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FIELD
The present disclosure relates to cable clamps for fiber optic cable.
BACKGROUND
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Fiber optic cables are commonly used in the telecommunication industry. A fiber optic cable generally includes a protective outer jacket surrounding a buffer tube. The buffer tube contains a number of optical fibers. The cable often includes one or more flexible strength members that strengthen the cable while still allowing the cable to bend. A fiber optic cable can also include a tracer wire. The tracer wire is a conductive wire generally used for trouble shooting circuits and locating the cable.
When a technician is installing fiber cable drops, numerous devices and steps are commonly utilized to secure, protect and connect the cable and tracer wire as needed. The fiber optic cable is brought into the enclosure through a gasket. A portion of the fiber optic cable jacket is stripped and the strength members are attached to a point in the enclosure with various types of clamps, especially clamping washers, to provide strain relief for the cable. The tracer wire is separated from the fiber optic cable and routed to the ground bar of the enclosure. The tracer wire jacket is stripped and the tracer wire is bonded to a ground bar to ground the tracer wire. This is most frequently accomplished by wrapping the tracer wire around a threaded stud on the ground bar. The tracer wire is then held in place by screwing a nut onto the threaded stud.
When a technician needs to perform certain operations, such as toning a tracer wire to locate the cable with which it is associated, the technician must disconnect the tracer wire from the ground bar. The technician first needs to locate the correct tracer wire. Then the technician unscrews the nut holding the tracer wire on the threaded stud and removes the tracer wire. Finally, the technician can connect the test equipment to the tracer wire and perform the necessary tests. Once the tests are complete, the technician must reconnect the tracer wire to the threaded stud and screw the nut back onto the stud to hold the tracer wire in place.
SUMMARY
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a fiber optic cable clamp module includes an enclosure having an opening and a cover for selectively covering the opening. The enclosure is configured to receive a jacketed portion of a fiber optic cable including a strength member into the enclosure and permit a buffer tube from the fiber optic cable to exit the enclosure when the fiber optic cable is present.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a fiber optic cable assembly includes a conductive contact for terminating a tracer wire to a grounding point. The assembly also includes a switch for disconnecting the tracer wire from the ground point when the tracer wire is so terminated.
According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a carrier for a fiber optic cable clamp assembly includes at least one bay with a first contact. The bay is configured to receive a fiber optic cable clamp module holding a fiber optic cable having a tracer wire terminated to a second contact. The first contact electrically connects the tracer wire, through the second contact, to a grounding point when the clamp module is received in the bay.
According to still another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of installing a fiber optic cable includes clamping a cable in a clamping module and inserting the clamping module into a carrier. The carrier is mounted in a telecommunications enclosure.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front isometric view of a fiber optic cable clamp module with a fiber optic cable mounted therein.
FIG. 2 is a rear isometric view of the fiber optic cable clamp module shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is a front view of a carrier for the fiber optic cable clamp module of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 4 is a rear view of the carrier of FIG. 3 .
FIG. 5 is a front isometric view of the carrier of FIG. 3 .
FIG. 6 is a rear isometric exploded view of the cable clamp assembly including a carrier and a clamp module with a fiber optic cable mounted therein.
FIG. 7 is a front isometric view of a cable clamp assembly including a carrier with an installed clamp module with a fiber optic cable mounted therein.
FIG. 8 is a front view of a cable clamp assembly including a carrier with an installed clamp module with a fiber optic cable mounted therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its applications, or uses.
FIG. 1 illustrates a fiber optic cable clamp module, generally indicated by reference numeral 100 , according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. For illustrative purposes, a fiber optic cable 102 is also illustrated in FIG. 1 . The clamp module 100 includes an enclosure 104 having a cover 106 . A channel 108 in the enclosure 104 and the cover 102 is designed to receive the fiber optic cable 102 . The channel 108 traverses from one end of the enclosure 104 and cover 106 to an opposite end (e.g., from top to bottom in FIG. 1 ).
As can be seen in FIG. 1 , the channel 108 is not a uniform channel, but includes differently shaped portions 108 a - d (in the enclosure 104 and the cover 106 ) for receiving different portions of the fiber optic cable 102 . A jacketed portion 110 of the fiber optic cable 102 is received within portion 108 c of the channel 108 . A portion of the jacket of the fiber optic cable 102 is removed and strength members 112 and a buffer tube 114 are exposed and received within portions 108 a - c of the channel 108 . Neither the strength members 112 nor the jacketed portion 110 of the fiber optic cable exit the top portion of the enclosure 104 . Instead, these portions enter the channel 108 at one end of the enclosure 104 and terminate before exiting the channel 108 at the other end. The buffer tube 114 , however, does exit the top end of the enclosure 104 .
A tracer wire 116 is illustrated attached to the fiber optic cable 102 . One end of the tracer wire 116 is separated from the cable 102 and a portion of the insulation covering the tracer wire 116 is removed. The tracer wire 116 is connected to a conductive contact 118 of the enclosure 104 . The conductive contact 118 includes a portion 118 a inside the enclosure 104 and a portion 118 b outside the enclosure 104 . The tracer wire 116 is connected to the inside portion 118 a of the conductive contact 118 inside the enclosure 104 . The internal portion is illustrated as two v-shaped terminals in FIG. 1 , however numerous other configurations are possible.
The conductive contact 118 may include an insulation displacement connector (IDC), that pierces the insulation of the tracer wire 116 . In such an embodiment, the covering insulation of the tracer wire 116 need not be removed. The external portion 118 b of the conductive contact is electrically connected to the internal portion 118 a of the conductive contact 118 and, in the embodiment of FIG. 1 , are formed from a unitary piece of conductive material. The conductive contact 118 allows an electrical connection to the tracer wire 116 to be made, through the external portion 118 b of the conductive contact, while the cover 106 is closed and the tracer wire 116 is terminated to the inside portion 118 a within the enclosure 104 .
When the cover 106 is in a closed position, the two halves of the channel 108 (one on the enclosure 104 and one on the cover 106 ) enclose the jacketed portion 110 , the strength members 112 and a portion of the buffer tube 114 . In this closed position, the enclosure 104 clamps the fiber optic cable 102 and holds it securely in place. In particular, it holds the strength members 112 tightly to provide strain relief for the fiber optic cable 102 . The closed position also provides a weather-tight seal around the cable 102 due to the channel 108 being sized to fit the cable closely.
The clamp module 100 also includes a retaining rib 120 . The retaining rib 120 is positioned on the cover 106 and aids in retaining the tracer wire 116 in contact with the inside portion 118 a of the conductive contact. When the cover 106 closes, the retaining rib 120 applies a biasing force against the tracer wire to hold the tracer wire 116 in contact with the inside portion 118 a of the conductive contact 118 .
The clamp module 100 also includes a snap-fit closure. The closure has two components, a male member 122 and a mating female member 124 . Two such closures are illustrated in FIG. 1 , but more or fewer may be used. When the cover 106 is closing, the resilient female member 124 is forced to bend and travel over the male member. The female member 124 then returns approximately to its original unbent position with the male member 122 retained within the opening of the female member 124 . To open the cover 106 , the female member 124 can be bent upwards over the edge of the male member. Additionally, or alternatively, the clamp module 100 may include a connector (not shown), such as a screw, bolt, etc., for holding the closure in a closed position. If used together with a snap-fit closure, the connector may be engaged after the male member 122 and female member 124 are snapped together.
After a fiber optic cable 102 is mounted in the clamp module 100 , the clamp module 100 can be installed in a carrier. One example of a suitable carrier will be discussed in detail below. The clamp module 100 includes a mounting male member 126 on the top of the enclosure 104 for providing a snap-fit installation into the carrier.
As shown in FIG. 2 , the enclosure 104 and the cover 106 are not symmetrical. The cover portion 106 is smaller in depth than the enclosure 104 . The extra depth of the enclosure 104 allows room for the conductive contact 118 .
FIGS. 3-5 illustrate one embodiment of a carrier 350 for a fiber optic cable clamp assembly. The carrier 350 has several bays 352 for receiving cable clamp modules 100 . Eight such bays are illustrated, but more or less bays may be included as desired. Each bay 352 in the carrier 350 includes a carrier contact 354 . The carrier contact 354 touches the external portion 118 b of a clamp module's conductive contact 118 when the clamp module 100 is mounted in the carrier. The carrier contact 354 is electrically connected to a an associated testing terminal 356 and an associated grounding point 458 (shown in FIG. 4 ) on the backside of the carrier. The carrier contact 354 , testing terminal 356 and grounding point 458 can be made of a single unitary piece of conductive material or separate, but electrically connected, pieces of conductive material. The conductive material can be any conductive material suitable for such purpose including alloys such as beryllium copper and phosphor bronze. A switch 360 (e.g., a screw in the illustrated embodiment) connects and disconnects an associated grounding point 458 to and from a ground bar 668 (shown in FIG. 6 ). Mounting tabs 362 are included for mounting the carrier 350 to a suitable support structure (e.g., within an outdoor telecommunications equipment enclosure). Numerous other methods of mounting the carrier are, however, also possible.
When the carrier 350 is installed in an enclosure, such as a telecommunications equipment enclosure, it is installed such that each grounding point 458 is adjacent to a ground bar 668 , illustrated in FIG. 6 . The ground bar 668 rests against insulative dividers 667 positioned between the grounding points 458 . The grounding points 458 are initially spaced from and not in contact with the ground bar 668 . Each switch 360 allows its associated grounding point 458 to be connected to and disconnected from the ground bar 668 . Movement of the switch 360 pushes the grounding point 458 toward the ground bar 668 to connect the grounding point 458 to ground. When the switch 360 connects the grounding point 458 to the ground bar 668 , the testing terminal 356 and the carrier contact 354 are grounded. When a clamp module 100 having a fiber optic cable mounted therein is installed in the carrier 350 , the tracer wire 116 is grounded through the conductive contact 118 , which is electrically connected to the carrier contact 354 via the outside portion 118 b . An installer or technician can then disconnect the tracer wire 116 from ground in order to perform tests using the tracer wire 116 , such as toning the tracer wire 116 , by simply actuating the switch 360 to disconnect the associated grounding point 458 from the ground bar 668 . Doing so leaves the tracer wires 116 of other cables in other bays 352 of the carrier 350 connected to ground and only disconnects the desired tracer wire 116 from the ground bar 668 . Further, the technician can make a connection to the tracer wire 116 through the test terminal 356 . The technician is, therefore, able to disconnect the tracer wire 116 from ground and test the tracer wire 116 without removing the tracer wire 116 from the clamp module 100 , without removing the clamp module 100 from the carrier, and without even opening the clamp module 100 .
The carrier includes mounting female members 564 in each bay 352 as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 . These mounting female members 564 mate with the mounting male members 126 on the cable modules 100 . The male and female members 126 , 564 form a snap-fit connection between each module 100 and the carrier 350 . The snap-fit connection is formed by sliding the module 100 into a bay until the female member 564 snaps down over the male member 126 . This provides a solid, but removable, connection between each module 100 and the carrier 350 .
FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the carrier 350 with a clamp module 100 installed in one of the bays 352 . The clamp module 100 has a fiber optic cable 102 mounted in the clamp module 100 . The jacketed fiber optic cable 102 and tracer wire 116 enter the clamp module 100 and only the buffer tube 114 exits on opposite end of the module 100 . The fiber optic cable 102 is held firmly by the module 100 , which is held by the carrier 350 . The buffer tube 114 exits the module 100 to be routed to various locations as needed.
When mounted in an enclosure, such as a telecommunications equipment enclosure, the carrier 350 can form a weather tight entrance to the equipment enclosure. The carrier is mounted in an opening of the equipment enclosure such that the portion of the carrier 350 above the line X-X in FIG. 8 is within internal position the equipment enclosure and the portion of the carrier 350 below the line X-X is positioned on an external surface of the equipment enclosure. Thus, the portion of the cable 102 outside of the equipment enclosure includes the jacket. The cable module 100 creates a weather tight seal around the cable 102 , as discussed above, and the unprotected buffer tube 114 exits the module 100 inside the equipment enclosure. Additionally, this mounting configuration allows a technician to access the testing terminals 356 and the switches 360 from outside the equipment enclosure. Therefore, the technician can disconnect a single tracer wire 116 from ground, perform the needed tests, and reconnect the tracer wire 116 to ground, all from outside the equipment enclosure and without removing the cable 102 , the strength members 112 or the tracer wire 116 from the module 100 , without removing the module 100 from the carrier 350 and without removing the carrier 350 from the equipment enclosure.
As best shown in FIG. 8 , the cable 102 enters the clamp module 100 off center. In addition to providing room for the conductive contact 118 within the clamp module 100 , the offset allows the cable 102 to pass up the carrier 350 and enter the module 100 without interfering with access to the testing terminal 356 or the switch 360 .
While the present disclosure has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to such specific embodiments. Specifically, the various elements described in this disclosure may be combined, removed, or included in different combinations without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Other modifications and additions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.
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A fiber optic cable clamp module is disclosed. The clamp module includes a conductive contact for terminating a tracer wire. The clamp module retains the fiber optic cable and provides a weather tight seal around the cable. A carrier for a fiber optic cable clamp module is also disclosed. The carrier provides a connection to ground for a tracer wire when a clamp module containing the tracer wire is installed in the carrier. The carrier also has a switch for disconnecting the tracer wire from ground without physically removing the tracer wire. A method for installing fiber optic cable using a clamping module is also disclosed.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a biodegradable self-crosslinking polymer functionalised with azetidinium groups and to a fabric treatment composition which comprises the polymer. The invention further relates to the use in a domestic washing cycle or a tumble dryer of said composition.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
[0002] A broad range of textile material treatments are known which involve the use of polymeric materials, both for treatment of textile materials in the form of whole cloth and in the form of finished garments. Some of these polymers are substantive. Many of these treatments are used in the garment supply chain to modify the ‘finish’ of garments.
[0003] Polyamidoamide-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resins are one particular class of materials which are known for the treatment of both keratinaceous and cellulosic materials. PAE resins are also well-known in the paper industry as alkaline curing wet-strength resins.
[0004] The epichlorohydrin resins are sometimes referred to below as amine-epichlorohydrin resins and polyamine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) resins (the terms being used synonymously).
[0005] The amine-epichlorohydrin resins may have one or more functional groups capable of forming azetidinium groups and/or one or more azetidinium functional groups. Alternatively, or additionally, the resins may have one or more functional groups that contain epoxide groups or derivatives thereof e.g. Kymene™ 450 (ex Hercules). Both of these classes of resin can cross-link or react with substrates as a result of the functional groups. During the curing reaction, covalent bonds are formed between polymers and fibres and between polymer molecules themselves.
[0006] It has been determined that the use of self-crosslinking polymers bearing the azetidinium group can impart many benefits to fabrics containing cellulosic materials (e.g. cotton). These benefits include improved wear resistance, reduced pilling, improved colour definition, reduced wrinkling and improved perfume longevity.
[0007] Patent W09207124A1 discloses the use of polyamidoamide-epichlorohydrin resins for the treatment of regenerated cellulose.
[0008] Patents W09742287A1, W09829530A2 and W09927065A1 disclose the use of polyamidoamide-epichlorohydrin resins in laundry detergents.
[0009] Patents W0008127A1, WO0131112A1, WO0131113A1, EP0978556A1, EP1096056A1 and EP1096060A1 disclose the use of polyamidoamide-epichlorohydrin resins for use as wrinkle-reducing agents in laundry detergents.
[0010] Patents WO0015747A1, WO0015748A1 and WO0163037A1 disclose the use of polyamidoamide-epichlorohydrin resins in rinse conditioner products.
[0011] Patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,269A1 discloses the use of polyamidoamide-epichlorohydrin resins in conjunction with an aminosilicone in a rinse product.
[0012] Patent WO0159053A1 discloses the use of an amphoteric azetidinium-functional polyurethane-urea-polyamide resin in conjunction with a cationic deposition aid in a rinse product.
[0013] Patent WO0127232A1 discloses the use of an azetidinium-functional polyoxyalkyleneamine.
[0014] Patents U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,775A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,269A1 disclose the synthesis of polymers containing pendant quaternary ammonium groups with azetidinium functionality for use on fibrous materials.
[0015] Polyamidoamide-epichlorohydrin resins are typically synthesised by a two-stage reaction. The first stage involves the reaction between a suitable triamine and a dicarboxylic acid. The most common materials used are diethylenetriamine and adipic acid. The secondary amine is then reacted with epichlorohydrin to form the azetidinium group.
[0016] It is known that the polyamidoamide-epichlorohydrin resins, available under the commercial trade names Kymene™ (Hercules), Kenores™ (Eka Nobel) are not readily or ultimately biodegradable.
[0017] Biodegradation generally relies on the action of enzymes, either from the ends of the polymer (exo-enzymes) or at random places along the backbone (endo-enzymes). Unless the polymer has suitable sites where these enzymes can bind, the polymer cannot be broken down. Therefore, for a polymer to be biodegradable, it must possess groups to which enzymes can bind.
[0018] It is believed that all the existing wet-strength resins do not contain suitable sites, and are thus not biodegradable.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] We have devised azetidinium-functional polymers which are based on a backbone which contains a plurality of ester groups. These are particularly susceptible to hydrolysis and this assists in their biodegradation.
[0020] Accordingly, the present invention provides an azetidinium-functional polyester.
[0021] In a further aspect the present invention provides a method of treating a substrate which comprises the step of contacting the substrate with an azetidinium functionalised polyester.
[0022] Typical substrates include cellulosic and keratinaceous textile materials.
[0023] In a yet further aspect the present invention provides a composition comprising an azetidinium functionalised polyester and a substrate-compatible carrier.
[0024] Where the substrate is a textile, typical carriers include water and one or more surfactants.
[0025] The biodegradable polymer of the invention can be synthesised by reacting an amine-containing (di)acid or (di)ol with a suitable co-reactant.
[0026] Preferably the esterification reaction occurs in the presence of a suitable a suitable catalyst. Suitable catalysts include conc. sulphuric acid, p-toluenesulphonic acid and hafnium(IV) compounds. It is believed that the diol and diacid react by step polymerisation.
[0027] A diacid chloride can also be used in place of the dicarboxylic acid. In this case, no catalyst is required, the reaction between an acid chloride and an alcohol being much more reactive. Non-limiting examples include adipoyl chloride and sebacoyl chloride.
[0028] It is preferred that the diacid (or diacid chloride) is the amine containing material. This can be reacted with a non-amine diol. In the alternative the diol or both the co-monomers may contain the amine.
[0029] Suitable acids include the iminodiacarboxylic acids, preferably those in which each carboxylic acid moiety has a carbon number of 2-4. Iminodiacetic acid is a preferred acid.
[0030] Suitable diols include the polyalkylene glycols, preferably those in which the repeat unit has a carbon number of 2-3. Typically the glycol has a repeat number of 2-6. PEG 200 is a suitable diol.
[0031] Typically the water generated during the reaction is removed to prevent hydrolysis back to the acid/alcohol.
[0032] The reaction gives rise to an amine-containing polyester which can then be reacted with an epihalohydrin (preferably epichlorohydrin) to give the azetidinium-functional polyester.
[0033] This reaction is shown in schematic form below.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0034] As noted above the compositions of the invention can comprise a textile-compatible carrier. Depending on the nature of this carrier the compositions of the invention may be presented as different product forms. The preferred forms are fully formulated textile treatment products, preferably laundry products. Further particulars of preferred features of the invention are given below.
[0000] Carriers and Product Form:
[0035] The compositions of this invention, when applied to a fabric, may be cured by a domestic curing step including ironing and/or tumble drying, preferably tumble drying.
[0036] Preferably, these curing steps are carried out at temperatures in the range 60 to 100° C., more preferably from 80 to 100° C.
[0037] The compositions of the invention may be used before, during or after a conventional laundry process and are preferably packaged and labelled as such. The laundry process includes large and small processes, and is preferably a domestic process.
[0038] Typically, the polymers of the invention will be used in conjunction with a textile compatible carrier.
[0039] In the context of the present invention the term “textile compatible carrier” is a component which can assist in the interaction of the polymer with the textile. The carrier can also provide benefits in addition to those provided by the first component e.g. softening, cleaning etc. The carrier may be a detergent-active compound or a textile softener or conditioning compound or other suitable detergent or textile treatment agent.
[0040] In a washing process, as part of a conventional textile washing product, such as a detergent composition, the textile-compatible carrier will typically be a detergent-active compound. Whereas, if the textile treatment product is a rinse conditioner, the textile-compatible carrier will be a textile softening and/or conditioning compound.
[0041] If the composition of the invention is to be used before, or after, the laundry process it may be in the form of a spray or foaming product.
[0042] The polymer is preferably used to treat the textile in the rinse cycle of a laundering process. The rinse cycle preferably follows the treatment of the textile with a detergent composition.
[0000] Detergent Active Compounds:
[0043] If the composition of the present invention is itself in the form of a detergent composition, the textile-compatible carrier may be chosen from soap and non-soap anionic, cationic, nonionic, amphoteric and zwitterionic detergent active compounds, and mixtures thereof.
[0044] Many suitable detergent active compounds are available and are fully described in the literature, for example, in “Surface-Active Agents and Detergents”, Volumes I and II, by Schwartz, Perry and Berch.
[0045] The preferred textile-compatible carriers that can be used are soaps and synthetic non-soap anionic and nonionic compounds.
[0046] Anionic surfactants are well-known to those skilled in the art. Examples include alkylbenzene sulphonates, particularly linear alkylbenzene sulphonates having an alkyl chain length of C 8 -C 15 ; primary and secondary alkylsulphates, particularly C 8 -C 15 primary alkyl sulphates; alkyl ether sulphates; olefin sulphonates; alkyl xylene sulphonates; dialkyl sulphosuccinates; and fatty acid ester sulphonates. Sodium salts are generally preferred.
[0047] Nonionic surfactants that may be used include the primary and secondary alcohol ethoxylates, especially the C 8 -C 20 aliphatic alcohols ethoxylated with an average of from 1 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol, and more especially the C 10 -C 15 primary and secondary aliphatic alcohols ethoxylated with an average of from 1 to 10 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol. Non-ethoxylated nonionic surfactants include alkylpolyglycosides, glycerol monoethers, and polyhydroxyamides (glucamide).
[0048] Cationic surfactants that may be used include quaternary ammonium salts of the general formula R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 N + X − wherein the R groups are independently hydrocarbyl chains of C 1 -C 22 length, typically alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or ethoxylated alkyl groups, and X is a solubilising cation (for example, compounds in which R 1 is a C 8 -C 22 alkyl group, preferably a C 8 -C 10 or C 12 -C 14 alkyl group, R 2 is a methyl group, and R 3 and R 4 , which may be the same or different, are methyl or hydroxyethyl groups); and cationic esters (for example, choline esters) and pyridinium salts.
[0049] The total quantity of detergent surfactant in the composition is suitably from 0.1 to 60 wt % e.g. 0.5-55 wt %, such as 5-50 wt %.
[0050] Preferably, the quantity of anionic surfactant (when present) is in the range of from 1 to 50% by weight of the total composition. More preferably, the quantity of anionic surfactant is in the range of from 3 to 35% by weight, e.g. 5 to 30% by weight.
[0051] Preferably, the quantity of nonionic surfactant when present is in the range of from 2 to 25% by weight, more preferably from 5 to 20% by weight.
[0052] Amphoteric surfactants may also be used, for example amine oxides or betaines.
[0000] Builders:
[0053] The compositions may suitably contain from 10 to 70%, preferably from 15 to 70% by weight, of detergency builder. Preferably, the quantity of builder is in the range of from 15 to 50% by weight.
[0054] The detergent composition may contain as builder a crystalline aluminosilicate, preferably an alkali metal aluminosilicate, more preferably a sodium aluminosilicate.
[0055] The aluminosilicate may generally be incorporated in amounts of from 10 to 70% by weight (anhydrous basis), preferably from 25 to 50%. Aluminosilicates are materials having the general formula:
0.8-1.5 M 2 O. Al 2 O 3 . 0.8-6 SiO 2
where M is a monovalent cation, preferably sodium. These materials contain some bound water and are required to have a calcium ion exchange capacity of at least 50 mg CaO/g. The preferred sodium aluminosilicates contain 1.5-3.5 SiO 2 units in the formula above. They can be prepared readily by reaction between sodium silicate and sodium aluminate, as amply described in the literature.
Textile Softening and/or Conditioner Compounds:
[0056] If the composition of the present invention is in the form of a textile conditioner composition, the textile-compatible carrier will be a textile softening and/or conditioning compound (hereinafter referred to as “textile softening compound”), which may be a cationic or nonionic compound.
[0057] The softening and/or conditioning compounds may be water insoluble quaternary ammonium compounds. The compounds may be present in amounts of up to 8% by weight (based on the total amount of the composition) in which case the compositions are considered dilute, or at levels from 8% to about 50% by weight, in which case the compositions are considered concentrates.
[0058] Compositions suitable for delivery during the rinse cycle may also be delivered to the textile in the tumble dryer if used in a suitable form. Thus, another product form is a composition (for example, a paste) suitable for coating onto, and delivery from, a substrate e.g. a flexible sheet or sponge or a suitable dispenser during a tumble dryer cycle.
[0059] Suitable cationic textile softening compounds are substantially water-insoluble quaternary ammonium materials comprising a single alkyl or alkenyl long chain having an average chain length greater than or equal to C 20 . More preferably, softening compounds comprise a polar head group and two alkyl or alkenyl chains having an average chain length greater than or equal to C 14 . Preferably the textile softening compounds have two, long-chain, alkyl or alkenyl chains each having an average chain length greater than or equal to C16.
[0060] Most preferably at least 50% of the long chain alkyl or alkenyl groups have a chain length of C 18 or above. It is preferred if the long chain alkyl or alkenyl groups of the textile softening compound are predominantly linear.
[0061] Quaternary ammonium compounds having two long-chain aliphatic groups, for example, distearyldimethyl ammonium chloride and di(hardened tallow alkyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride, are widely used in commercially available rinse conditioner compositions. Other examples of these cationic compounds are to be found in “Surface-Active Agents and Detergents”, Volumes I and II, by Schwartz, Perry and Berch. Any of the conventional types of such compounds may be used in the compositions of the present invention.
[0062] The textile softening compounds are preferably compounds that provide excellent softening, and are characterised by a chain melting Lβ to Lα transition temperature greater than 25° C., preferably greater than 35° C., most preferably greater than 45° C. This Lβ to Lα transition can be measured by DSC as defined in “Handbook of Lipid Bilayers”, D Marsh, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla., 1990 (pages 137 and 337).
[0063] Substantially water-insoluble textile softening compounds are defined as textile softening compounds having a solubility of less than 1×10 −3 wt % in demineralised water at 20° C. Preferably the textile softening compounds have a solubility of less than 1×10 −3 wt %, more preferably less than 1×10 −8 to 1×10 −6 wt %.
[0064] Especially preferred are cationic textile softening compounds that are water-insoluble quaternary ammonium materials having two C 12-22 alkyl or alkenyl groups connected to the molecule via at least one ester link, preferably two ester links. An especially preferred ester-linked quaternary ammonium material is di(tallowoxyloxyethyl) dimethyl ammonium chloride and/or its hardened tallow analogue. A second preferred type is 1,2-bis(hardened tallowoyloxy)-3-trimethylammonium propane chloride for which methods of preparation are, for example, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,180 (Lever Brothers Co). Preferably these materials comprise small amounts of the corresponding monoester as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,180, for example, 1-hardened tallowoyloxy-2-hydroxy-3-trimethylammonium propane chloride.
[0065] Other useful cationic softening agents are alkyl pyridinium salts and substituted imidazoline species. Also useful are primary, secondary and tertiary amines and the condensation products of fatty acids with alkylpolyamines.
[0066] The compositions may alternatively or additionally contain water-soluble cationic textile softeners, as described in GB 2 039 556B (Unilever).
[0067] The compositions may comprise a cationic textile softening compound and an oil, for example as disclosed in EP-A-0829531.
[0068] The compositions may alternatively or additionally contain nonionic textile softening agents such as lanolin and derivatives thereof.
[0069] Lecithins are also suitable softening compounds.
[0070] Nonionic softeners include Lβ phase forming sugar esters (as described in M Hato et al Langmuir 12, 1659, 1666, (1996)) and related materials such as glycerol monostearate or sorbitan esters. Often these materials are used in conjunction with cationic materials to assist deposition (see, for example, GB 2 202 244). Silicones are used in a similar way as a co-softener with a cationic softener in rinse treatments (see, for example, GB 1 549 180).
[0071] The compositions may also suitably contain a nonionic stabilising agent. Suitable nonionic stabilising agents are linear C 8 to C 22 alcohols alkoxylated with 10 to 20 moles of alkylene oxide, C 10 to C 20 alcohols, or mixtures thereof.
[0072] Advantageously the nonionic stabilising agent is a linear C 8 to C 22 alcohol alkoxylated with 10 to 20 moles of alkylene oxide. Preferably, the level of nonionic stabiliser is within the range from 0.1 to 10% by weight, more preferably from 0.5 to 5% by weight, most preferably from 1 to 4% by weight. The mole ratio of the quaternary ammonium compound and/or other cationic softening agent to the nonionic stabilising agent is suitably within the range from 40:1 to about 1:1, preferably within the range from 18:1 to about 3:1.
[0073] The composition can also contain fatty acids, for example C 8 to C 24 alkyl or alkenyl monocarboxylic acids or polymers thereof. Preferably saturated fatty acids are used, in particular, hardened tallow C 16 to C 18 fatty acids. Preferably the fatty acid is non-saponified, more preferably the fatty acid is free, for example oleic acid, lauric acid or tallow fatty acid. The level of fatty acid material is preferably more than 0.1% by weight, more preferably more than 0.2% by weight. Concentrated compositions may comprise from 0.5 to 20% by weight of fatty acid, more preferably 1% to 10% by weight. The weight ratio of quaternary ammonium material or other cationic softening agent to fatty acid material is preferably from 10:1 to 1:10.
[0000] Textile Treatment Products
[0074] The composition of the invention may be in the form of a liquid, solid (e.g. powder or tablet), a gel or paste, spray, stick or a foam or mousse. Examples include a soaking product, a rinse treatment (e.g. conditioner or finisher) or a main-wash product. The composition may also be applied to a substrate e.g. a flexible sheet or used in a dispenser which can be used in the wash cycle, rinse cycle or during the dryer cycle.
[0075] Liquid compositions may also include an agent which produces a pearlescent appearance, e.g. an organic pearlising compound such as ethylene glycol distearate, or inorganic pearlising pigments such as microfine mica or titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) coated mica.
[0076] Liquid compositions may be in the form of emulsions or emulsion precursors thereof.
[0077] Composition may comprise soil release polymers such as block copolymers of polyethylene oxide and terephthalate.
[0078] Other optional ingredients include emulsifiers, electrolytes (for example, sodium chloride or calcium chloride) preferably in the range from 0.01 to 5% by weight, pH buffering agents, and perfumes (preferably from 0.1 to 5% by weight).
[0079] Further optional ingredients include non-aqueous solvents, perfume carriers, fluorescers, colourants, hydrotropes, antifoaming agents, antiredeposition agents, enzymes, optical brightening agents, opacifiers, dye transfer inhibitors.
[0080] In addition, compositions may comprise one or more of anti-shrinking agents, anti-wrinkle agents, anti-spotting agents, germicides, fungicides, anti-oxidants, UV absorbers (sunscreens), heavy metal sequestrants, chlorine scavengers, dye fixatives, anti-corrosion agents, drape imparting agents, antistatic agents and ironing aids. The lists of optional components are not intended to be exhaustive.
[0081] Treatment compositions for paper which comprise the polymer of the present invention will otherwise have the compositions known in that art.
[0082] In order that the invention may be further and better understood it will be described below with reference to several non-limiting examples.
EXAMPLE
Example 1
[0083] 72 g of iminodiacetic acid (0.54 moles) and 108 g of PEG 200 (0.54 moles) were placed in a reaction vessel fitted with a temperature controller, Dean & Stark trap and water condenser. 0.5 ml of concentrated sulphuric acid was added and the mixture heated. The water evolved during the reaction was collected in the Dean & Stark trap.
[0084] Upon completion of the reaction, the viscous liquid was dissolved in water to give a concentration of 17%. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 10 with sodium hydroxide.
[0085] 25 g of epichlorohydrin (0.27 moles) was added to the solution and heated to 50° C. for four hours. The level of epichlorohydrin was sufficient to functionalised half of the available secondary amines. At the end of the reaction, the product was acidified to pH 4 with hydrochloric acid.
Example 2
[0086] A piece of black printed 100% woven cotton was taken and treated with 1% o.w.f. of the polymer obtained in Example 1, applied from a 2 g/l sodium hydrogen carbonate solution. A reference fabric was soaked in the same sodium hydrogen carbonate solution but without polymer. After application, the fabric was dried at 110° C. for 10 minutes. After conditioning for 24 hours at room temperature, the treated fabric was processed through a Quickwash™ system to determine the improvement in wear resistance provided by the polymer treatment. After completion of the test, the degree of wear was measured by measurement of the increase in lightness of the print.
[0087] Untreated fabric ΔE from new=9.59 (std. devn. 0.51)
[0088] Treated fabric ΔE from new=5.51 (std. devn. 0.33)
[0089] From these results it can be seen that fabrics treated with the fibre exhibit improved wear resistance.
Example 3
[0090] 36 g of iminodiacetic acid (0.27 moles) and 420 g of PEG1450 (0.29 moles) were placed in a reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer, Dean & Stark trap and condenser. 2.0 ml of concentrated sulphuric acid was added and the mixture heated for x hours until the expected quantity of water had been collected (12.2 ml). The mixture was then cooled. 400 ml of water was added to the polymer and the solution to give a product.
[0091] 110 g of polymer in solution was then taken and the pH adjusted to 10 with sodium hydroxide. 25 ml of epichlorohydrin was added and the solution heated to 40° C. for four hours.
Example 4
[0092] The self-crosslinking polyester prepared according to Example 3 was tested as in Example 1.
[0093] Untreated fabric ΔE from new=9.96 (std. devn. 0.47)
[0094] Treated fabric ΔE from new=4.48 (std. devn. 0.42)
[0095] From these results it can again be seen that the treated fabrics exhibit improved wear resistance.
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The invention provides a biodegradable azetidinium-functional polyester. This is useful for treating a substrate such as a cellulosic or keratinaceous textile material, preferably in the presence of a carrier. The polymer can be prepared by: a) reacting an amine-containing (di)acid or (di)ol with a suitable co-reactant, and,b) treating the product of step (a) with an epihalohydrin. Preferably step (a) occurs in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group comprising sulphuric acid, p-toluenesulphonic acid and a hafnium(IV) compound. The preferred diacid are iminodiacarboxylic acids in which each carboxylic acid moiety has a carbon number of 2-4. The preferred diols are polyalkylene glycols in which the repeat unit has a carbon number of 2-3.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ribbon feed means in typewriters and impact printers and more particularly to means for metering the ribbon being fed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional impact printers and typewriters, as the printing proceeds, the inventory of ribbon is moved from a portion on a supply spool to a take-up spool which winds up the ribbon after it is printed upon. In order to obtain a uniform ribbon feed, it has been traditional to provide means for metering the ribbon which is separate from the means for driving the take-up reel which winds the used ribbon. Such conventional ribbon metering means are extensively shown in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,348,650, J. Meinherz et al, filed July 3, 1962 discloses such a ribbon metering apparatus wherein ribbon from a supply reel is metered so as to move at a uniform rate to a take-up reel (not shown). In such an apparatus, it would be conventional to have a separate drive mechanism for the take-up reel.
while such ribbon metering apparatus served the impact printer and typewriter technology very well for several generations and still continues to be significant, we have found that there is a potential for problems in this conventional approach. With the direction in the typewriter and printer art towards thinner and more fragile ribbons, tolerances within which these ribbons can withstand damage become much more limited. Consequently, where separate metering elements are used in printers, there appears to be an increasing possibility that the coordination of the operation of ribbon metering with the standard ribbon take-up drive may cause problems with respect to ribbon movement and stresses on the ribbon beyond the limited tolerances of such fragile ribbons.
Consequently, there is a need in the riboon feed technology for apparatus which eliminates separate ribbon metering and integrates the ribbon metering function into the ribbon take-up drive mechanism. Such apparatus will, in addition to minimizing the effects of ribbon feed which could damage fragile ribbons, also substantially reduce ribbon feed cost by eliminating such separate ribbon metering apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,141, Hengelhaupt, filed July 1, 1974, represents an approach taken in the art to eliminate separate ribbon metering drives. In the apparatus of this patent, the ribbon metering function is integrated with the ribbon take-up roller. The ribbon is metered at a uniform or constant rate by mechanical means which sense the radius of the ribbon portion on the take-up spool, and through a series of rather complex mechanical linkages constantly vary the velocity of the peripheral take-up reel drive roller with changes in radius of the ribbon portion on the take-up reel so that the ribbon moves at a uniform rate. While such apparatus does eliminate separate ribbon metering mechanism, its complex mechanical linkages would appear to have a greater possibility for ribbon metering and drive irregularities which could potentially damage the relatively fragile ribbons currently in extensive usage.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention provides a ribbon feed apparatus which eliminates separate ribbon metering. In addition, apparatus of the present invention further eliminates the complex mechanical linkages of the prior art structures wherein ribbon metering and ribbon drive mechanisms are integrated in a single structure. The present invention accomplishes this by efficient low cost apparatus.
The apparatus includes the conventional take-up and supply reels each adapted to support a portion of inventory of ribbon running from the supply reel to the take-up reel. The apparatus further includes means for driving the take-up reel drive at a selected one of a plurality of different rotational velocities. Means are provided for sensing the portion of inventory of ribbon on one of the reels, preferably the supply reel and for producing an electrical signal representation of the radius of said portion. In addition, means are provided responsive to said signal for selecting one of said rotational velocities for the ribbon take-up reel whereby ribbon is taken up and moves at a relatively uniform overall rate irrespective of the relative portions of the inventory of ribbon on each of the two reels.
For best results the inventory of ribbon on the supply reel is unused ribbon and the sensing means senses this unused ribbon so that the sensing is unimpeded by variations in the thickness of the ribbon on the reel which may be caused by usage.
In accordance with a more particular aspect of the present invention, the sensing means include a follower member tensioned against the periphery of the portion of the ribbon inventory on the supply reel so as to maintain a tautness on the ribbon running from the supply reel to the take-up reel. In addition, the sensing means include a capacitive transducer to sense the movement of this follower with respect to the axis of the supply reel to thereby provide an indication of the radius of inventory of ribbon on the supply reel.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the ribbon feed and take-up mechanism of the present invention illustrating capacitive sensing means for sensing the portion of the ribbon inventory on the supply reel.
FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view along line 2--2 of FIG. 1, particularly illustrating a portion of the capacitive sensor as well as the take-up reel and its drive.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference to FIG. 1 rotationally mounted ribbon supply reel hub 10 has mounted thereon a portion 11 of an inventory of printer ribbon 13 which runs from the supply reel 12 along a path over rollers 14 and 15 to take-up reel 16 having a hub 17 on which the portion of taken up ribbon inventory 18 is mounted. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that this ribbon supply and take-up mechanism, which has been shown in generalized diagrammatic form, may be any conventional ribbon take-up and supply mechanism such as ribbon mounted in a cartridge or directly on a printer.
Ribbon supply reel hub 10 is mounted so as to be freely rotatable while take-up reel hub 17, as shown in FIG. 2, fixed to a drive shaft 19 which is driven by a stepper motor drive 20 will be further described hereinafter. Stepper motor drive 20 may be any conventional stepper motor which has the capability of operating at a plurality of different rates, i.e., a different number of steps for fixed time increment or cycle. Variable speed or rate stepper motor drives are well known in the art, and any conventional variable speed stepper motor may be used. Typical prior art variable speed stepper motors are described in the text, Theory and Applications of Step Motors, Benjamin C. Kuo, West Publishing Company, St. Paul, 1974 and particularly in Chapter 10, pages 206-251. As will be hereinafter described, means are provided for sensing the portion of ribbon portion 11 on supply reel 12, i.e., the radius of ribbon portion 11, and in response to this sensed radius to vary the stepper motor drive rate whereby ribbon 13 moving from the supply reel 12 to the take-up reel 16 along a path indicated by the arrows always moves at a near uniform rate irrespective of the radius of ribbon portion 11. Thus, when the radius of ribbon portion 11 is relatively small and the radius of inventory portion 18 on the take-up reel 16 is relatively large, the stepper motor rate should be relatively small. On the other hand, where the inventory of ribbon portion 11 on supply reel 12 is relatively large, and consequently the inventory portion 18 on the take-up reel 16 relatively small, the stepper motor drive 20 should be stepped at a higher rate in order to maintain a near uniform speed of ribbon 13.
This is accomplished by sensing the radius of ribbon portion 11 and providing an input to stepper motor drive 20 representative of this sensed radius, in response to which the stepper motor drive 20 varies the stepper motor rate based upon predetermined rates selected according to the principle set forth above. The means for sensing the inventory of ribbon portion 11 on supply reel 12 may be any conventional sensing means such as mechanical or optical means. However, for best results, carrying out the present invention, I have utilized a capacitive sensing means which I will describe hereinafter.
With reference to FIG. 1, the capacitive sensing means comprise a rotor 21 rotatably mounted on shaft 22 having a leg 23 with a foot 24 contacting the periphery of ribbon portion 11 on supply reel 12. Leg 23 is spring loaded by spring means 25 so that rotor 21 rotates clockwise about shaft 22 whereby foot 24 is urged in the clockwise direction shown by the arrow as the radius of the ribbon portion 11 diminishes. Thus, tensioned foot 24 and leg 23 serve a function in addition to the sensing of the radius of ribbon portion 11. Foot 24 provides a tension on the periphery of ribbon portion 11 whereby the ribbon 13 along the path shown by the arrows is maintained in a taunt condition as it is driven by take-up reel 16. Rotor 21 coacts with a stationary stator 26 to provide capacitive positional sensing. Stator 26 has the fixed position shown, and rotor 21 moves relative to it. The relationship of rotor 21 and stator 26 may be better understood with reference to the sectional view of FIG. 2. Rotor 21 is positioned above stator 26. However, for purposes of illustration so that the relationship of rotor 21 with respect to stator 26 is more clearly understood as the movement of rotor 21 is described, rotor 21 has been shown in fully dotted lines in FIG. 1. In effect, the combination of rotor 21 and stator 26 provide a capacitive transducer designed to provide a specific output indicative of the radius of ribbon portion 11 on supply reel 12. The concepts of capacitive transducers used in the present sensing device may be found extensively in the prior art. For example in the following:
"Dual Plane Capacitive Coupling Encoder", authored by R. J. Flaherty, M. L. Sendelweck, and J. W. Woods, IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 15, No. 4, Sept. 1972, p. 1373.
"Electrodynamic Velocity and Position Sensor and Emitter Wheel", authored by H. E. Naylor, III, and R. A. Williams, IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 16, No. 10, March 1974, p. 3303.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,702,467, "Shaft Position Sensing Device", George Melnyk, Issued Nov. 7, 1972.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,113, "Differential Capacitive Position Encoder", D. R. Dobson et al, Issued Feb. 10, 1976.
This stator 26 comprises an oscillator 27 which produces an oscillating input along lines 28 and 29 to conductive plates 30-36 on the stator 26. The conductive plates 30, 31, and 32 on the stator 26 are connected to line 28; another plurality of conductive plates 33, 34, 35 and 36 are connected to line 29. The rotor 21 comprises a plurality of conductive plates 37, 38 and 39 which are spaced from the stator 26 but are capacitively coupled with the stator 26 when they are in a position above the stator 26. The relationship of rotor plates 37, 38 and 39 with respect to conductive plates 30, 31 and 32 may be better understood with reference to the sectional view in FIG. 2.
During a take-up cycle wherein a full ribbon portion 11 is taken up until the end of the ribbon inventory on supply reel 12 is reached, rotor conductive plates 37, 38 and 39 will move from an initial position indicated by phantom line 64 with a full ribbon supply portion 11 to a position indicated by phantom line 65 when the end of the supply is reached.
During this movement, rotor conductive plates 37, 38 and 39 will be in a combination of positions with respect to stator conductive plates 30-36. Since line 28 and 29 to the stator 26 from oscillator 27 will be at opposite voltage levels, stator conductive plates 30, 31 and 32 will be at opposite voltage levels from stator conductive plates 33-36. Consequently, the capacitive effect produced respectively by each of rotor conductive plates 37, 38 and 39 with a stator conductive plate 30-36 will depend on the combination of rotor conductive plates 37, 38 and 39 and stator conductive plates 30-36 coupled with each other which in turn will depend on the position of rotor conductive plates 37, 38 and 39. The outputs on rotor conductive plates 37, 38 and 39 in response to the oscillator input appear respectively on lines 40, 41 and 42 from these rotor conductive plates 37, 38 and 39 which are in turn respectively connected to conductive pads 43, 44 and 45 in turn coupled to conductive pads 46, 47 and 48 on the stator 26 to provide respective outputs on lines 49, 50 and 51. It should be noted that the coupling between rotor conductive pads 43, 44 and 45 respectively with stator conductive pads 46, 47 and 48 may be in direct contact. However, since conductive pads 43-45 are on the rotating rotor 21, contacts between the two sets of conductive pads, 43-45, 46-48 may be capacitive. With such capacitive coupling, the respective areas of conductive pads 46, 47 and 48 and conductive pads 43, 44 and 45 are substantial, they are in affect almost a direct conductive coupling.
The outputs on lines 49, 50 and 51 (FIG. 2) are respectively amplified through amplifiers 52, 53 and 54 and then demodulated through demodulators 55, 56 and 57. The output of these demodulators 55, 56 and 57 are respectively applied to comparators 58, 59 and 60 which in turn produce a binary output on each of lines 61, 62 and 63 to the stepper motor drive 20. It should be noted that the capacitive transducer circuitry described above is well known in the art as set forth above as well as in copending patent application "A Capacitive Transducer for Sensing a Home Position", D. R. Polk et al, filed Dec. 22, 1980, Ser. No. 219,081.
Based upon the combined binary input on lines 61, 62 and 63, the stepper motor drive circuitry may select one of several possible stepper motor rates. The binary outputs on lines 61, 62 and 63 will of course be representative of the relative position of rotor 21 and consequently the radius of ribbon portion 11 on supply reel 12. Consequently, the preselected stepper motor rates per fixed time increment will vary accordingly. For example, the following is a chart illustrating the number of stepper motor steps per time increment for various combinations of binary values on input lines 61, 62 and 63.
______________________________________ Motor Steps perLine 63 Line 62 Line 61 Time Increment______________________________________0 0 0 70 0 1 60 1 1 51 1 1 41 1 0 31 0 0 End of ribbon portion 11 signal______________________________________
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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Apparatus for feeding ribbon in an impact printer or typewriter is provided in which the ribbon metering means are very simple and minimize the potential for damage to the ribbon. Ribbon is fed from a supply reel to a take-up reel each of which is adapted to support a portion of an inventory of ribbon running from the supply reel to the take-up reel. The apparatus includes a drive mechanism which drives the take-up reel at a selected one of a plurality of different rotational velocities, apparatus for sensing the portion of the inventory of ribbon on one of the reels and for producing an electrical signal representative of the radius of said portion, and apparatus for selecting one of said rotational velocities in response to said signal. The sensing apparatus used to sense the portion of the ribbon inventory which remains on the supply reel is capacitive sensing apparatus.
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This invention was made with the support of the U.S. Government under Office of Naval Research grant no. N/N 00014-91-J-1927 and National Science Foundation grant no. ECD-8721551. The U.S. Government has certain rights in the invention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The electrical conductivity (σ) of most organic materials at room temperature is quite small (σ<10 -10 ohm -1 cm -1 ). Over the last two decades, the synthesis of organic molecules with electrical properties approaching those of metals have been the focus of considerable attention. Because organic polymers generally have elasticity, strength and plasticity, they offer significant advantages over non-polymeric materials in the manufacture of electronic materials. Macromolecular substances can now be tailored to perform as semiconductors or even as true organic metals.
The field of organic metals is dominated by two types of molecular structures: linearly conjugated π-systems and charge-transfer complexes which form stacks of π-systems in the solid state. In the former systems, electrons move rapidly along a partially oxidized or reduced molecular chain. Examples of linear π-conjugated systems are the heteroaromatic polymers such as polypyrroles, polythiophenes, polyanilines, polyacetylenes and polyarylenes. In charge-transfer complexes, electrons move along a partially oxidized or reduced stack of molecules. Examples of this type of conductive polymer include stacks of 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) radical anions stabilized by polycations. See, R. I. Stankovic et al., Eur. Polym. J., 26, 675 (1990). In either case, the electrical, optical and magnetic properties are a complex function of the solid state structure, and efforts have been made to prepare and study model compounds for these systems, primarily in solution.
The high electrical conductivity of heteroaromatic polymers has spurred interest in the use of these materials in novel electronic and chemical applications. See D. Jean et al., Top. Curr. Science, 256, 1662 (1992); J. Heinze, Top. Curr. Chem., 152, 1 (1990); N. C. Billingham et al., Adv. Polym. Sci., 90, 1 (1989); and A. J. Heeger et al., Synth. Metals, 41, 1027 (1991). Prototype designs of flexible light-emitting diodes, molecular transistors, light battery electrodes, electrochemical displays, electrodes for in vivo drug delivery and anticorrosion films, in which a conductive polymer is the active element, have been realized during the past decade. See, L. L. Miller et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,652) and S. Li et al., Science, 259, 957 (1993) and references cited therein. However, most electrically conductive polymers have undesirable characteristics such as insolubility, intractability, low resistance to water or heat, poor processibility or, in some cases, low molecular weights. These disadvantages prevent the use of conventional polymer-processing techniques to shape these materials into desired structures. With respect to conductive polymer fibers, processing methods have been disclosed which require multistep chemical or mechanical procedures. For example, see D. D. C. Bradley et al., Synth. Metals, 17, 473 (1987); J. M. Machado et al., Polymer, 30, 1992 (1989); and P. Smith et al., Polymer, 33, 1102 (1992).
Therefore, a continuing need exists for simplified methods which yield polymer fibers which exhibit a desirable spectrum of mechanical properties while retaining high electrical conductivity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a simple electrochemical method to prepare a flexible conductive composite polymer fiber comprising an organic polymer fiber core coated with a conductive heteroaromatic polymer. The composite fibers are prepared by electrochemically oxidizing or reducing a flowing electrolyte solution comprising an appropriate monomer or monomer mixture in an electrochemical cell comprising an anode and a cathode, so as to deposit the coating of the conductive heteroaromatic polymer on the fiber core which is preferably nonconductive. A flow of the electrolyte solution is established between the electrodes and the fiber core is positioned in the flowing solution along the axis of the cell, so as to connect the upstream electrode to the region of the downstream electrode. Hydrodynamic fields within the cell result in unidirectional growth of the conductive polymer coating on the fiber core in the direction of the axis of the flow cell, i.e., from the anode to the region of the cathode in the case of deposition of the polymer by oxidation of the monomer. The resulting composite fibers exhibit high mechanical strength, flexibility and conductivity.
Thus, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for preparing a conductive composite polymer fiber comprising:
(a) providing an electrochemical flow cell comprising an anode, a cathode, a flow of an electrolyte solution from the region of the anode to the region of the cathode, and a polymer fiber connected to the anode and extending in the direction of the flow of the electrolyte solution toward the cathode, wherein the electrolyte solution comprises a monomer selected from the group consisting of an aromatic monomer, a heteraromatic monomer and mixtures thereof which can be oxidized to a conductive polymer selected from the group consisting of an aromatic polymer, a heteroaromatic polymer and an aromatic-heteroaromatic polymer; and
(b) electrochemically oxidizing the monomer to deposit an adherent coating of the cationic conductive polymer on the polymer fiber, so as to provide a flexible, conductive composite polymer fiber.
Of course, if it is desired to deposit an anionic conductive polymer on the nonconductive polymer fiber, the electrolyte solution is flowed from the region of the cathode to the region of the anode, and a cathodic current is used to reduce the monomer, so as to deposit an adherent coating of the anionic conductive polymer on the fiber, which coating grows from the cathode in the direction of the anode.
The electrolyte solution is prepared by dissolving the monomer or monomer mixture in water and/or in a suitable organic solvent, which preferably also comprises a dissolved anionic surfactant, such as a sulfonate salt, i.e., an aromatic sulfonate or a polyvinyl sulfonate. The electrolyte solution flow rate, applied current, deposition rate of the conductive polymer, and fiber thickness can be varied widely, as discussed hereinbelow.
In Science, 259, 957 (1993), we described the synthesis of conducting polymer fibers of macroscopic dimensions. Specifically, fibers of poly(3-methylthiophene), abbreviated hereafter as poly(3-MT), of length greater than 10 cm and diameter between 0.1 and 0.7 mm were grown from the tip of a platinum electrode by galvanic oxidation of 3-MT in a capillary flow cell:
x3-MT→poly(3-MT)+2xe.sup.- +2xH.sup.+ →poly(3-MT).sup.δ+ +δe.sup.-
wherein δ + is about 0.25 per monomer unit.
By adjusting the flow velocity, applied current, and 3-MT concentration, polymer fibers were obtained at a linear growth rate of about 1 cm/hr and at an about 80% current efficiency. In contrast, as disclosed by P. Lang et al., Polymer, 28, 668 (1987), oxidation of 3-MT in stagnant solutions, or at rotating disk electrodes, resulted in the deposition of a thin film (≦1 μm) on the electrode surface.
In contrast to these single-phase fibers, which are extremely brittle and mechanically weak, the composite fibers of the present invention exhibit excellent mechanical properties, while maintaining the electrical conductivity and electrochemical properties associated with thin films of conductive heteroaromatic polymers such as poly(3-MT) or polypyrrole. In addition to this improvement of the physical properties, the present method for preparing composite fibers also provides a 30-fold increase or more in the fiber growth rate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross section of the electrochemical flow cells used to produce: (a) conducting single phase polymer fibers and (b) composite polymer fibers.
FIG. 2 depicts SEM images of the (a) side and (b) cross section of a Kevlar/polypyrrole composite fiber prepared in CH 3 CN containing 0.5M pyrrole and 0.1 TBA 30 TS - .
FIG. 3 depicts SEM images of the (a) side and (b) cross section of a Kevlar/polypyrrole composite fiber prepared in an aqueous solution containing 0.5M pyrrole and 0.1M Na + DBS - .
FIG. 4 depicts the cyclic voltammetric responses of: (a) a 0.7 cm long, 0.2 mm diameter Kevlar/polypyrrole composite fiber electrode; and (b) a 1 cm long 127 μm diameter Pt wire coated with a polypyrrole thin film. Both electrodes were immersed in an aqueous 0.1M NaTS solution and scanned at a rate of 50 mV/s. The composite fiber and film were grown in an CH 3 CN solution containing 0.1M TBA 30 TS - and 0.5M pyrrole.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Core Fiber
The composition of the core fiber is not critical to the practice of the present method. It may be conducting or nonconducting, although nonconducting fibers are preferred for most applications. Preferred fibers are "man-made" or "chemical" fibers, although natural fibers may be satisfactory for some applications. The fibers may be single-component, bicomponent or multicomponent, and may be monofilament or multi-filament, e.g., woven. Therefore, preferred core fibers include acetates (cellulose acetate and triacetate), acrylics (including ≧85% acrylonitrile), aramids (polyamides, wherein at least 85% of the amide linkages comprise two aromatic rings), azlon, glass, modacrylic (35-85% acrylonitrile) novoloid (cross-linked novolac), nylon (polyamides in which at least 85% of the amide linkages are directly attached to two aromatic rings; nylon-6,6, nylon-6), nytril (vinylidene-dinitrile), olefins (polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.), polyester (at least 85% of an ester of a substituted aromatic carboxylic acid, polycarbonates, i.e., Kevlar), rayon, saran (vinylidene chloride), spandex (polyurethane), vinol (vinyl alcohols), vinyon (vinyl chloride), and mixtures thereof. See, Kirk-Othmer Concise Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, M. Grayson, ed., Wiley-Interscience (1989) at pages 471-475 and 922-923. The thickness and total length of the core fiber can be varied widely, and are not critical to the practice of the invention.
Conductive Polymers
Any conductive polymer or conductive polymer-nonconductive polymer complex that can be formed or deposited in a coherent body or film by electrochemical oxidation or reduction of a monomer or mixture of monomers is suitable for use in the present method. As discussed above, conductive polymers are generally classified as those comprising linearly conjugated π-systems, such as the aromatic or heteroaromatic polymers, and the charge-transfer complexes which form stacks of π-systems in the solid state.
Of the first class, cationic charged polymers such as those comprising substituted or unsubstituted aromatic or heteroaromatic six- to ten-membered rings such as thiophene, thiophenol, aniline, phenyl, pyrrole, pyridyl, cyclopentadienyl and thiafulvalenyl can be used in the invention. Preferably, the rings will be linked into a continuous conjugated, π-electron network, such as those present in polyaromatic or poly-(pseudo-aromatic) systems. Preferred classes of conductive polymers include the polypyrroles, which are formed by the electrochemical oxidation of a pyrrole as described by A. F. Diaz et al. in J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun., 635, 854 (1979), and G. Tourilion et al., J. Phys. Chem., 87, 2289 (1987).
Polythiophene and several beta-substituted polythiophenes have been prepared by electrochemical oxidation and polymerization of their respective monomers, and are also preferred for use in the present method. These polymers can be repeatedly cycled between a conductive oxidized state and a semi-conductive neutral state. See G. Tourilion, J. Electroanal. Chem., 161, 51 (1984).
Anionic charged conductive polymers can come from the classes of polyacetylenes as well as polyaromatics or poly(heteroaromatics). For example, poly(9-phenylquinoline) charged negatively, and would be formed by anodic reduction of 9-phenylquinoline. For example, see Chem. Eng. News (Sep. 10, 1984) at pages 38-39.
Members of the second class, the charge-transfer complexes, have also been developed which can be used in the present invention. The construction of macromolecular complexes from cationic polymer and monomeric anion radicals, such as TCNQ - , is by far the most widely utilized route to this type of conductive polymer. For example, C. J. Zhong et al., Chem. Mat., 3, 787 (1991) disclose conductive polymer films formed by electroprecipitation of π-stacks of a disulfonate imide anion radical and a polycation, which acts to stabilize the π-stacks. For other examples, see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 849,744, filed Mar. 12, 1992.
The concentration of the monomer or monomers in the electrolyte solution can be varied widely, and will be somewhat dependent on the base solvent, electrolyte salt and flow rate selected. Preferably, the total monomer concentration is about 0.1-1M.
The Electrochemical Flow Cell
FIGS. 1a and 1b schematically depicts electrochemical flow cells suitable for the production of single-phase conductive polymer fibers (1(a)) and composite conductive polymer fibers (1(b)), under galvanostatic control. As shown, the anode and cathode are preferably platinum wires and the flow cells are oriented essentially vertically. Electrolyte solutions containing the monomer and a supporting electrolyte are pumped into the cell through the entrance port in the vicinity of the electrode from which growth is to be initiated, i.e., the anode. Volumetric flow rates are preferably varied between 10 and 50 ml/s using a centrifugal pump (not shown). As shown, the Pt anode is encapsulated in glass, so as to extend past the end of the glass insulation into the flow chamber, and positioned in the center of the flow chamber.
Oxidation of a monomer such as pyrrole or 3-MT at the Pt anode in the cell shown in FIG. 1a results in growth of a single fiber attached to the end of the electrode. To form a composite fiber, a nonconductive filament or string of a synthetic ("chemical") polymer is placed in the center of the flow chamber by attaching one end of the filament or string to the end of the anode and the other end to the stopper near the exit port, in the vicinity of the cathode, as shown in FIG. 1b, using a nonconductive adhesive. Oxidation of the monomer at the anode results in growth of the conductive polymer onto and along the nonconductive fiber, which becomes encased with a continuous coating of the conductive polymer.
The electrolyte solution is formed by dissolving the monomer and an electrolyte salt in water or in a suitable organic solvent, such as acetonitrile, methylene chloride, acetone, nitrobenzene, tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide or mixtures thereof, including mixtures with water. Suitable electrolyte salts include those organic acid salts commonly referred to as anionic surfactants. Useful compounds of this class include sulfonates such as the alkali metal salts of sulfated ethylenoxy fatty alcohols (the sodium or ammonium sulfates of the condensation products of about 1-4 moles of ethylene oxide with a C 12 -C 15 n-alkanol, i.e., the Neodol® ethoxysulfates, such as Neodol® 25-3S, Shell Chemical Co.); salts having alkyl substituents of 8 to 22 carbon atoms such as the water-soluble higher fatty acid alkali metal soaps, e.g., sodium myristate and sodium palmitate. Another useful class of anionic surfactants encompasses the water-soluble sulfated and sulfonated anionic alkali metal and alkaline earth metal detergent salts containing a hydrophobic higher alkyl moiety (typically containing from about 8 to 22 carbon atoms) such as salts of higher alkyl mono or polynuclear aryl sulfonates having from about 1 to 16 carbon atoms in the alkyl group (e.g., sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, magnesium tridecylbenzenesulfonate, lithium or potassium pentapropylenebenzenesulfonate). These compounds are available as the Bio-Soft® series, i.e., Bio-Soft® D-40 (Stephan Chemical Co., Northfield, Ill.).
Other useful classes of anionic surfactants include the alkali metal salts of sulfonsuccinic acid esters, e.g., dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (Monawet® series, Mona Industries, Inc., Patterson, N.J.); the alkali metal salts of alkyl naphthalene sulfonic acids (methyl naphthalene sodium sulfonate, Petro® AA, Petrochemical Corporation); sulfated higher fatty acid monoglycerides such as the sodium salt of the sulfated monoglyceride of coconut oil fatty acids and the potassium salt of the sulfated monoglyceride of tallow fatty acids; alkali metal salts of sulfated fatty alcohols containing from about 10 to 18 carbon atoms (e.g., sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium stearyl sulfate); sodium C 14 -C 16 -alpha-olefin sulfonates such as the Bio-Terge® series (Stephan Chemical Co.); alkali metal salts of higher fatty esters of low molecular weight alkylol sulfonic acids, e.g., fatty acid esters of the sodium salt of isethionic acid; the fatty ethanolamide sulfates; the fatty acid amides of amino alkyl sulfonic acids, e.g., lauric acid amide of taurine; as well as numerous other anionic organic surface active agents such as sodium xylene sulfonate, sodium naphthalene sulfonate, sodium toluene sulfonate, as well as the preferred sodium p-toluenesulfonate, sodium polystyrene sulfonate, sodium polyvinyl sulfonate, and mixtures thereof.
In general, these organic surface active agents are employed in the form of their alkali metal salts, ammonium or alkaline earth metal salts at about 0.25-5% by weight of the electrolyte solution.
The invention will be further described by reference to the following detailed examples, wherein a Pine Instrument RDE 4 potentiostat-galvanostat was used to supply a constant current to the cell. The conductivity of the fibers is measured using the 4-point probe method described in Science, 259, 957 (1992). Electrical contacts to the polymer fiber can be made using silver epoxy. Scanning electron microscope images were obtained using a JEOL II 840 electron microscope operating at 10 kV. Cyclic voltammetry was performed using a EG&G PAR model 173 potentiostat and model 175 programmer.
Pyrrole, 3-methylthiophene (3-MT) sodium polystyrenesulfonate (Na + PSS - ), sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (Na + DBS - ), tetrabutylammonium p-toluenesulfonate (TBA 30 TS - ) and sodium polyvinylsulfonate (Na + PVS - ) were purchased from Aldrich Chem. Co. and used as received. Bis(triphenylphosphoanylidene)ammonium polystyrenesulfonate (PPN + PSS - ) was prepared by metathesis of Na + PSS - and PPN + Cl - (Aldrich), washed with deionized water and dried under vacuum. Kevlar (Goodfellow Co., 70 filaments with a filament diameter of 0.0167 mm) and polyester strings (0.1 mm diameter) were used without pretreatment.
EXAMPLE 1
Poly(3-MT) Fibers
Poly(3-MT) fibers ten cm in length were grown in the two-electrode electrochemical flow cell shown in FIG. 1a. As shown in FIG. 1a, the main body of the cell consists of a glass capillary, 3 mm in inner diameter, 15 cm in length, which is oriented vertically. The electrolyte solution is pumped through the cell with a centrifugal pump (Cole-Parma, Model 07002-60). Polymer fibers were grown from a Pt wire 127 μm in diameter, which is encapsulated in glass with about one cm of the wire extending past the glass insulation. This electrode is positioned in the center of the capillary about 5 cm from the entrance port. A second Pt wire 1 μm in diameter and about 2 cm long, is positioned at the bottom of the tube near the exit port, forming a flow chamber about 10 cm in length. The electrolyte solution consisted of acetonitrile (CH 3 CN) containing 0.5M 3-MT and 0.1M TBAP. The electrolyte solution was pumped through the cell at 30 cm/s (2 ml s -1 ) while 3-MT was oxidized at the upper Pt wire by passing an anodic current (1.8 mA) through this electrode. Initially, a thin film of poly(3-MT) is deposited uniformly over the surface of the electrode. Continued oxidation of 3-MT at constant current resulted in the growth of a single fiber of uniform diameter from the Pt anode at about 0.8 cm/hr. In all experiments, the fiber grew along the axial center of the flow capillary without touching the capillary walls. Depending on the flow velocity and applied current, the growth rate of poly(3-MT) fibers could be varied from 0.2-3 cm/hr. The conductivity of the air-dried poly(3-MT) fibers, measured along the length of a 1 cm long fiber, was about 20 (ohm cm) -1 . The poly(3-MT) fibers obtained from CH 3 CN/TBAP solutions were very fragile and were broken easily when handled.
EXAMPLE 2
Polypyrrole Fibers
An electrolyte solution containing 0.5M pyrrole 1% Na + PSS - in water was pumped through the flow cell of Example 1 at 20 cm/s and oxidized at 1 mA. A polypyrrole fiber grew from the Pt anode at 0.14 cm/hr, with a diameter of 1.1 mm.
The growth rate and diameter of the polypyrrole (PPS - ) fibers depended on several experimental parameters, including faradaic current, supporting electrolyte concentration and flow rate. Fibers of uniform diameter (0.5-1.0 mm) were grown at low flow velocities (10-35 cm/s). At higher flow velocities (50 cm/s), a short cone-shaped polypyrrole fiber was obtained at the tip of the electrode. Larger currents typically resulted in faster growth rates and larger diameters. Under otherwise identical conditions, polypyrrole fibers grown at a higher Na + PPS - concentration (5%) have larger diameters than those grown at a lower supporting electrolyte concentration (0.5%).
The electrical conductivity of a 2 mm diameter, 4 cm long polypyrrole (PPS - ) fiber was determined to be 6.2 Ω -1 cm -1 , in good agreement with the conductivity of polypyrrole films prepared in a stagnant solution. See H. Nemoto et al., Synth. Mat., 41, 415 (1991). Similarly, the infrared absorption spectrum of a polypyrrole (PPS - ) fiber was essentially identical to that of a polypyrrole (PPS - ) film prepared in a stagnant solution.
Polypyrrole (PPS - ) fibers are significantly harder and stronger than poly(3-MT) fibers. However, both materials were brittle and were broken when flexed.
EXAMPLE 3
Composite Fibers
Using the flow cell of Example 1, as shown in FIG. 1b, a braided polycarbonate string (Kevlar) comprised of 70 filaments (each filament of 0.016 mm diameter) was epoxied to the end of a 127 μm diameter platinum wire at the top of the flow cell, using Epoxi-Patch adhesive (Dexter). The other end of the Kevlar string was threaded through a rubber stopper at the bottom of the 10 cm flow cell, such that the Kevlar string was centered along the axis of the cell. An acetonitrile solution containing 0.5M pyrrole and 0.1M tetra(n-butyl)ammonium toluenesulfonate (TBA + TS - ) was pumped through the cell at 2 ml/s, while passing an anodic current of 1 mA through the upper platinum electrode. Polypyrrole was observed to deposit uniformly on the surface of the upper platinum electrode. After 15 minutes, the conductive polymer grew onto the Kevlar fiber, and uniformly coated the entire length of the fiber at a rate of 5 cm/hr.
The resulting Kevlar/polypyrrole fiber had an electrical conductivity of 20 (ohm cm) -1 , as evaluated by the four-point method described hereinabove. The flexibility of the composite fiber was qualitatively tested by making a 180° bend in the fiber, and examining the fiber for cracks under an optical microscope. The fiber could be repeatedly flexed without any detectable cracking.
EXAMPLES 4-7
Composite Fibers
Using the procedure of Example 3, but varying the core filament and the electrolyte solution, yielded the composite fibers listed in Table I below.
TABLE I______________________________________Conductivity and Flexibilityof Polypyrrole Composite Fibers ConductivityEx. Fiber/Electrolyte σ(Ω.sup.-1 cm.sup.-1) Flexibility______________________________________4 Polyester 4.1 Poor H.sub.2 O/Na.sup.+ PSS.sup.-5 Polyester 4.1 Poor CH.sub.3 CN/TBAP6 Kevlar 5.4 Poor H.sub.2 O/Na.sup.+ DBS.sup.-7 Kevlar 24.3 Good CH.sub.3 CN/TBA.sup.+ TS.sup.-______________________________________
As demonstrated in Example 3 and by the data in Table I, conductive polyester/polypyrrole and Kevlar/polypyrrole composite fibers were successfully grown in CH 3 CN and in aqueous solutions containing a number of different electrolytes (TBA 30 TS - , Na + PSS - , Na + DBS - , Na + PVS - , and Na + TS - ). SEM images of the composite fibers show that polypyrrole deposits uniformly between the filaments of the nonconductive strings, as well as on the outside surface of the strings. FIGS. 2 and 3 show SEM images of Kevlar/polypyrrole fibers grown from CH 3 CN/TBA 30 TS - and H 2 O/Na + DBS - solutions, respectively.
Composite fibers obtained from CH 3 CN/TBA 30 TS - solutions using Kevlar strings could be repeatedly flexed in a 180° loop without any noticeable cracking. Images of the cross-section morphology of Kevlar/polypyrrole fibers prepared using TBA 30 TS - as supporting electrolyte (FIG. 2b) show that the polymer phase undergoes plastic deformation when the fiber is cut with a razor blade, consistent with excellent flexibility of the fiber. Other fibers, including the Kevlar/polypyrrole composite fiber prepared from aqueous Na + DBS - solution and shown in FIG. 3b, display smoother and sharper cross sections, indicative of a more brittle fracture.
The linear growth rate of the polypyrrole composite fibers depended strongly on the electrolyte composition and could be varied by one order of magnitude for different solvent/electrolyte combinations. The largest fiber growth rates were obtained in CH 3 CN solutions containing 0.1M TBA 30 TS - . In this solution, linear growth rates of 30 cm/hr at an applied current of 3 mA and flow rate of 20 cm/s were obtained for the deposition of polypyrrole on Kevlar. The growth rate of the polypyrrole composites did not strongly depend on the type of nonconductive string or on the solution flow rate; however, smoother fiber surfaces were obtained at higher solution flow rates.
DISCUSSION
It is believed that growth of single-phase poly(3-MT) fibers results from a decrease in the rate of 3-MT oxidation and/or oligomer deposition along the sides of the growing fiber, relative to that at the growing tip. Furthermore, since the polymer fibers grow only along the axis of the flow cell, it is clear that hydrodynamic flow patterns in the cell are coupled with the kinetics of the oligomer deposition and fiber growth. The ability to synthesize polypyrrole fibers indicates that these phenomena are general and not specific to the chemistry of 3-MT. The mechanism of growth of the polymer composite fibers appears analogous to the mechanism previously described for growth of single-phase fibers; electrical conduction in the fiber allows current to flow to the end of the polymer composite phase, where 3-MT (or pyrrole) is oxidized and deposited at the interface between the nonconductive string and the polymer composite. As with the single-phase fibers, the fact that the composite fibers have a uniform diameter over lengths of 1 to 10 cm suggests that the rate of polymer deposition is significantly larger at the end of the composite polymer phase than along the sides of the composite fiber. The order of magnitude increase in fiber growth rates obtained by depositing pyrrole and 3-MT on nonconductive strings is not understood.
The present composite fibers have substantially improved properties relative to the single-phase poly(3-MT) or polypyrrole fibers. In addition to the demonstrated improvement in the flexibility and strength, and the strong adhesion between the nonconductive and conductive phases, the Kevlar/pyrrole fibers are electroactive and can be used as free standing electrodes. For example, FIG. 4 shows the voltammetric response of a 0.7 cm long, 0.2 mm diameter Kevlar/polypyrrole fiber in an aqueous 0.1M Na + TS - solution. Although ohmic distortion of the voltammetric waves produces a large separation between the anodic and cathodic peaks as compared to the voltammogram of the corresponding thin film (FIG. 4b), the steady-state voltammetric response qualitatively demonstrates that the fiber undergoes a chemically reversible oxidation and re-reduction. The voltammetric wave is centered at about -0.4 V (vs. SCE), in reasonable agreement with the redox potentials reported for thin polypyrrole films in aqueous solutions.
All publications, patents and patent documents are incorporated by reference herein, as though individually incorporated by reference. The invention has been described with reference to various specific and preferred embodiments and techniques. However, it should be understood that many variations and modifications may be made while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention.
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A process is provided to prepare flexible composite polymer fibers by electrochemically forming a coating of a conductive organic polymer on the outer surface of a polymeric fiber.
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This application is a continuation of prior application Ser. No. 10/713,832, filed Nov. 17, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,447
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to pressure torque sanitary diaphragm valves and methods of using torque sensitive sanitary valves in the production of chemical and biological therapeutics to obtain procedural reproducibility in the production pharmaceutical compounds and intermediates related thereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pharmaceutical products are significant portion of the national economy, and the process used by pharmaceutical companies to produce these products are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Division of Manufacturing and Product Quality requires Good Manufacturing Practice for the production of human use pharmaceuticals. The FDA regulates the production of pharmaceuticals to ensure that the methods utilized produce a pharmaceutical products are of high quality and provides Certificates of Pharmaceutical Products to firms that legally market drug products.
The production of medicines requires the utilization of mechanical methods for manipulation of solid and fluid chemical compounds and mixtures. More specifically the transfer of chemical and biological solutions and mixtures will require the use of equipment that is able to be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized preventing contamination of in subsequent use. Improperly sanitizing equipment can result in contamination of the products produced in subsequent batches adding considerable cost. Steam sterilization is currently a preferred method of sanitizing equipment used in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Valves are of significant importance as equipment used in pharmaceutical manufacturing because they are often used to control the flow and transfer of chemicals including biologics and biological organisms.
Because in ordinary valves closing the valve causes the valve's stem to protrude into the flow area and opening the valve causes the stem to retract into the stem's housing area, often chemicals that are in the flow area may get trapped between the middle of the stem and the stem's housing area. The trapped chemicals are often difficult to remove during a sanitizing process allowing the trapped chemicals to be reintroduced into the flow area when the valve is subsequently used.
To overcome sanitation problems in using ordinary valves for the production of pharmaceutical and biological products, sanitary diaphragm valves have been developed. In a sanitary diaphragm valves a diaphragm is introduced between the stem and the flow area. The diaphragm is a flexible material that has a chemical contact side and a stem contact side. During rotation of the handle, the stem contacts the diaphragm pushing the diaphragm's chemical contact side into the flow area forming a seal with the surrounding flow housing area obstructing the flow of solutions. Sanitary diaphragm valves are widely used in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries for the processing of therapeutic and biological medicines. These valves have the feature that the diaphragm's chemical contact surface can be steam sterilized. This is typically done in advance of fluid processing in order to reduce the chance that unwanted chemicals are introduced into the drug product.
One major problems of using diaphragms in current valves is that the diaphragm can warp and/or become irregular and may not seal properly when the operator manually closes the valve because the diaphragms are exposed to the extreme conditions of the steam sterilization procedure multiple times and because over exertion of pressure from the stem due to over rotating the handle. Because current valve diaphragm designs utilizes a stem with a fixed operation range, obtaining a proper closure seal depends on proper placement of the diaphragm to prevent leakage from the valve due to improper sealing.
Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies recognize the warping and sealing problems of current diaphragm valves for some time and many have instituted preventative maintenance programs that require regular replacement of diaphragms. Unfortunately, these measures have not provided to be a satisfactory solution because it is not easy to predict when diaphragm warping will occur and typically the problem is detected too late—generally after a biological contamination that resulted from a breach to the sterile barrier. In addition, the success of diaphragm replacement can vary from operator to operator and therefore may require labor intensive leak testing and re-replacement in order to assure no leaks are present for a even new diaphragm.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to torque sensitive sanitary diaphragm valves and methods of using torque sensitive sanitary valves in the production of chemical and biological therapeutics to obtain procedural reproducibility in the production pharmaceutical compounds and intermediates related thereto. More specifically, this invention relates to the insertion of pressure sensitive slipping mechanisms in sanitary diaphragm valves between the valve's handle and the valve's stem, between the attachment areas of the valve's handle and the valve's stem or in between the attachment areas of the valve's handle and the valve's stem housing area.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1A . In this invention the housing contains a flow housing area ( 1 ) and a stem housing area ( 3 ). The flow housing area ( 1 ) is a location on a pipe, tubing, or other structure utilized to facilitate the flow of solutions between two areas where there is a desired to prevent the flow of the solutions. The stem housing area ( 3 ) is a hollow structure, such as a tube, with a first opening attached to the flow housing area and a second opening threaded for the stem. The stem ( 4 ) has a top, a middle, and a bottom. The top of the stem is attached to the slipping mechanism ( 5 ). The slipping mechanism ( 5 ) is attached to the handle ( 6 ). The middle of the stem is counter-threaded for the threaded stem housing's attachment area. The bottom of the stem is shaped to mate with the shape of the flow housing area. The diaphragm ( 2 ) is a flexible material that has a chemical contact side and a stem contact side. The diaphragm ( 2 ) is located in the first opening of the stem housing between the stem and the flow housing area.
FIG. 1B . Closing the valve is accomplished by rotation of the handle ( 6 ) causing the threaded and counter-threaded stem housing's stem attachment area and stem's stem housing attachment area respectively to move the stem ( 4 ) vertically down the stem housing area ( 3 ) until the bottom of the stem moves through the first opening of the stem housing into the flow housing area ( 1 ). During rotation of the handle, the stem ( 4 ) contacts the diaphragm ( 2 ) pushing the diaphragm's chemical contact side into the flow housing area ( 1 ) ultimately forming a seal with the surrounding flow housing area as the bottom of the stem mates with the flow housing area obstructing the flow of solutions. As diaphragm ( 2 ) compresses, the stem will begin to exert pressure on the handle requiring an increase the amount of torque necessary to continue rotating the handle. When a pre-set torque is exerted on the handle, the slipping mechanism ( 5 ) will allow the handle to rotate but will not allow the threaded stem housing and counter-threaded stem to further engage preventing the stem from apply additional pressure on the diaphragm.
FIG. 2 . The stem housing area ( 3 ) is a hollow structure, such as a tube, with a first opening attached to the flow housing area, a second opening, and a handle attachment area threaded for attachment of the handle. The stem ( 4 ) has a top, a middle, and a bottom. The top of the stem is attached to the handle ( 6 ). The stem ( 4 ) is attached to the handle ( 6 ) in a manner allowing the handle to rotate freely or pivot without rotation of the stem. The middle of the stem is enclosed in the stem housing area. The bottom of the stem is shaped to mate with the shape of the flow housing area ( 1 ). The handle ( 6 ) contains a counter-threaded stem housing attachment area for attachment to the threaded stem housing's handle attachment area. The diaphragm ( 2 ) is a flexible material that has a chemical contact side and a stem contact side. The diaphragm ( 2 ) is located in the first opening of the stem housing ( 3 ) between the stem ( 4 ) and the flow housing area ( 1 ). The slipping mechanism ( 5 ) is located either between the stem housing and the stem housing's threaded handle attachment area or between the handle and the handle's counter-threaded stem housing attachment area.
FIG. 3 . The stem ( 4 ) has a top, a middle, and a bottom. The middle and top of the stem are threaded as an area for attachment of the handle. The bottom of the stem is shaped to mate with the shape of the flow housing area ( 1 ). The middle and bottom of the stem is enclosed in the stem housing area ( 3 ), and the top of the stem protrudes out through the second stem housing opening. The handle ( 6 ) contains a stem housing attachment area and a counter-threaded stem attachment area. The handle ( 6 ) is attached to the stem housing ( 3 ) in a manner allowing the handle to rotate freely or pivot without rotation of the stem housing. The diaphragm ( 2 ) is a flexible material that has a chemical contact side and a stem contact side. The diaphragm ( 2 ) is located in the first opening of the stem housing between the stem and the flow housing area. The slipping mechanism ( 5 ) is located between the handle ( 6 ) and the handle's counter-threaded stem attachment area.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The critical feature sanitary diaphragm valve is the pressure obtain when mating the stem bottom, the diaphragm, and the flow area. If the valve diaphragm warps and a valve stem no longer provides proper sealing force when the operator places the valve in the fully closed position, then the valve will leak until it is disassembled and the diaphragm manually adjusted. By expanding the valve stem travel range of operation and modifying the valve handle to “slip” when a pre-set torque is reached, a reproducible seal pressure is achieved resulting in superior cost effective manufacturing capabilities.
Pressure sensitive sanitary diaphragm valves contain five major components: a housing, a stem, a handle, a diaphragm, and a slipping mechanism.
In one example of this invention the housing contains a flow housing area and a stem housing area. The flow housing area is a location on a pipe, tubing, or other structure utilized to facilitate the flow of solutions between two areas where there is a desired to prevent the flow of the solutions. The stem housing area is a hollow structure, such as a tube, with a first opening attached to the flow housing area and a second opening threaded for the stem. The stem has a top, a middle, and a bottom. The top of the stem is attached to a slipping mechanism. The slipping mechanism is attach to the handle. The middle of the stem is counter-threaded for the stem housing's second opening. The bottom of the stem is shaped to mate with the shape of the flow housing area. The diaphragm is a flexible material that has a chemical contact side and a stem contact side. The diaphragm is located in the first opening of the stem housing between the stem and the flow housing area. The slipping mechanism is located between the handle and the stem.
Closing the valve is accomplished by rotation of the handle causing the threaded and counter-threaded stem housing's stem attachment area and stem's stem housing attachment area respectively to move the stem vertically down the stem housing area until the bottom of the stem moves through the first opening of the stem housing into the flow housing area. During rotation of the handle, the stem contacts the diaphragm pushing the diaphragm's chemical contact side into the flow housing area ultimately forming a seal with the surrounding flow housing area as the bottom of the stem mates with the flow housing area obstructing the flow of solutions. As diaphragm compresses, the stem will begin to exert pressure on the handle requiring an increase the amount of torque necessary to continue rotating the handle. When a pre-set torque is exerted on the handle, the slipping mechanism will allow the handle to rotate but will not allow the threaded stem housing and counter-threaded stem to further engage preventing the stem from apply additional pressure on the diaphragm.
Opening the valve is accomplished by counter-rotation of the handle causing the threaded and counter-threaded stem housing's stem attachment area and stem's stem housing attachment area respectively to move the stem vertically up the stem housing area and the bottom of the stem out of the flow housing area back through the first opening of the stem housing into the hollow area of the stem housing.
The slipping mechanism can be created in variety of ways well-know to those skilled in the art. For example, the embodiments of this invention include a slipping mechanism that contains a top and a bottom that engage each other. The top attached to the handle is affixed with a gear, such as a sprocket. The bottom attached to the stem contains a cylinder with flexible strips of metal placed to reside within the notches of the gear and affixed to the inner cylinder. When the torque is sufficient the strips of metal will bend allowing the gear to rotate; thus, creating a “slip” in the handle.
In another example of this invention the housing contains a flow housing area and a stem housing area. The flow housing area is a location on a pipe, tubing, or other structure utilized to facilitate the flow of solutions between two areas where there is a desired to prevent the flow of the solutions. The stem housing area is a hollow structure, such as a tube, with a first opening attached to the flow housing area, a second opening, and a handle attachment area threaded for attachment of the handle. The stem has a top, a middle, and a bottom. The top of the stem is attached to the handle. The stem is attached to the handle in a manner allowing the handle to rotate freely or pivot without rotation of the stem. The middle of the stem is enclosed in the stem housing area. The bottom of the stem is shaped to mate with the shape of the flow housing area. The handle contains a counter-threaded stem housing attachment area for attachment to the threaded stem housing's handle attachment area. The diaphragm is a flexible material that has a chemical contact side and a stem contact side. The diaphragm is located in the first opening of the stem housing between the stem and the flow housing area. The slipping mechanism is located either between the stem housing and the stem housing's threaded handle attachment area or between the handle and the handle's counter-threaded stem housing attachment area.
Closing the valve is accomplished by rotation of the handle causing the threaded and counter-threaded stem housing's handle attachment area and handle's stem housing attachment area respectively to move the stem vertically down the stem housing area until the bottom of the stem moves through the first opening of the stem housing into the flow housing area causing obstruction of the flow of solutions through the flow housing area. During rotation of the handle, the stem contacts the diaphragm pushing the diaphragm's chemical contact side into the flow housing area ultimately forming a seal with the surrounding flow housing area as the bottom of the stem mates with the flow housing area obstructing the flow of solutions. As diaphragm compresses, the stem will begin to exert pressure on the handle requiring an increase the amount of torque necessary to continue rotating the handle. When a pre-set torque is exerted on the handle, the slipping mechanism will allow the handle to rotate but will not allow the threaded stem housing and counter-threaded handle to further engage preventing the stem from apply additional pressure on the diaphragm.
Opening the valve is accomplished by counter-rotation of the handle causing the threaded and counter-threaded stem housing's handle attachment area and handle's stem housing attachment area respectively to move the stem vertically up the stem housing area and the bottom of the stem out of the flow housing area back through the first opening of the stem housing into the hollow area of the stem housing.
In another embodiment of this invention the housing contains a flow housing area and a stem housing area. The stem housing area is a hollow structure, such as a tube, with a first opening attached to the flow housing area, a second opening, and a handle attachment area. The stem has a top, a middle, and a bottom. The middle and top of the stem are threaded as an area for attachment of the handle. The bottom of the stem is shaped to mate with the shape of the flow housing area. The middle and bottom of the stem is enclosed in the stem housing area, and the top of the stem protrudes out through the second stem housing opening. The handle contains a stem housing attachment area and a counter-threaded stem attachment area. The handle is attached to the stem housing in a manner allowing the handle to rotate freely or pivot without rotation of the stem housing. The diaphragm is a flexible material that has a chemical contact side and a stem contact side. The diaphragm is located in the first opening of the stem housing between the stem and the flow housing area. The slipping mechanism is located either between the stem and the stem's threaded handle attachment area or between the handle and the handle's counter-threaded stem attachment area. The closing and opening of the valve is accomplished as described in the previous embodiments.
Another embodiment of this invention is a pharmaceutical valve for use with biological and chemical transfer equipment having a housing with a flowing housing area having a shape for the transfer of a solution through the flow housing area, and a stem housing area having a first opening attached to the flow housing area and a second opening threaded for vertical motion within the stem housing area, the pharmaceutical valve comprising: a stem with a top, a middle counter-threaded for the stem housing's second opening, and a bottom shaped to mate with the shape of the flow housing area; a handle; a diaphragm with a chemical contact side and a stem contact side located in the first opening of the stem housing between the stem and the flow housing area; and a slipping mechanism located between the handle and the stem.
Another embodiment of this invention is a pharmaceutical valve for use with biological and chemical transfer equipment having a housing with a flowing housing area having a shape for the transfer of a solution through the flow housing area, and a stem housing area having a first opening attached to the flow housing area and a second opening threaded for vertical motion within the stem housing area, the pharmaceutical valve comprising: a stem with a top, a middle counter-threaded for the stem housing's second opening, and a bottom shaped to mate with the shape of the flow housing area; a handle counter-threaded for attachment to the stem housing attachment area and affixed to the stem allowing the handle to pivot without rotation of the stem; a diaphragm with a chemical contact side and a stem contact side located in the first opening of the stem housing between the stem and the flow housing area; and a slipping mechanism located either between the stem housing and the stem housing's threaded handle attachment area or between the handle and the handle's counter-threaded stem housing attachment area.
Another embodiment of this invention is a pharmaceutical valve for use with biological and chemical transfer equipment having a housing with a flowing housing area having a shape for the transfer of a solution through the flow housing area, and a stem housing area having a first opening attached to the flow housing area and a second opening having a handle attachment area for vertical motion within the stem housing area, the pharmaceutical valve comprising: a stem with a top and a middle both threaded as an area for attachment of the handle, and a bottom shaped to mate with the shape of the flow housing area; a handle counter-threaded for attachment to the threaded stem's handle attachment area and attached to the stem housing allowing the handle to pivot without rotation of the stem housing; a diaphragm with a chemical contact side and a stem contact side located in the first opening of the stem housing between the stem and the flow housing area; and a slipping mechanism located between the handle and the stem.
Another aspect of this invention are methods of preventing the flow of fluids in equipment making biological or chemical therapeutics using torque sensitive sanitary diaphragm valves according to the embodiments of this disclosure.
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This invention relates to pressure torque sanitary diaphragm valves and methods of using torque sensitive sanitary valves in the production of chemical and biological therapeutics to obtain procedural reproducibility in the production pharmaceutical compounds and intermediates related thereto.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a control unit for an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle. The control unit has a housing enclosing a cavity. The housing has a housing lid and a housing opening, wherein the housing lid is designed to close the housing opening. The hybrid vehicle has at least one electric machine and additionally an internal combustion engine.
[0002] With control units known from the prior art there is the problem that, when the housing lid of the housing is opened, live parts in the interior of the housing can be contacted, thus posing a danger to a person who opens the housing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In accordance with the invention the control unit of the type described in the introduction has an electrically insulating shock hazard protection cover, which has at least one projection region extending transversely with respect to a surface of the shock hazard protection cover. The housing lid has at least one receptacle, in particular a cutout or a clamp for the projection region, wherein the cutout is designed to securely hold the projection region with a frictional fit.
[0004] The shock hazard protection cover preferably has at least one latching hook, which is designed to latch, with a form fit or additionally with a frictional fit, with the housing or with part of the control unit that is located in the interior of the housing and that is connected to the housing. A force for releasing the latching of the shock hazard protection cover with the housing is preferably greater than a force for separating the shock hazard protection cover from the housing lid.
[0005] The housing lid together with the shock hazard protection cover thus can be connected advantageously to the housing part, and the projection region can be separated from the housing lid when the housing lid is opened, wherein the shock hazard protection cover can remain latched to the housing or the part of the control unit in the interior of the housing. More advantageously, the shock hazard protection cover thus can be connected to the housing lid in one manufacturing step.
[0006] During an assembly of the control unit, the housing lid can be assembled together with the shock hazard protection cover and is thus already connected to the housing lid in a predetermined position. When the control unit housing is to be opened, for example for maintenance or servicing purposes, the housing lid thus can be separated from the housing or swung open for this purpose. As the housing lid is separated or swings open, it can detach from the shock hazard protection cover, insofar as the shock hazard protection cover, by means of the frictional connection, is connected to the housing lid more weakly than to the housing or the part of the control unit in the interior of the housing by means of the interlocked connection. The shock hazard protection cover thus remains connected to the control unit and can hide live electrical components, which are concealed by the shock hazard protection cover, against accidental contact.
[0007] The control unit is preferably designed to control an electric machine for the movement of the electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle in motor operation and/or in generator operation and to be connected to the electric machine. To this end the control unit preferably has a connector for the electric machine. The control unit more preferably has an inverter, in particular a high-voltage inverter, for feeding current to the electric machine. The high-voltage inverter is designed to connect a voltage of more than 60 volts, preferably more than 400 volts, more preferably between 400 and 1500 volts, to an output connector for the electric machine.
[0008] The control unit is preferably designed to control a climate compressor and/or an electric heater and to supply these with operating voltage. To this end the control unit has an electrical connector for the climate compressor and/or the heater.
[0009] The shock hazard protection cover is preferably designed to cover at least one connector, in particular at least one of the connectors for the electric machine or the climate compressor or the heater.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment the shock hazard protection cover has a resilient seal formed integrally on the shock hazard protection cover. The seal is designed to seal at least an edge of the housing opening and the housing lid with respect to each other. The seal is preferably injection molded onto the shock hazard protection cover. The seal is preferably formed by an elastomer, more preferably by a silicone rubber. Due to the seal, moisture is advantageously prevented from infiltrating the housing.
[0011] The seal is preferably designed to protrude beyond an edge of the housing lid. In another embodiment the housing lid has, in the region of a housing lid edge, a cutout reaching as far as the seal. The seal can thus be seen advantageously from outside, and a presence of the shock hazard protection cover can be checked.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment the housing lid has at least one aperture, or a cutout for a screw. The housing preferably has a thread, in particular an inner thread for the screw, wherein the inner thread is arranged in such a way that the housing lid can be tightly screwed to the housing.
[0013] The housing lid thus can be separably connected to the housing, such that electrical components are accessible from outside for maintenance purposes.
[0014] The housing lid is preferably connected to the housing by means of a hinge, such that the housing lid can be swung open. The hinge can be formed for example as a latching hinge, which is designed such that the housing lid can be interlocked with the housing when connected for the first time to the housing and remains connected during an opening process following the connection to the housing via the hinge.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment the shock hazard protection cover has at least one aperture for passing through a probe tip of an electric voltmeter. The control device preferably comprises at least one electrical component, which is designed to convey high voltage. The electrical component is preferably arranged in the cavity enclosed by the housing. The shock hazard protection cover is preferably designed to cover the electrical component in such a way that the electrical component cannot be contacted through the housing opening.
[0016] The aperture for passing through the probe tip for example has a diameter between two and five millimeters.
[0017] By the aperture it is advantageously possible to test, once the housing lid has been opened, whether the electrical component is live. After the test the shock hazard protection cover can be removed by release of the latching, such that the electrical component is accessible through the housing opening for maintenance or servicing purposes.
[0018] In a preferred embodiment a retaining element is integrally formed on the shock hazard protection cover, which retaining element extends transversely with respect to the surface in a direction opposite the projection region. The retaining element is preferably shaped in the manner of a hollow cylinder portion or hollow-cylindrically. The retaining element is designed to engage around a head of a screw, in particular a hexagonal screw, and to securely hold the screw against loosening. A previously mentioned electrical component is preferably formed by means of the screw.
[0019] The screw is preferably part of an electrical connector for connection of the control unit, wherein the electrical connector is designed to be secured to a cable shoe of an electrical connector cable. To this end the electrical connector comprises the aforementioned screw, which can be securely held by the retaining element against loosening.
[0020] The previously mentioned cylinder wall for example may have incisions in the direction of a longitudinal extension of the hollow cylinder, such that cylinder wall segments thus formed, which are separated from one another by the incisions, can securely hold the screw head resiliently.
[0021] The shock hazard protection cover is preferably formed from, in particular, fiber-reinforced plastic. The plastic of the shock hazard protection cover preferably comprises polybutylene terephthalate. The aforementioned seal is preferably injection molded onto the shock hazard protection cover, and for example is formed from liquid silicone rubber.
[0022] The invention also relates to a method for making safe a control unit, in particular a control unit of the above-described type, comprising a housing enclosing a cavity, said method comprising the steps of:
[0023] frictionally connecting a shock hazard protection cover to an inner wall of a housing lid;
[0024] closing a housing opening of the housing with the housing lid, wherein the shock hazard protection cover latches with the housing or part of the control unit connected to the housing (said part preferably being received in the cavity), such that the shock hazard protection cover interlocks with the housing or part.
[0025] In the method a seal formed integrally on the shock hazard protection cover is preferably trapped between an opening edge of the housing opening and the housing lid as the housing opening is closed, such that the cavity is protected against infiltrating moisture.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The invention will now be described hereinafter on the basis of figures and further exemplary embodiments. Further advantageous variants will emerge from the features described in the figures and in the dependent claims.
[0027] FIG. 1 schematically shows a control device in a sectional illustration, in which electrical connectors are accessible through a housing opening and are concealed by a shock hazard protection cover;
[0028] FIG. 2 shows the control unit shown in FIG. 1 , in which the housing lid has been removed, wherein the shock hazard protection cover has separated from the housing lid and remains connected, in particular latched, to the control unit;
[0029] FIG. 3 shows in a plan view the shock hazard protection cover shown in FIG. 1 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment for a control unit 1 for a motor vehicle. The control unit 1 has a housing 3 enclosing a cavity 4 . The housing 3 also has a housing lid 5 , which is designed to close a housing opening 6 of the housing 3 .
[0031] The cavity 4 enclosed by the housing 3 adjoins the opening 6 of the housing, such that electrical components arranged in the housing 3 can be reached from outside through the opening 6 .
[0032] The control unit 1 in this exemplary embodiment has, as electrical components, a power output stage 30 , which in this exemplary embodiment has two power semiconductors 28 and 29 , which in this exemplary embodiment are each formed as a power transistor, in particular field-effect transistor or IGBT (IGBT=insulated gate bipolar transistor).
[0033] The power output stage 30 has an electrical connector 27 connected to the power transistor 29 , and an electrical connector 26 connected to the power transistor 28 . The electrical connector 26 has a screw connector with a screw 24 , and the electrical connector 27 has a screw connector with a screw 25 . The screw connectors 26 and 27 are designed to securely clamp and electrically contact a cable shoe 31 with the screw 24 , and respectively a cable shoe 32 with the screw 25 .
[0034] The control unit 1 also has a shock hazard protection cover 7 . The shock hazard protection cover 7 is in this exemplary embodiment formed from plastic, in particular glass-fiber-reinforced polybutylene terephthalate, ABS plastic (ABS=acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), or an aliphatic polyamide, in particular a polyamide formed from hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid, in particular also known as PA66.
[0035] The shock hazard protection cover 7 has a sealing edge 9 as seal, which in this exemplary embodiment is formed integrally on the shock hazard protection cover 7 . The sealing edge 9 is formed in this exemplary embodiment by a silicone rubber, in particular LSR. The sealing edge 9 is designed to seal the housing lid 5 , in particular in the region of a lid edge of the housing lid 5 , against the housing 3 in the region of an opening edge of the opening 6 .
[0036] The seal 9 projects in the region of a lid edge of the housing lid beyond the lid edge, such that the presence of the shock hazard protection cover can be seen from outside. To this end the seal for example has a signal color, in particular one of the colors red, yellow or orange.
[0037] The control unit 1 in this exemplary embodiment for this purpose has a screw connection, by means of which the housing lid 5 can be connected to the housing 3 . A screw 23 and a screw 22 are illustrated, which are each designed to connect the housing lid 5 to the housing 3 and to press the housing lid 5 against the housing 3 in the region of the opening edge of the opening 6 .
[0038] The housing lid 5 has a receiving region 21 pointing in the direction of the cavity 4 and having a cutout. The receiving region 21 is designed to securely hold a projection region 20 with a frictional fit, wherein the projection region 20 is formed integrally on the shock hazard protection cover and extends toward the housing lid 5 , pointing away from a flat extension of the shock hazard protection cover 7 .
[0039] The shock hazard protection cover 7 in this exemplary embodiment also has two latching hooks 10 and 11 , which each extend in the direction of the cavity 4 and are each formed integrally on the shock hazard protection cover 7 .
[0040] The shock hazard protection cover 7 in this exemplary embodiment also has an actuation lever 13 , which is arranged on the shock hazard protection cover 7 in the region of the latching hook 11 and extends in the direction of the lid 5 , pointing away from the shock hazard protection cover 7 . The shock hazard protection cover 7 also has an actuation lever 12 , which extends in the direction of the lid 5 and is formed integrally on the shock hazard protection cover 7 in the region of the latching hook 10 . The shock hazard protection cover 7 in the region of each of the actuation levers 13 and 12 has a slit 33 and 34 respectively, such that the actuation levers 13 and 12 can be resiliently pivoted. The shock hazard protection cover 7 is designed to also pivot the latching hook 11 as the actuation lever 13 is pivoted and to also pivot the latching hook 10 as the actuation lever 12 is pivoted. The latching hooks 10 and 11 are each designed and arranged to engage behind the edge of the housing opening 6 in a form-fitting manner. Following an actuation of the actuation levers, the latching hooks 10 and 11 are each pivoted away from the opening edge, such that the shock hazard protection cover 7 can be removed from the housing 3 . In another embodiment the shock hazard protection cover does not have any actuation levers, and instead the latching hook is V-shaped or U-shaped in the region of an aperture in the shock hazard protection cover, wherein a V-limb or U-limb is formed integrally on the shock hazard protection cover, thus forming a resilient pivot joint. The latching hook has a projection region designed to engage behind the housing opening edge, which projection region is formed integrally on the U-limb or V-limb, pointing away therefrom. The latching hook can thus latch with the housing as the shock hazard protection cover is closed. In order to remove the shock hazard protection cover, the latching hook can be pivoted by leverage, by passing a lever tool, for example a screwdriver, through the aperture and into the V-shape or U-shape of the latching hook, such that the projection region can release the shock hazard protection cover.
[0041] The shock hazard protection cover 7 has a measurement opening 14 , which is arranged in the region of the screw 24 . The shock hazard protection cover 7 also has a measurement opening 15 , which is arranged in the region of the screw 25 .
[0042] The function of the control unit 1 will now be described hereinafter:
[0043] In order to assemble the control unit 1 , the electrical connectors 26 and 27 can be connected to a cable shoe 31 and 32 respectively by means of the screw 24 and 25 respectively. The cable shoes 31 and 32 can be guided for example through a housing opening (not illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 1 ) of the housing 3 to the electrical connectors 26 and 27 .
[0044] The shock hazard protection cover 7 can be introduced with the projection region 20 , which in this exemplary embodiment is formed as a journal, with the housing lid 5 by inserting the journal 20 into the cutout of the receiving region 21 of the housing lid 5 and can thus be connected to the housing lid 5 . Once the housing lid 5 has been connected to the shock hazard protection cover 7 , the housing lid 5 together with the shock hazard protection cover 7 can be connected to the housing 3 and in so doing can close the housing opening 6 .
[0045] When connecting the housing lid 5 together with the shock hazard protection cover 7 to the housing 3 , the latching hooks 10 and 11 latch into the housing opening 6 and in so doing each engage behind the housing edge in the region of the housing opening 6 .
[0046] In this exemplary embodiment a retaining element 16 and a retaining element 17 are also arranged on the shock hazard protection cover 7 , which retaining elements are each formed as a hollow cylinder peripheral portion and are formed integrally on the shock hazard protection cover 7 . The retaining elements 16 and 17 are designed to securely hold the screw 24 and to secure this against loosening. The shock hazard protection cover 7 also has two retaining elements 18 and 19 , which are each formed as hollow cylinder peripheral portions and can jointly securely hold the screw 25 . The hollow cylinder peripheral portions 16 and 17 , similarly to the hollow cylinder peripheral portions 18 and 19 , are each guided toward the screws 24 and 25 respectively as the housing opening 6 is closed and, in an end position in which the latching hooks 10 and 11 each snap into place, surround the screw heads of the screws 24 and 25 respectively.
[0047] Following a closure of the housing opening 6 of the housing 3 , the housing lid 5 can be fixedly closed by means of the screws 23 and 22 .
[0048] Here, the peripheral sealing edge 9 seals the gap between the lid 5 and the housing 3 against infiltrating moisture.
[0049] FIG. 2 shows the control unit illustrated in FIG. 1 , in which the screws 22 and 23 have each been loosened and removed. The housing lid 5 illustrated in FIG. 1 has also been removed in the illustration of the control unit 2 shown in FIG. 2 . The shock hazard protection cover 7 remains fixedly connected to the housing 3 by means of the latching hooks 10 and 11 , whereas the projection region 20 connected only frictionally to the housing lid 5 , in particular the receiving region 21 , can be separated from the receiving region 21 when the housing lid 5 is removed from the housing 3 . The shock hazard protection cover 7 thus remains advantageously connected to the housing 3 , such that the electrical connectors 26 and 27 , which for example are connected to a capacitor carrying high voltage, cannot be contacted from outside.
[0050] In a further test step, probe tips 35 and 37 , illustrated in FIG. 2 , of a measuring instrument 38 can be introduced into the measurement opening 14 and into the measurement opening 15 respectively, and in so doing can contact the screw 24 and the screw 25 respectively. By means of the measuring instrument 38 , for example a voltmeter, it is thus possible to test whether the electrical connectors 26 and 27 are live.
[0051] When the electrical connectors 26 and 27 are each sufficiently de-energized, the shock hazard protection cover 7 can be removed by pivoting the actuation levers 12 and 13 . Upon pivoting the actuation levers 12 and 13 , the latching hooks 11 and 10 are also pivoted, such that the latching books 10 and 11 no longer engage in a form-fitting manner behind the housing edge in the pivoted state. The shock hazard protection cover 7 can then be removed.
[0052] Following a removal of the shock hazard protection cover 7 , the screws 24 and 25 for example can be loosened, and, following a loosening of the screws 24 and 25 , the cable shoes 31 and 32 can be separated from the electrical connectors 26 and 27 .
[0053] The housing 3 also has a housing base 2 , which has channels designed for fluid guidance. Of the channels, the channel 36 is referenced by way of example. The power output stage 30 is thermally conductively connected to the housing base 2 . Heat produced by the output power stage 30 can thus be absorbed at the housing base 2 , which for example is formed by a metal block, in particular aluminum block. The heat absorbed by the housing base 2 can be led away further, for example via a fluid flowing in the channels, in particular cooling water.
[0054] FIG. 3 shows in a plan view the shock hazard protection cover 7 already illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 . The seal formed as a peripheral sealing edge 9 is illustrated, which seal is formed integrally on the shock hazard protection cover 7 . Retaining elements 16 and 17 are also illustrated, which each form segments of a hollow cylinder. The retaining elements 18 and 19 also jointly form segments of a hollow cylinder.
[0055] The retaining elements 16 , 17 , 18 and 19 are each formed integrally on the shock hazard protection cover 7 , in particular are injection molded on and extend in a manner pointing away from a flat extension of the shock hazard protection cover 7 . The shock hazard protection cover can be produced for example in an injection molding method.
[0056] The latching hooks 10 and 11 are also illustrated, wherein the shock hazard protection cover 7 has, in the region of the latching hooks 10 and 11 , slits 33 and 34 respectively, each extending longitudinally. The shock hazard protection cover 7 can thus deflect in the region of the slits 33 and 34 upon actuation of the actuation levers 13 and 12 illustrated in FIG. 1 . The latching hooks 11 and 10 can thus be pivoted and can release the form-fitting engagement, formed by means of the latching hooks 10 and 11 and illustrated in FIG. 1 , behind the opening edge of the housing opening 6 .
[0057] The measurement opening 14 is arranged in this exemplary embodiment in a middle of the hollow cylinder formed by means of the retaining elements 16 and 17 . The measurement opening 15 is arranged in this exemplary embodiment in a middle of the hollow cylinder formed by the retaining elements 18 and 19 . The screw arranged under the shock hazard protection cover can thus be touched, and a voltage conveyed by the screw can thus be measured.
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The invention relates to a control unit for an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle. The control unit has a housing enclosing a cavity. The housing has a housing lid and a housing opening, wherein the housing lid is designed to close the housing opening. According to the invention, the control unit has an electrically insulating shock hazard protection cover, which has at least one projection region extending transversely with respect to a surface of the shock hazard protection cover. The housing lid has at least one receptacle for the projection region, wherein the cutout is designed to retain the projection region in a force-locking manner. The shock hazard protection cover has at least one latching hook designed to latch in a positively locking manner, or additionally in a force-locking manner, with the housing or a part of the control unit in the interior of the housing which is connected to the housing.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multi-speed powershift transmission and more particularly, to a multi-speed powershift transmission for use in an agricultural or industrial type tractor.
1. Description of the Prior Art
History has shown that vehicles of the agricultural and/or industrial type require a wide range of closely spaced speed increments in order to satisfy a variety of working conditions. Such vehicles normally utilize governed engines which provide a relatively constant engine speed but which necessitate numerous gear shifting in order to get the different gear ratios and the correct ground speed. This upshifting and downshifting presents a problem in that the operator must shift without an appreciable disconnection between the driving torque and the load. For example, in plowing with a tractor, a temporary increase in load can be overcome by down-shifting from say seventh to sixth, but if the shift interval is too long, the tractor will lose momentum and a further downshift is required.
The shifting interval problem has been primarily corrected by the use of a powershift transmission which enables an operator to shift gears under full power without clutching. Such transmissions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,274,858 issued in 1966 to Meyer et al and U.S. Pat. No. 3,298,252 issued in 1967 to Harris et al. However, most powershift transmissions provide only a limited number of speeds. Therefore, there is a need to provide a transmission with a wide range of closely spaced speed increments which an operator needs for use in various tillage and planting operations. Furthermore, some powershift transmissions cannot provide a good speed selection in all of the needed speed ranges, such as several slow speeds, a range of closer field working speeds and several higher speeds applicable to transport conditions. Now, a multi-speed powershift transmission has been invented which will overcome the deficiencies of the prior art.
The general object of this invention is to provide a multispeed powershift transmission which offers a greater selection of desirable working speeds. A more specific object of this invention is to provide a multi-speed powershift transmission for use in an agricultural or industrial type tractor.
Another object of this invention is to provide a greater number of closely spaced speeds so an operator can utilize the most advantageous speed to optimize productivity.
A further object of this invention is to provide more closely spaced gear speeds within the field working range.
Still further, an object of this invention is to provide a lower gear speed than is normally found in conventional 8-speed powershift transmissions.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art based upon the ensuing description.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, the objects of this invention can be realized by using the herein described multi-speed powershift transmission in a tractor type vehicle. The multi-speed powershift transmission comprises a clutch drum for connecting the drive shaft of an engine to the transmission. The clutch drum houses two clutches which are separately or jointly engageable to transfer power to a first input shaft and/or a first plantary section which drives a second input shaft. This first planetary section comprises planetary gearing, a clutch and a brake which are selectively engageable to act on the second input shaft in combination with the second clutch in the clutch drum. Positioned downstream of the first planetary section is a second planetary section which transmits the power from the two input shafts to an intermediate drive member or carrier. The second planetary section contains planetary gearing and two brakes which are selectively engageable in combination with the aforementioned clutches and brake for imparting several different speeds to the carrier. The carrier, in turn, drives the gearing of a third planetary section. This third planetary section contains planetary gearing, an output shaft, a clutch and two brakes. The clutch and brakes are alternatively engageable for producing several different speeds in the output shaft. By selectively engaging various combinations of the clutches and brakes, the operator is able to obtain a wide range of closely spaced speed increments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical view, partly in section, of one embodiment of the multi-speed powershift transmission.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view as seen along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view as seen along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatical view of another embodiment for the first planetary section.
FIG. 5 is a table which shows the relationship among the various speeds and the clutch and brake units which are engageable to achieve those speeds.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a multi-speed powershift transmission 10 which is connected to a driven power shaft 11. Typically, the driven power shaft 11 is a drive shaft extending out from an internal combustion engine. The driven power shaft 11 extends rearwardly into a clutch drum 12 which houses two clutches C 1 and C 2 . The word "rearwardly" is used throughout this application to describe he disposition of the transmission 10 in a vehicle. However, it should be realized that this language is used only for purposes of convenience and not by way of limitation.
The clutch C 1 includes a driven clutch plate 14 which is mounted on a rearwardly extending shaft 16 while the clutch C 2 includes a driven clutch plate 18 which is mounted on a rearwardly extending shaft 20.
To the rear of the clutch drum 12 is a first planetary section 21. This first planetary section 21 comprises a rotatable carrier 22 on which planet gear means 24 are rotatably mounted. The carrier 22 is normally splined or otherwise attached to the shaft 20 and will rotate in unison with it. As shown in FIG. 2, the planet gear means 24 is comprised of a plurality of cluster gears 26, preferably three cluster gears 26 arranged approximately 120° apart. Each cluster gear 26 is comprised of a first and a second, 28 and 30 respectively, coaxially connected pinion gear. The first and second pinion gears 28 and 30 are of unequal size, preferably with the first pinion gear 28 having the larger diameter. The first pinion gear 28 meshes with a rotatable sun gear 32 while the second pinion gear 30 meshes with a rotatable ring gear 34.
As shown in FIG. 1, the ring gear 34 is attached to connecting means 36 which is mounted on a hollow tubular member 38 while the sun gear 32 is attached to connecting means 40. The connecting means 40 connects the sun gear 32 to a brake B Hi and a clutch C LO . The clutch C LO includes a driven clutch plate 42 which is mounted on the rearwardly extending shaft 20. The clutch C LO can be engaged to selectively lock the sun gear 32 to the carrier 22 and the brake B Hi can be applied to selectively
Referring now to FIG. 4, an alternative embodiment for the first planetary section 21 is shown wherein the ring gear 34 is attached to the rearwardly extending shaft 20 while the connecting means 36 is joined to the rotatable carrier 22. This arrangement produces an underdrive situation between the driven power shaft 11 and the hollow tubular member 38 when the clutch C 2 and the brake B LO are engaged. In FIG. 4, the brake is designated B LO and the clutch is designated C Hi because direct drive is the highest speed obtainable and that occurs when the clutch C Hi is engaged.
In the arrangement depicted in FIG. 1, an overdrive situation is produced between the driven power shaft 11 and the hollow tubular member 38 when the clutch C 2 and brake B Hi are engaged. The word "underdrive", as used herein, means that the hollow tubular member 38 will rotate at a slower speed than the driven power shaft 11. The word overdrive means just the opposite. The particular gear ratios which can be produced above or below a 1:1 ratio, commonly referred to as direct drive, will depend upon the number of gear teeth on each gear, the size of the sun gear 32, the cluster gear 26 and the ring gear 34, and the arrangement of the gears to each other. Such information is known to those skilled in the art and further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.
Positioned rearward of the first planetary section 21 in FIG. 1 is a transmission housing 44 containing a front aperture 46 and a rear aperture 48. The front aperture 46 is the opening through which passes the rearwardly extending shaft 16 and the hollow tubular member 38. The housing 44 contains a secondary planetary section 47 and a rearwardly positioned third planetary section 49. The second and third planetary sections, 47 and 49 respectively, comprise the internal gearing used in 8-speed planetary transmissions, such as is shown and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,274,858 issued in 1966 to Meyer et al and U.S. Pat. No. 3,298,252 issued in 1967 to Harris et al. Both patents are herein incorporated by reference and made a part hereof.
The second planetary section 47 comprises a rotatable carrier 50 on which planet gear means 60 are rotatably mounted. The carrier 50 also known as an intermediate drive member, is coaxially apertured at 46 and 48. The carrier 50 contains a front wall 52 and a rear wall 54 which support a plurality of pinion shafts 56 and 58 on which several planet gear means are mounted. As depicted, each planet gear means 60 is mounted on a pinion shaft 58. Typically, the carrier 50 has three pinion shafts for each planet pinion set.
The planet gear means 60 comprises a plurality of cluster gears 62, preferably three cluster gears 62, arranged approximately 120° apart. Each cluster gear 62, or compound gear 62 as they are sometimes referred to, is comprised of first and second, 64 and 66 respectively, coaxially connected pinion gears. The first and second pinion gears, 64 and 66 are of unequal size, preferably with the second pinion gear 66 having the larger diameter. The first pinion gear 64 meshes both with a rotatable first sun gear 68 and a relatively rotatable first ring gear 70. The first sun gear 68 is splined or otherwise mounted to the hollow tubular member 38. The second pinion gear 66 meshes both with a rotatable second sun gear 72 and a relatively rotatable second ring gear 74. The second sun gear 72 is splined or otherwise mounted to the rearwardly extending shaft 16. This shaft 16 is axially aligned within the hollow tubular member 38 which is preferably a shaft. As shown, the second sun gear 72 is located rearward of the first sun gear 68. By engaging the clutch C 1 , power can be transferred from the driven power shaft 11 through the rearwardly extending shaft 16 to the second sun gear 72.
The second planetary section 47 also includes first and second brakes, B 1 and B 2 respectively, which can be selectively applied to prevent rotation of the first and second ring gears 70 and 74. The grounded portion of the first and second brakes B 1 and B 2 , is affixed to the housing 44. Other methods of grounding the brakes B 1 and B 2 can be used, if desired. These other methods are known to those skilled in the transmission art and therefore these alternative methods will not be explained herein.
Rearward of the second planetary section 47 is the third planetary section 49. The third planetary section 49 comprises an extension of the rotatable carrier 50 to which is mounted a Ravigneaux gear train. The Ravigneaux gear train comprises first and second sun gears, 76 and 78 respectively, first and second sets of planet gears, 80 and 82 respectively, a ring gear 84 and a brake B 3 . Each set of planet gears, 80 and 82, preferably contain three planet gears positioned approximately 120° apart as shown in FIG. 3.
The first planet gears 80 are mounted on pinion shafts 56 and are wider in width than the second planet gears 82. The first planet gears 80 are situated just rearward of the second planetary section 47 and mesh with both the first sun gear 76 and with the second planet gears 82. The first sun gear 76 is mounted on a rotatable output member 86 which extends rearward through the aperture 48. This output member 86, preferably a shaft, provides the means for transmitting rotational motion out of the powershift transmission 10. The second planet gears 82 are situated just forward of the rear wall 54 of the carrier 50 and are mounted on pinion shafts 58. These second planet gears 82 mesh with both the second sun gear 78 and the ring gear 84. The second sun gear 78 is mounted on a rearwardly extending hollow shaft 88 which encircles the output member 86 while the ring gear 84 is in an encircling relationship with the carrier 50.
The brake B 3 is affixed to the housing 44 and can be applied to prevent rotation of the ring gear 84. The particular method of affixing the grounded portion of the brake B 3 to the housing 44 is not a critical feature and can be varied by those skilled in the art.
The third planetary section 49 also includes a clutch C 3 and another brake B 4 . The clutch C 3 comprises a clutch plate 90 mounted to the output member 86 and a clutch drum 92 connected to a driven plate 94. This clutch C 3 is engageable to selectively lock the second sun gear 78 to the first sun gear 76. The brake B 4 is operatively associated with the driven plate 94 and can be selectively applied to prevent rotation of the second sun gear 78.
The arrangement of the gearing in this multi-speed powershift transmission 10, together with the available clutching and braking characteristics, provide a total possibility of twenty-seven different speeds. These twenty-seven different speeds include seventeen forward speeds and ten reverse speeds. The twenty-seven possible gear speeds are produced by driving the carrier 50 at eight different gear ratios. These eight different gear ratios are then increased threefold by the alternate action of the clutch C 3 , the brake B 3 and the brake B 4 . In addition, three more speeds are possible by engaging both of the clutches C 1 and C LO and the brake B Hi in combination with either the clutch C 3 , the brake B 3 or the brake B 4 . By engaging both of the clutches C 1 and C LO and the brake B Hi , the first sun gear 68 is held stationary while the second sun gear 72 is rotating at the speed of the driven power shaft 11. This action causes the carrier 50 via the rotation of the cluster gears 62 to rotate in a reverse direction relative to the driven power shaft 11.
It should be evident that some of the gear ratios will be too closely spaced or impractical for everyday use. Because of this, only fifteen forward speeds and four reverse speeds are actually used in the preferred embodiment. The remaining speeds are still available and can be utilized, if desired. The gear speeds which are actually being used in the preferred embodiment are distinguished and explained below under the subheading "Operation".
All of the above-mentioned clutches and brakes are engageable by conventional hydraulic actuators well known to those skilled in the transmission art. Such actuators, as well as the controls, therefore do not form a part of the present invention and therefore will not be described.
Operation
FIG. 5 shows a table listing the various clutches and brakes which are engageable for obtaining the different gear speeds available from the multi-speed powershift transmission 10 of this invention. One exception should be noted, however. Whenever power is transmitted through the clutch C 1 , as opposed to through the clutch C 2 or a combination of the clutches C 1 and C 2 , one or the other of either clutch C LO or brake B Hi should be engaged. This engagement will prevent possible damage to the gearing of the first planetary section 21 due to overspeeding which could be caused by feedback through the first sun gear 68 of the second planetary section 47 via hollow member 38, connecting means 36 and ring gear 34. Since the engagement of either the clutch C LO or the brake B Hi has no effect on power flow or speed reduction when the clutch C 1 is engaged and the clutch C 2 is disengaged, the engagement of the clutch C LO or the brake B Hi as they appear in FIG. 5 can be switched. However, a substitution of C LO for B Hi or vice versa may necessitate an alternation of the control system.
In the first forward gear, the clutches and brake, C 1 , B 1 and C 3 are engaged. The engagement of the clutch C 1 causes the second sun gear 72 mounted on the shaft 16 to rotate at the same speed as the driven power shaft 11. This rotation, in turn, causes rotation of the cluster gears 62 through the action of the planet gears 66. The engagement of the brake B 1 will cause the first ring gear 70 to be held stationary and therefore serve as a reaction element for the cluster gears 62 through the planet gears 64. With the ring gear 70 held stationary, the cluster gears 62 will roll around the ring gear 70 causing rotation of the carrier 50 at a first reduced speed relative to the speed of the driven power shaft 11. Now with the clutch C 3 engaged, the second sun gear 78 of the third planetary section 49 is locked to the first sun gear 76 of the third planetary section 49. This effectively locks the carrier 50 to the output member 86 and insures that the output member 86 is driven at the same first reduced speed as the carrier 50.
In the second forward gear, the clutches and brake C 1 , B 2 and C 3 are engaged. The only difference between the first gear and the second gear is the engagement of the brake B 2 instead of the brake B 1 . With the brake B 2 engaged, the second ring gear 74 will be held stationary so as to act as a reaction member, via the cluster gears 62, on the carrier 50. This will cause the carrier 50 to be driven at a second reduced speed which is higher than the first speed. Just like in first gear, the engagement of the clutch C 3 will cause the output member 86 to be locked to the carrier 50 so that the output member 86 is turning at the second reduced speed.
In the third forward gear, the clutch and brakes C 1 , B 1 and B 4 are engaged. With the clutch C 1 and the brake B 1 engaged, the carrier 50 will again be driven at the first reduced speed relative to the driven power shaft 11. The brake B 4 will hold stationary the second sun gear 78 of the third planetary section 49. This action forces the second planet gears 82, due to their orbit about the second sun gear 78, to rotate. This rotation causes the first planet gears 80 of the third planetary section 49 to rotate. This rotation is transferred to the first sun gear 76 which will also rotate. Since the first sun gear 76 is mounted on the output member 86, the output member 86, due to the gear ratios, will rotate at a faster speed than that of the carrier 50. This faster speed is equivalent to a third reduced speed which is higher than the second reduced speed.
In the fourth forward gear, the clutches and brake C 2 , C LO , B 1 and C 3 are engaged. The engagement of the clutch C 2 causes the shaft 20, and hence the carrier 22, to be rotated at the same speed as the driven power shaft 11. By engaging the clutch C LO , the sun gear 32 of the first planetary section 21 will be driven at the same speed as the shaft 20. This means that the planetary gear means 24 are locked so that the ring gear 34 is driven at the same speed as the driven power shaft 11. The ring gear 34, in turn, drives the first sun gear 68 of the second planetary section 47 via the hollow tubular member 38. With the brake B 1 engaged, the first ring gear 70 will be held stationary and serve as a reaction element for the cluster gears 62 through the planet gears 64. This causes the cluster gears 62 to roll around the first ring gear 70 thereby rotating the carrier 50 at a fourth reduced speed which is higher than the third reduced speed. The engagement of the clutch C 3 will control the reaction of the third planetary section 49 as described above for the first forward gear. That is, the third planetary section 49 is locked so that the output member 86 is driven at the same speed as the carrier 50 or at a fourth reduced speed.
The clutch and brake engagements for the fifth through thirteenth forward gears are depicted in FIG. 5. The corresponding relationship between the driven power shaft 11 and the output member 86 should be apparent in view of the above explanation for speeds one through four. Therefore, for brevity sake only and not by way of a limitation, a detailed explanation for each of these gear speeds will be omitted.
Of the gear speeds five through thirteen, the fifth and eleventh gear are not used in the preferred embodiment. The reasons for such non-use of certain gear speeds has been explained in the section entitled "Detailed Description of the Invention".
In the fourteenth forward gear, the clutches C 1 , C 2 , C LO and C 3 are engaged. The engagement of the clutches C 1 and C 2 causes the two shafts 16 and 20 to rotate at the same speed as the driven power shaft 11. This causes the carrier 22 of the first planetary section 21 to rotate at the same speed as the driven power shaft 11. By engaging the clutch C LO , the sun gear 32 of the first planetary section 21 will be driven at the same speed as driven power shaft 11 thereby causing the hollow tubular member 38, via the ring gear 34 and the connecting means 36, to rotate at the same speed. The first and second sun gears, 68 and 72 respectively, of the second planetary section 47 will be driven at an equal speed and in turn cause the carrier 50 to rotate accordingly. The engagement of the clutch C 3 will lock up the third planetary section 49 so that the output member 86 is driven at the same speed as the carrier 50. In this case, the output shaft 86 will be driven at a 1:1 gear ratio in respect to the driven power shaft 11.
In the fifteenth forward gear, the clutches and brake C 1 , C 2 , B Hi and C 3 are engaged. The engagement of the clutches C 1 and C 2 will cause the two shafts 16 and 20 to rotate at the same speed as the driven power shaft 11. This causes the carrier 22 of the first planetary section 21 to rotate at the same speed as the driven power shaft 11. By engaging the brake B Hi , the sun gear 32 of the first planetary section 21 will be held stationary while the carrier 22 rotates. This causes the hollow tubular member 38, via the ring gear 34 and the connecting member 36, to be driven at a speed faster than the driven power shaft 11. Therefore, in the second planetary section 47, the first sun gear 68 will rotate faster than the second sun gear 72 and in turn cause the carrier 50 to rotate faster than the driven power shaft 11. The engagement of the clutch C 3 will lock up the third planetary section 49 so that the output member 86 is driven at the same speed as the carrier 50. In this case, the output member 86 will be driven at a faster speed than the driven power shaft 11.
The clutch and brake engagements for the sixteenth and seventeenth forward gears are dpicted in FIG. 5. The corresponding relationship should be apparent from the preceeding explanation and therefore a detailed explanation will be omitted.
In the first reverse gear, the clutches and brake C 1 , B 1 and B 3 are engaged. The engagement of the clutch C 1 causes the second sun gear 72 mounted on the shaft 16 to rotate at the same speed as the driven power shaft 11. This rotation in turn causes rotation of the cluster gears 62 through the action of the planet gears 66. The engagement of the brake B 1 will cause the first ring gear 70 to be held stationary and therefore serve as a reaction element for the cluster gears 62 through the planet gears 64. With the ring gear 70 held stationary, the cluster gears 62 will roll around the ring gear 70 causing rotation of the carrier 50 at a first reduced speed relative to the speed of the driven power shaft 11. The engagement of the brake B 3 causes the ring gear 84 of the third planetary section 49 to be held stationary. This action causes the second planet gears 82 to rotate in an opposite direction to the first planet gears 80. Therefore, the first planet gears 80 are rotating in the same direction as the carrier 50. The intermeshing of the first planet gears 80 on the first sun gear 76 of the third planetary section 49, cause the first sun gear 76 to turn in an opposite direction from the carrier 50. Accordingly, the output member 86 is driven in a reverse direction from that of the driven power shaft 11.
The clutch and brake engagements for the second through tenth reverse gears are depicted in FIG. 5. The corresponding relationship should be apparent for all the gears except fifth and eighth. In each of these two reverse gears, the clutches and brake C 1 , C LO and B Hi are engaged together with either clutch C 3 or brake B 4 . By engaging C 1 , C LO and B Hi , the first sun gear 68 of the second planetary section 47 is held stationary while the second sun gear 72 is driven at the same speed as the driven power shaft 11. The second planet gears 66 will orbit the second sun gear 72 but in an opposite direction due to the reaction exerted by the first planet gears 64 meshing with the stationary sun gear 68. Therefore, the carrier 50 will rotate in a reverse direction from that of the driven power shaft 11. The engagement of either the clutch C 3 or the brake B 4 is as explained above but neither affects the rotational direction of the output member 86.
The fourth, fifth, sixth, eighth, nineth and tenth reverse gear speeds are not utilized in the preferred embodiment.
While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specific embodiment, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the aforegoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations which fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
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This invention relates to a multi-speed powershift transmission which is particularly useful in agricultural and industrial type vehicles. The transmission comprises three main planetary sections and two drive clutches. In addition to the two drive clutches, the three planetary sections also contain additional clutches and brakes which act in combination to provide a wide range of closely spaced speed increments.
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This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/004,956, filed Dec. 5, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,440, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/251,293, filed Dec. 5, 2000. U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,440 is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/378,384, filed on Aug. 20, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,949, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/097,449, filed on Aug. 21, 1998.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of well completion assemblies for use in a wellbore. More particularly, the invention provides a method and apparatus for completing and producing from multiple mineral production zones, independently or in any combination.
The need to drain multiple-zone reservoirs with marginal economics using a single well bore has driven new downhole tool technology. While many reservoirs have excellent production potential, they cannot support the economic burden of an expensive deepwater infrastructure. Operators needed to drill, complete and tieback subsea completions to central production facilities and remotely monitor, produce and manage the drainage of multiple horizons. This requires rig mobilization (with its associated costs running into millions of dollars) to shut off or prepare to produce additional zones from the central production facility.
Another problem with existing technology is its inability to complete two or more zones in a single well while addressing fluid loss control to the upper zone when running the well completion hardware. In the past, expensive and often undependable chemical fluid loss pills were spotted to control fluid losses into the reservoir after perforating and/or sand control treatments. A concern with this method when completing upper zones is the inability to effectively remove these pills, negatively affecting the formation and production potential and reducing production efficiency. Still another problem is economically completing and producing from different production zones at different stages in a process, and in differing combinations. The existing technology dictates an inflexible order of process steps for completion and production.
Prior systems required the use of a service string, wire line, coil tubing, or other implement to control the configuration of isolation valves. Utilization of such systems involves positioning of tools down-hole. Certain disadvantages have been identified with the systems of the prior art. For example, prior conventional isolation systems have had to be installed after the gravel pack, thus requiring greater time and extra trips to install the isolation assemblies. Also, prior systems have involved the use of fluid loss control pills after gravel pack installation, and have required the use of through-tubing perforation or mechanical opening of a wire-line sliding sleeve to access alternate or primary producing zones. In addition, the installation of prior systems within the wellbore require more time consuming methods with less flexibility and reliability than a system which is installed at the surface. Each trip into the wellbore adds additional expense to the well owner and increases the possibility that tools may become lost in the wellbore requiring still further operations for their retrieval.
While pressure actuated valves have been used in certain situations, disadvantages have been identified with such devices. For example, prior pressure actuated valves had only a closed position and an open position. Thus, systems could not reliably use more than one such valve, since the pressure differential utilized to shift the first valve from the closed position to the open would be lost once the first valve was opened. Therefore, there could be no assurance all valves in a system would open.
There has therefore remained a need for an isolation system for well control purposes and for wellbore fluid loss control, which combines simplicity, reliability, safety and economy, while also affording flexibility in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system which allows an operator to, perforate, complete, and produce multiple production zones from a single well in a variety of ways allowing flexibility in the order of operation. An isolation system of the present invention does not require tools to shift the valve and allows the use of multiple pressure actuated valves in a production assembly.
According to one aspect of the invention, after a zone is completed, total mechanical fluid loss is maintained and the pressure-actuated circulating (PAC) and/or pressure-actuated device (PAD) valves are opened with pressure from the surface when ready for production. This eliminates the need to rely on damaging and sometimes non-reliable fluid loss pills being spotted in order to control fluid loss after the frac or gravel pack on an upper zone (during the extended time process of installing completion production hardware).
According to another aspect of the present invention, the economical and reliable exploitation of deepwater production horizons that were previously not feasible are within operational limits of a system of the invention.
A further aspect of the invention provides an isolation sleeve assembly which may be installed inside a production screen and thereafter controlled by generating a pressure differential between the valve interior and exterior.
According to a still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a string for completing a well, the string comprising: a base pipe comprising a hole; at least one packer in mechanical communication with the base pipe; at least one screen in mechanical communication with the base pipe, wherein the at least one screen is proximate the hole in the base pipe; an isolation pipe concentric within the base pipe and proximate to the hole in the base pipe, wherein an annulus is defined between the base pipe and the isolation pipe, and an annulus-to-annulus valve in mechanical communication with the base pipe and the isolation pipe.
Another aspect of the invention provides a system for completing a well, the system comprising: a first string comprising: a first base pipe comprising a hole, at least one first packer in mechanical communication with the first base pipe, at least one first screen in mechanical communication with the first base pipe, wherein the at least one first screen is proximate the hole in the first base pipe, a first isolation pipe concentric within the first base pipe and proximate to the hole in the first base pipe, wherein a first annulus is defined between the first base pipe and the first isolation pipe, and a first annulus-to-annulus valve in mechanical communication with the first base pipe and the first isolation pipe; and a second string which is stingable into the first string, the second string comprising: a second base pipe comprising a hole, at least one second screen in mechanical communication with the second base pipe, wherein the at least one second screen is proximate the hole in the second base pipe, a second isolation pipe concentric within the second base pipe and proximate to the hole in the second base pipe, wherein a second annulus is defined between the second base pipe and the second isolation pipe, and a second annulus-to-annulus valve in mechanical communication with the second base pipe and the second isolation pipe.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for completing a well, the system comprising: a first string comprising: a first base pipe comprising a hole, at least one first packer in mechanical communication with the first base pipe, at least one first screen in mechanical communication with the first base pipe, wherein the at least one first screen is proximate the hole in the first base pipe, a first isolation pipe concentric within the first base pipe and proximate to the hole in the first base pipe, wherein a first annulus is defined between the first base pipe and the first isolation pipe, and a first annulus-to-annulus valve in mechanical communication with the first base pipe and the first isolation pipe; and a second string which is stingable into the first string, the second string comprising: a second base pipe comprising a hole, at least one second screen in mechanical communication with the second base pipe, wherein the at least one second screen is proximate the hole in the second base pipe, a second isolation pipe concentric within the second base pipe and proximate to the hole in the second base pipe, wherein a second annulus is defined between the second base pipe and the second isolation pipe, and a second annulus-to-annulus valve in mechanical communication with the second base pipe and the second isolation pipe; and a third string which is stingable into the second string, the third string comprising: a third base pipe comprising a hole, at least one third screen in mechanical communication with the third base pipe, wherein the at least one third screen is proximate the hole in the third base pipe, a third isolation pipe concentric within the third base pipe and proximate to the hole in the third base pipe, wherein a third annulus is defined between the third base pipe and the third isolation pipe, and a third annulus-to-annulus valve in mechanical communication with the third base pipe and the third isolation pipe.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for completing multiple zones, the method comprising: setting a first string in a well proximate a first production zone, wherein the first string comprises: a first base pipe comprising a hole, at least one first packer in mechanical communication with the first base pipe, at least one first screen in mechanical communication with the first base pipe, wherein the at least one first screen is proximate the hole in the first base pipe, a first isolation pipe concentric within the first base pipe and proximate to the hole in the first base pipe, wherein a first annulus is defined between the first base pipe and the first isolation pipe, and a first annulus-to-annulus valve in mechanical communication with the first base pipe and the first isolation pipe: performing at least one completion operation through the first string, isolating the first production zone with the first string; and producing fluids from the first production zone.
According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for completing multiple zones, the method comprising: setting a first string in a well proximate a first production zone, wherein the first string comprises: a first base pipe comprising a hole, at least one first packer in mechanical communication with the first base pipe, at least one first screen in mechanical communication with the first base pipe, wherein the at least one first screen is proximate the hole in the first base pipe, a first isolation pipe concentric within the first base pipe and proximate to the hole in the first base pipe, wherein a first annulus is defined between the first base pipe and the first isolation pipe, and a first annulus-to-annulus valve in mechanical communication with the first base pipe and the first isolation pipe; performing at least one completion operation through the first string; isolating the first production zone with the first string; and producing fluids from the first production zone; stinging a second string into the first string and setting the second string proximate a second production zone, wherein the second string comprises: a second base pipe comprising a hole, at least one second screen in mechanical communication with the second base pipe, wherein the at least one second screen is proximate the hole in the second base pipe, a second isolation pipe concentric within the second base pipe and proximate to the hole in the second base pipe, wherein a second annulus is defined between the second base pipe and the second isolation pipe, and a second annulus-to-annulus valve in mechanical communication with the second base pipe and the second isolation pipe; performing at least one completion operation through the second string; and producing fluids from the second production zone through the second string.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is better understood by reading the following description of non-limitative embodiments with reference to the attached drawings wherein like parts in each of the several figures are identified by the same reference characters, and which are briefly described as follows.
FIGS. 1A through 1I illustrate a cross-sectional, side view of first and second isolation strings.
FIGS. 2A through 2L illustrate a cross-sectional, side view of first, second and third isolation strings, wherein the first and second strings co-mingle production fluids.
FIGS. 3A through 3K illustrate a cross-sectional, side view of first, second and third isolation strings, wherein the second and third strings co-mingle production fluids.
FIGS. 4A through 4N illustrate a cross-sectional, side view of first, second, third and fourth isolation strings, wherein the first and second strings co-mingle production fluids and the third and fourth strings co-mingle production fluids.
FIGS. 5A through 5B are a cross-sectional side view of a pressure actuated device (PAD) valve shown in an open configuration.
FIGS. 6A through 6E are a cross-sectional side view of the PAD valve of FIG. 5A through 5F , shown in a closed configuration so as to restrict flow through the annulus.
FIGS. 7A through 7D are a side, partial cross-sectional, diagrammatic view of a pressure actuated circulating (PAC) valve assembly in a locked-closed configuration. It will be understood that the cross-sectional view of the other half of the production tubing assembly is a mirror image taken along the longitudinal axis.
FIGS. 8A through 8D illustrate the isolation system of FIG. 7 in an unlocked-closed configuration.
FIGS. 9A through 9D illustrate the isolation system of FIG. 8 in an open configuration.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional, diagrammatic view taken along line A—A of FIG. 9C showing the full assembly.
FIGS. 11A through 11D illustrate a cross-sectional side view of a first isolation spring.
FIGS. 12A through 12I illustrate a cross-sectional side view of a second isolation string stung into the first isolation string shown in FIG. 11 .
FIGS. 13A through 13L illustrate a cross-sectional side view of a third isolation string stung into the second isolation string shown in FIG. 12 , wherein the first isolation string is also shown.
FIGS. 14A through 14L illustrate a cross-sectional side view of the first, second and third isolation strings shown in FIGS. 11 through 13 , wherein a production string is stung into the third isolation string.
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, as the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
Referring to FIGS. 1A through 1I , there is shown a system for production over two separate zones. A first isolation string 11 is placed adjacent the first production zone 1 . A second isolation string 22 extends across the second production zone 2 . The first isolation string 11 enables gravel pack, fracture and isolation procedures to be performed on the first production zone 1 before the second isolation string 22 is placed in the well. After the first production zone 1 is isolated, the second isolation string 22 is stung into the first isolation string 11 . Without running any tools on wire line or coil tubing to manipulate any of the valves, the second isolation string 22 enables gravel pack, fracture and isolation of the second production zone 2 . The first and second isolation strings 11 and 22 operate together to allow simultaneous production of zones 1 and 2 without co-mingling the production fluids. The first production zone 1 produces fluid through the interior of the production pipe or tubing 5 while the second production zone 2 produces fluid through the annulus between the production tubing 5 and the well casing (not shown).
The first isolation string 11 comprises a production screen 15 which is concentric about a base pipe 16 . At the lower end of the base pipe 16 there is a lower packer 10 for engaging the first isolation string 11 in the well casing (not shown). Within the base pipe 16 , there is a isolation or wash pipe 17 which has an isolation valve 18 therein. A pressure-actuated device (PAD) valve 12 is attached to the tops of both the base pipe 16 and the isolation pipe 17 . The PAD valve 12 allows fluid communication through the annuluses above and below the PAD valve. A pressure-actuated circulating (PAC) valve 13 is connected to the top of the PAD valve 12 . The PAC valve allows fluid communication between the annulus and the center of the string. Further, an upper packer 19 is attached to the exterior of the PAD valve 12 through a further section of base pipe 16 . This section of base pipe 16 has a cross-over valve 21 which is used to communicate fluid between the inside and outside of the base pipe 16 during completion operations.
Once the first isolation string 11 is set in the well casing (not shown) by engaging the upper and lower packers 19 and 10 , fracture and gravel pack operations are conducted or may be conducted on the first production zone. To perform a gravel pack operation, a production tube (not shown) is stung into the top of a sub 14 attached to the top of the PAC valve 13 . Upon completion of the gravel pack operation, the isolation valve 18 and the PAD valve 12 are closed to isolate the first production zone 1 . The tubing is then withdrawn from the sub 14 . The second isolation string 22 is then stung into the first isolation string 11 . The second isolation string comprises a isolation pipe 27 which stings all the way into the sub 14 of the first isolation string 11 . The second isolation string 22 also comprises a base pipe 26 which stings into the upper packer 19 of the first isolation string 11 . The second isolation string 22 also comprises a production screen 25 which is concentric about the base pipe 26 . A PAD valve 23 is connected to the tops of the base pipe 26 and isolation pipe 27 . The isolation pipe 27 also comprises isolation valve 28 . Attached to the top of the PAD valve 23 is a sub 30 and an upper packer 29 which is connected through a section of pipe. Production tubing 5 is shown stung into the sub 30 . The section of base pipe 26 between the packer 29 and the PAD valve 23 also comprises a cross-over valve 31 .
Since the second isolation string 22 stings into the upper packer 19 of the first isolation string 11 , it has no need for a lower packer. Further, since the first isolation string 11 has been gravel packed and isolated, the second production zone 2 may be fractured and gravel packed independent of the first production zone 1 . As soon as the completion procedures are terminated, the isolation valves 28 and the PAD valve 23 are closed to isolate the second production zone 2 .
The production tubing 5 is then stung into the sub 30 for production from either or both of zones 1 or 2 . For example, production from zone 1 may be accomplished simply by opening isolation valve 18 and allowing production fluid from zone 1 to flow through the center of the system up through the inside of production tubing 5 . Alternatively, production from only zone 2 may be accomplished by opening isolation valve 28 to similarly allow production fluids from zone 2 to flow up through the inside of production tubing 5 .
Non-commingled simultaneous production is accomplished by closing isolation valve 18 and opening PAD valve 12 and PAC valve 13 to allow zone 1 production fluids to flow to the inside of the system and up through the center of production tubing 5 . At the same time, PAD valve 23 may be opened to allow production fluids from zone 2 to flow through the annulus between production tubing 5 and the casing.
The first isolation string 11 comprises a PAD valve 12 and a PAC valve 13 . The second isolation string 22 comprises a PAD valve 23 but does not comprise a PAC valve. PAD valves enable fluid production through the annulus formed on the outside of a production tube. PAC valves enable fluid production through the interior of a production tube. These valves are discussed in greater detail below.
Referring to FIGS. 2A through 2L , an isolation system is shown comprising three separate isolation strings. In this embodiment of the invention, the first production string 11 comprises a lower packer 10 and a base pipe 16 which is connected to the lower packer 10 . A production screen 15 is concentric about the base pipe 16 . A isolation pipe 17 extends through the interior of the base pipe and has an isolation valve 18 thereon. The PAD valve 12 of the first isolation string is attached to the tops of the base pipe 16 and isolation pipe 17 . In this embodiment of the invention, a sub 14 is attached to the top of the PAD valve 12 . The first isolation string 11 also comprises an upper packer 19 which is connected to the top of the PAD valve 12 through a length of base pipe 16 . The length of base pipe 16 has therein a cross-over valve 21 .
The second isolation string 22 is stung into the first isolation string 11 and comprises a base pipe 26 with a production screen 25 therearound. Within the base pipe 26 , there is a isolation pipe 27 which is stung into the sub 14 of the first isolation string 11 . The isolation pipe 27 comprises isolation valve 28 . Further, the base pipe 26 is stung into the packer 19 of the first isolation string 11 . The second isolation string 22 comprises a PAD valve 23 which is attached to the tops of the base pipe 26 and isolation pipe 27 . A PAC valve 24 is attached to the top of the PAD valve 23 . Further, a sub 30 is attached to the top of the PAC valve 24 . An upper packer 29 is attached to the top of the PAD valve 23 through a section of base pipe 26 which further comprises a cross-over valve 31 .
The third isolation string 32 is stung into the top of the second isolation string 22 . The third isolation string 32 comprises a base pipe 36 with a production screen 35 thereon. Within the base pipe 36 , there is a isolation pipe 37 which has an isolation valve 38 therein. Attached to the tops of the base pipe 36 and isolation pipe 37 , there is a PAD valve 33 . A sub 40 is attached to the top of the PAD valve on the interior, and a packer 39 is attached to the exterior of the PAD valve 33 through a section of base pipe 36 . A production tubing 5 is stung into the sub 40 .
The first isolation string 11 comprises a PAD valve 12 but does not comprise a PAC valve. The second isolation string 22 comprises both a PAD valve 23 and a PAC valve 24 . The third isolation string 32 only comprises a PAD valve 33 but does not comprise a PAC valve. This production system enables sequential grave pack, fracture and isolation of zones 1 , 2 and 3 . Also, this system enables fluid from production zones 1 and 2 to be co-mingled and produced through the interior of the production tubing, while the fluid from the third production zone is produced through the annulus around the exterior of the production tube.
The co-mingling of fluids produced by the first and second production zones is effected as follows: PAD valves 12 and 23 are opened to cause the first and second production zone fluids to flow through the productions screens 15 and 25 and into the annulus between the base pipes 16 and 26 and the isolation pipes 17 and 27 . This co-mingled fluid flows up through the opened PAD valves 12 and 23 to the bottom of the PAC valve 24 is also opened to allow this co-mingled fluid of the first and second production zones 1 and 2 to flow from the annulus into the center of the base pipes 16 and 26 and the sub 30 . All fluid produced by the first and second production zones through the annulus is forced into the production tube 5 interior through the open PAC valve 24 .
Production from the third production zone 3 is effected by opening PAD valve 33 . This allows production fluids to flow up through the annulus between the base pipe 36 and the isolation pipe 37 , up through the PAD valve 33 and into the annulus between the production tube 5 and the well casing (not shown).
Referring to FIGS. 3A through 3K , a system is shown wherein a first isolation string 11 comprises a PAD valve 12 and a PAC valve 13 . This first isolation string 11 is similar to that previously described with reference to FIG. 1 . The second isolation string 22 comprises only a PAD valve 23 and is similar to the second isolation string described with reference to FIG. 1 . The third isolation string 32 comprises only a PAD valve 33 but no PAC valve and is also similar to the second isolation string described with reference to FIG. 1 . This configuration enables production from zone 1 to pass through the PAC valve into the interior of the annulus of the production tubing. The fluids from production zones two and three co-mingle and are produced through the annulus about the exterior of the production tube.
The co-mingling of fluids produced by the second and third production zones is effected as follows: Opening PAD valves 23 and 33 creates an unimpeded section of the annulus. Fluids produced through PAD valves 23 and 33 are co-mingled in the annulus.
Referring to FIGS. 4A through 4N , a system is shown comprising four isolation strings. The first isolation string 11 comprises a PAD valve 12 but no PAC valve. The second isolation string 22 comprises a PAD valve 23 and a PAC valve 24 . The third isolation string 32 comprises a PAD valve 33 but does not comprise a PAC valve. Similarly the fourth isolation string 42 comprises a PAD valve 43 but does not comprise a PAC valve. In this particular configuration, production fluids from zones one and two are co-mingled for production through the PAC valve into the interior of the production tube 5 . The fluids from production zones three and four are co-mingled for production through the annulus formed on the outside of the production tube 5 .
In this embodiment, the first isolation string 11 is similar to the first isolation string shown in FIG. 2 . The second isolation string 22 is also similar to the second isolation string shown in FIG. 2 . The third isolation string is also similar to the third isolation string shown in FIG. 2 . However, rather than having a production tubing 5 stung into the top of the third isolation string, the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , comprises a fourth isolation string 42 . The fourth isolation string comprises a base pipe 46 with a production screen 45 therearound. On the inside of the base pipe 46 , there is a isolation pipe 47 which has an isolation valve 48 . Attached to the tops of the base pipe 46 and the isolation pipe 47 , there is a PAD valve 43 . To the interior of the top of the PAD valve 43 , there is attached a sub 50 . To the exterior of the PAD valve 43 , there is attached through a section of base pipe 46 , an upper packer 49 , wherein the section of base pipe 46 comprises a cross-over valve 51 . A production tubing 5 is stung into the sub 50 .
Referring to FIGS. 5A through 5E and 6 A through 6 E, detailed drawings of a PAD valve are shown. In FIG. 5 , the valve is shown in an open position and in FIG. 6 , the valve is shown in a closed position. In the open position, the valve enables fluid communication through the annulus between the interior and exterior tube of the isolation string. Essentially, these interior and exterior tubes are sections of the base pipe 16 and the isolation pipe 17 . The PAD valve comprises a shoulder 52 that juts into the annulus between two sealing lands 58 . The shoulder 52 is separated from each of the sealing lands 58 by relatively larger diameter troughs 60 . The internal diameters of the shoulder 52 and the sealing lands 58 are about the same. A moveable joint 54 is internally concentric to the shoulder 52 and the sealing land 58 . The moveable joint 54 has a spanning section 62 and a closure section 64 , wherein the outside diameter of the spanning section 62 is less than the outside diameter of the closure section 64 .
The valve is in a closed position, when the valve is inserted in the well. The PAD valve is held in the closed position by a shear pin 55 . A certain change in fluid pressure in the annulus will cause the moveable joint 54 to shift, opening the PAD valve by losing the contact between the joint 54 and the shoulder 52 . Since the relative diameters of the spanning section 62 and closure section 64 are different, the annulus pressure acts on the moveable joint 54 to slide the moveable joint 54 to a position where the spanning section 62 is immediately adjacent the shoulder 52 . Since the outside diameter of the spanning section 62 is less than the inside diameter of the shoulder 52 , fluid flows freely around the shoulder 52 and through the PAD valve.
As shown in FIG. 6 , in the closed position, the PAD valve restricts flow through the annulus. Here, the PAD valve has contact between the shoulder 52 and the moveable joint 54 , forming a seal to block fluid flow through the annulus at the PAD valve.
Referring to FIGS. 7A through 7D , there is shown a production tubing assembly 110 according to the present invention. The production tubing assembly 110 is mated in a conventional manner and will only be briefly described herein. Assembly 110 includes production pipe 140 that extends to the surface and a production screen assembly 112 with PAC valve assembly 108 controlling fluid flow through the screen assembly. In a preferred embodiment production screen assembly 112 is mounted on the exterior of PAC valve assembly 108 . PAC valve assembly 108 is interconnected with production tubing 140 at the uphole end by threaded connection 138 and seal 136 . Similarly on the downhole end 169 . PAC valve assembly 108 is interconnected with production tubing extension 113 by threaded connection 122 and seal 124 . In the views shown, the production tubing assembly 110 is disposed in well casing 111 and has inner tubing 114 , with an internal bore 115 , extending through the inner bore 146 of the assembly.
The production tubing assembly 110 illustrates a single preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is contemplated that the PAC valve assembly according to the present invention may have uses other than at a production zone and may be mated in combination with a wide variety of elements as understood by a person skilled in the art. Further, while only a single isolation valve assembly is shown, it is contemplated that a plurality of such valves may be placed within the production screen depending on the length of the producing formation and the amount of redundancy desired. Moreover, although an isolation screen is disclosed in the preferred embodiment, it is contemplated that the screen may include any of a variety of external or internal filtering mechanisms including but not limited to screens, sintered filters, and slotted liners. Alternatively, the isolation valve assembly may be placed without any filtering mechanisms.
Referring now more particularly to PAC valve assembly 108 , there is shown outer sleeve upper portion 118 joined with an outer sleeve lower portion 116 by threaded connection 128 . For the purpose of clarity in the drawings, these openings have been shown at a 45° inclination. Outer sleeve upper portion 118 includes two relatively large production openings 160 and 162 for the flow of fluid from the formation when the valve is in an open configuration. Outer sleeve upper portion 118 also includes through bores 148 and 150 . Disposed within bore 150 is shear pin 151 , described further below. The outer sleeve assembly has an outer surface and an internal surface. On the internal surface, the outer sleeve upper portion 118 defines a shoulder 188 ( FIG. 7C ) and an area of reduced wall thickness extending to threaded connection 128 resulting in an increased internal diameter between shoulder 188 and connection 128 . Outer sleeve lower portion 116 further defines internal shoulder 189 and an area of reduced internal wall thickness extending between shoulder 189 and threaded connection 122 . Adjacent threaded connection 138 , outer sleeve portion 118 defines an annular groove 176 adapted to receive a locking ring 168 .
Disposed within the outer sleeves is inner sleeve 120 . Inner sleeve 120 includes production openings 156 and 158 which are sized and spaced to correspond to production openings 160 and 162 , respectively, in the outer sleeve when the valve is in an open configuration. Inner sleeve 120 further includes relief bores 154 and 142 . On the outer surface of inner sleeve there is defined a projection defining shoulder 186 and a further projection 152 . Further inner sleeve 120 includes a portion 121 having a reduced external wall thickness. Portion 121 extends down hole and slidably engages production pipe extension 113 . Adjacent uphole end 167 , inner sleeve 120 includes an area of reduced external diameter 174 defining a shoulder 172 .
In the assembled condition shown in FIGS. 7A through 7D , inner sleeve 120 is disposed within outer sleeves 116 and 118 , and sealed thereto at various locations. Specifically, on either side of production openings 160 and 162 , scals 132 and 134 seal the inner and outer sleeves. Similarly, on either side of shear pin 151 , seals 126 and 130 seal the inner sleeve and outer sleeve. The outer sleeves and inner sleeve combine to form a first chamber 155 defined by shoulder 188 of outer sleeve 118 and by shoulder 186 of the inner sleeve. A second chamber 143 is defined by outer sleeve 116 and inner sleeve 120 . A spring member 180 is disposed within second chamber 143 and engages production tubing 113 at end 182 and inner sleeve 120 at end 184 . A lock ring 168 is disposed within recess 176 in outer sleeve 118 and retained in the recess by engagement with the exterior of inner sleeve 120 . Lock ring 168 includes a shoulder 170 that extends into the interior of the assembly and engages a corresponding external shoulder 172 on inner sleeve 120 to prevent inner sleeve 120 from being advanced in the direction of arrow 164 beyond lock ring 168 while it is retained in groove 176 .
The PAC valve assembly of the present invention has three configurations as shown in FIGS. 7 through 9 . In a first configuration shown in FIG. 7 , the production openings 156 and 158 in inner sleeve 120 are axially spaced from production openings 160 and 162 along longitudinal axis 190 . Thus, PAC valve assembly 108 is closed and restricts flow through screen 112 into the interior of the production tubing. The inner sleeve is locked in the closed configuration by a combination of lock ring 168 which prevents movement of inner sleeve 120 up hole in the direction of arrow 164 to the open configuration. Movement down hole is prevented by shear pin 151 extending through bore 150 in the outer sleeve and engaging an annular recess in the inner sleeve. Therefore, in this position the inner sleeve is in a locked closed configuration.
In a second configuration shown in FIGS. 8A through 8D , shear pin 151 has been severed and inner sleeve 120 has been axially displaced down hole in relation to the outer sleeve in the direction of arrow 166 until external shoulder 152 on the inner sleeve engages end 153 of outer sleeve 116 . The production openings of the inner and outer sleeves continue to be axial displaced to prevent fluid flow there through. With the inner sleeve axial displaced down hole, lock ring 168 is disposed adjacent reduced outer diameter portion 174 of inner sleeve 120 such that the lock ring may contract to a reduced diameter configuration. In the reduced diameter configuration shown in FIG. 8 , lock ring 168 may pass over recess 176 in the outer sleeve without engagement therewith. Therefore, in this configuration, inner sleeve is in an unlocked position.
In a third configuration shown in FIGS. 9A through 9D , inner sleeve 120 is axially displaced along longitudinal axis 190 in the direction of arrow 164 until production openings 156 and 158 of the inner sleeve are in substantial alignment with production openings 160 and 162 , respectively, of the outer sleeve. Axial displacement is stopped by the engagement of external shoulder 186 with internal shoulder 188 . In this configuration, PAC valve assembly 108 is in an open position.
In the operation of a preferred embodiment, at least one PAC valve according to the present invention is mated with production screen 112 and, production tubing 113 and 140 , to form production assembly 110 . The production assembly according to FIG. 7 with the PAC valve in the locked-closed configuration, is then inserted into casing 111 until it is positioned adjacent a production zone (not shown). When access to the production zone is desired, a predetermined pressure differential between the casing annulus 144 and internal annulus 146 is established to shift inner sleeve 120 to the unlocked-closed configuration shown in FIG. 8 . It will be understood that the amount of pressure differential required to shift inner sleeve 120 is a function of the force of spring 180 , the resistance to movement between the inner and outer sleeves, and the shear point of shear pin 151 . Thus, once the spring force and resistance to movement have been overcome, the shear pin determines when the valve will shift. Therefore, the shifting pressure of the valve may be set at the surface by inserting shear pins having different strengths.
A pressure differential between the inside and outside of the valve results in a greater amount of pressure being applied on external shoulder 186 of the inner sleeve than is applied on projection 152 by the pressure on the outside of the valve. Thus, the internal pressure acts against shoulder 186 of to urge inner sleeve 120 in the direction of arrow 166 to sever shear pin 151 and move projection 152 into contact with end 153 of outer sleeve 116 . It will be understood that relief bore 148 allows fluid to escape the chamber formed between projection 152 and end 153 as it contracts. In a similar fashion, relief bore 142 allows fluid to escape chamber 143 as it contracts during the shifting operation. After inner sleeve 120 has been shifted downhole, lock ring 168 may contract into the reduced external diameter of inner sleeve positioned adjacent the lock ring. Often, the pressure differential will be maintained for a short period of time at a pressure greater than that expected to cause the down hole shift to ensure that the shift has occurred. This is particularly important where more than one valve according to the present invention is used since once one valve has shifted to an open configuration in a subsequent step, a substantial pressure differential is difficult to establish.
The pressure differential is removed, thereby decreasing the force acting on shoulder 186 tending to move inner sleeve 120 down hole. Once this force is reduced or eliminated, spring 180 urges inner sleeve 120 into the open configuration shown in FIG. 9 . Lock ring 168 is in a contracted state and no longer engages recess 176 such the ring now slides along the inner surface of the outer sleeve. In a preferred embodiment spring 180 has approximately 300 pounds of force in the compressed state in FIG. 8 . However, varying amounts of force may be required for different valve configurations. Moreover, alternative sources other than a spring may be used to supply the force for opening. As inner sleeve 120 moves to the open configuration, relief bore 154 allows fluid to escape chamber 155 as it is contracted, while relief bores 148 and 142 allow fluid to enter the connected chambers as they expand.
Shown in FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional, diagrammatic view taken along line A—A of FIG. 9C showing the full assembly.
Although only a single preferred PAC valve embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in the foregoing description, numerous variations and uses of a PAC valve according to the present invention are contemplated. As examples of such modification, but without limitation, the valve connections to the production tubing may be reversed such that the inner sleeve moves down hole to the open configuration. In this configuration, use of a spring 180 may not be required as the weight of the inner sleeve may be sufficient to move the valve to the open configuration. Further, the inner sleeve may be connected to the production tubing and the outer sleeve may be slidable disposed about the inner sleeve. A further contemplated modification is the use of an internal mechanism to engage a shifting tool to allow tools to manipulate the valve if necessary. In such a configuration, locking ring 168 may be replaced by a moveable lock that could again lock the valve in the closed configuration. Alternatively, spring 180 may be disengageable to prevent automatic reopening of the valve.
Further, use of a PAC valve according to the present invention is contemplated in many systems. One such system is the ISO system offered by BJ Services Company U.S.A. (successor to OSCA, Inc.) and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,204; the disclosure therein is hereby incorporated by reference. A tool shiftable valve disclosed in the above patent is a type of isolation valve and may be utilized within the production screens to accomplish the gravel packing operation. Such a valve could be closed as the crossover tool string is removed to isolate the formation. The remaining production valves adjacent the production screen may be pressure actuated valves according to the present invention such that inserting a tool string to open the valves is unnecessary.
FIGS. 11 through 14 illustrate several steps in the construction of an isolation and production system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 11A through 11D show a first isolation string 211 . The isolation string comprises a PAD valve 212 . At the lower end of the isolation string 211 , there is a lower packer 210 and at the upper end of the isolation string 211 there is an upper packer 219 . A base pipe 216 is connected to the lower packer 210 and has a production screen 215 therearound. The isolation string 211 further comprises an isolation valve 218 on a isolation pipe 217 . The PAD valve 212 enables fluid communication through the annulus between the isolation pipe 217 and the isolation string 211 . The first isolation string 211 also comprises a sub 214 attached to the top of the PAD valve 212 . Further, in the base pipe section between the PAD valve 212 and the upper packer 219 , there is a cross-over valve 221 . This configuration of the first isolation string 211 enables the first production zone 1 to be fractured, gravel packed, and isolated through the first isolation string 211 . Upon completion of these procedures, the isolation valve 218 and PAD valve 212 are closed to isolate the production zone 1 .
FIGS. 12A through 12I show cross-sectional, side views of two isolation strings. In particular, a second isolation string 222 is stung inside an isolation string 211 . Isolation string 222 comprises a PAD valve 223 and a PAC valve 224 . The isolation string 211 , shown in this figure, is the same as the isolation string shown in FIG. 11 . After the gravel/pack and isolation function are performed on the first zone with the isolation string 211 , the isolation string 222 is stung into the isolation string 211 . The second isolation string 222 comprises a base pipe 226 having a production screen 225 therearound. The base pipe 226 is stung into the packer 219 of the first isolation string 211 . The second isolation string 222 also comprises a isolation pipe 227 which is stung into the sub 214 of the first isolation string 211 . The isolation pipe 227 also comprises an isolation valve 228 . At the tops of the base pipe 226 and isolation pipe 227 , there is connected a PAD valve 223 . A PAC valve 224 is connected to the top of the PAD valve 223 . Also, a sub 230 is attached to the top of the PAC valve 224 . An upper packer 229 is also connected to the exterior portion of the PAD valve 223 through a section of base pipe 226 which also comprises a cross-over valve 231 .
Referring to FIGS. 13A through 13L , the isolation strings 211 and 222 of FIG. 12 are shown. However, in this figure, a third isolation string 232 is stung into the top of isolation string 222 . In this particular configuration, isolation strings 211 and 222 produce fluid from respective zones 1 and 2 up through the annulus between the isolation strings and the isolation sleeves until the fluid reaches the PAC valve 224 . The co-mingled production fluid from production zones 1 and 2 pass through the PAC valve 224 into the interior of the production string. The production fluids from zone 3 is produced through the isolation string 232 up through the annulus between the isolation string 232 and the isolation pipe 237 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 13 , the PAD valves 212 , 223 and 233 are shown in the closed position so that all three of the production zones are isolated. Further, the PAC valve 224 in isolation string 222 is shown in a closed position.
The third isolation string 232 comprises a base pipe 236 which is stung into the packer 229 of the second isolation string. The base pipe 236 also comprises a production screen 235 . Inside the base pipe 236 , there is a isolation pipe 237 which is stung into the sub 230 of the second isolation string 222 . The isolation pipe 237 comprises isolation valve 238 . A PAD valve 233 is connected to the tops of the base pipe 236 and isolation pipe 237 . A sub 234 is connected to the top of the PAD valve 233 . An upper packer 239 is also connected through a section of base pipe 236 to the PAD valve 233 . This section of base pipe also comprises a cross-over valve 241 .
Referring to FIGS. 14A through 14L , the isolation strings 211 , 222 and 232 of FIG. 13 are shown. In addition to these isolation strings, a production tube 240 is stung into the top of isolation string 232 . With the production tube 240 stung into the system, pressure differential is used to open PAD valves 212 , 223 , and 233 . In addition, the pressure differential is used to set PAC valve 224 to an open position. The opening of these valves enables co-mingled production from zones 1 and 2 through the interior of the production tube while production from zone 3 is through the annulus on the outside of the production tube 240 .
The packers, productions screens, isolations valves, base pipes, isolations pipes, subs, cross-over valves, and seals may be off-the-shelf components as are well known by persons of skill in the art.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.
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An isolation system for producing oil and gas from one or more formation zones and methods of use are provided comprising one or more pressure activated valve and one or more tool shiftable valve. The tool shiftable valve may be actuated before or after actuation of the pressure activated valve.
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RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a non-provisional application of provisional application Ser. No. 60/745,139 filed Apr. 19, 2006. Priority of application 60/745,139 is hereby claimed. The entire contents of application 60/745,139 are hereby incorporated by reference
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention is a method for the production of grain oriented electrical steel, and more particularly, grain oriented silicon electrical steel, starting from a thin slab. In one embodiment, this method refers to a product formation route which enables efficient production with better yield and wider process control tolerance.
The prior art describes variations of the product and the process to make many variations of electrical steels. Patents issued to Hadfield starting in 1903 (such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 745,829; 836,762; 836,754; 836,755; 836,756) are among the earliest patents in the field of this invention. Such patents describe the magnetic performance of electrical steels and the composition for making electrical steels with methods using the technology available around the year 1900. Patents assigned to Armco Steel Corporation, Ohio and the General Electric Company, New York, from the year 1950 onward (such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,535,420; 2,599,340; 2,867,558) describe variations and improvements to the product and process to incorporate continuous manufacturing operations and improved process control.
Traditionally, electrical steels have been made by casting ingots or slabs that are 200-250 mm thick. In such processes large oriented grain growth is obtained in the final stages of the process at a step referred to High Temperature Anneal (HTA) where the steel strip is held at elevated temperatures of around 1200° C. for an extended period of time. In the HTA step certain chemical systems inhibit the growth of general or normal grains while allowing the large oriented grains to grow. These chemical systems are referred to as the “inhibitor system” for a given process. In the past, electrical steels have used one of two inhibitor systems, which are the (a) sulfide-manganese system, and (b) nitride-aluminum system.
The sulfide-manganese system has been known to result in high quality electrical steels but it has several major drawbacks. It requires high temperature reheat of the slab to re-dissolve the inhibitor species which tend to escape from the iron crystal grains when the slab is solidifying after casting. It also requires tight process control since sulfur has a high propensity to escape from the iron crystal grains. Moreover, when sulfur rich chemical species collect at the grain boundaries they cause the problem of red-shortness or hot-shortness which results in cracking and breakage of steel strips and results in yield loss.
The nitride-aluminum system has been used to make electrical steels with a lower reheat temperature of the slab. But since a thick slab (200-250 mm) takes a considerable time to solidify it still provides an environment in which the inhibitor species escape from the iron crystal grains. As such the process has a few drawbacks: 1) it still requires an energy intensive reheat step; and 2) the inhibitor species have a propensity to chemically combine with other impurities present in the steel and thus result in lower levels of inhibitors at the HTA step and also create new impurities that compromise the performance and properties of the finished electrical steel.
In the recent past attempts have been made to produce electrical steels using sulfide-manganese inhibitor systems along with thin slab casting technology which casts a slab from 20-80 mm (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,719). This offers the benefit of low energy consumption since the slab can be rolled to final gauge from a much smaller starting thickness. It also offers the benefit of obtaining favorable microstructure in the slab. But since it is based on sulfide-manganese inhibitor systems, the process still requires slab reheat to about 1300° C. and still is susceptible to the drawbacks which are characteristic of such systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject method for producing silicon electrical steel utilizes cheaper inputs, less energy, combines and overlaps production process steps, improves yields and product uniformity. In one embodiment this is accomplished by making the method more tolerant to a wider range of process parameters.
Soft iron provides flux magnification in an electromagnetic system. Approximately four orders of magnitude less current is needed to produce a magnetic field of given strength in a solenoid with a soft iron core versus a solenoid with no core. The ideal core would be one that magnetizes and demagnetizes instantaneously, looses no energy in the process, maintains this behavior forever and is small in size. Electromagnetic systems approach this ideal through a combination of core design and how it is powered on one hand and properties of the core material on the other hand. Electrical steel is manufactured to provide the best options for making core material.
It has now been determined that electrical steels can be produced which approach the properties of an ideal core through the use at least some of the following approaches. For example, laminating can be employed in making the core from thin insulated sheets which reduces power lost to eddy currents. Alloying increases the resistivity of iron and further reduces eddy currents. Silicon is the preferred alloying element for this purpose. Specific elements like Cu, Mn, S, Al, N, etc., can be added to inhibit normal grain growth and allow only large oriented growth in advanced stages on processing. Purifying by reduction of carbon greatly improves rapid magnetization and allows the core to maintain favorable qualities for a longer time. Annealing removes stressed regions and dislocations of the crystal lattice and thus improves rapid magnetization. Since boundaries between grains are impediments to rapid magnetization, electrical steels can be processed to result in large grains. Electrical steels are processed to result in cube-on-edge grains which are oriented in the direction of rolling. Grain control, the process to grow oriented grains, tends to create grains that can be so large that losses due to eddy currents start overshadowing the benefits of size. Lasers may be used to induce artificial grain boundaries and control the size to an optimum level and thus reduce loss of power.
In an embodiment herein, the inhibition of conventional crystalline growth is obtained primarily through the use of complex compounds of N, Cu, Al, Si. In another embodiment, and to a lesser extent, this inhibition is accomplished by employing compounds of N, Cu, Al, and Si with Mn and S. In still another embodiment, the inhibitor system is a nitride system specifically a nitride-cupric system which is characterized by a high level of Cu as compared to known nitride-aluminum inhibitor systems and a markedly low S to Mn ratio as compared to known sulfide-manganese inhibitor systems. While nitride-aluminum species play an important role in the inhibition process, the present invention differs from traditional nitride-aluminum inhibition systems in that the processing in the HTA step is adjusted to enable formation of an excess of a copper based inhibition species (Cu 5 Si, CuMn 2 O 4 ).
By using a nitride-cupric system, this invention realizes the benefits of (a) use of cheaper Cu containing scrap iron as a feedstock option, (b) better yields through vastly reduced strip breakage, (c) less energy consumption by reducing the dependence on slab reheat which traditionally re-dissolves sulfur and related inhibiting species into the iron crystal lattice and (d) wider range of tolerance on process control since the inhibitor species are more stable than sulfur and additional inhibitors are formed in the later stages of the process.
In a further embodiment an extremely thin slab is cast, and the casting process is designed and controlled so as to achieve rapid solidification, which in turn significantly minimizes the segregation zone and columnar grain structure in the slab. This can also ensure that inhibiting species do not get enough time to migrate to the grain boundaries and thus the need for high temperature slab reheat is further reduced. This method utilizes a thin slab casting process along with the nitride-cupric system and specific process parameters in the processing steps to overcome the problems described above with respect to conventional electrical steel manufacturing processes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A process for producing grain oriented electrical steel is provided. The process comprising forming molten liquid steel. In certain embodiments this is accomplished by melting scrap iron (or steel) or by direct reduced iron (DRI) or hot briquetted iron (HBI) or iron from any combination of the above sources or any other conventional sources. In a further embodiment the melting process is conducted in an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF).
The melted steel in liquid form then has its chemical composition adjusted. First, a substantial portion of the carbon (C) in the molten liquid steel is removed. In one embodiment, the amount of C remaining in the molten steel is not more than about 1%, in a further embodiment not more than about 0.5%, and in still a further embodiment not more than about 0.05% by weight, based on the weight of the molten steel. In still another embodiment, the amount of C can be from about 0.02 to 0.035% for grain oriented steels, and from about 0.003 to 0.009% for other electrical steels. In an embodiment herein, C is removed by refining the melt using a Vacuum Oxygen Degasser (VOD) or Vacuum Tank Degassing (VTD) or Argon Oxygen Decarburization (AOD) or Vacuum Recirculation (RH) or other methods to obtain the requisite carbon removal.
Next, the chemical composition is further adjusted at a metallurgical station so that the amount of certain elements remain in the molten steel. The respective order of removing carbon on the one hand, and the adjustment of the chemical composition on the other hand, may in one embodiment be reversed.
In practice, the chemical composition is adjusted at a metallurgical station where the molten steel is held in a vat called a ladle. The feedstock is chosen such that apart from C, all other alloying chemicals (all other elements other than Fe) will be lower than the desired target levels. So any adjustment to the chemical composition will be additive. The chemical composition of a sample of the molten steel from the ladle is determined. The difference in percentage content of the critical chemicals (between actual measurement from the sample and the target values) is determined. Additional alloying elements are added into the ladle to make up the difference.
The inhibiting compounds are primarily complex compounds of Cu, Al, N, and Si and secondarily, compounds of Cu, Al, N, and Si with Mn and S. The inhibiting compounds are collectively referred to as an inhibition system, which in this invention is called a nitride-cupric system. It is different from the nitride-aluminum inhibition system in that it contains copper and it is different from the sulfide-manganese inhibition system in that S to Mn weight ratio is many times lower in the nitride-cupric inhibition system. In a typical embodiment, the S:Mn ratio is between about 0.02 and 0.04.
In one embodiment, the amount of Cu remaining in the molten steel is not more than about 1%, in a further embodiment not more than about 0.55%, and in still a further embodiment not more than about 0.45% by weight, based on the weight of the molten steel. In another embodiment, the amount of Al remaining in the molten steel is not more than about 0.5%, in a further embodiment not more than about 0.2%, and in still a further embodiment not more than about 0.1% by weight, based on the weight of the molten steel. In one embodiment, the amount of Si remaining in the molten steel is not more than about 5%, in a further embodiment not more than about 3.5%, and in still a further embodiment not more than about 2.5% by weight, based on the weight of the molten steel. In still another embodiment, the amount of N remaining in the molten steel is not more than about 0.05%, in a further embodiment not more than about 0.011%, and in still a further embodiment not more than about 0.0008% by weight, based on the weight of the molten steel. In a further embodiment, the amount of Mn remaining in the molten steel is not more than about 0.3%, in another embodiment not more than about 0.22%, and in still a further embodiment not more than about 0.15% by weight, based on the weight of the molten steel. In another embodiment, the amount of S remaining in the molten steel is not more than about 0.05%, in a further embodiment not more than about 0.01%, and in still a further embodiment not more than about 0.004% by weight, based on the weight of the molten steel. In another embodiment, the Cu to N weight ratio is at least about 40, in a further embodiment at least about 45, and in an alternative embodiment at least about 50. The chemical composition can be such that it forms compounds that inhibit the growth of ordinary grains of iron and allows only such grains to grow which contain a majority of iron crystals that are arranged in cubes lying down on their edges (cube-on-edge crystals) and aligned in the direction of the length of the final strip of steel.
The compositional adjustment described above can be affected with the use of Electric Arc Heating. This will facilitate matching the predetermined starting composition ranges set forth above.
A thin slab of molten steel is cast, typically continuously, while using the nitride-cupric inhibition system and specific process parameters to realize the benefits of thin slab technology while overcoming the drawbacks of thick slab casting and processing methods. In one embodiment the thin slab has a finished thickness of between about 10 and 80 mm, in another embodiment between about 30 and 75 mm, and in a further embodiment between about 45 and 70 mm. In still another embodiment the slab formation is conducted in an inert gaseous atmosphere to minimize interference with the molten steel by the surrounding environment. In a different embodiment, the thin slab reaches a point of substantially complete solidification within a period of time of not greater than about 60 seconds, in a still different embodiment not greater than about 90 seconds, and an even different embodiment not greater than about 120 seconds and has an internal grain structure that is primarily homogenous.
In an embodiment of this invention, a thin slab is cast using a continuous caster, wherein the molten steel with the desired chemical composition is poured though a mold. The steel solidifies in the shape of a thin slab with a rectangular cross-section as it emerges from the mold. At the exit from the mold the shell of the slab (faces, edges and corners) is solidified while the core is still in liquid state. The thin slab emerges in a vertically downward from the mold and as it continues to emerge from the mold it is guided by a set of rollers that guide it from the vertical plane to the horizontal plane while the core also solidifies. The rollers are made to apply pressure on the strand, before and during solidification of the core of the thin slab, to reduce its thickness. This provides a way to reduce the slab thickness and homogenize the internal structure of the slab.
In one embodiment the thickness of the cast slab during casting is reduced by applying pressure, as described above, while the center core of the slab has solidified but is not completely hardened. This method is known as Soft Core Reduction (SCR). In another embodiment the thickness of the cast slab during casting is reduced by applying pressure, as described above, while the center core of the slab is still in liquid state. This method is known as Liquid Core Reduction (LCR). In another embodiment the cast slab during casting is rapidly cooled using water or other means to ensure solidification in a relatively short time period as described above. In still a further embodiment, stirring the liquid core of the cast slab during casting is provided by using electromagnetic force, while the center core of the slab is still in liquid form.
In an embodiment of this invention, the casting speed is controlled to between about 3 and 6 meters/min., in another embodiment between about 2 and 10 meters/min. In an additional embodiment, the thin slab is bent within a radius of from about 2 to 6 meters. The casting speed is controlled while applying Liquid Core Reduction (LCR) or Soft Core Reduction (SCR) or both, and in a further embodiment by applying intensive cooling or magnetic stirring or both, and bending the formed slab as described above to obtain solidification in the prescribed time and a microstructure conducive to further processing.
During the process of casting the slab unavoidable scale is formed on the surface due to atmospheric reaction. The slab can then be descaled with high pressure water.
The thin slab is heated to achieve a uniform temperature level in all parts and surfaces up to a temperature to facilitate hot rolling. Heating of the slab can be conducted in a tunnel furnace. In an embodiment of this invention, the heating step is conducted to a temperature of not more that about 1230° C.
The thin slab is then reduced in thickness and the inhibition system present within the thin slab, as described above, and in an embodiment forms inhibitors which facilitate effective and efficient oriented grain formation. In a further embodiment, first hot rolling of the thin slab is employed to reduce the thickness to form a thin strip of steel. In one embodiment, hot rolling is conducted on a reversing (Steckel) mill. In an embodiment of this invention, the slab thickness is reduced to about 1 mm to 3 mm. In yet another multi-step; embodiment, the slab initial thickness is reduced during casting, before and during solidification, and is then directly rolled after casting to the resultant thickness described above. The initial thickness can be between about 10 to 20 mm. The multi-step thickness reduction can be conducted in a continuous manner.
In a further embodiment, first hot rolling is conducted at a finishing temperature. The finishing temperature can be between about 950° C. to 1050° C., in still further embodiment from about 900° C. to 1100° C.
In an embodiment of this invention, the strip is cooled for further handling and processing. In an embodiment herein, a water spray is used to rapidly cool the thin strip to about ambient temperature. In another embodiment, the thin strip is cooled without a water spray after the hot rolling In one embodiment the cooling time without a water spray is up to about 15 seconds. This step can be conducted prior to using water spray to rapidly cool the thin strip to about 700° C., in still further embodiment to about 500° C.
In an embodiment, the formation of up to about 25%, in another embodiment up to about 20%, and in a further embodiment up to about 15%, of cube-on-edge grains is provided in the thin strip.
Unavoidable scale can be formed on the surface due to atmospheric reaction. If scaling occurs, the scale is removed by passing the thin strip through an acidic or oxidizing environment. In one embodiment, the scale may be removed by passing the thin strip though a plasma.
The thin strip, in one embodiment, is maintained between a temperature of about 1050° C. to 1150° C. in a furnace. In another embodiment, the temperature is maintained for a period of time of about 2 to 3 minutes, in still another embodiment from about 3 to 5 minutes. In one embodiment, this is a technique for producing more of the grain formation inhibitors.
If necessary, the strip is treated for scale removal prior to subsequent cold rolling. This is accomplished in a manner similar to the removal process described above.
The thickness of the thin strip can then be further reduced. In one embodiment, this is accomplished by cold rolling the thin strip in a rolling mill. In an embodiment the thickness is reduced to from about 0.3 mm to 0.9 mm, in still another embodiment from about 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm.
Removing carbon can then be provided by decarburizing the thin strip in a furnace with an oxidizing environment. Decarburizing of the thin the strip is conducted in one embodiment at a temperature of at a temperature of between about 800° C. to 900° C., in another embodiment to a temperature of not more that about 1000° C. In one embodiment, the time period for conducting decarburization is from about 5 to 7 minutes, in still another embodiment from about 7 to 9 minutes.
In another embodiment, prior to reaching the above-described decarburizing temperature, the temperature is raised to about 700° C., in less than 1 minute, to reduce the total time for decarburizing the thin strip. A compact induction heating system can be employed for this purpose.
In an embodiment of this invention, decarburization is conducted in a wet nitrogen rich atmosphere in a furnace. An insulative layer can be formed on the exposed surface. This can be accomplished by adjusting the ratio of partial pressure of water to the partial pressure of hydrogen. This ratio in one embodiment can be between about 0.1 to 0.26. This insulative layer can be formed in order to provide a preliminary dispersion of subsurface insulating particles. In an embodiment of this invention, the insulating layer forms a mixture of iron oxide and silicon oxide particles on and below the exposed outer surface of the thin strip.
Next, annealing of the thin strip is conducted for growing iron crystals. Annealing of the thin the strip is conducted in a furnace, in one embodiment at a temperature of at a temperature of between about 800° C. to 900° C., in another embodiment to a temperature of not more that about 1000° C. In one embodiment, the time period for conducting decarburization is for about 5 to 7 minutes, in still another embodiment from about 7 to 10 minutes.
The thin strip thickness can be further reduced. This can be done by a second cold rolling step. In an embodiment the thickness is reduced to from about 0.10 mm to 0.50 mm in a rolling mill, in still another embodiment from about 0.02 mm to 0.1 mm. In an embodiment of this invention, the first and/or second cold rolling can be performed on one of a reversing mill or a continuous mill.
In an embodiment, cold rolling is conducted to a final thickness in a single step on a rolling mill prior to annealing and decarburizing as described above. In another embodiment, the thin strip is annealed and decarburized in a single step after the first cold rolling and before the second cold rolling. In an alternative embodiment, the thin strip can be treated with ammonia after the first cold rolling and before the second cold rolling step, or the thin strip can be treated with ammonia after the second cold rolling.
Coating of the strip can be provided by passing the thin strip through a tank filled with the coating material, which protects the rolled strip from sticking to itself in subsequent high temperature processing steps. In one embodiment, the coating is MgO, in another embodiment a slurry of MgO, and in a further embodiment MgO with Ti and/or Cr based additives. The coating can be dried in a furnace after application, in one embodiment at a temperature of between about 500° C. to 600° C.
In a further embodiment the coated thin strip is heated in a furnace where the temperature is controlled so as to complete the formation of a Cu-based grain growth inhibiting species. In an embodiment of this invention, the rate of heating of the coated thin strip is controlled to about 50° C./hour, in another embodiment to about 35° C./hour, and in a further embodiment to about 25° C./hour. Heating can be conducted at a temperature of between about 700° C. to 1000° C.
In still another embodiment, annealing is processed in a gaseous hydrogen atmosphere in a furnace to grow oriented crystalline grains in the coated thin strip and to form a grain oriented electrical steel strip. In another embodiment, larger grains within the thin strip can be arranged in cubes lying down on their edges and aligned in the direction of the length of the strip. In a further embodiment, annealing is conducted at a temperature of up to about 1300° C., in another embodiment at a temperature of up to about 1200° C., and in a further embodiment at a temperature of up to about 1100° C. In a still further embodiment, annealing extends for from about 25 up to about 35 hours. A gaseous atmosphere of hydrogen or ammonia can be a useful mode for conducting the annealing. High Temperature Annealing (HTA) of the thin strip can be an effective way of carrying out the subject annealing process.
The grain oriented thin strip can be straightened or flattened. This is done, in one embodiment, under tension. In another embodiment, it is accomplished by applying tension at a temperature between about 500° C. to 900° C. In an embodiment, the grain size of the straightened strip can be reduced by applying energy thereto in the form of physical forces or by laser energy after the straightening step
The thin strip can be coated by passing the thin strip through a tank filled with the coating material. In one embodiment an insulative coating is applied to the thin strip. In another embodiment, the step of applying an insulative coating can comprise providing an insulative coating of phosphoric acid, MgO and aluminum hydroxide to the grain oriented thin straightened strip.
Having described and illustrated the principles of the invention in a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be apparent that the invention can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. I claim all modifications and variation coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
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Grain oriented electrical steel is made in a manner that the grains are selectively grown to obtain a crystal structure known as cube-on-edge and the grains are largely aligned in the rolling direction. Selection of chemistry and process route along with thin slab continuous casting enables the production of Grain oriented electrical steel such that less energy is consumed in the process, certain process steps can be combined, yield is better and the product can be manufactured within a wider process control tolerance.
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[0001] This application is a continuation of and claims priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/443,945, filed Apr. 11, 2012, which in turn claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 from Japanese Patent Application 2011-086958, filed Apr. 11, 2011, the entire contents of both are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to controlling a server environment such as a cloud computing system. More particularly, it relates to dynamically changing resources to be provided to a client by the server environment, in response to a change in a service request from the client.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] In recent years, data transfer rate among computers has increased because of the improvement in the communication infrastructure. Along with this trend, it has become possible to place a host computer not in a company but in a remote location such as overseas. This has led to emergence of vendors who set many servers and lend users predetermined applications, computation resources, storages, and the like for use. Such a mode of using computer resources is called cloud computing.
[0006] There are the following types of cloud computing.
SaaS (Software as a service): This is a type in which software is provided as a service. For example, clients are allowed to use a payroll calculating program. PaaS (Platform as a service): This is a type in which a platform is provided as a service. Generally, this type is characterized in that application can be run without consideration of scaling. Specifically, as service requests from clients increase, the vendor of cloud computing automatically adds resources, and does not make the clients feel deterioration in performance. The platform includes middleware such as a database, an application execution environment, and a management tool. IaaS (Infrastructure as a service): This is a type which provides an infrastructure such as a virtual machine and storage. Desired operating system or middleware can be installed in the provided infrastructure. In this case, clients have to consider the scaling.
[0010] One of the advantages of cloud computing, particularly with PaaS, is that the scale of servers can be flexibly changed in response to a change in the amount of service request.
[0011] A load balancer is one system which satisfies such a demand. For example, WebSphere (trademark) Virtual Enterprise can handle an increasing amount of requests within the capacity of multiple servers prepared in advance. However, in order to implement the system of load balancer, multiple servers are required to be prepared and run in advance. In this case, however, when clients are charged for all the active server instances, the charge is high.
[0012] A cloud API is another system. For example, Amazon (trademark) Web Service or the like do not control creation, launching and the like of server instances in a cloud. However, the cloud API has a problem that times required for the creation and launching of server instances are too long.
[0013] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. Hei 11-282695 relates to a method and an apparatus for controlling the number of servers in a multisystem cluster. In this technique, incoming work requests are organized into service classes, and each of the classes has a queue served by servers across the cluster. Each service class is assigned in advance a predetermined performance index. Each system selects one service class as a donor class for donating system resources and another service class as a receiver class for 2011-086958 receiving system resources, based upon how well the service classes are meeting their goals. If the resource bottleneck causing the receiver class to miss its goals is the number of servers, each system determines how many servers should be added to the receiver class, based upon whether the positive effect of adding such servers on the performance index for the receiver class exceeds the negative effect of adding such severs on the performance index for the donor class.
[0014] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-163241 relates to dynamic reconfiguration of resources of a service provider in response to a change in demand. In the system disclosed herein, a load balancer assigns an access request (service request) from each client 1 to one of servers operating in a server cluster. Then, when the access increases or decreases, a management module gives an instruction to change the configuration of the server cluster, and adds a sever 6 to the server cluster or removes a server from the server cluster or the like. The management module reflects the change in configuration of the server cluster in an access assignment target list of the load balancer.
[0015] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-162516 relates to a high-speed large-volume-data processing system capable of dynamic and static configurations of resources such as networks, processors, and data storages and of dynamic and static allocation of data processing works in order to handle data processing requests of large-volume data issued from multiple users. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-162516 discloses a multiprocessor system and a data storage system which include a network backend server connecting multiple high-speed data processing devices and multiple data storage devices together via an ultra-high-speed network. In response to data processing requests issued from multiple terminal devices, the multiprocessor system and the data storage system can process large-volume-data at high speed by using a function of dynamically and statically distributing a network load and a data processing load. To this end, with the positions of the data storages in the network, the network load, and the data processing load dynamically and statically taken into consideration, a network topology and a processor topology are dynamically and statically configured and the data processing works are dynamically and statically distributed to the multiple high-speed data processing devices.
[0016] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-141605 relates to a resource distribution method capable of sharing excess resources among multiple services and thus reducing the maintenance cost of the excess resources. In this resource distribution method, a standby computer resource is in a dead standby state where at least no application is installed and the computer resource in the dead standby state is shared among multiple services or multiple users. This achieves an improvement in usage rate of idle computer resources and integration of servers, thereby leading to reduction in cost required to maintain the computer resources. Moreover, load prediction is performed by using operation histories of respective services, and idle computer resources reserved and kept for services are inputted to the services according to the prediction result, starting from a service predicted to have an excess resource.
[0017] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-37369 discloses a technique to solve a problem that a batch process cannot be completed within a preset requested time due to increase in data amount or simultaneous execution of multiple batch processes. In the technique, a processing time and a resource usage amount of a batch process procedure not yet executed are calculated based on a processing time and a resource usage amount of already-executed SQL, during execution of batch processes. Thereafter, the process procedure and the resource usage amounts are recalculated by using information on OS such as the number of I/O and a CPU load and information indicating the state of database server such as a buffer hit ratio. Then, the resources are allocated as needed.
[0018] The following non-patent literature in this technical field provides further background.
[0019] Donald Kossmann, Tim Kraska, Simon Loesing: An evaluation of alternative architectures for transaction processing in the cloud, SIGMOD 2010, pp. 579-590 describes transaction processing in cloud computing.
[0020] Tim Kraska, Martin Hentschel, Gustavo Alonso, Donald Kossmann: Consistency Rationing in the Cloud: Pay only when it matters. VLDB 2009, pp. 253-264 describes a transaction paradigm that not only allows designers to define the consistency guarantees on the data, but also allows to switch consistency guarantees at runtime.
[0021] Carsten Binnig, Donald Kossmann, Tim Kraska, Simon Loesing: How is the weather tomorrow?: towards a benchmark for the cloud. DBTest 2009 describes benchmarking such as scalability and fault-tolerance of a system of cloud computing.
[0022] These conventional arts each teach a technique with which a cloud computing system allocates resources as needed in response to a service request.
[0023] Meanwhile, particularly in PaaS, there is a demand for a technique which efficiently allocates resources to dynamically-changing loads of service requests while satisfying required speed and certainty. However, the conventional arts described above do not sufficiently meet such a demand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0024] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a dynamic resource allocation method for a server system having resources including a plurality of computing nodes includes the steps of: preparing instances in different preparation states; receiving a request on a dynamic scheduling condition from the client computer; and launching at least two of the instances in the different preparation states in a combination to achieve the dynamic scheduling.
[0025] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a computer readable storage medium tangibly embodies computer readable program code which, when executed, cause a computer to carry out the steps of the above method for dynamic resource allocation.
[0026] In yet another aspect of the present invention, a dynamic resource allocation system in a server system having resources including a plurality of computing nodes, includes: a module for preparing a plurality of instances in different preparation states; a module for receiving a request on a dynamic scheduling condition from the client computer; and a module for launching at least two of the plurality of instances in the different preparation states to achieve the dynamic scheduling condition.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0027] FIG. 1 is an overview of an entire configuration for carrying out the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a configuration of an example of a client computer.
[0029] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a configuration of an example of a server computer.
[0030] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a configuration for virtualization.
[0031] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a configuration of a management application used for virtualization.
[0032] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of queue processing.
[0033] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of Up event processing.
[0034] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of Down event processing.
[0035] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of resource allocation adjustment processing.
[0036] FIG. 10 is a flowchart of table updating processing.
[0037] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the table updating processing.
[0038] FIG. 12 shows an example of entries of a reservation table.
[0039] FIG. 13 shows an example of entries of the reservation table.
[0040] FIG. 14 shows a correspondence between a preparation state of resources and cost.
[0041] FIG. 15 shows a start-up of VM instances.
[0042] FIG. 16 schematically explains differences in performance and cost between a system of the present invention and a system of the conventional art.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0043] With the present invention a service such as cloud computing can meet a quality requirement of dynamic scalability from a client within a certain range of certainty.
[0044] The above is achieved by making an index on a quality requirement of dynamic scalability variable and by providing a platform service which includes various means in different preparation states in combination to satisfy a given index.
[0045] More particularly, an upper limit of expansion of platform capacity and a request on expansion speed are used as the index on the quality requirement of dynamic scalability guaranteed of a certain level of certainty. To satisfy this requirement, a cloud server of the present invention provides a combination of platforms in various preparation states such as a hot standby, a swap-out state, and a cold standby.
[0046] In the cloud server of the present invention, storage resources, for example, are shared between different reservations while are redundantly allocated to multiple actual resources. Moreover, scaleup states of all users are constantly monitored, and the sharing and redundancy are adjusted to satisfy a given certainty.
[0047] In the operation, the user of the service such as cloud computing makes a service level agreement (SLA) on predetermined dynamic scalability with a provider of cloud computing in advance. The service described here is assumed to be mainly PaaS although not limited to this. The user sends requests to the cloud server as needed. The cloud server temporarily puts the received requests in a queue and sequentially processes the requests.
[0048] The requests include Up event processing being a request from the user to add a virtual machine (VM) and Down event processing being a request from the user to delete a virtual machine (VM).
[0049] When the request is the Up event processing, the cloud server updates a reservation table of the resource, adds a corresponding VM instance, deletes the CPU (ID) to be used from a pool set of CPUs (IDs), and performs resource allocation adjustment processing.
[0050] Meanwhile, when the request is the Down event processing, the cloud server deletes a corresponding VM instance, returns a CPU (ID) which has become available by the deletion to the pool set of CPUs (IDs), and judges whether a certainty is satisfied. Here, “certainty is satisfied” refers to a state where a current certainty of reservation is larger than a certainty requested in the service level agreement. If the certainty is not satisfied, the cloud server checks the pool set of CPUs and judges whether a CPU is allocatable; i.e., whether it can be allocated. If the CPU is allocatable, the cloud server adds the hardware resource.
[0051] The certainty can be probabilistically calculated according to, for example, the Poisson distribution or the like.
[0052] The present invention makes it possible to provide dynamic scalability to a user in a reasonable charge in a server providing a service such as cloud computing. For example, such a request to increase “100 instances in 30 minutes at a certainty of 80%” can be handled. Moreover, a charge appropriate for such a condition can be set. This makes it possible to provide a new SLA.
[0053] An embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the drawings. If not stated otherwise, the same reference numerals denote the same objects in all of the drawings. Moreover, note that what is described below is one embodiment of the present invention and there is no intention of limiting the present invention to contents described using the embodiment.
[0054] FIG. 1 is a view showing an overview of an entire system for carrying out the present invention. Client computers 102 a , 102 b , . . . 102 z used by users of a cloud server are connected to the Internet 104 via an appropriate proxy server and the like, although not illustrated in detail.
[0055] The client computers 102 a , 102 b , . . . 102 z are further connected to a cloud service, particularly to a system 110 of a PaaS service provider via the Internet 104 .
[0056] The system 110 includes a scheduler 112 , data 114 of a reservation schedule of the scheduler 112 which is preferably stored in a hard disk, a queue 116 used to put therein requests from the client computers, a resource allocator 118 , data 120 of a reservation table which is preferably stored in a hard disk and which is referred to and updated by the resource allocator 118 , a user monitor 122 configured to monitor the states of the users on the basis of data on the queue 116 , and a hardware resource pool 130 . The hardware resource pool 130 includes multiple computers (computing nodes) 132 , . . . 152 which serve as a computing resource and disk storage devices 154 , 156 , 158 . . . which serve as a storage resource and which are a storage area network (SAN), a network attached storage (NAS), or remote disk devices.
[0057] The scheduler 112 receives the requests from the client computers 102 a , 102 b , . . . 102 z and temporarily stores the requests in the reservation schedule 114 . Then, at the time and date specified by each of the requests, the scheduler 112 puts the request into the queue 116 and leaves the request to be processed by the resource allocator 118 .
[0058] In the embodiment, each of the users of a service such as cloud computing makes a service level agreement (SLA) on predetermined dynamic scalability with the provider of cloud computing in advance. The contents of such an agreement are stored in a predetermined system of the provider in advance and are referenced as needed. The contents of such an agreement may be included in the reservation schedule 114 , for example.
[0059] The request may include the contents of the service level agreement on dynamic scalability, Up event processing being a request from the user to add a virtual machine (VM), and Down event processing being a request from the user to delete a virtual machine (VM).
[0060] When the request is the Up event processing, the resource allocator 118 updates the reservation table 120 , adds a VM instance, allocates a hardware resource (particularly, CPUs) to be used from the hardware resource pool 130 and adjusts the hardware resource. The CPUs herein specifically refer to the computers (computing nodes) 132 , 134 , and the like in the hardware resource pool 130 .
[0061] Meanwhile, when the request is the Down event processing, the resource allocator 118 deletes the VM instance, returns a CPU which has become available by the deletion to a resource pool of the CPUs, and judges whether a certainty is satisfied. Here, “certainty is satisfied” refers to a state where a requested certainty of a reservation which complies with the service level agreement is larger than a current certainty of the reservation. If the certainty is satisfied, the resource allocator 118 refers to the reservation table 120 and judges whether a CPU is allocatable. If the CPU is allocatable, the resource allocator 118 adds the CPU.
[0062] The resource allocator 118 not only allocates and releases the resources of the hardware resource pool 130 depending on the requests from the clients, but also has a role of monitoring the operation state of the hardware resource pool 130 .
[0063] Furthermore, functions of the scheduler 112 , the resource allocator 118 , and the user monitor 122 can be implemented as software installed in a hard disk of computer hardware. The software is executed by being loaded to a main memory of the computer hardware by the work of an operating system installed in the computer hardware.
[0064] The scheduler 112 , the resource allocator 118 , and the user monitor 122 are preferably executed in the same computer hardware. The reservation schedule 114 and the reservation table 120 may be stored in the hard disk of the computer hardware. Alternatively, part of the scheduler 112 , the resource allocator 118 , the user monitor 122 , the reservation schedule 114 , and the reservation table 120 may be provided in different computer hardware connected via a network.
[0065] Next, an example of a configuration of the client computers 102 a , 102 b , . . . 102 z is described with reference to FIG. 2 .
[0066] Descriptions are given of a hardware block diagram of the client computer denoted by reference numerals 102 a , 102 b , . . . 102 z in FIG. 1 with reference to FIG. 2 . In FIG. 2 , the client computer includes a main memory 206 , a CPU 204 , and an IDE controller 208 , and these elements are connected to a bus 202 . A display controller 214 , a communication interface 218 , a USB interface 220 , an audio interface 222 , and a keyboard/mouse controller 228 are also connected to the bus 202 . A hard disk drive (HDD) 210 and a DVD drive 212 are connected to the IDE controller 208 . The DVD drive 212 is used to install a program from a CD-ROM or a DVD as needed. A display device 216 having an LCD screen is preferably connected to the display controller 214 . A screen of an application is displayed in the display device 216 by using a Web browser.
[0067] A device such as an expansion hard disk can be connected to the USB interface 220 as needed.
[0068] A keyboard 230 and a mouse 232 are connected to the keyboard/mouse controller 228 . The keyboard 230 and the mouse 232 are used to create a program using an API defined by the provider, the program created by using a predetermined program such as a text editor.
[0069] The CPU 204 can be any CPU based on, for example, a 32 bit architecture or a 64 bit architecture. Specifically, any one of Pentium (trademark of Intel Corporation) 4 and Core (trademark) 2 Duo of Intel Corporation and Athlon (trademark) of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. can be used.
[0070] At least an operating system and a Web browser (not illustrated) operating on the operating system are stored in the hard disk drive 210 . When the system is started, the operating system is loaded to the main memory 206 . Moreover, the text editor for creating a program to invoke an API, or a development environment such as Eclipse (trademark of Eclipse Foundation) is preferably used. Windows XP (trademark of Microsoft Corporation), Windows Vista (trademark of Microsoft Corporation), and Windows (trademark of Microsoft Corporation) 7, Linux (trademark of Linus Torvalds) or the like may be used as the operating system. Moreover, any Web browser can be used such as Internet Explorer of Microsoft Corporation and Mozilla FireFox of Mozilla Foundation.
[0071] The communication interface 218 uses a TCP/IP communication function provided by the operating system to communicate with the Internet 104 by using Ethernet (trademark) protocol or the like.
[0072] Although not limited to the following method, one method of creating a program using the API is to write the program in the following way. For example, tags of JavaScript® are attached to a Web page to be created, by using a tool of the development environment. A predetermined URL provided by the provider is specified by using src=“ ” in the Web page, and a function defined by the API is invoked together with a predetermined argument.
[0073] FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a hardware configuration of the computers (computing nodes) 132 , 134 , . . . , 152 in the hardware resource pool 130 . Each of the computers 132 , 134 , . . . , 152 has a communication interface 302 . The communication interface 302 is connected to a bus 304 . A CPU 306 , a main memory (RAM) 308 , and a hard disk drive (HDD) 310 are connected to the bus 304 . The computers (computing nodes) 132 , 134 , . . . , 152 are preferably placed at the same site and are connected to each other with an in-house high-speed network connection network such as an optical fiber. Alternatively, the computers 132 , 134 , . . . , 152 are placed at locations remote from each other and are connected via Internet lines. Any computer hardware system matching the purpose such as IBM® System X and IBM® Power System® can be used as the computers 132 , 134 , . . . , 152 .
[0074] The computer system for running the scheduler 112 , the reservation schedule 114 , the queue 116 , the resource allocator 118 , the reservation table 120 , and the user monitor 122 may be a computer system of the same type as the computers 132 , 134 , . . . , 152 and the like.
[0075] The hardware resource pool 130 of FIG. 1 may include SAN management hardware such as IBM® System Storage SAN volume controller to integrate disk devices 154 , 156 , 158 , and the like.
[0076] FIG. 4 shows a hardware virtualization environment incorporating the system 110 . In the computer system incorporating the resource allocator 118 , a hypervisor 402 is incorporated and is set up. Xen, Hyper-V of Microsoft Corporation, VMware® of VMware, Inc., or the like can be used as the hypervisor 402 , although not limited to these. In this embodiment, Xen is assumed to be used.
[0077] The hypervisor 402 virtualizes the computers 132 , 134 , . . . , 152 , the disk devices 154 , 156 , and the like in the hardware resource pool 130 .
[0078] Under the Xen serving as the hypervisor 402 , a privileged virtual machine (VM) 404 , which is also called domain 0, is created. The privileged virtual machine 404 includes a management application program (APP) 404 a having a function of creating and deleting a virtual machine (VM), accessing the hardware resource pool 130 , and other functions. The scheduler 112 , the resource allocator 118 , and the user monitor 122 shown in FIG. 1 are included in the management application program 404 a.
[0079] The management application program 404 a appropriately generates or deletes virtual machines (VM) 406 , 408 , . . . , 410 called domains U, in response to a request from the client.
[0080] FIG. 5 is a view showing processing modules related to the present invention in the management application program 404 a . As shown in the drawing, the management application program 404 a includes a queue processing module 502 , an Up event processing module 504 , a Down event processing module 506 , a resource allocation adjustment module 508 , and a table updating (UpdateTable) module 510 .
[0081] Next, processing of the queue processing module 502 is described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6 . A basic operation of the queue processing module 502 is as follows. A loop from step 602 to step 626 is repeated until the shutdown of the system, and the requests in the queue 116 are sequentially processed.
[0082] In step 604 , the queue processing module 502 judges whether the queue 116 is empty. When the queue 116 is not empty, the queue processing module 502 judges whether a request at the head of the queue is an Up request in step 606 . When the request is the Up request, the queue processing module 502 invokes the Up event processing module 504 in step 608 . Details of processing of the Up event processing module 504 are described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 7 .
[0083] When the request at the head of the queue is not the Up request, the queue processing module 502 judges whether the request at the head of the queue is a Down request in step 610 . When the request is the Down request, the queue processing module 502 invokes the Down event processing module 506 in step 612 . Details of processing of the Down event processing module 506 are described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 8 .
[0084] When the request at the head of the queue is not the Down request, the queue processing module 502 judges whether the request at the head of the queue is a reservation addition/deletion in step 614 . When the request is the reservation addition/deletion, the queue processing module 502 performs processing of adding or deleting a reservation in step 616 . A requested dynamic scheduling condition is included in the reservation. The processing of adding or deleting a reservation which is performed herein is reflected in the reservation schedule 114 .
[0085] Then, the queue processing module 502 invokes the resource allocation adjustment module 508 in step 618 . The resource allocation adjustment module 508 is described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 9 .
[0086] When the request at the head of the queue 116 is not the reservation addition/deletion in step 614 , other control processing is performed in step 620 .
[0087] After step 608 , 612 , 618 , or 620 the queue processing module 502 removes one request from the head of the queue in step 622 and returns to the loop of step 626 .
[0088] Returning to step 604 , when the queue processing module 502 judges that the queue 116 is empty, the queue processing module 502 waits for a certain time in step 624 and the processing returns to the loop of step 626 .
[0089] Next, the Up event processing module 504 is described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 7 . In step 702 , the Up event processing module 504 determines whether a new VM can be added. When this determination is expressed by using a formula, it is equivalent to judging whether |{cεCPUs|Reservation(c, r k )=1}|>0 is satisfied. In this formula, CPUs is a set of IDs of CPUs in the hardware resource pool 130 , r k is a reservation ID, and Reservation(c, r k )=1 means that an element c of the CPUs is reserved in the reservation ID. In other words, in step 702 , it is determined whether one or more elements of CPUs are reserved in the reservation ID.
[0090] If there is no element, the Up event processing module 504 immediately terminates the processing. Meanwhile, when it is determined in step 702 that one or more elements of the CPUs are reserved in the reservation ID, the Up event processing module 504 invokes the UpdateTable (table updating) module 510 and updates the reservation table 120 in step 704 . The processing of the Table updating module 510 is described later with reference to flowcharts of FIGS. 10 and 11 .
[0091] The Up event processing module 504 adds a corresponding VM instance in step 706 and deletes the ID of the CPU to be used from the CPUs being the set of IDs of CPUs in step 708 .
[0092] Subsequently, the Up event processing module 504 invokes the resource allocation adjustment module 508 in step 710 . The resource allocation adjustment module 508 is described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 9 .
[0093] Next, the Down event processing module 506 is described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 8 .
[0094] The Down event processing module 506 deletes a corresponding VM instance in step 802 , and adds the ID of a CPU which became available to the CPUs being the set of IDs of the CPUs in step 804 .
[0095] Subsequently, the Down event processing module 506 invokes the resource allocation adjustment module 508 in step 806 . The resource allocation adjustment module 508 is described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 9 .
[0096] Next, processing of the resource allocation adjustment module 508 is described with reference to FIG. 9 . The resource allocation adjustment module 508 stores 1 in a variable k in step 902 . Then, in step 904 , the resource allocation adjustment module 508 judges whether k<N is satisfied. Here, N is the number of all of the reservations made by the clients. When k<N is not satisfied, i.e. when k reaches N, the resource allocation adjustment module 508 terminates the processing.
[0097] Meanwhile, when k<N is satisfied, the resource allocation adjustment module 508 judges whether the certainty is satisfied by using the following formula.
[0000] P certainty ( r k )< P requirement ( r k )
[0098] In this formula, P certainty (r k ) is the requested certainty of the reservation r k and is defined by the cloud user.
[0099] Generally, the certainty of a reservation rid creating n instances is given by the following formula.
[0000]
P
certainty
(
rid
)
=
?
(
?
P
certainty
(
cid
,
rid
)
)
?
indicates text missing or illegible when filed
[
Formula
1
]
[0100] P certainty (cid,rid) is given by the following formula.
[0000]
P
certainty
(
cid
,
rid
)
=
?
(
1
-
P
scaleup
(
cid
,
r
)
)
?
indicates text missing or illegible when filed
[
Formula
2
]
[0101] In this formula, Reservations is a set of reservations and P scaleup (cid, rid) is a cid of CPU. A probability of one instance of the reservation rid being created is given by the following formula.
[0000]
P
scaleup
(
cid
,
rid
)
=
P
scaleup
(
rid
)
×
Reservation
(
cid
,
rid
)
∑
c
∈
CPUs
Reservation
(
c
,
rid
)
[
Formula
3
]
[0102] Reservation(cid, rid)ε{0, 1} represents a reservation of cid of CPU, and
[0000]
∑
c
∈
CPUs
Reservation
(
c
,
rid
)
[
Formula
4
]
[0000] represents the number of multiplexes. Moreover, P scaleup (rid) is the average number of occurrences of Up event of reservation rid, and is preferably calculated under the assumption that history data of the past Up events follow the Poisson distribution.
[0103] When it is determined that P certainty (r k )<P requirement (r k ) is not satisfied as a result of the calculations describe above, the processing proceeds to step 914 and k is incremented by 1. Then, the processing returns to step 904 .
[0104] Meanwhile, when it is determined that P certainty (r k )<P requirement (r k ) is satisfied, the processing proceeds to step 908 , and the resource allocation adjustment module 508 judges whether allocation is possible by using the following formula.
[0000] |{ c εCPUs|Reservation( c,r k )=1}|>0
[0105] The meaning of this formula is as described in step 702 .
[0106] Then, when it is determined that the allocation is possible, the resource allocation adjustment module 508 adds a hardware resource to the CPUs by CPUs←CPUs∪{c} in step 910 .
[0107] After step 910 , or when it is determined in step 908 that allocation is not possible, the resource allocation adjustment module 508 adds a new allocation to r k by Reservation (c, r k )←1 in step 912 . Thereafter, the processing proceeds to step 914 and k is incremented by 1. Then, the processing returns to step 904 .
[0108] Next, processing of the table updating (UpdateTable) module 510 is described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 10 and 11 . The table updating module 510 handles the reservation table 120 having a format as shown in FIG. 12 . In the reservation table 120 , RID is an expansion reservation ID and is an ID provided for each agreement of expansion reservation. STEP is an ID of a virtual node prepared and reserved (for example, the fifth node among ten nodes in 30 minutes), and indicates such levels that preparation is completed stepwise in the ascending order thereof. GRADE is a state of preparation. Specifically, 0 represents a running state, 1 represents a swap-out state, 2 represents a need-to-launch state, 3 represents a need-to-boot state, 4 represents a need-to-install/configure state, 5 represents a need-to-purchase (software) state, and 6 represents a need-to-purchase (hardware) state. CPUID is an ID of computing node actually allocated.
[0109] As shown in FIG. 10 , the table updating module 510 being the UpdateTable takes an argument rid being the expansion reservation ID. In step 1002 , the table updating module 510 invokes Promote (rid, 1, 1). Details of Promote function are described later with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 11 .
[0110] In step 1004 , the table updating module 510 selects one record of the reservation table 120 which has the rid and which can be upgraded to the running state.
[0111] In step 1006 , the table updating module 510 sets the selected record to the running state and then the processing returns.
[0112] Next, processing of Promote function invoked by the UpdateTable is described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 11 . The Promote function is invoked by an argument Promote(rid, step, grade).
[0113] In step 1102 , the Promote function judges whether step>MaxStep(rid)−count(select * where RID=rid and GRADE=0) is satisfied. Here, the MaxStep(rid) returns the total number of records prepared and reserved by the reservation rid in the reservation table 120 . Moreover, count (select * where RID=rid and GRADE=0) is the number of records which have rid and which are currently in the running state.
[0114] When step>MaxStep(rid)−count(select * where RID=rid and GRADE=0) is satisfied, the Promote function does nothing, and the processing returns.
[0115] When step>MaxStep(rid)−count(select * where RID=rid and GRADE=0) is not satisfied, the Promote function judges whether there are records of RID=rid, STEP=step, and Grade=grade in step 1104 . If there are such records, the Promote function selects one of the found records in step 1106 .
[0116] The Promote function sequentially retrieves records in the reservation table 120 which share the same CPU as the record found in step 1106 in the loop from step 1108 to step 1120 .
[0117] The Promote function sets the currently-selected one of the records found in step 1104 to (rid′, step′, grade′, cpuid′).
[0118] In step 1110 , the Promote function judges whether the currently-selected record is a record found in step 1108 . If so, the Promote function decrements each of step and grade of the record found in step 1108 by one in step 1112 , and recursively invokes Promote(rid, step, grade) in step 1114 . This is performed to secure a resource which is decreased by an amount corresponding to one record of STEP=step.
[0119] In step 1110 , when the currently-selected record is not the record found in step 1108 , the Promote function deletes the currently-selected record in step 1116 , and secures the resources for the deleted record by using Promote (rid′, step′, grade′) in step 1118 .
[0120] When such processing is performed for all of the records in the reservation table 120 , the Promote function passes step 1120 and the processing returns.
[0121] Referring back to step 1104 , when there is no record of RID=rid, STEP=step, and Grade=grade, the Promote function selects a usable cpuid in step 1122 and inserts a new record having an entry of (rid, step, grade, cpuid). Then the processing returns.
[0122] FIG. 13 is a view showing a result of updating the reservation table 120 in FIG. 12 in accordance with the processing of flowcharts of FIGS. 10 and 11 .
[0123] Next, a quality QoDS (t overall , λ overall ) of dynamic scheduling is described. Here, t overall refers to an overall time required to reach the running state and λ overall refers to an overall number of VM instances.
[0124] Specifically, when QoDS (t overall ) and a list of times required to reach the running state {t t 1 , t 2 , . . . , t n } (here, is almost zero and t i <t i+1 is satisfied for an arbitrary i) are given, the number λ i of VM instances in a i-th standby state is obtained from the following formula as an optimum standby state. In the following formula, N 0 is a set of integers equal to or larger than zero.
[0000]
λ
i
≡
min
{
x
∈
N
0
}
s
.
t
.
x
+
∑
j
<
i
λ
j
t
i
+
1
>
λ
overall
t
overall
(
i
=
1
,
2
,
…
,
n
-
1
)
λ
n
≡
λ
overall
-
∑
j
<
n
λ
j
[
Formula
5
]
[0125] In other words, the system of FIG. 1 starts up the VM instances by using (t i , λ i ) i=1, 2, . . . n determined as described above for the clients.
[0126] A standard deviation of values of respective t i is estimated based on past data in advance. Particularly, when each t i is assumed to follow the normal distribution and σ represents the standard deviation, the following formula is established.
[0000] Pr ( t i ≧t average +3σ)≧99.87%
[0000] Pr ( t i ≦t average +2σ)≧97.72%
[0000] Pr ( t i ≦t average °1σ)≧84.12% [Formula 6]
[0127] In the above formula, Pr( ) is the probability of condition in the parentheses being established.
[0128] As shown below, when a relatively high certainty (99.87%) in time is to be achieved as in t i =t average +3σ, the resource allocation may be relatively optimistic (80.10%) although a long time is required. Pr(QoDS) in the following formula is the probability of dynamic scheduling condition (QoDS) being satisfied.
[0000]
t
i
=
t
average
+
3
σ
(
99.87
%
)
Pr
(
λ
future
≤
λ
predict
)
=
Pr
(
QoDS
)
Pr
(
t
i
≤
t
average
+
3
σ
)
(
80.10
%
)
[
Formula
7
]
[0129] Meanwhile, as shown below, when a relatively low certainty (84.14%) in time is to be achieved as in t i =t average +1σ, the resource allocation needs to be relatively pessimistic (95.08%) although the required time becomes shorter.
[0000]
t
i
=
t
average
+
1
σ
(
84.12
%
)
Pr
(
λ
future
≤
λ
predict
′
)
=
Pr
(
QoDS
)
Pr
(
t
i
≤
t
average
+
1
σ
)
(
95.08
%
)
[
Formula
8
]
[0130] FIG. 14 shows an example of a preparation state, a preparation time, a certainty, an upper limit, resources, and a cost (pricing). As shown in FIG. 14 , the preparation state includes, for example, running, swap-out, need-to-launch, need-to-boot, need-to-insert/configure, need-to-purchase (software), and need-to-purchase (hardware).
[0131] FIG. 15 shows a state where the different preparation states prepared as described above are combined to achieve a start-up time of the VM instances corresponding to the QoDS. The number of instances for each of the different preparation states is determined by the management APP 404 a in accordance with the algorithm of Formula 5. The start-up of the VM instances is started, for example, immediately after the management APP 404 a completes the resources allocation adjustment processing.
[0132] FIG. 16 schematically shows an effect of the processing of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 16 is based on the assumption that one client requires 100 instances to perform processing. In the case of a cold standby 1602 , no preparation is made at the time of launch and the start-up is performed from such a state. Thus, although the cost is low, a long start-up time is required.
[0133] On the other hand, in the case of a hot standby 1604 , all of the instances are running from the start. Thus, the start-up is quick, but the cost is high.
[0134] In the present invention, some of the instances are in preparation states previously advanced to certain levels. Thus, by sequentially launching the instances in the different preparation states in combination, a start-up time satisfying the request is achieved while the cost is suppressed to a reasonable range.
[0135] Specifically, in the conventional technique, if 100 instances are to be provided to a user within a certain time, the 100 instances need to run constantly. This consumes resources in the cloud server and makes the user owe a relatively high charge.
[0136] Alternatively, if the 100 instances are set to a non-operational state, the conventional technique does not require the user to pay a relatively low charge, but does not achieve the start-up time requested by the user.
[0137] Meanwhile, in the present invention, the 100 instances are prepared in such a way that one instance is in the running state, two instances are in the swap-out state, 12 instances are in the need-to-launch state, 25 instances are in the need-to-boot state, and 60 instances are in the need-to-insert/configure state. Thus, with keeping the active resource as small as possible, the resource preparation can be completed within the time requested by the user. Hence, an optimal balance between the user charge and the available resources in the server is achieved.
[0138] The embodiment of the present invention is described above by using the specific computer platform. However, the present invention is not limited to such a specific computer platform. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention can be carried out in any server environment as long as the sever environment is one which includes multiple computing nodes and which is capable of creating multiple virtual machines by virtualizing the computing nodes.
|
A dynamic resource allocation method and system. The method includes the steps of preparing a plurality of instances in different preparation states; receiving a request on a dynamic scheduling condition from the client computer; and launching some of the plurality of instances in the different preparation states in such a combination that the dynamic scheduling condition is satisfied. The method includes computer apparatus for accomplishing the above method. A tangible storage medium includes program steps which, when executed by computer apparatus, causes the computer apparatus to perform the above method.
| 6
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for making an ink refill hole in a used, empty ink cartridge used in an ink jet computer printer.
2. Prior Art
When the ink in an ink cartridge for an ink jet computer printer is entirely used up, it is currently customary at home and the office that, instead of installing a new ink cartridge filled with ink therein, the used cartridge is taken out of the printer and then the empty cartridge is refilled with ink, thus being reinstalled in the printer for further printing.
Various types of ink refilling devices have been proposed and marketed. One type is to fill ink into an ink cartridge through an aperture that is used by ink cartridge manufacturers for filling ink in the cartridge during the manufacturing process of ink cartridges. Since such an aperture provided on the top surface of the cartridge is closed by a sealing plug, the sealing plug is first removed, and an ink container is placed on the ink cartridge so that the ink is transferred from the ink container into the cartridge by way of gravity or, in some systems, using a syringe so that the ink is forced into the cartridge.
There is another type of ink cartridge called a non-refillable, disposable cartridge. This type of cartridge has no ink fill hole; therefore, when the user wishes to refill ink in this type of cartridge, it is necessary to make a hole so that ink can be transferred into the cartridge from an ink container through such hole. In order to make a hole for the transfer of ink, a drill, a hook screw and other hole-making tools are customarily used. However, the method of making a hole using drills, hook screws, etc. does not provide an accurate position of the ink transfer hole on the cartridge. If the ink transfer hole is not made at an appropriate position so that the ink transfer hole can communicate with the inside of the cartridge, the refilling of ink cannot be accomplished. In addition, when drills and hook screws are used, the inner circumferential surface of the hole made by such tools tends to be coarse, having burrs thereon. When the inner circumferential surface of the opened ink transfer hole is not smooth, such a coarse interior surface hinders a secure sealing of the ink transfer hole that is necessary to keep a reduced pressure inside the ink cartridge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to solve the problems seen in the currently employed method for making an ink transfer hole in a used, empty non-refillable ink cartridge.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device for making an ink transfer or ink refill hole in an ink cartridge easily and efficiently so that the opened ink refill hole has a smooth inner surface that can secure a complete sealing of the negative pressure inside the cartridge.
The objects of the present invention are accomplished by a unique structure for a device for making a hole in an ink cartridge, and it comprises:
a main frame body comprising a top wall, a rear wall and two side walls so that the main frame body is open at its front and bottom;
a guide groove formed on inner surfaces of two side walls and the rear wall of the main frame body so as to engage the flange of an ink cartridge;
a pressing means formed on the inner surface of the rear wall of the main frame body, the pressing means having a projection at the free end thereof, and
a screw means provided on the top wall of the main frame body so that a pointed end of the screw means penetrates the top end plate of the ink cartridge so as to make a hole therein.
The main frame body is set on an ink cartridge so that the guide groove thereof engages the flange of the ink cartridge, and the main frame body is slid until the projection of the pressing means of the main frame comes into an engagement with a recess formed on the top end plate of the cartridge. With this engagement of the projection of the pressing means and the engagement of the guide groove of the main frame body and the flange of the ink cartridge, the positioning of the main frame body on the cartridge is accomplished so that the main frame body is positionally secured on the ink cartridge; and then the screw means is turned so that the pointed end of the screw means advances and penetrates the top end plate of the ink cartridge, thus making a hole in the top end plate of the ink cartridge and allowing ink to be transferred from ink container into the ink cartridge.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ink hole making device for an ink cartridge according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;
FIG. 3 is vertical cross sectional view thereof taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 shows a cross section showing the ink hole making device set on an ink cartridge;
FIG. 5 shows an ink cartridge with an ink hole made by the device of the present invention shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The device of the present invention is comprised of a main frame body 10 and a screw means 50 fitted in the main frame body 10, so that, in use, the main frame body 10 having the screw means 50 can be set on an empty ink cartridge 100.
The ink cartridge 100 upon which the device of the present invention is used is a cartridge that includes a lower portion 110 and an upper portion 120 that are connected at the surrounding flange 130. The upper end plate 120a of the upper portion 120 has a recess 120b which is made during the process of molding the cartridge 100.
The main frame body 10 is substantially a reversed U-shape synthetic resin frame as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 and comprises a top wall 10a, a back wall 10b and two side walls 10c which are formed into an integrated single unit. Thus, the main frame body 10 has an empty space therein but includes no front wall nor bottom wall, thus having the opened front area 10f (see FIG. 3) and opened bottom. An engagement groove 20 is formed on the inner surfaces 10b' of the back wall 10b and on the inner surface 10c' of two side walls 10c. The engagement groove 20 is formed continuously on the inner surfaces 10b' and 10c' and has a constant height H and a constant depth D, and the groove 20 is located near the lower edges of these walls 10b and 10c. The engagement groove 20 is shaped, with regard to the height H and depth D, so as to snugly receive and engage the flange 130 of the cartridge 100 when the main frame body 10 is set (as described later) on the cartridge 100 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
In FIGS. 2 through 4, the reference numeral 10b" indicates a rectangular opening formed in the back wall 10b of the main frame body 10.
Furthermore, a pressing tongue 30 of a cantilever type is formed inside the main frame body 10 so as to extend from the inner surface 10b' of the back wall 10b of the main frame body 10 towards the opened front area 10f of the main frame body 10 and parallel with the top wall 10a of the main frame body 10. In addition, a pair of ribs 32 are formed on the inner surface 10a' of the top wall 10a of the main frame body 10 so that the ribs 32, as best shown in FIG. 2, spacedly sandwich (and protect) the pressing tongue 30 from both sides thereof. As seen from FIG. 2 (and FIG. 4), the lower ends of the ribs 32 are positioned substantially at the same horizontal level as the lower surface of the pressing tongue 30 The pressing tongue 30 is provided with a projection 30a on the under surface of the free end 30' thereof The projection 30a of the pressing tongue 30 has a size so as to snugly fit into the recess 120b formed in the top end plate 120a of the cartridge 100. The pair of ribs 32 has, as seen from FIG. 2, the height RH that can form a space S (see FIG. 4) between the top wall 10a of the main frame body 10 and the top end plate 120a of the ink cartridge 100 when the main frame body 10 is set on the cartridge 100 with the groove 20 of the main frame body 10 engaged with the flange 130 of the cartridge 100.
The main frame body 10 is further provided with a screw support 40 on the top wall 10a. The screw support 40 is a hollow cylinder having a central hole 42 and projecting outward from the outer surface 10a" of the top wall 10a. The central hole 42 opens on the inner surface 10a' of the top wall 10a, thus being a through hole opened through the top wall 10a of the main frame body 10. The central hole 42 of the screw support 40 is formed with an internal thread so as to guide the screw means 50 as described below.
