end slidably engaged with the lifting block 61 and the other end supported by the supporting part 20 , a cam 64 rotatably disposed between the supporting blocks 63 above the lifting block 61 and having an asymmetric curvature with a variable radius, and a link part 65 linked to the cam 64 and rotatably supported by the pair of supporting blocks 63 and having opposite ends exposed to an outside of the supporting blocks 63 .
[0050] In the link part 65 is provided a handle 67 , and between the fiber guiding block 50 and the lifting block 61 is provided an elastic member (not shown) elastically maintaining the lifting block 61 to be spaced-apart from the fiber guiding block 50 .
[0051] Therefore, if a user holds the handle 67 to rotate the link part 65 at a predetermined angle to allow a long radius part of the cam 64 to push an upper part of the lifting block 61 , the lifting block 61 moves down toward the fiber chucking part 40 and away from the supporting block 63 due to a rotation of the cam 64 as shown in FIG. 5A. On the contrary, if the user holds the handle 67 to reversely rotate the link part 65 to allow a short radius part of the cam 64 to push the upper part of the lifting block 61 , the lifting block 61 is restored to an original position by an elastic force of the elastic member as shown in FIG. 4A. Thus, according to a movement of the lifting block 61 , the glass tube assembly 19 moves up and down inside the metal sleeve 16 along the longitudinal direction of the metal sleeve 16 as shown in FIGS. 4B and 5B.
[0052] The fiber chucking part 40 and the lifting block 61 of the lift unit 60 are slidably mounted on the supporting part 20 by using a guide rail and a guide groove formed on respective one of the supporting part 20 , the fiber chucking part 40 , and the lifting block 61 of the lift unit 60 . The lifting block 61 of the lift unit 60 and the supporting blocks 63 may have a respective one of the guide rail and the guide groove to allow the lifting block 61 of the lift unit 60 coupled to the fiber chucking part 40 to move in the longitudinal direction.
[0053] Since the fixed bracket 41 of the fiber chucking part 40 is movably mounted on the supporting part 20 and coupled to the lifting block 61 of the lift unit 60 , another elastic member is disposed between the supporting part 20 and the lifting block 61 of the lift unit 60 or the fixed bracket 41 of the fiber chucking part 40 .
[0054] With this configuration, a process of fastening (attaching) the glass tube assembly 19 to the metal sleeve 16 will be described hereinbelow.
[0055] First, the locking pin 37 b is released from the slit 37 a by rotating upwardly, and then the movable block 32 is rotated outwardly from the fixed block 31 on the axis of the first hinge part 34 . Thereafter, the metal sleeves 16 are inserted into corresponding holders 31 a , and the movable block 32 is rotated toward the fixed block 31 . Then, the locking pin 37 b is inserted into the slit 37 a , thereby preventing the metal sleeves 16 fitted into the holders 31 a from being separated from the holders 31 a . At this time, the movable block 32 pushes the metal sleeve 16 against the fixed block 31 .
[0056] After the metal sleeves 16 are fitted into the holders 31 a , the glass tube assemblies 19 are inserted into the corresponding metal sleeves 16 . Then, the fibers 13 each provided in the corresponding glass tube assemblies 19 are passed through the corresponding fiber passing part 50 a of the fiber guiding block 50 and chucked by the fiber chucking part 40 .
[0057] That is, the fiber 13 is disposed on the first chucking plate 41 a of the fixed bracket 41 in a state that the movable bracket 42 is rotated outwardly from the fixed bracket 41 , and then the movable bracket 42 is rotated toward the fixed bracket 41 on the axis of the second hinge part 43 and locked onto the fixed bracket 41 by magnetically coupling the magnet 44 provided in the other end of the movable bracket 42 to the other end of the fixed bracket 41 so that the fibers 13 are chucked between the first and second chucking plates 41 a and 41 b.
[0058] After the fibers 13 are chucked by the fiber chucking part 40 , the free end parts of the fibers 13 are wound on a winding part 22 of the supporting part 20 , respectively.
[0059] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4A, the user holds the handle 67 to rotate the link part 65 at a predetermined angle to allow the short radius part of the cam 64 to push the upper part of the lifting block 61 so that the lifting block 61 moves up toward the supporting block 63 due to the rotation of the cam 64 . An enlarged view of a portion 4 b of the sleeve grip part 30 is explained in FIG. 4B.
[0060] Then, as shown in FIG. 4B, the glass tube assembly 19 is lifted from the metal sleeve 16 at a predetermined height “H”, and an injection device 69 injects an epoxy resin 17 between the glass tube assembly 19 and the metal sleeve 16 .
[0061] Thereafter, the user holds the handle 67 to rotate the link part 65 at a predetermined angle to allow the long radius part of the cam 64 to push the upper part of the lifting block 61 as shown in FIG. 5A. An enlarged view of another portion 5 b of the sleeve grip part 30 is explained in FIG. 5B. The lifting block 61 moves down away from the supporting block 63 due to the rotation of the cam 64 as shown in FIG. 5B.
[0062] Thus, while the glass tube assembly 19 is moved downwardly and inserted into the metal sleeve 16 completely, the epoxy resin 17 injected between the glass tube assembly 19 and the metal sleeve 16 is hardened. With this configuration, if the glass tube assembly 19 is reciprocated inside the metal sleeve 16 , the epoxy resin 17 is spread between the glass tube assembly 19 and the metal sleeve 16 , thereby fastening (fixedly attaching) the glass tube assembly 19 to the metal sleeve 16 firmly.
[0063] As described above, according to the present invention, a glass tube assembly is conveniently fastened into a metal sleeve. Further, not only is the reliability of a collimator increased but also the time of manufacturing the collimator is reduced, and the plurality of collimators are produced at once, thereby increasing the productivity thereof.
[0064] Although a few preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the principles and sprit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. | An apparatus for manufacturing a collimator by attaching a glass tube assembly, which includes a pigtail having a fiber, and a GRIN lens, which is coaxially arranged with the pigtail, into a metal sleeve having a tube shape. The apparatus includes a supporting part, a sleeve grip part connected to the supporting part and having at least one holder for disposing the metal sleeve therein, a fiber chucking part provided above the sleeve grip part and chucking the fiber, and a lift unit lifting and lowering the fiber chucking part to control the glass tube assembly inserted in the metal sleeve to move up and down along a longitudinal direction of the metal sleeve. With this configuration, the glass tube assembly is conveniently fixedly fitted into the metal sleeve. | 8 |
PRIORITY CLAIM
The present application is a National Stage (§371) application of PCT/EP2014/067885, filed Aug. 22, 2014, which claims priority from European patent application 13181707.4 filed 26 Aug. 2013, each of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of ethylene and propylene glycols from saccharide-containing feedstock.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Ethylene glycol and propylene glycol are valuable materials with a multitude of commercial applications, e.g. as heat transfer media, antifreeze, and precursors to polymers, such as PET. Ethylene and propylene glycols are typically made on an industrial scale by hydrolysis of the corresponding alkylene oxides, which are the oxidation products of ethylene and propylene, produced from fossil fuels.
In recent years, increased efforts have focussed on producing chemicals, including glycols, from renewable feedstocks, such as sugar-based materials. The conversion of sugars to glycols can be seen as an efficient use of the starting materials with the oxygen atoms remaining intact in the desired product.
Current methods for the conversion of saccharides to sugars revolve around a hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis process as described in Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2008, 47, 8510-8513.
An important aim in this area is the provision of a process that is high yielding in desirable products, such as ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, and that can be carried out in a commercially viable manner. A preferred methodology for a commercial scale process would be to use continuous flow technology, wherein feed is continuously provided to a reactor and product is continuously removed therefrom. By maintaining the flow of feed and the removal of product at the same levels, the reactor content remains at a more or less constant volume.
Continuous flow processes for the production of glycols from saccharide feedstock have been described in US 2011/0313212, CN 102675045A, CN 102643165A, WO 2013/015955 and CN 103731258A. A process for the co-production of bio-fuels and glycols is described in WO 2012/174087.
Continuous flow processes may be carried out in a reactor operating in essentially a plug flow manner. In such a system there is little or no back-mixing. At the start of the reactor there will be a high concentration of reactants. The concentration of starting materials decreases as the material moves through the reactor as a ‘plug’ and the reaction proceeds. Problems occur when the high concentration of reactants causes decomposition and the formation of by-products, leading to reduced yields of the desired products.
A continuous flow process with a high degree of back mixing may be also carried out, for example, in a continuous flow stirred tank reactor. In such a system the concentration of reactants at any one point will be much reduced, preventing any decomposition due to high concentrations. However, in such a process, as some of the reaction mixture is continuously removed from the reactor, there will be some material that does not react to completion. This results in a product stream that contains starting material and/or intermediates, reducing the overall yield of the process and requiring separation of the starting material/intermediate from the desired product and disposal or recycling thereof.
It would, therefore, be advantageous to provide a continuous process for the preparation of ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol from saccharide containing feedstocks in which substantially full conversion of the starting material and/or intermediates is achieved and in which the formation of by-products is reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides a continuous process for the preparation of ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol from starting material comprising one or more saccharides, wherein the process comprises the steps of
i) providing the starting material and hydrogen to a first reactor, which first reactor operates with mixing;
ii) reacting said starting material and hydrogen in the first reactor in the presence of solvent and a catalyst system;
iii) continuously removing a first reactor product stream from the first reactor;
iv) supplying at least a portion of the first reactor product stream to a second reactor, which reactor operates essentially in a plug flow manner; and
v) further reacting the first reactor product stream with hydrogen in the presence of a solvent and optionally a catalyst system in the second reactor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present inventors have surprisingly found that using a multiple reactor system comprising a reactor with mixing followed by a reactor operating essentially with plug flow provides a process in which substantially complete conversion of saccharides can be achieved in the conversion of saccharides to ethylene glycol and 1,2-propylene glycol.
The starting material for the subject process comprises at least one saccharide selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. Examples of polysaccharides include cellulose, hemicelluloses, starch, glycogen, chitin and mixtures thereof. If the starting material comprises oligosaccharides or polysaccharides, it is preferable that it is subjected to pre-treatment before being fed to the reactor in a form that can be converted in the process of the present invention. Suitable pre-treatment methods are known in the art and one or more may be selected from the group including, but not limited to, sizing, drying, grinding, hot water treatment, steam treatment, hydrolysis, pyrolysis, thermal treatment, chemical treatment, biological treatment.
Preferably, the starting material supplied to the first reactor after any pre-treatment comprises one or more saccharide selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose and starch. Said saccharide is suitably present as a solution, a suspension or a slurry in the solvent.
The solvent may be water or a C 1 to C 6 alcohol or mixtures thereof. Preferably, the solvent is water. Further solvent may also be added to the reactor in a separate feed stream or may be added to the saccharide-containing feed stream before it enters the reactor. Said solvent is also suitably water or a C 1 to C 6 alcohol or mixtures thereof. Preferably, both solvents are the same. More preferably, both solvents comprise water. Most preferably, both solvents are water.
In the process of the invention, the starting material is reacted with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst system in the first reactor. Optionally, a catalyst system may also be present in the second reactor. In one embodiment of the invention, the second reactor is operated in the absence of a catalyst system. In such an embodiment, it is possible that some minor amount of catalyst system from the first reactor is present in the second reactor, but no catalyst system is provided in the second reactor.
If a catalyst system is present in the second reactor, the catalyst system used in each of the reactors may be the same or different. A further advantage of the invention is that different catalysts, tailored to the feed being supplied to each reactor, may be used in each reactor.
Each catalyst system and the components contained therein may be heterogeneous or homogeneous with respect to the solvent or solvents present in the reactors during the process of the present invention.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a homogeneous catalyst system is used in the first reactor. In this embodiment, the catalyst system may remain in the first reactor product stream and be supplied to the second reactor within that stream. Alternatively, a separation step may be included between the two reactors to allow any catalyst in the first reactor product stream to be separated and, optionally, recycled to the first reactor. A further, preferably different, catalyst system may then be present in the second reactor. This further catalyst system can be present in the second reactor as a heterogeneous system or may be another homogeneous catalyst system added to the second reactor, or the first reactor product stream before it enters the second reactor. Alternatively, no catalyst system may be present in the second reactor.
In another embodiment of the invention a heterogeneous catalyst system is used in the first reactor. In this embodiment, the second reactor may also contain the same or a different heterogeneous catalyst system or no catalyst system. Alternatively, the catalyst system present in the second reactor may be a homogeneous catalyst system added to the second reactor, or to the first reactor product stream before it enters the second reactor.
It should be readily understood that each catalyst system may also contain both heterogeneous and homogeneous components.
Depending on the physical state of the catalyst systems and any components contained therein, they may be preloaded into the reactors or, if they are in liquid form or present as a solution or slurry in a solvent, they may be fed into the reactor as required in a continuous or discontinuous manner during the process of the present invention.
In each reactor, the catalyst system used preferably comprises at least two active catalytic components comprising, as a first active catalyst component, one or more materials selected from transition metals from groups 8, 9 or 10 or compounds thereof, with catalytic hydrogenation capabilities; and, as a second active catalyst component, one or more materials selected from tungsten, molybdenum and compounds and complexes thereof.
Preferably, the first active catalyst component consists of one or more of the group selected from iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, iridium and platinum. This component may be present in the elemental form or as a compound. It is also suitable that this component is present in chemical combination with one or more other ingredients in the catalyst system. It is required that the first active catalyst component has catalytic hydrogenation capabilities and it is capable of catalysing the hydrogenation of material present in the reactor.
Preferably, the second active catalyst component comprises of one or more compound, complex or elemental material comprising tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium, niobium, chromium, titanium or zirconium. More preferably the second active catalyst component comprises one or more material selected from the list consisting of tungstic acid, molybdic acid, ammonium tungstate, ammonium metatungstate, ammonium paratungstate, tungstate compounds comprising at least one Group I or II element, metatungstate compounds comprising at least one Group I or II element, paratungstate compounds comprising at least one Group I or II element, heteropoly compounds of tungsten, heteropoly compounds of molybdenum, tungsten oxides, molybdenum oxides, vanadium oxides, metavanadates, chromium oxides, chromium sulfate, titanium ethoxide, zirconium acetate, zirconium carbonate, zirconium hydroxide, niobium oxides, niobium ethoxide, and combinations thereof. The metal component is in a form other than a carbide, nitride, or phosphide. Preferably, the second active catalyst component comprises one or more compound, complex or elemental material selected from those containing tungsten or molybdenum.
Preferably, at least one of the active catalyst components is supported on a solid support. In this embodiment, any other active catalyst component may be present in either heterogeneous or homogeneous form. Said any other active catalyst component may also be supported on a solid support. In one embodiment, the first active catalyst component is supported on one solid support and the second active catalyst component is supported on a second solid support which may comprise the same or different material. In another embodiment, both active catalyst components are supported on one solid support.
The solid supports may be in the form of a powder or in the form of regular or irregular shapes such as spheres, extrudates, pills, pellets, tablets, monolithic structures. Alternatively, the solid supports may be present as surface coatings, for examples on the surfaces of tubes or heat exchangers. Suitable solid support materials are those known to the skilled person and include, but are not limited to aluminas, silicas, zirconium oxide, magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, carbon, activated carbon, zeolites, clays, silica alumina and mixtures thereof.
Suitably, the weight ratio of the first active catalyst component to the second active catalyst component is in the range of from 0.02:1 to 3000:1, preferably in the range of from 0.1:1 to 100:1, on the basis of the weight of metal present in each component. The weight ratio of the active catalyst components may be varied between the first and second reactors and it may be advantageous to alter the composition of the catalyst systems between the reactors to suit the different feed streams provided to each reactor.
The weight ratio of the first active catalyst component (based on the amount of metal in said component) to sugar is suitably in the range of from 1:100 to 1:1000. The weight ratio of the second active catalyst component (based on the amount of metal in said component) to sugar is suitably in the range of from 1:10 to 1:100.
The temperature in each of the reactors is suitably at least 130° C., preferably at least 150° C., more preferably at least 170° C., most preferably at least 190° C. The temperature in the reactor is suitably at most 300° C., preferably at most 280° C., more preferably at most 270° C., even more preferably at most 250° C. Preferably, the reactor is heated to a temperature within these limits before addition of any starting material and is maintained at such a temperature until all reaction is complete.
The pressure in each of the reactors is suitably at least 1 MPa, preferably at least 2 MPa, more preferably at least 3 MPa. The pressure in the reactor is suitably at most 12 MPa, preferably at most 10 MPa, more preferably at most 8 MPa. Preferably, the reactor is pressurised to a pressure within these limits by addition of hydrogen before addition of any starting material and is maintained at such a pressure until all reaction is complete through on-going addition of hydrogen.
Again, it may be advantageous to vary the conditions, e.g. temperature and pressure, between the first and second reactors. This can lead to a more tailored process to suit the different constituents of the feeds provided to each reactor.
The process of the present invention takes place in the presence of hydrogen. Preferably, the process of the present reaction takes place in the absence of air or oxygen. In order to achieve this, it is preferable that the atmosphere in the reactor be evacuated and replaced with hydrogen repeatedly, after loading of any initial reactor contents, before the reaction starts.
Mixing must occur in the first reactor. Said mixing should be carried out to such an extent that the concentrations of the materials in the reactor is relatively consistent throughout. The degree of mixing for a reactor is measured in terms of a Péclet number. An ideally-stirred tank reactor would have a Péclet number of 0. In the first reactor, the Péclet number is preferably at most 0.4, more preferably at most 0.2, even more preferably at most 0.1, most preferably at most 0.05.
It will be clear to the skilled person, however, that concentrations of any materials may be considerably higher or lower in the immediate vicinity of an inlet to the reactor. Suitable reactors to be used as the first reactor include those considered to be continuous stirred tank reactor may be used as the first reactor. Examples include slurry reactors, ebbulated bed reactors, jet flow reactors, mechanically agitated reactors, bubble columns, such as slurry bubble columns and external recycle loop reactors. The use of these reactors allows dilution of the reaction mixture to an extent that provides high degrees of selectivity to the desired glycol product (mainly ethylene and propylene glycols).
In a reactor operating with essentially a plug flow, all of the feed stream moves with the same radially uniform velocity and, therefore, has the same residence time. The concentration of the reactants in the plug flow reactor will change as it progresses through the reactor. Although the reaction mixture preferably essentially completely mixes in radial direction and preferably does essentially not mix in the axial direction (forwards or backwards), in practice some mixing in the axial direction (also referred to as back-mixing) may occur. Suitable reactors operating with essentially plug flow include, but are not limited to, tubular reactors, pipe reactors, falling film reactors, staged reactors, packed bed reactors and shell and tube type heat exchangers.
The plug flow reactor may for example be operated in the transition area between laminar and turbulent flow or in the turbulent area, such that a homogenous and uniform reaction profile is created.
A plug flow may for example be created in a tubular reactor. It may also be created in a compartmentalized tubular reactor or in another reactor or series of reactors having multiple compartments being transported forward, where preferably each of these compartments are essentially completely mixed. An example of a compartmentalized tubular reactor operated at plug flow may be a tubular reactor comprising a screw.
Preferably a Péclet number of at least 3, more preferably at least 6, and still more preferably at least 20, most preferably at least 100 is maintained within the plug flow reactor.
Such a reactor cannot typically be applied to the conversion of saccharides to ethylene glycol and propylene glycol as the concentration of saccharide at the inlet to the reactor and at the early points of the reactor would lead to an unacceptable high level of sugar degradation and fouling under the reaction conditions required.
Preferably at least 50 wt % of the starting material undergoes reaction in the first reactor. More preferably at least 70 wt %, even more preferably at least 80 wt %, even more preferably at least 90 wt %, most preferably at least 95 wt % of the starting material undergoes reaction in the first reactor.
The residence time in the first reactor is suitably at least 1 minute, preferably at least 2 minutes, more preferably at least 5 minutes. Suitably the residence time in the first reactor is no more than 5 hours, preferably no more than 2 hours, more preferably no more than 1 hour.
After further reacting the first reactor product stream with hydrogen in the presence of a solvent and a catalyst system in the second reactor in step (v) of the process of the invention, suitably at least 98 wt %, preferably at least 99 wt %, more preferably at least 99.5 wt % of the starting material has reacted to completion. Reacting to completion means that the starting material and any unsaturated components such as hydroxyl-ketones and hydroxyl-aldehydes are no longer present in the reaction mixture.
The present invention is further illustrated in the following Examples.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
30 ml deionized water, 0.300 g of a catalyst consisting of W(10.88)-Ni(3.63)-Pt(0.05) and ZrO 2 and 0.300 g of a catalyst consisting of Ru(1.0%) on SiO 2 catalyst were charged into a 60 ml autoclave equipped with a gas stirrer and hydrogen supply. The autoclave was closed, the gas phase was replaced by nitrogen, then by hydrogen and the autoclave was pressurised to 30 bara pressure. The autoclave was stirred at 1450 rpm, heated to 195° C. in 15 minutes and pressurised with hydrogen to 75 bara pressure. 5 ml of a solution of 20% wt glucose in water was fed to the reactor. After 5 minutes, a sample of 5 ml liquid is removed from the autoclave. The process of feeding and sampling is repeated for another 5 cycles in order to approximate the conditions in a continuous flow stirred tank reactor.
The reactor was then cooled to room temperature in 15 minutes, depressurized, opened, and the reactor content was filtered. 30 ml of reactor liquid with an average initial concentration of 12% w glucose is obtained. In addition, 30 ml combined sample liquid with an average initial concentration of 8% wt glucose is obtained. Yields of MEG, MPG and 1,2-butanediol (1,2-BDO) were quantified by GC-FID, applying a CPSi1-5 column and can be seen in Table 1.
TABLE 1
Glucose, cumulative
MEG yield
MPG yield
1,2-BDO yield
(% w)
(% w)
(% w)
(% w)
12.0 (reactor liquid)
14.45
1.11
1.06
8.0 (Combined 6 × 5 ml
14.07
1.07
1.05
sample liquid)
Example 2
The reactor liquid (30 ml) from Example 1 and 0.300 g of a Ru(1.0)/SiO 2 catalyst were charged into a 60 ml autoclave equipped with a gas stirrer and hydrogen supply. The autoclave was closed, and the gas phase was replaced by nitrogen, then by hydrogen. The autoclave was then pressurized to 30 bara. The autoclave was stirred at 1450 rpm, heated to 195° C. in 15 minutes, pressurised to 85 bara and kept at reaction conditions for 75 minutes. Such conditions are representative of a plug flow reactor. The reactor was then cooled down to room temperature in 15 minutes, depressurised, opened and a liquid sample was taken for analysis. Yields of MEG, MPG and 1,2-butanediol (1,2-BDO) have been quantified by GC-FID, applying a CPSi1-5 column. Yields are shown in Table 2.
Example 3
The filtered combined sample liquid (30 ml) from Example 1 and 0.200 g of a Ru(1.0)/SiO 2 catalyst were charged into a 60 ml autoclave equipped with a gas stirrer and hydrogen supply. The autoclave was closed, and the gas phase was replaced by nitrogen, then by hydrogen. The autoclave was pressurized to 30 bara. The autoclave was stirred at 1450 rpm, heated to 195° C. in 15 minutes, pressurised to 85 bara and kept at reaction conditions for 75 minutes. The reactor was then cooled to room temperature in 15 minutes, depressurised, opened and a liquid sample was taken for analysis. Yields of MEG, MPG and 1,2-butanediol (1,2-BDO) have been quantified by GC-FID, applying a CPSi1-5 column. Yields are shown in Table 2.
TABLE 2
Glucose, cumulative
MEG yield
MPG yield
1,2-BDO yield
(% w)
(% w)
(% w)
(% w)
12.0 (Example 2)
19.25
6.16
4.47
8.0 (Example 3)
25.51
7.21
5.03
Example 4
15 ml of the filtrate from Example 2, 0.350 g of a W(10.88)-Ni(3.63)-Pt(0.05)/ZrO 2 catalyst and 0.350 g of a Ru(1.0)/SiO 2 catalyst were charged into a 60 ml autoclave equipped with a gas stirrer and hydrogen supply. The autoclave was closed, the gas phase replaced by nitrogen, then by hydrogen and the autoclave was then pressurised to 30 bara. The autoclave was stirred at 1450 rpm and heated to 195° C. in 12-15 minutes. The autoclave was kept at 195° C. while a solution of 4.2 g glucose dissolved in 15 ml deionised water was fed hot to the reactor. The pressure of reactor was adjusted to 85 bara. The total amount of glucose intake is 6 gram, corresponding to a cumulative concentration of 20% wt glucose. Samples were removed after 1 minute and 5 minutes of reaction and the reaction was then allowed to continue for 75 minutes. The reactor was then cooled to room temperature in 15 minutes, depressurised, opened, a liquid sample of 0.3 ml was taken for analysis, yields of MEG, MPG and 1,2-butanediol (1,2-BDO) were quantified by GC-FID, applying a CPSi1-5 column. Yields are shown in Table 3.
TABLE 3
MEG yield
MPG yield
1,2-BDO yield
sample
(% w)
(% w)
(% w)
1 minute
1.62
0.76
1.07
5 minutes
8.09
1.74
1.85
75 minutes
16.79
6.1
4.8
Example 5
15 ml of filtrate from Example 3, 0.400 g of a W(10.88)-Ni(3.63)-Pt(0.05)/ZrO 2 catalyst and 0.400 g of a Ru(1.0)/SiO 2 catalyst were charged into a 60 ml autoclave equipped with a gas stirrer and hydrogen supply. The autoclave was closed, the gas phase was replaced by nitrogen, then by hydrogen and the autoclave was pressurised to 30. The autoclave was stirred at 1450 rpm, heated to 195° C. in 12-15 minutes. The reaction temperature was maintained at 195° C. and a solution of 4.8 g glucose dissolved in 15 ml deionised water was fed hot to the reactor. The total amount of glucose intake was 6 g, corresponding to a cumulative concentration of 20% wt glucose. The pressure of reactor was adjusted to 85 bara. Samples were removed after 1 minute and 5 minutes of reaction and the reaction was allowed to continue for 75 minutes. The reactor was then cooled to room temperature in 15 minutes, depressurised, opened and a liquid sample of 0.3 ml was taken for analysis, yields of MEG, MPG and 1,2-butanediol (1,2-BDO) have been quantified by GC-FID, applying a CPSi1-5 column (Table 4).
TABLE 4
MEG yield
MPG yield
1,2-BDO yield
sample
(% w)
(% w)
(% w)
1 minute
7.41
1.57
1.68
5 minutes
6.2
1.47
1.63
75 minutes
17.23
6.0
4.68 | The invention provides a process for the preparation of ethylene glycol and 1, 2-propylene glycol from starting material comprising one or more saccharides, wherein the process comprises the steps of i) providing the starting material and hydrogen to a first reactor, which first reactor operates with mixing; ii) reacting said starting material and hydrogen in the first reactor in the presence of solvent and a catalyst system; iii) continuously removing a first reactor product stream from the first reactor; iv) supplying at least a portion of the first reactor product stream to a second reactor, which reactor operates essentially in a plug flow manner; and v) further reacting the first reactor product stream with hydrogen in the presence of a solvent and optionally a catalyst system in the second reactor. | 1 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the transfer of impressions from one surface to another by the use of coatings. More particularly, the invention relates to improved transfer images obtained employing a lower concentration of transfer materials than would normally be required in prior art coating processes for obtaining the same desired result.
Heretofore carbon papers have been made primarily by applying to a flexible foundation a single layer of a coating composition comprised of waxes or wax-like materials to which a colorant or blend of colorants had been added. Additional materials could be added to the coating mixture when special properties were desired. The ensuing mixture is then generally applied to a substrate such as paper either in molten form or in solution with one or more organic solvents. In the case of a paper substrate the resulting product is commonly known as carbon or transfer paper. The product is also known as "one-time" carbon paper when it is intended for a single use.
The usual manufacturing procedure is relatively slow, requires special equipment for the application of organic solvent coatings or molten coatings and may result in the application of relatively thick coatings to the substrates. Such coatings may be unsatisfactory where the transfer medium is to be used in producing a large number of copies and in any case may produce images of less sharp definition than where lighter and/or harder coatings are employed. Moreover, such waxy colored coatings have a tendency to smudge the hands and also the underlying copy papers. In addition, when the coating is relatively thick it represents a significant cost factor. The constituents of the coating have been the subject of demand pressure, which in view of supply shortages, has given rise to a continuously increasing element of overall cost.
Various attempts have been made to solve at least some of the above-identified problems as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,752 issued Apr. 5, 1960. According to this prior art teaching, a transfer layer is employed in which the color carrying material is primarily water-insoluble wax but which is of such a nature that it can be spread directly from a water dispersion rather than being applied in a molten condition with attendant temperature control problems. Although at the time, the teachings of this patent represented a significant advancement over the prior art, the coatings used in accordance with this patent are costly and are now in short supply. In addition, and most significantly, these same coatings demonstrate reduced image definition by comparison with standard coatings of comparable thickness.
Aqueous coatings have also been used in the production of donor-receptor copy papers to provide what is commonly known as "mated" systems. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,747. Not only are there the disadvantages and waste of the mated system, the transfer images again, tend to have reduced definition.
Similarly in Swiss Pat. No. 465,386 and German Pat. No. 1,421,444 the use of aqueous coatings is accompanied by production and technical disadvantages as well as a failure to obtain the desired image definition.
Ideally, a method of coating substrates whereby the problems of reduced transfer image definition and smudging are eliminated but which at the same time affords a product of potentially lower cost would be beneficial to both the industry and consumer at large.
Accordingly, it is the principal object of the immediate invention to provide a method of coating transfer media such that the resultant transfer image is well-defined and demonstrates an improved quality over the transfer image obtained from conventionally-coated transfer media.
Another object of the present invention is to reduce the amount of wax and/or wax-like materials needed in the manufacture of transfer coatings.
It is a further object of the present invention to prepare transfer media to the carbon paper type which are cleaner to the touch and which pressure-release images are more smudge-resistant than those heretofore known.
Yet another object of this invention is to produce a one-time carbon paper which is lighter in weight than conventional one-time carbon paper.
The above and additional objects of this invention, which will be more readily apparent on reviewing the ensuing disclosure, are accomplished in accordance with the following summary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
When a mixture of hot wax and pigment is coated on paper according to the conventional one-step process, it has been theorized that a large amount of this transfer material penetrates the paper and is therefore not available for transfer purposes. This accounts at least in part for the inferior quality of some transfer images.
It has been found that the foregoing difficulty can be substantially alleviated by employing a multistage method of coating the transfer materials onto the transfer medium.
The multistage process desirably involves the use of two coatings, of which the first coating is advantageously in the form of a thin layer of dispersed colorant, with or without inorganic extenders. The second coating is a thin supplemental layer of wax and/or wax-like materials, also with or without inorganic extenders, applied at a second station of processing. This procedure surprisingly results in a composite coating which produces better impressions than a comparable coating containing the same concentration of transfer materials applied according to prior art techniques.
Thus, the invention provides a method for improving transfer images in the case of transfer media such as carbon paper while at the same time necessitating smaller amounts of the transfer materials themselves. Specifically, and by contrast with the prior art, the present invention permits the usage of as little as one-quarter pound of colorant coating for each three thousand square feet of transfer medium with the overcoating being present in as small an amount as an additional one-half pound per three thousand square feet of treated surface. The colorant coating desirably is in the range from about 0.25 pounds to about 1 pound preferably 0.5 per 3000 square feet of substrate, and the overcoating is desirably present in the range from about 0.5 to to about 1.5 pounds preferably 1.5 per 3000 square feet of substrate.
According to one mode of the present invention, it is possible to have as little as three-quarter pound of coating per three thousand square feet of transfer medium to derive a specified result in contrast to the prior art coated papers which employ at least two and often times as much as three pounds of coating per three thousand square feet of transfer medium to obtain the same result.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent after considering several illustrative embodiments taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a flow chart for practicing the invention; and
FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D and 2E are illustrative of blade coaters favored in the practice of this invention. However, any types of aqueous coaters which will deliver a sufficiently pattern-free coated surface will suffice for application of both the first and the overlaying coating.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As hereinbefore indicated, the initial or preliminary coating to be applied consists basically of an aqueous dispersion of a colorant or mixture of colorants, the choice of colorant(s) being limited mainly by the color of the image transfer desired. Thus, by way of illustration, colorants which may be used are any of the carbon blacks which lend themselves to dispersion in water, water-insoluble pigments, water-soluble dyes, a clay slurry, a wax dispersion, a combined clay-wax dispersion, or the like. However mainly for reasons of economy, carbon blacks are the preferred materials where it is desired to produce a black transferred image. If the carbon black is not accompanied by its own dispersal agent, a suitable agent such as tetrasodium pyrophosphate may be added.
The second or overlaying coating consists basically of an aqueous dispersion of wax or wax-like materials. Thus, waxes or wax-like materials appropriate for use in this invention are those materials for which water dispersions can be prepared either as a separate dispersion or in conjunction with other ingredients of the aqueous coating composition. Illustrative of these materials are the so-called natural waxes of plant or animal origin such as bees wax, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, etc. or the hydrocarbon-based materials such as paraffins, micro crystalline waxes, low molecular weight polyolefins, montan wax, etc. one or more of which petroleum-based products are or have been made commercially available either in undispersed or water dispersion form. Additional materials appropriate for use in the present invention are the metal salts of fatty acids of at least 11 carbon atoms and preferably of 18 carbon atoms such as the stearates, oleates or linoleates of zinc, calcium, barium, magnesium, aluminum and zirconium one or more of which are or have been made available commercially. The waxy product is desirably an emulsion. If not emulsified, the wax is desirably combined with an emulsifier such as oleic acid or triethanolamine.
Just as one selects the colorant according to the desired color of the image transfer, one selects a hard or soft wax or wax-like material depending on the quality of distinctness and intensity being sought. A paraffin wax, due to its softness, is usually less satisfactory in the practice of this invention than is a harder wax such as a Montan wax or low-molecular weight polyethylene. On the other hand the hardest waxes or wax-like products (such as zinc stearate) may not transfer, under stylus or typewriting pressures, in amounts sufficient for an adequate image unless small amounts of softer waxes or adhesive compounds are included.
As mentioned previously, the colorant and/or the wax, wax-like materials may be employed with or without inorganic extenders. Appropriate extenders for use in this invention are any of the fine-particle inorganic materials which can be readily dispersed in low viscosity carrier fluids such as water. For example, clay, calcium carbonate, titanium dioxide or the like may be employed. Illustrative of the clays which may be employed are any of the grades of clay used in the aqueous coating of paper such as those made available commercially by Georgia Kaolin Co., Elizabeth, N.J., Anglo American Clays Corp., South Atlanta, Ga., and Freeport Minerals Co., New York, N.Y. to name just a few. Similarly, appropriate grades of titanium dioxide are also those used in the aqueous coating of paper which are readily available commercially. Lastly, any grade of calcium carbonate, whether ground from limestone or synthesized by precipitation such as those used in the aqueous coating of paper. However, mainly from a cost savings standpoint, a clay or mixture of appropriate clays is preferably employed as the extender material.
In a preferred embodiment of this invention, an extender or filler material replaces a substantial amount of, and extends, the wax or wax-like material which ordinarily forms the principal part of the transfer coating which has been shown to provide improved transfer characteristics according to pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 817,767 herein incorporated by reference. According to the above-identified patent application the coating is prepared as a dispersion of the filler or extender, with wax or wax-like material and colorant, in a low viscosity medium such as water. However, since the essence of the present invention rests in applying the colorant and wax materials separately, it will be appreciated that all of the filler may be placed with the colorant, or all with the wax materials, or the filler may be present in each coating composition, provided that the total of the combined filler concentrations in no instance exceeds the recommended total filler concentration of the above-identified patent application. Thus, in accordance with the referenced application, the amount of colorant can range from 5 to 25 parts for each 100 parts of extender, while the amount of wax can range from 10 to 40 parts.
Where the colorant is carbon black, or other insoluble material, it is preferably used without any extender material; however, where the colorant is a dye, the preferred amount of colorant is 15 parts per 100 parts of extender material. For colorant beyond 15 parts to approximately 30 parts the transfer images become increasingly dispersed as the amount of colorant increases. Conversely, for colorant below 15 parts per 100 parts of extender, as low as 2.5 parts per 100 parts of extender the transfer images have a progressively reduced density such that 2.5 parts per 100 represents the threshold of acceptable transfer performance.
The preferred amount of wax is 20 parts per 100. The amount of wax may be reduced to as low as 10 parts per 100 which reduced the density of the transfer and it may be increased to as much as 40 parts per hundred which increases the density of the transfer. For wax in excess of 40 parts per hundred, not only is the amount of transfer excessive, but it represents a wasteage of the wax. Conversely, for amounts below 10 parts per hundred of wax the amount of material deposited in the transfer is inadequate for good copy.
It will be appreciated that although mention has not been made thusfar concerning the presence of additional non-essential ingredients, minor amounts of additives such as defoamers, humectants, viscosity modifiers, water-proofing agents and the like may be employed in either or both coatings in commercial practice for convenience in mixing and/or coating. The use of any of these minor additives is dependent on the nature of the mixing and coating equipment. Except for the pigment dispersant required to assure ease and completeness of dispersion of the clay or colorant particles none of these minor additives are considered vital to the practice of this invention.
In selecting the proportions of ingredients one is guided by the nature of the available coating equipment, by the specifications for the final product and by allowable costs, all of which are readily determined by one skilled in the art.
It will be understood that while it is advantageous for the dispersed colorant to be confined to the first coating where an anti-smudge characteristic, colorant may be included in the overcoating, confined to it, or distributed in different hues in the two coatings, according to the particular application desired.
In the practice of the invention according to the Flow Chart 10 of FIG. 1, the colored dispersion is applied in step 10-a by spray, roll coater or blade coater to one side of the fully or partially dried substrate paper, which conventionally is the usual unbleached kraft tissue manufactured for the production of commerical one-time carbon paper. A white or semibleached sheet may, if desired, be used.
In the second process step 10-b the web thus coated, in continuous process, is passed through conventional drying equipment to remove at least most of the water vehicle.
In the third process step 10-c, the aqueous dispersion containing wax and/or wax-like ingredients, with or without inorganic extenders, is applied immediately to the colorant-coated substrate at the second coating station.
In the fourth process step 10-d the web thus coated with the second coating is immediately passed through conventional drying equipment to remove the water vehicle.
The coatings prepared in accordance with this invention can be applied to a substrate, such as paper stock, in a wide variety of ways. However, the coatings are advantageously applied in conjunction with, or as an adjunct to, the standard manufacture of paper, using trailing blade coaters 20A through 20E illustrates in FIGS. 2A through 2E. Such coaters are formed by a backing roll 21 which is covered by an elastomer such as rubber with an illustrative hardness of 70 (P and J). The backing roll 21 advantageously has a finished diameter of between 30 and 36 inches. The paper web 22 to be coated has a wrap of between approximately 90° and 180° around the roll 21, depending on the web, which is adjustably driven by fly rolls 23 with respect to the remainder of the coating machinery (not shown). The backing roll 21 is accompanied by a coating head or chamber 24a through 24c in the case of FIGS. 2A through 2C, and by rolls 24d and 24e in the case of FIGS. 2D and 2E. Blades 25a and 25b are used with the chambers 24a and 24b of FIGS. 2A and 2B, and blades 25c through 25e are used beyond the point of coating contact in FIGS. 2C through 2E.
In FIG. 2A the coating head 24a is formed by a frame 24-1 with end retainers of which one retainer 24-2, also known as a "dam" is visible. The blade 25a serves as an extension of the frame 24-1 into engagement with the web 22. The blade 25a is held in place by releasable jaws. Once the blade has been adjusted, the chamber 24a is filled with a coating composition C prepared in accordance with the flow chart of FIG. 1.
Where it is important to be able to change blades quickly the "enclosed pond" coater 20B of FIG. 2B is employed. In this coater the coating composition C is enclosed in a chamber 24b. A blade 25b is held in place by pressurized plastic tubes 24b-1 and 24b-2. The blade 25b is easily changed by releasing the pressure in the tubes 24b-1 and 24b-2. The coating C enters the chamber 24b at an inlet 24b-3 and is removed at an outlet 24b-4.
Where it is important to start and stop the coating operation quickly, the "flooded nip" coater 20C of FIG. 2C is employed. This coater has a chamber 24c with an applicator roll 24c-1 that permits quick starts and stops. The blade 25c of FIG. 2C has an upside down configuration similar to that of FIG. 2B.
Another suitable coater for the practice of the invention is of the "flex" type as shown in FIG. 2D. This coater uses one or more applicator rollers, with two such rolls 24d-1 and 24d-2 in FIG. 2D, without backing rolls. In addition the blade 25d is a modification of what is shown in FIGS. 2A through 2C. The blade 25d of FIG. 2D makes use of a revolving rod 25d-1 at the point of contact with the web on the backing roll 21. The rod revolves against the direction of web travel thus smoothing the coating on the sheet. The reverse direction of rotation of the rod 25d-1 also increases the flood action in the nip and reduces the number of streaks and scratches that appear in the coating. The thickness of the coating is determined by the pressure of the blade 25d against the web and by the diameter of the revolving rod 25d-1.
Another coater that can be used in the practice of the invention is the coater 20E in FIG. 2E. Like the coater of FIGS. 2B and 2C, the coater 20E uses an inverted blade 25e. This provides a flushing action that keeps the nip clean. To apply the coating the material is disposed at the nip of two gate rolls 24e-1 and 24e-2. It is carried from the second gate roll 24e-2 to a transfer roll 24e-3 and applied to the web before the blade 25e. The weight of the coating is controlled by the position of the blade against the web. One technique for controlling the blade is by the use of air cylinders which move the blade relative to its holder. Like the flooded nip coater of FIG. 2C, the transfer roll coater of FIG. 2E is able to start and stop rapidly.
It will be appreciated that the various features of the coater shown in FIGS. 2A through 2E may be combined in a variety of ways.
In order that the present invention be more clearly understood, reference will now be made to the following examples directed mainly to the preparation and use of the preferred embodiment of this invention, but said examples are not to be construed as limiting in any sense.
EXAMPLE I
One hundred (100) parts of finely divided clay are dispersed in a water medium. The clay mixture is divided into two equal portions. To one portion is added 20 parts of finely divided wax in the form of carnauba wax and the two ingredients blended thoroughly in a ball or colloid mill. To the remaining portion of clay dispersion is added 15 parts of colorant in the form of carbon black under continued agitation until a uniform dispersion of colorant and clay is obtained. The colorant/clay coating mixture is then spread using a trailing blade coater on a roll of paper being processed by a paper making machine. After the coating is substantially dried, the clay/wax mixture is spread onto the clay/colorant-coated paper using the same method as employed previously. After the second coating is suitably dried, the resultant product gives transfer impressions superior to those obtained where the clay, colorant and wax are applied in a single coating operation.
EXAMPLE II
Example I is repeated except that the colorant is 25 parts of colorant. The resulting transfer impressions are better defined than in Example II.
EXAMPLE IV
Example I is repeated except that the colorant is 30 parts of carbon black. The resulting transfer impressions represent an improvement over a comparable one-coat system but are more dispersed than the images of Example III.
EXAMPLE V
Example I is repeated except that the colorant is 15 parts of carbon black. The resulting transfer impressions are less dense than those of Example I.
EXAMPLE VI
Example I is repeated except that the colorant is 10 parts of carbon black. The resulting transfer impressions are less dense than those of Example V.
EXAMPLE VII
Example I is repeated except that the colorant is 5 parts of carbon black. The resulting transfer impressions are less dense than those of Example VI.
EXAMPLE VIII
Example I is repeated except that the colorant is 2.5 parts of carbon black. While the transfer impressions are satisfactory, the impressions obtained from the comparable one-coat system are at the lower threshold of acceptability.
EXAMPLE IX
Example I is repeated except that microwax is substituted for carnauba wax.
EXAMPLE X
Example I is repeated except that calcium carbonate is substituted for clay. The resultant product gives transfer impressions superior to those obtained when the ingredients are applied in a single coating operation.
EXAMPLE XI
Example I is repeated except that titanium dioxide is substituted for clay. The resultant product gives transfer impressions superior to those obtained when the ingredients are applied in a single coating operation.
EXAMPLE XII
Twenty (20) parts of colorant in the form of carbon black are dispersed in a water medium, and seventy (70) parts of finely divided wax of petroleum origin are dispersed in a separate, second water medium. The colorant dispersion is applied to a paper substrate, followed by application and drying of the wax dispersion. The resultant product gave transfer impressions that were superior to those obtained when the ingredients are applied in a single coating operation.
EXAMPLE XIII
Example XII is repeated except that the second dispersion is formed by fifty (50) parts finely divided clay and twenty (20) parts wax. The resultant product gives transfer impressions superior to those obtained when the ingredients are applied in a single coating operation.
EXAMPLE XIV
Fifteen (15) parts of carbon black are mixed with 60 parts of clay and the mixture dispersed into water and milled until the dispersion is smooth and uniform. A second and separate coating mixture containing 20 parts of wax-like material in the form of a petroleum derivative and forty (40) parts of clay is dispersed in water and milled until the dispersion is smooth and uniform. The first coating mixture is applied to a roll of paper using a trailing blade. After the coating is substantially dried, the second coating mixture is applied in the same fashion and similarly dried. The same improved quality of the transfer impressions over comparable one-coat systems was noted as in Example I.
EXAMPLE XV
Example XIV is repeated three different times employing first 10 parts wax, then 30 parts and then 40 parts wax. The results are all satisfactory with the density of Example XVIII being reduced where 10 parts wax are employed; the density of the same increased with the use of 30 parts wax; and the density being satisfactory where as high as 40 parts wax are employed but the comparable one-stage coating system demonstrating a threshold level of acceptance at the 40 parts wax concentration.
EXAMPLE XVI
Fifteen (15) parts of carbon black and 100 parts of clay are dispersed in a water medium. Thirty (30) parts of wax in the form of calcium stearate are separately dispersed in a water medium. The carbon black coating mixture is spread using a trailing blade coater on a roll of paper being processed by a paper making machine. After the coating is substantially dried, the wax coating is similarly applied and dried. Improved results are noted.
While various aspects of the invention have been set forth by the drawings and the specifications, it is to be understood that the foregoing detailed description is for illustration only and that various changes in parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent constituents for those shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. | Coating methods and compositions for products and transfer media, such as carbon papers, in which a preliminary coating of liquid-dispersed colorant, such as carbon black, is applied at a first stage followed by a transfer overcoating at a second stage. The multistage coating procedure affords the threefold benefits of (1) improved image transfer properties in the product; (2) a reduced tendency of the product to smudge; and (3) less than the conventional amount of transfer materials for a specified result being required. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is conventional in the papermaking industry to use suction pipe systems and in particular suction pipes with elongated slots in alignment with a felt. Each suction pipe is positioned so that the felt passes over the slot and the suction causes dewatering of the felt. The water collects within the suction pipe and is directed to an appropriate collection location. Suitable separators can be employed to facilitate collection of the water drawn from the felt by the vacuum dewatering system.
There are several basic types of vacuum pumps presently used in dewatering systems with the choice being dependent on a variety of parameters including cost, machine deficiency and the type of papermaking machinery being utilized. Three basic types of vacuum pumps used in the paper industry are the liquid ring pump, the positive displacement pump, and the centrifugal exhauster or blower. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages with respect to one another and different maximum efficiency values on air flow versus vacuum settings. Therefore, it is important to select not only a particular type of vacuum pump for a given application, but also with size, port openings, number of stages, and other criteria, for the lowest horsepower for unit air flow requirement. Lower horsepower naturally reduces manufacturing, assembly and use costs as well as producing lower energy consumption which is of extreme concern today.
Other factors that always have to be considered in the selection of a vacuum pump system besides the lower horsepower requirements are purchase price, total installation cost, maintenance, seal water requirements, amount of liquid with incoming air flow, and presence of contamination such as solids or fibers. In other words, one type of vacuum pump may look good from a horsepower standpoint, but because of the above other considerations, may not be practical or the total system cost may be more expensive than using another type pump.
In considering the above parameters, an important balancing criteria is based upon sufficient power to permit the use of a felt for dewatering purposes over the longest possible time before replacement is required. It is well known that the felt will wear over a period of time in use and will ultimately have to be replaced. However, the felt also undergoes a reduction in permeability as it is used over a period of time for dewatering purposes. This reduction in permeability naturally affects the efficiency of the dewatering system. Consequently, vacuum pumps of substantial horsepower are utilized in present dewatering systems so that the felts can be used for a longer period of time even after the permeability has been substantially reduced. Naturally the larger horsepower vacuum pump is considerably over sized for the system when the felt is new causing the system to be inefficient and more costly than necessary during a substantial portion of the time a felt is employed. It is only when the permeability has been reduced sufficiently for the additional horsepower to be needed that it is utilized.
Alternatively, felts can be more frequently replaced but this is a costly and time consuming procedure which is undesirable in the industry.
It should also be noted that even with the oversized vacuum pump in regard to horsepower, the additional horsepower is often not sufficient to effectively dewater with the use of a single suction pump and a fixed slot width. It has been shown that increased dwell time is also an effective means of efficiently dewatering as well as increasing the pressure differential.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the above background in mind, it is among the primary objectives of the present invention to provide a constant vacuum felt dewatering system where vacuum pump requirements are minimized, particularly in regard to horsepower requirements. Vacuum pump sizing is based upon a single suction pipe under new felt conditions.
It is also an objective of the present invention to provide a system whereby the felt is subjected to longer dwell times over suction pipe slots thereby increasing the efficiency of the system and achieving a greater dewatering effect.
A further objective is to provide a system with two spaced suction pipes and a slot in each pipe. The pipes are connected by conduit means to a suction applicator means such as a liquid ring pump. The felt is passed over the suction pipes and one of the pipes has a control valve operated by a controller responsive to an increase in vacuum demand in one of the suction pipes to adjust the vacuum applied to the other of the pipes.
One way of accomplishing the control means adjustment is to provide an adjustable control valve responsive to an electrical controller which in turn is responsive to a vacuum transducer connected to one of the suction pipes. A change in demand for suction causes the transducer to signal the controller which in turn operates the adjustable control valve to accordingly adjust the suction applied to the other of the suction pipes. Alternatively, well known pneumatic or mechanical equivalent control means can be used to adjust the control valve in place of the electrical control.
In the system described above, when a new felt is used at start up, the control valve is closed so that only one suction pipe is connected to the liquid ring or positive displacement pump and all dewatering is through the slot of that suction pipe. As the felt permeability decreases, the vacuum level in that one suction pump wants to increase. Through the vacuum transducer the controller senses this demand for increased vacuum and causes the adjustable control valve to open to the other of the suction pipes. A pneumatic control valve can be used for this purpose. In this manner, the felt is dewatered at two locations as it passes over one of the suction pipes and thereafter the second suction pipe with the newly opened conduit system. In one operable design of the system, by the time the felt permeability reaches approximately 50% of original value of the new felt, the control valve is wide open.
In this type of system, minimum vacuum pump requirements are present since the sizing of the vacuum pump or liquid ring pump is based upon minimum dwell time requirements under new felt conditions. When the felt becomes more difficult to dewater, that is of lower permeability, the dwell time is increased.
Dwell time is the time the felt or a given particle of felt is over the open slot. An increase in dwell time may be accomplished by either increasing the slot width or decreasing the speed of felt travel. One way this can be accomplished is by using a single suction pipe with a predetermined slot configuration under new felt conditions. When the felt becomes old, a second slot configuration is used which may include at least a second suction pipe.
In a further embodiment of the system utilizing the liquid ring pump and two suction pipes, the suction through the second pipe is regulated by use of an adjustable slot in that pipe. An appropriate mechanism is used to open and close the slot and that mechanism is responsive to a controller which in turn is responsive to a vacuum transducer at the first pipe. Once again, it has been found effective to use an electrical system whereby an electrical motor is attached to the adjustable slot and is electrically connected to a controller responsive to a change in vacuum demand in the first pipe through appropriate electrical connections. Alternatively, a pneumatic or mechanical system can be used in place of an electrical system. In use, when start up on a new felt is utilized in the system, the adjustable slot in the second pipe is at its minimum width. This provides for maximum dewatering effect through the first suction pipe by means of the liquid ring pump and minimal dewatering with respect to the second suction pipe containing the adjustable slot. Thereafter, as the felt permeability decreases in use, the vacuum level in the first suction pipe wants to increase because it is a constant value pump system. The transducer responds to this demand for increased vacuum level and the controller senses this demand and actuates a motor to open the adjustable slot to increase the vacuum level at the second pipe and thereby maintain a constant vacuum level in the system. The parameters of the system can be adjusted accordingly and it has been found effective to provide a system wherein by the time felt permeability reaches approximately 50% of the original permeability value of the new felt the adjustable slot will be equal to the non-adjustable slot width.
Once again, minimum vacuum pump requirements are achieved since the sizing is based primarily upon a single suction pipe utilized under new felt conditions. The second suction pipe only extends beyond minimum operation after the felt permeability decreases. In all of the embodiments of the present invention, the system is designed so that a minimum horsepower can be used for the liquid ring pump and when permeability decreases for the felt during use, the efficiency of the system is maintained due to the increased use of a second suction pipe to maintain the suction level through adjustment of the suction applied to the second suction pipe in coordination with reduction in felt permeability during prolonged use of a felt in a dewatering system.
A constant vacuum felt dewatering system is provided. The system includes first and second suction pipes with at least one slot in each pipe. A felt is positioned to pass over the slots of the first and second suction pipes. A vacuum producing means is connected to the first and second suction pipes by conduit means. Drive means operates the vacuum producing means to apply vacuum to the first and second suction pipes. Means is provided to advance the felt over the pipes whereupon vacuum is applied thereto to dewater the felt. Control means is provided responsive to a change in felt conditions to vary the dwell time of the felt with respect to the slots.
In summary, the system involves increasing the dwell time for new felt conditions to old felt conditions. This involves sensing a change in vacuum and providing slot adjustment and/or arrangement to maintain a substantially constant vacuum throughout felt life.
With the above objectives among others in mind, reference is made to the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In The Drawings
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the dewatering system of the invention when a new felt is in use and with arrows showing the flow direction;
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the system of FIG. 1 after the felt has reached a point of substantial reduced permeability with arrows showing the direction of flow;
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the dewatering system of the invention with arrows showing the direction of flow when a new felt is in use; and
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the dewatering system of FIG. 3 after the felt reaches a point of a substantial reduced permeability with arrows showing the direction of flow.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Constant vacuum felt dewatering system 20 is depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 which show the operation of the system with a new felt in FIG. 1 and with a felt of reduced permeability in FIG. 2.
System 20 includes a conventional well known type of liquid ring pump or other common type of vacuum pump that is a well known substitute therefor. An example is a liquid ring pump manufactured by Nash Engineering of Norwalk, Connecticut. Typical flow rates should be in the range of 2000-7000 ACFM. Liquid ring pump 22 is connected to a drive motor 24 by means of a conventional drive shaft assembly 26.
A conventional felt used in the papermaking industry is passed through the system for dewatering purposes. Arrows show the direction of movement of the felt from left to right as FIG. 1 is viewed. A conventional well known drive mechanism (not shown) can be used to advance the felt.
A first suction pipe 30 is near the beginning of the system and has a hollow interior 32. The suction pipe 30 is open at its upper end through a suction pipe slot 34. Slot 34 is open and accordingly to the felt passing thereover. Suction pipe 30 is mounted in the system in a conventional manner and has extending laterally therefrom a conduit 36 which communicates with the hollow interior 32 of pipe 30. The other end of conduit 36 communicates with the hollow interior of separator 38. A drop leg 40 extends downwardly from separator 38 and terminates at an open end 42. The open end 42 communicates with the interior of a reservoir 44.
Extending from the upper end of separator 38 is a conduit which communicates with the interior thereof and extends into communication with a conduit 48. Conduit 48 is connected to liquid ring pump 22.
Beyond suction pipe 30 in the direction of travel is a second suction pipe 50. Suction pipe 50 has a hollow interior 52 and an upwardly extending slot 54 communicating with the hollow interior 22 and with the felt passing across surface 20a. A lateral conduit 56 extends from suction pipe 50 to a hollow separator 58 and communicates with the interior of the separator and the hollow interior 52 of suction pipe 50. Separator 58 has a drop leg 60 extending downward with an open bottom end 62 in communication with a collection reservoir 64. Conduit 66 communicates with the interior of separator 58 and extends into integral communication with conduit 48 and thereby into communication with liquid ring pump 22.
An adjustable control valve 68, for example an electrically operable pneumatic valve, is mounted in conduit 66. Alternatively the valve can be pneumatically or mechanically operable in a well known manner. A throttling valve 70 is mounted in conduit 46 and a vacuum relief valve 71 is mounted in conduit 48 adjacent to liquid ring pump 22.
Control valve 68 is connected to a vacuum controller 78 through line 76. Controller 78 can be a conventional type of sensor responsive to changes such as changes in vacuum. Controller 78 is connected by line 82 to a vacuum transducer 83. These controls can be electrically, pneumatically or mechanically operated in a well known manner.
In operation, FIG. 1 shows the system at the time of start up when a new felt is introduced to the system to travel in the direction of the arrows. At start up with the new felt, control valve 68 is closed thereby closing the conduit pathway between suction pipe 50 and pump 22 thus there is no suction applied to slot 54 and accordingly no flow along conduit 66.
On the other hand, throttling valve 70 is open and suction is applied to slot 34 of suction pipe 30. In this manner, water is removed from the felt passing over slot 34 and drawn into the hollow interior 32 of pipe 30. The water is then drawn through conduit 36 into separator 38 where a conventional separation process takes place and water collects through drop leg 40 into reservoir 44. The suction path is continuous through conduits 46 and 48 into liquid ring pump 22 as shown by the arrows in FIG. 1.
As time passes and the felt is utilized its permeability decreases and the vacuum level in interior 32 of suction pipe 30 wants to increase. Vacuum controller 78 reacts to this and automatically opens valve 68. The resultant condition is depicted in FIG. 2. Control valve 68 is opened gradually in response to the changing vacuum condition in pipe 30 until, by the time felt permeability reaches approximately 50% of the original permeability value of the new felt, the control valve is wide open. This procedure for opening control valve 68 has been found to be effective for purposes of system 20. However, the controls can be adjusted to open the valve at any desired rate in response to vacuum demand in pipe 30 which is related to permeability of the felt.
As shown in FIG. 2, the path between liquid ring positive displacement pump 22 and slot 34 of suction pipe 32 is still open and additionally, the flow path between liquid ring pump 22 and slot 54 of suction pipe 50 is open. Accordingly, vacuum is now applied to the slots of both suction pipes to facilitate maintenance of a constant vacuum level even with reduced felt permeability and also providing for additional dewatering slot area to provide additional dwell time and increased dewatering results with felt of reduced permeability.
As discussed above, the advantages of the system include the ability to use minimum vacuum pump requirements since size is based on a single suction pipe under new felt conditions. When the felt is more difficult to dewater, that is when the permeability is decreased, the advantage of increased dwell time is achieved in view of the travel path across two suction pipes.
An alternative arrangement of the present invention is depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4. The majority of the components are the same as discussed above in connection with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 and thus similar components are given the same numbers with the addition of the subscript a.
The modifications relate to the controls for the second suction pipe 50a. In place of the fixed slot width 54 of the previously discussed embodiment, an adjustable slot 84 is utilized. Adjustable slot 84 is conventional, for example a mechanically shiftable structure which enables one to vary the width of the slot as desired. For purposes of varying the width of the slot, a motor 85 is provided and is connected by a conventional mechanical or equivalent connector 86 to slot 84 so that when the motor is actuated the slot is adjusted in width. Electrical conduit 76a is connected to controller 78a which in turn is connected by electrical line 82a to vacuum transducer 83a. In this embodiment, control valve 68 and the electrical actuator 72 are dispensed with.
FIG. 3 shows the embodiment in start up use with a new felt. Adjustable slot 84 is positioned at its minimum size width or opening. Thus, as the new felt passes in the direction shown by the arrows in FIG. 3, suction applied through slot 34a draws water from the felt into the hollow interior 32a of suction pipe 30a. The water is then passed into separator 38a where it is separated in conventional fashion to pass through drop leg 40a into reservoir 44a. The flow path remains open through conduit 46a with valve 78 open and thereafter through conduit 48a with relief valve 71a permitting flow as shown by the arrows into liquid ring pump 22a.
At the same time, vacuum is applied at the location of slot 84 at its minimum width to accumulate a minimum amount of water from the felt. The water is drawn into the hollow interior 52a of the second suction pipe 50a and thereafter through conduit 56a into separator 58a. Conventionally separated water passes through drop leg 60a to accumulate in reservoir 64a. Conduit 66a and 48a remain open to liquid ring pump 22a. The arrows of FIG. 3 show this combined flow path with respect to suction pipes 30a and 50a.
As felt permeability decreases the vacuum level in the interior 32a of suction pipe 30a wants to increase to maintain the constant volume vacuum pump system. Transducer 83a responds to this demand by causing controller 78a to sense the vacuum demand and actuate motor 85 to automatically open the adjustable slot 86 and increase the vacuum applied to the felt through that slot. The rate of opening of slot 86 is a matter of choice as with the adjustable control valve of the previously discussed embodiment and can be opened gradually in response to a change in permeability of the felt. It has been found effective to use a rate of opening of slot 86 which results in a condition wherein by the time felt permeability reaches approximately 50% of its original value the adjustable slot will be equal to the size of slot 34a in the first suction pipe 30a. This condition is depicted in FIG. 4 with arrows showing the continuous flow paths with respect to both section pipes and the elongated width of adjustable slot 86. In connection with this embodiment as with the previous embodiment, the object is to maintain a constant vacuum in the system and this is facilitated by the additional slot exposure for felt with reduced permeability. As shown by the arrows, the flow paths are the same in FIG. 4 as in FIG. 3 with the difference being in the amount of vacuum applied through slot 86 due to the size of the opening of the slot.
Once again, dwell time is the time the felt or a given particle of felt is over the open slot. An increase in dwell time may be accomplished by either increasing the slot width or decreasing the speed of felt travel. One way this can be accomplished is by using a single suction pipe with a predetermined slot configuration under new felt conditions. When the felt becomes old, a second slot configuration is used which may include at least a second suction pipe.
Naturally when the felt is to be replaced the above discussed embodiments are returned to the initial structural set up as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. At that time, the new felt is introduced and start up conditions are produced. The cycle repeats and as the felt's permeability decreases the conditions shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 are arrived at for both discussed embodiments.
In the depicted embodiments the fixed condition suction pipe is positioned before the adjustable condition suction pipe in the direction of travel. Naturally, it would be possible to reverse or otherwise rearrange the relative positioning of the pipes.
Also, it should be kept in mind that interchangeable mechanical and electrical controls can be employed.
This same system can be applied to other industries dealing with carpets, woven and non-woven products, textiles which utilize vacuum dewatering procedures and exhibit wide variations in permeabilities.
Thus the several aforenoted objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although several somewhat preferred embodiments have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims. | A constant vacuum felt dewatering system including first and second suction pipes with a slot in each pipe. A felt is positioned to pass over the slots of the pipes. A liquid ring pump is connected by conduits to the first and second suction pipes. Drive structure is provided to operate the liquid ring pump and apply suction to the first and second suction pipes. The felt is advanced over the pipes whereupon suction is applied thereto to dewater the felt. Controls are responsive to change in felt conditions to vary the dwell time of the felt with respect to the slots in order to maintain a substantially constant vacuum. | 3 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation application, under 35 U.S.C. §120, of copending international application No. PCT/EP2014/001039, filed Apr. 17, 2014, which designated the United States; this application also claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, of German patent application No. DE 10 2013 006 720.0, filed Apr. 19, 2013; the prior applications are herewith incorporated by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a connecting element for the mechanical connection of at least two components of a motor vehicle, in particular two components of a motor vehicle door. The connecting element has an abutment collar for abutment against a first component, a transverse bar which substantially extends in a longitudinal direction and which contains at least one clamping wedge for clamping the second component against the first component in a rotated final assembly position, and a shaft portion which carries the transverse bar for being rotatably introduced through corresponding openings in the first component and in the second component. The invention further relates to a connecting arrangement containing at least a first component of a motor vehicle and a second component of a motor vehicle which have mutually corresponding openings, and an above-mentioned connecting element, wherein, in order to produce the connection in a final assembly position, the connecting element can be rotated from an angular insertion position into an angular end position, in which the connecting element engages through the corresponding openings of the first component and the second component.
[0003] A connecting element of the above-mentioned type is used in particular in order to mechanically connect a motor vehicle internal door plate to a unit carrier (also called a module carrier), in order to connect the unit carrier to a decorative carrier shell or to connect all three components. In this instance, at least two plate-like components are connected to each other by a rapid-fit closure so that, for example, the subassemblies of a motor vehicle door can be assembled on each other rapidly and with few hand operations in a simple manner.
[0004] International patent disclosure WO 2008/101531 A1, corresponding to U.S. patent publication No. 2009/0045173, discloses a connecting element and a connecting arrangement of the type mentioned in the introduction. The connecting element described therein is located in a supply state in a pre-assembly position engaged in the opening of the first component which is mounted, for example, on a unit carrier in a rotationally secure manner. In the pre-assembly position, the transverse bar of the connecting element is received in the opening of the first component so that the fitting of the unit carrier or the assembly thereof on an internal door plate is not impeded unnecessarily by projecting components. In order to secure the two components, that is to say, in particular the unit carrier and the internal door plate, the connecting element is rotated from the angular insertion position thereof in the pre-assembly position with axial offset into an angular end position of a final assembly position. In this instance, the transverse bar of the connecting element engages through a corresponding opening in the second component, wherein the clamping wedge clamps the second component with the first component at the abutment collar of the connecting element as a result of a subsequent rotation in the manner of a bayonet-like closure.
[0005] In order to inwardly rotate the known connecting element, a substantial axial pressure has to be disadvantageously applied, whereby there is the risk of deformation of the components to be connected. If the axial offset of the connecting element is brought about on the other hand by inward rotation of the clamping wedge under the second component, an undesirably high torque has to be applied for the rotational movement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] Therefore, an object of the invention is to provide a connecting element of the type mentioned in the introduction which is further improved with regard to the assembly thereof. In particular, the final assembly position of the connecting arrangement is intended to be able to be reached in an even easier and simpler manner with respect to the prior art.
[0007] The object of the invention is achieved in a first variant according to the invention by a connecting element of the type mentioned in the introduction, wherein the clamping wedge contains a planar sliding path which is constructed to form a linear abutment against the edge of the opening in the second component at least over a partial range of the rotational movement into the final assembly position.
[0008] The invention is based in this instance in a first step on the recognition obtained by independent observations that the stiffness during the inward rotation of the clamping wedge of a connecting element according to the prior art results from the fact that the clamping wedge touches the comparatively sharp-edged edge at the opening of the second component in a substantially point-like manner. During inward rotation, consequently, there is produced turning of the edges, abrasion or drawing of shavings at the contact location, whereby the undesirably high torque is explained.
[0009] In a second step, the invention takes as a basis the consideration that this problem can be solved if the contact location of the clamping wedge with respect to the edge at the opening of the second component is increased. To this end, there is provided on the clamping wedge of the connecting element a planar sliding path which is constructed to form a linear abutment against the edge of the opening in the second component at least over a partial range of the rotational movement into the final assembly position. The sliding path forms a contact face, along which the edge of the opening moves during the inward rotation of the connecting element. As a result of the planarity of the sliding path, a point-like contact location is no longer provided but instead a linear abutment against the edge of the opening is obtained. Consequently, the pressure which acts on the contact location during inward rotation is reduced. The connecting element can be rotated inward under the second component with the clamping wedge along the sliding path more readily. Any effects involving shavings or turning of edges are avoided or at least substantially reduced. In particular, the range of plastics materials which can be used is thereby also increased. In comparison with the known prior art, there may also be used for the connecting element which is described herein plastics materials which have a lower hardness or a lower wear-resistance.
[0010] In a second variant, the object of the invention is achieved according to the invention by a connecting element of the type mentioned in the introduction, wherein the width of the clamping wedge, which width extends in the rotational plane and is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the transverse bar, has a larger dimension than the corresponding thickness of the shaft portion, which thickness is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the transverse bar.
[0011] The invention is based in this instance in a first step on the consideration that generally an increased travel and in this regard an improved clamping of the motor vehicle components can be achieved as a result of an increase of the clamping wedge for the same gradient and consequently with the same actuation force. In a second step, the invention recognizes that an increase of the clamping wedge is readily possible if the width thereof perpendicular to the transverse bar, that is to say, perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction in which the transverse bar substantially extends, has in the rotational plane a greater dimension than the corresponding thickness of the shaft portion. In order to receive the increased engaging wedge in the radial edge region, although the openings in the two components have to be increased accordingly, there still remains for clamping sufficient surface-area on the components which the clamping wedge can engage behind when the connecting element is rotated into the final assembly position. As a result of the increased clamping wedge, the axial travel of the connecting element necessary for producing the connection can be applied substantially by the rotational movement. The axial force application for pressing in the connecting element during the assembly is thereby reduced. The risk of a deformation of the components to be connected is reduced.
[0012] In particular, the object of the invention is also achieved according to the invention by a connecting element, in which the features of the above-mentioned first variant and the above-mentioned second variant are combined with each other. There is accordingly provision for arranging on a widened clamping wedge a planar sliding path which is constructed to form a linear abutment against the edge of the opening of the second component at least over a partial range of the rotational movement into the final assembly position.
[0013] In a preferred development, the clamping wedge tapers, where applicable with the planar sliding path, into a finger-like introduction tip. At the other end thereof, the clamping wedge preferably contains an abutment face, into which the planar sliding path merges where applicable. As a result of an introduction tip, on the one hand, the inward rotation of the clamping wedge of the connecting element under the second component from the angular insertion position is improved. On the other hand, however, a finger-like introduction tip also allows an additional increase of the clamping wedge or the sliding face overall. An introduction tip does not provide any substantial contribution to the clamping action. However, it ensures a reliable introduction of the clamping wedge under the opening of the second motor vehicle component.
[0014] Preferably, the introduction tip extends with its effective region over an angular range between 5° and 10°. The planar sliding path, which may extend over the clamping wedge including the introduction tip, where applicable, advantageously covers an angular range between 65° and 85°. If the sliding path merges into a planar abutment face, the planar abutment face extends in a further preferable manner over an angular range between 25° and 30°. As a result, the region of the clamping wedge responsible for the clamping, or the sliding face thereof between the introduction tip and the abutment face, advantageously covers an angular range between 60° and 75°. Independent investigations have shown that a high level of clamping of the two motor vehicle components is obtained with those angular ranges or with the given division of the angular ranges over the introduction tip, the sliding path and the abutment face with a comparatively small actuation force by rotation of the connecting element.
[0015] In a further preferred embodiment, the clamping wedge extends in a peripheral direction over an angular range between 95° and 115°. In this angular range, a large axial travel of the connecting element can be achieved with a relatively shallow gradient of the clamping wedge without the openings provided in order to introduce the connecting element having to be unnecessarily extended in the region of the clamping wedge. The angular spacing between the angular insertion position and the angular end position of the connecting element is correlated with the given angular range of the clamping wedge.
[0016] In an advantageous embodiment, means for pre-positioning the transverse bar in the opening of the first component in a pre-assembly position are further included. As a result, the final assembly of the two components to be connected is substantially simplified because the first component can already be supplied with the connecting element pre-positioned therein.
[0017] In an advantageous manner, at least one radially outwardly extending snap-fit tongue which is arranged in the region of the clamping wedge is included as the means for non-releasable receiving of the transverse bar in the opening of the first component. As a result of the radial orientation of the snap-fit tongue, in particular space is provided for the clamping wedge which extends in a peripheral direction without the necessary opening having to be increased. In other words, the snap-fit tongue which is constructed to retain the connecting element in the pre-assembly position corresponds to a partial region at the edge of the respective opening which differs from the partial region of the edge to which the downwardly introduced tip of the clamping wedge corresponds, which tip is “rotated away” from the snap-fit tongue in the peripheral direction. In a particularly preferred manner, the snap-fit tongue extends in a longitudinal direction of the transverse bar.
[0018] In order to retain the transverse bar of the connecting element in the opening of the first component, the snap-fit tongue with the free end thereof is preferably angled away in the direction of the abutment collar and is constructed in order to engage behind a first peripheral projection at the edge of the opening of the first component in the pre-assembly position. In order to produce the pre-assembly position, the connecting element is introduced into the opening of the first component until the snap-fit tongue with the free end thereof snap-fits behind the first peripheral projection and then engages behind it. It is no longer possible to withdraw the connecting element counter to the introduction direction without bending back the snap-fit tongue.
[0019] In an advantageous manner, alternatively or additionally, there is arranged as the means for positioning the transverse bar in the region of the shaft portion at least one engaging tongue which contains an engagement edge for abutment against a second peripheral projection at the edge of the opening of the first component in the pre-assembly position.
[0020] In order to produce the pre-assembly position, the connecting element is introduced into the opening of the first component until the engagement edge of the engaging tongue strikes the second peripheral projection. Without additional application of force, it is no longer possible to push the connecting element further through the opening of the first component.
[0021] For final assembly, the connecting element located in the pre-assembly position is preferably displaced further in an axial direction by rotation, wherein the engaging tongue bends backward until the engagement edge slides past the second peripheral projection. In a second advantageous embodiment, the engaging edge is supported on the engaging tongue at the side facing the abutment collar with a wedge-like strut arrangement. Such a wedge-like strut arrangement simultaneously results in an additional force being produced in the forward direction as a result of the restoring force of the engaging tongue when the connecting element is pressed against the edge of the first component.
[0022] If the so-called snap-fit tongue is combined with the engaging tongue, the connecting element is secured in the opening of the first component both in the forward and backward direction in the pre-assembly position.
[0023] Advantageously, an engaging wedge for engaging in an engaging groove of the first component in the final assembly position is constructed at the rear side of the abutment collar facing the shaft portion. The engaging wedge retains the connecting element in the inwardly rotated final assembly position. Consequently, it is impossible per se to rotate the connecting element back out of the final assembly position. However, the connecting element can again be displaced axially with resilient deformation of the components thereof in order to release the connection, whereby the engaging wedge is lifted out of the engaging groove.
[0024] In a preferred embodiment, a seal which contains a flexible sealing lip and a contact lip which is axially recessed relative thereto is arranged at the rear side of the abutment collar facing the shaft portion. The flexible sealing lip seals in the final assembly position the abutment collar of the connecting element against the first component. In other words, the openings in the components are covered in a sealing manner by the abutment collar of the connecting element.
[0025] The flexible sealing lip is deformed in a sealing manner during assembly. The axially recessed contact lip compensates for tolerances between the components by the resilience of the sealing material in the final assembly position. As a result of the decoupling of the sealing action and the tolerance compensation, both functionalities can be optimized separately. The contact lip and the flexible sealing lip at the seal are preferably spaced apart from each other by a channel. With the same sealing material, the flexibility of the sealing lip is particularly obtained in that it has a reduced thickness with respect to the contact lip. The seal is further preferably constructed as a peripheral sealing ring, wherein the flexible sealing lip is constructed on the outer periphery and the contact lip is constructed on the inner periphery of the sealing ring.
[0026] The object of the invention is further achieved according to the invention by a connecting arrangement of the type mentioned in the introduction, wherein according to a first variant the planar sliding path of the clamping wedge forms a linear abutment with the edge of the opening of the second component at least over a partial range of the rotational movement into the final assembly position.
[0027] The object of the invention is further achieved according to the invention by a connecting arrangement of the type mentioned in the introduction, wherein according to a second variant the contour of the opening of the second component is increased in a protrusion in the radial edge region thereof in order to receive the clamping wedge in a rotational direction to the final assembly position, wherein the clear width of the contour in the region of the protrusion has a greater dimension than the clear width of the contour in a central region in order to receive the shaft portion. This preferably also applies accordingly to the contour of the opening of the first component. However, it is not absolutely necessary for the second component to increase the contour only in the edge region in order to introduce the clamping wedge. It may also be envisaged to increase the opening overall because no surface-area is required for a clamping wedge to engage behind. However, it is advantageous to provide on the first component sufficient surface-area for functional elements which are provided, for example, for positioning of the connecting element in a pre-assembly position.
[0028] In particular, the object of the invention is also achieved by a connecting arrangement of the type mentioned in the introduction, wherein the features of the above-mentioned first variant and the features of the above-mentioned second variant are combined with each other. Accordingly, the planar sliding path of the clamping wedge forms with the edge of the opening of the second component a linear abutment at least over a partial range of the rotational movement into the final assembly position, wherein the contour of the opening of the second component is increased in a protrusion in the radial edge region thereof in order to receive the clamping wedge in a rotational direction to the final assembly position, wherein the clear width of the contour in the region of the protrusion has a greater dimension than the clear width of the contour in a central region in order to receive the shaft portion.
[0029] The linear abutment of the edge of the opening of the second component against the planar sliding path is particularly optimized in that the protrusion of the opening of the second component extends in the rotational fixing direction, which is formed at least in order to receive the region of the tip of the clamping wedge, in particular the introduction tip of the clamping wedge.
[0030] The angular range covered by the contour of the opening of the second component in the radial edge region in a peripheral direction is preferably between 95° and 115°. As a result, the widened clamping wedge can be received in the radial edge region of the opening of the second component, wherein there still remains sufficient surface-area for clamping the second component to the first component, which surface-area is engaged behind by the clamping wedge of the connecting element.
[0031] In a further advantageous embodiment, there is arranged at the edge of the opening of the first component a recessed ramp for abutment of the engaging wedge at the rear side of the abutment collar of the connecting element at least over a partial range of the rotational movement into the final assembly position. The reaching of the final assembly position is facilitated by this ramp. When the connecting element is rotated inward, the engaging wedge moves into contact with the ramp at the rear side of the abutment collar, whereby the axial pretensioning is further increased during further rotation. An engaging groove is advantageously arranged at the end of the ramp. After the ramp has been travelled over, the engaging wedge moves into the engaging groove, whereby the connecting arrangement is produced with a defined pretensioning.
[0032] The ramp is advantageously arranged on the second peripheral projection. As a result of the combination of the ramp and peripheral projection, a space-saving embodiment of the edge of the opening in the first component is achieved.
[0033] The edge of the opening of the first component is advantageously constructed so as to have a first peripheral projection which is engaged behind in the pre-assembly position by the snap-fit tongue of the connecting element. In an advantageous manner, alternatively or additionally, the edge of the opening of the first component is constructed so as to have a second peripheral projection, on which the engaging edge of the engaging tongue of the connecting element is supported in the pre-assembly position.
[0034] Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
[0035] Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a connecting element and connecting arrangement, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
[0036] The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0037] FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a connecting arrangement having a connecting element and a first and a second component of a motor vehicle according to the invention;
[0038] FIG. 2 is an exploded, perspective view of the connecting arrangement according to FIG. 1 from a different perspective;
[0039] FIG. 3 is a partially cut-away, perspective view of the connecting element according to FIG. 1 in an engaged pre-assembly position in the first component;
[0040] FIG. 4 is a partially cut-away, perspective view of the connecting element according to FIG. 1 in an engaged pre-assembly position in the first component from a different perspective with respect to FIG. 3 ;
[0041] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the connecting arrangement according to FIG. 1 , wherein a fixing element pre-assembled on the first component is placed on the second component;
[0042] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the connecting arrangement in a pre-assembly position according to FIG. 5 from a different perspective;
[0043] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the connecting element of the connecting arrangement according to FIG. 1 in an angular position between the pre-assembly position and a final assembly position, wherein the first component is omitted from the drawing;
[0044] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the connecting arrangement according to FIG. 1 in a final assembly state in a view toward the connecting element which is guided by the second component and which is rotated into an angular end position; and
[0045] FIG. 9 is a schematic view of effective regions of a clamping wedge of a connecting element according to FIG. 1 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0046] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown an exploded view of a connecting arrangement 1 which is used for the mechanical connection of two components of a motor vehicle, in particular two components of a motor vehicle door. The connecting arrangement 1 contains a connecting element 3 and a first component 5 and a second component 7 . The first component 5 is mounted, for example, in a rotationally secure manner on a unit carrier, in particular on a door module. The second component 7 is, for example, part of an internal door plate.
[0047] The connecting element 3 contains an abutment collar 10 which is positioned on the first component 5 in an assembled state. There is arranged at a rear side 12 of the abutment collar 10 a peripheral seal 13 which further performs the function of a tolerance compensation member in addition to the functionality of a seal. Furthermore, two clamping wedges 15 which are arranged diametrically relative to each other are included by the connecting element 3 and are arranged on a central shaft portion 16 as components of a transverse bar 17 which extends in a longitudinal direction.
[0048] A planar sliding path 18 is arranged on the clamping wedges 15 . The clamping wedges 15 having the sliding paths 18 taper in a peripheral direction into an introduction tip 19 . A planar abutment face 20 is arranged at the end of each sliding path 18 adjacent to the rear side 12 of the abutment collar 10 . In the final assembled state, the first component 5 and the second component 7 are retained with pretensioning between the abutment faces 20 and the abutment collar 10 of the connecting element 3 . The restoring force required for the pretensioning is applied by the seal 13 .
[0049] Furthermore, a snap-fit tongue 23 is arranged on each clamping wedge 15 . The two snap-fit tongues 23 extend radially outward in a longitudinal direction of the transverse bar 17 . The free ends of the snap-fit tongues 23 are angled away toward the rear side 12 of the abutment collar 10 . There are further arranged on the shaft portion 16 two engaging tongues 25 which are arranged diametrically relative to each other and of which only one is visible. There is formed on the engaging tongues 25 an engaging edge 26 which is supported by two strut arrangements 28 . The snap-fit tongues 23 and the engaging tongues 25 are each deformable radially inward with a restoring force being produced.
[0050] Two markings 30 are arranged at the upper side 29 of the abutment collar 10 of the connecting element 3 . It is readily possible to observe the specific angular position of the connecting element 3 by the position of the markings 30 . In particular, the connecting element 3 can be moved out of an angular insertion position by use of the markings 30 into a defined angular end position in which the components 5 , 7 are retained in a state clamped to each other in a defined manner. The torque necessary for rotating the connecting element 3 can be produced at the abutment collar by a suitable tool via the internal hexagonal receiving member 32 .
[0051] The two components 5 , 7 have openings 8 and 9 which correspond to each other. Two first peripheral projections 36 are arranged diametrically relative to each other at the edge 34 of the opening 8 in the first component 5 . Furthermore, two second peripheral projections 37 which are arranged diametrically relative to each other are formed at the edge 34 in a state substantially rotated through an angle of 90° relative thereto. A recessed ramp 40 which opens in an engaging groove 42 is formed on the second peripheral projections 37 . The edge 44 of the opening in the second component 7 is constructed to be smooth and without functional elements.
[0052] The openings 8 and 9 which correspond to each other in the first component 5 and in the second component 7 each have a contour which is increased into a protrusion 45 in the radial edge region thereof for receiving the clamping wedge 15 in the rotational fixing direction in order to be able to introduce the introduction tip 19 . The dimension of the openings 8 , 9 in a longitudinal direction is such in this regard that the transverse bar 17 of the connecting element 3 can be guided through in the angular insertion position shown. When the connecting element 3 guided through the openings 8 , 9 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the sliding paths 18 are rotated inward under the second component 7 . As a result of the wedge-like form of the clamping wedges 15 , there is produced an increasing clamping action of the two components 5 , 7 against the abutment collar 10 . In a final assembly position with a defined angular end position, the abutment faces 20 of the connecting element 3 adjoin the rear side of the second component 7 in a planar manner. The angular insertion position A and the angular end position B of the transverse bar 17 is indicated on the second component 7 . The angular difference between the angular insertion position A and the angular end position B is approximately 100° in this instance.
[0053] In the position shown, the connecting element 3 is in the angular insertion position A. In this position, the connecting element 3 can be introduced into the opening 8 of the first component 5 until the engaging edges 26 of the engaging tongues 25 strike the respective second peripheral projections 37 . At the same time, in this position the first peripheral projections 36 are engaged behind by the angled snap-fit tongues 23 . A specifically defined pre-assembly position results from the cooperation between the snap-fit tongues 23 and the engaging tongues 25 . Without any additional application of force, the connecting element 3 is retained in the opening 8 of the first component 5 in the pre-assembly position in a non-releasable manner with the transverse bar 17 thereof. In this position, the connecting element 3 and the first component 5 form a delivery state.
[0054] In order to assemble the first component 5 with the second component 7 with the connecting element 3 which is fixed thereto in a non-releasable manner in the pre-assembly position, the connecting element 3 is axially displaced after the openings 8 , 9 have been brought into a superimposed alignment position, wherein the engaging tongues 25 are each deformed radially inward. The axial offset of the connecting element 3 is substantially brought about by rotation, wherein the introduction tips 19 of the respective clamping wedges 15 are inwardly rotated under the second component 7 . A large travel of the connecting element 3 is obtained with a small gradient by means of the sliding path 18 which is long in a peripheral direction and which extends in the present case over an angular range of approximately 70°. As a result of the planar sliding path 18 , effects involving shavings or jamming at the edge 44 of the second component 7 are avoided. Generally, the axial travel of the connecting element 3 can be achieved by a rotational movement, for which only a small torque is necessary. The effective region of the introduction tip 19 , in which no clamping is yet brought about, extends over an angular range of approximately 8°. The planar abutment face 20 covers an angular range of approximately 30°.
[0055] As can be seen in FIG. 2 , the connecting element 3 is rotated in order to reach the final assembly position until an engaging wedge 52 at the rear side 12 of the abutment collar 10 moves into engagement with the engaging groove 42 in the second peripheral projection 37 of the first component 5 . In this case, the engaging wedge 52 moves at least during a partial range of the rotational movement over the recessed ramp 40 . In the engaged state, the connecting element 3 has reached a defined angular end position B in which the two components 5 , 7 are securely retained on each other or clamped with a defined pretensioning. As a result of the markings 30 , it is readily possible to identify from the outer side whether the respective connecting elements 3 are in the angular end position B thereof, which is also advantageous for subsequent control.
[0056] In FIG. 2 , the specific construction of the seal 13 can be seen at the rear side 12 of the abutment collar 10 . The seal 13 contains an outer flexible sealing lip 47 and an inner, axially recessed contact lip 48 . The sealing lip 47 and contact lip 48 are separated from each other by a channel 50 . The sealing lip 47 is constructed to be comparatively thin and can in this regard flexibly conform to the surface of the first component 5 . The resilient pretensioning of the components relative to each other is achieved via the contact lip 48 with the tolerances being compensated for at the same time.
[0057] FIG. 3 is a partially cut-away view of the connecting element 3 in the pre-assembly position thereof in the opening 8 of the first component 5 . It can clearly be seen how the snap-fit tongues 23 which face the abutment collar 10 with the free ends thereof are supported on the edge 34 at the rear side of the first peripheral projections 36 .
[0058] FIG. 4 shows the pre-assembly position of the connecting element 3 on the first component 5 as a perspective view rotated through 90°. In this instance, it can be seen how the engaging tongues 25 are supported with the respective engaging edge 26 in the pre-assembly position on the second peripheral projections 37 at the edge 34 of the opening 8 in the first component 5 . It is possible to press the connecting element 3 further into the opening 8 of the first component 5 only with increased application of force with the engaging tongues 25 being bent inward.
[0059] In FIG. 5 , the functional unit which can be seen in the pre-assembly position from FIGS. 3 and 4 and which contains the connecting element 3 and the first component 5 is placed on a second component 7 for final assembly, wherein the two openings 8 , 9 of the first component 5 and the second component 7 are aligned with each other, respectively. FIG. 6 illustrates that assembly position when viewed through the opening 9 of the second component 7 . From this point of view, it can also be seen that the width s of a clamping wedge 15 , which width extends in the rotational plane and is perpendicular to the transverse bar 17 , has a greater dimension than the thickness d of the shaft region 16 . As a result of the protrusion 45 , the clear width S of the contour of the opening 8 in the second component 7 in the radial edge region is greater than the clear width D in the central region.
[0060] For final assembly, the connecting element 3 is subsequently rotated in the clockwise direction. In this instance, the introduction tips 19 of the clamping wedges 15 each move under the edge 44 at the opening 9 of the second component 7 . This state is illustrated in FIG. 7 with the first component 5 being omitted from the drawing. The introduction tip 19 is already introduced under the second component 7 in the position shown.
[0061] A linear contact location or a linear support 53 is produced between the sliding path 18 and the edge 44 at the opening 9 of the second component 7 . A shaving or tilting action at the contact location between the clamping wedges 15 and the edge 44 is thereby prevented when the connecting element 3 is rotated inward.
[0062] FIG. 8 illustrates the connecting arrangement 1 in the final assembly position when viewed toward the introduced transverse bar 17 of the connecting element 3 . In the final assembly position, the transverse bar 17 has reached an angular end position which is rotated through 100° with respect to the angular insertion position in the pre-assembly position. FIG. 8 shows that the respective abutment faces 20 on the transverse bar 17 or the clamping wedges 15 are now supported against the rear side of the second component 7 .
[0063] FIG. 9 again illustrates the effective regions of the clamping wedge 15 in a schematic manner. The planar sliding path 18 extends from the introduction tip 19 as far as the planar abutment face 20 . Generally, the wedge-like construction can clearly be seen. The covered angular ranges a are indicated on the abscissa. The correspondingly resultant travel H can be read from the ordinate.
[0064] The effective range of the introduction tip 19 , in which no clamping takes place yet, covers an angular range of α 1 between 5° and 10°. The region between the introduction tip 19 and the abutment face 20 extends over an angular range α 2 between 60° and 75°. The angular range α 3 of the abutment face extends over from 25° to 30°. A covered angular range between 95° and 115° is preferably produced overall for the rotation of the connecting element or the clamping wedge between the angular insertion position and the angular end position.
[0065] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention:
1 Connecting arrangement 3 Connecting element 5 First component 7 Second component 8 Opening of first component 9 Opening of second component 10 Abutment collar 12 Rear side 13 Seal 15 Clamping wedge 16 Shaft portion 17 Transverse bar 18 Sliding path 19 Introduction tip 20 Abutment face 23 Snap-fit tongue 25 Engaging tongue 26 Engaging edge 28 Strut arrangement 29 Upper side 30 Marking 32 Internal hexagonal receiving member 34 Edge 36 First peripheral projection 37 Second peripheral projection 40 Ramp 42 Engaging groove 44 Edge 45 Protrusion 47 Sealing lip 48 Contact lip 50 Channel 52 Engaging wedge 53 Linear support A Angular insertion position B Angular end position D Wide contour S Wide contour H Travel s Wide clamping wedge d Thick shaft portion α Angular ranges | A connecting element for mechanically connecting at least two components of a motor vehicle has a bearing collar for bearing against a first component and a transverse latch which contains a clamping wedge for clamping the second component against the first component in a twisted final mounted position. The connecting element further having a shaft section which bears the transverse latch and is intended to be twistably guided through corresponding openings in the first component and in the second component. According the clamping wedge has a planar slide configured to be in linear bearing contact with the edge of the opening in the second component at least over part of the twisting movement into the final mounted position. | 5 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to virtual reality control for planning and interacting with stage lighting design and production. More specifically, the present invention defines a virtual reality design system that facilitates interaction between a stage lighting designer and many aspects of the stage lighting event.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The production of a modern stage performance is a complex undertaking. This is partially due to the complicated interaction of various effects created by the combination of lighting and sound apparatus. The designer of these effects combines all of these effects into a cohesive whole which furthers the artistic aims of the performance.
[0003] A myriad of details must be considered and planned in this design process. Designers or technicians must envision and create appropriate lighting and sound effects. That requires planning of numerous details of the equipment. These details include the location and operation of the equipment, wiring and location of the equipment at the desired locations, assembly and disassembly, and moving of this equipment between locations.
[0004] The design of stage lighting effects require the selection and configuration of numerous lighting fixtures, each of which has many adjustable parameters. For example, each light fixture can be adjusted in many ways, including position adjustment, intensity, color, and beam size. These parameters must be set to a very high degree of accuracy in order to satisfy the requirements of the designer. The effect also needs to be timed to coincide with the proper time in the show based on the musical program.
[0005] Previous design processes have used disorganized techniques for planning the operation, e.g., on paper, or by trial and error using actual equipment on a stage. To a certain extent, the designers must rely upon their own ability to visualize and predict the effects of a given lighting design.
[0006] Some progress has been made to improve the stage lighting design process by the use of computer lighting simulation systems such as MAC ICON, available from Light and Sound Design, Limited of Birmingham, England, and WYSIWIG, available from Flying Pig Systems, Inc. Both of these systems calculate and simulate lighting effects based on the lighting parameters that are indicative of a lighting show.
[0007] These lighting simulation systems produce a two-dimensional simulation of lighting effects on a stage. However, such systems are limited by the lack of realism in the two-dimensional display. Further, the complex user interfaces of these systems has generally restricted their use to designers having experience with such systems. Moreover, the two dimensional display of the inherently three dimensional effect has made it difficult for the designer to visualize the end result.
[0008] Once designers complete the lighting (and/or sound) design process, they must resolve a number of other practical issues before the desired effects can be implemented. This requires selecting appropriate lighting devices and parameter settings, and the dynamics and sequence of the desired effects.
[0009] The designer/technician must also configure electrical and structural systems to support and interconnect all of the lighting and sound apparatus in the appropriate location. The structural components include, for example, trusses and rigging, chains and chain motors which are used to raise the trusses and rigging. Also, each lighting fixture must be connected to cables which act as the source of power and control. Therefore, each show requires a routing plan to locate these cables in an efficient path from the fixtures to a source of power and/or control.
[0010] The lighting design also needs to account for the unique requirements of each stage. Conventionally, a drawing is used to model the stage to determine where the rigging, trusses and cables will be placed. This drawing is then used to determine where all of the cables will be routed, including the lighting fixtures, dimmer racks, consoles, or other locations. It is now common to use this drawing to locate the structural elements, and to decide what lengths of cables are required, by actually measuring the lengths on the scale drawing. Then, numerous cables are cut and constructed to the desired lengths.
[0011] Other structural considerations include determining the location in the building where trusses can be hung. Different points in the roof and walls of different structures have different loading capabilities. The designer must consider the weight and forces of these load points on the structure to ensure that known capacities of the structure are not exceeded.
[0012] Problems can arise with the above-described design process. For example, creating drawings is very time consuming. Errors often occur in measurements made using these drawings. There may not be time to correct such errors given the severe time constraints in the construction of stage performances. This is particularly true in shows that travel frequently. Also, calculation of structural load values and limits is time consuming and prone to human error.
[0013] Moving the lighting and sound equipment presents another challenge for stage production. Crews assemble, disassemble, pack, and transport lighting and sound equipment. Loading these items onto a truck requires careful consideration of many factors, which is usually done by a highly experienced road boss. For example, some fixtures ride better in certain parts of the truck. It may be desirable to locate heavier items, such as dimmer racks, towards the front of the truck. Once a certain amount of weight has been placed on one portion of the truck, additional heavy items should be placed on another part of the truck, or in a separate truck.
[0014] It is also important to consider the stacking ability of each item. This defines the kinds of items, and the maximum weight, that can be placed on top of a given item without causing damage. It is important to consider the size and arrangement of items to optimize usage of truck space. This minimizes the number and size of the trucks.
[0015] The sequence of packing and unpacking is also important. For example, since trusses support the entire lighting apparatus, packing them in the front of the truck necessitates unloading the entire truck before set up can begin. This dictates a preference for loading the trusses last so that they can be removed first Similar considerations apply to rigging equipment, including motors, span sets and other devices used for handling trusses. There is no need to unload truss-hung lights until the trusses are unloaded. However, it is acceptable to unload floor mounted lights, at any time so they do not need to be packed in a specific location. Also, when multiple trucks are used, the road boss must consider which crews are packing and unpacking different areas at different times to avoid different crews interfering with each other.
[0016] Currently, all of these considerations enter into decisions regarding when and where to pack items in a truck. Performing this task often leads to inefficient truck packing, because of the difficulty in visualizing and planning for all of these packing considerations. Unfortunately, trial and error is slow and error prone. This can result in delays or damage to the equipment and/or truck.
[0017] Another problem is timing. Shows must be frequently put together and taken apart in order to allow them to arrive in the proper place at the proper time. Usually the road boss makes an estimate of how long the truck packing, driving, and unpacking will take, and tries to operate based on those estimates. However, this requires experience and is prone to errors. The actual operation could take much more or less time.
[0018] Another interesting feature noted by the inventors of the present invention was the possibility of simulation of a performance, using a karaoke style.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0019] The inventors of the present invention have recognized all of the above needs arising from creating lighting and sound designs, and mounting, interconnecting and shipping the necessary equipment. They have realized that this is essentially a three-dimensional problem that is being solved using two dimensional tools.
[0020] The inventors recognized that the three dimensional user interface could facilitate entry of all of this data and information. The preferred user interface is a virtual reality operating system. This allows simulation of the three dimensional problem more accurately than by using two dimensional tools.
[0021] Virtual reality allows an individual to interact with a computer simulation in a three-dimensional virtual world using multi-dimensional and multi-sensory interactive interface devices. Because the human brain has a high degree of skill in recognizing spatial patterns, the complex relationships inherent in these design tasks are more readily apparent in a three dimensional visual-spatial display. Examples of such virtual reality devices include head mounted “eye phones” providing a visual display of a simulated scene; tactile sensitive gloves worn by the user for touching, pointing, and interacting with objects in the simulated display; sound input to the user corresponding to sounds generated in the simulation; and a voice recognition system responsive to the user's verbal commands. Hand and body motion sensors enhance the virtual reality experience by sensing turning of the user and then shifting the view in the visual display, just as the view would shift when turning in the real world. The combined result of these kinds of interfaces can generate a realistic sensation of actually existing in the virtual three dimensional environment. Virtual reality has been the subject of many patents and publications, including, for example, the book “Artificial Reality”, by Myron Kruegger, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,554, which is herein incorporated by reference.
[0022] In view of the above-discussed issues in stage production and design, this invention uses virtual reality interfaces to provide the designer with an improved media to allow planning of various aspects of the stage lighting show.
[0023] One planning scheme is the simulation of the three-dimensional stage lighting effects.
[0024] Techniques are also described to simulate the apparatus producing the effects. This provides the designer with an accurate and intuitive control over the simulation, as well as an accurate view of lighting displays, scenery and other equipment including sound. This will improve the quality and efficiency of the design process.
[0025] Another virtual reality tool simulates the process of packing and unpacking lighting and sound stage equipment into a truck. This allows the user to interact with an apparently three dimensional simulation of the actual packing and unpacking process. Since the packing is being simulated on a computer, this also allows the computer to keep track of various aspects of the packing including any rules that may be violated by the packing.
[0026] For lighting design, the user inputs data regarding the characteristics of the stage and light fixtures, including the dimensions and constraints of the stage and building, the dimensions of each light fixture, the types of light fixtures, the point of reference on the stage, the location of each light fixture, and the parameters of each light fixture.
[0027] The user also inputs the type, dimension, and weight of each light apparatus and support structure, and their cabling requirements. Further, the user inputs the constraints of the building and light apparatus support structures. For the task of packing the light and sound equipment, the user inputs data regarding the characteristics of the truck and the packages. These include the dimensions of the interior of the truck, the dimensions of each package, the center of gravity, and preferences and constraints for each package. Alternately, a database for various standard types can be prestored into the computer. This database can also include information about any warning conditions, such as maximum unbalanced load and others.
[0028] Another system used by the present invention enables determination of how long the truck packing which is simulated during the truck packing exercise will actually take.
[0029] Yet another system of the present invention relates to setup of the eventual devices. The setup parameters allow the lighting fixtures to be placed in various locations on the stage. Proper operation of those fixtures is obtained by running cabling links to those locations, and calculation of safety parameters associated therewith.
[0030] The data input devices can include a keyboard, a disk drive, and virtual reality (VR) devices, such as interactive gloves and head mounted visual display of the type usually used as virtual reality input devices. The processing subsystem stores and processes all of the data about the characteristics of the stage and light fixtures, along with structural and packing data. The system then simulates the lighting effects, the apparatus producing these effects, and the packing environment.
[0031] The processing subsystem has a processor, a memory, and processor overhead hardware. The processor runs a simulation module and a virtual reality operating system. The simulation module simulates lighting effects, the light and sound equipment, their supporting structures, as well as the truck and its packages. The virtual reality operating system allows the user to enjoy real-time control over the simulation; it also produces a three-dimensional image showing the simulated elements and lighting effects. The three-dimensional image is displayed on display devices, including a monitor and an interactive helmet of the type usually used as a virtual reality display device.
[0032] The above described input data is used to form a computer-based simulation. The user can interact with this simulation by reaching into the virtual image and adjusting its characteristics. For example, if the user is not satisfied with the lighting effects on the stage, the user reaches into the virtual image of the stage and grabs one or more of the light fixtures. A drop down menu preferably appears, displaying characteristics of the light fixtures. The user can easily adjust a parameter of the light fixture by simply pointing to the parameter on the drop down menu. Alternatively, the user may use voice commands to modify the simulation. In the lighting design process, the user can adjust the position of the light fixture by simply grabbing the light fixture and pointing it in the desired direction. Another simulation displays the ICON (™) control console which is normally used to control the lighting system, and allows the user to enter commands in VR space on the simulated console.
[0033] In the packing process, the user can reach into the virtual image of the truck and grab a package. The user can then place the package in the truck. If the package fits in the truck at the desired location, the virtual reality operating system produces a three-dimensional image showing the package in the truck at the selected location. Also, the user is notified if any of the input activities violate any of the design constraints placed on the system.
[0034] The location of devices can also be done in the VR space, by placing particular trusses/lamps in the desired location. The computer system prestores loading characteristics of the supports. When a load is placed in a loaded location, its weights and weight distribution are calculated to determine if any weight limitations have been exceeded.
[0035] The cabling and its routing are also calculated from the entered information, and diagrams facilitating the cabling and its layout can be prepared and used.
[0036] Yet another system enabled according to the present invention is an entirely new system of simulation. Previous simulation systems have been known, based on the Japanese “karaoke” style. These systems allow a user to sing or play along with musical accompaniment, and essentially become part of that musical accompaniment.
[0037] The present invention for the first time uses virtual reality to form a karaoke style simulation system. Preferably this is carried out by forming a simulation of, for example, a rock and roll band with or without lighting effects, playing the actual music. The user places himself in the virtual reality environment, essentially seeing himself in the presence of the rock and roll band and the stage lighting effects. This “ultimate karaoke” provides the ability to add and or remove aspects of the simulation, and to provide a more realistic simulation for the user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] These and other aspects of the invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0039] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the overall architecture of the virtual reality light and sound production design system of the invention.
[0040] FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of the operation of the virtual reality lighting design system.
[0041] FIG. 3 shows another flowchart of the operation of the virtual reality lighting design system.
[0042] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of the operation of the virtual reality light and sound equipment packing system.
[0043] FIG. 5 shows a typical virtual image of a stage showing the lighting effects on the stage.
[0044] FIG. 6 shows a typical virtual image of a truck and various packages.
[0045] FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of operation of the virtual karaoke system of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0046] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the overall architecture of a preferred embodiment of the virtual reality lighting and sound production design system forming the present invention. This embodiment includes data input devices 10 , a processing subsystem 20 , and display devices 30 .
[0047] The system uses two different kinds of data: database information which is prestored and fixed, and user-input data. The database information includes information that is used by the system to carry out the simulation. This includes, for example, the sizes of the lighting fixtures and their weights, their lighting characteristics, and other information as explained throughout this specification. Site-specific information may also be stored to explain the characteristics of the site that is being lit. This site-specific information includes the sizes of the lighted area, information indicative of its structures and hookup. Data regarding the characteristics of the stage and light fixtures is entered via the data input devices 10 in a conventional manner. This includes input of data such as the characteristics of the building and stage, lighting fixtures and support structures and packing information. The data input devices 10 may include a keyboard 11 with mouse, a disk drive 12 , interactive gloves 13 , and a microphone 14 of the type usually used as virtual reality input devices. For example, the interactive gloves 13 may be the DATAGLOVE available from VPL Research, or the CYBERGLOVE available from Virtual Technologies.
[0048] The processing subsystem 20 stores and processes the data regarding the characteristics of the stage, lighting and sound equipment. The processing subsystem 20 also simulates the desired effects. The processing subsystem 20 includes a processor 21 , a memory 22 , and processor overhead hardware 23 . The processor 21 runs a simulation module (such as MAC ICON) and a virtual reality operating system. The simulation module simulates lighting effects. The preferred simulation module is MAC ICON, available from Light & Sound Design Ltd., Birmingham, England. Other simulation modules, such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,554, may also be used.
[0049] The virtual reality operating system of the present invention provides an intuitive and simplified control over the simulation. The system also produces a three-dimensional image showing the lighting effects on the stage.
[0050] The three-dimensional image is displayed on one of display devices 30 . These devices include a monitor 31 and an interactive helmet 32 of the type usually used as a virtual reality display device. The helmet 32 includes a pair of visual display devices, one for each eye. For example, the VR4 head mounted display, available from Virtual Research, may be used for this purpose. It will be appreciated that in such virtual reality display systems, the illusion of three-dimensions can be greatly enhanced by the use of the stereoscopic effect when generating the two visual displays. Also, the helmet may be equipped with a position/orientation tracker such as the FOB available from Ascension, Inc. This will allow the system to generate a visual display that shifts the display viewpoint in a realistic manner that corresponds to turning of the user's head.
[0051] FIG. 2 shows an overall flowchart of the operation of the virtual reality lighting design system of the present invention. The process starts at step 100 , where the user selects a design option. The preferred design options include simulation/modify lighting effects, light apparatus setup and transportation. The flowchart of operation in Figure shows the user selecting lighting effects, then at step 101 , the user inputs a data file with database information about the lighting effects. Alternatively, of course, the data file could be permanently stored as part of the simulating computer's memory.
[0052] The database information includes, for example the dimensions of the stage, the dimensions of each light fixture, the types of light fixtures, the point of reference on the stage, the location of each light fixture, the default parameters of each light fixture, any previous parameters of each light fixture and simulation data. The data is stored in a database in a form that can be used by, for example, MAC ICON at step 102 . Step 103 represents MAC ICON processing the data in the database to produce a three-dimensional image on display device 30 simulating the lighting effects on the stage.
[0053] Step 104 presents the user with the opportunity to modify the lighting effect. This allows the user to reach into the virtual image of the stage and virtually grab one or more light fixtures to select. Three dimensional realism may be enhanced by including a simulated display of the user's hand as it reaches for the fixtures. The selected lights are indicated at step 105 . A drop-down menu appears displaying several lighting options at step 106 . The preferred lighting options include color, position, special effects, and cues/chase. Step 107 represents the user pointing to one of the lighting options, selecting a lighting option using voice command, or changing the light using some other technique. One technique allows changing the position of the light by grabbing and turning.
[0054] The user selects color at step 108 , and the process proceeds to step 109 , where another drop-down menu appears displaying a color palette. The user selects to a particular color from the color palette at step 110 . The selected color is inputted at step 111 , and the process returns to step 102 where the data regarding the selected color is stored at 102 and then re-processed at 103 in a database.
[0055] Step 112 represents the user selecting the position. This is followed by virtually grabbing the light fixture in the virtual reality space and pointing it in the desired direction. The new position is entered at 114 . The process then returns to step 102 to update the memory and display.
[0056] The user selects special effects at step 115 . Step 116 represents another drop-down menu displaying special effects options. The preferred special effects options include iris, shutter, gobo, and strobe. The user points to a special effects option at step 117 . The process returns to step 102 for storing the new data and proper display.
[0057] The user can select cues/chase at step 119 , and the process goes to step 120 , where another drop down menu appears displaying cues/chase options based on those parameters that were already stored. The user points to a cues/chase option at step 121 and the process returns to step 102 .
[0058] As will be appreciated, the above system allows a three dimensional simulation of the three dimensional lighting operation and effect. Hence, that simulation is more realistic and easier to understand than the usual two dimensional simulation. This enables less-experienced operators to have more meaningful input into producing the lighting effect. It also allows more flexibility in modeling the effects produced by the lights. Moreover, this allows using a three dimensional user interface and simulation to simulate the three dimensional lighting space.
[0059] If the user selects equipment setup at step 100 , flow passes to the FIG. 3 flowchart. At step 301 , the user inputs a data file with information indicating sizes and weights of the lighting components, cable entry points, rigging, trusses, cables information, and dimensions and specifications of the building on which this equipment is to be supported.
[0060] The data is stored at step 302 . The data in the database is processed to render a three-dimensional image that shows the interior of the building, the stage, and the lighting and sound equipment at step 303 . Importantly, this also includes load points, where lights, etc. will be hung. Typically, lighting effects will have already been selected (in accordance with the above-described process) and thus, coordinate locations of at least some of the lighting equipment will be stored. The display will then show the desired lights in the specified locations.
[0061] Step 304 allows the user to place or relocate any light or other equipment. After that placement, the system recalculates loading on all elements to determine if any load parameter has been exceeded at 305 . If so, a violation is flagged, allowing the option of relocating the device at 304 , or continuing. This embodiment allows override of warnings. However, it should be understood that an alternate embodiment does not override the warnings. Yet another embodiment groups the warnings into critical warnings that can be overridden, and non-critical warnings that cannot be overridden.
[0062] This same system can be used for placement of trusses, rigging, lamps, dimmer rack consoles and every other part of the lighting system.
[0063] Many of these systems may require cabling. If so, the user traces the wire path at step 310 . This is done by tracing along the path of the wire where the user wants the wire to be located. The system checks at step 312 for violation of any wiring conditions, such as a wire that is too long, too many wires in a harness or the like. As before, violation allows the user to either re-trace the wire path at step 310 , or to continue.
[0064] The end result is a system, therefore which stores in its memory the position of every truss, lamp and every wiring location. Step 320 represents the system printing out a map of all of this information. This map includes cabling diagrams indicating cable, and the beginning and end locations as well as its routing. Preferably it also includes a cable number, and a label to be placed on that cable. This allows the technician to make the cables, label them, and later to place them in the proper location.
[0065] If the user has selected transportation at step 100 , flow passes to the flowchart of FIG. 4 . FIG. 4 shows the flowchart of the truck packing routine preferrably used according to the present invention. As before, the user enters a data file with truck packing information at step 401 . This data file includes data regarding the dimensions of the interior of the truck, the dimensions of each package for each lamp used in the lighting show, the center of gravity of each package, stacking rules for each package, truck location preferences for each package, truck weight loading requirements for each part of the truck, order of loading preference, an approximate time to load the package into the truck for each item, and a list of those items. That list could be obtained from the list of lighting equipment that is developed as part of the setup routine of FIG. 3 , for example.
[0066] At step 403 , the data in the database is processed to display a three-dimensional image showing the interior of the truck, the packages inside the truck and any that are outside the truck.
[0067] At step 405 , a package is selected and moved to a desired location in the truck. The processing subsystem then determines a number of violation issues.
[0068] First, the system determines whether the selected package can fit in the truck at the desired location at 407 based on outer package diameter, and remaining truck cargo area.
[0069] The processing subsystem compares the width of the selected package (Wp) with the available width in the truck interior at the desired location (Wa) at step 407 .
[0070] At step 408 , the processing subsystem compares the length of the selected package (Lp) with the available length at the desired location (La).
[0071] The processing subsystem compares the height of the selected package (Hp) with the available height at the desired location (Ha) at step 409 .
[0072] The processing subsystem then determines whether the center of gravity of the selected package (Gp) is supported at the desired location at step 410 . For example, certain size boxes might not be supported stably at certain locations—e.g. if their center of gravity is not above a supporting position, they could tip.
[0073] In particular, at step 415 the processing subsystem determines if this package violates the order preference for loading and unloading.
[0074] Stackability rules are checked by the processing subsystem to determine if an underlying box has too much weight on top of it at step 420 .
[0075] Step 425 determines the weight distribution on the truck. If the weight distribution on the truck is improper the process proceeds to step 403 wherein a three-dimensional image of the truck with the package outside is displayed.
[0076] If any of these violations at steps 407 to 409 , 410 , 415 , 420 or 425 are violated, then control passes to the violation handling routine 430 which displays the violation to the user, and questions whether the user wants to continue. If the user chooses to continue at step 432 , control remains in the main flow. As described above, the user may be given an option to return to step 405 and given an opportunity to re-select the package and position.
[0077] At step 440 the determination is made of whether the process is finished. This can be determined by manually indicating that the process is finished, or by running out of room in the truck. If the process is not finished, the flow returns to step 403 where the truck is shown with its interior and all packages.
[0078] If the process is completed at step 440 , control passes-to step 442 where a list of the information is printed. This list includes the packing order, giving package numbers or, in the case of many different packages being equally generic, simply telling the type of package and where it is placed on the truck. Step 450 can also compute and print other additional information. One important piece of information is the loading and packing time. For each item, a determination can be made of how long it will take to package the item into its box, and put it on the truck. For instance, for an ICON (™) lamp, it may be known that it will take one hour and ten minutes to package the lamp, and place it in the truck. By knowing how many people are doing the moving, step 450 can calculate an approximate time of loading to enable determination when the loading should begin. Other data can be entered as part of the data file, including the distance to the next show and other such information which determines a total time of transport. Moreover, unpacking information can be determined to decide how long it will take to unpack the truck. All of this information can be correlated by the computer into a form which determines the latest possible time when packing could begin.
[0079] Another feature is the formation of production information labels, indicating for example, the area to which the package will be unloaded.
[0080] FIG. 5 shows a typical virtual image of a stage and the lighting equipment. The stage 500 has a point of reference (x,y,z). The light fixtures are located about the stage 500 in relation to the point of reference. The light fixtures can include any kind of light fixtures, including LSD ICON(™) 501 , LSD WASHLIGHT (™) 502 , special effects lights 503 and other types of light fixtures. LSD ICON (™) lights 501 are located at (x 1 ,y 1 ,z 1 ) and (x 2 ,y 2 ,z 2 ). LSD WASHLIGHT (™) 502 are located at (x 3 ,y 3 ,z 3 ) and (x 4 ,y 4 ,z 4 ). Special effects lights 503 are located at (x 5 ,y 5 ,z 5 ) and (x 6 ,y 6 ,z 6 ). The light fixtures are supported by trusses 504 and connected by cables 505 .
[0081] FIG. 6 shows a typical virtual image of a truck showing packages inside and outside the truck. The truck 600 has a point of reference at (w,l,h). The packages 601 are located in locations within the truck 600 in relation to the point of reference. The packages 601 in the truck are located at (wl,l 1 ,h 1 ) and (w 2 ,l 2 ,h 2 ). The packages 601 outside the truck are located at (w 3 ,l 3 ,h 3 ) and (w 4 ,l 4 ,h 4 ).
[0082] Another embodiment of the invention enhances the lighting simulation of FIG. 1 by combining that simulation with a playing of the musical information. This allows sound playback at the same time as the light show simulation. This allows a virtual reality simulation of the way that the light show simulation will interact with the sound.
[0083] Yet another operation allows using the virtual reality subsystem as an entertainment device. The uses the virtual reality space as a medium for a karaoke-like simulation.
[0084] The flowcharts given above have described how a simulation of the light show can be used to obtain a three dimensional simulation of the light show in its operation. This embodiment adds to that simulation, a video of the band playing. This can be done on a blue screen, for example, so that band is shown playing the song that they are playing, along with the light show. However, the song which the band is playing is divided into tracks, and at least one of those tracks is removed.
[0085] The operation is shown in FIG. 7 where the flowchart shows the band, light show and sound and tracks being displayed in the virtual reality environment at steps 700 . Step 702 represents the user selecting from a menu, and removing one or more of the band members. For example, the user can drag the singer off the stage into a computer wastebasket sitting by the side of the stage. The singer does not participate in the simulation while in the wastebasket. The voice track of the singer is also removed. This allows redisplay of the entire scene at step 704 , with the desired track/artist removed.
[0086] The operator can return the removed band members to the stage at any time from the wastebasket, or may change any aspect of the simulated concert including stopping the concert. This allows a virtual karaoke system.
[0087] Moreover, the virtual reality tool as used herein can be used as either a production tool or as a presentational device. For example, while the normal virtual reality system interacts with a single person, the present application contemplates using a number of persons in the virtual reality subspace. For example, two or more different people could be observing the same effect from different vantage points. This can allow any of the above techniques to be seen by many people. Preferably, the virtual reality technique allows simulation of the entire lighting system including the lighting and sound.
[0088] Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail above, those having ordinary skill in the art will certainly understand that many modifications are possible in the preferred embodiment without departing from the teachings thereof.
[0089] For example, additional lighting and packing parameters may be made selectable for user input besides those discussed above. Additional features can be added to the user interface, for example, voice output by the system may be used to prompt the user, or to warn the user when certain rules and conditions are violated. Also, additional calculations may be performed to facilitate the routing of cables, for example, by giving the user immediate feed back as to the length of a particular route so that it can be compared to other alternative routes. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the principles of the virtual reality lighting design system can be easily applied to sound systems and sound system equipment apparatus and packing. Also, the teachings of the present invention, utilizing the virtual reality truck packing system, can be applied generally to the packing of many other kinds of goods and packages into trucks, containers, rail cars, or other transport vehicles and storage environments.
[0090] All such modifications are intended to be encompassed within the following claims. | A system for designing light and sound systems for use in stage productions. Virtual reality interfaces facilitate the selection and location of lighting and sound displays by providing a real-time simulation of the devices and the display produced thereby. The system also calculates parameters with respect to structural elements used for mounting the lighting and sound equipment. In addition, the virtual reality interface permits the simulation of the packing of the lighting and sound equipment and the automatic calculation of parameters relating to packing space, package weight, preferred location, and order of packing. | 6 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 14/057,417, filed 18 Oct. 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
In the field of ammunition and explosives, a bullet with an extensible explosive charge that increases lethality and bullet penetration where the bullet is a part of a cartridge for a firearm.
BACKGROUND ART
In today's military world of explosive ordnance, the state of the art technology is to be able to have an initial explosive charge mechanism that will first explode upon impact to start to make an opening before the primary explosive charge goes off. This may be followed by the solid bullet body or a second explosive charge. The state of the art applies primarily to large cannon artillery shells and very little of such technology applies to firearm cartridges.
A pre-explosive charge which may be followed by a larger explosion enable ordnance to penetrate farther and deeper into an armored target. Even though this first and second stage explosive ordinance works well, the military has few options to choose from in this area. The primary reason for this is because this type of ordinance will not fit in or work safely in the majority of the available military weapons.
Explosive projectiles will usually include a high density, sub-caliber penetrator totally enclosed within in a hardened, high-explosive-filled tubular steel body. A nose incendiary within the tubular steel body is ignitable by impact with a target to in turn ignite a second explosive after a suitable time delay. Because all of the penetrator components are housed within a single steel casing, care must be taken to ensure that the incendiary is arranged so that it does not prematurely activate the high-explosive charge. Two charges with a single casing delivered to the target are integral to the existing art.
When impinging a light target, for instance an airplane fuselage, the nose of the traditional projectile will be compacted and the ignition charge will be ignited. Before the second charge in the penetration element explodes the entire projectile will, typically, have pierced to the inside of the target and then after this delay will explode and splinter or fragment the penetration element as well as the casing. Thus, the design typically involves a single ballistic casing encapsulating two explosive charges and a penetrator, rather than a single explosive charge outside the ballistic casing and in its own container followed by a penetrator.
If a sub-caliber penetrator is included, the prior art typically has it enclosed within the tubular steel body of a full-caliber projectile. An outer coating of copper or aluminum is often used so that the hardened heavy metal tube or core of the projectile has a smaller caliber than the weapon, but the coating of the projectile engages with the rifling of the barrel.
Duplex projectiles have been described. A duplex projectile is fired from a gun bore and in one such instance has a tubular projectile and a conically-shaped projectile fastened within the tubular projectile. The conically-shaped projectile is released from the rear of the tubular projectile once the two exit from the bore. While in the barrel, the conically-shaped projectile blocks the release of gas pressure from the cartridge while the round is under pressure from gun propellant gases and also serves as a sub-caliber projectile once it and the tubular projectile leave the muzzle and separate. The tubular projectile or the conically-shaped projectile may be filled with an explosive. Conventional cartridges are not used for this art and the two projectiles are not physically linked together once they leave the barrel.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
A cartridge for a firearm has a bullet that defines an internal chamber. The chamber has a broader top portion than the lower portion. The bullet further defines a channel passage leading out of the top end of the bullet from the chamber. The bullet contains a body that is an impact-activated explosive. The body is slidably engaged within the channel passage. A shaft is connected to the body and passes down from the body into the lower portion of the chamber. A thrust plate is connected to the shaft end in the chamber. The thrust plate is spring metal and when the cartridge is fired, the thrust plate rises pushing the body so that it extends from the leading end of the bullet. When the thrust plate rises to the second portion of the chamber, it stops at the top of the second portion preventing further outward movement of the body. Upon entering the second portion, the thrust plate springs open to prevent subsequent downward motion of the thrust plate and consequently prevents subsequent retraction of the body during flight and after impact.
Technical Problem
Conventional weapons such as hand guns, rifles, cannons, tanks, and all the way up to the largest artillery on Navel battleships are all engineered and designed to work with a cartridge of a specified length.
Ordinance with a pre-explosive mechanism that protrudes out of the front of the round could be effective for weapons like a single shot bazooka where the length of the cartridge is not a factor either in loading or in safety.
However, a cartridge with a protruding pre-explosive sticking out of the front, is impractical because it would be too long to fit into a magazine and too long to work on the mechanism that loads the round into the chamber. Even if a shorter cartridge were designed with the protruding pre explosive charge that would somehow fit into a conventional weapon system, its ready explosive potential would be dangerous for the soldier that was trying to use the weapon. Ammunition with a protruding pre explosive charge sticking out of the front is like trying to safely hold an armed land mine and hoping nothing touches or bumps into the trigger plunger. This type of cartridge could not be safely stored, transported, loaded into a magazine, or moved from the magazine into the chamber without significant risk of explosion and death to the soldier trying to use it.
This is why the military has few options in regard to a 2-stage pre and primary explosive set up. There is a need for pre and primary ordinance technology whereby these rounds could fit in and work very safely in the majority of conventional weapons systems.
Armor penetrating projectiles are typically large fin-stabilized missiles not made to be fired from firearms, but rather from cannons or other special equipment. There is a need for an explosive bullet for small arms that looks and loads like a standard cartridge.
Small-caliber explosive cartridges, having a caliber less than or equal to 50 caliber, have been described for light armor piercing applications. These designs typically employ a hardened, high-explosive-filled steel penetrator with a copper jacket that interfaces with the rifling in the weapon. There is a need for a bullet with a sub-caliber explosive that does not engage the rifling in a weapon.
Ballistic vests are designed to resist penetration of blunt projectiles, such as are typically used for hand guns. Special purpose handgun ammunition, such as a high-powered, hardened metal bullet is used to overcome ballistic vest and other hard targets. These are essentially bullets manufactured with non-deformable materials that resist expansion upon impact. This feature inherently diminishes the effectiveness of the bullet. There is a need for a standard cartridge with a regular propellant load that has an extensible impact-activated explosive charge.
Solution to Problem
The bullet with a push-out explosive addresses these needs by providing a simple, sub-caliber explosive charge that readies for impact after cartridge discharge and explodes prior to impact of the bulk of the bullet.
The solution is a bullet with a sub-caliber push-out explosive according to the disclosure herein. This solution provides a bullet that will substitute for standard ammunition for any gun, yet have the lethality and penetrating performance of much more powerful bullets.
The disclosed projectile works by having the pre explosive mechanism safely hidden inside of the round. This means that the round is the same length as any other cartridge that is made for the specific weapon. Because the pre explosive mechanism is safely hidden inside, the cartridge can now be safely stored, transported, handled, loaded into the magazine, moved through the magazine, and moved into the chamber for firing.
The disclosed solution enables cartridges of any size to be safely used in any type of conventional type weapon, whether it is semi-automatic, fully automatic, or even the older bolt action weapons. Upon firing the round which is loaded into the barrel, the explosive force that propels the bullet out of the barrel also pushes out and locks in place the protruding pre explosive charge mechanism.
The protruding pre explosive mechanism is of a smaller diameter so it is not touched by the barrel as the round passes through. This technology will give the military and law enforcement many new tools and options to accomplish their missions and come home safe.
This technology can be used even if the bullet does not have a secondary explosive charge. Any conventional weapons system that uses a cartridge and bullet can use this system. Now the military can have a safe pre explosive to use anywhere from the smallest hand gun to the largest tank or battleship gun.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
There can be many different advantageous effects of having a bullet explode a charge against a target immediately before the bulk of the bullet impacts. Such an explosion enhances the lethality of the bullet and enables deeper penetration on hardened targets. For instance, if a terrorist is wearing a bullet-proof vest, the bullet with a push-out explosive will explode immediately against the vest possibly killing or at least disorienting the target prior to actual damage from impact of the main body of the bullet.
In addition, an explosion against the body of a ballistically-protected target will help to create a penetrating hole through any such protective gear worn by the target. The explosion from the bullet with a push-out explosive will blast through, soften or erode the target protective gear so that the bulk of the bullet has more effective and deeper penetration than might otherwise be the case.
Because the explosive charge is not pushed out until after the cartridge is fired, the cartridge will fit and work in any weapon or gun mechanism in a fashion equivalent to the usual cartridge used for the weapon or gun mechanism. When the bullet with a push-out explosive is fired and it travels through the barrel, the explosive charge does not in any way interfere with the rifling or bullet spin because it is narrower than the diameter inside the barrel. In this sense, it is a sub-caliber explosive charge.
After the explosion upon impact with the target, the bulk of the bullet impacts the target. Target resistance pushing against the bulk of the bullet causes the bullet to mushroom and expand, doing more target damage.
In today's War on Terror and regional conflicts, the bullet with a push-out explosive is a new, useful tool that will keep America's soldiers safe and help to keep America strong. It will give police and special weapons and tactical (SWAT) team members added tools to overcome terrorists employing ballistic protection.
Whether for a soft target or a hard target, an explosive bullet is one that can improve lethality and effectiveness in disabling a hostile, or cause them to surrender without a fight. Combined in a standard cartridge, the bullet with a push-out explosive offers ease of use for myriad potential military and police Special Forces engagements. A policeman or soldier needs only to insert a clip with these cartridges in any shootout with terrorists, enemy combatants or criminals and his firepower and effectiveness has increased manifold.
No longer will an enemy's use of a bullet proof vest or concealment within a hardened enclosure offer protection. Bullet proof cars and military trucks that previously protected enemy combatants or suicide drivers can now be stopped in their tracks or easily disabled. The terrorist or enemy combatant can be stopped with fewer bullets. Conventional bullets, made primarily from lead, often become deformed and less effective after striking hard targets, especially when fired at handgun velocities. These are not easily overcome and penetrated with normal ammunition, which spreads upon impact. When it spreads, the larger impact area prevents penetration.
The bullet with a push-out explosive may be provided with a regular propellant load, which means that cartridge use will not change the practiced behavior of the weapon with similar non-explosive bullets.
The disclosed solution will help to keep America safe and free from all of the terror and military turmoil in this world.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the bullet with a push-out explosive according to the disclosure. The reference numbers in the drawings are used consistently throughout. New reference numbers in FIG. 2 are given the 200 series numbers. Similarly, new reference numbers in each succeeding drawing are given a corresponding series number beginning with the figure number.
FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation view of a ready-to-fire cartridge having a bullet with a push-out explosive.
FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation view of the bullet with a push-out explosive after it is fired from a cartridge.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the body containing an impact-activated explosive, a shaft and a thrust plate.
FIG. 4 is a top view of a cartridge with the bullet containing the impact-activated explosive.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a projectile after it is discharged and before impact at a target.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the bullet with a push-out explosive having a post-impact explosive charge within the bullet.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof and which illustrate several embodiments of the bullet with a push-out explosive. The drawings and the preferred embodiments of the invention are presented with the understanding that the present invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms and, therefore, other embodiments may be utilized and structural, and operational changes may be made, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
The bullet with a push-out explosive is a projectile that is fired from a weapon that is either a handgun or cannon. A cartridge ( 100 ) that may be used to hold the bullet ( 105 ) is shown in FIG. 1 . As a projectile, the bullet with a push-out explosive may be embodied as a small-caliber projectile within a traditional cartridge for a firearm or it may be embodied in a large-caliber projectile and cartridge, such as an artillery shell fired from a cannon. An alternative embodiment of the bullet, shown in FIG. 6 , includes a second explosive charge ( 605 ) within the bullet ( 105 ) that explodes after impact and after the initial explosion from an impact-activated explosive ( 320 ). For either embodiment, the bullet configuration is the same for small and large caliber applications. The added secondary explosive charge ( 605 ) may be included in a large projectile or small caliber cartridge.
FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation view of a cartridge ( 100 ) that is ready-to-fire. It includes a bullet ( 105 ), as described herein, namely the bullet with a push-out explosive. The cartridge ( 100 ) is for a firearm in that it is intended to be fired from a weapon. As with typical cartridges for guns, there is included in the cartridge a propellant ( 140 ), bullet case ( 145 ) that holds the bullet ( 105 ), a rim ( 150 ) at the firing end of the cartridge, and a primer ( 155 ) that once struck by a firing pin of the weapon ignites the propellant ( 140 ) and sends the bullet ( 105 ) on its way. A sealant ( 160 ), such as wax, paper or a wadding material, may be used to close the bottom end of the bullet to prevent propellant ( 140 ) from prematurely entering the chamber ( 120 ). Alternatively, the thrust plate ( 315 ) may be structured to close off the propellant-end ( 115 ).
FIG. 5 is a perspective of a projectile ( 505 ) showing the bullet ( 105 ) with the body ( 135 ) extended and before impact at a target. This is exactly the same internal structure and components as the bullet ( 105 ) as illustrated in FIG. 2 . Projectile ( 505 ) could be discharged from either a cartridge or cannon. Thus, the explanation that follows applies to a bullet within a cartridge and a bullet that is a projectile fired from a cannon.
The bullet ( 105 ) has an external end ( 110 ) and a propellant-end ( 115 ) within the cartridge ( 100 ). The bullet ( 105 ) defines a chamber ( 120 ) within its confines. The chamber ( 120 ) includes a chamber top-end ( 205 ), as shown in FIG. 2 , a chamber bottom-end ( 210 ), and a chamber width ( 215 ), which are designated so that they can be referenced to better describe the structure of the bullet ( 105 ). The chamber top-end ( 205 ) is situated nearest the external end ( 110 ) of the bullet ( 105 ) and the chamber bottom-end ( 210 ) situated nearest the propellant-end ( 115 ). The terms vertical or horizontal are used herein with reference to the orientation shown in FIG. 1 .
The chamber ( 120 ) has a first portion ( 220 ), the first portion ( 220 ) comprising a wall ( 125 ) extending vertically between the chamber bottom-end ( 210 ) and a point ( 130 ) below the chamber top-end ( 205 ). The first portion ( 220 ) is preferably a cylindrical lower part of the chamber ( 120 ) with a fixed diameter.
The chamber ( 120 ) has a second portion ( 225 ), the second portion ( 225 ) enlarging the chamber width ( 215 ) and extending from the chamber top-end ( 205 ) to the point ( 130 ). When the first portion ( 220 ) of the chamber ( 120 ) is a cylinder, the second portion ( 225 ) sits at the top of the first portion ( 220 ) like a hat. The second portion ( 225 ) has a larger diameter than the first portion ( 220 ). This expanded width of the second portion ( 225 ) enables room for the thrust plate ( 315 ) to spring into it and once it has sprung into the second portion ( 225 ), the thrust plate ( 315 ), shown in FIG. 3 , cannot thereafter move downward into the first portion ( 220 ). This structural arrangement prevents downward movement of the thrust plate ( 315 ) and consequently the body ( 135 ). Any such downward movement of the body ( 135 ) would retract the body ( 135 ) from its extended position jutting out from the external end ( 110 ) or top of the bullet ( 105 ) and preclude its effectiveness in penetrating the target.
The bullet ( 105 ) further defines a channel passage ( 230 ), illustrated in FIG. 4 , which leads out of the bullet ( 105 ) through the external end. The channel passage includes one or more passages to permit slidable movement of the shaft ( 305 ) and the body ( 135 ) within the bullet ( 105 ). A second channel passage ( 216 ) extends from the propellant-end ( 115 ) of the bullet ( 105 ) to the chamber ( 120 ) below the thrust plate ( 315 ).
In manufacture, the channel passage ( 230 ), or other passages as may be present for the body design, may be covered to prevent unwanted contamination. Potential covers are wax, minimally-sticking tape, or other sealant that similarly presents only almost no resistance to the slidable exit of the body ( 135 ) from within the bullet ( 105 ).
The cartridge ( 100 ) includes a body ( 135 ) slidably engaged within the channel passage ( 230 ). FIG. 4 is a top view of a cartridge ( 100 ) with a bullet with a push-out explosive showing channel passages having a shape to permit the push-out explosive to extend out of the end of the bullet ( 105 ) when the cartridge ( 100 ) is fired. The impact-activated explosive ( 320 ) ignites upon target impact and the bullet mass or bulk behind the explosion follows to aid in penetration of the target.
The body ( 135 ) is a functional part of the bullet with a push-out explosive in that it functions to deliver an impact-activated explosive ( 320 ) to the target prior to the impact of the bulk of the bullet in order to have the mass of the bullet more easily penetrate a bullet resistant target. The body ( 135 ) may include a hardened material or a frangible material forming a container around the impact-activated explosive ( 320 ). A typical hardened material for such container is a tube of a heavy, hard metal, such as tungsten, a tungsten alloy, or depleted uranium. Preferably, the impact-activated explosive ( 320 ) is ignited by the heat and pressure created as a natural result of impact.
The impact-activated explosive ( 320 ) is defined herein to include: a chemical compound that blows up upon impact, such as firmly packed thermite-type composition; an incendiary, which is a chemical compound that causes fire upon impact; or a pyrophoric, which is a chemical compound that ignites spontaneously upon impact and exposure to air. In alternative embodiments, a combination of these chemical compounds may be used, such as for example when a stable incendiary is used, an explosive ignition charge may be supplied to ensure ignition of the incendiary upon target impact. Since thermite is self oxidizing, the reaction does not require external support of oxygen. When initiated, the exothermic reaction generates extreme heat, high gas pressure, and a molten mass of metal and oxides.
There are numerous and well known compositions that are impact-activated explosives. Examples are iron sulfide and many reactive metals including uranium, when powdered or thinly sliced. For example, where M stands for a metal element and sub x and sub y stand for the number of atoms in the element immediately preceding the sub x or sub y, and O stands for oxygen, an exemplary impact-activated explosive ( 320 ) comprises a mix of M.sub.x O.sub.y and aluminum, or M.sub.xO.sub.y and magnesium. A pyrophoric is typically a metal compound deficient in metal and rich in oxygen. An incendiary is usually a metal that is fully reacted with oxygen.
The cartridge ( 100 ) includes a shaft ( 305 ) connected to the body ( 135 ) and passing down from the body ( 135 ) to a shaft end-point ( 310 ) within the chamber ( 120 ). The shaft ( 305 ) provides the mechanical connection to move the body ( 135 ) when the cartridge ( 100 ) is fired. The shaft ( 305 ) moves the body ( 135 ) to a position past the external end ( 110 ) of the bullet ( 105 ) so that the explosion does not also destroy the bullet ( 105 ).
The cartridge ( 100 ) includes the thrust plate ( 315 ) connected to the shaft end-point ( 310 ). The thrust plate ( 315 ) is made of spring metal, preferably spring steel, and is configured to spring open when it rises to the second portion ( 225 ) and thereby inhibit downward motion of the thrust plate ( 315 ). When the propellant ( 140 ) in the cartridge explodes, it simultaneously fires the bullet ( 105 ) and drives the thrust plate ( 315 ) towards the external end ( 110 ) of the bullet ( 105 ) setting the body ( 135 ) into a deployed position extending from the external end ( 110 ) of the bullet ( 105 ). The hole connecting the propellant-end ( 115 ) of the bullet to the chamber ( 120 ), which is shown in FIG. 1 filled with a sealant ( 160 ), may be sized according to the propellant charge in the bullet and the malleability of the bullet. A soft lead bullet, for example, will need a smaller diameter hole than a jacketed coated lead bullet or a steel bullet. The hole size is determined so that the body ( 135 ) slides in the channel passage ( 230 ) and the thrust plate ( 315 ) does not push through the chamber top-end ( 205 ) when the cartridge ( 100 ) is fired.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the bullet with a push-out explosive having a post-impact explosive charge within the bullet. The post-impact explosive charge is also referred to as a second explosive charge ( 605 ). The second explosive charge ( 605 ) may be in several parts or it may be a singular, uniform mass. Preferably, the second explosive charge ( 605 ) has an annular cross-section of a singular, uniform mass so that it may surround the second channel passage ( 216 ).
The above-described embodiments including the drawings are examples of the invention and merely provide illustrations of the invention. Other embodiments will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Thus, the scope of the invention is determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents rather than by the examples given.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The invention has application to the firearms industry. | A bullet defines a chamber and mechanism for extending an explosive body from the chamber. The chamber has a broader top portion than a lower portion. The bullet further defines a channel passage leading out of the top end of the bullet. The bullet contains the explosive body slidably engaged within the channel passage. A shaft is connected to the body and passes down from the body into the lower portion of the chamber. A thrust plate is connected to the shaft end in the chamber. The thrust plate is spring metal and when the cartridge is fired, the thrust plate rises pushing the body so that it extends from the leading end of the bullet. When the thrust plate rises to the second portion of the chamber, it springs open to prevent subsequent downward motion of the thrust plate and consequently prevents subsequent retraction of the body during flight. | 5 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims benefit of copending U.S. provisional application No. 60/286,699, filed Apr. 26, 2001, entitled “HIGH PERCENTAGE RECOVERY LAUNDRY WASH WATER RECYCLE SYSTEM”, the disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to apparatus for wastewater recovery. More particularly, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus and method of recovering wastewater from laundry operations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Wastewater recovery from laundry operations has become a developed area of industry as water costs increase and the costs of municipality water treatment increases. The advantages of recovery of the wastewater from the laundering process are both economic and environmentally responsible. The user reduces the net demands on the valuable commodity of drinking water, reduces the requirements for sewer disposal, recovers the heat from the wastewater stream and can recover some of the chemicals used in the washing process. Indirect advantages can include decreased demand on equipment needed to provide water heating needs as well as water softening needs in laundry environments. This can extend the life of the equipment, reduce maintenance costs, and in situations where the operation is new, reduce the capacity needs of this equipment, reducing capital expenditures in this area.
[0004] In recent years, attention has been focused on methods to recover wastewater from industrial applications. Particular attention has been focused on the wastewater from commercial laundries. Typical commercial laundries use extremely high amounts of water to complete the laundering process. Other systems use methods to recover portions of the rinse water and reuse it for the wash cycle. Other art has focused on methods to capture all the wastewater from the washing machines and use a process of nano-filtration or reverse osmosis filtration to produce adequate water for reuse.
[0005] A deficiency of both of these systems is the net percentage of wastewater the processes can hope to recover. Through the recovery of the rinse water only, a system can recycle, at best, 25% of the total water used in the laundering process. In addition, this recovery method is not used for continuous batch style washers due to the fact that the rinse water is never released into the waste stream.
[0006] Likewise, a recycle process which employs nano-filtration, reverse osmosis or other type of membrane or ceramic filtration can not exceed about 60% total wastewater recovery due to the filters requirement of continuous flushing. In addition, these types of filtration process can cause additional problems for consumers who have restrictions on the wastewater quality imposed upon them by the local waste water treatment works and the Environmental Protection Agency. These types of filters generally send the flushing water to drain. In these filters concentrate the contaminants in the actual wastewater discharged to drain.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART
[0007] While there are several companies promoting products or systems that recycle laundry wastewater, each has limits in its ability to recycle an optimum percentage of wastewater. Discussed below are several available types of systems that offer different products that provide a representation of products available in the marketplace.
[0008] Air Backflush Water Filtration System:
[0009] In conventional laundry environments, front-loading washing machines has three basic cycles—initial flush, wash, and rinse cycles. The initial flush pulls the large solids out of the laundry and discharges it. The wash cycle has injected chemicals such as bleach and detergent that, combined with hot water, break down the soiled garments and remove the majority of dirt and solids embedded in the laundry. After the wash cycle water is discharged to the drain, the final rinse cycle tends to be the cleanest wastewater, having minimal suspended solids and having a large concentration of chemicals.
[0010] The air backflush system takes in the final rinse water and filters it through a series of filter bag elements that accumulate the solids as the water is pushed through the system. A pressure differential gauge monitors the accumulation and as the pressure increases between the inlet and outlet of the water filter, the system automatically initiates an air-assisted backflush that pushes the solids through the top of the filter element and through a separate drain discharge.
[0011] This type of system is available from Kemco Systems. While the company claims water reductions of up to 50%, most systems of this type will be limited to about 30% or less water usage reductions. There are also some energy savings since this “water reuse” system will provide about 30% of new water at temperatures between about 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. This represents an energy savings of about 15%.
[0012] Dissolved Air Flotation (“DAF”) System:
[0013] DAF systems are commonly used in discharge environments where there are very high levels of suspended solids, oil and grease (FOG's), BOD's, and COD's. DAF systems function as follows: Discharge water is sent through a large solids filtration system. Filtered water is then sent to a large equalization tank (8 hrs of discharge). Because of the excessive volatility of the composition of the discharge water, large tanks with internal mixers help keep the water from having high volatility, which helps with the consistency of chemical injections. From the equalization tank, water is then pumped into the DAF Unit. Certain chemical polymers, flocculent, clay media, and other similar chemicals are injected into the process water to cause the solids to adhere and solidify, then coagulate and flocculate. Air is then injected into the process water causing the solids to rise to the top of the DAF unit. As the solids accumulate, a skimmer pushes the mud-like solids into a large holding tank. This sludge is then usually run through a filter press or de-watering unit until the solid is a black powdery material that is sent to a landfill.
[0014] DAF units are normally used as a pretreatment before discharging to sewer. However, these units are also sold as solutions to water recycling, as well. The DAF system suffers from several drawbacks. Because of the polymers and other chemicals injected into this process, there is a very high build-up of dissolved solids. This high TDS recycled water can only be reused in the wash cycle which represents about 33% reuse and there is very little energy savings. Also, there is a very high chemical cost as well as a very high equipment cost. Additionally, the DAF unit takes up a very large amount of space and can be labor intensive. This type of system is available from Kemco Systems.
[0015] Ceramic or Membrane Systems:
[0016] Ceramic or membrane system provide the cleanest and most potable water from recycling available in the marketplace. These systems, also referred to as Reverse Osmosis (R/O) systems, are usually added on to systems that already provide a proper pre-filtration or pre-treatment process. The R/O process requires process water to be filtered down to about 5 microns or less before beginning its filtration or the membrane can become fouled or clogged up quickly. The nano-filtration process uses high levels of pressure to push process water through the pores of very small openings in filter elements. The process removes the smallest levels of suspended solids as well as the majority of any dissolved solids in the water. This final “permeate” water is usually considered drinking water quality.
[0017] Reverse osmosis recycling, while very effective, is also expensive. R/O equipment by itself is very costly; however, this unit is attached to the end of the normal filtration process virtually doubling the final cost. Because of the need for very high levels of pressure, the energy cost to produce this high pressure provides an additional negative due to added operational costs. An additional disadvantage is that the RIO process, while removing the highest level of solids in the process water, loses about 30-50% of its water in the process. At a 60% recycle rate, high operational costs, large footprint, and very high equipment costs, this application is not necessary to recycle laundry wash water; this is a drinking water application only. This type of system is available from Kemco Systems.
[0018] Rinse Water Reuse:
[0019] The rinse water reuse system is very similar to other systems except that the rinse water reuse system only reuses selected cycles in the rinse process, providing an even less attractive recycle percentage. This system process utilizes a lint vibration system only, which will usually only provide a reduction in suspended solids to about 175 microns. The recycle percent averages about 25% and heat recovery about 10%. This type of system is available from Thermal Engineering of Arizona.
[0020] Heat Recovery or Reclamation System:
[0021] Heat recovery systems claim to recycle discharge water; however, the “reuse” process is short-lived. The process begins with a sump pump pulling discharge water from the collection pit and through a lint vibration or lint shaker system. Once the large solids are removed, the process water goes to a collection tank waiting for incoming water needs. As new city water coming through the heat exchange unit, it runs through small coils within the unit. The process water goes through the outside chamber and the preheated process water “heats” or transfers its heat to the new city water. While effective in reducing energy costs, most units do not transfer more than about 20-25 degrees Fahrenheit of heat. Cost benefit effectiveness is rather low due to high equipment costs and low energy savings. Discharge water is used to only heat hot water. Since this represents about 33% of total water, the system runs the city water through an additional time or two, each time increasing the temperature. Running the water through this many times can increase the reheat temperature up to 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit. However, there are added equipment costs to utilize this new process. While effective in reducing energy costs, there is no recycle process, so the only savings is in the energy. With high equipment and maintenance costs, the savings are difficult to justify except at an environmental standpoint. This type of system is available from Thermal Engineering of Arizona.
[0022] Ozone Laundry System:
[0023] Ozone, or activated air, is a form of oxygen created when an electrical charge is passed through the air. It functions as an oxidizer as well as a disinfectant. Ozone is used in many industries and is very effective for what it was developed for, i.e., a disinfectant. Ozone is used in laundry operations as a means to reduce or eliminate hot water use and to drastically reduce chemical usage. Injecting high doses of ozone into the wash cycle takes the place of hot water as a disinfectant and can reduce the chemical needs as well.
[0024] In addition, with less chemical needs there is less cycles and less water needed to wash clothes. These claims caused great excitement in the laundry industry in the late 1980's as companies were trying to save energy and reduce costs. However, in actuality, the process was ineffective as well as damaging to equipment. Without hot water, the garments were coming out of the washing machine gray and wrinkled. Without the chemicals needed, the garments continued to come out stained. And finally, over long periods of time (12-18 months) equipment such as piping and washer parts began to crack or become brittle from the high level of oxidation provided by ozone. The claims of 90% less hot water, 30% reduction in water and sewer costs, and 40% less chemicals were unfounded. Most of these systems are not sold currently—they are installed for free and the companies split the savings—a process very difficult to access and fairly inaccurate. This type of system is available from EnviroCleanse.
[0025] Laundry Recycle System:
[0026] Vehicle wash water recycling system takes laundry wastewater, passes it through a cyclone separator, a series of lint screens, oil absorption pillows, large open containers of river rock, and then through pressurized vessels of activated carbon and hydrocarbon before the water in considered recycled. It also uses ozone as a disinfectant. The system is designed to run by gravity requiring appreciably more equipment than pressurized systems. All products (other than pressure vessels) are open container causing a high susceptibility to bacteria and viruses in the water. Because there is no “backwashing” capabilities, the system is very labor intensive to keep equipment clean. While ozone can disinfect, it is injected only in limited locations, causing the remaining system to be completely exposed to infectious diseases and bacteria. In addition, there is limited suspended solids removal causing small lint particles to pass through the open rock beds and into the final water. This leaves the final recycled water looking cloudy and discolored. Finally, these units take up tremendous amounts of space and are extremely difficult and time consuming to install and maintain. This system is available from World-Wide Water Recycling.
[0027] U.S. Pat. No. 6,299,779B1, issued to Pattee, discloses a method for re-use of laundry wash water using a system of separators, filters and ozonation. The ozonation is carried out in pipes that connect various open tanks or beds. A problem with such a system, as well as several other systems discussed hereinabove, is that bacteria are not effectively removed. Open beds or tanks promote growth of bacteria, such as fecal coliform, part of human waste. These bacteria can also move into the closed, pressurized vessels and infect the activated carbon and hydrocarbon tanks. It has become an increasingly prominent concern of commercial laundry facilities to remove bacteria effectively to assure the user or wearer of the laundered item of a clean garment or article.
[0028] It would be desirable to have a wash water recycling system that addresses the deficiencies in the prior art and provides an efficient recycling system that provides recycled water sufficiently clean to be reused in the wash facility. Such a system would preferably have closed filtration vessels to reduce bacteria growth as well as an effective disinfectant system to remove bacteria present in the wash water entering the recycle system. In addition, while ozone is a good disinfectant, there are certain small viruses that can escape ozone disinfection. Differing variations of radiation at the conclusion of the recycle process provide a final step to complete disinfection as well as a means to neutralize any remaining ozone from escaping the recycle system and possible transfer to washing equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0029] Generally described, the present invention provides in a preferred embodiment a system which transfer waste wash water from laundry machines to a trough. The wash water is then pumped to a process tank. This water is subjected to ozone which removes odor and controls bacterial growth. The ozone also coagulates suspended matter, causing it to float. Optionally, a polymer coagulant can be added to facilitate coagulation. From the process tank, lint and other large particles are removed by a lint pulloff filter assembly, which can be a series of pressurized filter bags, a spin disk assembly, or other lint pulloff assembly. The output water of this lint pulloff filter assembly flows to a multimedia pressure filter. The media is a gradient of layers of progressively smaller granular or particulate matter which removes suspended solids. The filtrate is passed to a clay filter which removes fats, oils, greases and other organic and chemical components. The filtrate from the clay filter is passed to a carbon filter (granular activated carbon) which removes remaining organic matter and chemicals.
[0030] The water output from the activated carbon filter is passed to a final holding tank which also receives ozone, keeping the process water germ free as its waits for additional water needs. When demand is present, the system sends processed water through ultraviolet (or other energy similarly used) light to disinfect the water and to degrade the ozone so that it does not harm any components of the system or the washing machines and to minimize ozone released into the atmosphere.
[0031] The system also can include a PLC controller and associated computer system for controlling pump rates, tank levels, filter parameters, backwashing scheduling, provide critical operational data, and other aspects of the system. Advantages of the present system include high recovery efficiency, improved bacterial growth control, and high return on investment. An additional advantage is the environmental benefits. We are quickly using up our limited natural resources, especially water. A recycling system that maximizes water recovery is a key element to water preservation. The present invention reduces the natural gas needs to heat the water. Furthermore, the substantial reduction in wastewater discharge eases the burden of water treatment and purification facilities to expand and accommodate the ongoing demand for services. The water recovery and recycle system of the present invention can also be used or adapted for use with other wash applications, such as boats and car wash systems.
[0032] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] The invention is illustrated in the drawings in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures of which:
[0034] [0034]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0035] [0035]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a portion of the system relating to the supply pump.
[0036] [0036]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of a portion of the system relating to the process pump.
[0037] [0037]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a portion of the system relating to the sump pump.
[0038] [0038]FIG. 5 is a chart of data from product run test.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0039] In general, the present invention provides a wastewater recovery and recycling apparatus. The present invention can be used for recycling of wastewater from various applications, the variations of which will be discussed further hereinbelow. For the purposes of discussion of the preferred embodiments, the apparatus will be discussed in reference to a laundry operation environment, but it is to be understood by those skilled in the art as including other operations and applications.
[0040] [0040]FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 5 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in which at least one and preferably a plurality of conventional washing machines 10 (not shown) output waste water to a trough (or collection pit) 12 . The trough 12 has a float 16 associated with a pump 19 which pumps water from the trough 12 via a conduit 20 to a process tank 22 , which is sized to accommodate the total output load of the washing machines 10 . For the purposes of the present invention, unless specifically described otherwise, the conduit referred to is preferably made of an inert, nonbiodegradable, material, such as, but not limited to, polyvinylchloride (PVC), other polymer, or metal. As such conduit is known to those skilled in the art, it may at times not be shown in the figures, but is intended to be used to convey fluid from one location to another in a watertight structure.
[0041] Normally, wastewater (process water) from a laundry operation is discharged into an initial collection area (trough or pit). Temperatures can average from 100 degrees Fahrenheit up to about 140 degrees Fahrenheit and all equipment must be designed to handle these high temperatures, if necessary. Fresh water comes in at about 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The present invention can reclaim water from about 33 -210 degrees Fahrenheit.
[0042] The size of the system is determined by the company's washing machine load capacity. This determines their peak water flow. It is calculated by adding the pounds capacity per machine and multiplying it by the average amount of water used by the washing machines per pound of dry laundry. One then divides that number by the number of minutes between loads. For example, 3 -300 lb washers represent 2,250 gls per washing cycle. With a 45 minute cycle, the system's peak water flow is 50 GPM and a 50 GPM system would be recommended.
Supply Flow
[0043] A supply pump 30 pumps water from a final holding tank 42 to the washing machines 10 . A float safety switch 31 is included in the holding tank 42 so that the supply pump 30 does not run dry. When the float safety switch 31 lowers to below a predefined level, a signal is actuated which turns off the supply pump 30 . A fresh water inlet 58 in the middle of the holding tank 42 provides a safety valve in case the water demands of the washing machines 10 is greater than the process water available. It also provides make up water from evaporation or to replenish lost process water from backwashing procedures. There is a mechanical float valve or float switch/solenoid valve assembly 59 attached to the fresh water inlet 58 , physically closing the inlet when the water level exceeds the inlet line. The fresh water supply should be designed with a pipe size as well as enough pressure to provide enough water if system has malfunctioned and cannot provide sufficient process water. A preferable design provides that the only time the supply pump 30 is deactivated due to low level in the holding tank 42 is if fresh water supply has dissipated. A pre-charge pressure tank 32 , located after the supply pump 30 , has an internal bladder (not shown) that fills with water and is designed to provide immediate water needs to the washing machines 10 upon demand while the supply pump 30 is turning on and beginning its function of water supply to the washing machines 10 . This pre-charge tank 32 has a switch 34 to turn the supply pump 30 on and off in response to, in part, the signal from the float safety switch 31 . If water usage is intermittent, preferably the pump 30 and switch 32 are actively used to reduce the occurrence of the low water levels; however, if water use is constant, the supply pump 30 can be left on continuously. Water is passed through an ultraviolet light source 36 , or other similar disinfecting electromagnetic radiation source (e.g., beta, gamma, X-ray radiation, or the like) known to those of ordinary skill in the art, which kills a substantial percentage of likely water-borne organisms, specifically bacterial and viral in nature. The ultraviolet light source 36 is commercially available from Aquionics, Louisville, Ky. The ultraviolet (or other energy similarly used) light also degrades the ozone so that it does not harm any components of the system or the washing machines and to minimize ozone released into the atmosphere.
[0044] Water passing through the filter 36 is divided into two flows by a splitter (not shown). A portion (for example, but not limited to, a roughly equal split) of the water goes back via a conduit 38 as cold or tempered water to the washing machines 10 . The other portion of water goes back via a conduit 40 as hot water to the washing machine (if steam injected), a hot water heater 41 , or whatever heating source designed for that particularly environment.
[0045] As the water level in a final holding tank 42 drops, a fill float switch 44 is actuated and turns on the process system (as described in detail hereinbelow) which turns on a process pump 46 , which sends water from the process tank 22 as long as there is sufficient water in the process tank 22 .
Process Tank
[0046] Waste water from the trough 12 is sent to the process tank 22 whenever the float switch 16 indicates that sufficient water is present. Ozone from an ozone generator 60 (as discussed further hereinbelow) is added to the process tank 22 to keep it germ and odor free and help coagulation. The process tank 22 is sized according to the calculations presented previously.
Lint Filtration
[0047] There are several alternative types of lint pulloff assemblies that can be used. One assembly, used for small systems uses a series of pressurized filter bag units 47 , available from a variety of sources such as Hayward Industrial Plastics, Clemmons, N.C. These units use internal non-woven polypropylene bags to catch large solids. The micron level in each bag varies, depending on turbidity of process water. An alternative second assembly, used for larger laundry environments can use, for example, but not by way of limitation, a shaker table or vibratory filter, which can remove suspended solids down to manageable levels. Another lint pull-off assembly is a spin disk 48 , with stackable disks 49 (not shown) with grooves of differing micron size levels. As process water travels around these disks 49 , a vertical arm which holds the disks sucks the process water through small holes in the arm, trapping suspended solids, such as lint, between and around these disks. As pressure rises, the spin disk provides an air assisted flush which causes the disks to separate and the suspended solids are discharged to sewer as backwash. This product, manufactured by Arkal Filtration Systems of Jordan Valley, Israel, is distributed commercially in the United States by A2 Water, of Gregory, Tex.
Multimedia Pressure Filtration
[0048] After lint filtration the process water is transported via a conduit (not shown) to at least one pressure tank 50 containing a multimedia pressure filter 51 . These pressure tanks 50 are preferably made of wound fiberglass and are light weight and long lasting or of epoxy coated steel, which are long lasting as well. It is to be understood that other materials can be used as are known to those skilled in the art. They are flanged at the top and bottom with a distributor head diffuser on the top and distributor arms at the bottom. The tanks 50 are filled with different types of earth media, each sized specifically to capture suspended solids of the same size. In a preferred embodiment anthracite is used first because it is light weight and coarse. It catches the largest solids. It is layered down to sand, then garnet, and then gravel is preferably used as the bottom base to secure and hold down the bottom distributor arms for backwashing. It is to be understood that other particulate matter can be used, as is know to those skilled in the art.
[0049] Process water is sent at a pressurized state through the top opening and out the bottom opening. This is called the filtering mode. As process water continues to flow through these filters, the suspended solids continue to be “held” by the media inside. Each tank 50 can have a pressure differential gauge (not shown) which monitors high solids buildup when process water shows signs of high turbidity. The more solids that are accumulated, the higher the pressure differential gets. When the pressure differential exceeds the system limits, the system automatically shuts down and goes into backwash mode. There are also total flow limits (normal process) to limit the total water recycled between backwashes and timing limits, such as every night at midnight to insure regular backwashing regardless of volume. In a preferred embodiment, a flow limit is between backwashes. When performing a backwash, process, fresh, or a combination of both types of water is sent up from the bottom of the tank 50 with enough force to cause the media bed to lift up about 50% (although the actual percentage can vary). This action causes the trapped solids to separate from the media bed and are then pushed up and out of the top of the tank 50 and down the discharge pipe (not shown) to the sewer 51 . Each pressure vessel has a flanged opening at the top and bottom that are piped in two directions, one for water filtration and the other for backwashing purposes. Each “pipe” is controlled by a pneumatically actuated valve 52 or both pipes at the top or bottom can be controller by a three way pneumatic valve, which opens and closes depending on which mode the system is in, i.e., filter mode or backwash mode.
Clay Filter
[0050] The output of the process water from the multimedia pressure filter 50 then goes to another pressure filter called a clay filter 53 , which adsorbs fats, oils, grease, organics, heavy metals and chemicals, such as, but not limited to, dyes, surfactants, oils, grease and the like. The clay filter is composed of a combination of anthracite and organically modified “designer clay” and is purchased from Biomin under the trade name Organo-Clay™. The clay filter extends the life of the carbon media and increases the capacity of both carbon and clay to adsorb higher levels of FOG's as well as organics in the process water. The volume of clay needed, the retention time necessary to be effective and the backwashing sequence of the clay filter is the same as the carbon filter below.
Carbon Filter
[0051] The output of the process water from the from the clay filter then goes to another pressure filter called a carbon filter 54 , which removes any remaining organic matter and chemicals, such as, but not limited to, dyes, surfactants, oils, grease remaining after the clay filter. The carbon filter 54 also helps remove odors in the process water. The carbon filter 54 is preferably granulated activated carbon. The carbon filter 54 and the clay filter 53 adsorbs these items while the filtration of suspended solids through the multimedia process traps, holds, and later releases those solids to sewer discharge. Backwashing only helps regenerate the media; there are solids or chemicals removed in the backwashing process. The carbon filter 54 is backwashed to “fluff up” and redistribute the carbon and clay beds so that process water can “find” and absorb clean carbon and clay while traveling though the filter material.
[0052] The output of the process water from the carbon filter 54 is transferred to the final holding tank 42 . An ozone generator 56 provides ozone bubbles, which are passed through the water in the holding tank 42 to help remove odor and to control bacterial growth. The ozone generator 56 can be a corona discharge type or an ultraviolet (UV) light frequency, which creates a low ozone volume concentration. One such generator is available from Prozone, Huntsville, Ala. If there is insufficient water to fill the holding tank 42 , a fresh water inlet 58 is opened to allow water to enter the holding tank 42 .
[0053] An ozone generator 60 generates ozone which is injected in process tank 22 and the holding tank 42 . The ozone is a microcoagulant and binds to particles, causing them to coagulate and float facilitating filtration by the multimedia filter. Optionally, a polymer coagulant can be added to assist in coagulation if there are sufficient fats, oils, and/or grease present in the water, such as where the clothes are soiled with grease or oil. The polymer is preferably a cationic polymer. A preferred polymer coagulant is available as Zeta™ series from CIBA Specialty Chemicals (Suffolk, Va).
[0054] FIGS. 2 - 4 show the electrical control activation flow systems of the present invention.
Supply Side Series
[0055] [0055]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of the supply pump 30 process, which is controlled by the operating pressure of the water going into the washing machines 10 . The pressure switch 34 monitors water needs of the washing machines 10 by pressure. When the pressure goes up, water needs have diminished and the signal through the safety float 31 in the holding tank 42 is terminated which causes the supply pump 30 to turn off. If pressure goes down and there is sufficient water in the final holding tank 42 , the pressure switch closes and the signal travels to the safety float switch 44 . If the safety float switch indicates sufficient water available, then signal continues to a supply contactor relay 70 in a central control panel 74 , which maintains the pump 30 is activated and the supply pump turns on.
Process Series
[0056] [0056]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of the process pump process. There is a fill float 44 in the final holding tank 42 . A signal from the central control panel 74 goes through the fill float 44 . If the final holding tank 42 is full, the signal does not continue. When the level begins to go down, the signal continues and the process pump turns on. If the level of water in the process tank 22 is high, that signal will carry on to the process pump contactor 76 and the process pump 46 turns on. If the water level in the process tank 22 is low, that signal does not continue and the process pump is deactivated.
Wast Pump Series
[0057] If water is detected by the float switch 16 in the trough 12 , a signal is sent to the sump pump motor contactor 78 . The sump pump 19 is activated and water is pumped to the process tank 22 . When the discharge level in the trough 12 gets low, the sump pump 19 turns off to insure that the sump pump 19 does not run dry. If the process tank 22 runs to a high level, the fill float causes the signal to not continue, causing the sump pump 19 to turn off. Excess wastewater then overflows to the drain.
Control Panel
[0058] A PLC (program logic controller) control panel 72 automates the backwashing process providing power to all components as well as handling all signals from float switches. It may include a touch screen for easy operation feature as well as a computer system that makes it very easy to change timer settings and other functions of the system. The control panel 72 may also show the flowrate, total flow and/or other parameters, if desired. A remote access port, when connected to a telephone line, can provide valuable operational data from the flow meters. This data assists in monitoring the performance of the system as well as management data to document savings. This option increases the service level the company can provide to its customer, regardless of the location of the system.
Advantages
[0059] The present invention is advantageous because it addresses the particular waste stream of laundry. The majority of water contaminate is lint, which is addressed by the present system design. Lint acts as a magnet and clogs up surfaces in which is in contact. The pump of the present invention system is selected to have no sharp edges and a port size large enough to continually pass and so that it cannot be normally clogged and that any large enough lumps of lint are dislodged by the water pressure. Sources for such a pump include, but are not limited to, Gorman Rupp (Mansfield, Ohio) and Goulds (Seneca Falls, N.Y.). It is also important that the pump seal be chemically resistant, since acids and other harsh chemicals could damage a normal seal.
[0060] The filter scheme preferably uses ozone as a microcoagulant and optionally a coagulating polymer. The spin disks, filter bag units, or shaker table units address the lint issue by efficient removal. Such filtration is not obvious in view of the prior art systems. The lint removal filters also reduce backwashing of the multimedia filter bed. Both the filter bag system and the lint shaker apparatus are preferable in that each will physically insolate and accumulate these solids to a external source to be disposed of outside the sewer system. The present invention limits the volume of solids sent to sewer systems, thus being environmentally desirable.
[0061] An important aspect of novelty of the present invention is the nonobvious combination and configuration of filtration assemblies in the system to remove lint, organic and inorganic matter. The present invention reduces the amount and frequency of backwashing needed to maintain the filtration assemblies in good condition. Such reduction of backwashing reduces the amount of water lost and increases the efficiency of the system. In one installation of the present invention approximately 85% water recovery was obtained. It should be noted that approximately 10-15% of the system water is lost due to evaporation by the clothes dryers.
[0062] Additionally, the filters work co-operatively in concert: the ozone coagulates material and the multimedia, clay, and carbon pressure vessels remove or adsorb the coagulated material. Without coagulation the filtration process might not be able to remove sufficiently the solids or FOG's.
[0063] The water recovered by the present invention is sufficiently clean as to be used again in the washing machine without contaminating the clothes. Other prior art systems produce water which would be less clean and residual contaminants can get trapped in the clothes. Other systems which use reverse osmosis remove dissolved solids (ions), require a continual backflush. Therefore, one could expect a reverse osmosis system to have about a 50% maximum total water recovery. In contrast, the present invention dilutes total dissolved solids present in process water by using process water at strategic times as backwash water to the filters as well as providing fresh water as makeup water when the system is in backwash, effectively reducing TDS by dilution For example, in a laundry operation recycling 60,000 gallons per day, one could utilize approximately 3-5% of the daily process water to backwash the filters as well as an additional 10-15% fresh water to replace lost water to evaporation or when system is in backwash and not providing recycled water. One goal is to maintain a TDS level of between 500-1000 ppm in the final process water at any time. The example which follow provide sample results before and after recycle system. While other prior art systems are rinse water recovery systems, the present invention is a total wash water recovery system. The waste water recovery system of the present invention has at least about 75% total wash water recovery using a volume ratio of process water returned as recycled water to the typical amount of freshwater used without recycling.
[0064] Another advantage of the present invention are the low operating costs, which result in higher return on investment. Additionally, the process provides a environmentally effective means to clean clothes while reducing our need for limited natural resources.
Other Applications
[0065] The apparatus of the present invention can also be used or adapted for use in other applications and for other recovery operations. For example, the present invention can be adapted for use in conjunction with boat cleaning systems. Boat cleaners produce paint chips in the waste water, which can be toxic. The ozone can coagulate oil and grease and the spin disk or filter bag units will trap and remove paint chips. In such a system the polymer coagulant may be omitted. A high pressure pump could be used as the supply pump 30 to provide the high wash pressure of about 1,000-1,500 psi commonly needed in such systems. For such a system the ultraviolet filter could optionally be omitted. The present invention can also be adapted for use in vehicle or other wash systems.
[0066] The invention will be further described in connection with the following examples, which are set forth for purposes of illustration only. Parts and percentages appearing in such examples are by weight unless otherwise stipulated.
EXAMPLES
[0067] The EMI™ model 175 GPM system was first installed in February of 2001 and was up and running effectively March 1. As of Oct. 1, 2001, the system has recycled 13.5 million gallons of water and saved the owner over $100,000 in water, sewer, and energy savings. During the seven months of operation, it recycled 75% of the owner's laundry wastewater. FIG. 5 shows data of the recycle process and savings over a period of seven months.
[0068] Laboratory analysis of the wash water, taken Oct. 2, 2001, showed the results as shown in Table 1. Numbers are in mg/L; standard published analytical methods are used; and, “J” is estimated concentration. Sample #1 represents the waste water and Sample #2 represents the recovered product water from the EMI175 system of the present invention.
TABLE 1 Draft Draft Detection Detection Result Result Limit Limit Analytical Sample #1 Sample #2 Sample #1 Sample #2 Method Analyte (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) (mg/L) SM 5210 B Bio- 177 123 8 8 chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD 5 ) EPA 160.2 Total 34 9 6 5 Suspended Solids EPA 160.1 Total 678 576 12 12 Dissolved Solids EPA 150.1 pH 9.08 7.5 — — (labor- atory) EPA 1664 Oil and 20 7 6 6 Grease SM 9222 D Fecal 64000 34 2 2 Coliform per 100 ml per 100 ml
[0069] Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. It should further be noted that any patents, applications and publications referred to herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. | An apparatus and method for recovering wastewater from laundry operations. A substantially closed loop series of tanks, conduits and pumps hold and transfer water output from a wash machine through a series of filters, including a lint pulloff filter, a multimedia pressure filter, a clay filter, and a carbon filter. The water is ozonated to coagulate suspended solids and to disinfect and is subjected to ultraviolet light to disinfect and to reduce residual ozone. | 3 |
This is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/359,226 filed Dec. 19, 1994, U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,000, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/245,718 filed May 18, 1994, now abandoned, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/102,658 filed Aug. 5, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,959 issued Aug. 30, 1994, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 07/923,209 filed Jul. 31, 1992, now abandoned.
FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a novel method for preparing the enantiomeric forms of certain known racemic imidazole-1-ethanol derivatives which are useful as radiosensitizing or chemosensitizing agents. Novel intermediates utilized in this process are also involved as well as the chiral final products.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The racemic mixture of certain compounds of the present invention is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,954,515 and 5,098,921. In particular, Example 2 of both patents describes the racemic mixture of the compound of Formula I set forth below wherein X is bromo. The racemic mixture of certain compounds of the present invention is also described generically as starting materials or intermediates in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,596,817; 4,631,289; 4,757,148. Additionally, the racemic mixture of certain compounds of Formula I is described generically in U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,060 as hypoxic-cell radiosensitizers.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention provides a novel process for the preparation of the enantiomers of compounds of the following general formula: ##STR3## wherein X is halogen or ##STR4## In Formula I, X can be chlorine, bromine, fluorine, or iodine and preferably X is bromine or chlorine, and more preferably X is bromine, and R 1 can be OH, methyl, phenyl, or phenyl substituted as defined herein for R.