The screw means 50 comprises a plastic turning knob 52 and a cylindrical metal shank 60 which is securely fixed to the turning knob 52. The metal shank 60 is provided with an external thread 62 on its upper portion, a gimlet end 64 at its lower end, and a smooth surfaced intermediate portion 66 between the external thread 62 and the gimlet end 64. The external thread 62 engages the internal thread formed in the central hole 42 of the screw support 40 of the main frame body 10 so that when the knob 52 is rotated in one direction after the shank 60 is inserted into the central hole 42 of the screw support 40, the screw means 50 advances in the direction of the gimlet end 64 (and retreats when the knob 52 is rotated in another direction). The gimlet end 64 is a pointed end and divided into half, as best seen in FIG. 1, in the axial direction so that it has a flat end portion 64a which facilitates the making of a hole in the ink cartridge 100.
In use, the ink cartridge 100 is held upright as shown in FIG. 1, and the main frame body 10 is placed on the upper portion 120 of the ink cartridge 100 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In order to place the main frame body 10 on the cartridge 100, the main frame body 10 is first positioned near the back side 100x of the cartridge 100, and the groove 20 formed on the side walls 10c of the main frame body 10 is fitted on the flange 130 located on both sides of the cartridge 100; and then the main frame body 10 is pushed towards the front side 100y of the cartridge 100 or in the direction of allow P shown in FIG. 1 until the groove 20 formed on the back wall 10b of the main frame body 10 engages the flange 130 located on the back side 100x of the cartridge 100.
When the main frame body 10 is thus slid all the way until the groove 20 of the back wall 10b engages the flange 130 of the back side 100x of the cartridge 100, the projection 30a of the pressing tongue 30, which is elastically bent upwardly because of the projection 30a sliding on the upper surface of the top end wall 120a of the cartridge 100, comes into an engagement with the recess 120b of the cartridge 100 as shown in FIG. 3. In addition, lower end surfaces of the ribs 32 are positioned slightly above the upper surface of the cartridge 100. As a result, the free end 30' of the pressing tongue 30 is elastically pressed against the (bottom of the) recess 120b. With this engagement between the projection 30a of the pressing tongue 30 of the main frame body 10 and the recess 120b of the ink cartridge 100, and with the engagement between the groove 20 of the main frame body 10 and the flange 130 of the ink cartridge 100, the main frame body 10 is securely positioned on the ink cartridge 10 and its vertical and lateral movements are restrained.
Then, the screw means 50 is turned via the turning knob 52. When the turning knob 52 is turned in one direction, the shank 60 of the screw means 50 advances towards the top end plate 120a of the cartridge 100 and the pointed gimlet end 64 penetrates into the top end plate 120a of the cartridge 100, thus, as shown in FIG. 4, making a hole 150 in the top end plate 120a of the cartridge 100. When the bottom 52a of the turning knob 52 comes into contact with the top end surface of the screw support 40 as a result of the advance of the shank 60, the shank 60 of the screw means 50 is restrained so as not to advance any further, thus the operator is able to know that the hole has been made through the thickness of the top end plate 120a of the cartridge 100. Then, the screw means 50 is turned in another direction, so that the shank 60 retreats out of the top end plate 120a, and the pointed gimlet end 64 is moved out of the opened hole 150. Then, the main frame body 10 is pulled in the direction opposite from arrow P by overcoming the elastically pressing force of the projection 30a of the pressing tongue 30 so as to take the projection 30a out of the recess 120b of the cartridge. The main frame body 10 can thus be removed from the ink cartridge 100.
In the above hole-making operation, when the gimlet end 64 penetrates the top end plate 120a of the cartridge 100, the intermediate portion 66 having a smoothed outer surface smooths out of the inner surface of the hole 150 formed by the gimlet end 64. Accordingly, the hole 150 made in the top end plate 120a of the cartridge 100 is smooth with no burrs on its inner surface.
In addition, as seen from the above description, the length of the gimlet end 64 and the length of the smooth surfaced intermediated portion 66 of the screw means 50 are respectively larger than the thickness of the top end plate 120, and the entire length of the shank 60 is long enough so that the gimlet end 64 and the intermediate portion 66 can penetrate through the thickness of the top end plate 120a but not come into contact with internal composite elements of the cartridge 100. In addition, the projection 30a is formed on the pressing tongue 30 at an appropriate distance from the rear wall 10b of the main body 10 so that the pressing tongue 30 accurately fit in the recess 120b of the cartridge 100.
When the hole 150 is made as described above, ink is transferred from an ink container (not shown) into the cartridge 100 through the hole 150 by appropriate ink refilling devices such as the one disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,223; and after the cartridge 100 is filled with ink, the hole 150 is closed, as shown in FIG. 5, by a closing plug 200 that has a sealing leg 202 which fits tightly in the hole 150.
As seen from the above, according to the present invention, the main frame body for forming a hole in an ink cartridge is securely positioned on the ink cartridge so that a screw means penetrates the ink cartridge and makes a hole therein so that ink can be transferred into the cartridge so as to refill it.. Thus, an ink transfer or refill hole can be easily formed in the cartridge and such an ink hole has a smooth inner surface that assures a tight sealing of the ink refill hole so as to secure a reduced inner pressure of the ink cartridge.
|
A device for making a hole in an ink cartridge used in an ink jet printer comprising a main frame body to be mounted on the cartridge in a positionally immovable fashion by a combination of a cantilever type pressing member and a groove that respectively engage a recess and a flange of the cartridge. The main frame body has a screw with a pointed end so that when the screw is rotated the pointed end advances and penetrates into the cartridge, thus forming a hole in the cartridge so that ink can be refilled into the cartridge through the thus opened hole.
| 8
|
This invention relates to a system for attaching and removing nozzle heads from below the water level of a swimming pool and, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved system of this nature.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Present day swimming pools are usually, if not always, equipped with pop-up nozzle heads through which water jets emit and sweep over the adjacent surface of the pool so as to keep dust and other debris in suspension. Thus such debris may be removed by the pool filtering system. These nozzles and nozzle heads function when the pool is filled with water. The nozzle heads occasionally need servicing for one reason or another and must be removed and/or replaced. This has been a relatively tedious and time consuming job, requiring that a service person go underwater to the nozzle location and remove the nozzle. Frequently this involves having the pool circulating system functioning so that the nozzle would pop-up occasionally whereupon it could be grabbed by the service person and removed such as by rotating it out of its threaded opening.
Accordingly there is a need for a tool and a system for using it whereby a service person standing at the edge of the pool can apply the tool to the nozzle head and remove it from its receptacle in the water supply conduit of the pool. Concurrently, of course, a replacement head must be attachable to the tool and thereby applied to the nozzle receptacle in the pool below the water level.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a tool for removing the cleaning nozzle heads from below the water level of a swimming pool that is simple in form and efficient in operation.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved tool for the indicated purpose obviating the disadvantages of the prior art.
In carrying out the invention according to one form there is provided a tool for removing a member from its location comprising a body, projecting means on the body for engaging a member to be removed, and a vacuum member on the body for attachment to the member.
In carrying out the invention according to another form there is provided a system for attaching and removing nozzle heads from below the water level of a swimming pool comprising a nozzle head screw threaded into a water supply receptacle in a pool wall, diametrically spaced openings in the nozzle head, a tool comprising an essentially cylindrical body, lugs projecting in the axial direction from one side of the cylindrical body for engaging corresponding openings in such nozzle head, a vacuum cup disposed on the one side of the body for attachment to the nozzle head when the body is pushed toward the nozzle head and the lugs are received in the openings, and an elongated handle attached to the body on the side opposite to the vacuum cup.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view in perspective of a swimming pool equipped with pop-up nozzles for utilization with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the inventive tool and nozzle;
FIG. 3 is a view taken substantially in the direction of arrows 3--3 of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially in the direction of arrows 4--4 of FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown embodied in a swimming pool 10 shown diagrammatically with an attendant 11 utilizing a tool 12 according to the invention to operate upon pop-up nozzles 13 a number of which are shown in the bottom of the pool.
Referring to FIG. 2, the pop-up nozzle 13 is shown in sectional view and, in general, conforms to the disclosure of pop-up nozzles in application Ser. No. 06/268,469 filed May 29, 1981 for Improved Pop-Up Indexing Nozzle Heads in the name of the same inventor as the present application. For a full disclosure of the nozzle, reference may be made to the said application. For purposes of this application, briefly, the nozzle 13 comprises a housing 14, a plunger 15, a flat-topped nozzle cap 16, a bearing 17, a spring 18 and a plunger guide support 19 assembled together as illustrated.
As may be seen in FIG. 2, the plunger 15 is a hollow tube having a lower part 15A and an upper part 15B joined together interfittingly at 21. The plunger 15 (parts 15A and 15B) project through a cylindrical opening 22 in the center of the plunger guide support 19. The upper part 15B of the plunger 15 extends into and becomes part of the lower half 24 of the nozzle cap 16 and is joined to the upper half 25 of the nozzle cap 16 at a juncture 26. The two parts of the plunger may be sealed together to form a unit. The upper half 24 and the lower half 25 forming the interior of the nozzle cap 16 provide a passageway or nozzle opening 27 for a water jet to emit as may be seen best in FIG. 4. The upper side of the plunger guide support 19 is engaged by the undersurface of the lower half 24 of the cap 16, the spring 18 bears against the undersurface of the plunger guide support 19, the other end of the spring 18 bears against the bearing ring 28 which in turn bears against the race 29 of the bearing 17. The other race 31 bears against a flange 32 forming one end of the plunger's lower half 15A.
The housing 14 has an interior shoulder to which is threadedly attached the periphery of the plunger guide support 19. By virtue of these threads the nozzle structure, as described, is held in the assembled position as shown. The housing 14 may include a shoulder 33 which bears against the upper edge of a pipe or conduit 34 for holding the nozzle assembly in a well provided by the conduit. The conduit 34 is held in the pool wall 35, for example, which has a surface 36 that the jet emitting from the nozzle is intended to clean. The housing 14 may be held within the end of conduit 34 by an appropriate means such as cement, for example. The housing 14 may be formed of nylon, for example, and the conduit 34 may be formed of any synthetic materials such as polyvinylchloride.
The cap 16 of the nozzle is hollow as may be seen in the figures and from the interior 37 of the nozzle cap there extends the nozzle or jet opening 27. As may be seen in FIG. 4 the jet opening 27 is laterally displaced relative to the axis of the plunger 15, and thus whenever water is emitting from the nozzle opening the nozzle rotates under the influence of the emitting jet. The interior of the upper portion 25 of the nozzle cap 16 includes a depending or skirt-like portion 38 which extends over the upper end 39 forming an extension of the plunger 15. The arcuate skirt-like portion 38 and the upper end 39 interfit with each other to form a passageway to the jet opening 27, so that any liquid interiorly of the plunger 15 does not escape into the outer portion 41 interiorly of the nozzle cap 16.
Formed into the upper wall of the nozzle cap 16 are a pair of openings 42 and 43. The openings 42 and 43 are shown projecting through the wall of the cap 16 and communicate with the space 41 inside of the upper portion 25 of the nozzle cap. The openings 42 and 43 need not be of this depth as will become clear. However their communication with the interior space 41 of the cap does not permit water to escape therethrough because this space is sealed from the interior of the plunger 15 as has been described.
As will be understood, when water pressure is applied to the nozzle 13 as shown by the arrow A (FIG. 2) the nozzle pops up and water emits through the jet opening 27. The pop up takes place against the force of spring 18. But when the water pressure is removed the force of spring 18 forces the nozzle 13 down into the position shown.
As may be seen from FIG. 2 removal of the nozzle 13 requires that the plunger 15 be rotated out of the well into which it exists by means of the threads shown. This of course can be achieved, as has been the case in the past, by applying water pressure to cause the nozzle to pop up so that it can be grabbed by hand and thereafter rotated.
According to the subject invention the tool 12 simplifies this procedure greatly and enables the nozzle to be removed without the necessity of a person going underneath the surface of the water and without applying water pressure to cause the nozzle to pop up.
The tool 12 may comprise a cylindrical body 51 from one end of which project in the axial direction a pair of tabs or lugs 52 and 53. The lugs 52 and 53 are of an appropriate size and length and are disposed so as to easily fit into the openings 42 and 43, respectively, in the nozzle cap 16. Projecting upwardly from the other end of the body 51 is a shank 54, through which extends a bolt 55 by means of which an elongated handle, for example, may be attached as may be visualized in FIG. 1. Thus rotating the handle and consequently the shank 54 and the body portion 51, (the lugs 52 and 53 having been engaged in the openings 42 and 43) causes the nozzle cap 16 and the plunger 15 to rotate. This rotation, by means of the threaded connection, causes the plunger to be moved upwardly and out of the opening or well in which it exists inside of the housing 14 and the conduit 34.
The plunger 15 may be lifted out of the pool by a vacuum cup 56 is attached to an interior cylindrical recess 57 in the body 51. The vacuum cup 56 may be of any well known variety essentially semispherically shaped and made of soft flexible material such as rubber or of the various synthetics and is attached to the interior of the body 51 by any well known means such as a screw 58.
By pushing downwardly on the body 51 by means of the shank 54 and any handle attached thereto, the vacuum cup 56 comes into contact with the smooth upper surface of the nozzle cap 16. By pushing downwardly additionally the air and water are forced out of the space inside of the vacuum cup and the vacuum cup engages the upper surface of the nozzle cap. Then when the body 51 has been rotated sufficiently to cause disengagement of the threads the vacuum cup 56 enables the nozzle plunger 15 to be lifted out of its opening. In this manner it is not necessary during the course of servicing the nozzle to go into the pool, to the site of the nozzle and work on it at that point. Replacement of a nozzle is effected by the reverse procedure.
Very substantial efficiencies and advantages are thereby achieved.
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In swimming pools the pop-up cleaning nozzles threaded into walls in the pool bottom are removable by a rotatable tool that has a body with axially extending lugs which project into corresponding openings in the nozzle head. A vacuum cup centrally of and recessed into the body attaches to the nozzle head for removing or replacing it.
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RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/199,448 filed Nov. 17, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to woodworking cutters generally, to router bits and, in particular, to edge-forming router bits.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In woodworking, wood work-pieces not yet brought to final shape and size are often pieces of wood about three-fourths to one inch thick with front and back faces (or top and bottom faces) and with “edges” as broad as the thickness of the work-piece. The edges usually intersect the front and back faces at right angles, forming an “arris” where the plane or face of an edge and each of the front and back faces intersect.
It is often desirable to shape the edge of a wood work-piece. This is often most easily accomplished by shaping only a portion, such as one “corner” proximate one arris, of the work-piece edge at a time, requiring multiple operations to shape an entire work-piece edge. However, it is sometimes desirable simultaneously to shape the entire edge of a work-piece, that is, to shape the entire edge in one operation. Existing cutters are available for doing so, including rounding over cutters, bull nose cutters, and a variety of stacking and re-configurable cutters. Some such cutters are adjustable, but the capacity of such cutters to be adjusted is typically severely limited, usually within an adjustment range of only a few thousandths of an inch.
One of the complexities associated with edge-shaping or forming is the desirability of being able to form edge shapes on work-pieces having differing thicknesses. For instance, a huge fraction of all work-pieces used in cabinet making range in thickness between 0.75 inch and 1.0 inch, but many different thicknesses are used within that range.
As an example of an application requiring edge-shaping, it is often necessary to create a handle (or tote) for an item being made or repaired, such as a bench plane or a table saw jig to be slid on the saw table by manipulating a handle attached to the jig. The need to make a handle is particularly frequent when restoring or customizing an antique tool. Wooden handles on such tools are prone to damage and often need to be replaced. Furthermore, a user may want to replace a handle with one that better fits the user's grip.
These handles are often fairly complex, curved shapes, and getting a smooth shape can be very difficult. The typical approach is to cut the shape out using a scroll or band saw and then shape the final curves with rasps, files and sandpaper.
This exemplary need for a means for shaping edges with different thicknesses illustrates the desirability of a router cutter with such capability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The cutter of this invention is an adjustable router bit or cutter assembly (or other rotating cutter such as a shaper cutter) that facilitates the formation of a particular edge contour on work-pieces of differing thicknesses. While other ways of guiding the cutter assembly are possible, in one embodiment, the cutter assembly uses a bearing to follow a template to establish the basic shape of the work-piece. Templates can be made of thinner, easier to shape materials that can be more accurately cut with smoother curves than a thick, typically solid wood, work-piece. This results in a final part that is closer to the desired shape than might otherwise be the case. Moreover, use of a template rather than guiding the cutter assembly by reference to a portion of the work-piece itself enables the cutter to remove all of the original work-piece edge surface, which is not possible with a cutter assembly guided by reference to (i.e., by contact with) a portion of that surface.
The profile of the embodiment of the cutter or bit of this invention illustrated in the Figures is such that it creates a full (continuous) “round-over” on the edge of the part, such that once the bit has been run around the part blank following the template (or the work-piece has been moved relative to and in contact with the bit or cutter), the finished part is both the correct over-all shape and has a desired cross-sectional shape, such as a shape usable as a handle. Further shaping may be desired by the user to refine the cross-section, however such further shaping typically only requires the removal of relatively small amounts of material from the work-piece.
The bit or cutter assembly of the embodiment depicted in the Figures is configured such that it is adjustable for work-piece thickness or width within the range of typical handle thicknesses (most are between approximately ¾ and one inch thick). The bit has two independent cutters, one preferably (but not necessarily) permanently fixed to the shaft, while the second cutter is positionable on the shaft at different locations relative to the other (typically fixed) cutter. The cutters “interlock,” which is to say that they overlap and lock so that: (a) one cannot rotate relative to the other, (b) cutting “heights” of the two cutters can over-lap without the cutters (or their blades) contacting each other, and (c) the entire edge of the work-piece is contacted and shaped by the cutter assembly. The two cutters can be positioned at selected different positions to each other, by use or removal of shims or washers between the two cutters, or by any other appropriate spacing structure or means.
In one embodiment, each of the two cutters cuts approximately one quarter-round, and the two cutters together create a substantially half round shape (the shape need not actually be a constant radius, but can be a modified curve to give the best results within the range of adjustment). Other profiles could also be used.
Alternate designs for this bit may use three or more cutters to create a “stack” that makes up the desired profile, and less than all of such cutters may be usable to shape a thinner profile than is possible with all of the cutters in the stack.
The cutters may be of a two-flute design, but can also be made with one flute, or with more than two flutes as desired.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an end view of the cutter assembly of one embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the cutter assembly shown in FIG. 1 with washers between the cutters so that they are somewhat separated.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the cutter assembly shown in FIG. 1 , rotated 90 degrees from the view of FIG. 2 and with the cutters, bearing, washers and nut shown in section.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the cutter assembly shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 5 is substantially the same as FIG. 2 but located on the page so that it can be directly compared to FIG. 6 , which is a view like FIGS. 2 and 5 , except that, in FIG. 6 , washers shown positioned between the cutters in FIGS. 2 and 5 have been re-positioned (for “storage”) between the bearing 24 and nut 30 , so that the two cutters 12 and 14 are closer together in FIG. 6 than in FIGS. 2 and 5 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In an embodiment of the cutter assembly 10 of this invention illustrated in the Figures, two cutters 12 and 14 on a shaft 13 may be are adjusted for cutter assembly width (or height), which is to say that their relative positions on shaft 13 may be changed, using a number of shim washers 16 between reference surfaces on the two cutters 12 and 14 . For instance, shims of 0.050″, 0.020″ and 0.010″ thicknesses may be combined in different configurations to create desired spacing. This could also be achieved with shims of uniform thickness, or with a range of specific shims for specific spacing.
In the alternative, spacing could be set using a spring (not shown) on shaft 13 between the cutters 12 and 14 , and with appropriate means for locking the cutters relative to each other. For instance, one of the cutters can be locked or permanently attached to the shaft and the other can be repositionably secured with a locking nut.
The illustrated embodiment 10 of the cutter assembly depicts use of carbide inserts or attachments to the bodies 11 and 13 of cutters 12 and 14 to provide pairs of cutter blades 18 and 20 . Other appropriate materials could be used as alternatives to carbide inserts. Moreover, cutters 12 and 14 could utilize solid carbide or solid steel bodies 11 and 15 , appropriately shaped and sharpened to provide integral cutter blades 18 and 20 .
As mentioned above, and as can be appreciated by reference to the Figures, the cutter blades 18 and 20 on the two different cutters 12 and 14 must overlap in order to cut a full profile without a gap. Modest overlapping of carbide blade inserts in, for instance, dado blade sets is not uncommon, but the amount of such overlap is typically no more than the amount of carbide insert projection beyond the tool body to which the carbide is attached, and only limited carbide projection is feasible without risk of breakage.
In order to achieve the significant overlap between the blades 18 and 20 of cutter assembly 10 necessary to accommodate changes in cutter width on the order of as much as one quarter inch or more, there must be overlap not only of the blades 18 and 20 but also of portions of the cutter bodies 11 and 15 .
This is achieved by providing each of the cutter 12 and 14 body 11 and 15 structures with recesses 22 (one of which may be best seen in FIG. 4 ) defined by (or between) protrusions 23 . Recesses 22 in one cutter 12 or 14 receive protrusions 23 from the other cutter 14 or 12 . This enables significant overlapping of the blades 20 on cutter 12 with blades 18 on cutter 14 and interlocks the two cutters 12 and 14 to prevent rotation of one cutter relative to the other.
Such locking of cutters relative to each other can be desirable even if two or more cutters are used to form a profile that doesn't require blade overlap of the sort present in the cutter assembly 10 depicted in the Figures. Where there is blade overlapping, the interlocking or inter-fitting described above and shown in the Figures insures that brittle and somewhat fragile blades 18 and 20 cannot contact and risk damage to each other. Such interlocking also assures that blades in one cutter do not align with blades in another cutter and engage the work-piece at the same time but rather engage the work-piece sequentially, thereby making cutting easier.
The geometry of the cutter bodies in the illustrated embodiment provide both inter-fitting (or overlapping) and locking of the cutters 12 and 14 to prevent rotation of one relative to the other during us. However, other structures such as a dowel pin received in holes in the cutters, or with a pin on one cutter received in a hole in the other cutter could also prevent rotation of one cutter without equal rotation of the other. Locking could also be achieved using one or more splines on the shaft interfacing with the floating cutter. Other similar devices may also be used, including, possibly keyways and a key.
Careful inspection and comparison of the Figures will reveal that protrusions 23 do not contact shaft 25 along the second half or so of their extensions. Instead, the protrusions 23 and recesses 22 define and are occupied by a sleeve or collar 26 or 33 (see FIGS. 3 and 4 ), each having a face 28 (see FIG. 3 ). The collar 26 associated with cutter 12 may be externally threaded and may be attached to or a part of shaft 13 so that an internally threaded cutter 12 may be threaded onto the shaft 13 , as can be seen in FIG. 3 . (Cutter 12 could be attached to shaft 13 in other ways, or need not necessarily be fixed to prevent rotation on shaft 13 except when the cutter assembly 10 is configured and assembled for use with all of its components (except the rotating portion of bearing 24 ) fixed in position on shaft 13 ). Collar or sleeve 33 associated with cutter 14 may be formed as part of cutter 14 and may have a smooth cylindrical surface as is depicted in FIG. 3 . The two faces 28 of collars 26 and 23 oppose each other and contact each other when the cutter assembly 10 is configured for the thinnest work-pieces it can shape (with full contact with the work-piece edge). Interposition of one or more shim washers 16 on the shaft 25 between the faces 28 of collars 26 and 33 configures cutter assembly 10 for thicker work-pieces.
As will be appreciated by reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 , this cutter component geometry permits adjustment through a significant range of thicknesses that differ by up to the full “x” distance marked between FIGS. 5 and 6 . FIGS. 5 and 6 are approximately full scale drawings of one embodiment of the cutter assembly 10 of this invention that can shape the edges of work-pieces varying between about 0.75 inch and 1.0 inch, in which case the range of adjustment “x” is about 0.25 inch. Appropriate adjustments to the size (and geometry, if desired) of cutters 12 and 14 could result in other adjustment ranges such as larger ranges of approximately ⅜ inch or ½ inch or smaller adjustment ranges of approximately 3/32 or ⅛ inch (or the metric equivalents of all of these measurements).
A ball bearing guide or pilot 24 can be used to guide the bit 10 around the template. Such a bearing 21 is located in the assembly 10 depicted in the Figures on the side of “floating” or adjustable cutter 14 opposite the fixed cutter 12 and is sized to match the minor diameter of the cutters 12 and 14 (if it is desired that widest portion of the finished part match the template). This location places the template on top of the work-piece if the bit 10 is used in a router table. The bearing 24 could also be located adjacent to the fixed cutter 12 or could be the major diameter of the bit 10 (or have some other relationship to the cutting portions of bit 10 ) if the particular use so required. In order to assure free rotation, bearing 24 is separated from the face 29 of cutter 14 by a boss 32 (best seen in FIGS. 4 and 6 ).
Indeed, a bearing may not be required if other guide mechanisms are employed (such as, among others, guide mechanisms associated with a pin router or a CNC router). Neither does the bearing 24 need to be a roller element bearing, it could simple be a non-cutting section of one of the cutters 12 and 14 or of the shaft 26 that bears or runs against the template.
Numerous other modifications and variations of the subject matter described above are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention or the following claims. For instance, the round-over profile created by the cutters describe above and depicted below could instead be a wide variety of other profiles. As an example the cutters 12 and 14 could have radiuses of ¼ inch and essentially straight overlapping portions so that they would impart a ¼ inch radius on the corners of a work-piece with a flat intermediate edge portion.
As an example of another possible modification, while the shaft 25 depicted in the Figures is externally threaded with threads 31 and receives an internally threaded nut 30 , the assembly could also be secured together using a cap screw or another screw positioned in an internally threaded hole in the threaded end of shaft 25 .
Other cutters providing a variable profile will benefit from interlocking multiple cutters. As noted above, cutter assemblies can have more than two independent cutters; there could be three or more cutters in a cutter assembly of this invention, and each cutter 12 and 14 could have one blade 18 or 20 , two (as depicted in the Figures), three or some other number of blades.
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An adjustable router or shaper cutter assembly that facilitates the formation of an edge contour such as a rounded over contour on work-pieces of differing thicknesses.
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CLAIM OF PRIORITY
This application makes reference to, incorporates the same herein, and claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from my application WASHING MACHINE AND THE WASHING CONTROL METHOD filed with the Korean Industrial Property Office on Sep. 19, 2000 and there duly assigned Serial No. 54981/2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fully automated washing machine, and more particularly to a washing machine and its washing method adapted to form a variety of water current according to power multi-switched by a power switching motor operated being separated from a drainage motor, thereby embodying a new washing method appropriate to cloths.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A water tub 1 according to the prior art includes, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a driving motor 3 formed at a bottom external side thereof for generating a driving force, and power transmission means 2 centrally formed at a bottom surface, a drainage hole 1 a connected to a drainage hose 4 disposed at a predetermined distance from the power transmission means 2 for draining water in the water tub 1 and a drainage motor 6 arranged at a predetermined distance from the drainage hole 1 a for controlling the drainage hole 1 a.
FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing for illustrating power transmission means 2 according to the prior art, where the means 2 is mounted with a pulley 12 at a lower tip end relative to periphery of a driving shaft 10 , with the pulley 12 coupled by a driving shaft coupling 14 at an upper side thereof, and the driving shaft coupling 14 is rotably provided thereon with a gear case 16 .
The gear case 16 is mounted at an upper periphery thereof with a rotable drum 18 and the drum 18 is equipped at an upper inner peripheral surface thereof with a driven shaft coupling 20 . The driven shaft coupling 20 is mounted thereon with a spin-dry tub 24 coupled by a plurality of bolts 22 . The spin-dry tub 24 is equipped thereon with a pulsator 28 via a bolt 26 , and is also arranged with a unidirectional clutch bearing 46 abraded by rotational direction of the gear case 16 to rotate the gear case to one direction.
At an upper periphery of the driving shaft coupling 14 and at a lower periphery end of the gear case 16 there is mounted a clutch spring 30 and the clutch spring 30 is peripherally formed with a clutch holder 32 while the clutch holder 32 is peripherally provided with a sleeve member 36 via a brake ring 34 .
The clutch spring 30 is connected at one tip end thereof to the gear case 16 while the clutch holder 32 is connected to the other tip end thereof. The sleeve member 36 is formed at one side thereof with a clutch lever 38 , while the clutch lever 38 and brake lever 40 are cooperatively moved by a connecting lever 42 connected to the drainage motor 6 .
The drainage motor 6 is installed at one side thereof with a connecting bracket 8 via a steel wire 8 a for controlling the power transmission means 2 and opening and closing of a drainage hole 1 a.
The connecting bracket 8 is cooperated to the drainage motor 6 during its operation at a first step to activate the brake lever 40 connected to the connecting lever 42 at the power transmission means 2 and simultaneously open the drainage hole 1 a.
In the power transmission means 2 thus constructed, when the washing course is selected, the drainage motor becomes inoperated, while, simultaneously the driving shaft coupling 14 , driving shaft 10 and the pulsator 28 connected to the power line are rotated to form water current to water supplied to the spin-dry tub 24 and to agitate the laundry.
Meanwhile, when the spin-dry course is selected, the connected bracket 8 is pulled via the steel wire 8 a connected to one side of the drainage motor 6 according to operation of the drainage motor at its first step while the connecting bracket 8 pulls a cap that has been blocking the drainage hole 1 a with the connecting lever 42 connected to one side thereof, to thereby drain the water in the water tub 1 through the drainage hose 4 connected to the drainage hole a.
In other words, the washing machine is disposed with a unidirectional brake band 44 formed at a periphery of the drum 18 for controlling the rotation of the spin-dry tub 24 in the water tub 1 and the pulsator 28 , a unidirectional clutch bearing 46 formed at a periphery of the gear case 16 , a clutch spring 30 for connecting and disconnecting the power between a washing axle line (by way of example, the driving shaft coupling connected to the driving shaft) and a spin-dry axle line (by way of example, the gear case), and the drainage motor 6 formed at a bottom side of the water tub 1 for controlling the operation of the unidirectional brake band 44 and the clutch spring 30 and opening and closing of the drainage hole 1 a.
However, there is a problem in the washing machine thus constructed according to the prior art in that the drum 18 is braked not to rotate to both directions by operations of the unidirectional brake band 44 and unidirectional clutch bearing 46 and the washing axle line is rotated while power with the spin-dry axle line is disconnected by unwinding operation of the clutch spring 30 , such that the pulsator 28 is rotated forward and backward while the spin-dry tub 24 is not rotated during the washing course to thereby prevent from making more than one kind of water current.
There is another problem in that the water current made by the pulsator 28 which is relatively strong cannot adequately cope with a variety of cloths, thereby damaging the cloths.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is disclosed to solve the aforementioned problems and it is an object of the present invention to provide a washing machine adapted in clutch structure to have a power switching motor for controlling a brake band and a clutch spring in multi-stage and for determining water current embodiment and washing method.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a washing control method for embodying various water current according to the clutch structure and operation of drainage motor to cope with varying clothes and to make an adequate water current for protection of clothes thereby preventing in advance damage to the cloths.
In accordance with one object of the present invention, there is provided a fully automated washing machine, the washing machine comprising:
a spin-dry tub rotably disposed in a water tub and connected to a drum and a gear case via a power line;
a pulsator rotably disposed in the spin-dry tub and connected to a driving shaft coupling and a driving shaft via power line;
a brake band for braking and releasing the rotation of the drum;
a clutch spring for disconnecting and connecting the power of the driving shaft coupling and the gear case; and
power switching motor for controlling in multi-stage operations of clutch spring and the brake band.
In accordance with another object of the present invention, there is provided a washing method comprising:
a first washing mode wherein only a pulsator is repeated in forward and backward rotations while a power switching motor is inoperative;
a second washing mode wherein the pulsator and a spin-dry tub conversely repeat forward and backward rotations according to a first step control of the power switching motor;
a third washing mode therein the spin-dry tub and the pulsator repeat forward and backward rotation in one direction according to a second step control of the power switching motor; and
a fourth washing mode wherein the pulsator rotates in forward and backward rotations according to forward and backward rotations of a driving motor while the spin-dry tub repeats only forward rotation under the third washing mode.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a bottom view for illustrating relation among a driving motor, power transmission means, drainage motor and drainage hole according to the prior art;
FIG. 2 is a lateral sectional view for illustrating power transmission means according to the prior art;
FIG. 3 is a bottom view for illustrating relation among a driving motor, power switching motor, drainage hole, and drainage motor installed at a water tub according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a lateral sectional view for illustrating power transmission means according to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view for illustrating a coupled state of brake part according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view for illustrating a clutch part according to the present invention;
FIG. 7 a is a plan for illustrating a brake band wound on a drum according to the present invention;
FIG. 7 b is a plan for illustrating a brake band unwound from a drum according to the present invention;
FIG. 8 a is a plan for illustrating a clutch part winding a clutch spring according to the present invention;
FIG. 8 b is a plan for illustrating a clutch part unwound from a clutch spring according to the present invention;
FIG. 9 a is a schematic drawing for illustrating formation of a first water current according to the present invention;
FIG. 9 b is a schematic drawing for illustrating formation of a second water current according to the present invention;
FIG. 9 c is a schematic drawing for illustrating formation of a third water current according to the present invention;
FIG. 9 d is a schematic drawing for illustrating formation of a fourth water current according to the present invention; and
FIG. 10 is a washing flow chart according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Preferred embodiments regarding clutch structure of a washing machine and washing control method according to the clutch structure of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, the washing machine according to the present invention is constituted by a driving motor 3 disposed at a bottom external side of a water tub 1 and power transmission means 100 centrally formed at a side of the bottom.
The power transmission means 100 is constituted at a predetermined location distanced therefrom by a drainage hole 1 a connected to a drainage hose 4 for draining water in the water tub 1 and a drainage motor 6 for opening and closing the drainage hole 1 a . The power transmission means 100 is further constituted by a power switching motor 400 for controlling the power transmission means 100 at two stages via a connecting bracket 410 .
The power transmission means 100 includes, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a brake part 200 for controlling rotation of a drum 18 and a clutch part 300 for connecting and disconnecting power to a driving shaft coupling 14 connected to a washing axle line (by way of example, a driving shaft coupling connected to a driving shaft) and a spin-dry line (by way of example, gear case).
The brake part 200 includes, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, a lever axle 210 perpendicularly coupled to one side between an upper housing 48 and a lower housing 50 , a brake lever 220 rotably coupled to a periphery of the lever axle 210 and a brake band 250 for encompassing a periphery surface of the drum and respectively hinged at both ends thereof by first and second hinge pins 230 and 240 distanced at two predetermined positions from rotary center of the brake lever 220 .
In other words, the lever axle 210 is coupled at an upper end thereof to a side relative to a margin of the upper housing 48 while a lower end of the lever axle 210 passes through one side relative to the margin of the lower housing 50 to protrude downwardly.
The brake lever 220 has a cross-sectional shape like “” in order to allow both tip ends of the brake band 250 to laterally penetrate at a predetermined depth.
The brake lever 220 is formed at upper/lower central position of one end thereof with an axle hole (not shown) for the lever axle 210 to freely and vertically pass therethrough. A first support hole (not shown) and a second hinge hole (not shown) are provided at front side and rear side for maintaining predetermined distance from a center of the axle hole (not shown) relative to the upper/lower surface of one end thereof to allow the first and second hinge pins 230 and 240 to be vertically inserted therethrough.
Furthermore, the clutch part 300 includes a clutch spring 310 spirally wound on a periphery at a border between the gear case 16 and the driving shaft coupling 14 , and upper sleeve 320 , lower sleeve 330 , clutch lever 340 and snap ring 360 each coupled to upper end and lower end of clutch spring 310 relative to periphery of the gear case 16 , as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 .
The clutch lever 340 is rotably coupled to a peripheral lower end of the lever axle 210 at the brake part 200 in order to rotate the upper and lower sleeve 320 and 330 in mutually opposite directions or to be detached from the upper and lower sleeves 320 and 330 during washing course, and the snap ring 360 is coupled to a lower tip end of the lever axle 210 in order to prevent the clutch lever 340 from being separated downwards after coupled to the lever axle 210 .
The upper and lower sleeves 320 and 330 are provided at upper/lower ends thereof with hitching holes 321 and 331 for hitching upper/lower tip ends of the clutch spring 310 to be hitched respectively and are peripherally formed with teeth 322 and 332 of gear for meshing the clutch lever 340 . The teeth 322 and 332 of the gear have the upper/lower sleeves 320 and 330 , each formed with teeth angles opposite therefrom.
The clutch lever 340 is formed at one side thereof with a coupling member 341 joining the lever axle 210 and is disposed at the other side thereof with a spanner part 342 for rotating the upper/lower sleeves 320 and 330 in mutually opposite directions or for detaching from the upper/lower sleeves 320 and 330 .
The spanner part 342 has a semi-circular shape and is integrally formed at upper/lower ends of an inner curvature thereof with first and second latches 347 and 348 for the teeth 322 of gear at the upper sleeve 320 to be coupled to or separated from the teeth 332 of gear at the lower sleeve 330 .
Now, operations of the driving motor 3 , power transmission means 100 , drainage motor 6 and power switching motor 400 according to the present invention thus constructed and control method thereof will be described.
When a washing course is selected, the drainage hole 1 a formed at the bottom side of the water tub 1 is closed according to operation of the drainage motor 6 while the brake part 200 and the clutch part 300 are controlled by operation of the power switching motor 400 .
First, the drainage motor 6 closes the drainage hole 1 a and the brake lever 220 of the brake part 200 is activated to an arrow direction as illustrated in FIG. 7 a while the power switching motor 400 is inoperated in the first washing mode, pressing the brake band 250 to a peripheral surface of the drum 18 .
Furthermore, the clutch lever 340 is activated as illustrated in FIG. 8 a to urge the first and second latches 347 and 348 of the clutch lever 340 to rotate the upper and lower sleeves 320 and 330 in mutually opposite directions, thereby enlarging an inner diameter of the clutch spring 310 , such that the drum 18 is braked of its force trying to rotate in both directions by force pulling both ends of the brake band 250 in mutually opposite directions, where the gear case 16 and the clutch spring 310 are forced to get into a non-rotational state, thereby causing the spin-dry tub 24 not to rotate as illustrated in FIG. 9 a, and the pulsator 28 connected to a power line of driving shaft 10 repeats forward/backward rotations to form a first water current adequate for small grime (filthiness).
When the power switching motor 400 is activated at the first step while the drainage hole 1 a is closed in the second washing mode, the brake lever 220 is operated clockwise to as much as a predetermined angle as shown in FIG. 7 b by force pulled by the power switching motor 400 , where the brake band 250 is separated from the peripheral surface of the drum 18 to form a predetermined size of gap, thereby setting the drum 18 free.
The clutch lever 340 of the clutch part 300 enlarges the inner diameter of the clutch spring 310 as the first and second latches 347 and 348 at the clutch lever 340 rotate the upper/lower sleeves 320 and 330 in the mutually opposite directions as shown in FIG. 8 a and as in the first washing mode.
At this time, the drum 18 is released of its contact with the brake band 250 by operation where both ends of the brake band 250 are widened in mutually opposite directions, thereby turning into a rotatable state, whereby the gear case 16 and the clutch spring 310 , although being released of power from the driving shaft 10 , are indirectly rotated by force of the drum 18 trying to rotate.
In other words, although the spin-dry tub 24 obtains an indirect turning effect according to frictional force between the water current and the clothes in the water tub 1 when the pulsator 28 is rotated, the spin-dry tub 24 is actually slower in rotating speed than the pulsator 28 , such that forward/backward rotations, which are opposite to those of the pulsator 28 as shown in FIG. 9 b, are repeated to form a second water current which is powerful and adequate to dirtier clothes, quilt and the like.
When the power switching motor 400 is activated to a second step while the drainage hole 1 a is closed in the third washing mode, the brake lever 220 is operated to a direction shown in FIG. 7 b by force pulled by the power switching motor 400 to urge the brake band 250 to be detached from the peripheral surface of the drum 18 to as much as a predetermined distance while the clutch spring 310 disposed within the upper/lower sleeves 320 and 330 are shrunken in its inner diameter by inherent resilience to be wound on the external circumference at a border between the driving shaft coupling 14 and the gear case 16 and the drum 18 , gear case 16 , clutch spring 310 , driving shaft coupling 14 and driving shaft 10 are connected by one power line at the same time.
At this time, the drum 18 is released of its contact with the brake band 250 by operation where both ends of the brake band 250 are widened to mutually opposite directions, while the gear case 16 is electrically connected to the driving shaft 10 by the clutch spring 310 such that the spin-dry tub 24 and the pulsator 28 are simultaneously rotated only to forward direction each at the same speed to form a third weak water current for protection of clothes such as wool, lingerie and the like, as illustrated in FIG. 9 c.
When the power switching motor 400 is activated at the second step while the drainage hole 1 a is closed in the fourth washing mode, the brake lever 220 and the clutch lever 340 are activated in the same fashion as in the third washing mode, setting the drum 18 rotatatively free and urging the gear case 16 to rotatively operate by receiving power from the driving shaft 10 via the clutch spring 310 .
When the driving motor 3 is driven in the forward and backward directions under the above-mentioned state, the pulsator 28 is also rotated in the forward/backward directions while the spin-dry tub 24 repeats rotations to the forward direction only as in FIG. 9 d.
In other words, the forward rotational direction of the pulsator 28 is the same direction where the clutch spring 310 is wound on the external circumference at the border between the driving shaft coupling 14 and the gear case 16 , such that, when the pulsator 28 is forwardly rotated, the spin-dry tub 24 connected to the gear case 16 and drum 18 via one power line is rotated in the same forward direction and at the same speed.
However, when the pulsator 28 is backwardly rotated, the clutch spring 310 wound on the external circumference at the border between the driving shaft coupling 14 and the gear case operated to an unwinding direction as in FIG. 8 b to disconnect the power to the driving shaft 14 and the gear case 16 , such that, when the pulsator 28 is backwardly rotated, the spin-dry tub 24 cannot tag along in rotation with the pulsator 28 and spin-dry tub 24 is rotated only to one direction by inertia when the pulsator 28 is forwardly rotated.
Successively, the spin-dry tub 24 is forwardly rotated at the same speed and in the same direction when the pulsator 28 is forwardly rotated, and repeats the idling fuzzy course when the pulsator 28 is backwardly rotated, such that a fourth water current stronger than the water current in the third washing mode but weaker than the water current in the second washing mode can be formed.
Unlike the third washing mode, the fourth water current generates circulation or movement of cloths in the spin-dry tub 24 to increase washing efficiency by which damage to the clothes is decreased, such that the fourth water current is adequate to protection of cloths and washing of dirtier cloths.
Turning to FIG. 10, the washing control method thus operated according to the present invention includes steps (S 510 , S 520 , S 530 , S 540 ) for selecting one of a plurality of cloth or one of a plurality of washing courses, and steps (S 511 , S 521 , S 531 , S 541 ) for controlling a water current according to the selected cloth or selected washing course.
The water current control method thus established is stored in a microcomputer and is embodied by a course selected by a user, the method comprising:
a first water current control method wherein the pulsator, and not the spin-dry tub, rotates in forward/backward direction;
a second water current control method wherein a spin-dry tub repeats forward/backward rotations in opposite directions to those of the pulsator;
a third water current control method wherein the pulsator and the spin-dry tub rotates in forward direction only; and
a fourth water current control method wherein the second water current control is alternatively operated under the third water current control state.
By way of example, when a user selects a wool course (S 530 ), a water current corresponding thereto is controlled (S 531 ), and when a shirt course is selected (S 520 ), a washing control step is taken where the second water current is controlled (S 521 ).
As apparent from the foregoing, there is an advantage in the washing machine and its washing method thus described according to the present invention in that the washing machine has adopted a clutch structure wherein a power switching motor for controlling a brake band and a clutch lever in multi-state is separately applied from a drainage motor, such that various kinds of water currents can be embodied according to the multi-control of the power switching motor and a washing method adequate to needs of cloth protection and coping with varying cloths can be provided to thereby enable to protect damage of cloths in advance.
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A novel washing machine and a novel method for washing clothes. Depending on the type of cloth to be washed, one of four washing modes is selected. A pulsator and a spin-dry tub rotate in various directions and speeds depending on the wash mode selected. Thus causes varying degree of agitation during the wash cycle. A power switching motor controls a brake and a clutch to cause the pulsator and the spin-dry tub to rotate depending on the wash mode selected. Thus, the pulsator and the spin-dry tub are capable of rotating either forward, backward, agitate in both directions, or not to rotate the tub at all depending on the wash mode selected.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present Application for Patent is related to the following co-pending U.S. Patent Applications:
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/270,199 entitled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING CONTENT TO SUPPORT MULTIPLE CUSTOMER SERVICE ENTITIES AND CONTENT PACKAGERS”, filed Nov. 8, 2005, assigned to the assignee hereof, and expressly incorporated by reference herein, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/270,372 entitled “APPARATUS AND METHODS OF OPEN AND CLOSED PACKAGE SUBSCRIPTION”, filed Nov. 8, 2005, assigned to the assignee hereof, and expressly incorporated by reference herein, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/270,413, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,565,506, entitled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING CONTENT BASED ON RECEIVERS CHARACTERISTICS”, filed Nov. 8, 2005, assigned to the assignee hereof, and expressly incorporated by reference herein, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/270,166 entitled “APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING AND PRESENTING CUSTOMIZED CHANNEL INFORMATION”, filed Nov. 8, 2005, assigned to the assignee hereof, and expressly incorporated by reference herein, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/270,370 entitled “APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR DELIVERING AND PRESENTING AUXILIARY SERVICES FOR CUSTOMIZING A CHANNEL”, filed Nov. 8, 2005, assigned to the assignee hereof, and expressly incorporated by reference herein, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/270,210 entitled “METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DELIVERING REGIONAL PARAMETERS”, filed Nov. 8, 2005, assigned to the assignee hereof, and expressly incorporated by reference herein, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/270,165 entitled “FLEXIBLE SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING CONTENT TO A DEVICE”, filed Nov. 8, 2005, assigned to the assignee hereof, and expressly incorporated by reference herein, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/270,167 entitled “SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING PACKAGES AND CHANNELS TO A DEVICE” filed Nov. 8, 2005, assigned to the assignee hereof, and expressly incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND
1. Field
The present application relates generally to media delivery in a data network, and to methods and apparatus for fragmenting system information messages for delivery over a wireless network.
2. Background
In a content delivery/media distribution system, programming information that describes content and delivery schedule of available content and/or services may be provided to devices in a distribution network. For example, a content distribution network that operates on the media distribution network may provide the programming and/or system information messages to devices in communication with the network. Devices receiving the information operate to display the information to device users who may then subscribe and/or select content and/or services to be received. For example, a device user views the programming guide and/or system information, and may then select and subscribe to receive content and/or services that include multimedia content, clips, programs, scripts, data, customer services, or any other type of content or service.
Therefore, what is needed is a system that operates to allow large system information messages to be efficiently delivered to devices that may have memory limitation or delivery quality requirements.
SUMMARY
Methods and apparatus for sending system information (SI) associated with media directed to a device are disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes the steps of fragmenting system information into a plurality of fragments, and transporting the fragments to a device. In another aspect, a method for receiving system information associated with media directed to a device includes receiving system information fragments, and reassembling the fragments to recover the system information.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a system for delivering system information (SI) messages;
FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of an SI message fragmentation;
FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of a network server for delivering SI messages;
FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of a method for delivering SI messages;
FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of a device for receiving SI messages; and
FIG. 6 shows one embodiment of a method for operating a device for receiving SI messages.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
System information (SI) Distribution Protocols
In one embodiment, one or more protocols (e.g., application layer protocol entities) may be used for the delivery and update of the System Information (SI) on a device. FIG. 1 shows one embodiment for the SI delivery protocols. In one embodiment, there may be two SI delivery protocols:
The “Marketplace Delivery Protocol” 102 , which may be used to deliver Marketplace and System information (MSI); and The “MPG Delivery Protocol” 104 , which may be used to deliver MPG blocks.
The above protocols may utilize the services of a shared “SI Framing Protocol” 108 .
The signaling related to a current version of SI messages may be delivered in a “Primary Flow” 106 . The SI framing protocol 108 may utilize the services provided by “Transport Layer protocols” 110 .
In one embodiment, the upper layer 124 in the network generates, maintains, and updates system information. New or modified SI elements or attributes may be made available to the marketplace and MPG delivery protocol entities for incorporation in SI messages. An SI message is created, or a new or modified element is incorporated in an existing SI message, and the SI version number is updated.
The marketplace and MPG delivery protocol entities in the network may communicate the latest SI versioning information to the primary flow protocol, and may schedule the delivery of copies of the SI message over the appropriate multicast or unicast channels, e.g., SI flows.
The SI framing protocol entity 108 in the network receives SI messages from the marketplace and/or MPG delivery protocol entities. The SI messages may be encoded in XML, SGML, or any other structural markup language text formats.
In one embodiment, the SI framing protocol entity 108 fragments an SI message into SI message fragments, 112 , if the size of the SI message exceeds a configurable maximum size. The SI message instances or SI message fragments may then be encoded, e.g., to a binary format, 114 , as binary SI messages. The binary SI messages may be subject to additional fragmentation into smaller binary fragments, 116 , for transport. The SI message fragments, the SI messages, the binary fragments, or any combination thereof, are then passed to the transport layer protocol entity 110 , for delivery over a multicast interface, for example.
The MPG and marketplace delivery protocol entities at the device may receive SI versioning information from the primary flow protocol entity upon activation, and optionally periodically thereafter. When a change to the current version of an SI message is detected, the device may select the corresponding SI flow to acquire the latest information.
In one embodiment, the SI message fragments, the binary-encoded SI message fragments, the binary fragments, or any combination thereof are received at the device. The received fragments may be binary reassembled 118 , binary decoded 120 , and XML reassembled, 122 . If an SI message instance is received in fragments, the SI framing protocol at the device passes the entire information from the SI message to the marketplace or MPG delivery protocol entity after the constituent SI fragments are received, so that the original SI message may be reassembled.
SI Framing Protocol
In one embodiment, the SI framing protocol 108 provides four services: Fragmentation and reassembly of SI messages, 112 and 122 Encoding and decoding of SI messages or fragments, 114 and 120 Fragmentation and reassembly of the encoded SI messages or fragments, 116 and 118 ; and Management of transmission and reception of the encoded SI messages or fragments by the transport layer, 110 .
SI Message Fragmentation
SI message fragmentation refers to the fragmentation and reassembly of SI Messages. SI fragmentation may be performed to:
Mitigate the effect of packet loss, and/or Accommodate physical, e.g., memory, limitations on the device by allowing the entire received SI message fragment to be loaded in the available memory on the device. In one embodiment, the SI message is made available to the upper layer 126 in the device only after all fragments are received.
In one embodiment, the network may fragment an SI Message into two or more SI message fragments, if the size of the SI message exceeds a predetermined “SI_Message_Max_Size” parameter. The SI_Message_Max_Size is a configurable network parameter whose value may depend on the transport reliability requirements and the physical, e.g., memory, display size, processor type, etc., limitations on the device. The SI_Message_Max_Size may depend on the transmission technology, i.e., it may be a uniform parameter that accommodates all the device limitations (e.g., memory size) in broadcast transmission, but may vary from device to device in unicast transmission. The maximum allowable loss probability for SI messages may limit the maximum size of SI messages and, therefore; the maximum size of the SI message payload prior to binary encoding. Further, the decoding process and the maximum size of the decoding buffer on the device may also impose a limit on the value of SI_Message_Max_Size.
SI Message Fragment Structure
In one embodiment, an SI message fragment includes the root attributes of the parent SI message, additional fragment attributes, and one or more atomic elements. An atomic element is an element or sub-element of the message fragment that may not be further fragmented. An SI message fragment may not exceed SI_Message_Max_Size. The number of fragments may not exceed “SI_Fragments_Max_Number,” a configurable network parameter whose value depends on the transport reliability requirements and the memory limitations on the device. If it is not possible to fragment an SI message because of either or both of these restrictions, the network may abort the transmission of the SI message.
The SI message fragment attribute may include a fragment ID and/or the total number of fragments of the parent SI message. An example of the fragmentation of a “Marketplace Content Retailer” message instance being partitioned into two SI message fragments is depicted in FIG. 2 . FIG. 2 shows a parent SI message 202 , and two exemplary SI message fragments 204 and 206 of the parent SI message 202 . The SI message 202 has message root attributes 208 and message atomic elements 210 . The message root attributes 208 may include an SI message ID, an SI message version number, and/or one or more SI message specific fields or keys. The SI message fragment 204 has fragment root attributes 212 , and fragment atomic elements 214 . The fragment root attributes 212 includes its parent message root attributes 208 , e.g., SI message ID, the message version number, and/or one or more message specific fields or keys, and the fragment attributes, e.g., fragment ID (e.g., 1) and the total number of fragments (e.g., 2) of the parent SI message. The SI message fragment 206 has fragment root attributes 216 , and fragment atomic elements 218 . The fragment root attributes 216 includes its parent message root attributes 208 , e.g., SI message ID, the message version number, and/or one or more message specific fields or keys, and the fragment attributes, e.g., fragment ID (e.g., 2) and the total number of fragments (e.g., 2) of the parent SI message.
The atomic elements of an SI message instance depend on the type of SI message, among other possible parameters. Each direct sub-element of an SI message instance is an atomic element. Table 1 lists the atomic elements of the listed SI message types.
TABLE 1 Atomic Elements SI Message Atomic Elements Marketplace Common Classification Scheme Table BCS Record Marketplace Content Basic Info Retailer EULA Table Package Record Tier Record Channel Record Auxiliary Data Service Definition Service Record Auxiliary Service Record MPG Block MPG Title Record Channel Customization Record Contact Window Blackout Record
Fragment Attributes
In one embodiment, two root attributes are defined for an SI message Fragment:
Fragment ID Number of fragments
These attributes may be present in the SI message fragments, but they are not present in un-fragmented SI messages.
The fragment ID attribute uniquely distinguishes the SI message fragment from all other SI message fragments of the same version of an SI message. The fragment ID attribute may be an 8-bit unsigned integer, for example. The value of the fragment ID attribute may be set to “1” for the first SI message fragment, and may be incremented, e.g., by 1, for each subsequent fragment of the same SI message instance. The value of the fragment ID may not exceed SI_Fragments_Max_Number.
The number-of-fragments attribute specifies the number of SI message fragments of an SI message instance. The number-of-fragments attribute may be an 8-bit unsigned integer, for example. The value of the number-of-fragments attribute may be equal to the maximum value of the fragment ID attribute used by the SI message fragments of the version of the SI message being fragmented. The minimum value of the number-of-fragments attribute is 2. The number-of-fragments attribute has the same value in all SI message fragments of the same version of the SI message.
Encoding of SI Message Fragments
Each SI message or SI message fragment may be encoded to a second language representation, e.g., binary, as shown in FIG. 1 , 114 . The binary encoding algorithm may include “ASN.1 Basic PER” algorithm, as specified in ISO/IEC 8825-2. Both aligned and unaligned options may be supported.
Fragmenting Encoded SI Message Fragments
The network may divide each encoded SI message into one or more (e.g., binary) fragments. The binary fragments except the last one may be of the same size. The size of a binary fragment may be specified by a system parameter Binary_SI_Message_Fragment_Size. For example, a binary SI message may be fragmented into 255 binary fragments. Each binary fragment may be prefaced by a header that allows the device to identify each fragment and reassemble the original binary SI message. The device reassembles, 118 , each binary SI message before decoding it. One embodiment of the format of the binary fragment header is shown in Table 2.
TABLE 2
Binary SI Fragment Header Format
Field Name
Field Type
MESSAGE_ID
UINT(n)
MESSAGE_SPECIFIC_FIELDS
VARIABLE
FRAGMENT_ID
UINT(n)
TOTAL_FRAGMENTS
UINT(n)
Where, UINT stands for Unsigned Integer (n bits). The fields of the binary SI fragment header are defined in the following subsections.
Message_ID
This field identifies the type of SI message being fragmented. Some values for the MESSAGE_ID field are described in Table 3.
TABLE 3
Binary SI fragment MESSAGE_ID values
SI Message Type
MESSAGE_ID Value
SERVICE_DEFINITION
1
MARKETPLACE_COMMON
2
CONTENT_RETAILER_MARKETPLACE
3
MPG_BLOCK
4
For example, the MESSAGE_ID field is set to SERVICE_DEFINITION if the SI message being fragmented is a service definition SI message.
Message_Specific_Fields
The MESSAGE_SPECIFIC_FIELDS or keys convey the values of the SI message fields that distinguish different SI messages. The set of fields involved is specific to each type of SI message. Accordingly, the size of the MESSAGE_SPECIFIC_FIELDS varies from 2 bytes to 5 bytes according to the value of MESSAGE_ID. In one embodiment, a format of the MESSAGE_SPECIFIC_FIELDS when the MESSAGE_ID is set to MARKETPLACE_COMMON or SERVICE_DEFINITION is shown in Table 4.
TABLE 4
Binary SI fragment MESSAGE_SPECIFIC_FIELDS -
MARKETPLACE_COMMON and SERVICE_DEFINITION messages
Field Name
Field Type
VERSION
UINT(n)
In one embodiment, a format of the MESSAGE_SPECIFIC_FIELDS when the MESSAGE_ID is set to CONTENT_RETAILER_MARKETPLACE is shown in Table 5.
TABLE 5
Binary SI fragment MESSAGE_SPECIFIC_FIELDS -
CONTENT_RETAILER_MARKETPLACE messages
Field Name
Field Type
CONTENT_RETAILER_ID
UINT(n)
VERSION
UINT(n)
In one embodiment, a format of the MESSAGE_SPECIFIC_FIELDS when the MESSAGE_ID is set to MPG_BLOCK is shown in Table 6.
TABLE 6 Binary SI fragment MESSAGE_SPECIFIC_FIELDS - MPG_BLOCK messages Field Name Field Type MPG_BLOCK_START_TIME UINT(n) MPG_BLOCK_VERSION UINT(n)
Fragment_ID
Each fragment of a message is identified by the FRAGMENT_ID. This field may be used by the device to locate the position of the fragment in the binary SI message and to determine when it has received all the required fragments of the message.
Fragments may be numbered sequentially according to their position in the binary SI message, e, g., starting with 0. The value of the last fragment would be equal to TOTAL_FRAGMENTS−1. For example, when a binary SI message is fragmented into 255 fragments, the value of FRAGMENT_ID may not exceed 254.
Total_Fragments
This field indicates the total number of fragments of an SI message. For example, the range of values for this field is 1 through 255.
Distribution Algorithm
The network may transmit the binary SI message fragments of a given version of an SI message at least once before starting transmission of the next SI message on the same SI flow. The maximum interval between consecutive message fragment transmissions may not exceed T FRAGMENT — ACQUISITION (ms) parameter. T FRAGMENT — ACQUISITION is a configurable system parameter.
Acquisition of SI Message Fragments
A device which acquires an SI message in which the fragment attributes are present determines that the SI message is an SI Message fragment. The device may acquire the SI message fragments of a version of an SI message before processing the entire SI message.
Marketplace Delivery Protocol
The marketplace delivery protocol may deliver and/or update messages, such as the following SI messages:
Marketplace Common Message Marketplace Content Retailer Message (per Content Retailer) Service Definition Message
The above SI messages are collectively referred to as Marketplace & System information (MSI). The network may deliver MSI corresponding to the Wide-area Operations Infrastructure (WOI), and if available, to Local-area Operations Infrastructure (LOI) multiplexes. The MSI pertaining to a WOI or LOI multiplex may be delivered over the corresponding WOI or LOI marketplace definition SI flows. The network may signal, e.g., on the primary flow, presence of the MSI on the marketplace definition SI flows, and the current Version of the MSI on each marketplace definition SI flow. The MSI may be transmitted cyclically, in a predetermined order. The maximum interval between consecutive transmissions of MSI messages may not exceed T MARKETPLACE — ACQUISITION (ms). The T MARKETPLACE — ACQUISITION may be a configurable system parameter. A device may acquire the MSI delivered on the WOI marketplace definition flow or on the LOI marketplace definition flow, if any present. The device may determine the current version of the MSI from the primary flow, and may detect an update to any MSI message as a change of version for that message in the primary flow.
Media Presentation Guide Delivery Protocol
The Media Presentation Guide (MPG) may provide a user with a schedule of what will be available for viewing on each Service. If the MPG Information is tied to a given time period, the network continuously delivers and updates the device with the latest MPG. The network may deliver MPG blocks for MPG titles transmitted in the WOI and, if available, in the LOI multiplexes. The MPG titles transmitted in a WOI or LOI multiplex may be delivered over the corresponding WOI or LOI Near-term and/or Far-term MPG SI flows. MPG block messages on each MPG flow may be transmitted cyclically, e.g., in ascending order of the value of the “Start_Time” attribute of the MPG block. The MPG block message may specify the “MPG_Block_Start_Time,” which is the earliest time covered by the MPG block. The MPG_Block_Start_Time of each MPG blocks corresponds to the end of the interval covered by the previous MPG lock.
The maximum interval between consecutive transmissions of MPG block messages may not exceed T MPG — ACQUISITION (ms). The T MPG — ACQUISITION may be a configurable system parameter. The network may stop transmission of an MPG block when the “System Time” exceeds the “Start_Time” of the MPG Block by more than “MPG_Block_Duration.” The MPG title record may specify the MPG_Block_Duration. If the service is a real-time service or an IP-datacast service, the MPG_Block_Duration added to the MP_Block_Start_Time is the time at which display of the content may end. If the service is a non-real-time service, the MPG_Block_Duration added to the MPG_Block_Start_Time is the latest time at which display of the content may commence, exclusive of any introductions associated with the MPG title. If the service is a “Per MPG Title” service, the significance of the MPG_Block_Start_Time is dependent on the nature of the content associated with the MPG title, as defined in the preceding two paragraphs.
The near-term MPG SI flow may be used to transmit the nearest MPG blocks applicable to a multiplex. The number of MPG blocks in the near-term MPG SI flow may not be less than MPG_Min_Num_Multicast_Blocks, where MPG_Min_Num_Multicast_Blocks is a configurable network parameter. The far-term MPG SI flow is used to transmit MPG blocks applicable to the multiplexes that are not transmitted in the near term MPG SI flow. The total number of MPG blocks in the near and far-term MPG SI flows combined may not exceed MPG_Max_Num_Multicast_Blocks, where MPG_Max_Num_Multicast_Blocks is a configurable network parameter.
MPG Block Version Management
The network may maintain a MPG_Version parameter, which may be incremented whenever:
An MPG block is added to the near-term or far-term MPG SI flow, An MPG block is removed from the near-term or far-term MPG SI flow, and/or The version of any MPG block is changed,
The network may signal the current value of the MPG_Version to the device through the primary flow, to signal a change to at least one MPG block, the addition or deletion of an MPG block, or the transfer of an MPG block from a far-erm MPG SI flow to a near-term MPG SI flow.
MPG Distribution in Primary Flow
The network may signal the current values of the following parameters through the primary flow:
The presence or absence of an MPG SI flow, MPG_Block_Duration, The Start_Time of the earliest MPG block message currently being transmitted, The number of MPG blocks currently being transmitted in the near-term flow, The total number of MPG blocks currently being transmitted in the near-term and far-term flows, The MPG_Version, and The versions of each MPG block currently being transmitted.
The device may use these parameters to control initial acquisition of the MPG blocks, to detect the expiration, addition, deletion or change of MPG blocks, and to acquire updated versions of MPG blocks. The device may acquire and store at least the nearest MPG_Min_Num_Stored_Blocks MPG Blocks. The device may determine the current version of the MPG blocks and the availability of new MPG blocks from the primary flow.
FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of a network server 300 for use in one embodiment of a delivery system for delivering SI messages. The server 300 comprises processing logic 302 and transceiver logic 304 , which are coupled to an internal data bus 306 . The server 300 also comprises encoder logic 308 and fragments generation logic 310 .
In one or more embodiments, the processing logic 302 comprises a CPU, processor, gate array, hardware logic, memory elements, virtual machine, software, and/or any combination of hardware and software. Thus, the processing logic 302 generally comprises logic to execute machine-readable instructions and to control one or more other functional elements of the server 300 via the internal data bus 306 .
The transceiver logic 304 comprises hardware logic and/or software that operate to allow the server 300 to transmit and receive data and/or other information with remote devices or systems using communication channel 312 . For example, in one embodiment, the communication channel 312 comprises any suitable type of communication link to allow the server 300 to communicate with one or more data networks. For example, in one embodiment, the transceiver logic 304 operates to receive SI messages from one or more remote content servers or protocols. The server 300 then operates to fragment and or encode the SI messages that are transmitted to devices operating on one or more wide area networks.
Therefore, the server 300 operates in one or more embodiments of a delivery system to deliver SI messages to devices operating on one or more wide area networks. It should be noted that the server 300 illustrates just one implementation and that other implementations are possible within the scope of the embodiments.
FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of a method 400 for operating a network server in one embodiment of a SI-message delivery system. For clarity, the method 400 will be described with reference to the network server 300 shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 1 . In one embodiment, at least one processor, such as the processing logic 302 , executes machine-readable instructions to control the server 300 to perform the functions described below. At block 402 , one or more SI messages are received for transmission to one or more devices. The SI messages may be expressed in a first language representation, e.g., XML. For example, one or more content providers provide one or more SI messages for distribution to one or more devices. In one embodiment, the SI messages are received from the marketplace delivery protocol 102 and/or from MPG delivery protocol 104 . At block 404 , one or more SI messages are fragmented within the first representation. At block 406 , one or more SI fragments may be encoded from the first representation to a second representation, e.g., binary. At block 408 , one or more of the encoded fragments may be further fragmented within the second representation. At block 410 , the fragments are transmitted to one or more devices. Thus, the method 400 operates to deliver SI messages to one or more devices with memory-size limitations. It should be noted that the method 400 represents just one implementation and that other implementations are possible within the scope of the embodiments.
FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of a device 500 for use in one embodiment of a system for delivering SI messages. The device 500 comprises processing logic 502 , device resources and interface logic 504 , and transceiver logic 506 , which are coupled to an internal data bus 508 . The device 500 also comprises decoding logic 510 and reassembly logic 512 , which are also coupled to the data bus 508 . In one or more embodiments, the processing logic 502 comprises a CPU, processor, gate array, hardware logic, memory elements, virtual machine, software, and/or any combination of hardware and software. Thus, the processing logic 502 generally comprises logic to execute machine-readable instructions and to control one or more other functional elements of the device 500 via the internal data bus 508 .
The device resources and interfaces logic 504 comprise hardware and/or software that allow the device 500 to communicate with internal and external systems. For example, the internal systems may include mass storage systems, memory, display driver, modem, or other internal device resources. The external systems may include user interface devices, displays, printers, disk drives, keyboard, keypad, cursor keys, pointing device, or any other local devices or systems. For example, the device interface logic 504 operates to receive user inputs from a keypad, and output information to be displayed on a device display.
The transceiver logic 506 comprises hardware logic and/or software that operate to allow the device 500 to transmit and receive data and/or other information with remote devices or systems using communication channel 514 . For example, in one embodiment, the communication channel 514 comprises any suitable type of communication link to allow the device 500 to communicate with one or more data networks. For example, in one embodiment, the transceiver logic 506 operates to receive SI messages and/or fragments from one or more remote servers. The SI messages and/or fragments received may then be processed by decoding logic 510 and/or reassembly logic 512 .
In one embodiment, the delivery system comprises program instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, which when executed by at least one processor, for instance, the processing logic 502 , provides the functions described herein. For example, the program instructions may be loaded into the device 500 from a computer-readable media, such as a floppy disk, CDROM, memory card, FLASH memory device, RAM, ROM, or any other type of memory device or computer-readable medium that interfaces to the device 500 . In another embodiment, the instructions may be downloaded into the device 500 from an external device or network resource that interfaces to the device 500 through the transceiver logic 506 . The program instructions, when executed by the processing logic 502 , provide one or more embodiments of a delivery system.
Therefore, the device 500 operates in one or more embodiments of a delivery system to receive SI messages and/or fragments from a network server. It should be noted that the device 500 illustrates just one implementation and that other implementations are possible within the scope of the embodiments.
FIG. 6 shows one embodiment of a method 600 for operating a device in one embodiment. For clarity, the method 600 will be described with reference to the device 500 shown in FIG. 5 , and FIG. 1 . In one embodiment, at least one processor, such as the processing logic 502 , executes machine readable instructions to control the device 500 to perform the functions described below.
At block 602 , message fragments are received, which may have been through fragmentation in a first (e.g., XML) and/or a second (binary) language representation, at the network, 116 . At block 604 , it is determined whether the received fragments had been fragmented within a second representation. If yes, the received fragments are reassembled within the second representation, in step 606 . At block 608 , it is determined whether the fragments had been encoded from a first representation to the second representation. If yes, the fragments are decoded from the second representation to the first representation, in step 610 . At block 612 , it is determined whether the SI message had been fragmented within the first representation, e.g., XML. If yes, the fragments are reassembled within the first representation, in step 614 . At block 616 , the recovered SI messages are delivered to upper layer, e.g., marketplace delivery protocol and/or MPG delivery protocol.
Thus, the method 600 operates to allow a device to receive a SI messages in one embodiment of a delivery system. It should be noted that the method 600 represents just one implementation and that other implementations are possible within the scope of the embodiments.
The various illustrative logics, logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but, in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.
The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. A software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor, such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In the alternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in a user terminal.
The description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments may be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments, e.g., in an instant messaging service or any general wireless data communication applications, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. The word “exemplary” is used exclusively herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.
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Methods and apparatus for sending system information (SI) associated with media directed to a device are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of fragmenting system information into a plurality of fragments, and transporting the fragments to a device. I another embodiment, a method for receiving system information associated with media directed to a device includes receiving system information fragments, and reassembling the fragments to recover the system information.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This patent application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/454,109, filed on Mar. 18, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT
The present invention was made with government support under contract no. N00178-05-D-4255-FD01 awarded by the Department of Defense. The government has certain rights in the invention.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present inventive disclosure relates toward a method to reverse the sensitization process that causes certain aluminum alloys to become susceptible to corrosion over time, and also toward a method to reverse the sensitization process which allows for continued use of aluminum structures rather than replacement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Aluminum-magnesium, or 5xxx series alloys, have a combination of good strength, weldability, and corrosion resistance that makes them ideal for ship construction and use in marine environments. However, these alloys can become susceptible to intergranular corrosion over their service life. For instance, aluminum alloys with greater than about 3% Mg (including, for example, welded 5456 and 5083 alloys) can be sensitized and become susceptible to intergranular corrosion, and thus cracking, when exposed to elevated temperatures. Thus, such alloys are not considered suitable for service above approximately 65° C.
Aluminum superstructures of, for example, surface ships, have experienced cracking due to the effects of corrosion. The structural 5456 plate, often used for such applications, has become sensitized from long-term exposure to slightly elevated temperatures and perhaps from heat associated with GMA (Gas Metal Arc) welding and, thus, more prone to intergranular corrosion. A sensitized microstructure is one in which the alloying element Mg segregates and forms beta phase precipitates (Al 3 Mg 2 ) in a continuous or semi-continuous fashion along the grain boundaries. Thus, sensitization in this case is defined as a microstructure wherein Mg-rich phase precipitates along grain boundaries as Al 3 Mg 2 (also known as beta phase), in a semi-continuous or continuous fashion or morphology. The beta phase is generally anodic to the grain interiors and brittle and, thus, plates with a sensitized microstructure are susceptible to intergranular corrosion, exfoliation, and stress-corrosion and intergranular cracking when exposed to stress and corrosive media. Once this microstructure is present, corrosion, such as, for example, from salt water, can cause intergranular corrosion and cracking.
Sensitization is not easily reversible, however it may be possible to re-dissolve the beta phase into the alloy matrix via an anneal heat treatment. However, since the 5456 plate derives its strength from work hardening, the annealed plate is softer than, for example, the H116 or H321 marine grade plate. The comparison is a tensile yield strength of approximately 37 ksi for the marine grade plates and 23 ksi for a fully annealed plate. Annealing can, of course, be done partially, and the plate strength can be made to be similar to that of the GMA weld yield strength of approximately 26 ksi.
The problem of intergranular corrosion and cracking gained new attention in 2002 after more than 200 commercial vessels built with 5083-H321 plate were found to be susceptible to intergranular corrosion [see Reference 1]. Many of these vessels required new hulls and superstructures, which led to the adoption of a new ASTM standard B928 [see Reference 2]. This standard required additional certification of aluminum alloy plates for marine use, including the use of the Nitric Acid Mass Loss Test (“NAMLT”) [see Reference 3] to better demonstrate corrosion resistance. Nitric acid dissolves the beta phase, thus causing grains surrounded by a relatively continuous network of beta phase to fall out, resulting in significant mass loss from the test sample. Unfortunately, Al—Mg alloy plate samples can pass the B928 requirements and yet, over time, the plate still develops a sensitized microstructure in service, especially in the heat affected zone of a weld [see Reference 4]. That is, at temperatures within the suitable service envelope for these alloys (e.g., below approximately 65° C.) beta phase can still precipitate on grain boundaries over long time periods.
To combat this problem, aluminum companies have tried to apply a stabilization heat treatment to aluminum plates, such that the Mg does precipitate continuously along grain boundaries. For example, during fabrication of 5xxx aluminum plate, rolling is often followed by a stabilization heat treatment. While stabilization often refers to a process developed in order to prevent age-softening, there is another stabilization treatment by which magnesium is precipitated in grain interiors or discontinuously on grain boundaries to reduce the likelihood of future sensitization [see Reference 5]. However, this practice is difficult to apply, and is not always performed correctly (or performed at all), which is evident by the number of problems realized from aluminum ship superstructures. A difficulty further arises in that the proper heat-treatment temperature range is narrow and varies with rolling practice [see Reference 6]. If the plate is treated at a temperature that is too low, beta phase will precipitate on grain boundaries and sensitization will be accelerated. If the stabilization temperature is too high, the Mg will go back into solution in the aluminum matrix, but the strain hardening that Al—Mg alloys rely on for strength will be annealed out and a significant loss in strength will result. In addition, Mg in solution is not stable and may re-precipitate to the grain boundaries over time under the right conditions.
The present inventive disclosure is directed toward overcoming one or more of the above-identified problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general, the disclosed method is directed toward locally reversing sensitization in 5xxx aluminum plates. This inventive disclosure utilizes a heat treatment analogous to a mill stabilization treatment to reverse sensitization and restore corrosion resistance to existing Al—Mg structures. The method described herein simulates a classical stabilization treatment performed during plate production leading to non-semi-continuous grain-boundary beta phase. The present invention is a method to de-sensitize the plate as an in-situ heat treatment on 5xxx aluminum structures, which can be implemented as an alternative to the costly repair method of cutting out sensitized plate and welding in patches of fresh plate or replacing entire structures altogether.
The disclosed method utilizes a heat treatment practice that effectively dissolves the continuous Mg-rich precipitates on the grain boundaries, thus re-establishing corrosion resistance. The key technical factor for the heat treatment is the establishment of the critical temperature range. At high temperatures, de-sensitization is accomplished by a severe loss in mechanical properties. At lower temperatures, sensitization is accelerated. The disclosed method utilizes a temperature range in which de-sensitization is possible without the degradation of strength.
The other key factor of the disclosed method is that it teaches a method to apply the treatment to shipboard structures (or other structures) in-situ. Several methods with be outlined, including the use of heat blankets, heat guns and other heating methods. The technical factor that makes the in-situ application of the heat treatment work is the short exposure time. The longer the exposure time, the more the adjacent, unheated plate will be affected. This adjacent plate heating will be at a lower temperature than the applied heating and, thus, likely in the range of temperatures that causes and accelerates sensitization in the first place. So, the disclosed method allows the use of a de-sensitization treatment without the likelihood of collateral damage to non-treated areas of the structure. The disclosed method can utilize virtually any kind of portable heat application and method to control the heat applied to a complex aluminum structure.
Since large structures cannot typically be removed and furnace treated as a unit, the stabilization treatment must often be performed via a portable heat unit. In one embodiment of this invention, a flexible ceramic pad heater is used to treat a vertical 5456 panel. Since the panel may be larger than the heat source used, the heat source typically has to be moved around the panel to treat the entire surface. This process causes the plate adjacent to the heat source to experience some intermediate level of heating. However, if the entire panel is ultimately treated, this nuisance heating will eventually be on fully-stabilized plate.
The present invention provides the ability to effectively reverse the sensitization of 5xxx aluminum alloys and, thus, enable affected structures to be reconditioned rather than scrapped. Sensitization has been observed in plate material at lower operating temperatures than previously thought sufficient to induce sensitization, and also in plate that had been previously certified to the ASTM B928 standard. Thus, it is important to monitor the progress of sensitization on structures, especially welded ones, before the onset of intergranular corrosion and cracking. Previously, sensitized plate was typically allowed to continue in service until cracking occurred, and then it was removed and a new plate was patched in by welding.
An alternative method that reverses sensitization and prevents cracking is possible with the application of the methods of the present invention and enables an extension of service life with lower maintenance costs. In a preferred embodiment, a stabilization treatment on sensitized plate is effective with an exposure time as short as, for example, 10 minutes at temperatures from approximately 240° C. to 280° C. This short elevated temperature treatment allows for implementation by means of portable heating units. In another embodiment, automatic methods including, for example, robotic manipulation of heater units can be utilized.
In another embodiment, substructures are subjected to the method(s) of the present invention in a furnace. Other means of providing the method taught by this invention includes the application of localized heat via heating blankets, flexible polymeric heat pads, high intensity lights, induction heating, or any other method that provides for suitable, controllable heat. The examples described herein mainly pertain to aluminum plate, but the present invention is also suitable for other product forms including, but not limited to, extruded profiles, castings, forgings and weldments.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method of stabilization of aluminum alloy objects is provided, which includes exposing an aluminum alloy structure to an elevated temperature for a short period of time. In one form, the aluminum alloy is of the 5xxx alloy type, or aluminum primarily alloyed with magnesium. In another form, the aluminum alloy is of the 7xxx alloy type, or aluminum primarily alloyed with zinc and magnesium. The elevated temperature can range from about 225° C. to about 280° C. The short period of time can range from approximately 5 to 60 minutes. However, other temperatures and time periods are contemplated.
In one form, the exposure to elevated temperature is accomplished via the application of a portable heating unit. In another form, the exposure to elevated temperature is performed in a furnace. The aluminum object can include, for example, a structure, plate, extruded profile, casting, forging or weldment.
In a further embodiment, a method of stabilization of a sensitized aluminum-magnesium alloy structure is provided, which includes applying a short elevated temperature exposure to the aluminum-magnesium alloy structure by using a portable heating device such that large structures can be treated one area at a time. In one form, the sensitized alloy exhibits a NAMLT test result of greater than 25 mg/cm 2 , and wherein said exposure results in an alloy that is resistant to intergranular corrosion as measured by a NAMLT test result of fewer than 25 mg/cm 2 . In another form, the sensitized alloy exhibits a NAMLT test result of greater than 25 mg/cm 2 , and wherein said exposure results in an alloy that is resistant to intergranular corrosion as measured by a NAMLT test result of less than 15 mg/cm 2 .
It is preferred that the hardness of the stabilized alloy is not decreased by more than 50% as measured by the change in Rockwell B hardness values. It is more preferred that the hardness of the stabilized alloy is not decreased by more than 25% as measured by the change in Rockwell B hardness values.
In one form, the structure is on board a ship. Alternately, the structure can be the hull of a ship. The portable heating device may include ceramic or polymeric pad heaters configured for hand held use. Alternately, the portable heating device may be configured for automated or robotic use. Additionally, the portable heating device may be fabricated from heating blankets, high intensity lights or an induction heat unit.
In a further embodiment, a method of stabilization of a sensitized aluminum-magnesium alloy structure is providing, which includes applying a short elevated temperature exposure to a sensitized portion of the aluminum-magnesium alloy structure in-situ while the sensitized portion remains integral with the aluminum-magnesium alloy structure. In one form, a portable heating device is used to apply the short elevated temperature exposure to the sensitized portion of the aluminum-magnesium alloy structure in-situ.
Other objects, aspects and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the specification, the drawings, and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a Schematic of the Effect of Temperature on Al—Mg Alloys (adapted from [References 6 and 7]);
FIG. 2 is a chart of NAMLT Results of 5456-H116 Plate after Progressive Elevated Temperature Exposures;
FIG. 3 is a chart of NAMLT and Yield Strength for Treatment vs. Temperature in 5456 Plate;
FIGS. 4-7 are Metallography graphs having the properties: L-ST orientation at T/2; Etch: 3 minutes in 40% phosphoric acid @ 95° F. (35° C.); and
FIG. 8 is an illustration of an exemplary portable heating unit being used to heat a panel in accordance with the inventive method.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A schematic of the stabilization temperature range for Al—Mg alloys is shown in FIG. 1 . Alloys, such as, for example, 5083 (4.5 Mg) and 5456 (5.1 Mg) can become sensitized and, thus, corrosion susceptible, upon exposure to the temperature range depicted by the shaded area 1 . FIG. 1 is a schematic and shows that additional factors are also important in defining the various regions for a given plate. These factors include, for example, the exposure time at a given temperature, the extent of recrystallization, and the amount of cold work applied during fabrication. FIG. 1 also shows that these alloys can be annealed at temperatures above the beta phase solid solubility limit, at region 2 . In between these two regions 1 and 2 is the stabilization range 3 wherein beta phase can be redistributed, such that it is not continuous along grain boundaries while avoiding softening the plate.
FIG. 2 shows responses of a 5456 plate to elevated temperature exposure. A 10 minute exposure 4 (shown in dotted lines) and a 30 minute exposure 5 (shown in solid lines) are both shown. The lower curve represents NAMLT values, and the upper curve shows Yield Strength (YS) test results. The top curve (YS) is a measure of Yield Strength (MPa) (the legend on the left) vs. Exposure Temperature (° C.). The bottom curve is a measure of Mass Loss (mg/cm 2 ) (the legend on the right) vs. Exposure Temperature (° C.). The left side of the chart shows the initial H116 condition (at region 8 ), followed by a sensitized condition (at region 9 ), and then a region where the plate has been de-sensitized (at region 10 ). The far right also represents a de-sensitized condition (at region 11 ), although specimens subjected to these conditions have become annealed with a resultant significant loss of strength. These curves show that a sensitization treatment and a stabilization treatment below around 300° C. does not significantly affect strength. The sensitization treatment applied is shown to effectively give NAMLT results above 25 mg/cm 2 , and stabilization treatments that reduce NAMLT to below 15 mg/cm 2 need to be performed at temperatures greater than approximately 230° C. While an effective stabilization temperature may be slightly lower for longer exposure times (e.g., 30 minutes vs. 10 minutes) a reasonable temperature range appears to be from 240° C. to 280° C. The plate will remain sensitized below this range while the yield strength significantly declines above this range.
To determine if the stabilized plate would become re-sensitized, additional tests were performed. FIG. 3 is a bar graph of NAMLT (mg/mm 2 ) vs. Exposure Temperature/Time. FIG. 3 shows the sensitization cycle of an as-received 5456-H116 plate (as shown at 12 ), that is intentionally sensitized (as shown at 13 ), treated to become stabilized (as shown at 14 ), and then exposed again (as shown generally at 15 ) to an elevated temperature to determine if the plate would re-sensitize. FIG. 3 illustrates that exposure times of 1 hour at 200° C. (as shown at 16 ) and 240° C. (as shown at 17 ) temperatures, which may represent the nuisance heat experienced by plate adjacent to areas being treated, do not significantly increase corrosion susceptibility. However, an exposure of 6 hours at 150° C. (as shown at 18 ) will increase the corrosion susceptibility somewhat, although the plate remains below the ASTM B928 limit of 15 mg/cm 2 . An aggressive 24-hour treatment at 150° C. (as shown at 19 ) (e.g., the same cycle as the initial sensitization treatment) will result in the plate being sensitized as it did for the as-received plate. In general, it appears that the treatment given has restored the sensitized plate to near its original condition. This does not make the plate impervious to sensitization, but resets the starting point so that its service life is effectively extended.
EXAMPLE
Table 1 below shows the tensile test results from 5456-H116 plate in the as-received, sensitized, and sensitized and subsequently processed conditions. The sensitization treatment was a 24 hour hold at 150° C. As shown in the metallography FIGS. 4-7 , the sensitization treatment increases the continuous beta-phase on the grain boundaries, resulting in a high weight loss during the NAMLT (Nitric Acid Mass Loss, ASTM G67) corrosion test (see Table 1).
At first, a 340° C. heat treatment was applied, and while it cleaned up the grain boundaries and reduced the NAMLT weight loss, it also reduced the strength of the plate significantly. Table 1 shows the values for application of 340° C. for 1 hour, 4 hour, 12 hour and 24 hour time periods. Thus, while this showed promise, the yield strength (YS) was reduced below the general threshold of 26 ksi. Next, a 240° C. heat treatment was utilized to try and mimic a practice that has been used in a so-called stabilization heat treatment by aluminum rolling mills. Table 1 shows the values for application of 240° C. for 0.5 hour, 1 hour and 4 hour time periods. This type of heat treatment is not always applied, or applied correctly, and the exact time and temperature of such a treatment varies with alloy composition and rolling practice and, thus, is somewhat of a lost art. However, this type of heat treatment had historically been used for freshly rolled plate to prevent sensitization and not for plate already sensitized. The 240° C. heat treatment was found to clean up the grain boundaries, reduce the NAMLT weight loss, and maintain a high yield strength, as shown in Table 1 and the metallography in FIGS. 4-7 .
As shown in FIGS. 4-5 , optical metallography confirms that the sensitization treatment did result in a semi-continuous network of grain boundary beta phase, as expected from the NAMLT results. After a 340° C. treatment, the sensitized specimens revert back to a low NAMLT test value, but the resultant low strength indicates that annealing occurred. Optical metallography confirmed that after 24 hours at 340° C. the grain boundary beta has gone back into solution (see FIG. 6 ). However, as expected from the NAMLT results, a treatment of 10 minutes at 240° C. also effectively dissolves the grain boundary beta phase (see FIG. 7 ), although without the softening due to significant annealing.
TABLE 1
5456 Tensile results, LT, mean of 3
UTS
YS
NAMLT
Condition
Heat treat
(ksi)
(ksi)
El (%)
(mg/cm 2 )
H116
As-received
55.0
38.2
20.8
3.8
Sensitized
24 h @ 150° C.
54.0
35.9
22.8
30.3
Sensitized +
24 h @ 150° C. +
1 h @ 340° C.
47.5
20.4
26.3
1.7
4 h @ 340° C.
47.1
20.2
28.2
1.8
12 h @ 340° C.
47.3
20.5
28.2
1.9
24 h @ 340° C.
47.2
20.6
28.2
1.8
Sensitized
24 h @ 150° C.
53.4
35.5
20.0
29.7
Sensitized +
24 h @ 150° C. +
0.5 h @ 240° C.
53.3
35.8
20.7
3.0
1 h @ 240° C.
53.2
35.6
21.5
3.9
4 h @ 240° C.
52.4
34.9
19.8
2.7
Metallography (FIGS. 4-7): L-ST orientation at T/2.
Etch: 3 minutes in 40% phosphoric acid @ 95° F. [35° C.]
As noted previously, application of the heat may be implemented via portable heaters. This has particular utility when stabilization treatments are provided to large structures, such as, for ship superstructures. Since these large structures cannot typically be removed and furnace treated as a unit, the stabilization treatment must often be performed via a portable heat unit. In one exemplary embodiment of this invention, as shown in FIG. 8 , a flexible ceramic pad heater 20 is used as a heat source to treat a vertical 5456 panel. Since the panel may typically be larger than the heat source used, the heat source must be moved around the panel to treat the entire surface. While this process will cause the plate adjacent to the heat source to experience some intermediate level of heating, if the entire panel is ultimately treated, this nuisance heating will eventually be on fully-stabilized plate.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications and variations of the described examples and embodiments are possible in light of the above teachings of the disclosure. The disclosed examples and embodiments are presented for purposes of illustration only. Therefore, it is the intent to cover all such modifications and alternate embodiments as may come within the true scope of this invention, which is to be given the full breadth thereof. Additionally, the disclosure of a range of values is a disclosure of every numerical value within that range.
All of the Reference cited below are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
REFERENCES
1. H. Bushfield, M. Cruder, R. Farley, J. Towers, “Marine Aluminum Plate—ASTM Standard Specification B 928 and the Events Leading to Its Adoption,” Presented at the October 2003 Meeting of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, San Francisco, Calif.
2. ASTM B928 Standard Specification for High Magnesium Aluminum-Alloy Sheet and Plate for Marine Service and Similar Environments, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pa., 2007, www.astm.org.
3. ASTM G67 Standard Test Method for Determining the Susceptibility to Intergranular Corrosion of 5XXX Series Aluminum Alloys by Mass Loss After Exposure to Nitric Acid (NAMLT), ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pa., 1999 www.astm.org.
4. R. A. Sielski, “Research Needs in Aluminum Structure,” 10th International Symposium on Practical Design of Ships and Other Floating Structures, Houston, Tex., 2007, American Bureau of Shipping.
5. R. E. Sanders Jr., P. A. Hollinshead, E. A. Simielli, “Industrial Development of Non-Heat Treatable Aluminum Alloys,” MATERIALS FORUM, VOLUME 28—Published 2004, Edited by J. F. Nie, A. J. Morton, B. C. Muddle, Institute of Materials Engineering Australasia, Ltd.
6. E. H. Dix, Jr., W. A. Andersen, M. B. Shumaker, “Influence of Service Temperature on the Resistance of Wrought Aluminum-Magnesium Alloys to Corrosion,” CORROSION, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 55t-62t, February 1959.
7. G. Scamans, “Stabilisation of AA5xxx Alloys,” Innoval Technology Limited, Commercial Report IR08-042, May 2008.
8. W. Golumbfskie, C. Wong, “Investigation of 5xxx Aluminum Sensitization Based Upon Thermal Loading,” Presented at ShipTech 2010, March 2010, Biloxi, Mass.
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Aluminum-magnesium alloys are ideal for ship construction; however, these alloys can become sensitized and susceptible to intergranular corrosion when exposed to moderately elevated temperatures. A stabilization treatment has been developed to reverse sensitization and restore corrosion resistance, such that in-service plate can be refurbished rather than replaced. This treatment involves a short exposure to a specific elevated temperature range and can be implemented with portable units onboard a ship.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/638,126, filed Aug. 8, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,115,637, which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/746,722, filed Dec. 21, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,632,945, which is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/US99/10291, filed May 11, 1999, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/129,099, filed Apr. 13, 1999, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/127,626, filed Apr. 1, 1999, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/085,053, filed May 11, 1998.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to inhibitors of p38, a mammalian protein kinase involved in cell proliferation, cell death and response to extracellular stimuli. The invention also relates to methods for producing these inhibitors. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the inhibitors of the invention and methods of utilizing those compositions in the treatment and prevention of various disorders.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Protein kinases are involved in various cellular responses to extracellular signals. Recently, a family of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) has been discovered. Members of this family are Ser/Thr kinases that activate their substrates by phosphorylation [B. Stein et al., Ann. Rep. Med. Chem., 31, pp. 289-98 (1996)]. MAPKs are themselves activated by a variety of signals including growth factors, cytokines, UV radiation, and stress-inducing agents.
One particularly interesting MAPK is p38. p38, also known as cytokine suppressive anti-inflammatory drug binding protein (CSBP) and RK, was isolated from murine pre-B cells that were transfected with the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor, CD14, and induced with LPS. p38 has since been isolated and sequenced, as has the cDNA encoding it in humans and mouse. Activation of p38 has been observed in cells stimulated by stress, such as treatment of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), UV, anisomycin, or osmotic shock, and by cytokines, such as IL-1 and TNF.
Inhibition of p38 kinase leads to a blockade on the production of both IL-1 and TNF. IL-1 and TNF stimulate the production of other proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-6 and IL-8 and have been implicated in acute and chronic inflammatory diseases and in post-menopausal osteoporosis [R. B. Kimble et al., Endocrinol., 136, pp. 3054-61 (1995)].
Based upon this finding, it is believed that p38, along with other MAPKs, have a role in mediating cellular response to inflammatory stimuli, such as leukocyte accumulation, macrophage/monocyte activation, tissue resorption, fever, acute phase responses and neutrophilia. In addition, MAPKs, such as p38, have been implicated in cancer, thrombin-induced platelet aggregation, immunodeficiency disorders, autoimmune diseases, cell death, allergies, osteoporosis and neurodegenerative disorders. Inhibitors of p38 have also been implicated in the area of pain management through inhibition of prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase-2 induction. Other diseases associated with Il-1, IL-6, IL-8 or TNF overproduction are set forth in WO 96/21654.
Others have already begun trying to develop drugs that specifically inhibit MAPKs. For example, PCT publication WO 95/31451 describes pyrazole compounds that inhibit MAPKs, and, in particular, p38. However, the efficacy of these inhibitors in vivo is still being investigated.
Accordingly, there is still a great need to develop other potent inhibitors of p38, including p38-specific inhibitors, that are useful in treating various conditions associated with p38 activation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses this problem by providing compounds that demonstrate strong inhibition of p38.
These compounds have the general formula:
wherein each of Q 1 and Q 2 are independently selected from a phenyl or 5-6 membered aromatic heterocyclic ring system, or a 8-10 membered bicyclic ring system comprising aromatic carbocyclic rings, aromatic heterocyclic rings or a combination of an aromatic carbocyclic ring and an aromatic heterocyclic ring.
A heterocyclic ring system or a heterocyclic ring contains 1 to 4 heteroatoms, which are independently selected from N, O, S, SO and SO 2 .
The rings that make up Q 1 are substituted with 1 to 4 substituents, each of which is independently selected from halo; C 1 -C 3 alkyl optionally substituted with NR′ 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′ or CONR′ 2 ; O—(C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl optionally substituted with NR′ 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′ or CONR′ 2 ; NR′ 2 ; OCF 3 ; CF 3 ; NO 2 ; CO 2 R′; CONR′; SR′; S(O 2 )N(R′) 2 ; SCF 3 ; CN; N(R′)C(O)R 4 ; N(R′)C(O)OR 4 ; N(R′)C(O)C(O)R 4 ; N(R′)S(O 2 )R 4 ; N(R′)R 4 ; N(R 4 ) 2 ; OR 4 ; OC(O)R 4 ; OP(O) 3 H 2 ; or N═C—N(R′) 2 .
The rings that make UP Q 2 are optionally substituted with up to 4 substituents, each of which is independently selected from halo; C 1 -C 3 straight or branched alkyl optionally substituted with NR′ 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, S(O 2 )N(R′) 2 , N═C—N(R′) 2 , R 3 , or CONR′ 2 ; O—(C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl; O—(C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl optionally substituted with NR′ 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, S (O 2 )N(R′) 2 , N═C—N(R′) 2 , R 3 , or CONR′ 2 ; NR′ 2 ; OCF 3 ; CF 3 ; NO 2 ; CO 2 R′; CONR′; R 3 ; OR 3 ; NR 3 ; SR 3 ; C(O)R 3 ; C(O)N(R′)R 3 ; C(O)OR 3 ; SR′; S(O 2 )N(R′) 2 ; SCF 3 ; N═C—N(R′) 2 ; or CN.
Q 2 ′ is selected from phenyl or a 5-6 member aromatic heterocyclic ring optionally substituted with 1-3 substituents, each of which is independently selected from halogen; C 1 -C 3 alkyl optionally substituted with NR′ 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CONR′ 2 , or O—P(O 3 )H 2 ; O—(C 2 -C 3 )-alkyl optionally substituted with NR′ 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CONR′ 2 , or OP(O 3 )H 2 ; OCF 3 ; CF 3 ; OR 4 ; O—CO 2 R 4 ; O—P(O 3 )H 2 ; CO 2 R′; CONR′; SR′; S(O 2 )N(R′) 2 ; SCF 3 ; CN; N(R′)C(O)R 4 ; N(R′)C(O)OR 4 ; N(R′)C(O)C(O)R 4 ; N(R′)S(O 2 )R 4 ; N(R′)R 4 ; N(R 4 ) 2 ; OR 4 ; OC(O)R 4 ; OP(O) 3 H 2 ; or N═C—N(R′) 2 ; provided that Q 2 ′ is not phenyl optionally substituted 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from halo, methoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, methyl or ethyl.
R′ is selected from hydrogen; (C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl; (C 2 -C 3 )-alkenyl or alkynyl; phenyl or phenyl substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from halo, methoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, methyl or ethyl; or a 5-6 membered heterocyclic ring system optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from halo, methoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, methyl or ethyl.
R 3 is selected from 5-8 membered aromatic or non-aromatic carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring systems each optionally substituted with R′, R 4 , —C(O)R′, —C′(O)R 4 , —C(O)OR 4 or -J; or an 8-10 membered bicyclic ring system comprising aromatic carbocyclic rings, aromatic heterocyclic rings or a combination of an aromatic carbocyclic ring and an aromatic heterocyclic ring each optionally substituted with R′, R 4 , —C(O)R′, —C(O)R 4 , —C(O)OR 4 or -J.
R 4 is (C 1 -C 4 )-straight or branched alkyl optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , or SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 ; or a 5-6 membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , or SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 .
R 5 is selected from hydrogen; (C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl optionally substituted with R 3 ; (C 2 -C 3 )-alkenyl or alkynyl each optionally substituted with R 3 ; phenyl or phenyl substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from halo, methoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, methyl or ethyl; or a 5-6 membered heterocyclic ring system optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from halo, methoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, methyl or ethyl.
W is selected from N(R 2 )SO 2 —N(R 2) 2 ; N(R 2 )SO 2 —N(R 2 )(R 3 ); N(R 2 )C(O)—OR 2 ; N(R 2 )C(O)—N(R 2 ) 2 ; N(R 2 )C(O)—N(R 2 )(R 3 ); N(R 2 )C(O)—R 2 ; N(R 2 ) 2 ; C(O)—R 2 ; CH(OH)—R 2 ; C(O)—N(R 2 ) 2 ; C(O)—OR 2 ; J; or (C 1 -C 4 ) straight or branched alkyl optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , R 3 , SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 , OC(O)R 2 , OC(O)R′, OC(O)N(R 2 ) 2 , —N(R 4 )(R 5 ), —C(O)N(R 5 )(R 2 ), —C(O)R 5 , —N(R 2 )C(O)N(R 2 )(R 5 ), —NC(O)OR 5 , —OC(O)N(R 2 )(R 5 ), or -J; a 5-6 membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , or SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 ; or a 8-10 membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , or SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 ; provided that W is not an R 3 substituted C 1 alkyl.
W′ is selected from N(R 2 )—SO 2 -Q 2 ; N(R 2 )—CO 2 -Q 2 ; N(R 2 )—C(O)-Q 2 ; N(R 2 )(Q 2 ); C(O)-Q 2 ; CO 2 -Q 2 ; C(O)N(R 2 )(Q 2 ); C(R 2 ) 2 Q 2 .
Each R is independently selected from hydrogen, —R 2 , —N(R 2 ) 2 , —OR′, SR 2 , —C(O)—N(R 2 ) 2 , —S(O 2 )—N(R 2 ) 2 , —C(O)—OR 2 or —C(O)R 2 wherein two adjacent R are optionally bound to one another and, together with each Y to which they are respectively bound, form a 4-8 membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring.
R 2 is selected from hydrogen, (C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl, or (C 1 -C 3 )-alkenyl; each optionally substituted with —N(R′) 2 , —OR′, SR′, —C(O)—N(R′) 2 , —S(O 2 )—N(R′) 2 , —C(O)—OR′, —NSO 2 R 4 , —NSO 2 R 3 , —C(O)N(R′)(R 3 ), —NC(O)R 4 , —N(R′)(R 3 ), —N(R′)(R 4 ), —C(O)R 3 , —C(O)N(R′)(R 4 ), —N(R 4 ) 2 , —C(O)N═C(NH) 2 or R 3 .
Y is N or C.
Z is CH, N, C(OCH 3 ), C(CH 3 ), C(NH 2 ), C(OH) or C(F).
U is selected from R or W.
V is selected from —C(O)NH 2 , —P(O)(NH 2 ) 2 , or —SO 2 NH 2 .
A,B, and C are independently selected from —O—, —CHR′—, —CHR 4 —, —NR′—, —NR 4 — or —S—.
J is a (C 1 -C 4 ) straight chain or branched alkyl derivative substituted with 1-3 substituents selected from D, -T-C(O)R′, or —OPO 3 H 2 .
D is selected from the group
T is either O or NH.
G is either NH 2 or OH.
In another embodiment, the invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the p38 inhibitors of this invention. These compositions may be utilized in methods for treating or preventing a variety of disorders, such as cancer, inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, destructive bone disorders, proliferative disorders, infectious diseases, viral diseases and neurodegenerative diseases. These compositions are also useful in methods for preventing cell death and hyperplasia and therefore may be used to treat or prevent reperfusion/ischemia in stroke, heart attacks, and organ hypoxia. The compositions are also useful in methods for preventing thrombin-induced platelet aggregation. Each of these above-described methods is also part of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
These compounds have the general formula:
wherein each of Q 1 and Q 2 are independently selected from a phenyl or 5-6 membered aromatic heterocyclic ring system, or a 8-10 membered bicyclic ring system comprising aromatic carbocyclic rings, aromatic heterocyclic rings or a combination of an aromatic carbocyclic ring and an aromatic heterocyclic ring.
The rings that make up Q 1 are substituted with 1 to 4 substituents, each of which is independently selected from halo; C 1 -C 3 alkyl optionally substituted with NR′ 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′ or CONR′ 2 ; O—(C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl optionally substituted with NR′ 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′ or CONR′ 2 ; NR′ 2 ; OCF 3 ; CF 3 ; NO 2 ; CO 2 R′; CONR′; SR′; S(O 2 )N(R′) 2 ; SCF 3 ; CN; N(R′)C(O)R 4 ; N(R′)C(O)OR 4 ; N(R′)C(O)C(O)R 4 ; N(R′)S(O 2 )R 4 ; N(R′)R 4 ; N(R 4 ) 2 ; OR 4 ; OC(O)R 4 ; OP(O) 3 H 2 ; or N═C—N(R′) 2 .
The rings that make Up Q 2 are optionally substituted with up to 4 substituents, each of which is independently selected from halo; C 1 -C 3 straight or branched alkyl optionally substituted with NR′ 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, S(O 2 )N(R′) 2 , N═C—N(R′) 2 , R 3 , or CONR′ 2 ; O—(C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl; O—(C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl optionally substituted with NR′ 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, S(O 2 )N(R′) 2 , N═C—N(R′) 2 , R 3 , or CONR′ 2 ; NR′ 2 ; OCF 3 ; CF 3 ; NO 2 ; CO 2 R′; CONR′; R 3 ; OR 3 ; NR 3 ; SR 3 ; C(O)R 3 ; C(O)N(R′)R 3 ; C(O)OR 3 ; SR′; S(O 2 )N(R′) 2 ; SCF 3 ; N═C—N(R′) 2 ; or CN.
Q 2 ′ is selected from phenyl or a 5-6 member aromatic heterocyclic ring optionally substituted with 1-3 substituents, each of which is independently selected from halogen; C 1 -C 3 alkyl optionally substituted with NR′ 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CONR′ 2 , or O—P(O 3 )H 2 ; O—(C 2 -C 3 )-alkyl optionally substituted with NR′ 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CONR′ 2 , or OP(O 3 )H 2 ; OCF 3 ; CF 3 ; OR 4 ; O—CO 2 R 4 ; O—P(O 3 )H 2 ; CO 2 R′; CONR′; SR′; S(O 2 )N(R′) 2 ; SCF 3 ; CN; N(R′)C(O)R 4 ; N(R′)C(O)OR 4 ; N(R′)C(O)C(O)R 4 ; N(R′)S(O 2 )R 4 ; N(R′)R 4 ; N(R 4 ) 2 ; OR 4 ; OC(O)R 4 ; OP(O) 3 H 2 ; or N═C—N(R′) 2 ; provided that Q 2 ′ is not phenyl optionally substituted 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from halo, methoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, methyl or ethyl.
R′ is selected from hydrogen; (C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl; (C 2 -C 3 )-alkenyl or alkynyl; phenyl or phenyl substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from halo, methoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, methyl or ethyl; or a 5-6 membered heterocyclic ring system optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from halo, methoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, methyl or ethyl.
R 3 is selected from 5-8 membered aromatic or non-aromatic carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring systems each optionally substituted with R′, R 4 , —C(O)R′, —C(O)R 4 , —C(O)OR 4 or -J; or an 8-10 membered bicyclic ring system comprising aromatic carbocyclic rings, aromatic heterocyclic rings or a combination of an aromatic carbocyclic ring and an aromatic heterocyclic ring each optionally substituted with R′, R 4 , —C(O)R′, —C(O)R 4 , —C(O)OR 4 or -J.
R 4 is (C 1 -C 4 )-straight or branched alkyl optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , or SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 ; or a 5-6 membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , or SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 .
R 5 is selected from hydrogen; (C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl optionally substituted with R 3 ; (C 2 -C 3 )-alkenyl or alkynyl each optionally substituted with R 3 ; phenyl or phenyl substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from halo, methoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, methyl or ethyl; or a 5-6 membered heterocyclic ring system optionally substituted with 1 to 3 substituents independently selected from halo, methoxy, cyano, nitro, amino, hydroxy, methyl or ethyl.
W is selected from N(R 2 )SO 2 —N(R 2 ) 2 ; N(R 2 )SO 2 —N(R 2 )(R 3 ); N(R 2 )C(O)—OR 2 ; N(R 2 )C(O)—N(R 2 ) 2 ; N(R 2 )C(O)—N(R 2 )(R 3 ); N(R 2 )C(O)—R 2 ; N(R 2 ) 2 ; C(O)—R 2 ; CH(OH)—R 2 ; C(O)—N(R 2 ) 2 ; C(O)—OR 2 ; J; or (C 1 -C 4 ) straight or branched alkyl optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , R 3 , SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 , OC(O)R 2 , OC(O)R′, OC(O)N(R 2 ) 2 , —N(R 4 )(R 5 ), —C(O)N(R 5 )(R 2 ), —C(O)R 5 , —N(R 2 )C(O)N(R 2 )(R 5 ), —NC(O)OR 5 , —OC(O)N(R 2 )(R 5 ), or -J; a 5-6 membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , or SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 ; or a 8-10 membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , or SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 ; provided that W is not an R 3 substituted C 1 alkyl.
W′ is selected from N(R 2 )—SO 2 -Q 2 ; N(R 2 )—CO 2 -Q 2 ; N(R 2 )—C(O)-Q 2 ; N(R 2 )(Q 2 ); C(O)-Q 2 ; CO 2 -Q 2 ; C(O)N(R 2 )(Q 2 ); C(R 2 ) 2 Q 2 .
Each R is independently selected from hydrogen, —R 2 , —N(R 2 ) 2 , —OR 2 , SR 2 , —C(O)—N(R 2 ) 2 , —S(O 2 )—N(R 2 ) 2 , —C(O)—OR 2 or —C(O)R 2 wherein two adjacent R are optionally bound to one another and, together with each Y to which they are respectively bound, form a 4-8 membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring.
When the two R components form a ring together with the Y components to which they are respectively bound, it will obvious to those skilled in the art that a terminal hydrogen from each unfused R component will be lost. For example, if a ring structure is formed by binding those two R components together, one being —NH—CH 3 and the other being —CH 2 —CH 3 , one terminal hydrogen on each R component (indicated in bold) will be lost. Therefore, the resulting portion of the ring structure will have the formula —NH—CH 2 —CH 2 —CH 2 —.
R 2 is selected from hydrogen, (C 1 -C 3 )-alkyl, or (C 1 -C 3 )-alkenyl; each optionally substituted with —N(R′) 2 , —OR′, SR′, —C(O)—N(R′) 2 , —S(O 2 )—N(R′) 2 , —C(O)—OR′, —NSO 2 R 4 , —NSO 2 R 3 , —C(O)N(R′)(R 3 ), —NC(O)R 4 , —N(R′)(R 3 ), —N(R′)(R 4 ), —C(O)R 3 , —C(O)N(R′)(R 4 ), —N(R 4 ) 2 , —C(O)N═C(NH) 2 or R 3 .
Y is N or C.
Z is CH, N, C(OCH 3 ), C(CH 3 ), C(NH 2 ), C(OH) or C(F).
U is selected from R or W.
V is selected from —C(O)NH 2 , —P(O)(NH 2 ) 2 , or —SO 2 NH 2 .
A,B, and C are independently selected from —O—, —CHR′—, —CHR 4 —, —NR′—, —NR 4 — or —S—.
J is a (C 1 -C 4 ) straight chain or branched alkyl derivative substituted with 1-3 substituents selected from D, -T-C(O)R′, or —OPO 3 H 2 .
D is selected from the group
T is either O or NH.
G is either NH 2 or OH.
According to a preferred embodiment, Q 1 is selected from phenyl or pyridyl containing 1 to 3 substituents, wherein at least one of said substituents is in the ortho position and said substituents are independently selected from chloro, fluoro, bromo, —CH 3 , —OCH 3 , —OH, —CF 3 , —OCF 3 , —O(CH 2 ) 2 CH 3 , NH 2 , 3,4-methylenedioxy, —N(CH 3 ) 2 , —NH—S(O) 2 -phenyl, —NH—C(O)O—CH 2 -4-pyridine, —NH—C(O)CH 2 -morpholine, —NH—C(O)CH 2 —N(CH 3 ) 2 , —NH—C(O)CH 2 -piperazine, —NH—C(O)CH 2 -pyrrolidine, —NH—C(O)C(O)-morpholine, —NH—C(O)C(O)-piperazine, —NH—C(O)C(O)-pyrrolidine, —O—C(O)CH 2 —N(CH 3 ) 2 , or —O—(CH 2 ) 2 —N(CH 3 ) 2 .
Even more preferred are phenyl or pyridyl containing at least 2 of the above-indicated substituents both being in the ortho position.
Some specific examples of preferred Q 1 are:
Most preferably, Q 1 is selected from 2-fluoro-6-trifluoromethylphenyl, 2,6-difluorophenyl, 2,6-dichlorophenyl, 2-chloro-4-hydroxyphenyl, 2-chloro-4-aminophenyl, 2,6-dichloro-4-aminophenyl, 2,6-dichloro-3-aminophenyl, 2,6-dimethyl-4-hydroxyphenyl, 2-methoxy-3,5-dichloro-4-pyridyl, 2-chloro-4,5 methylenedioxy phenyl, or 2-chloro-4-(N-2-morpholino-acetamido)phenyl.
According to a preferred embodiment, Q 2 is phenyl, pyridyl or naphthyl containing 0 to 3 substituents, wherein each substituent is independently selected from chloro, fluoro, bromo, methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, —OCH 3 , —OH, —NH 2 , —CF 3 , —OCF 3 , —SCH 3 , —OCH 3 , —C(O)OH, —C(O)OCH 3 , —CH 2 NH 2 , —N(CH 3 ) 2 , —CH 2 -pyrrolidine and —CH 2 OH.
Some specific examples of preferred Q 2 are:
unsubstituted 2-pyridyl or unsubstituted phenyl.
Most preferred are compounds wherein Q 2 is selected from phenyl, 2-isopropylphenyl, 3,4-dimethylphenyl, 2-ethylphenyl, 3-fluorophenyl, 2-methylphenyl, 3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl, 3-chlorophenyl, 2-carbomethoxylphenyl, 2-carboxyphenyl, 2-methyl-4-chlorophenyl, 2-bromophenyl, 2-pyridyl, 2-methylenehydroxyphenyl, 4-fluorophenyl, 2-methyl-4-fluorophenyl, 2-chloro-4-fluorphenyl, 2,4-difluorophenyl, 2-hydroxy-4-fluorphenyl, 2-methylenehydroxy-4-fluorophenyl, 1-naphthyl, 3-chloro-2-methylenehydroxy, 3-chloro-2-methyl, or 4-fluoro-2-methyl.
According to another preferred embodiment, each Y is C.
According an even more preferred embodiment, each Y is C and the R and U attached to each Y component is selected from hydrogen or methyl.
According to another preferred embodiment, W is a 0-4 atom chain terminating in an alcohol, amine, carboxylic acid, ester, amide, or heterocycle.
Some specific examples of preferred W are:
Most preferably, W is selected from:
U has the same preferred and most preferred embodiments as W.
According to an even more preferred embodiment, each Y is C, and W and/or U is not hydrogen.
Some preferred embodiments are provided in Table 1 to 6 below:
TABLE 1
Cmpd
Number
Structure
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
TABLE 2
Cmpd
Number
Structure
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
TABLE 3
Cmpd
Number
Structure
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
TABLE 4
Cmpd
Number
Structure
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
TABLE 5
Cmpd
Number
Structure
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
TABLE 6
Cmpd
Number
Structure
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
Particularly preferred embodiments include:
wherein X is H,
Particularly preferred embodiments also include:
wherein X is NH 2 or N(CH 3 ) 2 ;
wherein X is OH, NH 2 , or N(CH 3 ) 2 .
Other particularly preferred embodiments include:
wherein X is OH, NH 2 , N(CH 3 ) 2 ,
Other particularly preferred embodiments include:
Other particularly preferred embodiments include:
wherein X is
Most preferred embodiments include:
According to another embodiment, the present invention provides methods of producing the above-identified inhibitors of p38 of the formulae (Ia), (Ib), (Ic), (Id) and (Ie). Representative synthesis schemes for formula (Ia) are depicted below.
Schemes 1-3 illustrate the preparation of compounds in which W is either an amino, carboxyl or an aldehyde function. In each case the particular moiety may be modified through chemistry well known in the literature. For example the final amino compounds D and N (schemes 1 and 4 respectively) may be acylated, sulfonylated or alkylated to prepare compounds within the scope of W. In all schemes, the L1 and L2 groups on the initial materials are meant to represent leaving groups ortho to the nitrogen atom in a heterocyclic ring. For example, compound A may be 2,6-dichloro-3 nitro pyridine.
In Scheme 1, W is selected from amino-derivatized compounds such as N(R 2 )SO 2 —N(R 2 ) 2 ; N(R 2 )SO 2 —N(R 2 )(R 3 ); N(R 2 )C(O)—OR 2 ; N(R 2 )C(O)—N(R 2 ) 2 ; N(R 2 )C(O)—N(R 2 )(R 3 ); N(R 2 )C(O)—R 2 ; or N(R 2 ) 2 .
In Scheme 1, the Q 2 ring is introduced utilizing one of many reactions know in the art which result in the production of biaryl compounds. One example may be the reaction of an aryl lithium compound with the pyridine intermediate A. Alternatively, an arylmetalic compound such as an aryl stannane or an aryl boronic acid may be reacted with the aryl halide portion (intermediate A) in the presence of a Pd o catalyst to form product B. In the next step, a Q1 substituted derivative such as a phenyl acetonitrile derivative may be treated with a base such as sodium hydride, sodium amide, LDA, lithium hexamethyldisilazide or any number of other non-nucleophilic bases to deprotonate the position alpha to the cyano group, which represents a masked amide moiety. This anion is then contacted with intermediate B to form C. The nitrile or equivalent group of intermediate C is then hydrolyzed to form the amide and the nitro group is subjected to reducing conditions to form the amine intermediate D. Intermediate D is then used to introduce various functionality defined by W through chemistry such as acylation, sulfonylation or alkylation reactions well known in the literature. Depending on the regiochemistry of the first two steps of this procedure, the first two steps may need to be reversed.
In Scheme 2, W is selected from carboxyl-derivatized compounds such as C(O)—R 2 ; CH(OH)—R 2 ; C(O)—N(R 2 ) 2 ; or C(O)—OR 2 .
Scheme 2 generally follows the procedures described for Scheme 1 except that a carboxyl intermediate such as E is the starting material. The first two steps mirror Scheme 1, and, as mentioned for Scheme 1, may be reversed depending on the regiochemistry of specific examples. Intermediate G is formed from these first two steps and this material may be hydrolyzed as mention to for the carboxyl intermediate H. The carboxyl group may then be modified according to well-known procedures from the literature to prepare analogs with defined W substituents such as acylations, amidations and esterifications.
In Scheme 3, W is selected from (C 1 -C 4 ) straight or branched alkyl optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , R 3 , or SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 ; or a 5-6 membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , or SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 ; provided that W is not an R 3 substituted C 1 alkyl.
In scheme 3 a pyridine derivative is metalated and quenched with one of many known electrophiles which can generate an aldehyde, to form intermediate I. The aldehyde can then be masked to form the dimethyl acetal J. This intermediate is then carried on as described in scheme 1 and 2 to introduce the Q1 and Q2 substituents, to produce intermediate L. As before, these two steps may be interchanged depending on specific regiochemistry. The masked aldehyde of L may then be deprotected and utilized to form compounds with the defined W substitution using well know chemistry such as alkylations and reductive aminations.
Schemes 4-6 are similar to schemes 1-3 with the exception that the targeted compounds are those in which Z=Nitrogen. The steps for these schemes parallel 1-3 with the exception that the alkylation utilizing a phenyl acetonitrile is replaced with a reaction with a Q1 amine derivative such as a substituted aniline derivative. The amide portion of the molecule is then introduced in an acylation reaction with, for example, chlorosulfonyl isocyanate.
In Scheme 4, W is selected from amino-derivatized groups such as N(R 2 )SO 2 —N(R 2 ) 2 ; N(R 2 )SO 2 —N(R 2 )(R 3 ); N(R 2 )C(O)—OR 2 ; N(R 2 )C(O)—N(R 2 ) 2 ; N(R 2 )C(O)—N(R 2 )(R 3 ); N(R 2 )C(O)—R 2 ; or N(R 2 ) 2 .
In Scheme 4, intermediate B (from scheme 1) is treated with, for example, an aniline derivative in the presence of a base such as potassium carbonate. Additionally, a palladium catalyst may be utilized to enhance the reactivity of this general type of reaction, if needed. The resulting amine derivative is then acylated to form intermediate M. The nitro group of M is then reduced to form N and the amino group may then be derivatized as described for scheme 1. As mentioned for schemes 1-3, the steps involved in the introduction of the Q1 and Q2 substituents may be interchanged depending on the specific regiochemistry of specific compounds.
In Scheme 5, W is selected from carboxyl-derivatized groups such as C(O)—R 2 ; CH(OH)—R 2 ; C(O)—N(R 2 ) 2 ; or C(O)—OR 2 .
In Scheme 6, W is selected from (C 1 -C 4 ) straight or branched alkyl optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , R 3 , or SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 ; or a 5-6 membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system optionally substituted with N(R′) 2 , OR′, CO 2 R′, CON(R′) 2 , or SO 2 N(R 2 ) 2 ; provided that W is not an R 3 substituted C 1 alkyl.
Schemes 5 and 6 generally follow the procedures mentioned above.
One having skill in the art will recognize schemes 1-6 may be used to synthesize compounds having the general formula of (Ib), (Ic), (Id) and (Ie).
According to another embodiment of the invention, the activity of the p38 inhibitors of this invention may be assayed in vitro, in vivo or in a cell line. In vitro assays include assays that determine inhibition of either the kinase activity or ATPase activity of activated p38. Alternate in vitro assays quantitate the ability of the inhibitor to bind to p38 and may be measured either by radiolabelling the inhibitor prior to binding, isolating the inhibitor/p38 complex and determining the amount of radiolabel bound, or by running a competition experiment where new inhibitors are incubated with p38 bound to known radioligands.
Cell culture assays of the inhibitory effect of the compounds of this invention may determine the amounts of TNF, IL-1, IL-6 or IL-8 produced in whole blood or cell fractions thereof in cells treated with inhibitor as compared to cells treated with negative controls. Level of these cytokines may be determined through the use of commercially available ELISAs.
An in vivo assay useful for determining the inhibitory activity of the p38 inhibitors of this invention are the suppression of hind paw edema in rats with Mycobacterium butyricum -induced adjuvant arthritis. This is described in J. C. Boehm et al., J. Med. Chem., 39, pp. 3929-37 (1996), the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. The p38 inhibitors of this invention may also be assayed in animal models of arthritis, bone resorption, endotoxin shock and immune function, as described in A. M. Badger et al., J. Pharmacol. Experimental Therapeutics, 279, pp. 1453-61 (1996), the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.
The p38 inhibitors or pharmaceutical salts thereof may be formulated into pharmaceutical compositions for administration to animals or humans. These pharmaceutical compositions, which comprise an amount of p38 inhibitor effective to treat or prevent a p38-mediated condition and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, are another embodiment of the present invention.
The term “p38-mediated condition”, as used herein means any disease or other deleterious condition in which p38 is known to play a role. This includes conditions known to be caused by IL-1, TNF, IL-6 or IL-8 overproduction. Such conditions include, without limitation, inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, destructive bone disorders, proliferative disorders, infectious diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, allergies, reperfusion/ischemia in stroke, heart attacks, angiogenic disorders, organ hypoxia, vascular hyperplasia, cardiac hypertrophy, thrombin-induced platelet aggregation, and conditions associated with prostaglandin endoperoxidase synthase-2.
Inflammatory diseases which may be treated or prevented by the compounds of this invention include, but are not limited to, acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, asthma, allergies, and adult respiratory distress syndrome.
Autoimmune diseases which may be treated or prevented by the compounds of this invention include, but are not limited to, glomerulonephritis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, chronic thyroiditis, Graves' disease, autoimmune gastritis, diabetes, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, autoimmune neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, atopic dermatitis, chronic active hepatitis, myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, psoriasis, or graft vs. host disease.
Destructive bone disorders which may be treated or prevented by the compounds of this invention include, but are not limited to, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and multiple myeloma-related bone disorder.
Proliferative diseases which may be treated or prevented by the compounds of this invention include, but are not limited to, acute myelogenous leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, metastatic melanoma, Kaposi's sarcoma, and multiple myeloma.
Angiogenic disorders which may be treated or prevented by the compounds of this invention include solid tumors, ocular neovasculization, infantile haemangiomas.
Infectious diseases which may be treated or prevented by the compounds of this invention include, but are not limited to, sepsis, septic shock, and Shigellosis.
Viral diseases which may be treated or prevented by the compounds of this invention include, but are not limited to, acute hepatitis infection (including hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C), HIV infection and CMV retinitis.
Neurodegenerative diseases which may be treated or prevented by the compounds of this invention include, but are not limited to, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, cerebral ischemias or neurodegenerative disease caused by traumatic injury.
“p38-mediated conditions” also include ischemia/reperfusion in stroke, heart attacks, myocardial ischemia, organ hypoxia, vascular hyperplasia, cardiac hypertrophy, and thrombin-induced platelet aggregation.
In addition, p38 inhibitors of the instant invention are also capable of inhibiting the expression of inducible pro-inflammatory proteins such as prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase-2 (PGHS-2), also referred to as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Therefore, other “p38-mediated conditions” which may be treated by the compounds of this invention include edema, analgesia, fever and pain, such as neuromuscular pain, headache, cancer pain, dental pain and arthritis pain.
The diseases that may be treated or prevented by the p38 inhibitors of this invention may also be conveniently grouped by the cytokine (IL-1, TNF, IL-6, IL-8) that is believed to be responsible for the disease.
Thus, an IL-1-mediated disease or condition includes rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, stroke, endotoxemia and/or toxic shock syndrome, inflammatory reaction induced by endotoxin, inflammatory bowel disease, tuberculosis, atherosclerosis, muscle degeneration, cachexia, psoriatic arthritis, Reiter's syndrome, gout, traumatic arthritis, rubella arthritis, acute synovitis, diabetes, pancreatic β-cell disease and Alzheimer's disease.
TNF-mediated disease or condition includes, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid spondylitis, osteoarthritis, gouty arthritis and other arthritic conditions, sepsis, septic shock, endotoxic shock, gram negative sepsis, toxic shock syndrome, adult respiratory distress syndrome, cerebral malaria, chronic pulmonary inflammatory disease, silicosis, pulmonary sarcoisosis, bone resorption diseases, reperfusion injury, graft vs. host reaction, allograft rejections, fever and myalgias due to infection, cachexia secondary to infection, AIDS, ARC or malignancy, keloid formation, scar tissue formation, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis or pyresis. TNF-mediated diseases also include viral infections, such as HIV, CMV, influenza and herpes; and veterinary viral infections, such as lentivirus infections, including, but not limited to equine infectious anemia virus, caprine arthritis virus, visna virus or maedi virus; or retrovirus infections, including feline immunodeficiency virus, bovine immunodeficiency virus, or canine immunodeficiency virus.
IL-8 mediated disease or condition includes diseases characterized by massive neutrophil infiltration, such as psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, cardiac and renal reperfusion injury, adult respiratory distress syndrome, thrombosis and glomerulonephritis.
In addition, the compounds of this invention may be used topically to treat or prevent conditions caused or exacerbated by IL-1 or TNF. Such conditions include inflamed joints, eczema, psoriasis, inflammatory skin conditions such as sunburn, inflammatory eye conditions such as conjunctivitis, pyresis, pain and other conditions associated with inflammation.
In addition to the compounds of this invention, pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds of this invention may also be employed in compositions to treat or prevent the above-identified disorders.
Pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds of this invention include those derived from pharmaceutically acceptable inorganic and organic acids and bases. Examples of suitable acid salts include acetate, adipate, alginate, aspartate, benzoate, benzenesulfonate, bisulfate, butyrate, citrate, camphorate, camphorsulfonate, cyclopentanepropionate, digluconate, dodecylsulfate, ethanesulfonate, formate, fumarate, glucoheptanoate, glycerophosphate, glycolate, hemisulfate, heptanoate, hexanoate, hydrochloride, hydrobromide, hydroiodide, 2-hydroxyethanesulfonate, lactate, maleate, malonate, methanesulfonate, 2-naphthalenesulfonate, nicotinate, nitrate, oxalate, palmoate, pectinate, persulfate, 3-phenylpropionate, phosphate, picrate, pivalate, propionate, salicylate, succinate, sulfate, tartrate, thiocyanate, tosylate and undecanoate. Other acids, such as oxalic, while not in themselves pharmaceutically acceptable, may be employed in the preparation of salts useful as intermediates in obtaining the compounds of the invention and their pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts. Salts derived from appropriate bases include alkali metal (e.g., sodium and potassium), alkaline earth metal (e.g., magnesium), ammonium and N—(C1-4 alkyl)4+ salts. This invention also envisions the quaternization of any basic nitrogen-containing groups of the compounds disclosed herein. Water or oil-soluble or dispersible products may be obtained by such quaternization.
Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers that may be used in these pharmaceutical compositions include, but are not limited to, ion exchangers, alumina, aluminum stearate, lecithin, serum proteins, such as human serum albumin, buffer substances such as phosphates, glycine, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, partial glyceride mixtures of saturated vegetable fatty acids, water, salts or electrolytes, such as protamine sulfate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, potassium hydrogen phosphate, sodium chloride, zinc salts, colloidal silica, magnesium trisilicate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, cellulose-based substances, polyethylene glycol, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, polyacrylates, waxes, polyethylene-polyoxypropylene-block polymers, polyethylene glycol and wool fat.
The compositions of the present invention may be administered orally, parenterally, by inhalation spray, topically, rectally, nasally, buccally, vaginally or via an implanted reservoir. The term “parenteral” as used herein includes subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, intra-articular, intra-synovial, intrasternal, intrathecal, intrahepatic, intralesional and intracranial injection or infusion techniques. Preferably, the compositions are administered orally, intraperitoneally or intravenously.
Sterile injectable forms of the compositions of this invention may be aqueous or oleaginous suspension. These suspensions may be formulated according to techniques known in the art using suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspending agents. 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-butanediol. 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 di-glycerides. Fatty acids, such as oleic acid and its glyceride derivatives are useful in the preparation of injectables, as are natural pharmaceutically-acceptable oils, such as olive oil or castor oil, especially in their polyoxyethylated versions. These oil solutions or suspensions may also contain a long-chain alcohol diluent or dispersant, such as carboxymethyl cellulose or similar dispersing agents which are commonly used in the formulation of pharmaceutically acceptable dosage forms including emulsions and suspensions. Other commonly used surfactants, such as Tweens, Spans and other emulsifying agents or bioavailability enhancers which are commonly used in the manufacture of pharmaceutically acceptable solid, liquid, or other dosage forms may also be used for the purposes of formulation.
The pharmaceutical compositions of this invention may be orally administered in any orally acceptable dosage form including, but not limited to, capsules, tablets, aqueous suspensions or solutions. In the case of tablets for oral use, carriers commonly used include lactose and corn starch. Lubricating agents, such as magnesium stearate, are also typically added. For oral administration in a capsule form, useful diluents include lactose and dried cornstarch. When aqueous suspensions are required for oral use, the active ingredient is combined with emulsifying and suspending agents. If desired, certain sweetening, flavoring or coloring agents may also be added.
Alternatively, the pharmaceutical compositions of this invention may be administered in the form of suppositories for rectal administration. These can be prepared by mixing the agent with a suitable non-irritating excipient which is solid at room temperature but liquid at rectal temperature and therefore will melt in the rectum to release the drug. Such materials include cocoa butter, beeswax and polyethylene glycols.
The pharmaceutical compositions of this invention may also be administered topically, especially when the target of treatment includes areas or organs readily accessible by topical application, including diseases of the eye, the skin, or the lower intestinal tract. Suitable topical formulations are readily prepared for each of these areas or organs.
Topical application for the lower intestinal tract can be effected in a rectal suppository formulation (see above) or in a suitable enema formulation. Topically-transdermal patches may also be used.
For topical applications, the pharmaceutical compositions may be formulated in a suitable ointment containing the active component suspended or dissolved in one or more carriers. Carriers for topical administration of the compounds of this invention include, but are not limited to, mineral oil, liquid petrolatum, white petrolatum, propylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, polyoxypropylene compound, emulsifying wax and water. Alternatively, the pharmaceutical compositions can be formulated in a suitable lotion or cream containing the active components suspended or dissolved in one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers. Suitable carriers include, but are not limited to, mineral oil, sorbitan monostearate, polysorbate 60, cetyl esters wax, cetearyl alcohol, 2-octyldodecanol, benzyl alcohol and water.
For ophthalmic use, the pharmaceutical compositions may be formulated as micronized suspensions in isotonic, pH adjusted sterile saline, or, preferably, as solutions in isotonic, pH adjusted sterile saline, either with or without a preservative such as benzylalkonium chloride. Alternatively, for ophthalmic uses, the pharmaceutical compositions may be formulated in an ointment such as petrolatum.
The pharmaceutical compositions of this invention may also be administered by nasal aerosol or inhalation. Such compositions are prepared according to techniques well-known in the art of pharmaceutical formulation and may be prepared as solutions in saline, employing benzyl alcohol or other suitable preservatives, absorption promoters to enhance bioavailability, fluorocarbons, and/or other conventional solubilizing or dispersing agents.
The amount of p38 inhibitor that may be combined with the carrier materials to produce a single dosage form will vary depending upon the host treated, the particular mode of administration. Preferably, the compositions should be formulated so that a dosage of between 0.01-100 mg/kg body weight/day of the inhibitor can be administered to a patient receiving these compositions.
It should also be understood that a specific dosage and treatment regimen for any particular patient will depend upon a variety of factors, including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, sex, diet, time of administration, rate of excretion, drug combination, and the judgment of the treating physician and the severity of the particular disease being treated. The amount of inhibitor will also depend upon the particular compound in the composition.
According to another embodiment, the invention provides methods for treating or preventing a p38-mediated condition comprising the step of administering to a patient one of the above-described pharmaceutical compositions. The term “patient”, as used herein, means an animal, preferably a human.
Preferably, that method is used to treat or prevent a condition selected from inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, destructive bone disorders, proliferative disorders, infectious diseases, degenerative diseases, allergies, reperfusion/ischemia in stroke, heart attacks, angiogenic disorders, organ hypoxia, vascular hyperplasia, cardiac hypertrophy, and thrombin-induced platelet aggregation.
According to another embodiment, the inhibitors of this invention are used to treat or prevent an IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 or TNF-mediated disease or condition. Such conditions are described above.
Depending upon the particular p38-mediated condition to be treated or prevented, additional drugs, which are normally administered to treat or prevent that condition, may be administered together with the inhibitors of this invention. For example, chemotherapeutic agents or other anti-proliferative agents may be combined with the p38 inhibitors of this invention to treat proliferative diseases.
Those additional agents may be administered separately, as part of a multiple dosage regimen, from the p38 inhibitor-containing composition. Alternatively, those agents may be part of a single dosage form, mixed together with the p38 inhibitor in a single composition.
In order that the invention described herein may be more fully understood, the following examples are set forth. It should be understood that these examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting this invention in any manner.
EXAMPLE 1
Synthesis of p38 Inhibitor Compound 6
To a solution of LDA (60 mmol, 40 mLs) at −78° C., was added dropwise a solution of 2,6-Dibromopyridine (40 mmol, 9.48 gms) in THF (30 mLs, dried). The mixture was stirred at −78° C. for 20 minutes. Ethyl formate (400 mmol, 32.3 mLs) was added and stirring was continued at −78° C. for 2 hours. Saturated ammonium chloride (200 mLs) was added and the mixture was warmed to room temperature. The reaction mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate and the organic layer was washed with aqueous acid and base. The organic layer was dried and evaporated in vacuo. The resulting material was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel followed by eluting with 10% ethyl acetate in n-hexane to afford 1 (32 mmol, 8.41 gms) as a white solid.
A solution of 1 (13.08 mmol, 3.1 gms) and concentrated sulfuric acid (1 mL) in methanol (50 mL) was refluxed overnight. The reaction mixture was cooled, neutralized with aqueous base and extracted into ethyl acetate. Drying and evaporation of the organic layer afforded 2 (11.77 mmol, 3.63 gms) as an oil.
To a solution of t-Butoxide (2.2 mmol, 2 mLs) was added dropwise a solution of 2,6-Dichloroaniline (1.0 mmol, 162 mgs) in THF (2 mL, dried). The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 20 minutes. A solution of 2 (1.0 mmol, 309 mgs) in THF (5 mLs) was added and stirring was continued for 3 hours. The reaction mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate and the organic layer was washed with aqueous acid and base. The organic layer was dried and evaporated in vacuo. The resulting material was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel followed by eluting with 5% acetone in n-hexane to afford 3 (0.33 mmol, 128 mgs) as an orange solid.
o-Tolylboronic acid (0.34 mmol, 46 mgs), and 3 (0.20 mmol, 80 mgs) were dissolved in a toluene/ethanol (5/1) mixture. Thallium carbonate (0.5, 235 mgs) and tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium (0) (10 mgs) was added to the solution and the slurry was allowed to reflux for 30 minutes. The reaction mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate and the organic layer was washed with aqueous acid and base. The organic layer was dried and evaporated in vacuo. The resulting material was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel followed by eluting with 5% methanol in methylene chloride to afford 4 (0.17 mmol, 61 mgs) as a white solid.
A solution of 4 (0.17 mmol, 61 mgs) and chlorosulfonyl isocyanate (1 mmol, 141.5 mgs) in methylene chloride (5 mLs) was stirred at room temperature overnight. The reaction mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate and the organic layer was washed with aqueous acid and base. The organic layer was dried and evaporated in vacuo. The resulting material was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel followed by eluting with 5% acetone in n-hexane to afford 5 (0.12 mmol, 46 mgs) as a white solid.
Sodium borohydride (1.0 mmol, 39.8 mgs) was added to a solution of 5 (0.12 mmol, 46 mgs) in methanol (10 mLs) and the solution was stirred for 15 minutes. The reaction was quenched with water. The reaction mixture was then diluted with ethyl acetate and the organic layer was washed with aqueous acid and base. The organic layer was dried and evaporated in vacuo. The resulting material was purified by flash chromatography to afford 6 (0.08 mmol, 36 mgs) as a white solid.
The spectral data for compound 6 was:
1 H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ7.90 (d, 1H), 7.60 (d, 2H), 7.5-7.3 (m, 5H), 6.30 (d, 2H), 4.5 (s, 2H), 2.3 (s, 2H).
Synthesis of p38 Inhibitor Compound 7
The amino-alcohol (500 mg, 1.43 mmol), which was prepared in the same manner as 4, was dissolved in dichloromethane. Triethylamine (433 mg, 4.29 mmol) was added, followed by acetyl chloride (168 mg, 2.15 mmol). The mixture was stirred at room temperature for one hour, poured into water, and extracted with dichloromethane. The organic extract was evaporated in vacuo and the residue was dissolved in 10.0 mL of toluene. A 20% solution of phosgene in toluene (5.0 mL) was added and the solution was refluxed for two hours. The solution was cooled and 5.0 mL of concentrated ammonium hydroxide was added, precipitating a white solid. The mixture was poured into water and extracted with toluene. The organic extract was dried (MgSO 4 ) and evaporated in vacuo to afford 205 mg of the urea-acetate 7 as a white solid.
The spectral data for compound 7 was:
1 H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ7.80 (d, 1H), 7.62-7.50 (m, 2H), 7.25-7.0 (m, 5H), 6.59 (d, 1H), 5.1 (s, 2H), 2.12 (s, 3H). HRMS showed MH+ 434.2 as the major peak.
Synthesis of p38 Inhibitor Compound 8
The urea-alcohol (548 mg, 1.4 mmol), which was prepared in the same manner as 6, was dissolved in 5.0 mL of toluene. A 20% solution of phosgene in toluene (5.0 mL) was added and the solution was refluxed for two hours. The solution was cooled and 5.0 mL of concentrated ammonium hydroxide was added, precipitating a white solid. The mixture was poured into water and extracted with toluene. The organic extract was dried (MgSO 4 ) and evaporated in vacuo to afford 284 mg of the carbamate 8 as a white solid.
The spectral data of compound 8 was:
1 H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ7.77 (d, 1H), 7.55-7.45 (m, 2H), 7.15-6.95 (m, 5H), 6.50 (d, 1H), 5.40 (br s, 2H.), 5.00 (s, 2H). HRMS showed MH+ 435.1 as the major peak.
EXAMPLE 2
Synthesis of p38 Inhibitor Compound 16
One equivalent of 2,6-dichloropyridine-4-carboxylic acid was dissolved in THF. The solution was cooled to 0° C. and one equivalent of borane dimethyl sulfide complex was added. The solution was stirred at room temperature for twelve hours. The mixture was poured into water and extracted with diethyl ether. The ether extract was dried, and evaporated in vacuo to afford 9 in 93% yield.
One equivalent of 9 was dissolved in methylene chloride. One equivalent of methyl chloromethyl ether was added, followed by the addition of one equivalent of ethyl diisopropylamine. The reaction was stirred at room temperature for several hours, poured into water and extracted with a water-immiscible solvent. The extract was dried and evaporated in vacuo to afford 10 in 86% yield.
One equivalent of potassium t-butoxide was added to a solution of one equivalent of 2,6-dichlorophenyl acetonitrile in THF at room temperature. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for thirty minutes, and a solution of the dichloropyridine 10 in THF was added. After stirring for 1.5 hours, the mixture was poured into aqueous ammonium chloride and extracted with ethyl acetate. The extract was dried and evaporated in vacuo. The residue was purified by flash chromatography to afford 11 in 79% yield as a white powder.
The acetal 11 was mixed with concentrated hydrochloric acid and stirred for several hours. The mixture was extracted with a water-immicible organic solvent. The extract was washed with saturated aqueous NaHCO 3 , dried, and evaporated in vacuo to afford 12.
The nitrile 12 was mixed with concentrated sulfuric acid and heated to 100° C. for several minutes. The mixture was cooled, poured onto ice, and filtered to afford 13.
One equivalent of the chloropyridine 13 was dissolved in 1,2-dimethoxyethane. One equivalent of 3-chloro-2-methylphenylboronic acid was added. A solution of one equivalent of sodium carbonate in water was added along with a catalytic amount of tetrakis (triphenylphosphine) palladium (0). The mixture was heated to 80° C. for several hours. The mixture was poured into water and extracted with a water-immiscible organic solvent. The extract was dried, evaporated in vacuo and purified by flash chromatography to afford 14.
One equivalent of the alcohol 14 was dissolved in THF. The solution was cooled to 0° C. and one equivalent of methanesulfonyl chloride was added following by one equivalent of triethylamine. The solution was stirred for several hours, poured into water, and extracted with a water-immiscible solvent. The extract was dried and evaporated in vacuo to afford the crude mesylate 15.
One equivalent of the methanesulfonyl ester 15 was dissolved in THF. The solution was cooled to 0° C. and one equivalent of N-ethyl piperazine was added following by one equivalent of triethylamine. The solution was stirred for several hours, poured into water, and extracted with a water-immiscible solvent. The extract was dried, evaporated, and purified by flash chromatography to afford the pure amine 16.
The spectral data for compound 16 is:
1 H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 9.85 (br s, 1H), 7.47 (dd, 1H), 7.42 (d, 1H), 7.27 (m, 5H), 6.75 (s, 1H), 5.95 (s, 1H), 5.7 (br s, 1H), 3.5 (ABq, 2H), 2.5-2.3 (m, 10H), 2.3 (s, 3H), 1.2 (t, 3H).
EXAMPLE 2
Cloning of p38 Kinase in Insect Cells
Two splice variants of human p38 kinase, CSBP1 and CSBP2, have been identified. Specific oligonucleotide primers were used to amplify the coding region of CSBP2 cDNA using a HeLa cell library (Stratagene) as a template. The polymerase chain reaction product was cloned into the pET-15b vector (Novagen). The baculovirus transfer vector, pVL-(His)6-p38 was constructed by subcloning a XbaI-BamHI fragment of pET15b-(His)6-p38 into the complementary sites in plasmid pVL1392 (Pharmingen).
The plasmid pVL-(His)6-p38 directed the synthesis of a recombinant protein consisting of a 23-residue peptide (MGSSHHHHHHSSGLVPRGSHMLE, where LVPRGS represents a thrombin cleavage site) fused in frame to the N-terminus of p38, as confirmed by DNA sequencing and by N-terminal sequencing of the expressed protein. Monolayer culture of Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) insect cells (ATCC) was maintained in TNM-FH medium (Gibco BRL) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum in a T-flask at 27° C. Sf9 cells in log phase were co-transfected with linear viral DNA of Autographa califonica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (Pharmingen) and transfer vector pVL-(His)6-p38 using Lipofectin (Invitrogen). The individual recombinant baculovirus clones were purified by plaque assay using 1% low melting agarose.
EXAMPLE 3
Expression and Purification of Recombinant p38 Kinase
Trichoplusia ni (Tn-368) High-Five™ cells (Invitrogen) were grown in suspension in Excel-405 protein free medium (JRH Bioscience) in a shaker flask at 27° C. Cells at a density of 1.5×10 6 cells/ml were infected with the recombinant baculovirus described above at a multiplicity of infection of 5. The expression level of recombinant p38 was monitored by immunoblotting using a rabbit anti-p38 antibody (Santa Cruz Biotechnology). The cell mass was harvested 72 hours after infection when the expression level of p38 reached its maximum.
Frozen cell paste from cells expressing the (His) 6 -tagged p38 was thawed in 5 volumes of Buffer A (50 mM NaH 2 PO 4 pH 8.0, 200 mM NaCl, 2 mM β-Mercaptoethanol, 10% Glycerol and 0.2 mM PMSF). After mechanical disruption of the cells in a microfluidizer, the lysate was centrifuged at 30,000×g for 30 minutes. The supernatant was incubated batchwise for 3-5 hours at 4° C. with Talon™ (Clontech) metal affinity resin at a ratio of 1 ml of resin per 2-4 mgs of expected p38. The resin was settled by centrifugation at 500×g for 5 minutes and gently washed batchwise with Buffer A. The resin was slurried and poured into a column (approx. 2.6×5.0 cm) and washed with Buffer A+5 mM imidazole.
The (His) 6 -p38 was eluted with Buffer A+100 mM imidazole and subsequently dialyzed overnight at 4° C. against 2 liters of Buffer B, (50 mM HEPES, pH 7.5, 25 mM β-glycerophosphate, 5% glycerol, 2 mM DTT). The His 6 tag was removed by addition of at 1.5 units thrombin (Calbiochem) per mg of p38 and incubation at 20° C. for 2-3 hours. The thrombin was quenched by addition of 0.2 mM PMSF and then the entire sample was loaded onto a 2 ml benzamidine agarose (American International Chemical) column.
The flow through fraction was directly loaded onto a 2.6×5.0 cm Q-Sepharose (Pharmacia) column previously equilibrated in Buffer B+0.2 mM PMSF. The p38 was eluted with a 20 column volume linear gradient to 0.6M NaCl in Buffer B. The eluted protein peak was pooled and dialyzed overnight at 4° C. vs. Buffer C (50 mM HEPES pH 7.5, 5% glycerol, 50 mM NaCl, 2 mM DTT, 0.2 mM PMSF).
The dialyzed protein was concentrated in a Centriprep (Amicon) to 3-4 ml and applied to a 2.6×100 cm Sephacryl S-100HR (Pharmacia) column. The protein was eluted at a flow rate of 35 ml/hr. The main peak was pooled, adjusted to 20 mM DTT, concentrated to 10-80 mgs/ml and frozen in aliquots at −70° C. or used immediately.
EXAMPLE 4
Activation of p38
p38 was activated by combining 0.5 mg/ml p38 with 0.005 mg/ml DD-double mutant MKK6 in Buffer B+10 mM MgCl 2 , 2 mM ATP, 0.2 mM Na 2 VO 4 for 30 minutes at 20° C. The activation mixture was then loaded onto a 1.0×10 cm MonoQ column (Pharmacia) and eluted with a linear 20 column volume gradient to 1.0 M NaCl in Buffer B. The activated p38 eluted after the ADP and ATP. The activated p38 peak was pooled and dialyzed against buffer B+0.2 mM Na 2 VO 4 to remove the NaCl. The dialyzed protein was adjusted to 1.1M potassium phosphate by addition of a 4.0M stock solution and loaded onto a 1.0×10 cm HIC (Rainin Hydropore) column previously equilibrated in Buffer D (10% glycerol, 20 mM B-glycerophosphate, 2.0 mM DTT)+1.1MK 2 HPO 4 . The protein was eluted with a 20 column volume linear gradient to Buffer D+50 mM K 2 HPO 4 . The double phosphorylated p38 eluted as the main peak and was pooled for dialysis against Buffer B+0.2 mM Na 2 VO 4 . The activated p38 was stored at −70° C.
EXAMPLE 5
p38 Inhibition Assays
A. Inhibition of Phosphorylation of EGF Receptor Peptide
This assay was carried out in the presence of 10 mM MgCl 2 , 25 mM J-glycerophosphate, 10% glycerol and 100 mM HEPES buffer at pH 7.6. For a typical IC 50 determination, a stock solution was prepared containing all of the above components and activated p38 (5 nM). The stock solution was aliquotted into vials. A fixed volume of DMSO or inhibitor in DMSO (final concentration of DMSO in reaction was 5%) was introduced to each vial, mixed and incubated for 15 minutes at room temperature. EGF receptor peptide, KRELVEPLTPSGEAPNQALLR, a phosphoryl acceptor in p38-catalyzed kinase reaction (1), was added to each vial to a final concentration of 200 μM. The kinase reaction was initiated with ATP (100 μM) and the vials were incubated at 30° C. After 30 minutes, the reactions were quenched with equal volume of 10% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA).
The phosphorylated peptide was quantified by HPLC analysis. Separation of phosphorylated peptide from the unphosphorylated peptide was achieved on a reverse phase column (Deltapak, 5 μm, C18 100D, Part no. 011795) with a binary gradient of water and acteonitrile, each containing 0.1% TFA. IC 50 (concentration of inhibitor yielding 50% inhibition) was determined by plotting the percent (%) activity remaining against inhibitor concentration.
B. Inhibition of ATPase Activity
This assay is carried out in the presence of 10 MM MgCl 2 , 25 mM β-glycerophosphate, 10% glycerol and 100 mM HEPES buffer at pH 7.6. For a typical Ki determination, the Km for ATP in the ATPase activity of activated p38 reaction is determined in the absence of inhibitor and in the presence of two concentrations of inhibitor. A stock solution is prepared containing all of the above components and activated p38 (60 nM). The stock solution is aliquotted into vials. A fixed volume of DMSO or inhibitor in DMSO (final concentration of DMSO in reaction was 2.5%) is introduced to each vial, mixed and incubated for 15 minutes at room temperature. The reaction is initiated by adding various concentrations of ATP and then incubated at 30° C. After 30 minutes, the reactions are quenched with 50 μl of EDTA (0.1 M, final concentration), pH 8.0. The product of p38 ATPase activity, ADP, is quantified by HPLC analysis.
Separation of ADP from ATP is achieved on a reversed phase column (Supelcosil, LC-18, 3 μm, part no. 5-8985) using a binary solvent gradient of following composition: Solvent A−0.1 M phosphate buffer containing 8 mM tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate (Sigma Chemical Co., catalogue no. T-7158), Solvent B−Solvent A with 30% methanol.
Ki is determined from the rate data as a function of inhibitor and ATP concentrations.
p38 inhibitors of this invention will inhibit the ATPase activity of p38.
C. Inhibition of IL-1, TNF, IL-6 and IL-8 Production in LPS-Stimulated PBMCs
Inhibitors were serially diluted in DMSO from a 20 mM stock. At least 6 serial dilutions were prepared. Then 4× inhibitor stocks were prepared by adding 4 μl of an inhibitor dilution to 1 ml of RPMI1640 medium/10% fetal bovine serum. The 4× inhibitor stocks contained inhibitor at concentrations of 80 μM, 32 μM, 12.8 μM, 5.12 μM, 2.048 μM, 0.819 μM, 0.328 μM, 0.131 μM, 0.052 μM, 0.021 μM etc. The 4× inhibitor stocks were pre-warmed at 37° C. until use.
Fresh human blood buffy cells were separated from other cells in a Vacutainer CPT from Becton & Dickinson (containing 4 ml blood and enough DPBS without Mg 2+ /Ca 2+ to fill the tube) by centrifugation at 1500×g for 15 min. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), located on top of the gradient in the Vacutainer, were removed and washed twice with RPMI1640 medium/10% fetal bovine serum. PBMCs were collected by centrifugation at 500×g for 10 min. The total cell number was determined using a Neubauer Cell Chamber and the cells were adjusted to a concentration of 4.8×10 6 cells/ml in cell culture medium (RPMI1640 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum).
Alternatively, whole blood containing an anti-coagulant was used directly in the assay.
100 μl of cell suspension or whole blood were placed in each well of a 96-well cell culture plate. Then 50 μl of the 4× inhibitor stock was added to the cells. Finally, 50 μl of a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) working stock solution (16 ng/ml in cell culture medium) was added to give a final concentration of 4 ng/ml LPS in the assay. The total assay volume of the vehicle control was also adjusted to 200 μl by adding 50 μl cell culture medium. The PBMC cells or whole blood were then incubated overnight (for 12-15 hours) at 37° C./5% CO 2 in a humidified atmosphere.
The next day the cells were mixed on a shaker for 3-5 minutes before centrifugation at 500×g for 5 minutes. Cell culture supernatants were harvested and analyzed by ELISA for levels of IL-1b (R & D Systems, Quantikine kits, #DBL50), TNF-α (BioSource, #KHC3012), IL-6 (Endogen, #EH2-IL6) and IL-8 (Endogen, #EH2-IL8) according to the instructions of the manufacturer. The ELISA data were used to generate dose-response curves from which IC50 values were derived.
Results for the kinase assay (“kinase”;
subsection A, above), IL-1 and TNF in LPS-stimulated PBMCs (“cell”) and IL-1, TNF and IL-6 in whole blood (“WB”) for various p38 inhibitors of this invention are shown in Table 7 below:
TABLE 7
Kinase
Cell IL-1
Cell TNF
WB IL-1
WB TNF
WB IL-6
Compound
M.W.
IC50 (uM)
IC50 (uM)
IC50 (uM)
IC50 (uM)
IC50 (uM)
IC50 (uM)
17
402.28
0.056
0.021
0.14
0.42
0.064
0.25
18
436.32
0.002
0.02
0.05
0.118
0.055
0.18
19
387.36
0.027
0.027
0.01
0.057
0.09
0.075
Other p38 inhibitors of this invention will also inhibit phosphorylation of EGF receptor peptide, and will inhibit the production of IL-1, TNF and IL-6, as well as IL-8, in LPS-stimulated PBMCs or in whole blood.
D. Inhibition of IL-6 and IL-8 Production in IL-1-Stimulated PBMCs
This assay is carried out on PBMCs exactly the same as above except that 50 μl of an IL-1b working stock solution (2 ng/ml in cell culture medium) is added to the assay instead of the (LPS) working stock solution.
Cell culture supernatants are harvested as described above and analyzed by ELISA for levels of IL-6 (Endogen, #EH2-IL6) and IL-8 (Endogen, #EH2-IL8) according to the instructions of the manufacturer. The ELISA data are used to generate dose-response curves from which IC50 values were derived.
E. Inhibition of LPS-Induced Prostaglandin Endoperoxide Synthase-2 (PGHS-2, or COX-2) induction in PBMCs
Human peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are isolated from fresh human blood buffy coats by centrifugation in a Vacutainer CPT (Becton & Dickinson). 15×10 6 cells are seeded in a 6-well tissue culture dish containing RPMI 1640 supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, 50 U/ml penicillin, 50 μg/ml streptomycin, and 2 mM L-glutamine. Compounds are added at 0.2, 2.0 and 20 μM final concentrations in DMSO. LPS is then added at a final concentration of 4 ng/ml to induce enzyme expression. The final culture volume is 10 ml/well.
After overnight incubation at 37° C., 5% CO 2 , the cells are harvested by scraping and subsequent centrifugation, the supernatant is removed, and the cells are washed twice in ice-cold DPBS (Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline, BioWhittaker). The cells are lysed on ice for 10 min in 50 μl cold lysis buffer (20 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.2, 150 mM NaCl, 1% Triton-X-100, 1% deoxycholic acid, 0.1% SDS, 1 mM EDTA, 2% aprotinin (Sigma), 10 pg/ml pepstatin, 10 μg/ml leupeptin, 2 mM PMSF, 1 mM benzamidine, 1 mM DTT) containing 1 μl Benzonase (DNAse from Merck). The protein concentration of each sample is determined using the BCA assay (Pierce) and bovine serum albumin as a standard. Then the protein concentration of each sample is adjusted to 1 mg/ml with cold lysis buffer. To 100 μl lysate an equal volume of 2× SDS PAGE loading buffer is added and the sample is boiled for 5 min. Proteins (30 pg/lane) are size-fractionated on 4-20% SDS PAGE gradient gels (Novex) and subsequently transferred onto nitrocellulose membrane by electrophoretic means for 2 hours at 100 mA in Towbin transfer buffer (25 mM Tris, 192 mM glycine) containing 20% methanol. After transfer, the membrane is pretreated for 1 hour at room temperature with blocking buffer (5% non-fat dry milk in DPBS supplemented with 0.1% Tween-20) and washed 3 times in DPBS/0.1% Tween-20. The membrane is incubated overnight at 4° C. with a 1:250 dilution of monoclonal anti-COX-2 antibody (Transduction Laboratories) in blocking buffer. After 3 washes in DPBS/0.1% Tween-20, the membrane is incubated with a 1:1000 dilution of horseradish peroxidase-conjugated sheep antiserum to mouse Ig (Amersham) in blocking buffer for 1 h at room temperature. Then the membrane is washed again 3 times in DPBS/0.1% Tween-20. An ECL detection system (SuperSignal™ CL-HRP Substrate System, Pierce) is used to determine the levels of expression of COX-2.
While we have hereinbefore presented a number of embodiments of this invention, it is apparent that our basic construction can be altered to provide other embodiments which utilize the methods of this invention.
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The present invention relates to inhibitors of p38, a mammalian protein kinase involved cell proliferation, cell death and response to extracellular stimuli. The invention also relates to methods for producing these inhibitors. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising the inhibitors of the invention and methods of utilizing those compositions in the treatment and prevention of various disorders.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/101,003, filed May 4, 2011, entitled “INTEGRATED CARTON LID DESIGNS”, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/267,378, filed Nov. 7, 2008, entitled “INTEGRATED CARTON LID DESIGNS”, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/831,987, filed Apr. 26, 2004, entitled “INTEGRATED CARTON LID DESIGNS”, the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to cartons fabricated from paper, paperboard and/or corrugated paperboard material, particularly cartons in the form of wrapper or tray type packages.
2. Background Art
Machine formed full overlap carton tray and wraparound carton structures have long been used to contain and ship heavy products, where the stacking strength of the carton is of utmost concern.
However, the overall stacking strength of such a carton can be negatively affected, if the outer, full overlap flap and attached structures are not properly sealed into position, or are damaged prior to sealing.
There are a number of full overlap tray and wrapper type package designs presently in use that fully enclose the product, but are difficult to use due to the outer-full overlap-flaps not being initially sealed at the point of initial carton erecting. This material is attached to the top horizontal flap or flaps of the shipper and extend well beyond the length of the erected carton when the top flap or flaps are upright. For packaging facilities with centralized erecting and sealing areas, this extending material can easily be damaged when the carton is transferred through the facility, which damage may compromise the stacking performance the carton is intended to provide.
In addition, some products may slightly overfill the carton's cavity which can cause the product to extend above the top of the carton, making it difficult to place the top flaps into a horizontal plane, and the outer vertical full overlap flaps properly aligned, which again may compromise the stacking strength of the carton.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an alternative carton construction which is less susceptible to loss of stacking strength, due to improper sealing of, or damage prior to sealing of, closure or overlap flaps.
These and other desirable characteristics of the invention will become apparent in view of the present specification, claims and drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a carton, fabricated from at least one of paper, paperboard and corrugated paperboard, and comprising a bottom panel; two outer side panels emanating from opposing side edges of the bottom panel; and two end panels emanating from opposing end edges of the bottom panel. The opposing end edges of the bottom panel preferably extend perpendicular to the opposing side edges of the bottom panel. Two connection panels are associated with respective end edges of each of the two outer side panels, and are affixed, at least indirectly, to inside surfaces of an adjacent one of the two end panels, for maintaining the two end panels and the two end panels in raised, upright orientation relative to the bottom panel. At least two first outer overlap panels emanate, at least indirectly, from top edges of at least one of the side and end panels, respectively, and are placed in overlying relation and affixed to an outer surface of at least one of the end and outer side panels, respectively. At least one top panel emanates from the top edge of the one of the side and end panels from which the at least two first outer overlap panels emanate, at least indirectly. At least two overlap panel connection structures are operably associated with the at least two outer overlap panels and the at least one top panel, for enabling the at least two first outer overlap panels to be affixed in place without interfering with movement of the at least one top panel, to permit the restrained formation and subsequent loading of the carton, subsequent to positioning and affixation of the at least two first outer overlap panels.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the at least two overlap panel connection structures comprise at least two top corner panels, emanating from the panel from which the at least one top panel emanates, and contiguously connected to the at least two first outer overlap panels. The at least two overlap panel connection structures may further comprise lines of weakness frangibly connecting the at least one top panel to the at least two top corner panels, whereby upon articulation of the carton, the at least one top panel is disposed in a closed orientation, prior to loading of the carton, and prior to lifting of the at least one top panel and breaking of the connection between the at least one top panel and the at least two top corner panels. Alternatively, the at least two first outer overlap panels may emanate directly from the at least one top panel, with the at least two overlap panel connection structures comprising lines of weakness frangibly connecting the at least one top panel to the at least two first outer overlap panels.
The carton may further comprise a second outer overlap panel emanating from a side edge of each of the at least two outer overlap panels, each second outer overlap panel being folded, relative to its respective first outer overlap panel, and affixed to an outer surface of an adjacent one of the side and end panels, each second outer overlap panel having a height substantially equal to the at least one of the side and end panels to which the second outer overlap panel is affixed.
The carton may further comprise an inner side panel, disposed adjacent to and in overlying relationship to each of the outer side panels, each inner side panel being connected to its respective outer side panel, along at least portions of a top edge region of the outer side panel. Minor flaps may at least indirectly emanate from opposing end edges of each of the inner side panels, the minor flaps being affixed to inside surfaces of the two end panels. The carton may further comprise gusset panels, disposed between the inner side panels and their respective minor flaps, the gusset panels extending diagonally across portions of corner regions of an interior area of the carton. The gusset panels may be substantially rectangular. Alternatively, the gusset panels may be substantially triangular.
The carton may further comprise minor flaps, at least directly emanating from opposing end edges of each of the outer side panels, the minor flaps being affixed to inside surfaces of the two end panels. The carton may further comprise gusset panels, disposed between the outer side panels and their respective minor flaps, the gusset panels extending diagonally across portions of corner regions of an interior area of the carton. The gusset panels may be substantially rectangular. Alternatively, the gusset panels may be substantially triangular.
The carton may further comprise stacking tabs, emanating upwardly from at least one of the outer side panels, the end panels; and stacking tab receiving apertures, disposed in at least one of the bottom panel, bottom edge regions of the outer side panels, bottom edge regions of the end panels.
The carton may further comprise at least one top side closure flap, emanating from a side edge of the at least one top panel, and configured to be adhered to an outer surface of an outer side panel. A cut-out region may be disposed in each of the at least two first overlap panels for enabling the at least one top side closure flap to make direct contact with an outer surface of an outer side panel.
The carton may further comprise at least one top front closure flap, emanating from a front edge of the at least one top panel, and configured to be adhered to an outer surface of an end panel.
The at least one top panel may comprise two top panels emanating from top edges of opposing ones of the side and end panels.
The carton may further comprise stacking tabs, emanating upwardly from at least one of the outer side panels, the end panels, the stacking tabs including notches operably configured to engage side edge regions of the at least one top panel. Alternatively, the carton may further comprise stacking tabs, emanating upwardly from at least one of the outer side panels, the end panels. These stacking tabs may include notches operably configured to engage side edge regions of the at least one top panel. Apertures may be disposed in the at least one top panel, for receiving the stacking tabs, when the at least one top panel is in a closed position.
The carton may further comprise an extension of the at least one top panel, extending into the one of the side and end panels from which the top panel emanates; and a frangible line of weakness separating the extension from remaining portions of the one of the side and end panels, for enabling separation of the at least one top panel from the one of the side and end panels.
The at least one top panel may further comprise inner and outer top panel members foldably connected to one another.
The carton may further comprise venting apertures disposed in at least one of the two outer side panels, the end panels, the bottom panel, the at least one top panel.
The carton may further comprise at least one hand hole disposed on at least one of the two outer side panels, the end panels.
The two connection panels may each have a height substantially equal to the inside surfaces of the adjacent one of the two end panels to which the two connection panels are affixed.
The at least two first outer overlap panels may each have a height substantially equal to the at least one of the end and outer side panels to which the at least two outer overlap panels are affixed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 3 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 5 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 8 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 7 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 10 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 9 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 11 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 12 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 11 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 13 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 14 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 13 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 15 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 16 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 15 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 17 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 18 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 17 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 19 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 20 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 19 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 21 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 22 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 21 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 23 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 24 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 23 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 25 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 26 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 25 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 27 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 28 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 27 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 29 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 30 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 29 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 31 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 32 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 31 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 33 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 34 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 33 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 35 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 36 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 35 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 37 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 38 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 37 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 39 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 40 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 39 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 41 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 42 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 41 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 43 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 44 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 43 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 45 is a plan view of a blank of a carton with integrated lid according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 46 is a simplified perspective view of a carton with integrated lid according to the embodiment of FIG. 45 , shown in its erected configuration, with the top open prior to loading and sealing.
FIG. 47 illustrates the first several steps in a method for forming a package, using the carton blank from FIGS. 1-2 .
FIG. 48 illustrates the remaining steps in a method for forming a package, using the carton blank from FIGS. 1-2 .
FIG. 49 illustrates the first several steps in a method for forming a package, using the carton blank from FIGS. 21-22 .
FIG. 50 illustrates the remaining steps in a method for forming a package, using the carton blank from FIGS. 21-22 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail, a preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure should be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment so illustrated.
The cartons of the present invention are preferably fabricated from paper, paperboard and/or corrugated paperboard, although other materials having similar performance characteristics may be employed, as desired or dictated by the requirements of a particular application.
When referring to the plan illustrations of the blanks, the usual drawing conventions for illustration of carton blanks fabricated from paper, paperboard and/or corrugated paperboard, as are customarily employed in the art, are applied. That is, unless otherwise noted, broken lines indicate scores, fold lines or other lines of weakness such as perforations; scalloped lines indicate lines of weakness forming a tear strip or similar structure; and solid lines within the interior of, or extending to the edge of, a blank, indicate through-cuts.
A first embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 , which features a single top panel. Carton 10 ( FIG. 2 ) is formed from blank 11 , which is preferably fabricated from corrugated paperboard, although similarly performing alternative materials may be employed. If corrugated paperboard is employed, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double-headed arrow in FIG. 1 . Blank 11 includes bottom panel 12 ; side panels 13 , 14 ; fold lines 15 , 16 ; minor flaps 17 - 20 ; fold lines 21 - 24 ; (front) end panel 25 ; (rear) end panel 26 ; fold lines 27 , 28 ; top panel 29 ; top side closure flaps 30 , 31 ; top front closure flap 32 ; top corner panels 33 , 34 ; fold lines 35 - 38 ; first overlap panels 39 , 40 ; second overlap panels 41 - 44 ; and fold lines 45 - 48 .
Inner side panels 13 , 14 include hand-holes 49 , 50 , which are preferably formed by oval perforations 51 , 52 , to enable the centers 49 A, 50 A to be pushed out, as desired. Outer side panels 39 , 40 include upper edge cutouts 53 , 54 . In this embodiment, front panel 25 is slightly trapezoidal (although it could be rectangular in alternative embodiments). Rear panel 26 has an hourglass shape, though it too, could be rectangular in alternative embodiments. Blank 11 also includes fold lines 55 , 56 and perforations 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 .
In order to erect carton 10 , side panels 13 and 14 have been folded up perpendicular to bottom panel 12 . Minor flaps 17 - 20 have been folded perpendicular to side panels 13 , 14 and may be, if desired, adhered to the inside surfaces of (front) end panel 25 and (rear) end panel 26 . First overlap panels 39 , 40 have been positioned to the outside of and adhered to side panels 13 , 14 . First overlap panels 41 - 44 have been folded perpendicular to first overlap panels 39 , 40 and adhered to the outwardly facing surfaces of (front) end panel 25 and (rear) end panel 26 .
Because of perforations 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 are maintained intact when the overlap panels are positioned and glued, top panel 29 is initially positioned over the carton opening, parallel to bottom panel 12 , but top side closure flaps 30 , 31 and top front closure flap 32 are not glued. To place product in carton 10 (if blank 11 was not, in fact formed around a load of product), a worker (or machine) pulls up on top panel 29 , breaking perforations 57 , 58 .
After product has been placed in carton 10 , which placement may occur early in the carton erecting process while the carton is wrapped around the load in the usual manner of wrapper type container blanks, top panel 29 is then folded over parallel to bottom panel 12 and then top side closure flaps 30 , 31 are folded down and adhered to outwardly facing surfaces of inner side panels 13 , 14 and top front closure flap 32 is folded down perpendicular to top panel 29 and adhered to an outwardly facing surface of (front) end panel 25 .
FIGS. 47-48 illustrate the steps in a method for setting up a carton, such as may be fabricated from the blank of FIGS. 1-2 . These methods may be performed using suitably modified carton forming machinery such as are known in the art, and such modifications may be readily accomplished by one of ordinary skill in the art, having the present disclosure before them. The steps are as follows:
I. A flat blank is indexed into a forming station from the top of a stack of blanks.
II. The blank is then indexed laterally as adhesive is applied to the inside surfaces of the blank, such as on panels 25 , 26 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 .
III. A mandrel then pushes the blank down through a forming chamber in the forming station into a compression station.
IV. At a secondary forming station, the top and side panels are folded while the overlap panels are articulated and glued.
V. As a new carton is received in the forming chamber, the just-formed carton is discharged from the compression section onto a powered take-away conveyor.
VI. Formed cartons are pushed down a chute from a case-erecting room located on an upper floor to a production floor of a production facility.
VII. Cartons are moved laterally, e.g., at shoulder height, on a powered belt conveyor, past manual packing stations.
VIII. A worker selects an empty carton from the belt conveyor, and positions the carton at the worker's pack station, e.g., at waist or thigh height.
IX. The top front closure flap is pulled up to open the carton for packing.
X. Product, such as Cryovac™ wrapped meat cuts are packed into the open carton.
XI. The filled carton is pushed forward onto a take-away conveyor to a sealing device, such as an Elliott Top & Side Sealer, a Pearson side flange sealer or a Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation side flange sealer.
XII. The top panel is plowed down and the top front closure flap is sealed with hot melt adhesive.
XIII. The carton is then rotated 90° and the top side closure flaps are sealed with hot melt adhesive.
XIV. Sealed cartons are then transported, e.g., by roller conveyor to a manual palletizing area. Pallet Loads are built, transferred by lift trucks to temporary storage, and then shipped to customers as required.
FIGS. 3-4 illustrate an embodiment which features a two panel top. Carton 100 is formed from a blank 101 , which is preferably symmetrical about longitudinal axis L and transverse axis T. Again, for a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 3 . Blank 101 includes bottom panel 102 ; side panels 103 , 104 ; fold lines 105 , 106 , which are interrupted by cutouts 107 , 108 and 109 , 110 , respectively; end panel 111 ; fold line 112 interrupted by cutouts 113 , 114 ; end panel 115 ; fold line 116 interrupted by cutouts 117 , 118 ; gusset panels 119 - 122 ; minor flaps 123 - 126 ; fold lines 127 - 134 ; first top panels 135 , 136 ; second top panels 137 , 137 A; top corner panels 138 - 141 ; fold line 142 , interrupted by vent hole 143 and die-cut tabs 144 , 145 ; fold line 146 , interrupted by vent hole 147 and die-cut tabs 148 , 149 ; fold lines 150 , 151 ; first overlap panels 152 - 155 ; second overlap panels 156 - 159 ; fold lines 160 - 167 . Blank 102 also includes slots 168 - 171 , which are configured to receive or fit over hooked tabs 172 - 175 , as shown in FIG. 4 . Side panels 103 , 104 also may include hand holes 176 , 177 . Separation lines 180 - 183 , between top corner panels 138 - 141 and first top panels 135 , 136 may be perforations or through-cuts. If perforations, upon gluing and folding down of first overlap panels 152 - 155 and second overlap panels 156 - 159 , first top panels 135 , 136 will be in a “closed” position, and will have to be pulled up (in the manner described relative to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-2 ) to permit loading of the carton, if carton 100 were not already formed around a load.
In forming carton 100 , side panels 103 and 104 have been folded perpendicular to bottom panel 102 as have end panel 111 and end panel 115 . Minor flaps 124 and 125 have been adhered to the inside surface of end panel 115 while minor flaps 123 and 126 have been adhered to an inner surface of end panel 111 so that gusset panels 119 - 122 extend diagonally across the corners of the interior of the carton, acting as stacking support structures. (See gusset panel 120 in FIG. 4 ). In an embodiment in which this carton 100 is wrapped around a load, after the load has been placed and the front rear and side panels have been folded up, the first and second top panels 135 - 137 A may be folded over. In particular, corner panels 138 - 141 are folded over to positions parallel to bottom wall 102 . Then, first overlap panels 152 - 155 are folded down to positions parallel to and the outside surfaces of side panels 103 , 104 . Second overlap panels 156 - 159 are then folded perpendicular to first overlap panels 152 - 155 and adhered to outwardly facing surfaces of end panel 111 and end panel 115 . Carton 100 is a self-locking carton, in that stacking tabs 172 - 175 are provided with notches which engage end edge regions of slots 168 - 171 of second top panels 137 and 137 A.
FIGS. 5-6 illustrate an embodiment which features a two panel top. Carton 200 is formed from a blank 201 , which is preferably bilaterally symmetrical, in the manner of the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4 . Again, for a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 5 . Blank 201 includes bottom panel 202 ; side panels 203 , 204 ; fold lines 205 , 206 , which are interrupted by cutouts 207 , 208 and 209 , 210 , respectively; end panel 211 ; fold line 212 interrupted by cutouts 213 , 214 ; end panel 215 ; fold line 216 interrupted by cutouts 217 , 218 ; gusset panels 219 - 222 ; minor flaps 223 - 226 ; fold lines 227 - 234 ; first top panels 235 , 236 ; second top panels 237 , 237 A; top corner panels 238 - 241 ; fold line 242 , interrupted by vent hole 243 and die-cut tabs 244 , 245 ; fold line 246 , interrupted by vent hole 247 and die-cut tabs 248 , 249 ; fold lines 250 , 251 ; overlap panels 252 - 255 ; fold lines 260 - 263 . Blank 202 also includes slots 268 - 271 , which are configured to receive or fit over hooked tabs 272 - 275 , as shown in FIG. 6 . Side panels 203 , 204 also may include hand holes 276 , 277 , and separation lines 280 - 283 , which as in the embodiment of FIGS. 3-4 , may be perforations or through-cuts, with the corresponding modes of operation as discussed in that embodiment.
Carton 200 of FIGS. 5 and 6 is erected and affixed to itself in substantially the same manner as the carton of FIGS. 3-4 , except that since there are only overlap panels 252 - 255 , they must be adhered to outer facing surfaces of side panels 203 , 204 , to be held in place there. The closure of the top panels is accomplished in the same manner as in the embodiment of FIGS. 3-4 .
FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a covered tray with integral lid structure. Again, for a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 7 . Tray 300 is formed from blank 301 (preferably bilaterally symmetrical), which includes bottom panel 302 ; outer side panels 303 , 304 ; fold line 305 interrupted by die-cut slots 306 , 307 ; fold line 308 interrupted by die-cut slots 309 , 310 ; end panels 311 , 312 ; fold line 313 interrupted by vent hole 314 ; fold line 315 interrupted by vent hole 316 ; inner side panels 317 , 318 ; web fold lines 319 - 322 ; minor flaps 322 A- 325 ; fold lines 326 - 329 ; gusset panels 330 - 333 ; inner side panel minor flaps 334 - 337 ; fold lines 338 - 345 ; top corner panels 346 - 349 ; first overlap panels 350 - 353 ; second overlap panels 354 - 357 ; fold lines 358 - 361 ; fold lines 362 - 365 ; top panels 366 , 367 ; notches 368 - 371 ; vent holes 372 - 379 ; and fold lines 380 - 381 . In addition, blank 301 includes separation lines 390 - 393 , which may be perforations or through-cuts, as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-2 , with similar modes of operation as discussed. When the inner side panels are folded in, the webs that connect the inner side panels and the outer side panels form stacking tabs, the top edges of which are defined by the fold lines 319 - 322 .
Covered tray 300 is formed by folding up outer side panels 303 , 304 perpendicular to bottom panel 302 while folding up end panels 311 , 312 perpendicular to bottom 302 . Inner side panel minor flaps 322 A- 325 are adhered to inside surfaces of end panels 311 and 312 , while panels 334 - 337 are adhered to inside surfaces of minor flaps 322 A- 325 , so that gusset panels 330 - 333 are positioned spanning the corners of the interior of the carton. Triangular top panels 346 - 349 are folded to positions over the corners of the carton parallel to bottom panel 302 to enable first overlap panels 350 - 353 to be folded down over the outside surfaces of and adhered to, if desired, to outer side panels 303 , 304 . Second overlap panels 354 - 357 are folded perpendicular to first overlap panels 350 - 353 and adhered to outer surfaces of end panels 311 , 312 . Top panels 366 , 367 are then folded down parallel to bottom panel 302 so that notches 368 - 371 fit along the inside surfaces of the stacking tabs formed by the webs connecting outer side panels 303 , 304 with their respective inner side panels 317 , 318 . Panels 317 , 318 are folded over 180 degrees to be located parallel and to the inside of panels 303 and 304 , so that the two sets of inner and outer minor flaps overlap one another, with the inner minor flaps not contacting the outer walls of the container.
FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a covered tray with integral lid structure. For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 9 . Tray 400 is formed from blank 401 (preferably bilaterally symmetrical), which includes bottom panel 402 ; outer side panels 403 , 404 ; fold line 405 interrupted by die-cut slots 406 , 407 ; fold line 408 interrupted by die-cut slots 409 , 410 ; end panels 411 , 412 ; fold line 413 interrupted by vent hole 414 ; fold line 415 interrupted by vent hole 416 ; inner side panels 417 , 418 ; web fold lines 419 - 422 ; minor flaps 422 A- 425 ; fold lines 426 - 429 ; gusset panels 430 - 433 ; inner side panel minor flaps 434 - 437 ; fold lines 438 - 445 ; top corner panels 446 - 449 ; first overlap panels 450 - 453 ; second overlap panels 454 - 457 ; fold lines 458 - 461 ; fold lines 462 - 465 ; top panels 466 , 467 with extensions 466 A, 467 A; notches 468 - 471 ; vent holes 472 - 479 ; top side closure flaps 480 - 483 ; fold lines 484 - 487 ; and fold lines 488 , 489 . When the inner side panels are folded in, the webs that connect the inner side panels and the outer side panels form stacking tabs, the top edges of which are defined by the fold lines 419 - 422 .
Blank 401 further includes separation lines 490 , 491 which are preferably continuous perforations. To load carton 400 (if not formed around a load), top panels 466 , 467 are pulled up, breaking the perforations of separation lines 490 , 491 , up to (but preferably not beyond) fold lines 488 , 489 . After filling, top panels 466 , 467 are folded down, and top side closure flaps 480 - 483 will be glued and folded down. Removal of top panels 466 , 467 is accomplished, in part, by tearing along the remaining unbroken perforated portions of separation lines 490 , 491 .
Carton 400 is formed in substantially the same manner as carton 300 except that for carton 400 , blank 401 is provided with additional closure flaps 480 - 483 , which are adhered to outside surfaces of outer side panels 403 , 404 . In addition, top panels 466 , 467 terminate in extensions 466 A and 467 A, which are defined by perforations 494 , 495 . Extensions 466 A and 467 A can be used to open the container, and permit removal of the lid portion.
FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate a covered tray, similar to tray 400 . Tray 500 is formed from blank 501 (preferably bilaterally symmetrical), which includes bottom panel 502 ; outer side panels 503 , 504 ; fold line 505 interrupted by die-cut slots 506 , 507 ; fold line 508 interrupted by die-cut slots 509 , 510 ; end panels 511 , 512 ; fold line 513 interrupted by vent hole 514 ; fold line 515 interrupted by vent hole 516 ; inner side panels 517 , 518 ; web fold lines 519 - 522 ; minor flaps 522 A- 525 ; fold lines 526 - 529 ; gusset panels 530 - 533 ; inner side panel minor flaps 534 - 537 ; fold lines 538 - 545 ; top corner panels 546 - 549 ; first overlap panels 550 - 553 ; second overlap panels 554 - 557 ; fold lines 558 - 561 ; fold lines 562 - 565 ; top panels 566 , 567 with extensions 566 A, 567 A; top side closure flaps 596 - 599 (which when folded, form or expose slots, for fitting over the stacking tabs formed when the inner side panels are folded in against the outer side panels) and fold lines 588 A, 588 B, 589 A, 589 B. For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 11 . When the inner side panels are folded in, the webs that connect the inner side panels and the outer side panels form stacking tabs, the top edges of which are defined by the fold lines 519 - 522 . Separation lines 590 , 592 , 593 and 595 are preferably through-cuts, while separation lines 591 , 594 are preferably perforation lines.
FIGS. 13-14 illustrate a covered tray with integral lid, and having stacking tabs. For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 13 . Covered tray 600 is formed from blank 601 (preferably bilaterally symmetrical), which includes bottom panel 602 , end panels 603 , 604 ; fold lines 605 , 606 ; outer side panels 607 , 608 ; fold line 609 , interrupted by vent holes 610 , 611 ; fold line 612 , interrupted by vent holes 613 , 614 ; inner side panels 615 , 616 ; double fold line 617 , interrupted by T-tab structures 620 , 621 including offset tab fold lines 618 , 619 ; double fold line 622 , interrupted by T-tab structures 625 , 626 including offset tab fold lines 623 , 624 ; outer side panel minor flaps 627 - 630 ; fold lines 631 - 634 ; inner side panel minor flaps 635 - 638 ; fold lines 639 - 642 ; inner side panel notches 643 - 646 ; top panels 647 , 648 ; fold lines 649 , 650 ; top corner panels 651 - 654 ; first overlap panels 655 - 658 ; fold lines 659 - 662 ; second overlap panels 663 - 666 ; fold lines 667 - 670 ; top panel notches 671 - 674 . Blank 601 also includes through-cuts 674 - 676 (which may be substituted by perforations, with the corresponding modes of operation as discussed herein).
In carton 600 , when inner side panel 615 , 616 are folded over their respective double fold lines to positions parallel to and overlying the inside surfaces of outer side panels 607 , 608 , the offset fold line 618 , 619 , 623 and 624 cause the upside down t-shaped tab 620 , 621 , 625 , 626 to separate from the surrounding portions of the inner side panels 615 , 616 , as shown in FIG. 14 . Inner side panel minor flaps 635 - 638 are adhered to the inside surfaces of minor flaps 627 - 630 . Outer side panel minor flaps 627 - 630 are adhered to the inside surfaces of side panels 603 , 604 . First overlap panels 655 - 658 have been folded down to positions overlying the outside surfaces of outer side panels 607 , 608 with second overlap panels 663 - 666 folded perpendicular thereto and adhered to outside surfaces of end panels 603 , 604 . The closure of carton 600 is an indicated in FIG. 14 .
FIGS. 15-16 illustrate a carton with integral lid according to another embodiment of the invention. For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 15 . Carton 700 is formed from blank 701 (preferably bilaterally symmetrical), which includes bottom panel 702 ; end panels 703 , 704 ; fold lines 705 , 706 ; side panels 707 , 708 ; fold lines 707 A, 708 A; side panel minor flaps 709 - 712 ; fold lines 713 - 716 ; top panels 717 , 718 ; fold lines 719 , 720 ; top corner panels 721 - 724 ; perforations 725 - 728 ; top flaps 729 - 732 ; fold lines 733 - 736 ; contoured cuts 737 - 740 ; overlap 741 - 744 ; and fold lines 745 - 748 . Blank 701 also includes knock-outs 750 , 751 , formed by perforations 752 , 753 .
In carton 700 , side panel minor flaps 709 - 712 have been adhered to the inside surfaces the end panels 703 , 704 and overlap panels 741 - 744 have been preferably adhered to outside surfaces of side panels 707 , 708 . Upon closure of top panel 717 , 718 the inner facing edges of these two panels may overlap and top flap 729 - 732 are folded down and adhered to outer surfaces of end panels 707 , 708 where they are exposed by the contoured cuts 737 - 740 .
FIGS. 17-18 illustrate a carton with integral lid, including diagonal corner support panels. For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 17 . Carton 800 is formed from blank 801 (preferably bilaterally symmetrical), and includes bottom panel 802 ; end panels 803 , 804 ; fold lines 805 , 806 ; side panels 807 , 808 ; fold lines 809 , 810 ; gusset panels 811 - 814 ; fold lines 815 - 818 ; side panel minor flaps 819 - 822 ; fold lines 823 - 826 ; top panels 827 , 828 ; fold lines 829 , 830 ; top panel flaps 833 - 836 ; fold lines 837 - 840 ; top corner panels 841 - 844 ; countered cuts 845 - 848 ; overlap panels 849 - 852 ; fold lines 853 - 856 ; knock-outs 857 , 868 , formed by perforations 859 , 860 . Blank 801 also includes cuts 861 - 864 (which may be substituted with perforations, if desired, with the corresponding modes of operation as discussed herein).
Carton 800 is formed in a substantially similar manner as carton 700 , except that blank 801 for 800 includes gusset panels 811 - 814 .
In a further alternative embodiment of the carton of FIGS. 17 and 18 , gusset panels 811 - 814 may be omitted, by eliminating fold lines 815 - 818 . Such an alternative construction is illustrated in FIGS. 19-20 , by carton 800 ′, formed by blank 801 ′ (preferably bilaterally symmetrical), which has all the other panels, fold lines and other features of blank 800 of FIGS. 17-18 . For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 19 .
In another alternative embodiment, shown in FIGS. 21-22 , a covered carton with two top panels, and with outer corner support panels, is shown. For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 21 . Carton 900 is formed from blank 901 (preferably bilaterally symmetrical), which includes bottom panel 902 ; end panels 903 , 904 ; fold lines 905 , 906 ; side panels 907 , 908 ; fold lines 909 , 910 ; minor flaps 911 - 914 ; fold lines 915 - 918 ; top panels 919 , 920 ; fold lines 921 , 922 ; top corner panels 923 - 926 ; perforations 927 - 930 (which may be replaced by straight cuts); top side closure flaps 931 - 934 ; fold lines 935 - 938 ; first overlap panels 940 - 943 ; fold lines 944 - 947 ; second overlap panels 948 - 951 ; fold lines 952 - 955 ; and knock-outs 956 , 957 , formed by perforations 958 , 959 .
Carton 900 is substantially similar to carton 700 , but for the addition of second overlap panels 948 - 951 , which are adhered to the outside surfaces of side panels 907 , 908 .
FIGS. 49-50 illustrate the steps in a method for setting up a carton, such as may be fabricated from the blank of FIGS. 21-22 . These methods may be performed using suitably modified carton forming machinery such as are known in the art, and such modifications may be readily accomplished by one of ordinary skill in the art, having the present disclosure before them. The steps are as follows:
I. A flat blank is indexed into a forming station from the top of a stack of blanks.
II. The blank is indexed laterally as adhesive is applied to the inside surfaces of panels 903 , 904 , 948 - 951 and 940 - 943 , particularly in a series of parallel glue lines, extending in a direction parallel to the direction of the flutes (as shown by the double arrow). In panels 903 , 904 , the glue lines may be placed near the top and bottom of those panels (as observed in FIG. 21 ), but not along the mid-regions of those panels, if desired.
III. A mandrel pushes the blank down through a forming chamber into a compression section.
IV. At a secondary forming station, the top panels and first overlap panels are folded down while the second overlap panels are articulated and glued.
V. As a new carton is received in the forming chamber, the just-formed carton is discharged from the compression section onto a powered take-away conveyor.
VI. Formed cartons are pushed down a chute from a case erecting room located on an upper floor to a production floor of a production facility.
VII. Cartons are moved laterally, e.g., at shoulder height, on a powered belt conveyor, past manual packing stations.
VIII. A worker selects an empty carton from the belt conveyor, and positions the carton at the worker's pack station, e.g., at waist or thigh height.
IX. The top panels are pulled up (breaking perforations as necessary) to open the carton for packing.
X. Product, such as Cryovac™ wrapped meat cuts are packed into the open carton.
XI. The filled carton is pushed forward onto a take-away conveyor to a sealing device, such as an Elliott Top & Side Sealer, a Pearson side flange sealer or a Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation side flange sealer.
XII. The top panels are plowed down and the top side closure flaps are sealed with hot melt adhesive.
XIII. Sealed cartons are then transported, e.g., by roller conveyor to a manual palletizing area. Pallet Loads are built, transferred by lift trucks to temporary storage, and then shipped to customers as required.
In the embodiment of FIGS. 23, 24 , carton 1000 is formed by blank 1001 , to create a single top panel carton. For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 23 . Blank 1001 includes bottom panel 1002 ; (front) end panel 1003 ; (rear) end panel 1004 ; fold lines 1005 , 1006 ; side panels 1007 , 1008 ; fold lines 1009 , 1010 ; gusset panels 1011 - 1014 ; fold lines 1015 - 1018 ; minor flaps 1019 - 1022 ; fold lines 1024 - 1027 ; top panel 1028 ; fold line 1029 ; top side closure flaps 1030 , 1031 ; fold lines (or perforation lines) 1032 , 1033 ; cutouts 1034 , 1035 ; top corner panels 1036 , 1037 ; perforations or through-cuts 1038 , 1039 ; first overlap panels 1040 , 1041 ; fold lines 1059 , 1060 ; perforations 1042 , 1043 ; top front closure flap 1044 ; fold line 1045 ; second overlap panels 1046 - 1049 ; fold lines 1050 - 1053 ; hand holes 1054 , 1056 ; and vent apertures 1057 , 1058 .
Carton 1000 is formed by placing side panels 1007 , 1008 perpendicular to bottom panel 1002 . Minor flaps 1019 - 1022 are affixed to inside surfaces of (front) end panel 1003 and (rear) end panel 1004 . Closure of carton 1000 is accomplished by folding top panel 1028 to a position parallel to bottom panel 1002 . At this point, top panel 1028 is still attached along perforations 1042 and 1043 to first overlap panels 1040 , 1041 . First overlap panels 1040 , 1041 are affixed to outside surfaces of side panels 1007 , 1008 with second overlap panels 1046 - 1049 being affixed to outside surfaces of (front) end panel 1003 and (rear) end panel 1004 . Top front closure flap 1044 is affixed to an outer surface of (front) end panel 1003 . In addition, top side closure panels 1030 and 1031 are adhered to outside surfaces of side panels 1007 and 1008 . Opening of carton 1000 is accomplished by peeling back top front closure panel 1044 , and top side closure panels 1030 and 1031 (or tearing along their respective fold lines/perforations), and tearing along perforations 1042 and 1043 .
The embodiment of FIGS. 25-26 is a carton 1100 provided with a two-panel top, and is formed from blank 1101 (preferably bilaterally symmetrical). For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 25 . Blank 1101 includes bottom panel 1102 , end panels 1103 , 1104 ; fold lines 1105 , 1106 ; side panels 1107 , 1108 ; fold lines 1109 , 1110 ; gusset panels 1111 - 1114 ; fold lines 1115 - 1118 ; minor panels 1119 - 1122 ; fold lines 1123 - 1126 ; top panels 1127 , 1128 ; fold lines 1129 , 1130 ; first overlap panels 1131 - 1134 ; perforations 1135 - 1138 ; top side closure flaps 1139 - 1142 ; cuts 1143 - 1146 ; fold lines 1147 - 1150 ; second overlap panels 1151 - 1154 ; and hand holes 1155 , 1156 .
In carton 1100 , minor panels 1119 - 1122 are adhered to inside surfaces of side panels 1103 , 1104 , so that gusset panels 1111 - 1114 extend diagonally across the corners of the interior of carton 1100 to provide vertical stacking strength. First overlap panels 1131 - 1134 are adhered to outside surfaces of side panels 1107 , 1108 . Top panels 1128 , 1127 are pulled up, tearing perforations 1135 - 1138 where the top panels are joined to first overlap panels 1131 - 1134 , to permit the top panels to be raised for loading. After loading, top side closure flaps 1139 - 1142 are folded down and glued in place, later to be separated from the top panels along the perforations to enable access to the interior of carton 1100 .
Carton 1200 of FIGS. 27-28 is formed from blank 1201 . For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 27 . Blank 1201 includes bottom panel 1202 ; (front) end panel 1203 ; (rear) end panel 1204 ; fold lines 1205 , 1206 ; side panels 1207 , 1208 ; fold lines 1209 , 1210 ; gusset panels 1211 - 1214 ; fold lines 1215 - 1218 ; minor flaps 1219 - 1222 ; fold lines 1223 - 1226 ; top panel 1227 ; fold line 1228 ; top side closure flaps 1229 , 1230 ; fold lines 1231 , 1232 ; top front closure flap 1233 ; fold line 1234 ; first overlap panels 1235 , 1236 ; perforations 1237 - 1240 ; second overlap panels flaps 1241 - 1244 ; fold lines 1245 - 1248 ; hand holes 1249 , 1250 ; and vent holes 1251 , 1252 .
Carton 1200 is formed from a blank 1201 , which is similar to carton 1000 previously described, the primary difference being that the blank of carton 1200 is not provided with the top corner panels along the rear panel of the blank as in the embodiment of carton 1000 .
Carton 1300 of FIGS. 29-30 is formed from blank 1301 . For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 29 . Blank 1301 includes bottom panel 1302 ; end panels 1303 , 1304 ; fold lines 1305 , 1306 ; top panels 1307 , 1308 ; fold line 1309 interrupted by die-cut stacking tabs 1311 , 1312 ; fold line 1310 interrupted by die-cut stacking tabs 1313 , 1314 ; top side closure flaps 1315 - 1318 ; fold lines 1319 - 1322 ; top corner panels 1323 - 1326 ; through-cuts 1327 - 1330 (which could be replaced by perforations); fold lines 1331 - 1334 ; first overlap panels 1333 - 1336 ; second overlap panels 1337 - 1340 ; fold lines 1341 - 1344 ; outer side panels 1345 , 1346 ; fold lines 1347 - 1348 ; double fold lines 1349 , 1350 ; inner side panels 1351 , 1352 ; outer side panel minor flaps 1353 - 1356 ; fold lines 1357 - 1360 ; V-shaped gusset panels 1361 - 1364 ; fold lines 1365 - 1372 ; inner side panel minor flaps 1373 - 1376 ; vent openings 1377 , 1379 ; die-cut stacking slots 1380 - 1383 .
Carton 1300 , shown in FIGS. 29-30 , is, except for the proportions, substantially similar in the structure and mode of operation to carton 300 . In addition, top side closure flaps 1315 - 1318 extend from end edges of the top panels and are adhered to outside surfaces of side panels 1345 , 1346 .
Carton 1400 , shown in FIGS. 31-32 , is a two top panel carton, but based on an asymmetrical blank 1401 . For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 31 . Blank 1401 includes bottom panel 1402 ; end panels 1403 , 1404 ; fold lines 1405 , 1406 ; side panels 1407 , 1408 ; fold lines 1409 , 1410 ; gusset panels 1411 - 1414 ; fold lines 1415 - 1418 ; minor flaps 1419 - 1422 ; fold lines 1423 - 1426 ; top panels 1427 , 1428 ; fold lines 1429 , 1430 ; top corner panels 1431 - 1434 ; through-cuts 1435 - 1438 (which could be replaced by perforations); first overlap panels 1439 - 1442 ; fold lines 1443 - 1446 ; second overlap panels 1447 - 1450 ; fold lines 1451 - 1454 ; top side closure flaps 1455 , 1456 ; fold lines 1457 , 1458 ; locking flaps 1459 , 1460 ; fold lines 1461 , 1462 ; tabs 1463 , 1464 ; hand holes 1465 , 1466 .
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 31, 32 , tabs 1463 , 1464 are set off by separate score lines 1467 - 1470 that extend perpendicular to fold lines 1471 , 1472 that extend across locking flaps 1459 , 1460 . In an alternative embodiment of the invention, score lines 1467 - 1470 may be omitted.
In carton 1400 , minor flaps 1419 - 1422 are adhered to inside surfaces of end panels 1403 , 1404 . First overlap panels 1439 - 1442 are adhered to outside surfaces of side panels 1407 , 1408 and/or second overlap panels 1447 - 1450 are adhered to outside surfaces of end panels 1403 , 1402 . To maintain closure panel 1427 in place over bottom panel 1402 , closure flaps 1455 , 1456 are folded down over the outer surfaces of side panels 1407 , 1408 , while tabs 1464 , 1463 or locking flaps 1459 , 1460 are inserted and received through hand holes 1465 , 1466 , locking the top flaps 1427 , 1428 down in place.
FIGS. 33-34 illustrate a covered carton with self-locking top panels. For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 33 . Carton 1500 is formed from blank 1500 , which includes bottom panel 1502 ; outer side panels 1503 , 1504 ; fold line 1505 , interrupted by stacking notches 1506 , 1507 ; fold line 1508 interrupted by stacking notches 1509 , 1510 ; end panels 1511 , 1512 ; fold lines 1513 , 1514 ; top panels 1516 , 1517 ; fold lines 1518 , 1519 ; top corner panels 1520 - 1523 ; through-cuts 1524 - 1527 (which may be replaced by perforations); locking tabs 1528 - 1531 ; first overlap panels 1532 - 1535 ; fold lines 1536 - 1539 ; second overlap panels 1540 - 1543 ; inner side panels 1544 , 1545 ; web fold lines 1546 - 1549 ; outer side panel stacking tabs 1550 - 1553 ; inner side panel stacking tabs 1554 - 1557 ; minor flaps 1560 - 1563 ; fold lines 1563 ′- 1566 ; minor flaps 1567 - 1570 ; fold lines 1571 - 1574 ; and stacking notches 1575 - 1578 .
In the carton 1500 , minor flaps 1560 - 1563 are affixed to inside surfaces of end panels 1511 , 1512 and minor flaps 1567 - 1570 are affixed to inside surfaces of minor flaps 1560 - 1563 . In addition, second overlap panels 1540 - 1543 are affixed to outside surfaces of end panels 1511 , 1512 . The stacking tab structures 1554 - 1557 also serve to help keep the lid closed or re-closeable by being provided with notches that receive locking tabs 1528 , 1531 as indicated in FIG. 34 .
Carton 1600 of FIGS. 35-36 is formed from blank 1601 , and has bottom panel 1602 ; outer side panels 1603 , 1604 ; fold line 1605 , interrupted by stacking openings 1606 , 1607 ; fold line 1608 , interrupted by stacking openings 1609 , 1610 ; end panels 1611 , 1612 ; fold lines 1613 , 1614 ; top panels 1615 , 1616 ; fold lines 1617 , 1618 ; top corner panels 1619 - 1622 ; through-cuts 1623 - 1626 (which may be replaced by perforations); locking tabs 1627 - 1630 ; first overlap panels 1631 - 1634 ; fold lines 1635 - 1638 ; second overlap panels 1639 - 1642 ; inner side panels 1643 , 1644 ; web double fold lines 1645 - 1648 ; outer side panel stacking tabs 1649 - 1652 ; notched inner side panel stacking tabs 1653 - 1656 ; minor flaps 1658 - 1661 ; fold lines 1662 - 1664 ; minor flaps 1665 - 1668 ; double fold lines 1669 - 1672 ; and stacking notches 1673 - 1680 . For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 35 .
In carton 1600 , the structure mode of operation and manner of affixation of certain panels to other panels is substantially similar to that of the embodiment of carton 1500 , except that the panels emanating from the ends of the inner side panels are elongated so as to be folded back upon outwardly facing surfaces of the inner side panels. Thus, panels 1665 , 1666 are captured between panels 1603 and 1643 , and panels 1667 and 1668 are captured between panels 1604 and 1664 . This sandwiching of panels is evidenced in FIG. 36 , particularly on the left end of the carton where outer side panel 1603 and inner side panel 1643 capture between them panels 1665 and 1666 .
Carton 1700 is illustrated in FIGS. 37-38 . For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 37 . Blank 1701 includes bottom panel 1702 ; outer side panels 1703 , 1704 ; fold line 1705 interrupted by stacking openings 1706 , 1707 ; fold line 1708 interrupted by stacking openings 1709 , 1710 ; end panels 1711 , 1712 ; fold lines 1713 , 1714 ; top panels 1715 , 1716 ; fold lines 1717 , 1718 ; top corner panels 1719 - 1722 ; through-cuts 1786 - 1789 ; first overlap panels 1723 - 1726 ; fold lines 1727 - 1730 ; second overlap panels 1731 - 1734 ; fold lines 1735 - 1738 ; minor flaps 1739 - 1742 ; fold lines 1743 - 1746 ; web fold lines 1747 - 1750 ; outer side panel stacking tabs 1751 - 1754 ; inner side panel stacking tabs 1755 - 1758 ; inner side panels 1759 , 1760 ; minor flaps 1761 - 1764 ; gusset panels 1765 - 1768 ; fold lines 1769 - 1776 ; stacking notches 1778 - 1781 ; and locking tabs 1782 - 1785 .
Carton 1700 is substantially similar to cartons 1600 , except that gusset panels are provided adjacent inside side panels 1759 and 1760 with minor flaps 1739 - 1742 being adhered to inside surfaces of end panels 1711 , 1712 and minor flaps 1761 - 1764 being affixed to inside minor flaps 1739 - 1742 . The closure mechanism for carton 1700 is the same as it is for carton 1600 .
Carton 1800 ( FIGS. 39-40 ) includes self-locking top panels as well as interior corner supports. For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 39 . Blank 1801 includes bottom panel 1802 ; end panels 1803 , 1804 ; fold line 1805 , interrupted by stacking openings 1806 , 1807 ; fold line 1808 , interrupted by stacking openings 1809 , 1810 ; outer side panels 1811 , 1812 ; fold line 1813 , interrupted by stacking openings 1814 , 1815 ; fold line 1816 , interrupted by stacking openings 1817 , 1818 ; notched stacking tabs 1819 - 1822 ; side end panels 1823 , 1824 ; double fold lines 1825 , 1826 ; stacking notches 1827 - 1830 ; gusset panels 1831 - 1834 ; fold lines 1835 - 1838 ; minor flaps 1839 - 1843 ; fold lines 1843 - 1846 ; minor flaps 1847 - 1850 ; fold lines 1851 - 1854 ; fold line 1855 , interrupted by die-cut stacking tabs 1856 , 1857 ; fold line 1858 , interrupted by die-cut stacking tabs 1859 , 1860 ; outer top panels 1861 , 1862 ; top corner panels 1863 - 1866 ; through-cuts 1867 - 1870 ; overlap panels 1871 - 1874 ; fold lines 1875 - 1878 ; inner top panels 1879 , 1880 ; fold lines 1881 , 1882 ; locking tab receiving slots 1883 - 1886 ; and knock-outs 1887 - 1890 (surrounded by oval lines of perforations).
In carton 1801 , the stacking tab structures are incorporated into the side and end panel structures, especially upon folding over of the inner side panels to the positions inside the outer side panels exposes the hooked stacking and closure tabs 1819 - 1822 . Minor flaps 1847 - 1850 are affixed to inside surfaces of outer end panels 1803 , 1804 and minor flaps 1839 - 1843 are affixed to minor flaps 1847 - 1850 , while support panels 1871 - 1874 are affixed to outside surfaces of outer side panels 1811 , 1812 .
FIGS. 41-42 illustrate a covered tray with integral lid, and having stacking tabs. For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 41 . Covered tray 1900 is formed from blank 1901 (preferably bilaterally symmetrical), which includes bottom panel 1902 , end panels 1903 , 1904 ; fold lines 1905 , 1906 ; outer side panels 1907 , 1908 ; fold line 1909 , interrupted by vent/stacking holes 1910 , 1911 ; fold line 1912 , interrupted by vent/stacking holes 1913 , 1914 ; inner side panels 1915 , 1916 ; double fold line 1917 , interrupted by T-tab structures 1920 , 1921 including offset tab fold lines 1918 , 1919 ; double fold line 1922 , interrupted by T-tab structures 1925 , 1926 including offset tab fold lines 1923 , 1924 ; outer side panel minor flaps 1927 - 1930 ; fold lines 1931 - 1934 ; inner side panel minor flaps 1935 - 1938 ; inner side panel notches 1943 - 1946 ; top panels 1947 , 1948 ; fold lines 1949 , 1950 ; top corner panels 1951 - 1954 ; first overlap panels 1955 - 1958 ; fold lines 1959 - 1962 ; second overlap panels 1963 - 1966 ; fold lines 1967 - 1970 ; top panel locking tabs 1971 - 1974 , 671 - 674 . Blank 1901 also includes gusset panels 1975 - 1978 ; fold lines 1979 - 1986 ; and through-cuts 1987 - 1990 (which may be substituted by perforations). An alternative embodiment of this carton, carton 1900 ′, is shown in FIGS. 43-44 , wherein blank 1901 ′ is nearly identical to blank 1900 , except that panels 1963 - 1966 have been omitted, and panels, corresponding to panels 1927 - 1930 in blank 1900 , have been lengthened. For a corrugated paperboard blank, the preferred direction of the flutes is indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 43 .
Carton 1900 features T-shaped stacking tabs similar to the embodiment of carton 600 , with the notches for capturing locking tabs in the lid panels as in the embodiment of carton 1800 . In carton 1900 , inner side panel minor flaps 1927 - 1930 are adhered to inside surfaces of end panels 1903 , 1904 and minor flaps 1935 - 1938 are adhered to outside minor flaps 1927 - 1930 , such that gusset panels 1975 - 1978 extend diagonally across the corners of the interior volume. Second overlap panels 1963 - 1966 are adhered to outside surfaces of end panels 1903 , 1904 . As mentioned, top panels 1947 , 1948 may be retained in place through the capture of locking tabs 1971 - 1974 which can be received in the notches in T-tab structures 1925 , 1926 , 1920 and 1921 . As mentioned, carton 1900 ′ is substantially identical in structure and mode of operation to carton 1900 .
Carton 1800 ′ of FIGS. 45-46 is substantially identical to carton 1800 of FIGS. 39-40 , except that blank 1801 ′ is provided with second overlap panels 1891 - 1894 , along fold lines 1895 - 1898 , and the shortening of panels 1847 ′- 1850 ′ as compared to panels 1847 - 1850 in blank 1801 .
Although processes for forming and packing the foregoing cartons are provided specifically for the embodiments of FIGS. 1-2 and FIGS. 21-22 , it is to be understood that one of ordinary skill in the art, having the present disclosure before them, would readily be able to modify existing carton forming equipment, using ordinary design and engineering skills, for the purposes of erecting, and subsequently sealing, the cartons, of each of the embodiments, without departing from the scope of the present invention, and without extensive experimentation.
The carton designs of the present invention permit the carton to be fully erected with all of the vertical inner and outer flaps and any attached flaps to be sealed and properly positioned for maximum stacking performance, but will allow a portion of the top flaps (horizontal) to be separated from the vertical outer end flaps so that access to the carton cavity can be accomplished for loading of product. Additional design features incorporated into the separated top flap feature allow the top flaps to be sealed or locked into position as desired after the product has been loaded.
As described herein, among the critical features that enable this invention to perform well is the strategic use of slits or perforations that separate the top horizontal panel (flap) from the end flaps of a tray or wrap design having full overlapping end flaps. These fully overlapping vertical end flaps may include additional (secondary) flaps which provide additional corner structures for added stack strength. Through the utilization of the slits or perforations (nicks), this permits the erecting machine to fully set up the carton's stacking features (inner and outer full overlapping flaps and inner and where applicable outer minor flaps), but allows the horizontal top flaps to remain free or only lightly attached (nicked) to the end flaps.
This allows user access to the carton cavity for loading of the products through either manual, man-machine interface, or automatic methods. In the situation in which a slit is used to separate the top and end structures, the carton can be effectively erected with the top flaps left in an upright position upon discharge from the erecting machine. In the situation in which nicks are used, keeping the top and end panels connected, the top flaps are in a horizontal or closed position upon discharge from the machine and opened, through the breaking of the nicks (either manually or mechanically) when desired. Final sealing or closure is accomplished with special features, such as slot and tab mechanisms, or through the use of additional material removed from the vertical end flaps and left attached to the horizontal top flaps (such as a flange), which is glued to the outer container walls to facilitate final closure when desired. These features, among others, permit this strategic use of the top flap panel, while protecting the important functions of the end flaps, can be applied to a number of container designs, as shown in the accompanying description and drawings.
The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention, and the invention is not so limited as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.
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A plurality of cartons, preferably fabricated from paper, paperboard and/or corrugated paperboard, and particularly of tray or wrapper-style construction, are provided, having integral lid constructions, and outer overlap panels, operably associated with the at least one top panel, to enable articulation of the carton into a substantially completed structure, without interfering with the subsequent articulation of the at least one top panel to enable loading of the carton subsequent to articulation and affixation of the outer overlap panels.
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RELATED APPLICATION(S)
This application is a continuation-in-part of a prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/317,767, filed May 24, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,370,398, entitled “Transreflector Antenna For Wireless Communication System.” The entire teachings of the above application(s) are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There continues to be ever increasing demand for distributed high speed access to computer networks such as the Internet and private networks. Competition is fierce among various schemes which rely upon wires for physical layer connectivity, such as T1 carrier, Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL), cable modem, fiber optic distributed data interface (FDDI), and the like. However, it is readily apparent that wireless access systems continue to hold the promise of reducing network buildout costs, especially in areas where telephone, cable and/or fiber optic lines are not yet installed. Wireless systems almost always promise the most rapid and flexible deployment of access services and a quicker return on investment.
Certain radio frequency bands have been allocated in the United States and in other countries to provide so-called Local Multipoint Distribution Service (LMDS). LMDS uses super high frequency microwave signals in the 28 or 40 gigahertz (GHz) band to send and receive broadband data signals within a given area, or cell, approximately up to six miles in diameter. On the surface, LMDS systems work in a manner analogous to that of narrow band cellular telephone systems. In the typical LMDS system, a hub transceiver services several different subscriber locations. The antenna at the hub has a wide viewing angle to allow access by multiple subscribers that use individual narrowly focused subscriber antennas. A high speed data communication service is provided by deploying appropriate modem equipment at both the hub and subscriber locations. Depending upon the particular modems used, the services provided to each subscriber can be, for example, a point-to-point dedicated service.
This type of service can compete directly with wired services available from telephone companies and cable company networks. However, the designers of LMDS systems are faced with several challenges at the present time. Because such systems send very high frequency radio signals over short line-of-sight distances, cell layout has proven to be a complex issue. Some factors that must be considered in cell site design are line of sight, analog versus digital modulation, overlapping cells versus single is transmitter cells, transmit and receive antenna height, foliage density, and expected rainfall. The configuration of antennas and transceivers at a hub site determines the specific coverage of the different sectors within a cell. Antennas with wide viewing angles result in fewer sectors at each cell site. Narrow sectors can be established, but narrower sectors require more hub equipment to cover the same field of view. Also, narrow sectors using the same polarization increase the amount of interference from one hub to the other. Wireless communication system designers can overcome this limitation by using polarization diversity at a cell site. In one approach, narrow sectors using orthogonal polarizations (i.e., the signals radiated from two hubs are 90 degrees to one another) are interleaved to reduce the interference. This polarization diversity can be achieved using orthogonally polarized antennas with very low cross-polarization levels. However, the design of antennas with low cross-polarization levels throughout the sector remains a challenge.
Another challenge is in the electronics technology needed to implement the service. For example, transmitter amplifiers for such high frequency systems require sophisticated semiconductor technology such as using monolithic millimeter-wave integrated circuits (MMICs) based on gallium arsenide technologies. These MMICs generate considerable heat in the transceiver unit and the heat needs to be dissipated by careful design of the heat sink of the transceiver. Furthermore, transceiver systems must provide precise control over signal levels in order to affect the maximum possible link margin at the receiver.
One overriding concern with LMDS services is that they are fixed services and therefore have certain properties that are dramatically different than for mobile services. One difference in particular is that LMDS service is completely line of sight, meaning that a clear path for signal propagation between the hub and subscriber is an absolute requirement. Locations without direct line of sight access typically require auxiliary reflectors and/or amplifiers, if they can be made to work at all.
Another consideration in an LMDS system is that connection is expected to be full duplex, in the sense that the transmitter is expected to operate at the same time as the receiver, with minimal interference being generated between them. Thus, broadband communication systems such as LMDS require a highly directional (i.e., narrowly focused) antenna that has very low cross-polarization levels throughout the viewing area. Also, since these transceiver equipments are used for subscriber units, these need to be small, compact and should fit in with the decor of the subscriber dwellings. An additional advantage would be provided if some type of heat dissipation capability was also provisioned for the unit.
Certain compact microwave and millimeter-wave radars operating at extremely high frequencies have been developed using a folded folding optics design. Such a design uses an external lens for focusing electromagnetic radiation to define an antenna axis. A separate transreflector placed in a plane orthogonal to the axis of the lens and a separate twist reflector assembly is also placed in the same plane. Such assemblies typically require fabrication of multiple individual components. See, for example, the antennas described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,455,589 issued to Huguenin, G. R. and Moore, E. L. on Oct. 3, 1995 and assigned to the Assignee of the present application, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,139 issued on Oct. 21, 1997 to the same inventors, and also to the same Assignee.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, the present invention is a compact, lightweight, inexpensive antenna for use with wireless communication services including, but not limited to, line of sight microwave frequency services such as Local Multipoint Distribution Services (LMDS).
The antenna provides for transmission and reception on a vertical and/or horizontal plane as well as isolation for cross-polarized components. The design provides for precise control over isolation and polarization characteristics.
More particularly, the antenna consists of an exterior shaped housing, or dome, formed of a suitable inexpensive resilient material such as plastic. A polarizing conducting grating is formed on an interior facing surface of the dome.
The dome is spaced apart from a twist reflector formed of a metal plate in one embodiment. Grooves are cut in the surface of the twist plate facing the polarizing grid.
In another embodiment, the twist reflector is made of a metal backed dielectric layer of a thickness approximately equal to one-quarter wavelength at the frequency of operation, in the dielectric medium. The conductive grating is formed on the dielectric layer, facing the dome surface of the transreflector. Thus, in general, twist reflectors can be constructed in many different ways, the intent in all cases being to achieve a 90 degree rotation of polarization between incident and reflected signals.
A waveguide feed is placed preferably in the center of the twist reflector in either embodiment to provide for bidirectional signal coupling between the antenna and transceiving equipment.
In operation, in the receive direction, microwave line of sight signals are received at the dome and only those with a desired polarization pass through the grating.
Signals of an orthogonal polarization are reflected away from the dome, thereby providing very low cross-polarization levels. The twist reflector then reflects such signals back towards the dome and the grating. In this instance, the twist reflector imparts a rotation, such as 90 degrees, to this reflected energy. When the reflected energy reaches the conductive grating a second time, it is reflected. Since the dome and hence the conductive grating are of a shape which focuses reflected energy, such as parabolic or spherical, the energy reflected by the grating is focused at a point in the center of the twist reflector at which the waveguide feed is placed.
The transreflector arrangement operates analogously in the transmit direction. That is, transmit signal energy in all directions exiting the waveguide is directed to the polarizing grating. The grating in turn reflects such energy along its parabolic shape back to the twist plate, essentially with all rays in parallel. The twist plate imparts a 90 degree rotation to this energy and reflects it back to the grating. Now having the opposite polarization, the transmit energy passes through the grating and out along a line of sight defined by the axis.
The exterior dome serves not only as a support base for the polarizing grating, but also as a casement for the components contained within the antenna.
The transreflecting element may be manufactured by providing a substrate that has been printed and etched and/or a film nonconductive substrate which has been silk screened with a conductive ink. In each of these cases in a preferred embodiment, the substrate or carrier film becomes an integral part of the resulting molded article.
The transreflector may be manufactured by providing a series of spaced parallel stripes of a conductive material upon the surface of a substrate. The substrate may be a synthetic resin carrier film on which the parallel stripes are deposited. However, alternatively, the substrate may itself be a conductive substrate such as may be provided by a conductive ink which has been etched. In either event, the film can be placed against the surface of a mold defining a desired concave curvature for the transreflector. A second mold half defining the desired convex external curve is then placed in a spaced relationship with the first mold. Synthetic resin may then be introduced in the mold cavity to produce the desired transreflector element. The spaced parallel stripes will thus be disposed on an internal or external concave surface thereof. The conductive's carrier film may then possibly be removed. Alternatively, the conductive film may remain within the completed transreflector element, depending upon various considerations.
Advantageously, the twist plate may be integrally formed on the outer surface of a metal enclosure within which are placed the transceiver circuits, modem interface circuits, and the like. In this instance, the metallic twist plate may also serve as a heat sink, dissipating the heat generated by the operating transceiver electronic modules.
This arrangement provides a low cost, minimum part count, low profile, easy to manufacture antenna for use in line of sight, full duplex microwave signaling applications.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a Local Multipoint Distribution Service (LMDS) system which uses a compact antenna assembly according to the invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates a typical installation of the antenna assembly at a subscriber location such as on the roof of a building.
FIG. 3 is a more detailed view of the antenna assembly as mounted to a mast.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the various components of the antenna assembly.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the assembled antenna useful for understanding of how the antenna works.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system 10 for providing a high speed direct line of sight wireless data service such as Local Multipoint Distribution Service (LMDS) using millimeter-wave frequency radio signals for a physical layer medium. The system 10 consists of equipment at a hub location 12 as well as equipment at multiple subscriber locations 14 . It should be understood that the subscriber units 14 may individually be located in a particular sector of a cell to provide support for a greater number of subscribers within a given cell using a limited number of carrier frequencies. In the illustrated system 10 , multiple subscribers are provided with a high speed data service to provide access to the Internet.
The equipment at the hub 12 consists of a connection to a point-of-presence (POP) into the network or other Internet access device 20 , and multiple modems 22 - 1 , 22 - 2 , 22 - n . In the transmit (e.g., forward link) direction, the modems 22 convert baseband digital signals to modulated radio frequency signals using digitization and modulation schemes appropriate for line of sight microwave transmission. For example, the point-to-point (PTP) class of modems available for purchase from Integrity Communications, Inc. of Richmond, Va. provide data links that operate at full duplex speeds up to 10 megabits per second (Mbps).
Continuing in the transmit direction, the modulated signals representing multiple transmit signals provided by the modems 22 are fed through an RF combiner 24 to a microwave frequency transmitter 26 . The microwave signals produced by the transmitter are then fed to a hub antenna 28 which then forwards them over multiple forward radio links 30 to subscriber locations 14 .
At the subscriber locations 14 , a subscriber antenna 32 receives the line of sight microwave signals. The subscriber antenna 32 is the particular focus of the present invention and will be described in greater detail below. The subscriber antenna 32 receives the microwave frequency signals and forwards them to a subscriber transceiver 34 . A power supply 35 feeds power to the subscriber transceiver 34 , modem 36 , and local area network (LAN) 38 . A modem 36 converts the signals back to an appropriate digital form suitable for transmission over a local area network (LAN) 38 to which computing equipment may be connected in a well known manner.
Operation in the reverse link direction is analogous. Signals originating at the subscriber site 14 are received over the LAN 38 by the modems 36 and fed to the transceivers 34 . The subscriber antenna 32 in turn couples these over the radio links 30 to the hub location 12 , at which point the receiver 27 and splitter 23 provide multiple signals to the receiver portions of the modems 22 .
Of particular interest to the present invention are the antenna 32 and transceiving equipment 34 used at the subscriber location 14 . As shown in FIG. 2 , such an antenna 32 is typically arranged at a building site 50 . The antenna 32 may be mounted to a mast 52 located on the roof of the building 50 , and a transceiver 34 maybe located within the equipment mounted on the mast 50 . In this instance, a single coaxial cable 56 may be run from the transceiver 34 down the mast 52 to provide radio frequency and power connections to the multiple modems 36 distributed throughout the building 50 . Care is taken to keep the radio frequency link power budget for the multiple modems within the overall power and modulation budgets of the transceiver pairs 34 and 26 .
As shown in FIG. 3 , the antenna assembly 32 may be mounted to the mast 52 by suitable mounting bracket 58 . The antenna assembly 32 is carefully aimed at the time of installation to provide the required line of sight to the antenna 28 associated with the hub 12 .
FIG. 4 is a more detailed view of certain portions of the antenna assembly 32 . In particular, the antenna assembly 32 consists of a housing 60 formed of an appropriate suitable material such as an ABS thermoplastic. The housing 60 has an outer portion thereof shaped as a thin plastic dome 62 having an approximately parabolic shape in the preferred embodiment. An alternate shape for the outer portion is spherical. As will be described in more detail later on, the dome 62 has formed, on an interior surface thereof, a parallel conductive grating or grid 63 . In a preferred embodiment, the thickness of the dome is approximately one-half the wavelength of the frequency of operation within the dielectric material of the dome 62 .
A second component of the antenna 32 is a twist reflector or plate 64 . The twist plate imparts a 90 degree rotation in the polarization of the incident and reflected signals, and can be designed in many ways. In the present embodiment, the metal twist plate 64 has formed therein a grooved conductive surface 65 facing the interior of the housing 60 . In particular, the groove surface 65 faces the parallel conductive grating 63 formed on the interior of the parabolic surface 62 . A circular waveguide feed 66 is placed in preferably the center of the twist plate 64 . The waveguide feed 66 serves as a focal point for received radiated energy and as a feed point for transmitted radiated energy.
In another embodiment, the twist plate is made of a metal backed dielectric layer of a thickness approximately equal to one-quarter wavelength at the frequency of operation, in the dielectric medium. A thin metal grating is formed on the dielectric layer, facing the dome surface of the transreflector. Thus, in general, twist reflectors can be constructed in many different ways, the intent in all cases being to achieve a 90 degree rotation of polarization between incident and reflected signals.
The twist reflector 64 with waveguide feed 66 typically has mounted on the rear surface thereof a printed wiring board 68 on which are placed the components of the transceiver 34 . A rear cover 70 serves as both a conductive shield against interfering electromagnetic radiation and as a shield against the weather and other physical elements.
The dome 62 and more specifically the grid 63 define a center axis 72 of the antenna. The twist plate 64 is arranged so that its center point is located along the same axis 72 . The axis 72 defines the direction in which the antenna 32 transmits and from which it receives electromagnetic radiation.
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the antenna 32 which will be used in describing the operation of the antenna 32 in greater detail. As previously mentioned, the parabolic surface 62 and in particular the parallel strip conductive grating 63 serve not only a transreflector but also as a type of lens or focusing element. For example, in a receive mode, as energy arrives at the antenna assembly 32 , it first passes directly through the plastic dome 62 , reaching the conductive grating 63 . The dashed line labeled “A” serves to indicate generally the direction of received radiation. If the individual parallel metallic conductor 71 of the grating 63 are oriented in a horizontal direction, as shown in the sketch, the only energy proceeding to point B along the axis 72 will be vertically polarized energy.
This vertically polarized energy then reaches the twist plate 64 and, in particular, the parallel slot pattern 65 formed thereon. The twist plate 64 is positioned with respect to the dome 62 so that the slot pattern 65 is oriented with a 45 degree angle with respect to the grating 63 . This 45 degree offset to the incoming vertically polarized radiation not only reflects the incident radiation in the general direction of the arrows C, but also imparts a 90 degree rotation to its polarization. The reflected energy is now horizontally polarized.
When the now horizontally polarized energy reaches the surface of the grating 63 a second time, the energy is reflected since it is of the same orientation as the grating is 63 . Since the grating 63 is shaped in a parabolic form, assuming rays entering the antenna 32 are in parallel, the resulting reflected energy generally travels in the direction of arrows D, and is focused at the waveguide feed 66 placed in the center of the twist plate 64 .
The transreflector 68 and in particular the curvature of the grating 63 is preferably parabolic as previously mentioned. The parabola has a normal equation which may be represented as
Y 2 =4fx
where f is the desired focal length of the antenna, and x is the direction normal to the transreflector plane. That is, x is the distance in the direction of the horizontal line 72 formed between the center line of the twist plate 64 and transreflector 68 , and measured from the center of the transreflector 68 . The distance between the transreflector 68 and twist plate 64 may be fairly small or up to the focal length of the parabola of the dome 62 .
The amount of isolation provided by the grating 63 with respect to other polarizations is a function of the spacing of the grating 63 and the density of the individual grid wires 71 . The grating 63 must have sufficient density in that the number of wires 71 for a given unit wavelength are needed to provide a certain desired amount of isolation. One rule of thumb which has been found to be particularly useful in practice is that at least five grid wires 71 and the associated five spacings should be provided along a distance equivalent to the operating wavelength. Providing fewer grid lines per unit spacing makes the antenna 32 easier to manufacture; however, having more grid lines per unit spacing provides higher isolation. The grid spacing 71 in the typical embodiment for use at LMDS frequencies would be approximately 0.5 to 1 millimeters (mm).
The precise dimensions of the grooves 65 in the twist plate 64 also depend upon the precise frequency of operation. The depth of the individual slots is typically selected to be approximately one-quarter of the operating wavelength. The width of each slot, and correspondingly the number of the resulting ridges 74 per unit spacing is a practical consideration depending upon fabrication requirements. For operation at LMDS frequencies, it is preferable to try to keep approximately three slots per operating wavelength. With the indicated dimensions and numbers of slots, it is possible to obtain 40 decibels (dB) of isolation or more.
The twist plate 64 is preferably also integrally formed with a rearward facing rim 78 such that an enclosure 80 is provided for placement of the printed wiring board 68 (not shown in FIG. 5 ). This permits the twist reflector 64 to be integrally molded into the same casting which is used to house the electronics. This design approach further minimizes the number of individual component parts of the antenna assembly 32 .
Because the antenna is sensitive to polarized energy, it may be conveniently used in an environment where the forward and reverse link signals for different subscribers 14 have different polarizations. For example, transceivers operating in adjacent sectors from the same hub may have different polarizations. Subscribers 14 located close enough to one another to be in the same line of sight with the cell site having hub antennas with orthogonal polarizations may orient their subscriber antenna assembly 32 differently, to effect greater isolation between them, or even to permit two subscribers 14 to use identical carrier frequencies.
A transreflector element according to the present invention may be produced in a preferred embodiment by providing a conductor substrate that has been printed and etched or a carrier film substrate which has been silk screened with a conductive ink or pad printed. In each of these implementations, the substrate or film typically would become an integral part of the molded transreflector article.
By using either of these techniques for defining and providing the conductive grating, the conductive stripes can be formed with a high degree of precision.
Registration of the patterns on the transfer film and/or substrate relative to the a mold cavity can be, for example, readily affected by providing formations such as perforated openings on the edges of the film or marks which can be readily detected by an electronic sensor. A line width and spacing can range from as little as 0.001 inch to greater than 1 inch with variable tolerances.
The curvature of the transreflector body can range from ½ to several inches in depth to obtain good registration and avoid defamation of the pattern of conductive lines on the substrate. However, the diameter is limited only by the capacity of an injection molding machine which may be used to form the substrate.
The twist plate 64 may also be implemented in other ways to achieve the desired phase rotation of the incident and reflected signals. One such embodiment is shown in FIG. 6 . Here, the twist plate 64 is formed from a grooved dielectric layer 82 having a metal backing 83 . Radiation arriving at the twist plate will be subjected to two different propogation delays as presented by the different thicknesses of dielectric layer 82 . In other words, radiation that passes through the tops or peaks of the dielectric layer 82 will be delayed by a longer amount than the radiation which passes through the thinner “valley” sections in the dielectric formed by the grooves 65 .
The dielectric layer 82 may be formed from any suitable rigid, thermoset plastic having good dielectric properties at microwave radio frequencies. One such plastic that is known to provide predictable dielectric constants up to 500 GHz is the polystyrene and divinylbenzene translucent plastic sold under the tradename Rexolite® by C-Lec Plastics, Inc. of Beverly, N.J. However, it is possible to use other dielectric materials as well.
The grooves 65 are again formed and spaced as for the previous embodiments already described above. Being a relatively dimensionally stable plastic, Rexolite sheets are readily machined or laser cut to form the desired grooves. The grooves 65 may typically be cut to a depth of ¼ wavelength of the expected operating frequency. A spacing between grooves is selected based upon the desired operating frequency and bandwidth for the twist plate 64 .
The metallic backing 83 may be implemented by screening an appropriate metallic layer onto the rear of the dielectric layer 82 . Alternatively, the twist plate may be formed in other ways such as by adhereing a separate metallic layer to the back of the dielectric layer 82 .
While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
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A compact lightweight antenna for receiving microwave direct line of sight wireless data signals used in services such as Local Multipoint Distribution Services (LMDS). The antenna provides for precise control over isolation of polarized signals. The antenna consists of an external parabolically shaped dome formed of a suitably resilient material such as thermoplastic. A polarizing conductive grating is formed on the interior surface of the dome and serves as a transreflector for initially passing received radiation having a vertical polarization. A twist reflector disposed at a point along an axis defined by the conductive grating reflects the received radiation, back in the direction of the transreflector with a different polarization. The now differently polarized energy is reflected by the parabolically shaped conductive grating at a feed point located in the center of the twist plate. The transreflecting element may be manufactured by providing a substrate that has been printed and etched and/or a film nonconductive substrate which has been silk screened with a conductive ink. In each of these cases in a preferred embodiment, the substrate or carrier film becomes an integral part of the mold in the resulting article.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to roof cladding, a method of installing roof cladding and a roof structure incorporating the roof cladding or made using the method of the invention. This invention is primarily concerned with roof cladding using elongate profiled metal sheets.
2. Description of the Prior Art
According to international standards roof cladding should have a minimum of six fastenings per square meter. This presents problems for non-conventional long span roofing, e.g. 1.5 to 2 meters between purlins, where good weather sealing is to be maintained. In order to avoid holes in the body of each sheet, each sheet must be relatively narrow so that the required number of fastenings can be obtained when the longtudinal edge portions only of the sheets are secured. This places high demands on the installer to ensure good sealing between adjacent sheets while working rapidly. In addition long span roofing is usually used with very long sheets so that the effects of thermal expansion will also have to be catered for. For example, coefficients of thermal expansion of available roof cladding are 1×10 -5 /° C. for galvanised iron, 3×10 -5 /° C. for TiZn, and Z×10 -5 ° C. for aluminium, so that over a 10 m length with a temperature range of 40° C. movements of between 4 and 12 mm may be experienced. Yet other problems are those of lateral wind action and capilliary forces by which rain water, for example, may be forced through or may seep through the joint between roofing sections.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one object of the invention there is provided an elongate, transversely profiled roof sheet comprising at least one elongate ridge and flanking valleys and first and second edge formations along opposed elongate edges of the sheet, the first edge formation including juxtaposed first edge flanks meeting in a bent over flange that forms a lock flange extending inwardly from the first edge flanks and the second edge formation comprising a second edge flank, a bent over crest extending from the second edge flank outwardly from the second edge flank to a reentrant bend forming a groove underneath the bent over crest.
According to another object of the invention there is provided an elongate transversely profiled roof sheet comprising at least one elongate ridge and flanking valleys and first and second edge formations along opposed elongate edges of the sheet, the first edge formation having a first edge flank and a lock flange extending inwardly from an upper region of the first edge flank and the second edge formation comprising a second edge flank, an edge crest extending from an upper region of the second edge flank outwardly from the second edge flank to a reentrant bend forming a groove underneath the edge crest.
The edge formations of adjacent roof sheets can be locked to each other by engaging the lock flange of one sheet in the groove of the other sheet. Preferably the first edge flanks or flank have an upturned lip on their lower outer edge to provide a water run-off channel in case some water does penetrate the joint.
A further object is to provide cleats for securing the roof sheet to a roof frame structure, each cleat being securable to a roof frame member and having a clamp portion for engaging a part of the first edge formation. The cleats make it possible to hold down the roof sheets with freedom for expansion and contraction in the longitudinal direction of the sheet.
In another embodiment the first edqe flanks have a base portion by means of which that edge can be secured to a purlin and the like, for example, by nailing through the base portion. Preferably in this event, an upwardly extending lip is formed on the free end of the base portion so as to form a run-off trough with the base portion and the adjacent flank.
Where a cleat or bracket is provided to fasten the first edge formation to a purlin and the like, the cleat may comprise a base portion for securing the cleat to a purlin, an upwardly extending portion, and a clamp portion including a returned lip for engaging the cleat with a flange of a first edge formation of a roof sheet. Alternately, the cleat may comprise a base portion for securing the cleat to a purlin and a portion for engaging a suitable formation on a first edge rib such as one of a flange, a tab, an edge of a perforation or slot, and a step or land.
Preferably the lock flange slopes downwardly toward the valley of the roof sheet. With this slope when the lock flange is engaged in the groove spaces or plenums are formed to act as capilliary breaks. Preferably an edge lip portion is formed at the free end of the returned lip portion of the second edge rib formation. This edge lip portion is preferably constructed to interfere with the flank of the first edge rib formation of an adjacent sheet to form a space preventing water passing through a joint under the action of wind forces.
According to another object of the invention there is provided a method of installing roof sheeting as described above including the steps of laying a roof sheet on a roof frame, securing the first edge formation of the sheet to the roof frame, positioning a second sheet inclined with respect to the first sheet and engaging the second edge formation of the second roof sheet with the first edge formation of the already installed first roof sheet, twisting the second roof sheet into position, securing the first edge of the second sheet and proceeding optionally with further sheets as required to roof over an area.
According to yet another object of the invention there is provided a roof structure comprising roof sheeting as described above and laid on supporting structure using the method of the invention described above.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows an oblique view of a preferred embodiment of roof sheet of the invention,
FIG. 1a shows an oblique view of an alternative embodiment of roof sheet of the invention,
FIG. 2 shows an enlarged scale, an oblique view of the joint area of adjacent roof sheets connected to each other and to a roof frame,
FIG. 3 shows an oblique view of an embodiment of cleat for use with the invention, and
FIG. 4 shows an oblique view of a joint area of adjacent roof sheets in a roof construction according to another embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows a roof sheet 10 which is suitable for "long span" roofing in which the spacing between adjacent supports (purlins) may be as much as 1.5 to 2 m. The sheet I0 has two ridges I4 with flanking valleys 12 and first and second edge formations 16 and I8. Between the ridges 14 and edge formations I6 and 18 are minor stiffening ribs 20. Typically the sheet is 330 mm wide having been formed from 600 mm wide strip.
The first edge formation 16 comprises juxtaposed flank portions 22 and 24 which slope upwardly towards each other and the flanks 22 and 24 are bent over to form a lock flange 26 extending inwardly from the first edge flanks 22 and 24. At the base of the flank 24 there is an upturned lip portion 30 forming a water run-off trough.
The second edge formation 18 comprises a flank 32, a bent over crest 34 extending outwardly from the flank 32, and a reentrant portion 36 the free end of which is turned over to form a lip 38. A groove is formed between the crest 34 and reentrant portion 36.
In FIG. 1a, the same reference numerals are used for corresponding parts to those of the sheet shown in FIG. 1, and the sheet is used in analogous manner.
FIG. 2 shows how the roofing sheet of FIG. 1 is installed on a roof frame including a purlin 40 which extends substantially transversely to the elongate ridges of the roof sheet. Roof cladding or sheets 60 and 70 are secured to roof frame purlin, 40, by a cleat 50, (which may be wider, as shown in FIG. 3), and a hook bolt 61. The edge formation of the sheet 60 includes an inclined flank 62, a lock flange 66, and a substantially vertical flank 64, with the lock flange being bent through 105° from the flank 64 to slope downwardly towards the valley of the sheet. An upward lip 68 on the free end of the flank 64 forms a water run-off gutter. The edge formation of the sheet 70 includes an inclined flank 72, a crest 74, a reentrant part 76 and a lip 78.
The crest 74 is substantially parallel to the va11eys of the sheets 60 and 70, at least when installed and the groove between the crest 74 and reenetrant part 76 receives the flange 66 with a resiliently stressed, snug fit. In practice the sheet 70 is installed by holding it inclined with the edge shown sloping downwardly, engaging the flange 66 in the groove, rotating the sheet 70 to be parallel to the sheet 60, and pulling the sheet 70 away from the sheet 60 so that the end of the lip 78 abuts the flank 62. This stresses the flanges 64 and 76 resiliently against each other and inhibits rattling of the roof cladding, a factor which experience has shown promotes withdrawal of fastening members such as nails. This construction also ensures that plenums A and B are formed in the joint which have a relatively large cross-section and which thus act as capilliary breaks, i.e. prevent the ingress of water through the joint under capilliary forces. The use of a cleat in the construction permits the roof sheets to expand or contract with changes in temperature without applying high forces to the fastening members. Cleat 59 shows an alternative which hooks onto the lip 68.
FIG. 3 shows a cleat 50 including a base part 52 formed with two holes 53 so that it may be secured to a roof frame, an upwardly extending body part 54, and a clamp part 56 having a returned lip 58 forming a groove which will receive the lock flange 26 of an edge rib.
FIG. 4 shows an embodiment not using cleats. In this figure an edge formation 116 of one roof sheet is secured to the purlin 40 by means of a nail 42 that passes through a base portion 28. Of course, in appropriate situations the nail 42 and wooden purlin 40 would be replaced by metal section purlins and hook bolts in a known manner. The edge formation 118 of an adjacent roof sheet is locked to the first mentioned roof sheet which has already been secured to the roof frame, by means of engaging the groove of the reentrant part 136 of the edge formation 118 with the lock flange 126 of the edge formation 116. as shown the lip 138 engages with the flank 112 of the edge formation 116 to form a plenum B which is sufficiently large to prevent capilliary action of water which during a storm may be blown up the flank 122. Also as shown the lock flange 126 is sloped downwardly; this creates a second plenum A and is also to prevent water leaking through the joint between adjacent roof sheets. A layer of Mastic (proprietary name) or similar bituminous sealant 46 is provided between the flange 126 and crest portion 134. Base portion 28 has an upturned lip 29 which turns it into a gutter.
When installing a roof using the roof sheets described above, the roof sheets are installed sequentially in a lateral direction. In other words a roof sheet adjacent one edge is first secured in position on the roof frame including securing the edge formation 16. An adjacent roof sheet is then engaged with the already secured edge formation 116 and, in turn, has its edge formation 116 secured to the roof frame. In this way the roof sheets can be rapidly installed using a minimum of securing elements, each of which is concealed and unexposed to the elements.
The invention is not limited to the precise constructional details shown in the drawings and described herein and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example a cleat may be provided to engage the lip 68 only of a roof sheet. In this event a suitable sealant may be provided to seal the flange 64 in the groove between members 74 and 76 of an adjacent sheet. Also a pop rivet may connect the crest and lock flanges, the rivet preferably not extending right through the overlapping flanges.
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Elongate, profiled roof cladding sheets with formations on opposed edges for interengaging adjacent sheets to facilitate installation and form watertight joints. The interengaged formations form spaces to act as capilliary breaks. Cleats secure one edge only of each sheet to a roof frame and allow thermal contraction and expansion.
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TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to corrugated feed horns for circularly polarized antennas, including SHF (super high frequency) and EHF (extra high frequency) parabolic antennas operating in the 12-100 GHz range. At these frequencies, the feed horns are small in diameter and require thin internal annular fins with deep grooves therebetween.
BACKGROUND
Corrugated feed horns improve the performance of circularly polarized parabolic antennas by providing nearly identical patterns for E and H planes. A corrugated feed horn with fins or lands much narrower than the grooves therebetween provides optimum RF performance. The fins and grooves alternate in an inner conical configuration.
At lower frequencies, feed horns can be made in a variety of ways, including machining. At SHF and EHF frequencies, the feed horns become small in diameter, and require thin fins and relatively deep grooves. This precludes machining because it is difficult and costly to machine the extremely thin fins, and because such machined thin fins commonly break off.
One method of making a feed horn with thin inner annular fins, is by electroforming. In this method, a conical mandrel is provided; and alternate layers of aluminum and copper washer-like flat annular rings of decreasing diameter are stacked along the mandrel. The outer periphery of the assembly is then electrocoated with copper to bond the layered rings, and the mandrel is removed. The assembly is then dipped in an etching acid solution to remove the aluminum and leave the copper rings as inner peripheral annular fins or lands with grooves therebetween. This method is subject to high tooling and piece-part costs.
Other methods include soldering and die casting. Die casting is subject to high tooling costs. Soldering is economical but weak because of poor tensile strength.
SUMMARY
The present invention provides an improved corrugated feed horn for a circularly polarized antenna. The feed horn utilizes inexpensive components, and is made by an economical method of manufacture, whereby to provide significant cost savings. The invention is particularly advantageous in SHF and EHF applications requiring extremely thin fins in the inner conical corrugated configuration.
The feed horn is made by dip brazing a plurality of laminations providing alternate fins and grooves in an inner conical configuration. A brazed feed method is provided which prevents build-up of brazed material in the grooves. The design further provides a method of adding open radial slots in the horn as a receive port for intermediate signal pick-off.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a feed horn and parabolic antenna.
FIG. 2 is a pictorial illustration of a corrugated feed horn constructed in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded pictorial illustration of a portion of the laminated assembly of FIG. 2 prior to manufacture.
FIG. 4 is a pictorial illustration of the laminations of FIG. 3 in assembled condition.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 4 after dip brazing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 illustrates a parabolic antenna 2 fed by a feed horn 4. The signal to be transmitted is supplied along feed tube 6 to the feed horn and is then reflected from hyperbola 8 to the concave surface of parabolic antenna 2 which sends the signal out in a specified direction. The span of parabolic dish 2 is typically 2 to 5 feet.
FIG. 2 shows a corrugated feed horn 10 constructed in accordance with the invention for a circularly polarized SHF/EHF (super and extra high frequency) parabolic antenna operated in the 12-100 GHz range. Feed horn 10 has an inner conical configuration provided by alternate thin fins 12 and grooves 14 therebetween.
Referring to FIG. 3, the fins and grooves of the feed horn are formed by a plurality of laminations provided by alternating fin plates 16 and groove plates 18. In FIG. 3, the inner diameter 16a of the fin plates decreases from left to right to thus form a conical profile in cross-section, as seen in FIG. 5. Likewise, the inner diameter 18a of the groove plates decreases from left to right in FIG. 3 to thus form a conical profile in cross section. In the particular embodiment disclosed, the diameter of the feed horn at its widest left end is about three inches, and the diameter at the small right end is as low as about one-quarter inch. The constituent material of laminations 16 and 18 is 6061-T6 aluminum. The thickness of fin plates 16 is on the order of 0.010 to 0.020 inch. The thickness of groove plates 18 is on the order of 0.05 inch or greater.
Tooling holes 20 are formed at the four corners of the laminations for receiving dowel pins 22, FIG. 4, which align the laminations in stacked registry when assembled. Pins 22 are 304 stainless steel. The laminations also have a plurality of spaced sets of aligned apertures 24 for receiving braze metal wire 26, such as 4047 aluminum.
The assembly in FIG. 4 is dipped in a molten salt solution heated above the melting point of wires 26 but below the melting point of laminations 16 and 18. For the constituent materials noted above, the temperature of the salt solution is 1080°-1095° F. Each braze metal wire 26 melts in the solution and creeps or wicks by capillary action along the interfaces between the laminations. The wires are thin enough that there is not enough material to creep into the grooves between the fins along the inner conical surface of the horn. This wicking inward from the outside thus facilitates prevention of braze material build-up in the grooves.
The stainless steel dowel pins 22 are braze resistant, and are removed after the dip brazing to yield the assembled horn shown in FIG. 5. The right-most groove plate 18b is thicker than the remaining groove plates. The outer surface of the assembly in FIG. 5 is machined to a conical periphery down to base 18b to provide the horn shown in FIG. 2.
One or more open radial slots may be provided in the feed horn to afford a receive port for intermediate signal pick-off. One of the laminations is provided with a cut-out section 28, FIG. 3, from its inner to its outer periphery. A braze resistant tab 30, for example made from stainless steel, is inserted in cut-out section 28 prior to the above noted dip brazing. After dip brazing, the tab is removed to leave an open radial slot. Tab 30 has an aperture 32 which aligns with the respective set of aligned lamination apertures 24 when tab 30 is inserted in cut-out section 28. The respective braze metal wire 26 may thus be run through aligned apertures 24 and 32.
It is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.
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A corrugated feed horn and its method of manufacture is disclosed for circularly polarized SHF (super high frequency) and EHF (extra high frequency) parabolic antennas operating in the 12-100 GHz range. A plurality of laminations are dip braze bonded, providing alternate fins and grooves in an inner conical configuration. Extremely thin fins are enabled without expensive parts or fabrication methods.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present invention relates to devices and methods for use in orthopedic spine surgery. In particular, the present invention relates to a system that provides a low profile anterior vertebral body plate and taper lock screws for the fixation and stabilization of the cervical spine, the anterior vertebral plate having a novel screw locking mechanism attached to the screw during the manufacturing thereof and providing a taper lock fit with the anterior vertebral plate.
[0003] 2. Background Art
[0004] Disease, the effects of aging, or physical trauma resulting in damage to the spine has been treated in many instances by fixation or stabilization of the effected vertebra. The use of plates and screws for fixation and stabilization of the cervical vertebra has been widely accepted as a reliable practice and has proven to be highly successful clinically.
[0005] The various plates, which are attached to the anterior vertebral bodies of the spinal column by bone screws have some common features such as relatively planar body profiles that define multiple holes or slots through which the screws fit and are threaded into the bone. Various means have been used to prevent the screws from becoming loose or detached from their necessary secured or locked attachment to the vertebral plate. Among the differences between the conventionally used plates and screws is the manner in which the screws are locked into place in the hole or slot of the plate after the screws have been secured to the bone.
[0006] These conventional devices can be generally grouped into three basic categories with regard to how the screws are captured or secured in the plates.
[0007] Early plate designs were standard bone plates having holes through which screws were passed and screwed into the bone. These plates had no special provision for attaching the screws to the plate and as such were susceptible to having the screws back out of the plate over time. There have been clinically reported instances of screws backing out of these type plates with resulting surgical complications. Due to the potential and actual unreliable performance of such plates, the need for secure fixation of the screw to the plate as well as to the bone is now considered a basic requirement for vertebral plates. Due to the lack of predictable security of the screw to the plate, plates which do not secure the screw relative to the plate have fallen out of favor and virtually disappeared from use.
[0008] Efforts have been made to secure the screws relative to the plates. In one design the screw head contains a threaded hole configured to receive a set screw. After the screw has been driven into bone and the head is seated in the plate hole, the set screw is inserted into the receiving hole of the screw head. The set screw is tapered to cause the screw head to expand and frictionally engage the wall of the plate hole, thereby resisting forces which tend to cause the screw to back out. While such mechanisms have worked to some degree, the addition of a small additional part, the set screw, at the time of surgery presents the potential hazard of dropping the set screw into the surgical field or otherwise misapplying the set screw to the screw head, for example, cross threading.
[0009] An alternative approach has been to provide features in the plate, which are specifically designed to hold the screw in position once the screw is inserted through the plate and screwed into the bone. One direction taken in this effort has been to design plates that incorporate or attach individual retaining rings or snap features associated with each plate hole configured to hold the inserted screw in place relative to the plate. These plates are very common and widely used; however, an inherent problem associated with such plates is the use of the additional very small retaining elements that can become disengaged from the plate and migrate into the surrounding soft tissues. Further, difficulty experienced in accessing and disengaging the small locking elements and removing the screws from this type of plate has caused some concern for the continued use of such plates. A similar approach involves individual cams associated with each plate hole, which when rotated apply friction pressure to the screw head in an attempt to resist back out.
[0010] Another approach is to add a cover to the plate after the screws have been placed. Such a design undesirably adds steps to the surgical procedure, thickness or height to the overall construct, and is susceptible to misapplication. Yet another direction taken in this effort to provide plates with locking elements is to provide dedicated overlying features, which are attached to the top side of the vertebral plate for the purpose of covering at least a portion of the screw head and thereby holding the screw in a seated and locked position. Generally these plates are designed to provide a variety of screw covering features that are pre-attached to the plate, and which can be selectively slid or rotated into position once it has been inserted. In some devices, such covering plates cover multiple screw heads. These plates typically require an increase in the overall composite thickness of the plate in order to accommodate the additional locking feature attached to the top side of the plate. This is a particularly unacceptable condition due to the use of such plates in an area of the spine where a thin, smooth surfaced profile for the plate assembly is preferred. Another major problem with such plates is that the overlying locking element cannot always be properly positioned over the screw head if the screw shaft was, due to anatomical necessity, positioned through the plate and into the bone at an angle such that the screw head does not fully seat in the plate recess provided on the top side of the plate. Further, when one of the overlying locking elements of such a plate loosens or becomes disengaged it is then free to float away from the top side of the plate and migrate into the soft tissue adjacent to the top side of the vertebral plate.
[0011] Yet another approach is to provide machine threads in the plate hole with corresponding threads on the screw head. Thus the screw has a first, bone engaging thread on its shaft and a second machine thread on the screw head. As the threaded shaft is screwed into bone the screw head approaches the plate hole and the machine thread engages the thread in the hole. Aside from the fact that there is nothing to prevent the same forces that urge the screw to back out of bone to have the same effect on the machine thread engagement, such an arrangement does not provide adequate clinical flexibility. First there is no assurance that the lead in thread of the machine thread will match up with the plate hole thread when the screw head reaches the hole, raising the possibility of cross threading. Second, the machine thread in the plate hole does not allow various angular positions between the screw and the plate, as the threads must match up and engage when the screw head reaches the hole. As to the latter point, one plate provides a threaded ring in the plate hole, which is intended to allow the head to assume a variety of angular positions.
[0012] There is therefore, an unfulfilled need for an anterior cervical plate system that can maintain a relatively low profile, as found in the non-locking plates while providing the security of a locking plate system and doing so no matter how angulated the inserted screw may be relative to the plate. Further there is a need for a vertebral plate that does not have locking elements with the predictable problems of locking elements becoming disengaged from the plate and migrating away from the top side of the plate into the surrounding soft tissue.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0013] The present invention meets the above identified need by providing a low profile anterior vertebral body plate, which is secured to the underlying bone using novel taper lock screws.
[0014] Also provided is a low profile anterior vertebral body plate, which is secured to the underlying bone using novel taper lock screws having screw heads with circular or convex shaped lateral surfaces that correspond to the shape of the concavity of a circumferentially disposed tapered locking ring.
[0015] Also provided is a low profile anterior vertebral body plate, which is secured to the underlying bone using novel taper lock screws, each of the screw heads being able to rotate within a respective tapered locking ring prior to the screw and locking ring being moved into a seated and locked position in the plate.
[0016] Also provided is a low profile anterior vertebral body plate, which is secured to the underlying bone using novel taper lock screws, the screws being pre-assembled with a tapered locking ring.
[0017] Also provided is a low profile anterior vertebral body plate, which is secured to the underlying bone using novel taper lock screws, the screws being pre-assembled with a tapered locking ring, the circumference of the locking ring being interrupted by a relief slot that permits limited expansion of the internal diameter of the tapered locking ring during pre-assembly with the screw head and also permitting limited compression of the internal diameter of the tapered locking ring as the tapered locking ring is fully engaged with the correspondingly tapered hole in the plate such that when fully seated in the hole, the taper locking ring securely locks the screw into position within the plate.
[0018] Also provided is a method of stabilizing spinal vertebrae, the method including providing a low profile anterior vertebral body plate, which is securely attached to the underlying bone of adjacent vertebrae using novel taper lock screws so as to hold one attached vertebra in a fixed position relative to the adjacent attached vertebra.
[0019] Also provided is a kit, which includes at least one low profile anterior vertebral body plate and a corresponding set of novel taper lock screws.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The foregoing and other features of the low profile anterior vertebral body plate and novel taper lock screws will become apparent to one skilled in the art to which the device relates upon consideration of the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0021] FIGS. 1 A-E show respectively a top view, isometric view, end view, side view, and cross-sectional end view of the plate with two taper lock screws fully seated and locked into the holes of the plate.
[0022] FIGS. 2A-D show respectively a top, isometric, first side, and alternate side view of the screw with tapered locking ring assembled. FIG. 2C shows a side view of the assembled screw and tapered locking ring with the relief slot showing on the tapered locking ring.
[0023] FIGS. 2E-F show respectively a side view and isometric view of the screw and the tapered locking ring prior to assembly of the two components.
[0024] FIGS. 3A-D show respectively a first side view, isometric view, an alternative side view, and a bottom view of the bone screw prior to assembly with the tapered locking ring component.
[0025] FIGS. 4A-D show respectively a top view, isometric view, first side view with the relief slot showing, and an alternative side view of the tapered locking ring prior to assembly with a screw head.
[0026] FIGS. 5A-E show respectively a top view, isometric view, end view, side view, and cross-sectional view of the low profile anterior vertebral body plate with multiple holes for receiving respective taper lock bone screws.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is understood that the following description and each of the accompanying figures are provided as being exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms without departing from the scope of the claimed invention. Thus, the specific structural and functional details provided in the following description are non-limiting, but serve merely as a basis for the invention as defined by the claims provided herewith. The device described below can be modified as needed to conform to further development and improvement of materials without departing from the inventor's concept of the invention as claimed.
[0028] The device, as generally shown at 10 in FIG's 1 A-E is a low profile anterior vertebral body plate 12 that, when implanted in a patient can be secured to the underlying bone using novel taper lock screw assemblies, which are generally shown at 14 in FIGS. 1A-E and 2 A-F and include a threaded bone screw 16 and a tapered locking ring 18 . The vertebral body plate 12 , as best shown in FIGS. 1A-D and 5 A-E can be provided as an elongated, low profile, plate structure that defines at least one and preferably multiple tapered screw holes 20 , which provide through passage for the threaded portion 22 of the threaded bone screw 16 from the plate upper surface 24 to the plate lower surface 26 .
[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1A-E and 5 A-E, the plate 12 can be configured to be generally planar; however, the plate preferably will be formed to have arcuate upper and lower surfaces 24 , 26 , arcing along both the longitudinal axis 28 as well as the transverse axis 30 of the plate 12 . This arcing of the plate surface provides a better conformational fit to the anterior surface of the vertebrae to which the plate is to be attached. Each of the screw holes 20 , which are defined as through passages in the plate 12 , is provided with a tapered side wall 32 . The degree of inward taper from upper to lower portion of the screw hole side wall 32 corresponds to the degree of inward taper from upper to lower portion of the outer wall 34 of the tapered locking ring 18 . Preferably, the taper is a Morse type taper; however other types of taper can be used without departing from the scope of the invention.
[0030] The tapered locking ring 18 defines a through lumen 36 , which is formed to have a generally concave shaped inner wall 38 that is sized and configured to rotatably receive and hold the complimentary convex shaped outer side wall 40 of the head 42 of the bone screw 16 . As shown in FIGS. 2A , B, C, E, and F, the tapered locking ring 18 is provided with a expansion/compression relief slot 44 , which serves to break the circumferential continuity of the tapered locking ring 18 such that if compressive forces are exerted inward about the circumference of the locking ring 18 , the relief slot 44 can decrease in size so as to enable the locking ring 18 to absorb those compressive forces and decrease in diameter, albeit doing so with an outward bias to return to the original larger dimensioned normal configuration. Similarly, if expansive forces are exerted outward against the concave shaped inner wall 38 of the tapered locking ring 18 , the relief slot 44 can accommodate those expansive forces and allow an increase in diameter of the locking ring 18 , albeit with an inward bias to return to the original smaller dimensioned normal configuration.
[0031] The flexibility provided by the relief slot 44 is important to the function of assembling of the screw 16 to the tapered locking ring 18 to form the preassembled taper lock screw assembly 14 . The convex shaped outer wall 40 of the screw head 42 is sized and configured to be capable of being preassembled into the concavity formed by the inner wall 38 of the tapered locking ring 18 . This preassembly is easily achieved by forcing the convex shaped outer wall 40 of the screw head 42 into the concavity of the inner wall 38 of the tapered locking ring 18 . The joining and fit of the two components is a snap fit relationship in that the expansive forces created by the forcing of the screw head 42 into the concavity of the locking ring lumen 36 is absorbed by the relief slot 44 until the screw head 42 is in place within the locking ring 18 , at which time the locking ring yields to its bias to return to its normal smaller diameter size and configuration. Once preassembly of the taper lock screw assembly 14 is completed, the convex surface of the screw head 44 is free to rotate within the concavity of the locking ring 18 but is restrained from separating from within the locking ring lumen 36 due to the normal size of the locking ring lumen openings, which are sufficiently smaller than the diameter of the screw head 44 . This preassembly of the taper lock screw assembly 14 makes it possible in practice to insert the screw through the screw hole 20 of the plate 12 into the underlying bone and then lock the screw 16 into place without the need to attach and manipulate small additional locking elements or components as is commonly required with conventional screw locking plate systems.
[0032] The flexibility provided by the relief slot 44 is also important to the function of locking the taper lock screw assembly 14 into position within the plate 12 . As shown in FIG. 1E , the rotational relationship of the convex shaped screw head 40 with the concave shaped inner wall of the locking ring 38 allows the screw to be inserted into the bone through the screw hole 20 of the plate 12 at virtually any angle necessary. This polyaxial feature of the taper lock screw head assembly 14 in relation to the plane of the plate 12 is a tremendous advantage to providing the best possible connection to the bone. As shown in FIGS. 1A , B, and E and FIGS. 2A , B, and F, a tool receptacle 46 having tool gripping elements 48 can be defined in the upper surface 50 of the screw head 40 . The tool gripping elements can be of any configuration that is suitable for facilitating the gripping of the screw head by a correspondingly configured tightening and/or loosening tool. As the preassembled taper lock screw assembly 14 is rotated inward by the action of a tightening tool, the screw threads 16 engage the underlying bone drawing the taper lock screw assembly 14 down into a sliding engagement with the screw hole tapered side wall 32 . As the tapered locking ring 18 slidably engages the tapered side wall 32 of the screw hole 20 , the locking ring 18 is forced to move into the screw hole 20 with an alignment coincident with the taper of the hole 20 . This alignment of the tapered surfaces of the assembly 14 with the screw hole 20 necessarily causes the convex shaped screw head 40 to rotationally adjust within the concavity of the tapered locking ring 18 so as to accommodate the already well established axis of entry of the threaded portion 22 of the screw 16 in the bone. Thus, the taper lock screw assembly 14 interaction with the tapered surface of the screw hole 20 provides the polyaxial feature of the device 10 . As the screw 16 continues to be driven into the underlying bone, locking ring tapered outer wall 34 continues to engage and finally friction locks to the tapered side wall 32 of the screw hole 20 . This friction locking engagement exerts radial compressive force on the tapered locking ring 18 , which at least partially closes or narrows the normal space of the relief slot 44 thereby decreasing the diameter of the tapered locking ring and the space within the concavity of the locking ring lumen 36 . These compressive forces are transferred to the convex shaped screw head 42 so as to hold and lock the screw head 42 in position relative to the plate 12 .
[0033] Thus, the device 10 as described herein advantageously permits the screw 16 to be inserted into bone at a variety of angles relative to the plane of the plate, for example, polyaxial insertion, and with continued insertion of the screw 16 into bone, taper lock screw assembly 14 locks the screw into position relative to the plate 12 .
[0034] The foregoing method of use of the device 10 can be employed as a method of stabilizing or fixing an injured or diseased vertebra and if necessary, multiple devices or a device, which is elongated beyond the examples depicted herein, can be employed as necessary. A reversal of rotational torque on the screw head using a tool designed to generate sufficient torque to overcome the taper lock established between the taper lock screw assembly 14 and the plate 12 can serve to remove the screw from the plate and thus remove the plate from a patient if necessary. The amount of force necessary to overcome the taper lock is greater than that required to simply unscrew the threaded portion 22 of the screw 16 from the bone underlying the plate and is also greater than commonly experienced micro-motion or other forces which can act to cause a conventional screw to back out of the bone.
[0035] While the device as described herein can be preferably used to attach to the anterior surface of cervical vertebrae and is configured to be capable of stabilizing cervical vertebrae, it is within the inventors' understanding that the plate can be configured and adapted to conform to any implantable surgical plate requirement to provide a low profile plate capable of securing and stabilizing any injured or diseased bone.
[0036] The device 10 can be manufactured as integral components by methods known in the art, to include, for example, molding, casting, forming or extruding, and machining processes. The components can be manufactured using materials having sufficient strength, resiliency and biocompatibility as is well known in the art for such devices. By way of example only, suitable materials can include implant grade metallic materials, such as titanium, cobalt chromium alloys, stainless steel, or other suitable materials for this purpose. It is also conceivable that some components of the device can be made from plastics, composite materials, and the like.
[0037] It is also within the concept of the inventors to provide a kit, which includes at least one of the vertebral plate and taper lock screw systems disclosed herein. The kit can also include additional orthopedic devices and instruments; such as for example, instruments for tightening or loosening the bone screws, spinal rods, hooks or links and any additional instruments or tools associated therewith. Such a kit can be provided with sterile packaging to facilitate opening and immediate use in an operating room.
[0038] Each of the embodiments described above are provided for illustrative purposes only and it is within the concept of the present invention to include modifications and varying configurations without departing from the scope of the invention that is limited only by the claims included herewith.
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Provided is a novel system that includes a low profile anterior vertebral body plate and taper lock screws for the fixation and stabilization of the cervical spine, the anterior vertebral plate having a novel screw locking mechanism attached to the screw during the manufacturing thereof and providing a taper lock fit with the anterior vertebral plate. Also provided is a method of stabilizing cervical vertebrae using the disclosed device.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a method and apparatus for generating a quality indicator for a decoded signal and in particular, but not exclusively, to a quality indicator for a reading device for reading from a storage medium, such as an optical disk.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In recent years, the use of digital distribution and communication of for example audio visual content has increased substantially. Also, storage of digital data on removable or fixed storage means has become of increasing importance. For example, the increased popularity of personal computers and digital consumer devices has resulted in a huge market for storage devices such as hard disks or CD (Compact Disc) and DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) recorders and players. As another example, digital transmission has replaced, or currently is replacing, analog transmissions in many applications such as for example for broadcast of TV signals.
[0003] Digital signals are typically encoded using forward error correcting coding to reduce the number of errors generated e.g. by noise in a communication channel or reading errors when reading from a storage medium. For example, block codes, such as Hamming codes, or convolutional codes, such as Viterbi codes, are frequently used to encode digital signals to provide an improved error performance.
[0004] In many applications, it is important to determine an indication of the quality of the decoded signal. For example, in the field of optical disk systems a performance or quality indicator that indicates the reliability of the generated decoded bit stream is important. In particular, the quality indicator may be used to control the optical disk system. For example, as the quality indicator indicates a degraded quality, the optical disk system may reduce the reading speed to provide an improved reliability.
[0005] In order to achieve higher densities in optical disk systems, Partial Response Maximum Likelihood (PRML) detection methods are preferred. A PRML detection algorithm does not simply detect an individual bit in response to a threshold detection for the specific disk domain, but generates a soft decision and performs data detection based on a plurality of soft decisions, thereby taking into account the interrelationship between the generated values for different bits. In particular, a Viterbi trellis based decoder is frequently used wherein path metrics are generated in accordance with a suitable path metric criterion and the bit values are determined as the bit values of the path resulting in the lowest error path metric. The path metrics may take into account constraints and restrictions intentionally imposed during writing of the optical disk but may additionally or alternatively take into account inter symbol interference introduced by unintentional physical properties of the system. For example, communication though a bandwidth limited channel may introduce inter symbol interference or the physical dimension of bit domains may result in an area overlap thereby introducing a dependency between data values read from a disk.
[0006] At higher densities, conventional threshold detection of data from an optical disc does not result in satisfactory performance. Accordingly, quality indicators determined from related performance measurements, such as jitter, are no longer suitable. Furthermore, evaluating and optimizing the disk system performance based directly on bit error rate (BER) measurements have some important disadvantages. Firstly, it is required that many data bits are evaluated to provide an accurate BER estimate (in particular for low error rates). Secondly, a known data pattern is required to be compared to the received data bits. Thirdly, the BER measurements are sensitive to media defects such as small scratches or dust. Therefore, new methods are needed.
[0007] Recently, a new procedure for determining a quality indicator, which for example may be suitable for high density optical disk systems, has been proposed. The method is known as the Sequenced Amplitude Margin (SAM) procedure and is further described in United States of America patent U.S. 2003/0043939 A1.
[0008] In the SAM procedure, a distribution of the path metrics of a trellis based Viterbi decoder is generated and used to generate a quality indicator. In particular, a SAM value is defined as the difference between two path metrics of two paths leading to a correct state in the trellis and in particular as the difference between the path metric of the correct path and the path metric of the incorrect paths having the lowest path metric (assuming that the path metrics decrease for increased probability that the path is correct i.e. that the path metric is a distance measure). The SAM values are determined for each bit and a distribution in the form of a histogram is generated. When an error occurs the path metric of the correct path is higher than that of the other path and accordingly a negative SAM value is calculated. Hence, if the data is known during the detection, and thus also the correct states, each negative SAM value indicates the occurrence of a detection error since the Viterbi decoder will chose the path having the lowest path metric, which in this case will correspond to the incorrect path.
[0009] Accordingly, an error rate may be determined by evaluating the fraction of the distribution which has a SAM value below zero. In particular, the SAM procedure comprises fitting a normalized Gaussian (normal) distribution to the SAM values and determining the area of the distribution corresponding to negative SAM values. Hence, the error rate is estimated by extrapolating a histogram of SAM values over the negative x-axis with the error rate corresponding to the total area below the curve for negative SAM values.
[0010] However, a problem associated with this approach is that in most applications the data to be detected is not known during decoding. Accordingly, the SAM values are calculated as the difference between the minimum path and the second smallest path during the path search process of the Viterbi decoder. As this decision process will always select the lowest path metric, the calculated SAM values will always be positive. In other words, the SAM values will not accurately reflect the path metric difference when decoding errors occur.
[0011] Since the SAM values computed in this way are always non-negative, the histogram of SAM values will be distorted. The SAM procedure may still be applied to determine a quality indicator by fitting a Gaussian distribution and using this to extrapolate the histogram for negative SAM values thereby allowing an error rate to be determined. This approach assumes that the SAM histogram within the range of fitting can be approximated as a normal distribution and that this distribution is representative of the correct SAM values below zero.
[0012] However, due to the distortion introduced by the SAM values always being measured as positive values, the Gaussian distribution fitted to the SAM histogram is generally not an accurate representation. In particular when the error rate is high, such as at higher densities, asymmetry or e.g. high tilt angles, the assumption of a Gaussian distribution is not accurate. In particular, this may result in accurate or wrong parameters for the Gaussian distribution being determined and in particular a mean and standard deviation may be determined which does not result in a Gaussian distribution accurately reflecting negative SAM values. Thus, an inaccurate quality indicator is determined. Furthermore, as the error and inaccuracies typically increase for increasing error rates, the accuracy worsens in the more critical conditions which determine the system margins.
[0013] Hence, an improved system for generating a performance indicator for a decoded signal would be advantageous and in particular a system allowing for increased accuracy of the quality indicator would be advantageous.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] Accordingly, the Invention preferably seeks to mitigate, alleviate or eliminate one or more of the above mentioned disadvantages singly or in any combination.
[0015] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for generating a quality indicator for a decoded signal, the apparatus comprising: means for determining a plurality of path metric differences, each path metric difference being a difference between at least two path metrics entering a state of a trellis based decoder; means for generating a measured distribution by ordering the plurality of path metric differences; means for determining parameters of an analysis distribution by fitting the analysis distribution to the measured distribution in a predetermined range of path metric differences; means for determining a quality indicator for the decoded signal in response to the analysis distribution; and wherein the analysis distribution is the sum of a first and second distribution in the predetermined range.
[0016] The invention may provide for an improved way of generating a quality indicator for a decoded signal and may in particular generate a performance indicator with improved accuracy. The analysis distribution may provide an improved fit and in particular the first distribution may correspond to one characteristic or cause and the second distribution may correspond to a different characteristic or cause. For example, the first characteristic may correspond to a characteristic of the measured distribution suitable for determining a quality indicator and the second characteristic may correspond to a distortion characteristic of the measured distribution. This may allow a desired and undesired characteristic to be separated.
[0017] As a specific example, for a SAM procedure, the first distribution may be associated with path metric differences for correct paths and the second distribution may be associated with path metric differences of error paths resulting in sign inversions of the path metric difference. Hence, an improved fit to the measurement distribution comprising both elements may be achieved and a differentiation between the desired and the sign inverted path metric differences may be achieved.
[0018] The trellis based decoder may in particular be a Viterbi decoder for decoding Viterbi encoded signals and/or partial response data and/or data comprising inter symbol interference. The term Viterbi decoder is considered to include the term Viterbi equalizer. The measured distribution may in particular be a normalized histogram of path metric differences corresponding to a probability density function. The first, second and analysis distribution are preferably probability density functions.
[0019] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the means of determining the quality indicator is operable to determine the quality indicator in response to only the first distribution.
[0020] This may provide an improved quality indicator and in particular a quality indicator with improved accuracy. A more accurate fit of the analysis distribution to the measured distribution may be achieved. Furthermore, the second distribution may reflect an error or distortion effect resulting in a first distribution which more accurately reflects the desired characteristics or parameter. For example, for a SAM procedure the first distribution may be associated with path metric differences for correct paths and the second distribution may be associated with path metric differences of error paths. By only using the first distribution corresponding to the correct paths for determining the quality indication, the effect of the path metrics of the incorrect paths may be removed or reduced. Hence, the impact of the sign inversion for path metric differences of incorrect paths may be removed or reduced thereby resulting in a significantly improved quality indication.
[0021] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the means of determining a quality indicator is operable to determine the quality indicator in response to the first distribution in a range of path difference metrics below zero. In many applications, this may provide an appropriate and accurate quality indication as negative path metric differences indicates errors. Hence, the invention may allow a simple determination of a quality indicator by extrapolating a measured distribution comprising only positive path metric differences to negative path metric difference values and evaluating these. For example, for a SAM procedure, the first distribution may correspond to the positive path metric differences for correct paths. On the basis of these samples, a first distribution may be determined from which the negative path metric difference values corresponding to errors may be estimated. By evaluating these negative path metric differences an accurate signal indicator may be determined. In particular, a first distribution being a probability density function may be integrated from −∞ to zero to provide an error rate.
[0022] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the means for determining the plurality of path metric differences is operable to determine a path metric difference for a state of the trellis based decoder as the absolute path metric difference between the best metric path and the second best metric path leading to the state, the state being designated a correct state by the trellis based decoder.
[0023] For example, if a path metric is used wherein an increasing value indicates an increasing probability of the path being a correct path, the means for determining the plurality of path metric differences is operable to determine a path metric difference by subtracting the second highest path metric from the highest path metric. As another example, if a path metric is used wherein a decreasing value indicates an increasing probability of the path being a correct path, the means for determining the plurality of path metric differences is operable to determine a path metric difference by subtracting the second lowest path metric from the lowest path metric. Hence, the path metric difference is determined as the difference between the two most likely paths entering a state. This provides a suitable way of determining a path metric difference in situations where the correct data is not known such as in a non-data aided and/or non-decision aided decoding process. Hence, the invention may provide an improved quality indicator without requiring known data.
[0024] The state may be designated as the correct state in accordance with any suitable criterion. In particular, the state is designated a correct state when it is part of the feedback path selected by the Viterbi decoder when generating the decoded signal. Hence, the designated state is part of the path having the best accumulated path metric and is thus assumed to be the correct state.
[0025] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the predetermined range corresponds to path metric differences from zero to an average path metric difference of the measured distribution. This provides a suitable predetermined range for many applications such as for many high density optical disc readers.
[0026] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the predetermined range corresponds to path metric differences from zero to an upper path metric difference corresponding to a value of the measured distribution of a fraction of between 0.2 and 0.6 of the maximum value of the measured distribution. This provides a particularly advantageous range for many applications such as for many high density optical disc readers and in particular provides an advantageous trade off between restricting a predetermined range to the vicinity of the negative path metric difference values and obtaining sufficient number of samples.
[0027] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the predetermined range corresponds to path metric differences from zero to an upper path metric difference corresponding to a value of the measured distribution of a fraction of around 0.4 of the maximum value of the measured distribution. For many applications, such as for many high density optical disc readers, this provides the optimal trade off between restricting a predetermined range to the vicinity of the negative path metric difference values and obtaining sufficient number of samples.
[0028] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the second distribution is substantially equal to the first distribution mirrored around a path metric difference of substantially zero.
[0029] Specifically, p 1 (x) may be substantially equal to p 2 (-x), where p 1 (x) is the first distribution and p 2 (x) is the second distribution. This may be particularly advantageous in applications where a distortion effect is introduced by only an absolute value of the path metric differences being determined as the analysis distribution may take into account the distortion of the measured distribution introduced thereby. Hence, the mirroring of negative path metric differences into positive path metric differences may be estimated by the second density function allowing the first distribution to provide a more accurate fit to the non-mirrored data of the measured distribution. This may provide an improved quality indicator. This may be particularly advantageous in for example a SAM procedure not relying on known data.
[0030] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the first and second distributions are Gaussian distributions. Preferably the first and second distributions are Gaussian (or Normal) distributions having substantially equal standard deviations and average values of substantially equal absolute value but with opposite signs. These distributions provide particularly suitable distributions for determining an accurate quality indicator and are in many applications particularly suitable for achieving an analysis distribution closely fitting the measured distribution.
[0031] According to a preferred feature of the invention, the quality indicator is a bit error rate. The invention may thus provide an easy to implement way of generating an accurate bit error rate indicator.
[0032] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a reading device for reading from a storage medium; the reading device comprising: a reader for reading an encoded data signal from the storage medium; a trellis based decoder for generating a decoded data signal from the encoded data signal; and an apparatus for generating a quality indicator for the decoded data signal as described above.
[0033] The invention may provide for an improved reading device and in particular for a data reading device having an improved quality indicator. The storage medium may for example be a hard disk or an optical disk such as a CD or DVD. The reading device may further comprise means for controlling the reader in response to the quality indicator.
[0034] According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of generating a quality indicator for a decoded signal, the method comprises the steps of: determining a plurality of path metric differences, each path metric difference being a difference between at least two path metrics entering a state of a trellis based decoder; generating a measured distribution by ordering the plurality of path metric differences; determining parameters of an analysis distribution by fitting the analysis distribution to the measured distribution in a predetermined range of path metric differences; determining a quality indicator for the decoded signal in response to the analysis distribution; and wherein the analysis distribution is the sum of a first and second distribution in the predetermined range.
[0035] These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] An embodiment of the invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings, in which
[0037] FIG. 1 illustrates a data reading device in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;
[0038] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a measured path metric difference distribution for a 33 GB optical system having a run length constraint of one.
[0039] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a measured path metric difference distribution and a fitted Gaussian distribution for a 33 GB optical system
[0040] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a measured path metric difference distribution and a fitted Gaussian distribution for a 33 GB optical system;
[0041] FIG. 5 illustrates an example of an analysis path metric difference distribution comprising a first distribution and a second distribution;
[0042] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a measured path metric difference distribution and a fitted Gaussian distribution for a 33 GB optical system without asymmetry;
[0043] FIG. 7 illustrates the difference between the measured path metric difference distribution and the fitted Gaussian distribution of FIG. 6 ;
[0044] FIG. 8 illustrates an example of measured path metric difference distribution and a fitted Gaussian distribution for a 33 GB optical system with asymmetry; and
[0045] FIG. 9 illustrates the difference between the measured path metric difference distribution and the fitted Gaussian distribution of FIG. 8 .
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0046] The following description focuses on an embodiment of the invention applicable to a reading device for reading data from an optical disc medium such as a CD or DVD. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this application but may be applied to many other applications and decoded signals.
[0047] FIG. 1 illustrates a data reading device 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
[0048] The data reading device 100 comprises a data reader 101 which reads a data signal from an optical disk (not shown). The data signal is fed to a trellis based decoder 103 which performs a Partial Response Maximum Likelihood (PRML) decoding of the data signal as is well known to the person skilled in the art. In particular, the trellis based decoder 103 is a Viterbi decoder comprising a plurality of states for each bit. As is well known to the person skilled in the art, the Viterbi decoder calculates path metrics for each possible state transition for a new bit.
[0049] In the following description, it will be assumed that the calculated path metric for a state transition is a distance measure indicating the difference between the actual value of the data signal and an ideal value for that state transition. Hence, in this example, a lower value of the path metric corresponds to a higher probability of the corresponding state transition being the correct state transition. However, it will be appreciated that any suitable path metric measure may be used and in particular that the path metric may have increasing values for increasing probability of the state transition being a correct state transition.
[0050] In the embodiment, the Viterbi decoder determines the decoded bit sequence during a search back process by selecting a path that has the lowest combined path metric. Hence, for a given state, the state transition entering the state with the lowest path metric is selected.
[0051] The decoded signal is output from the data reader to an internal or external source (not shown). In addition, the data reading device 100 comprises functionality for determining a quality indicator which reflects an estimated quality of the decoded signal. In the specific embodiment a quality indicator in the form of an estimated bit error rate is calculated.
[0052] The Viterbi decoder 103 is coupled to a path metric processor 105 . The path metric processor 105 receives path metric values from the Viterbi decoder 103 and generates a plurality of path metric differences. In particular, the path metric processor 105 generates a path metric difference for two state transitions leading to a state of the trellis which corresponds to the decoded sequence (or to a correct data sequence of the data is known). The path metric processor 105 generates a path metric difference for a large number of states corresponding to a large number of bits.
[0053] In the described embodiment, the path metric difference is simply calculated by subtracting the minimum path metric of a state from the second smallest path metric of that state. Hence, the path metric difference indicates the relative probability of the selected transition being the correct one. For example, a large path metric difference indicates that the distance and thus the path metric of the selected state transition is much smaller than for the closest state transition, and therefore that the first state transition can be selected with high certainty. A small value of the path metric difference indicates that there is little to choose between the two candidate state transitions.
[0054] Since the Viterbi decoder selects the state transition into a state that has the lowest path metric, a decoding bit error corresponds to a situation wherein an incorrect state transition into a state has a lower path metric than the correct state transition. Accordingly, the path metric difference between the correct state transition and the incorrect state transition should be a negative value. However, as the path metric processor 105 in the described example does not have any knowledge of the correct data but only of the decoded data (in other words a non data aided decoder is implemented), it simply determines a path metric difference by subtracting the second lowest path metric difference from the lowest path metric difference. Accordingly, the path metric processor 105 generates the absolute value of the path metric difference between the correct state transition and the closest incorrect state transition.
[0055] The path metric processor 105 is coupled to a measured distribution processor 107 . The measured distribution processor 107 receives a large number of path metric differences from the path metric processor 105 and in response determines a measured distribution. In particular, the measured distribution processor 107 generates a probability density function by ordering the path metric difference samples from the path metric processor 105 . Specifically, the measured distribution processor 107 may generate a histogram by ordering the path metric difference samples into intervals and determining the number of path metric difference samples in each interval. The histogram may be normalized by dividing the values of each interval by the total number of path metric difference samples.
[0056] The characteristics of the measured distribution will typically depend on the characteristics of the data signal input to the decoder. Preferably, many path metric difference samples are used and the central limit theorem may indicate that a Normal or Gaussian distribution may possibly be a reasonable assumption. Experiments and simulations have shown that in many cases, the measured distribution closely approaches a Gaussian distribution. For example, for an unconstrained hard disk or optical disk, the measured distribution tends to be essentially Gaussian.
[0057] However, for constrained PRML optical disk reading systems, the measured distribution deviates from the Gaussian distribution. FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a measured distribution for a 33 GB optical system having a run length constraint d= 1 . In particular, FIG. 2 illustrates the histogram values of the measured distribution 201 as well as an overlaid Gaussian distribution 203 . FIG. 2 illustrates the path metric difference along the X-axis and the number of samples for each path metric difference interval on the y-axis.
[0058] As can be seen, the measured distribution aligns with the Gaussian distribution for path metric difference values below the average path metric difference. However, for higher values of the path metric difference, the measured distribution deviates significantly from the Gaussian distribution as the run length constraint results in a shifting of the path metric differences to higher values. Thus, in the example of high density PRML optical systems with non-zero constraints, the measured distribution still approaches a Gaussian distribution for lower path metric differences.
[0059] As mentioned previously, negative path metric differences between a known correct state transition and the closest state transition are indicative of a decoding bit error. FIG. 3 illustrates the histogram values of path metric differences calculated using knowledge of the correct decisions 301 as well as an overlaid Gaussian distribution 303 . Thus, the measured distribution 201 of FIG. 2 corresponds to the histogram values of FIG. 3 except for the sign of the path metric differences corresponding to decoding errors.
[0060] The bit error rate of the system may be calculated by normalizing the distribution of FIG. 3 and integrating from −∞ to zero. Similarly, the bit error rate may be estimated by fitting a Gaussian probability density distribution to the measured distribution of FIG. 2 in order to extrapolate the measured distribution over the negative values and accordingly integrating this distribution from −∞ to zero.
[0061] However, such an approach is based on the assumption that a Gaussian distribution fitted to the measured distribution of FIG. 2 will result in a probability density function that will be representative on the negative axis (i.e. for a path metric difference from −∞ to zero). In other words, it is assumed that fitting a Gaussian distribution to the measured distribution of FIG. 2 will result in a probability density distribution closely resembling that of FIG. 3 .
[0062] However, as the path metric differences generated by the path metric processor 105 are determined on detected data rather than on known data they are always non-negative. Thus, the measured distribution of FIG. 2 can only include positive values and represents a histogram of the absolute value of the path metric differences of FIG. 3 . Thus, the path metric differences of the negative axis of the distribution of FIG. 3 is folded back to the positive axis in FIG. 2 resulting in increased values for especially low path metric difference values. It is clear that this results in a distortion to the assumed Gaussian distribution. Furthermore, the distortion increases in particular for higher data rates where more noise is present.
[0063] Accordingly, fitting a Gaussian distribution to the measured distribution and using this for determining a quality indicator results in an inaccurate measure. In particular, the distortion results in the estimated mean and standard variation of the Gaussian distribution not accurately reflecting the desired distribution. This is illustrated in FIG. 4 which illustrates a measured distribution 401 and a fitted Gaussian distribution 403 . It is evident that the fitted distribution deviates substantially from the measured distribution and that accordingly an inaccurate bit error rate estimate will be calculated by integrating this distribution over the negative x-axis.
[0064] In the described embodiment, the measured distribution processor 107 is coupled to an analysis distribution processor 109 . The analysis distribution processor 109 is operable to determine parameters of an analysis distribution by fitting the analysis distribution to the measured distribution. The analysis distribution comprises two distributions which are added together at least in a given range used for fitting.
[0065] The analysis distribution thus comprises a first and a second distribution. The analysis distribution processor 109 is operable to fit the analysis distribution such that the first distribution corresponds to the distribution of path metric difference that can be determined from known data (i.e. including negative values) whereas the second distribution corresponds to the path metric differences of the measured distribution which are folded onto the positive axis.
[0066] Specifically, the analysis distribution is comprised of two Gaussian distributions being added together. In the embodiment, the two distributions are mirror images of each other around a path metric difference of zero. Thus, the first distribution is a Gaussian distribution having a mean μ and standard deviation σ whereas the second distribution is a Gaussian distribution having a mean −μ and the same standard deviation σ. FIG. 5 illustrates the first distribution 501 , the second distribution 503 and the analysis distribution 505 in accordance with the example.
[0067] As can be seen, for small path metric difference values the analysis distribution consists in two components wherein one reflects the desired Gaussian distribution whereas the other reflects distortion caused by the overlap into the positive path metric differences.
[0068] In the embodiment, the analysis distribution processor 109 fits the analysis distribution:
f ( x , μ , σ ) = A 2 π σ [ exp ( - ( x - μ ) 2 2 σ 2 ) + exp ( - ( x + μ ) 2 2 σ 2 ) ]
to the measured distribution. Hence, the folding of the negative path metric differences into positive path metric differences is automatically taken into account during the fit procedure. No additional parameters need to be estimated and thus no complexity is added to the fit algorithm.
[0069] Accordingly, more accurate values of the parameters of a Gaussian distribution corresponding to that of FIG. 3 can be determined.
[0070] The analysis distribution processor 109 is coupled to a quality indicator processor 111 which determines the quality indicator in response to only the first distribution. Particularly, the first distribution corresponds to the distribution of the probability density function of path metric differences determined as the difference between the correct state transition and the incorrect state transition having the lowest value. If this path metric difference is negative, the decoder 103 has selected the wrong state transition and an error has occurred. Thus, the bit error rate may be calculated by integrating the first distribution from −∞ to zero.
[0071] Thus, the quality indicator processor 111 determines a bit error rate quality indicator from the formula:
erf ( x ) = ∫ - ∞ x exp [ - ( x - μ ) 2 / 2 σ 2 ] 2 π σ
where the mean μ and standard variation σ have been determined by fitting the analysis distribution. The function is also known as the error function.
[0072] Accordingly, an accurate bit error rate indicator may be generated.
[0073] Preferably, the fit of the analysis distribution to the measured distribution is limited to a suitable predetermined range. As previously mentioned and as illustrated in FIG. 2 , the run length constraint of the described embodiment results in a non Gaussian distribution for path metric differences higher than the average path metric difference. Accordingly, the fitting of the analysis distribution is limited to evaluating a range of path metric differences from zero to an average path metric difference of the measured distribution. This ensures an accurate fit and that the deviance at higher path metric differences does not affect the calculated quality indicator.
[0074] However, in many applications and in particular for optical disk systems significantly better results can be obtained when the fit range is limited to a smaller interval of the path metric differences. In particular, data points around the maximum of the histogram are preferably ignored when fitting the analysis function. For example, asymmetry in the signal from an optical disk gives rise to an additional peak to the left of the main peak, i.e. the shape of the measured distribution starts to deviate from the desired Gaussian shape. This is illustrated by the following example. FIG. 6 illustrates a measured distribution 601 and fitted Gaussian distribution 603 for a 33 GB optical system without asymmetry and FIG. 7 illustrates the difference between the measured distribution 601 and fitted Gaussian distribution 603 of FIG. 6 . FIG. 8 illustrates a measured distribution 801 and fitted Gaussian distribution 803 for a 33 GB optical system with asymmetry and FIG. 9 illustrates the difference between the measured distribution 801 and fitted Gaussian distribution 803 of FIG. 8 .
[0075] Using a range from zero to the mean path metric differences results in a fairly good fit for the situation without asymmetry ( FIG. 6 ) but not for the situation with asymmetry ( FIG. 8 ).
[0076] For a good estimate of the bit error rate, the low path metric difference values are the most important, because here the contributions from all peaks (i.e. also higher order, but possibly wide distributions) are taken into account. However, making the range too narrow will result in too few sample values and will result in a fit with insufficient reliability.
[0077] Testing of a fit procedure on a wide range of simulated as well as experimental data shows that a path metric difference range for fitting from zero up to a fraction of between 0.2 and 0.60 and preferably around 0.40 of the maximum histogram value provides particularly advantageous results.
[0078] A further improvement is to add the first histogram value to this range. This ensures that sufficient points are selected in case of a high date density, significant noise and/or asymmetry.
[0079] The invention can be implemented in any suitable form including hardware, software, firmware or any combination of these. However, preferably, the invention is implemented as computer software running on one or more data processors and/or digital signal processors. The elements and components of an embodiment of the invention may be physically, functionally and logically implemented in any suitable way. Indeed the functionality may be implemented in a single unit, in a plurality of units or as part of other functional units. As such, the invention may be implemented in a single unit or may be physically and functionally distributed between different units and processors.
[0080] Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiment, 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. In the claims, the term comprising does not exclude the presence of other elements or steps. Furthermore, although individually listed, a plurality of means, elements or method steps may be implemented by e.g. a single unit or processor. 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 no feasible and/or advantageous. In addition, singular references do not exclude a plurality. Thus references to “a”, “an”, “first”,“second” etc do not preclude a plurality. Reference signs in the claims are provided merely as a clarifying example shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims in any way.
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A system for generating a quality indicator for a trellis decoded signal based on the path metrics of the decoding is presented. An apparatus comprises a path metric processor ( 105 ) which determines path metric differences between two path metrics entering a state of a trellis decoder 103 . A measured distribution processor ( 107 ) orders the path difference metrics to generate a measured distribution. An analysis distribution processor ( 109 ) fits a distribution being the sum of a first and second distribution path to the measured distribution. A quality indicator processor ( 111 ) determines a quality indicator in response to the fitted distribution. In particular, the first distribution may be associated with correct sign path metric differences and the second distribution may be associated with incorrect sign path metric differences. The quality indicator processor ( 111 ) preferably determines the quality indicator in response to only the first distribution thereby reducing the degradation caused by the incorrect sign path metric differences.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority of the U.S. Provisional Application S. No. 60/238,999 filed Oct. 10, 2000 entitled METALOTHERMIC REDUCTION OF REFRACTORY METAL OXIDES.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to the production of tantalum, niobium, and other refractory or valve metal powders as well as metal suboxide powders, or alloys thereof by the reduction of the corresponding metal oxide with chemically active metals such as Mg, Ca, Al, and other reducing elements in a self-sustaining reaction zone created by a highly exothermic reaction, but with sufficient control to obtain powders of desired morphology and other physical and electrical characteristics.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Refractory metals are members of a group of elements that are difficult to isolate in pure form because of the stability of their compounds, such as oxides, chlorides, fluorides. Since the manufacturing of refractory metals is very complex, we will use tantalum extractive metallurgy as an example to illustrate the development of this technology.
[0004] State of the art tantalum powder production is based on the process of reducing potassium heptafluorotantalate (K 2 TaF 7 ) with sodium (sodium reduction). The modem method for manufacturing tantalum was developed by Hellier and Martin 1 . A molten mixture of K 2 TaF 7 and a diluent salt, typically NaCl, KF, and/or KCl, is reduced with molten sodium in a stirred reactor. The manufacturing process requires the removal of the solid reaction products from the retort, separation of the tantalum powder from the salts by leaching with dilute mineral acid, and treatments like agglomeration and deoxidation to achieve specific physical and chemical properties. While the reduction of K 2 TaF 7 with sodium has allowed the industry to make high
[0005] performance, high quality tantalum powders primarily used in solid tantalum capacitor manufacturing, there are several drawbacks to this method. It is a batch process prone to the inherent variability in the system; as a result, batch-to-batch consistency is difficult. Using diluent salts adversely impacts the throughput. The removal of chlorides and fluorides in large quantities presents an environmental issue. Of fundamental significance, the process has evolved to a state of maturity such that a significant advance in the performance of the tantalum powder produced is unlikely.
[0006] Over the years, numerous attempts were made to develop alternate ways for reducing tantalum compounds to the metallic state 2,3,4,5,6 . Among these was the use of active metals other than sodium, like calcium, magnesium, and aluminum and raw materials such as tantalum pentoxide and tantalum chloride.
[0007] Konig et al. 6 developed a vertical device for producing finely-divided metal powders (Ta, Nb, W, Zr, etc.) and metal compounds (TiN, TiC, Nb2O5) by reducing the corresponding metal chloride with hydrogen, methane, or ammonia. While this technique allows continuous production, the generation of large quantities of hydrochloric acid presents serious corrosion and environmental problems. The chlorides are very hydroscopic and, therefore, require special handling with an inert and dry atmosphere. In addition, some of the metal chlorides are very expensive.
[0008] Kametani et al. 7 developed a process for reducing gaseous titanium tetrachloride with atomized molten magnesium or sodium in a vertical type reactor in the temperature range of 650-900° C. Though the reaction was very exothermic, it was not self-sustaining due to a special effort designed to avoid the formation of titanium-iron intermetallic compounds at high temperatures (the melting point of Fe—Ti eutectic is 1080° C.).
[0009] Marden, 2 Gohin and Hivert, 8 Hivert and Tacvorian 9 suggested the use of gaseous magnesium to better control the process parameters. The gaseous reducing agent was generated
[0010] in-situ from a mixture of metal oxide and reducing agent or outside the reactor enclosure. They managed to produce at bench scale fine zirconium, titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, and chromium powders. The method was of batch type. The only controlled parameter was the magnesium (calcium) partial pressure. The kinetics and the temperature of the charge were a function of the gaseous magnesium (calcium) flow rate and were impossible to control due to the condensation of magnesium (calcium) on the cold parts of the reactor. Since both melting and evaporation of Mg (Ca) without condensation on the cold parts was practically impossible, the process had to be periodically stopped for the removal of the build-up. Therefore, continuous operation could not be carried out.
[0011] Our own experience has been that the production and transport to the reaction zone of a gaseous metal like magnesium is extremely difficult. The metal will condense at any cold spot in the transfer plumbing to form a plug. The metal attacks the container to degrade its integrity over time creating a significant maintenance problem. Control of the reducing agent stoichiometry in the reaction zone is difficult, as it requires maintaining a measured flow rate of a gaseous metal/carrier gas (argon) mixture of known composition into the reactor.
[0012] Restelli 5 developed a process for producing niobium and tantalum powders by the reduction of the corresponding oxides with carbon in vacuum. Since the Gibbs Free Energy for the carbothermic reduction reaction of Ta 2 O 5 becomes negative at approximately 1500° C., the reaction requires high temperature, and particle sintering occurs, thus reducing the surface area of the powder. Another significant drawback of the proposed technology was contamination of the metal powders with carbon, making it very difficult to use them for capacitor manufacturing.
[0013] Numerous attempts were made to produce tantalum and niobium powders by metalothermic reduction of their oxides with Mg, Al, Ca in a bomb type reactor. 3,4 A blend of finely-divided oxide and metal reducing agent was placed into a reactor and then ignited. The temperature could not be controlled and therefore it was not possible to achieve reproducible physical and chemical properties of the metal powders. The residual Mg (Al, Ca) content was high due to the formation of tantalates and niobates. The process was found to be unsuitable for manufacturing high quality capacitor grade powders.
[0014] Shekhter et al. 10 described a method for controlled reduction of tantalum and niobium oxide with gaseous magnesium to produce capacitor grade tantalum and niobium powders (batch magnesium reduction). The key is control of the reaction process to achieve essentially isothermal conditions. The batch magnesium reduction process requires excess amount of magnesium to compensate for its condensation on the cold parts of the furnace.
[0015] It is a principle object of the present invention to provide a new process for producing high performance, high quality tantalum, niobium, and other refractory metals and blends or alloys thereof by reducing solid/liquid metal oxides in a steady, self-sustaining reaction zone, thereby eliminating one or more, preferably all of the problems associated with the traditional double salt reduction and other processes described above.
[0016] It is a further object of the invention to provide a controlled, continuous production method of reduction.
[0017] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a reduction method that produces a high quality refractory metal by eliminating halide by-products and carbon contamination.
[0018] It is a further object of the invention to provide improved metal forms.
[0019] It is a further object of the invention to provide a metal powder having an improved uniform morphology.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0020] The present invention solves the problems of refractory metal oxide reduction by feeding a blend of the oxide and reducing agent directly into a reactor to achieve a self-sustaining, highly exothermic reaction (continuous magnesium reduction). The use of an oxide/reducing agent blend eliminates the problems associated with the generation and transport of gaseous metal to the reaction zone. The completion of the reduction and the physical properties of the metal powder can be controlled during the process.
[0021] The ability of different reactions to become self-sustaining can be better understood from Table 1 in which the enthalpy for the reduction reaction of different oxides with magnesium and their adiabatic temperatures are presented. It can be seen from Table 1 that reactions 1-9 will create a high temperature flash that, under certain conditions discussed below, will become self-sustaining, while reaction 10 does not release enough thermal energy to propagate itself.
[0022] The adiabatic temperature is the maximum temperature reached provided that the reaction is carried out in the isolated system (no energy or mass exchange with the surroundings). While the reactor system of this invention is not adiabatic, it can approach this condition because of the extremely rapid reaction rate and, therefore, there is insufficient time for significant energy and mass exchange with the surroundings. The actual temperature of the flash formed by the exothermic reaction is a function of many variables some of which, like thermal energy losses and carrier gas enthalpy, have a thermodynamic origin, while others, like ignition temperature, particle size and surface area of the reagents correlate to the reaction kinetics.
TABLE 1 Summary of calculated adiabatic temperatures ΔH 25° C. Adiabatic Temperature Number Oxide (Kcal/mole oxide) (° C.) 1 Ta 2 O 5 −229 2832 2 Nb 2 O 5 −264 2832 3 NbO 2 −97 2798 4 NbO −43 2241 5 Cr 2 O 3 −158 2708 6 WO 3 −230 3437 7 V 2 O 5 −348 2990 8 MoO 3 −253 3813 9 MoO 2 −147 2946 10 ZrO 2 −25 862
[0023] The present invention also shows that the self-sustaining reaction zone position and its temperature can be efficiently controlled by maintaining a consistent feeding rate, ignition (furnace) temperature, and inert carrier gas flow rate. Achieving a consistent oxide flow is not a trivial issue since some of the refractory metal oxides are dielectrics and have a natural tendency to accumulate static electricity due to the friction of the oxide particles against each other. Agglomerate-void formation makes it virtually impossible to maintain a consistent feeding over time and adversely impacts both the kinetics and the control of the reduction reaction.
[0024] We discovered that feeding a blend of oxide and metal powder (Mg, Ca, Al, etc.) helps to dissipatic the static electricity and break up the agglomerates. The metal powder should be fine enough to vaporize/melt rapidly in the reaction zone. As a result of the use of blends, material flowability is significantly improved. This permits a stable, consistent self-sustaining reduction reaction to occur.
[0025] The reaction zone temperature increases as the feeding rate goes up. When the feeding rate is low enough, the amount of energy released during the reaction is less than the value of energy losses. The reaction cannot self-sustain itself and it is impossible to achieve a stable self-sustaining reaction with a complete reduction of the metal oxide.
[0026] For each exothermic reaction there is a starting (ignition) temperature at which the reaction becomes a self-sustaining one. For example, the ignition temperature is approximately 600° C. for the reaction of Ta 2 O 5 with Mg. The energy required for the ignition of the reagents comes from the furnace (see Examples). The energy required to make the reaction self-sustaining comes from the chemical energy released by the reduction reaction.
[0027] It is advisable that the reaction zone temperature should not exceed the melting point of the oxide (See Table 2) because if the oxide melts, it can cause the coalescence of particles. Particles augmentation will lead to a significant decrease in the residence time in the reaction zone, which in turn will affect the completion of the reaction.
TABLE 2 The melting point of various metal oxides Melting Point Oxide ° C. Nb 2 O 5 1512 Ta 2 O 5 1785 NbO 2 1902 NbO 1937
[0028] Even though the reduction reaction takes place in a wide temperature range (onset-flash temperature), physical and chemical properties can be kept under control due to the steady parameters of the self-sustaining reaction zone. The higher the temperature is, the more agglomerated the powder is, and the lower is its surface area.
[0029] For the proposed process, the reducing agent (Mg, Al, Ca, etc.) does not need to be in gaseous form. The reduction reaction usually starts when the reducing agent is in the solid or liquid state. When the reaction zone temperature exceeds the boiling point of the reducing agent, the oxide will be reduced with gaseous metal. When the boiling point of the reducing agent is higher than the reaction zone temperature, it will be in a molten state (See Table 3), but can still have sufficient vapor pressure to sustain the reaction.
TABLE 3 The melting and boiling points of various metals Melting Point Boiling Point Metal (° C.) (° C.) Ca 839 1483 Al 660 2467 Mg 650 1105
[0030] Different types of equipment can be used to run the present process continuously, such as a vertical tube furnace, a rotary kiln, a fluid bed furnace, a multiple hearth furnace, and a SHS (self-propagation high-temperature synthesis) reactor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] [0031]FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a vertical tube furnace used in one embodiment of the present invention;
[0032] [0032]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a vertical tube furnace as described and used in Example 1 below;
[0033] [0033]FIG. 3 is a graph of the calculated reaction zone temperature vs. the blend feed rate for a furnace temperature of 1150° C.;
[0034] [0034]FIG. 4 is a graph of furnace power vs. time for various blend feed rates;
[0035] [0035]FIG. 5 is a scanning electron photomicrograph showing a powder produced according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0036] [0036]FIG. 6 is a scanning electron photomicrograph showing a powder produced according to a batch magnesium reduction process;
[0037] [0037]FIG. 7 is a scanning electron photomicrograph showing a powder produced according to a sodium reduction process;
[0038] [0038]FIG. 8 is a graph of the particle size distribution vs. the volume for various blend feed rates;
[0039] [0039]FIG. 9 is a graph of the sintered pellet pore size distribution vs. the incremental volume for pellets made from powders reduced by various reduction processes; and
[0040] [0040]FIG. 10 is a graph of the pellet pore size distribution vs. the incremental volume before and after anodization to 50V for pellets made from powders produced by the continuous magnesium reduction process of the present invention and produced by a sodium reduction process.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0041] [0041]FIG. 1 schematically shows an apparatus for implementing the process of the present invention. A vertical tube furnace 10 comprises a hopper 12 which holds the refractory metal oxide powder and reducing agent powder, provided as a mixed blend 14 (in other embodiments the reagents can be separately fed), a screw feeder 16 which consistently moves the blend 14 out of the hopper 12 , an oxide dispersion device 18 which breaks up the oxide particles being feed into it from the screw feeder 16 , a pipe or reactor 24 connected to the oxide dispersion device 18 heated by a three zone electrical furnace 26 where the self-sustaining reaction takes place, a receiver 28 connected to the reactor 24 where the reduction products 30 are collected, and a trap 32 where the unreacted (condensed) reducing agent powder is collected. The length of the reactor's hot zone is approximately 5 feet (˜1.5 m).
[0042] For the present process, the vertical tube furnace has a number of advantages over other potential types of equipment. The vertical tube furnace configuration minimizes contact of the products with the reactor wall and allows the free flow of the reactants and products thus minimizing interaction of the product particles. Losses due to dust formation are also minimized. The vertical tube furnace can be configured to operate continuously. The vertical tube configuration also promotes maximum exposure of the oxide to the reducing agent to achieve the reaction rate necessary to maintain a stable self-sustaining reaction.
[0043] [0043]FIG. 2 schematically shows the vertical tube furnace 10 implementing the process described in Example 1 but with a variation as to material supply. The process is the same as shown and described in FIG. 1 above except that the hopper 12 holds only the refractory metal oxide powder 34 . A melter 36 holds the reducing agent 38 , magnesium, and feeds the magnesium 38 directly into the furnace area using a transpiration technique.
EXAMPLES
[0044] The invention is now further disclosed with reference to the following non-limiting Examples.
Example 1
[0045] Tantalum pentoxide was reduced with gaseous magnesium as shown in FIG. 2. The temperature in the magnesium melter was 975° C., while the temperature in the furnace was maintained at 985° C. to prevent magnesium condensation on the cold parts. The argon flow through the melter and the furnace was 55 scfh. The average oxide feeding rate 1.5 kg/h. The reduction lasted 3 hours. After passivation, the receiver was opened and the products were leached with dilute sulfuric acid to remove residual magnesium and magnesium oxide. The cake was then dried in the oven at 65° C. and analyzed. The surface area of the reduced powder was 17 m 2 /g, the bulk density was 26.8 g/in 3 , and the oxygen content was 13.2 W/W %. The reduction was only 60% complete due to the inability to maintain a consistent oxide and magnesium feed rates, which caused instability in the self-sustaining reaction during the course of the run.
Example 2
[0046] The reaction zone temperature was estimated from energy balance calculations and the results are plotted in FIG. 3 as a function of the blend feed rate. The following assumptions were made:
[0047] (1) The value of the energy losses was estimated to be 30% of the energy input. This is a reasonable approximation for the furnace design used.
[0048] (2) The kinetics of the chemical reaction is instantaneous and is not a function of either oxide or magnesium particle size.
[0049] (3) The argon flow rate was 1.8 Nm 3 /hr.
[0050] (4) The furnace temperature was 1150° C.
[0051] The graph in FIG. 3 shows the reaction zone temperature may change significantly depending on the feed rate. At 7 kg/hr blend feed rate, the reaction zone temperature does not differ from the furnace temperature while at 30 kg/hr feed rate, it exceeds the melting point of tantalum pentoxide. When the reaction zone temperature is higher than the oxide melting point, there is a real possibility of coalescence, which can adversely impact the reaction due to the drastic reduction of the residence time.
Example 3
[0052] [0052]FIG. 4 shows the furnace power readings during the reduction of Ta 2 O 5 with magnesium power as a function of time for several blend feed rates. The graph shows the value of power change as a function of blend feed rate. The higher the feed rate, the greater is the power drop. In fact, at 20 kg/hr blend feed rate the electric power input dropped from 46 to 6%. In other words, the furnace was not supplying energy to the system. This is strong evidence that a stable self-sustaining reaction exists in the reactor.
Examples 4-8
[0053] Table 4 summarizes results for runs made at several different blend feed rates. The magnesium stoichiometry was 100.5%. The powders made in Examples 5 through 7 had properties suitable for making capacitor grade tantalum powder. The reaction zone temperature was just below the melting point of tantalum pentoxide (See Table 3 and FIG. 4). The powders produced at lower and higher feed rates and associated reaction zone temperatures were not as well reduced. The reduction was especially poor for the powder made at the highest feed rate and associated reaction zone temperature (Example 8).
TABLE 4 Results for Examples 4-8 Exam- Feed Reaction Surface Bulk ple Rate Zone Temp. Oxygen Area Density Reduction (#) (Kg/hr) (° C.) (%) (m 2 /gm) (gm/in 3 ) (%) 4 5 1150 6.1 8 20 78 5 14 1390 5.8 11 18 86 6 17 1650 5.3 9 20 85 7 20 1780 4.8 10 17 88 8 29 2120 9.5 6 27 54
Example 9
[0054] Table 5 is a summary of the particle size distribution of the powders described in Examples 4-8. The particle size distributions were measured using a Malvern Mastersizer 2000 particle size analyzer without ultrasonic treatment. For comparison, results for a powder made by the batch reduction of oxide and a 100 KCV class powder made by the sodium reduction process are included. The batch magnesium reduction was carried out in the tube furnace at 1000° C. for 6 hours. The sodium reduction process used is well known to those skilled in the art.
TABLE 5 Summary of Particle Size Distribution Results Example D90 D50 D10 Surface Area # (μ) (μ) (μ) (m 2 /gm) 4 118 33 8 0.36 5 171 30 5 0.48 6 252 50 8 0.32 7 170 27 5 0.48 8 225 47 6 0.44 Batch Reduced 61 29 13 0.28 Sodium Reduced 435 180 16 0.25
[0055] In general, the powders made by the continuous magnesium reduction process of the present invention have higher calculated surface areas and significantly different particle size distributions, as quantified by the D values, than the powders made by the batch magnesium reduction or sodium reduction processes. The differences in powder morphology can be further seen in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) photographs shown in FIGS. 5 - 7 . FIG. 5 shows a representative SEM photomicrograph of a powder produced by the parameters of Example 7. FIGS. 6 and 7 show representative SEM photomicrographs of powders produced by the magnesium reduction and sodium reduction processes, respectively. As shown in FIG. 5 , the powder has a very uniform particle size distribution and much smaller overall particle size (approximately 25 mn) than the powders made by the batch magnesium reduction process shown in FIG. 6 or the sodium reduction process shown in FIG. 7. The average size of the agglomerates is ˜100 nm.
[0056] [0056]FIG. 8 is a plot of the particle size distribution of the powders made by the continuous magnesium reduction process of the present invention. The distribution shifts to larger particle size as the blend feed rate increases. The most favorable particle size distribution was obtained with the powder made at a blend feed rate of 17 kg/hr. The distribution was bimodal in this case.
Examples 10-13
[0057] Table 6 lists the calculated average pore diameters (APD) for the sintered pellets made from powders produced by the present invention (continuous magnesium reduction), batch magnesium reduction, and sodium reduction before and after anodization at 30 V and 50 V. The pellets were pressed to a green density of 5.0 gm/cc and sintered at 1210° C. for 20 minutes. They were anodized in 0.1 V/V % H 3 PO 4 solution at 80 ° C. at a current density of 100 mA/g with a 2 hour hold at the formation voltage. The pore size distributions were measured using a Micromiretics AutoPore III Model mercury porosimeter. Although the sintered pellets made by the batch magnesium and sodium reduction processes have higher average pore diameters, the loss in APD upon anodization to 30 V and 50 V is less for the pellets made from powders produced by the continuous magnesium reduction process of the present invention. This is a sign of the improved morphology of the pellets made from the continuous magnesium reduction powders of the present invention relative to pellets made from powders produced by the batch magnesium or sodium reduction processes.
TABLE 6 Summary of Calculated Average Pore Diameters for Sintered and Anodized Pellets Feed % % Example Reduction Rate APD (0) APD (30) APD (50) Change Change # Type (kg/hr) (μ) (μ) (μ) 0 V-30 V 0 V-50 V 10 Continuous 4 0.29 0.24 0.23 17 21 11 Continuous 9 0.32 0.29 0.27 9 16 12 Batch — 0.34 0.25 26 13 Sodium — 0.39 0.21 0.18 46 54
[0058] Further evidence for the improved morphology of sintered pellets made from the continuous magnesium reduced powder of the present invention relative to those made from sodium reduced powder is seen in the pore size distributions plotted in FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 shows results for sintered pellets made from powders reduced by various reduction processes. The pellets made from powders produced by the continuous magnesium reduction process of the present invention and batch magnesium reduction process have a higher fraction of large pores compared to the pellets made from sodium reduced powders. Large pores enhance the ability to impregnate the pellets with solid electrolyte during the capacitor manufacturing process. FIG. 10 gives results before and after anodization at 50 V for pellets made from powders produced by the continuous magnesium reduction process of the present invention and produced by a sodium reduction process. The pellets made from powder produced by the sodium reduction process lost significant porosity after anodization especially in the 0.3μ pore diameter range. In contrast, there was little change in the porosity of the pellet made from the continuous magnesium reduced powder of the present invention after anodization to 50 V.
Example 14
[0059] Table 7 summarizes the wet and solid capacitance results for the Example 10-13 powders. The solid capacitor 30 V to 50 V capacitance change (CC) for the capacitors made from the continuous reduction powders of the present invention is less than this change for the sodium reduced powder pellets. The wet to solid capacitance recovery (CR) is higher for the capacitors made from the continuous magnesium reduction powders of the present invention than for the batch magnesium reduced and sodium reduced powder capacitors. The wet to solid capacitance recovery of the continuous reduction powders of the present invention increases as the blend feed rate increases. Finally, the equivalent series resistance (ESR) of the capacitors produced from the continuous reduction powders of the present invention are significantly lower, especially at 50 V, than the ESR of the solid capacitors made from sodium reduced powders. These results are further evidence for the better morphology of pellets made from powders produced by the continuous reduction process of the present invention and suggest that powders made at higher blend feed rates (up to 20 kg/hr) have the best morphological properties for making solid capacitors.
TABLE 7 Summary of Wet and Solid Capacitance Data Wet Cap Solid Cap CR ESR Example (μF) (μF) CC (%) (Ohms) # 35 V 50 V 30 V 50 V (%) 30 V 50 V 30 V 50 V 10 497 196 297 122 59 60 62 1.9 4.2 11 430 182 410 175 57 95 96 0.8 2.0 12 514 237 388 144 63 75 61 1.1 3.6 13 546 206 226 64 72 42 31 2.9 9.0
Example 15
[0060] Table 8 contains a summary of the metallic elements chemistry of the powders described in Examples 4-8. Data for a typical 100 KCV sodium reduced powder are included for comparison. The chromium, iron, nickel, potassium and sodium contents of the powders made by the continuous reduction process of the present invention are less than the detection limit. In contrast, there are detectable concentrations of these elements in the powder made by the sodium reduction process.
TABLE 8 Summary of Metallics Chemistry Example Feed Rate Cr Fe Ni K Na # (kg/hr) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) (ppm) 4 5 <5 <5 <5 <10 <1 5 14 <5 <5 <5 <10 <1 6 17 <5 <5 <5 <10 <1 7 20 <5 <5 <5 <10 <1 8 29 <5 <5 <5 <10 <1 Na Reduced 10 5 30 35 2
Example 16
[0061] The proposed method can be used for the production of metal suboxides through the control of such reduction parameters as magnesium stoichiometry and blend feed rate. For example, a blend of niobium suboxide (NbO 2 ) with surface area of 0.44 m 2 /g and magnesium powder was processed through the vertical furnace configuration shown in FIG. 2 at 17 kg/h blend feed rate. The magnesium stoichiometry was 100.5%. The furnace was kept at the temperature of 1150° C. The powder produced contained 13.6% O(the oxygen content in NbO is 14.7%) and 360 ppm N and had the surface area of 2.4 m 2 /g.
[0062] It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are simply illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various and other modifications, changes, details and uses may be made by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.
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High purity refractory metals, valve metals, refractory metal oxides, valve metal oxides, or alloys thereof suitable for a variety of electrical, optical and mill product/fabricated parts usages are produced from their respective oxides by metalothermic reduction of a solid or liquid form of such oxide using a reducing agent that establishes (after ignition) a highly exothermic reaction, the reaction preferably taking place in a continuously or step-wise moving oxide such as gravity fall with metal retrievable at the bottom and an oxide of the reducing agent being removable as a gas or in other convenient form and unreacted reducing agent derivatives being removable by leaching or like process.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to an Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) of the type capable of providing power to an aircraft as needed. In particular, the present invention is directed to lightweight and high-energy start system for providing power to the APU to initiate APU start up.
[0002] Conventional APU start-up systems (electric, hydraulic and pressurized air start systems (PASS) are not utilized to provide in-flight emergency power because of the significant size and weight requirements. In one system developed for the F-22, a jet fuel/air-stored energy system was utilized for both APU starting and in-flight emergency power. This system when used for APU starting and emergency power has increased complexity, weight and cost relative to a system designed for an APU start-only system. It is considered desirable to minimize the weight, complexity and cost if at all possible.
[0003] In a known APU start-up system, the turbine power module (TPM) combustor utilized for driving an APU gearbox was designed to operate in both fuel-rich and lean-burn modes. The fuel-rich mode reduced air consumption during extended emergency power operation, while the lean-burning mode eliminated the normal maintenance required by carbon accumulations during APU ground starts.
[0004] A rich-burn mode requires the use of high-temperature combustor liner to maintain fuel-rich combustion at low power levels. Such a liner would not be needed for a high-powered, lean-burning APU starting system. By removing the combustor liner, liner insulation and transition liner, it would not only reduce cost and weight but, more importantly, it may significantly reduce the TPM's sensitivity to temperature transients. The relatively large thermal mass of the combustor housing may be better able to handle any high-temperature combustion transients.
[0005] Because the “touch” temperature should not exceed 500° F. for safety considerations after single ground starts, the need for an outside insulation blanket would be eliminated. A further disadvantage of conventional start-up systems resides the complexity of the combustor head. Fuel-rich combustor processing requires the use of a duplex fuel nozzle to provide a wide turndown ratio. However, since the APU starter system only operates at one power level and does not require large droplets to maintain clean fuel-rich combustion at high power levels, the duplex nozzle configuration and associated divider valve utilized in an APU start system providing emergency power can be eliminated, resulting in significant cost and weight savings.
[0006] There is a clear need for an improved APU starter system capable of meeting the streamlined requirements of ground starting while operating in single, lean-burning mode. Such a starter-system should be of minimum size and weight and be able to function with a limited amount of compressed air and fuel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In one aspect of the present invention, an APU starter system is disclosed. The system includes a source of pressurized air and a source of jet fuel. The system further includes a turbine power module attached to an APU. An air flow passageway joins the source of pressurized air to the turbine power module. A fuel flow passageway joins the source of jet fuel to the turbine power module, and a separate valve assembly located in each flow passageway controls the flow of compressed air and jet fuel into the turbine power module.
[0008] In another aspect of the invention, an APU starter system includes a source of pressurized air, comprising at least one storage vessel. The system further includes a source of jet fuel, comprising a fuel tank. A turbine power module is attached to an APU and an air flow passageway joins the at least one storage vessel to the turbine power module. A fuel flow passageway joins the fuel tank to the turbine power module. A separate valve assembly located in each flow passageway controls the flow of compressed air and jet fuel into the turbine power module.
[0009] In a yet further aspect of the invention, an APU starter system formed in accordance with the present invention includes a source of pressurized air, comprising at least one storage vessel and a source of jet fuel comprising a fuel tank. The system further includes a turbine power module attached to an APU with an air flow passageway joining the at least one storage vessel to the turbine power module and a fuel flow passageway joining the fuel tank to the turbine power module. A modulating valve assembly located in the air flow passageway and a control valve located in the fuel flow passageway control the flow of compressed air and jet fuel into the turbine power module.
[0010] In another aspect of the present invention, a method of starting an APU includes the step of energizing a control valve located in an air flow system between a source of pressurized air and a turbine power module. The method further includes the step of energizing a control valve located in a fuel flow system between a source of jet fuel and the turbine power module. The method also includes the step of igniting the mixture of air and fuel within the turbine power module to create a steam of hot gases; and directing the steam of hot gases onto turbine blades for rotating the blades to drive the APU through a gearbox.
[0011] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] [0012]FIG. 1 shows a schematic system of an APU starter system formed in accordance with the present invention; and
[0013] [0013]FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a turbine power module formed in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0014] The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the present invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
[0015] The present invention provides an APU starter system configured solely for the APU starting function, resulting in significant cost and weight savings. The system includes an assembly for providing a quantity of pressurized air and fuel to a Turbine Power Module (TPM) allowing it to power an APU without being driven by the APU.
[0016] Referring to FIG. 1, an APU starter system 10 includes a high-pressure air supply system which may include one or more high-pressure storage vessels 14 . Storage vessels 14 may be formed of an aluminum-lined composite wound material, filled with compressed air. The number of vessels 14 utilized is dependent on the desired quantity of compressed needed and the space requirements of the starter system.
[0017] A high pressure air supply system 16 connects storage vessels 14 with the turbine power module 18 . In particular, compressed air storage vessels 14 are pneumatically connected by passageway 20 with an input of pressure regulator and shut-off valve 22 . Air passageway 23 connects the output of valve 22 with an input of air control valve 24 . An output of control valve 24 is connected by passageway 26 to the input of the turbine power module 18 . A service port 28 is connected by passageway 30 with compressed air storage vessels 14 for rapidly recharging vessels 14 from an external high-pressure air source or aircraft air compressor, not shown, following an APU start. Components of the high-pressure air supply system 16 may be integrated into other aircraft systems. Likely system components may include the high-pressure air vessels 14 , pressure regulator 22 and the air recharge compressor.
[0018] The fuel supply system 31 of the APU starter system delivers jet fuel to the turbine power module 18 . Jet fuel may be supplied by a dedicated fuel tank 32 having an output connected by fuel passageway 34 to the input of a modulating fuel control valve 36 . The output of modulating fuel control valve 36 can be connected to turbine power module 18 by fuel passageway 38 . Fuel tank 32 may be refilled from an external supply, not shown, by fuel passageway 40 , with fuel service port 42 controlling the flow through passageway 40 .
[0019] In order to expel fuel from tank 32 at the required pressure, a fuel tank expulsion system may be pneumatically pressurized, possibly by utilizing air from the air supply system 16 via air passageway 44 . A free-surface, piston, diaphragm, or bladder-type expulsion device 46 , may be used to rapidly expel the fuel from tank 32 into fuel passageway 34 .
[0020] Air control valve 24 can regulate the flow of air into the turbine power module 18 . The pressure regulator and shut off valve 22 can provide positive shutoff to the flow of pressurized air from vessels 14 , while maintaining a regulated inlet pressure to air control valve 24 as the air pressure decays during blow down of the vessels 14 during an APU start.
[0021] The modulating fuel control valve 36 may regulate the flow of jet fuel into the turbine power module 18 . Fuel control system 30 may incorporate a shut-off valve, depending on the form of fuel pressurization incorporated into the system. If the fuel is not under pressure when the starter system 10 is inactive, then a simple check valve may suffice as an alternative to such a shutoff valve. Fuel control valve 36 may take the form of fixed fuel orifice or a modulating valve, depending on the air flow rates expected and system requirements. A modulating fuel control valve 36 may be utilized to facilitate adjustments in fuel flow to optimize pre-ignition and post-ignition fuel flow rates.
[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the turbine power module 18 may include a combustor 48 that converts the compressed air and the jet fuel into hot gas. The combustor 48 may comprise a hollow cylinder 50 welded to one end of the turbine housing 52 and capped with a flange-mounted combustor head 54 located at the other end of the turbine housing 52 . The combustor head 54 may include a fuel nozzle 56 and air injectors 58 which mix the steam of pressurized air the jet fuel as it enters the combustor cylinder 50 . Igniters 60 mounted on the walls of the cylinder 50 can ignite the mixture when excited by an ignition unit. The combustor 48 may also include an insulated thermal liner inside the combustor 48 and a transition liner when the gas turns the corner to enter the turbine nozzles. During operation, the turbine power module 18 may direct the hot gases from the combustor 48 onto the turbine blades rotating assembly, not shown. This, in turn, can cause the rotating turbine assembly to accelerate and drive the APU through the over-running clutch in the APU gearbox.
[0023] It is within the scope of the present invention to replace the air control valve 24 with an orifice, sonic orifice or venturi valve. This is possible because variations in air density with ambient temperature are not sufficient to significantly affect either ignition reliability or APU start time.
[0024] It is also within the scope of the present invention to replace the fuel control valve 36 with an orifice, sonic orifice or venturi valve because the flow range required for the APU starter is much narrower.
[0025] The simplified APU starter system of the present invention eliminates the necessity for the pressure transducers and temperature sensors which may be required in an APU start system providing emergency power. The single speed APU gearbox may be greatly simplified compared to the two speed gearboxes required by conventional starter systems. By achieving the maximum torque assist from the APU during starting, the run time of the turbine power module and the stored energy usage are reduced. Maximum output of the APU may be achieved by operating at the maximum turbine inlet temperature, which may exceed 2200° F., and minimum surge bleed flow during the APU start. By employing a modulating surge control or two position surge valve as opposed to the current on-off surge control valve the APU may accelerate faster by reducing the amount of surge bleed during APU starting. This provides a tradeoff between reduced stored energy and the added weight and cost of utilizing a more complex APU surge valve.
[0026] It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to preferred embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
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A system for starting an APU, including an air control valve assembly located in the air flow passageway extending between a source of pressurized air and a turbine power modulator. The system further includes a fuel control valve assembly located in the fuel flow passageway extending between a source of jet fuel and the turbine power modulator. Upon energizing the air control and fuel control valves, a mixture of compressed air and jet fuel entering the turbine power module is ignited, creating a flow steam of hot gases for driving a gas turbine to power the APU.
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BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has as its primary purpose the control movement of a vehicle window between an open or lower position in which the window is usually housed within a hollow door, and an upper or closed position in which the window closes the window area above the door.
In order to effect vertical movement of the window, there is provided in the upper portion of the space within the vertical door a rotary drum of substantial diameter as for example in excess of six inches. Suitable means are provided for rotating the drum and these means preferably comprise internal teeth on the drum and pinion in mesh with the teeth.
Associated with the drum and adapted to be wound thereon and unwound therefrom from the rotation of the drum is an elongated element having only sufficient flexibility to permit its ready winding and unwinding on the drum. The drum is mounted in a housing which includes a flange portion spaced radially from the drum to provide a radially enclosed annular space confining the flexible element therein. The flange is omitted for a limited circumferential distance to provide a window through which the flexible element is longitudinally movable as it is wound and unwound on the drum.
It will be seen that when the drum is rotated in a direction to push the elongated element through the window, buckling of the element is prevented by the enclosing flange portion.
Extending laterally of the drum housing and more particularly from the aforementioned window there is provided an elongated guide member along which the flexible element is slidable. The guide member and the element are cooperatively formed so that the flexible element is limited to longitudinal sliding movement with respect to the guide member.
The guide member is formed so that a bracket secured to the free outer end of the flexible element is slidable along the guide member. This bracket is attached to the window and the guide member is disposed generally vertically so that as the drum is rotated the window is moved vertically.
The present invention was devised for the actuating of a vehicle window. It is of course apparent that it may have other uses wherever it is desirable to convert rotary movement to longitudinal movement or vice versa.
It will further be noted that while the guide member may be rectilinear, it may also be given some transverse curvature so that the structure secured to the free end of the flexible element may have generally linear motion which, however, may depart from simple straight line movement.
In the application of the mechanism to a window regulator, the pinion which drives the drum may of course be manually rotated as for example a crank or it may be motor driven.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view partly diagrammatical, showing the window regulating mechanism.
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the mechanism seen in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 3--3, FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4--4, FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 through the drum housing.
FIG. 6 is an elevational view of the guide member.
FIG. 7 is a side view of the member shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 8--8, FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view of the flexible element.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 10--10, FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing the flexible element in association with the elongated linear guide.
FIG. 12 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 11 showing the use of a differently shaped flexible element and guide.
FIG. 13 is an enlarged elevational view showing a subassembly of a modified plastic pinion and metal coupler.
FIG. 14 is a sectional view on the line 14--14, FIG. 13.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the drawings, there is indicated generally at D a vehicle door having an interior hollow portion 10 below a ledge L having an opening 12 through which the window W is vertically movable. It will be understood that the window is slidable in vertical edge guides.
Housed within the hollow interior 10 of the door D is the window regulating mechanism comprising essentially a drum support housing 14, and an elongated element 16 having only sufficient flexibility to permit it to conform to the peripheral surface of the drum. Extending laterally from the drum housing is an arm 18 to which the upper end of a substantially rigid but preferably slightly bendable elongated linear guide member 20 is attached. The drum housing 14 as best illustrated in FIG. 3 includes a raised portion 22 having openings therethrough in registry with welded nuts 24 by means of which the drum housing and attached mechanism may be mounted to supporting structure 26 within the door D.
Referring now to FIGS. 6 through 11, there is illustrated a form of elongated flexible element here designated 16a and the linear guide here designated 20a. An element and guide of this type is disclosed in my copending prior application, Ser. No. 850,556, filed Nov. 11, 1977, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,168,595. The elongated flexible element 16a includes a flat tape or belt portion 28 having along opposite edges laterally and then inwardly extending tabs or tangs 30. As best seen in FIG. 9, the tabs 30 are spaced apart longitudinally of the element a distance substantially equal to the width of the tabs and the tabs at the opposite sides of the tape portion 28 are staggered. With this arrangement, it will be observed that at one side of the flexible element, as viewed in FIG. 9, there is a longitudinally extending narrow groove or channel 31 which not only provides clearance for the stem 34 of the support T-shaped but also positions the flexible element properly on the periphery of the drum as will subsequently appear. It will be apparent in FIG. 10 that, at the section illustrated in this figure, the tab at the right hand side of the element is in section whereas the tab at the left hand side is seen in elevation.
The material of the flexible element is a suitable plastic material such for example as an acetal polymer. The flat or tape portion of this element is dimensioned so that the element has only sufficient flexibility in a direction perpendicular to its width so as to permit it to conform readily to the outer periphery of the drum. In a specific example, the flat tape portion of the element has a width of approximately a half inch and a thickness a mounting to only a minor fraction of its width. This flexible element is made of any suitable plastic material, of which acetal polymer is only an example, and of course exhibits substantially complete rigidity with references to forces applied edgewise. Its thickness, however, permits it to conform readily to the outer periphery of the drum.
The elongated generally rigid guide 20a, as best illustrated in FIG. 8, is formed of sheet metal bent into a generally T-shaped transverse configuration. As seen in this figure, the head or cross member of the T here designated 32 is connected to the stem 34 of the T, these portions being formed of double thickness of the metal as shown. Adjacent one end of the guide 20a, the stem is provided with a multiplicity of bolt holes for a purpose which will presently appear.
The elongated guide 20a, due to its configuration, is substantially rigid in use but it will be understood that when being shaped into the illustrated condition, it may be given a slightly transverse curvature in any direction so that in fact the window bracket which is guided vertically along the guide may be caused to traverse a curved path and to suitably incline the bracket to cause the window to conform to its required path. Thus for example in modern windows, the window often moves upwardly and slightly inwardly along a curved path.
Referring now to FIG. 11, it will be seen that the flexible element 16a is freely slidable along the head 32 of the guide 20a.
Accordingly, as the drum is rotated to draw the flexible element upwardly and to wind it around the drum, the lower end of the flexible element and the bracket secured thereto is freely movable along the functionally rigid guide 20a. Similarly, when the drum is rotated in the opposite direction so that the flexible element is pushed onto the guide, the tabs 30 in association with the head 32 of the T shape of the guide ensure that the flexible element is limited to a longitudinally sliding motion with respect to the guide 20a.
It will be understood that the T shaped elongated guide 20 is fixedly mounted in the required position by mounting brackets indicated at 36 in FIG. 4 to which the guide is bolted as indicated at 38.
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5, the drum 40 is formed of plastic material as illustrated, and comprises a generally circular flat peripheral portion 41 having at its periphery an axially extending annular flange 41a, the inside of which is in the form of an internal gear having teeth 42. The central portion 43 of the drum extends laterally from the plane of the flat portion 41 in the same direction as the annular flange 41a, and is formed with a tubular hub 44 which extends therefrom in a direction opposite to that in which the annular flange 41a extends. The flange 41a and the hub 44 are substantially axially coextensive. The support housing 14 has a central mounting pin 46 which extends therefrom in the same direction as hub 44 extends from drum 40. The drum is mounted for rotation on the pin 46. The outer surface of the annular flange 41a of the drum 42 is provided with a narrow circular guide flange 48 dimensioned to be received in the longitudinal groove 31 of the flexible element 16a. This, of course, guidingly positions the element 16a on the drum which is important as the flexible element moves between the drum and the elongated guide 20.
Moreover, since the flexible element 16a has appreciable flexibility in a direction transverse to its width, it is necessary to confine the flexible element between the drum and an outer circumscribing surface so as to prevent outward bulging or displacement of the flexible element as the drum rotates in a direction which pushes the flexible element onto the guide member. This surface is illustrated in FIG. 5 as provided by a circular housing flange 50 which however is discontinuous in an area located generally at 52 so as to provide a window through which the flexible element may pass out of the drum housing onto the flexible guide 20.
It will be observed in FIG. 6 that the guide 20a includes an extension 54 which extends beyond the step portion 34 of the guide to intercept the flexible element as it is fed off the drum onto the guide.
The drum housing 14, as best illustrated in FIG. 5, includes a struck out position 56 formed to provide a bushing 58 which receives a pin 60.
Pin 60 is connected to drive pinion 62 which meshes with the internal teeth 42 of the drum 40. Also rigidly connected to the drive pin and the external drive connections 78 is a metal drive element 69 which is adapted to engage and drive a coupler 70 fixed to the pinion 62.
Referring now to FIGS. 13 and 14, there is illustrated a somewhat modified pinion 62a having external teeth 64 dimensioned to cooperate with the internal teeth 42 on the drum. The pinion 62a is formed of a suitable plastic material such, for example, as an acetal polymer and provides an exceptionally quiet running condition with the internal gear. Since the pinion 62a is formed of a plastic material lacking the strength characteristics of metal, the pinion is provided with an elongated integral radially extending drive flange or key 66 which extends substantially across one end of the pinion, the flange having a narrow dimension as indicated at 68. Associated with the pinion is a metallic coupler 70 a having an opening 72 dimensioned to receive the flange 66 and to impart a drive torque thereto which would be impossible through the relatively small opening 74 which receives the pin 60. The coupler 70 includes a drive flange 76 which is engageable by suitable drive means such for example as a driving projection on the drive member 78 which in turn is connected to the pin 60. Obviously the drive member 78, which is shown in FIG. 2 as extending to the interior of the door for connection with a crank, may, if preferred, be omitted, and coupler 70 connected to an electric motor housed within the door cavity 10.
A cup 80 is provided at the exterior of the drum housing 14 as best illustrated in FIG. 3 to provide means for enclosing the pinion 62 or 62a and to support the rotary drive structure such as coupler 70 or 70a.
Referring now to FIG. 12, there is illustrated a further embodiment of the present invention which differs only in detail construction of the flexible element 16 and the guide 20. In this figure, the flexible element here designated 16b is in the form of an elongated strap or belt of rectangular cross section suitably dimensioned to have only sufficient flexibility transversely of its width to permit it to conform to the outer periphery of the drum. Element 16b is preferably formed of a plastic material such as a suitable acetal polymer. The elongated guide 20b which receives the flexible element for longitudinally sliding movement is generally in the form of a partially enclosed channel having spaced apart flanges 84. The spaced apart flanges 84 leave a channel therebetween in which the flexible element 16b is exposed, so that a window bracket attached to the lower end of the flexible element 16b may move longitudinally of the guide member.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be observed that the window W is movable between the lower position illustrated in which a bracket 86 may move from the full line position illustrated at the top of the figures, in which the window W is closed, to the lowermost position in which the upper edge of the window is retracted within the opening 12 in the window ledge L. It will be observed in FIG. 1 that the bracket 86 in its upper limiting position has moved into a position substantially adjacent the drum housing window location 52. It will also be observed in this figure that the bracket 86 changes its angularity with respect to the elongated flexible element 16 and with respect to the window W, this movement of the bracket being permitted by a pivot connection 88 with the window and a pivot connection 90 to a projection 92 attached directly to the flexible element 16.
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A window regulator for moving a vehicle window vertically between closed and open positions, in which the window is housed within the vehicle door when in opened position. The mechanism comprises a drum and an elongated element having only sufficient flexibility to permit it to conform to the outer surface of the rotatable drum, an elongated functionally rigid track extending from the drum, the flexible element and track being cooperatively shaped such that the said element is slidable longitudinally on said track in guided relation. One end of the flexible element is fixed to the drum and the other has a bracket secured thereto which in turn is attached to the bottom edge of the vehicle window. Means are provided for rotating the drum in opposite directions to raise and lower the window. The invention is more broadly mechanism for converting motion between linear and rotary modes.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a device for the handling of bulk material comprising a pressure vessel with at least two members for mechanically enclosing a volume of bulk material, and a conduit connected to the pressure vessel for supplying a pressurized gas thereto for conveying the enclosed material by way of a discharge conduit.
Bulk material can be of different kinds, and the loading and unloading thereof raises many problems. Some materials such as cement and powdered coal are dust emitting, and other types of material will issue odors.
Mechanical as well as pneumatic conveyors have been proposed, and also combination of such means. When big volumes of material must be handled at a certain place, it is possible to errect a permanent plant with high efficiency.
For applications in which smaller quantities are involved, which are collected or delivered at different places, or handling of bulb material is only occasionally required, a proper device has not been available up to now, which at reasonable installing costs has been able to perform the necessary handling service.
A common field of use for such handling devices is marine transportation, where a ship may have to deliver part of its cargo at different ports, which lack proper handling devices. Other applications enclose or plant, which is serviced occasionally by ships lacking unloading means, but having to deliver some bulk material.
German published document DE-B-1 280 158 discloses a transport container for bulk material, having three separate chambers, each with an inlet opening and an outlet conduit and pneumatic means for promoting discharge of bulk material from the container. Apart from these openings, the container is closed to the atmosphere.
The object of the present invention is to propose a handling device, which is cheap to manufacture, which is mobile, and which in an advantageous manner can handle dust material.
For pneumatic transportation it is advantageous to enclose the material in a pressure vessel, from which it may be blown out. Several ways of filling the pressure vessel as a first step in the handling have been proposed, but have not worked satisfactorily.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention the pressure vessel is designed as a grabbing means in the form of two interconnecting shovel halves, which itself will collect a quantity of material, suitable for the next step of transportation. The device is characterized by that the members are provided with means for moving them between an open and a closed position, for grabbing an amount of bulk material.
The device is further characterized by the two members, respectively, the pressure vessel, being provided with means for moving them between an open and a closed position for grabbing an amount of bulk material. Furthermore, a discharge conduit connected to the pressure vessel for conveying the volume of bulk material out of said pressure vessel by means of the pressurized gas is provided.
At least one of the members of the pressure vessel is then provided with a permeable, gridlike bottom structure and a conduit for the supply of pressurized gas opens below said bottom structure. The two members are substantially identical halves of the pressure vessel, and the device further comprises a yoke to which the halves are pivotably connected. The means for moving the two members between an open and closed position are pressure fluid activated actuators for pivoting the halves relative to the yoke. The pressure vessel thus preferably comprises two substantially similar halves (shovel halves) which are pivotably carried in a yoke and connected to pressure fluid actuators for swinging the halves in relation to the yoke. Advantageously, each one of the halves is provided with a permeable, grid-like bottom structure and has an end plate, the end plates facing away from one another in the closed position of the pressure vessel. The halves, in the closed position, abut at a plan of division of the pressure vessel. The bottom structure is connected to the end plate and extends in a downward direction to the plane of division where the both bottom structures meet. In order to facilitate an emptying, each pressure vessel half is advantageouly provided with a permeable bottom structure pressure vessel will then be tilted which allows the enclosed material to slide towards one end of the pressure vessel.
The discharge conduit includes an extension extending into the pressure vessel, whereby the extension has an opening in the vicinity of one of the bottom structures.
The discharge conduit will then have an internal extension opening at the lower end of the pressure vessel. The yoke with the pressure vessel may hang in a travelling crane movable along the coamings of a cargo hatch opening in a ship.
The pressure vessel may alternatively comprise a grabbing means or shovel member and a lid member adapted to close the same, and be mounted upon a wheeled carriage or vehicle, for instance, a front loader. At least the shovel member is provided with a permeable, grid-like bottom structure, and the supply conduit opens below the bottom structure. The pneumatic transportation part preferably includes a supply conduit with at least one supply branch with an opening inside the pressure vessel, a further branch to a booster valve in the discharge conduit, and a valve means for determining the fluid distribution (fluid flow) between the two branches.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will below be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 schematically shows a device according to a first embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 2 on a larger scale shows a pressure vessel of the invention.
FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment according to the invention,
FIG. 4 shows the device according to FIG. 3 in a tilted position, ready for unloading,
FIG. 5 shows the device mounted on a travelling crane onboard a ship, and
FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment according to the invention, mounted on a truck.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 very schematically shows the pressure vessel 10 with connected supply and discharge conduits. The vessel comprises, as is better evident from FIG. 2, two substantially similar grabbing members or substantially identical halves 11 and 12, which are pivotably carried by a yoke, not shown in the drawing and may be swung away from each other and then towards each other for grabbing an amount of bulk material, for instance in the cargo hold of a ship. The enclosed bulk material is then blown off pneumatically. It is presupposed that the two members will sealingly engage each other. Each member comprises a cylindrical shell part 13, and a domed end plate 14.
Each grabbing member or half 11, 12 is provided with an inclined, permeable bottom structure 16, which extends from the end plate 14 to the plane of division 15 between the two members. Depending upon the kind of material to be handled, the bottom structure may consist of a gridlike device, or contain parallel rods covered by a wire mesh or fabric.
Compressed air for the pneumatic transportation is supplied by way of a supply conduit 17, which is divided into two branches 18 and 19. The first mentioned one, 18, is further branched into conduits 18a and 18b, which open below the bottom structures 16, and will cause a fluidization of the material whereupon the air will also force the material out by way of the discharge conduit 20. The discharge conduit 20 extends within the pressure vessel 10, to the plane of division 15, down into the angle formed between the meeting bottom structures 16, so that a major part of the enclosed material will be removed during each cycle.
The branch 19 is connected to an ejector 21, which acts as a booster, aiding in forcing the material through the discharge conduit 20.
The compressed air system advantageouly comprises an adjustable valve 22 for determining the fluid distribution between the two branches 18 and 19 Depending upon the kind of material to be handled and the actual length of the discharge conduit, a bigger portion of the compressed air may be alotted to the pressure vessel 10, or to the booster valve 21, respectively.
There are remote-controlled valves 23 and 24, respectively, adapted to open and close branches 18 and 19, and in the first mentioned branch 18 a safety valve 25 is provided. Release of remaining pressure at the end of a working cycle is governed by a valve 26. Also in the discharge conduit 20 there is a remote-controlled valve 27.
Monitoring of the valves occurs in step with the working cycle according to well known techniques, and no detailed description is deemed necessary. It is evident that air should not flow through the vessel when this is open to collect material, therefore sensors indicating that the vessel members 11 and 12 have engaged each other sealingly are provided, so that a supply of compressed air can force the enclosed material out through the discharge conduit 20 when the vessel is closed.
Reference numeral 28 denotes a control box which receives signals from an operator's post by way of a line 29 and governs the valves. The members 11, 12 of the pressure vessel are preferably hydraulically operated, and the box 28 may house an electric motor and a hydraulic pump. On such occasion a conduit for the supply of electric current may run parallel with the line 29.
FIG. 2 shows in full lines members 11 and 12 brought into the engaging position for forming a pressure vessel. Suitable packings are provided at the plane of division 15, and during the pneumatic transportation step the members are clamped together by means of remotely controlled locking devices 30.
The members are pivotably carried in a yoke 31, which preferably is designed as a box structure in which valves and operating equipment may be enclosed. The yoke hangs on a cable 32 from a crane or the like, so it can easily be brought into a desired position. The conduit 17 for the supply of compressed air, the signal line 29 and the parallel electric current conduit are connected to the yoke. Reference 26a denotes a cover for the safety valve 26.
The members 11 and 12 are pivotable about trunnions 33 and 34, and may be swung to the position indicated in broken lines by means of pressure fluid activated actuators such as hydraulic rams 35. When the vessel, opened to this position, is lowered into a mound of bulk material, and is then lifted while simultaneouly closing the members, the vessel will bring along a certain portion of the material in the same manner as a common shovel excavator. The design and the equipment at the members will ensure that members in a following step act as a pressure vessel. Of course, this presupposes that the thickness and quality of the plates forming the shell 13 and in the end plate 14 will withstand the actual air pressure.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show a further embodiment according to the invention, adapted to be tilted during the unloading operation. Whenever possible, the same reference numerals as in FIG. 1 and 2 are used to indicated like parts.
The two pressure vessel halves 11 and 12 are pivotely supported at a yoke 31. Compressed air is supplied by a supply conduit 17 subdivided into two branches 18a, 18b for fluidizing and pressurizing purposes. Branch 18a is further branched off to a booster valve 21 in the discharge conduit 20.
The novel feature here is that the yoke 31 is provided with a bar 40, which during loading operation is horizontal, and has sufficient extension to permit a sliding member 41 connected to the lifting line 32 to be located in the vertical center line of the unit.
A pressure fluid ram 42, controlled in any suitable manner in step with the other actuatable governing devices, will push the sliding member 41 to the right in the drawing, when the two members 11 and 12 have been closed and satisfactorily locked.
The device will then take up the position shown in FIG. 4, where the sliding member 41 is moved well past the vertical center line, and the pressure vessel is tilted such that the end with the discharge conduit is lowered.
This facilitates the sliding of the enclosed material towards the lower end. The permeable bottom structures 16a are formed like bowls and positioned inwardly, a short distance relative to the shell of the pressure vessel.
The extension 43 of the discharge conduit 20 opens just inside the pressure vessel, as the material will slide down towards this end.
A handling device of the kind described above can be mounted permanently in a harbor, but can easily be transported between various places of use, for instance by means of a crane mounted on a truck. A common location will be aboard a ship, where it can be handled by means of existing jibs or cranes. In special bulk transportation ships the equipment can be carried by a travelling crane running along the longitudinal sides of the hatch opening.
FIG. 5 shows an arrangement where a complete unit 45 with yoke, pivotable pressure vessel halves and the necesary moving equipment is hung below a travelling carriage 46 in a portal crane 47, movable along the coamings 48 enclosing a hatch opening 49 in a ship.
The necessary air compressors are mounted on the carriage 46 and supply compressed air by way of supply conduit 17 to unit 45. The discharge conduit, which may be supported in any suitable way, is denoted by reference numeral 20.
As shown in FIG. 6 a simple transportable unit may consist of a shovel member 11 and a lid member 50 for closing the opening thereof located corresponding to the plane of division 15 in FIG. 2. The vessel is mounted upon a vehicle 51 of the front loader type, which with the lid open collects material from a mound 52. When the vehicle has backed away and the lid 50 has closed the vessel, the vessel is ready for the pneumatic transportation step.
The necessary compressor 53 is mounted upon the vehicle, and supplies compressed air by way of conduit 17. A box 54 containing the necessary valving and hydraulic equipment is mounted upon member 11.
The lid member 50 may be pivoted by means of a power hinge 55, which is supplied with pressure fluid by way of a conduit 56.
The devices described above and shown in the drawings are examples of the invention only, and the details thereof may be varied in many ways within the scope of the appended claims. As bulk material is in the fist hand solid granules or dustlike substances considered, but the device may also be used for the handling of liquid or wet substances. When dredging the apparatus may remain submerged, opening and closing below water level, and the silt being ejected pneumatically.
The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to the specific disclosure of the specification and drawings, but also encompasses any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.
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A device for handling bulk material, especially in marine transportation, comprises a pressure vessel having at least two members for mechanically enclosing a volume of the bulk material to be conveyed. The pressure vessel is equipped with pressure fluid activated push rods for moving the two members between an open and closed position to thereby grab a volume of the bulk material. The two members are preferably two essentially identical halves. A supply conduit is connected to the pressure vessel for supplying a pressurized gas thereto. A discharge conduit is connected to the pressure vessel for conveying the volume of bulk material out of the pressure vessel with the aid of the pressurized gas.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to rotary drum-type graters for cheese and similar food products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various hand-held, hand-crank operated, rotary drum-type graters for cheese and the like that incorporate molded plastic or metal components have been previously developed. See, for example, Mantelet U.S. Design Pat. No. 235,501 or Shun U.S. Design Pat. No. 276,202. Such graters, however, include various disadvantages.
For example, the upper portion of the hopper can be pivotably inclined relative to the lower portion of the hopper by means of a medial hinge. The hinge extends transversely across the side of the hopper opposite the side associated with the support handle. As a result, food can become lodged between the adjacent upper and lower portions of the hopper.
Moreover, that type of grater is not easily washed or sanitized after use. The rotary drum and hand crank assembly often can not be readily disassembled. Also, it is often awkward to open and to maintain the hinged hopper in an open configuration during washing. Food particles and microorganisms can become lodged in inaccessible or difficult to access locations and thus are difficult to remove through hand or mechanical washing.
In addition, such a grater is made so that during use, the hand crank is located only on one side of the hopper, usually the right side. Thus, the grater is most convenient for use by right-handed people, the crank being turned by the right hand while the support handle of the hopper, along with the press support arm, if present, are held and clamped together by the left hand.
There is a need for an improved grater structure wherein such disadvantages are overcome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an improved hand-held, hand-crank operated, drum-type grater for cheese and similar food products.
The grater is adapted to incorporate molded plastic or metal components but preferably includes a drum having a cylindrical surface defined by a metal sheet that has a desired pattern of edged projections defined therein. The grater employs relatively few component parts. The components that contact food during a grating operation can be readily disassembled after use. The grater is thus easily and thoroughly cleanable.
The grater is assembled so that the hand crank is located either on the right or left side of the hopper housing. Thus, the crank can be turned by either the right hand or the left hand based on the preference of the user.
The hopper housing is characterized by a unitary construction, thereby improving grater strength, ease in food processing and cleanability. The hopper is provided with an integrally formed, laterally and outwardly projecting improved handle means, and an improved combination of arm means and press plate means. The handle means and the arm means are held and operated by one hand of the user. A lower portion of the hopper is provided with a transversely extending, cylindrical cavity that receives the drum.
The drum can be variously comprised but preferably includes a cage-type cylinder that is preferably overlaid circumferentially with a metal sheet (preferably stainless steel) that has edged projections. The drum has a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the drum is insertable into the hopper cylindrical cavity from either side. The distal end of the drum is provided with a radially outwardly projecting rim flange that limits axial movement yet permits drum rotation in the cylindrical cavity. The proximal end of the drum is provided with a threaded, axially oriented receiving hub.
The crank can be variously comprised but preferably incorporates an arm having at one end a boss and a threaded crankshaft that is threadably engagable with the drum hub. The boss also includes a longitudinally projecting rim flange which when the crank is assembled with the drum, limits axial movement of the drum yet permits drum rotation in the cylindrical cavity. Preferably, the boss further includes an exterior upstanding wing for gripping during assembly and disassembly.
Thus, the proximal end of the drum is insertable into either end of hopper cylindrical cavity and is extended therein so as to be positioned adjacent the opposite cavity end. The crankshaft is then threadably engaged with the proximal end of the drum and the grater is ready for use.
Other and further objects, aims, features, purposes, advantages, embodiments, applications and the like will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the present specification taken with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a rotary drum type grater of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally and medially along the line IV--IV of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line V--V of FIG. 2, the crank shaft being shown unsectioned for clarity purposes;
FIG. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line VI--VI of FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line VII--VII of FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 is a rear end elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 and,
FIG. 9 is a perspective subassembly view of the threadably but reversibly engaged combination of grating drum and hand crank employed in, but shown apart from, the embodiment of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to the drawings, one embodiment 15 of a grater of this invention which is suitable for grating a food stuff such a cheese or the like is shown. Grater 15 incorporates a hopper 16 having opposed lateral sides 17 and 18 and opposed transverse sides 19 and 20. The top 22 of hopper 16 is open and the (gravitationally) lower and bottom portions of lateral sides 17 and 18 curve towards one another, and meet and join integrally and indistinctly to form a generally continuous, cylindrically curved hopper bottom region 21. A transversely extending interiorly upwardly open cylindrical channel 23 is defined in the lower end of hopper 16. Channel 23 has circular opposed end apertures 24 and 25, one aperture being defined in each transverse side 19 and 20, respectively. The apertures 24 and 25 and the cylindrical channel 23 are generally coaxial relative to the cylindrical curvature of the bottom region 21.
In the region of each aperture 24 and 25, the respective hopper sides 19 and 20 are each provided with a transversely outwardly projecting and circumferentially formed flange 27 and 28, respectively. The inside diameters of each of the flanges 27 and 28 are equal and this diameter is slightly larger than the internal (upwardly incomplete or open) cylindrical diameter of channel 23 and of apertures 24 and 25. The inside respective longitudinal (relative to channel 23) faces of the flanges 27 and 28 extend parallel to the axis of channel 23 and the radially extending exposed shoulder region of each flange 27 and 28 is preferably substantially flat.
The adjacent lateral side 17 (relative to transverse sides 19 and 20) of hopper 16 is provided with an integral, elongated support handle 29. Supporting and reinforcing triangularly configured (in side elevation) ribs (not shown) can be provided, if desired, between adjacent exterior portions of handle 29 and side 17. The handle 29 has, in transverse cross section (see FIGS. 6 and 7), a general C-configuration so that the exterior lower surfaces thereof are generally rounded. The upper outer terminal region of handle 29 is provided with a pair of transversely aligned holes 31 (one hole being in each end edge portion of the C-shape, see FIG. 7). Preferably, and as shown, a portion of the end edge of the C-shape is interiorly transversely thickened and strengthened by integral stub projections 32, each projection 32 having a flattened interior face that is in spaced, parallel relationship relative to the other.
The grater 15 is provided with a combination of a hopper press plate 33 and an integrally associated elongated arm 34 which extends laterally outwardly from a forward face of press plate 33 is located at the margin of the (extended) curvature of the channel 23 (see FIG. 4). In this position, the ribs 41 are in contacting relationship relative to the bottom edge of the notch 39 and thereby limit the downward movement of press plate 33.
The opposite rear opposing outside portions of the arm 34 are each provided with an integrally formed mounting and guidance plate 42 (paired). Each plate 42 is in spaced, parallel relationship relative to the other. For exemplary purposes, each plate 42 is shown with a circular perimeter, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that various perimeter configurations can be used. In the region of the plates 42, the ribs 41 are downwardly distended. A set of transversely aligned apertures 43 is provided in each of the plates 42 and ribs 41. These apertures 43 are adapted for alignment with the holes 31. As so aligned, a pivot pin 44 is extended through holes 31 and apertures 43, thereby permitting arm 34 to pivot upwardly and downwardly relative to handle 29. The limit of upward pivotal movement is reached when the terminus of arm 34 abuts against the outer end of handle 29 (see FIG. 4). Typically, pin 44 is not separated from arm 34 and handle 29 during cleaning or storage of grater 15. Various alternative pivotal connecting arrangements can be employed for arm 34 and handle 29.
Preferably and as shown, the exposed concave facial or surface portions of each of arm 34 and handle 29 is provided with a layer of cushioning material 47 and 46, respectively, that extends over these curved surface portions. The combination of hopper 16 and handle 29, and the combination of press plate 33 and arm 34, as described above, are each conveniently and preferably formed of a molded plastic of a character adapted for such a structural application as here contemplated in side region of press plate 33. Press plate 33 slidably moves up or down in hopper 16. The lower or food-contacting outside surface of press plate 33 has a radius of curvature which preferably matches the radius of curvature of the channel 23. In vertically upwardly spaced relationship to press plate 33, an integrally joined flattened support and connecting rectangular plate 36 is provided. At each opposite transverse side of plate 36, and in the mid-region of plate 36 integrally formed walls 37 generally vertically integrally extend between plate 36 and plate 33. Also, a diagonally extending integral brace 38 (see FIG. 4) is provided that extends from the front lateral side of plate 36 to the rear lateral side of plate 33.
The elongated upper surface portions of arm 34 are generally convexly upwardly curved. This arm 34 surface curvature conveniently and illustratively commences in a mid-region of the upper face of plate 36. For reasons of convenience, compactness and leverage, the arm 34 here extends, like handle 29, in a straight configuration. In order for the arm 34 to avoid interference with the side 17 of hopper 16, and in order to permit the height of the arm 34-associated press plate 33 to be changed as a grating operation proceeds in the assembled, operative grater 15, a notch 39 is medially defined in the upper portion of side 17 to accommodate therewithin entrance into, and vertical movement of, arm 34. The interior or bottom surface portions of arm 34 are provided with a pair of longitudinally medially extending, equally spaced ribs 41 that commence adjacent to plate 36 and extend rearwardly to the terminus or end of arm 34.
The relative spatial orientations of handle 29 and of arm 34 are preferably (and as shown) such that arm 34 extends in spaced, adjacent, parallel overlying relationship relative to handle 29 when the open or grater 15. As those skilled in the art will readily appreciate, such a plastic can be, for example, an ABS resin, an acrylate resin, a polyester resin, a nylon resin, or the like, as desired. The handle 29 and the arm 34 can each be preliminarily molded so as to have a curved surface configuration that is adapted for a subsequent molding thereover in a second independent molding operation of the desired cushioning layers 46 and 47. Illustratively, each of handle 29 and arm 34 is preferably initially molded with a plurality of surface apertures 48 and 49, respectively.
The apertures 48 and 49 become filled with the material of the cushioning layer during the subsequent molding; such a filled aperture arrangement provides anchoring sites for the cushioning material. The material of the cushioning layer, as those skilled in the art will readily appreciate, can be comprised of any one of various plastics, for example, a vinyl plastisol, a formed-in-place foamed polyurethane elastomer, a olefinic elastomer or the like, as desired. Various handle, arm and press plate structures and configurations can be utilized in a grater of this invention. Preferably, all the plastics used in a grater of this invention are insensitive to grease and oil and stable under the conditions reached in automatic dishwashers. The amount of manually applied force exerted between the arm 34 and the handle 29 determines the pressure applied to a foodstuff that is located between press plate 33 and drum 51 and is undergoing grating.
The grating drum 51 employed in a grater of this invention can be variously structured. The grater 15 preferably employs a cage-type cylindrical drum 51 having a body 50 and cylindrical side wall portions 54. The portions 54 are comprised of a preformed, generally continuously extending, sheet metal, preferably stainless steel. In such a sheet metal, a desired pattern of apertured grating protrusions (or perforations) 56 (see FIG. 9) are formed such that each protrusion 56 has a raised edged region adapted for the cutting or scraping of food stuffs positioned relative thereto during one circumferential direction of movement of side wall portions 54, and wherein preferably all protrusions 56 are similar in grating effect. The fabrication of such a perforated sheet metal structure is known to the prior art. Protrusion 56 selection can vary according to the grating desired.
The body 50 of drum 51 is preferably of unitary molded construction and can be conveniently comprised of a plastic that can be selected from among those indicated above as being suitable for use in the combination comprising hopper 16 and handle 29 or the like as desired. At each of its opposite ends, the drum 51 body 50 is provided with a generally frame member, preferably a ring-like frame member 52 at the distal end of the drum 51 and a disk-like frame member 53 at the proximal end of the drum 51. Frame member 52 has a central opening 60. Frame members 52 and 53 are in spaced, parallel coaxial relationship to each other.
The diameter of frame member 53 is about equal to or slightly less than the diameter of the side wall portions 54. The radial spacing 55 in the assembled drum 51 between the outside surface of the cylindrical side wall portions 54 and the radially adjacent inside cylindrical surface portions of the channel 23 is preferably chosen to be at least equal to the maximum radial height of the protrusions 56 and may be somewhat greater, if desired, as those skilled in the art will readily appreciate. A series of circumferentially equally spaced integrally formed stringers 57 is provided (illustratively four) that extend unitarily and longitudinally between respective circumferential regions of the frame members 52 and 53. Taken together, the stringers 57 define an open, cage-type cylindrical configuration. The radially outside surfaces of each of the stringers 57 is preferably slightly curved so as to equal the radius of curvature of the cylinder and of the respective frame members 52 and 53. When the perforated sheet metal (with the desired protrusions 56 therein) is laid circumferentially around and over the stringers 57, the cylindrical side wall portions 54 are achieved. To hold the perforated sheet metal in the desired circumferential position, each frame member 52 and 53 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, interiorly opening holding tabs 58 (illustratively four) that are preferably located in radially adjacent relationship to each stringer 57. The radial thickness of each tab 58 is preferably such that the circumferential outside surface thereof is radially slightly less than the adjacent diameter of channel 23 while the inside surface thereof has a portion that is sufficiently radially spaced from an adjacent stringer 57 to accommodate the thickness of the sheet metal. Edge portions of the sheet metal adjacent to each tab 58 are tucked or slid thereunder and are held thereby.
The diameters of the frame member 53 and of the side wall portions 54 are such that they are each slidably receivable in and through each respective aperture 24 and 25, and are axially slidable through the channel 23.
The frame member 52 is provided with a circumferentially extending, radially outwardly projecting rim flange 59 which is adapted to be nestably received diametrically within either one of the circumferential flanges 27 and 28 when the proximal end of drum 51 and frame member 53 has been inserted into and moved through the channel 23 from one of apertures 24 or 25 to the opposite one thereof.
The body 50 is also provided at its proximal end with an axially located and axially extending cylindrical hub 61 which is unitarily formed with frame member 53. Hub 61 has a central channel 65 whose circumferentially extending inside wall portions are threaded.
The grater 15 further includes a crank 63 which includes an arm 64 that in the assembled grater 15 generally radially outwardly extends from the proximal end frame member 53 of the drum 51. Arm 64 at its outer end terminates in a laterally (or longitudinally relative to drum 51) outwardly extending crank pin 66 that is adapted for grasping between the thumb and finger of either the left or right hand of a user. If desired, pin 66 can be journaled for rotation relative to arm 64. Arm 64 at its inner end terminates in a laterally extending integrally formed crank shaft 67 that is here exteriorly circumferentially threaded. The arm 64 in the vicinity of crank shaft 67 is provided with a radially (relative to drum 51) enlarged boss 68.
Relative to the assembled grater 15, the outside face of boss 68 is provided preferably and as shown with an integral, upstanding, axially (relative to crank shaft 67) outwardly projecting wing 69 that adapted for grasping between the thumb and forefinger of one hand of a user. Wing 69 is useful during the assembly and disassembly of crank 63 relative to drum 51 and from the grater 15.
When the drum is positioned operatively in the channel 23, the crank shaft 67 is threadably engagable with the hub 61. The threads associated with each of the crank shaft 67 and the hub 61 are preferably clockwise oriented when the drum 51 is adapted to grate when rotated in a clockwise direction during a grating operation by turning the crank pin 66.
The boss 68 is further provided on its inside surface in radially spaced relationship to crank shaft 67 with a circumferentially extending, longitudinally inwardly projecting boss flange 71 whose length and thickness are adapted for slidably fitting into the space existing between either flange 27 or 28 and the outside circumferential edge portion of the frame member 53 in the assembled grater 15. The boss flange 71 cooperates with the boss 68 and the rim flange 59 to allow rotation of the drum 51 and to maintain the spacing 55 in the assembled grater 15. The boss 68 and the flanges 59 and 71 also cooperate to limit axial travel of the drum 51 in the assembled grater 15.
Thus, the grater 15 can be assembled so that the crank 63 is located adjacent either transverse side 19 or 20 of hopper 16. Preferably, the lateral sides are curved so as to correspond to the arcuate travel path of press plate 33 relative to pin 44.
During a grating operation, grated food particles pass through the apertures associated with each protrusion 56 in the cylindrical side wall portions 54, enter the central cavity of the drum 51 and leave the grater 15 through the central opening 60 of ring frame member 52.
Other and further arrangements, variations, embodiments, applications and the like for the present invention will be apparent from the foregoing disclosure and teachings and no undue limitations are to be implied or inferred therefrom.
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An improved hand-held, hand-crank operated rotary drum-type grater for cheese and the like is provided. The grater is adapted to incorporate molded plastic or metal components but preferably utilizes a cage-type drum body having a cylindrical surface defined by a metal sheet having bladed perforations. The drum is insertable into either end of a cylindrical cavity defined transversely in the grater hopper and thereafter is engagable with a crank. The drum has an internally threaded hub at one end that is engagable with a threaded stub shaft of the crank. The hopper has an improved integral support handle and also is associated with an improved press plate with an integral support arm. The arm pivotably extends adjacently to the handle, both the handle and the arm are graspable by one hand. The grater has few components, and the food contacting components thereof can be readily dissembled so that the entire grater is easily cleaned after use.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for clamping one or more pieces of fabric in position to be embroidered by an automatic embroidery machine. Such machines include electronic circuitry which controls the motion of a traveller, which is mounted for movement along two perpendicular axes. The traveller is connected to the clamping device which is in turn slidably supported on the machine work table so that the clamping device can be moved to any desired position with respect to the sewing mechanism of the machine. The invention is especially adapted for use with multihead machines wherein a plurality of pieces of fabric are clamped in position relative to a plurality of needles.
Embroidery hoops such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,620 have been employed in the prior art to support individual pieces of fabric to be embroidered. These hoops are supported by a spider adapted to support a plurality of hoops. Some spiders now in use are made of plywood having holes therein which receive and support the hoops. Such spiders have a number of problems. They are affected by temperature and humidity, and warpage is very common. They are also heavy and induce considerable wear on the associated embroidery machines.
Wooden spiders do not firmly support the hoops and the clamped fabric in position. As a result, the hoops are sometimes vibrated out of the spider. Furthermore, the number of irregulars as well as thread breakage from hoop bounce occurring with the use of wooden spiders is excessive. Accordingly, considerable maintenance is required which results in loss of productivity due to down time.
A clamping device as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,288 has also been proposed for use with embroidery machines. However, this type of device suffers from the disadvantages of being bulky, heavy and expensive in construction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a clamping device formed primarily of molded plastic components, thereby providing a construction which is resistant to temperature and moisture and which eliminates the problem of warpage. The invention device is less expensive than prior art spiders, and is lightweight, thereby reducing wear on the associated embroidery machines. The clamping devices are of uniform construction so that they can be readily interchanged with one another.
The construction is such that a resilient spring action is built into the device, and the need for separate hoops to hold the clamped fabric is eliminated. Pieces of fabric are securely clamped in place in a simple and effective manner, and can be quickly released after the embroidering operation is complete.
Since the pieces of fabric are more securely held in place, productivity is increased due to fewer irregularities and thread breaks; and less maintenance or down time is necessary. The useful life of the inventive clamping device is also significantly greater than wooden spiders employed to support conventional hoops.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top view of the clamping device incorporating three clamping mechanisms for clamping three separate pieces of fabric therein;
FIG. 2 is a front view of the device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, a generally rectangular body means 100 is formed of molded plastic material such as Acetal-Delrin 500 or the like. The body means includes a depending flange portion 12 formed therearound. Integral standoff bosses 14, shown as being six in number, are spaced about the body means and extend downwardly therefrom. These bosses serve to space the body means above the work table of the embroidery machine and reduce friction between the clamping means and the work table. The body means also includes integral portions 15 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, each of these integral portions having brass inserts 16 molded therein. These inserts are threaded and have open upper ends which are exposed at the upper surface of the body means for receiving machine screws which secure the clamping means to the traveller of an embroidery machine.
The body means includes three separate clamping mechanisms indicated generally by reference numerals 18, each of these clamping mechanisms being generally heart-shaped in configuration. This configuration is optimal for embroidering the vamps of slippers and the like since it provides additional usable space as compared to the circular hoops employed in the prior art.
Each clamping mechanism comprises a first clamping means formed integral with the body means. Each of the first clamping means includes at one side of the body means an integral depending flange 20 at the inner side of the body means connected by spaced integral lateral flanges 22 with the depending flange 12 previously described. Flanges 20 include inwardly extending arcuate portions 24 which terminate in rounded ends 26 which join with the inner ends of further arcuate flanges 28 the cuter ends of which are formed integral with depending flange 12.
Each arcuate portion 24 has formed integral therewith three spaced clamping means 30 each of which as seen in FIG. 5 is generally L-shaped including a vertical portion 32 and a horizontal portion 34. Fabric engaging means 36 comprises an integral upwardly extending portion which is conical in configuration and terminates in an apex defining a sharp point. The purpose of these clamping means is described hereinafter.
Each of the first clamping means includes at the opposite side of the body means an integral depending flange 40 at the inner side of the body means connected by spaced integral lateral flanges 42 with the depending flange 12 previously described. Flanges 40 include inwardly extending arcuate portions 44 which terminate in an end 46 which is spaced from the end 26 of arcuate portion 24. End 46 joins with the inner end of a further arcuate flange 48 the outer end of which is formed integral with depending flange 12. Each arcuate portion 44 has formed integral therewith three spaced clamping means 30' identical to clamping means 30 previously described.
The outer end 46 of each of arcuate portions 44 includes a vertically extending portion 50 which as seen in FIG. 4 has a downwardly sloping cam surface 52 formed thereon. The cam surface joins a rounded downwardly facing surface 54 which in turn joins with a substantially flat downwardly facing locking surface 56. The purposes of these various surfaces is described hereinafter.
A handle 60 is formed integral with the outer end 46 of each of the arcuate portions 44. The handle portion may be manually engaged and moved to the left as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 to move end 46 away from end 26 to provide a quick release of a piece of fabric from the clamping mechanism as will become apparent from the following description.
Each of the first clamping means also includes an arcuate portion 62 integral with flange 20 as well as an arcuate portion 64 integral with flange 40. The inner ends of arcuate portions 62 and 64 are joined to an integral support portion 66. It will be noted that the inner surfaces of flanges 20 and 40 as well as integral arcuate portions 24, 44, 62, 64 and support portion 66 describe a generally heart-shaped central opening. Spaced ends 26 and 46 of each first clamping means are resilient and movable relative to one another.
Each of the clamping mechanisms also includes second clamping means 70 which is movably supported by the body means. Means 70 is formed of the same material as body means 12 and has a configuration which is also generally heart-shaped. Second clamping means 70 is received within the opening in the first clamping means with a slight clearance so that a piece of fabric can be clamped between the inner surface of the first clamping means and the outer surface of the second clamping means.
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the left-hand clamping means 70 is shown in clamping position without a piece of fabric being clamped therein. The middle clamping means 70 shown as extending substantially perpendicular to body means 12 in a position which allows a piece of fabric to be placed on the first clamping means so that it can be subsequently clamped in position. The right-hand clamping means is shown in clamping position with a piece of fabric clamped therein and ready for embroidering. When the second clamping means is in clamping position, the upper surface and the lower surface thereof is substantially coplanar with the upper and lower surfaces respectively of body means 12 and the portions of the first clamping means integral therewith.
Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 7 of the drawing, each of second clamping means 70 is provided with ar enlarged connecting portion 72 having a pair of integral spaced bosses 74 extending upwardly from the upper surface thereof. Brass inserts 76 are molded within these bosses and connecting portion. The inserts are threaded and receive screws 80 for connecting clamping means 70 to one end of a hinge 82 having suitable holes formed therethrough for receiving the screws. Hinge 82 comprises an elongated flat piece of flexible plastic material having a portion 84 of reduced thickness thereby providing a so-called "live hinge". One end of the hinge is connected to second clamping means 70, and the opposite end of the hinge is connected to support portion 66 of the first clamping means by a pair of flat head screws 90 which extend through suitable holes formed through the opposite end of the hinge and are threaded into threaded brass inserts 92 molded into support portion 66.
The second clamping means 70 is shown in solid lines in the clamping position in FIG. 7, and hinge 82 permits this clamping means to be pivoted or swung into the phantom line position shown in this figure. When clamping means 70 is in the vertical position as shown in FIG. 7 and in the middle clamping mechanism in FIG. 2, a sheet of fabric may be placed on the first clamping means defined by portions 24, 28, 44, 48, 62, 64 and 66 as well as the upper surface of body means 10 above flanges 20 and 40. When so supported, clamping means 70 may be swung downwardly to clamp a piece of fabric 100 in position between the inner surface of the first clamping means and the outer surface of the second clamping means as shown in the right-hand clamping mechanism in FIGS. 1 and 2.
As the second clamping means 70 swings downwardly, the lower surface thereof will engage the upper surface 52 of the first clamping means. Surface 52 serves as a cam surface to urge the resilient arcuate portion 44 of the first clamping means to the left as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 so that clamping means 70 can move downwardly past the rounded surface 54 of the first clamping means, whereupon arcuate portion 44 will snap back into the position shown in FIG. 4. In this position, locking surface 56 prevents upward movement of clamping means 70 out of clamping position and accidental release of a clamped piece of fabric
When in the position shown in FIG. 4, rounded surface 54 of the first clamping means may cooperate with the upper inner edge of second clamping means 70 to additionally clamp a piece of fabric in place to further ensure that the piece of fabric is firmly held in position during the embroidering operation.
Although the first and second clamping means normally hold a piece of fabric firmly in position, in some cases the piece of fabric may be slightly too small to be firmly held in position by these two clamping means. In such a case, the third clamping means 30 and 30' cooperate with the undersurfaces 71 of an associated second clamping means 70 to clamp a piece of fabric therebetween in operative position. It is noted that the third clamping means 30 and 30' extend inwardly of and below the associated first clamping means and are disposed below the undersurface of an associated second clamping means when in clamping position as shown in FIG. 5.
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the piece of fabric 100 is shown as comprising the vamp of a slipper In this case, the shape of the vamp is such that the fabric is not clamped between surface 54 of the first clamping means and the second clamping means. However, when a piece of fabric of different configuration is employed, the fabric may be clamped in position by these components.
An embroidered area is indicated at 102 in FIG. 1, it being understood that the needles penetrate the fabric from above the sheet of fabric. When the embroidering operation is completed handles 60 may be moved to the left as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, until clamping means clears portion 50, whereupon the clamping means will pop upwardly. The clamping means 70 can then be readily lifted further in an upward direction and the piece of fabric lifted off the clamping device to provide a quick release of the embroidered fabric.
The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Obviously, modifications, alterations and other embodiments will occur to others upon reading and understanding this specification. It is our intention to include all such modifications, alterations and alternate embodiments insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalent thereof.
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A rectangular molded plastic body includes three heart-shaped clamping portions each of which defines an opening and has resilient inwardly extending arcuate portions terminating in ends spaced from one another. Each arcuate portion carries L-shaped members with upwardly extending conical portions. The outer end of one arcuate portion of each clamping portion has a sloping cam surface thereon which joins with a downwardly facing locking surface, and a handle is also formed on this outer end. Three clamping members are pivotally connected to the body by hinges and are pivotable into and out of the openings of the clamping portions. The clamping members engage the cam surfaces as they pivot into clamping position and are locked in place by the locking surfaces. The clamping members are released by pulling on the handles.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in the control of transfer of material to a working tank in a ceramic molding machine.
2. Prior Art
Continuous ceramic molding machines have been advanced, and a typical machine of the type with which the present invention would be used in shown in USSR Pat. No. 159,127. In this particular patent, a molding machine is illustrated, including a multi-cavity mold which is fed from a working tank containing a ceramic slurry in an automatic process. The machine further includes a preparation tank where the solid ceramic material is preheated and mixed to form a slurry and vacuum treated. The slurry is subsequently transferred to the working tank, which also is heated has a mixer and vacuum.
In the machine described in the above identified USSR Patent, the level of slurry in the working tank was controlled through the use of a float valve. The conduit which transferred the slurry from the preparation tank to the working tank formed a passageway which permitted the slurry to flow to the working tank when vacuum was applied to the top of the working tank. When the level of the slurry in the working tank reached a predetermined height, the float valve provided a signal which caused water to cool a section of the conduit between the tanks to a level where the ceramic material in the conduit would solidify, and prevent further transfer from the preparation tank to the working tank. The floats for the valves were causing constant problems because the ceramic material in the slurry would tend to solidify on the float changing its bouyancy and therefore requiring periodic removal and cleaning.
Other types of level controls have been tried, such as X-Ray detectors, which proved to present some hazards to personnel, and photosensitive sensors, which failed to function when the ceramic slurry would solidify over the receptors or senders, and block the light.
Additionally, a second USSR Pat. No. 155,426 illustrates schematically the same type of a molding machine with which the present device is used, showing a preparation tank and a working tank, and relates in particular to valves which can be utilized for controlling fluids to effect transfer of material from the working tank to the mold and from the preparation tank to the working tank.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to apparatus for controlling the transfer of the ceramic slurry material or similar materials from an initial preparation tank to a working tank by providing a pivoting support assembly which will shift when the working tank has reached a predetermined weight and provide an indication of the slurry level in the tank without using sensors or other members inside such tank.
As shown, there are two tanks mounted on a common pivoting support which shifts or pivots a short distance from a rest position to control position wherein a switch is actuated to control the stopping of transfer of the slurry between the tanks. When transfer of the slurry is occurring and the working tank becomes heavier by a predetermined amount than the preparation tank, the assembly is caused to shift, and in the preferred embodiment shown the transfer of the slurry is stopped by cooling a portion of the transfer conduit to solidify the slurry in the conduit and thus to plug the conduit.
As the level in the working tank decreases through injection into the mold being used, the support assembly will shift back to its rest position. During this time when the working tank is being used in the molding process, the preparation tank will be refilled with ceramic material that is heated to form a slurry prior to the time when the working tank is empty. When the working tank is again empty, the support assembly will have moved back to its stop or rest position and then the cooled portion of the conduit is reheated to melt the chilled ceramic material and remove the block in the conduit so that a new transfer of material to the working tank can again take place.
The support assembly is counterbalanced toward its stop or rest position by a spring plunger that can be adjusted so that even if the slurries have different specific gravities, the tilting of the tank support assembly to control shutting off the transfer can be adjusted to occur when the slurry in the working tank is at the proper level.
The level control for the slurry tanks thus is not dependent upon members which are inside the working tank, where the members are susceptible to malfunction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a part schematic sectional view of a typical hot molding machine including a preparation tank and a work tank mounted on a support made for controlling the level of the slurry in the working tank in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a view substantially similar to FIG. 1 showing the tank support in a position wherein the support has tilted to signal that transfer of material to the working tank should stop; and
FIG. 3 is a schematic top plan view of the support assembly for the working and preparation tanks of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A ceramic hot molding machine is illustrated schematically and generally at 10 and includes a frame 11 that is shown in segments for purposes of illustration. The machine is similar to that shown in the previously mentioned USSR Patents. The machine provides for a continuous ceramic hot molding process by using a mold shown schematically at 12 filled from a source of supply comprising a tank assembly illustrated generally at 13. The mold 12 can be any type of mold desired, such as a multi-cavity mold which is charged through a supply conduit 14 having a flexible connection portion 15 leading from the outlet pipe of a working tank 16 forming part of the tank assembly 13.
The working tank 16 contains a heated ceramic slurry in condition for molding, and the tank assembly 13 further includes a preparation tank 17. The tanks 16 and 17 are both supported on a tank support table or frame 20 that, as shown, is pivotally mounted on a substantially horizontal shaft 21 that is supported on supports 22 attached to the frame 11. The shaft 21 is positioned near a balance point of the support table or frame 20 and the support table or frame 20 has a lug or portion 24 at one end that will rest against a stop member 25 attached to the frame 11. The support table or frame 20 is urged about the axis of shaft 21 against stop 25 through the force of a counterbalance or loading assembly 26. The loading assembly includes a sleeve 30 which has a plunger 27 slidably mounted therein. The end of the plunger extends out of the sleeve 30 and the outer end of the plunger engages the upper surface of the support table. A spring 31 is mounted within the sleeve 30 to urge the plunger outwardly. The spring force on plunger 27 is adjustable through the use of a hand wheel 32 that controls a screw which is threaded to the end of sleeve 30. The sleeve 30 is supported with respect to the frame 11 in any desired manner. The pivot supports for the support table or frame 20 may be any desired arrangement, but shaft 21 is shown for convenience.
A microswitch 33 is provided adjacent the lug or portion 24, and has an actuating finger 34 that is aligned with the lug 24 for actuation, as will be explained.
In the ceramic hot molding process, the preparation tank 17 is used for receiving ceramic material in solid form, and within the tank 17 the solid material is heated from a heat source 17A and mixed with a mixer blade shown schematically at 35 which may be driven by a motor 35A until it becomes a suitable slurry. The heating process takes some time, and hot molding of work pieces with the mold 12 may continue while the material is heated in tank 17 using the ceramic slurry material that is within the working tank 16. The working tank 16 also has a heat source 16A to keep the ceramic material at a temperature in the range of 50° C. to 100° C. at which temperature the material is a slurry.
It can be also seen that the tanks 16 and 17 are attached to the underside of the support table or frame 20 through the use of suitable rim clamps or similar fasteners so that the tanks themselves can be made airtight.
A transfer conduit 40 extends between the preparation tank and the work tank and as shown, has a section 40A in the preparation tank that is open near the bottom of the tank 17. The conduit includes a second horizontal section 40B that is positioned above the support table or frame 20, and a third feed section 40C that is open to the interior of the working tank 16. It should also be noted that the tank 16 may have a mixer blade 41 that is driven by a motor 41A to keep the slurry within the working tank 16 properly mixed.
Further, the working tank 16 is connected through a suitable conduit 42 to a valve 43, which connects the interior of working tank 16 selectively to a vacuum source 44 or to a pressure source 45. To transfer material from tank 17 to the tank 16, the tank 16 is placed under a vacuum. The conduit 40 is unobstructed when transfer of the slurry is to take place. A suitable switch 46 is operated (manually or automatically) to close a circuit and energize valve 43 to subject tank 16 to a vacuum. This then will cause the slurry material in tank 17, assuming that it has been heated to a desired level, and is under atmospheric pressure, to be forced by the atmospheric pressure through the conduit 40 and discharged into the tank 16.
As was explained, the plunger 27 tends to keep the support table or frame 20 against the stop 25. However, as the slurry is withdrawn from the tank 17 and discharged into the working tank 16, the weight of the working tank will create a moment about the pivot shaft 21 tending to lift the lug 24 away from the stop 25. This lifting action will be resisted by the plunger 27 and the spring load (which can be adjusted), but when a desired amount of material has been transferred to the working tank 16, the support table 20 will pivot about the shaft 21 and will compress the spring 31. When the support table has shifted an angular amount shown at α in FIG. 2 the microswitch 33 will be actuated by the actuator 34. The microswitch signal may be used to open the circuit to valve 43 to release the vacuum on the tank 16 and at the same time the microswitch may open a valve 50 which provides for a flow of water from a source 51 to a jacket 52 that surrounds the portion 40B of the conduit 40. The water in the jacket will cool the ceramic slurry that is within this portion 40B and solidify it thereby plugging the conduit 40 and preventing further transfer of the ceramic slurry to the working tank 16. The plug of material thus acts as a valve to control flow of the slurry. At this time suitable controls can be utilized to continue to apply a vacuum from the source 44 to the ceramic material in tank 16 until such time as all dissolved air bubbles have been removed. The pressure source 45 can be connected to the tank 16 through the valve 43 (by using manual operation or automatic operation) to create a pressure within the tank 16. Because the cooled ceramic material has formed a plug in the conduit 40, the pressure in tank 16 will force material through conduit 14 and out into the mold 12, which will continue the molding process in the normal manner. Note that flexible conduit section 15 permits the tank 16 to move slightly. Also, the actual movement of lug 24 will be very small, on the order of 2-3 millimeters, although it is illustrated as being substantial.
The slurry in the tank 16 will remain heated and in the slurry state. The support table or frame will again tilt back against the stop 25 when the spring force on plunger 27 is great enough in relation to the ratio of weights in tanks 16 and 17. The water to jacket 52 will be permitted to flow to keep the plug in place in conduit 40 until an additional or new transfer of material from tank 17 to tank 16 is desired. When this is desired, the water will be shut off and section 40B of the conduit will be heated through the use of a suitable heater indicated at 60, to heat the ceramic plug within the conduit 40 causing it to return to its slurry state.
Then, the vacuum source 44 will again be connected through valve 43 to the tank 16 and the transfer of the slurry can again take place. The valve 50 would be deenergized to stop the water flow in any suitable manner.
It can therefore be seen that the ceramic hot molding machine 10, illustrated schematically, has a unique level control for controlling the level of raw material (slurry) in the working tank 16 after transferring the slurry from the preparation tank 17 has occurred. This provides a control which does not have to be in contact with the slurry, nor does it have to be within the tank 16 to obtain the level. If different materials having different specific gravities are utilized, the adjustment can be accommodated, by hand wheel 32, to maintain the level at which the frame or table 20 will shift to shut off the process regardless of a different weight of material in tank 16.
The flow control for the slurry may be any suitable valve as well as the plug that is formed in the transfer conduit. Also the balancing, or tilting support for the tanks can be constructed in forms other than a table.
A specific embodiment has been described, but it is to be understood that variations in construction of various components can be made without departing from the scope of the attached claims.
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A control for controlling the level in one of two tanks used in a ceramic hot molding machine which requires transfer of a ceramic slurry from one tank to the other in a continuous molding process. More particularly the present invention relates to an apparatus which automatically shuts off the transfer process when the working tank is filled a predetermined amount.
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REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/306,278 filed on Nov. 27, 2002, now U.S. patent______and of U.S. design patent application Ser. No. 29/189,455 filed on Sep. 5, 2003. The benefits of these earlier filing dates are claimed for all matter common therewith.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to satellite dish antenna mounts, and more particularly to a conveniently transported mount assembly useful to combine into a dish antenna mount that may be generally fixed at various selected orientations.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] The transmission of television and other similar signals has gone through several evolutions, first in the form of broadband radio signal then followed by various land lines or cable networks. In each instance either the physical burden of various in-ground or overhead cables or the width of the useable electromagnetic spectrum have limited the number of available programming sources. The granulation of available programming bandwidths, however, has recently gone through a dramatic evolutionary step with the recent advent of transmission techniques relying on geosynchronous satellites each serving as the signal emitting source for a particular program grouping, this evolution then being further reinforced by legislation like the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
[0006] In this latter method the satellites associated with each particular signal group are distributed equatorially above the Earth, with a singular line of sight set of coordinates then ascribed to each geographic location. These alignment coordinates are then used for orienting the sensing axes of highly polarized antennae generally known as a satellite dish. The fixed nature of the viewing coordinates has led to a generally universal, more or less permanent, installation process with the fixed satellite dish mounting structure positioned adjacent the residence that is serviced thereby and the installation process then providing the customer garnering mechanism for a particular program source.
[0007] In typical practice the coordinates for each antenna location are expressed as a corrected magnetic North azimuth and degrees of elevation from the local horizontal plane. As a consequence installation facility has become generally widespread and along with the wide acceptance of satellite programming by fixed residences there has also now emerged a robust trend to implement movable structures like recreational vehicles or motor homes with deployable antenna mounts. These deployable mounts most often follow the earlier practices of satellite based surveying or measuring antennae typically supported on an adjustable tripod, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,090 issued to Hartman, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,766 issued to Vogt; U.S. Pat. No. 5,614,918 issued to Dinardo, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,370 issued to Ashjace; U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,464 issued to Thomas; and others. Similar tripod mounted structures are also commercially sold, as for example the tripod mount sold under the model designation TR-2000 Tripod/Base Mount by the Winegard Company, 3000 Kirkwood Street, Burlington, Iowa 52601-2000. While suitable for the purposes intended each of the foregoing entail complex assortments of parts which include metal structures that distort or wholly obliterate any magnetic compass reading, while those made wholly of plastic like the antenna mount sold under the mark or model “The Buoy” by Camping World, Three Springs Road, P.O. Box 90017, Bowling Green, Ky. 42102-9017, lack the leveling indicia for alignment precision. Thus either the resulting measurement and erection complexity or lack of precision have unnecessarily detracted from the use convenience and proliferation of the deployable mount has been less than ringing in the recent past. A conveniently assembled, variously supported mount structure is therefore extensively desired and it is one such structure that is disclosed herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Accordingly, it is the general purpose and object of the present invention to provide an erectable antenna mount assembly all the parts thereof being formed from non-magnetic materials.
[0009] Other objects of the present invention are to provide a conveniently erected antenna mount assembly supported on a base container that is selectively ballasted by storing water therein.
[0010] Further objects of the invention are to provide an array of cooperating parts that are conveniently interlocked and thereafter aligned to support an antenna dish.
[0011] Yet additional objects of the invention are to provide an interlocking array of parts that is easily assembled to form a satellite dish antenna mount provided with structural interlocks that are engaged without substantial ambiguity.
[0012] Further and other objects of the invention are to adapt a portable dish antenna mount assembly for various mounting applications.
[0013] Briefly, these and other objects are accomplished within the present invention by providing a generally hollow base formed as an annular liquid container having the central opening therein keyed and dimensioned for conforming orthogonal receipt of a similarly keyed end of a cylindrical mount. The other end of the mount is then provided with a selectively releasable universal swivel fixed by threaded advancement of the bottom end of a support post extending therefrom. The support post, in turn, terminates at the other end in a dished cavity into which a leveling bubble assembly is placed which is then useful to align the support post on the cylindrical mount to a generally vertical alignment regardless of the inclination of the hollow base. Once aligned the base is then filled with water to provide ballast fixing the base on the ground.
[0014] Preferably the hollow base, the cylindrical mount and the support post are all formed of a polymeric material structure, such as polyvinyl chloride or other generally rigid polymer structure having material properties that allow the machining and cutting thereof Similarly, the pivoting mechanism fixing the support post alignment relative the cylindrical mount also comprises non-magnetic components, the non-ferrous assembly therefore allowing use of an inexpensive magnetic compass to assist in the orientation of the base along a predetermined azimuth. In this manner the induced magnetic distortion errors that are usually associated with unwanted distortions of the local magnetic field are wholly avoided. This cooperative structural arrangement is further simplified by way of a threaded extension of the mounting post into a domed ball surface captured between a cap on the end of the cylindrical mount by a helical spring and a dished surface within the cylinder opposing the threaded extension or the post so that a partial turn thereof then provides the frictional interlock to fix its generally vertical alignment as determined by the bubble level seated in the free end of the post. A satellite dish antenna, conventionally provided with elevation adjustment, can then be fixed to the mounting post along the azimuth referenced to the compass.
[0015] One will appreciate that the planform of the base container and its several surfaces may be variously shaped for clear visual indication of the azimuth alignment thereof Moreover various storage provisions may be formed in the surfaces of the container that retain the compass and the component array of the cylindrical support assembly. In this manner a convenient, easily transported and easily aligned antenna mount assembly is provided that is useful at all geographic locations.
[0016] It is to be noted that the utility of the foregoing mount assembly is particularly effective in a mobile setting and an alternative attachment structure is therefore provided conformed for engagement to the ladder parts and hand-hold structures of recreational vehicle. For those traveling by water where boat movement even when at the dock precludes useful reception an arrangement is provided that conveniently attaches the base to the typical triangular lid of a dock box. In these applications the three supports of the hollow base may be provided with extendable laniards that are then tied to the lid or, alternatively, a three legged platform may be provided of a planform similar to the above hollow base, the platform again including a central mounting aperture for receiving the cylindrical mount and also several openings along the edge to be engaged by elastic cords again capturing the lid. In this manner wide utility is obtained in a minimal complement.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] [0017]FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration, separated by parts, of the inventive satellite dish antenna mount assembly;
[0018] [0018]FIG. 2 is yet another perspective illustration of the inventive antenna mount assembly in its deployed form;
[0019] [0019]FIG. 3 is a sectional detail view taken along line 3 - 3 of FIG. 2;
[0020] [0020]FIG. 4 is a plan view illustration of the inventive antenna mount assembly in its collapsed form for convenient storage;
[0021] [0021]FIG. 5 is a side view of the collapsed assembly shown in FIG. 4;
[0022] [0022]FIG. 6 is yet a further perspective illustration of an alternative implementation of the inventive mount assembly conformed for attachment to the top cover of a dock storage box;
[0023] [0023]FIGS. 7 a and 7 b are each perspective illustrations, separated by parts, of a mounting adapter sub-assembly useful to support the inventive mount from either a vertical or a horizontal structural member of a recreational vehicle;
[0024] [0024]FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8 - 8 of FIG. 2 illustrating a further alternative configuration for fixing the post assembly in the base of the inventive mount;
[0025] [0025]FIG. 9 is a perspective illustration, once more separated by parts, of mounting adapter for rendering more convenient the installation of the satellite dish assembly onto the inventive mount; and
[0026] [0026]FIGS. 10 a , 10 b and 10 c are each perspective details of a further mounting attachment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, the inventive antenna mount assembly, generally designated by the numeral 10 , includes a hollow base container 11 of a generally triangular planform provided with a vertically aligned circular annulus 12 radially deformed to include a keyway 13 , thus forming a triangular enclosure supported on pads 14 along its bottom surface 15 at each apex of the triangle. The upper surface 16 of the container 11 , in turn, is provided with a circular depression 17 conformed for fitted receipt of a magnetic compass 20 adjacent one rear panel 19 of the container which further includes in opposed alignment at the distally opposite apex a fill opening 21 a closed by a threaded cap 21 , thus forming an enclosure into which water can be selectively admitted to weigh down the base and thereafter drained out before transport.
[0028] The generally elongate rear surface 19 may also serve as a storage panel for the other components of the assembly 10 , including the storage of a cylindrical mount assembly 40 effected by hoop-and-pile strips 31 a and 31 b adhered on surface 19 engaging a similar strip 31 c on the exterior of a cylindrical segment 41 forming the primary support element of mount assembly 40 . Upon arrival to the placement site or terrain PT where the satellite dish antenna is to be deployed, the mount assembly 40 is released from this captive engagement and then fixed in the annulus 12 of the base container 11 by inserting the lower end 41 a of the cylindrical segment 41 therein. The upper end 41 b of segment 41 is then useful to deploy an adjustably securable universal pivot structure generally shown at 45 , described in more detail below, above the base with the receiving orientation of segment 41 in annulus 12 fixed by a projecting key 41 c inserted in the keyway 13 that is also aligned with a north-south orientation of the compass azimuth and the planform position of the fill opening 21 a . Thus a coordinated north-south orientation is provided in the alignment of the magnetic compass 20 and also in the orientation of the apex marked by the fill opening 21 a relative the rear surface 19 . Once the assembly is thus generally aligned the final adjustment to a vertical orientation is effected by manual movement of an adjustable mounting post 49 that projects from the universal pivot structure 45 with the assistance of a bubble level 25 seated in the free end of the post. The assembly is then in position to support the conventionally vended antenna dish assembly AD that itself includes further provisions for the final elevation and azimuth adjustments.
[0029] Those in the art will appreciate that an equatorial geosynchronous satellite transmission system will invariably entail a generally southward antenna focus for all receiving antennae in the northern hemisphere of the Earth while those viewing in the southern hemisphere will necessarily be pointing generally northward. Thus a well indicated north-south orientation greatly assists in selecting the desired terrain on which the assembly is erected, particularly since the range of any adjustment is always limited. To further assist in the final alignment of the dish AD the pivot assembly 45 may also include azimuth markings AZ about its periphery geometrically referenced through the keyed insertion of the cylindrical segment. Thus all the necessary indicia are imbedded in the inventive assembly which is then fixed by water ballast in the base.
[0030] In more detail, pivot structure 45 is defined by an end cap 46 mounted onto the upper end 41 b of segment 41 to capture therebetween a generally hemispherical, centrally threaded pivot base 47 engaged by a threaded projection 48 extending axially from the mounting post 49 into the interior of cap 46 through a chamfered opening 46 a . The interior surface of the segment's upper end is further provided with an internal seat or shoulder 41 d supporting the peripheral edge a circular dished plate 52 aligned to oppose and thus limit the threaded advancement of projection 48 through the pivot base 47 . A helical spring 51 compressed between plate 52 and the pivot base 47 then maintains frictional contact between the pivot base and the interior surface of cap 46 , right at the chamfered edge of the opening 46 a , and the dished arc of plate 52 , selected to match the pivot arc of projection 48 , is then useful to lock the post alignment with a small, fractional further turn advancing projection 48 against plate 52 , thus providing a convenient locking mechanism fixing the post relative the cylinder 41 . This conveniently locked and unlocked final alignment of the post 49 is made with concurrent visual reference to the bubble level 25 received in the free end of the post. Once thus aligned to a vertical alignment and locked, the mounting post is then captured by the clamping attachment CA normally provided with the antenna dish AD, fixing the antenna along the specified azimuth and elevation. This azimuth selection may be further assisted by scribing the exterior of cap 46 with the compass markings AZ that are coordinated with the compass alignment in the base.
[0031] It will be appreciated that the foregoing structure may be conveniently formed thereof can be effected by well known adhesive processes. Moreover, by selecting conventional pipe dimensions commercially vended water conveying or electrical pipe can be utilized along with all the conventional fittings and caps that are concurrently vended therewith. The hook-and-pile strips are similarly of conventional form, often referred to by their mark or style “Velcro” and variously distributed as strips provided with adhesive backing. Thus widely available, conveniently formed and assembled components are combined to form an antenna mount that is easily and accurately deployed.
[0032] By reference to FIGS. 6 through 10 c several adaptations and modifications can be included in the inventive mount assembly disclosed herein to further expand the usefulness and convenience thereof. For example, the inventive mount assembly can be conveniently adapted for marine use in accordance with the teaching hereinafter set out by particular reference to FIG. 6. Like numbered parts functioning in like manner to that previously described the mount assembly 40 is modified at the lower end of the cylindrical segment 41 to engage an annulus 112 in a triangular platform 111 which on its opposing lower surface 115 is provided with support legs 116 cushioned at their ends by pads 116 a when in position on the top cover TC of a dock box DB normally found in a marina. A set of perforations 117 along the edges of the platform 111 are then useful to secure the ends of a plurality of elastic straps 118 which at their other ends then engage the periphery PE of the top cover TC.
[0033] Of course, while this secured attachment obviates the need for a ballasted base structure it is contemplated within the teachings herein that the hollow base container 11 may be similarly provisioned with attachments illustrated in FIGS. 10 a through 10 c that may also be useful to secure same to the top of the dock box.
[0034] The portability of the instant mount assembly may be also rendered useful with motor homes or recreational vehicles that are stabilized at the temporary site by deployable hydraulic or mechanical supports. Once so stabilized the recreational vehicle RV provides the necessary base from which the mount assembly can then be deployed. To render convenient the attachment of the mount assembly to various structural members of the stabilized vehicle RV a mounting adapter 210 is shown in FIGS. 7 a and 7 b comprising two mating clam shell halves 211 and 212 defining a common recess which is then clamped onto a horizontal or vertical structural element HE or VE. A set of clamping screws 213 and 214 then extend through the mated shell halves to threadably engage one of two threaded opening sets 215 or 216 in the end of a fitting 220 provided with a split bore 221 conformed to receive the end of the cylindrical segment 41 where it is clamped by a clamping screw 223 . In this manner the satellite dish can be deployed directly from a structure like a ladder or luggage rack on the vehicle RV.
[0035] In all the foregoing implementations alternative engagement modes may be utilized to secure the end of the post assembly 40 in the corresponding base. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8 a mismatched taper may be provided to the lower end portion 41 a (or 141 a ) of the cylindrical segment 41 and the annulus 12 (or 112 ) threadably drawn to an interference fit by advancing a threaded apex 41 c into a similarly threaded end opening 12 c in the annulus. This manner of engagement may assist in the assembly convenience of an interlocked structure while also reducing the necessary precision in the mating parts.
[0036] Similar simplifications can be effected in the mounting structure of the dish assembly AD as illustrated in FIG. 9. In this modification a tubular sleeve 149 is provided including an interior bore 149 a conformed to the exterior dimensions of the post 49 . The sleeve is then clamped in the dish mounting assembly CA and a single cinch screw 149 b is then useful to secure the dish assembly AD to the mount.
[0037] Further securing conveniences can be obtained in the structure of the hollow base container 11 as illustrated in FIGS. 8, 10 a , 10 b and 10 c . More precisely each of the base legs 14 may be provided with a threaded insert 14 a which then engages a resilient pad assembly 14 b provided with a threaded post 14 c . A cable loop 14 d is then selectively captured between the pad and the corresponding leg in a deployment subjacent the lower surface 15 or projecting beyond the base planform. When projecting to the exterior each of the loops may be engaged by the aforementioned elastic straps 118 for mounting on a dock locker or may be pinned to the ground by spikes 14 e.
[0038] It will be appreciated that each of the foregoing variations and adaptations expand the utility of the inventive mount assembly as well as the convenience in its use. In this manner the task of erecting the satellite antenna in the course of travel is greatly simplified thus rendering the assembly convenient and useful. Of course this convenience is not just useful for television signal reception but also in the course of setting up portable satellite communication stations.
[0039] Obviously, many modifications and variations can be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention instantly disclosed. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be determined solely by the claims appended hereto.
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In an array of cooperating parts useful to form a portable satellite dish antenna mount base an assortment of attachments is provided to secure the base to a marina storage box, structural elements of a stabilized recreational vehicle and also to ground. At the same time the interface between the base and the mount itself may be tapered along interfering tapers to render the assembly and disassembly convenient. Once assembled an end mounting post on the mount is aligned to a vertical alignment with the assistance of a bubble level in the post end to support the dish antenna thereon. The base may further include a magnetic compass to aid in the antenna alignment.
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BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to work lamps, and more particularly to a portable stack lamp which not only provides 360 degrees illumination but also is capable of being stacked up to increase lighting intensity.
2. Description of Related Arts
Table lamp, floor lamp, ceiling lamp, and etc. are common types of indoor lighting fixtures. Lantern lamp and spot light are outdoor lighting fixtures that generally use incandescent bulbs and halogen bulbs for illumination. Therefore, these outdoor lamps are most usually used as work lamps to provide supplemental illumination in working environments such as auto shops and factories.
Portability is the primary feature of a work lamp so that it is handy for the user to carry elsewhere for use. Therefore, both the lantern lamp and spot lamp are compact in size for easy carry from place to place. However, the user must hand carry the work lamp or hang it up near the workplace for illumination.
The luminous intensity of the conventional work lamp is limited to the power of light bulb. If a 60-watt incandescent bulb or halogen bulb is used in the lantern lamp or spot lamp, there is no way to increase or decrease the luminous intensity unless replacing the light bulb with one having a higher or lower watt.
Since reflection disc is generally mounted behind the light bulb of the convention work lamp to reflect light beam to enhance luminous intensity, either the lantern lamp or the spot lamp can only emit luminous beam in a single direction that may limit the work lamp's application and require the user to rotate the entire work lamp by hand to direct the light beam to the area where the user wants to illuminate.
Due to the safety concern that the halogen work lamp produces great amount of heat during illumination, it not only wastes energy but also renders the halogen work lamp not being allowed to be used indoor.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
It is a main object of the present invention to provide a portable stack lamp which is arranged to provide 360 degrees illumination so as to produce luminous beams in all directions. Therefore, one portable stack lamp can illuminate the surrounding that not only minimizes the number of work lamps to be used but also saves both the electrical energy and illumination cost.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable stack lamp which arrangement successfully equips a ring type fluorescent bulb as the light source in each lamp unit so that it can be used indoor while consuming less electrical energy than the incandescent bulb or halogen bulb of the conventional work lamp.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable stack lamp wherein the circular central lamp mount which is used to support the ring type fluorescent bulb therearound is used, at the same time, as a reflective ring to reflect all light beams radially outwards.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable stack lamp which enables the user to selectively increase or decrease its luminous intensity by simply stacking up more or less lamp unit easily anytime.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable stack lamp which fluorescent bulb is arranged to be easily reached and replaced, wherein the user has no need to detach all upper lamp units one by one and merely requires to unassemble the lamp unit attached on top of the lamp unit to be repaired in order to reach the fluorescent bulb therein.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a portable stack lamp which can stand on floor, support at an adjustable height and is easy to carry and roll from place to place effortlessly.
In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a portable stack lamp, comprising:
a base having a top mounting surface and a bottom supporting surface;
means for supporting the base being detachably attached to the bottom supporting surface of the base;
at least a lamp unit which comprises:
a housing which is a circular disc having a bottom wall and a surrounding wall made of transparent material;
a ring-shaped lamp mount, which is attached to a central portion of the bottom wall of the housing, having a circular outer light reflective surface and defining a receiving chamber therein and a light source chamber between the light reflective surface and the surrounding wall of the housing;
a ring type fluorescent bulb having a diameter smaller than the housing and larger than the lamp mount and a height smaller than the surrounding wall of the housing;
means for mounting the fluorescent bulb around the lamp mount inside the light source chamber of the housing;
a control circuit, which is disposed in the receiving chamber, comprising a power connector detachably connected to the fluorescent bulb, a power input terminal for electrically connecting to a power source to supply electricity to the fluorescent bulb, and a power output terminal for extended electrical connection;
a bottom attachment fastener provided at a bottom portion of the housing; and
a top attachment fastener provided at a top portion of the housing; and
a cover adapted to cover a top opening of the housing of the lamp unit;
wherein when only one lamp unit is used, the bottom attachment fastener thereof is attached to the top mounting surface of the base and the top attachment fastener is attached to the cover;
in which when two more lamp units are used, the bottom attachment fastener of the bottom layer of lamp unit is attached to the top mounting surface of the base and the bottom attachment fastener of an upper layer of lamp unit is detachably fastened to the top attachment fastener of the lower neighboring layer of lamp unit so as to stack up the lamp units in a layer on layer manner, wherein the cover is attached to the top attachment fastener of the topmost layer of lamp unit to construct the portable stack lamp of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable stack lamp according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the portable stack lamp according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the portable stack lamp illustrating the top layer of lamp unit and the cover separately according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the portable stack lamp illustrating how to replace the fluorescent bulb of a bottom layer of lamp unit according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is top perspective view of the lamp unit of the portable stack lamp according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the portable stack lamp according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the rolling wheels are replaced with floor stands.
FIG. 7 is a perspective of the portable stack lamp according to an alternative mode of the above preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7 , a portable stack lamp according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, which comprises a base 10 , a cover 20 and one or more layers of lamp unit 30 mounted between the base 10 and the cover 20 .
As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 , 4 , and 6 , the base 10 has a top mounting surface 11 and a bottom supporting surface 12 . The base 10 further provides with a base attachment fastener 13 which includes a plurality of arc-shape attachment slots 131 circularly and spacedly aligned on the base 10 . Each of the attachment slots 131 has an indention 132 formed along a middle portion of an outer elongated side thereof. The base 10 further comprises an elongaged electric cord 14 having one end connected with a terminal connector 141 , which is extended to mount on the top mounting surface 11 of the base, and another end connected with an electric plug 142 for connecting to a power supply.
Referring to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 , each of the lamp units 30 comprises a housing 31 , a ring-shaped lamp mount 32 , a light source 33 , a control circuit 34 , a bottom attachment fastener 35 , and a top attachment fastener 36 .
The housing 31 , which is a plastic made transparent circular disc having a U-shaped cross section, has a bottom wall 311 and a surrounding wall 312 . The lamp mount 32 is a ring-shaped body which bottom end inwardly protruded a plurality of fastening lips 321 for fastening on a central portion of the bottom wall 311 of the housing 31 by screws so as to integrally and coaxially fasten the lamp mount 32 on the bottom wall 311 . The lamp mount 32 further comprises a plurality of holder heads 322 integrally and spacedly protruded on an upper portion of the outer peripheral surface of the lamp mount 32 . The lamp mount 32 has a circular outer light reflective surface 323 and defines a receiving chamber 324 therein and a light source chamber 37 between the light reflective surface 323 and the surrounding wall 312 of the housing 31 .
The lamp unit 30 further comprises a mounting device 38 for supporting the light source 33 around the lamp mount 32 inside the light source chamber 37 of the housing 31 , so that the light beams emitted from the light source around the lamp mount 32 illuminate all directions through the surrounding wall 312 while the reflective surface 323 ensures all light beams being radially directed outwards.
According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the light source 33 is embodied as a ring type fluorescent bulb having a diameter smaller than the housing 31 and larger than the lamp mount 32 and a height smaller than the surrounding wall 312 of the housing 31 . The mounting device 38 includes a plurality of U-shaped holder mounts 381 having one end connected to the holder heads 322 respectively. Therefore, the ring type fluorescent bulb 33 is supported by sitting on the holder mounts 381 and the U-shaped holder mounts 381 are fittingly clipped on the body of the fluorescent bulb 33 spacedly so as to evenly support the weight of the fluorescent bulb 33 within the light source chamber 37 . Accordingly, the ring type fluorescent bulb 33 is extended around the housing 31 and emits luminous beams outside in 360 degrees through circular surrounding wall 312 . At the same time, the luminous beams emits inwardly from the inner peripheral edge of the fluorescent bulb 33 are all reflected radially outwards by the reflective surface 323 of the lamp mount 32 .
The control circuit 34 is disposed in the receiving chamber 324 and mounted on the bottom wall 311 of the housing for controlling the power supply and illumination of the fluorescent bulb 33 . The control circuit 34 of the preferred embodiment should include a power connector 341 detachably connected to a power input terminal 331 to supply power for the light source 33 , a power input terminal 342 for electrically connecting with the power source to supply electricity (as shown in FIG. 4 ), and a power output terminal 343 for providing an electrical connection with another lamp unit 30 (if any) of the stack lamp of the present invention (as shown in FIG. 5 ). For fluorescent bulb, the power connector 341 should include a starter to light up the fluorescent bulb 33 .
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the bottom attachment fastener 35 of each of the lamp units 30 is provided at a bottom portion of the housing 31 thereof. The bottom attachment fastener 35 includes a plurality of arc-shaped attachment ribs 351 integrally and downwardly protruded from the bottom wall 311 of the housing 31 . The arc-shaped attachment ribs 351 are spacedly aligned along a peripheral edge of the bottom wall. On each of the attachment ribs 351 , an engagement knob 352 is protruded from a middle portion of the outer surface thereof that defines an engagement gap 353 between the engagement knob 352 and the bottom edge of the surrounding wall 312 . In addition, a threaded hole 353 is formed adjacent to the engagement gap 353 on each of the attachment ribs 351 .
As shown in FIG. 6, in order to mount a lamp unit 30 on the base 10 to function as bottom layer of lamp unit 30 , the user may simply insert the arc-shaped attachment ribs 351 of the lamp unit 30 through the arc-shaped attachment slots 131 respectively while aligning the engagement knobs 352 with the indentions 132 , wherein the length of the attachment slot 131 should be longer than that of the attachment rib 351 . After the engagement knobs 352 pass through the attachment slots 131 , the user can simply rotate the lamp unit 30 until the engagement knobs 352 are disaligned with the indentions 132 so as to engage the base 10 between the bottom wall 311 of the lamp unit 31 and the attachment knobs 352 . Of course, other connection methods, such as screwing, clipping and gluing, can be used to connect the lamp unit 30 to the base 10 . It is also worth to mention that, when the bottom wall 311 of the lamp unit 30 is constructed strong and rigid enough, the bottom wall 311 can be functioned as the base 10 of the stack lamp of the present invention too.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the top attachment fastener 36 of each of the lamp units 30 is provided at a top portion of the housing 31 thereof. The top attachment fastener 36 has a plurality of L-shaped engagement slots 361 formed on a top side of the surrounding wall 312 of the housing 31 . Each of the engagement slots 361 has a vertical portion downwardly extended from a top edge of the surrounding wall 312 and a transversal portion horizontally extended from a bottom of the vertical portion on the surrounding wall 312 of the housing, so as to define an edge tongue 362 above the transversal portion of the respective engagement slot 361 , wherein the width of the engagement slot 361 is equal to or slightly smaller than a size of the engagement knob 352 .
Therefore, in order to stack up a lamp unit 30 on top of another one coaxially, the user merely needs to overlappedly stack an upper lamp unit 30 on another lower lamp unit 30 while aligning the engagement knobs 352 with the engagement slots 361 respectively. The distance between two opposing attachment ribs 351 should be arranged to be slightly smaller than an inner diameter of the top rim of the surrounding wall 312 , so that the attachment ribs 351 can be inserted in the light source chamber 37 . Then, when the top edge of the surrounding wall 312 of the lower lamp unit 30 supports against the bottom wall 311 of the upper lamp unit 30 , the engagement knobs 352 are positioned at the bottom end of the vertical portions of the engagement slots 361 respectively. To lock the connection, the user merely needs to rotate the upper lamp unit 30 with respect to the lower lamp unit 30 to transversally drive the engagement knobs 352 into the transversal portions of the engagement slots 361 so that the edge tongues 362 of the top attachment fastener 36 of the lower lamp unit 30 are engaged between the engagement knobs 352 and the bottom wall 311 of the upper lamp unit 30 while the threaded holes 353 of the attachment ribs 351 are aligned at the vertical portions of the engagement slots 361 respectively. Therefore, in order to enhance the connection between the upper and lower lamp units 30 , a plurality of fastening screws 39 each having an enlarged head is screwed into the threaded holes 353 until the enlarged heads are pressed against the surrounding wall 312 of the lower lamp unit 30 so as to further fasten the attachment ribs 351 of the upper lamp unit 30 with the surrounding wall 312 of the lower lamp unit 30 .
In order words, the lamp units 30 can thus be stacked up in a layer on layer manner to form a stack-up lamp body. It is worth that it would be an apparent alternative mode to replace the arrangements of the bottom attachment fastener 35 and the top attachment fastener 36 with each other.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover 20 is adapted to cover a top opening 313 of the housing 31 of the topmost lamp unit 30 . According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cover 20 also comprises a cover attachment fastener 21 which is constructed identical to the bottom attachment fastener 35 of each of the lamp unit 30 , so that the cover attachment fastener 21 can be fastened with the top attachment fastener 36 of any of the lamp units 30 like how the bottom attachment fastener 35 of the upper lamp unit 30 is connected with the top attachment fastener 36 of the lower lamp unit 30 as described above.
The cover 20 is preferred to further include a handle 22 pivotally affixed thereon for the user to hand carry the stack lamp from place to place. A handle recess 23 is formed on the cover 20 to receive the handle 22 when it is folded down.
When only one lamp unit 30 is used, the bottom attachment fastener 35 thereof is attached to the top mounting surface 11 of the base 10 as described above and the top attachment fastener 36 is connected to the cover attachment fastener 21 of the cover 20 .
When two more lamp units 30 are used, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 , the bottom attachment fastener 35 of the bottom layer of lamp unit 30 is mounted on the top mounting surface 11 of the base 10 and the bottom attachment fastener 35 of an upper layer of lamp unit 30 is detachably fastened to the top attachment fastener 36 of the lower neighboring layer of lamp unit 30 so as to stack up the lamp units 30 in a layer on layer manner, wherein the cover 20 is attached to the top attachment fastener 36 of the topmost layer of lamp unit 30 to construct the portable stack lamp of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1 .
In view of above, the portable stack lamp of the present invention is arranged to enable a ring type fluorescent bulb 33 to be equipped as the light source in each lamp unit so that it can be used indoor while consuming less electrical energy than the incandescent bulb or halogen bulb of the conventional work lamp. Moreover, the circular central lamp mount which is used to support the ring type fluorescent bulb therearound is used, at the same time, as a reflective ring to reflect all light beams radially outwards.
All lamp units 30 have the same structure, so that the user is free to select the number of lamp units 30 to purchase. When the user needs more luminous intensity, the user can simply stack more lamp units 30 up. When the user wants to reduce the luminous intensity, the user can detach the desired number of lamp units 30 easily anytime.
When the fluorescent bulb 33 of any lamp unit 30 is broken, the user has no need to detach all upper lamp units one by one. The user of the present invention merely needs to unassemble the lamp unit 30 attached on top of the lamp unit 30 to be repaired in order to reach the fluorescent bulb 33 therein, as shown in FIG. 4 .
The portable stack lamp of the present invention further comprises a supporting device 40 for supporting the base 10 , which is detachably attached to the bottom supporting surface 12 of the base 10 . Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5 , for ease of transportation, the supporting device 40 includes a plurality of rolling wheels 41 affixed to the bottom supporting surface 12 of the base 10 so that the user can roll it from place to place effortless.
As shown in FIG. 6, the rolling wheels 41 can be replaced with floor stands 42 which are firmly screwed to the bottom supporting surface 12 of the base 10 to steadily support the portable stack lamp on a slippery surface.
As shown in FIG. 7, an alternative mode of the supporting device 40 ′ is illustrated, which includes an extensible tripod 43 ′ to stand the portable stack lamp on floor. The tripod 43 ′ comprises a foldable tripod base 431 ′ and an extensible post 432 ′ upwardly extended from the foldable tripod base 431 ′, wherein a top end of the extensible post 432 ′ is detachably fastened to the bottom supporting surface 12 of the base 10 , so that the user is capable of adjusting the illuminating height of the portable stack lamp.
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A portable stack lamp includes a base supported by a supporting device, such as an extensible tripod and a plurality of rolling wheels, two or more lamp units stacked up to form a stack-up lamp body mounted on said base, and a cover which is adapted to cover a top opening of the housing of the lamp unit having a handle affixed thereon. The portable stack lamp is arranged to provide 360 degrees illumination so as to produce luminous beams in all directions while the user is able to selectively increase or decrease its luminous intensity by simply stacking up more or less lamp unit easily anytime. Therefore, the portable stack lamp can illuminate the surrounding that not only minimizes the number of work lamps to be used but also saves both the electrical energy and illumination cost. Moreover, each of the lamp unit of the portable stack lamp is arranged to equip a ring type fluorescent bulb as a light source so that it can be used indoor while consuming less electrical energy than the incandescent bulb or halogen bulb of the conventional work lamp.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a hand-held tufted carpet mender and more particularly to such a mender having a needle which may be shifted laterally for forming laterally offset stitches.
In the manufacture of tufted carpet when a defect caused by the failure of a tufting machine needle to tuft a loop into the backing material occurs, as when the needle unthreads or the strand of yarn fed to the needle is broken, the carpet is mended by means of a hand-held mender known in the art as a mending gun. An operator standing behind the tufting machine inspects the fabric as it leaves the tufting machine and if a defect is sighted, the mending gun is activated to repair the defect. Such a mending gun is pneumatically powered to reciprocate a needle into and out of the tufted fabric at the location of the missing loops of yarn and a strand of yarn is constantly fed to the needle.
This apparatus functions extremely well when a longitudinal row of stitches that normally would be inserted by a needle are missing from the carpet fabric. However, a substantial amount of carpet is produced when the needles of the tufting machine are shifted laterally so that each needle forms a zig-zag back stitch, or where patterns are produced having back stitches which may be laterally offset by more than one step. A fabric of the former type may also be created by laterally shifting the backing material relative to the needles or by using the process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,102. In such cases when a yarn tuft is not formed by a needle, the mending gun operator must move the mending gun from side-to-side in zig-zag and other fashions in order to mend the defect, a task that is not easily or generally accurately performed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Consequently, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a mending gun for tufted fabric which may repair defects in fabric having tufts with zig-zag or other laterally offset back stitches without requiring the manual movement of the mending gun back and forth laterally relative to the direction in which the fabric is fed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tufting mender wherein the needle shifts from side-to-side on successive stitches so that a zig-zag or other offset back stitch may be formed in the backing material.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hand-held mending gun for tufting stitches in zig-zag or other offset stitch fashion into a backing, the gun having a needle driven axially along its length and driven transversely to the axial direction on alternate strokes so that the needle may penetrate the backing at locations transversely offset.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a powered hand-held mending gun for tufting stitches into a backing material, the gun having a needle driven in a path having axial and lateral components such that the needle reciprocates out and in relative to the body of the gun and oscillates side-to-side during alternate or other periodic reciprocating cycles. Thus, the gun may provide zig-zag back stitches or other laterally offset stitches in the backing material after the backing material has moved away from a tufting machine at the location of the mending gun without the gun being moved from side-to-side.
The mending gun, which preferably is pneumatically driven, includes a crank for driving a needle carrier constrained to reciprocate along an elongated path which oscillates transversely to the direction of reciprocation. The elongated path is defined by a slot in a yoke member which is pivotally mounted and driven to oscillate by a cam. The cam may make one cycle for each two cycles of the crank so that the needle reciprocates two cycles for each oscillating cycle for zig-zag stitches in the preferred form of the invention.
Preferably, the cam has a first gear mounted to it which meshes with a second gear. The second gear is driven at the same speed as the crank and may have half the number of teeth as the first gear so that the first gear makes one rotation for each two rotations of the second gear. The cam is received between tines forming an opening in the yoke member spaced from the elongated slot, the yoke being journalled for pivoting intermediate the opening and the slot. Rotary motion of the main drive effects rotation of a disk to which the crank is connected and the second gear. As aforesaid, the crank reciprocably drives the needle carrier and the second gear drives the first gear and thus the yoke oscillating cam.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The particular features and advantages of the invention as well as other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hand-held mending gun constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary partly disassembled perspective view of the mending gun illustrated in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is an elevational view partly in section of a fragmentary portion of the mending gun;
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 5--5 of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 6--6 of FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a mending gun 10 having a main housing 12 including a hollow cylindrical sleeve 14 extending from the bottom thereof. Received within the sleeve is the upper end of a pneumatic rotary motor 16 having an inlet nipple 18 at the lower end adopted to be connected conventionally to a source of high pressure air, a trigger or control lever 20 being manually engaged to activate or deactivate the flow of air into the motor and thus the motor operation. As illustrated in FIG. 3, a disk 22 is secured at its central axis to the output shaft 24 of the motor 16. One end of an arm 26, as best illustrated in FIG. 5, is pivotally connected to the disk 22 by means of a pin 28 secured eccentrically to the disk, the upper end of the pin having a shoulder 30 extending above the arm 26 for reasons hereinafter made clear. The arm 26 extends forwardly and is pivotally connected by a stud 31 to the rear of a piston or shuttle 32 disposed within a barrel 34 positioned within a forwardly extending portion of the housing 12, the barrel 34 being open at the ends and having an open top except at the front portion for receiving the shuttle. A pair of guide wheels 35 are journalled on screws or the like at opposite sides at the front of the barrel for aiding in guiding the mending gun along a backing fabric into which the needle penetrates. As the disk 22 rotates, as driven by the motor 16, the crank provided by the arm 26 and its eccentric mounting, reciprocates the shuttle 32 to and fro within the barrel 34 and thus relatively to the housing 12.
Fastened to the top of the shuttle 32, as best illustrated in FIG. 6, at a forward portion by a pin member 37 through a spacer 36 is a needle carrier 38, the needle carrier being a hollow cylindrical member having a collet 40 received within the front end. A hollow needle 42 is received through the collet and secured within the needle carrier by securing means such as screw means 104 or the like. A needle guide holder 44 is secured to the front of the barrel and has an upwardly extending portion with an aperture for receiving a needle guide 46, the guide 46 having a slot 47 through which the needle extends, the slot being elongated along one axis with the minor axis disposed in a vertical plane, and the major axis disposed in the horizontal plane so that the needle may be shifted from side-to-side as hereinafter described. Thus, rotation of the motor 16 reciprocates the needle relative to the guide 46 and the housing 12.
Positioned about the shoulder 30 of the pin 28, as best illustrated in FIG. 5, is a U-shaped slot of a drive block 48. A shaft 50 disposed in alignment with the central opening in the disk 22 extends upwardly through an aperture in the block 48 and is secured thereto by set screws. The shaft 50 extends upwardly through bearing means 52 positioned in a hole in a housing cover 54, and then upwardly through the center of a spur gear 56 and has its outer end threaded into a yarn feed roller drive disk 58. Thus, rotation of the disk 22 rotates the drive block 48 by means of the eccentric disposition of the shoulder 30 in the U-shaped slot of the drive block 48 and thus causes the roller drive disk 58 to rotate. Additionally, the gear 56 is secured to the shaft 50 by set screw means so that the gear 56 also rotates with the shaft.
The rear of the housing cover 54 has a pair of upstanding side walls 60, 61 between which a yarn feed support block 62 is-disposed, a threaded rod 64 being received through a tapped bore in the block 62 and extending through the walls 60, 61. The ends of the rod 64 are secured to a respective knurled pile adjusting wheel 66 (only one of which is illustrated). Rotation of one or both wheels 66 translates the block 62 between the walls 60, 61. Another rod 68 is journally carried by the block 62 and pivotably carries one end of a link 70, the other end of the link 70 carrying an axle 71 on which a knurled idle roll 72 is mounted. A knurled yarn feed roll 74 is carried on a shaft 76 supported at the forward end of a support member 78, the member 78 being pivotably carried at its rear end on the rod 68. Also carried on the shaft 76 is a disk 80 having an "O" ring about its periphery. The rolls 72 and 74 are urged into mesh with each other by a spring 82 which is connected between the link 70 and the base of the block 62. A yarn guide tube 84 is carried by the support block 62 so that yarn entering the tube 84 is directed into the nip between the rolls 72 and 74 to be fed through the needle carrier 38 through the needle 42. Rotation of the wheel 66 results in the disk 80 being moved across the drive disk 58, and depending upon the radial location of the "O" ring disk 80 relative to the center of the drive disk 58, the rotational speed of the rolls 72, 74 are increased or decreased to feed more or less yarn to the needle.
Pivotably journalled about the shoulder of a shoulder screw 86 secured to the housing cover 54, is a yoke member 88, which, as hereinafter made clear, is a coupling member coupling the needle carrier to the motor for oscillation. As best illustrated in FIG. 4, the yoke member 88 rearwardly of the pivot screw 86 and disposed below the disk 58 has an enlarged open end slot or yoke 90 forming a pair of spaced apart tines or limbs 89, 91. Extending forwardly of the pivot screw 86, the yoke member narrows down into an elongated leg 92 having an elongated slot 94. In the preferred embodiment a circular cam 96 of a diameter substantially equal to the space in-between the limbs of the yoke 90 is disposed within the open slot of the yoke between the limbs. The cam has an eccentric axis of rotation 98 including a small stud shaft journalled in the housing cover 54. In the preferred embodiment the cam 96 is secured to and formed unitary with a spur gear 100, the gear having its axis concentric with the axis of rotation 98. The gear 100 meshes with the gear 56 and is driven thereby. As the gear 100 rotates, the cam 96, which rotates therewith but eccentrically thereto, causes the yoke member 88 to pivot about the axis of the screw 86 so that the leg 92 alternates from side-to-side which, as hereinafter made clear, results in the needle alternating from side-to-side to form zig-zag stitches. Alternatively, the cam 96 may be of a different configuration so that the needle 42 may make two or more stitches at one side before making the same or a different number of stitches at the other side.
Disposed within the elongated slot 94 at the front thereof is a slide block 102 having a width substantially equal to the width of the slot 94, a screw 104 extending through the slide block 102 and secured within the front of the needle carrier 38 secures the slide block for movement with the needle carrier and thus the needle 42. Additionally, a slide stud 106 having a journally mounted head or bushing of substantially the same diameter as the width of the slot 94 is secured to the rear of the needle carrier with the stud disposed within the slot 94. Preferably, the stud 106 is fastened into a valve 108 which in turn is fastened to the rear of the needle carrier and communicates with the interior of the needle carrier, the valve being connected to an air line which is in turn connected to a vacuum port of the motor 16. A thread guide tube 112 opening into the rear of the needle carrier 38 receives yarn from the yarn feed rolls 72, 74 and the yarn is directed through the needle carrier into the needle. To thread the needle, such as on start-up, a vacuum from the motor 16 is applied to the line 110 and the yarn is drawn through the guide tube 112 into the needle carrier and thus the needle 42. Consequently, the needle carrier together with the needle are jogged or shifted from side-to-side by the coupling of the slide block 102 and the slide stud in the slot 94, the slot also permitting the needle to reciprocate as heretofore described relative to the yoke member as guided by the slot 94.
The number of teeth on the gear 100 is substantially twice that of the gear 56 so that for each revolution of the gear 56, the gear 100 makes one half of a rotation. Thus, since the gear 56 makes one rotation for each reciprocating cycle of the needle 42, the needle makes two reciprocating cycles for each rotation of the gear 100 and makes one cycle for each lateral shift, i.e., the needle is shifted from one side to the other side laterally on alternate reciprocating cycles in the preferred embodiment. The needle thus may create zig-zag stitches in a backing material 114 when the mending gun is held in place manually. With the construction of the present invention, a mending gun as described may thus mend or repair tufted carpet fabric having zig-zag backstitches, or alternatively with a different cam more than one stitch may be formed at one lateral side and then one or more stitches may be formed at the other lateral side, and if desirable, stitches may be formed intermediate the sides.
Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to the preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.
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A hand-held mending gun for tufting stitches into a backing material has a hollow needle reciprocably driven axially and oscillated laterally so as to form stitches in a backing material laterally offset from other stitches. Zig-zag backstitches may thus be formed as may other laterally offset stitches. A crank drives a needle carrier in a reciprocating path extending longitudinally along the axis of the needle. The elongated path is defined by constraining the needle carrier to move within a slot in a pivotally mounted yoke member having a pair of spaced apart tines disposed about a cam so that rotation of the cam oscillates the yoke member about the pivot. The cam is driven by gears such that it may make one cycle For each two cycles of reciprocation of the needle to form alternate laterally offset stitches. Cams of various configurations may be utilized so that more than one stitch may be provided at each lateral side.
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RIGHTS OF THE GOVERNMENT
The invention described herein may be manufactured, used and licensed by or for the Government for Governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalties thereon.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a method of joining densified bodies of a ceramic to a ceramic or to carbon using a polymer which converts on pyrolysis to the constituents of the materials being joined. The bonding is carried out at lower temperatures than prior art joining techniques.
2. Description of Prior Art
Bates et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,921,554 discloses a joining method for alpha-silicon carbide which is practiced when the bodies to be joined are green bodies.
Gupta, U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,644 discloses the joining of silicon carbide when the silicon carbide is silicon rich (at least 8% excess silicon). The joining is accomplished at temperatures between 1,500° C. and 1,800° C.
Coes, U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,197 discloses a joining method which uses a slip containing alpha-silicon carbide of a composition which matches the two alpha-silicon carbide pieces to be joined.
Haley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,161 discloses a joining method which can be used on either green bodies or fully dense pieces of alpha-silicon carbide. The pieces are joined with a metal boride such as molybdenum boride.
P/N 2,015,910 (Great Britain) discloses the use of molybdenum disilicide and a binder mixed together as a powder to form alpha-silicon carbide. Joining is achieved at temperatures above 2030° C.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Subject invention relates to a method for joining sections of densified ceramics, such as silicon carbide to silicon carbide, and densified ceramics to carbonaceous materials, such as silicon carbide to graphite, by pyrolysis of a preceramic polymer, such as polycarbosilane, positioned between the sections. The polycarbosilane is converted to a ceramic material with some free carbon at temperatures as low as 1000° C. and forms an interlayer joining the sections.
The present method has several advantages over the utilization of means such as an adhesive, glue or metal interlayer to join densified bodies. It reduces the mismatch of properties, such as the elastic modulus. Further, the change in the coefficient of thermal expansion across the joint surface is greatly reduced thus decreasing the residual stresses at the joined surfaces. In addition, the corrosion and oxidation resistance of adhesives, glues, and metals is usually inferior to that of ceramic materials.
Furthermore, the process also joins silicon carbide with a ceramic interlayer at temperatures relatively low compared to other silicon carbide joining methods. In addition, joining is achieved without the need to match the crystallography, the exact chemical composition or the microstructure of the ceramic interlayer to the materials being joined.
It is an object of the present invention to provide and disclose a method for joining sections of similar or dissimilar bodies using a polymer which on pyrolysis forms an interlayer containing the constituents of the bodies thus bonding the sections.
It is a further object of the invention to provide and disclose a method for joining sections of ceramics using a polymer which on pyrolysis forms an interlayer containing the constituents of the ceramics thus bonding the ceramic sections.
It is a further object of the invention to provide and disclose a method for joining sections of silicon carbide and graphite using a polymer which on pyrolysis forms an interlayer containing silicon carbide and carbon thus bonding bond the materials.
Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be ascertained from the following description and claims.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention applies to dense alpha-silicon carbide. It is preferable that the density of the sections be as close to theoretical density as possible. The presence of large porosity at a surface to be joined can create unbonded regions in the joint. This is especially true if the porosity has a depth into the surface of approximately 10 microns or more.
The surfaces to be joined on the silicon carbide sections are polished to a mirror-like finish. This step is omitted in regard to carbon in the bonding of silicon carbide to graphite, (Example 4). Polishing is best accomplished be grinding and polishing with a diamond paste down to a final finish of 6 microns or smaller.
After polishing, the surfaces are degreased, and the surface oxide is removed. Any conventional solvent may be used for degreasing. Removal of the surface oxide is accomplished by placing the silicon carbide pieces to be joined into a hydrofluoric acid solution until the surfaces to be joined become hydrophobic, indicating the absence of a surface oxide. Any surface contaminants or oxide which are not removed will greatly interfere with the ability of the ceramic conversion product to join the surfaces and will compromise the mechanical integrity of the joint.
Polycarbosilane is placed on top of one of the surfaces to be joined. To do this a razor may be used to scrap the surface of the polycarbosilane piece so that a fine polymer powder falls from the polycarbosilane piece and coats one of the surfaces to be joined with a thin layer of polymer powder.
To calculate the quantity of polycarbosilane applied to the surface, a starting joint thickness is assumed. The surface area to be joined is multiplied by the starting joint thickness. This gives a starting joint volume. The starting joint volume is multiplied by the theoretical density of the main conversion product, silicon carbide, to yield a mass. The mass is adjusted for the weight loss of the polycarbosilane during pyrolysis and conversion to the ceramic product. The adjustment for weight loss is accomplished by dividing the mass be the subtraction (1-the weight loss during pyrolysis and conversion). It is important to note that the completed joint thickness after the joining process is significantly less than the assumed starting joint thickness due to the application of pressure during pyrolysis.
The other polished silicon carbide surface to be joined is placed on top of the surface which is coated with the polycarbosilane powder. The silicon carbide/polycarbosilane/silicon carbide assembly is mechanically loaded so that the applied force acts perpendicular to the joint during the entire pyrolysis and conversion process. This inhibits sliding of the two surfaces parallel to the joint, reduces joint thickness and increases the mechanical strength of the joint. The mechanically loaded silicon carbide/polycarbosilane/silicon carbide assembly is then heated in an inert environment until the polycarbosilane is converted into a ceramic interlayer.
EXAMPLE 1
Two pieces of silicon carbide measuring 18.1 mm×18.1 mm×25.5 mm were cut from larger pieces of Carborundum's Hexalloy alpha-silicon carbide. The two pieces were to be joined at the 18.1 mm×18.1 mm surfaces. One of the 18.1 mm×18.1 mm surfaces on each piece was fine ground and then polished with 6 micron diamond paste. Each piece was immersed in a beaker of acetone and placed in an ultrasonic cleaner for 10 minutes to degrease the surfaces to be joined. The surfaces were then immersed in a solution of 10% hydrofluoric acid and rinsed to remove the surface oxide.
The polycarbosilane used to from the interlayer between the silicon carbide surfaces is manufactured in Japan by Nippon Carbon Company, Ltd. and is distributed in the United States by Dow Corning Corporation. A fine polycarbosilane powder was scraped on to the polished surface of one of the silicon carbide pieces. The polished surface of the polycarbosilane-free silicon carbide piece was placed face down on top of the polycarbosilane powder. The applied polycarbosilane powder mass was calculated from the formula given above, and the calculation is as follows:
(1.81 cm×1.81 cm×0.004 cm×3.2 gm/cm)/0.7=0.0599 grams where the surface area to be joined is 1.81 cm×1.81 cm, the starting joint thickness is 0.004 cm, the theoretical density of silicon carbide is 3.2 grams/cm and the weight loss during conversion is taken to be approximately 30% so that 1-weight loss during conversion is 0.7. It is important to note that due to the application of a mechanical load during pyrolysis, the completed joint thickness after the joining process was less than 1 micron.
A small graphite tube with an inner diameter of 25.5 mm and a height of 30 mm was placed around the silicon carbide/polycarbosilane/silicon carbide assembly to restrain any movements parallel to the joint.
Two silicon carbide tiles were placed on top of the assembly to apply a mechanical load. The total pressure was 20 psi. The mechanically loaded silicon carbide/polycarbosilane/silicon carbide assembly was heated in a nitrogen atmosphere under the following conditions:
a) heat up to 300° C. at a rate of 600° C. per hour,
b) hold at 300° C. for 15 minutes,
c) heat up to 1200° C. at a rate of 100° C. per hour,
d) hold at 1200° C. for 3 hours, and
e) cool to room temperature at a rate of approximately 600° C. per hour.
The joined pieces of silicon carbide were machined into bend bars with the joint interface oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The bars were machined according to MIL-STD 1942A for B-sized bend bars with the exception that only the tensile surface edges were chamfered. Six of the bend bars were tested in a 4 point bend fixture and had an average flexural strength of 13,500 psi.
EXAMPLE 2
The joining steps of Example 1 were repeated with the exception of a variance in the heating schedule. The mechanically loaded silicon carbide/polycarbosilane/silicon carbide assembly was heated in a nitrogen atmosphere under the following conditions:
a) heat to 300° C. at a rate of 600° C. per hour,
b) hold at 300° C. for 15 minutes,
c) heat to 1200° C. at a rate of 100° C. per hour,
d) hold at 1200° C. for 15 minutes,
e) heat to 1500° C. at a rate of 600° C. per hour,
f) hold at 1500° C. for 2 hour, and
g) cool to room temperature at a rate of approximately 600° C. per hour.
Ten of the bend bars were tested in a 4 point bend fixture. The average flexural strength obtained was 15,100 psi.
EXAMPLE 3
The steps of Example 1 were repeated with the exception of a variance in the heating schedule. The mechanically loaded silicon carbide/polycarbosilane/silicon carbide assembly was heated in a nitrogen atmosphere under the following conditions:
a) heat to 300° C. at a rate of 600° C. per hour,
b) hold at 300° C. for 15 minutes,
c) heat to 1200° C. at a rate of 100° C. per hour, and
d) cool to room temperature at a rate of approximately 600° C. per hour.
In this heating schedule, there was no hold at 1200° C. Under these conditions, the joined silicon carbide pieces broke apart at the joint while they were being mounted for examination of the joint. As shown by comparison to Example 1, a 3 hour hold at 1200° C. can increase the strength of the joints from approximately 0 psi to approximately 13,500 psi.
EXAMPLE 4
The steps of Example 3 above were repeated with the exception that:
a) one piece of silicon carbide measuring 17 mm×15 mm×2.5 mm was used,
b) the quantity of polycarbosilane applied to the joint was calculated using a starting joint thickness of 5 microns instead of 40 microns and,
c) an assembly consisting of silicon carbide/polycarbosilane/graphite was used instead of silicon carbide/polycarbosilane/silicon carbide.
The graphite used was GRAFOIL which is the trade name for graphite in foil form produced by Union Carbide Corporation. An attempt was made to separate the graphite from the silicon carbide after the joining. Separation occurred in the graphite and not at the joint with the silicon carbide. This indicated that the joining was successful.
Other preceramic polymers exist which convert to ceramic products on the pyrolysis thereof. These polymers would have utility in joining bulk ceramics having compositions similar to the conversion product of the preceramic polymer. For example, polysilanes convert on pyrolysis primarily to silicon carbide. Thus, bodies of silicon carbide would be joinable by in situ conversion of a polysilane using the techniques of the present invention. Other polymers of interest are polysilazanes and organometallic aluminum polymers. Polysilazanes convert to silicon nitride and they would have utility joining bodies of silicon nitride. Organometallic aluminum polymers which convert to aluminum nitride would have utility joining bodies of aluminum nitride. Organometallic aluminum polymers which convert to aluminum oxide would have utility joining bodies of aluminum oxide.
Although I have described my invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that other ceramics and carbonaceous materials may be joined by selecting reactants whose conversion product has a similar composition to the materials to be joined.
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A method for joining sections of densified ceramics, and ceramics to carbonomprising the steps of: placing a preceramic polymer between bodies of the materials to be joined, applying mechanical force thereto, and heating to a temperature sufficient to convert the preceramic polymer to constituents of the materials to be joined thus bonding the materials, and cooling to room temperature.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image correction method for correcting image defects due to ejection-amount nonuniformity, deviation in a landing position (kink), and nonejection, which are inherent characteristics in each recording head of an inkjet recording system, in which by ejecting ink, ink dots are formed on a recording medium so as to form an image thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
As copying machines, information processing equipment such as word processors and computers, and communication equipment achieve increasing popularity, digital image-recording apparatus using inkjet recording heads have also gained widespread use and acceptance. Enhancements to image quality and color in information processing equipment have led to the need for corresponding enhancements to image quality and color in image forming apparatus.
Such a recording apparatus utilizes a recording head integrated with plural recording elements (also referred to as a multi-head) in which plural ink nozzles and ink paths are integrated in high density for miniaturizing and speeding up printing a pixel. Furthermore, for colorization, the apparatus generally has plural multi-heads corresponding to the respective colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. Using this design, it is possible to output high quality images at both high speed and low cost. Another practical way to increase speed ever further is to use a one-pass high-speed method, in which the length of the multi-head is about the width of a recording medium.
In a transverse-feed printer for A-4 size paper, for example, the length of a multi-head is about 30 cm, and requires approximately 7000 nozzles to print 600 dots per inch (dpi). It is extremely difficult to manufacture a multi-head having such a large number of nozzles without defects in one or more of the nozzles. Accordingly, all the nozzles may not necessarily have the same performance. Furthermore, some nozzles may become nonejectors after being used. However, a recording head shading technique for correcting density nonuniformity due to ejection-amount nonuniformity and deviation in a landing position (kink), and a nonejecting-nozzle correction (nonejection complementary) technique for performing complementary processing for a nonejecting nozzle can enable a multi-head with defects to be used.
According to one recording head shading technique, the output density of every nozzle is measured and input-image data gets feedback from the measured result. For example, if the ejection amount of one nozzle is reduced for some reason so as to reduce the output density of a particular nozzle, the recording head shading technique adjusts the input image so that a gradation value in a portion corresponding to the affected nozzle is increased so as to have uniform image density in the output image.
As a nonejection complementary technique, if one nozzle is nonejecting, there are compensatory methods, such as substituting the ejection of nozzles on the both sides for the dot to be ejected by the nonejecting nozzle (adjacent complementing), or complementing data corresponding to the nonejecting nozzle with an ink dot of another color such as black (different-color complementing).
Although the aforementioned recording head shading and nonejection complementing methods are effective for improving recorded-image quality, these techniques are not without problems.
For example, if the amount of ink ejected from some nozzles in a recording head is decreased so as to reduce overall density, by increasing gray scale intensity in the affected portion, the recorded image will appear to have uniform image density (shading correction). However, if a nozzle with decreased ejection ability is printing in a region requiring full discharge capacity (duty factor of near 100%), no additional compensation above the nozzle's maximum decreased capacity is possible. Therefore, correction of this region is difficult to perform.
Similarly, in the adjacent complementing method, in which a nonejecting nozzle is complemented with an adjacent nozzle, if a portion adjacent to the nonejecting nozzle has a recording duty factor of 100% or close thereto, because the density of the adjacent portion cannot be further increased, the nozzles adjacent to the nonejecting nozzle will be unable to compensate.
In order to contend with such a problem, the inventors of the present invention have proposed a method for correcting a nonejecting nozzle, in which a nonejecting nozzle is corrected by a different recording head so as to minimize differences in lightness or color difference using a color different from the nonejecting nozzle. As to the recording head shading method, no countermeasure has yet been proposed.
Another compensation method involves virtually increasing the resolution (recording density) of a recording head in a relative principal scanning direction (transferring direction in a case that a recording medium is transferred with a recording head fixed) is virtually increased so as to enable the gray scale in the entire gradation regions to be corrected by enabling the recording medium to be recorded thereon by 100% or more as in a conventional method. However, according to this method, the amount of the data fed to the recording head is increased, resulting in a decrease in the per page recording rate. Furthermore, since the number of recording dots per unit area is increased, the ejecting frequency needs to be further increased in order to maintain the recording rate. Since the printing operation is generally performed substantially at the upper limit of the ejecting frequency, a per page recording rate is reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for effectively performing shading correction and nonejecting nozzle complementing without reducing a per page recording rate.
The present invention has been made in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in which when corrected data during shading correction and nonejection complementing exceeds a predetermined value, complementing is performed with a different color corresponding to data-amount exceeding the maximum value.
Specifically, in both the shading correction and nonejecting nozzle complementing methods, correction processing (same color correcting) is performed using a target head as a preliminary step, and correction processing (different-color correcting) is performed using a head with a different color other than the color of the target head as a subsequent step.
Also, the predetermined value is the maximum value capable of being recorded as data.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing data processing according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a test chart for obtaining nonejecting nozzle and shading information.
FIG. 3 is a graph for showing a cyan density distribution according to an embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a graph for showing the relationship between a data amount and its lightness for each color.
FIG. 5 is a graph for showing the relationship between a data amount of a target color to be corrected and a data amount of a complementing color.
FIG. 6 is a flow chart for illustrating correction processing according to an embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
One noteworthy characteristic feature of the present invention is that when data corrected during shading correction and nonejecting nozzle complementing exceeds a maximum value capable of being recorded, the correction deficiency is complemented with a different color in an amount which represents the correction deficiency above the maximum value.
Specifically, in both the shading correction and nonejecting nozzle complementing methods, correction processing (same color correcting) is first performed using a target recording head of the same color, the correction processing (different-color correcting) is subsequently performed using a recording head with a different color other than the color of the target recording head.
Same color correction, the preliminary step, is a process which manipulates data such as 8-bit image data according to shading and nonejecting information. The shading information is an index showing the density of a print region corresponding to each nozzle. In the preliminary shading correction, the input image data is adjusted according to the shading information. As a specific technique, there may be a method in which an index is determined for each nozzle according to the shading information so as to make the product of the index and the image data be the corrected image data. Alternatively, the image data may be increased or decreased using a density conversion table established for the shading information. However, this method is not limited to these examples, and is generally applicable to any method which reduces nonuniformity in density by increasing or decreasing image data according to the shading information.
During the manipulation of image data through shading correction, a data amount is generally established to have an upper limit thereof corresponding to the maximum density capable of being recorded. The preliminary shading correction method according to the present invention does not necessarily address this specific point, because that correction is performed in the subsequent step involving the data amount which exceeds the upper limit of what is capable of being recorded.
The nonejecting nozzle information shows which nozzles cannot eject ink. Based on this information, a correction is performed as a substitute to the nonejecting nozzle by distributing the image data corresponding to the nonejecting nozzle to adjacent nozzles capable of ejecting ink (preliminary nonejecting nozzle correction). One embodiment of this technique could include distributing half of the nonejecting nozzle's image data to each of the adjacent nozzles which are capable of ejecting ink, and a method by which corresponding to both-side nozzles, the image data of the nonejecting nozzle portion is distributed by referring to image data of pixels corresponding to adjacent nozzles, up to the upper limit capable of being recorded. Generally, however, the important feature of preliminary nonejecting nozzle correction methods according to the present invention is that, while distributing nonejecting nozzle data to adjacent nozzles, if the pixel image data to be distributed exceeds the upper limit of the image data capable of being recorded, the exceeding data is not distributed to adjacent nozzles so as to save the data to the nonejecting nozzle portion. This feature differs from the aforementioned preliminary shading correction technique. Additionally, the upper limit of the image data capable of being recorded in the nonejecting nozzle portion is zero, i.e., no image can be recorded.
The different-color correction, which is the aforementioned subsequent processing, is the correction performed with a different color using a different head when a pixel exceeding the upper limit of the image data capable of being recorded is generated as a result of the same color correction performed within the same head at the preliminary step. The target color and the complementing color need not be identical, but it is of course preferable that the hues be as close as possible to each other. For example, for correcting cyan, black is preferable in a four-color printer of cyan C, magenta M, yellow Y, and black K. In a six-color printer of cyan C, magenta M, yellow Y, black K, light cyan LC, and light magenta LM, LC (light cyan, low-density cyan) may be preferable. Also, for correcting black, a processed black blended from C, M, and Y may be used.
For colors such as yellow, however, the correction should not use a different color because yellow is considerably light hued. Performing different color correction on a light color such as yellow must be determined by the entire system of the printer, so that it is not specifically limited. The amount of a complementing color is determined by the amount the target pixel data exceeds the upper limit of image data capable of being recorded. The relationship between the amount exceeding over the upper limit and the amount of the complementing color (different-color complementing table) is established in advance as shown in FIG. 5 . As an example, the subsequent different-color complementing may be performed using the table in FIG. 5 . As to the relationship between the target color and the corrected color established in the different-color complementing table, it is best when there is no color difference, however, that is not always practical in a four or six-color printer. Accordingly, it is preferable to use a different-color complementing table capable of minimizing the color and contrast difference.
In such a manner, on the different-color portion, the processing can be collectively performed without distinguishing the head shading correction from the nonejecting nozzle correction, enabling the process circuit to be simplified and speeded up.
The aforementioned shading and nonejecting nozzle information do not have to be corrected at any one particular time. For example, in a shipping stage of the recording head from a factory, head characteristics can be measured and stored in a memory mounted on the recording head, and the correction may be performed by accessing this memory. Alternatively, the shading and nonejecting nozzle information may be obtained by printing a test chart and reading it with a scanner. Furthermore, a series of operations for updating the shading and nonejecting nozzle information can be automatically performed using a printer having a scanner built therein. The present invention is not limited thereto. Since the state of the recording head may significantly change from time to time, it is preferable that the printer system be capable of updating the shading and nonejecting nozzle information on demand.
An embodiment according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.
According to the embodiment, gray-scale images are output using a side-shooter type thermal inkjet recording head. The resolution (nozzle density) of the recording head is 600 dpi, and the head has a length of about 293 mm with 6912 nozzles, and the ejection amount each nozzle is about 8 pl. A printer having the four longitudinal multi-heads for cyan C, magenta M, yellow Y, and black K is used so as to output images. The resolution of the output image is 600×600 dpi, and a one-pass recording system is adopted in which a recording medium passes through relative to the fixed head.
In the ink used for C, M, Y, and K, various additives are used to substantially equalize the physical properties, namely, viscosity: 1.8 cps and surface tension: 39 dyn/cm. The driving conditions of the recording head are frequency: 8 kHz, voltage: 10 V, and applied pulse width: 0.8 μs. Under these conditions, about 8 pl of ink droplets are ejected at a speed of about 15 m/s.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing data processing according to the embodiment. Referring to the drawing, a color-conversion section 1 is for performing color-conversion that converts 8-bit input image data for each of R, G, and B into 8-bit image data for each of four colors C, M, Y, and K, and γ conversion and enlarging or contracting of the image data are performed on demand therein.
In a correction-processing unit 2 embodying the present invention, correction is performed based on shading and nonejecting nozzle information. The correction-processing unit 2 comprises a same-color correction section 21 as a preliminary step and a different-color correction section 22 . The shading and nonejecting nozzle information necessary for the same-color correction at the preliminary step are stored in head information storage 23 .
The different-color complementary table necessary for the different-color correction at the subsequent section is stored in different-color complementary table storage 24 . A head-information processing section 3 reads a test chart output on demand so as to prepare the shading information and nonejecting nozzle information by processing the data for updates the information stored in the head information storage 23 . The image processing section 4 binarizes the data corrected by the correction-processing section 2 so as to generate data corresponding to each nozzle of the recording head. The head driver 5 drives the recording element (ejecting element) corresponding to each nozzle on the basis of the data fed by the image processing section 4 . The bit map data is fed to a head driver 5 so as to output images by driving the recording head according to the bit map data.
When printing images, first, a test chart shown in FIG. 2 is printed so as to process it in the head-information processing section 3 for updating the information stored in the head information storage 23 . The test chart used here comprises a nonejecting-nozzle detection pattern 100 and a shading pattern 101 , and the chart is output for each color. In the nonejecting-nozzle detection pattern 100 , there are 16 columns of lines, each line having a length of 64 pixels recorded by one nozzle, and each column is shifted by a length equivalent to one nozzle. That is, each column has lines equivalent to 448 nozzles, which are stacked up by 16 columns. The shading pattern 101 has a recording duty factor of 50% and a size of 7168×512 pixels. The shading pattern 101 is also provided with markers 102 for corresponding to each nozzle.
These patterns are read with a scanner having an optical resolution of 1200 dpi so as to detect a nonejecting nozzle and measure density distribution. Specific methods for detecting a nonejecting nozzle and measuring density distribution are shown as follows.
The marker 102 is provided for identifying the nozzle number, and is arranged at intervals of 512 nozzles, making 14 markers in total. The image data read with the scanner is divided according to color and converted into gray scale data, which reflects color density. From the gray scale data, the position of the marker is read and rotation and enlarging or contracting are appropriately performed so as to correspond to the pixels equivalent to 600 dpi for converting the data into the data correlated with the nozzle position.
FIG. 3 shows a recording density corresponding to each nozzle, where nonuniformity in the density can be recognize along the arranging direction of nozzles. Portions with extremely low density indicate non-recorded portions. FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the amount of the gray scale shown by recorded data corresponding to each color and the lightness of recorded images. The detection of a nonejecting nozzle is performed using the nonejecting-nozzle detection pattern 100 after performing the suitable rotation and enlarging or contracting as described above. From each column of the pattern, a portion equivalent to 7168×50 pixels is cut off, and furthermore, the determination is made for each recording position corresponding to one pixel. If the density of this portion is substantially the same as that of a nonrecorded portion, the corresponding nozzle is nonejecting. Therefore, a nozzle with a large kink is determined to be nonejecting.
On the other hand, the shading information for each nozzle is determined as follows.
First, the density distribution for each nozzle is calculated, wherein the central section of the shading pattern 101 with a recording duty factor of 50%, which is equivalent to 7168×400 pixels, is cut off, and 400 pixels for each nozzle are averaged to determine the density distribution.
When the color of the recording head is c; the density of the nozzle number i is dens[c] [i]; and the average density of the entire nozzles is ave[c], the shading data she[c] [i] is set to be:
she[ c][i] =(dens[ c][i] −ave[ c] )/ave[ c].
That is, this value shows the density degree recorded by each nozzle. In addition, the average density (ave[c]) calculation should preferably exclude nonejecting portions therefrom. For a sample of 128 pixels, an example is shown in FIG. 3 . In the drawing, symbol (A) shows the nonejecting nozzle portion detected by the above-mentioned nonejecting-nozzle detection procedure. The new nonejecting nozzle information and the shading information are stored again within the head information storage 23 .