The present invention also provides novel intermediates useful in the preparation of the enantiomers of the compounds of Formula I. These novel intermediates have the following structures: ##STR5##
The compound depicted as Formula II above is 3-[3-( 2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl) -2-[(tri-R-silyl) oxy]propyl]-2-oxazolidinone. Formula III is 3-[2-hydroxy-3-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl) propyl]-2oxazolidinone; and Formula IV is (1-aziridinylmethyl) -2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol. Preferably, R in Compound II is methyl.
The compounds of Formula I and each of the compounds of Formulas II, III, and IV exist in the (R)-(+) or (S)-(-) enantiomeric form or in the (R)-(-) or (S)-(+) enantiomeric form. The most preferred compound of the present invention is the (R)-(+) enantiomer of Formula I wherein X is bromo and this compound is depicted as follows: ##STR6## Pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compound of Formula I are also within the present invention. These include salts of inorganic and organic acids, preferably inorganic acids such as hydrochloric, hydrobromic, and hydriodic acid. Most preferred of the salts is the hydrobromide.
The preferred enantiomer for the compound of Formula II where R is methyl is the (S)-(+) enantiomer; for the compound of Formula III is the (S)-(-) enantiomer, and for the compound of Formula IV is the (R)-(-) enantiomer.
The novel process of the present invention comprises reacting chiral 2-nitro-1-(2-oxiranyl-methyl) -1H-imidazole with a 2-oxazolidinone of the formula ##STR7## wherein R is a lower alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, phenyl or phenyl substituted with lower alkyl having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, lower alkoxy having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, hydroxy, halogen such as chlorine, bromine, or fluorine, nitro, amino, or trifluoromethyl in the presence of a suitable catalyst to give a chiral compound of the formula ##STR8## wherein R has the meaning defined above which is (a) hydrolyzed, for example, with potassium fluoride in methanol or acetic acid in methanol to give chiral 3-[2 -hydroxy-3-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl) propyl]-2-oxazolidinone which is treated with an appropriate acid of formula HX wherein X is as defined above, preferably in acetic acid; the preferred acid being hydrobromic acid; or (b) treated in one step with such an acid to give a compound of Formula I.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
The compounds of Formula I are prepared as depicted in Chart I hereof. Although the preferred reagents and solvents are depicted in each of the steps, it is readily apparent that the reaction conditions may be varied somewhat. For example, in Step 1, suitable solvents include epichlorohydrin alone, lower aliphatic alcohols, water, ethers such as diethyl ether, and diisopropyl ether or tetrahydrofuran, and lower dialkyl ketones such as acetone. Typical bases that can be used include essentially all metal carbonates, especially those of Group I metals (Na, K, PaD, Cs), also common amine bases such as the tertiary lower alkyl amines (triethylamine, diisopropyl ethylamine, N-Me-pyrrolidine, etc). Also common metal hydrides such as Nail. Quaternary ammonium bases such as nBu 4 N + OH - , nBu 4 N +Cl - , etc; various fluoride bases such as nBu 4 NF, KF, CsF, etc. The temperature of the reaction in Step 1 can vary from room temperature to about 150° C.
In Step 2 of Chart I typical solvents which can be employed include various ethers, lower alcohols; other chlorinated solvents, aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene; dipolar aprotic solvents such as DMF, lower dialkyl ketones, lower alkyl nitriles. In Step 2 the temperature can vary from -50° C. to 50° C. and the bases used can be the same as in Step 1.
In Step 3 of Chart I, in addition to using 3-tri-R-silyl-2-oxazolidinone neat as the solvent, other solvents which can be employed include various ethers, chlorinated hydrocarbons, dipolaf aprotic solvents such as DMF, lower alkyl nitriles such as acetonitrile, aromatic hydrocarbons, and lower dialkyl ketones such as acetone. In addition to potassium silanolate, other catalysts which can be employed include other metal silanolates, metal alkoxides, various metal and quaternary ammonium fluorides such as KF, CsF, nBu 4 N + F - , etc. The temperature can vary from 0° C. to 250° C. and the preferred oxazolidinone is 3-trimethylsilyl-2-oxazolidinone. The use of potassium trimethylsilanolate and 3-tri-R-silyl-2-oxazolidinone is a particularly novel feature of the present process.
In Step 4 of Chart I suitable solvents include water, lower alcohols, ethers, and lower alkyl organic acids such as acetic acid and the temperature can vary from 0° C. to 120° C. Suitable catalysts include mineral acids, strong organic acids such as trifluoroacetic acid, and those noted as suitable for Step 3.
In each of Steps 5 and 6 of Chart I, suitable solvents include lower alkyl organic acids and lower alkyl alcohols and acids can be mineral acids but preferably hydrobromic acid.
Chart I also depicts Steps 7 and 8 which represent an alternative method to prepare the chiral compound of Formula I. The oxirane intermediate from Step 2 is reacted with aziridine in an alcoholic solvent. The resulting chiral aziridine intermediate is ring opened with mineral acid in an organic solvent, preferably by hydrobromic acid in acetone. ##STR9##
The novel chiral compounds of Formula I are useful as chemosensitizers or radiosensitizers in patients having cancer. Thus, the compounds of Formula I have utility in patients having cancer which is sensitive to radiation or chemotherapy and are typically administered to said patients prior to being subjected to irradiation of the cancer or being administered chemotherapy. The manner of formulating the compounds of Formula I and the dosage amount of compound to be employed is as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,098,921, 4,954,515 and 4,241,060, and in particular, column 5, line 36 to column 6, line 35 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,241 060 which portion is incorporated herein by reference.
It has been found that the (R)- enantiomer of the compounds of Formula I are particularly useful in that they are substantially devoid of emetic side effects. To illustrate this particular unique utility of the (R)- enantiomers, studies were carried out in beagle dogs on the (R)- enantiomer of a compound of Formula I where X is bromine as follows.
Emesis Studies
Beagle dogs (approximately 10 kg body weight) were treated intravenously with a 10-minute infusion of 20 mL of the test compound prepared in sodium lactate buffer, pH 4.0. Dogs were scored over a 6-hour postdosing period for both the number of emetic episodes and the relative volume. Antiemetic therapy consisted of a 5-minute infusion of ondansetron, administered at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg 30 minutes prior to treatment with the nitroimidazole. The ED 50 value (expressed in mg/kg) is equivalent to the threshold dose at which 50% of the animals exhibited an emetic response.
Mouse Toxicity Studies
B 6 C 3 F 1 mice were treated with varying doses of test agent by either intraperitoneal, intravenous, or oral administration. Mice were observed for 14 days, noting clinical signs of toxicity and lethality. The maximum tolerated dose was established as the dose equal to or less than the LD 10 as determined from a probit analysis.
Radiosensitizing Efficacy in Mice
Clonogenic survival of KHT fibrosarcomas was determined in assays employing B 6 C 3 F 1 mice. Tumors were implanted subcutaneously by trocar. Nine days postimplantation, when tumors ranged from 200 to 400 mg in size, mice were treated IP with a range of drug doses including the maximum tolerated dose of the test agent. Thirty minutes later mice received whole body irradiation at a dose of 10 Gray, delivered at a rate of 2 Gray/minute with a 320 kV x-ray machine. Twenty-four hours after treatment, animals were sacrificed, and tumors were excised. Tumors were enzymatically digested to give single cell suspensions prior to plating for cell survival by clonogenic assay.
Tumor growth delay was assessed in B 6 C 3 F 1 mice implanted IM with 5×105 SCC7 carcinoma tumor cells. On Days 10 through 13 post tumor implantation, mice were treated every 12 hours with the maximum tolerated dose of test agent (determined from a 10-day multiple treatment schedule). Thirty minutes later, mice were irradiated at the tumor site with a 2.5 Gray dose of x-rays. Upon completion of this fraction protocol, tumor growth was monitored daily.
Results of the above tests on the racemic mixture, the (S) and the (R) isomers are shown in the following table. Although the activity and toxicity of the chiral compounds are comparable to the racemic mixture, the (R) isomer surprisingly shows significantly less emesis than the (S) isomer or the mixture.
______________________________________Comparison of Formula I Isomers (R/S) (S) (R)______________________________________ ToxicityLD.sub.10 (mg/kg) IP 540 850 850 IV ND 900 900 PO 1000 1100 1100 EfficacyExcision (250 mg/kg).sup.a IP 14 11 11(% control)Growth Delay.sup.b Fold IP 1.8 1.8 2.1Enhancement Emesis (Dogs)ED.sub.50 (mg/kg) IV ˜8 4 12 (6-12)______________________________________ .sup.a KHT fibrosarcoma .sup.b SCC7 carcinoma
The following illustrate in more detail the preparation of the chiral compounds of Formula I where X is bromine.
EXAMPLE 1
(S)-(-)-α-[[(2-Bromoethyl)amino]methyl]-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol, monohydrobromide
(a) (R)-(-)-α-Chloromethyl)-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol
A stirred suspension of 63.4 g (561 mmole) of 2-nitroimidazole, 9.1 g (28.1 mmole) of anhydrous cesium carbonate, and 1.1 L of absolute ethanol maintained under nitrogen at room temperature is treated with 57 mL (729 mmole) of (R)-(-)-epichlorohydrin. The mixture is heated to gentle reflux for 2 hours. The hot solution is filtered through a preheated pad of ethanol-moistened Celite®, the pad is washed with a little ethanol, and the filtrate is diluted with 170 mL of hexane. The filtrate is cooled at 0°-5° C. for 1 day. The resultant crystals are collected by filtration, washed with 120 mL ethyl acetate: diethyl ether (1:1), and dried to give 46.7 g of product as tan needles, mp 126.5°-128° C., 93.9% pure by HPLC.
The mother liquor is concentrated to a solid residue that is suspended in 500 mL of ethyl acetate. The suspension is heated to boiling then filtered hot through preheated moist Celite. The filtrate is maintained at room temperature for 3 hours, then at 0°-5° C. for 35 hours. The resultant crystals are collected by filtration as above to give 31.9 g of a second crop, mp 127°-128.5° C., 97.4% pure by HPLC.
The mother liquor is further processed as above to give 9.2 g of a third crop of less pure product, mp 124°-127 ° C.
A 1.5-g sample of second crop product is dissolved in 30 mL of boiling ethyl acetate. The solution is treated with charcoal, filtered hot, then maintained first at room temperature for 16 hours then at 0°-5° C. for 48 hours. The resultant crystals are processed as above to give 0.49 g of product as light yellow plates, mp 128°-129° C. [α] 25 D =-2.57° [c1, methanol].
Alternatively, a mixture of 0.42 g (3.7 mmole) of 2-nitroimidazole, 85 mg (0.62 mmole) of anhydrous potassium carbonate, and 5 mL of (R)-(-)-epichlorohydrin is refluxed for 10 minutes then filtered while hot. The filtrate is concentrated and cooled to give a solid. Crystallization from ethanol and further processing as above gives 0.56 g of the product.
(b) (R)-(+)-2-Nitro-1-(2-oxiranylmethl)-1H-imidazole
Reaction of 40.2 g (196 mole) of (R)-(-)-α-(chloromethyl)-1H-imidazole, 400 mL of 10% aqueous sodium hydroxide, and 400 mL of dichloromethane as described in Example 2 (b) below gives 29.6 g of product, mp 42°-44° C. Purification of a 1.35 -g portion of product as described in Example 2 (b) below gives 822 mg of product, mp 43°-44° C., 99.9% pure by HPLC; [ 25 D =+84.95° [c1, methanol].
Alternatively, reaction of (R) -(-)-α-(chloro-methyl)-1H-imidazole with 10% aqueous sodium hydroxide as described in Example 2 (lb) below gives the product.
(c) (R)-3-[3-(2-Nitro-1H-imidazol-yl)-2-[(trimethysilyl)oxylprpgyl]-2-oxazolidinone
Reaction of 8.46 g (50 mmole) of (R)-(+)-2-nitro-1-(2-oxiranylmethyl) -1H-imidazole, 9.4 mL (59.8 mole) of 3-trimethylsilyl-2-oxazolidinone, and 64 mg of potassium trimethylsilanolate followed by workup as described in Example 2 (c) below gives 8.04 g of pure product, mp 98°-100° C.; [α] 25 D =-14.54° [c1, methanol].
(d) (R) -3-[2-Hydroxy-3-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1yl)propyl]-2-oxaz olidinone
Reaction of 493 mg of (R)-3-[3-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl) -2-[(trimethylsilyl)oxy]propyl]-2 oxazolidinone with 3 mL of 1:1 methanol:glacial acetic acid as described in Example 2 (d) below gives 40 mg of product, mp 136°-137° C., 98% pure by HPLC; [α] 25 D =+5.80° [c1, methanol].
(e) (S)-(+)-α-(1-Aziridinylmethyl)-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol
A solution of 0.3 g (1.8 mmole) of (R)-(+)-2-nitro-1-(2-oxiranylmethyl)-1H-imidazole, 0.24 g (5.4 mole) of 1H-aziridine, and 3.5 mL of 99:1 absolute ethanol: triethylamine is heated at reflux for 10 minutes, cooled, and concentrated. The residue is crystallized from 99:1 absolute ethanol:triethylamine to give 0.22 g of product, mp 118.5°-120° C. [α] 24 D =+23.5° [c0.98, chloroform].
(f) (S)-(-)-α-[[(2-Bromoethyl)amino]methyl]-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-monohydrobromide
A mixture of 257 mg (1 mmole) of (R)-3-[2-hydroxy-3-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl]-2-oxazolidinone and 1 mL of 31% hydrogen bromide in acetic acid is stirred at room temperature for 7 days. The precipitated solids are collected by filtration, washed successively with 10 mL of 2:1 diethyl ether:2-propanol then 10 mL of diethyl ether, and air dried to leave 385 mg of product. The product is dissolved in 2 mL of hot methanol and the solution is stored at 25° C. for 3 hours, then at 0°-5° C. for 19 hours. The solids are collected by filtration, washed with 5 mL of 1:1 diethyl ether:ethanol, and dried at 40° C./200 mm/15 hours to give 209 mg of pure product as the monohydrobromide salt, mp 153°-154.5° C. (decomposition), 99.3% pure by HPLC.
Alternatively, reaction of 28.11 g (85.6 mmole) of (R) -3-[3-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-2-[(trimethylsilyl) oxy]propyl]2-oxazolidinone, synthesized as described in Example 1 (c), with 142 mL of 31% hydrogen bromide in acetic acid at room temperature for 4 days followed by workup as described in Example 2(f) below gives 18.12 g of pure product as the monohydrobromide salt, mp 154°-155.5° C. (decomposition), 100% optically pure by chiral HPLC; [α] 25 D =-6 94° (c1, methanol)
In another alternate procedure, treatment of S-(+)-5-(1-aziridinylmethyl)-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1ethanol, synthesized as described in Example 1 (e), with aqueous hydrogen bromide in acetone, as described in The Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 33, 2608 (1990) gives the product, mp 148°-149° C. (decomposition), 97.1% optically pure by chiral HPLC.
EXAMPLE 2
R-(+)-α-[[(2-Bromoethyl)amino]methyl]-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol, monohydrobromide
(a) (S)-(+)-α-(Chloromethyl)-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol
Reaction of a mixture of 75.6 g (669 mole) of 2-nitroimidazole, 68 mL (869 mmole) of (S)-(+)-epichlorohydrin, 10.9 g (33.5 mole) of anhydrous cesium carbonate, and 1.3 L of absolute ethanol as described in Example 1 gives 101.5 g of product, 92.6% pure by HPLC. A 9.87 g sample is recrystallized from 195 mL of ethyl acetate to give 7.45 g of pure product, mp 128°-129° C.; [α] 25 D =+2.39° [c1, methanol].
Alternatively, reaction of 2-nitroimidazole, anhydrous potassium carbonate, and (S)-(+)-epichlorohydrin as described in Example 1(a) gives the product.
(b) (S)-(-)-2-Nitro-1-(2-oxiranylmethyl)-1H-imidazole
To a vigorously stirring ice-cold suspension of 100.5 g (489 mole) of (S)-(+)-α-(chloromethyl)-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol in 1 L of dichloromethane is added over 1 minute 1 L of 10% aqueous sodium hydroxide. The biphasic mixture is stirred for 7.5 hours at 0°-5° C., then diluted with 500 mL each of chloroform and water. The phases are separated and the aqueous phase is extracted three times with 200 mL portions of chloroform. The combined organic phases are dried over magnesium sulfate and concentrated to leave 71.1 g of a yellow oil that crystallizes upon prolonged storage at 0°-5° C. The crystals are dried at 0.05 mm/25° C./8 hours to give 69.1 g of product, mp 42°-43° C., 98.4% pure by HPLC.
A portion (1.14 g) of the product is dissolved in 20 mL of ethyl acetate and the solution is loaded onto a silica gel (230-400 mesh) column (4×13 cm). The column is eluted with 1:1 ethyl acetate: cyclohexane. Pure product fractions are combined and evaporated to a solid that is crystallized from 14 mL of 5:2 hexane:ethyl acetate. The solution is kept at -5 to 0° C. for 6 hours and the solids are collected by filtration, washed with 20 mL of diethyl ether, and dried at 0.025 mm/25° C. to give 681 mg of product as pale yellow crystals, mp 43°-44° C., 99% pure by HPLC; [α] 25 D =-82.18° [c1, methanol].
Alternatively, reaction of 0.56 g of (S)-(+)-(α-(chloromethyl)-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol with 3 mL of 10% aqueous sodium hydroxide at 25° C. for 30 minutes followed by further processing as above gives 0.3 g of the product.
(c)-(S)-3-[3-(2-Nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-2-[(trimethylsilyl)oxi]propl]-2 -oxazolidinone
Under a brisk stream of dry nitrogen, a vigorously stirring mixture of 40.3 mL (256 mmole) of 3-trimethylsilyl-2-oxazolidinone and 274 mg (2.1 mmole) of potassium trimethylsilanolate is heated to 95° C. To the solution is added over 10 minutes a solution of 36.15 g (214 mmole) of (S)-(-)-2-nitro-1-(2-oxiranylmethyl)-1H-imidazole in 26 mL of dry tetrahydrofuran during which an opening in the flask allows evaporation of solvent. The addition funnel is rinsed with 5 mL of solvent, and the flask is kept open for an additional 15 minutes. After heating at 95° C. for a total of 1.5 hours, 3.4 mL of additional 3-trimethylsilyl-2-oxazolidinone is added to the solution. The mixture is heated for an additional 1.5 hours then concentrated at 0.8 mm/50° C./16 hours to give an oil that is dissolved in 100 mL of 2:1 ethyl acetate:cyclohexane. The solution is loaded onto a column containing an 8×16 cm pad of silica gel (230-400 mesh). The column is eluted with ˜5 L of 2:1 ethyl acetate: cyclohexane. Product fractions are combined and concentrated first at 20 mm, then at 0.8 mm to give 71.45 g of an oil that solidifies on standing. The solids are diluted with 200 mL of tert-butyl methyl ether, and the suspension is refluxed for 45 minutes, cooled, and filtered. The solids are washed sparingly with tert-butyl methyl ether and dried to leave 37.18 g of pure product as a light yellow solid, mp 98°-100° C.; [α] 25 D =+15.4°[c1, methanol].
The tert-butyl methyl ether filtrate is concentrated to leave ˜30 g of a viscous oil that is dissolved in 100 mL of 1:1 ethyl acetate:cyclohexane. The solution is loaded onto an 8×16 cm pad of silica gel as above and the column is eluted with 1:1 ethyl acetate:cyclohexane until pure product appears. The column is then eluted with ˜3 L of 2:1 ethyl acetate:cyclohexane. Pure product fractions are combined and concentrated as above to leave 13 g of a sticky solid that is triturated in 1:1 diethyl ether:ethyl acetate to leave 5.67 g of a second crop, mp 95°-98° C., after drying.
(d) (S)-3-[2-Hydroxy-3-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propy]-2-oxazolidinone
A solution of 10.51 g (32 mole) of (S)-3-[3-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-2-[(trimethylsilyl)oxy]propyl]-2-oxazolidinone and 32 mL of 1:1 methanol:glacial acetic acid is stirred at 25° C. for 16 hours during which a precipitate forms. The suspension is diluted with 30 mL of absolute ethanol, and the solids are collected by filtration, washed with ethanol and dried to give 6.49 g of a pure white solid, mp 134°-136° C., 98.5 % optically pure by chiral HPCL; [α] 25 D =-5.97° [c1, methanol].
The filtrate is concentrated to near dryness and the solids are dissolved in methanol. The solution is decolorized with charcoal, then filtered through a pad of silica gel (230-400 mesh). The filtrate volume is reduced to 20 mL and the solution is refrigerated overnight. The solids are collected by filtration, then dissolved in ˜10 mL of methanol. The solution is refrigerated for 3 hours and the solids are collected by filtration, washed with methanol, and dried to leave a second crop as a light yellow solid, mp 134°-136° C. The combined filtrates from the above two crystallizations are concentrated to a solid that is crystallized from methanol as above to give a third crop of product, mp 134°-136° C. The second and third crops are combined and dried to leave 1.18 g of product, 100% optically pure by chiral HPLC; [α] 25 D =-5.92 [C1, methanol].
(e) (R)-(-)-α-(1-Aziridinylmethyl)-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol
Reaction of (S)-(-)-2-nitro-1-(2-oxiranyl-methyl)-1H-imidazole with 1H-aziridine as described in Example 1(e) gives the product, mp 119.5°-121° C. 24 D=- 28.7° [C1.15, chloroform].
(f) (R)-(+)-α-[[(2-Bromoethyl)amino]methyl]-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol, monohydrobromide
A mixture of 8.5 g (33.2 mmole) of (S) -3-[2-hydroxy-3-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl]-2-oxazolidinone and 51 mL of 31% hydrogen bromide in acetic acid is stirred at room temperature for days. The precipitated solids are collected by filtration, washed successively with 70 mL of 2:1 diethyl ether:2-propanol then 100 mL of diethyl ether, and air dried to leave 11.8 g of product, mp 149°-151° C. (decomposition). The product is dissolved in 100 mL of hot methanol, the solution filtered through Celite, and the filtrate stored at 25° C. for 6 hours then at 0°-5° C. for 8 hours. The solids are collected by filtration, washed with 30 mL of 1:1 diethyl ether: methanol, and dried at 55° C./150 mm/15 hours to give 7 g of pure product as the monohydrobromide salt, mp 154°-156° C. (decomposition), 100% optically pure by chiral HPLC; [α] 25 D =+5.57° [c1, methanol].
Alternatively, to an ice-cold solution of 160 mL of 31% hydrogen bromide in acetic acid was added 31.2 g (95 mmole) of (S)-3-[3-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl) -2-[(trimethylsilyl)oxy]propyl ]-2-oxazolidinone, synthesized as described in Example 2 (c) , and the solution is allowed to slowly warm to 25° C. then stirred for 23.5 hours. The solids are collected by filtration, washed with 100 mL of 2:1 diethyl ether:2-propanol, and dried to leave 28.85 g of first crop material. The filtrate is poured slowly into a rapidly stirring solution of 1.2 L of 2:1 diethyl ether:2-propanol. The precipitated solids are collected by filtration, washed with ˜200 mL of 2:1 diethyl ether:2-propanol, then dissolved in a mixture of 80 mL of 1:1 31% hydrogen bromide in acetic acid: 2-propanol. The solution is stirred at 25° C. for 24 hours and the solids are collected by filtration then processed as above to leave 5.35 g of a second crop. The crops are combined and dissolved in 280 mL of hot methanol. The solution is maintained at 25° C. for 2 hours, then refrigerated for 4 hours. The solids are collected by filtration, washed with methanol, and dried to leave 17.62 g of product as the monohydrobromide salt, mp 157°-159° C. (decomposition), 100% optically pure by chiral HPLC; [α 25 D =+5.55° [c1, methanol].
The filtrate is concentrated to a solid that is crystallized in ˜60 mL of methanol as above to leave 3.8 g of second crop material, mp 152°-154° C. (decomposition). Further processing of the filtrate affords 1.5 g of third crop and 0.5 g of fourth crop materials, mp 145°-150° C. (decomposition). The second through fourth crops are combined and crystallized in 60 mL of hot methanol, with cooling at -20° C. for 7 hours, and further processing as above to give 4.59 g of product, 100% optically pure by chiral HPLC; [α] 25 D =+5.71° [c1, methanol].
In another alternate procedure, treatment of (R)-(-)-α-(1-aziridinylmethyl)-2-nitro-1H-imidazole-1-ethanol, synthesized as described in Example 2 (e), with aqueous hydrogen bromide in acetone, as described in The Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 33, 2608 (1990), gives the product, mp 149°-150.5° C. (decomposition), 99.3% optically pure by chiral HPLC. | Chiral compounds useful as radiosensitizers or chemosensitizers having the formula ##STR1## wherein X is halogen or ##STR2## intermediates used to prepare these compounds, and a novel process to prepare these compounds are described. | 2 |
RIGHTS OF THE GOVERNMENT
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States for all governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to providing multiple sinusoidal voltage signals at the same frequency or simultaneously sweeping in frequency, each having a programmable amplitude and phase.
Several applications in structural dynamics testing and active vibration and acoustic control require multiple excitations programmed at specific amplitudes and phases. The excitations may be used to simulate rotational forces, excite particular vibration modes of a structure, or cancel unwanted vibration or noise. These multiple excitations require multiple channels of signal generation with programmable amplitude and phase.
A simple, prior art method of phase shifting a signal is to pass it through an analog circuit with an inductive and resistive load. The amount of phase the circuit provides could be controlled with a programmable resistor which changes the phase response of the circuit. The problem with this method is that the change in resistance also changes the amplitude response of the circuit. Therefore, this method has the disadvantage that only an arbitrary phase or amplitude can be commanded on each channel, but not both.
Another prior art method is where both amplitude and phase can be adjusted using a single-channel phase shifter. Multiple single-channel phase shifters can be referenced to the same input sinusoid to create multiple phased sinusoid outputs. The problem with this system is its lack of programmability. The user must manually adjust a gain and phase knob on each channel. At best, these adjustments would have to be made any time the user desired to change his test set-up with a different arrangement of amplitudes and phases on the channels. At worst, these adjustments would have to be made for every frequency change when controlling actuators with slightly different frequency responses. Each single phase shifter is programmable and can be controlled via standard GPIB instrument control. One disadvantage of this system is that each module can only adjust the phase and not the amplitude of each channel. Also, this system uses a programmable time delay to cause the phase shift. The user is required to manually input (via software) the time delay directly or the frequency of the input waveform. Therefore, the second disadvantage is that automatic phased frequency sweeps are not possible with this system and changing frequency manually to perform a sweep test would be cumbersome and time consuming.
Another prior art approach for producing programmable amplitude and phase-shifted sinusoids is to use multiple phase-locking commercial function generators. The disadvantage of this method is its expense for large numbers of channels such as those that might be needed to excite a bladed disk. (Some bladed disks have over 100 blades).
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for an inexpensive programmable multiple channel amplitude and phase shifter which can operate either at a single frequency or sweep in frequency. The traveling wave excitation system phase shifter chassis method and device of the invention is compact, inexpensive, and versatile when compared to customary methods for generating traveling wave excitation signals.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The programmable, multiple channel amplitude and phase shifting circuit device and method of the invention is compact, inexpensive, and versatile when compared to customary methods for generating traveling wave excitation signals that would require using an equivalent number of commercial function generators. The method and device of the invention produces up to 56 simultaneous sine waves that are phase shifted with respect to one another. The preferred arrangement of the invention utilizes a standard personal computer 24-channel digital interface port by which the amplitude of each sine wave can be adjusted. Ideally, the invention permits operation of two chassis—for up to 112 channels of phased sinusoids—from a single computer interface port.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive, multiple channel amplitude and phase shifter.
It is another object of the invention to provide a programmable multiple channel amplitude and phase shifter
It is another object of the invention to provide a compact programmable multiple channel amplitude and phase shifter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a conceptual amplitude and phase shifting circuit.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic of the amplitude and phase shifting circuit of the invention.
FIG. 3 shows an amplitude and phase shifting circuit of the invention.
FIG. 4 shows a 28 channel phase shifting circuit of the invention.
FIG. 5 shows a program for controlling the programmable, multi-channel amplitude and phase shifting circuit of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The amplitude and phase shifting circuit of the invention creates phase shifted sine waves with the following trigonometric identity:
A sin(ω t +θ)= B cos(ω t )+ C sin(ω t ) (1)
B=A sin(θ) (2)
C=A cos(θ) (3)
where A is the desired output amplitude (volts), ω is the sinusoid frequency (Hz), t is time (sec), θ is the desired phase angle (radians), and B and C are constants.
The method in equations (1-3) was implemented using two programmable operational amplifiers (for gains B and C) and one summing operational amplifier per channel. A personal computer sets B and C using a National Instruments™ digital output card and LabVIEW™ software. These digital output cards and software are described by way of example are not invented to limit other arrangements of invention. A standard two-channel function generator is used to supply the required sin(ωt) and cos(ωt) waveforms. However, any traveling wave generating device may be used.
A conceptual diagram of this circuit for a single channel is shown in FIG. 1 . Two programmable operational amplifiers are shown at 100 and 101 . A summing operational amplifier is shown at 102 and sin(ωt) and cos(ωt) waveforms, generated by a two-channel function generator, are shown at 103 . The circuit shown in FIG. 1 is then repeated for as many channels of signal generation.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic of an amplitude/phase shifting circuit board with each printed circuit board implementing four channels of the output circuit show in FIG. 1 . Each board contains a matrix of selector jumpers that allow assignment of its four channels, shown at 200 through 203 , among the 28 select lines coming from the demultiplexer chips, shown at 204 . The circuit board has 8 programmable gain operational amplifiers, illustrated at 205 - 212 . Each programmable gain amplifier is connected to 8 data lines, 4 control lines, and 1 chip select line from the motherboard. The chip select line must be low for the programmable gain amplifier to respond to any control or data lines. The 4 control lines determine the timing and sequencing of reading the data lines, storing the data in a buffer, and changing the gain of the operational amplifier. The 8 data lines send a 12 bit digital number corresponding to a gain between 1 and ±1. The input sine and cosine wave, shown at 213 for the first channel, are input to the programmable gain operational amplifiers and then summed with another operational amplifier, the summing operational amplifiers shown at 214 through 217 in FIG. 2 and as shown at 102 in FIG. 1 . The final phase and amplitude shifted sinusoid is then sent to an output connector at the top of the card. The output connector is then wired to the BNC patch panel on the outer case.
FIG. 3 shows a top view of an amplitude and phase shifting circuit of the invention. The operational amplifiers of FIGS. 1 and 2 are shown for two channels at 300 and 301 in FIG. 3 .
In a preferred arrangement of the invention, the amplitude and phase shifting circuit of the invention consists of an enclosure, a motherboard, a demultiplexer circuit board and an amplitude/phase shifting circuit board. The overall installed 28 channel phase shifting circuit of the invention is shown in FIG. 4 . The enclosure is shown at 400 in FIG. 4 and consists of a card cage to hold the printed circuit boards interfaced with the motherboard. The enclosure also provides a front panel for the sine and cosine input signals and the phase shifted outputs. The enclosure mounts into a standard 19 inch electronics rack, illustrated at 401 .
The motherboard, illustrated at 402 , is used to supply the demultiplexer circuit board and the amplitude and phase shifting circuit boards, illustrated at 403 , with power, digital control lines, and the sine and cosine input signals. One circuit board in the motherboard is reserved for a demultiplexer circuit board, illustrated at 404 in FIG. 4 .
The demultiplexer circuit board consists of a 50-pin ribbon cable connector to accept the digital control lines coming from digital output card in a personal computer. Five digital control lines are rounted from the pin connector to two 4-line to 16-line demultiplexer chips. The rest of the digital control lines from ribbon cable connector are routed directly to the motherboard to be available to the amplitude/phase shifting circuit boards.
The demultiplexer output lines are routed into the motherboard so that they are available to the amplitude and phase shifting circuit boards. Each demultiplexer output line is connected to a different multiplying operational amplifier chip select line on the amplitude/phase shifting circuit board. The demultiplexer chips select one amplifier at a time to have its gain changed when the user desires a new amplitude or phase to be set on one of those channels.
The programmable multiple channel amplitude and phase shifting circuit of the invention must be controlled with some type of digital output. In the preferred arrangement of the invention, the circuit is controlled with a digital output card from a personal computer. However, other methods may be implemented and a digital output card is described by way of example, only. The digital output card interfaces with the phase shifting circuit through a 50 pin ribbon cable. The user interfaces with the digital output card with some type of software. The current configuration uses LabVIEW™ software. The user simply types in the desired amplitude and phase on each channel and the LabView™ software sends the appropriate digital commands to the programmable gain amplifiers to change their gains according to equations (1-3).
FIG. 5 shows LabVIEW™ software control panel which controls the programmable multi-channel amplitude and phase shifting circuit as well as other equipment involved in the traveling wave test.
There are many advantages to the method and device of the invention. For example, prior art methods of traveling wave excitation for turbine engine bladed disks adjusted the excitation signal gains to correct for variations in the exciter frequency responses. This was necessary to produce equal amplitude excitation on all blades. Although the frequency response variations involved phase as well as amplitude variations, only amplitude corrections could be made with previous systems. However, the amplitude and phase shifting circuit of the invention can correct for both amplitude and phase differences between exciters. This results in a more perfect simulation of the rotating forces experienced by turbine engine airfoils. Such precise excitation is important when studying the forced response of bladed disks which can be very sensitive to slight perturbations in structural and forcing properties.
From a practical viewpoint, there are also advantages to the method and device of the invention. For example, the programmable multi-channel amplitude and phase shifting circuit significantly reduces the per-channel cost for providing multi-channel amplitude and phase shifted sinusoids. This cost reduction can be significant for many applications where large numbers of amplitude and phase shifted signals are required. Examples include exciting turbine engine bladed disks containing many airfoils, active vibration control, and multiple shaker control for phased resonance testing.
There are many potential alternative modes of the invention. The amplitude and phase shifting circuit can be used for any application where multiple sinusoidal signals with different amplitudes and phases but identical frequencies are required.
While the apparatus and method herein described constitute a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus or method and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims. | The traveling wave excitation system phase shifter chassis method and device of the invention is compact, inexpensive, and versatile when compared to customary methods for generating traveling wave excitation signals that would require using an equivalent number of commercial function generators. The method and device of the invention produces up to 56 simultaneous sine waves that are phase shifted with respect to one another. | 6 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a radiation pyrometer useful for the measurement of the temperature of a radiating body. More particularly, the present invention relates to a radiation pyrometer that enhances the resolution and repeatability of the measured temperature of the radiating body. Additionally, the present invention relates to the technique utilized to enhance the resolution and repeatability of the measured temperature.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Radiation pyrometers are known and commercially available. Typically, pyrometers are used to generate a measured temperature of a radiating body. The term "target" is used to indicate the radiating body evaluated for temperature determination, and the term "measured temperature" is used to indicate the value generated by a pyrometer or a pyrometric technique. The measured temperature may, or may not, be the actual temperature of the target.
Pyrometers are particularly useful for measuring target temperatures when the target is positioned in a remote location, or when the temperature or environment near the target is too hostile or severe to permit temperature measurement by other, more conventional, means or when the act of measuring in a contact manner may itself perturb the target temperature. The terms "measuring" and "measure" are use to include all aspects of a pyrometric technique including, but not limited to, energy collection, correlation, data manipulation, the report of the measured temperature, and the like.
Current pyrometers are one of two types: brightness or ratio devices. Brightness and ratio pyrometers both utilize a solution of a form of the Planck Radiation Equation to calculate the target's measured temperature. The Planck Radiation Equation for spectral radiation emitted from an ideal blackbody is ##EQU1## where L.sub.λ =radiance in energy per unit area per unit time per steradian per unit wavelength interval,
h=Planck's constant,
c=the speed of light,
λ=the wavelength of the radiation,
k B =Boltzmann's constant, and
T=the absolute temperature.
For non-blackbodies, ##EQU2## where H.sub.λ =the radiation emitted, and ε=emissivity. In the brightness method of pyrometry, H.sub.λ and ε are measured at a known wavelength, λ, and, therefore, T can be calculated.
Brightness devices rely upon capturing a known fraction of the radiation from a source in a particular solid angle. Brightness pyrometers known in the prior art are dependent upon knowing the emissivity of the target, as required by Equation 2, supra. Emissivity is the ratio of the radiation emitted by the target to the radiation emitted by a perfect blackbody radiator at the same temperature. Typically, emissivity is unknown or estimated to a low degree of accuracy. Additionally, the emissivity is often a function of the target temperature, wavelength of radiation examined, and history of the target. This limits the utility of brightness pyrometry severely.
In practice, it is left to the user of a brightness pyrometer to estimate target emissivity, usually based upon an analysis of the target's composition. The user must then determine if the target's thermal and environmental history have not appreciably altered the target emissivity. The wavelength or group of contiguous wavelengths of radiation examined are determined by the instrument used, and no selection is possible. It is then left to the user to decide whether or not the indicated target temperature is correct.
Brightness pyrometers are also susceptible to effects of the environment. The gases given off by the target or otherwise present in the atmosphere can selectively absorb radiation at various wavelengths, thus altering the energy reaching the pyrometer and hence the measured temperature. Again, current instruments give no guidance or assistance to the user in surmounting this obstacle.
Ratio pyrometers depend upon graybody behavior. A graybody is an energy radiator which has a blackbody energy distribution reduced by a constant, known as the emissivity, throughout the wavelength interval examined. Ratio pyrometers detect the radiation intensity at two known wavelengths and, utilizing Planck's Equation, calculate a temperature that correlates to the radiation intensity at the two specified wavelengths.
One form of the Planck Radiation Equation useful for ratio pyrometry is expressed as ##EQU3## where T=absolute temperature; λ i =specific wavelength chosen;
C'=second radiation constant=hc/k B ;
R=ratio of radiation intensity at λ 1 , to that at λ 2 ; and
K i =instrument response factor at each wavelength chosen.
Here the low-temperature, short-wavelength approximation has been made; i.e., e hc/ λk B T -1! has been replaced with e hc/ λk B T !.
Tradeoffs must be made in the design of ratio pyrometers, particularly in the wavelengths selected for inspection. Planck's Equation yields higher precision when the selected wavelengths are further apart. However, broadly spaced wavelengths permit extreme errors of indicated temperatures for materials that do not exhibit true graybody behavior. In practice, the two distinct wavelengths are typically chosen close together to minimize target emissivity variations, and the resulting diminution of accuracy accepted as a limitation of the pyrometric device.
Ratio devices are also affected by gaseous absorptions from the workpiece or environment. If a selective absorption occurs for either of the two wavelengths fixed by the instrument, the measured temperature will be incorrect.
Both brightness and ratio devices are therefore critically dependent on target emissivity and atmospheric absorptions in the region under study.
There is another, more subtle error to which both brightness and ratio devices are prone. If the measuring device has a significant bandwidth at the wavelengths utilized, a simple emissivity correction will not suffice for a target with spectral variation of emissivity. The emissivity correction is treated as a variable gain for both classes of devices (brightness and ratio), and is therefore a linear correction. If the bandwidth is large the contribution from neighboring wavelengths of different emissivity will render the resulting radiation intensity variation with temperature non-linear, since the Planck function is non-linear. This implies that there is no single emissivity correction for certain targets if the bandwidth is large. Furthermore, if any element in the optical path has a spectral transmission dependence, the same error applies; no single gain factor can correct for such an optical element (e.g., a gaseous, absorbing atmosphere, a glass window or lens, a mirror, etc.).
Experimenters have investigated multi-wavelength pyrometry for some time. G. A. Hornbeck (Temperature: Its Measurement and Control in Science and Industry, 3 (2), Reinhold, N.Y., 1962) described a three-wavelength device that could measure temperatures independent of target emissivity if the emissivity variation was linear over the wavelengths examined. The works of Cashdollar and Hertzberg (Temperature: Its Measurement and Control in Science and Industry, 5 453-463, American Institute of Physics, New York, 1982; U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,417) describe temperature measurement of particulate matter and gas in coal dust explosions using six-wavelength and three-wavelength devices utilizing a least squares fit to Planck's Radiation Equation under the assumption that the particles are essentially graybodies and that the dust cloud is optically thick.
Gardner et al. (High Temperature-High Pressures, 13, 459-466, 1981) consolidated the contents of a series of papers on the subject. Gardner extends the concept of Hornbeck as well as the work of Svet (High Temperature-High Pressures, 11, 117-118, 1979), which indicated that emissivity could be modeled as linear over a range of wavelengths for a number of materials. Also of interest is a previous publication by Gardner (High Temperature-High Pressures, 12, 699-705, 1980), which discusses coordinate spectral pairs of measured intensity and the associated wavelength. Differences between all possible pair combinations are calculated, and the target emissivity estimated. Use of the emissivity with measured intensities permits calculation of the target temperature. The work of Andreic (Applied Optics, Vol. 27, No. 19, 4073-4075, 1988) calculated the mean color temperature from many spectral pairs and determined that detector noise of only 1% would produce intolerable effects on measurement accuracy. The references of Hornbeck, Cashdollar, Hertzberg, Gardner, Svet, and Andreic, discussed above, are incorporated herein by reference.
In contrast, the present invention measures the radiation intensity at numerous wavelengths of extremely narrow bandwidth to generate a large number of coordinated data pairs of primary data points, fits the primary data points to a mathematical function, generates a statistically significant number of processed data points from the mathematical function, calculates an individual two-wavelength temperature for several pairs of processed data points, inspects the results for internal consistency, and numerically averages the appropriate ensemble of individual two-wavelength temperatures to generate the measured temperature. A data point is defined as a wavelength and its associated (spectral)intensity such that if each were substituted into Equation 1 a unique temperature would result. A processed data point is a data point as described above except that the spectral intensity is generated by the invention's mathematical function. A pair of processed data points, hereafter known as a generating pair, is required to generate a temperature by the use of Equation 3, the formula for ratio pyrometry.
Nothing in the prior art envisions generating a non-Planckian mathematical function to fit primary data points, the calculation of multiple processed data points, and the numerical averaging of the multiple processed data points to generate a measured temperature of extreme accuracy and precision with an associated tolerance. In contrast to the limited capabilities of previous techniques, the present invention has demonstrated an accuracy of measured temperature to ±5° C. at 2500° C., or ±0.15%, with a reproducibility of ±0.015%.
It also yields a tolerance--a measure of accuracy for the indicated temperature--which has never been offered before. It is an extremely useful feature, in that its result is that the user immediately knows to what degree the measurement just made is to be relied upon. This is in stark contrast with prior practice. The accuracy of pyrometers is typically specified by their manufacturers. This specification means that when the target is a blackbody (or possibly a graybody) and the environment does not interfere, the instrument will return a measurement of the specified accuracy.
But measurements of real interest occur with targets and environments of unknown characteristics. The current invention detects whether the target or the environment are not well behaved. In the case of the target this can mean exhibiting other than graybody behavior; in the case of the environment this might result from other than gray or neutral density absorption. In spite of such deficiencies, the present invention extracts the correct temperature. The tolerance reported with the temperature indicates how successful that extraction was.
The present invention also has a unique advantage with respect to immunity from noise. As has been previously described, one reason to choose the wavelengths close together for ratio temperature measurement is to eliminate the variation of emissivity as a contributing factor to the measurement error. The rationale is that if the wavelengths are close together the change in emissivity is likely to be small. However, choosing the wavelengths close together maximizes the effect of noise. The magnitude of the noise generally remains constant throughout the spectrum. Choosing the wavelengths close together insures that the intensity will not differ much between the two wavelengths, thus making the noise contribution a larger fraction of the measured signal.
The invention overcomes this problem by using the weight of the entire spectrum collected to fix each processed-intensity data point. Thus processed data points can be chosen arbitrarily close together without magnifying the noise contribution. Observation and modeling show that the contribution of noise is actually less than that expected from evaluating the expression for error for the extremes of wavelength measured. The error associated with any two wavelength/intensity pairs can be calculated using differential calculus if the error is small: ##EQU4## where dR=error in the ratio, and R=ratio of intensities at two wavelengths.
Here the term dR/R can be replaced with the infinitesimal, ΔR/R, where ΔR is the error in the ratio, and similarly, dT/T can be replaced with ΔT/T where ΔT is the error in temperature. The equation thus becomes: ##EQU5##
Equation 5 can be used to calculate the maximum expected error, which can be compared to the error actually observed. The observed error of the invention has uniformly been smaller than the calculated value. Equation 5 further points out that the accuracy observed to date is not the limit of the accuracy that can be expected. The invention is calibrated according to a source of radiant intensity, instead of a standard source of temperature. Therefore, if the total error in radiant intensity, ΔR/R, is reduced to 1%, the expected error at 2500° C. is ±0.10%.
If the target exhibits graybody behavior in any spectral region, it is also possible for the present invention to quantify the target emissivity in all regions. That is, the spectral emissivity for the entire wavelength range of the data can be quantified once the temperature is known. Once quantified, changes in emissivity can identify changes in the target as a function of various external effects (time, temperature, chemistry, etc.), as well as identify changes in the target environment, such as off-gassing, reactions, or material decomposition.
In addition, the choice of a source of radiance as the calibration standard extends the useful operating range of the present invention well above currently available temperature calibration standards. Current pyrometers are calibrated by exposing their optical inputs to blackbody sources at the temperature desired and in some fashion (electrical or mechanical) forcing the output of the pyrometer to agree with the blackbody temperature. The limit for such a direct temperature calibration is 3000° C., the highest temperature a blackbody source can currently attain reproducibly. The invention described herein, by way of contrast, need only be calibrated by a source of radiant intensity (that is, a device whose emitted radiation is known as a function of wavelength, such as a standard lamp) to yield accurate temperatures. There is no need to expose the invention to the range of desired temperatures for it to be capable of measuring that range, a feature not possible using the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a method to measure the temperature of a radiating body, and a device which utilizes the method.
The measurement of temperature is a problem in many process industries: aluminum, iron and steel, ceramics, cement, glass, and composites are a few examples. Non-contact, and therefore non-perturbing, techniques of radiation pyrometry would be preferred but for the weakness that, as currently practiced, they require knowledge of the target's emissivity. This parameter is defined as the ratio of the radiation emitted by the sample to that of a blackbody (ideal) radiator at the same temperature.
Unfortunately emissivity is a function of the target's composition, morphology, temperature, and mechanical and thermal histories, and of the wavelength at which the measurement is made. For some materials, it changes while the temperature measurement is being made. Prior to the present invention, this central difficulty has proven so intractable that the growth of radiation pyrometry has been stunted.
The effect of this difficulty is to preclude trustworthy temperature determination without allowance for emissivity within the measurement. The historically recommended method of accomplishing this is to encase the experiment in a blackbody cavity, thereby allowing the radiation to come to thermal equilibrium. Clearly this is not a practical solution.
The commercially available technique of ratio, or two-color, pyrometry attempts another approach: canceling the emissivity by dividing two measurements of the radiation emitted and calculating the temperature from this ratio. This works in principle but there is still no guarantee that the emissivity is constant at the wavelengths chosen. This concern is the basis for the instrument maker's dilemma: whether to opt for emissivity cancellation or precision. Emissivity cancellation and precision are mutually exclusive in a ratio instrument, and the choice is signaled by the distance between wavelengths. The closer the wavelengths the more likely the emissivities are to cancel; the farther apart the larger the magnitude of the resultant signal, and thus the greater the precision.
The present invention, which is suitable for measuring the temperature of any radiating body that is above ambient temperature, quantifies radiation intensity at multiple wavelengths, generates a mathematical function to fit the primary data points, calculates multiple processed data points using the mathematical function, utilizes multiple pairs of the processed data points to calculate individual two-wavelength temperature estimates, inspects the results for internal consistency, and numerically averages the estimates to generate a measured temperature of great accuracy and a tolerance, which is a quantification of that accuracy. The invention also permits evaluation of the quality of the emission spectra being measured, and identifies whether the target exhibits true graybody behavior and, if it does not, which portions of the spectra will generate erroneous measured temperatures.
The present invention's ability to quantify radiation intensities at multiple wavelengths with a single sensor minimizes temperature measurement errors due to variations between sensors. Removing this source of intrinsic error permits statistical manipulation of the collected data to enhance the accuracy and reproducibility of the temperature measurement technique. Fitting the primary data points to a mathematical function accommodates target deviations from true graybody behavior, as well as further minimizing the effects of thermal, detector, and instrument noise.
The present invention provides a process for measuring temperature, comprising quantifying the radiation intensity emitted by a radiating body at no less than 4 distinct wavelengths; generating a mathematical function which correlates the radiation intensities to the corresponding wavelength at which the radiation intensity was quantified; and generating a temperature value utilizing Equation 3 and no less than two processed data points generated utilizing the mathematical function. The invention may also be practiced using three or more processed data points generated utilizing the mathematical function. The invention also encompasses the use of only quantified radiation intensity which exhibits emission spectra consistent with known thermal radiation effects for generation of the mathematical function. Data may be said to be consistent when the processed data points are computed at wavelengths where the fractional residuals of the quantified radiation intensity exhibit an RMS value substantially equal to zero or where the quantified radiation intensity exhibits magnitudes of fractional residuals no less than -0.1 and no more than 0.1, preferably no less than -0.05 and no more than 0.05, most preferably no less than -0.02 and no more than 0.02. The invention may also be used to determine the emissivity of the radiating body, as well as the absorption of the intervening environment between the radiating body and the device utilized to quantify the radiation intensity of the body. Additionally, the chemical species present in the environment between the radiating body and quantifying device may be identified and measured.
The invention also includes averaging the individual temperature values calculated utilizing Equation 3 and no less than three processed data points, and the determination of the tolerance of the resulting temperature value by calculating the statistical variation of the temperature values calculated utilizing Equation 3 and no less than three generating pairs. One pertinent statistical variation is the determination of the standard deviation of the average of the individual temperature values calculated.
The invention also encompasses a device, comprising an optical input system, a wavelength dispersion device, a radiation transducer, a means for generating a mathematical function to correlate the radiation transducer output to the corresponding wavelengths of incident radiation; and a means for generating a temperature value utilizing Equation 3 and no less than two processed data points generated utilizing the mathematical function, as well as all the other capabilities described herein.
The present invention thus provides a process and apparatus for temperature determination which exhibits improved accuracy, noise immunity, great adaptability to varied temperature measurement situations, and unlimited high temperature response. In addition, the tolerance of the measured temperature is reported, temperature measurements are made independent of knowledge of the target emissivity, and all corrections are made digitally (in a mathematical expression, leaving the hardware completely versatile). These features provide a method and device which are effective in non-ideal, i.e., absorbing or reflecting, environments.
Other advantages will be set forth in the description which follows and will, in part, be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 A conceptual schematic of the invention
FIG. 2 A graph of the data and of the mathematical function (an intermediate output of the invention) for 2000° C.
FIG. 3 Fractional residuals for the mathematical function of FIG. 2, with systematic variations less than 0.02
FIG. 4 An example of a graph of noisy data with a graph of the mathematical function generated by the invention superimposed
FIG. 5 A graph of the fractional residuals for a random noise test illustrating fractional residuals with an RMS value of zero or substantially zero
FIG. 6 Data collected by the invention and corrected for instrument response
FIG. 7 The data of FIG. 6 with 10% random noise added
FIG. 8 Spectral data collected by the invention in an off-gassing environment, corrected for instrument response
FIG. 9 Spectral data collected immediately after FIG. 8 but with the environmental off-gas purged away
FIG. 10 Absorption spectra of chemical species present in the target environment
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a non-perturbing method for the measurement of elevated temperatures, and an apparatus to utilize the method.
The method of the instant invention includes the measurement of thermal radiation at multiple wavelengths, representing the measurements of thermal radiation by an analytical function, determining the useful range of wavelengths used for thermal radiation measurement, and testing calculated temperatures based upon multiple pairs of measured thermal radiation for consensus. Additional steps of calibrating the apparatus for system optical response, and for displaying the calculated consensus temperature, or activating a device based upon the calculated consensus temperature, are also encompassed by the invention.
The apparatus of the invention is any device, or collection of devices, which is capable of separating thermal radiation into its spectral components, transducing the spectral components at three or more wavelengths, generating an analytical function to represent the transduced radiation, determining the range of the analytical function where the transduced radiation is within a specified tolerance, and calculating a consensus temperature based upon two or more points on the generated analytical function.
Reference will now be made to the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, an example of which is illustrated schematically in FIG. 1. As illustrated in the figure, the apparatus of the invention comprises an optical input, an optical transducer, and computation means.
Several embodiments of the optical input system have been utilized. A preferred embodiment utilized a commercially available camera body, in this case a Nikon F3. Thus, any appropriate compatible lens can be used. Specifically, a Tamron SP 28-135 mm F/4 zoom lens was utilized.
The back of the camera was modified to accept a fiber optic connector that held the end of a fiber optic cable at a location corresponding to both the center of the focusing reticule and the film plane. Depicted as the Optical Transmission Line in FIG. 1, the fiber optic cable is used to couple the optical input system with the optical transducer.
The target could thus be observed through the camera viewfinder and the appropriate portion of the target brought into focus in the traditional manner. The camera shutter was then locked open to transfer the incoming radiation to the pyrometer. The fiber optic cable was PCS 1000, a plastic-clad single-strand fiber with a 1-mm fused-silica core, manufactured by Quartz and Silice and available from Quartz Products, P.O. Box 1347, 688 Somerset St., Plainfield, N.J. 07060. As is clear to one skilled in the art, numerous methods and devices capable of directing thermal radiation to the transducer are encompassed by the invention, including but not limited to lenses, mirrors, prisms, graded-index fiber optics, holographic and replicated optical elements, electrical and magnetic equivalents of lenses and mirrors, direct radiation, and the like.
The second end of the fiber optic cable terminated in a flat-field spectrograph which dispersed the light into its spectral components. The spectrograph used in the preferred embodiment, model CP-200 manufactured by Instruments SA (of 6 Olsen Ave., Edison, N.J. 08820-2419), was fitted with a concave holographic grating of either 75 or 200 lines/mm which provided dispersion of 0.9 or 0.6 nm, respectively, when coupled with a model 1462 detector manufactured by EG&G Princeton Applied Research, P.O. Box 2565, Princeton, N.J. 08543-2565. The model 1462 detector is a linear diode array with 1024 elements on 25 μm spacing. An typical order-sorting blocking filter limits the spectrum to wavelengths longer than 400 or 500 nm.
The flat field spectrograph and linear diode array comprise the radiation transducer of the preferred embodiment. The present invention encompasses any means for transducing the spectral components of the thermal radiation into a signal which may be used to generate an analytical function to represent the radiation. The transduced signal could be pneumatic, hydraulic, optical, acoustic or gravimetric, but is more typically electrical. Other acceptable transducers include, but are not limited to, linear diode arrays, charge coupled devices, charge injection devices, infrared focal plane arrays, multiple photocell arrays, and single element detectors equipped with multiple wavelength filters, absorbers, or optical systems capable of separating the spectral radiation.
In the preferred embodiment, the transducer generates an analog electrical signal, which is converted to an equivalent digital signal by a PARC Model 146 OMA A/D converter.
The digitized signal thus resulting quantifies the thermal radiation intensity at 1024 discrete wavelengths (collected simultaneously through a common optical system) and is stored numerically in a computer file for post-processing.
Correction (intensity calibration) of the digitized data so that the discrete spectral intensities have the appropriate relative magnitude requires a system response curve. This is generated separately by collecting data using a standard lamp as the target. The resulting system response curve provides correction through a matrix multiplication of subsequent measurements, and need not be repeated unless apparatus components are reconfigured.
This calibration of the system was effected using a standard of spectral irradiance, such as an Eppley Laboratories 100 watt Quartz Iodine lamp. From Equation 5, ##EQU6## it can be seen that, for typical values of temperature and wavelength, the error in temperature is significantly smaller than the error in the irradiance calibration. For example, if a 1% irradiance calibration were utilized to calibrate a system at wavelengths 550 and 900 nanometers the resulting error in temperature at 1000 K. would be 0.1%, or 1 degree.
The corrected digitized data are then represented analytically by fitting these data to a mathematical function. It has been found that several non-Planckian mathematical expressions can represent thermal radiation well: exponential and logarithmic functions, and polynomials of second, third, fourth, and higher orders. In the case of the quadratic and higher order polynomials the method of orthogonal polynomials can be used. FIG. 2 shows a corrected data set and the fit of that set on the same axes.
If every combination of two wavelength intensities were used to calculate the target temperature, more than 500,000 calculations of temperature would be performed. While this can be easily done using currently available microcomputers, it is neither necessary nor desirable. Better results are obtained when an analytical function is used to represent the data, and subsequent calculations use the analytical form.
As described in Equation 1, above, a general statement of The Planck Radiation Equation for spectral radiation emitted from an ideal blackbody is ##EQU7## Defining the radiation constants C and C' by the expressions
C=2hc.sup.2, and C'=hc/k.sub.B,
Equation 1 can be manipulated to read ##EQU8## where the usual short wavelength assumption has been made. The temperature can then be calculated using the expression ##EQU9## where the ratio of spectral intensities, L λ 1 /L λ 2 is represented as R. This solution is the basis of all ratio, or two-color, pyrometry.
Differentiation of this expression to evaluate the error in the calculated temperature (dT/T) yields Equation 4, ##EQU10## The error in the calculated temperature is thus a product of three terms. The first term, T/C', is fixed by the target temperature and the radiation constant. The third term, the uncertainty in the ratio of spectral intensities dR/R, is a function of the specific equipment used to measure target spectral intensity. Inspection of Equation 4 indicates that the uncertainty in temperature, dT/T, is directly proportional to the second term, (λ 2 ×λ 1 )/(λ 1 -λ 2 ) which is known as the effective wavelength.
Rearranging the expression for effective wavelength in Equation 4 leads to ##EQU11## where λ 2 <λ 1 . Inspection of this expression of the effective wavelength term indicates that the expression is minimized where λ 2 is as small as possible, and λ 1 is as large as possible.
Use of Expert System Software
The use of specialized software, known generally as "expert system software" is applicable to the present invention. The expert system software performs, among other functions, the following:
Collects data
Corrects data for background and for instrument, environment, and target (if known) optical response
Discards obviously non-thermal data
Represents data by an analytical function
Determines the useful spectral range of the data
Tests the data for consensus temperature
Either
a) Uses the consensus range to report the temperature and its tolerance
b) Reports that there is no consensus.
Thus, the invention provides a measured temperature and quantifies the accuracy of the result obtained by a statistical evaluation of the resultant suite of calculated temperatures.
The invention also identifies those situations when the process and apparatus of the invention are unsuccessful. This typically means that some environmental parameter is perturbing the data. In this event, suitable optics can be utilized, due to the extreme flexibility of the apparatus, to selectively filter, remove or compensate for the perturbing effect. Additionally, portions of the emission spectra that exhibit behavior inconsistent with known thermal radiation effects can be excised from the evaluated data set, and erroneous measurements based upon inconsistent segments of the evaluated spectra can be avoided.
FIG. 6 depicts a collection of raw emissivity data points, and clearly shows absorption bands at 590 nm, 670 nm and at 770 nm. These excursions are non-thermal, systematic errors. Although the present invention minimizes the effect of such excursions, excising the non-thermal data or selecting intensity values from portions of the data not affected by the non-thermal error can enhance the quality of the temperature determination and increase the accuracy of the measurement.
The invention may also maintain a database of previous temperature measurements for a specific target. Subsequent temperature measurements of the same or similar targets may be compared to the software's database values to provide an internal check of the data. Emissivity/wavelength relationships, in particular, may be thus critically evaluated.
Except for the collection of raw data points, generating a mathematical function to fit the data points, the calculation of individual two-wavelength calculated temperatures, the numerical averaging of the individual two-wavelength calculated temperatures to generate a measured temperature, and the discarding of values not meeting the statistical criteria chosen, the specifics related to measuring target temperatures are not, however, critical to the present invention.
EXAMPLE 1
A series of temperature measurements were made using two commercially available NIST-traceable blackbodies as targets. The high temperature source was Model BWS156A (Electro Optical Industries Inc., P.O. Box 3770, Santa Barbara, Calif. 93130), covering the range from 1000° C. to 3000° C. The low temperature source was Model 463/101C (Infrared Industries, 12151 Research Parkway, Orlando, Fla. 32826), covering the range from 100° C. to 1000° C. Blackbody setpoints from 600° C. to 3000° C. were evaluated using the invention. Table 1 is an example of such an evaluation. In general, two measurements were made at each setpoint; these show the exceptional reproducibility of the invention.
The sequence of operation of the invention began with the collection of raw data. The optical input portion of the apparatus was positioned to permit the radiation emitted from the target to be directed onto the sensor, and the spectral emissions were quantified at multiple wavelengths.
The first computational step was that the background was subtracted from the raw data. It had been collected in the same manner as the raw data, but without the target's radiation being presented to the optical input. The background is typically electronic in nature (e.g., dark current) but may have a physical component: either reflections or emissions.
The next step was the correction of the data for instrument factors: i.e., transmittivity/reflectivity of every optical element in the collection and transmission path and adjustment for the various responsivities of the individual detector elements. The corrected data was then fitted to a numerical expression, such as a polynomial of high-enough order (quadratic or higher), to adequately represent the data. A cubic expression was determined to be adequate. An example of the fit of the numerical expression to raw data points from Example 1, an evaluation at 2000° C., is depicted in FIG. 2.
The residuals (data values of intensity subtracted from corresponding values from fitted curve) are helpful in quantifying the accuracy of an evaluation. The fractional residuals (residual divided by corresponding data value) from the 2000° C. fit selected above are depicted in FIG. 3. Inspection of FIG. 3 indicates that fractional residuals with a systematic error less than 0.02 may be found between 500 nm and 800 nm. This boundary of ±0.02 has been found to be a useful criterion as to whether or not the data is well represented by the analytical function where systematic variations from zero are seen in the fractional residuals. Where the fractional residuals show variations of a random nature, i.e., their RMS value is zero, there appears to be no upper limit to their magnitude for good results to be obtained. Therefore, the portion of the data between 500 and 800 nm was selected as the useful range of the evaluation.
Another measure of the quality of the analytical representation of the data is the coefficient of determination. Coefficients of determination such as that shown in Table 6, greater than 0.99, are often observed. While this indicates that the data are well-represented by the analytical function, the reverse is not true. For example, the coefficient of determination for Table 7 is 0.910.
The numerical expression that had been fitted to the data must then solved for 6-50 values of intensity of radiation for a series of wavelengths chosen incrementally. The increment is usually 25 or 50 nanometers, and the range over which they are chosen is determined by the temperature of the object. These are the pairs from which the temperatures are calculated. The number of individual temperature values, N, is j items taken 2 at a time, j C 2 or ##EQU12## For this example, j=6, and 15 intensity pairs were used to generate 15 individual temperature values.
These values were then inspected for consensus; i.e., to see whether or not they yielded the same temperature. Since the entire spectrum is utilized in a systematic way, it is possible to determine from this inspection which areas of the collected spectrum yield values which are in general agreement with each other. In this way absorptions and emissions from the optical environment as well as non-graybody areas of the target spectrum can be eliminated, and the previous steps repeated until an acceptable consensus temperature is determined, or it is determined that the apparatus, as configured, is not capable of generating a consensus temperature within the acceptable error tolerance.
The consensus temperature is judged worthy of reporting as the object temperature if a significant portion of the spectrum yields a consensus value which, when averaged, displays a standard deviation within an acceptable tolerance range, typically of on the order of 0.25% of the absolute temperature. A significant body of experience using standards of known temperature as the objects to be measured indicates that the standard deviation of the consensus temperature can be considered as the tolerance to which the temperature is known.
EXAMPLE 2-4
Multiple temperature evaluations were made in the manner described in Example 1 of blackbody targets at temperatures between 850° C. and 2500° C. The results are reported in Tables 2-4.
EXAMPLE 5
Evaluation of the error correcting capability of the invention was accomplished by intentionally injecting random error (noise) into both generated (artificial) and real data sets, but otherwise practicing the algorithm of the invention as described above.
Tables of spectral intensities at various wavelengths for various temperatures were generated using Planck's law for a number of temperatures. These data then had varying amounts of error inserted over their spectral ranges using a random number generator. Specifically, error of ±10% was added from 450-495 nm, ±5% for 496-517 nm, and ±2% for 518-800 nm. FIG. 4 depicts the resulting intensity/wavelength curve for 2400 Kelvins and the fitted curve for the same region. FIG. 5 depicts the fractional residual values resulting from a cubic curve fit to the artificially noisy raw data. The residual evaluation for this example clearly shows the noise added. The results of this and other artificial random noise tests are tabulated in Table 5. Inspection of this table shows the invention returns a value closer to the temperature used to generate the uncorrupted spectra than that returned by simple multi-value averaging; the average error of the invention is less than half that of simple averaging methods.
To extend the noise evaluation to real data, error was injected to real data sets selected randomly. FIG. 6 depicts the selected raw data corrected for instrument response. A total of 21 calculations of temperature were made using points extracted from the fitted curve at values from 625 to 925 nm, in 50 nm increments (j=7; N=21). The reported temperature, shown as "Prediction Results" and a tabulation of the 21 pairs is included as Table 6. An average temperature of 3160.0 Kelvins was generated, with a tolerance of ±10.3 Kelvins.
Random error was then added to the data of FIG. 6; a random number generator added a maximum error of ±10% to each value of intensity. FIG. 7 depicts the data with the error added. A cubic expression was then fit to the corrupted data, and the same 21 pairs of intensities as in the original data were evaluated. As shown in Table 7, the present invention reported a temperature of 3172.7 ±23.2 Kelvins. The indicated temperature has changed by 12.2 Kelvins, and the measurement tolerance has increased 12.9 Kelvins. The difference in the temperature calculation has changed less than 0.4% (12.2/3160) while the data has been corrupted by 10%. Moreover, the increase in the measurement tolerance is seen to match almost exactly the change in the reported temperature due to the injected noise (do we need the quotes?). This shows that the tolerance identifies to the user the degree of error in the reported value.
Comparative Example 5(a)
The corrupted data of Example 5, i.e., the data shown in FIG. 7, were evaluated without fitting the data to a mathematical expression. The data point closest to the selected wavelength values (624.4006 nm for "625") were chosen for the temperature calculation.
Table 8 shows that the temperature calculated in the manner of the prior art would change 162 Kelvins, to 3322.0 Kelvins, for a noise-induced error of greater than 5%. The measurement tolerance also increased dramatically, to ±439 Kelvins, indicating that the temperature is no longer well known.
EXAMPLE 6
Example 6 illustrates both the ability of the invention to determine the temperature despite interference by absorbing gas and its ability to accurately determine temperatures much greater than 3000° C. FIG. 8 shows spectral data collected from a target in an off-gassing environment with a minimal clearing flow of purge gas. Table 9 shows the temperature calculation performed by the invention for this data. FIG. 9 shows a data collection immediately after that of FIG. 8 with all parameters held constant except for the purge, which had been increased by a factor of six. The absorbing gas had been mostly cleared away and the only absorptions left are the narrow ones at 589 and 767 nanometers. Table 10 is the temperature calculation for these data. As can be seen, the temperatures indicated by both calculations, 3526.7 Kelvins/3253.7° C. for Table 9 and 3519.4 Kelvins/3246.4° C. for Table 10, agree very well showing that the invention operates successfully in the presence of absorbing gas. These also show that the invention is capable of functioning as described well above 3000° C./3273 Kelvins.
EXAMPLE 7
Example 7 illustrates the ability of the invention to provide identification of absorbing chemical species in the environment. A data ensemble such as that represented by the graph of FIG. 8 is the starting point. The invention's output temperature is calculated as has been described. This value of temperature is then substituted into Equation 1 to generate a corresponding Planckian intensity for every wavelength of the data set. The generated intensity is then normalized to the collected data at a point where no non-thermal effects are present (in this case at 800 nanometers). The difference between these two sets of spectral intensities is then calculated, as in FIG. 10, and is the absorption spectrum of the chemical species present. These can be identified using standard tables of chemical spectra. The net effect is that two unknowns, the temperature of the target and the chemical species of the intervening environment, have been quantified by one measurement.
Thus, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the subject invention accomplishes the objects set forth above. It is to be understood that the subject invention is not to be limited by the examples set forth herein. These have been provided merely to demonstrate operability, and the selection of specific components and operating methodologies, if any, can be determined from the total specification disclosure provided, without departing from the spirit of the invention herein disclosed and described, the scope of the invention including modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the attached claims.
TABLE 1______________________________________All values in Degrees C. TemperatureSetpoint Indicated Difference Tolerance______________________________________1600 1603.3 3.3 8.17 1603.3 3.31700 1700.3 .3 8.38 1700.4 .4 8.371800 1798.2 -1.8 7.92 1798.4 -1.6 7.921900 1897.8 -2.2 7.14 1897.8 -2.2 7.142000 2001.5 1.5 7.98 2001.5 1.5 8.072100 2106.1 6.1 6.45 2106.1 6.1 6.452200 2198.1 -1.9 6.96 2198.2 -1.8 6.90______________________________________
TABLE 2______________________________________All temperatures in Deg C. TemperatureSetpoint Indicated Difference Tolerance______________________________________850 855.3 5.3 15.21 851.4 1.4 14.73 852.6 2.6 14.76 857.9 7.9 15.54 848.2 -1.8 15.05 850.6 0.6 15.02900 899.0 -1.0 6.71 898.3 -1.7 6.90 900.7 .7 6.36 898.2 -1.8 6.85 898.3 -1.7 7.431000 998.3 -1.7 2.90 1002.6 2.6 2.92 1000.5 .5 3.44 1002.4 2.4 2.86 1001.8 1.8 2.95______________________________________
TABLE 3______________________________________All temperatures in Deg C. TemperatureSetpoint Indicated Difference Tolerance______________________________________1300 1302.9 2.9 6.541400 1397.6 -2.4 10.21500 1501.4 1.4 11.81650 1649.9 -0.1 10.4______________________________________
TABLE 4______________________________________All temperatures in Deg C. TemperatureSetpoint Indicated Difference Tolerance______________________________________1600 1601.6 1.6 5.791800 1797.2 -2.8 6.29 1797.2 -2.8 6.242000 1999.0 -1.0 5.05 1999.0 -1.0 5.052200 2195.6 -4.4 3.80 2195.7 -4.3 3.802300 2296.7 -3.3 1.21 2299.5* -0.5 5.962500 2494.9 -5.1 2.66 2498.0* -2.0 5.78______________________________________ *Difference in repeatability is due to change in apertures between measurements.
TABLE 5______________________________________Random Noise TestsGenerating Invention Difference Average DifferenceTemperature Temperature (Col B- Temperature (Col D-Column A Column B Col A) Column D Col A)______________________________________2250 2250.1 0.1 2254.3 4.32400 2398.5 -1.5 2397.9 -2.12500 2502.5 2.5 2504.6 4.62600 2601.5 1.5 2604.5 4.52700 2705.3 5.3 2708.3 8.3______________________________________
TABLE 6______________________________________Prediction Results Temp = 3160.0 Tol = 10.3 N = 21 r.sup.2 = .99063675 725 775 825 875 925______________________________________625 3140 3155 3160 3160 3159 3156675 3173 3174 3170 3165 3162725 3174 3168 3163 3158775 3162 3156 3151825 3149 3144875 3138______________________________________ Data File: f3213m2.dat
TABLE 7______________________________________Prediction Results Temp = 3172.7 Tol = 23.2 N = 21. r.sup.2 = .91024675 725 775 825 875 925______________________________________625 3146 3168 3177 3180 3175 3167675 3195 3198 3194 3186 3173725 3201 3194 3183 3166775 3186 3170 3152825 3154 3132875 3108______________________________________ Data File: F3213M2R.TXT
TABLE 8______________________________________Prediction Results Temp = 3322.0 Tol = 439. N = 21.675 725 775 825 875 925______________________________________625 3030 2898 3242 3092 3164 3240675 2758 3393 3120 3214 3310725 4619 3391 3462 3555775 2603 3009 3235825 3646 3789875 3971______________________________________ Data File: F3213M2R.TXT
TABLE 9______________________________________Prediction Results Temp = 3526.7 Tol = 45.3 N = 28. r.sup.2 = .98044575 625 675 725 775 825 875______________________________________525 3377 3442 3477 3495 3505 3506 3502575 3521 3544 3553 3554 3549 3539625 3571 3574 3569 3560 3545675 3576 3568 3554 3536725 3558 3542 3519775 3522 3495825 3464______________________________________ Data File:f3 220m2.und
TABLE 10______________________________________Prediction Results Temp = 3519.4 Tol = 20.9 N = 21. r.sup.2 = .97263600 650 700 750 800 850______________________________________550 3556 3553 3543 3533 3527 3525600 3549 3535 3524 3517 3516650 3520 3507 3501 3504700 3493 3490 3496750 3486 3498800 3513______________________________________ DataFile: f3221m2.und | The present invention relates to a totally novel device and process useful for the measurement of the temperature of a radiating body. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device that enhances the resolution and repeatability of the measured temperature of the radiating body by fitting a mathematical correlation to the emitted radiation spectra, generating calculated radiation intensities at specified wavelengths using the mathematical correlation, and then generating a suite of individual two-wavelength temperature values, which can be statistically evaluated and averaged for a final, measured temperature. In one embodiment, the device consists of an optical input system which receives a portion of the emitted radiation of a radiating body; a wavelength dispersion device which separates the emitted radiation according to wavelength; a radiation transducer which senses the separated radiation and provides an output corresponding to the respective wavelengths of the emitted radiation; means for generating a mathematical function to correlate the output of the radiation transducer to the corresponding wavelengths of incident radiation; and a means for generating a temperature value utilizing a form of the Planck Radiation Equation. Additionally, the present invention relates to the technique utilized to enhance the resolution and repeatability of the measured temperature. | 6 |
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of copending U.S. provisional application No. 60/508,744, filed Oct. 3, 2003.
BACKGROUND
[0002] This application relates to wrenching tools and, specifically, to torque-measuring and recording wrenches. The application relates in particular to an improvement of the electronic torque wrench disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/293,006, entitled “Electronic Torque Wrench”, filed Nov. 13, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0003] While that prior wrench works well, it is of relatively complex construction, utilizing a plurality of battery cells and an electronic module which is not easily accessible and replaceable.
SUMMARY
[0004] There is disclosed in this application an improved electronic torque wrench which avoids disadvantages of prior wrenches while affording additional structural and operating advantages.
[0005] In an embodiment an electronic torque wrench comprises a housing assembly including an inner generally tubular core having first and second elongated apertures formed therein, a grip sleeve telescopically received over the core and having first and second openings therein respectively communicating with the first and second apertures, a user interface assembly coupled to the core and including torque measuring apparatus and disposed in the first aperture and the first opening, a power assembly coupled to the core and disposed in the second aperture and the second opening and electrically connected to the user interface assembly; a workpiece-engaging head carried by the core and sensing apparatus carried by the housing assembly and connected to the torque measuring apparatus.
[0006] In an embodiment, the torque measuring apparatus includes a processor operating under stored program control, and the user interface assembly includes a data input device and display apparatus, the processor program including a routine responsive to the input device for selectively setting or changing a preset torque level, the processor program including a routine for comparing torque values measured by the torque measuring apparatus with the preset torque level and causing the display apparatus to product a bar graph display indicating the proximity of the measured torque value to the preset torque level.
[0007] In an embodiment, the workpiece-engaging head is part of a head assembly which includes a mounting portion receivable in the core, the wrench further including shim structure receivable in the core between the mounting portion and the core for firmly mounting the head assembly in place.
[0008] In an embodiment, there is also provided a method of assembling an electronic torque wrench comprising A method of assembling an electronic torque wrench comprising providing a tubular core with first and second apertures therein, mounting a user interface assembly module including a torque measuring apparatus in the first aperture, mounting a power assembly module in the second aperture, mounting a workpiece-engaging head assembly including a sensing apparatus in an end of the core, electrically connecting the sensing apparatus to the torque measuring apparatus, and fixedly securing the head assembly in the tubular core.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there is illustrated in the accompanying drawings an embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.
[0010] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an electronic torque wrench;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 2 - 2 in FIG. 1 ;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the torque wrench of FIG. 1 ;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 4 - 4 in FIG. 3 ;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a reduced, exploded, perspective view of the torque wrench of FIG. 1 ;
[0015] FIG. 5A is a view similar to FIG. 5 of an alternative embodiment of an electronic torque wrench;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the handle core of the torque wrench of FIG. 1 ;
[0017] FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 7 - 7 in FIG. 6 ;
[0018] FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the handle core of FIG. 6 ;
[0019] FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the handle core of FIG. 6 ;
[0020] FIG. 10 is an enlarged side elevational view of the sensor beam of the torque wrench of FIG. 1 ;
[0021] FIG. 11 is a left end elevational view of the sensor beam of FIG. 10 ;
[0022] FIG. 12 is a right end elevational view of the sensor beam of FIG. 10 ;
[0023] FIG. 13 is a bottom plan view of the sensor beam of FIG. 10 , rotated 90° clockwise;
[0024] FIG. 14 is an enlarged top plan view of the sensor beam shim for the torque wrench of FIG. 1 ;
[0025] FIG. 15 is a right side elevational view of the shim of FIG. 14 , rotated 90° clockwise;
[0026] FIG. 16 is a sectional view taken along the line 16 - 16 in FIG. 15 ;
[0027] FIG. 17 is a left end elevational view of the shim of FIG. 15 ;
[0028] FIG. 18 is a right end elevational view of the shim of FIG. 15 ;
[0029] FIG. 19 is a functional block diagrammatic view of the electronic circuitry of the torque wrench of FIG. 1 ; and
[0030] FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram of a type of display which may be used in the torque wrench of FIG. 1 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated an electronic torque wrench, generally designated by the numeral 20 ( FIG. 1 ) of the bending beam type. The torque wrench 20 has a handle assembly which includes a handle core 21 , the rear portion of which is telescopically received within a grip sleeve 30 . Referring in particular to FIGS. 6-9 , the handle core 21 is an elongated, hollow, tubular body substantially oval in transverse cross-sectional shape, having an elongated, generally rectangular aperture 22 in the top thereof, generally longitudinally centrally thereof, and another generally rectangular aperture 23 formed in the bottom thereof adjacent to the rear end thereof, the aperture 23 extending part way up along the sides of the core. Also formed through the core 21 are two relatively large circular holes 24 adjacent to the forward end of the aperture 22 , two pairs of medium-sized circular holes 25 , with one pair immediately adjacent to the rear end of the aperture 22 and another pair adjacent to the rear end of the core 21 , and a pair of small circular holes 26 (see FIGS. 2 and 4 ) formed in the bottom of the core 21 adjacent to the forward end thereof and aligned longitudinally centrally thereof. An oval collar 27 is adapted to fit against the front end of the core 21 , and has a generally rectangular opening 28 therethrough provided with an enlarged circular counterbore 29 (see FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 ).
[0032] Referring in particular to FIGS. 1-5 , the grip sleeve 30 is also substantially oval in transverse cross section and is adapted to be fitted over the rear end of the core 21 , the sleeve having an elongated, generally rectangular opening 31 formed in the top thereof and extending along most of the length thereof, and a generally rectangular bottom opening 32 substantially congruent with the top opening 31 . The rear portion of the grip sleeve 30 forms a thickened grip portion 33 provided in the outer surface thereof with a plurality of longitudinally spaced finger recesses 34 along each side thereof. The rear end of the grip sleeve 30 is closed by an end cap 35 which is provided with an oblong aperture 36 therethrough, which could be utilized for hanging the torque wrench 20 or could receive a tether cord or the like. When the grip sleeve 30 is fitted over the tubular core 21 , the elongated aperture 22 in the core 21 is substantially congruent with the forward portion of the top opening 31 in the grip sleeve 30 , while the rectangular aperture 23 in the bottom of the core 21 communicates with the rear portion of the bottom opening 32 of the grip sleeve 30 .
[0033] The torque wrench 20 includes an electronic module which forms a user interface assembly 40 . The assembly 40 includes an elongated upper panel 41 shaped and dimensioned to mateably fit over and close the top opening 31 of the grip sleeve 30 . Formed through the upper panel 41 adjacent to the forward end thereof is an elongated rectangular aperture 42 ( FIG. 5 ). Also formed through the upper panel 41 are a plurality of key holes 43 , a circular array of annunciator holes 44 and a pair of LED holes 45 . Depending from the inner surface of the upper panel 41 is a plurality of internally threaded cylindrical bosses 46 , the forward ones of which fit downwardly through the forward end of the aperture 22 in the core 21 , and the rear four of which respectively fit into the medium-sized holes 25 in the core 21 . The interface assembly 40 also includes a keypad 47 including four generally triangular keys 48 and two somewhat oblong keys 49 adapted to respectively fit through the key holes 43 in the upper panel 41 .
[0034] The keypad 47 is fixedly secured to a printed circuit board (PCB) 50 , which carries an LCD display panel 51 provided with an associated lens 52 adapted to fit in the aperture 42 in the upper panel 41 . Also mounted on the PCB 50 is an audible annunciator, which may be in the form of a buzzer 53 , positioned so as to be disposed immediately beneath the annunciator holes 44 in the upper panel 41 . Two LEDs 54 on the PCB 50 are disposed to fit respectively in the LED holes 45 in the upper panel 41 . The PCB 50 is provided with holes 56 therethrough for respectively receiving two of the bosses 46 of the upper panel 41 . The PCB 50 is also provided with two pairs of small holes 57 therethrough, respectively adjacent to the forward and rearward ends thereof, for respectively receiving suitable fasteners for threaded engagement in bosses 58 depending from the upper panel 41 , for fixedly securing the PCB 50 to the upper panel 41 (see FIGS. 2 and 5 ).
[0035] The interface assembly 40 also includes a lower panel 60 which is similar in shape to the upper panel 41 and is disposed for mateably being received in and covering the bottom opening 32 of the grip sleeve 30 . The lower panel 60 carries on its inner surface adjacent to the rear end thereof a power assembly, including an open-bottom, box-like battery receptacle 61 adapted to receive a battery 62 , such as a 9-volt battery. It will be appreciated that the receptacle 61 is provided with suitable terminals (not shown) for mateably connecting with the terminals of the battery 62 and which are connected by suitable conductors (not shown) to the circuitry on the PCB 50 . The open bottom of the receptacle 61 communicates with a rectangular aperture in the rear portion of the lower panel 60 , which is covered by a cover 63 , having a tab 64 adapted to fit against the inner surface of the lower panel 60 and a hole 65 for receiving a suitable fastener for threaded engagement in an internally-threaded boss 67 on the receptacle 61 . Three pairs of tubular bosses 68 communicate with holes through the lower panel 60 and project upwardly therefrom, respectively adjacent to the forward and rearward ends thereof and approximately midway between the ends thereof, respectively fitting through the holes 24 and 25 in the tubular core 21 , for respective alignment with the bosses 46 of the upper panel 41 . Suitable fasteners (not shown) are received through the bosses 68 and threadedly engaged in the bosses 46 for securing the upper and lower panels 41 and 60 together and to the tubular core 21 , the upper and lower panels 41 and 60 cooperating to retain the grip sleeve 30 in place.
[0036] The torque wrench 20 also includes a head assembly including a head 70 provided with a drive lug 71 which may be square in transverse cross section. Projecting from the head 70 is a neck 72 with a hole therethrough in a known manner. The head 70 is of known construction and may be a ratchet head providing for ratcheting rotation of the drive lug 71 relative to the frame of the head and, in that case, the ratchet mechanism may be reversible and may be provided with a suitable reversing lever, all in a known manner. The head 70 is adapted to be pivotally mounted on a sensor beam assembly 75 ( FIG. 4 ).
[0037] Referring now also to FIGS. 10-13 , the sensor beam assembly 75 includes an elongated sensor beam 80 provided at its forward end with a cylindrical yoke 81 having a pair of forwardly projecting arms 82 spaced apart for receiving the head neck 72 therebetween. Aligned holes 83 are respectively formed through the arms 82 for alignment with the hole and the head neck 72 to receive a suitable pivot pin for pivotally mounting the head 70 on the yoke 81 . The sensor beam 80 is provided intermediate its ends with four flats 84 arranged in a substantially square configuration, two opposed ones of the flats being further recessed to define deep flats 85 . The rear end of the sensor beam 80 has a tapered, generally frustoconical portion 86 , the forward end of which terminates at a shoulder 87 . Formed in the rear end of the tapered end 86 is an axial bore 88 , and formed radially therein are two longitudinally spaced, circular tapped holes 89 which communicate with the bore 88 .
[0038] Referring now also to FIGS. 14-18 , the sensor beam assembly 75 also includes a shim 90 in a nature of a block which is substantially oval in transverse cross-sectional shape and is provided with an axial bore 91 longitudinally therethrough, one end of which is provided with a tapered, frustoconical counterbore 92 . Longitudinally spaced circular fastener holes 93 are formed in the bottom of the shim 90 and communicate with the counterbore 92 . Formed longitudinally through the shim 90 , respectively on opposite sides of the counterbore 92 , are oval tapered side passages 94 , which taper from a relatively wide front end to a relatively narrow rear end. Formed in the upper and lower surfaces of the shim 90 are two pairs of tapered grooves 95 , with each pair of grooves being laterally spaced-apart and each groove tapering from a relatively wide rear end to a relatively narrow front end.
[0039] In assembly, the tapered end 86 of the sensor beam 80 is mateably receivable in the tapered counterbore 92 of the shim 90 , with the forward end of the shim 90 stopping against the sensor beam shoulder 87 . The shim 90 is dimensioned to be mateably received in the forward end of the tubular core 21 , the passages 94 and grooves 95 affording a limited resilient flexibility so as to permit a snug fit of the shim 90 in the core 21 . The parts are arranged so that fasteners 98 (see FIG. 2 ) may be received through the core openings 26 and the shim holes 93 and to be threadedly engaged in the tapped holes 89 of the sensor beam 80 for fixedly securing the shim 90 to the sensor beam 80 and securing the sensor beam assembly 75 in place in the core 21 . Before such assembly, the collar 27 is fitted over the rear end of the sensor beam 80 , being stopped against the rear end of the yoke 81 at the forward ends of the flats 84 (see FIGS. 2 and 4 ), so that when the sensor beam assembly 75 is mounted in place, the collar 27 seats against the forward end of the core 21 .
[0040] Referring now to FIG. 19 , there is illustrated a functional block diagram of an electronic circuit 100 , most of which may be disposed on the PCB 50 for controlling the operation of the torque wrench 10 . The circuit 100 includes a processor 101 , which may be in the nature of a suitable microcontroller, which may have a crystal-controlled clock speed. The processor 101 operates under control of a program, which may be stored within the processor. An EEPROM 102 may be provided to store set up, preset and calibration parameters. A strain gauge bridge 103 may be provided with its output applied to the processor 101 through an analog-to digital converter (ADC) 104 . The strain gauge bridge 103 may be physically located on the deep flats 85 of the sensor beam 80 (see FIG. 4 ) and may be connected to the remainder of the circuitry on the PCB 50 by suitable wires extending through the side passages 94 of the shim 90 . The keypad 47 forms a data input device which is coupled to the processor 101 . The keypad 47 forms a part of the user interface, which also includes the buzzer 53 , the LCD display 51 and the LEDs 54 , all of which are also coupled to the processor 101 . The battery 62 may be coupled to a suitable power supply 105 , which is also coupled to the processor 101 . The power supply 105 may include suitable voltage regulators and produce regulated DC supply voltages V+ and V++, which can be provided to the other components of the electronic circuit 100 , as needed.
[0041] The operation of the torque wrench 20 is similar to that described in the aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 10/293,006, and will not be described in detail here. However, the LCD display 51 may be operated to provide display indications of low battery 110 , clockwise/counterclockwise operation 111 , percent tolerance, memory, and selected units of measure 112 . The user may input a pre-programmed selectable torque value and the wrench may provide visual and audible alerts at preset, tolerance and overload coincidence. The wrench may be operated in combined torque tracking and peak capture display modes. While a six-button keypad 47 is illustrated, it will be appreciated that a four-button arrangement could also be utilized, as is explained in greater detail in the aforementioned copending application.
[0042] The display 51 may be operated to provide a bar graphic to give a user an approximation of the approach to or achievement of a predetermined torque setting. Referring to FIG. 20 , such a graphic is illustrated at 115 , and may be an advancing or ascending graphic with a total window length corresponding to the predetermined torque value, with progressively greater portions of the window being “filled in” or illuminated as the predetermined torque value is approached so that the percentage of the bar illuminated is proportional to the ratio of the measured torque to the preset torque value. An LED or LCD multi-segment display 117 may provide a display of the preset torque value and/or the measured torque value.
[0043] The grip portion 33 of the grip sleeve 30 may be formed of a suitable flexible and resilient and frictional gripping material, such as a suitable elastomeric material, to provide a good grip. Also, the oval shape of the torque wrench core 21 , together with the design of the grip sleeve 30 , provides an improved ergonomic feel. It can be seen that the design permits easy removal or replacement of the interface assembly 40 , by simply removing a few screws. While a pivoting head 70 is illustrated, it will be appreciated that the pivot arrangement could also be one of an indexing nature or, alternatively, a fixed head could be provided. The arrangement described affords a very rugged and durable construction, while being relatively easy to assemble.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 5A , there is illustrated an alternative embodiment of torque wrench, generally designated by the numeral 20 A, which is substantially similar to the torque wrench 20 , described above. Parts of the wrench 20 A which correspond to parts of the wrench 20 have the same reference numerals with the suffix “A”, and only so much of the wrench 20 A will be described herein as is necessary to explain the significant differences from the wrench 20 .
[0045] The wrench 20 A has a handle core 21 A which is substantially circular in transverse cross-sectional shape and has a rectangular aperture 22 A therein which is substantially longer and deeper than the corresponding aperture in the wrench 20 . The collar 27 of the wrench 20 is omitted in the wrench 20 A. The wrench 20 A has a grip sleeve 30 A, the forward end of which is circular in transverse cross section. The wrench 20 A has a user interface assembly 40 A which includes a keypad board 47 A having a pair of generally triangular keys 48 A and a pair of substantially square keys 49 A adapted to respectively fit through keyholes 43 A in an upper panel 41 A. The keypad board 47 A overlies a printed circuit board 50 A which carries an LCD display panel 51 A provided with an associated lens 52 A, the panel 51 A being raised sufficiently to allow the board 47 A to fit therebeneath. Three LED's 54 A are disposed to fit through an oblong aperture in the keypad board 47 A and may be covered with a suitable lens 55 A.
[0046] The interface assembly 40 A also includes a lower panel 60 A which has a pair of spaced angle brackets 61 A which cooperate to form a receptacle adapted to receive a pair of batteries 62 A, such as Lithium batteries, the forward end of which may be received in the rear end of a cradle member 66 A and may be urged against suitable contacts (not shown) by a spring member 69 A. A finger (not shown) on the upper panel 41 A engages the forward end of the cradle 66 A to limit forward movement of the cradle and the batteries.
[0047] A sensor beam assembly 75 A includes an elongated sensor beam 80 A with a yoke 81 A at its forward end separated by an annular shoulder 84 A from the flats of the sensor beam. The sensor beam 80 A has a cylindrical rear end 86 A adapted to be telescopically fit within the forward end of the handle core 21 A, with the shoulder 84 A seated against an O-ring 90 A which, in turn, seats against the forward end of the core 21 A. The sensor beam 80 A is held in place by suitable screws. Thus, the shim 90 of the wrench 20 is omitted.
[0048] The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of applicants' contribution. | An electronic torque wrench has a tubular core with elongated apertures therein which respectively removably receive user interface assembly and power assembly modules, the modules being exposed through openings in a surrounding grip sheath. A workpiece-engaging head is coupled to a beam member which may received in a tapered opening in a shim member received in an end of the tube. A sensor on the beam member is connected by wires extending to the user interface assembly, which in turn has a display device producing a bar graph display indicating the proximity of a measured torque value to a preset torque level. | 1 |
The invention relates to a furnace tube arrangement for a steam generator. The invention in particular relates to a steam generator for once-through or continuous-flow operation, in which a furnace wall comprises furnace tubes arranged longitudinally in parallel in a furnace wall direction (and usually disposed vertically) which are connected together in gas-tight manner via tube webs, and along which an evaporatable flow medium (for example water/steam) can flow in a furnace wall direction (and for example from the bottom to the top).
The invention in particular relates to a steam generator in a thermal power plant which is fired by a plural array of burners for carbonaceous fossil fuels, including solids and especially pulverized solids, liquids, emulsions and gases.
In a once-through steam generator the heating of furnace tubes forming the combustion chamber walls leads to a complete evaporation of the flow medium in the tubes in a single pass. A once-through steam generator may have vertically or spirally disposed furnace tubes, but a vertical tube steam generator is often preferred as generally of simpler construction and as exhibiting lower water-side/steam-side pressure losses than a steam generator with spiral tubes. However, this can lead to problems associated with the varied thermal profile experienced by tubes in the vicinity of the burner throats in the furnace wall.
The tube arrangement in a vertical tube steam generator comprises a plurality of generally straight vertical tubes. In a typical case, a plurality of parallel tubes are connected together in gas-tight manner via tube webs to define a furnace wall and a plurality of such walls define a combustion chamber of polygonal and for example rectangular cross-section. Flow medium flows from one end to the other, for example vertically from bottom to top. Burners fire the combustion chamber through burner throats let into the furnace wall, typically in plural transverse array around the wall at at least two longitudinally spaced levels.
Most of the tubes lie on the inner furnace wall, extend vertically, and carry vertical load. However tubes in the vicinity of a burner throat will need to deviate from the vertical to accommodate the burner throat opening through which the burner fires the combustion chamber.
Thus, the furnace tubes forming the burner throats are longer than the other straight tubes and this affects flow conditions within them. As they deviate from the vertical they do not effectively carry vertical load. Moreover, some burner throat tubes are not only longer but also exposed more extensively to the flame radiation. However, the extent of this exposure varies in different regions of the throat and its vicinity.
A typical burner throat configuration is shown on FIG. 1 . A perspective view is given in FIG. 1 a and a cross-section through a horizontal mid-line axis x is shown in FIG. 1 b.
As will be familiar, a furnace wall 4 which forms a wall of a combustion chamber carries plural parallel generally vertical furnace tubes. The furnace tubes carry an evaporatable flow medium (for example water/steam) that flows from the bottom to the top. A once-through system is illustrated based on the design principle that leads to a complete evaporation of the flow medium takes place in the tubes in a single pass.
As will be familiar, burner throats to accommodate burners that fire the combustion chamber are let into the wall. FIG. 1 illustrates the tube arrangement in the vicinity of a single such burner throat 22 . Vertical tubes in the vicinity of the burner throat 22 pass around or into the throat to accommodate the throat aperture. The burner midline is represented by axis z.
This is an example arrangement only, in which example sixteen tubes either side of the vertical midline (axis y) of the burner throat 22 deviate at least to some extent from the vertical. The burner set tubes in the example are numbered from 16 L to 16 R with tubes 16 L/ 16 R outermost from the midline of the burner throat and tubes 1 L/ 1 R innermost. Tubes that do not deviate from the vertical are labelled ST.
The throat is defined by a throat wall comprising elongate perimeter extending out of the plane of the furnace wall structure away from the outlet therein on the combustion side. Vertical tubes most closely in the vicinity of the burner throat pass into the throat around the throat wall. In the example illustrated, a throat perimeter wall comprises a cylindrical portion 25 distal to the outlet on the combustion side and a flared portion 26 proximal to the outlet on the combustion side, which has a flare angle α which in the example is 20 degrees. As is a typical design, the throat 22 is partly lined by the liner 23 to protect the portion of the throat distal to the outlet on the combustion side. The primary purpose of the liner 23 is to protect the portion of the throat from erosion; as a secondary consequence it also shields the area from full exposure to thermal radiation. As a compromise between protection and avoidance of fouling by slagging, this liner does not extend the full depth of the throat. In the example, the parallel region is lined and the flared section is not as the flared section is not exposed to such risk of erosion during use. Such arrangements of partial lining are common.
In other possible burner throat configurations, for example for the throats of burners that operate without high velocity pulverised coal stream close to the tubes, a liner may not be required. However part of the throat tube region is still to some extent shielded from the radiation by the burner components.
This invention is still applicable to all burner designs that inherently lead to two tube conditions where some tubes pass into and around a perimeter wall of the throat in a manner essentially fully exposed to thermal radiation in the throat, and where some tubes pass into and around a perimeter wall of the throat in a manner subject to reduced exposure to thermal radiation in the throat, whether by the presence of a throat shield in a shielded portion or otherwise.
The effect of this differential exposure is that tubes making up a vertical steam generator having a throat design of the general type illustrated can be grouped into four basic types by structure and thermal environment, in order towards the midpoint of a burner throat:
a) vertical tubes on the furnace wall away from the burner throat that carry vertical load and experience standard thermal conditions; b) tubes in the vicinity of the burner throat that deviate from vertical but remain entirely on the furnace wall; c) tubes that pass into and around a perimeter wall of the throat in the portion fully exposed to thermal radiation in the throat for example being in an unshielded region; d) tubes that pass into and around a perimeter wall of the throat in the portion subject to reduced exposure to thermal radiation in the throat, for example being in a shielded region.
Vertical furnace straight tubes a) carry load and experience standard thermal conditions. Of the tubes b) to d) making up the burner set, it is those in group c) that are most exposed to the combined effects of pressure drop and thermal exposure to the flame. These tubes may be called “burner hot tubes” as they are likely hotter than all other furnace tubes as a result of picking up more heat and having a higher pressure drop. Tubes d) are in the burner throat but generally shielded from the flame radiation although they are still longer than the furnace straight tubes. Tubes b) deviate from straight but to a lesser extent still experience generally standard thermal conditions.
In the example of FIG. 1 it appears that the burner set tubes 13 L to 8 L and 8 R to 13 R are burner hot tubes while the burner set tubes no. 7 L to 7 R are hidden away from the flame radiation by the liner 23 although they are still longer than the furnace straight tubes. Tubes 16 L to 14 L and 14 R to 16 R are set entirely on the inner furnace wall and deviate only a little. Tubes ST do not deviate.
Normally all the burner throats in a given furnace wall will have an identical configuration and are arranged in line both horizontally and vertically. This is generally considered to be an important design feature from a mechanical perspective as the tubes b) to d) are ineffective at transferring vertical load. The tubes a) essentially carry the entire load and their proportion should be maximised. This favours vertical alignment of successive sets of burner throat.
As a result, the burner hot tubes will be repeated vertically and therefore during use may get much hotter than the other tubes due to the repeats of increases in both heat absorptions and pressure drops. The flow response of the burner hot tubes may also deteriorate due to the much higher friction losses caused by higher specific volume and longer flow paths. Mitigating this effect has become a critical issue in vertical tube furnace design.
SUMMARY
A possible solution, exemplified in Japanese patent publication 10-026305, is to shift the position of individual tubes disposed near a burner throat so that they have a varied position relative to the burner throat at different vertical stages. This is intended to give a more even heat exposure. The design ensures that a vertical alignment of successive sets of burner throat can be maintained, with the perceived mechanical advantage that the proportion of tubes on the furnace wall away from the burner throat that can carry vertical load is generally maintained. However it requires more complex tube arrangements and plural throat designs, and this can increase fabrication complexity and in particular make an assembly process based on pre-fabrication of throat modules potentially more complex. It is generally desirable to simplify the furnace wall fabrication process by providing system that enables use of a single throat design.
According to the invention in a first aspect, a furnace tube arrangement for a vertical tube steam generator comprises:
a plurality of furnace tubes adapted for passage of an evaporatable flow medium disposed generally vertically to form a generally planar structure comprising a furnace wall, at least one burner throat let into the planar structure at each of at least two vertically spaced levels, each burner throat defined by a throat perimeter wall into and around which tubes in the vicinity of the burner throat pass in order to leave the burner throat open; characterised in that the burner throats at the respective levels are so disposed in the planar structure that a vertical mid-line of at least one throat at a first level is laterally offset from a vertical mid line of a corresponding throat at a second level.
In this way, the harsh thermal regime experienced by burner hot tubes essentially fully exposed to thermal radiation at the first level may be mitigated in that in consequence of this offset they may be located in a portion of the throat at the second level that is subject to reduced exposure to thermal radiation.
The invention lies in the provision of a lateral offset between a throat at one level and a corresponding throat (which is to say, a throat which lies most directly above it) at another level. The throat may be offset against a corresponding throat at an adjacent level (that is, the throat most immediately above it or below it) or, in the case where throats are provided at several levels, against a corresponding throat at any other level.
The invention may be embodied by any offset between any burner throats at different levels. Preferably multiple burner throats are provided laterally offset from a vertical mid line of a corresponding throat at a second level. Most preferably each burner throat at a given level is laterally offset from a vertical mid line of a corresponding throat at a second level, for example with all burner throats at the first level laterally offset from a vertical mid line of a corresponding throat at a second level in regular and identical manner. However the invention encompasses any pattern of offset arrangements whereby a throat at one level is laterally offset from a corresponding throat at any other level.
The effect may be achieved by means of this lateral offset alone, allowing a single design of burner throat, and thus offering advantages in terms of simplicity of design and fabrication of a vertical tube furnace wall.
Given a typical tube design in a typical vertical tube furnace wall burner throat, it has been found that the offset need not be that great, and the resultant loss of some further tubes from the group that are essentially vertical for the whole wall height and essentially carry the entire load can be minimized.
In particular, it has been noted that in a typical tube arrangement in a burner throat each burner throat may be configured such that some tubes pass into and around a perimeter wall of the throat in a portion of the throat essentially fully exposed to thermal radiation in the throat in use, and some tubes pass into and around a perimeter wall of the throat in a portion of the throat subject to reduced exposure to thermal radiation in the throat in use
such as to define three groups of furnace tubes respectively:
a) tubes disposed entirely along the planar wall;
b) tubes that pass out of the plane of the structure and into and around the throat wall in the fully exposed portion;
c) tubes that pass out of the plane of the structure and into and around the throat wall in the portion subject to reduced exposure.
The invention may then be characterised in that, preferably as a consequence of the offset alone, the furnace tubes are so arranged as between a first burner throat at a first level and a corresponding second burner throat at a second level that at least some of the furnace tubes disposed such as to constitute tubes in group b) at said first level, and preferably all of the furnace tubes disposed such as to constitute tubes in group b) at said first level, are disposed such as to constitute tubes not in group b) at said second level.
Where such an arrangement of fully exposed tubes and tubes subject to reduced exposure is present, it is sufficient to introduce an offset that is merely enough to shift at least the most severely fully exposed tubes from one level to a position of reduced exposure at a second level. Such an offset, alone, may be sufficient to mitigate hot tube effects. In particular, complex rearrangement of tubes between levels need not be employed. All tubes may simply be disposed vertically on a furnace wall between levels. A single throat design with a single tube arrangement may be employed for all throats.
The invention in this preferred case relies upon the principle that in a given typical throat some tubes are fully exposed to the harsh thermal conditions (the “burner hot tubes”) and some are not. For example, tubes in a part of the throat wall proximal to its outlet in the furnace wall are essentially fully exposed to thermal radiation in the throat in use and tubes in a part of the throat wall distal of its outlet in the furnace wall are subject to reduced exposure to thermal radiation in the throat in use. Thus the tubes in group (b) as above defined are comprised by tubes proximal the outlet in the furnace wall and the tubes in group (c) as above defined are comprised by tubes distal the outlet in the furnace wall.
This differential exposure may be attributable to various aspects of burner geometry. In a particular preferred case, a throat shield may shield part of the throat area, the portion of the throat essentially fully exposed to thermal radiation being the unshielded portion, and the portion of the throat subject to reduced exposure to thermal radiation in the throat being the shielded portion. The tubes in group (b) as above defined are then comprised by unshielded tubes and the tubes in group (c) as above defined are then comprised by shielded tubes. For example, the throat is provided with a throat shield disposed to shield furnace tubes in a part of the throat wall distal of its outlet in the furnace wall and to expose furnace tubes in a part of the throat wall proximal to its outlet in the furnace wall.
The invention thus relates to the arrangement of furnace tubes as they pass and progress in the vicinity of a first burner throat at a first level and a second burner throat at a second level. The arrangement of tubes disposed at least generally vertically and at least generally in parallel (except where they deviate to accommodate the burner throats) defines in use a vertical tube combustion chamber wall in familiar manner. In particular, a combustion chamber wall is defined by the provision of a plurality of generally parallel furnace tubes connected together in gas-tight manner by tube webs. Such an arrangement will be familiar.
The skilled person will appreciate that a reference herein to a vertical tube combustion chamber wall is understood in the art as being a reference to a class of combustion chamber wall in which a plurality of generally parallel furnace tubes rise from the bottom to the top in generally vertical orientation, to be distinguished in particular in this context from a spiral tube combustion chamber wall. Deviation from strict vertical orientation and strict parallel arrangement, particularly in the vicinity of the throat where this is an absolute necessity, does not exclude from the scope of the invention as it would be understood in the art.
In a typical prior art vertical tube combustion chamber wall structure, a plurality of burner throats will be let into the planar structure comprising the chamber wall in a transverse array around the perimeter of the wall at at least two vertically spaced levels (that is, at at least two heights). Thus, a typical combustion chamber wall structure comprises a plurality of throats around the perimeter of the combustion chamber at a plurality of levels.
At each burner throat, the furnace tube set in the vicinity deviates from the straight in order to accommodate the outlet, limiting its ability to carry a load. Only the straight furnace tubes which are not affected by passing in the vicinity of a throat are fully effective in transmitting a vertical load.
To avoid creating combustion chambers of excessive size, it is desirable to minimise the proportion of furnace tubes so affected, and accordingly in a standard design it is conventional to align throats at successive levels so as to maximise the number of furnace tubes which can be straight. However, this means that in a standard design the same tubes experience the harshest environment at successive levels, leading to the burner hot tube effect described above.
In accordance with the invention, this problem is mitigated in admirably simple manner. The structure is modified so that tubes comprising burner hot tubes subject to the harshest regime at one level are not subject to the harshest regime at another level. Instead, other tubes, which were not exposed to this harsh environment at the first level, are so exposed at the second level. This is achieved by means of a lateral offset between the or each throat at a first level and its corresponding throat at a second level.
However, to achieve this, it is not necessary to stagger the burner throats completely at successive levels. There may still at least be a substantial degree of overlap in a vertical direction between the burner throat at a first level (and in particular, the tube affected width associated with that burner throat at a first level) and the burner throat (and its tube affected width) at a second level. Only tubes which fall in category b) are affected by the most severe conditions at the first level, and only these are desirably otherwise located at the second level. A full throat width offset is not required.
The condition that at least the burner hot tubes subject to the most severe regime at the first level are otherwise located at the second level may be achieved by having some smaller degree of offset between a throat at the first level and a corresponding throat at the second level. That is to say, a vertical mid-line of a throat at a first level may be transversely (ie, horizontally) offset from a vertical mid line of a corresponding throat at a second level. However, the offset is much less than one throat width. Even if an offset alone is relied upon, it is only necessary to offset a burner throat at a first level and a corresponding burner throat at a second level by a transverse direction that is enough to ensure that burner hot tubes subject to the harshest regime (for example those forming group b) in the structure) at the first level are not subject to the harshest regime (for example being otherwise located in another group) at the second level. It follows that even if offset alone is relied upon, the offset need only be the width in a transverse direction of the tubes constituting group b), or looked at another way need only be the number of tube pitches corresponding to the number of tubes in group b). Indeed it may be that a smaller offset will be sufficient to give a degree of benefit. The radiation regime of tubes in group b) varies and some are hotter than others. Even a smaller offset that ensures that those tubes in group b) subject to the most severe regime at one level are subject to a less severe regime at another level may mitigate hot tube effects to some degree.
This can be illustrated by consideration of the shielded example of FIG. 1 . By staggering the burner throats on the alternate burner rows for a few pitches, say seven pitches for the burner throats shown on FIG. 1 , the fully exposed burner hot tubes of the first level would become either furnace straight tubes or shielded tubes in the burner throats on the next level. This would significantly reduce the total heat absorption of the burner hot tubes and/or shorten their flow paths. As a consequence, the temperature excess experienced by the burner hot tubes would be mitigated.
It is suggested that the burners on alternate rows should still be arranged in line to minimize the impact on the load carrying capacities of the relevant furnace walls as the set tubes forming the burner throats are unable to carry weight.
Arrangements in which the burner tubes themselves are rearranged between alternate levels by provision of alternate throat designs could be complex, and might in particular involve burner tubes passing over or around one another. A virtue of a simple offset such as proposed by the present invention is that the burner tubes can lie alongside each other. In a preferred case, all burner tubes are so disposed. It is also likely to be cost-effective if all burner throats have the same configuration. In a preferred case, the characterising feature of the invention is achieved in that a burner throat at a first level is offset in a horizontal direction from the burner throat at a second level by a sufficient degree of offset to achieve the required effect, and is for example offset by sufficient tube pitches, but preferably by no more than sufficient tube pitches, to ensure that tubes comprising group b) at the first level are positioned to comprise tubes not in group b) at the second level.
In a preferred case, a burner throat at a first level, or least the tube arrangement thereof, is identical to its corresponding burner throat at a second level. In a preferred case, the burner throats making up a perimeter series of burner throats at a given level, or at least the tube arrangements thereof, are identical. In a most preferred case, all the burner throats making up a furnace wall, or at least the tube arrangements thereof, are identical.
Preferably, the furnace tubes are cylindrical, and in particular comprise a cylindrical perimeter wall and a cylindrical internal bore adapted for passage of an evaporatable flow medium.
A plurality of generally parallel longitudinal disposed furnace tubes may be connected together in gas-tight manner by tube webs to define a combustion chamber wall.
The plural furnace tubes making up a combustion chamber wall may have identical size and/or shape and/or material composition, and in particular for example may be evenly pitched and/or separated by even widths of web. However, the invention is not limited to such an arrangement. It is known in the art for example to vary pitch, web width, and tube size and especially bore size to accommodate different thermal conditions, and the present invention is equally applicable to combustion chambers having such more complex arrangements of furnace tube.
The furnace tubes may comprise smooth tubes having a smooth inner surface. However, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, internally ribbed tubes are used.
In use, the surface of the tube and the surface of the web to which the tube is adjacent together form a portion of the combustion chamber wall which serves as a heat transfer surface to the flow medium within the tube. In a possible arrangement, additional heat transfer surfaces may be provided in the form of longitudinal fins on the outer surface of the tube wall.
Typically, the evaporatable flow medium is water/steam.
In a more complete aspect of the invention, a steam generator comprises a combustion chamber having a polygonal cross-section defined by a plurality of connected combustion chamber walls at least one of which has a furnace tube arrangement as hereinbefore described.
In a usual arrangement, the furnace tubes are disposed vertically in a vertically orientated furnace wall for the upward passage of an evaporatable flow medium.
In a preferred arrangement, the combustion chamber has a substantially rectangular cross-section with planar combustion chamber walls extending to substantially orthogonal corners.
In a preferred arrangement, the steam generator is a once-through generator in that the furnace tubes are disposed such that in normal continuous flow operation a single pass of the flow medium in the tubes leads to substantially complete evaporation.
In a preferred arrangement, the steam generator is a supercritical steam generator adapted for operation at supercritical conditions.
Supercritical steam generators (also known as Benson boilers) are frequently used for the production of electric power. They operate at “supercritical pressure”. In contrast to a “subcritical boiler”, a supercritical steam generator operates at such a high pressure (over 3,200 psi/22.06 MPa or 220.6 bar) that actual boiling ceases to occur, and the boiler has no water—steam separation. There is no generation of steam bubbles within the water, because the pressure is above the “critical pressure” at which steam bubbles can form. It passes below the critical point as it does work in the high pressure turbine and enters the generator's condenser. This is more efficient, resulting in slightly less fuel use. The term “boiler” is used in the art on occasion for such apparatus but is not strictly appropriate for a supercritical pressure steam generator, as no “boiling” actually occurs in this device.
Normally modern supercritical steam generators operate at sliding pressure mode. The steam pressure reduces with the boiler output. It means that supercritical steam generators still operate at subcritical pressure when boiler loads are below certain level. Boiling process occurs at subcritical pressure.
As used herein, the concept of a “steam generator” should be considered to apply for both supercritical and subcritical pressures.
In a preferred arrangement, the steam generator is adapted for once-through operation. When a once through boiler operates at once through mode, water flows, without recirculation, sequentially through the economizer, furnace wall, evaporating and superheating tubes. Boiling or evaporating ceases to occur at supercritical pressure but boiling still occurs when a once through boiler operates at subcritical pressure. It is not necessary to ensure the evaporation completes at furnace wall outlet if the down stream heating surfaces are designed for wet operation. Normally the heating surfaces downstream primary SH would not design for wet mode.
In a particular preferred case, the steam generator is adapted for use in a thermal power plant in that it is provided with, and fired in use by, a plural array of burners for carbonaceous fossil fuels, which burners pass through the respective burner throats to fire the combustion chamber. Suitable fuels include solids and especially pulverized solids, liquids, emulsions and gases,
Thus, in accordance with the most complete aspect of the invention, there is also provided a thermal power plant comprising at least one steam generator as above described fired by burners as above described, with suitable fuel supply means, and in fluid communication with suitable means to generate electrical power from the steam produced by the steam generator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is an illustration of a typical furnace tube arrangement at a burner throat as will be familiar from prior art systems, in perspective view ( FIG. 1 a ) and in plan view ( FIG. 1 b );
FIG. 2 is an illustration of a steam generation apparatus to which the invention can be applied;
FIG. 3 is an illustration of a combustion chamber wall of the steam generation apparatus of FIG. 2 , including burner throats disposed in accordance with the principles of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 has already been described in some detail in the discussion of the prior art. The most important point to appreciate in relation to the embodiment of the invention is that FIG. 1 illustrates that only some of the burner set tubes (in the representative example only 13 L to 8 L and 8 R to 13 R) experience the harshest conditions, being exposed on the interior of the throat perimeter wall without being covered by the shielding. These constitute what we have referred to as “burner hot tubes”. Other tubes are carried on the throat perimeter wall but shielded.
FIG. 2 is general schematic illustration of a vertical tube steam generator to which the present invention can be applied. As represented in FIG. 2 there is seen a once-through steam generator 2 having a rectangular cross section and a vertical gas flue for the exit of flue gas (FG). A combustion chamber is defined by a combustion chamber wall 4 that merges at a lower end into a bottom wall 6 defining an area for the collection of solid combustion products. The combustion chamber is fired by burners 8 . In the illustrated schematic in FIG. 2 only a pair of burners is shown, at a pair of levels, but in practice burners will extend around the perimeter of the combustion chamber wall 4 , and may be disposed at several levels.
Each furnace wall is defined by a plurality of vertical furnace tubes 10 , of which only a small number are shown for schematic purposes. Furnace straight tubes, which pass through areas of the furnace wall away from the vicinity affected by the burner throats, carry the majority of the vertical load. Furnace tubes in the vicinity of a burner throat deviate from the vertical to accommodate the burner throat and are not able to make a substantial contribution to the load bearing capacity of the boiler.
Each burner 8 is let into the combustion chamber via a burner throat in the combustion chamber wall 4 of the type which is illustrated in FIG. 1 . When the combustion chamber is fired, the resultant burner flames create a particularly harsh environment for those tubes identified as burner hot tubes, with the attendant disadvantages described above.
An embodiment in accordance with the present invention by means of which those attendant disadvantages are mitigated as illustrated in FIG. 3 . In FIG. 3 , a section of furnace wall 4 is shown in side elevation.
The furnace wall of FIG. 3 has burner throats at three levels. Each burner throat 22 has been provided with an indication of a vertical midline, axis y, and an indication of the area of the furnace wall where tubes are affected (by deviating from pure vertical orientation), being represented schematically by the rectangle 30 .
In the illustrated embodiment, burner throats at the lowest and highest level are exactly aligned (that is their mid lines are aligned vertically) as would be familiar from a typical prior art design. However, all burner throats at the second level are laterally offset. This is merely an example arrangement. The invention is not limited to an arrangement to offset between burner throats at adjacent levels, nor to an arrangement to offset all burner throats at a given level, whether systematically or otherwise. A suitable offset between any throat at any level and a corresponding throat at another level may give benefit.
The lateral offset of the burner throats at the second level is by considerably less than a single throat width. Instead, in accordance with the principles of the invention, it constitutes just sufficient offset to cause the burner hot tubes at the first level to be otherwise positioned at the second level. Considering FIG. 1 a , it could be seen for instance that an offset of a few pitches, in the specific example of FIG. 1 a just seven pitches, would be sufficient to produce this effect. Given a seven pitch offset in the illustrated example, hot tubes 13 L to 8 L at first level would find themselves out of the burner throat and on the furnace wall itself at the second level and hot tubes 8 R to 13 R from the first level would find themselves as hidden tubes shielded by the shield at the second level. Likewise, those tubes which did constitute fully exposed hot tubes at the second level would similarly either have been shielded tubes, or furnace wall tubes, at the corresponding first level.
Thus, in accordance with the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 3 , no furnace tube is in a hot tube position at successive levels. Nevertheless, this effect has been achieved with a relatively small horizontal offset, constituting much less than one throat width, and indeed less than half of one semi-width of the throat affected zone (the zone where tubes deviate from the vertical). In the illustrated example, a semi-width of the throat affected zone comprises sixteen tube pitches, and an offset of just seven is sufficient to produce the effect of the invention.
This is merely an example arrangement. Even as between tubes exposed in a hot tube position the temperature regime may vary. It follows that even a smaller offset that ensures that those exposed hot tubes subject to the most severe regime at one level are subject to a less severe regime at another level may mitigate hot tube effects to some degree.
Thus, a significant mitigation of the hot tube effect is achieved without a significant offset being required, and consequently without excessive increase in the total number of tubes which are not fully straight. A significant mitigation of the hot tube effect can be achieved without significantly increasing furnace size.
In the illustrated embodiment, burners on alternate rows are still arranged in line vertically. This, together with the relatively small offset, minimizes the impact on the proportion of tubes which remain fully vertical and have a full load carrying capability.
Moreover, the mitigation of the hot tube effect is achieved by virtue of a small horizontal offset alone without increasing the complexity of the throat designs. A single throat design is used. All burner throats have the same tube configuration. Burner tubes lie alongside each other. Complex reordering of tubes is not required. All tubes lie vertical and parallel on the wall between levels. The offset alone produces mitigation of the hot tube effect.
Alternative designs of burner throat, and in particular alternative arrangements of furnace tube within a burner throat, could be envisaged which would complement or supplement the effect of an offset without departing from the general principles of the invention. However, it is a particular advantage of the invention that burner throat designs, and in particular furnace tube arrangements in the burner throat, may be identical in a given combustion chamber, and may be entirely conventional.
The illustrative embodiment of FIG. 3 is discussed with reference to an example burner throat design such as shown in FIG. 1 . The throat carries a throat shield as a result of which only some of the burner set tubes carried on the throat perimeter wall experience the harshest conditions. Other tubes are carried on the throat perimeter wall but shielded. This inherently leads to two tube conditions where some tubes pass into and around a perimeter wall of the throat in a manner essentially fully exposed to thermal radiation in the throat, and where some tubes pass into and around a perimeter wall of the throat in a manner subject to reduced exposure to thermal radiation in the throat. It will be appreciated that both the illustrative embodiment of FIG. 3 , and the invention generally, may be applied in all cases where the burner geometry creates this condition, whether by the presence of a throat shield in a shielded portion or otherwise. | A furnace tube arrangement for a steam generator is provided. A plurality of furnace tubes disposed longitudinally form a generally planar wall structure into which burner throats are let at least two longitudinally spaced levels in familiar manner. Burner throats at the respective levels are so disposed that a vertical mid-line of each throat at a first level is laterally offset from a vertical mid line of a corresponding throat at a second level. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for controlling ignition timing wherein knocking of an engine is detected, and ignition timing is instantly delayed in response to the detected knocking. More particularly, this invention is related to a system for controlling ignition timing wherein, when a knocking sensor is out of order, ignition timing is delayed by a predetermined value.
2. Prior Art
Knocking of an engine is a dangerous phenomenon which may destroy the engine in the worst case. Hence, in the conventional ignition system, ignition timing is retarded from the ideal (with respect to performance) to ensure that knocking will not occur. However, since it is not desirable from the viewpoint of economics of fuel consumption to delay ignition timing simply to ensure knocking does not occur, a system has been developed for controlling ignition timing wherein the occurrence of knocking is fed back to advance the timing toward the ideal to the greatest degree possible without the occurrence of knocking (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 87537/1977).
Now, in the system for controlling ignition timing as described above, knocking is detected to feedback control the ignition timing, the ignition timing is delayed when knocking takes place, and the ignition timing is feedback controlled from engine conditions so as to advance the ignition timing to the limits of knocking when knocking does not occur. However, this system is disadvantageous in that, if a knocking sensor is out of order, the condition of knocking cannot be detected. Therefore the knocking sensor sends out a signal indicating that no knocking exists despite the fact that knocking is occurring. Thus, the ignition timeing is unusually advanced to cause a violent knocking condition in the engine. In the worst case this results in the melting of the pistons and exhaust valves, which leads to the destruction of the engine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide a system for controlling ignition timing wherein, when the knocking sensor is out of order, the ignition timing is automatically controlled to a predetermined value irrespective of the presence or absence of the condition of knocking, thereby preventing damage to the engine such as the melting of pistons and/or valves.
In the present invention, ignition timing is controlled by an (ignition timing) advance control circuit for receiving the detected rotating condition of the engine and the presence of knocking detected by a knocking sensor. The degree of advance is controlled in proportion to the rotating condition of said engine when no knocking takes place, and is delayed when knocking takes place.
The system includes a knocking sensor fault detecting circuit for detecting a fault of the knocking sensor;
a dummy signal generating circuit generates a dummy signal to set the ignition timing at a predetermined position on the delay side when said knocking sensor fault detecting circuit detects a fault or constantly irrespective of the presence of knocking signal.
An advance control signal controlling adjusts ignition timing in response to an output signal fed from said dummy signal generating circuit in place of a knocking signal when a fault of knocking sensor is detected.
Thus, when the knocking sensor is normal, ignition timing is delayed by a knocking signal, and, when the knocking sensor is abnormal or out of order, ignition timing is delayed by a preset dummy signal, to thereby achieve the aforesaid object.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing one embodiment of the system for controlling ignition timing of an engine according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing one embodiment of the system for controlling ignition timing by use of a circuit for detecting a fault of the knocking sensor and a circuit for detecting the engine load in an engine; and
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing one embodiment of the system for controlling ignition timing of an engine wherein a fault of the knocking sensor is detected by use of a constant-voltage circuit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Detailed description will hereunder be given of the present invention with reference to the embodiments.
In FIG. 1, there is shown one embodiment of the system for controlling ignition timing according to the present invention.
Referring to the drawing, a pulse rotor 1, provided at the marginal portion thereof with a required number of projections 1a, is rotated by a crankshaft of an engine as is well known, and is mounted in a manner to be rotatable in the direction of advance by a centrifugal advance mechanism, vacuum advance mechanism or the like. Pickup 2 receives ignition pulses, which are applied to waveform shaping circuit 3. Said pulse rotor 1, pickup 2 and shaping circuit 3 constitute an ignition pulse detection circuit. Output pulses from the waveshape shaping circuit 3 are adapted to be fed to an ignition timing calculation circuit 5 and an updown counter 6 in a delay control circuit 4. Said ignition timing calculation circuit 5 generates a pulse in which the ignition pulse fed from the waveshape shaping circuit 3 is delayed by a value proportional to the output from the updown counter 6, and the arrangement of circuit thereof is well known, and hence, detailed description thereof will be omitted. Connected to the ignition timing calculation circuit 5 is an output circuit 7 for sending out a delay pulse fed from the ignition timing calculation circuit 5 as an ignition pulse. A knocking sensor 8 detects, for example, vibrations of the main body of the engine or sound waves caused by said vibrations and transduces them into electric signals. Connected to said knocking sensor 8 are a band pass filter 9 for allowing that portion of the output signal from said knocking sensor 8 within the knocking frequency band to pass therethrough and a half-wave rectification circuit 11 in a fault detecting circuit 10. Connected to said band pass filter 9 is a knocking discriminating circuit 13 for detecting signals fed from the band pass filter 9 which have a value larger in magnitude than a certain value and sending out a corresponding pulse to the updown counter 6 through a switching circuit 12. Connected to said switching circuit 12 is a dummy signal generating circuit 17 for constantly sending out a signal identical with the signal from knocking discriminating circuit 13 when knocking is detected.
The fault detecting circuit 10 comprises the half-wave rectification circuit 11, an integration circuit 14, a comparison circuit 15 and an abnormality level setting circuit 16. Half-wave rectification circuit 11 receives an output signal fed from the knocking sensor 8, half-wave rectifies it and sends it out to an integration circuit 14. Intergration circuit intergrates the half-wave rectified signal and converts the same into a DC voltage value corresponding to the signal amplitude. The signal sent out by said integration circuit 14 is fed to a comparison circuit 15. Said comparison circuit 15 is of such an arrangement that it compares an output signal fed from the integration circuit 14 with a preset voltage output signal fed from the abnormality level setting circuit 16, and sends out an output signal when the output signal fed from the integration circuit is less in value than the voltage output signal fed from the abnormality level setting circuit 16. The output signal from said comparison circuit 15 is fed to the switching circuit 12 connected thereto. The switching circuit 12 is of such an arrangement that, upon receiving an input signal from the comparison circuit 15, the switching circuit 12 discontinues to feed the signal from the knocking discriminating circuit 13 to the updown counter 6 and changes over to feed the signal from the dummy signal generating circuit 17 to the updown counter 6. When the signal from the comparison circuit 15, stops the switching circuit 12 is restored to the initial condition, i.e. the condition where the output signal from the knocking discriminating circuit 13 is fed to the updown counter 6. The updown counter 6 receives a pulse fed from the shaping circuit 3 as a reference pulse in its down input, and, receives a pulse fed from the knocking discriminating circuit 13 in its up input, and feeds a count output corresponding to the difference between said two input pulses to the aforesaid ignition timing calculation circuit 5. In passing, the reference pulse fed to the updown counter 6 is not limited to the pulse corresponding to the rotation of the engine like the ignition impulse, but may be an oscillation pulse oscillating at a given cycle.
In said system for controlling ignition timing, when the engine is rotated, ignition pulses generated in the pickup 2 is converted to a rectangular wave in the shaping circuit 3. A signal detected by the knocking sensor 8 is fed through the band pass filter 9 to the knocking discriminating circuit 13 which sends out one pulse per ignition cycle in which knocking occurs. When the ignition pulses are fed to the updown counter 6 through the shaping circuit 3, said updown counter 6 down-counts one count per pulse signal fed from the shaping circuit 3. Upon receiving a pulse signal from the knocking discriminating circuit 13, said updown counter 6 up-counts one count. And, the ignition timing calculation circuit 5 delays an ignition pulse fed from the shaping circuit 3 in proportion to the value of stored in the updown counter 6. The delayed ignition pulse is fed to the output circuit 7 to thereby determine ignition timing. The signal from the knocking sensor 8 is also fed to the fault detecting circuit 10. The signal from the knocking sensor 8 is fed to the half-wave rectification circuit 11 of the fault detecting circuit 10 to be half-wave rectified. A half-wave rectified pulse fed from the half-wave rectification circuit 11 is integrated by the integration circuit 14, and converted into a DC voltage value corresponding to the signal amplitude. The DC voltage value thus converted is fed to the comparison circuit 15, and compared with a preset voltage value in the abnormality deciding level setting circuit 16.
When the voltage signal fed from the abnormality level setting circuit 16 is larger in value than the voltage signal fed from the integrating circuit 14, i.e. the knocking sensor 8 is out of order, a signal is sent out from the comparison circuit 15 to actuate the switching circuit 12. When the switching circuit is actuated, it discontinues to feed the signal from the knocking discriminating circuit 13 and changes over to feed the signal from the dummy signal generating circuit 17, which constantly sends out a signal identical with that of discriminating circuit 13 during knocking to the updown counter 6. Additionally, when no signal is received from the comparison circuit 15 to the switching circuit 12, the switching circuit 12 constantly feeds the output signal from the knocking discriminating circuit 13 to the updown counter 6. Upon receiving a signal from the dummy signal generating circuit 17, the updown counter 6 is saturated to the maximum countable value which is preset, and the ignition timing calculation circuit 4 feeds the maximum delay value to the output circuit 7 to decide the ignition timing.
Consequently, the abnormality of the knocking sensor is discriminated from the signal fed from the knocking sensor itself, whereby the ignition timing is set at the predetermined position on the more delay side than the region of ordinary use when the knocking sensor is normal, thereby eliminated engine damage such as melting, losses of pistons, and the like.
FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention.
In the drawing, the fault detecting circuit 10 is provided therein with a peak value holding circuit 23 in place of the half-wave rectification circuit 11 and integrating circuit 14 as shown in FIG. 1. Said peak value holding circuit 23 holds the peak value of the signal fed from the knocking sensor 8 and feeds the same to the comparison circuit 15. Said comparison circuit 15 compares the output signal fed from the peak value holding circuit 23 with a preset signal fed from the abnormality level setting circuit 16, and feeds an output signal when the peak value of the output signal fed from the peak value holding circuit 23 is lower than the value of the output signal fed from the abnormality level setting circuit 16. The output signal from said comparison circuit 15 is fed to an "AND" circuit 21 connected to said comparison circuit 15. Connected to the "AND" circuit 21 is an engine load detecting means 20 for detecting the engine load by a suitable method and sending out an output signal when the load is higher than the predetermined value. Said "AND" circuit 21 is adapted to feed an output to the switching circuit 18 when "and" is achieved by an output signal from the comparison circuit 15 and an output signal from the engine load detecting means 20. Additionally, an output from the "AND" circuit 21 is fed to an indicating means 22, whereby abnormality of the knocking sensor 8 is indicated. Said switching circuit 18 is interposed between the ignition timing calculation circuit 5 in the delay control circuit 4 and the updown counter 6, and is adapted, upon receiving an output from the "AND" circuit 21, to discontinue to feed the signal fed from the updown counter 6 and change over to feed the digital signal fed from the dummy signal generating circuit 19 to the ignition timing calculation circuit 5.
The signal fed from the knocking sensor 8 is converted to a DC voltage value by the crest value holding circuit 23, and compared with an output voltage fed from the abnormality level setting circuit 16, whereby the presence of abnormality of the knocking sensor is decided likewise in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. More particularly, a voltage output signal fed from the peak value holding circuit 23 is compared with a voltage output signal fed from the abnormality level setting circuit 16 connected to the comparison circuit 15 in said comparison circuit 15, it is decided that the knocking sensor 8 is out of order when the voltage output signal fed from the peak value holding circuit 23 is lower in value than the voltage output signal fed from the abnormality level setting circuit 16, so that the comparison circuit 15 feeds a signal to the "AND" circuit 21. On the other hand, when the engine load detected by the suitable method is higher than the preset value, the engine load detecting means feeds a signal to the "AND" circuit 21. When "AND" is achieved by the output signal fed from the comparison circuit 15 and the output signal fed from the engine load detecting means 20, the "AND" circuit 21 feeds a composite signal to the switching circuit 18. Upon receiving the signal from the "AND" circuit 21, the switching circuit 18 discontinues to feed the signal from the updown counter 6 and changes over to feed the digital signal from the dummy signal generating circuit 19 to the ignition timing calculation circuit 5.
Consequently, in the present embodiment, a simple circuit can detect the presence of abnormality of the knocking sensor, and moreover, even in the case the knocking sensor is out of order, in order to eliminate the loss in the engine performance within the light load region which is not involved with knocking, the adoption of treatment based on the decision of the presence of abnormality of the knocking sensor can be automatically selected according to the load condition of the engine. Furthermore, it is avoided to shift said value to the delay side much apart from the region of ordinary use for safety allowance. On the contrary, said value is shifted to the delay side only slightly apart from the region of ordinary use. And, the operator may be warned of the abnormality in a separate way from the above.
FIG. 3 shows still another embodiment. The difference of this embodiment from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 resides in that an electric signal load circuit 24 is inserted in place of the half-wave rectification circuit 11 and the integrating circuit 14 in the fault detecting circuit 10. Said electric signal load circuit 24 comprises a constant-voltage circuit 25 and a resistance 26 which is serially interposed between the constant-voltage circuit 25 and the knocking sensor 8. Said resistance 26 is connected at one side of the constant-voltage circuit to the abnormality level setting circuit 16 and at the other side of the knocking sensor to the comparison circuit 15.
The fault of the knocking sensor 8 is detected in the following way. If an output voltage from the constant-voltage circuit 25 is applied to an internal resistance 81 in the knocking sensor 8 through the resistance 26, then a voltage value divided to the resistance 26 and the internal resistance 81 is generated in a knocking sensor signal wire 100. Said voltage value is fed to the comparison circuit 15 and compared with a voltage value fed from the abnormality level setting circuit 16 in the comparison circuit 15. When the voltage value fed from the abnormality level setting circuit 16 is lower than the divided voltage value fed to the comparison circuit 15, it is decided that the knocking sensor 8 is out of order, an output is fed from the comparison circuit 15 of the fault detecting circuit 10 to the switching circuit 12, whereby the switching circuit 12 is switched, so that an output signal from the dummy signal generating circuit 17 is fed to the updown counter 6. Others are the same as that described in FIG. 1.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, a specified electric signal is fed to the knocking sensor, and the abnormality of the knocking sensor may be known from the condition of said electric signal being transmitted. | A system for controlling ignition timing in an engine wherein a knocking signal is generated by a sensor in response to knocking. The operation of the sensor is monitored, and when a fault in its operation is detected, a dummy signal, instead of the knocking signal is used to control engine timing. The dummy signal causes the engine timing to be retarded to a value at which knocking is unlikely to occur. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a motor control device for driving an AC motor used in a feed shaft or a spindle of various industrial machines such as machine tool, robot arm, injection molding machine, electric discharge machine, and motor-driven press.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Control methods for driving AC motors such as AC servo motor include PWM (pulse width modulation) method, variable frequency method, amplitude modulation method, etc.
[0005] In the PWM method, a switching element of a three-phase inverter is controlled to be turned on and off by a PWM signal generated by the PWM method, and a voltage from a direct-current power source is applied to each phase of the motor to drive and control the motor. FIG. 1 shows a part (for one phase) of a three-phase inverter, and this three-phase inverter has a combination of transistors T 1 and T 2 for each phase as a switching element.
[0006] [0006]FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of dead zone in PWM control for turning on and off the transistors of the inverter. A PWM command (voltage command) issued from current control loop or the like and a triangular wave (or sawtooth wave) are compared with each other. When the triangular wave is higher than the PWM command, a PWM signal is generated such that the transistor T 1 is on while the transistor T 2 is off. On the other hand, when the triangular wave is lower than the PWM command, the transistor T 1 is off while the transistor T 2 is on.
[0007] However, if the combined transistors T 1 and T 2 are simultaneously turned on, then the control power source E is short-circuited and an excessive current may flow. To avoid such phenomenon, for both transistors T 1 and T 2 , simultaneous OFF time is provided as a dead zone δ when on/off changeover is performed.
[0008] The time width of the dead zone δ is determined based on the switching speed of the transistor serving as a switching element, and it is usually about several microseconds. The dead zone δ is provided by shortening the ON time of the transistors T 1 , T 2 . Further, upon every on/off of the PWM signal of rectangular wave for turning on and off the transistors T 1 , T 2 , a dead zone δ of specific width is provided.
[0009] Accordingly, when the on/off period of PWM signal becomes shorter, that is, when the period of the triangular wave (PWM period) becomes shorter, the number of times the dead zone δ is provided within a specific time increases, and the duration of non-application time of voltage to the motor is increased (note that voltage is applied to the motor when one of the transistors T 1 and T 2 is on and the other is off).
[0010] When the motor accelerates or decelerates steeply, the duration of one of the transistors being off and the other being on becomes longer. However, as a dead zone δ exists, ON time becomes shorter by the time width of this dead zone δ, and voltage is not applied to the motor for the time corresponding to the dead zone, thereby undesirably decreasing the output torque of the motor during a steep acceleration or deceleration.
[0011] Generally, as current control period becomes shorter, PWM period (period of triangular wave) becomes shorter, too. If the period becomes shorter, error can be detected and corrected quickly, and improvement of control precision (operation precision, machining precision, moving track precision, etc.) is realized. However, as the number of times of PWM period within a specific time increases, the number of times of appearance of dead zone also increases, which results in a decline of torque.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] It is an object of the invention to provide a motor control device capable of solving the problem of decline of output torque of motor due to effects of duration of dead zone in which voltage is not applied to the motor in PWM control.
[0013] In the invention, taking into consideration decline of output torque of motor due to effects of duration of dead zone in which voltage is not applied to the motor in PWM control, PWM period is changed depending on whether a high torque is required or a high control precision is required, and torque decline is prevented when high torque is required, while the control precision is enhanced rather than higher torque when the control precision is required.
[0014] The principle of the invention is explained by referring to FIG. 3. Usually, in order to improve the control precision (operation precision, machining precision, moving track precision, etc.), the operation is set in mode B in which the current control period and PWM period are shorter. As the period is shorter, the control precision is enhanced. On the other hand, when a high torque is required, in high acceleration or deceleration, for example, the operation is set in mode A where both current control period and PWM period are longer, or at least the PWM period is longer. Accordingly, the rate of the time of dead zone δ within a specified time is decreased. As a result, decrease of generated torque due to dead zone δ can be suppressed optimally.
[0015] In the present invention, in the numerical controller of the motor control device, PWM period change instructing means for instructing change of PWM period is provided. Further, in the servo controller of the motor control device, PWM period changing means for changing the PWM period corresponding to the PWM period changing command is provided. Accordingly, to cope with a case whether a high control precision is required or a high torque is required, a command is issued from the numerical controller, and the motor is controlled by changing over to mode B or mode A
[0016] The PWM period change instructing means issues a command for changing a PWM period, such as mode B or mode A, according to the type of a move command issued from the numerical controller, or according to operation precision, operating speed or degree of speed change instructed by the move command.
[0017] Moreover, PWM period is created by triangular waves, and the PWM period changing means changes the PWM period by changing the frequency of the triangular wave. Still more, the PWM period changing means also changes over, together with change of PWM period, current loop gain, speed loop gain and/or position loop gain in the servo controller.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The foregoing and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0019] [0019]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a part of an inverter.
[0020] [0020]FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of duration of dead zone in which voltage is not applied to the motor in PWM control.
[0021] [0021]FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the principle of the invention.
[0022] [0022]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a motor control device in an embodiment of the invention.
[0023] [0023]FIG. 5 is a flowchart of PWM period setting process to be executed by the processor of servo controller in the embodiment.
[0024] [0024]FIG. 6 is a diagram showing results of experiment of measurement of motor output torque when both current control period and PWM period are extended.
[0025] [0025]FIG. 7 is a diagram showing results of experiment of measurement of motor output torque when both current control period and PWM period are shortened (to ½ period of FIG. 6).
[0026] [0026]FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the result of measurements of motor output torque when the current control period is same as in FIG. 7 and the PWM period is twice as long as in FIG. 7 (same as in FIG. 6).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] [0027]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a motor control device of various industrial machines having an AC servo motor as a motor for driving a feed shaft or a spindle, for example, machine tool, robot, injection molding machine, electric discharge machine, and motor-driven press. The motor control device according to one embodiment of the invention is almost same as a conventional motor control device in configuration as far as shown in this block diagram.
[0028] A numerical controller 1 writes, according to the program or the like, move command and various information for a servo motor 5 for driving individual axes of the machine, to a shared RAM 2 , and transfers them to the processor of a servo controller 3 . On the other hand, the processor of the servo controller 3 reads the move command and various information from the numerical controller 1 , which are written in the shared RAM 2 , and writes the information which are to be transferred to the numerical controller 1 to the shared RAM.
[0029] The servo controller 3 comprises a processor, ROM, RAM, interface, and others, and performs position control speed control and current control. This servo controller 3 receives the position/speed feedback signal from a position/speed detector (not shown) mounted on the servo motor 5 or on a movable unit (not shown) driven by the servo motor, and a current feedback signal from a detector for detecting the current flowing in the servo motor 5 .
[0030] In this servo controller 3 , PWM command (voltage command) is obtained by feedback control of position, speed and current, and the obtained PWM command is issued to a servo amplifier 4 . In the servo amplifier 4 , the PWM signal is generated, as mentioned above, based on the received PWM command and the triangular wave issued from triangular wave generating means. The servo motor 5 is driven with on/off control of switching elements T 1 , T 2 , . . . of the inverter in the servo amplifier based on this PWM signal.
[0031] In the present invention, in addition to the above configuration, the numerical controller 1 comprises PWM period change instructing means for issuing mode signal of mode A or mode B to the servo controller 3 through the shared RAM 2 . Further, the servo controller 3 comprises PWM period changing means which, receiving this mode signal, changes the servo gain (position loop gain, speed loop gain, current loop gain) corresponding to the received mode (mode A or mode B), issues the command of PWM period to the servo amplifier 4 , and causes the triangular wave generating means to generate the frequency corresponding to the PWM period for the commanded mode.
[0032] Selection of mode A or mode B is determined by putting the mode command in a program such as NC program and teaching program to be fed into the numerical controller 1 . That is, the command of mode B is put in the program at a position where an operation with high control precision such as processing precision and operation precision is instructed while the command of mode A is put in the program at a position where high torque is instructed rather than high control precision. Moreover, the numerical controller 1 comprises PWM period change instructing means for issuing a PWM period changing command based on the mode command which was read out from the program.
[0033] Writing designation of mode A or mode B in the program is very simple way. But, as a program includes commands concerned with control precision such as cutting feed and fast feed in many cases, even if the designation of mode A or mode B is not written in the program, the PWM period change instructing means of the numerical controller 1 can discriminate between a command requiring a high control precision and a command requiring a high torque, based on the type of the command which was read from the program, with the result that mode A or mode B can be automatically selected and issued accordingly.
[0034] For example, it may be set to select the mode based on the type of the move command (or based on the G code in the case of a machine tool), so as to issue mode B allowing a high control precision in case of cutting feed by contour control, or mode A enabling a higher torque to be generated in case of fast feed.
[0035] Generally, when rotating a motor at a high speed, a large output torque is required rather than high control precision. Accordingly, the mode can be selected based on the magnitude of the speed command (for example, selecting mode A capable of generating a high torque in the case of speed command higher than a predetermined speed, while issuing mode B if smaller than the predetermined speed).
[0036] Generally, when the speed change is large, that is, in case of high acceleration or deceleration, a high torque is required. Accordingly, by comparing the difference of the present speed command and the next speed command, changeover to mode A may be conducted when the difference is more than the predetermined value where the acceleration or deceleration is relatively large, while changeover to mode B may be conducted when the difference is less than the predetermined value.]
[0037] On the other hand, the PWM period changing means of the servo controller 3 , receiving the mode changeover command, issues a PWM period command for changing over the PWM period to the servo amplifier. Usually, a PWM period is equal to a current control period. However, in this embodiment, a current control period is not changed but only a PWM period is changed.
[0038] If a current control period is changed, the effect propagates throughout the entire control system, and hence a control period cannot be changed easily. On the other hand, changing of a PWM period can be realized by changing only the oscillation frequency of the triangular wave generating means, and the desired end (raising a torque generated) is attained only by designing such that two (or three or more, if necessary) levels of frequencies can be selectively generated in the triangular wave generating means in advance. Considering these points, in the embodiment, only a PWM period is changed without changing a current control period. The torque to be generated can be increased only by changing the PWM period.
[0039] Examples of experiment which shows that the magnitude of generated torque for a motor can be changed by changing the PWM period are explained by referring to FIG. 6 to FIG. 8. In these diagrams, the axis of abscissas represents the rotating speed (rpm) of the motor, while the axis of ordinates represents the generated torque.
[0040] [0040]FIG. 7 shows a torque generated in mode B where high control precision is required. In this case, the PWM period and current control period are identical. On the other hand, FIG. 6 shows a torque generated in mode A where both PWM period and current control period are doubled. Comparing FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, it is known that the generated torque is larger in mode A shown in FIG. 6 than in mode B.
[0041] [0041]FIG. 8 shows a torque generated in mode A, where the current control period is same as in mode B shown in FIG. 7, but the PWM period is twice that of FIG. 7, that is, same period as in FIG. 6. As clear from the comparison between FIG. 8 and FIG. 7, the generated torque is larger in mode A shown in FIG. 8 than in mode B shown in FIG. 7. Comparing FIG. 8 with FIG. 6 where both PWM period and current control period are doubled, there is no significant difference between the two although the generated torque is slightly lowered in FIG. 8.
[0042] Considering the results of experiment in FIG. 6 to FIG. 8, in this embodiment, only the PWM period is changed, and the PWM period is double in mode A as compared with mode B. Further, in the embodiment, as the generated torque of the motor varies depending on the mode, it is designed to change the servo gain depending on the mode change.
[0043] [0043]FIG. 5 is a flowchart of processing in which the processor of the servo controller 3 reads the mode change command. The processor for executing this processing serves as PWM period changing means.
[0044] First, judging whether the read mode is mode A or mode B (step S 1 ), when mode A is read, an output is issued to cause the triangular wave generating means of the servo amplifier to change the PWM period to a longer period (step S 2 ). The PWM period becomes long, so that the generated torque of the motor is increased, and all or any of the speed loop gain, current loop gain and position loop gain is set to a predetermined low value (step S 3 ).
[0045] On the other hand, when mode B is read at step SI, an output is issued to the triangular wave generating means of the servo amplifier to change the PWM period to a shorter period (a half of the period in mode A)(step S 4 ). Further, the PWM period becomes smaller and the generated torque of the motor decreases, so that the servo gain is set to a predetermined higher value. That is, all or any of the speed loop gain, current loop gain and position loop gain is set to a higher value (step S 5 ).
[0046] In this way, depending on the mode commanded from the numerical controller 1 , the PWM period and servo gain are changed, and in a case where control precision is required, the PWM period is shortened so that error may be corrected quickly, with the result that the high control precision is assured. On the other hand, in a case where high speed, high acceleration or deceleration, or large torque is required, the PWM period is made longer, and the generated torque of the motor is increased. | Where high control precision is required in contour control or the like, mode B for a short PWM period is selected to assure a high control precision. Where high torque is required in fast feed, high acceleration or deceleration, mode A for long PWM period is selected so as to decrease the rate of the time of dead zone δ where voltage is not applied to the motor. | 7 |
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to linear form, fill and seal packaging machines. Specifically, the present invention relates to packaging machine capable of processing a multitude of different products and having a bar code reader to properly process each of the products in the correct carton.
2. Description of the Related Art
Packages formed from a blank are usually processed on a linear form, fill and seal packaging machine. Each blank is delivered to a mandrel of the packaging machine from a carton blank opener. The blank opener is fed with a series of blanks from a magazine. The magazine holds a stack of flat blanks that are erected on the carton blank opener prior to placement on the mandrel.
Once on the mandrel, each carton has its bottom formed prior to placement on a conveyor. On the conveyor, each carton may be fitted with a fitment and sterilized prior to filling and top sealing. Novel filling techniques as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,779 have emerged to fulfill a need in the packaging industry, that need being the ability of a packaging machine to consecutively fill cartons with different products. This breakthrough in the packaging industry has created additional problems that must be met before the full potential of the novel filling systems is realized by dairies and other producers of flowable food products such as milk, juice, yogurt and the like.
One of the most pressing needs is to instruct the packaging machine of the product to be filled in a carton. The packaging machine must be able to automatically know which product to fill the carton with in order to fully utilize the system. Manual instructions would under utilize the potential of the novel filling system.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Andersson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,779 ("'779 patent") for a Packaging Machine System For Filling Primary And Secondary Products Into A Container, having a common assignee with the present application and which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a system for filling two products simultaneously into a package. A portion of the '779 patent discloses programming the packaging machine, via a user interface at a control panel, to produce a product with a desired milkfat content. The operator also selects the number of cartons to be filled and the volume of each carton. The operator may select several different products that vary in quantity. Once the packaging machine is programmed, a production cycle may be commenced to produce the desired products.
The present invention builds upon the '779 patent, and provides for the elimination of the need to program the packaging machine for filling purposes prior to each production cycle. The present invention allows for the novel filling system to achieve its full potential in the processing of different products during a single production cycle. The present invention is able to accomplish this achievement by providing a bar code reader that is integrated on the packaging system to obtain from each individual carton the filling and size requirements of the carton thereby eliminating the need of an operator to program the packaging machine for each production cycle.
The packaging machine may be a single processing line or dual processing line machine. The bar code is utilized in connection with a programmable logic controller ("PLC") to control the filling and other necessary operations of a packaging machine. The bar code reader may be placed on a magazine, a carton opener or along the machine conveyance line or lines.
The present invention allows for a single packaging machine to process different products during a single production cycle. For example, skim milk, whole milk and two percent milk may be produced during a single production cycle without suspending the operation. Also, the same product for different retail distributors may be produced in a single production cycle. Further, it is contemplated that various products ranging from juice, to milk to yogurt may be filled in cartons on a single packaging machine during a single production cycle.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a packaging system for filling various products consecutively on a packaging machine, each of the different products having its own distinguishing carton.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine with a bar code reader for controlling the filling operation of the packaging machine.
Having briefly described this invention, the above and further objects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by those skilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
Several features of the present invention are further described in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
There is illustrated in FIG. 1 a packaging system of the present invention;
There is illustrated in FIG. 1A a preferred placement of the bar code reader on the packaging system;
There is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 top perspective views of cartons of different sizes and products;
There is illustrated in FIG. 4 a schematic view of a dual stream filling system;
There is illustrated in FIG. 5 a schematic side view of an alternative filling system;
There is illustrated in FIG. 6 a schematic top plan view of the filling system of FIG. 5;
There is illustrated in FIG. 7 a schematic view of yet another embodiment of a filling system;
There is illustrated in FIG. 8 a flow diagram of the information and instructions from a bar code reader to the filling system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
There is illustrated in FIG. 1 a packaging system generally designated 20. The packaging system 20 includes a packaging machine 22, a carton opener 24, a magazine 26, and optionally an automatic carton loader ("ACL") 28. The packaging machine may be a typical linear form, fill and seal packaging machine such as a TETRA REX® packaging machine available from Tetra Pak, Incorporated of Chicago, Ill. The packaging machine 22 may have a programmable logic controller ("PLC") 21 to control the various operations of the packaging system 20. Also, disposed within the packaging system 20 is a bar code reader 50 which communicates the size and filling requirements to the necessary components of the packaging machine 22, such as the filling station 40, via the PLC 21.
A plurality of different blanks 30 are transported from the ACL 28 to magazine 26. The blanks 30 are then transferred individually to the carton opener 24 for erection of the blank for placement on a mandrel of the packaging machine 22. After bottom forming on the mandrel, each carton is transported along the conveyor for eventual filling with a product at a filling station 40 that is described below.
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate various cartons that may be consecutively produced on a packaging system 20 of the present invention. Each carton 90-93, has a bar code 51 thereon which conveys the product and volume of the carton. The bar code 51 may also have the final destination information contained therein. The final destination information may be used to direct the finished product to a special shipping area or distribution site allowing for further automation of the packaging system 20. All of the cartons may be placed within a single magazine 26 or have separate magazines on a multiple magazine apparatus disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/063,908 filed on Apr. 21, 1998, for a Multiple Magazine For A packaging Machine, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. For example, the magazine 26 may hold blanks for two percent milk packaged in an one liter carton 90. The magazine 26 may also hold blanks for whole milk packaged in a one liter carton 91. Further, the magazine 26 may hold blanks for cream packaged in a five-hundred milliliter carton 92. Yet further, the magazine 26 may hold blanks for skim milk packaged in a five-hundred milliliter carton 93. During processing of the blanks 30 from the magazine 26 to the filling station 40, the bar code reader 50 reads the bar code 51 of each of the carton 90-93 and conveys this information to the packaging machine 22 via the PLC 21. The PLC then instructs the various components of the machine 22 in order to produce a product as indicated by the bar code 51. The operational flow of the bar code 51 information is described in FIG. 5.
As shown in FIG. 1A, the bar code reader 50 may be placed at the intersection of the magazine 26 and the carton opener 24. As each blank 30 is prepared for erection on the carton opener 24, the bar code reader 50 reads the bar code 51 and transmits the information to the PLC 21. The PLC 21 may be a component of an overall control system for the packaging system 20. A preferred control system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,706,627 for a Control System For A Packaging Machine which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, and which has the same assignee as the present application. A preferred bar code reader 50 is a laser bar code reader. A preferred laser bar code reader is the BL-500 laser bar code reader available from Keyence Corporation of America, Woodcliff Lake, N.J.
There is illustrated in FIG. 4 a dual stream filling system of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/897,554 filed on Jul. 21, 1997 and an entitled Dual Stream Filling Valve, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The filling system 40 has a primary tank 118 and secondary tanks 120 in flow communication with nozzles 144. Pumps 122 and 124 control the flow of the product into cartons, not shown, which are positioned under the nozzles 144. Each primary fill pipe 116 has a secondary fill pipe 110 concentrically enclosed therein. Pump mechanisms 124 control the flow of the secondary product from the secondary tanks 120 to the secondary fill pipes 110. The pump mechanisms 122 control the flow of the primary product from the primary tank 118 to primary fill pipes 116. Each of the pump mechanisms 122 and 124 are controlled by a servomotor 125 which are controlled by servo amplifiers, not shown. In operation, the secondary product may be cream and the primary product skim milk. The PLC 21, with instructions from a bar code reader 50, instructs the filling system 40 to fill a predetermined quantity of cartons with a specific product. For example, if the product is two percent milk, the filling system 112 dispenses a set quantity of skim milk from the primary product tank 118 and a set quantity of cream from secondary tanks 120 directly into a carton for mixing. This filling system 40 allows for the continuous product of different products without the need to deactivate the packaging machine 22 to produce a different product. A similar filling system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,779 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, an alternative filling system 40a having multiple filling stations 202-207. Each filling station 202-207 dispenses an unique product. For instance station 202 may dispense yogurt, station 203 may dispense jam, station 204 may dispense water, station 205 may dispense juice, station 206 may dispense skimmilk, and station 207 may dispense cream. Each station 202-207 has a pump 124a, a servomotor 125 to control the pump 124a, and a fill pipe 220. As cartons are conveyed into the filling system 40a, the PLC directs the positioning of the cartons 92, 93, 211-214 under a specific filling station 202-207 according to information from the bar code reader 50 which transmitted such information to the PLC 21.
As shown in FIG. 7, yet another alternative filling system 40b is disclosed. In this system, the fill pipes 320a and b are positioned adjacent to each other instead of concentrically disposed within one another. Pumps 324a and b control the flow of product to the fill pipes 320a and b form product sources 330a and b. The pumps are in turn controlled by servomotors.
As shown in FIG. 8, the instructional communication flow from the bar code reader 50 to the filling systems 40, 40a and 40b is set forth. At step 400, the bar code reader 50 reads the bar code on a blank 30 or partially formed carton. At step 402, this information is transmitted to the PLC 21. At step 404, the information is transmitted from the PLC 21 to a programmable axis manager. The programmable axis manager ("PAM") controls the plurality of servo amplifiers that control the plurality of servomotors on the packaging machine 22. At step 406, the PAM directs servo amplifiers which controls servomotors 125 for a filling system 40, 40a, 40b. At step 408, servomotors 125 actuate a pump 122, 124, 124a or 324a and b to dispense a specific product into a carton when a specific carton arrives at the filling system 40, 40a and 40b. The PLC 21 is able to control the filling of a carton that has traveled some distance on the packaging machine 22 away from the bar code reader 50 due to the controlled/indexed movement of cartons on the packaging machine 22. In this manner, the PLC 21 is aware of the position of each carton that has had its bar code 51 read by the bar code reader 50. At step 410, the pump pumps product into a carton according to instructions obtained from the bar code 51 of the carton.
The PLC 21 may also control adjustments to the packaging machine 22 to produce a certain product. For instance, if the volume changes from one liter to five-hundred milliliters, then a lifter on the machine 22 must be adjusted to account for the difference in package height. Also, the PLC would control the top sealing and even the bottom forming to adjust for changes in the size of the cartons. In one embodiment, as different size cartons are prepared to enter the machine 22, the PLC suspends movement, and thus introduction of cartons, while the machine 22 adjusts to the new carton size.
From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinent art will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention and will readily understand that while the present invention has been described in association with a preferred embodiment thereof, and other embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, numerous changes, modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which is intended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in the following appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined in the following appended claims. | A packaging system having a bar code reader integrated therein for conveying information concerning the size and filling requirements of a product to a packaging machine which will produce the product. The packaging machine is capable of consecutively filling cartons with different products in a single production cycle. The bar code reader provides this information from the bar code placed on every blank that is to be produced into a formed, filled and sealed carton. The filling system of the packaging machine may have a primary and secondary product for mixing in a package to produce a final product. Alternatively, the filling system may have several filling pipes, each filling pipe dispensing a different product. The bar code reader instructs the conveyor under which fill pipe a particular carton should be filled to match the product with the carton. | 1 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to animation production and more specifically to methods and systems for automatically generating animation for use in connection with Internet web pages.
[0003] 2. Background of the Invention
[0004] The Internet is enjoying more popularity than ever. With the number of users rising almost exponentially over the last few years, it is not surprising that a large majority of businesses have made the Internet a significant part of their overall marketing plan. In addition to the large number of “web surfers” who may come across advertising content, the Internet offers many advantages in terms of technological capabilities for advertising products and services. Current Internet technology permits advertisers to do many things which have heretofore been unavailable through any other known advertising medium.
[0005] One key benefit of Internet based advertising is the availability of real time interaction with the audience (i.e. the Internet user). For example, it is possible for web developers, working at the behest of advertisers, to script multiple dialogs, scenes, and/or interactions in connection with a web site such that a visitor to that site may be made to feel that the “advertisement” was produced specifically for his or her interests. In other words, based upon the particular HTML links and selections that a user follows or makes, respectively, a user will be presented with information of specific interest to that user. This is in contrast to, for example, a television commercial, where an advertiser produces a commercial of general interest to the universe of its potential customers.
[0006] A second major advantage available to Internet advertisers is the variety and richness of media available. Web sites may include information taking the form of plain text, still photographs, still animation, movies, spoken words, scrolling text, dynamic animation and music among others. A combination of these forms of information can create a powerful, enjoyable and lasting image in the mind of the potential customer.
[0007] One aspect of web site content that is becoming increasingly popular is dynamic animation. With this media format, an animated character may appear on the user's display, move around the display in a “lifelike” fashion, point to various objects or text on the screen and speak to the user. In most cases, when the character speaks to the user, the dialog is synchronized with lip movements representing the phonemes being spoken so that it appears that the words are actually emanating from the character's mouth. As can be imagined, dynamic animation can provide an interesting, informative and fun environment through which products and services may be advertised. By way of example, a company may include its “mascot” (e.g. an animal, persona, fictional character) in its web page content. In this way, the mascot can “walk around” the web page, speak to the user and use hand and other body movements to convey messages to the user.
[0008] Additionally, the mascot may point to specific items on the page, make movements and/or recite dialog based specifically and in real time upon user input. For example, in the case of a web site for the sale of automobiles, a user might click on the graphic of the particular model that interests him or her resulting in the display of a web page completely dedicated to that model. That page may also include the dynamic animation (probably including dialog) representing the company's mascot welcoming the user to the page concerning the particular model. Additionally, the advantages of the real time interaction may be effected such that the character, for example, describes and points to various features of the car based upon user input (e.g. the user points to a portion of the automobile graphic which is of interest).
[0009] While dynamic animation presents significant opportunities for advertising (as well as other applications) on the Internet, various implementation difficulties arise in connection with developing and revising content. First, the production of dynamic animation requires special skill not broadly available. Dynamic animation (also generally referred to as “choreography” herein) must generally be conceived and created by an individual having both artistic capabilities and a technical knowledge of the animation environment. The cost involved in having material choreographed is thus quite expensive both in terms of time and financial commitment.
[0010] A second difficulty arising in the creation of dynamic animation is the inherent inability to reuse such animation in significantly or even slightly different applications. For example, it is exceedingly difficult to reuse animation produced in accordance with a specific dialog with another dialog. In other words, it is a complex task to “re-purpose” choreography even after it is initially produced at great expense. Additionally, no tools which automate this task are known to the inventors herein. Thus, borrowing from the above example, if an automobile salesman animation was produced with specific dialog to recite and point to each of the features on the automobile as selected by the user, it would not be a simple task to use the same salesman character along with the same general class of body movements to add a discussion of a newly added automobile feature. On the contrary, it would heretofore be necessary to manually produce a new animation for synchronization with the new dialog.
[0011] Another problem arising in connection with the use of dynamic animation on the Internet results from network bandwidth limitations. With current technology and network traffic, it is difficult to deliver compelling and highly expressive animation over the Internet without downloading substantial information prior to execution of the animation. This can result in user frustration, substantial use of storage space and other undesirable effects resulting from the download process. Alternatively, the animation may be reduced to an acceptable size for real time narrowband delivery. This solution, however, compromises the quality of the animation as well as, in most cases, the quality of associated audio.
[0012] Finally, the possibility of changing animation and/or dialog for a character on a daily or even hourly basis is virtually impossible due to the inherent difficulties and time required to synchronize lip movements and behaviors to dialog. Each of the issues discussed above individually and collectively serve to create a substantial barrier to entry for the acceptance and implementation of animated characters in an Internet environment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method whereby dynamic animation may be prepared at a reduced cost and without the need for significant specialized skills.
[0014] There is also a need for a system and method which may be used to develop flexible dynamic animation which may be easily re-purposed for use in different applications and with different dialogue.
[0015] There is additionally a need for a system and method which generates dynamic animation which may be used in a narrowband environment such as the Internet without the need to delete content or compromise quality in order for such animation to be processed on a real-time basis.
[0016] The present invention provides these and other advantages in the form of an easy to use tool for preparing animated characters for use on the Internet. Requiring only limited user input and selection, the system of the present invention automatically choreographs and synchronizes reusable animation components with dialog streams. Once generated, the resulting choreography may be embedded into a hypertext markup language (HTML) web page with an appropriate animation player and audio player plug-in to deliver any number of animated dialogues with minimal wait time and minimal developer effort.
[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the automatic animation preparation system (AAPS) of the present invention includes an animation preparation application which assigns dialog to pre-existing character templates and which automatically generates lip movements and behaviors which are synchronized with streamed audio dialog. The AAPS interacts with a browser control (plug-in) located on the client. The browser control includes an animation engine supporting AAPS generated animation and also supports runtime execution of audio streaming.
[0018] It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a system and method for generating character animation for use in an Internet environment and which addresses the shortcomings discussed above.
[0019] It is another object of the present invention to provide a tool for automatically generating easily modifiable dynamic animations synchronized with audio content and which may be implemented by embedding such animations in an Internet web page.
[0020] In accordance with these and other objects which will be apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will be described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like components throughout the different views and illustrations.
[0022] [0022]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the automatic animation preparation system (AAPS) of the present invention and the environment in which it operates;
[0023] [0023]FIG. 2 is an illustration of an exemplary first dialog box used in connection with the AAPS according to the teachings of the present invention;
[0024] [0024]FIG. 3 is an illustration of an exemplary second dialog box used in connection with the AAPS according to the teachings of the present invention;
[0025] [0025]FIG. 4 is an illustration of an exemplary third dialog box used in connection with the AAPS according to the teachings of the present invention; and
[0026] [0026]FIG. 5 is an illustration of an exemplary fourth dialog box used in connection with the AAPS according to the teachings of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] The present invention provides a flexible, convenient and inexpensive method by which dynamic animation may be automatically produced for use in connection with an Internet web page. The AAPS 80 which is disclosed herein and which processes according to the above referenced method is designed to offer a user-friendly, intuitive interface through which animation may be selected, processed, and included within a web page accessible to a user operating a client terminal having access to the generated web page.
[0028] Referring now to FIG. 1, an explanation of the present system and method for generating dynamic animation is discussed. It should be understood that although FIG. 1 illustrates a client/server environment whereby development occurs on the same server as the resulting real time animation, the invention is not necessarily restricted to such an arrangement. For example, it is also possible for the present system to operate with separate servers for development and storage of generated files. It is also possible for AAPS 80 to exist in a standalone environment, perhaps on a personal computer, with transfer of files to an Internet server accomplished either by modem or copying onto transportable physical storage media.
[0029] Returning now to FIG. 1 and the components illustrated thereon, HTML browser application 200 will now be described. Browser application 200 preferably supports either Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3 or 4 or Netscape Navigator version 3 or 4, or any successor product. Browser application 200 further preferably supports one of the following: Microsoft NetShow, VivoActive, VDOLive, Liquid Audio, XING Stream Works and/or RealAudio versions 3, 4 or 5. Browser application 200 also includes browser control 210 for processing animation generated by animation preparation application 100 . Browser control 210 is preferably configured as a plug-in application for use with HTML browser application 220 and may always be resident or may be selectively resident as its use is required. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, browser control 210 is the Topgun player available through 7 th Level in Richardson, Tex., although browser control 210 may be any animation player application capable of supporting browser application 200 and the animation generated by AAPS 80 .
[0030] Animation preparation application 100 takes input from various files and developer selections (both discussed below) and generates dynamic character animation as represented by multiple output files (also discussed below). Animation preparation application 100 contains a number of components which collectively generate animation. User interface control 140 interacts with developer terminal 110 so as to allow a developer working at developer terminal 110 to select and process dynamic animation characteristics in accordance with the system of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, user interface control 140 provides a Window's based GUI and operates so that display and processing from the developer point of view operates according to “wizard” applications which step the user through a task and which are now common in the Microsoft Windows environment.
[0031] Animation preparation application 100 also includes process control 170 which may incorporate both a physical processor and software or micro code for controlling the operation of animation preparation application 100 including the various components of animation preparation application 100 . Animation preparation application 100 further includes various functional processes such as compression functionality 160 (which serves to compress any data processed by animation preparation application 100 if necessary by, for example, encoding PCM wave data into one of a variety of audio formats of various bitrates), audio functionality 150 (which generates audio streaming data for playback at browser control 210 ), and character processing functionality 180 (which generates animation for playback at browser control 210 ).
[0032] Animation preparation application 100 references character database 135 which preferably resides on secondary storage associated with the development server maintaining animation preparation application 100 . Character database 135 contains gesture data for any number of characters which are available to the developer in connection with the use of animation preparation application 100 . For each character, a fixed number of gestures associated with that character is also provided. The number of characters stored in character database 135 is preferably on the order of 5-50 characters but any number of characters, subject to storage and implementation issues, may be used.
[0033] The system of the present invention further includes dialog database 125 . This database is used to store audio clips available for use in connection with animation preparation application 100 . It is also possible to provide a microphone or other recording means whereby developer may record additional audio clips either for storage in dialog database for later use or for direct, immediate use by animation preparation application 100 .
[0034] A brief discussion of the files generated by animation preparation application 100 is now provided. Further detail with respect to each file is provided below. The first file generated by animation preparation application 100 may be referred to as the RealAudio Choreography (RAC) file 138 . While the discussion assumes the use of a RealAudio compatible player at the client, the invention may also be practiced with other players and all of the files described below may easily be generated so as to be compatible with other players. The (RAC) file 138 contains lip synchronization information which corresponds to the dialog selected from dialog database 125 . This file may be converted, using available tools to generate an event file corresponding to the player employed at the client. In the case of RealAudio, the file is an RAE file and in the case of NetShow, the file would be an Advanced Streaming Format (ASF) file. The event file triggers animation events through browser control 210 . Additionally, animation preparation application 100 generates HTML clip file 165 which consists of HTML commands with embedded object references so as to trigger the execution of animation again through browser control 210 and in connection with the aforementioned event file. HTML clip file 165 may be manually pasted into HTML page file 115 in the appropriate location. Animation preparation application 100 also generates either or both a RealAudio (.RA) file 195 (or other audio file) and/or a .WAV file. These files represent the encoded dialog selected from dialog database 125 in a format which may be used by HTML browser application 200 to play audio associated with the generated animation.
[0035] A .INF file 1 12 is also generated by animation preparation application 100 . This file includes version information respecting the various files and applications which should be used in playing back animation. Once HTML browser application 200 has received (through an Internet download) .INF file 112 , HTML browser application 200 is able to request the correct files (as indicated by the contents of .INF file 112 ) from the animation server. Additionally, animation preparation application 100 further generates control BIN file 108 which holds a set of pre-compiled character assets and behaviors. In addition to BIN file 108 , animation preparation application 100 generates one or more resource segment files 105 which correspond to character models and contain components which may be composited together to form animation.
[0036] In using AAPS 80 , the developer is prompted through several dialog boxes for character and behavior selection, dialog file import selection and various options to select and generate an animated character for use within an HTML web page. During the process for generating dynamic character animation according to the invention, digitized dialog is automatically analyzed in order to extract phonetic information so that the proper lip positions for the selected character may be assigned. Default choreography may also be automatically assigned by the animation preparation application 100 through an analysis of dialog features such as pauses, time between pauses, audio amplitude and occasional random audio activity. In addition to dialog features, a selected character's inherent personality traits may also be factored into the generation of default choreography. For example, one character may scratch his head while another puts his hands on his hips.
[0037] The resulting default choreography is preferably output into RealAudio Character (RAC) file 138 (or other choreography file) (which may be converted to a RAE or other event file) to trigger animation events at the user's computer through HTML browser application 200 and specifically browser control 210 . Selected character behaviors and assets are pre-compiled into binary control file (BIN file) 108 and corresponding resource segments 105 for initial installation prior to installation into HTML page file 115 . In this way, character assets are protected from piracy and accidental deletion thus reducing support problems due to missing or corrupted source files. An optional security lock may also be implemented so that playback may occur only from a specified URL. Another advantage of pre-compiling characters into segment files 105 is that the resulting animation preparation time when the animation is executed by HTML browser application 200 is significantly reduced. Alternatively, behaviors and assets may be interleaved with the audio stream and processed dynamically.