In addition, according to this embodiment, the arithmetic calculation is performed on the unprocessed density data for each nozzle read with the scanner, so as to provide the shading data; alternatively, the shading data may be prepared from the density distribution read with the scanner after suitable processing is performed on the density distribution.
In the different-color correction, the relationship between a target color to be corrected and a complementing color to be added is determined from the relationship between the data amount for each color and the lightness at that time.
The relationship between a data amount and lightness for each color according to the embodiment is shown in FIG. 4 . The data amount of a complementing color is established so as to equalize the lightness in the data amount of a target color to be corrected and the lightness of the complementing color to be added. This information is shown in FIG. 5 .
According to this embodiment, cyan and magenta are complemented with black and black is complemented with processed black blended from cyan, magenta, and yellow. As for yellow, because yellow is usually very light, the different-color correction is not performed thereon. The different color correction information is stored in different color-complementary storage 24 .
Using the values in the head information storage 23 and the different color complementary table storage 24 , correction processing is performed in the correction-processing unit 2 . The correction processing will be described with reference to the flow chart in FIG. 6 . In this process, the image data processed in the color-conversion section 1 is sequentially processed for each row (S 61 ). Each row corresponds to the width of one recording head, and the image data read therein can be simply matched with the nozzle for actually recording the data. Next, a nonejecting nozzle is detected using the nozzle information called from head information storage 23 (S 62 , S 63 ). If a nonejecting nozzle exists, the preliminary nonejecting-nozzle correction is performed on the pixel corresponding to the nonejecting nozzle, according to the following method (S 67 ). When the nonejecting nozzle number is i and the color thereof is c, the image data corresponding to the nozzle is denoted as data[c] [i]. If the half data amount data[c] [i]/2 is distributed to each side of the nozzle, and the data consequently exceeds a predetermined value, it is temporarily stored as data over_d[c] [i] to be used in the subsequent different-color correction section. In addition, according to the embodiment, the predetermined value is a maximum value capable of being recorded, i.e., a possible maximum value of multiple-valued data to be recorded (255: 8-bit according to the embodiment).
After completion of the preliminary nonejecting-nozzle correction, the preliminary shading correction is performed (S 64 ). This processing is simply performed as a linear correction according to the shading data she[c] [i] of a target nozzle. Wherein a proportional coefficient α and the corrected result data′[c] [i] are shown in the following equations. α = ( 1 she [ c ] [ i ] ) and data ′ [ c ] [ i ] = α data [ c ] [ i ] = data [ c ] [ i ] she [ c ] [ i ] × data [ c ] [ i ] .
As a result of the correction in such a manner, if the data exceeds a predetermined value, it is temporarily stored as data over_d[c] [i] to be used in the subsequent different-color correction section. In order to distinguish between pre-correction and post-correction, data[c] [i] and data′[c] [i] are separately denoted; however, it is not necessary to distinguish them in practice.
After completion of the preliminary same-color correction, the subsequent different-color correction is performed (S 65 ). In such a manner, the different-color correction can complement the correction deficiency of the complementary processing with the same-color correction so as to form excellent images. The different-color correction adds a different color to the value over d[c] [i] exceeding the maximum value capable of being recorded according to the different-color complementary table stored in the table storage 24 (which itself is calculated in the preliminary process). According to the embodiment different-color complementary tables C_k[x], M_k[x] are used when cyan or magenta are complemented with black and different color complementary tables K_c[x], K_m[x], K_y[x] are used for when black is complemented with processed black (shown in FIG. 5 ).
After completion of the preliminary same-color correction and the subsequent different-color correction, binarization is performed in the image processing section 4 . According to this embodiment, the binarization is performed according to a general error diffusion method. The bit map data thus obtained are fed to the head driver 5 so as to output corrected images.
The images thus obtained are excellent with inconspicuous streaks of nonejecting portions and with streaks and nonuniformity largely reduced.
As described above, according to the present invention, when the data corrected during the shading correction and nonejecting nozzle exceeds a predetermined value such as the maximum value capable of being recorded, the correction is complemented with a different color corresponding to an exceeding data amount over the maximum value, so that various kinds of corrections can be effectively performed without reducing the per-page recording rate. Also, as a result, there is an advantage that the yield of the recording head is increased, in practice.
While the present invention has been described with reference to what are presently considered to be the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
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A method for correcting image degradations due to nonejecting nozzles or kink ejection of nozzles without reducing a recording rate for an inkjet recording apparatus for recording images at high speed employing a one-pass recording system, in which an image is completed by one time scanning of a recording head relative to a recording medium, such as an inkjet recording apparatus using a full-line type recording head. When corrected data during head shading correction and nonejection complementing in image processing exceed a maximum value capable of being recorded, complementing is controlled with a different color corresponding to data-amount which exceeds the maximum value.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a skin covered foamed plastic article, to be used, for example, for car seat cushions and seat backs.
2. Description of the Background Art
The skin covered foamed plastic articles have been used for car seat cushions and seat backs. As shown in FIG. 1, such a skin covered foamed plastic article 1 is conventionally made of a pad member 3 covered by a skin cover 2. The pad member 3 and the skin cover 2 were used to be manufactured separately and combined together later, but it has become fashionable to manufacture an entire skin covered foamed plastic article 1 as a skin covered pad member at once by making the foamed plastic inside the skin cover 2 placed over a molding surface, so that the process of combining at later time may be omitted for the sake of efficiency of the manufacturing process.
This is usually done by placing a skin cover 2 over a lower mold and assembling the lower mold with an upper mold such that edges of the skin cover 2 is pinched between parting lines between the upper mold and the lower mold, and then pouring liquid foam resin into a space between the upper mold and the lower mold which will become a pad member 3 covered with the skin cover 2 after the foaming process.
The skin cover 2 is often made of a surface skin 2a such as a cloth or vinyl chloride leather, on back of which a wadding 2b made of such material as slab urethane is attached.
The surface skin 2a and the wadding 2b of the skin cover 2 is attached by applying adhesive on one of their mutually facing sides, or is flame laminated by melting a surface of the wadding 2b by a flame treatment.
However, the conventional skin covered foamed plastic article has the following problems.
First, in a case the pad member 3 is separately premanufactured and this pad member 3 is covered by the skin cover 2 later, the manufacturing process becomes cumbersome, togetherness of the skin cover 2 and the pad member 3 is lost, the softness of the skin covered foamed plastic article 1 is obtained only from the softness of the pad member 3, and the deflection curve of the skin covered foamed plastic article 1 is fixed, so that it has been impossible to improve the comfortableness of a sitter.
Also, when the skin cover 2 comprising a surface skin 2a on a front side and a wadding 2b attached on a back side of the surface skin 2a is placed on the lower mold and liquid foam resin is poured inside the skin cover 2, the liquid foam resin penetrated into the wadding 2b on the back side of the skin cover 2 irregularly to form a penetrated portion 5, which worsened a feel of the skin cover 2 enormously. Namely, in pouring the liquid foam resin, pouring pressure and foaming pressure are exerted strongly on a part of the wadding 2b, so that the penetrated portion 5 is formed at this part, or a penetrated layer of irregular thickness is formed, which made the softness of the skin covered foamed plastic article 1 irregular and worsened the feel and comfortableness of the skin covered foamed plastic article 1.
Furthermore, the penetrated layer 5 is not formed uniformly such that there appears portions where the amount of penetration is large, and in such portions where the amount of penetration is large there has been a problem that the penetration could reach the surface skin 2a so that the liquid foam resin leaks from and damages the surface skin 2a. For this reason, the thickness of the wadding 2b cannot be made thinner.
In addition, the conventional skin cover 2 has not matched well with the foaming mold, so that when the skin cover 2 is place on the foaming mold, the skin cover 2 does not fit tightly on the foaming mold, which made the process of placing difficult, and the skin cover 2 may develop wrinkles as it is place on the foaming mold.
Moreover, in attaching the surface skin 2a and the wadding 2b of the skin cover 2, the application of adhesive is uneconomical as the adhesive is expensive. On the other hand, for the flame laminated case, the surface skin 2a and the wadding 2b do not stick together when the melting is insufficient, or the wadding 2b stiffens when the melting is excessive so that the matching with the foaming mold worsens, the wrinkles appear, and a feel is hardened.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a skin covered foamed plastic article which has a superior softness, in which the softness is varied in a direction of depth of the pad member and the wadding, and which can improve the feel and the comfortableness of the sitter.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a skin covered foamed plastic article having a skin cover which is capable of improving the feel of the skin cover and reducing the amount of penetration of the liquid foam resin into the wadding such that even with a thin wadding the leakage of the liquid foam resin to the front side of the surface skin and the damaging of the skin cover can be prevented, and which matches well with the foaming mold so that it can be made to fit tightly to the foaming mold without producing wrinkles and can be manufactured by flame lamination without using adhesive so that it is economical and the attachment can be strong without destroying materials of the skin cover and the wadding.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a skin covered foamed plastic article, comprising: a pad member; and a skin cover to cover the pad member, including: a surface skin to be an outer surface of the skin covered foamed plastic article; and a wadding to be attached on a back side of the surface skin and to make a direct contact with the pad member, having a soft layer contacting the surface skin and a hard layer contacting the pad member which has a constant thickness and is made to be harder than both the soft layer and the pad member.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a skin covered foamed plastic article, comprising: a pad member; and a skin cover to cover the pad member, including: a surface skin to be an outer surface of the skin covered foamed plastic article; and a wadding to be attached on a back side of the surface skin and to make a direct contact with the pad member, having an air permeability of not greater than 120 cc/cm 2 /sec, a density of 20 to 35 kg/m 3 , and a cell number of 40 to 50/25 mm.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a skin covered foamed plastic article, comprising: a pad member; and a skin cover to cover the pad member, including: a surface skin to be an outer surface of the skin covered foamed plastic article; and a wadding to be attached on a back side of the surface skin and to make a direct contact with the pad member, being flame laminated to the surface skin with a surface facing the surface skin being melted for not less than 0.3 mm and less than 0.8 mm thickness.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a part of a conventional skin covered foamed plastic article.
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a part of one embodiment of a skin covered foamed plastic article according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of a part of a skin cover for the skin covered foamed plastic article of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown one embodiment of a skin covered foamed plastic article according to the present invention.
In this embodiment, a skin covered foamed plastic article 11 comprises a skin cover 12 and a pad member 16.
The skin covered foamed plastic article 11 is formed by placing the skin cover 12 on a foaming mold (not shown), pouring the liquid foam resin, and forming the pad member 16 together with the skin cover 12 in the foaming process.
As shown in FIG. 3, the skin cover 12 of this skin covered foamed plastic article 11 includes a surface skin 13 on a front side, which has a short brushes like surface, and a wadding 14 made of such material as slab-urethane, foamed plastic sheet, or thermoplastic resin sheet which is attached on a back side of the surface skin 13. On the back side of the wadding 14, a hard layer 14a into which the liquid foam resin is uniformly penetrated is formed, while on the front side of the wadding 14, a soft layer 14b into which the liquid foam resin is not penetrated is formed. The hard layer 14a is made to be harder than both the pad member 16 and the soft layer 14b.
Here, as a method of making the hard layer 14a and the soft layer 14b on the wadding 14 uniformly, the hard layer 14a may be prepared by applying the liquid foam resin uniformly to the wadding 14 of the skin cover 12 beforehand by spraying or by other ways. Also, the hard layer 14a may be formed as a uniform penetrated layer obtained by placing the skin cover on the foaming mold, placing this foaming mold in a prescribed pressure control room, and controlling the pressure inside the foaming mold when pouring the liquid foam resin. The thickness of this hard layer 14a is preferably be in a range of 1 to 5 mm.
The wadding 14 as a whole has a thickness in a range of 3 to 15 mm within which the thickness is suitably varied for different parts of the skin covered foamed plastic article 11, such as, for instance, 10 mm for a main portion and 5 mm for a side portion of a seat cushion when the skin covered foamed plastic article 11 is to be used as a seat cushion or a seat back.
In addition, the wadding 14 of this embodiment is made to have the air permeability of not greater than 120 cc/cm 2 /sec, the density of 20 to 35 kg/m 3 , and the cell number of 40 to 50/25 mm. For a comparison, a conventional wadding has the large air permeability of 150 to 250 cc/cm 2 /sec, and the small cell number of 35 to 40/25 mm. The density of 20 to 35 kg/m 3 is the same for both.
With the skin cover 12 of this embodiment having such properties placed on a foaming mold (not shown) and the liquid foam resin is poured inside the wadding 14, an extremely desirable result of the penetrated layer with no more than 1 to 3 mm thickness had been obtained.
The surface skin 13 and the wadding 14 of the skin cover 12 are flame laminated with a surface of the wadding 14 facing the surface skin 13 being melted for not less than 0.3 mm and less than 0.8 mm thickness, or more preferably 0.5 mm thickness. When the surface skin 13 and the wadding 14 are flame laminated with 0.5 mm thickness, the strength against exfoliation is 0.4 kg/25 mm, which is very large. In contrast, when the surface skin 13 and the wadding 14 are flame laminated with less than 0.3 mm thickness, such as 0.1 mm for instance, the strength against exfoliation is 0.05 kg/25 mm so that the surface skin 13 and the wadding 14 can easily come off, whereas when the surface skin 13 and the wadding 14 are flame laminated with more than 0.8 mm thickness, the surface of the wadding 14 stiffens so that the matching with the foaming mold worsens, the wrinkles appear on the surface skin 13, and a feel of the skin covered foamed plastic article 11 is hardened.
Thus, according to this embodiment, the liquid foam resin is made to penetrate into the back side of the wadding 14 by a constant thickness to form the hard layer 14a, while the soft layer 14b is formed on the front side of the wadding 14 into which the liquid foam resin is not penetrated so that it is possible to obtain a skin covered foamed plastic article in which the feel and the comfortableness can be improved, and the efficiency of manufacturing process can be improved as it is formed together at once.
Furthermore, the wadding 14 is made to have the small air permeability of not greater than 120 cc/cm 2 /sec, the density of 20 to 35 kg/m 3 , and the large cell number of 40 to 50/25 mm, so that the amount of penetration of the liquid foam resin can be reduced drastically. This, in turn, makes it possible for the wadding 14 to be made thinner than usual without resulting in the leakage of the liquid foam resin from the surface skin 13 and damaging of the skin cover 12, so that the skin covered foamed plastic article 11 of superior appearance and feel can be obtained.
Moreover, the surface skin 13 and the wadding 14 of the skin cover 12 are flame laminated with the surface of the wadding 14 being melted for not less than 0.3 mm and less than 0.8 mm thickness, or more preferably 0.5 mm thickness, This enable the attachment of the surface skin 13 and the wadding 14 to be sufficiently strong, the feel of the skin covered foamed plastic article 11 to be superior, the manufacturing of the skin covered foamed plastic article 11 to be economical, and makes it possible to obtain the skin covered foamed plastic article 11 which can match well with the foaming mold, which does not produce wrinkles, and which has superior appearance and feel.
The superiority of the skin covered foamed plastic article according to the present invention over the conventional skin covered foamed plastic article has been checked by measuring the distribution of the pressure exerted on the sitter by various parts of the skin covered foamed plastic article, which showed that the distribution become much less irregular with the skin covered foamed plastic article according to the present invention. This implies that the sitter will feel more uniformly distributed bounces from the seat made of the skin covered foamed plastic article according to the present invention. Thus, the more comfortable seating can be provided by the present invention.
It is to be noted that many modifications and variations of the above embodiment may be made without departing from the novel and advantageous features of the present invention. Accordingly, all such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.
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A skin covered foamed plastic article capable of providing improved softness, feel and comfortableness by reducing the amount of penetration of the liquid foam resin into the skin cover with a thin wadding. The article includes a wadding to be attached on a back side of the surface skin and to make a direct contact with the pad member, having a soft layer contacting the surface skin and a hard layer contacting the pad member which has a constant thickness and is made to be harder than both the soft layer and the pad member.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of preparing a boric acid modified aminoamide compound and a lubricating oil composition containing the same.
2. Prior Art
Aminoamide compounds have been found useful as a dispersant for engine oil, particularly two stroke cycle engine oil. It is well known that about 9-20 weight percent of aminoamide dispersants are formulated in an engine oil typically conforming to outboard two stroke cycle engine oil specification, namely, NMMA TC-W or TC-WII. However, due to their lack of thermal stability, the conventional aminoamide dispersants were often found incapable of detergency performance and preventing piston ring sticking when exposed to elevated temperature in an outboard high-output engine or an air-cooled two stroke cycle motorcycle engine. A growing demand has therefore arisen for such aminoamide dispersants which retain their intrinsic low-temperature detergency performance and yet demonstrate enhanced detergency capabilities at high temperature.
It is also known to modify dispersants such as succinimide by modifying with boric acid thereby improving high-temperature performance, but with no significant results. No reports however have heretofore been made on the treatment of aminoamide dispersants with boric acid.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
With the foregoing difficulties of the prior art in view, the present invention seeks to provide a method of making a boric acid modified aminoamide compound which can afford an oil having high thermal stability and good cleanliness at high temperature.
The invention further seeks to provide a lubricating oil composition which incorporates a boric acid modified aminoamide compound.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of preparing a boric acid modified aminoamide compound which comprises reacting, in the presence of a hydrocarbon solvent, an aminoamide compound with a boric acid of the group consisting of orthoboric acid, metaboric acid, tetraboric acid and mixtures thereof, the boric acid being added in an amount of 0.05-5.0 mol per mol of the aminoamide compound, the reaction being effected at the reflux temperature of the hydrocarbon solvent.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a lubricating oil additive chiefly comprising a boric acid modified aminoamide compound resulting from the reaction of an aminoamide compound with a boric acid.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a lubricating oil composition comprising a mineral oil and/or a synthetic oil and a boric acid modified aminoamide compound resulting from the reaction of an aminoamide compound with a boric acid, the modified aminoamide compound being added in an amount of 1-30 percent by weight based on the total weight of the oil composition.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The term aminoamide compound as used herein typically designates an acylated polyalkylenepolyamine.
Polyalkylenepolyamine is represented by the general formula
H.sub.2 N(--R--NH).sub.n --H (I)
wherein R is an alkylene group of preferably 2-3 carbon atoms and n is an integer of from 2 to 11.
Specific examples of polyalkylenepolyamine include diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine, pentaethylenehexamine, hexaethyleneheptamine, heptaethyleneoctamine, octaethylenenonamine, nonaethylenedecamine, decaethyleneundecamine, undecaethylenedodecamine, dipropylenetriamine, tripropylenetetramine, tetrapropylenepentamine, pentapropylenehexamine, hexapropyleneheptamine, heptapropyleneoctamine, octapropylenenonamine, nonapropylenedecamine, decapropyleneundecamine, undecapropylenedodecamine, di(trimethylene)triamine, tri(trimethylene)tetramine, tetra(trimethylene)pentamine, penta(triethylene)hexamine, hexa(trimethylene)heptamine, hepta(trimethylene)octamine, octa(trimethylene)nonamine, nona(trimethylene)decamine, deca(trimethylene)undecamine and undeca(trimethylene)dodecamine.
Polyalkylenepolyamine is subjected to acylation with an agent such as a fatty acid of 6-30 carbon atoms, preferably a saturated fatty acid of 12-30 carbon atoms, or fatty acid derivatives such as halides and anhydrides of such fatty acids. Specific examples include fatty acids and derivatives thereof having a straight chain or branched structure such as dodecanoic acid, tridecanoic acid tetradecanoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, heptadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, nonadecanoic acid, eicosenoic acid and mixtures thereof.
These acylating agents are used in an amount preferably of 0.1-1 mol per mol of polyalkylenepolyamine. Acylation reaction conditions such as temperature, time length, catalyst and solvent are optional as observed in normal acylation practice, depending upon the type of polyalkylenepolyamine and acylating agent used.
The aminoamide compound thus synthesized is represented by the general formula ##STR1## where X is a hydrogen atom or acyl group; R' is a hydrocarbon group derived from a fatty acid; l and m is l+m=n (see Formula I); and [] denotes that the groups in ( ) are randomly copolymerized, noting that at least one acyl group is present in the molecule.
For further details of aminoamide compounds, reference is made to, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 39-3115.
The boric acid used herein for reaction with the aminoamide compounds includes orthoboric acid, metaboric acid, tetraboric acid, anhydrous boric acid and mixtures thereof, and is added in an amount of 0.05-5.0 mols, preferably 0.1-3.0 mols per mol of aminoamide compound.
There is no particular restriction imposed upon the manner and conditions for the reaction of the aminoamide compound with the boric acid. This reaction may be typically carried out in the following manner. The aminoamide compound and the boric acid are introduced into a suitable reactor in the presence of a hydrocarbon solvent having a boiling point above 60° C. such as benzene, toluene and xylene. Other eligible solvents are petroleum solvents such as benzine, ligroin, mineral spirit and cleaning solvent and mineral oil fractions such as naphtha, kerosine, gas oil and lubricant fraction. The admixture is then heated with stirring and refluxed at the solvent boiling point. Refluxing is continued for 1-5 hours, preferably 2-4 hours, followed by stopping the heat and subsequently by dehydration with sodium sulfide or magnesium sulfide. The solvent is then removed, followed if necessary by vacuum distillation or other refining treatment to obtain a desired aminoamide as modified with a boric acid.
The inventive boric acid modified aminoamide may be effectively used as an additive to a mineral oil and/or a synthetic base oil to produce a lubricating oil composition. There is no particular limitation to the base oil. This oil may be any oil known for use as a lubricating base oil. The mineral oil referred to herein may be paraffinic or naphthanic lubricating oil fractions derived from topping or vacuum distillation of a crude oil and treated by solvent-deasphalting, solvent-extraction, hydrogenative decomposition, solvent or catalytic dewaxing, hydrogenation, sulfur washing, clay and like refining processes. When the inventive lubricating oil is used for two stroke cycle engines, there may be used hydrocarbon solvents such as benzine, ligroin, mineral spirit, cleaning solvent, naphtha fractions, kerosene fractions, gas oil fractions, n-paraffin and iso-paraffin.
The synthetic oil referred to herein includes poly-α-olefin(polybutene, 1-octenoligomer, 1-decenoligomer), alkylbenzene, alkylnaphthalene, diester(ditridecylglutalate, di-2-ethylhexyladipate, diisodecyladipate, ditridecyladipate, di-2-ethylhexylsebacate), polyolesterer(trimethylolpropanecaprylate, trimethylolpropanepelargonaate, pentaerythritol-2-ethylhexanoate, pentaerythritolpelargonate), polyoxyalkyleneglycol, polyphenylether and perfluoroalkylether. These base oils may be used alone or in combination.
In preparing a lubricating oil composition by incorporating the inventive boric acid modified aminoamide compound into a mineral oil and/or a synthetic oil, the modified aminoamide compound is used in an amount of 1-30 weight percent, preferably 3-20 weight percent based on the total weight of the composition.
The lubricating oil composition provided by the invention finds extensive application ranging from gasoline engine oil (four stroke cycle and two stroke cycle), diesel engine oil, hydraulic oil, gear oil, to automatic transmission oil, and may be blended if desired with conventional additives such as metal cleaning agent, non-ash dispersant, extreme pressure additive, friction reducing agent, rust-proofing agent, corrosion inhibitor, defoaming agent, pour point reducing agent, viscosity index improver and oxidation inhibitor.
The invention will be further described by way of the following examples which are provided for purposes of illustration and should not be construed as limiting the invention thereto.
Preparation of Aminoamide Compound
A 1,000 ml round-bottom flask equipped with stirrer, reflux condenser, thermometer and nitrogen feed tube was charged with 0.1 mol (19 g) of tetraethylenepentamine, 200 ml of 10% sodium hydroxide solution and 300 ml of benzene and cooled to below 5° C. in an ice bath, followed by addition in droplets of 0.2 mol (60.5 g) of isooctadecanoic acid chloride over a period of one hour.
The admixture was then stirred at below 5° C. for one hour and thereafter re-heated and refluxed at the boiling point of benzene for a period of one hour. The reaction was discontinued. The reactor was let cooled and its contents were subjected to separation in a separating funnel. The upper separated layer of benzene was washed with 300 ml of deionized water repeatedly over five times. The reaction product was dehydrated with anhydrous sodium sulfide, followed by removal of benzene. There were obtained 68 g of light yellowish transparent viscous liquid. The resulting reaction product was analyzed to reveal 75.2 weight percent of carbon, 13.1 weight percent of hydrogen and 9.2 weight percent of nitrogen.
INVENTIVE EXAMPLE 1
50 g of aminoamide obtained as above were charged into a 500 ml reactor having a trap for the water formed between the flask and the reflux condenser and otherwise similar to the reactor used as above. 300 ml of toluene and 0.035 mol (2.15 g) of boric acid were added. Heating with stirring was initiated, followed by refluxing at the boiling point of toluene until about 0.5 ml of water was distilled out (over about three hours), when heating was discontinued. The reactor was let cooled and its contents were dehydrated with anhydrous sodium sulfide, and toluene was removed by distillation. The resulting reaction product was a liquid more viscous than the aminoamide compound.
INVENTIVE EXAMPLE 2
The procedure of Inventive Example 1 was followed except that the amount of boric acid added was 0.07 mol (4.3 g) and that heating was discontinued when about 1 ml of water distilled out. There were obtained 53 g of liquid product more viscous than the aminoamide compound. Analysis of the reaction product showed 74.8 wt % of carbon, 12.8 wt % of hydrogen, 9.1 wt % of nitrogen and 0.7 wt % of boric acid.
INVENTIVE EXAMPLE 3
The procedure of Inventive Example 1 was followed except that the amount of boric acid added was 0.14 mol (8.6 g) and that heating was discontinued when about 2 ml of water distilled out. The resulting liquid product was more viscous than the aminoamide compound.
INVENTIVE EXAMPLE 4
A 2,000 ml reactor similar to that which was used in Inventive Example 1 was charged with 1,000 g of aminoamide dispersant (tradenamed OLOA 340D of Chevron Research Company), 300 ml of xylene and 0.94 mol (58.3 g) of boric acid. Heating with stirring was initiated, followed by refluxing at the boiling point of xylene until about 7 ml of water distilled out (over about three hours), at which time point heating was discontinued. The reactor was let cooled and its contents were dehydrated with anhydrous sodium sulfide, and xylene was distilled off. The resulting reaction product was more viscous than the aminoamide compound.
Laboratory Evaluation Test
The reaction products, i.e. boric acid modified aminoamide compounds obtained in Inventive Examples 1-4 above, were each added to a base oil for two stroke cycle engine and tested for thermal stability (high temperature cleanliness) by a hot tube test (HTT), details of which test are disclosed in SAE Paper 887619 (1988).
The results of the HTT are known to be highly analogous to those of actual engine tests, and therefore the HTT is widely utilized as a screening test prior to engine testing. The HTT test results are shown in Table 1 below, in which the degrees to which the test oil became deteriorated are represented by a numerical order where the higher the number, the better are the results. The numerical value of "10" denotes that there was no deposit or no lacquer-like color on the inner wall of a glass tube through which the oil was passed in heat and oxidation atmosphere. The "0" value is indicative of the glass wall being stained black.
TABLE 1______________________________________ Inventive Example Comparative ExampleTest Oil 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4______________________________________Additive Inventive Example 1 2 3 4 *1 *2 *3 *4HTT Rating Point 8 10 10 8 2 0 3 3(280° C., 16 hrs)10 = best 0 = worst______________________________________ Note: *1 is the aminoamide prepared as herein above. *2 is a commercially available aminoamide dispersant. *3 is a commercially available succinimide dispersant. *4 is a commercially available boric acid modified succinimide dispersant
The base oil used and the amount of 3.5 wt % of the inventive modified aminoamide compound added were the same throughout Inventive Examples 5-8. Comparative Examples 1-4 were conventional lubricating oil compositions each with additives other than the inventive additive.
HTT test was made for another set of lubricating oil compositions comprised of ester-based base oils for two stroke cycle engines incorporating the inventive boric acid modified aminoamide compound and comparatively for conventional counterparts, with the results shown in Table 2.
TABLE 2______________________________________ Inventive Example Comparative ExampleTest Oil 9 10 11 8 5 6 7 8______________________________________Additive Inventive Example 1 2 3 4 *1 *2 *3 *4HTT Rating Point(16 hrs)240° C. 10 10 -- -- 10 10 -- --260° C. 10 10 -- -- 10 10 7 8270° C. 10 10 -- -- 0 0 5 6280° C. 10 10 10 10 0 0 3 5______________________________________ Note: *1 to *4 are same as Table 1.
Engine Test
This test was conducted with an air-cooled 249 cc engine of V-2 cylinder type mounted on a sports motorcycle running under speed-way conditions set forth in Table 3 below.
TABLE 3______________________________________Engine Speed 6000-7000-9000 rpmEngine Load 100%One-Cycle 10-5-45 min.Test Time 5 cycle (5 hrs)Plug Gasket Temperature 100-110° C.Fuel: Oil Ratio 30:1 (Injection)______________________________________
Engine test results are shown in Table 4, demonstrating that the inventive lubricating oil compositions provide improved piston cleanliness over the conventional counterparts, particularly in view of significantly reduced deposits on piston underhead or cylinder head.
TABLE 4______________________________________ Inventive Inventive ComparativeTest Oil Example 13 Example 14 Example 9Additive Inventive Inventive Comparative Example 4 Example 4 Example 2Amount of Additive 15 wt % 10 wt % 15 wt %______________________________________Piston Ring top 9.7 9.7 9.7Sticking second 10 10 10DepositsPiston Ring top 6.7 6.3 5.1Land second 10 9.9 9.3Piston Skirt 9.6 9.5 8.9Piston Undercrown 6.8 7.6 3.1Engine Cleanliness 52.8 53.0 46.1(total merit rating,60 = best)______________________________________
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A method of making a novel lubricant additive comprising a boric acid modified aminoamide compound is disclosed. A lubricating oil composition incorporating the modified aminoamide compound is also disclosed, which exhibits enhanced high-temperature cleanliness when used particularly for two stroke cycle engines.
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TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention deals with a mixing valve consisting of a faucet body, a cartridge assembly inserted within the faucet body, a control mechanism, a support seat for fixing a valve plate of hard material thereto, a seal placed between the fixed valve plate and the support seat, and a movable valve plate connected to the control mechanism for relative sliding movement with the fixed valve plate so as to regulate the flow rate and the mixing proportions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In order to achieve an effective closing, a fixed valve element commonly referred to as a fixed valve plate, and a movable valve plate of the mixing valve must be pressed against each other with a compressive force greater than the force exerted by the pressure of the flowing water because, otherwise, the water pressure would separate the movable valve plate from the fixed valve element preventing them to be closed, and similarly a compressive force must be applied between the fixed valve plate and its own support surface so as to compress a seal therebetween either to assure proper function of the seal or to prevent an ejection of the seal itself or its deformation in case excessive pressures should occur.
In most cases, the minimum compressive force necessary to compress the seal and to hold it tightly in its correct position is much higher than the minimum compressive force necessary to keep the fixed valve plate and the movable valve plate in operative contact. In known cartridge valve structures, the fixed valve plate is simply resting on a support seat in a bottom portion of a replaceable cartridge inside the faucet body and a compressive force is exerted between the movable valve plate and support seat which pushes the support seat toward the movable valve plate or vice versa.
As a consequence, the exerted compressive force must be at least equal to or greater than the higher one of the two minimum compressive forces needed for the specified purposes. In other words, the applied compressive force is equal to the compressive force necessary to compress the seal and hold it tightly in its correct position. The compressive force is thus unnecessarily high for the purpose of keeping the movable valve plate in contact with the fixed valve plate. Because of such excessively high force applied between the movable plate and fixed plate, the faucet is harder to operate and needless mechanical stresses of the parts are introduced. A cartridge valve in which its bottom portion is hydraulically biased to produce a compressive force between the fixed valve plate and movable valve plate are particularly disadvantaged by the above mentioned excessively high compressive forces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, a mixing valve is constructed such that a compressive force greater than the compressive force between the fixed valve element and movable valve plate can be exerted onto the seal placed between the fixed valve element and its own support seat. The construction is achieved, according to the invention, with a certain attachment mechanism which connects the fixed valve element to its own support seat with the seal compressed between them and by keeping these parts under a compressive force.
Due to this construction, the compression of the seal beneath the fixed valve element is determined by the elastic and geometrical characteristics of the seal itself, the attachment mechanism and the connected parts. The compressive force is continuously applied on the attachment mechanism, the fixed valve element, its support seat, and the seals, independent of the forces applied from outside onto the fixed valve element and onto the support element.
Any external applied compressive forces can then have its magnitude determined exclusively to produce the necessary operating sealing contact between the fixed valve element and the movable valve plate. The compressive force between the fixed valve element and movable valve plate can be chosen by considering only the needs of contact between the fixed valve element and movable plate and without considering the fixing and compression of the seal under the fixed valve element.
The compressive force exerted between the plates can be either produced by an elastic element such as a spring or can be produced by exertion of water pressure on a bottom portion of the support seat which acts as a piston to push the fixed plate against the movable plate. The compressive force exerted between the plates can be greatly reduced thus obtaining a most easily operated mixing valve faucet free from the excessive frictional forces commonly existing between the plates.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 shows the side sectional view of a mixing valve including a cartridge according to the first embodiment of the invention;
FIGS. 2 through 4 similarly show side sectional views of the bottom cover assembly for a faucet cartridge including the fixed valve plate and its attachment mechanism in accordance with some alternate embodiments of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The faucet shown in FIG. 1 includes a body 1 that has two inlet pipes 7 and 8 connected thereto for the passage of hot and cold water. The body 1 has an internal chamber 2 that houses a cartridge and forms an annular periphery 2a communicating with an outlet port 2b. On the opposite side to the pipes 7 and 8, the chamber 2 is closed by a lid 5 threadedly connected to body 1. A seal 6 is interposed to prevent leakage.
The cartridge consists of a lower member 10 which is preferably made from plastic and is capable of axial motion in the chamber 2 of the faucet body 1. The lower member 10 has a bottom section 9 which has two depending male connections 11 and 12 provided with seals 11b and 12b which get sealed into female seats 3 and 4 provided in the faucet body Seats 3 and 4 have openings 3a and 4a therethrough. The bottom section 9 of the cover 10 has passages 11a and 12a through the respective connections 11 and 12 in communication with openings 3a and 4a and extend upward through a surface 9a that forms a support seat for a fixed valve plate 18 of the faucet.
The passages 11a and 12a are surrounded by the seals 16 and 17. In the present embodiment, the seals 16 and 17 comprise two separate annular pieces housed in corresponding annular grooves recessed in the bottom section 9 of the cover 10.
The seals 16 and 17, however, can be replaced by a single piece having a more complex form. The seals 16 and 17 function to seal between the support surface 9a and the fixed plate 18. The plate 18 has two openings 18a and 18b aligned with the passages 11a and 12a for the passage of hot and cold water.
A movable valve plate 19 abuts the fixed valve plate 18 and is attached to a control mechanism to move the valve plate 19. In particular, the movable valve plate 19 is affixed to a control slide 20 surrounded by a control ring 21 which is rotatably mounted in the cover 10. The slide 20 abuts on the opposite side from the plate 19 against a half bearing 22 fixed in the opening of the cover 10. The half bearing 22 abuts against the lid 5 which closes the faucet body 2. Another half bearing 23 is housed in the lid 5. An articulation ball 25 with a seal 24 is interposed between the half bearings 22 and 23.
An arm 26 extends outwardly from the ball 25. A cap 28 with an operating lever 29 is connected to the arm 26. A flat key 27 downwardly depends from ball 25 which is received in a corresponding seat of the control slide 20. The control mechanism, by various rotating and tilting of the lever 29, shifts the control slide 20 and the movable plate 19 mounted thereto, both in translation and rotation, relative to the fixed plate 18 so as to regulate, as desired, fluid flow from the pipes 7 and 8 which mix in the annular chamber periphery 2a where the mixed flow then exits outlet 2b.
In the space between the bottom section 9 of the cartridge cover 10 and the bottom of the faucet body 1, a spring 30 is positioned consisting of a disk bored for the passage of the connections 11 and 12 and arched so as to provide a repulsive force between the bottom of the body 1 and the bottom section 9 of the cartridge cover 10. Other spring constructions are possible such as elastomeric rings placed beneath the connections 11 and 12 or between the bottom 9 and body 1.
The fixed valve plate 18 is not simply resting on the support element consisting of the bottom 9 of the cartridge cover 10 as is known in the prior art, but it is secured to it by an attachment mechanism placed in such a way as to keep the seals 16 and 17 under compression.
Particularly, in the form represented in FIG. 1, the fixed plate 18 has a recessed central seat constructed to receive a screw head 31 whose threaded stem is screwed into the bottom 9 of the cartridge cover 10. The different parts are sized in such a way that, when the screw 31 is screwed down and keeps the fixed plate 18 positively in contact with the bottom 9. The seals 16 and 17 are compressed from a compressive force adequate to guarantee the sealing between the bottom 9 and the fixed plate 18 and to maintain the seals 16 and 17 in their seats against every action tending to eject them or deform them. This compressive force, which can also be high, is kept between the parts 9, 16, 17, 18, 31 without influencing the other faucet components.
Independently of the water pressure, the spring 30 applies a force onto the bottom of the cartridge cover 10 directed toward the lid 5. This force is transmitted from the bottom section 9 of the cover 10 to the fixed plate 18 and from the latter to the movable plate 19, to the slide 20, to the half bearing 22 and to the lid 5. This force keeps the cartridge bottom 10 in contact with the fixed plate 18 (through the seals 16 and 17 which result to be compressed by this force) and the plates 18 and 19 in contact with each other as well, providing them with a sealing contact. This force must be sufficient to guarantee a regular working of the faucet at low pressures.
The elastic spring 30, working between the faucet body and the cartridge, can be constructed so as to supply the minimum necessary compressive force for sealing contact between the plates 18 and 19. In many instances, spring 30 can be eliminated.
The water pressure, fed by the pipes 7 and 8, works on the connections 11 and 12 like they were pistons, by pushing them toward the plates 18 and 19 and through an opportune sizing of the different parts, it produces a force which transmits itself, like the one already considered, as far as the lid 5 and which increases the compressive force between the plates 18 and 19 for the effective working pressure by guaranteeing a correct behavior.
As the compressive force applied on the seals 16 and 17 does not affect any other faucet parts it therefore can be chosen higher than usual. Thus a higher freedom is afforded in planning these seals which can have a larger section or a more resilient force than those usually accepted for necessity. The screw 31 allows, if necessary, disassembly of the fixed plate off the cartridge but, in most cases, it is not required that such disassembly be carried out. Because the seals 16 and 17 are compressed independently of spring 30, the spring 30 no longer needs to supply the relatively high compressive force which is enough to compress the seals 16 and 17 and is widely excessive, in most cases, for the sealing contact between the plates 18 and 19 whose adhesion therefore occurs under an unnecessarily high pressure. This disadvantage of the previous valves is thereby eliminated.
Referring to FIG. 2, the fixed plate 18 with its central seat 15 can be held by a protuberance 13 integrally formed with the cartridge bottom 9 and can be hot pressed or pressed by using ultrasounds so as to form an enlarged head 13a while, during such operation, the plate 18 is being forced downwardly against the bottom 9 by a punch which supplies the necessary force to the compression of the seals 16 and 17 during assembly. The enlarged head 13a retains the plate 18 and provides the compressive force transmitted to seals 16 and 17.
Even other arrangements can be foreseen to cooperate with the central seat 15 of the fixed plate 18, for instance rivets, bent elements, strong elastic release teeth, and so on.
In FIG. 3 the fixed plate 18c can also be held against the bottom 9 of the cartridge cover by compressing the seals 16 and 17 and by notching the periphery of the plate and not in its center as it occurs in the previous valve forms. The plate 18c, according to FIG. 3, has a peripheral lowered seat 14 where some projections 32 of the cartridge cover 10 are engaged and provide the compressive force on seals 16 and 17. The projections 32 can consist of strong elastic release teeth or can be portions of the cover deformed by heat or by ultrasounds or in some other way, while the plate 18c, during such operation, is being pushed by a punch so as to compress the seals.
As shown in FIG. 4, the retention of the fixed plate 18c against the bottom 9 about its periphery can also be realized through an additional tool, like a ring 33 introduced into the lowered seat 14 of the disk and made integral to the cartridge cover 10. The ring can be made of plastics and can be fixed to the cover 10 through soldering or gluing or it can consist of an elastic ring which fixes itself through expansion (in this case it can be metallic). The fixed plate 18c could also be retained against the bottom 9 by a combination of either peripheral or central located attachments; i.e. by combining an embodiment like those shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 with an embodiment like those in FIGS. 1 and 2.
The seals 11b and 12b interposed between the support element and the body bottom, are desired to not cause higher axial thrust than the minimum compressive force required for the sealing contact between the plates. Radial seals 11b and 12b like the ones shown in FIG. 1, seals exerting only a moderate axial thrust or more complex seals whose axial thrust (or part of it), is somehow compensated without the thrust being transferred between the faucet plates.
Of course, different modifications, in addition to those already mentioned, can be used. For example, the fixing of the plate 18 could be made through two screws (like 31) placed along a diameter of the disk or through three screws placed like a triangle and so on.
Variations and modifications of the present invention are possible without departing from the scope and spirit as defined in the appended claims.
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A mixing valve includes a faucet body (1), a control mechanism, a support surface (9a) for a fixed valve plate (18) mounted on this support surface, a seal (16, 17) placed between the fixed plate and the support surface and a movable valve plate (19) connected to the control mechanism and appointed to shift in sliding contact with the fixed plate so as to regulate the flow rate and the mixing proportions. An attachment mechanism (31) connects the fixed plate to the support surface, the seal being compressed between them, by these parts exerting a compressive force. The compression of the seal is therefore made independent of the pressure between the fixed and the movable plates which can then be reduced to render better sliding and working of the valve plates. The attachment mechanism can be fixed or removable, and can work near the center of the fixed plate or along its border or in both positions.
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GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
Certain of the inventors have been supported by National Science Foundation MRL Program grant DMR 88-19885.
This is a division of application Ser. No. 738,888, filed Aug. 1, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,479.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to metal-doped fullerenes and, more particularly, to stoichiometrically-controlled methods for their preparation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
C 60 is the prototypical member of a family of soccer ball-shaped, aromatic, cage molecules, called fullerenes, which comprise varying numbers of covalently-bound carbon atoms. Macroscopic quantities of fullerenes in solid form were first disclosed by Kratschmer, et al., Nature, 1990, 347, 354, who called the material "fullerite". The mass spectrum, x-ray diffraction data, and infrared and ultraviolet/visible spectra for this material indicated that it contains a mixture of fullerenes, with C 60 the predominant species and C 70 present in appreciable amounts. Fullerenes comprising 76, 84, 90, and 94 carbon atoms have also been reported.
Hebard, et al., Nature, 1991, 350, 600, have reported that potassium-doped C 60 is a superconductor having a superconducting transition temperature (T c ) of 18 K. Also, Rossensky, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 1991, 66, 2830 have reported that rubidium-doped C 60 is a superconductor with a T c of 28 K. Holczer, et al., Science, 1991 252 1154, have confirmed and extended these findings to include the superconducting properties of C 60 doped with a variety of alkali metals. Holczer, et al. indicate that a single, potassium-doped C 60 phase--K 3 C 60 --is the superconducting phase, with a T c of 19.3 K, and that neither under- nor overdoped phases are superconducting. In addition, Ebbsen, et al., Nature., 1991, 352 222, have disclosed ternary fullerenes doped with cesium and rubidium having T c of 33 K.
Despite the apparent utility of metal-doped fullerenes, there presently exists no simple, stoichiometrically-controlled method for their synthesis. Typically, a procedure such as disclosed by Holczer, et al. is employed, wherein a sample of C 60 is treated directly with a measured portion of the desired metal to give a stoichiometry M 3 C 60 . However, since it is generally desirable to use a minimum amount of the relatively expensive C 60 , the amount of metal required typically is quite small and difficult to accurately dispense. Thus, given that the superconductivity of metal doped fullerenes is sensitive to the exact degree of doping, it is difficult to produce materials of controlled superconductivity using procedures such as disclosed by Holczer, et al. Wang, et al., Inorg. Chem., 1991, 30 2838 and Inorg. Chem., 1991, 30 2962, have disclosed a procedure utilizing solution synthesis, but this technique also appears to suffer from problems with stoichiometric control.
Lieber, et al., Nature, 1991, 352, 223, have disclosed a procedure which provides greater degree of control over the stoichiometry of the doping process. This procedure requires the employment of binary alloys comprising both heavy metals and alkali metals wherein the heavy metal serves to decrease the reactivity of the alkali metal. However, Kraus, et al., Z. Phys. B (submitted) have indicated that the heavy metal may actually be deleterious to the superconductivity of the doped material.
Accordingly, it is a one object of the present invention to provide compositions of metal-doped fullerenes comprising a relatively high percentage of the superconducting phase. It is a further object to provide a simple yet stoichiometrically-controlled methods for the preparation of such compositions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These and other objects are satisfied by the present invention, which provides straightforward, efficient processes for the-preparation of a wide variety of metal-doped fullerenes having relatively high stoichiometric purity. In the case of potassium-doped fullerenes, for example, the processes of the present invention have been found to provide relatively high proportions of single phase, superconducting K 3 C 60 . In one embodiment of the invention, processes are provided for the preparation of fullerenes of the formula M x C q , where M is a metal, x is greater than 0 but less than about 10, and q is at least 60. The processes comprise the steps of contacting C q with metal in an amount and under reaction conditions effective to produce a compound having the formula M y C q , , and contacting said M y C q with a portion of C q in an amount and under reaction conditions effective to produce said M x C 60 , wherein y is greater than x.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a fractional shielding versus temperature curve for a potassium-doped fullerene of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a fractional shielding versus temperature curve for a rubidium-doped fullerene of the invention.
FIG. 3 is the XRD spectra for a mixture of face centered cubic undoped C 60 , body centered cubic K 6 C 60 , and body centered cubic Rb 6 C 60 .
FIG. 4 is an XRD spectra typical of face centered cubic M 3 C 60 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The methods of the present invention preferably are performed with a fullerene composition comprising C 60 prepared generally in accordance with the method of Fischer, et al., Science, 1991, 252, 1288. It will be recognized, however, that the present methods are not limited to such methods and products, but can be applied to any fullerene having the formula C q known in the art or yet to be discovered, including C 70 , C 76 , C 84 , C 90 , and C 94 , and combinations thereof.
In preferred embodiments, a first portion of the fullerene composition is contacted with metal, M. While any of a wide variety of metals can be employed, preferred metals include the alkali metals, i.e., metals of group 1A of the periodic table, including lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, and francium, and combinations thereof with each other and with other metals. Preferred alkali metals are potassium, rubidium and cesium. Potassium and rubidium are particularly preferred.
The metal doped fullerenes ultimately prepared in accordance with the present invention should have the formula M x C q , where x is an greater than 0 but less than about 10. It is preferred that x be about 2-4 and even more preferred that x be about 3. For some metal-doped fullerenes, other proportions may be desireable. Compounds having the formula M x C q are prepared by first preparing a more fully doped fullerene--preferably a metal-saturated fullerene--and then diluting the more fully doped moiety by contacting it with an amount of non-doped fullerene, C q . The more fully doped moiety typically has the formula M y C q , wherein y is greater than x, preferably about 3-12, more preferably about 4-8, even more preferably 6.
In preferred embodiments, one equivalent of the fullerene C q is contacted with at least y equivalents of metal generally according to the procedure of Zhou, et al., Nature, 1991, 351 462. The amount of C q to be doped can be accurately weighed outside a drybox, then treated with a 2 to 3 fold excess of the desired metal at about 225° C. under vacuum. Excess metal is easily removed by application of a thermal gradient during cooling. In practice, weight uptakes of metal by C 60 are consistently slightly greater than expected for M 6 C 60 (i.e., greater than 6 equivalents but less 7 equivalents). Where this occurs, the amount of C 60 subsequently employed to dilute such material is increased correspondingly.
The more fully doped species can be diluted in a dry box by addition of a second, previously weighed portion of C q to give a proper stoichiometry. For example, one equivalent of M 6 C q powder should be diluted with one equivalent of C q powder to provide M 3 C q . The powders preferably are ground together in the dry box. After the ground sample is sealed under vacuum in an ampule, it is heated for about 24 hours at a temperature from about 150° C. to about 450° C., preferably about 250° C. It is then annealed at a temperature from about 150° C. to about 450° C., preferably about 350° C., for at least about 24 hours then at a temperature from about 150° C. to about 450° C., preferably about 400° C., for about 1 hour. Alternatively, it is annealed at a temperature from about 150° C. to about 450° C., preferably about 350° C. for longer than 24 hours. Annealing is believed to be an important step in the process, since the M 3 C 60 material produced after treatment at 250° C. is a non-equilibrium mixture of phases comprising an average doping level of three metal atoms per C 60 molecule. After sufficient heat treatment, a single phase compound having the formula M 3 C 60 is formed.
Single phase materials having a face centered cubic structure were prepared in this manner for both K 3 C 60 and Rb 3 C 60 . This synthetic method appears to be particularly effective in the case of rubidium doping, since single phase Rb 3 C 60 has not been described in the prior art. The production of ternary species is also possible using combinations of fully doped C q with proper proportions of undoped C q . Such materials have been synthesized in order to investigate the phase boundaries of undoped face centered cubic C q ; face centered cubic M x C q where x is from about 3 to about 6; and fully doped body centered cubic M x C q . These studies indicate that the dilution technique of doping presently disclosed is fundamentally different from direct stoichiometric metal addition to C 60 , in that different phases and phase boundary crossings are observed.
Diamagnetic shielding and powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements were performed on the M 3 C 60 materials of the invention. The magnetization measurements were achieved through the use of a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID). The measured zero field cooled diamagnetic shielding fractions were up to 38% with a T c of 19.3° C. for potassium powder samples and up to 56% with a T c of 28.4° C. for rubidium doped powder samples. These shielding fractions were determined, as disclosed by Hebard, et al, by calculating the volumes of the samples from their respective weights and densities, measuring electromagnetic units per unit volume to determine their volume shielding values, and comparing the respective volume shielding values to that of a theoretically perfect superconductor. The fractional shielding versus temperature curve is shown for a potassium sample in FIG. 1 and for a rubidium sample in FIG. 2. Discrepancies between perfect (100%) superconductors and the measured values are believed to be due to the powder morphology. Sparn, et al., Science, 1991, 252, 1154 and Stephens, et al., Nature, 1991, 351, 632 have demonstrated that single phase K 3 C 60 powders showing moderate superconducting fractions can become 100% superconducting when pressed into pellets. We anticipate similar behavior for the powders of the present invention.
Powder XRD measurements were performed at Brookhaven National Synchrotron Light Source using Exxon beamline X10A at a wavelength of 1.5289 angstroms. XRD data of K 3 C 60 prepared by the present methods shows a structure which is, in essence, identical to that reported by Stephens, et al. Using XRD, it appears that the superconducting material Rb 3 C 60 is essentially single phase and also has a face centered cubic structure with a slightly larger lattice constant (14.39 angstroms for Rb 3 C 60 vs 14.24 angstroms for K 3 C 60 ) with metal atoms distributed in the octahedral and tetrahedral sites. All reflections can be indexed on face-centered cubic lattices. The peak intensities can be modeled with equally good agreement using a spherical shell model of charge distribution for the C 60 molecules, such as disclosed by Heiny, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett, 1991, 66, 2911, for the structural model of C 60 . This implies a high degree of orientational disorder for C 60 molecules in the rubidium-doped superconducting phase structure. This is in contrast to the model proposed by Stephens, et al. for the K 3 C 60 species, wherein the C 60 molecules were oriented in only two possible geometries. A determination of the presence of such disorder may have import toward studies of the mechanism of superconductivity in these systems.
XRD spectra also indicate that dilution doping according to the present invention is also an effective method for the preparation of ternary compounds doped with more than one metal. For example, FIGS. 3 and 4 show XRD spectra before and after mixing M 6 C 60 (M=K, Rb) and C 60 . FIG. 3 shows a mixture of face centered cubic undoped C 60 , body centered cubic K 6 C 60 , and body centered cubic R 6 C 60 . FIG. 4 is an XRD spectra typical of face centered cubic M 3 C 60 . The undoped face centered cubic C 60 and the face centered cubic M 3 C 60 are clearly distinguishable by peak intensity differences and by lattice constant.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous changes and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention and that such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the appended claims cover all such equivalent variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
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Superconducting, metal-doped fullerenes are provided, along with processes for their preparation in relatively high stoichiometric purity. In one embodiment, the processes provide fullerenes of the formula M x C q , where M is a metal, x is greater than 0 but less than about 10, and q is at least 60. The processes comprise contacting C q with metal in an amount and under reaction conditions effective to produce a compound having the formula M y C q , and contacting said M y C q with a portion of C q in an amount and under reaction conditions effective to produce said M x C q , wherein y is greater than x.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally concerns reverse osmosis (RO) systems, and zero-waste RO systems.
The present invention particularly concerns monolithic plumbed sub-assemblies and assemblies used in (i) retrofitting diverse existing non-zero-waste RO systems to become zero waste RO systems, and in (ii) constructing new, modular, zero-waste RO systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
2.1 General Requirement to Abate Water Wastage Attendant Upon RO
Conventional systems for purifying water by process of reverse osmosis (RO) produce, in addition to purified water, a considerable amount of waste water. This waste water, which is a by-product of the RO process, is also called concentrate water or reject water. It is typically put down the drain of the residence or business in which the RO system is installed. Although called “waste”, the waste water is in no way contaminated or unsafe. It simply contains a somewhat higher proportion of the elements—mostly minerals—removed from the supply water by the RO process than does the supply water itself. This additional concentration is, of course, resultant from the addition to the waste water of those elements that were previously present in the purified water.
This waste water is of increasing concern, particularly in increasing widespread areas of the world where water is scarce, and even a precious commodity. It is economically inefficient to pump water to distances ranging to thousands of miles, as in the American west, only to put it down the drain. For example, the ratio of concentrate or reject water to purified water can range from about 3:1 to about 15:1 depending on the particular system. This means that for every gallon of purified water produced, from 3 to 15 gallons is considered as concentrate water and is customarily sent to a drain.
It should be understood that recognition of, and concern over, this wastage is not limited to just the inventor of the present application (and a related patent), and to the inventors of still other related patents. Improvements in RO systems have already been made. RO systems sold in the United States up until about 1991 did not necessarily incorporate a shut-off switch—shutting off the flow of water when the tank reservoir of purified water became full, and preventing a RO system from constantly dripping water—until 1991 when the State of California mandated this wastage-abating feature for all RO systems sold within that state.
Legislatures in several states of the American West now seem poised to act again, and to mandate that newly sold and installed RO systems be of the new “zero waste” type. The Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) is presently (circa 2000) in process of being specifically revised so as to set standards for the plumbing of zero-waste RO systems. Unfortunately, such a legislative mandate and/or plumbing code revision will do nothing to abate the cumulative wastage of many millions of RO systems that are already installed. For example, an estimated 3 million RO systems are already installed in the State of California alone.
As fresh water resources become more remote and more costly, certain areas of the world, including areas in America, are very willing to consider further water conservation measures—especially as would have no discernable performance impact on the water consumer. Zero waste RO systems are such an improvement: the consumer sees no change in the quality of the purified water.
Accordingly, it would be useful if some way could be devised for efficiently and economically retrofitting existing non-zero-waste RO systems to become of the zero-waste type. Such retrofitting would seemingly best use the labor of the homeowner, or a commercial building maintainer, or an installation team of semi-skilled laborers so as to avoid the expense of a journeyman plumber. According to the use of unskilled or semi-skilled labor, the retrofit would desirably be very simple, easy and foolproof. According to (i) the diversity of deployed RO systems, and (ii) the difficulty in eliciting from the building owner any specific information by which any retrofitted items might be selected or customized to a particular pre-installed RO system or a particular building, it would be preferable if any parts used in the retrofit process were (i) universally, or nearly universally, common, with (ii) little wastage of any unused parts.
If the cost of the waste water from an RO system is—as is typical in the U.S. circa 2000—but some few dollars per month, while,the cost of a retrofit kit, even as may be self-installed, is—as may be projected—some hundreds of dollars then the only owners of non-zero-waste RO systems who will be incentivized to retrofit to a zero waste type will likely be avid conservationists. However, a water district, or a municipality, can dictate retrofit of all non-zero-waste RO systems, provide a monetary incentive if desired. For example, a water district can simply (i) amortize the cost of an RO retrofit kit and its installation—which are both likely offered at no initial charge to district consumers—by amortizing the price therefore over a period of some years on a consumer's water bill, while (ii) penalizing with higher water rates those consumers who refuse to retrofit to, or install new, zero-waste RO systems.
In the case of consumers self-installing all new zero-waste RO systems, then these systems might typically be subject to cash rebates and other incentives (such as reduced water rates) by the water district; much as similar rebates are currently given in many U.S. water districts for the installation of low flush volume toilets.
However, merely offering a consumer either (i) a reduced rate or, more likely, (ii) the avoidance of a penalty rate, for water consumption if and when a consumer accepts and allegedly installs a zero-waste RO retrofit kit is not a complete solution. Some consumers may accept the kits to get the favorable rate, or avoid the penalty rate, but languish in performing the actual installation. And it is difficult for the water district to confirm installation, by monitoring water consumption or otherwise. It would therefore be useful if this entire retrofit process was well thought through prior to beginning a water-district-wide retrofit effort. It will be seen that the present invention accords for the return of a small and simple, but indispensable, used part from any non-zero-waste RO system to the water district to confirm either (i) retrofit to a zero-waste system, or (ii) dismantlement of the existing non-zero-waste system (whether attendant upon installation of a new zero-waste system or not) The part is normally readily easily unambiguously detectable as used, and it is not realistically feasible for the building owner to buy the (used) part in a hardware store and send to his or her water district as (fraudulent) “proof” of compliance.
2.2 Specific Previous Zero Waste RO Systems
The present invention will be seen to be primarily concerned with the physical partitionment, and packaging, of reverse osmosis (RO) systems, particularly of the zero-waste type. Being so focused, the present invention is not primarily directed to the flow paths and apparatus used to realize a zero-waste reverse osmosis system—of which there are several variant types—per se. Since it is useful to understand the principles of a zero waste RO system, and of the several variants of such systems, in assessing the structure and function of highly-integrated and compactly-packaged zero-waste RO systems in accordance with the present invention, the reader may care to make reference to the prior art in order to specifically understand zero waste RO systems.
Among this prior art, U.S. Pat. No. 4,626,346 to Hall discloses a reverse osmosis water purification system useful in limited water supply installations such as are found in recreational vehicles, boats and the like which use an unpressurized supply tank for the water source. According to the Hall patent, waste water from the reverse osmosis unit is recycled back to the supply tank to conserve water.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,374 for a WATER-CONSERVING PRESSURE-MAINTAINING REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM to inventors including the selfsame Monroe who is the inventor of the present invention concerns a reverse osmosis water purification system in which the concentrate water normally produced by the process is not disposed of by routing it to a drain line or otherwise, but is redirected to the main water supply. The system includes the well-known components of a reverse osmosis membrane, pre-filters which are installed ahead of the reverse osmosis membrane, and an appropriate tank to store the purified water. In addition, the system includes a pump and associated pressure sensing device for increasing the pressure of the incoming non-processed water to the reverse osmosis unit, and a pipe to carry the concentrate water from the reverse osmosis unit to the incoming main water supply, be it either a cold or hot water line. Additionally included is a one-way check valve in the concentrate water line, and a sensing device in the purified water storage tank to turn the pump off whenever the quantity of water in the tank exceeds a predetermined amount.
Notably in construction of the Monroe, et al. system, and as an important feature carried over into the preferred embodiments of systems in accordance with the present invention, a flow connection between the (i) waste outlet port of a RO unit, and (ii) a pressurized water source, is both unconstricted and unrestricted. By this unconstricted and unrestricted connection the waste, or concentrate, water from the RO unit encounters during its entire conveyance the full and exact pressure of the supply water. Being that there is no pressure differential, nor any (pressure-differential-inducing) obstruction, within the flow conduit, there is no build-up of contamination in the flow path—which is operationally important.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,558 to Monroe, et al., for a WATER CONSERVING REVERSE OSMOSIS UNIT AND METHOD OF OPERATING IT likewise discloses a reverse osmosis water purification system in which the concentrate water which is normally produced by the process is not disposed of by routing it to a drain line or otherwise, but is instead redirected to the main water supply. The system includes the well-known components of a reverse osmosis membrane, pre-filters which are installed ahead of the reverse osmosis membrane, and an appropriate tank to store the purified water. In addition, the system includes a pump and associated pressure sensor for increasing the pressure of the incoming non-processed water to the reverse osmosis unit, means for directing the concentrate water from the reverse osmosis unit to the incoming main water supply (cold), or to a hot water line. Additionally included is a one-way check valve in the concentrate water line, and a sensor sensing the pressure of water in the storage tank and turn the pump off whenever the pressure exceeds a predetermined value.
As with the '374 patent, a concentrate water pipe conveys concentrate water from a reverse osmosis unit to a downstream location of a water source that is essentially at the supply pressure. Although this concentrate water pipe includes a check valve for preventing water from the water source to flowing into the reverse osmosis unit (at the wrong point—the concentrate water output) such as under transient pressure surges, this pipe is again without any substantial pressure drop or flow restriction whatsoever. Namely, the check valve neither produces any substantial flow restriction nor any substantial pressure drop to the normal, outward, flow of concentrate water.
2.3 Integrated Packaging of Multiple Components of RO Systems
The present invention will be seen to be concerned with the partitionment, and packaging, of the multiple components of a reverse osmosis system (preferably of the zero-waste type), particularly such partitionment and packaging as provides a higher degree of integration than heretofore, simplifying both installation, and/or retrofit, of an RO system so greatly that these tasks may be reliably performed by amateurs.
A step towards the integration of several components of a RO system into a single unit is shown in U.S. Pat. No. RE 35,252 to Clack, et al., for a FLUID FLOW CONTROL DEVICE FOR WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS. The Clack, et al., patent shows new and improved filtration purification or water treatment systems for providing improved purified drinking water at a point of use which systems are provided with a substantially leak-free fluid flow control device to which the other filtration purification system elements may be mated and engaged. Other system elements may include various filters or filter modules, as well as system leads for conveying (i) incoming tap water in, (ii) outgoing waste water out to drain and (iii) purified water from the filter section to a storage tank until desired for use. The fluid flow control device is preferably a unitary thermoplastic body formed from a pair of interconnecting halves, the body having (i) a number of discrete fluid flow passages extending therein, and (ii) mating grooves by which the halves are joined. In a preferred embodiment, the fluid flow control device includes each of (i) integrally formed input/output connector features, (ii) filter-receiving socket portions and (iii) an automatic shut off valve disposed in fluid flow communication with certain ones of the passages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention contemplates a certain, particular, partitionment and packaging of the multiple components of RO systems—particularly as are used in RO systems of the zero waste type—for use in (i) retrofitting diverse existing non-zero-waste RO systems to become zero waste RO systems, (ii) constructing new RO systems, particularly of the zero-waste type. The RO system so partitioned, and the RO system components so packaged, are characterized by being but few in number, and highly integrated.
Characteristically the plumbed connections of a zero-waste reverse osmosis system in accordance with the present invention—while retaining the RO filter, purified water storage tank, and numerous valves and gauges characteristic of an RO system—are reduced to three (only) monolithic sub-assemblies, and these three sub-assemblies are themselves preferably physically co-mounted, and readily flow-connected together into one single assembly. Still more particularly, the preferred three sub-assemblies and assembly are preferably made of plastic, and typically serve in combination to integrate three major flow paths and eight associated RO components. A practitioner of the RO system design and fabrication arts will immediately appreciate that an RO system component normally has at least one (as in the case of a gauge) or two (as in the case of a valve) plumbed connections. As just stated, there are typically some eight RO system components. Therefore, the sub-assemblies of the present invention which, when delivered into service, need be plumbed only at their “input” and “output”, can be fairly described as being “highly integrated”.
The entire present invention is thus more concerned with the physical partitionment and physical packaging of (zero waste) RO systems than with the theory and the plumbing flow paths of these systems. This means that (i) the plumbed pathways of zero-waste RO systems realized by application of the present invention are not represented to be unique, and (ii) the present invention is not concerned with new methods, or new flow paths, for the conduct of zero-waste RO. Instead, the partitionment and packaging concerns of the present invention are directed to sub-assemblies and assemblies that, being astutely designed, serve to support both (i) the efficient, economic and reliable retrofitting of diverse pre-existing non-zero-waste RO systems to become zero-waste RO systems by but modest use of unskilled or semi-skilled labor, and also, (ii) the construction of new RO systems—particularly of the zero-waste type—having an unparalleled high degree of components integration so as to better support improved economies-of-installation, system reliability, and system longevity.
The new-form, highly-integrated, (zero-waste type) RO system sub-assemblies and assemblies in accordance with the present invention are visually distinguishable from previous RO systems in that, inter alia, the number of different assemblies or sub-assemblies in the system is greatly reduced, typically from as many as ten or more (i.e., 10+) to only three or four. In a simplest terms, system fluid flow paths that used to be plumbed externally between flow-connected system components are brought into the interiors of monolithic subassemblies, and functional components of the (zero-waste type) RO system are threadingly connected through fittings.
Meanwhile, simultaneously, (ii) all system operator controls and indicators are ergonomically located in an orderly and accessible fashion. For example, some three pressure gauges typically within a single preferred sub-assembly in accordance with the present invention are all located neatly in a line, and are oriented so that the nominal correct pressure reading on each gauge produces an equal angular displacement of that gauge's pointer indicator against a green-red (good-bad) scale. Accordingly, the correct operation of the system is discernable at a glance. All owner/user manipulatable valves and the like, and all system components, are similarly clearly and logically situated and marked, removing much of the mystery as to what is what and, more importantly, permitting troubleshooting and repair directions to be given to amateurs, as in “twist the red valve clockwise in the direction of the red arrow”.
The high degree of system integration permitted by the monolithic sub-assemblies and assembly of the present invention supports, among other things, the conversion of diverse existing non-zero-waste RO systems may typically be converted to zero-waste RO systems simply by disconnecting three only existing plumbing unions (which are normally of a quite standard nature), and re-connecting each of the six ends so created (as may be extended by use of simple extensions, and/or adapted by simple adapter fittings, as is infrequently necessary) to, most typically, the preferred three new monolithic sub-assembles that are themselves mounted to a single new frame or back plane, forming thereby an assembly that most typically flow-connects, most typically, some eight or more different components.
After (i) flow connections are realized by the simple turning of fittings, (ii) the preferred major assembly, which contains an electric pump, is plugged to power, and (iii) a system water supply is turned back on, the entire job of retrofitting a zero-waste RO system is finished. Such simplicity of installation is not typical of previous RO systems of any type, and the inventive concept of efficiently retrofitting existing non-zero-waste RO systems using monolithic sub-assemblies and assemblies to make these RO system into the zero-waste type is not known by the inventor to have previously existed.
1. Monolithic (Sub-)Assemblies, Particularly for Making a Zero-waste Reverse Osmosis System
In one of its aspects the present invention is embodied in one or more (first-level, or sub-) assemblies, The (sub-) assemblies may be, and preferably are, packaged as a kit for use in retrofitting a pre-existing non-zero-waste reverse osmosis system to become zero-waste. They may also be effectively used in new construction RO systems, particularly of the zero-waste type. All (sub-) assemblies are thus used in a reverse osmosis system flowing water between an inlet port receiving pressurized unpurified water and a first outlet port flowing purified water and a second outlet port flowing waste water.
One such monolithic (sub-) assembly (“sub-assembly 1 ”) is usable in a portion of the reverse osmosis system between the inlet port and a reverse osmosis membrane vessel.
This (sub-) assembly 1 includes (i) a monolithic molded body defining a fluid flow channel between (1) an input portal suitably connected externally to the body to a pressurized flow of unpurified water and (2) an output portal suitably connected externally to the body to a reverse osmosis membrane vessel. It further includes (ii) a first portal, molded within the body, communicating fluid pressure from the fluid flow channel within the body to a pressure switch external to the body, and (iii) a second portal, molded within the body downstream of the first portal, communicating fluid pressure from the fluid flow channel within the body to a pressure gauge external to the body.
By this construction, and this coaction, the (i) body flow connects a pressurized flow of unpurified water to a reverse osmosis membrane vessel while communicating fluid flow pressure to both an external pressure switch and an external pressure gauge.
Preferably the (ii) first portal communicates fluid pressure from the fluid flow channel within the body to an electronic pressure switch that serves to control a valve for cutting off fluid flow to the assembly, and to the reverse osmosis system, when and for so long as a predetermined pressure is exceeded.
Another, separate, such monolithic (sub-) assembly (“sub-assembly 2 ”) is usable in a portion of a reverse osmosis system flowing water between an inlet port receiving pressurized unpurified water and a first outlet port flowing purified water and a second outlet port flowing waste water.
This monolithic (sub-) assembly 2 usable in a portion of the reverse osmosis system between purified water output from a reverse osmosis membrane vessel and the first outlet port includes (i) a monolithic molded body defining a fluid flow channel between (1) an input portal suitably connected externally to the body to a pressurized flow of purified water from a reverse osmosis membrane vessel and (2) an output portal flowing purified water. It further includes (ii) a first portal, molded within the body, communicating fluid pressure from the fluid flow channel within the body to a pressure switch external to the body, and (iii) a check valve in the fluid flow channel within the body for preventing any flow of fluid from the output portal to the input portal.
By this construction, and this coaction, the (i) body of the second (sub-) assembly serves to unidirectionally flow connect a pressurized flow of purified water from a reverse osmosis membrane vessel to an outlet portal while also communicating fluid flow pressure to an external pressure switch. The (iii) check valve is preferably press fitted within the fluid flow channel of the (i) body.
Still yet another, separate, such monolithic (sub-) assembly (“sub-assembly 3 ”) is usable in reverse osmosis system flowing water between an inlet port receiving pressurized unpurified water and a first outlet port flowing purified water and a second outlet port flowing waste water.
This monolithic (sub-) assembly 3 usable in a portion of the reverse osmosis system between a waste water output from a reverse osmosis membrane vessel and the second outlet port includes (i) a monolithic molded body defining a fluid flow channel between (1) an input portal suitably connected externally to the body to a pressurized flow of purified water from a reverse osmosis membrane vessel and (2) an output portal flowing waste water. It further includes (ii) a first portal, molded within the body, communicating fluid pressure from the fluid flow channel within the body to a first pressure gauge external to the body, and (iii) a check valve, located in the fluid flow channel of the body downstream from the first portal, preventing any flow of fluid from the output portal to the input portal.
By this construction, and this coaction, the (i) body flow unidirectionally connects a pressurized flow of purified water from a reverse osmosis membrane vessel to an outlet portal while communicating fluid flow pressure to an external pressure switch.
This third (sub-) assembly preferably also has (iv) a second portal, molded within the body downstream from the check valve, communicating fluid pressure from the fluid flow channel within the body to a pressure gauge external to the body. The (iii) check valve is preferably of the back-to-back dual type, and is preferably molded within the fluid flow channel of the (i) body. The check valve may alternatively be press fitted within the fluid flow channel of the body.
It is clear the (sub-) assemblies 1 - 3 are similar. They may all be used—connected as appropriate including to each other—in a single RO system. They are thus commonly described as “sub-assemblies”, and their combination as an “assembly”, although it is clear the “sub-assembles” 1 - 3 may be individually beneficially employed.
The plumbed connections to the inlet portal and to the outlet portal or any of the sub-assemblies 1 - 3 may be either (i) press fitted and/or (ii) threaded and screwed.
Any of the sub-assemblies 1 - 3 may have and present at least one tab by which the assembly is suitably physically mounted to a backboard.
Finally, any and all of the sub-assemblies 1 - 3 may be, and preferably are, used in a zero-waste reverse osmosis system.
These and other aspects and attributes of the present invention will become increasingly clear upon reference to the following drawings and accompanying specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring particularly to the drawings for the purpose of illustration only and not to limit the scope of the invention in any way, these illustrations follow:
FIG. 1 is an iconic representation, and flow schematic, of a preferred embodiment of a reverse osmosis system retrofitted with (sub-) assemblies in accordance with the present invention so as to become zero-waste.
FIG. 2 a is a pictorial view of a preferred major assembly of the present invention, consisting of three (3) preferred sub-assemblies, used in retrofiting a reverse osmosis system as was previously seen in FIG. 1 . Plumbed connections to the assembly are shown, and with certain assembly fluid flow paths being indicated in phantom line.
FIG. 2 b is a diagrammatic perspective view of the same preferred major assembly of the present invention, used in a retrofit zero-waste reverse osmosis system previously seen in FIG. 2 a.
FIG. 3 is a flow schematic diagram of a first preferred embodiment of a zero-waste reverse osmosis system using the preferred sub-assemblies and assembly in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flow schematic diagram of a second preferred embodiment of a zero-waste reverse osmosis system using the preferred sub-assemblies and assembly in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an iconic representation, and flow schematic, of a first preferred embodiment of a new-construction zero-waste reverse osmosis system using the preferred sub-assemblies and assembly in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an iconic representation, and flow schematic, of a second preferred embodiment of a new-construction zero-waste reverse osmosis system using the preferred sub-assemblies and assembly in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 7 is an iconic representation, and flow schematic, of the adaptation of the principles of the present invention to a reverse osmosis system that is not zero-waste.
FIG. 8 is an electrical schematic diagram of the use of the preferred sub-assemblies and assembly in accordance with the present invention in a retrofit zero-waste reverse osmosis system, previously seen in FIGS. 1-2.
FIG. 9 is a pictorial view of a preferred first housing containing and defining a flow channel, which first housing is part of the preferred first subassembly of the present invention, which first housing is used in retrofiting a reverse osmosis system as was previously seen in FIG. 1, and which first housing was previously seen in FIG. 2 b.
FIG. 10 is a pictorial view of a preferred second housing containing and defining a flow channel, which second housing is part of the preferred second subassembly of the present invention, which second housing is used in retrofiting a reverse osmosis system as was previously seen in FIG. 1, and which second housing was previously seen in FIG. 2 b.
FIG. 11 is a pictorial view of a preferred third housing containing and defining a flow channel, which third housing is part of the preferred third subassembly of the present invention, which third housing is used in retrofiting a reverse osmosis system as was previously seen in FIG. 1, and which third housing was previously seen in FIG. 2 b.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for the carrying out of the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, and is not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims.
In the system of numbering used in this specification odd numbers refer to physical objects which are most commonly the component, sub-assemblies and assemblies of reverse osmosis systems. Even numbers refer to ports, channels, conduits and like concepts which—although indisputably physically realized by plumbing connectors and piping and the like—are useful in referring to intangibles such as flow paths, points of plumbed connection, and the like.
In the ensuing specification disclosure the use of the sub-assemblies and assembly of the present invention in retrofitting an existing RO system to become of the zero waste type is advanced. It is thus useful to understand that an RO system to be retrofitted has at least a reverse osmosis membrane vessel and a purified water storage tank. In this conventional non-zero-waste RO system water from a source of water is converted into purified water at a first outlet port, and waste water is produced at a second outlet port, of the reverse osmosis membrane vessel.
In this environment the preferred three sub-assemblies of the present invention may be packed together as a kit. The kit consists of one or more—and preferably all three—of the preferred first-level assemblies, or sub-assemblies, of the present invention. The kit preferably includes an integrally-packaged first sub-assembly having an inlet port that is flow-connected to a pump that is flow-connected to a solenoid valve that is flow-connected to a pressure gauge that is flow-connected to an outlet port. This integrally-packaged first sub-assembly is installed in-line a flow of supply water, with its inlet port flow-connected to the source of water, and with its outlet port flow-connected to an inlet port of the reverse osmosis membrane vessel.
The kit of, most preferably, three sub-assemblies preferably still further includes an integrally-packaged second sub-assembly having an inlet port that is flow-connected to a check valve that is flow-connected to a tank shut-off valve that is flow-connected to an outlet port. This integrally-packaged second sub-assembly is installed in-line a flow of purified water, with its inlet port flow-connected to the first outlet port of the reverse osmosis membrane vessel, and with its outlet port flow-connected to the purified water tank.
The kit of, preferably, three sub-assemblies preferably yet still further includes an integrally-packaged third sub-assembly having an inlet port that is flow-connected to a pressure gauge that is flow-connected to a dual check valve that is flow-connected to another pressure gauge that is flow-connected to an outlet port. This integrally-packaged third sub-assembly is installed in-line a flow of waste water, with its inlet port flow-connected to the second outlet port of the reverse osmosis membrane vessel, and with its outlet port flow-connected to the source of water.
Any, and preferably all three of the integrally-packaged first sub-assembly, second sub-assembly, and third sub-assembly are themselves integrally (i) flow-connected (via intervening components) and (ii) physically mounted together as one single monolithic assembly. The retrofit kit therefore preferably consists of but one single assembly consisting of three sub-assemblies, plus associated minor universal plumbing connection and wall mounting hardware—which is clearly a good start towards simplifying installation. The retrofit kit connects to, and uses, components of the existing non-zero-waste RO system, most notably (i) any filters or pre-filters, (ii) the reverse osmosis membrane vessel, and (iii) the purified water storage tank.
1. The Detail Preferred (Sub-) Assemblies
An iconic representation of a reverse osmosis system retrofitted to become zero-waste by use of preferred (sub-) assemblies in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 . Fluid flow within the RO system, as is more particularly shown in the schematic of FIG. 3, is in substantial accordance with the teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,374 to Monroe, et al. for a WATER-CONSERVING PRESSURE-MAINTAINING REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM.
In the retrofitted zero-waste reverse osmosis system of FIG. 1 only (i) filters and pre-filters, if any be present, (ii) a reverse osmosis membrane vessel 4 (with an internal membrane) , and (iii) a purified water storage tank remain from a previous non-zero-waste RO system. (Still further additional components, such as water supply valves, not relevant to the present analysis, may also remain: see FIGS. 3 and 4) The connections to a water source S—most commonly to a cold water source S C —and to a faucet F where purified RO water is output, existed in the previous RO system. The waste water outlet port 44 of the reverse osmosis membrane vessel 4 was connected to a drain (not shown) . In accordance with the established principles and construction of zero-waste RO systems, this waste water will be returned to waters supply S, most commonly to the hot water supply S H as illustrated.
Accordingly, the preferred first-level assemblies, or sub-assemblies, 1 , 2 , 3 of the present invention are added during the retrofit process, and it is the partitionment, placement, nature, construction and connection of these sub-assemblies 1 , 2 , 3 that constitutes one principal aspect of the present invention.
All sub-assemblies 1 , 2 , 3 are integrally-packaged, meaning that all components (hereinafter described) within each such sub-assembly 1 , 2 , 3 come pre-packaged together, and are not intended to ever be separated. Additionally, the sub-assemblies 1 , 2 , 3 themselves are preferably packaged together—integrally, if this term is not held to be identical to monolithic—upon a common frame, or substrate, 45 —as is most clearly seen in FIG. 2 b.
Returning to FIG. 1, the sub-assembly 1 has an inlet port flow-connected to a pump 11 flow-connected to a solenoid valve 13 flow-connected to a pressure gauge 15 flow-connected to an outlet port 12 . It is clearly installed in-line the flow of water from the source or water S, with the inlet port being flow-connected to this source of water S. The outlet port 12 is flow-connected to an inlet port 40 of the reverse osmosis membrane vessel 4 , as illustrated.
The sub-assembly 2 has its inlet port 20 flow-connected to a check valve 24 which is flow-connected to a tank shut-off valve 23 which is flow-connected to an outlet port 22 . This sub-assembly 2 is clearly installed in-line the flow of purified water from the reverse osmosis membrane vessel 4 . Namely, the inlet port of assembly 2 is flow-connected to the first outlet port 42 of the reverse osmosis membrane vessel 4 . The outlet port 22 of sub-assembly 2 is flow-connected to the purified water tank 5 .
The third sub-assembly 3 has an inlet port which is flow-connected to a pressure gauge 31 which is flow-connected to a dual check valve 33 which is flow-connected to a pressure gauge 35 which is flow-connected to an outlet port 32 . This third sub-assembly 3 is installed in-line the flow of waste water from the reverse osmosis membrane vessel 4 . Namely, the inlet port of the third assembly 3 is flow-connected to the second outlet port 44 of the reverse osmosis membrane vessel 4 . The outlet port 32 of the third assembly 3 is flow-connected to the source of water S, and preferably and more particularly to a source of not water S H .
The sub-assemblies 1 , 2 , 3 are packaged as a kit. In accordance with the present invention any two, and preferably all three, of the assemblies 1 , 2 , 3 are physically mounted to the same frame, or substrate, or back plane, 45 as is most particularly illustrated in FIG. 2 . The sub-assembles are thus presented as but a single unit. A pictorial illustration of such a preferred packaging, and single unit, is shown in FIG. 2, consisting of FIGS. 2 a and 2 b . The major sub-assemblies 1 , 2 , 3 are all packaged together in a single unit as shown. Some six (6) plumbed connections 10 , 12 ; 20 , 22 ; and 30 , 32 all previously seen in FIG. 1 are again marked on FIG. 2, and are most clearly visible in FIG. 2 b . Fluid flow paths within the individual sub-assemblies 1 , 2 and 3 are indicated in phantom line. Likewise, selected visible components of the zero-waste RO system 1 are, numbered identically in FIG. 2 as in the flow schematic of FIG. 9 .
Clearly the integrally packaged sub-assemblies 1 , 2 and 3 have some six (6) plumbed connections: 10 , 110 / 12 , 44 , 32 , 42 and 22 . There is one only, low-voltage, electrical connection per the electrical schematic of FIG. 8 . A.C. power 91 is converted to low voltage, nominally 24 v.a.c., in transformer 93 , and used to supply, in electrical series, both the coil of the solenoid 95 of the tank shut-off valve 23 (shown in FIG. 1) and the pump motor 11 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 9 ). The 24 v.a.c., power is gated to both the coil of the solenoid 95 of the tank shut-off valve 23 and the motor 11 by tank pressure switch 97 . Both (i) fluid and (ii) electrical connections are therefore limited, and straightforward.
In accordance with the present invention, the diversity of functions performed within the monolithic assembly—which functions may be understood by reference to the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,374—clearly does not necessitate that the multiple components performing these functions cannot be integrally housed in but a single unit. In actual fact, some three (3) different flow paths, and a nominal eight (8) different components of a zero-waste RO system are tightly integrated and packaged in, and by, the preferred retrofit kit of FIGS. 1 and 2.
A schematic diagram of a first preferred embodiment of a zero-waste reverse osmosis system in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 3, and a like schematic diagram for a second preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. 4 .
An iconic representation of a first preferred embodiment of a new-construction zero-waste reverse osmosis system using the preferred sub-assemblies in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 5, and a like representation of a second embodiment is shown in FIG. 6 .
The wetted parts list for the new-construction zero-waste reverse osmosis system shown in FIG. 5 is as follows:
Item
NSF
No.
Qty.
Description
Material
Yes
No
51
2
*Easy Tap Adapter
Brass CDA 360
x
52
5
*¼″ Brass Insert
Brass CDA 360
x
53
5
*¼″ Delrun Sleeve
Delrun
x
54
5
*¼″ Brass Compression Nut
Brass CDA 360
x
55
4′
*¼″ Green Poly tubing
Polyethylene
x
56
5
*Celcon Connection ¼″ C ×
Celcon
x
¼″ MPT
57
3
*Tee Brass ¼″ FPT All Ends
x
58
3
*0-100 ¼″ Bottom
x
Mount Pressure Gauge
59
4
¼″ MPT brass hex nipple
Brass CDA 360
x
510
3
10″ Filter Housing Lid
Polypropylene
x
510a
3
10″ Filter Housing O-ring
x
510b
3
10″ Filter Housing Sump
Polypropylene
x
511
1
10″ Spun Sediment
Polypropylene
x
filter cartridge
512
1
10″ 56 cubic inch
x
GAC filter cartridge
514
1
*Booster Pump
x
514a
1
*Electronic Solenoid
x
valve (ESO)
514b
1
*Electronic tank
x
pressure switch (TSO)
515
3
Celcon Elbow ¼″ C ×
Celcon
x
⅛″ MPT
516
1
Membrane Vessel
Polypropylene
x
housing
516a
1
Membrane Vessel
x
housing O-ring
517
1
TFM membrane
x
518
6′
*¼″ Blue Poly Tubing
Polyethylene
x
519
2
*¼″ FPT Check Valve
x
520
1
¼″ Brass tank tee
Brass CDA 360
x
521
1
3 Gallon Storage Tank
x
522
1
(Larger/Size) 10″ line
x
GAC final polishing filter
523
1
Faucet
x
524
4′
*¼″ Black Poly tubing
Polyethylene
x
525
1
10″ 10-micron Carbon
x
Block Filter cartridge
where
*= Components that are integrated into single assembly, or module
Underline = Components that are decreased in volume from a normal, non-integrated, RO System
Italic = Components that are increased in volume, or added, relative to a normal, non-integrated, RO System
The wetted parts list for the second new-construction zero-waste reverse osmosis system of FIG. 6 is as follows:
Item
NSF
No.
Qty.
Description
Material
Yes
No
61
2
*Easy Tap Adapter
Brass CDA 360
x
62
2
*¼″ Brass Insert
Brass CDA 360
x
63
2
*¼″ Delrin Sleeve
Delrun
x
64
2
*¼″ Brass Compression Nut
Brass CDA 360
x
65
3′
*¼″ Green Poly tubing
Polyethylene
x
66
6
*Celcon Connection
Celcon
x
¼″ C × ¼″ MPT
614
1
*Booster Pump
x
614a
1
*Electronic Solenoid
x
valve (ESO)
614b
1
*Electronic tank pressure
x
switch (TSO)
618
2′
*¼″ Blue Poly Tubing
Polyethylene
x
624
3′
*¼″ Black Poly tubing
Polyethylene
x
626
1
*Zero Waste Module housing
Polypropylene
x
3
*a)
⅛″ FPT Center
x
mount 0-100 pressure gauge
2
*b) Internal plug or disk
Polypropylene
x
2
*c) Vitron o-ring
Vitron
x
2
*d) Vitron or Teflon ball
x
2
*e) 316 Stainless Steel spring
x
where
*= Components that are integrated into single assembly, or module
Underline = Components that are decreased in volume from a normal, non-integrated, RO System
Italic = Components that are increased in volume, or added, relative to a normal, non-integrated, RO System
Italic=Components that are increased in volume, or added, relative to a normal, non-integrated, RO System
Note in the parts lists for both FIGS. 5 and 6 the large numbers of components, indicated by an asterisk, that are integrated into a single, major, assembly. Note that the underlined components are generally decreased in volume from counterpart components present within a counterpart previous non-integrated (zero-waste) RO system. These underlined components generally outnumber, and represent a greater cumulative volume, than those components that are listed in boldface, meaning that the are enlarged, or added, from the counterpart previous non-integrated (zero-waste) RO system. The preferred materials for all components are given.
The packaging principles of the present invention may be adapted for reverse osmosis system, otherwise of conventional design, that is not zero-waste. Such a system is illustrated in FIG. 7 . The wetted parts list for this non-zero-waste reverse osmosis system is as follows:
Item #
Description
1a
Valve self piercing
2a
*Insert brass ¼″
3a
*Sleeve-Delrin ¼″
4a
*Nut-brass ¼″ compression
5a
*Tubing green ¼″
6a
Elbow-Plastic ¼″ C × ¼″ MPT
7a
Lid ¼″ FPT
8a
O-ring filter housing
9a
Housing-filter 10″
10a
Sediment-10″-spun (5M-10)
11a
Carbon-10″- 56 cu. in. (GAC-10-56)
12a
Hex-Nipple-Brass ¼″ MPT
13a
Nut-plastic black ¼ ″ compression
14a
Valve - Shut Off
15a
Elbow-Plastic ¼″ C × ⅛″ MPT
16a
Membranes Vessel Housing
16b
O-ring membrane housing
17a
MEM-TFM-18
18a
Elbow Check Valve ¼ ″ C × ⅛″ MPT
19a
*Tubing Blue ¼″
20a
Tank Tee brass
21a
3 gallon Storage tank blue
22a
*Connector plastic ¼″ c × ¼″ MPT
23a
Inline-6″ final Polishing filter (1M6)
24a
Tank Stand
25a
Faucet Air-gap Chrome
26a
Tubing black ¼″
27a
Nut white plastic compression
28a
Flow restrictor
29a
Union-plastic ¼ ″ C × ¼″ C
30a
Drain saddle ⅜ ″ C
31a
Vessel mounting Clips
where
*= Components that are integrated into single assembly, or module
Underline = Components that are decreased in volume from a normal, non-integrated, RO System
Italic = Components that are increased in volume, or added, relative to a normal, non-integrated, RO System
As before, the packaging principles of the present invention make for a more compact system with a higher degree of integration than heretofore.
An electrical schematic of either preferred embodiment of a zero-waste reverse osmosis system made from the preferred sub-assemblies, and assembly, in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 8 .
Pictorial views of the preferred first, second and third housings—each containing and defining a flow channel and each part of a respective preferred subassembly of the present invention —are shown again in FIGS. 9-11. Each housing is used in retrofiting the reverse osmosis system as was previously seen in FIG. 1 . (The collective housings 1 - 3 were previously seen in FIG. 2 b .)
Each of the housings 1 - 3 is preferably molded, normally from plastic. The flow channel within each is shown as a dotted line. In the housing 1 of FIG. 9, ports 12 and 10 are preferably press fit. The element 101 is a press fit plug. The cavity 102 fits the gauge (shown in FIG. 1 ). The cavity 103 fits the electronic cutoff valve 13 (also shown in FIG. 1 ).
Likewise, in the housing 2 shown in FIG. 10, both the check valve 24 and the tank shut-off valve 23 flow connect to a cavity (the switches being stacked one atop the other). The ports 42 and 22 are again preferably press fit.
Finally, in the housing 3 shown in FIG. 11, the gauge 31 flow connects to and through the cavity 302 while the gauge 35 flow connects to and through the cavity 301 . The ports 32 and 30 are yet again preferably press fit.
Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and are merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments to which the principles of the invention may be applied. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the invention as further defined in the appended claims.
In accordance with the preceding explanation, variations and adaptations of the sub-assemblies, and their exact function and packaging, in accordance with the present invention will suggest themselves to a practitioner of the mechanical and fluid flow design arts. For example, adding one or more components to the preferred sub-assembly or assembly, or substituting various types of valves and gauges for the those types implied in the drawings, or listed in the list of preferred parts, does not erode the essential essence of the present invention, as expressed within the following claims, as a new and useful basis of organizing, partitioning and packaging a zero-waste RO system both so that such a system may be realized by retrofit of an existing non-zero-waste RO system, and may be newly constructed at a beneficially higher degree of integration than heretofore.
In accordance with these and other possible variations and adaptations of the present invention, the scope of the invention should be determined in accordance with the following claims, only, and not solely in accordance with that embodiment within which the invention has been taught.
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Monolithically-molded subassemblies ( 1, 2, 3 ) are used to retrofit existing reverse osmosis systems into zero waste RO systems. The subassemblies reduce the number of connections necessary such that the retrofitting may be accomplished by unskilled labor. The subassemblies may be integrally packaged together on a backboard 45 and are placed in-line in the inlet to the RO unit and in each of the outlets from the RO unit. For example, the first subassembly 1 (FIG. 9 ) includes an input port 10 for connecting to source of water to be purified, an first portal 103 communicating with a pressure switch, a second portal 102 communicating with a pressure gauge and an output port 12 communicating with the RO unit inlet. Using the subassemblies, the retrofit most typically requires only six connections thereby simplifying system installation, improving system reliability, and extending system longevity.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the preparation of synthetic resins exhibiting high thermal stabilities and high structural strengths. More particularly, the invention relates to the preparation of epoxy derivatives which are ethynylated hydroxylated aminated hydrocarbon oligomers.
2. Prior Art
Epoxy resins have found widespread usage in applications requiring good thermal stability, high structural strengths, and high adhesive bond strengths. Generally, epoxy resins or prepolymers are cured with aromatic amines such as m-phenylenediamine and diaminodiphenylmethane or with anhydrides such as nadic anhydride, methylnadic anhydride or phthalic anhydride. Other typical epoxy curing agents are: aliphatic amines, such as tryethylenetetramine, menthanediamine, amino ethyl piperazine and diethylenetriamine, amide amines such as the veramides and other amino compounds such as dicyandiamide.
The anhydride curing agents provide cured epoxy resins with the highest thermal stability, but the cured products are susceptible to hydrolysis by moisture. This hydrolysis is autocatalytic because acid formed during the hydrolysis speeds up the process.
In contrast, amine curing agents provide cured epoxy resins with lower thermal stability, which are not susceptible to hydrolysis. Generally, amine curing agents which act as chain extenders are polyamines. That is, there are two or more amino groups in each molecule of curing agent. A principal disadvantage of such curing agents is the rapidity of cure and/or lack of pot life at normal temperatures once the epoxy prepolymer is mixed with the amine curing agent. This disadvantage precludes premixing epoxy prepolymers with amine curing agents unless they are quick-frozen which requires refrigeration.
Applicant knows of no premixed or catalyzed epoxy resins which exhibit high thermal stability, good structural strength, good processing characteristics, virtually indefinite shelf life without concern for premature polymerization, and thus the desirability of providing the same is manifest.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new class of heat curable prepolymers that can be made from ordinary epoxy resins. Other objectives of this invention are: to provide a new class of cured resins which are more hydrolytically stable than anhydride cured epoxy resins while retaining high heat resistance characteristics; to provide a new method of curing epoxy resins; to provide cured epoxy resins which have outstanding thermal stability; to provide readily processible, soluble and fusible prepolymers useful in the fabrication of high strength filled or reinforced composite structures; to provide epoxy based oligomers which cure at temperatures above 170°-200° C.; and to provide one-component epoxy-based oligomers which cure by heat alone without the addition of a curing agent at the time of use.
In meeting the above-stated objectives, a new class of thermosetting oligomers has been invented which cure at temperatures above 170°-200° C. to form hard, thermally stable resins of exceptional structural strengths.
These new oligomers are the reaction products of aminoarylacetylenes and di- or polyfunctional-epoxy-arylenes or alkylenes.
The reactants are simply mixed in the proper proportion and stirred at temperatures ranging from 100°-140° C. to cause the epoxy groups to disappear--thereby forming molten oligomers which may solidify when allowed to cool. These oligomers are are then curable into useful resins upon reheating to 170°-250° C. or above for from 1 to 24 hours.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It has been discovered that di-epoxy and poly-epoxy prepolymers, whose structures are: ##STR1## where n may be from 2 to 10 and is usually 2 to 4 and R may be an aliphatic or aromatic moiety, alkylene, arylene, alkylarylene, arylalkylene, alkylene oxyalkylene, arylene oxyalkylene, diarylene, triarylene, arylalkylene oxyarylalkylene, haloarylene and halo-, oxy-, amino- or thio-substituted analogues of said moieties where the alkyl substituent groups may contain from 1 to 10 carbon atoms and the alkylene moieties contain from 1 to 10 carbon atoms in their chain, will react with aminoarylacetylenes, whose structures are:
R'NH--Ar--C.tbd.CH (4)
where Ar is phenylene, phenyleneoxyphenylene, phenylenethiophenylene, phenylene oxyphenylene oxyphenylene, biphenylene, naphthylene, or terphenylene, and R' may be either H or alkyl, to form oligomers whose formulas are: ##STR2## where Ar, R and R' are as defined above. Other amino ethynyl compounds can also be utilized in combination with the epoxy prepolymers shown above to form oligomers whose structures are analogous to that shown at (5).
Oligomers of formula (5) are curable to thermally stable high strength resins, which exhibit excellent hydrolytic stability, by heat alone which promotes acetylenic polymerization. When cured, the oligomers of this invention yield resins which contain dimerized or trimerized acetylene units.
Preferred curing temperatures are from 220° to 250° C. However, temperatures as low as 170°-180° C. may be used if a sufficiently long cure duration is used.
These thermosetting oligomers may be defined as ethynyl-terminated epoxy resin derivatives or as ethynyl-terminated hydroxy substituted, amino substituted hydrocarbons. Since the epoxy terminal groups are no longer present, the oligomers are not curable with polyamino compounds or dianhydrides as are conventional epoxy prepolymers.
Thermogravimetric analyses of cured epoxy resins prepared via the process of this invention and of epoxy resins cured via conventional anhydride or amino curing agents show that this invention yields resins which are more stable than the latter. This is significant when one considers that anhydride cured epoxy resins are generally regarded as the most stable of the epoxy resins.
Typical oligomers of this invention may be prepared in accordance with the following examples:
EXAMPLE I
m-Aminophenylacetylene (1.15 g., 0.00983 mole) was blended with the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A known as Epon 828 (1.71 g, 0.00463 mole, Shell Chem. Co.). The mixture was heated at 120°-140° C. for about 61/2 hours, although the reaction seemed to be complete in about 1-2 hours. Complete reaction is evidenced by the disappearance of the epoxy groups as determined by IR analysis or other analytical methods. The oligomer was molten since its melting point was around 40° C. When cooled, the oligomer solidified and was very hard. When a sample was gradually heated to 250° C., it first gelled and then cured to a hard impact-resistant thermoset resin. When heating was continued to 300° C. no visual evidence of decomposition was noted other than some darkening in color (if air was present). The excellent thermal stability was supported by the thermogravimetric analysis shown in FIG. 1.
EXAMPLE II
A similar reaction was run with Epon 825. In this case, 1.17 g (0.010 mole) of m-aminophenylacetylene was used and 1.70 g (0.005 mole) of Epon 825 was used. The mixture was heated for 2 hours at 130° C. Its ability to cure was verified on a melting point block. Cure was noted at 220°-240° C.
EXAMPLE III
Epon 825 (1.70 g, 0.005 mole) was mixed with 3-amino-3'-ethynyl diphenylether (2.09 g, 0.01 mole). The reactants were mixed and stirred at 125°-135° C. for 21/2 hours, then cooled. A sample of the oligomer was tested on a melting point block and found to cure readily at 250° C.
Structures
The chemical structure of the oligomer made in Example I or II is primarily shown as: ##STR3## The chemical structure of the oligomer made in Example III is shown as ##STR4##
Having fully disclosed my invention and provided teachings which enable others to make and use the same, the scope of my claims may now be understood as follows.
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Novel thermosetting oligomers are formed by reacting epoxy prepolymers with aminoarylacetylenes. When heated to 170° C. or above, these oligomers undergo acetylenic polymerization to form resins which exhibit superior thermal and hydrolytic stability when compared to conventionally cured epoxy resins.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to medical devices used to secure the extremities, i.e., the hands, arms, legs and feet of an infant or toddler during intravenous (IV) therapy and thus prevent the hazards and complications incurred when the administration of medications and fluids is interrupted due to movement or jarring of the site.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Maintenance of IV's is a crucial part of hospital work for both doctors and nurses. Currently, the equipment and methods used to restrain an infant or toddler are extremely wasteful in terms of staff time, materials, and equipment. Specifically, because the current devices are not designed to prevent the child from moving the extremity and dislodging the needle from the vein, painful and traumatic repeat insertions are often necessary. To completely understand and appreciate the benefits of the present invention, a discussion of the prior art is presented hereinbelow to demonstrate that despite repeated efforts, the prior art has failed to provide a pediatric intravenous device which has overcome the problems referred to hereinabove.
Aslanian, U.S. Design Pat. No. 263,423 discloses an ornamental design for an anatomically shaped arm support for intravenous feeding. Klatskin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,227 and Bansal, U.S. Pat. No. 4,043,330 are both directed to a medical restraining board for medical infusions. None of the foregoing devices address the advantages of a weighted device or the problems inherent in and specific to pediatric patients.
Lewis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,913 discloses an anatomically correct molded splint to facilitate the administration of intravenous therapy. This device does not disclose the use of resilient padding which is required to prevent areas of pressure necrosis over bony prominences such as the ankle.
Both Duncan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,481,942 and Siwak, U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,339 describe pediatric arm restraining devices that are used to prevent the infant from using his hands. As both devices wrap around the entire arm, they are useless for IV therapy.
Tari, U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,366 describes an immobilizing arm support specifically designed to facilitate radiographic imaging. Not only is this device specifically designed for adult patients but the patient must remain supine and sedated to maintain the integrity of the IV site.
Wirtz, U.S. Pat. No. 4,657,003 relates to a vacuum device specifically designed to immobilize a fractured limb, head or neck. This device has no use in the administration of IV therapy.
Morgan, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,849 describes a temporary restraint designed for use when drawing either venous or arterial blood from a patient. That this device was designed to provide a portable method of securing the patient's limb during a brief procedure negates its utility for long term use.
Elliot, U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,410 addresses the problem of interruption of IV therapy due to movement of the patient by designing a protective cover over the site of insertion. However, it does not provide a firm surface or a weighted device to keep the site immobile.
Similarly, both Perry, U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,975 and Speaker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,933 attempt to overcome the problem of lost IV catheters due to jarring the needle by the use of adjustable straps. Perry further addresses the complication of skin excoriation caused when adhesive tape is removed by providing an anchor base that acts as "substitute skin." However, both devices fail to recognize that weight and rigidity are essential components in immobilization during IV therapy.
Spann, U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,829; Olsen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,455; Heyman, U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,969; and Leary, U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,534 describe restraining devices that attach to the wrist or ankle of a disoriented adult patient to preclude movement. These devices function as cuffs to impede movement and as such do not relate to the administration of intravenous therapy. However, Leary does address the necessity of a limb restraint being constructed of soft pliable material to prevent skin abrasions.
Helfer et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,425, describes a support board with flexible straps used to secure an infant's extremity during IV therapy. There is no recognition in this patent that the extremity cannot be secured against motion without an appropriate weighting agent.
Lovegrove, U.S. Pat. No. 4,286,588 describes a support board with adjustable straps to inhibit the movement of a patient's limb. This device is only designed for adult patients and does not provide for either cushioning or weight.
Nichols, U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,297 describes a clamping device to keep an adult limb immobile for examination purposes. As such, this device is irrelevant for IV therapy.
Patel, U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,012 is directed to a blanket-like material used to wrap an infant's extremities so that examinations involving the face and head may be performed with minimal movement. Again, this invention is irrelevant to IV therapy.
Seeley, U.S. Pat. No. 3,896,799 describes an arm board used in IV therapy. Although this device addresses the aforementioned requirements of rigidity and cushioning, it does not have the necessary weight added to keep the catheter site maintained during an infant or toddler's sudden movement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a pediatric intravenous device to secure an infant's or toddler's foot, leg, arm or hand, which can be quickly and easily applied and removed, is low in cost, sanitary, and suitable for use in an emergency context.
Another object of the invention is to provide an intravenous device which is selectively age and weight appropriate for the patient and includes the element of weight which is critical for effective immobilization.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an intravenous unit which is self-contained, requiring no gauze, adhesive tape, and the like for set-up. The use of Velcro® fasteners to secure the device to the patient avoids the possibility of skin breakdown which also increases the likelihood of infection.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a pediatric intravenous device which employs a soft, water-resistant, disposable slip-on-cover which provides a clean, non-irritating surface for contacting the sensitive and tender skin of the infant.
A further object of the invention is to provide comfort to the patient wearing the device even during prolonged periods. Specifically, one advantage of the visco-elastic weighted support of the present invention is that it is soft and will not cause areas of pressure necrosis over bony prominences such as the wrist or ankle after long-term use.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a more visually comforting apparatus for pediatric patients who find viewing a protruding catheter upsetting.
These as well as other objects and advantages are accomplished by the pediatric intravenous device of the present invention which comprises an anatomically correct support molded from visco-elastic material. This material is soft, but firm and has the property of being able to deform under slight pressure and resume its original shape when the pressure is removed. It is made from a highly plasticized resin with a weighting agent added. Consequently, the device can be readily increased in weight with the advancing age of the child. The device of the present invention integrates the functions of weight, stabilization, and resilient padding in one unit. The support is anatomically correct and age specific. The visco-elastic material contains a weighting agent uniformly dispersed therein to impart weight to the device which can vary from one to ten pounds. Each support is designed to fit the arm or leg of an infant or toddler between one month and five years of age. Preferably, three different supports are kept available. One is designed to fit under the foot with a half moon pocket for the child's heel. A second is made to be attached above the forearm with a small indentation for the elbow. A third is designed to fit under the forearm and contain small grooves for the fingers. Based on growth charts, these supports can be varied in size to be suitable for children one month, two months, three months, six months, nine months, one year, two years, three years, four years and five years of age.
The support is covered with a soft, disposable hydrophobic slip-on cover or stockinette. The ability to dispose of each stockinette covering after patient use precludes the possibility of contamination between patients with infectious blood or blood products. The stockinette covering can be color-coded by age group to facilitate immediate preparedness in an emergency.
The covered support is secured by a protective retaining device comprising an elongated sleeve which provides protective padding for the intervention site and minimizes movement and dislodgement. The protective retaining sleeve can be joined with Velcro® fasteners instead of adhesive tape.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the appended drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the device of the present invention enabling ready identification of the component parts of the device;
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the device of the present invention as employed in conjunction with the leg and foot of a pediatric patient;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of the weighted substrate as anatomically molded to conform to the leg and heel of a pediatric patient;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a partially exploded view illustrating the manner in which the device of the present invention is employed when the arm and hand of a pediatric patient is placed on the support palm down; and
FIG. 7 is a partially exploded view illustrating the manner in which the device of the present invention is employed when the arm and hand of a pediatric patent is placed on the support palm up.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to FIG. 1, the present invention comprises a visco-elastic support 10 molded to anatomically correspond to a portion of the leg, foot, arm or hand of a pediatric patient. Generally, the support ranges from about 1 to 3 inches in width and from about 3 to 6 inches in length. The support 10 is made of a visco-elastic material 12 with a particulate weight-adding agent 14 substantially homogeneously dispersed within the visco-elastic material. In general, the term "visco-elastic" refers to the soft, compressible elastic materials which are able to deform under slight pressure and resume their original shape when the pressure is removed. In particular, the preferred visco-elastic material described herein can be characterized as either a highly plasticized resin or a plasticizing material thickened with a minor portion of resin.
The following is a detailed description of the components used in making the weighted visco-elastic material employed in the present invention.
Generally, the weighted visco-elastic material used in the present invention comprises, by weight, 77-97% plasticizer and 3-15% resin, with optional use of up to 2% thixotropic thickening agent, up to 2% stabilizer, up to 2% stabilizer enhancer and up to 2% surfactant. All of the foregoing are used to make a visco-elastic material to which is added a particulate weight-adding agent, in a weight ratio of from 1:10 to 2:1 weight-adding agent to visco-elastic material.
The plasticizer employed in the present invention is preferably a dialkyl phthalate such as, for example, diundecylphthalate, diisononylphthalate, and the like.
The resin employed in the present invention is preferably a polyvinyl chloride resin. In addition to polyvinyl chloride resins, other visco-elastic materials such as silicones and urethanes can similarly be employed. The resin and plasticizers used must be compatible.
The preferred thixotropic thickening agent is silicon dioxide also known as fumed silica. Other thixotropic thickening agents can be employed such as clay materials with quaternary ammonia or organic thixotropic agents such as castor oil derivatives or ethylene complexes.
The stabilizers employed in the present invention allow the resin and plasticizer composition to be processed at elevated temperatures without degradation. Typically, the stabilizers are barium zinc, calcium zinc, and zinc tin stabilizers. Most preferred is a barium zinc phenate stabilizer.
Stabilizer enhancers can be used to increase the effectiveness of the stabilizer or, if desired, additional stabilizers can be used instead of the stabilizer enhancer. Suitable stabilizer enhancers for the present invention are epoxidized soybean oils or other epoxidized soy-oil products.
The preferred surfactant is Kelecin F, available from Spencer Kellog Division of Textron Incorporated, Buffalo, N.Y. Other surfactants that can be used include Surfysol 104A.
The particulate weight adding agent -4 can be barium sulfate, lead oxide, iron oxide as well as other minerals with a specific gravity of at least 4. Barium sulfate is preferred because it is inexpensive and is less abrasive on processing equipment than other metal oxides. The particulate weight adding agent is preferably ground to a powder such that substantially all, about 97%, passes through a 200 mesh screen. OSHA regulations may restrict the use of oxides of certain metals, e.g., lead, for this application.
The method for producing the weighted visco-elastic material includes the steps of mixing the plasticizer and the resin to form a plasticizer-resin mixture, substantially homogeneously mixing from about 1 to 20 parts by weight of a particulate weight-adding agent to one part by weight of the plasticizer-resin mixture, heating the resulting mixture to the fusion temperature before or after addition of the weight adding agent and thereafter, cooling the resulting weighted plasticizer-resin mixture to form the weighted visco-elastic material. The fusion temperature is that temperature at which the resin and the plasticizer form a homogeneous system. Typically the fusion temperature for the preferred phthalate-PVC resin system ranges between about 325° and 375° F. The resulting visco-elastic mixture can then be poured into an appropriate mold and allowed to cool. The visco-elastic support 10 thereby obtained is an anatomically correct molded shape (see, for example, FIGS. 4, 6 and 7) suitable for use in conjunction with the immobilization of the extremities of pediatric patients.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises a weighted visco-elastic substrate 10 of anatomically correct shape, i.e., corresponding to the shape of a portion of an extremity, e.g., a leg, foot, arm or hand of a pediatric patient. Generally, the substrate is approximately one to three inches in width and three to six inches in length.
The weighted visco-elastic substrate 10 is envelope within
d a disposable paper or polymeric non-woven sleeve-like covering -6 which provides a soft, clean non-allergenic surface for contacting the skin so that the skin does not come into direct contact with the visco-elastic material. The materials from which the outer cover is constructed are commercially available. The sleeve 16 can comprise paper coated or impregnated with a hydrophobic material such as a polyolefin or vinyl polymer or thermally bonded fibers spun from a polymeric material, preferably from a polyolefin. Additionally, if desired, the sleeve can contain a foamed material such as a polyurethane, polystyrene, poly (vinyl chloride) foam, and the like. The materials forming the sleeve-like covering are preferably hydrophobic and sufficiently porous so as to pass air and moisture from a patient's skin. Since the cover is porous, heat and moisture generated between the patient's skin and the adjacent surfaces of the substrate are dissipated through the porous outer cover. Typical of such substrate covers 16 is the "Armboard Sleeve", Catalog No. NUN24296, available from Medline Industries, Inc., Mundelein, Ill. 60060, which comprises a non-woven fabric made from fiberboard (compressed wood fibers), polyurethane foam and poly (vinyl chloride).
The device is held in place by a continuous protective sleeve 18 of resilient material, preferably relatively elastic and stretchable, providing an elongated tubular form for completely encompassing a limb 20. Specifically, the resilient sleeve 18 can contract in position for firmly retaining the tubing 22 connected with the insertion means 24, thereby minimizing disturbances of the intervention site and dislodgement.
Further, the retaining sleeve 18 has a portal opening 26 adapted to be located over and permit access to the site of insertion to allow inspection of the site for phlebitis and other untoward effects. The portal opening 26 can either be formed by being cut out of the protective sleeve 18 to form a flap 27 and a commensurate aperture or opening 27' in the sleeve 18 or the opening 27' can be cut out of sleeve 18 and an appropriate flap 27 sewn or otherwise adhered to the sleeve. A retaining tab 36, preferably of Velcro® material is secured to the free lateral edge 35 of the flap 27 and can be detachably secured to the protective sleeve 18 with a securing patch 38 which is positioned on the sleeve 18 proximate to the edge 40 of the opening 27' for retaining the flap 27 in its closed position. The securing patch 38 is also preferably made of Velcro® material.
Typically, the site of insertion is a vein in the arm, hand, leg or foot of the patient. The difficulty most health care practitioners have in accessing veins in the infant and toddler population is simply due to the physical characteristics of their circulatory system and the large amount of subcutaneous fat found on each extremity. Specifically, children have notably poor peripheral veins. Not only are the superficial veins extremely small but they are fragile as well. Constrained by these circumstances, maintenance of IV site becomes even more crucial.
The veins most commonly used are found on the arm and the foot. With the child's palm facing up (see FIG. 7), the most accessible superficial veins on the arm are the cephalic and accessory cephalic veins; the basilic vein; the median cubital vein; and the anterior ulnar vein. With the child's palm facing down (see FIG. 6), the most accessible superficial veins are found in the dorsal venous network. The dorsal venous arch consists of the three superficial veins on the dorsum of the hand that form the cephalic vein that is found near the wrist. On the foot (see FIG. 1), the superficial veins consist of the great and small saphenous veins and their tributaries, the dorsal venous arch which is comprised of the dorsal digital veins, the intercapitular veins and the common digital veins found on the dorsum of the foot.
The sleeve 18 is made of moisture absorbent material which permits air circulation and is made in sizes specific to the infant and toddler population. The tension and firmness with which the sleeve is secured around the limb ca be readily adjusted by the
n degree to which the resilient material is stretched.
The material readily conforms to the infant or toddler's arm or leg to snugly follow the body contour. The protective sleeve 18 is applied by first positioning one of its longitudinal edges 19 or 19' to extend in the direction between, for example, the knee and ankle of the patient and displaced from the intervention site. With said longitudinal edge held in this position, the remaining portion of the sleeve is wrapped around the leg so that the portal opening 26 is positioned over the desired intervention site. In this manner, when the protective device is worn by the patient, the intervention site is completely enclosed and not visible, thereby providing an agitated child with a more acceptable and less frightening appearance. Thus, the site is protected against dislodgement when the child is thrashing or engaging in other random movement. The sleeve 18 can be readily applied and removed when required with no danger of tissue trauma or discomfort during the removal of adhesive tape.
The protective sleeve 18 is formed in a flat, generally rectangular shape constructed of a soft padded or quilted pliable cloth fabric of knitted or woven construction. The fabric covering provides a soft, clean, washable, non-allergenic surface for contacting the delicate skin of an infant or toddler. The fabric can be formed from yarn containing hydrophilic fibers, such as cotton, so as to be readily absorbent and to assist in keeping any moisture away from the skin of an infant to prevent irritation. The fabric covering comprises a single piece of fabric which is folded over one of the edges and held together with self-fastening strips 28 and 28'. Thus, the materials are strong, durable and moisture-absorbent to permit air circulation. This material is also relatively inexpensive to manufacture and simple to construct. Finally, it is easy to apply and remove.
Preferably, the protective sleeve 18 comprises a rectangular sheet 30 having an inner sheet 32 of soft cloth material of substantial length so as to make one complete lap around a limb, and an outer sheet 34 of any suitable soft cloth material made with a short close pile such as a velveteen fabric. The inner sheet 32 can comprise an inner layer of soft fabric which engages and contacts the patient to prevent injury thereto, and an outer layer of soft cloth material attached to the back of said inner layer. Any suitable means can be employed for attaching the two cloth layers, but it is preferred that they be sewn along the unturned edges. The sleeve 18 can be made in sizes specific to the infant and toddler population.
Finally, each longitudinal edge of the sleeve is bound with a Velcro® strip 28 and 28' which is relatively wide to allow attachment with a degree of variation in circumference of the sleeve. The term "Velcro®" as used herein is a trademark widely associated with "hook and pile" fibrous fastener elements. One of the attaching strips 28 contains the "pile" 29 in relatively stiff fibers resembling a carpet. The other strip 28' includes the "hook" elements 31 comprising a large plurality of hook-shaped fibers. These strips mate together firmly but not inseparably upon being pressed together. Disengagement is effected by a hand "peeling" force. U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,250 is a specific reference identifying and defining Velcro®, the relevant portions of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The pediatric intravenous device of the present invention provides a comfortable device for intravenous feeding and the like which is inexpensive to manufacture, sanitary, and suitable for a wide variety of uses for hospitalized pediatric patients.
Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed herein for illustrative purposes, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many additions, modifications and substitutions are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.
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An improved pediatric device for administering intravenous medications and fluids is provided which maintains an infant or toddler's hand, arm, leg or foot in a stationary position to prevent the child from inadvertently dislodging the needle from the vein during sudden movement. The device comprises an anatomically correct age and weight appropriate visco-elastic support molded to conform to the natural contours of the child, said support providing sufficient weight to keep the extremity immobile. The mold is covered with a disposable sleeve-like covering which provides a soft, clean, non-allergenic surface to protect the sensitive skin of an infant or child. The device is affixed to the child with a continuous sleeve of flexible material providing an elongated tubular form for completely securing the limb. The rectangular fabric sleeve has a smooth, moisture absorbing inner surface and is secured by fabric contact engaging means, e.g. Velcro® fasteners along each edge of the sleeve.
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This is a divisional patent based on patent application Ser. No. 09/250,761, filed Feb. 16, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,697,488.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to secure communications. More particularly the invention relates to cryptographic communication systems and methods for use in data-processing systems to enhance security. The proposed public-key cryptosystem is secure against a lunch-time attack and an adaptive chosen ciphertext attack.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Secrecy and security are important factors in today's computationally connected world. Transmitted information is restricted to an intended receiver and not suitable for everyone. For assuring secure and authenticated communications, cryptographic methods are help- and useful. A cryptographic system is a system for sending a message from a sender to a receiver over a medium so that the message is ‘secure’. That means, only the intended receiver can recover the message. The cryptographic system converts the message, also referred to as plaintext, into an encrypted format, known as ciphertext. The encryption is accomplished by manipulating or transforming the message using a cipher key or keys. The receiver decrypts the message by converting the ciphertext back to plaintext. This is performed by reversing the manipulation or transformation process using the cipher key or keys. Such an encrypted transmission is secure, so long as only the sender and the receiver have knowledge of the cipher key. Several cryptographic systems have been proposed in the past such as public-key cryptosystems. In general, an information used with an algorithm to encrypt and decrypt a message is called a key. The public key cryptosystem uses two keys, one private and one public, which are related to each other. Hence, in the public-key cryptosystem, the private key is always linked mathematically to the public key. Therefore, it is always possible to attack a public-key system by deriving the private key from the public key. Typically, the defense against this is to make the problem of deriving the private key from the public key as difficult as possible.
Diffie-Hellman:
A first public-key cryptographic scheme was published by Diffie and Hellman, “New Directions in Cryptography”, IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, vol. IT-22, pp. 644–654, November 1976. This scheme, also referred to as Diffie-Hellman key agreement, describes a public-key system based on discrete exponential and logarithmic functions and is primarily used for public-key exchange and public-key cryptosystems. The basis for the technique is the difficulty of calculating logarithms in modular arithmetic. Say A and B wish to establish a key. A sends B a number g, a modulus p and the number h 1 =g e1 mod(p), where e1 is a large number. B then sends back to A the number h 2 =g e2 mod(p). They each then use the number k=g (e1 e2) =h 1 e2 =h 2 e1 mod(p) as the private key. Any adversary must be able to calculate either e1 from g, h 1 or e2 from g, h 2 . This is believed to be very hard for large enough values of g and p, since no general, fast algorithms are known for solving a discrete logarithm function.
RSA:
Another public-key cryptosystem is disclosed in “On Digital Signatures and Public key Cryptosystems”, Commun. Ass. Comput. Mach., vol. 21, pp. 120–126, 1979, by R. L. Rivest, A. Shamir, and L. M. Adelman. The so-called RSA scheme is based on the fact that it is easy to generate two large primes and multiply them, whereas it is much more difficult to factor the result, that is, to derive the large primes from their product. Therefore it should be computationally infeasible to perform this derivation. The product can therefore be made public as part of the enciphering key without compromising the primes that constitute the deciphering key.
ElGamal:
The publication “A Public Key Cryptosystem and a Signature Scheme Based on Discrete Logarithms” by T. ElGamal in the IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, vol. IT-31, pp. 469–472, 1985, proposes a further public-key cryptosystem which implements the Diffie-Hellman key agreement. The ElGamal scheme comprising a secret key z and a public key h can be described in a simple way as the following. A message m can be encoded as elements of a cryptographic group G. The secret key z can be chosen at random from a set of numbers modulo q, denoted as Z q . The public key h is calculated by h=g z , whereby g is also chosen from the group G at random. The encryption starts by choosing a random element r in Z q . A ciphertext comprising u and e is derived by u=g r and e=h r m. This ciphertext can be decrypted to the message m by m=e/u z . The security of the ElGamal encryption scheme relies on the difficulty of recomputing discrete logarithms, but the ElGamal encryption is only secure against passive attacks and not secure against chosen ciphertext attacks. In particular, the ElGamal encryption scheme is trivially malleable. Thus, if u, e encrypts m, then u, ea encrypts ma.
All mentioned schemes are insecure against active attacks, in which an attacker or adversary can inject chosen messages into the stream of data and observe the resulting behaviors. An “adaptive chosen ciphertext attack” is the strongest known form of this kind of attack and is generally accepted to be the most aggressive kind of attack that any cryptosystem should be expected to withstand. Such an attack is one in which an adversary has access to a “decryption oracle”, e.g. a server, allowing the adversary to decrypt ciphertexts of his choice. The word “adversary” is commonly used in cryptography to refer to an opponent, an enemy, or any other mischievous person that desires to compromise one's security. Typically, one distinguishes between a weak form of attack, known as a lunch-time attack, and the strongest possible form, the adaptive chosen ciphertext attack. In the lunch-time attack, the adversary queries the decryption oracle a number of times, after which the adversary obtains the target ciphertext that the adversary wishes to cryptanalyze, and is not allowed to query the decryption oracle further. In an adaptive attack, the adversary may continue to query the decryption oracle after obtaining the target ciphertext, whereby the adversary repeats the following process: he sends requests to the software or hardware units implementing the cryptographic scheme, observes the responses, and based on the responses constructs and sends more requests, with the aim of eventually breaking the scheme. In fact the adversary may send any ciphertext to the decryption oracle, except the target ciphertext. D. Bleichenbacher discloses in “Chosen ciphertext attacks against protocols based on RSA encryption standard PKCS #1”, Advances in Cryptology-Crypto '98, pp. 1–12, 1998, design flaws in the widely used Internet security protocol SSL (Secure Socket Layer). Bleichenbacher's attack is a direct attack on what is supposed to be secure: the security protocol and the underlying encryption system. As mentioned above, such an adversary does more than just eavesdrop: he plays an active rule, sending carefully crafted encryptions to the SSL server, and then observes how the server responds to these encryptions. Based on these observations, the adversary can crack the code.
For many years, no public-key system was shown to be secure under a chosen ciphertext attack. M. Naor and M. Yung presented the first scheme provably secure against lunch-time attacks in their publication “Public-key cryptosystems provably secure against chosen ciphertext attacks”, in 22nd Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing, pages 427–437, 1990. Subsequently, D. Dolev, C. Dwork, and M. Naor presented in their publication “Non-malleable cryptography”, in 23rd Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing, pages 542–552, 1991, a scheme which is secure against adaptive chosen ciphertext attack. All of the known schemes provably secure under standard intractability assumptions are completely impractical, as they rely on general and expensive constructions for non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs.
I Damgard. proposed in the publication “Towards practical public key cryptosystems secure against chosen ciphertext attacks”, in Advances in Cryptology-Crypto '91, pages 445–456, 1991, a practical scheme that he conjectured to be secure against lunch-time attacks; however, this scheme is not known to be provably secure, and is in fact demonstratably insecure against adaptive chosen ciphertext attack.
Y. Zheng and J. Seberry proposed in their publication “Practical approaches to attaining security against adaptively chosen ciphertext attacks”, in Advances in Cryptology-Crypto '92, pages 292–304, 1992, practical schemes that are conjectured to be secure against chosen ciphertext attack, but again, no proof based on standard intractability assumptions is known.
C. H. Lim and P. J. Lee also proposed in their publication “Another method for attaining security against adaptively chosen ciphertext attacks”, in Advances in Cryptology-Crypto '93, pages 420–434, 1993, practical schemes that were later broken by Y. Frankel and M. Yung, which was described in “Cryptanalysis of immunized LL public key systems”, in Advances in Cryptology-Crypto '95, pages 287–296, 1995.
In a different direction, M. Bellare and P. Rogaway have presented in their publication “Random oracles are practical: a paradigm for designing efficient protocols”, In First ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security, 1993, and “Optimal asymmetric encryption”, in Advances in Cryptology-Crypto '94, pages 92–111, 1994, practical schemes that are provably secure against adaptive chosen ciphertext attack in an idealized model of computation where a hash function is represented by a random oracle. While a proof of security in the random oracle model is certainly preferable to no proof at all, a proof in the “real world” would be even better.
R. Canetti, O. Goldreich, and S. Halevi showed in the publication “The random oracle model, revisted”, in 30th Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing, 1998, that there are cryptographic schemes that are secure in the random oracle model, but insecure in the real world—no matter what hash function is chosen. It is not yet clear what the implications of these results are.
While there are several provably secure encryption schemes in the literature, they are all impractical. Also, there have been several practical cryptosystems that have been proposed, but none of them has been proven secure under standard intractability assumptions.
All currently commercially available cryptosystems are potentially vulnerable to active attacks. Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a secure cryptosystem in order to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a public-key cryptosystem that is secure against an attack such as a lunch-time attack.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a public-key cryptosystem that is secure against an adaptive chosen ciphertext attack.
It is a further object of the present invention to achieve a public-key cryptosystem that is secure and practical at the same time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention improves the security of encrypted data or information by using a practical public-key cryptosystem that is able to resist adaptive attacks. The disclosed scheme does not leak any information about the secret of the used key. Therefor the scheme generates an extended private key and public key. A message m, also referred to as plaintext, can be encrypted to obtain to a ciphertext t by using the public key. This ciphertext t can be transmitted over an insecure channel, e.g. the Internet. Only a recipient with the right private key is able to decrypt the ciphertext t. But before a decryption starts, a simple verification of the ciphertext t is performable. Such a verification allows to prove the legitimacy of the ciphertext t. That means, the ciphertext t is investigated and can be either decrypted back to the plaintext if the ciphertext t is properly constructed, ie. the ciphertext is legitimate or valid, or can be rejected if a chosen ciphertext is revealed as having been fed, ie. the ciphertext is illegitimate or invalid. The rejection has the advantage that an adversary can not submit arbitrary ciphertexts and therefore the adversary gets no information about other encrypted data. Hence, a lunch-time attack or even an adaptive chosen ciphertext attack can not only be discovered, but such an attack can be prevented altogether. It further turns out that by rejecting all illegitimate ciphertexts, no information about the private key is leaked, which effectively neutralizes the chosen ciphertext attack and shows that the plaintext can be hidden perfectly.
The disclosed public-key scheme brings the advantage that adaptive attacks are useless for the attacker since no information is leaked. Therefore, by using the present public-key cryptosystem, a secure communication can be guaranteed also when sensitive or personal information, such as credit card details, authorizations, passwords, PIN codes, and so forth, are involved and transmitted. For example, e-commerce transactions which travel across the world can be achieved in a private and secure manner.
Security against adaptive chosen ciphertext attack also implies non-malleability, meaning that an adversary cannot take an encryption of some plaintext and transform it into an encryption of a different plaintext that is related to the original plaintext. It is another advantage of the present public-key scheme that it is not malleable.
The disclosed public-key scheme can be used not only for privacy, ie. encryption, but also for authentication.
The present system is secure against a lunch-time attack since the system is practical, using a few exponentiations over a group. Further, by the application of a hash function, the system is secure against an adaptive chosen ciphertext attack. Moreover, the proof of security bases on standard intractability assumptions, namely, the hardness of the Diffie-Hellman decision problem in the underlying group, and the collision intractability of the hash function.
The hardness of the Diffie-Hellman decision problem, also referred to as DDH problem (Decisional Diffie-Hellman problem), is essentially equivalent to the security of the basic ElGamal encryption scheme against passive adversaries. Thus, with the additional assumption of a collision-resistant hash function and some computation, security against adaptive chosen ciphertext attack is achieved, whereas the basic ElGamal scheme is completely insecure against adaptive chosen ciphertext attack.
A public-key cryptosystem is proposed which is secure and practical at the same time.
Glossary
The following are informal definitions to aid in the understanding of the description.
Group: A group in the cryptographic sense is an algebraic system (G,*) consisting of a set of elements or numbers and a group operation (*) with some specified properties, where (*) is associative, has a neutral element, and where every element in G has an inverse element.
The choice of the symbol (*) is arbitrary. In fact, the operation of most groups is denoted by either + or •, and such groups are referred to as additive or multiplicative group, respectively.
Finite group. A group G is called finite if it contains only finitely many elements. The number of elements in a finite group is called its order.
For example, for any positive integer n, a set Z n consists of the integers 0, . . . , n−1, and it forms a group under the operation of addition modulo n. Moreover, the subset of Z n consisting of those integers relatively prime to n forms a group under multiplication modulo n, and is denoted Z n *. In particular, if p is prime, then Z n * consists of {1, . . . , p−1}, and is a group with p−1 elements.
Hash function: A hash function is a computationally efficient function mapping binary strings of arbitrary length to binary strings of some fixed length.
Collision resistant hash functions: A family of hash functions is collision resistant if given a random hash function H in the family, it is infeasible to find a collision, ie., two strings x≠y such that H(x)=H(y).
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention is described in detail below with reference to the following schematic drawings.
FIG. 1 a shows a schematic illustration of an encrypted communication between two devices whereby an adversary is eavesdropping.
FIG. 1 b shows a schematic illustration where an adversary has access to a decryption oracle.
FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram of the basic scheme according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates a diagram of a simplified scheme.
All the figures are for the sake of clarity not shown in real dimensions, nor are the relations between the dimensions shown in a realistic scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the following, the basic scheme according to the present invention is described in detail. Further, some implementation details and possible variations of the basic encryption scheme are addressed. FIG. 1 a and FIG. 1 b explain in a short way the problem of an attack.
FIG. 1 a shows a typical scenario for an attack. Generally, FIG. 1 a depicts a user's first device 1 and a second device 2 which is a server or a replying device, also referred to as “decryption oracle”. The first device 1 , which is a computer, is connected via an insecure channel 4 , e.g. the Internet, to the second device 2 . An adversary 3 , which is here an attacker, has access to the insecure channel 4 . The communication between the first device 1 and the second device 2 takes place in an encrypted manner, whereby a public-key cryptosystem is used. Hence, the user's first device 1 and the second device 2 process cryptographic messages. The adversary 3 can eavesdrop the insecure channel 4 by an eavesdropping channel 5 . Therefore the adversary 3 gets the ciphertext of several messages. In this ciphertext-only attack, the adversary 3 tries to recover the plaintext of as many messages as possible and further the adversary 3 tries to deduce the key or keys therefrom.
FIG. 1 b shows the same scenario as in FIG. 1 a with the same numbering, but since the ciphertext-only attack is not really efficient, the adversary 3 here tries an adaptive attack by using an attack channel 6 in both directions. There are may other kinds of attacks, but an adaptive chosen ciphertext attack is the strongest known form of an attack. The point is that the adversary 3 has access to the second device 2 , the “decryption oracle”, via the attack channel 6 and the insecure channel 4 . For that reason, the first device 1 is not really necessary, which is indicated by a dashed line. Now, the adversary 3 does not only eavesdrop, but he also sends messages of his choice to the second device 2 and tries to decrypt other ciphertexts. Therefore an efficient and practical cryptosystem is required that is able to withstand this strongest known form of an attack, the adaptive chosen ciphertext attack.
In the following, a practical public-key cryptosystem which is secure against adaptive chosen ciphertext attack as a first embodiment is described with reference to FIG. 2 .
FIG. 2 shows an illustration of the basic scheme according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is split up in sections I to V which is indicated by horizontal dash dot lines. It is started in section I where a generation of a public key in a public-key generation step 17 and private key in a private key choosing step 13 is indicated. Below, section II follows wherein an encryption of a plaintext 22 to a ciphertext t in an encryption step 20 is depicted. The ciphertext t, indicated by reference number 30 , is public and transmittable over an insecure channel, as described with reference to FIG. 1 a and 1 b . This is indicated in section III. A verification step 40 follows in section IV and finally a decryption in a decryption step 50 in section V.
The present public-key cryptosystem is usable in connection with calculating or computing means, e.g. a machine or a computer which processes at least two numbers via a mathematical operation and generates a third number. Further, the system can be implemented in software as well as in hardware. For the sake of clarity, not all described means are depicted in FIG. 2 . The encrypted communication takes place via a direct link or a network as described above.
The single sections are numbered on the left side in FIG. 2 and are explained in detail in the following.
Section I:
A random generator which is not depicted can be used for the key generation. A group G of prime number order q, where q is large, is provided, which is indicated by reference number 10 . G is a cryptographic group with strong cryptographic properties, e.g. a multiplicative group. This group G can be a large prime order subgroup of the multiplicative group modulo a large prime number or a large prime order subgroup defined by an elliptic curve. The key generation algorithm uses the random generator and chooses in a choosing step 12 a first base-group-number g 1 and a second base-group-number g 2 from the group G, which can be expressed as g 1 , g 2 ∈G.
In the private-key choosing step 13 from a set of elements modulo q, denoted as Z q and indicated by reference number 14 , for the private key a first exponent-number x 1 , a second exponent-number x 2 , a third exponent-number z, a fourth exponent-number y 1 , and a fifth exponent-number y 2 are chosen at random. This can be expressed as follows.
x 1 ,x 2 ,y 1 ,y 2 ,z∈Z q
Next, a first group-number c, a second group-number h, and a third group-number d are derived in a generation step 15 from the chosen numbers g 1 , g 2 , x 1 , x 2 , y 1 , y 2 , z by using calculating means according to the following formulas:
c=g 1 x 1 g 2 x 2 ,d=g 1 y 1 g 2 y 2 ,h=g 1 z
The public key is now complete and is represented by the numbers g 1 , g 2 , c, d, and h.
A monotone function ƒ 1 of the first exponent-number x 1 , a monotone function ƒ 2 of the second exponent-number x 2 , a third monotone function ƒ 3 of the third exponent-number z, a monotone function ƒ 4 of the fourth exponent-number y 1 and a fifth monotone function ƒ 5 of the fifth exponent-number y 2 can be used instead of x 1 , x 2 , y 1 , y 2 , z, respectively. This provides an equivalent algorithm with several variations. The simplest way is to multiply, for example, x 1 by 1 which results in the original x 1 . But not only integer numbers are usable within the functions ƒ. The introduction of a monotone function f should be reversed in a later step, e.g. in the verification step 40 .
Section II:
A cleartext message exists in a computer-readable and understandable form and is herewith called plaintext m. For example, the plaintext m comprises a number or numbers according to the ASCII code (American Standard Code for Information
Interchange) representing data characters, e.g. letters, numbers, or signs. Generally, the plaintext m is represented by numbers of G or can be encoded as numbers of G.
The encryption uses here a hash function H, e.g. SHA-1 or MD-5, which is not depicted. This hash function H is public and hashes long strings to elements of Z q . The hash function H is chosen from the family of universal one-way hash functions.
The plaintext m is provided and indicated as plaintext 22 . The encryption algorithm runs as follows. First, a single exponent-number r is chosen at random in a r-choosing step 23 from a set of elements modulo q, denoted as Z q and indicated by reference number 24 . The set of elements modulo q should be large and do not need to be the same set Z q as described in section I. Adequately as described above a monotone function ƒ r of the single exponent-number r can be chosen. An encryption means computes a first universal cipher-number u i , a second universal cipher-number u 2 , an encryption cipher-number e, a hash-value a, and a verification cipher-number v This is processed in the encryption step 20 by using the public-key numbers g 1 , g 2 , c, d, and h, the single exponent-number r, and the plaintext m according to the formulas:
u 1 =g 1 r ,u 2 =g 2 r ,e=h r m,a=H ( u 1 ,u 2 ,e ), v=c r d ra .
The ciphertext 30 comprises a first universal cipher-number u 1 , a second universal cipher-number u 2 , an encryption cipher-number e, and a verification cipher-number v. The first universal cipher-number u 1 and the encryption cipher-number e are encrypted analog to the ElGamal scheme. The second universal cipher-number u 2 and the verification cipher-number v are created for the purpose of a special kind of error detecting code. These can be used in the verification step 40 in section IV to find out whether a ciphertext is properly constructed or not. Several variations are possible to create the verification cipher-number v, e.g. by omitting d ra .
As shown above, the verification cipher-number v bases here on the first group-number c, the third group-number d, the hash-value a, and the single exponent-number r.
Section III:
The computed ciphertext 30 with, the cipher-numbers u 1 , u 2 , e, v is transmittable via an insecure channel, as described above. For the sake of clarity, this is not indicated in section III in FIG. 2 . The ciphertext 30 does not leak any information about the keys and therefore the plaintext m is hidden assuming the Decisional Diffie-Hellman problem, also referred to as DDH problem, is hard. For the transmission of the ciphertext 30 , the sending device, e.g. the first device 1 as described with reference to FIGS. 1 a and 1 b , uses output means, whereas the receiving devices, e.g. the second device 2 as described with reference to FIGS. 1 a and 1 b , uses input means for receiving the ciphertext 30 .
Section IV:
Before the decryption in the decryption step 50 starts, the verification of the ciphertext 30 in the verification step 40 is applied by using verification means. The verification can be used independently from the decryption which is described in the next section V and is therefore depicted separately. The decryption may take place at another location where the verification step 40 is executed. This is advantageous because computing power can be shared or the verification as well as the decryption can be handled by especially prepared machines. Not all numbers of the ciphertext 30 are really necessary for the verification, e.g. the encryption cipher-number e is not used in the verification step 40 .
Using the received ciphertext-numbers u 1 , u 2 , e, v, the verification means recompute the hash-value a by using the hash function H, which can be expressed as a=H (u 1 , u 2 , e). Then it is tested by using the hash-value a and x 1 , x 2 , y 1 , y 2 as part of the private key if
u 1 x 1 +y 1 a u 2 x 2 +y 2 a =v [1]
The calculating or testing means outputs either true or false according to the condition [1]. If this condition [1] does not hold, i.e. results in false, the system outputs a reject message 41 , which can be used for further processing, e.g. for terminating the connection.
The condition [1], also referred to as test [1] since there is a condition tested, in the verification step 40 , together with the potential reject unless the condition is fulfilled, inhibits a decryption means or a decryptor from being misused as a decryption oracle.
As mentioned in section II the second universal cipher-number u 2 and the verification cipher-number v are created as error detecting code. Therefore the second base-group-number g 2 is introduced in section I in order to create a two-dimensional randomization, whereby the hash function H is used to diffuse the two dimensions. For a properly constructed ciphertext 30 , it always holds that if u 1 =g 1 r 1 and u 2 =g 2 r 2 , then r 1 =r 2 . Such ciphertexts are herewith also referred to as legitimate ciphertexts. There is nothing stopping an adversary, while performing a chosen ciphertext attack, to request the decryption of a ciphertext that is illegitimate, ie., with r 1 ≠r 2 . This is the point of the test [1], where it is tested whether the received verification cipher-number v was created by the encryption algorithm according to encryption step 20 as described in section II. The test [1] will essentially ensure that all illegitimate ciphertexts are rejected. It further turns out that by rejecting all illegitimate ciphertexts, no information about the private key is leaked, while it effectively neutralizes the chosen ciphertext attack. Moreover, the error code information itself does not leak any useful information. The point of the hash-value in the computation is to prevent proofs of legitimacy from the adversary.
Section V:
If the condition [1] holds, i.e. results in true, the plaintext m can be recovered in the decryption step 50 by using e, u 1 , and z, whereby z is part of the private key. A decrypting means outputs:
m=e/u 1 z .
The ciphertext 30 contains the plaintext m in the encryption cipher-number e. Therefore the plaintext m can be recovered according to the ElGamal scheme, which uses the first universal cipher-number u 1 as part of the ciphertext 30 and the third exponent-number z as part of the private key.
It is to be verified that the decryption of an encryption of a message yields the message or the plaintext m. Since u 1 =g 1 r and u 2 =g 2 r , it is
u 1 x 1 u 2 x 2 =g 1 rx 1 g 2 rx 2 =c r .
Likewise, u 1 y 1 u 2 y 2 =d r and u 1 z 1 u 2 z 2 =h r . Therefore, the test performed by the decryption algorithm will pass, and the output will be e/h r =m.
The present scheme has the following advantages:
The described cryptosystem is secure against adaptive chosen ciphertext attack assuming that the hash function H is collision resistant, and the Diffie-Hellman decision problem is hard in the group G.
Assuming the adversary 3 does not find a collision in H, then with high probability, the decryption oracle 2 will reject all invalid ciphertexts during the attack.
In another embodiment the hash function H can be eliminated from the scheme, so that the security is based exclusively on the Diffie-Hellman decision problem for an arbitrary group G. For example, the group element d is changed by d 1 , . . . d k . For 1≦i≦k, it is d i =g 1 y i1 g 2 y i2 , where y i1 and y i2 are random elements of Z q included in the private key. The derivation of the verification cipher-number v as well as the verification of the verification cipher-number v in the verification step 40 are to adapt accordingly.
In FIG. 3 a simplified version of the basic scheme which is able to withstand a lunch-time attack is described.
To achieve security against lunch-time attacks, one can simplify the above-described basic scheme, essentially by omitting d, y 1 , y 2 , and the hash function H. In the encryption step 20 in section II, it is computed v=c r , and in the verification step 40 in section IV it is verified that v=u 1 x 1 u 2 x 2 .
FIG. 3 follows which shows a lunch-time attack resist system with an adequate numbering and ciphering as described with reference to FIG. 2 .
Section I:
The key generation algorithm uses the random generator and chooses in a choosing step 12 a first base-group-number g 1 and a second base-group-number g 2 from the group G, which can be expressed as g 1 , g 2 ∈G.
In the private-key choosing step 13 . 1 from a set of elements modulo q, denoted as Z q and numbered with reference number 14 , for the private key a first exponent-number x 1 , a second exponent-number x 2 , a third exponent-number z are chosen at random. This can be expressed as follows.
x 1 ,x 2 ,z ∈Z q
Next, a first group-number c and a second group-number h are derived in a generation step 15 . 1 from the chosen numbers g 1 , g 2 , x 1 , x 2 , z by using calculating means according to the following formulas:
c=g 1 x 1 g 2 x 2 ,h=g 1 z
The public key is then complete and is represented by the numbers g 1 , g 2 , c, and h.
Section II:
The plaintext m is provided and indicated as plaintext 22 . First, a single exponent-number r is chosen at random in a r-choosing step 23 from a set of elements modulo q, denoted as Z q . Then an encryption means computes a first universal cipher-number u 1 , a second universal cipher-number u 2 , an encryption cipher-number e, and a verification cipher-number v This is processed in the encryption step 20 . 1 by using the public-key numbers g 1 , g 2 , c, and h, the single exponent-number r, and the plaintext m according to the formulas:
u 1 =g 1 r ,u 2 =g 2 r ,e=h r m,v=c r .
As shown in the formula, the verification cipher-number v is here generated by raising the first group-number c to the power of the single exponent-number r.
The ciphertext 30 comprises u 1 , u 2 , e, v
Section III:
The computed ciphertext 30 with the cipher-numbers u 1 , u 2 , e, v is transmittable via an insecure channel, as described above.
Section IV:
Using the received ciphertext-numbers u 1 , u 2 , e, v, the verification means tests if
v=u 1 x 1 u 2 x 2. [2]
The calculating or testing means outputs either true or false according to the condition [2]. If this condition [2] does not hold, i.e. results in false, the system outputs a reject message 41 , which can be used for further processing.
Section V:
Otherwise, if the condition [2] holds, i.e. true, the plaintext m can be recovered in the decryption step 50 by using e, u 1 , and z, whereby z is part of the private key. A decrypting means outputs:
m=e/u 1 z .
In the following sections, some implementation details and possible variations of the basic scheme for several embodiments are addressed.
(1) To define a group G, one choose a large prime p (say, 1024 bits long), such that p−1=2q, where q is also prime. Then the group G would be chosen to be the subgroup of index 2 in the group of units of integers modulo p. If one restricts a message to be an element of the set {1, . . . , (p−1)/2}, then one can “encode” a message by squaring it modulo p, giving an element in G. One can recover a message from its encoding by computing the unique square root of its encoding modulo p that is in the set {1, . . . , (p−1)/2}. (2) This yields an implementation that is reasonably efficient. However, it would be more practical to work in a smaller subgroup, and it would be better to have a more flexible and efficient encoding scheme.
To do this, one could do the following. It is chosen a 1024-bit prime p such that p−1=qm, where q is a prime with, say, 240-bits. The group G would then be the subgroup of order q in the multiplicative group of units modulo p. Then, instead of encoding a message as a group element, one could just view it as a bit string. The encryption algorithm would have to be modified, replacing e=h r m with e=F(h r )⊕ m, where F is a function that maps a random element of G (as encoded as an integer modulo p) to a bit string of the same length as m that is computationally indistinguishable from a random bit string of the same length.
One way to implement F is as follows. First, hash the 1024-bit encoding of h r down to, e.g., 56 bits using a random but publicly known 2-universal hash function. These 56 bits are fairly close to random. Then these 56 bits can be used as a DES key, and generate as many pseudo-random bits as needed using DES in counter mode. The security proof would then require the assumption that DES is a good pseudo-random permutation, which is quite reasonable. A more expensive pseudo-random bit generator could be used if a weaker intractability assumption were desired.
(3) Another, more efficient variant of the basic scheme runs as follows. The public key and encryption algorithm are the same, but the key generation and decryption algorithms are slightly different. In this variation, the private key consists of (w, x, y, z) ∈Z q 4 , and the public key is computed as
g 2 =g 1 w ,c=g 1 x ,d=g 1 y ,h=g 1 z .
The test made by the decryption algorithm on input (u 1 , u 2 , e, v) is:
u 2 =u 1 w and v=u 1 x+ya ,
where a=H(u 1 , u 2 , e). If this test passes, the output of the encryption algorithm is m=e/u 1 z .
A further embodiment is described in the following implementation.
(4) A large prime p is chosen such that p−1=2q, where q is also prime. The group G is a subgroup of order q in Z p * . The message is restricted to be an element of a set {1, . . . , q}, and “encoded” by squaring it modulo p, giving an element in G. A message can be recovered from its encoding by computing the unique square root of its encoding modulo p that is in the set {1, . . . , q}. For the hash function, one could use a function SHA-1, or possibly some keyed variant, and make the appropriate collision-resistance assumption. However, it is only marginally more expensive to do the following, which is based only on the hardness of discrete logarithms in G. A bit string should be hashed to an integer mod q. The bit string is written as a sequence (a 1 , . . . , a k ), with each a i ∈{0, . . . , q−1}. To define the hash function, h 1 , . . . , h k is chosen in G at random. The hash of (a 1 , . . . , a k ) is then the least non-negative residue of ±h 1 a 1 . . . h k a k ∈Z p * , where the sign is chosen so that this value is in {1, . . . , q}. This hash function is collision resistant, provided computing discrete logarithms in G is hard.
A hybrid implementation is described as another embodiment in the following.
It would be more practical to use smaller subgroups, and it is desirable to have a more flexible and efficient way to encode messages. A symmetric-key cipher C with a key length of l bits is provided. A large prime p is chosen such that p−1=qm, where q is a 3l-bit prime. The group G is a subgroup of order q in Z p *. A message in this scheme is just an arbitrary bit string. To encrypt a message m, the basic scheme is modified, computing e=C K (m), where an encryption key K is computed by hashing h r to an l-bit string with a public 2-universal hash function. For the hash function H, something like SHA-1, possibly keyed, would be appropriate. The security of this variant is provable.
In yet another embodiment an alternative hybrid implementation is addressed in the following by using a MAC (Message Authentication Code).
To encrypt a message m, the basic scheme is modified, computing e=(e 1 , e 2 ), whereby e 1 =C K 1 (m) and e 2 =MAC K 2 (e 1 ). The hash-value is derived by a=H(u 1 , u 2 ) and an encryption key K 1 , K 2 is computed by hashing h r to an l-bit string with a public hash function which can be expressed as (K 1 , K 2 )=H(h r ). Then, v is derivable as described in the basic scheme.
Any disclosed embodiment may be combined with one or several of the other embodiments shown and/or described. This is also possible for one or more features of the embodiments.
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The present scheme improves the security of encrypted data or information by using of a practical public-key cryptosystem that is able to resist adaptive attacks. The disclosed scheme does not leak any information about the secret of the used key. Therefor the scheme generates an extended private key and public key. A message m, also referred to as plaintext, is encryptable to a ciphertext t by using the public key. Only a recipient with the right private key is able to decrypt the ciphertext t. But before a decryption starts, a verification of the ciphertext t takes place. Such a verification allows to prove the legitimation of the ciphertext t. That means, the ciphertext t is investigated and either decrypted back to the plaintext or rejected if a chosen ciphertext is fed, ie. the ciphertext is illegitimate or invalid.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a motor vehicle having a lift platform that when the vehicle is parked, can be deployed and then operated to lift and lower an object, such as a person seated in a wheelchair, between the vehicle floor and ground level, and that thereafter is placed in stowed position when the vehicle is ready to be driven.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Certain vehicles have motorized lifts for raising and lowering large objects to facilitate loading them into and unloading them from space inside the vehicle. One example of such a device is a wheelchair lift. Various models of wheelchair lifts are commercially available. One type comprises a platform that when placed generally horizontally either on the floor of a vehicle or on ground adjacent the vehicle allows a wheelchair to be rolled onto and off it. With a wheelchair having been placed on the platform, the platform can be raised and/or lowered to move the wheelchair to and from floor- and/or ground-level. The lift is motorized, comprising a prime mover and associated mechanism for raising and lowering the platform. When unoccupied, the platform can be operated to a stowed position in preparation for the vehicle to be driven.
A motor vehicle having a wheelchair lift is subject to U.S. government regulations, as specified in FMVSS. One requirement mandates that the vehicle be rendered immovable when the lift is out of stow. One means for compliance with that requirement comprises automatically operating a vehicle's park brake to apply a holding or locking force to vehicle wheels when the vehicle is stopped thereby preventing the vehicle from moving.
In certain vehicles the park brake uses an on-board pressurized air supply to keep the park brake at each wheel from otherwise being automatically applied by a device, sometimes called a SAAR (meaning spring actuated, air released) for short. Application of a park brake occurs when the air supply to the SAAR is shut off, allowing the spring force of the SAAR to be effective to lock the wheels. Pressurized air must be applied to the SAAR in order to release the park brake.
The driver can apply and release the park brake by operating a “push-pull-double-check” (PPDC) valve, sometimes referred to as a “park brake knob”. For compliance with applicable wheelchair lift regulations, a vehicle may have a solenoid-operated interlock valve for causing the compressed air supply to the park brake knob to be shut off when the wheelchair lift is out of stow. A supply valve is caused to open by compressed air pressure being applied through the interlock valve to a pilot port when a switch or sensor signals that the wheelchair lift is in stow, thereby enabling the supply valve to open and pass compressed air from a supply port to a delivery port so that the park brake knob can apply and release the park brake.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention arises in consequence of the recognition of the possibility that the supply valve could, for any of several reasons, cause the compressed air supply to be shut off to the park brake knob while the vehicle is being driven. Were that to happen, compressed air would become trapped in the line leading to the SAAR. As long as that pressure were to be maintained, the park brake would continue to be held released. Failure to maintain that pressure, such as through leakage, could however lead to unintended release of the SAAR, and hence possible application of the park brake while the vehicle is moving.
The present invention provides a solution that is intended to alert the driver to the possible incipiency of unintended application of the park brake in such a situation.
Possible reasons for unintended trapping of compressed air in the line to the SAAR while the vehicle is in motion include failure of a component or wiring in the portion of the electrical system associated with the lift, and loss of proper adjustment of a switch or switches in that portion of the electrical system for sensing that the lift has been stowed and/or any associated door has been fully closed.
Leakage from air lines in a vehicle like a truck or bus can occur at joints and connections along the lines, and normally small amounts of leakage, which may be virtually unnoticeable, are tolerable when all components of a particular system are fully functional. That is because the pressurized air source can make up for the leakage loss. In the case of the park brake system that has been described above, the potential exists for connections in the line to the SAAR to leak.
When the lift is indicated to be out-of-stow, resulting in compressed air becoming trapped in the line to the SAAR, and if a leak is present in that line, pressure loss from such a leak cannot be made up because the supply valve is not kept open by pilot pressure. A sufficiently large pressure loss in the air line to the SAAR will cause the park brake to be automatically applied. If the leak is small, the pressure loss may take a long time to occur, but in any event, trapping compressed air in the line to the SAAR while the vehicle is being driven is considered undesirable.
The present invention employs an efficient use of components and materials in conjunction with existing vehicle systems to provide a signal for alerting the driver to the possible incipiency of unintended application of the park brake due to loss of pressure in the line to the SAAR.
The invention contemplates that the driver, upon being alerted, will have sufficient time to drive to a suitable stopping place where the vehicle can be stopped and parked.
In a specific embodiment to be described here, a tee is connected into the air line to the SAAR, and a pressure switch is connected to the third port of the tee. The pressure switch is electrically connected to the vehicle electrical system. Advantageous use is also made both of existing information in the electrical system controller and of existing warning devices.
According to one generic aspect, the invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising a park brake for wheels on which the vehicle travels, a pressurized air source, and an air circuit for controlling an operating device for the park brake to unlock the wheels when pressurized air from the source is acting on the operating device through an air line leading to the device with nominal pressure that assures unlocking of the wheels and to lock the wheels when air pressure in the air line is less than some minimum pressure for keeping the wheels locked.
The vehicle has a lift that is selectively operable to an out-of-stow position that allows the lift to be used when the vehicle is parked and to a stowed position that does not allow use of the lift. A selectively operable lift interlock valve is connected in the air circuit for allowing pressurized air from the source to act on the operating device whenever the lift is indicated to be in stowed position and for blocking the air line leading to the device whenever the lift is indicated to be in out-of-stow position.
A pressure-sensitive device senses air pressure in the air line leading to the operating device. An indicator is operated by the pressure-sensitive device when air pressure in the air line leading to the operating device has decreased significantly from the nominal pressure, but is still greater than the minimum pressure, to indicate the possibility of imminent locking of the wheels.
The foregoing, along with further features and advantages of the invention, will be seen in the following disclosure of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention depicting the best mode contemplated at this time for carrying out the invention. This specification includes drawings, now briefly described as follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a side of a vehicle, such as a passenger bus, showing a wheelchair lift in a deployed position.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an air circuit that is associated with a park brake knob and park brake, that has an interlock with the wheelchair lift shown in FIG. 1 , and that embodies principles of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a strategy diagram that implements principles of the invention in the vehicle.
FIG. 4 is a schematic electrical diagram including an electrical system controller (ESC) that executes an algorithm in accordance with the strategy diagram of FIG. 3 .
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 shows an entry side of a passenger bus 10 from which a wheelchair lift 12 has been deployed to place a lift platform 14 generally horizontally on the adjacent ground surface 16 where a wheelchair (not shown) can be rolled onto and off it. After the wheelchair has been rolled onto platform 14 , a lift mechanism 18 is operated by a prime mover, such as a motor, to raise platform 14 to the level of a floor 20 of the bus, allowing the wheelchair to be rolled into the bus interior through a door opening 22 . Unloading of the wheelchair is accomplished in the opposite manner. When platform 14 is unoccupied, it and the associate mechanism connected to it can be operated to a stowed position inside the bus, possibly with platform 14 covering door opening 22 itself, or at least assuming a position that allows a separate door (not shown) to close door opening 22 .
Bus 10 has hydraulic service brakes at its wheels. It also has a park brake 24 (see FIG. 2 ) that is held released by pressure of compressed air being applied to a SAAR (spring apply, air release) device 50 associated with each wheel that has a park brake mechanism. With bus 10 parked, the pressurized air in device 50 can be exhausted to release a spring whose force is then applied to lock the respective wheel. When the park brake is to be released, compressed air is delivered to device 50 to overcome the spring force being applied to the park brake mechanism at the respective wheel, thereby releasing the spring and unlocking the wheel.
FIG. 2 further shows an air circuit 26 that is associated with park brake 24 . An air tank 28 provides a source of pressurized air that is delivered into an air line 30 via one port of a tee 32 . Line 30 extends from a second port of tee 32 through a manifold 33 and then a pressure transducer 34 to a supply port of a pilot-operated supply valve 36 that has a delivery port connected to one port of a double check valve 38 by an air line 40 .
An air line 42 that branches at a tee 44 connects a second port of double check valve 38 to primary and secondary supply ports of a PPDC valve, or park brake knob, 45 . An air line 46 connects a third port of double check valve 38 to both a delivery port of PPDC valve 45 and a port of a quick release valve 48 , passing to the latter through manifold 33 . An air line 49 connects another port of valve 48 to a SAAR device 50 . A tee 52 in air line 46 provides for line pressure to be communicated to a park brake indication switch 54 that is normally closed (NC) and that is connected to the vehicle electrical system. Supply valve 36 , double check valve 38 , and park brake knob 45 collectively provide one example of a means for applying and releasing the park brake when the lift is in stow.
From a third port of tee 32 , air line 30 extends to an inlet port of a park brake interlock solenoid valve 56 that has a normally closed valve element 56 V and a solenoid 56 S that when energized operates valve element 56 V to open valve 56 . Solenoid 56 S is fed from the ignition terminal IGN of the vehicle ignition switch through a switch 37 that distinguishes between the lift being in stow and out-of-stow. With the vehicle engine running, the energization/de-energization of solenoid 56 S is controlled by switch 37 .
An air line 58 connects an outlet port of valve 56 through manifold 33 to a pilot port of supply valve 36 . An exhaust line 60 provides for venting from an exhaust port of valve 36 , as does an exhaust line 62 from an exhaust port of PPDC valve 45 . A park brake monitor switch 64 is communicated to pressure in air line 58 via a tee 66 .
Switch 54 is associated with an electrical system controller (ESC) 68 of the vehicle electrical system as shown in FIG. 4 . ESC 68 comprises a processor that is programmed in accordance with an algorithm 70 , shown in FIG. 3 , that iterates from time to time beginning at a start point 72 .
A step 74 of the algorithm monitors the condition of switch 54 . If the park brake is indicated as being released due to pressure in air line 46 being substantially nominal pressure provided by air tank 28 , a step 76 of the algorithm monitors vehicle speed, as broadcast on a data link of the electrical system.
If the vehicle is indicated to be moving, a step 78 of the algorithm monitors switch 54 to ascertain if pressure has been lost in air line 46 in an amount large enough to indicate a possible imminent unintended application of the park brake. A decrease from the nominal air tank pressure that is present in air line 46 when the lift is in stow due to valve 56 being open, to a pressure that while still greater than the minimum pressure needed to keep the park brake from being applied, is indicative of the possibility of imminent unintended application of the park brake. Such a decrease in pressure can occur in the following way.
When the park brake is released and the lift is in stow, air line 46 is pressurized from the air tank through supply valve 36 and valve 45 . If switch 37 is closed, thereby indicating the lift being in stow, solenoid 56 S is energized to keep valve element 56 V open for supplying tank air pressure to the pilot port of supply valve 36 . That allows the park brake to be applied and released by operation of park brake knob 45 . When switch 37 opens to indicate the lift having come out of stow, valve element 56 V closes, causing line 58 to exhaust through an exhaust port 56 E. Pilot pressure to supply valve 36 is thereby lost, and so it closes with line 40 being exhausted through valve 36 in the process.
Air pressure present in air line 46 then shuttles double check valve 38 to block it from air line 40 . With line 40 blocked, a closed loop comprising double check valve 38 , line 44 , valve 45 , and the portion of line 46 between the delivery port of valve 45 and valve 38 is created. In other words the entire portion of air circuit 26 from valve 38 to valve 48 is now shut off from air tank 28 . Air leakage from that shut off portion will cause pressure in air line 46 to decrease. When pressure reaches the low pressure threshold of PPDC valve 45 , it will “pop” and exhaust line 46 , thereby applying the park brake.
If pressure in line 46 decreases significantly from the nominal tank pressure to some predetermined pressure above the low pressure threshold of PPDV valve 45 , a step 80 activates an alarm to alert the driver. If not, the algorithm returns to step 72 via a step 82 that in the absence of any alarm being given, has no effect, but would be effective to de-activate an alarm that is being given.
Had step 74 indicated that the park brake was being applied, the algorithm would have not performed steps 76 and 78 , and instead would have returned to step 72 via step 82 .
Had step 76 indicated that the vehicle was not moving, the algorithm would have not performed step 78 , and instead would have returned directly to step 72 .
By using an existing alarm device or devices in the bus a separate additional alarm device is not required. Existing alarm devices are often capable of giving distinctive alarms for particular conditions, and it is preferred that such a device be used to give a unique alarm to warning of potential impending application of the park brake.
The invention can be implemented with minimal additional hardware and the connections into pre-existing electrical and air systems. Algorithm 70 can be implemented by suitable programming in a existing processor ESC 68 .
While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it should be appreciated that principles of the invention apply to all embodiments falling within the scope of the following claims.
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A method for warning a driver of a moving vehicle of potential imminent unintended application of a park brake because of an indication that a motorized lift ( 12 ) is out-of-stow. A processor ( 68 ) executes an algorithm for issuing an alarm to signal the driver when air pressure in a line ( 46 ) to a device ( 50 ) that is holding the park brake released has decreased to pressure somewhat greater than that which will cause the park brake to be automatically applied, allowing the driver some measure of time to park the vehicle before the park brake is applied.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a method of making an electrical terminal and more particularly to a method of making an electrical terminal having a pair of upstanding terminal legs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electrical terminals of the type described herein include a tubular end portion, commonly referred to as the barrel which is placed over the stripped end of an electrical cable. This barrel may be crimped or otherwise mechanically and electrically secured to the electrical cable. The other end of the terminal, the connection end is typically one of two types. The first type is a simple flattened end having an aperture therethrough and which can be placed over a terminal post or can accept a nut and bolt assembly for connection. Terminals of this type and methods for making such terminals are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 860,889 issued July 23, 1907; 2,957,226 issued Oct. 25, 1960 and 2,968,788 issued Jan. 17, 1961. The second type of terminals is a dual leg terminal having a barrel end for connection to an electrical cable as above-described and a pair of upstanding leg portions which accommodate therebetween a terminal post. This type of terminal is commonly found in many automobiles for connection to the battery. Each leg may include an opening at its distal extent through which a nut and bolt assembly can be used to secure the legs to the terminal post.
This second type terminal having a pair of upstanding legs, is more difficult to manufacture than the simple flattened end variety of the first type. Whereas the first type terminal can be made from stock tubing by flattening one end, the dual leg aspect of the second type terminal has heretofore prevented the use of such manufacturing expediency. Typically, dual leg terminals are made by casting methods where heated liquid metal is poured into a cast form. Alternatively, the dual leg terminal may be formed from a length of flat metal where the upstanding legs are blanked from the flat plate and the remaining portion is rolled forming the barrel.
It is apparent that each of the methods of forming the two leg terminals is more complicated, time consuming and expensive than is the method of using tubing to form the terminal of the first type. However, heretofore there has not been a satisfactory method of using tube stock to form a two leg terminal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefor an object of the present invention to provide a method of making an electrical terminal from a length of tubing.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of forming a two-leg electrical terminal from such tubing.
In the efficient attainment of the foregoing and other objects, the invention looks toward a method of forming a length of stock tubing to have a barrel end for attachment to an electrical cable and an opposite terminal end having two spaced terminal legs extending from the barrel. The resulting terminal is integrally formed from a single length of stock tubing.
In a particular method described herein, the invention provides the steps of providing a selected length of tubular material. This length is divided at an end extent thereof into a pair of terminal legs supported at one end to a barrel portion of the tube. The legs are flattened and spread apart at their unsupported extents. The legs may then be formed into the appropriate shape to accommodate a battery post or the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a length of tubular metal used to form the terminal in accordance with the method of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows the metal tube of FIG. 1 flattened at an end extent thereof.
FIGS. 3-6 show the successive steps of the method of forming an electrical terminal in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 7 shows the final formed terminal which is plated with a corrosion resistant coating.
FIGS. 8-10 show another method in accordance with the present invention of forming an electrical terminal.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, in order to form an electrical terminal in accordance with the method of the present invention, a length of substantially cylindrical, hollow, metal tubing 10 is employed. Tubing 10 is a cut from a longer length of such metal tubing (not shown). The length of tubing 10 is appropriately selected for the size, i.e. wire gage of the cable (not shown) which is to be terminated. As the terminal is both mechanically and electrically crimped to a bared end of the cable, the metal selected is typically a high conductive, malleable metal such as copper.
Now referring to FIG. 2, the tubing 10 is flattened at one end along a longitudinal extent 12 thereof. Flattened extent 12 extends for approximately 75% of the length of tubing 10. A cylindrical barrel portion 14 remains at the other end of tubing 10 after the flattening operation is completed. The flattening of tubing 10 occurs at a diametrical axis 15. The flattening causes the central bore 10a of the tubing 10 to collapse along axis 15 closing the bore 10a at the flattened extent 12. Thus the flattened extent 12 will have a thickness which is twice the wall thickness of the barrel portion 14. Elongate unitary portions 16 and 17, on opposite ends of axis 15 form the longitudinal edges of the flattened portion 12. In FIG. 3 the next step in the presently described method is shown. The elongate unitary portions 16 and 17 are trimmed or cut from the flattened portion 12 and are removed as scrap. The unitary portions 16 and 17 are trimmed down to the barrel portion 14 leaving a pair of oppositely directed protrusions 20 and 22. Once the unitary portions 16 and 17 (FIG. 2) are removed the flattened portion 12 comprises a pair of flat elongate legs 24 and 26 integrally attached at one end to barrel portion 14 and separated along axis 15.
Referring to FIG. 4 the flat elongate legs 24 and 26 are then separated at the end opposite barrel portion 14. A forming die 30 is brought down between the two flattened legs 24 and 26 to spread them apart. The forming die is of a selected shape to impart such shape to the spread legs 24 and 26. In the present example, the die 30 has a rounded point 31 and such shape is imparted to the legs adjacent the barrel 14. Typically, the tube 10 will be held in retaining dies (not shown) on either side thereof. The retaining dies support the tube 10 for proper shaping by the forming die 30. The retaining dies may also be configured to impart a given configuration to legs 24 and 26. The retaining dies and the forming die 30 can be constructed to provide an arcuate mid-section 32 to legs 24 and 26 as shown in FIG. 5 and as further described hereinbelow with references to FIGS. 9 and 10. This type of configuration will more readily accommodate a terminal post (not shown), such as that conventionally used on most automobile batteries.
Further describing the present method, apertures 24a and 26a may be placed in legs 24 and 26 adjacent its distal unsupported extents. Apertures 24a and 26a are punched or otherwise conventionally placed in legs 24 and 26. These apertures accommodate a conventional nut and bolt assembly (not shown) or similar device to secure the terminal to the terminal post. The final step described herein is shown in FIG. 7 wherein the completed terminal 50 is dipped into a bath of lead zinc or other similar plating material to provide corrosion resistance.
While the foregoing description provides one method of producing an electrical terminal, similar techniques may also be employed. Further, the above steps need not be accomplished in the preferred order set forth above. For example, apertures 24a and 26a may be formed just after flattening the tube (FIGS. 2 or 3), thus upon spreading the legs 24 and 26, the apertures would be mutually aligned.
A further method of producing an electrical terminal in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIGS. 8-10.
The stock tubing 10 (FIG. 1) is split longitudinally along opposite diametrical portions thereof with slits 60 and 62. A forming die 64 is inserted into the slits 60 and 62 and the tube 10 is retained in a pair of retaining die halves 66 and 68. The tubing portion adjacent retaining die halves 66 and 68 are flattened into two terminal legs 70 and 72 which are integrally supported to a barrel portion 74 of tubing 10. The forming die 64 and retaining die halves 66 and 68 also neck the transition portion 76 between barrel portion 74 and legs 70 and 72.
The formed tubing is then placed in a second set of retaining die halves 80 and 82. A second forming die 84 is placed thereinbetween to impart a shape to tubing 10 such as shown in FIG. 5. As above described apertures may be appropriately made in the terminal legs adjacent arcuate mid-section 32 (FIG. 5) for facilitating connection to a battery post.
Various other modifications to the foregoing disclosed embodiment will be evident to those skilled in the art. Thus, the particularly described preferred embodiment is intended to be illustrative and not limited thereto. The true scope of the invention is set forth in the following claims.
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A method of forming an electrical terminal is disclosed. A longitudinal extent of stock tubular material is provided. An end portion thereof is divided into two leg extents each having an unsupported extent extending from the tubular material. The legs are the formed into electrical terminal portions which accommodate thereinbetween a terminal post.
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TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to dragline buckets designed for excavating, digging, scraping, dragging, and the like, and more specifically to the support assembly for a dragline bucket.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Dragline buckets are used to move earth in, for example, strip mining operations. In such operations, buckets are suspended from cranes or the like by a lift line, and are manipulated by the lift lines and other control lines so as to dig earth from one location and then move the earth-filled bucket to another location where it is dumped. Because of the size and cost of the machinery involved, it is highly desirable to obtain maximum use of the machinery in order to achieve maximum cost efficiency.
Support for such buckets has conventionally been provided by mounting arrangements such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,247,606. Such mounting arrangements, or "hitches", use essentially three lines connected to the bucket: the lift line, the dump line, and the bridle chain.
Such conventional hitches are subjected to large stresses, requiring frequent replacement when the lines break. Replacement can be time consuming in view of the number of lines involved in the hitch, and thus replacement can hinder the cost effective use of the machinery.
The present invention is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect of the present invention, a support assembly for a drag bucket is provided including a lift line and a pull line. A pair of link plates are pivotably secured to opposite sides of the bucket, and stops on the bucket side walls limit pivoting of the plates. The pull line and the lift line are secured to each of the plates, whereby the bucket can selectively be maintained upright or in a dumping position by control of the two lines.
The support assembly of the present invention eliminates the need to have both a dump line and a bridle chain connected to the pull line. Elimination of the second line speeds the task of changing lines as is required due to wear, and thereby minimizes down time.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a bucket supported by the support assembly in its digging or earth moving position;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a side view of the bucket of FIG. 1 but in its dumping position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A dragline bucket 10 having a pair of side walls 12 and an open forward end 14 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 supported by the present invention in its digging or earth moving position. Although the dragline bucket 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is of the archless type, it is understood that it may be of the arch-type (not shown) wherein an arch spans across the front end of the bucket for support.
The support assembly includes a pair of link plates 20 pivotably secured to opposite bucket side walls 12 by coaxial pivots 22 (note that the support assembly is identical on both sides of the bucket 10, and for ease of reference, matching pairs of components have herein been identified by the same reference numeral). Lift lines 26 and pull lines 28 are each secured to the link plates 20 by suitable coaxial mounts 32, 34, with the pull line mounts 32 being forward of the lift line mounts 34. Suitable pulleys or guides 36 are provided on the forward end of the bucket 10 to guide the pull lines 28.
Suitable stops 38,40 (such as, e.g., metal welded blocks) are secured to the bucket side walls 12 in order to limit pivoting of the link plates 20 to allow for control of the bucket 10 as will become apparent.
As shown in FIG. 2, the lift lines 26 are connected at their upper end to a bail 46 connected to a pair of cables 48 which in turn are connected to a lift cable 50. The pull lines 28 may be similarly secured to a pull cable (not shown). Both the lift and pull cables are controlled by a crane or the like.
In the preferred method of operation, the bucket 10 is dragged over the earth by the pull lines 28 until the interior of the bucket 10 is loaded with dug earth. The lift cable 50 and lift lines 26 are then used to lift the entire bucket 10 in order to clear it from obstacles as it is swung (by the supporting crane) to the location where the earth is to be dumped. The combination of the tension of the lift lines 26 and the pull lines 28, together with the weight of the loaded bucket 10 acting effectively at its center of gravity, create a net moment force around the coaxial pivots 22 which keeps the link plates 20 against the stops 40 as shown in FIG. 1.
When the bucket 10 is to be dumped, the pull lines 28 are slacked, causing the opposing moment exerted on the link plates 20 by the lift lines 26 to be to be greater than the moment exerted by the pull lines 28. This causes the link plates 20 to pivot to the position shown in FIG. 3 against the other stops 38, which causes the bucket 10 to dump. This change in net moment results not only from the different forces exerted by the lines 26, 28, but also from the change in orientation of the lines 26, 28 as the bucket 10 moves. The change in orientation of the lines 26 and 28 causes their forces to act on the bucket at coaxial pivots 22 through different moment arms which change relative to the moment arm of the center of gravity of the loaded bucket. Thus, the force of the pull lines 28 on the bucket 10 through the link plates 20 and the stops 40 decreases or ceases entirely, and the lift lines 26 at their coaxial mounts 34 will move toward stops 38 and thus to a different orientation having a longer moment arm about the coaxial pivots 22. This longer moment arm of the lift lines 26 at their coaxial mounts 34 is an increase relative to the moment arm of the center of gravity of the loaded bucket 10 about the coaxial pivots 22 and causes dumping force on the loaded bucket.
When dumping is completed, the bucket 10 is moved back to the location where digging is being done, and is dropped for another cycle of digging.
As will be apparent to a skilled artisan with an understanding of the above, the above described support assembly will eliminate the third line found in conventional support assemblies thereby minimizing the cost of replacement as well as the down time required for such replacements.
Other aspects, objects, and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the specification, drawings and appended claims.
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A support assembly for a drag bucket includes lift lines and pull lines, each secured to a respective link plate pivotably secured to opposite sides of the bucket. Stops on the bucket side walls limit pivoting of the plates, whereby the bucket can selectively be maintained upright or in a dumping position by control of the lines.
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PRIOR APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/451,962, filed 27 Jun. 2003 that claims priority from PCT application no. PCT/SE02/02195 filed 28 Nov. 2002 that claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/339,380, filed 11 Dec. 2001.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention is an ultrasonic transducer system with a guiding device in operative engagement therewith. More particularly, the transducer system may be used on moving endless members that are permeable to liquid and the guiding device is in contact with the medium on the moving endless members.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0003] Ultrasonic energy has been applied to liquids in the past. Sufficiently intense ultrasonic energy applied to a liquid, such as water, produces cavitation that can induce changes in the physiochemical characteristics of the liquid. The subject of sonochemistry, which deals with phenomena of that sort, has grown very much during recent years.
[0004] Most of the published material in sonochemistry and related subjects pertains to batch processes, that is, the liquid solution or dispersion to be treated is placed in a container. The liquid in the container is then stirred or otherwise agitated, and ultrasound is applied thereto. It is then necessary to wait until the desired result, physical or chemical change in the liquid, is achieved, or until no improvement in the yield is observed. Then the ultrasound is turned off and the liquid extracted. In this way liquid does not return to its initial state prior to the treatment with ultrasonic energy. In this respect, the ultrasound treatment is regarded as irreversible or only very slowly reversible.
[0005] Far from all industrial processes using liquids are appropriately carried out in batches, as described above. In fact, almost all large-scale processes are based upon continuous processing. The reasons for treating liquids in continuous processes are many. For example, the fact that a given process may not be irreversible, or only slowly reversible, and requires that the liquid be immediately treated further before it can revert to its previous state.
[0006] Shock waves external to collapsing bubbles driven onto violent oscillation by ultrasound are necessary for most if not all physiochemical work in liquid solutions. The under-pressure pulses form the bubbles and the pressure pulses compress the bubbles and consequently reduce the bubble diameter. After sufficient number of cycles, the bubble diameter is increased up to the point where the bubble has reached its critical diameter whereupon the bubble is driven to a violent oscillation and collapses whereby a pressure and temperature pulse is generated. A very strong ultrasound field is forming more bubbles, and drives them into violent oscillation and collapse much quicker.
[0007] A bubble that is generated within a liquid in motion occupies a volume within said liquid, and will follow the speed of flow within said liquid. The weaker ultrasound field it is exposed to, the more pulses it will have to be exposed to in order to come to a violent implosion. This means that the greater the speed of flow is, the stronger the ultrasound field will have to be in order to bring the bubbles to violent implosion and collapse. Otherwise, the bubbles will leave the ultrasound field before they are brought to implosion. A strong ultrasound field requires the field to be generated by very powerful ultrasound transducers, and that the energy these transducers generate is transmitted into the liquid to be treated. Based upon this requirement, Bo Nilsson and Hakan Dahlberg started a development of new types of piezoelectric transducer that could be driven at voltages up to 13 kV, and therefore capable of generating very strong ultrasonic fields.
[0008] A very strong ultrasonic source will cause a cushion of bubbles near the emitting surface. The ultrasound cannot penetrate through this cushion, and consequently no ultrasound can penetrate into the medium to be treated. The traditional way to overcome this problem is to reduce the power in terms of watts per unit area of emitting surface applied to the ultrasonic transducers. As indicated above, the flow speed of the medium to be treated will require a stronger ultrasound field and therefore an increased power applied to the ultrasonic transducers. The higher the power input is, the quicker the cushion is formed, and the thicker the formed cushion will be. A thick cushion will completely stop all ultrasound penetration into a liquid located on the other side of this cushion. All the cavitation bubbles in this cushion will then stay in the cushion and cause severe cavitation damage to the ultrasound transducer assembly area leading to a necessary exchange of that part of the ultrasound system. This means that little or no useful ultrasound effect is achieved within the substrate to be treated, and that the ultrasound equipment may be severely damaged. There is a need to solve the problems outline above. The transducer systems of the present invention provide a solution to the problems.
[0009] More particularly, the method is for treating a liquid or slurry with an ultrasonic energy. A first rotatable member being permeable to a medium and a first vibrating device are provided. The first vibrating device and the first member have a first gap formed therebetween so that the first gap represents a first distance. A guide member aligned with the first member exerts a pressure on the medium. The guide member breaks up fiber flocculation close to the upper surface of the medium. The medium is fed between the first member and the guide member. The first vibrating device generates pulses through the first member to form imploding bubbles in the medium. The bubbles have a critical diameter prior to implosion that is large enough to prevent the bubbles from growing in the first gap to a size greater than the first distance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of the formation of a reactor of a prior art system;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a graphical illustration of the correlation between iodine yield and acoustic power;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the transducer system of the present invention disposed below a movable endless member;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along line 4 - 4 in FIG. 3 ;
[0014] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of cavitation bubbles dispersed in slurry disposed above the movable endless medium.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the transducer system of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a plurality of transducers disposed below a movable endless medium.
[0017] FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of transducer system and guiding member of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of transducer system and guiding member including a retardation zone of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of transducer system and guiding member including a load member of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of an outer edge of transducer system and guiding member including a load member of the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a transducer system of the present invention with the transducer above the endless member;
[0022] FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the transducer system with a guide member integrated with the transducer system of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a double-sided transducer system of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 15 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the double-sided transducer system associated with a wire arrangement and suction boxes of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 16 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the double-sided transducer system in a plane wire arrangement of the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 17 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the double-side transducer systems associated with a double wire arrangement of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 18 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a wire arrangement of the present invention for high consistency forming of low weight paper direct on the wire;
[0028] FIG. 19 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of a wire arrangement of the present invention for high consistency forming of high weight paper direct on the wire; and
[0029] FIG. 20 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the present invention with three transducers placed at integer multiple wavelength distances from each other.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] FIG. 1 is a side view of a prior art transducer system 10 that has a container 11 , such as a stainless reactor, with a wall 12 for containing a liquid 13 . A transducer 14 is attached to an outside 16 of the wall 12 . When the transducer 14 is activated, a pillow 18 of cavitation bubbles 20 are formed on an inside 22 of the wall 12 due to the fracture zone in the liquid 13 that may be a result of fracture impressions on the inside 22 of the wall 12 . The bubbles may be held to the inside wall due to the surface tension of the liquid 13 . The bubbles 20 are good insulators and prevent the effective transmission of the ultrasonic energy into the liquid 13 . The under-pressure pulses of the ultrasonic energy transmitted by the transducer 14 create the cavitation bubbles. In this way, the pressure inside the bubbles is very low.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a graphical illustration that shows the iodine yield is affected by increased acoustic power on the system 10 . The more power is applied, the thicker the formation of the bubbles 20 , as shown in FIG. 1 , and the yield increase is reduced and drops sharply at power ratings over 100 Watts in this case. In this way, the cavitation bubbles severely limit the usefulness of increasing the acoustic power to improve the iodine yield.
[0032] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the transducer system 100 of the present invention. The system has a movable endless permeable member 102 , such as a woven material, paper machine plastic wire or any other bendable medium permeable to liquids, that is rotatable about rollers 104 that guide the member 102 in an endless path. As explained below, it is important that the member is permeable to a liquid that may carry ultrasonic energy to the liquid disposed above the member 102 so as to effectively create the cavitation bubbles in the liquid or slurry to be treated. The ultrasonic energy may be used to reduce flocculation 163 , best shown in FIG. 5A , of fibers in the liquid to be treated because the bubbles implode or collapse to generate pressure pulses to the fiber flocculation 163 so that the fibers are separated from one another to evenly distribute or disperse the fibers in the liquid. The pressure pulses may be about 500 bars so the pulses are more forceful than the forces that keep the fiber flocculation together. In general, the longer the fibers or the higher the fiber consistency is the higher the tendency of flocculation.
[0033] The member may have a speed up to 2000 meters per minute in the machine direction (MD) as shown by an arrow (F). An elongate foil 106 , made of, for example, steel or titanium is disposed below the permeable member 102 and extends across a width (W) of the member 102 . A plurality of transducers 108 , such as magneto-strictive, piezoelectric or any other suitable type of transducers, is in operative engagement with the foil 106 such as by being integrated therewith or attached thereto. All transducers mentioned below are preferably ultrasound transducers although that is often not mentioned.
[0034] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of one of the transducers 108 attached to a mid-portion 118 of the hydrodynamic foil 106 . More particularly, the foil 106 has a rear portion 110 and a front portion 112 . The rear portion 110 has a rectangular extension 114 that extends away from a top surface 116 of the foil 106 . The mid-portion 118 of the foil 106 has a threaded outside 120 of a connecting member 122 also extending away from the top surface 116 so that a cavity 124 is formed between the extension 114 and the connecting member 122 .
[0035] The front portion 112 has an extension 126 that extends away from the top surface 116 and has a back wall 128 that is perpendicular to a bottom surface 130 of the foil 106 so that a cavity 132 is formed between the back wall 128 and the member 122 . The extension 126 has a front wall 134 that forms an acute angle alpha with the top surface 116 . The cavities 124 and 132 provide resonance to the ultrasound transmitted by the transducers 108 to reinforce the amplitude of the vibrations of the ultrasound. The front wall 134 forms an acute angle alpha with a top surface 116 of the foil 106 to minimize the pressure pulse when the water layer under the member is split by the front wall 134 so a larger part of the water is going down and only a minor part is going between the top side of the foil 116 and the member 102 . When the member 102 is moving over the foil surface 116 a speed dependant under-pressure is created that will force down the member 102 against the foil surface 116 . When the member is leaving the foil 106 there is room to urge the liquid 156 through the member 102 .
[0036] In other words, the design of the extension 126 is particularly suitable for paper manufacturing that has slurry of water and fibers. The water layer split at the front wall 134 creates an under-pressure pulse so that the water on top of the moving medium flows through the member 102 and into a container there below. The design of the extension 126 may also be designed for other applications than paper making that is only used as an illustrative example.
[0037] The transducer 108 has a top cavity 136 with a threaded inside wall 138 for threadedly receiving the member 122 . The transducer 108 may be attached to the foil 106 in other ways. For example adhesion or mechanical fasteners may attach the transducer and the present invention is not limited to the threaded connection described above.
[0038] Below the top cavity 136 , a second housing cavity 140 is defined therein. The cavity 140 has a central segment 141 to hold a bottom cooling spacer 142 , a lower piezoelectric element 144 , a middle cooling spacer 146 , an upper piezoelectric element 148 and a top cooling spacer 150 that bears against a bottom surface 152 of the connecting member 122 . The spacers 142 , 146 , 150 are used to lead away the frictional heat that is created by the elements 144 , 148 .
[0039] By using three spacers, all the surfaces of the elements 144 , 148 may be cooled. As the piezoelectric elements 144 , 148 are activated, the thickness of the elements is changed in a pulsating manner and ultrasonic energy is transmitted to the member 122 . For example, by using a power unit with alternating voltage of a level and frequency selected to suit the application at hand, the elements 144 , 148 start to vibrate radially. In this way, if the AC frequency is 20 kHz then a sound at the same 20 kHz is transmitted. It is to be understood that any suitable transducer may be used to generate the ultrasonic energy and the invention is not limited to piezoelectric transducers.
[0040] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a central segment 154 so that the permeable member 102 bears or is pressed against the top surface 116 of the member 122 of the foil 106 so there is not sufficient space therebetween to capture cavitation bubbles. In other words, an important feature of the present invention is that a gap 155 defined between the foil 106 and the member 102 has is less than one half critical bubble diameter so that no bubbles of critical size can be captured therebetween. The gap 155 between the member 102 and the foil 106 is defined by the tension in the member 102 , the in-going angle between the member 102 and the foil 106 , the pressure pulse induced by the water layer split at the front of the foil 106 , the geometry of the foil 106 , the under-pressure pulse when the member 102 leave the foil 106 and the out-going angle of the member 102 . The bubbles 158 have a diameter d 1 that is at least twice as long as the distance d 2 of the gap 155 between the top surface 116 of the foil 106 and the bottom surface 161 of the permeable member 102 . In this way, the cavitation bubbles 158 are forced through the permeable member 102 to disperse into the liquid substance 156 that is subject to the ultrasonic treatment and disposed above the member 102 . The liquid substance 156 has a top surface 160 so that the bubbles 158 are free to move between the top surface 160 of the substance 156 and a top surface 162 of the member 102 . In general, the effect of the ultrasonic energy is reduced by the square of the distance because the liquid absorbs the energy. In this way, there are likely to be more cavitation bubbles formed close to the member 102 compared to the amount of bubbles formed at the surface 160 . An important feature is that because the member 102 is moving and there is not enough room between the foil 106 and the member 102 , no cavitation bubbles are captured therebetween or along the top surface 162 of the movable member 102 .
[0041] The second embodiment of a transducer system 173 shown in FIG. 6 is virtually identical to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 except that the transducer system 173 has a first channel 164 and a second channel 166 defined therein that are in fluid communication with an inlet 168 defined in a foil member 169 . The channels 164 , 166 extend perpendicularly to a top surface 170 of a connecting member 172 . The channels 164 , 166 may extend along the foil 169 and may be used to inject water, containing chemicals, therethrough. For example, in papermaking, the chemicals may be bleaching or softening agents. Other substances such as foaming agents, surfactant or any other substance may be used depending upon the application at hand. The ultrasonic energy may be used to provide a high pressure and temperature that may be required to create a chemical reaction between the chemicals added and the medium. The channels 164 , 166 may also be used to add regular water, when the slurry above the moving medium is too dry, so as to improve the transmission of the ultrasonic energy into the slurry. The chemicals or other liquids mentioned above may also be added via channels in the front part of the transducer assembly bar 106 . If the liquid content of the medium to be treated is very low, the liquid may simply be applied by means of spray nozzles under the web. Also in those cases may the applied liquid be forced into the web by the ultrasonic energy and afterwards be exposed to sufficient ultrasound energy to cause the desired reaction to take place between the chemicals and the medium to be treated.
[0042] FIG. 7 is an overall side view showing an endless bendable permeable medium 174 that are supported by rollers 176 a - e . Below the medium 174 is a plurality of transducer systems 178 a - e for increased output by adding more ultrasonic energy to the system. By using a plurality of transducers, different chemicals may be added to the slurry 179 , as required. The slurry 179 contains fibers or other solids, to be treated with ultrasonic energy, is pumped by a pump 180 in a conduit 181 via a distributor 182 onto the medium 174 that moves along an arrow (G). The treated fibers may fall into a container 184 .
[0043] The transducer system of the present invention is very flexible because there is no formation of cavitation bubble pillows in the path of the ultrasonic energy. By using a plurality of transducers, it is possible to substantially increase the ultrasonic energy without running into the problem of excessive cavitation bubbles to block the ultrasound transmission. The plurality of transducers also makes it possible to add chemicals to the reactor in different places along the moving medium, as required.
[0044] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a transducer system 200 that has a movable endless permeable member 202 that may be identical to the member 102 above and may be made of a woven material, paper machine plastic wire or any other bendable medium permeable to liquids, that is rotatable about rollers that guide the medium in an endless path. As explained in detail above, it is important that the member is permeable to a liquid or other medium that may carry ultrasonic energy to a liquid or other medium 204 disposed above the member or wire 202 so as to effectively create the cavitation bubbles in the liquid or medium 204 to be treated. The ultrasonic energy may be used to reduce flocculation of fibers in the medium liquid to be treated because the bubbles implode or collapse to generate pressure pulses to the fiber flocculation so that the fibers are separated from one another to evenly distribute or disperse the fibers in the medium 204 .
[0045] A guide member 206 is disposed above the medium 204 and exerts a downward pressure F 1 on the stock medium 204 so that a distance d 6 is formed between a bottom surface 208 at an outer end 210 of the guide member 206 and an upper surface 212 of the member 202 . It is also possible for the guide member 206 to merely gently rest on the stock medium 204 . Preferably, the distance d 6 is less than a thickness d 7 of the incoming medium 204 upstream of the position of the guide member 206 . A transducer 203 is disposed below the member 202 to provide the ultrasonic energy that is described in detail above. An important feature of the guide member 206 is that it breaks up larger fiber flocculation 207 that may be disposed closer to the upper surface 209 of the stock medium 204 . It is particularly useful for breaking up such flocculation that cannot be reached by the ultrasound generated by the transducer 203 that is located below the wire 202 and thus more affects fiber flocculation closer to the wire 202 than fiber flocculation that may be close to the surface 209 . The use of the transducer improves the fiber formation with up to about 18% compared to using no transducer. The addition of the guide member 206 improves the fiber formation with up to about 28% compared to using no transducer or guide member when all values are measured as according to the Kajaani formation index. It is not possible to merely increase the power of the transducer 203 to reduce fiber flocculation close to the surface 209 because that could destroy the initial fiber network that already has been formed on the wire 202 .
[0046] As best shown in FIG. 9 , the pressure F 1 on the medium creates a retardation zone 214 right behind the guide member 206 and an acceleration zone 216 below the guide member 206 since the thickness d 7 of the medium 204 is reduced to the thickness d 6 . The retardation zone 214 may include an area of turbulence of the stock medium and has a thickness d 8 that is greater than both the thickness d 6 and d 7 . This means the medium 204 flows at a higher velocity in the zone 216 compared to the zone 214 . The medium 204 is first exposed to acceleration in the zone 216 and then to retardation to the normal velocity in a normal zone 218 at or downstream of the outer end 210 of the guide member 206 . The thickness of the medium 204 is returned to near the thickness d 7 in the normal zone 218 since some liquid may have been drained through the member 202 during the passage of the transducer system 200 . As explained below, there may also be another retardation zone downstream of the guide member. This increase and then slowdown in velocity exposes fiber flocculation to shear forces that break them up. Also, because the thickness d 6 is less than the thickness d 7 , the fibers are closer to the transducer 203 in the acceleration zone 216 and are therefor exposed to higher ultrasonic energy to better break up flocculation without destroying the fiber network of the medium 204 . By effectively breaking up fiber flocculation without destroying any previously formed fiber network, the fibers are more efficiently distributed for improved strength.
[0047] FIG. 10 shows the system 200 with a weight 220 such as a liquid bag placed on the outer end 210 of the guide member 206 to increase the downward force to a force F 2 that is greater than the force F 1 and the thickness in the acceleration zone 216 is reduced from the thickness d 6 to a smaller thickness d 9 . A retardation zone 222 with a thickness d 10 may be formed downstream of the outer end 210 before the stock medium 204 returns to a normal thickness d 7 or near d 7 . Because the thickness d 9 is so thin the retardation zone 214 upstream of the guide member 206 is also greater.
[0048] FIG. 11 shows the system 200 with a large weight 224 that is placed on the outer side ends of the width of the moving member 202 so that the guide member 206 rests on the member 202 and nearly no medium may pass therebetween so that the medium is forced to pass on the inside of the weight 224 and below the guide member 20 - 6 . In other words, the medium 204 may be forced to flow inwardly around the weight 224 . This prevents any undesirable cross-flow or transverse flow of the medium out from the member 202 . The weight 224 exerts a pressure F 3 that is greater than the pressures F 2 and F 1 .
[0049] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view of a system 450 that has an endless wire or member 452 carrying a stock medium 454 . An upstream transducer 456 with a foil 458 is disposed below the wire 452 and a second downstream transducer 460 with a foil 462 is positioned above the wire 452 . A guide member 464 is connected to the foil 462 and a reflector 466 is aligned with the foil 462 . The reflector 466 is preferably positioned immediately below and bears against the wire 452 . In this way, the free fibers in the upper part of the stock medium 454 are substantially affected by the vibrations from the transducer 460 and the foil 462 without destroying the fiber network that has previously been formed on the wire 452 . The reflector 466 prevents fillers and fine fibers from being washed out as a result of the downwardly directed ultrasound from the transducer 460 and the foil 462 associated therewith. The reflector 466 prevents some or most the water from flowing downwardly and some of the ultrasound is reflected off the transducer 460 . One advantage of using a transducer that is placed above the stock medium is that the initial fiber structure that has been formed close to the wire is less likely to be destroyed by the ultrasound that comes in a downward direction from the surface of the stock medium.
[0050] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of a system 230 with a transducer unit 232 that is associated with a transverse foil element 234 that has an integrated guide member 236 with a curved or sloping bottom surface 238 . The surface 238 bears against the stock medium 240 disposed on the endless member 242 . A retardation zone 244 is formed behind the surface 238 and an acceleration zone 246 below the bottom surface 248 , as described in detail above. Below the member or wire 242 is a lower foil 250 disposed that bears against a bottom surface 252 of the member 242 . The foil 250 prevents the washing out of fine fiber fractions and fillers. The flexible member 254 prevents too much turbulence from occurring in the top part of the stock medium 240 when it leaves the acceleration zone 246 .
[0051] FIG. 14 shows a double-sided transducer system 260 that has an upper transducer 262 and foil 263 associated with an upstream guide member 264 . A lower transducer 266 and foil 267 are disposed below the endless member or wire 242 and are preferably aligned with the upper transducer 262 . The system 260 provide such strong ultrasound that it completely fluidizes the stock medium and may destroy any previously formed fiber structure that may exist so that new fiber structures may be formed on the wire downstream of the system 260 . Because most of the forming is done on the wire 242 , the head-box may be reduced to function merely as a transverse and lengthwise manifold to distribute the stock medium 261 . The flexible member 254 prevents too much turbulence from occurring in the top part of the stock medium 261 .
[0052] FIG. 15 shows an example of the double-sided transducer system 260 used in a papermaking system 270 that includes a breast roll 272 below a head-box 274 and next to a forming board 276 that is upstream of the transducer system 260 . A wet suction box 278 and a dry suction box 280 may be disposed downstream of the transducer system 260 . Over the box 280 it is usually possible to see a dry line that indicates that air is sucked through the medium on the wire.
[0053] FIG. 16 shows a plane wire system 290 that is suitable for high concentration stock medium 292 that may have a fiber concentration as high as 3-4% or higher. This means the amount of water required is reduced to {fraction (1/16)} compared to the amount of water required when the concentration is 0.25%. This creates substantial savings in pumping energy. The stock medium 292 is pumped into a manifold 298 and further through a defusor 300 and out on a member or wire 242 . The system 290 has a breast roll 272 for the member or wire 242 . An upstream sealing frame 296 is disposed behind and at each side of the defusor 300 . The system 290 has the upper transducer 262 , the lower transducer 266 and a second lower transducer 294 . A plastic foil 302 is disposed upstream of the transducer 262 . The upper and lower transducers 262 , 266 together with the transducer 294 may be used to completely fluidize the stock medium although the medium has a very high concentration such as 3-4%.
[0054] FIG. 17 is a double wire system 310 that has suction boxes 312 , 314 on the outside of endless members or wires 316 , 318 , respectively. The system also has a plastic foil 320 , a manifold 322 , a sealing frame 324 and a defusor 326 . A transducer 328 is positioned on the other side of the wires. A breast roll 332 carries the wire 316 and another breast roll 334 carries the wire 318 .
[0055] FIG. 18 is a side view of a system 350 for forming with high stock concentrations. The system 350 is particularly suitable for paper with a low grammage. The stock medium 352 comes from a manifold 362 through a defusor 364 and out on an endless wire or member 354 . Transducer units 356 , 358 connected to a foil 360 are disposed below the wire 354 . The manifold 362 with the defusor 364 is in operative engagement with a sealing frame 366 that is immediately adjacent the wire 354 . A plastic member 368 is connected to the defusor 364 .
[0056] FIG. 19 is a side view of a system 370 for forming with high stock concentrations. The system 370 is particularly suitable for paper with a high grammage. The stock medium 374 comes from a manifold 384 through a defusor 386 and out on an endless wire or member 372 . The system has transducer units 376 , 378 , 380 below the wire and a foil 382 . The system further has a sealing frame 388 . Transducer units 390 , 392 with a foil 394 may be disposed above the wire 372 . The flexible member 254 will prevent too much turbulence to occur in the top part of the stock medium 374 when it leaves the foil 394 .
[0057] FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional side view of a system 500 that has an endless wire or member 502 carrying a stock medium 504 . An upstream transducer 506 with a foil 508 is disposed below the wire 502 . A second downstream transducer 510 with a foil 512 is positioned above the wire 502 . A guide member 514 is connected to the foil 512 and a reflector 516 is aligned with the foil 512 . A third downstream transducer 518 with a foil 520 is positioned above the wire 502 . A guide member 522 is connected to the foil 520 and a reflector 524 is aligned with the foil 520 . When more than one transducer is used, as in this set up, it is possible to synchronize the transducers and place them at a distance from one another that is an integer multiple, A or B, of the wave length, W, of sound in water, which may be about 75 millimeters with a speed of sound in water of about 1500 meters per second at an ultrasound frequency of 20 kHz, to control the amplification of the ultrasound fields. By placing the transducers at the correct distance from one another, one transducer may enforce the ultrasound energy produced by another transducer.
[0058] While the present invention has been described in accordance with preferred compositions and embodiments, it is to be understood that certain substitutions and alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.
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The method is for treating a liquid or slurry with an ultrasonic energy. A first rotatable member being permeable to a medium and a first vibrating device are provided. The first vibrating device and the first member have a first gap formed therebetween so that the first gap represents a first distance. A guide member aligned with the first member exerts a pressure on the medium. The guide member breaks up fiber flocculation close to the upper surface of the medium. The medium is fed between the first member and the guide member. The first vibrating device generates pulses through the first member to form imploding bubbles in the medium. The bubbles have a critical diameter prior to implosion that is greater than the first distance to prevent the bubbles from growing in the first gap to a size greater than the first distance.
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This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/280,653, filed Oct. 25, 2002, now abandoned.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to catheters for performing targeted tissue ablation in a subject. In particular, the present invention provides devices comprising wire tipped and umbrella tipped ablation catheters, and methods for treating conditions (e.g., cardiac arrhythmias) with these devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Mammalian organ function typically occurs through the transmission of electrical impulses from one tissue to another. A disturbance of such electrical transmission may lead to organ malfunction. One particular area where electrical impulse transmission is critical for proper organ function is in the heart. Normal sinus rhythm of the heart begins with the sinus node generating an electrical impulse that is propagated uniformly across the right and left atria to the atrioventricular node. The atrioventricular node in return causes the atria to contract. Atrial contraction leads to the pumping of blood into the ventricles in a manner synchronous with the pulse.
Atrial fibrillation refers to a type of cardiac arrhythmia where there is disorganized electrical conduction in the atria causing rapid uncoordinated contractions which result in ineffective pumping of blood into the ventricle and a lack of synchrony. During atrial fibrillation, the atrioventricular node receives electrical impulses from numerous locations throughout the atria instead of only from the sinus node. This overwhelms the atrioventricular node into producing an irregular and rapid heartbeat. As a result, blood pools in the atria that increases a risk for blood clot formation. The major risk factors for atrial fibrillation include age, coronary artery disease, rheumatic heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and thyrotoxicosis. Atrial fibrillation affects 7% of the population over age 65.
Atrial fibrillation treatment options are limited. Lifestyle change only assists individuals with lifestyle related atrial fibrillation. Medication therapy assists only in the management of atrial fibrillation symptoms, may present side effects more dangerous than atrial fibrillation, and fail to cure atrial fibrillation. Electrical cardioversion attempts to restore sinus rhythm but has a high recurrence rate. In addition, if there is a blood clot in the atria, cardioversion may cause the clot to leave the heart and travel to the brain or to some other part of the body, which may lead to stroke. What are needed are new methods for treating atrial fibrillation and other conditions involving disorganized electrical conduction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to catheters for performing targeted tissue ablation in a subject. In particular, the present invention provides devices comprising wire tipped and umbrella tipped ablation catheters, and methods for treating conditions (e.g., cardiac arrhythmias) with these devices.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a device (e.g., for performing at least one function at an internal site in a subject), comprising an elongate catheter body. The elongate catheter body may comprise a proximal end, a distal end, and a spiral tip, wherein the spiral tip is configured for tissue ablation. In addition, the spiral tip may be mounted at the distal end of the elongate catheter body. The spiral tip may be capable of expansion and contraction. In further embodiments, the spiral tip may be mounted either centrally or peripherally with the elongate catheter body. In preferred spiral top embodiments, the spiral tip will be configured to create spiral lesions in targeted body tissue.
In other embodiments, the device may comprise conductive coils on the spiral tip. In particular embodiments, the conductive coils may comprise at least one conductive coil measuring 2-20 millimeters in size. Alternatively, in some embodiments the device may comprise conductive plates on the spiral tip. In particular embodiments, at least one such conductive plate may measure 2-20 millimeters in size.
Embodiments with a spiral tip may have the spiral tip positioned perpendicularly to the distal end of the elongate catheter body. In addition, in some embodiments, the spiral tip may comprise a plurality of loops. In further embodiments the spiral tip may have at least one complete loop. In other embodiments, the spiral tip loops may be separated by gaps. In particular embodiments, such gaps may measure less than 10 millimeters.
Some embodiments may also comprise a handle attached to the proximal end of the elongate catheter body. In further embodiments, the handle may be configured to control expansion or contraction of the spiral tip as well as flexion and extension of the catheter tip. In yet other embodiments, the device will further comprise an energy source configured to permit emission of energy from the spiral tip.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides an elongate catheter body, wherein the elongate catheter body comprises a proximal and distal ends, and an umbrella tip body. In some embodiments, the umbrella tip body may comprise a central post, and a plurality outer arms. In preferred embodiments, the umbrella tip body is configured for tissue ablation. In other embodiments, the umbrella tip body may be mounted at the distal end of the elongate catheter body.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a central post extending from distal end of said elongate catheter body. In other embodiments, the plurality of outer arms may attach at distal and proximal ends of the central post.
In other embodiments, the device may comprise conductive coils on the outer arms. In particular embodiments, the conductive coils may comprise at least one conductive coil measuring 2-20 millimeters in size. In other embodiments, the conductive coils may comprise at least one conductive coil measuring 4-8 millimeters in size. Alternatively, in some embodiments the device may comprise conductive plates on the outer arms. In particular embodiments, at least one such conductive plate may measure 2-20 millimeters in size. In other embodiments, the conductive plates may comprise at least one conductive plate measuring 4-8 millimeters in size. In preferred embodiments, the umbrella tip may be configured to create radial lesions in body tissue.
Some embodiments may also comprise a handle attached to the proximal end of the elongate catheter body. In further embodiments, the handle may be configured to control expansion or contraction of the umbrella tip body as well as flexion and extension of the catheter tip. In yet other embodiments, the device will further comprise an energy source configured to permit emission of energy from the umbrella tip body.
In some embodiments, the present invention provides a method of treating body tissues. In such embodiments, the method comprises the steps of providing a device, and detailed treatment steps. In other embodiments, the present invention provides a radio-frequency energy source.
In particular embodiments, the device may comprise an elongate catheter body, wherein the elongate catheter body comprises a proximal end and a distal end, and also a spiral tip, wherein the spiral tip may be configured for tissue ablation, the spiral tip mounted at the distal end of the elongate catheter body, and is capable of expansion and contraction.
In other particular embodiments, the device may comprise an elongate catheter body, wherein the elongate catheter body comprises a proximal end and a distal end, and also an umbrella tip body, wherein the umbrella tip body may be configured for tissue ablation, the umbrella tip body is mounted at the distal end of the elongate catheter body, and the umbrella tip body is capable of expansion and contraction. In still further embodiments, the umbrella tip may comprise a central post, and a plurality of outer arms.
In some embodiments, the detailed treatment steps may comprise the inserting of the catheter through a major vein or artery, the guiding of the catheter to the selected body tissue site by appropriate manipulation through the vein or artery, the guiding of the catheter to the selected body tissue site, the positioning of the device with the selected body tissue; and the releasing of energy from the device into the body tissue.
In particular embodiments, the detailed treatment steps may be specific for treating atrial fibrillation, and comprise the inserting of the catheter through a major vein or artery, the guiding of the catheter into the atria of the heart by appropriate manipulation through the vein or artery, the guiding of the catheter to the target atrial region, the positioning the device with the targeted atrial region; and a releasing of energy from the device into the targeted atrial region.
In still further embodiments, the detailed treatment steps may be specific for treating cardiac arrhythmias, and comprise the inserting of the catheter through a major vein or artery, the guiding of the catheter into the heart by appropriate manipulation through the vein or artery, the guiding of the catheter to the targeted heart region, the positioning of the device with the targeted heart region; and the releasing of energy from the device into the targeted heart region.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 shows one wire tip ablation catheter embodiment.
FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the wire tip ablation catheter.
FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of the wire tip ablation catheter utilizing conductive plates.
FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of the wire tip ablation catheter utilizing conductive coils.
FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of the umbrella tip ablation catheter.
FIG. 6 shows one embodiment of the umbrella tip ablation catheter.
FIG. 7 shows one embodiment of the umbrella tip ablation catheter.
FIG. 8 shows one embodiment of the umbrella tip ablation catheter.
FIG. 9 shows one embodiment of the umbrella tip ablation catheter.
FIG. 10 shows one embodiment of the umbrella tip ablation catheter.
FIG. 11 shows one embodiment of the umbrella tip ablation catheter.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides catheters for performing targeted tissue ablation in a subject. In particular, the present invention provides devices comprising wire tipped and umbrella tipped catheter ablation devices, and methods for treating conditions (e.g., super ventricular tachycardia with these devices.
As described above, the normal functioning of the heart relies on proper electrical impulse generation and transmission. In certain heart diseases (e.g., atrial fibrillation) proper electrical generation and transmission are disrupted. In order to restore proper electrical impulse generation and transmission, the catheters of the present invention may be employed.
In general, catheter ablation therapy provides a method of treating cardiac arrhythmias. Physicians make use of catheters to gain access into interior regions of the body. Catheters with attached ablating devices are used to destroy targeted tissue. In the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, a specific area of cardiac tissue emitting or conducting erratic electrical impulses is initially localized. A user (e.g., a physician) will direct a catheter through a main vein or artery into the interior region of the heart that is to be treated. The ablating element is next placed near the targeted cardiac tissue that is to be ablated. The physician directs an energy source from the ablating element to ablate the tissue and form a lesion. In general, the goal of catheter ablation therapy is to destroy cardiac tissue suspected of emitting erratic electric impulses, thereby curing the heart of the disorder. For treatment of atrial fibrillation currently available methods have shown only limited success and/or employ devices that are not practical.
The ablation catheters of the present invention allow the generation of lesions of appropriate size and shape to treat conditions involving disorganized electrical conduction (e.g., atrial fibrillation). The ablation catheters of the present invention are also practical in terms of ease-of-use and risk to the patient. In general, no catheter technique has been shown to have a high efficacy in treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation. Catheters that generate linear or curvilinear lesions in the left or right atrial tissue have a very limited efficacy. Moreover, the procedure length and the incidence of complications are significantly high with current approaches. Another approach utilizes encircling of the left atrial tissue by point-by-point applications. An additional approach utilizes encircling of the left atrial tissue by point-by-point applications of radio-frequency energy. However, to generate complete circles this approach is time consuming and has limited efficacy. The present invention addresses this need with, for example, wire tip and umbrella ablation catheters and methods of using these ablation catheters to create spiral or radial lesions in the endocardial surface of the atria by delivery of energy (e.g., radio-frequency). The lesions created by the wire tipped and umbrella tipped ablation catheters are suitable for inhibiting the propagation of inappropriate electrical impulses in the heart for prevention of reentrant arrhythmias.
DEFINITIONS
To facilitate an understanding of the invention, a number of terms are defined below.
As used herein, the terms “subject” and “patient” refer to any animal, such as a mammal like livestock, pets, and preferably a human. Specific examples of “subjects” and “patients” include, but are not limited, to individuals requiring medical assistance, and in particular, requiring atrial fibrillation catheter ablation treatment.
As used herein, the terms “catheter ablation” or “ablation procedures” or “ablation therapy,” and like terms, refer to what is generally known as tissue destruction procedures. Ablation is often used in treating several medical conditions, including abnormal heart rhythms. It can be performed both surgically and non-surgically. Non-surgical ablation is typically performed in a special lab called the electrophysiology (EP) laboratory. During this non-surgical procedure a catheter is inserted into the heart and then a special machine is used to direct energy to the heart muscle. This energy either “disconnects” or “isolates” the pathway of the abnormal rhythm (depending on the type of ablation). It can also be used to disconnect the electrical pathway between the upper chambers (atria) and the lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart. For individuals requiring heart surgery, ablation can be performed during coronary artery bypass or valve surgery.
As used herein, the term “wire tip body” refers to the distal most portion of a wire tip catheter ablation instrument. A wire tip body is not limited to any particular size. A wire tip body may be configured for energy emission during an ablation procedure.
As used herein, the term “spiral tip” refers to a wire tip body configured into the shape of a spiral. The spiral tip is not limited in the number of spirals it may contain. Examples include, but are not limited to, a wire tip body with one spiral, two spirals, ten spirals, and a half of a spiral.
As used herein the term “umbrella tip body” refers to the distal most portion of an umbrella tip catheter ablation instrument. An umbrella tip body is not limited to any particular size. An umbrella tip body may be configured for energy emission during an ablation procedure.
As used herein, the term “lesion,” or “ablation lesion,” and like terms, refers to tissue that has received ablation therapy. Examples include, but are not limited to, scars, scabs, dead tissue, and burned tissue.
As used herein, the term “spiral lesion” refers to an ablation lesion delivered through a spiral tip ablation catheter. Examples include, but are not limited to, lesions in the shape of a wide spiral, and a narrow spiral.
As used herein, the term “umbrella lesion” or “radial lesion,” and like terms, refers to an ablation lesion delivered through an umbrella tip ablation catheter. Examples include, but are not limited to, lesions with five equilateral prongs extending from center point, lesions with four equilateral prongs extending from center point, lesions with three equilateral prongs extending from a center point, and lesions with five non-equilateral prongs extending from center point.
As used herein, the term “conductive coil” refers to electrodes capable of emitting energy from an energy source in the shape of a coil. A conductive coil is not limited to any particular size or measurement. Examples include, but are not limited to, densely wound copper, densely wound platinum, and loosely wound silver.
As used herein, the term “conductive plate” refers to electrodes capable of emitting energy from an energy source in the shape of a plate. A conductive plate is not limited to any particular size or measurement. Examples include, but are not limited to, copper plates, silver plates, and platinum plates.
As used herein, the term “energy” or “energy source,” and like terms, refers to the type of energy utilized in ablation procedures. Examples include, but are not limited to, radio-frequency energy, microwave energy, cryo-energy energy (e.g., liquid nitrogen), or ultrasound energy.
As used herein, the term “maze procedure,” “maze technique,” “maze ablation,” and like terms, refer to what is generally known as a cardiac ablation technique. Small lesions are made at a specific location in the heart in a manner so as to create a “maze.” The maze is expected to prevent propagation of electrical impulses.
As used herein, the term “central post” refers to a chamber capable of housing small items. The central post is made from a durable material. A central post is not limited to any particular size or measurement. Examples include, but are not limited to, polyurethane, steel, titanium, and polyethylene.
As used herein, the term “outer arms” refers to a shaft capable of interfacing with electrodes and a central post. An outer arm is not limited to any size or measurement. Examples include, but are not limited, to titanium shafts, polyurethane shafts, and steel shafts.
As used herein, the term “outer arm hinge” refers to a joint (e.g., junction, flexion point) located on an outer arm. The degree of flexion for an outer arm hinge may range from 0 to 360 degrees.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides structures that embody aspects of the ablation catheter. The present invention also provides tissue ablation systems and methods for using such ablation systems. The illustrated and preferred embodiments discuss these structures and techniques in the context of catheter-based cardiac ablation. These structures, systems, and techniques are well suited for use in the field of cardiac ablation.
However, it should be appreciated that the invention is applicable for use in other tissue ablation applications. For example, the various aspects of the invention have application in procedures for ablating tissue in the prostrate, brain, gall bladder, uterus, and other regions of the body, using systems that are not necessarily catheter-based.
The multifunctional catheters of the present invention have advantages over previous prior art devices. FIGS. 1-11 show various preferred embodiments of the multifunctional catheters of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to these particular configurations.
Wire Tip Ablation Catheters
FIG. 1 illustrates an ablation catheter embodiment including broadly an elongate catheter body 10 (e.g., hollow tube) extending from a handle 11 . Elongate catheter body 10 permits the housing of items that assist in the ablation of subject tissue (e.g., human tissue and other animal tissue, such as cows, pigs, cats, dogs, or any other mammal). The elongate catheter body 10 may range in size so long as it is not so small that it cannot carry necessary ablation items, and not so large so that it may not fit in a peripheral major vein or artery. The elongate catheter body 10 includes an elongate sheath 12 (e.g., protective covering). The elongate sheath 12 may be made of a polymeric, electrically nonconductive material, like polyethylene or polyurethane. In preferred embodiments, the elongate sheath 12 is formed with the nylon based plastic Pbax, which is braided for strength and stability. In additional embodiments, the elongate sheath 12 is formed with hypo tubing (e.g., stainless steel, titanium). The elongate sheath 12 houses a conducting wire 13 (e.g., standard electrical wire) and a thermal monitoring circuit 19 . The conducting wire extends from the handle 11 through the distal opening 14 . In addition, the conducting wire 13 is wrapped with a steering spring 15 . The conducting wire 13 is flexible so that it may be flexed to assume various positions (e.g., curvilinear positions). The steering spring 15 is controlled through manipulation of the handle 11 , as discussed below. The conducting wire 13 is also capable of transmitting energy (e.g., radio-frequency energy) from an energy source 16 (e.g., radio-frequency energy generator).
A thermal monitoring circuit 19 (e.g., thermocouple) is coupled with the conducting wire 13 and extends from the handle 11 through the umbrella tip body 25 . The thermal monitoring circuit 19 connects with energy source cable 23 within handle 11 . Regulation of the thermal monitoring circuit 19 is achieved through the energy source 16 . In some embodiments, the present invention utilizes the thermal monitoring circuit described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,894 (herein incorporated by reference), whereby a thermocouple is comprised of a plurality of thermal monitoring circuits joined in series. The thermal monitoring circuits are thermoconductively coupled to the electrodes. In some embodiments, the thermal monitoring circuit employs two wires to travel through the elongated catheter body in order to monitor a plurality of electrodes.
The distal opening 14 is the distal terminus of the elongate catheter body 10 . At the distal opening 14 , the conducting wire 13 exits the elongate sheath 12 . While the majority of the conducting wire 13 is housed within the elongate sheath 12 , the distal portion is housed within the wire tip sheath 17 . The wire tip sheath 17 begins at the distal opening 14 and extends throughout the wire tip body 18 . The wire tip sheath 17 may be made of a polymeric, electrically nonconductive material (e.g., polyethylene or polyurethane). In preferred embodiments, the wire tip sheath 17 is formed with peek insulator (e.g., high temperature thermo-plastic). A thermal monitoring circuit 19 is coupled with the conducting wire 13 and extends from the handle 11 through the wire tip body 18 . The thermal monitoring circuit 19 connects with energy source cable 23 within handle 11 .
The wire tip sheath 17 permits the wire tip body 18 to be molded or shaped into a desired position. In preferred embodiments, the wire tip body 18 may be shaped into a unique shape (e.g., spiral).
In the preferred embodiment described FIGS. 1-4 , the wire tip body 18 is in the shape of a spiral. The spiral on a wire tip body 18 may be peripheral to or central to the elongate catheter body 10 . The spiral wire tip body 18 is central if the spiral interfaces with the distal opening 14 at the spiral center point, and peripheral if the spiral interfaces with the distal opening 14 at the spiral exterior point. The embodiment described in FIG. 1 presents a spiral wire tip body 18 that is peripheral to the elongate catheter body 10 . Alternatively, the embodiment described in FIG. 2 presents a spiral wire tip body 18 that is central to the elongate catheter body. A wire tip body 18 in the shape of a spiral may comprise any number of complete rotations (e.g., complete spirals). In the embodiment described in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the spiral wire tip body 18 consists of two and one half complete rotations. Alternatively, the embodiment described in FIG. 3 presents a spiral with only two complete rotations. The distance inbetween the spirals on the wire tip body 18 may assume any measurement.
Tissue ablation occurs on the wire tip body 18 . Various conductive elements (e.g., coils or plates) may be distributed along the wire tip body 18 . The energy utilized within a catheter ablation instrument is released through the conductive elements. The number of conductive elements on the wire tip body 18 permit a determined energy release and resulting ablation lesion.
The conductive elements used in the preferred embodiment described in FIGS. 1 , 2 and 4 are conductive coils 20 . Each conductive coil 20 is an electrode that is comprised of a densely wound continuous ring of conductive material, (e.g., silver, copper). In preferred embodiments, the conductive coil 20 is made from platinum. The conductive coils 20 are fitted (e.g., pressure fitting) about the wire tip body 18 . In preferred embodiments, a conductive coil 20 is soldered onto a conductive metal (e.g., copper, copper with silver) and swaged onto the wire tip body 18 . Additional embodiments may utilize an adhesive seal in addition to swaging in fixing conductive coils 20 to the wire tip body 18 . A conductive coil 20 may range in size from 0.1 mm to 20 mm. In preferred embodiments, a conductive coil 20 ranges in size from 2 to 8 mm. The conductive coils 20 interact with the conducting wire 13 and emit the energy carried by the conductive wire 13 .
Conductive coils 20 may be arranged in many different patterns (e.g., staggered) along the wire tip body 18 . Such patterns may involve repeating sets of conductive coils 20 (e.g., set of 3 coils-3 coils-3 coils, etc.) or nonrepeating sets (e.g., set of 3 coils-5 coils-2 coils, etc.). In addition, the pattern of conductive coils 20 may simply involve only one coil instead of sets. The pattern of conductive coils 20 arranged in the preferred embodiment presented in FIGS. 1 , 2 and 4 consist of a repeating set of four conductive coils 20 separated by a gap. In general, the gap may range in size from 0.1 mm to 100 mm, and is nonconductive. In the embodiments demonstrated in FIGS. 1 , 2 and 4 , the gap size is 5 mm. Within a repeating arrangement of conductive coils 20 , the spaces in between the conductive coils 20 are also nonconductive and may range in size from 0.01 mm to 100 mm.
The conductive elements used in the preferred embodiment described in FIG. 3 are conductive plates 21 . Each conductive plate 21 is an electrode that is comprised of a solid ring of conductive material (e.g., platinum). The conductive plates 21 are fitted (e.g., pressure fitting) about the wire tip body 18 . Additional embodiments may utilize an adhesive seal in addition to swaging in fixing conductive plates 21 to the wire tip body 18 . A conductive plate 21 may range in size from 0.1 mm to 20 mm. The conductive plates 21 interact with the conducting wire 13 and emit the energy carried by the conductive wire 13 .
Conductive plates 21 may be arranged in many different patterns (e.g., repeating sets) along the wire tip body 18 . Such patterns may involve a repeating series of conductive plates 21 separated by spaces (e.g., plate-space-plate-space-plate; etc.) or a random series (e.g., space-space-plate-plate-plate-space-plate; etc.). In addition, the pattern of conductive plates 21 may simply involve only one short or extended conductive plate 19 . The pattern arranged in the preferred embodiment presented in FIG. 3 consists of four conductive plates 21 separated by nonconductive gaps. In general, the gaps may range in size from 0.1 mm to 100 mm. In the FIG. 4 embodiment, the gap size is 5 mm.
The pattern of conductive elements arranged on the wire tip body 18 need not be restricted to only a certain type. Indeed, the present invention envisions a wire tip body 18 with varied patterns of different conductive elements (e.g., coil-gap-plate-plate-gap-coil-coil; etc.).
The wire tip body 18 may be expanded or contracted through manipulation of the handle 11 . In preferred embodiments, the handle 11 connects with the conducting wire 13 with the steering spring 15 attached onto it. The conducting wire 13 attaches onto a lever 22 inside the handle 11 . Extension of the lever 22 causes a contraction in the steering spring 15 attached to the conducting wire 13 resulting in a constricting of the wire tip body 18 . Alternatively, constriction of the lever 22 causes the steering spring 15 to expand.
An alternative embodiment utilizes the steering method described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,525 (herein incorporated by reference). In that embodiment, a catheter tip is deflected by means of a shapable handle coupled to pull wires fastened to the distal end of the deflectable tip. A core wire extends from the handle to the distal tip, providing fine positioning of the deflectable tip by applying torque through the core wire to the tip. A spring tube is further provided in the deflectable tip for improved torque transmission and kink-resistance. The catheter has an electrode at the distal end of the deflectable tip for positioning at a target site and applying RF power to accomplish ablation.
In other embodiments, the method of catheter manipulation described in U.S. 2001/0044625 A1 (herein incorporated by reference) is utilized, whereby a control element within the handle is able to flex and deflex the distal tip. Additional embodiments utilize the method of catheter manipulation described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,728 (herein incorporated by reference), whereby three handle manipulators permit a distal tip to be deflected longitudinally, radially, and in a torqued position. A further embodiment utilizes the method of catheter manipulation described in U.S. 2001/0029366 A1 (herein incorporated by reference), whereby a rotating cam wheel permits the steering of a distal tip in any direction. However, other mechanisms for steering or deflecting the distal end of a catheter according to the present invention may also be employed. For example, the steering and deflection mechanism as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,757 may also be employed to deflect the distal tip of the catheter, as well as any other known deflection/steering mechanism. Similarly, a sliding core wire for adjustment of the radius of curvature of the catheter when deflected may also be employed, as also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,757.
In alternative embodiments, the wire tip body 18 may be expanded or contracted though computer assisted manipulation. In other embodiments, the wire tip body 18 may be manipulated through use of magnetic fields.
The terminus of the conducting wire attaches to an energy source cable 23 that establishes a connection with the energy source 16 .
Depictions of various degrees of contraction or expansion of the wire tip body 18 in the shape of a spiral are presented in FIGS. 2 , 3 and 4 . In the fully contracted position, the regions between the spirals on the wire tip body 18 decreases while the spacing in between the conductive elements remains intact. As the wire tip body 18 becomes more expanded, the regions in between spirals on the wire tip body 18 increases, and the spacing in between the conductive elements remains intact.
The proximal origin of the conducting wire 13 may be located at the distal end of the handle 11 . At the proximal origin of the conducting wire 13 , the conducting wire 13 is connected with an energy source 16 (e.g., radio-frequency energy). Embodiments of the present invention may utilize numerous forms of energy (e.g., radio-frequency energy, liquid nitrogen, saline). In one embodiment, liquid nitrogen is utilized as an energy source 16 (such embodiments employ a hollow tube that travels throughout the catheter to deliver N 2 gas) that freezes a particular tissue region. In an additional embodiment, the energy source 16 utilized is a saline irrigation system, whereby saline is flushed out through a mesh of electrodes carrying an electric current.
In preferred embodiments, radio-frequency energy is utilized as the energy source 16 . Various radio-frequency energy generators are commercially available. A large (20×10 cm) ground patch is attached to the patient's back to complete the circuit. The current travels from the tip of the heart to the patch. The amount of energy utilized may be controlled by adjusting the power output of the energy source 16 . Four parameters may be regulated through the energy source 16 : power output, impedance, temperature, and duration of energy application.
The precise pattern of conductive elements assorted on the wire tip body 18 along with the shaped configuration of the wire tip body 18 permits a unique type of ablation lesion ranging from long and thin to large and deep in shape. In addition, numerous types of ablation lesions are possible for each catheter ablator embodiment through manipulation of the wire tip body 18 .
Umbrella Tip Ablation Catheters
FIGS. 5-11 illustrate ablation catheter embodiments including broadly an elongate catheter body 10 (e.g., hollow tube) extending from a handle 11 . The elongate catheter body 10 includes an elongate sheath 12 (e.g., protective covering). The elongate sheath 12 houses a conducting wire 13 (e.g., standard electrical wire) and a thermal monitoring circuit 19 . The conducting wire extends from the handle 11 through the distal opening 14 . The conducting wire 13 is also capable of transmitting energy (e.g., radio-frequency energy) from an energy source 16 (e.g., radio-frequency energy generator).
A thermal monitoring circuit 19 (e.g., thermocouple) may be coupled with the conducting wire 13 and extend from the handle 11 through the umbrella tip body 25 . The thermal monitoring circuit 19 is connects with energy source cable 23 within handle 11 . Regulation of the thermal monitoring circuit 19 is achieved through the energy source 16 . In some embodiments, the present invention utilizes the thermal monitoring circuit described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,425,894 (herein incorporated by reference), whereby a thermocouple is comprised of a plurality of thermal monitoring circuits joined in series. The thermal monitoring circuits thermoconductively coupled to the electrodes. The thermal monitoring circuit will require only two wires to travel through the elongated catheter body in order to monitor a plurality of electrodes.
The distal opening 14 is the distal terminus of the elongate catheter body 10 . The most distal portion of this embodiment is the umbrella tip body 25 . The umbrella tip body 25 consists of a central post 26 , a plurality of outer arms 27 , the conductive wire 13 , and conductive elements (e.g., coils).
The central post 26 extends from the distal opening 14 . The central post 26 is a chamber (e.g., hollow tube) capable of housing small items (e.g., wire). The central post 26 may be made from electrically nonconductive materials (e.g., polyurethane, plastic, or polyethylene). The length of the central post 26 may range from 0.1 mm to 100 mm, and its diameter from 0.001 mm to 100 mm. The central post 26 may be formed into numerous shapes. In the preferred embodiments described in FIGS. 5-11 , the central post 26 is in the shape of an extended cylindrical rod.
One function of the central post 26 is to house the conducting wire 13 . At the distal opening 14 , the conducting wire 13 exits the elongate sheath 12 . While the majority of the conducting wire 13 is housed within the elongate sheath 12 , the distal portion is housed within the central post 26 .
The outer arms 27 extend from the base of the central post 26 through the top of the central post 26 . An outer arm 27 is a shaft (e.g., post) made from an electrically nonconductive material (e.g., polyurethane, polyethylene). The length of an outer arm 27 may range from 0.1 mm to 100 mm, and its diameter from 0.001 mm to 100 mm. In some embodiments, along the outside of an outer arm 27 is a thermal monitoring circuit 19 , which is able to detect temperature and maintain temperature.
An outer arm 27 may be flexible or rigid. In the preferred embodiments described in FIGS. 5-11 , the outer arms 27 are flexible. The degree of flexibility may range from 0 to 360 degrees. There are several types of outer arm 27 flexibility. The outer arm 27 flexibility displayed in FIGS. 5-11 arises from an outer arm hinge 28 located at the outer arm's 27 midpoint and permits a degree of flexibility from 0 to 180 degrees.
One function of the outer arms 27 is to interact with the central post 26 . The central post 26 and each outer arm 27 firmly connect (e.g., adhere) at the top of the central post 26 . The outer arms 27 also interface (e.g., connect) at the base of the central post 26 . The outer arm 27 connections at the base of the central post 26 may or may not also connect with the central post 27 . In the preferred embodiments described in FIGS. 5-11 , the outer arms 27 interface together at the distal opening 14 at a distal opening ring 29 . The distal opening ring 29 does not connect to the central post 26 , but rather connects to the distal opening 14 .
Umbrella tip bodies 25 may present a plurality of outer arms 27 . The embodiments described in FIGS. 5 , 10 and 11 display an umbrella tip 26 with five outer arms 27 . The embodiments described in FIGS. 6 and 7 display an umbrella tip body 26 with three outer arms 27 . The embodiments described in FIGS. 8 and 9 display an umbrella tip body 26 with four outer arms 27 . There may be any range of distances in between each outer arm 27 on an umbrella tip 26 . In the embodiments displayed in FIGS. 5-11 the distances in between each outer arm 27 are equilateral.
Conductive elements (e.g., plates) are distributed along the outer arms 27 . The energy utilized within a catheter ablation instrument is released through the conductive elements. The number of conductive elements an outer arm 27 permits a determined energy release and resulting ablation lesion.
The conductive elements used in the preferred embodiments described in FIGS. 5 , 6 , 8 , and 10 are conductive coils 20 . Each conductive coil 20 is an electrode that is comprised of a densely wound continuous ring of conductive material, (e.g., silver, copper). In preferred embodiments, the conductive coil 20 is made from platinum. The conductive coils 20 are fitted (e.g., pressure fitting) about the wire tip body 18 . In preferred embodiments, a conductive coil 20 is soldered onto a conductive metal (e.g., copper, copper with silver) and swaged onto the umbrella tip body 25 . Additional embodiments may utilize an adhesive seal in addition to swaging in fixing conductive coils 20 to the umbrella tip body 25 . A conductive coil 20 may range in size from 0.1 mm to 20 mm. The conductive coils 20 interact with the conducting wire 13 and emit the energy carried by the conductive wire 13 .
Conductive coils 20 may be arranged in many different patterns (e.g., staggered) along an outer arm 27 . Such patterns may involve repeating sets of conductive coils 20 (e.g., set of 3 coils-3 coils-3 coils, etc.) or nonrepeating sets (e.g., set of 3 coils-5 coils-2 coils, etc.). The pattern of conductive coils 20 may simply involve only one coil instead of sets. In addition, an umbrella tip body 26 may vary the patterns of conductive coils 20 on each outer arm 27 to achieve an even more unique ablation lesion. The pattern of conductive coils 20 arranged in the preferred embodiment presented in FIGS. 5 , 6 , 8 , and 10 consist of two sets of four conductive coils 20 separated by a gap on each outer arm 27 located near the distal ending. In general, the gaps may range in size from 0.1 mm to 100 mm, and is nonconductive. Within a repeating arrangement of conductive coils 20 , the spaces in between the conductive coils 20 are also nonconductive and may range in size from 0.01 mm to 100 mm.
The conductive elements used in the preferred embodiment described in FIGS. 7 , 9 , and 11 are conductive plates 21 . Each conductive plate 21 is an electrode that is comprised of a solid ring of conductive material, (e.g., platinum). The conductive plates 21 are fitted (e.g., pressure fitting) about an outer arm 27 . A conductive plate 21 may range in size from 0.1 mm to 20 mm. The conductive plates 19 interact with the conducting wire 13 and emit the energy carried by the conductive wire 13 .
Conductive plates 21 may be arranged in many different patterns (e.g., repeating sets) along an outer arm 27 . Such patterns may involve a repeating series of conductive plates 21 separated by spaces (e.g., plate-space-plate-space-plate; etc.) or a random series (e.g., space-space-plate-plate-plate-space-plate; etc.). The pattern of conductive plates 21 may simply involve only one short or extended conductive plate 21 . In addition, an umbrella tip body 26 may vary the patterns of conductive plates 21 on each outer arm 27 to achieve an even more unique ablation lesion. The pattern arranged in the preferred embodiment presented in FIGS. 7 , 9 , and 11 consists of one conductive plates 21 on each outer arm 27 located near the distal ending.
The pattern of conductive elements arranged on the umbrella tip body 26 need not be restricted to only a certain type. Indeed, the present invention contemplates an umbrella tip 26 with varied patterns of different conductive elements (e.g., outer arm 1 : coil-plate-plate-coil; outer arm 2 : plate-plate-coil; outer arm 3 : coil-coil; etc.).
An umbrella tip 26 may be expanded or contracted through manipulation of the handle 11 . In one type of embodiment, the base of the central post 26 interfaces (e.g., adheres) with the conducting wire 13 . The distal opening 14 is wide enough for the central post 26 to slide in and out of the elongate catheter body 10 . Contraction of the umbrella tip 26 occurs when the central post 26 is extended out of the elongate catheter body 10 . Expansion of the umbrella tip 26 occurs when the central post 26 is extended into the elongate catheter body 10 .
Extension or retraction of the umbrella tip body 26 is manipulated through the handle 11 . In preferred embodiments, the handle 11 connects with the conducting wire 13 and steering spring 15 . The conducting wire 13 attaches onto a lever 22 inside the handle 11 . Extension of the lever 22 causes the central post 26 to extend outside of the elongate catheter body 10 . As the central post 26 extends outside the elongate catheter body 10 , the outer arms 27 reduce the degree of flexion. Retraction of the lever 22 causes the central post 26 to withdraw inside the elongate catheter body 10 . As the central post 26 withdraws into the elongate catheter body 10 , the outer arms 27 increase the degree of flexion.
An umbrella tip catheter may utilize numerous alternative steering embodiments, some of which are described above in relation to wire tip ablation catheters.
The terminus of the conducting wire attaches to an energy source cable 23 which establishes a connection with the energy source 16 .
The proximal origin of the conducting wire 13 may be located at the distal end of the handle 11 . At the proximal origin of the conducting wire 13 , the conducting wire 13 is connected with an energy source 16 . Embodiments of the present invention may utilize numerous forms of energy (e.g., radio-frequency energy, ultrasound, laser, liquid nitrogen, saline-mediated).
In preferred embodiments, radio-frequency energy is utilized as the energy source 16 . Various radio-frequency energy generators are commercially available. A large (20×10 cm) ground patch is attached to the patient's back to complete the circuit. The current travels from the tip of the heart to the patch. The amount of energy utilized may be controlled by adjusting the power output of the energy source 16 . Four parameters may are regulated through the energy source 16 : power output, impedance, temperature, and duration of energy application.
The precise pattern of conductive elements assorted on an umbrella tip 26 , along with the varying degrees of central post 26 expansion or contraction, permits a unique type of ablation lesion ranging from long and thin to large and deep in shape.
Alternative Embodiments
The present invention is not limited to wire tip or umbrella tip embodiments. It is contemplated that fragmented ablation lesions may be created with alternative designs. For example, zig-zag distal bodies, cross-hatch patterns, or other shapes may be utilized so long as the ablation lesion that is created is effective in prevention propagation electrical impulses.
Uses
The multifunctional catheter of the present invention has many advantages over the prior art. The heart has four chambers, or areas. During each heartbeat, the two uppers chambers (atria) contract, followed by the two lower chambers (ventricles). A heart beats in a constant rhythm—about 60 to 100 times per minute at rest. This action is directed by the heart's electrical system. An electrical impulse begins in an area called the sinus node, located in the upper part of the right atrium. When the sinus node fires, an impulse of electrical activity spreads through the right and left atria causing them to contract, forcing blood into the ventricles. Then the electrical impulses travel in an orderly manner to another area called the atrioventricular (AV) node and HIS-Purkinje network. The AV node is the electrical bridge that allows the impulse to go from the atria to the ventricles. The HIS-Purkinje network carries the impulses throughout the ventricles. The impulse then travels through the walls of the ventricle, causing them to contract. This forces blood out of the heart to the lungs and the body. Each electrical circuit has a wavelength. The wavelength is equivalent to the product of the impulse's conduction velocity and the impulse's effective refractory period.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common type of irregular heartbeat. In atrial fribrillation, an electrical impulse does not travel in an orderly fashion through the atria. Instead, many impulses begin and spread through the atria and compete for a chance to travel through the AV node. Such aberrant electrical impulses may originate from tissues other than the heart's electrical system.
One method of treatment for atrial fibrillation is ablation therapy. It is estimated that for initiation of atrial fibrillation, premature depolarizations from any cardiac structure is necessary. However, for perpetuation of atrial fibrillation both a continuous/continual surge of premature depolarizations and an atrial substrate capable of maintaining multiple reentrant circuits of atrial fibrillation are necessary. The goal of ablation therapy is to eliminate the premature depolarizations that trigger atrial fibrillation, and also to modify the atrial tissue such that the minimum wavelength of a reentrant electrical circuit will not be able to fit into the atrial tissue.
Procedurally, to eliminate triggers, a specific and localized area of interest (e.g., area of pulmonary vein connecting with atria, alternate group of cells emitting electrical impulses on their own) is targeted. A catheter with an ablation instrument is directed through a major vein or artery to the targeted location in the left atrium. Through the ablation instrument, radio-frequency is released onto the targeted location. A resulting scar or lesion is created. To modify the atrial substrate “maze” patterns of ablation lesions are created. The intent is to create continuous lesions without any connecting gaps.
The major shortcoming of present ablation techniques is an inability to avoid gaps in the maze ablation process. The heart walls have extremely complex curvatures making the creation of a continuous ablation maze nearly impossible. The typical result is an ablation maze containing numerous gaps. It is important to avoid the presence of gaps within the ablation maze because aberrant electrical impulses are able to propagate through them resulting in secondary arrhythmias. As such, gaps become reentrant circuits, and the atrial fibrillation is capable of continuing and different arrhythmias such as atrial flutter may also occur. In addition, creation of maze like lesions in atrium is extremely time consuming and is associated with a significant complication rate.
The present multifunctional catheter overcomes the gap problem faced in the prior art by not relying upon continuous lesions. The present invention creates spiral or umbrella shaped ablation lesions with very small gaps between the ablation lesions. Each gap is not large enough to allow an electrical impulse to propagate through it. The ablation tips of the present invention (e.g., wire tip or umbrella tip) have a relatively small surface area (e.g., 10-25 mm in diameter). In addition, the tips are pliable and soft, and yet have good support form the shaft. Thus, when the tip is pushed against the atrial wall, most, if not all, of the surface will form good contact without the risk of perforation as it is not a pointed catheter tip. Strategic placement of such ablation lesions essentially decreases the effective atrial mass that an aberrant electrical impulse may propagate through. This represents a significant improvement over the prior art because no longer will the laborious and often unsuccessful creation of ablation lesion mazes be necessary. It is also possible to use the ablation approach described in this disclosure in conjunction with ablation strategies that target elimination of triggers such as a pulmonary vein isolation procedure.
The present ablation catheters may be utilized in treating cardiac disorders including, but not limited to, atrial fibrillation, multifocal atrial tachycardia, inappropriate sinus tachycardia, atrial tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular tachycardia, and WPW. In addition, the present ablation catheter may be utilized in several other medical treatments (e.g., ablation of solid tumors, destruction of tissues, assistance in surgical procedures, kidney stone removal).
All publications and patents mentioned in the above specification are herein incorporated by reference. Various modifications and variations of the described devices, compositions, methods, systems, and kits of the 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. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention that are obvious to those skilled in art are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.
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The present invention relates generally to multifunctional catheters for performing ablation procedures, and more particularly to ablation catheters utilized in the treatment of atrial fibrillation and other cardiac disorders. The present invention eliminates many of the problems associated with previous ablation catheters by providing an ablation treatment not dependent upon continuous lesions.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to ironing tables and more specifically to ironing tables with stabilizing components that reduce the potential for tipping.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In the present state of the art, ordinary ironing tables feature an ironing surface or board that is elevated above the floor by two or more legs. The legs are supported by base members or outriggers that extend outwardly from the legs to balance the table in a standing position. In this standing position, the board is elevated to allow an individual to iron clothing, linens and the like while the person is standing. The elevated board also prevents clothing and linens from contacting the floor when they are being ironed. Common ironing tables feature a light weight design to allow the table to be easily repositioned, transported and stored.
[0003] The light weight construction of ironing boards frequently makes them top heavy and creates problems with table stability and safety. Much of the table's weight is concentrated at the top of the table when the table is in a standing position. Top heaviness is even more apparent when an iron, clothing, and other objects are placed on the board, adding weight to the top of the table. Under such weight, the table's stability is limited by the configuration of the legs. In particular, the board is typically limited in width to approximately 15 inches, and the legs do not extend far beyond the perimeter of the board. Therefore, the weight of the board and its contents are balanced over a relatively small area. This arrangement makes the table very prone to tipping and rocking so that the table can be easily knocked over through inadvertent contact. If a hot iron is positioned on the table, tipping over the ironing table can lead to serious burns and other injuries.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In light of the foregoing, the present invention provides a more stable ironing table that offers the same utility and advantages of ordinary light weight ironing tables. The invention features a top board supported on a pair of legs. Base members or outriggers extend outwardly from the legs. The density of the base members is greater than the density of the legs. One way to increase the density of the legs is by weights. When the table is set up for use, the weights are inserted into cavities in the base members to increase table stability and reduce the potential for tipping or wobbling.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] The foregoing summary as well as the following description will be better understood when read in conjunction with the figures in which:
[0006] [0006]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stabilized ironing table in accordance with the present invention; and
[0007] [0007]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a stabilizer used in the ironing table in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0008] Referring to FIGS. 1 - 2 in general, and to FIG. 1 specifically, a stabilized ironing table 10 is shown. Table 10 includes a generally horizontal board 20 and a pair of legs 30 that extend from the board. Legs 30 are pivotally connected with a pin 32 . The pin connection 32 allows adjustment of the table between a standing position, in which the legs extend outwardly from board 210 to elevate the board above a floor, and a folded position, in which the legs collapse inwardly to allow the table to be stored. Table 10 uses a conventional latch release mechanism to adjust the table between the standing position and folded position. In FIG. 1, table 10 is shown in a standing position. A plurality of base members 40 extend from the lower end of legs 30 . When table 10 is placed in a standing position, base members 40 concentrate the table's weight in the lower portion of the table to enhance stability and counteract top heaviness in the table. Base members 40 can have a variety of geometric configurations. In FIG. 1, base members 40 are illustrated as a pair of straight tubular members having a cylindrical cross section. Base members 40 are bisected by the lower ends of legs 30 and are connected to the legs by any connecting means known in the art. In FIG. 1, the base members 40 and legs 30 are connected by welding. Base members 40 extend along the floor in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the board.
[0009] The legs 30 comprise the vertical support for the table. The legs are formed of a material that is sufficient to support the weight of the ironing board 20 and the forces applied during ironing. However, preferably the legs are as light as reasonably possible to limit the weight of the table 10 . Accordingly, preferably the legs 30 are formed of hollow rigid tubing, such as steel tube having approximately {fraction (1/16)}″ thick walls.
[0010] As described above, the base members 40 comprise the lateral supports for the table 10 . The base members 40 are designed to engage the floor surface when the table 10 is set up for use. In contrast to the vertical support legs 30 , preferably the base members 40 are designed to have a relatively high density to lower the center of gravity of the table 10 , thereby increasing the stability of the table. More specifically, preferably the base members 40 have a greater density than the vertical legs 30 .
[0011] The increased density of the base members 40 can be accomplished in one of several ways. For instance, the base members 40 can be formed of steel tube having a thicker wall than the tube used to form the vertical legs, or the base members can be formed of solid metal. However, preferably, the base members 40 are formed of steel tube that is substantially similar to the steel tube used to form the legs. The density of the base members is then increased by inserting weights 50 into the base members. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, preferably the base members 40 are hollow forming a cylindrical cavity 42 , and the weights are configured to cooperate with the interior cavities of the base members. More specifically, preferably, the mass of each weight is greater then the mass of the corresponding base member.
[0012] Base members 40 include open ends 44 adapted to receive weights 50 . Each open end 44 is covered by an end cap 46 that retains the weight 50 within the respective base member 40 when the base member is tilted or moved. End caps 46 are formed with interior recesses 47 adapted to conform with the outer perimeters of base members 40 . The interior diameter of each recess 47 is equal to or slightly larger than the exterior diameter of each base member 40 , such that the end cap forms an interference fit when slipped over the end of the base member. Alternatively, end caps 46 include male threads in recesses 47 that cooperate with female threads on the ends of base members 40 . Where a threaded connection is used, the end caps connect to base members 40 when the caps are aligned with the ends of the base members and rotated. End caps 46 are preferably formed of a flexible material, such as synthetic rubber, or a durable plastic. The end caps may be removably connectable so that the weight can be removed as desired, such as to lighten the ironing board to store it. However, preferably, the end caps 46 are substantially permanently attached to the base member.
[0013] The addition of weights 50 to the base of ironing table 10 will affect the balance of the table. If a significant amount of weight is placed on one side of the base with respect to the table's longitudinal axis, the table will resist tipping in only one direction. Preferably, weights 50 are inserted in base members 40 in an arrangement that is substantially symmetric about the longitudinal axis of table 10 .
[0014] Operation of the ironing table 10 will now be described. The table 10 is initially stored in the folded position. Using the latch release mechanism, table 10 is opened so that legs 30 extend outwardly from board 20 . Once the legs 30 are fully extended, base members 40 are positioned on a floor and the table is set in the standing position. If weights 50 are not yet inserted into base members 40 , an end cap 46 is removed from each base member to expose the interior cavities 42 in the base members. A weight 50 is then aligned with each cavity 42 , as shown in FIG. 2, and fully inserted into the base member 40 . End caps 46 are realigned with the ends of base members 40 and secured back onto the base members. Ironing table 10 is now stabilized and ready for use.
[0015] With weights 50 inserted into base members 40 , the center of gravity of the table 10 is moved downwardly so that the table is more resistant to tipping or rocking. In particular, a greater lateral force must act on table 10 to lift the ends of base members 40 off the floor. If the end caps 46 are removable, when the user is finished ironing, the user can remove an end cap 46 from each base member and remove the weights 50 from cavities 42 . The end caps 46 are then reattached to the base members 40 . The latch release mechanism is actuated to return table 10 to the folded position so the table can be conveniently transported and stored. Weights 50 may be left in or removed from base members 40 as desired by the user.
[0016] The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation. There is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof. It is recognized, however, that various modifications are possible within the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention incorporates variations that fall within the scope of the following claims.
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An apparatus is provided for stabilizing an ironing table, comprising a weight and a hollow base member that holds the weight. The base member connects to the legs of an ironing table and extends outwardly from the legs. The weight in the base member adds mass to the lower portion of the ironing table, increasing the table's resistance to tipping or wobbling. In one aspect of the invention, the weight may be removed from the base member to decrease the overall weight of the ironing table when the table is being transported.
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REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX
This application is not referenced in any microfiche appendix.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a bobber for use in fishing having provision at one end for the attachment of a fishing line and at the other end for a fishing leader, which in turn is attached to a fishhook. The buoyancy of the bobber is adjustable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An historically popular way to fish is by using a fishing pole having a fishing line extending to a bobber and a leader extending from the bobber to a fishhook on which bait is placed. In addition, a weight is normally affixed to the leader near the hook to pull the hook with the bait thereon downwardly from the bobber. The distance between the bobber and the hook is thereby a way of adjusting the depth at which the baited hook is maintained in the water. The bobber not only holds the baited hook suspended at a preselected depth below the water surface, but the bobber also provides a visual signal when a fish bites or nibbles on the bait. A skilled fisherman, by watching the bobber, knows when to jerk the line to set the hook in a biting fish.
If a bobber has too much buoyancy, a fish can bite or nibble on the bait and the fisherman will not be apprised of this fact. High buoyancy of a bobber prevents it from being significantly displaced with respect to the water surface by the action of a fish. On the other hand, if the bobber has too little buoyancy, then any minor engagement of the bait by a fish can cause a displacement of the bobber relative to the water surface that is misleading and can cause a fisherman to jerk the hook before a fish has actually taken the bait. In other words, according to the type and nature of the bait, the amount of buoyancy of the bobber can be important in providing information that a fisherman needs to know when to jerk the line—that is, set the hook in response to a fish bite.
For these reasons, the invention herein provides an adjustable depth fishing bobber that permits the buoyancy of the bobber to be readily and quickly adjusted by controlling the quantity of water within the interior of the bobber. In this way, a fisherman can adjust the buoyancy of the bobber without having to have any supplemental devices or tools. Further, when through fishing, water within the bobber can quickly and easily be drained so that it does not have to be kept inside of a fishing tackle box.
For an understanding of fishing bobbers, their uses, applications and various designs, reference may be had to the following previously-issued United States patents and a publication:
U.S. Pat.
No.
Publication
Inventor(s)
Title
US 2002/
Bennis
Two-Stage Fishing Bobber
0000060
2,726,474
Soskice
Floats for Fishlines
2,803,082
Claybrook
Fishing Float Having Weight-
Adjusting Means
3,447,257
Ieda
Reversible Steering Member
3,455,056
Cultrera
Fishing Floats
3,597,871
Hansen
Fishing Float Device
3,698,120
Grogan
Float-Sinker
3,744,176
Bondhus
Casting Bubble
3,757,453
Therres
Fishing Line Float
3,990,172
Hagquist
Fishing Bobber
4,461,114
Riead
Fishing Float
4,571,874
Smaw
Casting Bobber with
Predetermined Depth Setting
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention herein provides an adjustable depth fishing bobber that can also be described as an adjustable buoyancy fishing bobber. The bobber is formed of a hollow bobber housing preferably made of thin-wall plastic halves each of which is a concave element. The bobber housing is hollow and oriented for upright floatation and has a top and a bottom opening.
An elongated stem extends displaceably through the housing openings. The stem has provision at the top end for the attachment of a fishing line and at a bottom end for the attachment of a fishing leader that extends to a fishhook. A top cap is affixed to the stem above the housing. The top cap normally engages the housing exterior surface to sealably close the top opening.
A coiled spring surrounds the stem within the housing and urges the stem downwardly with respect to the housing to normally close the top cap against the exterior surface of the housing to thereby close the top opening. The stem can be manually upwardly displaced relative to the housing to permit fluid—that is, air or water, to flow through the top and bottom openings so that a quantity of water may be admitted into or drained from the housing to thereby vary buoyancy of the housing.
In a preferred arrangement, a spring keeper is affixed to the stem within the housing. The spring is received on the stem and compressed between the spring keeper and an upper interior surface of the housing surrounding the top opening.
The stem preferably has an upper and a lower groove that, when the stem is displaced with respect to the housing, permits fluid to more readily flow through the top and bottom openings so that water and/or air can pass through as necessary to admit water into the housing or drain water from the housing.
A better understanding of the invention will be obtained from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the attached drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational isometric view of a fishing bobber of this invention showing the external appearance of the bobber.
FIG. 2 is an elevational cross-sectional view taken along the line 2 — 2 . FIG. 1 showing the bobber in its normal position with a fragment of a fishing line attached to a top end and a fragment of a fishing leader attached to the bottom end. FIG. 2 shows the bobber in condition for maximum buoyancy and shows the bobber floating relatively high on the surface of water.
FIG. 3 shows the stem displaced upwardly relative to the body of the bobber in the condition wherein water is being admitted into the interior of the bobber to decrease its buoyancy. As water is admitted through a bottom opening, displaced air is discharged through a top opening.
FIG. 4 shows the stem in the normal position sealably closing the admission or drainage of water from the interior of the body. A quantity of water subsides within the body so that the buoyancy of the bobber is reduced and the bobber floats lower with respect to the water's surface.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows the exterior of a bobber that incorporates principles of this invention, the bobber being generally indicated by the numeral 10 . External elements of the bobber shown in FIG. 1 includes a body 12 , a stem 14 and a top cap 16 .
FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show cross-sectional views of the bobber and more details of its construction. The body generally indicated by the numeral 12 includes a lower thin-wall concave half 18 and a mating thin-wall concave upper half 20 . The lower and upper halves 18 and 20 are preferably molded of inexpensive plastic materials and have circumferential open edges that join at a mating edge 22 .
The bottom half 18 has a bottom opening 24 therein and in like manner, the body top half 20 has a top opening 26 . Extending displaceably through openings 24 and 26 is a stem 28 having a bottom end 30 and a top end 32 . Adjacent bottom end 30 is a small opening 34 that receives a fishing leader 36 . In similar manner, adjacent top end 32 is an opening 38 that receives the end of a fishing line 40 .
The bobber is used in the normal way that fishing bobbers have been for many years. Normally, the lower end of fishing leader 36 has a weight and a hook (not shown). Bait (not shown) is normally placed on the hook and the weight holds the bait at a preselected distance below the surface 42 of the body of water on which the bobber is being used. Thus, the function of bobber 12 is first, to maintain a baited hook at a preselected distance below water surface 42 since otherwise without a bobber or a way to add buoyancy, a baited hook, especially if it has a weight on the line adjacent to it, would normally rest on the bottom of the body of water and can easily then be entangled in brush, weeds and so forth. A second basic function of bobber 10 is to provide a visual indication to the fisherman when a fish is biting.
Secured to stem 28 above bobber body 12 is the top cap 16 . As best seen in FIG. 3, the top cap 16 preferably includes a seal such as O-ring 44 .
Within the interior of body 12 is a compression spring 46 that surrounds the stem 28 . A spring keeper 48 is secured to stem 28 . Spring 26 is compressably received on stem 28 between an upper interior surface of the body top half 20 and keeper 48 . Spring keeper 48 may be of a variety of styles. In one arrangement a small groove can be formed on stem 28 with a C-shaped keeper 48 positioned in the groove. A washer 50 can then be placed on stem 28 in contact with keeper 48 . Spring 46 extends between washer 50 and the interior top half of the body 20 . Thus, as illustrated, a washer is positioned on the stem in engagement with a keeper 48 that is positioned within a narrow groove in the circumferential surface of the stem. In another embodiment, instead of using a keeper, a plastic washer can be glued or otherwise bonded directly onto the external surface of the stem 28 . The particular manner of providing the spring keeper that, as illustrated, is formed of a keeper element 48 and a washer 50 is a design choice. The only requirement is that provision be made so that spring 46 be arranged to exert compressive downward force on stem 28 relative to the body 12 .
In normal circumstances, the bobber will be in condition for maximum flotation when a fisherman takes the bobber out of his tackle box or first starts using it in which the interior of the bobber is void as shown in FIG. 2 . If the fisherman believes that the maximum flotation, as in FIG. 2, causes the bobber to be insensitive to small or feeble bites by a fish, the fisherman can adjust the flotation. This is accomplished as seen in FIG. 3 in which the fisherman holds the body of the bobber partially submerged and upwardly raises stem 28 against the compressive force of spring 46 . This removes top cap 16 from contact with the portion of the bobber upper half that surrounds top opening 26 . This permits air to escape from the bobber permitting water to enter bottom opening 24 . To improve the flow of water into the interior of the body 12 and to permit the escape of air out the top of the bobber, a top groove 52 is formed in the sidewall of stem 28 , as well as a bottom groove 54 . Grooves 52 and 54 are positioned so that in the normal relationship of stem 28 to body 12 , the top groove 52 is totally interior of the body and the bottom groove 54 is totally exterior of the body as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Thus, in the normal position the top and bottom grooves 52 and 54 have no function in the normal operation of the bobber. However, when the buoyancy of the bobber is being changed, as shown in FIG. 3, stem 28 is upwardly raised with respect to the bobber, compressing spring 46 , so that top groove 52 is in alignment with top opening 26 and the bottom groove 54 is in alignment with bottom opening 24 . With the bobber partially submerged beneath the surface 42 of water as shown in FIG. 3, this displacement allows water to flow freely through bottom opening 24 past bottom groove 54 and air that is displaced as water enters the interior of the bobber to escape through top opening 26 , past top groove 52 . After the quantity of water desired has been admitted into the interior of the bobber, the stem is returned downwardly to the location shown in FIG. 4 . In this location, more water cannot pass into the interior of the bobber as resisted by the air captured in the top part of the interior of the body 12 . At the same time, the top and bottom grooves 52 and 54 are out of alignment with the top and bottom openings 26 and 24 .
The bobber of this invention has been described in terms of its adjustable buoyancy. Buoyancy is directly related to the weight of the bobber—that is, the amount of water contained within the bobber. Thus, adjustable buoyancy is the same as adjustable weight. Therefore, the term “adjustable depth fishing bobber” is inclusive of“adjustable weight fishing bobber.” The weight of the bobber is important to vary the buoyancy when the bobber is floating and also is important to provide casting ballast. That is, by varying the amount of water in the bobber its weight when being cast can be varied. This permits a fisherman to vary the weight (ballast) of the bobber for effective casting of the bobber.
The adjustable depth fishing bobber as has been described herein provides a bobber having advantages over the known prior art such as that previously identified and provides a bobber that permits a fisherman to quickly adjust the buoyancy of the bobber to his needs in a way that does not require supplemental weights or other attachments. Further, when the fisherman is through fishing and the bobber has been removed from the lake or stream where it has been employed, the fisherman can expeditiously empty water from the bobber by merely depressing the body 12 downwardly relative to stem 28 to the position as shown in FIG. 3 and any water remaining inside the body will be immediately drained through the bottom opening 24 past bottom groove 54 .
While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is manifest that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification, but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.
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An adjustable depth fishing bobber having a hollow bobber housing for upright floatation having a top and a bottom opening, an elongated stem extending displaceably through said housing openings and having provision for the attachment of a fishing line to an upper end and a fishing leader to a lower end, a top cap affixed to the stem above the housing that normally engages the housing to sealably close the top opening, and a coiled spring surrounding the stem within the housing urging the stem downwardly with respect to the housing to normally close the top opening, the stem being upwardly displaceable relative to the housing whereby a quantity of water can be admitted into or drained from the housing to vary the buoyancy of the bobber.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device for feeding sheets of paper such as may be found inside an automatic teller or other machine which handles bank notes. In particular, it relates to a fuzzy logic control device which can correct the rate of feed as the paper is being fed. Generally, this type of paper feed device feeds a single sheet of paper by means of a feed roller located in the feed portion of the paper container.
Bank notes in circulation are subject to certain problems. Bills may be wrinkled or weakened, or they may have tape, glue, or other foreign matter stuck to them. Frictional resistance may cause a bill to move in an irregular fashion at the moment it separates from a stack. Thus skew may occur in the initial stage of paper feed. This skew is generally detected by a sensor, after which the bill is rectified or removed. However, the machine is jammed from the time the skew occurs until the problem is solved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of this invention is to provide a fuzzy logic control device which can adjust the paper in a paper feed process. The adjustment is performed by checking the alignment of the paper being fed and correcting that alignment so as to achieve a normal feed alignment.
The invention employs a fuzzy logic control device to correct the alignment of sheets of paper being fed, which comprises a pair of coaxially mounted independently driven rollers which feed single sheets of paper, which rollers are driven independently, to control the rate at which a sheet of paper is fed from a container; means for detecting when a sheet of paper which has been fed from the container is askew; and, means for performing a fuzzy inference using data from the detecting means in order to determine the appropriate rate at which the independently driven rollers should feed a sheet of paper, an output of the performing means being used to sepapately control the speed of rotation of the rollers to eliminate skew. The fuzzy inference is based on fuzzy rules formulated from data collected under various conditions and expressed as fuzzy variables. The fuzzy rules are designed to convert the feed rate of a skewed sheet of paper to a rate that will straighten it under various conditions of skew.
Each time a sheet of paper is fed, the detectors ascertain the alignment of the paper. The control device uses this detected alignment as a starting point and outputs the amount of correction of the feed rate which is required to achieve an appropriate feed rate of the rollers to correct the skew as the skewed paper is being fed by the rollers. This amount of correction is based on fuzzy rules from which the optimal paper alignment is inferred as a consequent. The output data are used to adjust the feed rates of the two independent feed rollers, positioned side by side, to their appropriate values.
Since sheets of paper often behave in an unstable fashion their handling by paper feed devices is difficult. This invention detects a tendency to skew in the initial stage of the feed process, and the alignment of the paper can be rectified immediately. Thus the invention provides a highly stable and reliable feed process from which the threat of an obstruction in the later feed stages has been removed.
The above and other objects, advantages and features of the invention and others will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the invention which is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings illustrate one embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 1 is a side view of the components of a bill feed mechanism;
FIG. 2 is a front view of these same components;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the control circuit which performs fuzzy inferences to correct the bill feed;
FIG. 4 is a graph showing the membership functions corresponding to degree of skew;
FIG. 5 (a) is a graph showing the membership functions corresponding to the outputs in r.p.m. of the left pulse motor;
FIG. 5 (b) is a graph showing the membership functions corresponding to the outputs in r.p.m. of the right pulse motor;
FIGS. 6 (a) through (c) are graphs showing the relationship between the speed at which the bill is conveyed during the initial stage of feed and the acceleration time.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The drawings illustrate a fuzzy control device to ad just paper feed which is installed in a feed mechanism for bank notes. In FIGS. 1 and 2, a bill feed mechanism 11, which might be contained in a cartridge, is provided in the feed path on the front surface of bill container 13, which permits bill 12 to be received in vertical position. On the upper portion of the feed path are left and right coaxial pickup rollers 14 and their corresponding feed rate detector rollers 15. On the lower portion of the feed path is feed roller 16, next to which is mounted gate roller 17, which regulates the feed of each individual bill. At the end of the feed path, support roller 18 presses against bill 12 and conveys it out of the feed path. Thus all these rollers 14 through 18 serve to feed bills one at a time through the feed mechanism.
The pickup rollers 14 are caused to rotate independently by pulse motors M1 and M2. Small left and right detector rollers 15 make contact with bill 12 as it is being fed and rotate at a speed which corresponds to the speed at which the bill is delivered, which is based on the rotational speed of pickup rollers 14. The rotational speeds of detecting rollers 15 are calculated by tachometers 19, and in this way any skew which has occurred in the initial stage of the feed process is detected.
Feed roller 16 and gate roller 17, which are positioned on the feed path, are fashioned into meshing tooth patterns to facilitate separation. Feed roller 16 is of a sufficiently large diameter that it feeds one bill 12 with each revolution. A portion of its rotational surface is covered with feeder member 20, which consists of rubber or some other material with a high frictional coefficient.
Gate roller 17 has a built-in one way clutch to ensure that it rotates only in the direction of feed. This clutch allows the gate roller to have the function of feeding a single bill at a time. The combination of the rollers executes the feed operation for a single bill 12. These rollers cause a bill which has been sent to pass between feed roller 16 and support roller 18 in the final stage of the feed process and to be conveyed in a specified direction.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the control circuit which performs a fuzzy logic inference to correct the feed of the bill. CPU 31 uses the detection signal obtained from tachometers 19 through left and right detection rollers 15 and a program stored in ROM 32 to output the appropriate amount of speed correction to left and right pulse motors M1 and M2 by way of fuzzy inference engine (hereafter "FIE") 33. The control data needed at this time are stored in RAM 34.
The FIE 33 chooses a fuzzy rule which takes as its antecedent X1 (premise) the currently detected data supplied by CPU 31 and obtained by means of the detection signals from left and right tachometers 19. The values Y1 and Y2, which are inferred using the rule, determine the feed rates for bill 12, which are thus set in response to the currently detected data. Based on the fuzzy rule applied to the aforementioned detected data, the appropriate amounts of speed correction (motor r.p.m.) are output as Z1 and Z2. Pulse motors M1 and M2 are driven in the initial stage of feed according to the amounts Z1 and Z2 which have been output. The feed rate of bill 12 is corrected to produce a flawless feed. In this way fuzzy logic inference is used to control the feed process.
The fuzzy rule is chosen in accordance with fuzzy rule table 35, which has been assembled previously. The appropriate limit value for the angle of skew of bill 12 in the initial stage of feed has been established previously. This appropriate value is compared with the actual detected value, and the appropriate conclusion is established, with regard to these facts, by means of the membership functions dependent on the fuzzy variables shown in FIGS. 4 (premises), and 5a and 5b (consequent).
In these membership functions, the labels (fuzzy variable values) indicating the extent of fuzzy convergence (grade) are assigned according to the combination of a group indicating direction, i.e., negative (N), standard (Z), or positive (P); and a group indicating degree, i.e., large (L), medium (M), or small (S).
The membership functions represent the degree of skew X1 obtained from the difference in r.p.m. between left and right detection rollers 15 shown in FIG. 4. They are:
NL: Considerable skew to the left
NM: Some degree of skew to the left
NS: Slight skew to the left
Z: No skew
PS: Slight skew to the right
PM: Some degree of skew to the right
PL: Considerable skew to the right
The membership functions in FIG. 5a, which correspond to Y1, the output (in r.p.m.) of the left pulse motor, are:
NL: Reduce speed of rotation substantially
NM: Reduce speed of rotation moderately
NS: Reduce speed of rotation slightly
Z: Maintain standard Speed of rotation
PS: Increase speed of rotation slightly
PM: Increase speed of rotation moderately
PL: Increase speed of rotation substantially
The membership functions in FIG. 5b, which correspond to Y2, the output (in r.p.m.) of the right pulse motor, are:
NL: Reduce speed of rotation substantially
NM: Reduce speed of rotation moderately
NS: Reduce speed of rotation slightly
Z: Maintain standard Speed of rotation
PS: Increase speed of rotation slightly
PM: Increase speed of rotation moderately
As an example of how the fuzzy rule table 35 might be formed the rules which appear in FIG. 3 are as follows.
Rule 1
If the bill is not skewed at all in the initial stage of feed (X1=Z), the detectors register a proper initial feed. FIE 33 maintains the r.p.m. of pulse motors M1 and M2 (Y1=Z) (Y2=Z), and left and right pickup rollers are driven at the same rotational speed.
If X1=Z
Then Y1=Z and Y2=Z
In this case, since bill 12 is being fed properly in the initial stage, no skew will occur in either direction during the time it takes the bill to achieve the specified speed of feed V. Left and right tachometers 19 will indicate that the bill is being conveyed in a stable fashion such that there is no difference A 0 between the r.p.m. of the two detector rollers.
Rule 2
If the detectors find that the right side of the bill is thrust forward so that there is a moderate skew to the right (X1=PM), FIE 33 will slightly increase the r.p.m. of left pulse motor M1 (Y1=PS) so as to slightly raise the rotational speed of left pickup roller 14. At the same motor M2 (Y2=NS) so as to slightly decrease the rotational speed of right pickup roller 14. In this way the initial skew of bill 12 will be immediately corrected.
If X1=PM
Then Y1=PS and Y2=NS
Thus if bill 12 becomes skewed in the initial stage of feed, the skew will be detected clearly from the difference in r.p.m. between the two detector rollers which is registered by left and right tachometers 19, as shown in FIG. 6b. The severity of skew A 1 , which correlates with the disparity between the r.p.m. of the two detector rollers, is shown by the area filled in with slanted lines.
To eliminate this skew promptly, degree of correction A 3 is output in response to the degree of skew A 2 detected during the initial stage of feed, as shown in FIG. 6c. Thus the feed is corrected in the initial stage so that the bill is conveyed in a stable fashion without skew.
Rule 3
If the detectors find that the left side of the bill is thrust forward a bit, and there is a slight skew to the left (X1=NS), FIE 33 will maintain the left pulse motor at the same r.p.m. (Y1=Z), and will slightly increase the r.p.m. of the right pulse motor (Y2=PS). The rotational speed of right pickup roller 14 will increase, and the initial skew of bill 12 will be promptly corrected.
If X1=NS
Then Y1=Z and Y2=PS
As can be seen in Rules 1 through 3, proper conditions of feed for bill 12 are obtained by invoking a rule corresponding to the conclusion prefaced by "then" in response to the input of the premise prefaced by "if."
As has been discussed above, bank notes often behave in an unstable fashion which may cause difficulties for paper feed devices. The conditions under which feed is attempted can also be unstable. With this invention, a tendency to skew can be detected in the initial stage of the feed process, and the alignment of the paper can be rectified immediately. Thus the invention enables us to realize a highly stable and reliable feed process from which the threat of a skew has been eliminated before it can cause problems.
While an embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated, it should be apparent that many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be taken as limited to the description or drawings but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
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A fuzzy logic control device is used in conjunction with a pair of coaxially aligned and independently controlled paper feed rollers and a paper skew detector to detect and correct skew in a conveyed paper in a paper feeding device.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/328,875, filed on Mar. 27, 1989 now abandoned and assigned to the assignee of the present application.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an age-hardenable, martensitic steel alloy, and in particular to such an alloy and an article made therefrom in which the elements are closely controlled to provide a unique combination of high tensile strength, high fracture toughness and good resistance to stress corrosion cracking in a marine environment.
Heretofore, an alloy designated as 300M has been used in structural components requiring high strength and light weight. The 300M alloy has the following composition in weight percent:
______________________________________ wt. %______________________________________ C 0.40-0.46 Mn 0.65-0.90 Si 1.45-1.80 Cr 0.70-0.95 Ni 1.65-2.00 Mo 0.30-0.45 V 0.05 min.______________________________________
the balance is essentially iron. The 300M alloy is capable of providing tensile strength in the range of 280-300 ksi.
A need has arisen for a high strength alloy such as 300M but having high fracture toughness as represented by a stress intensity factor, K IC , ≧100 ksi √in. The fracture toughness provided by the 300M alloy, represented by a K IC of about 55-60 ksi in, is not sufficient to meet that requirement. Higher fracture toughness is desirable for better reliability in components and because it permits non-destructive inspection of a structural component for flaws that can result in catastrophic failure.
An alloy designated as AF1410 is known to provide good fracture toughness as represented by K IC ≧100 ksi √in. The AF1410 alloy is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,525 ('525) issued to Little et al. on Feb. 28, 1978. The AF1410 alloy has the following composition in weight percent, as set forth in the '525 patent:
______________________________________ wt. %______________________________________ C 0.12-0.17 Cr 1.8-3.2 Ni 9.5-10.5 Mo 0.9-1.35 Co 11.5-14.5______________________________________
and the balance is essentially iron. The AF1410 alloy, however, leaves much to be desired with regard to tensile strength. It is capable of providing ultimate tensile strength up to 270 ksi, a level of strength not suitable for highly stressed structural components in which the very high strength to weight ratio provided by 300M is required. It would be very desirable to have an alloy which provides the good fracture toughness of the AF1410 alloy in addition to the high tensile strength provided by the 300M alloy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a principal object of this invention to provide an age-hardenable, martensitic steel alloy and an article made therefrom which are characterized by a unique combination of high tensile strength and high fracture toughness.
More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide such an alloy which is characterized by significantly higher tensile strength than provided by the AF1410 alloy while still maintaining high fracture toughness.
A further object of this invention is to provide an alloy which, in addition to high strength and high fracture toughness, is designed to provide high resistance to stress corrosion cracking in marine environments.
Another object of this invention is to provide a high strength alloy having a low ductile-to-brittle transition temperature.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects and advantages of the present invention, are achieved in an age-hardenable, martensitic steel alloy as summarized in Table I below, containing in weight percent, about:
TABLE I______________________________________Broad Intermediate Preferred______________________________________C 0.2-0.33 0.20-0.31 0.21-0.27Cr 2-4 2.25-3.5 2.5-3.3Ni 10.5-15 10.75-13.5 11.0-12.0Mo 0.75-1.75 0.75-1.5 1.0-1.3Co 8-17 10-15 11-14Fe Bal. Bal. Bal.______________________________________
The balance may include additional elements in amounts which do not detract from the desired combination of properties. Preferably, for example, about 0.2% max. manganese, about 0.1% max. silicon, about 0.01% max. each of titanium and aluminum, and a trace amount up to about 0.001% each of rare earth metals such a cerium and lanthanum can be present in this alloy. Preferably, not more than about 0.008% phosphorus and not more than about 0.004% sulfur are present in this alloy.
The foregoing tabulation is provided as a convenient summary and is not intended to restrict the lower and upper values of the ranges of the individual elements of the alloy of this invention for use solely in combination with each other, or to restrict the broad, intermediate or preferred ranges of the elements for use solely in combination with each other. Thus, one or more of the broad, intermediate, and preferred ranges can be used with one or more of the other ranges for the remaining elements. In addition, a broad, intermediate, or preferred minimum or maximum for an element can be used with the maximum or minimum for that element from one of the remaining ranges. Here and throughout this application percent (%) means percent by weight, unless otherwise indicated.
The alloy according to the present invention is critically balanced to provide a unique combination of high tensile strength, high fracture toughness, and stress corrosion cracking resistance. For example, when more than about 1.3% molybdenum is present in this alloy, the amount of carbon and/or cobalt are preferably adjusted downwardly so as to be within the lower half of their respective elemental ranges. Carbon and cobalt are preferably balanced in accordance with the following relationships:
a) %Co≦35-81.8(%C);
b) %Co≧25.5-70(%C); and, for best results
c) %Co≧26.9-70(%C).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The alloy according to the present invention contains at least about 0.2%, better yet, at least about 0.20%, and preferably at least about 0.21% carbon because it contributes to the good hardness capability and high tensile strength of the alloy primarily by combining with other elements such as chromium and molybdenum to form carbides during heat treatment. Too much carbon adversely affects the fracture toughness of this alloy. Accordingly, carbon is limited to not more than about 0.33%, better yet, to not more than about 0.31%, and preferably to not more than about 0.27%.
Cobalt contributes to the hardness and strength of this alloy and benefits the ratio of yield strength to tensile strength (Y.S./U.T.S.). Therefore, at least about 8%, better yet at least about 10%, and preferably at least about 11% cobalt is present in this alloy. For best results at least about 12% cobalt is present. Above about 17% cobalt the fracture toughness and the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature of the alloy are adversely affected. Preferably, not more than about 15%, and better yet not more than about 14% cobalt is present in this alloy.
Cobalt and carbon are critically balanced in this alloy to provide the unique combination of high strength and high fracture toughness that is characteristic of the alloy. Thus, to ensure good fracture toughness, carbon and cobalt are preferably balanced in accordance with the following relationship:
a) %Co≦35-81.8(%C).
To ensure that the alloy provides the desired high strength and hardness, carbon and cobalt are preferably balanced such that:
b) %Co≧25.5-70(%C); and, for best results
c) %Co≧26.9-70(%C).
Chromium contributes to the good hardenability and hardness capability of this alloy and benefits the desired low ductile-brittle transition temperature of the alloy. Therefore, at least about 2%, better yet at least about 2.25%, and preferably at least about 2.5% chromium is present. Above about 4% chromium the alloy is susceptible to rapid overaging such that the unique combination of high tensile strength and high fracture toughness is not attainable. Preferably, chromium is limited to not more than about 3.5%, and better yet to not more than about 3.3%. When the alloy contains more than about 3% chromium, the amount of carbon present in the alloy is adjusted upwardly in order to ensure that the alloy provides the desired high tensile strength.
At least about 0.75% and preferably at least about 1.0% molybdenum is present in this alloy because it benefits the desired low ductile brittle transition temperature of the alloy. Above about 1.75% molybdenum the fracture toughness of the alloy is adversely affected. Preferably, molybdenum is limited to not more than about 1.5%, and better yet to not more than about 1.3%. When more than about 1.3% molybdenum is present in this alloy the % carbon and/or % cobalt must be adjusted downwardly in order to ensure that the alloy provides the desired high fracture toughness. Accordingly, when the alloy contains more than about 1.3% molybdenum, the % carbon is not more than the median % carbon for a given % cobalt as defined by equations a) and b) or a) and c).
Nickel contributes to the hardenability of this alloy such that the alloy can be hardened with or without rapid quenching techniques. Nickel benefits the fracture toughness and stress corrosion cracking resistance provided by this alloy and contributes to the desired low ductile-to-brittle transition temperature. Accordingly, at least about 10.5%, better yet, at least about 10.75%, and preferably at least about 11.0% nickel is present. Above about 15% nickel the fracture toughness and impact toughness of the alloy can be adversely affected because the solubility of carbon in the alloy is reduced which may result in carbide precipitation in the grain boundaries when the alloy is cooled at a slow rate, such as when air cooled following forging. Preferably, nickel is limited to not more than about 13.5%, and better yet to not more than about 12.0%.
Other elements can be present in this alloy in amounts which do not detract from the desired properties. Preferably, for example, about 0.2% max., better yet about 0.10% max., and for best results about 0.05% max. manganese can be present. Up to about 0.1% silicon, up to about 0.01% aluminum, and up to about 0.01% titanium can be present as residuals from small additions for deoxidizing the alloy. A trace amount up to about 0.001% each of such rare earth metals as cerium and lanthanum can be present as residuals from small additions for controlling the shape of sulfide and oxide inclusions.
The balance of the alloy according to the present invention is essentially iron except for the usual impurities found in commercial grades of alloys intended for similar service or use. The levels of such elements must be controlled so as not to adversely affect the desired properties of this alloy. For example, phosphorus is limited to not more than about 0.008% and sulfur is limited to not more than about 0.004%. Tramp elements such as lead, tin, arsenic and antimony are limited to about 0.003% max. each, and preferably to about 0.002% max. each. Oxygen is limited to not more than about 20 parts per million (ppm) and nitrogen to not more than about 40 ppm.
The alloy of the present invention is readily melted using conventional vacuum melting techniques. For best results, as when additional refining is desired, a multiple melting practice is preferred. The preferred practice is to melt a heat in a vacuum induction furnace (VIM) and cast the heat in the form of an electrode. The electrode is then remelted in a vacuum arc furnace (VAR) and recast into one or more ingots. Prior to VAR the electrode ingots are preferably stress relieved at about 1,250° F. for 4-16 hours and air cooled. After VAR the ingot is preferably homogenized at about 2,150° F. for 6-10 hours.
The alloy can be hot worked from about 2,150° F. to about 1,500° F. The preferred hot working practice is to forge an ingot from about 2,150° F. to obtain at least a 30% reduction in cross sectional area. The ingot is then reheated to about 1,800° F. and further forged to obtain at least another 30% reduction in cross sectional area.
The alloy according to the present invention is austenitized and age hardened as follows. Austenitizing of the alloy is carried out by heating the alloy at about 1,550°-1,650° F. for about 1 hour plus about 5 minutes per inch of thickness and then quenching in oil. The hardenability of this alloy is good enough to permit air cooling or vacuum heat treatment with inert gas quenching, both of which have a slower cooling rate than oil quenching. When this alloy is to be oil quenched, however, it is preferably austenitized at about 1,550°-1,600° F., whereas when the alloy is to be vacuum treated or air hardened it is preferably austenitized at about 1,575°-1,650° F. After austenitizing, the alloy is preferably cold treated as by deep chilling at about -100° F. for 1/2 to 1 hour and then warmed in air.
Age hardening of this alloy is preferably conducted by heating the alloy at about 850°-925° F. for about 5 hours followed by cooling in air. When austenitized and age hardened the alloy according to the present invention provides an ultimate tensile strength of at least about 280 ksi and longitudinal fracture toughness of at least 100 ksi √in. Furthermore, the alloy can be aged within the foregoing process parameters to provide a Rockwell hardness of at least 54 HRC when it is desired for use in ballistically tolerant articles.
EXAMPLE
As an example of the alloy according to the present invention, a 400 lb VIM heat having the composition in weight percent shown in Table II was prepared and cast into a 61/8 in round ingot.
TABLE II______________________________________ wt. %______________________________________ Carbon 0.22 Manganese <0.01 Silicon <0.01 Phosphorus <0.005 Sulfur 0.002 Chromium 3.03 Nickel 11.17 Molybdenum 1.18 Cobalt 13.89 Cerium <0.001 Lanthanum <0.001 Titanium <0.01 Iron* Balance______________________________________ *Iron charge material was a standard grade of electrolytic iron.
The ingot was vermiculite cooled, stress relieved at 1,250° F. for 4 h, and then air cooled. The ingot was remelted by VAR, cast as an 8 in round ingot, and then vermiculite cooled. The remelted ingot was stress relieved at 1,250° F. for 4 h and cooled in air.
Prior to forging, the ingot was homogenized at 2,150 F. for 16 h. The ingot was then forged from the temperature of 2,150° F. to 31/2 in high by 5 in wide bar. The bar was cut into 4 sections which were reheated to 1,800° F., forged to 11/2 inch×33/8 inch bars, and then cooled in air.
The forged bars were annealed at 1,250° F. for 16 h and then air cooled. A transverse tensile specimen (0.252 inch diameter by 2 in long) was machined from one of the annealed bars. The tensile specimen was austenitized in salt for 1 h at 1,550° F., oil quenched, deep chilled at -100° F. for 1 h, and then warmed in air. The specimen was then age hardened for 5 h at 875° F. and air cooled. The results of room temperature tensile tests on the transverse specimen are shown in Table III including the 0.2% offset yield strength (0.2% Y.S.) and the ultimate tensile strength (U.T.S.) in ksi, as well as the percent elongation (% El.) and percent reduction in are a (% R.A.). The hardness of the specimen was measured and is given in Table III as Rockwell C scale hardness (HRC).
TABLE III______________________________________0.2% Y.S. U.T.S.(ksi) (ksi) % El. % R.A. HRC______________________________________261.9 285.2 12.2 59.3 53.0______________________________________
A standard compact tension fracture toughness specimen was machined with a longitudinal orientation from one of the remaining annealed bars. The fracture toughness specimen was austenitized, deep chilled, and age hardened in the same manner as the tensile specimen. The results of room temperature fracture toughness testing in accordance with ASTM Standard Test E399 is shown in Table IV as K IC in ksi √in. The hardness of the specimen was measured and is given as HRC.
TABLE IV______________________________________ ##STR1## HRC______________________________________ 105.1 53.0______________________________________
The data of Tables III and IV clearly show that the alloy according to the present invention provides an ultimate tensile strength in excess of 280 ksi in combination with high fracture toughness as represented by a K IC in excess of 100 ksi √in.
Standard Charpy V-notch impact test specimens were machined with a transverse orientation from other of the annealed bars. Duplicate sets of the impact toughness specimens were austenitized and quenched as shown in Table V. The specimens were then deep chilled at -100° F. for 1 h. Duplicate test specimens were aged for 5 h at the temperatures shown in Table V. The results of room temperature and -65° F. Charpy V-notch impact tests (CVN) are reported in Table V in ft-lbs. The average hardness for each test set of duplicate specimens is also given in Table V as Rockwell C-scale hardness (HRC).
TABLE V______________________________________Aust. Age Test CVNTemp(F.) Quench Temp(F.) Temp(F.) (ft-lbs) HRC______________________________________1575 O.Q. 850 R.T. 20,20 54.0 875 26,25 53.5 900 25,31 52.0 925 40,35 49.0 850 -65 19,19 54.5 875 24,23 53.5 900 21,23 52.0 925 30,27 49.51600 V.C. 850 R.T. 24,24 54.5 875 26,25 54.0 900 30,29 52.5 925 41,37 50.0 850 -65 26,24 55.0 875 28,23 54.5 900 27,24 53.0 925 30,25 50.5______________________________________
The data of Table V shows that the alloy according to the present invention retains substantial toughness at a very low temperature which is indicative of the low ductile-to-brittle transition temperature of this alloy. The Table V data further shows the excellent strength and toughness provided by this alloy when subjected to the slower quenching rate of vermiculite cooling and therefore, the alloys' suitability for vacuum heat treatment with inert gas quenching.
The alloy according to the present invention is useful in a variety of applications requiring high strength and low weight, for example, aircraft landing gear components; aircraft structural members, such as braces, beams, struts, etc.; helicopter rotor shafts and masts; and other aircraft structural components which are subject to high stress in service. The alloy of the present invention could be suitable for us in jet engine shafts. This alloy can also be aged to very high hardness which makes it suitable for use as lightweight armor and in structural components which must be ballistically tolerant. The present alloy is, of course, suitable for use in a variety of product forms including billets, bars, tubes, plate and sheet.
It is apparent from the foregoing description and the accompanying examples, that the alloy according to the present invention provides a unique combination of tensile strength and fracture toughness not provided by known alloys. This alloy is well suited to applications where high strength and low weight are required. The present alloy has a low ductile-to-brittle transition which renders it highly useful in applications where the in-service temperatures are well below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Because this alloy can be vacuum heat treated, it is particularly advantageous for use in the manufacture of complex, close tolerance components. Vacuum heat treatment of such articles is desirable because the articles do not undergo any distortion as usually results from oil quenching of such articles made from known alloys.
The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation. There is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions to exclude any equivalents of the features described or any portions thereof. It is recognized, however, that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.
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A high strength, high fracture toughness structural steel alloy consisting essentially of, in weight percent, about
______________________________________
C 0.2-0.33 Cr 2-4 Ni 10.5-15 Mo 0.75-1.75 Co 8-17 Fe Balance______________________________________
and an article made therefrom are disclosed. The alloy is an age-hardenable martensitic steel alloy whcih provides a unique combination of tensile strength and fracture toughness. The alloy provides excellent mechanical properties when hardened by vacuum heat treatment with inert gas cooling and has a low ductile-to-brittle transition temperature.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims benefit of priority under 35USC§119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-344418, filed on Nov. 27, 2002, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a network control apparatus, a wireless terminal and a communication control method used in a distributed wireless network system, which performs wireless communication, while a plurality of wireless terminals are relaying information signal to each other.
[0004] 2. Related Art
[0005] In the distributed wireless network in which a plurality of wireless terminals communicate with each other, a method for efficiently downloading by means of downloading in group is disclosed (for example, see Japanese Laid-open publication No. 2002-132613 (pages 1 to 8, FIG. 1).
[0006] The wireless distributed wireless network has an advantage in that it is possible to temporarily construct a LAN (Local Area Network) at a certain range, without connecting to a backbone network. In a future wireless communication, it is anticipated that other kinds of communication besides sound signal such as motion pictures and data will be performed frequently, the quantity of transmitted signal by the wireless terminals at a spot area or at mobile environment will rapidly increase, and the transmission rate will also increase.
[0007] When the information signal quantity increases or the transmission rate increases, there may be the possibility that the whole information signal cannot be received accurately with only one wireless terminal. Particularly, when the wireless terminal is moving at a high speed as in a train or a bus, or in a place where the wireless environment is bad, this problem is serious. In order to handle this problem, the present applicant has proposed a method in which when a wireless terminal requests reception of information signal in a large quantity, the wireless terminal cooperates with other wireless terminals in the same distributed wireless network to receive the desired information signal, the reception requesting terminal coordinates the information signal received by the respective wireless terminals, and the coordinated information signal is distributed to the wireless terminal which has requested reception (see Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-127282).
[0008] However, this method has two problems described below.
[0009] 1. One of the wireless terminals in the distributed wireless network collects the information signal received by the respective wireless terminals and coordinates the information signal as single information signal. However, the processing becomes a large load according to the capacity of the terminal which performs processing.
[0010] 2. Since the function and capacity are different for each wireless terminal in the distributed wireless network, if the reception processing is allocated to each terminal under the same condition, the processing time of the terminal having small capacity affects other wireless terminals.
[0011] Moreover, if it is assumed that the distributed wireless network is constructed in trains or buses, it is expected that the access to the distributed wireless network by the wireless terminals is too frequent. In such a case, the system in which a plurality of terminals simply cooperate with each other would never be preferable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] In view of the above situation, it is an object of the present invention to provide a network control apparatus, a wireless terminal and a communication control method, which can improve the communication quality and communication efficiency of a plurality of wireless terminals forming a distributed wireless network.
[0013] A wireless control apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention which performs a wireless communication with a plurality of wireless terminals, comprising:
[0014] an evaluation signal receiver which receives evaluation signals relating to received signals in the respective wireless terminals, which are transmitted from said plurality of wireless terminals;
[0015] a supplement signal generating unit configured to generate a supplement signal necessary to supplement deficient part of the received signals in said plurality of wireless terminals, using the evaluation signal; and
[0016] a supplement signal transmitter which transmits the supplement signal decided by said supplement signal generating unit, to said plurality of wireless terminals.
[0017] Furthermore, a wireless terminal according to one embodiment of the present invention configured to performs wireless communication with a wireless control apparatus which transmits a supplement signal necessary to supplement deficient part of a received signal, comprising:
[0018] a transmitter which transmits an evaluation signal relating to the received signal to said wireless control apparatus;
[0019] a supplement signal receiver which receives the supplement signal; and
[0020] a supplement information receiver which receives information based on the supplement signal.
[0021] Furthermore, a communication control method which communicates with a wireless control apparatus which performs wireless communication with said wireless terminals, comprising:
[0022] receiving evaluation signals at an evaluation signal receiver of said wireless control apparatus, transmitted from the respective wireless terminals;
[0023] generating a supplement signal necessary to supplement deficient part of the received signals received at said plurality of wireless terminals, using the evaluation signal; and
[0024] transmitting said supplement signal to said plurality of wireless terminals.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a network configuration according to a first embodiment of a distributed wireless network system.
[0026] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a network configuration according to a second embodiment of a distributed wireless network system.
[0027] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a network configuration according to a second embodiment of a distributed wireless network system.
[0028] FIG. 4 is a block diagram indicating one example of the internal configuration of the control terminal 12 according to the second embodiment.
[0029] FIG. 5 indicates one example of the database in the memory 24 , which stores data such as bit rates, propagation environments, processing state and request information signal of the respective wireless terminals.
[0030] FIG. 6 is a flowchart indicating the processing procedure in the second embodiment of the distributed wireless network system.
[0031] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a network configuration according to the third embodiment of the distributed wireless network system.
[0032] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the network configuration when the control terminal requests transmission of information signal relating to a deficient part in a wireless terminal.
[0033] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another network configuration according to the third embodiment of the distributed wireless network system.
[0034] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a network configuration according to the fourth embodiment of the distributed wireless network system.
[0035] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure according to the fourth embodiment.
[0036] FIG. 12 is respectively illustrations showing a network configuration in modified examples of the fourth embodiment.
[0037] FIG. 13 is respectively illustrations showing a network configuration in modified examples of the fourth embodiment.
[0038] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a network configuration in the fifth embodiment of the distributed wireless network system.
[0039] FIG. 15 illustrates a case in which the number of the wireless terminals existing in the vehicle is large.
[0040] FIG. 16 illustrates an example in which information signal transmitted from the control terminal 12 to the wireless terminals for each fixed time or as required.
[0041] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example in which a wireless terminal newly entering at a range of a distributed wireless network acquires information signal relating to the distributed wireless network.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0042] The network control apparatus, the wireless terminal and the communication control method will be described specifically, with reference to the drawings.
First Embodiment
[0043] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a network configuration according to a first embodiment of a distributed wireless network system. The distributed wireless network system in FIG. 1 has wireless terminals 1 to 5 respectively held by a plurality of persons in a vehicle such as a train or bus, a base station 11 which is installed outside of the vehicle and transmits various information signal to the respective wireless terminals 1 to 5 , and a control terminal 12 installed at a position where the propagation environment is relatively good, such as a ceiling of the vehicle.
[0044] The wireless terminals 1 to 5 and the control terminal 12 form the distributed wireless network. Here, the distributed wireless network stands for a network in which the respective terminals have a relay function, and the respective terminals cooperate with each other to transmit information signal between the base station 11 and the respective wireless terminals.
[0045] It is assumed here that the wireless terminals 1 to 4 request reception of information signal in a large quantity from the base station 11 .
[0046] It is assumed here that the wireless terminals 1 to 3 correspond to a cellular system or a wireless LAN, which receives information signal via the base station 11 such as CDMA, PDC (Personal Digital Cellular) and PHS (Personal Handy Phone System), and also correspond to the distributed wireless network, and are so-called multi-system type terminals. On the other hand, the wireless terminal 4 corresponds only to the distributed wireless network.
[0047] At first, after having received information signal ( 1 ) from the base station 11 individually, the wireless terminals 1 to 3 transmit information signal for identifying the respective wireless terminals 1 to 3 (hereinafter referred as individual terminal information signal ( 2 )), and a signal indicating a part deficient in received information signal, propagation situation, terminal capability and the like (hereinafter, referred as an evaluation signal ( 3 )), to the control terminal 12 .
[0048] The wireless terminal 4 transmits the evaluation signal ( 3 ) indicating that the information signal ( 1 ) has not been received to the control terminal 12 together with the individual terminal information signal ( 2 ).
[0049] Here, it is assumed that the wireless terminal 3 can normally receive the information signal ( 1 ) because the propagation situation is good, or the terminal capability is high, and the wireless terminals 1 and 2 have a part deficient in the received information signal (hereinafter, referred as “deficiency information signal”). In this case, the control terminal 12 transmits a signal indicating a part to be supplemented by the respective terminals (hereinafter referred as a supplement signal ( 4 )) to the respective wireless terminals, based on the deficiency information signal in the evaluation signal ( 3 ) transmitted from the respective wireless terminals.
[0050] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 , the signal received by the wireless terminal 3 having excellent propagation situation and terminal performance is used to supplement signals of other wireless terminals. The control terminal 12 transmits the supplement signal ( 4 ) instructing to supplement the information signal ( 1 ) from the wireless terminals 3 , to the respective wireless terminals 1 to 5 .
[0051] The respective wireless terminals 1 to 5 transmit the evaluation signal ( 3 ) again to the wireless terminal 3 , according to the supplement signal ( 4 ). The wireless terminal 3 receives the deficiency information signal instructed by the evaluation signal ( 3 ) from the wireless terminal 3 , and transmits the received deficiency information signal to other wireless terminals 1 , 2 , 4 and 5 .
[0052] As in this embodiment, when the other wireless terminals 1 , 2 , 4 and 5 supplement information signal only from the wireless terminal 3 , the evaluation signals for the other wireless terminals 1 , 2 , 4 and 5 may be transmitted beforehand from the control terminal 12 to the wireless terminal 3 . As a result, the wireless terminal 3 can understand beforehand which wireless terminal is deficient in which information signal. Therefore, the wireless terminals 1 , 2 , 4 and 5 are unnecessary to transmit the evaluation signal again to the wireless terminal 3 , and can promptly receive the deficient information signal from the base station 11 to transmit it to the other terminals 1 , 2 , 4 and 5 .
[0053] As described above, in the first embodiment, the evaluation signal ( 3 ) transmitted from the respective wireless terminals 1 to 5 to the control terminal 12 is transmitted to the wireless terminal 3 having a good propagation environment, which have correctly received the information signal ( 1 ), and the wireless terminal 3 receives the deficiency information signal from the base station 11 and transmits the information signal to the other wireless terminals 1 , 2 , 4 and 5 . As a result, all wireless terminals that have not correctly received the information signal can obtain the deficiency information signal via the wireless terminal 3 , thereby improving the communication reliability.
Second Embodiment
[0054] In the second embodiment, a plurality of wireless terminals in the distributed wireless network receives information signal from the base station 11 by cooperating to each other, according to the instruction from the control terminal 12 .
[0055] FIGS. 2 and 3 are diagrams showing a network configuration according to the second embodiment of the distributed wireless network system. The distributed wireless network system according to the second embodiment has wireless terminals 1 to 6 respectively held by a plurality of persons in a vehicle, a control terminal 12 installed on the ceiling or the like in the vehicle, and a base station 11 installed outside of the vehicle, similarly to the first embodiment.
[0056] It is assumed here that the wireless terminal 1 requests reception of information signal in a large quantity that cannot be received by the wireless terminal 1 itself to the wireless base station 11 . In this case, as shown in FIG. 2 , the wireless terminal 1 transmits the individual terminal information signal ( 2 ), and a cooperative reception request signal & desired received signal information signal ( 6 ), to the control terminal 12 .
[0057] Next, the control terminal 12 transmits a cooperation request signal & received signal information signal ( 7 ) to other wireless terminals 2 to 6 in the distributed wireless network. The respective wireless terminals 2 to 6 reply an Ack/Nack ( 8 ) indicating whether to cooperate or not to the control terminal 12 .
[0058] The control terminal 12 controls as database the information signal relating to propagation situation and terminal capability of the other wireless terminals 2 to 6 which cooperate with the wireless terminal 1 , among the evaluation signals ( 3 ) received beforehand from the wireless terminals. The control terminal 12 determines an assignment signal ( 9 ) indicating assigned parts to be received by the wireless terminals 2 to 6 , and informs the respective wireless terminals of the assigned parts.
[0059] As shown in FIG. 3 , the wireless terminals having received the assignment signal ( 9 ) individually receive the information signal from the base station 11 , and transmit the received information signal to other wireless terminals. FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which the control terminal 12 has not given the reception request to the wireless terminal 4 .
[0060] In this case, the wireless terminal 4 only receives the information signal from other wireless terminals.
[0061] FIG. 4 is a block diagram indicating one example of the internal configuration of the control terminal 12 according to the second embodiment. The control terminal 12 has a RF unit 21 which performs transmission and reception of an analog wireless signal, and D/A conversion (from a digital signal to an analog wireless signal) or A/D conversion of the other way around, a baseband signal processing unit 22 which performs signal processing of the digital signal, a control unit 23 which controls the RF unit 21 , the baseband signal processing unit 22 and the like, a memory 24 , and a display unit 25 .
[0062] A database is provided in the memory 24 , and the database stores the information signal of the propagation situation and the terminal capability of the respective terminals existing in the same distributed wireless network.
[0063] FIG. 5 indicates one example of the database in the memory 24 , which stores data such as bit rates, propagation environments, processing state and request information signal of the respective wireless terminals. For example, if it is assumed that the information signal shown in FIG. 5 is held by the control terminal 12 , the control terminal 12 assigns the largest partial charge of the received information signal to the wireless terminal 6 having a good propagation environment and a high-speed bit rate, and assigns the partial charge lower than that of the wireless terminal 6 , to the wireless terminals 1 , 3 and 5 having medium bit rates and propagation environments. The propagation environment of the wireless terminal 4 is the same level as that of the wireless terminal 3 , but the corresponding bit rate is low. Because of this, any partial charge is not assigned to the wireless terminal 4 in this embodiment.
[0064] In this embodiment, there is shown a case in which assignment is determined by the bit rate and the propagation environment, but the assignment may be performed based on the processing state of the respective wireless terminals, or an item other than those shown in FIG. 5 may be added in the database in the memory 24 , and assignment may be performed based on the added item.
[0065] FIG. 6 is a flowchart indicating the processing procedure in the second embodiment of the distributed wireless network system. At first, the wireless terminal 1 transmits the individual terminal information signal for identifying its own terminal, a cooperative reception request signal for requesting cooperative reception to other wireless terminals, and received signal information signal relating to the cooperation-requested received information signal to the control terminal 12 (step S 1 ). The control terminal 12 having received this signal transmits a cooperation request signal & the received signal information signal to other wireless terminals (step S 2 ). The other wireless terminals having received this signal transmit a response (Ack or Nack) indicating whether to cooperate for the reception to the control terminal 12 (step S 3 ).
[0066] The control terminal 12 then checks up the database shown in FIG. 5 in the memory 24 , to determine the assignment to the respective wireless terminals (step S 4 ), and transmits the assignment information signal to the respective wireless terminals (step S 5 ).
[0067] The respective wireless terminals having received the assignment information signal respectively transmit a reception request signal for the assigned part to the base station 11 or the like (step S 6 ). The base station 11 transmits the requested information signal to the respective wireless terminals (step S 7 ).
[0068] The wireless terminals other than the wireless terminal 1 transmit the assignment information signal having received by its own terminal to the wireless terminal 1 (step S 8 ).
[0069] As described above, in the second embodiment, when a certain wireless terminal requests cooperative reception to the control terminal 12 , the control terminal 12 determines the reception assignment for the respective wireless terminals, taking into consideration the transmission rate and the propagation environment of the respective wireless terminals. Therefore, a plurality of wireless terminals can receive the desired information signal most efficiently by cooperatively receiving the information signal. The information signal received by the assigned respective wireless terminals can be reliably delivered to the wireless terminal which has made the request, since the information signal is transmitted between the respective wireless terminals.
Third Embodiment
[0070] In the third embodiment, the control terminal 12 relays transmission of the deficiency information signal.
[0071] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a network configuration according to the third embodiment of the distributed wireless network system. Hereafter, points different from the first embodiment will be mainly explained. FIG. 7 indicates an example in which the propagation environment of the wireless terminal 3 is the best. In this case, the control terminal 12 transmits a supplement signal ( 4 ) instructing supplement of information signal to the wireless terminal 3 .
[0072] The wireless terminal 3 having received the supplement signal ( 4 ) receives the information signal ( 1 ) for supplement from the base station 11 , and transmits the received information signal ( 1 ) for supplement to the control terminal 12 . The control terminal 12 transmits the deficiency information signal ( 5 ) to the respective wireless terminals, based on the evaluation signal indicating the part deficient in the received information signal, the propagation situation and the terminal capability of the respective wireless terminals. At this time, the control terminal 12 transmits the whole information signal to the wireless terminal 4 , which has not received any information signal 1 from the base station 11 .
[0073] If there is no wireless terminal which has not received any information signal 1 , and all the wireless terminals have received the same information signal 1 from the base station 11 or the like beforehand, and only the deficient part is respectively requested, the control terminal 12 receives only the deficiency information signal ( 5 ) of the respective wireless terminals from the wireless terminal 3 .
[0074] In this manner, since the control terminal 12 adjusts the received information signal of the respective wireless terminals, even if the respective wireless terminals cannot receive the whole information signal by themselves, or even if there is a failure in reception, the whole information signal can be finally received accurately. Moreover, by efficiently transmitting only the information signal relating to the deficient part, congestion in the distributed wireless network can be reduced.
[0075] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the network configuration when the control terminal 12 requests transmission of information signal relating to a deficient part in a wireless terminal, to all wireless terminals receiving the same information signal. In this case, the control terminal 12 transmits the supplement signal ( 4 ) to all wireless terminals 1 , 2 and 4 receiving the same information signal.
[0076] The respective wireless terminals transmit supplement information signal ( 1 ′) indicated by the supplement signal ( 4 ) to the base station 11 , and receive deficiency information signal ( 5 ) in its own terminal from the base station 11 .
[0077] Since the control terminal 12 transmits the supplement information signal ( 1 ′) and the deficiency information signal ( 5 ) between the respective wireless terminals and the control terminal 12 , the throughput of the control terminal 12 itself increases than that shown in FIG. 7 , but since the information signal of the respective wireless terminals can be effectively used, an advantage similar to that of the diversity reception can be obtained.
[0078] Particularly, in FIG. 7 , when the propagation situation and the terminal performance or the like of the wireless terminal 3 are substantially equal to those of other wireless terminals, or when the propagation situation of the wireless terminals 1 and 2 is not so bad, the method shown in FIG. 8 is effective. Therefore, it can be considered to use the methods shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 selectively according to the processing capacity of the control terminal 12 itself and the propagation situation of other wireless terminals.
[0079] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another network configuration according to the third embodiment of the distributed wireless network system. In FIG. 9 , there is shown an example in which when a plurality of wireless terminals cooperate with each other to receive information signal according to an assignment instruction from the control terminal 12 as shown in FIG. 2 , the control terminal 12 relays the transmission of the supplement signal.
[0080] Points different from the method shown in FIG. 3 will be mainly explained below. In the method shown in FIG. 9 , the respective wireless terminals receive an assignment instruction as shown in FIG. 3 from the control terminal 12 , and individually receives an assignment signal ( 9 ) from the base station 11 . Thereafter, in the method shown in FIG. 3 , the respective wireless terminals transmit the received signal for the assigned part to other wireless terminals. But in the method shown in FIG. 9 , the respective wireless terminals transmit the received signal (a) for the assigned part to the control terminal 12 . The control terminal 12 then transmits a signal (b) for a part other than the assigned part to the respective terminals.
[0081] It may be determined by the control terminal 12 itself whether to relay the transmission of the supplement signal ( 4 ), or it may be determined by a wireless terminal which requests cooperation. In the latter case, the wireless terminal which requests cooperation transmits a cooperative reception request signal to the control terminal 12 , and may transmit a signal indicating the presence of relay to the control terminal 12 . As a result, for example, when a known user is nearby, the first or the second embodiment in which the information signal is transmitted without using the control terminal 12 can be selected, and the third embodiment in which transmit between users is not performed can be selected, according to the situation where there is no other user in the same network nearby.
[0082] As described above, in the third embodiment, since the deficiency information signal at the time of reception by the respective wireless terminals is received via the control terminal 12 , it is not necessary to transmit the deficiency information signal between the respective wireless terminals, and hence security is improved.
Fourth Embodiment
[0083] In the fourth embodiment, the control terminal 12 itself transmits information signal between the base station 11 and the control terminal 12 .
[0084] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a network configuration according to the fourth embodiment of the distributed wireless network system. The control terminal 12 in FIG. 10 can transmit information signal between the base station 11 and the respective wireless terminals. For example, in a vehicle such as a train or a bus or the like, the propagation environments of the respective wireless terminals held by passengers are not so good, whereas there are many cases in which the propagation environment of the control terminal 12 fitted on the ceiling or the like of the vehicle is good. In such a case, information signal from the base station 11 can be received more reliably and at a higher speed by the control terminal 12 than by the respective wireless terminals.
[0085] Therefore, in the fourth embodiment, the respective wireless terminals transmit a reception request signal to the control terminal 12 , and the control terminal 12 receives desired information signal from the base station 11 , based on the reception request signal, and transmits the received information signal to the respective wireless terminals.
[0086] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure according to the fourth embodiment. At first, the respective wireless terminals in the distributed wireless network transmit the individual terminal information signal ( 2 ) for identifying themselves, and a desired received signal ( 6 ) indicating the type of information signal which the wireless terminals request reception, to the control terminal 12 (step S 11 ).
[0087] The control terminal 12 stores the number of wireless terminals having transmitted the desired received signal ( 6 ) in the memory 24 , and determines whether the value is larger than a specified number (step S 12 ). When the value is larger than the specified number, the control terminal 12 requests reception of information signal 1 corresponding to the desired received signal ( 6 ) to the base station 11 (step S 13 ), and receives the information signal ( 1 ) (step S 14 ).
[0088] Upon completion of reception, the control terminal 12 performs accounting processing, and transmits the received information signal 4 to the wireless terminal having transmitted the desired received signal ( 6 ) (step S 15 ).
[0089] On the other hand, when it is determined that the value is not larger than the specified number, it is determined whether to perform reception even if the number of the wireless terminals has not yet reached the specified number (step S 16 ). If the determination is NO, control returns to step S 11 , and if YES, processing at step S 13 is performed.
[0090] The specified number may be determined by the control terminal 12 , or by the wireless terminal. For example, when it is determined by the control terminal 12 , control is simple, but the degree of freedom according to the user's situation is low. On the other hand, when it is determined by the wireless terminal, the specified number can be changed according to the situation of the number of users, but processing such as transmitting the information signal relating to the situation of the number of users or the like to the wireless terminal becomes necessary.
[0091] At step S 15 , it is desirable to change a charged fare according to the number of wireless terminals which request reception. In other words, as the number of wireless terminals increases, the charged amount per one terminal is decreased.
[0092] As described above, in the fourth embodiment, the information signal, of which reception is requested by the respective wireless terminals, is received representatively by the control terminal 12 , and distributed to the respective wireless terminals. Because of this, stable transmission becomes possible at all times, without relying on the propagation environments of the respective wireless terminals. Therefore, this embodiment is particularly effective, when the propagation environments from the base station 11 or the like of the respective wireless terminals are bad.
[0093] FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 are respectively illustrations showing a network configuration in modified examples of the fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 12 , the wireless terminals 1 to 5 transmit information signal to each other, receive the same information signal 1 by cooperating with each other, and share the received information signal. The control terminal 12 may determine assignment for each wireless terminal and transmit an assignment signal ( 9 ) to the respective wireless terminals, or the assignment for each wireless terminal may be determined only by the information signal exchange between wireless terminals.
[0094] Even if the information signal is received by a plurality of wireless terminals by cooperating with each other, when there is still deficiency information signal, the processing shown in FIG. 11 is carried out. In this case, at least one wireless terminal transmits the evaluation signal ( 3 ) to the control terminal 12 . For example, in FIG. 13 , the wireless terminal 5 representatively transmits the individual terminal information signal ( 2 ) (here, information signal of the wireless terminals 1 to 5 ), and the evaluation signal ( 3 ).
[0095] The control terminal 12 receives the information signal for the relevant part from the base station 11 and the like, and distributes the information signal to the desired wireless terminals. As a result, the user receives only the necessity minimum deficiency information signal from the control terminal 12 , thereby enabling reduction of the amount charged by the control terminal 12 , while reliably receiving the whole necessary information signal. In FIGS. 10, 12 and 13 , there is shown an example in which the control terminal 12 has a plurality of antennas, but the plurality of antennas are not always necessary, and the similar processing can be performed with only one antenna.
Fifth Embodiment
[0096] In the first to the fourth embodiments described above, there is shown an example in which one vehicle forms the distributed wireless network, but a plurality of vehicles may form the distributed wireless network.
[0097] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a network configuration in the fifth embodiment of the distributed wireless network system. FIG. 14 illustrates an example in which there are only a few wireless terminals in a vehicle. In this case, for efficient use of the system, it can be considered that one control terminal 12 controls wireless terminals in another vehicle.
[0098] In FIG. 14 , there is shown a case in which the control terminal 12 is provided for each vehicle, but one control terminal 12 may be provided for a plurality of vehicles.
[0099] FIG. 15 illustrates a case in which the number of the wireless terminals existing in the vehicle is large. For example, when there are only a few wireless terminals in the vehicle, as shown in FIG. 14 , one control terminal 12 controls the wireless terminals in a plurality of vehicles, and as the number of wireless terminals increases, as shown in FIG. 15 , separate control terminals 12 a and 12 b may control the wireless terminals in the respective vehicles for each vehicle.
[0100] In the case of FIG. 15 , the respective control terminals 12 a and 12 b may transmit a control signal or the like to each other. Moreover, the service content (=received information signal) may be different for each of the control terminals 12 a and 12 b , or may be the same.
[0101] Particularly, the wireless terminal existing in the vicinity of the boundary of the wireless propagation range of the respective control terminals 12 a and 12 b may select the desired information signal, if the information signal is different for each of the control terminals 12 a and 12 b . Moreover, when the information signal received by the plurality of control terminals 12 a and 12 b is the same, it can be considered to select one having better wireless situation, or to combine the information signal from the both control terminals 12 a and 12 b.
[0102] As described above, in the fifth embodiment, since one control terminal 12 can control the wireless terminals in a plurality of vehicles, the number of the control terminals 12 can be reduced. Moreover, since the plurality of control terminals 12 a and 12 b can transmit a control signal or the like to each other, a larger scale distributed wireless network system can be constructed.
Other Embodiments
[0103] In the above respective embodiments, it is desired that the respective wireless terminals can access the distributed wireless network arbitrarily.
[0104] It is necessary to add information signal relating to the distributed wireless network with respect to a wireless terminal, which newly joins the distributed wireless network.
[0105] FIGS. 16 and 17 respectively illustrate an example in which the wireless terminal coming into the area of the distributed wireless network obtains the information signal relating to the distributed wireless network. FIG. 16 illustrates an example in which information signal transmitted from the control terminal 12 to the wireless terminals for each fixed time or as required, and basic information signal such as the number of users and an average bit rate (hereinafter, referred as distributed wireless network information signal (c)) are distributed to all wireless terminals located in the network.
[0106] FIG. 17 illustrates an example in which when the control terminal 12 has a display unit 25 , the distributed wireless network information signal, for example, “a distributed wireless network is now being formed, and information signal x is now cooperatively receiving” is displayed on a display panel.
[0107] In the example shown in FIG. 16 , the wireless terminal 4 which has newly moved into the distributed wireless network replies a distributed wireless network joining request signal (d) to the distributed wireless network information signal (c) provided from the control terminal 12 , thereby joining the distributed wireless network. Likewise, even in the example shown in FIG. 17 , the wireless terminal 4 transmits the same signal (d) to the control terminal 12 , thereby joining the distributed wireless network.
[0108] In the above description, a train or a bus or the like has been described as an example, but the similar system can be constructed even in other places. Moreover, in the above description, the control terminal 12 is assumed to be a dedicated terminal, but the control terminal 12 is not necessarily the dedicated terminal. For example, the control terminal 12 may be selected from wireless terminals belonging to the distributed wireless network. As the selection method, for example, it is arranged such that the base station 11 or the like outside the distributed wireless network transmits the same signal to the respective wireless terminals in the distributed wireless network at the same time, and the respective wireless terminals reply Ack upon reception of the signal. The base station 11 or the like selects a terminal suitable as the control terminal 12 , based on the information signal such as the reception time of Ack and the intensity of the received signal from the respective terminals.
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A wireless control apparatus which performs a wireless communication with a plurality of wireless terminals, comprising: an evaluation signal receiver configured to receive evaluation signals relating to received signals in the respective wireless terminals, which are transmitted from the plurality of wireless terminals; a supplement signal deciding unit which decides a supplement signal necessary to supplement the received signals in the plurality of wireless terminals; and a supplement signal transmitter configured to transmit the supplement signal decided by the supplement signal deciding unit, to the plurality of wireless terminals.
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GOVERNMENT CONTRACT
The Government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. N00024-81-C-7318 awarded by the Department of the Navy.
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to AC to DC converters and more particularly to converters including active control means for substantially reducing harmonic distortion of AC input currents to the converter.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
AC to DC converters and controlled rectifier circuits, due to the chopping action of their power switches, present a nonlinear load to an AC linear power source causing harmonic currents to be generated which are fed back to the AC linear power source line. These harmonic currents, in conjunction with the AC source impedance, generate voltage components with highly distorted waveforms which appear across and adversely affect the performance of other electronic circuits connected to the power source transmission line. These excessive harmonic currents also cause a low power factor condition, thereby greatly reducing the efficiency of the transmission line. When this power factor condition is caused by a converter with a capacitive input filter, high inrush currents can occur at initial start up of the converter. The adverse effects of these harmonic currents have priorily been compensated for by using filter circuitry to divert the harmonic currents to a ground reference or by generating compensating currents designed to cancel or neutralize the harmonic currents.
More fundamental approaches have involved redesign of the converter or rectifier circuit to modify the nature of its apparent input impedance. An example of such an approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,002 issued to R. L. Steigerwald on Oct. 14, 1975, wherein a load current is controlled by comparing it with a reference waveform in phase with the line voltage using a comparator circuit with a defined hysteresis to define switching band limits at the power switches about the reference waveform. This control system shapes the input line current in response to a particular reference waveform selected to obtain a desired power factor which minimizes line current harmonics.
These prior arrangements may be unsuitable in specific applications as a consequence of not having a fixed switching frequency control scheme. For example, since the switching frequency is dependent upon the load characteristics, varying load conditions may cause the frequency to be in the audible range, creating acoustic noise problems. The variable switching frequency may also make high frequency transformer isolation difficult or impractical, especially if the load characteristics are not known.
Although the prior arrangements reduce the line frequency harmonic currents, significant switching frequency harmonic currents may be generated if the topology employed produces discontinuous input currents. This often requires excessive input filtering, especially at high power levels where RMS currents are very large.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The harmonic currents on the input line to a converter circuit, including control circuitry embodying the principles of the invention, are significantly reduced by actively controlling the input current to the converter to have substantially the same waveform and be in phase with the input AC sinusoidal voltage. Specific peak current control (PCC) techniques are utilized to constrain continuous current in an input inductor to be in phase with and approximate in waveform the sinusoidal waveform of the line voltage. This is achieved by operating a power switch arrangement controlling current continuity in this inductor at a high frequency relative to the line frequency using peak current control. The peak current control level is derived by using the AC line voltage as a reference voltage waveform.
The input AC voltage to the AC to DC converter is rectified and applied to the input energy storage inductor through a high frequency filter to limit the switching frequency harmonic currents generated by the action of the power switches on the input energy storage inductor. The current in the input energy storage inductor is controlled so that it is maintained continuous throughout each cycle of operation and that, after filtering, it closely resembles the input voltage waveform in shape and phase. Controlling the input current in this manner imparts a linear, resistive input impedance to the converter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
An understanding of the invention may be readily attained by reference to the following specification and drawing in which:
FIG. 1 discloses a functional block diagram for explaining the principles of operation of a converter embodying the principles of the invention;
FIG. 2 discloses voltage and current waveforms useful in explaining operation of a circuit embodying principles in accord with the invention disclosed in the block diagram of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a partial block and schematic of an AC to DC converter embodying the principles of the invention;
FIG. 4 is a schematic of the power train portion of the converter circuit of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a schematic of the circuitry for generating the drive signals for the power switches in FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a schematic of the circuitry for processing the drive signals generated by the circuit in FIG. 5 and applying these processed drive signals to the power switches in FIG. 4; and
FIG. 7 is a schematic of the peak current control regulation circuitry for regulating the power and drive circuitry of FIGS. 4-6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The block diagram of FIG. 1 discloses a functional arrangement of a converter circuit embodying the principles of the invention. An AC signal input at input lead 101 is supplied by a bus or commercial line to which other circuits are connected; the input impedance of the converter being apparent to the line at this point. An input impedance that is apparent as highly nonlinear will induce harmonic currents on the AC input line. Since the AC source and line have non-zero impedances, these currents will cause harmonic voltages to appear across other circuits connected to the line. These harmonic currents will additionally cause power to be delivered to the converter with a low power factor.
The input power applied to lead 101 is coupled, via a filter inductor 102, to a rectifier circuit 103 whose output voltage is a full-wave rectified sinusoidal waveform as shown by waveform 201 in FIG. 2. The output of the rectifier 103 is applied to an energy storage inductor 104 in which continuous current conduction is maintained. Rectifier 103, inductor 104 and the subsequent power switching devices of the power stage 109 comprise a boost type converter circuit. Hence, the inductor 104 is operated around a minor hysteresis loop and a continuous unidirectional current flow is maintained therein. This current is sensed by a current sensing winding 105 of current sensing transformer 106. A signal representative of this current appears on secondary winding 107 and is detected by a current level sensing circuit 108.
The power stage circuit 109 includes power switching devices and filtering and rectifying circuitry so that a DC voltage appears at output terminal 110. The DC voltage at the terminal 110 is coupled, via lead 113, to a voltage sensing circuit 114. This sensed voltage is summed in summing amplifier 116 with a reference voltage supplied by a reference voltage source 115 in order to generate an error voltage that is representative of a deviation of the output voltage from its regulated value.
The input voltage waveform at lead 101 is sensed by a voltage sensing circuit 111 that transmits the waveform to a voltage reference waveform generator 112 that utilizes the frequency and phase information to produce a reference waveform of fixed amplitude. This sinusoidal reference waveform is multiplied in multiplier 117 with the error voltage to generate an amplitude modulated control sinewave voltage which is compared by voltage comparator 118 to a voltage representing the inductor current supplied by current sensing circuit 108.
The output of the voltage comparator 118 is applied via lead 119 to control the on/off conductivity state of power switches in the power stage 109. In accord with peak current control techniques (as shown by the current waveform 202 in FIG. 2) the current in inductor 104 is allowed to increase or charge up with a ramp waveform by having a power switch conduct as long as the output voltage of sensing circuit 108, which is a representation of the current in inductor 104, is less than the amplitude of the sinewave control voltage produced by multiplifer 117. When its voltage amplitude equals the sinewave control voltage, the power switch isbiased into a non-conductive state and the current in the inductor is allowed to decay for a fixed time interval whereupon the charging ramp current sequence is reinitiated. The overall effect of this control (as shown in FIG. 2) is a series of current charge and discharge ramps whose peak amplitude has a curve envelope that matches the sinewave control voltage waveform 201. It is apparent that by controlling the power switch devices at the power stage 109 using peak current control techniques that the input current to the power stage is controlled to resemble a sinusoidal signal and is further constrained to be in phase with the sinusoidal line voltage. Hence, the input impedance of the converter is resistive to the input AC voltage and presents little reactive impedance to the line; and accordingly, generates substantially no unwanted line frequency harmonic currents. A further advantage is that the peak current control method regulates the DC voltage output at output terminal 110 as with the schematics of the converter circuit of FIG. 1.
The more detailed block schematic of FIG. 3, discloses a power stage including a bridge type inverter circuit 320. A power transformer 330 provides ground isolation between the input at terminals 301 and 302 and the output load impedance 350. The input leads 301 and 302 energized by the AC line are coupled via a filter circuit 305 to a fullwave bridge rectifier 310, which in turn, supplies a halfwave sinusoidal voltage via energy storage inductor 315 to the bridge inverter circuit 320.
Bridge inverter circuit 320 includes four power switching transistors 321, 322, 323, and 324 each in a separate arm of the bridge. The on-off conductivity states of these power switching transistors is controlled by a basedrive circuit 325 which provide the proper drive signals to achieve the desired conductivity states. The drive signal output is under control of the steering logic circuit 326 so that transistors 321 and 324 at some point within each cycle have a conductivity state opposite that of transistors 322 and 323 and vice versa. The transistor switches in the opposite arms of the bridge may be operated with a slight overlap of conductivity; due to the current limiting effect of storage inductor 315. In fact, this current overlap effect is utilized to initiate current flow in inductor 315 by biasing all four transistor switches 321-324, simultaneously, conducting.
The resulting alternating signal of the bridge inverter 320 is applied to primary winding 329 of transformer 330 and coupled by secondary winding 331 to a fullwave bridge rectifier 340. Output from this rectifier 340 is coupled via voltage stabilizing capacitor 345 to the load impedance 350.
The input voltage waveform at input leads 301 and 302 is sensed and reproduced with a controlled amplitude value by the sinewave generation network 307. The amplitude level is controlled by an error voltage supplied by error amplifier 308; in response to the output load voltage as compared with a DC reference voltage. The amplitude of the sinewave control voltage output of the sinewave network 307 is controlled by the error voltage and is applied to the inverting input of a comparator amplifier 309.
The current in inductor 315 is sensed at node 303 which represents a sensing device which may comprise a current sensing transformer. This sensed current signal is summed with a generated ramp signal supplied by ramp generator 304 in a summing circuit 306 and the result; thereof, applied to a non-inverting input of comparator amplifier 309. The purpose of the added ramp signal is to insure stability of the PCC circuit by increasing the natural ramp of the inductor current to define with certainity the intersection point where the increasing inductor current signal reaches the amplitude level set by the sinewave control amplitude.
When the increasing ramp signal reaches the amplitude of the sinewave control signal, the output of comparator amplifier 309 resets a flip flop 316 whose output to the steering logic 326 changes routing of the drive signals and causes the conducting transistor to be biased non-conducting. The power switch transistors 321-324 are operated so that the current in inductor 315 is continuous with the inductor being operative around a minor hysteresis loop.
The power train portion of the converter is shown in more detail in FIG. 4. As previously described, the AC source is coupled to input terminals 401 and 402 and the AC signal is rectified by bridge rectifier 410. The resulting halfwave sinusoidal signal is coupled through the energy storage inductor 415 and current sensing winding 403 to the collector terminals of the power switch transistors 421 and 423. The added power switch transistors 422 and 424 complete a bridge inverter circuit. Base drive for the transistors 421-424 is supplied through the drive transformers 471-474. The primary or drive windings of these transformers are described in FIG. 6 and will be discussed subsequently. Transformer 471 includes a secondary winding 475 and a feedback winding 476. Secondary winding 475 couples the drive bias pulse to the base 477 of transistor 471. Breakdown diode 479 provides a voltage to reset the core of transformer 471. Diode 478 prevents forward biasing of diode 479. The secondary winding 475 provide base drive current which is proportional to collector current flow (as sensed by feedback winding 476) through the power switch transistor 421 to insure operation in the saturation region. Secondary winding 475 also provides added drive at turn on, which reduces the duration of turn on; and hence, reduces power dissipation with transistor 421 during turn on. It also produces a sweep out effect at turn off to reduce power dissipation at that occurrence. The transformers 472, 473 and 474 and the associated bias circuitry are identical to that of transformer 471; and hence, these circuits are not described separately. Output from the bridge inverter is through the primary winding 429 of power transformer 430 which shunts the bridge inverter. The output signal on secondary winding 431 is rectified by bridge rectifier 440 and coupled to the output terminals 451 and 452.
The logic circuitry for controlling the drive pulse timing is shown in FIG. 5. Pulse drive action is initiated by a connection of switch 501 to the on terminal 502 which clocks D type flip flop 510 to respond to the positive voltage at its D terminal 507. Flip flop 510 provides protection to the logic circuitry from bounce effects of the switch 501 when it is connected to on terminal 502. Its output on lead 509 enables a subsequent free running multivibrator or clock 520 which generates the necessary clock pulses from which the periodic timing of the drive pulses at the power switches is derived. The output of clock 520 on lead 521 is coupled to the series connected NOR gates 522 and 523 to the clock inputs of the JK flip flops 550 and 560.
These clock pulses are also coupled via lead 524 to the triggered monostable circuit 530 whose output is coupled to a second triggered monostable circuit 540 whose output, in turn, is coupled via OR gate 542 to the reset input of flip flop 560. These two monostable circuits coupled in tandem have their respective timing circuits set to control the maximum pulse width of the power switches if no peak current control signal is received.
The pulse input to the clock input lead 549 of JK flip flop 550 causes it to toggle and alternately apply signals to NOR gates 551 and 552, respectively. Their alternating outputs are coupled, via NOR gates 553 and 554 to alternately clock D type flip flop 570 and 580 to generate the periodically alternating and overlapping drive pulses. The output of NOR gates 551 and 552 are additionally cross coupled to alternately set the two D type flip flops 570 and 580. The outputs of flip flops 570 and 580 are coupled, via NAND gates 571 and 581 and pull-up resistors 573 and 583 to the light emitting diode 671 and 681; respectively, which are shown in FIG. 6. The NAND gates 571 and 581 are each enabled by the output of flip flop 510 on lead 508 coupled to NAND gates 571 and 581 via OR gate 506.
The time duration of the pulse output of NAND gates 571 and 581 is controlled by the control signal provided by the peak current control regulatory circuitry of FIG. 7. This control signal is provided at input lead 541 to OR gate 542. This signal causes D type flip flop 560 to be reset. Its reset output on lead 561 is transmitted, via gate 506 to disable the two NAND gates 571 and 581; and hence, disable transmission of the drive signal. This peak current control signal is also coupled via OR gate 543 to reset the ramp generator shown in FIG. 7. The timing arrangement of tandem connected multivibrators 530 and 540 operates to set a maximum pulse duration should the peak current control fail to supply a terminating signal at lead 541.
The pulse output of NAND gates 571 and 581 are coupled through light emitting diode 671 and 681 of FIG. 6 to control the connection of voltage sources 572 and 582 on FIG. 5. The light emissions of the diodes 671 and 681 are sensed by detecting diodes 672 and 682, in FIG. 6 energized by voltage sources 674 and 684, respectively.
Activation of either of the detecting diodes 672 or 682 couples the input of amplifier 673 or 683 to a negative voltage source 674 or 684, respectively. When the negative input voltage is applied to amplifier 673, for example, AND gate 675 is enabled to turn on transistor 676 and energize the subsequent polarity inverter 677 with a negative signal. As is readily apparent, the polarity inverters 677 and 687 are driven in response to and in synchronism with the output of light emitting diodes 671 and 681, respectively.
The output of polarity inverter 677 is coupled directly to a FET switch 621 and through a polarity inverter 620 to FET switch 622. It is apparent that the conductivity states of FET switches 621 and 622 will always be in opposite conductivity states relative to one another. Conductivity in FET switch 621 completes a current path from a positive source 650 through transformer windings 631 and 641 to the negative voltage source 670. Similarly conductivity in FET switch 622 enables current flow from positive voltage source 650 through transformer windings 632 and 642 to negative voltage source 660. The transformers 630 and 640 are the drive input transformers 471 and 474 in FIG. 4 which provide drive signals to bias the power switch transistors 421 and 424 into a conductive state. Signal flow through windings 631 and 641 provide turn off signals while turn on signals are provided by current flow through windings 632 and 642. Drive for the alternating conducting power switch transistors 422 and 423 is provided through transformers 680 and 690 which are under the control of the FET switches 623 and 624. Since their operation is similar, a detailed description is not believed necessary.
The shutdown signal, turn off signals and clock hold off signals input to the control circuit of FIG. 5 are generated by the regulation circuitry disclosed in FIG. 7. This circuit is essentially responsive to the input sinusoidal waveform sensed at lead 701 and to the output voltage sensed at lead 711. The input sinewave at lead 701 is applied to a sinewave reference generator 710 which recreates the sinewave and applies it in parallel to the inverting and non-inverting inputs of the operational amplifiers 702 and 703; respectively, which are each operative for amplifying the alternate half cycles of the reference sinusoidal to some precise value. The output of amplifier 703 is coupled to the inverting input of amplifier 702 so that the adjacent half cycle of the sinusoidal each appear as a signal of the same polarity on lead 704 coupled to the inverting input of transconductance amplifier 705.
These rectified half cycle sinewave signals are applied via lead 704 to the transconductance amplifier 705 which is coupled via lead 707 so that its gain is error responsive to a signal output of the error amplifier 706.
The output voltage of the converter is sensed at input lead 711 and is coupled; therefrom, to the inverting input of amplifier 706. It is compared with a reference voltage at the non-inverting input to produce an error voltage output which is coupled by led 707 to control the gain of the transconductance amplifier 705 so that its output is responsive to the converter's output voltage.
The inductor current is sensed by winding 743, rectified by diode 744 and summed with the output of ramp generator 744 and coupled via amplifier 745 to the non-inverting input 722 at comparator amplifier 720.
The output signal of transconductance amplifier 705 is the peak current control signal which is coupled via amplifier 715 and lead 716 to the PCC (peak current control) turn off comparator 720. The amplifier 715 is a gain control amplifier used to adjust the sensitivity of the feedback loop.
It is readily apparent that when the sensed current signal on lead 722 exceeds the control current signal on lead 716, the output of comparator amplifier 720 changes state. The ramp signal is added to the sensed current signal to precisely define the transition point at which the comparator 720 switches its output state. This change of state coupled to lead 541 in FIG. 5 determines the pulse width of current conducted by the power switches.
The output voltage sensing lead 711 is also coupled, via lead 732, to comparator amplifier 735 and is used to generate a shutdown signal in response to over-voltage conditions. The shutdown signal on lead 736 coupled to OR gate 590 in FIG. 5 which, in turn, is connected to the reset input of flip flop 510. The resulting output on lead 509 is utilized to turn off the clock flip flop 520. This halts conduction of power transistor switches 421-424 in FIG. 4, thus, protecting them from damage caused by over-voltage.
The current control signal of amplifier 715 is also coupled to the inverting input of comparator amplifier 725 where it is compared with the rectified current signal applied to the non-inverting input. This amplifier is biased so that it will switch states at a predetermined current limit level and is operative to limit current output of the system when the output voltage has dropped to a very low level such as when a short circuit has occurred. The output signal of amplifier 725 is designated as a clock hold-off signal and is coupled to NOR gate 522 in FIG. 5.
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Harmonic currents of the line frequency on the input line of a power converter are significantly reduced by actively controlling the input current to have substantially the same waveform and be in phase with the input AC sinusoidal voltage. Specific peak current control techniques are utilized to constrain current in an input inductor to be in phase with and approximate in waveform the input voltage sinusoidal waveform by operating a switch at a much higher frequency than that of the input AC voltage source; with the peak current control using the input AC voltage as a controlling reference voltage waveform.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation application of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 13/658,074, filed on Oct. 23, 2012, which claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 61/550,907, filed on Oct. 24, 2011
BACKGROUND
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to post-filter processing of an input sound signal in order to adjust gain values. Such gain-control processing is applicable to hearing prostheses, telecommunications, and the like.
Related Art
Automatic Gain Control (AGC) systems are commonly used in audio processing systems (e.g., audio headsets, hearing prostheses, etc.) to cope with a large range in sound levels. In some systems, the audio signal is split into multiple frequency bands by a filter bank of discrete components or a transform (e.g., a Fast Fourier Transform). The gain of each band can then be controlled separately. This is referred to as a multi-band type of AGC.
A variety of hearing prostheses exist to assist people who suffer hearing loss. Some are entirely external devices, e.g., conventional hearing aids. Some hearing prostheses are implantable, and more particularly are examples of an active implantable medical device (AIMD). An AIMD is a medical device having one or more implantable components, the latter being defined as relying for its functioning upon a source of power other than the human body or gravity, such as an electrical energy source. Amongst hearing prostheses, an example of an AIMD is a cochlear implant system, which is used to treat sensorineural hearing loss by providing electrical energy directly to the recipient's auditory nerves via an electrode assembly implanted in the cochlea. Electrical stimulation signals are delivered directly to the auditory nerve via the electrode assembly, thereby inducing a hearing sensation (or percept) in the implant recipient.
When fitting a cochlear implant system to a recipient, the appropriate stimulation levels for each electrode must be determined. The lowest stimulation current that is perceptible is known as the threshold level or T level. The highest stimulation current that is comfortable is known as the maximum comfortable level or C level. The T and C levels vary between recipients, and also vary between electrodes in a single recipient.
The ratio between the C and T levels on an electrode is known as the electrical dynamic range, and is typically about 10 dB. This is much smaller than the dynamic range of sound levels in the environment, and hence the processing for a cochlear implant system generally incorporates some form of compression.
SUMMARY
In one aspect, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a frequency analysis unit configured to decompose a sound signal into a plurality of sub-signals each associated with a specific frequency band of the sound signal; amplitude detection circuits configured to produce provisional amplitudes for each of the sub-signals; gain circuitry configured to determine a common gain based on the provisional amplitudes; and an amplification module configured to generate a plurality of adjusted amplitudes by adjusting the amplification of all of the provisional amplitudes based on the common gain.
In another aspect, a method is provided. The method comprises generating provisional amplitude envelopes for a plurality of sub-signals that each comprise a frequency component of an input sound signal; generating, based on at least one gain rule, a common gain for application to each of the provisional amplitude envelopes; and applying the common gain to all of the provisional amplitude envelopes to produce a plurality of adjusted amplitude envelopes.
In another aspect, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a plurality of amplitude detectors configured to produce provisional amplitude envelopes for a plurality of sub-signals that each comprises a frequency component of an input sound signal; a level combiner configured to analyze the provisional amplitudes and generate a level signal; a gain rule module configured to generate a common gain based upon the level signal; and a bank of amplifiers configured to apply the common gain to the provisional amplitudes to generate adjusted amplitudes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described herein in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1A illustrates a post-filter, common gain determination type of automatic gain control system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 1B illustrates another post-filter, common gain determination type of automatic gain control system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 1C illustrates another post-filter, common gain determination type of automatic gain control system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 1D illustrates an example plot of a transfer function that represents a Loudness Growth Function (LGF);
FIG. 2A illustrates Gain Rules, e.g., of FIG. 1A , in more detail, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2B illustrates the Gain Rule, e.g., of FIGS. 1B-1C and 4A in more detail, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 2C-2D illustrate continuous piece-wise linear, input-output functions that represent different examples of the operation of the Static Compression blocks of FIGS. 12A-12B ;
FIG. 3A illustrates a 0.6 second segment of the temporal waveform at the output of a Loudness Growth Function according to the Related Art;
FIG. 3B illustrates a 0.6 second segment of the temporal waveform at the output of a Loudness Growth Function according to the an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3C illustrates a spectral profile at the output of a Loudness Growth Function according to the Related Art;
FIG. 3D illustrates a spectral profile at the output of a Loudness Growth Function according to the an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4A illustrates another post-filter, common gain determination type of automatic gain control system, according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4B illustrates the Slow Gain rules of FIG. 4A , in more detail;
FIG. 5 shows post-filter, common gain determination type of automatic gain control systems for a bilateral cochlear implant system, according to another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 shows post-filter, common gain determination type of automatic gain control systems for another bilateral cochlear implant system, according to another embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 7 illustrates a cochlear implant system, according to another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiments of the present application are directed towards automatic gain control systems that feature post-filter (i.e., subsequent to bandpass filtering) gain generation, post-filter application of a common gain, and a static compression block configured with a maximum output level equal to a saturation level of a Loudness Growth Function.
A post-filter, common gain determination type of automatic gain control (AGC) system 1111 A, according to an embodiment of the present invention, is shown in FIG. 1A . For simplicity of illustration, only four bands are shown in FIG. 1A , but a higher number of bands is contemplated, e.g., 22 bands. Audio signal 1 is split into four frequency bands by four band-pass filters (BPFs) 11 - 14 (or, in other words, collectively, a frequency analysis unit). Each BPF passes a different band of frequencies. BPF outputs 21 - 24 are applied to amplitude detectors 31 - 34 , e.g., envelope detectors, to produce provisional amplitudes, e.g., provisional envelopes, 41 - 44 . Other examples of amplitude detectors include: full-wave rectifiers; half-wave rectifiers; peak detectors; quadrature envelope detection; etc. Provisional envelopes 41 - 44 are applied to gain rules 121 - 124 to generate provisional gains 131 - 134 . Provisional envelopes 41 - 44 also are applied to amplifiers 141 - 144 where they are adjusted so as to generate adjusted amplitudes, e.g., adjusted envelopes, 65 - 68 . Adjusted envelopes 65 - 68 are applied to loudness growth function (LGF) blocks 71 - 74 (or, in other words, a plurality of translation units) to produce magnitude signals 81 - 84 .
The components of system 1111 A can be discrete components or can be functional blocks implemented by, for example, a programmable processor, e.g., a digital signal processor (DSP). In the latter circumstance, e.g., filters 11 - 14 can be implemented by the processor performing a Fast Fourier Transformation (FFT) upon audio signal 1 . Another embodiment uses a quadrature pair of BPFs in each band, followed by quadrature envelope detection to produce the envelopes.
The bands have their own gain rules 121 - 124 , and produce their own provisional gains 131 - 134 , respectively. Rather than applying each of provisional gains 131 - 134 to its corresponding one of amplifiers 141 - 144 , respectively, as in the Related Art, i.e., using a band-specific gain technique, system 1111 A applies one common gain 201 to amplifiers 141 - 144 . This common gain 201 can be calculated by a Gain Combine block 211 based upon provisional gains 131 - 134 . An advantage of the common gain technique over the band-specific gain technique is that the spectral profile is better preserved.
More particularly, according to the band-specific gain technique, the AGC system on each frequency band operates independently of the AGC systems for the other bands. The band-specific gain technique is commonly used in hearing aids. For a hearing-aid wearer, hearing loss often varies with frequency, and thus it can be beneficial to apply differing amounts of compression in different frequency bands. However, for an AGC system that uses multiple bands, such a benefit is outweighed by the following drawback: because less gain is applied to intense bands than is applied to weak bands, the band-specific gain technique tends to reduce the amplitude of spectral peaks relative to spectral valleys, i.e., it flattens the spectral profile, which can degrade speech intelligibility. As an example, for a compression ratio of 4 or greater, speech intelligibility degrades as the number of channels is increased. See, e.g., the article by Plomp R (1994) “Noise, amplification, and compression: considerations of three main issues in hearing aid design,” Ear & Hearing 15: 2-12. Plomp recommended using 2 to 4 channels, with a compression ratio of 2. Applying an AGC system using the band-specific gain technique AGC system with infinite compression to a cochlear implant system with, e.g., 22 channels would be expected to give very poor speech intelligibility. By contrast, the common gain technique applies the same gain to intense bands as is applied to weak bands, which avoids flattening the spectral profile, i.e., which better preserves the spectral profile, and so achieves relatively better speech intelligibility.
Operation of system 1111 A can be described as filters 11 - 14 performing a frequency analysis to decompose audio signal 1 into analysis signals 21 - 24 contained in frequency bands, respectively. Envelope detectors 31 - 34 produce provisional envelopes 41 - 44 based upon analysis signals 21 - 24 , respectively. Provisional gains 131 - 134 are generated by gain rules 121 - 124 based upon provisional envelopes 41 - 44 , respectively. A common gain is determined by gain combine block 211 based upon provisional gains 131 - 134 . And the updated common gain 201 is applied to provisional envelopes 41 - 44 by amplifiers 141 - 144 to produce adjusted envelopes 65 - 68 .
In one embodiment, Gain Combine block 211 calculates the minimum of the provisional gains 131 - 134 . In another embodiment, the Gain Combine block 211 calculates the median of the provisional gains 131 - 134 . In another embodiment, the Gain Combine block 211 calculates the weighted mean of the provisional gains 131 - 134 . All bands may be given equal weight, or alternatively different weights may be applied to different bands. For example, more weight may be given to bands that are more important for speech intelligibility. FIG. 1A can be summarized as illustrating post-filter gain generation and a post-filter application of a common gain.
Another post-filter, common gain determination type of automatic gain control (AGC) system 1111 B, according to an embodiment of the present invention, is shown in FIG. 1B . In contrast to system 1111 A, system 1111 B has a single gain rule 241 , which is common to all bands. Provisional amplitudes, e.g., provisional envelopes, 41 - 44 are applied to Level Combine block 221 , which determines a single level 231 . Level 231 is applied to Gain Rule 241 , to produce common gain 201 . In one embodiment, Level Combine block 221 calculates the maximum of the individual envelopes 41 - 44 . In yet another embodiment, Level Combine block 221 calculates the median of the individual provisional envelopes 41 - 44 . In another embodiment, Level Combine block 221 calculates the weighted mean of the individual provisional envelopes 41 - 44 . All bands may be given equal weight, or alternatively different weights may be applied to different bands. For example, more weight may be given to bands that are more important for speech intelligibility. FIG. 1B can be summarized as illustrating post-filter gain generation and a post-filter application of a common gain.
FIG. 1C illustrates another post-filter, common gain determination type of AGC system 1111 C according to an embodiment of the present invention. System 1111 C incorporates temporal fine structure (e.g., which may improve prove pitch perception) in addition to post-filter gain generation and application of a common gain as in system 1111 B of FIG. 1B . Likewise FIG. 1C can be summarized as illustrating post-filter gain generation and a post-filter application of a common gain.
In FIG. 1C , system 1111 C is shown as a four-band system for simplicity of illustration, but a higher number of bands (for example 22) is more typical. In comparison to system 1111 B, the BPF outputs 21 - 24 are processed on two paths: an amplitude path and a timing path. The amplitude path comprises Amplitude Detectors 31 - 34 and LGF blocks 71 - 74 and is similar to the processing in system 1111 B. The timing path comprises Timing Detectors 401 - 403 , which generate timing signals 411 - 414 . Pulse Generator 281 uses both magnitude signals 81 - 84 and timing signals 411 - 414 to generate the stimulation pulse data 291 . Generally, the magnitude signals 81 - 84 determine the current levels of the stimulation pulses.
The LGF blocks 71 - 74 of FIGS. 1A-1C perform instantaneous non-linear compression. Generally a logarithmic or power-law transfer function is used. FIG. 1D illustrates an example of a non-linear compression transfer function that can be used to implement the LGF blocks 71 - 74 . In FIG. 1D , amplitudes equal to a specified saturation level are mapped to magnitude value of 1.0, which will result in C-level stimulation. The saturation level is often taken as a reference point, e.g., labeled as 0 dB. Envelope amplitudes greater than the saturation level are clipped to magnitude value 1.0. Envelope amplitudes equal to a specified base level are mapped to magnitude value 0.0, which will result in T-level stimulation. The dynamic range is defined as the ratio of the saturation level to the base level. Typical dynamic range values are from 30 to 50 dB; FIG. 1D shows a dynamic range, e.g., of 40 dB.
The LGF blocks 71 - 74 reduce (if not prevent) excessive loudness by limiting the current on a channel to C-level. However, if the amplitudes provided to the LGF are permitted to exceed the saturation level, then clipping occurs. Clipping has undesirable effects that include the following. Firstly, it can distort the temporal waveform of the envelopes, reducing modulation depth. Secondly, as the channel with largest amplitude will clip first, it can reduce the ratio of the spectral peaks to the spectral valleys, flattening the spectral profile and distorting formant patterns. Thirdly, in the presence of background noise, the speech signal will tend to clip more often than the noise, reducing the effective signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Clipping can be reduced (if not minimized) by, e.g., appropriate configuration of the Gain Rule, as discussed below.
Gain Rules 121 - 124 in FIG. 1A and common Gain Rule 241 in FIGS. 1B-1C can be configured, e.g., with similar (or the same) internal architectures. FIG. 2A shows each of gain rules 121 - 124 in more detail, according to another embodiment of the present invention. For example, in terms of gain rule 121 , FIG. 2A illustrates provisional amplitude 41 as the input signal (which is provided to Level Dynamics bock 1201 ) and provisional gain 131 as the output signal. FIG. 2B shows common Gain rule 241 in more detail, according to another embodiment of the present invention. The input signal ( 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 or 231 , respectively) is applied to a Level Dynamics block 1201 to generate a processed level 1202 . A Static Compression block 1203 uses processed level 1202 to determine a raw gain 1204 , which is further processed by a Gain Dynamics block 1205 to produce the output gain ( 131 , 123 , 133 , 134 or 201 , respectively).
The operation of the Static Compression block 1203 can be described by an input-output function. The input-output function can be, e.g., a continuous piece-wise linear function, specified by two or more compression ratios and a corresponding number of knee points. Examples of continuous, piece-wise linear input-output functions that can be used to implement Static Compression block 1203 are illustrated in FIGS. 2C-2D . The compression ratio can be defined, e.g., as the change in input level that produces a 1 dB change in output level, i.e., the reciprocal of slope of the input-output function. In FIG. 2C , for input levels up to a knee-point of 70 dB, the output level is the same as the input level. This region has a compression ratio of 1, i.e., linear amplification. For input levels above 70 dB, the output level remains at 70 dB, which is the maximum output level of the embodiment reflected in FIG. 2C . This region has infinite (or substantially infinite) compression, hence the corresponding knee-point in this embodiment may be referred to as an infinite compression knee-point. FIG. 12D is an example of an input-output function with two knee-points. For input levels up to a first knee-point of 30 dB, the output level is the same as the input level. For input levels in the range 30 dB up to a second knee-point of 70 dB, the output level grows half as much as the input level. This region has a compression ratio of 2 (i.e., 2:1 compression). For input levels above 70 dB, the output level remains at 50 dB, which is the maximum output level of the embodiment reflected in FIG. 2D . Unlike conventional gain rules, static compression block 1203 in each of FIGS. 2A-2B is configured with a maximum output level equal to the LGF saturation level. This reduces, if not eliminates, clipping in LGF blocks 71 - 74 . In some embodiments, e.g., the embodiment reflected in FIG. 2C , the infinite compression knee point is equal to the maximum output level. In other embodiments, e.g., the embodiment reflected in FIG. 2D , it is not.
An embodiment of Level Combine block 221 and Gain Rule 241 can be summarized as:
Level Combine: maximum level. Static Compression: linear amplification up to a knee-point equal to the LGF saturation level, then infinite compression for higher levels. Level Dynamics: none, i.e. zero attack time. Gain Dynamics: a hold time of 200 ms, followed by a release period where the gain increases at a constant slew-rate of 40 dB per second.
An example of MATLAB code that can be used to implement Level Combine block 221 and Gain Rule 241 is:
%% Initialization:
% Configuration parameters:
sample_ rate= 1 000; %Hz
saturation _level= 1.0;
slew_ rate = 40; % dB/sec
hold time = 0.2;% seconds
max_gain = 1.0;
%% Parameter calculations:
step_ dB = slew _rate I sample rate;
scaler = 10Λ(step_dB/20);
hold_ count= hold_ time * sample rate;
% State variables:
gain= max _gain;
held=O;
%Processing:
%Level Combine:
largest_ env =max( envelopes);
%Gain rule:
raw _gain= saturation _level I largest_ env;
if raw _gain< gain
%Attack
gain= raw _gain;
held= 0; % Start hold timer
else
held= held+ 1;
if held> hold count
%Release
gain = gain * scaler;
else
%Hold
end
end
gain= min( max _gain,gain);
A benefit of at least some embodiments of the present invention is shown by the contrast between FIG. 3A (representative of Related Art) vis-a-vis FIG. 3B (representative of an embodiment of the present invention), and by the contrast between FIG. 3C (representative of Related Art) vis-a-vis FIG. 3D (representative of an embodiment of the present invention). Here, for example, an audio signal in the form of a sentence in the presence of background noise is considered albeit for 22 bands, not merely 4 bands. FIGS. 3A (Related Art) and 3 B (present embodiment) show a 0.6 second segment of the temporal waveform at the output of the LGF, e.g., for channel 4 (centered at 625 Hz), of a 22-channel system. Related Art FIG. 3A shows the LGF output signal 1302 for a Related Art system 100 utilizing a pre-filter gain determination type of AGC. In Related Art FIG. 3A , as called out by reference 1304 , the signal 1302 is clipped over the time interval of approximately 0.33 to 0.39 seconds. FIG. 3B , by contrast, shows the corresponding output signal 1306 according to an embodiment of the present invention, e.g., systems 1111 A and 1111 B. As indicated by reference 1308 , no clipping occurs. Relative to Related Art FIG. 3A , FIG. 3B (present embodiment) shows that more of the amplitude modulation, which is a cue to the voice pitch, is preserved.
FIGS. 3C (representative of Related Art) and 3 D (representative of an embodiment of the present invention) extend the examples of FIGS. 3A-3B by showing spectral profiles 1310 and 1312 at the output of the LGF blocks, respectively, albeit for the 22 channels, e.g., at the time 0.36 seconds approximately. In FIG. 3D , the spectral profile 1312 shows at most that one channel (in this case channel 6 ) reaches magnitude 1.0 and produces stimulation at C-level on the corresponding electrode. This gives a clearer indication of the first formant frequency (the first peak at channel 6 in the spectral profile 1312 ). In contrast, the spectral profile 1310 of FIG. 3C (which, again, is produced by a pre-filter gain determination type of AGC system according to the Related Art) shows that clipping occurs for channels 4 , 5 , 6 , and 7 , i.e., those four channels have the maximum magnitude (1.0) resulting in stimulation at C-level on the corresponding electrodes. But for the clipping, a peak would be apparent on one of channels 4 - 7 . Due to the clipping, however, it is unclear which one of the channels 4 - 7 has the peak; consequently, the frequency of the first formant cannot be accurately determined from the spectral profile 1310 . Relative to Related Art FIG. 3C , FIG. 3D (present embodiment) shows improved speech intelligibility.
Another embodiment, according to the present invention, of a post-filter, common gain determination type of AGC system 1114 is shown in FIG. 4A . In this arrangement, provisional amplitudes, e.g., envelopes, 41 - 44 are processed by Slow Gain Modules 301 - 304 to produce processed amplitudes, e.g., envelopes, 311 - 314 . A Level Combine block 221 A receives processed envelopes 311 - 314 , determines a maximum one thereof, and outputs the maximum as level 231 A to a Fast Gain rule 241 A, which then produces common gain 201 . Fast Gain Rule 241 is implemented, e.g., as in the MATLAB code listed above. Slow Gain Modules 301 - 304 act independently. A purpose of Slow Gain Modules 301 - 304 is to help transition from one environment to the next, e.g., to compensate for differences in environment, such as between one talker and another talker, or between a quiet room and a noisy street. This is sometimes known as an automatic volume control (AVC). FIG. 4A can be summarized as illustrating post-filter gain generation and a post-filter application of a common gain.
Slow Gain Modules 301 - 304 can be configured with similar (or the same) internal architectures. FIG. 4B shows each of Slow Gain Modules 301 - 304 in more detail. The input signal ( 41 , 42 , 43 or 44 , respectively) is applied to a variable-gain amplifier 1404 to produce the processed amplitudes ( 311 , 312 , 313 or 314 , respectively). This operation is equivalent to multiplying the input signal by a gain 408 . A level detector 1405 produces a signal 1406 , which represents the level of the input signal. Generally, the level detector 1405 rectifies and smoothes the input signal. A gain rule 1407 uses signal 1406 to determine the gain 1408 . Alternatively, the Slow Gain Modules can be implemented using, e.g., the Adaptive Dynamic Range Optimization (ADRO) technique, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,731,767 B1 by Blarney et al.
The time taken for an AGC system to respond to an increase in input level is called the attack time. The time taken for an AGC system to respond to a subsequent decrease in input level is called the release time. Typical settings for a “fast” AGC are an attack time in the range of 2 to 5 ms, and a release time in the range 7 5 to 300 ms. The attack and release times should be selected so that the gain changes are small over the course of a sentence. Suitable attack times are in the range 0.5-1 second, and suitable release times are in the range 1-2 seconds.
FIG. 5 shows post-filter, common gain determination type of automatic gain control systems 1000 and 2000 for a bilateral cochlear implant system 1115 , according to another embodiment of the present invention. The bilateral system contains two systems, 1000 and 2000 , which will be referred to as Left system 1000 and Right system 2000 . Each system is similar to system 1111 B, except that Left gain 1006 and Right gain 2006 are provided, e.g., to a minimum (Min) block 1007 in Left system 1000 , which calculates common gain 1008 as the minimum of Left gain and Right gain 2006 at each instant in time. Alternatively, Min block 2007 can be provided in Right system 2000 . Common gain 1008 is applied to both Left amplifiers 1021 - 1024 and Right amplifiers 2021 - 2024 . Each Gain Rule ( 1005 , 2005 ) has a maximum output level equal to the LGF saturation level. FIG. 5 can be summarized as illustrating post-filter gain generation and a post-filter application of a common gain.
FIG. 6 shows post-filter, common gain determination type of automatic gain control systems 1000 ′ and 2000 ′ for another bilateral cochlear implant system 1116 , according to an embodiment of the present invention. Systems 1000 ′ and 2000 ′ are similar to systems 1000 and 2000 of FIG. 5 , respectively, except that Left maximum envelope 1004 and Right maximum envelope 2004 are provided to a maximum (Max) block 1009 , which calculates the overall maximum envelope 1010 . This is used by Gain Rule 1005 to generate common gain 1008 , which is applied to both left amplifiers 1021 - 1024 and Right amplifiers 2021 - 2024 . In FIG. 6 , Max block 1009 and Gain Rule 1005 are illustrated as being included within Left system 1000 ′; alternatively, provided in Max block 1009 and Gain Rule 1005 can be provided in Right system 2000 ′. FIG. 6 can be summarized as illustrating post-filter gain generation and a post-filter application of a common gain.
A benefit of bilateral hearing is the ability to localize sound. One cue that is used in localization is the interaurallevel difference (ILD). For example, a sound coming from the left side will have a greater intensity at the left ear than the right ear. Disadvantages of clipping in AGC systems, e.g., 1111 B, have been discussed above. In the context of bilateral cochlear implant systems, clipping has further disadvantages. If clipping occurs on one or both sides, then the ILD cue is reduced or destroyed. However, systems 1115 and 1116 , like system 1111 B, avoid clipping, thereby better preserving the ILD cue and facilitating better sound localization by the recipient.
Some embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in sound processing technologies, for example, hearing prostheses, e.g., cochlear implant systems. FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a cochlear implant system 1117 according to another embodiment of the present invention. System 1117 includes a sound processor module 126 which can include any of gain control systems 1111 A, 1111 B, 1111 C or 1114 , or if system 117 is part of a bilateral cochlear implant system, then corresponding portions of gain control systems 1115 or 1116 , according to embodiments of the present invention, respectively.
In FIG. 7 , cochlear implant system 1117 is illustrated as implanted in a recipient having an outer ear 101 , a middle ear 105 and an inner ear 107 . Components of outer ear 101 , middle ear 105 and inner ear 107 are described below, followed by a description of cochlear implant 100 .
In a fully functional ear, outer ear 101 comprises an auricle 110 and an ear canal 102 . An acoustic pressure or sound wave 103 is collected by auricle 110 and channeled into and through ear canal 102 . Disposed across the distal end of ear cannel 102 is a tympanic membrane 104 which vibrates in response to sound wave 103 . This vibration is coupled to oval window or fenestra ovalis 112 through three bones of middle ear 105 , collectively referred to as the ossicles 106 and comprising the malleus 108 , the incus 109 and the stapes 111 . Bones 108 , 109 and 111 of middle ear 105 serve to filter and amplify sound wave 103 , causing oval window 112 to articulate, or vibrate in response to vibration of tympanic membrane 104 . This vibration sets up waves of fluid motion of the perilymph within cochlea 140 . Such fluid motion, in tum, activates tiny hair cells (not shown) inside of cochlea 140 . Activation of the hair cells causes appropriate nerve impulses to be generated and transferred through the spiral ganglion cells (not shown) and auditory nerve 114 to the brain (also not shown) where they are perceived as sound.
Cochlear implant 100 comprises an external component 142 which is directly or indirectly attached to the body of the recipient, and an internal or implantable component 144 which is temporarily or permanently implanted in the recipient. External component 142 typically comprises one or more sound input elements, such as microphone 124 for detecting sound, a sound processing unit 126 , a power source (not shown), and an external transmitter unit 128 . External transmitter unit 128 comprises an external coil 130 and, preferably, a magnet (not shown) secured directly or indirectly to external coil 130 . Sound processing unit 126 processes the output of microphone 124 that is positioned, in the depicted embodiment, by auricle 110 of the recipient. Sound processing unit 126 generates encoded signals, sometimes referred to herein as encoded data signals, which are provided to external transmitter unit 128 via a cable (not shown). As shown by exploded view 186 in FIG. 7 , sound processor module 126 can include a programmable processor 190 , e.g., a digital signal processor (DSP), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc. Processor 190 is operatively coupled to a memory 192 , e.g., random access memory (RAM) and/or read-only memory (ROM). Processor 192 also is operatively coupled via interface 188 , e.g., to a microphone 124 and external transmitter unit 128 .
Internal component 144 comprises an internal receiver unit 132 , a stimulator unit 120 , and an elongate stimulating lead assembly 118 . Internal receiver unit 132 comprises an internal coil 136 , and preferably, a magnet (also not shown) fixed relative to the internal coil. Internal receiver unit 132 and stimulator unit 120 are hermetically sealed within a biocompatible housing, sometimes collectively referred to as a stimulator/receiver unit. Internal coil 136 receives power and stimulation data from external coil 130 , as noted above. Elongate stimulating lead assembly 118 has a proximal end connected to stimulator unit 120 , and extends through mastoid bone 119 . Lead assembly 118 has a distal region, referred to as electrode assembly 145 , implanted in cochlea 140 . As used herein the term “stimulating lead assembly,” refers to any device capable of providing stimulation to a recipient, such as, for example, electrical or optical stimulation.
Electrode assembly 145 may be implanted at least in basal region 116 of cochlea 140 , and sometimes further. For example, electrode assembly 145 may extend towards apical end of cochlea 140 , referred to as cochlea apex 134 . Electrode assembly 145 may be inserted into cochlea 140 via a cochleostomy 122 , or through round window 121 , oval window 112 , and the promontory 123 or opening in an apical tum 147 of cochlea 140 .
Electrode assembly 145 has disposed therein or thereon a longitudinally aligned and distally extending array 146 of electrode contacts 148 , sometimes referred to as electrode array 146 herein. Throughout this description, the term “electrode array” means a collection of two or more electrode contacts, sometimes referred to simply as contacts herein. As would be appreciated, electrode array 146 may be disposed on electrode assembly 145 . However, in most practical applications, electrode array 146 is integrated into electrode assembly 145 . As used herein, electrode contacts or other elements disposed in a carrier refer to elements integrated in, or positioned on, the carrier member. As such, electrode array 146 is referred to herein as being disposed in electrode assembly 145 . Stimulator unit 120 generates stimulation signals which are applied by electrodes 148 to cochlea 140 , thereby stimulating auditory nerve 114 .
In cochlear implant 100 , external coil 130 transmits electrical signals (i.e., power and stimulation data) to internal coil 136 via a radio frequency (RF) link. Internal coil 136 is typically a wire antenna coil comprised of multiple turns of electrically insulated single-strand or multi-strand platinum or gold wire. The electrical insulation of internal coil 136 is provided by a flexible silicone molding (not shown). In use, implantable receiver unit 132 may be positioned in a recess of the temporal bone adjacent auricle 110 of the recipient.
As noted, FIG. 7 illustrates specific embodiments of the present invention in which cochlear implant 100 includes an external component 142 . It would be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, cochlear implant 100 comprises a totally implantable prosthesis that is capable of operating, at least for a period of time, without the need of an external component. In such embodiments, all components of cochlear implant 100 are implantable, and the cochlear implant operates in conjunction with external component 142 .
Some embodiments of the present invention are described herein in connection with a type of Active Implantable Medical Device (AIMD), namely a cochlear implant system. It should be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in other sound-processing technologies that benefit from gain control systems, e.g., telecommunications, and the like.
Throughout the specification and the claims that follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the words “comprise” and “include” and variations such as “comprising” and “including” will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.
Reference herein to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, operation, or other characteristic described in connection with the embodiment may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. However, the appearance of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. It is further envisioned that a skilled person could use any or all of the above embodiments in any compatible combination or permutation.
While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. It will be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
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An apparatus for processing an input sound signal, the apparatus including: gain circuitry configured to control a gain based on a plurality of respective sub-signals of the input sound signal; and an amplification apparatus configured to adjust the amplification of all the plurality of amplitudes based on the common gain.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Pressure gauges frequently include a metal diaphragm, which is exposed to the pressure being sensed so that the deflection of the diaphragm is representative of the sensed pressure. Mechanical linkages or strain gauges are responsive to the diaphragm deflection and are used to actuate the visual output device from which the sensed pressure is read. Such pressure sensors suffer inherent disadvantages for example, the mechanical linkages or strain gauges introduce serious errors into measurement because of the difficulty occasioned in proportionately translating the deflection of the diaphragm into the visual output. Problems also arise because the linkage necessarily has inertia, friction and temperature characteristics which contribute to the inability to accurately translate the physical deflection of the diaphragm into a visual output. Problems also arise because materials used to attach the strain gauge to the diaphragm introduce mechanical instability and temperature effects. Another source of error arises from the inherent characteristics of the materials from which the diaphragm is fabricated. Relatively large deflections experienced by the diaphragm introduce large strains which are responsible for hysteresis and nonreproducibility of the measurement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention eliminates the aforementioned problems by eliminating the diaphragm characteristics which cause problems and the mechanical linkages or strain gauges which ordinarily are responsive to the diaphragm. In the invention a ferromagnetic fluid is subjected to the pressure to be measured and the motion of the ferromagnetic fluid in response to the pressure changes results in the generation of an electrical signal which is detected and utilized as being representative of the applied pressure. Because the fluid is subjected to the pressure, the heavy metallic type of pressure diaphragm is eliminated, thereby eliminating the inherent hysteresis and nonreproducibility problems associated with such diaphragms. Also, because the mechanical linkage is eliminated the frictional and inertial problems of such linkages are totally eliminated.
Ferromagnetic fluids are known in the art and consist of a colloidal suspension of submicron size ferromagnetic particles suspended in a dielectric fluid. Such fluids behave as fluids in all instances; however, when subjected to a magnetic field, the gross behavior of the fluid is changed without changing the fluid characteristics per se. Such fluids, therefore, are responsive to magnetic fields while maintaining all other characteristics as a fluid. A description of such fluids is found in an article entitle "Magnetic Fluids" by R. E. Rosensweig, published in International Science and Technology, July 1966, at pages 48 through 56.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a first preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a second preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a third preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 includes an Enclosure 10 which is fabricated from a nonmagnetic material such as aluminum, glas, or a dielectric plastic. In some applications it may be preferable to fabricate Enclosure 10 from a material, such as soft iron to shield Ring Magnet 11 from the environment. In such instances, Magnet 11 can be totally enclosed within Enclosure 10. The Enclosure 10 is closed to offer support and protection against damage to the elements of the inventive sensor. Supported within Casing 10 is a Ring Magnet 11 having a centered circular Aperture 12.
Physically supported within Aperture 12 is Dielectric Container 13 in the form of a right angle tube; in some instances, it may be desirable to utilize a capillary for the Tube 13. Communicating with Tube 13 is an enlarged dielectric Container 14 which is centered within Aperture 12 of Magnetic 11. The Container formed by Elements 13 and 14 contains a ferromagnetic fluid 16; such fluids are colloidal suspensions of ferromagnetic particles in a suitable dielectric carrier. The Fluid 16 is prevented from spilling out of the container by the magnetic field of Ring Magnet 11. Although it is not essential, if desired, a fine nonmagnetic film or screen can be used to support the magnetic fluid within the magnetic field of Magnet 11.
The magnetic fluid can come in direct contact with the fluid, the pressure of which is being measured if the two fluids are insoluable to one another. In instances where the magnetic fluid and pressure exerting fluid interact, it is necessary to insolate them with a membrane composed of a material which does not interact with either of the fluids. If such a membrane is used, it will be a nonmagnetic membrane and preferably would be either a dielectric material or a thin metal membrane so that hysteresis problems ordinarily associated wit metal diaphragms would be eliminated.
Associated with Tube or Capillary 13 is a Coil 17. Coil 17 is located at the highest level within Tube 13 that the ferromagnetic Fluid 16 assumes under normal conditions. Accordingly, changes in pressure against the Face 18 of Fluid 16 cause changes in the level of the fluid within the tube, thereby changing the permeability of the Coil 17. These changes in permeability because of the displacement of Fluid 16 within the coil result in an output signal across Lines 19 and 21 of Coil 17. These signals can be ued in a number of ways to be representative of the pressure applied to the Face 18 of the Fluid 16. Accordingly, such devices as induction bridges, differential transformers, and resistive bridges can be used to detect the output signal on Lines 19 and 21 and yield a voltage signal representative of the pressure acting on Face 18.
In operation, changes in the pressure applied against Face 18 of the ferromagnetic Fluid 16 cause the fluid to be physically displaced within Tube 13, thereby changing the permeability of Coil 17. Accordingly, the level of Fluid 16 within Tube 13 is directly proportional to applied pressure and the output signal on Lines 19 and 21 is also directly proportional to the applied pressure. If Tube 13 is a right cylinder, the displacement of Fluid 16 within the cylinder will be linear and the permeability changes of Coil 17 will be nonlinear so that changes in the voltage across Lines 19 and 21 will be nonlinear. This can be offset by conically configuring Tube 13 so that fluid displacement within Tube 13 is nonlinear and permeability changes become linear. The exact configuration will, therefore, be dependent upon the characteristics of Coil 17 and are within the purview of those skilled in the art. Therefore, simply by calibrating the signal across the Lines 19 and 21 to the applied pressure, a direct reading representative of the applied pressure is obtained.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in FIG. 2. This embodiment is shown as including a Plate 22 including an Aperture 23 into which an Electromagnetic Coil 24 is inserted. Thus, the embodiment of FIG. 2 can be utilized simply by inserting the Plate 22 into an aperture provided within the container which supports the fluid, the pressure of which is to be measured. The other components of the sensor, therefore, are readily assessable because the sensor is not enclosed as is that of FIG. 1. However, if desired, obviously the entire pressure sensor can be enclosed as is FIG. 1. Or the FIG. 1 embodiment can be used in substantially the same way as that of FIG. 2, so that the Enclosure 10 of the FIG. 1 embodiment is not essential. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the tube or capillary containing the magnetic fluid must be isolated from the pressure being measured.
The magnetic Fluid 26 is contained within the opening formed in Toroid 24. Fluid 26 also extends into the Capillary 27 so that displacement of the Diaphragm 28 occasioned by pressure change applied thereto causes motion of the fluid within the Capillary 27, thereby changing the induction of Coil 29.
The magnetic strength of Toroid 24 is dependent upon the voltage applied thereto. It, therefore, is preferable to isolate Toroid 24 and Coil 29. Interference between the magnetic field formed by the Ring Coil 24 and Coil 29 is prevented by utilization of a Magnetic Shield 31, which is interposed the two coils. It should be noted with reference to FIG. 1 that is desired, the Permanent Magnet 11 can be shielded from the Coil 17. A Diaphragm 28 is made of a thin, nonmagnetic material, such as a dielectric or thin metal, so that hysteresis losses and other disadvantages occasioned by heavy metallic diaphragms are eliminated. The signal produced in Coil 29 by displacement of Fluid 26 within Capillary 27 is used to control Electromagnet 24 which envelops the magnetic fluid. This is accomplished by applying the signal from Coil 29 to an Amplifier 32, the output of which is applied to an Electromagnet Control Unit 33. Control Unit 33 applies a voltage to Coil 24 to control the magnetic field strength of the coil.
Accordingly, as the magnetic field strength changes, the fluid force on Diaphragm 28 changes in like manner, and the diaphragm is restored to its original position. These changes result in changes in the position of Magnetic Fluid 26 and Coil 29 so that the signal applied to the Amplifier 32 is changed. Accordingly, the only change within the system resulting from pressure changes against Diaphragm 28 occurs in signal applied to Coil 24 by Control Unit 33 over the Line 34. Therefore, the signal available on Line 34 can be monitored and used as an indicator of the pressure being applied to the face of Diaphragm 28. Again, the nonlinearity of the signal can be offset by properly configuring Tube 27.
Because Electromagnetic Coil 24 must have a voltage applied in order to render it magnetic and thereby creating a magnetic field across the Fluid 26, Control Unit 33 will contain a DC voltage source which will initiate the magnetic action of the system. The signal applied to Control Unit 33 from Amplifier 32 changes the energizing voltage to Coil 24 so that this voltage changes proportionately to the pressure applied to Diaphragm 28. Accordingly, Control Unit 33 will also contain a voltage adding network such as resistive network and other means known to those skilled in the art to control the signal applied to the Coil 24 over Line 34. diaphragm
The preferred embodiment disclosed in FIG. 3 includes a Casing 36 which has a circular cross section. An annular flexible nonmagnetic Membrane 37 is disposed within Casing 36 in an appropriate aperture provided in the casing. Diaphragm 37 is backed by a magnetic Fluid 38 which is contained within a thin annular nonmagnetic Container 39. The Container 39 preferably is composed of two thin walls spaced to form an annular capillary. Magnetic Fluid 38 is contained within the capillary. Pressure changes applied to Diaphragm 37 cause displacement of Fluid 38 in the Annular Cylinder 39. Casing 36 is coaxially disposed within a permanent Ring Magnet 42 so that the magnetic field of Magnet 42 is symmetrical about Casing 36 and Magnetic Fluid 38. A Switch 41 is disposed along the axis of symmetry of Magnet 30 and Casing 34.
As changes in the pressure applied to Diaphragm 37 occur, the diaphragm deflects, thereby displacing magnetic Fluid 38 within the capillary. The displacement of the fluid in the vicinity of Switch 41 completes the magnetic circuit formed by Casing 36 and Magnet 42 causing the actuation of Switch 41. Casing 36 can be made from either a magnetic or nonmagnetic material depending upon the desired performance of the magnetic circuit of which it forms a part. It should be noted that Switch 41 can be a reed switch, a Hall effect microswitch, or other type of switch.
It will be appreciated that the invention can also be used as a liquid level sensor. The pressure exerted by a liquid is dependent upon the depth of the liquid. Accordingly, the pressure exerted at a particular depth within a fluid varies in direct proportion to the level of fluid above the particular depth. Thus, by placing a pressure sensor of the inventive type at a known depth the output of the sensor will be an indication of the liquid level variations occurring above the sensor. The invention therefore can be used as a fuel meter associated with the fuel tank of an automobile or truck. By attaching the sensor to the bottom of the fuel tank a "Full" indication will be received when the tank is full. Also, by appropriately calibrating visual readout an "Empty" indication will be received when the fuel reaches a preselected lower level, preferably this level is chosen such that some fuel remains to provide an opportunity to replenish the supply.
The preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 4 includes a Hollow Casing 53 supported by a Magnet 52. The Magnet 52 can either be a permanent magnet or a properly energized electromagnet and preferably is a ring in configuration. An Aperture 46 within Magnet 52 supports a ferromagnetic fluid a portion of which extends into a Capillary 44 which extends into Casing 53. A coil 43 surrounds a portion of Capillary 44 so that the highest level of magnetic fluid coincides with Coil 43. Output signals generated within the Coil 43 by a movement of the ferromagnetic are received on output Leads 47 and 48.
The magnetic fluid extends beyond Magnet 52 in a rounded, or bubble-like Portion 49. Because of the magnetic characteristics of the magnetic fluid and the magnetic field of Magnet 52 the ferromagnetic fluid is retained in Aperture 46 and maintains the configuration resulting in the Protrusion 49 extending beyond Magnet 52. Displacement of the Protrusion 49 will cause the ferromagnetic fluid to move with respect to Coil 43 thereby generating output signals indicative of the motion of Protrusion 49. Accordingly changes in the position of Element 51 which Protrusion 49 contacts are indicated by signals on Output Leads 47 and 48 of Coil 43.
The inventive embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 can be employed in several applications. For example if the Element 51 is a flexible container, such as a tire or inner tube, and the sensor is fixedly positioned with respect to Element 51, pressure changes within Element 51 can be readily detected because such changes will cause the Element 51 to either expand or contract resulting in the displacement of the ferromagnetic fluid with respect to Coil 43. Alternatively Element 51 can be a rigid element such as a shaft. In this environment rotation of the shaft enables variations in the shaft radius to be detected because of the physical displacement of the ferromagnetic fluid caused by the variations. The sensor can also be used to measure flatness of a flat surface simply by moving the surface past the permanently positioned sensor and noting the changes in the displacement of the ferromagnetic fluid. The embodiment disclosed in FIG. 4 therefore is useful both as a pressure sensor and a displacement sensor.
In all embodiments described herein, temperatures can be eliminated by utilizing two identical devices, one of which does not experience the measured pressure. The outputs from the two devices would be applied to a comparator circuit so that changes in the output of the comparator network would be dependent upon the changes in the pressure rather than any temperature effects. Also, if desired, temperature compensation can be utilized by making use of a material having a temperature dependent permeativity or an expansion volume.
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The invention is directed to the measurement of pressure and pressure differentials utilizing ferromagnetic fluids. The inventive devices include a ferromagnetic fluid physically arranged to be subjected to the pressure being monitored. Changes in the monitored pressure cause physical displacement of the ferromagnetic fluid. The displacements are detected by utilizing the magnetic characteristics of the ferromagnetic fluids to generate useful output signals.
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BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field
[0002] The disclosed apparatuses and article of manufacture relates generally to energy storage devices, and particularly to increasing an energy storage device electrode core operational performance characteristic.
[0003] 2. Related Art
[0004] Energy storage device element design is driven by a variety of parameters, such as for example thermal characteristics and electromagnetic problems (e.g., ESR, inductance). One of the most important elements of an energy storage device for optimal functioning is an electrode core. Key operational performance characteristics for energy storage device (e.g., ultracapacitor battery) electrode cores include, inter alia, thermal control and reduction of inductance effects.
[0005] A need exists to increase thermal performance of energy storage device elements, particularly within the electrode core. Also, design enhancement are needed in the area of thermal gradients within the energy storage device cell and cell-packs (multi-cell modules). Moreover, control of heat flow away from the electrode core is becoming more important, particularly as industry needs, such as for example electric automobiles, drives the commercial sector. Any advancement in the efficiency of thermal performance will increase the utility of an associated energy storage device. As industry usage of energy storage cell modules increases, such as for example in “hybrid” automobiles, the need to control thermal gradients in such modules is fast becoming evident. Also, usage of such cell modules in geographical regions which have relatively high ambient temperatures, would greatly, benefit from better energy storage device design emphasizing thermal considerations.
[0006] Also, a design issue with modern ultracapacitor cells is internal inductance, generated by the circumferential current flow about the “jelly-roll” inside the cell core. Such an inductance creates an undesirable impedance for an ultracapacitor electrode core, ultimately degrading performance, as will be appreciated by those of skill in the art. Any reduction in the amount of internal inductance within the electrode core would improve performance.
[0007] Moreover, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the energy storage device electrode core arts, inductance of ultracapacitor electrode cores causes damage to cell module balancers, due to over-voltage. Therefore, a need exists for a reduction in failure of energy storage device cell modules due to balancer damage,
[0008] Furthermore, modern cell construction techniques for ultracapacitors includes a core involute. The core involute contributes to sharp bend radii of an electrode core (contributing to “hot” spots in the electrode core), and possibly contributes to leakage current. Such hot spots and leakage current further degrade ultracapacitor performance.
[0009] Therefore, a need exists to improve thermal and electromagnetic performance of an energy storage device electrode core, as well as reducing problematic effects of a core involute. The present teachings provide solutions for the aforementioned issues.
SUMMARY
[0010] In one embodiment of the present teachings, a thermal decoupling energy storage electrode core, adapted for use in an energy storage device, is disclosed. The electrode core comprises a first current collector foil element having a first side and a second side, comprising, (i) a first plurality of carbon electrode elements disposed on the first side of the first current collector foil element, (ii) a second plurality of carbon electrode elements disposed on the second side of the first current collector foil element, and (iii) a first plurality of fold zone regions defined between a first plurality of fold zone demarcation regions. The thermally decoupling energy storage electrode core further comprises a separator element, having a front side and a back side, wherein the separator element front side is affixed to the second side of the first current collector foil element. Moreover, the electrode core of the present disclosure further comprises a second current collector foil element having a top side and a bottom side, wherein the second current collector foil element top side is affixed to the separator element back side, the second current collector foil element comprising (i) a third plurality, of carbon electrode elements disposed on the top side of the second current collector foil element, (ii) a fourth plurality of carbon electrode elements disposed on the bottom side of the second current collector foil element, and (iii) a second plurality of fold zone regions defined between a second plurality of fold zone demarcation regions.
[0011] In another embodiment of the present teachings, a heat controlled electrode core, adapted for use in an energy storage device, is disclosed. The heat controlled electrode core comprises a first current collector foil element having a first side and a second side, comprising (i) a first plurality of fold zone regions defined between a first plurality of fold zone demarcation regions. The heat controlled electrode core further comprises a separator element, having a front side and a back side, wherein the separator element front side is affixed to the second side of the first current collector foil element. The heat controlled electrode core further comprises a second current collector foil element having a top side and a bottom side, wherein the second current collector foil element top side is affixed to the separator element back side, the second current collector foil element comprising, (i) a second plurality of fold zone regions defined between a second plurality of fold zone demarcation regions.
[0012] In one embodiment of the present teachings, a thermally decoupling electrode core article of manufacture adapted for use in a hybrid energy storage device is disclosed. The article of manufacture comprises a first current collector foil element having a first side and a second side, comprising, (i) a first plurality of carbon electrode elements disposed on the first side of the first current collector foil element, (ii) a second plurality of carbon electrode elements disposed on the second side of the first current collector foil element and (iii) a first plurality of fold zone regions defined between a first plurality of fold zone demarcation regions. The article of manufacture further comprises a separator element having a front side and a back side wherein the separator element front side is affixed to the second side of the first current collector foil element. The article of manufacture further comprises a second current collector foil element having a top side and a bottom side, wherein the second current collector foil element top side is affixed to the separator element back side, the second current collector foil element comprises (i) a third plurality of carbon electrode elements disposed on the top side of the second current collector foil element, (i) a fourth plurality of carbon electrode elements disposed on the bottom side of the second current collector foil element, and (iii) a second plurality of fold zone regions defined between a second plurality of fold zone demarcation regions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] Embodiments of the disclosed method and apparatus will be more readily understood by reference to the following figures, in which like reference numbers and destination indicate like elements.
[0014] FIG. 1 a illustrates a front plan view of a current collector foil having a plurality of carbon electrode elements and a plurality of fold zone regions defined between a plurality of demarcation regions, according to one embodiment of the present teachings.
[0015] FIG. 1 b illustrates a front plan view of a separator element, according to one embodiment of the present teachings.
[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an electrode core element, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an electrode core, according to one embodiment of the present teachings.
[0018] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a localized region of an electrode core, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Overview
[0019] The present teachings disclose an apparatus and article of manufacture for optimizing energy storage electrode core performance. In some embodiments undesirable inductance is addressed and reduced to enhance electrode core performance. In other embodiments undesirable thermal heat flow within an electrode core is addressed and reduced to enhance electrode core performance,
[0020] Referring flow to FIG. 1 a - b, one illustrative exemplary embodiment of an energy storage electrode 100 is shown. In one embodiment, the energy storage electrode 100 comprises a thermally decoupling energy storage electrode core, comprising a first current collector foil element 102 , a separator element 162 , and a second current collector foil element (not shown). In some embodiments of the present teachings, the second current collector foil element is identical to the first current collector foil element 102 . In one alternate embodiment of the present disclosure, the energy storage electrode 100 comprises a heat controlled electrode core, adapted for use in an energy storage device, comprising a first current collector foil element 102 , a separator element 162 , and a second current collector foil element (not shown). In some embodiments of the present teachings, the second current collector foil element is identical to the first current collector foil element 102 . In one embodiment, the energy storage device is an ultracapacitor, however the present teachings may readily be adapted for use in a lithium ion battery, hybrid energy storage devices, or literally any type of energy storage device which requires an electrode core,
[0021] In one embodiment, the first current collector foil element 102 is composed of, inter alia, aluminium. FIG. 1 a illustrates how electrode material, such as for example carbon, is disposed upon both sides of a double-sided current collector foil. In one embodiments carbon electrode elements 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 , and 118 are disposed along a first side of the first current collector foil element 102 . Also illustrated in FIG. 1 a l is a modulation of electrode width such that the progressively thinner spans of carbon can be folded back upon itself in the final configuration, as will be described further below. The carbon electrode elements 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 and 118 follow a pulse-width-modulation type of pattern, however literally any kind of shape modulation pattern of the carbon electrode elements 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 , and 118 is within the scope of the present teachings, such as for example amplitude and/or phase modulated patterns.
[0022] In one embodiment, a plurality of carbon electrode elements 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 , and 118 are disposed upon both sides of the current collector foil 102 . It will be appreciated that only one side of the double-sided current collector foil 102 is illustrated in FIG. 1 a. Moreover, the plurality of carbon electrode elements 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 , and 118 each have an identical matched pair respectively disposed on another side of the double-sided current collector foil 102 (not shown). In other words, carbon electrode elements are disposed in a modulated pattern on both sides of the double-sided current collector foil 102 in a similar fashion.
[0023] Each of the plurality, of carbon electrode elements 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 , and 118 is bounded by a plurality of fold zone regions defined between a plurality of fold zone demarcation regions 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d, 120 e, 120 f, 120 g, 120 h, and 120 i, as illustrated in FIG. 1 a. In other words, a first fold zone region is defined between fold zone demarcation regions 120 a and 120 b whereas a second fold zone region is defined between fold zone demarcation regions 120 b and 120 c. Additional fold zones are similarly defined.
[0024] FIG. 1 b illustrates a front plan view of a separator element 162 , having a front side and a back side. The separator element 162 has dimensions of length and width approximately identical to the first current collector foil element 102 described above. In the completed assembly of the radii modulated annular electrode core apparatus, the separator 100 is interposed between the first current collector foil element 102 and a second current collector foil element, as will be described further below. The separator 162 functions to prevent the first current collector foil element 102 from electronically shorting to the second current collector foil, while simultaneously allowing ionic current to flow therebetween.
[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates one exemplary embodiment of a perspective view of an annular electrode core element 200 adapted for use in an energy storage device. The annular electrode core element 200 generally comprises a first current collector foil element 204 , a first separator element 206 , a second current collector foil element 208 , and a second separator element 209 .
[0026] In one exemplary embodiment, the annular electrode core element 200 comprises a radii modulated annular electrode core. In this embodiment, the first current collector element 204 of width “W”, the first separator element 206 , the second current collector foil element 208 of width “W”, and the second separator element 209 are layered and folded (collapsed) along the plurality of fold zone demarcation regions 120 a, 120 b, 120 c, 120 d, 120 e, 120 f, 120 g, 120 h, and 120 i as described above with reference to FIG. 1 a. The two current collector foils 204 and 208 are displaced axially such that one foil side “A” overhangs a separator element while the opposite foil side “B” overhangs the separator diametrically opposed to “A”.
[0027] The annular electrode core element 200 , when folded along the fold zone demarcation regions, collapses into a structure having a continuous gradation of fold peaks. The peak amplitude “P”, as shown in FIG. 2 , of the folds is selected so that the outer folds define an outside radius, and a plurality of intermittently disposed inner peaks define an inside radius of a final electrode core assembly, as will be described further below. A length of the outside radius corresponds to a relatively large amplitude fold 214 , whereas the inside radius corresponds to a relatively small amplitude fold, 210 and/or 212 . In one embodiment, the annular core element 200 is adapted for use as a heat controlled electrode core, wherein the relatively small amplitude folds function as thermal via, facilitating heat removal from the electrode core.
[0028] It will be appreciated that the relative amplitude of each fold zone is determined by the width of the plurality of carbon electrode elements 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 , and 118 , as described above with respect to FIG. 1 a. In one exemplary embodiment, the small amplitude fold 212 corresponds to the small width of the carbon electrode element 110 of FIG. 1 a, whereas the large amplitude fold 214 corresponds to the large width of the carbon electrode element 118 of FIG. 1 a.
[0029] When folded (collapsed), the plurality of carbon electrode elements 104 , 106 , 108 , 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 , and 118 are relatively flat in localized regions between the folds, as will be described further below with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4 in embodiments where an energy storage device electrode core is formed into an annular electrode core. Because tight foil radii are restricted to only inner and outer edges of the annular electrode core element 200 heat dissipation is maximized. Moreover the “fan-fold” structure readily lends itself to a hollow cored structure (as will be described further below in greater detail), in which an inner passage is available for heat removal from an energy storage device electrode cell core.
[0030] FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an electrode core 300 , according to one embodiment of the present teachings. In one embodiment the electrode core 300 comprises a plurality of fold peaks 321 , 322 , 323 and 374 , an inner radius (“r a ”) 302 , and an outer radius (“r b ”) 304 . In the illustrative exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3 , an integral number of peaks (“Np”) (e.g., the plurality of fold peaks 321 , 322 , 323 , and 324 ) are oriented about the center of the electrode core 300 , as will be described further below.
[0031] In one embodiment, the annular electrode core element 200 of FIG. 2 is compressed (or wrapped) into a circumferentially oriented “accordion-type” shape, in order to achieve the electrode core 300 of FIG. 3 . In this embodiment, the electrode core 300 is compressed circumferentially so that an integral number of peaks Np is four (i.e., the plurality of fold peaks 321 , 322 , 323 and 324 ). In this configuration of the electrode core 300 , a plurality of densely packed electrode carbon powder patches (not shown) are kept flat along radial lines of a final assembly of the present teachings. Once compressed circumferentially the carbon electrode patches fill the annular region (defined in a region between r a and r b ) without loss of active volume, because the presently disclosed teachings provide a Pulse-Width-Modulation (“PWM”) pattern with a sufficient number of steps N s between r a and r b .
[0032] When assembled, the electrode core 300 permits a different type of conductive pathway for current flow, relative to prior art methods. In prior art solutions, the normal pathway for current flow in an energy storage device has been along a circumferential axis, around the wound electrode core. Such a pathway contributes to inductive impedance (due to such a long current path) and reduces overall performance by increasing equivalent series resistance and reducing overall efficiency of the energy storage device. By contrast, in the present disclosure, a significant advancement in these problems is achieved because a longitudinal conductive pathway, along a longitudinal axis of an energy, storage device, is employed, thereby eliminating the circumferential current path. Therefore, the present disclosure provides a significantly shorter current path, therefore less inductive impedance and greater overall efficiency of the energy storage device, increased longevity, and reducing equivalent series resistance.
[0033] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a localized region of an annular electrode core 400 , according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 highlights how a plurality of carbon patch areas (e.g., 410 and 414 ) accumulate to form pie shaped zones (“thermal vias”) such that an entire volume of an annular ring is filled. In this embodiment, the active portions of the carbon electrodes completely fill an annular region and the carbon electrode deposits are approximately flat. In one embodiment, an amount of carbon particle binder material required is reduced, because a resulting electrode matrix will not be exposed to physical tension, such as is found in current so-called “jelly-roll” configurations for energy storage devices, particularly at the core involute.
[0034] In one embodiment, the annular electrode core 400 is adapted to improve energy storage device cell thermal performance, by eliminating the jelly-roll involute. Additionally, this embodiment facilitates approximately complete parallel plate electrode operation, thereby allowing for use of lower tensile strength matrix binders for the carbon powder used for such devices.
[0035] In some embodiments of the present teachings, a sinusoidal modulation fold pattern is employed for the annular electrode core. To describe these embodiments, each “fold” generally begins at an outer radius r 0 and progressively decreases in radius with each successive fold, until an inner radius r i0 is reached, as will now be described in greater detail. In one embodiment, r 0 is equal to r b and r i0 is equal to r a as described above with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4 . Calculation of the relative radical length changes for each successive fold will now be disclosed.
[0036] In order to determine a relative radial length for each successive fold in an annular core electrode, the famous “golden ratio” is employed. The golden ratio expresses the relationship that the sum of two quantities is to the larger quantity as the larger is to the smaller. The golden ratio is an irrational number as expressed in EQUATION 1. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the golden ratio is used as a starting point for initial sizing for the radii amplitudes peak-to-peak, as will now be described.
[0000]
EQUATION
1
:
Ψ
=
5
-
1
2
[0037] Ψ=0.618
[0038] Also, note that using the golden ratio as a starting point that:
[0000]
EQUATION
2
:
Ψ
r
=
(
1
Ψ
-
1
)
;
Ψ
r
=
0.618
[0039] Define a number of folds “N” over a half period of radii modulation pattern:
[0040] N=20; K=1 . . . N
[0041] Now, in one embodiment:
[0042] r 0 =30 mm; initial outer radius for the annular package;
[0043] Then let the maximum excursion of r i (θ)−0.85 r 0 which results in:
[0000]
EQUATION
3
:
r
i
0
=
(
1
-
Ψ
)
·
r
0
2
;
r
i
0
=
5.729
mm
,
[0000] inner radius starting point on magnitude
[0000] r pp =0.85 r 0 =r i0 ; r pp =19.771 mm peak-to-peak variation
[0044] In one embodiment a modulated radii composite function is calculated according to EQUATION 4, and the relative radial lengths are shown in GRAPH 1, as shown below.
[0000]
EQUATION
4
:
r
i
(
k
)
=
r
pp
2
·
sin
(
2
k
·
π
N
)
+
r
i
0
+
r
pp
2
mm
[0000]
[0045] The actual fold pattern lengths are then r i0 −r i (k).
[0046] Now calculating the actual fold lengths (such as for example to calculate the active carbon electrode sectional area) would be the function (r 0 −r i (k)) which is plotted below in GRAPH 2.
[0000] In one embodiment, an integral number of “circles” around the annular volume is calculated, such as for example in a 3N pattern the final pattern is shown by GRAPH 3:
[0047] In this embodiment, N=60, for three full cycles, each of the same number of folds per cycle as above.
[0048] The presently disclosed energy storage device electrode core embodiments are a significant progression on modern design techniques. The present teachings eliminate the need for a core involute and leave the electrode core hollow for other uses, such as for example evacuation of heat from a cell (such as for example using liquid, air, etc. . . . ) Also, because foil edges of the electrode are, in some embodiments, only present at the inner and outer radii, means that thermal conduction is enhanced (i.e., no carbon layer intervenes), and heat removal is faster and more efficient. Such thermal benefits of the present teachings contribute to increased energy storage device cell longevity and overall performance because the cell has more efficient operation, hence less heat generated, more rapid beat removal (hence more efficient cooling), and the cell can operate at higher temperatures without failure.
[0049] In one embodiment, heat is routed directly to one or more endcaps of an energy storage device. Such routing facilitates cooling and eliminates and/or reduces thermal gradients inside the energy storage device. Therefore individual energy cells, and/or cell modules, are capable of being pushed to higher thermal limits than previously proposed solutions.
[0050] Moreover, substantial reduction in equivalent series resistance is achieved by the present disclosure, over prior art solutions, because current flows along a longitudinal axis of an energy storage device electrode core, thereby eliminating the previous circumferential current path about the electrode core. The equivalent series resistance is reduced, because inductive impedance is reduced, due to the shortened conductive pathway along which the current must travel within the electrode core.
Conclusion
[0051] The foregoing description illustrates exemplary implementations, and novel features, of aspects of an apparatus and article of manufacture for effectively providing an energy storage electrode core. Given the wide scope of potential applications, and the flexibility inherent in electro-mechanical design, it is impractical to list all alternative implementations of the method and apparatus. Therefore, the scope of the presented disclosure should be determined only by reference to the appended claims, and is not limited by features illustrated or described herein except insofar as such limitation is recited in an appended claim.
[0052] While the above description has pointed out novel features of the present teachings as applied to various embodiments, the skilled person will understand that various omissions substitutions, permutations, and changes in the form and details of the methods and apparatus illustrated may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. These and other variations constitute embodiments of the described methods and apparatus.
[0053] Each practical and novel combination of the elements and alternatives described hereinabove, and each practical combination of equivalents to such elements, is contemplated as an embodiments of the present disclosure. Because many more element combinations are contemplated as embodiments of the disclosure than can reasonably be explicitly enumerated herein, the scope of the disclosure is properly defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All variations coming within the meaning and range of equivalency of the various claim elements are embraced within the scope of the corresponding claim. Each claim set forth below is intended to encompass any system or method that differs only insubstantially from the literal language of such claim, as long as such apparatus or method is not, in fact, an embodiment of the prior art. To this end, each described element in each claim should be construed as broadly as possible, and moreover should be understood to encompass any equivalent to such element insofar as possible without also encompassing the prior art.
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An electrode core apparatus and article of manufacture adapted for use in an energy storage device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a thermally decoupling electrode core apparatus is disclosed. In another embodiment, a heat controlled electrode core is disclosed. In yet another embodiment, a thermally decoupling electrode core article of manufacture is disclosed. The electrode core of the present teachings function to optimize several energy storage device performance parameters simultaneously, such as for example thermal decoupling, reducing, undesirable electromagnetic effects such as current leakage and impedance issues.
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This invention relates to ink jet printing, and more particularly to ink jet printing with an improved ink.
Jet printing systems are well known and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,566,443; 3,060,429; 3,416,153; and 3,596,275; and in an article entitled "INK JET PRINTING" by Fred J. Kamphoefner, pages 584-592of the IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Vol. Ed-19, No. 4, April, 1972. In such systems, a stream of ink droplets is generated from a capillary tube and selectively directed toward a target surface. Most commonly, the droplets are charged and selectively deflected as desired by one or more electric fields. The inks employed must have low viscosities for passage through the capillary tube and ejection orifice, and low resistivity for ease of charging. Generally the viscosity should be below about 5 centipoises at 20° C. and preferably is below about 3 centipoises, and the resistivity is below about 3,000 and preferably is below about 1500 ohm-cm.
As shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,096, suitable viscosities and resistivities for ink jet printing inks have been obtained by employing as solvents lower alcohols, C 1 to C 5 and preferably methanol, water or mixtures thereof. For printing on absorptive surfaces such as porous paper, dye solutions have been used. For printing on nonsorptive or impervious surfaces such as metal, glass, plastic or ceramics, soluble resin binders have been added, principally shellac or novolac. Small amounts of ionizable salts have also been dissolved in the solvent to increase conductivity where necessary.
Since the materials heretofore employed have been soluble in water or alcohol and have been fixed on the target surface merely by drying, they have relatively low resistance to abrasion and to contact with moisture and alcohol. Moreover, adhesion to some surfaces has been deficient. For many applications, for example product dating or batch coding, improved inks are desirable which have greater permanence.
The theory of the type of polymer system employed in the present invention is not new and substances with similar characteristics have been used as floor polishes, removable protective coatings, and as pigmented viscous inks for more conventional printing processes. The special demands of ink jet printing, however, particularly with respect to the resistivity of the ink, imposes further important specifications for a desirable ink composition. For this reason, many of the presently known substances would be unsuitable for ink jet printing.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide improved ink jet printing with inks which are easily formulated, readily applied to a variety of target surfaces, provide good stability in the printing apparatus, and which assure greater permanence and adhesion to target surfaces. It is a further object to employ inks for jet printing which are stable in solution but which rapidly cross-link merely by drying. It is another object of the invention to provide an ink jet printing method utilizing inks of low resistivity for ease of charging.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accomplishing the foregoing and related objects, the improved ink jet printing of the invention employs inks containing as binders polymers which have unesterified free carbonyl groups along their chains; for example, polymers or copolymers of acrylic or lower alkyl acrylic acids. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, these polymers are soluble in basic solutions of alcohol or water containing substantial dissolved dyestuff, and can be rapidly cross-linked with multivalent metal ions such as zinc or the like. In accordance with the related aspect of the invention, where the solubilizing base is volatile, for example ammonia obtained from a source such as ammonium hydroxide, ammonium carbonate, morpholine or the like, the cross-linking ionic bonds are rapidly formed merely on drying. After drying, and removal of base by evaporation, the cross-linked polymer is insoluble in water and alcohol and is resistant to removal by abrasion. In accordance with a further related aspect of the invention, the ink can nevertheless be removed by vigorous application of alkaline solutions, which is an advantage for cleaning the printing apparatus and in applications such as coding and recoding of reusable containers.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a readily ionizable salt may be employed to lower resistivity of the ink, although sufficient conductivity is typically obtained without the use of such a salt.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
According to the present invention, the improved jet printing is obtained employing an ink comprising the ingredients in approximately the proportions by weight shown in Table 1 below.
TABLE 1______________________________________ PreferredIngredient Broad Range Range______________________________________(1) Acrylic polymer 2 - 8% 3 - 5%(2) Soluble dye, % of (1) 10 - 100% 30 - 70%(3) Volatile base, to pH >7.5 >8(4) Multivalent metal ion sufficient to polymerize (1) on drying(5) Ionizing salt 0 - 2% none(6) Drying retardant 0 - 30% 10 - 25%(7) Primary solvent balance balanceViscosity, 20° C. <5 cps <3 cpsResistivity, ohm-cm <3000 <1500______________________________________
The acrylic polymer may be of any of a number of known polymers of acrylic or lower alkyl acrylic which have a plurality of carboxyl groups and which are soluble in basic ammonia water solutions. Such materials are commercially available as RHOPLEX B-336 of the Rohm and Haas Company; BRIGHT PLATE 23 and JONCRYL of S. C. Johnson and Sons, Inc.; and as CARBOSET resins from the B. F. Gooorich Chemical Co. While higher molecular weight materials can be employed, low to moderate molecular weights are preferred to obtain higher polymer content in the low viscosity inks. Any suitable soluble dye can be employed. Basic and acid dyes are suitable with basic dyes being preferred.
The primary solvent is water, a lower alcohol, preferably methanol, or mixtures thereof. Additional higher boiling solvents may be employed as drying retardants, for example alcohols, glycols, glycol ethers, or mixtures thereof having from about 6 to 16 carbon atoms and which are miscible with the primary solvent.
Any suitable volatile base can be employed, preferably a source of ammonia such as ammonium hydroxide, ammonium carbonate, morpholene or the like, or mixtures thereof. A readily ionizable salt, for example potassium thiocyanate or the like, can also be employed to lower resistivity of the ink if necessary. However, such water soluble salts can increase the water sensitivity of the dried inks and are preferably omitted. Normally, sufficient conductivity is obtained in the ink from the ionizing polymer, dyes and volatile bases employed.
Any suitable multivalent metal ion complex stable in basic solution but ionically cross-linking the polymer under lower pH conditions may be employed. A number of such metal ions are known. Zinc which forms a complex with ammonia and readily cross-links the acrylic polymers in the absence of ammonia is preferred. Other usable metals include calcium, cadmium, cobalt, copper, nickel, aluminum, tin and zirconium suitably complexed in basic solution. Complexes thereof are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,849,334 and 2,919,205. Commercial solutions of acrylic polymers are available which include zinc ammonia complexes. Where addition is necessary, a suitable zinc solution may be made by dissolving zinc oxide in ammonia water, for example in the following weight proportions:
Zinc oxide: 7.2
Water: 71.4
Concentrated Ammonium hydroxide: 8.7
Ammonium carbonate: 12.7
Sufficient complex ion solution should be included to polymerize the polymer on drying, for example up to about 15 parts of the above zinc ammonia solution per 100 parts of acrylic polymer.
______________________________________ Preferred Example______________________________________BRIGHT PLATE 23 20.9Soluble dye 1.5Ammonium carbonate, 10% in H.sub.2 O 6.67Methanol 50.0Methyl cellosolve 4.3Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether 16.0______________________________________
The resulting solution was filtered (approximately one micron pore size) and thereafter had a resistivity of 444 ohm cm., a viscosity at 20° C. of 2.45 centipoises, and a pH of 8.8.BRIGHT PLATE 23 is the product of S. C. Johnson & Sons, Inc. and comprises an acrylic polymer, about 16% by weight solids, in a basic water solution of zinc ions and ammonia. The soluble dye is preferably a basic dye, for example Rhodamine B, basic violet 10, C.I. 45170.
In the above example, methyl cellosolve and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether are employed as drying retardants to prevent premature drying in the capillaries or other portions of the jet printing apparatus. Rapid drying on the target is obtained. Still faster drying can be obtained by omitting the retardants if desired. While a mixture of methanol and water is employed as the primary solvent, either may be employed alone if desired. The present invention permits the use of water alone which is an advantage in cost, flammability, and toxicity.
Extended testing of ink jet printing employing the ink of the preferred example has shown long successful printing runs without clogging of the capillaries, with rapid drying, with good extended print quality, and with good adhesion and permanence to a variety of surfaces, including metal and plastic.
The inks of the present invention are believed to be true solutions. However, colloidal solutions may be used if filterable without substantial separation through a filter having a pore size substantially smaller than the printer capillary tube, for example through a filter having a pore size of about one micron. Minor amounts of other compatible ingredients may also be included. For example, minor amounts of other resins compatible with the acrylic polymer may be used as adhesion promoters for particular surfaces. Also, chelating agents such as ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid or the like may be included as scavengers for metal ion impurities to promote stability.
It should be understood that the foregoing description is for the purpose of illustration and that the invention includes all equivalents and modifications within the scope of the appended claims.
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Jet printing is described employing an ink of low viscosity and resistivity having improved resistance to abrasion and solvents after drying. The ink comprises an acrylic polymer, dyestuff, volatile basic compounds, and a complexed multivalent metal ion cross-linking agent dissolved in a solvent vehicle which is predominantly water, a lower alcohol, or mixtures thereof.
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The present invention relates to new pesticide compositions comprising an alkyl formate and isothiocyanic ester, methods of delivering fumigants and methods of pest control using a combination of fumigants.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fumigants are widely used for the disinfestation, and protection against infestation, that is usually required to protect particulate commodities (such as grain) and other stored products (including durable and perishable foodstuffs or cut flower), porous bulk materials (for example, soil or timber) and spaces (either empty buildings or building containing commodities). An ideal fumigant should be toxic to insects, psocids, mites, nematodes, bacteria, fungi and their spores, viruses and moulds and other pest biota. It should be effective in low concentrations. It should ideally have a low absorption by materials in the fumigated region. It should have a low phytotoxicity to commodities. It should have a low mammalian chronic toxicity and leave either no residue or an inert residue. In addition, the ideal fumigant should present no difficulties as far as safe handling is concerned, and it should not adversely affect the commodity or space that is being fumigated.
No fumigant meets all of these “ideal” criteria. The two fumigants most commonly used in the fumigation of grain, other particulate materials, fruit and timer are phosphine and methyl bromide. However use of methyl bromide is due to be phased out in Australia and other developed countries after 2005. Carbon disulphide was recently proposed as an alternative to these fumigants (WO 93/13659) but is no longer registered for use as a fumigant in New South Wales, Australia. As a result, phosphine is expected to become the only registered fumigant available for farm use in Australia.
Phosphine is the preferred fumigant for grain stored and the like because it is effective against grain pest and leaves little residue (which is essentially a harmless phosphate). However, phosphine is spontaneously combustible when its concentration exceeds a relatively low value, and is unable to kill all stages of insects in a short period when used at acceptable concentrations.
Fumigation with phosphine requires a long (>5 days) exposure in sealed bins at temperatures above 15° C. The many existing farm bins are unsealed, and are therefore unsuitable for effective fumigation, as concentrations cannot be maintained for the time required for total insect control. The over-reliance on phosphine and unsealed bins in Australia has resulted in (1) a higher frequency of resistance, (2) dangerous practices, and (3) grain delivered to grain depots containing live insects and un-reacted aluminium phosphide residues.
Alkyl formates such as ethyl formate and methyl formate have a long history of use as fumigants for stored products. Ethyl formate is currently registered as a fumigant for dried fruit in Australia and is now being investigated as an alternative fumigant for grain stored in unsealed farm bins in Australia. Care must be taken when working with alkyl formatea to keep concentrations in the structure to below the flammable level. This is done by controlling the rate of vaporisation to maintain an effective concentration of the alkyl formate for a sufficient time in the structures by avoiding accumulation of liquid alkyl formate at the bottom of the stored grain structure.
Cyanogenic compounds such as hydrogen cyanide and cyanogen chloride, chlorine and arsenical gases have all been used separately with more or less success as fumigating agents, germicides, disinfectants and for the extermination of insects and animals over time.
Cyanogen gas (C 2 N 2 ) has been known as a deadly poison and was recently discovered to be suitable for use as a fumigant (WO 96/01051).
Dichlorvos is a kind of organophosphorus and organochlorine pesticide. Dichlorvos has poor penetration in grains and leaves long-term residues. There are also problems with insects becoming resistant to dichlorvos.
Isothiocyanate esters are generally presented as their crystalline solids. Typically delivery of the isothiocyanate ester fumigants is by sublimation of the solid crystals following from their high vapour pressures. Isothiocyanic esters dissolved in sulphuryl fluoride are also able to be transported. Following evaporation of the sulphuryl fluoride, crystals of the isothiocyanate ester form on the surfaces of structures or commodities. The isothiocyanate ester crystals can then act as a fumigant by sublimation in the usual way.
Other fumigants that have been used against grain pests include acrylonitrile, carbon disulphide, carbon tetrachloride, chloropicrin, ethylene dibromide, ethylene dichloride, ethylene oxide and sulphuryl fluoride.
It will be noted that none of the “conventional” fumigants have ideal fumigant properties and it is phosphine which is set to become the only registered fumigant available for farm use in Australia.
For many years there has been a constant search for new fumigants and there is no doubt that the quest for improved fumigants will continue. There is a particularly urgent requirement for the development of multi-functional grain treatments for on-farm use which should ideally be inexpensive and easy to handle and administer, particularly in unsealed storage containers such as farm bins.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide new fumigant compositions and methods by means of which reliable control of insects, psocids, mites, nematodes, fungi and their spores, bacteria, viruses, moulds and other pest biota is possible as viable alternatives to the conventional fumigants. The present invention further seeks to provide new fumigant compositions comprising a synergistically acting combination of liquids or gases which are stable when applied together and may be stored for lengths of time.
In one broad form, the present invention provides a fumigant composition comprising an alkyl formate and an isothiocyanic ester. That is, the present inventors have surprisingly discovered that alkyl formates and isothiocyanic esters act synergistically.
In another broad form, the present invention provides a method of enhancing the efficacy of isothiocyanic esters comprising the step of combining the isothiocyanic ester with an effective amount of an alkyl formate.
In yet another broad form, the present invention provides a method of enhancing the efficacy of ethyl formate comprising the step of combining the ethyl formate with an effective amount of an isothiocyanic ester.
In another broad form, the present invention provides a method for improving the delivery of isothiocyanic esters comprising dissolving the isothiocyanic ester in an alkyl formate to form a fumigant composition and vapourising or otherwise propelling the composition.
In a further broad form, the present invention provides a method of fumigation, comprising the step of applying an alkyl formate and an isothiocyanic ester in gaseous form or in solution to a commodity and/or structure and/or space.
In a preferred embodiment, the fumigant composition further comprises a diluent, excipient or carrier. The fumigant may be provided in solution or in association with a carrier gas. Preferably the carrier gas is an inert gas and also preferably the carrier gas has a low oxygen concentration. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the carrier gas includes or is applied in an environment containing carbon dioxide.
In a preferred form, the commodity includes grain, seed, meat, fruit, dried fruit, vegetables, timber, plants, cut flowers and soil.
Preferably, the commodity includes a silo or like structure containing bulk grain (such as wheat) or the like, for quarantine disinfestations of imported produce and horticulture, and a room, premises, appliance or the like for dental, medical and/or veterinary application.
The fumigant composition is particularly suitable for use in open farm bins and silos, although it is found to be efficacious in a structure, vessel or container of any shape.
In a preferred embodiment, the fumigant is able to control one or more of a range of biota, including viruses, insects, spiders, mites, nematodes, bacteria, moulds, fungi and their spores.
In an embodiment of the invention the humidity and/or pressure within an environment within which said fumigant composition is applied is adjusted to control the characteristics (such as increased toxicity and/or synergistic effects) of said fumigant compositions.
The alkyl formates for use in the compositions and methods of the invention are preferably ethyl formate and methyl formate. In a more preferred embodiment the alkyl formate is ethyl formate, particularly when food stuffs are required to be fumigated. In the main, reference is made to ethyl formate as the preferred alkyl formate throughout the description which follows. However, it will be understood that methyl formate can be used as well in many of the compositions and methods of the invention.
The isothiocyanic esters for use in the compositions and methods of the invention are preferably lower alkyl, lower alkenyl, phenyl or benzyl isothiocyanate esters which may be optionally substituted. More preferably the isothiocyanic esters are methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, butyl, secbutyl, isobutyl or t-butyl, allyl, methylallyl, benzyl or phenyl. Optional substituents to the alkyl, benzyl or phenyl groups may include halogens including chloro, fluoro, bromo or iodo, methyl or ethyl, methoxy or ethoxy, cyano or nitro. Most preferably the isothiocyanic esters are methyl isothiocyanate and allyl isothiocyanate. In the main, reference is made to methyl isothiocyanate as the preferred isothiocyanate ester throughout the description which follows. However, it will be understood that allyl isothiocyanate and other related isothiocyanates can be used as well in the compositions and methods of the invention. For example, allyl isothiocyanate has better food tolerance and its use is less likely to be an issue in certain applications to foodstuffs.
Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise”, and variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become more fully understood from the following detailed description of preferred but non-limiting embodiments thereof described hereinafter in connection with various examples outlining experimental procedures by the inventors, in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 graphically represents the stability of a formulation of ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate stored at 25° C. for 2 months at intervals of 1 day, 1 month and 2 months. M/Mo is the percentage of the original fumigant present after different periods of storage.
FIG. 2 graphically represents a comparison of the toxicity of ethyl formate alone and ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate to adults of Sitophilus oryzae at 25° C. and 24 hours fumigation for two concentrations of fumigant.
FIG. 3 graphically represents a comparison of the toxicity of ethyl formate alone and ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate to mixed aged cultures (egg, larvae and pupae) of Sitophilus oryzae at 25° C. and 6 hours fumigation for two concentrations of fumigant.
FIG. 4 graphically represents a comparison of the toxicity of ethyl formate alone and ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate to pupae of Sitophilus oryzae at 25° C. at 6 hours fumigation for two concentrations of fumigant.
FIG. 5 graphically represents a comparison of the toxicity of ethyl formate alone and ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate to the pupae stage of Sitophilus oryzae at 25° C. and 24 hours fumigation for two concentrations of fumigant.
FIG. 6 schematically represents a 75.8 L (Ø=24.2 cm and h=165 cm) polyvinyl chloride cylinder containing 52 kg of wheat. Ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate residue concentrations are shown from wheat samples taken at different locations in the cylinder after 7 days fumigation without aeration.
FIG. 7 graphically represents the concentration of ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate in a cylinder of wheat (95% filling ratio) over 7 days of fumigation at room temperature.
FIG. 8 schematically represents a 1.35 m 3 (Ø=100 cm and h=172 cm) metal bin containing 1 tonne of wheat.
FIG. 9 graphically represents the concentration of ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate in a 1 tonne bin of wheat (95% filling ratio) over 7 days of fumigation at room temperature (● is concentration of ethyl formate and ◯ is concentration of MITC).
FIG. 10 schematically represents the application of an ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate composition to grain from a bin during outloading of the grain via an auger into a truck.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Ethyl formate is a naturally occurring substance commonly found in soil, the ocean and vegetation. It is found in a whole variety of plant and animal products, such as fruits and vegetables, beer, wine and spirits, tuna, meat, muscles, cheese and breads. Some grains and cereals such as barley have measurable amounts of ethyl formate present in concentrations of up to 1 mg/kg.
Ethyl formate is a odourless liquid (bp 54° C.) and has a pleasant, aromatic odour. It can be made by reacting ethanol with formic acid, themselves naturally occurring chemicals. On use as a fumigant, ethyl formate is hydrolysed or metabolised back to these naturally occurring chemicals. Formic acid and ethanol can be present in considerable levels in cereal grains in amounts of up to 300 mg/kg or higher.
Humans are constantly exposed to naturally occurring ethyl formate in a wide range of foods and therefore it is not surprising that ethyl formate is considered to have low toxicity to mammals when exposed chronically through the diet. Added to this is the common metabolic pathway in the breakdown of ethyl formate by hydrolysis to formic acid and ethanol which allows for higher occupational exposure limits for ethyl formate as alternatives to phosphine or methyl bromide.
Ethyl formate has been shown to have very rapid action against stored grain insects making it useful for rapid disinfestation of stored products including grain and fruit and vegetable treatment.
Methyl formate may also be used in the compositions and methods of the invention. It is slightly more efficacious as a fumigant than ethyl formate, however use of methyl formate for food and food products is not desirable due to the toxicity of methanol, one of its decomposition products.
Surprisingly, the present inventors have found that compositions of alkyl formate with isothiocyanic esters show markedly improved rates of disinfestation of grain in quicker times and lower concentrations when compared to the toxicity of alkyl formate alone, isothiocyanic esters alone or what might be expected with simple additive mixtures of an alkyl formate and an isothiocyanic ester.
The amount of isothiocyanic ester required to impart an improved effect on the alkyl formate fumigant formulations is relatively small. In a preferred embodiment the ratio of alkyl formate to isothiocyanic ester is up to 40% w/w isothiocyanic ester, more preferably up to 20% w/w, still more preferably up to 10% w/w and most preferably about 5% w/w isothiocyanic ester. Lower concentrations of isothiocyanic ester are preferred to minimise problems associated with isothiocyanic ester toxicity to mammals and residues thereof. Any smaller amounts of isothiocyanic esters can be used provided that it provides a synergistic effect, generally observed to begin at about 0.5% w/w isothiocyanic ester.
The fumigant compositions of the invention are prepared by dissolving the isothiocyanic ester in the alkyl formate. Ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate were found to be stable when formulated and stored at 25° C. for over two months. Similar results are found for combinations of ethyl and methyl formates with the various isothiocyanic esters. This allows for the fumigant compositions to be formulated in bulk and made available for transportation to the site of application. It will also be understood that the individual components can be intimately mixed on site prior to fumigation or applied simultaneously or sequentially to the commodity or structure.
The insect species studied were laboratory strains of the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae present as the egg, larvae, pupae or adult and mixed aged cultures thereof in bulk stores of wheat. At concentrations of 5.9 mg/L, ethyl formate alone was found to be inactive on the adults of Sitophilus oryzae at 25° C. and 24 hours fumigation. In comparison, addition of 5% methyl isothiocyanate resulted in 99% mortality of the adults under the same conditions. Against other concentrations of ethyl formate, the 5% methyl isothiocyanate enriched compositions also showed strong synergistic effects across the spectrum of mixed aged cultures of Sitophilus oryzae.
Residue studies of fumigated wheat over 7 days were found to have negligible quantities of methyl isothiocyanate and ethyl formate residues, the fumigants declining to background levels without aeration.
Fumigation rates and plumule lengths were determined on representative samples taken before and after fumigation. It was found that the ethyl formate/methyl isothiocyanate formulations do not effect either germination (7-day count) or plumule length of barley, wheat and sorghum. Nor did the formulations of the invention effect germination of oats, maize, canola and peas.
The improved effect of alkyl formates and isothiocyanic esters was also evident in formulations mixed with a carrier gas. The carrier gas may be an inert gas and conveniently may have a low oxygen concentration. Carbon dioxide is the preferred carrier gas and it is thought that the carbon dioxide increases the respiration rate of insects and other biota and thus would increase the rate at which the ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate enters the pest respiratory system. The carrier gas has the added advantage of lowering the flash point of the ethyl formate vapour, and is generally found to be non-flammable when the ethyl formate is present in concentrations of up to about 16-19%.
The ethyl formate+isothiocyanic ester formulations of the invention may be presented in liquid carbon dioxide or as a liquid to gaseous carbon dioxide or other such carrier gas as would be known to those skilled in the art. For example, 16.7% by weight of a 95:5 mixture of ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate in 83.3% by weight of carbon dioxide contained in a pressure cylinder can be applied as a gas to the commodity or structure being fumigated (see, for example, the methods in WO03/061384). The carbon dioxide has the added advantage of acting as a solvent/propellant to disperse the chemicals as aerosol particles. Flow through techniques may further assist in the fumigation methods involving carrier gases. Allyl isothiocyanate, methyl isothiocyanate or any other suitable isothiocyanic esters, may be employed in admixture with the ethyl formate.
Typically, the carbon dioxide mixture described above is applied through a spray nozzle and the application rate calculated to meet the commodity or structure being treated. The ethyl formate+isothiocyanic ester formulations can also be added to gaseous carbon dioxide, and allowing the liquid formulation to vaporise and mix with the carbon dioxide prior to or during application. As with all applications protocols, the fumigant formulation may be applied over a period of time, or at intervals to complete the dose or top up previous doses.
Further methods of fumigation include low flow gaseous fumigation, low pressure gaseous fumigation, high pressure gaseous fumigation, spraying of a fumigant in solution and soaking of a commodity in a fumigant and solution. This list is not exhaustive and application of the synergistic formulations of the invention conditions may be altered to best suit the method of fumigation as can be determined by a person skilled in the art. The formulation may be applied as a liquid, gas or vapour dissolved in a carrier gas or through absorbent or absorbent chemical means. As will be understood by persons skilled in the art, fumigation of commodities can be effected by spraying the commodity with a liquid containing the formulation of alternatively, the formulation can be poured onto or into the commodity to cover it or to trickle through it. Probes having small holes may be inserted into grain stores in the application of the fumigants of the invention. Air or any other suitable gas may be bubbled or pushed through the commodity or structure in order to vaporise and/or disperse the fumigant. The contact with the fumigant may be maintained by constant or intermittent application or as a once-off treatment.
The two active components, the alkyl formate and isothiocyanic ester, may be applied as an intimately mixed formulation optionally with a carrier solid, liquid or gas and may be applied simultaneously or sequentially over a short enough interval to achieve the synergistic outcome.
In a highly preferred application, the solid isothiocyanic ester is dissolved in the liquid alkyl formate as a binary active mixture in preparing the formulations of the invention. Without wishing to be limited to theory, it is thought that the partitioning of the isothiocyanic ester in the alkyl formate allows for the vaporisation of the isothiocyanic ester with the alkyl formate. This formulation is thought to provide for a more even distribution of isothiocyanate ester through the structure, space or commodity being fumigated and better absorption gradient across grain than crystalline isothiocyanic esters on their own. This allows for better access to the internal stages of insect or pest biota, particularly Rhyzopertha dominica and Sitophilus oryzae , in commodities such as grain.
Successful application can also be effected by mixing a gas stream containing alkyl formate with a volatised stream of an isothiocyanic ester. In such cases, it is usual to at least preheat the isothiocyanic ester to effect volatilisation of the solid. The streams may be mixed prior to application to the commodity or structure, or applied separately and mixed therein. It is also possible to pass a gaseous stream of ethyl formate over a heated bed of the solid isothiocyanic ester to effect vaporisation and formation of the synergistic fumigant mixtures of the invention. These and other methods of mixing and/or applying the fumigants to achieve the desired outcome as known to those skilled in the art are within the scope of this invention.
At the end of the fumigation, it is usual that the ethyl formate has naturally decomposed by hydrolysis to ethanol and formic acid. Methyl formate decomposes to methanol and formic acid. Likewise, the isothiocyanic ester residues are found to decline to acceptable levels without aeration. Positive steps may also be taken to remove any remaining fumigant by natural aeration or by flushing the commodity with a clean airstream, although this is not usually required.
It will be understood by persons skilled in the relevant art that the amount of fumigant that is provided to the volume being fumigated varies depending on the level of infestation and the types of species present. The amount of fumigant required is then calculated using a combination of fumigant concentration and exposure time. In general a lower concentration requires an increased duration and a higher concentration is suitable for shorter duration.
Ethyl formate is available as Eranol® supplied by Orica. Likewise, methyl formate is also available. Isothiocyanic esters are available from Sigma Aldrich or as components of mustard oils from brassicas.
The formulations of the invention allow for the successful fumigation of commodities at sublethal concentrations of ethyl formate used on its own. In addition or alternatively, the formulations may be found to be effective over shorter periods of application and/or lower application temperatures than that of an isothiocyanic ester in the absence of an alkyl formate.
The improved formulations are found to be some 2-3 times more effective that ethyl formate alone, and some 4-5 times more effective than methyl isothiocyanate alone.
The fumigant formulations of the invention may also advantageously contain additional fumigants provided that they do not react with or are not deleterious to the alkyl formate or isothiocyanic ester.
If different types of insect or pest biota are being controlled, the concentrations preferably relate to the insect or pest which is most difficult to control. Commodities such as seed, grains, fruit or produce may be fumigated together with their containers such as, for example, transport vehicles (ships, railway trucks, lorries), rooms and buildings (churches, museums, mills), storage rooms (grain stores, silos, bunkers or containers) and smaller buckets (drums, pails and the like). The fumigant composition may advantageously be employed in sealed or enveloped confinements, however it is particularly applicable to grain stores in unsealed silos and bins.
It is preferred that the grain or commodity being treated is at 15° C. or greater when using the ethyl formate formulation as a grain fumigant. Field trials have shown that the ethyl formate formulation of the invention exhibits excellent activity as a fumigant in unsealed farm bins compared to ethyl formate used on its own. Unlike phosphine which takes days to kill insects, the ethyl formate formulation of the invention kills insects and biota rapidly in about 20 hours or less. The formulations are convenient to transport and store and are easy to apply. The synergistic formulations of the invention allow for lower concentrations of ethyl formate to be used coupled with greater pest control and mortality rates across a range of species and life stages. The ethyl formate formulation of the invention makes for a suitable fast kill replacement of methyl bromide which is being phased out in developed countries from 2005.
The inventors of the present invention conducted numerous experiments to demonstrate the improved effect of isothiocyanic esters with alkyl formates as fumigant formulations. A number of these non-limiting experiments are detailed in the examples which follow.
EXAMPLES
1. Stability Studies
The stability of ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate as a fumigant formulation stored at 25° C. was assessed for a period of 1 day, 1 month and 2 months. Table 1 below shows the percent of the original fumigant present (M/Mo) after different periods of storage. This is also graphically represented in FIG. 1 . The results show that both ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate when formulated are stable during storage for 2 months.
TABLE 1
Ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate formulation stability (M/Mo)
1 Day
1 Month
2 Months
EtF
100
102
98.5
MITC
100
98
101.5
2. Toxicity Studies
Toxicity studies of ethyl formate alone compared with ethyl formate and ethyl isothiocyanate were conducted on adults of the rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae at 25° C. and 24 hours fumigation. The toxicity studies were conducted at concentrations of 5.9 mg/L and 11.8 mg/L. The results are shown in table 2 below and FIG. 2 .
TABLE 2
Mortality studies of adult S. oryzae with ethyl formate alone and ethyl
formate and methyl isothiocyanate (mortality %)
5.9 mg/L
11.8 mg/L
EtF
0
48
EtF + MITC
99
100
The toxicity studies show that adults of S. oryzae were unaffected by fumigation for 24 hours at 25° C. at a concentration of 5.9 mg/L of ethyl formate. Up addition of 5% methyl isothiocyanate, there was observed a 99% mortality of the S. oryzae adults showing quite remarkable synergism between the ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate. Doubling the fumigant concentration to 11.8 mg/L showed 48% mortality with ethyl formate alone compared to 100% mortality of S. oryzae adults with the ethyl formate/methyl isothiocyanate formulation of the invention.
Table 3 compares the toxicity of ethyl formate alone and ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate to mixed aged cultures (egg, larvae and pupae) of S. oryzae at 25° C. after 6 hours fumigation at two concentrations. These results are graphically represented in FIG. 3 .
TABLE 3
Emerging adult studies to mixed aged cultures of S. oryzae with
ethyl formate alone and ethyl formate + methyl thiocyanate.
Control
EtF
EtF + MITC
67.4 mg/L
100
27
3
101.1 mg/L
100
5
0
The results show that ethyl formate alone at a concentration of 67.4 mg/L acts as a fumigant against mixed aged cultures of S. oryzae limiting the emerging adult population to 27% of that of a control sample. In comparison, the ethyl formate+ethyl thiocyanate fumigant composition of the invention of the same concentration dramatically reduces the emerging adult population to 3% of the control. At a higher concentration of 101.1 mg/L, ethyl formate alone further reduces the emerging adult population to 5% of that of the control. In comparison, the ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate formulation at the height concentration completely stops the mixed aged cultures from reaching adult stage.
Table 4 compares the toxicity of ethyl formate alone and ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate to pupae of S. oryzae at 25° C. after 6 hours fumigation at two concentrations. These results are graphically represented in FIG. 4 .
TABLE 4
Emerging adult studies to the pupae of S. oryzae with ethyl
formate alone and ethyl formate + methyl isothiocyanate
for 6 hours fumigation (emerging adult %)
Control
EtF
EtF + MITC
67.4 mg/L
100
24
1
101.1 mg/L
100
12
0
The results show that ethyl formate alone at a concentration of 67.4 mg/L acts as a fumigant against pupae of S. oryzae limiting the emerging adult population to 24% of that of a control sample. In comparison, the ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate fumigant composition of the invention of the same concentration dramatically reduces the emerging adult population to only 1% of the control. At a higher concentration of 101.1 mg/L, ethyl formate alone further reduces the emerging adult population to 12% of that of the control. In comparison, the ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate formulation at the higher concentration completely stops the pupae from reaching adult stage.
Table 5 compares the toxicity of ethyl formate alone and ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate to pupae of S. oryzae at 25° C. after 24 hours fumigation at two concentrations. These results are graphically represented in FIG. 5 .
TABLE 5
Emerging adult studies to the pupae of S. oryzae with ethyl
formate alone and ethyl fomate + methyl isothiocyanate for
24 hours fumigation (emerging adult %)
Control
EtF
EtF + MITC
34.8 mg/L
100
19
0
67.4 mg/L
100
9
0
The results show that ethyl formate alone at a concentration of 34.8 mg/L acts as a fumigant against pupae of S. oryzae limiting the emerging adult population to 19% of that of a control sample, and limiting to 9% at a concentration of 67.4 mg/L. In comparison, the ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate formulations at both concentrations completely stop the pupae from reaching adult stage.
3. 54 kg Wheat Cylinder Trial
A cylinder of wheat was fumigated with a 95:5 (w:w) ratio of ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate for seven days without aeration. The cylinder was made of polyvinyl chloride having a volume of 75.8 L (Ø=24.2 cm and h=165 cm) and contained 52 kg of wheat and is shown in FIG. 6 . The wheat was dosed with the ethyl formate/methyl isothiocyanate formulation at a rate of 80 g/t and subjected to a low rate of recirculated air (1 gas exchange/hour).
A comparison of the ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate residues in fumigated wheat at different locations of the cylinders is also shown in FIG. 6 . The wheat was fumigated for 7 days without aeration. The ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate fumigants were found to penetrate throughout the cylinder of wheat and even distribution of the fumigants was achieved. After the 7 days fumigation without aeration, the ethyl formate residues were reduced to 37 ppm whilst the ethyl isothiocyanate residues were reduced to 0.06 ppm and lower.
The concentrations of ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate were found to decay rapidly at an exponential rate during the 7 days of fumigation in the cylinder of wheat (95% filling ratio) at room temperature. FIG. 7 plots the drop in concentration of each of the fumigant components over time during the 7 day fumigation experiment.
These studies were extended to the insect species Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha dominica . Bioassay studies showed that all stages of the insect species tested were completely killed.
4. 1 Tonne Bin Trials
A bin of wheat was fumigated with a 95:5 (w:w) ratio of ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate for seven days without aeration. The metal bin had a volume of 1.35 m 3 and contained 1 tonne of wheat. The bin is shown in FIG. 8 . The wheat was dosed with the ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate formulation at a rate of 80 g/t and subjected to a low rate of recirculated air (1 gas exchange/hour) and fumigated for 7 days.
The concentrations of ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate were found to decay rapidly at an exponential rate during the 7 days of fumigation in the cylinder of wheat (95% filling ratio) at room temperature. FIG. 9 plots the drop in concentration of each of the fumigant components over time during the 7 day fumigation experiment.
These studies were extended to the insect species Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha dominica . Bioassay studies showed that all stages of the insect species tested were completely killed.
5. 4 Tonne Outloading Trials
During outloading, wheat was treated/fumigated with a 95:5 (w:w) ratio of ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate at a rate of 160 g/t. The treated wheat was then transferred by auger into a 4 tonne truck tray and then covered and held overnight (see FIG. 10 ).
The concentrations of ethyl formate and methyl isothiocyanate were found to decay rapidly at an exponential rate during overnight of fumigation in the tray of wheat (100% filling ratio) at 20° C. temperature. On the next day, the concentration of each of the fumigant components was found to have dropped down below TLV, and all Tribolium castaneum, Rhyzopertha dominica and Sitophilus oryzae adults were killed.
6. 55 Tonne Silo Field Trials
A silo of wheat was fumigated with a 95:5 (w:w) ratio of either ethyl formate+methyl isothiocyanate or ethyl formate+allyl isothiocyanate without aeration. The capacity of the silo was 55 tonne and contained 50 tonne of grain. The wheat was dosed with the EtF+MITC or EtF+AITC at a rate of 80 g/t and subjected to a low rate of recirculated air (1 gas exchange/hour) and fumigated for 7 days.
It was found that the two fumigant formulations were effective in killing all insect species tested with no effect on germination and seed colour of treated wheat. After 7 days exposure the residues were down to background levels of ethyl formate and methyl or allyl isothiocyanate without aeration. The results are shown in Table 6 below.
TABLE 6
Mortality studies of pest biota with ethyl formate + methyl isothiocyanate
or ethyl formate + allyl isothiocyanate on silo quantities of wheat
Location
Canberra
Canberra
Brisbane
Commodity
Wheat
Wheat
Wheat
Capacity of silo
55 t
55 t
50 t
Quantity of grain
50 t
50 t
50 t
Grain Temperature
20-23° C.
20-23° C.
22-24° C.
Formulations
EtF + MITC
EtF + AITC
EtF + MITC
(95:5, v/w)
(95:5, v/w)
(95:5, v/w)
Dosage
80 g/t of grain
80 g/t of grain
80 g/t of grain
Application
Pour from top of silo
Pour from top of silo
Pour from top of silo
Recirculation
1 air exchange/hr
1 air exchange/hr
1 air exchange/hr
Bioassay results
100% kill insects at all
100% kill insects at
100% kill insects at
stages:
all stages:
all stages:
T. castaneum
T. castaneum
T. castaneum
T. variabile
T. variabile
R. dominica
R. dominica
R. dominica
S. oryzae
S. oryzae
S. oryzae
O. surinamensis
O. surinamensis
Quality of wheat
No effect on
No effect on
No effect on
generation and seed
generation and seed
generation and seed
colour of treated
colour of treated
colour of treated
wheat
wheat
wheat
Residues
7 days exposure
7 days exposure
7 days exposure
reduce to background
reduce to
reduce to
levels of EtF and
background levels of
background levels of
MITC without
EtF and AITC
EtF and MITC
aeration
without aeration
without aeration
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. It is to be understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications. The invention also includes all of the steps, features, compositions and compounds referred to or indicated in this specification individually or collectively, and any and all combinations of any two or more of said steps or features.
The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour.
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New pesticide compositions comprising an alkyl formate and an isothiocyanic ester are described, as are methods of delivering fumigants and methods of pest control using a combination of fumigants.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel blood substitute containing a modified hemoglobin as an oxygen-carrying material.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is known to use a blood substitute containing hemoglobin free from stromal components as an oxygen-carrying material (S. F. Rabiner et al. J. Ex. Med., vol. 126, p 1142 (1967)). On the other hand, it is also known that when the hemoglobin is infused into the circulation, it is rapidly excreted through the kidney and metabolized by other metabolic routes. In order to solve this problem, various proposals have been made, for example, a hemoglobin crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (Japan KOKAI No. 76-63920), a hemoglobin coupled with dextran (Japan KOKAI No. 77-51016), and a hemoglobin combined with hydroxyethyl starch (German patent Offenlegungsschrift No. 2616086). However, in the first case, oxygen is difficult to transfer at tissue, because oxygen affinity of the hemoglobin is too tight. In case of the latter two proposals, high concentration of the hemoglobin often leads to unfavorable results because of its high viscosity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been found that when hemoglobin is combined with a polyalkylene glycol or its derivative (hereinafter referred to as "modified hemoglobin"), the oxygen-carrying ability of the modified hemoglobin is nearly equal to that of the original hemoglobin, and the residence time in the circulation is satisfactorily long.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The polyalkylene glycol and its derivative applicable to the invention include polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, a copolymer of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol, an ether of one of the above-mentioned polyalkylene glycols and an alcohol having a carbon number of 1 to 16, such as monomethyl ether, monocetyl ether and monooleyl ether, an ester of one of the above polyalkylene glycols and a carboxylic acid having a carbon number of 2 to 18, such as monobutyl ester and monostearyl ester, and a dehydrated product of one of the above polyalkylene glycols and an amine having a carbon number of 1 to 18, such as propylamine and stearylamine. The above polyalkylene glycols and their derivatives are hereinafter referred to as "polymer employed in the invention". Molecular weight of the polymer employed in the invention is usually 300˜20,000, preferably 750˜5,000 in terms of elongation of residence time in circulation.
The hemoglobin applicable to the invention includes those of human, cow, swine, sheep, horse, dog, monkey, rabbit, and hen.
The hemoglobin and the polymer employed in the invention may be coupled by any means, and for example, they are directly combined using a condensing agent such as cyanogen bromide, or they are combined using a cross-linking reagent such as cyanuric chloride, 2,2'-dichlorobenzidine, p.p'-difluoro-m,m'-dinitrodiphenylsulfone and 2,4-dichloronitrobenzene. 4 to 120 molecules of the polymer employed in the invention are combined to one hemoglobin molecule.
The modified hemoglobin may be prepared according to the following methods:
(1) Polyethylene glycol is reacted with 2 to 5 times moles, preferably 3 times moles of cyanogen bromide at pH 9-10. Residual cyanogen bromide is removed from the reaction mixture by gel filtration, dialysis, etc., and then the product is reacted with 1/10-1/500 time mole, preferably 1/50-1/100 time mole of hemoglobin at pH 7-9, preferably 7.5-8 in an aqueous solution.
(2) Polyethylene glycol is added to benzene containing excess amount of sodium carbonate, and reacted with 2-5 times moles, preferably 3-4 times mole of cyanuric chloride. The reaction product of polyethylene glycol-4,6-dichloro-S-triazine is then separated, and reacted with 1-1/500 time mole, preferably 1/10-1/100 time mole of hemoglobin in a buffer solution of pH 8-9.5.
The above methods are also applicable to other polymers employed in the invention.
The modified hemoglobin is easily soluble in water, and color of the solution is red. A visible spectrum of the modified hemoglobin consisting of human hemoglobin and polyethylene glycol of which molecular weight is about 4000, is shown in FIG. 1. A 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of the modified hemoglobin consisting of human hemoglobin and methoxy polyethylene glycol of which molecular weight is about 750, is shown in FIG. 2.
The modified hemoglobin is a nontoxic material, and the reason is that the modified hemoglobin is a combined matter of hemoglobin separated from a living body and the polymers employed in the invention which are highly nontoxic. Since oxygen affinity of the modified hemoglobin is nearly equal to or slightly stronger than that of natural hemoglobin, the modified hemoglobin is preferable for carrying oxygen to tissues. Furthermore, the residence time of the modified hemoglobin in the circulation is about 2-4 times longer than that of stroma free hemoglobin itself. As described above, the modified hemoglobin is preferable material for a blood substitute. In particular, it is known that a protein modified by polyethylene glycol loses the antigenicity of the protein (A. Abuchowski et al., J. Biol. Chem., vol. 252, p 3582 (1977)), and accordingly, there is no fear for the modified hemoglobin to act as antigen in the body. The number of polyalkylene glycol attached to hemoglobin described in the Examples was determined as follows: The concentration (Co) of a modified Hemoglobin solution was determined by the cyanomethemoglobin method, and the weights of the modified hemoglobin (Mo) was measured after freeze-drying of v 0 ml of the solution. Thus, the number of polyalkylene glycol (N) is: ##EQU1## where M 1 and M 2 are the molecular weights of polyalkylene glycol and hemoglobin, respectively.
EXAMPLE 1
2.5 Grams (0.003 mole) of polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether of which the mean molecular weight is 750 were dissolved in 40 ml water, and 1 g (0.0095 mole) of cyanogen bromide which was previously dissolved in 5 ml dioxane was added dropwise to the aqueous solution while the solution was chilled in an ice bath. Then, the mixture was stirred for one hour, while the mixture was maintained in the range of pH 9 to 10 using 2 N NaOH. The mixture was adjusted to pH 7.5 using 1 N HCl and concentrated to 20 ml by ultrafiltration using G-05T membrane (made by Bioengineering Co., Ltd.) of which cut-off molecular weight is 500 dalton. The concentrate was diluted with 300 ml of phosphate buffer solution of pH 7.5, and then concentrated to 20 ml by the ultrafiltration again. 20 ml of 10% aqueous solution of human hemoglobin were added to the concentrate while the concentrated solution was stirred and chilled in an ice bath. The reaction mixture was then allowed to stand overnight at 4° C. Subsequently, the reaction mixture was passed through a column where CM-Sephadex gel was packed and pre-equilibrated to pH 6.0. The column was eluted with 0.05 M phosphate buffer solution of pH 6.8 and the fractions of the modified hemoglobin were collected. The fractions were desalted and concentrated by ultrafiltration using A-15T membrane of which cut-off molecular weight is 15000 dalton. The concentrate was filtered through a 0.45μ membrance, and the filtrate contained 3.5 g of a combined material of hemoglobin and polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether as a dried matter. About 10 molecules of polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether were combined with one hemoglobin molecule.
EXAMPLE 2
7.2 Grams (0.01 mole) of polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether of which the mean molecular weight is 750 were dissolved in 500 ml benzene, and 10 g of sodium carbonate were added to the solution. 5.5 Grams (0.03 mole) of cyanuric chloride was added to the solution while it was cooled in an ice bath and vigorously stirred. The reaction mixture was vigorously stirred overnight at room temperature. The precipitate was filtered off, and 1 l of petroleum ether (b.p. 30°-70° C.) was added to the filtrate. Precipitate of 2-O-methoxypolyethylene glycol-4,6-dichloro-S-triazine (activated polyethylene glycol) was separated, and washed sufficiently with petroleum ether. The dry amount of the activated polyethylene glycol was 11.5 g. 0.5 Gram (0.0077 mmol.) of hemoglobin was dissolved in 100 ml of borate buffer solution of pH 9.2, and 1.7 grams (1.8 mmol.) of the dry activated polyethylene glycol were added to the solution while it was cooled in an ice bath. The mixture was stirred for one hour in an ice bath, and ultrafiltration using PM-30 membrane (made by Amicon Co.) was repeated twice, and thereby the remaining hemoglobin and activated polyethylene glycol were removed. The residue contained 2.1 g of the modified hemoglobin as a dried matter. About 50 molecules of polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether were combined with one hemoglobin molecule.
EXAMPLE 3
19 Grams (0.01 mole) of polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether of which the mean molecular weight is 1,900 were activated using 400 ml of benzene, 10 g of sodium carbonate and 5.5 g (0.03 mole) of cyanuric chloride in the same manner as employed in Example 2, and accordingly, 24 g of the activated polyethylene glycol were obtained. 6.4 Grams (3.1 mmol.) of the activated polyethylene glycol so produced were treated with 2 g (0.031 mmol.) of hemoglobin and 200 ml of borate buffer solution of pH 9.2 in the same manner as Example 2, and 5.6 g of the modified hemoglobin were obtained. About 57 molecules of polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether were combined with one hemoglobin molecule.
EXAMPLE 4
50 Grams (0.01 mole) of polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether of which the mean molecular weight is 5,000 were activated using 500 ml of benzene, 10 g of sodium carbonate and 5.5 g (0.03 mole) of cyanuric chloride in the same manner as Example 2, and accordingly, 53 g of the activated polyethylene glycol were obtained. 40 Grams of the activated polyethylene glycol so produced were treated with 20 ml of 10% hemoglobin solution and 450 ml of borate buffer solution of pH 9.2 in the same manner as Example 2, and 14 g of the modified hemoglobin were obtained. About 75 molecules of polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether were combined with one hemoglobin molecule.
EXAMPLE 5
40 Grams (0.002 mole) of polyethylene glycol of which the mean molecular weight is 20,000 were mixed with 1 l of benzene, 10 g of sodium carbonate and 1.1 g (0.006 mole) of cyanuric chloride, and the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature. 1 Liter of petroleum ether was added to the mixture, and precipitate formed was treated according to the same manner as employed in Example 2 to obtain 39 g of activated polyethylene glycol. 10 Grams (0.0005 mole) of the above activated polyethylene glycol were added to the mixture of 20 ml (0.00003 mole) of 10% hemoglobin and 400 ml of borate buffer solution of pH 9.2 which was previously cooled in an ice bath, and then stirred for one hour. The reaction mixture was concentrated by ultrafiltration using XM-100 membrane (made by Amicon Co.) and the modified hemoglobin in the reaction mixture was adsorbed on a column of CM-Sephadex gel which was pre-equilibrated with 0.05 M phosphate buffer solution of pH 6.0. The first fraction of elution using pH 6.3 phosphate buffer solution discarded, and the next fraction using pH 6.8 phosphate buffer solution was collected. The fraction was concentrated by using the XM-100 membrane, and 3 g of the modified hemoglobin were obtained as a dried matter. About 4 molecules of polyethylene glycol were combined with one hemoglobin molecule.
EXAMPLE 6
Using 12.5 g (0.005 mole) of polyethylene glycol monostearyl ester of which the mean molecular weight is 2,500, 400 ml of benzene, 5 g of sodium carbonate and 2.75 g (0.015 mole) of cyanuric chloride, the same treatment as Example 2 was carried out, and accordingly 13.5 g of activated polyethylene glycol were obtained. 10.5 Grams (0.004 mole) of the above activated polyethylene glycol were treated with 25 ml (0.04 mmol.) of 10% hemoglobin solution and 900 ml of borate buffer solution of pH 9.2 in the same manner as Example 2, and 8 g of the modified hemoglobin were obtained. About 52 molecules of polyethylene glycol monostearyl ester were combined with one hemoglobin molecule.
EXAMPLE 7
Using 5 g (0.005 mole) of polyethylene glycol monooleyl ether of which the mean molecular weight is 1,000, 400 ml of benzene, 5 g of sodium carbonate and 2.75 g (0.015 mole) of cyanuric chloride, the same treatment as Example 2 was carried out, and accordingly 6 g of activated polyethylene glycol were obtained. 5.3 Grams (0.002 mole) of the above activated polyethylene glycol were treated with 1.3 g (0.02 mmol.) of bovine hemoglobin (made by Sigma Co.) and 450 ml borate buffer solution of pH 9.2 in the same manner as Example 2, and 4.2 g of the modified hemoglobin were obtained. About 85 molecules of polyethylene glycol monooleyl ether were combined with one hemoglobin molecule.
EXAMPLE 8
12 Grams (0.003 mole) of polypropylene glycol of which the mean molecular weight is 4,000 were dissolved in 120 ml water. Using 0.0095 mole of cyanogen bromide, the solution was treated in the same manner as Example 1, and accordingly a concentrate of ultrafiltration was obtained. Using 2 g of porcine hemoglobin (made by Sigma Co.), the concentrate was treated in the same manner as Example 1, and accordingly 7 g of the modified hemoglobin were obtained. About 15 molecules of polypropylene glycol were combined with one hemoglobin molecule.
EXPERIMENT
The residence time in a blood vessel and oxygem affinity of the modified hemoglobins were measured.
Two rats having an average weight of 350 g were employed as a sample. The rats were injected with 5 ml of 4-6% modified hemoglobin per kg of body weight of rat through a femoral vein, and each 0.5 ml of blood was withdrawn at 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes after the injection. Each blood sample was centrifuged, and the concentration of the modified hemoglobin in the plasma was determined by the cyanomethemoglobin spectral method. The data were plotted on a graph, and the half-life residence time of the injected modified hemoglobin in the plasma was determined from the graph.
TABLE 1______________________________________ Half-life Hemoglobin residence time______________________________________The material The modified hemoglobin 150 minutesof the invention of Example 1 The modified hemoglobin 120 minutes of Example 2 The modified hemoglobin 110 minutes of Example 3 The modified hemoglobin 210 minutes of Example 4Control Natural hemoglobin 50 minutes Polyhemoglobin of 100 minutes Japanese Patent Publication No. 76-63920______________________________________
As to the modified hemoglobin solution (0.1 M NaCl solution, pH 7.40), the oxygen partial pressure at which the hemoglobin is half saturated with oxygen (P 50 -value) was determined by oxygen dissociation curve which was measured by using the apparatus reported by Imai et al (K. Imai, H. Morimoto, M. Kotani, H. Watari, H. Waka and M. Kuroda, Biochem. Biophys. Acta., Volume 200, 189-196 (1970)). The date are shown in Table 2.
TABLE 2______________________________________ Hemoglobin P.sub.50______________________________________The material The modified hemoglobin 13.5 mmHgof the invention of Example 2 The modified hemoglobin 15.0 of Example 3 The modified hemoglobin 19.5 of Example 5Control Natural hemoglobin 15.0 Polyhemoglobin of 9.0 Japanese Patent Publication No. 76-63920 Dextran-Hemoglobin 10.0 of Japanese Patent Publication No. 77-51016______________________________________
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A novel modified hemoglobin was prepared. The hemoglobin is coupled with a polyalkylene glycol or its derivative, and the products are useful as a blood substitute. The oxygen-carrying capacity of this hemoglobin is nearly equal to that of a native hemoglobin, and the residence time in the circulation is satisfactorily long.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to side arm holsters, and is concerned in particular with a quick release device for preventing unwanted withdrawal of the side arms from such holsters.
BACKGROUND DISCUSSION
Military personnel and law enforcement officers frequently carry side arms contained in holsters. The holsters may be fabricated from various materials, including leather, hard plastics, fabrics, etc.
Various devices are employed to secure the side arms against unwanted withdrawal. For example, some devices rely on straps secured by snaps. However, snaps generally function in only one direction, lack durability, are easy to foul, and are difficult to replace when worn or damaged.
Some hard plastic holsters have button activated locks which engage the trigger guard of the side arm. This allows easy access to the grip of the weapon, but requires movement of the trigger finger to actuate the release button. The location of the release button is not adjustable to accommodate different sized hands, and it may also be difficult to operate the release on this style of holster while wearing gloves. Moreover, requiring movements of the trigger finger to deactivate the lock could be dangerous if any such movements continue into the draw action and engage the trigger.
Other devices, such as for example the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,660 employ a rotatable hood. In its locked position, the hood covers the grip of the side arm. In order to withdraw the side arm from the holster, the hood must first be pushed downwardly to bodily translate it to an unlocked condition, followed by forward rotation to clear it from the grip of the side arm. A drawback with this type of mechanism is that it can be unlocked and rotated open by an inadvertent downward and forward impact against the prominently positioned hood/strap, or worse by a frontal assailant grabbing at the side arm with a “raking” motion.
When withdrawing a side arm restrained by this device, the marksman's hand must land on the top of the hood, push it down and forward then reach back to grip the side arm and draw it out of the holster. This two step procedure is suboptimal when the marksman is confronted with an urgent situation. Another, perhaps faster, procedure is to grip the butt of the side arm and place the thumb on a land fashioned into the side of the hood. To draw the side arm, the thumb first pushes the land down to draw the hood downward into the unlocked position, and then the thumb drives the hood forward, rotating it free of the weapon. This draw method is also suboptimal because the palm of the hand is pulled awkwardly away from the grip of the side arm as the thumb is used to drive the hood forward into the disengaged position. Although the hand remains, generally, in closer proximity to the grip of the side arm, the marksman must still shift the palm of the hand back down to re-grip the side arm, compromising the stability of marksman's hand at this critical moment.
Also, this device positions the pivot point of the hood directly beneath the hood. With this arrangement, the leading edge of the hood moves downwardly as it begins its forward rotation from its location in vertical aligmnent with the pivot point. If the side arm is not fully inserted into the holster and is thus in contact with the hood, the side arm must first be pushed further down into the holster to create enough clearance for the hood to start its rotation.
Many known hood retention devices are restricted in application to rigid or semi-rigid holsters. These types of holsters also typically use screw-type clamping devices to establish a fixed amount of frictional retention to stabilize the side arm in the holster when the hood is in the unlocked position. Rigid or semi-rigid holsters are more expensive to produce than those constructed of sewn fabrics and typically are custom contoured to fit only one make/model of a side arm. However, holsters constructed with flexible sewn fabrics do not have the stability to mount easily operated mechanical weapon retention devices.
Generally stated, the objective of the present invention is to provide an improved quick release device for preventing unwarranted withdrawal of a side arm from a holster which avoids or at least significantly mitigates the above described problems associated with known side arm retention devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A quick release device in accordance with the present invention is designed for use with a holster having an opening through which a side arm is inserted into and removed from the holster pocket. The device comprises a generally U-shaped hood having mutually spaced legs spanned by a bridge. The legs are arranged to straddle exterior sides of the holster, with the hood being translatably fixed with respect to and rotatable about a fixed axis. The hood is rotatable between a rearward position at which the bridge overlies the holster opening to prevent withdrawal of the side arm, and a forward position removed from the holster opening to permit withdrawal of the side arm.
At least one plate is fixed with respect to an exterior side of the holster at a location adjacent to one of the hood legs. The plate defines a slot bordered by an edge leading from a locking notch to a stop.
A shaft projects from the one hood legs into the slot. The shaft is shiftable with respect to the one hood leg and within the slot. A spring or the like serves to resiliently urge the shaft into the locking notch when the hood is in its rearward position, with the interengagement of the shaft in the locking notch serving to lock the hood in place.
A thumb actuated mechanism is provided for shifting the shaft out of the locking notch and forwardly along the slot edge to the stop to thereby effect rotation of the hood to its forward position.
Preferably, the shaft comprises the axle of at least one rotatable wheel with the wheel serving as the thumb actuated mechanism.