[0038] As a result of processing by animation preparation application 100 , a series of HTML tags are generated and placed on the Windows clipboard or saved to HTML clip file 165 . These tags contain all the necessary object embedding information and other parameters for direct insertion into a web page as reflected in HTML page file 115 . In addition to the HTML tag file 165 , the audio stream file 195 , the control BIN 108 and the segment files 105 discussed above, animation preparation application 100 also preferably generates “.INF” file 112 . “.INF” file 112 contains associated resource files and version information.
[0039] The present invention also provides a mechanism for overriding the default animation generated by animation preparation application 100 . In some applications, a developer may desire to override default behavior and manually select one or more specific gestures available in character database 135 . By way of example, a character may be talking about items in an online store and need to point in the direction of the items—say, to the character's left. In such case, even if the default animation does not provide this result, the developer may easily modify the default animation to meet his or her needs as discussed below. In another case, the character may need to react with specific behaviors based upon user input in a web page or from a Java or Visual Basic (VB) script. Each of these cases is now discussed; the first case referred to as a “static override” and the second case is referred to as “dynamic override”.
[0040] Static Override Option
[0041] The static override option enables the developer to modify choreography file 138 containing the choreography information. The choreography generated by animation preparation application 100 is stored in choreography file 138 and presented as a list of timed gestures or high-level behavior commands such as turn left, walk right or jump in the air, interleaved with timed mouth positions. Using a list of behaviors common to all characters, gestures can be manually added, modified or removed from the linear sequence with any text editor. A simple syntax (discussed below) is preferably used so as to allow for easy identification and modification and so as to allow clear differentiation between gesture commands and mouth position commands. Several additional commands are also supported, including setting user input events (mouse, keyboard) or event triggers for launching web pages or other character animations. Once modified, choreography file 138 can then be used in connection with HTML Page File 115 and be made available for download and execution by HTML browser application 200 . Static override may also be accomplished by allowing a user to embed specific commands, as described above, in the dialog file either in place of or in addition to the gesture file.
[0042] Dynamic Override Option
[0043] In order to dynamically override a character's default choreography, the web developer can issue gesture commands (index parameters to browser control 210 referencing a particular gesture) from a Java or VB script embedded in HTML page file 115 . For example, a web page can cause a character to say different things based upon user input or a Java application. In addition, HTML browser application 200 , through browser control 210 , may issue a variety of callbacks which can be used to trigger Java or VB scripts to handle special cases such as control startup, content download, beginning sequence, end sequence, and control termination. In this way, a Java script can, for example, respond to embedded triggers in the character's choreography stream to drive a parallel synchronous GIF or JPEG slide show next to the character or even a guided tour through a web site.
[0044] Animation preparation application 100 preferably includes a set of pre-produced characters, including, for example, salespeople, teachers, web hosts and other “alternative” choices. These pre-produced characters and their associated gesture set are stored in character database 135 . Each character in a preferred embodiment of the invention has exactly the same number and type of basic gestures with each gesture composed of approximately the same number of animation “cels”. For purposes herein, the term “cel” refers to an individual image used as part of a sequence of images to create animation. A “cel” may be thought of as a frame in an animation sequence. Within character database 135 each character may have entirely different characteristics possibly making no two characters in character database the same. Nevertheless, conforming the character's “animation architecture” (i.e. same number and type of gestures and each gesture composed of approximately the same number of cels) provides a basis for the generation of automatic choreography by animation preparation application 100 according to the teachings of the present invention.
[0045] Since all characters in character database 135 preferably share a common set of behaviors, the end-user using HTML browser application 200 can set a pre-installed character to be their “personal web host” for use with all web pages based upon animation preparation application 100 generated HTML thus obviating the need for repetitive character download to the end-user. This may be effected by a user by, for example, right clicking on a given character in a web page and setting the “Personal Web Host” flag in the object menu. It is also possible for the developer, using animation preparation application 100 to override the user set flag and enforce download of a specific character.
[0046] A character can be relatively small, ranging in download size from 15K to 50K depending upon the level of sophistication and detail required or desired. In fact, in one embodiment of the present invention, each gesture for each character may reside in a separate “segment” file which may be downloaded progressively over time to create a “better than bandwidth” experience. For instance, three dialogs could be created for a character where the first dialog uses a small model (15K), the second dialog uses a medium model (20K) containing all of the gestures of the small model as well as some additional gestures and a third dialog (40K) which includes yet some additional gestures. After downloading one or more of these models (gesture sets) they are available for use by HTML browser application 200 without any further download to the client. In this way, dialogs and dynamic animation may be implemented such that very expressive sequences can be created despite any bandwidth limitations. Alternatively, the character models may be made available to the client through the distribution of a CD-ROM, other transportable storage medium or pre-loaded on a computer hard drive. In this way, a user may be provided with large character databases and attributes without the need to wait for download. Choreography control information may either be delivered prior to initiation of the audio stream or embedded and streamed with the audio for interpretation “on the fly”. In the latter case, callbacks may be made dynamically on the client to trigger lip movements and gestures.
[0047] Since each character is actually dynamically composited from a collection of parts such as body, arms, head, eyes and mouth layers, redundant animation cels are eliminated and therefore do not need to be downloaded. In other words, once the body parts necessary to perform the desired animation have been downloaded to the end-user client, animation sequences may be created through the use of animation preparation application 100 with reference to the body parts resident on the client for playback without any real-time download.
[0048] Additionally, body parts can be positioned, timed and layered in a seemingly endless number of combinations to correspond to the desired dialog by subsequently downloading a very small control file (BIN file) 108 which is typically only a few thousand bytes. The control file 108 need only reference body parts and positions already resident on the client to reflect the desired animation which is produced by animation preparation application 100 .
[0049] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention a standard Windows Help file is included as a component of the animation preparation application 100 . The Help file preferably contains in-context information describing options for each selection screen as well as tutorials and examples explaining how to manipulate default character behaviors including the use of both static and dynamic overrides as discussed above.
[0050] Turning now to FIGS. 2 - 5 , a detailed description of the operation of the animation preparation application 100 is now provided from both a user point of view as well as with respect to internal processing steps. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a wizard dialog box that may be employed by animation preparation application 100 and specifically generated by user interface control 140 in the first step of the process for generating automatic dynamic animation. The first dialog box prompts the developer to select between automatically creating new choreography or using existing choreography. In a preferred embodiment, the developer selects among these choices through “radio buttons”. In the default case of automatic creation, the developer proceeds to the second dialog box. In the case where the developer selects use of an existing choreography file, a Browse button becomes active to provide another dialog box for finding and selecting a previously generated choreography file. Again, after this selection, the developer proceeds to the second dialog box. Preferably, at the bottom of the dialog box, the buttons Help, Exit and Next are displayed. The Help file can offer the developer context specific help with respect to the first dialog box.
[0051] The second dialog box is depicted in FIG. 3. This box prompts the developer for selection of a character name through the use of a list box and provides a thumbnail image representative of each character when selected. In addition, three radio buttons are preferably included allowing the user to select among a small, medium or large model for each character. As discussed above, the character model limits or expands the number of gestures available for the selected character and may be selected as a tradeoff between download speed and animation richness. Once a character and gesture level (model) are selected by the developer, the fully compressed download size for the selected character/model combination is displayed in order to assist the developer in his or her selection.
[0052] Additionally, at the bottom of the dialog box, the Help, Exit, Back, Next and Finish are provided. The Next button is grayed and the Finish button active only when the developer has selected the use choreography file option through the first dialog box. In this way, the developer can optionally choose a different character for use with a pre-existing or modified choreography file 175 before again using animation preparation application 100 to automatically generate animation. In all dialogs, Back returns the developer to the previous dialog box and Finish incurs any remaining defaults and then completes the preparation of dynamic animation and all files associated therewith.
[0053] The third dialog box, which is illustrated in FIG. 4, is used to prompt the developer to select a source .WAV audio file as well as providing the ability to browse for an audio file or record a new one. The third dialog box may include a Preview button (not shown) in order to allow the developer to hear a selected audio file. The selected audio file preferably contains spoken dialog without background sound or noise which would make phoneme recognition difficult, even though it is possible for the resulting RealAudio file 195 or .WAV file 195 to contain music, sound effects and/or other audio.
[0054] An edit box is also provided for entry of the URL pointing to the encoded RealAudio file 195 or .WAV file 195 which is generated by animation preparation application 100 . The entered URL is also used by animation preparation application 100 to generate .INF file 112 and HTML tag file 115 . It is also possible to include an input field in the third dialog box whereby the user may enter text corresponding to the recorded dialog to ensure that lip synchronization is accurate. An option may also be included whereby the developer can select a specific bit-rate with which to encode the audio. Encoding according to a specified bit-rate may be accomplished through the use of the RealAudio Software Development Kit (SDK) or other development tools corresponding to other players. Finally, the third dialog also includes Exit, Help, Back, Next and Finish buttons which operate the same way as discussed above.
[0055] The fourth dialog box is illustrated in FIG. 5. This dialog is processed upon completion of the third dialog. The fourth dialog box prompts the developer for choreography options using four mutually exclusive radio button options: FAVOR_LEFT, FAVOR_FRONT, FAVOR_BACK, and FAVOR_RIGHT. Each of these options will cause animation preparation application 100 to tend towards selection of gestures and high-level behaviors which cause the character to orient toward a particular area of the web page or specific orientation with respect to the user. It will be understood that the above four options are provided by way of example only and many other options might be provided either in addition to or instead of the four options above. In other words, the options may reflect any particular behavior of the character which is preferred by the developer so long as the appropriate processing to accomplish the tendency is built into animation preparation application 100 .
[0056] The options are employed in connection with characteristics in the selected audio file as well as randomization techniques (discussed below) in order to automatically choreograph the character. In addition, an edit field may be provided for the developer to enter a URL from which all character content should be retrieved at runtime. This URL may be different from the location of the audio files and is used as a security lock as discussed above. Again, at the bottom of the dialog box, the Help, Exit, Back and Finish buttons are provided. After the developer has completed the fourth dialog (or selected Finish in an earlier dialog), animation preparation application 100 has all of the information which it needs to automatically generate dynamic information for insertion into a web page.
[0057] As a result of the processing by animation preparation application 100 , choreography file 138 is generated. This file may be converted to an event file using, for example, Real Network's WEVENTS.EXE in the case of a RealAudio RAC File. RAC file 138 contains both a reference to the audio file and to a list of timed gestures in a “Gesture List” represented by segment files 105 . In the default case, RAC file 138 is hidden from the developer and automatically compiled for use with character assets contained in BIN control file 108 . The segment files 105 and BIN control file 108 may be collectively compiled for immediate use in connection with HTML Page File 115 . Alternatively, the developer may choose to edit the gestures in the segment files 105 in order to manually control character behavior as discussed above.
[0058] The RAC file 138 contains a series of references to gestures which are contained in the segment files 105 . Each gesture reference is represented in RAC file 138 as a function call with two parameters: gesture number (constant identifier) and duration. An example of a RAC file with a set of gesture references might be as follows:
GestureList begin . . . Gesture(ARMS_UP, 2000) . . . end.
[0059] where ARMS_UP is a command to move the character's arms upward and 2000 is the total time allocated to the gesture in milliseconds. In this case, if the actual animation required only 500 milliseconds to execute, then the character would preferably be disposed to hold the ARMS_UP position for an additional 1500 milliseconds. The use of a single entry point for gestures, rather than a different entry point for each gesture provides an open model for forward and backward compatibility between supported gestures and future streaming and control technologies.
[0060] The gesture list contained in RAC file 138 is automatically serviced by browser control 210 based upon callback events generated by browser control 210 . Each gesture, mouth and event commands are interpreted by browser control 210 in real time, causing the animation to play synchronously with the audio stream and external event messages broadcast (i.e. dynamic override events from user/JAVA control).
[0061] By way of example, the developer may desire that the character point to a book image on the character's left at the moment when the dialog says “. . . and here is the book that you have been looking for.” This action could be accomplished by changing an “ARMS_UP” gesture parameter to “ARMS_LEFT”. If the developer wanted the new gesture to hold longer, subsequent gesture parameters could also be changed or simply deleted and duration parameters adjusted to maintain synchronization with the dialog that follows.
[0062] This adjustment is illustrated as follows. Assuming that automatic generation by animation preparation application 100 generated the following:
GestureList begin . . . Gesture(ARMS_UP, 2000) Gesture(ARMS_DOWN, 500) Gesture(EYES_BLINK, 1000) Gesture(ARMS_CROSS, 3000) . . . end
[0063] The following represents manual modification to achieve the desired result:
GestureList begin . . . Gesture(BODY_LEFT, 1000) Gesture(ARMS_LEFT, 3000) Gesture(EYES_BLINK, 2500) . . . end
[0064] In the margin next to the gesture commands, phonetic information may be added as comments (using a predetermined delimiter) to help identify spoken dialog and timing.
[0065] In the typical case, there are six mouth positions used to express dialog. The mouth positions and duration are also written to RAC file 138 as a list of commands interleaved with the gesture commands. For example, mouth positions in RAC file 138 may be represented as follows:
array GestureList begin . . . Gesture(ARMS_UP, 2000) Mouth(LIP_A, 250) Mouth(LIP_C, 350) Mouth(LIP_B, 250) Mouth(LIP_A, 450) Gesture(ARMS_DOWN, 500) . . . end
[0066] where LIP_A, LIP_B and LIP_C represent particular mouth positions and the number following the position is the length of time such mouth position is held. It should be noted that the generic mouth positions indicated must be converted into logical/physical mouth positions dynamically to correspond to the gesture pose in effect at any moment. In the above example, the mouth positions A, C, B, A should be changed into specific bitmaps depending on which gesture is being displayed, and composited onto the other character layers. This is discussed in greater detail below.
[0067] For each character, a mapping of phonemes to lip positions is also necessary to account for differences between character personality features. This map file should be included with each character's assets and used to convert recognized phonemes into appropriate mouth positions.
[0068] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention there are on the order of and preferably at least ten characters (and their associated gestures) in character database 135 for use by animation preparation application 100 . Each character is preferably produced to a template—gesture for gesture. The template is set up to be general purpose and to include by way of example the following basic gestures:
1) Face Front (mouth positions active) 2) Face Left (flip for Face Right) (mouth positions active) 3) Face Rear Left (flip for Face Rear Right) (mouth positions active) 4) Foreshorten to Camera (mouth positions active) 5) Walk Cycle Left 6) Arms Down 7) Arms Up 8) Arms Left (flip for Arms Right) 9) Arms Cross 10) Arms Out (to implore or stop)
[0069] As would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, other gestures may be added or substituted for the above gestures. In addition, each locked head position should have the standard six mouth positions as well as eye blinks and common eye emotions such as eyes questioning, eyes concentrating, and eyes happy. All gestures can be animated forward or backward to central hookup position(s). Each character, as discussed above, preferably has small, medium and large size versions of a given gesture which utilize less to more cels. In addition, each pose which has active mouth positions preferably includes a corresponding set of planned behaviors and timings. This is discussed in further detail below.
[0070] There are several key elements which make automatic and dynamic choreography of characters possible using browser control 210 and animation preparation application 100 :
[0071] 1. Audio encoding SDK integration;
[0072] 2. Automatic phoneme recognition;
[0073] 3. Browser control 210 script language and compiler;
[0074] 4. Templated character gestures;
[0075] 5. Gesture asset segmentation;
[0076] 6. Behavior generation (scene-planned gestures); and
[0077] 7. Dynamic Control of Gestures
[0078] Each one of these key features is now discussed.
[0079] RealAudio SDK (or alternative SDKs)
[0080] Although the following description relates to the use of the RealAudio player SDK, it will be understood that the present invention may alternatively employ any of the following or similar SDKs: NetShow, VDO, VivoActive, Liquid Audio or XING Streamworks.
[0081] The RealAudio player SDK should be used as necessary to provide audio streaming at various bit-rates and to maintain synchronization of character animation with audio stream file 195 . Character choreography is delivered via RAC file 138 , which is automatically created by animation preparation application 100 and which may be converted to a RealAudio event file (or similar event file).
[0082] Automatic Phoneme Recognition
[0083] Speech recognition and emotive libraries and source code may be employed to provide automatic phoneme recognition using, for example, Voxware, VPI or AT&T Watson software. In addition. any SAPI compliant text-to-speech processor (such as Lernout & Hauspie's TrueVoice may be used to process dialog text (entered into animation preparation application 100 ) into phonemes for greater precision in synchronizing mouth positions to a dialog stream. In the event that a SAPI compliant processor is not installed, a dictionary providing mappings from common words to phonemes may be used. Browser control 210 is also preferably configured to provide mapping of the 40 phonemes onto one of 6 mouth positions. However, the map in this case should be intrinsic with each character in that some characters may have different or more or less mouth positions.
[0084] Templated Character Gestures
[0085] All characters preferably share the same number and type of basic gestures and the same number and type of scene-planned behaviors, but do not necessarily require the same number of animation cels.
[0086] Each character's possible gestures and behaviors are “queues” contained in it's own browser control 210 include file. These queues are character specific animation commands, including logical cel names and hold counts. This method frees the artist to use as many cels as desired to express the character for each basic gesture or composite behavior. In addition, new or replacement gestures can be added in the future without concern for backward compatibility in browser control 210 .
[0087] Gesture Asset Segmentation and Version Control
[0088] Character assets (bitmaps) for each basic gesture are compiled into a separate segment file 105 to enable separate downloading based on the size model selected (i.e., small, medium or large). For the small model, only a few gesture bitmaps and queues are needed. For the large model, all of the queues and bitmaps are necessary. Segmenting each basic gesture into it's own segment file 205 enables selective downloading of assets. In this way, gestures can be accumulated in three successive dialog streams to create a “better than bandwidth experience”.
[0089] All characters and content are made compatible with future browser control versions by locking subsequent browser control commands' entry points in the runtime interpreter. New commands may simply be appended to support newer features. Old browser controls should also support newer content by simply ignoring new gesture commands.
[0090] For versioning between server and client, .INF file 112 is used to identify client browser control 210 version and versions of any resource segment files 105 or necessary plug-ins.
[0091] Behavior Generation
[0092] Automatically generating choreography from a set of gestures requires both a library of scene-planned behaviors and several input parameters. As discussed above, each character has small, medium and large size versions (as well as other possible sized versions) of a given gesture and each pose having mouth positions has a set of planned behaviors and timings.
[0093] For instance, the FACE_FRONT behavior in medium model might have five versions, each lasting approximately 2000 milliseconds which can be applied automatically in any combination to fill time available until the next gesture trigger. It follows that, in this case, there would be 3 sizes×5 behaviors=15 possible behavior queues for FACE_FRONT. In general, browser control 210 selects one or more of the behavior queues for a given size model to fill the time to the next behavior trigger. These options can be driven by browser control 210 using the following table:
FACE_FRONT Behavior Table \ small medium large SILENCE | FF1S[] FF1M[] FF1L[] SPEAK_SOFT | FF2S[] FF2M[] FF2L[] SPEAK_LOUD | FF3S[] FF3M[] FF3L[] SPEAK_SHORT | FF4S[] FF4M[] FF4L[] SPEAK_LONG | FF5S[] FF5M[] FF5L[]
[0094] Each of the entries in the above table can either be a pointer to another table or simply another table dimension containing several variants of each behavior row. For instance, the SPEAK_LOUD row, medium model column entry FF 3 M[ ] might have the following 3 scene-planned behaviors composed of primitive gestures:
FACE FRONT, SPEAK LOUD. Medium model FF3MA FACE_FRONT, EYES_BLINK, ARMS_UP, ARMS_DOWN FF3MB FACE_FRONT, ARMS_UP, ARMS_DOWN, HAND — POINT FF3MC FACE_FRONT, HAND_POINT, EYES_BLINK, ARMS_UP
[0095] In this way, selection of gestures and high-level behaviors are based on a combination of user options, gesture triggers and randomization. For example, the second entry in this table, FF 3 MB, might be generated as follows:
array GestureList begin . . . Gesture(FF3MB, ; FACE_FRONT_2, SPEAK_LOUD, medium 15000) model, 2 nd ; version randomly selected. . . . end
[0096] In this example, browser control 210 would have 15 seconds of time to fill before the next gesture trigger. To fill this time with action, the behavior duration is adjusted automatically by browser control 210 by varying the hold value for the last cel of each gesture in the behavior. The additional hold values can be calculated as a randomized percentage of the required duration minus the cumulative gesture animation times. Whenever a duration exceeds some prescribed length of time (per artist) without encountering a gesture trigger, browser control 210 selects another random entry for the same criteria (say, FF 3 MC) and adds this to the gesture list.
[0097] Each character may have 10 basic gestures with 4 of these poses having 6 mouth positions. In addition, all characters may share the same 45 scene-planned behaviors. However, additional entries can be scene planned to create more variety in behavior if needed. During any significant period of silence or at the end of a dialog stream, browser control 210 preferably always places the character into an ambient wait state which cycles through various randomized gestures. This is indicated by the command Gesture(FF_WAIT,−1).
[0098] Interactive Controls
[0099] Several additional commands may be made available for manual insertion into the gesture list. These commands cause event triggers based on user input, including mouse browse, mouse click and keyboard input.
[0100] To handle keyboard, mouse or browse events, the developer might insert the commands:
Key (<COMMAND_NAME>,<DURATION>) Mouse (<COMMAND_NAME>,<DURATION>) Browse (<COMMAND_NAME>,<DURATION>)
[0101] at any point in the gesture list to cause a particular gesture or URL link to occur immediately. The assumption is that all events relate to a single character, so a character name parameter is not necessary. The COMMAND_NAME may be either a basic gesture, high-level behavior or text string containing a URL. The DURATION applies only to gestures or behaviors and can be either a specific period of time in milliseconds or −1 (LOOP constant) to indicate infinite loop.
[0102] For example, browsing a character might cause it to point to a banner ad in the web page. Alternatively, the command could be a text string containing a URL linking to another web page (causing a launch of that page) or a URL to a dialog control file to retrieve and launch. The control file URL points to .INF file 112 describing content and/or control file to retrieve and initiate. If all files are already cached on the client, then control file 108 is processed immediately to stream the desired dialog. This format is extensible to support a variety of other commands or conditions in future versions.
[0103] Dynamic Mapping of Gestures
[0104] At times, a developer may wish to cause specific character actions to occur under the control of HTML, Java, VB Script or server CGI script. In the case of HTML, different characters and dialogs are launched by passing .INF file 112 URL as a parameter to browser control 210 . To launch a new dialog, the HTML simply needs to set the parameter to the desired content to cause it to begin streaming. This is accomplished either upon loading of the web page or is based on logic contained in embedded Java or VB script. Using embedded Java or VB script logic, events triggered from user input or built-in logic conditions can launch different character dialogs.
[0105] In addition to launching specific character dialogs from embedded script, a mechanism is provided for triggering specific character gestures or behaviors. Numeric values may be passed into browser control 210 corresponding to each of the supported gestures and behaviors, causing that action to be performed. For instance, a fragment of Java code in an HTML page can call browser control 210 with the parameter “2” (corresponding to the FACE_LEFT gesture command) to cause the character to unconditionally animate to face left. The Java fragment may be called from other Java script processing mouse events for a button or picture. In fact, entire applications can be written in Java or VB to create any number of control programs for characters.
[0106] There is no significant problem triggering a different gesture than the one currently executing, other than a possible “snap to position” that would occur if the character was in a non-hookup state. The potential difficulties involve dynamic selection of mouth positions for a given pose and the possibility of falling out of synch with the dialog stream.
[0107] The design of the present system accounts for the dynamic mapping of mouth positions to gestures. The present system assumes that the two are maintained separately, lips z-ordered above gestures in the proper position, and played together at runtime by browser control 210 . To support dynamic mapping of mouth positions, a method must be provided to process gesture requests—either from the gesture list or through a dynamic gesture request—and automatically select and composite the mouth position cels corresponding to the current gesture ANIMATE queue command. More specifically, since the gesture list and mouth positions list generate asynchronous requests, a mechanism must service the requests, composite them and animate them in real time.
[0108] The solution to “falling out of synch” lies in remembering where the character should be in time synchronous with the continuing dialog stream. Browser control 210 handles this by holding the last cel of the interrupting gesture as needed and jumping to the next gesture in time in order to catch back up with the gesture list and dialog stream. If this case is not handled, it is likely the animation will remain out of synch for the remainder of the dialog.
[0109] Another issue that arises when dynamic override of a character's choreography occurs is the possibility of triggering animation which does not have mouth positions associated with it. It is the responsibility of the developer to take this possibility into account and not trigger a move which would not have mouth positions associated. Given the choice of gestures or behaviors which have mouth positions, browser control 210 is likely able to dynamically select the correct mouth positions synchronous to the audio stream as it would normally do for any pre-produced gesture.
[0110] While particular embodiments of the present invention has been described and illustrated, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto since modifications may be made by persons skilled in the art while still falling within the scope and spirit of the appended claims. | The present invention provides an easy to use tool for preparing animated characters for use on the Internet. Requiring only limited user input and selection, the system of the present invention automatically choreographs and synchronizes reusable animation components with dialog streams. Once generated, the resulting choreography may be embedded into a hypertext markup language (HTML) web page with an appropriate audio player plug-in to deliver any number of animated dialogues with minimal wait time and minimal developer effort. | 7 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a utility application based on Patent Application No. FR 03 10420 entitled “Device for Damping the Vibrations of a Cable and Related Damping Method” filed Sep. 3, 2003 for which priority is claimed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to devices for damping the vibrations of a cable used in the structure of a construction work, in particular a stay.
[0003] The invention applies in particular to stayed bridges. The stays are then anchored at their ends, for example to a tower and to the deck of the bridge. They thus support and stabilize the structure.
[0004] In some conditions, particularly when they are subject to periodic excitations, the stays may accumulate energy and oscillate considerably. The two primary causes of these vibrations are the movement of the anchorages under the effect of traffic loads or of the wind, and the effect of the wind acting directly on the cables. These oscillations may make the users anxious. In addition, if they are not controlled, they risk damaging the stays.
[0005] Several types of dampers are known. There are external dampers and internal dampers.
[0006] External dampers usually use piston-type dampers, of dimensions similar to those used for lorries or trains. These dampers are able to absorb energy when there is movement of their ends. One of these ends is attached to the cable, either directly via a collar, or via a pendulum in turn articulated on a collar attached to the cable. The other end of the damper is attached to a frame rigidly connected to the structure, usually the deck of the stayed bridge.
[0007] Internal dampers, for their part, are placed around the sta y cable. They are usually situated in the extension of the tubes surrounding the bundle of metal strands making up the cable and attached rigidly to the structure (anchoring tubes for example). They act on the relative movements between the bundle of strands of the cable and the anchoring tube surrounding the bundle of strands when the cable vibrates.
[0008] Several damping principles are employed by internal dampers to dissipate energy:
[0009] /a/ by pouring a highly viscous oil into an annular trough situated around the bundle of metal strands of the cable and in which trough is mounted a ring that is transversely movable (see EP 0 343 054);
[0010] /b/ by distortion of a dissipating material, such as rubber, situated around the bundle of metal strands of the cable (see EP 0 914 521);
[0011] /c/ by dry friction between metal elements (see EP 1 035 350).
[0012] These internal dampers have the advantage of being discreet, hence more aesthetic than external dampers. The absence of anything bearing on the structure outside the anchoring tubes also simplifies the design of the work.
[0013] Nevertheless, the effectiveness of internal dampers is limited. Specifically, in the dampers operating according to principle /a/, the presence of viscous oil requires the use of sealed reservoirs of the bladder type which have limited resistance to high pressures. The dampers operating according to principle /b/ have low damping capability, limited by the performance of the materials available. Finally, in the dampers operating according to principle /c/, wearing of the contacting metal elements is inevitable and leads to loss of clamping and hence a reduction in the effectiveness of these dampers. The latter must therefore be periodically overhauled and adjusted.
[0014] One object of the present invention is to restrict the drawbacks of the existing dampers as listed above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Thus the invention proposes a device for damping the vibrations of a cable used in the structure of a construction work, the cable comprising a bundle of metal strands having ends anchored to the work and being surrounded, in at least one region adjacent to an anchored end of the bundle, by a tube connected to the work, the device comprising a collar placed around the bundle of strands and means of absorbing the vibration energy mounted substantially between the collar and the tube. The absorption means comprise at least two piston-type dampers with substantially linear stroke, placed substantially radially relative to the cable and distributed at angles around the cable, each piston-type damper having a first link articulated with the collar and a second link articulated with a support secured to the tube.
[0016] Thus, the damping device does not bear against the structure other than via the tube thereby avoiding the drawbacks relating to the external dampers, mentioned above.
[0017] In addition, vibration energy in the bundle of metal strands is absorbed by the linear stroke of the pistons which accompany the movements of this bundle, due in particular to the articulation of the dampers on the collar and the support secured to the tube. This provides fully effective damping.
[0018] According to advantageous embodiments of the invention, that can be combined in all manners:
[0019] the support secured to the tube is placed substantially in the extension of the tube, or is part of the said tube;
[0020] the support secured to the tube is placed substantially in the extension of a sleeve surrounding the bundle of metal strands in a running part of the cable;
[0021] the support secured to the tube comprises at least two portions suitable for being attached together around the bundle of metal strands, or separate;
[0022] the absorption means comprise two piston-type dampers substantially perpendicular to each other;
[0023] the absorption means comprise at least three piston-type dampers distributed evenly at angles around the cable;
[0024] the first link is a ball-joint link, for at least some of the piston-type dampers;
[0025] the second link is a ball-joint link, for at least some of the piston-type dampers;
[0026] the second link is a pivot link parallel to the cable, for at least some of the piston-type dampers;
[0027] at least some of the piston-type dampers extend partially beyond the support secured to the tube, and respective openings are provided in the support for access to the first link of the said piston-type dampers, articulated with the collar;
[0028] sealing means to seal at least one space situated between the said piston-type dampers and the respective openings in the support;
[0029] the first link articulated with the collar comprises, for at least some of the piston-type dampers, means of screwing a threaded end of the piston-type dampers into respective mounts;
[0030] the screwing means are adjustable to adapt the position of the piston-type dampers to a centring level of the bundle of metal strands in the tube;
[0031] the first link articulated with the collar also comprises, for the said piston-type dampers, locking means suitable for preventing the threaded end of the piston-type dampers from unscrewing from the corresponding mounts;
[0032] one end of at least some of the piston-type dampers is provided with a male clevis, at least one corresponding female clevis is attached to the collar, and the first link articulated with the collar comprises, for the said piston-type dampers, means of inserting a pin into the male clevis of the piston and into the corresponding female clevis, the said means of inserting a pin being able to be actuated from outside the tube;
[0033] the device also comprises means for adjustably limiting the stroke of the pistons;
[0034] the means for limiting the stroke of the pistons comprise screws suitable for being screwed into or out of welded elements distributed over a surface of the collar, the screws also comprising a head provided with a material suitable for absorbing shocks.
[0035] The invention also proposes a method of damping vibrations of a cable, in which the vibrations are damped by the device having the features mentioned above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] FIG. 1 is a general diagram of an embodiment of the invention in longitudinal section;
[0037] FIG. 2 is, an example of attachment of a piston to a clamping collar according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0038] FIG. 3 is a diagram of one embodiment of the invention in cross section;
[0039] FIG. 4 illustrates in cross section a movement of a piston during a damping of vibrations of the cable;
[0040] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an advantageous configuration of a shell according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0041] FIG. 6 is a kinematic schematic diagram of one embodiment of the invention in longitudinal view; and
[0042] FIG. 7 is a kinematic schematic diagram of one embodiment of the invention in radial section.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0043] FIG. 1 shows a stay comprising a bundle of metal strands 5 , surrounded in its running portion (on the left in FIG. 1 ) by a sheath 6 , typically made of plastic. The cable also extends on the right of the figure to an anchorage region. In this region, the cable is connected to an anchoring tube 4 which is rigidly attached to the stayed structure, for example in the deck or in a tower of a cable-stayed bridge.
[0044] To limit the vibrations of the tensioned metal strands 5 of the cable, a clamping collar 3 is placed around the metal strands 5 to be able effectively to compact the bundle over a portion of the latter. This collar is preferably situated close to the anchorage region, while being sufficiently far from it to improve the damping. It may have various forms. According to one embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , it comprises an internal hexagonal surface in contact with the bundle of strands so as to clamp the bundle of strands with a minimum clearance and is made up of two distinct portions, that may be separated when there is a requirement to release the bundle of metal strands.
[0045] Furthermore, hydraulic piston-type dampers 1 , the pistons having a linear stroke, are positioned radially around the bundle 5 . They are connected, at one of their ends, to the cable via the clamping collar 3 (such a piston-type damper 1 is shown in FIG. 1 ). The piston-type dampers 1 are also indirectly connected to the work via a support, for example a shell 2 placed around the bundle of strands 5 and the clamping collar 3 , while leaving a free space between its inner surface and the bundle of strands. For example, the shell 2 may have a circular cross section of the same diameter as the sheath 6 to the end of which it is connected (the left-hand end of the shell in FIG. 1 ). The connection between the shell 2 and the structure of the work is via the anchoring tube 4 to which the shell is connected at one of its ends (the right-hand end in FIG. 1 ). Accordingly, it advantageously has a circular cross section with a diameter close to that of the anchoring tube 4 . This avoids the aesthetic drawbacks arising with external dampers. There is also the benefit of effective damping by the use of hydraulic dampers, the damping law of which may for example be linear, quadratic, or other.
[0046] Because of this disposition, the pistons can absorb energy during relative movements of the bundle of strands 5 with respect to the structure, thereby absorbing these movements.
[0047] Accordingly, the links between the piston-type dampers 1 and the clamping collar 3 on the one hand and the shell 2 on the other hand must offer degrees of freedom suitable for attenuating certain movements of the bundle of strands 5 . Thus, the link 7 between the piston-type dampers 1 and the shell 2 , and also the link 8 between the piston-type dampers 1 and the clamping collar 3 are advantageously ball-joint links. This then results in each piston-type damper operating like a connecting rod.
[0048] However, the relative movements of the cable and the shell 2 very slightly bring into play the translation in the axis of the cable, since the damper is close to the anchorage region.
[0049] Therefore a ball-joint link can also be used for the link 8 between the piston-type dampers I and the clamping collar 3 , and a simple pivot link, parallel to the axis of the cable, for the link 7 between the piston-type dampers 1 and the shell 2 as shown in the figures. In this case, it would be wise to provide means of adjusting the initial position of the piston-type dampers 1 along the axis of the cable, for example by a few millimetres, to adapt it to the longitudinal position of the clamping collar 3 on the cable. The pivot and ball-joint links are provided by sturdy, durable mechanical components of the ball-joint antifriction bearing or self-lubricating bearing type.
[0050] FIGS. 6 and 7 are kinematic schematic diagrams of this embodiment of the invention in which the pivot link 7 between each piston-type damper 1 and the shell 2 and the ball-joint link 8 between each piston-type damper 1 and the bundle of metal strands 5 (via the clamping collar 3 ) can be clearly seen.
[0051] To be able to damp the vibrations of the cable in the maximum possible directions, it is advisable to position at least two piston-type dampers 1 radially around the cable. If only two piston-type dampers are used, they should preferably be placed perpendicular to each other in order to damp the vibrations in all directions, each direction then being broken down into two perpendicular components according to the directions of the two piston-type dampers being used.
[0052] Advantageously, a greater number of piston-type dampers 1 may be used for reasons of strength. Thus, when one piston-type damper is faulty, it can be made up for by the projected component of one or more other pistontype dampers. Nevertheless, the number of piston-type dampers should not be overdone for reasons of economy and bulk. One advantageous embodiment consists in using three piston-type dampers placed around the cable with an angle of 120° between them. This embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 5 (in which the piston-type dampers are not shown, but in which the links 7 between the different piston-type dampers and the shell 2 are apparent).
[0053] The linear stroke of the pistons is derived from the amplitude of the vibrations of the cable. The size of the piston-type dampers must therefore be chosen in relation to this amplitude and to the damping law. As an illustration, it is assumed that the length of a piston-type damper is at least three times the stroke travelled. Thus, for strokes of +/−50 mm, or a total of 100 mm, the length of the piston is at least 300 mm.
[0054] To damp a considerable portion of the vibrations, it is advantageous for the body of the piston-type dampers to extend beyond the diameter of the anchoring tube 4 , without which the latter would have an extremely large diameter. Such an arrangement is shown in particular in FIG. 1 . Openings 9 are provided in the shell 2 to allow access to the link 8 and to allow the piston-type dampers to pass through, while allowing the movements of the piston-type dampers in accordance with the links 7 and 8 . These openings may for example be oblong holes and they must provide a sufficient clearance so as not to hamper the movements of the piston-type dampers when the cable vibrations occur but also so that maintenance of the internal units can be provided for.
[0055] Furthermore, to prevent the presence of such openings 9 in the shell 2 allowing water to penetrate the cable and come into contact with the bundle of metal strands sealing means are advantageously provided. For sealed caps 12 may fully cover the damping 5 , example, devices around each of the piston-type dampers 1 used, as shown in FIG. 1 , which has the effect of providing sealing at the level of the openings 9 . Another sealing system may also be used: it consists skirt connected in a sealed manner on piston-type damper 1 and on the other hand to the shell of a flexible one hand to a 2 . In addition, all the mechanical links are preferably designed sealed.
[0056] As indicated above, the shell 2 is preferably aligned with the anchoring tube 4 and extended by the sealed sheath 6 protecting the bundle of metal strands 5 in its running portion.
[0057] Now, the dampers and the links deteriorate over time which means that they require periodic maintenance or even replacement. In order to avoid dismantling the shell 2 , which would involve lifting the sheath 6 with heavy lifting means, the piston-type dampers 1 are advantageously connected to the shell 2 and to the clamping collar 3 without it being necessary to open the shell.
[0058] Accordingly, a screw connection may be used. FIG. 1 offers an illustration of such a connection between a piston-type damper 1 and the clamping collar 3 . The end of the piston-type damper then consists of a threaded rod that can be screwed into a mount 10 tapped to match, this mount in turn being connected to the balljoint link 8 which connects the collar 3 to the pistontype damper 1 .
[0059] In this situation, the outer threading of the pistontype damper 1 can be used to adjust the position of the piston-type damper according to the centring level of the bundle of metal strands 5 inside the tube 4 or the shell 2 . A locking system to prevent the piston-type damper 1 unscrewing from the mount 10 would advantageously be used to prevent the vibrations of the assembly causing the piston-type damper to unscrew.
[0060] FIG. 2 shows an alternative connection between a piston-type damper 1 and the clamping collar 3 . The piston-type damper 1 in effect has at its end a rod furnished with a male clevis 15 . In addition, one or more female devises 16 are rigidly connected to the clamping collar 3 . The connection between the piston-type damper 1 and the clamping collar 3 then consists in actuating in translation, from the outside of the shell 2 , a pin 17 parallel to the cable, via a control means 18 , operating for example like a bicycle brake cable. When the means 18 is actuated, the pin 7 is inserted into or extracted from the orifices of the devises 15 and 16 , thus providing releasable connection between the piston-type damper 1 and the collar 3 .
[0061] Since the amplitude of vibration of the stay cannot be predicted with certainty, it may be the amplitude of movement of the using mechanical means independent dampers 1 in order to avoid overdimensioning the stroke of the pistons, but also order to protect them from overloads. In addition, it is worthwhile to be able to alter the damper if the cable is not perfectly anchoring tube due in particular to the tolerances execution of the work.
[0062] Accordingly, adjustable stroke limiters may be disposed on the clamping collar 3 . FIG. 1 shows an example of such an element 11 . In FIG. 3 , six screws 11 are disposed on the six external faces of the hexagonal clamping collar 3 to limit the travel of the bundle of strands 5 . These screws may be screwed into or out of parts such as nuts welded onto the faces of the clamping collar 3 . They are advantageously terminated with a head provided with a shock absorbing material such as rubber for example. They are positioned at a distance from the shell 2 corresponding to the maximum required travel for the bundle of strands 5 .
[0063] FIG. 3 shows, in cross section, a damper according to the invention, in which a single piston-type damper 1 has been represented for clarity. In this figure, the bundle of metal strands 5 is centred inside the shell 2 which is in line with the anchoring tube 4 and the sheath 6 of the cable. In addition, the piston-type damper is in a radial position relative to the cable. This position corresponds to a position at rest in which no vibration has occurred and therefore in which the damper does not have to attenuate any relative movement of the bundle of strands 5 with respect to the shell 2 , that is to say relative to the structure to which the shell is secured.
[0064] For its part, FIG. 4 shows the same device as FIG. 3 . However, in this figure, it appears that the bundle of metal strands 5 has undergone a relative movement with respect to the shell, due to vibrations of cable. The bundle of strands 5 thus moves until collar 3 , at the maximum, makes contact with the shell 2 (or until a travel limiter 11 makes contact with the shell). The movement of the bundle of strands 5 is attenuated by the action of the piston-type damper 1 which moves thanks to its ball-joint link 8 with the clamping collar 3 and its pivot link 7 with the shell 2 . In the example illustrated in FIG. 4 , the movement of the piston-type damper 1 is such that the latter is a position offset at an angle a from its radial, at the rest position. Naturally, when several piston-type dampers are used, which is usually the case in the present invention, each piston-type damper experiences an individual movement in conformity with the links that it has with the clamping collar 3 and the shell 2 . Each movement of the bundle of strands 5 is then reflected in a simultaneous action of each piston-type damper in directions corresponding to respective components of the general direction of movement of the bundle 5 .
[0065] FIG. 5 shows an advantageous embodiment of the invention in which three piston-type dampers (not shown) are connected to the shell 2 , evenly spaced so that their respective axes form, two by two, an angle of 1200.
[0066] In addition, the shell 2 in FIG. 5 consists of two distinct portions 2 a and 2 b, the two portions of shell being connected together for example by means of screws. Such a shell has the advantage of being easy to attach around the bundle of strands 5 and also being easy to remove. | The invention proposes a device for damping the vibrations of a cable used in the structure of a construction work, the cable comprising a bundle of metal strands having ends anchored to the work and being surrounded, in at least one region adjacent to an anchored end of the bundle, by a tube connected to the work, the device comprising a collar placed around the bundle of strands and means of absorbing the vibration energy mounted substantially between the collar and the tube, wherein the absorption means comprise at least two piston-type dampers with substantially linear stroke, placed substantially radially relative to the cable and distributed at angles around the cable, each piston-type damper having a first link articulated with the collar and a second link articulated with a support secured to the tube. | 4 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based on and hereby claims priority to German Application No. 10 2005 046 411.4 filed on Sep. 28, 2005, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Described below is a method for generating intensive high-voltage pulses and for the industrial use of these high-voltage pulses and an associated circuit arrangement for carrying out the method.
[0003] Intensive high-voltage pulses are used for numerous industrial processes. For example,
in construction engineering, building materials are made accessible for quality analysis by an electrohydraulic material breakdown such as, e.g., concrete or asphalt, or building materials such as, e.g., reinforced steel concrete are recycled by shockwave-based, i.e. electrohydraulic methods.
[0006] Other possible uses of intensive high-voltage pulses as a part of industrial applications are, for example,
in biotechnology, in which cell proteins, DNA or other cell content or cell wall components are extracted from biological cells by electroporation of the cell walls, or in environmental technology in which, e.g., slurry is preprocessed by electroporation in order to control putrefaction processes better by this means.
[0009] Other possible fields of use of high-voltage pulses are found in the treatment or sterilization of agricultural products, particularly for eliminating animal and fungal damage by destroying the cell bond due to the high electrical fields on the outer skin of the agricultural products when these are brought into an area of sufficiently high electrical field strength (reactor).
[0010] The above applications in the use of high-voltage pulses are addressed partially in publications by Schultheiss et al. “INDUSTRIAL-SCALE ELECTROPORATION OF PLANT MATERIAL USING HIGH REPETITION RATE MARX GENERATORS”, Proceedings IEEE Pulsed Power Conference, 2002 and “OPERATION OF 20 HZ MARX GENERATORS ON A COMMON ELECTROLYTIC LOAD IN AN ELECTROPORATION CHAMBER”, Proceedings IEEE Power Modulator Symposium, 2003.
[0011] Such applications typically require pulse amplitudes of some 100 kV at current intensities of some 10 kA with pulse rates of some 10 pulses per second (pps) in continuous operation. In methods used industrially, a maintenance-free plant life of some 100 million pulses is essential for the economic running of such plants.
[0012] To produce the high field strengths necessary, high-voltage pulse generators according to the Marx principle are used, corresponding to the prior art, in which capacitors are charged up in parallel but are connected in series by suitable switches for generating pulses which is shown as prior art in FIG. 1 and will be described in detail below.
[0013] The main problem in the generation of pulses is the switches needed for it, in most cases gas-filled spark gaps, and their selective triggering with high accuracy over the entire life.
[0014] In a known solution of the problem, spark gaps are used for the switches which are designed in such a manner that they should achieve a life of over 100 million pulses. First solutions to the problem exist for Marx generators with electronic switching elements in accordance with the publication by Kirbie et al. “All-Solid-State Marx Modulator with Digital Pulse-Shape Synthesis”, report No. LA-UR-05-0631, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, N. Mex., USA 2005. However, the latter solutions to the problem do not yet achieve sufficiently high currents for industrial use.
[0015] According to the publication by Schultheiss et al., “Wear-less Trigger Method for Marx Generators in Repetitive Operation”, Proceedings IEEE Power Modulator Symposium, 2003, the gas discharge switches used hitherto for Marx generators in repetitive operation are in most cases used untriggered in such a manner that the spacing of the spark gap electrodes of the first Marx generator stage has a somewhat smaller spacing than that of the other stages; as a result, the breakdown voltage of these spark gaps is slightly less than that of the following ones and the first stage arcs through as the first one. As a result, an overvoltage of almost 100% of the charging voltage is generated at the second spark gap, as a result of which the second stage also arcs through. Analogously, the following stages then also arc through until the entire Marx generator is raised up and generates a corresponding pulse at the output.
[0016] To achieve a greater total current and thus a higher total power, it is often necessary to operate a number of such systems in parallel. However, this requires, in particular, synchronizing the time of pulse generation of the individual Marx generators with high accuracy in time. This synchronization is also necessary for an individual system if good control of the operating parameters is required for the desired process. Synchronization is generally effected by the fact that the ignition of the spark gap of the first stage does not occur by exceeding the ignition voltage during the charging process but this spark gap is deliberately ignited. There are several possibilities available for this ignition:
plasma cross triggering (Trigatron) longitudinal plasma triggering longitudinal overvoltage triggering laser triggering.
[0021] Both plasma cross triggering and longitudinal plasma triggering have hitherto not displayed sufficiently long lives. Laser triggering requires very high equipment expenditure and costs with limited life of the spark gap and is therefore used in most cases only for single pulse operation in very large research installations.
[0022] Longitudinal overvoltage triggering is the most suitable method. However, there has hitherto not been any practice-oriented device having sufficiently good characteristics and an adequate life. WO 2004/100371 A1 discloses a triggering/ignition device in a Marx generator having step capacitances and an associated operating method for this device. In the method for generating high-voltage pulses applied there, the Marx generator is triggered with high-voltage pulses, the trigger pulses being coupled in serially-inductively.
[0023] In practice, the solution described above provides neither a sufficiently high trigger quality nor an adequate life. It is based on inductively coupling a voltage pulse into the charging inductance at the ground end of the first Marx stage (pulse transformer) which is generated in an auxiliary winding (primary winding) by electronically interrupting a current with the aid of semiconductor switches. In this arrangement, the energy necessary for generating the overvoltage and igniting the spark gap must be temporarily stored in the winding on the primary side of the pulse transformer which leads to very unfavorable design criteria of this arrangement. Furthermore, the opening electronic switching element is in most cases an IGBT at the instant of pulse generation in the open state, as a result of which it is very sensitive to reactions from the Marx generator, particularly to overvoltages.
[0024] In general, the latter leads to such a circuit having a limited life which is not sufficient for industrial use. Furthermore, it is very difficult to scale this principle since great compromises have to be made with regard to conflicting requirements. For example, the provision of sufficiently high pulse energies for reliable ignition of the spark gap requires high self-inductance of the primary winding, whilst the requirement for great steepness of the pulse generated in this manner requires an inductance which is as low as possible.
SUMMARY
[0025] Therefore, an aspect is to specify a method for triggering a Marx generator and to create a suitable Marx generator in which the efficiency is increased so that new industrial applications are possible. In particular, a triggerable Marx generator with a device for generating and coupling high-voltage pulses into the first stage of the Marx generator is to be created which leads to a reliable longitudinal overvoltage triggering of the first spark gap of the Marx generator with little statistical fluctuation of the ignition time titter), with a life of the arrangement of over 200 million pulses.
[0026] A known Marx generator is used in which the trigger pulse can preferably be coupled in serially-capacitively. Surprisingly, this produces an improved efficiency compared with an inductive coupling-in, which is also possible. In particular, this eliminates the otherwise disturbing jitter better than in the prior art.
[0027] Accordingly, the secondary side of a pulse transformer T is inserted into the feed line at the frame of the charging inductance at the ground end of the first stage of a Marx generator, which pulse transformer is connected to a circuit for pulse generation on its primary side. The transformer T has a transformation ratio Ü (number of secondary-side/primary-side turns) within the range from 8:1 to 20:1, preferably within the range of 15:1. On the primary side, only a few turns are preferably used, preferably only one or two turns in order to keep down the inductance of the arrangement and thus to generate pulses of sufficiently short duration.
[0028] The charging inductance can be dimensioned within the range from 100 μH to 2 mH without negatively influencing the operability of the circuit. The same charging inductance can be used as for all other stages.
[0029] For the pulse transformer T, a toroidal ferrite core or an amorphous annular cut strip-wound core with core dimensions in the range of a few cm 2 cross section is preferably used. The windings can be applied both directly to the core with high-voltage-insulated cable and to an insulating coil former or separate coil formers; direct application of the primary winding to the core and application of the secondary winding to an insulating coil former is also possible. The arrangement can be insulated both in insulating gas atmosphere and in insulating liquid (oil, silicone oil, etc.). Casting using suitable resins or other polymers is also possible.
[0030] The circuit at the primary side for generating the high-voltage pulse is preferably arranged in such a manner that a capacitor C p charged up to a predetermined voltage is discharged into the primary winding of the pulse transformer with the aid of a closing semiconductor switch. The capacitance of the capacitor C p is selected to be at least so great that the relation
[0000] C p =Ü 2 *C s (1)
[0000] is satisfied, where C s is the entire stray capacitance of the node A* in FIG. 3 , i.e. at the end of the spark gap close to ground of the first stage of the Marx generator. The capacitance is preferably selected to be about 3- to 4-times as great in order to provide sufficient energy reserves for triggering an ignition spark in the spark gap FS 1 . Typical stray capacitances are within the range of a few 100 pF, typically approx. 200 pF so that, with a transformation ratio of Ü=15, a capacitance at the primary side of at least
[0000] C p =Ü 2 *C s =225*200 pF=45 nF (2)
[0000] is required, but better C p =150 . . . 200 nF. The charging voltage of the capacitor is selected to be at least great enough that the relation
[0000] U Cp =U L /Ü (3)
[0000] is satisfied; this generates a series overvoltage of approx. 100% of the Marx charging voltage U L at the spark gap FS 1 so that it ignites with a short delay and little jitter. With a step voltage U L of the Marx generator of 60 kV, a charging voltage of
[0000] U Cp =U L /Ü= 60 kV/15=4 kV (4)
[0000] is thus needed for C p .
[0031] Link voltages of approx. 4 kV at pulse currents of typically 500 A amplitude can be processed without problems using available power semiconductors as the switching element S. E.g., thyristor components such as GTOs or IGCTs and transistor switches such as IGBTs with cut-off voltages above 5 kV are suitable.
[0032] A closing semiconductor switch is advantageously used. This is particularly advantageous, therefore, because the use of commercial semiconductor components provides a long life and little sensitivity to reaction from the Marx generator because the semiconductor switching element remains in the closed state during the main pulse. Using the charging inductance used in the higher Marx stages is also possible in the first stage and, due to designing the pulse generation at the ground end, it is possible to use a grounded power supply of any power.
[0033] The high-voltage pulse necessary for igniting the spark gap is not inductively coupled in series with the charging inductance but with a serial capacitance C K for decoupling direct-current and slow alternating-current components. To keep the voltage loss due to capacitive voltage division across C K low, the condition
[0000] C K >>C s , but at least C K =(5 . . . 10)* C s (5)
[0000] should be met.
[0034] Thus, excellent scalability with all necessary degrees of freedom is produced, there being no restrictions for the operation with regard to pulse amplitude, pulse energy or pulse repetition rate and life.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0035] These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
[0036] FIG. 1 shows a basic circuit diagram of a Marx generator according to the prior art,
[0037] FIG. 2 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of a Marx generator with inductive-serial coupling-in of the trigger pulse in the first stage,
[0038] FIG. 3 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of the circuit for generating high-voltage pulses for triggering the Marx generator according to FIG. 2 , and
[0039] FIG. 4 shows an equivalent circuit diagram of a Marx generator with capacitive coupling-in of the trigger pulse in the first stage.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0040] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
[0041] FIG. 1 shows the basic circuit of a known Marx generator which is designated by 1 overall. In detail, the Marx generator 1 has a voltage source 2 , for example a source having a direct voltage of 50 kV which is preceded by an inductance 3 and an ohmic resistance 4 . There is also a ground connection 5 .
[0042] Such a Marx generator 1 has in known manner a number of individual stages, for example six stages in accordance with FIG. 1 . Each stage i contains a switch S i , a first inductance L ik , a further inductance L ik+1 and a capacitance C i , i and k representing running indexes. In other embodiments, resistors or high-voltage rectifiers can be used instead of the inductances L ik . In the text which follows, however, only inductances L ik are mentioned. For example, the third stage of the Marx generator has a switch S 3 with spark gap, a capacitor C 3 , a first inductance L 31 and a second inductance L 32 .
[0043] In FIG. 1 , direct triggering of the individual spark gaps according to the arrows is indicated. However, this type of triggering can only be used with short lives of the switches and generally also not in all stages.
[0044] In FIG. 2 , a trigger pulse generator 100 is allocated to the first stage 10 of the Marx generator according to FIG. 1 . The trigger pulse generator 100 couples a trigger pulse into the first stage 10 of the Marx generator via a transformer 110 . The coupling-in occurs inductively-serially at the inductance L 12 .
[0045] FIG. 3 shows an improved alternative to FIG. 2 . In this case, the trigger pulse is coupled capacitively into the inductance L 12 of the first stage 10 of the Marx generator 1 via the trigger pulse generator 100 and the preceding transformer 110 and via a coupling capacitance 109 . This has the advantage that the jitter, which is unavoidable otherwise, can be reduced. This increases the efficiency.
[0046] In FIG. 3 , a switch S is designated by 115 . For its application according to definition, the switch 115 is constructed as closing semiconductor switch, for example as IGCT with a cut-off voltage of at least 5 kV. Such semiconductor switches are commercially available.
[0047] Using commercial semiconductor components ensures, on the one hand, a long life and, on the other hand, provides low sensitivity to reaction from the Marx generator since the semiconductor switching element remains in the closed state during the main pulse.
[0048] FIG. 4 illustrates how the trigger pulse is coupled in. According to FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 , the transformer 110 is shown which, for example, has a transformation ratio of 1:15. There is a voltage source 102 for, for example, 4000 V which is preceded by an inductance 103 and an ohmic resistance 104 . The inductance 103 has a value of, for example, LCH=1 mH and the ohmic resistance 104 has a value of, for example, RCH=200Ω. There is furthermore a capacitance 106 having a value of C p =0.2 μF, a further capacitance 108 having a value of C s =0.2 nF corresponding to the load capacitance at point A* of the first stage of the Marx generator, and a further inductance 107 having a value of L s =500 μH.
[0049] A particular advantage of the capacitive-parallel coupling-in of the pulse is that, due to the decoupling of direct voltage components via the coupling capacitance C K , the stray inductance of the pulse transformer T is kept much lower than the associated parallel charging inductance L 12 . Thus, much steeper voltage edges can be generated at point A* as a result of which much smaller jitter values can be generated. A further advantage is obtained by the fact that higher voltage amplitudes can be achieved since the inductive voltage drop across L 12 is lacking with inductive-serial coupling-in.
[0050] Using the circuit arrangement according to FIG. 4 , a pulse is coupled via the inductance L 12 to the stray capacitance C s at the point A* located between L 12 and C s via the pulse transformer 110 .
[0051] In the circuit arrangement described by FIGS. 1 to 4 , a long life is ensured by using commercial semiconductor components for the switch 115 . It results in a low sensitivity to the reaction from the Marx generator since the semiconductor switching element remains in the closed state during the main pulse.
[0052] Due to the stability of the circuit, continuous use of the circuit arrangement with pulse repetition rates of from 10 to 20 Hz can be managed for an uninterrupted operating time of a plant of typically 100 days, and a maintenance-free plant life of over 100 million pulses can be achieved.
[0053] The circuit arrangement described above is used, for example, in the sterilization of agricultural products by strong electrical fields. In particular, grain, corn, hops, tomatoes and fruit can be preserved by this means.
[0054] Another possible use is the extraction of cell content substances or building blocks of shells (proteins) from cells in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry. For example, a biological breakdown of blood can be performed.
[0055] Furthermore, the method described by the new Marx generator for generating high-voltage pulses is suitable for use in the treatment of water and waste water.
[0056] Finally, use in the analysis of building materials, particularly of asphalt and concrete, is also possible where asphalt or concrete samples are electrohydraulically disintegrated and broken down. In addition, the use in the recycling of building materials such as concrete and asphalt by electrohydraulic disintegration and subsequent breakdown is possible.
[0057] The system also includes permanent or removable storage, such as magnetic and optical discs, RAM, ROM, etc. on which the process and data structures of the present invention can be stored and distributed. The processes can also be distributed via, for example, downloading over a network such as the Internet. The system can output the results to a display device, printer, readily accessible memory or another computer on a network.
[0058] A description has been provided with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the claims which may include the phrase “at least one of A, B and C” as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may be used, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 358 F3d 870, 69 USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004). | High-voltage pulses are generated and injected in a parallel-capacitative manner into the first stage of a multistage Marx generator at suitable intervals. The high-voltage pulses result in a longitudinal overvoltage triggering of the first spark gap of the Marx generator. As a result, industrial applications are able to generate, in a fault-free manner, high-voltage pulses having a predetermined repetition rate over a prolonged period of time. | 7 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a new and improved device for monitoring the travel of thread-like objects, such as yarns, threads, wires or endless webs, e.g. in textile machines of various kinds.
Monitoring or sensing devices of the type using electromagnetic or piezoelectric transducers having a feeler member in frictional contact with a travelling yarn are well known in the art. Those known sensing devices may generate yarn travel signals of high amplitude; however, they are also responsive to shocks, mechanical vibrations, ambient noise and other trouble generally present and unavoidable in texitile plants. Other sensing devices or units for determining a relative movement between two bodies, e.g. a yarn and an insulated friction body, are described in U.S. Pat. NO. 3,676.769. These sensing units make use of electrical charges or voltages which are generated or induced in the unit by the travelling yarn, and thus they are hardly susceptible to shock, mechanical vibration and noise. The monitoring devices of the present invention constitute improvements of those disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,769.
All of the mentioned known sensing or monitoring devices produce yarn travel signals in the shape of A.C.-waveforms. However, it frequently happens that the yarn travel signal is not really continuous and exhibits short interruptions even when the yarn is travelling. One cause of such interruptions may be transversal movements or vibrations of the yarn giving rise to changes in the friction between the yarn and the member of the sensing device which is in frictional contact with the yarn. Such interruptions simulate yarn breakages and may cause the textile machine to stop. It is evident that such unwanted machine downtimes must be avoided, since only a real yarn breakage has to stop the machine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide further developments and improvements upon the monitoring or sensing devices described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,769, said sensing devices comprising yarn guiding means, at least one ground electrode and at least one signal electrode electrically insulated from the at least one ground electrode.
It is a more specific objective of the present invention to take measures for avoiding undesired interruptions of the yarn travel signal, generating such signals having a high amplitude or signal level, and an improved rate of high frequency signal components.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of monitoring or sensing devices which provide for an improved signal-to-noise ratio in the yarn travel A.C. signal.
Now in order to implement the aforementioned objectives and others which will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, the monitoring device of the invention is characterized in that yarn guiding means and signal and ground electrodes are arranged to form a yarn passageway, and at least one signal electrode is formed with an interior surface exposed for frictional contact with a yarn-like object travelling through said passageway in frictional contact with the yarn guiding means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description thereof which refers to the annexed drawings wherein:
FIGS. 1 and 2 are a longitudinal section and an end view, respectively, of a first embodiment of the inventive monitoring or sensing unit;
FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view of a monitoring head comprising a similar monitoring unit as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a preamplifier, a casing, and further details;
FIG. 4 shows the monitoring head represented in FIG. 3 as viewed from the line IV--IV in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section of a second embodiment of an inventive monitoring or sensing unit disposed in a casing;
FIGS. 6 and 7 represent a third embodiment of a monitoring or sensing unit in schematic longitudinal section and end view;
FIGS. 8 and 9 show a simplified embodiment of the monitoring device or unit illustrated with reference to FIG. 5;
FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are views of two further embodiments of the inventive monitoring device or unit comprising covered electrodes, and
FIG. 13 is an end view of an embodiment having an open passageway.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the therein illustrated exemplary embodiment of monitoring device or sensing unit 1 is composed of two substantially identical hollow structures 9,9' which are shown in FIG. 1, for the sake of clearness, with a distance therebetween. Hollow structures 9,9' have cylindrical bores forming a passageway 10 for a travelling yarn (not shown). The details of such structures will now be explained with reference to hollow structure 9.
This hollow structure is substantially ring-shaped and comprises a yarn guiding or guide body 21 made of ceramic material, an outer or ground electrode 23, an inner or signal electrode 25 and an inner filling body 21' which may consist of the same material as yarn guiding body 21, or of cast resin.
Ground electrode 23 covers the outer surfaces 18 of yarn guiding body 21 including the ring-shaped outer end face 20 thereof. Yarn guiding body 21 has an inner ring-shaped electrode face 19 for receiving the ring-shaped signal electrode 25. Faces 19 and 20, and thus the ring-shaped electrode 25 and the ring-shaped portion of ground electrode 23 on the outer end face 20 are in substantially parallel relationship. Signal electrode 25 is connected to a signal conductor 27. A slot 31 is provided in yarn guiding body 21 for receiving signal conductor 27. Yarn guiding body 21 has a flat inner end face 17 for being connected, e.g. by cementing, to the opposite inner end face of hollow structure 9'.
A lead wire 29 connects ground electrodes 23, 24 of hollow structures 9,9', and a ground conductor 30 is connected to one of the ground electrodes such as here shown ground electrode 24. The outer ends of hollow structures 9,9' are bevelled or rounded. Particularly, bevelled or rounded ends of passageway 10 form zones R,R' which are in frictional contact with a yarn when travelling through passageway 10.
After cementing the hollow structures 9,9' together, slots 31,32 may be filled with a casting material. Then, the outer electrodes 23, 24 form a vat-shaped cage which peripherally surrounds the signal electrodes 25, 26 with respect to yarn guide bodies 21,22, and which also covers the outer ring-shaped end faces 20. Thus, signal electrodes 25,26 are shielded in an extremely efficient manner from outer electrostatic and electromagnetic fields, when they are connected to ground through ground connector 30. Inner electrodes 25,26 serve for generating yarn travel signals and may be connected to signal amplifying and evaluating electronic circuitry, e.g. a circuit as shown in FIG. 1a of U.S. Pat. No. 3,676,769 and described therein, and the disclosure of which Patent is incorporated herein by reference.
It is to be noted that with the monitoring or sensing unit 1 as shown in FIG. 1, each of the hollow structures 9,9'per se might be used for monitoring a travelling yarn. However, the use of a unit composed of two such structures tends to deliver a more continuous yarn travel signal, particularly in the event that the travelling yarn undergoes transversal movement such as to intermittently loose the frictional contact with one of the friction contact zones R,R'. The monitoring or sensing unit 1 has two further characteristics which contribute to generating improved yarn travel signals and reducing the influence of noise and spurious signals. Firstly, the provision of the ground electrodes 23,24 in direct contact with the insulating yarn guiding bodies 21,22 causes the electrostatic charges which are generally produced by travelling yarns, particularly thick yarns and threads, to be partially drained off from said guiding bodies. Such charges, which often attain considerable values, are able to overload and render ineffective the electronic circuitry connected to monitoring or sensing unit 1. Secondly, it is advantageous that the inner or signal electrodes 25,26 extend, at their inner circumstances, close to the outer end faces 20 and the ring-shaped portions of ground electrodes 23,24 disposed thereon, and close to the friction zones R,R'. By virtue of this measure, there is provided a small distance between the signal and ground electrodes, and also between the signal electrodes and the friction zones R,R', which favours the generation of continuous yarn travel signals. Moreover, by the aforesaid measures, not only is there improved the amplitude of the yarn travel signals, but also the rate of high-frequency components which facilitates the evaluation of said signals and the suppression of low frequency noise and spurious or trouble signals.
FIG. 3 shows the components of a monitoring head 2 with a casing 33 in exploded view, schematic representation and on a smaller scale relative to FIG. 1. Casing 33 is formed as a substantially rectangular box or housing and provided with a lid or cover 34. Casing 33 receives a sensing insert 35 comprising, as main parts, a base plate 38, monitoring or sensing unit 1, a preamplifier 40 and a fastening ring 41 which serves for securing monitoring or sensing unit 1 to base plate 38, e.g. by cementing. Two washers 36,37 formed of elastic material, such as rubber, are provided which, in the assembled monitoring head 2, rest against stepped apertures or bores 42,43 of casing 33 and lid 34, respectively, on the one hand, and against monitoring or sensing unit 1, on the other hand, thus clamping sensing unit 1 between casing 33 and lid 34. The two hollow structures 9,9' are joined with each other, e.g. by cementing, at joint 44.
A bent off or angled extension of lid or cover 34 serves as bracket 45 which has a bore 46 in order to allow monitoring head 2 to be fastened to the frame of a textile machine by means of a screw (not shown) or any other suitable or equivalent fastening structure. For the sake of simplicity and clarity in illustration, the conductors connected to sensing unit 1 and preamplifier 40 which may be lead out of casing 33 through a recess 47, and the elements of any suitable construction for joining casing 33 with lid 34, such as screws, are not shown in FIG. 3. Sensing unit 1 is received in a circular aperture or opening 39 (FIG. 4) of base plate 38 and may be cemented with fastening ring 41 as mentioned above.
Lid 34 which also serves for mounting monitoring head 2 on a machine, preferably consists of metal in order to attain a high ruggedness or robustness. Casing 33 may be made of metal or synthetic material. In the event that an additional electrical shielding is required for sensing insert 35, casing 33 preferably consists of metal, or a synthetic material lined with an electrically conducting layer. The outer or ground electrodes 23,24 (FIG. 1) may be connected with such a casing 33 through ground conductor 30.
With reference to FIG. 4, the sensing insert 35 comprising base plate 38, monitoring unit 1 and preamplifier 40 is disposed in the open casing 33 which has a substantially rectangular shape. Of course, the casing may alternatively be shaped as a round capsule, in which case the components of a preamplifier may be arranged on a substantially ring-shaped base plate surrounding monitoring unit 1.
In FIG. 5, sensing unit 3 is clamped between two parallel walls 48,49 of a casing which is not further shown, by means of hard washers 51,52 and soft rubber washers 53,54. The casing consists of electrically conducting material, such as metal, for electrically shielding sensing unit 3. The latter comprises two ring-shaped yarn guiding elements 55,56 made of a material having a high superficial hardness, such as ceramic oxide, and further comprises two substantially ring-shaped stepped outer or signal electrodes 57,58 fitted into each other in axial direction.
A substantially ring-shaped inner electrode 59 serving as ground electrode is disposed coaxially to and within signal electrode 57, and electrically insulated therefrom by an insulating ring 60. The aforesaid yarn guiding elements 55,56 and electrodes 57,58,59 form a substantially cylindrical passageway 11. The internal diameter of ground electrode 59 may be the same as or somewhat larger than the internal diameter of signal electrodes 57,58 which is substantially equal or nearly equal to the internal diameter of the yarn guiding elements 55,56. A ground conductor 61 may connect the inner electrode 59 with the walls 48,49. With a practical embodiment, the axial dimension of sensing unit 3 is about 16 mm, and the radial thickness of insulating ring no more than 1 mm. When a yarn or thread travels through passageway 11 in frictional contact with the yarn guiding elements 55,56, the yarn is also in frictional contact with the internal surfaces of signal electrodes 57,58. A signal conductor 62 welded to one of the outer electrodes 58 supplies the yarn travel signals, generated when a yarn is travelling through passageway 11, to the input of an electronic circuitry (not shown).
With sensing unit 3, the two outer or signal electrodes 57,58 form the basic shape of sensing unit 3 and support the two yarn guiding elements 55,56 disposed with an axial spacing. Thus, the arrangement of the components in this sensing unit is principally different from that of sensing unit 1 shown in FIG. 1, where the yarn guide bodies define the basic shape of the sensing unit and support the electrodes.
With a modified mounting of sensing unit 3, the latter may be assembled on a base plate which carries the components of an electric circuit, e.g. a preamplifier, in a similar manner as illustrated with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.
The sensing unit 4, FIGS. 6 and 7, comprises two substantially ring-shaped yarn guiding elements 55a, 56a, two substantially ring-shaped outer or signal electrodes 57a, 58a, a substantially ring-shaped inner or ground electrode 59a, and two thin insulating disks 60a, 60b disposed between the inner electrode 59a and the two outer electrodes 57a, 58a.
This sensing unit 4 possesses an extraordinarily simple structure since the electrodes 57a,58a and 59a are of the same shape and dimensions or size, and this is also the case for the insulating disks 60a,60b and yarn guiding elements 55a,56a. Thus, this structure necessitates only three different types of components, namely ring-shaped guiding elements as the first type, ring-shaped electrodes as the second type, and thin insulating disks as the third type.
The aforementioned components may be assembled by cementing in order to form an integral substantially cylindrical hollow structure having a longitudinal passageway 12. A ground conductor 61 is connected to inner electrode 61, and signal conductors 62,63 are soldered to outer electrodes 57a,58a. Sensing unit 4 may be mounted in a monitoring head or shielded casing in similar manner as described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.
With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the sensing unit 5 is arranged in a manner somewhat similar to sensing unit 3, FIG. 5. There are provided two substantially ring-shaped yarn guiding elements 55',56', two outer or signal electrodes 57' ,58' of substantially pot- and ring-shaped form, respectively, a substantially ring-shaped inner or ground electrode 59', and two substantially pot- and ring-shaped, respectively, insulating elements 60',60". Inner or ground electrode 59' is connected with a ground conductor 61. Outer or signal electrodes 57',58' are fitted to each other by inserting substantially ring-shaped electrode 58' in the hollow space of pot-shaped electrode 57', so that these electrodes are electrically connected to each other. One of these electrodes 57' is provided with a signal conductor 62. With sensing unit 5, the substantially pot-shaped outer electrode 57' receives the remaining components 58',59',60' and 60" in its interior hollow space. Guiding elements 55', 56' may be attached to the exposed end faces of outer electrodes 57', 58' by cementing or in other suitable manner. The thus assembled sensing unit 5 has a substantially cylindrical passageway 13 for receiving a thread or yarn to be sensed or monitored.
Sensing unit 5 may be disposed in a monitoring head as illustrated with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The axial dimension of the sensing units 4 and 5 may be, by way of example, 20 mm. The thickness of insulating disks 60a, 60b and 60', 60" as measured between the ground and signal electrodes may be 1 mm or less, preferably 0.5 mm.
Modifying the structures shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, each of the outer electrodes 57a, 58a, 57', 58' together with the adjacent yarn guiding element may be replaced by an integral component. This is feasible since now electrically conducting materials having a high superficial hardness are available, e.g. metal carbides, such as tungsten carbide and titanium carbide. Thus, electrodes 57a, 58a, FIG. 6, may be designed to work as yarn guiding elements, by bevelling or rounding the exposed ends of yarn passageway 12 in a similar manner as shown with yarn guiding element 55a, FIG. 6. It is to be understood that generally the yarn guiding elements need not be made of insulating material, such as ceramic oxide.
The sensing units shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 8 may be modified by using, in place of ground electrodes 59, 59a, 59', substantially ring-shaped ground electrodes whose interior surfaces are coated with an electrically insulating layer, e.g. formed of ceramic oxide. By such a measure, short-circuiting of the signal and ground electrodes is avoided, in particular when metal wires or threads having a high electrical conductivity are to be monitored.
The sensing or monitoring units described with reference to FIGS. 1 through 9 have the common essential feature that the signal electrodes are exposed, at their interior surfaces, for frictional contact with the yarn travelling through the passageway in direct frictional contact with said yarn guiding means. A further common characteristic consists in arranging the signal electrodes close by the ground electrodes so that a small distance exists between said electrodes at their interior surfaces forming the passageway for the travelling yarn. This small distance is defined, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, by the thickness of the thin insulating disks 60a, 60b in the axial direction of passageway 12. As mentioned above with reference to FIG. 1, such a small distance between ground and signal electrodes favours the generation of continuous and strong yarn travel signals comprising an improved rate of high-frequency components.
The continuity of the yarn travel signals, i.e. an uninterrupted A.C. signal waveform, is of greatest importance when this signal is used for controlling the operation of a textile machine; e.g. the machine must be stopped when the yarn breaks and the A.C. yarn travel signal disappears. A great deal of high-frequency components in the yarn travel signal is advantageous, since mainly in the range of lower frequencies, e.g. up to 1 KHz, noise and spurious or trouble signals are existent which jeopardize the faultless operation of a yarn monitoring apparatus, such as, for instance, a filling or weft thread monitoring device on a weaving loom. Such noise and spurious or trouble signals may be neutralized by suppressing the low-frequency components by a high-pass filter device; however, this measure is practicable only if the yarn travel signal has a substantial content of high-frequency components.
The monitoring or sensing unit 6 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 comprises three electrodes, i.e. two covered signal electrodes 68 and 69 provided with insulating covers 70 and 71, respectively, a ground electrode 66, and a shielding electrode 67. These electrodes are substantially ring-shaped or hollow cylindrical, and the signal electrodes 68, 69 together with their insulating covers 70 and 71, which covers 70 and 71 define yarn guiding means 64 and 65 respectively, and inner ground electrode 66 form a hollow cylindrical configuration with a passageway 14 in their axial direction. The interior cylindrical surfaces of the insulating covers 70 and 71 of signal electrodes 68 and 69 as well as of inner ground electrode 66 are exposed to the travelling yarn. As alluded to above, the covered signal electrodes each comprise a substantially ring-shaped electrode or core 68 and 69 and an electrically insulating cover 70 and 71, respectively. The latter may consist of ceramic oxide and operate as yarn guiding means 64, 65. Connected to each of the metallic ring-shaped electrodes 68, 69 is a signal conductor 62, 63, respectively. The electrodes 66, 68 and 69 and the insulating covers 70 and 71 of electrodes 68 and 69 are received in the surrounding shielding electrode 67 which has two slots 72, 73 at its end faces for passing signal conductors 62, 63 to the metal core-like electrodes 68, 69, respectively. Surrounding or shielding electrode 67, by virtue of its direct contact with inner ground electrode 66, is electrically connected thereto, and provided with a ground conductor 61 such as to function as an electrical shield for the electrodes 68, 69 serving as signal electrodes.
FIG. 12 shows a modified embodiment of the sensing unit described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. In sensing unit 7, inner ground electrode 66, FIG. 10, is omitted, and one of the covered electrodes 69 serves as ground electrode. The latter is electrically connected to ground conductor 61. There is provided a shielding electrode 67 of hollow substantially cylindrical shape which receives the covered electrodes 68, 69 which abut at their inner end faces of the insulating covers 70, 71 thereof. Shielding electrode 67 is also connected to ground conductor 61. In this sensing unit 7, the two covered electrodes 68, 69 together with their insulating covers or jackets 70, 71 form a passageway 15.
The sensing units 6 and 7 shown in FIGS. 10 and 12 have signal electrodes formed with electrically insulating surfaces. These sensing units are particularly designed for monitoring threads or wires exhibiting a substantial electrical conductivity sufficient to short-circuit electrodes which have electrically conducting surfaces, as used in the units described with reference to FIGS. 1, 5, 6 and 8.
Whereas the foregoing description refers to monitoring or sensing units having a transversal cross-sectional shape of rotational symmetry, FIG. 13 shows an end view of a sensing unit 8 having a U-shaped cross-section, thus forming an open passageway 16. A U-shaped shielding electrode 74 receives the other components which may be constructed in a similar manner as described with reference to the foregoing figures. For example, substantially U-shaped covered electrodes 75 may be provided having slots 76 for passing the signal and ground conductors. Such laterally open structures are advantageous when threading of a yarn in longitudinal or axial direction of the sensing unit is impractical, or when it is required that the yarn must be removed from the passageway in transversal direction and without cutting the yarn.
It is to be noted that the inventive sensing units may be designed for monitoring elongated or endless objects of any transversal or transverse cross-sectional shape, for instance such as threads, wires, tapes, webs and others, by formimg the sensing units with passageways of corresponding transversal cross section, as circular, rectangular, U-shaped and so forth.
The sensing units shown in the drawings and described in the foregoing specification have substantially symmetrical configuration with respect to a middle transversal plane, as the plane of joint 44 in FIG. 3. As results from the description of FIG. 1, such a symmetrical configuration is by no means necessary, it is, however, preferred when a sensing unit is desired which operates irrespective of the direction of yarn travel.
It is to be understood that the terms -- hollow, hollow body, hollow cylindrical body, or equivalent expressions -- as used in the present specification and claims refer to structures having a throughbore or passageway or passage. These structures may have the shape of a ring, hollow cylinder or a disk- or pot-shaped form.
The inventive monitoring units and heads may be used in thread or yarn travel supervising or monitoring appliances on textile machines, e.g. as weft monitors on weaving looms or thread monitors on knitting machines and automatic yarn winding machines.
The inventive sensing unit not only can be successfully used for monitoring the movement of textile threads in the widest sense including pre-spun threads, monofilaments and multifilaments, rather also can be used for metallic wires and heddle wires and thread-like structures formed of other materials, such as glass fiber strands, all by way of example. It is in this sense that the terms "thread" or "yarn" as used throughout this patent should be understood and such expression is employed with the broadest possible connotation.
While there are shown and described present preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims. | The present invention relates to monitoring devices of the type making use of the principle that frictional contact between two bodies gives rise to electrical charges or voltages on the bodies. The monitoring device of the invention comprises yarn guiding means, at least one signal electrode and at least one ground electrode. Means are provided for generating yarn travel signals exhibiting improved continuity and a high signal-to-noise ratio. | 1 |
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/826,234, filed Apr. 15, 2004.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to controlling a parameter value via user interface, and more particularly, to a flexible, dynamic slider control for controlling parameters in a software application.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In a software application environment, user interfaces often contain a number of controls for manipulating the interface. These may include several different types of controls and sliders for influencing the value of various parameters of the interface. One example is a text entry control for directly typing a numeric value into a field of the control. Another example is a control for dynamically incrementing and decrementing a value by moving a control along a single axis, often referred to as a slider. By moving the slider, the value displayed in a separate control is dynamically changed. A final example is a key on a keyboard for stepwise incrementing and decrementing a value in a control at a consistent granularity. By pressing the key, for example an up or down cursor arrow, the value displayed in a control is changed in a stepwise manner.
[0004] Conventionally, a single control influences a single parameter. Therefore, if a user desires to effect the same change in more than one aspect or parameter, the user must separately manipulate the controls that correspond to each respective parameter. Traditionally, the controls are poorly integrated within the interface, forcing the user to switch between the various controls and/or perform several steps to achieve a desired result.
[0005] Some programs, such as animators' tools and other image manipulating systems, may have a large number of controls and may require an extensive amount of numeric entry and direct numeric editing to effect even minor changes. For example, in an image manipulation application, user interface controls often are provided for manipulating parameters of images or graphic objects. A user may use a trial-and-error process to find the value that creates a desired effect for a particular parameter, trying numerous values in the process. Traditional user interface controls keep no record of these values. As a result, if a user wants to recall a value previously entered into a particular control, the user must manually keep a record of entered values.
[0006] These characteristics of traditional user interface controls increase the amount of time the user spends entering and editing values. In addition, the need for a large number of controls and sliders takes up valuable user interface space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention eliminates the need for the user to switch between various controls to achieve a desired result. To do this, several functionalities are combined into one control. This combination allows for quicker numeric value editing, control of multiple parameters, and provides for both an input and an output function in a compact space.
[0008] In one embodiment, a numerical value displayed in a control can be changed in several different ways. A value can be entered, the value can be dynamically incremented or decremented, the value can be stepwise incremented or decremented, and the value resulting from these manipulations can be displayed, all within one on-screen control.
[0009] In one embodiment of the present invention includes a function for changing the granularity with which values are incremented and decremented. By using various modifier keys while dynamically or stepwise incrementing or decrementing a value, the value displayed increments or decrements at increased or reduced levels of granularity depending on the modifier used.
[0010] One embodiment allows for user selection of values recently displayed in a control via a contextual menu. In response to a user command, a contextual menu populates with a list of recent values from which the user can select. The selected value is then displayed in the control.
[0011] In one embodiment, the user can manipulate the control without first clicking on it. In response to a user positioning a pointer over the control for a predetermined length of time, referred to as hovering, the control is ready to respond to manipulations. For example, if a user hovers over the control and scrolls the mouse wheel, the value displayed in the control increases or decreases.
[0012] When more than one control is used in an interface, one embodiment allows the values of multiple controls to be changed simultaneously. For example, in response to the user selecting two or more controls and manipulating of one of the selected controls, the values of all selected controls change to reflect the manipulation.
[0013] In one embodiment, the user can quickly move from one control to another. For example, in response to a user hitting a key while a first control is selected as ready to receive a value, the first control is deselected and a second control is selected to receive a value.
[0014] One embodiment allows the user to drag and drop values form one control to another. In response to a user selecting a value from a first control and dragging it to a second control, the value from the first control also is displayed in the second control.
[0015] Some or all of these additional functionalities may be combined in a single control. The integration of these functionalities allows the user to perform more functions in fewer steps, with less redundancy, and in less time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a user interface in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 2A is an illustration of a user interface control in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 2B is an illustration of a user interface control with a modified pointer/cursor in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 2C is an illustration of a user interface control with a standard cursor in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention
[0020] FIG. 3 is an illustration of a user interface control paired with a slider in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 4 is an illustration of the architecture of a system for implementing a user interface in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] The figures depict a preferred embodiment of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
Integrated User Interface
[0023] Referring now to FIG. 1 , a user interface 10 is shown in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The user interface 10 includes an image display area 20 , one or more parameters 30 , the parameters 30 controlled by one or more controls 40 and/or sliders 50 .
[0024] In one embodiment, the display area 20 includes an image or graphic, such as the photograph displayed in FIG. 1 . The image or graphic in the display area 20 may be manipulated using controls 40 a - d and/or sliders 50 a - b corresponding with various parameters 30 a - c. A parameter 30 is an aspect of the image or graphic in the image display area 20 subject to manipulation. In this example, the parameters 30 are Position 30 a, Rotation 30 b, and Blur 30 c. A control 40 manipulates the value of a parameter 30 corresponding with that control 40 . For example, Position 30 a is controlled by controls 40 a - b. In one embodiment, a slider 50 may be used in conjunction with a control 40 to manipulate a parameter 30 . For example, Rotation 30 b may be manipulated by both control 40 c or slider 50 a. When the user manipulates a parameter 30 using a control 40 or slider 50 , changes are reflected in the display area 20 .
Control Structure
[0025] Referring now to FIG. 2 , there is shown an illustration of a control 40 of a user interface 10 in greater detail in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In addition, there is shown a graphical pointer 205 directable by the user via a graphical control device such as a mouse.
[0026] With reference to FIG. 2A , the control 40 includes a drag/insertion region 210 , which is in the center of the control 40 and includes a text box 215 for displaying a numeric value 220 . In some embodiments, the control 40 also may comprise two additional regions: a decrementer region 225 , which displays, in this example, a left-pointing arrow; and an incrementer region 230 , which displays, in this example, a right-pointing arrow. The dotted lines of FIG. 2A are merely to indicate the boundaries of the regions 210 , 225 , 230 and normally would not be visible to the control 40 user.
[0027] Referring now to FIG. 2B , there is shown an illustration of a control 40 with a modified pointer/cursor 235 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this example, the control 40 does not include a decrementer 225 or an incrementer 230 . The modified pointer/cursor 235 is a graphical pointer similar to the graphical pointer 205 of FIG. 2A , with added dragging functionality as described below. In this example, the modified pointer/cursor 235 is shown as a cursor with two arrows pointing in opposite directions and is displayed within the drag/insertion region 210 .
[0028] Referring to FIG. 2C , there is shown an illustration of a control 40 with a standard cursor 240 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The standard cursor 240 is the form that the graphical pointer 205 of FIG. 2A takes when the drag/insertion region 210 is in text edit, or “active” mode. The standard cursor 240 is displayed within the text box 215 in the drag/insertion region 210 . The standard cursor 240 allows the user to type and delete numerals within the text box 215 , as well as perform standard editing operations such as insert, copy, cut, and paste. When the standard cursor 240 is and the drag/insertion region 210 is in text edit mode, the remainder of the control 40 display, including the incrementer region 230 and decrementer region 225 , if any, are displayed as inactive background, shown here as dotted lines. In one embodiment, the remainder of the control 40 is grayed out. In another embodiment, no change is visible. In one embodiment, the control 40 also may include the ability to display a contextual menu 245 for various purposes, as will be described in greater detail below.
[0029] The graphical or visual organization and placement of the regions 210 , 225 , 230 in the control 40 of FIG. 2 is merely illustrative and not limited by the present invention, and variations in the placement, size, and shape of the regions 210 , 225 , 230 and the control 40 would be readily apparent to those of skill in the art of user interface design. For example, in a different embodiment the control 40 takes a vertical orientation, with the incrementer region 230 placed above the drag/insertion region 210 and displaying an upward-pointing arrow, and the decrementer region 225 placed below the drag/insertion region 210 and displaying a downward-pointing arrow. Other configurations also are possible.
[0030] In addition, in some embodiments the control 40 may be accompanied by additional user interface 10 aspects. For example, the control 40 may be paired with a traditional slider 50 , as depicted in FIG. 3 , in order to provide multiple methods for controlling a particular parameter value 220 . A slider 50 in its most basic form is a device for manipulating the value of a particular parameter 30 . The slider 50 includes a control bar 305 that moves, in this example horizontally, on a slide bar 310 . A single interface also may contain multiple controls 40 , allowing for control of multiple parameters 30 , as shown in FIG. 1 . The operation of the slider will be discussed below.
[0031] Referring now to FIG. 4 , it illustrates the architecture of a system 500 for implementing a user interface 10 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In such a system, a computer 505 is of conventional design, and includes a processor, an addressable memory, and other conventional features (not illustrated) such as a display, a local hard disk, input/output ports, a keyboard, a mouse, and a network interface. The user interface 10 is shown on the display. In a preferred embodiment the computer 505 may be implemented on a Macintosh computer operating under an operating system such as Macintosh OS X, or a SPARC-based computer operating under UNIX, or any other equivalent devices.
[0032] In accordance with the present invention, the computer 505 executes a software application 515 , which includes a user interface 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The application 515 includes a number of executable code portions and data files. These include code for creating and supporting the user interface 10 , handling input and generating output.
[0033] In accordance with the present invention, the application 515 maintains a data repository 520 for storing information relating to the user interface 10 . The repository 520 may be a conventional database accessible by the application 515 through the user interface 10 . The application 515 accesses and queries the repository 520 to retrieve data records associated with the user interface 10 .
[0034] The application 515 may be provided to the client computer 505 on computer readable media, such as a CD-ROM, diskette, or by electronic communication over the network 510 from software distributors, for installation and execution thereon. Alternatively, the application 515 and data repository 520 can be hosted on a server computer, and accessed over the network 510 by the user, for example using a browser interface to the application 515 .
Control Operation
[0035] The operation of the control 40 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIG. 2 and Table 1. In one embodiment, the control 40 combines three separate functionalities that effect the numeric value 220 displayed in the text box 215 : dynamic incrementing and decrementing, direct text editing, and stepwise incrementing and decrementing.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Starting Location
Type of Pointer
of Pointer
Activity of Pointer
Displayed
Result of Activity
Drag/Insertion
None
Modified
None
Region
Pointer/Cursor
Drag/Insertion
Click and Drag in a
Modified
Numeric Value
Region
First Direction
Pointer/Cursor
Dynamically
(User can move
Decrements
anywhere on the
screen)
Drag/Insertion
Click & Drag in a
Modified
Numeric Value
Region
Second Direction
Pointer/Cursor
Dynamically
(User can move
Increments
anywhere on the
screen)
Text Box
Single Click,
Standard Cursor
Text Box Activated,
Depress Return
Remainder of
Key, or Double
Control Inactive
Click
Text Box
Single Click, Return
Standard Cursor
Numeric Value
Key, or Double
Edited Consistent
Click and Then
With Typing
Type
Decrementer Region
Single Click
Graphical Pointer
Numeric Value
Decrements One
Step
Incrementer Region
Single Click
Graphical Pointer
Numeric Value
Increments One
Step
[0036] The dynamic incrementing and decrementing functionality of the control 40 allows the user to dynamically increase or decrease the numeric value 220 displayed in the text box 215 of FIG. 2B . A summary of this functionality is shown in the first three rows of Table 1. As used here, “dynamically” refers to an increase or decrease at a relatively small level of granularity.
[0037] To dynamically increase or decrease the numeric value 220 , the user first moves the graphical pointer 205 to the drag/insertion region 210 using a graphical control device such as a mouse. The graphical pointer 205 then converts to a modified pointer/cursor 235 as shown in FIG. 2B . The user single clicks within the drag/insertion region 210 , holding down the click button. The user then moves the mouse, dragging the modified pointer/cursor 210 , which results in dynamically increasing or decreasing the numeric value 220 , depending on which direction the cursor 235 is dragged, for example, to the left or to the right. When the user releases the mouse button, the numeric value 220 displayed in the text box 215 remains displayed and the modified pointer/cursor 235 returns to a graphical pointer 205 . In one embodiment, dragging within a predetermined distance, referred to herein as a tolerance threshold, has no effect. Thus, only when the mouse is moved beyond this threshold will the value 220 dynamically increase. In one embodiment, the tolerance threshold is three pixels. In one embodiment, the user may modify the tolerance threshold. One embodiment allows the user to drag anywhere on the display screen, while continuing to control the value 220 .
[0038] Referring now to FIG. 2B as an example, if the modified pointer-cursor 235 is dragged in a first direction (e.g., to the right), the displayed numeric value 220 dynamically increases. Likewise, if the modified pointer/cursor 235 is dragged in a second direction (e.g., to the left), the displayed numeric value 220 dynamically decreases. In addition, the acceleration at which the user moves the modified pointer/cursor 235 has no effect on the scaling, which remains consistent.
[0039] In one embodiment, any movement of the modified pointer/cursor 235 along the axis perpendicular (shown here as the y-axis 237 ) to that used to change the value 220 (shown here as the x-axis 236 ) is ignored. In the above example, the axis used to change the value ( 236 ) is horizontal (right and left); therefore movement along the vertical axis ( 237 ) is ignored.
[0040] In one embodiment, only movement of the modified pointer/cursor 235 along the axis perpendicular (y-axis 237 ) to that used to change the value 220 (x-axis 236 ) within a predetermined angle, referred to herein as a tolerance angle 238 , is ignored. Movement of the modified pointer/cursor 235 along the axis perpendicular (y-axis 237 ) to that used to change the value 220 (x-axis 236 ) exceeding the tolerance angle ( 238 ) is recognized as an attempt by the user to drag and drop the value 220 into another control 40 . Therefore, the system can distinguish between the user's (accidental) drifting off in a perpendicular direction to an attempt to drag and drop the value 220 into another control 40 .
[0041] In one embodiment, the granularity of the dynamic incrementing and decrementing can be modified using a modifier key on a keyboard. For example, depressing “Shift” while incrementing or decrementing the numeric value 220 increases the rate of scaling the numeric value 220 tenfold. Other keys also may be used to modify the granularity of the dynamic incrementing and decrementing. In one example, depressing and holding a “Command” key, “Command” and “Shift” keys, or “Command” and “Option” keys while incrementing or decrementing the value 220 causes the value 220 to change at different rates. In other examples, other modifier keys may be used to alter the scale of the incrementing or decrementing, for example, to effect logarithmic scaling. In another example, vertical dragging and horizontal dragging respectively provide two different rates of value 220 change.
[0042] In one embodiment, the amount by which the value 220 can increase or decrease is theoretically infinite. In this example, the user can modify the value 220 as described above by dragging anywhere on the computer screen. Thus, the numeric value 220 will continue to increase or decrease when the modified pointer/cursor 235 reaches the edge of the user's computer screen. In another embodiment, the amount that the numeric value 220 increases or decreases is constrained within some predetermined range, which is generally an expected range for the associated functionality. In one embodiment, the user can set the minimum and/or maximum value of the useful range by activating a contextual menu 245 , for example, by clicking and holding on the decrementer 225 or incrementer 230 , if any. Alternatively, the contextual menu may be activated by other mechanisms, such as by clicking and holding in the drag/insertion region 210 to the left (minimum) or right (maximum) of the text box 220 ; or by clicking while holding down a modifier key; or by right-clicking.
[0043] The direct text editing functionality of the control 40 allows the user to change the numeric value 220 displayed in the text box 215 of FIG. 2C by directly editing the text therein. A summary of this functionality is displayed in the two rows of Table 1 in which the starting location of the pointer is the text box. To edit the numeric value 220 directly, the user first activates the region by moving the graphical pointer 205 using a graphical control device such as a mouse to the drag/insertion region 210 and, single- or double-clicking within the region 210 . Alternatively, the user can activate the region 210 at anytime by depressing the Return or Enter key on a standard keyboard. In one embodiment, depressing Return or Enter activates the top control 40 of the interface. In one embodiment, depressing Return or Enter activates the control 40 most recently used. A standard cursor 240 is then displayed in the text box 215 . In one embodiment, the remainder of the control 40 is made temporarily inactive, e.g., grayed out, shown in FIG. 2C as dotted lines. The user directly edits the numeric value 220 by typing on the keyboard. Using FIG. 2C as an example, if the user next typed the numeral six (6), the numeric value 220 displayed (2.5) changes to 2.56.
[0044] In addition, the user can use standard edit functions within the text box 215 , such as “cut,” “copy,” and “paste,” or by selecting functions from a standard tool bar, such as “undo.” If the user attempts to enter an invalid character into the text box 215 , for example a letter instead of a number, an error indication occurs, such as a beep.
[0045] In one embodiment, the user can insert both positive and negative values in the text box 215 . If the user depresses the “Delete” or “Backspace” button when the text box 215 is in active mode but no text has been entered/replaced, then the entire numeric value 220 will be deleted and a minimum or default value will be displayed. If the user depresses the Delete or Backspace button once editing has commenced, only the character in the position directly to the left of the standard cursor 240 will be removed. If a user depresses a right or left cursor button on the keyboard, the cursor 240 will move right or left one digit. If a user clicks outside of the text box 215 or depresses the Return key or the Tab key, the numeric value 220 is set, the text box 215 is taken out of active mode, and the remainder of the control 40 is again active.
[0046] In one example, when the text box 215 is active, the user can depress the Command key with the cursor keys (up, down, left, right) to change the value 215 displayed. Combining these keys with a modifier key, as discussed above, will allow different size increment and decrement steps. In some embodiments, the use of cursor keys to increment or decrement value is the default behavior, and thus does not require depressing Command to effect a change in the value 220 .
[0047] In one embodiment, the user can use arithmetic functions to change displayed the numeric value 220 . For example, if the user wants to multiply the numeric value 220 displayed, for example 2.5 in FIG. 2C , by a factor of five (5), the user can type asterisk five (*5) and the numeric display 220 would change, in this example to 12.5, to reflect the entry. In this example, the system has the ability to distinguish between entering a negative value into the text box 215 , for example “−2” (no space between), from the arithmetic function “−2” (space between minus sign and numeral two).
[0048] In one embodiment, the user may Tab through the values 220 of the controls 40 for various parameters 30 . Referring now to FIG. 1 as an example, if the user is in text edit mode in the text box 215 of control 40 b, and presses the Tab button, the text box 215 of control 40 c becomes active. The user can then edit the value 220 of control 40 c. When the user is finished, the Tab button can again be depressed to set the value 220 of control 40 c and Tab to control 40 d.
[0049] The control 40 also provides functionality for increasing or decreasing the numeric value 220 displayed in the text box 215 of FIG. 2A in a stepwise manner. A summary of this functionality is displayed in the last two rows of Table 1. To decrease the numeric value 220 , the user moves the graphical pointer 205 to the decrementer region 225 and, using a graphical control device such as a mouse, single clicks within the region. As a result, the numeric value 220 displayed decreases by some predetermined amount, referred to herein as a step. Using FIG. 2A as an example, the numeric value 220 displayed (1.00) decrements to 0.99. Likewise, to increase the numeric value 220 , the user moves the graphical pointer 205 to the incrementer region 230 and single clicks within the region. As a result, the numeric value 220 displayed increases one step. Using FIG. 2A as an example, the numeric value 220 displayed (1.00) increments to 1.01. Subsequent clicks in the regions would continue to increment and decrement, respectively, the numeric value 220 displayed in a stepwise manner. In one embodiment, holding down the mouse button while the cursor is positioned on the incrementer 230 or decrementer 225 continues to step the value up or down, respectively.
[0050] In one embodiment, the granularity of the steps used to increment and decrement the numeric value 220 can be modified using a key on a keyboard. For example, by depressing the “Shift” key on a standard keyboard before clicking on the incrementer 230 or decrementer 225 , the increment or decrement step multiplies tenfold. Again using FIG. 2A as an example, depressing Shift and clicking the incrementer 230 would increase the numeric value 220 displayed (1.00) to 1.10. In addition, other keys might be used to modify the granularity of the increment and decrement steps. For example, depressing the “Option” key in conjunction with the incrementer 230 or decrementer 225 multiples the increment or decrement step by a factor of 0.01. In other examples, other modifier keys may be used to alter the increment or decrement step size, for example, to effect logarithmic scaling.
[0051] In one embodiment, the user can access recent values that have been displayed in the text box 215 . The user can activate a contextual menu 245 , for example by right-clicking the mouse over the text box 215 , as shown in FIG. 3 . Once selected, the menu pops up or drops down to display the recent values for the text box 215 . Then, the user can select a recent value to populate the text box 215 with that value.
[0052] One embodiment of the control 40 allows the user to change the value 220 by changing the current mouse position. The user moves the graphical pointer and pauses over a control without clicking (an action known as hovering) and the control becomes highlighted without the need to click on that control. For example, the user could hover the graphical pointer 205 over the text box 215 and use the mouse wheel to increase or decrease the value 220 displayed, without the need to first click on the desired control. For example, if the user hovers the graphical pointer 205 over the text box 215 without clicking on it and scrolls the mouse wheel up, the value 220 increments as a result. In addition, the user could hover the graphical pointer 205 over the text box 215 and type into the text box 215 without first clicking on the text box 215 . However, the user would need to click and drag to dramatically increment or decrement the value as described above.
[0053] Referring now to FIG. 3 , there is shown an illustration of a control 40 paired with a slider 50 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this example, the control 40 and the slider 50 each control the parameter 30 . The control 40 functionality described above in conjunction with FIG. 2 is supplemented by slider 50 functionality, in which a control bar 305 moves, horizontally in this example, across a slide bar 310 . The movement of the slider 50 changes the numeric value 220 displayed in the text box 215 of the control 40 . For example, by sliding the control bar 305 of the slider 50 in a first direction (e.g., to the right) on the slide bar 310 , the value 220 displayed in the text box 215 of the corresponding control 40 increases. Likewise, by changing the value 220 using the control 40 , the position of the control bar 305 on the slide bar 310 of the slider 50 moves accordingly. The combined control 40 and slider 50 allow the user more options for changing the value 220 of the parameter.
[0054] Referring again to FIG. 1 , there is shown an illustration of four controls controlling three different parameters in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a single interface 10 contains multiple controls 40 for control of multiple parameters 30 . In this example, each parameter 30 can be controlled separately as described above. In addition, two or more parameters 30 can be controlled simultaneously to affect changes in the numeric value 220 of each, referred to herein as parameter ganging. To gang two or more parameters 30 , the user selects/highlights a first parameter 50 , for example, Position 30 a, then clicks on a modifier key, such as the Shift key, and then selects/highlights one or more additional parameters 30 , for example Blur 30 c. Then, when the value 220 of one of the selected parameters, for example Blur 30 c increments up, the value 220 displayed in the text boxes 215 for all selected parameters 30 (here Position and Blur) increment up simultaneously. In this example, the parameters 30 can be ganged even if the parameters 30 control dissimilar aspects of the image.
[0055] In addition, the user can drag and drop values 220 from one control 40 to another. For example, if the user wishes to make the value of control 40 a (27.00) the same as the value of control 40 c (20.00), the user can click in the text box 215 of control 40 c and then drag and drop the value into the text box 215 of control 40 a. As discussed above, only movement that exceeds the tolerance angle 238 is recognized as an attempt by the user to drag and drop the value 220 into another control 40 . Therefore, the system can distinguish between the user's (accidental) drifting off in a perpendicular direction to an attempt to drag and drop the value 220 into another control 40 .
[0056] The present invention has been described in particular detail with respect to one possible embodiment. Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the invention may be practiced in other embodiments. First, the particular naming of the components, capitalization of terms, the attributes, data structures, or any other programming or structural aspect is not mandatory or significant, and the mechanisms that implement the invention or its features may have different names, formats, or protocols. Further, the system may be implemented via a combination of hardware and software, as described, or entirely in hardware elements. Also, the particular division of functionality between the various system components described herein is merely exemplary, and not mandatory; functions performed by a single system component may instead be performed by multiple components, and functions performed by multiple components may instead performed by a single component.
[0057] Some portions of above description present the features of the present invention in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on information. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. These operations, while described functionally or logically, are understood to be implemented by computer programs. Furthermore, it has also proven convenient at times, to refer to these arrangements of operations as modules or by functional names, without loss of generality.
[0058] Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the above discussion, it is appreciated that throughout the description, discussions utilizing terms such as “processing” or “computing” or “calculating” or “determining” or “displaying” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that 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.
[0059] Certain aspects of the present invention include process steps and instructions described herein in the form of an algorithm. It should be noted that the process steps and instructions of the present invention could be embodied in software, firmware or hardware, and when embodied in software, could be downloaded to reside on and be operated from different platforms used by real time network operating systems.
[0060] The present invention also relates 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 computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored on a computer readable medium that can be accessed by the computer. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), 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.
[0061] The algorithms and operations 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 be apparent to those of skill in the, along with equivalent variations. In addition, the present invention is not described with reference to any particular programming language. It is appreciated that a variety of programming languages may be used to implement the teachings of the present invention as described herein, and any references to specific languages are provided for disclosure of enablement and best mode of the present invention.
[0062] The present invention is well suited to a wide variety of computer network systems over numerous topologies. Within this field, the configuration and management of large networks comprise storage devices and computers that are communicatively coupled to dissimilar computers and storage devices over a network, such as the Internet.
[0063] Finally, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the inventive subject matter. Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims. | A user interface comprises a control for adjusting a numeric field value. The control includes controls for editing the numeric field text directly and for dynamically incrementing and decrementing the value. In addition, the control includes controls for combining several functions into one control, allowing for quicker numeric value editing, control of multiple parameters, and taking up less user interface space. | 6 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This Non-Provisional patent application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/063,099 filed Feb. 1, 2008, entitled “Firearm with Cartridge Pick-and-Place Mechanism”
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to automatic breech-loading firearms, more specifically to cartridge feeding systems.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Automatic and semi-automatic firearms require manipulation of the next cartridge. The manipulation normally occurs through springs applying a force against the cartridge. Opening the chamber to eject a shell or spent cartridge stores energy in the slide spring and the magazine spring to a point where the springs release to “kick” a fresh cartridge into place. This type of mechanism, which is found in most semi-automatic firearms, lacks a positive grip on the cartridge, and usually has a feeding ramp in front of the cartridge, leading to numerous cartridge handling errors made more acute as the springs degrade.
One of these errors is known as a “feed ramp jam”, where the bullet tip stops against the feeding ramp surface, preventing the bolt from fully reaching battery position. Self-defense bullets, such as hollow-points are more prone to feed ramp jams due to their sharp corners on the tip.
Another error is incurred when the cartridge gets ahead of the extractor so that the slide will not fully go into battery.
Another error is known as “rim-lock”, where cartridge rims catch on each other in the magazine, which stops the slide from reaching its battery position.
Yet another error, known as “failure to extract”, is where the spent case remains in the chamber after ignition. It can be caused by percussion gases making the extractor lose its grip on the cartridge.
Another drawback of traditional feed systems is that they leave little room for the barrel. Short barrels do not provide enough burn time for propellant inside of the barrel, so instead the propellant burns on the outside, significantly increasing muzzle flash and noise. Short barrels also reduce bullet energy.
The most common cartridge feeding system is depicted in Hiram Maxim's 1885 U.S. Pat. No. 317,162, where positive control of the cartridge is not exercised.
Past examples of controlled or “positive” cartridge manipulation include U.S. Pat. No. 395,791 to Hiram S. Maxim dated Jan. 8, 1889. However, its design was bulky and not a practical solution for smaller weapons such as pistols.
Another example is GB Pat. No. 25,656 dated Sep. 27, 1906 to Mars Automatic Pistol Syndicate discloses a “pull-back”-style mechanism in a pistol. However, the gun's feed mechanism did not positively control the cartridge at all times, nor did it have means of arresting or trapping the upward motion of the cartridge to prevent feed failures.
Blow-forward feeding systems maximized barrel length, but never implemented positive cartridge manipulation. One example is U.S. Pat. No. 580,935 to C. J. Ehbets on Apr. 20, 1897.
Rotating barrel weapons have not taken advantage of the barrel rotation to lock the extractor closed during ignition. One example of a rotating barrel gun without extractor-locking is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,504 to Pier G. Beretta on Jan. 15, 1991.
What is needed is a compact cartridge feeding system that eliminates the need for the front feed ramp of traditional cartridge feeding systems, and benefits from the positive nature of rearward-feeding systems that grasp a cartridge from the magazine, controls its motion at all times, and does not release it until during ejection from the firearm. What is also needed is a feeding mechanism that maximizes barrel length. What is additionally needed is an extractor that locks against the cartridge rim during ignition.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Considered broadly, firearms according to the invention are of the semi-automatic or fully-automatic type and include a frame, a barrel joined to the frame, a cartridge magazine selectively joinable to the frame, at least one cartridge contained within the cartridge magazine, with the cartridge having a casing and at least one projectile, the casing having a cartridge case flange at one end and a mouth on the opposite end; and a mechanism for lifting in selective communication with the cartridge and the barrel. The mechanism for lifting has a ramp that is located adjacent to the end of the cartridge at the cartridge case flange, where the ramp acts selectively on the flange and casing; an extractor rib and a barrel rib cooperating to keep extractor locked during cartridge ignition and unlocked substantially after ignition. This combination provides positive control of the cartridge from the extraction out of the magazine to the ejection of the fired case.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of embodiments and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments and together with the description serve to explain principles of embodiments. Other embodiments and many of the intended advantages of embodiments will be readily appreciated as they become better understood by reference to the following detailed description.
FIG. 1 is a cross section of the firearm taken along the middle, showing all major parts.
FIG. 2 shows a single-stack magazine being loaded from the rear.
FIG. 3 is a cross section of a single column magazine with a cartridge inside
FIG. 4 show the pair of tongs separated and laid flat
FIG. 5 shows the pair of tongs holding a cartridge
FIG. 6 shows the underside of the slide with a cartridge being held in the breech area
FIG. 7 shows two isometric views of the lifting mechanism
FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the coupler link assembly
FIG. 9 shows a retracted and partially extended view of the lifting mechanism Relative link lengths are also shown. The example is used for 9 mm ammunition
FIG. 10A-E are cross sections through the centerline of the firearm in the feed mechanism area. Each figure represents a different stage of slide motion
FIG. 10A shows the slide in the battery position with a cartridge in the chamber and one in the magazine being gripped by the tongs
FIG. 10B shows the slide part way back with the cartridge riding over the ramp and the spent case touching the cartridge
FIG. 10C shows the slide further back with the spent case ejected and cartridge lifting being initiated
FIG. 10D shows he slide fully back with a cartridge being trapped in topmost position
FIG. 10E shows the slide almost fully forward with a fresh cartridge mostly in the chamber and the tongs starting to engage the next cartridge in the magazine
FIG. 11 shows the spent case starting ejection, the cartridge below rising, and the ejector being cammed out of its way
FIGS. 12A-B are horizontal cross-sections looking down at the gun through the top of the slide
FIG. 12A shows the ejector in the active position
FIG. 12B shows the ejector being cammed out of the way of a rising cartridge
FIG. 13 shows features on the barrel and ejector that allow for ejector locking
FIG. 14A shows the barrel and ejector locked in battery position
FIG. 14B shows the slide somewhat back with the ejector unlocked from the barrel
FIG. 15A shows the overall view of a double-column magazine
FIG. 15B shows a vertical cross section of a double-column magazine
FIG. 15C shows a horizontal cross section and detail view of cartridge locating features
FIG. 16 shows a proposed single-column magazine that contains and locates bottle necked cartridges
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Basic Components
The invention is a gun or firearm 20 comprised of four basic components: a frame 22 , a sliding bolt assembly 23 , a lifting mechanism 45 , and a magazine 30 to contain a column of cartridges 38 (see FIG. 1 ). The frame provides mounting for these three assemblies.
The lifting mechanism 45 ( FIGS. 1 & 7 ) is located directly behind the magazine 30 , both of which are substantially below the sliding bolt assembly 23 . The cartridge is trapped in front of the breech face 25 when the sliding bolt assembly is in the rearward position.
Sliding Bolt Assembly
The sliding bolt assembly 23 is movable from a battery position ( FIG. 10A ) to a rearward position ( FIG. 10D ) relative to the frame 22 , the magazine 30 , and the lifting mechanism 45 , and contains such standard components as the firing pin 58 ( FIG. 1 ) and its return spring 60 , barrel 26 , slide return spring 27 . Unique to the invention is the combination of the slide or sliding bolt 24 and insert block or secondary block 28 with a feeding extractor or tongs 40 , 42 .
The sliding bolt 24 contains two recesses, 28 E& 24 B that act as vertical stops for the cartridge 38 being biased upwardly by the lifting mechanism 45 : one at the breech face 25 , consisting of a first concave surface 28 E facing downward (see FIG. 1 and FIG. 10D ) and one forward of the breech face 25 , a second concave surface 24 B also facing downward. The first concave surface 28 E protrudes from the breech face 25 and serves as a vertical stop for the cartridge case flange 38 A. The second concave surface 24 B is a groove that is normally occupied by the barrel when the sliding bolt is in battery position. This groove limits the vertical and horizontal travel of the forward portion of the cartridge 38 . The extractor 52 ( FIG. 11 ) is mounted to enable it to pivot in the sliding bolt 24 ( FIG. 6 and FIG. 14A ) with a biasing spring diametrically opposing the grip slot 28 C in the insert block 28 , allowing the cartridge 38 to be captured in between. It is important to note that the grip slot 28 C does not capture the cartridge case flange completely, as has been done in pull-back style machine guns. The grip slot 28 C has a lead-out chamfer (shown adjacent to 28 C in FIG. 6 ), which allows the cartridge case flange 38 A to slip out, and the cartridge case 38 C to swing out, when impacted by the ejector 54 . In other words, the grip slot 28 C does not have a positive grip on the case flange 38 A.
The secondary block 28 is mounted into the underside of the sliding bolt 24 via a flexible pin 32 ( FIG. 10A ) crossing through both parts in a direction perpendicular to the slide travel direction. The secondary block 28 has a hook or abutment 28 A ( FIG. 6 and FIG. 10C ), which is used to actuate the lifting mechanism 45 , a cam-forward face 28 D ( FIG. 10D ) to force the lifting mechanism 45 back down, and a transverse pivot hole 29 to accept the tong pivot pin 56 ( FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 ), which attaches the left hand tong 42 and right hand tong 40 to the insert block 28 ( FIG. 6 ). The pivot hole 29 in each tong is shaped to not only allow rotation about its pivot pin axis, but to also allow the tongs to open and close. Each tong 40 , 42 has a lead-in or beveled surface 40 C & 42 C that spread the tongs 40 , 42 open while engaging a cartridge from the rear. Each tong has a mating feature, such as the right tong lug 40 E and the left tong slot 42 D which combined with the pivot pin 56 keeps the tongs parallel to each other, although the lug 40 E and the slot 42 D can be reversed or a pin crossing through both tongs could be used instead. Each tong 40 , 42 has a gripping edge 40 A, 42 A that engages with the cartridge case flange 38 A for positive rearward draw. The tong gripping edges 40 A, 42 A are biased towards each other via the tong spring 68 which uses the tong pivot pin 56 as a fulcrum. Each tong also has a chamfered lower inlet 40 D that allows a case flange 38 A to enter from below during magazine insertion. Each tong has a curved cam groove 40 B & 42 B underneath ( FIG. 4 and FIG. 10E ) that cooperates with the lifting mechanism 45 for downward tong biasing during the return stroke of the sliding bolt assembly 23 .
Lifting Mechanism
The lifting mechanism 45 is a mechanism that swings from a lower position to an upper position ( FIG. 9 ). It is comprised of a flip link or first link 50 a lower link or second link 48 , a coupler link or third link 47 ( FIG. 8 ), and a torsion spring 49 to bias the mechanism in the lower position ( FIG. 10A ). The first link 50 and second link 48 are pivotably attached to the frame ( FIG. 10A ). The third link 47 connects the first link 50 to the second link 48 via pivot pins on either end. The third link 47 , in the illustrated example is comprised of a link body 51 and a ramp 46 ( FIG. 8 ). The third link could be configured whereby the ramp 46 and coupler link 51 are as one piece. The link body 51 serves as a mounting base for the ramp 46 , which curls around a cross pin 46 B that is attached to the link body 51 . A forward slope 46 A is also formed into the ramp 46 to guide a cartridge 38 upward and rearward from the magazine 30 (see also FIG. 10B ). The ramp 46 is supported on both ends by the link body 51 and has an unsupported free span between both ends that is able to flex downward while lifting a cartridge. The rearmost end of the ramp 46 is cantilevered so that it can be lifted by the flip link nose or second cam surface 50 B ( FIG. 10D ). The first cam surface 50 A is specially-shaped to receive input from the rearward-traveling secondary block abutment 28 A to provide actuation of the lifting mechanism. The shape of the first cam surface 50 A cooperates with the shape of the abutment 28 A to produce lifting velocity and acceleration that is less than the sliding bolt assembly 23 velocity and acceleration, such that cartridge 38 contact with the ramp 46 top surface is substantially maintained throughout the lift. A cam back or third cam surface 50 C ( FIG. 10E ) on the first link 50 engages the tong grooves 40 B & 42 B to reset the tongs 40 & 42 in the down position when the sliding bolt assembly 23 is fully forward.
Ejector
The ejector or ejector lever 54 ( FIG. 12A , 12 B) is mounted to the frame 22 in a location that impacts the cartridge case flange 38 A below its centerline, which is where the ejector 54 passes through the ejector slot 28 B. Slightly above the barrel 26 centerline, the cartridge is contained by the grip slot 28 C ( FIG. 6 ), which is opposed by the spring-loaded extractor 52 ( FIG. 6 ).
The ejector 54 ( FIG. 10C and FIG. 12A , 12 B) hinges at pivot 59 relative to the frame 22 and is biased in a direction that forces collision with the spent case 38 C.
The spring member 66 is mounted into the frame 22 and acts upon the ejector lever 54 to force it against the ejector stop 57 , also built into the frame 22 . The ejector tail 55 is integral with the ejector lever 54 and cooperates with a cam surface 24 A on the sliding bolt 24 to drive the ejector lever 54 in a counterclockwise direction (viewed from the top) when avoiding a rising cartridge 38 .
Cartridge Magazine
The cartridge magazine or magazine assembly 30 (See FIG. 2 & FIG. 3 ), which can be a traditional box-style, encloses a single column of cartridges 38 and is partially contained within the frame 22 when installed. The magazine 30 is comprised of a body or tubular structure 30 A, a spring 36 , a floor plate 37 , lips 30 C, and a rib 30 B that references the cartridge case mouth 38 B, preventing forward axial motion of cartridges contained within the tubular structure 30 A. The rib 30 B should extend entirely along the column of cartridges 38 so that upwardly flowing cartridges are not interrupted by changing surfaces. If the rib 30 B is not contiguous, another means of cartridge retention in the forward direction, such as engaging in cartridge case flanges 38 A, must be maintained until the cartridge 38 encounters the rib or ribs 30 B. In such a design, the top ribs 30 B can be provided by an additional piece whose function would be to both contain the cartridge stack against the spring 36 and to prevent forward axial motion of the top cartridge 38 .
The tubular structure 30 A can be made from a single piece, but two pieces is preferred since the rib 30 B needs to maintain a reasonably square edge to guide the case mouth 38 B. Additionally, two-piece construction allows the rib 30 B component of the body 30 A to be made of a thicker material, making it dimensionally more stable and resistant to deformation. The spring 36 is rectangular in a substantially rectangular form and has a very short solid height so as to maximize cartridge space. The floor plate 37 is affixed to the bottom of the tubular structure 30 A to contain spring 36 .
Extractor Locking Components
The barrel 26 is vertically captured between two components: the sliding bolt 24 on top, and the unlock block 62 on the bottom, which is mounted to the frame 22 ( FIG. 1 & FIG. 13 & FIGS. 14A-14B ). The barrel 26 is comprised of a long cylindrical body with rotary breech-locking lugs 78 , a rotation lug 70 which cooperates with the rotation groove 72 in the unlock block 62 , and a barrel rib 74 , which cooperates with the extractor rib 76 . The unlock block 62 contains the rotation groove 72 that receives the barrel rotation lug 70 . The rotation groove 72 is comprised of a straight section that is parallel to the barrel, and a helical section that serves to cam the rotation lug 70 in the circumferential direction thereby rotating the barrel 26 so that its rotation lugs can unlock from the slide body or sliding bolt.
Operation
Magazine Loading Process
Unlike traditional cartridge feeding systems, cartridges 28 are loaded into the magazine 30 from the rear ( FIG. 2 & FIG. 3 ). With the bullet pointing forward, the first cartridge 38 is placed on top of the spring 36 , with a forward force to register the case mouth 38 B against the rib 30 B; the subsequent cartridges 38 are placed on top of each other while pushing each cartridge fully forward.
Similar to traditional feeding systems, the cartridge magazine 30 is inserted into the magazine well from the bottom of the frame and retained with a magazine release.
Magazine Extraction Process
There are two modes for the tongs 40 & 42 to attach to uppermost cartridge 38 in magazine 30 ( FIG. 4 & FIG. 5 & FIG. 10A ). The first is the insertion of the magazine 30 into the frame 22 whereby the case flange 38 A of top cartridge enters the spring-loaded tongs 40 & 42 via the lower inlet 40 D on each tong. The tongs 40 & 42 spread apart as the case flange 38 A slides between them. The second mode of attachment is by the return of the sliding bolt assembly 23 ( FIG. 10E ). Since the lifting mechanism 45 has at this point returned to the lower position, the first link 50 is also in its lower position, allowing cam back 50 C to operate against the grooves in the tongs 40 B & 42 B to pivot them down as the sliding bolt 24 moves forward. Lead-ins 40 C & 42 C on the front of each tong 40 & 42 will slide over the back of the case flange 38 A, forcing the tongs 40 & 42 apart against the tong spring 68 , until the grip edges 40 A & 42 A of the tongs 40 & 42 have snapped over the case flange 38 A. Some tong over-travel, usually more than 0.015-inch, is required to guarantee complete snap-over.
Once the tongs 40 & 42 are attached to the top cartridge 38 in the magazine 30 , and a fresh cartridge 38 is in the chamber, the gun 20 is ready to fire and feed a cartridge 38 at the same time ( FIG. 10A ). At the time of percussion, the sliding bolt assembly 23 begins rearward travel and insert block's 28 inertia resists motion, causing the flexible pin 32 to bend, allowing the insert block 28 and on-board tongs 40 & 42 to momentarily remain in place. The flexible pin 32 then begins to spring back, allowing the insert block 28 to gradually catch up with the sliding bolt 24 , delaying and softening rearward acceleration of the cartridge 38 being gripped by the tongs 40 & 42 , thus minimizing possible separation of bullet from cartridge case. Typically, the gap 64 between the slide and insert block should be 0.014-inch or more. A suitable material for the flexible pin would be a commercially available coiled roll pin in alloy steel or stainless steel.
Since cartridges are positively drawn from the magazine 30 , there is no need for a lower guiding surface inside the magazine, such as a magazine follower used in traditional magazines. Another feature of the magazine extraction process is the presentation angle 31 of the uppermost cartridge 38 ( FIG. 10A ). The key is to have the angle between the axis of the cartridge and the line defined by the cartridge gripping point and tong pivot to be a non-zero value, more preferably 3 degrees or more. That way, during percussion, the rearward acceleration of the cartridge 38 is softened by the fact that the cartridge 38 must straighten out its angle to zero degrees relative to the tongs 40 & 42 before any significant rearward motion of the cartridge 38 can occur.
Due to the very high acceleration experienced by the sliding bolt assembly 23 , precaution must be taken in the design of the hammer 44 . The contact point between the hammer 44 and the insert block 28 must be kept as high in elevation as possible, to minimize the angular velocity of the hammer 44 , to prevent it from severely over-traveling and damaging the frame 22 .
Lifting Mechanism Sequence
As a cartridge 38 is drawn from the magazine 30 , it is presented to the lifting mechanism 45 which is at rest in its lowermost position. The cartridge 38 first encounters the forward slope 46 A on the ramp 46 , which steers the cartridge 38 in an upward direction toward the spent case 38 C being extracted from the chamber, which helps limit the vertical travel of the cartridge 38 as it slides along the top surface of the ramp 46 ( FIG. 10B ). For a short time, the cartridge 38 and spent case 38 C are substantially parallel to each other, until the secondary block abutment 28 A catches the first cam surface 50 A and begins the actuation of the lifting mechanism 45 ( FIG. 10C ). Since the sliding bolt 24 is normally moving very fast, the motion imparted to the lifting mechanism 45 is also very fast, and causes the cartridge 38 to rise abruptly. While moving upward, the ramp 46 can absorb some of the impact against the cartridge 38 by flexing downwardly. The rising of the cartridge 38 continues as the spent case 38 C strikes the ejector 54 . The spent case 38 C is also being affected by the cartridge 38 from below by being wedged away from the inboard side of the ejection area in a manner that amplifies the ejection velocity of the spent case 38 C. In other words, both the ejector 54 and the cartridge 38 are impacting the spent case 38 C simultaneously.
With the spent case 38 C fully clear of the breech area, the cartridge 38 continues upwardly, bringing along tongs 40 & 42 , which are still attached to the cartridge 38 . The tongs 40 & 42 cease pivoting motion when stopping against the underside of the secondary block 28 ( FIG. 10D ). With the lifting mechanism 45 continuing, the case flange 38 A will leave the tongs 40 & 42 , spreading them apart against the tong spring 68 , and entering the cartridge breech face 25 for the cartridge 38 to be trapped.
While the lifting mechanism 45 link members can have different lengths, in practice it is desirable to have all four pivots of the lifting mechanism 45 form a parallelogram so that substantially parallel motion is imparted to the cartridge 38 during lift. In other words, the first link 50 and the second link 48 should be the same length, and the third link body 51 and the ground link (frame 22 pivot distance) should be the same length (see FIG. 9 ). Non-parallel motion can cause the cartridge 38 to tilt in an undesirable way.
Ejector Bypass
The receding spent case 38 C is removed by striking the ejector lever 54 , but as the new cartridge 38 rises, the ejector 54 must now move out of the way to prevent it from contacting and diverting the cartridge 38 ( FIG. 11 , FIGS. 12A & 12B ). This is done by a cam surface 24 A integral with the sliding bolt 24 acting upon the tail of the ejector lever 55 . This is timed so that just after the ejector has been struck by a spent case, it begins to rotate about its pivot 59 out of the way of a rising cartridge 38 . The ejector 54 maintains its out-of-the-way position ( FIG. 12B ) as the sliding bolt 24 finishes its rearward travel.
Cartridge Trap
As the cartridge 38 is lifted past the tongs 40 & 42 , it enters into the breech face 25 region by sliding under the spring-loaded extractor 52 . Opposing the extractor spring on the opposite side of the breech face 25 is the grip slot 28 C ( FIG. 6 ), which receives the case flange 38 A and guides it during lift and when it arrives at top position. Just before the cartridge 38 reaches its top position, the sliding bolt assembly 23 has some remaining travel, but the lifting mechanism 45 is near toggle and will provide almost no additional lift. However the remaining slide 24 travel will impart additional rotation of the first cam surface 50 A to act upon the ramp 46 to provide additional lift to the cartridge 30 A ( FIG. 10D ). This lifting amplification allows the lifting mechanism 45 to be more compact.
The cartridge 38 reaches its upper travel limit when its case flange 38 A touches the flange stop or first concave surface 28 E and the case mouth 38 B area nests into the concave ceiling or second concave surface 24 B ( FIG. 10D ). Both concave surfaces are built in to the sliding bolt. Although the cartridge 38 has stopped, the flip link nose 50 A continues to rotate somewhat more, forcing the flexible tang 46 to bend against the case of the cartridge 38 , effectively clamping it against the concave upper surfaces 28 E and 24 B, completing the trapping process.
In practice, it is desirable to have the cartridge 38 lifted slightly above the barrel 26 axis when it is trapped. This reduces the tilt angle of the trapped cartridge 38 thus reducing stress on the extractor 52 and potential case flange 38 A cam-out from under the extractor 52 .
Cartridge Delivery to Chamber
Upon return of the slide 24 to battery, the cartridge 38 must now move down to become co-linear with the barrel 26 so that it can enter the chamber without requiring excessive lead-ins. This vertical offset should not exceed 0.070″ or the flat noses of some hollow point ammunition can catch on the chamber face. Typically, an offset of 0.035-0.060″ works best. For proper lead-in, a small chamfer of 0.015″-0.020″ on the chamber mouth is required.
Extractor Locking
When the sliding bolt 24 and barrel 26 are at rest in the battery position, the barrel rib 74 overlaps with the extractor rib 76 ( FIG. 13 & FIGS. 14A-14B ). After cartridge ignition, some gases escape rearward from the chamber, trying to force the extractor 52 to disengage with the case flange 38 A. However, the barrel rib 74 inhibits extractor pivoting until chamber gas pressure has significantly dropped. Recoil drives the barrel 26 and slide 24 rearward as the rotation lug 70 slides in the rotation groove 72 until it encounters the helical surface, which forces the barrel 26 to turn about its axis. By this time, the bullet has left the barrel 26 and chamber pressure has dropped to a level where extractor 52 blow-out can no longer occur. Barrel rotation continues until the extractor 52 is unlocked from the barrel 26 . Shortly thereafter the rotation also unlocks the barrel 26 from the slide 24 , allowing the barrel 26 to stop and the slide 24 to continue rearward.
Description and Operation of Alternative Embodiments
Dual-Column Magazine
A single-column magazine provides for a thinner gun for better concealment; however, a dual-column magazine results in greater capacity. In FIG. 15 A, 15 B, 15 C and Detail AD we see a tubular structure 84 that is modified to include a wide section to contain a double column of cartridges 38 that converges into a single column. Although the invention relies on case-mouth location at the top position, which is provided by tightly spaced ribs 88 , it is not practical to guide two columns of cartridges this way. Instead, two rails 86 , formed by bending the edges of the tubular structure, engage the cannelures 39 to contain the alternating cartridges axially until the two columns merge into a single column, where case mouth location can be accomplished with the ribs. The spring 90 pre-loads the cartridge 38 stack and cannelures 39 against the opposing rails 86 . The floor plate 82 then caps off the bottom of the magazine. To guarantee that no forward axial movement of the cartridge is experienced during this transition, the rails 86 overlap with the ribs 88 . Lips 92 are also used on this design to oppose the magazine spring 90 . The floor plate 82 is attached the same way as a single-column magazine. Cartridges 38 are drawn from the rear by the tongs 40 , 42 .
Bottle-Necked Cartridge Magazine
Bottle-necked cartridges 94 present an opportunity for simplification of the magazine design. FIG. 16 shows the proposed magazine 98 . Instead of using contiguous ribs to guide the case mouth, angled folds 100 are used to register against the shoulder 96 of the bottlenecked cartridge 94 . All other features and functions would be identical to a case-mouth guided magazine.
Dual-Column Bottle-Necked Cartridge Magazine
This magazine would be analogous to the dual-column case mouth guided magazine shown in FIG. 15C , except folds 100 would be used at the top instead of ribs 88 . Case flanges would be engaged by rails folded into the edge of the magazine body.
Single-Piece Sliding Bolt
The sliding bolt assembly has been defined as a three-element construction, relative to the invention. However, one element can be removed, the secondary block 28 , can be eliminated by incorporating its features into the slide itself. The tongs 40 & 42 would then directly hinge to the slide.
Passive Ejector
A simpler extractor design would be to have the cartridge itself move the ejector lever out of the way. This would eliminate the need to machine a cam into the slide and would allow more lenient manufacturing tolerances of the related parts. The risk would be that the cartridge could be steered out of the weapon by the ejector spring force. Careful selection of an ejector spring and careful design of a lead-in on the underside of the ejector may overcome these issues.
CONCLUSION
It is thus evident that in the magazine cartridges are kept in forward alignment via case mouth registration. It is also evident that after a cartridge is drawn rearward from the magazine, it is guided, lifted, trapped and carried into the barrel chamber. It is additionally evident that the chamber extractor is locked during ignition and is automatically unlocked significantly after ignition. This arrangement affords reliable cartridge feeding, due to positive cartridge control at all times, and maximum kinetic energy of the bullet due to additional barrel length extending over the magazine.
While the above description contains numerous specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but as exemplifications of the presently preferred embodiments thereof. Many other ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of the invention, such as using the invention in rifles, machine guns and artillery. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples given. | A firearm comprising a frame, a barrel joined to the frame, and a cartridge magazine selectively joinable to the frame; at least one cartridge contained within the cartridge magazine with the cartridge having a casing and at least one projectile, the casing having a cartridge case flange at one end and a mouth on the opposite end; and mechanism for lifting in selective communication with the cartridge and the barrel, with the mechanism for lifting having a ramp that is located adjacent to the end of the cartridge at the cartridge case flange, where the ramp acts selectively on the flange and casing; an extractor rib and barrel rib cooperating to keep extractor locked during cartridge ignition and unlocked substantially after ignition. | 5 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a mechanism for preventing double cassette insertion and floating motion of an inner lid in a magnetic recording apparatus for an 8mm video or other cassette including an inner lid.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, a great development or practical use is appreciated in the field of 8mm video, digital audio tape players or other magnetic recording apparatuses including a rotary head to effect digital recording.
Such a magnetic recording apparatus gives more reliable and improved image and sound quality than a prior art apparatus using a fixed head. However, the use of a rotary head requires a mechanism for driving the rotary head, a tape loading mechanism for winding a tape on the rotary head and other related mechanisms. This invites an increase in the number of parts and in the mounting space of the apparatus. Therefore, a dimensional decrease and a structural simplification are strong demands in the field of these magnetic recording apparatuses.
In a magnetic recording apparatus of this type, cassette insertion and ejection are effected by moving right and left cassette holders along guide grooves of right and left side plates in a space defined by the vertically standing side plates and a horizontal connection plate connecting the side plates.
In this arrangement, a cassette loaded in a mode position cannot be seen from the exterior of the apparatus. Therefore, it sometimes occurs that another cassette is inserted erroneously in addition to the former cassette already head in the interior of the apparatus. This often causes the latter cassette to hit opposed interior walls of the apparatus or causes the tape to be pulled out of the cassette. In order to prevent this trouble, a prior art apparatus is provided with a double insertion preventing mechanism comprising a particular stoppers which cover the surface of a loaded cassette to prevent insertion of a second cassette.
However, the use of the particular stoppers increases the number of parts and complicates the construction of the apparatus. Additionally, the particular stoppers are usually mounted on the cassette holders pivotably in response to a movement thereof, considering their function, and the particlar stoppers reach high when the cassette holders are elevated. This obviously causes a dimensional increase of the apparatus.
Further, an 8 mm video cassette includes an inner lid, the inner lid which often hits a dust door at a cassette insertion/ejection aperture if the inner lid stands high upon ejection of the cassette, and prevents smooth ejection of the cassette.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a double insertion and inner lid float preventing mechanism which not only covers the surface of a cassette held in the interior of the apparatus to prevent double cassette insertion but also urges an inner lid upon ejection of the cassette to prevent the inner lid from floating up and further contributes to a dimensional reduction and a simplified construction of the apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A double insertion and inner lid float preventing mechanism according to the invention includes a misplate overhanging a space defined by right and left side plates and a connection plate. The misplate has one end insertingly engaging the connection plate to move pivotably up and down about the engagement point to push an inserted cassette downwardly. The same end of the misplate is also provided with vertical extensions which serve as regulating means for connection plate to limit a downward pivotal movement of the misplate. An upward movement of the misplate is limited by claw members formed on the right and left side plates.
With this arrangement, when a cassette is inserted, the misplate is pivoted vertically to overhang low the surface of the cassette to prevent double insertion. Upon cassette ejection, the misplate presses down the cassette to prevent a flating motion of the inner lid. Further, since the invention employs a very simple arrangement in which the misplate is added to the right and left side plates and the connection plate, and since pivotal movement of the misplate is limited within an angle, the invention contributes to a scale reduction and simplification of the entire apparatus, never inviting a problem that the misplate occupies a large vertical space above the cassette holders when they are elevated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a double insertion and inner lid float preventing mechanism according to the invention;
FIGS. 2 through 4 are side elevations of the same embodiment: in which FIG. 2 shows that a cassette is inserted; FIG. 3 shows that a cassette is going to be loaded; and FIG. 4 shws that a cassette loading operation is completed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A double insertion and inner lid float preventing mechanism according to the invention is described below in detail, referring to an embodiment illustrated in the drawings.
In FIG. 1, there are provided right and left side plates 1 which have rear ends connected to each other by a connection plate 2. Each side plate 1 is provided with guide grooves 3a through 3c at three positions as shown in FIG. 2 to guide reciprocal movements of associated one of right and left cassette holders 4 therealong in horizontal and vertical directions. In FIG. 2, reference numbers 4a through 4c denote guide pins formed on the cassette holders 4 to move in the guide grooves 3a through 3c.
The right and left side plates 1 and the connection plate 2 defines a space which is covered by a misplate 5 which has a rear end engagingly inserted under step portions 2a of the connection plate 2 to support the misplate 5 pivotably up and down about the junction. The misplate 5 is guided by upper portions of vertical plates 4d of the cassette margins 4 to pivot up and down in response to up and down movements of the cassette holders 4.
The construction plate 2 and the misplate 5 are provided with vertical extensions 6 and 7, respectively, which serve as regulating members. When the vertical extensions 6 and 7 engage with each other, a further downward movement of the misplate 5 is prohibited.
At a central portion of each side plate 1 is provided claw members 8 which engage the misplate 5 to limit the upward movement of same.
Reference numberal 9 in the illustration denotes a dust door which covers a cassette insertion apparture, and 10 designates a cassette which includes a lid 10a and an inner lid 10b opened by a lid opener (not shown).
With this arrangement, the embodiment operates as follows.
Upon cassette insertion, the cassette holders 4 take elevated positions at a front area (left-hand area in the drawing) as shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, the misplate 5 is held at a higher position than an insertion path for the cassette 10, and permits that the cassette 10, when manually inserted, is handed to a cassette loading operation of a loading mechanism.
When the cassette holders 4 reach the innerlimit positions (right-hand positions in the drawing), the misplate 5 begins to drop as shown in FIG. 3. In this case, since the connection plate 2 and the misplate 5 have the vertical extensions 6 and 7, respectively, they engage with each other, and the misplate 5 is held at a position to substantially cross the cassette insertion path.
When the cassette holders 4 move down, a lid opener (not shown) is activated to open the lid 10a and the inner lid 10b of the cassette 10.
Finally, when the cassette holders 4 carrying the cassette 10 thereon drop to tape mode positions, i.e. when a cassette loading operation is completed, the lid 10a of the cassette 10 is fully opened for a subsequent tape loading operation.
In this fashion, the embodiment is configured so that the misplate 5 lockingly held in a configuration crossing the cassette insertion path after the cassette loading operation is completed. Therefore, if a user erroneously tries to insert another cassette, the front end of the misplate 5 rejects it and reliably prevents double cassette insertion.
Upon ejection of the cassette 10, an ejection mechanism (not shown) elevates the cassette holders 4 from their cassette loading completion positions of FIG. 4 and move them back forwardly. Responsively, the lid 10a and the inner lid 10b of the cassette 10 are released from the lid opener and return to their closed conditions. In this case, if the lid 10a or inner lid 10b is caught by something in the apparatus or floats up due to some impulse, the ejecting operation is continued while the lid 10a or inner lid 10b is open, i.e. while it takes the configuration of FIG. 3. Since the prior art apparatus does not include any means of pressing the lid 10a and the inner lid 10b, there is a large possibility that the inner lid 10b hits and engages the dust door 9 and prevents ejection of the cassette 10. In contrast, the embodiment uses the misplate 5 to press down the cassette 10, downwardly by the misplate 5 which reliably closes the lid 10a and the inner lid 10b. Therefore, they never hit or engage the dust door 9, and ensure smooth ejection of the cassette 10.
Further, since the embodiment employs a very simple arrangement, i.e. the insertingly engaging misplate is simply added to the minimum arrangement of right and left side plates 1--1 and the connection plate 2, and since the misplate 5 is limited in its pivotal movement, the described arrangement does not cause a problem that the misplate 5 projects upon elevation of the cassette holders, and contributes to a scale reduction and simplification of the entire apparatus. This also simplifies the assembling process of the apparatus.
The invention should not be construed to be limited to the aforegoing embodiment. The configuration and engaging arrangement of the misplate may be changed as desired, and the misplate may be driven by a member other than the cassette holders.
As described above, using a simple arrangement in which the vertically pivotable misplate insertingly engages the connection plate, the invention not only prevents double insertion by covering the surface of a cassette upon cassette loading operation but also prevents floating motion of the inner lid by pressing down the inner lid upon cassette ejection. Also, the double insertion and inner lid float preventing mechanism according to the invention contributes to a scale reduction and simplification of the apparatus. | A tape recorder for a cassette having an inner lid includes a misplate pivotably engaging a connection plate bridging right and left side plates. The misplate is pivotable within a limited angle to overhang a space defined by the side plates and the connection plate in order to reject double cassette insertion and prevent floating motion of the inner lid at a predetermined mode position. | 6 |
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a division of application Ser. No. 710,126, filed July 30, 1976, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,018 which is related to application Ser. No. 710,127, filed July 30, l976, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air-fuel ratio compensating device for internal combustion engines, and more particularly it relates to a compensation device incorporated in a flow measuring device arranged so that in order to accurately control the ratio of suction air to fuel so as to keep it at a constant value, the difference in the pressures existing on opposite sides of an air throttle valve placed in a suction pipe is kept at a constant value by a feedback control device, the amount of incoming air being determined by the opening area of said throttle valve.
Further, the invention relates to a fluid type or mechanical type compensation device which does not make it necessary to remodel said flow measuring device.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
In internal combustion engines, e.g., for automobiles, it is particularly important to engine efficiency and exhaust gas countermeasure to accurately control the weight ratio of suction air to fuel so as to keep it at a constant value. To this end, a high precision measuring device for measuring the amount of suction air is required. Generally, the conventional suction air flow measuring device for this purpose comprises a flow control valve interlocked to an accelerator pedal and placed in an air suction pipe, a flow detection valve interlocked to a fuel control mechanism and placed upstream of said flow control valve, said two valves defining an intermediate chamber, the pressure in said intermediate chamber being controlled by the opening and closing of the upstream valve so as to keep constant the difference in the pressures existing on opposite sides of said flow detection valve, so that the amount of suction air is proportional to the opening area of the flow detection valve, the amount of flow of air being thus determined by said opening area. The so-called area flowmeter system is known. The control of the pressure control valve in this system is performed by employing a pressure difference control servo-mechanism based on the feedback system wherein when the difference in the pressures existing on opposite sides of the valve is deviated from a predetermined value, the deviation is detected by the pressure difference setting diaphragm of the servo-mechanism, the detected value being then amplified by a fluid mechanism, the resulting amplified output being used to increase or decrease the degree of opening of the flow detection valve so as to bring said pressure difference to said predetermined value. Since incoming air varies in its specific weight with its temperature and pressure, a pressure difference compensating mechanism is incorporated so as to measure the amount of flow of air accurately.
While the air-fuel ratio provided by the above mechanism is appropriate during normal operation of the engine, often there arises the need of changing the air-fuel ratio so as to increase the same when the engine is at full throttle or the engine temperature is low. Thus, the above device is not appropriate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an air-fuel ratio compensating device for internal combustion engines, comprising a flow detection valve and a flow control valve which are placed in series with each other in a channel, said flow detection valve being interlocked to a fuel control valve, an area flowmeter for keeping constant the difference in the pressures existing on opposite sides of the flow detection valve and determining the amount of inflow by the opening area thereof, a feedback control mechanism consisting of a pressure-sensitive amplifier mechanism for detecting and amplifying the deviation of the pressure difference by means of a pressure difference setting diaphragm, and a valve opening mechanism for controlling the opening and closing of the flow detection valve by the output from said pressure-sensitive amplifier mechanism, and compensation mechanism whereby the set value put in said pressure difference setting diaphragm is compensated according to the operating conditions of an internal combustion engine.
Further, the invention is intended to compensate for the fluid pressures acting on opposite surfaces of the pressure difference setting diaphragm according to the operating conditions of an engine.
FEATURES OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, since the air-fuel ratio compensating mechanism for making the difference in the pressures on opposite sides of the air throttle valve smaller than the set pressure difference of the servo-mechanism so as to decrease the amount of flow of air to increase the fuel proportion relative to the air is incorporated in the pressure difference control servo-mechanism, the air-fuel ratio is automatically varied toward more fuel when the engine is at full throttle or the engine temperature is low. As a result, it has become easier to increase the engine output when necessary or start the engine. Thus, it has become possible to improve the performance of this type of internal combustion engines. Further, the incorporation of the present inventive device does not necessitate substantial remodeling of the main body including the servo-mechanism since it is only necessary to vary the pressures in chambers A and B separated by the pressure difference setting diaphragm by utilizing a venturi or vary the spring force on the pressure difference setting diaphragm. Further, the air-fuel ratio can be varied as desired according to the operating conditions of the engine, and this is effective particularly for exhaust gas countermeasure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a view explanatory of the air flow measuring device for internal combustion engines developed by the applicant and forming the background of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a view explanatory of a first embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 shows a modification of the device shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is view explanatory of a second embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5 shows a modification of the device shown in FIG. 4;
FIGS. 6 and 7 are views explanatory of the principle of operation of the device shown in FIG. 5;
FIG. 8 is view explanatory of a third embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 9 shows a modification of the device shown in FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
First of all, the outline of the air flow measuring device for internal combustion engines which forms the background of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1.
In FIG. 1, 1 designates the suction air pipe of an engine and 2 designates a feedback control mechanism consisting of a valve opening mechanism 3 and a pressure difference control servo-mechanism 4. An upstream valve 5 and a downstream valve 6 are placed in said air suction pipe 1, said upstream valve 5 serving as a flow detection valve and connected to the valve opening mechanism 3 and to a fuel control mechanism (not shown), said downstream valve 6 serving as a flow control valve and connected to an accelerator pedal 7. Let P 1 be the air pressure in the upstream valve 5 and P 2 be the air pressure in an intermediate chamber 8 defined between the upstream and downstream valves 5 and 6. Then, if the pressure difference (P 1 -P 2 ) is kept constant, it follows that the amount of flow of air is proportional to the opening area of the upstream valve 5 and hence the amount of flow of air can be determined by the opening area of the valve. This is the area flowmeter system. Since the flow detection valve is interlocked to the fuel control mechanism, the ratio of suction air to fuel supplied can be kept constant if the degree of opening of the valve is proportional to the amount of supply of fuel. The difference (P 1 -P 2 ) in the pressures on opposite sides of the flow detection valve is controlled by the feedback control mechansim 2 so that it is constant. Thus, when the pressure difference (P 1 -P 2 ) deviates slightly from a certain value, it is the servomechansim 4 that detects and amplifies the deviation and it is the valve opening mechansim 3 that directly controls the opening and closing of the upstream valve 5 according to said deviation so as to correct the pressure difference (P 1 -P 2 ) to a constant value by using the output from the servo-mechanism 4. The valve opening mechanism 3 comprises a diaphragm 9 installed in the main body through a spring 10, the movable portion of said diaphragm being connected to the upstream valve 5. The servo-mechanism 4 has chambers A and B which are separated from each other by a diaphragm 11 and chambers C and D which are separated by a variable orifice 13 whose opening area varies with the displacement of a valve 12 secured to the diaphragm 11. The chambers A and D communicate with each other through a communication hole 14 so that they are maintained under the same pressure. The chamber B communicates with the intermediate chamber 8 downstream of the upstream valve 5, while the chamber C communicates with the valve opening mechanism 3 and with the intermediate chamber 8 through a choke 15. Further, the chambers A and D communicate with the upstream side of the upstream valve 5 so that they are at the pressure P 1 . The chamber B is at the pressure P 2 . The deviation of the pressure difference (P 1 -P 2 ) is detected in terms of the displacement of the pressure difference setting diaphragm 11. The above-described construction of the amplifier mechanism 4 is designed principally for detecting the deviation of the pressure difference (P 1 -P 2 ), and the compensation for the temperature and pressure of the air is made by a bellows 16, in which a gas at a reference temperature is enclosed so that it may have a reference pressure. One end of the bellows is in permanent contact with the valve 12 and the other end is fixed to the fixed part of the main body. Pressure difference setting springs 17 and 18 have their spring pressures adjusted so as to balance the difference in the pressures P 1 and P 2 acting on opposite sides of the diaphragm 11. The spring pressure adjustment is made by an adjusting screw 19, and in the balanced condition the variable orifice 13 is slightly open.
The principle of the operation of the above construction is as follows.
When the difference (p 1 -P 2 ) in the pressures on opposite sides of the upstream valve 5 is slightly deviated from a predetermined value, the pressure difference setting diaphragm 11 is displaced to move the valve 12, so that the opening area of the variable orifice 13 between the chambers C and D varies and the pressure P n in the chamber C varies between P 1 and P 2 . When the pressure P n in the chamber C varies as a result of the deviation of the pressure difference (P 1 -P 2 ) as described above, the diaphragm 9 of the valve opening mechanism 3 communicating therewith is displaced and eventually the upstream valve 5 is actuated in a direction which corrects the deviation. In this case, however, if the temperature and pressure of incoming air vary, the density of the air also varies, producing an error in the air-fuel ratio. Compensation for the temperature and pressure of air is automatically made by the bellows 16. Therefore, the servo-mechanism 4 corrects errors due to temperature and pressure by the bellows 16 and also keeps constant the pressure difference (P 1 -P 2 ) by adjusting the diaphragm 11 to a certain pressure difference set value by means of the pressure difference setting springs 17 and 18. In this way, the weight rate of suction air flow is made proportional to the opening area of the upstream valve 5 by keeping the pressure difference (P 1 -P 2 ) constant, and if the fuel control mechanism is connected so that the supply of fuel is proportional to said opening area, the ratio of suction air to fuel can be kept constant regardless of the pressure and temperature of the atmosphere.
The air-fuel ratio provided in the manner described above is appropriate for normal operation, but when engine is at full throttle or the engine temperature is low, it is necessary to increase the amount of fuel by changing the air-fuel ratio provided by the above mechanism.
The present invention enables the above necessity to be automatically met, and to this end an air-fuel ratio compensating mechanism 20 operable when the engine is warming up or at full throttle is incorporated in the servo-mechanism 4. This will now be described in more detail.
FIG. 2 is a first embodiment of the invention, wherein air-fuel ratio is compensated by adjusting the spring pressure of one spring 18. Designated at 21 is a connecting bar connected to the spring 18; 22, a solenoid disposed around the intermediate region of the connecting bar 21; and 23, an iron piece fixed to the connecting bar 21. They are used when the engine is at full throttle. Designated at 24 is a temperature-sensitive member; 25, a cylinder; 26, a piston rod; and 27, a lever. The temperature-sensitive member 24 is immersed in the cooling water in a radiator or placed adjacent thereto so that the fluid enclosed in said member is expanded or contracted in response to variations in the temperature of the cooling water, such volumetric change of the fluid acting on the cylinder 25 via a pipe 28 to extend or retract the piston rod 26. The extending or retracting movement of the piston rod 26 is transmitted to the connecting bar 21 through the lever 27. The solenoid 22, when energized in the manner to be later described, attracts the iron piece 23 to retract the connecting bar 21 toward the servomechanism 4 side.
The operation of the air-fuel ratio compensating mechanism described above is as follows.
An electric contact set installed on the flow control valve or a pressure-sensitive switch adapted to be closed when the negative pressure (absolute pressure) in the manifold becomes high is installed on the manifold, in such a manner that the solenoid 22 is energized when the engine is substantially at full throttle. Then, when the engine is substantially at full throttle, the solenoid 22 is energized to attract the iron piece 23 to push up the connecting bar 21, whereby the spring 18 is deformed to increase the spring pressure acting on the diaphragm 11. As a result, the set pressure difference value of the servomechanism 4 becomes lower than a predetermined value. Consequently, the valve 12 interlocked to the pressure difference setting diaphragm 11 is also displaced to decrease the opening area of the variable orifice 13, so that the pressure P n in the chamber C decreases similarly. At the same time, the pressure in the lower chamber of the valve opening mechanism 3 is decreased to cause the downward displacement of the diaphragm 9, as viewed in FIG. 2, so that the flow detection valve 5 interlocked to the diapragm 9 is opened until it is balanced at the new set value of the pressure difference setting diaphragm. Thereby, the degree of opening of the flow detection valve 5 is increased and hence the amount of fuel to be fed by the fuel control mechanism is increased. Therefore, the amount of air relative to the amount of fuel is decreased and the engine output is thereby increased. Further, at engine start, the engine is so cool that fuel cannot be fully gasified. This time also it is necessary to increase the fuel concentration. In this case, the temperature-sensitive member 24 detects the temperature of the engine cooling water with the resulting volumetric change of the enclosed fluid as the latter thermally expands, such change being converted into an axial displacement by the piston rod 26 of the cylinder 25 through the pipe 28. In the case where the engine temperature is low, such axial displacement is converted into a diaplacement of the connecting bar 21 through the lever 27 and eventually increases the spring pressure of the spring 18. At this time (when the engine temperature is low), the amount of fuel to be fed is increased in the same manner as when the engine is at full throttle, thereby facilitating engine start.
FIG. 3 shows the use of an elastic bimetal 29 in place of the pressure difference adjusting spring 18. The increase of the amount of fuel needed during warm-up or at full throttle is effected when a controller 30 which operates according to the operating conditions of the internal combustion engine causes the energization of a heater 31 placed adjacent the the bimetal 29. The heater 31 causes the bimetal 29 to push up the pressure difference setting diaphragm 11.
In the above embodiments, the spring 18 or bimetal 29 is displaced to vary the force on the diaphragm so as to compensate air-fuel ratio. However, it is also possible to vary the spring pressure of the other spring 17 which acts on the variable orifice 13 parallelly with the bellows 16, so as to vary the force on the diaphragm 11.
FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the invention. An exhaust gas sensor 32 for detecting a component of exhaust gas is installed in an exhaust pipe 32. Designated at 34 is a controller for controlling a heater 35 placed in a bellows 16 by a signal from said sensor 33. In this case, the set value of the pressure difference setting diaphragm is preset so as to provide fuel-rich gas, the air-fuel ratio is controlled by energizing the heater 35 so as to provide the theoretical air-fuel ratio. That is, upon energization of the heater 35, the bellows 16 is extended, resulting in increasing the pressure difference set value. Consequently, the opening area of the variable orifice interlocked to the pressure difference setting diaphragm is increased and hence the pressure P n in the chamber C is increased to displace the diaphragm of the valve opening mechanism 3 until it is balanced at the set pressure difference which has been corrected. The flow detection valve is thus closed. At the same time, the fuel control mechanism interlocked to the flow detection valve decreases the supply of fuel to decrease the fuel proportion. In the case of an oxygen sensor utilizing the electromotive force of zirconium dioxide (Zr O 2 ), the electromotive force changes in a step function manner in the vicinity of the theoretical air-fuel ratio. If the fuel proportion is decreased as described above, the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gas is increased, so that the output from the sensor 33 becomes zero, deenergizing the heater 35. As a result, the bellows 16 is gradually contracted and the air-fuel ratio shifts toward the fuel-rich side, so that the sensor 33 gives its output again, thus repeating the above-described compensating action. The means for controlling the heater 35 is not limited to said exhaust gas sensor. For example, it may be controlled by a signal which simulates the operating conditions of the engine. Further, the heater 35 may be energized when the r.p.m. of the engine reaches a predetermined value.
In the above embodiments, the system used has been one for compensating the difference pressure adjusting spring for setting the pressure difference setting diaphragm, but the compensation of air-fuel ratio may also be achieved by varying the pressures P 1 and P 2 in the suction pipe acting on opposite sides of the pressure difference setting diaphragm 11. FIG. 5 shows such embodiment, wherein the upstream side of the upstream valve 5 and the intermediate chamber 8 downstream of said valve communicate with chambers A and D through a venturi 36 and a chamber B communicates with the venturi 36 at a position where its static pressure is detected. Designated at 37 is an on-off valve which is opened when it is desired to increase the fuel proportion relative to the air when the engine is at full throttle or warming up. When the engine is at full throttle, the opening and closing of said valve 37 is effected by an electric contact set placed on the flow control valve 5 or a pressure-sensitive switch placed in the manifold and adapted to be closed when the negative pressure in the manifold is high, while when the engine is warming up, it is effected by an element which is sensitive to the temperature of the engine cooling water. In addition, the on-off valve 37 is kept closed during the normal engine operation, i.e., except when the engine is at full throttle or is warming up.
The principle of the operation of the above air-fuel ratio compensating mechanism is as follows.
When it is necessary to increase the fuel concentration as when the engine is warming up or is at full throttle, said electric contact set, pressure-sensitive switch or sensitive element opens the on-off valve 37. According to Bernoulli's principle, when a high pressure source A (at pressure P A ) and a low pressure source B (at pressure P B ) are interconnected through a venturi C, as shown in FIG. 6, the pressure distribution is as shown in FIG. 7 with the pressure P C in the venturi C lower than P B . Thus, the pressure in the venturi in FIG. 5 is P 2 ' which is lower than the pressure P 2 in the chamber B. Since the servo-mechanism 4 is set so that the pressure difference (P 1 -P 2 ') may take a particular value, the pressure difference (P 1 -P 2 ) between the upstream side of the upstream valve 5 and the intermediate chamber 8 downstream of said upstream valve becomes smaller by the difference between P 2 and P 2 ' and the pressure difference set value becomes such a value as can be obtained by displacing the pressure difference setting diaphragm 11 upward as viewed in the figure. Since this displacement of the pressure difference setting diaphragm 11 decreases the opening area of the variable orifice 13, the pressure P n in the chamber C is decreased. At the same time, the pressure in the lower chamber of the valve opening mechanism is decreased to displace the diaphragm 9 downward as viewed in the figure to open the flow detection valve 5, so that the amount of fuel to be fed by the fuel control mechanism interlocked to the flow detection valve 5 is increased. The fuel proportion is increased in this way to increase the engine output at full throttle and facilitate engine start during warm-up.
The compensation described above may also be achieved by varying the pressure P 1 on the upstream side of the flow detection valve 5 according to the operating conditions of the engine and feeding it to the servo-mechanism. This will now be described with reference to FIG. 8.
The pressure P 1 on the upstream side of the flow detection valve 5 is fed to the chamber A of the servo-mechanism through a pipe 38. The pipe 38 branches and is bypassed to extend to the intermediate chamber 8. A fixed choke 39 is disposed in the pipe 38 on the upstream pressure P 1 side while a valve opening unit 40 is disposed in the bypass channel. The opening and closing of the valve opening unit 40 is controlled by a sensor 41 which detects the operating conditions of the engine.
The compensation device constructed in the manner described above operates as follows.
The pressure difference setting diaphragm 11 is preset so as to provide fuel-rich gas. When the valve opening unit 40 is opened by a signal simulating the operating conditions of the engine or the output from the sensor 41, a bypass circuit having the choke 39 is made up between the upstream side of the flow detection valve 5 and the intermediate chamber 8. As a result, the pressure P 1 acting inside the chamber A is decreased and becomes P 1 ', so that the set pressure difference is decreased. The decrease of the set pressure difference causes the pressure difference setting diaphragm 11 to be balanced at a downwardly displaced position, so that the opening area of the variable orifice 13 is increased, whereupon the pressure P 2 in the chamber C is increased to upwardly displace the diaphragm 9 of the valve opening device 3. Along with this, the flow detection valve 5 is balanced at a position where it is closed more than before. Eventually, the supply of fuel to the engine is decreased, so that the air-fuel ratio shifts toward the fuel-lean side. When the output from the sensor disappears, the valve opening unit 40 is closed. As a result, P 1 is increased and the air-fuel ratio shifts toward the fuel-rich side. This operation is repeated in this way, whereby the air-fuel ratio is controlled so as to be optimum. In addition, the bypass circuit has been shown as connected to the intermediate chamber 8, but the same result may also be obtained even if it is connected to the downstream side of the flow control valve 6.
FIG. 9 shows a modification of the device shown in FIG. 8. The pressure P 1 on the upstream of the flow detection valve 5 acts on the chamber A of the servo-mechanism through a pipe 43 having a fixed choke 42. The chamber A is connected to a compensation mechanism 45 through a pipe 44. The compensation mechanism 45 consists of a bellows 46 which sucks and discharges the fluid in the chamber A, and a controller 47 which drives the bellows 46. The controller 47 of the compensation mechanism 45 produces signals according to the operating conditions of the engine to drive the bellows 46. If the fluid in the chamber A is sucked into the bellows 46, the pressure P 1 in the chamber A is decreased, resulting in shifting the air-fuel ratio toward the fuel-lean side. If the fluid in the chamber A is discharged, the pressure in the chamber A temporarily rises for the time the fluid leaks through the fixed choke 42. Eventually, the air-fuel ratio shifts toward the fuel-rich side.
The use of the air-fuel ratio compensating mechanism described above is not limited to the servo-mechanism 4, and it may also be used with the usual area flowmeter type internal combustion engine air weight measuring device. Further, it is also applicable to the pressure difference setting spring in the pressure difference error detecting and amplifying section in the servo-mechanism.
Whiles there have been described herein what are at present considered preferred embodiments of the several features of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention.
It is therefore to be understood that the exemplary embodiments thereof are illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and that all modifications that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be included therein. | An air/fuel ratio compensating device is provided for association with an internal combustion engine having a fuel control valve, air suction pipe means and pedal accelerator means, the compensating device including an area flow metal system made up of a flow detection valve positioned upstream in the air suction pipe means and operatively associated with the fuel control valve, a flow control valve positioned downstream in the air suction pipe means in series with the flow detection valve and being operatively connected to the accelerator pedal means, the area flow meter system enabling the difference in pressure existing on opposite sides of the flow detection valve to be maintained at a predetermined value to insure that the amount of air flow is proportional to the opening area of the flow detection valve thus permitting a determination of the amount of air flow on the basis of the opened area of the flow detection valve, a feedback control mechanism for controlling the area control flow meter and including pressure sensitive amplifier means to detect and amplify the deviation of the difference in pressure, valve opening means connected to the amplifier means and operatively associated with the flow detecting valve for opening and closing the flow detection valve by the output from the amplifier means, and compensating means for compensating for the set value placed in the pressure sensitive amplifier means according to the operating conditions of the internal combustion engine. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the preparation of isocyanates and, more specifically, to a low temperature process for the preparation of an isocyanate from an amide using hypochlorous acid.
2. Background of the Invention
Heretofore, the commercial method of choice for the manufacture of isocyanates has been a gas phase conversion by means of the phosgenation of amines. An example of the use of this methodology for the production of isocyanates is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,402. Unfortunately, phosgene methodology is expensive in view of the cost of the amine raw materials and the risk associated with the use of highly toxic phosgene gas. Non-phosgene routes to the production of isocyanates are highly sought after by the isocyanates manufacturing community.
One alternative to the use of phosgenation is carbonylation as disclosed in the above-mentioned '402 patent. However, this method utilizes high pressure reaction equipment and expensive carbon monoxide as a reactant, and the method typically uses potentially toxic catalysts such as selenium.
Another alternative is the well-known Hofmann rearrangement reaction entailing the base catalyzed rearrangement of N-halo amides to isocyanates. This reaction is typically conducted in single step without isolating the N-halo amide intermediate before it is reacted and converted into an isocyanate. The isocyanate is not Produced and isolated directly but requires the isocyanate to be trapped as a urea and/or a carbamate, which is then in turn converted to the desired isocyanate by hydrolysis and/or pyrolysis.
As yet another alternative, U.S. Pat. No. 4,282,167 discloses the preparation of isocyanates using a modified Hofmann rearrangement reaction by reacting an alkali metal hypobromite or alkali metal hypochlorite with a solution of a substantially water-insoluble aliphatic or cycloaliphatic organic amide in a substantially water-immiscible organic solvent using a quaternary salt as a phase transfer catalyst. Unfortunately, the solubility of such alkali metal hypobromite and alkali metal hypochlorite salts is typically only about 5% by weight in water, and the purity levels of these salts is sometimes less than might be desired.
New, more efficient, non-phosgene processes for producing isocyanates would be highly desired by the isocyanates manufacturing community.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a process for the preparation of an isocyanate compound, comprising:
(a) reacting an amide with an aqueous solution of hypochlorous acid in the presence of an water-immiscible organic solvent to produce an N-chloro amide; and
(b) reacting said N-chloro amide with a base in the presence of a phase transfer catalyst and a water immiscible organic solvent to produce an isocyanate.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to the above process wherein steps (a) and (b) are carried out simultaneously in a single pot reactor.
In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to a process for producing an N-chloro amide by carrying out the reaction of step (a) above.
These and other aspects will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
It has now been surprisingly found accordance with the present invention that hypochlorous acid is suitably employed in a simple reaction sequence to provide an isocyanate. The use of hypochlorous acid is advantageous since this acid is commercially available in excellent purity in high aqueous concentrations of 35% by weight or higher, considerably more concentrated than is available for the alkali metal hypochlorites (which is typically available at up to 5%) utilized in the prior art.
The amide used in the process of the present invention is suitably selected from any of the primary, secondary and tertiary amides, including mono-amides, diamides, substituted diamides, or other polyamides such as triamides, tetramides, and combinations thereof. Preferably, the organic amides employed are aliphatic, and the secondary aliphatic amides are preferred. By "secondary" aliphatic amide, it is meant that the alpha carbon atom is attached to two alkyl groups. Similarly, by "primary" it is meant that the alpha carbon atom is attached to only a single alkyl group. An example of a primary amide is n-heptanoyl amide, whereas cyclohexyl amide is an example of a secondary amide. Ilustrative amides useful in the present invention include acetamide, butyl amide, iso-butyl amide, tertiary butyl amide, 2-norbornaneacetamide, n-octanoyl amide, n-heptanoyl amide, cyclohexanepropionamide, cyclohexyl amide, cycloheptylamide, 2-norbornylcarboxamide, 2-ethylhexanoylamide, sebacamide, 1,4-cyclohexyl dicarboxamide, and combinations thereof. The amide is preferably employed in a molar concentration of between about 0.05 molar and about 5 molar in the organic phase of the reaction mixture.
The base employed in the present invention is suitably an alkali metal hydroxide or oxide, such as NaOH, KOH or CaO. An aqueous solution of base or anhydrous base may be employed as desired. If an aqueous solution of the base is employed, a preferred concentration is between about 10 wt. % and about 60%, more preferably between about 20% and about 40%, based upon the total amount of water plus base in the aqueous solution of the base.
The phase transfer catalyst may be any organic quarternary ammonium or phosphonium salt, and these salts are well-known to function to promote phase transfer between an aqueous phase and an organic phase. Examples are: tetrabutyl ammonium bisulphate, tributyl phosphonium bromide, benzyl triethyl ammonium chloride and the like. Crown ethers and cryptates may also be used.
Illustrative phase transfer catalysts include the following: trioctyl methyl ammonium bromide, benzyl triethyl ammonium bromide, hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide, trioctyl ethyl ammonium bromide, hexyl triethyl ammonium promide, hexadienyl triethyl ammonium bromide, dodecyl triethyl ammonium bromide, tridodecyl methyl ammonium chloride, didodecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, trimethyl dodecyl ammonium chloride, tridodecyl pentyl ammonium bromide, trihexyl hecadecyl ammonium bromide, triododecyl benzyl ammonium chloride, trimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, tetrabutyl phosphonium chloride, trioctyl ethyl phosphonium bromide, triethyl hexadecyl phosphonium bromide, hexadeoyl tributyl phosphonium bromide, tributyl decyl phosphonium bromide, tetraphenyl phosphonium bromide, and chloride and tetraphenyl arsonium chloride, and combinations thereof.
Suitable water-immiscible organic solvents include aliphatic, alicyclic, and aromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated hydrocarbons such as methylene chloride, heptane, cyclohexane, toluene, benzene, and chlorobenzene, and combinations thereof. Esters or ethers can also be employed as solvents if desired.
The term water-immiscible, with respect to organic solvents mentioned above means that the solvent solubility in water is less than 50% (and preferably less than 10%) by weight at ambient room temperatures. The amide is considered to be water insoluble if its solubility is less than 50% (and preferably less than 10%) by weight at ambient room temperatures. At room temperatures the solubility of the phase transfer catalyst in the aqueous reaction phase should be at least 0.0001 molar and solubility in the organic phase should be at least 0.0001 molar. Preferably, catalyst solubility in the organic phase exceeds solubility in the aqueous phase.
The process of the present invention is suitably effected using reaction temperatures in the range of about 0° C. to 60° C., and preferably each step is effected at a temperature of between 0° C. and 10° C. with cooling. Although the reaction time can vary over a wide range, the preferred reaction time is less than an hour, more preferably between about 10 and about 30 minutes.
Unless otherwise specified herein, all percentage compositions are weight percent and all temperatures are degrees centigrade.
The following examples are intended to illustrate, but in no way limit the scope of, the present invention.
EXAMPLE 1
Preparation of T-Butyl Isocyanate
A slurry of 5.0 g (0.05 mol) of trimethyl acetamide in 50 ml of methylene chloride was stirred and cooled to 5° C. by means of an ice bath. To this mixture was added over a 5 minute period 9.4 g (0.055 mol) of a 30.6% aqueous solution of hypochlorous acid. At the end of the addition the temperature was 10° C. A 0.5 g quantity of tetrabutyl ammonium hydrogen sulfate was added to the mixture and it was cooled to 5° C. A solution of 2.2 g (0.055 mol) of sodium hydroxide in 10 ml water was then added to the stirred mixture over at 7 minute period. At the end of this addition, the temperature of the reaction mixture was 18° C. After stirring an additional 3 minutes, the methylene chloride layer was separated and analyzed by gas chromatography. This layer was found to contain t-butyl isocyanate in the amount equal to 83% of the theoretical yield.
EXAMPLE 2
Preparation of 3-Isocyanato Heptane
A. Preparation of 2- ethylhexyl carboxamide
With rapid stirring, 2-ethylhexanoyl chloride (50 g, 307 mmol) was added dropwise over 20 minutes to excess ammonium hydroxide (250 ml) that had been cooled to 0° in an ice bath. The bath was then removed and stirring continued for 90 minutes. The white solid product was recovered by filtration, washed three times with 50 ml portions of water and dried at 50° in a vacuum oven to give 36 g (82%) of the desired amide (m.p. 105°, lit. m.p. 101°-102°).
B. Preparation of N-chloro-2-ethylhexyl carboxamide
2-ethylhexyl carboxamide (35.75 g, 250 mmol) was suspended in 300 ml of ethyl acetate and cooled to 1°. Hypochlorous acid (43.3 g of 30.6% solution, 252 m mol) was added dropwise over 13 minutes with stirring. After 10 minutes, the cooling bath was removed and stirring continued for 1 hour while the mixture warmed to room temperature. The ethyl acetate layer was then separated and dried (MgSO 4 ) and the solvent was removed on the rotary evaporator and, finally, on the vacuum pump to give 44 g (98%) of colorless liquid N-chloro-2-ethylhexyl carboxamide.
C. Preparation of 3-isocyanatoheptane
N-chloro-2-ethylhexyl carboxamide (44 g, 250 m mol), methylene chloride (200 ml) and 5 mole percent (based on the amide) of tetrabutyl ammonium bisulphate phase transfer catalyst were stirred and cooled to 1° in an ice bath. A solution of sodium hydroxide (9.88 g, 250 mmol) in water (40 ml) was cooled below room temperature and added dropwise over about 8 minutes. Stirring was continued in an ice bath for 25 minutes, the organic and aqueous phases were than separated and the methylene chloride phase collected and dried (MgSO 4 ). After filtration, methylene chloride was removed on the rotary evaporator to give 33 g of colorless crude 3-isocyanatoheptane that assayed 92% by gas chromatography.