Advantageously, the fixed axis of rotation is located forwardly of the locking notch, and the slot edge extends from the locking notch to the stop in a direction angularly away from the axis of rotation.
The quick release device of the present invention may further comprise a generally U-shaped saddle having arms straddling and fixed to the exterior sides of the holster, with the legs of the hood being mounted on the saddle arms for rotation about the fixed axis.
Preferably, the one leg of the hood is sandwiched between two plates, with each plate defining one of the slots, and with the slots having aligned edges, locking notches and stops, and with the shaft projecting into both slots.
These and other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a side arm holster with a quick release device in accordance with the present invention showing the hood in its locked rearward position preventing withdrawal of the side arm;
FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the holster;
FIG. 3 is front elevational view of the holster;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged partially broken away side elevation of the quick release device;
FIG. 5A-5C are diagrammatic illustrations showing successive movement of components of the quick release device during movement of the hood from its rearward locked position to its forward position;
FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the holster with the hood in its forward position clearing the way for withdrawal of the hand gun from the holster; and
FIGS. 7 and 8 are enlarged horizontal sectional views taken respectively along lines 7 - 7 and 8 - 8 of FIG. 3 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
With reference to the drawings, a typical soft-sided side arm holster 10 has an open upper end 12 through which a hand gun 14 may be inserted into and removed from the holster pocket. A quick release device 16 in accordance with the present invention comprises saddle 18 extending across the front of the holster, with arms 20 a , 20 b received and fixed in pockets 22 on each side of the holster.
A generally U-shaped hood 24 has mutually spaced legs 24 a , 24 b spanned by a bridge 24 c . The legs 24 a , 24 b are arranged to straddle the holster, and are mounted on the saddle arms 20 a , 20 b by means of screws 26 or the like for rotation about an axis “A”. The hood 24 is thus translatably fixed with respect to and rotatable about axis A between a rearward position (as shown in FIGS. 1-3 ) at which the bridge 24 c overlies the holster opening 12 to prevent withdrawal of the hand gun 14 from the holster, and a forward position (as shown in FIG. 6 ) at which the bridge is removed from the holster opening to permit withdrawal of the hand gun.
At least one and preferably two plates 28 are fixed with respect to the holster at locations adjacent to and sandwiching one of the hood legs 24 a therebetween. The plates 28 are mirror images of each other, and are fixed with respect to each other by one of the screws 26 and by a companion fastener 30 .
As can be best seen in FIG. 7 , a retaining strap 32 is secured at one end by one of the screws 26 and extends around notches 34 in the rear edges of the plates 28 where it is fastened by screws 36 or the like to one of the arms 20 a of the saddle 18 . The plates 28 are thus fixed with respect to the saddle 18 which in turn is fixed with respect to the holster 10 . A companion strap 38 extends from the other arm 20 b of the saddle 18 to the screw 26 providing rotatable support for the other leg 24 b of the hood 24 .
Each plate 28 defines a slot 40 partially bordered by ramp-like edge 40 a leading from a locking notch 40 b to a stop 40 c in a direction angularly away from the rotational axis A. As can be best seen in FIG. 4 , the hood leg 24 a defines a slot 42 extending transversely with respect to the slot edges 40 a in the plates 28 .
As shown by reference to FIGS. 4 and 8 , a shaft 44 extends across slot 42 and projects into the slots 40 of both plates. The shaft 44 preferably serves as the axle of at least one and advantageously two thumb engageable wheels 46 .
A tube 48 is retained within the slot 42 in the hood leg 42 a . The tube contains a pin 50 loaded by a spring 52 . The pin 50 serves to resiliently urge the shaft 44 into the locking notch 40 b when the hood 24 is in its rearward position. The interengagement of the shaft with the locking notch serves to lock the hood in its rearward position.
The releasable locking mechanism of the present invention is positioned with respect to the side of the holster such that when the butt of a hand gun is gripped, the marksman's thumb “T” as shown in FIG. 5A , can readily access and engage the wheels 46 .
Then, as shown in FIG. 5B , the wheels can be pressed against the resilient force of the spring 52 to move the shaft 44 out of the locking notch 40 b . Once out of the locking notch, and as shown in FIG. 5C , the shaft can be moved along the slot edge 40 a to the stop 40 c , with an accompanying rotation of the hood 24 about axis A to its forward position, as shown in FIG. 6 . As this occurs, the wheels 46 rotate in a clockwise direction to allow the thumb T to descend toward an optimal gripping position against the butt of the firearm. Clockwise wheel rotation also allows the thumb to drive the hood 24 forwardly without lifting the marksman's palm from the butt of the firearm.
As can be best seen in FIG. 4 , the rotational axis A of the hood 24 is displaced forwardly of the locking notch 40 b by a distance “d”. As the hood is rotated to its forward position, its bridge 24 c rotates upwardly away from the hand gun, thus avoiding or at least minimizing any contact that would interfere with hood rotation. Additionally, with this spatial arrangement, any attempt to rotate the hood forwardly without first dislodging the shaft 44 from the locking notch 40 b will only result in the shaft being urged more securely in the locking notch.
Also, because the hood is translatably fixed with respect to the rotational axis A in its rearwardly locked position, downward and forward impact either inadvertently by the wearer of the holster or purposely by a frontal assailant will be ineffective in releasing the hood from its securely locked position.
Because the slot edge 40 a extends angularly away from axis A, once the shaft 44 is dislodged from the locking notch 40 b , the resilient force of spring 52 now co-acts with the slot edge to urge the shaft 44 towards the stop 40 c . In effect, this produces a snap action of the hood into its forward position. When securing a hand gun in the holster, the hood 24 need only be rotated back to its locked position. The angular orientation of the slot edge 40 a will serve to gradually compress the spring 52 as the shaft 44 moves along the slot edge until it is eventually snapped into the locking notch 40 b.
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A quick release device for preventing unwarranted withdrawal of a hand gun from a holster, comprising a thumb actuated hood translatably fixed with respect to and rotatable about a fixed axis between a rearward position overlying the holster opening and a forward position removed therefrom.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to racks, and, in particular, to racks which can support string trimmers or other elongated members.
String trimmers are an important tool for the lawn maintenance business. Lawn mowers, trimmers, and other tools are typically carried from one site to another on a trailer. Securing the string trimmers on the trailer has been a problem in the past. The trimmers have tended to slide and roll around on the trailer in transit, which damages the trimmers. Also, if the trimmers are not secured to the trailer, they may be stolen when the trailer is parked. Since professional trimmers are expensive, this is a problem.
In the prior art, other mechanisms have been used to secure the trimmers to the trailer. However, they have been difficult to use and have not been particularly useful.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a rack for receiving an elongated, tubular member, such as a string trimmer, in which a plurality of trimmers can be released from the rack with a simple, one-hand motion.
The present invention provides a rack in which the trimmers are automatically secured on the rack whenever there is no external force on the rack.
The present invention provides a rack which can receive and retain tubular members of varying diameters at the same time.
The present invention provides a rack which grips the tubular members so they do not slide or roll when they are retained on the rack.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a trailer with a preferred embodiment of the rack of the present invention mounted on the trailer;
FIG. 2 is a front view of the rack of FIG. 1, with part of the trailer shown in phantom;
FIG. 3 is the same view as FIG. 2, but showing a string trimmer being removed from the rack;
FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the left upright member of the rack of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the right upright member of the rack of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a broken-away back perspective view of the right upright member of the rack of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a left side sectional view of the right upright member of the rack of FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a top sectional view of the latch mechanism on the right upright of FIG. 5;
FIG. 9 is a top view of the right upright of FIG. 5;
FIG. 10 is the same view as FIG. 7 but with the latching mechanism open and the slide mechanism slid upwardly for inserting or removing something from the rack;
FIG. 11 is a top view of a string trimmer being put onto the rack of FIG. 1;
FIG. 12 is a left side view of the right upright of FIG. 5 with a security bar added;
FIG. 13 is a rear perspective view of the security bar of FIG. 12;
FIG. 14 is a view taken along the section 14--14 of FIG. 12;
FIG. 15 is a view taken along the section 15--15 of FIG. 12; and
FIG. 16 is a view taken along the section 16--16 of FIG. 12.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring first to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown a preferred embodiment of a rack 10, which is mounted on a trailer 12. The trailer 12 includes walls 14, a floor 16, a tongue 18, and wheels 20. The rack 10 is made up of left and right upright members 22, 24, respectively. While the left and right upright members 22, 24 as shown here are separate members, they could instead be part of a single, connected unit. The left and right upright members 22, 24 are preferably mounted to the trailer 12 by standing the uprights 22, 24 on the floor 16 of the trailer 12 and bolting them to one of the walls 14 of the trailer 12 by means of bolts extending through holes 26. Each upright 22, 24 is bolted to the trailer 12 in at least two places, so the rack is solidly mounted on the trailer 12.
Now, looking at all the figures to see the details of the rack, the left upright member 22 (shown in detail in FIG. 4) has three first support hooks 28 mounted on its front face 30. Straight out from the front face 30 is the forward direction. The first support hooks 28 extend at an angle alpha of approximately 45 degrees to the forward direction, as shown in FIG. 11. Each of the first support hooks 28 is substantially U-shaped and defines a top opening 32 for receiving the shaft of a string trimmer. Adjacent each of the first support hooks 28 is a retaining member 34. Each retaining member 34 is preferably welded to the side of the left upright 22 and projects forward from the front of the left upright 22 at a height near the top of its respective first support hook 28. The entire left upright member 22 is stationary relative to the trailer when it is mounted on the trailer.
The right upright member 24 has a sliding latch member 36 mounted on it so as to slide up and down relative to the right upright member 24. The right upright member 24 has three second support hooks 38 mounted on it at the same heights as the corresponding three first support hooks 28 of the left upright member 22. These second support hooks 38 project forward from the right upright 24 and each hook 38 defines a top opening 40 for receiving the handle of a string trimmer 33.
On the sliding latch member 36 are mounted three second retaining members 42. When the sliding latch 36 is down, these second retaining members 42 close off the top opening 40 of their respective second support hooks 38 so that, if the handle of a string trimmer is in a second support hook 38, it cannot be lifted up to be removed.
Both of the upright members 22, 24 are preferably made of flat steel or some other rigid material. The sliding latch 36 is also preferably made of angle iron and wraps around the outside of the right upright member 24.
The manner in which the sliding latch 36 is mounted on the right upright member 24 is shown in FIGS. 5-10. Each of the pieces of angle iron has an L-shaped cross-section, with a front face and a side face. The sliding latch 36 is mounted to both the front and side faces 44, 46 of the right upright member 24. As shown in FIG. 6, there are two vertical slots 48, 50 in the front face 44 of the right upright member, and there is one vertical slot 52 in the side face 46 of the right upright member. The lengths of the vertical slots 48 and 52 are equal, because they both represent the length of travel of the sliding latch member 36 relative to the right upright 24. The shorter slot 50 in the front face 44 receives the latch pin 54, which retains the sliding latch member 36 in the closed position.
The sliding latch member 36 has rivets 56, 58 which extend through their respective slots 48, 52. The rivets 56, 58 have heads 60 which are wider than the slots 48, 52 in order to retain the sliding latch member 36 on the right upright 24. The rivets 56, 58 are positioned so that they bottom out and top out in their respective slots at the same time. There is a spring 62 which is mounted at its upper end to the rivet 56 and at its lower end to the right upright member 24. In order to open the latch, the sliding latch member 36 must be lifted up against gravity and against the force of the spring 62, and, when the sliding latch member 36 is released, the spring and gravity cause the sliding latch 36 to slide downwardly to close the latch.
The latch pin 54 is mounted on the sliding latch member 36 opposite a hole 64 in the front face of the sliding latch member 36. A spring 66 urges the latch pin 54 to extend through the hole 64. When the sliding latch member 36 is down, in the closed position, the latch pin 54 extends through both the hole 64 in the sliding latch member 36 and through the short slot 50 in the front face of the right elongated member 24, so as to latch the sliding latch member in the closed position.
In order to open the sliding latch member, a person need only pull on the round head or handle 68 of the latch pin 54, pulling against the spring 66 until the latch pin is pulled out of the slot 50, then lifting on the round head 68 to lift the sliding latch member upwardly, so the second retaining members 42 move upwardly, away from their respective second support hooks 38. Then, with the other hand, the person can lift the right end of a string trimmer out of its second support hook 38, pivot the trimmer to an angle of about 45 degrees, as shown in FIG. 11, and then lift the left end of the trimmer out of the first support hook 28. As soon as the round head 68 of the latch pin 54 is released, the latch will close, locking any remaining trimmers in place on the rack.
Inserting a trimmer on the rack is simply the reverse of the removal described above. To insert a trimmer on the rack, the left end of the trimmer is inserted vertically into one of the first support hooks 28 on the left upright 22, with the shaft of the trimmer at an angle of about 45 degrees from its normal resting position on the rack. This angle enables the shaft of the trimmer to get by the respective first retaining member 34 in order to enter the top opening of the first support hook 28. Then, the right end of the trimmer is pivoted toward the right upright 24, the latch 36 is slid upwardly, the trimmer is inserted into the respective second support hook 38, the latch is released, and the latch automatically closes, retaining the trimmer on the rack.
While the drawings show only a single string trimmer on the rack 10, it is clear that this rack is made to hold three string trimmers, and it could readily be modified to hold a different number of trimmers by adding or removing support hooks and retaining members. Each of the support hooks 28, 38, and each of the retaining members 34, 42 has a clear plastic tubing slipped over it. This plastic tubing cushions the shaft and handle of the string trimmer to prevent the trimmer from sliding relative to the hooks. It also provides some "give", to enable the rack to securely hold trimmers of different shaft sizes.
In order to secure the string trimmers against theft, there are two ways of locking the sliding lock 36 in the closed position. First, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, aligned holes 70 are located in the sliding latch member 36 and in the right upright 24. The hole 70 in the right upright 24 is slightly elongated, in order to accommodate different handle sizes. A padlock 72 can be inserted through the aligned holes 70 to lock the sliding latch member 36 in the closed position. In this way, the three (or more) string trimmers mounted on the rack 10 can all be secured with a single lock.
A second mechanism for locking the rack 10 is shown in FIGS. 12-16, in which a security bar 74 is added to the right upright 24. The security bar 74 includes a hollow rectangular top portion 76, which surrounds the top of the right upright 24 and sliding latch 36, contacting the top of the uppermost second retaining member 42. It includes a bottom portion 78, which has a slot 80 that enables the bottom portion 78 to wrap around the front face 44 of the right upright 24. The bottom portion has a hole 82 which is aligned with a hole 84 in the right upright 24, and these two aligned holes receive a padlock 86. The security bar 74 also includes an elongated portion 88 which connects together the top portion 76 and the bottom portion 78. When the security bar 74 is installed on the right upright member 24, the elongated portion 88 lies directly in front of the head 68 of the latch pin 54, preventing the latch pin 54 from being pulled out to open the latch.
When the security bar 74 is in place, it prevents the sliding latch member 36 from being lifted up in two ways. First, it prevents the latch pin 54 from moving forward far enough to release the sliding latch 36. Second, the top portion 76 of the security bar 74 presses down on the uppermost second retaining member 42, so that, even if the latch were released, the sliding latch member 36 could not be slid upwardly to open the latch. In addition to that, the space between the elongated member 88 and the right upright 24 is too small for either end of the string trimmer to fit through, so that, even if the latch were released, the string trimmer still could not be removed from the rack. The padlock 86, being surrounded by portions of the security bar 74, would be very difficult to reach with a hacksaw or bolt cutters.
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the embodiment described above without departing from the present invention.
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A rack includes a sliding latch member, which operates with one hand and which opens and closes several positions on the rack. The rack holds tubular members such as string trimmers and includes first and second uprights, each of which includes hooks and retaining members for retaining the tubular members on the hooks.
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TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a Terminal Adapter for a telecommunication network having a multiple channel HDLC communication receiver and particularly to a Terminal adapter for processing control network managment frames.
PRIOR ART
Telecommunication networks are widely spreading out, thus allowing the connection of, and the communication between, numerous equipments. The development of new applications, as well as an increasing need in communication, has entailed the necessity for telecommunication products suppliers to design products allowing higher performance in terms of Control Network Management (CNM) and in terms of number of individual accesses to the network.
Generally the control network management is performed by means of special CNM frames of data which are transmitted through the telecommunication network, and particularly through the data channels. These special CNM frames have a specific format in order to allow the distinguishing of the CNM control commands intended for the telecommunication equipments from the usual data. For synchronous protocol, such as High Data Link Control (HDLC) or Serial Data Link control (SDLC) protocols, specific HDLC and SDLC frames, herein referred to as HDLC frames with defined headers, can be used in order to provide CNM functions.
However, the advancement of new telecommunication needs continuously results in the connection of new telecommunication products to the network and the management of an everhigher number of accesses. For instance, with respect to the concept of Integrated Services Digital Networks (I.S.D.N.) resulting from the on-going process of digitization of telephone networks, the customer will be allowed to access large public telecommunication services. FIG. 1 shows the general architecture of an I.S.D.N telecommunication network such as defined by the CCITT (cf CCITT Tome II fascicule III.5). The terminating equipment is connected to a Terminal Adapter (TA) consisting of a basic 2B+D interface and a base logic controlled by a microprocessor being capable of handling data on the three channels : B1, B2 at 64 Kbps and D channel at 16 kBps.
The I.S.D.N. network particularly allows the possibility of the use of several communication channels between two Terminal Adapters (TA) connected to the network. A basic access port offers up to three data channels (2B+D) and a primary access port offers up to 30 "B" channels and one "D" channel. The providing of CNM functions on every data communication channel entails the multiplication of elementary SDLC receivers, each one providing the CNM function for a determined channel. Such a multiplication inevitably results in a correlative multiplication of the electronic components, thus increasing the manufacturing costs.
Therefore, a need has appeared for a Terminal Adapter allowing the connection of several communication channels while providing CNM functions for each. More precisely, a need has appeared in an apparatus designed to be connected to several HDLC communication channels which includes a HDLC receiver that can be shared between all the existing communication channels.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved Terminal Adapter for a telecommunication network having a multiple HDLC receiver that can be shared between numerous HDLC communication channels.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved Terminal Adapter having a multiple HDLC receiver for allowing the detection of specific Control Network Frames.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objects of the invention are achieved by means of the terminal adapter of the invention which has a multiple HDLC communication channel receiver including a BCC calculator for computing and checking the validity of a received HDLC CNM frame. The Terminal adapter further includes means for detecting the reception of a specific CNM header included in a CNM frame on one HDLC communication channel and also includes means responsive to said detection for initializing the BCC calculator to a determined state. The latter state corresponds to the state of the BCC calculator after having computed the above specific header, whereby the BCC calculator can complete the computation of the whole CNM frame including either the specific header and the CNM control command.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows the general architecture of telecommunication network such as defined by the CCITT.
FIG. 2 is a view detailing the relationship between FIG. 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d.
FIG. 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d are partial views of the preferred embodiment of the HDLC receiver according to the invention.
FIG. 4 is a detailed view of the "Channel Selector" circuit 360 of the invention.
FIG. 5 is a shematic view of "Flag and Zero delete" decoder 430 and "Shift clock generator" circuit 440.
FIG. 6 illustrates the "Synchro & byte clock generator" circuit 450.
FIG. 7 is a detailed view of Deserializer circuit 420.
FIG. 8 is a view of "BCC calculator" circuit 460.
FIG. 9 illustrates timings relating to the output signals of the ISDN interface controller 250.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows the general architecture of an I.S.D.N telecommunication network such as defined by the CCITT.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing how to assemble the FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d in order to provide an extensive view of the preferred embodiment of the invention. With respect to FIG. 3c, the apparatus according to the invention includes a processor 210, such as one of the 80186 Intel series, which communicates by means of a time multiplexed address and data bus 217. Time multiplexed address and data bus 217 is connected to a a multiplexor/demultiplexor 310 (FIG. 3D) providing the conventional address and data busses 302 and 303. The timing for the processing is given by a Address Latch Enable (ALE) signal 216 transmitted to multiplexor/demultiplexor 310 in order to perform the demultiplexing of bus 217 in the two separate data bus 302 and address bus 303. The apparatus according to the invention further includes memory storage elements and particularly a Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) 230 and a Random Access Memory (RAM) 220 such as shown in FIG. 3a, both elements being respectively address able by means of a UCS chip select signal on a lead 212 and a LCS chip select signal on a lead 211. The latter memory storage elements are also addressable by address bus 302 and data bus 303 carrying an address and a data value, both being generated by the above mentioned multiplexing/demultiplexing block 310. A READ 213 signal and a WRITE 214 signal for controlling the storage memory elements are generated by processor 210.
With respect to FIG. 3a, the apparatus also includes an I.S.D.N. Interface Controller 250, of the type 29C53 marketed by INTEL CORPORATION for instance, which allows the extraction of data information received from a receive pair 254 in order to generate data in a converted form on a Serial Link Data (SLD) lead 251, according to the specifications of the INTEL Microcommunication Handbook. SLD lead 251 being bidirection al, I.S.D.N. Interface Controller 250 also extracts data received from SLD lead 251 in order to transmit it over a transmit pair 255. In addition to SLD signal, ISDN inter face controller 250 controls a Serial Clock (SCL) lead 252 and a Serial DIRection (SDIR) lead 253 connected to a Serial Link Interface 320, shown in FIG. 3b. With respect to FIG. 3a again, an I.S.D.N. connector 260 allows the connection of the apparatus to the I.S.D.N. network. The electric isolation between pairs 254 and 255 and the telecommunication network is provided by a pair of (not shown) transformers. I.S.D.N. Interface Controller 250 is controlled by microprocessor 210 by means of READ signal on lead 213, WRITE signal on lead 214, ALE signal 216 and a PCS0 signal on a lead 215 generated by processor 210. I.S.D.N. Interface controller 250 is also connected to data bus 302. I.S.D.N. Interface controller 250 is connected to processor 210 by means of an interrupt lead 256. With respect to FIG. 3b, a register bank 380 controls Serial Link Interface 320 by means of a "B1/B2 XMIT" signal on a lead 386, a "CNM Channel 1 Decoder" 350 by means of a "56/64 B1 SEL" signal on a lead 385, a CNM Channel 2 Decoder 340 by means of a "56/64 B2 SEL" signal on a lead 384 and a Data and Clock Selector 410 by means of control leads 384 and 385.
Register bank 380 is also connected to a Channel Selector 360 by a "RESET SEL" lead 387 and controls a Deserializer 420 (shown in FIG. 3d) included into HDLC receiver block 400 by means of a "DATA SEL" signal on a lead 383. Register bank 380 further controls a "SYNCHRO AND BYTE CLOCK" generator 450 by means of a "CNM" mode signal on a lead 393. Register bank 380 further controls Interrupt Controller 370 by means of a first "RESET FLAG" signal on a lead 388, by means of a second "RESET BCC" signal on a lead 389 and a third "RESET LOAD" signal on a lead 390. Block 400 also includes a BCC Calculator 460 controlled by a 16 bits "LOAD VALUE" word carried on a bus 394. At last, bank register 380 controls a HDLC Xmitter 330 by means of the following signals: a "ZERO INSERT" signal on a lead 391, a "SEND BCC" signal on a lead 392, "WRITE XMIT" signal on a lead 381 and a eight bits "XMIT DATA" word on a bus 382.
HDLC TRANSMITTER 330 performs the generation of HDLC frames. Data comes from microprocessor 210 thru mux/demux 310 and register bank 380 using write signal 214, chip selection PCSl 218 and corresponding address for the determined register on bus 303. The control of HDLC transmitter 330 is performed by means of "ZERO INSERT" signal on lead 391, "SEND BCC" signal on lead 392 and "WRITE XMIT" signal on lead 381. HDLC TRANSMITTER 330 has a first output lead 332 carrying the serial data transmitted to Serial Link Interface circuit 320 and a second output lead 331 carrying a transmit request signal on a lead 331 which is transmitted to interrupt controller 370.
SERIAL LINK INTERFACE 320 generates a first "ENV B1" signal on a lead 321 which is transmitted to a "CNM CHANNEL 1 DECODER" 350 and "DATA AND CLOCK SELECTOR" 410.
SERIAL LINK INTERFACE 320 generates a second "ENV B2" signal on a lead 322 which is transmitted to a "CNM CHANNEL 2 DECODER" 340 and "DATA AND CLOCK SELECTOR" 410. Serial link interface 320 is also able to force data coming from the HDLC TRANSMITTER 330 from a "XMIT DATA" lead 332 into the B1 or the B2 channel . The selection of B channel is achieved by means of the set of the signals on leads 321 and 322. Both signals correspond to the envelope of the data bits received on respectively B1 and B2 channels. FIG. 9 illustrates the time diagrams of 321 and 322 signals.
The two CNM channel decoders, i.e. "CNM CHANNEL 1" decoder 350 and "CNM CHANNEL 2" decoder 340, allow the detection of specific headers in the received frames in order to extract special CNM control data. As soon as the latter header is detected on one B channel, B1 channel for instance, a "HEADER 1 DETECT" signal on a lead 351 is transmitted to a channel selector module 360 as shown in FIG. 3b. Similarly, "CNM CHANNEL 2" decoder 340 generates a "HEADER 2 DECTECTED" signal on a lead 341 at the detection of the CNM header on the B2 channel. It should be noticed that the set of FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d particularly illustrates the case of two channels, but the man skilled in the art will straightforwardly extend the description to a n-channel apparatus.
With respect to FIG. 3b and FIG. 9, the capability of sampling only seven bits out of eight in the B1 or B2 channel slot given by "ENV B1" signal on lead 321 or "ENV B2" signal on lead 322, is offered thanks to the programmable values on "56/64 B1 SEL" lead 385 and "56/64 B2 SEL" load 384 from REGISTER BANK 380. This capability is given due to the existence of 56 kbps restrictive speed of transmission over B channels provided in some I.S.D.N. Networks.
In response to a header detection signal transmitted by one of the two leads 341 and 351, CHANNEL SELECTOR 360 performs the selection of the channel which will be connected to the DATA and CLOCK SELECTOR 410 through "B1/B2 SEL" signal on a lead 361. A "LOAD HDLC" signal on lead 362 is also generated in order to preset HDLC RECEIVER block 400 so that it will be able to handle a HDLC CNM frame, the beginning of which, i.e. a specific CNM header as will be detailed hereinafter, has not been taken into account. The signal on lead 362 is also used to generate an interrupt to processor 210 thru Interrupt Controller circuit 370. In order to avoid loss of time, the clocking is driven by a a fast "SYSCLOCK" clock 219. When the frame has been totally received, processor 210 controls register bank 380 by means of busses 302 303 and control signals 214 and 216 in order to generate a "RESET SEL" signal on a lead 387. This will result in a reset of channel selector 360.
With respect to FIG. 3b again, DATA AND CLOCK SELECTOR 410 selects the data from B1 or B2 channel on the SLD lead 251 by means of the existing envelope "ENV B1" signal on lead 321 and envelope "ENV B2" signal on lead 322, as well as by means of "56/64 B1 SEL" signal 385 and "56/64 B2 SEL" signal 384. The latter signals carry an information representative of the used speed, and are detailed with respect to FIG. 9. "DATA AND CLOCK SELECTOR" 410 particularly uses the Serial Link Interface clock on "SCL" lead 252 coming from I.S.D.N. interface controller 250. The "SCL" clock is a 512 kHz clock. "DATA AND CLOCK SELECTOR" 410 further uses the above mentioned SDIR synchronisation signal on lead 253 which is a 8 kHz clock. "DATA AND CLOCK SELECTOR" 410 includes a 512 kbps/64 kbps converter which converts the sequence of data bursts at 512 kbps into a continuous sequence of data at 56 or 64 kbps on lead 411 according to "56/64 B1 SEL" signal on lead 385 and "56/64 B2 SEL" signal on lead 384. The latter converter also provides an associated 56 or 64 kHz clock signal on a lead 412.
With respect to FIG. 3d, HDLC receiver block 400 includes a deserializer circuit 420, a "Flag and Zero delete" decoder 430, a shift clock generator 440, a "Synchro and byte clock" generator 450 and a "BCC calculator" circuit 460. All of these elements will be described in detail hereinafter.
"FLAG and ZERO DELETE DECODER" circuit 430 provides the signalling of the beginning of the frame, the ending of the latter, and during this interval, the HDLC zero delete function. This is achieved by using the same inputs as for the preceeding block i.e. "SERIAL DATA" signal 411 and CLOCK 12.
"FLAG and ZERO DELETE DECODER" element 430 generates a "ZERO DEL" signal 432 which is sent to a SHIFT CLOCK GENERATOR 440, a FLAG signal 431 used by "SYNCHRO & BYTE GENERATOR" block 450 and "INTERRUPT CONTROLLER" module 370 , an "ENABLE SYNCHRO" signal on a lead 434, a "FRAME SYNC" signal on a lead 433 transmitted to "SYNCHRO & BYTE CLOCK GENERATOR" 450 which function will be explained later.
"SHIFT CLOCK GENERATOR" 440 provides the conversion of the signal on lead 412 into a "SHIFT CLOCK" clock signal on a lead 441, a pulse of which being suppressed whenever a zero delete appears. The clock signal on lead 441 is used by all the functions of the HDLC RECEIVER 400 except the Flag and Zero Delete Decoder 430.
"SYNCHRO and BYTE CLOCK GENERATOR" 450 uses the clock signal existing on lead 412 in order to generate a "BYTE CLOCK" signal 451. As will be described hereinafter, on a normal frame operation the Byte Clock generation is gated by the "flag and zero delete" decoder 430 thru ENABLE SYNCHRO signal on lead 434 and FRAME SYNC signal on lead 433. However, in the case of a partial frame loading , the loading is performed by "LOAD HDLC" signal generated on lead 362. The "Byte clock" signal on lead 451 is used to control DESERIALIZER circuit 420 and is also used to generate an interruptthrough to microprocessor 210 through INTERRUPT CONTROLLER 370 and by means of INTO interrupt lead.
HDLC receiver circuit 400 further includes a BCC CALCULATOR circuit 460 which is, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a 16 bits CCITT V 42 scrambler for HDLC frames. The latter circuit, as will be seen later on, is able to be loaded with different values and at different times according to the nature, being complete or partial, of the frame to be checked. "BCC calculator" circuit is connected to lead 411 carrying the serial data and is clocked by means of the already mentioned SHIFT CLOCK 441. In the case of full frames, FLAG signal on lead 431 generates the loading of latches included into "BCC calculator" circuit 460 in order to perform the checking of the integrity of the frame. In case of CNM frames where the beginning of the frame is missing, "LOAD HDLC" lead 362 is used in order to perform the loading. At the end of the frame, and if the checking is successful, a "VALID BCC" signal appears on a lead 461 and is transmitted to processor 210 by means of INTO lead 371 thru INTERRUPT CONTROLLER circuit 370.
INTERRUPT CONTROLLER 370 performs an OR function of XMIT REQUEST signal on lead 331, "FLAG" signal on lead 431, "LOAD HDLC" signal on lead 362, "VALID BCC" signal on lead 461 and "BYTE CLOCK" signal on lead 451. A status is available on data bus 302 by selection of READ STATUS 395 coming from the REGISTER BANK 380. "BYTE CLOCK" signal on lead 451 and "XMIT REQUEST" signal on lead 331 are pulsed signals so that no reset is required. The state of "FLAG", "VALID BCC" and "LOAD HDLC" signals on leads 431, 461 and 362 is memorized in latches included into interrupt controller 370. The control of register bank 380 by means of processor 210 allows the generating of three reset signals for resetting the latter latches: "RESET FLAG" signal on a lead 388, "RESET BCC" signal on a lead 389 and "RESET LOAD" on a lead 390. Let us assume that a synchronous protocol is used on both B channels. Assuming also that an HDLC frame is transmitted for CNM purpose, the terminal adapter (TA) connected to the telecommunication network has to extract and process the CNM control information. As mentioned above, CNM frame is characterized by a a specific header intended to be recognized by the terminal adapter but not by the Data Terminating Equipment (DTE). The HDLC or SDLC protocol requires a 10 byte specific header in order to distinguish a CNM control information from non CNM control information, i.e. data information transmitted from one DTE to an other DTE. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the CNM frame has the following format: ##STR1##
It should be noticed that the latter frame is an usual HDLC or SDLC frame with no zero insertion on Flag "7E", with zero insertion for the header, data and CRC. According to the HDLC or SDLC protocol, the CRC stands for the checking character used to verify the integrity of the whole frame; the evaluation of the CRC involves a calculation step with a specific polynom of the sequence of data beginning by the byte "H0" and ending by the byte "DN". The CRC processing results in a CRC value consisting of a set of two bytes: C1 and C2.
The apparatus according to the invention first checks the header of every HDLC frame in order to recognize the CNM header by means of "CNM channel 1" 350 or "CNM channel 2" decoders 340. Whenever the latter CNM header is detected, the apparatus performs two distinctive steps: a first step consists in loading the sequence of data D0 . . . DN in RAM element 220 by means of processor 210. The man skilled in the art may also use a mechanism of the type Direct Memory Access (DMA) mechanism in order to load the above sequence of data.
A second step consists in a loading of the latches included into "BCC calculator" element 460 by means of "LOAD VALUE" bus 394. The complete mechanism of this loading will be described hereinafter with respect to the description of FIG. 8. Shortly, "LOAD VALUE" bus 394 carries a 16 bits word which value corresponds to the value that the output of the 16 latches included into "BCC CALCULATOR" 460 would have had if the latter "BCC CALCULATOR" 460, which remains non operating until the detection of the CNM header i.e. the reception of the last byte H9, had started computing at the reception of the first data H0 of the CNM header. The above mentioned value that is carried by "LOAD VALUE" bus 394 in order to set a determined value into the latches included into "BCC CALCULATOR" 460 is given by "Register bank" 380. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the chosen value is 1000001010000000. The latter corresponds to the following CNM header that has been chosen in the preferred embodiment of the invention: FD 1 B 28 80 10 42 08 21 84 10.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the CNM header comes in on a B channel at a speed of 64 kilobits per second. Data are carried on the bidirectional serial link SLD 251 which is clocked by SCL 252, and the way of the communication being determined by means of the information carried by SDIR 253.
These 3 signals are characteristics of the I.S.D.N. serial communication protocol These are transmitted, as shown in FIG. 3b, to SERIAL LINK INTERFACE circuit 320 which includes, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, a counter (not shown) synchronized by SDIR 253 and clocked by SCL 252. The decoding of appropriate statcs of this counter allows the generation of a first B1 envelope signal on lead 321 representative of the presence of data relative to B1 channel on SLD lead 251, and a second B2 envelope signal on lead 322 which is representative of the presence of data relative to B2 channel on SLD lead 251, such as shown in FIG. 9.
The detection of the CNM header on B1 channel (resp. B2 channel) is performed by "CNM channel 1" decoder 330 (resp. "CNM channel 2" decoder 340) including a binary counter. which is incremented when an expected byte included in the CNM header pattern appears, and which is cleared whenever any difference between an expected byte and the actual incoming byte occurs. The clocking is provided by a signal coming from SCL clock signal on lead 252 which is ANDed with the envelope signal on lead 321 (resp. 322). Whenever, the state of the counter corresponds to the length of the expected CNM header, this state is decoded in order to generate the "HEADER 1 DETECTED" signal on lead 351 (resp. "HEADER 2 DETECTED" signal on lead 341).
The output of the latter "CNM channel 1" decoder 330 and "CNM channel 2" decoder 340 is connected to "CHANNEL SELECTOR" circuit 360, the purpose of which being the selection of the B channel into "DATA and CLOCK" selector 410 by means of "B1/B2 sel" signal on lead 361 which will be transmitted to the receiver 400.
"CHANNEL SELECTOR" circuit 360 is particularly described with respect to FIG. 4.
"HEADER 1 DETECTED" signal existing on lead 351 is sampled by means of a D-latch 900 which is clocked by SCL signal on lead 252. Then, the output of the latter D-latch is resampled by means of a D-latch 920 which is clocked by the above mentioned "SYSCLOCK" clock signal existing on lead 219, the latter clock signal being a speed clock of 8 megahertz in the preferred embodiment of the invention. The Q output of latch 920, carrying the result of the double sampling of the signal on lead 351 is connected to the noninverting input of an AND gate 1020, the inverting input of which being connected to the Q output of a D-latch 960. D-latch 960 is clocked by the signal on lead 219 and has its D input connected to a AND gate 950.
Lead 351 is connected to a non inverting input of a AND gate 970 which inverting input is connected to the Q output of latch 900. The output of AND 970, being an up transition at the detection of the header on channel B1, is latched by a D-latch 1000 which is clocked by SCL signal on lead 252 in order to delay the up transition.
Similarly, "HEADER 2 DETECTED" signal on lead 341 is sampled by a D-latch 910 clocked by SCL signal on lead 252. The output of the latter latch is then resampled a D-latch 930 which is clocked by "SYSCLOCK" clock signal on lead 219. The output of latch 930, carrying the result of this double sampling is connected to a first input of a OR gate 940, a second output of which being connected to Q output of latch 960. The output of OR gate 940 is connected to an input of an AND gate 950, a second input of which being connected to "Reset sel" signal on lead 387 and the output of which being connected to the D input of latch 960. The Q output signal of latch 960 is transmitted back to the second input of 0R gate 940 so that a set-reset function is achieved. The output of latch 960 is connected to the inverting input of AND gate 1020. Furthermore, "Header 2 detected" signal on lead 341 is transmitted to a non inverting input of an AND gate 980, the inverting input of which being connected to the Q output of latch 910. The output of AND 980 provides an up transition pulse when a header is detected on channel B2 which is latched by a D-Latch 990 clocked by SCL clock on lead 252 in order to delay this up transition.
The output of latch 920 and the output of latch 960 are respectively connected to a non inverting input and an inverting input of an AND gate 1020. The output of AND 1020 is connected to a first input of an OR gate 1030, a second input of which being connected to the Q output of a D-latch 1050 which is clocked by means of the "SYSCLOCK" signal on lead 219. The D-input of D-latch 1050 is connected to the output lead of an AND gate 1040 having a first input connected to lead 387 and a second input connected to the output of OR gate 1030. The association of OR gate 1030, AND gate 1040 and latch 1050 makes up a set-reset flip-flop. Latch 1050 is thus able to memorize the first header detected. The reset of latch 1050 is provided by a reset signal on "RESET SEL" lead 387. The output of latch 1050 eventually provides the above mentioned "B1/B2 SEL" signal on lead 361. Lead 361 is connected to a control input of a selector 1010 having two inputs connected respectively to Q output of latch 990 and the Q output of latch 1000. Output of latch 1000 is selected, i.e. is connected to the output lead 362 of selector 1010 whenever lead 361 carries a 1. On the reverse case, the output of latch 990 is selected and the value of latch 990 is transmitted to lead 362. The output of selector 1010 carries, on lead 362, the "LOAD HDLC" signal which is a 512 kHz pulse corresponding to the period of the SCL clock signal on lead 252. The latter pulse may occur during active states of ENV B1 signal on lead 321 or ENV B2 signal on lead 322, according to the value carried by "B1/B2 SEL" lead 361.
An up transition of the signal on lead 362 generates an interruption to microprocessor via INT0 lead 371 in order to inform processor 420 of the appearance of CNM data on one B channel.
After having been selected, serial data 411 and the clock 412 are presented to the HDLC RECEIVER 400. Each channel has its header detection but there is only one HDLC receiver circuit 400. Thus, a CHANNEL SELECTOR 360 has been implemented to memorize on which channel the first header has been detected No contention is possible for the detection due to the time multiplexing of data on SLD bus. Implemented logic is locked on the first channel where a header is found until reset of the microprocessor 210 through RESET SEL 387. Note that RESET SEL 387 signal is a zero-active signal.
"FLAG AND ZERO DELETE" decoder 430 and SHIFT CLOCK GENERATOR 440 are described with respect to FIG. 5.
"FLAG AND ZERO DELETE" decoder includes a set of latches: 610, 640, 650 and also the latches included into a counter 600. All latches are clocked by "CLOCK" signal on lead 412. Counter 600 is a binary counter of the type 74 LS 163 which is synchronized by the serial data 411 transmitted to its LOAD input. Counter 600 is also clocked by "CLOCK" signal 412. The four A, B, C, D load inputs are set to zero. Thus, counter 600 starts counting on the first zero encountered on serial data 411. In an HDLC transmission, a flag is a succession of 6 ones. Any zero state on lead 411 clears counter 600, and only 6 following ones followed by a zero will be taken as a flag. This is done by a decoding of state "6" by a 4 input NAND gate 630, having a first noninverting input which is connected to QC output of counter 600. NAND gate 630 has a second input connected to QA output of counter 600, a third non inverting input connected to QB output of counter 600 and a fourth inverting input connected to QD output of counter 600. The above mentioned decoding of state "6" of counter 600 is confirmed through 1 delay in order to make sure of the presence of a "ZERO" following the sequence of six "ONE" by means of a latch 610 which input is connect ed to serial data lead 411. Both Q outputs of latches 610 and 650 are connected to the 2 inputs of a NOR gate 660. The output of 660 is called FLAG 431.
It is well known by the man skilled in the art that in HDLC transmission, data is differentiated from a flag by inserting a zero after every 5 ones. The same binary counter 600 is used and the state 5 is decoded by a 3 inputs NAND gate 620. The latter NAND gate 620 has a first non inverting input which is connected to QA output of counter 600, a second non inverting input which is connected to QC output of counter 600 and a third inverting input which is connected to QB output of counter 600 The output of the latter NAND gate is a "ENABLE SYNCHRO" signal on a lead 434. The decoding by NAND gate 620 is then delayed by a Latch 640, the output of which being a "ZERO DEL" signal on lead 432.
"ZERO DEL" signal on lead 432 is transmitted to the SHIFT CLOCK GENERATOR 440 consisting of a AND gate 680 which noninverting input is connected to "ZERO DEL" lead 432 and which inverting input is connected to CLOCK lead 412. The output of AND gate 680 is a "SHIFT CLOCK" signal on lead 441 which is a 64 kHz clock signal resulting from "CLOCK" signal existing on lead 412 but differing from the latter by the lack of one pulse whenever lead 432 is at a low level.
Block 430 further includes an OR gate 670 having a first input connected to "SERIAL DATA" lead 411 and a second input connected to the output of NAND gate 630. The output of OR gate 670 is a "FRAME SYNC" signal on a lead 433.
"SYNCHRO & BYTE CLOCK GENERATOR" circuit 450 is described with respect to FIG. 6. The latter circuit 450 includes a 4-bits binary counter 700 of the same type of counter 600. Counter 700 is clocked by "CLOCK" signal 412. The Enable input of counter 700 is connected to "ENABLE SYNCHRO" lead 434. B, C, D inputs of counter 700 are set to zero and A input lead is connected to the output of an AND gate 710 which has a first input connected to ENABLE SYNCHRO lead 434 and a second input connected to FRAME SYNC lead 433. LOAD (LD) inverting input of counter 700 is connected to the output of an AND gate 720 which has a first input connected to "FRAME SYNC" lead 433 and a second input connected to the output of a NOR gate 730 NOR gate 730 has a first input connected to the QD output of counter 700 and a second input connected to the output of an AND gate 740, a first input of which is connected to "LOAD HDLC" lead 362 and a second input of which is connected to "CNM MODE" lead 393 QD output lead of counter 700, representing the state "8" when active, is connected to the inverting input of an AND gate 750 which also has a second inverting input connected to the output of AND gate 740. AND gate 750 has an "BYTE CLOCK" output carrying a 8 khz signal which provides the byte synchronization over serial data lead 411 after the flag detection. The latter signal is also used to generate an interrupt to processor 210 through interrupt controller 370, so that processor 210 performs a READ operation of data bus 302 carrying the deserialized data provided at the output of DESERIALIZER 420.
DESERIALIZER element 420 is particularly shown with respect to FIG. 7. DESERIALIZER 420 includes a latch 820 clocked by "CLOCK" signal on lead 412 for sampling the serial data appearing on lead 411. The output of latch 820 is connected to the input of a 8 bit shift register 800 which is clocked by "SHIFT CLOCK" on lead 441. The 8 output bits of the latter shift register 800 are latched into a 8 bit register 810 by means of the "BYTE CLOCK" signal 451 The output bits of register 810 can be read by processor 210 on DATA bus 302. To achieve this 8 tri-state buffers 830/1 to 830/8 are inserted between the output of 8-bit register 810 and data bus 302. Processor 210 performs the above READ operation after having addressed the register bank 380 in order to validate "DATA SEL" lead 383, what eventually entails the transmission of the deserialized data to data bus 302.
The BCC CALCULATOR 460 is particularly described with respect to FIG. 8. It includes a V.42 CCITT scrambler, commonly known as a CRC checker and designed to process the serial flow of data. It generally involves a computing mechanism based upon a a polynomial value in order to perform a Cyclic Redundancy Checking (CRC), the result of which being a Block Check Character (BCC) also called Frame Check Sequence (FCS) This BCC characterizing the integrity of the data flow is available at the output of a series of 16 latches 520/X (X varying between 1 to 16), each latch being clocked by "SHIFT CLOCK" signal on lead 441. The output lead 521/X (X=1 to 16) of each latch 520/X (X=1. . . 16) is connected to a Combinatory logic 550, the output of which being connected to the input of a D-latch 560. The input of each latch 520/X (X=2 to 16) is connected to the output of a corresponding selector 530/X (X=2 to 16). Each latter selector has a first input lead 394/X (X=2 to 16) coming from "LOAD VALUE" bus 394 and a second input connected to the output of latch 520/(X-1) (X=2 to 16).
The input of latch 520/1 is connected to the output of a selector 530/1 having a first input connected to the output of a XOR gate 510 and a second input connected to the first lead 394/1 of "LOAD VALUE" bus 394.
Each selector 530/X (X=1 to 16) is controlled by the output lead of OR gate 570 having a first input connected to "FLAG" lead 431 and a second input connected to "LOAD HDLC" lead 362.
XOR gate 510 has a first input connected to the output of latch 520/16 and a second input connected to the output lead of a latch 580 clocked by "SHIFT CLOCK" lead 441. The latter latch has an input lead connected to "SERIAL DATA" lead 411. Latch 560 is clocked by "FLAG" clock signal on lead 431 and has an Q output lead 461 indicating the detection of a valid BCC.
The general operating, and particularly that of "BCC CALCULATOR" 460 is the following:
Assuming the apparatus operates in a HDLC communication session. When a CNM control command is transmitted over the telecommunication network to the terminal adapter including the present apparatus according to the invention, for instance over B1 channel, "CNM CHANNEL 1" decoder 350 raises "HEADER 1 DETECTED" lead 351 upon reception of the last byte H9 of the CNM header. "CHANNEL SELECTOR" circuit 360 switches "DATA & CLOCK SELECTOR" circuit 410 so that serial data lead 411 carries the data coming from the B1 channel associated with the appropriate clock on lead 412 according to the state of "56/64 B1 SEL" lead 385.
"CHANNEL SELECTOR" circuit 360 also allows, with "LOAD SDLC" signal on lead 362, the generation of byte synchronization given by "SYNCHRO & BYTE CLOCK GENERATOR" circuit 450 through "BYTE CLOCK" lead 451. Circuit 360 further provides the loading of the value carried by "LOAD VALUE" bus 394 into latches 520/1 to 520/16 included into "BCC CALCULATOR 460" by means of "LOAD HDLC" signal on lead 362 controlling the serie of selectors 530/1 . . . 530/16. The value on bus 394 corresponds to the value that would have been stored into the series of latches 520/1, . . . , 520/16 if the serial data on lead 411 coming from "DATA & CLOCK SELECTOR" 410 had been transmitted to BCC CALCULATOR 460 since the beginning of the frame i.e. the reception of H0 byte. Therefore, the HDLC receiver 400, and particularly the latches included into the circuit 460, are set to a predefined state as if they had been dedicated to the B1 channel since the beginning of the frame, i.e. the first byte H0 of the CNM control frame. The latter predefined state of "BCC CALCULATOR" 460 after the above setting is such that the serie of latches 520/X is loaded with the above mentioned 16-bit-word 1000001010000000. The predefined stat of "BCC CALCULATOR" 460, at the reception of the last byte of the specific CNM header is therefore the state of the same BCC calculator which has computed the sequence of 10-bytes of the specific CNM header.
This allows the sharing of the same HDLC receiver 400 between several data B channels.
FIG. 9 particularly describes some timing diagrams, and particularly timings relating to output signals of ISDN interface controller 250. It consists of a timing diagram of B2 channel. CLOCK 412 output of block 410 could be one of the following depending on the selection B1/B2 SEL 361, 56/64 B1 SEL 385 and 56/64 B2 SEL 384. B1 CLOCK 412 is a burst of SCL delimited in time by ENV B1; it is used to shift the data included in this slot. B2 CLOCK 412 is a burst of SCL delimited in time by ENV B2; it is used to shift the data included in this slot.
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A terminal adapter for a telecommunication network having a receiver for multiple HDLC communication channels. The receiver includes a BCC calculator for computing and checking the validity of a received HDLC CNM frame. The terminal adapter further includes a device for detecting the reception of a specific CNM header included in a CNM frame on any of the HDLC communication channels and responsive to the detection for setting the BCC calculator to a predefined state. The latter state corresponds to the state of the BCC calculator after a computation of BCC for the specific CNM header. Therefore the BCC calculator can proceed with computation of said BCC for the CNM frame.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a Continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP2005/005969, filed Jun. 3, 2005, and which designates the U.S. The disclosure of the referenced application is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a crimped compound thread, and an apparatus for carrying out said method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In a method of manufacturing a crimped compound thread in a single-stage process, first a plurality of synthetic individual threads are produced by extruding a plurality of filament strands, cooling these, and drawing (stretching) them. The individual threads have different characteristics, in particular they may have different colors, so that the coloration of the compound thread depends on the combination of the individual threads. For different applications, the requirements for the appearance (particularly coloration) of the compound thread will differ. It may be particularly desirable to have a compound thread appearance wherein the separate threads do not dominate, but wherein there is not complete mixture of the threads. The dominance of a given color component in the compound thread, if too long (comprising a long segment of the compound thread in which one color dominates), may lead to so-called “flames”. However, often such “flames” are in fact desirable.
[0004] EP 0485871A1 discloses a method and apparatus for manufacturing a multicolored compound thread, which method and apparatus have proven to be particularly useful for producing so-called “tricolor threads” for use in carpets. Here a compound thread is produced from multifilament individual threads by common crimping. To achieve such crimping, the individual threads are introduced together into a crimping chamber with the aid of an advancing nozzle. In the crimping chamber, the filaments of the individual threads are laid down into bends and loops, wherewith a common thread plug is formed. Along with the crimping, a certain intermingling of the filaments of the individual threads occurs.
[0005] To promote a certain color separation in the compound thread, each of the individual threads is separately subjected to whirl-tangling prior to the crimping, so that the interlacing of filaments in a given thread provides thread cohesion of the component thread. In this way, the intermingling of the individual threads in the compound thread can be improved with regard to color separation. In practice it is desirable to have the color characteristics of the compound thread controllable such that it is possible to manufacture a compound thread with a mixed color wherein the individual threads are intensively intermingled, or to manufacture a compound thread with strong color separation properties wherein the individual threads are not intensively intermingled.
[0006] EP 0874072 A1 discloses a method and apparatus wherein the individual threads are separately subjected to whirl-tangling and are separately crimped, prior to combining them to form the compound thread. A basic drawback of this method is that the separation in the compound thread is too pronounced, which is undesirable if one seeks to avoid the appearance of so-called “flames” in a carpet. A further drawback is that the individual threads must be separately crimped, substantially increasing equipment costs, and complicating the process (rendering it more subject to problems) in the case of a multi-thread apparatus.
[0007] DE 4202896 A1 discloses another method and apparatus, wherein the individual threads are given a “false twist” before being fed into the crimping device. This creates a risk that certain individual threads will be too dominant in the compound thread, and further that the crimping (texturizing) effect in the individual threads will be hindered.
[0008] An underlying problem of the present invention was to devise a refined method and apparatus of the type described initially supra, which enable maximum flexibility to attain particular color effects in the compound thread, in the range from mixed colors to highly separated colors.
[0009] A second underlying problem was to enable reproducible adjustability of the color appearance of the compound thread.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] These problems are solved according to the invention by a method having the features set forth in claim 1 , and an apparatus having the features set forth in claim 12 .
[0011] Advantageous refinements of the invention are set forth in the features and combinations of features of the various dependent claims.
[0012] The invention is based on the concept that one can achieve very wide-ranging effects with the appropriate application of whirl-tangling of multifilament threads. E.g., by whirl-tangling a multifilament thread one can achieve intermingling or snarling of the filaments of the thread. This determines the intensity of the thread cohesion, depending on the stage of treatment of the thread. According to the invention, at least one of the multifilament threads is subjected to multiple whirl-tanglings. In particular, at least one of the multifilament individual threads is subjected to whirl-tangling a plurality of times, in a plurality of pre-treatment stages, to provide a desired filament cohesion, prior to the crimping of the individual threads. Another advantage of the invention is that the common texturizing of the individual threads can be retained in the compound thread. The multiple whirl-tangling of the individual threads enables the coloration of the compound thread to be varied within wide limits not attainable by other methods. Thus, if one seeks a high degree of color separation one will subject each of the individual threads to whirl-tangling in a number of pre-treatment stages. If one seeks the appearance of mixed coloration in the compound thread, one will preferably subject only one of the multifilament individual threads to whirl-tangling (in a plurality of pre-treatment stages).
[0013] The variant method according to which each of the multifilament individual threads is separately subjected to whirl-tangling in a first pre-treatment stage prior to drawing is distinguished in that the individual threads can be passed through the drawing device very smoothly, and disposed very close together. In this connection, the whirl-tangling of the individual threads in the first pretreatment stage can be adjusted to achieve an optimum degree of filament cohesion for the drawing of the individual threads.
[0014] In order to achieve special effects in the nature of mixing or separation of colors in the compound thread, according to a preferred variant of the method at least one of the individual threads is, or all of said threads are, subjected separately to whirl-tangling in a second pre-treatment stage following the stretching. In this way, the filament cohesion brought about via the whirl-tangling of the individual threads can be adjusted specifically for the subsequent common crimping of the individual threads.
[0015] The adjustability and range of variability of the coloration of may be improved if, in at least one of the pre-treatment stages, whirl-tangling is carried out on the individual threads, wherewith the set-point values of the compressed air in the compressed air feed are at respective different values for the different threads. In this way, one can provide different degrees of whirl-tangling in different parallel advanced individual threads. E.g. if it is desired to produce a compound thread wherein in addition to a dominant individual thread a second component is present which contributes a mixing color, the individual thread having the color-determining contribution may be subjected to whirl-tangling with a relatively high set-point value of the compressed air. It turns out that this value is proportional to the points of intermingling (“intermingling knots”) in the thread.
[0016] It is also possible to carry out whirl-tangling of the individual threads in the pre-treatment stages wherewith the set-point values of the compressed air in the compressed air feed are at respective different values for different such stages. Thus, e.g. for the drawing process the thread should have a relatively low filament cohesion, in order not to inhibit the stretching of the individual filaments. In contrast, for the common crimping of the individual threads it is desirable for the whirl-tangling to be adjusted for the desired color characteristics.
[0017] Also, it is possible to carry out whirl-tangling with pulsation of the pressure, e.g. in the second pre-treatment stage, in order to vary the mixing of the colors. This also enables the creation of special yarn effects for manufacture of “fancy yarns”.
[0018] In order to intensify the whirl-tangling treatment prior to the crimping of the individual threads, it has been found advantageous to employ a variant method according to which the multifilament individual threads are subjected to whirl-tangling with the aid of heated compressed air. Alternatively, the individual threads may be heated prior to the whirl-tangling. This has been found to exert influence on the intermingling of the filaments in the individual threads, and on the crimping of the compound thread.
[0019] In order to provide appreciable tension in the threads at the point of the crimping of the individual threads, independently of the tension in the threads in the course of the preceding stage(s) of whirl-tangling, according to a variant method it is advantageous if, prior to the crimping, the individual threads are passed multiple times around a galette unit, and are subjected to whirl-tangling in a thread segment of the resulting loops in said galette unit, prior to leaving the galette unit.
[0020] If one employs heated galettes, one may advantageously accomplish temperature-controlled simultaneous whirl-tangling of the individual threads.
[0021] In order to achieve the thread cohesion necessary for final processing of the compound thread, the compound thread is subjected to tangling after the crimping of the individual threads and prior to the winding onto a bobbin, wherewith the coloration of the compound thread which has been imparted in the pre-treatment stages and via the crimping of the individual threads is substantially preserved.
[0022] The inventive method is particularly well suited to the manufacture of a compound thread comprised of a plurality of component threads each of which preferably is different. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to situations with component threads having different characteristics, in light of the fact that, in particular, individual pre-treatment of identical individual threads can advantageously be employed to produce a compound thread. E.g., the individual threads may be given specific structural properties in the course of pretreatment by whirl-tangling in two different stages.
[0023] In another advantageous variant of the inventive method, the individual threads undergo separate whirl-tangling in a first stage of pre-treatment and then all of them undergo a common whirl-tangling in a second stage of pre-treatment. The multi-stage whirl-tangling prior to the texturizing according to the invention provides a very high degree of flexibility in the pre-treatment of the individual threads prior to said texturizing. Thus it is also possible to subject the individual threads to a common whirl-tangling in the first pre-treatment stage and to separate whirl-tangling in the second pre-treatment stage.
[0024] Further, the scope of the inventive method is not limited to situations with common crimping of the individual threads. It is basically also possible to separately texturize each of the individual threads, prior to combining them. In another possible method, texturizing of the individual threads (commonly or separately) and combining of the individual threads to form a compound thread are carried out, following which, after cooling, the compound thread is separated again into component threads, and then said threads are subjected to common whirl-tangling prior to winding as the final compound thread. Such a variant method may be employed with individual threads of different colorations, in order to achieve additional coloration effects.
[0025] The apparatus for carrying out the inventive method is comprised of a whirl-tangling device comprised of a plurality of whirl-tangling units which are disposed in succession in the path of advance of the individual threads.
[0026] In order to be able to carry out processing steps on the individual threads between the individual whirl-tangling steps, advantageously a first whirl-tangling unit is disposed upstream of the drawing unit, wherewith said first whirl-tangling unit has a respective whirl-tangling nozzle for each of the individual threads.
[0027] Advantageously a second whirl-tangling unit having a plurality of whirl-tangling nozzles is disposed between the drawing device and the crimping device.
[0028] In order to be able to carry out the whirl-tangling of the individual threads in the individual pre-treatment stages with different set-point values of the compressed air pressure, each of the whirl-tangling nozzles has a controllable compressed air supply. In this connection, a plurality of whirl-tangling nozzles may simultaneously have a common compressed air supply, or one or more whirl-tangling nozzles may have separate compressed air supplies.
[0029] In order to obtain special effects which previously were obtained by thermal whirl-tangling, the inventive apparatus may be expanded to comprise heating means associated with at least one of the whirl-tangling units, whereby certain compressed air is heated.
[0030] Alternatively, a heating device may be provided upstream of the whirl-tangling unit, for heating the individual threads.
[0031] To achieve independent adjustment of thread tension in the whirl-tangling of the individual threads and in the crimping process, preferably in the inventive apparatus the drawing device is comprised of a galette unit disposed upstream of the crimping device, wherewith the individual threads are guided over said galette unit in multiple loops; and the whirl-tangling nozzles of a second whirl-tangling unit are arranged such that the individual threads can be subjected to whirl-tangling prior to leaving the galette unit.
[0032] If the whirl-tangling nozzles of the second whirl-tangling unit are disposed in a segment looped around galettes, which segment is between two galettes, namely in the last loop, the tension of the thread(s) in the whirl-tangling process can be reduced to a desired value if the individual threads at the point of leaving the galette unit are passed over a reduced diameter step in the galette. Basically any of the segments between the two galettes is acceptable as a location for disposing the whirl-tangling nozzles for carrying out whirl-tangling in the second pre-treatment stage.
[0033] In order to achieve additional thermal effects in the whirl-tangling of the filaments, according to an advantageous refinement of the invention the galette unit is comprised of at least two driven galettes, wherewith at least one of the galettes is configured so as to be heatable.
[0034] For final establishment of the thread cohesion in the compound thread, a tangling device is disposed between the crimping device and a winding device which is provided for winding the compound thread onto a bobbin or the like.
[0035] To provide intensive and uniform crimping of the individual threads, a variant apparatus been found to be particularly advantageous in which the crimping device comprises an advancing nozzle and an associated crimping chamber, wherewith the individual threads are advanced as a group into the crimping chamber by means of the advancing nozzle, wherewith a thread plug is formed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] The inventive method will be described in more detail hereinbelow with the aid of an exemplary embodiment of the inventive apparatus, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0037] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a first exemplary embodiment of the inventive apparatus for carrying out the inventive method;
[0038] FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing of a second exemplary embodiment of the inventive apparatus;
[0039] FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of a variant of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 ;
[0040] FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of a variant of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2 ;
[0041] FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of a variant of the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and
[0042] FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of an exemplary embodiment of a separating thread guide.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0043] FIG. 1 shows schematically an exemplary embodiment of an inventive apparatus for carrying out the inventive method. The apparatus has a spinning device 1 which is connected to one or more melters (not shown). The spinning device has a heated spinning frame 2 which bears a plurality of spinnerets (“spinning nozzles”) ( 3 . 1 - 3 . 3 ) arrayed side by side. Each spinneret ( 3 . 1 - 3 . 3 ) has on its underside a plurality of orifices through which the polymer melt stream fed to said nozzle is extruded under pressure to form a respective individual filament. A cooling device 4 is disposed below the spinning device 1 ; the extruded filaments, which leave the spinning device at a temperature close to their melting temperature, are guided through the cooling device in order to cool said filaments. The cooling device 4 may comprise, e.g., a blower which blows cooling air essentially transversely against the filaments. After the filaments are cooled, the filament strands ( 13 . 1 - 13 . 3 ) associated with the respective spinnerets ( 3 . 1 - 3 . 3 ) are combined, at the exit of the cooling device 4 , to form respective individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ).
[0044] At the outlet of the cooling device 4 , a “preparation device” 7 is provided, along with respective thread guides ( 5 . 1 - 5 . 3 ) for each of the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ).
[0045] To draw out the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) from the spinnerets ( 3 . 1 - 3 . 3 ), a drawing device 10 is provided which comprises at least one galette device 18 (dashed lines) which is configured for drawing-out. The individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) are guided in parallel paths through the drawing device 10 . In this, the individual threads can be drawn in a common arrangement, or individual delivery devices may be employed (one for each thread).
[0046] After the drawing-out and stretching of the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) by the drawing device 10 , the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) are brought together in a crimping device 11 and combined to form a compound fiber 21 .
[0047] In this exemplary embodiment, the crimping device 11 is comprised of an advancing nozzle 15 and a crimping chamber 16 which cooperates with the nozzle 15 . The advancing nozzle 15 is connected to a pressure source (not shown) by means of which a conveying medium is fed to the advancing nozzle 15 . The conveying medium causes the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) to be drawn into the advancing nozzle 15 and then advanced into the crimping chamber 16 where they are formed into a “fiber plug”. This involves a partial intermingling of the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ). The thread plug 22 , which preferably is formed by means of a hot conveying medium, is then passed to a cooling drum 17 and cooled.
[0048] For pre-treatment of the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ), a first whirl-tangling unit 8 . 1 is provided between the preparation device 7 and the drawing device 10 ; and a second whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 is provided between the drawing device 10 and the crimping device 11 . The first whirl-tangling unit 8 . 1 has a plurality of whirl-tangling nozzles ( 9 . 1 - 9 . 3 ), each associated with a respective individual thread ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ). Each whirl-tangling nozzle ( 9 . 1 - 9 . 3 ) has a thread channel through which the individual thread is guided. A pressure channel opens out laterally into the thread channel, to introduce a high energy compressed fluid, preferably compressed air, into the thread channel. The pressure channels are connected to a pressure source via a compressed air supply line 12 . 1 and pressure adjusting means 14 . 1 . A control device 24 is provided, which is connected to the pressure adjusting means 14 . 1 , for setting the set-point for control of the compressed air.
[0049] The structure and configuration of the whirl-tangling nozzles ( 9 . 1 - 9 . 3 ) is generally known, and is described in, e.g., DE 10 2004 007073 A1.
[0050] The second whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 associated with the crimping device 11 also has a plurality of whirl-tangling nozzles ( 9 . 4 - 9 . 6 ), having a structure and configuration essentially identical to the structure and configuration of the whirl-tangling nozzles ( 9 . 1 - 9 . 3 ) of the first whirl-tangling unit 8 . 1 . The whirl-tangling nozzles ( 9 . 4 - 9 . 6 ) are connected to a pressure source (not shown) via a compressed air supply line 12 . 2 and pressure adjusting means 14 . 2 . The pressure adjusting means 14 . 2 are connected to the control device 24 , for setting and varying the set-point for control of the compressed air. This allows the whirl-tangling units ( 8 . 1 , 8 . 2 ) to be operated mutually independently in carrying out whirl-tangling of the threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ).
[0051] For post-treatment of the crimped compound thread 21 produced from the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ), the crimping device 11 has disposed downstream of it a “tangling device” 19 , inside which the compound thread 21 receives a final treatment required for the further processing.
[0052] Following this “tangling”, the compound thread 21 is taken up on a winding device 20 wherewith it is wound on a bobbin or the like 23 .
[0053] In the process, the winding device 20 serves simultaneously as a drawing organ, to draw the crimped compound thread 21 from the thread plug 22 . In order to be able to adjust the tension in the compound thread 21 in the winding and in the “tangling”, said thread may be drawn from the thread plug 22 by means of a galette device; and a second galette unit may be provided downstream of the “tangling device” 19 , as the thread is passed to the winding device 20 . The configurations of the devices in the post-treatment zone do not bear upon the invention—any suitable processing means and treatment stages may be chosen for influencing the compound thread 21 prior to winding onto the bobbin 23 .
[0054] In the exemplary embodiment of the inventive apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 , three bundles of filaments ( 13 . 1 - 13 . 3 ) disposed side by side are spun in the spinnerets ( 3 . 1 - 3 . 3 ); each of these bundles has a plurality of filament strands. The filament bundles ( 13 . 1 - 13 . 3 ) may have different properties; preferably the basic polymers of which they are comprised have different colors. Indeed, the basic polymers may have different compositions or may contain different amounts of additives.
[0055] Each of the filament bundles ( 13 . 1 - 13 . 3 ) is combined to form an individual thread ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ). For this purpose, the filament bundles ( 13 . 1 - 13 . 3 ) are subjected to addition of preparation agents by means of the preparation device 7 , and are passed through the thread guides ( 5 . 1 - 5 . 3 ), from which the individual threads emerge.
[0056] For further treatment of the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ), in a first pre-treatment stage immediately following the “preparation” a first whirl-tangling is carried out, in whirl-tangling unit 8 . 1 . For this, each individual thread ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) is passed through a whirl-tangling nozzle ( 9 . 1 - 9 . 3 ). The whirl-tangling unit 8 . 1 has a pressure set-point value for the compressed air which is supplied, which leads to intermingling (interlacing) of the filaments of which the individual threads are comprised. In this process, one achieves uniformization of the preparation, as well as the minimum filament cohesion required for the subsequent drawing by the galette in the drawing device 10 . In the setting of the pressure set-point value, one should take care to avoid excessive snarling of the filaments of the individual threads.
[0057] After the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) have been drawn out and stretched, a second whirl-tangling of said threads is carried out via the whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 , in the second pre-treatment stage. In this unit 8 . 2 , the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) are individually separately guided and whirled, by means of the whirl-tangling nozzles ( 9 . 4 - 9 . 6 ). In this process, the intermingling of the filaments in the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) which is brought about is chosen such that a certain intermingling is achieved in the crimping of the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) which are combined into the compound thread 21 . In particular, in producing a multicolored crimped compound thread the coloration of the compound thread 21 can be influenced within wide bounds. Thus, e.g., a compound thread with strong color separation can be produced by setting the set-point value of the pressure of the compressed air supply in the second whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 relatively high. This causes intensive intermingling of the filaments of the individual threads, wherewith the subsequent crimping process will not be able to substantially undo this intermingling. If the set-point value of the pressure in the whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 is set relatively low, the compound thread 21 will have an appreciably mixed coloration.
[0058] After the whirl-tangling in the second pre-treatment stage, the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) are jointly crimped and are combined to form the compound thread 21 . In this process, the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) are advanced through the advancing nozzle 15 by means of an advancing fluid, into an adjoining crimping chamber 16 . In the crimping chamber 16 , the filaments of the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) are laid down into bends and loops in the course of formation of a thread plug 22 , which is subjected to thermal treatment and is then opened to yield the crimped compound thread 21 . To produce the final thread characteristics (thread cohesion, body, strength, etc.), the compound thread 21 undergoes “tangling” in the tangling device 19 prior to being wound on the bobbin 23 .
[0059] The inventive method and apparatus may be employed to produce, e.g., multicolored crimped compound threads which have high color uniformity. If necessary or desirable, particular visual characteristics can be imparted by adjusting the pre-treatment.
[0060] FIG. 2 illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of an inventive apparatus for carrying out the inventive method. This embodiment is substantially the same as the above-described embodiment; accordingly, reference is made here to the description of that embodiment, and the emphasis hereinbelow will be on describing the differences. Components with identical functions have been assigned like reference numerals.
[0061] In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2 , the drawing device 10 may be comprised of, e.g., two galette units ( 18 , 27 ) for drawing out, each of which is comprised of two driven galettes or a driven galette with an “overflow roll”, wherewith the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) are guided in parallel paths over the galettes. The galette units ( 18 , 27 ) are driven at different speeds, causing stretching of the threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ).
[0062] In order to provide a second pre-treatment stage wherein the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) are prepared for the crimping, a second whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 is provided between the drawing device 10 and the crimping device 11 . The whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 has a plurality of whirl-tangling nozzles ( 9 . 4 - 9 . 6 ), each of which is associated with a respective individual thread. These nozzles ( 9 . 4 - 9 . 6 ) are mutually independently controllable. Each of the whirl-tangling nozzles ( 9 . 4 - 9 . 6 ) has a respective compressed air feed ( 12 . 3 - 12 . 5 ) with respective pressure adjusting means ( 14 . 3 - 14 . 5 ), each of which pressure adjusting means is connected to the control device 24 , which enables providing a set-point value for the pressure for each of the whirl-tangling nozzles ( 9 . 4 - 9 . 6 ). It should be noted that the pressure adjusting means ( 14 . 3 - 14 . 5 ) are devised such that they can completely shut off the compressed air feed. This provides a high degree of flexibility in the pre-treatment of the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) immediately upstream of the crimping stage.
[0063] Thus it is seen that the exemplary embodiment for carrying out the inventive method as illustrated in the FIG. 2 has somewhat higher flexibility to attain particular effects in a compound thread comprised of the differently whirl-tangled individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ). Thus, e.g., is it possible to produce a multicolored compound thread the appearance of which results from a strongly separated pair or trio of colors, resulting from, e.g. the use of three differently colored individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) wherewith one of the threads is subjected to whirl-tangling in the second pre-treatment stage and the other threads do not receive any additional whirl-tangling in said second pre-treatment stage.
[0064] The exemplary embodiments of the inventive apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 can be varied by additional means, agents, and combinations, in order to, e.g., achieve special effects in the pre-treatment prior to the crimping of the individual threads. E.g., FIG. 3 shows a variant of the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 ; in FIG. 3 only the drawing device 10 , whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 , and crimping device 11 are illustrated (again, schematically). Since the components which are not illustrated are essentially identical to the corresponding components in FIG. 1 , reference is made to here the preceding descriptions, and only the differences will be described hereinbelow.
[0065] For each of the threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ), the whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 has a respective whirl-tangling nozzle ( 9 . 4 - 9 . 6 ), connected to a pressure source via the compressed air supply line 12 . 2 and pressure adjusting means 14 . 2 . The compressed air supply line 12 . 2 additionally has heating means 26 , for preheating the fluid introduced via the whirl-tangling nozzles ( 9 . 4 - 9 . 6 ). The heating means 26 and pressure adjusting means 14 . 2 are connected to a control device 24 .
[0066] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 the whirl-tangling of the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) in the second pre-treating stage is accomplished with a heated fluid, which causes heating of the filaments of the individual threads. This heating influences the intermingling of the said individual filaments and leads to intensified crimping. This early intermingling substantially survives the subsequent processing.
[0067] FIG. 4 is a detail view of a variant embodiment of the inventive apparatus according to FIG. 2 . The structure and configuration of the process aggregate not shown is generally the same as in the preceding exemplary embodiment, and therefore does not require further description here. The drawing device 10 , whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 , and crimping device 11 are included in the detail view shown in FIG. 4 . The drawing device 10 is comprised of a first galette unit 18 configured for drawing and a second galette unit 27 configured for drawing, each of which has two galettes ( 28 . 1 , 28 . 2 ) around which the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) are passed multiple times. The galettes ( 28 . 1 , 28 . 2 ) of the galette unit 27 are heated, so that the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) on the periphery of the galettes ( 28 . 1 , 28 . 2 ) undergo heating. The whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 is disposed between the heated galettes ( 28 . 1 , 28 . 2 ). This whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 is identical to that of the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 ; each individual thread ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) is acted on by (“has associated with it”) a respective whirl-tangling nozzle. The whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 here is disposed in a segment of the threads between the galettes 28 . 1 and 28 . 2 . E.g., the whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 may be disposed in the last such segment of the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ).
[0068] After the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) leave the heated galette, they are sent together to the crimping device 11 where they are compressed to form a thread plug 22 .
[0069] In a variant of the inventive apparatus according to FIG. 4 , the whirl-tangling of the heated individual threads can be carried out with the individual thread(s) being heated, and the tensioning of the individual threads as part of the texturizing of said threads in the crimping device 11 can be chosen to be independent of the tensioning of the individual threads in the whirl-tangling in the second pre-treating stage. Thus, e.g., a diameter step may be provided on the heated galette 28 . 1 to enable setting different tensioning values for the whirl-tangling. The diameter step 33 of the galette 28 . 1 in the last segment of the individual threads is shown as a dotted line in FIG. 4 , and is implemented immediately downstream of the whirl-tangling unit 8 . 2 . Another advantage of the variant illustrated in FIG. 4 is that the individual threads have a defined point of leaving from the galettes 28 . 1 . The individual threads pass from the last galettes to the crimping device in a very smooth manner.
[0070] The arrangement illustrated in FIG. 4 may advantageously have galettes which are un-heated, wherewith the whirl-tangling is carried out at ambient temperature.
[0071] FIG. 5 illustrates yet another exemplary embodiment of a variant method and apparatus applicable to the system according to FIGS. 1 and 2 .
[0072] In the variant embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 , there are disposed between the cooling drum 17 and the winding device 20 a first drawing galette device 29 . 1 , a separating thread guide 30 , a “tangling device” 19 , and a second drawing galette device 29 . 2 . The components disposed upstream of the cooling drum 17 may be as in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 or 2 , to which reference is made here.
[0073] In the variant embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 , the compound thread 21 , after crimping and after cooling on the periphery of the cooling drum 17 , is drawn off via the first galette device 29 . 1 . The galette device 29 . 1 is shown here as a driven galette with an associated coordinated roll. For post-treatment, the compound thread 21 is separated into individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ), by passing the individual threads through a separating thread guide 30 before they enter the tangling device 19 . In the tangling device 19 , the separately advancing individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) are once again subjected to whirl-tangling, and re-combined into a compound thread 21 . The compound thread 21 is drawn off via the drawing galette 29 . 2 and is passed on to the winding device 20 , where it is wound onto the bobbin 23 . The separation of the compound thread prior to post-treatment allows production of additional special visual effects. In this connection it is possible that, prior to the post-treatment, at least one of the individual threads is subjected to additional treatment in the form of whirl-tangling, after said separation.
[0074] In the variant embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 , the compound thread 21 is separated into the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ). In this, preferably a separating thread guide 30 is employed which preferably is configured according to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 . The separating thread guide 30 has a disc-shaped support member 32 which is fixed laterally to a machine frame. The support member 32 has a plurality of guiding eyes ( 31 . 1 - 31 . 3 ) on its periphery which are disposed at mutual distances apart. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 , these eyes ( 31 . 1 - 31 . 3 ) are disposed at the apices of an equilateral triangle. Preferably each such eye has a ceramic insert, which enables the individual threads ( 6 . 1 - 6 . 3 ) to be separately fed to the tangling device 19 , in this embodiment.
[0075] The described exemplary embodiments for carrying out the inventive method are in the nature of examples, in their arrangements and in the choice of processing devices. Thus, additional pre-treatment and post-treatment stages and means may be introduced, e.g. for the purpose of subjecting the individual threads to additional treatments prior to texturizing, or subjecting the compound thread to additional treatments after the texturizing, etc. Likewise the characteristics and form of the crimping device are in the nature of examples. To realize particular crimping characteristics, the individual threads may be texturized using different parameters. Separately performed crimping also enables the use of different crimping methods, wherewith the crimped individual threads will then be combined into a compound thread. The number of individual threads illustrated in the exemplary embodiments is, of course, in the nature of an example. A compound thread may be formed from two or more individual threads.
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The invention relates to a method and a device for producing a crimped composite thread, wherein the inventive method consists in extruding, cooling and in drawing several yarns in the form of a plurality of strand filaments and in jointly crimping them in order to obtain a crimped composite thread. The aim of said invention is to make it possible to pre-treat the threads in a manner adaptable to each treatment step. The aim is attained by that at least one multi-treaded yarn is whirl-tangled many times during several operations prior to crimping. For this purpose, a whirl-tangling device provided with a plurality of whirl-tangling units following each other in a direction of the yarn displacement is used.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO PENDING APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 409,223, filed Aug. 18, 1982 and now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the pulping of waste paper products for the recovery of reusable paper-making fibers therefrom and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for recovering reusable paper-making fiber from waste paper products containing junk or contaminants.
A problem of increasing magnitude in the pulping of waste paper products has been the steady increase in the amount and nature of the contaminants mixed therewith in commercially obtainable waste paper, the contaminants now commonly averaging of the order of 15% by weight. Of particular importance is the amount of lightweight contaminant junk, primarily in the form of plastics products of many kinds and especially plastics sheet and film and also pieces of plastics foam.
In the past, many of the common contaminants of waste paper could be eliminated from the pulper tub by the use of a junk remover, a typical example being shown in British patent specification No. 1,266,420. Such a junk remover relies on gravity discharge, through a downward chute from the pulper tub, of iron and other junk material of substantially higher specific gravity than paper fibers. But such junk removers have proved to be ineffective for removing lightweight junk for two principal reasons.
One reason is the obvious one that material lighter than water will not readily flow down the chute which connects a pulper tub with its junk remover. The other is that the normal operation of a pulper rotor tends to force sufficient liquid from the tub to the junk remover when the pulping operation commences to maintain a higher static head in the junk remover than in the tub, commonly of the order of 60 or more centimeters (two or more feet). Further, the common practice is to add fresh liquid to the tub by way of the junk remover in order to wash fiber back into the tub from the high specific gravity pieces travelling through the chute from the tub, and this increases the opposite to the flow of light materials from the tub.
The result of these conditions is that when a waste paper pulper--whether or not it is equipped with a junk remover--is operated on a continuous basis, with continuous extraction, through a perforate extraction plate, of a slurry of sufficiently small particle size, and continuous replacement of water and furnish, plastics tend to accumulate in the tub until the amount of extracted fiber drops below an acceptable rate, a condition which the industry calls "constipated". It is then necessary to discontinue pulping and manually empty the accumulated junk from the tub.
The development of this condition has three significant disadvantages. Running of the pulper until the paper fiber can no longer be extracted not only results in loss of production of recovered paper fiber but also produces increased an unnecessary wear on the pulper rotor and its extraction plate. In addition, its results in extraction of a substantial amount of small plastics particles with the paper fiber, as the quantity of plastics in the tub increases to the point where it comes into contact with the rotor, and such small pieces of plastics are difficult to separate from the paper fiber, especially if the holes in the extraction plate are small. At the same time, manual emptying of accumulated plastics is expensive and time consuming, and it also results in the loss of a substantial amount of fiber which remains commingled with the plastics and is therefore eliminated along with the plastics.
British patent specification No. 1,547,284 taught that these disadvantages of past practice can be overcome, and the effectiveness of the junk remover greatly improved, by maintaining the liquid level in the junk remover lower than in the pulper tub and thereby inducing liquid flow from the tub into the junk remover. In accordance with that specification, this is done by connecting the inlet of a pump to the junk remover casing at a level below the minimum operating level in the tub, and withdrawing liquid from the junk remover and recirculating it back to the tub under controlled conditions establishing the desired lower liquid level in the junk remover than in the tub, e.g. lower by about a few centimeters or inches.
The effect of this removal of the normal static head conditions is firstly to induce flow through the chute from the tub into the junk remover. Lightweight trash circulating in the tub will be entrained in that flow and, as soon as it enters the junk remover, it will rise to the top and thus be trapped against return to the tub. The resulting accumulation of lightweight trash at the top of the liquid in the junk remover is lifted out for removal by the perforated conveyor buckets which are standard equipment in a junk remover.
Another solution to the problem, taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,129,259, lies in the provision of a system operating in combination with a pulper and junk remover wherein the plastics and other lightweight trash picked up by the junk remover conveyor buckets is dumped into a junk box which is continually filled with liquid to a sufficient level to float lightweight trash over a weir leading to a hopper. Detrasher means, in the form of very coarse straining means, such as a grid of tine-like members, is positioned in the path of the overflow from the weir into the hopper, with the tines being so spaced with respect to each other, and at such angle to the horizontal, that they will permit the passage of most of the plastics sheet and similar contaminant material but will shunt large pieces of floating trash, such as particularly chunks of wood or plastics, to a separate receiver.
The material passing through the detrasher grid may be returned directly to the pulper tub for further defibering, or may first be subjected to a deflaking operation, which may be done by a pump capable of such action or by a deflaker in conjunction with a pump capable of handling a fluid flow containing substantial quantities of solids. The output of the deflaking section of the system is then preferably screened to reject large plastics pieces and the like, with the accepts flow from such screening being returned to the pulper tub for further defibering.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for recovering paper-making fiber from contaminated waste paper products, including plastics film and other lightweight non-paper contaminants, which do not utilize a mechanical system for the removal of the contaminants and which require a minimum amount of operating power. Other objects of the invention are to provide such a method and apparatus in which the removal of contaminants is unaffected by variations of the liquid level in the pulper tub and in which the junk removing equipment is maintainable without stopping the rotor of the pulper.
From one aspect, the present invention consists in a method of recovering paper-making fiber from contaminated waste paper products including plastics film and other lightweight non-paper contaminants, including the steps of pulping the waste paper in a pulper including a tub for containing the waste paper products and liquid, and a rotor mounted within the tub for pulping the waste paper products to liquid slurry form, discharging contaminants in the tub, together with liquid, through a junk outlet disposed adjacent the periphery of the rotor and into a junk remover connected to the junk outlet and inducing a flow of lightweight contaminants through the junk outlet and into the junk remover for removal therefrom, characterised in that the flow of lightweight contaminants is induced by controlling the level of an adjustable weir in the junk remover adjacent the top thereof to maintain a liquid flow over the weir, and liquid and lightweight contaminants are permitted to flow or float upwardly in the junk remover to the weir for discharge thereover.
Downstream of the weir, lightweight contaminants may be separated from the liquid and accompanying waste paper products and the slurry of waste paper products may then be recirculated to the tub. During this separating operation, the waste paper products contained in the slurry may be subjected to a defibering or deflaking process before being recirculated to the pulper tub. The heavy contaminants, which do not float and which are propelled through the junk opening by the rotor, may be removed from the junk remover via a junk collector in the bottom of the junk remover. This collector may be adapted to be emptied periodically.
From another aspect, the present invention consists in apparatus for recovering paper-making fiber from contaminated waste paper products including plastics film and other lightweight non-paper contaminants, including a pulper comprising a tub for containing the waste paper products and liquid, and a rotor mounted in the tub for pulping the waste paper products to liquid slurry form, a junk outlet opening disposed adjacent the periphery of the rotor, a junk remover connected to the junk outlet opening, and means for inducing a flow of lightweight contaminants through the junk outlet opening into the junk remover for removal therefrom, characterised by an adjustable weir in the junk remover adjacent the top thereof over which liquid and lightweight contaminants can flow for discharge from the junk remover, and means for controlling the level of the weir so as to maintain liquid flow over the weir and induce flow of lightweight contaminants through the junk outlet opening to the junk remover.
A junk collector for heavy, non-floating contaminants may be located at the bottom of the junk remover and a passageway connecting the junk remover to the junk outlet opening may include a chute portion leading to the junk collector. The latter may be arranged to be emptied periodically.
Preferably, the liquid flow over the weir is arranged to be delivered to screening apparatus, for example, a rotary screening machine, which is designed to separate paper-making fiber and other smaller particles or flakes from whatever large contaminants are discharged in the liquid or slurry flow over the weir, and such accepts from the screening apparatus are returned to the pulper tub.
A known rotary screening machine for treating waste paper slurry and separating paper-making fibers from plastics and other contaminants comprises a perforated rotating drum having a series of lifting baffles or vanes extending along the inside surface of the drum. Wet waste paper furnish or slurry to be treated is delivered to one end of the drum and is continuously lifted by the vanes from a bottom region of the drum to an upper region from where it falls back to the bottom of the drum. The repeated dropping of the slurry material disintegrates the fibrous paper material and the resulting fibers are washed through the drum perforations for further processing. The rejected plastics material and other contaminants are transported to the opposite end of the drum by the movement of the vanes, which are preferably of spiral shape, from where they are discharged. Whilst such a rotary machine works satisfactorily, in order to defiber Kraft sack or mild wet strength papers, a large number of impacts are required within the drum, requiring a drum of excessive length. Heavily wet strengthened papers are rejected even with a long drum.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved rotary screening machine which is capable of defibering or deflaking waste paper or other paper stock and which separates the fibers or flakes of paper from plastics film or other contaminants in the stock without comminuting the plastics and other contaminants. Hence, according to a further aspect of the invention a rotary screening machine comprising a perforated drum, preferably, of frusto-conical shape, which is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis or an axis slightly inclined to the horizontal, and which has openings at opposite ends for the delivery of liquid and paper furnish to the drum and the removal of contaminants therefrom, and which has a plurality of spaced vanes extending along its inside surface for lifting furnish material from a bottom region of the drum to an upper region of the drum, as it rotates, from which upper region the material falls downwardly, is characterised by a rotor disposed within and extending along the drum, said rotor having radially projecting blades extending axially therealong and being disposed with its blades in spaced relation to the drum vanes in a position to intercept the material falling from the upper region of the drum, whereby to impact such material and defiber or deflake the paper. The fibers or flakes of useful paper are washed through the drum perforations and the rejected contaminants, which may include plastics sheet or film, are conveyed to the discharge end of the drum by the rotation of the latter and the vanes, which may be of spiral configuration. Sprays may be provided, for example, above the drum, to assist in washing the defibered or deflaked material through the drum perforations. The retention time of the material within the drum, and hence, the degree of processing can be varied by adjusting the inclination of the drum axis.
With the rotary screening machine according to the invention, the rotor within the drum vastly increases the number of impacts to which the slurry material is subjected during its travel through the drum. As a result, the paper is rapidly defibered or deflaked and this enables the length of the drum to be kept to a minimum whilst permitting satisfactory recovery of paper-making fibers or flakes, even from wet strength papers. As the rotor is arranged simply to impact the slurry and not to produce shear forces between the rotor blades and the drum vanes, there is little or no communution or cutting of plastics material or other contaminants in the slurry and the power required by the rotor is minimized. As the plastics contaminants are not cut, the amount of small plastics pieces which can pass through the drum perforations with the paper fibers or flakes is reduced so that such accepts are cleaner. Moreover, since there is no comminution of the contaminants, which would permit contaminants to flow through the drum perforations with the paper fiber or flakes, the drum perforations may be of larger diameter than hitherto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic view generally in vertical section showing waste paper pulping apparatus embodying the invention;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view along the line II--II of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of a rotary screening machine according to the invention and capable of being utilized in the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1; the top part of the machine casing is removed and the drum is partially broken away to illustrate the rotor;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the machine of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic end view, on a still further enlarged scale, of the drum and rotor taken along the line V--V of FIG. 3 and also illustrates the adjacent pair of mounting wheels for the drum.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 1, the pulper is generally of the construction disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,851, and includes a tub 10 defined by a cylindrical upper wall 11, and inwardly tapered lower wall portion 12, and a bottom wall 13. The rotor 15 is mounted for rotation on a vertical axis in the bottom of the tub and has a drive 16. A perforated extraction plate 20 positioned under the rotor 15 defines, with the bottom wall 13 a chamber 22. For preferred results, the extraction plate 20 has relatively small perforations, e.g. 3 to 4.75 mms (1/8 to 3/16 inch) in diameter, and a discharge line 23 provided with a control valve 25 conducts stock extracted through plate 20 from chamber 22 to pump 26 and the next station in the system. Usually, the pulper will be equipped with a ragger, indicated at 27, for removing materials such as wire and rope from the tub.
The junk remover indicated at 30 comprises a casing or tower 31 disposed adjacent the side of the tub 10 and extending from a position below the tub to a position at least as high as or higher than the tub. The latter has an outlet opening 33 located adjacent the periphery of the rotor 15, in its tapered wall portion 12. This outlet opening is connected to the junk remover tower 31 by a chute 35 having upwardly and downwardly inclined top and bottom walls 36 and 37. It is of rectangular shape in plan with its bottom edge disposed generally in the same plane as the bottom surface of the rotor. The bottom of the tower 31 defines a junk boot or collecting box 29 which is provided with the usual clean-out door (not shown), and also with a water inlet connection 38.
In the upper portion of the tower 31, adjacent the normal liquid level in the pulper tub, is an overflow, discharge opening 40 controlled by an adjustable weir comprising a weir plate 41 vertically slidable in suitable supporting guides 42 attached to the wall of the tower adjacent to the opening 40. The liquid flowing over the weir plate 41 is delivered by a chute 45 to the inlet end of a rotary screening machine 50 according to the invention and which is designed to separate paper fibers or flakes from whatever large pieces of plastics and other light trash float over the weir plate 41. The accepts from the machine 50 are collected in an accepts tank 54 and are returned by a pump 51 and line 52 to the pulper tub, and the rejects are discharged from the opposite end of the machine 50, as indicated by the arrow 53.
The weir plate 41 is controlled by a fluid pressure cylinder 43 mounted on the tower 31 and having its piston rod 44 connected to the plate 41. The supply of fluid pressure to the cylinder 43 is controlled by a suitable level sensor 55, such as, a differential pressure cell, which is positioned in the accepts tank 54 and causes the cylinder 43 to adjust the plate 41 to maintain a flow of liquid thereover. Whilst it is positioned in the accepts tank 54 for reasons of sensitivity, although it may equally be positioned elsewhere, the sensor 55 is, in effect, responsive to the liquid level in the pulper tub 10. Hence, when the sensor 55 detects a fall in the accepts tank liquid level, this signals an insufficient flow of liquid over the weir plate 41, resulting from the latter being too high with respect to the liquid level in the pulper tub, and the weir plate is lowered to increase the flow, and vice versa.
The rotary screening machine 50 is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. It comprises a casing 60 in which is rotatably mounted a perforated drum 61. The drum is of frusto-conical shape, having an angle of taper of, for example, 3° 25' with respect to the perpendicular to its base, and has perforations 59 over its entire extent which are typically 25 mm (1 inch) in diameter. It has annular end walls 62,63 and is reinforced along its length by external annular stiffening flanges 64. Hollow cylindrical extensions 65,66 project from the end walls 62,63, and the drum is mounted for rotation about an axis 67 slightly inclined to the horizontal, for example, at an angle of approximately 3° 25', so that the frusto-conical wall of the drum is substantially horizontal at the bottom of the drum, by two pairs of wheels 68,69 disposed within the casing adjacent opposite ends of the drum, respectively, and engaging tracks 70,71 on the cylindrical extensions 65,66.
The wheels 68,69 are rotatably supported by suitable forks 72 (FIG. 5) upstanding from platforms 73,74 extending across the casing below the cylindrical extensions 65,66. The tracks 70,71 are defined by ring flanges 76,77 secured to the cylindrical extensions, and the wheels 68,69 engage their associated tracks closely adjacent the insides of these ring flanges so as substantially to restrain the drum against axial movement during rotation. Axial movement of the drum is also restrained by a stop member 78 projecting upwardly from the platform 73 and engaging the inside of the ring flange 76 at the larger end of the drum. Annular seal assemblies 79,80 are supported adjacent opposite ends of the drum by inwardly projecting flanges 81,82 of the casing and engage with the external surfaces of the extensions 65,66 inwardly of the mounting wheels 68,69.
Flinger rings 83,84 are secured to the outer ends of the cylindrical extensions to prevent flow of liquid slurry and contaminants along the outside surfaces of the extensions and soiling of the drum mounting wheels and the drum drive. The drum is driven by an electrical motor 85 mounted on the outside of the casing adjacent the small end of the drum and connected to the drum by a pulley and belt transmission. A multigroove pulley 86 fastened to the motor shaft is connected to the cylindrical extension 66 by V-belts 86a engaging about the collar 87 fastened to the extension 66 and having the V-belt grooves in its periphery.
The large end of the drum is its inlet end, and a slurry of waste paper products and contaminants to be treated is fed to the inlet end via an inlet pipe 88 extending through the adjacent end wall 89 of the casing 60 and projecting into the drum through the adjacent cylindrical extension 65. The bottom part of the casing, underlying the drum, serves as a trough 90 for collecting the accepts, that is, liquid and fiber or flakes passing through the drum perforations, and accepts collected in the trough 90 flow to an accepts outlet 91 disposed below the inlet end of the drum from where they are discharged to the accepts tank 54 for recirculation to the pulper tub 10 (FIG. 1) by the pump 51.
The small end of the drum is the discharge end for rejected contaminants. These are discharged from the outer end of the cylindrical extension 66 and fall through a rejects outlet 92 in the bottom of the casing 60.
Mounted on the perforated inner surface of the drum 61 are a plurality of axially extending vanes 93. These project inwardly from the drum at equally spaced positions about the drum and are reinforced by suitable gussets (not shown). They may be formed with a spiral configuration to provide a screw feeding action as the drum rotates. At the discharge end of the drum, the vanes terminate at an annular baffle 94 coplanar with the end wall 63 and having diametrically opposite openings 94a via which provide for ready discharge of rejects.
Mounted within the drum and extending from the inlet end of the drum to the discharge end of the cylindrical extension 66 is a rotor 96 having equally spaced, axially extending blades or vanes 97 projecting radially from a hollow rotor shaft 98. The blades 97 are located and reinforced by spaced radial flanges 99. Downstream from the centre of the rotor, the shaft 98 is fitted with spray nozzles 98a which are supplied with water through the hollow shaft via a rotary coupling at the end of the shaft adjacent the drum inlet.
The rotor is mounted for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis 100 inclined to the vertical plane containing the axis of rotation of the drum at an angle of inclination substantially equal to the conical angle of the drum. Its axis 100 extends from a position offset from the vertical plane at the large end of the drum and intersects the vertical plane adjacent the outside of the end wall 101 of the casing at the small end of the drum. It is disposed in a horizontal plane which is intersected by the slightly inclined axis 67 of the drum at a position within the drum.
The rotor shaft 98 projects from opposite ends of the casing and is journalled in bearings 102,103 supported on suitable platforms 104,105 mounted on the outside end walls 89,101 of the casing. The rotor is driven by an electric motor 106 mounted on the outside of the casing adjacent the small end of the drum and coupled to the rotor shaft projecting from the bearing 103 by means of a pulley and belt transmission. The motor 106 has a three-groove pulley 107 fastened to its shaft and coupled to a similar pulley 108 fastened to the projecting end of the rotor shaft by V-belts 109.
As shown in FIG. 5, the rotor 96 is located eccentrically of the rotational axis of the drum adjacent the upwardly moving side of the drum and in a position to intercept material lifted by the vanes 93 and falling from the upper region of the drum. It is spaced from the frusto-conical surface defined by the path of movement of the inner edges of the vanes so that there is a significant clearance between the rotor blades and the drum vanes and no shearing action is produced between the blades and the vanes. For preferred operation, the rotor is arranged to rotate in the opposite direction to the drum, as indicated by the arrows 95 and 110 in FIG. 5.
In normal continuous use of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, waste paper products, usually in bale form, are charged into the tub along with enough water to provide a pulpable total solids content, usually about 4-8%. As soon as the pulper has been operating long enough to reduce some of the paper to essentially defibered condition, i.e. to particle sizes which pass through extraction plate 20, the extraction valve 25 is opened to withdraw extracted stock from chamber 22 under plate 20. Additional furnish, i.e. waste paper and water, is added at the rate necessary to maintain the consistency of the suspension in the tub in the desired percentage range, and water, either make-up water or recycled white water from a thickener or screen downstream, is containuously added, preferably by way of the inlet 38 in the lower part of the junk remover tower 31, at the proper rate to maintain the desired liquid level in the pulper tub.
When the extraction valve 25 is opened to initiate withdrawal of extracted stock from the pulper, the weir plate 41 is lowered to initiate overflow from the junk remover tower 31. The open position of the weir plate 41 is located to maintain a sufficiently lower liquid level in the tower than in the pulper tub to induce continuous flow of lightweight contaminants into the tower by way of the chute 35, as a result of the higher effective head in the pulper tub. This overflow will include substantial quantities of undefibered pieces of paper, particularly wet strength paper, as well as pieces of plastics sheet and film and other lightweight contaminants, and this flow will be delivered to the inlet end of the rotary screening machine 50 of the invention.
In the rotary screening machine, the drum 60 rotates relatively slowly, e.g. 25 RPM, while the rotor 96 rotates more rapidly, e.g. 500 RPM. The relatively slowly moving vanes 93 within the drum continuously lift solids material from the lower region of the drum up to a height at which it falls off the vanes back towards the lower part of the drum. With the rotor positioned as shown, however, material falling from the successive vanes usually drops on to the rotor and the relatively rapidly moving rotor blades hurl it back against the inner surface of the drum.
This action may occur several times on a given piece of undefibered paper, and the resulting multiple impacts quickly break it down into particles small enough to pass through the drum perforations into the trough 90, and then by way of the tank 54, pump 51 and line 52 back to the pulper tub 10. The rotor nozzles 98a produce radial sprays which serve as hydraulic baffles to slow down the longitudinal travel of the solids material over the downstream half of the drum. Control of the speed of travel of the material through the drum, and hence the amount of processing of the material, can also be achieved by adjusting the angle of the drum, for example, with the aid of jacking screws (not shown) located beneath the casing 60.
For satisfactory operation, it is important that any pool of stock in the trough 90 should not substantially immerse the bottom of the drum. It should not immerse the bottom of the drum for more than its upstream half.
Whilst the action of the screening machine defibers or deflakes the paper products, since the rotor blades and drum vanes are dimensioned and positioned to establish a significant space therebetween, e.g. 13 cms (5 inches) at the closest, there is minimal tendency for comminution of non-paper solid contaminants in the slurry, and they progress to the small end of the drum for discharge from the machine with substantially no change in their physical characteristics other than the separation therefrom of paper originally adhering thereto, for example, the paper constituents of plastics coated paper or board. It is therefore possible to increase the capacity of the machine of the invention compared with competitive apparatus, because it is pratical to use somewhat larger drum perforations than in the case of a deflaker or comparable apparatus wherein the contaminant materials are also subject to comminution along with the paper.
Whilst particular embodiments have been described, it will be understood that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the rotary screening machine is not limited to use with a pulper of the type described above and is applicable to the treatment of contaminated paper slurries from any source. Moreover, it may be used as a substitute for a conventional deflaker, in which case the normal tailing screen can be eliminated because the machine of the invention serves as its own screen. All that is necessary for such use of the machine are suitable supply and discharge connections, with the accepted stock being handled in accordance with conventional techniques.
Moreover, whilst the weir plate 41 is particularly described above as being controlled by a fluid pressure cylinder 43, it will be evident to an informed reader that it may alternatively be controlled by any other suitable means, such as, an electric motor.
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A system for the recovery of paper-making fiber from contaminated waste paper products including plastic film and other lightweight non-paper contaminants includes a novel rotary screening machine comprising a perforated drum rotatable about a generally horizontal axis and having openings at opposite ends for the delivery of liquid and paper furnished to the drum and the discharge of contaminants, respectively, a plurality of vanes for lifting material from the bottom of the drum to an upper region as the drum rotates, and a rotor mounted within the drum and having blades which are disposed in spaced relation to the drum vanes in a position to intercept material falling from the upper region of the drum and fling it back against the drum. The resulting fibers or flakes of useful paper are washed through the drum perforations while the rejected contaminants are conveyed to and removed via the discharge end of the drum.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a novel quick-mounted device for electrical contactors, particularly for minature contactors, which are normally mounted upon a support rail. Conventional contactors of this type include a coil and a core forming part of a magnetic system which are mounted on a base plate which is in turn housed within a housing or interior of the associated contactor.
Frequently contactors including housing having upper and lower parts with the upper part normally receiving a contact system which includes an internal movable armature of a magnetic system and externally accessible screws. The lower part of the housing normally receives a coil and a core of the magnetic system which are normally carried by a base plate. The base plate is bodily attached to and removable from the contactor housing. The base plate, coil and core are generally a single component which can be connected to the lower part of the conventional contactor housing. If, for example, a coil of a particular contactor is bad and must be replaced, the contactor is disassembled from its associated support rail, upon which a number of contactors are normally mounted close together or tightly one against the other, and in this manner a particular coil can be removed and/or replaced.
However, heretofore conventional quick-mounting of contactors has always required an additional mounting plate to which the base plate, coil and core was secured to fasten the latter assembled components to the lower side of the contactor housing. The additional mounting plate has special quick-mount devices, such as spring-loaded slides and opposing locking or abutment means. Normally, these removably engage opposite lateral edges of conventional support rails. However, when considering the large number of contactors that are normally required in a particular environment and the resulting mass-production therefor, such mounting plates and associated spring-loaded slides represent relatively high costs, both as to material and labor, particularly with respect to the production of minature contactors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel quick-mounted device for contactors, particularly minature contactors, wherein such conventional latter-noted additional mounting plates are totally eliminated, yet nonetheless the structure of the invention assures quick assembly and disassembly of the contactors and their base plates, coils and cores, both during storage and shipping, but particularly during assembly and disassembly of the core assemblies relative to the contactor housing and the contactor housing relative to an associated support rail.
The novelty of the present invention lies in the provision of two different yet related securing means on opposite walls of the contactor housing, each of the securing means including inwardly directed tangs or projections, and the tangs or projections being such as to engage opposite lateral edges of the coil assembly base plate on the one hand and opposite lateral edges of the support rail on the other, yet upon the insertion of a tool between these securing means, the base plate and associated coil assembly is maintained securely mounted within the contactor housing while the contactor housing can be quickly unlocked and removed from (or applied to) an associated support rail.
With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a novel contactor constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates the housing having resilient depending legs for quick-coupling a coil assembly within the housing and quick-coupling the housing to an associated support rail.
FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the contactor of FIG. 1, and illustrates the manner in which the flexible legs are carried by opposite lateral walls of the housing.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the contactor with a coil assembly shown removed from the contactor housing, and illustrates with more particularity the construction of the coil assembly and the flexible legs of one of the housing walls.
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken normal to the longitudinal axis of a support rail upon which the contactor is mounted, and illustrates opposite walls of the contactor housing, the flexible legs thereof, and opposing tangs or projections carried by the legs for securing the coil assembly within the contactor housing and the contactor housing to the support rail.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along line V--V of FIG. 4, and illustrates with more particularity the relationship of the flexible legs, the tangs or projections thereof and edges of the coil assembly, specifically the base plate thereof, and lateral edges of the support rail.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4, and illustrates the manner in which the flexible legs at opposite walls of the connector housing are moved away from each other to remove the contactor from a support rail and the coil assembly from the interior of the contactor housing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A novel contactor constructed in accordance with this invention is shown in the various figures of the drawings and is generally designated by the reference numeral 1. The overall size of the contactor 1 can be standardized, particularly the width thereof so as to accommodate the contactor 1 upon associated standard or conventional support rails, such as a support rail 36 (FIGS. 4 and 6). However, while the contactor 1 is shown of a particular width, the invention also covers other contactors, particularly narrow contactors widthwise, which are approximately half as wide as that shown in FIG. 1.
Normally, the contactor 1 includes a contact system which is omitted from the drawing since it is conventional and is not part of the present invention. However, such a contact system normally includes at an upper part (unnumbered) of the contactor housing (also unnumbered) a number of electrical terminal clamps 2 through 5. Another terminal clamp 6 is located somewhat offset downward and is designed to be connected to an associated coil 42 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 6) of a coil assembly 41 which is fixed between a flange 43 and a base plate 7. The terminal clamp 6 and an opposite similar unnumbered terminal clamp (FIG. 3) are carried by electrical terminals 44, 45 of the flange 43.
Similar terminal clamps corresponding to the terminal clamps 2 through 6 are identically positioned on the side opposite of that shown in FIG. 1, and at both sides of the contactor housing, but in a top or cover 48 thereof (FIG. 3) bores 46, 47 are provided for permitting the introduction of a screwdriver to tighten or loosen th screws (unnumbered) of the terminal clamps 2 through 6 in a conventional manner.
A movable armature (not shown) of a magnetic system (also not shown) is operationally connected to the overall contact system, including the terminal clamps 2 through 6 within the contactor housing, and the contactor housing is closed at its lower side or lower part by the base plate 7 of the coil assembly 41 after the base plate 7 has, of course, been inserted through the bottom into the contactor housing, as is most apparent from FIGS. 4 and 6 of the drawings. If the coil 42 or the entire coil assembly 41 must be exchanged, the entire coil assembly 41 is pulled out through the bottom of the contactor housing, as is most apparent from FIGS. 4 and 6, and as will be described more fully hereinafter.
The housing of the contactor 1 also includes four outwardly projecting feet 8 through 11 which are an integral molded portion of the housing with each of the feet 8 through 11 being positioned at one of the housing corners. The feet 8 through 11 are provided with holes to allow the contactor 1 to be assembled in a conventional manner upon a mounting plate (not shown).
Securing means 20 through 22 and 28 on the one hand and 27, 29 on the other hand are provided at a lower part of the housing of the contactor 1 for securing the contactor housing to the support rail and retaining or securing the coil assembly 41 within the housing of the contactor 1, respectively. The securing means 20 through 22 and 28 includes a pair of resilient downwardly depending legs 21, 22 connected by a bright or arm 20, 28 with the legs 21, 22 and/or the arms 20, 28 each carrying at least one tang or projection 32, 33 in opposed relationship to each oher (FIG. 4) at opposite walls of the contactor housing. In other words, the legs 21, 22 and/or arm 20 at the left side of the contactor housing, as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 6, carrying tangs 32 which project toward tangs 33 carried by the legs 21, 22 and/or arm 28 of the right-side of the contactor housing, again as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 6. A leg 27 is between and spaced from the legs 21, 22 (FIG. 1) by slots 25, 26 and from the arm 20 by a slot or gap 30 (FIG. 2), while a leg 29 (FIG. 2) is similarly spaced from the legs 21, 22 by the slots 25, 26 and from the arm 28 (FIG. 2) by a slot or gap 31. The legs 27, 29 carry tangs or projections 34, 35, respectively (FIGS. 4 and 6), which project toward each other and are above the tangs or projections 32, 33 of the legs 21, 22. As is best illustrated in FIG. 4, the base plate 7 of the coil assembly 41 includes opposite lateral edges 12, 13, and these are engaged by the projections 34, 35. Similarly, the support rail 36 includes opposite generally parallel lateral edges 37, 38 (FIG. 4), and these are engaged by the projections 32, 33.
As is also best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the walls outboard of the legs 21, 22 are relieved or slotted at 23, 24. This basically imparts additional resilience to the legs 21, 22, 27, 29. When the coil assembly 41 is housed within the housing of the contactor 1, as shown in FIG. 4, the projections 34, 35 engage the edges 12, 13 of the base plate 7 and preclude the inadvertent removal of the coil assembly 41. Likewise, when the projections 32, 33 engage beneath the lateral edges 37, 38 of the support rail 36, the housing of the contactor 1 can not be inadvertently removed from the support rail 36. However, if for some reason the coil assembly 41 or the coil 42 must be removed from the housing of the contactor 1, a tool, such as the blade of a screwdriver, is simply inserted into either of the slots or gaps 30, 31 and rotated. This is illustrated schematically at the right-side of FIG. 4 where upon such rotation of the screwdriver blade causes outward bending or deflection of the legs 21, 22, thus releasing the projection or tang 33 from beneath the longitudinal edge 38 of the support rail 36. However, it is to be noted that this same rotation of the screwdriver blade will not move the leg 29 outwardly and, thus the edges 12, 13 will be held secure within the housing of the contactor 1 by the respective projections 34, 35. Once, of course, the right-side legs 21, 22 are deflected as shown at the right in FIG. 4, the entire contactor 1 can be removed from he support rail 36. Just as obviously, a screwdriver can be simultaneously inserted into both gaps 30, 31, simultaneously or alternately rotated, and both projections 32, 33 can be moved to the unlocked position to thus free the contactor 1 from the support rail 36. Once the contactor 1 has been removed from the support rail 36, the legs 27, 29 can be manually bent away from each other so that the projections 34, 35 will no longer underlie the edges 12, 13 of the coil assembly 41, and at this point (FIG. 6) the entire coil assembly 41, including the flange 43, the coil 42 and the base plate 7 can be removed from the housing of the contactor 1 (FIG. 6). Either an entire new coil assembly can then be reinserted into the contactor housing 1, or replacement parts can be assembled, as need be, upon the base plate 7 and the latter reinserted into the contactor housing.
The contactor housing and, of course, the walls of the legs 21, 22, 27 and 29 are constructed from resilient plastic material such that upon being deflected (FIG. 4, right-side; FIG. 6, both sides) and released, the legs will rebound to their normal unstressed condition (FIGS. 1, 3 and the left-hand side of FIG. 4). In this condition, assuming that the contactor housing lower part is empty, the repaired or new coil assembly can be simply inserted into the housing of the contactor 1 from the bottom at which point the edges 12, 13 of the base plate 7 simply ride along the tapered lower surfaces 39 of the projections 34, 35, causing the legs 27 an/or 29 to temporarily deflect outwardly until the edges 12, 13 pass the projections 34, 35 after which the inherent resilience of the legs 27, 29 bring the same once again to the nondeflected position thereof shown in FIG. 4 retaining the coil assembly 41 within the lower housing part of the contactor 1. The contactor 1 can then be reassembled to the support rail 36 simply by a downward pressure which forces lower tapered surfaces 39 of the projections 32, 33 against the lateral, longitudinal edges 37, 38 of the support rail 36, causing the legs 21, 22 to deflect outwardly (FIG. 6), after which the longitudinal edges 37, 38 past the projections 32, 33 and the legs 20, 21 again snap to the locked position (left-hand side of FIG. 4).
If desired, the legs 21, 22 can also be provided with one or more projections 50 corresponding to the projections 34, 35, as shown in FIG. 4. In this case the projections 50 of the legs 21, 22 functions to additionally secure the edges 12, 13 of the coil assembly 41 within the contactor housing. Hence, in this case the coil assembly 41 and its associated base plate 7 can not be removed from the contactor housing, unless the projections 34, 35 and the projections 50 are deflected out of engagement with the respective edges 12, 13 of the base plate 7. This provision of the projections 50 associated with the legs 21, 22 provides double assurance that even upon inadvertently releasing the projections 34, 35, the projections 50 will prevent the edges 12, 13 from dropping below the projections 50 to thus preclude inadvertent disassembly of the coil assembly 41 from the interior of the contactor housing.
In accordance with the present invention the projections 34, 35 and 50 need not be provided since a lower side of the base plate 7 can have longitudinal transverse reinforcing rims 14, 15 and 16 (FIG. 2) which can rest on the top surface (unnumbered) for the support rail 36, as is shown in FIG. 4. In this position, the projections 32, 33 hold the contactor housing locked to the lateral or longitudinal edges 37, 38 of the support rail which in turn retains the coil assembly 41 within the contactor housing.
If desired, the base plate 7 may include three rectangular holes 17, 18 and 19 if it is desired to pass a core 40 of the magnetic system, together with its three legs (not shown) through the base plate 7. At this point a core part (not shown) is positioned parallel to the base plate 7 and is mounted between the reinforcing ribs 14 and 15. To facilitate such mounting, all of the projections 34, 35, 50, etc. are preferably provided with surfaces corresponding to the tapered surface 39 of the projection 32.
It is also to be particularly noted relative to the attaching and detaching of the projections 32, 33 that the rotation of the screwdriver blade heretofore noted not only deflects the legs 21, 22 outwardly, but a force is created which forces the legs 27, 29 inwardly. This inward motion brings the projections 34, 35 further beneath the edges 12, 13 of the coil assembly 41 and its associated base plate 7, thus assuring that during detachment of the contactor 1 from the support rail 36, the coil assembly 41 will not be accidentally disassembled from the contactor housing interior. Thus, the coil assembly and its associated magnetic system can not accidentally drop out of the contactor housing and be otherwise inadvertently damaged. However, simply by the outwardly deflection of the legs 27, 29 (FIG. 6), the coil assembly 41 can be assuredly and positively removed from the contactor housing interior. Thus, the quick-mount device of the invention lends itself to rapid assembly and disassembly.
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A quick-mount device for a contactor which includes a housing in which is mounted a coil assembly having a coil and electrical terminals carried by a base plate. Opposite walls of the contactor housing include legs each carrying oppositely directing tangs or projections. A first of the oppositely directed tangs engaging the lateral edges of the base plate and a second of the oppositely directed tangs engaging lateral edges of a support rail. The opposite directed tangs are so relatively positioned that a screwdriver can be inserted therebetween for manually freeing the second tangs from engagement thereof with the support rail, yet maintaining the engagement of the first tangs with the base plate of the coil assembly, thereby permitting both quick-mounting and quick-demounting of the contactor relative to its associated coil assembly and/or support rail.
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This application claims benefit of Provisional Application 60/070,052 filed Dec. 31, 1997.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for mechanically interconnecting a housing with a portable vehicle. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and method for interconnecting a housing structure that lacks sanitary facilities with a portable vehicle that has such sanitary facilities and doing so in such a way that the portable vehicle is fully enclosed within the housing structure.
Motor homes, mobile homes and recreational vehicles (collectively referred to as "RVs") have recently enjoyed an increase in popularity. RV's provide a spontaneous mobility that is relatively inexpensive as opposed to a fixed dwelling which is generally more expensive and is immovable. The fixed dwelling, however, provides the owner a relatively spacious living area and is a welcome addition to most communities. In contrast, the disadvantages of RVs involve the rather cramped general living quarters and the question of availability of space at campsites for such large structures.
When building a fixed dwelling, a disproportionately large amount is paid for plumbing, bathroom facilities and kitchen facilities. Approximately 30% to 45% of the cost of the home is dedicated to these necessities. While the RV may be driven away at the owner's whim, the fixed dwelling, particularly in climates which are subject to severe winter conditions, must be "winterized" when temporarily abandoned in favor of warmer climates. Winterizing is necessary when the heat in the fixed dwelling is to be turned off since there will be no occupants. Since there is no heat, the pipes must be drained to prevent the freezing of the pipes contained therein. While this avoids the high cost of heating the home over a winter, there is a significant burden of draining the pipes and then opening the house upon return.
One commercially available system that resolves some of these issues is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,669 entitled "Dwelling Structure" issued Feb. 17, 1981, to Robert F. Freehoff, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,696 entitled "Dwelling Structure" issued Feb. 19, 1985, to Robert F. Freehoff. These patents address a system for interconnecting a permanent dwelling structure with a RV which has kitchen and bathroom facilities. Thus, when the owner of the RV chooses to leave, there is no need to winterize the dwelling structure since the plumbing used by the dwelling structure is disposed in the RV. A disadvantage of this system is that the interconnection between the mobile vehicle and the dwelling structure is through a lateral surface. That is, the mobile vehicle is pulled along side of the dwelling structure and an air tight seal is made between the two to interconnect. However, since these are fixed dwellings, the dwelling structure may not be situated on a lot wide enough to accommodate this kind of interconnection. That is, to keep the cost of the lot and dwelling insubstantial the size of the lot is minimized and/or the size of the structure is maximized to fill the size of the lot. This is particularly evident in RV parks that have lots substantially equal to the width of the RV. The foregoing commercially available structure does not fit in a RV park, and at a minimum would require the dwelling structure to be downsized at least by the width of the RV. Under some circumstances, the foregoing structures may have another disadvantage: the interconnection between the mobile vehicle and the dwelling structure is through a lateral surface. That is, the mobile vehicle is pulled along side of the dwelling structure and an air tight seal is made between the two to interconnect. However, the dwelling structure may not be situated on a lot wide enough to accommodate this kind of interconnection. That is, to keep the cost of the lot and dwelling insubstantial the size of the lot is minimized and/or the size of the structure is maximized to fill the size of the lot. This is particularly evident in RV parks that have lots substantially equal to the width of the RV. The foregoing commercially available structure does not fit in an RV park, and at a minimum would require the dwelling structure to be downsized at least by the width of the RV.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a dwelling structure that lacks sanitary facilities but is adapted to interconnect with the mobile vehicle that contains such sanitary facilities.
It is another object to this invention to provide a RV and dwelling combination which does not decrease the width of the dwelling alone.
It is a further object to this invention to provide a RV and dwelling combination that will fit in RV parks.
These and other objects of the invention will be obvious and will appear hereinafter.
SUMMARY
The aforementioned and other objects are achieved by the invention which provides a dwelling system and a method associated therewith. The dwelling system comprises a portable unit and a housing.
The portable unit is generally a vehicle which is mobily disposed and has sanitary facilities disposed therein. Examples of such portable units are recreational vehicles and mobile homes.
Generally, the housing has one or more rooms and is optionally a structure in which one or more people could dwell therein. However, the housing lacks sanitary facilities and will often lack all types of plumbing.
The housing is adapted to mechanically interconnect with the portable unit. The mechanical interconnection occurs vertically such that the roof of the portable unit opens to receive a mating structure, such as stairs or a ladder for example, from the housing. The mating structure is disposed in the housing above the portable unit.
In further aspects, the invention provides methods in accord with the apparatus described above. The aforementioned and other aspects of the invention are evident in the drawings and in the description that follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other objects of this invention, the various features thereof, as well as the invention itself, may be more fully understood from the following description, when read together with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional side view of the dwelling system of the invention;
FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of the portable unit disposed under a housing as per the invention; and
FIG. 3 shows a perspective 1 view of the housing of the invention where the mating structure is fully retracted.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
While the present invention retains utility within a wide variety of dwelling systems and may be embodied in several different forms, it is advantageously employed in connection with motor homes, recreational vehicles ("RV") and mobile homes. Though this is the form of the preferred embodiment and will be described as such, this embodiment should be considered illustrative and not restrictive. The distinction generally drawn between motor homes, recreational vehicles and mobile homes is that motor homes are generally self-propelled while recreational vehicles and mobile homes are generally pulled by another vehicle. One skilled in the art will realize that the invention is useful with any such type of vehicle and is also useful with numerous other large vehicles that may not readily fit into a conventional garage. Therefore, as used herein, the term "portable unit" shall be defined as any such vehicle without limitation.
FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the dwelling system 10 where a housing 12 is adapted to receive a portable unit 20. In this embodiment, the housing 12 is structured so as to receive the portable unit 20 below a living area 16. The housing 10 is, in this embodiment, sized to accommodate the portable unit 20 within a chamber 14 below the living area 16. The housing 12, and therefore the living area 16, can then be sized to maximize the square footage of living space given the lot size.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, access to the portable unit 20 from the housing 12 achieved through an access way 26 disposed in a roof 28 of the portable unit 20. The access way 26 has a weather tight door which when in a normally closed position seals the interior of the portable unit 20 from external elements.
In other embodiments, however, the need for a weather tight door would be unnecessary. For example, the housing 12 could be accessed by exiting the portable unit 20 from a side door and then using an access way, such as stairs, offset to a side of the portable unit 20 to enter the housing 12. In such an embodiment during entry into a living area 16, the occupants would be protected from external elements from above, but not from the side. Other offset forms of access ways should be readily apparent.
When using the door on the roof 28, however, the access way 26 is retractable in any of numerous ways well known in the art to open the access way 26. For example, the weather tight door could retract into a adjoining portion of the roof, could rotate relative to the roof such that it is directly behind a mating structure 18, or any of various other structures well known in the art.
Once the access way 26 is open, the mating structure 18, such as the stairs which are illustrated for example, are withdrawn from an aperture 30 in the housing floor 36 and the mating structure 18 is drawn into the access way 26. One skilled in the art will realize that any structure that provides vertical access can serve as the mating structure 18. Other examples are telescoping ladders and elevators. The mating structure 18 is retractable into the housing 12 and is lockable in that position to insure security to the housing 12. The method of retraction is again design specific and ranges from a manual spring-biased structure to a structure having electric motors to cause retraction and engagement, for example. In the preferred embodiment, each such mating structure 18 can be locked, and in one embodiment engaged, using a key at ground level.
For homes that are known to be unoccupied for long periods of time, an elevated and lockable mating structure 18 is a desirable element of security. If the mating structure 18 is the primary means of ingress, an intruder would need a ladder to enter the housing 12, thus becoming highly visible thereby discouraging such actions.
When the mating structure 18 is unlocked, a force moves the mating structure 18 into an engaged position. That force may be purely mechanical, use electric motors, or some combination thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, the mating structure 18 is a flight of stairs which is rotatably connected at one end to the housing 12. The force is manual and is actuated by pulling a rope from below or pushing down from above, though electric motors can be substituted without detriment to the invention.
Actuation as described causes the mating structure 18 to rotate about hinges mechanically connected to the mating structure 18. Once fully engaged, the mating structure 18 locks in position.
In the engaged position, the mating structure 18 is in mechanical contact with a floor 32 of the portable unit 20. Occupants of the living area 16 then access the facilities of the portable unit 20 by walking down the mating structure 18 into the portable unit 20. Examples of such facilities would be sanitary facilities 22, such as a toilet and a sink and a kitchen area 24. Since the facilities that require plumbing, such as the sanitation facilities 22, are disposed within the portable unit 20, the housing 12 need not have plumbing. Thus, the requirement of winterizing the housing 12 when the housing 12 is unoccupied for any long period of time is avoided and the overall cost of constructing the housing 12 are minimized.
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown an enlarged view of the preferred mechanical interconnection between the housing 12 and the portable unit 20. As previously described, the mating structure 18 passes through the access way 26 to provide convenient access from the housing to the portable unit 20. In order to minimize external influences, a sleeve 34 is secured between the housing floor 36 and the roof 28 of the portable unit 20. In the preferred embodiment, the sleeve 34 has a magnetic strip that secures the sleeve to the roof 28.
The above-described embodiment shows a means by which the portable unit 20 is accessed from the housing 12 and the space necessary for the mechanical interconnection of the two dwellings is minimized. However, the portable unit 20 in that embodiment is fully exposed to passersby.
FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment where the mating structure 18 is fully retracted within the housing 40 and the portable unit 20 is fully enclosable therein.
This embodiment illustrates how a portable unit 20 that is longer than the width of the housing 40 is enclosed therein. To manage the additional width of the portable unit 20, a garage addition 44 extends from the housing 40. The enclosed space below the living area 16 and the area enclosed by the garage addition 44 define a chamber 42 where the portable unit 20 is ultimately stored.
The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
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A dwelling system having a housing which lacks plumbing. The housing is elevated so as to accept a portable unit below the housing. The housing uses a mating structure to provide bi-directional access through the roof of the portable unit that plumbing is provided by the portable unit.
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This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §365 of International Application PCT/US2006/046853, filed Dec. 8, 2006, which was published in accordance with PCT Article 21(2) on Jun. 12, 2008 in English.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a technique for positive identification of digital video signals.
BACKGROUND ART
Identification of a serial digital video signal from a single source or even a few sources generally presents little difficulties. However, in a typical broadcast facility, many serial digital video signals exist, and identification of each signal often proves problematic, particularly as the signals undergo routing through one or more devices, such as a cross-point switcher, some times referred to as a cross-point matrix. Presently, to positively identify a given serial digital video signal during routing, descrambling and de-serialization of the signal must occur in order to decode the identification information. Carrying out these processes requires a significant amount of hardware. Thus, in a system having many serial digital video signals, providing the necessary descrambling and de-serialization hardware often proves impractical from a cost, space and power consumption perspective. For this reason, broadcast facilities typically rely completely on routing control system status information to determine which input connects to a given output in the cross-point matrix. Such reliance incurs the disadvantage that no automated method exists for checking the actual signal present at a given cross-point matrix output and alerting the user should the status information prove erroneous.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present principles, a method for identifying a digital video signal in a video system commences with the step of phase modulating the digital video signal with an identification signal at an input of the video system, thereby identifying that signal. The phase modulated digital video signal undergoes demodulation at an output of the video system to establish the identity of the video signal. In this way, verification of proper routing of the signal through video system can occur.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 depicts a block schematic diagram of video system that identifies at least one digital video signals at an input for confirmation at an output in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present principles,
FIG. 2 depicts a block schematic diagram of one of the input circuits of the video system of FIG. 1 to phase modulate an input signal to identify that signal;
FIG. 3 depicts a block schematic diagram of one of the output circuits of the video system of FIG. 1 to demodulate an output signal for obtain the identification of that signal.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As described in greater detail hereinafter, in accordance with the present principles, the digital video input signal to a video system, gets identified to enable verification of signals at the system outputs.
FIG. 1 depicts a video system 10 which illustratively takes the form of cross-point matrix, some times referred to as a cross-point switcher or router, having the capability of routing a digital video signal at one or more of its inputs 12 1 - 12 n to one or more of its outputs 14 1 - 14 m where n and m are both integers greater than zero, but not necessarily equal to each other. The cross-point matrix 10 performs the routing of selected signals at its respective inputs 12 1 - 12 n to selected ones of the outputs 14 1 - 14 m under control of a routing control system (not shown). For a large video cross point matrix where n and m are both large, confirmation of the routing of a digital video signal from an input to any given output previously depended on status information provided by cross-point matrix or its control system. Since no mechanism heretofore existed for independent signal identification, an error in the status information thus could go undetected.
In accordance with the present principles, the cross-point matrix 10 has a plurality of input circuits 16 1 - 16 n coupled to corresponding ones of the matrix inputs 12 1 - 12 n , respectively. Each input circuit such as input circuit 12 1 receives an incoming serial digital video signal destined from the cross-point matrix 10 and provides the signal with its own identification in a manner described hereinafter. In this way, each input signal routed through the cross-point matrix 10 to one or more outputs 14 1 - 14 m carries its own unique identifier.
Each of the cross-point matrix 10 outputs 14 1 - 14 m is coupled to a corresponding output circuit 18 1 - 18 m , respectively. Each output circuit, such as output circuit 18 1 serves to strip the identifier from the signal at the corresponding cross point matrix output. The identifier stripped from the output signal is decoded to verify that the output signal corresponds to the input signal routed from the intended input. In other words, if the signal at input 12 1 was to be routed to output 14 1 , the identifier associated with the output signal appearing at that output should match the identifier of the input signal at the corresponding cross-point matrix input. Thus, the combination of the input circuits 16 1 - 16 n and output circuits 18 1 - 18 m provide a mechanism for determining whether an error exists in the cross-point matrix 10 status information.
FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of an exemplary input circuit, such as input circuit 16 1 , all of which share the same features. The input circuit 16 1 includes an equalizer and re-clocking circuit 20 for equalizing and re-clocking an incoming serial digital video signal. A phase modulator 22 phase modulates the output signal of the equalizer and re-clocking circuit 20 with a source identification information signal specific to the particular input circuit. In other words, each of the input circuits 16 1 - 16 n makes use of a different source identification information signal to uniquely identify each incoming serial digital video signal.
The frequency of each source identification signal typically will lie above the pass band of a loop filter (not shown) in the output of the equalizer and re-clocking circuit 20 . In practice, the loop band pass bandwidth usually lies in the 100-200 kHz region. The frequency of the source identification signal is also chosen so that it is not an integer sub-multiple of the serial digital video data rate (i.e. 135 MHz, 90 MHz, 67.5 Hz etc. for a 270 Mb/s signal or 742.5 MHz, 495 MHz, 371.25 MHz etc. for a 1.485 Gb/s signal). Avoiding such frequencies avoids the large amounts of energy present at these frequencies in the serial digital video signal frequency spectrum. The depth of modulation is set so that the combined total of phase modulation and jitter from other sources is less than 20% of the unit interval for the data rate used. Setting the depth of modulation in this manner assures that signal recovery can occur without error by during re-clocking by one of the output circuits 18 1 - 18 m .
FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary output circuit, such as circuit 18 1 , all of which share the same features. The output circuit 18 1 includes a re-clocking flop-flop register 24 supplied at its D input with the serial digital video signal from the associated output of the cross-point matrix 10 of FIG. 1 . A phase detector 26 within the output circuit 18 1 also receives the serial digital video signal at a first input from the cross-point matrix 10 of FIG. 1 . The phase detector 26 has its second input supplied with the output signal of a voltage controlled oscillator 27 which serves as the clock signal generator for the re-clocking register 24 .
The phase detector 26 provides an output signal in accordance with the phase difference between the signals at its first and second inputs to both a loop filter 28 and a source identification decoder 30 . The source identification signal decoded by the decoder 30 allows the routing control system for the cross-point matrix 10 (not shown) to verify the correct routing path through the cross-point matrix. The source identification signal has a higher frequency than the pass band of the loop filter 28 so that the loop filter effectively rejects the source identification signal. In this way, the voltage controller oscillator 27 , driven at its input by the output signal of the loop filter 28 , will not track the source identification signal.
As indicated previously, the output signal of the voltage controlled oscillator 27 serves as the clock signal for the re-clocking register 24 . With the loop filter 28 filtering out the source identification signal from the voltage controlled oscillator 27 , the source identification effectively gets removed from the output of the re-clocking register 24 . In this way, the re-clocking register 24 can drive an output buffer 36 with re-clocked signal corresponding to the incoming serial digital video signal in a normal manner.
The foregoing describes a technique for identifying serial digital video signals in a video system, thereby enabling verification of the routing of such signals through the video system.
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Incoming digital video signals to a video system each undergo identification with specific identifier prior to receipt at a corresponding one of the video system inputs. At each of the video system outputs, the output signal undergoes decoding to obtain the identity of the signal to confirm proper routing of signals within the video system.
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DESCRIPTION
The invention relates to a blower for a pressing table having feed ducts, connected to the suction side and/or blow side of the blower fan and leading to the pressing surface, and a change-over device which has an off position, a "suction" position and a "blow" position.
Blowers of this type are mounted in a known manner on the base frame of a pressing table. The blower fan is connected via a change-over box and a telescopic tube to the upper part of the pressing table, which is adjustable in height. The adjustment in height is effected by correspondingly extending the telescopic connection to a greater or lesser degree. Pressing, on the pressing table, is carried out using a steam iron. The steam is extracted as quickly as possible by means of the blower operating in the suction mode to prevent the steam from condensing in the fabric and thus avoiding moistening the material being pressed. In certain pressing operations, a very quick change-over from suction to blowing is important in order to straighten the fibres of the material being worked. In particular, however, it is important in certain pressing operations that there is no further suction after the blowing step has ended, since otherwise the already straightened fibres will collapse again.
A blower has been proposed which, after it has been switched on from an off position, makes it possible to change over from suction to blow but which, after blowing has ended, can be returned again to the off position only via the suction position. This restores the suction which adversely affects the desired pressing effect. The stream of air from the blower is regulated by means of a flap in the change-over box, and this regulation must be reset during each change-over step, based on the experience of the operator.
In another known pressing table, there is also provided a second pivotable pressing surface element which, on pivoting into its working position, automatically effects a deflection of the blower discharge air stream from the first pressing surface element to the second pressing surface element. A large pivoting angle is, however, required for a complete deflection of the stream of air from the blower, and this is regarded as time-wasting and inconvenient, for example when the pressing table is used for piecework.
It is an object of the invention to provide a blower of the type initially described, by means of which the disadvantages described above are eliminated. The aim of this is to increase the effect and the change-over speed of the blower and to ensure a correct operating sequencing.
Accordingly the present invention provides a blower for a pressing table having feed ducts between the suction side and/or the blow side of the blower and the pressing surface of the table and a change-over device which has an off position, a suction position and a blow position, wherein the change-over device is constructed to operate in such a way that, after it has assumed the said blow position, it cannot be changed over to the said suction position before being changed over to the said off position.
Further features and advantages of the invention can be seen from the description of an illustrative embodiment by reference to the Figures in which:
FIG. 1 is a part-sectional view showing a pressing table with the blower and an additional pressing surface element;
FIG. 2 is a perspective front view of the blower in part-sectional form; and
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the blower, as seen along the direction of the arrow III in FIG. 2.
FIG. 1 shows a pressing table 1 with a main or first horizontal pressing surface element 2 and an additional or second horizontal pressing surface element 3 which is movable vertically, and also pivotable about a vertical axis, relative to the main one. The assembly 5 consisting of the blower fan inlet and discharge ducts is fixed to the underside 4 in the region of the base 6.
The additional pressing surface element 3 can be connected via a telescopic swivel connector in a duct to the blower assembly 5. The outer tubular part 7 of the swivel connector has on its external periphery a cam formation 8 which is in engagement with a device which will be described in detail later. The duct 7 is mounted on the blower assembly 5 and serves to deflect the stream of air from the blower onto the additional pressing surface element 3. Securing of the blower assembly 5 is effected by inserting it into an opening provided on the underside of the main table surface element 2 and screwing it thereto. The "height" adjustment of the pressing table 1 is effected by means of adjusting elements, not shown, in the base 6 of the table. An electric foot switch 9 makes it possible to change over between suction and blow, as well as to switch the blower on and off.
FIGS. 2 and 3 show the construction of the blower assembly 5.
The blower assembly 5 includes a fan 10 which is arranged in the lower part thereof. The suction side of the fan is connected via the suction opening 11 to a suction duct 12. The suction duct 12 is bounded by a rear wall 14, a side wall 15, a partition wall 16, the top 17 of the fan casing and a horizontal separating wall 18 of the casing. This separating wall 18 of the casing lies in the same plane as the lower boundary face of the main pressing surface element 2 and thus forms a duct which is sealed from the surroundings for the air supply to, and air removal from, the pressing surface of the first pressing surface element 2. On its side located on the top 17 of the blower, the suction duct 12 is open to atmosphere. On its side remote from the suction opening 11, the duct 12 leads into a further duct 19.
This further duct 19 is bounded by the horizontal separating wall 18 of the casing, the side wall 15 and a further side wall 25, and a top cover 26 as well as a cover side wall between edges 60, 61, and leads to the underside of the main pressing surface element 2 for guiding suction air or blowing air. On its side facing away from the fan, the duct 19 opens through a cut-out in the horizontal separating wall 18 of the casing into a duct 27.
The duct 27 is bounded by the partition wall 16, a front wall 28, the side wall 25, a bottom 29 which extends obliquely upwards from the fan discharge opening 32 towards the side wall 25, and a separating wall 31 and a wall 29a (both shown in FIG. 3). On the rear of the blower assembly, it is open to atmosphere. In the lower part of the partition wall 16, the duct 27 is connected to the discharge opening 32 of the fan 10.
A shaft 20 on the separating wall 18 extends along that edge which delimits the opening of the duct 19 into the duct 12, up to and including the opening of the duct 19 into the duct 27. This shaft 20 is rotatably mounted in bearings (not shown) in the side walls 15, 25 and in the separating wall 16. A sheet metal vane 21 is secured to the shaft 20 by screwing or welding and is of such a size that, in the manner shown in FIG. 2, it can sub-divide the duct 12 into two parts and can completely close off the opening where the duct 12 communicates to atmosphere. Laterally offset relative to the sheet metal vane 21, and offset in its angular position relative thereto in a manner which can be seen from FIG. 2, a second sheet metal vane 22 is fixed to the shaft 20. The surface area of this second sheet metal vane is selected so that the latter can completely seal both the opening which communicates the duct 27 to atmosphere, and the connecting opening between the duct 27 and the duct 19. In the region 33 of vane 22, on its edge remote from the shaft 20, the sheet metal vane has a tab bent at a shallow angle towards the front wall 28 relative to the remainder of the vane 22. One end of a helical tension spring 34 is fixed approximately in the middle of the sheet metal vane 22 and the other end is fixed to the vane 26 in the vertical plane which passes through the shaft 20.
The spring rate of the spring 34 and the mutual angular offset of the sheet metal vanes 21, 22 on the shaft 20 are selected in such a way that, before the fan 10 is switched on, the vane 22 closes the opening between the duct 19 and the duct 27, while the vane 21 closes the opening of the duct 12 to atmosphere. At the same time, this makes the connection between the discharge opening 32 of the fan casing and atmosphere, via the duct 27, and also the connecting between the fan suction opening 11 and the duct 19, via the duct 12.
A solenoid 30 is fixed to the partition wall 16 and acts on the vane 21 in such a way that brief excitation of the solenoid effects movement of its armature in the direction shown by an arrow to abut the armature against the vane 21 to trigger pivoting of the vane 21 and its shaft 20.
The pivoting freedom of the sheet metal vane 22 is adjustable by means of a stop 36 (FIG. 3) which is fixed to the partition wall 16 on that side of the duct 27 which is open to atmosphere. The adjustment of the stop 36 is effected by pivoting its mounting shaft 37 by means of a lever 38. The flow rate of the suction stream or blowing stream fed to the pressing surfaces 2 and 3 can be adjusted in this way and will be subsequently retained even when a fresh working cycle is initiated, unless the lever 38 is moved.
To connect the pivotable additional pressing surface element 3 to the duct 7 an annular connector sleeve 39, preferably made of cast aluminium, is provided on the separating wall 31. In the region of the partition wall 51, (FIG. 3), this connector sleeve has a side opening 50 for connection to the duct 19. A vane 42 in the perforated partition wall 51 is symmetrically arranged on a pivot shaft 45 which is rotatably mounted in bearings (not shown) in the side wall 25 and in the partition wall 52. Moreover, a further shaft 46 leading to the side wall 15 is rotatably mounted in the partition wall 52. From the cover 26, the side wall 15 and the partition wall 52 have an oblique downward slope towards the rear of the blower assembly and, together with the upper edge of the rear wall 14 and the rear edge of the cover 26, form the opening of the duct 19 towards the main pressing surface element 2.
A vane 40 fitted symmetrically to the shaft 46 has a size such that it can completely close this opening between the duct 19 and the main pressing surface element 2, when the shaft 46 is pivoted to the appropriate position.
The shaft 46 is connected via a link 43 to the shaft 45 so that pivoting of the vane 40 necessarily effects pivoting of the vane 42. A pin 44, welded to the middle of the shaft 46 and perpendicular thereto, is in engagement with an arm 41 which is pivotable about an arbor 47. The fulcrum of the arm 41 is selected such that even a small travel of the cam formation 8, in FIG. 1, on the additional pressing surface element 3 initiates a relatively large travel of the arm 41 and thus triggers an immediate flip-over of the vane 40 to isolate the main pressing surface 2 from the blower assembly, and of the vane 42 to connect the additional pressing surface element 3 to the blower assembly. A bias weight 53 fitted on the vane 40 to one side of the shaft 46 causes the vane 40 to adopt a rest position in which the fan 10 is connected to the main pressing surface 2 via the duct 12.
The use of gearing is also conceivable for utilising the start of pivoting of the pressing surface element 3 to trigger an immediate flip-over of the vane 40.
The device described above operates in the following manner:
When the fan 10 is switched off, the sheet metal vanes 21, 22, due to their own weight and to the bias of the helical tension spring 34, adopt the suction position shown in FIG. 2, in which the opening of the suction duct 12 to atmosphere is closed by the sheet metal vane 21 and if the additional pressing surface element 3 is in its rest position, the opening between the suction duct 12 and the main pressing surface element 2 is opened by the vane 40 and also the suction duct 12 is connected to the duct 19. In this state, the sheet metal vane 22 separates the duct 27 from the duct 19. As soon as the fan 10 is switched on, a pressure force along the direction of the arrow 55 is exerted on the sheet metal vane 22 in the duct 27. As a result the "suction" position, in which suction is applied to the appropriate pressing surface element via the suction duct 12 and the extracted air is discharged to the surroundings via the fan discharge opening 32 and the duct 27, will always be reached reliably when the fan 10 is switched on.
If it is now intended to change over, from suction to blowing, the solenoid 30 in FIG. 2 is either actuated briefly or held on. As a result, the sheet metal vane 21 and hence the sheet metal vane 22 are deflected, with rotation of the shaft 20, into the air stream in such a way that the air blowing through the discharge opening 32 acts on the sheet metal vane 22 along the direction of the arrow 56 and changes over the entire change-over device, consisting of the shaft 20 and the sheet metal vanes 21 and 22, into the "blow" position. Even a brief deflection of the sheet metal vane 21 suffices here to trigger change over, since the effect of the impinging discharge air stream is greatly intensified by the angled tab 33 of the sheet metal vane 22. In the "blow" position now reached, the sheet metal vane 22 closes the opening between the duct 27 and atmosphere whilst it makes the connection between the duct 27 and the duct 19 and hence the main pressing surface element 2 into which the discharged air from the fan 10 is introduced. In the "blow" position, the sheet metal vane 21 partially or completely opens the opening between the duct 12 and atmosphere for drawing air in from the surroundings. The degree of opening of the duct 12 to atmosphere and hence the flow rate of the discharge air stream, is adjustable via the above mentioned stop 36 which limits the travel of the flap element 22.
Once the "blow" position has been reached, the "suction" position can be reached only by switching off the fan 10. The air stream from the fan through the discharge opening 32 forces the sheet metal vane 22 frictionally against the stop 36 and firmly holds it in this position. As long as the fan motor is running, a force component in the direction of the arrow 56, maintaining the "blow" position, will always be present. The sheet metal vanes 21, 22 return to their starting position or rest position, assisted by the biasing force of the tension spring 34, only after the fan motor has come to a stop. The time taken by the motor for coming to a stop can be further shortened by incorporating an electromagnetic brake on the motor, in order more rapidly to return to readiness for suction, if this is desired.
This biasing towards the "blow" position whenever the fan 10 is in operation has the advantage that it is not possible inadvertently to change back to the "suction" position and thus to vitiate the desired pressing effect. After the off-position has been reached, the fan 10 can then be restarted, whereupon suction can immediately be re-established, or, by simultaneous actuation of the fan and the solenoid 30, blowing can immediately restart without any brief preliminary suction.
In another embodiment, not shown, an immediate change-over from "blow" position to renewed "suction" position without reaching the off position can be obtained by means of a second solenoid, which may be fitted on the side wall 15, and may be actuated to effect a brief deflection of the sheet metal vane 21 in the direction of the arrow 54 and hence a change-over to the "suction" position.
The frictional resistance of the air stream is minimised by the large cross-section of the air passages formed by the ducts 12, 19, 27. The change-over from suction to blowing takes place exceedingly fast since it is servo-assisted by the air stream itself. Moreover, the device has the advantage that, when the fan 10 is switched on, the normally used suction position is always immediately established automatically.
Using the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, it is also possible to connect the additional pressing surface element 3 to the blower.
In the position shown in FIG. 2, the vane 40 is in the starting position which is set by the bias weight 53 and in which the opening between the suction duct 12 and the main pressing surface element 2 is open and the vane 42, in the connection between the duct 19 and the inner tubular connector sleeve 39 of the swivel connector, is closed.
When the additional pressing surface element 3 is now pivoted into its working position, the arm 41 is immediately actuated via the cam formation 8 when the pivoting starts. This arm 41 pivots about the arbor 47 and acts on the pin 44 so that the vane 40 pivots about the shaft 46, closing the opening between the suction duct 12 and the main pressing surface element 2 and making the connection between the suction duct 12 and the duct 19. At the same time, the vane 42 is pivoted by the link 43 rotating the shaft 45 and frees the connection between the inner connector sleeve 39 and the duct 19. In this position, the main pressing surface element 2 is thus isolated and the additional pressing surface element 3 is connected to the suction opening 11 of the fan via the outer tubular part 7 of the swivel connector, the duct 19 and the suction duct 12.
The degree of pivoting of the vane 42 is about 60° so that the cross-section of the connecting passage between the duct 19 and the connector sleeve 39 is substantially freed. The change-over from "suction" position to "blow" position takes place in the same way as described above, in that the vane 22 closes that opening of the duct 27 which leads to atmosphere so that the air stream from the fan blows directly through the duct 27 and the open vane 42 into the additional pressing surface element 3.
When the additional pressing surface element 3 is pivoted back into its rest position, the arm 41 is freed to be pivoted back by the pin 44 so the gravity biased vane 40 pivots back into its starting position and simultaneously pivots the vane 42 to close the connection between the duct 19 and the inner connector sleeve 39 of the swivel coupling. As a result, the additional pressing surface element 3 is isolated from the fan 10, and the main pressing surface element 2 will be re-connected to the fan.
Upon shut-down, the discharge air stream from the fan 10 holds the change-over device in the "blow" position until the output of the fan has fallen to about 5% of normal. As indicated above, if more rapid switching-off is desired the fan motor can be braked by an additional device such as an electromagnetic brake.
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A pressing table has a main pressing surface element and a pivotable additional pressing table surface element, and a blower capable of applying suction or blowing action selectively to one or other of the pressing table surface portions. Change over from suction to blowing is achieved by the action of the blower fan discharge air in response to triggering by a solenoid thruster, and the blowing action is held on by the airstream until the blower fan stops. Selection of the additional pressing table surface element for the blowing or suction action is automatic in response to pivoting of the additional element from a rest position to an operative position.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] (a) Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a TFT array panel, and in particular, to a TFT array panel for an organic electro-luminescence display.
[0003] (b) Description of the Related Art
[0004] Generally, an organic electro-luminescence (EL) display is a self emissive display device, which displays images by exciting an emissive organic material to emit light. The EL display includes an anode (hole injection electrode), a cathode (electron injection electrode), and an organic light emission layer interposed therebetween. When charge carriers are injected into the light emission layer, the electrons and the holes are pair annihilated with emitting light. The EL display further includes an electron transport layer (ETL) and a hole transport layer (HTL) for enhancing the light emission of the light emission layer as well as an electron injecting layer (EIL) and a hole injecting layer (HIL).
[0005] A plurality of pixels of the EL display are arranged in a matrix and driven in simple matrix type or active matrix type with thin film transistors (TFTs).
[0006] The passive matrix type arranges a plurality of anode lines and a plurality of cathode line to intersect each other such that selected one of the anode lines and the one of the cathode lines form a pixel to be driven, while the active matrix type connects TFTs and a capacitor to an anode electrode of each pixel such that the capacitance of the capacitor maintains the voltage of the pixel. A current of a driving TFT for supplying currents to the pixel is controlled by a data voltage supplied through a switching transistor, and a gate and a source of the switching transistor are connected to a gate line (or a scanning line) and a data line intersecting each other. When the switching transistor is turned on by the signal from the gate line, a driving voltage from the data line is applied to the gate of the driving TFT through the switching transistor and the driving TFT supplies a current to the pixels to emit light. The pixels emit red, green and blue lights for color display.
[0007] The EL display severely requires uniformity in device characteristics of the driving TFTs. It is because the difference in the device characteristics of the driving TFTs results in different luminance for the same image data and thus it causes non-uniform luminance of a display screen.
[0008] A most widely used driving TFT for the EL display includes polysilicon channel layer called low temperature polysilicon (LTPS), which is typically formed by eximer laser annealing (ELA) for crystallizing amorphous silicon. However, the polysilicon formed by ELA may have uneven crystallization due to the deviation in ELA energy, which results in non-uniform device characteristics of the TFTs to deteriorate display characteristics of the EL display.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] A motivation of the present invention is to provide a thin film transistor array panel having uniform display characteristics.
[0010] A thin film transistor array panel is provided, which includes: a substrate including a plurality of pixel areas; a semiconductor layer formed on the substrate and including a plurality of pairs of first and second semiconductor portions in respective pixel areas; a first insulating layer formed on the semiconductor layer; a gate wire formed on the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer formed on the gate wire; a data wire formed on the second insulating layer; a third insulating layer formed on the data wire; a pixel electrode formed on the third insulating layer and connected to the data wire, wherein width and length of at least one of the first and the second semiconductor portions vary between at least two pixel areas.
[0011] The thin film transistor array panel may further include: a plurality of partitions for defining the pixel areas; and a plurality of organic light emission a members formed on the pixel electrodes.
[0012] Preferably, the semiconductor layer may further include a plurality of storage electrode portions, the gate wire includes a plurality of first and second gate electrodes and storage electrodes overlapping the first and the second semiconductor portions and the storage electrode portions, respectively, each of the first and the second semiconductor portions has a channel region, a source region, and a drain region, and the data wire includes a plurality of first and, second data lines, a plurality of first source electrodes connected to the first data lines and to the source regions of the first semiconductor portions, a plurality of first drain electrodes connected to the drain regions of the first semiconductor portions and to the second gate electrodes, a plurality of second source electrodes connected to the second data lines and to the source regions of the second semiconductor portions, and a plurality of second drain electrodes connected to the drain regions of the second semiconductor portions and to the pixel electrodes.
[0013] A thin film transistor array panel is provided, which includes: a plurality of first thin film transistors; a plurality of second thin film transistors connected to the first thin film thin film transistors and including channel regions having at least two widths and lengths; and a plurality of pixel electrodes connected to the second thin film transistors.
[0014] The channel regions preferably include polysilicon.
[0015] Each of the first and the second thin film transistors may have a gate, a source, and a drain, and the gates of the second thin film transistors are connected to the drains of the first thin film transistors.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The present invention will become more apparent by describing preferred embodiments thereof in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a layout view of a TFT array panel for an EL display;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the TFT array panel shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line II-II′;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the TFT array panel shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line III-III′; and
[0020] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the TFT array panel shown in FIG. 1 taken along the line IV-IV′.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0021] The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the inventions are shown. The present invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.
[0022] In the drawings, the thickness of layers and regions are exaggerated for clarity. Like numerals refer to like elements throughout. It will be understood that when an element such as a layer, region or substrate is referred to as being “on” another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on” another element, there are no intervening elements present.
[0023] Now, a TFT array panel according to embodiments of this invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0024] FIG. 1 is a layout view of a TFT array panel for an EL display, and FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are sectional views of the TFT array panel shown in FIG. 1 taker along the lines II-II′, III-III′, and IV-IV′, respectively.
[0025] A semiconductor layer preferably made of polysilicon is formed on an insulating substrate 110 . The semiconductor layer includes a plurality of sets of a semiconductor portion 140 of a switching TFT, a semiconductor portion 142 of a driving TFT, and a storage capacitor portion 146 . Each switching semiconductor portion 140 includes a pair of channel regions 1402 and 1404 and source and drain regions 1401 , 1403 and 1405 located between and opposite side of the channel regions 1402 and 1404 and doped with n type or p type impurity, while each driving semiconductor portion 142 includes a channel region 1422 and source and drain regions 1423 and 1425 opposite each other with respect to the channel region 1422 and doped with n type or p type impurity.
[0026] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the source and drain regions 1423 and 1425 are doped with p type impurity, while the source and drain regions 1401 , 1403 and 1405 of the switching TFTs are doped with n type impurity. The channel regions 1422 have different widths w 1 , w 2 , w 3 , w 4 , w 5 and w 6 and lengths d 1 , d 2 , d 3 , d 4 , d 5 and 6 d.
[0027] A blocking layer preferably made of silicon oxide or silicon nitride may be formed under the polysilicon layer 140 , 142 and 146 .
[0028] A gate insulating layer 130 preferably made of silicon oxide or silicon nitride is formed on the polysilicon layer 140 , 142 and 146 .
[0029] A gate wire is formed on the gate insulating layer 130 . The gate wire includes a low resistivity conductive layer preferably made of Ag containing metal such as Ag and Ag alloy or Al containing metal such as Al and Al alloy. The gate wire may have a multilayered structure including a low resistivity conductive layer and another layer preferably made of a material having good contact characteristics with other materials.
[0030] The gate wire includes a plurality of gate lines 121 extending in a transverse direction and a plurality of first gate electrodes 123 connected to the gate lines 121 and each first gate electrode 123 includes a pair of switching electrodes 1231 and 1232 overlapping the channel regions 1402 and 1404 of the switching semiconductor portion 140 , respectively. The gate wire further includes a plurality of second gate electrodes 122 separated from the gate lines 121 and overlapping the channel regions 1422 of the driving semiconductor portion 1422 , and a plurality of storage electrodes 124 extending in a longitudinal direction and overlapping the storage capacitor portions 146 . The gate wire- 121 , 122 , 123 and 124 may further include a plurality of gate pads connected to ends of the gate lines 121 for transmitting gate signals from an external device to the gate lines 121 . The storage electrodes 124 overlap the storage capacitor portions 146 or second data lines 172 , which will be described later, to form storage capacitors.
[0031] A first interlayer insulating layer 180 preferably made of silicon nitride, silicon oxide or organic insulator is formed on the gate wire 121 , 122 , 123 and 124 .
[0032] The gate insulating layer 130 and the first interlayer insulating layer 180 have a plurality of contact holes 1803 and 1805 exposing the source and drain regions 1403 and 1405 of the switching semiconductor portions 140 and they also have a plurality of contact holes 1823 and 1825 exposing the source and drain regions 1423 and 1425 of the driving semiconductor portions 142 . The gate insulating layer 130 and the first interlayer insulating layer 180 further have a plurality of contact holes 1822 exposing the second gate electrodes 122 .
[0033] First and second data wires are formed on the first interlayer insulating layer 180 . The first and the second data wires include a low resistivity conductive layer preferably made of Ag containing metal such as Ag and Ag alloy or Al containing metal such as Al and Al alloy. The data wires may have a multilayered structure including a low resistivity conductive layer.
[0034] The first data wire includes a plurality of first data lines 171 extending in the longitudinal direction and intersecting the gate lines 121 to define a plurality of pixel areas, a plurality of first source electrodes 173 connected to the first data lines 171 and to the source regions 1403 of the switching semiconductor portions 140 through the contact holes 1803 , and a plurality of first drain electrodes 175 separated from the first source electrodes 173 and connected to the drain regions 1405 of the switching semiconductor portions 140 through the contact holes 1805 and to the source regions 1423 of the driving semiconductor portions 142 .
[0035] The second data wire includes a plurality of second data lines 172 extending substantially in the longitudinal direction and overlapping the storage electrodes 124 , a plurality of second source electrodes 174 corrected to the second data lines 172 and to the source regions 1423 of the driving semiconductor portions 149 through the contact holes 1823 , and a plurality of second drain electrodes 176 separated from the second source electrodes 174 and connected to the drain regions 1425 of the driving semiconductor portions 142 through the contact holes 1825 .
[0036] Although it is not shown in the figures, the first and the second data wires may include a plurality of data pads connected to the first and the second data lines 171 and 172 for transmitting electrical signals from an external source to the first and the second data lines 171 and 172 .
[0037] A second interlayer insulating layer 185 having a plurality of contact holes 1855 exposing the second drain electrodes 176 is formed on the data wire 171 , 172 , 173 , 174 , 175 and 176 , and a plurality of pixel electrodes 192 preferably made of transparent material such as indium tin oxide (ITO) and indium zinc oxide (IZO) are formed on the second interlayer insulating layer 185 . The pixel electrodes 192 are connected to the second drain electrodes 176 through the contact holes 1855 of the second interlayer insulating layer 185 .
[0038] Although it is not shown in the figures, the TFT array panel for an EL, display according to the embodiment of the present invention further includes a pixel electrodes 192 and a plurality of pixel partitions preferably made of organic material for partitioning the light emission members.
[0039] As described above, the TFT array panel according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the plurality of channel regions 1422 of the driving TFTs provided in the respective pixel areas having different widths w 1 , w 2 , w 3 , w 4 , w 5 and w 6 and different lengths d 1 , d 2 , d 3 , d 4 , d 5 and 6 d . The various widths and lengths of the channel regions of the driving TFTs diversify the driving capacity of the TFTs, and local or global distribution of the driving TFTs with different driving capacities prevents image deterioration of on-screen stripes due to energy deviation of laser beam used for eximer laser annealing (ELA) or sequential lateral solidification for converting amorphous silicon into polysilicon. In particular, the difference in size between grains due to the laser energy difference between shots can be covered by the diversity of the driving capacity of the driving TFTs, thereby keeping uniform image quality.
[0040] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it should be clearly understood that many variations and/or modifications of the basic inventive concepts herein taught which may appear to those skilled in the present art will still fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.
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A thin film transistor array panel is provided, which includes: a substrate including a plurality of pixel areas; a semiconductor layer formed on the substrate and including a plurality of pairs of first and second semiconductor portions in respective pixel areas; a first insulating layer formed on the semiconductor layer; a gate wire formed on the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer formed on the gate wire; a data wire formed on the second insulating layer; a third insulating layer formed on the data wire; a pixel electrode formed on the third insulating layer and connected to the data wire, wherein width and length of at least one of the first and the second semiconductor portions vary between at least two pixel areas.
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TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an automobile-seat headrest.
BACKGROUND ART
Conventional headrests consist of a padded part slidably mounted on two rods in the seat's backrest, said rods being inserted in the backrest's headrest bushes. The padded part contains a support connected to the head rest's rods.
In general the headrests are configured improperly or inadequately in a vehicle and assume a position matching the driver or passenger. In case of a rear-end collision, a large spacing between the head and the headrest entails pronounced tensile stresses in the neck that may result in substantial injuries to it. A case of improper position in particular results when the headrest is too low on the backrest.
The objective of the present invention is to create a headrest remedying the above defects.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As regards the headrest of the invention, a second support for a displaceable pad is displaceably mounted on the fixed pad, the displaceable pad being adjustable between a retracted position in the said fixed pad and an extended position, and vice versa, the displaceable pad when advanced being moved forward from the fixed pad toward the head of the seated person. The invention furthermore provides a drive device to set the displaceable pad into its extended position.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the displaceable pad when in its advanced position also is raised above the fixed pad. In this manner the displaceable pad not only is displaced relative to the head as regards the sitting position, but also it is raised with respect to the head.
In case of a rear impact on the vehicle, the displaceable pad, having moved toward the back of the driver's head, assures direct support for the driver's head and as a result the driver is virtually made safe against the so-called whiplash effect. Following the accident, the headrest may be moved back into its initial, that is the retracted position and shall be operational once more.
A number of designs are applicable to displaceably support the movable headrest at the fixed pad. Preferably a lever linkage shall be used, in particular a spring-loaded parallelogram. Once the spring has been released, for instance from a locked position, the parallelogram linkage is able to advance the displaceable pad and to move it near the back of the head of the seated person. It is understood that in case of impact on said displaceable pad, it may not yield excessively but instead shall absorb said impact. Accordingly in one embodiment of the invention, a stop is used that shall act as a rest for one or more levers of the parallelogram when on account of impact on the displaceable pad a force shall be exerted on it in the direction of the fixed pad. However locking mechanisms also are applicable that shall lock the displaceable and extended pad to absorb a pertinent force. Such locking action then must be eliminated once the displaceable pad must be returned into its rest position.
As mentioned above, the displaceable pad may be spring-loaded into the extended position, or a locking element may be used to lock the spring or the linkage against the spring bias in the retracted position. An appropriate drive device furthermore includes an unlocking element in order to release the lock. This goal may be attained in the present invention by using a cable. This cable must be positioned at a site appropriate for its activation when rear-end impact takes place. Illustratively this feature may be implemented by the pressure exerted by the seated person's back against the backrest when the vehicle's rear is impacted.
However the force setting the displaceable pad also may be applied to a component remote from the headrest and by cable force transmission. Again a number of designs are conceivable. One design of the invention employs a drive device with a first and a second element that are mutually displaceable in to-and-fro manner and which are kept apart by a spring that biases the two elements apart. One of said elements guides a carriage linked to a lever of which the other end is linked to the other element. A cable is affixed to the carriage. The carriage shall be displaced when the two elements are mutually moved to-and-fro. The carriage is adjusted in this manner and an adjusting force can be exerted on the cable which in turn sets the displaceable pad into the extended position. The support may be connected to the displaceable pad in the manner already described above.
Preferably the displaceable pad is received in part or in whole in the fixed pad. Accordingly, in one embodiment of the present invention, the fixed support shall exhibit a U-shape and the displaceable support shall be preferably planar, their dimensions being selected in a manner that the displaceable pad when in its rest position shall be received in a matching clearance in the fixed pad.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are elucidated below in relation to the attached drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view of the supports of a headrest of the invention,
FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 when the displaceable support of the headrest of the invention has been advanced,
FIG. 3 shows a detail of the headrest of FIGS. 1 and 2,
FIG. 4 shows the supports of an embodiment variation of the headrest of the invention,
FIG. 5 is a perspective of the rear of the supports of FIG. 4,
FIG. 6 is a partly cutaway perspective of a drive device for the headrest of FIGS. 4 and 5,
FIG. 7 is a perspective of the rear of a portion of the drive device of FIG. 6,
FIG. 8 is a perspective elevation of the drive device of FIG. 6, in the deactivated state, and
FIG. 9 is a view similar to that of FIG. 8, however in the activated state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a fixed headrest support consisting of two mutually spaced columnar segments 12 , 14 and a plate 16 connecting them. The components 12 through 16 are integrally made of a suitable and strong plastic. Headrest rods 18 , 20 are firmly affixed in the columnar segments 12 , 14 and will be inserted into headrest bushes of an omitted backrest of an automobile seat. Padding omitted from this Figure but conventional and known as regards such headrest is mounted at the back of the described support 10 , at the top side and laterally from the columnar segments 12 and 14 .
A displaceable planar support 22 for a displaceable headrest component is situated between the columnar segments 12 , 14 . Said support 22 also is made of a suitable, strong plastic. It may be moved to-and-fro between a retracted position shown in FIG. 1 wherein it is situated between the columnar segments 12 , 14 and an advanced position shown in FIG. 2 wherein it projects from the fixed support 10 and furthermore is raised. For that purpose the displaceable support 22 is connected to a parallelogram bar linkage. The parallelogram bar linkage comprises a first an upper, relatively wide, lever 24 connected by a shaft 26 to the front side of the plate 16 . The shaft 26 is held in brackets, of which one ( 28 ) is shown, against the front side of the plate 16 . Brackets also are mounted on the back side of the planar support 22 which is shown only partly—actually it occupies the space between the columnar segments 12 , 14 —and said brackets bear a shaft 30 in order to link the lever 24 to the back side of the displaceable planar support 22 .
Another shaft 32 is rotatably supported in corresponding but omitted brackets at the back side of the planar support 22 and is linked to two mutually parallel levers 34 , 36 . The levers 34 , 36 are linked in corresponding brackets at the front side of the plate 16 , however these particulars will not be discussed in detail. Springs 38 , 40 are mounted on the shaft 26 on opposite sides of the lever 24 and bias the above described parallelogram linkage into a position shown in FIG. 2 .
The displaceable support 22 in turn is enclosed by omitted padding. Said support shall provide an advantageous rest for the rear of the head of the person sitting in the omitted seat when, due to a collision, the head shall be forced rearward. The levers 24 , 34 and 36 slope upward and a spring or an omitted stop assures that the position shown in FIG. 2 shall not be vacated by pressure applied to the displaceable support 22 and further upward pivoting.
If the displaceable support 22 must assume the position shown in FIG. 1, it must be pivoted downward, optionally manually. In this process the rod 32 pivots behind a hook 42 shown in further detail in FIG. 3. A bracket 44 is integrated into the front side of the plate 16 and supports the hook 42 in pivotable manner, namely at 46 about an approximately horizontal axis. Moreover said hook is loaded downward by a spring 48 . By pivoting the rod 32 toward the rounded, oblique front side of the hook 42 , this hook shall be temporarily deflected upward and shall then snap over the rod 32 whereby the support 22 is kept in the position shown in FIG. 1 . Using a cable denoted by the reference 50 , the hook 42 may be pivoted upward. In this manner the springs 38 , 40 allow pivoting the linkage and moving the support 22 into the position shown in FIG. 2 .
The operation of the cable 50 is omitted. It operates in the manner of a converter converting a collision at the vehicle rear (omitted) into a traction on the cable 50 .
Where elements identical or similar to those of FIGS. 1 through 3 also are used in FIGS. 4 and 5, the same reference numerals will be carried over.
FIG. 5 shows especially clearly the linkages of the levers 34 , 24 and 36 to the back side of the displaceable support 22 which furthermore is also shown in full in this FIG. 5, rather than as in FIG. 4 where only half of it is displayed.
A guide 52 is situated in the in the longitudinal center of the pate 16 assuming the geometry of a half-bush which passes a cable 54 (also see FIG. 4 ). The cable is hooked by means of a toggle at 56 to a lever arm 58 projecting rearward beyond the pivot axis. Therefore, by pulling on the cable 54 , the planar support 22 may be pivoted from a position between the columnar segments 12 , 14 into a position in front of them as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In this instance therefore the actuation of the displaceable support 22 is not initiated by a spring directly at the headrest, but remotely from the headrest by means of a drive device illustratively described in FIGS. 6 through 9.
The drive device of FIGS. 6 through 9 is denoted by the reference 60 . It comprises a first boxy part 62 telescopically nesting a second boxy part 64 . Four cross-sectionally circular guide pins 66 are configured at the ceiling wall of the boxy part 62 at its inward corners and said pins are received in circular guides 68 and furthermore are enclosed by helical springs 70 .
A carriage 74 is mounted in a clearance 72 of the ceiling wall of the boxy part 64 . The carriage 74 slides within the narrower portion of the clearance 72 and is fitted with (unreferenced) channels cooperating with the edges of the clearance 72 . As a result the carriage may be moved to-and-from between a position shown in FIG. 6 and a position shown in FIG. 7 . The cable 54 is affixed to said carriage. Furthermore a connecting lever 76 is linked to the carriage 74 which, as shown especially clearly in FIG. 8, is linked by its other end to the inside of the ceiling segment of the boxy part 62 . When the springs 70 of FIG. 8 and also of FIG. 6 are unstressed, the connecting lever 76 is supported somewhat obliquely and the carriage 74 shall be in its first position. If next the boxy parts 62 , 64 are compressed, they shall approach each other while compressing the spring 70 . In this process the connecting lever 76 will pivot and it shall set the position of the carriage 74 into the other end position shown in FIG. 7 . In this manner a traction is exerted on the cable 54 and the displaceable support 22 shall be advanced into the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. If the compression between the parts 62 , 64 decreases, the cable 54 shall be relaxed and the displaceable support 22 shall be able to pivot back into its initial position.
Illustratively the drive device 60 of FIGS. 6 through 9 may be activated, by being integrated into the backrest and by repeated pressures being applied from the back of the seated person. In this manner, in the event of a collision at the rear of the vehicle, advance of the displaceable support 22 shall be automatic.
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An automobile-seat headrest has a fixed support enclosed by a fixed pad and two rods which are connected to the support and which are received in the headrest bushes in a seat backrest, a second support for a displaceable pad being displaceably resting in the fixed support and allowing to set the displaceable pad between a retracted position at least partly received in the fixed pad and an advanced position, and vice-versa, wherein the displaceable pad is advanced relative to the fixed pad toward the head of the seated person, a drive device being provided to set the displaceable head pad into the advanced position.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to diodes in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS process, and more particularly to ESD protection circuits with the diodes in silicon-on-insulator CMOS process.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Silicon-on-insulator technology is a prime contender for low voltage, high speed applications because of its advantages over bulk-Si technology in reduced process complexity, latch-up immunity and smaller junction capacitance. However, electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a major reliability concern for SOI technology.
[0005] The protection level provided by an ESD protection device is determined by the amount of current that it can sink. The device failure is initiated by thermal runaway and followed by catastrophic damage during an ESD pulse. In SOI devices, the presence of the buried oxide layer having a thermal conductivity {fraction (1/100)} th of Si causes increased device's heating, which in turn accelerates thermal runaway.
[0006] [0006]FIG. 1 depicts a cross-sectional view of a prior SOI diode, called as Lubistor diode, published in the article of the Proc. Of EOS/ESD Symp., 1996, pp. 291-301. If the silicon layer above the buried oxide layer 100 is doped N type dopant, the junction of the SOI diode is P+ 102 /N well 101 . The two terminals of this junction diode are V 1 connected to P+ 102 and V 2 connected to N well 101 . If V 1 is positive relative to V 2 , the SOI diode is under forward biased. However, if V 1 is negative relative to V 2 , the diode is under reverse biased. If the P+ 102 /N well 101 (or N+/P well) junction area in which the power is generated during an ESD event is smaller, then it will increase power density and heat. The heat is generated in a localized region at the P-N junction and the dominant component of the heat at the junction is Joule heat. Second breakdown is assumed to occur when the maximum temperature in the SOI diode reaches the intrinsic temperature (T intrinsic ). In order to get better ESD protection level, one should reduce the power density and Joule heat.
[0007] Accordingly, it is a desirability to provide a diode with lower power density in silicon-on-insulator CMOS process for ESD protection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is one object of the present invention to provide a silicon-on-insulator diode with more junction area than a normal one, thereby a lower power density and heating are obtained, and the protection level offered for electrical overstress (EOS)/electrostatic discharge (ESD) is improved.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a silicon-on-insulator diode with more junction area than a normal one, which could be used in the I/O ESD protection circuit and the Vdd-to-Vss ESD protection circuit under forward biased condition.
[0010] It is a further object of the present invention to provide an I/O ESD protection circuit having SOI diodes with more junction area than normal ones, which can reduce the parasitic input capacitance, and could serve as the I/O ESD protection circuit in the RF circuits or HF circuits.
[0011] In order to achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a silicon-on-insulator diode and ESD protection circuit thereof. The silicon-on-insulator diode comprises a substrate, an insulating layer, two shallow trench isolations, and a PN junction diode formed of a first well with a first conductive type having either of N type and P type and a second well with a second conductive type opposite to the first conductive type. The insulating layer is formed on the substrate and then the two shallow trench isolations are formed thereon. The PN junction diode is formed between the two shallow trench isolations. While, the ESD protection circuit having the SOI diodes comprises an electrically conductive pad, a conductor segment, a first voltage supply rail, a second voltage supply rail, a first diode, a second diode, a first plurality of diodes and a second plurality of diodes. All of which are fabricated on the insulating layer. The conductor segment connects the pad directly to a first node. The first diode connects between the first node and the first voltage supply rail, and the second diode connects between the first diode and the second voltage supply rail. The first plurality of diodes connect between the first node and the first voltage supply rail, and which are opposite to the first diode's direction. The second plurality of diodes connect between the first node and the second voltage supply rail, and which are opposite to the second diode's direction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The foregoing and other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
[0013] [0013]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the structure of a prior SOI polysilicon-bounded diode called as Lubistor diode;
[0014] [0014]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a diode with the junction at the middle region under the gate according to the present invention;
[0015] [0015]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of another diode structure with the junction at the middle region under the gate according to the present invention;
[0016] [0016]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another diode structure on a SOI wafer with integrated source/drain implants and the junction is at the middle region under the gate;
[0017] [0017]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the structure of a gated diode in the fully-depleted SOI CMOS process;
[0018] [0018]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a gated diode with the junction at the middle region under the gate;
[0019] [0019]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a non-gated junction diode with the junction at the middle region;
[0020] [0020]FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 are schematic diagrams of SOI ESD protection circuits for I/O pins in accordance with alternative embodiments of FIG. 2 to FIG. 7 of the present invention;
[0021] [0021]FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 are schematic diagrams of SOI ESD protection circuits in accordance with alternative embodiments of FIG. 2 to FIG. 7 of the present invention; and
[0022] [0022]FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 respectively are variations of FIG. 10 and FIG. 11.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0023] [0023]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a gated diode according to the present invention. The structure of FIG. 2 comprises a substrate 200 , for example, a P− substrate or P+ substrate, and an insulating layer 201 , such as, a buried silicon dioxide layer, formed thereon. Two shallow trench isolations 202 are formed on the insulating layer 201 , and a P well 203 based on a silicon layer and an N well 204 based on a silicon layer are formed on the insulating layer 201 between the two shallow trench isolations 202 . The P well 203 and the N well 204 constitute a PN junction. A first highly doped P+ diffusion region 205 is formed at the upper corner of the P− well 203 adjacent to the one shallow trench isolation 202 , and a second highly doped N+ diffusion region 206 is formed at the upper corner of N well 204 adjacent to the other shallow trench isolation 202 . A MOS-like gate 207 is formed on the P well 203 and the N well 204 , and the junction of the P well 203 and the N well 204 is at the middle region under the MOS-like gate 207 . The MOS-like gate 207 comprises a dielectric layer 208 , a polysilicon gate formed on the dielectric layer 208 , consisting of a third highly doped P+ diffusion gate region 209 a and a fourth highly doped N+ diffusion gate region 209 b , and a dielectric spacer 210 formed on each side of the MOS-like gate 207 . The third highly doped P+ diffusion region 209 a and the fourth highly doped N+ diffusion region 209 b are connected together electrically by a conductor layer (not shown in the figure) formed on the polysilicon gate, preferably a silicide layer. Besides, the first highly doped P+ diffusion region 205 and the second highly doped N+ diffusion region 206 are respectively self-aligned with the third highly doped P+ diffusion region 209 a and the fourth highly doped N+ diffusion region 209 b.
[0024] The SOI diode is formed by the P well 203 and the N well 204 , and the PN junction of the SOI diode is at the middle region under the MOS-like gate 207 . Since the present diode with the P well 203 /N well 204 junction has more junction area than the normal Lubistor diode with P+/N well or N+/P well in FIG. 1, the ESD protection level are raised by the present diode due to the low power density and heating.
[0025] [0025]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment that is a variation of FIG. 2. A first lightly doped P− diffusion region 305 is formed at the upper corner of the P well 303 adjacent to one shallow trench isolation 302 , and a second lightly doped N− diffusion region 306 is formed at the upper corner of the N well 304 adjacent to the other shallow trench isolation 302 . The MOS-like polysilicon gate 307 comprises a third lightly doped P− diffusion gate region 309 a and a fourth lightly doped N− diffusion gate region 309 b . The third lightly doped P− diffusion region 309 a and the fourth lightly doped N− diffusion region 309 b are connected together electrically with a conductor layer (not shown in the figure) formed on the MOS-like polysilicon gate 307 , preferably a silicide layer.
[0026] The SOI diode is also formed by the P well 303 and the N well 304 . The PN junction of the diode is at the middle region under the MOS-like polysilicon gate 307 .
[0027] [0027]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment that is a variation of FIG. 3. In this alternate embodiment, a fifth highly doped P+ diffusion region 410 is formed at the upper corner of the P well 403 between one shallow trench isolation 402 and the first lightly doped P− diffusion region 405 , and a sixth highly doped N+ diffusion region 411 is formed at the upper corner of the N well 404 between the other shallow trench isolation 402 and the second lightly doped N− diffusion region 406 . The MOS-like polysilicon gate 407 comprises a third lightly doped P− diffusion region 409 a and a fourth lightly doped N− diffusion region 409 b . The third lightly doped P− diffusion gate region 409 a and the fourth lightly doped N− diffusion gate region 409 b are connected together electrically by a conductor layer (not shown in the figure) formed on the MOS-like polysilicon gate 407 , preferably a suicide layer.
[0028] The SOI diode is formed by the P well 403 and the N well 404 . The PN junction of the diode is at the middle region under the MOS-like polysilicon gate 407 .
[0029] [0029]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment that is a variation of FIG. 2. The silicon thickness in this silicon-on-insulator (SOI) structure is fully depleted by a first highly doped P+ diffusion region 505 and a second highly doped N+ diffusion region 506 . The SOI diode is also formed by the P well 503 and the N well 504 , and the PN junction of the diode is at the middle region under the MOS-like polysilicon gate 507 .
[0030] [0030]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment that is a variation of FIG. 2. In this alternate embodiment, there is no diode in the MOS-like polysilicon gate 607 . However, the MOS-like polysilicon gate 607 can be a highly doped or lightly doped P type diffusion region or N type diffusion region. The SOI diode is also formed by the P well 603 and the N well 604 , and the PN junction of the diode is at the middle region under the MOS-like polysilicon gate 607 .
[0031] [0031]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment that is a variation of FIG. 2. In this embodiment, there is no gate structure and named as non-gated junction diode. The SOI diode is also formed by the P well 703 and the N well 704 .
[0032] [0032]FIG. 8 is one embodiment of an SOI ESD protection circuit comprising SOI diodes in accordance with the alternative embodiments of FIG. 2 to FIG. 7. The ESD protection circuit 800 comprises an electrically conductive input pad 801 , two primary diodes D 1 803 and D 2 804 , a Vdd voltage supply rail 805 , a Vss voltage supply rail 806 , an input resistor 807 , a first plurality of diodes (Du 1 to Dun) 808 connected in series and a second plurality of diodes (Dd 1 to Ddn) 809 connected in series. All of these diodes are formed by the SOI diodes in accordance with the alternative embodiments of FIG. 2 to FIG. 7. And, the input pad 801 , the Vdd voltage supply rail 805 , the Vss voltage supply rail 806 , and the input resistor 807 are fabricated on the insulating layer the same with the SOI diodes.
[0033] The input pad 801 is directly connected to a first node 802 through a conductor segment. The primary diode D 1 803 is connected between the first node 802 and the Vdd voltage supply rail 805 , and the primary diode D 2 804 is connected between the first node 802 and the Vss voltage supply rail 806 . The first plurality of diodes (Du 1 to Dun) 808 are connected between the first node 802 and the Vdd voltage supply rail 805 , and these diodes' direction is opposite to the primary diode D 1 803 . The second plurality of diodes (Dd 1 to Ddn) are connected between the first node 802 and the Vss voltage supply rail 806 , and these diodes' direction is opposite to the primary diode D 2 804 . The input resistor 807 is connected between the first node 802 and a portion of the internal circuit 810 to be protected by the ESD protection circuit 800 . While, the input resistor 807 can also be coupled to an input buffer of the internal circuit 810 , and then a second node is located between the input resistor 807 and the input buffer.
[0034] When the ESD event involves the application of a positive voltage to the input pad 801 relative to the Vdd voltage supply rail 805 , the primary diode D 1 803 is forward biased and the primary diode D 2 804 is not active because the Vss voltage supply rail 806 is floating. As a result, the associated ESD current is discharged to the Vdd voltage supply rail 805 through the primary diode D 1 803 .
[0035] Similarly, when the ESD protection event involves the application of a negative voltage to the input pad 801 relative to the Vss voltage supply rail 806 , the primary diode D 2 804 is forward biased and the primary diode D 1 803 is not active because the Vdd voltage supply rail 805 is floating. The ESD event is discharged to the Vss voltage supply rail 806 through the primary diode D 2 804 .
[0036] When the ESD event involves the application of a voltage to the input pad 801 , which is negative with respect to the Vdd voltage supply rail 805 , the primary diode D 1 803 is reversed. At this condition, the Vss voltage supply rail 806 is floating. The first plurality of diodes (Du 1 to Dun) 808 is forward biased under this ESD zapping condition, therefore the ESD current is discharged through the first plurality of diodes (Du 1 to Dun).
[0037] When the ESD event involves the application of a voltage to the input pad 801 which is positive with respect to the Vss voltage supply rail 806 . The primary diode D 2 804 is reverse biased. At this condition, the Vdd voltage supply rail 805 is floating. The secondary plurality of diodes (Dd 1 to Ddn) 809 is forward biased under this ESD zapping condition, therefore, the ESD current is discharged through the secondary plurality of diodes (Dp 1 to Dpn).
[0038] [0038]FIG. 9 is another embodiment of an SOI ESD protection circuit comprising the SOI diodes in accordance with the alternative embodiments of FIG. 2 to FIG. 7. The ESD protection circuit 900 comprises an electrically conductive output pad 901 , primary diodes D 1 903 and D 2 904 , a Vdd voltage supply rail 905 , a Vss voltage supply rail 906 , a first plurality of diodes (Du 1 to Dun) 908 connected in series, and a second plurality of diodes (Dd 1 to Ddn) 909 connected in series. All of these diodes are formed of the SOI diodes in accordance with the alternative embodiments of FIG. 2 to FIG. 7. And, the output pad 901 , the Vdd voltage supply rail 905 , and the Vss voltage supply rail 906 are fabricated on the insulating layer the same with the SOI diodes.
[0039] The output pad 901 is directly connected to a node 902 by a conductor segment. The primary diode D 1 903 is connected between the node 902 and the Vdd voltage supply rail 905 , and the primary diode D 2 904 is connected between the node 902 and the Vss voltage supply rail 906 . The first plurality of diodes (Du 1 to Dun) 908 are connected between the node 902 and the Vdd voltage supply rail 905 , and these diodes' direction is opposite to the primary diode D 1 903 . The second plurality of diodes (Dd 1 to Ddn) 909 are connected between the node 902 and the Vss voltage supply rail 906 , and these diodes' direction is opposite to the primary diode D 2 904 . The node 902 is connected to the output terminal of an output buffer formed of a P-channel transistor 910 and an N-channel transistor 911 . And, the input terminal of the output buffer is connected to a pre-driver 912 .
[0040] When the ESD event involves the application of a positive voltage to the output pad 901 relative to the Vdd voltage supply rail 905 , the primary diode D 1 903 is forward biased and the primary diode D 2 904 is not active because the Vss voltage supply rail 906 is floating. As a result, the associated ESD current is discharged to the Vdd voltage supply rail 905 through the primary diode D 1 903 .
[0041] Similarly, when the ESD event involves the application of a negative voltage to the output pad 901 relative to the Vss voltage supply rail 906 , the primary diode D 2 904 is forward biased and the primary diode D 1 903 is not active because the Vdd voltage supply rail 905 is floating. The ESD event is discharged to the Vss voltage supply rail 906 through the primary diode D 2 904 .
[0042] When the ESD event involves the application of a voltage to the output pad 901 , which is negative with respect to the Vdd voltage supply rail 905 , the primary diode D 1 903 is reverse biased. The Vss voltage supply rail 906 is floating under this condition. The first plurality of diodes (Du 1 to Dun) 908 is forward biased under this ESD-zapping condition, therefore the ESD current is discharged through the first plurality of diodes (Du 1 to Dun). When the ESD event involves the application of a voltage to the output pad 901 which is positive with respect to the Vss voltage supply rail 906 , the primary diode D 2 904 is reverse biased. The Vdd voltage supply rail 905 is floating during this ESD event. The secondary plurality of diodes (Dd 1 to Ddn) 909 is forward biased under this ESD-zaping condition, therefore, the ESD current is discharged through the secondary plurality of diodes (Dd 1 to Ddn) 909 .
[0043] [0043]FIG. 10 is further another embodiment of an SOI ESD protection circuit comprising the SOI diodes in accordance with the alternative embodiments of FIG. 2 to FIG. 7. The ESD protection circuit comprises an electrically conductive input pad 1001 , primary diodes D 1 1003 , D 2 1004 , D 3 1005 and D 4 1006 , an input resistor 1010 , an n-channel transistor 1011 , a Vdd voltage supply rail 1007 , a Vss voltage supply rail 1008 and an ESD clamp circuit 1009 . The primary diodes D 1 1003 and D 2 1004 are connected in series, and the primary diodes D 3 1005 and D 4 1006 are connected in series. All of these diodes are formed by the SOI diodes in accordance with the alternative embodiments of FIG. 2 to FIG. 7. And, the input pad 1001 , the input resistor 1010 , the Vdd voltage supply rail 1007 , and the Vss voltage supply rail 1008 are fabricated on the insulating layer the same with the SOI diodes.
[0044] The input pad 1001 is directly connected to a first node 1002 through a conductor segment. The primary diodes D 1 1003 and D 2 1004 are connected between the first node 1002 and the Vdd voltage supply rail 1007 . The primary diodes D 3 1005 and D 4 1006 are connected between the first node 1002 and the Vss voltage supply rail 1008 . The input resistor 1010 and the n channel transistor 1011 are coupled in series between the input pad 1001 and the Vss voltage supply rail 1008 . And, the input resistor 1010 , the n channel transistor 1011 and the internal circuit 1013 are coupled through a second node 1012 . The gate and source of the n channel transistor 1011 are coupled to the Vss voltage supply rail 1008 . The ESD clamp circuit 1009 is connected between the Vdd voltage supply rail 1007 and the Vss voltage supply rail 1008 .
[0045] Two primary diodes D 1 1003 and D 2 1004 are connected between the input pad 1001 and the Vdd voltage supply rail 1007 instead of one diode D 1 in FIG. 8, and other two diodes D 3 1005 and D 4 1006 are connected between the input pad 1001 and the Vss voltage supply rail 1008 instead of one diode D 2 in FIG. 8. If diode D 1 's parasitic junction capacitance is C 1 , diode D 2 's parasitic junction capacitance is C 2 , diode D 3 's parasitic junction capacitance is C 3 , and diode D′ 4 parasitic junction capacitance is C 4 . The input capacitance is Cin=C 1 +C 2 in FIG. 8, but in this embodiment, the input capacitance becomes Cin′=[C 1 C 2 /(C 1 +C 2 )]+[C 3 C 4 /(C 3 +C 4 )]. If the diodes (D 1 , D 2 , D 3 , D 4 ) are identity, that means C 1 =C 2 =C 3 =C 4 =C, then Cin= 2 C in FIG. 8 and Cin′=C in FIG. 10. Therefore, the parasitic input capacitance of this embodiment is reduced, and then the RC time constant is also reduced. By the lowering of the input delay, the ESD protection circuit of this embodiment could be applied in RF circuits or in HF circuits.
[0046] [0046]FIG. 11 is an alternative of FIG. 10. The Vdd-to-Vss ESD clamping circuit comprises a plurality of first SOI diodes (Dp 1 to Dpn) 1109 and a second SOI diode 1110 connected in parallel between the Vdd voltage supply rail and the Vss voltage supply rail. And, all the diodes used in this ESD protection circuit are in accordance with the alternative embodiments of FIG. 2 to FIG. 7.
[0047] [0047]FIG. 12 is a variation of FIG. 10. In this ESD protection circuit, there are three diodes D 1 1203 , D 2 1204 , and D 3 1205 in series between the Vdd voltage supply rail 1209 and the input pad 1201 , and three diodes D 4 1206 , D 5 1207 , and D 6 1208 in series between the Vss voltage supply rail 1210 and the input pad 1201 . All of the diodes used in this ESD protection circuit are in accordance with the alternative embodiments of FIG. 2 to FIG. 7. The input capacitance becomes Cin′=[C 1 C 2 C 3 /(C 1 C 2 +C 2 C 3 +C 1 C 3 )]+[C 4 C 5 C 6 /(C 4 C 5 +C 5 C 6 +C 4 C 6 )]=⅔ C, which further to be reduced.
[0048] [0048]FIG. 13 is an alternative of FIG. 12. The Vdd-to-Vss ESD clamping circuit comprises a plurality of first SOI diodes (Dp 1 to Dpn) 1311 and a second SOI diode 1312 connected in parallel between the Vdd voltgae supply rail and the Vss voltage supply rail. And, all the diodes used in this ESD protection circuit are in accordance with the alternative embodiments of FIG. 2 to FIG. 7.
[0049] According to the foregoing, the present invention provides advantages as follows:
[0050] 1. The present invention provides a SOI diode with low power density due to increasing the PN junction area.
[0051] 2. The present invention provides a SOI diode with improved ESD protection level.
[0052] 3. The present invention provides a SOI diode could be used in mixed-voltage and analog/digital circuits. The present SOI diodes also could serve as the I/O ESD protection circuit, and the Vdd-to-Vss protection circuit under forward biased condition.
[0053] 4. The present invention provides an ESD protection circuit with the reduced input capacitance, and could serve as the I/O ESD protection circuit in the RF circuits or HF circuits.
[0054] The preferred embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, not intended to limit the scope thereof. Many modifications of the preferred embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
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A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) gated diode and non-gated junction diode are provided. The SOI gated diode has a PN junction at the middle region under the gate, and which has more junction area than a normal diode. The SOI non-gated junction diode has a PN junction at the middle region thereof, and then also has more junction area than a normal diode. The SOI diodes of the present invention improve the protection level offered for electrical overstress (EOS)/electrostatic discharge (ESD) due to the low power density and heating for providing more junction area than normal ones. The I/O ESD protection circuits, which comprise primary diodes, a first plurality of diodes, and a second plurality of diodes, all of which are formed of the present SOI diodes, could effectively discharge the current when there is an ESD event. And, the ESD protection circuits, which comprise more primary diodes, could effectively reduce the parasitic input capacitance, so that they can be used in the RF circuits or HF circuits. The proposed gated diode and non-gated diode can be fully process-compatiable to general partially-depleted or fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator CMOS processes.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an interface between a digital signal processing apparatus such as an electronic cash register and an audio tape deck for recording and reproducing digital signals including programs and data on and from a commercial available audio cassette tape, and more particularly to a modulator for use in such an interface.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved modulator capable of facilitating modulation in recording and reproducing on and from an audio cassette tape digital signals such as programs and numerical data coming from digital signal processing apparatus including an electronic cash register as well as providing safety for the audio cassette tape when in operation. The present invention also makes it possible to use a microprocessor which saves space and reduces cost of manufacture.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a more complete understanding of the present invention and for further objects and advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1, including A & B, is a waveform diagram showing digital signals and its modulated waveforms according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a modulator according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating details of a control circuit in the modulator of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a flow chart for explanation of operation of the modulator shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a time chart showing various signals developing within the modulator;
FIG. 6 is a time chart showing some signals developing in connection with the gates 6 and 8 in FIG. 3; and
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referrng now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated the waveform of digital signals modulated by virtue of a modulator embodying the present invention, wherein the basic format of one character of data to be transferred consists of 1 start bit (ST), 8 data bits (D) and 1 stop bit (SP), and thus a total of 10 bits, for example, as depicted in FIG. 1(A). The start bit provides synchroneous signals between two adjacent characters and takes a logic level "H" whereas the stop bit is a signal indicative of the end of each character and takes a logic level "L".
Data is introduced into a record terminal of a cassette tape deck (not shown) through the modulator of FIGS. 2 and 3 in such a manner that logic "1" signals are modulated into the signals as depicted in FIG. 1(B).
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the modulator according to one preferred embodiment of the present invention. A control circuit 1 is adapted to generate control signals in response to the transfer speed of the data, the count of time per data bit and "H" signals of the data being transferred in order to send carrier signals to transmission lines. The control circuit 1 is connected to a state detector 2 which is set or reset in response to the "H" or "L" level of the data being transferred and in turn connected to logic gates 3 and 4 and a converter 5. The former are responsive to the "H" level signals to send the carrier signals to the transmission lines and the latter converts the outputs of the logic gates 3 and 4 into analog signals.
The control circuit 1 is also coupled with a data transmission instruction T, a system synchroneous signal φ, an auto-clear signal ACL for the entire system and the modulating carrier signal T C which is originated from the synchroneous signal φ and of a sufficiently high frequency as compared with the data transmission frequency.
When the data being transmitted are "H", the output signal DS 1 of the control circuit 1 sets a latch F 1 contained in the state detector 2. Contrarily, another output signal DS O of the control circuit 1 is a control signal which may reset the same latch F 1 in the state detector 2 when the data are "L".
The converter 5 includes a coupling capacitor C 1 for connection to the audio cassette deck and attenuators R and VR for setting up an optimum recording level. Components R and C 2 establish a low-pass filter.
FIG. 3 shows the details of the control circuit 1 shown in FIG. 2, wherein the carrier signal T C is coupled with one input terminal of logic AND gate 6 whose output terminal is connected to one input terminal of a logic AND gate 8 via a detector 7 for sensing the leading edge of the carrier signal and the other input terminal thereof directly. The output terminal of the logic AND gate 8 is connected to a counter 9 which counts the carrier signals per unit bit in conjunction with the data being transferred, the counter 9 being connected to a set terminal DS 1 of the latch F 1 in the state detector 2 through a logic AND gate 10 and to a reset terminal of the same latch F 1 in the state detector 2 through a logic AND gate 12. The counter 9 is further connected to a preset data storage 11 for storing settings of the count of the counter 9.
A key input switch 13 which enables the data to move from the digital signal processing apparatus to the audio tape deck, is connected to an input terminal of a logic OR gate 14 and to a key holding circuit 15 which holds an input introduced via the key input switch 13. The output terminal of the key holding circuit 15 is connected to respective input terminals of the logic AND gate 6 and a different logic AND gate 16 whose output terminal is connected to another input terminal of the logic OR gate 14 having its output terminal connected to an output control terminal of a transfer data buffer 17.
The transfer data buffer 17 is connected to a detector 18 which decides if the respective bits of the data being transferred are "H" or "L", respective output terminals of the detector 18 being connected to the remaining input terminals of the logic AND gates 10 and 12.
The above mentioned start signal ST and stop signal SP in conjunction with each transfer character are both previously loaded into the transfer data buffer 17. A transfer data read instruction is also supplied to the transfer data buffer 17 so that the transfer data are unloaded from a data storage 19 to the buffer 17.
Having disclosed and illustrated the configuration of the modulator for the purpose of transferring data from the digital signal processing apparatus to the audio cassette deck, the operation of the modulator device will now be described in greater detail with reference to a flow chart of FIG. 4 and a time chart of FIG. 5.
When it is desired to transfer data from the digital signal processing apparatus into the audio cassette deck, the operator depresses the input key 13 to initiate the transferring of the data. Upon depressing the input key 13 the data read instruction R is supplied to the data storage 19, thus unloading the data from the data storage 19 into the data transfer buffer 17 and rendering the logic OR gate 14 operative via a delay circuit 20. The first bit (the start bit) of the data now contained in the buffer 17 is thus fed to the next stage decision circuit 18 to decide whether the first bit is "H" or "L". Since the first bit always bears a "H" level, the decision circuit 18 delivers a high level signal "H" via its first output terminal to the one input terminal of the logic AND gate 10, thus rending the logic AND gate 10 operative (the steps N 1 -N 2 of FIG. 4).
The key signal holding circuit 15, on the other hand, becomes operative to hold the key signal introduced via the input switch 13 and enable the logic AND gates 16 and 6 upon the depression of the input switch 13. The logic AND gate 6 when enabled allows the carrier signals T C to enter the leading edge detector 7 and the complete signal T C as shown in FIG. 6 is supplied to the counter 9 via the logic AND gate 8.
In this way, the counter 9 counts the number of the carrier signals ("2" in the given example) contained per bit in conjunction with the data in the storage 11 and delivers a pulse signal from its output terminal upon the completion of the counting performance, thus setting the latch F 1 in the state detector 2 via the logic AND gate 10 (the step N 3 of FIG. 4). It will be noted that the counter 9 delivers one pulse signal whenever it counts the number of the carrier signals contained per bit in conjunction with the data being transferred and always continues this operation during transmission of data.
Being set in this manner, the latch F 1 provides a right shift signal t for the data contained within the transfer data buffer 17. After the data have been shifted to the right, the second bit thereof is fed to the decision circuit 18. Since the second bit is "L", the high level signal "H" is delivered from the second output terminal of the decision circuit 18, thus rending the logic AND gate 12 operative and allowing the counter 9 to provide its output signal for the terminal DS O of the state detector 2 via the logic AND gate 12 and reset the latch F 1 (a series of the steps N 4 , N 5 and N 7 of FIG. 4).
Likewise, the data is sequentially shifted right to the data buffer 17 and the decision circuit 18 decides whether the data are "H" or "L". As a consequence of this, the latch F 1 in the state detector 2 is either set or reset through the logic AND gates 10 and 12 and the signal waveform denoted as F 2 in FIG. 5 is developed at the output terminal of the latch F 2 in the detector 2 so that the signal as depicted in FIG. 5(B) is supplied from the output terminal of the electronic apparatus such as an electronic cash register to the audio cassette deck to complete the writing of 1-character data on the audio tape therein (the steps N 5 -N 10 in FIG. 4).
Upon the completion of transmission of the 1-character data the data read instruction R is developed to unload the data in the data storage 19 into the buffer 17 which in turn transfers that data into the audio deck. The key signal holding circuit 15 is thereafter reset to clear the data transfer mode (the steps N 9 to N 11 in FIG. 4).
FIG. 5 indicates the TC signal (1), the output signal of the latch F 1 in the state detector 2(2), the output signal of the latch F 2 in the state detector 2(3), the signal at the node "A" in FIG. 2(4), and the signal at the node "B" in FIG. 2(5). The control circuit 1 may be implemented with one or more common microprocessors. As depicted in FIG. 7, a controller 71 (microprocessor) storing a flow chart of FIG. 4 in the form of stored programs given data stored in a data buffer 73 a start bit 74, a stop bit 75 and a parity bit 76 while monitoring the carrier signal TC. The data are then sent to a 1 bit buffer 77 and transfer bits are counted and transferred while the latch F 1 in the state detector 2 of FIG. 2. The use of the microprocessor makes the number of the carrier signals per bit in conjunction with the transfer data presettable in the same manner as with information from and to the electronic apparatus and thus makes the transfer rate freely adjustable. In FIG. 7, 72 denotes a data memory, 78 denotes a transfer bit counter and 79 denotes a TC counter.
Whereas the present invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various changes and modifications will be suggested to one skilled in the art, and it is intended to encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims:
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An improved modulator is capable of facilitating recording and reproducing on and from an audio cassette tape digital signals such as programs and numerical data coming from digital signal processing apparatus including an electronic cash register as well as providing safety for the audio cassette tape when in operation. The modulator includes a control circuit for detecting and counting carrier signals and outputting desired information in response to a data transfer instruction and a state detector governed by the control circuit wherein the carrier signals are sent out via data transfer lines when the detector is in a specific state. The control circuit may be implemented with a microprocessor.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Benzimidazoles having a heteroaryl radical in the 2-position have been described in the prior art as anthelmintic and antifungal agents. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,017,415 and 3,370,957 are illustrative of this prior art. Although these materials are active antifungal agents, the search has continued for substances which are more potent and which are effective against fungi that are non-responsive or weakly responsive to the prior art compounds. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a group of highly active, broad-spectrum antifungal agents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to new compounds active as fungicides and anthelmintics, and to methods for their use. More specifically, this invention relates to 1-substituted benzimidazoles effective as fungicides which are water soluble and possess an unexpectedly high degree of stability. Still more particularly, the invention is directed to novel fungicides comprising compounds described as 1-carboxyalkoxycarbonyl-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazoles and salts and derivatives of said carboxy group; to compositions containing such compounds; and to methods of killing fungi or controlling their growth by the use of such compositions and compounds.
These fungicides are utilized for agricultural application, for instance, in preventing or minimizing fungus growth on plants, fruits, seeds or soil. These fungicidal agents or materials may also find use in medical thereapy such as the treatment of mycotic infections of man and animals.
Although many antifungal agents have been described and used heretofore in an effort to control fungi, none are entirely satisfactory and continued losses resulting from fungal attack make the problem of control a serious and lasting one.
It is an object of this invention to provide for novel compounds. It is a further object of this invention to provide novel antifungal agents, which possess a high degree of water solubility and stability. It is still a further object of this invention to provide new and improved methods of controlling the growth of fungi. Another object of this invention is to provide compositions useful in the control of fungi in or on plants and animals. It is still a further object of this invention to provide a method for controlling and killing fungi with synthetic organic chemicals. Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the invention.
As used in the description of our invention the expressions "fungicide" and "fungicidal" are intended to encompass control of fungi broadly so as to include the killing of fungi as well as the inhibiting of growth of fungi.
According to the present invention, it has now been found that certain 1-(carboxyalkoxycarbonyl)-benzimidazoles are higly effective antifungal agents. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that not all of the compounds defined hereinbelow have exactly the same degree of antifungal activity and it should also be understood that a particular compound of the invention will vary somewhat in activity depending upon the species of fungus subjected to its action.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The novel antifungal active compounds of this invention are best described by the following structural formula: ##STR1## wherein R is a straight or branched alkylene of from 3 to 10 carbon atoms and R 1 is hydrogen, phenacyl, halophenacyl, an alkali metal cation, guanidinium or N-alkyl guanidinium.
The preferred compounds of this invention are realized when R is an alkylene of from 5 to 8 carbon atoms and R 1 is hydrogen or a cation of an alkali metal.
Examples of some of the compounds of this invention are the following:
1-(5-carboxy-n-pentyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole sodium salt
1-(4-carboxy-n-butoxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole
1-(6-carboxy-n-hexyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole
1-(3-carboxy-n-propoxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole
1-(7-carboxy-n-heptyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazoly)-benzimidazole potassium salt
1-(8-carboxy-n-octyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole sodium salt
1-(10-carboxy-n-decyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole
1-(1-carboxy-3-heptyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole
1-(1-p-bromophenacyloxycarbonyl-3-heptyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole
1-(8-p-bromophenacyloxycarbonyl-n-octyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole
The compounds of this invention may be employed in fungicidal treatment of seeds and crop seed pieces, plants, fruits, cereal grains, vegetables, nuts, bulbs, corms and tubers, flowers and ornamentals, turf, mushrooms, field crops and soils. These compounds are fungicidally effective against Ascomycetes, such as Erysiphe, Monilinia, Diplodia, Mycosphaerella, Septoria Sclerotinia, Sphaerotheca spp. and the like; Deuteromycetes, (Fungi imperfecti), such as Colletotrichum, Botrytis, Fusarium, Penicillium, Verticillium, Cercospora spp., Rhizoctonia, Sclerotium spp., and the like, and Basidiomycetes such as Ustilago spp., and the like.
The 1-substituted benzimidazoles of this invention are also effective against pathogenic fungi such as Trichophyton spp., Microsporum spp., Cryptococcus spp., and Hormodendrum spp.
It should be understood that the compounds may be utilized in diverse formulations, solid, including finely divided powders and granular materials as well as liquid, such as solutions, emulsions, suspensions, concentrates, emulsifiable concentrate, slurries and the like, depending upon the application intended and the formulation media desired.
Thus, it will be appreciated that compounds of this invention may be employed to form fungicidally active compositions containing such compounds as essentially active ingredients thereof, which compositions may also include finely divide dry or liquid diluents, extenders, fillers, conditioners and excipients, including various clays, diatomaceous earth, talc, and the like, or water and various organic liquids such as kerosene, benzene, toluene and other petroleum distillate fractions or mixtures thereof.
In general, the compounds of this invention are also effective in combatting superficial mycoses which attack and are an annoyance to humans such as the fungi which cause athletes foot and ringworm.
When the active agents are employed in preventing topical fungal growth one or more of the compounds may be uniformly distributed in a vehicle that is chemically compatible with the particular compound selected, non-inhibiting with respect to the action of the antifungal agent and essentially noninjurious to body tissue under the conditions of use.
It should be understood that the 1-substituted benzimidazoles of the invention may be used in combination one with the other as well as with other fungicidally active materials. For instance, a mixture of 1-substituted benzimidazoles and sulfur, dithiocarbamates, dichlorone, glyodin, dodine, oxine, captan, salicylanilide, dichlorophen, propionates and mineral oils can be used to given fungicidal effect when used in appropriate concentrations. It is quite clear, too, that the compounds defined according to Formula I above may be used in conjunction with effective antibacterial materials in appropriate instances so as to combine the action of each in such a situation as to be particularly useful, for instance, in applications where the presence of bacteria creates undesirable results alongside the detrimental action of fungi. Accordingly, a combination of antifungal and antibacterial agents will be useful in the preparation of germicidal soaps and in the production of cosmetics.
The growth of various fungi existing in soil is limited or terminated by the addition to the soil of minor quantities of the benzimidazole compounds described.
We have also found that the fungicides of the invention are effective against fungal diseases of plants, and may be effectively used either by direct contact with the foliage or systemically, by introduction through the roots.
With respect to the agricultural uses of the fungicides of this invention, the composition may be applied either pre-harvest or post-harvest, depending upon the particular plant, fruit, vegetable or other plant product being treated.
Pre-harvest treatment is used for sugar beets in the treatment of cercospora leaf spot (Cercospora beticola). In addition, these compounds are employed in the pre-harvest treatment of soybean pod rot complex, grey mold of grapes and various other fungal diseases of vegetables and field crops.
Post-harvest treatment of various fruits and vegetables with the compounds of this invention results in the successful treatment of many pathogenic fungi to which the fruit or vegetable is susceptible of infection. Examples are citrus fruits (penicillium ssp., stem end rot organisms and the like); pome fruit such as apples and pears (Penicillium expansum, Gloeosporium perennans, Botrytis cinerea and the like); crown rot complex of pathogens of bananas; potato storage and seed piece planting diseases as well as other fungal infections of other fruits and vegetables.
The compounds of this invention also find utility in the various fungi which attack ornamental plants and turf as well as in the treatment of seeds to prevent deterioration due to fungal infection while in storage and after planting.
The pre-harvest treatment of plants with the fungicides of this invention may be carried out using any of the methods known to those skilled in this art. The instant fungicides may be applied as a solution, suspension or dispersion in water in which the plant or the soil in which it is growing, or both, are thoroughly wetted with said aqueous solution, suspension or dispersion. The compounds may be intimately admixed with an inert solid carrier and "dusted" upon the plants. The solid mixture may also contain other necessary ingredients to insure that the composition remains dispersible in air and remains attached to the plant to which it is applied. Or the compounds may be dissolved, suspended or dispersed in a liquid carrier, such as non-phytotoxic oil or other non-aqueous liquid and sprayed directly upon the plant.
When the instant fungicides are used to treat turf and other grasses, the same application methods as above may be employed.
With post-harvest treatment of crops the fungicide may be applied at any time before consumption, preferably just after harvesting. For instance the antifungal compound may be applied during initial storage, before or after shipping or during final storage before consumption. The benzimidazoles of this invention may be utilized in a number of ways to protect the crop from fungal damage. The antifungal benzimidazoles may be applied directly to the crop as a solution emulsion, suspension, dispersion and the like, in which the carrier vehicle may be aqueous or non-aqueous in the form of a suitable, wax, oil, organic solvent and the like. The composition may also contain suitable dispersing agents stabilizing agents or other material to insure the uniform application of the benzimidazole derivative. Also the antifungal agent may be applied to the container or wrapper within which the crop is kept in order to prevent fungal damage. The antifungal agent is applied to the container or wrapper in carriers and waxes are known to those skilled in this art.
The 1-substituted compounds of the instant invention are prepared by reacting 1-unsubstituted-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole with a protected carboxy alkoxy chloroformate, followed by the removal of the protecting group. The optimum protecting group is p-bromophenacyl as outlined in the following reaction scheme, however, other phenacyl protecting groups are acceptable such as unsubstituted phenacyl or other halo phenacyl groups: ##STR2##wherein R is as previously defined and X is hydrogen or halogen. Further reaction of the carboxy compound (I) will yield the metal or guanidinium salts.
The reaction of the 1-unsubstituted benzimidazole and the chloroformate is carried out in a solvent which is non-reactive to the chloroformate reagent. The reaction is generally complete in from 1/2 to 6 hours at from 10°-40° C. Appropriate solvents for this reaction are aprotic solvents, such as benzene, toluene, xylene, methylene chloride, acetonitrile, dimethyl formamide tetrahydrofuran and the like are suitable solvents for this process.
During the course of the reaction of the chlororoformate reagent with the 1-unsubstituted benzimidazole, there is liberated one mole of hydrogen chloride. It is preferred to remove the liberated hydrogen chloride from the site of reaction by reacting it with a suitable base to form a salt. The base must be present at least in an amount equivalent to the hydrogen chloride being liberated. As bases, tertiary amines are preferred such as triloweralkylamines exemplified by triethylamine, methyldiethylamine and the like; aromatic amines such as N,N-diethylaniline and the like or heterocyclic amines such as pyridine and the like. Where the base is a liquid which is easily removable at the end of the reaction, the use of a separate solvent may be dispensed with and the base used in such an excess as to become the solvent itself. The technique is especially preferred when pyridine is the acid acceptor. The hydrogen chloride formed during the reaction reacts immediately with the base forming a salt which is removed at the end of the reaction by filtering, dissolving in water or some other technique known to those skilled in this art.
A variation of the above procedure is realized when a metal salt, preferably an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt of the 2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole is prepared prior to its reaction with the chlororformate reagent. Such a salt is prepared by using the alkali metal or alkaline earth metal hydride, hydroxide or loweralkoxide using methods well known in this art. By the use of such a salt of the benzimidazole, the reaction will produce rather than hydrogen chloride, an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal chloride. Thus, with this technique, the use of the base as described above is not needed and it is only necessary to remove the inorganic salt which formed directly during the course of the reaction.
The p-halophenacyl ester is reductively cleaved in order to prepare the free carboxylic compound of structure I. The preferred reduction conditions utilize a reactive metal such as zinc in acetic acid. Finely powdered zinc dust is preferred. The reaction is conducted at from 10° to 40° C. for from 1/2 to 6 hours and the product is isolated by techniques known to those skilled in this art.
The metal salts of Compound I are prepared by contacting the free carboxy compound of I with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide, carbonate or bicarbonate. An alkali metal bicarbonate is preferred. The reaction is conducted in water optionally containing an organic cosolvent substantially at room temperature, although temperatures of from 10° to 40° C. are acceptable, and the reaction is complete in from 1/2 to 4 hours. The salt is isolated by techniques known to those skilled in this art.
The guanidinium and N-alkylguanidinium salts are prepared by metathesis from the metal salt of Compound I with a guanidinium or N-alkylguanidinium salt such as the hydrohalide or sulfate salt. The reaction is conducted in water at from 10° to 40° C., room temperature being the preferred temperature, however, and is complete in from 5 minutes to 1 hour. The combination of an organic cosolvent with the water is occasionally helpful in dissolving the starting materials and generally dioxane or loweralkanols are preferred for this purpose. The product is isolated by techniques known in this art.
The chloroformate starting materials are prepared in two steps from the metal salt, preferably the alkali metal salt of the corresponding hydroxy carboxylic acid, having the formula:
HO--R--COOM
wherein R is as previously defined and M is the cation of a metal, preferably an alkali metal. This compound is reacted with a substituted or unsubstituted phenacyl halide in a polar aprotic solvent such as acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran and the like. A catalytic amount of a solubilizing agent is generally employed to improve the solubility of the carboxylate salts. One of the "crown ethers" is generally preferred such as dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6. The reaction is conducted at from room temperature to the reflux temperature of the reaction mixture and is generally complete in from 15 minutes to 6 hours. The p-halophenacyl ester is recovered by techniques known to those skilled in this art.
The hydroxy group of the above recovered p-halophenacyl ester is treated with phosgene in order to prepare the chloroformate derivative. The reaction is run in a solvent and aprotic solvents are preferred such as aromatic hydrocarbons chlorinated hydrocarbons and the like as discussed above. The reaction is generally complete in from 1/2 to 2 hours when conducted at from -10° to 20° C. It is generally desireable to include in the reaction mixture an acid acceptor, such as an organic base, preferable pyridine, which is present in at least an amount equivalent to the acid liberated during the course of the reaction. The product is recovered by techniques known to those skilled in this art and the product reacted with the benzimidazole Compound II as described above.
The instant invention is further demonstrated by the following Examples, which Examples are provided for purposes of illustration and are not intended to limit the invention.
EXAMPLE 1
1-(5-Carboxypentyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole
A. Potassium 6-hydroxycarproate
To a stirred mixture of 11.4 g. (100 mmoles) of caprolactone and 50 ml. of water is added 6.6 g. (100 mmoles) of 85% potassium hydroxide over a period of 5 minutes. The reaction mixture is stirred for 4 hours, filtered and evaporated to dryness in vacuo. The residue is suspended in 200 ml. of acetonitrile and stirred overnight resulting in complete crystallization. The solid is filtered, washed with acetonitrile and dried affording 16.4 g. of potassium 6-hydroxycaproate, m.p. 205°-207° C.
B. p-Bromophenacyl 6-hydroxycaproate
A mixture of 8.5 g. (50 mmoles) of potassium 6-hydroxycaproate, 13.9 g. (50 mmoles) of p-bromophenacyl bromide, 0.75 g. (2 mmoles) of dicyclohexyl-18 -crown-6 in 500 ml. of acetonitrile is refluxed with stirring for 1 hour and stirred at room temperature overnight. The mixture is filtered and the filtrate evaporated to dryness in vacuo. The residual solid is recrystallized from benzene-hexane mixture affording 14.1 g. of p-bromophenacyl 6-hydroxycarproate, m.p. 79°-81° C.
C. p-Bromophenacyl 6-chloroformyloxycarpoate
To 60 ml. (70 mmoles) of 12.5% phosgene solution in benzene stirred in an ice bath under protection from moisture is added dropwise a solution of 11.5 g. (35 mmoles) of p-bormophenacyl 6-hydroxycaproate, 2.77 g. (35 mmoles) of pyridine in 50 ml. of methylene chloride over a period of 1 hour and 50 minutes. After the completion of the addition, stirring is continued in an ice bath for 3 hours. The mixture is purged with a stream of nitrogen to remove the excess phosgene and benzene is added to the residue. The insoluble pyridine hydrochloride is filtered, the filtrate concentrated to dryness in vacuo affording 14.05 g. of a light yellow residual oil which is used without further purificaation in the next step.
D. 1-[5-(p-Bromophenacyloxycarbonyl)pentyloxycarbonyl]-2-(4-thiazoly)-benzimidazole
A solution of 14.0 g. (35 mmoles) of p-bormophenacyl 6-chloroformyloxycaproate in 15 ml. of methylene chloride is added dropwise with protection from moisture to a stirred suspension of 7.0 g. (35 mmoles) of 2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole in 25 ml. of pyridine over a period of 35 minutes. The reaction mixture is stirred for 11/2 hours, filtered and the filtrate evaporated to dryness in vacuo. The residue is taken up in 100 ml. of methylene chloride and filtered. The filtrate is washed twice with 100 ml. of 0.5 N HCl containing ice, followed by 75 ml. of a saturated sodium bicarbonate solution containing 25 ml. of ice. The methylene chloride fraction is dried, treated with charcoal, filtered and evaporated to dryness in vacuo affording 17.1 g. of an oil which is used without further purification in the next step.
E. 1-(5-carboxypentyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole
To a stirred solution of 11.1 g. (20 mmoles) of crude 1-[5-(p-bromophenacyloxycarbonyl)pentyloxycarbonyl]-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole in 100 ml. of glacial acetic acid is added 6.5 g. (100 mmoles) of zinc dust in small portions over a period of 12 minutes. The reaction mixture is stirred for 30 minutes, filtered, the solid material washed with acetic acid and water. The combined filtrates are diluted with 1800 ml. of water and shaken with 1 liter of ethyl acetate. The ethyl acetate layer is washed with 3 additional 1800 ml. portions of water, dried over magnesium sulfate, filtered and evaporated to dryness in vacuo. The residue is washed 3 times with 30 ml. portions of ether and filtered affording 5.0 g. of 1-(5-carboxypentyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole, m.p. 155°-156° C.
EXAMPLE 2
1-(1-Carboxy-3-heptyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole
A. Potassium 4-hydroxyoctanoate
Following the procedure of Example 1A utilizing 7.1 g. (50 mmoles) of octanoic lactone, 25 ml. of water and 3.3 g. (50 mmoles) of 85% aqueous potassium hydroxide there is prepared 9.6 g. of potassium-4-hydroxyoctanoate.
B. p-Bromophenacyl 4-hydroxyoctanoate
Utilizing the process of Example 1B with 9.6 g. (45.8 mmoles) of the product of Example 2A, 13.5 g. (45.8 mmoles) of p-bromophenacyl bromide, 0.75 g. (2 mmoles) of dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6, and 485 ml. of acetonitrile, there is afforded 7.4 g. of p-bromophenacyl 4-hydroxyoctanoate m.p. 86.5°-87° C.
C. p-Bromophenacyl 4-chloroformyloxyoctanoate
Following the procedure of Example 1C utilizing 7.14 g. of the product of Example 2B in 1.58 g. of pyridine and 35 ml. of methylene chloride, with 34.5 ml. (40 mmoles) of 12.5% phosgene there is obtained 9.2 g. of p-bromophenacyl-4-chloroformyloxyoctanoate as an oil.
D. 1-(1-p-Bromophenacyloxycarbonyl-3-heptyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole
Following the procedure of Example 1D using 4.0 g (20 mmoles) of 2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole in 20 ml. of pyridine and 9.2 g. of the product of Example 2C there is obtained 8.3 g. of a viscous oil which is identified as 1-(1-p-bormophenacyloxycarbonyl-3-heptyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole.
E. 1-(1-Carboxy-3-heptyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole
The procedure of Example 1E is employed with 8.3 g. (14.2 mmoles) of the product of Example 2D in 70 ml. of glacial acetic acid and 4.65 g. (71 mmoles) of zinc dust, affording 3.55 g. of 1-(1-carboxy-3-heptyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole m.p. 122°-125° C.
EXAMPLE 3
1-(5-Carboxypentyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole sodium salt
To a solution of 0.5 g. (5 mmoles) of sodium bicarbonate in 12 ml. of water and 8 ml of dioxane is added 2.15 g. (6 mmoles) of 1-(5-carboxypentyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole in small portions over a period of 15 minutes. The reaction mixture is stirred for 2.5 hours, filtered and the solution evaporated to dryness in vacuo. The viscous residual gum is triturated repeatedly with 40 ml. portions of acetonitrile until solidication occurs. The solid material is filtered and dried affording 2.14 g. of 1-(5-carboxypentyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole sodium salt melting point softens in excess of 60° C. and decomposes in excess of 160° C.
EXAMPLE 4
1-(5-Carboxypentyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole n-dodecylguanidinium salt
A solution of 1.22 g. (3.0 mmoles) of 1-(5-carboxypentyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole potassium salt in 10 ml. of water is added gradually to a stirred solution of 3.3 mmoles of n-dodecylguanidine hydrochloride in 20 ml. of water containing isopropanol. The product precipitates immediately and is stirred for 45 minutes, filtered and washed with water, methanol and acetone affording 1.19 g. of 1-(5-carboxypentyloxycarbonyl)-2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole n-dodecylguanidinium salt,
When the compounds of this invention are employed in compositions useful for the destruction of fungi or the prevention of the growth of fungi, the active ingedient is present to an extent which depends greatly upon the method of application of the antifungal agent. Concentrations ranging from 500 to 5000 parts per million may be employed.
These compositions are applied to the plant, plant product, soil or other objects where fungal growth is present or suspected. In addition to applying these compositions to existing or suspected sites of fungal infection, it is very often useful to apply said compositions to plants, plant products or other objects where there is no fungal infection, however, from past experiences, fungal growth could reasonably be predicted. An example would be the treatment of fruits or vegetables which contain no fungal infection but which are to be placed in storage for prolonged periods or for shipment. In such situations, experience has shown that, left untreated, the fruits and vegetables will develop fungal infections. Treatment of such fruits and vegetables prior to storage will prevent the development of fungal infection.
The above concentrations of active ingredient are descriptive of those compositions which are to be applied directly to the site of fungal infection, suspected fungal infection or sites where fungal infection is predicted. However, it may be desired to provide for an intermediate composition of the compounds of this invention wherein the active ingredient is present to the extent of from 1 to 90% by weight. The remaining ingredients are auxilliary agents such as fillers, excipients, binders or other inert ingredients necessary to maintain the integrity of the composition. This higher concentration composition is further diluted, with the proper diluent for the particular contemplated use, prior to such use. The dilution brings the concentration of the active ingredient to that desired or necessary for the particular use to which the antifungal composition is to be put.
Compositions containing the active ingredient of structural Formula I are active against various fungi when such composition is applied to an area, plant or animal in which fungal growth is present, suspected or predicted.
In one such example in a greenhouse test an aqueous solution containing from 0.25 to 1% acetone and 7.5, 15 or 30 parts per million of the active compound was applied as a spray until runoff to young bean plants which had been previously inoculated with powdery mildew (Erysiphe Polygoni). Other plants were left untreated as controls. It is noted that field applications (as opposed to this laboatory situation) utilize a much higher level of active compound (200 to 5000 ppm). In the laboratory situation care is taken to thoroughly wet the entire surface of all the leaves of the plant. Since such techniques are too time consuming for field use, higher concentrations are employed. After 5 to 7 days the plants were evaluated on a scale of from 0 to 10 with 0 being no fungal infection and 10 being complete fungal infection. Scores of from 0 to 2 are considered as adequate control. In such tests the untreated plants were completely infected with the fungus while the instant compounds, at concentrations of 15 or 30 ppm. afforded adequate control.
When the compounds of this invention are intended for topical use such as in a cream or ointment, a base therefor is employed in which the active compound is present at a concentration of from 0.01% to 15% preferably from about 0.5% to 10% (percentages are by weight).
In addition to their antifungal activity, the compounds of this invention have significant activity as anthelmintics thus being useful in the treatment of helminthiasis in animals. The disease or group of diseases described generally as helminthiasis is due to infestation of the animal body with parasitic worms known as helminths. Helminthiasis is a prevalent and serious econimic problem in domesticated anismals such as swine, sheep, cattle, goats, dogs and poultry. Among the helminths, the group of worms described as nematodes causes widespread and often serious infection in various species of animals. Certain species of nematodes also lead to troublesome infections in humans, particularly in the tropical climates. The parasitic infections known as helminthiasis lead to anemia, malnutrition, weakness, weight loss, severe damage to the walls of the intestinal tract and, if left untreated, often result in death of the infected animals. The compounds of this invention have unexpectedly high activity against these helminths.
When used as anthelmintic agents, they may be administered orally in a unit dosage form such as a capsule, bolus, tablet or as a liquid drench. Alternatively, the anthelmintic compounds of this invention may be administered to animals by intraruminal, intramuscular and intratracheal injection, in which event the benzimidazole is dissolved or dispersed in a liquid carrier vehicle.
The optimum amount of the active agent to be employed for best results will, of course, depend upon the particular benzimidazole employed, the species of animal to be treated and the type and severity of helminth infection. Generally, good results are obtained with the compounds of this invention by the oral administration of from about 5 to 125 mg. per kg. of animal body weight, such total dose being given at one time or in divided doses over a relatively short period of time such as 1-2 days. With the preferred compounds of the invention, excellent control of helminthiasis is obtained in domesticated animals by administering from about 10 to 70 mg. per kg. of body weight in a single dose. The techniques for administering these materials to animals are known to those skilled in the veterinary field.
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New water soluble benzimidazoles with a high degree of stability, which are substituted at the 1-position with carboxyalkoxycarbonyl substituents and at the 2-position with a 4-thiazolyl group are effective fungicides and anthelmintics. The compounds as well as processes for their preparation are described along with antifungal and anthelmintic compositions for their use. The 1-position substituent is a carboxyalkoxycarbonyl group of from 3 to 11 carbon atoms including certain salts and derivatives of the carboxy group. The compounds are generally prepared by contacting a 1-unsubstituted benzimidazole with a protected carboxyalkoxycarbonyl chloride.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present non-provisional patent application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 13/133,405, filed Jun. 8, 2011, and entitled SURGICAL DEVICE FOR CORRECTION OF SPINAL DEFORMITIES, which is incorporated in full by reference herein. The present non-provisional patent application claims the benefit of priority of: foreign Patent Application No. GB0822507.0, which is entitled SURGICAL DEVICE FOR CORRECTION OF SPINAL DEFORMITIES and which was filed Dec. 10, 2008; foreign Patent Application No. GB0902416.7, which is entitled SURGICAL DEVICE FOR CORRECTION OF SPINAL DEFORMITIES and which was filed Feb. 16, 2009; foreign Patent Application No. GB0913457.8, which is entitled SURGICAL DEVICE FOR CORRECTION OF SPINAL DEFORMITIES and which was filed Aug. 3, 2009, all of which are incorporated in full by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a surgical device for the correction of deformities of the spinal column and finds particular, although not exclusive, utility in devices which are surgically implantable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] At present, the surgical correction of deformities of the spinal column involves a surgical procedure for the insertion of fixation implant devices, such as pedicle screws or hooks, to each vertebra followed by application of external forces to achieve the desired correction of the shape of the spinal column and attachment of the said fixation devices to rigid rod-like elements to achieve permanent stabilisation of the involved part of the spinal column. Bone graft is also added to achieve permanent fusion of the same part of the spinal column.
[0004] Previous devices for correcting spinal deformities have involved the fixation of bone screws which connect to rods via pivoting connections, for example as described in WO-A2-2007/014119. Also, the use of ratchet mechanisms with spinal implants is known from WO-A2-2008/057861, WO 2007/143709 and EP-A2-1051947. Although these arrangements increase the versatility and ease of application of implants used for spinal fixation, the application of all currently used implants and methods for surgical correction of deformities of the spinal column results in the amount of correction of the deformity achieved during the surgical procedure often being limited. Furthermore, during application of all current implants and methods for surgical correction of deformities of the spinal column the entire correction is achieved during the surgical procedure and no further degree of correction is possible thereafter as the involved part of the spinal column is permanently fused. The consequences of this are the permanent loss of spinal motion and subsequent increase of the mechanical loads to the adjacent mobile spinal segments frequently leading to wear of these segments.
[0005] One device, described in US-A1-2005/0261770, has various arrangements of interconnecting vertebral supports including pivoting and sliding arrangements between the components in an attempt to avoid fusion and permanent loss of the mobility of the spinal column. However, such implants cannot be used as spinal deformity correcting devices as no means for adjusting the relative position of the vertebrae is provided. Other devices are described in US-A1-2006/155279, EP-A1-0667127, US-A1-2003/191470, U.S. Pat. No. 5,951,555, U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,175 and GB2412320 which include springs, flexible rods or other force-generating means, such as memory alloys, attempt to prevent development of the deformity or even to gradually correct a deformity of the spinal column. Although such disclosed devices are able to facilitate the development of corrective forces between parts of the spinal column most are passive and are unable to provide for the progressive correction of spinal deformities assisted by active movements of the human body. The present invention addresses this issue.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In a first aspect, the invention provides a surgical device for the correction of deformities of the spinal column comprising a spinal column straightening means for permitting the relative rotation of two substantially adjacent vertebrae about a common axis substantially only in opposite rotational directions. The surgical device may be arranged such that, in use, the anterior edges of the end plates of two substantially adjacent vertebrae are substantially only permitted to move either closer to one another or further apart from one another. Correspondingly, the posterior edges of the end plates of two substantially adjacent vertebrae may be substantially only permitted to move either further apart from one another or closer to one another. The spinal column straightening means, in one embodiment, is a spinal column straightener.
[0007] The term “substantially” is used here in the phrase “substantially only permitted to move either closer to one another or further apart from one another” because it is contemplated that there may be an element of “play” in the device such that a slight degree of opposite relative movement occurs.
[0008] This device, which may be affixed to the posterior surfaces of vertebrae, therefore allows one of two modes of operation. The first is where adjacent vertebrae are permitted to increase their separation towards their front surfaces and/or reduce their separation towards their rear surfaces, thus straightening spines which are curved forwardly. The second is where adjacent vertebrae are permitted to decrease their separation towards their front surfaces and/or increase their separation towards their rear surfaces, thus straightening spines which are curved rearwardly. Furthermore, because the device substantially prevents rotation of the vertebrae in the opposite direction (of whichever mode of operation is selected) the device prevents the curved nature of the spine from worsening or returning to its former bent form after straightening. Moreover, as the individual stretches upwardly, thus temporarily straightening the spine, the device allows the adjacent vertebrae to straighten relative to one another but will prevent them from returning to the their previously curved form. Over time, an individual's curved spine may be corrected to one which more closely resembles a typical “straight” spine.
[0009] The term “substantially” is used with the phrase “only in opposite rotational directions” because it is contemplated that there may be an element of “play” in the device such that the adjacent vertebrae may rotate in the same direction. However, the amount of this common rotational movement may be minor compared to the opposite rotational movement effected due to the individual's typical daily activities.
[0010] The surgical device may include rotation means for permitting the relative rotation of the two said substantially adjacent vertebrae. This relative rotation may be about the common axis. In this regard, the common axis may be located within the spinal column and substantially outside the surgical device. The rotation means may include a ratchet means. This ratchet means may be for permitting relative rotation of two substantially adjacent vertebrae about the common axis substantially only in opposite rotational directions. The ratchet may comprise well known features such as a pawl and teeth. In at least one embodiment, the rotation means is a rotation controller. The rotation controller may include two, preferably but not exclusively, symmetrically positioned ratchet means arranged on either side of the rotation controller.
[0011] The common axis, in use, may be substantially perpendicular to the length of the spinal column. This axis may lie substantially parallel to the intersection of the coronal and transverse planes.
[0012] The surgical device may include connection means for connecting with two bone fixing elements, each element fixable, in use, to each said adjacent vertebra. In one embodiment, the connection means is connection apparatus.
[0013] The bone fixing elements may comprise substantially parallel longitudinal axes, such that, in use, the longitudinal axes are substantially parallel to the intersection of the median and transverse planes.
[0014] The common axis may, in use, be substantially perpendicular to the said longitudinal axes or intersection of the median and transverse planes.
[0015] The surgical device may further comprise rotation means for permitting, in use, the relative rotation of the two said adjacent vertebrae about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the bone fixing element, or intersection of the median and transverse planes.
[0016] The connection means may comprise a first male member and a first female member.
[0017] One of the two said bone fixing elements may comprise a second female member and the first male member may be connectable with this second female member.
[0018] The first male member may be rotatably and/or slidably connectable with the second female member.
[0019] The first female member may be connectable with a bone fixing element in an adjacent vertebra.
[0020] The first female member may be rotatably and/or slidably connectable with the bone fixing element.
[0021] Either or both of the first and second female members may include pivoting means for either permitting or restricting relative angular movement of any connected first male member or bone fixing element. In one embodiment, the pivoting means is a pivot controller.
[0022] The surgical device may include one or more bone fixing elements.
[0023] The surgical device may include at least one bone fixing element fixable, in use, to a first vertebra.
[0024] The surgical device may include alternative connection means for connecting with another bone fixing element fixable, in use, to a second adjacent vertebra.
[0025] The alternative connection means may comprise a first alternative female member and a first alternative male member.
[0026] The first alternative female member may be connectable with the first alternative male member of an adjacent device.
[0027] The first alternative female member may be rotatably and/or slidably connectable with the first alternative male member of the adjacent device.
[0028] The first alternative female member may include pivoting means for either permitting or restricting relative angular movement of any connected alternative male member or bone fixing element.
[0029] The first alternative female member and first alternative male member may be on opposite sides of the ratchet means.
[0030] The surgical device may include means for connecting either directly or indirectly with an adjacent similar device. When connectable directly one of the male members may be insertable into one of the female members. When connectable indirectly another intermediate element may be interposed therebetween. This intermediate element may comprise one or more male members and one or more female members, although other means of interconnection are contemplated. The intermediate element may be a rod.
[0031] Additional articulating elements may be provided within the female members shaped preferably, but not exclusively, in such a manner as to allow additional interposed articulations of the ‘ball-and-socket’ type and of the ‘sliding’ type between the articulating elements and the male and female members.
[0032] In one embodiment, the stem includes a longitudinal split along its longitudinal axis. The split may extend along the entire length or along only part of its length. The split may be arranged preferably, but not exclusively, along the sagittal plane (when installed in use). It may at least partially separate the stem into two limbs. In use the distance or separation between the two limbs may be increased temporarily and reversibly. This separation may allow the ratchet(s) to be temporarily overcome such that the angle between the stem and the bone fixing element may be set during installation. After this step the separation of the two limbs may be reduced such the influence of the ratchet(s) is again enforced over this angle.
[0033] In a second aspect, the invention provides a surgical device for correction of deformities of the spinal column comprising at least two mutually interconnectable segments arranged for affixation on at least two separate vertebrae of the spinal column, each segment comprising a first part, equipped with at least one bone fixing element adapted for affixation on at least one vertebra of the spinal column, a second part, connectable to the said first part at an axially arranged connection permitting rotation of the said first and second parts relative to each other around a first axis, the said second part also being equipped with at least one stem able to withstand mechanical loads during use, the said second part also being equipped with at least one connecting hole of design appropriate, firstly, to allow insertion of the said stem of at least one other segment of the surgical device disclosed herein to the said connecting hole and, secondly, to allow pivoting (angular movement) and axial sliding of the said stem in the said connecting hole, a ratchet arrangement of the said axially arranged connection between the said first and second parts permitting, in use, the said first and second parts to rotate relative to each other around the said first axis of rotation in a single predetermined direction but preventing the said first and second parts from rotating around the said first axis of rotation in an opposite direction, wherein, during use, at least two mutually interconnected segments of the surgical device disclosed herein are affixed on at least two separate vertebrae of the spinal column, the said stem of the said second part of the segment affixed on the vertebra above being axially inserted in the said connecting hole of the said second part of the segment affixed on the vertebra below, permitting angular movements between the said two vertebrae of the spinal column in the desired direction of correction of the deformity but preventing any angular movement between the said two vertebrae of the spinal column in the opposite to the said desired direction, and wherein, during normal daily activity or special exercise-induced movements of the human spinal column, any loads applied to the spinal column directed in a direction opposite to the said desired direction of correction of the said spinal deformity are endured, resisted and prevented by at least two mutually interconnected segments of the surgical device disclosed herein, whilst all other loads are endured solely by the spinal column protecting thus the surgical device disclosed herein from mechanical failure or loosening of its secure affixation on a vertebrae of the spinal column, and whereby, over a period of time, gradual correction of the said spinal deformity can be achieved without additional force generating means.
[0034] As described herein there is provided a surgical device for gradual correction of deformities of the spinal column without fusion of the involved part of the spinal column. The device may comprise mutually interconnected segments affixable to separate vertebrae of the spinal column. Their arrangement may comprise a ratchet as part of a pivoting connection between the part affixed to the bone and a support. The support may have a connecting opening to permit free relative rotation and axial movement, but which may restrict relative angulatory movement at least in one plane, between the mutually interconnected segments.
[0035] The configuration of the surgical device may permit gradual angular correction of the relative position of the vertebrae while at the same time all other movements, including those affected by axial loading of the spinal column are allowed. It is to be appreciated that gradual correction of a deformity of the spinal column may be achieved over a period of time following the application of the surgical device effected by active and passive movements of the spinal column during normal daily activities and exercising while, at the same time, the mobility of all parts of the spinal column may be preserved.
[0036] The bone fixing elements described and/or claimed herein may be of the pedicle screw variety.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] The above and other characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. This description is given for the sake of example only, without limiting the scope of the invention. The reference figures quoted below refer to the attached drawings.
[0038] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to a first embodiment of the invention;
[0039] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of two of the devices of FIG. 1 in use with vertebrae;
[0040] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a series of devices according to a second embodiment of the invention in use with a series of adjacent vertebrae;
[0041] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a device according to a third embodiment of the invention;
[0042] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a device according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;
[0043] FIG. 6 is a close-up perspective view of the device of FIG. 5 ;
[0044] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of two of the devices of FIG. 5 in use with two vertebrae;
[0045] FIG. 8 is a close-up perspective view of the two devices of FIG. 7 ;
[0046] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a device according to a fifth embodiment of the invention;
[0047] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a device according to a sixth embodiment of the invention;
[0048] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a device according to a seventh embodiment of the invention;
[0049] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 11 with an alternative feature;
[0050] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a device according to an eighth embodiment of the invention;
[0051] FIG. 14 is a rear elevational view of the device of FIG. 13 ;
[0052] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a device according to an ninth embodiment of the invention; and
[0053] FIG. 16 a perspective view of a device according to a tenth embodiment of the invention.
[0054] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a device according to an eleventh embodiment of the invention.
[0055] FIG. 18 is a partial view of a device according to a twelfth embodiment of the invention.
[0056] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a device according to a thirteenth embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0057] The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims. The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting. In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes. The dimensions and the relative dimensions do not correspond to actual reductions to practice of the invention.
[0058] Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.
[0059] Moreover, the terms top, bottom, over, under and the like in the description and the claims are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other orientations than described or illustrated herein.
[0060] It is to be noticed that the term “comprising”, used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps. It is thus to be interpreted as specifying the presence of the stated features, integers, steps or components as referred to, but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps or components, or groups thereof. Thus, the scope of the expression “a device comprising means A and B” should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B. It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B.
[0061] Similarly, it is to be noticed that the term “connected”, used in the description, should not be interpreted as being restricted to direct connections only. “Connected” may mean that two or more elements are either in direct physical or that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other but yet still co-operate or interact with each other.
[0062] Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment, but may refer to different embodiments.
[0063] Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from this disclosure, in one or more embodiments.
[0064] Similarly it should be appreciated that in the description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, various features of the invention are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure and aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed invention requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.
[0065] Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention, and form different embodiments, as would be understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the following claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.
[0066] In the description provided herein, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it is understood that embodiments of the invention may be practised without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, structures and techniques have not been shown in detail in order not to obscure an understanding of this description.
[0067] The invention will now be described by a detailed description of several embodiments of the invention. It is clear that other embodiments of the invention can be configured according to the knowledge of persons skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit or technical teaching of the invention, the invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
[0068] In FIG. 1 a surgical device 10 for the correction of deformities of the spinal column includes a rotation means 11 (substantially cylindrical in shape) for allowing rotation between two elements; the two elements being a stem, or male member, 12 and a means 18 of connecting with a bone-fixing element 30 . The stem 12 is substantially cylindrical. In this embodiment, the means 18 of connecting with the bone fixing element 30 is a socket, or female member, 16 arranged on an arm radiating away from the means 11 for allowing rotation.
[0069] The rotation means 11 includes a ratchet mechanism 20 which permits the two sides of the rotation means 11 to only rotate in opposite directions relative to one another about a common axis referenced “A”. In FIG. 1 , the arrow referenced “B” indicates the direction in which the bone fixing element 30 is permitted to rotate, and the arrow referenced “C” indicates the direction in which the stem 12 is permitted to rotate. The angle between the longitudinal axis of the stem 12 and the longitudinal axis of the bone fixing element 30 is indicated “Φ”. In use, the bone fixing element 30 and the stem 12 may only rotate in opposite directions such that the angle Φ may increase but not decrease. This restriction is effected by the ratchet 20 .
[0070] The bone fixing element 30 comprises a shaft 32 having a screw thread 34 at one end and a head 36 at the other end. The head 36 is larger than the shaft 32 and of the socket 16 thus preventing the rotation means 11 from slipping off the bone fixing element 30 .
[0071] The shaft 32 of the bone fixing element 30 may rotate within the socket 16 thus allowing, in use, sideways flexing (in the coronal plane) of the spinal column. The bone fixing element 30 includes a socket, or female member, in the head 38 . This will be explained in more detail below.
[0072] FIG. 2 shows two devices 10 in use together with two adjacent vertebrae 40 , 42 . The bone fixing elements 30 have been screwed into each vertebra 40 , 42 such that each device 10 is held captive thereto by the heads 36 of the respective bone fixing elements 30 . The stem 12 of the upper device 10 has been inserted into the socket 38 of the bone fixing element 30 holding the lower device 10 captive. The stem 12 may rotate and move axially within the socket 38 thus allowing a certain amount of freedom of movement between adjacent vertebrae other than that restricted by the ratchet 20 .
[0073] The socket 38 in head 36 of the upper bone fixing element 30 may receive a stem 12 of another device 10 (not shown) attached to a vertebra above (not shown). Likewise, the stem 12 of the lowermost device 10 may be received in the socket 38 of another device 10 (not shown) attached to a vertebra below (not shown).
[0074] Because of the ability for the various elements (bone fixing shaft 32 and socket 16 ; stem 12 and socket 38 ) to move relative to one another in one or more directions and/or planes as necessary, due to an arranged tolerance in the respective male and female members, the actual vertebrae 40 , 42 do not rotate about the axis A (in FIG. 1 ).
[0075] Rather, they will rotate about the natural axes of the vertebrae, which will lie substantially in the sagittal, transverse and coronal planes.
[0076] A series 100 of devices 110 may be affixed to a series of vertebrae 40 , 42 , 44 , 46 , 48 forming a portion of a spinal column as shown in FIG. 3 . These devices 110 are slightly different to the devices 10 described above but operate in a similar manner. They each include a rotation means 111 (substantially cylindrical in shape) for allowing rotation between a bone fixing element 130 and a stem 112 . Each stem 112 is inserted into the device 110 below.
[0077] In this way the angle Φ may be increased but not substantially decreased. This means that the vertical gap “D” between the front edges of adjacent vertebrae may be increased but not substantially decreased.
[0078] A third embodiment of the device 210 is shown in FIG. 4 . It comprises a stem 212 attached to one side 214 of a rotational ratchet 220 , and a bone fixing element 230 comprising a screw thread 234 and a shaft 232 directly attached to the other side 218 of the ratchet 220 . The two sides 214 , 218 make up the rotation means 211 (which is substantially cylindrical in shape). The ratchet 220 restricts relative rotational movement of the two sides in a similar manner to that described above.
[0079] In this embodiment, a socket 238 is provided in the body of the rotation means 211 . This socket may receive a stem 212 from an adjacent device 210 , in a similar manner to that described above, such that an array of devices 210 may be interconnected. The socket 238 is arranged such that the stem 212 may rotate and move axially and angularly within it thus allowing a certain amount of freedom of movement between adjacent vertebrae other than that restricted by the ratchet 20 .
[0080] A fourth embodiment of the device 310 is shown in FIG. 5 . This device 310 is similar to the device 210 shown in FIG. 4 except that the shaft 332 of the bone fixing element 330 is not directly attached to the rotation means 311 , which is substantially cylindrical in shape. Rather, a socket 316 is provided in the body of the rotation means 311 adjacent the socket 338 for receiving the stem 312 of an adjacent device 310 . This socket 316 may receive the shaft 332 of the bone fixing element 330 . The socket 316 is arranged such that the stem 312 may rotate and move axially and angularly within it thus mallowing a certain amount of freedom of movement between adjacent vertebrae other than that restricted by the ratchet 20 . This is more clearly shown in FIG. 6 .
[0081] The axial movement is referenced “F”, the rotational movement is referenced “E”, and the angular movement is referenced “G”. All other features are the same as described with regard to FIG. 5 .
[0082] FIG. 7 shows two devices 310 arranged together, and connected or affixed to two adjacent vertebrae 40 , 42 , such that the stem 312 of the upper device 310 is inserted into the socket 238 of the lower device 310 . The arrow referenced “H” indicates the direction in which the upper vertebrae 40 may rotate relative to the axis of rotation “A”. FIG. 8 indicates the rotational “I”, axial “J” and angular “K” movement which the upper stem 312 may make relative to the lower socket 338 . There may also be some rotational movement therebetween (not shown).
[0083] A different embodiment of the device 410 is shown in FIG. 9 . This device 410 has a rotation means 411 (substantially cylindrical in shape) comprising two ratchets 420 a , 420 b separating the rotation means 411 into three portions. At each end portion of the rotation means 411 a stem 412 a , 412 b is provided projecting radially away. A socket, or female member, 416 is provided radially through the middle portion of the rotation means 411 . This socket 416 may receive a shaft 432 of a bone fixing element 430 (refer to FIG. 10 ) such that it may be affixed to vertebra. Each stem 412 a , 412 b may be connected to a bone fixing element 43 either directly or indirectly. An example is shown in FIG. 10 . The device 450 comprises a substantially cylindrical element comprising two sockets, or female members, 438 , 456 which pass radially through the cylindrical element from one side to the other. These two sockets 438 , 456 are aligned such that their respective bores are substantially perpendicular to one another. The shaft 432 of a bone fixing element is shown inserted into one of the sockets 456 . The other socket 438 may receive one of the stems 412 a , 412 b described above. Two devices 450 may be arranged one on each stem 412 a , 412 b . By virtue of ratchet 420 a the upper bone fixing element, in device 450 , and the one in the rotation means 411 may rotate relative to one another but only in opposite directions. Also, by virtue of ratchet 420 b the lower bone fixing element, in another device 450 , and the one in the rotation means 411 may rotate relative to one another but only in opposite directions.
[0084] The relative rotation of the two sets of bone fixing elements 430 may rotate around a common axis referenced “L” passing through the longitudinal central axis of the substantially cylindrical rotation means 411 .
[0085] FIG. 11 shows yet another embodiment of the device 510 . This device 510 includes a bone fixing element 530 rotatably connected to one side of a rotation means 511 . On the other side of the rotation means 511 a stem, or male member, 512 is provided. The stem 512 and bone fixing element 530 may rotate relative to one another limited by some means, possibly a ratchet means (not shown), such that they may only rotate away from each other (as shown in the Figure) so that angle Φ may be increased but not substantially decreased.
[0086] A socket, or female member, 538 is provided with the rotation means 511 for receiving a stem 512 from an adjacent device 510 as shown in FIG. 12 . The position of the socket 538 is arranged substantially on the same axis as the longitudinal length of the bone fixing element 530 . However, the longitudinal axis/direction of the bore of the socket 538 is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bone fixing element 530 .
[0087] This Figure, (bone fixing element 530 removed for clarity purposes) also includes a variant to the device 510 shown in FIG. 11 in that the socket 539 is a ball socket. This allows angular as well as axial and rotational movement of the stem 512 of the adjacent device 510 relative to the device 510 .
[0088] Another embodiment is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 . This device 610 is similar to the device 510 described above, having a rotation means 611 and a bone fixing element 634 . However, the socket 638 for receiving the stem 612 of an adjacent device 610 is arranged to one side of the bone fixing element 634 as is more clearly shown in FIG. 14 . This view is from “behind” the device 610 looking along the length of the bone fixing element 634 . The socket 638 is arranged on the other side of the ratchet means 620 from the bone fixing element 634 and has its bore substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal length of the bone fixing element 634 .
[0089] A ninth embodiment is shown in FIG. 15 . This embodiment 710 comprises a bone fixing element 730 which comprises a thread 734 , a shaft 732 and a head 736 . The head includes a socket 736 for receiving the stem 712 of an adjacent device 710 . The stem 712 is attached to, or integral with one half 717 of the rotation means 711 . This rotation means permits relative rotation between the stem 712 and the bone fixing element 730 around an axis which substantially lies long the intersection of the transverse and coronal planes. The rotation means 711 comprises a body 717 at the base of which the stem 712 is connected and at the upper end of which two arms 718 , 719 are provided. The other half of the rotation means 711 comprises a body 721 on which are provided two axles or pins 715 (only one being shown) around which the two arms 718 , 719 are arranged thus allowing relative rotation of the two halves 717 , 721 .
[0090] The body 721 also includes a female socket 716 through which the shaft 732 of the bone fixing element 730 is arranged allowing relative rotational movement between the bone fixing element 730 and the stem 712 about the longitudinal axis of the bone fixing element 730 .
[0091] The rotation means 711 includes a ratchet 720 which in this case comprises a set of teeth on one of the two halves 717 , 721 and a pawl on the other of the two halves. It is possible that the pawl is another set of teeth, the sets of teeth arranged and provided to allow them to slide over one another in one direction but prevent them sliding over one another in the other direction.
[0092] FIG. 16 shows an embodiment 810 which is similar to the ninth embodiment described in conjunction with FIG. 15 . The only difference is that device 810 includes a means for attaching another transverse stem 813 to the head 836 of the bone fixing element 830 . Alternatively, the transverse stem may be integral with the head 836 .
[0093] Another bone fixing element 830 is provided in the same vertebra 40 and arranged laterally to one side of the other. The transverse stem 813 connects the heads 836 of the two bone fixing elements 830 . In this way greater stability is provided to the structure and to the spinal column. It should be understood that the concept of an additional bone fixing element 830 and interconnection between the two bone fixing elements 830 in the same vertebra may be applied to any of the other embodiments described herein.
[0094] In the foregoing description of the various embodiments, it has been explained how the angle Φ may increase but not decrease. It is to be understood that the opposite effect is also possible, namely that the angle Φ may decrease but not increase. This restriction may be effected by appropriate arrangement of the ratchet as required.
[0095] Although when describing the various sockets, or female members, 38 , 238 , 316 , 338 , 416 , 456 , 438 , 538 , 539 , 638 it has been explained that they are arranged to allow relative rotational, axial and angular movement with the stem or shaft it should be understood that in some embodiments it may be desirable to limit or even restrict some or all of this allowance. It is possible to include means, such as contoured surfaces, for permitting only relative movement between the stem, and/or shaft, and socket in one or more directions (axial, rotational, angular) and/or planes (sagittal, coronal, transverse).
[0096] For instance it may be preferred to restrict relative angulatory movement in one or more planes such as the sagittal plane.
[0097] Any of the embodiments described herein may include a ball joint in any of the female sockets.
[0098] Furthermore, although not all of the bone fixing elements 30 , 330 , 430 are shown including a head of greater size than the socket through which they may be inserted it is to be understood that they may include such a head to prevent them from disengaging with their corresponding devices and/or rotation means.
[0099] An eleventh embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 17 . This device 910 is similar to the device 10 shown in FIG. 1 insofar as the device 910 includes a rotation means 911 allowing rotation between two elements; the two elements being a stem, or male member, 912 and a means 918 of connecting with a bone-fixing element 930 . The stem 912 is bifurcated at one end into two arms 913 between which the means 918 for connecting with a bone fixing element (also known as the bone fixing element root holder), is held. However, in this embodiment, the rotation means 911 includes a curved ratchet mechanism 920 which permits the two elements 912 and 918 of the rotation means 911 to only rotate in opposite directions relative to one another about a common axis referenced “A” which lies substantially outside the device 910 and preferably, but not exclusively, anterior to the device 910 . It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the arrangement of placing the common axis of rotation “A” anterior to the device 910 approximates the common axis of rotation “A” to the natural axis of rotation of the vertebrae of the spine and significantly facilitates the rotational function of the device 910 . Axis “A” may lie substantially parallel to the intersection of the transverse and coronal planes.
[0100] The term “curved” is used to describe that the ratchet teeth may be arranged in an arc, being a portion of a circle, subtending an angle of between 5 and 90 degrees.
[0101] In this embodiment, one set of teeth of the ratchet 920 is positioned on the outer surface of the bone fixing element root holder 918 , and the other set is positioned on the inside surface of one of the arms 913 . It is possible (but not shown in FIG. 17 ) that another ratchet is provided between the other arm 913 and the other side of the bone fixing element root holder 918 .
[0102] FIG. 18 shows a portion of a device 1010 according to a twelfth embodiment of the invention. This device 1010 includes a bone fixing element 1030 similar to the bone fixing element 30 shown in FIG. 1 and a socket, or female member, 1038 similar to the socket, or female member, 38 in the bone fixing element 30 shown in FIG. 1 . The stem 1012 , similar to the stem 12 shown in FIG. 1 , is not shown for the sake of clarity. Connection between two adjacent devices is provided by inserting the stem 1012 of an adjacent device (shown only partially here for clarity) into the socket, or female member, 1038 in a manner similar to the manner illustrated in FIG. 2 .
[0103] In this embodiment an articulating element 1057 is provided within the socket, or female member, 1038 of the bone fixing element 1030 . The articulating element 1057 is arranged preferably, but not exclusively, between the anterior edge of the stem 1012 and the internal surface of the socket, or female member, 1038 and shaped preferably, but not exclusively, in a such manner as to allow ‘ball-and-socket’ type rotational articulation between 1058 the anterior surface of the articulating element 1057 and the internal surface of the socket, or female member, 1038 and ‘sliding’ type articulation 1059 between the posterior surface of the articulating element 1057 and the anterior surface of the stem 1012 . It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the arrangement of providing an articulating element 1057 within the socket, or female member, 1038 of the bone fixing element 1030 allows angular as well as axial and rotational movement of the stem 1012 within the socket, or female member, 1038 of the bone fixing element 1030 and, at the same time, reduces significantly the development of contact stresses on the contact surfaces during use.
[0104] A thirteenth embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 19 . This device 1110 is similar to the device 10 shown in FIG. 1 insofar as the device 1110 includes a rotation means 1111 allowing rotation between two elements; the two elements being a stem, or male member, 1112 and a means 1118 of connecting with a bone-fixing element 1130 (otherwise known as a bone fixing element root holder). However, in this embodiment the rotation means 1111 includes two separate and preferably, but not exclusively, symmetrically positioned ratchet mechanisms 1120 a and 1120 b which permit the two elements 1112 and 1118 of the rotation means 1111 to only rotate in opposite directions relative to one another about a common axis.
[0105] The male member 1112 bifurcates into two arms 1113 at its upper end between which the rotation means 1111 is located.
[0106] In this embodiment, the stem 1112 includes a longitudinal split 1160 provided through its longitudinal length. In this Figure the split 1160 is shown extending from the male member's upper end, at a point where the two arms 1113 commence, almost all the way to the distal and lowest end. It is to be understood that different devices may be provided with different length splits, as required. The two sides of the longitudinal split 1160 are shown approximately parallel to the sagittal plane. Other orientations are contemplated. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the arrangement of the longitudinal split 1160 through the stem 1112 allows, in use, the two arms 1113 to be moved apart and away from one another in the directions indicated by the arrows referenced 1161 a and 1162 b . With the two arms 1113 moved in this manner the two sets of teeth in each ratchet 1120 a , 1120 b will become disengaged such that the bone fixing element 1130 may be rotated relative to the male member 1112 . When the desired angle therebetween has been reached, the two arms 1113 may be moved back towards together (in direction opposite to those referenced 1162 a 1162 b . In this regard, the material composition of the male member 1112 may be selected to provide a degree of resilience such that the two arms 1113 are maintained in relatively close relationship (such that the ratchet teeth are engaged) without any force being imparted thereon. The arms 1113 may spring back to this position after being held temporarily apart.
[0107] In one embodiment, the split may extend from one end to the other of the male member 1112 and connecting means for releasably retaining the two male member halves together may be provided. For instance, a clip, spring, bungee or other such connecting means may be employed.
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The present invention relates generally to a surgical device for the correction of deformities of the spinal column and finds particular, although not exclusive, utility in devices which are surgically implantable. Presently known implantable surgical devices are unable to provide for the progressive correction of spinal deformities assisted by active movements of the human body without fusion of the involved part of the spinal column. The present surgical device comprises a spinal column straightening means for permitting the relative rotation of two substantially adjacent vertebrae about a common axis substantially only in opposite rotational directions.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a cooling apparatus for use in a charging device of a shaft furnace. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel cooling apparatus which is an improvement of the charging installation disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,880,302 and 3,814,403.
The bell-less charging device for a shaft furnace such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,880,302 and 3,814,403, both of which are assigned to the assignee hereof and incorporated herein by reference, is well known to those skilled in the art. This type of charging apparatus is widely used because of its superior features, including its superior charging capabilites and its ability to withstand difficult operating conditions such as very high temperatures and an environment consisting of corrosive dust and other abrasive materials.
Typically, a charging device as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,880,302 and 3,814,403 essentially comprises a fixed feed channel positioned vertically within the center of a furnace head, a rotary shell mounted coaxially around the feed channel and a fixed outer frame mounted coaxially outside the rotary shell thereby defining a substantially annular chamber. This chamber is separated, although not isolated, from the interior of the furnace by means of a rotary disc or jacket which is integral with or rigidly connected to the rotary shell. The rotary shell and the attached disc or jacket constitute a rotary housing, with the shell being an upper housing element and the disc or jacket being a lower housing element. The charging device also includes a distribution spout which is pivotally mounted to the rotary jacket. Finally, a first driving means urges the shell, the jacket and the spout to rotate as a single unit about the vertical axis of the furnace and the feed channel while a second driving means imparts pivoting movement to the spout, independently of the movement caused by the first driving means, about the horizontal axis by which it is suspended from the housing.
Charging devices as hereinabove described have been supplied with cool inert gas circulating under pressure in order to minimize the deterioration of exposed components caused by the previously mentioned abrasive and corrosive materials. This cooling system has served a dual purpose. First, the compressed gas cools the component parts which it contacts. Secondly, as the cooling gas circulates at a higher pressure than that pressure which prevails inside the furnace, a pressurized current is directed towards the interior of the furnace and through the gaps between the fixed components and the moving component parts. This pressurized gas current prevents abrasive and corrosive dust from ascending into the annular chamber (which contains driving and/or control mechanisms).
The above described gas cooling system which is currently used has certain advantages and disadvantages. For example, as an advantage, the conventional gas cooling system does not require any additional structure in the charging installation, thereby providing initial low cost. Conversely, accessory equipment for cleaning, cooling and compressing the gas is extremely expensive while also being energy and labor intensive (such as for maintenance). Accordingly, the costs of continued operation and maintenance of a gas cooling system can become extremely expensive.
It has been suggested that one way of reducing these costs would be to replace the cooling system with a water cooling system. Unfortunately, it has heretofore been impossible to practicably construct such a workable water cooling system. The perfection of an adequate water cooling system has been particularly difficult when attempting to construct hermetically sealed and durable flow passages between the fixed component parts and the moving parts to be cooled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The above discussed and other problems of the prior art are overcome or alleviated by the novel water cooling apparatus of the present invention. In accordance with the present invention, a water cooling apparatus for use in conjunction with a charging device, such as the charging installation disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,880,302 and 3,814,403, of a shaft furnace is presented. The cooling apparatus essentially comprises an annular feed vat which is attached to the upper edge portion of the rotary shell. This vat has two concentric walls, i.e., an outer and an inner wall, which rotate angularly and slide axially in a sealed joint, this joint being part of an annular block affixed to the upper part of the frame of the charging device. The block is located below and is in flow communication with at least one cooling water feed pipe. The vat is also provided with at least one opening or passage whereby water is gravity fed from the vat through plural cooling coils. These coils are positioned around the rotary jacket (i.e., the lower housing), each coil being connected by a pipe to the annular vat. An annular collecting conduit is affixed to the outer frame. A rotary annular cover is associated with the collecting conduit and is attached to the rotary jacket. Pipes connect each of the coils to the collecting conduit via the rotary cover whereby the water gravity flows between the annular vat and the collecting conduit via the pipes and coils.
The passages in the annular block are preferably angularly offset in relation to the feed pipes, while the block is provided over the length of this offset with a substantially horizontal and preferably annular groove to which the cooling water flows.
The feed pipes and discharge pipes of the coils are preferably made flexible in order to compensate for thermal and mechanical deformations.
In order to enable the annular feed vat to be cleaned, an aperture is preferably provided whereby access is achieved through the top of the frame and the annular block. Also the lower surface of the movable disc or jacket is lined with insulating panels secured by refractory steel plates affixed to the jacket by means of bolts. Insulating fibers are interposed between these plates in order to eliminate "heat bridges".
An additional feature of the present invention is an insulating labrynth structure located between the outer frame and the rotary jacket which prevents dust from entering the annular chamber. As a further precaution, the pressure inside the annular chamber which is equal to the prevailing pressure in the furnace will also assist in preventing the movement of corrosive dust into the chamber.
The above discussed and other advantages of the present invention will be apparent to and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several Figures:
FIG. 1 is a cross sectional elevation view of a charging device incorporating the novel cooling apparatus in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional elevation view of an enlarged portion of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional elevation view of the annular block of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the inspection hole from the annular block of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional elevation view of another enlarged portion of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the cooling apparatus in accordance with the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring first to FIG. 1, the upper portion of a distribution spout 10 is shown attached to a driving and suspension mechanism generally identified at 12. The driving and suspension system 12 is of the type described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,880,302 and 3,814,403. Accordingly, any conventional structures having been already disclosed in those Patents will be only briefly described herein.
The driving mechanism of the charging device of the present invention essentially consists of two gear trains 14 and 16 which act, respectively, to rotate a shell (upper rotary housing element) 18 about a central feed channel 20 in order to rotate the distribution spout 10 about the longitudinal axis of the furnace and to adjust the angle of the spout 10 in relation to the longitudinal axis of the furnace. Gear trains 14 and 16 are driven by first and second motors respectively (not shown). The structure to transmit movement between the gear train 16 and the axes of the suspended spout 10 consists of a toothed rim and two gear cases (also not shown but described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,302).
An outer frame 24 surrounds the rotary shell 18 thereby forming an annular chamber 26. This annular chamber 26 is separated from the interior of the furnace by a cylindrical jacket 29 having a central opening therethrough which correspond to the feed channel 20. The jacket 29 , which has a horizontal plate section 29a and a depending skirt section 29B, serves as a support surface for the suspension system of the spout 10. Note that the jacket 29 is integrally attached to the rotary shell 18, both of which constitute a rotary housing.
As shown in FIG. 1, the component parts of the present invention which are directly exposed to the heat from the furnace include the walls of the jacket 29 and, to a lesser extent, the feed channel 20. In order to protect the jacket 29 from the high temperatures within the furnace, and also to prevent the associated heat from being transmitted (i.e., by conduction or radiation) to other component parts, such as the bearings and/or gearings, the jacket 29 is enclosed by a plurality of cooling coils, four of which are shown in FIG. 1 as coils 30, 32, 34 and 36. These coils are preferably supplied with gravity fed water which circulates therethrough. Each of these coils 30, 32, 34 and 36 are connected via a vertical pipe 38 which is positioned along the rotary shell 18 to an annular feed vat 40. The feed vat 40 is attached to the upper edge of the rotary shell 18 as shown in detail in FIG. 2. The coils 30, 32, 34 and 36, the vertial pipes 38 and vat 40 all rotate with shell 18.
Referring still to FIG. 2, the annular feed vat 40 is preferably of rectangular cross section and is formed by supplying an outer wall 42 to the shell 18 thereby defining the side edges of vat 40 therebetween and a floor 43. These side edges, in the course of spout rotation, will slide axially and rotate in an internal groove of an annular block 44. This annular block 44 is attached to the upper portion 50 of the outer frame 24. Two seals 46 and 48 between the outer edge of the vat 40 and the inner edge of the groove of block 44. The seals 46, 48 will act to prevent dust from penetrating into the vat 40. It should be understood that seals 46 and 48 are not intended to form "tight joints".
Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the block 44 has a passage 52 therethrough which connects the vat 40 with a cooling water feed pipe 54. Communication between the passage 52 and the feed pipe 54 is provided through a substantially horizontal groove 56. Preferably, and especially when there is only one feed pipe 54, the horizontal groove 56 will be annular run around the entire annular block 44. Cooling water flowing within the groove 56 will then act to cool the block 44. Note that the passage 52 in the annular block 44 is preferably angularly offset in relation to the feed pipe 54.
At least one access aperture 58, shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, is provided through the upper portion 50 of the frame 24 and also through the annular block 44 in order to have access to clean the vat 40.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 5, water is removed from the cooling circuits 30, 32, 34 and 36 via an annular collecting conduit 60 attached to the inner wall of the frame 24. In order to permit the jacket 29 and its attached cooling circuits to rotate, the collecting conduit 60 will preferably comprise an annular cover 62 fixed to the jacket 29. This cover 62 slides against the two opposing walls which define the entrance to collecting conduit 60 during the rotation of the jacket 29. A discharge pipe 64 (one each coming from each cooling circuit) is attached to the cover 62 by means of a connecting box 66. Thus each of the cooling circuits 30, 32, 34 and 36 are connected to the collecting conduit 60 by its discharge pipe 64. In order to compensate for thermal and mechanical deformations resulting from the extreme heat, each of the pipes 38 and 64 will preferably include a bellows type compensator 68.
As shown in FIG. 1, the lower surfaces of the plates 29a of the jacket 29 are lined with insulating panels 70. The insulating panels 70 are secured thereon by sheets 72 of refractory steel which are attached to the walls of the jacket 29 by means of bolts 74, insulating fibers 76 being interposed in order to eliminate the "thermal bridges" between the chamber 26 and the interior of the furnace. The insulating panels 70 are preferably about 75 millimeters in thickness. The interior of vertical skirt 29b of the jacket 29 may similarly be lined with insulating panels 78 which will preferably have a relatively smaller thickness of about 25 millimeters. This smaller thickness is permissible because the vertical surfaces of the jacket 29 are less exposed than the horizontal surfaces to the heat from the furnace.
Another important feature of the present invention is a protective joint structure located between the frame 24 and the rotary jacket 29. The purpose of this joint is to effectively separate the chamber 26 from the interior of the furnace. This joint will preferably consist of a circular groove 80 secured to the frame 24 and disposed across from a peripheral flange 82, the flange 82 being attached to jacket 29. Groove structure 80 and flange 82 define a labrynth seal joint. Flange 82 will continuously revolve within the groove 80 so as to prevent any appreciable amount of undesirable dust which is present or suspended in the gas, from being transmitted to the chamber 26 as a result of pressure variations in the mouth of the furnace. It is also to be noted that the movement of the dust from the furnace into the chamber 26 can be prevented or minimized by equalizing the pressure inside the chamber 26 to the pressure prevailing within the furnace. A similar labrynth seal joint structure (not shown) may also preferably be provided between the fixed channel 20 and the rotary shell 18 as illustrated by the flange 84 between the jacket 29 and the channel 20 in FIG. 1.
It may also be advantageous to provide an additional cooling circuit for the axis on which the spout is suspended. Preferably, this additional cooling circuit will be positioned in parallel with the cooling circuits 30, 32, 34 and 36 described above so that the water will similarly flow by gravity.
The operation of the novel cooling device of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the schematic view shown in FIG. 6 wherein any component part already discussed has been given the same reference numeral as before. Reference numeral 24 schematically designates the frame which contains the feed vat 40 and the collecting conduit 60 therein. Between the feed vat 40 and the collecting conduit 60, the height ΔH will cause the flow of the cooling water by gravity forces. Note that the cooling circuits 86 and 88 for cooling the spouts longitudinal axis are connected between the vat 40 and the conduit 60.
The circulation of the cooling water between the collecting conduit 60 and the feed vat 40 is effected by means of a set of circulating pumps 90. Thereafter, the circulating water flows through a heat exchanger 92, a flow meter 94 and an automatic proportional valve 96. A supplementary circuit 98 having an automatic valve 100 acts to introduce additional water into the cooling circuit in order to compensate for any evaporation losses. The cooling circuit is also provided with a discharge pipe 102 having an automatic valve 104.
The circulation of the cooling water in the cooling circuit is automatically controlled by four level measuring devices associated with the feed vat 40 and four level measuring devices associated with the collecting conduit 60. Under normal operating conditions, the level in the collecting conduit 60 should be between levels min 1 and max 1. If, for some reason, the water level falls to min 1, an alarm signal is produced therefrom and the supply of water is automatically replenished to the automatic valve 100 and line 98. If the water level continues to fall, the pumps 90 are automatically stopped at level min 2 so as to prevent them from rotating idly. When the water level rises as a result of the water supplied through the pipe 98, the valve 100 is automatically closed at the level max 1. If despite the closing of the valve 100, the level of water continues to rise, the valve 104 is automatically opened by the max 2 sensor whereby water will flow through the discharge pipe 102 thereby preventing water overflow into the furnace.
In the vat 40, the water level under normal operating conditions must be between the levels min 1 and max 1. If the level descends to min 1, a signal from sensor min 1 will cause the pumps 90 to be activated and the valve 96 to be completely opened. As soon as the rising level reaches the mark max 1, a signal from the max 1 sensor will cause the proportional valve 96 to slowly reduce the flow and cause a progressively corresponding reduction in the rate at which the pumps 90 are operating. When the level reaches the threshhold max 2, a signal from the max 2 sensor will cause the valve 96 to completely close and the pumps 90 will automatically shut off.
Under normal operating conditions of the present invention, the cooling water level should not fall below min 1 in vat 40. But, if the level nevertheless does fall below the mark min 1, then the automatic valve 100 will open in order to replenish the water supply through the conduit 60. The water level should then once again rise in the vat 40 as a result of the pump action. If despite the fresh supply of water through the pipe 98 and the operation of the pumps 90, the level in the vat 40 continues to fall, an alarm signal set to go off at the mark min 2 will indicate that there is a probable leakage in one of the cooling units 86 and/or 88. Accordingly, under normal operating conditions, the levels min 2 must never be reached in either the feed vat 40 or in the collecting conduit 60, and similarly, the levels max 2 must never be exceeded in either the vat 40 or the conduit 60. Note that if the water levels do pass these marks, this will indicate that an operating failure such as a leak exits either in the vat 40, the conduit 60 or in one of the cooling units 86 or 88 exists.
For the sake of clarity, the following is a summary of the path taken by the cooling liquid while flowing through the colling apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-5.
First, the water or other cooling liquid is gravity fed to the feed pipe 54 and is then delivered to the annular groove 56 wherein it cools the annular block 44. It will be understood that other feed pipes may also be provided to deliver liquid to the groove 56. Next, the cooling liquid flows from the annular groove 56 through the preferably angularly offset passage 52 and into the annular feed vat 40. Thereafter, the cooling liquid exits from the feed vat 40 through at least one vertical pipe 38 and into the preferably plural cooling coils 30, 34, 34 and 36. Emerging from the cooling coils, the liquid is gravity fed down to the collecting conduit 60 via discharge pipes 64. Finally, from the collecting conduit 60, the now heated cooling liquid is cooled by pumping it through the heat exchanger 42 ad back into the feed pipe 54 wherein the just summarized flow circuit is repeated. It will be understood that throughout the flow circuit, all of the apparatus except for the collecting conduit is rotating with respect to the furnace axis, and in response to the aforementioned motors and gearing trains. Moreover, it will be understood that the liquid flowing through the annular groove 56, annular feed vat 40 and anular collecting conduit 60 travels around the entire housing, i.e., rotary shell 13 and jacket 29.
While preferred embodiments have been shown and described, various modifications and substitutions may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.
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A water cooling apparatus is presented for use in conjunction with a charging device of a shaft furnace, particularly a shaft furnace having a bell-less top charging apparatus. The cooling apparatus essentially comprises an annular feed vat which is attached to the upper portion of a rotary shell and is movable with the rotary shell. The vat is provided with at least one opening whereby water is gravity fed from the vat through plural cooling coils positioned about a rotary jacket. An annular collecting conduit receives the water flowing from the coils. The rotary jacket supports the suspension mechanism of a distribution spout and also acts as the separating structure between the furnace interior and the component parts of the charging device.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is the U.S. national stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2009/0053504, filed Mar. 25, 2009 and claims the benefit thereof. The International Application claims the benefit of German Application No. 10 2008 016 969.2, filed on Mar. 28, 2008, all applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field
[0003] The embodiments relate to a process for producing a coating on a workpiece by cold gas spraying, in which process a cold gas jet containing particles of a coating material is directed at the workpiece and the workpiece is simultaneously irradiated with electromagnetic radiation.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] A process of the type indicated in the introduction is known, for example, from DE 10 2005 005 359 A1. In this process, the particles accelerated with the cold gas jet toward the surface of a workpiece to be coated are acted upon by an amount of energy (kinetic energy) which does not suffice, per se, to bring about permanent adhesion of the particles on the surface. Instead, this requires an additional introduction of energy into the coating being formed on the workpiece. This introduction of energy takes place via a laser, the radiation of which is focused exactly at that point at which the cold gas jet impinges on the workpiece.
[0006] In principle, the process described can also be used to produce catalytic coatings. For this purpose, it is necessary to select particles with a surface which brings about the desired catalytic action. By way of example, it is possible to produce coatings from a photocatalytic material such as titanium dioxide. In order to improve the catalytic action, it is also possible to use nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide (or titanium oxynitride).
[0007] According to DE 10 2004 038 795 B4, it is also known to produce catalytic coatings by means of cold gas spraying. In this context, an oxidic powder is applied to a polymer surface by means of cold gas spraying and forms a mechanically firmly adhering coating. In this case, the photocatalytic properties of the oxidic powder are retained. According to DE 10 2005 053 263 A1, photocatalytically active coatings can also be applied to metallic surfaces by means of cold gas spraying. Since the particles are heated only slightly during cold gas spraying, it is also possible to use modified photocatalytic materials, where the modification is retained in the applied coating. By way of example, a powder containing doped titanium oxide can thus be used. Process parameters for producing titanium dioxide coatings by means of cold gas spraying can also be gathered from Chang-Jiu Li et al. “Formation of TiO2 photocatalyst through cold spraying” Proc. ITSC, May 10-12, 2004, Osaka, Japan.
[0008] In order to obtain particles of a nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide, it is also possible, however, to employ a sol-gel process, where titanium dioxide powder is melted at high temperatures in gaseous ammonia. Oxidation of titanium nitride also makes production possible. Another possible way is by ion implantation, magnetron sputtering or PVD processes. The titanium dioxide coatings can be doped with a nitrogen content of 2 to 4.4% using the processes. The production of photocatalytic materials such as nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide therefore requires a certain outlay. Processes of this type are described, for example, in Nitrogen-Doped Titanium Dioxide: An Overview of Function and Introduction to Applications, Matthew Hennek, Jan. 20, 2007, University of Alabama.
SUMMARY
[0009] Therefore, an aspect of the embodiments is to specify a process for producing a coating on a workpiece by cold gas spraying, which process makes it possible to produce catalytic coatings having a relatively high degree of efficiency at relatively low cost.
[0010] According to the embodiments, this aspect is achieved by the process mentioned in the introduction in that the cold gas jet contains a reactive gas, the particles contain a photocatalytic material and the electromagnetic radiation contains at least one wavelength at which the photocatalytic material can be activated. Furthermore, it is provided according to the embodiments that the intensity of the electromagnetic radiation is set such that the photocatalytic material is activated in the coating which has already formed, and atoms of the reactive gas are incorporated in the photocatalytic material. In this way, the photocatalytic material can advantageously be doped with the atoms of the reactive gas. In this respect, it is precisely the photocatalytic action of the material incorporated in the coating which is utilized according to the embodiments. Specifically, it has been found that the conditions prevailing during the build-up of the coating during cold gas spraying are suitable for modifying a photocatalytic material in the coating by doping with reactive gas fractions from the cold gas jet in situ, as it were, when the coating is being produced. Complicated production of the doped photocatalytic materials is thereby advantageously avoided. Instead, it is possible to introduce the reactive gas into the cold gas jet at low cost and to use the less-expensive, undoped photocatalytic material as coating material.
[0011] According to one particular refinement of the embodiments, it is provided that the photocatalytic material is titanium dioxide and the reactive gas used is nitrogen. The nitrogen, which is therefore also available at the site at which the coating is formed, in this case impinges on the photocatalytic titanium dioxide, which has already been photoactivated by the introduction of UV radiation of a suitable wavelength. Nitrogen molecules can thereby be broken down on the surface of the coating and accumulated in the surface of the coating. This process takes place on the basis of the chemisorption mechanism, where the nitrogen can also force oxygen atoms out of the crystal lattice of the titanium dioxide (formation of titanium oxynitride).
[0012] According to another refinement of the embodiments, it is provided that the titanium dioxide or the photocatalytic material is present in the coating material in the form of nanoparticles. In this context, it is taken into account that nanoparticles have a pronounced photocatalytic action. In addition, the preferred wavelength of a photocatalytic excitation can be influenced by the size of the nanoparticles.
[0013] Since nanoparticles, on account of their extremely low mass, cannot be readily deposited by means of cold gas spraying owing to the introduction of kinetic energy required, it is necessary to cluster the nanoparticles to form agglomerates having larger dimensions. These clusters, which have dimensions in the micrometer range, can be readily processed by means of the cold gas spraying process. However, the microparticles thus formed have a nanostructure which is determined by the nanoparticles used. This nanostructure is retained even after the agglomerates have been deposited on the component to be coated.
[0014] It is particularly advantageous if, in addition to the photocatalytic material, the coating material also contains a matrix material, in which the photocatalytic material is incorporated during formation of the coating. By way of example, this matrix material can be fed to the cold gas jet in the form of a second particle type. However, it is advantageously also possible to use a particle type which already contains the components of the matrix material and of the photocatalytic material. In this case, it is particularly advantageous that the matrix material is present in the form of microparticles. Specifically, these ensure that the particles can be processed as already mentioned above by cold gas spraying. The nanoparticles of the photocatalytic material, for example titanium dioxide, can then be applied to the surface of the microparticles. This also ensures that the photocatalytic material used has a high degree of efficiency, since it is present exclusively on the surface of the microparticles and can thus show the action as a catalyst.
[0015] In order to ensure that the photocatalytic material has the highest possible degree of efficiency, it is particularly advantageous if the introduction of energy into the cold gas jet is such that pores form between the particles in the coating. This can be achieved by virtue of the fact that although the introduction of energy into the cold gas jet suffices for the coating particles to remain adhering to the component to be coated, the introduction of energy is too low to ensure that the material is significantly compacted during the build-up of the coating. In other words, the coating particles deform only slightly, and therefore hollow spaces remain therebetween. The deformation is just sufficient to ensure that the particles adhere to the surface or to one another. The hollow spaces which remain then form pores or channels, which enlarge the surface of the coating. This surface is then also available for utilizing the catalytic effect of the processed material.
[0016] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the workpiece is heated during the coating process. The photocatalytic action for the incorporation of the reactive gas can thereby be promoted additionally for the electromagnetic excitation of the photocatalytic effect. Specifically, the thermal energy is likewise available for the desired reaction.
[0017] In addition, it is advantageously also possible for reactive gas radicals to be produced from the reactive gas by an additional introduction of energy into the cold gas jet. This can be achieved, for example, by the application of electromagnetic radio-frequency or microwave radiation. Excitation by UV light or laser light is also conceivable. The energy source has to be selected depending on the reactive gas to be excited. If the correct energy source is selected, the excitation brings about the formation of reactive gas radicals, which are much more likely to react than the reactive gas molecule. If, during the formation of the coating, these reactive gas radicals impinge on the photocatalytic material, which has likewise already been activated, it becomes considerably easier to dope the photocatalytic material with the reactive gas radicals. The incorporation rate of the doping material can thereby advantageously be increased.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a cold gas spraying installation which is suitable for carrying out an exemplary embodiment of the process,
[0020] FIGS. 2 and 3 schematically show particles and the coatings forming therefrom for various exemplary embodiments of the process,
[0021] FIGS. 4 and 5 show different accumulation mechanisms of nitrogen during the doping of titanium dioxide in the exemplary embodiment of the process for producing doped titanium dioxide or titanium oxynitride, and
[0022] FIG. 6 shows absorption spectra of titanium dioxide having different particle sizes for UV light.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] 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.
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a cold gas spraying installation. This has a vacuum chamber 11 , in which firstly a cold gas spray nozzle 12 and secondly a workpiece 13 are arranged (fastening not shown in more detail). A process gas containing a reactive gas (for example nitrogen), which is not shown in more detail, can be fed through a first line 14 to the cold gas spray nozzle 12 . As indicated by the contour, the cold gas spray nozzle 12 is formed as a Laval nozzle, by which the process gas is made to expand and is accelerated in the form of a cold gas jet (arrow 15 ) toward a surface 16 of the workpiece 13 . In a manner not shown, the process gas is heated in order to make the required process temperature available in a stagnation chamber 12 a connected upstream from the Laval nozzle 12 .
[0025] Particles 19 , which are accelerated in the cold gas jet 15 and impinge on the surface 16 , may be fed through a second line 18 a to the stagnation chamber 12 a . The kinetic energy of the particles 19 means that the latter adhere to the surface 16 , the reactive gas being incorporated in the coating 20 being formed. To form the coating, the substrate may be moved back and forth in the direction of the double-headed arrow 21 in front of the cold gas spray nozzle 12 . During this coating process, the vacuum in the vacuum chamber 11 is constantly maintained by a vacuum pump 22 , the process gas being passed through a filter 23 before it is conducted through the vacuum pump 22 , in order to separate out particles that have not been bonded to the surface 16 when they impinged on it. If different particles are used for the coating, i.e. particles of a matrix material and particles of a photocatalytic material, these can be fed in at different points of the stagnation chamber 12 a using a third line 18 b . The particles of the metallic matrix material can be fed in through the line 18 a , and the particles of the titanium dioxide, for example, as catalytic material can be fed in through the third line 18 b . This has the advantage that the photocatalytic material remains in the stagnation chamber for a longer period of time and can therefore be subjected to greater heating by the process gas. In this case, it can be taken into account that the particles of the catalytic material have a higher melting point than the particles of the matrix material, and therefore reliable separation can be ensured by previous heating of these particles.
[0026] The particles may be additionally heated within the cold gas spray nozzle 12 by means of a heater 23 a . This makes an additional introduction of energy possible, and this can be fed to the particles 19 directly as thermal energy or, by expansion in the Laval nozzle, in the form of kinetic energy.
[0027] A UV lamp 24 , which is directed at the surface 16 of the workpiece 13 , is installed in the vacuum chamber 11 as a further energy source. During the formation of the coating 20 , the electromagnetic energy ensures that the reactive gas can be embedded in the photocatalytic material. As will be explained in more detail below, the photocatalytic property of the material is utilized in this respect.
[0028] In addition, energy can be introduced into the cold gas jet 15 by means of a microwave generator 26 . This introduction of energy makes it possible to break the reactive gas down into reactive gas radicals (not shown in more detail). The reactive gas radicals promote the incorporation thereof in the photocatalytic coating.
[0029] FIG. 2 shows a particle 19 including an agglomerate of nanoparticles of a photocatalytic material 27 . If this particle is accelerated in the cold gas jet 15 onto the surface 16 of the workpiece 13 , the nanoparticles of the photocatalytic material 27 adhere to the surface, with the coating 20 being formed. It should be recognized that, on account of the coating parameters selected, the kinetic energy of the cold gas jet 15 is not sufficient for the nanoparticles of the photocatalytic material 27 to be compacted, and therefore pores 28 form between the nanoparticles. These pores are available as the surface for the intended photocatalysis. Firstly, in a manner not shown, the reactive gas can also be taken up in the pores, where in this respect it should be taken into account that the accessibility is readily defined by the build-up of the coating currently taking place. The finished coating 20 can then be supplied for its intended use, the pores and the surface of the coating being available for catalysis. By way of example, this could involve a self-cleaning effect of the nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide, which prevents soiling of surfaces.
[0030] According to FIG. 3 , the coating particle 19 includes the matrix material 29 , where nanoparticles of the photocatalytic material 27 have been applied to the surface of the matrix material. The particle of the matrix material 29 , for example a metal, has dimensions in the micrometer range.
[0031] It can likewise be gathered from FIG. 3 that the particles 19 in turn form the coating 20 , pores 28 being formed between the particles 19 . The walls of these pores are covered with the catalytic material 27 , and so this material can be used effectively. There is no photocatalytic material within the particles 19 .
[0032] It can furthermore be gathered from FIG. 3 that it is also possible to produce multi-layer coatings by means of cold gas spraying. A base layer 30 of the matrix material has first of all been produced on the workpiece 13 , where in this case the coating parameters were set such that the particles were compacted and a solid coating was thus produced. Since it was not possible for a photocatalytic material to show any effect in this region of the coating, particles which contained no photocatalytic material were used. Only the coating 20 is built up in the manner already described, the thickness of the coating being selected such that accessibility of the photocatalytic material 27 is ensured by the formation of pores over the entire thickness. In a manner not shown, the coating 20 can also be in the form of a gradient coating.
[0033] FIG. 4 schematically shows how nitrogen, the reactive gas, can be taken up on the surface of the coating 20 by chemisorption under the action of UV light. In this case, the bonds of the nitrogen molecule are gradually broken up and the individual nitrogen atoms are taken up on the surface of the coating 20 .
[0034] On the basis of titanium dioxide as an example of the photocatalytic material, FIG. 5 schematically shows that oxygen atoms (O) can be displaced by the chemisorption of nitrogen atoms (N). Titanium oxynitride (TiO 2-x N x ) is thereby produced. This process can be promoted if the reactive gas contains radicals 31 .
[0035] As can be gathered from FIG. 6 , the absorption spectrum of UV light can be influenced by the selection of classes of diameter of the photocatalytic nanoparticles of titanium dioxide. It can be seen that there is a tendency for the preferred wavelength of an excitation to increase with the mean diameter of the particles. Therefore, the preferred excitation wavelengths in the case of nanoparticles having a diameter of 40 to 60 nanometers are in the UVB range, and in the case of nanoparticles having diameters of up to 100 nanometers are in the UVA range. This means that, in the case of known mean diameters of the photocatalytic material used, an optimum result in relation to the doping with the reactive gas is obtained if the emission spectrum of the UV lamp 24 is set to the maximum in the respective absorption spectrum. In this respect, it should be noted that the selection of the diameter of the nanoparticles of the catalytic material is also dependent on the intended application of the coating. This will be the decisive criterion for the design.
[0036] 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).
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The embodiments include a method for producing a coating through cold gas spraying. In the process, particles according to the embodiments are used which contain a photocatalytic material. In order to improve the effect of this photocatalytic material (such as titanium dioxide), a reactive gas can be added to the cold gas stream, the reactive gas being activated by a radiation source not shown, for example by UV light, on the surface of the coating that forms. This makes it possible to, for example, dose titanium dioxide with nitrogen. This allows the production of in situ layers having advantageously high catalytic effectiveness. The use of cold gas spraying has the additional advantage in that the coating can be designed to contain pores that enlarge the surface available for catalysis.
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RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/009,404, filed on Jan. 17, 2008 and entitled “TOOL HANDLE FOR HOLDING MULTIPLE TOOLS OF DIFFERENT SIZES DURING USE,” the contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to the field of hand held tools. More specifically, the present invention relates to the field of hexagonal wrenches and related safety, comfort, and convenience accessories and tools.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Hexagonal wrenches or tool drivers, also referred to as allen wrenches or L-wrenches, have a hexagonal L-shaped body, including a long leg member and a short leg member. The end of either leg member is able to be inserted into a head of a screw or tool designed to accept a hexagonal wrench. Once inserted, rotational pressure is applied to the hexagonal wrench in order to tighten or loosen the screw. The leg members of the hexagonal wrench are designed to be of different lengths in order to allow a user flexibility when using the wrench in different environments and situations. For example, in a narrow, confined environment, the long leg of the hexagonal wrench is inserted into the head of the screw and the user will apply rotational pressure to the short leg. Or, if the environment is not so confined, the user is able to insert the short leg of the hexagonal wrench into the head of the screw and apply rotational pressure to the long leg.
[0004] Hexagonal wrenches are manufactured and distributed in multiple English and metric sizes in order to facilitate their use with screw heads of multiple sizes. Such wrenches are usually sold in a set which includes wrenches of multiple sizes but are also distributed individually.
[0005] When using a hexagonal wrench, a user will insert an end of the hexagonal wrench into the head of a workpiece such as a screw, and will then exert rotational pressure on the opposite end of the wrench in order to tighten or loosen the screw. Because of the size and dimensions of the hexagonal wrench it is particularly difficult to exert a great amount of rotational pressure on the hexagonal wrench when the long leg of the hexagonal wrench is inserted into the head of the screw. Because the hexagonal wrench is typically turned with the user's fingers, the user is able to also experience scrapes and cuts from the use of hexagonal wrenches in this manner. Ingenuitive users have also used other tools, including vice grips, pliers and the like, to turn hexagonal wrenches. However, this method is disadvantageous because such tools are able to lose their hold on the hexagonal wrench when rotational pressure is applied or are able to even bend or otherwise disfigure the hexagonal wrench.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] A circular, cylindrical-shaped tool handle holds multiple sizes of tools, one tool at a time. The tool handle includes one or more holding slots, each positioned on the outer surface into which tools are inserted and held. Each holding slot includes one or more contoured compartments in which tools rest when engaged with the tool handle. Each contoured compartment is of a size and dimension which corresponds to one or more tool sizes.
[0007] In use, a tool such as a hexagonal wrench is positioned in an appropriate holding slot with the short leg or mounting end of the hexagonal wrench resting in the contoured compartment within the appropriate holding slot and the long leg of the hexagonal wrench protruding through an aperture or receiving hole formed through the bottom of the holding slot and penetrating the tool handle. The long leg has a proximal end for driving an appropriate screw or tool such as one with a head including a hexagonal-shaped recess. A lock is then positioned over the contoured compartment to irremovably confine the short leg of the hexagonal wrench within the contoured compartment and the appropriate holding slot. The lock has a cavity for coupling the lock to the tool handle by inserting the tool handle through the cavity. In some embodiments, the lock is selectively positionable along the length of the tool handle. The lock is able to be positioned to hold a tool in any one of the contoured compartments within any one of the holding slots. A user's movement of the lock is enhanced by external ridges on the lock.
[0008] A tool container of the present invention is designed to hold tools and a tool handle. A retaining mechanism and a securing mechanism are used in conjunction to enable the tool container and tools to be displayed without being removable until both the retaining mechanism and securing mechanism are removed appropriately later on, particularly after purchase.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention showing the relationship of both a hexagonal wrench and a lock to a tool handle.
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of a tool handle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates a hexagonal wrench locked into a tool handle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates a wrench locked into a handle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 5 illustrates the multiple sizes of hexagonal wrenches which are able to be inserted into a tool handle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the handle of the present invention with continuous holding slots.
[0015] FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a tool handle according to an embodiment of the present invention with a hexagonal wrench inserted through an appropriate receiving hole and showing a slidable lock positioned relative to the lock positioning slots.
[0016] FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the slidable lock including inner ridges for engaging the positioning slots of the handle.
[0017] FIG. 9 illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a tool container in a closed configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 10 illustrates a side perspective view of an embodiment of a tool container in an open configuration with a retaining mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a tool container in a closed configuration with a securing mechanism and a retaining mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 12 illustrates a bottom view of an embodiment of a tool container in a closed configuration with a retaining mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 13 illustrates a flowchart of a method of securing a group of one or more tools in a tool container in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 14 illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a tool container in a closed configuration in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0023] A perspective view of the hexagonal wrench handle 1 with a circular shape of an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 . Multiple sizes of hexagonal wrenches 3 are able to be inserted into and held by the handle 1 in an appropriate sized holding slot 4 . When inserted into the handle 1 , a hexagonal wrench 3 is positioned in the appropriately sized holding slot 4 with the short leg or mounting end of the hexagonal wrench 3 resting in the holding slot 4 and the long leg of the hexagonal wrench extending through an aperture formed through a bottom of the holding slot 4 and penetrating the handle 1 . The hexagonal wrench 3 includes an elongated rod having a bend through a predetermined angle. A proximal end of the hexagonal wrench 3 is for engaging a tool or screw which is driven by the hexagonal wrench 3 . The short leg member or mounting end of the hexagonal wrench 3 extends from the bend to a distal end.
[0024] Once a hexagonal wrench 3 is inserted into the handle 1 and rests in an appropriately sized holding slot 4 , a lock 2 is slid along the handle 1 and positioned over the holding slot 4 and the short leg of the hexagonal wrench 3 , thereby locking the hexagonal wrench 3 within the holding slot 4 . In some embodiments, the lock 2 contains a cam 12 , a bump or another appropriate implementation on the inside of the lock 2 for securing the lock 2 in place. When a cam is used, rotating action by the user, roughly a quarter turn, wedges the cam against the handle 1 and the wrench 3 .
[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates a top view of the handle 1 . When the wrench 3 ( FIG. 1 ) is positioned within the appropriate sized holding slot 4 , the long leg of the hexagonal wrench 3 extends through a corresponding receiving hole 5 in the handle 1 . The holding slot 4 and the receiving hole 5 are of a size to accept the corresponding hexagonal wrench 3 and hold it firmly so that it will not rotate or twist in the holding slot 4 during use. The receiving hole 5 extends through the full width of the handle 1 . In order to maximize the flexibility of the handle 1 of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 , a receiving hole for a first sized hexagonal wrench is able to extend through a holding slot for a second sized hexagonal wrench on a diametrically opposing side of the handle 1 . For example, the receiving hole 6 extends from a holding slot positioned on the bottom of the handle 1 , with the top of the handle illustrated in FIG. 2 . Because the receiving hole 6 extends through the full width of the handle 1 , it has an opening in the holding slot 4 . When a hexagonal wrench is held by the handle 1 and positioned in the holding slot on the bottom of the handle 1 , the long leg of the hexagonal wrench will extend through the receiving hole 6 and also through the holding slot 4 .
[0026] The handle 1 has a circular, cylindrical shape having two ends and a circular, cylindrical surface.
[0027] FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a hexagonal wrench 3 locked within a holding slot 4 of the handle 1 by the lock 2 . The holding slots 4 of the handle are designed to be of a depth which will leave the top of the short leg of the wrench 3 flush with the top of the handle 1 so that when the lock 2 is positioned over the wrench 3 it will tightly hold the short leg of the wrench 3 within the holding slot 4 and will not allow it to rotate or twist during use. In some embodiments, the bottom of the lock 2 is designed with a separation 11 which allows the long leg of the wrench 3 to protrude through it.
[0028] FIG. 5 illustrates the multiple sizes of hexagonal wrenches which are able to be used with the handle 1 of an embodiment of the present invention. As stated above, each holding slot 4 is of a size which corresponds to a size of a conventional hexagonal wrench. In order to enhance the user's ability to exert rotational pressure on the larger hexagonal wrenches, the holding slots 4 which hold the larger wrenches 3 are oriented at the ends of the handle 1 of this embodiment. The holding slots 4 corresponding to smaller wrenches 3 are oriented in the middle of the handle 1 and when in use form a “T”-shaped handle. The drawing of FIG. 5 is for illustration purposes only, when in use the handle 1 of the present invention is designed to work with one hexagonal wrench at a time.
[0029] The handle 1 of an embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIG. 5 is designed to hold hexagonal wrenches of English sizes including a 9/32 inch hexagonal wrench 60 , a ¼ inch hexagonal wrench 61 , a 7/32 inch hexagonal wrench 62 , a 3/16 inch hexagonal wrench 63 , a 5/32 inch hexagonal wrench 64 , a 9/64 inch hexagonal wrench 65 , a ⅛ inch hexagonal wrench 66 , a 7/64 inch hexagonal wrench 67 , a 3/32 inch hexagonal wrench 68 , a 5/64 inch hexagonal wrench 69 and/or other sized hexagonal wrenches. In an alternate configuration of an embodiment of the handle 1 of the present invention, designed to hold hexagonal wrenches of metric sizes, the wrench 60 would be a 10 mm hexagonal wrench, the wrench 61 would be an 8 mm hexagonal wrench, the wrench 62 would be a 6 mm hexagonal wrench, the wrench 63 would be a 5 mm hexagonal wrench, the wrench 64 would be a 4.5 mm hexagonal wrench, the wrench 65 would be a 4 mm hexagonal wrench, the wrench 66 would be a 3.5 mm hexagonal wrench, the wrench 67 would be a 3 mm hexagonal wrench, the wrench 68 would be a 2.5 mm hexagonal wrench and the wrench 69 would be a 2 mm hexagonal wrench. In some embodiments, the size of the wrench 3 which corresponds to the holding slot 4 is molded into, printed on, or engraved into the handle 1 to aid the user in efficiently finding the appropriate holding slot 4 for the necessary wrench 3 .
[0030] The lock 2 of an embodiment of the present invention is able to be positioned over any of the holding slots 4 for holding any of the hexagonal wrenches in place during use. The top of the lock 2 is rotated around the handle so that it is directly over the appropriate holding slot 4 and the separation 11 is positioned to allow the long leg member of the hexagonal wrench to extend therethrough.
[0031] The handle 1 is approximately 4.5 inches in length. The handle 1 is designed to provide a comfortable, user-friendly interface to a user's hand, in order to enhance a user's ability to exert rotational pressure on the hexagonal wrench 3 without subjecting the user to personal injury or requiring the use of additional tools.
[0032] The handle 1 is able to be composed of any appropriate material, which is of maximum strength and includes properties which resist materials that the handle will likely be exposed to, e.g., oil, grease, gasoline and the like. In some embodiments, the handle 1 is materially composed of polypropylene or other semi-crystalline polymer combination. Alternatively, the handle 1 is able to be materially composed of any suitable composition including, but not limited to aluminum or steel.
[0033] In some embodiments, the handle 1 of an embodiment of the present invention is constructed using an injection molded, core/cavity process as is well known in the art. Alternatively, the handle 1 is able to be constructed in any known manner.
[0034] The lock 2 is materially composed of a polypropylene-based material or other semi-crystalline polymer combination-based material in some embodiments but is able to also be composed of any appropriate material.
[0035] An embodiment of a handle 100 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 6 . In this embodiment, the holding slots 4 are continuous along the surface of the handle 100 . Not all hexagonal wrenches are uniform in size and dimensions. The hexagonal wrenches manufactured by one manufacturer are able to have different dimensions than hexagonal wrenches manufactured by another manufacturer. Specifically, the lengths of the short legs of hexagonal wrenches are able to be different depending on the manufacturer. The continuous holding slots 4 of an embodiment of the present invention allow for use with hexagonal wrenches having different length short legs. When using a hexagonal wrench with a longer short leg the continuous holding slot 4 will receive and hold the extra length of the short leg. In this manner, hexagonal wrenches of different dimensions from multiple manufacturers are able to be accommodated by the handle 100 with continuous holding slots 4 .
[0036] Also, in the handle 100 of an embodiment of the present invention, the continuous holding slots are positioned on the circularly, cylindrically shaped handle 100 and the corresponding receiving holes 5 are positioned diametrically opposed, without a continuous holding slot 4 . It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the continuous holding slots 4 within the handle 100 of an embodiment of the present invention is able to be positioned on any surface of the handle 100 .
[0037] The placement of a hexagonal wrench 3 into a continuous holding slot 4 is illustrated in FIG. 7 . The long leg of the hexagonal wrench 3 is inserted, as described above, into the appropriately sized receiving hole until the short leg of the hexagonal wrench 3 is seated in the continuous holding slot 4 . To engage the slidable lock 2 on the handle 100 , the top of the slidable lock is aligned with the surface of the handle 100 which includes the continuous holding slot 4 to be covered.
[0038] FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the slidable lock 200 in an alternative embodiment. The slidable lock 200 is constructed so that the bottom of the lock 200 is smaller than the top of the lock in order to give the lock 200 a natural spring-like property which locks it to the handle 1 . The slidable lock 200 also includes a gap at the bottom.
[0039] The lock 200 is designed of a shape to closely correspond to the shape of the handle 1 . In some embodiments, the bottom of the lock 200 is designed to be slightly smaller than the top of the lock 200 in order to provide a built-in, self-clamping mechanism allowing the lock 200 to tightly bind itself to the outer surface of the handle 1 . The lock 200 is also designed with the external ridges 10 . The external ridges 10 are used by the user to unlock the lock 200 from the handle 1 and move the lock 200 along the handle 1 . In order to move the lock 200 along the handle 1 , the user pinches the lock 200 at the external ridges 10 which forces the bottom of the lock 200 apart and allows the lock 200 to be slid along the handle 1 . When pressure is applied to the lock 200 it will slide along the handle when the external ridges 10 are not pinched. However, pinching the external ridges 10 enhances the movement of the lock 200 along the handle. The lock 200 is able to be rotated around the handle 1 in order to be positioned over a holding slot 4 of the handle 1 .
[0040] FIG. 9 illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a tool container 350 in a closed configuration. The tool container 350 includes a tool container body 352 with receiving slots/grooves for receiving each of the hexagonal tools 3 . In some embodiments, there are other means for receiving each of the hexagonal tools 3 . In some embodiments, only one end of each of the hexagonal tools 3 extends beyond the tool container body 352 , and in some embodiments, both ends of each of the hexagonal tools 3 extend beyond the tool container body 352 . The tool container 350 also includes a hanging member 354 for hanging the tool container 350 on an object such as a display rod or hook in a store. In some embodiments, another mechanism for hanging the tool container 350 is implemented. In some embodiments, the tool container 350 also includes a location or cavity for receiving the tool handle 100 . In some embodiments, the tool container 350 includes a location for receiving any tool handle. In some embodiments, the tool container 350 includes raised features 380 for each of the hexagonal tools 3 which allow the user to determine the correct size hexagonal wrench required before removing the tool from the tool container 350 . The user is able to place a fastener over each of the raised features 380 until the correct size tool is determined for that fastener. In some embodiments, labeling of each of the tools is also included on the tool container 350 . The labeling is molded onto the tool container 350 or another implementation.
[0041] FIG. 10 illustrates a side perspective view of an embodiment of a tool container 350 in an open configuration with a retaining mechanism. The tool container 350 includes a tool container body 352 which further includes a first holding wing 360 and a second holding wing 362 . In some embodiments, a hinge or other mechanism allows the tool container 350 to open. In some embodiments, the first holding wing 360 and the second holding wing 362 open outwardly from each other. The first holding wing 360 contains receiving slots/grooves for receiving a first set of hexagonal tools 370 , and the second holding wing 362 contains receiving slots/grooves for receiving a second set of hexagonal tools 372 . In some embodiments, the first set of hexagonal tools 370 are standard and the second set of hexagonal tools are metric or vice versa. In some embodiments, there is only one set of tools. In some embodiments, there are other means for receiving each of the hexagonal tools. In some embodiments, the tool container 350 includes a location for receiving the tool handle 100 . In some embodiments, the tool container 350 includes a location for receiving any tool handle. In some embodiments, the tool container 350 also includes a hanging member 354 for hanging the tool container 350 on an object such as a display rod or hook in a store. In some embodiments, another mechanism for hanging the tool container 350 is implemented.
[0042] In some embodiments, the hanging member 354 includes a first member 354 ′ and a second member 354 ″ which open in opposite directions when the tool container 350 is opened. In some embodiments, the first and second members 354 ′ and 354″ are configured as a partial extension from the tool container body 352 , specifically, the first member 354 ′ is configured as a partial extension from the first holding wing 360 , and the second member 354 ″ is configured as a partial extension from the second holding wing 362 . In some embodiments, the first and second members 354 ′ and 354″ are each configured as a loop so that there is an aperture within the loop. In other embodiments, the first and second members 354 ′ and 354″ are configured in another fashion.
[0043] A retaining mechanism 358 is inserted within the tool container 350 , specifically, between the first holding wing 360 and the second holding wing 362 and extends beyond the hexagonal tools to prevent the tools from being removed from the tool container 350 . In some embodiments, the retaining mechanism 358 at least partially extends around the hexagonal tools. After the tool container 350 is opened, the retaining mechanism 358 is able to be removed, and subsequently, the hexagonal tools are able to be removed. In some embodiments, the retaining mechanism 358 is plastic. In some embodiments, the retaining mechanism is metal. In some embodiments, the retaining mechanism comprises a different material.
[0044] FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a tool container 350 in a closed configuration with a securing mechanism and a retaining mechanism. The tool container 350 includes a tool container body 352 with a first holding wing 360 and a second holding wing 362 ( FIG. 12 ). The first holding wing 360 contains receiving slots/grooves for receiving a first set of hexagonal tools 370 , and the second holding wing 362 ( FIG. 12 ) contains receiving slots/grooves for receiving a second set of hexagonal tools 372 ( FIG. 12 ). The tool container 350 also includes a hanging member 354 for hanging the tool container 350 on an object such as a display rod or hook in a store. In some embodiments, another mechanism for hanging the tool container 350 is implemented.
[0045] A retaining mechanism 358 is stored within the tool container 350 , specifically between the first holding wing 360 and the second holding wing 362 ( FIG. 12 ) and extends beyond the hexagonal tools to prevent the tools from being removed. In some embodiments, the retaining mechanism 358 at least partially extends around the hexagonal tools. After the tool container 350 is opened, the retaining mechanism 358 is able to be removed, and subsequently, the hexagonal tools are able to be removed.
[0046] In some embodiments, a securing mechanism 356 is implemented so that the tool container 350 is not able to be opened until the securing mechanism 356 is removed. The securing mechanism 356 is able to be any device that prevents the tool container 350 from being opened until the tool container 350 should be permitted to be opened. Examples of securing mechanisms include, but are not limited to, zip ties, locks and magnetic locks. While the securing mechanism 356 is in place, the retaining mechanism 358 is not able to be removed, thus the tools are not able to be removed. In some embodiments, the tool container 350 is secured closed in another fashion, such as by gluing, sealing the hanging member together or other ways.
[0047] FIG. 12 illustrates a bottom view of an embodiment of a tool container 350 in a closed configuration with a retaining mechanism. The container body 352 includes a first holding wing 360 and a second holding wing 362 . The first holding wing 360 holds a first set of hexagonal tools 370 , and the second holding wing 362 holds a second set of hexagonal tools 372 . A retaining mechanism 358 is stored within the tool container 350 , specifically between the first holding wing 360 and the second holding wing 362 and extends beyond the hexagonal tools to prevent the tools from being removed. In some embodiments, the retaining mechanism 358 at least partially extends around the hexagonal tools. After the tool container 350 is opened, the retaining mechanism 358 is able to be removed, and subsequently, the hexagonal tools are able to be removed.
[0048] FIG. 13 illustrates a method of securing a group of one or more tools in a tool container 350 . In the step 400 , the group of tools is inserted into the tool container 350 . In some embodiments, a set of metric tools are inserted into a first holding wing of the tool container 350 and a set of standard tools are inserted into a second holding wing of the tool container 350 . In some embodiments, a tool handle 100 is also inserted into the tool container 350 . In the step 402 , a retaining mechanism 358 is inserted into the tool container 350 . The retaining mechanism 358 is inserted between holding wings and is configured so that the tools are not removable while the retaining mechanism is in place. In the step 404 , the tool container 350 is secured in a closed position with a securing mechanism 356 . With the tool container 350 secured in a closed position, the retaining mechanism is not removable, thus making the tools not removable.
[0049] FIG. 14 illustrates a front view of an embodiment of a tool container 500 in a closed configuration. The tool container 500 includes a tool container body 552 with receiving slots/grooves for receiving each of the hexagonal tools 3 . In some embodiments, there are other means for receiving each of the hexagonal tools 3 . In some embodiments, only one end of each of the hexagonal tools 3 extends beyond the tool container body 502 , and in some embodiments, both ends of each of the hexagonal tools 3 extend beyond the tool container body 552 . The container body 552 includes a first holding wing 560 and a second holding wing 562 . The first holding wing 560 holds a first set of hexagonal tools 570 , and the second holding wing 562 holds a second set of hexagonal tools 572 . The tool container 500 also includes a hanging member 554 for hanging the tool container 500 on an object such as a display rod or hook in a store. In some embodiments, another mechanism for hanging the tool container 500 is implemented. In some embodiments, the tool container 500 also includes a location or cavity for receiving the tool handle 100 . In some embodiments, the tool container 500 includes a location for receiving any tool handle. In some embodiments, the tool container 500 includes raised features 580 for each of the hexagonal tools 3 which allow the user to determine the correct size hexagonal wrench required before removing the tool from the tool container 500 . The user is able to place a fastener over each of the raised features 580 until the correct size tool is determined for that fastener. In some embodiments, labeling of each of the tools is also included on the tool container 500 . The labeling is molded onto the tool container 500 or another implementation.
[0050] As an example, a set of hexagonal wrenches are inserted into the holding wings of the tool container, with the metric tools in one wing and the standard tools in another wing. The tool handle is also inserted into the tool container in an appropriate location. A retaining mechanism is then inserted in between the holding wings of the tool container. The retaining mechanism is a piece of plastic that is configured so that the hexagonal wrenches are not able to be removed while the retaining mechanism is in place. The tool container is closed such that the wings are closed upon the retaining mechanism. The tool container is then secured closed by a securing mechanism such as a zip tie which goes in and around a hanging member of the tool container. The hanging member then enables the tool container to be hung on a hook in a store for display. While in the retail store, the securing mechanism prevents the tool container from being opened, which prevents the retaining mechanism from being removed from the tool container, which prevents the hexagonal wrenches from being removed from the tool container. After a user purchases the tool container which includes the hexagonal wrenches and the tool handle, the user utilizes a device such as a knife, scissors, wire cutters or another device to remove the securing mechanism. After the securing mechanism is removed, the user opens the tool container. Once the tool container is opened, the securing mechanism is able to be removed and is able to be discarded. The tools are then easily removable and re-insertable into the tool container.
[0051] In some embodiments, the retaining mechanism comprises a first flat surface extending in a horizontal direction with a second surface extending in a vertical direction in a first direction at one end of the first flat surface and a third flat surface extending in a vertical direction in an opposite direction at the opposite end of the first flat surface. In some embodiments, the retaining mechanism comprises more than one component such as two oppositely pointing L-shaped components. The retaining mechanism is able to be any configuration and comprise any number of components as long as it is able to retain the tools within the tool container.
[0052] The circular, cylindrical embodiment of the tool handle is utilized to provide better gripping ability of a tool such as a hexagonal wrench. The circular, cylindrical tool handle is utilized by inserting a tool into a proper slot and then moving the lock to secure the tool in place. The tool container is utilized to hold one or more tools along with the tool handle. The tools are easily accessible in the tool container. Furthermore, while available for purchase, such as in a retail store, a retaining mechanism and a securing mechanism ensure that no tools are stolen or otherwise removed from the tool container. After the tool container is purchased, a user removes the securing mechanism and then the retaining mechanism. Then, the user is able to remove, utilize and return the tools as desired.
[0053] In operation, the tool container includes a retaining mechanism and a securing mechanism which are able to be used to allow the tool container and tools to be displayed yet protected from theft or removal without the need for additional packaging. This removes the need for expensive added containment materials such as plastic that goes all around the tool container. Moreover, since the retaining mechanism utilizes less plastic, it is also more environmentally friendly.
[0054] It should further be understood by a person skilled in the art that the tool handle of the present invention is able to be modified or adapted for use with tool drivers and tools having shapes other than hexagonal. Further improvements and modifications which become apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art only after reading this disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims are deemed within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
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A circular, cylindrically shaped tool handle holds multiple sizes of tools. The handle includes one or more holding slots each positioned on the outer surface into which tools are inserted and held. Each holding slot includes one or more contoured compartments in which tools rest when engaged with the handle. Each contoured compartment is of a size and dimension which corresponds to one or more tool sizes. Each contoured compartment is formed about a corresponding receiving hole. A lock is positioned over the contoured compartment to irremovably confine the short leg of the hexagonal wrench within the contoured compartment. Hexagonal shaped tools other than wrenches are able to be used with the handle of the present invention such as screwdrivers and socket wrenches. A tool container stores the tools and the tool handle.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This case is related to the subject matter as set forth in Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/634,208 filed Dec. 8, 2004 and titled “Vertical Oriented Cable Reel Carrier.”
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates generally to cable reels, and, more particularly, to a device for carrying and dispensing a reel of cable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] With the ever-increasing demand for cable service (analog, digital, digital video recorder, high definition T.V., voice over internet provider (VOIP), and high speed and broadband internet services); the demand for technicians and installers of cable continues to grow. Currently, cables are wound on reels in a coiled configuration. To remove a length of cable from a reel, an installer typically mounts the reel on some type of holder such that it can rotate, and then proceeds to pull the cable from one end. Because the reel is often rotatably mounted, as the installer pulls on the end of the wire or cable, the reel rotates causing the cable to unwind from the reel in a relatively straight (i.e. non-spiraled) configuration.
[0004] A problem associated with current systems is that it is often difficult or inefficient to transport the cable as the installers must bend down to pick up a reel, carry it to its desired installation location, and again bend down to deposit the reel on a floor. It is desirable to limit the bending of the cable installers and thereby limiting potential back injuries resulting from lifting the cable.
[0005] It is therefore desirable to provide a carrier for cable that may be easily transported from one location, e.g. a truck, to a place of installation while requiring a minimum amount of bending over on the part of an installer. It would further be desirable for an installer to carry larger reels or spools of cable and thereby increase the efficiency of installation of the cable. It would also be desirable for an installer to be able to accommodate more than one spool or reel (e.g. a cable wire reel and a ground wire reel).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a cable carrier that facilitates loading and unloading of cable from a vehicle. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an ergonomically correct cable-carrying device such that bending over by a cable installer or cable carrier is limited and maneuvering of cables in tight spaces is simplified. It is a further object of the present invention to limit damage to walls, floors, and entry door glass created by current reel carrying systems. Further objects of the present invention include minimizing the amount of space occupied by cable reels and ultimately increasing a cable installer's or a technician's productivity.
[0007] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a reel carrier system for vertical transportation of a reel includes a base having an inner portion rotatable with respect to an outer portion. The inner portion is attached to a perpendicular post such that rotation of the post rotates the inner portion. Coupled to the post is a handle such that rotation of the handle rotates the post. At least one of the handle or the attachment section detaches from the post for disposing the reel on the inner portion.
[0008] Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent under the description that follows and may be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations, particularly pointed out in the pending claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] In order that the invention may be well understood, they will now be described some embodiments thereof, given by way of example, referencing made to the accompanying drawings in which.
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cable reel carrier system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a carrier for the cable reel carrier system of FIG. 1 .
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a carrier for the cable reel carrier system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a carrier for the cable reel carrier system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a carrier for the cable reel carrier system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a carrier for the cable reel carrier system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] While the present invention is described primarily with respect to a vertical cable reel carrier, the present invention may be adapted to various application requiring carrying of wound materials, as will be understood by the one skilled in the art.
[0017] In the following description, various operating parameters and components are described for a number of constructed embodiments. These specific parameters and components are included as examples and are not meant to be limiting.
[0018] Referring to FIG. 1 , a vertical cable reel carrier system 8 including a vertical cable reel carrier 10 carrying a cable reel 11 is illustrated in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The reel carrier 10 includes a base 12 and a post 14 extending generally upwardly therefrom onto which the spool or reel 16 is installed. Attached to the posts 14 is a handle 18 for turning the spool or reel 16 .
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1-3 , the system 8 is further illustrated. As mentioned, the system 8 includes a handle 18 attached to the post 14 . The handle 18 is embodied as coupled at a 90° angle relative to the post 14 , however various other angles may be used in accordance with the present invention. Further, the handle 18 is embodied as being a straight single piece of pipe, however, once skilled in the art will realize that various other handle designs are also included in the present invention, including such ergonomically correct grips as a loop handle, a chain handle, a hook handle, or an orthopedic grip handle. The handle 18 includes a cap 30 at a first end thereof and an elbowjoint 32 at a second end thereof, whereby the elbow joint 32 couples to the post 14 . The post 14 couples to the base 12 , and more specifically, to the pipe base attachment section 48 on an inner portion 20 of the base 12 .
[0020] The base 12 includes an inner portion 20 and an outer portion 22 that can rotate with respect to one another. This provides a turntable or lazy Susan effect and allows the base 12 and the post 14 to rotate, which in turns allows the attached spool 11 to rotate such that the cable 34 can be rotated and unwound for use. The reel 16 rests on the base 12 in a vertical orientation such that it can be unwound and transported in the same vertical orientation. The base 12 also includes a plurality of feet or stabilizers 36 such that the outer portion 22 may be prevented from contacting the floor directly. Important to note is that there is alternate embodiments of support structure for the outer portion 22 may be included in accordance with alternate embodiments of the present invention, such as a single rim or other combinations or designs of feet or no feet. The base 12 may also include a cover portion 40 positioned between the inner portion 20 and the outer portion 22 for providing smooth rotation of the portions 20 , 22 . The outer portion 22 includes an upper rim 42 for holding the inner portion 22 in place and allowing the system 10 to be lifted without detaching the inner portion 20 from the outer portion 22 . The outer portion 22 also includes a lower rim 44 , which may include ball bearings, which may be sealed for keeping out water or debris, or a track for rotating the inner portion 20 . The base 12 may include a composite or fiber material for robustness of the base 12 in all weather conditions.
[0021] The inner portion 20 is embodied as partially visible when the system 10 is fully assembled, as illustrated in FIG. 1 . However, the inner portion 20 may be minimally visible as the upper rim 42 or the section 40 may conceal an increased amount of the inner portion 20 . The inner portion 20 is embodied including an attachment section 48 for attaching the post 14 . The attachment section 48 is embodied as a pipe attachment section but may be alternately embodied as any type of locking mechanism for holding a pipe or other handle component fixedly attached thereto and may include a quick release mechanism such as a track or set of mating connectors coupled to the post 14 and the attachment section 48 .
[0022] The post 14 may be detachable to either the elbow 32 or the attachment section 48 such that the reel 11 may be removed, another reel may be put in its place, and the system 10 reassembled. The elbow 32 or the attachment section 48 may include any sort of attachment, detachment or coupling device known in the art, such as including threaded ends or a locking mechanism.
[0023] Referring to FIGS. 4-6 , alternate embodiments of the present invention are illustrated. In FIG. 4 , the handle 18 is embodied with an orthopedic (ergonomically correct) grip 60 . The handle 18 also includes a lock 62 , illustrated as a button that, when depressed, engages locking portions 64 (illustrated in phantom lines) for preventing rotation of the inner portion 20 of the base 12 . The lock 62 may be a push-push mechanism or other known mechanism for engaging and disengaging locking portions 64 . The handle 18 is also adjacent or coupled to a clutch-brake 66 (activating a brake portion 67 ) for limiting or halting rotation of the inner portion 20 of the base 12 . Important to note is that a stopping mechanism may be included for the present invention for limiting movement of the inner portion 20 and this mechanisms may be embodied as the lock 62 or the clutch-brake 66 . The base 12 of FIG. 4 includes slots 68 such that the base 12 may be lifted and carried through the installer grabbing onto the base 12 at the slots 68 .
[0024] In FIG. 5 , the cable reel carrier 10 is embodied including a side mount 70 , which may include legs 72 (portion of side mount 70 ), such that the reel carrier 10 may be positioned horizontally and said legs may act as a support. The side mount 70 is embodied as coupled to the outer potion 22 of the base 12 at a first end 74 and to a step 76 through support structures 77 at a second end 78 . The step 76 is included for support of the side mount 70 and for use by an installer as a load-bearing step. Alternate embodiments include the step 76 detachably coupled to the base 12 at a first end 80 and having legs at a second end 82 for support. Important to note is that the handle 18 may be elongated for this embodiment such that the post 14 may be turned while the step 76 is attached to the base 12 .
[0025] In FIG. 6 , the cable reel carrier 10 is embodied including a side mount 70 surrounding the outer portion 22 of the base 12 and having a flat edge 90 , which may have wheels 91 coupled thereto (the flat edge or the wheels may also be a portion of side mount 70 for the purposes of this invention) and an elongated handle 18 having a support 92 or stopper (e.g. rubber stopper) attached to an end 94 thereof. This configuration also allows that reel carrier 10 may be positioned horizontally whereby the edge 90 or the wheels 91 may be used as supports. The support 92 is generally flat such that it is stable when used as a leg for a reel carrier 10 . Therefore, the flat edge 90 and the handle 18 act as legs when the reel carrier is horizontal. In accordance with this embodiment, a step may be coupled to the base 12 as in FIG. 5 or, alternately, the post 14 may be used as a step.
[0026] While the invention has been described in connection with one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that the specific mechanisms and techniques, which have been described are merely illustrative of the examples of the invention. Numerous modifications may be made to the methods and apparatus described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the pending claims.
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A reel carrier system for vertical transportation of a reel includes a base having an inner portion rotatable with respect to an outer portion. The inner portion is attached to a perpendicular post such that rotation of the post rotates the inner portion. Coupled to the post is a handle such that rotation of the handle rotates the post. At least one of the handle and the attachment section detaches from the post for disposing the reel on the inner portion.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims benefit as a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/853,304, filed May 11, 2001, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] It is believed that the use of kava ( Piper methysticum Forst.) predates written history. The origination of the plant is attributed to the New Guinea/Indonesia area and it is believed that Polynesian explorers were responsible for its spread from island to island. Oceania (i.e., the Pacific island communities of Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia) is an area where islanders have been known for centuries to consume a drink, also called kava and derived from the root of kava, in ceremonies and celebrations due to its reported calming effect and ability to promote sociability. The root and the drink were apparently first described in the Western world by Captain James Cook as a result of his exploration of the South Seas in 1768. Many myths and anecdotal stories surround the use of kava, and these vary from culture to culture.
[0003] The extract of the kava root is known to contain a class of structurally related chemical compounds known as kavalactones. At least sixteen different members of this chemical class are known to be present. A relaxing action (i.e., calming effect, sleep inducing effect) of the extract is attributed to certain members of this class. Kavalactones possess low bioavailability; in fact, they are practically insoluble in water. Thus, bioavailability in oral administration settings is always an issue that must be addressed. The mechanism of activity of the kavalactones remains uncertain, and their effect on cytokines, such as the interleukins is unclear.
[0004] Cytokines such as interleukin-12 (IL-12) mediate the acute phase response to inflammatory stimuli, enhance the microbicidal functions of macrophages and other cells, and promote specific lymphocyte responses. See, e.g., Fearon and Locksley, Science 272:50 (1996). Recently, in vivo studies implicate the inhibition of IL-12 production in therapeutic effects against inflammatory disorders such as sepsis (Zisman et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 27:2994 (1997)), collagen induced arthritis (Malfait et al., Clin. Exp. Immunol. 111:377 (1998)), established colitis (U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,697), experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (Leonard et al., J. Exp. Med. 181:381 (1995)), experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (Yokoi et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 27:641 (1997)), psoriasis (Turka et al., Mol. Med. 1:690 (1995)), and cyclophosphamide induced diabetes (Rothe et al., Diabetologia 40:641 (1997)). Thus, compounds having IL-12 inhibitory activity provide new approaches for therapeutic strategies to address these and other IL-12 mediated disease.
SUMMARY
[0005] The invention is based in part on the unexpected discovery that three kavalactones, dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, and kawain (structures shown below), exhibit IL-12 inhibitory activity.
[0006] As such, the compounds, compositions and methods of this invention are useful in treating IL-12-mediated disease or disease symptoms (e.g., IL-12 overproduction-related disorders) in a subject. IL-12 mediated disease or disease symptoms refers to disease or disease symptoms in which IL-12 activity is involved, such as those wherein IL-12 is involved in signaling, mediation, modulation, or regulation of the disease process. IL-12 overproduction-related disorders involve those where overproduction of IL-12 is a basis for the disorder.
[0007] In one aspect, the invention relates to a medicinal ointment including 1% to 90% (e.g., 1% to 40%, 1.5% to 30%, 2% to 25%, or any range wherein the lower boundary is any integer % between 1% and 89%, inclusive, and the upper boundary is any integer % between 2% and 90%, inclusive) by weight an active kavalactone selected from the group consisting of dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, and a combination thereof, and a medicinally acceptable carrier. The term “active kavalactone” herein refers only to dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, or a combination of them.
[0008] In another aspect, the invention is a patch (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,938) including an active kavalactone-containing material layer. More specifically, the material layer, e.g., a pad or a pressure-sensitive adhesive, serves as a substrate for receiving 1% to 90% (e.g., 1% to 40%, 1.5% to 30%, 2% to 25%, or any range wherein the lower boundary is any integer % between 1% and 89%, inclusive, and the upper boundary is any integer % between 2% and 90%, inclusive) by weight an active kavalactone selected from the group consisting of dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, and a combination thereof. The active kavalactone can be in the form of a composition having 1% to 90% (e.g., 1% to 40%, 1.5% to 30%, 2% to 25%, or any range wherein the lower boundary is any integer % between 1% and 89%, inclusive, and the upper boundary is any integer % between 2% and 90%, inclusive) by weight an active kavalactone associated with the material layer (e.g., impregnated, embedded, or coated on the surface. A patch optionally has a protective layer intimately adhered to one side of the material layer, which is resistant to passage of the active kavalactone.
[0009] The invention also relates to a method for treating (e.g., curing, preventing, or ameliorating) an IL-12 overproduction-related disorder, including administering to a subject (e.g., human, dog, cat) in need thereof an effective amount of an active kavalactone selected from the group consisting of dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, and a combination thereof. The method of treating has an effect on the disease itself or on the symptom. The effect can be objective, that is, a measurable physical effect (e.g., greater range of motion, reduced swelling, reduced rash area), or subjective, that is, based on the feeling or perception of the subject (e.g., decreased irritation, decreased soreness, general feeling of relief). The disorder that can be treated by the method includes colitis, Crohn's disease, diabetes, encephalomyelitis, multiple sclerosis, oesteoarthritis, periodontitis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, sepsis, and uveoretinitis.
[0010] The invention also relates to a method for treating (e.g., curing, preventing, relieving, or ameliorating) pain, including administering to a subject (e.g., mammal, human, dog, cat, horse) in need thereof an effective amount of an active kavalactone selected from the group consisting of dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, and a combination thereof. The method of treating has an effect on the pain itself or on the symptom. The effect can be objective, that is, a measurable physical effect (e.g., reduced burning sensation, dulled pain, reduced swelling, improved mobility or range of motion), or subjective, that is, based on the feeling or perception of the subject (e.g., decreased irritation, decreased soreness, general feeling of relief). The disorder that can be treated by the method includes primary or secondary hyperalgesia, burning associated with capsaicin, myofascial pain, intractable myofascial pain, osteoarthritis pain, preemptive analgesia, neuropathic pain, and inflammatory pain. The administration of the compounds and compositions delineated herein for treating pain can be topically, including via any patch comprising compounds or compositions as delineated herein. In one aspect, the methods provide between about 8 to about 24 hours of pain relief in a single application or administration of the compounds or compositions delineated herein.
[0011] In another aspect, the invention relates to methods of treating pain in a subject (e.g., mammal, human, animal, dog, cat, horse) in need of pain relief by administering a composition (e.g., a topical composition) having any of the six major kavalactones (e.g., desmethoxyyangonin, dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, methysticin, and yangonin), or any combination thereof. In another aspect the methods herein include administering a composition (e.g., a topical composition) having any of the six major kavalactones (e.g., desmethoxyyangonin, dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, methysticin, and yangonin), or any combination thereof, wherein the composition is essentially void of (e.g., having less than 1%, less than 0.5%, less than any percentage between 0% and 1%, or 0%) any of para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), calcium-d-pantothenate, or aloe. In another aspect the methods herein include administering a composition (e.g., a topical composition) having any of the six major kavalactones (e.g., desmethoxyyangonin, dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, methysticin, yangonin, or any combination thereof), wherein the composition further comprises any of petrolatum, beeswax, or vegetable oil (e.g., jojoba oil), or any combination thereof.
[0012] Another aspect of the invention relates to a packaged product including a container, a composition containing an active kavalactone disposed in the container, the kavalactone being selected from the group consisting of dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, and a combination thereof, and a label (e.g., sticker, product insert) with the container and having instructions for application of the active kavalactone for treating an IL-12 overproduction-related disorder.
[0013] Also within the invention are a composition herein for use in treating disease (e.g., IL-12 mediated diseases or disease symptoms (such as osteoarthritis), or other diseases (such as fibromylagia), and use of such a composition for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of the aforementioned diseases or disease symptoms.
[0014] The details of one or more aspects of the invention are set forth in the accompanying figure and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and from the claims.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
[0015] [0015]FIG. 1 illustrates the IL-12 inhibitory activity of six kavalactones.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] This invention is based in part on the unexpected discovery that specific kavalactones inhibit production of IL-12, whose overproduction is implicated in a number of diseases and disease symptoms. The IL-12 inhibitory activity of six major kavalactones (e.g., desmethoxyyangonin, dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, methysticin, and yangonin) was measured using a cellular assay for determination of IL-12 cytokine inhibition. Among them, kawain, dihydrokawain, and dihydromethysticin were found to have much higher IL-12 inhibitory activity relative to the other kavalactones. These results are shown in FIG. 1. Thus, compositions containing one of the three active kavalactones, kawain, dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, or a combination thereof, are useful for treating disease or disease symptoms related to IL-12 overproduction.
[0017] The active kavalactones, kawain, dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, or a combination thereof, are also useful for treating pain or pain symptoms in a subject (e.g., mammal, human, dog, cat, or horse), by administration (e.g., topical administration) of an effective amount of the compounds or compositions delineated herein. Alternatively, the six major kavalactones (e.g., desmethoxyyangonin, dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, methysticin, and yangonin), or any combination thereof, are useful in the methods of treating pain or pain symptoms delineated herein. The use of the kavalactones in a topical ointment can provide a more efficient administration route than oral administration because the kavalactones are not subject to first-pass effects (e.g., metabolism, degradation) associated with oral bioavailability. Various enzymatic processes can degrade kavalactones within one hour of oral administration. Additionally, the topical carrier in a composition delineated herein can work synergistically with the lipophilic properties of the kavalactones to provide a more advantageous delivery method of the kavalactones to the pain site (i.e., through the skin, without injection by needles) in a subject (e.g., mammal, human, dog, cat, horse).
[0018] Referring back to FIG. 1, six kavalactones were tested in an IL-12 inhibitory assay as follows: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS, Serratia marscencens) was obtained from Sigma (St. Louis, Mo.). Human recombinant IFNg was purchased from Boehringer Mannheim. (Mannheim, Germany). Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated by centrifugation using Ficall-Paque (Pharmacia Biotech, Uppsala, Sweden) and prepared in RPMI medium supplemented with 10% FCS and antibiotics in a 96-well plate with 1×106 cells/well. Human PBMC were primed with IFNγ (30 U/mL) for 16 h and then stimulated with 1 mg/mL of LPS in the presence of different concentrations of test compound. Cell-free supernatants were taken 20 h later for measurement of cytokines. Cell viability was assessed using the bioreduction of MTS [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium] (Promega, Madison, Wis.). Cell survival was estimated as the ratio of the absorbance in compound-treated groups versus compound-free control. Human IL-12 was assayed using ELISA kits (Endogen, Cambridge, Mass.), essentially according to the manufacturer's instructions. IL-12 inhibition can also be measured by other methods (e.g., in vivo, in vitro, animal models) of assaying for enzyme inhibition activity.
[0019] This invention is also based in part on another unexpected discovery: the active kavalactones, i.e., dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, and kawain, can be administered effectively in a transdermal fashion (e.g., as a medicinal ointment). Upon homogeneous formulation in an inert carrier, the active kavalactones can be effectively administered in the absence of permeation enhancers (e.g., dimethyl sulfoxide, 1-dodecyoazacycloheptan-2-one, sodium guaiazulene-3-sulfonate). Thus, compositions of the invention can be administered as an ointment thus avoiding bioavailability problems associated with oral administration (e.g., first pass effects, short half-life in blood, degradation, cytochrome P450 metabolism, gut metabolism, liver or kidney metabolism, or absorption). Such administration techniques allow for systemic or local administration of the dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, or a combination thereof. A medicinal ointment of the invention includes allows for one or more active kavalactones to reach subcutaneous levels, and provides an effect beyond that of a cosmetic or dermapharmaceutical, which affects activities at skin level (e.g., skin cell respiration, regeneration, and hydration).
[0020] An ointment composition of the invention can be formulated with one or more of the active kavalactones suspended or dissolved in a carrier, such as mineral oil, liquid petroleum, white petroleum, propylene glycol, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene compound, emulsifying wax, water, sorbitan monostearate, polysorbate 60, cetyl esters wax, cetyl alcohol, 2-octyldodecanol, and stearyl alcohol. An acceptable carrier can include water, a solvent, an emollient, a surfactant, a preservative, or a combination thereof. Water, when present, can be in an amount of 5 to 80% by weight. Other than water, the acceptable carrier can also contain a relatively volatile solvent such as a monohydric C1-C3 alkanol (e.g., methyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol) in an amount of 1 to 70% by weight, and an emollient such as those in the form of silicone oils and synthetic esters in an amount of 0.1 to 30% by weight. Other solvents that are acceptable carriers include any suitable for administration of dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, and kawain, for example, dimethyl sulfoxide, C1-C20 alcohols, glycols, and ethers. Anionic, nonionic, or cationic surfactants can also be included in the biological acceptable carrier. The concentration of total surfactants can be from 0.1 to 40% by weight. Examples of anionic surfactants include soap, alkyl ether sulfate and sulfonate, alkyl sulfate and sulfonate, alkylbenzene sulfonate, alkyl and dialkyl sulfosuccinate, C8-C20 acyl isethionate, acyl glutamate, C8-C20 alkyl ether phosphate, and a combination thereof. Examples of nonionic surfactants include C10-C20 fatty alcohol or acid hydrophobe condensed with from 2 to 100 moles of ethylene oxide or propylene oxide per mole of hydrophobe; C2-C10 alkyl phenol condensed with from 2 to 20 moles of alkylene oxide; mono and di-fatty acid ester of ethylene glycol; fatty acid monoglyceride; sorbitan, mono- and di-C8-C20 fatty acid; block co-polymer (ethylene oxide/propylene oxide); polyoxyethylene sorbitan, and a combination thereof. Preservatives can also be included in the biological acceptable carrier to prevent growth of potentially harmful microorganisms, and can be employed in an amount of 0.01 to 2% by weight. Examples of preservatives include alkyl ester of para-hydroxybenzoic acid, hydantoin derivative, propionate salt, and a variety of quaternary ammonium compounds. Each preservative should be selected based on its compatibility with other ingredients in the composition. An ointment of this invention can be applied to any particular surface area of the body (including gums).
[0021] Also within the scope of the invention is a method for treating an IL-12 overproduction-related disorder, or pain, including administering to a subject (e.g., human, dog, cat) in need thereof an effective amount of an active kavalactone selected from the group consisting of dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, and a combination thereof. The effective amount of active kavalactone is between 0.01 and 100 mg/kg body weight per day, alternatively between 0.5 and 75 mg/kg body weight per day of dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, or a combination thereof. The effective amount can be any specific amount within the aforementioned range or any range of amount of active kavalactone, wherein the lower boundary is any number of mg/kg body weight between 0.01 and 99.99, inclusive, and the upper boundary is any number of mg/kg body weight between 0.02 and 100, inclusive. The effective amount is useful in a monotherapy or in combination therapy for the treatment of IL-12 overproduction-related disease or disease symptoms, or pain or pain symptoms. As the skilled artisan will appreciate, lower or higher doses than those recited above may be required. Effective amounts and treatment regimens for any particular subject (e.g., human, dog, cat) will depend upon a variety of factors, including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health status, sex, diet, time of administration, rate of excretion, drug combination, the severity and course of the disease, condition or symptoms, the patient's disposition to the disease, condition or symptoms, and the judgment of the treating physician or veterinarian.
[0022] To practice the method of the present invention, an active kavalactone-containing composition can be administered orally, parenterally, by inhalation spray, topically, rectally, nasally, buccally, vaginally, perineurally, epidurally, by iontophoresis, or via an implanted reservoir. The term “parenteral” as used herein includes subcutaneous, intracutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, intraarticular, intraarterial, intrasynovial, intrastemal, intrathecal, intralesional and intracranial injection or infusion techniques.
[0023] A sterile injectable preparation, for example, a sterile injectable aqueous or oleaginous suspension, can be formulated according to techniques known in the art using suitable dispersing or wetting agents (such as, for example, Tween 80) and suspending agents. The sterile injectable preparation can 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-butanediol. Among the acceptable vehicles and solvents that can be employed are mannitol, water, Ringer's solution and isotonic sodium chloride solution. In addition, sterile, fixed oils are conventionally employed as a solvent or suspending medium (e.g., synthetic mono- or diglycerides). Fatty acids, such as oleic acid and its glyceride derivatives are useful in the preparation of injectables, as are natural pharmaceutically-acceptable oils, such as olive oil or castor oil, especially in their polyoxyethylated versions. These oil solutions or suspensions can also contain a long-chain alcohol diluent or dispersant, or carboxymethyl cellulose or similar dispersing agents. Other commonly used surfactants such as Tweens or Spans or other similar emulsifying agents or bioavailability enhancers which are commonly used in the manufacture of pharmaceutically acceptable solid, liquid, or other dosage forms can also be used for the purposes of formulation.
[0024] A preparation for oral administration can be any orally acceptable dosage form including, but not limited to, capsules, tablets, emulsions and aqueous suspensions, dispersions and solutions. In the case of tablets for oral use, carriers which are commonly used include lactose and corn starch. Lubricating agents, such as magnesium stearate, are also typically added. For oral administration in a capsule form, useful diluents include lactose and dried corn starch. When aqueous suspensions or emulsions are administered orally, the active ingredient can be suspended or dissolved in an oily phase combined with emulsifying or suspending agents. If desired, certain sweetening, flavoring, or coloring agents can be added. A nasal aerosol or inhalation composition can be prepared according to techniques well-known in the art of pharmaceutical formulation and can be prepared as solutions in saline, employing benzyl alcohol or other suitable preservatives, absorption promoters to enhance bioavailability, fluorocarbons, and/or other solubilizing or dispersing agents known in the art. An active kavalactone-containing composition can also be administered in the form of a suppository or an implantable device. Implantable devices and related technology are known in the art and are useful as delivery systems where a continuous, or timed-release delivery of pure kavalactone compounds or compositions delineated herein is desired. Additionally, the implantable device delivery system is useful for targeting specific points of pure kavalactone compound or composition delivery (e.g., localized sites, or organs). See, Negrin CM, Delgado A, Llabres M and Evora C., Biomaterials 22 (6), 563 (2001). Timed-release technology involving alternate delivery methods can also be used in this invention. For example, timed-release formulations based on polymer technologies, sustained-release techniques and encapsulation techniques (e.g., polymeric, or liposomal) can also be used for delivery of the pure kavalactone compounds and compositions delineated herein. Topical-patches having pure dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain or a combination thereof, or a composition thereof are also included in this invention.
[0025] Acceptable carriers that can be used to prepare active kavalactone-containing compositions of this invention include, but are not limited to, ion exchangers, alumina, aluminum stearate, lecithin, self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (such as d-α-tocopherol polyethyleneglycol 1000 succinate), surfactants used in pharmaceutical dosage forms (such as Tweens or other similar polymeric delivery matrices), buffer substances (such as phosphates), glycine, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, partial glyceride mixtures of saturated vegetable fatty acids, water, salts or electrolytes (such as protamine sulfate), disodium hydrogen phosphate, potassium hydrogen phosphate, sodium chloride, zinc salts, colloidal silica, magnesium trisilicate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, cellulose-based substances, polyethylene glycol, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, polyacrylates, waxes, polyethylene-polyoxypropylene-block polymers, polyethylene glycol and wool fat. Other solubilizing agents can also be advantageously used to enhance delivery of dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, or a combination thereof.
[0026] Also within the invention is a patch to deliver active kavalactone. A patch includes a material layer (e.g., polymeric, cloth, gauze, bandage) and 1% to 90% (e.g., 1% to 40%, or any range wherein the lower boundary is any integer % between 1% and 89%, inclusive, and the upper boundary is any integer % between 2% and 90%, inclusive) by weight an active kavalactone selected from the group consisting of dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, and a combination thereof. One side of the material layer can have a protective layer adhered to it to resist passage of active kavalactone compositions. The patch can additionally include an adhesive to hold the patch in place on a subject. An adhesive is a composition, including those of either natural or synthetic origin, that when contacted with the skin of a subject, temporarily adheres to the skin. It can be water resistant. The adhesive can be placed on the patch to hold it in contact with the skin of the subject for an extended period of time. The adhesive can be made of a tackiness, or adhesive strength, such that it holds the device in place subject to incidental contact, however, upon an affirmative act (e.g., ripping, peeling, or other intentional removal) the adhesive gives way to the external pressure placed on the device or the adhesive itself, and allows for breaking of the adhesion contact. The adhesive can be pressure sensitive, that is, it can allow for positioning of the adhesive (and the device to be adhered to the skin) against the skin by the application of pressure (e.g., pushing, rubbing,) on the adhesive or device. Also included are peelable masks that can be formulated by placing the composition as a gel or paste on a protective layer made of a film-forming polymer (e.g., polyvinyl alcohol) and an adhesive promoting polymer (e.g., hydrophobic acrylate or methacrylate polymer, such as Pemulen TR2.RTM. from the B. F. Goodrich Company). Alternatively, a hydrogel composition (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,961,479 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,504) including any one or more of the active kavalactones can be used.
[0027] The invention also covers a pharmaceutical composition having a pure active kavalactone selected from the group consisting of dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, kawain, or a. combination thereof. Such a composition is useful for treating IL-12 mediated disease or disease symptoms, or other diseases (such as fibromylagia), or pain or pain symptoms. Also within this invention is a method of treating disease or disease symptoms, (including IL-12 mediated disease or disease symptoms, pain, or pain symptoms) in a subject by administering to the subject a pure kavalactone-containing composition. The subject can be a human or an animal (e.g., dog, cat). The term “pure” refers to a level of 90% or higher. Pure active kavalactone can be derived from natural (e.g., root extract and purification) or synthetic (e.g., synthesis from natural or synthetic materials) means, or a combination thereof.
[0028] A crude extract of the kava roots (obtained using various extraction methods (e.g., simple solvent soak, supercritical fluid extraction)) can be used as the source of active kavalactones for the preparation of a composition of this invention. If desired, the active kavalactones can be further purified by column chromatography. They can also be synthesized from readily available starting materials by conventional chemical methods. See, for example, Kostermans, Reclk. Trav. Chim. Pays-Bas., 70, 79 (1951); Klohs et al., J. Org. Chem., 24, 1829 (1959); Spino, et al. Tetrahedron Lett., 37, 6503 (1996), and references cited in each. The active kavalactones present in a composition can be enriched by addition of those kavalactones (from either natural or synthetic sources). The three active kavalactones (e.g., dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, and kawain) contain one or more asymmetric centers and thus can occur as racemates and racemic mixtures, single enantiomers, individual diastereomers and diastereomeric mixtures. They can also occur in cis- or trans- or E- or Z-double bond isomeric forms. All such isomeric forms can be tested using IL-12 assays to determine their inhibitory activity.
[0029] In order that the invention described herein may be more readily understood, the following examples are set forth. It should be understood that these examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting this invention in any manner. All references cited herein are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.
EXAMPLE 1
[0030] Kawain is synthesized essentially as follows. N-Bromosuccinimide (1 eq.) is slowly added to a 2.3M solution of ethyl β-methoxycrotonate (1 eq.) in carbon tetrachloride. Upon allowing the reaction to equilibrate, the mixture is heated at reflux for ca. 4 h. The mixture is then cooled (0° C.) and filtered, followed by washing of the precipitate with cold CCl 4 . The combined filtrates are concentrated (in vacuo, rotovap) and the residue distilled to give the desired product, ethyl γ-bromo-β-methoxycrotonate, whose identity is confirmed by various means including proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and mass spectrometry.
[0031] A 0.5M solution of ethyl γ-bromo-β-methoxycrotonate (1 eq.) in benzene is poured into a flask containing zinc filings (1.2 eq.). Cinnamic aldehyde (1.2 eq.) is added. Upon gentle warming to initiate the reaction, the mixture is refluxed for ca. 1 hr. The mixture is cooled, poured into cooled saturated aqueous ammonium chloride, and the aqueous phase extracted three times with ethyl ether. The combined extracts are dried over sodium sulfate, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The resulting residue is recrystallized (MeOH) to give to give the desired product whose identity is confirmed by various means including proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and mass spectrometry.
EXAMPLE 2
[0032] Dihydrokawain is synthesized essentially as follows. Methyl 3-hydroxy-5-phenylpentanoate (1 eq.) in tetrahydrofuran is added to a solution of the lithium enolate of t-butyl acetate (3 eq., from lithium diisopropylamine and t-butyl acetate) at −78° C. and allowed to slowly warm to 0° C. The mixture is quenched with IN HCl solution and extracted with dichloromethane. The combined extracts are washed with aqueous sodium bicarbonate, brine, dried over sodium sulfate, filtered and concentrated in vacuo to give a residue. The residue can be purified (silica gel chromatography) or converted directly. The resulting β-diketone is hydrolyzed with subsequent lactonization essentially according to the procedure of Tabuchi et al. (trifluoroacetic acid, dichloromethane; J. Org. Chem. 59, 4749, (1994)) to give the desired product, whose identity is confirmed by various means including proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and mass spectrometry.
EXAMPLE 3
[0033] Dihydromethysticin is synthesized essentially as follows. 10% Palladium on carbon (0.03 wt. eq.) is added to a 1M solution of methysticin (1 eq.) in tetrahydrofuran. The mixture is subjected to hydrogenation using a Parr apparatus at ca. 35 p.s.i. The mixture is filtered and the combined filtrates are concentrated (in vacuo, rotovap) to give a solid. The solid material is recrystallized ( i PrOH) to give the desired product, whose identity is confirmed by various means including proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry and mass spectrometry.
EXAMPLE 4
[0034] A crude EtOH extract of kava-kava (100 g) containing about 40 g of kavalactones (PureWorld botanicals, NJ) was suspended into a mixture of water (300 mL) and ethyl acetate (200 mL). After removal of insoluble residues, the organic layer was separated from the aqueous layer. The aqueous layer was further extracted with ethyl acetate (200 mL ×2) to produce organic extracts. All organic extracts were combined to obtain an organic solution, which was washed with a saturated NaCl solution (200 mL ×2), dried over anhydrous NaSO 4 , and dried. The resulting dark brown oil (45 g) was purified by column chromatography with 800 g of Kieselgel 60 (230-400 mesh ASTM, EM Science, Germany), n-hexane/ethyl acetate (2:1) being the eluting solvent. Pale yellow kavalactone fractions were collected and dried to produce a partially crystallized amorphous oil (36 g). The total content of the kavalactones in the product thus obtained was about 93% by weight. Each of the three kavalactones, dihydrokawain, dihydromethysticin, and kawain, was identified by high pressure liquid chromatography.
EXAMPLE 5
[0035] A crude EtOH extract of kava-kava (100 mL) containing about 15 g of kavalactones (PureWorld botanicals, NJ) was concentrated under reduced pressure to remove excess EtOH. The concentrated extract (60 mL) was purified by column chromatography with 500 g of Florisil (200mesh, Aldrich), n-hexane/ethyl acetate (2:1) being the eluting solvent. Yellow kavalactone fractions were collected and dried to produce a pale yellow amorphous oil (13 g). The total content of the kavalactones in the product thus obtained was about 95% by weight.
EXAMPLE 6
[0036] A light yellow kava-kava extract (10 g) containing about 5 g of kavalactones (extracted by Phasex Corp., MA) obtained by a supercritical fluid extraction method (V. J. Krukonis, ACS Symposium Series 289 (1984), pp 155-175) was purified by column chromatography with 300 g Aluminum Oxide, Neutral (J. T. Barker, NJ), with n-hexane/ethyl acetate (2:1) being the eluting solvent. Pale yellow kavalactone fractions were collected and dried to produce a partially crystallized amorphous oil (4.2 g). The total content of the kavalactones in the product thus obtained was about 95% by weight.
EXAMPLE 7
[0037] Composition of a kavalactones-containing cream of this invention:
chemical name wt. % kavalactones 10 glycerin 1 propylene glycol 1 polyglycerylmethacrylate 1 hydroxyethylcellulose 0.5 magnesium aluminum silicate 0.5 imidazolidinyl urea 0.5 disodium EDTA 0.05 petrolatum 2 isopropyl palmitate 5 dimethicone 0.5 cetyl alcohol 0.5 isostearic acid 3 PEG-40 stearate 1 PEG-100 stearate 1 sorbitan stearate 1 glycolic acid 7 ammonium hydroxide pH adjusted to 4.4 deionized water qs to 100%
EXAMPLE 8
[0038] Composition of another kavalactones-containing cream of this invention:
chemical name wt. % kavalactones 10 Isostearyl Isononanoate 2.5 propylene glycol 1 hydroxyethylcellulose 0.5 magnesium aluminum silicate 0.75 cocoa butter 1.2 petrolatum 2 isopropyl palmitate 5 dimethicone 0.5 stearic acid 3 isostearic acid 1.5 glycerol stearate 1.5 PEG-40 stearate 1 PEG-100 stearate 1 cetyl/stearyl alcohol 2.5 glycerin 2.5 glycolic acid 10 propylparaben 0.1 ammonium hydroxide pH adjusted to 3.8 deionized water qs to 100%
EXAMPLE 9
[0039] Composition of another kavalactones-containing cream of this invention:
chemical name wt. % beeswax 24.5 kavalactones 5 vegetable oil (jojoba oil) 70 propylparaben 0.5
Example 10
[0040] Composition of a cream, to which various amounts of kavalactones can be added:
ingredient wt (%) petrolatum 2 stearyl alcohol 0.5 isopropyl myristate 5 sorbitan monooleate 5 polyoxyl 40 stearate 5 propylene glycol 5 methylparaben 0.3 ammonium hydroxide pH adjusted to 4.4 deionized water qs to 100%
EXAMPLE 11
[0041] Composition of a kavalactones-containing jelly of this invention:
chemical name wt. % white petrolatum, USP 90 kavalactones 10
EXAMPLE 12
[0042] Composition of an oil-in-water emulsion, to which various amounts of kavalactones can be added:
chemical name wt. % xanthan gum 0.2 disodium EDTA 0.1 sodium PCA 0.5 diazodinyl urea 0.3 titanium dioxide 1 stearic acid 3 cyclomethicone 0.3 cetyl alcohol 0.5 glyceryl stearate 0.5 PEG-100 stearate 0.5 steareth-2 0.2 lecithin 0.5 tocopherol 0.2 octyl methoxycinnamate 6 glucono-1,5-lactone 6 glycolic acid 3 malic acid 2 lactic acid 2 green tea extract 1 triethanolamine pH adjusted to 3.8 deionized water qs to 100%
EXAMPLE 13
[0043] A patient with rheumatoid arthritis (left leg, joint) was unresponsive to several oral medications. A composition containing 5 g of cream (as described in Example 10) and 500 mg of kavalactones (as extract prepared according to Example 4) was administrated to the joint three times a day. Substantial relief of the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms was achieved 30 min after topically applying the kavalactones-containing cream to the joint.
EXAMPLE 14
[0044] A patient suffered from chronic lower back problems, which could not be relieved by oral drugs (such as aspirin and ibuprofen). Substantial relief of the symptoms (e.g., relief from burning sensation in the affected area. general relief to resume daily activity (e.g., walking) was achieved 10 min after applying the kavalactones-containing cream described in Example 13 to the back.
EXAMPLE 15
[0045] A patient suffers from fibromylagia symptoms in the left knee. Ten minutes after applying the kavalactones-containing cream described in Example 13 to the knee, the patient felt relief from discomfort.
EXAMPLE 16
[0046] A patient suffers from periodontitis (molars). Ten minutes after applying a kavalactones-containing jelly described in Example 11 (using kavalactone extract prepared according to Example 4) to the gum area, the symptoms were ameliorated, including reduced redness of the affected area and relief from discomfort.
EXAMPLE 17
[0047] Four subjects were exposed to topical capsaicin at 1% in two extremities. After approximately 1 hour, when the burning became quite intense, either placebo or 30% kava was applied to the effective area in a blinded fashion. All subjects reported a marked reduction in the burning associated with capsaicin in the side receiving capsaicin but not in the side receiving the placebo. This indicates that kava (e.g., kavalactones) were able to counteract the burning (secondary and primary hyperalgesia) associated with capsaicin.
EXAMPLE 18
[0048] Topical kava was applied to three individuals with intractable myofascial and osteoarthritis pain. All patients had a complete reduction in pain. This pain relief lasted 8-24 hours with a single application.
Example 19
[0049] A 1% capsaicin cream was prepared by mixing of 455 g of EUCERIN creme with 10 ml of EtOH solution and 5 g natural capsaicin (trans-8-methyl-N-vanilyl-6-noneamide) (purchased from Aldrich Chemical Company, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis.).
Other Embodiments
[0050] While a number of embodiments of this invention have been described, it is apparent that they can be altered to provide other embodiments that utilize the products and processes of this invention. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of this invention is to be defined by the claims rather than by the specific embodiments that have been represented by way of example. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
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This invention relates to methods of using compositions having health enhancing qualities, and more particularly to compositions having kavalactones, as well as use and preparation of the compositions.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to knitting machines and more particularly concerns an electromechanical needle selection mechanism for a knitting machine having a needle bed accomodating a plurality of needles and associated jacks.
In such knitting machines, each needle is controlled by a pushing member or jack for selectively lifting the needle to perform a knitting operation. The selector members are controlled by an electromagnet and have the task of placing the jack as required in an active position, from which position a cam lifts the jack, and the jack lifts the needle until a needle butt engages a cam which then lifts the needle to knit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Some of the known mechanisms comprise two electromagnets and a permanent magnet attached to the selector member to return this to its rest position. With this arrangement, the selector member moves from one electromagnet to the other when the polarity their is inverted. These systems require a double number of electromagnets, with all the disadvantages that this entails.
A further known device uses two counteracting springs associated with each needle. One of these springs tends to hold the associated jack constantly in the selection position. At each feed, the second of said springs engages a fixed cam which cocks it with centrifugal movement to move it into the proximity of a fixed selection electromagnet. If the needle is not to be selected, this electromagnet repels said second spring which then engages a second cam which moves it in a centripetal direction. During this movement, this second spring presses the jack against the action of said first spring and thus separates it from a lifting cam. Otherwise, the electromagnet holds this second spring until it engages with the second cam, thereby preventing it from operating against the first spring, so that said jack is raised by the lifting cam.
With this device, the electromagnet works only on contact with the spring, which is an advantage over the constructions wherein the electromagnet must attract the spring itself.
However, this construction has from many other disadvantages. In the first place, it only allows selection at a single level per feed. Each needle has to be provided with two counteracting springs. Consequently, there is twice the number of springs as needles.
The second spring works under disadvantageous conditions as a result of having to overcome the bias of the first spring.
It is known that in this construction, the means allowing a reduction of the power of the electromagnet have concomitant disadvantages which are substantially as troublesome as those they allow to be overcome, so that the proposed solution does not provide any real technical progress.
Moreover, certain knitting machines use selection at several levels by disposing several stacked selectors for each feed, in order to increase the time available for performing selection, giving the possibility of accelerating the speed of relative movement of the selectors and the needle bed carrying the needles and, consequently, of increasing production.
Therefore, it is important that the selection devices used should be neither too large nor too expensive, while still providing complete operational reliability. The space occupied and the price of electromagnets are significant if one consider that a machine may have, for example, 48 feeds of 10 selectors each, making a total of 480 selectors. Thus, if each selector uses two electromagnets, as in one of the aforementioned solutions, 960 electromagnets would be needed.
Other devices provide for a sliding movement of the selector members for engagement with the corresponding electromagnet and they generally have the disadvantage of requiring very close tolerances in the limits of such movement. If the movement is insufficient, the selector member does not contact the electromagnet and this is not strong enough to attract the member, whereby the required selection does not take place. On the other hand, if the selector member contacts the electromagnet prior to its position of maximum recoil, friction and tension are produced causing operational deficiencies in the knitting machine's mechanical performance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to remedy, at least partially, the abovementioned disadvantages, while increasing the operational reliability of the knitting machine.
According to the invention there is provided a needle selection mechanism for a knitting machine of the type having a frame; a needle bed rotatively movable relative to said frame; a plurality of needles mounted in said needle bed and capable of occupying two positions, a working position and a rest position; needle bed drive means; means for lifting said needles from one of said positions to the other and vice versa; selection means for said means comprising at least one selector member mounted to the machine frame and capable of occupying an active position wherein it engages the needle moving means and an inoperative position wherein it is dissociated from said means, resilient return means tending to urge said selector member constantly to a first of said positions, cocking members adapted for moving said selector member from said first position to the other of said positions, against the force of said resilient return means and electromagnet means for selectively retaining said selector member in said other of said positions in accordance with a programmed control.
According to the invention there is also provided a knitting machine characterised in that there are selector members at a plurality of levels and each selector member is provided, in the direction of rotation of the needle bed, with a first or selection cam shaped portion and a second or cocking member engaging portion and in that said needle lifting means comprises, for each needle, a transmission jack among other items, housed in a vertical slot of the needle bed and capable of longitudinal movement in said slot, said jack having a butt adapted to be engaged by said selection cam shaped portion and also adapted to act as cocking member against said selector member second portion, so that in a first stage said selector member first portion selectively causes longitudinal movement of said transmission jack in said needle bed slot, according to whether said selector member is in said first or said other of said positions and in a second stage said selector member, if it is in said first of said positions, is moved to said other of said positions by said butt acting as cocking member engaging said selector member second portion, said selector member selectively remaining in said other of said positions according to whether it is held or released by said electromagnet means, whereby said selector member selectively acts on the following transmission jack having a butt at the same level.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each selector member is so housed in the frame that it occupies a substantially radial position with respect to the needle bed, being restricted to radial movement and having at its front end an upper surface having the form of an upwardly inclined selector plane, said inclined plane having at the top portion thereof an angular slot, the apex of which is always located further removed from the axis of the needle bed than the end of the transmission jack butt and having a first side radial with respect to the needle bed and a second side forming an acute angle with the said first side towards the needle bed so as to be closer thereto than the end of the transmission jack butt when the selector member is in the first of said positions, so that in a first stage the selector member front end inclined selector plane engages or misses the transmission jack butt according to whether said selector member is in the first or in the other of said positions, whereby said transmission jack is caused to rise longitudinally in said needle bed slot or is left unengaged, respectively, and in a second stage, if the selector member is in the first of said positions, when the butt reaches the height of the first side of said angular slot, said butt , acting as cocking member, engages the second side of said angular slot and pushes the selector member in a radial direction with respect to said needle bed towards said other position in which said selector member remains according to whether it is held or not retained by said electromagnetic means, whereby the selector member acts on or misses the following transmission jack having a butt at the same level.
According to the invention, there is provided an insert for attachment to the end of the selector member adjacent the electromagnetic holding means in such a way as to allow a slight variation of the relative positions radially between the insert and the selector member with respect to the needle bed there being also resilient means tending to urge the insert and the selector member towards longest possible length of the assembly, in said relative radial position.
According to the invention, said insert preferably is of straight section in U shape suitable for embracing the end of the selector member and being attached thereto with a transversal pin attached fixed to said insert and which goes through a bore of the selector member which has a larger diameter than said pin and wherein said spring means comprise at least one spring bearing against the bottom of the U-shaped cavity of the insert and urging against the selector member end edge, thereby tending to urge the insert and the selector member towards the longest possible length of the assembly in said relative radial position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
To facilitate an understanding of the above ideas, reference is made hereinafter to the accompanying drawing which, in view of its explanatory nature must be considered as devoid of any limitation with respect to the scope of legal protection applied for. In the drawing:
FIG. 1A is a general front elevation, partly in section, of a Jacquard type circular knitting machine, from which several members attached to the machine frame, such as legs, a feed, creel, and a take-up, beam, have been omitted.
FIG. 1 is a partial diametrical cross sectional view along the line I--I of FIG. 1A, showing six selection levels.
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a needle and means for moving same arranged with respect to the cams guiding such movement.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the selection device showing twelve selection levels.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a selector member, separated from its housing in the frame, with the corresponding electromagnet.
FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of the selector member along the line V--V of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic front view of the front end of the selector member and of the butts of two consecutive transmission jacks having the butt at the same level, before the leading one engages the selector member.
FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are respective diagrammatic views of the same members in successive positions.
FIGS. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 are diagrammatic views in the direction of the needle bed axis of a selector member and its electromagnet and the transmission jack having a butt situated at the level corresponding to the selector member, in relative positions shown respectively in FIGS. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The knitting machine exemplified in the drawing is a circular Jacquard-type knitting machine. Nevertheless, it is obvious that the principles of the selection mechanism more particularly described and shown are applicable to the selection of needles of flat knitting machines.
In FIG. 1A, in particular, there is to be seen a circular knitting machine C the needle bed of which (not shown) is mounted rotatably in a frame B and is caused to rotate around an axis A by a motor M.
A plurality of radial slots 2, one of which is to be seen in FIG. 1, are arranged in the outer surface of the needle bed 1. Each slot houses a needle 3, the upper end of which terminates in a latch 3a, a pusher member or intermediate jack 4 and a transmission jack 5. The needle 3, intermediate jack 4 and selection jack 5 all fit in the slot 2, so as to be able to slide longitudinally with friction therein.
Needle 3 is provided with a butt 3b for engaging came 6 for lifting said needle 3. Intermediate jack 4 is provided with a butt 4a for engaging cams 7 which lift said jack 4.
The transmission jack 5 is provided with a butt 5a for engaging an edge 8a of a cancellation cam 8, as will be explained more fully hereinafter.
Transmission jack 5 is further provided with a butt 9. As is also to be seen in FIG. 1, the butts 9 of successive transmission jacks 5 are at different levels for a purpose to be explained more fully hereinafter.
A selection device 10 is mounted to frame B by a support 11 provided with means 12 for attachment thereto. Said selection device 10 comprises a plurality of selector members 13, six of which are exemplified in the FIG. 1 embodiment and twelve in the FIG. 3 embodiment. Such selector members are so housed in the device 10 that they occupy a generally radial position with respect to the needle bed and are capable of radial movement only. Said selection device 10 is provided with a connector 10a for connection to the programmed control, not shown. The device 10 is externally protected by a casing 10b bearing against the annular support 10c.
In the embodiments exemplified in the Figures, said selector members 13 are in strip form and are inclined upwardly in the direction of rotation of the needle bed. The front end 14 of said selector members 13 is a flat which, in view of the position of the selector members, is upwardly inclined, the upper end being interrupted by an angular notch 15, the apex of which is located always further removed from the axis of the needle bed than the edge 16 of butt 9 of transmission jack 5 (FIG. 1). Said angular slot 15 has a first side 17 arranged radially with respect to the needle bed and its second side 18 forms an acute angle with respect to said first side so that its end furthest away from the apex is closer to the needle bed than said edge 16 of butt 9 of transmission jack 5 when the selector member 13 is in its nearest possible position to the needle bed 1.
Selector member 13 is provided with a spring 19 which is attached to said member 13 and to a pin 20 attached to selection device 10 and tends to hold the selector member 13 in its closest possible position to the needle bed, its radially inward movement being limited by means not illustrated in the Figures. Its range of radially outward movement is sufficient for its front end to be farther removed from the needle bed 1 than the front edge 16 of butt 9.
The rear end of selector member 13 is provided with a bore 21 (FIG. 5) and is embraced by open-ended box a U-shaped member 22. Selector member 13 is attached to its corresponding U-shaped member 22 by a pin 23 fixed in the arms 24 of said U-shaped member 22 and crossing through the bore 21 of selector member 13, the diameter of said bore 21 being greater than that of the pin 13. Between the arms 24 of said box member 22 there are springs 25 having one end bearing against the bottom of the U and the other end bearing against the end edge of selector member 13, thereby tending to urge said U-shaped member 22 and selector member 13 into relative positions wherein the ensemble of the two takes on its maximum length.
This same selection device 10 is provided with electromagnets 26 which hold the corresponding selector member 13 on contacting the rear end of said U-shaped member, provided that such electromagnets 26 have been correspondingly energised in accordance with the programmed control.
As has already been said, the motor causes the needle bed 1 to rotate in the direction of the arrow F (FIGS. 6 and 12) and the transmission jack 5 moves in the same direction. If the selector member 13 corresponding to the level of butt 9 is not retained by the corresponding electromagnet 26, said selector member 13 is urged by the spring 19 to its closest possible position to the needle bed 1.
When butt 9 of transmission jack 5 engages the selector member 13, the butt 9 is driven along the upwardly inclined slope of the front end 14 and the jack 5 starts to rise in the slot 2 (FIGS. 7 and 13). When butt 9 reaches the level of the first side 17 of the angular slot 15 (FIGS. 8 and 14) said butt ceases rising and moves in the direction of the arrow F, whereby the edge 16 of butt 9 engages the second side 18 of the angular slot 15 (FIGS. 9 and 15) whereby the selector member 13 is moved radially outwards and backwards and approaches the electromagnet until it is cocked (FIGS. 10 and 16) when the rear end of U-shaped member 22 contacts the electromagnet 26.
If the following needle, having the butt 9' of its transmission jack 5' at the same level as the previous one, is to knit then the programmed control device sends no signal to the electromagnet 26 and if said needle is not to knit, then a signal is sent.
Let it be assumed that the electromagnet 26 has received a signal. In such case, the selector member 13 remains attracted to the electromagnet 26 and when the butt 9' comes face to face with the selector member 13 (FIGS 11 and 17), said butt 9' does not engage the sloped surface of the selector member since this is further removed from the needle bed and therefore, the needle corresponding to such jack is not selected.
If, on the other hand, no signal is sent to the electromagnet 26, then spring 19 urges the selector member 13 to recover its original position, that is, the position closest to the needle bed 1. In this position the selector member 13 can engage butt 9' and select the corresponding needle, whereby the selector member is cocked again to determine selection or non-selection of the following needle having its selection jack butt at the same level as the previous ones.
This action of the selector member 13 on the butt 9 and, therefore on the selection jack 5, causes this jack to slide upwards in the slot 2, causing said jack 5 so to engage intermediate jack 4 that the butt 4a thereof is engaged by the cams 7, which move it and cause the lifting of needle 3 until the butt 3b thereof engages cams 6 and said needle 3 is lifted to knit.
When the edge 8a of cam 8 engages the upper edge of butt 5a, it acts as a cancellation cam and causes the jack 5 to slide downwards, if it has previously risen, and therefore places said jack 5 in a position to be engaged again by the following selector member as required.
The sliding movement of the selector member requires some very close tolerances, since if these are not respected the radially outward movement may not be sufficient to cause contact of the selector member with the electromagnet, and this does not have sufficient force to attract the latter or, otherwise, the selector member strip could contact the electromagnet before its maximum recoil position, thereby causing friction and tensions causing operational deficiencies in the machines mechanical performance.
Therefore, the U-shaped member 22 is urged by the springs 25 to the position of maximum separation with respect to the rear end of the selector member 13. When edge 16 of butt 9 engages the second side 18 of the angular slot 15, the selector member 13 starts moving radially outwardly and presses against the spring 25, without overcoming it, and spring 15, acting against the bottom of the U-shaped cavity, moves the U-shaped member 22 to contact with the electromagnet 26. If the butt 9 were to continue urging the selector member 13 after contact had been made, the selector member 13 would continue in its radially outward movement, overcoming the strength of spring 25, without this movement causing movement of the U-shaped member 22, as a result of the play of the pin 23 in the larger diameter bore 21. Although reference has been made in the foregoing description to a single selection level, it should be understood that it is applicable to all the available selection levels of the knitting machine.
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A needle selection mechanism for knitting machines wherein each selector member has a selection cam portion and a cocking member engaging portion which cocking member is constituted by a jack butt adapted to be selected by the selector member and in turn cock the selector member whereby the latter, when held by an electromagnetic misses the following selector jack having a butt at the same level, and when released thereby engages said following selector jack.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to clothes dryers and more particularly to a heater assembly and mounting arrangement for use in a clothes dryer utilizing electric heat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In clothes dryers it is required that there be a source of heat to sufficiently heat air drawn through the dryer by a blower in order to effectively dry a wet clothes load. Such heat sources include gas burners as well as electric resistance elements.
In the case of electrical resistance elements used as a heating source, it is common that the resistance element be placed within an air conduit or chamber immediately upstream of an air inlet opening which leads into the interior of the dryer drum. Normally, this air conduit or chamber is located on the back wall of the dryer cabinet. For example, such a construction as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,409 in which the heater 18 is mounted behind the rear bulkhead of the dryer in a vertical orientation just upstream of the air inlet openings in the rear bulkhead.
The placement of the heating element at the back of the dryer requires that the back of the dryer be accessible if service to the heating element is required. This often requires the dryer, which is heavy and bulky, to be pulled out of an installed location and sometimes requires the service man to work in a somewhat cramped space. Thus, it would be advantageous to mount the heater element such that it could be serviced from the front side of the dryer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides for a construction for a heater box in which the heater box and the heater element are accessible from a front of the dryer and can be completely removed from the dryer cabinet without requiring the back of the dryer to be accessed.
The present invention provides a heater box which has a frustoconical end receivable in a rear air chamber opening with a slip fit. A front end is attached to a mounting bracket which is in turn secured to the frame of the dryer cabinet closely adjacent to the front of the dryer. A removable front toe panel of the dryer cabinet conceals the heater box, and upon removal of the toe panel the heater box is readily accessible and can be easily removed by detaching the mounting bracket from the frame thereby permitting the entire heater box to be withdrawn from the cabinet because of the slip fit of the frustoconical end at the rear wall of the cabinet.
The bracket spaces the heater box above an inner floor or bottom panel of the cabinet to permit the passage of a dryer exhaust conduit to pass below the heater box as is more specifically described in copending application Ser. No. 924,309. The mounting bracket is resilient and acts as a spring to continuously bias the heater box rearwardly into engagement with the air chamber opening.
The repositioning of the heating element from a normally vertical orientation behind the rear bulkhead to a horizontal orientation within the cabinet below the dryer drum poses a problem not present in the previous mounting arrangements. When the heating element becomes hot, the coil of the element sags due to gravity and, since the heating coil is carried on a flat metal plate, the chance of the coil sagging into contact with the metal plate and thereby short circuiting under extreme conditions becomes a possibility. Therefore, in addition to mounting the coil on insulator posts, the plate carrying the heater coil is perforated by a series of openings spaced between the insulating posts to remove any metal below those portions of the coil which are subject to sag. The holes in the plate also enhance the force convection heat transfer of the heat element.
The coil carrying plate can be slid into and out of the heater box by means of opposed grooves formed in the side walls of the heater box. A single threaded fastener is utilized to secure the coil carrying plate into position.
A heat shield is attached to the bracket between the front end of the heater box and the toe panel to reflect heat back into the heater assembly making it more efficient and to prevent the toe panel from getting hot. The shield can be removed for easy access to the heat element without requiring removal of the heater box.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dryer embodying the principles of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the dryer illustrating the location of the heater box.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the heater box taken generally along the line III--III of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a front view of the heater box taken generally along the line IV--IV of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a partial view of the heating element and insulation posts.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view through the heater box taken generally along the lines VI--VI of FIG. 4.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 1 there is illustrated a horizontal axis clothes dryer embodying the principles of the present invention. The dryer is comprised of a cabinet 12 having a front panel 14 with an openable door 16 revealing an access opening 18. A console 20 having presetable controls 22 thereon allows an operator to preselect a program of automatic drying and tumbling in a laundry drying process. The door 16 in the front panel 14 of the cabinet 12 permits access through the access opening 18 into the interior of a drum 24 having open ends which is rotatably mounted within the cabinet 12.
Below the drum but within the cabinet 12 on one side of the cabinet there is provided an electric motor 26 which rotatably drives the drum by means of a belt 28 and also drives a blower 29. A stationary back wall 32 is provided which has inlet openings 31 (FIG. 2) within the drum for the passage of air circulated by the blower 29 which is used in the drying process. The blower 29 draws air from the drum 24 through a lint filter 34 positioned below the door 16. A heater 33 conditions the air before it enters the drum through the inlet openings. The stationary back wall also has mounted thereon two rollers 30 which support the rear portion of the drum 24. A front portion of the drum is supported by a pair of additional rollers (not shown). A stationary drum front bulkhead 36 is provided between the dryer front panel 14 and the rotating drum 24.
The particulars of the heater 33 are shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2-6.
In FIG. 2 it is seen that the heater 33 is positioned within the dryer cabinet 12 below the drum 24 and on a side opposite that of the placement of the motor 26 shown in FIG. 1. As illustrated more particularly in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 it is seen that the heater 33 is comprised of a plurality of elements including a heater box 40 which is substantially rectangular in cross section from an open front end 42 rearwardly to a transition area 44 where it flairs outwardly to a circular circumference at 46 from which it continues rearwardly with a frustoconical shape to terminate at an open rear end 48 having a circular circumference.
The rectangular portion of the box can be constructed from a single piece of sheet metal having an upstanding crimped edge 50 forming a rib extending along the front to rear length of the heater box 40 which provides structural strength for the box. The box 40 has a pair of opposed sidewalls 52 each having an interior groove or channel 54 formed therein by appropriate bends in the sheet metal. The front end 42 of the heater box 40 comprises a substantially rectangular opening through which air is drawn by action of the blower 29. The rear end 48 of the heater box 40 is received in a sleeve portion 56 of an air conduit or chamber 58 which connects the heater box 40 to the air inlet openings 31 extending through the rear wall 32 of the dryer drum.
The sleeve portion 56 has a front end 58 which is flared outwardly toward the heater box 40 to snugly mate with the frustoconical shape of the rear end 48 of the heater box. In this manner, a slip fit is provided between the heater box 40 and the sleeve portion 56 precluding the need for additional fasteners between the heater box 40 and the sleeve portion 56. Thus, manual access to the sleeve portion area is not required for assembly or disassembly of the sleeve and heater box connection in that the heater box can be guided rearwardly to engage with the sleeve portion from the front of the dryer.
A support bracket 62 is provided which is attached at a top end 64 near the front end 42 of the heater box 40 by a pair of threaded fasteners 66. A bottom end 68 of the bracket 62 is secured to a bottom wall 70 of the dryer cabinet 12, again by a pair of threaded fasteners 72. The bracket 62 is sufficiently tall to space the heater box 40 above the bottom wall 70 of the dryer cabinet 12 to permit an air exhaust conduit (indicated by dashed lines 73 in FIG. 3) to pass beneath it to exit through a sidewall in the dryer cabinet as is described in greater detail in pending application Ser. No. 924,309.
A reflective shield member 74 is attached to a front side of the bracket 62 by a threaded fastener 76 and also includes a bent tab 78 which extends into a punched opening 80 in the bracket 62 to prevent rotation of the reflective shield 74 about the fastener 76 on the bracket 62. The reflective shield has a generally rectangularly shaped upper end 81 which has an outer periphery slightly larger than the generally rectangular front open end 42 of the heater box 40. The upper end 81 of the reflective shield member is spaced forwardly away from the open front end 42 of the heater box and substantially horizontally blocks the open front end 42 as is seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The upper rectangular portion 81 reflects radiant heat from a heater element 82 positioned within the heater box 40 back through the front open end 42 into the heater box to increase the efficiency of the heater 33. The reflective shield 62 also prevents a removable or openable toe panel 84 positioned on the dryer 10 below the front panel 14 from becoming hot.
The heater element 82 may comprise an electrical resistance element mounted on a plate member 84, but being spaced therefrom by a plurality of insulating posts 86. The resistance element is a coiled wire which is arranged in an open figure eight arrangement suspended by the insulating posts 86 below the plate 84 and continues into an open figure eight arrangement supported by posts 86 above the plate as is illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 5.
The plate 84 is provided with a plurality of openings 87 therethrough positioned between the posts 86. The openings 87 increase the air flow around the heater element which increases the efficiency of the heater while permitting the use of an easy to manufacture plate for a mounting member. The openings also decrease the small possibility of a short which might occur if the coiled wire of the heater element, when hot, were to sag an extreme amount under the influence of gravity. The combination of insulator posts and plate openings will effectively remove the possibility of such shorts.
The plate 84 has a pair of downwardly extending legs 88 running front to rear along either lateral side of the plate. These legs are received within the channels 54 formed in the sidewalls 52 of the heater box. Thus, the plate 84 with the heater element 82 mounted thereon can be placed into the heater box 40 by positioning the legs 88 within the channels 54 and sliding the plate 84 rearwardly.
A pair of dimples 90 are formed in the channels 54 toward the rear of the heater box 40, which dimples project inwardly and function to guide and space the heater plate 84 as it is pushed into its final position. Also, a dimple 92 is formed on one of the downwardly extending legs 88 of the heater plate 84 near a front end thereof to guide the plate and space it from the channel wall. The opposite downwardly extending leg 88 has a mounting arm 94 attached thereto which projects forwardly from a front end 96 of the heater plate. The arm 94 can be secured to the heater box 40 by means of a threaded fastener 96 such that the heater box and heater plate can be moved and installed as a single unit. Such an attachment also permits the heater element to be easily removed from the heater box without removing the heater box from the dryer. Just the single threaded fastener 96 need be removed once the reflecting shield 74 is removed in order to withdraw the heater plate 84 and heater element 82 from the heater box 40.
The heater element 82 has electrical plug connections 98 which are secured through insulated fasteners 100 to a front end of the extension arm 94. Through these connections 98 the heating element 82 can be connected to the control circuitry of the dryer 10. The extension arm 84 has an outwardly turned tab 102 which engages a stop end 104 in the heater box side channel 56 to ensure a positive location of the heater plate 84 relative to the heater box 40. When the tab 102 abuts the stop 104, openings in the heater box 40 and extension plate 94 will align such that the threaded fastener 96 can be threaded into the two parts.
A thermostat 106 and an over temperature sensor 108 are provided in the sidewall of the heater box 40 and are connected to the dryer control circuitry by appropriate electrical connections.
It is thus seen that a heater assembly is provided for a clothes dryer which is easily mounted into the dryer cabinet an removable from the dryer cabinet from the front side of the dryer simply by removal of the toe panel and a pair of threaded fasteners. Either the entirety of the heater assembly can be removed or, if desired, just the heater element can be removed. Even though the heater element is placed in a horizontal position, it is protected against shorts by insulating posts and strategically placed openings in the heater plate. The efficiency of the heater box is enhanced by the provision of a reflective shield in front of a front opening and by the holes in the heater plate.
As is apparent from the foregoing specification, the invention is susceptible of being embodied with various alterations and modifications which may differ particularly from those that have been described in the preceding specification and description. It should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.
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A heater assembly and mounting arrangement are provided for a clothes dryer in which a heater box carrying the heater element is positioned within the dryer cabinet and is accessible for servicing and replacement from the front of the dryer. A rear end of the heater box slip fits into an air conduit which channels heated air into the dryer drum. The heater box is secured by a single bracket near the front of the dryer. The heater element is separately removable from the heater box, being slidably mounted between opposed grooves in the box and secured by a single threaded fastener.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of application SPRING-BAG PRINTER INK CARTRIDGE WITH VOLUME INDICATOR, David S. Hunt, Ser. No. 07/717,735, filed Jun. 19, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,353.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to ink reservoirs for high speed ink printers such as color business printers and, more specifically, to residual ink volume indicators for ink reservoirs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The problem of monitoring ink level in all types of high speed printers such as ink-jet printers with ink reservoirs has been variously addressed. So-called back pressure indicators require a plurality of complex seals within the pen cartridge assembly and are therefore relatively expensive and tend to be unreliable. Other ink volume indicators rely on measurement of ink bulk conductivity. The conductivity of the ink is difficult to control and there is the likelihood that future ink improvements could make such a system obsolete.
There have also been attempts to count the "dots" or drops from a given pen. The counters, actuators and sensors needed for such systems make them relatively expensive. Furthermore, accuracy is compromised by the need to assume an average drop volume for all pens. Interruptions such as caused by removal of a pen/cartridge assembly or shut-down of the printer are a further source of unreliability since the record of the number of drops fired from the ink jet since the last update is likely to be lost.
Prior art known to applicants comprises U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,196,625; 4,202,267; 4,371,790; 4,415,886; 4,551,734; 4,587,535; 4,626,874; 4,719,475; and 4,935,751; and pending application Ser. No. 07/423,158 filed Oct. 18, 1989 in the names of John Mohr, et al for a CAPILLARY RESERVOIR INK LEVEL SENSOR and now owned by the assignee of the present invention.
With the exception of U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,751 which is discussed below, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,535 which discloses a system of the pressure sensing type, all of the above patents describe monitoring systems which rely on measurement or detection of ink conductivity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,751, owned by the assignee of the present invention, discloses a mechanical level sensor for an ink bag which employs a rigid plate secured to one side of a collapsible ink bag wherein one end of the strip is visible through a window in the ink bag housing. Although the position of the edge of the indicator strip is indicative of the remaining amount of ink in the bag, an "empty" indication appears although an amount of useable ink remains in the bag.
Also of interest are prior co-pending U.S. patent applications Ser. No. 07/929,615 filed Aug. 12, 1992 by Kaplinsky, et. al entitled COLLAPSIBLE INK RESERVOIR STRUCTURE AND PRINTER INK CARTRIDGE and Ser. No. 07/928,811 filed Aug. 11, 1992 by Khodapanah, et. al entitled INK PRESSURE REGULATOR FOR A THERMAL INK-JET PRINTER, both owned by the assignee of the present application.
Further developments of this collapsible bag technology are disclosed in the U.S. patent applications filed on the same day as this application titled METAL COVER ATTACHMENT TECHNIQUE FOR THERMAL INKJET PEN by inventors Dale D. Timm, Jr., et. al Ser. No. 07/994,810; RIGID LOOP CASE STRUCTURE FOR THERMAL INK-JET PEN by inventors David W. Swanson, et. al Ser. No. 07/994,808; and TWO MATERIAL FRAME HAVING DISSIMILAR PROPERTIES FOR THERMAL INK-JET CARTRIDGE by inventors David W. Swanson, et. al Ser. No. 07/994,807 all owned by the assignee of the present invention.
None of the foregoing references provides a simple and inexpensive ink volume indicator. In fact, even if the enclosure is transparent, visual observation of ink in a collapsible ink bag reservoir is not reliable since the collapse of the reservoir as ink is used does not produce direct level change although volume change is, of course, occurring.
One example of an improved ink volume indicator is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/717,735, filed Jun. 19, 1991, U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,353, entitled SPRING-BAG PRINTER INK CARTRIDGE WITH VOLUME INDICATOR filed by David S. Hunt and W. Bruce Reid and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The cartridge disclosed in that application basically comprises a rectangular housing containing a flexible bag of ink, an ink filter and a print head which receives ink from the filter. A spring inside of the bag of ink urges its flexible walls apart from each other thus maintaining a negative or sub-atmospheric pressure in the reservoir which is overcome as ink is emitted from the print head. The manner in which the invention advances the state of the art in respect to ink volume monitoring in a collapsible reservoir assembly will be evident from the following description of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An ink cartridge with an ink supply reservoir comprising an external case member; an internal ink reservoir having a movable portion which moves from a first position when said reservoir is full through an intermediate position when said reservoir is partially empty to a third position when said reservoir is substantially empty; tab means attached at one end to said movable portion of said internal ink reservoir, for indicating the change in amount of ink in said ink reservoir; and guide means attached to said external case member for defining a passageway to receive said tab means, said guide means including a top surface for displaying visual indicia and a bottom surface for completely overlying said tab means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ink cartridge assembly of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the ink cartridge and reservoir assembly and ink level indicating elements.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pressure regulator assembly.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of ink cartridge with cover plates removed to show slot in the outer peripheral frame.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of ink cartridge with cover plate removed to show indicator strip passing through the slot in the outer peripheral frame.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cover plate showing tab extensions.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the ink cartridge assembly and ink level indicator device with the cover plate removed.
FIG. 8 is a side view of the ink cartridge without the outer cover plate.
FIG. 9 is a top view of FIG. 8 showing a window in an overlaying film strip and indicia on an underlying strip indicating the condition of nearly full ink supply.
FIG. 10 is a top view of FIG. 8 showing the window in the overlying film strip and the indicia on the underlying film strip indicating the condition of nearly depleted ink supply.
FIGS. 11a and 11b are a top view of the front and back of the window device of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a simplified perspective view of the installation of the ink cartridge of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, an ink cartridge 50 is depicted for enclosing a spring biased collapsible ink reservoir. This ink cartridge is usually made of opaque material such as plastic or metal and is comprised of an outer peripheral frame 10 and a pair of parallel opposed cover plates 46 (not shown) and 48 which are affixed to the outer peripheral frame 10 by welding, gluing or press fitting after installation of the internal components. A preferred method of affixing cover plates 46 (not shown), 48 to outer peripheral frame 10 is described in an U.S. patent application filed on the same day as this application entitled METAL COVER ATTACHMENT TECHNIQUE FOR THERMAL INK-JET PEN, by inventors Dale D. Timm, et. al, U.S. Ser. No. 07/994,810, filed Dec. 22, 1992, which is herein incorporated by reference. The snout portion 11 of the ink cartridge 50 has an ink discharge aperture 12 (not shown) in its end portion (at the bottom in FIG. 1) to which is affixed an electrically driven print head (not shown).
Referring to FIG. 2, the sidewalls of the reservoir are identified at 42, 44. A collapsible reservoir system comprised of a relatively rigid inner peripheral frame 20 and a pair of ink reservoir sidewalls 42, 44 at least one of which is flexible material attached thereto is mounted in outer peripheral frame 10. Preferably, inner peripheral frame 20 is molded with the outer peripheral frame 10 in a two step injection molding process. Preferably inner peripheral frame 20 is formed of a softer and lower melting point plastic than the plastic of outer peripheral frame 10 to permit heat bonding of the reservoir sidewalls 42, 44 thereto along the side edges 20a, 20b of inner peripheral frame 20. Alternatively, inner frame 20 may be separately constructed with some flexibility to assist in mounting it in the peripheral frame 10, but the frame 20 is rigid relative to the flexible ink reservoir sidewalls described below. The inner peripheral frame 20 has a pair of opposite side edges 20a, 20b to which the flexible ink reservoir sidewalls 42, 44 are respectively joined as by heat welding at their peripheral edges to form the external reservoir structure. A preferred method of constructing inner and outer peripheral frames 20, 10 is described in an United States patent application filed on the same day as this application entitled TWO MATERIAL FRAME HAVING DISSIMILAR PROPERTIES FOR THERMAL INK-JET CARTRIDGE by inventors David W. Swanson, et. al, U.S. Ser. No. 07/994,807, filed Dec. 22, 1992), which is herein incorporated by reference.
FIG. 3 shows the pressure regulator 30 assembly. The pressure regulator sideplates 32, 34 may be individually cut from a continuous strip of metal such as stainless steel, each plate being of generally rectangular configuration with rounded corners to minimize damaging the flexible reservoir sidewalls. The bow springs 36 also may conveniently be cut from a common strip of metal such as stainless steel. The bow spring 36 may be affixed, preferably by spot or laser welding at the apexes of each of its bights 37 centrally onto each of the sideplates 32, 34. An optional protective bonded layer in the form of a thin, but tough polyethylene cover layer 38, 39 having an acrylic adhesive on one surface thereof is press bonded to the outer surface of each side plate 32, 34. The cover layers 38, 39 are each sized slightly larger than the side plates 32, 34 so that a marginal width of a few millimeters of the cover layers extends beyond each edge of the metal plates 32, 34 to prevent those edges from contacting the comparatively delicate reservoir wall sidewalls 42, 44.
The pressure regulator 30 is centrally positioned in the inner peripheral frame 20 and the two flexible ink reservoir sidewalls or 42, 44 are then heat bonded or cemented at their peripheral edges to the outer edge walls 20a, 20b of the inner peripheral frame 20, respectively, with care being taken to maintain the central positioning at all time of the regulator 30 in inner peripheral frame 20 between the flexible sidewalls 42, 44. The reservoir sidewalls 42, 44 may then be securely affixed to the pressure regulator 30 sideplates 32, 34 preferably by heat bonding the reservoir sidewalls 42, 44 to the sideplates 32. 34 or to the cover layers 41, 51 if present in the area shown as 42b, 44b in FIG. 2. This heat sealing has the primary purpose of preventing relative motion between the pressure regulator 30 and preventing direct contact of the metal sideplates 32, 34 with the relatively delicate reservoir sidewalls 42, 44 to prevent the edges of the sideplates from cutting or puncturing the sidewalls. The cover plates 46, 48 are then affixed to the outer peripheral frame 10 as described above. A preferred method of constructing ink cartridge 50 is described in an United States patent application filed on the same day as this application entitled RIGID LOOP CASE STRUCTURE FOR THERMAL INK-JET PEN by inventors David W. Swanson, et. al U.S. Ser. No. 07/994,808, filed Dec. 22, 1992, which is herein incorporated by reference.
The material used for reservoir sidewalls 42, 44 should be flexible, relatively puncture resistant, impermeable to moisture and chemically compatible and non-reactive with the ink contained therein to prevent leakage or migration of the ink out of the reservoir, and impermeable to external contaminants such as air, dust, liquids and the like.
The reservoir is filled with ink via port 22 which is subsequently plugged for shipment. The required means which fire the ink droplets through the orifices 12 is conventional and causes progressive collapse of the spring reservoir such that its sidewalls 42, 44 retreat equal distances inwardly in the peripheral frame as the ink volume is decreased.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, peripheral outer frame 10 is provided with a pair of spaced parallel slots 10a and 10b on opposite sides of reduced thickness channel 15. Cover plates 46, 48 provide tab extensions 46a, 48b, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. Tabs 46a and 48a align with slots 10a, 10b, respectively, to provide a passageway for thin indicator strips 13 and 14 which are cemented or heated sealed to opposite reservoir sidewalls 42, 44, respectively. The sealed areas of indicator strip 13, 14 and sidewalls 42, 44 are shown as areas 13a, 14a and 42a, 44a, respectively, in FIGS. 2, 5 and 8. Referring to FIGS. 5, 7 and 8, indicator strips 13, 14 pass between tabs 46a, 48a and slots 10a, 10b and fold over each other into reduced channel 15. Indicator strip 14 is the lower or inside indicator strip having a color (e.g., green) which provides an indicia visible through a window 16 in indicator strip 13 when the indicator strips 13, 14 are in place. Indicator strip 13 is preferably of the same color (e.g., black) as the peripheral frame material. Reduced thickness channel 15 in peripheral outer frame 10 receives the overlying indicator strips 13 and 14. A window device 24 having a stationary viewing window 25 therein is placed over and aligned with the reduced thickness channel 15 to provide a passageway for movement of the indicator strips 13, 14. The movement of the window 16 in indicator strip 13 permits visual observation of the movement of indicator strip 13 and of the contrasting color (e.g., green) indicator strip 14.
The indicator strips 13, 14 move directly below the window 25 in window device 24, therefore, the back of the window device 24 that is in contact with the indicator strips 13, 14 must not inhibit this motion. The window device 24 is attached to the pen body with adhesive which would inhibit the motion of indicator strips 13, 14. Referring to FIG. 11a and 11b, to solve this problem the window device 24 has a unique backside die cut 27 shown in FIG. 11b that allows a selected portion of the liner to remain attached to the window device 24 when it is dispensed and applied to the pen body. The backside of the liner can also be treated with a release coating to further prevent sticking. The wrapping of the window device 24 over indicator strips 13, 14 and reduced channel area 15 and down the sides of cover plates 46, 48 is facilitated by perforations 26 in the window device 24 along the line where window device 24 wraps over tabs 46a, 48a and down the face of cover plates 46, 48.
The window device 24 may optionally function as a label and include information for educating the customer as to the meaning of the ink level indicating system, the color of ink, the part number, the country of origin and the company that manufactures the ink cartridge. A barcode on the label would solve the problem of identifying which ink color and printer the cartridge has been made for in order for the packaging equipment to place the cartridge in the correct package. FIG. 12 shows the ink cartridge mounted in a printer cartridge to show that window device 24 and the ink level indicator band are visible when the cartridge 50 is installed in the printer.
Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 shows a substantially full condition indication (all green) whereas FIG. 10 shows the indicator appearance when the ink supply is nearly exhausted and a narrow band of green appears in stationary window 25 with the remainder of the window 25 appearing as black. When the ink supply is further exhausted, the narrow band of green will diminish until stationary window 25 appears all black. This appearance of from all green, to a gradually narrowing band of green and finally to all black is caused by the viewer seeing black from the black peripheral frame gradually beginning to appear from the left (due to the rightwardly retreating edge of green indicator strip 14) and from the right (due to the leftwardly moving black right edge of window 16 in indicator strip 13). This appearance is obtained when the peripheral frame 10 is the same color (black) as the indicator strip 13 but it will be appreciated that other color combinations or types of indicia may be chosen within the spirit of the invention. The action of spring 36 ordinarily can be expected to keep the collapsible reservoir centered in the peripheral frame so that the narrowing indicator band of green in window is kept centered therein, although such centering is not essential.
From the foregoing, it will be realized that, as the ink supply decreases, reservoir sidewalls 42, 44 retreat inwardly and the indicator strips 13 and 14, passed through slots 10a and 10b in the reduced thickness portion of peripheral outer frame 10 and folded over the side edges thereof, are pulled apart from each other to progressively expose the contrasting color (black) of the peripheral frame and overlying indicator strip 13 through the stationary window 25 in window device 24.
The relative movement of the indicator strips 13 and 14 is substantially independent, even if reservoir sidewalls 42, 44 do not collapse inwardly by the same amount. The stationary window 25 allows for some variation in reservoir collapse between sidewalls 42, 44.
One skilled in the art will realize that variations of the disclosed structure within the spirit of the invention are possible and accordingly it is not intended that the scope of the invention should be considered limited to the specifics of the drawings or this description, these being typical and illustrative only.
One variation could involve a one sided indicator strip attachment with a window such as 16 working against indicia inscribed on the reduced thickness portion of peripheral outer frame 10. Such a variation would be less accurate than the disclosed double indicator strip arrangement unless a spring-reservoir were developed with one fixed side so that all collapsing motion would occur in the other side.
As a further development, optical or magnetic sensors could be arranged to view the optically or magnetically visible indicia to trigger an external warning light display on the printer, or send a signal for display on a computer display monitor indicating low ink volume.
It will be realized that the invention presents a simple and inexpensive modification of a prior art spring-reservoir ink reservoir/pen cartridge entirely consistent with the expendable cartridge concept.
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An ink jet pen supply cartridge having a spring biased ink reservoir with a visual indication of remaining ink quantity. The reservoir tends to collapse laterally as the ink supply decreases due to differential pressure exerted thereto. The spring-reservoir is contained in a rigid cartridge and a pair of flexible tape members are cemented or welded, one to each side of the spring-reservoir, and extend generally parallel toward a narrow end surface of the cartridge at which they overlap and can be viewed through a window. The overlapping relationship of the tape members provide ink quantity indicia which change as the spring-reservoir collapse draws them past each other.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of floor coverings, and more specifically floor coverings which are capable of detecting that a person has fallen.
Description of the Related Art
All developed countries are experiencing an increased ageing of their populations. This ageing can be seen in a very sharp increase of the number of people aged 60 and over. This situation creates a real challenge in the field of public health. It also creates serious problems in the management of the dependency of elderly people.
This is because elderly people are seeing their life expectancy increase every year. Furthermore, the development of social structures results in these people leading a more and more solitary existence, or living within specialised structures.
For people living alone, this isolation is an acute problem since they are at risk of dying of the consequences of a fall owing to an inability to call for assistance. In the case of specialised structures, the detection of falls is also very important, if it is desirable to avoid a very high number of care staff, with a very high cost for providing care, and cases of litigation regarding responsibility for lack of supervision.
The increasing awareness of these problems has resulted in studies being carried out which have shown that more than 7500 people die each year in France as a result of a fall which has not been detected in time, or from the consequences of a fall which has not been dealt with in a timely manner.
Currently, there is no device which provides a truly satisfactory solution for the detection of persons falling within their everyday environment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is intended to improve the situation.
To this end, the invention proposes a floor covering which comprises:
a surface layer which comprises a plurality of conductive segments which are capable of being supplied with electrical power, an intermediate layer which is at least partially electrically insulating and which comprises a plurality of through-recesses which are distributed in a substantially regular manner so that the mean distance between a recess and the recess to which it is closest is between approximately 5 cm and 20 cm, a base layer which comprises a plurality of electrical contacts, of which at least some correspond to the recesses of the surface layer and which are connected to an electronic controller, the surface layer, the intermediate layer and the base layer being superimposed in this order and positioned so that at least some of the conductive segments are arranged at least partially opposite a recess of the intermediate layer, and so that these conductive segments react to a pressure by approaching corresponding electrical contacts of the base layer,
the electronic controller further being arranged to selectively transmit a warning signal, in accordance with a condition which comprises the number of conductive elements to which it is connected which are adjacent to a conductive segment.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
Other features and advantages of the invention will be better appreciated from a reading of the following description, taken from examples which are given by way of non-limiting illustration and taken from the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a view with the covering according to the invention being partially broken away,
FIG. 2 is a close-up view of a portion of FIG. 1 ,
FIG. 3 is a sectioned view of FIG. 2 ,
FIG. 4 is a view similar to the view of FIG. 3 when the covering is subjected to pressure, and
FIG. 5 is an example of a flow chart of an operation implemented in the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following drawings and description contain, for the most part, elements of a specific nature. They will therefore be able not only to serve to provide better understanding of the invention, but also to contribute to the definition thereof, where applicable.
As can be seen in FIG. 1 , a floor covering 2 comprises a surface layer 4 , an intermediate layer 6 , a base layer 8 and an electronic controller 10 .
In order to better show all these elements, FIGS. 1 to 4 will be described below simultaneously. In FIG. 1 , a portion of the surface layer 4 has been broken away in the top left corner of the covering 2 . FIG. 2 is a close-up view of a portion framed by dotted lines in FIG. 1 , whilst FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectioned views of FIG. 2 , in the rest state and in response to a pressure which has a vertical component.
The term floor covering is intended to be understood to refer to any type of floor covering. This may be a simple carpet, that is to say, a floor covering whose surface-area is between approximately 60 cm 2 and a few tens of m 2 . However, the term floor covering has a much wider meaning and may cover all of the floor of a building or a dwelling, at least in the portions thereof which are intended to be visited by elderly persons. As can be seen in FIG. 1 , the surface layer 4 comprises an electrical conductor 12 which extends in several parallel lines over the entire height of the floor covering 2 .
In the example described here, the conductor 12 is a single electrical wire having a diameter of approximately 1 mm which is connected to an electrical power supply which is not illustrated. The wire 12 rests in the example described here on a lower portion of the surface layer 4 , which electrically insulates it. The wire 12 may or may not be further insulated by a sheath. The diameter of this electrical wire may vary in accordance with the current requirements and the supply options envisaged. This single electrical wire may be replaced by a plurality of wires which are electrically insulated from each other and which are each connected to an independent electrical supply. It may also be a conductor system, for example, of the monoconductor or multiconductor printed circuit type, or the like. It may also be a conductive layer which covers the lower portion of the surface layer 4 . It may also be a plurality of push-buttons.
As will be seen below, the conductor 12 performs the function of becoming deformed under pressure in a substantially vertical direction in order to establish a local electrical contact which allows this pressure to be detected.
The intermediate layer 6 is located directly below the surface layer 4 , in contact with the electrical conductor 12 . In the example described here, the intermediate layer 6 is produced from an electrically insulating material, for example, a layer of insulating plastics material.
The intermediate layer 6 comprises a multiplicity of holes 14 which allow the base layer 8 to appear in FIGS. 1 and 2 .
The holes 14 are through-recesses which are formed in a regular manner in the intermediate layer 6 . In the example described here, these recesses have a circular shape with a radius of 1 cm. In other embodiments, the shape of these recesses may vary and may, for example, be a rectangle, a lozenge, or any other suitable polygon, or any closed contour, in particular formed by means of revolution. The recess has a surface which is selected to be between 2 cm 2 and 9 cm 2 , for a thickness of the intermediate layer of between approximately 3 mm and 12 mm.
Consequently, the recesses 14 are provided to allow the deformation of the layer 4 through them so that the conductor moves into the vicinity of and/or into contact with (adjacent to) the base layer 8 . The portion of the conductor 12 which moves into the vicinity of and/or into contact with the base layer 8 forms a conductor segment.
As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the base layer 8 has a plurality of electrical contacts 16 which are each connected by means of a wire 18 to the electronic controller 10 .
In the example described here, the electrical contacts 16 of the base layer 8 are selected to have a contact surface 3 to 5 times greater than the contact surface of an electrical conductor 12 of the surface layer 4 . This facilitates the contact therewith during a deformation of the surface layer 4 following a pressure, and prevents detection errors. However, in different variants, the cross-section of the electrical contact 16 may be able to be selected to be identical to that of the electrical conductor 12 , or less than it.
In the example described here, the surface layer 4 is superimposed on the intermediate layer 6 , which is itself superimposed on the base layer 8 , in this order.
The coating 2 is therefore provided to be deposited with the base layer 8 in contact with the ground and with the surface layer 4 as a contact surface for walking. To this end, the surface layer 4 may advantageously be of linoleum, a plastics tile, a carpet or any other type of floor surface as defined by sanitary standards.
Advantageously, the surface layer 4 may be selected to be less hard than the intermediate layer 6 , which may, for example, have a pressure resistance of approximately from 15 kg/cm 2 to 25 kg/cm 2 . In this manner, the surface layer 4 may become deformed more readily inside the recesses 14 under the effect of pressure, which allows the detection sensitivity to be increased.
In the same manner, the base layer 8 is suitable for acting as a connection to the ground, and to be, for example, of rubber if the covering 2 is a carpet, or to be a material which is suitable for adhesion or another fixing method if it is a covering for an entire room.
Besides being superimposed, the layers 4 , 6 and 8 are specifically arranged so that the conductor 12 is arranged opposite all the recesses 14 or at least the vast majority thereof, and so that the electrical contacts 16 are themselves opposite all these recesses 14 or the vast majority thereof.
In this manner, as illustrated in FIG. 4 , when a pressure represented by an arrow in this Figure, for example, the force applied by the weight of a person, is applied to the surface layer 4 , it becomes deformed and fills the recesses in the region of the location where this pressure is applied, and the conductor 12 comes into contact with the electrical contacts 16 in the relevant recesses 14 .
In the example described here, the recesses 14 are spaced apart vertically and horizontally, from centre to centre, by a distance of approximately 7.5 cm and if a covering having a surface of 1.6 m by 2.1 m is considered, 252 detection locations are therefore obtained, which are formed by the three members comprising the conductor 12 , recess 14 , contact 16 . Advantageously, the spacing between the recesses 14 may be between 5 cm and 20 cm.
When a person falls, he is necessarily in an extended position on his back, on the stomach, or at least with a quite extensive portion of his body on the ground. As each of these detection locations is connected to the electronic controller 10 by a wire 18 , it becomes easy to monitor the activity in order to detect any fall. A sufficiently tight mesh thus allows the difference to be detected between a fall and the presence of one or more persons walking on the covering 2 .
Furthermore, the mesh of the example described here is also very tight, which provides a high level of precision.
The extent of a person lying down signifies that it is possible to detect a fall:
when more than ten detection locations are activated in a square having a side of approximately 30 cm, or in a rectangle which has a similar surface-area and whose diagonal line is approximately 35 cm long, or over a surface-area of approximately 0.09 m 2 , for a minimum length of time, for example, in the order of one minute, or when 4 detection locations which are aligned horizontally, diagonally or vertically are activated for a minimum period of time, for example, in the order of one minute.
Generally, the minimum period of time for the detection may be selected to be greater than 15 seconds. In a variant, the detection may not be dependent on a minimum period of time.
These scenarios exclude the case of walking or the presence of several people on the coating 2 . This is because an adult foot in the vast majority of cases has a length of less than 35 cm, which corresponds to a shoe size 53 . Consequently, the detection criteria described above allow the upright position to be discriminated, in which only the feet are in contact with the ground. Furthermore, when several people are present, even if they are very close, they will not bring about any detection owing to the meshes described, even if the centre-to-centre distance of the recesses 14 is 20 cm.
The calculations required for the detection may be carried out within the electronic controller 10 . To this end, it may comprise a calculation unit in the form of an on-board device, a dedicated card or any other appropriate means. The electronic controller 10 may also comprise wired communication means (via conventional telephone line or via a network, for example, Ethernet), or wireless communication means (via a GSM, GPRS, 3G or WiFi communication interface).
Furthermore, the electronic controller 10 may be produced in several portions. In this instance, the electronic controller 10 comprises a first portion 20 which is connected to the wires 18 , and which comprises a communication interface which is similar to that described above.
The portion 20 communicates with a remote portion 22 which can carry out the detection calculations mentioned above, and which may itself comprise a communication interface similar to the one described above.
These communication interfaces may be used in order to transmit alerts in the event of a fall being detected, for example, to a central telesurveillance station, to an assistance call centre, to the nursing station in the case of a hospital, a clinic or a retirement home, etcetera.
Finally, the electronic controller 10 may include only a communication interface which is similar to the one described above, all of the calculations for the detection of a fall being remote on a detection server to which the electronic controller 10 is connected via this interface.
FIG. 5 shows an example of a flow chart that the electronic controller 10 can carry out in order to detect falls.
In an operation 20 , the electronic controller 10 is initialised, with all the parameters connected with the detection of falls, and with the initialisation of the communication interface.
Then, in an operation 25 , a detection loop begins. This loop comprises the detection of the electrical signals in the wires 18 . When no pressure is detected, the wires 18 do not have any electrical signal.
If an electrical signal is detected in a specific wire 18 , this means that the conductor 12 is in contact with an electrical contact 16 . In response to this detection, an identifier of the detection location associated with the given wire 18 is stored, with a time marker.
Then, in an operation 30 , the calculation unit verifies the list of identifying pairs of the wire/time marker in order to determine whether these verify one of the conditions for the detection of a fall set out above.
If this is the case, the communication interface is activated in an operation 35 in order to send a fall detection signal, then the detection continues with the operation 25 . If not, the loop continues directly with the operation 25 .
The sending of the fall detection signal may comprise all the useful information, including the location of the covering 2 if it is known, a time period associated with the time markers in order to indicate the time of the fall, etcetera.
As mentioned above, the invention may be applied both to carpets and complete floor coverings, in order to equip an entire hospital or a retirement home, for example, and is based on the conversion of a pressure connected with a fall into an electrical signal whose location is known, in order to detect a fall.
In a different number of variants, the covering may have the following features:
the electronic controller comprises a calculation unit which is capable of detecting a fall in accordance with the signal transmitted over the electrical wires which are connected to the electrical contacts, the calculation unit is arranged so as to detect:
the activation of more than ten detection locations in a surface-area of approximately 0.09 m 2 , for a period of time greater than or equal to 30 seconds, and/or the activation of four detection locations which are aligned horizontally, diagonally or vertically for a period of time greater than or equal to 30 seconds,
the electronic controller further comprises a communication interface which is capable of selectively transmitting the detection signal, the communication interface is of the wired type, the communication interface operates with a conventional telephone network, the communication interface operates with an Ethernet network, the communication interface is of the wireless type, the communication interface operates with a wireless telephone network of the type GMS, GPRS or 3G, and the communication interface operates with a wireless network of the WiFi type.
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A floor covering includes: a surface layer having a plurality of conductive segments capable of being supplied with electrical power; an at least partially electrically insulating intermediate layer having a plurality of through-recesses distributed in a substantially regular manner so that the mean distance between a recess and the recess closest thereto is between approximately 5 and 20 cm; a base layer having a plurality of electrical contacts, of which at least some correspond to the recesses of the surface layer and are connected to an electronic controller; the surface, intermediate and base layers being superimposed in this order and positioned so that at least some of the conductive segments are arranged at least partially opposite a recess of the intermediate layer, and so that these conductive segments react to a pressure by approaching the electrical contacts which correspond to the base layer.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to allocating data mining processing tasks using data mining agents that provide efficient hardware utilization of the data mining system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Data mining is a technique by which hidden patterns may be found in a group of data. True data mining doesn't just change the presentation of data, but actually discovers previously unknown relationships among the data. Data mining is typically implemented as software in or in association with database systems. Data mining includes several major steps. First, data mining models are generated based on one or more data analysis algorithms. Initially, the models are “untrained”, but are “trained” by processing training data and generating information that defines the model. The generated information is then deployed for use in data mining, for example, by providing predictions of future behavior based on specific past behavior.
Data mining typically involves the processing of large amounts of data, which consumes significant hardware resources. As a result, it is desirable to configure the data mining software system for efficient utilization of the hardware resources. This may present a problem. For example, if a data mining software system is configured to use all of the processors of a given hardware system, the data mining software system must either perform complex internal allocation of tasks to multiple threads/processes, or the data mining software system must allow the operating system to perform the allocation. If internal allocation is used, significant complexity is added to the data mining software system. This can cause difficulties in generating, debugging, and maintaining the data mining software system. If the operating system is used to perform allocation, the operating system will typically use a general-purpose allocation scheme. This general purpose allocation scheme cannot produce optimal usage of resources since data mining demands and behavior are significantly different than those that the typical general purpose allocation scheme has been designed to handle.
An additional problem may arise if, once a data mining processing task has started execution, the hardware system servicing the task becomes overloaded due to other tasks being executed. This may cause degradation in the performance of the data mining processing task, or, in some cases, cause the data mining processing task to become unexecutable. For example, if a data mining processing task requires a certain minimum number of processors to execute and the number of available processors is always fewer than that minimum, due to other tasks, the data mining processing task will never execute. This is unacceptable from a performance standpoint, since the typical data mining system expects a data mining processing task to run to completion in its current environment, without interruption.
A need arises for a technique by which data mining processing tasks may be allocated without complex internal schemes, yet resulting in better performance than is possible with general-purpose operating system based schemes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a method, system, and computer program product for allocating data mining processing tasks that does not use complex internal schemes, yet results in better performance than is possible with general-purpose operating system based schemes. The present invention uses a data mining agent that operates autonomously, proactively, reactively, deliberatively and cooperatively to allocate and reallocate data mining processing tasks among computer systems, and/or among processors.
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method of data mining performed in a data mining agent executing in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of examining a request queue comprising at least one request for data mining processing, determining if the at least one request for data mining processing can be processed, accepting the at least one request for data mining processing if it is determined that the at least one request for data mining processing can be processed, and processing the accepted request for data mining processing in the computer system.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the determining step comprises the steps of determining if an algorithm required to process the at least one request for data mining processing is supported by the computer system, if the algorithm required to process the at least one request for data mining processing is supported, determining whether the computer system is available for additional processing, if the computer system is not available for additional processing, determining whether the computer system will become available for additional processing before other computer systems that might process the at least one request, if the computer system is available for additional processing, or if the computer system will become available for additional processing before other computer systems that might process the at least one request, determining whether the computer system will be able to complete requested processing in an allotted time, and if the computer system will be able to complete the requested processing in the allotted time, determining that the computer system can process the at least one request for data mining processing. The at least one request for data mining processing comprises data defining at least one algorithm that must be performed in order to perform the requested data mining processing. There is data defining algorithms that are supported by the computer system. The step of determining if an algorithm required to process the at least one request for data mining processing is supported comprises comparing the data defining at least one algorithm that must be performed in order to perform the requested data mining processing with data defining algorithms that are supported by the computer system. The data defining at least one algorithm that must be performed in order to perform the requested data mining processing and the data defining algorithms that are supported by the computer system are in extensible markup language format.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining whether the computer system is available for additional processing comprises the step of determining whether available idle time of the computer system is greater than a predefined or a dynamically calculated threshold.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the computer system comprises a plurality of processors and the step of determining whether the computer system is available for additional processing comprises the step of determining whether any of the plurality of processors is available for additional processing. The step of determining whether any of the plurality of processors is available for additional processing comprises the step of determining, for each of the plurality of processors, whether available idle time of the processor is greater than a predefined or a dynamically calculated threshold.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining whether the computer system is available for additional processing comprises the step of determining availability of the computer system for additional processing relative to at least one other computer system.
In one aspect of the present invention, the step of determining whether the computer system will become available for additional processing before other computer systems that might process the at least one request comprises the steps of estimating a time to availability of the computer system, exchanging an estimate of a time to availability of the at least one other computer system, and comparing the time to availability of the computer system with the time to availability of the at least one other computer system. The step of determining whether the computer system will be able to complete requested processing in an allotted time comprises the steps of estimating a time to completion for the requested processing on the computer system, comparing the time to completion for the requested processing on the computer system with time allocation information included in the request for data mining processing.
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method of data mining performed in a data mining agent executing in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of determining that the computer system is overloaded, querying at least one other computer system to determine whether the at least one other computer system can complete a data mining processing task being performed on the computer system faster than the computer system, determining whether the at least one other computer system can complete the data mining processing task being performed on the computer system faster than the computer system, and if the at least one other computer system can complete the data mining processing task faster than the computer system, migrating the processing from the computer system to the at least one other computer system.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the migrating step comprises the steps of reserving the at least one other computer system for migration, interrupting and checkpointing the data mining processing task on the computer system, and enqueueing a request to the at least one other computer system for continued processing of the data mining processing task.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining that the computer system is overloaded comprises the step of determining that the computer system is overloaded if a utilization of a processor of the computer system is greater than a predefined threshold for a predefined time.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the querying step comprises the step of generating an estimate of a time to complete the data mining processing task. The generating step comprises the steps of estimating an amount of processing that must be performed to complete the data mining processing task, estimating a processor utilization that will be available to process the data mining processing task, and estimating a time to complete the data mining processing task based on the estimate of the amount of processing that must be performed, the estimate of available processor utilization, and a speed of the processor. The querying step further comprises the step of requesting information from the at least one other computer system, the information including a speed of the at least one other computer system and an estimate of processor utilization of the at least one other computer system.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining whether the at least one other computer system can complete a data mining processing task being performed on the computer system faster than the computer system comprises the step of estimating a time to complete the data mining processing task for the at least one other computer system based on the estimate of the amount of processing that must be performed to complete the data mining processing task, the speed of the at least one other computer system and the estimate of processor utilization of the at least one other computer system. The step of determining whether the at least one other computer system can complete a data mining processing task being performed on the computer system faster than the computer system further comprises the steps of adding an estimate of a time to migrate the data mining processing task to the at least one other computer system and the estimate of the time to complete the data mining processing task for the at least one other computer system, comparing the estimate of the time to complete the data mining processing task for the computer system with the estimate of the time to complete the data mining processing task for the at least one other computer system, and determining whether the at least one other computer system can complete the data mining processing task being performed on the computer system faster than the computer system.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the querying step further comprises the step of transmitting to the at least one other computer system the estimate of the amount of processing that must be performed to complete the data mining processing task, and receiving from the at least one other computer system an estimate of a time to complete the data mining processing task for the at least one other computer system.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining whether the at least one other computer system can complete a data mining processing task being performed on the computer system faster than the computer system further comprises the steps of adding an estimate of a time to migrate the data mining processing task to the at least one other computer system and the estimate of the time to complete the data mining processing task for the at least one other computer system, comparing the estimate of the time to complete the data mining processing task for the computer system with the estimate of the time to complete the data mining processing task for the at least one other computer system, and determining whether the at least one other computer system can complete the data mining processing task being performed on the computer system faster than the computer system.
In one embodiment, the present invention is a method of data mining performed in a data mining agent executing in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of determining that a processing load in the computer system is high relative to at least one other computer system, determining a remaining cost of completing processing of a data mining processing task being processed by the computer system, determining whether the at least one other computer system can complete processing of the data mining processing task at a lower cost than the computer system, and if the at least one other computer system can complete processing of the data mining processing task at a lower cost than the computer system, migrating processing of the data mining processing task to the at least one computer system.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining that a processing load in the computer system is high relative to at least one other computer system comprises the steps of determining a processor utilization of the computer system, determining a processor utilization of the at least one other computer system, and determining that the processor utilization of the computer system is greater than a predefined amount higher than the processor utilization of the at least one other computer system.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the remaining cost of completing processing of a data mining processing task may be determined based on a time to complete processing of the data mining processing task. The remaining cost of completing processing of a data mining processing task may be determined based on a time to complete processing of the data mining processing task and on additional factors, including actual costs of use of the computer system. The step of determining a remaining cost of completing processing of a data mining processing task being processed by the computer system may comprise the steps of estimating an amount of processing that must be performed to complete the data mining processing task, estimating a processor utilization that will be available to process the data mining processing task, and estimating a time to complete the data mining processing task based on the estimate of the amount of processing that must be performed, the estimate of available processor utilization, and a speed of the processor. The method may further comprise the step of estimating additional factors, including actual costs of use of the computer system.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the step of determining whether the at least one other computer system can complete processing of the data mining processing task at a lower cost than the computer system comprises the step of soliciting a bid for completing processing of the data mining processing task from the at least one other computer system.
In one aspect of this embodiment of the present invention, the soliciting step comprises the steps of transmitting a request for a bid to the at least one other computer system, the request for the bid including information relating to the amount of processing that must be performed to complete the data mining processing task, and receiving a bid from the at least one other computer system, the bid including an estimate of a cost of completing processing of the data mining processing task on the at least one other computer system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers and designations refer to like elements.
FIG. 1 is an exemplary block diagram of a data mining system, in which the present invention may be implemented.
FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram of a database/data mining system shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is an exemplary data flow diagram of a data mining process, which may be implemented in the system shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 4 a is an exemplary block diagram of one embodiment of a data mining system shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 4 b is an exemplary block diagram of one embodiment of a data mining system shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 5 is an exemplary data flow diagram of processing performed by a data mining agent, according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an exemplary data flow diagram of data mining agents shown in FIG. 5 selecting tasks to process.
FIG. 7 is an exemplary flow diagram of a data mining processing task request selection process, according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an exemplary flow diagram of a process performed by a step of the data mining processing task request selection process shown in FIG. 7 .
FIG. 9 is an exemplary flow diagram of one embodiment of a data mining processing task migration process, according to the present invention.
FIG. 10 is an exemplary flow diagram of one embodiment of a data mining processing task migration process, according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An exemplary data mining system 100 , in which the present invention may be implemented, is shown in FIG. 1 . System 100 includes a data mining system 102 that is connected to a variety of sources of data. For example, system 102 may be connected to a plurality of internal or proprietary data sources, such as systems 104 A- 104 N. Systems 104 A- 104 N may be any type of data source, warehouse, or repository, including those that are not publicly accessible. Examples of such systems include inventory control systems, accounting systems, scheduling systems, etc. System 102 may also be connected to a plurality of proprietary data sources that are accessible in some way over the Internet 108 . Such systems include systems 106 A- 106 N, shown in FIG. 1 . Systems 106 A- 106 N may be publicly accessible over the Internet 108 , they may be privately accessible using a secure connection technology, or they may be both publicly and privately accessible. System 102 may also be connected to other systems over the Internet 108 . For example, system 110 may be privately accessible to system 102 over the Internet 108 using a secure connection, while system 112 may be publicly accessible over the Internet 108 .
The common thread to the systems connected to system 102 is that the connected systems all are potential sources of data for system 102 . The data involved may be of any type, from any original source, and in any format. System 102 has the capability to utilize and all such data that is available to it.
An exemplary embodiment of data mining system 102 is shown in FIG. 2 . Data mining system 102 utilizes data, such as externally stored data 204 and internally stored data 206 , which is obtained from data sources such as the proprietary and public data sources shown in FIG. 1 . Data mining system 102 also includes data mining engine 208 . Externally stored data 204 is typically stored in a database management system and is accessed by data mining system 102 . The database management system typically includes software that receives and processes queries of the database, such as those received from data mining system 102 , obtains data satisfying the queries, and generates and transmits responses to the queries, such as to data mining system 102 . Internally stored data 206 contemplates an embodiment in which data mining engine 208 is combined with, or implemented on, a database management system. In either case, data 204 or 206 includes data, typically arranged as a plurality of data tables, such as relational data tables, as well as indexes and other structures that facilitate access to the data. Data mining engine 208 performs data mining processes, such as processing data to generate data mining models and responding to requests for data mining results from one or more users, such as user 212 .
An exemplary data flow diagram of a data mining process, which may be performed by data mining engine 208 , including building and scoring of models and generation of predictions/recommendations, is shown in FIG. 3 . The training/model building step 302 involves generating the models that are used to perform data mining recommendation/prediction, clustering, association rule generation, etc. The inputs to training/model building step 302 include training parameters 304 , training data 306 , and untrained models 308 . For some types of models, such as neural network or self-organizing map models, untrained models 308 may include initialized or untrained representations of the models in addition to algorithms that process the training data 306 in order to actually build the models. Such a representation includes a structural representation of the model that either does not actually contain data that makes up the model, or contains only default data or parameters. The actual data or parameters are generated and entered into the representation during training/model building step 302 by the model building algorithms. For other types of models, such as tree models or association rule models, untrained models 308 do not include untrained representations of the models, but only include the algorithms that process the training data 306 in order to actually build the models. Training parameters 304 are parameters that are input to the data-mining model building algorithms to control how the algorithms build the models. Training data 306 is data that is input to the algorithms and which is used to actually build the models. Model building can also partition “build data” into training, evaluation, and test datasets. The evaluation dataset can be used by the model building algorithm to avoid overtraining, while the test dataset can be used to provide error estimates of the model.
Training/model building step 302 invokes the data mining model building algorithms included in untrained models 308 , initializes the algorithms using the training parameters 304 , processes training data 306 using the algorithms to build the model, and generates trained model 310 . Trained model 310 may include rules that implement the conditions and decisions that make up the operational model, for those types of models that use rules. As part of the process of building trained model 310 , trained model 310 is evaluated and, for example, in the case of decision tree models, those rules that decrease or do not contribute to the quality, i.e. prediction accuracy, of the model are eliminated from the model. The remaining rules of trained model 310 are encoded in an appropriate format and are deployed for use in making predictions or recommendations. For those types of models that do not use rules, such as neural networks, the trained model 310 includes an appropriate representation of the model encoded in an appropriate format and deployed for use in making predictions or recommendations.
Scoring step 312 involves using the deployed trained model 310 to make predictions or recommendations based on new data that is received. Trained model 310 , prediction parameters 314 , and prediction data 316 are input to scoring step 312 . Trained models 310 include one or more sets of deployed rules that were generated by model building step 302 . Prediction parameters 314 are parameters that are input to the scoring step 318 to control the scoring of trained model 310 against prediction data 316 and are input to the selection and prediction/recommendation step 320 to control the selection of the scored rules and the generation of predictions and recommendations.
Prediction data 316 is processed according to deployed rules or other representation of the model included in trained model 310 , as controlled by prediction parameters 314 . In the case of a rule based model, scores are generated for prediction data 316 based upon each rule in the set of deployed rules included in trained model 310 . Typically, a trained model 310 can be defined in terms of a function of input variables producing a prediction/recommendation based on the input variables. The function is evaluated using the input prediction data 316 and scores are generated. The scores indicate how closely the function defined by the model matches the prediction data, how much confidence may be placed in the prediction, how likely the output prediction/recommendation from the model is to be true, and other statistical indicators. Scored data 318 is output from scoring step 312 and includes predictions or recommendations for each scored record in prediction data 316 , along with corresponding probabilities for each scored record.
Scored data 318 is input to selection and prediction/recommendation generation step, which evaluates the probabilities associated with each record of scored data 318 and generates predictions/recommendations based on the scored data. Records may be selected based on prediction parameters 314 provided by the user, for example, to filter records that do not meet some probability threshold. The generated predictions/recommendations are output 322 from step 320 for use in any post data mining processing.
An exemplary block diagram of one embodiment of a database/data mining system 102 , shown in FIG. 1 , is shown in FIG. 4 a . Database/data mining system 102 is typically a programmed general-purpose computer system, such as a personal computer, workstation, server system, and minicomputer or mainframe computer. Database/data mining system 102 includes one or more processors (CPUs) 402 A- 402 N, input/output circuitry 404 , network adapter 406 , and memory 408 . CPUs 402 A- 402 N executes program instructions in order to carry out the functions of the present invention. Typically, CPUs 402 A- 402 N are one or more microprocessors, such as an INTEL PENTIUM® processor. FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment in which data mining system 102 is implemented as a single multi-processor computer system, in which multiple processors 402 A- 402 N share system resources, such as memory 408 , input/output circuitry 404 , and network adapter 406 . However, the present invention also contemplates embodiments in which data mining system 102 is implemented as a plurality of networked computer systems, which may be single-processor computer systems, multi-processor computer systems, or a mix thereof.
Input/output circuitry 404 provides the capability to input data to, or output data from, database/data mining system 102 . For example, input/output circuitry may include input devices, such as keyboards, mice, touchpads, trackballs, scanners, etc., output devices, such as video adapters, monitors, printers, etc., and input/output devices, such as, modems, etc. Network adapter 406 interfaces database/data mining system 102 with network 410 . Network 410 may be any standard local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), such as Ethernet, Token Ring, the Internet, or a private or proprietary LAN/WAN.
Memory 408 stores program instructions that are executed by, and data that are used and processed by, CPU 402 to perform the functions of the database/data mining system 102 . Memory 408 may include electronic memory devices, such as random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, etc., and electromechanical memory, such as magnetic disk drives, tape drives, optical disk drives, etc., which may use an integrated drive electronics (IDE) interface, or a variation or enhancement thereof, such as enhanced IDE (EIDE) or ultra direct memory access (UDMA), or a small computer system interface (SCSI) based interface, or a variation or enhancement thereof, such as fast-SCSI, wide-SCSI, fast and wide-SCSI, etc, or a fiber channel-arbitrated loop (FC-AL) interface.
Memory 408 includes data 206 , database management processing routines 412 , data mining processing routines 414 A- 414 Z, data mining agents 416 A 416 Z, and operating system 418 . Data 206 includes data, typically arranged as a plurality of data tables, such as relational database tables, as well as indexes and other structures that facilitate access to the data. Database management processing routines 412 are software routines that provide database management functionality, such as database query processing.
Data mining processing routines 414 A- 414 Z are software routines that implement the data mining processing performed by the present invention. Data mining processing routines 414 A- 414 Z interact with and are used by data mining agents 418 A- 418 Z. Data mining agents 418 A- 418 Z are software components that perform data mining processing, but which have been enhanced to be capable of flexible, autonomous action in the environment. That is, each data mining agent can operate autonomously, proactively, reactively, deliberatively and cooperatively. Autonomous operation means that the data mining agent has control over its own behavior and internal states. Proactive operation means that the data mining agent can act in anticipation of future goals or tasks. Reactive operation means that the data mining agent can respond in a timely fashion to changes in its environment, including changes in available processing tasks, etc. Deliberative operation means that the data mining agent can reflect on or process received information before acting on that information. Cooperative operation means that the data mining agent can communicate with other data mining agents to coordinate their actions. Operating system 418 provides overall system functionality.
An exemplary block diagram of another embodiment of a data mining system 102 is shown in FIG. 4 b . This embodiment includes a plurality of computer systems, such as computer systems 420 A-X, which communicate with each other over network 410 . Each computer system 420 A- 420 X includes components similar to those shown in FIG. 4 a , but not all of these components are shown in FIG. 4 b . Some of the computer systems, such as computer systems 420 A and 420 X include one or more active, running data mining agents. For example, computer system 420 A includes active, running data mining agent 422 , while computer system 420 X includes a plurality of active, running data mining agents 424 A- 424 Z. Computer system 420 N includes machine agent 426 . Machine agent 426 is a software component that provides monitoring and coordination capabilities to computer system 420 N even in the absence of any active, running data mining agents.
Machine agent 426 is a process that runs in the background and performs a specified operation at predefined times or in response to certain events. In particular, machine agent 426 receives and responds to coordination requests from data mining agents, which allows coordination of the local computer system upon which the machine agent resides (computer system 420 N in this case) with other computer systems. Machine agent 426 monitors the configuration, utilization, processing load, and other parameters of the local computer system and can respond to requests requiring such information. Machine agent 426 can also launch data mining agents, such as data mining agents 428 A- 428 Z, if necessary to respond to requests for migration of data mining processing tasks to the local computer system.
An exemplary data flow diagram of processing performed by a data mining agent 500 is shown in FIG. 5 . Data mining agent 500 includes real time processing 502 , tuning and/or adaptation processing 504 , and user/system goal assessment 506 . Data mining agent 500 accepts input data 508 and performs real time processing 502 on the data to generate output data 510 . Input data 508 typically includes data such as data mining model training data, data mining model training parameters, data mining prediction data, and data mining prediction parameters, which is obtained from data sources such as proprietary and public data sources, users of the data mining system, and predefined parameters. Input data 508 may also include system observation data, such as machine CPU usage/load data. Real time processing 502 typically includes processing such as data mining model building, data mining model scoring, and data mining prediction/recommendation generation. Output data 510 typically includes data such as trained data mining models, scored data mining models, and data mining predictions and recommendations. Input data 508 is received from, and output data 510 is transmitted to, environment 512 . Environment 512 includes users of data mining processing services, sources of data mining data, other data mining systems with other data mining agents, etc.
User/system goal assessment processing 506 involves monitoring input data 508 to determine goals that users of data mining processing are attempting to achieve and how well those goals are being achieved by, in particular, other data mining systems with other data mining agents that are included in environment 512 . In addition, User/system goal assessment processing 506 monitor how well data mining agent 500 is achieving the goal of the data mining processing being performed by data mining agent 500 . By monitoring these factors, user/system goal assessment processing 506 allows data mining agent 500 to recognize goals that are not being achieved, whether by other data mining systems with other data mining agents or by data mining agent 500 itself. Tuning and/or adaptation processing 504 provides data mining agent 500 with the capability to respond when it determines that goals are not being achieved by other data mining agents or by data mining agent 500 itself. If the goals are not being achieved by other data mining systems, tuning and/or adaptation processing 504 can coordinate with the other data mining systems to migrate processing of data mining processing tasks from those systems to data mining agent 500 for processing. Likewise, if the goals are not being achieved by data mining agent 500 , tuning and/or adaptation processing 504 can coordinate with other data mining systems to migrate processing of data mining processing tasks from data mining agent 500 to the other data mining systems.
A data flow diagram of data mining agents selecting tasks to process is shown in FIG. 6 . As shown in FIG. 6 , there are a plurality of data mining agents, such as data mining agents 602 A- 602 N. These data mining agents are software components that are present on one or more computer systems, such as servers. Data mining agents 602 A-N are typically distributed among the computer systems. One form of communication among data mining agents 602 A- 602 N is provided by mining object repository (MOR) 604 , which serves as a central repository for data mining objects that is accessible by all data mining agents. In particular, MOR 604 includes one or more request queues, such as request queue 606 A- 606 X. Each request queue contains requests for data mining processing received directly or indirectly from data mining users. Request queues 606 A- 606 X may be organized in any way desired. For example, request queues 606 A- 606 X may be organized according to data mining users, types of data mining processing requested, priority levels of the requests, etc. The received requests for data mining processing are typically queued in a first-in-first-out (FIFO) arrangement. However, any request queue organization and any queueing arrangement is contemplated by the present invention. In addition, the MOR 604 is a logical entity and may itself be distributed to provide reliability and fault tolerance. Again, the present invention contemplates any arrangement or distribution of the MOR.
Each data mining agent, such as data mining agent 602 A, includes a plurality of processes/threads, such as peek at queue process 608 A and operation thread 610 A. The peek at queue processes 608 A- 608 N of data mining agents 602 A- 602 N communicate with request queues 606 A- 606 X and examine the queued requests for data mining processing contained therein. The peek at queue processes 608 A- 608 N select requests for data mining processing that are to be processed by each associated data mining agent as shown in FIG. 7 .
A data flow diagram of a data mining processing task request selection process 700 of a data mining agent is shown in FIG. 7 . FIG. 7 is best viewed in conjunction with FIG. 6 . Process 700 begins with requests for data mining processing being submitted to request queues 606 A- 606 X, as described above. In step 704 , a peek at queue process, such as peek at queue process 608 A of data mining agents 602 A, examines the queued requests for data mining processing contained therein. Typically, peek at queue processes 608 A is proactive, that is, the process actively examines request queues 606 A- 606 X looking for suitable requests to handle. In step 706 , peek at queue process 608 A determines if its associated data mining agent, data mining agent 602 A, is capable of processing each particular request. In step 708 , if peek at queue process 608 A determines that its associated data mining agent, data mining agent 602 A, is capable of processing a particular request, then peek at queue process 608 A accepts the request for processing and dequeues that request from the request queue in which it is contained. Steps 706 and 708 are performed repeatedly, with peek at queue process 608 A examining any accepted requests until it determines that data mining agent 602 A cannot handle any more requests. In step 710 , data mining agent 602 A processes the accepted requests.
A flow diagram of a process performed by step 706 , shown in FIG. 7 , in which peek at queue process 608 A determines if its associated data mining agent, data mining agent 602 A, is capable of processing each particular request, is shown in FIG. 8 . The process of step 706 begins with step 706 - 1 , in which it is determined whether the data mining agent supports the algorithm or algorithms that are required to process the particular request for data mining process being examined. For example, there may be data defined in, or associated with, the data mining agent, which defines the algorithms that are supported by the data mining agent. Likewise, the request for data mining processing may include data that defines, explicitly or implicitly, one or more algorithms that must be performed in order to perform the requested processing. An example may include XML data stored in the data mining agent that defines the algorithms supported by the data mining agent and XML data in the request for data mining processing that defines the algorithms that are required to process the request. In this case, a simple comparison of the XML definitions should suffice to determine whether the data mining agent supports the algorithm or algorithms that are required to process the particular request for data mining process being examined. If the request for data mining processing includes data that implicitly defines the algorithms that must be performed in order to perform the requested processing, a more complex process must be performed in order to determine whether the data mining agent supports the algorithm or algorithms that are required to process the particular request for data mining process being examined.
If, in step 706 - 1 , it is determined that the data mining agent does not support the algorithm or algorithms that are required to process the particular request for data mining process being examined, then the process of step 706 continues with step 706 - 2 , in which it is determined that the local computer system cannot process the particular request being examined. If, in step 706 - 1 , it is determined that the data mining agent does support the algorithm or algorithms that are required to process the particular request for data mining process being examined, then the process of step 706 continues with step 706 - 3 , in which it is determined whether the computer system upon which the associated data mining agent resides is currently busy and thus unavailable to accept additional processing. The definition of busy may be adjusted as desired. For example, a computer system may be defined as busy if it is performing any processing at all. On the other hand, a computer system may be defined as busy only if the available idle time of the computer system is less than some predefined or some dynamically calculated threshold. Likewise, in an embodiment in which one or more computer systems have more than one processor, the busy condition of each processor may be used instead.
An enhancement to step 706 - 3 is to determine the busy condition of the local computer system relative to other computer systems that may be utilized, rather than absolutely. For example, it may be determined whether the local computer system is more or less busy than other computer systems that might process the request. If other computer systems are more busy, then it may be determined, in step 706 - 3 , that the local computer system is relatively not busy. Conversely, if other computer systems are less busy, then it may be determined, in step 706 - 3 , that the local computer system is relatively busy. The relative busy conditions of the involved computer systems may be determined based on a variety of factors. For example, the processing load on each computer system may be considered, along with the processing speed of each computer system. The involved computer systems may exchange messages indicating these and other parameters, which may be compared by the data mining agents on each computer system. For example, each involved computer system may transmit a message in XML format, which may then be compared by the data mining agents on each computer system to determine the relative busy conditions of the involved computer system. The determinations may be made based on different algorithms, parameters, or thresholds by the various data mining agents. Thus, different data mining agents may generate different determinations of relative busy conditions.
However the determination of the busy condition of the local computer system is made, if, in step 706 - 3 , it is determined that the local computer system is busy, then the process of step 706 continues with step 706 - 4 , in which it is determined whether the local computer system is the first computer system that will become available for additional processing. The data mining agent first estimates the time to availability of the computer system upon which it resides. This estimate is performed based on factors such as estimated completion times of the processing jobs currently running on the computer system upon which the data mining agent resides. Each processing algorithm, such as data mining algorithms and others, provides estimates of completion times and also provides regular updates to those estimates. After the data mining agent has produced an estimate of the availability of the computer system upon which it resides, the data mining agent then exchanges estimates with other data mining agents and determines its availability relative to other data mining agents. If, in step 706 - 4 , it is determined that the data mining agent is not the first, or is not among the first number, of data mining agents that will become available, then the process of step 700 continues with step 706 - 2 , in which it is determined that the local computer system cannot process the particular request being examined.
If, in step 706 - 4 , it is determined that the data mining agent is the first, or is among the first number, of data mining agents that will become available, then the process of step 700 continues with step 706 - 5 . Likewise, if in step 706 - 3 , it is determined that the local computer system is not busy, then the process of step 706 continues with step 706 - 5 . In step 706 - 5 , it is determined whether the local computer system will be able to complete the requested processing in the allotted time. The request for data mining processing that is being examined may include time allocation information indicating a time that the processing must be completed or a total amount of processing time to be allocated to the task. The data mining agent generates an estimate of the time to completion of the task if the processing were performed on the computer system upon which the data mining agent resides. This estimate is then compared with the time allocation information included in the request for data mining processing. If it is determined that the local computer system will be able to complete the requested processing in the allotted time, then process 700 continues with step 706 - 6 , in which it is determined that the local computer system can process the particular request being examined. If it is determined that the local computer system will not be able to complete the requested processing in the allotted time, then process 700 continues with step 706 - 2 , in which it is determined that the local computer system cannot process the particular request being examined.
If no data mining agent accepts a request for data mining processing within a defined time limit, a timeout response may be transmitted to the entity that issued the request, the requester. The time limit may be defined in the processing request itself, or it may be defined by a default value for the system MOR, or the particular request queue in which the processing request is queued. The timeout response allows the requestor to perform alternate or error processing in the event the processing request is not accepted for processing.
An important feature of the present invention is the mobility of data mining processing from data mining agent to other agents and from one computer system to another. In particular, one or more data mining processing tasks that are being processed may be migrated to other computer systems under certain circumstances. For example, a computer system upon which a data mining agent resides may become overloaded, which would result in some or all of the tasks being processed by that computer system to be completed late or not completed at all. In this situation, the data mining agent, which is monitoring its environment will detect the overload condition and may transfer the data mining processing task that it is processing to another computer system.
A flow diagram of one embodiment of a data mining processing task migration process 900 is shown in FIG. 9 . The process begins with step 902 , in which a local data mining agent determines that the local computer system, upon which the local data mining agent resides, and which is processing the current task of the local data mining agent, is overloaded. The local data mining agent may determine overloading in a number of ways, but typically, processor (CPU) utilization is the preferred measure. For example, a threshold CPU utilization may be set, such as if the CPU utilization is greater than a predefined percentage for a predefined number of seconds, then an overload condition exists.
In step 904 , the local data mining agent queries other computer systems to determine if any other computer systems can complete the current task of the local data mining agent more quickly than the local computer system. To do this, the local data mining agent generates an estimate of the time the task would take to complete if the processing were performed on the local computer system. This estimate involves estimating the amount of processing that must be performed to complete the data mining processing task and an estimate of the CPU utilization available to process the data mining processing task. The time to complete processing of the data mining processing task may then be estimated based on the estimate of the amount of processing that must be performed, the estimate of available CPU utilization, and the speed of the CPU. The data mining agent also transmits queries to other computer systems. Typically, the queries request from other data mining agents information such as the speeds of the computer systems upon which the other data mining agents reside and estimates of CPU utilization that the computer systems upon which the other data mining agents reside could provide to process the data mining processing task. In some cases, there may not be any data mining agents running on a computer system that receives a query, even though the computer system is available for performing data mining processing. In this situation, other software on the computer system can respond to the query.
In step 906 , the local data mining agent determines whether another computer system could complete the data mining processing task faster than the local computer system. To do this, the local data mining agent computes estimates of times to complete the data mining processing task based on the amount of processing that must be performed to complete the data mining processing task, the speed of the other computer systems, and estimates of CPU utilization of the other computer systems.
Alternatively, the queries transmitted to the other data mining agents may include information relating to the amount of processing that must be performed to complete the data mining processing task. The other data mining agents would then compute estimates of times to complete the data mining processing task based on the amount of processing that must be performed to complete the data mining processing task, the speed of the other computer systems, and estimates of CPU utilization of the other computer systems. The responses to the queries would include these completion time estimates.
In either case, the local data mining agent then adds estimates of the time it would take to migrate the data mining processing task to another computer system to the estimated completion times for the other computer systems. The local data mining agent then compares the estimated completion time for the local computer system with the estimated completion times for the other computer systems to determine whether another computer system could complete the data mining processing task faster than the local computer system. If, in step 906 , the local data mining agent determines that the computer system upon which it resides could complete the data mining processing task faster than any other computer system, then process 900 ends and the data mining processing task is not migrated.
If in step 906 , the local data mining agent determines that another computer system could complete the data mining processing task faster than the local computer system, then process 900 continues with step 908 , in which the local data mining agent selects the computer system with the fastest completion time and reserves that computer system for migration of the data mining processing task. If there are one or more data mining agents running on the selected computer system, one of those data mining agents may receive and accept the reservation. Alternatively, other software on the selected computer system may receive and accept the reservation, whether data mining agents are running on the selected computer system or not. If there are no data mining agents running on the selected computer system, then the software that receives and accepts the reservation is responsible for launching a data mining agent to handle the data mining processing.
In step 910 , the local data mining agent interrupts the processing of the data mining processing task that is being performed on the local computer system. The data mining processing task is checkpointed, that is, all input data, processing state information, and output data that is required to resume processing of the data mining processing task is saved. In step 912 , the local data mining agent enqueues a “continueBuild” request in a request queue that serves the selected computer system, to which the data mining processing task is migrating. The continueBuild request typically references the checkpointed data that is needed to resume processing of the data mining processing task. When a data mining agent on the computer system to which the data mining processing task is migrating dequeues the continueBuild request, the reference to the checkpointed information is used to actually transfer the checkpointed information to the computer system to which the data mining processing task is migrating. Alternatively, the checkpointed information may be included with the continueBuild request.
A flow diagram of one embodiment of a data mining processing task migration process 1000 is shown in FIG. 10 . In this embodiment, the data mining agents communicate with each other on a regular basis, so that computer system utilization can be easily coordinated among the data mining agents. Process 1000 begins with step 1002 , in which a local data mining agent determines that the local computer system, upon which the local data mining agent resides, and which is processing the current task of the local data mining agent, has a high load relative to other computer systems. The local data mining agent may determine load in a number of ways, but typically, processor (CPU) utilization is the preferred measure. Data mining agents communicate loading information with each other on a regular basis. In particular, it may determined that the processing load of the local computer system is high relative to the processing loads of other computer systems by determining a processor utilization of the local computer system, determining processor utilizations of the other computer systems, and determining that the processor utilization of the local computer system is greater than a predefined amount higher than the processor utilization of the other computer systems.
In step 1004 , the local data mining agent determines the remaining cost of completing processing of the data mining processing task on the local computer system. The cost of completing processing may be based solely on the time it would take to complete processing, or it may be based on additional factors, such as actual costs that must be paid for use of computing equipment, etc. In order to determine the time it would take to complete processing, the local data mining agent generates an estimate of the time the task would take to complete if the processing were performed on the local computer system. This estimate involves estimating the amount of processing that must be performed to complete the data mining processing task and an estimate of the CPU utilization that will be used to process the data mining processing task. In addition, the local data mining agent may estimate other factors, such as actual costs that must be paid for use of computing equipment, etc.
In step 1006 , the local data mining agent solicits bids for completing processing of the data mining processing task from other computer systems. Typically, the requests for bids transmitted to the other data mining agents include information relating to the amount of processing that must be performed to complete the data mining processing task. The other data mining agents would then submit bids to the local data mining agent. The bids would include estimates of the costs of completing the data mining processing task on each of the other computer systems. In order to generate a bid, a data mining agent would compute estimates of costs to complete the data mining processing task that are based on the amount of time that is needed to complete the migrated task and may also be based on other factors, such as the cost of processing on the computer system. The time to complete the migrated task includes both the time needed to complete the processing and the time needed to migrate the task from one computer system to another. The time needed to complete the processing is based on the amount of processing that must be performed to complete the data mining processing task, the speed of the other computer systems, and estimates of CPU utilization of the other computer systems.
In some cases, there may not be any data mining agents running on a computer system that receives a request for a bid, even though the computer system is available for performing data mining processing. In this situation, other software on the computer system can generate and transmit the bid.
In step 1008 , the local data mining agent determines whether another computer system has a bid that is lower than the cost to complete the data mining processing task on the local computer system. To do this, the local data mining agent compares the determination of the cost of completing processing of the data mining processing task on the local computer system with the bids received from the other computer systems. If any of the received bids are significantly lower than the cost of completing processing of the data mining processing task on the local computer system, the local data mining agent migrates the remaining processing of the data mining processing task to the lowest bidder among the other computer systems. In order to carry out the migration, the local data mining agent interrupts the processing of the data mining processing task that is being performed on the local computer system. The data mining processing task is checkpointed, that is, all input data, processing state information, and output data that is required to resume processing of the data mining processing task is saved. The data mining agent enqueues a “continueBuild” request in a request queue that serves the computer system to which the data mining processing task is migrating. The continueBuild request typically references the checkpointed data that is needed to resume processing of the data mining processing task. When a data mining agent on the computer system to which the data mining processing task is migrating dequeues the continueBuild request, the reference to the checkpointed information is used to actually transfer the checkpointed information to the computer system to which the data mining processing task is migrating. Alternatively, the checkpointed information may be included with the continueBuild request.
It is important to note that while the present invention has been described in the context of a fully functioning data processing system, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the processes of the present invention are capable of being distributed in the form of a computer readable medium of instructions and a variety of forms and that the present invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media actually used to carry out the distribution. Examples of computer readable media include recordable-type media such as floppy disc, a hard disk drive, RAM, and CD-ROM's, as well as transmission-type media, such as digital and analog communications links.
Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be understood by those of skill in the art that there are other embodiments that are equivalent to the described embodiments. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrated embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims.
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A method, system, and computer program product for allocating data mining processing tasks that does not use complex internal schemes, yet results in better performance than is possible with general-purpose operating system based schemes. The present invention uses a data mining agent that operates autonomously, proactively, reactively, deliberatively, and cooperatively to allocate and reallocate data mining processing tasks among computer systems, and/or among processors. The data mining agent reacts to its own environment, determines if a data mining activity can be completed as expected, solicits bids from other data mining agents, determines if anther data mining system could complete the data mining activity and migrates that data mining activity to the selected data mining system.
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TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a process for hydrolysis of resin in pulp.
BACKGROUND ART
Mechanical pulping, alone or combined with a gentle chemical treatment, is widely used in the manufacture of pulps. These processes occur at pH in the range 4-9, and the components of the wood undergo relatively small chemical changes. The pulp therefore has a considerable content of triglycerides, esters and waxes from resin.
Residual resin may cause problems during the subsequent use of the pulp. Thus, agglomerated resin may cause paper breakage during paper manufacture or during printing as well as lowering the paper quality. It is known that the hydrophobic part of resin contains considerable amounts of triglycerides and other esters. It would be desirable to hydrolyze these as the hydrolysis products are more easily removed in aqueous systems.
GB 1,189,604 discloses a process for removing resin constituents from wood chips by applying microorganisms to wood chips during storage. However, decomposition of resin by growth of microorganisms is very difficult to control; temperature, residence time, microbial flora etc. may fluctuate, and the microorganisms may secrete cellulase and hemicellulase that decreases fibre strength and yield.
It is the object of the invention to provide a controllable process for reducing the resin content of pulp with minimal changes of existing equipment and process conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
We have found that, surprisingly, resin can be hydrolyzed enzymatically during the reductive bleaching (e.g. with sodium dithionite) commonly used in pulp manufacture. The enzyme treatment necessitates little or no change of commonly used bleaching conditions.
Accordingly, the invention provides a process for hydrolysis of resin in pulp, characterized by carrying out enzymatic hydrolysis of resin simultaneously with reductive bleaching of the pulp.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE
FIGURE 1 shows the stability of lipase towards sodium dithionite.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Pulp
The process of the invention may be applied to any resin-containing pulp, especially to pulps with a considerable content of triglycerides, esters and waxes from resin. Examples are pulps produced by mechanical pulping, alone or combined with a gentle chemical treatment, such as GW (Ground Wood), TMP (Thermo Mechanical Pulp) and CTMP (Chemical Thermo Mechanical Pulp).
Enzyme
The process of the invention uses an enzyme to hydrolyze the triglycerides and/or other esters in the resin, i.e. an enzyme with lipase and/or esterase activity. For obvious reasons, the enzyme to be used should be active and reasonably stable at the process conditions to be used; especially temperature, pH and the presence of reductive bleaching agents affect the enzyme stability. More specifically, enzyme and process conditions are preferably chosen such that at least 10% of the enzyme activity remains after the reaction, and preferably more than 50% activity remains after 40 minutes.
Examples of suitable enzymes are lipases derived from strains of Pseudomonas (especially Ps. cepacia, Ps. fluorescens, Ps. fragi and Ps. stutzeri) Humicola (especially H. brevispora), Candida (especially C. antarctica), H. lanuginosa, H. brevis var. thermoidea and H. insolens), Chromobacter (especially C. viscosum) and Aspergillus (especially A. niger). An example of a commercial lipase preparation is Resinase™A, product of Novo Nordisk A/S.
The enzyme dosage required for significant resin hydrolysis depends on process conditions, but is generally above 0.1 KLU/kg of pulp dry matter (KLU=1000 Lipase Units, defined in WO 89/04361), preferably 0.5-150 KLU/kg.
To avoid break-down of the fibre structure in the pulp, cellulase side-activities should be essentially absent, preferably below 1000 EGU/kg of pulp dry matter (EGU unit for cellulase activity defined in WO 91/07542).
Reductive bleaching
The process of the invention includes bleaching with a reductive bleaching agent which may be hydrosulfites; e.g. sodium- or zinc-dithionite, sodium borohydride or sodium bisulphite.
For e.g. sodium dithionite the concentration used in a normal reductive bleaching is typically in the range of 0.05 to 5.0% by weight on dry pulp matter.
Process conditions
Conventional conditions for reductive pulp bleaching may be used. Typically, pH will be in the range 3-7 throughout the reaction. Other additives commonly used in reductive bleaching may be present, such as sodium polyphosphate, sodium bicarbonate and complexing agents (e.g. EDTA, DTPA, STPP).
The bleaching temperature is in the range 40°-90° C., normally 50°-70° C. and the reaction time is in the range 0.5-5.0 hours, normally around 3 hours.
The consistency of the pulp is in the range 2-30%, typically 3-8%.
Optional additional process steps
Conventional reductive bleaching is generally followed by a draining off of the bleach liquor and washing of the bleached pulp. One bleaching stage may be followed by other stages. This can be e.g. one or more reductive bleaching stages or one or more oxidative bleaching stages using peroxy bleaching agents or combinations of oxidative and reductive bleaching stages.
The lipase may, of course, be introduced in one or more of these optional stages, both in reductive and oxidative stages.
EXAMPLE 1
The stability of a commercial lipase product at reductive bleaching conditions was tested as follows.
To two aqueous phosphate buffer (0.02 molar) solutions having a pH of 6.0, 1 g/l and 2 g/l, respectively, of sodium dithionite were added. To these solutions a commercial liquid lipase formulation (Resinase™A, product of Novo Nordisk A/S) was added.
The lipase activity in the solution was measured during the next approx. 2.5 hours. Relative activities are listed in table 1 and 2 and plotted versus time in FIG. 1. The relative activity is defined as the activity at a given time in percent of the initial lipase activity. The absolute activity have been measured in KLU-units according to the analytical procedure AF 95/5, available on request from Novo Nordisk A/S.
The results show that the lipase is fairly stable towards sodium dithionite. The performance of the lipase over 133 minutes, which is measured as the area under the curve plotted in FIG. 1, is only decreased by 28.5% and 35.4% by the addition of 1.0 g/l and 2 g/l of sodium dithionite, respectively, compared to no addition of sodium dithionite.