EXAMPLE 3
Preparation of 2-isocyanato pentane
A. Preparation of 2-methyl valeramide
Ammonium hydroxide (200 ml) was stirred and cooled in an ice bath to 0° and 2-methyl valeroyl chloride (48.46 g, 360 mmol) was added dropwise over 20 minutes. The resulting tan suspension was stirred for 40 minutes, filtered and the light tan solid product washed twice with 50 ml portions of cold water. After air drying overnight, 22 g of crude 2-methyl valeramide was obtained. An additional 12 g was recovered by evaporation of the filtrate.
B. Preparation of N-chlor-2-methyl valeramide
A stirred suspension of 2-ethyl valeramide (33.0 g, 286 mmol) in 220 ml of ethyl acetate was cooled to 0° and hypochlorous acid (55.25 g of 27.67% solution, 291 mmol) was added over 15 minutes. The cooling bath was removed and stirring continued for 1/2 hour. The organic phase was collected and dried (MgSO 4 ) and the solvent was removed on a rotary evaporator to yield 32.8 g of N-chloro-2-methyl valeramide as a clear yellow liquid.
Preparation of 2-isocyanatopentane
N-chloro-2-methyl valeramide (32.45 g, 216 mmol), methylene chloride (200 ml) and tetrabutyl ammonium bisulphate as phase transfer catalyst (1.5 g, 2 mole percent based on the amide) were stirred and cooled to 0° C. Sodium hydroxide (8.69 g, 217 mmol) dissolved in cold water (25 ml) was added dropwise over about 8 minutes. The mixture was stirred in the cold for 35 minutes, the organic layer was collected and dried (MgSO 4 ) and the solvent removed on a rotary evaporator to yield 20.6 g of crude 2-isocyanatopentane that showed an assay of 83% by gas chromatography.
EXAMPLE 4
Preparation of 2-Methyl-2-Isocyanato Pentane
A. Preparation of 2,2-dimethyl valeroyl chloride
2,2-dimethyl valeric acid (49.0 g, 377 mmol) was added dropwise over 1 hour with stirring to freshly distilled thionyl chloride (102 g, 860 mmol) that was cooled in a water bath. After stirring for an additional 1/2 hour in a warm water bath, excess thionyl chloride was removed by distillation and the crude acid was then fractionally distilled to give 49.7 g of product that assayed >95% by gas chromatography, bp 45°/10.5 mm (lit. bp 45°/10 mm).
B. Preparation of 2,2-dimethyl valeramide
Ammonium hydroxide (250 ml) was stirred and cooled to 1° C. and 2,2-dimethyl valeroyl chloride (49.7 g, 95%, 318 mmol) was added dropwise over 30 minutes. After stirring at room temperature for an additional 1/2 hour, the white solid product was recovered by filtration, washed with water and allowed to air dry to give 35.4 g (86%) of the desired amide, mp 94°-95° (lit. mp 95°-96° C.).
C. Preparation of N-chlor-2,2-dimethyl valeramide
A stirred suspension of 2,2-dimethyl valeramide (35 g, 271 mmol) in ethyl acetate (200 ml) was cooled to 0° C. and hypochlorous acid (40.0 g of 36.2% solution, 276 mmol) was added dropwise over 12 minutes. The resulting clear yellow solution was then stirred for 30 minutes at room temperature, the organic phase separated and dried (MgSO 4 ) and the ethyl acetate removed in vacuo to give 39.35 g of low-melting solid product.
D. Preparation of 2-methyl-2-isocyanatopentane
N-chloro-2,2-dimethyl valeramide (20.0 g, 122 mmol), methylene chloride (200 ml) and tetrabutyl ammonium bisulphate (1.0 g, 2.4 mole percent based on the amide) were stirred and cooled to 0° C. A solution of sodium hydroxide (4.89 g, 122 mmol) in cold water (15 ml) was then added over 10 minutes. The mixture was stirred in an ice bath for one-half hour, the organic phase was separated and dried (MgSO 4 ) and the solvent removed on a rotary evaporator to give 14.7 g of liquid product that assayed 75% by GC.
EXAMPLE 5
Preparation of 2-isocyanato decane
A. Preparation of 2-methyl decanoic acid
Sodium (12.5 g, 0.54 g-atoms) was gradually added in small pieces to absolute ethanol (375 ml) while stirring under an inert (N2) atmosphere until complete solution of the sodium has taken place. Diethyl methylmalonate (95.5 g, 570 mmol) was then added dropwise to the sodium ethoxide solution over 20 minutes and the mixture was heated at reflux for about 15 minutes. After cooling to room temperature, 1-bromooctane (99 g, 512 mmol) was added dropwise over 15 minutes; the mixture was heated at reflux for 2 hours, cooled and neutralized by adding a few drops of glacial acetic acid. About two-thirds of the alcohol was removed by distillation and the residue was washed with 500 ml of water. The organic phase was separated and the aqueous phase extracted with three 50 ml portions of benzene. The organic phase and extracts were combined, washed with water, and dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate. The residue obtained upon evaporation of the solvent was treated with a solution of 115 g of 86% potassium hydroxide Pellets in 900 ml of reagent ethanol and the mixture heated at reflux, with stirring, for 4 hours. About two-thirds of the solvent was removed by distillation, 750 ml water was added, followed by sufficient (520 ml) 6N sulfuric acid to bring the pH of the solution to 1-2. The organic phase was separated and the aqueous phase was extracted with two portions of ether. The organic phase and extracts were combined, washed with water, then with saturated sodium chloride solution, and finally dried over magnesium sulfate. The residue obtained upon evaporation of the solvent was heated to 180°-190° C. at which temperature decarboxylation occurred smoothly over a period of several minutes. The crude acid was then distilled through a short Vigreux column to give 64 g of product (73% yield), b.p. 143°/5.8 mm (lit. b.p. 137°/4.4 mm), which showed a purity of >99% by GC.
B. Preparation of 2-methyl decanoyl chloride
To thionyl chloride (93 g, 782 mmol), cooled to 15° C. in a water bath was added during 1 hour 2-methyl decanoic acid (64 g, 344 mmol). The cold water bath was removed and the mixture was heated at 50° C. with stirring for 45 minutes. The excess thionyl chloride was removed by distillation and the crude acid chloride was then fractionally distilled (b.p. 143°-45° C./5.8 mm) to give 69 g of product (99% yield) that showed an assay of >98% by GC.
C. Preparation of 2-methyl decanamide
2-Methyl decanoyl chloride (68.9 g, 336 mmol) was added dropwise to rapidly stirred ammonium hydroxide (200 ml) cooled in an ice bath. The resulting white slurry was stirred at room temperature for one-half hour, then filtered through a Buchner funnel. The filter cake was washed with 100 ml of ice water, air-dried overnight, then dried in a vacuum over at 55° C. for 2 hours to give 53 g (85.5% yield) of a white solid product, m.p. 80°-81° C. (lit. m.p. 81.4° C.).
D. Preparation of N-chloro-2-methyl decanamide
2-Methyl decanamide (50 g, 270 mmol) was suspended in 300 ml of methylene chloride, cooled to 2° C. and aqueous HOCl (14.72 g, 280 mmol) was added over about 10 minutes. The mixture was stirred in the cold for 15 minutes, then at room temperature for 45 minutes. The methylene chloride layer was separated, dried over magnesium sulfate, and the solvent removed on a rotary evaporator in a warm water bath to give 56 g (94% yield) of white solid product, m.p. 56°-57° C.
E. Preparation of 2-isocyanatodecane
N-chloro-2-methyl decanamide (26.0 Og, 118 mmol) was dissolved in 250 ml of methylene chloride and cooled to 2° C. in an ice bath. Tetrabutyl ammonium hydroxide (1 g, 2.5 mole percent based on amide) was added, followed by sodium hydroxide (4.74 g, 119 mmol) dissolved in 40 ml of ice water. The mixture was stirred in the cold for 25 minutes and the organic layer was collected and dried over magnesium sulfate. Removal of solvent gave 21.6 g of liquid product.
The above reaction was repeated using the same amounts of reactants and the same conditions; the products were combined to give 44 g of crude material that showed an assay of >90% by GC. This was fractionally distilled (b.p. 92° C./4.0 mm) to give 28.2 g (65% yield) of 2-methyl isocyanatodecane that showed a purity of >99% by GC; the structure was confirmed by nmr analysis. (Calculated for C11H21NO:C, 72.1%; H, 11.5%; N, 7.6%. Found: C, 67.4%; H, 11.4%; N, 8.4%).
EXAMPLE 6
Preparation of 2.9-dimethyl-2,9-diisocyanatodecane
A. Preparation of 2,2,9,9-tetramethyl-1, 10-diphenyldecane-1,10-dione
This precursor, C 6 H 5 C(O)C(CH 3 ) 2 --(CH 2 ) 6 --C(CH 3 ) 2 C(O)C 6 H 5 was prepared by reacting isobutyrophenone with sodium amide followed by treatment with 1,6-dibromohexane.
B. Preparation of 2,2,9,9-tetramethyl sebacic acid diamide
The dione from step 1 (82.2 g, 217 mmol) was added to 4 equivalents of sodium amide suspended in toluene (600 ml). After heating at reflux for 1 hour, the mixture was cooled and 500 ml of water was added. The white solid product was recovered by filtration, washed with water and dried to give 35 g (65%) of the diamide which, when crystallized from ethanol, showed a melting point of 211°-214° C. (lit.m.p 210°-213° C.).
C. Preparation of N,N'-dichloro-2,2,9,9-tetramethyl sebacic acid diamide
The diamide from step 2 (12.8 g, 50 mmol) was suspended in methylene chloride (200 ml) and treated in the cold with 2 equivalents of HOCl (5.25 g, 100 mmol) as a 27.8% aqueous solution. After stirring for several hours at room temperature, the white crystalline product was received by filtration and dried in vacuo to give 10.0 g (62%) of the N,N'-dichlorodiamide, m.p. 115°-116° C. (Calculated for C14H26C12N202:C,51.6%; H, 8.0%; N,8.6%. Found: C, 50.0%; H, 7.7%; N, 8.0%).
D. Preparation of 2,9-dimethyl-2,9-diisocyanatodecane
Two runs were conducted, each on a 5-g scale, as follows: the N,N'-dichlorodiamide from step 3 (5.0 g, 15.4 mmol) was suspended in 150 ml of methylene chloride and cooled with stirring to 1° C. Tetrabutyl ammonium bisulphate (0.3 g, 5 mole % based on amide) was then added followed by sodium hydroxide (1.25 g, 31.2 mmol) dissolved in 5 ml of ice water. After stirring in cold water for 30 minutes, the organic phase was separated and dried and the methylene chloride solvent was removed on the rotary evaporator to give 3.45 g, (88%) of colorless liquid product that showed a diisocyanate content of 91% by GC assay. This material and the like product from the second reaction were combined and fractionally distilled (bp 109°-110° C. at 0.5 mm) to give 4.92 g (65% yield) of product that showed an assay of >99% (calculated for C14H24N202: C, 66.6$; H, 9.6%; N, 11.15%. Found: C, 65.35%, H, 9.4%; N, 11.4%).
While the invention has been described above with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it is apparent that many changes, modifications, and variations can be made without departing from the inventive concept disclosed herein. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such changes, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims. All patent applications, patents, and other publications cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. | The present invention relates to a process for preparation of an isocyanate comprising (a) reacting an amide with an aqueous solution of hypochlorous acid in the presence of an water-immiscible organic solvent to produce an N-chloro amide; and (b) reacting said N-chloro amide with a base in the presence of a phase transfer catalyst and a water immiscible organic solvent to produce an isocyanate. | 2 |
This invention relates to power and free conveyor systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In power and free conveyor systems, it is common to have a plurality of carriers that are movable along a track by engagement with a conveyor chain. In instances where the track is inclined, if the conveyor is broken or the engagement with the carriers is otherwise released, it is possible that the carrier may move in an unrestrained fashion down the incline. It is therefore desirable to have a stop device that will function in such an eventuality of a break in the connection between the conveyor and the carrier.
Accordingly, among the objects of the invention are to provide a conveyor system which incorporates a simple and effective automatic stop which will function to stop the carrier in the event of a break in the driving connection between the chain and the carrier.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The conveyor system embodying the invention comprises a track, at least one carrier movable along the track, a conveyor for driving said carrier along said track, and means along said track responsive to the speed of the carrier along said track to stop the carrier when the speed exceeds a predetermined value.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a partly diagrammatic side elevational view of a conveyor system embodying the invention.
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the portion of the system shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3 showing the parts in a different operative position.
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5--5 in FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a part of the system.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 7--7 in FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIG. 1, the conveyor system comprises a track 10 which is inclined downwardly along which carriers 11 are moved in the direction of the arrow, namely from right to left, by engagement of a pusher dog 13 on a conveyor chain 14 riding along a conveyor chain track 15.
As shown in FIG. 2, the track 10 comprises inwardly facing channels 16, the lower flanges of which are engaged by rollers 17 of the carriers. The carriers further include vertical guide rollers 18. The leading trolley 20 of the carrier 11 includes a pusher dog 21 that is movable generally vertically within the body of the trolley and is adapted to be engaged by the pusher 13 on the conveyor chain 14. A lever 22 extends forwardly and is interconnected to the pusher 21 to retract the pusher upon engagement with an obstacle or a preceding carrier. A holdback dog 23 is also provided on the trolley. The aforementioned construction is conventional and is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,752.
In accordance with the invention, a stop device 25 is provided along the track 10 and is operable upon the carrier 11 moving at a predetermined speed to stop the carrier, such as might occur when the carrier connection to the chain is broken or interrupted as by breakage of the chain.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the stop device 25 comprises a frame 26 including an angle member 27 and spaced laterally extending walls 28, 29, 30. A shaft 31 extends between the walls 28, 29, 30 along the track. A first member 32 is pivoted on the shaft 31 between the walls 28, 29 and a second member 33 is pivoted on the shaft 31 between the walls 29, 30. First member 32 functions as a tripper dog and is generally L-shaped in cross section as shown in FIG. 2, being supported on the shaft 31 by wings or flanges 34. The lower portion 35 of member 32 includes an inclined surface 36 that is normally in the path of the carrier 11 and particularly the leading roller 18. As the carrier is moved past the stop device, the tripper member 32 is swung outwardly, the degree of outward swinging movement or lateral movement being dependent upon the speed of the carrier. A pad 37 functions to absorb the shock as the member 32 returns under the action of gravity back to its normal position in the path of the carrier.
The second member 33 functions as a stop and is normally held out of the path of the carrier by a latching device that includes a latch pin 38 that has yoke 39 fixed to one end thereof, the yoke 39 having an enlarged circular opening 40 connected with a slot 41. Latch pin 38 passes through a guide 42 fixed on the plate 43 extending between the walls 28, 29 and has a spring 43 thereon which functions as presently described. A release pin 44 extends laterally through the opening 45 in plate 43 and has an enlarged head 46 normally engaging the enlarged opening 40 in the yoke 39. The free end 47 of the pin is in the path of the tripper member 32 (FIG. 2). In the normal position, the spring is interposed between the guide 42 and a washer 48 and the head or enlarged portion 46 prevents the latch pin from being released and holds the end 49 of the pin in engagement with opening 50 of a locking member 51 on the stop device 33.
If the carrier is released and moves with sufficient speed past the trip dog 32, the trip dog 32 is swung outwardly sufficiently, to the broken line position in FIG. 2, to engage the pin 44 and release the enlarged portion 46 from the yoke 39 permitting the spring 43 to move the latch pin 38 to the left as viewed in FIG. 4, releasing the stop 33 and permitting it to move under the action of gravity into the path of the carrier to stop the carrier.
This same movement may be used to actuate an alarm or signal indicating to the operator that there is a breakage in the chain. After appropriate repair to the chain, the stop 33 can be reset manually to the position wherein the stop 33 is held out of the path of the carrier. | A conveyor comprising a track, at least one carrier movable along the track, and a conveyor for driving the carrier along the track. A device is provided along the track and is responsive to the speed of the carrier along the track to stop the carrier when the speed exceeds a predetermined value. | 1 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/732,338, filed Dec. 9, 2003, which claims the benefit of priority from U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/432,392, filed Dec. 9, 2002, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention concerns solutions for winding coils of wire onto dynamo-electric machine components. In particular, the present invention concerns forming wire coils by simultaneously winding a plurality of wires onto the dynamo-electric machine component. For example, wire coils may be wound onto the poles of a lamination core or may be wound onto themselves in components that do not require or possess poles.
[0003] These wire coils have the purpose of generating the electro-magnetic field needed in the final application of the dynamo-electric machine component. For example, the previously mentioned lamination core may be either a stator core or an armature core of a dynamo-electric machine. The dynamo-electric machine as a whole may be an electric motor, which is used for many types of driving applications.
[0004] In order to maximize the amount of wire that can be placed in the spacings of the dynamo-electric machine component, the turns of the wire coil must be regularly disposed (e.g., along the sides of the pole pieces) without twisting the plurality of wires onto each other. Further, the wires must be placed so that the wire turns are positioned in an ascending or descending layer formation (commonly referred to in the art and hereinafter as “stratification”).
[0005] Current winding apparatus may allow certain portions of the wire turns to unevenly accumulate and locally bulge outward from the side of the collection of wire coils. Such bulges, especially in consideration of the limited spacings available on an dynamo-electric machine component, may interfere with or impede access through the limited component spacings during the wire winding process.
[0006] This situation is even more severe when the winding process requires the simultaneous winding of a plurality of wires to form a single wire coil, especially when the wire dispensing member must pass through the spacings on the dynamo-electric machine component to wind the multiple wires. As a result of the requirement for multiple wires, bulges are more likely to be caused by twisting of the multiple wires and may interfere with the movement of the wire dispensing member within the component spacings.
[0007] The present invention proposes to perform multiple-wire winding processes that avoid wire twisting and improper disposition of the wires. Further, the present invention proposes to improve the ability of the wire dispensing member to traverse the spacings on the dynamo-electric machine component. As a consequence, the winding processes performed with the present invention are less likely to be hindered by interference and are capable of obtaining more wire fill within the component spacings and higher winding speeds.
[0008] These and other objects of the present invention will be more apparent in view of the following drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Non-limiting embodiments of the present invention are described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is an elevational partial view of a wound stator core as seen from an axial end thereof;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the stator core showing certain parts of the apparatus of the present invention as seen from direction 2 of FIG. 1 ;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the apparatus taken from line 3 - 3 of FIG. 2 ;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG. 3 that shows the apparatus of the present invention disposed to the left of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 ; and
[0014] FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the overall apparatus of the invention as seen from view lines 5 - 5 of FIG. 2 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0015] The solutions of the present application are generally related to those described in commonly assigned Stratico et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,622,955 which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
[0016] With reference to FIG. 1 , stator core 10 has hollow cylindrical interior 11 centered on longitudinal axis 12 . Interior 11 is delimited externally by pole pieces 13 , which stem from annular portion 14 of the stator core. Expansions 13 ′ of pole pieces 13 are usually the innermost portions of stator core 10 and delimit the spacing of interior 11 . Gaps 16 existing between adjacent expansions 13 ′ are access passages which allow communication between interior 11 and slot spacings 15 . In the case of the stator core shown, gaps 16 and slot spacings 15 are inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to central axis 12 .
[0017] Modern stator cores need to be compact in size. At the same time, the stator cores must maintain a significant quantity of ferromagnetic material and therefore a high wire presence within slot spacings 15 . As a result, gaps 16 are narrower and spacings 15 are even more full of wire as compared to prior stator cores. In addition, the electrical scheme of the stator cores is usually such that each coil C is wound around a single pole, like one of pole pieces 13 shown in FIG. 1 . With reference to FIG. 1 , coils C have been shown sectioned. For sake of clarity, portions of coils C which are outside the stator core have not been shown.
[0018] The embodiment which is illustrated in the present application is directed toward the simultaneous winding of three wires around the poles of a stator core. However, it should be understood that any number of wires may be simultaneously wound in accordance with the present invention. It should also be understood that although the following description concentrates on an embodiment in which the wire coils are wound around a single pole, the present invention may be used to wind a wire coil through multiple poles. Similarly, the present invention may be used to wind wire coils around virtual poles in which no physical pole exists on the stator core. In the case of a virtual pole, wire coils are wound around each other about a theoretical pole axis on the stator. This type of stator may allow even more wire coils to be placed within a set amount of space in the core and are fully contemplated by the present invention.
[0019] With reference to FIG. 2 , wire nozzle 20 is shown in various relative consecutive positions P 1 -P 8 , which the wire nozzle occupy when moving around pole piece 13 to simultaneously dispense wires W 1 , W 2 , and W 3 . More particularly, by relative movements of wire nozzle 20 around pole piece 13 , wires W 1 , W 2 , and W 3 are simultaneously dispensed from respective wire exits 21 , 22 , and 23 of wire nozzle 20 to become tensioned against pole piece 13 .
[0020] Positioning of wire nozzle 20 in positions P 1 -P 8 can be achieved by relative movements between stator core 10 and wire nozzle 20 . For example, stator core 10 and wire nozzle 20 can be rotated with relative rotation R 1 when wire nozzle 20 is beyond end 10 ′ of stator core 10 . Oppositely, relative rotation R 2 may be provided when wire nozzle 20 is beyond end 10 ″ of stator core 10 . Rotations R 1 and R 2 are both substantially about central axis 12 of stator core 10 .
[0021] Between these rotations, and even during the rotations, stator core 10 and wire nozzle 20 may be relatively translated in directions T 1 and T 2 , which are substantially parallel to central axis 12 of stator core 10 . For sake of clarity, FIG. 2 does not show the various positions of the stator core 10 as it is moved with relation to a stationary wire nozzle 20 . Instead, FIG. 2 shows the positions of wire nozzle 20 in the first plane (the plane of FIG. 2 ) as it accomplishes relative translations T 1 and T 2 and relative rotations R 1 and R 2 while stator core 10 is stationary. However, it should be understood that rotations R 1 and R 2 and translations T 1 and T 2 are strictly relative between wire nozzle 20 and stator 10 . Either nozzle 20 or stator 10 may be moved in order to accomplish this relative movement. It will also be useful in the following to define an instantaneous relative trajectory (or direction of movement) of wire nozzle 20 with respect to the relative movement between nozzle 20 and stator core 10 . This instantaneous relative trajectory (or direction of movement) of wire nozzle 20 should be understood to be the instantaneous direction of movement of wire nozzle 20 , as a result of the relative movement between nozzle 20 and stator 10 , seen from a frame of reference in which stator 10 is held fixed.
[0022] It should be understood that rotations R 1 and R 2 may be sequenced and combined with translations T 1 and T 2 to accomplishes closed path 17 of wire nozzle 20 around pole piece 13 . A single closed path 17 may wind one turn of wire coil C with wires W 1 , W 2 , and W 3 around pole 13 . A cumulative and predetermined number of closed paths like 17 (accomplished progressively) achieves winding of the number of turns required by coil C. As will be more fully described in the following, wire nozzle 20 and stator 10 is also provided with relative radial motions S 1 and S 2 , which are substantially parallel to pole piece sides 13 ″ (and substantially perpendicular to central axis 12 ) in order to accomplish the previously described wire stratification. The stratification formation requires accomplishing closed paths like 17 on a number of adjacent parallel planes that are parallel to the first plane (the plane of FIG. 2 ). In other words, the multiple wires are dispensed on adjacent planes that are parallel to each other and which are substantially perpendicular to radii that perpendicularly emanate from central axis 12 .
[0023] With reference to FIG. 2 , position P 1 shows wire nozzle 20 when it is just about to start traversing a longitudinal extension of gap 16 . In order to accomplish the necessary stroke to traverse the longitudinal extension, translation T 1 is combined with rotation R 1 to accommodate the angle of incline of the longitudinal extension with respect to central axis 12 . Position P 2 shows wire nozzle 20 during the previously described stroke. Position P 3 shows wire nozzle 20 when the previously described stroke is just about to end. Position P 4 shows wire nozzle 20 when a rotation R 1 is occurring. Position P 5 shows wire nozzle 20 when rotation R 1 is about to end and an opposite stroke to traverse the opposite extension of gap 16 is just about to start. Position P 6 shows wire nozzle 20 during the return stroke to traverse the opposite extension of gap 16 which includes translation T 2 and rotation R 2 . Position P 7 shows wire nozzle 20 when the return stroke is just about to end. Position P 8 shows wire nozzle 20 when a rotation R 2 is occurring. It should be understood that the relative movement from P 3 to P 5 and from P 7 to P 1 may include movements in addition to rotations R 1 and R 2 , respectively. For example, translations T 1 and T 2 and stratification motions S 1 and S 2 may be programmed during those strokes to dispose wires W 1 , W 2 , and W 3 in a tensioned manner against ends 13 ′″ of pole piece 13 . Similarly, the traversing strokes from position P 1 to P 3 and from position P 5 to P 7 may also be further programmed to include stratification motions S 1 and S 2 .
[0024] As shown in FIG. 2 , wire nozzle 20 needs to be in a particular orientation with respect to gap 16 during the traversing stroke to dispense wires W 1 , W 2 and W 3 within slot spacing 15 in a tensioned manner against the sides of pole piece 13 without twisting or overlap of the wires. In addition, it should be understood that wire nozzle 20 must occupy a portion of gap 16 during each of the traversing strokes (see FIG. 3 ) so that it is partially inserted into spacing 15 . As previously described, in order to cope with the incline of gap 16 and spacing 15 with respect to central axis 12 of the stator core, portions of rotations R 1 and R 2 need to be combined with translations T 1 and T 2 so that wire nozzle 20 moves within gaps 16 without collision with the borders of expansions 13 ′.
[0025] To avoid twisting wires W 1 , W 2 and W 3 during translations and rotations T 1 , T 2 , R 1 , and R 2 , wire nozzle 20 needs to be oriented differently depending on the relative position which it occupies around pole piece 13 (i.e., the position of nozzle 20 on closed path 17 ). In other words, wire nozzle 20 needs to be steered or programmably controlled during translations and rotations T 1 , T 2 , R 1 , and R 2 to appropriately orient wire exits 21 , 22 , and 23 and to reduce the necessary size of gaps 16 .
[0026] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 , and considering that wire nozzle 20 is traveling on closed path 17 with either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction around pole piece 13 (in the case of FIG. 2 , wire nozzle 20 is accomplishing closed path 17 in a clockwise direction), steering of wire nozzle 20 around central axis 34 of the wire nozzle keeps wire exit 21 (or a front portion of the wire nozzle) always at the forward end of wire nozzle 20 in the relative direction of movement of wire nozzle 20 along the closed path 17 . This avoids twisting of wires W 1 , W 2 and W 3 during winding. As will be more fully explained in the following, steering of wire nozzle 20 around axis 34 requires causing wire nozzle 20 to perform predetermined rotations R 0 around axis 34 so that wire nozzle 20 can be appropriately oriented around axis 34 as it travels on closed path 17 .
[0027] With reference to FIG. 3 , wire nozzle 20 is connected to the top of shaft 31 by means of flange portion 32 ′. Flange portion 32 ′ is bolted to the top of shaft 31 by means of screws 32 ″. Shaft 31 is also provided with a pulley portion 33 engaged by belt 46 . Shaft 31 is supported for rotation around axis 34 using support bushings 35 and 36 seated in support plates 39 and 40 , respectively. Support plates 39 and 40 are distanced from each other by means of upright plate 44 . Support plates 39 and 40 and upright plate 44 can be joined to form a single arm structure, as shown in FIG. 3 , by means of bolts like 45 . Belt 46 can circle around upright plate 44 .
[0028] By driving belt 46 , wire nozzle 20 can be provided with rotation R 0 around axis 34 to achieve the appropriate orientations. Shaft 31 is hollow and flared in end 31 ′ for smooth passage of wires W 1 , W 2 and W 3 . Wire nozzle 20 is provided with a lower bore 35 for passage of wires W 1 , W 2 , W 3 from shaft 31 to wire nozzle 20 . Lower bore 35 communicates with an enlarged hollow portion 36 of wire nozzle 20 where wires W 1 , W 2 and W 3 separate to reach their respective wire exits 21 , 22 , 23 .
[0029] Wire exits 21 , 22 , and 23 are on separate surfaces 21 ′, 22 ′, 23 ′ of wire nozzle 20 which may also be understood to demark separate adjacent parallel planes. Each of these adjacent parallel planes is substantially perpendicular to central axis 34 of wire nozzle 20 and substantially parallel to the first plane. In this way, wires W 1 , W 2 and W 3 can be dispensed from wire nozzle 20 along separate courses like 41 , 42 and 43 , respectively. Dispensing of the wires along these different courses is another feature for avoiding twisting of wires W 1 , W 2 , and W 3 during any relative movements of wire nozzle 20 with respect to the stator core 10 .
[0030] Furthermore, wire exits 21 , 22 , and 23 may be maintained in predetermined orientations around axis 34 as wire nozzle 20 travels along closed path 17 . In other words, wire nozzle 20 is steered or programmably controlled by maintaining the orientation of an axis in the first plane that is aligned with the wire exits with respect to an instantaneous relative direction of movement of nozzle 20 . The angle between this wire exit axis in the first plane and the instantaneous relative direction of movement being defined as angle A. Particularly, the angular orientation of the wire nozzle (around axis 34 ) and therefore the orientation of the wire exit axis is programmably controlled to vary as nozzle 20 travels along closed path 17 . Therefore, angle A may be constant in certain portions of the closed path (e.g., during the traversing strokes) and variable in other portions (e.g., during rotations R 1 and R 2 ). The configuration of the external surface (formed by sides 13 ″ and ends 13 ′″) of pole piece 13 may determine the choice of angle A. For example, a circular configuration of the ends of pole piece 13 may require a variation of angle A so that the wire exit axis in the first plane containing wire exits 21 , 22 , and 23 is maintained substantially tangent to the circular configuration of the exterior contour of ends 13 ′″.
[0031] Further, in the embodiment of the wire nozzle shown in FIG. 2 in which wire nozzle 20 has a length and a width, it may be understood that the angular orientation of wire nozzle 20 about axis 34 is programmably controlled so as to minimalize a cross sectional area of the wire nozzle with respect to the instantaneous relative direction of movement of wire nozzle 20 (i.e., by orienting the length of wire nozzle 20 with the direction of movement). The previously mentioned cross sectional area of wire nozzle 20 being taken across a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the instantaneous relative direction of movement of wire nozzle 20 in the first plane of FIG. 2 . Such a scheme of orienting wire nozzle 20 may be especially useful during the traversing strokes to minimize the required size of gaps 16 and reduce the likelihood of collision or interference with wires already wound within spacings 15 . Such an orientation may also be understood as an alignment of the wire exit axis with the instantaneous relative direction of movement of wire nozzle 20 such that angle A is zero.
[0032] With reference to FIG. 4 , plates 39 and 40 are joined to appendix 50 of carriage structure 51 by means of bolts like 52 . Motor unit 53 can be supported by plate 39 and fastened to it with bolts 54 . Pulley wheel 55 is assembled to the output shaft of motor unit 53 . Pulley wheel 55 is engaged by belt 46 so that rotation of the motor unit causes rotations RO of wire nozzle 20 around axis 34 . Carriage structure 51 is provided with further appendixes 56 . Each of appendixes 56 have slide portions 57 that are able to run on guides 58 . Guides 58 are supported by frame structure 59 (shown partially in FIGS. 4 and 5 ) in order to be substantially perpendicular to the planes in which translations T 1 and T 2 are accomplished. Motor unit 60 driving screw 61 (which is engaged in a threaded portion of carriage structure 51 ) is provided for causing carriage structure 51 to run along guides 58 . Guides are also parallel to directions S 1 or S 2 used for the stratification motion of wire nozzle 20 .
[0033] In other words, by actuating motor unit 60 , plates 39 and 40 are able to run in directions S 1 or S 2 (i.e., parallel to guides 58 ) so that wire nozzle 20 can move in radial directions S 1 or S 2 to stratify wires W 1 , W 2 and W 3 along pole piece 13 . During the relative movements of wire nozzle 20 and stator core 10 , wires W 1 , W 2 , and W 3 may run unimpeded to end 31 ′ of shaft 31 from a wire source and tension unit (not shown) in order to be dispensed from the exits of wire nozzle 20 . Positioning of the stator core 10 with respect to wire nozzle 20 can be achieved by means of assembly 70 shown in FIG. 5 . More particularly, assembly 70 holds the stator core in a predetermined position with respect to frame structure 59 .
[0034] Assembly 70 may be similar to the portion of apparatus shown in the previously incorporated Stratico et al. U.S. patent for rotating and indexing the stator core. Motor unit 71 and rotation bar 74 of assembly 70 are used for rotating the stator core for rotations R 1 and R 2 . Rotation bar 74 bears a gear (not shown), which engages an annular gear (not shown) surrounding stator core 10 so that rotation of the rotation bar 74 rotates the annular gear and consequently stator core 10 . Motor unit 72 and screw 73 of assembly 70 may be used to provide stator core 10 with translations T 1 and T 2 . The aforementioned gear borne by rotation bar 74 has keyways which allow the gear to translate along rotation bar 74 to remain in engagement with the aforementioned annular gear during translations T 1 and T 2 .
[0035] Motors units 53 , 60 , 71 and 72 may be actuated and controlled by control system 73 along signal and electric supply lines 53 ′, 60 ′, 71 ′, and 72 ′, respectively. Control system 73 is configured according to the latest available techniques for controlling and programming general motions and positioning with NC axes (numerical controlled axes).
[0036] Sequence and regulation algorithms using externally input data may be applied by control system 73 to actuate the motor units so that translations T 1 and T 2 , rotations R 1 and R 2 , stratification motions S 1 and S 2 , and rotations RO are performed as operations which follow a sequential order, or in combination with each other. Precise synchronization between these movements may be guaranteed by control system 73 . The values of these movements may be found through practical trials which involve winding the actual wires on representative models of the pole configurations. Furthermore, three-dimensional computer simulation of the wire nozzle and stator core motions with respect to the pole piece configuration, together with representations of the various wire extensions from the wire nozzle to the pole piece in the various instances of the motions, may be used to determine the initial values for the practical trials.
[0037] Thus, improved systems and methods for a wire nozzle that simultaneously winds multiple wires onto a dynamo-electric machine component while preventing wire twisting and reducing the needed gap spacing by controlling an orientation of the nozzle is provided. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented for the purpose of illustration and not of limitation. | The present invention concerns forming wire coils by simultaneously winding a plurality of wires onto a dynamo-electric machine component. In order to maximize the amount of wire that can be placed in the spacings of the dynamo-electric machine component, the turns of the wire coil must be regularly disposed without twisting the plurality of wires onto each other. Current winding apparatus may allow certain portions of the wire turns to unevenly accumulate and locally bulge outward from the collection of wire coils. Such bulges, especially in consideration of the limited spacings available on an dynamo-electric machine component, may interfere with or access to the spacings by a wire dispensing member during the winding process. The present invention proposes to perform multiple-wire winding processes that avoid wire twisting and improper disposition of the wires. Further, the present invention proposes to improve the ability of the wire dispensing member to traverse the spacings on the component. As a consequence, the winding processes performed with the present invention are less likely to be hindered by interference and are capable of obtaining more wire fill within the component spacings and higher winding speeds. | 8 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The disclosed embodiments of the present invention relate to hub control, and more particularly, to a hub control method characterized by controlling an uplink port according to link status of downlink ports, and an associated circuit.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] A conventional hub, such as a Universal Serial Bus 3.0 (USB 3.0) hub, may possess an uplink port for communicating with a host terminal, and several downlink ports for connecting to devices. In this way, the host terminal may access the devices through the hub. According to the USB 3.0 hub standard, when none of the downlink ports is connected, the hub may be allowed to turn off most of the modules in order to save power, and the host terminal may control the hub to enter a power saving mode.
[0005] Even in the power saving mode, the uplink port of the hub still needs to be awake in case the host terminal tries to wake up the hub. In another case, when the downlink power establishes a connection, the hub may notify the host terminal by a remote wakeup command. Further, the conventional hub may require a specific driver installation to enable power management.
[0006] In light of the above, the power management for the hub needs improvement. As a result, there is an urgent need for a novel hub control method which can address the issues in the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a hub control method characterized by controlling an uplink port according to link status of downlink ports, and an associated circuit, to alleviate power consumption of the hub.
[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a hub control method is disclosed. The hub possesses an uplink port and a plurality of downlink ports. The hub control method comprises: receiving respective link status of each downlink port to learn whether each downlink port has established a connection; and when none of the plurality of downlink ports has established a connection, configuring the uplink port to be incapable of establishing a connection.
[0009] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a hub control circuit is disclosed. The hub possesses an uplink port and a plurality of downlink ports. The hub control circuit comprises a link status and an uplink port control unit. The link status receiving unit is arranged to receive respective link status of each downlink port to learn whether each downlink port has established a connection and generate a first control signal accordingly. The uplink port control unit is arranged to generate a second control signal according to the first control signal, wherein the second control signal is arranged to configure the uplink port to be incapable of establishing a connection.
[0010] These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for controlling a hub according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hub according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a switch configured in a USB 3.0 physical layer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a switch configured in a USB 2.0 physical layer according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] Certain terms are used throughout the description and following claims to refer to particular components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, manufacturers may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following description and in the claims, the terms “include” and “comprise” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “include, but not limited to . . . ”. Also, the term “couple” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct electrical connection. Accordingly, if one device is electrically connected to another device, that connection may be through a direct electrical connection, or through an indirect electrical connection via other devices and connections.
[0016] The embodiment as follows is illustrated by a Universal Serial Bus 3.0 (USB 3.0) hub, but this is not a limitation of the invention. FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for controlling a hub according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Provided that substantially the same result is achieved, the steps of the flowchart shown in FIG. 1 need not be in the exact order shown and need not be contiguous; that is, other steps can be intermediate. Some steps in FIG. 1 may be omitted according to various embodiments or requirements. The control method is briefly summarized as follows.
[0017] Step S 102 : Start;
[0018] Step S 104 : Receive respective link status of each downlink port to learn whether each downlink port has established a connection;
[0019] Step S 106 : When none of the plurality of downlink ports has established a connection, disconnect a recognition resistor of the uplink port to allow the uplink port to be unrecognizable, and subsequently power off the uplink port;
[0020] Step S 102 : End.
[0021] For illustrative purposes, refer to FIG. 2 in conjunction with FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a hub according to an embodiment of the present invention. The hub 250 possesses an uplink port UP and a first downlink port DP 1 and a second downlink port DP 2 . A hub control circuit 200 includes a link status receiving unit 204 and an uplink port control unit 202 , wherein the link status receiving unit 204 is arranged to receive a signal link_status 1 generated by a physical layer of the first downlink port DP 1 , and a signal link_status 2 generated by a physical layer of the second downlink port DP 2 . By referring to the two signals signal link_status 1 and signal link_status 2 , the hub control circuit 200 may learn whether the first downlink port DP 1 or the second downlink port DP 2 has established a connection with another device. The uplink port control unit 202 may be operable to receive a first control signal cs 1 produced by the link status receiving unit 204 . When the uplink port control unit 202 learns that neither the first downlink port DP 1 nor the second downlink port DP 2 has established a connection, the uplink port control unit 202 will generate a second control signal cs 2 for controlling a switch 206 to disconnect a recognition resistor R of the uplink port UP, which makes the uplink port UP unrecognizable. In this way, the host terminal cannot recognize the uplink port UP as a USB 3.0 compliant port, so no link will be established between the host terminal and the hub 250 .
[0022] When the first control signal cs 1 controls the uplink port control unit 202 to disconnect the recognition resistor R, the hub 250 will immediately lose its connection to the host terminal; this process is not harmful since the USB port inherently supports a hot-plug. In other words, the host terminal may regard this process as a cable being removed from the USB port, although no actual cable is removed from the host terminal or the hub 250 . Then, the uplink port control unit 202 may be operable to actively power off the uplink port UP instead of waiting for a power saving mode command from the host terminal. As a result, the disclosed hub control method can be free from a specific system configuration or driver installation. Further, the uplink port UP does not need to consistently monitor a wake up command sent from the host terminal. Equivalently, the uplink port UP may be completely powered off. Note the invention is not limited to completely power off the uplink port UP. For instance, the uplink port UP may be partially powered off or remain powered.
[0023] When the signal link_status 1 indicates the first downlink port DP 1 has established a connection, or when the signal link_status 2 indicates the second downlink port DP 2 has established a connection, the link status receiving unit 204 may be operable to send the first control signal cs 1 to notify the uplink port control unit 202 to switch the switch 206 from disconnected to connected. Then, the uplink port control unit 202 may be operable to power on the uplink port UP, so that the uplink port UP can be recognized by the host terminal and the connection between the uplink port UP and the host terminal can be established.
[0024] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a switch configured in the USB 3.0 physical layer according to an embodiment of the present invention. The switch 206 is coupled between a receiving path and a 50 ohm recognition resistor. The other terminal of the 50 ohm recognition resistor is coupled to a ground voltage. The switch 206 may be controlled by the second control signal cs 2 to connect or disconnect the 50 ohm recognition resistor accordingly. Note that the invention is not limited to the arrangement shown in FIG. 3 .
[0025] The hub control method and associated circuit are also applicable to a USB 2.0 hub. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a switch configured in the USB 2.0 physical layer according to an embodiment of the present invention. The switch 406 is coupled between a differential signal (DM) and a 45 ohm recognition resistor. The other terminal of the 45 ohm recognition resistor is coupled to a ground voltage. The switch 406 may be controlled by the second control signal cs 2 to connect or disconnect the 45 ohm recognition resistor accordingly. Note that the invention is not limited to the arrangement shown in FIG. 4 .
[0026] The hub control method and associated circuit may be applied to a hub of other types different from the USB hub. Alternative designs include a bridge for converting between different port standards. For example, one of the uplink port and the plurality of downlink ports is a USB 3.0 port, a USB 2.0 port, a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) port, Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) port, an Ethernet port or a Secure Digital (SD) memory card slot. In one example, the uplink port is a USB 2.0 port and the downlink ports include a USB 2.0 port, an Ethernet port and an SD card slot.
[0027] Compared to the prior art, the disclosed hub can actively disconnect from the host terminal and enter a power saving mode without waiting for the host terminal and the system to send a command. The advantage is that the hub can always enter the power saving mode no matter whether the system supports the power saving mode or not. Further, after the hub enters the power saving mode, it is unnecessary to monitor commands sent from the host terminal. Thus the uplink port of the hub can be thoroughly powered off and the entire power consumption substantially alleviated.
[0028] In particular, it is envisaged that the aforementioned inventive concept can be applied by a semiconductor manufacturer to any integrated circuit. It is further envisaged that, for example, a semiconductor manufacturer may employ the inventive concept in the design of a stand-alone device, or application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and/or any other sub-system element.
[0029] Aspects of the invention may be implemented in any suitable form including hardware, software, firmware or any combination of these. The invention may be implemented, at least partly, as computer software running on one or more data processors and/or digital signal processors or configurable module components such as FPGA devices. Thus, the elements and components of an embodiment of the invention may be physically, functionally and logically implemented in any suitable way. The functionality may be implemented in a single unit, in a plurality of units or as part of other functional units.
[0030] Although the present invention has been described in connection with some embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein. Rather, the scope of the present invention is limited only by the accompanying claims. Additionally, although a feature may appear to be described in connection with particular embodiments, one skilled in the art would recognize that various features of the described embodiments may be combined in accordance with the invention. In the claims, the term ‘comprising’ does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps.
[0031] Furthermore, although individually listed, a plurality of means, elements or method steps may be implemented by, for example, a single unit or processor or controller. Additionally, although individual features may be included in different claims, these may possibly be advantageously combined, and the inclusion in different claims does not imply that a combination of features is not feasible and/or advantageous. Also, the inclusion of a feature in one category of claims does not imply a limitation to this category, but rather indicates that the feature is equally applicable to other claim categories, as appropriate.
[0032] Furthermore, the order of features in the claims does not imply any specific order in which the features must be performed and in particular the order of individual steps in a method claim does not imply that the steps must be performed in this order. Rather, the steps may be performed in any suitable order. In addition, singular references do not exclude a plurality. Thus, references to ‘a’, ‘an’, ‘first’, ‘second’, etc. do not preclude a plurality.
[0033] Thus, an improved hub control method and associated circuit have been described, wherein the aforementioned disadvantages with prior art arrangements have been substantially alleviated.
[0034] Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims. | A hub hub control method, wherein the hub possesses an uplink port and a plurality of downlink ports, includes: receiving link status of each downlink port to know whether each downlink port has built a link; and when none of the plurality of downlink ports has built a link, controlling the uplink port to be unable to build a link. A hub control circuit, the hub possessing an uplink port and a plurality of downlink ports, includes a link status reception unit and an uplink port control unit for respective execution of the two steps of the hub control method. | 8 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic messaging and, more particularly, to using subqueues to enhance local message processing.
2. Background and Relevant Art
Computer systems and related technology affect many aspects of society. Indeed, the computer system's ability to process information has transformed the way we live and work. Computer systems now commonly perform a host of tasks (e.g., word processing, scheduling, and database management) that prior to the advent of the computer system were performed manually. More recently, computer systems have been coupled to one another and to other electronic devices to form both wired and wireless computer networks over which the computer systems and other electronic devices can transfer electronic data. As a result, many tasks performed at a computer system (e.g., voice communication, accessing electronic mail, controlling home electronics, Web browsing, and printing documents) include the exchange of electronic messages between a number of computer systems and/or other electronic devices via wired and/or wireless computer networks.
Networks have in fact become so prolific that a simple network-enabled computing system may communicate with any one of millions of other computing systems spread throughout the globe over a conglomeration of networks often referred to as the “Internet”. Such computing systems may include desktop, laptop, or tablet personal computers; Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs); telephones; or any other computer or device capable of communicating over a digital network.
In order to communicate over a network, one computing system (referred to herein as a “sending computing system”) constructs or otherwise accesses an electronic message and transmits the electronic message over a network to another computing system (referred to herein as a “receiving computing system”). The electronic message may be read by a human user as when the electronic message is an e-mail or instant message, or may be read, instead, by an application running on the receiving computing system. The electronic message may be constructed by an application running on the sending computing system with the possible assistance of a human user.
In some environments, applications communicate with one another using queued message communication. Queued communication includes mechanisms for a sending application to write a message into a sending queue, the sending queue to transfer the message to a receiving queue, and for a receiving application to read the message from the receiving queue. The queues maintain communication state outside of the communicating parties, and provide a level of indirection between them. Accordingly, queued messaging provides reliable communication between loosely coupled applications. Senders and receivers of messages use intermediary queue managers to communicate, and may independently shut down and restart and may even have non-overlapping lifetimes. Queuing also allows clients and servers to send and receive messages “at their own pace” with the queue taking up the slack at either end.
Often, a receiving computer system will publish a single receiving queue name so that other computer systems can send messages into the receiving queue. The messages can be subsequently delivered from the receiving queue to an appropriate application. In some environments, messages are moved from the receiving queue into other queues at the receiving computer system. For example, a queue manager may determine that a queued message is temporarily not processable (e.g., when the appropriate application is not available). Thus, the queue manager can move the queued message from the receiving queue into another queue so as to make other queued messages available for processing. At some later time, the queue manager can move the queued message back into the receiving queue and determined whether or not the queued message is now processable.
From time to time, it may also be necessary for a queue manager to sort messages in the receiving queue into separate groups, such as, for example, to route the messages to different processing units. However, queues are typically monolithic and do not have any organized structure. Thus, appropriate sorting of messages in a receiving queue may only be achievable by moving messages out of the receiving queue and into other queues at the receiving computer system.
It may also be that an application accesses a message and subsequently moves the message to a different queue. For example, when an application detects a poisonous message (e.g., after a specified number of failed reads or failed attempts at processing the message), the application can temporarily move the poisonous message to another queue (e.g., a poisonous message queue) so other messages in the receiving queue can continue to be processed. Then at some later time, the application can move the poisonous message back into the receiving queue and attempt to read and process the poisonous message again.
However, “move” operations can be resource intensive. For example, a move operation can cause a message to be physically moved from one memory location to another memory location.
Further, when a receiving application moves a message between queues, previously assigned identity information (the identity of the original sender) can be lost. A typical mechanism for moving a message from one queue to another queue is to “Receive” from one queue and “Send” to the other queue. However, during the message move the message typically leaves the messaging system (when Receive is called) and reenters the messaging system (when Send is called). Thus, the messaging system loses track of the message for some amount of time and treats the reentering message as a new message. Since the messaging system treats the message as a new message, it can assign the identity of the mover to the message, losing the identity of the original sender.
The removal of the message from the messaging system during the message move is problematic at least for one reason. Since the message leaves the messaging system, the Receive causes a delivery acknowledgment (“ACK”) to be sent. The original sender can receive the ACK and views the ACK as an indication that delivery guarantees have been met. That is, the ACK indicates to the sending application that the receiving application processed the message. However, if the message was transferred between queues, actual delivery to the receiving application may not have occurred. Thus, the sending application may inappropriately treat the message as processed. In response to the ACK, the sending application may remove the message from a local cache and proceed with sending other messages in a message sequence.
Unfortunately, after the receiving application moves the message back into the receiving queue and again attempts to process the message, further failures can occur. Eventually, after a specified number of failures (and potentially further moves between queues) the receiving application may inform the sending application that it could not process the message. The sending application may, in response, try to resend the message. However, since the sending application previously removed the message from cache in response to the ACK, the sending application may have no way to identify the message or access the contents of the message.
Further problems can also occur. For example, due to policy reasons (e.g., security or quota settings) a new queue may fail to accept a message from a moving queue. The new queue's failure to accept the message can cause the message to instead be moved to a dead message queue at the mover.
Therefore systems, methods, and computer program products for more efficient and more accurately acknowledged local message processing would be advantageous.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing problems with the prior state of the art are overcome by the principles of the present invention, which are directed towards methods, systems, and computer program products for using subqueues to enhance local message processing. In some embodiments, received messages are partitioned into subqueues. For example, a queue manager receives a message for delivery to a receiving application from a sending application. The message includes a queue identifier having a parent value portion storing a parent value that identifies a receiving queue.
The queue manager enqueues the message in the receiving queue based on the stored parent value. The receiving application examines the enqueued message. The receiving application assigns a subqueue suffix value that identifies a subqueue of the receiving queue. The application stores the subqueue suffix value in a suffix value portion of the queue identifier so as to logically move the message from the receiving queue to the identified subqueue of the receiving queue in accordance with the message examination.
In other embodiments, a message is moved between queues. For example, a queue manager receives a first handle that identifies a first queue. The first handle includes a parent value that identifies a parent portion of a queue and a first suffix value that identifies a first sub-portion of the queue. The queue manager utilizes the first handle to locate a message within the first queue. The message includes a queue identifier having a parent value portion storing the parent value and a suffix value portion storing the first suffix value.
The queue manager receives a second handle identifying a second queue that is to receive the located message. The second handle includes the same parent value and a second suffix value identifying a second sub-portion of the queue. The queue manager stores the second suffix value in the suffix value portion of the queue identifier so as to logically move the message from the first queue to the second queue.
Messages partitioned and moved in accordance with the principles of the present invention can be stored on computer-readable media. The messages can include a content field storing content values that represent the content of the electronic message. The messages can include a queue identifier field storing a queue identifier value identifying a queue where the content of the electronic message represented in the content field is to be enqueued. The queue identifier field can further include a parent value field storing a parent value identifying a parent portion of the queue and a suffix value field storing a suffix value identifying a sub-portion of the queue.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
To further clarify the above and other advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGS. 1A , 1 B, and 1 C illustrate an example of a computer architecture that facilitates using subqueues to enhance local message processing.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example flow chart of a method for partitioning queued messages within a queue.
FIG. 3 illustrates an example flow chart of a method for moving a message between queues.
FIG. 4 illustrates a suitable operating environment for the principles of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The principles of the present invention provide for using subqueues to enhance local message processing. In some embodiments, received messages are partitioned into subqueues. For example, a queue manager receives a message for delivery to a receiving application from a sending application. The message includes a queue identifier having a parent value portion storing a parent value that identifies a receiving queue.
The queue manager enqueues the message in the receiving queue based on the stored parent value. The receiving application examines the enqueued message. The receiving application assigns a subqueue suffix value that identifies a subqueue of the receiving queue. The application stores the subqueue suffix value in the suffix value portion of the queue identifier so as to logically move the message from the receiving queue to the identified subqueue of the receiving queue in accordance with the message examination.
In other embodiments, a message is moved between queues. For example, a queue manager receives a first handle that identifies a first queue. The first handle includes a parent value that identifies a parent portion of a queue and a first suffix value that identifies a first sub-portion of the queue. The queue manager utilizes the first handle to locate a message within the first queue. The message includes a queue identifier having a parent value portion storing the parent value and a suffix value portion storing the first suffix value.
The queue manager receives a second handle identifying a second queue that is to receive the located message. The second handle includes the same parent value and a second suffix value identifying a second sub-portion of the queue. The queue manager stores the second suffix value in the suffix value portion of the queue identifier so as to logically move the message from the first queue to the second queue.
Messages partitioned and moved in accordance with the principles of the present invention can be stored on computer-readable media. The messages can include a content field storing content values that represent the content of the electronic message. The messages can include a queue identifier field storing a queue identifier value identifying a queue where the content of the electronic message represented in the content field is to be enqueued. The queue identifier field can further include a parent value field storing a parent value identifying a parent portion of the queue and a suffix value field storing a suffix value identifying a sub-portion of the queue.
Embodiments within the scope of the present invention include computer-readable media for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such computer-readable media may be any available media, which is accessible by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer system. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise physical storage media such as RAM, ROM, EPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other media which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions, computer-readable instructions, or data structures and which may be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer system.
In this description and in the following claims, a “network” is defined as one or more data links that enable the transport of electronic data between computer systems and/or modules. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a combination of hardwired or wireless) to a computer system, the connection is properly viewed as a computer-readable medium. Thus, any such connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which cause a general-purpose computer system or special-purpose computer system to perform a certain function or group of functions. The computer executable instructions may be, for example, binaries, intermediate format instructions such as assembly language, or even source code.
In this description and in the following claims, a “computer system” is defined as one or more software modules, one or more hardware modules, or combinations thereof, that work together to perform operations on electronic data. For example, the definition of computer system includes the hardware components of a personal computer, as well as software modules, such as the operating system of the personal computer. The physical layout of the modules is not important. A computer system may include one or more computers coupled via a network. Likewise, a computer system may include a single physical device (such as a mobile phone or Personal Digital Assistant “PDA”) where internal modules (such as a memory and processor) work together to perform operations on electronic data.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may be practiced in network computing environments with many types of computer system configurations, including, personal computers, laptop computers, hand-held devices, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, mobile telephones, PDAs, pagers, and the like. The invention may also be practiced in distributed system environments where local and remote computer systems, which are linked (either by hardwired data links, wireless data links, or by a combination of hardwired and wireless data links) through a network, both perform tasks. In a distributed system environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.
FIGS. 1A , 1 B, and 1 C illustrate an example of a computer architecture 100 (or portions there of) that facilitate using subqueues to enhance local message processing. Depicted in computer architecture 100 ( FIG. 1A ) are computer system 101 , network 105 , and computer system 111 . Each of the computer systems 101 and 111 are connected to network 105 , such as, for example, a Local Area Network (“LAN”), a Wide Area Network (“WAN”), or even the Internet. Computer systems connected network 105 can receive data from and send data to other computer systems connected network 105 . Accordingly, computer systems 101 and 111 , as well as other connected computer systems (not shown), can create message related data and exchange message related data (e.g., Internet Protocol (“IP”) datagrams and other higher layer protocols that utilize IP datagrams, such as, Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (“HTTP”), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (“SMTP”), etc.) over the network. For example, computer systems 101 and 111 create SOAP envelopes, exchange SOAP envelopes over network 105 , and receive SOAP envelopes.
Computer system 101 includes application 102 and queue manager 108 . Application 102 can be a portion of a distributed application, such as, for example, a Web service. Queue manager 108 includes and controls the operation of transmission queue 107 . For example, queue manager 108 controls the queueing of messages into and dequeing of messages from transmission queue 107 .
Computer system 111 includes application 102 and queue manager 118 . Application 112 can be a portion of a distributed application, such as, for example, Web service. Queue manager 118 includes and controls the operation of receiving queue 117 . For example, queue manager 118 controls the queueing of messages into and dequeing of messages from transmission queue 107 .
It may be that application 102 and application 112 are portions of the same distributed application. Thus, from time to time, application 102 sends messages to (and potentially receives messages from) application 112 . To send a message to application 112 , application 102 and queue manager 108 can, for example, according to a capture protocol, cause message 122 to be enqueued in transmission queue 107 . Then at an appropriate time, queue manager 108 can transfer message 122 , via network 105 , to queue manager 118 .
Generally, messages can be data structures that include a header portion having one or more data fields and a body portion having one or more data fields. For example, a message (e.g., message 122 ) can include a content field storing content values that represent the content of the electronic message (e.g., represented by content 127 ). A message can also include a queue identifier field storing a queue identifier value identifying a queue where the content of the electronic message represented in the content field (e.g., represented by queue ID 123 ) is to be enqueued. A queue identifier field can further include a parent value field storing a parent value identifying a parent portion of the queue; (e.g., represented by parent value 124 ) and a suffix value field storing a suffix value identifying a sub-portion of the queue (e.g., represented by suffix value 136 ). Other fields can also be included in a data structure for representing a message.
A queue identifier can be formatted in accordance with a variety of different naming schemes. In some embodiments, a queue identifier includes a fixed length parent value and a fixed length suffix value. In other embodiments, a queue identifier includes a variable-length parent value and a fixed length suffix value. These other embodiments provide additional flexibility for the parent value and allow for in-situ changing of the suffix value. In further embodiments, a queue identifier includes a variable length suffix value. In these further embodiments, enough space for the largest possible suffix value is reserved.
Applications can define any number of local subqueues for each queue. For example, application 112 can define subqueues 117 A and 117 B for queue 117 . A subqueue retains all the properties of the queue from which it is derived. For example, subqueues 117 A and 117 B retain all the properties of queue 117 , including quota, security, transactional type, authenticated, privacy level properties.
Subqueues can be created by storing a new (or otherwise not currently used) suffix value in a queue ID. Thus, separate queue creation mechanisms are not needed to create a subqueue. For example, a new subqueue can be created by calling a MessageMove Application Program Interface (“API”) that includes a new suffix value. When the new suffix is copied to a queue ID a new subqueue is logically created and as a result the corresponding message is logically stored in the subqueue. When no messages contain a previously used suffix value (e.g., when all messages that previously occupied a subqueue are moved to other subqueues or have been consumed by the receiving application) the subqueue is logically deleted.
FIG. 2 illustrates an example flow chart of a method for partitioning queued messages within a queue. Method 200 will be described with respect to the components and messages in FIG. 1A .
Method 200 includes an act of receiving a message from a sending application, the message for delivery to a receiving application (act 201 ). For example, queue manager 118 can receive message 122 from queue manager 108 . The message can include a queue identifier. For example, message 122 includes queue ID 123 . The queue identifier has a parent value portion storing a parent value that identifies a receiving queue. For example, queue ID 123 includes parent value 124 identifying receiving queue 117 .
Method 200 includes an act of enqueueing the message in the receiving queue based on the stored parent value (act 202 ). For example, queue manager 118 can enqueue message 122 in receiving queue 117 . Queue manager 118 can identify receiving queue 117 based on parent value 124 (e.g., a URI included in the message by application 102 ).
Method 200 includes an act of examining the enqueued message (act 203 ). Examining an enqueued message can include examining the content, such as, for example, message bodies and/or message headers, of the enqueued message. For example, application 112 can examine (or PEEK) at content 127 . Based on specified administrator configurable data rules it can be determined that message 122 is to be partitioned or routed to a corresponding sub-queue. For example, if examination of message 122 reveals that message 122 is a poisonous message, message 122 can be moved to a poisonous message sub-queue (and then later moved back into the parent queue). Alternately, data routing can be used to break-up or partition large portions of data across a number of sub-queues that each contain a subset of the larger portion of data. For example, if examination of message 122 reveals a telephone number in the range of 000-0000 to 399-9999 message 122 can be routed to a first sub-queue, a telephone number in the range of 400-0000 to 699-9999 message 122 can be routed to a second sub-queue, and a telephone number in the range of 700-0000 to 999-9999 message 122 can be routed to a third sub-queue.
Method 200 includes an act of assigning a subqueue suffix value that identifies a subqueue of the receiving queue (act 204 ). For example, application 112 can assign suffix value 126 that, in combination with parent value 124 , identifies subqueue 117 A. Application 112 can identify a subqueue based on the results of the message examination. For example, based on examination of message 122 , application 112 can determine that message 122 is to be routed to subqueue 117 A.
Thus, generally a queue ID can be represented using the following notation: “parent value;suffix value”, wherein the parent value identifies a queue and the suffix value identifies a sub-portion of the identified queue. A parent value can be a URI used by external modules (e.g., application 122 ) to identify a queue (e.g., queue 117 ). A suffix value can be a string of characters (e.g., Unicode characters) used by a local application (e.g., application 112 ) to identify a sub-portion of a parent queue.
An identified sub-portion of a queue can be a sub-queue. For example, “parent value 124 ;suffix value 126 ” can be used locally to identify subqueue 117 A. However, an identified sub-portion of queue can also be a parent queue. For example, “parent queue 124 ;suffix value 136 ” can be used locally to identify parent queue 117 P. In some embodiments, a reserved suffix value (e.g., zero) or a null suffix value (represented as “parent queue 124 ;”) is used to identify the parent queue locally.
Method 200 includes an act of storing the subqueue suffix value in the suffix value portion of the queue identifier (act 205 ). For example, application 112 can store suffix value 126 in queue ID 123 , thereby overwriting suffix value 136 . Storing a new suffix value in a message has the effect of logically moving the message from the receiving queue to the identified subqueue of the receiving queue. For example storing suffix value 126 in queue id 123 has the effect of logically moving the message from parent queue 117 P to subqueue 117 A.
As previously described, queue identifiers can be of a fixed length. Application 112 can be configured to use suffix values such that the combination (or concatenation) of a parent value and corresponding suffix value does not exceed this fixed length. Thus, application 112 can store suffix values in a message in place (i.e., while the message remains physically contained in the queue). Accordingly, application 112 does not have to physically move the message out of the queue to logically move the message to another sub-queue. As a result, storing, updating, overwriting, etc., a suffix value (and thus logically moving messages between subqueues) can be performed without generating an acknowledgement message (“ACK”) back to queue manager 108 . Additionally, since the Send API is not used to updated the message, the identity of the original sender of the queued messages is retained even when the messages are moved between subqueues.
FIG. 1A further depicts messages 128 , 133 , and 138 that are physically contained in receiving queue 117 along with message 122 . Message 128 , includes queue ID 129 having parent value 124 and suffix value 126 , and content 132 . Message 133 , includes queue ID 134 having parent value 124 and suffix value 136 , and content 137 . Message 138 , includes queue ID 139 having parent value 124 and suffix value 141 , and content 142 . Messages 122 , 128 , 133 , and 138 can also include other fields (e.g., message ID fields). However for clarity, these other fields are not shown in FIG. 1A .
Logical topology 191 represents an example topology of queues from the local perspective of application 112 . Logical topology 191 includes parent queue 117 P (e.g., identified by “parent value 124 ;”), subqueue 117 A (identified by “parent value 124 ;suffix value 126 ”) and subqueue 117 B (identified by “parent value 124 ;suffix value 141 ”). Thus, from the perspective of application 112 message 133 is contained in parent queue 117 P, messages 122 and 128 are contained in subqueue 117 A, and message 138 is contained in subqueue 117 B. However, the messages remain physically stored in receiving queue 117 .
FIGS. 1B and 1C depict further views of computer system 111 . Application 112 can be configured to create, access, and send queue handles (e.g., queue handles 160 and 164 ) to queue manager 118 (e.g., through calls to a corresponding (“API”)). Queue manager 118 can use queue handles to move messages between queues. For clarity, fields within messages 122 , 133 , and 138 are not expressly depicted. However, messages 122 , 133 , and 138 retain the fields depicted in FIG. 1A .
FIG. 3 illustrates an example flow chart of a method for method for moving a message between queues. Method 300 will be described with respect to the components and messages in FIGS. 1B and 1C .
Method 300 includes an act of receiving a first handle that identifies a first queue (act 301 ). The first handle includes a parent value that identifies a parent portion of a queue and a first suffix value that identifies a first sub-portion of the queue. For example, queue manager 118 can receive handle 160 and message ID 161 . Handle 160 includes parent value 124 and suffix value 126 that identify subqueue 117 A. As previously described, the queue parent value 124 identifies queue 117 and suffix value 126 identifies subqueue 117 A. Message ID 161 can be the message ID of message 128 . When message 128 was initially received at queue manager 118 , application 112 may have accessed and stored message ID 161 .
Method 300 includes an act of utilizing the first handle to locate a message within the first queue (act 302 ). The message includes a queue identifier having a parent value portion storing the parent value and a suffix value portion storing the first suffix value. For example, queue manager 118 can utilize handle 160 to locate message 128 within subqueue 117 A. Message 128 includes queue ID 129 having parent value 124 and suffix value 126 .
To locate message 128 , queue manager 118 can identify a subset of messages from queue 117 that are logically stored in subqueue 117 A. For example, queue manager 118 can search for messages that include suffix value 126 . Then, from the subset of identified messages, queue manager 118 can locate message 128 by matching message ID 161 from handle 160 to the message ID 161 contained in message 128 .
Method 300 includes an act of receiving a second handle identifying a second queue that is to receive the located message (act 303 ). The second handle includes the parent value and a second suffix value identifying a second sub-portion of the queue. For example, queue manager 118 can receive handle 164 that identifies subqueue 117 B. Handle 164 includes parent value 124 and suffix value 141 .
Method 300 includes an act of storing the second suffix value in the suffix value portion of the queue identifier so as to logically move the message from the first queue to the second queue (act 304 ). For example, queue manager 118 can store suffix value 141 in place in queue ID 129 . Storing suffix value 141 causes message 128 to be logically moved from subqueue 117 A to subqueue 117 B. FIG. 1C depicts message 128 stored in subqueue 117 B. Moving messages between subqueues does not alter the order of messages in queue 117 .
As previously described, an application can call a queue manager API to move messages between subqueues. Following is one example of a move API:
HRESULT APIENTRY MQMoveMessage( QUEUEHANDLE hQueueFrom, ULONGLONG ulLookupId, QUEUEHANDLE hQueueTo, ITransaction * pTransaction,);
With the example move API the hQueueFrom value represents the Handle to the queue that contains the message (an input value), the ulLookupId value represents LookupId of the message (an input value), for example, which was received earlier in a transaction, the hQueueTo value represents the Handle to the queue that will contain the message after Commit or Receive. Queues can be related as subqueues of the same parent queue, or can be the parent queue itself. The pTransaction value represents a pointer to a transaction object or contstant (an input value). Transaction objects can be obtained internally from Message Queuing, externally from a Distributed Transaction Coordinator, or implicitly from a current context. The example Move API can be called, for example, when an application decides it will not immediately process a message and wants the message to be moved to another local queue for subsequent treatment.
Applications can also utilize other APIs to obtain queue information. For example, an application can call a get into API that returns subqueue information, such as, for example, the number of subqueues in a queue and an array of subqueue names. Such information can be used by the application when creating and moving messages between subqueues.
Thus, embodiments of the present invention facilitate moving messages between queues by altering suffix values of queue IDs. Accordingly, messages can be moved between subqueues in a resource efficient manner without a message actually leaving and reentering a messaging system. As a result, the identity of an original sender can be retained. Further, when messages remain within the messaging system delivery Acknowledgments are not sent back to the original sender when a message is moved between queues. Thus, the original sender is not given potentially inaccurate information indicating a message was delivered to a receiving application when the message was actually transferred between queues.
With reference to FIG. 4 , an example system for implementing the invention includes a general-purpose computing device in the form of computer system 420 , including a processing unit 421 , a system memory 422 , and a system bus 423 that couples various system components including the system memory 422 to the processing unit 421 . Processing unit 421 can execute computer-executable instructions designed to implement features of computer system 420 , including features of the present invention. The system bus 423 may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The system memory includes read only memory (“ROM”) 424 and random access memory (“RAM”) 425 . A basic input/output system (“BIOS”) 426 , containing the basic routines that help transfer information between elements within computer system 420 , such as during start-up, may be stored in ROM 424 .
The computer system 420 may also include magnetic hard disk drive 427 for reading from and writing to magnetic hard disk 439 , magnetic disk drive 428 for reading from or writing to removable magnetic disk 429 , and optical disk drive 430 for reading from or writing to removable optical disk 431 , such as, or example, a CD-ROM or other optical media. The magnetic hard disk drive 427 , magnetic disk drive 428 , and optical disk drive 430 are connected to the system bus 423 by hard disk drive interface 432 , magnetic disk drive-interface 433 , and optical drive interface 434 , respectively. The drives and their associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of computer-executable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data for the computer system 420 . Although the example environment described herein employs magnetic hard disk 439 , removable magnetic disk 429 and removable optical disk 431 , other types of computer readable media for storing data can be used, including magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital versatile disks, Bernoulli cartridges, RAMs, ROMs, and the like.
Program code means comprising one or more program modules may be stored on hard disk 439 , magnetic disk 429 , optical disk 431 , ROM 424 or RAM 425 , including an operating system 435 , one or more application programs 436 , other program modules 437 , and program data 438 . A user may enter commands and information into computer system 420 through keyboard 440 , pointing device 442 , or other input devices (not shown), such as, for example, a microphone, joy stick, game pad, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices can be connected to the processing unit 421 through input/output interface 446 coupled to system bus 423 . Input/output interface 446 logically represents any of a wide variety of different interfaces, such as, for example, a serial port interface, a PS/2 interface, a parallel port interface, a Universal Serial Bus (“USB”) interface, or an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (“IEEE”) 1394 interface (i.e., a FireWire interface), or may even logically represent a combination of different interfaces.
A monitor 447 or other display device is also connected to system bus 423 via video interface 448 . Other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as, for example, speakers and printers, can also be connected to computer system 420 .
Computer system 420 is connectable to networks, such as, for example, an office-wide or enterprise-wide computer network, a home network, an intranet, and/or the Internet. Computer system 420 can exchange data with external sources, such as, for example, remote computer systems, remote applications, and/or remote databases over such networks.
Computer system 420 includes network interface 453 , through which computer system 420 receives data from external sources and/or transmits data to external sources. As depicted in FIG. 4 , network interface 453 facilitates the exchange of data with remote computer system 483 via link 451 . Network interface 453 can logically represent one or more software and/or hardware modules, such as, for example, a network interface card and corresponding Network Driver Interface Specification (“NDIS”) stack. Link 451 represents a portion of a network (e.g., an Ethernet segment), and remote computer system 483 represents a node of the network.
Likewise, computer system 420 includes input/output interface 446 , through which computer system 420 receives data from external sources and/or transmits data to external sources. Input/output interface 446 is coupled to modem 454 (e.g., a standard modem, a cable modem, or digital subscriber line (“DSL”) modem) via link 459 , through which computer system 420 receives data from and/or transmits data to external sources. As depicted in FIG. 4 , input/output interface 446 and modem 454 facilitate the exchange of data with remote computer system 493 via link 452 . Link 452 represents a portion of a network and remote computer system 493 represents a node of the network.
While FIG. 4 represents a suitable operating environment for the present invention, the principles of the present invention may be employed in any system that is capable of, with suitable modification if necessary, implementing the principles of the present invention. The environment illustrated in FIG. 4 is illustrative only and by no means represents even a small portion of the wide variety of environments in which the principles of the present invention may be implemented.
In accordance with the present invention, modules including applications, queue managers, transmission queues, receiving queues, and, as well as associated data, including application messages, queue identifiers, parent values, suffix values, content, and message IDs can be stored and accessed from any of the computer-readable media associated with computer system 420 . For example, portions of such modules and portions of associated program data may be included in operating system 435 , application programs 436 , program modules 437 and/or program data 438 , for storage in system memory 422 .
When a mass storage device, such as, for example, magnetic hard disk 439 , is coupled to computer system 420 , such modules and associated program data may also be stored in the mass storage device. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to computer system 420 , or portions thereof, can be stored in remote memory storage devices, such as, system memory and/or mass storage devices associated with remote computer system 483 and/or remote computer system 493 . Execution of such modules may be performed in a distributed environment as previously described.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. | The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for using subqueues to enhance local message processing. Messages include queue IDs comprised of a parent portion and a suffix portion. The parent portion identifies a parent queue and the suffix portion identifies a subqueue of the parent queue. Message are logically moved between queues by changing suffix values, such as, for example, between subqueues, between the parent queue and a subqueue, and between a subqueue and the parent queue. Applications can examine messages and route messages to specified subqueues based on message content (including message bodies and headers). Suffix values can be changed in place (e.g., while the message remains physically stored in the queue) so as to preserve message sender identity and to avoid prematurely acknowledging delivery (i.e., no return ACK is generated). | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for making a zinc pyrithione product having an acceptable white or off-white color and containing substantially no undesired 2-hydroxypyridine-N-oxide or metal salt complexes thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Zinc pyrithione [also known as zinc pyridine-2-thiol-N-oxide or bis[1-hydroxy-2(H) pyridinethionato]-zinc] is an excellent biocide. It has been employed as a broad-spectrum anti-microbial agent and preservative in metalworking fluids, plastics, and cosmetics. Its principal use is as an antidandruff agent in hair products. Sodium pyrithione [also called the sodium salt of 1-hydroxy-2-pyridinethione, sodium pyridine-2-thiol-N-oxide, or 2-pyridinethiol-1-oxide, Na salt] is also employed as a preservative in various applications (e.g., metalworking fluids).
The generally accepted route for making these compounds is by the mercaptization of a 2-halopyridine-N-oxide with an alkali metal sulfide or hydrosulfide and a base to make an alkali metal pyrithione and then converting this alkali metal salt to zinc pyrithione by reaction with a zinc salt (e.g., ZnCl 2 or ZnSO 4 ).
One preferred method for making sodium pyrithione by this route is disclosed in Japanese Pat. No. 1,051,254 which was filed by Pivawer, Schiessl, and Shermer on Apr. 19, 1977, and issued on June 25, 1981. Their method prepared sodium pyrithione by reacting 2-chloropyridine-N-oxide with a substantially equimolar amount or a slight molar excess of NaSH (i.e., from 1 to 1.25 moles per mole of N-oxide). A critical parameter of their process was controlling the pH of the reaction in the range from 7.5 to 11.0. They taught control of the pH could be carried out by adding NaOH simultaneously or concurrently with the NaSH at regulated feed rates.
It should be noted that this method disclosed by Pivawer et al. in their specific examples employed an NaSH and NaOH addition temperature of not less than 75° C. Furthermore, this Japanese patent teaches that alkali metal carbonates may be substituted for NaOH as pH control agents; however, none of the specific examples employed an alkali metal carbonate. In all, no known publication has ever taught the advantages associated with the use of sodium carbonate (e.g., higher yields and a whiter product) as a base when making sodium or zinc pyrithione.
Several problems arise when using this process of Pivawer et al. on large-scale commercial production runs. First, because NaOH and NaSH are highly corrosive, it is difficult to obtain accurate pH readings or keep pH meters operating reliably. Also, the amount of the by-product 2-hydroxypyridine-N-oxide produced will increase when NaOH is used solely as a base in the formation of sodium pyrithione. Formation of this by-product decreases the yields of both sodium and zinc pyrithione and causes impure products to be made.
Besides these difficulties, it should be noted that sodium pyrithione and zinc pyrithione occasionally have problems meeting strict color specifications set by formulators of cosmetics and toiletries. Since the esthetics of cosmetics and toiletries normally require certain desirable colors and the formulators of such products go to great lengths to achieve specific color effects, any ingredient which varies very much from white or colorless may make the colorant formulators' task very difficult. In the cases of sodium and zinc pyrithione, it is believed that unacceptable discoloration results from the presence of unwanted traces of contaminants during the making of the sodium pyrithione. One method of removing these contaminants is to carry out multi-step purification processes. This is costly and adds extra processing steps.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art to overcome the above-stated problems associated with the Pivawer et al. process. Also, there is a need for a better method of preventing or removing unacceptable discoloration of sodium or zinc pyrithione. It is believed that the present invention which involves the making of sodium pyrithione by reacting a 2-halopyridine-N-oxide with Na 2 CO 3 (or a mixture of NaOH and Na 2 CO 3 ) and NaSH under selected addition temperatures and reaction temperatures and in selected mol ratios meets these needs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, therefore, is directed to a process for making zinc pyrithione, which comprises the steps:
(a) adding sodium hydrosulfide and a base selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide to an aqueous solution of a 2-halopyridine-N-oxide selected from the group consisting of 2-bromopyridine-N-oxide and 2-chloropyridine-n-oxide at a temperature below about 70° C.
(i) wherein the mole ratio of the sum of moles of said sodium hydrosulfide and said base to said 2-halopyridine-N-oxide is at least about 2:1;
(ii) wherein the mole ratio of said sodium hydrosulfide to said 2-halopyridine-N-oxide is at least about 1:1;
(iii) wherein the mole ratio of said base to said 2-halopyridine-N-oxide is at least about 0.75:1.0; and
(iv) wherein said base is comprised of at least about 10 mole % of sodium carbonate;
(b) heating the resultant mixture of step (a) to about 75° C. to about 105° C. for sufficient time to form sodium pyrithione; and
(c) reacting said sodium pyrithione with a zinc salt to form zinc pyrithione.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention encompasses a three-step reaction sequence wherein a 2-halopyridine-N-oxide is first reacted with sodium hydrosulfide to form 2-mercaptopyridine-N-oxide. This latter compound is then converted to sodium pyrithione by reaction with a sodium-containing base (e.g. NaCO 3 or NaOH, or both). The sodium pyrithione is then converted to zinc pyrithione by reaction with a zinc salt (e.g. ZnCl 2 or ZnSO 4 ). These reactions are illustrated by the following reactions (A), (B) and (C) wherein 2-chloropyridine-N-oxide is employed as the 2-halopyridine-N-oxide, Na 2 CO 3 is the sole base and ZnCl 2 is employed as the zinc salt: ##STR1##
As stated above, the 2-halopyridine-N-oxide reactants of the present process may be either 2-bromopyridine-N-oxide or 2-chloropyridine-N-oxide. Both of these compounds are well known and may be made by a variety of ways, including the oxidation of the corresponding 2-halopyridine with an oxidizing agent such as peracetic acid. Of the two compounds, 2-chloropyridine-N-oxide is preferred because of cost considerations.
The sodium hydrosulfide (also called sodium sulfhydrate) reactant is also a well-known chemical and is made by many conventional methods. It may be generated in situ by addition of H 2 S to a mixture of base and 2-chloropyridine-N-oxide.
The presence of a certain amount of sodium carbonate (i.e., at least about 10 mole % of the base) is also a critical feature of the present invention. The use of too much NaOH as the base will increase the amount of the by-product 2-hydroxypyridine-N-oxide produced. The formation of this by-product will decrease yield of sodium pyrithione, and, in turn, the yield of zinc pyrithione. But, in some instances, NaOH is useful as a co-base. Accordingly, one preferred embodiment of the present invention is to use an optimum combination of Na 2 CO 3 and NaOH as co-bases. The most preferred embodiment is the use of Na 2 CO 3 alone.
In accordance with the present invention, the sodium hydrosulfide and base are first added to an aqueous solution of the 2-halopyridine-N-oxide at a temperature below about 70° C. Generally, an aqueous solution is employed as the reaction medium because the water acts as an effective solvent and heat transfer medium. Furthermore, 2-halopyridine-N-oxides such as 2-chloropyridine-N-oxide are normally prepared in aqueous solutions and it facilitates processing to not remove this reactant from the water. The amount of water present in this process is not critical, but from about 2- to about 15-fold excess by weight of H 2 O over the 2-halopyridine-N-oxide is preferred. Too much water is not desirable because it raises processing costs. The sodium hydrosulfide and base are preferably added neat (or without water) to minimize processing costs by maximizing batch productivity.
The addition step (a) may be conducted at any temperature under about 70° C., suitably from ambient (about 20° C.) to about 65° C. If the reactants are combined together at too high a reaction temperature, an uncontrollable exotherm may occur. Furthermore, it is believed that yields of sodium and zinc pyrithione will suffer if the addition temperature is too high.
The addition time should be as rapid as possible so that the above-stated molar ratios of reactants are present in the resultant mixture prior to heating above about 70° C. It is preferred to add both the sodium hydrosulfide and the base quickly and simultaneously to the 2-halopyridine-N-oxide in order to save processing time. But, it may be suitable to add either reactant before the other in a sequential order. However, it should be noted that the exact mode and rate of addition are not critical parameters. In contrast, the process described by Pivawer et al. required critical rates of additions in order to control the reaction pH. Thus, the present invention does not require expensive chemical metering and pH measuring equipment which the prior art process needed.
At least a subsantially equimolar amount of the sodium hydrosulfide per mole of 2-halopyridine-N-oxide substrate is employed in the present reaction. If less than equimolar amounts are utilized, there will be insufficient sulfur available to fully convert the 2-halopyridine-N-oxide to 2-mercaptopyridine-N-oxide according to equation (A) above. Preferably, a slight molar excess is utilized, suitably from 1.00 to about 1.25 moles of sodium hydrosulfide per mole of 2-halopyridine-N-oxide, more preferably from about 1.00:1.00 to about 1.15:1.00, and most preferably from about 1.00:1.00 to about 1.10:1.00. Larger amounts of sodium hydrosulfide than the 1.25:1.00 molar ratio may be utilized, but no advantage is seen.
The amount of base added should be sufficient to convert substantially all of any 2-mercaptopyridine-N-oxide formed to sodium pyrithione according to equation (B), above, and depends in part on the amount of excess sodium hydrosulfide added since sodium hydrosulfide may also act as a base and convert 2-mercaptopyridine-N-oxide to sodium pyrithione. Generally, an amount of base should be added such that the ratio of the sum of the moles of base added and the moles of NaSH added to moles of 2-halopyridine-N-oxide present is at least about 2.1, preferably from about 2:1 to about 3:1; more preferably from about 2.00:1 to about 2.45:1; and most preferably from about 2.05:1 to about 2.20:1.
It is believed that the mole ratio of base to 2-halopyridine-N-oxide should be at least 0.75:1 to obtain the desired purity and yields of sodium pyrithione. Preferably, this mole ratio should be from about 1.0:1.0 to about 1.2:1.0.
Once the addition is completed, the reaction to form sodium pyrithione may be conducted over a temperature range from about 75° C. to about 105° C., preferably, from about 80° C. to about 95° C. Reaction temperatures below about 75° C. result in reaction rates too low to be commercially desirable. Reaction temperatures above about 105° C. may cause undesirable side reactions and are inconvenient because they exceed the boiling point of the reaction medium. Reaction time will, of course, vary with the temperature being employed. The time of the reaction is not critical; however, for maximum yield and for obtaining a desirable white color, the reaction time should be minimized. Times from about 30 minutes to about 120 minutes are generally sufficient for completion of the reaction. The reaction is preferably run at atmospheric pressure. Sub- and super-atmospheric pressures may be employed, but require costly additional processing equipment.
After the sodium pyrithione is formed, a zinc salt is then added to the mixture, whereby zinc pyrithione precipitates from the solution.
The amount of zinc salt added should preferably be stoichiometrically sufficient so that the sodium pyrithione is completely reacted. However, a minimum of excess zinc salt should be used for attainment of a desired color. The preferable mole ratios of zinc salt to sodium pyrithione may range from about 0.9:2 to about 1.25:2 more preferably from about 1:2 to about 1.1:2. Any suitable zinc salt which is soluble in an aqueous solution of sodium pyrithione may be used. The preferred salts are ZnCl 2 , ZnSO 4 , and hydrates thereof. ZnSO 4 is most preferred.
The preferred reaction temperature for making zinc pyrithione is from about 20° C. to about 100° C.; more preferably from about 25° C. to about 95° C. The processing time will vary with the reaction temperature (e.g., from about 10 minutes to about 120 minutes).
When the reaction is complete, the formed zinc pyrithione will precipitate from the solution. This precipitate may be filtered from the reaction mixture and further processed according to conventional means.
The term "discoloration" as employed herein with zinc pyrithione may mean any unacceptable gray, green, red, yellow, blue, brown, or color other than a white or off-white color. The latter are generally suitable in most hair products, cosmetic, and toiletry applications. One way of quantitatively measuring for discoloration in zinc pyrithione is by measuring the Hunter color parameters and calculating a whiteness value from them (note Examples below). It should be noted that the causes of discoloration in sodium pyrithione solutions and zinc pyrithione made from the former are not clearly known. It is believed one possible cause is oxidation of contaminants during further processing of sodium pyrithione.
The present invention also encompasses the formation of other alkali metal pyrithiones besides sodium. If potassium pyrithione was made, then potassium carbonate (or a mixture of potassium carbonate and potassium hydroxide) would be employed with potassium hydrosulfide.
The following Examples and Comparisons are illustrative of preferred embodiments of the present invention. All parts and percentages are by weight unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Examples I, II, and III, compared to their corresponding Comparisons I, II, and III, illustrate that using sodium carbonate works on three different samples of 2-chloropyridine-N-oxide; each sample yields zinc pyrithione with different color parameters, however, the use of carbonate improves all of them. Yields are also raised by the use of carbonate.
Examples IV to VIII, compared to Comparison IV, show the diminution of the 2-hydroxy-pyridine-N-oxide impurity in zinc pyrithione with amount of sodium carbonate substituted for sodium hydroxide. Color also improves with the replacement of hydroxide by carbonate.
EXAMPLE I
To an aqueous solution of 2-chloropyridine-N-oxide (165.3 grams of solution; 0.25 mole of active compound) at 60° C. was added 22.7 grams (0.32 mole) sodium carbonate, 22.7 grams (0.30 mole) sodium hydrosulfide (73.6% by weight active compound), and 45.2 grams water. The solution was stirred at 90° C. for 0.5 hour and then cooled to 60° C. Concentrated hydrochloric acid (46.5 grams) was added, while purging with nitrogen, over a one hour time period. After cooling to 30° C., the mixture was filtered to remove small amounts of sulfur by-products, and an aqueous solution of 20% by weight zinc sulfate (95.9 grams of solution; 0.12 mole of active compound) was added with stirring to the filtrate containing sodium pyrithione. The resulting zinc pyrithione product was filtered to give 117.5 grams (wet cake). Color parameters were determined using a Hunter Color/Difference meter 1 . A portion was dried and analyzed for zinc pyrithione content. A yield of 94.6% (assaying 95.3% pure) was obtained. The Hunter color parameters were found to be: L=92.6; a=-1.4; b=5.6; and calculated Whiteness 2 was W=56.2 (compared to MgO=100).
The comparison of the results of Example I and Comparison I shows that the Carbonate Procedure of the present invention gives a better yield and a whiter product (especially a lower b value and a higher calculated W value).
COMPARISON I
To the same aqueous solution of 2-chloro-pyridine-N-oxide used in Example I (182.9 grams of solution; 0.28 moles of active compound) at 60° C. in a reaction vessel was added an aqueous solution containing 11.4 grams (0.29 mole) sodium hydroxide, 26.3 grams (0.35 mole) sodium hydrosulfide (73.6% by weight active compound), and 84.4 grams water. The solution was stirred and heated at 93° C. for 0.5 hour and then cooled to 60° C. Concentrated hydrochloric acid (11.4 grams) was added, while purging with nitrogen, over a one hour time period. After cooling to 30° C., the mixture was filtered and an aqueous solution of 20% by weight zinc sulfate (103.0 grams of solution; 0.13 mole of active compound) was added with stirring. The product was filtered to give 124.8 grams (wet cake). Color parameters were determined using a Hunter Color/Difference meter. A portion was dried and analyzed for zinc pyrithione content. A yield of 90.8% product (assaying 95.1% pure) was obtained. The measured color parameters and calculated Whiteness were L=92.8; a=-2.4; b=6.9; W=49.1.
EXAMPLE II
To an aqueous solution of a different sample of 2-chloropyridine-N-oxide (197.7 grams; 0.30 mole) than employed in Example I and Comparison I and 37.8 grams (0.36 mole) sodium carbonate at 50° C. was added a solution of 25.3 grams (0.33 mole) sodium hydrosulfide (73.1% by weight active compound) in 50.0 grams of water. The solution was stirred at 90° C. for one-half hour and then cooled to 60° C. Concentrated hydrochloric acid (52.0 grams) was added, while purging with nitrogen, over a one hour time period. After cooling to 30° C., the mixture was filtered and an aqueous solution of 20% by weight zinc sulfate (109.2 grams of solution; 0.14 mole of active compound) was added with stirring. The product was filtered to give 162.2 grams (wet cake). Color parameters were determined using a Hunter Color/Difference meter. A portion was dried and analyzed for zinc pyrithione content. A yield of 88.4% (assaying 97.0% pure) was obtained. The measured color parameters and calculated Whiteness were: L=92.7; a=-1.2; b=5.9; W=54.4.
The comparison of the results of Example II and Comparison II shows that the Carbonate Procedure gives a better yield and a whiter product.
COMPARISON II
To the same aqueous solution of 2-chloropyridine-N-oxide (197.7 grams of a solution; 0.30 mole) as used in Example II at 50° C. in a reaction vessel was added an aqueous solution containing 11.4 grams (0.29 mole) sodium hydroxide, 26.5 grams (0.35 mole) sodium hydrosulfide (73.1% by weight active compound) and 73.0 grams water. The solution was heated at 95° C. for 20 minutes and then cooled to 60° C. Concentrated hydrochloric acid (12.0 grams) was added, while purging with nitrogen, over a one hour time period. After cooling to 30° C., the mixture was filtered and an aqueous solution of 20% by weight of zinc sulfate (113.0 grams; 0.14 mole of active compound) was added with stirring. The product was filtered to give 154.1 grams (wet cake). Color parameters were determined using a Hunter Color/Difference meter. A portion was dried and analyzed for zinc pyrithione content. A yield of 84.4% (assaying 96.2% pure) was obtained. The measured color parameters and calculated Whiteness were: L=92.9; a=-2.1; b=7.5; W=46.4.
EXAMPLE III
To an aqueous solution of 2-chloropyridine-N-oxide (149.5 grams of solution; 0.30 mole of active compound) and 37.8 grams (0.36 grams) sodium carbonate at 50° C. was added an aqueous solution of 73.1% by weight sodium hydrosulfide (25.3 grams; 0.33 mole) in 50.0 grams water. The solution was stirred at 90° C. for 0.5 hour and then cooled to 60° C. Concentrated hydrochloric acid (51.0 grams) was added, while purging with nitrogen, over a one hour time period. After cooling to 30° C., the mixture was filtered and an aqueous solution of 20% by weight zinc sulfate (120.0 grams of solution; 0.15 mole of active compound) was added with stirring. The product was filtered to give 153.0 grams (wet cake). Color parameters were determined using a Hunter Color/Difference meter. A portion was dried and analyzed for zinc pyrithione content. A yield of 88.9% (assaying 96.2% pure) was obtained. The measured color parameters and calculated Whiteness were: L=93.6; a=-1.7; b=6.8; W=51.4.
The comparison of the results of Example III and Comparison III shows that the Carbonate Procedure gives a better yield and a whiter product.
COMPARISON III
To the same aqueous solution of 2-chloropyridine-N-oxide as used in Example III (149.5 grams of solution; 0.30 mole of active compound) at 50° C., in a reaction vessel, was added an aqueous solution containing 11.4 grams (0.29 mole) sodium hydroxide, 26.2 grams (0.34 mole) sodium hydrosulfide (73.1% by weight active compound), and 84.4 grams water. The solution was stirred at 95° C. for 20 mins. and then cooled to 60° C. Concentrated hydrochloric acid (11.3 grams) was added, while purging with nitrogen, over a one hour time period. After cooling to 30° C., the mixture was filtered and an aqueous solution of 20% by weight of zinc sulfate (119.2 grams of solution; 0.15 mole of active compound) was added with stirring. The product was filtered to give 150.2 grams (wet cake). Color parameters were determined using a Hunter Color/Difference meter. A portion was dried and analyzed for zinc pyrithione content. A yield of 81.6% product (assaying 96.1% pure) was obtained. The measured color parameters and calculated Whiteness were: L=95.0; a=-3.2; b=8.6; W=43.3.
EXAMPLES IV-VIII AND COMPARISON IV
Mercaptization Caustic/Carbonate Method
Using the procedure described in Examples I to III, various mixtures of sodium hydroxide/sodium carbonate were employed in the mercaptization of the same batch of 2-chloropyridine-N-oxide (although a different batch than from the preceding Examples) and the resulting sodium pyrithione was converted to zinc pyrithione. The results are shown in Table I. These results show the benefit of carbonate in decreasing the b values and in increasing Whiteness values W (increasing white color of the product). An added benefit is the reduction of by-product 2-hydroxypryidine-N-oxide.
TABLE I__________________________________________________________________________ Moles/MoleComparison 2-Chloropyridine- Assay (%)* Color Parameters andand N--Oxide 2-Hydroxypyridine- WhitenessExample No. NaSH NaOH Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3 N--Oxide L a b W__________________________________________________________________________C-IV 1.20 1.00 -- 1.03 91.3 -5.5 9.0 36.9E-IV 1.20 0.84 0.13 0.67 93.6 -5.5 8.0 44.9E-V 1.20 0.60 0.25 0.63 95.8 -6.3 7.8 49.2E-VI 1.20 0.40 0.37 0.44 95.7 -6.2 8.0 47.5E-VII 1.20 0.50 0.50 0.38 93.6 -5.9 7.8 46.2E-VIII 1.20 -- 1.50 0.40 95.1 -5.4 6.2 56.6__________________________________________________________________________ *in dry zinc pyrithione | Disclosed is a process for producing a zinc pyrithione product having an acceptable white or off-white color and containing substantially no undesired 2-hydroxypyridine-N-oxide or metal salt complexes thereof, by
(1) making sodium pyrithione by reacting a 2-halopyridine-N-oxide with sodium hydrosulfide and sodium carbonate (or a mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide) under selected addition temperatures and reaction temperatures and in selected mole ratios; followed by
(2) making zinc pyrithione by reacting the sodium pyrithione with a zinc salt. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the production of high yield pulps from wood or other woody lignocellulosic materials, such as chips, shavings and sawdust. More particularly, the invention is directed to a pulping process of the type wherein such lignocellulosic material is treated with pulping chemicals and the treated material is subjected to a mechanical defibration.
Various processes exist for production of chemimechanical and semichemical pulps from wood using pulping chemicals such as NaOH, Na 2 SO 3 , Na 2 S, Na 2 CO 3 , and Na 2 SO 4 . These processes produce pulp with properties which limit the use of these pulps for low quality and low price products such as corrugating medium, packaging grade, newsprint furnish, etc. Due to a limited fiber separation in pulping, high refining energy requirements are typical for these processes. Furthermore, processes such as chemimechanical pulping process (CMP) and neutral sulfite semichemical pulping process (NSSC) use sulphur-containing chemicals in pulping and thus encounter problems related to air and water pollution and corrosion due to the presence of organic sulfur compounds in the process vapors and water effluents.
In the pulping process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,758, for example, wood chips are first sulfonated to a high degree of sulfonation so as to produce a softening of the lignin in the wood sufficient to permit the wood chips to be readily difibrated into individual fibers by customary mechanical means. This high level of sulfonation which is about 85-90% of the maximum level of sulfonation that can be achieved on wood is obtained by cooking the wood chips in an aqueous solution containing a mixture sulfite and bisulfite in high concentrations. Since the attainment of the high levels of sulfonation required by such a pulping process involves the use of relatively high concentrations of cooking chemicals as well as of relatively heavy applications of cooking liquor on the wood, it becomes necessary for economic considerations to recycle the unreacted sulfite from the cooked chips.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of this invention to improve conventional pulping processes using standard pulping chemicals in a manner such as to reduce pulping chemical and refining energy consumption as well as vapor and liquid effluent pollution.
In accordance with the present invention, there is thus provided in a pulping process for producing high yield pulps from woody lignocellulosic material wherein the lignocellulosic material is treated with a pulping chemical and mechanically defibrated, the improvement comprising pre-treating the lignocellulosic material by impregnating same with a loweralkanolamine so as to cause softening of lignin in the material and to promote fiber separation, thereby reducing pulping chemical and refining energy consumption as well as vapor and liquid effluent pollution.
Examples of suitable loweralkanolamines include water-miscible alkanolamines, such as monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, monoisopropanolamine, diisopropanolamine and triisopropanolamine, monoethanolamine being preferred. Mixtures of these amines can of course also be used.
The pre-treatment step can be carried out using an aqueous solution or water vapor containing the amine. Thus, the lignocellulosic material such as wood chips can first be treated by atmospheric soaking or under heat and pressure conditions in an aqueous solution or water vapor containing the amine or a mixture of various amines to impregnate the wood chips. The amines penetrate into the fiber structure of the wood and react mainly with the lignin contained therein. This reaction causes partial depolymerization of the lignin, for example to an extent of about 1.5 to 5.0%, mainly between fiber elements in middle lamella where about 70% lignin is located, such that softening of the lignin occurs, which in turn promotes good fiber separation without damage to the cellulosic fibers. Amines are markedly hydroscopic and the moisture inherent in the wood, particularly green wood which generally contains more than 50% moisture, causes the amines to readily penetrate into the fiber structure of the wood. The amount of amines penetrating the fiber structure can be controlled by varying for example the impregnation time, temperature, pressure, amine concentration in the solution or vapor, etc.
The amine absorption usually varies with various wood species. The amount of amine required for lignin softening depends on the end product requirements and the chemical and mechanical treatments after the impregnation stage. The required amine amount is preferably comprised between 1.5 and 10.0% by weight, based on dry wood.
The impregnation can be effected according to a batch or continuous-type operation, using conventional equipment such as tanks, batch digesters, etc. In a continuous-type operation, use can be made of an impregnation vessel which includes an inclined screw conveyor and serves as both pre-treatment vessel and drainer to drain excess pre-treatment liquor. An atmospheric impregnation stage, on the other hand, can be designed to serve also as a chip washer to remove sand, dirt, rocks and the like. It should also be noted that the amine impregnation need not be done at the pulp mill site, but can be done elsewhere.
According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the pre-treatment of the lignocellulosic material with a loweralkanolamine is carried out in the presence of ammonium hydroxide. Indeed, it has been found that when carrying out the amine impregnation in the presence of ammonium hydroxide, the physical properties of the pulp are improved, particularly the Breaking Length and Burst Index values. The combined use of a loweralkanolamine and ammonium hydroxide in the pre-treatment step further has a favorable effect on the Concora and Ring Crush values as well as on the Gurley Air Resistance; the pulp yield is also improved. Accordingly, the use of ammonium hydroxide together with a loweralkanolamine makes it possible to tailor the properties of the pulp coming from the pulping chemical treatment stage much more than with the loweralkanolamine alone. The loweralkanolamine and ammonium hydroxide are preferably used in a volume ratio ranging from about 1:3 to about 1:0.5.
After the impregnation stage, the impregnated chips are cooked or otherwise treated with conventional pulping chemicals, prior to being mechanically defibrated in a difibrator or refiner. It should be noted that the pulping chemical treatment and mechanical defibration of chemimechanical pulps can also be effected simultaneously by adding the pulping chemicals to the refiner feed; in this case, no cooking is required. Listed hereinbelow are examples of pulping chemicals which may be used to treat the amine impregnated chips:
(a) Na 2 SO 3 (chemithermomechanical and chemimechanical pulping processes);
(b) Na 2 SO 3 +Na 2 CO 3 , pH=6-9 (neutral sulfite semi-chemical pulping process);
(c) NaOH (soda process);
(d) NaOH+Na 2 SO 3 (chemimechanical process);
(e) NaHSO 3 , pH=2-6 (chemimechanical and chemical processes);
(f) standard sulfate (Kraft) pulping liquor containing as active pulping chemicals mainly NaOH+Na 2 S, and small amounts of other soda chemicals such as Na 2 SO 4 , Na 2 CO 3 , Na 2 SO 3 and Na 2 S 2 O 3 which do not have much effect on the actual pulping reaction;
(g) standard green pulping liquor obtained from a Kraft pulping process and containing mainly Na 2 CO 3 +Na 2 S, and a small amount of Na 2 SO 4 ;
(h) standard neutral sulfite pulping liquor containing Na 2 SO 3 +Na 2 CO 3 or NaHCO 3 , optionally with NaOH (neutral sulfite semichemical process);
(i) standard alkaline sulfite pulping liquor containing Na 2 SO 3 +NaOH or Na 2 S, pH=10+;
(j) Mg(HSO 3 ) 2 , pH=4.5-6.0 (paperpulp process).
It should be noted that all of the above treatment processes, except the Kraft process (f), produce about 75-95% yield pulps. With respect to the Kraft process, the amine pre-treatment of the invention enables the Kraft pulp yield to be increased from 45-55% to approximately 55-65%. For existing Kraft mills, this would mean lower wood requirements and the possibility to increase the mill capacity without problems associated with chemical recovery which usually constitutes a limitation in a pulping process.
The above pulping chemicals can be prepared by conventional processes or purchased as such and mixed at the mill site. Following are some examples how this can be obtained:
Should a pulp mill using the process of the invention on site have an existing Kraft mill, the chemical treatment with Na 2 CO 3 , Na 2 S, Na 2 SO 4 (plus small amount of NaOH as buffer, if required) can simply be done by using the green liquor from the Kraft pulping process;
Na 2 SO 3 and NaOH can be purchased and mixed with water at the mill site without requirements for a complex chemical preparation system;
Na 2 SO 3 can be purchased or prepared from NaOH and SO 2 ; SO 2 can be purchased in liquid form or can be generated by burning sulphur;
Na 2 SO 3 can also be generated from soda ash (Na 2 CO 3 ) and SO 2 at the mill site by standard processes.
It should also be noted that any of these pulping liquors can be buffered with NaOH, Na 2 O or SO 2 to provide more alkalinity or make the cooking liquor more acidic depending on the requirements.
As already mentioned, due to the amine pretreatment of the invention which causes lignin softening and promotes good fiber separation as well as more uniform and faster penetration of chemicals, further treatment with pulping chemicals is required to a lesser extent than in conventional pulping processes without such amine pre-treatment step. The standard pulping chemical requirements in conventional pulping processes compared with the chemical pulping requirements in the improved pulping processes of the invention with amine pre-treatment are reported by way of example in Table 1:
TABLE 1__________________________________________________________________________ Conventional Process Improved ProcessPulping Chemicals with no Amine Pre-Treatment with Amine Pre-Treatment__________________________________________________________________________Na.sub.2 SO.sub.3 (CMP) 1.3-3.0% 0.5-2.0%Na.sub.2 SO.sub.3 + Na.sub.2 CO.sub.3 (CMP) 3.0-4.0% 1.2-2.5%NaOH* (paperpulp & CMP) 3.0-12.0% 1.5-7.0%NaOH + Na.sub.2 SO.sub.3 (CMP) (1.3-3.0%) + (1.3-3.0%) (0.5-1.8%) + (0.5-1.8%)NaHSO.sub.3 (CMP) 4.0-5.0% 2.0-3.0%Kraft pulping liquor .sup. 9.0-18% (1) 6.0-12.0% (1)Green pulping liquor .sup. 7.0-8.0% (1) .sup. 4.0-5.0% (1)from Kraft processNeutral sulfite semi- .sup. 8.0-9.5% (2) .sup. 4.5-6.5% (2)chemical (NSSC)pulping liquor__________________________________________________________________________ CMP = Chemimechanical Pulping Process *Used for making writing and printing papers as well as corrugating mediu pulps. (1) Active alkali requirements expressed as Na.sub.2 O. (2) Active alkali requirements expressed as Na.sub.2 O, using hardwoods.
The sulphur consumption in the process of the invention (also water and air pollution from sulphur) is reduced in about the same ratio as the chemical consumption is reduced.
The invention thus provides an improved and versatile pulping process for producing various grades of high yield pulps from hardwoods, mixtures of hardwoods, softwoods, straws and annual plants. As explained above, improved lignin softening and fiber separation is obtained by impregnating wood chips or the like with lower alkanolamines such as monoethanolamine before the chips are cooked or otherwise treated with conventional pulping chemicals. Due to the impregnation with amines, refining power requirements of these pulps are lower than those of conventional pulps. Lower amounts of conventional pulping chemicals are required for pulping, less sulphur is used in pulping decreasing equipment corrosion, water effluent pollution as well as air pollution from pulp mills. Process condensates and vapors contain less organic.sulphur compounds than those of standard processes. Condensates and vapor containing amines are not toxic and harmfull; indeed, amines are not toxic at all and the amine pre-treatment of the invention does not provide any pollution.
The process of the invention can be used for new mills producing various grades of high yield pulps (80-95% yield) with better physical properties and greater versatility than with those processes using standard pulping chemicals only. For existing pulp mills using processes such as the thermomechanical, chemimechanical, chemithermomechanical, neutral sulfite semichemical pulping processes and soda process, the process of the invention enables the physical properties of these pulps to be improved, and is more versatile and easily adaptable for changes in market demands. The amine pre-treatment can be easily adapted to existing mills.
Due to the impregnation of the wood chips with amines and the resulting softening of the lignin, as explained above, further treatment with conventional pulping chemicals is required to lesser extent than in conventional processes to produce various grades of pulp. It is important to keep sulphur content to minimum to minimize water and air pollution of a pulp mill. The process of the invention does not require as much sulphur or sodium containing chemicals as standard processes. The exact type of pulping chemicals and amounts required depend of course on the wood species used as starting material and the desired properties of the end product. As only a small portion of these chemicals are required in the process of the invention, the requirements for expensive chemical recovery system for sulphur is minimized and the pollution load of sulphur in water effluent and process vapors is minimized.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of a pulping process embodying the invention, as well as from working examples thereof, with reference to appended drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block flow diagram of a pulping process according to the invention;
FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C are diagrams showing the variations in pulp properties of spruce chips treated in accordance with Example 2; and
FIG. 3 is a diagram similar to that of FIG. 2A showing the variations in pulp properties of aspen chips treated in accordance with Example 3.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring first to FIG. 1, green wood chips are fed through line 10 to an impregnation vessel 12 containing an aqueous solution of a loweralkanolamine such as monoethanolamine which serves to pre-treat the chips so as to soften the lignin therein. Make-up solution of the amine is fed via line 14 and the pre-treatment liquor is heated with steam fed through line 16. Sand, dirt, rocks and the like are removed from the vessel via line 18. When the pre-treatment is carried out under pressure, vent gases can be directed to a heat recovery unit via line 19.
After impregnation, the chips are passed to a conventional drainer 20, which may include a screen or perforated bottom conveyor so as to drain away excess pre-treatment liquor, and are then optionally fed to a conventional press 22 such as a screw press, disc press, drum press or the like to remove more pre-treatment liquor from the chips and to obtain chips having a high oven-dry wood content. The spent liquor removed from the drainer 20 and optional press 22 is recycled via line 24 to the impregnation vessel 12 to recover chemicals, water and heat.
After pressing, the impregnated chips are fed to a cooking vessel 26 for treatment with conventional pulping chemicals supplied from the chemical preparation unit 28 via the fed line 30. Steam is admitted via line 32 to heat the pulping liquor and chips. The pulping chemical treatment can be carried out under atmospheric or pressure conditions. The impregnated and cooked chips are thereafter fed via line 34 to a conventional refiner 36 so as to be subjected to mechanical defibration. Before being mechanically defibrated, the chips may optionally be fed to a press 38 to remove excess pulping liquor which is sent via line 40 to the weak liquor storage tank 42.
In an alternative embodiment suitable for the production of chemimechanical pulps, a portion (for example 25%) of amine impregnated but uncooked chips may be fed from the press 22 via line 44 directly to the refiner 36 into which pulping chemicals may be charged via line 46. Thus, by varying the proportions of impregnated uncooked chips and of impregnated cooked chips fed to the refiner 36, various grades of pulp can be produced to meet the desired physical properties of the pulps. This provides a great flexibility to produce various pulp grades which cannot be done with conventional processes.
After the first refining stage 36, the pulp slurry is fed to a press or washer unit 48 into which water is admitted via line 50. The spent pulping liquor and washing water recovered from the unit 48 are sent via line 52 to the weak liquor storage tank 42, to save chemicals and water and to minimize water effluent load from the mill. The weak liquor contained in the tank 42 is recycled via line 54 to the chemical preparation unit 28 into which make-up pulping chemicals may be fed through line 56, or a portion thereof may be sent to a chemical recovery unit via line 58.
After the pressing or washing stage 48, the pulp is fed to a second refiner 58 to achieve the desired freeness. The pulp is thereafter subjected to a screening and cleaning treatment in the unit 60 to produce an end product having the desired physical properties, which is discharged via line 62.
As it is apparent, the invention provides an extremely versatile pulping process.
The following non-limiting examples further illustrate this invention.
EXAMPLE 1
In the manufacture of chemimechanical, chemithermomechanical and corrugating medium type pulps, wood chips are impregnated in an aqueous solution containing an alkanolamine and having a temperature of 180°-205° F. from 15 to 90 minutes and are then cooked with conventional pulping chemicals under controlled temperature and pressure conditions. The amine concentration in the impregnation liquor which varies depending on the impregnation conditions such as time, temperature, liquor to wood ratio, type of wood, etc. is generally comprised between 30 and 100 g/l. The cooking temperature for corrugating medium type pulps is usually 330°-355° F., for 12-25 minutes, at saturated steam pressure when a continuous digester is used. The treatment (cooking) conditions for chemimechanical type pulps vary, but the temperature is usually approximately 280°-330° F. at saturated steam pressure, and the cooking time can vary from a few minutes to 60 minutes. An exception is cold soda CMP pulp which could require several hours treatment (soaking) at the room temperature of 80°-100° F.
The amine impregnation can be carried out under pressure and heat conditions for pulp grades which require higher physical properties. For example, the amine impregnation can be done at temperatures of 245°-300° F., under saturated steam pressure for a time period of 15-30 minutes prior to cooking with a Kraft pulping liquor. Vent gases from the amine treatment vessel can be directed to a heat recovery system to recover heat and chemicals. Kraft cooking is carried out at temperatures of 330°-345° F. under saturated steam pressure, and the cooking time is approximately 60-90 minutes, total cover to cover time being 3.5-4.0 hours when batch digesters are used. The following is typical cooking cycle for a Kraft batch digester:
______________________________________Item Unit Amount______________________________________Cooking CycleChip and liquor filling min. 40and cover onTime to temperature min. 90Time at temperature min. 60Relief min. 15Blowing min. 20Total cover to cover time min. 225______________________________________
Liquor to wood ratio when cooked in an aqueous solution of chemicals is usually 3.5-4.5 to 1. This means that the cooking vessel contains 3.5-5.0 times more cooking liquor, including wood moisture, than dry wood.
EXAMPLE 2--Spruce Cooks
______________________________________Moisture content of green chips 34%Amount of green chips per treatment 2.3 kgAmount of water per treatment 18.9 lAmount of monoethanolamine per treatment 40 mlAmount of ammonium hydroxide - varied as indicatedhereinbelow.Number of treatments: Four (4) - S7, S8, S9 and S10.______________________________________
All cooks were heated with steam under atmospheric conditions for 5 minutes and were cooked for approximately 60 minutes at the cooking temperature of 300°-320° F. In all cooks, the cooking liquor was circulated by a pump and the liquor indirectly heated by steam.
The pre-treatment was carried out using monoethanolamine and ammonium hydroxide in the following amounts:
______________________________________ Monoethanol- AmmoniumTreatment No. amine (ml) Hydroxide (ml)______________________________________S7 40 20S8 40 0S9 40 40 S10 40 80______________________________________
The treated chips were then refined and tested for paper properties at approximately 300 CSF. The test results are reported in Table 2 and shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C.
TABLE 2__________________________________________________________________________Treatment Tear Index Breaking Length Burst Index Conora Ring Crush Gurley Air ResistanceNo. (mN · m.sup.2 /g) (km) (kPa · m.sup.2 /g) (N) (kN/m) (sec/100 cc 20 oz.__________________________________________________________________________ cyl.)S7 7.62 4.44 2.11 222.18 1.41 59.57S8 9.45 3.99 1.81 209.06 1.22 193.70S9 7.70 3.23 1.39 151.01 1.12 27.53 S10 7.28 3.74 1.49 189.26 1.14 31.40__________________________________________________________________________
As it is apparent for these results, by selecting the appropriate amounts of pre-treatment chemicals, one can tailor the pulp properties to suit any requirements.
In this respect, the Burst Index is an important specification value for linerboard grade classification whereas the Tear Index is an important value in box performance.
Concora and Ring Crush values are important classification for stiffeners of packaging grades such as corrugating medium and linerboards.
The Gurley Air Resistance figures, on the other hand, are indicative of the dewatering characteristics of the pulp. The lower and figure, the better the paper machine opertion.
EXAMPLE 3--Aspen Cooks
______________________________________Moisture content of green chips 20% approx.Amount of green chips per treatment 2.3 kgAmount of water per treatment 4.0 lAmount of monoethanolamine per treatment 25 mlAmount of ammonium hydroxide - variedas indicated hereinbelow.Number of treatments: Three (3) - AS5, AS8and AS9.______________________________________
All cooks were heated with direct steam and held at 270°-300° F. for 20 minutes and blown down. No circulating pump was used.
The pre-treatment was carried out using monoethanolamine and ammonium hydroxide in the following amounts:
______________________________________ Monoethanol- AmmoniumTreatment No. amine (ml) Hydroxyde (ml)______________________________________AS5 25 75AS8 25 25AS9 25 0______________________________________
The treated chips were then refined and tested for paper properties at 300 CSF. The test results are reported in Table 3 and shown in FIG. 3.
TABLE 3______________________________________Treatment Tear Index Breaking Burst IndexNo. (mN · m.sup.2 /g) Length (km) (kPa · m.sup.2 /g)______________________________________AS5 2.52 3.2 1.90AS8 4.00 2.3 0.97AS9 4.80 2.6 1.06______________________________________
EXAMPLE 4--Southern Pine Cook
The standard Kraft cook was modified by starting with 10 minutes pre-steaming followed by impregnation of the chips with a solution containing monoethanolamine and ammonium hydroxide in a ratio (volume) of 1:1:5. After impregnation, the chips were cooked with standard Kraft chemicals using approximately 10.5% active alkali on O.D. wood expressed as Na 2 O. Sulfidity was approximately 30%. The cooking was carried out according to the following procedure:
______________________________________time to temperature 90 min.time at temperature 60 min.cooking temperature 168° C.liquor to wood ratio 4:1______________________________________
The results obtained are reported in Table 4 and compared with those obtainable in a standard Kraft process (without pre-treatment with a lower alkanolamine/ammonium hydroxide mixture).
TABLE 4______________________________________ Modified Kraft Standard Kraft______________________________________CSF 313 295Burst Index (kPa · m.sup.2 /g) 7.4 6.26Tear Index (mN · m.sup.2 /g) 20.25 17.4Breaking Length (km) 8.35 8.1Yield (%) 57.4 54-55Kappa No. 126 90Active alkali as Na.sub.2 O 10.5 14-15on O.D. wood (%)______________________________________
As can be seen from this example, the pulp yield is also improved. | An improved pulping process for producing high yield pulps from woody lignocellulosic material wherein the lignocellulosic material is treated with a pulping chemical and mechanically defibrated. The improvement comprises pre-treating the lignocellulosic material by impregnating same with a loweralkanolamine so as to cause softening of lignin in the material and to promote fiber separation. As a result, pulping chemical and refining energy consumption as well as vapor and liquid effluent pollution are significantly reduced. | 3 |
This is a provisional application of No. 60/041,059, filed on 03/20/1997.
The present invention relates to a device for dispensing products contained on a roll, such as paper towels, toilet paper and the like. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device which orients the roll of product to be dispensed in a vertical manner and dispenses the products. In this manner, the device may be placed on a horizontal surface for use.
BACKGROUND OF THE ART
Several products commonly used in the household are purchased wound in a roll on a core, typically a cardboard type of core. Products like this include paper towels, toilet paper, disposable plastic bags and other transversely perforated products, as well as some roll products which are not transversely perforated, such as wax paper and plastic wrapping film. While these products are often placed in a dispenser or hung from a surface so that the axis of the central core is horizontally oriented, in some circumstances it is both functionally required and/or aesthetically pleasing to have the product available in a vertical orientation of the core axis, particularly with one end of the dispenser resting on a horizontal surface, such as a kitchen counter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an aesthetically pleasing and functionally efficient device for receiving a roll of product wound on a central core, to retain the product in a vertical orientation and to make the product readily available to a user. This object is achieved by a device for dispensing a web of material from a vertically disposed core. The device comprises a base, an arm with a first sphere mounted at an end thereof and a second sphere. The base has a central aperture on an upper surface, the second sphere being seated rotatably in the central aperture. The an arm has its first end mounted in the base and extending vertically upward from a peripheral edge of the upper surface. The arm also has a n elbow formed near the second end so that the first sphere is vertically aligned with the central aperture.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Better understanding of the present invention will be had when reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein identical parts are identified with identical part numbers and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view with portions broken away and shown in section of the device of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view;
FIG. 3 is a top view;
FIG. 4 is a bottom view.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The roll product dispenser 10 of the present invention is shown in side elevational view in FIG. 1, which also shows in phantom lining a core 100 having a web 102 of a dispensable product wound thereupon. The dispenser 10 comprises a base 12, and an arm 14 extending from near a peripheral edge of the base. The arm 14 extends vertically upwardly, essentially normal to an upper surface 16 of the base 12. The base 12 is preferably round with a diameter larger than the maximum diameter of the product roll to be dispensed thereupon. In addition to the upper surface 16, the base 12 has a lower surface 18, both surfaces 16, 18 being preferably flat and parallel to each other so that the overall appearance of the base is that of a disk. A central aperture 20 is formed in the base 12, having a diameter which increases generally from the lower surface 18 at which it is the smallest to the upper surface 16 at which it is the largest. An aperture 22 placed near the peripheral edge of the base 12 and passing through the base in an axial direction between the upper and lower surfaces 16, 18 is used to receive an end of the arm 14. As will be explained further below, this aperture 22 may be counter-bored at the end terminating at the lower surface 18 for receiving a threading piece 24. The base 12 is preferably comprised of wood, but other materials including metals and polymeric materials may be utilized and the selection of the exact material will be largely due to the aesthetic features of the product.
Seatable in the central aperture 20 at the top surface 16 of the base 12 is a sphere 30, typically of the same material as the base, although not necessarily. The sphere 30 is sized to allow the sphere to sit atop the central aperture 20 on the top surface 16 and remain freely rotatable therein. For this reason, the base 12 will be thick enough relative to the diameter of the sphere 30 that no portion of the sphere protrudes from the lower surface opening of the central aperture 20 when the sphere is seated therein on the top surface. Most particularly, the sphere 30 is sized with a diameter which is slightly larger than the diameter of the core 100 which will be seated upon the sphere.
The arm 14 of the dispenser 10 is shown in FIG. 1 as having an indeterminate length, but the specific length will be carefully selected for the specific type of core 100 and web 102 of product to be received. For example, in the United States a roll of paper towels nominally has a core length of 11 inches and a diameter of (on a full roll) of about 6 inches, the core 100 having an internal diameter of about 1.5 inches. A typical roll of toilet paper has a similar 1.5 inch internal diameter for the core, although the length of the core is more usually about 4.5 inches and the outside diameter of a full roll is about 4.5 inches. The arm 14 has a first end 42 which is secured in the base 12 as described further below and a second end 44. Between the ends, but nearer the second end 44, an elbow 46 is formed in the arm. A sphere 32 substantially identical in size to sphere 30 is mounted on the second end 44 such that the two spheres are axially aligned. Because the arm 14 is preferably formed from an inherently flexible material such as metal, the upper or second end 44 of the arm may be moved slightly so that a roll of product may be inserted with the ends of the core 100 being held between the two spheres 30, 32, as shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 2 shows the dispenser 10 of the present invention from a front elevation view without the paper roll in place. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the dispenser in top and bottom view, respectively, without the paper roll in place. Directing attention to FIG. 4, it will be noted that there is a threading piece 24, preferably a metallic element having internal threading, placed in the counter-bored aperture 22 so that when the 12 arm is inserted into the aperture from the upper surface side, the first end 42 of the arm may have a section of external threading formed thereupon received by the internal threading in the threading piece. In this manner, the arm 14 is received into the base 12 and is securely held in vertical extension from the base with the spheres 30, 32 in axial alignment.
In an embodiment of this dispenser intended to be used for dispensing paper towels coming from a typical paper towel roll, the base will be approximately 7 inches in diameter and approximately 0.875 inches thick. The spheres 30, 32 used at each end of the core will have a diameter of approximately 1.75 inches. The arm 14 will comprise a metallic member with a diameter of about 0.25 inches and a length sufficient to position the center of the second sphere 32 approximately 12.875 inches above the lower surface of the base. The central aperture 20 of the base 12 will have a diameter along the bottom surface 18 of approximately 1.5 inches and a diameter at the top surface 16 slightly in excess of 2 inches. The arm 14 is preferably comprised of low carbon steel wire and the elbow bend 46 interposed near the second end 44 should have a radius of curvature of approximately 0.375.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, the scope of the invention is not to be measured thereby, but is instead to be determined from the allowed claims. | A vertical roll product dispenser provides an aesthetically pleasing and functionally efficient device for receiving a web of material wound on a central core and retaining the ends of the core between a pair of vertically aligned spheres so that the roll product may be dispensed while the dispensing device rests on a horizontal surface. | 0 |
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to thermal analytic apparatus such as dynamical mechanical analyzers (DMAs) and thermal mechanical analyzers (TMAs).
2. Background of the Invention.
Dynamical Mechanical Analysis
Dynamic mechanical analysis is a technique for measuring the viscoelastic properties of materials by applying a periodic load to a sample of the material. DMA measures material properties such as the modulus of elasticity and the damping. Measurement of such properties provides quantitative and qualitative information about the performance of the sample material.
A wide variety of materials may be evaluated using DMA including, for example, elastomers, viscous thermoset liquids, composites, coatings and adhesives, ceramics and metals. DMA is also widely used to evaluate viscoelastic polymeric materials which exhibit time-dependent, frequency-dependent and temperature-dependent effects on their mechanical properties. DMA may also be used to study physical transformations relating to changes in the structure of the material, by analyzing the change of properties such as modulus of elasticity or damping as a function of time, temperature or frequency.
A typical transformation that can be studied using DMA is the glass transition, in which a material such as a polymer changes from a well-ordered crystalline structure to an amorphous or glassy structure. DMA can also be used to study time-dependent material properties, such as creep (a long term deformation of the sample under constant load) and stress relaxation (the reduction of stress in a sample subjected to a constant initial deformation).
DMAs generally include fixtures that hold the sample in one of a variety of testing configurations; a drive that applies a periodic load to the sample; means for measuring the displacement of the sample as a function of the applied load; a sample chamber to heat, cool and protect the sample; a control system to apply the loads and regulate the temperature; and a data collection system to record the measurements.
The fixtures include clamps which hold the sample. At least one of the clamps is movable with respect to at least one other clamp, so that the sample may be deformed. The movable clamp (clamps) is (are) connected to the drive system which can move the sample by a predetermined displacement, or apply a load of a predetermined magnitude and direction. DMAs deform samples in a variety of modes by using interchangeable fixtures. Typical different deformation modes include flexure, tension, compression and shear modes.
In DMAs, the displacement applied to the sample varies periodically, usually sinusoidally. The oscillation frequencies typically ranges from 0.001 Hz to 100 Hz or above. The force required to cause this displacement is recorded along with the displacement and the phase relationship between the load and the displacement.
The sample and the fixtures are enclosed within a temperature-controlled sample chamber which can heat the sample and the fixtures to temperatures above normal ambient temperatures or cool the sample and the fixtures to temperatures below normal ambient temperatures. The temperature is generally varied dynamically, e.g., at a constant heating or cooling rate.
The stiffness and damping of the sample are then calculated as a function of temperature from the force, displacement and phase data, using well-known mathematical relationships which separate the applied load into the components due to movement of the mechanical system and the components due to deformation of the sample. The phase relationship between the force applied to the sample and the resultant displacement allows the sample deformation force component to be further divided into an elastic component and a viscous component. The elastic and viscous components are used to determine the elastic modulus and damping through the use of model equations for the particular sample geometry and deformation mode. These equations are well-known in the field, e.g., Theory of Elasticity, S. P. Timoshenko and J. N. Goodier, McGraw-Hill (3rd ed. 1970).
Thermal Mechanical Analysis
Thermal Mechanical Analysis is a technique for measuring the linear or volumetric change in the dimensions of a sample as a function of time, temperature or force. The coefficient of thermal expansion, viscosity, gel time and temperature, glass transition temperature and other properties of the sample can be determined from this data. Furthermore, physical transformations of a sample may be studied by analyzing the record of the load and deformation as a function of time. TMA can be used to determine the properties of the same wide variety of materials that can be analyzed using DMA. A typical prior art TMA is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,365 to Woo.
Thermal Mechanical Analyzers are similar to DMAs in that a sample is held by a set of fixtures, a load is applied by a drive system, the applied load and the consequent displacement of the sample are measured and recorded as the sample and the fixtures are heated or cooled at controlled heating or cooling rates. Also like DMA, TMA uses a set of interchangeable fixtures to impose a variety of different deformation modes upon the sample, including the flexure, tension, shear and compression modes. Unlike DMA, however, the load applied to the sample in TMA does not vary periodically with time.
Because DMA and TMA have many components in common, some instruments, including the present invention, can perform both types of analyses. The term "mechanical analyzer" will be used herein to refer to dynamic mechanical analyzers, or thermal mechanical analyzers, or both dynamic and thermal mechanical analyzers, or to instruments that can be used for both dynamic and thermal mechanical analysis.
The Drive System
The drive system of a DMA/TMA consists of a guidance mechanism, a motor and a displacement sensor.
The guidance mechanism must ensure that the drive is linear, must allow the desired range of motion, and must be highly reproducible. Guidance mechanisms use either bearings or elastic flexures to guide the drive. Two types of bearings have been used in the prior art, air bearings and jewel bearings. Air bearings have much lower friction than jewel bearings, but typically have much higher mass and are more expensive. Because of their higher friction, systems using jewel bearings cannot be as well calibrated, and accordingly have reduced force resolution. They cannot be used for very low stiffness samples and have reduced precision (because they cannot be as well calibrated) when running higher stiffness samples. Guidance mechanisms using elastic flexures cannot accurately measure the properties of low stiffness samples, and have a limited range of motion (typically on the order of 1 mm or less).
The motors typically used for DMA/TMA systems are linear permanent magnet motors. These motors comprise a fixed permanent magnet and a moving coil assembly. The field strength of permanent magnets decreases with increasing temperature. Thus changes in temperature in the magnets from heat generation in the moving coil assembly reduce the force output of the motor. This causes errors in the measurement of the force applied to the sample. Furthermore, the flexible leads which supply electrical current to the moving coil assembly exert a force which can cause errors in the displacement measurement. Best results are obtained using very flexible leads, which exert the least force.
Prior art DMAs and TMAs have used linear variable differential transformers ("LVDTs") and eddy current transducers as displacement transducers to measure the displacement of the drive system. LVDTs have the disadvantage that the resolution is inversely proportional to the measurement stroke so that the highest precision is obtained with the shortest stroke. Stray magnetic fields from the DMA or TMA electronics, drive motor and furnace can cause errors in the displacement measurement. This susceptibility to magnetic field and limited range of displacement for high precision are the major drawbacks to systems using the LVDT.
Single coil eddy current transducers are very nonlinear, and therefore require very careful linearization for displacement readings. Dual coil eddy current transducers are reasonably linear, but require access to both sides of the target conductive material, and are therefore more complicated mechanically.
The displacement transducer can be affected by incidental movements of the drive frame, which is the fixed part of the instrument. There are two principal causes of these incidental movements: differential thermal expansion, and support vibration effects due to motion of the drive frame. Thermal expansion effects occur over a long period of time compared to the frequency of oscillation, and generally result in a long term drift in the position measurement. Support effects allow the frame to vibrate at the drive frequency. Because the displacement transducer is on the frame, frame movement contributes to the measured displacement. The phase of the frame movement varies from in phase to 180° out of phase, depending on the drive frequency, the natural frequency of the sample, and the natural frequency of the support. The result is that the displacement of the sample may be slightly smaller, or slightly larger than the measured displacement. Thus, when the portion of the drive force attributed to acceleration of the moving part of the instrument is calculated, it will be either high or low, with the result that the sample properties will be in error.
If the drive frequency is in resonance with a natural frequency of the mechanical system, the support vibration effects are particularly troublesome. They produce a peak in the sample properties which may be erroneously interpreted as a physical transformation in the sample. Thus the instrument must be designed such that it can account for both of thermal expansion and vibration support displacement errors, to achieve maximum precision.
The Sample Chamber
The sample chamber heats or cools the sample, and provides a protective atmosphere to prevent sample degradation. Resistive heating elements can be located within the sample enclosure heating the sample and its fixtures directly, or they can be located external to the sample enclosure, heating air which is passed through the sample enclosure by a fan.
The sample and fixtures are cooled by introducing a cryogenic liquid or gas, generally nitrogen, into the sample chamber. When the cooling medium is a gas, the liquid cryogen is evaporated external to the sample chamber and the cold gas is transmitted to the sample chamber. When the cooling medium is a liquid, the liquid cryogen is transmitted to the sample chamber where it evaporates and cools the sample and its fixtures. Because the evaporation of a cryogenic liquid absorbs a large quantity of energy, a much greater cooling effect is available when using evaporation of the cryogen within the sample chamber, leading to a much lower consumption of the cryogen. Unfortunately, the difference in temperature between the liquid and the gas is large, so that the evaporation process can cause large temperature variations within the sample chamber, which in turn can cause large and erratic variations of the sample temperature.
Because DMAs are often operated at temperatures well below room temperature, condensation of atmospheric moisture within the sample chamber can occur. In most cases, the sample region is purged with a dry gas to prevent this moisture from contaminating the sample. Current DMAs use fibrous thermal insulation to maintain the low or high temperature of the sample region. Although this is a very effective thermal insulator, it also absorbs moisture from atmospheric condensation very readily. When the sample chamber is cooled, this moisture freezes, forming ice which reduces the effectiveness of the insulation. Later on, when the DMA is heated up, the ice melts and may drip into the sample region and may contaminate the sample.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a mechanical analyzer that can be used for either dynamic mechanical analysis or thermal mechanical analysis. The mechanical analyzer uses a linear motor comprising a permanent magnet and a moving coil. The linear motor drives a slide guided by two sets of air bearings within a box-like frame. At least one segment of a sample is clamped onto a movable sample fixture rigidly attached to the slide, and at least one other segment of the sample is rigidly attached to a fixed frame. Sample fixture 15 is located within sample zone 21. Sample zone 21 is enclosed by the heating and cooling assembly described below.
Air bearings, as used in the summary of the invention section and in the detailed description of the invention section of this specification, as well as in the claims, is not restricted to bearings which use air as the gas in the bearing. As is known in the art, other gases including nitrogen could be used in air bearings. Accordingly, the term "air bearings" shall mean any type of bearing which uses a gas, such as air, nitrogen, or any other gas, to provide support to a surface.
An optical position transducer comprising a diffraction grating mounted on the slide and a light source and a photodetector system mounted on the frame is used to measure the position of the slide. A light beam emitted by the light source is reflected by the diffraction grating. The reflected beam is focussed upon a photodetector system, which produces two quadrature output signals. The two quadrature output signals are converted to eight-bit digital signals by analog-to-digital converters. These two eight-bit digital signals are then supplied to a lookup EPROM, where they are converted to ten-bit angle and six-bit magnitude digital signals for subsequent digital signal processing.
A digital signal processor reads the position of the slide, using a ten-bit digital signal. A set of ten sequential values is processed by summing up the ten values, looking up the sine and cosine values of the drive signal and then placing the sine, cosine, and position sums into a circular queue for a dual port RAM.
A microprocessor reads these values from the dual port RAM queue and uses them to calculate data points twice each second. The data calculated includes an average position and a single point Fourier transform of that position. The Fourier transform results are the magnitude of sample oscillation and the phase relative to the drive signal.
The Fourier transform also processes the position readings to calculate the magnitude and phase of sample oscillation. This process is a little more complicated since it involves multiplying each ten-point average by a sine and a cosine value before summing the results and then finding the square root of the sum of the squares for the magnitude and the arc tangent of the ratio for the phase.
The measured amplitude of oscillation of the sample and the phase of that oscillation relative to the drive force applied to the sample, along with the oscillation drive force applied to the sample, are used to calculate the storage modulus and the loss modulus of the sample.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is schematic a perspective schematic cutaway view of present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross sectional diagram of the drive system of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic horizontal cross sectional diagram of the frame assembly.
FIG. 4 is a schematic vertical cross sectional diagram of the furnace assembly.
FIG. 5 is a schematic horizontal cross sectional diagram of the sample enclosure.
FIG. 6 is a schematic vertical cross sectional diagram of the motor assembly.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the moving coil assembly lead wires.
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a tension mode sample clamping fixture.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a dual cantilever flexure mode sample clamping fixture.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of a 3-point flexure mode sample clamping fixture.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a compression mode sample fixture.
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of a shearing mode sample fixture.
FIG. 13A is a schematic diagram of the optical components of the optical encoder.
FIG. 13B is a schematic block diagram of the optical encoder electronic signal processing.
FIGS. 13C and 13D are schematic diagrams showing how the digital signals are processed within the digital signal processor and instrument microprocessor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is described in detail herein in terms of a single specific preferred embodiment of the invention. However, one skilled in the art could readily practice the invention using variations or modifications of the embodiment described herein.
Overall Description
FIG. 1 is an overall view of the present invention showing frame 1 supporting air bearings 3, which guide slide 8. Diffraction grating 9 is mounted to the slide. Optical transducer 10, which reads optical signals reflected from diffraction grating 9 is attached to frame 1. Motor assembly 11, includes permanent magnet assembly 12 attached to frame 1, and moving coil assembly 13 attached to the bottom of slide 8. Drive rod 14 connects slide 8 to the moving part of sample fixture 15. The nonmoving part of the sample fixture is supported by posts 16.
FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view taken through the midplane of the drive assembly. Box-shaped frame structure 1 has eight adjusting screws 2 mounted at eight locations, four upper adjusting screws and four lower adjusting screws. Each of the four upper adjusting screws have their centerlines in a common upper horizontal plane, and each of the four lower adjusting screws have their centerlines in a common horizontal plane. There is one upper and one lower horizontal screw on each side of box-like frame 1. The four upper adjusting screws support four upper plane air bearings 3u, and the four lower adjusting screws support four lower plane air bearings 3l.
The end 4 of each adjusting screw 2 is spherical, and engages a corresponding conical cavity 5 in the corresponding air bearing. Spherical end 4 and conical cavity 5 allow air bearings 3u and 3l to pivot about the end of adjusting screws 2, allowing the bearings to align themselves against the surface of slide 8. Air bearings 3u and 3l are prevented from rotating about the axis of adjusting screws 2 by locating pins 6, which are installed in the frame adjacent to each of adjusting screws 2. Each locating pin engages a corresponding hole 7 in the corresponding air bearing 3. The holes are larger than pin 6, so that pins 6 do not restrict the alignment of the bearing to the surface of slide 8.
Air bearings 3 surround and guide slide 8. Slide 8 is also box shaped, with a square cross section normal to the drive direction. Air bearings 3 guide slide 8 on the four planes on the four sides of slide 8, with one upper air bearing 3u and one lower air bearing 3l contacting each of the four planes. The eight air bearings 3 are arranged to constrain the slide so that it has only one degree of freedom, along its longitudinal axis. Thus the air bearings provide a very low friction guide for slide 8, over a relatively long, e.g., 25 mm, stroke.
The present invention is described in terms of an embodiment which uses two sets of four air bearings to guide a box-shaped slide. However, other types of air beatings and slides could also be used. For example, two circular air bearings or a single cylindrical air bearing could be used in conjunction with a cylindrical slide, or two sets of six air bearings could be used in conjunction with a hexagonal slide. If a cylindrical slide were used, it would have to use a slot and key mechanism to prevent the slide from rotating within the bearing. Elliptical air bearings could also be used in conjunction with an elliptical slide.
A diffraction grating 9 with highly accurate and very closely spaced rulings is mounted to the slide so that it moves with the slide. An optical encoder 10, e.g., a Heidenhain Model No. LIF101 encoder distributed by the Heidenhain Corporation, Schaumburg, Ill., is mounted to the frame (see FIG. 13A, discussed below).
The intensity of the beam incident upon the photodetector system is modulated by the diffraction grating as it moves along with the slide. The output of the photodetector system accordingly consists of a series of pulses. Counting the number of pulses as slide 8 moves provides the distance the slide has moved. Thus optical encoder 10 is a relative position sensing system which measures the change in position of slide 8 by counting the pulses produced as the beam reflects off diffraction grating 9, as slide 8 moves from one position to another. The electronics system supporting the optical encoder keeps track of the pulse count, to provide an absolute position measurement.
Linear motor 11 is comprised mainly of permanent magnet 12 and moving coil assembly 13. Moving coil assembly 13 is rigidly attached to the bottom end of slide 8, and permanent magnet 12 is attached to frame 1. Direct current applied to moving coil assembly 13 causes moving coil assembly 13 to apply a force to slide 8 proportional to the current, with a direction corresponding to the polarity of the current.
Drive rod 14 is attached at its bottom end to the top end of slide 8, and at a its top end to the moving part of the sample fixture 15. The nonmoving part of the sample fixture is attached to four support posts 16 surrounding drive rod 14. These posts are, in turn, connected to thermal compensating plate 19 (described below) which is attached to the top of frame 1. The sample is mounted between the moving and the non-moving parts of the fixture.
Drive rod 14, sample fixture 15 and the supporting structure for the fixed clamp assembly (e.g., support posts 16 on FIGS. 1 and 2) are preferably made of stainless steel for DMA and of quartz for TMA.
In operation, when a DC current flows through the winding of moving coil assembly 13, moving coil assembly 13 applies a force to slide 8. The force is transmitted to the sample through drive rod 14 through the moving part of sample fixture 15 to the sample. The sample is deformed by the motion of the moving clamp and the resulting displacement is measured by optical encoder 10.
Temperature Compensation
To minimize any errors caused by differential thermal expansion of the drive assembly components, the drive frame is heated to a temperature above ambient and maintained at that temperature by a temperature regulation system. The temperature increase is relatively large, so that the temperature of the drive frame can be regulated despite the heat generated within the instrument, or by increases in the surrounding temperature. A resistance heating element 17 is mounted to, and surrounds a portion of the drive frame near the top and a second identical heating element 18 is mounted to, and surrounds a portion of the drive frame near the bottom. Temperature sensors mounted to the frame supply the frame temperature to a power controller, which regulates the heating current to heaters 17 and 18 so as to maintain a constant frame temperature. At the top of the drive frame, thermal compensating plate 19 is attached to the frame and closes the frame at the top. Thermal compensating plate 19 is a thick high thermal conductivity metal plate which ensures that the frame, and the instrument components within the frame, are a closed isothermal system, such that the slide and the air bearings are maintained at the same temperature as the frame.
Vibration Isolation
To prevent the dynamic motion of the drive supports and vibrations upon the instrument's mounting surface from affecting the displacement measurement, the frame assembly is mounted on elastomeric vibration isolation mounts 20. The frequencies of support resonances due to the cabinet the drive assembly is mounted in, or to the work benches the instrument is placed on, have typically been found to be above 100 Hz. Accordingly, the characteristics of the isolator have been chosen such that the natural frequency of the drive assembly on the isolators is well below 100 Hz to achieve effective isolation of the drive assembly from the cabinet and the work benches. However, any movement of the drive assembly on the isolators affects the displacement measurement by allowing the frame assembly to move under the action of the drive force. Because the behavior of the isolator system is very reproducible, it can be compensated for by calibration of the instrument.
Air Bearing Support
FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross section through the drive assembly taken at a plane of the adjusting screws. Adjusting screws 2 are mounted in frame 1, one each through each of the four sides of the frame. Each adjusting screw 2 supports and locates an air bearing 3. A locating pin 6 is mounted in the frame adjacent to each of the adjusting screws and prevents the air bearing from rotating about the adjusting screw axis. Air bearings 3 allow slide 8 to move only along its longitudinal axis.
Heating and Cooling Assemblies
FIG. 4 is a vertical cross section through the centerline of the sample chamber. Sample zone 21 is surrounded by a heating assembly 22 comprised of a resistive heating element 23 which is wound in a helix around eight ceramic insulator rods 24. The insulator rods are connected at each of their ends to rings 25, thus forming a cage-like heater assembly. An electric current flowing through heating element 23 generates heat by Joule heating. The heat is transmitted to the sample zone by radiation, conduction and convection.
Heating assembly 22 is surrounded by cooling jacket 26. Cooling jacket 26 is comprised of inner cylinder 27 and outer cylinder 28--the inner and outer cylinders being connected at their extremities to form an annular cavity. The annular cavity is divided into an upper chamber 29 and a lower chamber 30 by divider 31. Divider 31 is perforated by a series of holes uniformly distributed about its middle circumference. Cooling gas is supplied to the lower chamber 30 through the gas supply tube 33, which is supplied by the connector 34. Gas passes from the lower chamber to the upper chamber through the holes in the divider. The cooling gas flows upward in the upper chamber 29 of cooling jacket 26, cooling the sample chamber. A small fraction of the cooling gas is discharged into the sample chamber through a series of small (ranging from 0.035 square inches to 0.060 square inches, preferably 0.043 square inches) holes 35 through the inner wall of the cooling jacket. This small fraction of the cooling gas ensures that the sample environment is adequately cooled and uniform temperature, but is small enough that it will not impose drag forces on thin samples. The remainder of the cooling gas continues upward through the upper chamber of the cooling jacket and exits the cooling jacket through a series of large holes 36 equally spaced around the outer wall of outer cylinder 28.
Cooling jacket 26 is insulated by a coil of thin stainless steel sheet 37. The thickness of the stainless steel sheet is preferably 0.002 inches thick, but it can range from 0.001 inches to 0.005. Stainless steel sheet 37 is wound around cooling jacket 26 in a helical fashion. In some applications, material other than stainless steel could be used. The material must be reflective, and must be otherwise appropriate for the intended temperature range. For example, if the instrument is not intended to be used at relatively high temperatures, the sheet could be an aluminum sheet. If the instrument were intended only for low-temperature operation, a sheet of metallized mylar could be used. Sheet 37, e.g., a 5" high, ten foot long sheet, forms, e.g., fifteen layers which are separated by small protrusions (ranging from 0.02" to 0.125", preferably 0.035", in height), at a density of approximately 0.5 per square inch to 2 per square inch, preferably one per square inch, formed in the stainless steel sheet by stamping. In one embodiment of the present invention, the protrusions are applied along a vertical straight line, but the distance between consecutive straight lines of protrusions is preferably random, such that nesting of one set of protrusions into the dimples formed by the protrusions on a neighboring sheet cannot occur, except in isolated instances.
Stainless steel sheet 37 insulates cooling jacket 26 by preventing heat exchange by radiation and by eliminating convection in the gas spaces between layers. It limits heat transfer to conduction through the gas. Because gases are very poor thermal conductors, the transfer of heat from the ambient to the cooling jacket is low. The spacing of the layers must be kept small enough such that convection cannot develop in the spaces between layers. If the spacing is too large, heat convection will occur and the rate of heat transfer through the gas will increase dramatically--as much as ten times or more. If the spacing is too small, too much stainless steel sheet would have to be used.
The spacing between layers can be increased if the number of layers is increased, which would provide improved insulation. However, this would also result in a system having higher mass, and is therefore less responsive thermally. Thus the speed at which temperature changes could be made would be reduced.
The ends of the sample enclosure are similarly insulated. Disks of thin (0.005 to 0.015 inches thick) stainless steel are stacked to form a multilayer metallic insulation system. At the top end, smaller diameter disks 38 fit inside of the insulation formed by the wound sheet, while larger diameter disks 39 cover the edges of the wound sheet. The overlapping intersection prevents excessive heat loss through the edges of the hottest layers of the heat shielding system. At the bottom of the enclosure, small diameter disks 40 fit inside of the wound heat shield, while larger diameter disks 41 cover the edges of stainless steel sheet 37. The thickness of the disks is dictated by their mechanical properties. The disks must be sufficiently stiff such that they do not vibrate while the instrument is running. However, thicker disks have greater mass, which reduces the instrument's responsiveness.
The entire assembly is enclosed by an outer jacket 42. The cooling gas which is introduced to the sample region exits through an opening 43 through the stack of upper heat shields and then through exhaust stack 44. Cooling gas which exits the cooling jacket at the top flows between the smaller diameter upper heat shields inward to the exhaust stack and then out of the enclosure. To prevent recirculation of the exhausted cooling gas and infiltration of air from the surroundings, one of the large diameter upper shields (which has a larger diameter than the other upper shields) is sealed to the outer jacket.
The metallic shield insulation system described above is very nearly as efficient in preventing heat loss as conventional fibrous insulation systems. Unlike fibrous insulation systems, which have a huge surface area compared with the metallic shield system and are porous, the metallic shield insulation system does not absorb significant quantities of moisture. Furthermore, once moisture is absorbed in a fibrous insulation system, it takes a long time to leave the system. The remaining moisture could contaminate the sample, or could result in water dripping into the sample chamber or elsewhere, or ice formation within the insulation, or elsewhere.
FIG. 5 is a horizontal cross section through the sample chamber. Sample zone 21 is surrounded by heating assembly 22, which includes resistive heating element 23, wound in a helix around eight ceramic insulator rods 24. The heater assembly is surrounded by the cooling jacket 26, which has inner wall 27 and outer wall 28. Gas flowing from the lower chamber to the upper chamber passes through the series of small holes 32. The total area of the holes through the divider is much smaller than the total cross sectional area of the lower chamber, preferably, less than 10% of the total area. This creates a pressure drop through the holes such that the pressure in the upper chamber is much lower than the pressure in the lower chamber. This ensures that gas flows into the upper chamber with a uniform distribution about the cooling jacket centerline. Coiled thin stainless steel heat shield 37 surrounds the cooling jacket. The heat shields are enclosed within the outer jacket 42.
Linear Motor Assembly
FIG. 6 is a vertical cross section through the linear motor assembly. The moving coil assembly 13 consists of a bobbin 46 and a coil or winding 47. Winding 47 is wound around bobbin 46. The top of bobbin 46 is rigidly attached to air bearing slide 8. Winding 47 consists of a large number of turns, e.g, 250 to 280 turns, of fine wire, e.g., 29-30 gauge wire, tightly wound on the bobbin. The force which a motor can develop is proportional to the product of the current and the number of turns in the winding, and also depends on the field strength created in the air gap by the magnet.
The magnet assembly 12 consists of magnet 48, core 49 and air gap 50. In this type of motor, the magnets are magnetized in the direction perpendicular to the motor axis. The core is a high magnetic permeability material, which serves to concentrate the magnetic flux in the air gap by directing the flux from the outer pole of the magnet around and up into the center region of the core. Ideally, the magnetic flux lines across the air gap should be perpendicular to the axis to insure maximum force linearity. Near the ends of the air gap, the flux lines diverge from the ideal path, resulting in magnetic field fringes. If the voice coil windings enter fringing areas, the force drops off rapidly causing excessive nonlinearity. The length of the air gap in the direction parallel to the axis is chosen to be considerably longer than the sum of the length of the winding 47 and the stroke so that no part of winding 47 enters the fringing region during operation.
To improve motor control, it has been found advantageous to have a certain slope to the plot of the motor force versus displacement (which is generally a straight line). The flux density will naturally be greater at the bottom of the air gap where the air gap is closed off by the core. Tapering the air gap slightly so that it is wider at the open end of the magnet assembly than at the closed end enhances the natural slope of the straight line. The taper is created on the inner part of the core because creating a taper on the magnet face would be more difficult.
The strength of the field created by all permanent magnets varies as the temperature of the magnet changes. Variations in field strength cause variations in the force developed by the motor for a given coil current. Thus, it is essential to ensure that the temperature of the magnet and the iron core remain constant. In the present invention, temperature stability is achieved by heating the magnet assembly using a thin ribbon resistance heating element 51 attached to the exterior of the core. The temperature of the core is maintained at a high above-ambient temperature, such that heat generated by the coil does not cause the magnet assembly temperature to rise. A temperature sensor attached to the core supplies the magnet temperature to a power controller, which controls the power to the heater to maintain a constant magnet assembly temperature. However, this control system does not maintain a perfectly constant magnet temperature. Therefore, a second temperature sensor is attached to the core. Input from this second sensor is used to adjust the power to the motor based upon any residual temperature deviations.
FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional diagram of the configuration of the lead wires which supply electric current to the coil. A pair of flat wires 0.0015" thick by 0.040" wide 52 are arranged side by side. The cross-sectional view in FIG. 7 shows only the thin end of one of the flat wires. The second wire is behind the plane of the figure, and cannot be seen in FIG. 7. The moving end of each wire is attached to a terminal block 53 attached to slide 8, and an extension of the coil leads (not shown) connects to the terminal block. The stationary ends of the wires attach to a second terminal block 54 which is mounted to the wire guide plate 55, which is attached to the drive frame assembly. As the slide moves up and down, the lead wire moves in and out of contact with the slide and the wire guide in a rolling manner so that there is no sliding friction between the wire and either the slide or the guide. Flat wire is used with the thin dimension oriented as shown in FIG. 7 to minimize the force required to flex the wire. The spacing between the slide and the wire guide is chosen to be sufficiently large that flexure of the wire is entirely elastic. This configuration minimizes the force required to flex the lead wires. Because there is no slip and, therefore, no friction resulting from slip, and because the wire flexure is entirely elastic, the force required to flex the lead wires is highly reproducible.
Sample Fixtures
FIGS. 8-12 show several of the variety of different sample fixtures that can be used with the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram of the fixture used for characterizing a fiber or a thin film sample in the tension loading mode. Sample 55 (a fiber in the example illustrated in FIG. 8), is held at the top end by the upper clamp comprised of clamp jaw 56, clamping frame 57 and clamping screw 59. Clamping screw 59 pivots clamping frame 57, driving clamp jaw 56 against the sample. The clamp is attached to stationary frame 58. Stationary frame 58 is attached to support posts 16 through four mounting holes 60. Thus the upper end of the sample is held stationary with respect to frame 1.
The lower end of the sample is clamped to the moving part of the fixture by the lower clamp jaw 61 which is attached through a pivot to clamping frame 62. Clamping frame 62 is mounted on a pivot attached to drive frame 63. Clamping screw 64 pivots clamping frame 62, driving clamp jaw 61 against the sample. Dovetail 65 attached to drive frame 63 engages a complementary dovetail on drive rod 14, thus attaching the moving part of the sample fixture to drive rod 14.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagrams of the fixture for characterizing a sample such as a sheet or a plate in the dual cantilever flexure mode. Sample 66 is clamped to stationary frame 67 near its ends by clamp assemblies 68, which include clamp jaw 69, crosshead 70, and the screws 71. Tightening the screws drives the crosshead down against the clamp jaw, and holds the sample against the drive frame. The crosshead is used to ensure that the clamping load is applied to the center of the clamp jaw so that the clamping load is uniformly distributed across the width of the sample. Stationary frame 67 is attached to vertical supports, e.g., vertical support posts 16 through the four mounting holes 76, holding the ends of the sample stationary with respect to frame 1.
The moving clamp assembly includes drive clamp frame 72, clamp jaw 73, the crosshead 74 and tightening screws 75. Tightening screws 75 drives the crosshead to push the clamp jaw against the sample, clamping the sample against the drive clamping frame, thus holding the sample at its center. Dovetail 77 attached to the drive frame engages with a complementary dovetail on drive rod 14, thus rigidly attaching the moving part of the sample fixture to drive rod 14.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the fixture used to characterize a sample in the 3-point flexure mode. Sample 78 is supported near its ends by supports 79 which are an integral part of stationary frame 80. A load is applied to the sample at its midpoint by load frame 81, which presses against the sample through an integral load-applying surface 82. Stationary frame 80 is attached to support posts 16 through four mounting holes 83, thus holding the ends of the sample stationary with respect to frame 1. Dovetail 84 attached to the drive frame engages with a complementary dovetail on drive rod 14, attaching the moving part of the fixture to drive rod 14.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the fixture used to characterize a sample in the compression mode. Sample 85 is squeezed under the applied load between the stationary plate 86 and moving plate 87. The stationary plate is attached to the frame 88 which is attached to the support posts 16 through the four mounting holes 89. Moving plate 87 is attached to drive frame 90. A dovetail 91 attached to the drive frame engages with a complementary dovetail on drive rod 14, attaching the moving part of the fixture to drive rod 14.
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the fixture for characterizing a sample in the shear deformation mode. A pair of identical samples 92 are clamped between opposed movable clamps 93, against the drive plate 94. Drive plate 94 is the sandwiched between the pair of identical samples. Movable clamps 93 are guided by the stationary frame 95 and are driven in and out by thumbscrews 96. Thumbscrews 96 adjust the clamp faces to the sample thickness and apply a compressive load to hold the samples in place. Stationary frame 95 is attached to support posts 16 through the four mounting holes 97, thus holding stationary frame 95 fixed with respect to frame 1. Drive plate 94 is attached to dovetail 98 which engages with a complementary dovetail on drive rod 14, attaching the moving part of the fixture to the drive rod. Thus the samples can be sheared between the clamp faces and the moving plate under the applied load.
The Optical Encoder
FIG. 13A is a schematic diagram of the optical components of optical encoder 10. FIG. 13A shows that the optical components include a diffraction grating 9 (mounted on the slide), LED light source 121, a scanning reticle transparent phase grating 122, condenser lens 123, and photodetector system 124. In the example shown in FIG. 13A, photodetector system 124 includes three photovoltaic cells. A light beam emitted by light source 121 is reflected and modulated by diffraction grating 9, and transmitted and modulated by scanning reticle 122, and detected by photodetector system 101 in encoder 10.
In an instrument built according to the present invention, the spacing between lines on the glass scale diffraction grating was 8 microns. The use of a diffraction grating and light interference results in two constructive maxima and two destructive minima interference lines for each line on the glass scale, i.e., the distance between maxima is 4 microns. Light from LED light source 121 within optical encoder 10 passes through a transparent phase grating, and is reflected off the glass scale back through the phase grating and is focussed on three photovoltaic cells. The signals from these photovoltaic cells are combined by the Heidenhain electronic circuits to produce two quadrature output signals.
FIG. 13B is a schematic diagram of system for processing the photodetector system output signal. Photodetector system 101 produces two output signals, as shown after amplification by instrumentation amplifiers 102, e.g., Burr-Brown INA103, in FIG. 13B, which are in quadrature with respect to each other. The optical period of the two quadrature output signals is four micrometers. The two quadrature output signals are converted to eight-bit digital signals at a rate of 2.5 million times per second by analog-to-digital converters 103. The two eight-bit digital signals are supplied to lookup EPROM 104 where they are converted to ten-bit angle and six-bit magnitude digital signals for use by the subsequent digital signal processing system. The ten-bit angle signal divides the four micrometers between optical lines into 1024 segments of 3.9 nanometers each.
The sign bit of each converter is sent to a programmable logic device 105, e.g., Cypress Semiconductor CY7C344, which has been programmed to generate count and direction signals. These signals go to a second programmable logic device 106, e.g., Cypress Semiconductor CY7C344, which keeps track of how many lines have been crossed and in what direction, and which has been programmed to be a fourteen-bit up/down counter. Fourteen bits provides counts from -8,192 to +8,191 which covers from -32,768 to +32,764 micrometers and thus covers the entire slide movement in either direction. The fourteen-bit line count is sign-extended to 16 bits and sent to the digital signal processor (DSP).
As shown in FIG. 13C, at step 107 the signal processor reads the position signal (ten-bit angle and fourteen-bit line count) 50,000 times each second. Each set of ten sequential values is processed by summing up the ten values in step 108, thus providing 5,000 thirty-two bit position values per second. The phase of the AC signal which is used to control the current to the linear motor driving drive rod 14 is accumulated in step 111, and converted to sixteen-bit sine and cosine values 5,000 times per second in step 112. The sine and cosine values representing the drive force, and the position sums representing the relative position of the slide (and the deformed segment of the sample) are placed into the circular queue of dual port RAM 109.
The six bit magnitude signal is used to make sure the two quadrature outputs of the photodetector system are well matched, such that the interpolation produces an accurate measure of the position of the slide. As shown in FIG. 13D, the six bit magnitude signal obtained from lookup table in EPROM 104 (ten bits of the sixteen bit EPROM is used for the angle data) and the angle signal are used to produce signals representing the magnitude of the output signals at 0°, 90°, 180° and 270°. The four magnitude signals are displayed on a display screen. If one of the four signals is smaller than the others, then interpolation values near the smaller signal's peaks will be spread out wider than 3.9 nanometers apart, and interpolation values near larger signals' peaks will be compressed closer than 3.9 nanometers. This effect produces a sinusoidal error in the interpolated position reading that has a four micrometer period, and whose magnitude is related to the mismatch between the signals. The magnitude values near each of the two peaks of the two quadrature signals are displayed, and calibration potentiometers are used to match those values. This latter step could be automated.
Microprocessor 110 (e.g., an 80C186 microprocessor) reads the values in the queue of dual port RAM 109 (shown in FIG. 13C) and uses them to calculate data points twice each second. The data calculated includes an average position and a single point Fourier transform of that position. The Fourier transform results are the magnitude of sample oscillation and the phase relative to the drive signal.
Because 25,000 position readings are used to calculate each data point, there is a potential for signal noise reduction by the square root of 25,000, or about 158. Assuming that the noise or uncertainty in each position reading is about 40 nanometers, and that the noise is random from reading to reading, the resulting data file noise would be about one quarter of a nanometer. The noise in each position reading is somewhat correlated between position readings and thus the noise reduction is less, and the resulting noise is somewhat greater than one quarter of a nanometer.
The Fourier transform also processes 25,000 position readings to calculate the magnitude and phase of sample oscillation. This process is a little more complicated since it involves multiplying each 10 point average by a sine and a cosine value before summing the results and then finding the square root of the sum of the squares for the magnitude and the arc tangent of the ratio for the phase. However, since the sine and cosine values are from an ideal, noiseless drive signal, no noise is added to the position values and the noise reduction described above takes place.
The measured amplitude of oscillation of the sample and the phase of that oscillation relative to the oscillation of the drive force applied to the sample, along with the phase of the oscillating drive force applied to the sample, are used to calculate the storage modulus and the loss modulus of the sample.
The foregoing disclosure of 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 obvious 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. | A dynamic and thermal mechanical analyzer incorporating a slide driven vertically in an air bearing guidance system with a large displacement capacity, very low friction and low mass. The position of the slide is measured by digitizing and interpolating two quadrature output signals generated by an optical encoder with very high spatial resolution and a long stroke. A force is applied to the slide using a linear permanent magnet motor with high force, high force linearity and low sensitivity to temperature variations. Position signals derived from the digitized and interpolated quadrature output signals are analyzed as a function of the applied force to calculate viscoelastic properties of a sample of material. | 5 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/446,532, filed on Feb. 25, 2011, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of Inventive Concept
[0004] The present general inventive concept relates generally to an animal watering device, and more particularly, to an animal watering device having a submersible water filter and dispensing unit to continuously circulate water around a water bowl, and a method of producing the same, allowing the water to remain clean and fresh, as well as in constant motion for the animal to drink.
[0005] 2. Background of Inventive Concept
[0006] Many animals have a preference for drinking flowing water. Flowing water may provide a number of advantages, including improved taste and quality. Flowing water also typically has more dissolved oxygen, which can make the water taste better as well as provide potential health benefits. For example, one health benefit of flowing water is that it may encourage animals to drink more liquid. Increased water intake can help reduce problems with the animal's kidneys or urinary tract. In addition to these benefits, running water is interesting and entertaining to many animals.
[0007] Many household pet owners have recognized that their pets are drawn towards running water. Many dogs like to drink from hoses, streams, or water flowing along a curb. Cats often jump on counters and sinks in order to drink from a running or leaking faucet. Some pet owners even deliberately accommodate such behavior, for example, by letting a hose or faucet drip.
[0008] However, many animals do not have adequate access to a source of running water. Animals may engage in undesirable behavior in search of running water, such as jumping on counters or in bath tubs. Owners who do provide running water for their animals may incur significant expense by leaving faucets or hoses running.
[0009] Pet fountains have been developed to provide running water to pets. For example, Veterinary Ventures, Inc., of Reno, Nev., offers a variety of pet fountains, such as the Drinkwell® and Drinkwell® Big Dog products. Such fountains typically include a water reservoir, an elevated spout that dispenses water, and a bowl into which the water is dispensed and from which the animal can drink. Some fountains provide a stream of free falling water, which can help stimulate animals' interest in the fountain as well as enhance water oxygenation.
[0010] One of the challenges facing known pet fountains is to provide a constant flow of fresh and clean running water. For example, some fountains can accumulate debris such as hair and food, particularly if the owner does not adequately maintain the fountain. Such debris can reduce water quality and impair water circulation in the fountain, for example, by clogging an intake or outtake of a pump. If the water circulation is sufficiently impaired, a water circulation device may be damaged. In addition, some prior fountains contain pumps having at least portions that should not be in contact with water, potentially making cleaning of the fountain more difficult.
[0011] If fountains are not properly maintained, the benefits of animal watering fountains can be reduced or even reversed. However, typical fountains often have a large number of parts that need to be removed and reassembled during routine maintenance of the fountain. For example, an upper water dispensing portion is typically removable from a lower bowl portion. Reassembling this structure can be difficult for some users. Further, the water circulation device of such fountains is often not easily accessible by the user, and thus not adequately cleaned.
[0012] In order to improve the quality of the water provided to animals drinking from the pet fountains, some prior fountains are designed to accept filters. Such filters typically contain a quantity of an impurity-absorbing material, such as activated carbon. However, such material can have a tendency to settle into the bottom portion of the filter, reducing the effectiveness of the filter, as water that circulates through other portions of the filter does not contact the absorbing material.
[0013] Embodiments of the present general inventive concept provide as an easily-maintained animal watering device that provides substantially continuously-moving, filtered, drinking water for animals without components that are compromised when exposed to water.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept can provide a submersible water filter and dispensing unit arrangement for use in combination with an animal water bowl. The arrangement can be located toward a middle portion of the watering bowl to direct water into the watering bowl at one end, and to draw water from the bowl through a filter at the other end. After the water is filtered, the dispensing unit can dispense the water back into the bowl through an aperture positioned on the bottom of the water bowl such that the water flows around that the bowl. The filtered water can thus be made to flow in such a way to circulate the water around the bowl, allowing the water to remain clean, fresh, and in constant motion for the animal to drink. The circulation can also help enhance water oxygenation.
[0015] Example embodiments of the present general inventive concept can be achieved by providing a watering device for animals, including a base unit defining an interior bowl portion, a housing portion disposed in the base unit and including an inlet port and an outlet port in fluid communication with the bowl portion, a dispensing unit communicating with the outlet port to dispense water from the housing portion to the bowl portion via the outlet port such that water circulates around the bowl portion to the housing portion via the inlet port, and a filtering unit interposed between the outlet port and the inlet port to filter the water flowing from the bowl portion to the housing portion via the inlet port.
[0016] The housing portion can include a circular portion located proximate the center of the bowl portion and a neck portion extending between an inner wall of the bowl portion and the circular portion. The neck portion can have opposing sides to define the inlet port and the outlet port, respectively. The housing portion can include a detachable cover portion to define a top surface of the circular portion, the detachable cover portion including grated members to define the inlet port and the outlet port, respectively. The circular portion can include an aperture to accommodate a power cord of the dispensing unit. The outlet port can be located adjacent to a bottom surface of the bowl portion. The bottom surface of the bowl portion can be sloped to encourage the flow of water around the bowl portion from the outlet port to the inlet port. A method is also disclosed, in accordance with various embodiments of the present general inventive concept, for producing an animal watering device having constantly circulating, filtered water.
[0017] The example embodiments described and illustrated herein are representative of exemplary structures and techniques designed to carry out the features of the present general inventive concept, but the present general inventive concept is not limited to these example embodiments. A wide variety of additional embodiments will be more readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art with reference to the accompanying figures. For example, the illustrations and descriptions provided herein can be used to implement exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept, and are included for illustrative purposes to convey the possible applications and methods of making and using the techniques and devices of the present general inventive concept.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] The above-mentioned and additional features of the invention will become more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the invention read together with the drawings in which:
[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an example embodiment of the present invention in which the animal watering device is filled with water;
[0020] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an example embodiment of the present invention with the housing portion exploded to expose the various component parts;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a top view of an example embodiment of the present invention with the arrows indicating the directional water flow achieved during operation of the animal watering device;
[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates alternate embodiments of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 5 illustrates alternate embodiments of the present invention; and
[0024] FIG. 6 illustrates alternate embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 1-3 , example embodiments of the animal watering device in accordance with the present general inventive concept are portrayed. As illustrated, included in the animal watering device 1 is a generally circular base unit 10 to define a watering bowl. The base unit 10 includes a recessed bowl portion 11 to facilitate drinking of water by an animal such as a household pet.
[0026] In the illustrated embodiments, a housing portion 12 is disposed in the base unit 10 such that the housing portion 12 protrudes from an inner wall of the watering bowl 11 to create an island-type configuration 13 located proximate the center of the watering bowl 11 . The island-type configuration 13 is connected to an inner wall of the watering bowl 11 by a neck-portion 14 , such that the neck-portion 14 defines an inlet port 15 and an outlet port 16 in fluid communication with the watering bowl 11 .
[0027] As illustrated in FIG. 2 , a dispensing unit 20 , such as a generally rectangular water pump, can be configured to fit within a compartment of the housing portion 12 . Other shapes and types of dispensing units 20 besides the illustrated water pump could also be used without departing from the broader scope and spirit of the present general inventive concept. For example, an agitator or the like can be used to dispense water in a selected direction out of the outlet port 16 . In some embodiments, it is possible to provide an aperture 21 on a top surface of the generally circular housing portion 13 to receive and accommodate a power cord 22 for the dispensing unit 20 . Those of ordinary skill, however, will recognize that the present invention is not limited to dispensing units with power cords. Dispensing units can be powered by any conventional means, such as, for example, a battery or solar power.
[0028] Water is added to the watering bowl 11 such that water becomes pooled inside the inner cavity region of the housing portion 12 and the watering bowl 11 . In operation, the dispensing unit 20 can be powered to pump water and dispense the water from the housing portion 12 to the watering bowl 11 via the outlet port 16 , as indicated by the direction arrows of FIG. 3 . Once the water is pumped into the watering bowl 11 , the water circulates around the watering bowl 11 , encouraged by a sloped bottom of the watering bowl 11 , and re-enters the housing portion at the inlet port 15 via the filter member 23 . As illustrated in FIG. 2 , the filter member 23 can take the form of a narrow diaphragm-like member installable into mating slots 24 A, 24 B near the inlet port 15 of the housing portion 12 . The filter member 23 thus creates a permeable wall to filter the water as the water re-enters the housing portion 12 via the inlet port 15 after the water has been circulated completely around the watering bowl 11 .
[0029] In some embodiments, for example referring to FIG. 2 , the housing portion 12 can include a detachable cover member 25 to define a top surface of the circular portion 13 and the neck portion 14 . Also included on the detachable cover member 25 of the neck portion 14 are grated members 26 A, 26 B at opposing sides of the neck portion 14 to define the inlet 15 and outlet 16 ports respectively to facilitate water flow therethrough. The cover member 25 can be provided as an integrated member, or in separate pieces, such that each piece is detachable from the housing portion 12 to facilitate maintenance, assembly, and cleaning of the device. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary, integrated cover member 25 , which is removably installed to the housing portion 12 .
[0030] In some embodiments, the animal watering device 1 also contains a sliding member 27 coupled to the dispensing unit 20 and slidably installed at the outlet port 16 to dispense water from the housing portion 12 to the water bowl 11 . In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 , water is dispensed from the dispensing unit 20 where it flows through the aperture 28 included on the sliding member 27 , positioned adjacent to a bottom surface of the watering bowl 11 , and through the outlet port 16 of the housing portion 12 . One of skill in the art will understand that the sliding member 27 is not necessarily required to practice the general present inventive concept. For instance, some embodiments can have a water pump that includes an outlet tube to direct the water out through the outlet port 16 , thus obviating the need for the sliding member 27 .
[0031] FIG. 3 illustrates the circulating operation of an animal drinking device according to an example embodiment of the present general inventive concept. Direction arrows mimic the directional water flow achieved by the animal watering device 1 during operation. Specifically, water in the water bowl 11 travels from the water bowl 11 through the inlet port 15 and filter member 23 and into the housing portion 12 . Water is then dispensed by the dispensing unit 20 through the outlet port 16 and back into the water bowl 11 . In the illustrated embodiment, a sliding member 27 is coupled to the dispensing unit 20 such that water is dispensed from the dispensing unit 20 through the aperture 28 on the sliding member 27 , positioned adjacent to the bottom surface of the watering bowl 11 , and out the outlet port 16 .
[0032] Stated differently, water that becomes pooled inside the housing member 12 can be pumped into the watering bowl 11 via the outlet port 16 in order to circulate water around the watering bowl 11 . When the water reaches the inlet port 15 , the water can be communicated through the filter unit 23 and dispensed by the dispensing unit 20 through the outlet port 16 , wherein the water is re-pooled and circulated around the watering bowl 11 , repeatedly, thus providing a constant flow of clean, filtered water for the animal to drink.
[0033] Upon review of the exemplary figures, it is evident that the curvatures and slopes of the surfaces making contact with the water can be configured in shape and size to facilitate ease of water flow around water bowl 11 . For example, the bottom surface of the water bowl 11 can be sloped to encourage positive flow of water around the water bowl 11 from the outlet port 16 to the inlet port 15 . In some embodiments, the bottom surface of the watering bowl 11 is sloped inward so as to create a funnel-like shape to encourage the directional flow of water from the outlet port 16 , around the watering bowl 11 , and back to the inlet port 15 .
[0034] FIGS. 4-6 illustrate various external configurations which can be selected for the base unit 10 and water bowl 11 without departing from the broader scope and spirit of the present general inventive concept.
[0035] For purposes of the present disclosure, it is noted that spatially relative terms, such as “up,” “down,” “right,” “left,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over or rotated, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
[0036] It is noted that the simplified diagrams and drawings do not illustrate all the various connections and assemblies of the various components, however, those skilled in the art will understand how to implement such connections and assemblies, based on the illustrated components, figures, and descriptions provided herein.
[0037] In view of the present disclosure, it is evident that embodiments of the present general inventive concept can provide animal watering devices having a number of advantages. For instance, the example embodiments can be easy to clean and maintain, such as by having parts which are easily removed or replaced. Indeed, certain embodiments include an easily removable debris filter, which may be a pre-filter that helps trap debris before water passes to the dispensing unit, additional filters, or both. It is possible to construct the detachable portions to include convenient slide-in or snap-on parts that can be easily removed, but which are secured against the base unit to prevent accidental removal or removal by a pet.
[0038] While various configurations can be implemented without departing from the broader scope of the present general inventive concept, the illustrated embodiments can provide a submersible water filter 23 and dispensing unit 20 arrangement for use in combination with a water bowl 11 . In some embodiments, the filter 23 and dispensing unit 20 are located within a housing portion 12 protruding from an inner wall of the water bowl 11 . The dispensing unit 20 can be a pump positioned adjacent to the outlet port 16 of the housing portion 12 to pump water into the water bowl 11 , and the filter 23 can be interposed between the outlet port 16 and the inlet port 15 . The pump can thereby draw water from the water bowl 11 into the housing portion 12 through the inlet port 15 . After the water permeates through the filter 23 , the pump can re-dispense the water back into the bowl 11 through the outlet port 16 . In some embodiments, the pump dispenses water through a tube positioned adjacent to the bottom surface of the water bowl 11 parallel with the sides of the bowl 11 . In this way, the water is continually circulated around the bowl 11 , allowing the water to remain in constant motion.
[0039] The descriptions and drawings provided herein are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. It is not the intention of the applicant to in any way restrict or limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional embodiments and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art upon reading the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown an described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope or spirit of applicant's general inventive concept. | Disclosed is a watering device for animals and a method of producing the same, including a base unit defining a bowl portion, a housing portion disposed in the base unit and including an inlet port and an outlet port in fluid communication with the bowl portion, a dispensing unit proximate the outlet port to dispense water from the housing portion to the bowl portion via the outlet port such that water flows around the bowl portion to the housing portion via the inlet port, and a filtering unit interposed between the outlet port and the inlet port to filter the water flowing from the bowl portion to the housing portion via the inlet port. | 0 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/202 343, filed Aug. 7, 2015, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this application.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a planar structure from a plurality of folding portions which are interconnected by way of integral hinges and which are erectable to a functional position so as to form a three-dimensional body.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A planar structure of this type in the form of a cover for a cargo-space floor is known from DE 198 10 714 A1. The cover has a water-tight integral planar structure. The planar structure is provided with flexible folding portions which have a central part and lateral parts which are disposed so as to be distributed around the central part. The lateral parts surrounding the central part may be erected to form an ashlar-shaped container. Respective fixing means serve for mutually fixing the lateral parts in the erected functional state. In a spread-out covering position all folding portions are disposed in one plane such that the flat planar structure thus designed may be used as a protective mat for a cargo-space floor.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] It is an object of the invention to achieve a planar structure of the type mentioned at the outset which enables a supporting function for cargo on a cargo-space floor of a motor vehicle.
[0005] This object is achieved in that the folding portions are of a triangular design in such a manner that the folding portions are erectable to form a supporting corner in the form of a triangular pyramid. The triangular pyramid herein is of open design such that the supporting corner can receive a corner region of a cargo such as of a carton, a box, or similar. The supporting corner has the effect of positionally securing a respective item to be transported in a cargo space. In a particularly advantageous manner, a plurality of planar structures according to the invention are provided so as to, by being erected in the functional position, form a plurality of supporting corners which in relation to the cargo tray may support items to be transported in the form of an ashlar, a box, or similar, on a plurality of sides. When not in use, the supporting corner may be spread out in a simple manner so as to form the planar structure such that said supporting corner may be accommodated in a space-saving manner on the cargo-space floor or on another point of the cargo space or of a vehicle interior of the motor vehicle. The supporting corner in the form of the open triangular pyramid represents an open tetrahedron.
[0006] In a design embodiment of the invention, the folding portions are at least partially provided with reinforcement plates. The reinforcement plates are preferably inserted between film regions of the folding portions and fixed between these film skins which are composed of plastics.
[0007] In a further design embodiment of the invention, a floor-side folding portion is provided with an anti-slip layer. The anti-slip layer may be configured in various forms. Said anti-slip layer may be formed by a rubber or elastomer layer of continuous or mutually spaced apart rubber or elastomer portions. Alternatively, said anti-slip layer may be formed by bonding means in the form of hook-and-pile elements, in the form of adhesive layers, or similar. It is essential for the anti-slip layer that a high level of static friction is achieved in relation to the surface of the cargo-space floor.
[0008] In a further design embodiment of the invention, bonding elements, in particular in the form of hook-and-pile elements, magnetic elements, adhesive elements, are provided. The bonding elements are capable of being manually converted to the fixing position or to the releasing position of the former.
[0009] Further advantages and features of the invention are derived from the claims and by means of the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are illustrated by means of the drawings in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 schematically shows a cargo on a floor of a cargo space of a motor vehicle, said cargo being supported by four planar structures as per an embodiment according to the invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 in an enlarged perspective illustration shows a planar structure according to FIG. 1 , which has been erected to form a piece corner;
[0012] FIG. 3 shows the planar structure as per FIG. 2 in a spread-out standby position;
[0013] FIGS. 4 to 6 show the planar structure as per FIGS. 2 and 3 in various positions during conversion from the standby position to the erected functional position;
[0014] FIG. 7 shows a further embodiment of a planar structure according to the invention, similar to that of FIG. 3 ;
[0015] FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of a planar structure according to the invention;
[0016] FIGS. 9 to 12 show the planar structure as per FIG. 8 in various positions during conversion of the planar structure from the standby position to the erected functional position ( FIG. 12 );
[0017] FIG. 13 shows a further embodiment of a planar structure according to the invention, in a spread-out standby position;
[0018] FIGS. 14 and 15 show the planar structure as per FIG. 13 , in various folded positions; and
[0019] FIG. 16 shows a further embodiment of a planar structure according to the invention, similar to that of FIG. 4 , in a partially erected folded position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] A cargo space L of a passenger motor vehicle has a cargo-space floor B which at mutually opposite sides is delimited by side walls. Toward the front, the cargo-space floor B is delimited in a manner not illustrated in more detail by a seatback assembly of a passenger cabin. Toward the rear, delimitation of the cargo-space floor B is performed by a rear end of the passenger motor vehicle, said rear end being potentially designed so as to be movable as a tailgate, or as to be static. Four supporting corners 1 , each representing one planar structure in the context of the invention, are provided for positionally securing an in particular ashlar-shaped or box-shaped item to be transported T on the cargo-space floor B. The four supporting corners 1 are provided on four floor-side corner regions of the item to be transported T, wherein the supporting corners 1 are laterally pushed from the outside onto these corner regions until folding portions 2 to 4 (to be described in more detail hereunder) of the respective supporting corner 1 are in contact with the respective wall portions of the item to the transported T in these corner regions.
[0021] According to FIGS. 2 to 6 , each supporting corner 1 is formed by a planar structure which in the spread-out standby position ( FIG. 3 ) lies flat on a cargo-space floor B or on another support and which is of rectangular, presently square, design. The planar structure which forms the supporting corner 1 in FIG. 3 is viewed from a rear side. The planar structure has a first folding portion in the form of a base portion 2 , and two further folding portions in the form of two lateral portions 3 , 4 . The lateral portions 3 , 4 , as well as the base portion 2 , are in each case of triangular design. The lateral portions 3 , 4 , on mutually longitudinal sides of the base portion 2 , are connected by a folding arrangement in the form of an integral hinge F to the base portion 2 . Moreover, the planar structure has two folding portions 5 , 6 which serve for fixing the supporting corner 1 in the erected functional position thereof according to FIGS. 2 and 6 . The folding portions 5 and 6 are likewise of triangular design. The latter however only have half the area of the lateral portions 3 , 4 and of the base portion 2 . The two folding portions 5 and 6 are interconnected by a fold line. Moreover, according to FIG. 3 , the latter are connected to the lateral portions 3 , 4 by way of fold lines (not referred to in more detail) in the form of integral hinges.
[0022] As is indicated by means of FIG. 3 , the base portion 2 in the region of the lower side thereof has an anti-slip layer 7 which in the exemplary embodiment illustrated is embodied as a rubber or elastomer layer. The lower side in the illustration as per FIG. 3 lies on top.
[0023] Moreover, according to FIGS. 1 to 6 , the planar structure which is erectable to form the supporting corner 1 in the region of the one folding portion 5 and in the region of the lateral portion 4 is provided with fixing means 8 which in the exemplary embodiment illustrated are designed as hook-and-pile elements.
[0024] According to FIGS. 2 and 6 , erecting the planar structure to form the supporting corner 1 is performed according to the illustrations as per FIGS. 4 and 5 . The two lateral portions 3 , 4 are first erected in relation to the base portion 2 . Herein, the two folding portions 4 , 6 are folded outward toward the rear side and are folded on top of one another. Herein, the hook-and-pile element of the folding portion 5 is brought to a position which is directly adjacent to the hook-and-pile element which is disposed on the outside on the lateral portion 4 , such that the folding portions 5 and 6 which are folded together to form the overlapping triangle are fixed on the outside to the lateral portion 4 . On account thereof, the erected functional position of the supporting corner 1 is achieved and secured.
[0025] The base portion 2 as well as the lateral portions 3 and 4 are provided with reinforcement plates which are integrated in the respective folding portions. Preferably, the folding portions 2 to 4 are formed by plastics films which each represent one external skin and one internal skin. The respective reinforcement plate is inserted between the external skin and the internal skin. The external skin and the internal skin are welded to one another at the peripheral regions of the reinforcement plate. The reinforcement plates are of triangular design, in an analogous manner to the folding portions 2 to 4 . No reinforcement plates are provided in the region of the integral hinges F, so as not to impede the flexibility of the integral hinges F. The integral hinges are formed by external and internal skins of the plastics films in that the external and internal skin are welded to one another in this region.
[0026] The embodiments as per FIGS. 7 to 16 correspond substantially to the embodiment which has been described above by means of FIGS. 1 to 6 . Therefore, parts and portions having equivalent functions are provided with the same reference signs having index letters a or b, respectively, or c and d, respectively. The supporting corners 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, and 1 d, according to FIGS. 7 to 16 , are also provided for positioning on a cargo-space floor B, in an analogous manner to FIG. 1 . The folding portions 2 a to 4 a, and 2 b to 4 b, and 2 c to 4 c, and 2 d to 4 d, are provided with triangular reinforcement plates in the same manner as is the case with the embodiment as per FIGS. 1 to 6 . The integral hinges F or fold lines, respectively, are embodied in an identical manner. The points of difference of the embodiments according to FIGS. 7 to 16 will be discussed hereunder.
[0027] It is a substantial point of difference in the case of the supporting corner 1 a as per FIG. 7 , that the planar structure indeed has a base portion 2 a and two lateral portions 3 a, 4 a, which are configured in a substantially identical manner to the folding portions in the case of the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 6 . However, the planar structure has only one single further folding portion 5 a which is articulated only on the one lateral portion 3 a by way of a respective integral hinge. The lateral portion 4 a on the external side has a fixing means 8 a which is designed as a hook-and-pile element. The folding portion 5 a on the internal side has a complementary hook-and-pile element as a fixing means 8 a. Once the lateral portions 3 a, 4 a are folded up, the folding portion 5 a is pressed from the outside onto the lateral portion 4 a, on account of which the fixing means 8 a are brought into mutual contact, securing the erected functional position.
[0028] The supporting corner 1 b as per FIGS. 8 to 12 also corresponds substantially to the embodiments which have been described above. It is a substantial point of difference in the case of the supporting corner lb that the planar structure beside the base portion 2 b and the two lateral portions 3 b and 4 b has two folding portions 5 b, 6 b, of which only the one folding portion 6 b is connected directly to the lateral portion 3 b. By contrast, the other folding portion 5 b is connected only to the folding portion 6 b. The folding portions 5 b and 6 b, in a manner analogous to the folding portions 5 , 6 , and to the folding portion 5 a, are provided with dimensions which are halved in relation to the lateral portions 3 b, 4 b.
[0029] In the case of the supporting corner 1 b the lateral portion 4 b on the internal side is provided with a fixing means 8 b in the form of a hook-and-pile element. The folding portion 5 b is provided with a complementary fixing means 8 b in the form of a corresponding hook-and-pile element. During erection of the two lateral portions 3 b, 4 b the folding portion 6 b at the rear side is folded onto the external side of the lateral portion 4 b, wherein a fold line between the two folding portions 5 b, 6 b is axiomatically aligned so as to be flush with an upper edge of the lateral portion 4 b. Subsequently, according to FIGS. 11 and 12 , the folding portion 5 b may be folded over from above toward the internal side of the lateral portion 4 b, on account of which the fixing means 8 b come into mutual contact. On account thereof, the erected functional position of the supporting corner 1 b is achieved and secured.
[0030] In the case of the supporting corner 1 c as per FIGS. 13 to 15 , a total of four folding regions which are embodied as the base portion 2 c, as the lateral portions 3 c, 4 c, and as the folding portion 5 c, are provided. The base portion 2 c and the first lateral portion 3 c are interconnected by way of a fold line in the form of an integral hinge F. The two lateral portions 3 c and 4 c are also interconnected by way of an integral hinge f. The folding portion 5 c by way of a further folding line in the form of an integral hinge F is connected to a lateral periphery of the lateral portion 4 c. However, this folding portion 5 c by way of a slot is separated from the base portion 2 c, the latter in the spread-out standby position according to FIG. 13 is adjacent to the left of the former. Both the base portion 2 c as well as the folding portion 5 c have fixing means 8 c each on the upper side and on the lower side. Alternatively, it is possible for fixing means 8 c to be provided only on an upper side or lower side in the case of each the base portion 2 c and in the case of the folding portion 5 c, said fixing means 8 c then having to be disposed such that, depending on the folding strategy, they come into mutual contact. Therefore, when the folding portion 5 c is applied to the upper side of the base portion 2 c, the lower side of the folding portion 5 , and the upper side of the base portion 2 c, each have to be provided with one fixing means 8 c. Conversely, if the folding portion 5 c is to be fixed to the base portion 2 c from below ( FIG. 15 ), then the folding portion 5 c in the region of the upper side, and the base portion 2 c in the region of the lower side, are provided with a respective fixing means 8 c.
[0031] In the embodiment illustrated, in the case of which fixing means 8 c are provided on both sides, an operator may perform folding according to FIG. 14 or alternatively folding according to FIG. 15 . Secure fixing of the folding portion 5 c in relation to the base portion 2 c is achievable in both cases.
[0032] The supporting corner 1 d according to FIG. 16 corresponds substantially to the supporting corner 1 as per FIG. 4 . The only point of differentiation is that in the case of the supporting corner 1 d the folding portion 6 d on the internal side is provided with a fixing means 8 d, whereas the folding portion 5 d has no fixing means. The lateral portion 4 d on the external side is provided with a complementary fixing means which is not illustrated by means of FIG. 16 . The folding portion 5 d is cut out such that the folding portion 6 d, which during folding is on the external side, may come into direct contact with the external-side fixing means of the lateral portion 4 d. On account thereof, simplified and more compact fixing of the supporting corner 1 d than in the case of the embodiment according to FIG. 4 is achievable.
[0033] Since the fixing means 8 , 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, 8 d in the case of all embodiments are embodied so as to be releasable, the supporting corners 1 , 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, 1 d may be converted in the same manner from the erected functional position thereof back to the spread-out standby position thereof in which said supporting corners 1 , 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, 1 d result in the flat planar structures according to FIGS. 3, 7, 8, and 13 . | A planar structure formed from a plurality of folding portions which are interconnected by way of integral hinges and which are erectable to a functional position so as to form a three-dimensional body. A fixing arrangement is provided for mutually fixing the folding portions in the erected functional position. The folding portions are of triangular design such that the folding portions are erectable to form a supporting corner in the form of a triangular pyramid. The structure can be utilized in the cargo space of passenger motor vehicles. | 1 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades and more particularly pertains to plowing snow from an area with a hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of snow plow mechanisms is known in the prior art. More specifically, snow plow mechanisms heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of plowing and removing snow are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,248,811 to Pravednekow discloses a combination snow plow and scoop. U.S. Pat. No. 3,431,661 to Carlson discloses a snow plow with laterally expansible fixed angle plow portions. U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,042 to Duran discloses a hand operated wheeled V-blade snowplow. U.S. Patent No. 4,512,091 to Leininger et al. discloses a snow plow scoop. U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,367 to Kulat discloses an adjustable manual snow plow. U.S. Pat. No. 5,159,769 to Odorisio discloses a materials handling device.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades that has blades that can be radially positioned in a variety of angular configurations for allowing a user to push snow or debris forwards, to the left, or to the right when plowing.
In this respect, the hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of plowing snow from an area.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades which can be used for plowing snow from an area. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of snow plow mechanisms now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises, in combination, a rigid housing having a V-shaped front wall, a top wall and a bottom wall coupled to the front wall, and a pair of opposed side walls interconnecting the front wall, top wall, and bottom wall to define a hollow interior and a rear opening for allowing access to the interior, and a central axis defined therethrough from the midpoint of the apex of the front wall to the centroid of the rear opening. A pair of rigid rectangular blades are included with each having a front surface coated with a layer of a non-stick material for preventing snow from adhering thereto, a rear surface, and periphery interconnecting the front surface with the rear surface and with the periphery further having a pair of opposed vertical short edges and a pair of opposed horizontal long edges and with a short edge of each blade pivotally coupled to the apex of the front wall. A pair of elongated adjusting plates are included with each having a planar and generally circularly-shaped interior portion and an elongated tapered exterior portion extended outwards from the interior portion with each interior portion pivotally coupled to the apex of the front wall and further including a first, a second, and a third slot peripherally formed thereon and with each exterior portion coupled to a separate blade against the rear surface thereof. A spring-loaded locking lever is included and coupled to the top wall at a location securable within the slots of the adjusting plates for allowing fixed and independent angular positioning of the blades for thereby enabling them to be placed in a plurality of plowing positions. The locking lever is positionable within the first slot of one of the adjusting plates for placing the associated blade in a position such that an acute angle is formed between it and the central axis of the housing. The locking lever is further positionable within the second slot of one of the adjusting plates for placing the associated blade in a position such that a perpendicular angle is formed between it and the central axis of the housing. The locking lever is further positionable within a third slot of one of the adjusting plates for placing the associated blade in a position such that an obtuse angle is formed between it and the central axis of the housing. Lastly, a rigid handle is included and has a horizontal short leg coupled to the top wall of the housing near the rear opening thereof and a long leg extended upwards therefrom and away from the housing and terminated at a handgrip for allowing a user a firm hold for plowing.
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 hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades which has all the advantages of the prior art snow plow mechanisms and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades which is of durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades which is capable of being manufactured at a low cost 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 a hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades economically available to the buying public.
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades 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.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades for plowing snow from an area.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades comprising an elongated housing with a front end and a rear end; a pair of elongated and generally opposed blades each having an end pivotally coupled to the front end of the housing; blade adjustment means for allowing independent angular positioning and securement of each of the blades with respect to the front end of the housing for thereby enabling the blades to be placed in a plurality of plowing positions; and a rigid handle extended upwards from the housing for allowing a user a firm hold for plowing.
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 made 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 perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the present invention depicting the blades in one of its three setable positions for plowing and removing snow.
FIG. 3 is a side-elevational view of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along the line 6--6 of FIG. 2.
The same reference numerals refer to the same parts through the various Figures.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular, to FIG. 1 thereof, the preferred embodiment of the new and improved hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference number 10 will be described.
Specifically, the present invention essentially includes five major components. The major components are the housing, blades, adjusting plates, locking lever, and handle. The major components are interrelated to provide the intended function of plowing snow from an area.
More specifically, it will be noted in the various Figures that the first major component is the housing 12. The housing is rigid in structure. It has a V-shaped front wall, a top wall 14, and a bottom wall 16 coupled to the top wall. The housing also includes a pair of opposed side walls 18 interconnecting the front wall, top wall, and bottom wall to thereby define a hollow interior 22 and a rear opening 24 for allowing access to the interior. The housing also includes a central axis defined therethrough from the midpoint of the apex of the front wall to the centroid of the rear opening.
The second major component is the blades 30. The present invention includes a pair of blades. The blades are rigid in structure. Each blade has a front surface 32 and a rear surface 34. The front surface is coated with a layer of non-stick material such as Teflon for preventing snow from adhering thereto when plowing. The blades each have a periphery interconnecting the front surface with the rear surface. The periphery includes a pair of opposed vertical short edges 36 and a pair of opposed horizontal long edges 38. A short edge of each blade is pivotally coupled to the apex of the front wall. The short edges of the blades that are coupled to the apex of the front wall are formed in the shape of a hinge.
The third major component is the adjusting plates 40. The present invention includes a pair of adjusting plates. The adjusting plates are elongated and rigid in structure. Each adjusting plate has a planar and generally circularly-shaped interior portion 42 and an elongated tapered exterior portion 44 extended outwards from the interior portion. Each interior portion is pivotally coupled to the apex of the front wall. Each interior portion further includes a first slot 44, a second slot 46 and a third slot 48 peripherally formed thereon in a radial configuration. Each exterior portion is coupled to a separate blade against the rear surface thereof with rivets 54. The pivotal coupling of the adjustment plates and the blades to the apex of the housing is performed with a shoulder bolt 50 secured with a complimentary self-locking nut 52.
The fourth major component is the locking lever 60. The locking lever is rigid ion structure and is spring-loaded. The locking lever is coupled to the top wall at a location such that it may be urged into the slots of the adjusting plates 40 for allowing fixed and radial independent positioning of the blades. By allowing fixed and radial independent positioning of the blades, nine plowing positions may be realized. The plowing positions may be formed such that snow may be plowed in a forward direction, or plowed to either side of the blades. The locking lever is positionable within the first slot of one of the adjusting plates for placing the associated blade in a position such that an acute angle is formed between it and the central axis of the housing with the blade abutted against the front wall of the housing. Designating the apex of the front wall of the housing as the north position, the position associated with the acute angle is defined as the southwest position with respect to one blade and the southeast position with respect to the other blade. The locking lever is further positionable within the second slot of one of the adjusting plates for placing the associated blade in a position such that a perpendicular angle is formed between it and the central axis of the housing. The position associated with the perpendicular angle is defined as either the west position with respect to one blade or the east position with respect to the other blade. The locking lever is further positionable within a third slot of one of the adjusting plates for placing the associated blade in a position such that an obtuse angle is formed between it and the central axis of the housing. The position associated with the obtuse angle is defined as either the northwest position with respect to one blade or the northeast position with respect to the other blade.
The fifth major component is the handle 70. The handle is rigid in structure. It has a horizontal short leg 72 coupled to the top wall with a clamp 74 and rivets 76. This coupling is performed on the housing near the rear opening. The handle also includes a long leg 78 extended upwards from the short leg and away from the housing. The long leg is terminated at a hand grip 80 for allowing a user a firm hold for plowing.
The present invention is a unique type of snow plow or remover for directing snow to either the left, right or both sides of a path to be plowed, the shovel works by manual manipulation of the shovel blades to varying degrees thereby causing variable directing of snow placement. The blades of the present invention are coated with a non-stick material such as "TEFLON".
As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and 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 the 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 modification 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 modification and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. | A hand-operated snow plow with adjustable blades for plowing snow comprising an elongated housing with a front end and a rear end; a pair of elongated and generally opposed blades each having an end pivotally coupled to the front end of the housing; a blade adjustment mechanism for allowing independent angular positioning and securement of each of the blades with respect to the front end of the housing for thereby enabling the blades to be placed in a plurality of plowing positions; and a rigid handle extended upwards from the housing for allowing a user a firm hold for plowing. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the fields of medicine and organic chemical engineering. More particularly, the invention relates to the manufacture of healing promoting wound dressings. By way of further characterization, the invention pertains to a moisture control burn wound dressing used in instances where skin growth is necessary. More particularly, but without limitation thereto, the invention will be disclosed as it relates to a laminated article to serve as artificial skin during the treatment and healing of skin damaging burns.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A burn covering has two functions. First, it should prevent excessive loss of body fluids and proteins due to uncontrolled evaporative water loss from the burned area. This water loss can be of the order of ten times greater than the normal rate of evaporation through the skin. For a victim with severe burns over a large portion of his body, the total loss is substantial and can lead to shock and death during the immediate (0-5 days) postburn period. Second, it should promote the formation of a viable interface between the wound and covering.
A viable interface is defined as a living, growing fibrin network and is desirable for two reasons. One, neutrophils and macrophages readily enter the network and kill bacteria. This action helps not only to prevent burn wound sepsis--a major cause of limb loss or death--but also to remove exudate which is typically found in a wound. Two, once the fibrin network is developed, the damaged area will more readily accept an autograft--the ultimate goal of burn therapy. A viable interface is indicated by adherence of the covering to the wound. The covering must be flexible in order to conform to the contours of the body so adherence is complete.
Presently, human-donor and porcine skin are the most successful and widely used burn coverings. Both promote the formation of a viable interface and control the evaporative water loss from the burn area. Coverings composed of those skins must be removed or are rejected by the body every three to five days. New skins are then applied. Collagen film has also been tested as an artificial skin.
Laminates of synthetic, non-biodegradable materials are also available for burn treatment. Silastic film laminated with nylon velour has been applied to animals. For example, fabrics impregnated with latex and commercially available synthetic plastic compositions have been used. Metallic foils have also been used as backing material for these types of wound dressings. Although satisfactory for limited purposes and applications, the known burn dressings lack one or more optimum parameters for burn treatment applications where skin growth is an important factor.
It is also known in the art to spray the burned portion of the patient with a solution of poly-ε-caprolactone in a solvent which evaporates to leave a covering layer. Such a treatment, although practical for emergency treatment of flash burn victims, lacks the advantages of compress type treatment in promoting the growth of new skin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a dressing useful in treatment of burns using a plasticized poly-ε-caprolactone vapor control and support layer bonded to a porous layer of the same material formed from a foam, a flocked fabric, or a velvet. The porous layer configures to promote new skin growth.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a lamination useful in treatment of wounds.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a laminate which is biodegradable.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a wound dressing which promotes the growth of skin over a wound.
These and other objects of the invention will become clear in considering the following description, claims, and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a form of the invention employing a velvet contact layer;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the invention employing a foam contact layer; and
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the invention employing a fabric contact layer.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, the wound dressing of the invention is indicated generally at 11. A layer of plasticized poly-ε-caprolactone 12 provides a body conforming support for the laminate and is configured as a sheet to control moisture transmission therethrough. Layer 12 is from 0.001 to 0.01 inches in thickness and the poly-ε-caprolactone has a molecular weight between 2,000 and 300,000. The material thus formed has the advantage of permitting sufficient moisture flow to prevent the collection of excess amounts of body fluid thereunder and yet prevent dehydration of the wound area. A layer 14 is bonded to layer 12 at a junction 13. This bonding is accomplished by taking the film 12 and moistening it with a suitable solvent and pressing the layer 14 thereagainst. The softening provided by the solvent interacts with both layers 14 and 12 to permit a welding or joining along the contacting surface.
The layer 14 which contacts the wound area where it is desirable to promote the growth of skin is, in the illustrated arrangement, made of a plush or velvet material having a woven backing 15 and a contained fibrous nap 16. Both the woven back 15 and the plush 16 are made of the same poly-ε-caprolactone as is backing sheet 12. This dressing has proven to be more comfortable for patients than the silastic-nylon velours of the prior art and have not exhibited failure of the bonding lamination as was common with other known arrangements.
Both the plush and backing sheets may be plasticized by using triacetin or triethylcitrate, or mixtures thereof. These plasticizers prevent hardening of the two layers and permit easy applications and body conforming contact of the laminate. These plasticizing materials are the triacetic acid ester of glycerol and the triester of ethyl alcohol and citric acid, respectively. The hydrolysis products of these esters are ingredients which are found in living organisms and are considered to be bio-compatible. Additionally, these particular plasticizers make the laminate more conformable without lowering the watering permability of the structure beyond the desired range.
The cut plush nap 16 of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 is particularly easy to remove from the wound without tearing newly formed tissue in comparison to the velours and plushes used heretofor.
For certain burn applications and various parts of the body where the growth of skin is different, other configurations of the invention may be substituted for the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 2, an alternate form of the invention is illustrated wherein a foam layer 18 is substituted for the velvet plush layer 14 and bonded to layer 12. The same bonding technique used for the species of FIG. 1 may be employed in this arrangement.
Likewise, in some instances, a knit or woven fabric made of poly-ε-caprolactone may be employed. In this instance a layer of such fabric indicated at 21 is bonded to the backing 12 to produce the illustrated laminate shown at 19.
In production a polished surface such as stainless steel is used to receive a layer of poly-ε-caprolactone in solvent solution thereon and it is allowed to form a solid film of the desired thickness by allowing the solvent to evaporate. A suitable solvent such as acetone is spread over this layer and the layer 14 or the sponge 18 or the fabric 21 is then impressed on the backing film 12 and held in contact therewith to promote the bonding therebetween. This bond has proven to be adequate in test applications and no instances of layer separation has been noted.
The foregoing description taken together with the appended claims constitutes a disclosure such as to enable a person skilled in the biochemical arts and having the benefits of the teachings contained therein to make and use the invention. Further, the structure herein described meets the aforegoing objects of the invention, and generally constitutes a meritorious advance in the art. | A wound dressing for burn patients comprises a two layer compress made of ly-ε-caprolactone material. One layer is configured for optimum wound contact while the other is configured for moisture control. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates, on the one hand, to a two-shot weave for the manufacture of face-to-face fabrics without mixing contours, in which each pile loop can have a different color, and to face-to-face fabrics which are woven with such a weave.
The invention relates, on the other hand, to 10 face-to-face weaving looms which are provided with two or more weft insertion devices which can perform an up and down movement during weaving, for the purpose of, in succession at two different levels, each inserting weft threads through a shed formed between warp threads, for weaving the two-shot weave according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
A brief description will be given below of how face-to-face fabrics are manufactured using known face-to-face weaving looms, in order to clarify the current state of the art in the field of the invention.
Two base fabrics--called the top fabric and bottom fabric--are woven above one another by interweaving warp threads extending next to each other at two levels with weft threads directed at right angles thereto. Before each pick (insertion of a weft thread between the warp threads), at the place where the pick is to take place, each warp thread is drawn either above the pick height or below the pick height. A weft thread is inserted in the shed, between the two groups of warp threads. It extends in the end over the entire width of the fabric. The desired weave between warp threads and weft threads is obtained by selecting the positions of the various warp threads before each pick. The above takes place at the level of a top series of warp threads, in order to form the top fabric, and at the level of a bottom series of warp threads, in order to form the bottom fabric. For this, the existing weaving looms are provided with, for example, one weft insertion device, comprising two grippers--a giver and a taker--which are disposed on either side of the warp threads at the same fixed height. Both grippers are inserted in the shed simultaneously, while a weft thread is taken along by one of the grippers--the giver. The two grippers meet each other in the shed, and the weft thread is passed from one gripper to the other--the taker. Both grippers are then moved out of the shed, so that the weft thread in the end extends from one side of the shed to the other. In the case of weaving looms with a single weft insertion device it is ensured through the position of the warp threads that picking takes place alternately in the top fabric and the bottom fabric. In the case of so-called double-gripper weaving looms two gripper devices are provided one above the other, disposed at a fixed height, so that respective weft threads can be inserted simultaneously into the top fabric and the bottom fabric. This is called double picking.
For the formation of the pile of face-to-face fabrics, pile warp threads are bound in succession into top fabric and bottom fabric by the weft threads in such a way that they run from one base fabric to the other. These pile threads are subsequently cut through between the two base fabrics. Several pile warp threads of different colors are provided in order to obtain patterns in the pile. If at a particular point in the fabric one pile warp thread is running between bottom fabric and top fabric (is active), then the other pile warp threads are bound into one of the base fabrics at that point (running parallel to the warp threads), in such a way that they are invisible along the top side (the pile side) of the fabric. These pile threads are called dead pile threads. Only the active pile thread is visible, so that it determines the color of the fabric at that point. For this, use is made of a jacquard mechanism, which can determine the position of each pile thread individually before each pick. The control data for the jacquard mechanism are consequently determined depending on the desired pattern and the desired weave for the pile threads.
The known face-to-face weaving looms are provided with a number of weaving frames which are movable up and down, and are each designed to take along a number of warp threads during these movements. By controlling these weaving frames, the correct positions of the various warp threads are determined relative to the pick height so that the base fabrics are woven according to the desired weave. The movement of these weaving frames takes place, for example, by means of cams.
In a so-called two-shot weave the active pile threads are bound into the top fabric and bottom fabric in succession in such a way that their position relative to the successive weft threads is repeated after every two shots (a "pattern repeat" as used herein). In order to illustrate the prior art, with regard to the weave according to the invention, a known two-shot weave is shown in a diagrammatic cross-section in FIG. 1. In this figure the weft threads are lying at right angles to the plane of the page, and they are seen in cross-section. The warp threads are lying in the plane of the page. They are seen in solid lines. The binder warp threads--which are interwoven with the weft threads--and any tension warp threads are not shown. Only the pile warp threads (P 1 , P 2 ) are shown. This weave is woven with double picking. The successive double picks are numbered at right angles below them in the figure.
The pile thread (P 2 ) is active over the first six (double) picks, and from pick (7) onwards is bound into the bottom fabric, while from pick (13) onwards it becomes active again.
The pile thread (P 1 ) is bound into the top fabric over the first six picks, is active over the following six picks (7 to 12), and is then bound into the top fabric again from pick (13) onwards.
This weave can be woven by making two different positions of the pile warp threads relative to the grippers possible on each shot. In order to bind a pile warp thread into the top fabric: positions "above" (the two grippers and "midway" (between the two grippers). In order to bind into the bottom fabric: position "below" and "midway", and in order to form pile: positions "above" and "below". The weave shown in FIG. 1 is obtained by combining these positions one after the other by means of a jacquard machine.
The disadvantage of this weave lies in the fact that so-called mixing contours occur. A mixing contour occurs at the transition between two different color fields. If a pattern repeat (shot 5 - 6) with pattern-forming pile (P 2 ) which is bound into the bottom fabric on pattern repeats where said pile thread (P 2 ) is not pattern-forming (for example, shot 9 - 10) is followed by a pattern repeat (shot 7 - 8) with pattern-forming pile (P 1 ) which is bound into the top fabric on pattern repeats where said pile thread (P 1 ) is not pattern-forming (for example, shot 1 - 2), then a mixing contour occurs at the transition between these pattern repeats (in FIG. 1 shot 5 - 6, followed by shot 7 - 8). This means that, at the dividing point of a color field on the fabric formed by pile thread (P 2 ) and a color field formed by pile thread (P 1 ), mixing of the colors occurs on the color field periphery. The clear dividing line between these two color fields is marred by the fact that a side of the last pile loop of pile thread (P 2 ) extends at an angle inside the color field of pile thread (P 1 ), and by the fact that a side of the first pile loop of pile thread (P 1 ) extends at an angle inside the color field of pile thread (P 2 ). This imperfect transition between two color fields is called a mixing contour.
A number of solutions are known for avoiding these mixing contours. A first known method for avoiding mixing contours is to provide 3 different positions per shot for the pile warp threads. This method requires for each pile thread a lifting device which interacts with two hooks of the jacquard machine to make these three positions possible.
The disadvantage of this solution is that we need a double capacity of the jacquard machine, which makes this solution very expensive.
Another known solution is to leave out a pile point. The selection of the new active pile is deferred for one shot, while the first pile thread is already bound in. The result can be seen in FIG. 2. The mixing contours no longer occur. A disadvantage of this method is, however, that one color point now corresponds to 4 shots (instead of 2). The pattern fineness is consequently halved. Another disadvantage is that only half the pile density is obtained when there is a color change.
Another known solution is described in Belgian Patent Application No. 09000563, filed on 05 Jun. 1990, and is based on the principle that the working pattern repeat imposed for the pile warp threads goes over 3 shots, while the working pattern repeat of the basic weave goes over only two shots.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
An object of the invention is to utilize a two-shot weave which can be woven with double picking without mixing contours, and in which each pile loop can be a different color, while none of the above-mentioned disadvantages occur.
A subject of the invention is, on the one hand, the utilization of a two-shot weave without mixing contours and, on the other, a weaving loom with two or more vertically movable grippers, provided for achieving the weave according to the invention, while weaving with this weaving loom gives additional advantages. In the process of the invention the two-shot weave produces a face-to-face fabric which receives two weft threads one above the other alternately in the top fabric and in the bottom fabric. A dead pile thread lies between these two weft threads, parallel to the fabric. An active pile thread runs in succession above the two weft threads in the top fabric and below the two weft threads in the bottom fabric, and so on.
The problem of the mixing contour occurs in general when there is a color transition where an active pile thread is bound into one of the fabrics, and where another pile thread which was previously bound into the other fabric begins to run to the first-mentioned fabric in order to form pile.
In the case of the two-shot weave produced according to the invention, the situation is as follows for a color transition: At the last shot where it is active, the active pile thread lies above the two weft threads of the top fabric or below the two weft threads of the bottom fabric, and at the next shot is bound in between the two weft threads of the bottom fabric, or the top fabric, and for the rest remains bound into the same fabric in that way. Both in the top fabric and in the bottom fabric, this pile thread lies between inner shots (weft threads lying along the pile side of the fabric) which belong to successive shots, with the result that the pile sides, after being cut through, are held essentially at right angles relative to the plane of said fabrics.
The other pile thread which was bound in before the transition and becomes active after the transition, at the last shot where it is bound in lies between the weft threads lying above one another in the top fabric or in the bottom fabric, and at the next shot runs above the two weft threads of the top fabric or below the two weft threads of the bottom fabric, and for the rest runs back and forth--in each base bound off in the above-mentioned way--between the two fabrics so long as said pile thread remains active.
This pile thread in both the top fabric and the bottom fabric lies between adjacent inner shots belonging to successive shots, with the result that the pile sides, after being cut through, are held essentially at right angles relative to the plane of the fabrics.
The above-described process according to the invention can be carried out using a weaving loom with two weft insertion devices moving vertically up and down, which forms another subject of the invention. The use of such a weaving loom also provides additional advantages, which will be discussed further on in this description. The movement of these weft insertion devices is synchronized by known means with the cycles of the weaving frames, the weft thread being inserted alternately at one of two different heights of each successive shed so as to coordinate with the movement of one of the weaving frames in each case. The problems solved by this invention are that the pile length is no longer dependent on the amplitude of movement of the weaving frames, that the cams which control the movement of the weaving frames can be provided with less steep sides, and that a fabric with a pile which is flatter is obtained.
The weaving loom according to the invention has two or more weft insertion devices which are disposed above one another so that they are movable vertically, and which move up and down together according to a specific cycle. For the manufacture of a fabric with the weave according to the invention, the up and down movement of the weft insertion devices is such that at the top position of the weft insertion devices, the bottom gripper device is standing approximately in the middle position (at the halfway point of the levels to which the two fabrics extend), and that in the bottom position of the weft insertion devices the top weft insertion device is standing in the above-mentioned middle position.
This weaving loom gives the following additional advantage: the tension warp threads and the dead pile warp threads always remain at the same height. The weaving frames of the tension warp threads consequently do not have to carry out any lifting. Due to the fact that no lifting has to be carried out for binding in a dead pile warp thread, it becomes possible to achieve this weave with a single-lift jacquard machine (two possible positions for each pile thread per shot: either above, or below the gripper devices). This jacquard machine can then, for example, be made up of two parts, one part for the top fabric, one part for the bottom fabric.
The middle position of the invention (at the level of the tension warp) in the top fabric is in this case the rest position for the jacquard hooks.
Another advantage of this weaving loom lies in the fact that the weaving frames of the binder warps have twice as much time to cross as was the case with the known weaving looms, due to the fact that these weaving frames do not have to carry out any lift. At the moment that the grippers insert wefts in the bottom fabric, the weaving frames of the binder warps of the top fabric cross, and vice versa.
The result of the above-mentioned advantages is that the energy consumption of this weaving loom can be lower than that of the known weaving looms.
Finally, it is also an advantage that the weaving frames only have to move at half speed, and that the dead pile warp threads remain immovable, which, of course, has its effect on the wear of parts, breakage of warp threads, etc.
Further advantages and features of the method for producing a weave according to the invention and of the weaving loom for achieving said weave will be illustrated with reference to the detailed description thereof which follows, but this does not restrict the invention to the specific examples and embodiments which are explained in this description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic cross-section of a face-to-face fabric, woven according to a two-shot weave with double picking, to clarify the problem of the mixing contours in the prior art.
FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic cross-section of a face-to-face fabric according to a two-shot weave with double picking, in which according to the prior art a mixing contour is avoided by deferring the selection of the new active pile for one shot.
FIG. 3a shows a diagrammatic cross-section of a face-to-face fabric woven according to a two-shot weave with double picking according to the invention, with the various possible color transitions.
FIG. 3b shows a diagrammatic cross-section of the face-to-face fabric according to the invention of FIG. 3a, after cutting through of the pile threads.
FIGS. 4a and 4b show in a diagrammatic cross-section the positions of the weft threads and of the warp threads relative to said weft threads in the case of two successive double picks during the manufacture of a face-to-face fabric according to the weave according to the invention.
FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram for a mechanism for vertically moving the weft insertion devices according to a specific cycle.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the case of the weave for manufacturing face-to-face fabrics according to the invention (see FIGS. 3a and 3b) weaving takes place with double picking, while the pile warp threads are woven with the weft threads according to a two-shot weave. In FIGS. 3a and 3b four pile warp threads (P 5 , P 6 , P 7 , P 8 ) are provided, two of which (P 5 , P 6 ) are bound into the top fabric in the pattern repeats where they are not active, and two of which (P 7 , P 8 ) are bound into the bottom fabric if they are not active. In the description which follows we indicate that a certain pile thread is bound as dead pile into the bottom fabric (BF) or top fabric (TF) by placing BF or TF in parentheses after the reference of the pile thread. The following transitions between the indicated pile threads as active are shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b:
From P 5 (TF) to P 6 (TF): 3-4 followed by pattern repeat 5-6
From P 6 (TF) to P 7 (BF): pattern repeat 7-8 followed by pattern repeat 9-10
From P 7 (BF) to P 8 (BF): pattern repeat 11-12 followed by pattern repeat 13-14
From P 8 (BF) to P 6 (TF): pattern repeat 15-16 followed by pattern repeat 17-18.
The weave is formed both in the top fabric and in the bottom fabric by a succession of pairs of weft threads lying above one another, which we indicate by the serial number of the shot with which they are inserted (1 to 23), each weft thread being indicated as top or bottom of the indicated pair. A pattern repeat is formed by two successive shots, and is also indicated by the serial numbers of said successive shots: for example, shot 3-4 (see above). The dead pile warp threads are bound in between the top and bottom weft thread of a pair of weft threads lying one above the other. The active pile warp threads lie successively above a top weft thread in the top fabric and below a bottom weft thread of the following shot in the bottom fabric. When a pattern repeat (e.g. 3-4) in which a pile thread P 5 (TF) is active is followed by a pattern repeat (5-6) in which a pile thread P 6 (TF) is active, the pile thread P 5 (TF) is bound into the top fabric already at the fifth shot, and the pile thread P 6 (TF) is brought into the top fabric above the top weft thread of the 5th shot, and subsequently extends to the bottom fabric to continue forming pile.
No mixing contours occur, since each pile side extends virtually at right angles to the plane of the fabrics and remains within its own color field after the active pile threads between the two fabrics have been cut through. A neat demarcation is obtained between two color fields.
When a pattern repeat (7-8) in which a pile thread P 6 (TF) is active is followed by a pattern repeat (9-10) in which a pile thread P 7 (BF) is active, the pile thread P 6 (TF) is bound into the top fabric already at the ninth shot, and the pile thread P 7 (BF) is brought to the top fabric already between the eighth and ninth shot of the bottom fabric, and is subsequently guided above the top weft thread of the ninth shot to continue forming pile. In the case of this transition also, no mixing contours are visible in the fabrics after the active pile threads between the two fabrics are cut through (see FIG. 3b).
When a pattern repeat (11-12) in which a pile thread P 7 (BF) is active is followed by a pattern repeat (13-14) in which a pile thread P 8 (BF) is active, the pile thread P 7 (BF), after being inserted in the bottom fabric below the bottom weft thread of the twelfth shot, is bound into the bottom fabric at the next shot--shot 14. The pile thread P 8 (BF) is already inserted in the top fabric above the top weft thread at the thirteenth shot, and from then on goes on forming pile. In the case of this transition also, no mixing contours are visible in the fabrics after the active pile threads between the two fabrics are cut through (FIG. 3b).
When a pattern repeat (15-16) in which a pile thread P 8 (BF) is active is followed by a pattern repeat (17-18) in which a pile thread P 6 (TF) is active, the pile thread P 8 (BF), after being inserted in the bottom fabric below the bottom weft thread of the sixteenth shot, is bound into the bottom fabric at the next shot--shot 18. The pile thread P 6 (TF) is already inserted above the top weft thread of the seventeenth shot, and from there runs to the bottom fabric to continue forming pile. In the case of this transition also, no mixing contours are visible in the fabrics after the active pile threads between the two fabrics are cut through.
For achieving such a weave according to the invention, a weaving loom is provided with two weft insertion devices, such as, for example, gripper devices, which can move up and down vertically.
This movement is achieved with known means such as, for example, a cam system, so that both devices together carry out an up and down movement, while their cycle of movement is such that a double pick occurs when the weft insertion devices have gone into a top position, and the next pick occurs when the weft insertion devices have gone into a lower position, and so on. The movements of the jacquard mechanism and of the weaving frames are controlled here in such a way that in each case they take the pile warp threads or the binder warp threads and tension warp threads into the correct position relative to the pick heights, so that the two weft threads in each case both lie in top fabric or in bottom fabric, and so that the pile warp threads, the binder warp threads and tension warp threads lie relative to the weft threads in accordance with the weave according to the invention. European Patent Application No. 88116629.2, published under 0362433, describes a weaving loom which is provided with a single device moving up and down for inserting the weft threads through the shed. FIG. 5 shows schematically in this publication how a cam system can control the up and down movement of a pair of weft insertion devices which are mounted together one above the other. A weft pusher rod E (associated with a weft pulling rod F provided with grippers for gripping the yarn) is driven reciprocatingly along G transverse to the direction of advancement and in the plane of the fabrics by the action of a cam H. The movement G can also be obtained indirectly, for example by using a drive pinion on a rack rigid with said rod. The alternating movement of the drive pinion can be obtained by association with the usual cams (H). This entire transverse control mechanism for the weft can itself be cyclically raised along N by the said of vertical guides M and a further cam Q synchronized with all other cams of the loom.
The way in which the weave according to the invention is achieved by means of the weaving loom according to the invention is illustrated with reference to the example which follows (see FIGS. 4a and 4b). The weaving frames 100 are illustrated schematically and carry respective heddles which control the heights h R , h R ', h 1 , h 2 , h 1 ', h 2 ', h 3 and h 3 ' to which the warp threads are taken during the weaving described below. A pair of weft insertion devices 101 carry upper weft (I B1 ;I O1 ) and lower weft I B2 ;I O2 ), respectively, together in an up and down movement. In these figures a fabric part (shot 1 to 9) woven in accordance with the weave according to the invention is shown in a diagrammatic representation of a cross-section, and the positions of the various warp threads are shown relative to the weft threads in the case of two successive double picks at two different heights, in order to achieve the weave according to the invention.
For the sake of clarity of the description of this example which follows, a reference axis has been provided to the left of the weft threads in the drawing, in order to indicate the different heights of the warp threads relative to the weft threads. The following are indicated on said reference axis:
h R =fixed height at which the tension warp thread (S 1 ) of the top fabric and any dead pile warp threads (P 9 ) which are bound into the top fabric are situated during the weaving.
h R '=fixed height at which the tension warp thread (height S 2 ) of the bottom fabric and any dead pile warp threads which are bound into the bottom fabric are situated during the weaving.
h B1 =pick height of the top weft thread at the highest position of the weft insertion device.
h B2 =pick height of the bottom weft thread at the highest position of the weft insertion device.
h O1 =pick height of the top weft thread at the lowest position of the weft insertion device.
h O2 =pick height of the bottom weft thread at the lowest position of the weft insertion device.
h 1 =height to which one binder warp (B 1 ) of the top fabric is taken for the insertion in that fabric.
h 2 =height to which the other binder warp (B 2 ) of the top fabric is taken for the same insertion in that fabric.
h 1 '=height to which one binder warp (B 3 ) of the bottom fabric is taken for the insertion in that fabric.
h 2 '=height to which the other binder warp (B 4 ) of the bottom fabric is taken for the same insertion in that fabric.
h 3 =height to which an active pile thread in the top fabric is taken to bind it off.
h 3 '=height to which an active pile thread in the bottom fabric is taken to bind it off.
In the case of shot (1) of the fabric already formed (see FIGS. 4a and 4b), the pile warp thread (P 10 ) is active, and the pile warp thread (P 9 ) must be bound further into the top fabric. Shot (1) was inserted in the bottom fabric, so that the next shot (I B1 , I B2 ) must be inserted in the top fabric. For this, at the next shot--weft threads I B1 and I B2 --the weft insertion device is moved into its top position. Before the insertion takes place, the dead pile thread (P 9 ) and the tension warp thread (S 1 ) must extend at the height h r . The binder warp threads (B 1 ) and (B 2 ) cross each other and are placed at the heights (h 1 ) and (h 2 ), respectively. The active pile thread (P 10 ) is placed at the height (h 3 ).
These different positions are such that the binder warp (B 1 ) and the pile thread (P 10 ) extend above the pick height (h B1 ) of the top weft thread (I B1 ), and that the dead pile warp thread (P 9 ) and the tension warp thread (S 1 ) extend between the pick heights (h B1 and h B2 ) of the weft threads (I B1 ) and (I B2 ), and that the binder warp ( B2 ) extends below the pick height (h B2 ) of the bottom weft thread (I B2 ). When these positions are reached the pick (I B1 and I B2 ) takes place.
At the next shot the weft threads (I O1 ) and (I O2 ) must be inserted in the bottom fabric. For this the weft insertion device 101 is taken into its lowest position, in such a way that the top weft thread (I O1 ) goes to a height (h O1 ) which is the same as the height (h B2 ) of the bottom weft thread (I B2 ) when the weft insertion device 101 is in its top position.
Before the pick takes place, the tension warp thread (S 2 ) must extend at the height (h R '). The binder warp threads (B 3 ) and (B 4 ) cross each other and are placed at the respective heights (h 2 ') and (h 1 '). The active pile thread (P 10 ) is placed at the height (h 3 ').
These different positions are such that the binder warp thread (B 4 ) extends above the pick height (h O1 ) of the top weft thread (I O1 ), that the tension warp thread extends between the pick heights (h O1 ) and (h O2 ) of the weft threads (I O1 ) and (I O2 ), and that the binder warp thread (B 3 ) and the active pile thread (P 10 ) extend below the pick height (h O2 ) of the bottom weft thread (I O2 ). When these positions are reached the pick (I O1 and I O2 ) takes place.
After the pick (I O1 and I O2 ) in the bottom fabric has taken place, the binder warp threads (B 3 , B 4 ) of the bottom fabric can already be placed in their position for the following pick in the bottom fabric, while the pick in the top fabric (I B1 and I B2 ) is being achieved.
After the pick in the top fabric (I B1 and I B2 ) has taken place, the binder warp threads (B 1 , B 2 ) of the top fabric can already be placed in their position for the following pick in the top fabric, while the pick (I O1 and I O2 ) in the bottom fabric is being achieved.
The weaving frames of the binder warp threads consequently have twice as much time to cross each other as is the case in a weave where a weft thread has to be bound into top fabric and bottom fabric after each shot.
Another advantage is that the tension warp threads (S 1 ) and (S 2 ) always remain in the same position (height h R or h R '), so that these weaving frames carry out no lift. The tension warp threads are used here to pull the two fabrics apart.
A further advantage is that the dead pile warp threads can always remain at the same positions (h R or h R ')--at the level of the tension warp threads--in order to be bound into top fabric or bottom fabric. This makes it possible to produce the weave according to the invention with a single-lift jacquard machine (two-position jacquard machine). The latter can be, for example, composed of two parts, one part for the top fabric and one part for the bottom fabric. The position in which the warp threads are taken to the height (h R ) is the rest position for the jacquard hooks.
An additional advantage is the fact that the energy consumption of the machine during weaving as described above can be lower than that of the known machines.
Finally, other advantages are, on the one hand, that the dead pile threads do not move and, on the other, that the weaving frames of the binder warp threads only have to move at half speed, which has its effect on the wear of parts, thread breakage, and so forth. | A method for twin-spool manufacture of a two-shot face-to-face fabric comprising a top fabric and a bottom fabric including binder warp threads for forming the upper and lower fabrics respectively and pile warp threads bound as dead pile threads into the top fabric or into the bottom fabric for successive picks or passed as active pile threads between the top and bottom fabrics in successive picks. In successive picks there are formed alternately a shed between binder warp threads providing the top fabric and a shed between binder warp threads providing the bottom fabric with the insertion of two weft threads, one above the other, in each of said sheds. The two weft threads are taken to a height corresponding to the top fabric before insertion into the shed of the top fabric and then are taken to a lower height corresponding to the bottom fabric before insertion into the shed corresponding to the bottom fabric. A corresponding weaving loom enables the two weft insertion devices supported one above the other to move up and down together to carry out the method. | 3 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based on and hereby claims priority to German Application No. PCT/DE03/01378 filed on 27 Nov. 2003, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to a superconductor device having a magnet which contains at least one superconductive winding and a refrigeration unit which has at least one cold head.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Corresponding superconductor devices are known, for example, from “Proc. 16th Int. Cryog. Engng. Conf. [ICEC 16]”, Kitakyushu, J P, 20. May 24, 1996, Verlag Elsevier Science, 1997, pages 1109 to 1132.
[0006] In addition to metallic superconductor materials such as NbTi or Nb 3 Sn, which have been known for a very long time and have very low critical temperatures T c , and which are therefore also referred to as low-T c superconductor materials or LTC materials, metal-oxide superconductor materials with critical temperatures T c above 77 K have been known since 1987. The latter materials are also referred to as high-T c superconductor materials or HTC materials.
[0007] Attempts have also been made to produce superconductive metal magnet windings with conductors using such HTC materials. Because their current carrying capacity in magnetic fields has until now been relatively poor, in particular with inductions in the Tesla range, the conductors of such windings are often nevertheless kept at a temperature below 77 K, for example between 10 and 50 K, despite the intrinsically high critical temperatures T c of the materials used, in order in this way to make it possible to carry significant currents with relatively strong field strengths, for example of several Tesla.
[0008] Refrigeration units in the form of so-called cryogenic coolers with a closed helium compressed gas circuit are preferably used to cool windings with HTC conductors in the stated temperature range. Cryogenic coolers such as these are, in particular, of the Gifford-McMahon or Stirling type, or are in the form of so-called pulse tube coolers. Refrigeration units of this type furthermore have the advantage that the refrigeration power is effectively available at the push of a button, so that there is no need for the user to handle cryogenic liquids. When using refrigeration units such as these, a superconductive magnet coil winding, for example, is cooled indirectly only by thermal conduction to a cold head of a refrigerator, that is to say without any refrigerant (see also the cited text reference ICEC 16).
[0009] At the moment, superconductive magnet systems, in particular MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) installations, are generally cooled by bath cooling, in the case of helium-cooled magnets (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,246,308 B1). A comparatively large amount of liquid helium, for example several hundred liters, has to be stored for this purpose. This amount of liquid helium leads to an undesirable buildup of pressure in a cryostat that is required when the magnet is quenched, that is to say during the transition from the parts of its winding initially being superconductive to the normally conductive state.
[0010] For LTC magnets, refrigerator cooling systems have already been produced using highly thermally conductive connections, for example in the form of copper tubes, which may also possibly be flexible, between a cold head of an appropriate refrigeration unit, and the superconductive winding of the magnet (see the cited literature reference from ICEC 16, in particular pages 1113 to 1116). Depending on the distance between the cold head and the object to be cooled, the large cross sections which are required for good thermal coupling then, however, lead to a considerable enlargement of the cold mass. Particularly in the case of magnet systems with a large physical extent, as are normally used for MRI applications, this is disadvantageous because of the extended cooling-down times.
[0011] Instead of thermal coupling such as this of the at least one winding to the at least one cold head via thermally conductive solid bodies, it is also possible to provide a line system in which a helium gas flow circulates (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,730).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] An object of the present invention is to specify a superconductor device having a magnet which contains at least one superconductive winding without any refrigerant, having a refrigeration unit which has at least one cold head, and having thermal coupling of the at least one winding to the at least one cold head, in which the complexity for cooling a superconductive winding is reduced.
[0013] The thermal coupling should accordingly be formed between the at least one winding and the at least one cold head should accordingly be in the form of a line system having at least one pipeline for a refrigerant which circulates in it on the basis of a thermosiphon effect. In this context, a cold head is any desired cold surface of a refrigeration unit via which the refrigeration power is emitted directly or indirectly to the refrigerant.
[0014] One such line system has at least one closed pipeline, which runs with a gradient between the cold head and the superconductive winding. The gradient at least in some parts of the pipeline is in this case generally more than 0.50, preferably more than 1°, with respect to the horizontal. The refrigerant located in this pipeline recondenses on a cold surface of the refrigeration unit or of the cold head, and is passed from there to the region of the superconductive winding, where it is heated, and is in general vaporized in the process. The refrigerant vaporized in this way then flows back again within the pipeline to the region of the cold surface of the cold head. The corresponding circulation of the refrigerant accordingly takes place on the basis of the so-called “thermosiphon effect”.
[0015] The use of a thermosiphon such as this (as a corresponding line system is also referred to) for transmission of the refrigeration power to the winding considerably reduces the amount of cryogenic refrigerant that has to be circulated in comparison to bath cooling, for example by a factor of about 100. Since, furthermore, the liquid circulates only in pipelines with a comparatively small diameter, which is in general in the order of magnitude of a few centimeters, the pressure buildup in the event of quenching can be coped with technically without any problems. In addition to the safety aspects, the reduction in the amount of liquid refrigerant in the system, particularly when using helium or neon as refrigerant, also has a considerable cost advantage. In comparison to cooling using thermally conductive connecting bodies, a thermosiphon also offers the advantage of good thermal coupling irrespective of the physical distance between the cold head and the object to be cooled.
[0016] By way of example, the line system may, in particular, have two or more pipelines which are filled with different refrigerants with a different condensation temperature. Appropriately graduated operating temperatures, for example for initial cooling, virtually continuous thermal coupling or virtually continuous thermal coupling by overlapping operating temperature ranges of the refrigerant are thus possible, depending on the requirement for the application. The subsystems may in this case be thermally coupled either to a common cold head or else to separate cold heads of a refrigeration unit.
[0017] It is particularly advantageous for the superconductive magnet in the device to contain a winding made of superconductive HTC material and, in particular, also to be kept at a temperature below 77 K. A superconductor device according to the invention may of course, however, also be designed for LTC magnets.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a plan view of an MRI magnet with two windings, and
[0020] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a different MRI magnet with four windings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0021] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
[0022] The superconductor device which is annotated in general by 2 in FIG. 1 and of which only those details which are significant to the invention are illustrated may, in particular, be part of an MRI magnet installation. In this case, this is based on embodiments which are known per se with a so-called C magnet (see, for example, DE 198 13 211 C2 or EP 0 616 230 A1). This installation therefore contains a preferably superconductive magnet 3 , which will not be described in any more detail, with an upper superconductive winding 4 a , lying on a horizontal plane, and a lower superconductive winding 4 b , arranged parallel to the upper winding 4 a . These windings may, in particular, be produced using conductors composed of high-T c superconductor material such as (Bi,Pb) 2 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O x , which may be kept at an operating temperature below 77 K for reasons associated with a high current carrying capacity. The windings are annular and are each accommodated in an appropriate vacuum housing, which is not illustrated.
[0023] The refrigeration power for cooling the windings 4 a and 4 b is provided by a refrigeration unit, which is not illustrated in any more detail and has at least one cold head 6 located at its cold end. This cold head has a cold surface 7 , which must be kept at a predetermined temperature level, or is thermally connected to such a cold surface 7 . The interior of a condenser chamber 8 is thermally coupled to this cold surface; for example with the cold surface 7 forming a wall of this area. According to the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the interior of this condenser chamber 8 is subdivided into two subareas 9 a and 9 b . A pipeline 10 a of a pipeline system 10 is connected to the (first) subarea 9 a . This pipeline first of all passes through the subarea 9 a into the region of the superconductive winding 4 a , where it makes good thermally conductive contact with the winding. For example, the pipeline 10 a passes along the inner face of the winding, in the form of spiral turns. It is not essential for it to be fitted to the inner face; the only important factor is that the pipeline reaches the entire circumference of the winding with a permanent gradient, where it is thermally highly coupled to the parts or conductors of the winding to be cooled. At least the most important parts of the pipeline 10 a include a gradient (or inclination) angle α of more than 0.5°, preferably of more than 1°, with the horizontal h. For example, the gradient angle α in the region of the-winding 4 a is thus about 30. The pipeline 10 a then leads into the region of the lower winding 4 b , where it is arranged in a corresponding manner, and is closed at its end 11 . The cross section q, which holds the refrigerant k 1 , of the pipeline 10 a can advantageously be kept small and, in particular, may be less than 10 cm 2 . In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, q is about 2 cm 2 .
[0024] The pipeline 10 a , which is laid with a gradient, contains a first refrigerant k 1 , for example neon (Ne). The refrigerant k 1 in this case circulates in the pipeline 10 a including the subarea 9 a , which is connected to it, on the basis of the thermosiphon effect, which is known per se. In the process, the refrigerant condenses in the subarea 9 a on the cold surface 7 , and is passed in liquid form into the region of the superconductive winding, where it is heated, for example at least partially being vaporized, and flows in the pipeline 10 a back into the subarea 9 a , where it is recondensed.
[0025] According to the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the line system 10 has a second pipeline 10 b , which is routed parallel to the first pipeline 10 a and is filled with a further refrigerant k 2 . This refrigerant is not the same as the first refrigerant k 1 , that is to say it has a different, preferably higher, condensation temperature. By way of example, nitrogen (N 2 ) may be chosen for the refrigerant k 2 . The pipeline 10 b is in this case connected to the (second) subarea 9 b of the condenser chamber 8 . The second refrigerant k 2 in this case likewise circulates in the closed pipeline 10 b and in the subarea 9 b on the basis of the thermosiphon effect. When the magnet windings are being cooled down, the second refrigerant k 2 condenses first of all, in which case the windings may be precooled to about 70 to 80 K, for example by the use of N 2 as the refrigerant k 2 . As the cold surface 7 cools down further, the first refrigerant k 1 , which is located in the pipeline 10 a , then condenses at the comparatively lower condensation temperature, thus leading to further cooling down to the intended operating temperature of, for example, 20 K (when neon is used as the first refrigerant k 1 ). The second refrigerant k 2 may be frozen in the region of the subarea 9 b at this operating temperature.
[0026] In contrast to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 , the superconductor device 2 according to the invention may, of course, also have only one line system with only a single pipeline. If a greater number of pipelines are envisaged, then two or more pipelines may also be thermally coupled to separate cold heads or to stages of a refrigeration unit at different temperature levels. In the case of two-stage refrigeration units or cold heads, as are planned in particular for cooling thermal plates, the magnet windings—in addition to being thermally linked to the second stage—would also be coupled to the first (warmer) stage for more rapid precooling by a further thermosiphon pipeline which, for example, is filled with nitrogen or argon.
[0027] The thermosiphon cooling described above may also, of course, be used for magnets which have vertically arranged windings. One exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention with corresponding windings is illustrated in FIG. 2 . The device, which is annotated generally by 12 , contains a superconductive magnet 13 in the form of a solenoid which, by way of example, has four superconductive windings 14 j (where j=1 . . . 4) located one behind the other in the axial direction. The individual windings are in this case, for example, each cooled on two end faces via pipelines 15 i (where i=1 . . . 8) which run at least substantially vertically and are filled, for example, with a refrigerant k 1 . Thus, in this case, there is no need for the spiral shape as in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , and the gradient angle α is approximately 90° over large parts of the line system, which is annotated generally by 20 . A condenser chamber 18 and a cold head are in general arranged above the windings, in order in this way to ensure the necessary gradient. At least one pipeline 15 i is required per winding since, in contrast to horizontally arranged windings, one pipeline cannot reach all the windings while maintaining the gradient.
[0028] In order to ensure that each pipeline 15 i receives sufficient recondensed refrigerant k 1 , the entire pipeline system 20 formed by the pipelines 15 i must either be in the form of a system of communicating pipes and be completely flooded with the liquid refrigerant in the region of the windings 14 j . This is illustrated in FIG. 2 by a blacker coloring of the refrigerant k 1 , while the vaporized regrigerant is shown in a lighter color, and is annotated k 1 ′. Alternatively, each pipeline 15 i must have a separate condenser (partial) chamber on the cold head.
[0029] A line system with pipelines which run parallel and are filled with different refrigerants (k 1 and k 2 ) may, of course, also be provided for the embodiment of the device 12 according to the invention illustrated in FIG. 2 .
[0030] In contrast to the illustrated exemplary embodiments, a superconductor device according to the invention may have a line system with at least one pipeline in which there is also a mixture of two refrigerants with different condensation temperatures. In this case, the gas with the highest condensation temperature can in consequence condense first of all during a gradual cooling-down process, and can form a closed circuit for heat transmission to a winding that is to be cooled. After precooling of this winding down to the triple-point temperature of this gas, this will then freeze in the region of the condenser chamber, following which the other gas mixture component with the lower condensation temperature ensures the rest of the cooling down process to the operating temperature.
[0031] Depending on the desired operating temperature, the gases He, H 2 , Ne, O 2 , N 2 , Ar as well as various hydrocarbons may in practice be used as a refrigerant. The respective refrigerant gas is chosen such that the refrigerant is gaseous and liquid at the same time at the intended operating temperature. This makes it possible to ensure circulation on the basis of the thermosiphon effect. The line system may have hot and/or cold equalization containers in order to specifically adjust the amount of refrigerant, while at the same time limiting the system pressure.
[0032] The choice of the refrigerant also, of course, depends on the superconductor material used. Only helium may be used as the refrigerant for an LTC material such as Nb 3 Sn.
[0033] The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention covered by the claims which may include the phrase “at least one of A, B and C” as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may be used, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 69 USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004). | A superconducting magnet with at least one cooling agent-free superconducting coil is provided along with a cooling unit with at least one cold head. A conduit system, thermally coupling the coil to the cold head, includes at least one duct in which a cooling agent circulates according to a thermosyphon effect. | 5 |
[0001] This application is a §371 from PCT/FR2006/050303 filed Apr. 5, 2006, which claims priority from FR 05 04507 filed May 3, 2005, each of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The invention relates to a method of reducing hydrocarbon emissions from a cold engine. It also concerns a device for implementing this method and an internal combustion engine which calls upon said method and/or the device.
[0003] Environmental pollution caused by internal combustion engines represents a concern which has led the authorities to put in place standards which must, or should, be respected by automobile manufacturers. In particular, the level of hydrocarbons released into the atmosphere must be considerably reduced.
[0004] To this effect, it is known, in one part, to call upon catalysis for improving the combustion of exhaust gases of internal combustion engines and, in another part to improve the combustion in internal combustion engines.
[0005] The greater part of hydrocarbon emissions occur when the engine is cold, that is to say generally on start up, since, in this situation, catalysers are not activated, the quality of the air and fuel mix and the thermodynamic conditions in the cylinder are not optimised and, thereby, combustion is not properly carried out.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It has been noted that hydrocarbon emissions, when an engine is cold, are greater in the case where the motor uses valves of an electrically controlled type, particularly electromagnetic or electrohydraulic, whereas they are less in the case where the valves are controlled in a classic way by a camshaft.
[0007] Based on this observation, the inventors have discovered that the greater hydrocarbon emission of a cold engine in the case of electrically controlled valves derives in part from the fact that the opening of the inlet valve works more rapidly with such an electrical control than with a classic control by camshaft. The diagram in FIG. 1 illustrates this difference in behaviour. On this diagram, the abscissa represents the crankshaft angle (or the time) and the ordinance represents the valve lift in millimetres, that is to say the distance of the valve from its seat.
[0008] Curve 10 corresponds with a classic cramshaft controlled valve and curve 12 corresponds with an electrically controlled valve.
[0009] In order to properly understand the behavioural difference between the two controlling types, it is herewith noted that the fuel is injected on the valve before its opening; in consequence, in the case of a progressive opening (curve 10 ), the fuel is introduced into the engine cylinder while the valve lift is still low. This introduction of fuel at low lift brings about a pulverisation into fine droplets of this fuel which is introduced into the cylinder and, consequently, a better combustion.
[0010] Conversely, when the opening section is bigger at the beginning of this opening phase of the valve (curve 12 ), the speed of introduction of the air-fuel mix is substantially lower and in consequence the pulverisation of the fuel is much less fine, which brings about an inferior combustion in the engine cylinder. These different situations are illustrated by FIGS. 2 and 3 .
[0011] FIG. 2 corresponds with a rapid opening (curve 12 ) of the injection valve 14 , whereas FIG. 3 corresponds with a slower opening of this valve 14 (curve 10 ).
[0012] In both cases, the injection valve 14 is closed, that is to say in contact with its seat 16 , when the fuel is sent to the back face of the valve 14 using an injector 18 .
[0013] When the valve 14 opens rapidly ( FIG. 2 ), the large section of passage left to the fuel brings about a relatively low pulling speed by the air and therefore the formation of droplets 22 of large dimensions. Conversely, when the section of the passage is smaller, the pulling speed by the air is greater and the pulverisation much more effective, the droplets 26 introduced into the cylinder 28 being therefore of much smaller dimension than in the case of FIG. 2 .
[0014] It can be observed that in general, with an electric control, the time of the valve lift is independent to the engine's speed. The result is that, in comparison with the duration of an engine cycle, the time required for the valve to reach its maximum lift is relatively less at low speed than at high speed, which increases by as much the emission of unburnt hydrocarbons when the engine is at low speed.
[0015] Thus, the invention concerns a method of reducing hydrocarbon emissions by a cold internal combustion engine with electrically controlled inlet valves which is characterised in that the opening of the valve is controlled in two phases, a first phase principally for the inlet of fuel and a second phase principally for the admission of air, the opening of the valve being noticeably smaller during the first phase than during the second phase, so that the fuel is pulverised into fine droplets during this first phase.
[0016] In these conditions, the functioning of the engine with electrically controlled valves is analogous to that of the engine controlled by a camshaft at the start of the valve opening, that is to say that the functioning corresponds to that which is represented on FIG. 3 .
[0017] The first phase, of short lift, is carried out by example in the form of a threshold, the valve opening rapidly to reach the first lift value and staying at this first, relatively low, value during the rest of the first phase.
[0018] In one variation, during the first phase the increase in the valve lift is progressive.
[0019] The invention also applies in the case where the same inlet valve opens twice during the engine inlet phase, that is to say with a pilot lift and a main lift, these two lifts being separated by a step for closing the valve.
[0020] Thus, the valve (or the valves) is (are) closed when the piston is in the descending phase, which creates a depression in the cylinder. In these conditions, at the moment of the second opening (main lift), the gas turbulence inside the chamber is increased. This level of turbulence is optimised if the opening of the valve has taken place substantially at the mid-stroke of the piston, that is to say when the speed of the piston is at a maximum.
[0021] In the case of such a double lift, provision is made for an initial short lift phase, both for the pilot lift and for the main lift. The short lift at the beginning of the main lift furthermore presents the advantage of increasing the gas turbulence in the chamber.
[0022] The increase in turbulence in the cylinder permits the reduction of the ignition advance and thus delays the combustion during the functioning cycle of the engine. This means that the exhaust gases are hotter, which accelerates the heating up of the catalyser and therefore the elimination of hydrocarbons.
[0023] Thus, in one embodiment, in comparison to a hot engine, during the second opening ( 42 ), the combustion in the cycle is delayed in order to evacuate hotter gases which are then sent to a catalytic combustion system.
[0024] In one embodiment, the fuel admission is carried out both during the pilot lift and the main lift.
[0025] In another embodiment, the pilot lift happens when the exhaust valves are still open. In this case, the pilot lift of the inlet valve(s) permits the flowing-back of exhaust gases into the inlet duct.
[0026] In this situation, the low amplitude lift at the beginning of the pilot lift is designed to limit the quantity of exhaust gas trapped in the cylinder and to control this quantity, which is to say to limit its variation according to time.
[0027] Thus, in this embodiment, of double lift and low amplitude lift at the start of each lift, an optimal combustion and a faster activation of the catalyser(s) is obtained during the second lift (main lift). Furthermore, with the low amplitude lift at the start of the pilot lift, as indicated above, the suction back into the cylinder of part of the unburnt hydrocarbons, which are then burnt during the following cycle, is well controlled.
[0028] Alternatively, provision is made for the low amplitude lift only for the main lift. When the recirculation of burnt gases is carried out by exhaust displacement, the closing of exhaust valves happens after the top dead center (TDC) of the inlet, it is not necessary to control the quantity of gas burnt using a low amplitude lift of the pilot lift.
[0029] Alternatively, provision is made for two inlet valves per cylinder and one valve is used for carrying out the pilot lift and the second is used for carrying out the main lift.
[0030] However, in the case where provision has been made for two inlet valves, the action of these two valves can be synchronised, that is to say that the two valves can both be used for the pilot lift and for the main lift.
[0031] The invention also concerns a device for the implementation of the method defined above which comprises the means to control the valves to perform the openings and at least one catalytic system for the combustion of burnt exhaust gases.
[0032] The invention also covers an engine equipped with such a vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0033] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear with the description of some of its embodiments; these being carried out by reference to the drawings hereby annexed, on which:
[0034] FIG. 1 , already described, is a diagram showing the variation of an inlet valve lift for a valve controlled by a camshaft and for a valve controlled in a classic way by electronic control;
[0035] FIGS. 2 and 3 , already described, are schemas illustrating the injection and the opening of the valve;
[0036] FIGS. 4 , 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating the opening controls of the valve according to several embodiments of the invention; and
[0037] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the control of exhaust and inlet valves.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0038] The embodiment of the invention that will be described in reference to the drawings relates to an engine of four stroke type with electromagnetically controlled valves, particularly biased electromagnetic. However, a “flexible” type valve driver also comes into the scope of the invention, particularly by all electric controls.
[0039] The type of the petrol engine is of no particular type, that is to say it is either supercharged or not, injection or not. The architecture of the engine is also of no particular type. It can either be straight, V or flat.
[0040] The valve control according to the invention relates to measures for reducing polluting hydrocarbon emissions when the engine is cold, that is to say when a catalytic device (not shown) is not yet activated.
[0041] To maximise the combustion of hydrocarbons, provision is made for a start of an opening phase of an inlet valve with a valve lift (that is to say a degree of opening) which is clearly inferior to the subsequent valve lift occurring during the admission in a same cycle. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4 which is a diagram showing the degrees of the crankshaft on the abscissa (CD) and the values of the valve lift in the ordinance, during a first phase 32 the valve lift presents a value L m substantially lower to the value L M during the second phase 34 of the complete opening of the valve.
[0042] In the example represented on the diagram in FIG. 4 , the first phase consists of conferring the lift L m according to a threshold 30 , that is to say that the lift Lm is practically constant during phase 32 .
[0043] The first phase of opening corresponds for example to a valve lift comprised between 0.1 and 1 mm and the time 32 is from 1 to 4 ms.
[0044] It is noted that the first phase 32 permits the pulverisation of fuel deposited on the inlet duct and the valve whereas during the second phase 34 , the maximum lift permits the filling of the cylinder with air.
[0045] In the variation represented on FIG. 5 , the first phase 32 , of the valve lift is of a ramp type, that is to say that the lift L m is reached at the end of the period 32 1 , the variation 36 of the lift being even during this first phase 32 1 . In this example, the first phase of the lift stretches over a time also included between 1 and 4 ms and at the end of the first phase 32 1 the opening or lift is comprised between 0.5 and 1 mm.
[0046] The diagram on FIG. 6 refers to the case where the inlet valve opens twice during the inlet phase of the engine. The first lift 40 is a lift referred to as the pilot and second lift 42 is a lift referred to as the main. Between these two lifts, the inlet valve is closed, which corresponds with zone 44 on the diagram in FIG. 6 .
[0047] The pilot lift and the main lift each comprise a first phase during the opening of the valve is reduced.
[0048] During the course of the pilot lift 40 , the reduced lift happens during a first phase 46 before the top dead center (TDC) of the inlet.
[0049] During the course of the main lift 42 , the reduced lift 48 happens around the mid-stroke of the piston, and the closure of the valve happens at the bottom dead center (BDC) of inlet.
[0050] More precisely, phase 46 begins between 60 DV and 0 DV before the top dead center, whereas the end of phase 46 occurs between 0 DV and 30 DV after the top dead centre of the inlet.
[0051] In the case where the end of the exhaust occurs at the beginning of the admission, as is represented on FIG. 7 , the phase 46 of low opening of the inlet valve permits the limitation of the quantity of flow-back gas (exhaust) trapped in the cylinder and makes this quantity substantially constant.
[0052] In the diagram represented on FIG. 7 , which represents the valve lifts according to the crankshaft degree, OE means the opening of the exhaust, CE means the closing of the exhaust, OA means the opening of the inlet and CA means the closing of the inlet. Thereby a “cross-over” zone 50 exists during which the inlet valves and the exhaust are simultaneously open.
[0053] The closure 44 of the inlet valve between the pilot lift and the main lift creates a depression in the cylinder when the valves are all closed and when the piston is in a descending phase. In these conditions, at the start of the main lift, a movement of gases is created which increases turbulence in the cylinder. This turbulence is maximised if the opening of the valve has taken place at around the mid-stroke position of the piston, that is to say when the speed of the piston is at maximum.
[0054] The start of phase 48 (low lift at the start of the main lift) occurs between 30 DV and 0 DV before the mid-stroke. The end of this period 48 of minimum lift happens between 0 and 30 DV after the mid-stroke of the piston.
[0055] As referred to above, a low lift brings about a gas speed through the valve which is greater than when the lift is at maximum. Furthermore, as in the case of a single lift, the pulverisation of fuel is greater which permits the optimisation for the preparation of the air-fuel mix, that is to say, reduces the size of the droplets.
[0056] In these conditions, because of the turbulence and the small size of the droplets, the ignition can be delayed, that is to say that it is possible, in this case, to reduce the ignition advance. Thus the exhaust gases are at a raised temperature, which increases in as much the temperature of the catalytic system(s)
[0057] In other words, it is easier to achieve the required results, meaning that pollution, when the engine is cold, is reduced.
[0058] The second phase of the main lift, at maximum lift, permits the introduction of air necessary for combustion. When the lift of low amplitude is short and the fuel flow high, the totality of fuel can not penetrate in the combustion chamber during the low amplitude lift; in this case, the fuel injection continues during the main lift.
[0059] FIG. 6 represents the case where the first phase 46 of the lift 40 is in the form of a ramp and the case where the first phase 48 of the main lift 42 is in the form of a threshold. But it is possible to confer any form to the variation of the lift during these first phases. | The invention relates to a method of control of an internal combustion engine comprising at least one electrically controlled inlet valve.
To reduce hydrocarbon emissions by the cold engine, the opening of the valve is controlled in two successive phases ( 32, 34 ), the first phase ( 32 ) corresponding principally with the admission of fuel and the second phase ( 34 ) mainly corresponding with the air inlet. The opening of the valve is substantially lower during the first phase than during the second phase in order to pulverise the fuel into fine droplets during the first phase. | 5 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to the avoidance of burnout of oil feedstock nozzle in a carbon black reactor. In one aspect, the invention pertains to an apparatus to minimize burnout of a feedstock nozzle in a carbon black reactor. The invention further pertains to methods responsive to temperature sensing to withdraw feedstock nozzles from a carbon black reactor, and apparatus for same, when oil-flow through the oil feedlines slows or is impeded. In another aspect, the invention pertains to apparatus to position feedstock nozzles within a carbon black reactor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Oil feed to a carbon black reactor employs a plurality of oil injection tubes, radially positioned around the reactor shell and perpendicular relative to the reactor, and with nozzles projecting into the carbon black reactor. Positioning of the tubes heretofore has been by hand, requiring a considerable expenditure of time, effort, and skill.
Traces of undesirable components in the oil feed, such as grit and the like, tend to cause the nozzles to plug, particularly when the nozzles have relatively small orifices, generally only about 0.01 to 0.1 inch, such as about 0.046 inch, in diameter. When an individual nozzle plugs or partially plugs, the portion of the corresponding tube extending into the reactor can burn out very quickly due to the exceedingly high temperatures encountered in the normal mixing zone of injection. Tube burnouts occur far faster than a human being can react, even assuming that an operator is alerted to the plugging.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of my invention, feedstock injectors for fuel oil are equipped with positioning means such that any one, preferably all, are mechanically positionable according to a determined set-depth.
In one embodiment of my invention, each feedstock injector is individually responsive to a sensor, such as a temperature sensor, which determines whether the temperature of the oil injector tube is or is not proper. If the temperature of the injector tube falls below a certain predetermined value, as it will when the flow of preheated hot oil in the tube is reduced, the sensor signals to effect automatic withdrawal of that injector from the hot zone, thus avoiding burnout.
In an alternate embodiment of my invention, each feedstock injector assembly is individually responsive to a detector, such as a flow detector, which determines whether the rate of flow of the hot fuel oil in the injector tube is or is not proper. If the flow rate is restricted or ceases, as it will due to line or orifice plugging, or due to pump failure, thus falling below a predetermined set value, then the detector signals to effect automatic withdrawal of that injector from the hot zone, thus avoiding burnout.
In another embodiment of my invention, the common feed line, which feeds oil to all of the individual feed stock assemblies, is responsive to a flow detector which monitors the rate of flow of the fuel oil, which in normal reactor operation is held at a quite constant level. If the total rate of flow of the oil falls below a predetermined set value or ceases, as it will when one or more orifices plug or when the feed pump fails, automatic simultaneous withdrawal of all injectors from the hot zone is effected, resulting in complete shut-down of the entire operation.
It is an object of my invention to provide, in the context of a carbon black reactor, means to withdraw any one or all of the several feedstock injector assemblies. It is another object of my invention to provide means for positioning any one or all of the feedstock individual injector assemblies in an oil fed carbon black reactor. A further object of my invention is to provide methods for the proper depth-positioning of oil feed nozzles within the carbon black reactor. Among the objects of my invention is a method of withdrawal of one or more oil injection tube-nozzle assemblies in response to an indication of impedance to oil flow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows in cutaway view one type of carbon black reactor 1 to which my invention is applicable, and illustrates the relative sequence of the respective zones for air/fuel feed 2, combustion zone 3, mixing zone 4 of hot combustion products and make-oil, pyrolysis zone 5, and quench zone 6. My positionable radially perpendicularly-placed make-oil feed tubes are shown as 19.
FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show variations in the positioning and control of my make-oil feed tube 19.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
My invention is described in further detail with particular reference to the aspects as shown in my several drawings. My invention is not limited to the specific embodiments so drawn or described. Rather, the descriptions and illustrations should be understood by those skilled in the art as being illustrative of my overall invention in its several aspects and not limitative of the scope thereof.
For purposes of illustration herein, the description centers around injection assemblies positioned generally perpendicular to the carbon black reactor, and spaced from each other. However, tangential placement, or angular placement, relative to the reactor shell, is equally feasible, and such so-placed assemblies are readily positioned in accordance with my invention.
FIG. 1, shows in cut-a-way view a carbon black reactor 1, including air-fuel feed zone 2, combustion zone 3, mixing zone 4, pyrolysis zone 5, and quench zone 6. The downstream end of the carbon black reactor including black recovery means, packaging means, and the like, is not shown, since such do not pertain to my invention.
To the air-fuel feed zone 2 is fed air 7, and fuel 8 such as gas or fuel oil. Fuel 8 is fed to the reactor air-fuel feed zone 2 through the air-fuel feed zone 1 through an elongated, axially positioned, fuel tube 9 which usually terminates at its extended end 10 near the boundary 11 of feed zone 2 and combustion zone 3 of the reactor.
The combustion zone 3, mixing zone 4, 13, pyrolysis zone 5, 14, etc., are formed of appropriate refractory ceramic shell 15, as known in the art, and constructed to define the respective zones in suitable relative internal diameters and length configurations, such as shown though many configurations are known in the black arts. The mixing zone 4, 13 generally is constructed as a zone of progressively decreasing diameter 16, usually terminating in an abrupt change of increased diameter 17 to form the pyrolysis zone 5, 14, such as shown.
Preheated carbon black make-oil 18 is fed in appropriate quantity, amount, and rate by a plurality, e.g., four to six, of feedstock injector assemblies 19 suitably positioned in spaced relationship relative to each other around the shell, preferably equiangularly in a hard black reactor, and extending through the shell 15, each terminating with a nozzle 21, sealably slidably positioned by a suitable packing gland means 22, and adjustably positionable so as to inject make-oil into the mixing zone 13. The carbon black forming oil 18 often is termed the "make-hydrocarbon" or "make-oil". The injection assemblies 19 normally are jacketed (not shown) and cooled with steam or air, as is known in the art.
Each injection assembly basically comprises: an oil receiving end to which make-oil is conveyed and which is positioned outside of the reactor shell or casing; an oil-discharging end equipped with a suitable type of oil nozzle means for spraying oil into the mixing zone, and which in normal reactor operation protrudes slightly into the mixing zone; an oil conveying means such as a tube or pipe connecting said ends; the whole assembly generally being movably positionable within a casing perforating the shell and ceramic, and the feed assembly being movable responsive to automatic orders from suitable control or sensing equipment so as to be readily moved inwardly or withdrawn outwardly as may be desired or required by the reactor operation. The controls can be responsive to precisely set and reset the depth of penetration of the nozzles; and fully automatic in response to sensors so as to pull back the assemblies promptly to avoid burnout as may be required.
FIG. 2 shows in more detail an adjustably positionable make-oil feed assembly 19 in accordance with one aspect of my invention.
Preheated make-oil 18 is fed through a conveying line 23, preferably flexible, connected by means of connecting means 24 to one of the axially positioned oil feed injector assemblies 19, each positioned generally perpendicularly with relation to and extending seals 22 through ports through the ceramic reactor shell 15 into the mixing zone 13. These injection means can be positioned directly perpendicularly (relative to the reactor zone 4) into the converging chamber 4, or positioned to inject make-hydrocarbon upstream, downstream, or by means of various configurations, including axially or radially directed injection methods. The make-oil 18 discharges through nozzle 21 into the mixing zone 13. Air or steam introduced 25 into the annulus around the nozzle shaft helps cool nozzle 21 when the nozzle is exposed to the higher temperatures in mixing zone 13.
The depth of insertion through shell 15 or of projection in zone 13 of the injector assembly 19 and nozzle 21 can be calibrated such as by appropriate markings 26 on shaft 27. For example, fixed pointer 28 can be mounted as convenient in a fixed manner, such as on the shell 29 or on the packing gland assembly 22, so as to provide a reference point. Temperature sensor 31 is positioned so as to detect the temperature of shaft 27, which thereby will reflect the temperature of the make-oil contained therein. Temperature sensor 31 is signally connected 32, by signal-conducive means such as electrical lines, pneumatic lines, or radio communication means, to a suitable temperature controller means 33. The injector assembly 19 shaft 27 is operably connected 34 such as by a shaft by suitable fastening means 35 such as a clamp to positioning means suitable and effective to move shaft 27, inwardly or outwardly relative to the reactor, such as by cylinder means 36 as shown including piston 37 in cylinder bore 38.
At the start of the operation, preheated feed oil 18 is introduced through feed line 23 into my adjustably positionable make-oil injection assembly 19. Until a certain predetermined temperature is attained at the oil temperature monitoring site of temperature sensor 31, signals are transmitted from temperature controller means 33 via signal-conducive transmission means such as 39 and 41 so as to actuate and close air flow control means such as two-way air valves 42 and 43, and via signal communication means 44 and 45 so as to actuate and open air flow control means such as two-way air valves 46 and 47. Air 48 flows through air inlet 49 through now open air flow control means such as air valve 46 into assembly positioning adjustment means such as air cylinder 36 and pushing piston 37 with attached 34, 35 nozzle assembly 19 perpendicularly outwardly relative to the carbon black reactor, and then exits through air flow control means such as air valve 47.
When the temperature of the shaft as sensed by sensor means 31 reaches a desired certain predetermined value, i.e. the preheated oil flows at a desired flow rate, temperature controller means 33 sends signals via signal-conducive transmission means, such as lines 39 and 41, to actuate and open air flow control means, such as air valves 42 and 43, and sends signals via signal-conducive transmission means, such as lines 44 and 45, so as to actuate and close air flow control means, such as air valves 46 and 47. Air flows through now open air flow control means, such as air valve 43, into assembly positioning adjustment means, such as air piston cylinder 36, pushing piston 37 with attached 34, 35 oil feed assembly 19 inwardly perpendicularly relative to the carbon black reactor, and then exits through now open air flow control means, such as air valve 42. The oil feed assembly 19 thusly is positioned such that oil nozzle 21 extends slightly into the mixing zone 13 at a desired depth of penetration.
In another aspect, not illustrated, the positionable assemblies can be positioned by control modes responsive to depth selective controllers to initially position the nozzles at desired set-depths regardless of initial make-oil temperatures.
If or when the temperature of the shaft as sensed by sensor means 31 drops below a determined certain control level, as it will for example because of reduced flow of hot make-oil, e.g. due to leaks or pump failure, or for any other cause, the control mechanism described hereinabove for the start of the operation responds. Air 48 flows 49 through now open air flow control means, such as air valve 46, and pushes assembly positioning adjustment means, such as air piston 37 along with attached 34, 35 oil feed assembly 19 perpendicularly outwardly relative to the carbon black reactor, thus pulling nozzle 21 out of the high temperature mixing zone and thus avoiding burn-out.
FIG. 3 shows another aspect of my positionable feed assembly 19, similarly as shown in FIG. 2, with two primary exceptions. Temperature sensor means 31 and temperature controller means 33 of FIG. 2 are replaced respectively with flow-rate indicator-sensor means 51 and with flow controller means 52. At the start of the operation or whenever the flow rate of preheated make-oil 18 falls below a certain predetermined value as detected by flow-rate sensor detector means 51, flow controller means 52 transmits suitable signals via signal-transmissive means, such as signal lines 39 and 41, so as to actuate and close air flow control means, such as air control valves 42 and 43, and further provides suitable signals via signal-conducive means, such as lines 44 and 45, so as to actuate and open air flow control means such as air valves 46 and 47. Air 48 flows 49 through now open valve 46, pushes piston 37 with operably attached 34, 35 make-oil feed assembly 19 outwardly relative to the reactor, and then exits through open valve 47, thusly withdrawing feed nozzle 21 from the very hot mixing zone and avoiding tube/nozzle burnout.
When a predetermined make-oil 18 feed flow rate is attained as determined by sensor means 51, flow controller means 52 transmits suitable signals via signal-conducive means, such as signal lines 39 and 41, so as open air flow control means, such as air valves 42 and 43, and further transmits signals, such as via lines 44 and 45, so as to actuate and close air flow control means such as air valves 46 and 47. Air 48 further flows 49 through now open air flow control means valve 43, pushes injector positioning means piston 37 with attached 34, 35 nozzle assembly 19 inwardly relative to the reactor, and exits through open air flow control means valve 42.
FIG. 4 illustrates a further embodiment of my invention. Make-oil 18 is fed through stationary feed line 53 operably equipped with a flow-rate sensor means 51 monitoring rate of flow of oil therethrough and flow controller means 52. The primary make-oil feed line 53 is connected by connecting means, such as a hose coupler 54, to make-oil flexible hose 55 so that the make-oil flows into manifold 56 annulus ring 57, which provides distribution of the make-oil to a plurality, e.g. five shown as exemplary, individual feed assemblies 19. The manifold 56 is operably connected 58 by suitable adjustment means such as a mechanical expander 59 to manifold positioning means, such as piston means 61 in cylinder 62.
When the total make-oil 18 flow in tube 53 as detected by flow rate monitor sensor means 51 drops below a predetermined certain rate, due for example to blockage of one or more injection nozzles, or stops completely, due for example to pump failure, flow controller means 52 transmits adjustment signals via signal-conducive means 63 and 64 so as to actuate and close air flow control means, such as air valve means 65 and 66, and further transmits suitable signals via signal-conducive means, such as 67 and 68, so as to actuate and open air flow control means, such as air valves 69 and 71. Air 48 flows from inlet 49 through now open air flow control means, such as air valve 71, into injector assembly positioning means, such as cylinder means 62 pushing positioning means, such as piston 61, and causing attached 58, 59 manifold 57 to withdraw oil feed assemblies 19, and then exits through now open air flow control means such as air valve 69.
The detail of the manifold 56 is not shown since various mechanical/pneumatic/electrical or combination arrangements are feasible. In one aspect, the annulus within the manifold ring 57 represents a cross-section of the carbon black reactor, with oil feed assemblies 19 spaced equiangularly therearound. Upon appropriate signal, all assemblies are moved inwardly or outwardly mechanically, by small electrical motors, or by pneumatic devices. Alternatively, the manifold can be an expandable-retractable type.
When the make-oil 18 flow rate as determined by flow sensor means 51 attains a predetermined desired value, flow controller means 52 transmits signals via signal transmission means, such as lines 63 and 64, so as to actuate and open air flow control means such as valves 65 and 66 and further appropriately signals, such as by signal transmission means such as via lines 67 and 68, so as to actuate and close air flow control means, such as air flow valves 69 and 71. Air 48 flows 49 through now open air flow control means valve 65, pushes piston means 61, which actuates 58, 59 manifold 56 in reverse operation, and then exits through open air flow control means valve 66. When manifold 56 is so actuated, so actuated also are the plurality of feed assemblies 19, and feed nozzles 21 thus are slightly properly extended in suitable position into the hot mixing zone (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 3).
A further option, not shown, is the installation of a temperature sensor in the main make-oil feed line 53, and with temperature sensor/controller means in lieu of a flow indicator/controller means 52. This option of a temperature sensor presently is considered to be less preferred than the flow controller shown in FIG. 4, since the response time to a temperature rise expectedly would be somewhat longer. It would be expected to take some interval of time for the temperature of the feed line to drop because of more slowly moving oil, which means a higher lag time in response. Even though the time were very short, still the burnout time might be reached.
Employing my invention, the carbon black reactor comprises, serially or sequentially arranged, in operable conjunction, a combustion zone, a mixing zone, a pyrolysis zone, and a quench zone, followed by usual recovery procedures for the produced carbon black as known in the art, such as bag filters, and the like.
The combustion zone comprises a combustion chamber defined by a generally cylindrical sidewall with a generally annular upstream end wall having a passage therethrough axially directed into a cylindrical combustion chamber. The sidewalls and end walls of the combustion zone are formed from refractory materials suitable for use at very high temperatures.
An oxidant gas, such as air, and a combustible fluid, usually natural gas, waste gases, fuel oil, or even carbon black make-oil, or mixtures, are introduced into and through the feed zone and into the combustion zone. Usually, the combustible fluid is fed by means of a tubular member extending through the feed zone into the combustion zone and axially aligned therewith. The combustible fluid is mixed with the oxidant gas from the feed zone.
The mixing zone generally comprises a sidewall formed from refractory defining a chamber in axial alignment with and converging from the combustion zone to a throat area wherein means are positioned for introducing a carbonaceous feedstock (carbon black make-hydrocarbon), through the sidewall and into the converging chamber and throat.
Generally, the internal reactor configuration is such that the flow passage decreases in diameter between the combustion zone and the mixing zone, and then expands abruptly as the hot flowing gases pass from the mixing zone into the pyrolysis zone.
The means for introducing the make-hydrocarbon comprise a plurality of ports extending through the refractory lining and opening into the converging chamber. A series of such ports are positioned circumferentially spaced about the reaction or flow passage at selected positions with respect to the longitudinal axis of the reaction flow passage. The ports preferably are equiangularly spaced from each other so as to provide for uniform distribution of feedstock by means of the injectors into the reaction flow passage.
Each port is equipped with an injection means for feeding of the make-hydrocarbon. The injection means are precisely, automatically, repeatably positionable in accordance with my invention.
The injection means are provided at one end with oil-receiving means generally outside of the reactor shell, and at the opposing end with oil-discharging means such as nozzles, with heat-resistant, generally tubular oil transmission line therebetween, in which the nozzles can be canted to introduce carbonaceous feedstock into the reaction flow passage with an upstream or downstream velocity component as may be desired for production of various types of carbon blacks. The nozzles can be selected to introduce the feedstock as a coherent stream or a spray or various other patterns as may be preferred by the carbon black practitioners.
The pyrolysis zone, following quench zone, and carbon black recovery means, are well known in the art and need not be further described.
The disclosure, including drawings, has illustrated the value and effectiveness of my invention. The description, and the knowledge and background of the field of the invention and of applicable sciences, have formed the bases for my claims here appended. | In order to prevent burn-off of a radial feedstock nozzle in a carbon black reactor, resulting when the feedstock stopped flowing through the nozzle, a preselected minimum temperature of the feedstock tube actuates a mechanism to withdraw the feedstock from the hot zone of the reactor. | 1 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is related to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/340,756, which was filed on Mar. 22, 2010, and is entitled “Charge Clip”, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference and on which priority is hereby claimed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to devices for charging electrical equipment, in particular, personal electronic instruments such as cellular telephones, calculators, hand held gaming devices, digital cameras and the like.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Devices for charging portable electrical equipment, in particular, personal electronic instruments such as cellular telephones, hand held gaming devices, digital cameras, PDAs, calculators and the like usually plug into a wall outlet (120 volts AC) and include an AC to DC converter, which is coupled to a rather lengthy wire at one end whose opposite end is coupled to a connector which plugs into the electrical equipment to be charged. Many consumers charge these small appliances or electrical devices in their kitchen (which is becoming the most often used room in the home), plugging the charging unit into a wall outlet and placing the electrical device on a kitchen countertop as the device is being charged. The problem with this conventional method of charging a device is that the device being charged occupies the limited counter space in the kitchen and could be subject to damage due to spilled water or the like. Furthermore, the charging electrical cord, usually about three feet in length, loosely lies on the countertop in an unsightly manner and may become entangled with objects residing on the countertop.
[0006] A wall mounted charging station for charging a personal electronic instrument (PEI) is disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0012536 (Glass). However, there are a number of disadvantages and shortcomings in the use and design of such a wall mounted charging station. One shortcoming with such a design is that the charging station disclosed in the aforementioned published application still requires a wire connection, such as with cord 17 , between the charging station 10 and the AC wall outlet 14 . This wire connection may be lengthy, depending upon where the charging station 10 is positioned with respect to the wall outlet 14 , and having such an unsupported loose wire may not be aesthetically pleasing in appearance.
[0007] Another shortcoming of the charging station disclosed in the aforementioned published application is that the PEI rests in a pocket 46 having defined and confining dimensions and, as a result, may receive only certain select PEIs of limited sizes and shapes.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging a personal electronic instrument (PEI) which is mountable directly to an AC wall outlet.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging a PEI which includes an open cradle for supporting a wide variety of PEIs of different sizes and shapes.
[0010] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging a PEI which can support and charge simultaneously more than one PEI.
[0011] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging a PEI which includes an open cradle for supporting one or more PEIs and which cradle provides multi-directional accessibility to the PEIs supported by the cradle.
[0012] It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging a PEI which is reconfigurable by the user so that it may be mounted directly to an AC wall outlet irrespective of the orientation of the wall outlet.
[0013] It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging one or more PEIs which occupies only one socket of a multiple socket wall outlet and which does not obscure or interfere with the use of the other sockets.
[0014] It is another object of the present invention to provide a charge clip for charging a PEI or other electrical device which overcomes the inherent disadvantages of known charging stations.
[0015] In accordance with one form of the present invention, a charge clip includes a main body having a cradle for holding at least one PEI and a power conversion plug. The power conversion plug, having a plurality of prongs exiting a rear wall thereof, is inserted into a wall outlet. The power conversion plug is received within an aperture in the main body of the charge clip and is selectively rotatable therein.
[0016] The power conversion plug further includes at least one outwardly extending rib that may be selectively engaged with a corresponding notch in the aperture of the main body. The power conversion plug is inserted into the wall outlet and the main body is rotated so that the cradle is vertically oriented to hold at least one PEI. The rib of the power conversion plug is then engaged with the notch in the main body making the main body and cradle thereon rotationally immovable with respect to the power conversion plug. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the charge clip includes a plurality of ribs and notches so that the power plug may be inserted into wall outlets of varying orientations while maintaining the vertical orientation of the cradle and PEI therein.
[0017] The power conversion plug further includes a conversion circuit and at least one USB port. The conversion circuit, being in electrical communication with both the USB port and prongs, receives AC power from the wall outlet and converts it to DC power, outputting the DC power to the USB port in electrical communication thereto. The PEI is connected by a conventional USB cable to the USB port of the charge clip.
[0018] The main body of the charge clip further includes a channel formed between the front and back plates that may be used to store any excess length of the USB cable attached to the PEI.
[0019] These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a charge clip formed in accordance with the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the charge clip of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 .
[0022] FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the charge clip of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 .
[0023] FIG. 4 is a right elevational view of the charge clip of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1-3 , a left elevational view thereof being a mirror image of the right elevational view shown in FIG. 4 .
[0024] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the charge clip of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1-4 .
[0025] FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the charge clip of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1-5 .
[0026] FIG. 7 is a rear perspective view of the charge clip of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1-6 .
[0027] FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the charge clip of the present invention, shown supporting a personal electronic instrument (PEI) and illustrating the connection between the PEI and the charge clip using a charge cord for charging the PEI.
[0028] FIG. 9 is a front perspective exploded view of the charge clip of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1-8 .
[0029] FIG. 10 is a top plan exploded view of the charge clip of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1-9 .
[0030] FIG. 11 is a right elevational exploded view of the charge clip of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1-10 .
[0031] FIGS. 12A-12D are front plan views of the charge clip of the present invention mounted to an AC wall outlet, where the AC wall outlet is shown in four different orientations.
[0032] FIG. 13 is a rear perspective exploded view of the charge clip of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1-12 .
[0033] FIG. 14 is a simplified schematic/block diagram of the electrical circuit of the charge clip of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0034] As can be seen from FIGS. 1-11 , a charge clip 2 or station for charging a small appliance or electrical device, in particular but not limited to personal electronic instruments 4 such as cellular telephones, hand held gaming devices, digital cameras, PDAs, calculators and the like, and constructed in accordance with one form of the present invention, is preferably formed from two mateable portions, that is, a main body 6 and a power conversion plug 8 .
[0035] The power conversion plug 8 is preferably cylindrical in shape. The power conversion plug 8 includes a circumferential side wall 10 , a front wall 12 which is preferably for aesthetic purposes convexly shaped, and a rear wall 14 which is opposite the front wall 12 .
[0036] The rear wall 14 of the power conversion plug 8 includes hot and neutral AC power prongs 16 and an AC power ground prong 18 extending outwardly therefrom so that the power conversion plug 8 may be connected directly to a socket of an AC wall outlet 20 .
[0037] At least one, but preferably two, or more, USB ports or connectors 22 are situated on the front wall 12 of the power conversion plug 8 . As is well known, oftentimes personal electronic instruments 4 are charged by connection to a USB port provided on a computer or other device, where +5 volts DC (direct current) is provided on a certain pin of the USB port or connector. Accordingly, and as will be described in greater detail, the charge clip 2 of the present invention provides such a DC charging voltage to a selected pin on each of the USB ports or connectors 22 mounted on the power conversion plug 8 , as well as providing a ground connection to another pin on each of the USB ports or connectors 22 .
[0038] A simplified schematic/block diagram of a circuit housed by the power conversion plug 8 and situated in an interior cavity defined by the cylindrical side wall 10 , front wall 12 and rear wall 14 thereof is shown in FIG. 14 . Basically, the power and ground prongs 16 , 18 of the power conversion plug 8 are electrically connected to an AC-to-DC (AC/DC) converter circuit 24 situated within the power conversion plug 8 . The AC/DC converter circuit 24 receives the 110 volt AC (alternating current) power provided by the wall outlet 20 to which the charge clip 2 is connected, and converts the AC voltage to a DC voltage, and in particular, a +5 volt DC voltage. The +5 volt DC voltage is provided to each of the USB connectors or ports 22 mounted on the front wall 12 of the power conversion plug 8 through electrical lines connected between the AC/DC converter circuit 24 and the USB connectors or ports 22 and, similarly, ground potential is provided by electrical lines connected between the AC/DC converter circuit 24 and the USB connectors or ports 22 . In this way, a user may connect one or more PEIs 4 to the USB connectors or ports 22 situated on the power conversion plug 8 with a power charging cord 26 which is compatible with the USB connectors or ports 22 and the PEIs 4 being charged.
[0039] The power conversion plug 8 is received by an aperture 28 formed through the thickness of the main body 6 of the charge clip 2 , as can be seen from FIGS. 9 and 13 . As can also be seen, the power conversion plug 8 may be removed from the aperture 28 and repositioned therein in one of several different orientations.
[0040] More specifically, the power conversion plug 8 includes preferably four ribs 30 extending outwardly from the outer surface of the side wall 10 , with adjacent ribs 30 being spaced apart about the circumference thereof by 90 degrees. The ribs 30 extend at least partially over the outer surface of the side wall 10 of the power conversion plug 8 in an axial direction between the front wall 12 and the rear wall 14 thereof.
[0041] Corresponding notches 32 , each of which is dimensioned to closely receive a respective rib 30 on the power conversion plug 8 , are formed in the rear surface 34 of the main body 6 of the charge clip 2 and which extend at least partially through the thickness thereof toward the front surface 36 of the main body 6 of the charge clip. Preferably, the notches 32 do not extend all the way through the thickness so that they are not visible on the front surface 36 of the main body 6 , which provides a more aesthetically pleasing appearance to the charge clip 2 and so that a user may push on the main body 6 of the charge clip to force the power and ground prongs 16 , 18 into a wall outlet 20 without the power conversion plug 8 moving axially within the plug receiving aperture 28 of the main body 6 . As can be seen from the figures, the ribs 30 extend from the rear wall 14 of the power conversion plug 8 towards the front wall 12 , but, preferably, are recessed from the front wall 12 . In this manner, the power conversion plug 8 may be inserted into the aperture 28 of the charge clip 2 from the rear surface 34 thereof, and may be removed therefrom by pulling outwardly on the plug 8 from the rear surface 34 of the main body 6 of the charge clip 2 . The power conversion plug 8 may be orientated in one of four positions within the aperture 28 of the main body 6 of the charge clip and, as will be explained in greater detail, this feature which allows the power conversion plug 8 to be reoriented with respect to the main body 6 of the charge clip permits the charge clip 2 to be used with AC wall outlets 20 which may have been installed in four different orientations (see FIGS. 12A-12D ).
[0042] As can be seen from FIGS. 1-13 , the main body 6 of the charge clip 2 is an elongated member, preferably slightly longer than a conventional wall outlet cover plate. It includes a planar back plate 38 and a front plate 40 situated in front of the back plate 38 , the front and back plates 40 , 38 being joined together to define lateral side walls 42 , a top wall 44 and a bottom wall 46 of the main body 6 .
[0043] A groove or channel 48 is formed in the adjoining lateral side walls 42 , top wall 44 and bottom wall 46 of the main body 6 where the front and back plates 40 , 38 are joined together. The groove 48 is provided for cord management, that is, so that excess length of the charging cord 26 connected between the USB ports or connectors 22 on the power conversion plug 8 and the PEIs 4 being charged may be conveniently wrapped about the main body 6 in the groove 48 between the front 40 plate and the back plate 38 .
[0044] The upper portion or segment 50 of the back plate 38 extends upwardly, while the upper portion or segment 52 of the front plate 40 diverges from the plane in which the back plate 38 resides at an acute angle therefrom in a direction outwardly of the front of the main body 6 . The widths of the front plate 40 and the back plate 38 are preferably substantially the same, and so are the thicknesses. Thus, the upper portion 50 of the back plate 38 and the upper portion 52 of the front plate 40 , where the two diverge, define a cradle 54 which may receive and support one or more PEIs 4 , as shown in FIGS. 8 and 11 . As shown in these drawings, the PEIs 4 are supported by the main body 6 of the charge clip 2 in the cradle 54 when the charge clip 2 is in an upright (vertical) position. The cradle 54 has a depth and width which are selected to receive one or more of the electrical devices 4 (e.g., cellular telephones, hand held gaming devices, PDAs, shavers or the like) and holds such electrical devices in a safe and convenient location on the charge clip 2 , as shown in the drawings. In this way, the electrical devices 4 do not have to occupy space on the countertop or other horizontal surface when being charged and are not subjected to damage from liquid spillage and the like. Furthermore, the charge clip 2 of the present invention is adapted to hold the portable electrical device 4 during charging, as well as providing a location for maintaining the device 4 when the device is not being used so that the device can be easily found. Furthermore, the charge clip 2 of the present invention, with its top cradle 54 , keeps the device 4 clean and out of harm's way while the device is being charged. Preferably, the angled upper segment 52 of the front plate 40 does not extend vertically as high as the upper segment 50 of the back plate 38 , as can be seen in FIG. 4 , so that any electrical device 4 held in the cradle 54 may be easily placed there or retrieved by a user from the front of the charge clip 2 .
[0045] It is been found that AC wall outlets 20 may be disposed in one of four orientations, such as shown in FIGS. 12A-12D . For example, a two socket AC wall outlet 20 may be disposed with the ground contacts of the each socket in a bottom position (see FIG. 12A ), in a right position (see FIG. 12B ), in a top position (see FIG. 12C ) and in a left position (see FIG. 12D ). The charge clip 2 of the present invention is reconfigurable by removing the power conversion plug 8 from the aperture 28 formed in the main body 6 of the charge clip, rotating the plug 8 and reinserting the plug 8 into the aperture 28 in a different orientation, with the ribs 30 being received by corresponding notches 32 formed in the main body 6 , so that the power prongs 16 and ground prong 18 on the power conversion plug 8 may be properly received by a socket of the wall outlet 20 and with the main body 6 of the charge clip 2 being oriented longitudinally in a vertical or upright position when the charge clip is plugged into a socket of the wall outlet 20 . Thus, the charge clip 2 of the present invention ensures that the cradle 54 is always in an upright position when the charge clip 2 is mounted on a wall outlet 20 to hold one or more PEIs 4 or other electrical devices in the cradle 54 .
[0046] Furthermore, it should be realized that the lower portion 56 of the charge clip 2 is preferably circular and has a diameter which is less than the width of the major portions of the front and back plates 40 , 38 of the main body 6 . This is to ensure that the charge clip 2 , when mounted on an AC wall outlet 20 , only occupies one electrical socket thereof and does not overlap an adjacent electrical socket of the wall outlet 20 or interfere with the use thereof independently of the charge clip 2 , as can be seen from FIGS. 12A-12D .
[0047] It should be further noted that the design of the cradle 54 formed in the upper portion of the charge clip 2 and, in particular, the main body 6 thereof, allows one or more PEIs 4 to be accessed from a number of directions, including the front of the charge clip, the left and right side of the charge clip and from the top (in an upward direction) of the charge clip.
[0048] It should be further realized that, although the power conversion plug 8 is described herein as being preferably cylindrical in form, with ribs 30 extending from the outer surface of the cylindrical side wall 10 thereof, and the aperture 28 formed in the main body 6 of the charge clip is described as being circular, it should be understood that the power conversion plug 8 may be formed in other geometrical shapes, including rectangular, square or polygonal, with a conformingly shaped aperture 28 formed in the main body 6 of the charge clip 2 to receive the power conversion plug 8 , whereby the power conversion plug 8 may be removed from the main body 6 of the charge clip 2 , reoriented and repositioned therein so that the main body 6 of the charge clip is always oriented in an upright position, with the cradle 54 formed therein situated at the top of the charge clip 2 to support, without falling, one or more electrical devices 4 therein.
[0049] Additionally, it is envisioned to be within the scope of the present invention to form the power conversion plug 8 in a cylindrical shape, and the aperture 28 formed in the main body 6 of the charge clip in a round shape, without ribs 30 or notches 32 being formed on and in the power conversion plug 8 and main body 6 , respectively, so that the power conversion plug 8 is receivable by the aperture 28 with a frictional fit, and the main body 6 of the charge clip 2 is frictionally rotatable on the power conversion plug 8 to orient the main body 6 of the charge clip 2 in a vertically upright position thereon. Furthermore, although the notches 32 have been described as being formed on the main body 6 about the aperture 28 , and the ribs 30 have been described as being formed on the power conversion plug 8 , it should be understood that the positions of the ribs 30 and the notches 32 may be reversed, with the ribs 30 being formed on the main body 6 to partially extend into the aperture 28 , and the notches 32 being formed in the cylindrical side wall 10 of the power conversion plug 8 .
[0050] As mentioned previously, the width of the main body 6 is preferably about that of a small sized (two socket) cover plate forming part of the AC wall outlet 20 , and the main body 6 of the charge clip 2 is preferably slightly taller than the small wall cover plate.
[0051] The charge clip 2 of the present invention is a two piece solution with all of the electronics for the conversion to a USB DC voltage in the power conversion plug 8 which plugs directly into an electrical socket of the wall outlet 20 . The main body 6 of the charge clip 2 is provided to hold electrical devices 4 and is preferably formed from a plastic material, with no electronic circuitry formed therein or thereon, and it can be attached to the power conversion plug 8 in one of four orientations, ensuring that the cradle 54 for holding electronic devices 4 is always situated at the top no matter how the wall outlets 20 (and the power conversion plug 8 ) are oriented. This two piece solution solves the issues relating to having wall outlets 20 disposed in various orientations to allow the user to have a device situated in the cradle 54 and held thereby, which cradle 54 will always be in a vertical position and at the top of the charge clip 2 no matter how an electrician installed the AC wall outlets 20 . Furthermore, the groove or channel 48 formed about the side walls 42 , top wall 44 and bottom wall 46 of the charge clip 2 provides cord management and allows the user to wrap thereabout excess charging cord 26 between the USB port or connector 22 on the power conversion plug 8 and the PEI 4 .
[0052] Preferably, the cradle 54 may have situated therein a rubberized “taco shell” strip of material (not shown) to help secure the electronic devices therein. Additionally, it should be realized that the power conversion plug 8 may be removed from the main body 6 of the charge clip and used separately, without the main body 6 , to provide power to an electrical device 4 .
[0053] Furthermore, it is envisioned to be within the scope of the present invention to provide an AC power outlet (not shown) on the front wall 12 of the power conversion plug 8 in lieu of, or in addition to, the USB connectors 22 so that, if the electrical device 4 to be charged has its own transformer forming part of the charging cord 26 , the transformer may be plugged into the AC power outlet on the plug 8 to charge the electrical device 4 rather than using the USB connector 22 .
[0054] Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. | A charge clip having a main body and plug received through an aperture therein includes a cradle for holding a personal electronic instrument (PEI) thereon. The plug is inserted into a wall outlet and the main body is selectively rotationally moveable with respect to the plug so that the main body is maintained in a vertical orientation regardless of the orientation of the wall outlet. The plug includes at least one rib that is selectively engageable with at least one notch formed in the aperture, preventing rotational movement of the main body with respect to the plug. The plug further includes an AC/DC conversion circuit that converts standard AC power from the wall outlet to DC power for charging the PEI. The charge clip further includes at least one USB port in electrical communication with the AC/DC conversion circuit that receives a USB plug in electrical communication with the PEI. | 7 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
There is an ever increasing need for improved fiber antistatic conditioning agents for e.g., hair and textiles, which are effective in small quantities without the need for auxiliary materials. This invention provides novel compositions having outstanding properties for the purposes mentioned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been found that novel chemicals, benzene sulfonate quaternary ammonium salts, corresponding to the formula ##STR1## wherein the RCO moiety is selected from the group consisting of gluconic and C 7 -C 21 fatty acids; R' is an alkyl group having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R" is an alkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, R'" is selected from the group consisting of H and CH 3 ; X is selected from the group consisting of O and NH; and n is an integer of from 1 to 3, have very surprising antistatic, emollient characteristics and are possessed of very good substantivity for many articles, particularly fibers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The chemicals of this invention correspond to the formula shown under Summary of the Invention.
The novel quaternary products of this invention are prepared from the corresponding amide or ester, containing a tertiary nitrogen in the aliphatic portion of the molecule. The amide or ester can also be made directly from available fatty or sugar acids but the triglyceride method is a more desirable commercial one. The acids or oils are reacted with, e.g., a dialkylaminopropylamine or dialkylaminoethanol to obtain the starting amide or ester; see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,398.
The amide or ester containing a tertiary amine group is quaternized by reacting with an ester of benzene or substituted benzene sulfonic acid. This reaction is carried out conveniently in a 40%-50% propylene glycol solution at 90° C.-100° C. for about 6-10 hours.
Sources of the RCO are exemplified by gluconic acid, mink oil fatty acids, safflower fatty acids, hydrogenated tallow fatty acids, corn oil fatty acids, stearic, palmitic, myristic and lauric acids. The sources can be saturated or unsaturated, in the latter case can have up to 3 double bonds, conjugated or unconjugated.
Especially effective compositions are tabulated below:
______________________________________ ##STR2## X n R' R" R'"______________________________________ ##STR3## NH 2 CH.sub.3 C.sub.18 H.sub.37 CH.sub.3 ##STR4## NH 2 CH.sub.3 C.sub.14 H.sub.29 CH.sub.3 ##STR5## O 1 CH.sub.3 C.sub.18 H.sub.37 H______________________________________
The novel chemicals are liquids to solids, pale yellow to tan and are water-soluble or dispersable.
The compounds of this invention or mixtures thereof can be applied to fibers, e.g. hair or textile, while dissolved or dispersed in suitable volatile liquids, e.g., water, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, etc. or mixtures thereof, or other volatile solvents which do not adversely affect the materials.
The solution or dispersion of the active material can contain any suitable amount sufficient to be effective for the purpose stated. Typically, the pure material is present in an amount corresponding from about 0.1 to about 1.0 wt. %, (formula wt. %).
The active ingredient in the consequent carrier can be applied by a variety of means, e.g., spraying, padding, brushing, or otherwise contacting the fibers. The amount of active material of our invention that is present on the dried treated fiber to impart effective antistatic characteristics can be varied but ordinarily it is present in amount by weight corresponding from about 0.05 wt.% to 0.5 wt.% of the dried untreated fiber, usually about 0.1%.
This invention, product workup and properties of the materials will be better understood by reference to the following examples.
EXAMPLE 1
Quaternization of Tallow 3-Dimethylamino Propyl Amide with Stearyl p-Toluene Sulfonate (Composition 1)
Tallow 3-dimethylamino propyl amide 183.8 g, stearyl p-toluene sulfonate 200 g and propylene glycol 255.9 g were heated under nitrogen for 10 hours. An alkali number of 9.8 was obtained. A yield of 640 g of product solution containing propylene glycol was obtained.
Analysis
Acid Value - 10.9
Saponification Value - 14.6
Alkali Number - 9.8
pH 1% Solution - 6.54
EXAMPLE 2
Quaternization of Dimethylaminopropyl Gluconamide with Myristyl p-Toluene Sulfonate (Composition 2)
Dimethylaminopropyl gluconamide 279 g, myristyl p-toluene sulfonate 349.6 g and propylene glycol 629 g were reacted at 90° C.-100° C. for 6 hours in a nitrogen atmosphere. A final alkali number of 12.7 was obtained.
A yield of 1,258 g of product solution containing 50% propylene glycol was obtained.
Analysis:
Acid Value - 10.7
Saponification Value - 46.1
Alkali Number - 12.7
pH 1% Solution - 8.33
EXAMPLE 3
These compounds are effective hair conditioners and textile anti stats, but several of these compounds have an unexpectedly strong effect at very low concentrations.
In order to test the anti stat properties on textiles, cotton fabric was treated with equal amounts of test compounds of 2 wt.% concentration. Commercial "Downy", a fatty quaternary ammonium chloride fabric softener, was used as a control. A 5 KV positive and a 5 KV negative charge was placed on the fabrics and the decay rate (in seconds) was measured (the faster the rate, the better the compound). From these data in Table I it can be seen that our compounds are much better than "Downey" but compound (1) is very outstanding. The test compounds are identified.
TABLE I______________________________________STATIC DECAY MEASUREMENT TEST DATA Decay Rate - SecondsTEST DATA Initial Chg. Decay Rate Decay RateSample # O KV Applied @ 5 KV @ -5 KV______________________________________Blank +200 v 90.2 85.7Downy 0 79.5 72.61 0 27.3 21.972 0 49.6 49.53 0 68.7 64.34 0 53.7 55.45 0 41.5 42.06 0 48.8 47.8______________________________________ ##STR6##2 ##STR7##3 ##STR8##4 ##STR9##5 ##STR10##6 ##STR11##
The materials of this invention also demonstrated outstanding properties on hair.
Mixtures of the material of this invention can be employed where desirable.
The advantages of this invention will be apparent to the skilled in the art. Improved flexible antistatic compositions are made available which make it possible to introduce efficiencies through the utilization of small quantities.
It will be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific examples which have been offered as particular embodiments, and that modifications can be made without departing from the spirit thereof. | Novel compositions of matter consisting of benzene sulfonate quaternary ammonium salts have been found to be possessed of very good antistatic, emollient and substantive properties. They are prepared by reacting the amide or ester with the requisite sulfonate. | 2 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to medical imaging systems. More particularly, this invention relates to operator interfaces in medical imaging systems.
Description of the Related Art
Cardiac arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, occur when regions of cardiac tissue abnormally conduct electric signals to adjacent tissue, thereby disrupting the normal cardiac cycle and causing asynchronous rhythm.
Electrical activity in the heart is typically measured by advancing a multiple-electrode catheter to measure electrical activity at multiple points in the heart chamber simultaneously. A graphical user interface integrated with modern imaging systems for monitoring cardiac catheterization presents an abundance of dynamically changing information from the multiple electrodes to the operator, and facilitates efficient processing of the information by the operator.
Receiving atrial electrogram signals from intracardiac catheters is complicated by undesirable far field signal component mixed with near field electrical signals. In this environment near field signals indicate local activation, i.e., propagation of a signal through local regions being sensed by the electrodes. Detection of local activation is widely employed as an electrophysiological indicator of the local state of the heart. The far field electrical signals contain no useful information about local heart activation and only disturb the measurements.
Commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0005664 by Govari et al., which is herein incorporated by reference, discloses distinguishing a local component in an intracardiac electrode signal, due to the tissue with which the electrode is in contact from a remote-field contribution to the signal, and explains that a therapeutic procedure applied to the tissue can be controlled responsively to the distinguished local component.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Modern imaging systems adapted to cardiac electrophysiology produce dynamic functional electroanatomic maps of the heart, such as a time-varying map of local activation times (LAT), also known as a 4-dimensional LAT map. However, an operator who is attempting to annotate atrial activation onset times using a multi-electrode catheter and is presented with conventional maps of this sort may experience difficulty distinguishing near-field atrial activity from far-field ventricular activity.
According to disclosed embodiments of the invention, an indication of ventricular depolarization is visualized on a 4-dimensional LAT map as an icon, which is presented using the same time-window and color scale as the dynamic map, but is time-referenced to ventricular activity, e.g., an R-wave or QRS complex rather than to a local activation time of a point or region of the heart.
There is provided according to embodiments of the invention a method for guiding a medical procedure, which is carried out by inserting into a heart of a living subject a probe having sensing electrodes disposed on a distal portion thereof, placing the sensing electrodes in galvanic contact with respective locations in an atrium of the heart, thereafter acquiring electrograms from the sensing electrodes while concurrently detecting ventricular depolarization events, generating from the electrograms a time-varying electroanatomic map showing electrical propagation in the heart, and displaying the electroanatomic map in a series of visual images, the images including an icon that visually indicates the ventricular depolarization events.
The icon may be spaced apart from the electroanatomic map on the images. Alternatively, the icon may be positioned on the electroanatomic map at a center of mass of a ventricle of the heart.
An aspect of the method includes indicating local activation times for the respective locations on the electroanatomic map.
A further aspect of the method includes detecting on the electroanatomic map an indication of atrial depolarization in at least one of the respective locations, making a determination from a visual state of the icon that an instance of ventricular depolarization has occurred concurrently with the indication of atrial depolarization, and reporting responsively to the determination that the indication of atrial depolarization is a suspect false annotation event.
There is further provided according to embodiments of the invention an apparatus, including a processor connectable to an electrocardiographic sensor of ventricular activity and to a cardiac catheter having at least one sensing electrode disposed on a distal portion thereof. The apparatus includes a display linked to the processor, a memory accessible to the processor having programs and data objects stored therein. The programs include a graphical interface program. When the at least one sensing electrode is in galvanic contact with respective locations in an atrium of a heart, execution of the programs cause the processor to acquire electrograms from the at least one sensing electrode and concurrently detect ventricular depolarization events in the heart via the electrocardiographic sensor. The processor is further caused to generate from the electrograms a time-varying electroanatomic map showing electrical propagation in the heart, and to invoke the graphical interface program to present the electroanatomic map on the display as a series of visual images. The images include an icon that visually indicates the ventricular depolarization events.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the detailed description of the invention, by way of example, which is to be read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like elements are given like reference numerals, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of a system for performing medical procedures in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a screen display generated by the system shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a screen display generated by the system shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a screen display generated by the system shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5 is a screen display generated by the system shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 6 is a flow-chart of a method of indicating ventricular electrical activity during atrial mapping in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various principles of the present invention. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art, however, that not all these details are necessarily needed for practicing the present invention. In this instance, well-known circuits, control logic, and the details of computer program instructions for conventional algorithms and processes have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure the general concepts unnecessarily.
Aspects of the present invention may be embodied in software programming code, which is typically maintained in permanent storage, such as a computer readable medium. In a client/server environment, such software programming code may be stored on a client or a server. The software programming code may be embodied on any of a variety of known non-transitory media for use with a data processing system, such as a USB memory, hard drive, electronic media or CD-ROM. The code may be distributed on such media, or may be distributed to users from the memory or storage of one computer system over a network of some type to storage devices on other computer systems for use by users of such other systems.
DEFINITIONS
“Annotations” refer to points on an electrogram that are considered to denote events of interest. In this disclosure the events are typically onset of the propagation of an electrical wave (local activation time) as sensed by an electrode.
Overview
Turning now to the drawings, reference is initially made to FIG. 1 , which is a pictorial illustration of a system 10 for performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures on a heart 12 of a living subject, which is constructed and operative in accordance with a disclosed embodiment of the invention. The system comprises a catheter 14 , which is percutaneously inserted by an operator 16 through the patient's vascular system into a chamber or vascular structure of the heart 12 . The operator 16 , who is typically a physician, brings the catheter's distal tip 18 into contact with the heart wall at an ablation target site. Functional electroanatomic maps, e.g., electrical activation maps may then be prepared, according to the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,226,542, and 6,301,496, and in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,892,091, whose disclosures are herein incorporated by reference. One commercial product embodying elements of the system 10 is the CARTO® 3 System, available from Biosense Webster, Inc., 3333 Diamond Canyon Road, Diamond Bar, Calif. 91765. This system may be modified by those skilled in the art to embody the principles of the invention described herein.
Areas determined to be abnormal, for example by evaluation of the electrical activation maps, can be ablated by application of thermal energy, e.g., by passage of radiofrequency electrical current through wires in the catheter to one or more electrodes at the distal tip 18 , which apply the radiofrequency energy to the myocardium. The energy is absorbed in the tissue, heating it to a point (typically about 60° C.) at which it permanently loses its electrical excitability. When successful, this procedure creates non-conducting lesions in the cardiac tissue, which disrupt the abnormal electrical pathway causing the arrhythmia. The principles of the invention can be applied to different heart chambers to treat many different cardiac arrhythmias.
The catheter 14 typically comprises a handle 20 , having suitable controls on the handle to enable the operator 16 to steer, position and orient the distal end of the catheter as desired for the ablation. To aid the operator 16 , the distal portion of the catheter 14 contains position sensors (not shown) that provide signals to a position processor 22 , located in a console 24 .
Ablation energy and electrical signals can be conveyed to and from the heart 12 through one or more electrodes 32 located at or near the distal tip 18 via cable 34 to the console 24 . Pacing signals and other control signals may be conveyed from the console 24 through the cable 34 and the electrodes 32 to the heart 12 . One or more sensing electrodes 33 , also connected to the console 24 , are disposed near the ablation electrode 32 and have connections to the cable 34 .
Wire connections 35 link the console 24 with body surface electrodes 30 and other components of a positioning sub-system. The electrodes 32 and the body surface electrodes 30 may be used to measure tissue impedance at the ablation site as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 7,536,218, issued to Govari et al., which is herein incorporated by reference. A temperature sensor such as thermocouples 31 , may be mounted on or near the ablation electrode 32 and optionally or near the sensing electrodes 33 .
The console 24 typically contains one or more ablation power generators 25 . The catheter 14 may be adapted to conduct ablative energy to the heart using any known ablation technique, e.g., radiofrequency energy, ultrasound energy, and laser-produced light energy. Such methods are disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,814,733, 6,997,924, and 7,156,816, which are herein incorporated by reference.
The positioning processor 22 is an element of a positioning subsystem in the system 10 that measures, inter alia, location and orientation coordinates of the catheter 14 .
In one embodiment, the positioning subsystem comprises a magnetic position tracking arrangement that determines the position and orientation of the catheter 14 by generating magnetic fields in a predefined working volume and sensing these fields at the catheter, using field generating coils 28 . The positioning subsystem may employ impedance measurement, as taught, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,756,576, which is hereby incorporated by reference, and in the above-noted U.S. Pat. No. 7,536,218.
As noted above, the catheter 14 is coupled to the console 24 , which enables the operator 16 to observe and regulate the functions of the catheter 14 . Console 24 includes a processor, preferably a computer with appropriate signal processing circuits. The processor is coupled to execute a graphical user interface program that is operative to produce the visual displays described below by driving a monitor 29 . The signal processing circuits typically receive, amplify, filter and digitize signals from the catheter 14 , including signals generated by the above-noted sensors and a plurality of location sensing electrodes (not shown) located distally in the catheter 14 . The digitized signals are received and used by the console 24 and the positioning system to compute the position and orientation of the catheter 14 , and to analyze the electrical signals from the electrodes.
Typically, the system 10 includes other elements, which are not shown in the figures for the sake of simplicity. For example, the system 10 may include an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor, coupled to receive signals from one or more body surface electrodes, to provide an ECG synchronization signal and signal ventricular depolarization events to the console 24 . As mentioned above, the system 10 typically also includes a reference position sensor, either on an externally-applied reference patch attached to the exterior of the subject's body, or on an internally-placed catheter, which is inserted into the heart 12 maintained in a fixed position relative to the heart 12 . Conventional pumps and lines for circulating liquids through the catheter 14 for cooling the ablation site are provided.
With modern imaging systems used for monitoring cardiac catheterization, an increasing abundance of dynamically changing information is presented to the operator, to the extent that efficient processing of the information by the operator is impaired. Modern navigation and ablation catheters typically have multiple sensors, sensing electrodes, and ablation electrodes, which can be active in many combinations. Each of these has its own time-varying status, which is important for the operator to evaluate concurrently with extensive electroanatomic information regarding cardiac function.
User Interface
Reference is now made to FIG. 2 , which is a typical screen display of an electroanatomic map of the left atrium, which is generated by the graphical user interface program on monitor 29 by the system 10 ( FIG. 1 ), in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Right pane 37 shows electrograms obtained from multiple electrodes catheter. Left pane 39 presents a snapshot of a 4-dimensional LAT map 41 that was obtained at a time corresponding to vertical line 43 in the right pane 37 . A spherical icon 45 activates upon detection of an R-wave or QRS complex in one of the tracings or in another ECG lead (not shown). In the snapshot of the left pane 39 , the icon 45 is not activated, suggesting that signals being received from atrial regions 47 , 49 at the time of the snapshot are not far-field signals from the ventricle. While the icon 45 is spherical, both its shape and its location with respect to the map 41 are exemplary and not limiting. Other shapes and locations of the icon 45 are possible, so long as the relative states of activation of the icon and the atria are readily presented to the operator.
In one embodiment the icon 45 is spaced apart from the map 41 . Alternatively, the icon 45 may be placed approximately the center of mass of the ventricles. In any case, visual indicia, e.g., coloring of the icon 45 , are referenced to detections of ventricular depolarization, such as an R wave or QRS complex. The color scale for the icon 45 and the map 41 should be the same, in order to facilitate its interpretation by the operator. A different color scale would be less intuitive, and even confusing to the operator. It would likely create a distorted impression of the information displayed on the map.
Reference is now made to FIG. 3 , which is a screen display similar to FIG. 2 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Atrial depolarization is detected in atrial region 51 . The icon 45 is active, indicating that ventricular depolarization has occurred. However the activation time is not consistent with the activation times of the atrial region 51 . It may be concluded with confidence that the signals received at the time of the snapshot from the atrial region 51 are not affected by far-field signals from the ventricle.
Reference is now made to FIG. 4 , which is another screen display similar to FIG. 2 showing the posterior wall of the atria, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The snapshot of the 4-dimensional LAT map is obtained at a time corresponding to vertical line 53 . At this time activity is noted on tracing 55 and a concurrent deflection indicative of ventricular depolarization is seen on tracing 57 . The icon 45 is active, consistent with the occurrence of ventricular depolarization. An atrial region 59 is monitored by a lead from which the tracing 55 was obtained. The region 59 shows apparent activation in the region of the sino-atrial (SA) node; however, because it is concurrent with the activation of the icon 45 , the region 59 cannot be reliably interpreted on this snapshot, as the lead may have detected far-field ventricular activity While the operator could reference the tracing 57 , evaluate the ordered atrial activations on the right pane, and deduce that the activation of region 59 as well as activations of neighboring regions are inconsistent with physiologic SA node activation, the illuminated state (or other visual appearance) of the icon 45 relieves the operator from the burden of this sort of analysis.
Reference is now made to FIG. 5 , which is a screen display similar to FIG. 2 , in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. A large region 61 shows apparent activation, but is coincident with ventricular depolarization, as shown by the illuminated state of the icon 45 . The map 41 indicates locations 63 of mapping electrodes of the cardiac catheter (not shown).
While snapshots are necessarily shown in the above-described figures, in practice the operator views a 4-dimensional LAT map, and becomes immediately aware of ventricular depolarization when activation of the icon 45 occurs. This avoids the inconvenience of reference to and interpretation of the extensive data shown on the right pane 37 . In particular, the information provided by the icon 45 relates presumptive atrial annotations to ventricular depolarization. When a presumptive annotation is represented at an atrial location on the map 41 the operator can immediately determine if ventricular depolarization is present at the same time. If so, the event is suspect as being a false annotation because it may be corrupted by far-field signals from the ventricle.
Operation
Reference is now made to FIG. 6 , which is a flow-chart of a method of indicating ventricular electrical activity during atrial mapping in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The process steps are shown in a particular linear sequence in FIG. 6 for clarity of presentation. However, it will be evident that many of them can be performed in parallel, asynchronously, or in different orders. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that a process could alternatively be represented as a number of interrelated states or events, e.g., in a state diagram. Moreover, not all illustrated process steps may be required to implement the method.
At initial step 65 the heart is catheterized conventionally using any suitable multi-electrode catheter. Catheters such as the PentaRay® NAV or Navistar® Thermocool® catheters, available from Biosense Webster, are suitable for initial step 65 . The electrodes of the catheter is placed in galvanic contact with respective locations in one of the atria.
Next, at step 67 recording of cardiac electrical activity occurs and an activation map of the heart is generated. Step 67 comprises step 69 where atrial activity is recorded. Step 69 is usually performed concurrently with the multiple electrodes of the catheter, each having a respective location in the atrium, as indicated in FIG. 5 . At the same time ventricular activity is recorded in step 71 , for example by using body surface electrodes. QRS complexes or R waves indicative of ventricular depolarization are input to the processor 22 ( FIG. 1 ), which activates of an icon on a graphical user interface, e.g., the icon 45 shown in the preceding figures. The time relationships of ventricular depolarization shown on the graphical display as the same visual scheme as that of the atrial electrodes, except that the visual scheme is linked to ventricular depolarization rather than to depolarization of the atria.
At step 73 atrial depolarization is detected in one or more of the locations of the catheter electrodes.
Control now proceeds to decision step 75 , where it is determined if concurrent ventricular depolarization was present concurrently with the atrial depolarization by reference to the above-mentioned icon. If the determination at decision step 75 is affirmative, then control proceeds to step 77 . The state of the icon constitutes the operator that the detection of atrial depolarization may not be reliable. The icon thus alerts the operator to the possibility that the detection of atrial depolarization may be a false is a suspect atrial activation, i.e., a false annotation event, and that far-field ventricular activity may be responsible.
If the determination at decision step 75 is negative, then control proceeds to step 79 . The detection of atrial depolarization is considered to be valid, and a local activation time of the location in which the atrial depolarization was detected is noted. There is no concern for VFF detection.
After performing step 77 or step 79 control returns to step 67 to iterate the procedure.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather, the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and sub-combinations of the various features described hereinabove, as well as variations and modifications thereof that are not in the prior art, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description. | Cardiac catheterization is carried out using a probe having sensing electrodes disposed on a distal portion thereof, placing the sensing electrodes in galvanic contact with respective locations in an atrium of the heart, thereafter acquiring electrograms from the sensing electrodes while concurrently detecting ventricular depolarization events, generating from the electrograms a time-varying electroanatomic map showing electrical propagation in the heart, and displaying the electroanatomic map in a series of visual images, the images including an icon that visually indicates the ventricular depolarization events. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to prostanoic acid derivatives as potent ocular hypotensives that are particularly suited for the management of glaucoma.
2. Description of Related Art
Ocular hypotensive agents are useful in the treatment of a number of various ocular hypertensive conditions, such as post-surgical and post-laser trabeculectomy ocular hypertensive episodes, glaucoma, and as presurgical adjuncts.
Glaucoma is a disease of the eye characterized by increased intraocular pressure. On the basis of its etiology, glaucoma has been classified as primary or secondary. For example, primary glaucoma in adults (congenital glaucoma) may be either open-angle or acute or chronic angle-closure. Secondary glaucoma results from pre-existing ocular diseases such as uveitis, intraocular tumor or an enlarged cataract.
The underlying causes of primary glaucoma are not yet known. The increased intraocular tension is due to the obstruction of aqueous humor outflow. In chronic open-angle glaucoma, the anterior chamber and its anatomic structures appear normal, but drainage of the aqueous humor is impeded. In acute or chronic angle-closure glaucoma, the anterior chamber is shallow, the filtration angle is narrowed, and the iris may obstruct the trabecular meshwork at the entrance of the canal of Schlemm. Dilation of the pupil may push the root of the iris forward against the angle, and may produce pupilary block and thus precipitate an acute attack. Eyes with narrow anterior chamber angles are predisposed to acute angle-closure glaucoma attacks of various degrees of severity.
Secondary glaucoma is caused by any interference with the flow of aqueous humor from the posterior chamber into the anterior chamber and subsequently, into the canal of Schlemm. Inflammatory disease of the anterior segment may prevent aqueous escape by causing complete posterior synechia in iris bombe, and may plug the drainage channel with exudates. Other common causes are intraocular tumors, enlarged cataracts, central retinal vein occlusion, trauma to the eye, operative procedures and intraocular hemorrhage.
Considering all types together, glaucoma occurs in about 2% of all persons over the age of 40 and may be asymptotic for years before progressing to rapid loss of vision. In cases where surgery is not indicated, topical b-adrenoreceptor antagonists have traditionally been the drugs of choice for treating glaucoma.
Certain eicosanoids and their derivatives have been reported to possess ocular hypotensive activity, and have been recommended for use in glaucoma management. Eicosanoids and derivatives include numerous biologically important compounds such as prostaglandins and their derivatives. Prostaglandins can be described as derivatives of prostanoic acid which have the following structural formula:
Various types of prostaglandins are known, depending on the structure and substituents carried on the alicyclic ring of the prostanoic acid skeleton. Further classification is based on the number of unsaturated bonds in the side chain indicated by numerical subscripts after the generic type of prostaglandin [e.g. prostaglandin E 1 (PGE 1 ), prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 )], and on the configuration of the substituents on the alicyclic ring indicated by α or β [e.g. prostaglandin F 2α (PGF 2β )].
Prostaglandins were earlier regarded as potent ocular hypertensives, however, evidence accumulated in the last decade shows that some prostaglandins are highly effective ocular hypotensive agents, and are ideally suited for the long-term medical management of glaucoma (see, for example, Bito, L. Z. Biological Protection with Prostaglandins , Cohen, M. M., ed., Boca Raton, Fla., CRC Press Inc., 1985, pp. 231-252; and Bito, L. Z., Applied Pharmacology in the Medical Treatment of Glaucomas Drance, S. M. and Neufeld, A. H. eds., New York, Grune & Stratton, 1984, pp. 477-505. Such prostaglandins include PGF 2α , PGF 1α , PGE 2 , and certain lipid-soluble esters, such as C 1 to C 2 alkyl esters, e.g. 1-isopropyl ester, of such compounds.
Although the precise mechanism is not yet known experimental results indicate that the prostaglandin-induced reduction in intraocular pressure results from increased uveoscleral outflow [Nilsson et. al., Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci . (suppl), 284 (1987)].
The isopropyl ester of PGF 2α has been shown to have significantly greater hypotensive potency than the parent compound, presumably as a result of its more effective penetration through the cornea. In 1987, this compound was described as “the most potent ocular hypotensive agent ever reported” [see, for example, Bito, L. Z., Arch. Ophthalmol . 105, 1036 (1987), and Siebold et al., Prodrug 5 3 (1989)].
Whereas prostaglandins appear to be devoid of significant intraocular side effects, ocular surface (conjunctival) hyperemia and foreign-body sensation have been consistently associated with the topical ocular use of such compounds, in particular PGF 2α and its prodrugs, e.g., its 1-isopropyl ester, in humans. The clinical potentials of prostaglandins in the management of conditions associated with increased ocular pressure, e.g. glaucoma are greatly limited by these side effects.
In a series of co-pending United States patent applications assigned to Allergan, Inc. prostaglandin esters with increased ocular hypotensive activity accompanied with no or substantially reduced side-effects are disclosed. The co-pending U.S. Ser. No. 596,430 (filed 10 Oct. 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,041), relates to certain 11-acyl-prostaglandins, such as 11-pivaloyl, 11-acetyl, 11-isobutyryl, 11-valeryl, and 11-isovaleryl PGF 2α . Intraocular pressure reducing 15-acyl prostaglandins are disclosed in the co-pending application U.S. Ser. No. 175,476 (filed 29 Dec. 1993). Similarly, 11,15- 9,15 and 9,11-diesters of prostaglandins, for example 11,15-dipivaloyl PGF 2α are known to have ocular hypotensive activity. See the co-pending patent applications U.S. Ser. No. 385,645 (filed 07 Jul. 1989, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,994,274), U.S. Ser. No. 584,370 (filed 18 Sep. 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,624) and U.S. Ser. No. 585,284 (filed 18 Sep. 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,413). Recently, we have also shown that 17-napthyl and benzothienyl prostaglandin compounds also have ocular hypotensive activity (U.S. Ser. No. 859,770, filed 17 May 2001). The disclosures of all of these patent applications are hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
Certain 15,15-dimethyl prostaglandins with antihypertensive, gastric acid secretion inhibition, and smooth muscle stimulant properties, are known to have improved metabolic stability. These are described by Pernet et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,117,014 (filed 23 Dec. 1976), the disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a method of treating ocular hypertension which comprises administering to a mammal having ocular hypertension a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of Formula I
wherein the dashed line indicates the presence or absence of a bond, the hatched wedge indicates the α (down) configuration, and the solid triangle indicates the β (up) configuration; B is a single, double, or triple covalent bond; n is 0-6; X is CH 2 , S or O; Y is any pharmaceutically acceptable salt of CO 2 H, or CO 2 R, CONR 2 , NHCH 2 CH 2 OH, N(CH 2 CH 2 OH) 2 , CH 2 OR, P(O)(OR) 2 , CONRSO 2 R, SONR 2 , or
R is H, C 1-6 alkyl or C 2-6 alkenyl; R 2 and R 3 are C 1-6 linear alkyl which may be the same or different, and may be bonded to each other such that they form a ring incorporating the carbon to which they are commonly attached; R 4 is hydrogen, R, C(═O)R, or any group that is easily removed under physiological conditions such that R 4 is effectively hydrogen; R 5 is hydrogen or R; R 6 is
i) hydrogen; ii) a linear or branched hydrocarbon containing between 1 and 8 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more double or triple bonds, or oxygen or halogen derivatives of said hydrocarbon, wherein 1-3 carbon or hydrogen atoms may be substituted by O or a halogen; or iii) aryloxy, heteroaryloxy, C 3-8 cycloalkyloxy, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, C 6-10 aryl or C 3-10 heteroaryl, wherein one or more carbons is substituted with N, O, or S; and which may contain one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, trihalomethyl, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, C 6-10 aryl, C 3-10 heteroaryl, aryloxy, heteroaryloxy, C 1-6 alkyl, OR, SR, and SO 2 R.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to a pharmaceutical product, comprising a container adapted to dispense its contents in a metered form; and an ophthalmic solution therein, as hereinabove defined.
In another aspect, certain of the compounds represented by the above formula, disclosed below and utilized in the method of the present invention are novel and unobvious.
In a further aspect, certain elements of the processes of preparing the compounds represented by the above formula and described herein are novel and unobvious.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
Schemes 1-7 illustrate possible ways to prepare compounds of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the use of prostanoic acid derivatives as ocular hypotensives. The compounds used in accordance with the present invention are encompassed by the following structural formula I:
A preferred group of the compounds of the present invention includes compounds that do not have the following structural formula II:
wherein
A is CO 2 H or CO 2 Me; D is a single, double, or triple covalent bond; E is a linear, branched, or cycloalkyl chain of 3 to 7 carbons, trifluoromethylbutyl, hydroxylalkyl, or CH 2 R 7 wherein R 7 is phenyl, cyclopentyl, phenoxy, chlorophenoxy, propoxy, or —CH 2 SCH 2 CH 3 ; J is hydrogen, R, C(═O)R, or any group that is easily removed under physiological conditions such that R 4 is effectively hydrogen; and G is H or CH 3 .
Another preferred group includes compounds having formula III:
Another preferred group includes compounds having formula IV:
Another preferred group includes compounds having formula V:
wherein at least one of R 2 and R 3 is not methyl.
In the above formulae, the substituents and symbols are as hereinabove defined.
In the above formulae:
Preferably Y is any pharmaceutically acceptable salt of CO 2 H or CO 2 R. More preferably Y is CO 2 H or CO 2 Me.
Preferably n is 2.
Preferably, R 6 is C 6-10 aryl or C 3-10 heteroaryl, which may contain one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, trihalomethyl, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, C 1-6 alkyl, OR, SR, and SO 2 R. More preferably R 6 is phenyl, napthyl, benzofuranyl, or benzothienyl, which may contain one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, trihalomethyl, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, C 1-6 alkyl, OR, SR, and SO 2 R. Most preferred is 3-chlorobenzothien-2-yl.
Another preferred group includes compounds having formula XIII:
wherein B represents a single or double bond;
and R 6 is napthyl, benzofuranyl, or benzothienyl, which may contain one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, trihalomethyl, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, C 1-6 alkyl, OR, SR, and SO 2 R.
In another aspect of this invention, certain elements of the method making the compounds of the invention are novel and unobvious. One such novel and unobvious element is the application of the use of Baker's yeast as a reducing agent as reported by Brooks and coworkers (Brooks, et. al., “Asymmetric Microbial Reduction of Prochiral 2,2-Disubstituted Cycloalkanediones”, J. Org. Chem ., 1987, 52, 3223-3232) in the synthesis of compounds of this invention. In this novel and unobvious application of this reaction, Baker's yeast is used to carry out an asymmetric reduction of a compound of formula VII, which is a 2,2-dialkylcyclopentane-1,3-dione, to a compound of formula VIII, which is a 2,2-dialkyl-3(S)-hydroxycyclopentanone. A compound of formula VIII is then used to prepare compounds of this invention.
The two alkyl groups, R 2 and R 3 of the compounds of formula VI and VII, in this reaction are the same as those defined for compounds of Formula I above. In the case where the two alkyl groups are different, a mixture of diastereomers is formed, which can be separated by conventional separation methods to obtain the enantiomerically pure products.
Preparation of 2,2-dialkylcyclopentan-1,3-diones is well known in the art. One convenient way that a large variety of these compounds can be prepared is by base-mediated alkylation of carbon-2 of the cyclopentane-1,3-dione using an alkyl halide or equivalent compound. This type of reaction is well known in the art. The preparation of three general types of 2,2-dialkylcyclopentan-1,3-diones using this alkylation reaction is illustrated in Scheme 1. Compounds where one of the alkyl groups is methyl can be prepared by a simple alkylation reaction from commercially available 2-methylcyclopentan-1,3-dione 1 (Equation 1). In the case neither of the alkyl groups in the 2,2-dialkylcyclopentan-1,3-dione are methyl (compound 2b), these compounds can be prepared from cyclopentan-1,3-dione by two consecutive alkylation reactions (Equation 2). In the case where the two alkyl groups in the 2,2-dialkylcyclopentan-1,3-dione are the same, these alkylation reactions can be carried out in a one-pot procedure. In the case where the two alkyl groups to form a cyclic compound incorporating C 2 of the cyclopentanone into the ring, otherwise known as a spiroketone, these compounds can be prepared by using a dihaloalkane or equivalent compound to carry out a intermolecular alkylation followed by an intramolecular alkylation (Equation 3), which could be carried out in a one or two pot process. Those skilled in the art will recognize that there are many ways to prepare 2,2-dialkylcyclopentan-1,3-diones, and the reactions of Scheme 1 are included to illustrate that these compounds can be readily prepared or obtained by those skilled in the art, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
In another novel and unobvious aspect of this invention, compounds of the invention represented by Formula VIII are prepared by a process that comprises the following steps:
i) reacting a compound of Formula IX with a compound of Formula X in the presence of a suitable base to form a compound of Formula XI;
ii) coupling a compound of Formula XI with a compound of Formula XII; and
iii) removing the protecting groups and separating the diastereomers to obtain the desired products;
wherein the hatched wedges indicate the α (down) configuration, the solid triangles indicate the β (up) configuration, and the wavy lines indicate either the cis (Z) or trans (Z) conformation;
n is 0-6; B is a single, double, or triple covalent bond; J is a protecting group that can be easily removed to form the respective hydroxide group without affecting the rest of the molecule; R is C 1-6 alkyl or C 2-6 alkenyl; R 2 and R 3 are C 1-6 linear alkyl which may be the same or different, and may be bonded to each other such that they form a ring incorporating the carbon to which they are commonly attached; X is S or O; and M is a group that comprises one or more metal atoms.
All of the compounds encompassed by this invention can be prepared using the methods described above supplemented by methods known to those skilled in the art. The synthesis of several compounds of the invention is illustrated in Schemes 2-7. These Schemes that are included herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Although there are several ways the reduction of compounds of Formula VI to Formula VII could be incorporated into the synthesis of these compounds, one convenient way to this is shown in Scheme 2. In this Scheme, compound 2 is a compound of Formula VI and compound 3 is a compound of formula VII. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that there are many ways in which the reduction could be used to prepare compounds of this invention.
TABLE 1
Low Rf
High Rf
Structure
diastereomer
diastereomer
21
22
23
24
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
The compounds named below, and illustrated in Table 1, are especially preferred representatives of the compounds of the present invention:
(3-{(1R,4S,5S)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentylsulfanyl}-propylsulfanyl)-acetic acid methyl ester (21, 22); (3-{(1R,4S,5S)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentylsulfanyl}-propylsulfanyl)-acetic acid (23, 24); (Z)-7-{(1R,4S,5R)-5-[(E)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl}-hept-5-ynoic acid methyl ester (34, 35); (Z)-7-{(1R,4S,5R)-5-[(E)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl}-hept-5-ynoic acid (36,37); (Z)-7-{(1R,4S,5R)-5-[(E)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl}-hept-5-enoic acid methyl ester (38,39); (Z)-7-{(1R,4S,5R)-5-[(E)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl}-hept-5-enoic acid (40,41); 7-[(1R,4S,5R)-4-Hydroxy-5-((E)-(S)-3-hydroxy-oct-1-enyl)-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl]-hept-5-ynoic acid methyl ester (42) 7-[(1R,4S,5R)-4-Hydroxy-5-((E)-(S)-3-hydroxy-oct-1-enyl)-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl]-hept-5-ynoic acid (43) (Z)-7-[(1R,4S,5R)-4-Hydroxy-5-((E)-(S)-3-hydroxy-oct-1-enyl)-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl]-hept-5-enoic acid (44) (Z)-7-[(1R,4S,5R)-4-Hydroxy-5-((E)-(S)-3-hydroxy-oct-1-enyl)-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl]-hept-5-enoic acid methyl ester (45) (Z)-7-[(1R,4S,5R)-4-Hydroxy-5-((E)-3-hydroxy-4-phenyl-but-1-enyl)-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl]-hept-5-enoic acid (46, 47) (Z)-7-[(1R,4S,5R)-4-Hydroxy-5-((E)-3-hydroxy-4-phenyl-but-1-enyl)-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl]-hept-5-enoic acid methyl ester (48, 49) (Z)-7-[(1R,4S,5R)-4-Hydroxy-5-((E)-3-hydroxy-5-phenyl-pent-1-enyl)-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl]-hept-5-enoic acid methyl ester (50,51) (Z)-7-[(1R,4S,5R)-4-Hydroxy-5-((E)-3-hydroxy-5-phenyl-pent-1-enyl)-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl]-hept-5-enoic acid (52,53) (Z)-7-[(1R,4S,5R)-5-((E)-4-Benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl-3-hydroxy-but-1-enyl)-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl]-hept-5-enoic acid (54,55) 7-[(1R,4S,5R)-5-((E)-4-Benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl-3-hydroxy-but-1-enyl)-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl]-heptanoic acid (56,57) (Z)-7-[(1R,4S,5R)-5-(4-Benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl-3-hydroxy-butyl)-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl]-hept-5-enoic acid (58,59) (Z)-7-[(1R,4S,5R)-5-((E)-4-Benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl-3-hydroxy-but-1-enyl)-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl]-hept-5-enoic acid ethylamide (60,61) (Z)-7-[(1R,4S,5R)-5-((E)-4-Benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl-3-hydroxy-but-1-enyl)-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl]-hept-5-enoic acid diethylamide (62,63) (Z)-7-[(1R,4S,5R)-5-((E)-4-Benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl-3-hydroxy-but-1-enyl)-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl)-hept-5-enoic acid (2-hydroxy-ethyl)-amide (64,65) (3S,4R,5R)-4-((E)-4-Benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl-3-hydroxy-but-1-enyl)-3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-5-[(Z)-6-(1-H-tetrazol-5-yl)-hex-2-enyl]-cyclopentanone (66,67)
Pharmaceutical compositions may be prepared by combining a therapeutically effective amount of at least one compound according to the present invention, or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt thereof, as an active ingredient, with conventional ophthalmically acceptable pharmaceutical excipients, and by preparation of unit dosage forms suitable for topical ocular use. The therapeutically efficient amount typically is between about 0.0001 and about 5% (w/v), preferably about 0.001 to about 1.0% (w/v) in liquid formulations.
For ophthalmic application, preferably solutions are prepared using a physiological saline solution as a major vehicle. The pH of such ophthalmic solutions should preferably be maintained between 6.5 and 7.2 with an appropriate buffer system. The formulations may also contain conventional, pharmaceutically acceptable preservatives, stabilizers and surfactants.
Preferred preservatives that may be used in the pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention include, but are not limited to, benzalkonium chloride, chlorobutanol, thimerosal, phenylmercuric acetate and phenylmercuric nitrate. A preferred surfactant is, for example, Tween 80. Likewise, various preferred vehicles may be used in the ophthalmic preparations of the present invention. These vehicles include, but are not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol, povidone, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, poloxamers, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose and purified water.
Tonicity adjustors may be added as needed or convenient. They include, but are not limited to, salts, particularly sodium chloride, potassium chloride, mannitol and glycerin, or any other suitable ophthalmically acceptable tonicity adjustor.
Various buffers and means for adjusting pH may be used so long as the resulting preparation is ophthalmically acceptable. Accordingly, buffers include acetate buffers, citrate buffers, phosphate buffers and borate buffers. Acids or bases may be used to adjust the pH of these formulations as needed.
In a similar vein, an ophthalmically acceptable antioxidant for use in the present invention includes, but is not limited to, sodium metabisulfite, sodium thiosulfate, acetylcysteine, butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene.
Other excipient components which may be included in the ophthalmic preparations are chelating agents. The preferred chelating agent is edentate disodium, although other chelating agents may also be used in place or in conjunction with it.
The ingredients are usually used in the following amounts:
Ingredient
Amount (% w/v)
active ingredient
about 0.001-5
preservative
0-0.10
vehicle
0-40
tonicity adjustor
1-10
buffer
0.01-10
pH adjustor
q.s. pH 4.5-7.5
antioxidant
as needed
surfactant
as needed
purified water
as needed to make 100%
The actual dose of the active compounds of the present invention depends on the specific compound, and on the condition to be treated; the selection of the appropriate dose is well within the knowledge of the skilled artisan.
The ophthalmic formulations of the present invention are conveniently packaged in forms suitable for metered application, such as in containers equipped with a dropper, to facilitate the application to the eye. Containers suitable for dropwise application are usually made of suitable inert, non-toxic plastic material, and generally contain between about 0.5 and about 15 ml solution.
SYNTHETIC EXAMPLES
The methods of preparing compounds of this invention are further illustrated by the following non-limiting Examples, which are summarized in the reaction schemes of FIGS. 1-7 wherein the compounds are identified by the same designator in both the Examples and the Figures.
2-Alkyl-cyclopentane-1,3-dione (1a). A mixture of 1,3-cyclopentanedione (89.4 mmol, Aldrich), I-R 2 (96.4 mmol, Aldrich), and KOH (5.097 g, 90.8 mmol) in H 2 O (25 mL)/dioxane (75 mL) is heated at reflux. After 5 h, a solution of KOH (2 g) and I-R 2 (2 mmol) in H 2 O (5 mL)/dioxane (15 mL) is added and after another 3 h at reflux the solution is allowed to stir at room temperature overnight. In the morning, the reaction is continued by addition of a solution of KOH (2 g) and I-R 2 (2.4 mmol) in H 2 O (5 mL)/dioxane (15 mL) and heating at reflux. After 4 h, the mixture is allowed to cool to room temperature and is extracted with ether (1×100 mL, 3×75 mL). The combined ether extracts are evaporated, the residue is combined with HCl (50 mL 10%), and the resulting mixture is placed in a 120° C. oil bath until boiling is observed (ca. 15 min.). The mixture is then allowed to cool to room temperature, is neutralized by addition of NaHCO 3 solution (150 mL, saturated) and the resulting mixture is then extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 (4×75 mL). The combined CH 2 Cl 2 solution is dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated to leave a brown oil which is used directly in the next step.
2-Alkyl-2-methyl-cyclopentane-1,3-dione (2a). A mixture of 2-methyl-1,3-cyclopentanedione (10.025 g, 89.4 mmol, Aldrich), I-R 2 (96.4 mmol, Aldrich), and KOH (5.097 g, 90.8 mmol) in H 2 O (25 mL)/dioxane (75 mL) is heated at reflux. After 5 h, a solution of KOH (2 g) and I-R 2 (2 mmol) in H 2 O (5 mL)/dioxane (15 mL) is added and after another 3 h at reflux the solution is allowed to stir at room temperature overnight. In the morning, the reaction is continued by addition of a solution of KOH (2 g) and I-R 2 (2.4 mmol) in H 2 O (5 mL)/dioxane (15 mL) and heating at reflux. After 4 h, the mixture is allowed to cool to room temperature and is extracted with ether (1×100 mL, 3×75 mL). The combined ether extracts are evaporated, the residue is combined with HCl (50 mL 10%), and the resulting mixture is placed in a 120° C. oil bath until boiling is observed (ca. 15 min.). The mixture is then allowed to cool to room temperature, is neutralized by addition of NaHCO 3 solution (150 mL, saturated) and the resulting mixture is then extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 (4×75 mL). The combined CH 2 Cl 2 solution is dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated to leave a brown oil which is used directly in the next step.
2,2-Dialkyl-methyl-cyclopentane-1,3-dione (2b). A mixture of 2-alkyl-1,3-cyclopentanedione 1a (89.4 mmol, Aldrich), I-R 3 (96.4 mmol, Aldrich), and KOH (5.097 g, 90.8 mmol) in H 2 O (25 mL)/dioxane (75 mL) is heated at reflux. After 5 h, a solution of KOH (2 g) and I-R 3 (2 mmol) in H 2 O (5 mL)/dioxane (15 mL) is added and after another 3 h at reflux the solution is allowed to stir at room temperature overnight. In the morning, the reaction is continued by addition of a solution of KOH (2 g) and I-R 3 (2.4 mmol) in H 2 O (5 mL)/dioxane (15 mL) and heating at reflux. After 4 h, the mixture is allowed to cool to room temperature and is extracted with ether (1×100 mL, 3×75 mL). The combined ether extracts are evaporated, the residue is combined with HCl (50 mL 10%), and the resulting mixture is placed in a 120° C. oil bath until boiling is observed (ca. 15 min.). The mixture is then allowed to cool to room temperature, is neutralized by addition of NaHCO 3 solution (150 mL, saturated) and the resulting mixture is then extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 (4×75 mL). The combined CH 2 Cl 2 solution is dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated to leave a brown oil which is used directly in the next step.
Spiro[2.4]heptane-4,7-dione (2c). A mixture of 2-alkyl-1,3-cyclopentanedione 1a (89.4 mmol, Aldrich), 1,2-dibromoethane (120 mmol, Aldrich), and KOH (5.097 g, 90.8 mmol) in H 2 O (25 mL)/dioxane (75 mL) is heated at reflux for 24 hours. The mixture is allowed to cool, and the crude product is extracted with ether (1×100 mL, 3×75 mL). The combined ether extracts are evaporated, the residue is combined with HCl (50 mL 10%), and the resulting mixture is placed in a 120° C. oil bath until boiling is observed (ca. 15 min.). The mixture is then allowed to cool to room temperature, is neutralized by addition of NaHCO 3 solution (150 mL, saturated) and the resulting mixture is then extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 (4×75 mL). The combined CH 2 Cl 2 solution is dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated to leave a brown oil which is used directly in the next step.
2,2-Dimethyl-cyclopentane-1,3-dione (2). The published procedure was followed. (Agosta, W. C.; Smith, A. B. J. Org. Chem . 1970, 35, 3856) A mixture of 2-methyl-1,3-cyclopentanedione (10.025 g, 89.4 mmol, Aldrich), methyl iodide (6.0 mL, 96.4 mmol, Aldrich), and KOH (5.097 g, 90.8 mmol) in H 2 O (25 mL)/dioxane (75 mL) was heated at reflux. After 5 h, a solution of KOH (2 g) and MeI (2.4 mL) in H 2 O (5 mL)/dioxane (15 mL) was added and after another 3 h at reflux the solution was allowed to stir at room temperature overnight. In the morning, the reaction was continued by addition of a solution of KOH (2 g) and MeI (2.4 mL) in H 2 O (5 mL)/dioxane (15 mL) and heating at reflux. After 4 h, the mixture was allowed to cool to room temperature and was extracted with ether (1×100 mL, 3×75 mL). The combined ether extracts were evaporated, the residue combined with HCl (50 mL 10%), and the resulting mixture was placed in a 120° C. oil bath until boiling was observed (ca. 15 min.). The mixture was then allowed to cool to room temperature, was neutralized by addition of NaHCO 3 solution (150 mL, saturated) and the resulting mixture then extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 (4×75 mL). The combined CH 2 Cl 2 solution was dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated to leave a brown oil (10.474 g, 83 mmol, 93%) which was used directly in the next step.
(S)-3-Hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-cyclopentanone (3). The published procedure was followed. (Brooks, D. W.; Hormoz, M.; Grothaus, P. G. J. Org. Chem . 1987, 52, 3223) A 35° C. (internal temperature) solution of D-glucose (106.73 g, 592 mmol, Aldrich) in H 2 O (690 mL) in a 4 L Erlenmeyer was treated with baker's yeast (71.065 g, Fleischmann's). The mixture was allowed to ferment for 2 h, then 2,2-dimethyl-cyclopentane-1,3-dione (2) (7.316 g, 58 mmol) was added.
The mixture was stirred for 48 h and then filtered through celite, washing with about 1 L CH 2 Cl 2 . The filtration was difficult due to the thick consistency of the yeast and it helped to continually add CH 2 Cl 2 to the mixture and scrape the top of the celite layer with a spatula. The filtrate was transferred to a separatory funnel, and 100 mL brine was added and the layers were separated. Brine (400 mL) was added to the aqueous layer and the resulting solution extracted further with CH 2 Cl 2 (3×500 mL). The combined CH 2 Cl 2 solution was dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated to leave a yellow oil. Flash chromatography (11×5 cm, 20% EtOAc/hexs→25%→30%→40%→50%) gave alcohol 3 (2.435 g, 19 mmol, 33%).
The enantiomeric excess of 3 was assayed by 1 H NMR of the corresponding Mosher's ester which was prepared by treatment of alcohol 3 (11 mg, 0.09 mmol) in dichloroethane (0.3 mL, Aldrich) with pyridine (27 μL, 0.33 mmol; Aldrich) and (R)-α-methoxy-α-trifluoromethyphenylacetic acid chloride (58 μL, 0.31 mmol, Fluka). The mixture was stirred overnight and then partitioned between water (10 mL) and ether (10 mL). The ether layer was washed with 1 M HCl (10 mL) and saturated NaHCO 3 solution and then was dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. 1 H NMR analysis was done on the crude ester.
(S)-3-(tert)-Butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy-2,2-dimethyl-cyclopentanone (4). A solution of alcohol 3 (520 mg, 4.1 mmol) and 2,6-lutidine (0.56 mL, 4.8 mmol, Aldrich) in CH 2 Cl 2 (8.0 ml, Aldrich) was treated with TBSOTf (1.0 mL, 4.3 mmol, Aldrich). After 5.5 h, saturated NaHCO 3 solution (20 mL) was added and the mixture extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 (20 mL). The CH 2 Cl 2 solution was washed with 20 mL each of 1 M HCl, saturated NaHCO 3 solution, and brine and then was dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. Flash chromatography (5×5 cm, 10% Et 2 O/pentane) gave TBS ether 4 (698 mg, 2.9 mmol, 70%).
(S)-3-(tert)-Butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy-2,2-dimethyl-5-phenylselanyl-cyclopentanone (5). A solution of TBS ether 4 (1.496 g, 6.2 mmol) in THF (2 mL, Aldrich) was added dropwise to a −78° C. solution of LDA (4.9 mL, 7.3 mmol, 1.5 M/cyclohexane, Aldrich) in THF (22 mL, Aldrich), rinsing with 2 mL THF. After 15 min., a solution of PhSeCl (1.424 g, 7.4 mmol, Aldrich) in THF (2 mL) was quickly added by cannula, rinsing with 2 mL THF. The solution was stirred for 10 min. and then partitioned between 50 mL 0.5 M HCl and 75 mL ether. The ether layer was washed with 30 mL each of water, saturated NaHCO 3 solution, and brine and then was dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. Flash chromatography (2% EtOAc/hexs→4%) gave phenylselenide 5 (1.641 g, 4.1 mmol, 67%) along with 476 mg of mixed fractions containing a lower R f impurity.
(S)-4-(tert)-Butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy-5,5-dimethyl-cyclopent-2-enone(6). A solution of selenide 5 (1.641 g, 4.1 mmol) and pyridine (0.62 mL, 7.7 mmol, Aldrich) in CH 2 Cl 2 (13 mL, Aldrich) was treated with H 2 O (1 mL) and 30% H 2 O 2 (1.1 mL, Aldrich). The mixture was stirred for 30 min. and then was partitioned between 25 mL CH 2 Cl 2 and 25 mL saturated NaHCO 3 solution. The aqueous layer was extracted with 25 mL CH 2 Cl 2 and the combined CH 2 Cl 2 solution washed with 1 M HCl (2×25 mL) and brine (50 mL). The solution was then dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated to leave an orange oil. Flash chromatography (6×4 cm, 10% ether/pentane) gave enone 6 (572 mg, 2.4 mmol, 59%).
(3-Mercapto-propylsulfanyl)-acetic acid methyl ester (8). An ice-cold solution of 1,3-dithiane (2.0 mL, 19.9 mmol) in THF (40 mL) was treated with NaH (819 mg, 20.5 mmol). After 30 min., methyl bromoacetate (1.9 mL, 20.0 mmol) was added and the mixture stirred for 3.5 h at room temperature. The reaction was quenched by addition of MeOH and then 50 mL 1 M HCl. The mixture was extracted with ether (2×50 mL) and the combined ether solution washed with saturated sodium bicarbonate solution (50 mL) and brine (50 mL) and then was dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. Purification by flash chromatography on silica gel (10-15% ethyl acetate/hexanes) gave 971 mg (5.38 mmol, 27%) of the thiol.
{3-[(S)-3-(tert)-Butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy)-4,4-dimethyl-5-oxo-cyclopent-1-enylsulfanyl]-propylsulfanyl}-acetic acid methyl ester (10). A solution of enone 6 (156 mg, 0.65 mmol) in MeOH (4.3 mL) was treated with 30% H 2 O 2 (0.21 mL) and 1 M NaOH (32 μL). After 4 h, 20 mL saturated ammonium chloride solution was added and the mixture was extracted with dichloromethane (3×10 mL). The combined dichloromethane solution was dried (Na 2 SO 4 ), filtered and evaporated in vacuo.
A solution of thiol 8 (110 mg, 0.61 mmol) in dichloromethane (3 mL) was added to the crude epoxide (9) by cannula, rinsing with 1.2 mL. Basic alumina (628 mg) was added and the mixture stirred for 16 h. The solvent was evaporated and purification of the residue by flash chromatography on silica gel (15% ethyl acetate/hexanes) gave 129 mg (0.31 mmol, 48%) of the coupled enone (10).
(3-Chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-methanol (12). To an ice cold solution of 10.0 g (47.0 mmol) of 3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxylic acid (11) in 200 mL of THF was added 47 mL of LiAlH 4 (47 mmol, 1 M/THF). After 3 h, the reaction was quenched by addition of MeOH (ca. 40 mL). The volatiles were evaporated and the residue was treated with 50 mL 1 M HCl. After stirring for 10 min., the mixture was extracted with CH 2 Cl 2 (3×150 mL). The combined CH 2 Cl 2 solution was dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. Purification by flash chromatography on silica gel (10-20% ethyl acetate/hexane) gave 4.32 g (21.6 mmol, 46%) of the alcohol (12).
3-Chloro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-carbaldehyde (13). A solution of alcohol 12 (4.32 g, 21.6 mmol) in 40 mL of CH 2 Cl 2 was treated with 4A molecular sieves, NMO (3.81 g, 32.5 mmol), and TPAP (381 mg, 1.08 mmol). The reaction was stirred for 10 min. and then was evaporated to dryness. Purification by flash chromatography on silica gel (2% ethyl acetate/hexane) gave 3.52 g (18.3 mmol, 84%) of the aldehyde (13).
(E)-3-(3-Chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-acrylic acid methyl ester (14). A solution of 3.52 g (18.3 mmol) of 13 in 50 mL toluene was treated with methyl(triphenylphosphoranylidene)acetate (7.48 g, 21.9 mmol). After 4 h, saturated NaHCO 3 solution (50 mL) was added and the mixture extracted with ethyl acetate (2×75 mL). The combined ethyl acetate solution was washed with brine (50 mL), dried (Na 2 SO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. Purification by flash chromatography on silica gel (5% ethyl acetate/hexane) provided 3.60 g (14.6 mmol, 80%) of the enoate (14).
3-(3-Chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-propionic acid methyl ester (15). A solution of 3.60 g (14.6 mmol) of 14 in 50 mL THF was treated with Wilkinson's catalyst (3.35 g, 3.62 mmol). The mixture was stirred under 1 atm H 2 for 18 h and then was filtered through celite. The solvent was evaporated and the residue purified by flash chromatography on silica gel (0-2% ethyl acetate/hexane) to give 3.63 g (14.3 mmol, 99%) of the saturated ester (15).
3-(3-Chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-propan-1-ol (16). An ice cold solution of 3.63 g (14.3 mmol) of 15 in 60 mL of ether was treated with LiBH 4 (621 mg, 28.5 mmol) and methanol (2 mL). After 30 min., 30 mL of 0.5 M NaOH solution was added. The mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (2×25 mL) and the combined ethyl acetate solution washed with brine (50 mL), dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. The residue was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel (5-20% ethyl acetate/hexane) to give 2.57 g (11.3 mmol, 79%) of the alcohol (16).
3-(3-Chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-propionaldehyde (17). A −78° C. solution of oxalyl chloride (1.73 g, 13.6 mmol) in dichloromethane (20 mL) was treated with DMSO (20 mL). After 5 min., a solution of alcohol 16 (2.57 g, 11.3 mmol) in dichloromethane (20 mL) was added. After another 15 min., triethylamine (7.1 mL, 50.6 mmol) was added. The reaction was stirred at −78° C. for 5 min., and then allowed to warm to room temperature. After 30 min., 100 mL water was added and the mixture extracted with dichloromethane (3×60 mL). The combined dichloromethane solution was dried (Na 2 SO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. Purification by flash chromatography on silica gel (10% ethyl acetate/hexane) gave 2.11 g (9.4 mmol, 83%) of the aldehyde (17).
5-(3-Chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-pent-1-yn-3-ol (18). A solution of aldehyde 17 (2.11 g, 9.4 mmol) in 15 mL THF was added to a solution of ethynylmagnesium bromide (28.2 mL, 14.1 mmol, 0.5 M THF) at 0° C. After 1.5 h, saturated NH 4 Cl solution (75 mL) was added and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (3×50 mL). The combined ethyl acetate solution was washed with brine (50 mL) and then was dried (Na 2 SO 4 ), filtered and evaporated: Purification by flash chromatography (5-20% ethyl acetate/hexane) gave 2.20 g (8.78 mmol, 93%) of the alcohol (18).
tert-Butyl-{1-[2-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)ethyl]-prop-2-ynyloxy}-dimethyl-silane (19). A solution of alcohol 18 (2.20 g, 8.78 mmol) in dichloromethane (15 mL) was treated with DMAP (215 mg, 1.8 mmol), TBSCl (1.59 g, 10.5 mmol), and triethylamine (1.8 mL, 13.2 mmol). The reaction was stirred for 24 h and then saturated sodium bicarbonate solution (50 mL) was added. The mixture was extracted with dichloromethane (2×50 mL) and the combined dichloromethane solution dried (Na 2 SO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. Purification by flash chromatography (4% ethyl acetate/hexane) gave 3.06 g (6.4 mmol, 73%) of the protected alcohol (19).
(3-{(1R,4S,5S)-4-(tert-Butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy)-5-[(E)-3-(tert-butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-pent-1-enyl]-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentylsulfanyl}-propylsulfanyl)-acetic acid methyl ester (20). A solution of alkyne 19 (105 mg, 0.28 mmol) in THF (1.2 mL) was treated with bis(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium chloride hydride (91 mg, 0.35 mmol). The reaction was stirred for 30 min., then was cooled to −78° C. and treated with methyllithium (0.46 mL, 0.64 mmol, 1.4 M in ether). After 10 min., a precooled (−78° C.) solution of lithium 2-thienylcyanocuprate (1.3 mL, 0.33 mmol, 0.25 M in THF) was added by cannula. The reaction was stirred for 45 min. and then enone 10 (61 mg, 0.15 mmol) in 0.2 mL THF was added by cannula, rinsing with 0.2 mL THF. After 1 h, The reaction was quenched by addition of 20 mL 1:1 saturated ammonium chloride solution/concentrated ammonium hydroxide. The mixture was stirred for 45 min. and then was extracted with ethyl acetate (3×20 mL). The combined ethyl acetate solution was dried (Na 2 SO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. Purification by flash chromatography on silica gel (10% ethyl acetate/hexanes) gave 51 mg (0.064 mmol, 43%) of the coupled product (20).
(3-{(1R,4S,5S)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentylsulfanyl}-propylsulfanyl)-acetic acid methyl ester (21, 22). A solution of 20 (51 mg, 0.064 mmol) in CH 3 CN (1.6 mL) was treated with HF-pyridine (0.26 mL). The reaction was stirred for 24 h and then was quenched by addition of 15 mL saturated sodium bicarbonate solution. The mixture was extracted with dichloromethane (3×10 mL) and the combined dichloromethane solution was dried (Na 2 SO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. Purification by preparative thin layer chromatography on silica gel (40% ethyl acetate/hexanes) gave 12 mg (0.023 mmol, 71%) of each diastereomer.
(3-{(1R,4S,5S)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentylsulfanyl}-propylsulfanyl)-acetic acid (23, 24). Rabbit liver esterase (9 mg) was added to a solution of the lower R f ester 21 (11 mg, 0.021 mmol) in pH 7.2 phosphate buffer (0.5 mL)/CH 3 CN (0.1 mL). The mixture was stirred overnight and then 10 mL 0.5 M HCl was added along with a few mL's of brine. The mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (3×10 mL) and the combined ethyl acetate solution dried (Na 2 SO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. Purification by flash chromatography on silica gel (3-5% MeOH/CH 2 Cl 2 ) gave 4 mg (0.0078 mmol, 37%) of the acid (23). 300 MHz 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 , ppm) δ 7.73 (2H, d, J=8.4 Hz) 7.4-7.3 (2H, m) 5.9-5.8 (1H, m) 5.8-5.7 (1H, m) 4.4-4.3 (1H, m) 3.63 (1H, d, J=9.7 Hz) 3.21 (2H, s) 3.1-2.4 (11H, overlapping m) 2.1-1.7 (4H, overlapping m) 1.12 (3H, s) 1.03 (3H, s).
The higher R f ester was hydrolyzed similarly except a solution of rabbit liver esterase (10 mg) in 0.5 mL of pH 7.2 phosphate buffer was added to a solution of the ester (10 mg, 0.019 mmol) in CH 3 CN (0.2 mL). The reaction was stirred for 22 h and then worked up and purified as above. This gave 7 mg (0.013 mmol, 71%) of the acid (24). 300 MHz 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 , ppm) δ 7.73 (2H, d, J=8.8 Hz) 7.44-7.31 (2H, m) 5.9-5.8 (1H, m) 5.8-5.7 (1H, m) 4.4-4.3 (1H, m) 3.64 (1H, d, J=9.7 Hz) 3.3-2.3 (13H, overlapping m) 2.1-1.7 (4H, overlapping m) 1.12 (3H, s) 1.03 (3H, s).
tert-Butyl-hex-5-ynyloxy-dimethyl-silane (26).
7-(tert-Butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy)-hept-2-yn-1-ol (27).
Acetic acid 7-(tert-butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy)-hept-2-ynyl ester (28). A solution of 7-(tert-Butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy)-hept-2-yn-1-ol 27 (4.507 g, 21 mmol) in pyridine (20 mL) was treated with acetic anhydride (3.0 mL, 31.8 mmol). After 18 h, the solvent was evaporated and the residue co-evaporated with toluene. The residue was used directly in the next step.
7-Acetoxy-hept-5-ynoic acid (29). A solution of crude 28 in acetone (100 mL) was treated with Jones Reagent (18.0 mL, 41.4 mmol, 2.3 M). The mixture became warm and so was cooled with an ice bath. After 1 h at room temperature, 10 mL isopropyl alcohol was added and the mixture stirred further for 15 min. The mixture still had a brown color so another 10 mL isopropyl alcohol was added. After another 15 min., the color had not changed so the mixture was filtered through celite and the filtrate evaporated in vacuo. The residue was partitioned between 100 mL ether and 100 mL saturated ammonium chloride solution. The aqueous layer was extracted with 100 mL ether and the combined ether solution washed with brine and then was dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated to leave a yellow oil (6.333 g) that was used directly in the next step.
7-Hydroxy-hept-5-ynoic acid methyl ester (30). The crude acid 29 (6.333 g) was treated with a 1% solution of acetyl chloride in methanol (60 mL). After 16 h, sodium bicarbonate (1.966 g, 23.4 mmol) was added. The mixture was dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered through celite and evaporated in vacuo. Purification by flash chromatography on silica gel (30-40% ethyl acetate/hexanes) gave 7-Hydroxy-hept-5-ynoic acid methyl ester 30 (3.022 g, 19.3 mmol, 92% from 7-tert-Butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy)-hept-2-yn-1-ol 27).
7-Iodo-hept-5-ynoic acid methyl ester (31). A solution of 30 (1.347 g, 8.6 mmol) in 5 mL dichloromethane was added to a mixture of triphenylphosphine (2.725 g, 10.4 mmol), imidazole (726 mg, 10.7 mmol), and iodine (2.602 g, 10.3 mmol) in 34 mL dichloromethane, rinsing with 5 mL dichloromethane. After 40 min., the dichloromethane was evaporated in vacuo to a few mL's and the resulting mixture filtered through basic alumina, washing with 10% ethyl acetate/hexanes. Purification by flash chromatography on silica gel (10% ethyl acetate/hexanes) gave 1.878 g (7.1 mmol, 83%) of the propargyl iodide.
tert-Butyl-{(E)-1-[2-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-ethyl]-3-iodo-allyloxy}-dimethyl-silane (32). A solution of alkyne 19 (5.547 g, 15.2 mmol) in dichloromethane (50 mL) was treated with Cp 2 ZrHCl (5.794 g, 22.5 mmol). The reaction was stirred for 45 min. and then N-iodosuccinimide (4.966 g, 22.1 mmol) was added. After 15 min., saturated sodium bicarbonate solution (200 mL) was added and the mixture was extracted with dichloromethane (2×100 mL). The combined dichloromethane solution was dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. Purification by flash chromatography on silica gel (0-5% ethyl acetate/hexanes) gave 6.608 g (13.1 mmol, 86%) of the vinyl iodide (32).
7-{(1R,4S,5R)-4-(tert-Butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy)-5-[(E)-3-(tert-butyl-dimethyl-silanyloxy)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)-pent-1-enyl]-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl}-hept-5-ynoic acid methyl ester (33). A −78° C. solution of iodide 32 (675 mg, 1.34 mmol) in THF (2.0 mL) was treated with tert-butyllithium (1.73 mL, 2.94 mL, 1.7 M/pentane). The dark red mixture was stirred for 25 min. and then dimethylzinc (0.80 mL, 1.6 mmol, 2 M/toluene) was added. The solution was stirred at 0° C. for 15 min. and then recooled to −78° C. At this time, a solution of enone 6 (208 mg, 0.87 mmol) in THF (1.0 mL) was added over 2 h by syringe pump, rinsing with 0.5 mL THF. After 30 min., HMPA (1.34 mL, distilled from CaH 2 ) was added followed by a solution of propargyl iodide 31 (1.286 g, 4.83 mmol) in THF (1.0 mL). The solution was stirred in a −40° C. bath overnight and then 20 mL saturated ammonium chloride solution and 10 mL water were added. The mixture was extracted with dichloromethane (20 mL) and ethyl acetate (2×20 mL). The combined organic extracts were dried (MgSO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. Purification by flash chromatography on silica gel (5-10% ethyl acetate/hexanes) gave 198 mg (0.27 mmol, 31%) of 33.
(Z)-7-{(1R,4S,5R)-5-[(E)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl}-hept-5-ynoic acid methyl ester (34, 35). A solution of 33 (198 mg, 0.27 mmol) in CH 3 CN (6.5 mL) was treated with HF-pyridine (1.2 mL). The solution was stirred for 3 h and saturated sodium bicarbonate solution (120 mL) was added. The mixture was extracted with dichloromethane (3×50 mL) and the combined dichloromethane solution dried (Na 2 SO 4 ), filtered and evaporated. Purification by flash chromatography (50% ethyl acetate/hexane) followed by preparative TLC (55% ethyl acetate/hexane) gave 55 mg (0.11 mmol, 41%) of the less polar diastereomer (34) and 51 mg (0.10 mmol, 37%) of the more polar diastereomer (35).
(Z)-7-{(1R,4S,5R)-5-[(E)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl}-hept-5-ynoic acid (low R f diastereomer, 36). A solution of 34 (9 mg, 0.017 mmol) and rabbit liver esterase (1 mg) in pH 7.2 phosphate buffer (2 mL)/CH 3 CN (0.1 mL) was stirred for 17 h. The mixture was then coevaporated with CH 3 CN to remove water and the residue purified by flash chromatography on silica gel (3-7% MeOH/CH 2 Cl 2 ) to give 8 mg (0.016 mmol, 93%) of the acid (36).
(Z)-7-{(1R,4S,5R)-5-[(E)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl}-hept-5-ynoic acid (high R f diastereomer, 37). A solution of 35 (12 mg, 0.023 mmol) and rabbit liver esterase (1 mg) in pH 7.2 phosphate buffer (2 mL)/CH 3 CN (0.1 mL) was stirred for 17 h. TLC showed the presence of starting material, so another 2 mg of the esterase was added. After stirring for another 24 h, the reaction was complete. Work up and purification as above for 36 gave 8 mg (0.016 mmol, 69%) of the acid (37).
(Z)-7-{(1R,4S,5R)-5-[(E)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl}-hept-5-enoic acid methyl ester (low R f diastereomer, 38). Ethanol (95%, 2.5 mL) was added to NiCl 2 (50 mg, 0.39 mmol) and NaBH 4 (7 mg, 0.19 mmol). The resulting black mixture was stirred for 5 min. and then ethylenediamine (41 μL, 0.61 mmol) was added. After 15 min., a solution of alkyne 34 (40 mg, 0.077 mmol) in 0.5 mL 95% ethanol was added, rinsing with 0.5 mL ethanol. The flask was purged with H 2 and allowed to stir under 1 atm H 2 for 22 h. The mixture was then filtered through celite and purified by flash chromatography on silica gel (55% ethyl acetate/hexanes) to give 17 mg (0.032 mmol, 43%) of the alkene (38).
(Z)-7-{(1R,4S,5R)-5-[(E)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl}-hept-5-enoic acid methyl ester (high R f diastereomer 39). The same procedure as for 36 was followed to give 17 mg (0.032 mmol, 41%) of 39.
(Z)-7-{(1R,4S,5R)-5-[(E)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl}-hept-5-enoic acid (low R f diastereomer, 40). The same procedure as above for 36 was used to give 9 mg (0.018 mmol, 85%) of acid 40. 300 MHz 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 , ppm) δ 7.73 (2H, d, J=8.4 Hz) 7.45-7.30 (2H, m) 5.8-5.6 (2H, m) 5.4-5.3 (2H, m) 4.3-4.1 (1H, m) 3.57 (1H, d, J=9.7 Hz) 3.1-2.9 (2H, m) 2.5-1.9 (10H, m) 1.7-1.6 (2H, m) 1.09 (3H, s) 0.89 (3H, s).
(Z)-7-{(1R,4S,5R)-5-[(E)-5-(3-chloro-benzo[b]thiophene-2-yl)-3-hydroxy-pent-1-enyl]-4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2-oxo-cyclopentyl}-hept-5-enoic acid (high R f diastereomer, 41). The same procedure as above for the 36 was used to give 9 mg (0.018 mmol, 85%) of acid 41. 300 MHz 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 , ppm) δ 7.73 (2H, d, J=8.8 Hz) 7.45-7.30 (2H, m) 5.8-5.6 (2H, m) 5.45-5.30 (2H, m) 4.3-4.2 (1H, m) 3.61 (1H, d, J=9.7 Hz) 3.1-3.0 (2H, m) 2.5-1.9 (10H, m) 1.7-1.6 (2H, m) 1.10 (3H, s) 0.90 (3H, s).
The methods of screening the compounds of this invention for the desired biological activity are illustrated in the following non-limiting examples. Results for example compounds of this invention are included in Table 2. These results are presented purely for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
Radioligand Binding
Cells Stably Expressing EP 1 , EP 2 , EP 4 and FP Receptors
HEK-293 cells stably expressing the human or feline FP receptor, or EP 1 , EP 2 , or EP 4 receptors were washed with TME buffer, scraped from the bottom of the flasks, and homogenized for 30 sec using a Brinkman PT 10/35 polytron. TME buffer was added to achieve a final 40 ml volume in the centrifuge tubes (the composition of TME is 100 mM TRIS base, 20 mM MgCl 2 , 2M EDTA; 10N HCl is added to achieve a pH of 7.4).
The cell homogenate was centrifuged at 19000 r.p.m. for 20 min at 4° C. using a Beckman Ti-60 rotor. The resultant pellet was resuspended in TME buffer to give a final 1 mg/ml protein concentration, as determined by Biorad assay. Radioligand binding competition assays vs. [ 3 H-]17-phenyl PGF 2α (5 nM) were performed in a 100 μl volume for 60 min. Binding reactions were started by adding plasma membrane fraction. The reaction was terminated by the addition of 4 ml ice-cold TRIS-HCl buffer and rapid filtration through glass fiber GF/B filters using a Brandel cell harvester. The filters were washed 3 times with ice-cold buffer and oven dried for one hour.
[ 3 H-] PGE 2 (specific activity 180 Ci mmol) was used as the radioligand for EP receptors. [ 3 H] 17-phenyl PGF 2α was employed for FP receptor binding studies. Binding studies employing EP 1 , EP 2 , EP 4 and FP receptors were performed in duplicate in at least three separate experiments. A 200 μl assay volume was used. Incubations were for 60 min at 25° C. and were terminated by the addition of 4 ml of ice-cold 50 mM TRIS-HCl, followed by rapid filtration through Whatman GF/B filters and three additional 4 ml washes in a cell harvester (Brandel). Competition studies were performed using a final concentration of 5 nM [ 3 H]-PGE 2 , or 5 nM [ 3 H] 17-phenyl PGF 2α and non-specific binding determined with 10 −5 M of unlabeled PGE 2 , or 17-phenyl PGF 2α , according to receptor subtype studied.
Methods for FLIPR™ Studies
(a) Cell Culture
HEK-293(EBNA) cells, stably expressing one type or subtype of recombinant human prostaglandin receptors (prostaglandin receptors expressed: hDP/Gqs5; hEP 1 ; hEP 2 /Gqs5; hEP 3A /Gqi5; hEP 4 /Gqs5; hFP; hIP; hTP), were cultured in 100 mm culture dishes in high-glucose DMEM medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum, 2 mM 1-glutamine, 250 μg/ml geneticin (G418) and 200 μg/ml hygromycin B as selection markers, and 100 units/ml penicillin G, 100 μg/ml streptomycin and 0.25 μg/ml amphotericin B.
(b) Calcium Signal Studies on the FLIPR™
Cells were seeded at a density of 5×10 4 cells per well in Biocoat® Poly-D-lysine-coated black-wall, clear-bottom 96-well plates (Becton-Dickinson) and allowed to attach overnight in an incubator at 37° C. Cells were then washed two times with HBSS-HEPES buffer (Hanks Balanced Salt Solution without bicarbonate and phenol red, 20 mM HEPES, pH 7.4) using a Denley Cellwash plate washer (Labsystems). After 45 minutes of dye-loading in the dark, using the calcium-sensitive dye Fluo-4 AM at a final concentration of 2 μM, plates were washed four times with HBSS-HEPES buffer to remove excess dye leaving 100 μl in each well. Plates were re-equilibrated to 37° C. for a few minutes.
Cells were excited with an Argon laser at 488 nm, and emission was measured through a 510-570 nm bandwidth emission filter (FLIPR™, Molecular Devices, Sunnyvale, Calif.). Drug solution was added in a 50 μl volume to each well to give the desired final concentration. The peak increase in fluorescence intensity was recorded for each well. On each plate, four wells each served as negative (HBSS-HEPES buffer) and positive controls (standard agonists: BW245C (hDP); PGE 2 (hEP 1 ; hEP 2 /Gqs5; hEP 3A /Gqi5; hEP 4 /Gqs5); PGF 2α (hFP); carbacyclin (hIP); U-46619 (hTP), depending on receptor). The peak fluorescence change in each drug-containing well was then expressed relative to the controls.
Compounds were tested in a high-throughput (ETS) or concentration-response (CoRe) format. In the HTS format, forty-four compounds per plate were examined in duplicates at a concentration of 10 −5 M. To generate concentration-response curves, four compounds per plate were tested in duplicates in a concentration range between 10 −5 and 10 −11 M. The duplicate values were averaged. In either, HTS or CoRe format each compound was tested on at least 3 separate plates using cells from different passages to give an n≧3.
TABLE 2
hEP 3D
Compound
hFP
hEP 1
hEP 2
hEP 3A
hEP 4
hDP
hIP
hTP
21
NA
NA
>10K
NA
98
NA
NA
NA
22
NA
NA
300
NA
NA
NA
NA
30
NA
NA
NA
23
NA
>10K
44
NA
NA
NA
NA
0.1
NA
NA
>10K
24
NA
>>10K
26
NA
NA
NA
NA
0.1
NA
NA
NA
34
NA
>10K
NA
NA
>10K
NA
NA
35
NA
NA
2455
NA
NA
36
NA
200
NA
NA
66
>10K
NA
37
NA
100
NA
NA
32
>10K
NA
38
NA
2700
NA
NA
269
NA
NA
39
NA
2300
NA
NA
141
NA
NA
40
NA
200
NA
NA
0.3
NA
>10K
41
>10K
20
NA
NA
NA
>10K
42
NA
>10 4
>10 4
NA
NA
NA
559
NA
NA
NA
NA
43
NA
1700
400
NA
>10 4
NA
11
63
3981
18
44
1500
300
5.5
NA
782
944
4.6
0.2
>10K
284
18
45
NA
>10 4
400
NA
631
NA
NA
NA
531
51
NA
NA
NA
46
>10K
>10K
4
NA
290
589
0.4
NA
NA
47
NA
76
NA
963
>10K
NA
48
NA
45
49
NA
1400
50
NA
6607
2400
NA
638
>10K
3162
NA
>10K
51
NA
700
NA
NA
NA
52
NA
72
NA
27
60
18
NA
53
59
NA
1020
NA
1862
6.4
NA
The top numbers are the radioligand bindng values(nm)
The botttom numbers are the functional data (nm)
The foregoing description details specific methods and compositions that can be employed to practice the present invention, and represents the best mode contemplated. However, it is apparent for one of ordinary skill in the art that further compounds with the desired pharmacological properties can be prepared in an analogous manner, and that the disclosed compounds can also be obtained from different starting compounds via different chemical reactions. Similarly, different pharmaceutical compositions may be prepared and used with substantially the same result. Thus, however detailed the foregoing may appear in text, it should not be construed as limiting the overall scope hereof; rather, the ambit of the present invention is to be governed only by the lawful construction of the appended claims. | The present invention provides a method of treating ocular hypertension or glaucoma which comprises administering to an animal having ocular hypertension or glaucoma therapeutically effective amount of a compound represented by the general formula I;
wherein the dashed line indicates the presence or absence of a bond, the hatched wedge indicates the α (down) configuration, and the solid triangle indicates the β (up) configuration; B is a single, double, or triple covalent bond; n is 0-6; X is CH 2 , S or O; Y is any pharmaceutically acceptable salt of CO 2 H, or CO 2 R, CONR 2 , NHCH 2 CH 2 OH, N(CH 2 CH 2 OH) 2 , CH 2 OR, P(O)(OR) 2 , CONRSO 2 R, SONR 2 , or
R is H, C 1-6 alkyl or C 2-6 alkenyl; R 2 and R 3 are C 1-6 linear alkyl which may be the same or different, and may be bonded to each other such that they form a ring incorporating the carbon to which they are commonly attached; R 4 is hydrogen, R, C(═O)R, or any group that is easily removed under physiological conditions such that R 4 is effectively hydrogen; R 5 is hydrogen or R; R 6 is
iv) hydrogen; v) a linear or branched hydrocarbon containing between 1 and 8 carbon atoms, which may contain one or more double or triple bonds, or oxygen or halogen derivatives of said hydrocarbon, wherein 1-3 carbon or hydrogen atoms may be substituted by O or a halogen; or vi) aryloxy, heteroaryloxy, C 3-8 cycloalkyloxy, C 3-8 cycloalkyl, C 6-10 aryl or C 3-10 heteroaryl, wherein one or more carbons is substituted with N, O, or S; and which may contain one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, trihalomethyl, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, C 6-10 aryl, C 3-10 heteroaryl, aryloxy, heteroaryloxy, C 1-6 alkyl, OR, SR, and SO 2 R.
Some of the compounds of the present invention and some of their methods of preparation are also novel an nonobvious. | 2 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/400,084 filed Jul. 22, 2010, and entitled Wireless biosensor network for point of care preparedness for critical Patients, the contents of which application are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates generally to a novel technique for monitoring the environment of a patient, and more particularly to novel monitoring devices using a biodegradable and biocompatible material, which evaluate the preparedness of an individual to a specific environment (otherwise known as Point of Care (POC) preparedness) by simultaneously monitoring both the POC environment and the individual of concern. For on-line monitoring, a two-tier network architecture is used to link the monitoring devices to a central server. Sensing changes to the ambient environment and correlating these changes with the patients' health condition, the device can signal a patient or medical care provider that the patient's environment is no longer compatible with their maintaining a healthy condition.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Point-of-care (POC) environmental preparedness for a specific patient's medical condition has been little dealt with in the past. The study of the impact of the environment on a patient's health and subsequent deterioration of health is useful in carrying out real time (RT) survival analysis. Here by “exposure” we mean a patient's exposure to chemical or biological elements or suspended particles in the environment that are considered harmful to the specific patient and which are capable of causing degradation in the health condition of the patient.
[0004] There are two types of major categories of exposure and the proportional hazards experienced by a patient. In the first, the static case, health deterioration is caused mainly by the exposure to present environmental conditions; past exposure contributes very little in health deterioration. In the second case, the deterioration in health condition is gradual; and is due to, accumulation of effects due to past exposures to various environments.
[0005] The health monitoring condition thus needs to implement monitoring in real time and have the ability to record past exposure information. The real-time monitoring system is meant to deal with the static case exposure. In order to account for past exposure and thus the accumulation of exposure effects, a server must be used for storing health performance in the past.
[0006] A Micro Electro Mechanical System [MEMS] sensor that acts like a canary is described in our co-pending non-provisional application filed this same date entitled MEMS Barcode Device for Monitoring Medical systems at Point of Care, Attorney docket Number OX-005 US. A canary is a system or device that replicates the host system in terms of the failure mechanism and failure modes. However, the rate of degradation for the canary system is greater when compared to that of the host system, when subjected to the same environmental and operating conditions. This makes the canary fail ahead in time, thereby providing early warning of host system failure. What would thus be desirable is, to directly monitor the environment and condition of a patient in real time using “canary like” sensors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention relates generally to a novel bio-degradable, and biocompatible biomaterial that can respond to various environmental factors and also satisfies property requirements of a substrate material from which bio-MEMS sensors can be built. According to the present invention, a Bio-MEMS sensor is constructed using biomaterials that can respond to various environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. By using our novel biomaterial and coating this bio-material with an appropriate bio-receptor having an appropriate actuation mechanism the biosensor can also be used to measure the concentration of bio-molecules that have a significant impact an the specific patient's health.
[0008] Changes in the environment will cause the material properties of these sensitive bio-materials to change, which can be represented by parameters such as impedance and dielectric constant. By combining biosensing and canary techniques, both the effect of environmental factors and the concentration of harmful bio-molecules can be found. Using wireless techniques along with bio-sensing capabilities, environmental conditions can be monitored and recorded by a network of biosensors, which is more useful, accurate, and robust than just one single sensor. Sensing for a particular biomolecule, the MEMS structure responds to the concentration of biomolecules in the environment by coating it with an appropriate bio-receptor and associating an appropriate transduction mechanism. Thus the combined effect of the environment and the concentration of biomolecules are studied in unison.
[0009] The sensors of this invention are well suited to be used in a networked system at the PHYsical (PHY) layer. The novel bio-material that acts as wireless sensor head, which is incorporated into a two-tier network architecture that carries health information to a server and provides feedback regarding the time over which the patient can stay in the present environment before there is a significant negative impact on his/her health.
[0010] Using a two-tier network architecture, the wireless sensor networks are deployed both in the environment (called the Environmental Sensor Network) and on the patient's body surface (called the Body Sensor Network—IEEE 802.15.6) to correlate environment and patient health information.
[0011] Wireless sensor nodes with the biomaterial in the sensor heads are deployed in the point-of-care environment which communicate changes in the material properties (which reflect environmental conditions) to a data acquisition device in its range via a wireless link In one embodiment the link can be provided using the ZigBee IEEE802.15.4 protocol, though any form of short distance wireless communication protocol can be used.
[0012] A wireless body surface network also contains our biomaterial in the sensor head deployed on the patient's body surface, providing the patient's exposure rate and health information. This data is also passed on to the data acquisition device such as a PDA (personal digital assistant).
[0013] The data acquisition device carries both types of information to a central server via mobile networks such as 3 G, 4 G, GPRS, or through the internet (TCP/IP). Finally, abnormal changes (anomalies) in the biomaterial parameter indicate unusual changes in the point-of-care environment that will be identified using any appropriate anomaly detection techniques.
[0014] In the case of user-oriented point-of-care testing (wherein the point of concern is a particular user) the biosensor nodes are carried with the individual wherein the biosensor material properties are recorded by a PDA, which carries the information to a central server directly via a mobile network. Our exemplary design and fabrication of a biosensor canary prototype was accomplished by optimizing the right mixture of epoxy and Carrageenan, a linear sulphated polysaccharide extracted from red seaweed; then curing, dicing and testing them. For illustration purposes, wavelet analysis was carried out on sample data signals to identify anomalies using different thresholding techniques. Further, both accelerated and in-situ tests and characterizations can be conducted to formulate the relationship between material parameter changes with those of the environment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] So that the above-recited features of the present invention can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to various embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a wireless biosensor module according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0017] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a biosensor module, in both 3 D ( FIG. 2A ) and top down ( FIG. 2B ) according to an embodiment of this invention.
[0018] FIG. 3 includes a sketch of a lower tier architecture for user-oriented POC testing.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a sketch of a including both a lower tier and of a higher tier architecture.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a more details illustration of a two level network architecture for point of care wireless systems.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a plot of biodegradability (weight vs. exposure time) of an exemplary bio material of this invention for use in the bio-sensors according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0022] FIGS. 7 and 8 are plots, as labeled, showing how the characteristics of different biomaterials change in response to changes in the environment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Biosensor Canary Design and Process
[0023] The biosensor canary material of the invention is a dielectric and is integrated into a capacitor. The sensor element is designed as a parallel-plate capacitor composed of overlapping metal layers with a chemically sensitive polymer used as the dielectric (in this case the biomaterial). The capacitor design, and integration are further discussed hereinafter. The sensing circuit converts the change in capacitance to a voltage signal. The sensed voltage is converted to a digital signal, which is output to an external logic block for data processing. The passive MEMS sensor element and the sensing circuit can both be integrated on the same die.
[0024] Useful biodegradable materials include carrageenans which are large, highly flexible molecules. Carrageenans are high molecular weight polysaccharide made up of repeating galactose units and 3,6 anhydrogalactose, both sulfated and non sulfated. The units are joined by alternating alpha 1-3 and beta 1-4 glycosidic linkages. In one embodiment, the biosensors of the invention were made from carrageenans extracted from red seaweeds. These carrageenans generally take a helical shape due to their large and flexible molecular structures (which also helps them to form a gel at room temperature). The carrageenan is mixed with an epoxy, in various proportions.
[0025] In one embodiment KK-100 can be used as the biodegradable material, this material extracted from members of the class of Rhodophycease, and commercially available from Bronson & Jacobs Pty Ltd, 70 Marple Avenue, Villawood NSW 2163, Australia. In another embodiment the KK-100 Carrageenan comprises about 40-20 percent by weight of a polymer composite of epoxy and KK-100. Other optimized ratios are contemplated, and by screening, other suitable materials can be identified. For a further discussion of these hydrocolloids, reference is hereby made to the article entitled Biocompatible Polymer Composite Material for Highly Sensitive Point of Care Biomems Microcantilever Sensors, Vasan, et al., Proceedings of SMTA International Conference, pp 279-288, October 2010, Orlando, Fla. See also the article by Briones, et al., Tensile and Tear Strength of Carrageenan Film from Philippine Eucheuma Species, Mar. Biotechnol. 6, 148-151, 2004, and S-Garcia, et al., Nanobiocomposites of Carrageenan, Zein and Mica of Interest in Food Packaging and Coating Applications, J. Agric. Food Chem. 2010, 6884-6894.
[0026] In addition to being biodegradable, suitable biodegradable materials should also be biocompatible, such that there use in the presence of a patient being monitored does not expose the patient to additional environmental hazards. Carrageenans, already used as thickening and stabilizing agents in food products, have demonstrated such biocompatibility.
[0027] The effects of change in polymer permittivity cause changes in sensor capacitance. The permittivity of the selected polymer should be as high as possible for maximum sensitivity. Computational models can be used to simulate the response and sensitivity of the biomaterial to one or more surrounding environmental parameters, such as humidity and temperature. Therefore, some parameters, such as the dimensions and the shape of the biosensor can then be optimized by using various models.
[0028] The biomaterials of this invention exhibit electrical properties similar to FR4, as shown by the comparison of electrical properties at Table 1 below. Thus, this material can also be used as a low loss substrate over which electrical traces can be embedded for making electrical connections.
[0000]
TABLE 1
f 0
Conductivity
Attenuation
Material
(GHz)
ε′
tan δ
at f 0 (S/m)
(dB/inch)
FR-4
1.0185
4.47
0.01646
0.0042
0.1
KK-100
2.53
3.5
0.0103
0.0053
0.0912
Biomaterial
[0029] The materials used for the bio-MEMS sensors, possessing both good electrical and mechanical properties are also especially suitable for bio-molecule detection. These biomaterials exhibit nominal Young's Modulus of from 240 MPa to 650 MPa, such that highly sensitive bio-MEMS structures can be made. See Vasan et al., Biocompatible Polymer Composite Material for Highly Sensitive point of Care BioMEMS Microcantilever Sensors, Proceedings of SMTA International Conference, Orlando Fla., 2010, pp 279-288.
[0030] Biosensor Canary RF Network
[0031] The biosensor network is a collection of sensor nodes that sense changes in the environment. In our biosensor the physical parameters of the biosensor (depending on the environment) are converted into electrical signals by the transducer and correlated with human health. Deploying wireless sensor networks with our biomaterial at the sensor head allows one to identify locations that are not suitable for a particular individual or for people affected with a common type of disorder (e.g., asthma). The biosensor canary, when networked to a central server, can be useful for a point-of-care environment assessment. An exemplary biosensor module ( FIG. 1 ) comprises the biomaterial capacitor, a processor with on-board memory, analog-to-digital converter (ADC), control circuits, signal conditioning circuits (for signal amplification, filtering, and the like) and a wireless transreceiver. A 3 D and top down view of the module in its carrier is illustrated at FIG. 2 .
Architecture
[0032] A central server resides at the top of this two-tier network hierarchy. The network is optimized to provide service for a large number of users and environments, and it connects to medical professionals, healthcare providers, hospitals, etc., and provides real-time information. The higher tiers for both POC environmental assessment and human physiological parameters are the same.
[0033] The lower architecture is for the following: (i) Point-of-Care Environment Assessment, and (ii) user hazard exposure.
Point-of-Care Environment Assessment
[0034] The deployed biomaterial changes its material properties according to the physical phenomenon present in the POC environment. The control circuits, along with the ADC and processor, samples vital signals and transfers the relevant data for further processing. The data from the biosensor(s) can be transmitted in the case of a person in an outdoor environment via Bluetooth to a PDA ( FIG. 3 ) for subsequent transmission to a central server. Or, as in the case of a patient in a fixed location such as a hospital room to a stationary data acquisition block in proximity to the sensors for subsequent transmission to a stationary data acquisition block ( FIG. 4 ). The data acquisition block can have digital signal processing capabilities to correlate the material property changes to the change in the environmental physical phenomenon. The communication between the nodes and the environmental data acquisition device can be achieved through the ZigBee (IEEE 802.15.4), Bluetooth or any other short distance wireless protocol satisfying the requirements set forth by the IEEE 802.15 TG6 protocol. A more detailed two tier illustration of a suitable network architecture is shown in FIG. 5 .
User-Oriented Point-of-Care Testing
[0035] The user to be monitored carries a wireless biosensor module. The biomaterial degrades based on environmental factors in the area immediate to the sensor. In the case of PDAs (personal digital assistants), two purposes can be achieved: 1) to segregate data from the wireless biosensor module and filter it by correlating this data with particular human parameters of concern; and 2) to communicate the decision made based on the correlation to the central server Since PDAs have direct access to the Internet, the decision made can be directly transferred to the central server via the Internet. With only a few sensor modules, communication between the sensor nodes and the PDA can be implemented using Bluetooth technology with which a maximum theoretical data rate of 1 Mbps is achievable or with ZigBee. It should be noted that PDA can be made user-specific to analyze environmental parameters that correspond to that specific person's health condition.
Higher Architecture
[0036] The higher architecture involves the communication of the data filtered at the data acquisition block to the central server, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 . This can be either wired or wireless based on the environment of application. Complex environments require further division by having their own server which in turn is connected to the global central server. For example, a hospital can have its own server wherein the entire POC environment within its locality is connected to the hospital server, which can be connected to the central global server via the Internet. In open POC environments and user-oriented POC testing, the data acquisition block connects to the central server via Mobile Networks, i.e., 3 G, 4 G or GPRS.
Data Analysis
[0037] In order to detect abnormal changes in the environment and classify them as suitable/not suitable for a specific patient/disorder, a data analysis module is introduced that analyzes a signal (various parameters like impedance, capacitance, etc.) as it is obtained by the data acquisition block.
[0038] Here one can make use of autonomous software that sends information in a useful format to the central server after performing data analysis. Exemplary of analysis protocols that may be used to analyze the electrical parameters obtained from the sensor (and decide if the environment is conducive or not depending on the medical condition of the patient) is wavelet analysis. Thus, wavelet analysis can be used to decompose the signal to various levels and perform local analysis to identify each of the changes. This technique also takes care of the noise that might be induced in the signals due to external factors. The choice of wavelet depends on the type of original signal analyzed and ease of implementation in the processor. Similarly, the number of levels of decomposition chosen depends on the changes that we need to detect in the signal. Other forms of anomaly detection schemes can be use, the reference to wavelet analysis cited for illustration purposes only.
[0039] The principal advantage of wavelet analysis is its ability to have time-frequency resolution. Since the signals from the biosensor will carry information pertaining to various factors like temperature, oxygen level, and humidity in the form of changes in resistance/capacitance/impedance, it becomes imperative that the each of these changes be clearly detected in the signal obtained.
Preliminary Data
[0040] Preliminary tests were conducted to understand the bio-canary's response to changes in temperature and other environmental parameters. Biodegradability is plotted in FIG. 6 , showing weight gain of the material as a function exposure time (when dipped in water). It is believed that, the material disintegrates after sufficient absorption of moisture. The collected impedance data for different composition of the biomaterial as listed in Table 2 below is plotted against frequency in FIG. 7 . (Note that varying amounts of a fluorescence powder was also added to the mixture and observations of changes in fluorescence made, but not reported herein.) From the plots it is observed that as the composition varies the impedance changes gradually. In FIG. 8 , the change in impedance of the material with change in temperature is shown.
[0000]
TABLE 2
Bio-particle
Fluorescence
Epoxy Resin
(Hydrocolloid)
Powder
Composition
(wt %)
(wt %)
(wt %)
A
65.60
24.80
9.59
B
74.16
10.79
14.79
C
76.55
7.88
15.69
D
79.10
3.41
17.48
[0041] The detection of the defined changes will result in the prediction of whether or not the environment is suitable for a particular patient. The output of wavelet analysis is transmitted to the central server from time to time. The information about the POC environment stored in the central database will help in giving real-time information about a particular room in the hospital, such as the ICU or the general ward, and also provide knowledge of whether an environment is conducive for a particular disorder (e.g., asthma) and thus help in preparing the POC environment.
[0042] 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. | A biodegradable, bio-compatible material is described for use in wireless biosensors for point-of-care applications. The biosensor made from this biomaterial is capable of sensing environmental effects and as well as presence of bio-logical entities in the environment of concern simultaneously. Such a sensor can be used for evaluating point-of-care environmental preparedness for a specific patient through continuous monitoring of patient health performance due to environmental exposure. A two-tier network architecture is established for real-time monitoring (static case) that also provides warning of accumulated exposure. Wavelet analysis can be used to identify anomalies in the sensed data to initiate a warning. | 6 |
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 200510030306.2, filed Sep. 28, 2005, commonly assigned, incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to integrated circuits and their processing for the manufacture of semiconductor devices. More particularly, the invention provides a method and system for optical pattern compensation for the manufacture of integrated circuits. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to photolithographic masks for the manufacture of integrated circuits. But it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability.
Integrated circuits or “ICs” have evolved from a handful of interconnected devices fabricated on a single chip of silicon to millions of devices. Current ICs provide performance and complexity far beyond what was originally imagined. In order to achieve improvements in complexity and circuit density (i.e., the number of devices capable of being packed onto a given chip area), the size of the smallest device feature, also known as the device “geometry”, has become smaller with each generation of ICs. Semiconductor devices are now being fabricated with features less than a quarter of a micron across.
Increasing circuit density has not only improved the complexity and performance of ICs but has also provided lower cost parts to the consumer. An IC fabrication facility can cost hundreds of millions, or even billions, of dollars. Each fabrication facility will have a certain throughput of wafers, and each wafer will have a certain number of ICs on it. Therefore, by making the individual devices of an IC smaller, more devices may be fabricated on each wafer, thus increasing the output of the fabrication facility. Making devices smaller is very challenging, as each process used in IC fabrication has a limit. That is to say, a given process typically only works down to a certain feature size, and then either the process or the device layout needs to be changed. An example of such a limit is photographical masks used for the manufacture of integrated circuits in a cost effective and efficient way.
Fabrication of custom integrated circuits using chip foundry services has evolved over the years. Fabless chip companies often design the custom integrated circuits. Such custom integrated circuits require a set of custom masks commonly called “reticles” to be manufactured. A chip foundry company called Semiconductor International Manufacturing Company (SMIC) of Shanghai, China is an example of a chip company that performs foundry services. Although fabless chip companies and foundry services have increased through the years, many limitations still exist. For example, photolithography is limited by optical diffraction and other effects. These and other limitations are described throughout the present specification and more particularly below.
From the above, it is seen that an improved technique for processing semiconductor devices is desired.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to integrated circuits and their processing for the manufacture of semiconductor devices. More particularly, the invention provides a method and system for optical pattern compensation for the manufacture of integrated circuits. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to photolithographic masks for the manufacture of integrated circuits. But it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability.
In a specific embodiment, the invention provides a method for making a photographic mask. The method includes determining a first contact area, processing information associated with the first contact area, and determining whether a first optical compensation should be applied to the first contact area based on at least information associated with the first contact area. Additionally, the method includes if the first optical compensation should be applied to the first contact area, applying the first optical compensation to the first contact area, processing information associated with first optical compensation, determining a first distance between the first optical compensation and a second optical compensation or a second contact area, processing information associated with the first distance, and adjusting the first optical compensation based on at least information associated with the first distance. The processing information associated with the first contact area includes determining a plurality of distances from a first plurality of boundaries of the first contact area to a second plurality of boundaries of a conductive area, processing information associated with the plurality of distances, determining a plurality of areas associated with the plurality of distances respectively, and processing information associated with the plurality of areas. The determining whether a first optical compensation should be applied to the first contact area is performed based on at least information associated with the plurality of distances and the plurality of areas.
In another specific embodiment of the present invention, a method for making a photographic mask includes determining a first conductive area and a first extended area, processing information associated with the first conductive area and the first extended area, determining a second conductive area based on at least information associated with the first conductive area and the first extended area, determining a second extended area based on at least information associated with the first conductive area and the first extended area, processing information associated with the second conductive area and the second extended area, and determining whether a first optical pattern compensation should be applied to the second conductive area. Additionally, the method includes if the first optical pattern compensation should be applied to the second conductive area, applying the first optical compensation to the second conductive area, processing information associated with first optical compensation, determining a first distance between the first optical compensation and a second optical compensation or a third conductive area, processing information associated with the first distance, and adjusting the first optical compensation based on at least information associated with the first distance. The first extended area includes a first active area and a protective area. The protective area surrounds the first active area and is free from being a part of a photolithographic mask. The determining whether a first optical pattern compensation should be applied to the second conductive area is performed based on at least information associated with the second conductive area and the second extended area.
In yet another specific embodiment of the present invention, a method for making a photographic mask includes determining a first contact area and at least one neighboring contact area, processing information associated with the first contact area and the at least one neighboring contact area, classifying the first contact area into one of a plurality of categories, and applying a first optical pattern compensation to the first contact area based on at least information associated with the first contact area and the at least one neighboring contact area. The classifying the first contact area is performed based on at least information associated with at least a first distance between the first contact area and the at least one neighboring contact area.
Many benefits are achieved by way of the present invention over conventional techniques. For example, the present technique provides an easy to use process that relies upon conventional technology. The present invention has numerous advantages over conventional techniques. Certain embodiments of the present invention selectively apply optical pattern compensations and reduce the database volume for mask design. Some embodiments of the present invention automatically check the spacing between various mask areas and adjust optical pattern compensations accordingly. The computation requirement for detecting design rule violations is reduced. Certain embodiments of the present invention consider relationship between different layers to select areas for optical pattern compensation. For example, the layers include a metal layer and a via layer, or an active layer and a polysilicon layer. Some embodiments of the present invention provides different optical pattern compensations to different types of contact hole areas. Certain embodiments of the present invention reduce mask conversion and writing time. Additionally, the method provides a process that is compatible with conventional process technology without substantial modifications to conventional equipment and processes. Depending upon the embodiment, one or more of these benefits may be achieved. These and other benefits will be described in more throughout the present specification and more particularly below.
Various additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention can be more fully appreciated with reference to the detailed description and accompanying drawings that follow.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of a method for optical pattern compensation according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram for contact areas and metal areas according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a simplified diagram for the process 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a simplified diagram for the process 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 5 and 6 are simplified diagrams for applying optical pattern compensation according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 7 and 8 are simplified diagrams for determining spacing according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 9 and 10 are simplified diagrams for adjusting optical pattern compensation according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 11 shows a simplified diagram for a photolithographic mask with optical pattern compensation according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a simplified diagram of a method for optical pattern compensation according to another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 13 is a simplified diagram for polysilicon areas and extended areas according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 14 and 15 are simplified diagrams for determining extended areas without polysilicon areas below threshold;
FIG. 16 is a simplified diagram for determining extended areas overlapping with polysilicon areas according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 17 is a simplified diagram for determining polysilicon areas for optical pattern compensation according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 18 is a simplified diagram for applying optical pattern compensation according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 19 is a simplified diagram for determining spacing according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 20 is a simplified diagram for adjusting optical pattern compensation according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 21 is a simplified diagram for a photolithographic mask with optical pattern compensation according to another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 22 is a simplified diagram of a method for optical pattern compensation according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 23 is a simplified diagram for contact hole areas according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 24 is a simplified diagram for determining spacing below threshold according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 25 is a simplified diagram for determining contact hole areas not associated with spacing below threshold according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 26 and 27 are simplified diagrams for classifying contact hole areas associated with spacing below threshold according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 28 is a simplified diagram for applying optical pattern compensation according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 29 is a simplified diagram for a photolithographic mask with optical pattern compensation according to yet another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to integrated circuits and their processing for the manufacture of semiconductor devices. More particularly, the invention provides a method and system for optical pattern compensation for the manufacture of integrated circuits. Merely by way of example, the invention has been applied to photolithographic masks for the manufacture of integrated circuits. But it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability.
FIG. 1 is a simplified diagram of a method for optical pattern compensation according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. The method 100 includes the following processes:
1. Process 110 for determining contact areas; 2. Process 120 for determining contact areas for optical pattern compensation; 3. Process 130 for applying optical pattern compensation; 4. Process 140 for determining spacing; 5. Process 150 for adjusting optical pattern compensation.
The above sequence of processes provides a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Other alternatives can also be provided where processes are added, one or more processes are removed, or one or more processes are provided in a different sequence without departing from the scope of the claims herein. Future details of the present invention can be found throughout the present specification and more particularly below.
At the process 110 , contact areas are located. FIG. 2 is a simplified diagram for contact areas and metal areas according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. A photolithographic mask 200 includes contact areas 210 , 212 and 214 , and a metal area 220 . For example, the contact areas 210 , 212 and 214 are the areas of a metal area 220 exposed to contact holes or vias. The metal area 220 may form part of metal 1 layer, metal 2 layer, metal 3 layer, metal 4 layer, metal 5 layer, or other metal layer.
At the process 120 , contact areas for optical pattern compensation are selected. FIG. 3 is a simplified diagram for the process 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. The process 120 includes the following processes:
1. Process 310 for determining widths below threshold; 2. Process 320 for determining areas below threshold; 3. Process 330 for determining widths below threshold without areas below threshold; 4. Process 340 for selecting contact areas for optical pattern compensation.
At the process 310 , widths below a width threshold are determined. The widths are measured from the edges of contact areas to the outer edges of the metal area. At the process 320 , areas associated with the widths below the width threshold are identified. Among them, the areas that are smaller than an area threshold are identified. At the process 330 , the widths below the width threshold that are not associated with any area below the area threshold are identified. At the process 340 , contact areas for optical pattern compensation are selected. These contact areas should have at least 3 sides in contact with the widths below the width threshold that are not associated with any area below the area threshold.
FIG. 4 is a simplified diagram for the process 120 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. Areas 410 , 412 , 414 , 416 , 418 , 420 , 422 and 424 each have a width small than a width threshold. The width is measured from an edge of the contact area 210 , 212 or 214 to an outer edge of the metal area 220 . For example, the area 410 has a width smaller than the width threshold, and the width is measured from an edge 430 to an edge 432 . Among the areas 410 , 412 , 414 , 416 , 418 , 420 , 422 and 424 , the area 420 has an area smaller than an area threshold. Other areas 410 , 412 , 414 , 416 , 418 , 422 and 424 are associated with the widths below the width threshold that are not associated with an area below the area threshold. Among the contact areas 210 , 212 and 214 , the contact area 214 has at least 3 sides in contact with the areas 410 , 412 and 414 associated with the widths smaller than the width threshold. The contact area 214 is selected for optical pattern compensation.
At the process 130 , an optical pattern compensation is applied. FIGS. 5 and 6 are simplified diagrams for the process 130 according to an embodiment of the present invention. These diagrams are merely examples, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. The photolithographic mask 500 includes an optical pattern compensation 510 surrounding the area 214 previously selected for optical pattern compensation. The optical pattern compensation 510 provides a protective layer with a certain width around the contact area 220 . The optical pattern compensation 510 is merged with the metal area to form a mask area.
At the process 140 , spacing between outer edges of mask areas is determined. For example, a distance between an outer edge of an optical pattern compensation and an outer edge of another optical pattern compensation is determined. As another example, a distance between an outer edge of an optical pattern compensation and an outer edge of the metal area is determined. If a distance is below a spacing threshold, the outer edge of the optical pattern compensation that is associated with the distance below the spacing threshold is selected. FIGS. 7 and 8 are simplified diagrams for the process 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention. These diagram are merely examples, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. A distance 730 is measured from an outer edge 720 of the optical pattern compensation 510 to an outer edge 722 of another optical pattern compensation 710 . If the distance 730 is smaller than a spacing threshold, the outer edges 720 and 722 are selected.
At the process 150 , an optical pattern compensation is adjusted if an distance associated with the optical pattern compensation is smaller than a spacing threshold. An outer edge previously selected and associated with the distance below the spacing threshold is adjusted so that the distance increases to meet or exceed the spacing threshold. FIGS. 9 and 10 are simplified diagrams for the process 150 according to an embodiment of the present invention. These diagram are merely examples, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. The outer edges 720 and 722 are adjusted towards outer edges 1010 and 1012 of the contact areas 220 and 1020 respectively. For example, the adjusted outer edges coincide with the edges 1010 and 1012 respectively. In another example, only one or neither of the adjusted outer edges coincides with the edges 1010 and 1012 respectively.
As discussed above and further emphasized here, FIG. 1 is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. An addition process for making an photolithography mask can also be performed. The photolithographic mask includes a metal area and an optical pattern compensation. For example, the photolithographic mask includes the metal area 220 and the optical pattern compensation 510 . As another example, FIG. 11 shows a simplified diagram for a photolithographic mask with optical pattern compensation according to an embodiment of the present invention. These diagram are merely examples, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein.
FIG. 12 is a simplified diagram of a method for optical pattern compensation according to another embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. The method 1200 includes the following processes:
1. Process 1210 for determining polysilicon areas and extended areas; 2. Process 1220 for determining extended areas without polysilicon areas below threshold; 3. Process 1230 for determining extended areas overlapping with polysilicon areas; 4. Process 1240 for determining polysilicon areas for optical pattern compensation; 5. Process 1250 for applying optical pattern compensation; 6. Process 1260 for determining spacing; 7. Process 1270 for adjusting optical pattern compensation.
The above sequence of processes provides a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Other alternatives can also be provided where processes are added, one or more processes are removed, or one or more processes are provided in a different sequence without departing from the scope of the claims herein. Future details of the present invention can be found throughout the present specification and more particularly below.
At the process 1210 , polysilicon areas and extended areas are determined. FIG. 13 is a simplified diagram for polysilicon areas and extended areas according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. A photolithographic mask 1300 includes polysilicon areas 1310 and 1320 , and active areas 1330 and 1340 . Extended areas 1350 and 1360 include the active areas 1330 and 1340 respectively and additional layers surrounding the active areas 1330 and 1340 respectively. For example, the extended area 1350 includes an additional layer surrounding the polysilicon layer 1330 . The polysilicon areas 1310 and 1320 each intersect the areas 1330 , 1340 , 1350 and 1360 .
At the process 1220 , extended areas without polysilicon areas below threshold are determined. FIGS. 14 and 15 are simplified diagrams for the process 1220 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. As shown in FIG. 14 , parts of extended areas excluding polysilicon areas are determined. For example, the extended areas without polysilicon areas include areas 1410 , 1420 , 1430 , 1440 , 1450 and 1460 . As shown in FIG. 15 , the areas 1410 , 1420 , 1430 , 1440 , 1450 and 1460 are compared with an area threshold. Among them, the areas 1410 , 1420 , 1440 and 1450 are smaller than the area threshold, and they are the extended areas without polysilicon areas below threshold.
At the process 1230 , extended areas overlapping with polysilicon areas are determined. FIG. 16 is a simplified diagram for the process 1230 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. The extended areas overlapping with polysilicon areas are areas 1610 , 1620 , 1630 and 1640 . These areas 1610 , 1620 , 1630 and 1640 are parts of the extended areas 1350 and 1360 overlapping with the polysilicon areas 1310 and 1320 . For example, the area 1610 overlaps with the polysilicon area 1310 and the extended area 1350 .
At the process 1240 , polysilicon areas for optical pattern compensation are determined. The polysilicon areas for optical pattern compensation are the extended areas without polysilicon areas below threshold that in contact with only one of the extended area overlapping with polysilicon areas. FIG. 17 is a simplified diagram for the process 1240 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. The polysilicon areas for optical pattern compensation include the areas 1410 and 1440 . For example, the area 1410 is in contact with the area 1610 , not the areas 1620 , 1630 and 1640 . The area 1420 touches both the areas 1610 and 1620 , and the area 1420 is not a polysilicon area for optical pattern compensation.
At the process 1250 , an optical pattern compensation is applied. FIG. 18 is a simplified diagram for the process 1250 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. The photolithographic mask 1800 includes optical pattern compensations 1810 and 1820 surrounding the areas 1810 and 1820 selected for optical pattern compensation. For example, the optical pattern compensation 1810 provides a protective layer with a certain width around the area 1410 . The optical pattern compensations 1810 and 1820 are merged with the areas 1410 and 1440 respectively to form mask areas.
At the process 1260 , spacing between outer edges of mask areas is determined. For example, a distance between an outer edge of an optical pattern compensation and an outer edge of another optical pattern compensation is determined. As another example, a distance between an outer edge of an optical pattern compensation and an outer edge of the poly area is determined. If a distance is below a spacing threshold, the outer edge of the optical pattern compensation that is associated with the distance below the spacing threshold is selected. FIG. 19 is a simplified diagram for the process 1260 according to an embodiment of the present invention. These diagram are merely examples, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. A distance 1910 is measured from an outer edge 1920 of the optical pattern compensation 1810 to an outer edge 1930 of another optical pattern compensation 1820 . If the distance 1910 is smaller than a spacing threshold, the outer edges 1920 and 1930 are selected.
At the process 1270 , an optical pattern compensation is adjusted if an distance associated with the optical pattern compensation is smaller than a spacing threshold. An outer edge previously selected and associated with the distance below the spacing threshold is adjusted so that the distance increases to meet or exceed the spacing threshold. FIG. 20 is a simplified diagram for the process 1270 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. The outer edges 1920 and 1930 are adjusted towards outer edges 2010 and 2020 of the polysilicon areas 1310 and 1320 respectively. For example, the adjusted outer edges coincide with the edges 2010 and 2020 respectively. In another example, only one or neither of the adjusted outer edges coincides with the edges 1310 and 1320 respectively.
As discussed above and further emphasized here, FIG. 12 is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. An addition process for making an photolithography mask can also be performed. The photolithographic mask includes a polysilicon area and an optical pattern compensation. For example, the photolithographic mask includes the polysilicon area 1310 and the optical pattern compensation 1810 . As another example, FIG. 21 is a simplified diagram for a photolithographic mask with optical pattern compensation according to another embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein.
FIG. 22 is a simplified diagram of a method for optical pattern compensation according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. The method 2200 includes the following processes:
1. Process 2210 for determining contact hole areas; 2. Process 2220 for determining spacing below threshold; 3. Process 2230 for determining contact hole areas not associated with spacing below threshold; 4. Process 2240 for classifying contact hole areas associated with spacing below threshold; 5. Process 2250 for applying optical pattern compensation.
The above sequence of processes provides a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Other alternatives can also be provided where processes are added, one or more processes are removed, or one or more processes are provided in a different sequence without departing from the scope of the claims herein. Future details of the present invention can be found throughout the present specification and more particularly below.
At the process 2210 , contact hole areas are located. FIG. 23 is a simplified diagram for contact hole areas according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. The contact hole areas include areas 2310 , 2320 , 2330 , 2340 , 2350 , 2360 , 2370 , 2380 and 2390 .
At the process 2220 , spacing below threshold is determined. A distance is measured between an outer edge of a contact hole area and an outer edge of another contact area. The distance is compared with a distance threshold. If the distance is smaller than the distance threshold, the distance is selected. FIG. 24 is a simplified diagram for the process 2220 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. Areas 2402 , 2404 , 2408 , 2410 , 2412 , 2414 , 2416 , 2418 and 2420 are associated with distances shorter than the distance threshold. For example, the distance threshold equals 0.7 μm.
At the process 2230 , contact hole areas not associated with spacing below threshold are determined. FIG. 25 is a simplified diagram for the process 2230 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. The contact hole areas 2320 , 2330 , 2340 , 2350 , 2360 , 2370 , 2380 and 2390 are in contact with at least one of the areas 2402 , 2404 , 2408 , 2410 , 2412 , 2414 , 2418 and 2420 , and these contact hole areas are associated with spacing below threshold. For example, the contact hole area 2320 touches the areas 2410 and 2420 . The area 2310 is not in contact with any of the areas 2402 , 2404 , 2408 , 2410 , 2412 , 2414 , 2418 and 2420 , and the area 2310 is a contact hole area not associated with spacing below threshold.
At the process 2240 , contact hole areas associated with spacing below threshold is classified. For example, contact hole areas associated with spacing below threshold is classified into three categories A, B and C. The category A refers to the contact hole areas associated with one or two distances below threshold. The category B refers to the contact hole areas associated with three distances below threshold. The category C refers to the contact hole areas associated with four distances below threshold. FIGS. 26 and 27 are simplified diagrams for the process 2240 according to an embodiment of the present invention. These diagrams are merely examples, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. As shown in FIG. 26 , the areas 2320 , 2330 , 2340 , 2370 and 2390 belong to the category A. The areas 2360 and 2380 belong to the category B. The area 2350 belongs to the category C.
At the process 2250 , an optical pattern compensation is applied. The optical pattern compensation for various types of contact hole areas may be different. FIG. 28 is a simplified diagram for the process 2250 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. Optical pattern compensations of three types are applied, and the three types are labeled as D, E and F. Optical pattern compensations 2810 , 2820 , 2830 , 2840 , 2870 and 2890 of type D is applied to the contact hole area 2310 not associated with spacing below threshold and the contact hole areas 2320 , 2330 , 2340 , 2370 and 2390 of category A respectively. Optical pattern compensations 2860 and 2880 of type E are applied to the contact hole areas 2360 and 2380 of category B. A optical compensation 2850 of type F is applied to the area 2350 of category C.
As discussed above and further emphasized here, FIG. 22 is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein. An addition process for making an photolithography mask can also be performed. The photolithographic mask includes a contact hole area and an optical pattern compensation. For example, the photolithographic mask includes at least the contact hole area 2310 and the optical pattern compensation 2810 . As another example, FIG. 29 is a simplified diagram for a photolithographic mask with optical pattern compensation according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. This diagram is merely an example, which should not unduly limit the scope of the claims herein.
The present invention has numerous advantages over conventional techniques. Certain embodiments of the present invention selectively apply optical pattern compensations and reduce the database volume for mask design. Some embodiments of the present invention automatically check the spacing between various mask areas and adjust optical pattern compensations accordingly. The computation requirement for detecting design rule violations is reduced. Certain embodiments of the present invention consider relationship between different layers to select areas for optical pattern compensation. For example, the layers include a metal layer and a via layer, or an active layer and a polysilicon layer. Some embodiments of the present invention provides different optical pattern compensations to different types of contact hole areas. Certain embodiments of the present invention reduce mask conversion and writing time.
It is also understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this application and scope of the appended claims. | A method and system for making a photographic mask. The method includes determining a first contact area, processing information associated with the first contact area, and determining whether a first optical compensation should be applied to the first contact area based on at least information associated with the first contact area. Additionally, the method includes if the first optical compensation should be applied to the first contact area, applying the first optical compensation to the first contact area, processing information associated with first optical compensation, determining a first distance between the first optical compensation and a second optical compensation or a second contact area, processing information associated with the first distance, and adjusting the first optical compensation based on at least information associated with the first distance. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates in general to digital communication signal processing techniques, and more specifically to modulation and demodulation techniques in multiple sub-channel communications systems.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Multiple sub-channel modulation and demodulation engines, and corresponding transmitters and receivers, which are implemented with digital signaling techniques are known in the art. One application of such a device is to communicate several sub-channels of information within a single, broader bandwidth, channel. Such systems employ orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (“OFDM”) modulation, multi-carrier transmission (“MCT”) modulation, and others modulation techniques. The general modulation approach in such systems is to consolidate the multiple sub-channels as sub-carriers in a composite signal in the base-band, and then frequency-shift the consolidated signal to the allocated carrier signal band, usually centered about a carrier frequency. Although, it is also understood that such systems can operate in the base-band without frequency shifting, and that such systems can be utilized in other electromagnetic bands, such as infrared and visible light. Multiple sub-channel modulation and demodulation devices employ various topologies and architectures. Among these are a particular variety that employ a combination of inverse Fourier transforms (or Fourier transforms) with polyphase filters and a software commutator. This is typically accomplished within a digital signal processor, however software implementations in other kinds of computing devices are certainly available. The basic design parameters of such devices, that are used for the purpose of modulation, are characterized by a number of input sub-channel signals, or sub-carrier signals, that are sampled at an input, or base-band, sampling rate, and, that are spaced apart in frequency by an input frequency spacing that is ultimately translated through to a composite signal. In addition, such devices are characterized by the composite output signal that is sampled according to an output, or composite, sampling rate. Respecting demodulation, the same characteristics apply, but are related to the input sampling rate of a composite signal, and the output sampling rate and frequency spacing of plural output sub-channel signals. These characterizations of are of vital importance when considering an overall system design and architecture.
[0005] The design of a polyphase filter for band limiting each sub-channel according to its pass-band and frequency spacing is critical to the design of an efficient data communications system. So too is the communications baud rate, which is directly affected by the filter design and sub-channel spacing, and which is important to the spectral response of the composite signal transmitted in the allocated channel. Previously, those skilled in the art have understood that there were various constraints placed on the relationship between the input sampling rate, the sub-channel frequency spacing, and the output sampling rate. These constraints have been considered problematic respecting optimum system design, especially where maximum performance in marginal signal conditions were sought.
[0006] More particularly, polyphase filters operate by multiplying selected phases, or samples, of a filter impulse response with samples of one or more the aforementioned input signals. Prior-art multiple channel polyphase filters have synchronized the selected phases of the filter impulse response with the positions of a commutator of the filter. In prior-art multiple channel polyphase filters, a given position of the commutator has corresponded uniquely to a predetermined phase of the filter impulse response. Those of ordinary skill in the art of polyphase filter design have even accepted that in multiple sub-channel polyphase modulators, the sub-channel sampling rate must be an integral multiple of the input sample rate, which also implies that the channel bandwidth, or frequency spacing, must be an integer multiple of the input sample rate.
[0007] The tight limitations on the relationship between input sampling rate, frequency spacing, and output sampling rate were partially alleviated by the teachings of the present inventor, McCoy, in a prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,134,268 to McCoy for APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING A NON-INTEGER SAMPLING RATE CHANGE IN A MULTIPLE CHANNEL POLYPHASE FILTER (the '268 patent), the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference thereto. The '268 patent teaches a multiple channel polyphase filter that includes a processing system for accepting and processing ‘M’ input channels of data, each sampled at an input sampling rate, wherein ‘M’ is a positive integer. The processing system is programmed to provide a commutator for the multiple channel polyphase filter, wherein the position of the commutator is decoupled from the phase of a filter impulse response selected for the position, thereby allowing the multiple channel polyphase filter to be operated at a sampling rate that is a non-integer multiple of the input sampling rate. The processing system is further programmed to operate the multiple channel polyphase filter at the non-integer multiple of the input sampling rate to obtain a non-integer sampling rate change. Other embodiments and applications taught by the '268 patent include a multiple channel polyphase filter, a multiple channel modulation engine, a corresponding multiple channel demodulation engine, a multiple channel transmitter, and a corresponding multiple channel receiver. While all of these embodiments teach the decoupling of the input sampling rate from the output sampling rate, each still suffers from a limitation defining the sub-channel frequency spacing by a fixed relationship between the input sampling rate and output sampling rate. Thus, even in view of the teachings of McCoy in the '268 patent, communication system designers are faced with a constraints on sub-channel spacing that is often times unable to deliver optimum performance in practical applications.
[0008] Thus, there is a need in the art for a modulation and demodulation engine applicable to multiple sub-channel systems that allows for the arbitrary specification of sub-channel frequency spacing with respect to input and output sample rates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The need in the art is addressed by the apparatus and methods of the present invention. The present invention encompasses multiple channel modulation bank that includes a programmable processing system for accepting plural channels of input data at an arbitrary sampling rate, or baud, rate, forming a composite output signal at an arbitrary sampling rate. Also, a multiple channel demodulation bank that includes a programmable processing system for accepting a composite input signal at an arbitrary sampling rate and yielding plural channels of output data at an arbitrary sampling rate. The sub-channels of data are spaced at an arbitrary spacing. While the prior art has restricted the relationship between the input sampling rate, output sampling rate, and the frequency spacing in some way, the present invention allows any rational relationship between all of these.
[0010] In particular, a modulator for receiving plural sub-channel signals that are sampled at a base-band sampling frequency and separated by a frequency spacing, and, for generating a composite signal, combining the plurality of sub-channel signals, that is sampled at a composite sampling frequency is taught. The modulator includes an inverse discrete Fourier transform coupled to receive the plural sub-channel signals and transform them into plural time domain signals. It also includes a multiple channel polyphase filter that receives the plural time domain signals and outputs a plurality of filter signals to a commutator. The commutator fractionally samples the filter signals at a rate defined by the ratio of the frequency spacing and a greatest common denominator between the composite sampling rate and the frequency spacing.
[0011] In a refinement of the foregoing modulator, the commutator fractional sampling ratio is derived as a ratio of integers thus allowing the relationship to be expressed as any rational number. In a further refinement, the modulator further adds a wireless modulator that mixes the composite signal with a wireless carrier for use in wireless transmission. In a further refinement, the transform, the filter, and the commutator are implemented with executable software on a processor. In a further refinement, the processor is a digital signal processor.
[0012] The present invention also teaches a modulator for receiving plural sub-channel signals that are sampled at a base-band sampling frequency and separated by a frequency spacing, and, for generating a composite signal, combining the plural sub-channel signals, that is sampled at a composite sampling frequency. The modulator includes an inverse discrete Fourier transform that transforms the plural sub-channel signals into plural time domain signals. The transform resolution is defined by the ratio of the composite sampling frequency and the greatest common divisor between the composite sampling frequency and the frequency spacing. Also, the transform decimation rate is defined by the ratio of the frequency spacing and a greatest common divisor between the composite sampling frequency and the frequency spacing. The modulator also includes a multiple channel polyphase filter that receives the plural time domain signals and outputs plural filter signals. The filter has an interpolation rate defined by a least common multiple between the base-band sampling frequency and the composite sample frequency divided by the base-band sampling frequency. Also, the filter decimation rate is defined as the filter interpolation rate times the base-band sample frequency and divided by the composite sampling frequency. Finally, the modulator includes a commutator that fractionally samples the plural filter signals at a rate defined by the ratio of the frequency spacing and a greatest common divisor between the composite sampling rate and the frequency spacing.
[0013] In a refinement of the foregoing modulator, the commutator fractional sampling ratio is defined by the decimation rate. In a further refinement, the modulator further adds a wireless modulator that mixes the composite signal with a wireless carrier for use in wireless transmission. In a further refinement, the transform, the filter, and the commutator are implemented with executable software on a processor. In a further refinement, the processor is a digital signal processor.
[0014] The present invention also teaches a demodulator that receives a composite signal that is a combination of plural sub-channel signals and that is sampled at a composite sampling frequency, and, that discriminates the plural sub-channel signals each at a base-band sampling frequency and separated by a frequency spacing. The demodulator includes a commutator that fractionally distributes the composite signal into plural filter input signals at a rate defined by the ratio of the frequency spacing and a greatest common denominator between the composite sampling rate and the frequency spacing. The demodulator also includes a multiple channel polyphase filter that has plural filter inputs to receive the plural filter input signals. The filter outputs plural filter signals to a discrete Fourier transform. The transformtransforms the plural filter signals, and outputs the plural sub-channel signals.
[0015] In a refinement to the foregoing demodulator, the commutator fractional sampling ratio is the decimation rate. In a further refinement, a wireless demodulator is added that is used to receive a wireless carrier signal, and to discriminate the composite signal therefrom to enable wireless reception. In a further refinement, the commutator, the filter, and the transform are implemented with executable software on a processor. In a further refinement, the processor is a digital signal processor.
[0016] The present invention also teaches another demodulator that receives a composite signal that is a combination of plural sub-channel signals, and that is sampled at a composite sampling frequency, and, that discriminates the plural sub-channel signals, each sampled at a base-band sampling frequency and separated by a frequency spacing. The demodulator includes a commutator that fractionally distributes the composite signal to plural filter input signals at a rate defined by the ratio of the frequency spacing and a greatest common denominator between the composite sampling rate and the frequency spacing. The demodulator also includes a multiple channel polyphase filter that receives the plural filter input signals and outputs plural filter signals. The filter has a decimation rate defined by a least common multiple between the base-band sampling frequency and the composite sample frequency divided by the base-band sampling frequency, and the filter has a interpolation rate defined as the filter interpolation rate times the base-band sample frequency and divided by the composite sampling frequency. The demodulator also includes a discrete Fourier transform that receives and transform the plural filter signals, and outputs the plural of sub-channel signals. The transform resolution is defined by the ratio of the composite sampling frequency and the greatest common denominator between the composite sampling frequency and the frequency spacing. Also, the transform decimation rate is defined by the ratio of the frequency spacing and a greatest common denominator between the composite sampling frequency and the frequency spacing.
[0017] In a refinement to the foregoing demodulator, the commutator fractional sampling ratio is a ratio of integers that define any arbitrary rational number. In a further refinement, a wireless demodulator is added that is used to receive a wireless carrier signal, and to discriminate the composite signal therefrom to enable wireless reception. In a further refinement, the commutator, the filter, and the transform are implemented with executable software on a processor. In a further refinement, the processor is a digital signal processor.
[0018] The present invention also teaches a method of modulating plural sub-channel signals that are sampled at a base-band sampling frequency and separated by a frequency spacing, onto a composite signal that is sampled at a composite sampling frequency. This method includes the steps of converting the plural sub-channel signals into plural time domain signals by performing an inverse Fourier transform that has a resolution defined by the ratio of the composite sampling frequency and the greatest common divisor between the composite sampling frequency and the frequency spacing. Also, the transform has a decimation rate defined by the ratio of the frequency spacing and a greatest common divisor between the composite sampling frequency and the frequency spacing. The next step is filtering the plural time domain signals using a multiple channel polyphase filter to produce plural filter signals. The filter has an interpolation rate defined by a least common multiple between the base-band sampling frequency and the composite sample frequency divided by the base-band sampling frequency. Also, the filter decimation rate defined as the filter interpolation rate times the base-band sample frequency and divided by the composite sampling frequency. The last step is fractionally sampling the plural filter signals at a rate defined by the ratio of the frequency spacing and a greatest common divisor between the composite sampling rate and the frequency spacing.
[0019] There is also taught a corresponding method of demodulating a composite signal that is sampled at a composite sampling frequency into a plurality of sub-channel signals each sampled at a base-band sampling frequency and separated by a frequency spacing. This method includes the steps of fractionally distributing the composite signal to plural filter input signals at a rate defined by the ratio of the frequency spacing and a greatest common denominator between the composite sampling rate and the frequency spacing. Next, filtering the plurality of filter input signals using a multiple channel polyphase filter to produce plural filter signals. The filter has an decimation rate defined by a least common multiple between the base-band sampling frequency and the composite sample frequency divided by the base-band sampling frequency, and the filter has interpolation rate defined as the filter interpolation rate times the base-band sample frequency and divided by the composite sampling frequency. The next step is transforming the plural filter signals, using a discrete Fourier transform, into the plural sub-channel signals. The transform resolution is defined by the ratio of the composite sampling frequency and the greatest common denominator between the composite sampling frequency and the frequency spacing. Also, the transform decimation rate is defined by the ratio of the frequency spacing and a greatest common denominator between the composite sampling frequency and the frequency spacing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] [0020]FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a wireless communications system according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] [0021]FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a radio transmitter according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] [0022]FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of a radio receiver according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] [0023]FIG. 4 is an architectural diagram of a prior art modulation engine.
[0024] [0024]FIG. 5 is an architectural diagram of a modulation engine according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] [0025]FIG. 6 is an architectural diagram of a prior art demodulation engine.
[0026] [0026]FIG. 7 is an architectural diagram of a demodulation engine according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] Illustrative embodiments and exemplary applications will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to disclose the advantageous teachings of the present invention. While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.
[0028] An illustrative embodiment communications systems according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. A plurality of terminal radio units 2 communicate through radio signals 4 with a radio repeater system 6 . The radio terminal units comprise a transceiver circuit, controller, and user interface (not shown). The radio repeater system 6 comprises a plurality of radio repeaters 8 that operate on discrete frequency allocations. Each radio repeater 6 comprises a transceiver. The transmitted and received radio signals 4 are combined and coupled to one or more radiating structures with radio frequency combining circuits 10 . The operation of the radio repeater system is generally controlled by controller 12 , a computing device, the general function of which is understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. The controller 12 also comprises communications circuits. External networks, such as the public switched telephone network (“PSTN”) 14 and public or private data networks 16 , are interfaced to the controller 12 , which is operable to switch communications signals between the repeaters 8 and between the repeaters 8 and the PSTN 14 and networks 16 .
[0029] More particularly, the illustrative embodiment in FIG. 1 is implemented in a trunked land mobile radio system that employs FDM channelization of the allocated radio spectrum and TDMA access via packetized data for channel trunking management, system control, data communications, and voice communications within each of the FDM sub-channels. Such systems are deployed in the 800 MHz SMR band, the 900 MHz band, and certain other VHF and UHF bands. However, such techniques are equally applicable in any reasonable frequency band, as are those of the present invention. The controller 12 may be any of a variety of computers, processors, microprocessor, or other suitable digital controlling devices as are understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. In FIG. 1, three repeaters 8 are shown, however, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the number of repeaters is dependent upon the radio spectrum allocated to the system and may range from one to twenty, or more. The controller 12 provides various kinds of control of the resources within the repeater systems 6 , including interconnecting radio and wireline communications resources, generating and interpreting communication protocols, encoding and decoding voice and data, and other control functions.
[0030] In an illustrative embodiment, the channel allocations are 25 kHz wide, and the aforementioned FDM channelization sub-divides each 25 kHz channel into four sub-channels, which are spaced 4.8 kHz apart. The TDMA channelization further divides each sub-band into two communications time slots with multiplexed data packets that are arranged in time to accomplish simplex, half-duplex, and duplex communications in real time. The illustrative embodiment system operates through the transmission and reception of four bit symbols at a 4 kHz symbol rate. The symbols are modulated and demodulated to the RF band according to a 16-QAM modulation scheme with a 16-point constellation in phase and amplitude, as is understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. The present invention teaches novel approaches to the base-band modulation and demodulation of such multiple sub-channelized systems.
[0031] [0031]FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a radio transmitter 20 according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. A plurality of data signals 22 , which may be arranged as a plurality of data channels, are coupled to a data/voice conditioning circuit 24 . The data voice conditioning circuit may employ any of a variety of error correction, interleaving, or other coding techniques that may be applicable to the communications objective of the systems. Such signal conditioning circuitry is understood by those having ordinary skill in the art. The voice data conditioning circuit 24 is operative to generate ‘M’ base-band signals 25 corresponding to ‘M’ sub-channels, that are sampled at a first base-band sampling rate. ‘M’ is an integer value that is greater than one. In one illustrative embodiment, ‘M’ is equal to four. The data/voice conditioning circuit 24 is coupled to a processing system 26 , which is a modulation engine, for accepting and processing the ‘M’ base-band signals. The processing system 26 comprises a conventional digital signal processor (“DSP”) 28 and a conventional memory 30 including RAM for providing an input buffer 34 , and ROM for storing pre-programmed parameters and software, such as filter coefficients 32 , a multiple channel polyphase filter program 36 , and an inverse discrete Fourier transform (“IDFT”) program 38 . Processed communication signals, in the form of frequency multiplexed composite signals, are output from the processing system 26 to a digital to analog converter (“DAC”) 40 , which converts the digital base-band signals to analog base-band signals. The analog signals output from the DAC 40 are coupled to an RF modulator 42 , for modulating a wireless carrier with a frequency-multiplexed composite signal, which is an RF signal, having ‘M’ sub-channels. The signals are then radiated by antenna 44 for radio electromagnetic coupling via radio waves to one or more receivers. The DSP 28 , memory 30 , and DAC 40 can be any of the variety of such devices known to be suitable for telecommunications applications by those or ordinary skill in the art, or that may later become known. Operation of the processing system 20 in accordance with the present invention will be described further herein after.
[0032] An exemplary receiver 48 in an illustrative embodiment of the present invention appears as a functional block diagram in FIG. 3. The receiver 48 is operable to demodulate a plurality of ‘M’ sub-channels that are received from the transmitter 20 . The receiver 48 comprises an antenna 50 for intercepting radio signals. The antenna 50 is coupled to a conventional receiver front end RF demodulator 52 for receiving the radio signals and converting them to base-band analog signals. The RF demodulator 52 output produces a composite signal that is coupled to analog to digital converter (“ADC”) 56 . ADC 56 is operable to convert the analog signals into base-band digital signals, having the ‘M’ sub-channels of information, into a composite signal having a sampling rate and derived from the ‘M’ sub-channels. The ADC 56 is coupled to a processing system 58 for processing the signals and for controlling the receiver 48 . The processing system 58 comprises a conventional digital signal processor (DSP) 60 and a conventional memory 62 . The DSP 60 , memory 62 , and ADC 56 can be any of the variety of such devices known to be suitable for telecommunications applications by those or ordinary skill in the art. The memory 62 comprises software elements including executable code and variables storage for programming the processing system 58 in accordance with the present invention. The memory 62 includes filter coefficients 64 describing a filter impulse response in accordance with the present invention, as are understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. In addition, the memory 62 includes an input buffer 66 used for storing input data samples. The memory 62 further comprises a multiple channel polyphase filter program 68 and a discrete Fourier transform (“DFT”) program 70 , in accordance with the present invention. Operation of the processing system 58 in accordance with the present invention will be described further herein after.
[0033] In several of the following illustrative examples, a multiple sub-carrier modulation system, developed by ComSpace Corporation and known in the marketplace by the “DCMA” trademark, is used to exemplify the prior art and the advantageous teaching of the present invention. The DCMA systems modulation approach transmits and receives a single or multiple sub-carriers within a FCC allocated radio channels that are spaced at 25 kHz centers. Such channel allocations exist in the United States in the 800 MHz and 900 MHz bands. However, the present invention is in no way limited by these examples, and, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the teachings herein are applicable to a vast array of communications systems and encompass a vast range of communications bandwidths. The exemplary DCMA systems modulates each sub-channel with a frequency offset that takes on one of four possible values with respect to the FCC allocated channel center frequency, and these values are; −7200 Hz, −2400 Hz, +2400 Hz, and +7200 Hz. Modulations is by 16-QAM comprised of 4-bit symbols transmitted at a symbol rate of 4000 baud. According to the aforementioned frequency offsets, the sub-carrier channel spacing is 4800 Hz. The output sampling rate of the combined sub-carriers ultimately transmitted over the allocated channel is 260 kilo samples per second (“ksps”).
[0034] Reference is directed to FIG. 4, which is an architectural diagram of the prior art modulation engine as used in the DCMA modulation scheme. A plurality of ‘M’ sub-channel signals SM(m) 80 are input to upsample and pulse shaping filters 82 . The filters 82 are digitally implemented finite impulse response (“FIR”) filters in one embodiment and output time domain signal PM(n) 84 to frequency shifting circuits 86 that shift the base-band signals according to the aforementioned frequency offsets. The frequency shifted signals are summed be a summation function 88 and the combined output signal y(n) 90 is coupled to RF transmitting circuitry (not shown).
[0035] Mathematically, these operations can be expressed as follows.
p l ( n ) = ∑ m = - ∞ ∞ h ( nD - mI ) s l ( m ) ( 1 )
[0036] Where D is the polyphase filter decimation rate, I is the polyphase filter interpolation rate, m is the input signal time at the input signal sampling rate, and n is the output time at the upsampled output rate. And, s l (m) characterizes one symbol of input as a function of time.
[0037] Given that the upsample rate, establishes a modulo ratio, the expression becomes:
p l ( n ) = ∑ m = - ∞ ∞ h ( I ( ⌊ nD I ⌋ - m ) + nD mod I ) s l ( m ) ( 2 )
[0038] And since any realizable digital filter must be truncated in time, the summation is limited to the number of taps per phase of the filter, the expression becomes:
p l ( n ) = ∑ m = 0 N taps / phase - 1 h ( Im + nD mod I ) s l ( ⌊ nD I ⌋ - m ) ( 3 )
[0039] Adding the frequency shift and summing the plural singles, the output y(n) 90 becomes:
y ( n ) = ∑ l = 1 M p l ( n ) j 2 π nlf Δ T s ( 4 )
[0040] One of the advantages of the present invention is the reduction in processor operation required to achieve the desired modulation and demodulation of the plural sub-channels. Respecting the prior art modulation engine of FIG. 1, the number of processor multiplication operations (a reasonable indication of processor demand) required to implement the modulation engine is as follows.
N mult =(2* M*N taps/phase +M (4+ p ))ƒ so (5)
[0041] Where p is the equivalent number of multiplies required in order to generate the complex sinusoid, and ƒ so is the final sampling rate. Given the parameters of the DCMA system, the number of multiplies in the modulation engine of the repeater is:
N mult =(2*4*16+4*(4+ p )260000=(37.44+1.04 p ) MMPS (6)
[0042] [0042]FIG. 5 is an architectural diagram of a modulation engine according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The input signals SM(m) 100 are coupled to an inverse discrete Fourier transform (“IDFT”) 102 . The output bins of the IDFT are coupled to a multiple channel polyphase filter 104 . The outputs of the filter 104 are combined by a commutator 106 to yield the combined signal output y(n) 108 . While the architecture in FIG. 5 differs from the prior art architecture described with respect to FIG. 4, the function of the modulation engine in FIG. 5, in the general case, is mathematically the same. The structure in FIG. 5 can be mathematically described, and the present invention further derived as follows. Consider a composite expression for the modulation engine, which combines Equations (1) and (4).
y ( n ) = ∑ l = 1 M ∑ m = - ∞ ∞ h ( nD - mI ) s l ( m ) j 2 π nlf Δ T s ( 7 )
[0043] Which is algebraically manipulated to yield Equation 8.
y ( n ) = ∑ m = - ∞ ∞ h ( nD - mI ) ∑ l = 1 M s l ( m ) j 2 π nlf Δ T s ( 8 )
[0044] Use the substitution, n=r+sM, where r is an indicator of the commutator cycle position in time, and s is an indicator of overall time, to yield a modified summation.
y ( n ) = y ( r + sM ) = ∑ m = - ∞ ∞ h ( nD - mI ) ∑ l = 1 M s l ( m ) j 2 π ( r + sM ) lf Δ T s ( 9 )
[0045] Equation 9 will be readily understood by those possessing ordinary skill in the art.
[0046] An important advancement in the art made by the present invention occurs when the constraint that ƒ Δ T s is equal to k/M, which equates ƒ Δ T s . to a ratio of integers, otherwise stated as a rational number. It is not required in general, but for illustration purposes, k is set to 1 and Equation (9) rewritten as:
y ( n ) = ∑ m = - ∞ ∞ h ( nD - mI ) ∑ l = 1 M s l ( m ) j 2 π ( r + sM ) l / M = ∑ m = - ∞ ∞ h ( nD - mI ) ∑ l = 1 M s l ( m ) j 2 π rl / M ( 10 )
[0047] Which is algebraically manipulated in the same fashion as between Equations (1) and (2) to yield:
y ( n ) = ∑ m = - ∞ ∞ h ( nD - mI ) s r ( m ) = ∑ m = 0 N taps / phase - 1 h ( Im + nD mod I ) s r ( ⌊ nD I ⌋ - m ) ( 11 )
[0048] The commutator position s r (m) is interpreted as the rth IDFT output bin at time, m. In Equation (10), the sM term in the phasor repeats every 2 π radians and thus drops out of the equation. This filtering operation has the same number of processor multiplies as a single sub-channel rate change. The added processing cost for computing the multiple sub-carrier modulation bank is the cost of computing the IDFT, which performs the mixing operation. However, the IDFT is computed at the symbol rate and not the output sampling rate, and is therefore substantially less processor intensive. This demonstrates that the illustrative embodiment or the present invention not only achieves the desirable decoupling of the input frequency spacing from the filter parameters (decimation rate, interpolation rate, and number of phases) but, does so at a substantially reduced processor load.
[0049] Now, considering the forgoing advancement in view of the illustrative embodiment DCMA system, which operation parameters were enumerated herein before, it will be appreciated that the foregoing modulation model can be applied to the modulation bank for the downlink. The downlink is the communications path from the repeater systems to the terminal units. As the repeater systems must communicate simultaneously with a plurality of terminal units, it must do so on each of the sub-channels simultaneously as well. However, since the output sampling rate in DCMA is fixed at 260 ksps, it is necessary to contemplate the more complex sampling rate change this implies (4 ksps to 260 ksps). Consider, generally, a process where the DFT is greatly over sampled in order to accommodate a difficult rate change. Such an operation can be mathematically constructed as follows.
y ( n ) = ∑ m = - ∞ ∞ h ( nD - mI ) ∑ l = 1 M s l ( m ) j 2 π ( r + sM ) lf Δ T s ( 12 )
[0050] The first summation generally defining the filtering operation and the second generally defining the transformation. Again applying an advancement of the present invention, let ƒ Δ T s be a rational number, a/b. Note that at this point in the design process. it is unknown how to select the IDFT resolution, M. Using this substitution, Equation (12) becomes:
y ( n ) = ∑ m = - ∞ ∞ h ( nD - mI ) ∑ l = 1 M s l ( m ) j 2 π ( r + sM ) la / b ( 13 )
[0051] Since ƒ Δ T s equals a/b and this is k/M, then b equals aM/k, and k equals 1, so b=aM, therefore Equation (13) becomes:
y ( n ) = ∑ m = - ∞ ∞ h ( nD - mI ) ∑ l = 1 M s l ( m ) j 2 π rla / M ( 14 )
[0052] Again, applying the same practical application of a finite time filter, Equation (14) becomes:
y ( n ) = ∑ m = 0 N tapsNyq - 1 h ( mI + nD mod I ) ∑ l = 1 M s l ( ⌊ nD I ⌋ - m ) j 2 π la / M ( 15 )
[0053] Where N tapsNyq is the number of taps per phase of the Nyquist filter, which is the filter chosen for use in the DCMA implementation of the present invention. The inner summation is the sub-sampled IDFT. A key difference between this equation and the previous equation is that the filter bank output is fractionally sampled. This is an important advancement over the prior art. With this advancement, the baud rate can be related to the frequency by any rational number, and the output sampling frequency can be related to the frequency spacing by any rational number. This mathematical construct is very useful for any modulation engine or software radio. Some of the tradeoffs involved with such a structure do exist. The resolution of the IDFT is given by the output sampling rate divided by the greatest common denominator of the output sampling frequency and the sub-channel frequency spacing. The decimation rate on the output commutator is given by the sub-channel frequency spacing divided by the greatest common divisor of the output sampling frequency and the sub-channel frequency spacing. However, this advancement allows the designer of a communications system great flexibility in selecting the input sampling rate, the sub-channel frequency spacing, and the output sampling rate to suit system requirements. The variable factors which are adjusted to achieve this result are the number of terms of the IDFT, (the order of the IDFT), and the relationship between phase of the filter, (the sequence in which the phases are utilized).
[0054] Respecting the question of processor overhead burden of the DCMA illustrative embodiment of the present invention, in the worst case, the computational complexity of using this filter bank is as follows.
N mult =2* N taps/phase ƒ so +C DFT ƒ b (16)
[0055] Where C DFT is the number of processor multiplies required in order to compute the IDFT.
[0056] Again, for the DCMA illustrative embodiment, the following is an approximation of the complexity numbers.
N mult =2*16*260000+ C DFT *4000=8.32+0.004 C DFT MMPS (17)
[0057] The question of how many processor multiplies will it take to implement the corresponding DFT. In this case there are far fewer inputs than total output points to be computed. Assuming the input is complex, the number of computations becomes:
N mult =8.32+0.004(4* N sc *N DFT ) MMPS (18)
[0058] It is important to note in this case that the number of operations required for the mixing operation can be increased above the required amount for the prior art implementation. This situation can arise if the number of sub-carriers is much smaller than the DFT size. However, in such situations, the utilized bandwidth in ratio to the output sampling rate will be small. If that is the case, the modulation bank can be implemented at a lower output sampling rate followed by an upsampler. The computational complexity of such an implementation in this case is as follows.
N mult =2*16*52000+4*4*65*4000+ N tap *260000=5.82+0.26* N tap (19)
[0059] Where N tap is the number of taps per phase to implement an up by 5 rate change. This second filter could be readily implemented in 40 taps per phase. This yields a final complexity of 16.22 MIPS, a savings of 20 MIPS over the prior art implementation.
[0060] Respecting an implementation of the present invention modulation engine illustrated in FIG. 5 to the DCMA illustrative embodiment, there are four input sub-channel sub-carriers SM(m) 100 , each of which is sampled at 4 ksps. A total a 65 IDFT 102 bins coupled to 65 Nyquist filter phases 104 . The filter 104 interpolation rate is 65 and the commutator 106 rate is 65 ksps. An upsample of the commutator output by 5 brings the final output sample, y(n), 108 to 260 ksps. The filtering and commutation operation of this bank can be completely defined for all time in terms of three parameters, the filter phase, the data pointer position, and the commutator position. In the case of a DCMA illustrative embodiment 4 ksps baud system with frequency spacing of 4800 Hz and an output sampling rate of 52 ksps, these parameters are defined as follows.
φ( n )= n mod 65 (20)
[0061] The taps of the filter phase, are generated as follows.
h φ =h (φ+65 k ), k= 0: N tapsNyq −1 (21)
[0062] The data pointer position is:
δ ( n ) = ⌊ n 65 ⌋ ( 22 )
[0063] The commutator position is given by:
x ( n )=(6 n ) mod(65) (23)
[0064] The foregoing equation set does not specify the implementation of the IDFT. The IDFT has four inputs and 65 outputs. There are four active sub-carriers. The sub-carriers should are located at −7200 Hz, −2400 Hz, +2400 Hz and +7200 Hz. In order to accommodate these frequencies, the basic IDFT is modified as follows.
s r ( m ) = ∑ l = 1 4 s l ( m ) j 2 π 6 r ( l - 2.5 ) / 65 = - j 18 π r / 65 ∑ l = 1 4 s l ( m ) j 2 π r6l / 65 ( 24 )
[0065] This additional shift is not expensive in terms of processor overhead because a direct implementation of the IDFT is used. The composite operation of the filter bank is summarized by the following steps:
[0066] STEP 1: Compute the IDFT of one time-slice of symbols according to Equation (24). This will account for 65 separate filter histories, each at the symbol rate, (The original symbols will never be needed again.).
[0067] STEP 2: Identify the filter phase according to Equation (20).
[0068] STEP 3: Identify the data pointer position according to Equation (22).
[0069] STEP 4; Identify the commutator position according to Equation (23).
[0070] STEP 5: Compute the dot product of the filter phase and the data vector according to the following equation:
y ( n ) = ∑ k = 0 N tapsNyq - 1 h ( φ ( n ) + 65 k ) · s χ ( n ) ( δ ( n ) - k ) ( 25 )
[0071] This operation is followed by a direct interpolation by 5 to achieve the design output sampling rate of 260 ksps, as discussed above. The interpolation by 5 operation is specified as follows.
φ( n )= n mod 5 φ( n )= n mod 5 (26)
[0072] The taps of the filter phase are generated as follows.
h φ =h (φ+5 k ), k= 0: N tapsNyq −1 (27)
[0073] The data pointer position is:
δ ( n ) = ⌊ n 5 ⌋ ( 28 )
[0074] The output is computed as follows:
y ( n ) = ∑ λ = 0 N tapsfill - 1 h ( φ ( n ) + 5 k ) · y ( δ ( n ) - k ) ( 29 )
[0075] The teachings of the present invention are also applicable to the demodulation of multiple sub-carrier signals in a similar fashion to the previously discussed modulation aspects. For a more detailed understanding of the demodulation aspects of the teachings of the present invention, it is useful to consider the prior art, and especially the prior art DCMA systems. By way of review, DCMA modulation consists of a single (in the case of a terminal unit operating on a single sub-channel) or multiple sub-carriers with a frequency offset that takes on four possible values, −7200, −2400, +2400, or +7200 Hz from the allocated carrier frequency. The basic parameters of the system are a symbol rate is 4000 baud; the sub-carrier spacing is 4800 Hz, and an output sampling rate is 260 ksps.
[0076] The prior art demodulation approach is diagrammed in FIG. 6. A multiple sub-carrier signal Y(n) 110 is received from another circuit, which may be an analog to digital converter further coupled from an RF receiver demodulator. The signal is comprised of a digitally encoded signal at a relatively high sampling rate. A commutator 112 sequences the input signal through a number of positions equal to the number of sub-carriers represented in signal Y(n), thus demultiplexing the received signals into their sub-carrier parts. Each sub-carrier part is frequency shifted by a suitable amount in Frequency Shift circuits 114 . The frequency shifted circuits are output from the Frequency Shift circuits 114 as base-band sub-carrier signals PM(n) 116 . Each of these signals is sampled at the relatively high input 110 sampling rate. Down sampling to the sub-channel sampling rate and pulse shaping occur at Down Sampler/Pulse Shape circuits 118 for each sub carrier. The base-band signals, at the relatively lower output sampling rate are output at 120 as XM(m). Note that ‘n’ is a representation of time at the relatively high input sampling rate, and ‘m’ is a representation of time at the relatively lower output sampling rate. The total number of sub-carriers, or sub-channels is represented by the integer ‘M’.
[0077] Mathematically, the processes illustrated in FIG. 6 are expressed as follows.
x l ( m ) = ∑ n = - ∞ ∞ h ( mD - nI ) y ( n ) - j 2 π n ( f c + l Δ f ) T s
x l ( m ) = ∑ s = - ∞ ∞ ∑ r = 0 M - 1 h ( mD - ( r + sM ) I ) y ( r + sM ) - j 2 π ( r + sM ) ( f c + l Δ f ) T s ( 31 )
[0078] Where x l (m) is the output signal for each l th sub-channel, D is the filter decimation rate, I is the filter interpolation rate, y(n) is the multiplexed input signal, ƒ c is the carrier center frequency, Δƒ is the sub-carrier offset frequency, and Ts is the sample time period. Then, using the substitution, n=r+sM, as was applied in novel aspects of the modulation engine calculations, and the summation for the novel aspects of the illustrative embodiment demodulation engine becomes:
x l ( m ) = ∑ s = - ∞ ∞ ∑ r = 0 M - 1 h ( mD - ( r + sM ) I ) y ( r + sM ) - j 2 π ( r + sM ) ( f c + l Δ f ) T s ( 32 )
[0079] Which is algebraically equivalent to:
x l ( m ) = ∑ r = 0 M - 1 - j 2 π r ( f c + l Δ f ) T s ∑ s = - ∞ ∞ h ( mD - ( r + sM ) I ) y ( r + sM ) ( 33 )
[0080] In the flowing analysis, the inner summation, indicating the filter response, is separated out, and, the modulo count remainder of the decimation/interpolation process incorporated for thoroughness.
y ^ ( m ) = ∑ s = - ∞ ∝ h ( MI ( ⌊ mD - rI MI ⌋ - s ) + ( mD - rI ) mod MI ) y ( r + sM ) ( 34 )
[0081] Using the substitution,
s ~ = ⌊ mD - rI MI ⌋ - s ,
[0082] and terminating the filter response time according to the number of taps employed in the digital filter, the expression becomes:
y ^ r ( m ) = ∑ s ~ = 0 ⌈ N taps MI ⌉ - 1 h ( M I ~ s + ( mD - rI ) mod MI ) y ( r + ( ⌊ mD - rI MI ⌋ - s ~ ) M ) ( 35 )
[0083] The operation of commutation is expressed by, y r (s)=y(r+sM), and is applied to Equation (35) to yield:
y ^ r ( m ) = ∑ s ~ = 0 ⌈ N taps MI ⌉ - 1 h ( M I ~ s + ( mD - rI ) mod MI ) y r ( ⌊ mD - rI MI ⌋ - s ~ ) ( 36 )
[0084] Equation 36 is the form of an ordinary polyphase filtering operation, with the slight modification of the rI term. This can be readily implemented in a digital signal processor, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art. Finally, substitution back in to Equation (33) yields the following complete expression of the output channels.
x l ( m ) = ∑ r = 0 M - 1 - j 2 π r ( f c + l Δ f ) T s y ^ r ( m ) = - j 2 π rf c T s ∑ r = 0 M - 1 - j 2 π rl Δ fT s y ^ r ( m ) ( 37 )
[0085] The discrete Fourier transform (“DFT”) is not necessarily an ordinary DFT, although it can be in certain cases, depending on the relationship between Δƒ and T s . In general, according to the advantageous teachings of the present invention, the relationship between Δƒ and T s can be any rational number. In order to accommodate this possibility, the input to the DFT may have to be decimated. The processing structure employed to achieve the decimation, as well as the filter and transform according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 7.
[0086] [0086]FIG. 7 is an architectural diagram of a demodulation engine according to an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. The composite multi-sub-carrier signal Y(n) 122 is input to a commutator 124 , which commutes the signal 122 to the plurality of filter input signals 126 . The filters 130 pulse shape the signals to ŶM(r, s, m) filter signals 132 which are input to discrete Fourier transform (“DFT”) 134 . The ‘M’ individual outputs xM(m) 136 are output from DFT 134 , and are used for subsequent signal processing and utilization, as is understood by those skilled in the art.
[0087] Respecting the illustrative embodiment DCMA communications system, the input sampling rate is 260 ksps with 4 sub-carriers spaced at 4800 Hz having a baud rate of 4 ksps. The calculations yield values as follows; M=325, ƒ c T s =−9/325, ΔƒT s =6/325, I=1 and D=65. Consequently, the operation of the analysis bank can be expressed as follows.
y r ( s )= y ( r+s 325) (38)
[0088] [0088] y ^ r ( m ) = ∑ s ~ = 0 ⌈ N taps 325 ⌉ - 1 h ( 325 s ^ + ( m65 - r ) mod 325 ) y r ( ⌊ m65 - r 325 ⌋ - s ~ ) ( 39 )
[0089] and,
x l ( m ) = j 18 π r / 325 ∑ r = 0 324 - j 12 π rl / 325 y ^ r ( m ) = j 18 π r / 325 ∑ r = 0 324 - j 2 π l ( 6 r mod 325 ) / 325 y ^ r ( m ) ( 40 )
[0090] Respecting the processor demand for this illustrative embodiment application of the present invention, the number of processor multiplications required in order to implement such an operation is approximated in the worst case as follows.
N mult =(2* N taps +N dft )ƒ b (2* N taps +4 N sc )ƒ b (41)
[0091] The number of computations required for a 10 sub-carrier system assuming a 11 symbol delay is 11 MIPS. The same system with a conventional implementation would require 70 MIPS. On the receive side at least 3 taps of the filter must be sampled. A fine timing offset (early or late) may be realized by changing the phase of the filter. These additional outputs scale the complexity requirements. For 3 output taps, the complexity requirements triple, which is true of both the prior art implementation and the illustrative embodiment implementation.
[0092] Thus, the present invention has been described herein with reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application. It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications, modifications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.
[0093] Accordingly, | A modulator, and demodulator, apparatus and method for use in a multiple sub-channel communication system is taught. A commutator is employed for fractionally sampling, or distributing, signals from, or to, a multiple channel polyphase filter. The filter is coupled with a discrete Fourier transform, or its inverse, such that the relationship between the base-band sampling rate of a plurality of sub-channel signals, the frequency spacing of the sub-channel signals, and the sampling rate of a composite signal can be related by any rational number, thereby freeing designers to optimize system design respecting channel spacing, bandwidth, and signaling rates. The advantages of the present invention are realized by adjusting the interpolation and decimation rates of the filter, and by adjusting the resolution and decimation rates of the transform. | 7 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] NONE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to silicone liquid-to-powder compositions for topical skincare applications. More specifically the invention relates to topical compositions comprising: a cosmetically acceptable powder, a silicone elastomer; a volatile fluid and a nonvolatile silicone fluid. The resulting product can be in the form of a viscous cream, lotion or putty which, when is applied to the skin, converts quickly to a dry powder.
[0003] There are a number of skincare products that go on in fluid form, and eventually transform from liquid to powder on the skin, however these are based on a volatile carriers, usually an alcohol or volatile hydrocarbons. These products have disadvantages such as the volatiles can strip the skin; the formulas can leave a gritty feel on the skin and leave an unpleasant whitish residue upon drying; and because of the selected components, the products do not ordinarily have the smooth, creamy esthetics or skin feel desired, nor is their level of evaporation upon application so thorough as to leave a substantially completely dry product.
[0004] Because of this, there thus remains a need for a liquid-to-powder composition that provides all the desired characteristics of a luxurious fluid product and powder product, without the disadvantages that have typically been associated with such products.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] This invention pertains to a liquid-to-powder composition comprising
[0006] (A) at least one cosmetically acceptable powder
[0007] (B) at least one crosslinked silicone elastomer;
[0008] (C) at least one volatile fluid and;
[0009] (D) at least one nonvolatile silicone fluid.
[0010] The compositions of the invention provide a suitable vehicle for infant or adult powder based skin care products, as well as for delivery of pharmaceutical actives. The resulting compositions have the elegant, smooth spreading properties of a cream or viscous putty, but which upon application to the skin convert to a dry, silky-feeling powder.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Component (A) in the liquid-to-powder formulation is a cosmetically acceptable powder. Examples of powders useful herein include starch, talc, silica, mica, sugars, inorganic pigments, and natural skin treatment powders such as oatmeal, soy powder and mixtures thereof. Preferred are those typically found in infant powder based skin care product such as cornstarch or talc. Typically the powders have a particle size of 5 to 600 microns, alternatively 80 to 300 microns and are commercially available. The cosmetically acceptable powder useful herein are typically those that conform to the specifications of the Cosmetic and Toiletry and Fragrance Association.
[0012] Starch powders useful herein include cornstarch, tapioca granules, wheat starch and potato starches. Corn starch are those carbohydrate polymers derived of corn of various types, typically composed of 25% amylose and 75% amylopectin. These starch granules will differ in size and shape, depending on the plant source. Corn starch granules are slightly larger (approximately 15 μm), and round to polygonal. Tapioca granules are even larger (approximately 20 μm), with rounded shapes that are truncated at one end. Wheat starch tends to cluster in several size ranges: Normal granules are approximately 18 μm; larger granules average about 24 μm; and smaller granules average approximately 7 to 8 μm, with round to elliptical shapes. Potato starches are oval and very large, averaging 30 to 50 μm. However through processing, these powders can be micronized to particle sizes of less than 10 μm.
[0013] The talc which is useful herein is typically a white, odorless, fine powder ground from a naturally occurring rock ore and typically consist mainly of hydrous magnesium with the remainder being naturally associated mineral such as calcite, chlorite, dolomite, kaolin and magnesite. Typically the particle size is such that 100% passes through a 60 mesh screen and not less than 99% passes through a 100 mesh screen and at least 98% passes through a 200 mesh screen.
[0014] Micas useful herein include, but are not limited to muscovite, phlogopite, tiotite, sericite, lepidolite, paragonite, and artificial or synthetic mica.
[0015] Silicas useful herein can include, hydrated silica, mineral silicates, amorphous silica, fumed silica, calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, magnesium aluminum silicate, magnesium trisilicate, and others. By fumed silica it is meant those high-surface area powdered silicas prepared by pyrogenic process and has a purity of 99.8% or greater. Fumed silicas are available in untreated form, or with a surface treatment to render the silica more hydrophobic. The surface area of the fumed silica is typically between 90 to about 380 m 2 /g. Other silicas useful herein include, but are not limited to mineral silicates such as phyllosilicates and tectosilicates.
[0016] Pigments useful herein include inorganic and organic pigments. The organic pigments are generally various aromatic types including azo, indigoid, triphenylmethane, anthraquinone, and xanthine dyes which are designated as D&C and FD&C blues, browns, greens, oranges, reds, yellows, etc. Inorganic pigments generally consist of insoluble metallic salts of certified color additives, referred to as the Lakes or iron oxides. A pulverulent coloring agent, such as carbon black, chromium or iron oxides, ultramarines, manganese pyrophosphate, iron blue, and titanium dioxide, pearlescent agents, generally used as a mixture with colored pigments, or some organic dyes, generally used as a mixture with colored pigments and commonly used in the cosmetics industry, can be added to the composition. Pulverulent inorganic or organic fillers can also be added. These pulverulent fillers can be chosen from talc, micas, kaolin, zinc or titanium oxides, calcium or magnesium carbonates, silica, spherical titanium dioxide, glass or ceramic beads, metal soaps derived from carboxylic acids having 8-22 carbon atoms, non-expanded synthetic polymer powders, expanded powders and powders from natural organic compounds, such as cereal starches, which may or may not be crosslinked. Mention may be made in particular of talc, mica, silica, kaolin, nylon powders (in particular ORGASOL), polyethylene powders, Teflon, starch, boron nitride, copolymer microspheres such as EXPANCEL (Nobel Industrie), POLYTRAP, and silicone resin powder or microbeads (TOSPEARL from Toshiba).
[0017] Natural skin care powders useful herein include, but are not limited to almond meal, apricot seed powder, barley flour, corn cob meal, corn cob powder, corn flour, corn meal, jojoba seed powder, oat bran, oat flour, oatmeal, peach pit powder, pecan shell powder, rice bran, rye flour, soy flour, total soy powder, walnut shell powder, wheat bran, wheat flour, wheat starch and others.
[0018] The cosmetically acceptable powder may contain other organic and inorganic powders that are useful in skin care applications.
[0019] The amount of cosmetically acceptable powder used in the liquid-to-powder composition is typically from 50 wt % to 70 wt % based on the wt of liquid-to-powder composition, alternatively from 55 to 65 wt %, alternatively from 60 to 63 wt %. Although it may be possible to use amount higher than 70 wt %, typically the composition loses its esthetic appeal as it becomes too hard or cakey.
[0020] Component (B) in the liquid-to-powder formulation is a crosslinked silicone elastomer. Suitable crosslinked silicone elastomers useful herein are non-emulsifying crosslinked organopolysilxoanes. By non-emulsifying it is meant crosslinked silicone elastomers that do not contain polyoxyalkylene units. Non-emulsifying elastomers are typically formed via reacting an organohydrogenpolysilxoanes with a divinyl compound such as an alpha, omega diene. The crosslinked silicone elastomers may be further processed by subjecting them to high pressure to result in a elastomer with an average particle size in the range of 0.2 to 10 microns, alternatively 0.5 to 5 microns. Non-emulsifying elastomers can also be known as dimethicone crosspolymers, vinyldimethicone crosspolymers and others. Typically the crosslinked silicone elastomer will have an average molecular weight of 2,000 to in excess of 1,000,000, alternatively 10,000 to 20 million. Suitable crosslinked silicone elastomers are commercially available and methods for making the are know in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,362 is hereby incorporated by reference for its teaching on how to make the elastomers.
[0021] The crosslinked silicone elastomers are typically available delivered as 20 to 45 wt % in a silicone fluid carrier such as cyclomethicone or dimethicone. The amount of crosslinked silicone elastomer is typically from 5 to 15 wt % (solids) based on the liquid-to-powder composition. If an insufficient amount of crosslinked silicone elastomer is used then the cosmetically acceptable powder will precipitate out of the composition.
[0022] Component (C) is a volatile fluid. By “volatile” it is meant those materials that have a measurable pressure at ambient conditions. Volatile fluids useful herein include volatile silicone fluids, volatile organic fluids and mixtures thereof. Volatile silicone fluids may be cyclic, linear or mixtures thereof. Cyclic silicone fluids include polydimethylsiloxanes containing from 3 to 9 silicon atoms, alternatively 4 to 5 silicon atoms. Linear silicone fluids include polydimethylsiloxanes containing from 3 to 9 silicon atoms. The linear volatile silicones typically have viscosities of less than 5 Cs at 25° C., while the cyclic silicone fluids have viscosities of less than 10 Cs at 25° C., alternatively 0.1 to 8 Cs. Volatile silicone fluids are commercially available.
[0023] Volatile silicone fluids useful herein may be exemplified by, but not limited to hexamethyldisiloxane, octamethyltrisiloxane, decamethyltetrasiloxane, dodecamethylpentasiloxane, tetradecamethylhexasiloxane, hexadecamethylheptasiloxane, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane, dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane, heptamethyl-3-{(trimethylsilyl)oxy}trisiloxane, hexamethyl-3,3,bis{(trimethylsilyl)oxy}trisiloxane, pentamethyl{(trimethylsilyl)oxy}cyclotrisiloxane and mixtures thereof.
[0024] The organic solvent can be an ester, an alcohol such as methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, butanol, or n-propanol, a ketone such as acetone, methylethyl ketone, or methyl isobutyl ketone; an aromatic hydrocarbon such as benzene, toluene, or xylene; an aliphatic hydrocarbon such as heptane, hexane, or octane; a glycol ether such as propylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol n-butyl ether, propylene glycol n-propyl ether, or ethylene glycol n-butyl ether, an acetate, such as ethyl acetate or butyl acetate, a halogenated hydrocarbon such as dichloromethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane or methylene chloride, chloroform, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethyl formamide, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, or an aliphatic hydrocarbon such as white spirits, mineral spirits, isododecane heptane, hexane or naphtha.
[0025] The volatile fluid is typically present in the liquid-to-powder composition in an amount of 10 to 35 wt % based on the weight of the liquid-to-powder composition, alternatively 15 to 25 wt %. If a volatile silicone fluid is used as the carrier for the crosslinked silicone elastomer (B) then it may not be necessary to add additional amounts of volatile silicone fluid.
[0026] Component (D) is a nonvolatile silicone fluid. Nonvolatile silicone fluids useful herein can be polyalkyl siloxanes, polyalkylaryl siloxanes or polyether siloxane copolymers. The nonvolatile silicone fluids have a viscosity of typically 10 to 100,000 Cs at 25° C. The amount of nonvolatile silicone fluid is typically from 1 wt % to 10% based on the weight of the liquid-to-powder composition. Typically, the higher the viscosity of the nonvolatile silicone fluid, the less of the fluid that will be needed in the composition.
[0027] Nonvolatile silicone fluids useful herein may be exemplified by, but not limited to, dimethylpolysiloxanes, methylethylpolysiloxanes, polydiphenylsiloxanes, and mixtures thereof. Nonvolatile silicone fluids useful herein may also include those nonvolatile silicone fluids that contain a functional group, so long as the functional group is not reactive with any other component used in the liquid-to-powder composition. Functional groups that may be incorporated onto the nonvolatile silicone fluid include, but are not limited to, acrylamide groups, acrylate groups, amide groups, amide groups, amino groups, carbinol groups, carboxy groups, chloroalkyl groups, epoxy groups, glycol groups, ketal groups, mercapto groups, methyl ester groups, perfluoro groups, polyisobutylene groups, silanol groups, vinyl groups and mixtures thereof.
[0028] Additional components may be added to the liquid-to-powder composition so long as they do not cause the powder to separate out of the composition. Examples of useful additives include antibacterial agents, pigments, fragrances, anti-caking agents, spherical powders that can aid in enhancing the feel of the compositions, anti-whitening agents, light scattering agents, topically active agents, pharmaceutical actives, moisturizing conditions, exfoliants, sunscreens, deodorants, astringents, absorbing agents, vitamins, zinc oxide and mixtures thereof.
[0029] By modifying the amount and type of volatile and nonvolatile silicone fluids, the resulting appearance of the liquid powder on the skin upon drying can be varied to leave a powder residue on the skin, or give the appearance of no powdery residue at all (dry powdery feel without the presence of the residue).
[0030] The liquid-to-powder compositions are typically prepared by preparing a mixture of the silicone components (B), (C) and (D) and then slowly adding the cosmetically acceptable powder (A) to the silicone mixture. By this method, clumping of the powder can be prevented. The optional components may be blended with the silicone components, the cosmetically acceptable powder or added after the blending of the silicone and powder. The preparation of the liquid-to-powder composition can typically take place at room temperature and pressure.
EXAMPLES
[0031] The following examples are included to demonstrate embodiments of the invention. It should be appreciated by those of skill in the art that the techniques disclosed in the examples which follow represent techniques discovered by the inventor to function well in the practice of the invention, and thus can be considered to constitute preferred modes for its practice. However, those of skill in the art should, in light of the present disclosure, appreciate that many changes can be made in the specific embodiments which are disclosed and still obtain a like or similar result without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All percentages are in wt. %.
Example 1
Baby Powder Putty (Series I)
[0032] Liquid to powder compositions were prepared by dispersing (D) into a mixture of (B) and (C) in the amounts (wt %) given in Table 1 and mixing until uniform. The baby powder (A) was slowly added to the fluid mixture in increments, with stirring. After about half of the required baby powder was added (which equates to 30-35% of the formulation), the product had a smooth/fluffy texture. However, as the level approached the 60%, the putty consistency appeared.
40 grams of baby powder=very smooth lotion consistency, 50 grams of baby powder=very smooth, thicker, but still creamy
[0035] 60 grams of baby powder=viscous, but very smooth putty consistency.
TABLE 1 Formulations for Example 1 (D) Dimethicone (A) (B) (C) and Baby Powder Dimethicone Dimethicone Dimethicone Example (Corn Starch) and trisiloxane (350 cSt) crosspolymer 1-1 63.2 25.1 1 10.7 1-2 63 25 5 7
Example 2
Baby Powder Putty (Series II)
[0000] These formulations resulted in smoother esthetics and anti-whitening benefits.
[0036] Liquid to powder compositions were prepared by dispersing (D) into a mixture of (B) (C), and (E) in the amounts (wt %) given in Table 2 and mixing until uniform. The baby powder (A) was slowly added to the fluid mixture in increments, with stirring. In Example 2-3, the phenyltrimethicone reduced the whitening of the composition after application to the skin.
TABLE 2 Formulations for Example 2 (A) Baby (B) (D) Powder Dimethicone (C) Dimethicone and (Corn and Dimethicone Dimethicone (E) Example Starch) trisiloxane (350 cSt) crosspolymer Phenyltrimethicone 2-1 63 25 5 7 0 2-2 60.5 28.15 2 9.35 0 2-3 60.5 27.5 2 9 1 | The invention relates to silicone liquid-to-powder compositions for topical skincare applications. More specifically the invention relates to topical compositions comprising: a cosmetically acceptable powder, a silicone elastomer; a volatile fluid and a nonvolatile silicone fluid. The resulting product can be in the form of a viscous cream, lotion or putty which, when is applied to the skin, converts quickly to a dry powder. | 0 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for managerial clerk inspection in an on-line system adapted to inspect transactions which require acknowledgement by a managerial clerk.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventinally, in an on-line banking system, for example, there is generally available a method of obtaining acknowledgement by a managerial clerk. According to the method, the managerial clerk goes to a terminal unit which is ready for execution of a high amount of payment transaction requiring managerial clerk acknowledgement and inputs a managerial clerk identification data such as a managerial clerk key and a managerial clerk card into the terminal unit, whereby data added with managerial clerk anthorization data is transmitted from the terminal unit to a central unit. This method is however disadvantageous in that each time a transaction requiring the managerial clerk acknowledgement occurs, the managerial clerk must go to the terminal unit in question.
An apparatus for solving this problem has been proposed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 58-165171. The apparatus comprises a managerial clerk acknowledgement controller which operatively responds to an acknowledgement request from each of a plurality of regular clerk terminal units so as to couple a regular clerk terminal unit issuing the acknowledgement request to the managerial clerk acknowledgement controller, thereby permitting a managerial clerk to acknowledge a transaction. In this apparatus, however, the managerial clerk acknowledgement controller is occupied by a single regular clerk terminal unit requesting acknowledgement during an acknowledgement operation and another regular clerk terminal unit which faces a transaction requiring acknowledgement is forced into retardation until the managerial clerk acknowledgement controller becomes idle, causing congestion of transaction processing. Further, the managerial clerk will hardly deal with other sevices than the acknowledgement procedure. Moreover, this conventional apparatus requires the managerial clerk acknowledgement controller which differs in construction from the regular clerk terminal unit.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a method for managerial clerk inspection which can permit a managerial clerk to know contents of a transaction requiring managerial clerk acknowledgement and to acknowledge the contents by means of a terminal unit dedicated to the managerial clerk and which can permit an operator of a regular clerk terminal unit to deal with another transaction procedure independent of a managerial clerk acknowledgement procedure after issuance of a request for acknowledgement of the transaction.
Another object of this invention is to provide a method for managerial clerk inspection which permits the managerial clerk terminal unit to have a construction similar to that of the regular clerk terminal unit.
According to this invention, a method for managerial clerk inspection is directed to an on-line system comprising a plurality of regular clerk terminal units operated for transactions by operators, a terminal unit dedicated to a managerial clerk and operated by the managerial clerk for acknowledgement of transactions, a central unit and a terminal control unit interposed between the central unit and the regular clerk terminal units as well as the managerial clerk terminal unit, and in this method, when the operator operates the regular clerk terminal unit, a transaction request message is transmitted from the regular clerk terminal unit to the central unit, and the central unit decides whether the transaction requires acknowledgement by the managerial clerk. When the acknowledgement is required, the central unit transmits a message indicative of the required acknowledgement to the regular clerk terminal unit via the terminal control unit and makes the regular clerk terminal unit display an indication of the required acknowledgement while temporarily releasing the regular clerk terminal unit from the transaction in question. This permits the regular clerk terminal unit to execute another transaction operation. The terminal control unit receives the message indicative of the required managerial clerk acknowledgement from the central unit so as to store information regarding the transaction and transmits the message indicative of the required managerial clerk acknowledgement to the managerial clerk terminal unit so as to make the managerial clerk terminal unit display an indication of the required acknowledgement. The terminal control unit responds to a request from the managerial clerk terminal unit operated by the managerial clerk so as to send, from the terminal control unit to the managerial clerk terminal unit, contents of the transaction requiring acknowledgement, thereby making the managerial clerk terminal unit display the contents. When the managerial clerk operates the managerial clerk terminal unit to approve the transaction, a message indicative of approval is transmitted from the managerial clerk terminal unit to the terminal control unit. The terminal control unit stores the message indicative of the approval of the transaction and sends to the regular clerk terminal unit a message indicative of finished transaction inspection so as to make the regular clerk terminal unit display an indication of finished inspection. The terminal control unit responds to a request from the regular clerk terminal unit operated by the operator so as to transmit from the terminal control unit to the regular clerk terminal unit a message indicative of the contents of the approved transaction, thereby making the regular clerk terminal unit display an indication of the contents. The terminal control unit then responds to a request from the regular clerk terminal unit operated for transaction by the operator so as to transmit from the terminal control unit to the central unit a message requesting processing of the approved transaction. When the managerial clerk operates the managerial clerk terminal unit to reject the transaction, the terminal control unit responds to a message indicative of rejection from the managerial clerk terminal unit so as to store the unapproved transaction and informs the regular clerk terminal unit of the unapproved transaction in a manner similar to the approved transaction.
In this invention, it is not necessary for each operator to decide whether a transaction requires acknowledgement but such a decision is made by a program in the central unit. When a transaction requested by a regular clerk terminal unit requires managerial clerk acknowledgement, the regular clerk terminal unit responsive to a message from the central unit informs the operator of the fact that the transaction requires acknowledgement and the operator can deal with another transaction operation independent of an acknolwledgement operation by the managerial clerk. The request for managerial clerk acknowledgement of a transaction from each regular clerk terminal unit is processed independently of the acknowledgement procedure by the managerial clerk and the managerial clerk terminal unit will not be occupied by a single regular clerk terminal unit for the sake of obtaining managerial clerk acknowledgement, thereby making it possible to deal with transactions at high speeds.
The managerial clerk terminal unit responsive to a message from the terminal control unit informs the managerial clerk of the occurrence of the transaction requiring acknowledgement, and the managerial clerk can be informed of the contents of the transaction by operating the managerial clerk terminal unit in order to approve or reject the transaction. Therefore, for acknowledgement of transactions, the managerial clerk need not go to the regular clerk terminal unit.
The managerial clerk terminal unit and the regular clerk terminal units are coupled to the terminal control unit. Information regarding transactions requiring acknowledgement is stored in the terminal control unit and transmitted in accordance with a request from each of the managerial clerk terminal unit and regular clerk terminal unit. Thus, the managerial clerk terminal unit may have the same construction at the regular clerk terminal unit with the only exception being that a bankbook printer and a bankbook magnetic stripe reader/writer which are used for transactions and are included in the regular clerk terminal unit are eliminated. Since it is not necessary to provide a special device for the managerial clerk, reduction of cost can be made.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and advantages of the persent invention will become apparent by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the construction of an on-line banking system, comprised of a central unit, a terminal control unit and terminal units, in an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 shows an example of the format of a transmitting/receiving message;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing details of the terminal control unit and terminal units;
FIG. 4 shows an example of the format of a managerial clerk acknowledgement file record used for communication of data between a regular clerk terminal unit and a terminal unit dedicated to a managerial clerk;
FIGS. 5(a), 5(b) and 5(c) show examples of display formats of a transaction screen and inquiry screens respectively displayed on the regular clerk terminal unit and the managerial clerk terminal unit;
FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b) illustrate, respectively, a flow chart useful in explaining processings for transmission of a transaction request message from the regular clerk terminal unit to the central unit and a flow chart useful in explaining processings when the central unit responds to the regular clerk terminal unit;
FIG. 7 is a flow chart for explaining managerial clerk acknowledqement processings by the managerial clerk terminal unit; and
FIG. 8 is a flow chart for explaining transaction confirmation processings by the regular clerk terminal unit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the construction of an on-line banking system in an embodiment of the invention which comprises a central unit, a terminal control unit and terminal units. As schematically shown in FIG. 1, the central unit 1 is coupled with the terminal control unit 2 through a communication channel 5 and the terminal control unit 2 is coupled with a plurality of terminal units 3 for regular clerks and a terminal unit 4 dedicated to a managerial clerk through communication channels 6.
FIG. 2 exemplifies a format of a transmitting/receiving message 10 to be communicated between the central unit 1 and the terminal control unit 2 and between the terminal control unit 2 and the terminal units 3 and 4. The format contains a message identifier code 11 indicative of a character or nature of a message in question, additional data 12 used only in a message to be communicated between the control unit 1 and the terminal control unit 2 in order to store a transaction time and information inherent to customers into the terminal control unit 2, and general data 13.
Details of the terminal control unit 2 and terminal units 3 and 4 are illustrated, in block form, in FIG. 3. The terminal control unit 2 comprises a controller 20, a transmitting/receiving buffer 21 adapted to the central unit 1, an input/output buffer 22 adapted to the terminal units 3 and 4, and a file device 23. For simplicity of illustration, only one regular clerk terminal unit 3 is depicted in FIG. 3. The regular clerk terminal unit 3 comprises a controller 30, an input/output buffer 31 adapted to the terminal controller 2, a display 32, a keyboard 33, a bankbook printer 34, a reader/writer 35 for read/write of magnetic stripes of a bankbook, and an operator card reader 36.
The managerial clerk terminal unit 4 has a similar construction to that of the regular clerk terminal unit 3 with the only exception being that the bankbook printer and magnetic stripe reader/writer are eliminated, including a controller 40, an input/output buffer 41 adapted to the terminal controller 2, a display 42, a keyboard 43 and a managerial clerk card reader 44.
FIG. 4 exemplifies a format of a managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 to be stored in the file device 23. This format contains a status indicator 51 indicative of a confirmed status of a managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 in question, a terminal address 52 of a terminal unit in which the managerial clerk acknowledgement record 50 in question is registered, a guide number of a transaction screen when the managerial clerk acknowledgement record 50 of interest is registered, an additional data 54 corresponding to the additional data 12 received in the form of the transmitting/receiving message 10 from the central unit 1, a terminal input data 55 of the transaction screen when the managerial clerk acknowledgement record 50 of interest is registered, and a managerial clerk card data 56 read out of the managerial clerk terminal unit 4.
FIGS. 5(a), 5(b) and 5(c) exemplify a transaction screen and inquiry screens. On a transaction screen 60, a data read out of the magnetic stripe reader/writer 35 of the regular clerk terminal unit 3 and a data inputted from the keyboard 33 are displayed in brackets [ ] to indicate a branch number, an account number, a balance and a payment, and a guide number 61 is displayed in a dotted block . On a managerial clerk inquiry screen 62 of the managerial clerk terminal unit 4, a managerial clerk acknowledgement requesting mark 63 in the form of * is displayed. Displayed on a regular clerk inquiry screen 64 of the regular clerk terminal unit 3 is a managerial clerk confirmation mark 65 also in the form of *.
The system of the above construction operates as will be described below.
A transaction screen 50 for payment transactions, for example, is displayed on the display 32 of the regular clerk terminal unit 3, a branch number, an account number, a balance and a payment are inputted by means of the magnetic stripe reader 35 and keyboard 33 and indicated in the brackets, and a transmission key is depressed. Then, a terminal transmission message 10 edited by the controller 30 is transmitted to the central unit 1 via the input/output buffer 31 and terminal control unit 2. In the terminal control unit 2, the terminal transmission message 10 is temporarily shunted into the file device 23.
The central unit 1 examines whether the terminal transmission message 10 sent from the regular clerk terminal unit 3 contains a data requiring managerial clerk acknowledgement. For example, the central unit 1 checks an amount of the payment described in the general data 13 and decides that managerial clerk acknowledgement is necessary if the payment amount is high. Then, the central unit 1 prepares a response which is added with an additional data 12 indicative of a transaction time and information inherent to a customer in question and transmits an error response standing for a transmitting/receiving message 10 to the regular clerk terminal unit 3, so that a bankbook inherent to the customer which has been inserted in the bankbook printer 34 of the terminal unit 3 may be discharged from the bankbook printer 34. The thus discharged bankbook is temporarily held. The regular clerk terminal unit 3 is temporarily released from the transaction requiring managerial clerk acknowledgement and the operator is permitted to deal with another transaction during execution of inspection by the managerial clerk.
When the terminal control unit 2 receives the transmitting/receiving message 10 from the central unit 1 and recognizes that a managerial clerk acknowledgement request is designated in the message identifier 11 of the message 10, it sets in a managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 an unacknowledged status at the status indicator 51, a terminal address of the regular clerk terminal unit 3 of interest at the terminal address field 52, a guide number 61 of the transaction of interest at the input guide number field 53, the additional data 12 received from the central unit 1 at the additional data field 54, and the terminal input data temporarily shunted into the file device 23 at the terminal input data field 55. This managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 is registered into the file device 23.
The terminal control unit 2 also drives a buzzer of the managerial clerk terminal unit 4, indicating that the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 requiring managerial clerk acknowledgement has been registered and causes the managerial clerk acknowledgement requesting mark 63 to be displayed on the display 42, thereby informing a managerial clerk at the managerial clerk terminal unit 4 of the fact. Since the managerial clerk acknowledgement requesting mark 63 is displayed at an area of display 42 dedicated thereto, indications excepting the mark remain intact during display of the mark.
When the buzzer of the managerial clerk terminal unit 4 alerts and the managerial clerk acknowledgement requesting mark 63 is displayed on the display 42, the managerial clerk keys in a guide number of a managerial clerk inquiry screen 62 by means of the keyboard 43 and depresses a guide key. As a result, the managerial clerk inquiry screen 62 is displayed on the display 42.
By making reference to an indication at a region D on managerial clerk inquiry screen 62 which reflects a status indicator 51 of each managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50, the managerial clerk selects a serial number indicative of the unacknowledged transaction, keys in the selected serial number by means of the keyboard 43 so as to be indicated in a bracket entitled serial number selection, and depresses a transmission key. This causes the terminal control unit 2 to synthesize a guide screen data 55 of the input guide number 53 set in the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 designated by the serial number, thus displaying an unacknowledged transaction screen 60 on the display 42 of the managerial clerk terminal unit 4.
Subsequently, the managerial clerk inspects the input data indicated in the brackets of the transaction screen 60. If the data is approvable, the operator card reader 44 is caused to read the managerial clerk card as a managerial identification data, and the managerial clerk depresses the transmission key to execute a managerial clerk approval operation.
When the managerial clerk card data is inputted from the managerial clerk terminal unit 4 of interest during display of the unacknowledged transaction screen 60 at the managerial clerk terminal unit 4, the terminal control unit 2 recognizes the approval by the managerial clerk, thus updating the contents of the file device 23 by changing the status indicator 51 of the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 into an approved status and setting the managerial clerk card data 56 into the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50. The terminal control unit 2 also sends a message indicative of confirmed inspection to the regular clerk terminal unit 3 and drives a buzzer of the regular clerk terminal unit 3, indicating that managerial clerk confirmation of the transaction data, inputted from the regular clerk terminal unit 3 and requiring the managerial clerk acknowledgement, has been completed and causes the managerial clerk confirmation mark 65 to be displayed on the display 32, thereby informing the operater of the confirmation.
If the managerial clerk inspects the input data indicated in the brackets of the unacknowledged transaction screen 60 at the managerial clerk terminal unit 4 to reject the data, the managerial clerk again inputs the guide number of the managerial clerk inquiry screen by means of the keyboard 43 and depresses the guide key to display the managerial clerk inquiry screen 62. Under this condition, the managerial clerk inputs a serial number indicative of the unapproved transaction so that the serial number is indicated in the bracket entitled serial number selection and an unapproved identification code so that this code is indicated in a bracket entitled unapproved, and carries out a managerial clerk unapproved operation.
When the managerial clerk inputs the unapproved identification code during display of the managerial clerk inquiry screen 62, the terminal control unit 2 updates the contents of the file device 23 by changing the status indicator 51 of the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 designated by the serial number selection into an unapproved status and as in the managerial clerk approval operation, drives the buzzer of the regular clerk terminal device 3, causing the managerial clerk confirmation mark 65 to be displayed on the display 32.
When the buzzer of the regular clerk terminal unit 3 is driven and the managerial clerk confirmation mark 65 is displayed on the display 32, the operator of the regular clerk terminal unit 3 inputs the guide number of the regular clerk inquiry screen by means of the keyboard 33 and depresses the guide key, causing the regular clerk inquiry screen 64 to be displayed on the display 33. By making reference to an indication at a region D on regular clerk inquiry screen 64 which reflects a status indicator 51 of each managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50, the operator selects a confirmed serial number, keys in the selected serial number by means of the keyboard 33 so that the serial number is indicated in a bracket entitled serial number selection, and depresses a transmission key. This causes the terminal control unit 2 to synthesize guide screen data of the input guide number 53 and terminal data 55 which is set in the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 designated by the serial number, thus displaying a confirmed transaction screen 60 on the display 32.
Subsequently, the operator of the regular clerk terminal unit 3 in question makes reference to the transaction screen 60 displayed on the display 32 and again sets the held bankbook of the customer in the bankbook printer 34 and depresses the transmission key.
The terminal control unit 2 adds to the terminal input data inputted during display of the confirmed transaction screen 60 the managerial clerk card data 56 set in the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50, and the thus combined data is sent as a transmission message 10 to the central unit 1.
The central unit 1 utilizes the transmission message 10 and executes a predetermined processing to return a response message to the terminal control unit 2.
The terminal control unit 2 receives the response message sent from the central unit 1 and transmits the received message 10, now used for updating the bankbook, to the regular clerk terminal unit 3, at which the bankbook is printed. At the same time, the contents of the magnetic stripe is updated and the bankbook is discharged from the bankbook printer 34, thus completing the payment transaction requiring the managerial clerk acknowledgement.
When the operator of the regular clerk terminal unit 3 selects an unapproved managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 through the managerial clerk unapproved operation by making reference to an indication in the region D on regular clerk inquiry screen 64 which reflects a status indicator 51 of the record in question, the operator inputs an unapproved serial number by means of the keyboard 33 so that the serial number is indicated in the bracket entitled serial number selection and depresses the transmission key. This causes the terminal control unit 2 to receive a transmission message 10 sent from the regular clerk terminal unit 3 and to synthesize a guide screen data of the input guide number 53 and a terminal input data 55 which are set in the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 designated by the serial number, thus displaying an unapproved transaction screen 60 on the display 32. When under this condition the operator depresses the transmission key, the status indicator 51 of the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record is changed to a transaction finished status thereby updating the contents of the file device 23, thus completing the managerial clerk unapproved payment transaction.
The terminal control unit operates according to the following description with reference to the flow charts.
The present invention is based on program control consisting of three operations. A first operation is for registering data requiring managerial clerk acknowledgement into the managerial clerk acknowledgement file 23 by means of the regular clerk terminal unit 3, a second operation is the managerial clerk acknowledgement operation by means of the managerial clerk terminal unit 4, and a third operation is the confirmed transaction operation by means of the regular clerk terminal unit 3.
The above operations are controlled in accordance with the flow charts shown in FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b), 7 and 8. Transmission from the regular clerk terminal unit 3 to the central unit 1 is carried out as shown at FIG. 6(a).
In a step 711, the operator of the regular clerk terminal unit 3 depresses the guide key after a guide number of payment transaction, for example, is inputted, thereby displaying a transaction screen 60. In a step 712, necessary data is inputted so as to be indicated in the brackets of the transaction screen 60 and the transmission key is depressed. Then, in a step 713, a transmission message 10 is first transmitted from the regular clerk terminal unit 3 to the terminal control unit 2 and thereafter to the central unit 1. In a step 714, the terminal control unit 2 temporarily shunts the terminal transmission message 10.
The central unit 1 responds to the regular clerk terminal unit 3 as shown at FIG. 6(b). In a step 721, the central unit 1 checks the transmission message 10 from the regular clerk terminal unit 3, determines general data 13 in the form of either an error response when managerial clerk acknowledgement is necessary or an ordinary response when no managerial clerk acknowledgement is necessary, and adds the general data to a message 10 directed to the regular clerk terminal unit, thus transmitting the combined data message 10 to the regular clerk terminal unit 3. In a step 722, a message identifier 11 in the message 10 directed to the regular clerk terminal unit is decided. If a data requiring managerial clerk acknowledgement is designated, a managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 is registered in the file device 23 of the terminal control unit 2 in a step 723 and, in a step 724, the buzzer of the managerial clerk terminal unit 4 is driven and the managerial clerk acknowledgement requesting mark is displayed, thereby informing a managerial clerk of the file registration.
The managerial clerk terminal unit 4 processes the managerial clerk acknowledgement in accordance with a flow chart as shown in FIG. 7.
In a step 801, the managerial clerk informed by the buzzer alert and the managerial clerk acknowledgement requesting mark keys in a guide number of a managerial clerk inquiry screen by means of the keyboard 43 of the managerial clerk terminal unit 4 and depresses the guide key. Then, in a step 802, the terminal control unit 2 causes the managerial clerk inquiry screen 62 to be displayed on the display 42 of the managerial clerk terminal unit 4. Thereafter, in a step 803, the managerial clerk selects a serial number indicative of unacknowledged transaction from the managerial clerk inquiry screen 62, inputs the selected serial number by means of the keyboard 43 so that the serial number is indicated in the bracket entitled serial number selection and depresses the transmission key. Consequently, in a step 804, the terminal control unit 2 synthesizes a guide screen data and a terminal input data 55 set in the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50, causing the combined data to be displayed on the display 42 of the managerial clerk terminal unit 4.
In a step 805, results of inspection for the terminal input data 55 by the managerial clerk are decided. If approvable, in a step 811, the managerial clerk sets a managerial clerk card and depresses the transmission key. Consequently, in a step 812, the terminal control unit 2 renders the status indicator of the managerial clerk acknowledgement record 50 approved. If unapproved, in a step 821, the managerial clerk again inputs, the guide number of the managerial clerk inquiry screen and thereafter depresses the transmission key. Then, in a step 822, the terminal control unit 2 causes the managerial clerk inquiry screen 62 to be displayed on the display 42. Subsequently, in a step 823, the managerial clerk inputs a serial number of the unapproved transaction and an unapproved identification code by means of the keyboard 43, and depresses the transmission key. Consequently, in a step 824, the terminal control unit 2 renders the status indicator 51 of the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 unapproved. Thereafter, in a step 806, the terminal control unit 2 again causes the managerial clerk terminal unit 4 to display the managerial clerk inquiry screen 62, permitting the managerial clerk to continue inspection and, in a step 807, causes the regular clerk terminal unit 3 to drive the buzzer and to display the managerial confirmation mark, thereby informing the operator of the regular clerk terminal unit 3 of the presence of a transaction which has been inspected by the managerial clerk.
The regular clerk terminal unit 3 processes confirmed transactions in accordance with a flow chart shown in FIG. 8.
In order to retrieve transactions inspected by the managerial clerk, the operator of regular clerk terminal unit 3 calls a regular clerk inquiry screen 64 by inputting a guide number and depressing the guide key in steps 901 and 902.
In a step 903, it is decided whether results of the inspection by the managerial clerk are approvable or unapproved. When the operator selects an approvable serial number from the regular clerk inquiry screen 64 and inputs the selected serial number by means of the keyboard 33 in a step 911, the terminal control unit 2 synthesizes a guide screen data of the transaction in question and a terminal input data set in the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 and causes the combined data to be displayed on the display 32 of the regular clerk terminal unit 3 in a step 912.
In a step 913, the operator of the regular clerk terminal unit 3 sets the bankbook of the customer held in the bankbook printer 34 and depresses the transmission key. Then, in a step 914, the terminal control unit 2 sends the terminal input data 55 and managerial clerk card data 56 of the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 to the central unit 1. In a step 915, the central unit 1 compares the received terminal input data 55 with the managerial clerk card data 56 and thereafter sends the response message 10 to the terminal control unit 2 which in turn causes the regular clerk terminal unit 3 to print the bankbook, update the magnetic stripes and discharge the bankbook. In a step 916, it is decided whether the message identifier "finished transactions" is designated to the response message 10 received from the central unit 1. If designated, the status indicator 51 of managerial clerk acknowledgement record 50 stored in the terminal control unit 2 is changed to the finished transaction status.
When, in a step 921, the operator of the regular clerk terminal unit 3 selects a transaction rejected by inspection, inputs a serial number of the selected transaction by means of the keyboard, and depresses the transmission key, the terminal control unit 2 synthesizes the guide screen data and the terminal input data set in the managerial clerk acknowledgement file record 50 and sends the combined data to the regular clerk terminal unit 3. When the operator of the regular clerk terminal again depresses the transmission key, the status indicator 51 of the managerial acknowledgement record 50 is rendered a finished transaction status in a step 904.
In this manner, transactions requiring managerial clerk acknowledgement have been completed.
While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the present invention in its broader aspects. | A method for managerial clerk inspection in an on-line system comprising a plurality of regular clerk terminal units operated for transactions by regular clerks, a terminal unit dedicated to a managerial clerk and operated by the managerial clerk for acknowledgement of transactions, a central unit and a terminal control unit interposed between the central unit and the regular clerk terminal units as well as the managerial clerk terminal unit. When the regular clerk operates the regular clerk terminal unit, a transaction message is transmitted from the regular clerk terminal unit to the central unit, and the central unit decides whether the transaction requires acknowledgement by the managerial clerk. When the acknowledgement is required, the central unit transmits information indicative of the required acknowledgement to the regular clerk terminal unit via the terminal control unit and makes the regular clerk terminal unit display an indication of the required acknowledgement while temporarily releasing the regular clerk terminal unit from the transaction in question. The terminal control unit then informs the managerial clerk terminal unit of the occurrence of the transaction requiring the acknowledgement. When the managerial clerk operates the managerial clerk terminal unit to approve the transaction and information indicative of the managerial clerk approval is sent from the managerial clerk terminal unit to the regular clerk terminal unit, the terminal control unit informs the regular clerk terminal unit of the confirmed transaction. | 6 |
[0001] REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0002] Subject matter in this application relates to, and priority is claimed to U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/298,181, “Methods and Systems for Implementing a Customized Life Portal” (or “LifePage Application” herein); 10/298,182, “Customized Life Portal”; 10/298,183, “Method and System for Modifying Web Content for Display in a Life Portal”; and 10/961,314, “Clustering-Based Personalized Web Experience”; and 11/064,992, “User-Configurable Multimedia Presentation System.”
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention relates generally to Internet application software and web site configuration. More specifically, it relates to a personal portal web site configuration, to modes of retrieving and displaying content and business methods related thereto.
BACKGROUND
[0004] There are presently numerous ways to create custom or personal home pages at high-traffic portals on the Internet, as well as at lesser known web sites. For example, conventional personal portals designed from the “top down” have been available for years, such as “My Yahoo” and “My Excite,” among many other similar user tools and options at other web sites and portals.
[0005] However, despite their availability for the last several years, the use of personal home pages at widely used portals has not seen widespread acceptance among a vast majority of Internet users. This is a result, in large degree, to the relative complexity and sophistication required to configure, program, and maintain personal and custom web pages. Moreover, even after overcoming the initial barrier to creating and configuring personal web pages, many users have found that the sites they have created are, indeed, not as personal or customized as they were expecting. Many of them continue having difficulty retrieving and displaying content that is truly targeted to their interests, preferences, and priorities. Thus, for many users, tools for creating personal web sites do not satisfactorily meet their expectations or needs. For example, although a user can create a personal homepage at a portal or portal-type web site, the user often still must pass through several web pages to reach content of interest to the user. In one scenario, a user wanting to check local high school sport scores or check scheduling information for community events may not be able to do so if going through present personal web sites, or a user may have to view multiple pages before reaching the page with the relevant content. As such, the level of customization of user home sites at many portals is not satisfactory.
[0006] Furthermore, the content (e.g., local news, sports, weather, specialized subjects, and so on) may not be retrievable from the portal or ISP hosting the user's personal web site. The range of content available may be limited to the content created or hosted by the portal or made available to the portal (e.g., licensed by the portal or ISP), or may otherwise be from a limited range of sources. Typically, the portals and ISPs providing the personalized portal service are content aggregators. However, the amount of content that can be aggregated is necessarily limited because most of the content on the Internet is not available for syndication and, therefore, cannot be collected by third-parties, such as portals. Consequently, content aggregators cannot offer the breadth of content needed to fully meet the content needs of all potential users, each of whom will likely have unique, wide-ranging interests. The sources available to the portal are limited to sources licensed for use by the portal and may not have the content the user wants, thereby restricting the level of customization of the personal web pages.
SUMMARY
[0007] In one embodiment, a personalized web portal includes a tab (also known as a “category”) customized for a sponsor, employer, or other person or entity, so that at least some of the content on the tab is not modifiable by the user. Instead, the “fixed” portion of the content, while not static, is not as subject to the control of the user as other content is. For example, the user cannot delete the fixed content, cover it with other views, or delete the tab entirely. In some forms of this embodiment, this tab (including the fixed content) is also always the first tab to be shown when a user views the portal. In others, the tab containing the fixed content is the only tab available for customization.
[0008] In other embodiments, configurability of various features can be controlled as a function of the user profile, group of users, and the like. In one embodiment, administrators can use a “customer portal manager” (CPM) to impose fine-grained control over those permission settings, so that users can or cannot move, delete, refresh, rename, scroll, or set a view's z-order relative to other views on a tab. The CPM enables the administrator to set these permissions by individual, role, or group, or based on administrator-specified criteria.
[0009] In other forms, users can move navigational components around each tab. For example, a user may be able to drag-and-drop elements in a navigation bar into different positions within the bar, move the navigation bar itself to a different position in the view or tab, anchor the bar's or element's position within the application, or even make it appear as a view within a tab.
[0010] In another form, users can upload pictures, which can be framed or cropped for use and placement in a LifePage. Likewise, video can be uploaded or streamed to a server that puts all or a particular portion of the frame into a LifePage. If the user clicks on the framed video, its playback of the stream resumes where it left off. In one form, resizing a picture or video view causes more or less of the original picture or video to be shown, while in other forms resizing the view continues to show the same portion of the picture or video, but changes its magnification as needed to fill a view of the user's selected size.
[0011] In other forms, LifePage provides email access, a radio, and a jukebox, allows users to set “wallpaper” for views, tabs, or the whole application, and allows views to be set to stay in front of all other material in the tab. The “on top” settings are particularly useful for systems that display advertisements, so that the user can move the ad around the tab, but cannot resize it or place it under other views in z-order.
[0012] In another form, a local file browser (like a “My Computer” or “My Documents” application on a Microsoft WINDOWS system) is included within a LifePage view, allowing users to open files using local file associations and software applications, even displaying the application window as a LifePage view when the application can be embedded in that manner.
[0013] In still other forms, a portal operator collects fees from sponsors and/or users in exchange for providing a portal server and making available a view framework in which the sponsor can provide content protected from certain masking actions, managing authentication of end users, and the like.
[0014] Still other embodiments feature a “best of the web” library of pre-made collections of views each collection being a tab that users can add to their LifePages. Some categories are sponsored and include undeletable content, while others are shared (uploaded) by other users.
[0015] The improved system also allows users to reposition and resize pixel views, saving the new position or size information and restoring it when the user loads the view again.
[0016] In still other forms, a LifePage view embeds access to the user's email system in the view, either by providing access to a web mail site, by embedding an instance of all or part of the user's email application, or by other methods.
[0017] The system allows users to select wallpaper for views, categories, and/or the application itself. The wallpaper can simply be displayed behind all views in z-order, or it can be displayed with partial transparency (i.e., alpha blending) over the whole item or the content pane.
[0018] Still others load the initially shown tab of a LifePage when the LifePage is open, and then proceed to load content for views in hidden tabs in the background. That way, when a user selects another tab or display, the content is presented substantially instantaneously. Bandwidth limitations for the background loading can be imposed by a user in some embodiments, while in others individual views and/or tabs can be flagged for pre-loading while others are not.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a networked data system on which the illustrated embodiments operate.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a simulated screen shot of a sponsored LifePage according to a first illustrated embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a simulated screen shot of a wizard for adding a picture view or video view in the first illustrated embodiment.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a simulated screen shot illustrating personalized access enabled by the first illustrated embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 5 is a simulated screen shot illustrating a custom LifePage background in a first alternative embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 6 is a simulated screen shot illustrating a custom LifePage background in a second alternative embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a computer used in the first illustrated embodiment.
DESCRIPTION
[0026] For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will, nevertheless, be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended; any alterations and further modifications of the described or illustrated embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
[0027] Generally, as shown in FIG. 1 , one embodiment of the present invention employs at least four computers including portal server 110 , sponsor content server 120 , selected content server 130 , and user's computer 140 , all connected via data network 150 (such as the Internet) as system 100 . Portal service provider 160 hosts and operates portal server 110 on behalf of sponsor 170 and other sponsors. Portal service provider 160 collects revenue 180 from sponsors 170 (or revenue 185 from users) in exchange for placement of fixed content on one or more LifePage tabs that are developed for users who sign up for service through sponsor 170 . Additional content server 130 is operated by content provider 190 to the user of computer 140 without necessarily having cooperation of portal service provider 160 in that relationship. Other technological and financial arrangements may be made as discussed below and would occur to one skilled in the art.
[0028] After a user provides basic identifying information (such as authentication credentials to be used for future access), the user is shown an initial LifePage 200 that has been created by or for sponsor 170 . A logo 202 for sponsor 170 appears in the upper corner of the page to promote brand recognition for sponsor 170 , and the remainder of the upper portion 204 of the LifePage 200 is dedicated to navigation features. The lower portion 206 of LifePage 200 displays content.
[0029] In this embodiment, a “tabbed-style” interface is provided that includes sponsor tab 208 , local information tab 210 , news tab 212 , and health information tab 214 . In consideration for payment 108 , sponsor tab 208 appears first at each login by the user, and sponsor view 216 appears permanently on the left side of the display under tab 208 . Sponsor view 216 draws content from sponsor server 120 that in this embodiment includes content targeted for improving brand loyalty to, or patronage of sponsor 170 . This content might include another logo, statistics related to sponsor 170 (such as stock prices of the company, win-loss record of a sports team, or the like), and news headlines that provide up to date information about sponsor 170 . Other views shown under tab 208 include an industry news view 218 and rankings view 220 , which are each drawn from content on other servers (for example, either sponsor server 120 or additional content server 130 ) using techniques shown in the LifePage Application. In this embodiment, the user can neither move nor cover sponsor pane 216 and cannot remove pane 218 , though he or she can resize, move, and/or cover view 218 .
[0030] In contrast, though tabs 210 , 212 , and 214 are pre-filled with content and views, users are much more free to adapt that content to their liking, or even to remove the tab entirely. New tabs can be added either as empty tabs to which the user adds content he specifies from anywhere on network 150 (and even specifies which part of the resource, either by choosing the desired portion of the document structure or the desired portion of the rendered page) or using a “Best of Web” library that is accessible via link 222 in upper portion 204 of LifePage display 200 .
[0031] When a user selects the Best of Web link, the system presents a list of topics on which tabs have already been built and saved, then shared for use by others. The user can then customize the tab as desired, such as by adding additional views, removing views and content the user does not wish to see, reconfiguring the views (in size, shape, and z-order, for example), and the like.
[0032] In one alternative form of this embodiment, the user can share tab configurations that he or she has created, storing them on portal server 120 for retrieval by others using, for example, the user's identity, user name, tab name, key words in the tab name, metadata, or websites used in views in the tab. Once the tab is retrieved from the “Best of Web” library, the user can typically customize it as desired.
[0033] In some variations, however, creators or sponsors can choose to limit the changes that can be made to a tab after it is downloaded from the Best of Web library. For example, the sponsor of a library tab might force its own content to be displayed on top of other content, and prohibit it from being removed from the tab, both as consideration for the effort that goes into developing the tab and/or creating the content to be shown thereon.
[0034] In another exemplary application of this system, sponsor 170 is an employer who provides LifePage technology for its employees. In exchange for service fees 180 , portal provider 160 hosts the portal framework on portal server 110 and manages authentication of users. In this application, custom sponsor content view 216 reflects employer-specific information and notices, such as personnel news, policy updates, and teaming information to encourage the employees. As in other applications of this technology, employee-users can add new views to additional LifePage tabs to facilitate retrieval of work-related content from around network 150 . As one example, the employer provides all content in the initial “sponsor” tab 208 , and allows employee-user content to appear on other tabs. In another example, employer-mandated content is limited to sponsor view 216 , and employee-users are permitted to change or remove content in other views 218 , 220 , or even add additional views if they wish.
[0035] In another example, portal service provider 160 operates portal server 110 on behalf of a sports franchise 170 in exchange for payment of service fees 180 . Fees may alternatively or additionally be collected from the fans (by portal provider 160 or sponsor organization 170 ). Sponsor tab 208 features the franchise logo, win-loss record, player trading news, line scores, and the like. Additional tabs or views within sponsor tab 208 are pre-programmed with league news and highlights, which the user can change, supplement, or delete as he or she chooses.
[0036] The “picture view” and “video view” features for use in a LifePage will now be described with reference to FIG. 3 , and with continuing reference to the high-level elements shown in FIG. 1 these view types supplement the pixel views and parsed views described in the LifePage Application for use in tabs of LifePage 200 . A user selects an image or video file, and that image (or a selected frame of the video) is shown in the center of display 300 in position 310 . The user then operates on the image at region 310 using one or more of the buttons shown at the top of display 300 . A different image or video can be selected using button 311 or 313 , respectively. The image in region 310 can be zoomed-in using button 315 or zoomed-out with button 317 . Scroll bars preferably appear along the right and bottom sides of region 310 when only a portion of the image or video frame is showing therein. If the user is selecting a video file, the video frame to be used in selecting the view port can be selected using arrow keys or the timeline that appears below region 310 at 325 .
[0037] Once the image or frame is shown in region 310 at a sufficient level of magnification, the user drags his or her mouse to select a rectangle 319 around the portion of the image or video that the user wants to see in a view. After border 319 is selected, the user can adjust the edges individually by dragging the line (or adjust adjacent sides by dragging a corner) so that the selection is optimized for the user's preference. Zoom and selecting can be reset if the user selects button 321 , and the whole view-adding process can be cancelled by a selection of Cancel button 323 .
[0038] When the user is satisfied with the selection, he or she clicks Done button 327 , and a “picture view” or “video view” showing the selected part of the image or video is added to the currently selected tab in LifePage 200 . In some embodiments the image or video file being shown in the view is hosted on user's computer 140 and is accessed when the user displays the tab in which the picture view or video view is displayed. In others, the image or video is uploaded to portal server 110 or sponsor server 120 for better accessibility from other Internet-connected computers (not shown).
[0039] When a picture view or video view is displayed, and the user adjusts the size of the view shown in the tab, the system displays a correspondingly larger, smaller, or different portion of the picture or video. In others, the previously selected portion (which was indicated by rectangle 319 in FIG. 3 ) is simply magnified to be larger or smaller to fit the new size indicated by the user, preferably maintaining the aspect ratio of the originally selected rectangle 319 . In still other embodiments, the user can select between these options as the view is being created, from the picture view or video view control menu, or both.
[0040] Another advance in this embodiment of LifePage is the ability of the user to adjust the position of a “pixel view” (see the LifePage Application) using scroll bars in the view, and let the new position (preferably automatically) be saved on the portal server. Then, the next time that tab is retrieved from portal server 110 , the adjusted position controls the view so that the user's preferred content is displayed.
[0041] For video views, the user can play and pause stream simply by clicking on the video view. In some embodiments, the stream status is retained between sessions so that the stream resumes in a new session where it left off in the previous session. In other embodiments, the stream is reset each time the video view is loaded, so that the beginning of the stream is shown first in each session no matter where playback left off previously. In still others, where the stream is broadcasted substantially continuously, the stream resets to real-time streaming in each session, then may be paused and resumed by user command.
[0042] Additional available features are shown in LifePage 400 , which is illustrated in FIG. 4 . Tab 401 shows the user's email Inbox and enables the user to read received messages, write new messages, look up contact information from his or her existing database, manage tasks to be completed, and the like. Email view 401 may be an embedded control provided by the email program itself, a custom front end to a web mail interface, or other front end that would occur to one skilled in the art.
[0043] Jukebox view 403 plays audio files from the user's computer 110 whenever the selected tab 410 is shown on LifePage 400 . Jukebox view 403 shows the artist and title of the track presently being played (based on ID3 data, for example) and permits the user to control playback of audio files in a playlist, as is understood in the art. Likewise, a “radio” view receives streaming music from sources selected by the user with a radio interface metaphor. A combination of this audio player with other features of the LifePage provides a heretofore unknown convenience and level of personalization for users, thereby improving their computing experiences in ways unique to them.
[0044] “This Computer” view 405 corresponds roughly to an integrated version of the “Windows Explorer” application of the WINDOWS operating system. Users navigate through resources available on the local computer using icons and optionally folder tree (not shown) navigation techniques to browse and/or search for locally available resources. “This Computer” view 405 employs locally applicable file type associations to let the user open files with the applications they normally use to manipulate or manage those files, such as using a word processor to edit files ending with a .doc extension, and using ADOBE READER to open files with a .pdf extension. When those associated applications make application windows available for embedding in other applications (such as by exposing a Common Object Model interface), such an embedded application window is placed in a new “embedded view” within the view framework. That embedded view can then be manipulated in size, position, tab placement, z-order setting, and the like just like other views in the framework. The position of the view and status of the underlying application persist between user sessions as well, thereby facilitating the user's further personalization of his or her LifePage.
[0045] FIG. 5 illustrates another LifePage 500 , in which navigation section 504 includes a sponsor tab 508 for the Indianapolis Colts NFL team. Sponsor view 516 includes Colts promotional content, while standings view 520 shows the current standings for the American Football Conference south (which includes the Colts). Custom background image 522 appears behind all views on tab 508 and provides additional brand impressions for the sponsor.
[0046] FIG. 6 illustrates a similar usage of a background image 572 on the tab 558 of LifePage 550 . Sponsor view 566 is comparable to sponsor view 516 in FIG. 5 , and standings view 570 is comparable to standings view 520 in FIG. 5 . Background image 572 , however, appears over (not under) all views on tab 558 , with an appropriate level of alpha blending to allow the content in those views to be seen through the image while the image remains always visible.
[0047] In other alternative embodiments, backgrounds can be selected by users and modified according to their preferences. In still others, the background graphic appears over all tabs and/or the whole application window, or just over the content of certain views.
[0048] In some alternative embodiments, the view framework provided by portal server 110 includes a pre-loading system that retrieves content for views other than the views on the first-shown tab. In one form, the user's application retrieves content for views in the initial tab first, then retrieves content that goes in views of other tabs in the user's LifePage. In other forms, content for hidden views is retrieved in parallel with content that is shown in the initially selected tab. In some variations, the user can set a maximum bandwidth level at which background loading is attempted, while in others the user can flag specific views and/or tabs for pre-loading (leaving others for loading on demand).
[0049] Computers in the illustrated embodiment, including user's computer 140 and servers 110 , 120 , and 130 each have one or more of the components shown in FIG. 7 . In particular, the computer 600 includes housing 610 , monitor 620 , and input devices 630 . Housing 610 houses network interface 611 , which enables communication between computer 600 and other computing devices attached to network 150 . Processor 613 communicates with interface 611 and other elements in housing 610 to execute programming instructions that accomplish the tasks described herein. Persistent storage unit 615 stores programming instructions, data, content, and the like as required by its place in system 100 . Memory 617 provides temporary storage for processor 613 , including storage of framework information, programming instructions, content, and the like. Input/output circuitry 619 provides an interface to local input and output devices such as input devices 630 (e.g., keyboard, mouse, voice input) and monitor 620 .
[0050] Processor 613 is preferably a microcontroller or general purpose microprocessor that reads its program from memory 617 . Processor 613 may be comprised of one or more components configured as a single unit. Alternatively, when of a multi-component form, processor 613 may have one or more components located remotely relative to the others. One or more components of processor 613 may be of the electronic variety defining digital circuitry, analog circuitry, or both. In one embodiment, processor 613 is of a conventional, integrated circuit microprocessor arrangement, such as one or more PENTIUM 4 or XEON processors from INTEL Corporation of 2200 Mission College Boulevard, Santa Clara, Calif., 95052, USA, or ATHLON XP processors from Advanced Micro Devices, One AMD Place, Sunnyvale, Calif., 94088, USA.
[0051] Likewise, storage 615 and memory 617 can include one or more types of solid-state electronic memory, magnetic memory, or optical memory, just to name a few. By way of non-limiting example, storage 615 and memory 617 can include solid-state electronic Random Access Memory (RAM), Sequentially Accessible Memory (SAM) (such as the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) variety or the Last-In First-Out (LIFO) variety), Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM), Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM), or Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM); an optical disc memory (such as a recordable, rewritable, or read-only DVD or CD-ROM); a magnetically encoded hard disk, floppy disk, tape, or cartridge media; or a combination of any of these memory types. Also, storage 615 and memory 617 can be volatile, nonvolatile, or a hybrid combination of volatile and nonvolatile varieties.
[0052] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that would occur to one skilled in the relevant art are desired to be protected. | A portal provider hosts personalized portal page that, when loaded by a user's computer, accesses content hosted by a sponsor's and other content servers. The service provider hosts the portal information (but not the content) in exchange for fees from the sponsor and/or users. A set of tabs each provides access to “views,” each displaying content for the user. Certain views and/or tabs have restrictions on actions the user can take on them, while the user can customize others. Views, tabs, and the application can include background images, either behind the content or over it with alpha blending so that the content is simultaneously visible. Users can access a library of pre-made tabs and can reposition pixel views persistently between user sessions. Picture and video views are available, email is exchanged, media files are played, and a local file browser leverages file associations and applications to further personalize the experience. | 6 |
This is a division of application Ser. No. 296,736, filed Aug. 27, 1981, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,558 issued June 5, 1984.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to support structures for checking and repairing rotatable objects, and more particularly to support structures which can support largesized or gigantic rotors such as turbine rotors for power generators or blower fans in the checking or repairing operation.
Conventionally, for example, the levelling of a turbine for power generator which is mounted on a base, frame is conducted such that the roll-support bases, which rotatably support the respective ends of the turbine rotor, and are adjusted for levelling thereof by rotating adjusting bolts or levelling bolts. However, the foundation on which such roll-support bases are mounted is not generally provided with the rigid supports. Therefore, even when accurate horizontal levelling of the roll support bases is achieved before the turbine is mounted on the roll support bases, once the turbine is bridged and held by the roll support bases, the floor surface of the foundation is distorted or warped resulting in poor levelling. Such poor levelling produces a considerable degree of thrust on the supporting rolls on the roll support bases, and such thrust is further enhanced by the deflection of the rotor shaft which is caused by the weight of the turbine. Thereby, when the turbine is rotated on the axis thereof along with the rotation of the support rolls, the turbine moves in an axial direction along with the rotation thereof so that the checking or repairing of the turbine becomes extremely difficult and cumbersome. Furthermore, in an extreme case, the rotor shaft of the turbine suffers partial intensive frictional wear resulting in rupture of the rotor shaft. This makes the checking or repairing operation extremely dangerous. For preventing the occurrence of such a situation, further or secondary levelling must be performed after the mounting of the turbine on the roll support bases and such-relevelling necessitates a great deal of time and labor.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide support structures for checking and repairing a rotor which can resolve the aforementioned defects of conventional support structures and which can readily, accurately and automatically provide the best support condition for the roll support bases.
In summary, the present invention discloses a support structure for checking and repairing a rotor comprising a pair of parallel spaced-apart rotor support rolls rotatably supporting one end of the rotor, a roll support base mounting a pair of rotor support rolls thereon and an adjustable surface plate disposed below the roll support base for supporting the roll support base and a base frame disposed below the surface plate for supporting the surface plate, wherein the improvement is characterized in that a spherical support mechanism is disposed between the roll support base and the adjustable surface plate so as to allow the roll support base to tilt in any radial direction on the spherical support mechanism. Due to the spherical support mechanism, the rolls on the support bases can uniformly support both ends of the impeller rotor without imparting any thrust to the rolls even when horizontal levelling is not achieved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a support structure for checking and repairing a rotor according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the above support structure.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line I--I of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view with parts broken away and in section showing the above support structure.
FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are explanatory front views of the above support structure before and after the turbine is mounted on the support structures.
FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are explanatory plan views of the above support structures before and after the turbine is mounted on the support structure.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In The drawings, numeral 1 indicates a drive-side roll support base while numeral 1' indicates a follower-side roll support base. Roll support bases 1, 1' are supported on adjustable surface plates 4, 4' of base frames 3, 3' by means of spherical support mechanisms 2, 2' respectively.
A pair of drive rolls 5, 5 are mounted on the drive-side roll support base 1 in a parallel-spaced-apart manner, and rotary shafts 6, 6 on which drive rolls 5, 5 are fixedly secured have their ends rotatably supported by bearings 7, 7 which are mounted on the drive-side roll support base 1. The rotary shafts 6, 6 have extensions at corresponding ends thereof and worm wheels 8, 8 are fixedly mounted on the respective extensions of the rotary shafts 6, 6. A power transmission shaft 10 is disposed on the roll support base 1 at right angle to the rotary shaft 6, 6 and has the proximal end thereof connected to the output shaft of a geared motor 9 and the distal end provided with a pair of axially spaced-apart worms 11, 11 which mesh with worm wheels 8, 8.
Due to such construction, along with the actuation of the geared motor 9, the drive rolls 5, 5 are simultaneously rotated in the same direction so as to rotate the one end of the turbine rotor 12 at a predetermined low speed e.g. 0.3 r.p.m.
The follower-side roll support base 1' is also provided with a pair of follower rolls 5', 5' which are fixedly secured to rotary shafts 6', 6', which, in turn, have their ends rotatably supported by bearings 7', 7'. However, no drive mechanism is disposed on the roll support frame 1'. Due to the above construction, the follower-side roll support base 1' rotatably supports the other end of the turbine rotor 12.
The drive rolls 5, 5 and the follower rolls 5', 5' are preferably made of specially reinforced plastic. It is also preferable to provide a weight balance means on the drive-side roll support base 1.
Referring now to the spherical support mechanism 2, 2', spherical support mechanisms 2, 2' are disposed at the center of the respective roll support base 1, 1' and each mechanism comprises vertical support shaft 21, 21' which has the top or upper end thereof formed approximately in a semi-spherical shape and spherical-recessed pads 22, 22' are uniformly engaged by the semi-spherical top of the vertical support shafts 21, 21'. Although, in the drawings, the vertical shafts 21, 21' are mounted on the adjustable surface plates 4, 4' disposed above the base frames 3, 3', and the spherically-recessed pads 22, 22' are mounted at the center on the roll support bases 1, 1', the vertical shafts 21, 21 and pads 22, 22' can be mounted in a reverse manner. A suitable lubricant may be applied to the contact surface of the spherical support mechanisms 2, 2'. It is also preferable to provide compression springs 13, 13 at regular intervals between the roll support bases 1, 1' and adjustable surface plates 4, 4' so as to enable the roll support bases 1, 1' to resiliently return and take a horizontal position parallel to the surface plates 4, 4'. A suitable gap or clearance must be provided between the adjustable surface plates 4, 4' and the roll support bases 1, 1' so as to allow the roll support bases 1, 1' to sufficiently tilt or oscillate in all radial directions on the spherical support mechanisms 2, 2'. Between the adjustable surface plates 4, 4' and the base frames 3, 3', a plurality of adjust or levelling bolts 14, 14' are disposed so as to effect the vertical adjustment of the roll support bases 1, 1'. Numerals 15, 15' indicate guide pins which facilitate the above vertical adjustment. The vertical adjusting mechanism, however, does not constitute a part of the present invention.
The manner in which the support structures of the present invention effect the levelling operation is hereinafter disclosed.
Before bridging or mounting the turbine rotor on the support structures, the vertical adjustment is performed so as to provide horizontal levelling of the peaks of the spherical support mechanisms 2, 2'. Such vertical adjustment is performed by manipulating the levelling bolts 14, 14' so as to adjust the level of adjustable surface plates 4, 4' relative to the base frames 3, 3'.
After the above vertical adjustment which is conducted even in the checking or repairing operation with conventional support structures, suitable wedges (not shown in the drawings) are driven into the clearances or spaces between the adjustable surface plates 4, 4' and the base frames 3, 3' so as to firmly and rigidly secure the adjustable surface plates 4, 4 to base frames 3, 3'. Thereafter both ends of the rotor 12 of the turbine are placed on the drive rolls 5, 5 and the follower rolls 5', 5' respectively.
Due to the weight of the turbine, the floor surface may distort or warp thus making the previously-established horizontal levelling have an error ΔH as shown in FIG. 6.
However, since the support structures of the present invention have the above-mentioned construction, so long as the above error ΔH falls in a range of allowance, the roll support bases 1, 1 automatically incline in a desired radial direction so as to absorb the above error due to the provision of the spherical support mechanisms 2, 2', and support the rotor shaft 12 at right angles to the axis of the rotor shaft 12 which is warped due to the weight of the turbine.
The same goes for the lateral direction. Namely, the axes C 1 --C 1 and C 2 --C 2 of rolls may not be in complete alignment with the axis C--C which connects the peaks of the spherical support mechanisms before mounting the turbine on the support structures as shown in FIG. 7. However, due to the spherical support mechanisms, once the turbine is placed on the support-structures, the axes C 1 --C 1 and C 2 --C 2 of the support rolls on the roll support bases are automatically aligned with the axis C--C of the support structures as shown in FIG. 8.
Therefore, even when the drive rolls 5, 5 are driven so as to rotate the turbine rotor, the turbine rotor rotates on the same axis thereof which does not fluctuate at all throughout the checking or repairing operation. This implies that the rotation of the turbine rotor does not produce any axial movement thereof and that the turbine rotor has both ends thereof uniformly and evenly supported by all of the rolls by surface contact.
As has been described heretofore, the support structures according to the present invention can drastically reduce the time and labor necessary for the levelling operation.
Furthermore, the wear of the rolls for supporting the turbine shaft can be also minimized. | A support structure utilized for checking and repairing rotatable objects of various kinds, such as a turbine for power generator or a blower fan, includes a roll support base which rotatably supports one end of the rotatable object thereon by means of a pair of rolls which are supported on an adjustable surface plate of a base frame by means of a spherical support mechanism. Due to the spherical support mechanism, the rolls on the support bases can uniformly support both ends of the rotatable object without imparting any thrust to the rolls even when horizontal levelling is not achieved. | 5 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims the benefit of priority of German Application No. 102009041253.0, filed Sep. 11, 2009. The entire text of the priority application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a blow valve of the type used in blow molding machines for forming blow molded containers.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In such a blow valve known in practice, the upper side of the wall, which is opposite to and spaced from the mouths, is flat and perpendicular to the shifting direction of the valve piston. The piston extension has a flat surface which is perpendicular to the shifting direction and on which the closing surface is formed. For an easier handling of the circular closing surface the surface may comprise a central, flat and shallow recess at the end of the piston extension. The flow developing in the open position of the valve piston in the valve chamber must be deflected twice. When the blow valve is opened, the flow expands into the large-volume cylindrical valve chamber, the depth of which corresponds approximately to the opening lift and the diameter of which corresponds several times to the diameter of each mouth. The turbulent and delayed medium must squeeze out of the valve chamber into at least one mouth of the outflow channel and must be accelerated again. Dead spaces as well as considerable pressure losses caused by turbulences ensue from the geometric concept in the valve chamber, i.e. the flat surfaces oriented perpendicular to the shifting direction of the piston. It is difficult to clean the blow valve in the dead spaces. The unavoidable pressure losses result in undesired long switching differences between the opening pulse and the pressurization of the preform.
[0004] In the blow valve known from EP 1 328 396, the flow developing in the open position is deflected at least three times, each time by 90°, and expands in the large valve chamber. Strong turbulences resulting in inexpediently great pressure losses and long switching differences are created in the valve chamber.
[0005] It is one aspect of the present disclosure to indicate a blow valve of the aforementioned type which in the open opposition operates with a minimum pressure loss and thus with an optimally short switching difference. It is also part of the aspect to avoid inexpedient dead spaces that increase the compressed air consumption and deteriorate the cleanability, e.g. by way of rinsing the blow valve with a cleaning medium.
[0006] The at least one, generally inclined, guide surface effects a lateral forced deflection of the flow in the valve chamber, whereby strong turbulences caused by great pressure loss are minimized. The decrease in pressure loss is accompanied by an optimally short switching difference. Expediently, at least one guide surface is provided both in the wall and on the piston extension to create a low-turbulence, swift and, above all, guided flow from the inflow channel into the outflow channel in the open position. An improvement is however achieved with at least one guide surface on the piston extension or in the wall. Unharmonious or sharp and turbulence-promoting surface transitions are minimized. Only minimal dead spaces are created, if at all. The formation of swirls is thus minimal and the blow valve can be cleaned easily, e.g. in a rinsing process.
[0007] In an expedient embodiment, the respective guide surface, facing the flow, is concavely rounded at least in portions. A concave rounding considerably improves the flow pattern in the flow and thus reduces the pressure loss caused during deflection.
[0008] It is advantageous when the valve seat which is substantially oriented perpendicular to the shifting direction of the valve piston and/or the closing surface on the valve piston, is/are made flat, spherical or conical. Especially spherical or conical configurations that may be similar or alternate or may be combined with a flat design result in high tightness in the shut-off position, and also help to make the flow uniform, thereby further reducing the pressure loss.
[0009] In an expedient embodiment, the guide surfaces on the wall and on the piston extension harmoniously pass into one another in the open position so as to put up as little flow resistance as possible to the exterior faster boundary layer of the flow.
[0010] In an expedient embodiment the guide surface even extends on the wall directly up to the mouth, so that the flow is directly guided up and into the mouth without any significant separation.
[0011] In a constructionally simple embodiment the wall is formed by a ring stationarily inserted into the valve chamber. It may be the function of the ring to define with the bottom side a pilot chamber in which the valve piston is actuated by a closing force-generating pilot pressure on an actuation surface larger than the piston extension. Preferably, because of the larger actuation surface a relatively moderate pilot pressure suffices for holding the shut-off position and after reduction of the pilot pressure the valve piston is brought by the inflow pressure very rapidly into the open position.
[0012] In a particularly expedient embodiment, apart from a central mouth, two exterior mouths that are diametrically arranged relative to the axis of the central mouth are provided that have each assigned thereto an outwardly ascending guide surface on the wall. By contrast, the piston extension that is oriented relative to the central mouth and immerses at least in the shut-off position into the central mouth in portions comprises two descending guide surfaces that are connected via an elevated flow division zone and oriented relative to the exterior mouths. The mouths may be circular, oval or kidney-shaped, or they may have any desired shape. It would also be possible to provide just one exterior mouth. In this configuration, an especially neat flow guiding operation with a low pressure loss is achieved. Independently of the question which mouth pertains to the inflow channel and which one to the outflow channel, either the flow from the inflow channel mouth is divided with low loss into two substantially identical partial flows that are guided to the exterior mouths, or two partial flows from the exterior mouths pertaining to the inflow channel are harmoniously combined in a flow extending into the mouth to the outflow channel.
[0013] To keep dead spaces as small as possible, and to enforce a neat flow-guiding process, it may be advantageous when the guide surfaces are formed in trough-like recesses in the piston extension and in the wall. The width of each recess can here correspond to the diameter of the exterior mouth or the central mouth.
[0014] In an expedient embodiment, these recesses have at least about the same depth in the shifting direction of the valve piston, resulting in a harmonious flow path of a large cross-section in the open position.
[0015] Particularly expediently, the guide surfaces are defined by displacement bodies provided on the wall and the valve piston. The displacement bodies minimize the dead volume in the valve chamber, so that the guided flow is without any expansion generating significant pressure losses and without any swirl.
[0016] In another expedient embodiment, the recesses in the flow direction can even gradually narrow down and preferably form a nozzle cross-section similar to a venturi nozzle that is constricted towards the outflow channel, so that the flow is made uniform and accelerated, whereby the pressure loss can even be reduced further.
[0017] The flow direction in the blow valve can be chosen according to requirements. The central mouth is preferably assigned to the inflow channel and the exterior mouth or both exterior mouths are assigned to the outflow channel.
[0018] The ring arranged in the valve chamber may be split into a lower ring providing the necessary sealing and into an upper ring serving to guide the flow. The ring serving to guide the flow could also be used for retrofitting already used blow valves, and it could even consist of plastic.
[0019] To improve the flow conditions also in or from the respective mouth, at least one of the mouths may comprise a counter-guide surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] Embodiments of the subject matter of the disclosure are explained with reference to the drawing, in which:
[0021] FIG. 1 shows an axial section of a blow valve in shut-off position;
[0022] FIG. 2 shows an axial section of the blow valve in open position;
[0023] FIG. 3 shows a schematic axial section of another embodiment of the blow valve;
[0024] FIG. 4 shows a schematic axial section of a further embodiment of the blow valve;
[0025] FIG. 5 shows a schematic axial section of two detail variants of the switch valve;
[0026] FIG. 6 shows an axial section of part of a blow valve of a further embodiment; and
[0027] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a detail of a further embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0028] The embodiment of a blow valve V as shown in FIG. 1 (shut-off position) and in FIG. 2 (open position) is e.g. switched by a control pressure from a pilot valve (no shown) into the shut-off position and is brought into the open position by the prevailing inflow pressure after reduction of the control pressure. Alternatively, the blow valve V could be operated mechanically or by a magnet (not shown).
[0029] A housing (not shown) of the blow valve V has installed therein a plate 1 which has arranged therein a central inflow channel 3 , which is designed as an axial bore, and two exterior outflow channels 2 which are diametrically positioned relative to the inflow channel 3 and are each configured as circular bores. The channels 2 , 3 form e.g. circular mouths 4 , 5 on the underside of the plate 1 . The respective mouth could also be made oval, kidney-shaped or formed in any desired way. A valve chamber 7 which is defined by a wall 8 , for instance in the form of a ring 9 , is located underneath the plate 1 . A valve piston 11 (differential piston) which has a lower large-diameter piston member 12 and a central piston extension 14 of a smaller diameter is sealingly displaceably guided in the valve chamber 7 . A control chamber 13 with a control pressure connection 17 leading to said chamber is provided on the underside of the valve piston 11 . On the piston extension 14 , a closing surface 15 (here for instance a circular surface arranged substantially perpendicular to the shifting direction of the valve piston 11 ) is provided on the upper end. The piston extension 14 is formed by at least one seal 18 in the bore of the ring 9 . An intermediate ring chamber 10 between the large-diameter piston member 13 and the ring 9 can be vented for instance via a connection 16 . In the shut-off position at least part of the piston extension 14 can immerse into the mouth 5 of the inflow channel 3 .
[0030] According to FIG. 2 guide surfaces L 1 , L 2 that are oriented towards the channels 2 , 3 are formed in the piston extension 14 and in the wall 8 . The guide surfaces L 1 , L 2 extend in general in oblique fashion relative to the shifting direction of the valve piston 11 and are preferably concavely rounded at least in portions for the flow developing in the open position (outlined by arrows). In the wall 8 , a surface section 20 which is ascending in obliquely curved fashion and concavely rounded in transverse direction passes into a surface section 22 which extends approximately perpendicular to the shifting direction of the valve body 11 and is also concavely rounded in transverse direction. In the piston extension 14 , and starting from an elevated flow division zone 23 , an oblique surface section 21 is provided that is curved and concavely rounded in transverse direction. The surface sections 22 , 21 are e.g. approximately semi-round. Trough-like recesses 19 , 19 ′ are thereby formed both in the piston extension 14 and in the wall, with the recesses passing harmoniously into each other in the open position shown in FIG. 2 .
[0031] The recesses 19 , 19 ′ are so to speak positioned between displacement bodies K of the wall 8 and of the piston extension 14 ; these bodies are provided at both sides and reduce the dead volume in the valve chamber 7 to a degree providing optimum flow guidance conditions in the valve chamber 7 . The displacement bodies K of the wall 8 may abut on the plate 1 . The displacement bodies K on the piston extension 14 end in the open position at, on or slightly in the mouth 5 . The depths of the recesses 19 , 19 ′ as viewed in the shifting direction of the valve piston 11 are approximately identical. The width of the recesses corresponds at least to the inner width of the smaller mouths 4 . In an alternative embodiment the recesses 19 , 19 ′ might slightly narrow down in flow direction towards the mouths 4 to form a nozzle cross-section similar to a venturi nozzle. In the open position in FIG. 2 , the remaining surface portion of the piston extension 14 may be positioned outside the recesses 19 ′ approximately at the level of the valve seat 6 , which is here flat and circular.
[0032] The guide surfaces L 1 , L 2 effect a forced deflection of the flow; in FIGS. 1 and 2 out of the channel 3 laterally outwards and then upwards into the channels 2 . The switch valve in FIGS. 1 and 2 could alternatively operate with reversed flow directions. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) of the blow valve V, the guide surfaces L 1 or L 2 could also be arranged only on the piston extension 14 or only in the wall 8 . Furthermore, the wall 8 could be part of the housing of the blow valve V.
[0033] It is outlined in FIG. 1 in broken line at 30 that the ring 9 could be subdivided into a lower ring 29 ′ and an upper ring 27 . The upper ring 27 (see FIG. 7 ) comprises the at least one guide surface L 2 and the recesses 19 ′, respectively, with the surface portions 20 , 22 outside of a passage 28 for the piston extension 14 , and could be a retrofit part.
[0034] In the embodiment of the blow valve V in FIG. 3 , an inflow channel 3 and an outflow channel 2 are provided side by side. The valve seat 6 is flat, just like the closing surfaces 15 on the piston extension 14 . Two approximately symmetrical oblique guide surfaces L 1 are provided on the piston extension 14 ; in the open position (not shown), these guide surfaces L 1 guide the flow from the channel 3 laterally by forced deflection into the channel 2 . The guide surfaces L 1 are depicted as inclined ramps, but could also be formed in trough-like recesses and rounded, by analogy with FIG. 2 .
[0035] In the embodiment of the blow valve V in FIG. 4 , the piston extension 14 is formed with a conical peak that forms the guide surfaces L 1 , separated by the flow division zone 23 . Alternatively, the guide surfaces L 1 could be straight roof surfaces 24 , separated by a crest forming the flow division zone 23 . The closing surface 15 ′ of the piston extension 14 is here e.g. conical while the valve seat 6 ′ is rounded, resulting here in the sealing effect in the shut-off position with the pair conical surface/rounded circular ring. Either conical or ramp-like guide surfaces L 2 are formed with respect to the channels 2 in the wall 8 through which the piston extension 14 passes. The guide surfaces L 1 , L 2 can also be arranged in recesses 19 , 19 ′, which are then expediently concavely rounded, by analogy with FIG. 2 . In FIG. 4 , more than only two exterior channels 2 could be distributed around the central channel 3 in the case of conical guide surfaces L 1 , L 2 .
[0036] In the embodiment in FIG. 5 , the left half depicts the cooperation between a conical closing surface 15 ′ on the piston extension 14 and a valve seat 6 ″ configured as a circularly extending rectangular edge. The guide surfaces L 1 on the piston extension 14 and L 2 in the wall 8 could e.g. be made conical, by analogy with FIG. 4 .
[0037] By contrast, the right half of FIG. 5 outlines the cooperation between a spherical closing surface 15 ″ on the piston extension 14 and the edge of the valve seat 6 ″, which is here rectangular. The guide surface L 1 on the piston extension 14 is either a surrounding spherical surface or a convexly curved surface. In the wall 8 , a concavely rounded surface which is first descending from the inside to the outside and then gradually ascending up and into the channel 2 and which could be formed in a similar recess as the recess 19 in FIG. 2 is shown in the right half as the guide surface L 2 .
[0038] Finally, FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment in which in at least one of the mouths 4 , 5 of the channels 2 , 3 a counter-guide surface L 3 is provided for further improving the flow guidance. The valve seat 6 ′″ is here e.g. an annular conical surface 26 and can cooperate with a conical or spherically rounded closing surface on the piston extension, which is not shown in FIG. 6 , e.g. to carry out a shutting off without any leakage in the shut-off position. The counter-guide surfaces L 3 are e.g. conical countersunk portions in the mouths 4 , 5 . | A blow valve of a blow-molding machine for containers, having a valve seat which is arranged in a valve chamber between an inflow channel mouth and an outflow channel mouth and has assigned thereto a valve piston which is shiftable linearly between a shut-off position and a lifted open position and which with a piston extension carrying a closing surface passes sealingly shiftably through a bore of a wall defining the valve chamber, wherein a flow path which extends through the valve chamber between the mouths is shut off in the shut-off position and released in the open position, at least one guide surface which is generally inclined relative to the shifting direction of the valve piston is provided for the lateral forced deflection of the flow on the wall and/or on the piston extension. | 1 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a new Type II restriction endonuclease, KasI, obtainable from Kluyvera ascorbata, to recombinant DNA encoding the KasI restriction endonuclease and modification methylase, and to methods for the production of these enzymes from said recombinant DNA.
Many bacteria contain systems which guard against invasion of foreign DNA. Bacterial cells contain specific endonucleases that make double-strand scissions in invading DNA unless the DNA has been previously modified, usually by the corresponding DNA methylase. The endonuclease with its accompanying methylase is called a restriction-modification system (hereinafter "R-M system"). The principle function of R-M systems is thus defensive: they enable bacterial cells to resist infections by bacteriophage and plasmid DNA molecules which might otherwise parasitize them.
Three distinct types of R-M systems have been characterized on the basis of the subunit compositions, co-factor requirements, and type of DNA cleavage. Type I R-M systems are the most complex. The endonuclease typically contains three different types of subunits and require Mg ++ , ATP, and S-adenosyl-methionine for DNA cleavage. Their recognition sites are complex, and DNA cleavage occurs at non-specific sites anywhere from 400-7000 base pairs from the recognition site. Type III R-M systems are somewhat less complex. The endonuclease of type III R-M systems contain only two types of subunits, and although Mg ++ and ATP are required for DNA cleavage, S-adenosyl-methionine stimulates enzymatic activity without being an absolute requirement. DNA cleavage occurs distal to the recognition site by about 25-27 base pairs.
Type II R-M systems are much simpler than either types I or III. The endonuclease only contains one subunit, and only Mg ++ is required for DNA cleavage. Moreover, the DNA cleavage site occurs within or adjacent to the enzyme's recognition site. It is this class of restriction endonucleases that has proved most useful to molecular biologists.
Bacteria usually possess only a small number of restriction endonucleases per species. The endonucleases are named according to the bacteria from which they are derived. Thus, the species Haemophilus aeovotius, for example synthesizes three different restriction endonucleases, named Hae I, Hae II and Hae III. These enzymes recognize and cleave the sequences (AT)GGCC(AT), PuGCGCPy and GGCC respectively. Escherichia coli RY13, on the other hand, synthesizes only one enzyme, EcoR I, which recognizes the sequence GAATTC.
Restriction endonucleases, the first component of R-M systems, have been characterized primarily with respect to their recognition sequence and cleavage specificity because of their practical use for molecular dissection of DNA. The majority of restriction endonucleases recognize sequences 4-6 nucleotides in length. More recently, recognition endonucleases having recognition sequences of 7-8 nucleotides in length have been found. Most, but not all, recognition sites contain a dyad axis of symmetry, and in most cases, all the bases within the site are uniquely specified. This symmetrical relationship in the recognition sequence of restriction endonucleases has been termed "palindromes." Some restriction endonucleases have degenerate or relaxed specificities in that they can recognize multiple bases at the same positions. HaeIII, which recognizes the sequence GGCC is an example of restriction endonuclease having a symmetrical relationship, while HaeII, which recognizes the sequence PuGCGCPy, typifies restriction endonucleases having a degenerate or relaxed specificity. Endonucleases with symmetrical recognition sites generally cleave symmetrically within or adjacent to the recognition site, while those that recognize asymmetric sites tend to cut at distance from the recognition site, typically from about 1 to 18 base pairs away from that site.
The second component of bacterial R-M systems are the modification methylases. These enzymes are complementary to restriction endonucleases and provide the means by which bacteria are able to protect their own DNA and distinguish it from foreign, infecting DNA. Modification methylases recognize and bind to the same nucleotide recognition sequence as the corresponding restriction endonuclease, but instead of breaking the DNA, they chemically modify one or more of the nucleotides within the sequence by the addition of a methyl group. Following methylation, the recognition sequence is no longer bound or cleaved by the corresponding restriction endonuclease. The DNA of a bacterial cell is always fully modified by virtue of the activity of its modification methylase, and it is therefore completely insensitive to the presence of the endogenous restriction endonuclease. It is only unmodified, and therefore identifiably foreign DNA that is sensitive to restriction endonuclease recognition and attack.
More than 1,000 different restriction endonucleases have been isolated from bacterial strains, and many share common specificities. Restriction endonucleases which recognize identical sequences are called "isoschizomers." Although the recognition sequences of isoschizomers are the same, they may vary with respect to site of cleavage (e.g., XmaI v. SmaI Endow et al., J. Mol. Biol. 112:521 (1977) Waalwijk et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 5:3231 (1978)) and in cleavage rate at various sites (XhoI v. Pae R7I Gingeras et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci U.S.A. 80:402 (1983)).
With the advent of genetic engineering technology, it is now possible to clone genes and to produce the proteins and enzymes that they encode in greater quantities than are obtainable from their natural sources by conventional purification techniques.
Type II restriction-modification systems are being cloned with increasing frequency. Four methods are being used to clone R-M systems into E. coli: (1) sub-cloning of natural plasmids; (2) selection based on phage restriction; (3) selection based on vector modification; and (4) multi-step isolation.
The first cloned systems used bacteriophage infection as a means of identifying or selection restriction endonuclease clones (HhaII: Mann, et al., Gene 3:97-112, (1978); EcoRII: Kosykh, et al., Molec Gen. Genet. 178:717-719, (1980); PstI: Walder, et al., Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 78:1503-1507, (1981)). Since the presence of R-M systems in bacteria enables them to resist infection by bacteriophages, cells that carry cloned R-M genes can, in principle, be selectively isolated as survivors from libraries that have been exposed to phage. This method has been found, however, to have only limited value. Specifically, it has been found that cloned R-M genes do not always manifest sufficient phage resistance to confer selective survival.
Subcloning of natural plasmids involves transferring systems initially characterized as plasmid-borne into E. coli cloning plasmids (EcoRV: Bougueleret, et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 12:3659-3676, (1984); PaeR7: Gingeras and Brooks, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80:402-406, (1983); Theriault and Roy, Gene 19:355-359, (1982); PvuII: Blumenthal, et al., J. Bacteriol. 164:501-509, (1985)). In this approach the plasmids are purified prior to digestion and ligation, so reducing the complexity of the source DNA. Isolating the system then involves sub-cloning and characterizing libraries and performing selections.
Vector modification, the most successful approach to date, is predicated on the assumption that the restriction and modification genes of a particular Type II system are linked and are expressed sequentially, methylase and then endonuclease. Thus, in a population of methylase positive clones, some clones should also carry the corresponding endonuclease gene. This approach, known as methylase selection, was first used successfully by Wilson, EPO Publication No. 0193413, to clone the HaeII, TaqI, BanI, HindIII, HinfI, and MspI R-M systems.
A number of R-M systems, however, have required a multi-step cloning approach. For example, during acquisition of a new R-M system, it has been found that a number of cells face an establishment problem. Unless the methylase has a head start over the endonuclease, the cell is in danger of being restricted. E. coli appears to cope with this problem by repairing its DNA, and is able to assimilate to many cloned R-M systems without apparent trauma. Not all systems are easily assimilated however. The DdeI and BamHI R-M systems, for example, could not be cloned in a single step; rather, three steps were required (Howard et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 14:7939-7951 (1988)). There are, in fact, many systems for which only the methylase gene has been cloned. These systems may be similar to BamHI and DdeI, and may require similar approaches.
While a number of clones have been obtained by one or more of the above-described methods, see, Wilson, Gene 74, 281-289 (1988), cloning of Type II R-M systems is not without difficulty. In particular, the genetics of many R-M systems have been found to be more complex, and methylase positive clones obtained by, for example, vector modification have not yielded the corresponding endonuclease gene. See, Wilson, Trends in Genetics 4:314-318 (1988); Lunnen et al., Gene 74:25-32 (1988). In fact, numerous obstacles are encountered in the process of cloning R-M systems using vector modification. For example, in some systems, the methylase and endonuclease genes may not be linked or the endonuclease used to fragment the bacterial DNA may cut either or both of the R-M genes. In other systems, such as BamHI and DdeI, the methylase may not protect sufficiently against digestion by the corresponding endonuclease, either because of inefficient expression in the transformation host, or because of the inherent control mechanism for expression of the methylase and endonuclease genes, or for unknown reasons. Modification may also be harmful to the host cell chosen for transformation. The endonuclease sought to be cloned may not be available in sufficient purity or quantity for methylase selection. In many systems, difficulties are also encountered in expressing the endonuclease gene in a transformation host cell of a different bacterial species.
In spite of the difficulties in cloning the more complex Type II R-M systems, it has been possible to obtain some endonuclease genes by modifying the vector modification selection method (see Lunnen et al., op. cit.) and/or by using a multi-step cloning approach. For example, formation of multiple libraries, construction of new cloning vectors, use of isoschizomers for the methylase selection step, mapping of methylase and/or endonuclease genes to determine the corresponding DNA sequences for use as hybridization probes, and other variations to the above-described approaches have yielded a number of recalcitrant recombinant R-M systems.
However, at the outset of any Type II R-M cloning project, one simply does not know which, if any, and what variations or modifications to previous approaches may be required to clone any particular R-M system. For example, the detailed genetics of the particular system is usually unknown. Type II R and M genes may be present on the genome in any of four possible arrangements. Wilson, Trends in Genetics, supra. The sizes of the enzymes, and of the corresponding genes, vary widely between one R-M system and another, as do the DNA and amino acid sequences. In fact, isoschizomeric restriction endonucleases have been found to display few similarities. Id, at 318, see also Chandrasegeran et al., Structure and Expression, Vol. I, pp 149-156, Adenine Press (1988).
Mechanisms of control of R and M gene expression also vary widely among Type II systems. For example, expression of the endonuclease gene may be modification-dependent, as is indicated in the AvaII, HaeII, HinfI, PstI and XbaI systems (Id.). Alternatively, the endonuclease gene may contain a large number of its own recognition sites as compared to the corresponding methylase gene, as in the TaqI system. Id.
During transformation of cells to obtain clones carrying the target R-M system, cellular DNA is initially unmodified and consequently in danger of being digested by the target endonuclease. Transformation host cells must either contain DNA repair systems or be able to delay expression of the target endonuclease gene until modification is complete. If neither of these mechanisms is available to the transformation host, a problem is encountered in establishing the clones genes in the host. As noted above, when establishment problems were encountered in cloning the DdeI and BamHI systems, it was necessary to introduce the methylase and endonuclease genes sequentially, to protect the DNA of the transformation host cells (Howard, K. A. et al., supra, Brooks et al., Gene 74:13 (1988)). However, some R-M systems have resisted all attempts to clone them, and others have yielded only the methylase gene, possibly because of establishment difficulties. Wilson, Trends in Genetics 4:317.
It has been found that transformation host cells may also contain systems that restrict foreign types of modification. For example, two systems have been identified in E. coli which restrict modified DNAs: the mcr system restricts DNA containing methyl-cytosine, and the mrr system restricts DNA containing methyl-adenine. It is therefore usually necessary to use E. coli strains that are defective in these systems. The presence of additional host cell restriction systems may also be responsible for the difficulties encountered in cloning of R-M systems.
Specific Type II restriction endonucleases are already known for numerous DNA sequences, however, a large number of restriction enzymes with diversified enzymatic characteristics are necessary for successful genetic manipulation. Accordingly, there is a continued need for new Type II restriction endonucleases such as the enzyme of the present invention, KasI.
In addition, because restriction endonucleases and modification methylases are useful tools for characterizing and rearranging DNA in the laboratory, there is a commercial incentive to produce the enzymes abundantly and in substantially pure form. Using recombinant DNA techniques in accordance with the present invention, the KasI restriction endonuclease and modification methylase may be produced simply and in commercially useful amounts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a novel restriction endonuclease obtainable from the bacterium Kluyvera ascorbata, hereinafter referred to as "KasI", which endonuclease:
(1) recognizes the base sequence in a double-stranded DNA molecule as shown below,
5'-GGCGCC-3'
3'-CCGCGG-5'
(wherein C and G represent cytosine and guanine, respectively),
(2) cleaves said sequence in the phosphodiester bonds between G and G as indicated with the vertical arrows; and
(3) cleaves double-stranded pUC, M13mp18, and lambda DNA in one position, PhiX172, and T7 DNA in two positions, and Adeno2 DNA at 20 positions, while not cleaving SV40 DNA.
The present invention further provides a recombinant DNA encoding the KasI restriction endonuclease and modification methylase obtainable from K. ascorbata. and methods for the production of the recombinant DNA encoding those enzymes. Methods for producing the KasI restriction endonuclease and modification methylase in substantially pure form are also provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates the scheme for cloning and producing KasI restriction endonuclease.
FIG. 2 is a restriction map of a 3.4 kb PstI fragment of Kluyvera ascorbata DNA that encodes the KasI restriction endonuclease and modification methylase. The fragment was cloned into the PstI site of pUC19 (ATCC 37254) to create pJBKasIRM 104-12.
FIG. 3 is a photograph of an agarose gel demonstrating KasI restriction endonuclease activity, in cell extracts of E. coli strain NEB 594 (ATCC No. 68353) carrying pJBKasIRM 104-12. An overnight culture of 8 mls of cells with antibiotic, was pelleted, and resuspended in sonication buffer. The cells were broken by sonication and the cell debris pelleted. One μl of the crude supernatant was titrated in an assay on 50 ug/ml lambda DNA for one hour at 37° C.
FIG. 4 is an autoradiograph of a polyacrylamide sequencing gel illustrating the cleavage site determination for KasI.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, KasI is obtained by culturing Kluyvera ascorbata strain NEB 593 and recovering the enzyme from the cells.
Kluyvera ascorbata strain NEB 593 was isolated from a water sample obtained from Keene, New Hampshire in 1988. The sample was returned to New England Biolabs and plated on LB agar and incubated at 30° C. Single colonies were picked and plate purified. Purified samples were assayed for endonuclease activity in accordance with the technique described by Schildkraut in Genetic Engineering Principles and Methods, (1984) Setlow, J. K. et al., eds., Plenum Publishing, Vol. 6, pg. 117, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. One sample identified as Kluyvera ascorbata NEB 593 contained the novel restriction endonuclease KasI.
KasI is an isoschizomer of NarI, and recognizes the palindromic hexanucleotide sequence 5'-GGCGCC-3'. Unlike NarI, KasI cleaves the sequence between the first and second G, generating a 4 base 5' extension.
A sample of Kluyvera ascorbata strain NEB 593 was deposited at the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) on May 25, 1990 and bears Accession No. 55054.
For recovering the enzyme of the present invention, K. ascorbata may be grown using any suitable technique, for example, K. ascorbata may be grown in a media comprising tryptone, yeast extract and NaCl (pH 7.2), and incubated at 30° C. with agitation and aeration. Cells in the late logarithmic stage are collected using centrifugation and stored frozen at -70° C.
After the cells are harvested and frozen, the enzyme can be isolated and purified from frozen cell paste by using conventional enzyme purification methods. For example, the obtained cell paste is thawed and suspended in a buffer solution and subjected to treatment to allow extraction of the enzyme by the buffer solution, such treatment includes sonication, high pressure dispersion, or enzymatic digestion. The cell residue is then removed by centrifugation, and the supernatant containing the new enzyme can be purified by ion-exchange chromatography, using for example phosphocellulose or DEAE-cellulose, molecular sieve chromatography and affinity chromatography, using for example heparin agarose or DNA-cellulose, or a combination of these methods, to produce the enzyme of the present invention.
The enzyme of the present invention, along with its corresponding DNA methylase may also be obtained using a modified version of the vector modification approach described in EPO Publication No. 0193413.
The preferred method for cloning recombinant DNA containing the KasI restriction endonuclease and modification methylase genes is generally set forth below, and is represented in FIG. 1.
A. Cloning of KasI Methylase Gene.
The genomic DNA of K. ascorbata (ATCC No. 55054) is purified using known methods and partially digested with an appropriate restriction endonuclease. The preferred restriction endonuclease for forming the genomic library of PstI. The digested genomic DNA is then ligated to a cloning vector containing one or more recognition sites which are isoschizomeric to or which contain the recognition sequence of KasI. Since expression of the methylase may be a factor, the cloning vector should have a relatively high copy number. The preferred cloning vector is pBR328; however, other cloning vectors may also be used as long as they contain KasI sites. Such vectors include pBR322, pUC19, and similar plasmids. The ligated DNA is then transformed into an appropriate bacterial host such as E. coli RR1 (ATCC No. 31343). Other bacterial hosts which do not restrict the K. ascorbata DNA or otherwise interfere with cloning of the methylase gene may also be used. Transformants are selected by plating onto a medium containing an antibiotic or other selection pressure. When pBR328 is used as the cloning vector, for example, the transformants are plated onto Luria agar containing tetracycline.
Recombinant plasmids should be tetracycline resistant and carry inserts of K. ascorbata genomic DNA. The tetracycline-resistant colonies are pooled to form the primary cell library. From this pool, recombinant plasmids are purified away from the transformation host's genomic DNA by known methods such as density centrifugation with CsCl and ethidium bromide. The purified recombinant plasmids form the library plasmid library.
The primary plasmid library is then digested to completion with a suitable endonuclease such as KasI or NarI. The KasI recognition site (GGCGCC) is the same as the NarI recognition site. It was found in accordance with the present invention that methylation by the KasI methylase also protects DNA from NarI endonuclease digestion.
Thus, digestion by KasI or NarI endonuclease differentially destroys DNA which has not been modified by the KasI methylase, increasing the proportion of plasmids containing the KasI methylase gene in the primary plasmid library.
The KasI methylase gene-enriched plasmid library is then transformed back into an appropriate bacterial host such as E. coli RR1 . Transformants are recovered by plating onto a selective medium such as L-agar containing tetracycline. The DNA of surviving colonies is analyzed for the presence of the KasI methylase gene, by digestion with the KasI or NarI endonucleases. This analysis is performed both on purified plasmid DNA and on total cellular (genomic and plasmid) DNA. Clones carrying the KasI modification gene contain fully modified DNA, and both plasmid and genomic DNA is substantially resistant to digestion by KasI and NarI endonucleases.
Clones carrying KasI restriction endonuclease are identified by preparing cell extracts of the KasI methylase clones, obtained above, and assaying the extracts for KasI restriction endonuclease activity.
The quantity of KasI restriction endonuclease produced by the clones may be increased by elevating the gene dosage, through the use of high copy number vectors, such as pUC19, and by elevating the transcription rate, through the use of highly active, exogenous promoters.
B. Production of Recombinant KasI Endonuclease and Methylase.
Recombinant KasI restriction endonuclease and methylase may be produced from clones carrying the KasI restriction and modification genes by propagation in a fermenter in a rich medium containing the appropriate antibiotic. The cells are collected by centrifugation and disrupted by sonication to produce a crude cell extract containing the KasI restriction endonuclease activity.
The crude cell extract containing the KasI restriction endonuclease and/or methylase activity is purified by standard protein purification techniques such as affinity chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography.
Although the above-outlined steps represent the preferred mode for practicing the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above-described approach can vary in accordance with techniques known in the art.
The recognition sequence of the endonuclease sequence of the present invention, KasI, can be determined by digesting pUC19, pBR322, phiX174, Ml3mpl8, SV40, T7, lambda, and Adeno2 DNA with the restriction enzyme of the present invention and using agarose gel electrophoresis to determine the number and sizes of the fragments thus generated. The number and sizes the fragments generated by digestion with KasI for the 8 DNA molecules above (31 sites) match the computer-predicted (Devereaux, et al., NAR 12, 387-395 (1984)), number and sizes of the fragments that would be generated by cleavage at the sequence 5'-GGCGCC-3'. KasI has the following number of recognition sequences on the DNAs listed above: pUC19 (1), pBR322 (4), phiX174 (2), M13mp18 (1), SV40 (0), T7 (2), lambda (1), and Adeno2 (20). From the above data, it was concluded that KasI recognizes the sequence 5'-GGCGCC-3', and thus is an isoschizomer of NarI.
The point of cleavage on the recognition sequence of the endonuclease of the present invention can be determined by using dideoxy sequencing (Sanger, F., et al., PNAS (1977) 74:5463-5467), to analyze the terminal base sequence obtained by cleaving pUC19 with the enzyme of the present invention. Using the technique described-above, and further exemplified in Example III, it was concluded that the KasI cleavage position is between the first and second nucleotides, G and G, in its recognition sequence which results in a 5'4-base extension as shown below,
5'-GGCGCC-3'
3'-CCGCGG-5'
and wherein the cleavage position is defined with the vertical arrows.
The following examples are given to illustrate embodiments of the present invention as it is presently preferred to practice. It will be understood that these examples are illustrative, and that the invention is not to be considered as restricted thereto except as indicated in the appended claims.
EXAMPLE I
Isolation and Purification of Native KasI
Kluyvera ascorbata strain NEB 593 (ATCC No. 55054) was grown in a 500 ml culture of Luria Broth (tryptone, yeast extract and NaCl (pH 7.2)) overnight at 30° C. with agitation and aeration. Cells in the late logarithmic stage were collected using centrifugation and stored frozen at -70° C.
The enzyme KasI was isolated and purified from the frozen cell paste of Kluyvera ascorbata using the following enzyme purification method. The K. ascorbata frozen cell paste was thawed and suspended in a buffer A (20 mM Tris, pH 7.4, 10 mM magnesium chloride, 1 mM β-mercaptoethanol, and 0.1 mM EDTA), and subjected to sonication treatment to allow extraction of the enzyme by the buffer solution. The cell residue was then removed by centrifugation, and the supernatant was assayed (50 mM NaCl, 10 mM Tris, 10 mM magnesium chloride, 1 mM β-mercaptoethanol) at 37° C. for one hour for endonuclease activity on lambda and T7 DNAs, in accordance with the technique described by Schildkraut in Genetic Engineering Principles and Methods, (1984) Setlow, J. K., et al., eds., Plenum Publishing, Vol. 6, pg. 117. The enzymatic activity detected (positive on both lambda and T7 DNAs) in the supernatant was isolated and purified using a 1 ml bed volume heparin-sepharose affinity chromatography column with a 50 ml linear gradient from 50 mM NaCl to 1 M NaCl in Buffer A. 1.5 ml fractions from the heparin-sepharose column were assayed (50 mM NaCl, 10 mM Tris pH 7.4, 10 mM magnesium chloride, 1 mM β-mercaptoethanol), at 37° C. for one hour on T7 DNA, and a broad peak of KasI activity was located (fractions 11-21). The enzyme obtained, fraction 19, was substantially pure.
EXAMPLE II
Cloning of KasI Restriction Endonuclease and Methylase Genes
1. DNA purification: A frozen glycerol culture of Kluyvera ascorbata cells was obtained. A dollop of frozen cells were streaked onto a LB plate and incubated overnight at 37° C. A single colony was inoculated and cultured in 1 liter of L-Broth overnight at 37° C. The cells were pelleted and frozen. The pellet was defrosted at room temperature and suspended in 50 ml of 5 mM Glucose, 2.5 mM Tris (pH 8.0), 1.0 mM EDTA containing 10 mg/ml lysozyme. The suspension was shaken at 30° C. for 1 hour. SDS was added to a final concentration of 1% and shaken for 1 hour. One mg/ml proteinase K was added and shaken for 1 hour at 37° C. The mixture was forced through an 18 gauge needle and extracted with an equal volume of phenol and chloroform. The solution was shaken and spun at about 10 krpm for approximately 10 minutes. The aqueous phase was removed and the aqueous phase was re-extracted with chloroform. The aqueous phase was removed and dialyzed against 16 liters of 1× DNA buffer (10 mM Tris pH 8.0, 1 mM EDTA) over the course of 24 hours.
The dialyzed solution was then digested with RNAse at a final concentration of 200 ug/ml for 1 hour at 37° C. The DNA was then precipitated by the addition of 5M NaCl to a final concentration of 0.4M, and 0.55 Volumes of isopropyl alcohol. The precipitated DNA was spooled onto a glass rod, air-dried, then dissolved in a DNA buffer to a concentration of approximately 200 ug/ml and stored at 4° C.
2. Digestion of DNA: 12 ug of Kluyvera ascorbata DNA was diluted into 600 ul of HindIII restriction endonuclease digestion buffer (10 mM Tris pH 7.5, 10 mM MgCl 2 , 10 mM mercaptoethanol, 50 mM Nacl). Five tubes were prepared the first containing 200 ul of buffer and DNA. Each subsequent tube contained 100 ul of buffer and DNA. 20 units of PstI restriction endonuclease were added to the first tube. The tube was mixed and 100 ul transferred to the second tube in order to serially dilute the enzyme. The solution was incubated at 37° C. for 1 hour. An aliquot from each tube was run on a gel to determine the degree of digestion. Tubes were combined and extracted with phenol/chloroform and chloroform and precipitated with the addition of NaCl to 0.4M and 0.55 volumes of isopropanol.
Additional libraries were prepared by digesting the KasI chromosomal DNA with EcoRI, HindIII, BamHI, BglII, or NsiI as described above.
3. Ligation and transformation: 2 ug of PstI-digested Kluyvera ascorbata DNA was mixed with 1 ug of PstI-cleaved and dephosphorylated pBR328 (ATCC No. 37517) 10 ul of 10X ligation buffer (500 mM Tris pH 7.5, 100 mM MgCl 2 , 100 mM DTT, 5 mM ATP), and 55 ul of sterile distilled water were added and the solution was incubated at room temperature for 30 minutes and 16° C. overnight. 100 ul of the ligation solution was mixed with 1 ml of SSC/CaCl 2 (50 mM NaCl, 5 mM Na 3 Citrate, 67 mM CaCl 2 and 2 ml of ice-cold, competent E. coli RR1 (ATCC No. 31343) cells were added. The solution was incubated at 42° C. for 3 mins, then 5 ml of Luria-broth was added and incubation was continued at 37° C. shaker for 3 hr.
The same procedure was applied for making the EcoRI, HindIII, BglII, NsiI and BamHI libraries.
4. Cell Library: The transformed culture was gently centrifuged, the supernatant was discarded and the cells were resuspended in 1.0 ml of L-broth. 200 ul portions of the resuspended cells were plated onto Luria-agar (L-agar) plates containing 30 ug/ml tetracycline. The plates were incubated at 37° C. The transformed cells that grew up on the surfaces of the plates were collected together by flooding each of the plates with 2.5 ml of 10 mM Tris pH 7.5, 10 mM MgCl 2 , scraping the colonies together, and pooling the suspensions into a single tube. 5. Plasmid Library: 5.0 ml of the cell library was inoculated into 500 ml of L-broth containing 30 ug/ml tetracycline. The culture was shaken overnight at 37° C. then centrifuged at 4K rpm for 5 minutes. The supernatant was discarded and the cell pellet was resuspended in 10 ml of 25% sucrose, 50 mM Tris pH 8.0, at room temperature. 5 ml of 0.25M EDTA, pH 8.0, and 3 ml of 10 mg/ml lysozyme in 0.25M Tris pH 8,0 were added. The solution was kept on ice for 1 hour, then 12 ml of 1% Triton X-100, 50 mM Tris pH 8.0, 67 mM EDTA was added and the suspension was gently swirled to induce cell lysis.
The lysed mixture was transferred to a 50 ml tube and centrifuged for 45 min. at 17K rpm, 4° C. The supernatant was removed with a pipette. 20.0 gm of solid CsCl was weighed into a 50 ml plastic screw-cap tube and 22.0 gm of supernatant was pipetted into the tube and mixed. 1.0 ml of 5 mg/ml ethidium bromide in 10 mM Tris pH 8.0, 100 mM NaCl, 1 mM EDTA was added. The solution was transferred to two 5/8 in. ×3 in. centrifuge tubes and spun in a Beckman Ti70 rotor for 42 hours at 44K rpm, 17° C. To collect the plasmids, the tubes were opened, illuminated with ultraviolet light, and the lower of the two fluorescent bands was collected by syringe. The lower band from each tube was combined and the ethidium bromide was removed by extracting four times with an equal volume of water-saturated, ice-cold N-Butanol.
The extracted solution was dialyzed against 16 liters (4 changes over 24 hours) of 1× DNA buffer, then the nucleic acid was precipitated by the addition of 2 vols. of isopropanol and sufficient 5M NaCl to reach a final concentration of 0.4M. The solution was stored overnight at -20° C. then centrifuged for 15 minutes at 15K rpm, O° C. The supernatant was discarded, the pellet was air-dried for 15 min. then dissolved in 250 ul of 10 mM Tris pH 7.5, 1 mM EDTA and stored at -20° C. The plasmid DNA concentration was found to be approximately 200 ug/ml.
6. Digestion of the Plasmid Library: 25 ug (25 ul) of the plasmid library was diluted into 770 ul of NarI endonuclease (NarI is an isoschizomer of KasI and was used to select methylase clones from KasI libraries) digestion buffer (10 mM Tris pH 7.5, 10 mM MgCl 2 , 10 mM mercapteothanol, 10 mM NaCl). The mixture was dispensed into 4 tubes containing 200 ul each. A serial titration of the NarI enzyme was made by adding 40 units of the enzyme to the first tube and removing 50 ul and mixing it with the second tube. The dilution procedure continued through the subsequent tubes. The titration series was incubated at 37° C. for 1 hr. 25 ul of the reaction was run on a gel, the remainder of first tube was transformed into E. coli RR1 (ATCC No. 31343) while the remainder of the other tubes was frozen at -20° C.
7. Transformation: Approximately 50 ul (˜1.5 ug) of the digested library was mixed with 100 ul of SSC/CaCl 2 (section 3) and 200 ul of ice-cold, competent, E. coli RR1 . The mixture was heat shocked at 42° C. for 3 minutes. The cell pellet was resuspended in 150 ul of L-broth and plated onto an L-agar containing 30 ug/ml tetracycline. The plate was incubated overnight at 37° C. NarI digestion reduced the number of transformants 10 3 -fold compared with transformation by undigested plasmids. Ten colonies were picked from the survivors of the NarI digestion; each was inoculated into 10 ml of L-broth containing tetracycline, to prepare a miniculture, and streaked onto an L-agar plate containing tetracycline, to prepare a master stock.
8. Analysis of surviving individuals: 10 of the surviving colonies obtained from section 7 were grown into 10 ml cultures and the plasmids that they carried were prepared by the following miniprep purification procedure, adapted from the method of Birnboin and Doly, Nucleic Acids Res. 7:1513 (1979).
Miniprep Procedure: Each culture was centrifuged at 5-7K rpm for 5 minutes; the supernatant was discarded and the cell pellet was resuspended in 1.0 ml of 25 mM Tris, 10 mM EDTA, 50 mM glucose, pH 8.0, containing 1 mg/ml lysozyme. After 10 minutes at room temperature, 2.0 ml of 0.2M NaOH, 1% SDS was added to each tube and the tubes were shaken to lyse the cells, then placed on ice. Once the solutions had cleared, 1.5 ml of 3M sodium acetate, pH 4.8, was added to each and shaken. The precipitates that formed were spun down at 15K rpm, 4° C. for 10 minutes. Each supernatant was poured into a centrifuge tube containing 3 ml of isopropanol and mixed. After 10 minutes at room temperature, the tubes were spun at 15K rpm for 10 minutes to pellet the precipitated nucleic acids. The supernatants were discarded and the pellets were air-dried at room temperature for 30 minutes. Once dry, the pellets were resuspended in 850 ul of 10 mM Tris, 1 mM EDTA, pH 8.0 75 ul of 5M NaCl was added to each and the solutions were transferred to Eppendorf tubes containing 575 ul of isopropanol, and again precipitated for 10 minutes at room temperature. The tubes were then spun for 45 seconds in a microfuge, the supernatants were discarded and the pellets were air-dried. The pellets were then dissolved in 500 ul of 10 mM Tris, 1 mM EDTA, pH 8.0, containing 100 ug/ml RNase and incubated for 1 hour at 37° C. to digest the RNA. The DNA was precipitated once more by the addition of 50 ul of 5m NaCl followed by 350 ul of isopropanol. After 10 minutes at room temperature, the DNA was spun down by centrifugation for 45 seconds, the supernatants were discarded and the pellets were redissolved in 150 ul of 10 mM Tris 1 mM EDTA, pH 8.0. The plasmid minipreps were subsequently analyzed by digestion with NarI and PstI.
9. KasI Methylase Gene Clones: All of the 10 plasmids that were analyzed were found to be resistant to NarI digestion and to carry at least a 3.4 kb fragment of Kluyvera ascorbata DNA. The simplest clone, carrying only the 3.4 kb fragment, was mapped by restriction enzyme digests (FIG. 2). This plasmid (pJB1911RM 604-4) was found not only to encode the KasI methylase but the KasI restriction endonuclease as well.
The EcoRI and NsiI libraries yielded methylase clones as well. None of the EcoRI methylase clones contained the endonuclease gene but 3 different classes of the NsiI methylase clones contained the endonuclease gene and expressed activity. The PstI 3.4kb clone was chosen to pursue because it expressed the most KasI activity and was the simplest construct.
10. KasI Restriction Gene Clone: pJB1911RM 604-4, and similar plasmids, were found to encode and express the KasI restriction endonuclease by assaying extracts of E. coli RR1 that carried the plasmids.
Endonuclease Assay: A 100 ml culture of the cells to be assayed was grown overnight at 37° C. in L-broth containing 30 ug/ml tetracycline. The culture was centrifuged at 4K rpm for 5 min and the cell pellet was resuspended in 3.5 ml of 10m KPO 4 pH 7.5, 10 mM mercaptoethanol, 0.1 mM EDTA. 0.5 ml of 10 mg/ml lysozyme in the same buffer was added and the suspension was left on ice for 2 hr. The suspension was frozen at -20° C., then thawed on ice. 1.0 ml of the thawed suspension was sonicated gently for three 10-second bursts to disrupt the cells. The sonicated extract was microcentrifuged for 5 minutes to remove cell debris and the supernatant was assayed for endonuclease activity in the following way:
60 ug (85 ul) of purified phage lambda DNA was diluted into 1200 ul of NarI restriction endonuclease digestion buffer (section 6). The solution was dispensed into 6 tubes, 150 ul into the first tube and 100 ul into each of the remaining 5 tubes. 7.5 ul of the extract was added to the first tube to achieve 1 ul extract/ug DNA. 50 ul was then removed form the first tube and transferred to the second tube to achieve 0.3 ul/ug. 50ul serial transfers were continued into tubes 3 (0.1 ul/ug), 4 (0.03 ul/ug) and 5 (0.001 ul/ug). The sixth tube received no extract and served as a negative control. The tubes were incubated at 37° C. for one hour, then 20 ul from each was analyzed by gel electrophoresis. The extract was found to contain approximately 1×10 4 units of KasI restriction endonuclease per ml, which corresponds to about 1×10.sup. 5 units per gram of cells.
11. Transfer of the 3.4 kb fragment to pUC19: Ten micrograms of the pJBKasIRM 604-4 plasmid was digested with about 100 units of PstI endonuclease for about 5 hours at 37° C. The digest was loaded onto a 1% agarose gel and run overnight at 25 milliamps. The following morning the bands were visualized with a UV lamp and the 3.4 kb band was excised from the gel. The excised piece was passed through an 18 gauge needle and suspended in 1× DNA buffer. The agarose was pelleted by centrifugation for 30 minutes at 15K rpm and the supernatant was poured off immediately. The supernatant was extracted with an equal volume of phenol:chloroform (1:1) followed by an extraction with an equal volume of chloroform. The aqueous phase was precipitated by the addition of salt to a final concentration of 0.4M and 2 volumes of isopropanol. The fragments were precipitated overnight at -20° C. then pelleted by centrifugation of 15Krpm for 30 minutes. The fragments were air dried briefly and resuspended in 1× DNA buffer. Approximately 0.5 ug of fragments were ligated to 1 ug of PstI linearized pUC19 and transformed into E. coli RR1 and plated on ampicillin. The plates were incubated at 37° C. overnight. Fourteen colonies were picked from nearly 1000 colonies that had grown up on the plates. These colonies were miniprepped (as discussed earlier) in order to examine their DNA. Twelve of the 14 colonies contained the 3.4 kb fragment and were resistant to NarI digestion. One-half of the colonies that were miniprepped were normal in their morphology on the plate, the other half were abnormal, two colonies were looked at in more detail: clone #8 was abnormal and #12 was normal. Clone #8 expressed slightly greater KasI activity than #12 and was shown to have the 3.4 kb PstI fragment in an opposite orientation to #12. Clone #12 was used for further assays and was determined to have nearly 10 6 units per gram of cells of KasI (when assayed on lambda DNA, see FIG. 3) which is about 3-5 times more activity than in the pBR328 plasmid. This clone, NEB 594, pJBKasIRM 104-12 transformed into E. coli RR1, was used for future extraction and characterization of KasI.
A sample of E. coli strain NEB 594 was deposited at the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) on Jul. 3, 1990 and bears Accession No. 68353.
EXAMPLE III
Determination of the KasI Cleavage Site
The cleavage site of the KasI restriction endonuclease was determined using extract from NEB 594(ATCC No. 68353), obtained in Example II. A plasmid (pUC19) was obtained containing a single KasI/NarI site. An oligonucleotide sequencing primer was made approximately 50 bp 5' from the KasI/NarI site. The plasmid was prepared for double stranded sequencing by denaturing with alkali, neutralizing and precipitating the denatured plasmid. The primer was annealed to the plasmid by incubating at 37° C. for 30 minutes. Five units of Klenow and 10 microcuries of alpha- 35 S-dATP were added to the reaction mixture. The reaction was split in half: reaction A continued as a standard sequencing reaction, while reaction B was used to form a "hot strand" to determine the site at which KasI cleaves. "A" diluent which contains equimolar amounts of C, T, and G was added to reaction B and incubated for 30 minutes at 37° C. Chase dNTPs were added to the reaction mix and incubated for 30 minutes at 37° C. The Klenow was heat killed at 70° C. for 25 minutes. KasI enzyme was added to the reaction mix and incubated at 37° C. for 30 minutes. The B reaction was split into two tubes: A minus tube to which 5 ul of stop buffer was added and a plus tube to which 0.5 ul (2.5 U) of Klenow was added. The plus tube was incubated at room temperature for 15 minutes and the reaction was terminated by the addition of 5 ul of stop buffer. A third reaction, reaction C was carried out similarly to reaction B except NarI was substituted for KasI to cleave the DNA. The (A) standard sequencing reaction was run along side the (B) KasI reaction (-/+) and the (C) NarI reaction (-/+) on a 6% 0.4-0.8mm polyacrylamide sequencing gel. The results show that KasI cuts the sequence 5'GCGCGCC and NarI cuts the sequence 5'GGCGCC (refer to FIG. 4).
EXAMPLE IV
Purification of Recombinant KasI
E. coli strain NEB 594 (ATCC NO. 68353) was grown in LB media consisting of 10 g/l tryptone, 5 g/l yeast extract, 10 g/l NaCl (adjusted to pH 7.5), supplemented with ampicillin. The cells were incubated at 37° C. until late logarithmic stage with aeration and agitation. The cells were harvested by centrifugation and stored frozen at -70° C. 594 grams of the cells obtained were suspended in 1188 ml of buffer A, (10 mM KPO 4 pH 7.0, 10 mM EDTA, 0.05 M NaCl and 10 mM 2-mercaptoethanol) and broken in a Gaulin press to an O.D. 260 of 1.4 (1:300 dilution). The suspension was then spun in a Sharples centrifuge and 1000 ml of cleared lysate was recovered.
The lysate obtained was layered over a 5×20 cm column containing 350 ml of Affi-Gel Blue (Biorad) equilibrated in buffer A, washed with 400 ml of buffer A and eluted with a 1400 ml NaCl gradient to 1 M. 15 ml fractions were collected and assayed for restriction endonuclease activity by incubating 1 ul of sample in 50 ul of 10 mM Tris pH 7.5, 10 mM MgCl, 1 mM dithiothreitol, 1 ug/ml HindIII digested lambda DNA for 5 minutes at 37° C. Cleaved DNA was visualized on a 1% agarose gel. The fractions containing KasI restriction endonuclease activity eluted at a NaCl concentration of 0.45 M and were pooled (total volume 650 ml).
The pooled activity was dialyzed against Buffer A overnight and then layered over a 2.5×15 cm column containing 75 ml heparin Sepharose (Pharmacia) equilibrated in Buffer A, washed with 150 ml of Buffer A and eluted with 400 ml NaCl gradient to 1 M. 3 ml fractions were collected and assayed in the same manner as above. The fractions possessing KasI restriction endonuclease activity eluted at an NaCl concentration of 0.35 M and were pooled (40 ml volume).
The pooled fractions were concentrated using a Amicon pressure filtration device to a final volume of 10 ml and then placed on top of a 2.5 cm×1.5 m G75 column (Pharmacia) equilibrated in Buffer A+0.5 M NaCl. 7.5 ml fractions were collected and assayed as above. The fractions with KasI restriction endonuclease activity eluted off the column at 250 ml and were pooled (total volume 46 ml).
The pooled fractions were dialyzed against Buffer A overnight and loaded on a 1 ml Mono-Q FPLC column (Pharmacia) equilibrated in Buffer A. A 100 ml NaCl gradient to 1 M was run and 1 ml fractions were collected and assayed as above. The enzyme activity eluted in a sharp 3 ml peak at 0.32 M NaCl.
The purified enzyme was diluted with 3 ml of glycerin for storage purposes for a total volume of 6 ml.
Restriction enzyme purity was determined by the following methods: 95% of the HindIII cut lambda DNA fragments produced by a 50-fold over-digestion of KasI in Buffer B was ligated with T4 DNA ligase (at a 5' termni concentration of 1-2 uM at 16° C.). Of these ligated fragments, 95% were recut by KasI. A 50 ul reaction containing 1 ug of HindIII cut lambda DNA and 50 units of KasI incubated for 16 hours in 10 mM Tris pH 7.5, 10 mM MgCl, 1 mM dithiothreitol, resulted in the same pattern DNA bands as a reaction produced in one hour with one unit of KasI. Incubation of 40 units of KasI for 4 hours at 37° C. in 50 ul 10 mM Tris pH 7.5, 10 mM MgCl, 1 mM dithiothreitol, with 1 ug sonicated 3 H DNA (10 5 cpm/ug) released 0.08% radioactivity measured as TCA acid soluble counts. | The present invention provides a novel restriction endonuclease obtainable from the bacterium Kluyvera ascorbata, hereinafter referred to as "KasI", which endonuclease:
(1) recognizes the base sequence in a double-stranded DNA molecule as shown below,
5'--GGCGCC--3'
3'--CCGCGG--5'
(wherein C and G represent cytosine and guanine, respectively),
(2) cleaves said sequence in th4e phosphodiester bonds between G and G as indicated with the vertical arrows; and
(3) cleaves double-stranded pUC, M13mp18, and lambda DNA in one position, PhiX172, and T7 DNA in two positions, and Adeno2 DNA at 20 positions, while not cleaving SV40 DNA.
The present invention further provides a recombinant DNA encoding the KasI restriction endonuclease and modification methylase obtainable from K. ascorbata, and methods for the production of the recombinant DNA encoding those enzymes. Methods for producing the KasI restriction endonuclease and modification methylase in substantially pure form are also provided. | 2 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/838,157 filed Apr. 30, 2004, now pending; which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/600,854 filed Jun. 20, 2003, now pending; which claims the benefit under 35 USC § 119(e) to U.S. application Ser. No. 60/391,314 filed Jun. 24, 2002, now abandoned. The disclosure of each of the prior applications is considered part of and is incorporated by reference in the disclosure of this application.
GRANT INFORMATION
This invention was made in part with government support under Grant No. CA44848 awarded by the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. The United States government may have certain rights in this invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to anti-neoplastic agents, and more particularly to salinosporamides and their use as anti-neoplastic agents.
2. Background Information
Neoplastic diseases, characterized by the proliferation of cells not subject to the normal control of cell growth, are a major cause of death in humans. Clinical experience in chemotherapy has demonstrated that new and more effective cytotoxic drugs are desirable to treat these diseases. Indeed, the use of anti-neoplastic agents has increased due to the identification of new neoplasms and cancer cell types with metastases to different areas, and due to the effectiveness of antineoplastic treatment protocols as a primary and adjunctive medical treatment for cancer.
Since anti-neoplastic agents are cytotoxic (poisonous to cells) they not only interfere with the growth of tumor cells, but those of normal cells. Anti-neoplastic agents have more of an effect on tumor cells than normal cells because of their rapid growth. Thus, normal tissue cells that are affected by anti-neoplastic agents are rapidly dividing cells, such as bone marrow (seen in low blood counts), hair follicles (seen by way of hair loss) and the GI mucosal epithelium (accounting for nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea). In general, anti-neoplastic agents have the lowest therapeutic indices of any class of drugs used in humans and hence produce significant and potentially life-threatening toxicities. Certain commonly-used anti-neoplastic agents have unique and acute toxicities for specific tissues. For example, the vinca alkaloids possess significant toxicity for nervous tissues, while adriamycin has specific toxicity for heart tissue and bleomycin has for lung tissue.
Thus, there is a continuing need for anti-neoplastic agents that are effective in inhibiting the proliferation of hyperproliferative cells while also exhibiting IC 50 values lower than those values found for current anti-neoplastic agents, thereby resulting in marked decrease in potentially serious side effects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is based on the discovery that certain fermentation products of the marine actinomycete strains CNB392 and CNB476 are effective inhibitors of hyperproliferative mammalian cells. The CNB392 and CNB476 strains lie within the family Micromonosporaceae, and the generic epithet Salinospora has been proposed for this obligate marine group. The reaction products produced by this strain are classified as salinosporamides, and are particularly advantageous in treating neoplastic disorders due to their low molecular weight, low IC 50 values, high pharmaceutical potency, and selectivity for cancer cells over fungi.
In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided compounds having the structure (I):
wherein:
R 1 to R 3 are each independently —H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, heterocyclic, substituted heterocyclic, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, thioalkyl, substituted thioalkyl, hydroxy, halogen, amino, amido, carboxyl, —C(O)H, acyl, oxyacyl, carbamate, sulfonyl, sulfonamide, or sulfuryl; Each R 4 is independently alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aryl, substituted aryl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl; E 1 to E 4 are each independently —O, —NR 5 , or —S, wherein R 5 is —H or C 1 –C 6 alkyl; and x is 0 to 8.
In a further embodiment of the invention, there are provided compounds having the structure (II):
wherein:
R 1 to R 3 are each independently —H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, heterocyclic, substituted heterocyclic, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, thioalkyl, substituted thioalkyl, hydroxy, halogen, amino, amido, carboxyl, —C(O)H, acyl, oxyacyl, carbamate, sulfonyl, sulfonamide, or sulfuryl; Each R 4 is independently alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aryl, substituted aryl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl; E 1 to E 4 are each independently —O, —NR 5 , or —S, wherein R 5 is —H or C 1 –C 6 alkyl; and x is 0 to 8.
In another embodiment of the invention, there are provided compounds having the structure (III):
wherein:
R 1 to R 3 are each independently —H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, heterocyclic, substituted heterocyclic, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, thioalkyl, substituted thioalkyl, hydroxy, halogen, amino, amido, carboxyl, —C(O)H, acyl, oxyacyl, carbamate, sulfonyl, sulfonamide, or sulfuryl, each R 4 is independently alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aryl, substituted aryl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, E 1 to E 4 are each independently —O, —NR 5 , or —S, wherein R 5 is —H or C 1 –C 6 alkyl, and x is 0 to 8.
In still a further embodiment of the invention, there are provided compounds having the structure (IV):
In a further embodiment of the invention, there are provided compounds having the structure (V):
In a further embodiment of the invention, there are provided compounds having the structure (VI):
In another embodiment, there are provided pharmaceutical compositions including at least one compound of structures I–VI in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier therefor.
In another embodiment, there are provided articles of manufacture including packaging material and a pharmaceutical composition contained within the packaging material, wherein the packaging material includes a label which indicates that the pharmaceutical composition can be used for treatment of cell proliferative disorders and wherein the pharmaceutical composition includes at least one compound of structures I–VI.
In yet another embodiment, there are provided methods for treating a mammalian cell proliferative disorder. Such a method can be performed for example, by administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a compound having structures I–VI.
In an additional embodiment, there are provided methods for producing a compound of structures I–VI having the ability to inhibit the proliferation of hyperproliferative mammalian cells. Such a method can be performed, for example, by cultivating a culture of a Salinospora sp. strains CNB392 or CNB476 (ATCC PTA-5275, deposited on Jun. 20, 2003, pursuant to the Budapest Treaty on the International Deposit of Microorganisms for the purposes of Patent Procedure with the Patent Culture Depository of the American Type Culture Collection, 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852 U.S.A.) and isolating from the culture at least one compound of structure I.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 depicts the chemical structure of an exemplary compound of the invention, Salinosporamide A, with relative stereochemistry.
FIG. 2 depicts a phylogenetic tree illustrating the phylogeny of “ Salinospora”.
FIG. 3 depicts the chemical structure of Etoposide, an anti-neoplastic agent in therapy against several human cancers.
FIG. 4 compares the cytotoxic activity and dose response curves of Salinosporamide A and Etoposide.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram depicting an exemplary separation scheme used to isolate Salinosporamide A.
FIGS. 6–14 set forth NMR, IR, and UV spectroscopic data used to elucidate the structure of Salinosporamide A.
FIG. 15 sets forth the signature nucleotides that strains CNB392 and CNB476 possess within their 16S rDNA, which separate these strains phylogenetically from all other family members of the family Micromonosporaceae.
FIG. 16 depicts the chemical structure of an exemplary compound of the invention, salinosporamide A (structure V), with absolute stereochemistry.
FIG. 17 ORTEP plot of the final X-ray structure of salinosporamide A, depicting the absolute stereochemistry.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment, there are provided compounds having the structure (I):
wherein:
R 1 to R 3 are each independently —H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, heterocyclic, substituted heterocyclic, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, thioalkyl, substituted thioalkyl, hydroxy, halogen, amino, amido, carboxyl, —C(O)H, acyl, oxyacyl, carbamate, sulfonyl, sulfonamide, or sulfuryl; Each R 4 is independently alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aryl, substituted aryl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl; E 1 to E 4 are each independently —O, —NR 5 , or —S, wherein R 5 is —H or C 1 –C 6 alkyl; and x is 0 to 8.
In a further embodiment of the invention, there are provided compounds having the structure (II):
wherein:
R 1 to R 3 are each independently —H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, heterocyclic, substituted heterocyclic, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, thioalkyl, substituted thioalkyl, hydroxy, halogen, amino, amido, carboxyl, —C(O)H, acyl, oxyacyl, carbamate, sulfonyl, sulfonamide, or sulfuryl; Each R 4 is independently alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aryl, substituted aryl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl; E 1 to E 4 are each independently —O, —NR 5 , or —S, wherein R 5 is —H or C 1 –C 6 alkyl; and x is 0 to 8.
In one embodiment, there are provided compounds having the structure (III):
wherein:
R 1 to R 3 are each independently —H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, heterocyclic, substituted heterocyclic, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, thioalkyl, substituted thioalkyl, hydroxy, halogen, amino, amido, carboxyl, —C(O)H, acyl, oxyacyl, carbamate, sulfonyl, sulfonamide, or sulfuryl, each R 4 is independently alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, aryl, substituted aryl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, E 1 to E 4 are each independently —O, —NR 5 , or —S, wherein R 5 is —H or C 1 –C 6 alkyl, and x is 0 to 8.
In still a further embodiment of the invention, there are provided compounds having the structure (IV):
In a further embodiment of the invention, there are provided compounds having the structure (V):
In a further embodiment of the invention, there are provided compounds having the structure (VI):
As used herein, the term “alkyl” refers to a monovalent straight or branched chain hydrocarbon group having from one to about 12 carbon atoms, including methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, n-hexyl, and the like.
As used herein, “substituted alkyl” refers to alkyl groups further bearing one or more substituents selected from hydroxy, alkoxy, mercapto, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, heterocyclic, substituted heterocyclic, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, aryloxy, substituted aryloxy, halogen, cyano, nitro, amino, amido, —C(O)H, acyl, oxyacyl, carboxyl, sulfonyl, sulfonamide, sulfuryl, and the like.
As used herein, “lower alkyl” refers to alkyl groups having from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms.
As used herein, “alkenyl” refers to straight or branched chain hydrocarbyl groups having one or more carbon-carbon double bonds, and having in the range of about 2 up to 12 carbon atoms, and “substituted alkenyl” refers to alkenyl groups further bearing one or more substituents as set forth above.
As used herein, “alkynyl” refers to straight or branched chain hydrocarbyl groups having at least one carbon-carbon triple bond, and having in the range of about 2 up to 12 carbon atoms, and “substituted alkynyl” refers to alkynyl groups further bearing one or more substituents as set forth above.
As used herein, “aryl” refers to aromatic groups having in the range of 6 up to 14 carbon atoms and “substituted aryl” refers to aryl groups further bearing one or more substituents as set forth above.
As used herein, “heteroaryl” refers to aromatic rings containing one or more heteroatoms (e.g., N, O, S, or the like) as part of the ring structure, and having in the range of 3 up to 14 carbon atoms and “substituted heteroaryl” refers to heteroaryl groups further bearing one or more substituents as set forth above.
As used herein, “alkoxy” refers to the moiety —O-alkyl-, wherein alkyl is as defined above, and “substituted alkoxy” refers to alkoxyl groups further bearing one or more substituents as set forth above.
As used herein, “thioalkyl” refers to the moiety —S-alkyl-, wherein alkyl is as defined above, and “substituted thioalkyl” refers to thioalkyl groups further bearing one or more substituents as set forth above.
As used herein, “cycloalkyl” refers to ring-containing alkyl groups containing in the range of about 3 up to 8 carbon atoms, and “substituted cycloalkyl” refers to cycloalkyl groups further bearing one or more substituents as set forth above.
As used herein, “heterocyclic”, refers to cyclic (i.e., ring-containing) groups containing one or more heteroatoms (e.g., N, O, S, or the like) as part of the ring structure, and having in the range of 3 up to 14 carbon atoms and “substituted heterocyclic” refers to heterocyclic groups further bearing one or more substituents as set forth above.
In certain embodiments, there are provided compounds of structures I–III wherein E 1 , E 3 , and E 4 are —O, and E 2 is —NH.
In certain embodiments, there are provided compounds of structures I–III wherein R 1 and R 2 are —H, alkyl, or substituted alkyl, and R 3 is hydroxy or alkoxy. In some embodiments, R 1 is substituted alkyl. Exemplary substituted alkyls contemplated for use include halogenated alkyls, such as for example chlorinated alkyls.
The compounds of the invention may be formulated into pharmaceutical compositions as natural or salt forms. Pharmaceutically acceptable non-toxic salts include the base addition salts (formed with free carboxyl or other anionic groups) which may be derived from inorganic bases such as, for example, sodium, potassium, ammonium, calcium, or ferric hydroxides, and such organic bases as isopropylamine, trimethylamine, 2-ethylamino-ethanol, histidine, procaine, and the like. Such salts may also be formed as acid addition salts with any free cationic groups and will generally be formed with inorganic acids such as, for example, hydrochloric, sulfuric, or phosphoric acids, or organic acids such as acetic, p-toluenesulfonic, methanesulfonic acid, oxalic, tartaric, mandelic, and the like. Salts of the invention include amine salts formed by the protonation of an amino group with inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, hydroiodic acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, and the like. Salts of the invention also include amine salts formed by the protonation of an amino group with suitable organic acids, such as p-toluenesulfonic acid, acetic acid, and the like. Additional excipients which are contemplated for use in the practice of the present invention are those available to those of ordinary skill in the art, for example, those found in the United States Pharmacopeia Vol. XXII and National Formulary Vol. XVII, U.S. Pharmacopeia Convention, Inc., Rockville, Md. (1989), the relevant contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The compounds according to this invention may contain one or more asymmetric carbon atoms and thus occur as racemates and racemic mixtures, single enantiomers, diastereomeric mixtures and individual diastereomers. The term “stereoisomer” refers to chemical compounds which differ from each other only in the way that the different groups in the molecules are oriented in space. Stereoisomers have the same molecular weight, chemical composition, and constitution as another, but with the atoms grouped differently. That is, certain identical chemical moieties are at different orientations in space and, therefore, when pure, have the ability to rotate the plane of polarized light. However, some pure stereoisomers may have an optical rotation that is so slight that it is undetectable with present instrumentation. All such isomeric forms of these compounds are expressly included in the present invention.
Each stereogenic carbon may be of R or S configuration. Although the specific compounds exemplified in this application may be depicted in a particular configuration, compounds having either the opposite stereochemistry at any given chiral center or mixtures thereof are also envisioned. When chiral centers are found in the derivatives of this invention, it is to be understood that this invention encompasses all possible stereoisomers. The terms “optically pure compound” or “optically pure isomer” refers to a single stereoisomer of a chiral compound regardless of the configuration of the compound.
Exemplary invention compounds of structure I are shown below:
Salinosporamide A exhibits a molecular structure having a variety of functional groups (lactone, alkylhalide, amide, hydroxide) that can be chemically modified to produce synthetic derivatives. Accordingly, exemplary invention compound Salinosporamide A provides an excellent lead structure for the development of synthetic and semisynthetic derivatives. Indeed, Salinosporamide A can be derivatized to improve pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, which facilitate administration and increase utility of the derivatives as anti-neoplastic agents. Procedures for chemically modifying invention salinosporamide compounds to produce additional compounds within the scope of the present invention are available to those of ordinary skill in the art.
Salinosporamide A shows strong cytotoxic activity against human colon cancer cells in the HTC-116 cell assays. The IC 50 of 11 ng/mL exceeds the activity of etoposide (see FIG. 3 , IC 50 828 ng/mL), an anticancer drug used for treatment of a number of cancers, by almost two orders of magnitude (see FIG. 4 ). This high activity makes invention salinosporamides excellent candidates for use in the treatment of various human cancers, especially slow growing, refractile cancers for which there are no therapies. Salinosporamide A is specific to inhibition of mammalian cells and shows little anifungal activity against Candida albicans (IC 50 250 μg/mL) and no antibacterial activity ( Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium ). The IC 50 of Salinosporamide A is far lower than the strongest chemotherapeutic agents currently in use or in clinical trials.
Salinosporamide A is a fermentation product of the marine actinomycete strains CNB392 and CNB476. These strains are members of the order Actinomycetales, which are high G+C gram positive bacteria. The novelty of CNB392 and CNB476 is at the genus level. Invention compounds set forth herein are produced by certain “ Salinospora ” sp. In some embodiments, invention compounds are produced by “ Salinospora ” sp. strains CNB392 and CNB476. To that end, the CNB476 strains of “ Salinospora ” sp. were deposited on Jun. 20, 2003, pursuant to the Budapest Treaty on the International Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure with the Patent Culture Depository of the American Type Culture Collection, 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852 U.S.A. under ATCC Accession No. PTA-5275.
As is the case with other organisms, the characteristics of “ Salinospora ” sp. are subject to variation. For example, recombinants, variants, or mutants of the specified strain may be obtained by treatment with various known physical and chemical mutagens, such as ultraviolet ray, X-rays, gamma rays, and N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. All natural and induced variants, mutants, and recombinants of the specified strain which retain the characteristic of producing a compound of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the claimed invention.
Invention compounds can be prepared, for example, by bacterial fermentation, which generates the compounds in sufficient amounts for pharmaceutical drug development and for clinical trials. In some embodiments, invention compounds are produced by fermentation of the actinomycete strains CNB392 and CNB476 in AlBfe+C or CKA-liquid media. Essential trace elements which are necessary for the growth and development of the culture should also be included in the culture medium. Such trace elements commonly occur as impurities in other constituents of the medium in amounts sufficient to meet the growth requirements of the organisms. It may be desirable to add small amounts (i.e. 0.2 mL/L) of an antifoam agent such as polypropylene glycol (M.W. about 2000) to large scale cultivation media if foaming becomes a problem. The organic metabolites are isolated by adsorption onto an amberlite XAD-16 resin. For example, Salinosporamide A is isolated by elution of the XAD-16 resin with methanol:dichlormethane 1:1, which affords about 105 mg crude extract per liter of culture. Salinosporamide A is then isolated from the crude extract by reversed-phase flash chromatography followed by reverse-phase HPLC and normal phase HPLC, which yields 6.7 mg of Salinosporamide A. FIG. 5 sets forth a block diagram outlining isolation and separation protocols for invention compounds.
The structure of Salinosporamide A was elucidated by a variety of NMR techniques, mass spectroscopy, IR, and UV spectroscopy, as set forth in FIGS. 6–14 .
The absolute structure of salinosporamide A, and confirmation of the overall structure of salinosporamide A, was achieved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis (see Example 3).
The present invention also provides articles of manufacture including packaging material and a pharmaceutical composition contained within the packaging material, wherein the packaging material comprises a label which indicates that the pharmaceutical composition can be used for treatment of disorders and wherein the pharmaceutical composition includes a compound according to the present invention. Thus, in one aspect, the invention provides a pharmaceutical composition including a compound of the invention, wherein the compound is present in a concentration effective to treat cell proliferative disorders. The concentration can be determined by one of skill in the art according to standard treatment regimen or as determined by an in vivo animal assay, for example.
Pharmaceutical compositions employed as a component of invention articles of manufacture can be used in the form of a solid, a solution, an emulsion, a dispersion, a micelle, a liposome, and the like, wherein the resulting composition contains one or more invention compounds as an active ingredient, in admixture with an organic or inorganic carrier or excipient suitable for enteral or parenteral applications. Compounds employed for use as a component of invention articles of manufacture may be combined, for example, with the usual non-toxic, pharmaceutically acceptable carriers for tablets, pellets, capsules, suppositories, solutions, emulsions, suspensions, and any other form suitable for use. The carriers which can be used include glucose, lactose, gum acacia, gelatin, mannitol, starch paste, magnesium trisilicate, talc, corn starch, keratin, colloidal silica, potato starch, urea, medium chain length triglycerides, dextrans, and other carriers suitable for use in manufacturing preparations, in solid, semisolid, or liquid form. In addition auxiliary, stabilizing, thickening and coloring agents and perfumes may be used.
The compositions of the present invention may contain other therapeutic agents as described below, and may be formulated, for example, by employing conventional solid or liquid vehicles or diluents, as well as pharmaceutical additives of a type appropriate to the mode of desired administration (for example, excipients, binders, preservatives, stabilizers, flavors, etc.) according to techniques such as those well known in the art of pharmaceutical formulation.
Invention pharmaceutical compositions may be administered by any suitable means, for example, orally, such as in the form of tablets, capsules, granules or powders; sublingually; buccally; parenterally, such as by subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, or intracisternal injection or infusion techniques (e.g., as sterile injectable aqueous or non-aqueous solutions or suspensions); nasally such as by inhalation spray; topically, such as in the form of a cream or ointment; or rectally such as in the form of suppositories; in dosage unit formulations containing non-toxic, pharmaceutically acceptable vehicles or diluents. Invention compounds may, for example, be administered in a form suitable for immediate release or extended release. Immediate release or extended release may be achieved by the use of suitable pharmaceutical compositions comprising invention compounds, or, particularly in the case of extended release, by the use of devices such as subcutaneous implants or osmotic pumps. Invention compounds may also be administered liposomally.
The invention further provides methods for using invention salinosporamide compounds of structures (I)–(VI) to inhibit the proliferation of mammalian cells by contacting these cells with an invention salinosporamide compound in an amount sufficient to inhibit the proliferation of the mammalian cell. One embodiment is a method to inhibit the proliferation of hyperproliferative mammalian cells. For purposes of this invention, “hyperproliferative mammalian cells” are mammalian cells which are not subject to the characteristic limitations of growth, e.g., programmed cell death (apoptosis). A further preferred embodiment is when the mammalian cell is human. The invention further provides contacting the mammalian cell with at least one invention salinosporamide compound and at least one additional anti-neoplastic agent.
In another embodiment, there are provided methods for treating a mammalian cell proliferative disorder, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of structures (I)–(VI). Cell proliferative disorders that can be effectively treated by the methods of the invention include disorders characterized by the formation of neoplasms. As such, invention compounds are anti-neoplastic agents. As used herein, “neoplastic” pertains to a neoplasm, which is an abnormal growth, such growth occurring because of a proliferation of cells not subject to the usual limitations of growth. As used herein, “anti-neoplastic agent” is any compound, composition, admixture, co-mixture or blend which inhibits, eliminates, retards or reverses the neoplastic phenotype of a cell. In certain embodiments, the neoplasms are selected from mammory, small-cell lung, non-small-cell lung, colorectal, leukemia, melanoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, central nervous system (CNS), ovarian, prostate, sarcoma of soft tissue or bone, head and neck, gastric which includes thyroid and non-Hodgkin's disease, stomach, myeloma, bladder, renal, neuroendocrine which includes thyroid and non-Hodgkin's disease and Hodgkin's disease neoplasms. In one embodiment, the neoplasms are colorectal.
Chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, therapy with biologic response modifiers, and immunotherapy are currently used in the treatment of cancer. Each mode of therapy has specific indications which are known to those of ordinary skill in the art, and one or all may be employed in an attempt to achieve total destruction of neoplastic cells. Chemotherapy utilizing one or more invention salinosporamide compounds is provided by the present invention. Moreover, combination chemotherapy, chemotherapy utilizing invention salinosporamide compounds in combination with other neoplastic agents, is also provided by the invention as combination therapy is generally more effective than the use of single anti-neoplastic agents. Thus, a further aspect of the present invention provides compositions containing a therapeutically effective amount of at least one invention salinosporamide compound in combination with at least one other anti-neoplastic agent. Such compositions can also be provided together with physiologically tolerable liquid, gel or solid carriers, diluents, adjuvants and excipients. Such carriers, diluents, adjuvants and excipients may be found in the United States Pharmacopeia Vol. XXII and National Formulary Vol XVII, U.S. Pharmacopeia Convention, Inc., Rockville, Md. (1989), the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. Additional modes of treatment are provided in AHFS Drug Information, 1993 ed. by the American Hospital Formulary Service, pp. 522–660, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
Anti-neoplastic agents which may be utilized in combination with an invention salinosporamide compound include those provided in The Merck Index, 11th ed. Merck & Co., Inc. (1989) pp. Ther 16–17, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. In a further embodiment of the invention, anti-neoplastic agents may be antimetabolites which may include, but are not limited to, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, 6-mercaptopurine, cytosine arabinoside, hydroxyurea, and 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine. In another embodiment of the present invention, the anti-neoplastic agents contemplated are alkylating agents which may include, but are not limited to, cyclophosphamide, melphalan, busulfan, paraplatin, chlorambucil, and nitrogen mustard. In a further embodiment of the invention, the antineoplastic agents are plant alkaloids which may include, but are not limited to, vincristine, vinblastine, taxol, and etoposide. In a further embodiment of the invention, the anti-neoplastic agents contemplated are antibiotics which may include, but are not limited to, doxorubicin (adriamycin), daunorubicin, mitomycin c, and bleomycin. In a further embodiment of the invention, the anti-neoplastic agents contemplated are hormones which may include, but are not limited to, calusterone, diomostavolone, propionate, epitiostanol, mepitiostane, testolactone, tamoxifen, polyestradiol phosphate, megesterol acetate, flutamide, nilutamide, and trilotane. In a further embodiment of the invention, the anti-neoplastic agents contemplated include enzymes which may include, but are not limited to, L-Asparaginase or aminoacridine derivatives which may include, but are not limited to, amsacrine. Additional anti-neoplastic agents include those provided in Skeel, Roland T., “Antineoplastic Drugs and Biologic Response Modifier: Classification, Use and Toxicity of Clinically Useful Agents,” Handbook of Cancer Chemotherapy (3rd ed.), Little Brown & Co. (1991), the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
In addition to primates, such as humans, a variety of other mammals can be treated according to the method of the present invention. For instance, mammals including, but not limited to, cows, sheep, goats, horses, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rats or other bovine, ovine, equine, canine, feline, rodent or murine species can be treated.
The term “therapeutically effective amount” means the amount of the subject compound that will elicit the biological or medical response of a tissue, system, animal or human that is being sought by the researcher, veterinarian, medical doctor or other clinician, e.g., lessening of the effects/symptoms of cell proliferative disorders.
By “pharmaceutically acceptable” it is meant the carrier, diluent or excipient must be compatible with the other ingredients of the formulation and not deleterious to the recipient thereof.
The terms “administration of” and or “administering a” compound should be understood to mean providing a compound of the invention to the individual in need of treatment. Administration of the invention compounds can be prior to, simultaneously with, or after administration of another therapeutic agent or other anti-neoplastic agent.
The pharmaceutical compositions for the administration of the compounds of this invention may conveniently be presented in dosage unit form and may be prepared by any of the methods well known in the art of pharmacy. All methods include the step of bringing the active ingredient into association with the carrier which constitutes one or more accessory ingredients. In general, the pharmaceutical compositions are prepared by uniformly and intimately bringing the active ingredient into association with a liquid carrier or a finely divided solid carrier or both, and then, if necessary, shaping the product into the desired formulation. In the pharmaceutical composition the active object compound is included in an amount sufficient to produce the desired effect upon the process or condition of diseases.
The pharmaceutical compositions containing the active ingredient may be in a form suitable for oral use, for example, as tablets, troches, lozenges, aqueous or oily suspensions, dispersible powders or granules, emulsions, hard or soft capsules, or syrups or elixirs.
Compositions intended for oral use may be prepared according to any method known to the art for the manufacture of pharmaceutical compositions and such compositions may contain one or more agents selected from the group consisting of sweetening agents, flavoring agents, coloring agents and preserving agents in order to provide pharmaceutically elegant and palatable preparations. Tablets contain the active ingredient in admixture with non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable excipients which are suitable for the manufacture of tablets. These excipients may be for example, inert diluents, such as calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, lactose, calcium phosphate or sodium phosphate; granulating and disintegrating agents, for example, corn starch, or alginic acid; binding agents, for example starch, gelatin or acacia, and lubricating agents, for example magnesium stearate, stearic acid or talc. The tablets may be uncoated or they may be coated by known techniques to delay disintegration and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract and thereby provide a sustained action over a longer period. For example, a time delay material such as glyceryl monostearate or glyceryl distearate may be employed. They may also be coated to form osmotic therapeutic tablets for control release.
Formulations for oral use may also be presented as hard gelatin capsules wherein the active ingredient is mixed with an inert solid diluent, for example, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate or kaolin, or as soft gelatin capsules wherein the active ingredient is mixed with water or an oil medium, for example peanut oil, liquid paraffin, or olive oil.
Aqueous suspensions contain the active materials in admixture with excipients suitable for the manufacture of aqueous suspensions. Such excipients are suspending agents, for example sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, sodium alginate, polyvinyl-pyrrolidone, gum tragacanth and gum acacia; dispersing or wetting agents may be a naturally-occurring phosphatide, for example lecithin, or condensation products of an alkylene oxide with fatty acids, for example polyoxyethylene stearate, or condensation products of ethylene oxide with long chain aliphatic alcohols, for example heptadecaethyleneoxycetanol, or condensation products of ethylene oxide with partial esters derived from fatty acids and a hexitol such as polyoxyethylene sorbitol monooleate, or condensation products of ethylene oxide with partial esters derived from fatty acids and hexitol anhydrides, for example polyethylene sorbitan monooleate. The aqueous suspensions may also contain one or more preservatives, for example ethyl, or n-propyl, p-hydroxybenzoate, one or more coloring agents, one or more flavoring agents, and one or more sweetening agents, such as sucrose or saccharin.
Oily suspensions may be formulated by suspending the active ingredient in a vegetable oil, for example arachis oil, olive oil, sesame oil or coconut oil, or in a mineral oil such as liquid paraffin. The oily suspensions may contain a thickening agent, for example beeswax, hard paraffin or cetyl alcohol. Sweetening agents such as those set forth above, and flavoring agents may be added to provide a palatable oral preparation. These compositions may be preserved by the addition of an anti-oxidant such as ascorbic acid.
Dispersible powders and granules suitable for preparation of an aqueous suspension by the addition of water provide the active ingredient in admixture with a dispersing or wetting agent, suspending agent and one or more preservatives. Suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspending agents are exemplified by those already mentioned above. Additional excipients, for example sweetening, flavoring and coloring agents, may also be present.
Syrups and elixirs may be formulated with sweetening agents, for example glycerol, propylene glycol, sorbitol or sucrose. Such formulations may also contain a demulcent, a preservative and flavoring and coloring agents.
The pharmaceutical compositions may be in the form of a sterile injectable aqueous or oleagenous suspension. This suspension may be formulated according to the known art using those suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspending agents which have been mentioned above. The sterile injectable preparation may also be a sterile injectable solution or suspension in a non-toxic parenterally-acceptable diluent or solvent, for example as a solution in 1,3-butane diol. Among the acceptable vehicles and solvents that may be employed are water, Ringer's solution and isotonic sodium chloride solution. In addition, sterile, fixed oils are conventionally employed as a solvent or suspending medium. For this purpose any bland fixed oil may be employed including synthetic mono- or diglycerides. In addition, fatty acids such as oleic acid find use in the preparation of injectables.
The compounds of the present invention may also be administered in the form of suppositories for rectal administration of the drug. These compositions can be prepared by mixing the drug with a suitable non-irritating excipient which is solid at ordinary temperatures but liquid at the rectal temperature and will therefore melt in the rectum to release the drug. Such materials are cocoa butter and polyethylene glycols.
For topical use, creams, ointments, jellies, solutions or suspensions, etc., containing the compounds of the present invention are employed.
Compounds and compositions of the invention can be administered to mammals for veterinary use, such as for domestic animals, and clinical use in humans in a manner similar to other therapeutic agents. In general, the dosage required for therapeutic efficacy will vary according to the type of use and mode of administration, as well as the particularized requirements of individual hosts. Ordinarily, dosages will range from about 0.001 to 1000 μg/kg, more usually 0.01 to 10 μg/kg, of the host body weight. Alternatively, dosages within these ranges can be administered by constant infusion over an extended period of time, usually exceeding 24 hours, until the desired therapeutic benefits have been obtained. It will be understood, however, that the specific dose level and frequency of dosage for any particular patient may be varied and will depend upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the metabolic stability and length of action of that compound, the age, body weight, general health, sex, diet, mode and time of administration, rate of excretion, drug combination, the severity of the particular condition, and the host undergoing therapy.
The invention will now be described in greater detail by reference to the following non-limiting examples.
EXAMPLES
Methods and Materials
HPLC-Purification of invention compounds was accomplished by RP-MPLC on C18-solid phase (Aldrich) using a step gradient on Kontes Flex-columns (15×7 mm). Semipreparative HPLC was performed on an isocratic HPLC system with a Waters pump 6000H on normal phase column Si-Dynamas-60 Å (250×5 mm) or reversed phase column C18-Dynamax-60 Å, flow 2 mL/minute, with a differential refractomeric detector Waters R401.
LC-MS-The LC-MS chromatography was performed on a Hewlett-Packard system series HP1100 with DAD and MSD1100 detection. The separation was accomplished on reversed phase C18 (Agilent Hypersil ODS 5 μm, column dimension 4.6×100 mm), flow rate 0.7 mL/minute using a standard gradient: 10% acetonitrile, 15 minutes; 98% acetonitrile (Burdick & Jackson high purity solvents). The MS-detection was in ESI positive mode, capillary voltage 3500 eV, fragmentation voltage 70 eV, mass range m/z 100–1000. The APCI-mode was measured at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/minute, positive detection, capillary voltage 3000 eV, fragmentation voltage 70 eV.
NMR-NMR spectra were measured on a Varian 300 MHz gradient field spectrometer with inverse-mode for 1 H or 2D-NMR spectra. The 13C and DEPT spectra were measured on a Varian 400 MHz, broad band instrument. The reference is set on the internal standard tetramethylsilane (TMS, 0.00 ppm).
MS-EI-Low resolution MS-EI spectra were performed on a Hewlett-Packard mass spectrometer with magnetic sector field device, heating rate 20° C./minute up to 320° C., direct injection inlet.
FTMS-MALDI-High resolution MS data were obtained by MALDI operating mode on an IonSpec Ultima FT Mass Spectrometer.
IR-Infrared spectra were measured on a Perkin-Elmer FT infrared spectrophotometer using NaCl windows.
Example 1
Isolation and Characterization of “ Salinsospora ” species, Culture Nos. CNB392 and CNB476
CNB392 and CNB476 possess signature nucleotides within their 16S rDNA which separate these strains phylogenetically from all other members of the family Micromonosporaceae (see FIG. 15 ) These signature nucleotides have been determined to be a definitive marker for members of this group which also have a physiological growth requirement of sodium. Signature nucleotides were aligned to E. coli positions 27–1492 using all existing members of the Micromonosporaceae in the Ribosomal Database Project as of Jan. 31, 2001. For the “ Salinospora ” clade, 45 partially sequenced morphotypes displayed all the signature nucleotides from positions 207–468. The seven “ Salinospora ” isolates sequenced almost in their entirety (see FIG. 2 ) displayed all of the signatures in FIG. 15 .
The strains CNB392 and CNB476 form bright orange to black colonies on agar and lacks aerial mycelia. Dark brown and bright orange diffusible pigments are produced depending upon cellular growth stage. Spores blacken the colony surface and are borne on substrate mycelia. Vegetative mycelia are finely branched and do not fragment. Spores are produced singly or in clusters. Neither sporangia nor spore motility has been observed for these strains. CNB392 and CNB476 have an obligate growth requirement for sodium and will not grow on typical media used for maintenance of other generic members of the Micromonosporaceae. CNB392 and CNB476 have been found to grow optimally on solid media TCG or M1 at 30° C.
TCG 3 grams tryptone M1 10 grams starch 5 grams casitone 4 grams yeast extract 4 grams glucose 2 grams peptone 18 grams agar (optional) 18 grams agar (optional) 1 liter filtered seawater 1 liter filtered seawater
Fermentaion
CNB392 and CNB476 are cultured in shaken AlBfe+C or CKA-liquid media, 1 liter at 35° C. for 9 days. After 4 days 20 grams Amberlite XAD-16 resin (Sigma, nonionic polymeric adsorbent) is added.
A1Bfe + C 10 grams starch CKA 5 grams starch 4 grams yeast extract 4 mL hydrosolubles (50%) 2 grams peptone 2 grams menhaden meal 1 gram CaCO 3 2 grams kelp powder 5 mL KBr (aqueous 2 grams chitosan solution, 20 grams/liter) 5 mL Fe 2 (SO 4 ) 3 × 1 liter filtered seawater 4 H 2 O (8 grams/liter) 1 liter filtered seawater
Extraction
The XAD-16 resin is filtered and the organic extract is eluted with 1 liter ethylacetate followed by 1 liter methanol. The filtrate is then extracted with ethylacetate (3×200 mL). The crude extract from the XAD adsorption is 105 mg. Cytotoxicity on the human colon cancer cell HCT-116 assay is IC50<0.076 μg/mL.
Isolation of Salinosporamide A from CNB392
The crude extract was flash-chromatographed over C18 reversed phase (RP) using a step gradient ( FIG. 5 ). The HCT-116 assay resulted in two active fractions, CNB392-5 and CNB392-6. The combined active fractions (51.7 mg), HCT-116<0.076 μg/mL) were then chromatographed on an isocratic RP-HPLC, using 85% methanol at 2 mL/minute flow as eluent and using refractive index detection. The active fraction CNB392-5/6 (7.6 mg, HCT-116<0.076 μg/mL) was purified on an isocratic normal phase HPLC on silica gel with ethyl acetate:isooctane (9:1) at 2 mL/minute. Salinosporamide A ( FIG. 1 ) was isolated as a colorless, amorphous solid in 6.7 mg per 1 liter yield (6.4%). TLC on silica gel (dichloromethane:methanol 9:1) shows Salinosporamide A at r f =0.6, no UV extinction or fluorescence at 256 nm, yellow with H 2 SO 4 /ethanol, dark red-brown with Godin reagent (vanillin/H 2 SO 4 /HClO 4 ). Salinosporamide A is soluble in CHCl 3 , methanol, and other polar solvents like DMSO, acetone, acetonitrile, benzene, pyridine, N,N-dimethyformamide, and the like. 1 H NMR: (d 5 -pyridine, 300 MHz) 1.37/1.66 (2H, m, CH 2 ), 1, 70.2.29 (2H, m, CH 2 ), 1.91 (2H, broad, CH 2 ), 2.07 (3H, s, CH 3 ), 2.32/2.48 (2H, ddd, 3 J=7.0 Hz, CH 2 ), 2.85 (1H, broad, m, CH), 3.17 (1H, dd, 3 J=10 Hz, CH), 4.01/4.13 (2H, m, CH 2 ), 4.25 (1H, d, 3 J=9.0 Hz, CH), 4.98 (1H, broad, OH), 5.88, (1H, ddd, 3 J=10 Hz, CH), 6.41 (1H, broad d, 3 J=10 Hz, CH) 10.62 (1H, s, NH).
13 C NMR/DEPT: (d 5 -pyridine, 400 MHz) 176.4 (COOR), 169.0 (CONH), 128.8 (═CH), 128.4 (═CH), 86.1 (C q ), 80.2 (C q ), 70.9 (CH), 46.2 (CH), 43.2 (CH 2 ), 39.2 (CH), 29.0 (CH 2 ), 26.5 (CH 2 ), 25.3 (CH 2 ), 21.7 (CH 2 ), 20.0 (CH 3 ) LC-MS (ESI) t r =10.0 minutes, flow 0.7 mL/minute m/z: (M+H) + 314, (M+Na) + 336; fragments: (M+H—CO 2 ) + 292, (M+H—CO 2 —H 2 O) + 270, 252, 204. C1 pattern: (M+H, 100%) + 314, (M+H, 30%) + 316. LC MS (APCI): t r =11.7 minutes, flow 0.5 mL/minute m/z: (M+H) + 314, fragments: (M+H—CO 2 —H 2 O) + 270, 252, 232, 216, 160. C1 pattern: (M+H, 100%) + 314, (M+H, 30%) + 316. EI: m/z: 269, 251, 235, 217, 204, 188 (100%), 160, 152, 138, 126, 110,81. FTMS-MALDI: m/z: (M+H) + 314.1144 FT-IR: (cm −1 ) 2920, 2344, s, 1819 m, 1702 s, 1255, 1085 s, 1020 s, 797 s. Molecular formula: C 15 H 20 ClNO 4 .
Example 2
Bioactivity Assays
Salinosporamide A shows strong activity against human colon cancer cells with an IC 50 of 0.011 μg/mL (see FIG. 4 ). The screening on antibacterial or antifungal activity shows no significant activity, see Table 1.
TABLE 1
IC 50 of Salinosporamide A,
Assay
(μg/mL)
HCT-116
0.011
Candida albicans
250
Candida albicans (amphoterocin B resistant)
NSA*
Staphylococcus aureus (methecillin resistant)
NSA*
Enterococcus faecium (vanomycin resistant)
NSA*
*NSA = no significant activity
Example 3
Determination of Absolute Stereochemistry
Crystallization of a compound of structure I from ethyl acetate/iso-octane resulted in single, cubic crystals, which diffracted as a monoclinic system P2(1). The unusual high unit-cell volume of 3009 Å hosted four independent molecules in which different conformational positions were observed for the flexible chloroethyl substituent. The assignment of the absolute structure from the diffraction anisotropy of the chlorine substituent resolved the absolute stereochemistry of salinosporamide A as 2R,3S,4R,5S,6S ( FIGS. 16 and 17 ) with a Flack parameter of 0.01 and an esd of 0.03.
Although the invention has been described with reference to the above examples, it will be understood that modifications and variations are encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is limited only by the following claims. | The present invention is based on the discovery that certain fermentation products of the marine actinomycete strains CNB392 and CNB476 are effective inhibitors of hyperproliferative mammalian cells. The CNB392 and CNB476 strains lie within the family Micromonosporaceae, and the generic epithet Salinospora has been proposed for this obligate marine group. The reaction products produced by this strain are classified as salinosporamides, and are particularly advantageous in treating neoplastic disorders due to their low molecular weight, low IC 50 values, high pharmaceutical potency, and selectivity for cancer cells over fungi. | 0 |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to glucose monitoring devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a glucose sensor module integrated into a holster that can accommodate another device, and further, to a method by which the glucose sensor module and the accommodated device wirelessly communicate with each other.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The number of diagnosed cases of diabetes continues to increase in the U.S. and throughout the world, creating enormous economic and public health consequences. One area in which recently developed technologies have been able to improve the standard of care has been in the maintenance of tight control over the blood glucose levels. It is well known that if a diabetic patient's blood glucose values are maintained within the normal range of from about 80 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) to about 120 mg/dL, the physiologically damaging consequences of unchecked diabetes can be minimized.
[0003] Recent technological and commercial development in the two areas of glucose monitoring and of insulin administration have each contributed significantly to improving the ability of diabetic people to maintain better control over their blood glucose level, and thereby enhance their quality of life.
[0004] With better blood glucose information, diabetic patients can better exercise tight control of their blood glucose level through a variety of means, including diet, exercise, and medication. A common type of glucose measuring device is represented by hand-held electronic meters which receive blood samples via enzyme-based “test strips”. In using these systems, the patient lances a finger or alternate body site to obtain a blood sample, the sample is applied to the strip, the strip is inserted into a port in the meter housing where it engages the meter's internal electronics, and the electronics convert a current generated by the enzymatic reaction in the test strip to a blood glucose value. The glucose value is then typically displayed on the meter's liquid crystal display (LCD), which is generally relatively large in size in order to accommodate the eyesight capability of older adults and diabetic people, who often have deteriorating vision.
[0005] Some diabetic patients require insulin administration in order to maintain tight control of their glucose level. Insulin administration to these insulin-dependent patients has traditionally been by self-injection, but a more recently available technology is represented by insulin pumps. These pump devices offer significant therapeutic value over self injection, as the pumps deliver insulin in a more physiological manner, with measured doses of insulin being infused slowly, over an extended period of time. Further, the rate at which insulin is delivered can be programmed to follow standard or individually-modified protocols, to give the user even better glucose control over the course of a day. Insulin pumps have commercially evolved to become small in size, which offers easier portability and unobtrusiveness, and with electronic advances, they have evolved to become more fully-featured, and thus capable of enhanced and individualized performance. These various advantages in terms of health care quality and user convenience have supported the growth of the insulin pump market.
[0006] It has been recognized that combining the newer technologies of insulin administration with the newer technologies of glucose measurement could significantly improve user convenience, resulting in a greater ability to comply with frequent testing, and greater ability to effect individually appropriate schedules of insulin administration.
[0007] Such an integrated combination of a glucose measuring device and insulin pump is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,065, which teaches the inclusion of a mechanism for measuring blood glucose within the housing of an insulin pump. While the advantages of such a glucose measuring/insulin pump combinations has been known for many years, in fact, no such device has become commercially available. Various practical and market-based factors may contribute to the absence of a combination device in the market. Insulin pumps, though expensive, have become well established and stabilized in the market; and pump users tend to remain with their initial choice. Glucose meters, in contrast, are presently evolving more quickly and are inexpensive for users; indeed they are often provided to users by manufacturers without charge, as a loss leader in an overall business strategy. At least in part as a consequence of the low price, glucose meter users have lower brand loyalty, and will switch among brands. As another consequence, there is intense manufacturing cost pressure on glucose meters, which, in turn, encourages efficient product design by the meter manufacturers. From the perspective of a pump manufacturer in designing such a physically integrated combination device, the manufacturer would need to commit to a particular blood glucose measuring technology in the face of the concern that such technology could become less competitive or even obsolete during the normal life of the pump product.
[0008] It is known that hand-held glucose meters can advantageously be manufactured to include short range wireless communication capability, through which data from the glucose sensor can be transmitted to another health device, such as a computer, cell phone, or a personal digital assistant (PDA); such wireless communication between two portable devices is shown in the PCT publication WO03005891A1. This wireless data transfer relieves the glucose sensor user of the need to record such data by hand, and allows for accumulation of data points within a larger database for longer term health monitoring and intervention. In spite of the benefits of wireless communication, the inconvenience of handling separate devices to achieve the patient's singular goal of maintaining glucose control remains unsolved by wireless communication alone.
[0009] Devices that provide for secure personal portability of various communication and health-related electronic devices, and ease of use while being carried are also well known. Holsters and cases for electronic devices that attach to belts or other articles of clothing are never far from where mobile telephones are being sold, and are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,664,292 and 5,833,100, and 6,081,695. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,317 describes an apparatus that provides for a belt-clip mounting for a medication infusion pump.
[0010] In view of these various problematic factors associated with the actual physical integration of a glucose measuring device with an insulin pump, it would be desirable to provide an insulin pump user the benefits and performance of functionally combined glucose measuring device and insulin pump. Such a combined device would desirably be in a portable configuration that, in fact, maintains physical distinctness of the devices, gets past the market-based barriers that accompany physical integration, and yet offers a combination which for all practical purposes is used as a single integrated device. It would be further desirable for this functionally integrated device to be fully enabled to interact with other devices within a personal area network.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] In view of the foregoing, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a glucose monitoring device housing, comprising a holster unit, a glucose sensing module integrally disposed on the holster unit, where the holster unit is configured to substantially receive a server device, the server device configured to wirelessly communicate with the glucose sensing module.
[0012] The server device may include a blood glucose monitoring device. Alternatively, the server device may include one or more of an insulin pump, a personal digital assistant, a mobile telephone, and a portable gaming unit.
[0013] The server device may be configured to receive one or more data from the glucose sensing module, the one or more data including one or more data related to a detected blood glucose level.
[0014] The glucose sensing module may include a test strip port configured to receive a test strip.
[0015] The glucose sensing module may be shaped substantially elongate.
[0016] In one embodiment, the glucose sensing module may be configured to transmit data to the server device when the server device is substantially positioned within the holster unit.
[0017] The holster unit may include in one embodiment a belt clip portion, and a device clasping portion mechanically coupled to the belt clip portion.
[0018] The belt clip portion may be mechanically coupled to the device clasping portion by a spring biased connector unit.
[0019] Further, the glucose sensing module may be integrally disposed on one of the belt clip portion and the device clasping portion.
[0020] The glucose sensing module may include a test strip port configured to receive a test strip.
[0021] The device clasping portion of the holster unit may be configured to receive the server device such that the server device is in physical contact with the device clasping portion. Moreover, the server device may be securely positioned substantially within the device clasping portion of the holster unit.
[0022] Additionally, in one embodiment, each of the glucose sensing module and the server device may include a communication port for data communication.
[0023] Indeed, the glucose sending module communication port and the server device communication port each may include one of an infrared port, a Bluetooth enabled communication port, and a Wi-Fi enabled communication port.
[0024] The server device may include in one embodiment one or more of an output unit, and an input unit, where the output unit may include one or more of a display unit and an audio output unit.
[0025] The display unit in this case may include one of a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit, a plasma display unit, and a touch-sensitive display unit, and further, wherein the audio output unit includes an output speaker.
[0026] Also, the input unit may include one or more of an input button, and a touch-sensitive input unit integrated with the output unit.
[0027] Additionally, the output unit may be configured to output one or more of an image data, a video data, and an audio signal, in response to a predetermined event.
[0028] The predetermined event in one embodiment may include one or more of an input command generated by the input unit and a detection of a glucose sensing module signal.
[0029] A method of providing a glucose monitoring device housing in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of providing a holster unit, integrally disposing a glucose sensing module on the holster unit, configuring the holster unit to substantially receive a server device, and configuring the server device to wirelessly communicate with the glucose sensing module.
[0030] In a further embodiment, the server device may include one or more of a blood glucose monitoring device, an insulin pump, a personal digital assistant, a mobile telephone, and a portable gaming unit.
[0031] The method may further include the step of configuring the server device to receive one or more data from the glucose sensing module, the one or more data including one or more data related to a detected blood glucose level.
[0032] Also, the method may additionally include the step of providing a test strip port on the glucose sensing module, the test strip port configured to receive a test strip.
[0033] Indeed, the method may also include the step of configuring the glucose sensing module to transmit data to the server device when the server device is substantially positioned within the holster unit.
[0034] A data management system for managing health related data in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention includes a personal area network, a client device configured for data communication in the personal area network, and a server device configured to communicate with the client device in the personal area network, where the client device is configured to transmit one or more health related data to the server device over the personal area network, and the server device is configured to generate one or more health management signals based on the received one or more health related data.
[0035] The client device may include a client device wireless communication port for data communication, and the server device includes a server device wireless communication port for data communication.
[0036] Further, each of the client device wireless communication port and the server device wireless communication port may include one of an infrared port, a Bluetooth enabled port, and a Wi-Fi communication port.
[0037] Moreover, the client device may include a blood glucose meter, and further, where the health related data includes a blood glucose level data.
[0038] The server device may include a blood glucose monitoring device configured to generate the one or more health management signals based on the blood glucose level data received from the blood glucose meter, where the health management signals includes one or more of an audio alert signal, a vibration alert signal, and a graphical display signal.
[0039] The blood glucose monitoring device may in one embodiment be configured to generate an alert signal for output when the received blood glucose level data is determined to be beyond a predetermined range.
[0040] Also, the predetermined range may substantially establish an impending hyperglycemic state and an impending hypoglycemic state.
[0041] In the manner described above, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a glucose monitoring and response system that includes a glucose meter module, operating within a personal area network as a client device, integrated into a holster apparatus typically clipped or loop-attached to a belt or other article of clothing worn by a diabetic person, the holster being configured so as to be able to securely accommodate another health device such as a portable server device or an insulin pump. Communication between the glucose measuring module and the responding health device may be performed by a wireless modality, for example using infrared (IR), Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi (801.11 g, 801.11b, or 801.11a) protocols.
[0042] In one embodiment, the accommodated device may include a server, such as a personal digital assistant or cell phone, where the accommodated device may be configured to store data in a memory, display data on a visual display, and may wirelessly transmit such data to other devices within a personal area network (PAN), as well as send data to remote sites via the global system for mobile communications (GSM). In another embodiment where the health device includes an insulin pump, the wirelessly received data may be stored in a memory, and may be available for visual display on the insulin pump, as well as incorporating into the selection of appropriate protocols that regulate the performance of the pump.
[0043] The glucose measuring module in one embodiment of the present invention may include glucose measuring circuitry for enzymatic electrochemical detection of glucose in a blood sample. The module, by including a holster accommodation for a device with which it wirelessly communicates, may be configured to establish a functional system integration in spite of physical distinctness of the two major system components. Cost and size of the holster-integrated glucose meter may be minimized by reliance on the fully meter-functional display and controls present on the holster-accommodated device, and the absence of the redundant visual display and redundant control buttons on the glucose meter.
[0044] More particularly, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a glucose sensing and insulin delivery system which includes a glucose sensor module, an insulin pump including a visual display, a holster apparatus into which the glucose sensor module is integrated and which holster is configured to hold the insulin pump, and a wireless data communication system for transmitting data between the glucose sensor module and the insulin pump.
[0045] In another embodiment, the holster apparatus may include a belt-clip portion and a device clasping portion. Moreover, the glucose sensor module may be integrated into the device-clasping portion of the holster apparatus. Alternatively, the glucose sensor module may be integrated into the belt-clip portion of the holster apparatus.
[0046] The wireless data communication system may include an infrared transceiver in the glucose sensor module and an infrared transceiver in said insulin pump. Additionally, the wireless data communication system may include a Bluetooth-enabled transceiver in the glucose sensor module and a Bluetooth-enabled transceiver in the insulin pump.
[0047] Furthermore, the glucose sensing and insulin delivery system may include a single visual display. Alternatively, the glucose sensor module may not include a visual display.
[0048] In addition, the insulin pump may include a housing, where the housing includes control buttons mounted in the housing.
[0049] Also, control unit may be provided for controlling the operation of the glucose module, where the control unit may include control buttons mounted on the insulin pump.
[0050] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a glucose sensing system comprising a glucose sensor module enabled to wirelessly communicate within a personal area network, a second personal area network communication-enabled device including a visual display, and a holster apparatus into which the glucose sensor module is integrated and which holster is configured to hold the second personal area network device.
[0051] The second personal area network communication-enabled device may include an insulin pump. Alternatively, the second personal area network communication-enabled device may include a cell phone.
[0052] These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0053] The invention will now be described by reference to the figures, wherein like reference numerals and names indicate corresponding structure throughout the several views.
[0054] FIG. 1A illustrates a glucose measuring module integrated into the device-clasping portion in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0055] FIG. 1B illustrates a belt-clasping portion with a glucose measuring module integrated thereto in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;
[0056] FIG. 2A illustrates a glucose measuring module integrated into the device-clasping portion in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;
[0057] FIG. 2B illustrates the belt-clasping portion with a glucose measuring module integrated therewith in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;
[0058] FIG. 3 illustrates a cut away perspective view where the IR transceiver ports of the glucose measuring module and the held device, respectively, are aligned for transmission of IR data in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0059] FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of a swivel-enabled and detachable holster apparatus, a holding button, a device carrying case, and a held server device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0060] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating data signal flow between devices of a wireless system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0061] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a glucose meter client device as shown in FIG. 3 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0062] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a server device such as an insulin pump, as shown in FIG. 3 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and
[0063] FIG. 8 is a pictorial view showing a client device and server devices within a personal area network in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0064] FIG. 1A illustrates a glucose measuring module integrated into the device-clasping portion in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the Figure, there are shown two main components of the holster apparatus, a belt-clip portion 101 and device-clasping portion 103 , which includes a glucose sensing module 102 , a client device within the larger context of networked devices to be further described below. The glucose-sensing module is generally elongate and pen-shaped, as has been described in U.S. patent application entitled Glucose Measuring Device for Use in Personal Area Network filed Jun. 4, 2004, assigned to TheraSense, Inc., of Alameda Calif., the assignee of the present invention, and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. More specifically, as shown in the Figure, the glucose sensing module 102 may be integrally molded into the larger contours of the device clasping portion of the holster apparatus, and situated vertically on the outer aspect of one of the two clasping arms 104 of device clasping portion 103 .
[0065] At the base of the glucose sensing module 102 is located a test strip port 105 , wherein test strips are inserted after having been contacted with a blood sample. Alternatively, glucose sensing module 102 can be configured to accept test strips before they have been contacted with a blood sample. Other configurations for the placement of the glucose sensing module within the clasping portion of the holster are possible that would meet the basic requirement that the module, and more particularly the test strip port 105 within the module, be readily accessible to the user. The two holster mechanical components, the belt-clip portion 101 and the device-clasping portion 103 , may be joined by a spring-biased connector (not shown) which causes the belt-clip to press toward the device-clasping portion, in order to grip a belt or article of clothing worn by a user, and thus to secure the apparatus.
[0066] FIG. 1B illustrates a belt-clasping portion with a glucose measuring module integrated thereto in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the Figure, there is shown a perspective view of a belt-clip portion of another embodiment of the holster apparatus into which the glucose sensing module 102 has been integrated. As noted in the description above in conjunction with FIG. 1A , the glucose-sensing module 102 is generally elongate and pen-shaped, but in this embodiment it has been molded into the larger contours of the belt-clip portion 101 of the holster apparatus, and is situated horizontally across the top of the upper aspect thereof. Other configurations for the placement of the glucose sensing module are possible that would meet the basic desire that the module, and more particularly the test strip port 105 within the module be readily accessible to the user. Because of the constraints of the generally elongate profile of the glucose sensing module 102 as a whole, as well as the elongate profiles of test strips and the test strip port 105 , the test strip port 105 in one embodiment of the present invention is preferably located at one of the two ends of the glucose sensing module 102 (see FIGS. 1A-1B and 2 A- 2 B). The analog “front end” circuitry associated with measuring the small electrochemical currents from test strips 101 is located near the strip port 105 , and is sensitive to electrical interference. It is advisable, therefore, to situate the wireless link antenna of the glucose sensing module 102 at a such a distance from the strip port end that such wireless transmission interference does not occur. In operation, in accordance with one embodiment, the holster apparatus may either be worn by the user while the test strip is inserted into the test strip port 105 , or alternatively, the holster apparatus may be removed from the user's belt, for example, when inserting the test strip into the test strip port 105 and conducting a glucose measurement.
[0067] FIG. 2A illustrates a glucose measuring module integrated into the device-clasping portion in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the Figure, there are shown the two main components of the holster apparatus, a belt-clip portion 201 and device-clasping portion 203 , which includes a glucose sensing module 202 , a client device within the larger context of networked devices as described in further detail below. This embodiment illustrates features that provide both for swiveling of the held device with respect to the relatively fixed orientation of the holster when secured to a belt, as well as an ability to quickly engage and disengage the held server device (see FIG. 4 ) from the holster. The feature providing these forms of functionality is a button-holding box 206 , which includes a U-shaped slot 205 . Fitting into this U-shaped slot 205 is a complementary broadened holding button 407 (see FIG. 4 ) that is attached to the back of the held server device 411 (see FIG. 4 ), thereby securing the held server device 411 to the holster.
[0068] Referring back to FIG. 2A , the glucose-sensing module 202 , generally elongate and pen-shaped, may be molded into the larger contours of the device clasping portion 203 of the holster apparatus, and may be situated vertically on the outer aspect of one of the two sides of the clasping portion 203 of the holster, or on one of the sides of the button-holding box 206 . Located at the base of the glucose sensing module 202 may be a test strip port 204 , into which test strips are inserted before or after having been contacted with a blood sample. Other configurations for the placement of the glucose sensing module within the clasping portion of the holster are possible that would meet the basic requirement that the module, and more particularly the test strip port 204 within the module be readily accessible to the user. The two major mechanical components of the holster, the belt-clip portion 201 and the device-clasping portion 203 , are typically joined by a spring-biased connector (not shown) which causes the belt-clip to press toward the device-clasping portion 203 , in order to grip a belt or an article of clothing worn by a user, and thus to secure the apparatus.
[0069] FIG. 2B illustrates the belt-clasping portion with a glucose measuring module integrated therewith in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the Figure, there is shown a perspective view of a belt-clip portion 201 of another embodiment of the same general type of holster apparatus as seen in FIG. 2A , into which the glucose sensing module 102 has been integrated. As discussed above in conjunction with FIG. 2A , the glucose-sensing module 102 is generally elongate and pen-shaped, but has been molded into the larger contours of the belt-clip portion 201 of the holster apparatus, and situated horizontally across the top of the upper aspect of the belt-clip portion 201 of the holster apparatus. Within the scope of the present invention, other configurations for the placement of the glucose sensing module are possible that would meet the basic desire that the module, and more particularly the test strip port 204 within the module be readily accessible to the user.
[0070] Moreover, other forms of the belt-clip portion of the holster may be compatible with the various embodiments shown herein and within the scope of the above-described and illustrated embodiments of the present invention. The clip, for example, may be made of bent metal or molded plastic, the clasping pressure of the spring, as described above, in these alternative embodiments being instead provided by the spring bias inherent in the bent metal or molded plastic. Metal clips may also be covered with fabric and/or padding material. Alternatively, the belt-clip portion could also be fabricated as a loop, constructed from various materials (fabric, synthetics, leather), into which the belt of the user is threaded, and the loop could also make use of Velcro®-type hook and loop connections.
[0071] FIG. 3 illustrates a cut away perspective view where the IR transceiver ports of the glucose measuring module and the held device, respectively, are aligned for transmission of IR data in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the Figure, the infrared (IR) modality is shown as being used to transmit data between a client device and the server device 409 ( FIG. 4 ). Successful transmission by the IR may be facilitated by a physical alignment of the transmitting and receiving data ports, as shown herein. In this exploded and partially cutaway figure, the inner aspect of a clasping arm 104 of the clasping portion 103 of a holster is shown. From this inside-looking-out and transparent perspective, the outline of the client device, or glucose sensing module 102 on the outer aspect of the clasping arm 104 is seen. Within that outline of the glucose sensing module can also be seen the wireless transceiver port 301 of the glucose sensing module, which faces inward, toward the accommodated server device 411 .
[0072] Exploded rightward for visibility is the server device 411 , or insulin pump in this depiction, that may be held by the holster apparatus. On the front aspect of the housing of this device, the LCD 409 and interface control keys 410 can be seen. The front aspect housing of the device 411 is for purpose of illustration rendered as partially transparent so as to make visible the transceiver port 302 of the device, located on a side wall of the housing, facing outward toward the clasping arm 104 , and more specifically, toward transceiver 301 of the glucose monitor 102 . It can thus be seen that when the insulin pump or portable server device 411 is contained within the holster, the two transceiver ports 301 (of the client device) and 302 (of the server device), are directly aligned together, a configuration that assures successful transmission of data by IR.
[0073] FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of a swivel-enabled and detachable holster apparatus, a holding button, a device carrying case, and a held server device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the Figure, there is shown on the left side of the figure is a holster device, swivel-enabled and detachable, as in FIG. 3 . Moving rightward, a holding button 407 is depicted. The holder button 407 is attached to the back of device carrying case 408 . The button 407 is seen in this embodiment to include two basic elements (a round insertion piece and a square backing nut), connected by a spacer bar (not shown). The round insertion piece slips into the U-shaped slot of the button holder box, and secures the device carrying case 408 to the holster.
[0074] The server device in the illustrated case includes an insulin pump with an LCD display 409 and control interface keys 410 . The carrying case 408 is a component of holster devices and which allows for the secure holding of a device, the device itself being unencumbered by specific attachment elements. A carrying case can be combined with the herein described holster apparatus, whether it is of the variety depicted in FIG. 1 , or in FIG. 2 (swivel-enabled, detachable), as well as other variations of holsters based on two basic mechanical elements, a belt-clip portion and a device-clasping portion within the scope of the present invention. In the variations containing a case, the device-clasping portion actually secures the case, and the case, in turn, secures the held device. The case itself generally constructed from one or more types of fabric, such as cloth, plastic, or leather, and is custom fitted to the contours of the held device.
[0075] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating data signal flow between devices of a wireless system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to the Figure, a wireless system 500 for moving data among devices in the context of a personal area network and constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown. In one embodiment, the test strip 501 electrically communicates with client device 502 , which wirelessly communicates with server device 504 , such as by two-way radio frequency (RF) contact, infrared (IR) contact, or other known wireless connections 503 . Optionally, server device 504 may also communicate with other devices such as data processing terminal 505 by direct electronic contact, via RF, IR, or other wireless connections.
[0076] Test strip/sensor unit 501 is an electrochemical analyte test strip, such as the blood glucose test strip described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/434,026 filed Nov. 4, 1999 entitled “Small Volume In Vitro Analyte Sensor and Methods”, assigned to TheraSense, Inc., of Alameda, Calif., the assignee of the present invention, and the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The test strip 501 is mechanically received in a test strip port 105 , 204 , 404 (of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 , 2 , and 4 , respectively) of a client device 502 , similar to a hand-held blood glucose meter as described in the aforementioned patent application entitled Small Volume In Vitro Analyte Sensor and Methods. In one embodiment, client device 502 is constructed without a user interface or display to keep the size and cost of device 502 to a minimum. Client device 502 can be powered by a single AA or AAA size battery, and can take a pen-like form that is integrally molded into the larger configuration of a holster, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 .
[0077] Referring back to FIG. 5 , the client device 502 wirelessly communicates with server device 504 , preferably using a common standard such as 802.11 or Bluetooth RF protocol, or an IrDA infrared protocol. The server device 504 may include another portable device, such as a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cell phone, a pump for a medication such as insulin, and a portable gaming unit, for example, (and as shown by some of the examples in FIG. 8 ). In one embodiment, the server device 504 includes a display, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), as well as an input device, such as control buttons, a keyboard, mouse or touch-screen. With this configuration, the user can control client device 502 via interaction with the user interface(s) of server device 504 , which in turn interacts with client device 102 across wireless link 503 .
[0078] The server device 504 may also communicate with a data processing terminal 505 , such as for sending glucose data from devices 502 and 504 , and/or receiving instructions or an insulin pump protocol from a health care provider via the data processing terminal 505 . Examples of such communication include a PDA 504 synchronizing data with a personal computer (PC) 505 , a mobile phone 504 communicating over a cellular network with a computer 505 at the other end, or an insulin pump 504 communicating with a computer system 505 at a physician's office.
[0079] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a glucose meter client device as shown in FIG. 3 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6 , internal components of the client device 502 such as a blood glucose meter of one embodiment is shown. User input 602 of data or instructions, via keys or control buttons is shown as an option, but can also be eliminated to reduce size and cost of client device 502 . In this case, data or instructional input can be provided via the server device 504 held in the holster (see FIG. 7 and description below). The glucose meter housing may contain any glucose sensing system of the type well known in the art that can be configured to fit into a small profile. Such a system can include, for example, the electrochemical glucose strip and meter sensing system sold by TheraSense, Inc. of Alameda, Calif. under the FreeStyle® brand, or other strip and meter glucose measuring systems. The housing may thus encompass the sensor electronics and a strip connector, which connector is accessed via a test strip port opening in the housing. The housing will typically also include one or more batteries.
[0080] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a server device such as an insulin pump, as shown in FIG. 3 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7 , internal components of server device 504 of one embodiment are shown. Note that a redundant test strip interface 701 can be provided if desired for receiving test strips 501 . Server device 504 can be a proprietary unit designed specifically for use with blood glucose meters, or can be a generic, multipurpose device such as a standard PDA. An example of a similar device designed for blood glucose testing is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,560,471 issued May 6, 2003 to the TheraSense, Inc. of Alameda, Calif., the assignee of the present invention, entitled “Analyte Monitoring Device and Methods of Use”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Note also the presence of user input 703 , which would occur through user manipulation of buttons or keys. There is two-way data flow between devices 502 and 504 , and thus data or instructional input applied through the held device 504 can be seamlessly applied to controlling the operation of a client device (a glucose meter, for a specific example).
[0081] As noted in the discussion above of the client device in conjunction with FIG. 6 , one embodiment of the present invention include the “displayless” glucose meter unit on the display of a separate device in order to minimize the complexity and cost of the meter unit. The glucose meter user “reads” and interacts with the meter via the larger display units within his or her personal area network, all of which can be synchronized as they interact and communicate with the wireless enabled meter. When the glucose meter is used, the sequences through which the user must “step” to complete the test are readily viewed on the larger display units (for example, by entering the calibration code, prompting application of the sample). At the same time the meter unit is simplified, smaller and less expensive to manufacture.
[0082] Additionally, control buttons that are found on typical glucose meters can be eliminated, saving additional size and cost, since the user can rely on the user in out features of the server device instead. It is expected that the simplified, wireless enabled meters integrated into a device holster, as described herein, may ultimately become inexpensive enough to make them disposable after a specified number of uses, permitting the producer to routinely upgrade as appropriate.
[0083] Further, the system permits the user to include security coding at any time the meter unit accesses a display device, so that the user's data are secure, such that, when the “client” meter of one embodiment of the present invention is used, the system requires the user to enter an identity code in order to verify that the person handling the meter is indeed an authorized user. In an alternate embodiment, it is possible for the system to permit more than one user if the meter owner so desires.
[0084] While the glucose sensing module does not include a large or expensive display, it may nevertheless be advantageous to include some ability to advise the user of a glucose level which is determined when the module is used as a “stand-alone” unit. For example, the module could include a very low cost, small three digit LCD display. Alternatively, the module could include light emitting diode (LED) indicator lights (for example, red for out of desired range, green for within desired range). Other possibilities include a red LED for below range, a green LED for within range, and a yellow LED for above range, or a column of LEDs or an electroluminescent strip (similar to those used on common batteries to indicate battery life) to indicate approximate or relative glucose levels.
[0085] FIG. 8 is a pictorial view showing a client device and server devices within a personal area network in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. More specifically, FIG. 8 shows examples of the devices to and from which the meter (client device 801 ) of one embodiment of the present invention can communicate. Such devices may be a part of an individual's personal area network and each device is enabled to communicate via short range wireless communication link with every other device. Laptop computers 803 and handheld computers 802 , as well as printers 804 can be so enabled and will provide displays and printouts valuable as records for the diabetic. Telephones such as cellular telephones 805 and regular land-line telephones 808 will also be enabled in this fashion and can be used for displaying glucose data as well as further enabled to transmit the data over larger networks via GSM protocols (as for the cellular telephones 805 ). Many of these devices can assist the diabetic by responding to glucose levels by providing alarms, or suggesting that action be taken to correct a hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic condition, or by summoning necessary medical assistance.
[0086] Diabetics are well aware of the risks involved in driving when glucose levels are out of range and particularly when they are too low. Thus, for example, the navigation computer in the diabetic's vehicle 806 could become part of the personal area network and would download glucose data from the meter when the diabetic enters the vehicle 806 . For the sake of safety, the car computer system could be programmed to require that the diabetic perform a glucose test before driving, and more specifically the car could be disabled until the diabetic performs a blood glucose test and the result is in an appropriate range. Other possible devices for communication with the client device 801 may include a television 807 , a gaming device 809 , and a refrigerator 810 .
[0087] In this manner, in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a glucose monitoring system resulting from the functional combination of a holster-integrated glucose measuring device and a second device accommodated within the holster. The holster itself includes a belt-clip portion and a device-clasping portion; the glucose monitor can be integrated into either portion. Various embodiments provide for an ability for the belt-clip and device-clasping portions to swivel with respect to each other, and to detach from each other. In the embodiments where the belt-clip portion and clasping portion do not detach, the clasping portion provides for a quick attachment/detachment of the held server device.
[0088] Various other modifications and alterations in the structure and method of operation of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. It is intended that the following claims define the scope of the present invention and that structures and methods within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered thereby. | A glucose meter module integrated into a holster device that can securely accommodate another device such as a portable server device or an insulin pump is described. The glucose measuring module and the health device communicate with each other by a short range wireless modality. In the case in which the accommodated device is a server, such as personal digital assistant or cell phone, the device stores data in a memory, displays data on a visual display, and can wirelessly transmit such data to other devices within a personal area network. In the case where the accommodated device is a cell phone, the phone can further transmit data to remote sites. In the case where the accommodated device is an insulin pump, wirelessly received data are stored in a memory, are available for visual display on the insulin pump, and can be incorporated into the electronic processes that regulate the performance of the pump. | 6 |
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0001] Field of the Disclosure
[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to a method of sealing wells by squeezing a sealant into an annulus thereof.
[0003] Description of the Related Art
[0004] The hard impermeable sheath deposited in the annular space in a well by primary cementing is subjected to a number of stresses during the lifetime of the well. The pressure inside the casing can increase or decrease as the fluid filling it changes or as additional pressure is applied to the well, such as when the drilling fluid is replaced by a completion fluid or by a fluid used in a stimulation operation. A change of temperature also creates stress in the cement sheath, at least during the transition period before the temperatures of the steel and the cement come into equilibrium. As a result of pressure and temperature changes, the integrity of the cement sheath can be compromised. Thus, it can become necessary to repair the primary cement sheath, such as during a plug and abandonment operation. One way to repair the primary cement sheath is by squeeze cementing, i.e., squeezing Portland cement thereinto.
[0005] The use of conventional Portland cement for squeeze cementing has limitations, for instance, if the primary cement sheath is leaking fluid, such as gas, through micro-channels, squeeze cementing is not feasible, even using micro-fine ground Portland cement.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0006] The present disclosure generally relates to a method of sealing wells by squeezing sealant into the annulus between the inner and outer tubular strings. In one embodiment, a method for sealing a well includes: placing an obstruction in a bore of an inner tubular string disposed in a wellbore; forming an opening through a wall of the inner tubular string above the obstruction; mixing a resin and a hardener to form a sealant; and squeezing the sealant into the bore, through the opening, and into an annulus formed between the inner tubular string and an outer tubular string, thereby repairing a cement sheath present in the annulus.
[0007] In another embodiment, a method for sealing a well includes: placing an obstruction in a bore of an inner tubular string disposed in a wellbore; forming an opening through a wall of the inner tubular string above the obstruction; mixing a resin and a hardener to form a sealant; and squeezing the sealant into the bore, through the opening, and into an annulus formed between the inner tubular string and the wellbore, thereby repairing a cement sheath present in the annulus.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] So that the manner in which the above recited features of the present disclosure can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the disclosure, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates delivery of an equipment package to a platform for performing the squeeze operation, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0010] FIG. 2A illustrates perforation of a production casing string. FIG. 2B illustrates deployment of a sealing string.
[0011] FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate operation of a mixing unit of the equipment package to form sealant.
[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates squeezing of the sealant into an annulus formed between the production casing string and a surface casing string.
[0013] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a first alternative sealing operation, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0014] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a second alternative sealing operation, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0015] FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a third alternative sealing operation, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates an illustrative equipment package 1 used for performing the squeeze operation, and located on a platform 2 , according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The platform 2 may be part of a well 3 further including a subsea wellbore 4 , a drive pipe 5 , a surface casing string 6 , a production casing string 7 , and a production tubing string 8 . The drive pipe 5 is commonly set from above a surface 9 s (aka waterline) of the sea 9 , through the sea, and into the seafloor 9 f (aka mudline). The drive pipe 5 allows the wellhead (not shown) to be located on the platform 2 above the waterline 9 s.
[0017] Once the drive pipe 5 has been set, and (if desired cemented 10 a, the subsea wellbore 4 is drilled into the seafloor 9 f within the envelope of the drive pipe 5 . The surface casing string 6 is then run-in the drive pipe 5 and into the wellbore 4 and cemented into place by forming a cement sheath 10 b. When the wellbore 4 reaches a hydrocarbon-bearing formation 11 , i.e., crude oil and/or natural gas, the production casing 7 is run-into the wellbore 4 and cemented into place with cement sheath 10 c . Thereafter, the production casing string 7 is perforated 12 to permit the fluid hydrocarbons (not shown) to flow into the interior thereof. The hydrocarbons are transported from the formation 11 through the production tubing string 8 . An annulus 13 defined between the production casing string 7 and the production tubing string 8 is commonly isolated from the producing formation 11 with a production packer 14 .
[0018] During production of hydrocarbons from the well 3 , it may become necessary to workover the well, install an artificial lift system, and/or stimulate or treat the formation 11 . To facilitate any of these operations, it is typically desirable to temporarily plug the well 3 . Also, once the formation 11 has been produced to depletion, regulations often require permanently plugging the well 3 prior to abandoning the well 3 . If either or both of the cement sheathes 10 b,c have become compromised, they will need to be repaired during either the temporary or permanent plugging and abandonment operation, using the squeeze operation.
[0019] In order to prepare for the squeeze operation, the equipment package 1 is delivered to the platform 2 via a transport vessel (not shown). The equipment package includes a coiled tubing unit 15 , a mixing unit 16 , and a squeeze pump 17 . The coiled tubing unit 15 includes a drum having coiled tubing 22 ( FIG. 2B ) wrapped therearound, a gooseneck, an injector head for driving the coiled tubing, controls, and a hydraulic power unit. A wireline winch 18 onboard the platform 2 may also be used to facilitate the squeeze operation. The wireline winch 18 typically includes a drum having wireline 19 ( FIG. 2A ) wrapped therearound and a motor for winding and unwinding the wireline, thereby raising and lowering a distal end of the wireline relative to the platform 2 .
[0020] FIG. 2A illustrates perforation of the production casing string 7 . FIG. 2A shows the condition of the well during an abandonment or closing in operation, wherein a lower cement plug 21 has been set and the production tubing string 8 has been cut. To establish this condition, the well 3 abandonment operation commences by connecting a bottomhole assembly (BHA) (not shown) to the wireline 19 extending through a lubricator (not shown). In the embodiment, the BHA includes a cablehead, a collar locator, and a tubing perforator, such as a perforating gun.
[0021] To deploy the BHA into the well bore, one or more valves of the tree are opened and the BHA is deployed into the production tubing string in the wellbore 4 using the wireline 19 . The BHA is deployed to a depth adjacent to and above the production packer 14 . Once the BHA has been deployed to the desired depth, electrical power or an electrical signal is supplied to the BHA via the wireline 19 to fire the perforating gun into the production tubing string 8 , thereby forming tubing perforations 20 through the wall thereof. The BHA is retrieved to the lubricator and the lubricator is then removed from the production tree.
[0022] Cement slurry (not shown) is then pumped through the production tree head, down the production tubing string 8 , and into the annulus 13 via the created tubing perforations 20 . Wellbore fluid displaced by the cement slurry will flow up the annulus 13 , through the wellhead and to the platform 2 . Once a desired quantity of cement slurry has been pumped into the annulus 13 , an annulus valve of the wellhead is closed while continuing to pump the cement slurry, thereby forcing or “squeezing” cement slurry into the adjacent formation 11 . Once pumped into place, the cement slurry is allowed to cure for a predetermined amount of time, such as one hour, six hours, twelve hours, or one day, thereby forming the cement plug 21 in the annulus, the surrounding formation, and within the lower portion of the production tubing string 8 .
[0023] Once the cement plug 21 has cured, a second BHA (not shown) is connected to the wireline 19 in the lubricator and deployed through the production tree. The second BHA commonly includes a cablehead, a collar locator, an anchor, a hydraulic power unit (HPU), an electric motor, and a tubing cutter. The second BHA is deployed into the production tubing string 8 to a depth adjacent to and above the production packer 14 . Once the second BHA has been deployed to the cutting depth, the HPU is operated by supplying electrical power via the wireline 19 to extend blades of the tubing cutter and operate the motor to rotate the extended blades, thereby severing an upper portion of the production tubing string 8 from a lower portion thereof. The second BHA is then retrieved to the lubricator and the lubricator is removed from the production tree. The production tree is removed from the wellhead and the severed upper portion of the production tubing string 8 is removed from the wellbore 4 , leaving the wellbore in the state shown in FIG. 2A .
[0024] Once the severed portion of the production tubing string 8 has been removed, a third BHA (not shown) is connected to the wireline 19 in the lubricator and deployed through the wellhead. The third BHA commonly includes a cablehead, a collar locator, a setting tool, and a bridge plug 23 . The third BHA is deployed to a setting depth along a portion of the production casing string 7 adjacent, and above, the lower terminus of the surface casing string 6 . Once the third BHA has been deployed to the setting depth, electrical power is supplied to the third BHA via the wireline 19 to operate the setting tool, thereby expanding the bridge plug 23 against an inner surface of the production casing string 7 . Once the bridge plug 23 has been set as shown in FIG. 2A , the bridge plug 23 is released from the setting tool. The third BHA (minus the bridge plug 23 ) is then retrieved to the lubricator and the lubricator is removed from the wellhead.
[0025] A fourth BHA 24 is then connected to the wireline 19 in the lubricator and deployed through the wellhead. The fourth BHA 24 commonly includes a cablehead, a collar locator, and a casing perforator, such as a perforating gun. The fourth BHA 24 is deployed to a firing depth adjacent to and above the bridge plug 23 . Once the fourth BHA 24 has been deployed to the firing depth, electrical power or an electrical signal is supplied to the fourth BHA via the wireline 19 to fire the perforating gun into the production casing string 7 , thereby forming casing perforations 25 through a wall thereof as shown in FIG. 2A . The fourth BHA 24 is then retrieved to the lubricator and the lubricator is removed from the wellhead.
[0026] FIG. 2B illustrates deployment of a sealing string. A fifth BHA 26 is connected to the coiled tubing 22 in a snubbing unit (not shown) and deployed through the wellhead. The fifth BHA 26 includes a squeeze packer and a setting tool. The injector head of the coiled tubing unit 15 is operated to lower the fifth BHA 26 to a squeezing depth adjacent to and above the casing perforations 25 . Once the fifth BHA 26 has been deployed to the squeezing depth, the squeeze pump 17 is operated to pump a setting plug (not shown), such as a ball, through the coiled tubing 22 to a seat of the setting tool. Fluid pressure may then be exerted on the seated ball to operate the setting tool, thereby expanding the squeeze packer against an inner surface of the production casing string 7 to thereby seal the annuals between the coiled tubing 22 and the production casing string 7 . In the embodiment, additional fluid pressure is then applied to drive the ball through the seat of the setting tool, thereby reopening the bore of the coiled tubing 22 .
[0027] FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate operation of the mixing unit 16 to form sealant 28 . The mixing unit 16 in the embodiment includes two or more liquid totes 29 a,b , and a transfer pump 30 a, b for each liquid tote, a dispensing hopper 31 , and a blender 32 .
[0028] Each transfer pump 30 a,b is, in the embodiment, a metering pump and the dispensing hopper 31 is a metering hopper. An inlet of each transfer pump 30 a,b is connected to a respective liquid tote 29 a,b.
[0029] A first liquid tote 29 a of the liquid totes 29 a,b includes a resin 33 r. The resin 33 r may be an epoxide, such as bisphenol F. The viscosity of the sealant 28 may be adjusted by premixing the resin 33 r with a diluent, such as alkyl glycidyl ether or benzyl alcohol. The viscosity of the sealant 28 may range between fifty and two thousand centipoise. The epoxide may also be premixed with a bonding agent, such as silane. A second liquid tote 29 b of the liquid totes 29 a,b may include a hardener 33 h selected based on the temperature in the wellbore 4 . The contents of the liquid totes 29 a, b may be reversed. For low temperature applications, the hardener 33 h may be an aliphatic amine or polyamine or a cycloaliphatic amine or polyamine, such as tetraethylenepentamine. For high temperature applications, the hardener 33 h may be an aromatic amine or polyamine, such as diethyltoluenediamine. The dispensing hopper 31 includes a particulate weighting material 34 having a specific gravity of at least two. The weighting material 34 may be barite, hematite, hausmannite ore, or sand.
[0030] Alternatively, wellbore fluid may be non-aqueous and the resin 33 r may also be premixed with a surfactant to maintain cohesion thereof. Alternatively, the resin 33 r may also be premixed with a defoamer.
[0031] To form the sealant 28 , the first transfer pump 30 a is operated to dispense the resin 33 r into the blender 32 . A motor of the blender 32 is then activated to churn the resin 33 r. The hopper 31 is then operated to dispense the weighting material 34 into the blender 32 . The weighting material 34 is added, as required, in a proportionate quantity such that a density of the sealant 28 corresponds to a density of the wellbore fluid. The density of the sealant 28 may be equal to, slightly greater than, or slightly less than the density of the wellbore fluid.
[0032] The second transfer pump 30 b is operated to dispense the hardener 33 h into the blender 32 . The hardener 33 h is added in a proportionate quantity such that the thickening time of the sealant 28 corresponds to the time required to pump the sealant through the coiled tubing 22 , plus the time required to squeeze the sealant into the annulus 36 ( FIG. 4 ) formed between the production casing string 7 and the surface casing string 6 , plus a safety factor, such as one hour. Once the blender 32 has formed the components of the sealant 28 into a homogenous mixture, a supply valve 35 connecting the outlet of the blender ultimately to the squeeze pump 17 may be opened.
[0033] FIG. 4 illustrates squeezing of the sealant 28 into the annulus 36 . The squeeze pump 17 is operated to pump the sealant 28 from the blender 32 and into the coiled tubing 22 . The pumping may be monitored using the pressure gauge 37 of the equipment package 1 . Once the sealant 28 has been pumped into the coiled tubing 22 downstream of the squeeze pump 17 , the inlet of the squeeze pump 17 is then connected to a supply of chaser fluid (not shown), such as seawater, and the squeeze pump 17 is operated to pump the chaser fluid into the coiled tubing 22 , thereby driving the sealant 28 through the coiled tubing 22 and into the annulus 36 via the casing perforations 25 . The sealant 28 flows into or through voids in the cement sheath 10 c present in the annulus 36 , thereby filling the voids and restoring the integrity of the cement sheath 10 c. As the stroke volume of the squeeze pump may be known or calculated, a stroke counter of the squeeze pump 17 may be monitored during pumping and the squeeze pump shutoff once a desired volume of the chaser fluid has been pumped based on a certain number of strokes, corresponding to the internal volume of the coiled tubing 22 extending from the squeeze pump 17 , thereby ensuring that all of the sealant 28 has been discharged from the coiled tubing 22 . A portion of the sealant 28 also typically forms a bore plug in the production casing string 7 . The sealant 28 may also plug a portion of the cement sheath 10 c adjacent to the surface casing string 6 .
[0034] The squeeze packer is then unset, such as by exerting tension on (pulling on) the coiled tubing 22 . The coiled tubing 22 and the fifth BHA 26 is retrieved to the platform 2 and the sealant is allowed to cure for a time, such as between one to five days. If the abandonment operation is permanent, once the sealant 28 has cured, the drive pipe 5 , surface casing string 6 , and production casing string 7 will typically be cut at or just below the seafloor 9 f, thereby completing the abandonment operation.
[0035] FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a first alternative sealing operation, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this alternative method of sealing, a sixth BHA 27 is deployed instead of the fourth BHA 24 . The sixth BHA 27 is deployed to the firing depth adjacent to and above the bridge plug 23 . The sixth BHA 27 is similar to the fourth BHA 24 except for having a deep casing perforator, such as a perforating gun, instead of the casing perforator. The deep casing perforating gun has a charge strength sufficient to form deep perforations 38 through the walls of the production 7 and surface 6 casing strings and the cement sheath 10 c without damaging the wall of the drive pipe 5 , thereby establishing access to the cement sheath 10 b in an annulus 39 formed between the production and surface casing strings. After performing the perforation step, the sixth BHA 27 is retrieved to the lubricator and the lubricator is removed from the wellhead.
[0036] The fifth BHA 26 is then connected to the coiled tubing 22 and the injector head of the coiled tubing unit 15 is operated to lower the fifth BHA to the squeezing depth adjacent to and above the deep perforations 38 . Once the fifth BHA 26 has been deployed to the squeezing depth, the squeeze packer of the fifth BHA 26 is set. The squeeze pump 17 is operated to pump the sealant 28 from the blender 32 and into the coiled tubing 22 and then to chase the sealant with a secondary fluid such as seawater, thereby driving the sealant 28 through the coiled tubing 22 and into the annuli 36 , 39 via the casing perforations 38 . The sealant 28 flows into and through voids in the cement sheathes 10 b,c present in the respective annuli 36 , 39 , thereby filling the voids and restoring the integrity thereof. The sealant 28 may also plug a portion of the cement sheath 10 c adjacent to the surface casing string 6 and a portion of the cement sheath 10 b adjacent to the drive pipe 5 .
[0037] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a second alternative sealing operation, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this second alternative sealing method, the third BHA is deployed into the production casing string 7 to an alternative setting depth adjacent to a top of the severed production tubing string 8 and adjacent to the wellbore wall instead of along a portion of the production casing string 7 adjacent to the surface casing string 6 . Once the third BHA has been deployed to the alternative setting depth, the bridge plug 23 is set and released from the setting tool. The third BHA (minus the bridge plug 23 ) is then be retrieved to the lubricator and the lubricator is then removed from the wellhead.
[0038] The fourth BHA 24 is then connected to the wireline 19 in the lubricator and deployed through the wellhead. The fourth BHA 24 is deployed to an alternative firing depth adjacent to and above the bridge plug 23 . Once the fourth BHA 24 has been deployed to the alternative firing depth, electrical power or an electrical signal is supplied to the fourth BHA via the wireline 19 to fire the perforating gun into the production casing string 7 , thereby forming alternative casing perforations 40 through a wall thereof. The fourth BHA 24 is then retrieved to the lubricator and the lubricator is removed from the wellhead.
[0039] The fifth BHA 26 is then connected to the coiled tubing 22 and the injector head of the coiled tubing unit 15 is operated to lower the fifth BHA to an alternative squeezing depth adjacent to and above the alternative casing perforations 40 . Once the fifth BHA 26 has been deployed to the alternative squeezing depth, the squeeze packer of the fifth BHA 26 is set. The squeeze pump 17 is operated to pump the sealant 28 from the blender 32 and into the coiled tubing 22 and then to chase the sealant with a secondary fluid such as seawater, thereby driving the sealant 28 through the coiled tubing 22 and into the annulus 36 via the alternative casing perforations 40 . The sealant 28 flows into and through the voids in the cement sheath 10 c present in the annulus 36 thereby filling the voids and restoring the integrity of the cement sheath. The sealant 28 thus plugs a portion of the cement sheath 10 c adjacent to the wellbore wall.
[0040] FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate a third alternative sealing operation, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. In this alternative, the bridge plug 23 is set at the alternative setting depth. The sixth BHA 27 is then deployed to a second alternative firing depth adjacent to and above a shoe of the surface casing string 6 and fired to form alternative deep perforations 41 through walls of the production 7 and surface 6 casing strings and the cement sheath 10 c.
[0041] The fifth BHA 26 is then connected to the coiled tubing 22 and the injector head of the coiled tubing unit 15 is operated to lower the fifth BHA to a second alternative squeezing depth adjacent to and above the alternative deep perforations 41 . Once the fifth BHA 26 has been deployed to the second alternative squeezing depth, the squeeze packer of the fifth BHA 26 is set. The squeeze pump 17 is operated to pump the sealant 28 from the blender 32 and into the coiled tubing 22 and then to chase the sealant with an alternative fluid such as seawater, thereby driving the sealant 28 through the coiled tubing 22 and into the annuli 36 , 39 via the casing perforations 38 . The sealant 28 flows into and through voids in the cement sheathes 10 b,c present in the respective annuli 36 , 39 , thereby filling the voids and restoring the integrity thereof. The sealant 28 plugs a portion of the cement sheath 10 c adjacent to the surface casing string 6 and a portion thereof adjacent to the wellbore wall. The sealant 28 may also plug a portion of the cement sheath 10 b adjacent to the wellbore wall.
[0042] Alternatively, a pipe string is used instead of the coiled tubing 22 to transport the sealant into the wellbore 4 . The pipe string typically includes joints of drill pipe or production tubing connected together, such as by threaded couplings.
[0043] Alternatively, a cement plug is used instead of or in addition to the bridge plug 23 .
[0044] Alternatively, the well 2 may further include one or more intermediate casing strings between the surface 6 and production 7 casing strings and the sealant is squeezed into one or more annuli formed between the production casing string and the intermediate casing strings. Alternatively, the sealant is squeezed into an annulus formed between a liner string and a casing string and/or between the liner string and the wellbore wall.
[0045] Alternatively, the wellbore 4 may be subsea having a wellhead located adjacent to the seafloor and any of the sealing operations may be staged from an offshore drilling unit or an intervention vessel. Alternatively, the wellbore 4 may be subterranean and any of the sealing operations may be staged from drilling or workover rig located on a terrestrial pad adjacent thereto.
[0046] While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope of the invention is determined by the claims that follow. | A method for sealing a well includes: placing an obstruction in a bore of an inner tubular string disposed in a wellbore; forming an opening through a wall of the inner tubular string above the obstruction; mixing a resin and a hardener to form a sealant; and squeezing the sealant into the bore, through the opening, and into an annulus formed between the inner tubular string and an outer tubular string, thereby repairing a cement sheath present in the annulus. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A study for the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission by W. W. Zamula, "Room Heating Equipment Exposure Survey", March, 1989, shows that there are about 25 million fireplaces in America, but that they are little used for home heating. An example is the White House itself; which has 27 fireplaces but none has been used for wood-burning in the administration of the current President since Inauguration Day. The meager use of wood-burning fireplaces is an anomaly at a time when alternative energy sources are being eagerly sought to replace domestic supplies of fossil fuels, which are rapidly diminishing and will be gone in America early in the 21st century.
An estimate by a local mason in Austin, Tex., is that a fireplace costs about $4000 to build, so that the replacement value of America's fireplaces is in the neighborhood of 100 billion dollars--a huge sum to be playing a merely ornamental role in American homes. The potential value of this investment as a heat source is underscored by the advent of the present inventor's Slot Fire, U.S. Pat. No. 4069808, "Apparatus and Method for Combustion", which delivers about 5 kilowatts of radiant power, or a startling 125,000 megawatts for the country's installed fireplaces.
Experience of the last 20 years in the marketplace with introduction of the present inventor's Slot Fire invention teaches us the complexity of the issues involved in bringing America's fireplaces into more effective use. Some of the difficulties are beyond the reach of invention in the technical sense, and require suitable public and educational policies and commercial alliances and relationships.
In particular, it is necessary that the public learn that there is a very strong current of misinformation about fireplaces which maintains they are energy-counterproductive in a centrally heated home--that the warm air lost up the flue exceeds the heat benefit from the fire. This argument is made by promoters of various replacements for fireplaces, such as woodstoves, and even more effectively by their surrogates and dupes. In fact, the value of fireplaces as a means of conserving fuel in centrally heated homes was established by a World War II Study by K. Konzo and W. S. Harris of the University of Illinois Engineering Experiment Station in November, 1943, "Fuel Savings Resulting from Closing of Rooms and From Use of a Fireplace", Bulletin No. 348. The findings of the Study have never been disputed but have been substantially misrepresented to the public.
It is particularly unfortunate that much of the misinformation comes from those who promote use of woodstoves. Without citing evidence, they have fostered the argument that the fireplace is energy counter-productive and that the answer to the alleged inefficiencies of fireplaces is an "air-tight" woodstove. That argument has been so misleading and pervasive as to warrant coining the term "Anti-Fireplace Hoax" to describe it. At the same time the woodstove has proven itself to be such a serious source of chimney fires and atmospheric pollution as to have come under the regulation of the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency respectively, while fireplaces have not come under regulation by either, and the popularity of woodstoves is rapidly decreasing.
The fading of woodstoves as competitors of wood-burning fireplaces has been followed by a remarkable turn of events. Fireplaces are now being promoted as gas-burning appliances, with imitation ceramic or concrete logs placed on the hearth to simulate a wood fire. The supreme irony in this turn of events is that the wood-burning fireplace was an alternative to the rapidly depleting supply of fossil fuel, and that it is now being used to expedite that depletion|
The popularity of gas-burning in the fireplace with imitation logs must be seen as a back-handed tribute to the popularity of the authentic wood-burning fireplace, but also as an indication of the relative inconvenience of wood-burning.
The value of fireplaces as heating devices was very substantially enhanced by the present inventor's U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,808. "Apparatus and Method for Combustion". The present patent application discloses improvements in the prior apparatus based on 20 years of experience in the marketplace with that apparatus. The improvements greatly facilitate loading of the grate with wood fuel, greatly enhance its life against corrosion, and materially facilitate ash removal. To preserve and popularize the basic benefits of wood-burning as a source of alternative energy, the improvements proposed herein are both timely and necessary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objects of the invention are to assure easier handling of wood fuel required for proper Slot Fire operation, and assure longer life for fireplace grates generally, and in particular for the TEXAS FIREFRAME GRATE. This is the federally registered trademark for the fireplace accessory described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,808, that makes the Slot Fire a fire-making method proven by 20 years of experience to be decisively superior to traditional, conventional methods. Easier ash removal is a third objective of this invention.
It is an important objective of the grate pullout device disclosed herein to enable one to use back logs large enough (10 inches or more in diameter) that it will be practical with a single back log to operate the fire on an intermittent active- or stand-by basis for 24 hours or more. With the pullout grate according to the present invention, large weights of fuel logs are lifted and lowered vertically by arm and knee action and avoid the stresses to the spinal column of cantilever action. And lifting can be avoided altogether if a ramp is improvised to roll a large log from the floor onto the grate in the pull-out position.
It is pertinent to point out what is meant by "stand-by" operation. Any fire may be allowed to smolder--that is, burn slowly, or be effectively in a "stand-by" mode--the term "banking a fire" is sometimes used--and then be fed fresh fuel to increase its combustion rate and heat production. If the lower front logs of the Slot Fire are allowed to burn out without replacement, the hot coals which have been formed on the back log are the means which enable full flaming and heat production to occur rapidly when those front logs are replaced. Hence the key to the initial life of a Slot Fire is the size of its back log. Although the back log itself can be replaced and a Slot Fire continued indefinitely, if we assume that one's object is to have a 24-hour fire with a single back log, the size of that log is critical, and the convenient means of installing it described in this invention is a matter of substantial practical usefulness and importance.
Replacement of the front and upper logs of the Slot Fire can be accomplished with ease since they weigh much less than the back log. Thus it is not contemplated that the pullout feature will be used except for initial loading of the back log, and that the grate will not be pulled out at all during operation of the fire.
When fireplaces provide a major source of home heat in the cold season, as envisaged in this and the present inventor's prior invention of the Slot Fire, the longevity of the grate becomes a matter of importance. What limits the lifetime of grates is corrosion by the chemical ingredients of wood ashes and deformation of the grate structure. Both effects are strongly accelerated when the elements of the grate are at high temperature. It is a second object of this invention to extend the lifetime of fireplace grates generally, and of the TEXAS FIREFRAME GRATE family in particular.
This invention provides a design of pullout device which at the same time solves the two problems which cause early burn-out of grates--contact with wood ashes, which often have corrosive chemical interaction with the iron used universally in grates, and high temperature, which accelerates the rate of corrosive interaction and leads to deformation of the grate structure. It should be kept in mind that the temperatures of a fireplace grate increase from front to back, and from the sides toward the middle, so that the hottest part is the middle of the back portion.
Typically a grate is supported on relatively slender metal legs that rest on a floor of thermally insulating brick. The total cross-sectional area of the legs which support a grate in contact with the floor of the fireplace may be no more than 2 square inches. Thus, thermally speaking, a grate is virtually suspended in air-filled space. Conduction of heat away from the hottest portions of the grate is therefore severely limited. Conduction cooling also occurs by air inflow to the grate from the room, but this is subject to constriction as ashes accumulate under the grate. Cooling by radiation is efficient only at elevated temperatures, which is the very condition to be avoided. Thus a grate can literally cooks itself to death in a time period which may be as short as one year under very heavy, daily use.
This invention radically increases heat conduction away from the hottest portions of the grate by establishing good thermal contact between the feet of the grate and the thermally conducting platform on which they rest. More important still is the concept of making good thermal contact between the grate support member of the Texas Fireframe grate, which has a flat, vertical area of 2×21 inches (42 square inches), and a heat-conducting member of the base of the grate pullout and life-extender apparatus described in the preferred embodiment of this invention. And finally, instead of a 2 square-inch area of contact between the grate and the floor of the fireplace, the area of contact of the base of the preferred embodiment of the pullout and life-extender apparatus with the floor of the fireplace is 45 square inches. By lowering peak temperatures particularly in that middle part of the grate support member, which otherwise reaches very high temperatures, this invention assures reliable extension of the life of the grate against corrosion and deformation so that its lifetime may be responsibly warranted for extended periods even with heavy, daily usage.
Elevation of the grate above the floor of the fireplace by the base and pullout platform assures access of cooling room-air to the back of the fireplace in the space between the top of an accumulating ash heap and the bottom of the grate, and makes ash-cleaning less frequently necessary to preserve air access. An elevation of 4 inches also assures clearance of the platform in its pulled-out position over the barrier that might be presented by the frame of commercial glass doors that are in place in front of many American fireplaces. But the means of cooling the grate by thermal conduction through solid materials described above should be more reliable and effective in controlling grate temperature than air cooling.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric drawing of the pullout fireplace grate according to the principles of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a partially exploded isometric drawing of the pullout fireplace grate shown in FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As shown in FIG. 1, a TEXAS FIREFRAME GRATE, Model KS-25, 1, designed to support fuel to be used in the fireplace, is removably attached to a metal grate-support platform 2, which is removably attached to a base, 3, that rests on the floor of the fireplace 4.
The grate has front legs 1a, rear legs 1b, and a grate support structure 1c, to which a plurality of log-supporting ribs 1d are attached.
The platform, 2, consists of a front cross piece 2a, which supports the front legs, 1a, of the grate, and a back cross-piece, 2b, fitted with receptacles 2c which removably engage the back legs, 1b, of said grate. Said cross pieces are both welded to a left and right channel 2d, which ride on and are engaged by the edges, 3a, of the metal base rails, 3b, attached to the base, 3, which itself rests on the floor of the fireplace, 4.
To pull out the grate from the fireplace while the base remains in place, the platform, 2, is easily movable by an in-and-out sliding motion, like the familiar drawer in a cabinet, by means of platform channels 2d, which slide easily on the fixed rails 3c of the base when lubricated by graphite lubricant. The base, 3, is fixed in the fireplace by inertia and by friction, or by special means of attachment to the floor of the fireplace. The metal base, 3, supports and elevates the grate, 1, and its sliding platform, 2, providing at least four inches of elevation of the grate above the floor of the fireplace in addition to the elevation supplied by the platform and by the two rear legs, 1a, and the two front legs 1b, of the grate itself; for a total elevation of the grate, 1, above the floor of the fireplace 4 of at least seven inches.
The metal base and platform provide an added function of heat transfer which is novel and unique to this invention, and contributes to extension of grate lifetime by moderating its temperatures during operation. The base 3 and platform 2 described herein are fabricated of heat-conducting material such as iron, in thicknesses which assure efficient heat transfer by thermal conduction. The base and platform, which extend from the back of the fireplace to the front, provide an efficient and novel means of conducting heat from the high temperature back of the fireplace, 4a, to the much cooler front portion 4b, and to the fireplace floor, 4, thereby moderating the temperatures reached at the back by the grate support member 2b and its environment.
The temperature-moderating role of the base 3 is particularly important. The base consists of two substantial elements of iron channel, 3b, whose upper edges are the rails which engage the sliding components of the support platform. These elements are connected at the back of the fireplace by a substantial iron plate, 3b, to make a "U" shaped structure opening to the front of the fireplace, 4b. This structure not only supports the platform, but it acts as a counterweight to the grate and its load when they are in the pullout position. Heat transfer from the grate to the base is by radiation and by conduction, particularly through the back legs of the grate, 1a, to the sliding support, 2, and thence to the base, 3, with its large area of contact with the floor of the fireplace 4. To assure fullest thermal contact between the hottest portion of the grate, which is the grate support member, 1c, and the base 3, the latter has an upward extending section, 3c, detachable for ease of packaging by means of fingers 3d. Element 3c makes thermal contact with the grate support member 1c when the grate 1 is pushed fully into its operational position in the fireplace. The user of this appliance should readily recover its cost by extending the life of the grate. The grate and its support should be thought of as a thermally integral, functional unit. The unit weighs about 60 pounds.
The subject invention lends itself to use with almost any design of grate now in general use in the marketplace, with the same benefits described above: ease of fuel loading and extension of the lifetime of the grate under heavy use. The modifications necessary to adapt the invention to any particular grate will be evident to anyone skilled in the art and to common sense. The only modifications required are such as to assure firm mounting of a grate on the grate platform by means of suitably shaped and placed receptacles or other means of attachment to the legs of the grate. | An apparatus is described that enables the user to pull a fireplace grate partially out of a fireplace for ease of loading with fuel, and then to push the fuel-loaded grate back into the fire-making position. The apparatus consists of a platform on whose top surface are receptacles which receive the feet of the grate. The platform engages and slides on rails attached to a base resting on the floor of a fireplace. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing a friction material for use as a disc pad, a brake shoe, or the like in the brakes of various vehicles, industrial machines, etc.
2. Related Art
Friction materials such as disc pads, brake shoes, and the like for use in the brakes of various vehicles, industrial machines, etc. have conventionally been produced by bonding two members to each other.
As shown in FIG. 10, a friction material is typically produced in the following manner. A metallic backing plate is produced which has been formed into a given shape by, e.g., sheet metal pressing and has undergone degreasing, priming, and coating with an adhesive (line (A)). Separately, a molding compound is prepared by mixing a fibrous reinforcement, e.g., heat-resistant organic fibers, inorganic fibers, or metallic fibers, with powdery starting materials comprising an inorganic/organic filler, a friction modifier, a thermosetting resin binder, etc., and sufficiently homogenizing the mixture by stirring, and then forming the molding compound at a room temperature and a given pressure to produce a preform (line (B)). The preform is heat-formed together with the metallic backing plate in a heat-forming step at a given temperature and pressure to integrally bond the two members to each other, and the integrated members are subjected to aftercuring and then final finishing to produce a friction material (line (C)).
In these conventional processes for producing friction materials, preforms and backing plates are produced in separate lines, as described above, and stored. Since the preforms and backing plates are generally stored at ambient temperature in factories or facilities, the temperature of the two kinds of members normally fluctuates with the ambient temperature of the storage place. Typically, the temperature of the stored members may fluctuate in the range of from 10 to 35° C. over a year.
In the heat-forming step, a preform and a backing plate are fitted to a heat-forming mold and maintained at a given temperature for a given period while applying a pressure thereto.
Under these circumstances, the backing plate and the preform may in summer have a temperature of around 35° C., which is the storage temperature when these members are fitted to a mold. On the other hand, these members can have a temperature of around 10° C. in winter. The heat energy necessary for heat-forming hence varies considerably from season to season. If the same heat-forming conditions for summer are used in winter, the preform and the backing plate are underheated, often resulting in separation between the two members. Conversely, if the same heat-forming conditions for winter are used in summer, the preform and the backing plate are excessively heated, so that the preform part tends to develop defects such as swelling, cracks, etc.
When friction materials are produced under heat-forming conditions that are changed seasonally, troublesome temperature control is necessary.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to simplify the temperature control conducted in a heat-forming step and to provide high-quality friction materials having stable physical properties and performances.
The above object is accomplished with a process for producing a friction material, according to the present invention, comprising a preform of a friction material molding compound bonded by heat-forming to a preheated metallic backing plate, which has been formed into a given shape and has undergone degreasing and priming, wherein the preheated metallic backing plate has been preheated to a temperature about equal to the heat-forming temperature to be used.
According to the above process for producing a friction material of the present invention, heat-forming can be conducted under constant temperature conditions, even when the ambient temperature varies, by preheating a primed metallic backing plate to a temperature about equal to the heat-forming temperature to be used. Hence, seasonal temperature control is unnecessary and friction materials having consistent qualities are obtained. Furthermore, the time required for the heat-forming step can be reduced. In addition, a reduction in production cost can also be attained, because the primer ingredient may function as an adhesive eliminating the necessity of applying an adhesive, as is done conventionally.
The present invention also includes a process for producing a friction material, which comprises preheating a metallic backing plate which has been formed into a given shape and has undergone degreasing and priming to a temperature about equal to the heat-forming temperature to be used, forming an adhesive layer on a preform of a friction material molding compound, and integrally bonding the preform to the preheated backing plate by heat-forming.
According to this process for producing a friction material of the present invention, heat-forming can be conducted under constant conditions, even when the storage temperature of the backing plate and friction material preform varies, by preheating a primed metallic backing plate, prior to the heat-forming step, to a temperature about equal to the heat-forming temperature to be used. Hence, seasonal temperature control is unnecessary and friction materials having constant quality are obtained. Furthermore, the time required for the heat-forming step can be reduced. Two embodiments of the present invention are described below. One embodiment does not employ an adhesive layer in heat-forming the primed metallic backing plate to the preform of friction material. The other embodiment forms an adhesive layer on the preform of friction material prior to its heat-forming to the primed metallic backing plate. The addition of the adhesive layer in the second embodiment helps form a tenacious bond between the preform of friction material and the primed metallic backing plate.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.
The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate two embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing steps for carrying out the first embodiment of the process for producing a friction material according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating an example of a backing plate.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a preform for a friction material.
FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating the backing plate and the friction material preform which have been integrated with each other.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing steps for carrying out the second embodiment of the process for producing a friction material according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating an example of a backing plate.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a preform for a friction material.
FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating the backing plate and the friction material preform which have been integrated with each other.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line A--A in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing steps for carrying out a conventional process for producing a friction material.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The process for producing a friction material by integrally bonding a preform of a friction material molding compound by heat-forming to a preheated metallic backing plate, which has been formed into a given shape and has undergone degreasing and priming, will be explained below.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating one embodiment of the friction material production process of the present invention. This embodiment includes a backing plate processing line (A), a preforming line (B) for producing a friction material preform, and a heat-forming line (C) for producing a product from the processed members respectively obtained in the lines (A) and (B).
Each step will be explained below with respect to a disc brake pad as an example of the friction material.
The backing plate processing line (A) primarily includes the steps of sheet metal pressing, degreasing, priming, and backing plate preheating.
In the step of sheet metal pressing, a backing plate material selected beforehand is formed by pressing, or similar procedures to produce a backing plate 1 which, for example, has the nearly rectangular shape shown in FIG. 2 having openings 2 in given positions.
In the degreasing step, grease and other substances adhering to the backing plate 1 from the pressing are removed with a detergent.
In the priming step, a phenolic resin primer is applied to the degreased backing plate 1 over its whole surface as shown by broken lines in FIG. 2. The coating is dried and heated at about 180 to 200° C. for about 1 hour to cure the primer. Thus, a primer layer 3 is formed.
The embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is characterized by preheating the backing plate 1, which has already undergone the priming step, before sending the backing plate to the heat-forming line (C), which will be described later.
In the step of preheating the backing plate, the backing plate 1 having the primer layer 3 formed thereon is heated to a temperature of about the heat-forming temperature to be used, which may be, for example, 150 to 200° C. Methods for the preheating are not particularly limited. For example, use may be made of a method in which the primed backing plate 1 is placed in a microwave (or conventional) oven, or a method in which the primed backing plate 1 is placed on a hot plate.
According to this embodiment, the coating with an adhesive which is conducted in conventional processes is unnecessary (see FIG. 5), whereby the production cost can be reduced.
The preheated backing plate 1 is rapidly sent to the heat-forming step while keeping the plate 1 in its preheated state.
The preforming line (B) for producing a friction material preform primarily includes the steps of metering and mixing starting materials, stirring the mixture, and preforming the resultant molding compound. These steps can be conducted according to conventional techniques for friction material production.
For example, a fibrous reinforcement, such as heat- resistant organic fibers, inorganic fibers, or metallic fibers, powdery starting materials including an inorganic/organic filler, a friction modifier, a solid lubricant, and a thermosetting resin binder, are mixed in a given proportion. The resultant mixture is sufficiently homogenized by stirring to prepare a molding compound.
Examples of the organic filler include synthetic rubber particles and cashew dusts. Examples of the inorganic filler include particles of a metal such as copper, aluminum, or zinc, flaky inorganic substances such as vermiculite and mica, and particles of barium sulfate or calcium carbonate. Examples of the organic fibers include aromatic polyamide fibers and flameproofed acrylic fibers. Examples of the inorganic fibers include ceramic fibers such as potassium titanate fibers and alumina fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, and rock wool. Examples of the metallic fibers include copper fibers and steel fibers.
Examples of the thermosetting resin binder include phenolic resins (including straight phenolic resins and various modified phenolic resins, e.g., rubber-modified ones), melamine resins, epoxy resins, and cyanic ester resins.
Examples of the friction modifier include metal oxides such as alumina, silica, and zirconia. Examples of the solid lubricant include graphite and molybdenum disulfide.
Subsequently, the molding compound is molded in a mold at a room temperatures and a pressure of about from 100 to 500 kgf/cm 2 to produce a preform 4 which, for example, may have the shape shown in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, numeral 5 denotes a projection to be fitted into one of the openings 2 of the backing plate 1 shown in FIG. 1.
The backing plate 1 and the friction material preform 4 that have been treated or produced by the method described above are subsequently sent to the heat-forming line (C). This heat-forming line primarily includes a heat-forming step, a heating step, and a finishing step.
In the heat-forming step, the preheated backing plate 1, heated to a temperature of from 150 to 200° C. is first set in a hot press while keeping the plate 1 in its preheated state. The preform 4 is then placed thereon. The resultant assemblage was maintained at a heat-forming temperature, which, for example, may be about from 150 to 200° C., and a given pressure for a given period to thereby heat-cure the preform 4 and, simultaneously therewith, integrally bond the preform 4 to the backing plate 1 without using an adhesive.
According to the present invention, heat-forming is completed in a short time period because the backing plate 1 used for the heat-forming is in a preheated state. Hence, a considerable time reduction is attained in the heat-forming step.
Thereafter, the integrated members are postcured in the heating step and then finished in the finishing step in conventional manners to complete a disc pad 6 shown in FIG. 4.
The quantity of heat required in the heat-forming step for producing one automotive disc pad (backing plate/asbestos-free friction material) in each of summer and winter was calculated for both this embodiment of the present invention, and a conventional process for making a friction material. Specifically, unlike the conventional process for making friction material, the present invention requires preheating the metallic backing plate prior to heat-forming the preform of friction material molding compound to it. The results of the calculations are shown below. For the calculations, the ambient temperatures in summer and winter were regarded as 35° C. and 10° C., respectively, the weight and specific heat of the backing plate were taken as 240 g and 0.45 J/kg, respectively, and the weight and specific heat of the friction material were taken as 120 g and 0.7 J/kg, respectively.
The results of the calculations are shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1______________________________________unit: joule (J) With backing plate Without backing preheating plate preheating Ambient Ambient Ambient Ambient temper- temper- temper- temper- ature, ature, ature, ature, 35° C. 10° C. 35° C. 10° C. (summer) (winter) (summer) (winter)______________________________________(1) Backing 0 0 12 15 plate (J) (2) Friction 10 12 10 12 material (J) Total 10 (3) 12 (4) 22 (5) 27 (6) ((1) + (2)) (J) Comparison in 45% 44% -- -- Quantity of ((3)/(5)) ((4)/(6)) heat with "without backing plate heating"Difference in 2 5 quantity of ((4) - (3)) ((6) - (5)) heat between summer and winter (J)______________________________________
Table 1 shows that the difference in the quantity of required heat between summer and winter was 2 J in this embodiment of the present invention, in which the backing plate was preheated, but was as large as 5 J in the case where the preheating was omitted. These results show that in this embodiment of the present invention, more stable production is possible throughout the year.
Moreover, by preheating the metallic backing plate, a reduction in energy required to heat form the friction material was achieved. The reduction in energy required was 45% and 44% in summer and winter, respectively.
Accordingly, the time required for the heat-forming step was 10 minutes in the case where backing plate preheating was omitted. In contrast, in this embodiment of the present invention, in which the backing plate was preheated, a sufficient bonding strength between the backing plate and the friction material preform was obtained through about 7-minute heat-forming. It was thus ascertained that a reduction in heat-forming time was achieved.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating the second embodiment of the friction material production process of the present invention. Like the first embodiment, this embodiment involves a backing plate processing line (A), a preforming line (B) for producing a friction material preform, and a heat-forming line (C) for producing a product from the processed members respectively obtained in the lines (A) and (B).
Each step will be explained below with respect to a disc brake pad as an example of the friction material, as in the case of the first embodiment.
The backing plate processing line (A) primarily includes the steps of sheet metal pressing, degreasing, priming, and backing plate preheating.
In the step of sheet metal pressing, a backing plate material selected beforehand is formed by pressing, etc. to produce a backing plate 11 which, for example, may have the nearly rectangular shape shown in FIG. 6 having openings 12 in given positions.
In the degreasing step, the grease and other substances that adhered to the backing plate 11 in the pressing are removed with a detergent.
In the priming step, a phenolic resin primer is applied to the degreased backing plate 11 over its whole surface shown by broken lines in FIG. 6. The coating is dried and heated at about 180 to 200° C. for about 1 hour to cure the primer. Thus, a primer layer 13 is formed.
This embodiment is characterized in that the backing plate 11 which has undergone the priming step is preheated before being sent to the heat-forming line (C), which will be described later.
In this step of backing plate preheating, the backing plate 11 having the primer layer 13 formed thereon is heated to a temperature of about from 150 to 200° C., which is about equal to the heat-forming temperature to be used. Since the heat-forming temperature varies depending on the kind of the friction material preform described below, the temperature at which the backing plate 11 is heated in this step of backing plate preheating is suitably selected accordingly from the range about from 150 to 200° C. As a result of this preheating, the backing plate 11 comes to have a temperature about equal to the heat-forming temperature to be used, which, for example, may be about from 150 to 200° C. Methods for the heating are not particularly limited. For example, use may be made of a method in which the primed backing plate 11 is placed in a microwave (or conventional) oven, or a method in which the primed backing plate 11 is placed on a hot plate.
The preheated backing plate 11 is rapidly sent to the heat-forming step while maintaining its temperature about equal to the heat-forming temperature.
The preforming line (B) for producing a friction material preform primarily includes the steps of metering and mixing starting materials, stirring the mixture, preforming the resultant molding compound, and coating with an adhesive.
In this preforming line (B), a molding compound is first prepared, for example, in the following manner. A fibrous reinforcement, such as heat-resistant organic fibers, inorganic fibers, or metallic fibers, powdery starting materials including. an inorganic/organic filler, a friction modifier, a solid lubricant, and a thermosetting resin binder, are mixed in a given proportion The resultant mixture is sufficiently homogenized by stirring to prepare a molding compound.
Examples of the organic filler include synthetic rubber particles and cashew dusts. Examples of the inorganic filler include particles of a metal such as copper, aluminum, or zinc, flaky inorganic substances such as vermiculite and mica, and particles of barium sulfate or calcium carbonate. Examples of the organic fibers include aromatic polyamide fibers and flameproofed acrylic fibers. Examples of the inorganic fibers include ceramic fibers such as potassium titanate fibers and alumina fibers, glass fibers, carbon fibers, and rock wool. Examples of the metallic fibers include copper fibers and steel fibers.
Examples of the thermosetting resin binder include phenolic resins (including straight phenolic resins and various modified phenolic resins, e.g., rubber-modified ones), melamine resins, epoxy resins, and cyanic ester resins.
Examples of the friction modifier include metal oxides such as alumina, silica, and zirconia. Examples of the solid lubricant include graphite and molybdenum disulfide.
Subsequently, the molding compound is molded in a mold at a room temperature and a pressure of about from 100 to 500 kgf/cm 2 to produce a preform 14 which, for example, may have the shape shown in FIG. 7. In FIG. 7, numeral 15 denotes a projection to be fitted into one of the openings 12 of the backing plate 11 shown in FIG. 6.
An adhesive layer 16 is formed on the preform 14 on the side having the projections 15. In a conventional process, an adhesive is applied to a backing plate 11 as shown in FIG. 10. In the present invention, however, an adhesive is applied not to the backing plate 11 but rather to the preform 14 to form an adhesive layer 16 thereon, because the backing plate 11 has been preheated as described above.
For forming the adhesive layer 16, a conventional adhesive in a powder or sheet form may be used.
The backing plate 11 and the friction material preform 14 which have been treated or produced by the method described above are subsequently sent to the heat-forming line (C). This heat-forming line primarily includes a heat-forming step, a heating step, and a finishing step.
In the heat-forming step, the preheated backing plate 11 heated to a temperature of about from 150 to 200° C. is first set in a hot press while maintaining its temperature about equal to a heat-forming temperature. The preform 14 is then placed thereon.
Subsequently, the resultant assemblage was maintained at a heat-forming temperature, which, for example, may be about from 150 to 200° C., and a given pressure (200 to 1,000 kgf/cm 2 ) for a given period (3 to 15 minutes) to thereby heat-form the preform 14 and, simultaneously integrally bond the preform 14 to the backing plate 11.
According to this embodiment, the assemblage can be heated to the heat-forming temperature in a short time period because the backing plate 11 used for the heat-forming has been preheated to a temperature about equal to the heat-forming temperature. Hence, a considerable time reduction is attained in the whole heat-forming step.
Thereafter, the integrated members are aftercured in the heating step and then finished in the finishing step in conventional manners to complete a disc pad 17 shown in FIG. 8.
As shown in its sectional view given in FIG. 9, this disc pad 17 is constituted of the backing plate 11 and the preform 14, which have been bonded to each other with the adhesive layer 16 formed on the preform 14.
The quantity of heat required for producing one automotive disc pad (backing plate/asbestos-free friction material) in both summer and winter was calculated with respect to this embodiment of the process for friction material production according to the present invention. The calculation results obtained were the same as those for the first embodiment.
As explained above, according to the present invention, friction material products of constant quality can be produced stably throughout the year at a wide range of ambient temperatures without the necessity of seasonal temperature control in the heat-forming step. A reduction in the time required for the heat-forming step can also be attained. In the first embodiment, there is no need of using an adhesive, unlike conventional processes, so a reduction in production cost can be attained. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, a friction material in which a backing plate and a preform have been tenaciously bonded to each other is obtained since the preform has been coated with an adhesive.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the process for producing a friction material of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. | A process for producing a friction material is disclosed, which comprises integrally bonding a preform of a friction material molding compound by heat-forming to a metallic backing plate which has been formed into a given shape and has undergone degreasing and priming, said heat-forming being conducted after the backing plate has been preheated to a temperature about equal to the heat-forming temperature to be used. The process is effective in simplifying the temperature control conducted in the heat-forming step and in providing high-quality friction materials always having stable physical properties and performances. | 5 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integratable semi-conductor memory cell having two bipolar transistors which are identical with one another and whose collectors are connected in series with respective circuit portions which have a non-linear current characteristic, and in which the circuit portions are connected in common to a first electrical potential and are respectively connected to the base of the opposite transistor, and more particularly to such a circuit in which an emitter of each of the transistors is provided for receiving logic control signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Memory cells of the type mentioned above are generally described in the German Published Application No. 17 74 929 and in the German Patent No. 2,204,562. The non-linear circuit portion in the current supply circuit of the collectors of both transistors, in the first case, is a diode having a pn-junction, and in the second case is a diode having a Schottky contact. In each case, the transistors are provided with two emitters, whereby one emitter each of the one transistor is connected to one emitter each of the second transistor and are connected to a second electrical potential, while the unconnected emitters of the transistors are used as inputs for receiving logic control signals.
A further improvement in circuits of the type mentioned above is illustrated in FIG. 1. The improvement relates to a double emitter memory cell having a pn diode load and a resistor connected in parallel with the diode load. The advantage of such arrangements lies in load dissipation losses, particularly in the rest condition of the memory cell, as well as in a good possibility of realization as a monolithically integrated semi-conductor circuit. In a selected state, such a memory cell can consume high currents, so that the recording and reading of data in memories integrated from such memory cells can be accomplished at a very high speed. The embodiment represented in FIG. 1 distinguishes itself additionally by a minimum of quiescent current, a favorable recording pulse width and good packing density.
According to the circuit illustrated in FIG. 1, a connection point A carrying the first electrical potential is connected by way of respective diodes D 1 and D 2 , poled in the forward direction, and a series resistor R S1 and R S2 , respectively, at the collectors of the npn transistors T 1 and T 2 . In addition, the collector of each of the two transistors is connected, by way of an additional ohmic resistor R P1 and R P2 to the point A. Finally, each collector is connected to the base of the other transistor so that both the transistors are cross-coupled.
Both of the transistors T 1 and T 2 are provided with two emitters. One emitter of each transistor is connected to a like emitter of the other transistor and in common therewith to a second switching terminal B, while the other emitters of the transistors receive logic control signals at the respective inputs L 1 and L 2 .
The voltage ΔU between the collectors of the transistors T 1 and T 2 is critical for the electrical performance of such a memory cell. In FIG. 2 the function of the current I Z flowing by way of both the terminals A and B is illustrated. If the resistors R S1 and R S2 have the value zero, the parallel resistors R P1 and R P2 a value of infinity, so that the collectors of the transistors T 1 and T 2 are merely connected to the point A by way of both diodes D 1 and D 2 , the voltage ΔU is independent of the current I Z , that is a straight line extending parallel with the abscissa at a distance of less than 0.1 volt. It should be noted in this respect that on the abscissa of the natural logarithm of the current value is plotted, while the ordinate ΔU is linear.
It would be desirable for the voltage ΔU to have values higher than 0.1. This is accomplished by the resistors provided in FIG. 1. However, as can be seen from FIG. 2, the voltage ΔU no longer remains connected purely exponentially with the memory cell current I Z ; rather, the operating condition for the memory cell depends to a large extent on the operating point set by the resistors R S and R P , because the recording pulse width, the scope of parasitic substrate currents and the static freedom from interference depend on the voltage ΔU. Moreover, a switching relation between the rest current and the operating current exceeding beyond the value 100 cannot be set safely without problems.
In the curves for ΔU shown in the diagram according to FIG. 2, in each case the value shown in the diagram and indicated at the curve involved is used for the two parallel resistors R P1 and R P2 , while the series resistors R S1 and R S2 are determined to be 300 ohms, the temperature voltage U T of the diodes D 1 and D 2 is determined to be 28 millivolts, the saturation current I o for the individual diode is 0.3×10 -15 amps and the static amplification of each of the two transistors T 1 and T 2 is determined to be 20. The curves were derived by computation and verified experimentally.
Bearing in mind that such a memory cell is consolidated in the art with a multiplicity of identical memory cells, integrated monolithically into a memory matrix and since, moreover, for static reasons it is almost impossible that in the manufacture of such a matrix via all points to be subjected to a certain production apparatus, of a semi-conductor disc, identical conditions will prevail everywhere, the behavior of the voltage ΔU between the collectors of both transistors T 1 and T 2 of an apparatus according to FIG. 1 is unfavorable.
If, on the other hand, the use of the resistors R S1 , R S2 , R P1 , R P2 is waived, so that the power supply of both the transistors T 1 and T 2 is accomplished exclusively by way of the two diodes D 1 and D 2 equipped either as pn diodes or Schottky diodes, in fact the voltage ΔU becomes independent of the setting of the operating point of the memory cell involved. However, the slope of the characteristic curve is too small and thus the voltage ΔU is too low to assure an adequate static and dynamic freedom from interference of the memory cell and thus of the entire memory at the desired high densities of integration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It would therefore be desirable for the voltage ΔU between the collectors of the transistors to be analogous with the case of the use of a diode D 1 and/or D 2 without the resistors R S and R P , independent of the logarithm of the operating current I Z , but if on the other hand, the value of this voltage ΔU were higher than 0.1 volt.
In this respect, it is proposed, according to the present invention, that the circuit portion located between the collector of each of the transistors T 1 and T 2 and the point A carrying the first electrical potential be selected in such a manner that the slope dU/dI of the current-voltage characteristic will always be higher than the slope at the corresponding current values in the current-voltage characteristic of the pn-junctions of the emitter-base circuit of both transistors T 1 and T 2 .
This means, in other words, that the slope of the voltage along the individual circuit portion is greater at all points of its current-voltage characteristic than that of a simple pn diode and/or a Schottky diode.
This object is achieved most simply and most favorably by connecting the collectors of both transistors T 1 and T 2 by way of two or more diodes, connected in series in each case, most advantageously via diodes of the Schottky type, to the point A which carries the first potential. It is appropriate to forego the use of additional ohmic resistors, perhaps of the type represented in FIG. 1, as thereby again additional fluctuations could be induced. Therefore, it is most favorable for the characteristic of the circuit portions located between the point A and the collector of the transistors involved to have a purely exponential character.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention, its organization, construction and operation will be best understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, on which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of an improved two-transistor memory cell;
FIG. 2 is a graphic illustration of the voltage ΔU plotted with respect to the total current I Z , i.e. a current-voltage characteristic;
FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram of an embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a monolithically integrated semi-conductor circuit constructed in accordance with the invention; and
FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the parting line I--I' of FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Particularly favorable results were obtained with a memory cell constructed in accordance with FIG. 3. The memory cell only differs from the arrangement represented in FIG. 1 by the circuit portion between the point A and the collectors of the transistors T 1 and T 2 .
In fact, the memory cell comprises for each of these circuit portions, two Schottky diodes SD 1 , SD 1 * and SD 2 , SD 2 *. The voltage ΔU obtained with the aid of such a design is remarkably higher than in the case of a single diode, namely at the horizontal straight line L illustrated by dots and dashes in FIG. 2, that is between 0.2 and 0.3 volts. By using, in each case, three diodes connected in series and in the direction of current flow, the voltage ΔU still becomes greater.
Regarding the manner of operation of a circuit constructed in accordance with the present invention, the following consideration is provided as an explanation. For the static current amplification B of the transistor T 1 and/or the transistor T 2 , the following equation applies.
B=(I.sub.C /I.sub.B)=constant.
In addition, and as can be seen from FIG. 3, the following relationship also applies.
ΔU=U.sub.C -U.sub.B.
The diode line of characteristics produces the following relationships.
I.sub.C =I.sub.o exp (U.sub.C :U.sub.T) and/or
I.sub.B =I.sub.o exp (U.sub.B :U.sub.T)
(U T =thermal voltage of the diode).
From the foregoing it can be immediately concluded that:
I.sub.C :I.sub.B =exp ((U.sub.C -U.sub.B):U.sub.T) and
log nat B=ΔU:U.sub.T and
ΔU=U.sub.T. log nat B.
If there are two diodes, the voltage U T and also the voltage ΔU will double.
If there is, for example, a value for current amplification B of 200, the associated voltage U becomes 318 mV and if the amplification B has a value of 100, the voltage ΔU becomes 276 mV, and with an amplification factor of 50 the voltage ΔU becomes 235 mV. The voltage U T increases with rising temperature. The value of the voltage U T =30 mV was determined at one diode by means of 3-connected diodes.
With respect to the realization of a memory cell constructed in accordance with the present invention in a monolithically integrated form a number of possibilities exist. However, in the present case only one possibility shall be discussed which assures a particularly high packing density and which also permits fabrication in the so-called 3D technique, that is by three times redoping, so that it is possible to carry out the process without the use of an epitaxial technique.
This method comprises producing at a planar surface of a semi-conductor crystal Si (FIGS. 4 and 5) of one conductivity type, four zones Z 1 , Z 1 * and Z 2 , Z 2 * in each case arranged with respect to each other approximately like a four-leaf clover, but separated from one another by the original conductivity type of material, the four zones being of the opposite conductivity type and produced by masked diffusion and/or ion implantation and by further redoping processes within a first one of these redoped zones, for example, the zone Z 1 , as well as within a second zone adjacent the redoped zones, Z 2 for example one of each of the two transistors T 1 and T 2 as well as one each Schottky diode SD 1 * and/or SD 2 * are produced in such a manner that the Schottky diode and the collector of the relevant transistor are connected in series and the Schottky diode is located in the flow direction with respect to the collector of the transistor involved. Moreover, for the production of a second Schottky diode SD 1 and/or SD 2 are each of the other two zones SD 1 * and SD 2 * originating from the first redoping process, the zones being of the conductivity type opposite to that of the semi-conductor crystal Si, a Schottky contact is likewise applied and finally the electrical connections are produced between both of the transistors T 1 , T 2 and the Schottky diodes by conductive paths applied to an insulating layer covering the semi-conductor body and insulated with regard to each other at the points of intersection.
This leads, for example, to an embodiment as can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, FIG. 5 being a longitudinal section taken along the parting line I--I' of FIG. 4.
Beginning with a p-doped silicon crystal Si, four zones Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 1 *, Z 2 *, separated from each other, are produced by localized redoping on a planar surface of the crystal. The zones, viewed from above, are placed in relation to each other approximately in the manner of a four-leaf clover. The zones Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 1 *, Z 2 * which remain clearly separated by strips of the original p-doping remaining therebetween (even if the width of these strips is made as small as possible in the interest of packing density being as large as possible) receive a donor excess and thus become n-conductive, with doping being adjusted in such a manner that each of the zones can be processed further into a collector or an npn transistor. This is the first part of the 3D process.
The second step of the process is in accordance with that described in the German Patent Application P No. 26 10 208.9-33 and is recommended to improve the insulation between two adjacent zones of each of these four zones of the opposite conductivity type, that is in the case of the example the n-type. This is accomplished by a respective trench iS produced between the zones Z 1 and Z 1 * and between the zones Z 2 and Z 2 *, the trench then being filled with insulating material, particularly SiO 2 .
The second part of the actual 3D process which follows the production of the insulating trenches iS relates to the production of the base zones B Z1 and B Z2 of the two transistors T 1 and T 2 by the localized introduction of acceptor material into the two adjacent zones created by the first redoping process. In this example, the zones Z 1 and Z 2 are used for this purpose.
The third part of the 3D process relates to the production of the total of the four emitter zones E Z of the two transistors as well as of one contacting zone K Z in each of the two zones not to be completed into a transistor and originating from the first read open process, that is of the zones Z 1 * and Z 2 * and in the remaining portions of Z 1 and Z 2 .
Following the removal of the diffusion and implantation masks (the thick insulating layer in the trenches iS is preserved to a large extent by corresponding synchronization of the etching time and/or the etching means) the surface of the total arrangement is covered with a pure SiO 2 layer O, in which the contacting windows lead through the preserved portions of the transistor collector zones formed by the redoped zones Z 1 and Z 2 , of the base zones B Z1 , B Z2 , of the two transistors T 1 , T 2 to the emitter zones E Z1 , E Z1 *, E Z2 , E Z2 * of the two transistors. In addition, discrete windows are produced for the four contacting zones K Z which, like the emitter zones, are of the n + -type.
It should be pointed out in this connection that for the contacting of the two collector zones the n + -doped contact zones K Z produced in the two collector zones are provided, while the two contact windows leading directly to the only n-doped portion of the collector zones are used to produce each Schottky diode.
It is recommended to complete the contacts K 1 , K 2 to the collector zones, B 1 and B 2 to the base zones, E 1 , E 1 *, E 2 and E 2 *, as well as the Schottky contacts for the Schottky diodes SD 1 , SD 1 *, SD 2 and SD 2 * in a single metallizing process. In order to achieve this goal, the donor doping of the four zones Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 1 * and Z 2 * is adjusted outside the n + -doped contacting zones K 2 produced therein in that the layer of contacting metal to be applied by vaporization and/or sputtering and/or by electrolytic separation and to be sintered forms a rectifying Schottky contact, while the portions of this metal layer applied simultaneously at the contacting zones K Z only lead to one contact free from blockage. Aluminum, but also platinum, palladium, chrome and titanium or another metal known for this purpose, may be used as the contacting metal.
The production of the electrical connections according to FIG. 3 is effected in the usual manner, whereby attention must be paid to corresponding insulation of intersecting conductor paths. If necessary, at least part of the production of the conductor paths may be completed simultaneously with the production of the electrical contacts.
Although we have described our invention by reference to particular illustrative embodiments thereof, many changes and modifications of the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. We therefore intend to include within the patent warranted hereon all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of our contribution to the art. | An integratable semi-conductor memory cell has two bipolar transistors which are identical to one another and which have their collectors connected in series with respective circuit parts having a non-linear current characteristic, the respective circuit parts being connected to a first electrical potential. The circuit parts are also connected to the base of the other respective transistor. One emitter of each of the transistors is provided for control by means of logic signals and the invention is particularly characterized in that the circuit part located between the collector of each one of the transistors and a switching point carrying the first electrical potential are selected in such a fashion that the slope dU/dI of the current-voltage characteristic will always be higher than the slope of the corresponding current values in the current-voltage characteristic of the pn-junctions of the emitter-base circuit of both transistors. | 6 |
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 payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
BACKGROUND
Historically, speech recognition technologies have been integrated into training systems and similar technologies using very large, rigid speech models due to the lack of a software layer necessary to incorporate speech into the training system more effectively.
In conventional speech recognition technologies, implemented in training systems, the recognition software application, which is the part of the trainer core that consumes the recognized result, interprets the recognized text to take appropriate actions based on what the speaker says. This conventional approach requires the application to have intimate knowledge of vocabulary definitions. This requirement pushes the consuming application into an unbounded cycle.
In essence, an entire grammar including all possible words, numbers, phrases, etc. of a particular system are loaded into the compiled software application of a speech recognizer. For example, for a system designed to assist in the training of pilots, all the possible commands, orders, and responses (i.e. aircraft vectors, heading coordinates, etc.) that are used are loaded into compiled software. Then, when a speech pattern is received by the recognition system, it is compared to all of the possible grammar options that have been loaded into the system.
Many training systems, because of their specific environment, have to incorporate very large phraseologies (in essence a new vocabulary), which places a significant processing burden on the software and hardware of training system. This burden is even greater with more complex training systems such as those used by the military. Military training systems have a unique vocabulary, including many acronyms that are specific to organizations, exercises, times and places being simulated. Consequently, handling these large, unique vocabularies in simulations presents a huge challenge to speech recognition engines.
Therefore, there is a need for a recognition system that minimizes the size of the grammar and vocabulary required to be processed by the training software. This invention uses the framework of context driven speech recognition to minimize the size of the grammar loaded at any point in the system when it is executing a recognition task against an audio stream.
SUMMARY
The present invention is a novel system and method for computer speech recognition and processing driven by the context of the speech. This invention allows minimization of the grammar loaded into the speech recognition system. The grammar is managed outside of the compiled software. The vocabulary is managed with a software layer handling the interaction between the application framework and the grammar model written in a Grammar Extensible Mark-Up Language (GrXML). Then, the software loads appropriate grammar based on the state of the programs and sends recognition results out to a user interface as consumable data.
The application framework is compiled software written in C+ or the like. The application framework provides the means to handle vocabulary that is logically divided into subsections according to the state of the training exercise so that the recognizer is relieved of handling the complexity of an entire phraseology associated with the particular training system. A set of functions are embedded in the grammar definition so the grammar module can communicate context management to the application framework. This principle decouples the specific speech recognition needs of the system from the application framework. Therefore, this system can work with any application that uses a speech recognizer to process a large vocabulary.
With this method, a first set of grammar rules is created using a prior knowledge of the type of vocabulary used in the training system exercise. These grammar rules are loaded into a speech recognizer. Then a first transmitted audio stream is received by the system. The speech recognizer runs a language script to compare the language in the first transmitted audio stream to language in the first set of grammar rules to determine whether there is a match. If a match is found, a textual representation of the language of the first transmitted audio stream is produced using language of one of the first set of grammar rules. This process is used to create consumable data (coherent language), which is transmitted to a processor in the training system core.
When there are multiple matches found between the first transmitted audio stream and the first set of grammar rules, the system determines which grammar rule has language that most likely matches the language of the first transmitted audio stream. When a match is made, a textual representation of the language of the first transmitted audio stream is produced and consumable data is created and transmitted to the processor.
If no match is found between the language of the first transmitted audio stream and the language of the first set of grammar rules, a subsequent set of grammar rules is created and the matching process is repeated. Once a match is found, a textual representation of the language is created and used to create consumable data that is transmitted to the processor.
Once the first transmitted audio stream is matched and consumable data created, that data is used to create a separate set of grammar rules to recognize and process a second transmitted audio stream. That is, the next set of grammar rules are defined by the previous set of consumable data along with the state of simulation within the training system. Therefore, the grammar rules will contain language that has a high probability of being used in the next transmitted audio stream. These steps are repeated as long as new audio transmissions are received.
With this approach, the management of the grammar occurs outside of the compiled software. Context definition and management play a central role and are authored in tandem. The speech framework of this invention relieves the consuming application from any vocabulary knowledge by providing the means to encapsulate, in the recognition result, any action the consuming application needs to take based on what is recognized. In addition to encapsulating the context management within the recognition result, all required actions and behaviors can also be embedded for the consuming application to create a loose coupling with the speech recognition.
DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the elements of the speech recognition system.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the speech recognition process.
DESCRIPTION
In the following description of the present invention, reference will be made to various embodiments which are not meant to be all inclusive. The current invention can be implemented using various forms of software and hardware.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example below and in FIGS. 1 and 2 . FIG. 1 shows different elements of the speech processing and recognition system 10 , which comprises an application framework 100 in which the audio speech transmissions are processed and transformed into consumable data. The recognition system 10 also comprises various elements outside of the application framework 100 where the audio speech transmissions are recognized and configured, and the grammar and grammar logic 125 is stored.
Referring to FIG. 1 , the user 105 inputs an audio speech transmission 110 that is transmitted to a speech recognizer 115 . Speech recognition policies are loaded on the speech recognizer 115 and work with the software 118 within the application framework 100 to process the audio speech transmission 110 . The audio speech transmission process comprises running a language script in the speech recognizer 115 and comparing it to grammar rules that are stored in a database 125 outside the application framework 100 . The language script is a Grammar Extensible Markup Language (GrXML). The grammar rules contain logic on rule organization and processing, and are organized within the GrXML. A configuration interface 120 that is also stored outside the application interface provides the means to change settings in the recognition space of the grammar rule such as recognition policy and vocabulary domain. The method of processing the audio speech transmission 110 comprises steps of comparing language in the speech transmissions to language in the grammar rules, finding a most likely match, producing a textual representation of the language and creating and transmitting consumable data to the trainer core 130 to be utilized by the training application. This method will be described below in more detail in reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 .
FIG. 2 shows the steps of the speech recognition and processing method using the grammar rules. The grammar rule software 20 is divided into two parts: the application space 200 and the recognition space 205 . The audio speech transmissions 110 are configured and loaded in the application space 100 and recognized and processed in the recognition space 115 .
Prior to receiving any inputs, a first set of grammar rules is created. The grammar rules are logic functions that piece together transmitted utterances into coherent sentences based on the state of the training system and previously processed language. For example, in an inflight aviation training exercise, an airplane may be rapidly descending to land on a short runway and the previously processed speech was the pilot's communication to the flight tower of her approach speed. The generated grammar rules will have language that would be included in sentences that are most likely to be uttered by personnel in the tower, in response to the pilot's communication. In this instance, an approach speed adjustment for a safer landing, which is one of the more likely responses from tower personnel based on the state of matters (the airplane's rapid decent to the runway) in the training scenario and the previously processed language (the pilot's report of her approach speed). In the case of the very first audio transmission, the grammar rules will contain language that is based on a prior knowledge of the type of training that is the subject of the system and the first action likely to be taken as part of the training exercise. In other words, the most likely utterances that are used to initialize the training session based on the type of training and the situational starting point.
In step 210 , the first audio transmission is loaded into the system. In step 215 a language script is run and used to compare the language in the audio transmission to the first set of grammar rules to determine whether there is a match in step 220 . In a preferred embodiment the language script is Grammar Extensible Markup Language (GrXML). However, other types of language scripts can be used.
The grammar rule comparison process can take on several different forms using the speech recognizer 115 . The speech recognizer 115 can be thought of as a state machine that will behave differently depending on the type of recognition policy that is set. One example of a recognition policy is a round robin. In this policy, the recognizer cycles through the list of grammar rules and returns semantic values for the first rule that has a recognition hit. Another policy is best confidence. With a best confidence policy the recognizer cycles through the whole list of rules and returns the semantic values from the grammar rule with the highest recognized confidence metric. Yet another policy involves simultaneous grammar. In this type of policy, all the chosen grammar rules are loaded simultaneously into the recognizer. Arbitration for which rule to be used for recognition is done internally be the recognizer 115 . The system can also support other types of recognition policies.
A preferred embodiment, the round robin recognition policy of the comparison process 225 , is shown in FIG. 2 . The recognition policy is set in the recognizer 115 , and the set of grammar rules is loaded. The recognizer 115 cycles through each one of the grammar rules one by one comparing the audio transmission to the rule to find a language match. This is shown in steps 235 - 245 . This process continues until a match is found or, if no match is found in the first set of grammar rules, a second set of grammar rules is loaded, and the process is repeated. Once a match is found the semantic values of the matched language are loaded into the semantics handler of the recognizer in step 250 . These semantic values, along with the state of the training simulation, are then used to determine the new set of grammar rules for the next audio transmission.
Retuning to the inflight aviation example to further describe this process, when personnel in the flight tower tells the pilot to reduce her speed to ready her approach and this speech is recognized, semantic values are assigned to the language. The semantic values provide indicators of the linguistic utterances that are most likely to happen next. These semantic values, along with the state of the simulation (the planned runway approach), are used to create a subsequent set of grammar rules to be used to recognize the next audio transmission. In step 255 the next audio transmission is loaded and the processes described above are repeated as shown in FIG. 2 in steps 260 through 275 . FIG. 2 can also be used to represent the best confidence embodiment of the recognition policy by changing step 230 to represent the best confidence decision. Step 230 would read Select (highest confidence); nextRule=T2op1.
The above description is that of current embodiments of the invention. Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims. | The invention is system and method to recognize speech vocalizations using context-specific grammars and vocabularies. The system and method allow increased accuracy of recognized utterances by eliminating all language encodings irrelevant to the current context and allowing identification of appropriate context transitions. The system and method creates a context dependent speech recognition system with multiple supported contexts, each with specific grammar and vocabulary, and each identifying the potential context transition allowed. The system and method also include programmatic integration between the context dependent speech recognition system and other systems to make use of the recognized speech. | 6 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/543,233, filed on Jul. 6, 2012, entitled POLARIZATION CONTROL FOR CELL TELECOMMUNICATION SYSTEM, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,306,479, issued on Nov. 6, 2012, the specification of which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates in general to cellular telecommunication systems and, more particularly, to the method and apparatus for controlling the power level translated between the base station and a mobile unit.
BACKGROUND
Power control (PC) is an essential function of cellular telephone systems such as CDMA systems and WCDMA systems, as well as follow on systems thereto. It is important that the power transmitted from a base station (BS) to a mobile unit (MU) be closely controlled such that it is sufficiently high enough to ensure that the required communications and performance is achieved. This is also the case with respect to power transmitted from the MU to the BS. If more power is transmitted than is required, the MU, for example, will be required to utilize more of its battery power. The BS, although not being powered by battery, does have overall power requirements that need to be met as well. Thus, by reducing the amount of total power that is required to be transmitted to the maximum number of mobile units that could possibly be interfaced with the BS, a more efficient system could be utilized with optimized power supplies, etc.
Power control is facilitated utilizing only the traffic and access channels. The power levels transmitted from MUs to their BSs are very closely controlled, typically utilizing multiple control loops to ensure that just enough, but not too much, power is transmitted. One loop is utilized for open loop control and it is based on the level of power received over the total physical channel bandwidth. A second loop is comprised of a closed loop which utilizes measurements of power on reverse traffic channels to determine if the reverse-link is approximately at the level required. If it is not, a one-bit control message is sent out on the forward traffic channel to adjust the power of a particular link. A third loop can be utilized, usually called the outer loop, which appraises the overall performance of the closed loop using the reverse-link frame quality statistics. Internally, the parameters that are examined are typically such things as the Signal-to-Interference Ratio (SIR) and the bit error rate (BER).
One problem that exists with respect to a cellular telephone system which has a plurality of MUs disposed in the proximity to a particular BS is that the MUs can migrate into different microenvironments. For example, two MUs can be separated by a distance of 10 feet and be in a completely different environment due to the surrounding features of that environment. For example, one person may be outside of a building and the other person may be 10 feet away on the inside of the building looking out of a window. The communication properties between those two MUs are significantly different. This can be further exacerbated in a CDMA system wherein both MUs receive on substantially the same frequency utilizing only Welch codes to distinguish two people talking at the same time. This is facilitated by controlling the power on a per user basis. When an individual steps inside of a building the attenuation caused by the building will be compensated for by the MU requesting higher power to be transmitted from the BS and for the BS requesting higher power to be transmitted from the MU. This is fairly conventional.
One other factor with respect to these microenvironments is that the characteristics of the electromagnetic wave are varied as a result of the surrounding environment. Some of these characteristics are due to reflections which can change the polarization. For example, if a signal is reflected from a building, polarization could be rotated from a conventional vertical polarization to lead or lag that polarization. Since the handset corresponding to the MU is typically on the average expecting vertical polarization, this will result in some attenuation which will require a power increase in the overall band of interest in order to gain acceptable communications performance. This is also the case when entering the building, as the building itself will constitute a phase shifter. This is in addition to the attenuation of the building itself. The only solution at the present time is to utilize the power control features of the cellular communication system to facilitate the change.
SUMMARY
The present invention disclosed and claimed herein comprises, in one aspect thereof, a base station for use in a wireless communications system, including transceiver circuitry for transmitting and receiving with at least one mobile device over at least one communications channel. Polarization control logic is included for controlling a polarization of signals transmitted over the at least one communications channel. the polarization control logic adjusts a polarization of the signal transmitted on the at least one communications channel responsive to at least one parameter received from the mobile device relating to a quality of signal received on the at least one communications channel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more complete understanding, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a diagrammatic view of a base station and multiple buildings in the locale of a particular base station;
FIG. 2 illustrates a diagrammatic view of a transmission to a mobile unit within a building;
FIG. 2 a illustrates the detail of the change in transmission medium between the inside and the outside of a building;
FIG. 3 illustrates different polarization schemes for transmission through a building;
FIG. 4 illustrates a diagrammatic view of phase control for a base station antenna;
FIG. 5 illustrates a diagrammatic view of the control loop for power control in a WCDMA system;
FIG. 6 illustrates a plot of the polarization phase versus the Bit Error Rate;
FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart for the overall operation of setting either the power or the phase control;
FIG. 7 a illustrates a flow chart for the operation at the base station to change the phase of the polarization;
FIG. 8 illustrates a flow chart for one scenario wherein the power control precedes the phase control and the phase control only occurs within a valid time window;
FIG. 9 illustrates a flow chart wherein the phase control is only performed during an active link;
FIG. 10 illustrates a diagrammatic view of a near/far link wherein two mobile units share a common frequency;
FIG. 11 illustrates a diagrammatic view of a clustering algorithm;
FIG. 12 illustrates a flow chart depicting the operation of aggregating a plurality of mobile units and determining the setting of the polarization of the antenna based upon statistics from the plurality; and
FIG. 13 illustrates a simplified diagrammatic view of the control aspect of setting the polarization on either end of the communication link.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers are used herein to designate like elements throughout, the various views and embodiments of a polarization control for cell telecommunication system are illustrated and described, and other possible embodiments are described. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and in some instances the drawings have been exaggerated and/or simplified in places for illustrative purposes only. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the many possible applications and variations based on the following examples of possible embodiments.
Referring now to FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a diagrammatic perspective view of a base station transmitting within a locale occupied by multiple buildings. The base station is illustrated by a tower 102 having an antenna 104 associated therewith. The antenna 104 is operable to transmit signals on various frequencies with various modulations. There are multiple cellular telephone schemes such as CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, UTS, etc. that can be utilized, depending upon the system for which the base station is configured. In any event, no matter what system is utilized, power is still required to be transmitted on a particular frequency at a particular level. Typically, when the signal falls below a certain level such as −106 dBm, a particular mobile unit will not be able to receive the signal, as the receiver associated therewith has a lower limit of receive sensitivity. Thus, it is important that the transmitter at the base station be able to transmit sufficient power to reach the periphery of the outer region or limits of the base station at that level. Of course, when a mobile unit is closer, the power must be adjusted downward. Further, it can be seen that, depending upon the microenvironments that exist in various portions of the base station locale, all or a portion of the signal energy can be attenuated or reflected.
In FIG. 1 , there are illustrated two buildings 106 and 108 . A signal that is transmitted from the antenna on the Base Station is transmitted in an omnidirectional manner such that it is transmitted in all directions at once. Therefore, a transmitted signal will be directed toward building 106 , as seen by transmission path 110 which is reflected along a path 112 . Similarly, a signal is transmitted along a path 114 and reflected off of building 108 to provide a signal on a reflective path 114 . If there were a mobile unit in the region of both of the reflective waves, it would also receive a direct transmitted signal from the antenna 104 and must be able to distinguish among these different signals.
The transmitted wave from the antenna 104 will have a set of electromagnetic properties. These properties will include the power of the electromagnetic wave and the polarization of an electromagnetic wave, i.e., the orientation thereof, and the phase thereof. In an ideal world, with no buildings in the line of sight and no environmental impediments, a mobile unit will always be within the line of sight of a Base Station and will receive the signal with substantially no interference. There will be no “ghosting” that will result in multiple signals at the same frequency for the same modulation directed to the same mobile unit that are reflected from different objects. However, in a real world environment, not only will reflected waves be received from multiple other objects, but the transmitted signal that is received will be received with different electromagnetic properties due to the reflections thereof which can change the properties.
Referring now to FIG. 2 , there is illustrated a diagrammatic view of a mobile unit 202 disposed within the interior of a building 204 . A transmitter 206 is operable to transmit a signal along a transmit path 208 to the building 204 . When it arrives at the boundary of a building between the base station transmitter 206 and the mobile unit 202 , two things will happen. First, the transmitted signal will encounter a change in transmission medium. If the mobile unit were disposed on the opposite side of a glass window, for example, the transmission medium would go from air to glass to air. At this transmission medium boundary, the transmitted signal would be divided into a transmitted portion 210 and a reflected portion 212 due the different properties at the boundary. The transmitted portion 210 will have the electromagnetic properties thereof changed as a result of the transmitted signal along path 208 encountering the transmission medium boundary. One change that occurs is that the polarization may vary. Typically, the polarization for a cellular system is vertical linear polarization. The reason for utilizing vertical linear polarization is to better cover ground based mobile units. As compared to horizontal polarization which provides for better coverage of line of sight receiving units on roof tops, i.e., television based signals, the vertical polarization covers the ground based units more completely. As a receiver is moved closer to the earth for horizontal polarization, the signal is attenuated, which is the opposite for vertical polarization. However, it should be understood that the mobile unit is designed to operate in a communication system wherein the antenna utilizes vertical polarization. Even though the polarization may be shifted to either lead or lag the nominal vertical polarization, on the average, the mobile unit is designed to provide adequate performance for substantially all orientations. Even the antenna designed for the orientation of a mobile unit when utilizing a conversation mode is typically designed such that it will be oriented with respect to the vertically polarized transmitting antenna during a normal call assuming an individual will always hold it the same way. However, if the mobile unit or phone is rotated such that attenuation does occur due to a shift in polarization, this will be compensated for in the conventional prior art system by adjusting the power level through the power control portion of the system. This could result in additional power being transmitted from the mobile unit or additional power being transmitted from the base station or both.
This polarization aspect is illustrated in FIG. 2 a wherein the transmitted signal 208 is transmitted through a wall 214 with the original polarization being vertical, as illustrated by a vertical arrow 216 . Once passing through the wall 214 , the transmitted path 210 has a polarization 218 that leads the vertical polarization 216 , i.e., it is rotated in phase. This will be received at the mobile unit 202 with slightly attenuated properties. This is due to the fact that the electromagnetic properties of the transmitted signals have been changed and, when the signal arrives at the receiving antenna on the mobile unit 202 , the change in those electromagnetic properties result in less than optimum reception at the receiving antenna. The receiver in the mobile unit 202 does not have the sophistication to make a determination that the electromagnetic properties have been altered; rather, all that the receiver in the mobile unit 202 can determine is signal strength. Typically, the antenna will feed an input band pass filter that will pass frequencies within the pass band of that filter, which will then be fed to a low noise amplifier and then processed to a receive string. Signal strength can be detected and measured above a predetermined level to make sure that at least a moderate level of signal power has been received. Thereafter, the received demodulated signal can be examined to determine if there were any errors. Typically, one can look at error rates such as the SIR and the BER to determine if data has been correctly received. If the error rate is too high, the assumption is made that there is an issue with respect to power and some action is taken to increase the transmit power along the path 210 . This error rate can be due to attenuation, phase shift, collision or any other reason. The simple fact is that current systems merely attempt to solve error rates by increasing power. This, of course, causes other problems with respect to adjacent channels but telecommunication protocols such as CDMA, GSM, etc. allow for power control on a per user basis.
As will be described herein below, rather than utilize the power control features of the various telecommunications systems or telecommunication protocols, the present disclosed embodiments attempt to correct for changes in the electromagnetic properties of the transmit signal. If the error rates can be improved by altering the transmission properties of the transmitted signal both to the mobile unit 202 and to the base station from the mobile unit 202 , then additional power is not required. (Although the embodiment of FIG. 2 and FIG. 2 a only discuss transmitted power from the base station to the mobile unit, it should be understood that there is a return link from the mobile unit to the base station and electromagnetic properties of such a signal will vary as various transmission boundaries with respect to medium are encountered.) The change in these properties is facilitated by changing the way in which the antenna can transmit. As noted herein above, the base station will typically utilize a vertical linear polarization. By changing the polarization of the transmitted signal at the antenna through phase control, the polarization can be rotated at the antenna itself to actually adjust the polarization of the received signal at the receive antenna to match the characteristics of the receive antenna. If, for example, the polarization at the mobile unit leads the polarization at the antenna at the base station by 45°, for example, then it is only necessary to rotate the phase at the antenna to lag the vertical polarization by 45°. This will compensate for the polarization shift along the transmission path and, therefore, improve the error rates and the reception at the receiver in the mobile unit 202 .
Referring now to FIG. 3 , there is illustrated a diagrammatic view of various polarization patterns and the transmission properties with respect thereto. The transmitter 206 transmits the electromagnetic waves with vertical linear polarization 302 in one mode and with horizontal polarization 306 in another mode. It can be seen that the vertical polarization is more conducive to line of sight transmission close to the ground as opposed to horizontal polarization which penetrates buildings more efficiently. Thus, the closer a mobile unit is to a building, the more attenuation that will occur. By changing the polarization, it can be seen that the amount of power transmitted through the building will increase.
Referring now to FIG. 4 , there is illustrated a diagrammatic view of one embodiment wherein the antenna at the base station has the phase thereof modified to vary the polarization on the transmit signal. This will effectively manage the power level at the transmitter thus potentially reducing the power requirements for a given base station. In this embodiment, two E-field antennas 402 and 404 are provided in an orthogonal cross-configuration. This will result in vertical polarization if they are phased correctly. The base station transmitter generates a signal that is input to a phase shifter 406 which is operable to adjust the relative phase to a first attenuator 408 that drives the antenna 404 and the second attenuator 410 drives the antenna 402 . By varying the difference between the phase, up to 90°, the polarization could be varied from vertical to horizontal. There is also provided an attenuation control block 412 to vary the power delivered to the antenna for a particular channel. As noted herein above, for each mobile unit, a call can be connected using, for example, a CDMA protocol. However, when two mobile units are communicating on the same frequency, they can be accommodated utilizing Welch coding. However, the carrier is the same and, as such, the polarization can only be varied for one of the mobile units. As such, in a situation like this, a decision would have to be made to accommodate both of the mobile units, i.e., the polarization might be varied half way between the needs of both.
Although two E-field antennas are illustrated, it is possible to use one E-field antenna and one H-field antenna. Also, two orthogonal ring antennas could be utilized. What is utilized to vary the electromagnetic properties of the transmitted signal is some type of antenna control to vary the electromagnetic properties of the antenna. Alternately, the actual physical orientation of the antenna could be changed. However, this would not be feasible on a per-user basis but, rather, only on an overall gross adjustment. This would not be done more than once or twice in a short period of time. Additionally, there may be other electromagnetic properties that could be varied to better match the transmitted signal to the receive signal within the particular transmission medium in which the signal is transmitted. Even multiplexing of different physical antennas could be utilized. Although polarization is illustrated as the electromagnetic property to be manipulated, other techniques are contemplated.
Referring now to FIG. 5 , there is illustrated a diagrammatic view of the power control scheme for WCDMA. This is essentially a closed loop power control (PC) which is a combination of outer and inner loop closed loop control. The inner (also called fast) closed loop PC adjusts the transmitted power in order to keep the received Signal-to-Interference Ratio (SIR) equal to a given target value. This SIR target is fixed according to the received BLER (Block Error Rate) or BER (Bit Error Rate). The setting of the SIR target is done by the outer loop PC, which is part of a radio resource control layer, in order to match the required BLER. The update frequency of the outer loop PC is approximately 10-100 Hz. The BLER target is a function of the service that is carried. Ensuring that the lowest possible SIR target is used results in greater network capacity.
The inner closed-loop PC measures the receive quality, defined as the received SIR and sends commands to the transmitter (i.e., the mobile unit in the case of an uplink and the base station in the case of a downlink) for the transmitted power update. In order to estimate the received SIR, the receiver estimates the received power of a connection to the power control and the received interference. The obtained SIR estimate (noted SIR est ) is then used by the receiver to generate PC commands according to algorithms set forth in the 3GPP specification, (3GPP TS 25.214 v 4.1.0 2001-06) “physical layer procedures (FDD) (release).” In one of these algorithms, the transmitted power is updated at each of one of a plurality of time slots, these time slots being 10 or 15 ms. It is increased or decreased by a fixed value. If SIR est is greater than SIR target , then the command sent to the other end is a “0” requesting a transmit power decrease. If the SIR est is less than SIR target , then the command transmitted is a “1” requesting a transmit power increase. The second algorithm of 3GPP is a slight variant of the first algorithm, wherein the transmitted powers may be updated every five time slots, which simulates smaller power update steps.
The power control step size is a parameter of the fast (inner) closed loop PC. In the case of the uplink, it is equal to 1 or 2 dB in the WCDMA system. Values smaller than 1 dB can be emulated by taking larger PC update periods for the second algorithm. The power update step size may be chosen according to the average mobile speed and other operating environmental parameters. For the down link, power update step sizes of the same magnitude could be utilized.
The difference between the phase control and the power control is that a command is sent from the mobile unit to the base station to change the phase. The mobile unit can, in one embodiment, alternate between power and phase by first requesting a phase change to optimize the phase, followed by the conventional power control algorithm. For the phase control algorithm, the outer loop is controlled by analyzing the BER or even the Frame Error Rate (FER) to determine if there is an error above a predetermined threshold. This threshold is the target threshold period and, if the error rate is below the target threshold, a request for a phase change is sent. The phase is changed and then the BER or FER evaluated. If it is worse, a command is sent to reverse direction of the phase change. The base station will then increment two increments, i.e., it will erase the first change and make a change in the opposite direction. If the BER or FER improves, then a signal is sent for an additional change in that direction and this will continue until the Bit Error Rate decreases, at which time a command will be sent to reverse the direction. This will be interpreted by the base station as fixing the phase as that is the operable phase for this instant in time. The mobile unit will then switch over to the power control algorithm and then optimize the power. Thus, the decision as to the base controller is made by evaluating the BER of the received signal and adjusting the phase in one direction or the other until the appropriate minima in error has been achieved. This is illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein the Bit Error Rate is evaluated at a point 602 in the polarization phase. The move is made in the wrong direction to a point 604 in the polarization phase which increases the BER. Thus, a move will then be made at a point 606 in the polarization phase and the BER evaluated. Then a move will be made to a point 608 in the polarization phase. At point 608 , the BER is approximately the same so an additional move may be made to a point 610 in the polarization phase to again evaluate the BER to determine if it in fact has worsened and, if so, this indicates that a move can be made back to point 608 or point 606 in the polarization phase. This is basically a curve fitting algorithm to determine the minima of the BER as a function of the polarization phase. It may be that the polarization phase can be dithered between point 606 and point 608 . In any event, for this particular mobile unit, this will be the best polarization phase.
Referring now to FIG. 7 , there is illustrated a flow chart depicting one scenario for varying the electromagnetic properties, vertical linear polarization in one example, at the base station. The program is initiated at a block 702 and then proceeds to a block 704 . At block 704 , the open loop power is set. The open loop power, as described herein above, relates directly to the path loss. As the name suggests, this control has no feedback and it simply sets the initial power at which the mobile unit should transmit. In this manner, the mobile unit can at least receive information from the base station. The program then flows to a decision block 706 to determine if the phone is in the phase control mode or the power control mode. Either mode can be set as the default mode with the following mode being the other. In this embodiment, the phase mode is set as the default mode and the program will flow along the phase path from the decision block 706 to a function block 708 to measure the error rate, either the BER or the FER. It should be understood that the mobile units are legacy units, since most cellular systems have a lot of flexibility with respect to the base stations but the hardware in the mobile units is fairly well fixed and defined by manufacturers of the equipment. Typically, the base station will have more flexibility than the mobile unit. As such, the only available indicator of some parameter that can be improved by increasing power is the error rate of the data. If there is an issue with respect to an error rate, be it the BER or the FER, an increase in power can sometimes improve this. Thus, the measurement of the BER/FER provides an indication that the power can be reduced or increased. As described herein, the power is controlled by changing the phase of the antenna, i.e., the electromagnetic properties thereof, in order to improve the power delivered to the mobile unit.
Once the BER/FER is measured at the function block 708 , the program flows to a function block 710 to send a phase change command to the base station. This is facilitated via a control channel. This is similar to a request for an increase in power or a decrease in power. This phase change command is interpreted at the base station as a request to enter into a particular mode for changing the phase. However, the base station has no knowledge of whether the phase should be changed in a leading direction or a lagging direction. Thus, one direction or the other would be chosen as the default direction. It may be that the increments are in 1° increments, 5° increments or 10° increments. This is up to the designer of the system. Once the phase change command has been sent, the base station will change the phase. The program at the mobile unit will then flow to a decision block 714 to again determine if the BER/FER changes in a positive direction or a negative direction. If in the positive direction, this indicates that the error has increased and then the program will flow to a decision block 716 to determine if the previous change in the BER/FER were a negative change. If so, this would indicate to the overall system that the minima had been achieved in the last phase change. If so, the program will flow along a “Y” path to a function block 718 wherein a “finish” command would be sent back to the base station. When the base station receives this finish command, it would know that the last change caused the error rate to increase and it would jump back to the last phase value. The program then would be returned back to the input of the decision block 706 . However, if at the decision block 716 , it was indicated that the last change had not resulted in a decrease in the error rate, then the program would flow to a function block 720 to send a “+” command back to the base station. This would indicate to the base station that it had changed the phase in the wrong direction. This would cause the base station to change the direction of phase change and possibly jump back two increments such that it would pass through the last increment, and then the program would flow back to the decision block 714 to make a change in the opposite direction. Again, the BER/FER would be checked and, if it again changed in the positive direction, i.e., the error rate increased, this will result in again the “+” being sent back to the base station. This will continue until the BER/FER decreases, at which time the program would flow to a function block 722 in order to indicate to the base station that the direction was correct and this would continue until the BER/FER increased, which would cause the program to flow along the path to the function block 718 .
When the “finish” command is sent, as indicated by the function block 718 , the program flows back to the input of the decision block 706 , this changes the mode to the power control mode. This would cause the program to flow from the decision block 706 to a function block 724 in order to set the power on the forward link. This is the conventional process for optimizing the communication link.
Referring now to FIG. 7 a , there is illustrated a flow chart depicting the operation of changing polarization from the view point of the base station, which is initiated at a block 728 and then proceeds to a decision block 728 and then proceeds to a decision block 730 . The decision block 730 determines if the phase change mode has been selected. This is done in response to receiving the phase change command along the control channel from the mobile unit. The program then flows along the “Y” path 732 in order to select a default direction. As noted herein above, either direction could be utilized, as the polarization of the signal is unknown. Again, this particular example deals with polarization as being the change in the electromagnetic property that is being altered. However, it should be understood that any other property of an electromagnetic signal could be altered in order to improve the power or the reception at the antenna.
Once the default direction has been sent, the program flows to a function block 734 in order to increment the phase. The program then flows to a function block 736 to wait for a command from the mobile unit. If it is the finish command, the program flows along the “Y” path to an END block 738 , as this is indicated as being the minima. If the finish command is not received, the program flows to a decision block 740 to determine if the “+” command was received. If so, the program flows along a “Y” path and the direction is changed at function block 744 in the opposite direction, as this is an indication that the BER/FER is increasing. The program then flows to a function block 734 to increment the phase change. However, the increment aspect of function block 734 will be changed to increment by two in the opposite direction, in one example.
If the “+” command was not received at decision block 740 , the program will flow along the “N” path to a function block 742 in order to process the “−” command, as this command would have been received if the finish command or the “+” command had not been received. The command will be processed by going back to the input of function block 734 to increment the phase. This will, of course, continue until the finish command is received.
Referring now to FIG. 8 , there is illustrated a flow chart depicting another scenario as to when the power control and the phase control are sequenced. This is initiated at a block 802 . The program then flows to a function block 804 and the forward/reverse power are set along the forward link and the reverse link. This is the conventional operation. The program then flows to a decision block 806 to determine if a particular time window is present. This time window is a predefined time window during which the phase changes to the polarization will be effected. If the system is within the time window, the program will flow along the “Y” path to a function block 808 to process the phase control algorithm. If not, the program will flow along an “N” path from the decision block 806 around the function block 808 . Both will flow to a return block 810 .
Referring now to FIG. 9 , there is illustrated a flow chart depicting an alternate embodiment when the power control and phase control are sequenced. This is initiated at a block 902 and the proceeds to a function block 904 to set the forward/reverse power, similar to the block 804 . The program then flows to a decision block 906 to determine if the link is active, i.e., if there is an active call on that link. If so, the program will follow a “Y” path to a function block 908 to process the phase control algorithm to vary the polarization angle of the base station. The program will then flow back to the input of the function block 904 . If the link is not active, the program flows along an “N” path from decision block 906 to the input of decision block 904 .
Referring now to FIG. 10 , there is illustrated a diagrammatic view of a cellular system utilizing polarization control at the base station wherein there are two mobile units 1002 and 1004 , each disposed within a separate microenvironment 1006 and 1008 , respectively. Both of these microenvironments are different such that the effective power levels transmitted along the forward link to each of the mobile units 1002 and 1004 differ, specifically as a result of a polarization change in the vertical linear polarization of the antenna. The problem is that both of these may be on the same channel. The reason for this is that both of these units being on the same channel have a problem in that they are not in a time diverse slot, i.e., they both receive the communication at the same time slot on the same frequency. Current WCDMA systems provide for power control on a per mobile unit basis but do not provide for separating communication and time. In this case, although Welch coding can be utilized to distinguish the calls, the polarization must be averaged between the two units. This procedure would require one unit to determine its optimum polarization and then the second unit to determine its optimum polarization. The base station would then select a polarization that would provide a selection between the two. This is effected via the central RNC (Radio Network Control) block 1010 .
Referring now to FIG. 11 , there is illustrated an alternate embodiment wherein the base station 102 , instead of providing control on a mobile unit by mobile unit basis, provides the control in aggregated sections. The aggregated sections are illustrated as two sections 1102 and 1104 . The section 1102 is a geographical area wherein a plurality of mobile units 1106 are disposed. Each of these mobile units 1106 will operate in similar surroundings, i.e., the polarization for each of these is not that different. It may be that the polarization change or the optimum polarization can be determined for all of the units 1106 and they all have a similar polarization change. Therefore, when transmitting to this section, the polarization will be selected for that aggregated group of mobile units. Thus, only one polarization change needs to be determined for those mobile units. This is similar with respect to the section 1104 having a plurality of mobile units 1108 disposed therein. In some systems, the antenna can be “sector,” such that the certain sections of the area can be called out.
Referring now to FIG. 12 , there is illustrated a flow chart depicting the aggregation of mobile units. In this scenario, which is initiated at a block 1202 , the base station will collect data from all of the mobile units within this area or from a defined sample set. It may be a random sample set based on time or it may be based on a command somewhere on the control channel from the base station for every 100 th mobile unit that requests a power control change. This would provide some indication to the base station of a possible desired polarization which statistically a large number of the phones would be requesting. Therefore, the program would flow to a function block 1204 wherein an optimum phase would be determined for particular mobile units within the set or within the entire system. It could be that some of the legacy phones are more adaptable to polarization and these phones would be utilized. This information is then accumulated in a function block 1208 and then the program flows to a function block 1210 to determine the setting for the base station. This could be multiple settings which would change over time or could be a single setting that was based upon the phones, the assumption being that once the polarization is changed, the microenvironments would have better receptions and the change was not required on a frequent basis. The program then flows to a decision block 1212 to determine if this is a sectored system. If so, the program flows along a “Y” path to set the polarization by the sector, as indicated by a function block 1214 or along an “N” path to a function block 1216 to set the polarization change for the entire base station. The program will then flow to a return block 1218 .
Referring now to FIG. 13 , there is illustrated a diagrammatic view of the overall system which requires a base station 1302 and a mobile unit 1304 . As noted herein above, the base station 1302 has an antenna 1306 which has certain electromagnetic properties that are fixed by the associated transmitter and the physical structure of the antenna. This, of course, can be changed across the forward link when it impinges an antenna 1310 of the mobile unit 1304 . As described herein above, the base station is the most flexible device in conventional cellular telephone systems. Thus, the electromagnetic properties thereof can be varied, as indicated by a variation block 1312 to vary the electromagnetic properties of the forward link. This is facilitated via a control channel 1316 . This control channel allows the mobile unit 1304 to monitor its signal strength and certain parameters of the received data to make a determination that power should be increased. The base station 1302 , in conjunction with the mobile unit 1304 , will effectively change the electromagnetic properties of its antenna 1306 . However, alternatively, the reverse link could be further controlled to coordinate with the base station such that the base station could send command signals along a command channel 1320 to mobile unit 1304 which has a variation block 1322 associated with its antenna 1310 . The electromagnetic properties of the antenna 1310 could be varied to further reduce the power of the reverse link. This would significantly reduce the amount of power that is required to be transmitted by the mobile unit 1304 , thus reducing the drain on its battery. Thus, either link could be controlled and either transmitter could be controlled to optimize the electromagnetic properties at the receiving antenna. Also, as noted herein above, this would require a fairly flexible mobile unit 1304 that would have the ability to vary the properties of its antenna. This, of course, is not practical with respect to legacy units but future units could be adapted for such.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that this polarization control for cell telecommunication system provides an alternate technique to improve reception in varying environments without increasing power. It should be understood that the drawings and detailed description herein are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive manner, and are not intended to be limiting to the particular forms and examples disclosed. On the contrary, included are any further modifications, changes, rearrangements, substitutions, alternatives, design choices, and embodiments apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope hereof, as defined by the following claims. Thus, it is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such further modifications, changes, rearrangements, substitutions, alternatives, design choices, and embodiments. | A base station for use in a wireless communications system is disclosed, including transceiver circuitry for transmitting and receiving with at least one mobile device over at least one communications channel. Polarization control logic is included for controlling a polarization of signals transmitted over the at least one communications channel. The polarization control logic adjusts a polarization of the signal transmitted on the at least one communications channel responsive to at least one parameter received from the mobile device relating to a quality of signal received on the at least one communications channel. | 7 |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/244,249 filed Oct. 21, 2015, entitled Protective Shield and Handle for Surgical, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] a) Field of the Invention:
[0003] The present invention is in the field of surgical illumination and sterilization related to the large overhead light fixture used to illuminate a surgical site or other site of interest in a medical procedure, whether in an operating room or any other area where sterilization is critical. The surgical light fixture, typically includes a plurality of lights, the fixture being mounted to the ceiling, a wall or may be on a pedestal. Though the term large is used, surgical lights come in varying sizes and diameters.
[0004] A surgical light fixture, also referred to as an operating light or surgical lighthead, is a medical device intended to assist medical personnel during a surgical procedure by illuminating a local area or cavity of a patient. A combination of several surgical light fixtures is often referred to as a surgical light system.
[0005] In use, the lighthead is typically manipulated by the surgeon, during a sterile procedure on a patient. In the procedure, the surgeon and other medical personal will wear sterile gloves on their hands. The surgeon's hand will hold the handle of the lighthead to move and direct the beams of light from the lighthead to the area desired to be illuminated by the surgeon during the procedure. A surgeon or other medical person may adjust the lighthead several times during a procedure, each time by holding the handle of the lighthead. Though the lighthead fixture holding the lights is not sterile, it is desirable that the light handle which is a part of the lighthead and used by the surgeon to adjust the lighthead, and which comes in contact with the surgeon's sterile gloved hand, be sterile. It is known in the art to use replaceable lighthead handles or sterile covers for the lighthead handle, “light handle covers” on the lighthead handle to create an area on the lighthead handle “light handle” that is sterile.
[0006] These replaceable sterile handles or covers, as known in the art, can either slide onto the lighthead handle, for example where the lighthead has a male type handle connector. Alternatively a lighthead can have a female type handle connector in the form of an internal threaded opening to receive a replaceable handle with a male end to screw into the female connector of the lighthead.
[0007] Typically the replaceable handle covers are replaced at least for every procedure, and often times, they are necessarily replaced during the procedure, when the replaceable sterile handle cover comes in contact with an object that is not sterile. The surgeon's sterile gloved hands are sterile, and it is this sterile glove on the surgeon's hand that contacts the light handle when the light handle is adjusted or manipulated. However during a procedure other objects may accidentally come in contact with the light handle which contaminates the sterile handle cover. Such objects may be a person's head, a surgeon's head or nurse's head or an attendant's head, whether or not the head is covered, or for example an adjacent lamp or lighthead that is not sterile can contact the light handle and contaminate the light handle. Thus, during a procedure if it is noticed that a nonsterile object contacts the sterile light handle cover then the now contaminated light handle cover must immediately be removed and replaced with a clean sterile light handle cover. This replacement is typically performed by a person in the operating room other than the surgeon. This replacement takes time and interrupts the medical procedure while the contaminated light handle cover is removed, disposed and then replaced with a new sterile light handle cover. During a procedure, it is possible that this contact goes un-noticed. Most importantly, this contact between the adjacent objects and the light handle causes bacterial contamination of the surgical field and that greatly increases the risk of infection that is caused from the contaminated light handle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention is a shield or guard and light handle to be used on the handle of a lighthead in an operating room during a surgical procedure, when it is required that the light handle of the lighthead be sterile. The shield of the present invention prevents or limits other objects from coming in contact with the sterile light handle cover of the lighthead that the surgeon's sterile gloved hand contacts when the surgeon is manipulating the lighthead. The present invention can also provide tactile feedback to alert the person touching the light handle, when the sterile handle is contacted by the person.
[0009] The shield of the present invention can take several forms, a shade that extends around the light handle allowing sufficient room for a surgeon's sterile gloved hand to reach in to grab or hold on to the sterile light handle. The shade may be a solid wall surrounding the light handle, or it may have two or more elongated strut members or wall portions surrounding the sterile light handle cover, such that the wall prevents an object from coming in contact with and contaminating the sterile light handle cover.
[0010] Further the shield can also be at the base or terminal end of the light handle cover to likewise maintain the sterility or integrity of the sterile handle and/or limit contamination from an object coming in contact with the protected grip portion of the sterile light handle.
[0011] Additionally, the shield can extend below the plane of the terminal end of the light handle to prevent objects from coming in contact with the protected grip portion of the sterile light handle. These embodiments can be combined as well.
[0012] Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to protect the sterile light handle and limit contamination of the sterile light handle preventing contact from non-sterile objects. Thus diminishing the risk of infection.
[0013] It is another object of the present invention to guard against the unknown of not knowing the sterile handle cover came in contact with a non-sterile object by providing tactile feedback when contact is made.
[0014] It is a further object of the present invention to maintain the sterility of the grip portion of the sterile light handle and limit contact, whether known or not, with contaminated objects.
[0015] It is another object of the invention to place guards or obstructions around the sterile light handle. These obstructions include but are not limited to a wall, a shade, an elongated strut member, fingers or a base guard or flange at the terminal end of the light handle or the light handle cover.
[0016] It is a further object of the invention to increase the potential for recognizing contact with the light handle by creating notice or feedback or tactile feedback of the contact to the person causing the unwanted contact, by having a shield to protect the sterile area of the handle. This notice or feedback can be by an audible or visual notice or feedback, for example an audible alarm could be triggered or a light could be switched on to provide notice or feedback in the operating room to not only alert the person that caused the unwanted contact but to alert the person in charge of replacing the sterile light handle to replace the contaminated light handle.
[0017] It is another object of the invention that the shield of the present invention limit contact with the sterilized area of the light handle. Such that the shield will create feedback to give notice, a tactile feedback, to the person causing the contamination, so the contaminated handle can be replaced quickly. By way of example the tactile feedback can be any form of tactile communication to the person causing the contamination to provide notice of the contamination or possible contamination of the light handle or lighthead itself.
[0018] It is a further object of the invention to protect the sterile light handle from lateral contact at the sides of the handle.
[0019] It is an object of the present invention to prevent contamination of the light handle cover and thus limiting changing of the sterile handle cover.
[0020] It is another object of the invention to have a protective shield around the sterile light handle cover at a distance that is sufficient enough to accommodate insertion and withdrawal of a user's or surgeon's hand to hold the sterile area of the light handle.
[0021] It is another object of the invention to maximize surgery time and prevent interruptions during surgery due to contamination of the sterile light handle by limiting contact of contaminated objects with the sterile portions of the light handle and cover.
[0022] It is another object of the present invention that the shield be made of a material that is disposable, alternatively the shield can be reusable after use by treatment with a sterilizing machine as known in the art.
[0023] It is another object of the invention that the shield will not interfere with any opening in bottom of the handle cover that is used for accessories such as a camera lens or other device.
[0024] It is also an object of the invention that the shield includes a light handle cover portion, alternatively the shield can attach to lighthead handle while a separate or independent light handle cover is used. The sterile light handle cover may be independent of the shield of the present invention.
[0025] It is another object of the present invention that guard members or struts or portions of a wall can depend from the base of the lighthead or the peripheral edges of a lighthead to prevent an adjacent lighthead from coming in lateral contact with the handle of the lighthead.
[0026] In an alternate embodiment, the shield is incorporated into the lighthead with the handle therein.
[0027] It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a handle configuration for mounting to a lighthead, the handle configuration having a handle grip having a longitudinal axis defining a longitudinal direction of the handle grip, the handle grip having a base adjacent the lighthead in a mounted position of the handle configuration, the handle grip having a terminal end opposite the base, a wall extending from the mounting base in the longitudinal direction, the wall defining a gap between an inner surface of the wall and the handle grip for allowing a user's hand to grasp the handle grip and adjust a position of the lighthead.
[0028] With the foregoing and other objects in view, with the handle configuration the wall has a length, the length has an extent in a radial direction of the handle grip to achieve the gap.
[0029] In accordance with another feature of the invention, the wall is a continuous wall that is continuous in a circumferential direction around the handle grip.
[0030] In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the wall is a plurality of spaced apart walls distributed about a circumference of the base.
[0031] In accordance with an additional feature of the invention the plurality of spaced apart walls are spaced apart from one another along the circumference at a distance sufficient for allowing the user's hand to pass between adjacent spaced apart walls and into the gap.
[0032] In accordance with yet an additional feature of the invention, the handle grip has a hole formed therein that extends in the longitudinal direction, the hole being dimensioned for receiving a handle of the lighthead.
[0033] In accordance with yet another added feature of the invention the terminal end has a flange for shielding a gripping surface of the handle grip.
[0034] In accordance with still another added feature of the invention, the gripping surface has a diameter between one and one half to four and one half centimeters and the flange has a diameter between three and one-half to seven and one-half centimeters.
[0035] In accordance with still another added feature of the invention, the inner surface of the wall is spaced seven to eight centimeters from an edge of the flange.
[0036] 10. The handle configuration according to claim 6 wherein said hole is dimensioned to have a friction fit with the handle.
[0037] 11. The handle configuration according to claim 7 , wherein an inner surface of said wall is spaced from said gripping surface by six to fourteen centimeters.
[0038] In accordance with still another added feature of the invention, the base end has a threaded stud for mounting the handle configuration to a female thread formed in the lighthead.
[0039] In accordance with still another added feature of the invention, the wall extends in the longitudinal direction substantially as far as the terminal end is spaced from the base.
[0040] In accordance with still another added feature of the invention, the handle configuration triggers an audible or visual notice with an audible alarm or switches on a light to provide notice or feedback of any contact with the handle grip.
[0041] In accordance with still another added feature of the handle shield for being mounted to a lighthead and shielding a handle of the lighthead, the shield has a mounting base having an opening formed therein dimensioned for receiving the handle therein and allowing the mounting base to be slid onto the handle, the mounting base defining a longitudinal direction of the shield along a longitudinal axis of the handle and defining a radial direction relative to the longitudinal direction, a wall extending from the mounting base in the longitudinal direction, the wall defining a gap between an inner surface of the wall and the handle for allowing a user's hand to grasp the handle and adjust a position of the lighthead.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0042] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the shield of the present invention showing a light handle cover with a shield having four elongated wall members extending from a base of the light handle cover and an enlarged terminal end portion to limit contact of the grip portion of the handle cover with non-sterile objects.
[0043] FIG. 1B is a side view of the shield of the present invention shown in FIG. 1A .
[0044] FIG. 1C is a bottom view of the shield of the present invention shown in FIG. 1A .
[0045] FIG. 1D is a sectional view of a wall portion taken along line B-B in FIG. 1B .
[0046] FIG. 2A is a side view of an alternate embodiment where the handle portion, the light handle, of the shield does not have a flange at the terminal end.
[0047] FIG. 2B is a side view of an alternate embodiment where the shield portion of the light handle cover is at the terminal end of the light handle formed by a flange portion of the light handle and there is no upper shield portion.
[0048] FIG. 2C is an alternate embodiment where the upper shield portion is independent of and without a handle cover portion.
[0049] FIG. 2D shows a light handle having a male handle connector constructed and arranged for engagement to a lighthead having a threaded female opening.
[0050] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment where the shield portion is a shade or continuous wall that surrounds the light handle cover.
[0051] FIG. 4 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 .
[0052] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a surgical light system mounted to a wall such as a ceiling wall and supporting two lightheads. Each lighthead having a handle shield system of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1 mounted on the lighthead handle of the lighthead.
[0053] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the surgical light system shown in FIG. 5 further showing the shield of the present invention protecting the sterile light handle cover and preventing the non-sterile edge of the adjacent lighthead from contacting and contaminating the sterile lighthead handle cover.
[0054] FIG. 6A is a cross section of the shield of the present invention along lines A-A in FIG. 6 showing the shield of the present invention mounted on the handle of the lighthead system.
[0055] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a surgical light system showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention, with the shield including outer walls attached to the lighthead as a part of the lighthead assembly.
[0056] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a surgical light system showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention where the shield and light handle are within a portion of the light fixture and the terminal end of the light handle extends to be approximately flush with the lower edge of the lighthead fixture.
[0057] FIG. 9A is a partial cross sectional view of the surgical light system of FIG. 8 showing the male handle connector but without the shield and light handle
[0058] FIG. 9B is a partial cross sectional view of the surgical light system of FIG. 8 showing the shield and light handle.
[0059] FIG. 10 is an example of a prior art lighthead system showing a person holding the light handle and showing the head of a person in close proximity to the lighthead with the possibility of the head of the person contacting the light handle and resulting in the contamination of the light handle.
[0060] FIG. 11 is a side view of a light assembly showing the male handle connector.
[0061] FIG. 12 is a partial cross section view of FIG. 11 , showing the male handle connector.
[0062] FIG. 13 is a partial cross sectional view of a light head system where the light head system has a female connector to receive a light handle.
[0063] FIG. 14 is a side view of a shield with handle showing a male connector to mate with the female connector of FIG. 13 .
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0064] The protective handle shield 10 of the present invention, as seen in the figures includes a handle grip or light handle 20 . Light handle 20 has a terminal end 22 and shield 10 has a base 30 . Base 30 has an upper flange 32 having a circumferential wall 34 . Depending from the base 30 are one or more walls 36 . The light handle 20 defines a longitudinal axis LA. The wall 36 extends from base 30 in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal axis LA. Additionally, wall 36 may also extend in a radial direction from light handle 20 along longitudinal axis LA.
[0065] Light handle 20 has a center opening 12 for rigidly mounting shield 10 on to shield 10 . As is known in the art, the internal surface of said opening 12 may have a plurality of elongated ribs 57 b , to increase friction against male handle connector 57 . The shield 10 has a mounting interface that in a first embodiment is for mounting shield 10 to a male connector 57 of a lighthead 50 . In a second embodiment, the mounting interface is a threaded female opening 58 to receive the male handle connector 59 . Irrespective of the mounting interface between shield 10 and lighthead 50 , there is a light handle 20 as shown which has a cylindrical shape, though light handle 20 can be of any shape, including oval, square, rectangular or octagonal. Light handle 20 has an outer wall 21 and an inner wall 23 which would be the inner wall of opening 12 .
[0066] Base 30 has an upper flange 32 which is circular, but can be of any shape, including oval, square, rectangular or octagonal. Upper flange 32 has a lighthead side 32 a , a handle terminal side 32 b and a flange height FH, which is also the thickness of circumferential wall 34 . Walls 36 have an outer surface 37 , an inner surface 38 and side walls 39 . Walls 36 have a wall thickness ST substantially the same as the flange height FH of circumferential wall 34 , and a wall width SW. The wall thickness ST is substantially the same as the wall width SW. The wall thickness will depend upon the material that wall 36 is made. The stronger the material, the smaller the thickness. If metal, in a preferred embodiment the wall width SW could be one centimeter and the wall thickness ST could be one tenth of one centimeter. If made of plastic SW could be one centimeter and ST could be one centimeter. The walls 36 can be solid or hollow having a cross section B-B taken from FIG. 1B as shown in FIG. 1D . Walls 36 are sufficiently strong to bend, but not break when wall 36 comes in contact with force from an external object.
[0067] Light head 20 has a sterile handle cover grip portion SH defined by height HH along the outer surface 21 of light handle 20 . This grip portion SH or sterile handle cover portion SH comes in contact with the surgeon's sterile gloved hand, and this grip portion SH is preferably maintained in a sterile state by the shield 10 of the present invention that limits contamination of the grip portion SH along light handle 20
[0068] As seen in FIG. 1C , the terminal end 24 of light handle 20 has a bottom surface 24 a . This bottom surface 24 a can cover the entire bottom portion of light handle 20 , such that center opening 12 is a blind hole, or as shown in FIG. 1C the bottom surface 24 a is an annular ring with a center opening 12 to receive the lighthead male handle connector 57 from the light head 50 . Center opening 12 is constructed and arranged to match the diameter of connector 57 and is dimensioned so that shield 10 will fit on connector 57 with a friction fit. Alternatively a thumb screw (not shown) can be used to rigidly hold shield 10 on connector 57 .
[0069] Where the male handle connector 57 from the lighthead 50 includes auxiliary equipment, such as a camera, this opening 12 provides the auxiliary equipment freedom to operate. The foot 36 a of each wall 36 may be solid with no opening or there may be an opening in the foot 36 a , conforming to the sectional view with opening 36 b shown in FIG. 1D .
[0070] The terminal end 22 has a flange 22 a for shielding the grip portion SH. Flange 22 a has a diameter BC which is greater than the diameter of light handle 20 . The terminal end 22 thus provides protection of the grip portion SH of handle cover 20 . It is this terminal end 22 with flange 22 a that protects the grip portion SH even if an object comes in contact with the terminal end 22 of light handle 20 . Additionally, terminal end 22 and bottom surface 24 a of light handle 20 and flange 22 a provide tactile feedback to anyone touching or coming in contact with the shield 10 . As seen in FIG. 1B a hand clearance distance HC exists between the peripheral edge of flange 22 a and the inside surface 38 of wall 36 . In a preferred embodiment the distance HC could be 7 to 8 centimeters. The distance BC, the diameter of flange 22 a could be five and one half centimeters and the diameter of grip portion SH could be 3 centimeters. However, in situations where a camera or other instrument is used within handle connector 57 , the diameter of grip portion could be 6 to 12 centimeters to accommodate the camera or other instrument.
[0071] As heretofore mentioned, it is possible to increase the potential for recognizing an inadvertent contact with the light head 20 by creating notice or feedback of the contact to the person that causing the unwanted contact or to others in the vicinity of the shield 50 . This notice or feedback can be by an audible or visual notice or feedback, for example an audible alarm could sound, or a light could flash to provide notice or feedback in the operating room to not only alert the person that caused the unwanted contact but to alert the person in charge of replacing the sterile light handle to replace the contaminated light handle. Such audible or visual notice can be constructed and arranged as is known in the art.
[0072] An alternate embodiment of the shield of the present invention is shown in FIG. 2A where the light shield 20 does not have a flange 22 a . In this embodiment shown in FIG. 2A , the hand clearance HC′ is increased as compared to hand clearance HC shown in FIG. 1B , because of the elimination of the flange 22 a light handle 20 . Notwithstanding the terminal end 22 of light handle 20 in this embodiment can still provide tactile feedback.
[0073] In another alternate embodiment, shown in FIG. 2B the light handle 20 includes flange 22 a , but does not have walls 36 . This offers the benefit of a light handle 20 with the flange 22 a , limiting contamination of the grip portion SH of light handle 20 without a wall 36 . The terminal end 22 of light handle 20 in this embodiment can still provide tactile feedback.
[0074] An additional embodiment is shown in FIG. 2C where the base 30 does not include a light handle 20 . In this embodiment, the upper base 32 and accompanying wall 36 can be used independent of the type of handle cover used on male connector 57 . In such an instance, this handle shield system 10 embodiment shown in FIG. 2 c would be mounted on a lighthead 50 by sliding the male connector 57 through opening 12 . In this manner the male connector 57 would remain uncovered. Then a light handle cover such as that shown in FIG. 2B or any other generic light handle cover known in the art, could be mounted on the male connector 57 .
[0075] Another alternate embodiment of the shield of the present invention is shown if FIGS. 3 and 4 , where the shield 10 is a continuous wall 40 having a cross section substantially in the shape of wall 36 . Wall 40 has a continuous foot 40 a and an inner surface 41 and an outer surface 42 . Wall 40 allows sufficient hand clearance HC for the surgeon or other user to insert the sterile gloved hand within shield 10 between wall 40 and light handle 20 . Wall 40 protects the grip portion SH of light handle 20 limiting contact from contaminated objects. Terminal end 22 limits contact with the grip portion SH and provides tactile feedback as well.
[0076] A lighthead system 51 with two lightheads 50 is shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 . Each lighthead 50 has installed thereon a handle shield system 10 of the present invention. Each lighthead 50 has a male handle connector 57 and a plurality of lights 52 . These lights 52 may use LED bulbs. The male handle connector 57 of the lighthead 50 cannot be seen since the handle shield cover 10 of the present invention is mounted on the male connector 57 . The male connector 57 is shown in cross section in FIG. 6A which is taken along lines A-A in FIG. 6 . The lighthead systems 51 shown have the protective shield 10 of the present invention, and can use any of the alternate embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein.
[0077] Lighthead system 51 is mounted to a wall or ceiling 15 and includes two lightheads 50 . Each lighthead 50 is suspended by a series of linked arms 54 with elbows and joints 55 that allow the lightheads 50 to be strategically moved and placed so the projected light from each lighthead 50 can be in a desired position.
[0078] As seen in FIG. 6 , in use, the two closely spaced lightheads 50 often come in close contact with one another and it is possible that a peripheral edge 53 of a lighthead 50 would contact the adjacent lighthead 50 . Prior to the present invention, when this would happen the peripheral edge 53 of a first lighthead 50 could contact the light handle 20 of an adjacent or second light head 50 . This non-sterile portion of the lighthead 50 would thus contaminate a sterile portion such as the grip portion SH of the second lighthead 50 . As can be seen in FIG. 6 , the shield 10 of the present invention prevents contamination of the sterile grip portion SH from objects, when the peripheral edge 53 of lighthead 50 comes close to an adjacent lighthead 50 , the walls 36 protect the sterile light handle 20 and the sterile handle portion SH and thus limits contamination from an adjacent lighthead 50 . The shield 10 of the present invention limits lateral contact of the adjacent objects including lighthead 50 . Adjacent objects can also include a head of a person in the vicinity of the lighthead 50 . As a further example, as shown in FIG. 10 , in the prior art, a surgeon or other person 60 in the vicinity of light 50 would adjust lighthead 50 using the person's hand 60 a to hold light handle 61 which light handle 61 is preferably sterile. It can be seen in this view, which is similar in an actual operating room setting that the surgeon's head 62 will come close to the sterile light handle 61 . If and when such an object as the surgeon's head 62 comes in contact with the sterile handle 61 , the surgeon's head 62 , not being sterile, will contaminate the previously sterile light handle 61 . Then the light handle 61 , will then need to be and will be replaced during the procedure to prevent contamination.
[0079] An alternate embodiment also includes the addition of peripheral walls 56 mounted on the peripheral edges 53 of the lighthead 50 to further protect the entire lighthead 50 and the handle shield system 10 from contact from adjacent objects including adjacent lighthead 50 .
[0080] FIGS. 8, 9A and 9B disclose an alternate embodiment where the lighthead 50 incorporates the shape of the shield 10 and is constructed and arranged such that the terminal end 24 of light handle 20 is flush with the bottom surface 50 a of the lighthead 50 . In this embodiment the opening 12 of shield 10 would slide onto handle connector 57 as described hereinabove.
[0081] FIG. 11 shows a lighthead 50 with male handle connector 57 . FIG. 12 , shows a sectional view of a lighthead 50 of FIG. 11 with male handle connector 57 . FIG. 13 shows an alternate design of a lighthead 50 that uses a female handle connector 57 a where a threaded female opening 58 is constructed and arranged to receive a light handle as known in the art. For such designs, an alternate embodiment of shield 10 the present invention is shown in FIG. 14 . In this embodiment, base 30 is constructed and arranged to have a mounting interface with light head 50 such that a male handle connector 59 will engage the threaded female opening 59 of lighthead 50 shown if FIG. 13 . FIG. 2D shows an alternate embodiment of a shield 10 having a light handle 20 and a terminal end 22 having a male handle connector 59 constructed and arranged for engagement to a lighthead 50 having a threaded female opening 58 .
[0082] While the invention has been described in its preferred embodiment with some degree of particularity, it is understood that this description has been given only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction, fabrication, and use, including the combination and arrangement of parts, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. | A handle configuration for mounting to a lighthead, having a handle grip having a longitudinal axis defining a longitudinal direction of the handle grip, the handle grip having a base adjacent the lighthead in a mounted position of the handle configuration and the handle grip having a terminal end opposite the base, a wall extending from the mounting base in the longitudinal direction, the wall defining a gap between an inner surface of the wall and the handle grip for allowing a user's hand to grasp the handle grip and adjust a position of the lighthead. | 0 |
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cross-linked polymer blended with a graphene material to form graphene-enhanced polymer composites, and methods of using the same. The cured graphene-enhanced polymer composite has been found to have improved mechanical strength and thermal degradation resistance relative to the cross-linked polymer alone. The graphene-enhanced polymer composite can be applied in conformance applications to increase the lifetimes and stress ranges of polymer compositions, such as relative permeability modifiers.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Hydrocarbon production typically requires using a drill bit to drill through subterranean formations to form a wellbore that extends through the subterranean formation. Typically, a drilling fluid is circulated through an annulus (or space) between the drill bit and the surface of the wellbore. The drilling fluid cools and lubricates the drill bit while removing the drill shavings from the bottom of the drill string being formed.
[0003] Once the desired drilling depth is reached, slurry containing a cement composition can be added into the annular space between the walls of the wellbore and the pipe string to isolate the pipe string from the subterranean zones.
[0004] One of the methods used to increase the production of oil and gas from a subterranean formation is to pump polymer compositions and proppants into various portions of the wellbore under high pressure. The high pressure fractures the subterranean formation surrounding the wellbore to increase the permeability of the subterranean formation. The polymer compositions and proppants prevent or reduce the amount of porosity that would be lost once the pressure is reduced. This method is known as hydraulic fracturing or “fracking.”
[0005] One of the significant challenges associated with hydraulic fracturing is to increase the mechanical strength of the polymer compositions and proppants used to minimize the number of fractures that are sealed by the overburden pressure of the subterranean formation. If the pressure of the subterranean formation exceeds the strength of the polymer compositions and proppants, then the subterranean formation surrounding the wellbore will lose permeability. This loss of permeability results in either lowered production volumes or longer production times. There is a need for polymer compositions and proppants having improved mechanical strength.
[0006] Another challenge associated with hydraulic fracturing is to selectively produce hydrocarbons. Unfortunately, the higher permeability that increases the production of hydrocarbons can also increase the production of undesirable liquids, such as water, which mix with the oil and gas being produced. Polymers known as relative permeability modifiers (RPMs) have been developed to coat the fractured subterranean formation with hydrophilic and hydrophobic materials that facilitate the production of hydrocarbons while minimizing the amount of water produced. However, the relative permeability modifiers are subject to the variable pressures and temperatures of the various stages of conformance and production, which can lead to degradation of the relative permeability modifier over time. The degradation of the relative permeability modifier allows the amount of water produced with the hydrocarbons to increase, which requires the subsequent removal of the water from the produced oil and gas. There is a need for a relative permeability modifier having increased resistance to thermal degradation and mechanical strength to improve the lifetimes and stress ranges of relative permeability modifiers.
SUMMARY
[0007] A graphene-enhanced polymer composite is disclosed herein. According to several exemplary embodiments, the graphene-enhanced polymer composite includes: from about 0.01% w/v to about 10% w/v of a nano-graphene material; and a cross-linked polymer, wherein the cross-linked polymer is: a reaction product of (1) a hydrophilic reactive polymer and (2) (a) a hydrophobic compound or (b) a hydrophilic compound, wherein the hydrophilic reactive polymer comprises a reactive amino group, or a copolymerization product of (1) a hydrophilic monomer and (2) a hydrophobically modified hydrophilic monomer.
[0008] A method of reducing water permeability of a wellbore in a subterranean formation is disclosed herein. According to several exemplary embodiments, the method includes: introducing a relative permeability modifier comprising a graphene-enhanced polymer composite into the wellbore; the graphene-enhanced polymer composite comprising: from about 0.01% w/v to about 10% w/v of a nano-graphene material; and a cross-linked polymer, wherein the cross-linked polymer is: a reaction product of a hydrophilic reactive polymer and a hydrophobic compound or a hydrophilic compound, wherein the hydrophilic reactive polymer comprises a reactive amino group, or a copolymerization product of a hydrophilic monomer and a hydrophobically modified hydrophilic monomer.
[0009] It has been found that blending graphene materials into a cross-linked polymer forms graphene-enhanced polymer composites, as disclosed herein, that have greatly increased the mechanical strength and thermal degradation resistance relative to the cross-linked polymer alone. These graphene-enhanced polymer composites can provide relative permeability modifiers with improved resistance to degradation across broader thermal and pressure conditions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0010] The following description of the drawing is merely an embodiment of the disclosure and should not be considered limiting. Also, the drawing is merely a depiction of embodiments and is not drawn to scale.
[0011] The FIGURE plots the percentage of weight loss of an embodiment of the graphene-enhanced polymer composite as a function of temperature.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] The term “about” indicates a range which includes ±5% when used to describe a single number. When applied to a range, the term “about” indicates that the range includes −5% of a numerical lower boundary and +5% of an upper numerical boundary. For example, a range of from about 100° C. to about 200° C., includes a range of from 95° C. to 210° C. However, when the term “about” modifies a percentage, then the term means ±1% of the number or numerical boundaries, unless the lower boundary is 0%. Thus, a range of 5-10%, includes 4-11%. A range of 0-5%, includes 0-6%.
[0013] Unless indicated otherwise, all measurements have metric units.
[0014] Unless otherwise noted, the term “alkyl” means an alkyl group having from about 4 to about 30 carbon atoms.
[0015] Unless indicated otherwise, the terms “a,” “an,” or “the” can refer to one or more than one of the noun they modify.
[0016] A graphene-enhanced polymer composite is disclosed herein. According to several exemplary embodiments, the graphene-enhanced polymer composite includes: from about 0.01% w/v to about 10% w/v of a nano-graphene material based on a volume of the graphene-enhanced polymer composite, which can include an aqueous solution. According to several exemplary embodiments, the graphene-enhanced polymer composite includes a cross-linked polymer, wherein the cross-linked polymer is: a reaction product of (1) a hydrophilic reactive polymer and (a) a hydrophobic compound or (b) a hydrophilic compound, wherein the hydrophilic reactive polymer comprises a reactive amino group, or a copolymerization product of (1) a hydrophilic monomer and (2) a hydrophobically modified hydrophilic monomer. According to several exemplary embodiments, the cross-linked polymer that is a reaction product of a hydrophilic reactive polymer and a hydrophobic compound; a reaction product of a hydrophilic reactive polymer and a hydrophilic compound; or a copolymerization product of a hydrophilic monomer and a hydrophobically modified hydrophilic monomer.
[0017] According to several exemplary embodiments, the cross-linked polymer is the reaction product of (1) a hydrophilic reactive polymer and (2) (a) a hydrophobic compound or (b) a hydrophilic compound. According to several exemplary embodiments, hydrophilic reactive polymers suitable for use in the aqueous solutions are polymers containing reactive amino groups in the polymer backbone or as pendant groups. According to several exemplary embodiments, the hydrophilic reactive polymers have dialkyl amino pendant groups. According to several exemplary embodiments, the hydrophilic reactive polymer has a dimethyl amino pendant group and is the product of a polymerization reaction in which at least one monomer is selected from dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate and dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide. According to several exemplary embodiments, the hydrophilic reactive polymer includes homo-, co- or terpolymers. According to several exemplary embodiments, the hydrophilic reactive polymer includes polyethyleneimine, polyvinylamine, polyamine, poly(vinylamine/vinyl alcohol), chitosan, polylysine and alkyl acrylate polymers. According to several exemplary embodiments, alkyl acrylate polymers include polydimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, polydimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide, poly(acrylamide/dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate), poly(acrylamide/dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide), poly(acrylic acid/dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate), and poly(acrylamide/tertiary butyl acrylate). According to several exemplary embodiments, the hydrophilic reactive polymer is at least one of polydimethylaminoethyl methacrylate and polydimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide.
[0018] According to several exemplary embodiments, hydrophobic compounds suitable for reaction with the hydrophilic reactive polymers include at least one of an alkyl halide having from about 4 to about 30 carbons and a bisphenol epoxide. According to several exemplary embodiments, the alkyl chain portion of the hydrophobic compound has from about 4 to about 30 carbons. According to several exemplary embodiments, the hydrophobic compound is a bisphenol epoxide resin. According to several exemplary embodiments, the hydrophobic compound is cetyl bromide. According to several exemplary embodiments, hydrophilic compounds suitable for reaction with the hydrophilic reactive polymers include acrylamide-co-acrylate ester copolymers, or a halogen containing polyether, wherein the polyether is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, polybutylene oxide, and mixtures thereof.
[0019] According to several exemplary embodiments, the cross-linked polymer is a reaction product of polyethyleneimine and acrylamide-co-acrylate ester copolymer. According to several exemplary embodiments, the cross-linked polymer is the H 2 ZERO® SYSTEM, which is commercially available from Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. The H 2 ZERO® SYSTEM is a combination of HZ-10 polymer (poly(acrylamide-co-acrylate ester) copolymer) and HZ-20 crosslinker (polyethyleneimine).
[0020] According to several exemplary embodiments, the cross-linked polymer is EXPEDITE® 350, which is commercially available from Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. Expedite 350 is a combination of polyamine and bisphenol epoxide resin.
[0021] According to several exemplary embodiments, the cross-linked polymer is a copolymerization product of a hydrophilic monomer and a hydrophobically modified hydrophilic monomer. These copolymerization reactions are known to those skilled in the art as represented by U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,169, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0022] According to several exemplary embodiments, the hydrophilic monomer includes acrylamide, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid, N,N-dimethylacrylamide, vinyl pyrrolidone, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, acrylic acid, dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide, vinyl amine, trimethylammoniumethyl methacrylate chloride, methacrylamide and hydroxyethyl acrylate. According to several exemplary embodiments, hydrophilic monomers include acrylamide, 2-acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid, acrylic acid, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide, and vinyl pyrrolidone.
[0023] According to several exemplary embodiments, the hydrophobically modified hydrophilic monomers include alkyl acrylates, alkyl methacrylates, alkyl acrylamides, alkyl methacrylamides, alkyl dimethylammoniumethyl methacrylate bromide, alkyl dimethylammoniumethyl methacrylate chloride, alkyl dimethylammoniumethyl methacrylate iodide, alkyl dimethylammoniumpropyl methacrylamide bromide, alkyl dimethylammoniumpropyl methacrylamide chloride, and alkyl dimethylammoniumpropyl methacrylamide iodide, wherein the alkyl groups have from about 4 to about 22 carbon atoms.
[0024] According to several exemplary embodiments, the hydrophobically modified hydrophilic monomers include octadecyldimethylammoniumethyl methacrylate bromide, hexadecyldimethylammoniumethyl methacrylate bromide, hexadecyldimethylammoniumpropyl methacrylamide bromide, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, and hexadecyl methacrylamide.
[0025] According to several exemplary embodiments, the cross-linked polymer has a weight average molecular weight in the range of from about 250,000 Daltons to about 3,000,000 Daltons, or from about 500,000 Daltons to 2,000,000 Daltons. According to several exemplary embodiments, a cross-linked polymer is a reaction product of components having a mole ratio of hydrophilic reactive polymer to a hydrophobic compound or a hydrophilic compound of from about 1:10 to about 1:100 or from about 1:20 to about 1:80. According to several exemplary embodiments, the cross-linked polymer is a copolymerization product of components having a mole ratio of hydrophilic monomer to hydrophobically modified hydrophilic monomer of about 10:1 to about 1:10, or from about 5:1 to about 1:5.
[0026] According to several exemplary embodiments, the nano-graphene material comprises a nano-graphene plate powder, a nano-graphene ribbon, a functionalized graphene, a graphene oxide, and combinations thereof. Graphene is an allotrope of carbon, whose structure is a planar sheet of sp 2 -bonded graphite atoms that are densely packed in a 2-dimensional honeycomb crystal lattice. However, graphene can take on a variety of sizes and shapes. “Nano-graphene” is defined as graphene having no dimension greater than 1 μm or 1000 nm and that is substantially planar, which excludes tubes and spheres, such as carbon nanotubes, fullerenes, and the like.
[0027] According to several exemplary embodiments, the nano-graphene materials comprise a nano-graphene plate powder. Nano-graphene plate powder has been found to have excellent thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, high-temperature resistance, high corrosion resistance, a low friction coefficient, and good self-lubricating properties. According to several exemplary embodiments, the nano-graphene plate powder has a particle size of from about 5 nm to about 100 nm, from about 10 nm to about 80 nm, from about 30 nm to about 300 nm, or from about 50 nm to about 200 nm. According to several exemplary embodiments, the nano-graphene plate powder has a particle thickness of from about 1 nm to about 100 nm, or from about 5 nm to about 50 nm. According to several exemplary embodiments, the nano-graphene plate powder has a ratio of particle size to particle thickness of about 10:1 to about 30:1, or about 15:1 to about 25:1. According to several exemplary embodiments, the nano-graphene plate powder has a specific gravity from about 1.5 g/cc to about 2.5 g/cc, or about 2.12 g/cc. According to several exemplary embodiments, the nano-graphene plate powder has a bulk density from about 0.01 g/cc to about 0.8 g/cc. According to several exemplary embodiments, the nano-graphene plate powder has a surface area of from about 200 m 2 /g to about 800 m 2 /g, from about 400 m 2 /g to about 800 m 2 /g, or about 750 m 2 /g. According to several exemplary embodiments, the nano-graphene plate powder has a tensile strength of from about 3.0 GPa to about 7.0 GPa, or about 5.0 GPa. According to several exemplary embodiments, the nano-graphene plate powder has a tensile modulus of about 500 GPa to about 1500 GPa.
[0028] According to several exemplary embodiments, the nano-graphene is surface functionalized by methods known to those of skill in the art. One benefit of such functionalization is the introduction of functional groups that facilitate the processing of the nano-graphene or alter the properties of the nano-graphene. According to several exemplary embodiments, the functionalized graphene has at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a sulfonate, a sulfate, a sulfosuccinate, a thiosulfate, a succinate, a carboxylate, a hydroxyl, a glucoside, an ethoxylate, a propoxylate, a phosphate, an ether, an amine, an amide, and combinations thereof.
[0029] According to several exemplary embodiments, a graphene-enhanced polymer composite contains from about 0.01% w/v to about 15% w/v, or about 1.0% w/v to about 5.0% w/v of a nano-graphene material relative to the volume of the graphene-enhanced polymer composite. For example, a graphene-enhanced polymer composite can contain 0.1 g graphene per 1 mL of graphene-enhanced polymer composite.
[0030] A relative permeability modifier is disclosed herein. According to several exemplary embodiments, the relative permeability modifier includes a graphene-enhanced polymer composite. According to several exemplary embodiments, the graphene-enhanced polymer composite includes a base fluid. According to several exemplary embodiments, the base fluid is an aqueous fluid that includes at least 50% by weight of water. According to several exemplary embodiments, the aqueous fluid is a brine containing a mineral salt, such as sodium chloride. According to several exemplary embodiments, the relative permeability modifier contains from about 0.1% by weight to about 3.0% by weight or about 0.3% by weight to about 2.0% by weight of the graphene-enhanced polymer composite based on the weight of the relative permeability modifier.
[0031] A method of reducing water permeability of a wellbore in a subterranean formation is disclosed. According to several exemplary embodiments, the method reduces the water permeability of a wellbore in need thereof. According to several exemplary embodiments, the method includes locating a lost circulation zone in the wellbore by applying a detection method to the wellbore. According to several exemplary embodiments, the lost circulation zone is detected by a detection method that includes at least one of magnetic resonance imaging, resistivity imaging, gamma ray imaging, neutron density imaging, sonic imaging, and caliper imaging.
[0032] According to several exemplary embodiments, a magnetic resonance imaging logging (MRIL) tool operates on known magnetic resonance imaging principles which include obtaining a response from the naturally abundant hydrogen protons in formation fluids, such as water, oil, and gas. According to several exemplary embodiments, detection by magnetic resonance imaging logging provides information, such as the total porosity, irreducible water saturation (which indicates rock texture), water-cut prediction (when integrated with conventional open-hole logs), permeability (by combining the porosity, free fluid and bound fluid predictions), and fluid quantification (oil, water, or gas), regardless of the type of subterranean environment. According to several exemplary embodiments, a benefit of magnetic resonance imaging is the determination of water presence and water mobility, which are indicators of lost circulation zones. According to several exemplary embodiments, the method further includes a step of placing the water permeability modifier to the wellbore within 50 meters of a lost circulation zone detected by a detection method.
[0033] Conformance applications typically include pumping chemicals to eliminate or reduce unwanted water production. For example, many conformance applications pump into a wellbore water and polymers that crosslink to form a plugging substance that mitigates water production. According to several exemplary embodiments, one benefit of applying a detection method to determine the location of a lost circulation zone is that the lost circulation zone is then selectively contacted with a relative permeability modifier that is appropriate for the size of the pores and the amount of water passing into the wellbore.
[0034] According to several exemplary embodiments, the method of reducing water permeability of a wellbore in a subterranean formation includes: introducing a relative permeability modifier including a graphene-enhanced polymer composite into the wellbore; the graphene-enhanced polymer composite including: from about 0.01% w/v to about 10% w/v of a nano-graphene material; and a cross-linked polymer, wherein the cross-linked polymer is: a reaction product of a hydrophilic reactive polymer and a hydrophobic compound or a hydrophilic compound, wherein the hydrophilic reactive polymer comprises a reactive amino group, or a copolymerization product of a hydrophilic monomer and a hydrophobically modified hydrophilic monomer.
[0035] According to several exemplary embodiments, the method further includes a step of detecting degradation of the graphene-enhanced polymer composite during production by applying at least one of UV spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy to a production fluid. A production fluid is defined as a fluid that has been removed from the subterranean formation by way of the wellbore. One benefit of using nano-graphene enhanced polymer composites in relative permeability modifiers is that the graphene materials have unique absorbance profiles for UV (ultraviolet), IR (infrared), and Raman spectroscopy. This allows for graphene in the production fluids to be detected and quantified. According to several exemplary embodiments, the method further includes a step of detecting degradation of the graphene-enhanced polymer composite during production by applying at least one of UV spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy to a production fluid. The ability to detect degradation of the relative permeability modifier over time will allow well operators to determine when the relative permeability modifier should be replaced.
[0036] The following examples are illustrative of the compositions and methods discussed above.
EXAMPLES
[0037] In Example 1, 10% w/v of nano-graphene plate powder was blended with a cross-linkable cross-linked polymer (the H 2 ZERO® SYSTEM, commercially available from Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.) into a homogenous mixture. Control 1 was prepared according to the same procedure as Example 1, except no nano-graphene plate powder was added to the cross-linkable cross-linked polymer of Control 1. Referring to FIG. 1 , the samples prepared according to Example 1 (“10% NGP HZ.001”) and Control 1 (“HZ Neat.001”) were heated at a rate of 5° C./min to 10° C./min for 1.5 hours to temperatures that included 201° C.±1° C. During this time, the weight of the sample prepared according to Example 1 was observed to decrease to 72.99% by weight of its original weight, whereas the weight of Control 1 was observed to decrease to 42.27% by weight of its original weight. This test confirmed that the sample prepared according to Control 1 degraded more than the sample prepared according to Example 1 by 30 weight percent. Because the only difference between Example 1 and Control 1 was the omission of nano-graphene plate powder, it is clear that the inclusion of nano-graphene plate powder increases the thermal stability of the cross-linked polymer.
[0038] In Example 2, natural sand was coated with a cross-linked polymer that included 0.075 weight percent of percent nano-graphene plate powder and 3.0 weight percent of EXPEDITE® 350 (1:1 A+B, which are polyamine and a bisphenol epoxide resin) in a solution of base fluid. The base fluid is a resin system, such as epoxy resin and amine hardener. EXPEDITE® 350 is commercially available from Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. The coated sand was cured in an autoclave at 3000 psi for 24 to 48 hours at 180° F. to 350° F. Control 2 was prepared according to the same procedure, except no nano-graphene plate powder was added.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Unconfined
Nano-Graphene
Compressive
Sample
Platelet Powder
Cross-linked polymer
Strength (UCS)
Example 2
0.075 wt. %
3.0 wt. % EXPEDITE ®
1638
350 (1:1 A +B) in solution
Control 2
0.000 wt. %
3.0 wt. % EXPEDITE ®
1352
350 (1:1 A + B) in solution
[0039] The unconfined pressure strength of the samples prepared according to Example 2 and Comparative Example 2 was measured using a Compute Full-Automatic Compression System, Model WHY-300, made by Shanghai Hualong Test Instruments Co. LTD, China. The results shown in Table 1 clearly indicate that the strength of the polymer improves by more than 20 percent due to the addition of the nano-graphene platelet powder to the EXPEDITE® 350 polymer.
[0040] The increased resistance to thermal degradation and increased strength demonstrated by Examples 1 and 2, respectively, are of tremendous importance to industries where polymers must endure high temperatures, pressures, and water vapor. For example, the H 2 ZERO® SYSTEM often serves as a relative permeability modifier used in completion procedures, but this material has been found to degrade at temperatures of 400° F. in wellbores. According to several exemplary embodiments, the graphene-enhanced polymer composites disclosed herein can extend the functional range of pressure and temperature of the H 2 ZERO® SYSTEM.
[0041] While the present invention has been described in terms of certain embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
[0042] Any spatial references such as, for example, “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” “between,” “bottom,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “angular,” “upwards,” “downwards,” “side-to-side,” “left-to-right,” “left,” “right,” “right-to-left,” “top-to-bottom,” “bottom-to-top,” “top,” “bottom,” “bottom-up,” “top-down,” etc., are for the purpose of illustration only and do not limit the specific orientation or location of the structure described above.
[0043] The present disclosure has been described relative to certain embodiments. Improvements or modifications that become apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art only after reading this disclosure are deemed within the spirit and scope of the application. It is understood that several modifications, changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention. | It has been discovered that blending nano-graphene materials into cross-linked polymer compositions increases the thermal degradation resistance and compressive strength of the graphene enhanced polymer composites formed. Graphene enhanced polymer composites and their methods of use provide improved relative permeability modifiers for conformance applications. | 4 |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to the fabrication of a perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) write head whose main pole is coupled to a synthetic magnetic super-lattice (SAFS) which will enhance the magnetization components perpendicular to the ABS that lie along the film plane of the SAFS. The enhancement of this in-plane magnetization component can increase the write field.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] The increasing need for high recording area densities (up to 1 Tb/in 2 ) is making the perpendicular magnetic recording head (PMR head) a replacement of choice for the longitudinal magnetic recording head (LMR head).
[0005] By means of fringing magnetic fields that extend between two emerging pole pieces, longitudinal recording heads form small magnetic domains within the surface plane of the magnetic medium (hard disk). As recorded area densities are required to increase, these domains must correspondingly decrease in size, eventually permitting destabilizing thermal effects to become stronger than the magnetic interactions that tend to stabilize the domain formations. This occurrence is the so-called superparamagnetic limit. Recording media that accept perpendicular magnetic recording, allow domain structures to be formed within a magnetic layer, perpendicular to the disk surface, while a soft magnetic underlayer (SUL) formed beneath the magnetic layer acts as a stabilizing influence on these perpendicular domain structures. Thus, a magnetic recording head that produces a field capable of forming domains perpendicular to a disk surface, when used in conjunction with such perpendicular recording media, is able to produce a stable recording with a much higher area density than is possible using standard longitudinal recording.
[0006] Since their first use, the PMR head has evolved through several generations. Initially, the PMR head was a monopole, but that design was replaced by a shielded head design with a trailing edge shield (TS), which, due to its negative field, provides a high field gradient in the down-track direction to facilitate recording at high linear densities.
[0007] Side shields (SS) then began to be used in conjunction with the trailing edge shields, because it was necessary to eliminate the fringing side fields in order to increase writing density still further. Unfortunately, despite the benefits they provided, the presence of these shields inevitably reduces the field produced by the main pole because the basis of their operation is the removal of portions of the flux of that field. Therefore, as long as design functionalities can be achieved, it is important to reduce any additional flux shunting by the shields from the main pole. This is a particularly important consideration for future PMR writer designs which utilize increasingly small pole tips. In addition, in order to address the problem of wide area track erasure (WATE), it is desirable to increase the throat height of the trailing shield by making it thick. This additional thickness shunts additional flux away from the pole itself.
[0008] In today's quest for very high density magnetic recording it is essential to improve the bit error rate (BER). This requires an increase in the recorded bits per inch (BPI) As the data rate for writing increasing rapidly to the GHz range, it is also important to increase the data rate capability of the writer without losing the BER. At today's state-of-the-art rate of 750 Gb/in 2 areal density, the physical width of the writer is reduced to only ≈50 nm (nanometers), with a write gap reduced to sub-30 nm dimensions. The reduction of writer dimensions poses a significant challenge to maintain the write field strength and field gradient for OW, BER and adequate frequency response, since most of the the writing flux will be shunted from the main pole to the trailing shield without an adequate magnetization component along the direction that is vertical to the ABS plane. The critical aspect of writer design to achieve the high writing field, high field gradient and frequency response is to engineer the magnetization configuration and response of the main pole and trailing shield region.
[0009] Referring first to schematic FIG. 1 , there is shown a side cross-sectional view of components of a prior art PMR write head, with its ABS end (dashed line ( 60 )) positioned over a perpendicular recording type magnetic medium ( 100 ) having a magnetically soft underlayer (SUL) ( 150 ). There is shown a lead shield ( 80 ), a main pole ( 20 ), a trailing shield ( 40 ), a write gap ( 65 ) between the main pole and the trailing shield and a yoke ( 90 ). Note that these components generally project backwards (away from the ABS) so that the yoke and main pole have a closed configuration, but that extended view is not shown here. The trailing shield ( 40 ) is grown on a high magnetic moment (high Ms) seed layer ( 45 ). The medium ( 100 ) is moving from the lead shield towards the trailing shield.
[0010] During writing, magnetic flux ( 10 ) emerges from the main pole ( 20 ) and takes two paths. A first path ( 30 ) is directly shunted to the trailing shield ( 40 ) through the write gap ( 65 ), which drives the magnetization of the trailing shield ( 50 ) to be parallel to the ABS ( 60 ) of the writer. Since the medium is responsive to a vertical field, this flux component is not useful for writing and it should be reduced. Another flux path ( 35 ) emerges from the pole tip, passes through the soft magnetic under layer (SUL) ( 150 ) at the bottom of the magnetic medium and returns to the trailing shield ( 40 ). This component of the flux is the one actually doing the writing on the medium. For good write performance the flux emerging from the main pole and entering the medium needs to have a strong vertical (perpendicular to the ABS) component and it should have some vertical component relative to its re-entrance into the ABS of the trailing shield to efficiently close the flux loop. Therefore, it is advantageous to increase the vertical magnetization of both the main pole and the trailing shield adjacent to the write gap.
[0011] The effects of the write field of a prior art configuration such as that shown in FIG. 1 can be obtained from the graph shown in FIG. 2 . The graph of FIG. 2 is a micromagnetic modeling result showing the magnitude profile of a down-track write field, as a function of elapsed time after write-current switching. The magnitude, H eff is measured in Oe along the graph ordinate and the down-track position is measured along the abscissa in microns (μm) down track from the pole tip. Five measurement times are superimposed, from 0.5 ns (nanoseconds) to 2.5 ns after the field is shut off Two conclusions can be drawn from the graph.
[0012] 1) the trailing shield magnetization response is lagging behind the main pole field and,
[0013] 2) the maximum field gradient depends on the positive and negative peak values of H eff and their spacing.
[0014] In this modeling experiment, the magnetization of the trailing shield has a component in the same direction as that of the main pole, from times of 0.5 to 1.5 ns, as evidenced by the same polarity of the writing field under the trailing shield. Beginning at 2 ns, however, this trailing shield flux polarity switches direction, providing some anti-parallel component to the main pole magnetization and, thereby, generating a negative dip in the field profile which produces a high field gradient. This effect is greatest at 2 ns and 2.5 ns where the switch in polarity of the field from an H eff of approximately 17 kOe to an H eff of approximately −5 kOe (opposite direction) is due to some component of the trailing shield flux which is anti-parallel to the flux emerging from the pole tip.
[0015] These results imply that it will be advantageous to have a writer design which enhances the flux component vertical to the ABS between the main pole and the trailing shield and thereby enhances the write field strength and the field gradient. We shall use the approach of antiferromagnetically coupled superlattices (SAFS), described fully below, to achieve the desired design properties.
[0016] S. Parkin, et al., in “Oscillations in Exchange Coupling and Magnetoresistance in Metallic Superlattice Structures,” Phys. Rev. Lett., 64, pp. 2304, 1990, describes the properties of a {[Co20A/Ru3A]×20} superlattice. Superlattices have also been discussed in the prior arts in applications to writers as well as magnetic media and magnetic oscillators by others than Parkin et al. cited above. Additional examples can be found in Kief et al. (U.S. patent application No. 2010/0214692), Rou et al. (U.S. patent application No. 2008/0055777), Zhu et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 7,616,412), Kawato et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 7,813,079), and Ikeda et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,468,670). None of these prior arts teach the method to be described in detail below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0017] A first object of this invention, therefore, is to design and fabricate a PMR writer with a pole and shield configuration that improves the performance of a PMR write head.
[0018] A second object of the present invention is design and fabricate such a PMR writer with a pole and trailing shield configuration that enhances the write field strength and field gradient of the shielded pole.
[0019] A third object of the present invention is to satisfy the first two objects with a trailing shield configuration and material structure that enhances the flux component of the magnetic write field that is perpendicular to the surface of the magnetic medium and is, therefore, most important in improving the write process.
[0020] These objects will be met by a pole and trailing shield design whose combined magnetization is forced into a desired direction. That desired direction is perpendicular to the recording medium and the forcing is achieved by an antiferromagnetic coupling to a synthetic antiferromagnetic super-lattice (SAFS) structure.
[0021] In the present writer design, as illustrated in schematic prior art FIG. 3 , there is shown a main pole ( 20 ), a trailing shield ( 40 ) and a write gap ( 65 ) between them. The ABS edge of the structure is denoted “ABS”. The trailing shield ( 40 ) is grown on a high magnetic moment (high Ms) seed layer ( 45 ) denoted “HS” in the figure. The SUL magnetic medium ( 150 ) beneath the ABS of the writer is to be visualized as moving from the pole towards the trailing shield. As is shown schematically, the instant magnetization of the main pole (arrows) is severely tilted away from the ABS plane direction in the vicinity of the write gap ( 65 ). In particular, the magnetization direction at the beveled edge of the main pole ( 70 ) is nearly perpendicular to that edge, which promotes a flux loop (dashed and curved arrows) that is not optimally perpendicular to the ABS surface of the medium ( 150 ). The effective write field strength is limited by this lack of verticality to the ABS plane. In the present invention, we will utilize a synthetic antiferromagnetic super-lattice structure (SAFS) of the following form:
[0000] {[ferromagnetic (FM)/transition metal (TM)/ferromagnetic (FM)]×N}
[0000] which is a multi-layered structure formed of a transition metal (TM) layer sandwiched between two ferromagnetic layers (FM), i.e. a FM/TM/FM tri-layer, with the tri-layer then repeated N times (×N) so that it has period (i.e., multiplicity) N. This SAFS will be used to produce the desired alignment of the magnetic components of the main pole by constraining and redirecting those components to lie along the film plane (i.e. the layer deposition plane) of the SAFS layers. Thus, in the present invention the SAFS constrains the magnetization of the main pole and trailing shield to lie in its film plane, which then enhances the vertical magnetization flux component that is responsible for the writing process.
[0022] The magnetizations of the ferromagnetic (FM) material layers are antiferromagnetically coupled (in opposite directions) through the transition metal (TM) layer as illustrated schematically in FIG. 4 .
[0023] In FIG. 4 , there can be seen schematically a multilayered SAFS formed as N multiples of identical tri-layered configurations ( 100 ), each comprising a transition metal layer (TM) ( 110 ), such as a layer of any of the 3 d - 5 d transition metals: Ru, Rh, Cr, Cu, Au, V, Nb, Mo, Ta, W, Re, or Ir, formed to a thickness between approximately 2 angstroms and 30 angstroms, sandwiched between two ferromagnetic (FM) layers ( 120 ), such as layers of Co, Fe, Ni and their alloys, that are preferably formed to a thickness between approximately 5 angstroms and 500 angstroms. Each of the N multiples is separated from its neighbor by a transition metal layer ( 110 ). The magnetizations (arrows) of the two FM layers in each of the N multiples are oppositely directed to each other, being coupled across the intervening TM layer and thereby producing the synthetic antiferromagnetic configuration (SAF). The overall thickness of the write gap formed in this manner can be from approximately 5 nm (nanometers) to approximately 100 nm.
[0024] The saturation field (H s ) needed to align all the FM material layer magnetizations within the super-lattice needs to be very high to keep the magnetization of the FM layer in its film plane under the influence of the writer gap field which is typically in the range of between approximately 1.5 and 2.4 Tesla (T). The H s of the SAFS can be tuned by choosing the material and thickness of the FM and TM layers and by choice of the period, N. For example, S. Parkin, et al., cited above, in “Oscillations in Exchange Coupling and Magnetoresistance in Metallic Superlattice Structures,” Phys. Rev. Lett., 64, pp. 2304, 1990, describes a {[Co20A/Ru3A]×20} super-lattice which has H s >7.0 T. Since H s is inversely proportional to the thickness of the FM layer, it can reach ≈28 T for a {[Co5A/Ru3A]×20} super-lattice which is much greater than the gap field of between approximately 1.5 and 2.4 T. Therefore, its magnetization will be kept in-plane. The magnetization of the entire SAFS system has a very small in-plane anisotropic field and it is very easy to rotate in the film plane.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view, perpendicular to the ABS plane, of a prior art PMR writer having a main pole tip shielded on a trailing side and a leading side, showing the flux paths through a magnetic medium having a soft magnetic underlayer (SUL).
[0026] FIG. 2 is a prior art graphical representation showing the down-track write-field profile of a prior art writer such as that in FIG. 1 at five different times after switching of the write current.
[0027] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view, perpendicular to the ABS plane, of a prior art PMR writer, such as that in FIG. 1 , showing the tilting of the magnetization (arrows) of the pole and trailing shield in the vicinity of the write gap.
[0028] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view, perpendicular to the ABS plane, of a periodic SAFS, such as that to be used in the present invention, comprising N replicas of a tri-layered structure consisting of a transition metal layer sandwiched by two ferromagnetic layers.
[0029] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view, perpendicular to the ABS plane, of a first embodiment of the present PMR in which the surface of the main pole adjacent to the write gap is covered by a SAFS and showing the resulting constrained magnetizations.
[0030] FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view, perpendicular to the ABS plane, of a second embodiment of the present PMR in which the surface of the main pole adjacent to the write gap and the surface of the trailing shield seed layer adjacent to the write gap and/or the surface of the trailing shield above the seed layer are covered by a SAFS and showing the resulting constrained magnetizations.
[0031] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view, perpendicular to the ABS plane, of a third embodiment of the present PMR in which the surface of the main pole adjacent to the write gap and/or a portion of the interior of the main pole and the surface of the trailing shield seed layer adjacent to the write gap and/or the surface of the trailing shield above the seed layer are covered by or include a SAFS and showing the resulting constrained magnetizations.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0032] The embodiments of the present invention are a main pole and trailing shield configuration in which various placements of a synthetic antiferromagnetic superlattice (SAFS) on and in both the main pole and trailing shield cause a tilting of the magnetizations that constrains the magnetizations to lie along the superlattice layer planes and, thereby, enhances both a vertical component of the effective writing field of the pole/shield combination as well as its gradient.
First Embodiment
[0033] Referring first to FIG. 5 there is shown schematically, in a cross-sectional view taken in a plane perpendicular to the ABS plane, a main pole ( 20 ) and trailing shield ( 40 ) PMR design in which their combined magnetization (for writing on a magnetic medium) is forced into a desired direction perpendicular to the ABS by the formation of a SAFS layer ( 100 ) on a trailing edge ( 70 ) of the main pole.
[0034] In the figure there is shown the main pole ( 20 ) having an ABS planar end ( 21 ) and an adjacent trailing shield ( 40 ), formed adjacent to the trailing edge side ( 70 ) of the main pole. The trailing shield has an ABS planar surface ( 41 ) that is co-planar with the ABS end ( 21 ) of the main pole. There is also a write gap ( 65 ) formed by a separation between the main pole ( 20 ) and the shield ( 40 ). More specifically, the write gap is formed by a separation between two adjacent beveled surfaces: ( 90 ) (the trailing edge surface of the SAFS layer), and ( 71 ) the lower (leading edge) surface of the shield. It can be seen that surface ( 90 ) extends away from the ABS end and is the trailing edge surface of a layered SAFS structure ( 100 ). The SAFS structure ( 100 ) is formed contiguously on the actual trailing edge surface ( 70 ) of the pole. Surface ( 90 ) has a slight downward bevel at the similarly beveled ABS end ( 21 ) of the pole, whereby the beveled portion becomes substantially parallel to the lower surface ( 71 ) of the shield. The separation between ( 90 ) and ( 71 ) forms the write gap ( 65 ). The trailing shield ( 40 ) is grown on a high magnetic moment (high Ms) seed layer ( 45 ) denoted HS, whose bottom surface ( 71 ) is the surface partially forming the write gap.
[0035] As is seen, the main pole has an SAFS multilayer ( 100 ) formed on the actual trailing edge pole surface ( 70 ) adjacent to the write gap ( 65 ). In this illustration, the SAFS is shown as an exemplary period 1 (N=1) structure, having a first FM layer ( 251 ) formed on the main pole surface, a TM layer ( 252 ) formed on the first FM layer ( 251 ) and a second FM layer ( 253 ) formed on the TM layer. In this and all other embodiments, however, the SAFS can be a multilayer with N>=1.
[0036] As is shown by arrows in each layer of the multi-layered SAFS, the FM layer ( 251 ) has a magnetization directed away from the ABS. As is shown schematically by the arrows in the encircled region ( 60 ), the magnetization of the main pole (arrows) is now tilted by the strong antiferromagnetic coupling (Hs) between the SAFS and the main pole so that it is in a direction that is perpendicular to the ABS plane. In short, the multi-layered SAFS constrains the magnetization of the main pole to lie along the planes of the multi-layer. The constraint is provided by the antiferromagnetic coupling between the SAFS and the magnetization of the main pole on which it is formed. We shall see this same effect in each of the following embodiments as well, except that in the following embodiments additional SAFS are formed that provide additional constraining forces on the magnetizations of the structures on or in which they are formed. Thus, the magnetization (as shown by arrows ( 270 )) along the inner surface of the beveled edge ( 70 ) is substantially parallel to the beveled edge itself and to the entire length of the upper pole surface and is held in that position by the anti-ferromagnetic coupling to the SAFS. Referring back to FIG. 3 , it can be seen that the magnetization direction along the beveled edge of the main pole (( 70 ) in FIG. 3 ) is substantially perpendicular to that edge, which does not enhance the perpendicularity of the field.
Second Embodiment
[0037] Referring to schematic FIG. 6 , there is shown schematically a second preferred embodiment of the invention in which there is shown, in a cross-sectional view taken in a plane perpendicular to the ABS plane, a main pole and trailing shield design in which their combined magnetization is forced into and constrained within a desired direction by the formation of SAFS layers on both the main pole, as in the first preferred embodiment, and also on the write gap surface of the trailing shield and within the body of the shield as well. The desired direction is along the layer planes of the various SAFS and the magnetizations are constrained to lie in those directions by antiferromagnetic coupling to the SAFS.
[0038] The main pole ( 20 ) has an SAFS multilayer ( 100 ) formed on a trailing edge ( 70 ) side adjacent to the write gap ( 65 ) as in the first preferred embodiment. In this illustration, the SAFS is an exemplary period 1 (N=1) structure, having a first FM layer ( 251 ) formed on the main pole surface, a TM layer ( 252 ) formed on the first FM layer ( 251 ) and a second FM layer ( 253 ) formed on the TM layer. In general, however, N will be >=1.
[0039] The trailing shield ( 40 ) has, in this example of the embodiment, two SAFS layers (although either one by itself is possible alternative embodiment): an exemplary period 1 (N=1) multi-layer ( 350 ) formed on the lower surface of the high M S (HS) seed layer ( 45 ) and an exemplary period two (N=2) multi-layer ( 500 ) formed between the seed layer ( 45 ) and the body of the shield ( 40 ). Note that the seed layer ( 45 ) together with the SAFS multi-layer ( 500 ) formed on it may be considered as an extended seed layer on which the remainder of the trailing shield may be plated. The arrows ( 400 ), ( 430 ) and ( 450 ) represent magnetization directions that are held in place and constrained by the SAFS magnetizations and forced in the direction of the SAFS film planes. The flux lines ( 700 ) emerging from the trailing shield in accord with these magnetization arrows will promote flux loops with the main pole that will have an enhanced perpendicularity with the ABS plane.
Third Embodiment
[0040] Referring to schematic FIG. 7 , there is shown schematically a third preferred embodiment of the invention which is similar to the second preferred embodiment except that one or more SAFS ( 550 ), ( 650 ) are also formed within the body of the main pole ( 20 ) running axially backwards, away from the ABS plane and substantially parallel to the trailing ( 70 ) and leading ( 71 ) edges of the main pole.
[0041] The main pole ( 20 ) still has an SAFS multi-layer ( 100 ) formed on a trailing edge side adjacent to the write gap ( 65 ) as in the first and second preferred embodiments. In this illustration, the three SAFS, ( 100 ), ( 550 ) and ( 650 ) are each a period 1 (N=1) structure, as an example. As is the case with the surface SAFS ( 100 ), the internally formed SAFS ( 550 ) and ( 650 ) promote a magnetization direction that is perpendicular to the ABS plane throughout the interior of the main pole by constraining the magnetizations internal to the main pole to lie along the layer planes of the SAFS by means of antiferromagnetic coupling to the SAFS.
[0042] The trailing shield ( 40 ), in this embodiment, exactly as in the second preferred embodiment, has two SAFS layers (although either one by itself is possible): a multi-layer ( 350 ) formed on the lower surface of the high M s (HS) seed layer ( 45 ) and an exemplary period two (N=2) multi-layer ( 500 ), which can be one or more (N>=1), formed between the seed layer ( 45 ) and the body of the shield ( 40 ). As noted above, the seed layer/SAFS combination may now serve as a seed layer. The arrows ( 400 ), ( 430 ) and ( 450 ) represent magnetization directions that are held in place by the antiferromagnetic coupling to the SAFS. The flux lines emerging from the trailing shield will now promote flux loops with the main pole that will have an enhanced perpendicularity with the ABS plane.
[0043] As is understood by a person skilled in the art, the preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrative of the present invention rather than limiting of the present invention. Revisions and modifications may be made to methods, materials, structures and dimensions employed in forming and providing a PMR head having a main pole and trailing edge shield incorporating SAFS formed on surfaces as well as interior portions, thereby promoting a magnetic writing field with enhanced perpendicularity to the ABS plane, while still forming and providing such a PMR head and its method of formation in accord with the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. | A perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) head is fabricated with a main pole and a trailing edge shield having surfaces and interior portions that may include synthetic antiferromagnetic multi-layered superlattices (SAFS) formed on and/or within them respectively. The SAFS, which are multilayers formed as periodic multiples of antiferromagnetically coupled tri-layers, provide a mechanism for enhancing the component of the writing field that is vertical to the magnetic medium by exchange coupling to the magnetization of the pole and shield and constraining the directions of their magnetizations to lie within the film plane of the SAFS. | 6 |
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to apparatuses for treating a target zone of a subject with radiotherapy, in particular the invention relates to radiotherapy apparatuses guided by magnetic resonance imaging.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In routine practice of Radiotherapy (RT), the subject is positioned relative to the stationary center of the rotating arc carrying the RT source. Positioning implies both height and lateral adjustment of the subject table. This positioning is required to optimize the dose in the lesion beyond variation that can be obtained by applying RT rays from different angles.
[0003] Integration of MR and Linear Accelerators (LINAC) opens new horizons in Radiotherapy by improved lesion targeting, especially for moving organs. In a practical implementation proposal, the LINAC rotates around the subject to hit the gross target volume (GTV) and clinical target volume (CTV) from multiple angles while minimizing the radiation exposure for surrounding tissues.
[0004] The combination of magnetic resonance apparatuses and LINAC radiotherapy sources is known. Typically a LINAC source is placed on a rotating gantry about the magnet and designing the magnet such that the LINAC rotates in a zero-field region of the magnet. Another particular feature of the concept is the use of a split gradient coil which prevents attenuation of the LINAC beam.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,198,957 discloses a radiotherapy machine for beam treating a region of a subject combined with a magnetic resonance imaging system. The beam and the excitation coil assembly of the imaging system are arranged so that the beam is not incident on the coil assembly.
[0006] While performing radiotherapy the radiotherapy source is typically moved to a variety of positions while irradiating a target zone. This is done to minimize the exposure portions of a subject which do not include the target zone to the effects of the radiation. Typically, this is done by rotating the radiotherapy source about an axis of rotation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The invention provides for a therapeutic apparatus, a computer program product, and a method of controlling a therapeutic apparatus in the independent claims. Embodiments are given in the dependent claims.
[0008] A difficulty encountered in guiding radiotherapy treatments using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is the limited space in magnets that are useful for clinical imaging, such as cylindrical superconducting magnets. For such magnets there is simply is not sufficient space in a magnet to position the target zone along the rotational axis of the radiotherapy source.
[0009] Some embodiments of the invention address this problem by eliminating the use of a volume body coil from the magnetic resonance imaging system. The volume body coil is replaced by a least two transmit-and-receive-coils. This may have the advantage that the space normally used by a volume body coil is available for moving the subject within the magnet. This may allow more positioning of the subject such that a target zone is located at a rotational axis of a radiotherapy source.
[0010] The invention disclosure describes a novel MRI guided Radiotherapy system that is compatible with state-of-the-art subject handling systems that are currently used with Linear Accelerator (LINAC) therapy systems. The following aspects of the system may enable free positioning of the subject with respect to the LINAC focal point and the acquisition of MRI data without the use of an in-built body coil in a manner that is compatible with the use of a state-of-the-art carbon fiber table top while avoiding physical interference of RF coils with the therapy beam. Embodiments of the inventions described herein may represent improvements upon the existing MR-LINAC system concept which utilizes a LINAC apparatus rotating about a common iso-center within a zero-field region of an MRI magnet. The key features may be:
1) No built in body coil frees up space within the system bore that enable free 6 dimensional movement of the subject required for positioning target anatomies at the center of rotation of the LINAC beam as required for optimum therapeutic efficacy. 2) The magnet and gradient coil are designed to realize a ≧80 cm free bore in which the subject can be freely positioned. For an 80 cm bore inside the gradient coil it is expected that a 96 cm inner diameter magnet will suffice. 3) In place of the built in RF body coil, local transmit/receive RF coils or a split multi-element Tx/Rx array are used such that the subject can be surrounded by the elements while maintaining a suitable gap which avoids beam interference. Since the local coil arrays are placed on the table top, as opposed to surrounding it, the method is fully compatible with a carbon fiber table top. Since the coils are directly on the subject they are free to move with the subject and more efficient with respect to RF power demand. 4) The multi-element Tx/Rx array coils are used in transmit mode for MR excitation. By the use of RF shimming it is possible to focus the excitation at the target anatomy and also to focus the reception sensitivity of the coil to the same target anatomy thereby maximizing SNR. 5) Due to the extra large MR system bore it is possible to utilize existing LINAC subject positioning methods which enable 6 dimensional placement of the subject with target anatomy at system iso-center, as desired for optimum therapeutic efficacy. 6) To maximize the efficiency of the LINAC beam it is also proposed to optionally introduce an external recess in the magnet in order that the LINAC beam can be placed closer to the subject.
[0017] A ‘computer-readable storage medium’ as used herein encompasses any tangible storage medium which may store instructions which are executable by a processor of a computing device. The computer-readable storage medium may be referred to as a ‘computer-readable non-transitory storage medium.’ The computer-readable storage medium may also be referred to as a ‘tangible computer readable medium.’ In some embodiments, a computer-readable storage medium may also be able to store data which is able to be accessed by the processor of the computing device. Examples of computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to: a floppy disk, a magnetic hard disk drive, a solid state hard disk, flash memory, a USB thumb drive, Random Access Memory (RAM) memory, Read Only Memory (ROM) memory, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, and the register file of the processor. Examples of optical disks include Compact Disks (CD) and Digital Versatile Disks (DVD), for example CD-ROM, CD-RW, CD-R, DVD-ROM, DVD-RW, or DVD-R disks. The term computer readable-storage medium also refers to various types of recording media capable of being accessed by the computer device via a network or communication link. For example a data may be retrieved over a modem, over the internet, or over a local area network.
[0018] ‘Computer memory’ or ‘memory’ is an example of a computer-readable storage medium. Computer memory is any memory which is directly accessible to a processor. Examples of computer memory include, but are not limited to: RAM memory, registers, and register files.
[0019] ‘Computer storage’ or ‘storage’ is an example of a computer-readable storage medium. Computer storage is any non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. Examples of computer storage include, but are not limited to: a hard disk drive, a USB thumb drive, a floppy drive, a smart card, a DVD, a CD-ROM, and a solid state hard drive. In some embodiments computer storage may also be computer memory or vice versa.
[0020] A ‘computing device’ or ‘computer system’ as used herein refers to any device comprising a processor. A ‘processor’ is an electronic component which is able to execute a program or machine executable instruction. References to the computing device comprising “a processor” should be interpreted as possibly containing more than one processor. The term computing device should also be interpreted to possibly refer to a collection or network of computing devices each comprising a processor. Many programs have their instructions performed by multiple processors that may be within the same computing device or which may even distributed across multiple computing device.
[0021] A ‘user interface’ as used herein encompasses an interface which allows a user or operator to interact with a computer or computer system. A user interface may provide information or data to the operator and/or receive information or data from the operator. The display of data or information on a display or a graphical user interface is an example of providing information to an operator. The receiving of data through a keyboard, mouse, trackball, touchpad, pointing stick, graphics tablet, joystick, gamepad, webcam, headset, gear sticks, steering wheel, pedals, wired glove, dance pad, remote control, and accelerometer are all examples of receiving information or data from an operator.
[0022] Magnetic Resonance (MR) data is defined herein as being the recorded measurements of radio frequency signals emitted by atomic spins by the antenna of a Magnetic resonance apparatus during a magnetic resonance imaging scan. A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) image is defined herein as being the reconstructed two or three dimensional visualization of anatomic data contained within the magnetic resonance data. This visualization can be performed using a computer.
[0023] A ‘volume body coil’ or ‘body coil’ as used herein encompasses a radiofrequency antenna used to excite or manipulate the orientation of magnetic spins as preparation for the acquisition of magnetic resonance data.
[0024] A ‘transmit-and-receive channel’ as used herein encompasses an antenna which is used to both excite or manipulate the orientation of magnetic spins as preparation for the acquisition of magnetic resonance data and for the acquisition of magnetic resonance data.
[0025] In one aspect the invention provides for a therapeutic apparatus comprising a radiotherapy apparatus for treating a target zone of a subject. The radiotherapy apparatus comprises a radiotherapy source for directing electromagnetic radiation into the target zone. The electromagnetic radiation may be high energy photons generated for example but not limited to: an x-ray source, a LINAC x-ray source, and a radioisotope gamma radiation source. A radioisotope gamma radiation source as used herein encompasses a radiation source for generating gamma radiation that uses a radioisotope.
[0026] The therapeutic apparatus further comprises a magnetic resonance imaging system for acquiring magnetic resonance imaging data from an imaging zone. The target zone is within the imaging zone. The magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a magnet for generating a magnetic field within the imaging zone. The radiotherapy apparatus is adapted for rotating the radiotherapy source at least partially around the magnet. The magnetic resonance imaging system further comprises a radio-frequency transceiver adapted for simultaneously acquiring the magnetic resonance data from at least two transmit-and-receive channels. As used herein a channel refers to an antenna. The channels may comprise multiple coils or antenna elements.
[0027] The therapeutic apparatus further comprises a processor for controlling the therapeutic apparatus. A processor as used herein encompasses a computer system with one or more processors and it may also encompass computer systems with multiple processors. The therapeutic apparatus further comprises a memory containing machine executable instructions for execution by the processor.
[0028] Execution of the instructions causes the processor to perform a pre-scan calibration of the at least two transmit-and-receive channels using the magnetic resonance imaging system. During the pre-scan calibration magnetic resonance data is acquired for each of the at least two transmit-and-receive channels. The individual transmit-and-receive channels could for example be placed on the subject in different positions. They may be placed such that the radiotherapy apparatus does not direct the electromagnetic radiation into the transmit-and-receive channels. By performing a pre-scan calibration of the at least two transmit-and-receive channels their placement is not critical. The pre-scan calibration may be used for determining the phases and amplitudes for transmitting and receiving radio signals from magnetic spins in the imaging zone.
[0029] Execution of the instructions further causes the processor to acquire the magnetic resonance data in accordance with the pre-scan calibration using the at least two transmit-and-receive channels. This may include the phase and amplitudes of individual coil elements of each of the transmit-and-receive channels and also the phase and amplitude corrections for received radio signals by each coil or element of the at least two transmit-and-receive channels. Execution of the instructions further causes the processor to reconstruct a magnetic resonance image from the magnetic resonance data. It is understood herein that a magnetic resonance image may refer to multiple magnetic resonance images. For instance the magnetic resonance data may be acquired primarily from a particular volume. A series of magnetic resonance images may be constructed to represent the volume from which the magnetic resonance data is primarily acquired. The magnetic resonance image is typically reconstructed using Fourier techniques. For this reason volumes outside of the image may also contribute to the magnetic resonance image due to the Fourier techniques.
[0030] Execution of the instructions further causes the processor to generate radiotherapy control signals in accordance with the location of the target zone. The radiotherapy control signals cause the radiotherapy source to irradiate the target zone. The radiotherapy control signals may also cause the radiotherapy source to be positioned by the radiotherapy apparatus. The radiotherapy apparatus may for instance contain a ring or other positioning mechanisms or elements for physically moving the radiotherapy source. In this case the radiotherapy control signals control both whether the radiotherapy source is generating radiation and the position of the radiotherapy source.
[0031] Execution of the instructions further cause the processor to send the radiotherapy control signals to the radiotherapy system. Sending the radiotherapy control signals may be performed in different ways depending upon the embodiment. For instance the processor may send control signals to a separate controller or a computer which controls the radiotherapy apparatus. In other embodiments a hardware interface is used such that the processor controls and sends control signals to the radiotherapy system directly.
[0032] In another embodiment the radiotherapy apparatus contains a rotation mechanism for rotating the radiotherapy source around a rotational axis. In another embodiment the radiotherapy source directs the radiation through the rotational axis. In another embodiment the magnetic resonance imaging system has an axis. In another embodiment the rotational axis of the radiotherapy apparatus and the axis of the magnet of the magnetic resonance imaging system are coaxial.
[0033] In another embodiment the therapeutic apparatus further comprises a subject support. The subject support comprises a mechanical positioning system for positioning the subject within the magnet. In different embodiments the subject support is capable of moving with a varying number of degrees of freedom. In some embodiments a mechanical positioning system has six degrees of freedom. The support may move in three spatial directions and also be able to rotate about an axis for each of those directions. This embodiment allows the free placement of a subject such that the target zone is treated optimally.
[0034] In another embodiment the radiotherapy source rotates about an axis of rotation. Execution of the instructions further causes the processor to generate positioning control signals that cause the mechanical positioning system to move the target zone to the axis of rotation. The positioning control signals are generated in accordance with the location of the target zone in the registered magnetic resonance image. Execution of the instructions further cause the processor to send the positioning control signals to the mechanical positioning system. This embodiment is advantageous because if the radiotherapy source rotates about an axis of rotation and the target zone is placed in the axis of rotation then the radiotherapy source will always be in a position to irradiate the target zone. This may minimize the amount of electromagnetic radiation which is directed into regions of the subject which are not part of the target zone.
[0035] In another embodiment the radiotherapy source directs electromagnetic radiation through the rotational axis.
[0036] In another embodiment the therapeutic apparatus comprises the at least two transmit-and-receive channels. The at least two transmit-and-receive channels are part of the therapeutic apparatus in this embodiment.
[0037] In another embodiment each of the transmit-and-receive channels has multiple coil elements. Execution of the instructions further causes the processor to calibrate the send amplitudes and phases and the receive amplitudes and phases for the multiple coil elements during the pre-scan calibration. This may be performed by acquiring magnetic resonance data which each coil element for each of the transmit-and-receive channels and then performing a fitting procedure to determine the best amplitudes and phases to use for both sending signals and receiving signals using the transmit-and-receive channels.
[0038] In another embodiment the at least two transmit-and-receive channels comprise flexible coil elements. This embodiment is particularly advantageous because the transmit-and-receive channels can then be placed directly on the subject. As they may then conform to the outer shape of the subject, the at least two transmit-and-receive channels will occupy less space. This allows more room in the magnet and allows for more freedom in controlling the positioning of the subject, for instance if the therapeutic apparatus comprises a subject support then the subject support will have more space in which to move the subject.
[0039] In another embodiment execution of the instructions further causes the processor to repeatedly acquire the magnetic resonance data, repeatedly reconstruct the magnetic resonance image, and repeatedly register the location of the target zone during irradiation of the target zone. Execution of the instructions further cause the processor to repeatedly generate and send repeatedly updated radiotherapy control signals. The updated radiotherapy control signals compensate for motion of the subject between subsequent acquisitions of the magnetic resonance data. Execution of the instructions further causes the processor to repeatedly send the updated radiotherapy control signals to the radiotherapy source during irradiation of the target zone. In some embodiments the positioning control signals may also be repeatedly generated and repeatedly sent to the mechanical positioning system.
[0040] Repeatedly acquiring the magnetic resonance data and then compensating for motion of the subject either internal or external may be beneficial because the target zone is irradiated more accurately and there is a reduced chance that portions of the subject which are not part of the target zone are irradiated by mistake.
[0041] In another embodiment the radiotherapy source comprises an adjustable beam collimator. The adjustable beam collimator may for instance be a multi leaf collimator. The updated radiotherapy control signals comprise commands for controlling the beam collimator. For instance the beam collimator may move a series of plates or other material which attenuates the magnetic radiation generated by the radiotherapy source. By adjusting the plates the magnetic radiation beam directed at the target signal may be controlled. This is advantageous because the path of the beam may be controlled without moving the radiotherapy source rotationally or in some embodiments moving the mechanical positioning system.
[0042] In another embodiment a radio-frequency excitation field manipulating the orientation of the magnetic spins in an imaging zone is generated exclusively by the at least two transmit-and-receive channels. This embodiment may be particularly advantageous because a radio-frequency volume body coil is not used for creating the radio-frequency excitation field. This provides more space within the imaging zone of the magnet for moving the subject.
[0043] In another embodiment the magnetic resonance imaging system does not comprise a radio-frequency volume body coil.
[0044] In another embodiment the magnet is a cylindrical superconducting magnet. The magnet has a recess in an outer wall. The radiotherapy apparatus is adapted for rotating the radiotherapy source around or about the recess. At least a portion of the radiotherapy source is within the recess. This embodiment is advantageous because the radiotherapy source is positioned closer to the subject. This may have the benefit of positioning the radiotherapy source within a low magnet field zone of the magnet. It may also have the advantage that a less accurate adjustable beam collimator is needed for accurately controlling the electromagnetic radiation directed into the target zone. This may reduce the cost of the therapeutic apparatus.
[0045] In another embodiment the radiotherapy apparatus comprises a light source for illuminating a portion of the subject that is descriptive of the path of radiation generated by the radiotherapy source. This embodiment is advantageous because an operator or healthcare provider positioning a subject in the therapeutic apparatus can see if anything will block the path of the electromagnetic radiation generated by the radiotherapy source. For instance the at least two transmit-and-receive channels can be positioned on the subject and then checked with the light source to see if the radiation beam will hit the receive channels. If the light does contact the receive channels then the at least two transmit-and-receive channels can be repositioned.
[0046] In another embodiment the radiotherapy source is a LINAC x-ray source. In another embodiment the radiotherapy source is an x-ray tube. In another embodiment the radiotherapy source is a radioisotope gamma radiation source.
[0047] In another embodiment the radiotherapy source is a LINAC for generating x-ray or gamma radiation. The magnet is adapted for generating a low magnetic field zone which encircles the magnet. The radiotherapy apparatus is adapted such that the radiotherapy source rotates about the magnet within the low magnetic field zone. The magnetic field strength within the low magnetic field zone is below an operational threshold of the LINAC source. The operational threshold defines a magnetic field strength which prevents the LINAC source from functioning properly. In modern cylindrical bore magnetic resonance imaging magnets there are typically several compensation coils. The compensation coils generate a magnetic field which is opposed to coils used to generate the main magnetic field. This results in an area outside of the cylindrical magnet approximately in the mid-plane which is doughnut-shaped and has a low magnetic field. The low magnetic field zone may be this doughnut-shaped zone surrounding the cylindrical magnet with compensation coils.
[0048] In another embodiment the operational threshold is below 50 gauss, preferably below 10 gauss.
[0049] In another aspect the invention provides for a computer program product comprising machine executable instructions for execution by a processor of a radiotherapy apparatus. For instance the computer program product may be stored on a computer-readable storage medium. The therapeutic apparatus comprises a radiotherapy apparatus for treating a target zone of a subject. The radiotherapy apparatus comprises a radiotherapy source for directing electromagnetic radiation into the target zone.
[0050] The therapeutic apparatus further comprises a magnetic resonance imaging system for acquiring magnetic resonance imaging data from an imaging zone. The target zone is within the imaging zone. The magnetic resonance imaging zone comprises a magnet for generating a magnetic field within the imaging zone. The radiotherapy apparatus is adapted for rotating the radiotherapy source at least partially around the magnet. The magnetic resonance imaging system further comprises a radio-frequency transceiver adapted for simultaneously acquiring the magnetic resonance data from at least two transmit-and-receive channels. Execution of the instructions causes the processor to perform a pre-scan calibration of the at least two transmit-and-receive channels using the magnetic resonance imaging system.
[0051] Execution of the instructions further causes the processor to acquire the magnetic resonance data in accordance with the pre-scan calibration using the at least two transmit-and-receive channels. Execution of the instructions further causes the processor to reconstruct a magnetic resonance image from the magnetic resonance data. Execution of the instructions further causes the processor to register a location of the target zone in the magnetic resonance image. Execution of the instructions further causes the processor to generate radiotherapy control signals in accordance with the location of the target zone. The radiotherapy control signals cause the radiotherapy source to irradiate the target zone. Execution of the instructions further causes the processor to send the radiotherapy control signals to the radiotherapy system.
[0052] The invention also provides for a computer-readable storage medium containing a computer program product according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0053] The invention also provides for a method of controlling a therapeutic apparatus. The method and embodiments of the method herein may also be implemented as a computer-implemented method. The therapeutic apparatus comprises a radiotherapy apparatus for treating a target zone of a subject. The radiotherapy apparatus comprises a radiotherapy source for directing electromagnetic radiation into the target zone.
[0054] The therapeutic apparatus further comprises a magnetic resonance imaging system for acquiring magnetic resonance imaging data from an imaging zone. The target zone is within the imaging zone. The magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a magnet for generating a magnetic field within the imaging zone. The radiotherapy apparatus is adapted for rotating the radiotherapy source at least partially around the magnet. The magnetic resonance imaging system further comprises a radio-frequency transceiver adapted for simultaneously acquiring the magnetic resonance data from at least two transmit-and-receive channels.
[0055] The method comprises the step of performing a pre-scan calibration of the at least two transmit-and-receive channels using the magnetic resonance imaging system. The method further comprises the step of acquiring the magnetic resonance data in accordance with the pre-scan calibration using the at least two transmit-and-receive channels. The method further comprises the step of reconstructing a magnetic resonance image from the magnetic resonance data. The method further comprises the step of registering a location of the target zone in the magnetic resonance image. The method further comprises the step of generating radiotherapy control signals in accordance with the location of the target zone. The radiotherapy control signals cause the radiotherapy source to irradiate the target zone. The method further comprises the step of sending the radiotherapy control signals to the radiotherapy system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0056] In the following preferred embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the drawings in which:
[0057] FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram which illustrates a method according to an embodiment of the invention;
[0058] FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram which illustrates a method according to a further embodiment of the invention;
[0059] FIG. 3 shows a diagraph which illustrates the positioning of a radiotherapy source relative to a target zone of a subject;
[0060] FIG. 4 shows a diagraph which further illustrates the positioning of a radiotherapy source relative to a target zone of a subject;
[0061] FIG. 5 shows a diagraph which further illustrates the positioning of a radiotherapy source relative to a target zone of a subject;
[0062] FIG. 6 shows a diagram which illustrates a therapeutic apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention; and
[0063] FIG. 7 shows a diagram which illustrates a therapeutic apparatus according to a further embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0064] Like numbered elements in these figures are either equivalent elements or perform the same function. Elements which have been discussed previously will not necessarily be discussed in later figures if the function is equivalent.
[0065] FIG. 1 shows a full flow diagram which illustrates an embodiment of a method according to the invention. In step 100 a pre-scan calibration of the at least two transmit-and-receive channels is performed. In step 102 magnetic resonance data is acquired. The magnetic resonance data is acquired using a calibration that was determined in step 100 . Next in step 104 a magnetic resonance image is reconstructed from the magnetic resonance data. The magnetic resonance image may be one or a collection of magnetic resonance images. In step 106 the location of the target zone is registered in the magnetic resonance image. In step 108 radiotherapy control signals are generated. In step 110 the radiotherapy control signals are sent to the radiotherapy system. Sending the radiotherapy control signals to the radiotherapy system causes the radiotherapy system to perform a therapeutic operation on the subject.
[0066] FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram which illustrates a method according to a further embodiment of the invention. In step 100 a pre-scan calibration is performed for the at least two transmit-and-receive channels. In step 2 magnetic resonance data is acquired. In step 204 a magnetic resonance image is reconstructed from the magnetic resonance data. In step 206 a location of the target zone in the magnetic resonance image is registered. Step 206 is equivalent to step 106 in FIG. 1 . The registration may be performed by any number of known registration techniques. For instance a deformable model may be fit to one or more magnetic resonance images. Also specialized algorithms which detect anatomical features in the magnetic resonance may be used also. The located anatomical features or the deformable model may be used to fine the location of the target zone. In step 208 radiotherapy control signals are generated. In step 210 positioning control signals are generated.
[0067] The radiotherapy control signals and the positioning control signals are generated in conjunction with each other. As both sets of control signals are needed to position the target zone such that the radiotherapy source is able to irradiate it. Next in step 212 the radiotherapy control signals are sent to the radiotherapy system. In step 214 positioning control signals are sent to the mechanical positioning system. In this flow diagram there is an arrow that looks back from step 214 to step 202 . This indicates that during process of the target zone magnetic resonance data may be repeatedly acquired and used to repeatedly generate radiotherapy control signals and positioning control signals. This may be repeated repeatedly until the therapy ends in step 216 .
[0068] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of some components of a therapeutic apparatus. Shown are a radiotherapy source in a first position 300 , a second position 302 , and a third position 304 . The dashed line labeled 306 shows the path of rotation of the radiotherapy source 300 , 302 , 304 . The point labeled 308 indicates the axis of rotation 308 . The region labeled 310 is the radiation beam generated by the radiotherapy source in the first position 300 . The region labeled 312 shows the path of the radiation beam generated by the radiotherapy source in the second position 302 . The region labeled 314 shows a path of the radiation beam when the radiotherapy source in the third position 304 . Sitting in the center of the diagram is a subject 316 with a target zone 318 that is off axis with regard to the axis of rotation 308 . The lines 320 indicate the angular range of the radiotherapy source 302 where the radiotherapy source 302 will be able to irradiate the target zone 318 with radiation.
[0069] In this Fig. it is quite clear that the treatment options are very limited. In addition regions of the subject 316 which are not for the target zone 318 will be irradiated also. If for instance the radiation beam is used to kill a cancer located in the target zone 318 it is very likely that a large amount of healthy tissue surrounding the target zone 318 would also be killed or damaged. If the subject 316 is within a magnetic resonance imaging system without much clearance then it is clear that it will not be feasible to have the target zone 318 located at the axis of rotation 308 .
[0070] FIG. 4 shows a diagram which is identical to FIG. 3 except the subject 316 has been moved such that the target zone 318 is now located at the axis of rotation 308 . In examining this Fig. it is clear that the target zone 308 will be treated regardless of what position the radiotherapy source 300 , 302 , 304 is in. FIG. 4 illustrates the benefit of being able to move a subject within a magnetic resonance imaging system for positioning the target zone 318 on the axis of rotation 308 .
[0071] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of a therapeutic apparatus 500 according to an embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 5 there is a radiotherapy apparatus 502 . Within the radiotherapy apparatus 502 is a radiotherapy source 504 . Below the radiotherapy source 504 is an adjustable beam collimator 506 . The radiotherapy source 504 generates a radiation beam 508 . The therapeutic apparatus 500 also comprises a magnetic resonance imaging system. The radiotherapy apparatus 502 forms a ring around a magnet 510 of the magnetic resonance imaging system. The magnet is a superconducting magnet with a cryostat 512 . There are superconducting coils 514 for generating a magnetic field for the magnet. There are superconducting shield coils 516 which generate a low magnetic field region 518 . The radiotherapy source 504 is shown as being located within the low field region 518 . The low field region 518 forms a doughnut surrounding the cylindrical magnet 510 .
[0072] The magnet 510 is shown as resting on the floor 520 . Adjacent to the magnet 520 is a six-dimensional positioning system 522 for a subject support 524 . A subject 526 is shown as reposing on the subject support 524 . On either side of the radiation beam 508 is shown a first transmit-and-receive channel 528 and a second transmit-and-receive channel 530 . Both the first 528 , and second transmit-and-receive channels are connected to a transceiver 532 . The transceiver in this embodiment is shown as two separate transceivers 532 but may also be a single unit which both channels 528 , 530 are connected to. Between the first 528 and second 530 transmit-and-receive channels is imaging zone 534 . The target zone 536 of the subject 526 is shown as being located within the imaging zone 534 . The space within the magnet 510 for receiving the subject 526 is the bore 538 of the magnet. The rotational axis 542 is also the axis of symmetry for the magnet 510 in this example.
[0073] In this example the magnet has a large bore. For some embodiments, a six-dimensional positioning system 522 is beneficial if the magnet has a bore of 80 cm or greater. This allows the target zone 536 to be positioned efficiently such that the target zone 536 is accessible by the radiation beam 508 and is positioned on the rotational axis 542 . The dashed line pointed to by arrow 542 is the rotational axis. In this embodiment the magnet 510 has a recess 540 which allows the radiotherapy source 504 to be positioned closer to the subject 526 . Also shown within the bore 538 of the magnet 510 is a magnetic field gradient coil 544 . The magnet field gradient coil 544 is shown as being a split type with a gap 546 in the magnet field gradient coil. The gap 546 may be a region with a reduced number or no conductors from the coil. In this example the gradient coil 544 is shown as one assembly. However, typically magnet field gradient coils contain three separate gradient systems for spatially encoding spins within the imaging zone 534 .
[0074] Embodiments constructed in accordance with FIG. 5 may have several features. The first feature (1) is to eliminate the volume RF body coil. This frees up space which can be used to enable a larger degree of subject positioning.
[0075] The next feature (2) specifies an inner system bore size of at least 80 cm. By eliminating the RF body coil this saves approximately 6 cm of subject bore and consequently this results in a smaller magnet and gradient coil bore thereby reducing cost and power requirements.
[0076] The third feature (3) is to always use local and multi-element RF transmit (Tx) receive (Rx) coils. Local Tx/Rx coil can be placed around the subject for maximum sensitivity and are always placed on top of the table thereby avoiding the problems associated with using a carbon fiber table top. From the RF perspective, local coils can be made compatible with continued use of a carbon fiber tabletop as preferred for LINAC therapy.
[0077] The next feature (4) uses multiple groups of multi-element multi-channel Tx/Rx coils which can be placed around the subject while avoiding the path of the LINAC therapy beam. Due to the multi-channel transmit capability it is now possible to focus the transmit and receive field to the target anatomy thereby obtaining maximum efficiency/sensitivity despite the physical gap allowed for the therapy beam.
[0078] By widening the magnet bore and enabling re-use of the carbon fiber table top it is now possible (5) to use subject table technology that can position the subject accurately at MRI and therapy iso-center.
[0079] The final feature of this innovation (6) is to recess the outer canister of the magnet thereby enabling closer proximity of the LINAC gantry to the subject for better efficiency of the LINAC beam.
[0080] FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of a therapeutic apparatus 600 according to an embodiment of the invention. The therapeutic apparatus shown in FIG. 6 is essentially equivalent to that shown in FIG. 5 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 there is no recess shown in the magnet 510 as is shown in FIG. 5 . However a recess could easily be incorporated into the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 also. Also in comparison to FIG. 5 there is no gap in the magnetic field gradient coil 544 . However, such a magnetic field gradient coil could also be incorporated into the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 . The magnetic field gradient coil 544 is shown as being connected to a magnetic field gradient coil power supply which is adapted for supplying current to the magnetic field gradient coil.
[0081] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 a single transceiver 532 is connected to the first 528 and second 530 transmit-and-receive channels. There is a computer system 610 with a processor 614 for controlling the operation and function of the therapeutic apparatus 600 . Connected to the processor 614 is a hardware interface 612 which interfaces to the magnet field gradient power supply 602 , the radio-frequency transceiver 532 and the radiotherapy apparatus 502 .
[0082] The hardware interface 612 is also connected to an optional light source 604 . The light source has a light collimator 606 and is mounted onto an edge of the magnet 510 . The light source can be controlled by the processor 614 such that when the subject 526 is retracted from the magnet 510 the light source can show where the radiation beam 508 will impinge on the subject 526 . This could be used for instance to determine if the radiation will hit either the first 528 or second 530 transmit-and-receive channel. The light source 604 is mounted on the outside of the magnet 510 because an operator or healthcare professional placing the transmit-and-receive channels 528 , 530 would not be able to see them within the bore 538 of the magnet 510 . The light source 604 could for instance be mounted on a rail which goes along the outside edge of the magnet 510 . This could be used to circle the subject 526 and show where the radiation beam 508 will hit the subject 526 when the subject 526 is placed into the bore 538 of the magnet 510 .
[0083] The processor 614 is further connected to a user interface 616 which allows an operator to control the functionality of the therapeutic apparatus 600 . The processor 614 is also connected to computer storage 618 and computer memory 620 . The computer storage 618 is shown as containing a treatment plan 622 . The treatment plan 622 contains instructions or details for performing therapy on the target zone 536 . The treatment plan may contain anatomical instructions and durations or times and energies of radiation 508 to be impinged on the target zone 536 . Also shown in the computer storage is magnetic resonance data 624 acquired using the therapeutic apparatus 600 . Also shown within the computer storage 618 is a magnetic resonance image 626 which has been reconstructed from the magnetic resonance data 624 . Further shown within the computer storage 618 is a registered location of a target zone 628 . The registered location 628 is a description in terms of the therapeutic apparatus' internal coordinates of the location of the target zone 536 .
[0084] The computer storage 618 is further shown as containing radiotherapy control signals 630 and positioning control signals 632 . The radiotherapy control signals 630 are for controlling the radiotherapy apparatus 502 and the positioning control signals 632 are for controlling the subject support 524 and the six-dimensional positioning system 522 . Further shown within the computer memory 618 is a channel calibration 634 . The channel calibration 634 contains phase and/or amplitude calibrations for the sending and/or receiving of radio-frequency signals using the two channels. The transmit-and-receive channels may contain individual antenna or coil elements. The channel calibration 634 contains phase and/or amplitude calibrations for these individual coil or antenna elements. The computer memory 620 is shown as containing a therapeutic control system module 636 . The therapeutic control system module 636 is executable code for controlling the operation and function of the therapeutic system. Further, in some embodiments it may convert the treatment plan 622 into radiotherapy control signals 630 and positioning control signals 632 .
[0085] The computer memory 620 is further shown as containing an image reconstruction module 638 . The image reconstruction module 638 contains executable code for transforming the magnetic resonance data 624 into a magnetic resonance image 626 . The computer memory 620 is further shown as containing an image registration module 640 . The image registration module 640 contains computer executable code for performing a registration on the magnetic resonance image 626 and generating the registered location of the target zone 628 . The computer memory 620 is further shown as containing a planning module 642 . The planning module may use the image registration module 642 and the treatment plan 622 to generate the radiotherapy control signals 630 and/or the positioning control signals 632 . The computer memory 620 is further shown as containing a pre-calibration module 644 . The pre-calibration module 644 contains computer executable code for performing and generating the channel calibration 634 . Functions not discussed in modules 638 , 640 , 642 , and 644 are performed by the therapeutic control system module 636 .
[0086] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.
[0087] Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage. A computer program may be stored/distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0000]
300 radiotherapy source in first position
302 radiotherapy source in second position
304 radiotherapy source in third position
306 path of rotation
308 axis of rotation
310 radiation beam in first position
312 radiation beam in second position
314 radiation beam in third position
316 subject
318 target zone
320 angular zone
500 therapeutic apparatus
502 radiotherapy apparatus
504 radiotherapy source
506 adjustable beam collimator
508 radiation beam
510 magnet
512 cryostat
514 superconducting coil
516 shield coil
518 low field region
520 floor
522 six dimensional positioning system
524 subject support
526 subject
528 first transmit-and-receive channel
530 second transmit-and-receive channel
532 transceiver
534 imaging zone
536 target zone
538 bore of magnet
540 recess
542 rotational axis
544 magnetic field gradient coil
546 gap in magnetic field gradient coil
600 therapeutic apparatus
602 magnetic field gradient coil power supply
604 light source
606 light collimator
610 computer system
612 hardware interface
614 processor
616 user interface
618 computer storage
620 computer memory
622 treatment plan
624 magnetic resonance data
626 magnetic resonance image
628 registered location of target zone
630 radiotherapy control signals
632 positioning control signals
634 channel calibration
636 therapeutic control system module
638 image reconstruction module
640 image registration module
642 planning module
644 pre-calibration module | A therapeutic apparatus ( 500, 600 ) comprising a radiotherapy apparatus ( 502 ) for treating a target zone ( 318, 536 ) and a magnetic resonance imaging system ( 510, 532, 44, 602 ) for acquiring magnetic resonance imaging data ( 624 ). The radiotherapy apparatus comprises a radiotherapy source ( 300, 302, 304, 504 ) for directing electromagnetic radiation ( 310, 312, 314, 508 ) into the target zone. The radiotherapy apparatus is adapted for rotating the radiotherapy source at least partially around the magnetic resonance magnet. The magnetic resonance imaging system further comprises a radio-frequency transceiver ( 532 ) adapted for simultaneously acquiring the magnetic resonance data from at least two transmit-and-receive channels ( 528, 530 ). The therapeutic apparatus further comprises a processor ( 614 ) and a memory ( 620 ) containing machine executable instructions ( 636, 638, 640, 642, 644 ) for the processor. Execution of the instructions causes the processor to: calibrate ( 100, 200 ) the transmit-and-receive channels; acquire ( 102, 202 ) the magnetic resonance data; reconstruct ( 104, 204 ) a magnetic resonance image ( 626 ); register ( 106, 206 ) a location ( 628 ) of the target zone in the image; and generate ( 108, 208 ) radiotherapy control signals ( 630 ) using the registered image. | 0 |
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