It is seen that the enzyme is fairly stable at these typical bleaching conditions, with a half-life above 90 minutes, and more than 40% residual activity after 2 hours reaction time.
TABLE 1______________________________________(1 g/l sodium dithionite at 60° C.)Time Relative activityminutes %______________________________________ 0 100 57 69.3105 59.5133 54.3______________________________________
TABLE 2______________________________________(2 g/l sodium dithionite at 60° C.)Time Relative activityminutes %______________________________________ 0 10070 51.092 53.0117 45.3______________________________________
EXAMPLE 2
This experiment is equal to Example 1 except for the lipase used. For this experiment a commercial thermostable lipase formulation (Novozym 429, product of Novo Nordisk A/S, lipase A from C. antarctica, described in WO 88/02775) was used.
This enzyme is very stable towards dithionite. The activity of the enzyme was not reduced at all by the addition of 1.0 g/l and 2.0 g/l of sodium dithionite compared to no addition of sodium dithionite.
EXAMPLE 3
The lipase used in Example 1 was added to a groundwood pulp. The amount of lipase added corresponded to a dosage of 100 KLU/kg of dry pulp. The lipase was added during a sodium dithionite bleaching. The bleaching conditions were 60° C., at a consistency of 4.5%, a bleaching time of 2 hours and an initial pH of 6.0.
The following amounts of bleaching chemicals were added 1.54% (w/w) sodium dithionite and 0.5% (w/w) EDTA on dry pulp.
Three control experiments were made. One with no addition of bleaching chemical and enzyme, one without addition of bleaching chemicals and the last one without addition of enzyme.
The table below shows the increase of pulp brightness (measured as % (ISO) brightness as well as reduction of the triglycerides content of the pulp.
TABLE 3______________________________________ Bleaching Reduction ofEnzyme Chemical Brightness TriglyceridesAddition addition % (ISO) %______________________________________No No 62.6 --No Yes 66.5 12.5Yes No 62.5 62.5Yes Yes 66.2 58.8______________________________________
It is observed that both the bleaching system and the lipase work well at the same time. The dithionite bleaching works equally well with and without the presents of a lipase. The same was the case for the lipase. It hydrolyzes approximately the same amount of triglycerides both with and without the presence of bleaching chemicals.
EXAMPLE 4
A pulp is processed according to the invention as follows:
The lipase used in Example 1, is added to a TMP pulp. The amount of lipase added corresponds to a dosage of 25 KLU per kg of pulp. The lipase is added during a traditional sodium dithionite bleaching to a final brightness of 60% ISO-brightness.
The lipase treatment results in a reduction of the amount of triglycerides in the bleached pulp compared to a pulp which has not been treated with enzyme. The amount of triglycerides in the pulp is reduced by more than 80%. The lipase catalyzed hydrolysis of the triglycerides gives an increase in the amount of the more hydrophilic mono-glycerides and fatty acids, which can be removed more easily in the washing stages after the bleaching.
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Resin can be hydrolyzed enzymatically during the reductive bleaching (e.g. with sodium dithionite) commonly used in pulp manufacture. The enzyme treatment necessitates little or no change of commonly used bleaching conditions.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 745,686, filed Nov. 29, 1976, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,978 which is a division of application Ser. No. 535,355, filed Dec. 23, 1974, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,796.
The art of perforating oil field tubular goods is rather well developed. The two basic types of perforating guns are the bullet and shaped charge. In bullet type perforators, a metal bullet is fired through the casing, through the cement sheath surrounding the casing and into the formation adjacent thereto. In a shaped charge type gun, the shaped charge burns a hole in the casing, in the cement sheath and partially into the formation therearound. Although both type guns have their advantages, the shaped charge type is at present somewhat more common. This invention is usable with either type gun and is designed to selectively fire one perforating element or a small group of elements out of a plurality of elements on the gun.
There are a number of different techniques for selectively firing perforating elements on a perforating gun containing additional perforating elements. The simplest type is often called a "two gun tandem" in which approximately half of the perforating elements are connected to a source of D.C. voltage through a diode of one polarity and the remaining perforating elements are connected to the source of D.C. voltage through a diode of opposite polarity. Applying a firing current of one polarity to the gun fires the first group of perforating elements while the second group is fired upon applying firing current of opposite polarity thereto. Although this technique is extremely simple, it lacks flexibility since one cannot, for example, assemble a series of eighty perforating elements and selectively fire only a few at a time.
In many petroleum producing areas of the world, producing formations of substantial thickness are encountered in which relatively thin streaks thereof contain sufficient hydrocarbon saturation and exhibit sufficient permeability to warrant completing. It is present practice to selectively perforate only those streaks or sections which exhibit both hydrocarbon saturation and permeability. Since such streaks may be numerous but thin and separated from each other by unproductive sections, it is desirable to provide a perforating gun which may carry a large number of perforating elements which may be selectively fired in very small groups.
In response to this need, multiple wire--multiple shot perforating guns were devised. In these devices, a plurality of separate circuits are employed to fire a like plurality of small groups of perforating elements. Although this type device works reasonably well, there are understandable complexities involved in providing a large number of circuits in guns which may be no more than about 11/2" in diameter. In particular, it is somewhat difficult to seal all of the wiring against liquid leakage. Since many blasting caps have a safety feature whereby they refuse to fire if wet, it will be apparent that numerous problems can attend the manufacture and use of multiple wire--multiple shot perforating guns.
In response to these difficulties, there has been developed a single wire-multiple shot gun. In devices of this type, there are provided a plurality of spaced normally disarmed blasting cap-perforating element assemblages and an armed assemblage. When the armed assemblage is fired, the adjacent blasting cap-perforating element assemblage is armed through the use of a mechanically operated switch. It is this type of selective firing perforating gun that this invention most nearly relates. There are several disadvantages of the prior art single wire-multiple shot guns. First, the initiator or blasting cap is connected through a diode to a hot wire carrying a D.C. firing voltage. A switch breaks the circuit leading through the diode and blasting cap and is used to connect contacts of a bypass circuit around the blasting cap. Accordingly, when firing current is imposed on the bypass, firing current is presented to the blasting cap which is presumably disarmed through an open circuit. If the blasting cap is inadvertantly grounded or if the diode is inadvertantly grounded, inadvertant firing of the blasting cap and its associated perforating element occurs. This can be a very serious event. If the inadvertant shot occurs above ground, obvious injury to personnel and damage to equipment may occur. If the inadvertant shot occurs below ground, it must be squeezed off since the well may make significant quantities of water. If everything goes well, only a few thousand dollars may repair the inadvertant shot. If events proceed from bad to worse, in accordance with Murphy's law, a great deal of money may be spent in repairing the inadvertant shot.
As disclosed in substantial detail in the above mentioned applications, there has been developed a selective fire perforating gun and switch which acts, in the disarmed configuration, to short circuit the leads from the blasting cap and to isolate the blasting cap leads from any energized or grounded electrical wires. Devices of this type have considerable advantages in avoiding inadvertant firing of a blasting cap and its associated shaped charge. As will be more fully apparent hereinafter, one of the main goals of this invention is to provide a highly simplified and inexpensive switch which will disarm the blasting cap and its associated shaped charge and be capable of manipulating the switch in a simple, expeditious and fool proof manner to an armed position in response to a pressure pulse generated by the firing of the next lower perforating element.
In summary, this invention comprises a select fire perforating gun incorporating a multiplicity of initiator-perforating element assemblages which include a switch unit maintaining the assemblage in a disarmed configuration until the next lower assemblage is fired at which time the swithch unit is manipulated to arm the assemblage.
The switch unit comprises a housing or body which is temporarily captivated in the perforating gun and includes a piston exposed to a pressure pulse generated during the firing of the next lower assemblage. The piston acts on a partially confined body of liquifiable or flowable material which is extruded or expressed upon firing of the next lower assemblage. The expressed material is directed toward a switch actuator which moves from a disarmed position to an armed position in response to the flowable material impacting the switch actuator. In order to prevent rebound of the switch actuator from the armed position back to the disarmed position, a catch is provided for holding the switch actuator in the armed position.
It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an improved technique for arming explosively actuated well tools.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved perforating gun and switch therefor.
Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.
IN THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of a perforating gun of this invention, certain parts being broken away for clarity of illustration;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the switch assembly utilized in the perforating gun of FIG. 1 illustrating the disarmed configuration;
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the switch of FIG. 2 taken substantially along line 3--3 thereof as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;
FIG. 4 is a top view of the switch body of FIGS. 2 and 3;
FIG. 5 is an exploded isometric view of the switch of FIGS. 2-6;
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit through a pair of the switch assembles of FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrated in the unarmed configuration;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the switch assembly in the armed configuration; and
FIG. 8 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 6 illustrating the condition when the lowermost perforating charge has been detonated and the next lower switch assembly has been armed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a perforating gun 10 which is raised and lowered in a well by manipulation of a suitable cable 12 having a central conductive wire, an external conductive sheath and an insulating sheath between the internal and external conductors designed to carry electrical current to various electrical devices in the gun 10. The cable 12 is connected to a suitable rope socket 14 which is conveniently screwed into the top of a conventional collar locator 16. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the collar locator 16 is designed to sense a collar or joint between adjacent pipe sections in order to properly position the tool 10. The collar locator 16 is attached to a firing head assembly 18.
The firing head assembly head 18 may be of conventional design and provides an internal insulated electrical path 20 which is connected through the collar locator 16 and the cable 12 to a D.C. source at the surface. The path 20 is accordingly part of a firing circuit 22 leading to the perforating elements to be described hereinafter. The firing head assembly 18 is attached onto the top of a sub 24 and provides a passage 26 for a hot wire 28.
Below the sub 24 are a plurality of repeating gun sections 30 each comprising an initiator-perforating element assemblage 32. The gun sections 30 and the assemblages 32 are substantially identical and comprise an internally threaded casing 34 having one or more ports 36 therein for receiving the discharge end of a perforating element 38 which is illustrated as being of the shaped charge variety. An initiator or blasting cap 40 is disposed adjacent the shaped charge 38 for detonating the same in a conventional manner. The blasting cap 40 is provided with first and second wires or leads 42, 44 for purposes more fully explained hereinafter.
The lowermost assemblage 32 is conveniently armed in any suitable manner, as by grounding the blasting cap wire 42 to the casing 34 and connecting the other blasting cap wire 44 to the firing circuit 22. In the alternative, the lowermost assemblage 32 may initially be disarmed and provided with a mechanism for arming the same, e.g. means for sensing hydrostatic pressure in the borehole outside the gun 10 for arming the assemblage when an appropriate borehole depth is reached. The lower end of the lowermost assemblage 32 is closed in any suitable manner, as by the provision of a bull plug 46 as illustrated in FIG. 1.
The general plan of operation of this invention and of the prior art single wire-multiple shot perforating guns is that the hot wire side of the firing circuit includes a switch for each initiator-perforating element assemblage which completes a bypass circuit to the next lower assemblage while disarming its associated assemblage. Upon firing of the lowermost assemblage, the switch of the next upper assemblage is manipulated to arm its associated blasting cap initiator. Firing of the shots carried by the gun 10 then proceeds from the bottom of the gun toward the top thereof. As heretofore illustrated and described, the perforating gun 10 is of substantially conventional design and may be obtained commercially from Gearhart-Owen Industries, Inc. of Ft. Worth, Texas.
A switch sub 48 is connected between adjacent assemblages 32 and comprises a rigid body 50 suitably of machined metal or the like having upper and lower external threads 52, 54 for coupling with the adjacent gun sections 30. Suitable O-rings 56 seal between the body 50 and the adjacent gun sections 30 to prevent liquid passage into the gun 10. An elongate passage 58 extends axially through the switch sub 48 and comprises an upper conical section 60, a lower cylindrical section 62 having a snap ring groove 64 therein, and an intermediate section 66 communicating between the upper and lower sections 60, 62. The junction between the sections 62, 66 provides an annular shoulder 68 for purposes more fully explained hereinafter. As will be more fully apparent hereinafter, the switch mechanism of this invention is mounted in the passage section 62.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, there is illustrated a switch unit 70 of this invention. The switch unit 70 provides a multiplicity of functions during operation of the perforating gun 10 which may be broadly classified as disarming functions and arming functions. In the disarmed configuration of the switch unit 70, its associated blasting cap 40 is electrically separated from any contact with the firing circuit 22, an electrical bypass circuit is made through the switch unit 70 to provide a hot wire for a subjacent assemblage 32, and the terminals of its associated blasting cap 40 are short circuited. Responding to the detonation of a subjacent perforating element, the arming functions of the switch unit 70 are removing the short circuit between the blasting cap leads 42, 44, placing the blasting cap 40 in circuit with the hot wire 28 and severing the circuit leading to the subjacent fired assemblage.
One of the problems in designing a switch unit for a select fire perforating gun is that the pressure pulse generated during firing of a subjacent shaped charge is of considerable magnitude. Although the magnitude of the pressure pulse is unknown, it would not be surprising to learn that the pressure peak is in excess of 30,000 psi. Accordingly, one is faced with the dilemma of constructing an inexpensive extremely rugged switch mechanism. Another problem with a mechanical linkage for converting the pressure pulse into switch movement is that the linkage must be designed and assembled to very close tolerances so that the moveable switch member is moved precisely the correct distance. For example, if the switch member is moved against a stop and too much movement is attempted, some component will necessarily break or warp. As will become more fully apparent hereinafter, these problems are avoided by spacing the switch a considerable distance from any moving mechanical part and squirting a flowable material onto the moveable switch member in order to effect movement.
To these ends, the switch unit 70 comprises a rigid generally cylindrical body or housing 72 having a generally planar upper end or face 74 perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 76 of the body 72 which is coaxial with a longitudinal axis 78 of the perforating gun 10, a lower face or end 80 generally parallel to the upper face 74 and a generally T-shaped slot 82 comprising an axially extending leg 84 opening through the upper end 74 and a transverse leg 86. The body 72 also comprises an enlarged passage 88 which appears to be cylindrical but which is slightly divergent toward the lower end 80 for purposes more fully explained hereinafter. The passage 88 communicates with the T-shaped slot 82 through a passage 90 of reduced size when compared to the passage 88. The passages 88, 90 define a shoulder 92 at the junction thereof. The switch body 72 also comprises a plurality of circumferential grooves 94 for receiving a like plurality of O-rings 96 providing a pressure seal between the exterior of the switch body 72 and the passage section 62 in the switch sub 48. As shown best in FIG. 4, the switch body 72 also comprises a pair of opposed slots 98 opening into the leg 84.
Extending into the passage 88 and mounted for limited axial movement therein is a piston assembly 100 comprising a cylindrical sleeve 102 of electrical insulating material such as a phenolic resin, a central pin 104 of electrically conductive material such as metal or the like, and an O-ring seal 106 surrounding the pin 104 providing a seal between the pin 104 and passage 88 in the disarmed position and sealing against the shoulder 92 in the armed position. The pin 104 provides a circumferential groove 108 about the exposed end thereof to allow easy attachment of an electrical wire leading to the next subjacent assemblage 32. It will be apparent from FIG. 3 that the switch unit 70 provides a reservoir 110 which is decreased in size upon upward movement of the piston assembly 100 as more fully pointed out hereinafter.
Mounted on the switch body 72 in the T-shaped slot 82 is a switch 112 best illustrated in FIGS. 3, 5 and 7. Although the switch 112 may be of any suitable type commensurate with its desired functions, it is preferred that the switch 112 be a mass produced, inexpensive switch having a multiplicity of switched terminals and providing a generally reciprocably mounted switch member of reasonable size. Although many different types of switches fit this description, one exemplary selection that has proved satisfactory is commercially available from Radio Shack as Model 275-407.
Referring to FIG. 5, the switch 112 is illustrated in substantial detail and comprises a metallic bracket 114 having a bottom wall 116, upstanding walls 118, 120, a plurality of tangs 122 for captivating a moveable carrier 124 and a stationary terminal holder 126. The bottom wall 116 provides an opening 128 therethrough for receiving a screw 130 for attaching the switch 112 to the switch body 72.
The carrier 124 is of generally rectilinear configuration and is of an electrically insulating material such as a phenolic resin or the like. THe carrier 124 is mounted between the vertical walls 118, 120 for movement in a generally linear path 132 and provides a pair of elongate parallel slots 134 each receiving a generally U-shaped switch element 136 biased by a spring 138 toward the terminal holder 126.
The terminal holder 126 includes a generally planar section 140 of electrically insulating material such as a phenolic resin. Extending through the planar section 140 are a multiplicity of switch terminals each of which includes a rounded end 142 below the section 140 for engagement with one or the other of the switch elements 136. The terminals also include an upstanding leg 144, 146, 148, 150, 152, 154 for connection to various electrical leads as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter.
With the carrier 124 in its lower position illustrated in FIG. 3, it will be seen that the legs 146, 148 and the legs 152, 154 are electrically connected by the switch elements 136. When the carrier 124 moves to its upper position illustrated in FIG. 7, the legs 144, 146 and the legs 150, 152 are electrically connected by the switch elements 136.
Referring to FIGS. 1-3 and 6, the arrangement of the firing circuit 22 and particularly the wiring of the switch units 70 is illustrated. For purposes of simplicity, the showings of FIGS. 1, 6 and 8 are described hereinafter as including three blasting caps 40 although it should be understood that as many gun sections 30 may be provided as desired. The hot wire 28 is illustrated in FIG. 1 as extending through the passage 58 to the switch 112 of the upper switch unit 70.
As shown in FIG. 6, the hot wire 28 is connected to the terminal leg 152 of the upper switch 112. An electrical connection 156 extends from the terminal leg 150 of the upper switch unit 70 to the terminal leg 152 of the lower switch unit 70. As shown best in FIG. 3, the electrical connection 156 includes an insulated wire 158 connected between the terminal leg 150 and the conductive pin 104 and a second insulated wire 160 having a bared end tied about the groove 108 and extending through the passage 58 of the subject switch sub 48 to connect to the terminal leg 152 of the lower switch unit 70. Providing an electrical path between the terminal leg 150 of the lower switch unit 70 and the lowermost blasting cap 40 is an electrical connection 162 comprising a wire connecting the terminal leg 150 to the pin 104 which is in turn connected to the blasting cap lead 44 as shown in FIG. 1. Because the switch elements 136 are in the lower position, an electrical path is completed from the hot wire 28 to the lead 44 of the lowermost blasting cap 40. Accordingly, the lowermost blasting cap 40 is armed and ready to fire.
The terminal legs 144, 146 of the switch units 70 are connected to the legs 42, 44 of the blasting caps 40 associated with the switch units 70. Because the switch elements 136 are in the lower position, it will be seen that the leads 42, 44 of the blasting caps 40 associated with the switch units 70 are short circuited. It will also be evident that the leads 42, 44 are wholly isolated from any component of the firing circuitry 22 which is energized or grounded during firing of a subjacent blasting cap.
The terminal legs 148 of the switch units 70 are connected to a ground 164 by an electrical connection 166 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. The electrical connection 166 comprises, as shown in FIG. 3, a lead 168 connected between the leg 148 and a roll pin 170 press fit in an aperture 172 provided by the switch body 72. Because the switch body 72 is in electrical communication with the switch sub 48 and consequently the gun housings 34 which is electrically connected to the external conductive sheath of the cable 12, it will be evident that the terminal leg 148 is grounded.
As shown schematically in FIGS. 6 and 8, the switch units 70 comprise oppositely facing diodes 174 connected by leads 176, 178 to the terminal legs 154, 144 respectively. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, an insulating sleeve 180 surrounds the bare lead 176 along a path adjacent the terminal legs 150, 152 to prevent inadvertant shorting of the circuitry in the switch units 70.
The reservoir 110 is filled with a flowable material 182 which is squirted toward the carrier 122 to effect movement thereof as shown by a comparison of FIGS. 3 and 7. The material 182 may be a solid or semi-solid at atmospheric temperatures and pressure and have the capability of flowing, i.e. being expressed or extruded, at normal temperatures existing in well bores where the gun 10 is to be used. Because well-bore temperatures vary quite widely, in the range of about 100°-500° F., it is desirable that any phase change of the material occur at a substantially higher temperatures. Although it is conceivable that the material 182 may be electrically conductive provided that the terminal legs be covered with an insulating potting material as disclosed hereinafter and provided that the leads to the terminal legs be well insulated, it is highly preferred that the material 182 be electrically insulating. Although a number of compositions fit this description, a silicone grease, such as is available from General Electric Company, has proved satisfactory.
The reservoir 110 and preferably the passage 90 are substantially filled with the grease during assembly of the unit 70, as by the use of a syringe. As will be more fully apparent hereinafter, the passage 90 may be partially filled, exactly filled or over filled without effecting the operation of the switch unit 70.
Although the switch 112 is connected to the switch body 72 by the screw 130, it is desirable to further secure and stabilize the switch 112 for several reasons. First, the impact of the flowable material 182 onto the carrier 124 and the remainder of the switch 112 can be significant. To illustrate the magnitude of the forces acting on the switch unit 70, realizing that the showings of FIGS. 2 and 3 are about twice full scale, initial testing was performed by clamping the switch body 72 in a vise and smartly striking the pin 104 with a sledge hammer. Second, any bending of the switch bracket 114 can have serious repercussions because of the likelihood that one or more of the leads connected to the terminal legs will be shorted against the switch body 72. In order to further stabilize the switch 112, a potting material 184 is placed on the exposed side of the planar section 140 to cover the exposed terminal legs and extends into the grooves 98. Although the potting material 182 may be of any desired type, it is preferred to use a quick setting epoxy resin adhesive. It will accordingly be apparent that the potting material sets up in a hard tough body captivating the switch 112 in place.
When the switch units 70 are assembled, an anti-rebound mechanism 186 is installed to prevent the carrier 124 from rebounding off of the roll pin 170, which acts as a stop or limit of upward movement of the carrier 124. The mechanism 186 comprises a base 188 having an opening 190 therein. The base 188 is positioned below the switch bracket 114 and the screw 130 extends through the opening 190 to captivate the mechanism 186 in place. The mechanism 186 also includes a catch 192 comprising an angled or reverted end of the base 188. In the unarmed position of the switch unit 70 shown in FIG. 3, the catch 192 is positioned between the bottom of the carrier 124 and the bracket 114. The catch 192 is upwardly biased by the properties of the material in the bend 194 between the catch 192 and the base 188. Accordingly, when the carrier 124 is driven by the flowable material 182, the carrier 124 moves beyond the free end of the catch 192 whereupon the catch 192 angularly moves to a position to engage the carrier 124 in the event it should tend to rebound as suggested in FIG. 7.
Assembly of the switch unit 70 in the switch sub 48 is accomplished by placing the switch body 72 in the passage section 62 and placing a snap ring (not shown) in the groove 64.
In operation, the firing circuit 22 is configured as shown in FIG. 6 while the perforating gun 10 is being run into the hole. When the lowermost shaped charge 38 is appropriately positioned, a positive D.C. voltage is delivered through the hot wire 28 and the electrical connections 156, 162 to detonate the lowermost blasting cap 40 and ignite its associated shaped charge 38. The temperature generated by the ignition of the lowermost shaped charge 38 vaporizes or melts the lowermost leads 42, 44. The pressure generated by the ignition of the lowermost shaped charge 38 drives the piston assembly 100 of the lower switch unit 70 upwardly and expresses or extrudes the flowable silicon grease 182 toward the switch carrier 124 and drives it upwardly against the limit provided by the roll pin 170 as suggested by a comparison of FIGS. 3 and 7. Upward movement of the carrier 124 causes the switch elements 136 to sever the electrical connection between the terminal legs 144, 146 and between the terminal legs 150, 152 and to make an electrical connection between the terminal legs 146, 148 and between the terminal legs 152, 154. Accordingly, the electrical configuration of the gun 10 is changed from the configuration shown in FIG. 6 to the configuration shown in FIG. 8. In this fashion, the lower switch unit 70 is changed from the unarmed configuration shown in FIG. 6 to an armed configuration shown in FIG. 8. Accordingly, the blasting cap 40 associated with the lower switch unit 70 is armed and can be fired by the application of a negative D.C. voltage to the hot wire 28.
In a similar manner, firing of the blasting cap 40 and shaped charge 38 is associated with the lower switch unit 70 acts to arm the upper switch unit 70 which can then be fired by the application of a positive D.C. voltage to a hot wire 28. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the orientation of the diodes 174 dictates what polarity of D.C. voltage will fire the blasting cap associated therewith. For example, the application of positive D.C. voltage to the lower switch 70 will not fire the blasting cap 40 associated therewith because the diode 174 is arranged not to pass positive D.C. voltage.
If often happens that the O-ring seals associated with a particular gun section 32 will leak thereby allowing mud or other completion liquid to enter the housing 34 and pressurize it to the hydrostatic pressure existing in the well at the depth of the gun 10. Absent any special provisions, the switch unit 70 exposed to the hydrostatic pressure will not arm. In one sense, it is desirable for the silicon grease to dribble out rather than squirt out in response to hydrostatic pressure because the switch carrier 122 is not moved by dribbles of silicon grease but rather by a forceable squirt thereof. Accordingly, it is evident that a false arming of any particular switch because of exposure to hydrostatic pressure is avoided. In another sense, upward creeping of the piston assembly 100 in response to hydrostatic pressure is undesirable because any switch unit 70 exposed to hydrostatic pressure will thereafter be incapable of arming. This, of course, requires that the gun 10 be removed from the well and the unarmable switch unit 70 replaced. Accordingly, the relationship between the passage 88 and the piston assembly 100 is selected to avoid creep of the piston assembly 100 in response to hydrostatic pressure. Instead of a close cylindrical-to-cylindrical fit as might be expected, it is preferred that the piston assembly 100 and the passage 88 have a progressively increasing interference fit. A convenient technique for accomplishing the interference fit is for the sleeve 102 to be cylindrical and the passage 88 to be frustoconical and downwardly diverging. The amount of divergence of the passage 88 is desirably small, i.e. less than about 10° and is preferably on the order of about 2°. In the alternative, the lower end of the passage 88 may be cylindrical for readily receiving the sleeve 102 and the upper end may be frustoconical and downwardly diverging.
Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form is only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
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A multiple shot selective fire perforating gun for piercing oil field tubular goods, typically during the process of completing an oil or gas well. The perforating gun includes a multiplicity of shaped charges which are fired individually by an associated blasting cap and switch. The switch of all but the lowermost shaped charge is configured to disarm its associated blasting cap until the next lower shaped charge has detonated. The generation of the pressure pulse from detonation of the next lower shaped charge causes a piston in the switch to move to express a stream of flowable material onto a switch actuator which manipulates the switch to place it in an armed condition ready to fire.
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TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of semiconductor devices and, more particularly, to apparatus and methods for the production of junction field effect transistors.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The continual demand for enhanced integrated circuit performance has resulted in, among other things, a dramatic reduction of semiconductor device geometries, and continual efforts to optimize the performance of every substructure within any semiconductor device. A number of improvements and innovations in fabrication processes, material composition, and layout of the active circuit levels of a semiconductor device have resulted in very high-density circuit designs. Increasingly dense circuit design has not only improved a number of performance characteristics, it has also increased the importance of, and attention to, semiconductor material properties and behaviors.
[0003] The increased packing density of the integrated circuit generates numerous challenges to the semiconductor manufacturing process. Nearly every device must be smaller without degrading operational performance of the integrated circuitry. High packing density, low heat generation, and low power consumption, with good reliability must be maintained without any functional degradation. Increased packing density of integrated circuits is usually accompanied by smaller feature size.
[0004] As integrated circuits become denser, the dimensions of metal structures interconnecting transistors, channels between contacts, and other device features within an integrated circuit are significantly reduced—significantly altering the physical and electrical properties of those features. Ongoing efforts to reduce transistor geometries give rise to a number previously unaddressed performance and design issues, particularly in specialized or high-performance designs. Consider, for example, a junction field effect transistor (JFET).
[0005] Conventional JFETs are often produced in bipolar semiconductor technologies. These JFETs offer some beneficial properties, such as low leakage current and high current capacity, suitable for certain applications (e.g., buffers). Unfortunately, though, conventional JFETs have certain structural and behavioral properties that limit their usefulness in high-performance applications (e.g., high frequency, high voltage). In comparison to MOSFETs, JFETs have relatively high current capacities but relatively low gain. As such, some efforts have been made to produce JFETs retaining their beneficial properties, while adding certain performance properties that approach those of MOSFETs. This has, correspondingly, resulted in attempts to implement JFET architectures in commercial, MOS-type, photolithographic process technologies—raising a number of new issues and concerns.
[0006] Generally, the junction region of a JFET (i.e., the region comprising the interface of the channel and gate structures) is determinative of most of that JFET's performance characteristics. This is the region where voltage across the channel, and an electric field (or fields) resulting therefrom, alter depletion of charge under the gate—thereby altering the current throughput of the JFET. Thus, altering the structure, dimension or configuration of a JFET junction region can significantly contribute to or detract from that JFET's performance.
[0007] Conventional JFET structures typically comprise a central channel region within a base substrate, having a gate disposed atop it—forming the junction region. Laterally, along a single plane, the channel is bounded, on its sides, by areas doped to form the source and drain regions. Contacts are formed atop the source, drain and gate features to form the functional transistor. The gate is used to apply voltage to the junction region—pinching off the junction region and thereby controlling the current throughput of the JFET.
[0008] Within the junction region, a certain amount of non-linear parasitic capacitance originates from the interface between the channel and the gate (i.e., the top side of the channel). This parasitic capacitance can degrade the frequency performance of the JFET. Additionally, a certain amount of non-linear parasitic capacitance originates from each of the interfaces between the channel and the source and drain (i.e., the channel sidewalls). These interfaces—in comparison with the channel/gate interface—do nothing to contribute to controlling junction region pinch off. They do, however, contribute a significant amount of additional capacitance, greatly increasing the non-linearity of the parasitic capacitance and further impairing the frequency performance of the JFET. This effect is even more extensive in designs that implement a backside gate.
[0009] Certain JFET designs, depending upon the semiconductor process technology utilized, can or do provide a second gate structure (i.e., a “backside gate”) disposed along the bottom surface of the channel. Where such a structure is present, the non-linear parasitic capacitance is increased even further—decreasing the JFET's frequency performance. In order for a backside gate structure to contribute to controlling junction field effects, a contact must be made for it. This translates to patterning, routing, or otherwise producing a contact on the backside of the substrate. In most commercial applications, however, this is extremely impractical due to the cost and process overhead involved. Thus, the presence of a backside gate typically adds nothing to the control of junction field effects while further degrading the frequency performance of the JFET.
[0010] Theoretically, these detrimental capacitance effects could be diminished if the length of the channel was reduced significantly. Unfortunately, most conventional fabrication processes (e.g., lithography) are limited in their ability to reliably produce transistor features of extremely small dimension. Even where the ability to produce extremely fine processing tool features (e.g., mask dimensions) might exist, the ability to accurately predict and tightly control inherent processing material effects (e.g., diffusive spreading) often does not. For example, assume that a gate mask having a length dimension of 0.3 μm can be successfully produced—to be used in implanting a device feature intended to have a gate length dimension of 0.3 μm. Implantation of a dopant through the mask may nonetheless yield a device feature having a length dimension of 0.4 μm, 0.5 μm or larger—depending upon the inherent diffusivity of the dopant material during implant. Aside from such production difficulties, an extremely fine channel structure would cause other performance problems—particularly with respect to frequency performance. A gate contact to an extremely narrow channel would have extremely high resistance that would, consequently, degrade the frequency response of the transistor. Thus, in conventional processes, the ability to limit detrimental capacitance effects through channel length reduction is of little practical value.
[0011] As a result, there is a need for a system that provides for the design and production of high performance JFET structures—capable of high current throughput at high voltages and high frequencies—using commercially viable semiconductor process technologies in an easy, efficient and cost-effective manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention provides a versatile system, comprising a number of apparatus and methods, for the design and production of high performance JFET structures. The system of the present invention provides a cross-lateral JFET architecture that is highly versatile and readily adaptable to a number of design or performance requirements. JFETs according the present invention are nonetheless capable of high-voltage, high current throughput at high frequencies. Furthermore, using the system of the present invention, JFETs are readily produced using commercially viable semiconductor process technologies. The present invention thereby provides high performance JFETs in an easy, efficient and cost-effective manner.
[0013] Specifically, the system of the present invention provides a cross-lateral JFET architecture, defined by source/drain branches orthogonal to gate branches. The gate branches of this architecture provide a well-defined gate modulation (or junction modulation) region. Parasitic capacitance effects originating from channel sidewalls are effectively eliminated. Non-linearity, otherwise associated with parasitic capacitance in conventional JFET designs, is minimized—providing optimal frequency performance. The dual gate configuration of the present invention provides dynamic pinch-off across the channel, improving the transistor gain (g m ). The outer regions of each cross-lateral branch are readily accessible to implantation processes, providing for independently selective doping profiles in each such branch. Furthermore, each such branch can be customized to provide, for example, a desired contact size or shape. The system of the present invention thus provides a wide range of transistor operational voltage ranges with only minor in-process adjustments.
[0014] More specifically, the present invention provides a system for providing a cross-lateral junction field effect transistor having desired high-performance voltage, frequency or current characteristics. The cross-lateral transistor is formed on a commercial semiconductor substrate. A channel structure is formed along the substrate, having source and drain structures laterally formed on opposites sides thereof. A first gate structure is formed along the substrate, laterally adjoining the channel structure orthogonal to the source and drain structures. A second gate structure is formed along the substrate, laterally adjoining the channel structure, orthogonal to the source and drain structures and opposite the first gate structure.
[0015] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] For a better understanding of the invention, and to show by way of example how the same may be carried into effect, reference is now made to the detailed description of the invention along with the accompanying figures in which corresponding numerals in the different figures refer to corresponding parts and in which:
[0017] FIGS. 1 a and 1 b provide illustrations depicting one embodiment of a semiconductor device segment according to the present invention;
[0018] FIGS. 2 a and 2 b provide illustrations depicting another embodiment of a semiconductor device segment according to the present invention;
[0019] FIGS. 2 c and 2 d provide illustrations depicting another embodiment of a semiconductor device segment according to the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 e provides an illustration depicting certain embodiments of a semiconductor device segment according to the present invention; and
[0021] FIGS. 3 a - 3 c provide illustrations depicting several embodiments of a semiconductor device segment according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] While the making and using of various embodiments of the present invention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts, which can be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The present invention is hereafter illustratively described in conjunction with the design and production of JFET structures utilizing a MOS-type semiconductor process technology. The specific embodiments discussed herein are, however, merely demonstrative of specific ways to make and use the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention
[0023] Comprehending a number of inefficiencies and limitations arising from conventional JFET designs, the present invention provides a versatile system for the design and production of high performance JFET structures. The present invention overcomes detrimental effects of processing imprecision during the production of certain transistor features—particularly the channel region. The present invention provides a simple and efficient system for optimizing the effective dimensions, and several other characteristics, of a transistor channel region—thereby optimizing a JFET's performance.
[0024] Among its structures and methods, the system of the present invention provides a highly versatile cross-lateral JFET architecture—one that is readily adaptable to optimize a JFET for a number of design or performance requirements. In addition to having an extremely versatile architecture, JFETs of the present invention provide high current throughput at high voltages and high frequencies—making them a viable substitute for MOSFETs in certain applications. Utilizing the present invention, high-performance JFETs may be produced in-process, using commercially viable semiconductor process technologies (e.g., advanced bipolar/CMOS).
[0025] The cross-lateral JFET architecture of the present invention comprises a double-gate branch disposed orthogonally to a source/drain branch—thereby bounding a central channel region. By this architecture, the present invention provides improved channel length control (in comparison to conventional designs). The double-gate branch of the present invention provides a well-defined gate modulation region across the channel. In comparison to conventional designs, the architecture of the present invention obviates or eliminates sidewall parasitic capacitance effects—providing for optimization of JFET frequency performance through channel length variation. The dual gates of the present invention are disposed laterally opposite, across a channel structure. This lateral architecture provides easy, practical front-side routing and contact for both gates. Having full, practical use of both gates, the architecture of the present invention provides dynamic pinch-off across the channel—doubling the JFET's drive current, and improving its gain (g m ).
[0026] The outermost regions of each cross-lateral branch (i.e., the ends farthest from the channel) may be tailored or configured to provide a desired physical or behavioral property (e.g., gate contact size, gate resistance). More specifically, the present invention provides easy access to each cross-lateral branch while readily integrating with existing process flows—providing for a number of in-process variations (e.g., increasing or decreasing dopant concentration). Such process variations may be performed independent of, or combination with, alterations in the topology of various branches to provide a JFET optimized to a desired set of performance specifications (e.g., high voltage, high frequency).
[0027] Certain aspects of the present invention are described in greater detail now, beginning with reference to FIGURE la—which depicts a cut-away cross-sectional view of a portion of a semiconductor device segment 100 in accordance with the present invention. Segment 100 comprises a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) type substrate 102 . Substrate 102 comprises a foundation layer 104 (e.g., silicon), an insulator layer 106 (e.g., oxide), and a thin silicon layer 108 . In alternative embodiments, substrate 102 may comprise other appropriate substrate materials, depending upon the desired JFET performance characteristics or the specific fabrication processes used.
[0028] Depending upon the actual thickness of layer 108 , an additional layer of silicon 110 may be disposed atop layer 108 in order to provide a working silicon layer 112 of a desired or required silicon thickness for JFET formation. Layer 110 may be provided in any suitable process-compatible manner, such as epitaxial silicon growth.
[0029] Deep trench isolation (DTI) and, in some embodiments, shallow trench isolation (STI), are utilized in conjunction with standard process flow operations (i.e., pattern, etch, implant), as described below, to form a cross-lateral transistor structure 114 from layer 112 . Structure 114 comprises a first gate branch 116 , a second gate branch 118 , a source branch 120 , a drain branch 122 , and a channel region 124 .
[0030] For purposes of explanation and illustration, structure 114 is formed as an N-channel JFET. In alternative embodiments, structure 114 may be formed as a P-channel JFET—reversing the physical and operational polarities of each substructure, component or region, where appropriate. Channel region 124 is doped with an appropriate n-type material (e.g., As, P). In segment 100 , doping for channel region 124 is performed concurrent with the formation of layer 110 —in order to optimize the post-processing definition of channel region 124 . In alternative embodiments, doping for channel region 124 is performed after layer 110 is formed. In such embodiments, however, doping will have to implant to an appropriate depth for proper channel formation, and some channel boundary anomalies (e.g., diffusive flare) may occur.
[0031] Source region 120 and drain region 122 are formed (e.g., pattern, etch) and heavily doped with an n-type material (e.g., As, P). Gate regions 116 and 118 are formed (e.g., pattern, etch) and heavily doped with a p-type material (e.g., B). For purposes of illustration and explanation, FIG. 1 a depicts regions 116 , 118 , 120 and 122 as sharply defined features having uniform doping density throughout, in order to illustrate certain aspects of structure 114 . It should be apparent, however, that most fabrication processes—particularly implantation processes—are not capable of such precision and uniformity. Such instances are comprehended by present invention nonetheless. In such embodiments, therefore, outer areas or portions of one or more of regions 116 , 118 , 120 and 122 may be characterized by gradual or abrupt decreases in dopant density.
[0032] Referring now to FIG. 1 b , which depicts segment 100 in a partial cutaway view, deep trench isolation is performed on segment 100 , rendering a deep trench isolation perimeter 126 surrounding structure 114 . The dimension and topology of perimeter 126 may be varied to account for process or design variations, as required or desired. Perimeter 126 thereafter bounds structure 114 around its outer perimeter by some minimal dimension 128 . Perimeter 126 provides operational isolation of structure 114 from adjacent devices or structures. In certain embodiments, DTI may be the only isolation technique employed. Thus, after DTI, appropriate contact structures (e.g., silicide contacts) may be formed upon an outer portion of each of the source, drain and gate regions of structure 114 .
[0033] In other embodiments, as depicted now with reference to FIG. 2 a , and to FIG. 2 b , which shows a cross-sectional view of segment 100 taken along axis A of FIG. 2 a , STI may be performed on segment 100 to further define and isolate structure 114 . A shallow trench 200 may be patterned and formed, within perimeter 126 , to form an inner perimeter around structure 114 . Trench 200 is generally formed having a uniform width 202 (e.g., 0.25 μm-0.5 μm) around structure 114 . Depending upon particular design or fabrication requirements or restrictions, trench 200 may partially or completely overlap (i.e., cut into) perimeter 126 or partially or completely overlap an outer portion of branches 116 , 118 , 120 or 122 . Once shallow trench 200 has been formed, appropriate contact structures (e.g., silicide contacts) may be formed upon an outer portion of each of the source, drain and gate regions of structure 114 .
[0034] In other embodiments, STI may be further employed to form a body isolation structure 204 over some portion of structure 114 —particularly the channel region 124 . This is illustrated now in reference to FIG. 2 c , and to FIG. 2 d , which depicts a cross-sectional view of segment 100 taken along axis B of FIG. 2 c . Isolation structure 204 may be formed of an appropriate isolation material (e.g., oxide), and in a configuration that leaves appropriately dimensioned contact areas 206 along the upper surface of the outer portion of each of the source, drain and gate regions. Depending upon the nature of the processes used to construct structure 114 , the degree to which structure 204 covers the branches of structure 114 may be varied. For example, in certain embodiments, structure 204 may be formed to cover only the channel region 124 .
[0035] Once the gate 116 and 118 , source 120 , drain 122 and channel 124 regions are adequately formed, and any desired or required isolation structures have been formed, appropriate contact structures (e.g., silicide contacts) are formed upon the source, drain and gate regions at areas 206 . In certain embodiments, additional doping of regions 116 , 118 , 120 or 122 may be performed, via areas 206 , prior to the formation of contact structures. According to the present invention, the doping profiles of each such region may be selectively altered to provide a desired performance characteristic of the JFET—such as increasing the operational voltage range. This aspect of the present invention in described in greater detail in reference now to FIG. 2 e.
[0036] FIG. 2 e depicts a cross-sectional view of structure 114 taken along axis B of FIG. 2 c . In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2 e , an isolation structure 204 may be formed covering primarily channel 124 —with minimal or differing coverage over, for example, source 120 or drain 122 . This formation provides access to the source, drain or gate regions of structure 114 for selective, independent implantation at any point therealong. In certain embodiments, for example, standard source/drain implants 208 may be sufficient to provide desired operational characteristics for segment 100 . In other embodiments, for example, an additional deep implant 210 may be performed on one or more of the branches to provide a desire doping profile, thereby providing the JFET with certain desired performance characteristics (e.g., higher operational voltage). In still other embodiments (e.g., extended drain topologies), multiple implants 212 may be performed along a branch region to render a desired doping profile. Thus, according to the present invention, the lateral arrangement of the JFET structure provides easy access to selectively and independently dope specific device regions, thereby providing an efficient alteration or customization of JFET performance. Upon completion, structure 114 comprises a selectively doped, dual-gate, buried channel device—providing a high-performance JFET formed within a single, horizontal plane.
[0037] The JFET architecture thus depicted is extremely versatile in its form and function. The formation or topology of structure 114 may be further varied in a number of ways to provide necessary or desired physical or behavioral characteristics. In order to alter the JFET pinch-off voltage, for example, the doping of channel 124 may be increased and the width of channel 124 decreased, or vice versa. A number of topological variations, as depicted now in FIGS. 3 a - 3 c , may also be utilized to provide certain performance characteristics.
[0038] In FIG. 3 a , for example, topology 300 provides for a transistor structure with one or more branches having an augmented end. In topology 300 , gates 302 and 304 are formed with expanded contact regions of non-rectangular shape (i.e., rounded, polygonal)—decreasing gate resistance and increasing transistor gain. Source or drain contact regions may also be formed in rounded (e.g., circular or semi-circular) shapes (e.g., gate 302 ), polygonal shapes (e.g., gate 304 ), or combinations thereof, to facilitate contact formation or to alter transistor performance characteristics in a desired manner. In topology 306 , as depicted in FIG. 3 b , an elongated drain branch 308 is provided. This topology provides a drain-enhanced JFET, having an increased operational voltage. Implemented in conjunction with selective doping along branch 308 , a desired voltage characteristic may be readily provided.
[0039] A ladder-type topology 310 is illustrated in FIG. 3c . The JFET of topology 310 comprises a single, central gate/channel branch 312 , crossed by multiple source/drain branches 314 —forming, effectively, a lateral stacking of multiple structures 114 . This topology may be utilized to provide a JFET of desired current capacity by forming a channel of appropriate dimension—while still retaining other benefits of the present invention. Depending upon the process technology used, the channel length may be varied, for example, from ˜0.6 μm to 5.0 μm.
[0040] Thus, by the present invention, an extremely versatile cross-lateral JFET architecture system is provided. The system of the present invention is readily adaptable to a number of semiconductor fabrication processes, and produces a JFET having readily designable high-performance characteristics. The architecture of the present invention provides a fully usable double-gate structure, improving device gain. The system of the present invention provides a well-defined channel area—reducing capacitive non-linearities and optimizing current throughput. Furthermore, according to the present invention, very minor alterations in structure dimension or composition (i.e., doping profiles) may be utilized to efficiently and easily provide a wide range of operational voltages (e.g., ˜10 V-100 V). These and other variations and combinations are hereby comprehended.
[0041] The embodiments and examples set forth herein are therefore presented to best explain the present invention and its practical application, and to thereby enable those skilled in the art to make and utilize the invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and examples have been presented for the purpose of illustration and example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. As stated throughout, many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.
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The present invention provides a system for providing a cross-lateral junction field effect transistor ( 114 ) having desired high-performance desired voltage, frequency or current characteristics. The cross-lateral transistor is formed on a commercial semiconductor substrate ( 102 ). A channel structure ( 124 ) is formed along the substrate, having source ( 120 ) and drain ( 122 ) structures laterally formed on opposites sides thereof. A first gate structure ( 116 ) is formed along the substrate, laterally adjoining the channel structure orthogonal to the source and drain structures. A second gate structure ( 118 ) is formed along the substrate, laterally adjoining the channel structure, orthogonal to the source and drain structures and opposite the first gate structure.
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PRIORITY CLAIM TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/741,777, filed on Dec. 19, 2003, entitled “Resposable Pulse Oximetry Sensor,” now U.S. Pat. No. 7,039,449, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/128,721, filed on Apr. 23, 2002, entitled “Resposable Pulse Oximetry Sensor,” which is a continuation of U.S. Patent No. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/456,666, filed Dec. 12, 1999, entitled “Resposable Pulse Oximetry Sensor,” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,829. The present application incorporates the foregoing disclosures herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates in general to sensors for measuring oxygen content in the blood, and, in particular, relates to resposable (reusable/disposable) sensors having an information element contained therein.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Early detection of low blood oxygen is critical in a wide variety of medical applications. For example, when a patient receives an insufficient supply of oxygen in critical care and surgical applications, brain damage and death can result in just a matter of minutes. Because of this danger, the medical industry developed oximetry, a study and measurement of the oxygen status of blood. One particular type of oximetry, pulse oximetry, is a widely accepted noninvasive procedure for measuring the oxygen saturation level of arterial blood, an indicator of the oxygen status of the blood. A pulse oximeter relies on a sensor attached to a patient in order to measure the blood oxygen saturation.
[0004] Conventionally, a pulse oximeter sensor has a red emitter, an infrared emitter, and a photodiode detector. The sensor is typically attached to a patient's finger, earlobe, or foot. For a finger, the sensor is configured so that the emitters project light through the outer tissue of the finger and into the blood vessels and capillaries contained inside. The photodiode is positioned at the opposite side of the finger to detect the emitted light as it emerges from the outer tissues of the finger. The photodiode generates a signal based on the emitted light and relays that signal to an oximeter. The oximeter determines blood oxygen saturation by computing the differential absorption by the arterial blood of the two wavelengths (red and infrared) emitted by the sensor.
[0005] Conventional sensors are either disposable or reusable. A disposable sensor is typically attached to the patient with an adhesive wrap, providing a secure contact between the patient's skin and the sensor components. A reusable sensor is typically a clip that is easily attached and removed, or reusable circuitry that employs a disposable attachment mechanism, such as an adhesive tape or bandage.
[0006] The disposable sensor has the advantage of superior performance due to conformance of the sensor to the skin and the rejection of ambient light. However, repeated removal and reattachment of the adhesive tape results in deterioration of the adhesive properties and tearing of the tape. Further, the tape eventually becomes soiled and is a potential source of cross-patient contamination. The disposable sensor must then be thrown away, wasting the long-lived emitters, photodiode and related circuitry.
[0007] On the other hand, the clip-type reusable sensor has the advantage of superior cost savings in that the reusable pulse sensor does not waste the long-lived and expensive sensor circuitry. However, as mentioned above, the clip-type reusable sensor does not conform as easily to differing patient skin shape, resulting in diminished sensitivity and increased ambient light.
[0008] Similar to the clip-type reusable sensor, the circuit-type reusable sensor advantageously does not waste the sensor circuitry. On the other hand, the circuit-type reusable sensor fails to provide quality control over the attachment mechanism. Much like the disposable sensors, the attachment mechanism for the circuit-type reusable sensor may become soiled or damaged, thereby leading to cross-patient contamination or improper attachment. Moreover, because the reusable circuit is severable from the attachment mechanism, operators are free to use attachment mechanisms that are either unsafe or improper with regard to a particular type of reusable circuitry.
[0009] Based on the foregoing, significant and costly drawbacks exist in conventional disposable and reusable oximetry sensors. Thus, a need exists for an oximetry sensor that incorporates the advantages found in the disposable and reusable sensors, without the respective disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a reusable/disposable (resposable) sensor having a disposable adhesive tape component that can be removed from other reusable sensor components. This hybrid sensor combines the longevity and associated cost advantages of the reusable sensor with the performance features of the disposable.
[0011] In one embodiment of the resposable sensor, the disposable tape includes an information element along with a mechanism for the electrical connection of the information element to the emitters. The information element provides an indication to an attached oximeter of various aspects of the sensor.
[0012] According to another embodiment, the information element provides an indication of the sensor type. According to yet another embodiment, the information element provides an indication of the operating characteristics of the sensor. In yet another embodiment, the information element provides security and quality control. For instance, the information element advantageously indicates that the sensor is from an authorized supplier.
[0013] According to yet another embodiment, the information element is advantageously located in the disposable portion and configured to be in communication with the reusable portion via a breakable conductor. The breakable conductor is also located within the disposable portion such that excessive wear of the disposable portion results in isolation of the information element, thereby indicating that the disposable portion should be replaced. Moreover, the information element may comprise one or more passive or active components, ranging from a single coding resistor to an active circuit, such as a transistor network, a memory device, or a central processing component.
[0014] Therefore, one aspect of the present invention is a pulse oximetry sensor including a reusable portion having an emitter configured to transmit light through tissue, a detector configured to receive light from tissue, a first contact, an external connector configured to attach to a monitor, and electrical circuitry configured to provide electrical communications to and from the external connector, the emitter, the detector and the first contact. The pulse oximetry sensor also includes a disposable portion configured to attach the reusable portion to the tissue. The disposable portion has an information element, a breakable conductor, and a second contact electrically connecting the information element and the breakable conductor, the second contact configured to create an electrical connection to the first contact when the disposable portion is combined with the reusable portion.
[0015] Another aspect of the present invention is a resposable sensor for noninvasively measuring a physiological parameter in tissue. The resposable sensor includes a reusable portion and a disposable portion. The disposable portion has at least one of an information element and a conductor electrically connected to the reusable portion. Moreover, the disposable portion is configured to secure the reusable portion to a measurement site.
[0016] Another aspect of the present invention is a method of providing disposable oximeter sensor elements. The method includes forming a disposable housing configured to receive a reusable electronic circuit. The method also includes forming at least one of an information element and a conductor associated with the disposable housing and configured to be disconnected from the reusable electronic circuit when the disposable housing is damaged, overused, or repeatedly attached.
[0017] Another aspect of the present invention is a method of providing reusable oximeter sensor elements. This includes forming a reusable electronic circuit configured to electrically connect with electronic components of a disposable housing and to employ the disposable housing for attachment to a measurement site.
[0018] Another aspect of the present invention is a method of measuring a tissue characteristic. This method includes creating a sensor through combining reusable electronic circuitry with a first disposable material such that an electrical connection is made between the reusable electronic circuitry and electronic components associated with the first disposable material. Moreover, the method includes attaching the sensor to a measurement site, removing the sensor, separating the reusable electronic circuitry from the first disposable material, and recombining the reusable electronic circuitry with a second disposable material.
[0019] Another aspect of the present invention is a pulse oximeter having a sensor including a reusable portion and a disposable portion. The disposable portion includes an information element electrically connected to the reusable portion through a breakable conductor. The breakable conductor is configured to electrically disconnect the information element from the reusable portion in the event of overuse, damage, or excessive reattachment of the disposable portion. Moreover, the pulse oximeter includes a monitor, and a cable for connecting the sensor to the monitor.
[0020] Yet another aspect of the present invention is a pulse oximeter sensor element having a disposable material that incorporates electronic components. The disposable material is configured to removably receive reusable oximeter sensor elements such that the electronic components electrically connect with the reusable oximeter sensor elements. Moreover, the disposable material is configured to secure the reusable oximeter sensor elements to a measurement site.
[0021] Another aspect of the present invention is a pulse oximeter sensor element including reusable electronic circuitry configured to electrically connect with electronic components of a disposable material and to employ the disposable material for attachment to a measurement site.
[0022] Another aspect of the present invention is a resposable sensor for measuring a tissue aspect. The resposable sensor includes a face tape, a base tape removably attached to the face tape, and reusable measurement circuitry removably secured between the face tape and the base tape. The reusable measurement circuitry is also configured to connect to an external monitor and configured to measure an aspect of tissue at a measurement site. Moreover, the face tape includes at least one of an information element and a breakable conductor connected to the reusable measurement circuitry when the reusable measurement circuitry is secured to the face tape.
[0023] Another aspect of the present invention is a resposable sensor having a reusable emitter and detector removably connected to a patient cable. The resposable sensor also includes a replaceable envelope having electronic circuitry configured to attach to the reusable emitter and detector such that the electronic circuitry monitors at least one characteristic of the resposable sensor. Moreover, the replaceable envelope is configured to removably receive the reusable emitter and detector and configured to secure the reusable emitter and detector to a measurement site.
[0024] Yet another aspect of the present invention is a pulse oximetry sensor having an emitter, a detector and a connector. The emitter is configured to transmit light through tissue and the detector is configured to receive light from tissue to measure a physiological parameter. Further, the connector is configured to provide electrical communications between the detector and emitter and a monitor. The pulse oximetry sensor includes a reusable portion having the emitter, the detector, the connector and a first contact in communication with the connector. Moreover, the sensor includes a disposable portion having a second contact, an information element and a conductive element disposed on an adhesive substrate configured to secure the reusable portion to a measurement site. The disposable portion removably attaches to the reusable portion in a first position such that the first contact contacts the second contact. The disposable portion detaches from the reusable portion in a second position. Also, the conductive element has a continuity condition connecting the information element to the second contact so that the information element is in communication with the connector. The conductive element has a discontinuity condition isolating the information element from the second contact and the connector. The discontinuity condition results from use of the disposable portion substantially beyond a predetermined amount.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 illustrates a circuit diagram of a conventional disposable sensor having an information element.
[0026] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate perspective views of the conventional disposable sensor.
[0027] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of a resposable sensor having two disposable tape layers, according to one embodiment of the invention.
[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of one of the disposable tape layers of FIG. 3 incorporating an information element.
[0029] FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of one of the disposable tape layers of FIG. 3 incorporating a breakable conductor.
[0030] FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate cross-sectional views of a portion of the disposable tape player of FIG. 5 .
[0031] FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of one of the disposable tape layers of FIG. 3 incorporating the information element with a breakable conductor.
[0032] FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate a top view and a side view, respectively, of one of the disposable layers of FIG. 3 configured as a fold-over tape.
[0033] FIG. 9A illustrates a perspective view of a resposable sensor having a disposable portion configured as a tape sleeve and a reusable portion directly attached to a patient cable, according to another embodiment of the invention.
[0034] FIG. 9B illustrates a perspective view of a resposable sensor having a reusable portion removably attached to a patient cable, according to another embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0035] The configuration of an information element for an oximeter sensor and method of reading an information element with an attached oximeter is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,644, assigned to the assignee of the current application, and incorporated by reference herein. Accordingly, the configuration and the implementation of an information element will be greatly summarized as follows.
[0036] FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional oximeter sensor circuit 100 . The oximeter sensor circuit 100 includes an emitter 105 comprising a first LED 107 and a second LED 110 . The oximeter sensor circuit further includes an information element comprising a resistor 115 . The first LED 107 , the second LED 110 and the resistor 115 are connected in parallel. The parallel connection has a common input electrical connection 120 and a common return 125 . The oximeter sensor circuit 100 also includes a photodetector 130 having an input electrical connection 135 connected to one end and having the common return 125 connected to the other end.
[0037] As mentioned, the resistor 115 is provided as an information element that can be read by an attached oximeter. In order to read the resistor 115 , the oximeter drives the oximeter sensor circuit 100 at a level where the emitter 105 draws effectively insignificant current. As is well understood in the art, the emitter 105 becomes active only if driven at a voltage above a threshold level. Thus, at this low level, significantly all of the current through the input electrical connection 120 flows through the resistor 115 . By reducing the drive voltage across the input electrical connection 120 and common return 125 to a low enough level to not activate the emitter 105 , the emitter 105 is effectively removed from the oximeter sensor circuit 100 . Thus, the oximeter can determine the value of the resistor 115 .
[0038] The value of the resistor 115 can be preselected to indicate, for example, the type of sensor (e.g., adult, pediatric, or neonatal), the operating wavelength, or other parameters about the sensor. The resistor 115 may also be utilized for security and quality control purposes. For example, the resistor 115 may be used to ensure that the oximeter sensor circuit 100 is configured properly for a given oximeter. For instance, the resistor 115 may be utilized to indicate that the oximeter sensor circuit 100 is from an authorized supplier.
[0039] An information element other than the resistor 115 may also be utilized. The information element need not be a passive device. Coding information may also be provided through an active circuit, such as a transistor network, memory chip, or other identification device.
[0040] Furthermore, it will be understood by a skilled artisan that a number of different circuit configurations can be implemented that allow the oximeter sensor circuit 100 to include an information element. For example, the emitter 105 and the information element may each have individual electrical connections.
[0041] As mentioned above, the resistor 115 is preselected such that at low drive voltages, it is the only circuit element sensed by the oximeter. On the other hand, the resistor 115 can also be preselected be of a sufficiently high value that when the drive voltage rises to a level sufficient to drive the emitter 105 , the resistor 115 is effectively removed from the oximeter sensor circuit 100 . Thus, the resistor 115 does not affect normal operations of the emitter 105 . In summary, an information element may form an integral part of the oximeter sensor circuit 100 by providing valuable information to the attached oximeter.
[0042] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a conventional disposable sensor 200 . The disposable sensor 200 includes an adhesive substrate 205 having an elongated center portion 210 with front and rear flaps, 215 and 220 , extending outward from the elongated center portion 210 . The adhesive substrate 205 may also have an image 225 superimposed on the adhesive substrate 205 so as to indicate proper use.
[0043] The elongated center portion 210 includes the oximeter sensor circuit 100 of FIG. 1 . For example, the emitter 105 is housed on an underside of the elongated center portion 210 approximately beneath the superimposed image 225 . Thus, as shown in FIG. 2A , the emitter 105 may be housed approximately beneath the asterisk superimposed on the image of a fingernail. On the other hand, the photodetector 130 is housed on the topside of the elongated center portion 210 in proximity with the rear flaps 220 .
[0044] The elongated center portion 210 further includes an electrical connector 230 to drive the emitter 105 and to receive an output from the photodetector 130 . The electrical connector 230 is preferably configured to attach to a connector cable 235 via a sensor connector 240 . Also, the connector cable 235 attaches to or connects with an oximeter via an oximeter connector 245 .
[0045] FIG. 2B illustrates an example of how the disposable sensor 200 wraps the front and rear flaps 215 and 220 around a finger such that the adhesive substrate 205 provides a secure contact between the patient's skin, the emitter 105 and the photodetector 130 . FIG. 2B also illustrates an example of the sensor connector 240 (shown in broken lines) encompassing the electrical connector 230 .
[0046] As shown in FIGS. 1-2B , the conventional disposable sensor 200 integrates the components of the conventional oximeter sensor circuit 100 such that disposal of the disposable sensor 200 includes disposal of the longer lasting, expensive circuitry found therein.
[0047] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of one embodiment of a resposable (reusable/disposable) sensor 300 according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the resposable sensor 300 includes a reusable portion 305 having an emitter 306 , a photodetector 307 and an electrical connector 308 . The resposable sensor also includes a disposable portion 310 having a face tape layer 315 and a clear base tape layer 320 . As shown in FIG. 3 , the disposable portion 310 attaches to the reusable portion 305 by sandwiching the reusable portion 305 between a face tape layer 315 and a clear base tape layer 320 .
[0048] According to this embodiment, conventional adhesives or other attaching methodology may be used to removably attach the face tape layer 315 to the clear base tape layer 320 . Furthermore, the adhesive properties associated with the base of the conventional disposable sensor 200 may be the same as the adhesive properties on the base of the clear base tape layer 320 , as both portions are provided to attach to the patient's skin.
[0049] As mentioned, the disposable portion 310 removably attaches to the reusable portion 305 in, for example, a sandwich or layered style. After removably attaching the disposable portion 310 to the reusable portion 305 , the resposable sensor 300 functions similar to the disposable sensor 200 , i.e., the resposable sensor 300 wraps flaps around a patient's tissue such that the emitter 306 and the photodetector 307 align on opposite sides of the tissue. However, in contrast to the disposable sensor 200 , the resposable sensor 300 provides for reuse of the reusable portion 305 . For example, when the disposable portion 310 becomes contaminated, worn, or defective, rather than discarding the entire resposable sensor 300 , the disposable portion 310 is removed such that the reusable portion 305 may be re-removably attached to a new disposable portion 310 . The discarding of the disposable portion 310 completely avoids cross-contamination through the reuse of adhesive tapes between patients without wasting the more costly and longer lasting sensor circuitry of the resposable portion 305 . Note that optional sterilization procedures may be advantageously performed on the reusable portion 305 before reattachment to either the new disposable portion 310 or to the patient, in order to further ensure patient safety.
[0050] FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of an embodiment of the face tape layer 315 of the disposable portion 310 of the resposable sensor 300 . According to this embodiment, the face tape layer 315 further includes an information element 405 as an integral part of the face tape layer 315 . In this embodiment, the information element 405 is a resistive element made by depositing a conductive ink trace having a predetermined length and width. As is known in the art, the length, width and conductivity of the conductive ink trace determines the resistance of the resistive element. The information element 405 is deposited between contacts 410 that are also implemented with conductive ink. It will be understood by a skilled artisan that a variety of methods can be used for mating the contacts 410 with the electrical circuitry of the reusable portion 305 . For example, the contacts 410 may advantageously physically touch the leads or the electrical connector 308 such that the reusable portion 305 is electrically configured to include the information element 405 . Such a configuration employs the oximeter sensor circuit 100 of FIG. 1 , having elements thereof distributed in both the reusable portion 305 and the disposable portion 310 of the resposable sensor 300 .
[0051] In the foregoing embodiment, the disposable portion 310 comprises the information element 405 along with the face tape layer 315 and the clear base layer 320 . As mentioned, the disposable portion 310 is removably attached to the reusable portion 305 and is employed in a similar manner as the disposable sensor 200 . In contrast to the disposable sensor 200 , when the disposable portion 310 of the resposable sensor 300 becomes worn, the disposable portion 310 and the information element 405 are discarded and the reusable portion 305 is saved. By discarding the information element, the attached oximeter can perform quality control. For example, if the reusable portion 305 is reattached to a patient using either a simple adhesive or any other non-authorized disposable mechanism, the resposable sensor 300 will not include the information element 405 . As mentioned above, an attached oximeter can recognize the absence of the information element 405 and create an appropriate response indicating inappropriate use of the reusable portion 305 of the resposable sensor 300 .
[0052] FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of yet another embodiment of the face tape layer 315 of the disposable portion 310 of the resposable sensor 300 . In this embodiment, the face tape layer 315 includes a breakable conductor 505 comprising a conductive ink trace located approximately along the periphery of the face tape layer 315 . This location ensures that a tear along the periphery of the face tape layer 315 results in a tear, or electrical discontinuity, in the breakable conductor 505 . For example, FIGS. 6A and 6 B illustrate the face tape layer 315 in which the breakable conductor 505 is layered between a tape stock 605 and a tape base 610 . The reusable portion 305 of the resposable sensor 300 then attaches to the tape base 610 through a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) 615 . The PSA 615 , the conductor 505 and the tape base 610 include a score 620 such that multiple attachment and removal of the resposable sensor 300 will result in a peripheral tear, or electrical discontinuity, in the breakable conductor 505 , as illustrated in FIG. 6B .
[0053] Thus, like the information element 405 , the breakable conductor 505 also provides security and quality control functions. In particular, repeated use of the disposable portion 305 of the resposable sensor 300 advantageously severs at least one part of the breakable conductor 505 . An attached oximeter can detect such severance and initiate an appropriate notification to, for example, monitoring medical personnel. Providing security and quality control through a breakable conductor advantageously assists in controlling problems with patient contamination or improper attachment due to weakened adhesives.
[0054] FIG. 7 illustrates yet another embodiment of the face tape layer 315 . In this embodiment, the face tape layer 315 combines the breakable conductor 505 and the information element 405 . In this embodiment, the breakable conductor 505 is printed in a serpentine pattern to further increase the probability of a discontinuity upon the tearing of any portion of the face tape layer 315 . This combination of the information element 405 and the breakable conductor 505 advantageously adds significant safety features. For example, in this embodiment, the information element 405 is connected serially with the breakable conductor 505 and in parallel with the emitter 306 of the reusable portion 305 . Therefore, any discontinuity or tear in the breakable conductor 505 separates the information element 405 from the circuitry of the reusable portion 305 .
[0055] According to the foregoing embodiment, the attached oximeter receives an indication of both overuse and misuse of the resposable sensor 300 . For example, overuse is detected through the tearing and breaking of the breakable conductor 505 , thereby removing the information element 405 from the resposable sensor 300 circuitry. In addition, misuse through employment of disposable portions 310 from unauthorized vendors is detected through the absence of the information element 405 . Moreover, misuse from purposeful shorting of the contacts 410 is detected by effectively removing the emitter 306 from the circuit, thereby rendering the resposable sensor 300 inoperative. Therefore, the resposable sensor 300 of this embodiment advantageously provides a multitude of problem indicators to the attached oximeter. By doing so, the resposable sensor 300 advantageously prevents the likelihood of contamination, adhesive failure, and misuse. The resposable sensor 300 also advantageously maintains the likelihood of quality control.
[0056] A skilled artisan will recognize that the concepts of FIGS. 3-7 may be combined in total or in part in a wide variety of devices. For example, either or both of the breakable conductor 505 and the information element 405 may advantageously be traced into the clear base tape layer 320 rather than into the face tape layer 315 .
[0057] FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate yet another embodiment of the disposable portion 310 of the resposable sensor 300 according to the present invention. As shown in this embodiment, the disposable portion 310 includes a face tape layer 805 and a clear base tape layer 810 . According to this embodiment, the clear base tape layer 810 includes a preattached section 815 and a fold over section 820 . The preattached section 815 attaches approximately one third of the face tape layer 805 to the clear base tape layer 810 . On the other hand, the fold over section 820 forms a flap configured to create a cavity between the face tape layer 805 and the clear base tape layer 810 . The cavity is configured to receive the reusable portion 305 of the resposable sensor 300 . According to one embodiment, a release liner 825 fills the cavity and separates the face tape layer 805 from the clear base tape layer 810 . When the release liner 825 is removed, newly exposed adhesive on the fold over section 820 and the face tape layer 805 removably attaches the reusable portion 305 between the face tape layer 805 and fold over section 820 of the clear base tape layer 810 .
[0058] According to another embodiment, the cavity is so formed that adhesive is not needed. For example, the fold over section 820 may comprise resilient material that can form a friction fit relationship so as to fix the reusable portion 305 in an appropriate position relative to the disposable portion 310 . On the other hand, the fold over section 820 may also comprise material having other than resilient or adhesive properties, but still allow for proper placement of the reusable portion 305 and disposable portion 310 on the patient. For example, hook-and-loop type materials like VELCRO® may be used.
[0059] It will be understood that a skilled artisan would recognize that the fold over embodiment of the responsible sensor 300 may employ the properties discussed in relation to FIGS. 3-7 , such as the information element 405 and the breakable wire 505 .
[0060] FIG. 9A illustrates an embodiment of a resposable sensor 900 integrated with an attached patient cable 905 , according to another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, a disposable portion 910 is attached to a reusable portion 915 by removably inserting the reusable portion 915 into a tape envelope 920 formed in the disposable portion 910 .
[0061] A skilled artisan will recognize that the disposable portion 910 may include the information element 405 , the breakable wire 505 , or both. Inclusion of one or both of these electronic components in the resposable sensor 900 advantageously provides the security, quality control, and safety features described in the foregoing embodiments.
[0062] FIG. 9B illustrates an embodiment of a resposable sensor 300 of FIG. 3 , according to another embodiment of the invention. According to this embodiment, the resposable sensor 300 removably attaches to the patient cable 905 via a sensor connector 925 . The patient cable 905 then attaches to an oximeter via an oximeter connector 930 . Use of the sensor connector 925 enables the replacement of both the reusable portion 305 of the resposable sensor 300 without replacement of the sensor connector 925 or patient cable 905 . In such an embodiment, the disposable portion 310 would follow a different, more frequent, replacement schedule than that of the reusable portion 305 .
[0063] A skilled artisan will recognize that the variety of configurations described above that include the information element 405 , the breakable wire 505 , or both, may be incorporated into the embodiment of FIG. 9B .
[0064] Although the foregoing invention has been described in terms of certain preferred embodiments, other embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, select aspects of FIGS. 3-9B may be combined. For example, the envelope configured disposable portion 910 of FIG. 9A may be combined with the reusable portion 305 of FIG. 3 .
[0065] Additionally, other combinations, omissions, substitutions and modifications will be apparent to the skilled artisan in view of the disclosure herein. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited by the reaction of the preferred embodiments, but is to be defined by reference to the appended claims.
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A pulse oximeter sensor has both a reusable and a disposable portion. The reusable portion of the sensor preserves the relatively long-lived and costly emitter, detector and connector components. The disposable portion of the sensor is the relatively inexpensive adhesive tape component that is used to secure the sensor to a measurement site, typically a patient's finger or toe. The disposable portion of the sensor is removably attached to the reusable portion in a manner that allows the disposable portion to be readily replaced when the adhesive is expended or the tape becomes soiled or excessively worn. The disposable portion may also contain an information element useful for sensor identification or for security purposes to insure patient safety.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a storage device which is suitable so to pre-sort, and keep in a state of readiness, medication, especially medication in solid form, in proportion to the medically prescribed individual rhythm of consumption of any given patient, so that its dispensing in the proper dose at prescribed times can take place without any problems.
[0003] 2. The Prior Art
[0004] Such storage devices are needed for storing medications and for simplifying the dispensing of medicine, particularly in the care of elderly and handicapped persons. Medicine chests with different subdivisions are known for timeously making medicines available for handicapped or aged persons. In this connection, so-called blister packages deposited in inserts are used which indicate at which day of the week and at what time the corresponding medicine is to be taken.
[0005] Since with aged people the quantity of dispensed medicine is relatively high, increased demands are placed upon the caretaker responsible for the administration of the medicines.
[0006] German specification DE 296 10 951 U1 discloses a sorting container for small components, in particular medicines in tablet or capsule form, which is provided with a box-like receiving element and which may receive up to seven arrayed individual receptacles. The box-like receiving element is provided with an opening in the forward center zone of its bottom as well as with a vertical slot in its forward wall through which the forward individual receptacle may be withdrawn. Every individual receptacle is provided with a rectangular aperture wherein a sliding transparent lid is movably mounted in internal grooves near the upper edges of the longitudinal walls of the aperture.
[0007] A further container for storing articles, in particular medicines, cosmetics or jewelry is described in German specification DE 198 56 491 C2. The principal characteristic of that invention is a sliding member structured as a roller lid shutter which is operatively connected with a storage element by way of a compensating clutch. The flexible sliding member is guided in parallel internal grooves in side walls. The storage element is provided with consecutively arrayed chamber sections which are separated from each other by rigid separation webs.
[0008] A parallelepiped container of modular structure, especially for medication, is known from WO 99/02118, the pivotal lid and pivotal bottom section of which are each unilaterally connected to the rear wall of the container. The seven chamber sections of the container arranged in a parallelepiped shape are separated from each other by rigid separation webs. Moreover, for increasing the storage capacity, several containers structured as daily dosage dispensers may be connected to each other by way of a groove and tongue connection disposed at their longitudinal sides.
[0009] The subject of U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,229 is a container structured as a weekly dosage dispenser receiving vertically arranged daily dosage dispensers with the front wall as well as the sidewalls which extend to about half the depth of the daily dosage dispenser being open. The individual daily dosage dispensers which are divided into up to four compartments can be taken out of the weekly dosage dispenser from the front thereof. Each of the individual compartments of the daily dosage dispensers can be separately opened by transparent lids. Arresting and guidance of the individual daily dosage dispensers within the weekly dosage dispenser are accomplished by abutments at the interior wall of the container.
[0010] Also, prior art British specification 2,122,578 A discloses a parallelepiped container for receiving several vertically arrayed individual containers and enclosing them at every side by its lateral sides. The essence of the invention resides in a vertically slidable front cover being provided with cut-out section through which containers may be removed one at a time. In a preferred embodiment, the individual containers are removed at the upper section of the receiving container by a spring element provided with a connected relatively movable bottom portion. Once a container has been removed, the container following next in the array is moved to the cut-out section by the bias of the spring.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It is an object of the invention to develop a novel storage device with containers structured and arranged such that they permit easy visual inspection, filling and emptying for availability on a time-of-day, daily, weekly or monthly basis.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] In accordance with the invention the object is accomplished in the manner set forth in patent claims 1, 5 and 8. Improvements of the invention are described in the subclaims.
[0013] In one aspect, the novel storage device in accordance with the invention is conceived as a weekly dosage device.
[0014] The weekly dosage device is structured as a magazine such several containers B are stacked in a receiving container A. At both of its end faces, the receiving container A is at least partially open and houses, supported on its bottom, containers B in the manner of a magazine, in an approximately parallel array relative to an inclined front surface and positioned on their longitudinal narrow side. The approximately identically inclined disposition of the planes of the front and rear ends is inclined away from the front end surface. Because of the inclination, a user may at all times and without impediment visually inspect the actual contents of all containers B in their stacked storage position within container A.
[0015] The containers B act as daily dosage dispensers or time-of-day dosage dispensers. Every weekly dosage dispenser (container A) contains seven daily dosage dispensers. The daily dosage dispensers (containers B) which may be filled with tablets, for instance, may be removed through the front, i.e. through the forward end surface and, once emptied, they may, in the manner of a magazine, be reinserted into the weekly dosage dispenser through its rear end.
[0016] To facilitate loading of the weekly dosage dispenser with daily dosages for a weekly cycle, the upper wall which is seated on the side walls of the container A may be removable. In a preferred embodiment, the lateral margins of the upper wall and the adjacent longitudinal edges of the side walls may in that cases engage each other in such a manner that removal of the upper wall may only be done by squeezing the side walls together when the weekly dosage dispenser is empty.
[0017] A cut-out is provided between the front end surface or between the plane of the front end surface of the weekly dosage dispenser and the leading edge of the upper wall. The cut-out makes it possible to grasp from above, and thus remove more easily, the leading one of the daily dosage dispensers positioned at the dispensing side and facilitates reinsertion of the given daily dosage dispenser.
[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the cut-out is restricted to the center area, and at both marginal sides adjacent to its center section, the upper wall is extended to the forward end face in the manner of a flexible web or tongue-like spring element. The flexible webs resiliently engage the upper surface of the leading container B and ensure that the leading daily dosage dispenser available for removal from the magazine is retained with sufficient force.
[0019] At the rear end surface of the weekly dosage dispenser, there is provided a wall extending to about half the height of the container and engaged by the bottom portion of the trailing daily dosage dispenser.
[0020] The geometry of the containers B or daily dosage dispensers is structured such that their length corresponds to the width of the container A (weekly dosage dispenser) so that “charging of the magazine” takes place by stacking the daily dosage dispensers in the weekly dosage dispenser in a transverse orientation.
[0021] Each daily dosage dispenser consists of a bottom portion and a preferably transparent lid portion which may be removed from the bottom portion or may be structured to slide over the bottom portion in a longitudinal direction. When joining the two components, the longitudinal transverse margins of the lid portion extend over the wall of the body of the bottom portion.
[0022] The bottom portion of the daily dosage dispenser is structured with a curved wall, and separation webs are provided in the bottom portion for forming separated deposit chambers.
[0023] These separation webs positioned transversely on the bottom portion subdivide each daily dosage dispenser into at least five compartments such that tablets may, for instance, be placed in them for “morning”, “noon”, evening”, “night time” and “as required” use. The lids may be labeled correspondingly.
[0024] The storage device may also be structured as a monthly dosage dispenser. A monthly dosage dispenser consists of a housing with several trays or drawers positioned in the container C or monthly dosage dispenser.
[0025] Each drawer is provided with at least one receiving frame or with an exchangeable box-like insert provided with a receiving frame for receiving the containers B which would in this example be daily dosage dispensers or time-of-day dosage dispensers. In this arrangement, the containers B are positioned on their longitudinal narrow sides within the receiving frame of the drawers.
[0026] For four weeks, a monthly dosage dispenser is provided with at least 112 daily dosage dispensers or time-of-day dosage dispensers, and the inserted daily dosage dispensers or time-of-day dosage dispensers are provided with markings (color, PIN, and the like) indicative of a day or the like. Adjacent to the receiving frame for storing the containers B, the bottom section of the drawers or the box-like inserts may be provided with recesses for inserting tubes, bottles, blisters, directions of use, auxiliary means and the like.
[0027] A particular characteristic of the drawer is that it may be withdrawn from the housing almost entirely, except for a few millimeters, and that toward the end of its withdrawal it may be tilted downwardly by several centimeters. This allows a user to insert his hand even into the rearmost portion of the drawer. The special movability of the drawer is made possible by abutments positioned at the rear surface of the drawer which upon full withdrawal of the drawer engage corresponding abutments disposed at the forward housing frame. For ensuring the downward tilting of the drawer, the terminal portion of the groove in which the drawer is sliding is widened progressively so that as a result of the increasing play runners sliding in the groove and the drawer may be lowered.
[0028] In its basic structure, a monthly dosage dispenser contains five drawers such as, preferably, four small drawers and one large drawer. The chutes of the drawers in the housing of the monthly dosage dispenser may be designed to allow a large drawer to be exchanged for two small ones.
[0029] The monthly dosage dispensers may be provided with a locking feature for blocking one, several or all of the drawers. A handle may also be provided to facilitate transportation. The monthly dosage dispensers may be stackable; they may be connected to each other, placed on shelves or in cabinets, and they may be hung on a wall.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL DRAWINGS
[0030] The novel features which are considered to be characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, in respect of its structure, construction and lay-out as well as manufacturing techniques, together with other objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of preferred embodiments when read in connection with the appended drawings, in which:
[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a complete a weekly dosage dispenser;
[0032] FIG. 2 is a sectional presentation along section line A-A of FIG. 1 of a weekly dosage dispenser with a “charged magazine”;
[0033] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a complete a daily dosage dispenser;
[0034] FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the daily dosage dispenser;
[0035] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a complete monthly dosage dispenser;
[0036] FIG. 6 Is an overall view of a drawer for a monthly dosage dispenser;
[0037] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the drawer; and
[0038] FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the slide of the drawer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0039] FIG. 1 is a total view of the weekly dosage dispenser 1 . In its basic structure, the weekly dosage dispenser consists of a bottom portion 3 with side walls 5 connected thereto in rectangular alignment, an upper wall 4 which cannot be removed by the user, and two end surfaces 2 of inclined planes 2 . For attaching the upper wall 4 on the side walls, the upper wall 4 is provided with two claws 4 . 1 , and the side walls 5 are provided with two associated recesses 5 . 2 . The claws penetrate into the correspondingly configured recesses from the interior and/or from the exterior, and thus provide a snap-fit connection.
[0040] To facilitate removal and refilling of the filled daily dosage dispenser 7 (see FIG. 2 ) by the patient, the forward end surface is open. At the rear end surface there is provided an outwardly curved wall 2 . 1 which extends to about half the height of the dosage dispenser and which supports the trailing daily dosage dispenser 7 at its matching curved bottom portion 8 (see FIG. 2 ).
[0041] Relative to the length of the side walls 5 , the upper wall 4 of the weekly dosage dispenser 1 is shortened such that at one of the two end surfaces 2 the daily dosage dispenser 7 extended furthest may be grasped from above and drawn out in a forward direction (forward open end surface) or, at the other end surface, a daily dosage dispenser may be inserted from above (rear end surface and wall 2 . 1 ).
[0042] At the withdrawal side, the cut-out in the upper wall 4 is restricted by two lateral tongue-like spring elements 6 . The spring elements 6 extend in the direction of the plane of the forward end surface 2 from extensions of the upper wall 4 and resiliently engage the top of the leading daily dosage dispenser 7 . A lip 6 . 1 which may be provided at the forward section of the lower surface of the spring elements 6 augments any means for arresting the forward-most daily dosage dispenser 7 . The force of these spring elements 6 must be overcome for removing the daily dosage dispensers 7 in a forward direction or for inserting a daily dosage dispenser 7 from the front.
[0043] For similarly arresting any trailing daily dosage dispenser 7 at the rear surface of the weekly dosage dispenser 1 , a clamping element 5 . 1 is provided in both side walls 5 . Its clamping action acts in an arresting manner on the end surfaces of the daily dosage dispenser located here (see FIG. 2 ). The clamping elements 5 . 1 may be structured as clamping lips, clamping wedges or clamping webs. Both components 5 . 1 ensure that regardless of the orientation of the weekly dosage dispenser 1 no daily dosage dispenser 7 can slip out through the end surfaces 2 .
[0044] FIG. 2 depicts a weekly dosage dispenser with a “magazine filled” by seven daily dosage dispensers 7 . The seven daily dosage dispensers 7 are disposed in a semi-inclined orientation, approximately parallel to the plane of the end surfaces 2 , with their longitudinal narrow surfaces 7 . 1 engaging the bottom 3 of the weekly dosage dispenser 1 .
[0045] Each daily dosage dispenser 7 consists of a bottom portion 8 and a lid portion 9 (see FIGS. 3 and 4 ). When joining the two portions 8 , 9 , the lid portion 9 , by its longitudinal side edges 9 . 1 extends over the wall of the bottom portion 8 . The structure including such a lid portion 9 allows quick removal of the lid by a simple click and subsequent (renewed) refilling of the daily dosage dispenser. The separation webs 8 . 1 integral with the bottom portion 8 form the desired number of storage chambers for the daily dosage dispensers 7 . By sliding the lid portion 9 along the bottom portion 8 , the storage chambers are sequentially exposed. Knobs 7 . 2 distributed over the external surface of the bottom portion 8 improve the position of the daily dosage dispensers 7 .
[0046] FIG. 5 shows a stackable monthly dosage dispenser 10 in a structure suitable for transport, with a handle element 18 which may be recessed into the housing. In its basic structure, the monthly dosage dispenser 10 shown consists of a housing 12 with four inserts structured as drawers 11 . As a rule, two removable box-like inserts 14 may be placed in each drawer 11 . Each drawer 11 or each insert 14 is provided with at least one receiving frame 13 for accepting, in a semi-inclined orientation, the daily dosage dispensers and/or time-of-day dosage dispensers 7 . The support surfaces of the receiving frame 13 are of curved configuration which complements the bottom portion 8 of the daily dosage dispenser 7 .
[0047] Openings 11 . 2 are provided in the bottom portion of the drawers 11 and of the inserts 14 . The openings 11 . 2 overlap, so that once a drawer 11 has been withdrawn, any tubes, bottles, blisters and the like stored in the daily dosage dispensers and/or time-of-day dosage dispensers 7 , may be grasped through openings 11 . 2 from below for augmenting or facilitating their removal. Each insert 14 usually is provided with receiving frames 13 arranged in pairs or at both sides for supporting the two ends of the daily dosage dispensers and/or time-of-day dosage dispensers 7 .
[0048] Marking fields 11 . 3 serve to simplify the arrangement and dispensing of medication and may be provided at the handle side of the drawers as well as on the daily dosage dispensers and/or time-of-day dosage dispensers 7 .
[0049] Because specially structured runners, the drawers 11 may be almost completely withdrawn from the housing 12 and tilted downwardly by up to about 30° relative to the horizontal plane. In this manner, unimpeded access is possible to the most rearward sections of the drawer 11 . Structure and function of this constructive arrangement is apparent from FIGS. 7 and 8 .
[0050] FIG. 7 depicts a section of the drawer 11 showing an abutment 15 . 1 at the rear surface of the drawer 11 . 1 .
[0051] FIG. 8 depicts the front side (side of insertion) of the housing frame 12 . 1 provided with a corresponding abutment 15 . 2 which upon withdrawal of the drawer 11 is engaged by the abutment 15 . 1 at the rear surface of the drawer. The downward tilting movement of the drawer 11 sliding on runners 17 in associated grooves 16 is made possible by the shown progressive widening of the groove.
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A storage device which is suitable for presorting and having ready medicaments, particularly solid medicaments, and which is adapted to the medically prescribed, individual intake rhythm of the corresponding patients in such a way that the right dose can be administered at prescribed times without any problem. The storage device is in the form of magazines in which several receptacles (B) are stacked in semi-inclined position in a receiving container (A).
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to a method and device for sorting, storing, and laundering laundry.
Household duties in the past have been the focus of a variety of devices which reduce both the amount of time spent and effort expended to complete a particular household chore. Among other household duties which have to be performed on a routine basis such as cooking and cleaning, laundering today still presents one of the most time intensive duties. Although laundry machines, including washing and drying machines, have been developed which reduce the effort expended and ease the chore of laundering, little attention has been paid to the reduction of the time spent in laundering. As our society struggles to increase its productivity and compete more favorably in the world economy, disposable time becomes more sparse and increasingly valuable. The capability, therefore, to reduce or eliminate the time associated with routine household chores has become a household priority.
For example, each week a typical household, after accumulating soiled garments in hampers during the week, does a minimum of four loads of laundry. A typical laundry chore requires collecting dirty laundry, stored in several locations throughout a household, into a central location. Upon collection, the laundry is then sorted, typically on the floor, by type and quantity into individual loads of laundry. The individual loads are then washed, dried, folded and returned to either closets or drawers, the overall time involved usually spanning a minimum of seven hours, or typically an entire working day.
Several problem areas can be identified with the current method for laundering, including the storage of clothes, the sorting of clothes and the actual washing and drying of clothes. First, current storage methods for laundry are inefficient because an individual cannot easily wash a full, sorted load of laundry without first accumulating all laundry from all stored locations. Hampers or laundry baskets used to collect dirty garments are often unsightly, overflowing and odorous. Random storage prevents location of a particular item and determination of whether a full load of one type of laundry has accumulated. Furthermore, transporting several full hampers or baskets of clothes to a central location, especially in a multi-level house where climbing stairs is required, is not only time-consuming but laborious as well. Similarly, the repetitive bending and lifting required of the launderer by current laundry storage devices is laborious and possibly dangerous, as improper lifting can lead to chronic back injuries.
Current storage methods are also inefficient because sorting is a time consuming procedure required before laundry can be processed. Unsorted accumulation of soiled laundry in several storage locations precludes doing a single sorted load quickly because all laundry in all stored locations must be sorted first to determine if a full load has accumulated. Also, if several partial loads result upon sorting of laundry, the launderer must either run the inefficient smaller loads or return the sorted partial loads of clothes back to their stored locations to be resorted during the next laundry cycle. Furthermore, the sorting of clothes by type is dependent on the individual preferences of the launderer. Many individuals do not let other persons or businesses do their laundry simply because of the possibility that the laundry will be incorrectly sorted and clothing will be ruined.
Finally, the inability to have quick access to single, sorted loads of clothes results in the launderer having to sort and wash four or more loads consecutively. Although laundering a single load of clothes does not require extensive time, effort and expertise, the chore of washing several loads consecutively forces the launderer to be paced by the machine cycles of the laundry machinery. For example, the time involved in laundering a single load of laundry with typical laundry machinery requires 25 minutes for the washing machine cycle and 100 minutes for the drying machine cycle. As most households employ only a single washer and dryer, laundering four loads of laundry will require 425 minutes or over 7 hours (one washing cycle plus four drying cycles, the remaining washing cycles occurring during the drying cycles).
Past devices which have attempted to either store clothing or sort clothing are similar to current laundry hampers in that laundry is stored at ground level. For example Eagles, U.S. Pat. No. 1,650,824, presents a laundry clothes holder having compartments and wheels for easy transportation of laundry. Weldon et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,625,973, shows a laundry hamper having separate compartments covered by a lid. Upon opening the lid, legends are presented that set forth the particular type of laundry for each compartment. McConnell, U.S. Pat. No. 2,736,454, describes a compartmentalized clothes hamper having a lid which is foot actuated. Fragale, U.S. Pat. No. 2,895,782, presents a clothes hamper having doors and a lid, the lid upon opening presenting indicia plates.
Jones, U.S. Pat. No. 3,995,924, depicts an apparatus for sorting clothes. The apparatus is compartmentalized, with the compartments being removable. Fragale, U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,309, discloses a clothes hamper which is compartmentalized and which has a drawer that is also compartmentalized. Capelli, U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,715, discloses a partitioned ventilated clothes hamper, the partition also being ventilated to allow circulation of air within the hamper. Kohen, Design 144,792, shows a clothes hamper with what appears to be shelving affixed to one side. Lastly, a Wall Hung Clothes Hamper or Similar Article is depicted in Design 195,279 by Taylor.
A need therefore exists for an improved laundry storage device. A need also exists for an improved laundry storage device which also minimizes the effort required to accumulate sorted laundry, including reducing the bending and lifting of accumulated laundry. Also desired is an improved laundry storage device which also stores and sorts accumulated soiled laundry without allowing odors to accumulate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one embodiment of the present invention a device for sorting and storing laundry is disclosed. The device comprises an elevated laundry bin with a top end opening and a normally-closed drop bottom. The bin receives laundry through the top end opening, the laundry being contained by the bin and the drop bottom. The drop bottom opens downward to release the laundry from the bin.
Another embodiment of the present invention might include one or more elevated laundry bins adjacent to each other, the bins defining a multiple bin unit. Each bin has a top end opening and a normally-closed drop bottom. The bins sort laundry by receiving laundry through the top end openings so that the laundry is separately contained within the bins.
Still another embodiment of the present invention is a method for laundering laundry wherein bins of laundry are collected and stored above a washing machine. Each of the bins has a laundry volume equal to the load volume of the washing machine.
A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved laundry sorting and storage device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved laundry sorting and storage device which also minimizes the effort required to accumulate laundry, including reducing the bending and lifting of accumulated laundry.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved laundry sorting and storage device which also sorts and stores accumulated soiled laundry.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following written description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a laundry sorting storage device according to the present invention depicting a drop bottom in an open position.
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of a laundry sorting and storage device according to the present invention mounted on a wall and over laundry machinery.
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of a laundry sorting and storage device according to the present invention mounted on a back wall of a laundry closet.
FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 mounted on the back wall of the laundry closet.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments 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, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a laundry bin 20 according to the present invention is shown having a top end opening 22 and a bottom end opening 24. Also shown is a drop bottom 26 in an open position. Drop bottom 26 is normally-closed; that is, covering bottom end opening 24. Drop bottom 26 fastens in its closed position by clasp 27. When drop bottom 26 is fastened closed, laundry bin 20 contains laundry via sides 30 and 32, rear 34, front 36, and bottom 25 and drop bottom 26. Laundry bin 20 receives laundry through top end opening 22 and contains the laundry therein until clasp 27 is unfastened and drop bottom 26 is opened. Drop bottom 26 is hinged about bottom edge 29, and when unfastened, drop bottom 26 swings downward under its own weight and under the weight of the laundry contained within laundry bin 20. Upon drop bottom 26 opening downward, laundry is released from bin 20 and falls through bottom opening 24.
Drop bottom 26 is also contemplated being hinged about front edge 31 with fastening occurring across edge 29. Similarly, drop bottom 26 can also comprise bottom 25 via an articulating joint at bottom edge 29, with bottom 25 and drop bottom 26 hinging about bottom edge 35 and fastening across front edge 31. Laundry bin 20 would still contain laundry as previously discussed, however upon unfastening clasp 27, both bottom 25 and drop bottom 26 would swing downward about bottom edge 35. Laundry bin 20 is also shown with drop bottom 26 at an angle relative to vertical to facilitate installation and usage as discussed in conjunction with FIG. 3. Similarly, laundry bin 20 is also shown having labels 49 for displaying information and holes 47 for ventilation as discussed in conjunction with FIG. 2.
Laundry bin 20 can employ a variety of construction techniques and materials to contain laundry. The material chosen is, among other considerations, a function of weight requirements. Because bin 20 can be mounted against an interior wall, a lightweight material is preferable to minimize both reinforcement of the wall and the number of anchoring locations required to mount bin 20. Possible materials include plastic or vinyl coated steel wire grids and formed plastics or wood, including laminates and pressed wood composites. Similarly, laundry bin 20 can be constructed having a wire frame with canvas looped over and attached around the wire frame, the wire frame supporting the laundry via the canvas.
Another consideration in choosing a material is the ability of the material to allow for air circulation or breathing to prevent unwanted accumulation of odors. Plastic or vinyl coated steel wire grids and canvas directly facilitate ventilation. Other more dense plastics and woods, however, should have additional holes incorporated to both reduce their weight and provide for circulation of air.
Another consideration in choosing a material is the material's ability to withstand degradation, including peeling, splintering or fading. Degradation can result in damage to clothing, such as tearing, pilling or staining of the clothes.
Laundry bin 20 is constructed having a size or volume which approximates that of a typical load of laundry received by a washing machine. Although a variety of shapes and dimensions for laundry bin 20 can achieve a desired common volume, laundry bin 20 is constructed having generally dimensions of 12 inches wide by 18 inches tall by 20 inches deep. Of course, these dimensions are but one of many possible sets of dimensions which meet the desired volume to contain a load of laundry while still providing a light weight structure and convenience in use.
Laundry bin 20 is shown in FIG. 1 elevated above ground or floor level and attached to wall 21. Attachment to wall 21 is provided by a combination of fasteners 23a and brackets 23b and 23c which both support and anchor laundry bin 20 to wall 21. These fasteners and brackets are typical of those used with drywall, as is the case with many interior walls of a house. Laundry bin 20 does not necessarily require attachment to a fixed surface such as a wall or above laundry machinery. For example, laundry bin 20 can also be attached to a wheeled frame which allows transportation of laundry bin 20 while still providing elevation of bin 20. Whatever attaching means are employed, laundry bin 20 should be elevated above ground level, thereby reducing bending and lifting of laundry.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a laundry bin unit 40 is shown as a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Unit 40 comprises four laundry bins adjacent to each other and sharing common sides 42. Sides 42 are in essence dividers which separate unit 40 into individual compartments. Unit 40 is shown in a typical environment mounted against wall 41 at an elevation above working area 44. Working area 44 can comprise a table for receiving laundry upon drop bottom 26 opening, or as shown, can include laundry machinery such as washing machine 46 and drying machine 48. Unit 40 is constructed from Masonite™, a fiberboard having holes 47 incorporated for both ventilation external to and within unit 40.
Unit 40 also displays on front panel 37 labels 49. Labels 49 are instruction cards which describe what each bin contains. These descriptions include whites, permanent press, sheets and towels, hand washables, baby clothes, darks, and athletic clothes. Labels 49 can also describe washing instructions associated with the different types of clothing, the washing instructions including washing machine settings for water temperature and length of machine cycles for wash and rinse. Labels 49 can also describe the amount of detergent to be used in the washing machine, whether to add bleach and the amount of bleach to be used, washing machine settings such as regular cycle or double rinse, and drying machine settings such as length of drying cycle and temperature of drying cycle.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a laundry bin unit 50 is shown mounted on back wall 51 of closet 53. Unit 50 incorporates drop bottom 26 at an angle 54. Angle 54 is determined by the height of lid 52 of washing machine 46 when the lid is fully extended. Angle 54 provides clearance for lid 52 when open without increasing the height at which unit 50 is mounted to wall 51. Without angle 54, laundry unit 50 would require additional mounting height to clear lid 52. If laundry unit 50 is mounted too high, it will be difficult for a launderer to reach top end openings 22. Angle 54 is 45° relative to vertical, but can also include a range from 30° to 60° relative to vertical, depending on the particular installation. Note that the embodiment of FIG. 2 has the same angle permitting clearance of the laundry machine lid.
Referring now to FIG. 4, unit 50 is shown having five bins or compartments stretching across closet 53. The five bins, when sized for a load of laundry, approximate the length of a typical washing machine and drying machine installation. Unit 50 can be designed having both fewer and greater numbers of compartments; for example, if closet 53 is sized so that it can contain only a washing machine 46, unit 50 would have two bins or compartments.
Finally, laundry bin units 40 and 50 can be used in conjunction with other laundry accessories to make working area 44 more efficient, one example being units 40 and 50 used in conjunction with a shelf. The shelf can be either mounted below or adjacent to the unit 50. Similarly, clothes rods or other handling devices for clothes can be mounted either below or adjacent to the unit depending upon the space available. Also contemplated are embodiments which employ lids for covering the top end opening.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.
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A method and device for storing and sorting laundry is disclosed comprising elevated laundry bins each with a top end opening and a normally-closed drop bottom. The bins are elevated so that laundry contained within each bin is released upon opening the drop bottom. One or more laundry bins can be combined adjacent to each other to form a multiple bin unit which sorts laundry by receiving laundry within the separate laundry bins. The method includes storing the laundry until the volume of a bin is filled whereupon it is released into a washing machine having a load volume equal to the bin volume.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to swimming pools and more particularly to a tool, system and method for measuring swimming pools for compliance with diving board installation requirements.
[0002] Swimming pool owners often wish to have diving boards installed for use with the pool. For safe use, the swimming pool should have certain dimensions in order to enable use of the diving board. The American National Standards Institute has published standards (ANSI-NSPI-5 (2003)) that provides recommended minimum guidelines for residential inground swimming pool design, equipment, installation, and use. The standards are also used by local governments and regulatory bodies in preparing inground swimming pool guidelines and requirements.
[0003] These standards include depth profiles that a pool should conform to in order to comply with the standards.
[0004] For installers of diving boards, it is important to ensure that a pool complies with the standards, but it can be difficult to make the required measurements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In accordance with the invention, a tool is provided that enables measurement of the required depth profiles to ensure conformance with standards for pool depth profiles for diving board use.
[0006] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved tool for assisting in measuring pool profiles.
[0007] It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved system and method for measuring swimming pool depth profiles.
[0008] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved pool measuring tool.
[0009] The subject matter of the present invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of this specification. However, both the organization and method of operation, together with further advantages and objects thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like elements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is an illustration of a particular embodiment of a measuring tool in accordance with the invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a view of a first type pool envelope measurement profile;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a view of a second type pool envelope measurement profile; and
[0013] FIG. 4 is an exemplary chart and placement diagram illustrating the dimensions of exemplary diving boards that would be acceptable under the standards, and positioning directions for placement of a board mounting jig for marking location of installation of the board support for a particular configuration of diving board.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] The system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a tool and method of use of the tool and system for measuring pool profiles.
[0015] Referring to FIG. 1 , a view of an exemplary pool measurement tool 10 , the tool suitably comprises a centerline web portion 12 with plural cross section web portions 14 , 16 , 18 , 20 and 22 at spaced positions along the length of the portion 12 , preferably at right angles to the centerline portion. Portions 14 - 22 are labeled A, B, C, D and E, respectively. Portion 12 carries a marker line 24 with the letter “W” thereon at one end thereof, the end adjacent which cross section web portion 14 (“A”) is positioned.
[0016] Centerline portion 12 is suitably 60 feet long while each of the cross section web portions are suitably 30 feet long, in the preferred embodiment.
[0017] Positioned along the length of centerline portion are pool slope measurement marker lines 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 , 40 , 42 and 44 , which are represented as points S 1 through S 10 .
[0018] The various cross section web members have marker lines thereon, cross section member 14 having lines and 48 spaced equidistant from the centerline, and markers 50 , 52 further out on the lengths of the cross section member, again spaced equidistant from the centerline. Markers 51 , 53 are positioned inwardly toward the centerline somewhat from markers 51 , 52 . Member 16 has 3 such markers on each side of the centerline, markers 56 , 60 and 64 on the lower side as viewed in FIG. 1 , representing measurement label items K 1 , J 1 and H 1 , and markers 54 , 58 and 62 on the upper side as viewed in FIG. 1 , representing measurement label items K 2 , J 2 and H 2 . Markers 63 , 65 are positioned inwardly toward the centerline somewhat from markers 62 , 64 . Cross section member 18 has markers 66 and 68 spaced equidistant from the centerline, with markers 67 , 69 spaced inwardly closer to the centerline from markers 66 , 68 . Member 20 has markers 70 and 72 spaced equidistant from the centerline, while member 22 carries only the centerline marker 44 thereon. Markers 50 , 52 , 62 , 64 , 66 , 68 may suitably be provided in different texture or color than markers 51 , 53 , 63 , 65 , 67 and 69 .
[0019] In use, the various markers provide measurement points for taking measurements to record the measurement profile of a pool, as measured from the waterline. To use the tool, the pool length width and depth at deepest point are measured, and the type and length of diving board desired may also be determined at this point. Next the position of cross section A (member 14 ) is determined at a 6 foot water depth a minimum of 1 foot 6 inches from the pool wall. This position may be marked on the pool deck for proper positioning of the tool. The pool centerline is then determined by stretching the tool across the pool and lining up the centerline and cross section A line 14 with the marks on the pool deck. Both ends of the centerline member are then secured. The cross section member positions are measured and secured along the pool deck, with the distance between cross section member A 14 and B 16 being 7 feet, between B 16 and C 18 being 7 feet 6 inches, between C 18 and D 20 being 6 feet 9 inches, between D 20 and E 22 being 6 feet. Next it is determined whether an obstruction exists inside the envelope 74 (defined by position markers 51 , 53 , 63 , 65 , 67 , 69 , 70 , 72 and 44 for a type I pool or between position markers 50 , 52 , 62 , 64 , 66 , 68 , 70 , 72 and 44 for a type II pool). If an obstruction exists, adjustment of the centerline position may be made (if possible) to provide an obstruction free area inside the envelope. The centerline member 12 is then pulled taut from the opposite end, and each of the cross section members 14 , 16 , 18 , 20 and 22 are also suitably pulled taut with respect to the pool sides.
[0020] Measurements of pool depth relative to the waterline are then taken at the various marker points, and may suitably be recorded on a form as shown in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3 , which represent exemplary forms for recording the measurements and comparing to the required minimums for meeting pool type I and pool type II standards under the ANSI-NSPI-5 (2003) pool standards.
[0021] Under the pool type I standards, minimum depths are:
[0022] At the position where centerline 12 and the following cross section members cross:
[0000]
member 14, position 15
6 feet
member 16, position 17
7 feet 6 inch
member 18, position 19
5 feet
member 20, position 21
2 feet 9 inch
[0023] At positions on the various cross section members:
[0000]
Positions 46, 48
2 feet 9 inch
Positions 62, 64
4 feet
Positions 58, 60
7 feet, 2.5 inch
Positions 54, 56
7 feet, 6 inch
[0024] The distance from the centerline member to positions 46 , 48 is suitably 5 feet, to positions 62 , 64 is suitably 6 feet, to positions 66 , 68 is suitably 6 feet, and to positions 70 , 72 is suitably 4 feet.
[0025] Measurements are further taken to determine whether the pool slope meets the standards, beginning where member 16 crosses centerline member (at position 17 ), a pool depth measurement is made, and subsequent measurements are made at each of positions 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 , 40 , 42 and 44 . Each of these positions is suitably 2 feet from the adjacent position, and, to conform to the standard, there can be no more than maximum difference between each pair of adjacent points of 8 inches.
[0026] The distance to the pool wall and position 15 , where cross member 14 crosses the centerline member, is suitably at least 1 foot 6 inches minimum under the standard, cross member 14 being positioned under the furthest tip of the diving board, so line W must be at least at the edge of the pool wall or in the water.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 2 , an exemplary diagram and chart for recording the measurements, in conjunction with type I pool standards, and FIG. 3 , an exemplary diagram and chart for recording the measurements in conjunction with type II pool standards, in use, the various values may be recorded on the chart to memorialize the measurements and confirmation of the compliance with the standards.
[0028] FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary chart and placement diagram illustrating the dimensions of exemplary diving boards that would be acceptable under the standards, and positioning directions for placement of a board mounting jig for marking location of installation of the board support for a particular configuration of diving board, to ensure proper positioning and placement of the board to meet the standards. Each board model and type might have different values for the measurements and the table may be longer or shorter than illustrated, depending on individual diving board model details.
[0029] Accordingly, in the particular illustrated embodiment, the tool is suitably adapted for use with either type I or type II pool standards, by use of the different texture or color markers to meet the different envelope requirements under the 2 different standards.
[0030] The tool 10 is in a preferred embodiment constructed of nylon webbing. The centerline is 60 ft long and the 5 cross-sections are all 30 ft long (15 feet on each side of the centerline). The template has several markings on it showing the user where they need to take depth measurements. The marks match the minimum dimensions for a type I & II pool as described in the ANSI/NSPI-5 2003 American National standard for Residential Inground Swimming Pools. Once set-up, the installer can easily measure each data point to determine if the pool meets the minimum requirements for a type I or II pool. If the pool meets the requirements, a diving board can be installed. The tool may suitably be provided with step by step instructions on how to properly set-up and use it. It also includes data collection forms that are used to:
Record the measurements taken Determine if the pool meets the minimum requirements Determine diving board type Determine diving board location
[0035] The system may suitably be provided as a set including the web members pre-assembled and configured with markers and cross web placement pre-attached, together with instructions and forms such as those in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , for recording measurements at the noted measurement positions.
[0036] In a particular embodiment, the colors of the markers are chosen as follows:
[0037] black: markers 46 , 48 , 54 , 56
[0038] red: markers 51 , 53 , 63 , 65 , 67 , 69 ,
[0039] blue: 50 , 52 , 62 , 64 , 67 , 68
[0040] both red and blue: 44 , 70 , 72
[0041] green: 58 , 60
[0042] purple: 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 , 40 , 42
[0043] While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
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A pool measuring tool comprises a template tool and instructions for use for ensuring compliance with depth and position standards for diving board safety in placement of pool diving boards. The template comprises web members to extend across the pool along the centerline of the diving board placement and across the pool perpendicular to the centerline. Markers are provided to indicate positions where measurements are to be taken of the pool parameters, including pool depth and noting existence of obstructions in the pool. Measurements at the maker locations can be recorded on a worksheet for record keeping and to confirm and document compliance with various standards for diving board/pool diving safety can thereby be accomplished.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is the U.S. national phase of PCT Appln. No. PCT/EP2008/065328 filed Nov. 11, 2008 which claims priority to German application DE 10 2007 047 863.3 filed Nov. 26, 2007.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to organopolysiloxanes comprising quaternary ammonium groups and the preparation and use of the organopolysiloxanes.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,389,160 (corresponding to DE 1 493 384 B) describes quaternary ammonium pendant siloxanes which can be prepared by reacting appropriate epoxyalkylsiloxanes with secondary amines and subsequent quaternization of the resulting tertiary amine groups with alkylating agents such as methyl chloride.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,964 describes a further development of the process described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,389,160 wherein, instead of the secondary amine, a salt of a tertiary amine is used for reacting the epoxysiloxane and, in addition, a catalytic amount of a free tertiary amine is added, this catalytic amount having a ratio of from 0.0005:1 to 0.05:1 for free tertiary amine equivalent to tertiary ammonium salt equivalent. The production process accordingly requires the use of two reagents: tertiary ammonium salt and free amine. If, for reasons of better dispersibility, the ammonium salt were prepared in situ, by adding the amine before the acid, the required low concentrations of free amine necessitate very accurate control over the amount of acid added, which is scarcely achievable in industrial practice.
Branched organopolysiloxanes having quaternary ammonium groups are disclosed in EP 1 561 770 A. The branched quat siloxanes are obtained by combining siloxanes having lateral epoxy groups and α,ω-epoxysiloxanes with tertiary mono-and diamines. This complicated multicomponent technology requires very precise fine-tuning of the reactant quantities and is not very tolerant with regard to the quality of the lateral epoxysiloxane as far as the number and concentration of its epoxy groups are concerned. The products are free of epoxy groups, since the organic radical E in question is defined in paragraph [0038] of EP 1 561 770 A such that it bears exactly one quaternary nitrogen atom.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has for its object to provide organopolysiloxanes comprising quaternary ammonium groups useful for endowing fibrous substrates, such as natural or artificial substrates having a fibrous structure, more particularly textile sheet materials, with a both soft and hydrophilic finish.
This invention further has for its object to provide a process for treating, more particularly coating or impregnating, fibrous substrates, more particularly textile sheet materials, wherein the treatment also achieves good durability for the finish, such as soft hand and hydrophilicity. These and other objects are achieved by this invention, which provides organopolysiloxanes containing both quaternary ammonium groups and epoxy groups.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The invention accordingly provides organopolysiloxanes comprising quaternary ammonium groups and comprising units of the general formula
QR a SiO (3-a)/2 (I),
ER b SiO (3-b)/2 (II)and
R c SiO (4-c)/2 (III),
where
R is identical or different and represents a monovalent, optionally halogenated hydrocarbyl radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, E represents a monovalent SiC-bonded organic radical having 3 to 18 carbon atoms which comprises an epoxy group, Q represents a monovalent SiC-bonded organic radical in which a quaternary ammonium group is bonded to a silicon atom via a ring-opened epoxy group, a is 0, 1 or 2, b is 0, 1 or 2, and c is 0, 1, 2 or 3,
with the proviso that the siloxanes (1) comprise at least one unit of formula (I) and (II) and the Q/E ratio is on average in the range from 0.2 to 100, preferably in the range from 0.5 to 20 and more preferably in the range from 1 to 10.
The invention further provides a process for preparing the organopolysiloxanes comprising quaternary ammonium groups by reacting epoxy-containing organopolysiloxanes (1) comprising units of the formulae (II) and (III)
ER b SiO (3-b)/2 (II) and
R c SiO (4-c)/2 (III),
where R, E, b and c are each as defined above,
with tertiary amines (2) comprising at least one structural unit of the general formula
R 1 2 N— (IV)
where R 1 represents an alkyl radical having 1 to 6 carbon atoms,
with the proviso that the sum total of all structural units of formula (IV) is less than the sum total of all units of formula (II) and that the molar amount of the acids (3) which are used for neutralizing the reaction mixture is not less than the molar amount of basic structural units (IV) of said amines (2).
The organopolysiloxanes of this invention may comprise linear, branched, cyclic or else resinous structures featuring a multiplicity of tri- or/and tetrafunctional siloxane units. The organopolysiloxanes preferably comprise three or more and more preferably ten or more siloxane units per molecule.
Preferred organopolysiloxanes comprising quaternary ammonium groups are those of the general formula
A d R 3-d SiO(SiR 2 O) o (SiRAO) p SiR 3-d A d (V)
where A represents a radical E or Q provided the Q/E ratio is on average in the range from 0.2 to 100,
d is 0 or 1, preferably 0, o is 0 or an integer from 1 to 3000, preferably from 10 to 1000, and p is an integer from 2 to 100, preferably from 2 to 20.
The viscosity of the organopolysiloxanes of the invention is preferably in the range from 50 to 500,000 mPa.s (25° C.) and more preferably in the range from 200 to 50,000 mPa.s (25° C.).
Examples of R radicals are alkyl radicals such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, 1-n-butyl, 2-n-butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, n-pentyl, isopentyl, neopentyl, and tert-pentyl, hexyl such as n-hexyl, heptyl such as n-heptyl, octyl such as n-octyl and isooctyl such as 2,2,4-trimethylpentyl, nonyl such as n-nonyl, decyl such as n-decyl, dodecyl such as n-dodecyl, and octadecyl such as n-octadecyl; cycloalkyl radicals such as cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl and methylcyclohexyl; alkenyl radicals such as vinyl, 5-hexenyl, cyclohexenyl, 1-propenyl, allyl, 3-butenyl and 4-pentenyl; alkynyl radicals such as ethynyl, propargyl and 1-propynyl; aryl radicals such as phenyl, naphthyl, anthryl and phenanthryl; alkaryl radicals such as o-, m-, p-tolyl, xylyl and ethylphenyl; and aralkyl radicals such as benzyl, α-phenylethyl and β-phenylethyl.
Examples of R halo radicals are haloalkyl radicals such as 3,3,3-trifluoro-n-propyl, 2,2,2,2′,2′,2′-hexafluoroisopropyl and heptafluoroisopropyl, and haloaryl radicals such as o-chlorophenyl, m-chlorophenyl and p-chlorophenyl.
Examples of R 1 alkyl radicals are methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, 1-n-butyl, 2-n-butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, n-pentyl, isopentyl, neopentyl, tert-pentyl, and hexyl such as n-hexyl, of which methyl and ethyl are preferred and methyl is particularly preferred.
The E radicals are preferably those of the formula
where
R 2 is a divalent hydrocarbyl radical having 1 to 10 carbon atoms per radical, which may be interrupted by an ether oxygen atom, R 3 is a hydrogen atom or a monovalent hydrocarbyl radical having 1 to 10 carbon atoms per radical, which may be interrupted by an ether oxygen atom, R 4 is a trivalent hydrocarbyl radical having 3 to 12 carbon atoms per radical, and
z is 0 or 1.
Examples of E radicals are
glycidoxypropyl, 3,4-epoxycyclohexylethyl, 2-(3,4-epoxy-4-methylcyclohexyl)-2-methylethyl, 3,4-epoxybutyl, 5,6-epoxyhexyl, 7,8-epoxydecyl, 11,12-epoxydodecyl and 13,14-epoxytetradecyl.
The process of this invention preferably utilizes organopolysiloxanes (1) of the general formula
E d R 3-d SiO(SiR 2 O) o (SiREO) p SiR 3-d E d (VIII)
where E, d, o and p are each as defined above.
The tertiary amines (2), which are made to react with the epoxysiloxanes (1), preferably comprise 1 to 3 structural units of the general formula (IV) and more preferably comprise 1 or 2 such structural units. It is in the nature of the reaction of tertiary amines (2) with epoxysiloxanes (1) in the presence of acids (3) that the amino groups of formula (IV) are all converted into quaternary ammonium groups. Therefore, the molar amount of the quaternary nitrogen atoms in the sum total of the Q radicals after the reaction corresponds to the molar amount of the R 1 2 N— structural units used.
Examples of structural units of the general formula (IV) are dimethylamino, diethylamino, ethylmethylamino, dipropylamino and butylmethylamino, of which dimethylamino and diethylamino are preferred and dimethylamino is particularly preferred.
Preference is given to using tertiary amines (2) of the general formula
R 1 2 N—B
where
B represents an R 5 radical or a radical of the formula —[Z—NR 1 ] 8 —Z—NR 1 2 , where R 5 represents an alkyl radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, which may be substituted by a carbinol radical, amide radical, hydroxyalkylamide radical, hydroxyalkylamine radical or acid radical, Z represents a divalent hydrocarbyl radical having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, which may be interrupted by an ether oxygen atom, s is 0 or an integer from 1 to 6 and preferably is 0, 1 or 2.
Examples of tertiary amines (2) are therefore dimethylethylamine, dimethylpropylamine, dimethylbutyl-amine, dimethylhexylamine, dimethyloctylamine, dimethyldecylamine, dimethyldodecylamine, dimethyltetradecylamine, dimethylhexadecylamine, dimethyloctadecylamine, dimethylbenzylamine, dimethylaniline, dimethylcocoamine, dimethylmyristylamine, dimethylstearylamine, ethylmethyloctylamine, diethyldodecylamine, diethylstearylamine, dimethylaminopropylacetamide, dimethylaminopropylcocoamide, dimethylaminopropylstearylamide, dimethylethanolamine, and also higher functional tertiary amines, such as tetramethylpropylenediamine, tetramethylhexamethylenediamine, bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl)ether, pentamethyldiethylenetriamine, pentamethyldipropylenetriamine, tris(2-dimethylaminoethyl)amine and tris(2-dimethylaminopropyl)amine.
By way of acids (3) it is possible to use organic or inorganic acids HX.
Examples of acids (3) are formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, 2-ethylhexanoic acid, lauric acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, benzoic acid, methanesulfonic acid, toluenesulfonic acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, ethanephosphonic acid, and phosphoric acid.
The amounts in which tertiary amines (2) are used in the process of this invention preferably range from 0.15 to 0.99 mol, and more preferably from 0.3 to 0.9 mol of structural unit (IV) per mole of epoxy group in the organopolysiloxanes (1).
The process of this invention is prepared in the presence of organic or inorganic acids HX. These acids HX are used in amounts of preferably 1 to 2 mol, more preferably 1 to 1.5 mol, all based on 1 mol of basic structural units (IV) in the tertiary amines (2).
Examples of Q radicals are
where X − is the counter ion to the positive charge on the quaternized nitrogen group selected from anions of organic or inorganic acids HX and R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , B and z are each as defined above.
The concentrations of quaternary nitrogen in the organopolysiloxanes of this invention preferably lie in the range from 0.02 to about 1.0 mEquiv./g, more preferably 0.05 to 0.50 mEquiv./g and most preferably 0.10 to 0.30 mEquiv./g. Correspondingly, the concentrations of epoxy groups in the organopolysiloxanes of this invention preferably range from 0.005 to about 1.0 mEquiv./g, more preferably from 0.02 to about 0.5 mEquiv./g and most preferably from 0.04 to about 0.3 mEquiv./g.
The organopolysiloxanes of this invention can be used in a self-dispersing aqueous formation provided the concentration of quaternary nitrogen is sufficient (typically above 0.2 mEquiv./g). For easier handling, it is advisable for this to admix with diluents, such as alcohols, diols and/or alkoxylates thereof.
Alternatively, specifically when the concentration of quaternary nitrogen is low (<0.2 mEquiv./g), the emulsification to aqueous formulations by means of commercially available emulsifiers is preferable.
The aqueous solutions or emulsions preferably comprise from 10% to 60% and more preferably from 20% to 50% by weight of the organopolysiloxanes of this invention.
This invention provides formulations comprising
(A) polyamino compounds comprising two or more amino groups, and (B) organopolysiloxanes comprising quaternary ammonium groups according to the invention.
The compounds (A) and (B) are preferably used in the formulations in the form of aqueous solutions or emulsions.
The treatment of the fibrous substrates, preferably textile sheet materials, is preferably effected using a combination of the compounds (A) and (B), and can be effected in two different processing variants.
Preferably, the fibrous substrates are treated with the formulations of this invention by preparing mixtures of compounds (A) and (B) prior to the treatment.
In a further processing variant wherein the treatment is effected with a combination of compounds (A) and (B), the treatment is effected first with compounds (A) and then subsequently the treatment with compounds (B) is effected.
The term “fibrous substrates” herein shall comprehend all natural or artificial substrates of fibrous structure.
The term “treatment of fibrous substrates” herein shall comprehend the coating or impregnating of fibrous substrates to modify their properties in a desired manner, for example by rendering the fibrous substrates soft and hydrophilic.
Compounds (A) used in the process of this invention can be monomeric, oligomeric or polymeric in character. Compounds (A) are preferably silicon-free organic polyamino compounds. Compounds (A) preferably comprise two or more primary amino groups. Compounds (A) comprise preferably from 5 to 5000 amino groups (—NH 2 ), more preferably from 10 to 1000 amino groups (—NH 2 ) and even more preferably from 20 to 200 amino groups (—NH 2 ). Compounds (A) preferably comprise primary amino groups, but may comprise secondary or tertiary amino groups in addition to primary amino groups.
The concentration of amino groups in compounds (A) is preferably in the range from 1 to 20 mEquiv./g, preferably in the range from 4 to 20 mEquiv./g mEquiv./g=mEquivalent per g of substance=equivalent per kg of substance).
Examples of polyamino compounds (A) are partially or fully hydrolyzed polymers of vinylformamide, linear or branched ethyleneimine polymers and condensation products of diethylenetriamine and homologs with dicarboxylic acids, such as succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid and sebacic acid.
The formulations of this invention and the process for treating organic fibers, preferably textile sheet materials, utilize compounds (A) in amounts of preferably 0.1 to 10 mol of amino group, more preferably 0.3 to 3 mol of amino group, all based on 1 mol of epoxy groups in compounds (B).
The organopolysiloxanes comprising quaternary ammonium groups of the invention can be used for treatment of textile sheet materials, textile fibers and leather, as additives in coatings and paints, as admixtures in cosmetic formulations and as surface-active agents. They have, more particularly, outstanding properties as textile softeners, which are far superior to those of polyglycol-containing silicone softeners with respect to softness and durability to washing.
Owing to their cationogenicity, the organopolysiloxanes comprising quaternary ammonium groups of the invention have very high affinity for substrates such as textiles or paper and combine a comparatively high hydrophilicity for organosilicon compounds with excellent improvement in hand. Compared with the prior art amino-functional, glycol-functional, amido-functional and aminoglycol-functional hand-modifying products, the organopolysiloxanes of the invention are notable for improved affinity, durability to washes and dry-cleaning, stability to shearing forces and pH changes and the preparability of synergistic formulations.
The organopolysiloxanes of the invention can therefore be used, for example, as constituents of emulsions, in solution or solventlessly in the treatment of textile sheet materials, for example wovens, knits or fleeces, for textile fiber and yarn finishing and modification and also for leather and paper treatment. Finishing or modifying with the organopolysiloxanes comprising quaternary ammonium groups of the invention can be used to confer desired properties such as, for example, a soft, supple hand, improved elasticity, antistatic properties, color deepening, coefficients of friction, surface smoothness, luster, crease recovery, color fastnesses, durability to laundering, hydrophilicity, tongue tear strength, reduced tendency to pill, easy care and soil release properties, and also improved wearing comfort. The finishing or modification of textile sheet materials, fibers, yarns, paper and leather with the organopolysiloxanes of this invention can further be used to improve industrial processibility, for example the processing and manufacturing speed, possibilities for correction and also the quality of the materials.
The textile sheet materials, fibers and yarns may have been fabricated from mineral fibers, such as glass fibers or silicate fibers, natural fibers such as for example wool, silk or cotton, manufactured fibers, for example polyester, polypropylene or polyamide fibers, cellulose fibers, copolymeric fibers or metal fibers. Filament fibers or staple fibers composed of the substrates mentioned can likewise be used. It is further possible to use sheet materials composed of fiber blends, for example cotton-polyester, paper and also natural sheet materials, such as leather.
The finish, coating or impregnation can be applied in the knife coating process, dip (squeeze) process, extrusion process, spray flocking or atomizing process, padding, exhaust or dip-whizz process. Similarly, all varieties of roller coatings, such as gravure roll, face roll or application via multiroll systems, and also printing, for example (rotary) screen printing, are possible. Finishing or coating can further be carried out by foam application and subsequent calendering, using a calender including a hotmelt-type calender.
The organopolysiloxanes comprising quaternary ammonium groups of the invention can further be used as additives in coatings and paints. Mixtures of the organopolysiloxanes of this invention to, for example, radiation- or addition-curable varnishes lead to a reduction in the surface roughness and thus to a reduction in the slip resistance of the coating.
The organopolysiloxanes comprising quaternary ammonium groups of the invention can further be used as admixtures in cosmetic formulations, for example as conditioners in hair-washing agents, and also as building protectants.
In addition, the organopolysiloxanes comprising quaternary ammonium groups of the invention constitute surface-active agents and can be used as detergents, surfactants, emulsifiers, defoamers and foam stabilizers.
PREPARATION EXAMPLES
Example 1
254 g of a linear polydimethylsiloxane having a viscosity of 82 mPa.s (25° C.) with glycidoxypropyl end groups in a concentration of 0.49 mEquiv./g are mixed at 25° C. with 6.64 g of bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl) ether and 7.5 g of acetic acid before heating to 80° C. The reaction mixture clarifies after 20 minutes and is cooled down after a further 4 hours. The 1 H NMR spectrum shows that the tertiary amino groups are quantitatively quaternized. Chain extension to form a poly(quat siloxane) having glycidoxypropyl end groups has caused the viscosity of the siloxane used to increase more than a hundredfold to 20,400 mPa.s (25° C.). The oily polymer obtained comprises quaternary nitrogen in a concentration of 0.31 mEquiv./g and has a quat to epoxy groups ratio of 2.02.
Example 2
200 g of a polysiloxane consisting of glycidoxypropylmethylsiloxy, dimethylsiloxy and trimethylsiloxy units and having a viscosity of 350 mm 2 /s (25° C.) and an epoxy content of 0.251 mEquiv./g are mixed with 4.24 g of dimethylbutylamine and 3.8 g of acetic acid and heated to 80° C. for 5 hours. Free amine is no longer detectable in the reaction mixture; the viscosity has risen to 2470 mm 2 /s (25° C.). The silicone oil comprises quaternary nitrogen in a concentration of 0.20 mEquiv./g and has a quat to epoxy groups ratio of 5.2.
Example 3
200 g of the epoxysiloxane from example 2, having an epoxy content of 0.251 mEquiv./g, are mixed with 1.52 g of dimethylbutylamine, 1.60 g of bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl)ether and 3.2 g of acetic acid and heated to 80° C. The mixture clarifies after 30 minutes and is then maintained at the same temperature for a further 3 hours, and free amine is no longer detectable. This gives a polysiloxane which is bridged via organic quat groups and hence is highly viscous and has a quaternary nitrogen content of 0.17 mEquiv./g and a quat to epoxy groups ratio of 2.3.
Example 4
200 g of the epoxysiloxane from example 2, having an epoxy content of 0.251 mEquiv./g, are mixed with 1.60 g of bis(2-dimethylaminoethyl)ether and 1.8 g of acetic acid without further admixture of mono tertiary amine and heated to 80° C. The reaction mixture is only slightly cloudy and clarifies after 10 minutes, and after a further 4 hours free amine is no longer detectable. The highly viscous polysiloxane obtained is bridged via organic quat groups and has a quat to epoxy groups ratio of 0.66.
Comparative Example C1:
Example 1 is repeated with the same input materials, but with the change that all the epoxy groups of the siloxane are reacted with an excess of amine. Therefore, instead of 6.64 g it is now 14.88 g of the bifunctional tertiary amine and at 11.2 g, correspondingly more acetic acid is used. The batch is maintained at 80° C. for 3.5 hours, whereupon epoxy groups are no longer detectable. The free diamine content is 4600 ppm.
The highly viscous siloxane polymer comprises quaternary nitrogen in a concentration of 0.46 mEquiv./g and has a quat to epoxy groups ratio of above 1000.
Comparative Example C2:
Example 2 is repeated with the same input materials, but with the change that all the epoxy groups of the siloxane are reacted with a small excess of amine. The amount of dimethylbutylamine mixed in is therefore raised from 4.24 g to 5.60 g and that of the acetic acid from 3.8 to 4.5 g. The 5 hour ring opening process at 80° C. results in quantitative conversion of the epoxy groups and in an increased oil viscosity of 4260 mm 2 /s (25° C.). The polymer obtained has a quaternary nitrogen concentration of 0.24 mEquiv./g and 2400 ppm of free dimethylbutylamine. The ratio of quat to epoxy groups is more than 1000.
Comparative Example C3:
Example 3 is in turn repeated with the same input materials, but with the change that the sum total of the amines is used in excess relative to the epoxy groups. While keeping the amount of bifunctional tertiary amine the same at 1.60 g, the amount of dimethylbutylamine used is raised from 1.52 to 3.55 g and that of the acetic acid from 3.2 to 5.0 g. After 5 hours at 80° C., epoxy groups are no longer detectable. The highly viscous oil, which is bridged via organic groups, comprises 2200 ppm of free dimethylbutylamine and a quat group concentration of 0.24 mEquiv./g. The ratio of quat to epoxy groups is more than 1000.
Use Examples
Microemulsion
The performance tests with respect to softness, hydrophobicity and also durability were carried out using cotton specimens finished by aqueous application. To this end, all example polymers were used to prepare microemulsions, the standard formulation of which comprises the following amounts of raw material:
66.8 g of siloxane polymer 10.0 g of butyldiglycol 22.2 g of isotridecyl ethoxylate (HLB value: 10.5) 2.0 g of Marlipal ST 1618 233 . 0 g of water.
The microemulsions each comprise 20.0% of active substance.
Padding with Examples 1-4 and Comparative Tests 1-3
The inventive and noninventive organopolysiloxanes comprising quaternary ammonium groups from examples 1 to 4 and comparative examples C1 to C3 were applied to textile sheet materials as follows:
A bleached, unfinished 100% CO cretonne knit having a basis weight of 230 g/m 2 and also an unfinished 100% CO terry fabric having a basis weight of 460 g/m 2 were used. A fabric padded with completely ion-free water and dried served as reference.
The fabric was in each case dipped into an aqueous liquor comprising 30 g of the recited microemulsion per liter. If necessary, the pH of the liquor was adjusted to 5 with acetic acid beforehand. The saturated fabric was squeezed off to a 70% wet pickup using a two-roll mangle, tentered and dried in a Mathis laboratory tenter at 150° C. for 5 minutes. The fabric was then conditioned at 23° C. and 60% relative humidity for at least 12 hours. The numbering of the finish examples is equal to the numbering of the preparation examples.
Example 5
Padding with a Combination of Compounds (A) and (B)
A bleached, unfinished 100% CO cretonne knit having a basis weight of 230 g/m 2 and also an unfinished 100% CO terry fabric having a basis weight of 460 g/m 2 were each dipped into an aqueous dilution of 1.93 g of Lupamin® 9095 (compound (A)), obtainable from BASF, and 998 g of completely ion-free water, the pH of these liquors having been adjusted to about 5 beforehand with acetic acid. Lupamin® 9095 is a 20% solution of a high molecular weight polyvinylamine (MW about 340 000 g/mol) in water. The saturated fabric was squeezed off to a 70% wet pickup using a two-roll mangle, tentered and dried in a Mathis laboratory tenter at 150° C. for 5 min.
This pretreated fabric was then dipped into an aqueous liquor comprising 30 g per liter of the inventive microemulsion (compound (B)), the preparation of which is described above in example 4. The saturated fabric was again squeezed off to a 70% wet pickup using a two-roll mangle, tentered and dried in a Mathis laboratory tenter at 150° C. for 5 min. The ratio on the textiles was accordingly 10:1 for amino groups from the pretreatment to epoxy groups from the finish. The fabric was then conditioned at 23° C. and 60% relative humidity for at least 12 hours.
Example 6
Padding with a Mixture of Compounds (A) and (B)
A liquor was prepared by mixing 1.93 g of Lupamin® 9095 (compound (A)), 30 g of the inventive microemulsion (compound (B)), the preparation of which is described above in example 4, and 968 g of completely ion-free water, and adjusted to about pH 5 with acetic acid. This mixture thus comprised a ratio of 10:1 for amino groups to epoxy groups.
A bleached, unfinished 100% CO cretonne knit having a basis weight of 230 g/m 2 and also an unfinished 100% CO terry fabric having a basis weight of 460 g/m 2 were each dipped into this liquor. The saturated fabric was squeezed off to a 70% wet pickup using a two-roll mangle, tentered and dried in a Mathis laboratory tenter at 150° C. for 5 min. The fabric was then conditioned at 23° C. and 60% relative humidity for at least 12 hours.
After conditioning, the finished fabrics—each finished with the inventive organopolysiloxanes (B) as per examples 1 to 4, with the combination and mixture, respectively, of the inventive compounds (A) and (B) as per examples 5 and 6 and with the noninventive compounds as per comparative tests 1 to 3—were subjected to determination of the droplet absorption time and of the softness comparison prior to washing.
To determine the fastnesses to washing, all finished textiles were washed together with about 3 kg of ballast material in a SIWAMAT 6143 domestic washing machine from Siemens using the coloreds program at 60° C. followed by spinning at 1400 rpm. In this case, 36 g of “Spee Feincolor” liquid laundry detergent from Henkel were used as wash surfactant. Altogether 2 wash cycles each 90 minutes in length were carried out without drying in between. The fabric was then dried and conditioned at 23° C. and 60% relative humidity for at least 12 hours. The fabric specimens were then resubjected to a softness comparison.
Determination of Softness (Hand Assessment)
Since the softness of textiles is greatly dependent on the subjective perception of the tester, only the boundary conditions can be standardized and not the assessment itself. To ensure reproducibility nonetheless, the finished specimens were assessed and ranked with regard to their softness. To this end, 10 testers awarded 1 to n points to n tested specimens, n points being awarded to the softest specimen and 1 point to the least soft specimen. The unfinished reference specimen was awarded 0 points. The hand assessment for any one specimen is accordingly the average value of points scored by this specimen.
Determination of Droplet Absorption Time
After finishing, the finished specimen was conditioned at 23° C. and 60% relative humidity for at least 12 hours before a droplet of deionized water was placed on the taut fabric surface from a height of 4 cm and the time taken for the droplet of water to become absorbed by the fabric was determined. Five determinations were carried out and the results averaged.
The table summarizes the results of the fabrics finished by means of the padding process.
TABLE 1
Examples
C1
C2
C3
1
2
3
4
5
6
R
Droplet
4
3
15
2
4
12
25
21
15
<1
absorption
time (s)
of knit
Droplet
7
2
9
3
3
8
8
12
11
<1
absorption
time (s)
of terry
Hand of
1.2
1.8
2.6
4.6
4.8
6.5
6.5
8.7
8.3
0
knit
before
washing
Hand of
1.5
1.6
2.3
4.7
5.3
6.7
5.9
8.6
8.4
0
terry
before
washing
Hand of
1.7
1.9
3.9
3.8
4.0
6.6
6.1
8.5
8.5
0
knit after
washing
Hand of
2.0
2.1
3.4
3.7
4.5
6.9
5.4
8.7
8.3
0
terry
after
washing
In the table, C1-C3 represent the respective comparative tests, 1-6 represent the respective inventive examples and R represents the reference sample.
In the case of the knit and terry fabrics, softness is appreciably improved by the finish with the inventive organopolysiloxanes—in contrast to the finish as per the comparative tests—without water absorption being significantly impaired:
More particularly, improved softness is maintained after washing. Softness durability is particularly due to the combination of the inventive organopolysiloxanes (B) with the polyamine compounds (A)—as per examples and 6.
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Polysiloxanes containing both epoxy groups and quaternary ammonium groups bonded to the polysiloxane through ring-opened epoxy groups provide a soft hand and wash fastness to fibrous substrates.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of prior filed co-pending U.S. Application No. 60/262,623, filed Jan. 18, 2001, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to microorganism identification. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for quantifying false matches between spectral peaks of an unknown source and spectral peaks of known microorganisms using saddle-point approximation.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Proteins expressed in microorganisms can be used as biomarkers for microorganism identification. In particular, mass spectra obtained by matrix-assisted laser desorbtion/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight (TOF) instruments have been employed for rapid microorganism differentiation and classification. The identification is based on differences in the observed “fingerprint” protein profiles for different organisms, typically in the mass range 4-20 kDa. A crucial requirement for successful identification via fingerprint techniques is spectral reproducibility. However, mass spectra of complex protein mixtures depend in an intricate and oftentimes poorly characterized fashion on a number of factors including sample preparation and ionization technique (e.g., MALDI matrixes, laser fluence), bacterial culture growth times and media, etc.
[0006] It has been proposed to exploit the wealth of information contained in prokaryotic genome and proteome databases to create a potentially more robust approach for mass spectrometry-based microorganisms identification (See Demirev, P. A.; Ho, Y. P.; Ryzhov, V.; Fenselau, C., Anal. Chem 1999, 71, 2732-8). This approach is independent of the chosen ionization and mass analysis model. The central idea of this proposed approach is to match the peaks, in the spectrum of an unknown microorganism, with the annotated proteins of known microorganisms in a proteomic database (e.g., the internet-accessible SWISS-PROT proteomic database).
[0007] The plausibility of the proposed approach was demonstrated by identifying two microorganisms whose genomes are known ( B. subtilis and E. coli ). The identification was performed by assigning a matching score, k, to each microorganism. This score was simply the number of spectral peaks that matched (to within a specified mass tolerance) the annotated proteins of each of the microorganisms in the database. The microorganisms were subsequently ranked according to their score, and the microorganism with the highest score was declared to be the unknown source of the spectrum.
[0008] Although this simple ranking algorithm succeeded in correctly identifying two microorganisms from a relatively small database, it was nonetheless understood from the onset that more rigorous methods would be necessary to perform robust identification of a broader range of microorganisms over more comprehensive databases. A key component of robust microorganism identification must be the ability to quantitatively assess the risk of false identification. In the present setting, false identification can occur when a large number of spectral peaks accidentally match the masses of proteins in the proteome of an unrelated microorganism. The likelihood of accidental matches, and hence the likelihood of false identification, increases, if the mass tolerance is increased or if the size of the known proteome increases.
[0009] In general, it is impractical to estimate the risk of false identification by exhaustively performing a large number of proteome-spectrum comparisons with a large number of experimentally obtained spectra. Instead, it is necessary to base quantitative methods on models of the matching and measurement processes.
[0010] Accordingly, a need exists to develop, validate and apply an algorithmic model of the matching and measurement processes and use it to estimate the likelihood of misidentification and to gain insight into the nature of the microorganism identification problem.
[0011] A previous patent application having U.S. application Ser. No. 06/196,368 and filed on Apr. 12, 2000 with the title “Method and System for Microorganism Identification by Mass Spectrometry-based Proteome Database Searching” describes a method of quantifying the significance of microorganism identification by introducing a false match model and a scoring algorithm based on p-values. The key to the false match model was the simplifying assumption that the proteins in a microorganism's proteome were uniformly distributed in the mass range of interest. This allowed one to calculate the expected number of matches between the peaks in a mass spectrum and the peaks in a proteome. Thus, one could easily test the null hypothesis that the mass spectrum was not generated by the microorganism in question.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] The present invention extends the previously disclosed method of quantifying the significance of microorganism identification by permitting non-uniform distributions of masses. The p-value calculations can be computationally intensive. Thus, saddle-point approximation is introduced to numerically evaluate the p-values. The saddle point approximation allows the efficient testing of the null hypothesis that the mass spectrum was not generated by the microorganisms in question.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] To assess the likelihood of false identification, the present invention derives a model-based distribution of scores due to false matches. For a given known microorganism with a corresponding annotated proteome, the inventive model denotes this distribution as P K (k), where K is the number of peaks in the spectrum of the unknown and k is the number of these peaks that match proteins in the proteome.
[0014] The distribution P K (k) allows testing of the significance of the scores via hypothesis testing and allows for quantifying the scalability of the approach by establishing limits on the size of the database (number of individual proteomes) and on the size of the proteomes in the database. Finally, the null hypothesis, H o , is tested that the unknown and the known microorganisms are not the same.
[0015] An approximate probability distribution will now be derived for observing exactly k false matches when a spectrum from an unknown microorganism is compared to the proteome of a known microorganism according to the invention. In the mass range [m min , m max ], the spectrum is assumed to have K peaks and the proteome is assumed to have n proteins.
[0016] The database contains a label and a corresponding mass list for each potentially observable microorganism. It is understood that the proteomes in the database are neither necessarily complete, nor error free. Nevertheless, the inventive method assumes that each mass list is sufficiently inclusive and sufficiently accurate, that it is reasonable to expect that some of the masses in the mass list will be found in a physical mass spectrum. In such a setting it is reasonable to compare a spectrum to a mass list.
[0017] The spectrum from an unknown source is compared to the mass list of a known object by matching spectral peaks against masses in the mass list. A database hit occurs when the mass of a protein in the database differs from the mass of a spectral peak by at most Δm/2. A spectral peak with one or more database hits is said to be a “matched peak”. The number of spectral peaks that match masses in a mass list is said to be the “score” of the object.
[0018] To derive the approximate distribution of false matches, assume that the unknown source (s) and the known object (t) are distinct (i.e., s≠t). Then, by definition, all matches are false matches. We make no assumptions about the distributions of masses throughout the mass range [m min , m max ]. It is straightforward to write down P match , which is the probability that a given peak will be a matched peak. In particular, given any interval of width Δm about a mass m, the probability P(q) of obtaining exactly q database hits is Poisson distributed:
P ( q ) = ( ρ ( m ) Δ m ) q ⅇ - p ( m ) Δ m q ! , ( 1 )
where ρ(m) is the density of proteins in the proteome in the mass range [m min , m max ]. Consequently, the probability of obtaining no database hits is P(0)=exp(−ρΔm) and the probability of obtaining at least one database hit for the I-th mass in the list is
p i ≡1 −P (0)≡1 −e −ρ(m i )Δm . (2)
Let c i be a binary random variable that is 1 if the i-th peak has a match and zero otherwise. Then, the probability of a particular configuration of matches {c 1 , . . . , c K } is a multivariate Bernoulli distribution
P K ( c ) = ∏ i = 1 K p i c i ( 1 - p i ) 1 - c i . ( 3 )
From this the probability of exactly k false matches is
P ( k ) = ∑ c = k P K ( c ) ( 4 )
where the sum is over all terms that have
∑ i c i = k . The corresponding p - value is
α = ∑ k > k observed P K ( k ) . ( 5 )
[0019] In general P K (k) is computationally intractable. But P K (k) is tractable if (1) the number of peaks, K, is small; (2 p i =p for all i (uniform approximation); and (3) the number of peaks, K, is large (saddle-point approximation).
[0020] The saddle point approximation for P K (k) is
P K ( k ) ≈ { ∏ i = 1 K p i ( 1 - p i ) } · exp ( Kf ( μ ) ) 2 π ∑ j = 1 K σ ′ ( h j + μ ) ( 6 )
where μ is the unique solution of
f ( μ ) ≡ - ( k K ) μ + 1 K ∑ j = 1 K log ( 1 + exp ( h j + μ ) ) where ( 7 ) k = ∑ j = 1 K σ ( h j + μ ) and where ( 8 ) h i ≡ log ( p i 1 - p i ) ( 9 )
[0021] To conclude, the present invention quantifies the significance of microorganism identification by mass spectrometry-based proteome database searching through the use of a statistical model of false matches and saddle-point approximation.
[0022] What has been described herein is merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. For example, the functions described above and implemented as the best mode for operating the present invention are for illustration purposes only. Other arrangements and methods may be implemented by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention.
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A method and system for determining a probability of observing false matches between spectral peaks of an unknown source and spectral peaks of known microorganisms are provided. The method and system include using the saddle-point approximation to determine the probability of observing false matches between the spectral peaks of the unknown source and the spectral peaks of the known microorganisms. The method and system further include testing the null hypothesis to determine whether the unknown source is a known microorganism.
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BACKGROUND
[0001] A buffer amplifier (a.k.a. buffer) is an electronic device that provides electrical impedance transformation from one circuit to another. Two main types of buffers exist: the voltage buffer and the current buffer. Typically a current buffer amplifier is used to transfer a current from a first circuit, having a low output impedance level, to a second circuit with a high input impedance level. The interposed buffer amplifier inhibits the second circuit from loading the first circuit unacceptably and interfering with its desired operation.
[0002] In the ideal current buffer the input resistance is zero while the output resistance is infinite (impedance of an ideal current source is infinite). Other properties of the ideal buffer typically include perfect linearity regardless of signal amplitudes and instant output response regardless of the speed of the input signal. For a current buffer amplifier, if the current is transferred unchanged (the current gain is 1), the amplifier is called a unity gain buffer or a current follower because the output current “follows” or tracks the input current. The current gain of a current buffer amplifier is (approximately) unity. Existing current buffer amplifiers, while providing current buffering, do not provide current filtering. Also, existing current buffer amplifiers ordinarily do not provide near-perfect linearity at output.
[0003] FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional current buffer amplifier 100 that comprises unipolar transistors 102 , 104 , 112 , 114 , 116 , and 118 (e.g., FET common gate connected transistors), differential amplifiers 106 and 110 , a phase shift amplifier 108 , and resistors 120 and 122 . The differential amplifiers 106 and 110 are common mode feedback (CMFB) amplifiers used to suppress common-mode signals. The drains of the transistors 112 and 114 are connected to the inputs of the amplifiers 106 and 108 as shown in FIG. 1 . The two input ports of the buffer amplifier are connected to the drains of the transistors 112 and 114 respectively. The positive input port is connected to a negative input port of the amplifier 108 , the source of the transistor 102 , and a negative input port of the amplifier 106 . The negative input port is connected to a positive input port of the amplifier 108 , the source of the transistor 106 , and a positive input port of the amplifier 106 . The input current i in is an output current from a first circuit (not shown) which is transferred to the second circuit (not shown) as output current i out by the current buffer amplifier 100 . When both i in + and i in− are applied, the CMFB amplifier 106 will amplify the i in input signal and the FET transistors 102 , 104 , 112 , 114 will invert the signal (180° phase) and substrate the common signal. For differential signal CMFB would not operate. In this case, the input current I in will pass through. Thus, the input impedance g m1 is kept low and the output impedance g m2 is kept high.
[0004] Ideally, a current buffer amplifier is perfectly linear, with the output signal strength varying in direct proportion to the input signal strength. In a linear device, the output-to-input signal amplitude ratio is always the same, no matter what the strength of the input signal. A graph 200 in FIG. 2 illustrates an ideal current transfer gain as a function of frequency.
[0005] In reality, however, the type of ideal linearity illustrated in FIG. 2 is difficult to accomplish. Even if an amplifier exhibits linearity under normal conditions, it will become nonlinear if the input signal is too strong due to overdrive. The amplification curve bends toward a horizontal slope as the input-signal amplitude increases beyond a critical point, producing distortion in the output. In analog applications such as amplitude-modulation (AM), wireless transmission and hi-fi audio, linearity is important. Nonlinearity in these applications results in signal distortion because the fluctuation in gain affects the shape of an analog output waveform with respect to the analog input waveform. Accordingly, a linearity issue may arise in the current buffer amplifier illustrated in FIG. 1 when current is converted to voltage at the output.
SUMMARY
[0006] An example of a current filtering current buffer amplifier comprises: a first port and a second input port configured to be coupled to and receive input current; a first output port and a second output port configured to be coupled to and provide current to a load; a buffer configured to transfer the received input current to the first and second output ports as an output current, the buffer having an input impedance and an output impedance where the output impedance is higher than the input impedance, the buffer comprising first and second amplifiers, the first amplifier being a common mode feedback amplifier; and a filter coupled to the first and second input ports and coupled to the first and second amplifiers, the filter having a complex impedance and being configured to notch filter the received input current.
[0007] Implementations of such an amplifier may comprise one or more of the following features. The filter includes an RC circuit having a resistance and a capacitance, the filter being coupled to positive and negative inputs of both of the first and second amplifiers. The resistance comprises first and second resistances, the first resistance coupled between the first input port and negative inputs of the first and second amplifiers, and the second resistance being coupled between the second input port and positive inputs of the first and second amplifiers. The capacitance is connected between the first and second resistances. The capacitance includes a first capacitance coupled between the positive inputs of the first and second amplifiers and ground, and a second capacitance coupled between the negative inputs of the first and second amplifiers and the ground. The amplifier further comprises a booster coupled to the buffer and configured to boost a common gate voltage of a transistor of the buffer to inhibit transfer gain in a pass band of the amplifier and in a stop band of the amplifier. The booster portion includes a first booster circuit coupled to the first input port via a third capacitance and a second booster circuit coupled to the second input port via a fourth capacitance, the third and fourth capacitances being configured to pass current of frequencies in the stop band of the amplifier to the first and second booster circuits, respectively.
[0008] An example of a method of buffering current between first and second circuits includes: providing an input impedance to an output of the first circuit and an output impedance to an input of the second circuit, the output impedance being higher than the input impedance; and transferring current received from the first circuit to the second circuit by low-pass and notch filtering the current received from the first circuit such that: first current received from the first circuit having a frequency below a first frequency is transferred to the second circuit such that a first output amplitude is at least half of a first input amplitude of the first current; and second current received from the first circuit having a frequency above a second frequency is transferred to the second circuit such that a second output amplitude is less than one-tenth of a second input amplitude of the second current; where the second frequency is less than about two times the first frequency.
[0009] Implementations of such a method may comprise one or more of the following features. The notch filtering causes a local minimum of transfer gain to occur at a local-minimum frequency that is between about 1.3 times the first frequency and about 1.7 times the first frequency. The method further comprises inhibiting transfer gain at least one of below the first frequency or above the local-minimum frequency.
[0010] An example of a current buffer comprises: a first port and a second input port configured to be coupled to and receive input current; a first output port and a second output port configured to be coupled to and provide current to a load; a buffer portion configured to transfer the received input current to the first and second output ports as an output current, the buffer portion having an input impedance and an output impedance where the output impedance is higher than the input impedance; and filter means, coupled to the first and second input ports, the first and second output ports, and the buffer portion, for filtering the received input current such that the amplifier has transfer gains, for the received input current from the first and second input ports to the first and second output ports, above a first transfer gain value for frequencies up to a first frequency, has transfer gains below a second transfer gain value for frequencies above a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency, has a transfer gain of a third transfer gain value at a third frequency that is higher than the second frequency, and has a transfer gain of a fourth transfer gain value at a fourth frequency that is higher than the third frequency, the third transfer gain value being lower than the second transfer gain value and the fourth transfer gain value being higher than the third transfer gain value.
[0011] Implementations of such a buffer may comprise one or more of the following features. The filter means are configured such that the first transfer gain value is about −3 dB, the second transfer gain value is about −10 dB, and the second frequency is about 1.2 times the first frequency. The third frequency is about 1.5 times the second frequency. The filter means comprise an RC circuit, including resistance and capacitance, coupled between the first and second input ports and the first and second output ports. Values of the resistance and capacitance determine the third frequency.
[0012] Items and/or techniques described herein may provide one or more of the following capabilities. A current filtering current buffer amplifier may provide tunable notch filtering, reduced pass band peaking, and improved linearity compared to a conventional current buffer amplifier. A current buffer amplifier can be provided that is inexpensive and easy to tune, has a broad range and that will enhance diversity and a range of acceptable input and output circuits. Amplifiers are provided for use in electronic devices that employ circuits with low input impedance and high output impedance, for example, mobile electronic devices including portable computers, mobile telephones, personal digital assistants, and the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a conventional current buffer amplifier.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating an ideal current transfer gain as a function of frequency.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a current filtering current buffer amplifier.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a graph of an input impedance as a function of frequency for the current filtering current buffer amplifier illustrated in FIG. 3 .
[0017] FIG. 5 is a current transfer gain as a function of frequency for the current filtering current buffer amplifier illustrated in FIG. 3 .
[0018] FIG. 6 is a graph of a total input impedance of a main common gate as a function of frequency with various resistance and capacitance values for the current filtering current buffer amplifier illustrated in FIG. 3 .
[0019] FIG. 7 is a graph of an input-to-output transfer function of the current filtering current buffer amplifier illustrated in FIG. 3 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] The described features generally relate to one or more improved methods and/or apparatus for current buffering. Further applicability of the described methods and apparatus will become apparent from the following detailed description, claims, and drawings. The detailed description and specific examples are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the description will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the following description provides examples, and is not limiting of the scope, applicability, or configuration set forth in the claims. Changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements discussed without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Various examples may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. For instance, the methods described may be performed in an order different from that described, and various operations may be added, omitted, or combined. Also, features described with respect to certain examples may be combined with other examples.
[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates an example circuit diagram of a current filtering current buffer amplifier 300 configured to provide tunable notch filtering and reduced band-pass peaking. The amplifier 300 will pass signals having frequencies within a certain range with little or no attenuation, and possibly with gain, and reject (i.e., significantly attenuate) signals having frequencies outside that range. The amplifier 300 includes a buffer portion 301 similar to, but different from, the current buffer 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 . The buffer portion 301 includes transistors 302 , 304 , 312 , 314 , 316 , 318 , resistances 320 and 322 , and amplifiers 306 , 308 , 310 . In addition, the buffer amplifier 300 includes common gate boost circuits 340 , 350 that include unipolar transistors 342 , 352 and are configured to boost common gate voltage for transistors 302 , 304 respectively. The common gate boost circuits 340 , 350 provide low impedance at high frequency by absorbing high-frequency signals, which helps prevent (inhibits) input impedance from becoming too high and helps reduce pass-band peaking (i.e., a maximum gain in the pass band).
[0022] In the illustrative amplifier 300 shown in FIG. 3 , the boost circuit 340 is common-gate connected at a node V 1 and the boost circuit 350 is common-gate connected at a node V 2 . The node V 1 of the boost circuit 340 is connected between the drain of the transistor 342 and a current source 343 that is connected to ground. Similarly, the node V 2 in the boost circuit 350 is connected between the drain of the transistor 352 and a current source 345 that is connected to ground. The boost circuits 340 , 350 are respectively connected via capacitors 370 , 372 to a positive input node 371 and a negative input node 373 of the buffer portion 301 . The input nodes 371 , 373 are connected to drains of the transistors 312 , 314 , gates of the transistors 302 , 304 , and current sources 380 , 382 that are connected to ground. A positive input current line 380 is connected to the input node 371 and carries an input current i in + . A negative input current line 382 is connected to the input node 373 and carries an input current i in − .
[0023] The buffer portion 301 includes an RC circuit 360 connected between the positive and negative input nodes 371 , 373 . The RC circuit 360 includes two resistors 362 , 364 each of resistance R 1 and a capacitor 366 of capacitance C 1 . The RC circuit 360 , as shown, has the resistor 362 connected in series with the capacitor 366 connected in series with the resistor 364 , all connected in series between the nodes 371 , 373 . A node 365 connected to both the resistor 362 and the capacitor 366 is also connected to negative input ports of the amplifiers 306 , 308 . A node 367 connected to the resistor 364 and the capacitor 366 is also connected to positive input ports of the amplifiers 306 , 308 . Thus, the input node 371 is connected via the resistor 362 to the capacitor 366 and the negative input port of each of the amplifiers 306 , 308 , and the input node 373 is similarly connected via the resistor 364 to the capacitor 366 and the positive input port of each of the amplifiers 306 , 308 . The capacitor 366 is connected between the positive and negative input ports of each of the amplifiers 306 , 308 . While the RC circuit 360 is shown in FIG. 3 as having the resistor 362 in series with the capacitor 366 in series with the resistor 364 between the nodes 371 , 373 , alternative physical configurations are possible. For example, the node 371 can be connected via the resistor 362 to a capacitor that is connected to ground and the node 373 can be connected via the resistor 364 to another physically separate capacitor to ground. From an electrical standpoint, however, this is equivalent to the RC circuit 360 shown in FIG. 3 .
[0024] The RC circuit 360 serves to provide current notch filtering of the input signal as illustrated in FIGS. 4-5 and described below. The notch filtering may be tuned by changing the capacitance value C 1 of the capacitor 366 . Capacitances C 2 of the capacitors 370 , 372 that connect the boost circuits 340 and 350 to the input nodes 371 and 372 of the buffer portion 301 of the circuit 300 are used to block low frequencies by changing the frequency of the common mode signal input in the nodes 365 and 367 . Without the boost circuits, 3430 , 350 , high-frequency signals would encounter a high impedance from the transistors 312 , 314 , and be reflected back into the buffer 301 . The boost circuits 340 , 350 , however, provide low impedances at high frequencies, thus helping the amplifier 300 to pass low-frequency current to the output and inhibiting high-frequency current from reaching the output.
[0025] In operation, the current filtering current buffer amplifier 300 provides current buffering between two circuits with current filtering, where the filtering comprises passing low frequencies and notch filtering high frequencies as illustrated in FIGS. 4-6 .
[0026] Referring also to FIGS. 4 and 5 , a graph 400 shows an input impedance as a function of frequency and a graph 500 shows a current transfer gain as a function of frequency for the current buffer amplifier 300 . A plot 402 illustrates the impedance as a function of frequency looking into nodes V 1 , V 2 indicated by arrows 390 and 392 in FIG. 3 . A plot 404 illustrates the impedance (g m11 ) as a function of frequency looking into a node V 3 indicated by arrow 394 in FIG. 3 . A plot 406 illustrates the combined input impedance. As shown in FIG. 4 , the impedance 404 i.e., g m1 , peaks at a low frequency and subsides at a higher frequency. A plot 502 of the graph 500 illustrating the current transfer gain as a function of frequency shows that at low frequency f peak , there is a local/relative gain peak 504 of a peak gain G peak . In a pass band from 0 Hz to a pass-threshold frequency f PT1 , gain is above the dotted line (0 DB) and thus positive, indicating that signals are passed and some transfer gain is provided. Alternatively, the pass band may extend to a higher pass-threshold frequency f PT2 corresponding to a pass-threshold gain G PT (e.g., −3 dB) with acceptably low attenuation of signals to be considered as passing these signals. At higher frequencies, signals are filtered and attenuated, reaching a stop-threshold gain G ST of approximately −10 dB, although other levels may be acceptable and are determined by the circuit characteristics of the circuit values used at a stop-threshold frequency f ST , which is a tunable value, and reaching a local/relative minimum gain G notch at a corresponding frequency f notch at a “notch” 506 of the curve 502 . With the notch filtering provided by the RC circuit 360 , the gain of the amplifier 300 reaches the stop-threshold gain G ST at a lower frequency than without the RC circuit 360 as shown by a gain curve 510 of gain provided by the amplifier 300 without the RC circuit 360 . Further, as indicated by a portion 507 of the plot 502 labeled “with parallel CG” and a plot 508 labeled “W/O parallel CG,” the gain with the parallel common gate boost circuits 340 , 350 connected to the buffer portion 301 is lower at frequencies above the notch frequency than without the circuits 340 , 350 connected.
[0027] The frequency f notch at the relative/local minimum gain G notch will be approximately equal to the center frequency of the notch filter characteristics. The frequency f notch corresponding to the local-minimum gain may be the center frequency of the notch filter characteristics or may be shifted to a slightly higher frequency due to the gain roll-off provided by the low-pass filter characteristics. The amount of difference between the center frequency of the notch filter characteristics and the local minimum-gain frequency f notch will depend upon the gain characteristics (e.g., rate of gain roll-off) at and near the center frequency of the notch filter characteristics. The frequency f notch corresponds to a local minimum gain as gain at frequencies above (at least above and near/adjacent) the notch frequency f notch are higher than the local minimum gain G notch .
[0028] FIG. 6 illustrates a graph 600 showing total input impedance Z in of the main common gate as a function of frequency with various R 1 and C 1 values. Z in may be calculated as follows:
[0000]
Z
i
n
=
(
1
+
s
·
C
out
·
R
out
)
·
(
1
+
s
·
C
1
·
R
1
)
s
2
·
C
1
·
C
out
·
R
out
·
(
1
+
g
m
1
·
R
1
)
+
s
·
[
C
1
·
(
1
+
g
m
1
·
R
1
)
+
g
m
1
·
C
out
·
R
out
]
+
g
m
1
·
(
1
+
g
m
2
·
R
out
)
f
p
≈
1
2
π
·
g
m
2
C
1
·
R
1
·
C
out
·
R
out
Q
≈
2
π
·
g
m
2
·
C
1
·
R
1
·
C
out
·
R
out
·
R
out
C
1
·
R
1
+
C
out
·
R
out
Where
[0029] s=jw,
C out is the output capacitance of the feedback amplifier 308 ,
R out is the output resistance of the feedback amplifier 308 .
g m2 is the transconductance of the feedback amplifier 308 ,
f p is the peak frequency of the curves shown in the graph 600 .
The different plots shown in the graph 600 correspond to different experimental values of R 1 and C 1 .
[0030] A graph 700 in FIG. 7 illustrates an input-to-output transfer function 700 of the current buffer amplifier 300 . The graph 700 shows the magnitude of current transfer gain of the buffer amplifier 300 in dB values as a function of frequency. As shown in FIG. 7 , the peaking gets reduced, i.e. peaks illustrated in FIG. 7 go down, with the boost circuits 340 , 350 being used. The transfer value H CFCB (f) shown in FIG. 7 may be calculated as follows:
[0000]
H
CFCB
(
f
)
=
-
g
m
1
·
(
α
(
f
)
-
1
)
sC
1
1
+
sC
1
R
1
-
(
α
(
f
)
-
1
)
·
(
sC
gs
1
+
g
m
1
)
α
(
f
)
=
sC
g
s
1
-
g
m
2
1
+
sC
1
R
1
sC
gs
1
+
1
+
sC
out
R
out
R
out
[0000] where C gs1 is the parasitic capacitance between gate and source of the transistors 312 , 314 . The different curves shown in FIG. 7 correspond to different experimental values of
[0031] Referring to FIGS. 3 , 5 , and 7 , the amplifier 300 , and in particular the buffer 301 , is configured to provide desired characteristics of the peak 504 and the notch 506 and desired relationships of the peak 504 to the notch 506 . The peak gain G peak , peak-gain frequency f peak , notch gain G notch , and notch-gain frequency f notch may have various values depending on the design of the amplifier. For example, referring to FIG. 7 , the peak gain G peak is about 10 dB (here from about 9 dB to about 12 dB), the peak-gain frequency f peak may be between about 12 MHz and about 30 MHz (here from about 10 MHz to about 32 MHz), the notch gain G notch may be about −20 dB (her from about −18 dB to about −21 dB), and the notch-gain frequency f notch may be between about 25 MHz and about 60 MHz (here from about 23 MHz to about 63 MHz). A ratio of the notch-gain frequency f notch to the peak-gain frequency f peak is about 2 to 1 (here from about 1.9 to 1 to about 2.1 to 1). A ratio of the notch-gain frequency f notch to the 3 dB pass-threshold frequency f PT2 is preferably between about 1.3 to 1 and about 1.7 to 1, here about 1.5 to 1 (from about 1.4 to 1 to about 1.6 to 1). A ratio of the notch-gain frequency f notch to the 0 dB pass-threshold frequency f PT1 is about 1.65 to 1 (here from about 1.55 to one to about 1.75 to 1). A ratio of the stop-threshold frequency f ST (with the stop-threshold gain G ST being −10 dB) to the −3 dB pass-threshold frequency f PT2 is preferably less than about 2 to 1, here about 1.2 to 1 (here from about 1.15 to 1 to about 1.25 to 1).
[0032] The previous description is provided to enable a person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. The disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein but is accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.
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A current filtering current buffer amplifier includes: a first port and a second input port configured to be coupled to and receive input current; a first output port and a second output port configured to be coupled to and provide current to a load; a buffer configured to transfer the received input current to the first and second output ports as an output current, the buffer having an input impedance and an output impedance where the output impedance is higher than the input impedance, the buffer including first and second amplifiers, the first amplifier being a common mode feedback amplifier; and a filter coupled to the first and second input ports and coupled to the first and second amplifiers, the filter having a complex impedance and being configured to notch filter the received input current.
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CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/829,261, filed Apr. 9, 2001, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/218,252 filed Dec. 21, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,213,055.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to hand held tools and relates in particular to a brush having an ergonomic handle formed with a single saddle-shaped finger grip.
2. Description of Prior Developments
Grooming brushes have been available in various shapes and sizes for carrying out different grooming functions. In some cases, it is desirable to be able to reverse one's grip on a grooming brush to facilitate a backhanded brush stroke. If one's grip is weak, such a backhanded stroke is difficult. Moreover, even a forehanded brush stroke can be difficult or even impossible for someone suffering from arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, hand injury or some other gripping infirmity.
Accordingly, a need exists for a grooming brush which can be held with either a forehand or backhand grip and which requires a minimum of strength and dexterity to grip and stroke.
A further need exists for such a brush which can be operated primarily with a single gripping finger with either a forehand or backhand grip.
Yet another need exists for a grooming brush which has a high friction gripping surface which is contoured to enable one to securely grip the handle surface with a minimum of force.
Still another need exists for a grooming brush which reduces the likelihood of snagging due to sharp corners or other projections unrelated to grooming bristles or teeth.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed to fulfill the needs noted above and therefore has as an object the provision of a grooming brush having a high friction gripping surface contoured to require a minimum of strength and dexterity to grip and stroke.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a grooming brush which can be held and used with one or more fingers with both a forehand and a backhand grip.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a grooming brush having virtually no sharp corners so as to avoid snagging during brushing.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a grooming brush having an ergonomic handle provided with a saddle portion which centers and anchors one's little or pinky finger in a comfortable orientation to allow brushing with a minimum of effort and gripping strength.
Still another object of the invention is the provision of a grooming brush having a rigid handle fitted with a high friction gripping sheath.
These and other objects are met by the present invention which is directed to a grooming brush having an ergonomic handle contoured to allow gripping and use with a minimum of strength and dexterity. A high friction gripping surface in the form of a molded rubber sleeve or sheath is fitted over a complimentary shaped handle. The handle and sheath define a contoured gripping surface for centering and anchoring one's pinky finger in a backhand grip and for centering and anchoring one's index finer in a forehand grip.
The top of the handle has a mildly arched surface for comfortably matching a user's palm. The bottom of the handle includes a saddle-shaped portion which positively seats a single finger and separates that finger from the rest of a user's gripped or ungripped fingers. A brush head is attached to the handle for supporting any number of various bristles or teeth. The brush head is devoid of sharp corners to avoid snagging or nicking a pet or other subject being groomed. Rounded brush head contours are particularly appreciated when a pet is brushed around its rear legs and around and beneath its tail.
The aforementioned objects, features and advantages of the invention will, in part, be pointed out with particularity, and will, in part, become obvious from the following more detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which form an integral part thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pet grooming brush constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a grooming brush constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a top view of a rubber sheath which is fitted over the handles of FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the sheath of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a front or left end view of the sheath of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a rear or right end view of the sheath of FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the sheath of FIG. 3;
FIG. 8 is a view of the brush of FIG. 1 with the rubber sleeve of FIG. 3 removed from the handle;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the brush of FIG. 1 held in a forehand grip; and
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the brush of FIG. 2 held in a backhand grip.
In the various views of the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similar parts.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention will now be described in conjunction with the drawings, beginning with FIG. 1 which shows a grooming brush 10 constructed in accordance with the invention. Brush 10 is of the type or style known as a Coleman brush and includes an axially or longitudinally extending elongated handle 12 which is connected to a brush head 14 via a transition or neck portion 16 . Brush 10 is shown with a single row of rigid teeth 18 extending downwardly from the brush head 14 . Of course, any type of teeth or bristles arranged in virtually any pattern can be provided on brush head 14 in a known fashion.
Handle 12 is formed with an ergonomic grip-conforming contour that allows a user to securely hold handle 12 with a minimum of strength and dexterity. In fact, all that is required to hold handle 12 and to stroke brush 10 is a single finger and one's palm, as discussed below.
The top portion 20 of handle 12 defines a longitudinally-extending arched surface 22 beginning at neck portion 16 , arching mildly upwardly and rearwardly to a central apex 24 and then arching mildly downwardly to a rounded, somewhat hemispherical or cup-shaped end portion 26 . The lower portion 28 of handle 12 includes a circumferentially-extending U-shaped grooved band or contour 30 which extends over about the lower half of the handle adjacent the neck portion 16 .
The U-shaped contour 30 is also arched longitudinally from the neck portion 16 rearwardly to a hump-shaped ridge 32 which extends circumferentially along the lower half of the handle 12 . This longitudinally arched portion 34 together with the U-shaped contour defines a compound arch on the lower half of the handle thereby forming a three dimensional saddle-shaped contour 36 extending axially and circumferentially along the underside of handle 12 .
It can be appreciated that the saddle contour 36 forms a comfortable gripping recess for guiding and holding one of a user's fingers securely therein. Ridge 32 prevents a user's finger from slipping longitudinally (axially) rearward from the saddle contour 36 when the brush is pulled rearward during grooming. In this manner, saddle contour 36 and ridge 32 provide a trigger-type finger grip.
The lower portion 28 of the handle 12 defines a second longitudinally arched portion 38 which extends upwardly and rearwardly in a mild curve from ridge 32 to the rounded dome-shaped end portion 26 . This second arched portion 38 provides a comfortable gripping surface for a user's middle, ring and pinky fingers when the brush is used in a normal forehanded grip. Arched portion 38 is preferably at least two, three, four or more times the length of the saddle portion 36 . In the example of FIG. 1, arched portion 38 is about three times the length of saddle portion 36 .
Additional details of handle 12 are shown in FIGS. 3 through 7 wherein a soft pliable rubber sleeve 40 is seen to be shaped to closely match the surface contours of the plastic molded handle 12 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 8 . Sleeve 40 is resiliently stretched over the handle 12 of FIG. 8 to construct the handle 12 of FIG. 1 . Adhesives or fasteners may be used to hold and fix the sleeve on the handle.
As seen in FIG. 8, handle 12 of FIG. 1 may be molded as a solid one-piece molding with or without a series of longitudinally-spaced arch-shaped slots 42 formed along the upper or top portion 20 and the lower or bottom portion 28 of handle 12 . If slots 42 are formed in handle 12 , a central transverse rib 44 is molded centrally between the upper and lower slots 42 . Slots 42 provide a lighter weight and more economical handle by reducing the volume of plastic in the handle.
Referring again to FIGS. 3 through 7 and 8 , sleeve 40 and handle 12 have a relatively large height and width along saddle portion 36 . The sleeve extends from an open, substantially circular mouth 46 rearwardly to the hump-shaped ridge 32 . As the sleeve and handle extend rearwardly from the ridge 32 , the width of the sleeve tapers symmetrically inwardly from side to side as seen in FIGS. 3 and 7 and the height of the sleeve and handle tapers symmetrically inwardly toward end portion 26 .
In this manner, ridge 32 and saddle 36 form a trigger type grip with the tapering second arched portion 38 on the underside of the handle and sleeve allowing one's fingers to wrap substantially completely around the handle, if desired. This type of forehand grip is illustrated in FIG. 9 . It is also possible to comfortably and securely hold handle 12 with a backhand grip as shown in FIG. 10 .
With the forehand grip of FIG. 9, an index finger 50 is aligned and held within the saddle portion 36 and with the backhand grip of FIG. 10, a pinky finger 52 is held within the saddle portion 36 . In each case, only one finger is actually needed to hold handle 12 securely within and against one's palm, i.e., the finger held within the saddle portion 36 . The remaining fingers can provide additional gripping force, but this is generally not required.
Referring again to FIG. 1, it is seen that the neck portion 16 of brush 10 includes a vertical end wall 54 from which extends a pair of vertical side walls 56 . Side walls 56 form a strong reinforcement and interconnection between neck portion 16 and brush head 14 . Walls 56 extend completely around the flat planar top portion 58 of brush head 14 and join one another along the leading edge of the brush head. Teeth 18 may be molded within a transverse strengthening and support rib 60 formed on the bottom of brush head 14 .
It should be noted that the peripheral edge 62 of brush head 14 defines smooth rounded side edges 64 which resist snarling, entangling and nicking of a subject being groomed. In fact, the brush 10 is substantially free of sharp comers and edges, other than those formed by the bristles or teeth 18 .
A second embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 2 and 10 in the form of a slicker brush with fine wire teeth 18 arranged in a round or oval pattern. In this construction, handle 12 is substantially identical to handle 12 of FIG. 1 . However, the transition or neck portion 16 has an extended or elongated vertical end wall 54 and vertically elongated side walls 56 . Brush head 14 is substantially circular or oval rather than somewhat triangular as in FIG. 1 . This rounded shape of the head is particularly useful for a slicker brush as it makes it easy to brush around a pet's legs and tail and has no sharp edges which can hurt a pet.
In each embodiment, the sidewalls 56 together with end wall 54 form a raised closed-loop wall extending upwardly around the top portion 58 of brush head 14 . This looped wall adds strength and rigidity to the transition portion 16 and brush head 14 . When the brush head 14 is laid flat on a horizontal surface, the transversely-extending vertical wall 54 vertically offsets the handle 12 from the head 14 . This allows a groomer to stroke evenly along a flat surface with all bristles being used. The offset provides space for the groomer's fingers between the handle and grooming surface, such as a pet's body, and further provides additional leverage to the handle.
There has been disclosed heretofore the best embodiment of the invention presently contemplated. However, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.
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A brush handle is formed with a continuously arched upper surface portion and a lower surface portion separated into two arched portions by a humped semi-circular ridge. One of the lower arched portions forms a trigger grip for a single finger held in either a forehand or backhand grip. The handle is preferably covered with a high friction material in the form of a contoured rubber or elastomeric sleeve which is stretched over a complimentarily contoured molded plastic handle.
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This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/245,411 filed May 18, 1994 now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of illuminating rotating objects and, more specifically, to a device for illuminating the surfaces of wheeled vehicles with light emitting diodes.
2. Description of the Background
Devices for lighting the wheels of a vehicle have become increasingly popular. Such devices add to the aesthetic appeal of the vehicle and improve safety by making the vehicle more visible at night. Vehicle owners wanting to add such features to their wheels desire a product that is both easy to use and inexpensive.
Various devices have been proposed in the past for illuminating the wheels of vehicles. However, in some devices the lights do not rotate with the wheel. In other cases a brush mounted on a non-rotating portion of the vehicle is used to transmit power to the wheel. Such devices, however, wear out easily or can be fouled by grease and dirt common on the undercarriage of automobiles. Further, the use of a brush creates an undesirable noise as the brush contacts rub against the contacting surface of the wheel. This noise detracts from the aesthetic appeal the device. Also, devices that transmit power from the vehicle chassis to a rotating wheel must be connected to the vehicle's electrical system by wires and perhaps a switch. This makes installation inconvenient.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to solve the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved device for illuminating a rotating wheel that is easy to use and inexpensive.
Further, another object of the present invention is to protect the lights for illuminating the wheel by arranging them in a plastic tubing filled with a buffer material.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for providing electrical power to the lights that is free of brush noise and is reliable.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical generating source housed in a wheel cover of a rotating wheel that provides power to light emitting diodes contained in a plastic tube mounted around the rim of the wheel for rotation therewith. The electrical generating source is a stepper motor with an eccentric weight mounted on its shaft.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a stepper motor housed in the foot pedal of a bicycle. The shaft of the stepper motor is rotationally connected to the shank of the bicycle. The motor provides electrical power to light emitting diodes mounted along the edges of the pedal.
According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a stepper motor mounted below the sole of a roller skate. The shaft of the motor is rotationally connected to a wheel of the roller skate. The motor provides electrical power to light emitting diodes mounted along the edge of the sole of the roller skate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a view of an automobile wheel according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 taken along section lines 2--2;
FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view of a portion of the embodiment of FIG. 2 taken along section lines 3--3;
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of a bicycle pedal according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a side view of a roller skate according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 6 taken along section lines 7--7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a view of a first embodiment of the present invention, showing the front of an automobile wheel 3, including the tire 26 and the tire rim 1. At or near the center of a tire rim 1, a stepper motor 10 is mounted. The stepper motor 10 has a shaft 15 with counterweight 12 attached thereto so that when the wheel 3 and the tire rim 1 rotate, the stepper motor 10 turns relative to the non-rotating shaft 15 which is attached to the non-rotating counterweight 12. As the stepper motor 10 turns, it generates electrical pulses that are carried by wires 6, 8 to a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED's) 4, which are connected in parallel and mounted along the edge of the tire rim 1. Pulses of current generated by the rotating stepper motor 10 alternate in polarity and periodically exceed the threshold voltage of the LED's 4, thereby illuminating them. The stepper motor 10 and counterweight 12 are protected by a cap 24 as shown in FIG. 2.
The stepper motor 10 is a three phase, 1.8 volt motor that provides 0.200 milliamps of current to power the LED's 4. The stepper motor 10 is the type of motor that is used, for example, in the print head of dot matrix printers. The stepper motor 10 has a winding resistance of 120 Ω. Although the stepper motor 10 is a three phase motor having six poles per phase, it is run as a single phase motor having six poles. Additionally, for a stepper motor 10 that steps at 7.5° of rotation relative to the shaft 15, 11 Ω of resistance is provided. Alternatively, the stepper motor 10 may step at 6° or at 1.8°. For the first embodiment, the output voltage of the stepper motor 10 is up to 5 volts AC (alternating current).
FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of a tube assembly 30, in which the plurality of LED's 4 are placed inside a protective transparent tube 2 that is filled with a viscous liquid 16 such as glycerine. A molded plastic plug 22 is fitted in both ends of the tube 2 to keep the liquid 16 contained therein and to hold the tube assembly 30 in a circular loop. Wires 6, 8 extend from the stepper motor 10 through the side of the plug 22 and into the tube 2 to connect to the LED's 4. The tube 2 is mounted on the tire rim 1 with a suitable adhesive 28 such as room-temperature vulcanizing (RTV) rubber cement.
The tube 2 and the liquid 16 serve to protect the LED's 4 from damage due to vibration, shock and impact as the automobile wheel 3 rolls along the road. The liquid 16 may be clear, or it may be dyed with a coloring agent or mixed with reflective spangles 17 to enhance the visual impact of the device.
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention, showing a bicycle pedal 51. A stepper motor 50 is mounted inside the bicycle pedal 51 and has a shaft 52 that projects from an outer surface of the pedal 51. A first pulley 60 is attached to the projecting shaft 52. A second pulley 62 encircles the shank 54 of the pedal 51. A belt 63 connects the stepper motor pulley 60 with the shank pulley 62 as shown in FIG. 5, so that when the pedal 51 rotates with respect to the shank 54, the belt 63 causes the stepper motor pulley 60 to rotate with respect to the stepper motor 50. Alternatively, the rotational connection between the stepper motor 50 and the shank 54 could be accomplished using interlocking gears or a compliant wheel on the stepper motor shaft in frictional contact with the shank 54.
Wires 56, 58, as shown in FIG. 4, carry pulses of current generated by the stepper motor 50 to LED's 4 that are electrically connected in parallel and mounted along opposite edges of the pedal 51. The voltage generated by the stepper motor 50 periodically exceeds the threshold voltage of the LED's 4 and illuminates them. The relative diameters of the shank 54 and the pulley 60, as well as the angular resolution of the stepper motor 50 determine the frequency of electrical pulses generated by the stepper motor 50. The pulse frequency can be selected so that the LED's 4 will either blink or appear continuously illuminated. For the second embodiment, the output voltage of the stepper motor 10 is 1 volt AC.
FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of the present invention, in which a stepper motor 80 is mounted on an underside of the sole 84 of the boot portion 83 of an in-line roller skate 81. A urethane wheel 90 is mounted on the shaft 83 of the stepper motor 80. The urethane wheel 90 is pressed against a wheel 82 of the skate 81 for frictional contact therewith. When the skate wheel 82 turns, the urethane wheel 90 rotates turning the shaft 83 of the stepper motor 80. The stepper motor 80 generates electrical pulses that are carried by wires 86, 88 to LED's 4 mounted along the edge of the sole 84 of the skate 81. FIG. 7 shows the underside of the sole 84. Wires 86, 88 connect each of the LED's 4 in parallel to the stepper motor 80. The voltage produced by the stepper motor 80 periodically exceeds the threshold voltage of the LED's 4 and illuminates them. As in the previous embodiment, the size of the urethane wheel 90 relative to the skate wheel 82 as well as the angular resolution of the stepper motor 80 may be selected so that the LED's 4 blink or appear continuously illuminated.
Having described specific preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.
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An apparatus for illuminating rotating wheels on vehicles includes a stepper motor mounted on the rotating wheel, a counterweight mounted on the shaft of the stepper motor, and a plastic tube mounted on the wheel for rotation therewith containing a plurality of light emitting diodes interconnected with a wire attached to the stepper motor. Rotation of the wheel causes the stepper motor body to turn relative to the counterweighted shaft thereby producing electrical pulses sufficient to illuminate the light emitting diodes.
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This is a continuation of, and claims the benefit of the filing date of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/840,353, filed Apr. 23, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,562,223 entitled Method And Apparatus For Anodizing Objects, which is a continuation of, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/475,916, filed Dec. 30, 1999, entitled Method And Apparatus For Anodizing Objects, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,759 on Jul. 3, 2001, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/046,388, filed Mar. 23, 1998, entitled Method and Apparatus For Anodizing Objects which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,126,808 on Oct. 3, 2000.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the art of electrolytic formation of coatings on metallic parts. More specifically, it relates to electrolytic formation of a coating on a metallic substrate by cathodic deposition of dissolved metallic ions in the reaction medium (electrolyte) onto the metallic substrate (cathode), or anodic conversion of the metallic substrate (anode) into an adherent ceramic coating (oxide film).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known that many metallic components or parts need a final surface treatment. Such a surface treatment increases functionality and the lifetime of the part by improving one or more properties of the part, such as heat resistance, corrosion protection, wear resistance, hardness, electrical conductivity, lubricity or by simply increasing the cosmetic value.
One example of a part that is typically surface treated is the head of aluminum pistons used in combustion engines. (As used herein an aluminum component is a component at least partially comprised of aluminum, including aluminum alloys.) Such piston heads are in contact with the combustion zone, and thus exposed to relatively hot gases. The aluminum is subjected to high internal stresses, which may result in deformation or changes in the metallurgical structure, and may negatively influence the functionality and lifetime of the parts. It is well known that formation of an anodic oxide coating (anodizing) reduces the risk of aluminum pistons performing unsatisfactorily. Thus, many aluminum piston heads are anodized.
There is a drawback to anodizing piston heads. Conventional anodizing with direct current or voltage, increases the surface roughness of the initial aluminum surface by applying an anodic coating. The increase in surface roughness can be as high as 400%, depending on the aluminum alloy and process conditions. The amount of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) in the exhaust of a combustion engine is correlated with the surface finish of the anodized aluminum piston: higher surface roughness reduces the efficiency of the combustion, because a greater proportion of organic compounds can be trapped in micro cavities more easily. Therefore, a smooth surface is required, which may not always be provided by anodization.
A typical prior art power supply for the conversion of metallic aluminum into a ceramic coating (aluminum oxide or alumna) provides direct current, normally between 3 and 4 A/dm2. Typically, a film thickness of 20 to 25 microns is reached after 30 to 40 minutes.
Convention anodizing includes subjecting the aluminum to an acid electrolyte, typically composed of sulfuric acid or electrolyte mixed with sulfuric and oxalic acid. The anodizing process is generally performed in electrolytes containing 12 to 15% v/v sulfuric acid at relatively low process temperature, such as from −5 to +5 degrees C. Higher concentrations and temperature usually decrease the formation rate significantly. Also, the formation voltage decreases with higher temperature, which adversely affects the compactness and the technical properties of the oxide film.
Performing anodizing process at (relatively) low temperature and fairly high current density increases the compactness and technical quality of the coating performance (high hardness and wear resistance). The anodization produces a significant amount of heat. Some heat is the result of the exothermic nature of the anodizing of aluminum. However, the majority of the heat is generated by the resistance of the aluminum-towards anodizing. Typically, the reaction polarization is high, such as from 15–30 volts, depending upon the composition of the alloying elements and the process conditions. Given typical current densities, from 80% to 95% of the total heat production will be resistive heat.
The electrolyte is acidic, and thus chemically dissolves the aluminum oxide. Thus, the net formation of the coating (aluminum oxide) depends on the balance between electrolytic conversion of aluminum into aluminum oxide and chemical dissolution of the formed aluminum oxide.
The rate of chemical dissolution increases with heat. Thus, the total production of heat is a significant factor influencing this balance and helps determines the final quality of the anodic coating. Heat should be dispersed form areas of production toward the bulk solution at a rate that prevents excess heating of the electrolytic near the aluminum part. If the balance between formation and dissolution is not properly struck, and dissolution is favored, the oxide layer may develop holes, exposing the alloy to the electrolyte. This often happens in prior art anodization methods and is known as a “burning phenomena”.
Heat produced at the aluminum surface is dispersed by air agitation or mechanically stirring of the electrolyte in which the oxidation of aluminum is taking place, in the prior art, to help reach the desired balance.
Another way of dispersing the heat is by spraying the electrolyte toward the aluminum surface (U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,126 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,244). The electrolyte is sprayed toward the aluminum surface at an angle of 90 degrees, moving heat toward the areas of production, and then symmetrically dispersed away from the aluminum surface.
Another way to disperse heat is to pump the electrolyte over the aluminum substrate (U.S. Pat. No. 5,173,161). The electrolyte is moved parallel to the aluminum surface, moving heat from the lower part of the aluminum substrate over the entire surface before it is finally dispersed away from the aluminum surface.
A steady state transport mechanism in electrochemical analysis (not anodization) techniques based on wall jet processes can be achieved by either rotating the working electrode, or by directing the flow toward a stationary electrode, at an angle of between 60 and 70 degrees. By angling the jet stream of the reaction medium to 60–70 degrees where steady state conditions are obligatory, electrochemical analysis can be made. Steady state conditions in a jet stream orthogonal to the working electrode is less suitable for wall jet electrochemical analysis. The inventor is not aware of this information having been applied to an electrolytic process.
The driving force of the charge-transfer reaction taking place at the substrate surface in the process described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,032,244, 5,534,126 and 5,173,161, was direct current. The reaction medium was a solution of sulfuric acid or a combination of sulfuric and oxalic acid in U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,244. The electrolyte formulation was 180 g/l sulfuric acid and the process temperature was +5 degrees C. A current density of 50 A/dm2 produced a coating with a thickness of 65 microns in 3 minutes. The microhardness of the obtained coating was between 200 and 300 HV.
A second process included the addition of 10 g/l oxalic acid at the same current density. A coating having a thickness of more than 60 microns and having a microhardness greater than 400 HV was obtained in 5 minutes.
After anodizing, the aluminum parts are typically rinsed and dried. Both anodizing, rinsing and drying is made in the same process chamber in all three US patents mentioned above. Some chambers have at least two aluminum parts (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,534,126 or 5,173,161). Others have a single part in each chamber (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,032,244).
Conventional batch anodizing has used square wave alternation of current or potential. This allows anodizing to be performed at higher current densities compared to anodizing with direct current. The pulse anodizing is characterized by a periodically alternation between a period with high current or voltage, during with the film is formed, and a period with low current or voltage, during which heat is dispersed (U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,766). This technique utilizes the “recovery effect”, after a period of high formation rate (a pulse period), heat is allowed to disperse during the following period with low formation rate (a pause period) and defects in the coating are repaired before the current increases during the next pulse. The relative durations of the higher magnitude and lower magnitude currents determine the relative amount of oxide formation and heat dispersion. One such type of simple pulse pattern may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,857,766 or Anodic Oxidation of Al. Utilizing Current Recovery Effect, Yokohama, et al. Plating and Surface Finishing, 1982, 69 No. 7, 62–65.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,014, entitled Anodizing Means And Techniques, issued Sep. 28, 1976 to Newman et al., discloses another type of pulse pattern. The pulse pattern described in Newman has a high positive current portion, followed by a zero current portion, followed by a low negative current portion, followed again by a zero current portion. Each of the pulse portions represent one quarter of the cycle. Thus, the current has a high positive value during the first quarter of the cycle. No current is provided during the next quarter of the cycle. The current has a low negative value during the third quarter cycle. Zero current is provided during the final quarter of the cycle.
Another prior art pulse pattern is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,517,059, issued May 14, 1985, to Loch et al. Loch discloses a pulse pattern that is a square wave alternating between a relatively high positive current and a relatively low negative current. The durations of the positive and negative portions of the pulses are controlled used in an attempt to control the anodizing process.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,077, issued Nov. 8, 1983, to Yoshida et al. describes a train of pulses superimposed on a dc current. The pulses are of a plurality opposite to that of the dc current.
Other prior art methods use a sinusoidal voltage wave, or portions thereof, applied to the voltage buses used for generating the anodizing currents (i.e. potentiostatic pulses). However, such prior art systems do not utilize current pulses for controlling the anodizing process. Examples of such prior art systems may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,221, entitled Anodizing Method, issued May 1, 1979, to Schaedel; U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,649, entitled Forward-Reverse Pulse Cycling Pulse Anodizing And Electroplating Process issued Sep. 6, 1977, to Elco et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,975,254, entitled Forward-Reverse Pulse Cycling Anodizing And Electroplating Process Power Supply, issued Aug. 17, 1976, to Elco et al.
Each of the aforementioned prior art methods, while utilizing a pulse of some sort, does not provide adequate hardness and thickness while maintaining a low reject rate. Moreover, such prior art systems are relatively slow and take a relatively long period of time to complete the anodizing process.
The time of each period is typically ranges from 1 to 100 seconds in the prior art, depending on the aluminum substrate. The prior art does not describe a correlation between a pulse pattern (pulse current, pulse duration, pause current and pause duration) and the result of the anodizing process. (See Yokogama, above). Thus, the optimal pulse conditions have been determined by trial and error. The coating quality of pulse anodized aluminum is generally superior to anodic coatings produce with direct current according to the prior art (Surface Treatment With Pulse Current, Dr. Jean Rasmussen, December 1994.)
An anodizing method and apparatus that reduces processing time with high formation potentials and minimal handling to obtain coatings of desirable quality and consistency is desirable. The process and apparatus will preferably lessen production costs and have a closed loop process design that reduces the impact of the electrolyte on internal and external environments. The process will preferably remove heat from near the component being anodized.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention a method of anodizing an aluminum component begins by placing an aluminum component in an electrolyte solution. Then a number of pulses are applied to the solution and component. Each pulse is formed by a pattern including a portion having a first magnitude, a portion having a second magnitude, and a portion having a third magnitude. The third magnitude is less than the first and second magnitudes, and all three magnitudes are of the same polarity.
According to one embodiment the third magnitude is substantially less than the first and second magnitudes. Another embodiment provides that the third magnitude is substantially zero.
A different embodiment has the pulse pattern include alternations between the first and second magnitudes, and following the alternations, the third magnitude. Another variation provides the pulse pattern having the first magnitude portion, followed by the second magnitude portion, followed by the first magnitude portion, and then followed by the third magnitude portion. Yet another embodiment includes the pulse pattern having the first magnitude portion, followed by the third magnitude portion, followed by the third magnitude portion.
A different embodiment includes the pulse pattern having the first, second and third magnitudes substantially constant. Another alternative provides that at least one of the first, second and third magnitudes is not constant.
Another embodiment has the duration of at least one of the second and third portions different from the duration of the first magnitude portion. An alternative includes applying the portions in the sequence of the first magnitude portion followed by the third magnitude portion, followed by the second magnitude portion. Another variation includes a pulse pattern having four or more different magnitudes.
An additional step of applying at least one additional pulse, having a different pulse pattern, is included in an alternative embodiment. The transition between magnitudes is fast in one embodiment, and slow in another.
According to a second aspect of the invention an apparatus for anodizing an aluminum component includes a reaction chamber, which has at least a portion of the component placed therein. The reaction chamber can hold a reaction fluid or electrolyte. A transport chamber is in fluid communication with the reaction chamber. The fluid enters the reaction chamber from the transport chamber through a plurality of inlets directed toward the component. The fluid follows a return path, such that the fluid returns from the reaction chamber to the transport chamber.
A fluid reservoir is provided in one alternative. The reservoir is in fluid communication with the transport chamber, and the return path includes the fluid reservoir. A pump between the fluid reservoir and the transport chamber pumps fluid to the transport chamber, thereby forcing the fluid through the inlets to the component in a plurality of jets directed at the component in a variation.
The reaction chamber has a substantially circular cross section, as does the transport chamber in various alternatives. The transport chamber may be substantially concentric with the reaction chamber.
In one embodiment the fluid is directed toward the component at an angle of between 15 and 90 degrees. In another embodiment the fluid is directed toward the component at an angle of between 60 and 70 degrees.
The reaction chamber is substantially vertical, and has at least one side wall and at least one bottom wall in another embodiment. The inlets are in the side wall such that the fluid enters the reaction chamber substantially horizontally. The reaction chamber has at least one outlet beneath the inlets. The outlet may be in the bottom wall.
The side wall is a common wall with the transport chamber in another embodiment. Also, the reaction chamber has a top with a removable portion, in an alternative. The top is adapted for mounting the component therein, and a portion of the component extends into the reaction chamber and a portion extends above the reaction chamber. The inlets are at the same height as at least a portion of the component in one alternative.
The component is held in a mounted position mechanically or pneumatically in various alternatives.
The inlet is the cathode, and the component is the anode, whereby current flows between the cathode and the anode in another embodiment.
Other principal features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following drawings, the detailed description and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a general method implementing the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of process container implementing the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a detailed schematic sectional view a working electrode mounted in a mounting fixture, in accordance with the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 4 is a detailed schematic sectional view a working electrode mounted in a mounting fixture, in accordance with the preferred embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a graph showing an current pulse pattern in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a graph showing formation rate vs. current density for two temperatures;
FIG. 7 is a graph showing surface roughness vs. average current density for two and three level pulse patterns;
FIG. 8 is a graph showing formation rate vs. average current density for two prior art processes;
FIG. 9 is a graph showing surface roughness vs. average current density for two prior art processes; and
FIG. 10 is a top sectional view of an outer wall of a reaction chamber, with inlets in accordance with the preferred embodiment.
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 the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Like reference numerals are used to indicate like components.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
While the present invention will be illustrated with reference to a particular process for anodizing and a particular fixture for holding an aluminum part and directing the electrolyte thereto, it should be understood at the outset that other process parameters, such as alternative material or solutions, or other apparatus may be employed to implement the invention.
The process and apparatus described herein is generally shown by a block diagram of FIG. 1 . Anodizing occurs in a process container 100 (described in more detail later). A working electrode 102 (i.e. the part to be anodized) is placed in a reaction container 104 , which is part of container 100 . After anodizing part 102 is moved to a rinsing tank 110 , where the working electrode is rinsed with D.I. water, pumped from a rinse reservoir 112 by a pressure pump 114 into a rinse chamber 116 , through a set of spray nozzles 118 . The rinse water leaves the rinse chamber 116 through a rinse outlet 119 and returns to the rinse reservoir 112 . Working electrode or part 102 is mechanically held in position during the rinse. After rinsing, working electrode 102 is transferred to a drying container 120 , where it is dried with hot air from a heater 122 , which is pumped into the drying container 120 through several drying inlets 124 .
Alternatives include performing multiple steps (such as anodizing and rinsing) in a single container or providing a station (following drying container 120 , e.g.) that scan the component as a quality control measure. The scanning may be automatically performed using known techniques such as neural network analysis.
Referring now to FIG. 2 , a schematic of a section of process container 100 and related components, is shown to comprise an outer circular transport chamber 201 and inner reaction container 104 . The reaction medium (electrolytic solution) is transported from a medium reservoir 202 , located below process container 100 , by a pressure pump 203 into transportation chamber 201 through several inlet channels 205 . Alternatives include other shaped chambers, as well as the inlets and outlets being in different locations.
Transportation channel 201 and reaction container 104 are separated by an inner wall, consisting of a lower portion 206 , made of an inert material, and an upper electrochemically active portion 207 , which is the counter electrode. Alternatively, the entire wall may be the electrode. The reaction medium enters reaction container 104 through a set of reaction inlets 210 through counter electrode 207 . The reaction medium enters reaction container 104 angled relative to the surface of the part, aluminum substrate, or working electrode 102 . The angle to the part is within the range of 15 to 90 degrees, preferably 60 to 70 degrees.
The reaction medium leaves reaction container 104 through a reaction outlet 212 and returns to medium reservoir 202 . The inner wall (comprised of portions 206 and 207 ), and an outer wall 213 are fixed to a bottom wall 214 . Walls 206 , 213 and 214 are comprised of an inert material, such as polypropylene. Reaction container 104 is closed by a moveable top lid made of an inert material such as polypropylene, which includes a cover lid 219 and a mounting fixture 220 , and in which working electrode 102 is placed. Mounting fixture 220 is exchangeable and specially designed for the particular parts or working electrode 102 which is being anodized.
The upper portion of working electrode 102 is exposed to air, enhancing the dispersion of heat accumulated in working electrode 102 during processing. Working electrode 102 connected to a typical rectifier (controlled as discussed below) by an electrical contact 230 , which is pressed against working electrode 102 after mounting.
Selective formation of coatings on working electrode 102 is ensured by a top mask consisting of a inert top jig 225 holding a rubber mask 226 , which abuts the lower face of working electrode 102 . The top mask is mounted to mounting fixture 220 by a number of adjustable fasteners 228 , which are comprised of an inert material.
Working electrode 102 mounted in mounting fixture 220 is shown in more detail in FIG. 3 . Working electrode 102 is pressed against top mask, particularly rubber mask 226 , and held in position by a rubber O-ring 301 . Rubber O-ring 301 is compressed mechanically toward the top mask by a mounting ring 303 . Working electrode 102 is removed by releasing the pressure on rubber O-ring 301 , by moving mounting O-ring 302 away from the top mask.
FIG. 4 shows a pneumatic mounting design, in which O-ring 301 is pressed against working electrode 102 by pumping compressed air into a pressure tank 401 through several air inlets 402 . The pressure on working electrode 102 is released by opening a pressure valve 403 , so that working electrode 102 can be removed.
The reaction medium is sprayed toward the metallic substrate through holes in the counter electrode in a manner that reaction products (heat) are carried away from the metallic substrate (working electrode). FIG. 10 shows a top sectional view of reaction chamber 104 . A plurality of inlets 1001 are shown, and are angled between 60 and 70 degrees. The mounting and masking device allows selective formation of coatings on the metallic substrate at high speed by applying a specially designed modulation of direct current or voltage characterized by periodically alternation from at least one period of high reaction potential and periods of no, low or negative reaction potential.
The apparatus discussed thus far has several advantageous (although not necessary) features. First, process container provides for flow of the reaction medium from a bulk solution below the container through the reaction chamber and back into the reservoir. Second, the reaction medium moves toward the working electrode at an angle so that heat may be quickly dissipated away from the working electrode. Third, the mounting, while easy to use and economical, allows for heat to be dissipated away from the top of the working electrode, which is exposed to air. Fourth, the reaction medium is sprayed toward the metallic substrate through holes in the counter electrode in a manner that reaction products, in addition to heat, are carried away from the metallic substrate (working electrode).
In addition to the apparatus described above, the inventive method using a reaction medium comprised of a solution of sulfuric acid or mixtures of sulfuric acid and suitable organic acids like oxalic acid. The concentration of sulfuric acid ranges from 1% v/v to 50% v/v, but preferably from 10% v/v to 20% v/v. The concentration range of one or more organic acids, added to the sulfuric acid electrolyte, is from 1% v/v to 50% v/v, but preferable from 10% v/v to 15% v/v. Working electrode 102 is an aluminum piston (aluminum 1295 or 1275, e.g.) acting as anode (connected positively to the rectifier) and the counter electrode 201 is aluminum 6062 (or titanium) acting as the cathode (connected negatively to the rectifier). The component may be made of other materials.
The electrolyte is stored and chilled to an appropriate process temperature ranging from −10 degrees C. to +40 degrees C., preferable between +10 degrees C. and +25 degrees C., in a reservoir below the reaction container. The electrolyte is pumped up into the reaction chamber at a flow rate from 4 LPM (Liter Per Minute) to 100 LPM, but preferable between 30 LPM and 50 LPM and returned to the reservoir.
The flow of direction of electrolyte is toward the aluminum surface so heat is transported away from the areas of heat production. Steady state heat dispersion is established by spraying the reaction medium at an angle from 15 to 90 degrees, but preferably between 60 and 70 degrees relative to the aluminum substrate surface.
The electrolyte is transported up to the reaction site in an outer circular inlet chamber and through the counter electrode toward the aluminum piston. The counter electrode contains from one to 50, but preferable from 8 to 12 transport inlets to the reaction chamber and is made of e.g. aluminum AA 6062, or other materials (such as titanium e.g). The counter electrode is connected to the rectifier and acts as cathode (negative).
The jet stream of electrolyte, angled toward the piston surface, establishes a steady state dispersion of heat away from the areas of production. Furthermore, dispersion of heat is enhanced gravitationally, when the electrolyte enters the lower part of the reaction chamber. The electrolyte leaves the reaction chamber at the outlet in the bottom of the reaction chamber and returns to the reservoir container below the reaction chamber.
The piston is mounted in the mounting fixture and is pressed toward the top mask in order to ensure masking of the piston crown. The piston is held in position by pressure from the rubber O-ring. The pressure on the O-ring is either mechanically as shown in FIG. 3 or pneumatic as in FIG. 4 . The piston is then connected to the rectifier as anode (positive).
After anodizing, the electrical contact to the piston is removed and pressure is removed from the O-ring relaxes. The piston is then transferred to the rinsing container after which it is dried with hot air.
The design of the pulse current pattern of the preferred embodiment is a periodically alternation between perio s of very high current density (preferably more than 50 A/dm2)., high current density (preferably more than 4 A/dm2), and low current density (preferably less than 4 A/dm2). The duration of each individual current density ranges from 0.12 seconds to 40 seconds, but preferable from 1 second to 5 seconds. The final number of repeated pulse cycles is determined by the specified nominal thickness of the oxide layer.
The duration of the period between a pulse, i.e., the transient time necessary for new stabilized conditions at the bottom of the pores for the new current conditions, is related to the difference between pulse and pause current density. Increased difference between the two current densities reduces the time necessary for 100% utilization of the recovery effect. Also, raising the temperature of the anodizing solution increases the transient time for the recovery effect. The transient time for the recovery effects during batch anodizing for cast aluminum containing high amounts of silicon (7% w/w) is between 10 and 25 seconds, depending in the process conditions.
A formation rate in the range of 25 microns per minute, nearly twice as fast as conventional direct current batch anodizing, requires a large difference in the pulse current densities, especially if the process temperature is above the typically range of conventional anodizing (>+5 degrees C.). Then inventor has learned that a pulse pattern having periodic alternation between three current densities in combination with increased process temperature (between +10 degrees C. and +15 degrees C.) and concentration of sulfuric acid (17% v/v) results in a coating thickness of 25 microns in less that one minute. Table 2 below shows various experimental data. The temperature and the amount of sulfuric acid in the anodizing electrolyte are generally higher than the maximum values in prior art anodizing.
A pulse modulated current pattern (one cycle) in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 5 . Each cycle includes alternations between a medium current density 501 and a high current density 502 , followed by a time of low (or zero) current density 503 . This pattern is repeated several times until the final thickness of the anodic coating is reached.
The average current of the pulse patterns determines the formation rate. A comparison of formation rate, surface roughness and microhardness of aluminum piston batch processed under direct current conditions and with pulse modulated current is shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1
Direct Current
Pulse
Temperature (C.)
0
15
15
Sulfuric Acid (% v/v)
13
17
17
Current Density (A/dm 2 )
24
25
25
Formation rate (μm/min)
Fail
Fail
22.4
Surface roughness (μm)
N/A
N/A
2.2
Microhardness (HV 0.025 )
N/A
N/A
217
The inventor has learned, as shown in Table 1, that batch anodization of aluminum pistons is possible with high current density (>>3 A/dm2) if the recovery effect is utilized, as in the pulse current method of the present invention. The formation of heat during direct current anodizing disturbs the balance between formation and dissolution of the oxide film, resulting in a breakdown of the coating (the burning phenomena). The low microhardness for the pulse-anodized piston is a result of high heat production and insufficient removal of heat in a batch process.
FIG. 6 is a graph showing that formulation rate depends on the average current density for various pulse patterns (in accordance with the pattern of FIG. 5 ), and that the formation rate is substantially independent of process temperatures between +7 degrees C. and +13 degrees C.
Surface roughness increases with process time and current density for conventional batch anodizing using direct current. The surface roughness, measured as R a , increases with average current density for pulse designs containing alteration between a pulse period and a pause (a two level pulse pattern). However, the surface roughness is independent of the average current density for pulse designs containing two pulses and a pause period (a three level pulse patter such as that of FIG. 5 ). This is shown in the graph of FIG. 7 , which plots surface roughness vs. current density for two and three level pulses. The surface roughness for three level pulse patterns changed from 1.6 microns prior to anodizing to 2.2 microns after anodizing, which is approximately a 38% increase. The pulse designs of the experiments are shown in table 2 below, and generally include a pulse pattern having two relatively high current portions (33 A/dm 2 and (33 A/dm 2 e.g.) and a third portion have a substantially lower current portion (less than one-half, and preferably about one-tenth, e.g.). The electrolyte contained 17% v/v sulfuric.
TABLE 2
1)
10 s at 20A/dm 2 ,
5 s at 2A/dm 2 ,
repeated 3 times at 15° C.
2)
10 s at 26A/dm 2 ,
5 s at 2A/dm 2 ,
repeated 3 times at 15° C.
3)
10 s at 33A/dm 2 ,
5 s at 2A/dm 2 ,
repeated 3 times at 15° C.
4)
5 s at 33A/dm 2 ,
2 s at 53A/dm 2 ,
3 s at 33A/dm 2 ,
5 s at 2A/dm 2 ,
repeated 3 times at 15° C.
5)
2 s at 33A/dm 2 ,
2 s at 53A/dm 2 ,
1 s at 33A/dm 2 ,
2 s at 53A/dm 2 ,
3 s at 33A/dm 2 ,
5 s at 2A/dm 2 ,
repeated 3 times at 7° C.
6)
2 s at 33A/dm 2 ,
2 s at 53A/dm 2 ,
1 s at 33A/dm 2 ,
2 s at 53A/dm2,
1 s at 33A/dm 2 ,
2 s at 53A/dm 2 ,
5 s at 2A/dm 2 ,
repeated 3 times at 7° C.
7)
2 s at 33A/dm 2 ,
2 s at 59A/dm 2 ,
1 s at 33A/dm 2 ,
2 s at 59A/dm 2 ,
1 s at 33A/dm 2 ,
2 s at 59A/dm 2 ,
5 s at 2A/dm 2 ,
repeated 3 times at 7° C.
Alternatives include fewer repetitions, varying the order of the different magnitudes, having one pulse pattern different from the other pulse patterns, and providing zero current in the low current portion.
The formation rate and surface roughness of direct current anodized pistons according to process principles in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,534,126 and 5,032,244, where the electrolyte is sprayed orthogonal toward the piston head, is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 . The roughness and formation rate provided by these prior art processes is not as good as the roughness and formation rate provided by the present invention. The prior art formation rate increases with current density in sulfuric acid electrolytes. Also, there is a slightly increased formation rate by addition of oxalic acid. The surface roughness increases with current density and by addition of oxalic acid. Anodizing at 20 A/dm2 in a sulfuric acid electrolyte containing 10 g/l oxalic acid produces in 90 seconds 24 μm oxide coating in 90 seconds. The surface roughness is 2.64 μm. Raising the current density to 30 A/dm2, the formation rate increases and 23 μm coating is produced in 1 minute, but the surface roughness increases to 3.01 μm. For comparison, the surface roughness of pistons after conventional direct current anodizing at 0 degrees C. and at 3 A/dm2, is 2.66 microns.
Numerous modifications may be made to the present invention which still fall within the intended scope hereof. Thus, it should be apparent that there has been provided in accordance with the present invention a method and apparatus for anodizing parts that provides a fixtures that disperses heat from the part, and provides an anodizing current in a pulsed pattern such that the anodization is faster and/or has desirable properties that fully satisfies the objectives and advantages set forth above. Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.
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A method and apparatus of anodizing a component, preferably aluminum, is disclosed. The component is placed in an electrolyte solution. A number of pulses are applied to the solution and component. Each pulse is formed by a pattern including having three magnitudes. The third magnitude is less, preferably substantially less, than the first and second magnitudes, and all three magnitudes are of the same polarity. The pulse pattern may include alternations between the first and second magnitudes, and following the alternations, the third magnitude. Other patterns may be provided. The solution is in a reaction chamber, along with at least a portion of the component. The fluid enters the reaction chamber from a transport chamber through a plurality of inlets directed toward the component, preferably at an angle of between 60 and 70 degrees. The inlet is preferably the cathode, and the component is the anode, whereby current flows between the cathode and the anode in another embodiment. The inlets are in a side wall such that the fluid enters the reaction chamber substantially horizontally. The reaction chamber has at least one outlet beneath the inlets. The outlet may be in a bottom wall. The fluid follows a return path, such that the fluid returns from the reaction chamber to the transport chamber. The component is held in a mounted position mechanically or pneumatically in various alternatives.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/991,972, filed Dec. 3, 2007, entitled “Use of Garlic Oil to Increase Bioavailability of Coenzyme Q-10”, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates generally to unique combinations of garlic oil or one or more of its isolated or purified components and a coenzyme Q.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] CoQ-10 (coenzyme Q10) is a fat-soluble quinone, a benzoquinone that is structurally similar to vitamin K and commonly known as ubiquinone. CoQ-10 is found in most living organisms, and is essential for the production of cellular energy. CoQ-10 (2,3 dimethyl-5 methyl-6-decaprenyl benzoquinone) (2-(all-E)-3,7,11,15,19,23,27,31,35,39-Decamethyl-2,6,10,14,18,22,26,30,34,38-tetracontadecaenyl)-5,6-dimethoxy-3-methyl-p-benzoquinone) is an endogenous antioxidant found in small amounts in meats and seafood. Although CoQ-10 is found in all human cells, the highest concentrations of CoQ-10 occur in the heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas. It is found naturally in the organs of many mammalian species.
[0004] CoQ-10 is an important nutrient because it lies within the membrane of a cell organelle called the mitochondria. Mitochondria are known as the “power house” of the cell because of their ability to produce cellular energy, or ATP, by shuttling protons derived from nutrient breakdown through the process of aerobic (oxygen) metabolism. CoQ-10 also has a secondary role as an antioxidant. CoQ-10, due to the involvement in ATP synthesis, affects the function of almost all cells in the body, making it essential for the health of all human tissues and organs. CoQ-10 particularly effects the cells that are the most metabolically active: heart, immune system, gingiva, and gastric mucosa
[0005] CoQ-10 is sparingly soluble in most hydrophilic solvents such as water. Therefore, CoQ-10 is often administered in a powdered form, as in a tablet or as a suspension. However, delivery of CoQ-10 by these methods limits the bioavailability of the material to the individual.
[0006] Several clinical trials have shown CoQ-10 to be effective in supporting blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Furthermore, CoQ-10 has also been shown to improve cardiovascular health. CoQ-10 has been implicated as being an essential component in thwarting various diseases such as certain types of cancers. These facts lead many to believe that CoQ-10 supplementation is vital to an individual's well being.
[0007] Reduced benzoquinones are known to be effective reductants for oxygen or lipid radicals. Some studies have shown that reduced CoQ-10 (ubiquinol) is an effective antioxidant. In fact, reduced CoQ-10 now appears to function as part of a complex chain of antioxidant activity. Apparently, reduced CoQ-10 plays a role in the reduction of radicals of alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate formed when these antioxidants are oxidized by oxygen or carboxyl radicals present in physiological systems. There are no known enzymes for direct reduction of a tocopheryl radical or an external ascorbate radical, but there are enzymes in all membranes that can reduce CoQ-10 and thus reduced CoQ-10 can subsequently reduce the tocopheryl or ascorbate radicals to provide tocopherol or ascorbate. Without the support of enzymes to reduce CoQ-10, the reduced CoQ-10 would not be a very effective antioxidant as the semiquinone formed by interaction with lipid or oxygen radicals is readily autooxidized with formation of a superoxide radical.
[0008] Therefore, a need exists for methods and compositions that provide CoQ-10 or reduced CoQ-10 in a form that can be assimilated and retains antioxidant activity.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention surprisingly provides compositions that include a coenzyme Q, a reduced coenzyme Q or mixtures thereof, and a sufficient amount of a sulfide containing material suitable to dissolve the coenzyme Q, reduced coenzyme Q or mixtures thereof. Dissolution of the coenzyme Q material in the sulfide containing material provides increased bioavailability of the coenzyme Q material relative to an equivalent amount of the coenzyme Q material without the sulfide containing material. In general, the bioavailability of the coenzyme Q material is increased from about 15 percent to about 1500 percent versus equivalent coenzyme Q formulations without the sulfide containing material.
[0010] In certain aspects of the invention, garlic oil is used as the sulfide containing material.
[0011] In certain aspects of the invention, the combination of garlic oil (or one or more of the individual sulfide containing components) and a coenzyme Q material helps reduce the oxidation of LDL. Therefore, in one aspect, the combination of garlic oil (or a sulfide containing component thereof) and a coenzyme Q material can be used to treat, reduce or prevent oxidation of LDL. Administration of an effective amount of the combination helps to inhibit the oxidation of LDL in a physiological environment. Consequently, the combination of the coenzyme Q material and a sulfide containing material(s), such as garlic oil, can be used to treat or prevent various diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis and or cardiovascular diseases.
[0012] In other aspect of the invention, components of garlic oil are used as sulfide containing materials, suitable to dissolve the coenzyme Q material. These components of garlic oil suitable to dissolve the coenzyme Q material include, for example, diallylsulfide and/or diallyldisulfide.
[0013] In another aspect, the present invention provides a soft gelatin capsule that encapsulates the coenzyme Q/sulfide containing material compositions described herein.
[0014] The compositions and soft gelatin capsules can further include various carriers and additives, such as suitable antioxidants and/or vitamins.
[0015] The present invention also provides a method to prepare solutions of a coenzyme Q material and a sulfide containing material suitable to dissolve the coenzyme Q material.
[0016] The present invention further provides methods to treat various conditions associated with decreased levels of a coenzyme Q (e.g., coenzyme Q-10), such as mitochondrial related diseases and disorders, Parkinson's disease, Prater-Willey syndrome, cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure, migraine headaches or headaches by administering to the individual in need thereof, an effective amount of any of the compositions disclosed herein.
[0017] In still another aspect, the present invention also provides packaged nutraceuticals that are disclosed herein.
[0018] While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. As will be apparent, the invention is capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the detailed descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 provides the %-uptake of CoQ10 from various sample preparations.
[0020] FIG. 2 provides maximum absorption of CoQ10 from various sample preparations.
[0021] FIG. 3 provides %-uptake of CoQ10 from reduced sample preparations.
[0022] FIG. 4 demonstrates that reduction of oxidation of LDL by garlic oil.
[0023] FIG. 5 demonstrates the reduction of oxidation of LDL by coenzyme Q-10.
[0024] FIG. 6 demonstrates the synergistic effect of the combination of garlic oil and coenzyme Q-0 on LDL.
[0025] FIG. 7 demonstrates the relative equivalency of coenzyme Q-10/garlic oil and the combination of both on the oxidation of LDL.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] The present invention surprisingly provides the ability to solvate coenzyme Q materials with a sufficient amount of one or more sulfide containing materials. Use of sulfide containing materials provide increased bioavailability of the coenzyme Q material relative to an equivalent amount of the coenzyme Q material that is presented without one or more sulfide containing materials.
[0027] The percentage of the increased bioavailability of the coenzyme Q material treated with one or more sulfide containing material(s) with respect to an equivalent amount of a coenzyme Q material without one or more sulfide containing materials ranges from about 15 percent to about 1500 percent, in particular from about 25 percent to about 500 percent, more particularly from about 50 to 250 percent and even more particularly from about 100 to about 200 percent. It should be understood that these ranges are inclusive and include various ranges that fall from 15 percent and 1500 percent, such as for example, 16 percent to about 199 percent, 17 percent to about 143 percent, 23 percent to about 187 percent etc.
[0028] In the specification and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are open-ended terms and should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . ” These terms encompass the more restrictive terms “consisting essentially of” and “consisting of:”
[0029] The term “coenzyme Q material” is intended to include both coenzyme Q compounds (as an oxidized form known as a ubiquinone) and reduced coenzyme Q compounds (reduced forms known as ubiquinols) as well as mixtures thereof.
[0030] The term “coenzyme Q” or “ubiquinone” (CoQ-10) is used throughout the present specification to describe a group of lipid soluble benzoquinones involved in electron transport in mitochondrial preparations, i.e., in the oxidation of succinate or reduced nicotine adenine dinucleotide (NADH) via the cytochrome system. The compounds can be described as: coenzyme Q n where n is 1-12 or ubiquinone (x) in which x designates the total number of carbon atoms in the side chain and can be any multiple of 5. Differences in properties are due to the difference in the chain length. In particular, ubiquinone for use in the present invention is the reduced form of coenzyme Q10, known as ubiquinol. Therefore, the term CoQ-10 includes all variations where n is from 1 to 12. Likewise, reduced CoQ-10 also includes all variation where n is from 1 to 12.
[0031] The term “ubiquinol” is used throughout the specification to describe the reduced form of coenzyme Q n that is used as the active agent in compositions according to the present invention. In ubiquinol, the quinone ring of coenzyme Q n is reduced such that the structure of the compound appears as set forth below. In one aspect, ubiquinol, n is preferably 10 and is derived from coenzyme Q 10 . The amount of ubiquinol which is included in compositions according to the present invention ranges from about 0.1% to about 50% by weight of the final composition which is encapsulated in a soft gelatin capsule, more preferably about 0.5% to about 10% by weight, even more preferably about 1% to about 5% by weight. The amount of ubiquinol which is included in compositions to be encapsulated ranges from about 0.1 to about 10.0 times, more preferably about 1 to about 3 times the amount (in weight percent) of the lipid soluble reducing agent which is included in compositions according to the present invention.
[0032] It should be understood, that throughout this specification, reference to CoQ-10 and reduced CoQ-10 refers to all possible derivatives where n is as detailed above.
[0000]
[0033] Dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) is a constituent of cellular metabolism and can be used as a solvent for coenzyme Q materials as well as an antioxidant. DHLA has two thiol residues that make is susceptible to radical species, thus provides antioxidant functionality to the biomolecule. Oxidation reduction (redox reactions) involves the transfer of an electron from a donor to an acceptor. When the donor loses an electron, it is transformed from its reduced form to its oxidized form. When an acceptor gains an electron, it changes from its oxidized form to its reduced form. Together, the oxidized and reduced forms of a redox component, such as lipoic acid and DHLA or CoQ-10 (ubiquinone) and reduced CoQ-10 (ubiquinol) are called “redox couples.”
[0034] Dihydrolipoic acid is the reduced (has electrons added) form of lipoic acid (thioctic acid). When DHLA is oxidized (has electrons removed) lipoic acid is produced. It should be understood that DHLA can be either the R or S enantiomer or it can be racemic. Likewise, lipoic acid can also be enantiomerically pure or racemic.
[0000]
[0035] Likewise, ubiquinol is the reduced (has electrons added) form of ubiquinone (CoQ-10 for example). When ubiquinol is oxidized (has electrons removed), ubiquinone is produced.
[0036] Solutions of coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) and reduced CoQ-10 with dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) provide or maintain the reduced CoQ form. Interestingly, when about a molar amount of DHLA is combined with a molar equivalent of CoQ-10, the oxidized form of CoQ-10 is reduced to the reduced form of CoQ-10 (ubiquinol).
[0037] In the presence of about a molar equivalent of DHLA, generally, greater than 90% of the oxidized form of CoQ-10 is converted to the reduced form of CoQ-10 and in particular greater than 95%, more particularly, 96%, still more particularly, 97%, more particularly 98%, still more particularly, 99% conversion occurs, to a point where essentially no oxidized CoQ-10 remains. Excess DHLA can then serve as a solvent carrier and helps to stabilize the reduced CoQ-10, making shelf stable for extended periods of time.
[0038] In one aspect, the present invention provides a reduced coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) composition that includes a sufficient amount of dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) to reduce CoQ-10 to a reduced form of CoQ-10 in greater than 95% by weight in combination with garlic oil or one or more of the constituents of garlic oil.
[0039] The compositions according to the present invention can be present in liquid form. Otherwise, the composition can, at room temperature, be present as a gel or as a solid, dependent on the coenzyme Q concentration, but may become liquid at body temperature (37° C.).
[0040] The phrase “sulfide containing material” is intended to include sulfides, disulfides, trisulfides, tetrasulfides and at least pentasulfides.
[0041] The phrase “a sufficient amount of a sulfide containing material” is intended to mean the amount of a sulfide containing material needed to dissolve a known amount of a coenzyme Q material.
[0042] The mixture of the sulfide containing material and coenzyme Q material is generally a liquid. However, it is possible that concentrated compositions of the sulfide containing material and coenzyme Q material may result in a waxy or paste like material that will readily become liquid at body temperature as noted above.
[0043] Exemplary sulfide containing materials include, but are not limited to, sulfides, disulfides, trisulfides, tetrasulfides, or pentasulfides such as diallylsulfide, allylmethylsulfide, allyethylsulfide, diallyltrisulfide, methylallyldisulfide, ethylallyldisulfide, diallyldisulfide, methylallyltrisulfide, diallyltrisulfide, ethylallyltrisulfide, diallyltetrasulfide, ajoene, 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin, 3-vinyl-5H-1,2-dithiin, methylallylsulfide, dimethyltrisulfide, dimethyldisulfide, propylallyldisulfide, allylpropyltrisulfide, methylallyltetrasulfide, methyl allylpentasulfide, 6-methyl-1-thia-2,4-cyclohexadiene, 3-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-vinyl-1,2,3-trithia-5-cyclohexene, 3-vinyl-1,2-dithia-4-cyclohexene, dipropenyldisulfide, dithio-(propenyl)-propionate, 2-ethyltetrahydrothiophene or mixtures thereof.
[0044] In one aspect, the sulfide containing material is garlic oil. Garlic oil contains many of the above-identified sulfides. The garlic oil can be purified or non-purified. Garlic oil has been purified by distillation techniques and column chromatography.
[0045] It has been found that three components of garlic oil are especially useful for dissolving coenzyme Q materials. These include diallylsulfide, diallyltridsulfide and/or diallyldisulfide. Again, the components of the garlic oil can be purified or not prior to use.
[0046] The exemplary sulfide containing materials can be purchased having a purity of 95% or greater or can be purified by various methods, such as distillation or chromatography. In certain instances, it is advantageous to utilize purified sulfide containing material. Purity of the material generally is from about 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, in particular, 99.5%, more particularly 99.9% or greater.
[0047] Interestingly, there appears to be a correlation that lower the molecular weight of the sulfide containing material, the greater degree of solubility of the coenzyme Q in the material.
[0048] Surprisingly it has been found that the combination of a coenzyme Q material(s) and garlic oil (or one or more of its components) can have an advantageous effect on the diminishment or prevention of the oxidation of LDL and thus conditions associated with the oxidation of LDL. The combination appears to be synergistic as evidenced by the data provided below.
[0049] In general the ratio of garlic oil (or one or more of components thereof) to a coenzyme Q material (or materials) is from about 10 milligrams (mg) to about 400 mg coenzyme Q material to 1 milliliter (ml) of garlic oil, or one or more of the components of garlic oil, more particularly from about 100 mg to about 300 mg and even more particularly from about 100 mg to about 150 mg per 1 ml of garlic oil or a component thereof.
[0050] The term “LDL” refers to low density lipoprotein and is well recognized in the art. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is a lipoprotein that transports cholesterol and triglycerides from the liver to peripheral tissues. LDL is one of the five major groups of lipoproteins; these groups include chylomicrons, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL), low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Like all lipoproteins, LDL enables fats and cholesterol to move within the water based solution of the blood stream. LDL also regulates cholesterol synthesis at these sites. It commonly appears in the medical setting as part of a cholesterol blood test, and since high levels of LDL cholesterol can signal medical problems like cardiovascular disease, it is sometimes referred to as “bad cholesterol”.
[0051] LDL oxidation is related to diabetic complications, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases.
[0052] Therefore, the present invention provides compositions and methods to treat or prevent diabetic and/or cardiovascular diseases. The invention also provides methods to manufacture a medicament to treat, reduce, or prevent a disease or condition described herein comprising the step of providing (such as administering) to a subject in need thereof, an effective amount (a therapeutically effective amount) of a coenzyme Q material and garlic oil (or one or more of the constituents of garlic oil), such that the disease or condition is treated, prevented, or reduced.
[0053] Administration of an effective amount of the combination of garlic oil (or one or more of the constituents thereof) and a coenzyme Q therefore provides a preventative or therapeutic method for one or more of the conditions noted throughout the specification.
[0054] An effective amount refers to that amount found to treat or prevent a physiological condition. This can be noted by the diminishment or prevention of one or more symptoms associated with the condition.
[0055] The compositions of the invention include a “therapeutically effective amount” or a “prophylactically effective amount” of one or more of the combination of sulfide(s) and coenzyme Q materials of the invention. A “therapeutically effective amount” refers to an amount effective, at dosages and for periods of time necessary, to achieve the desired therapeutic result, e.g., a diminishment or prevention of effects associated with various disease states or conditions. A therapeutically effective amount of the sulfide containing material and coenzyme Q combination may vary according to factors such as the disease state, age, sex, and weight of the individual, and the ability of the therapeutic compound to elicit a desired response in the individual. A therapeutically effective amount is also one in which any toxic or detrimental effects of the therapeutic agent are outweighed by the therapeutically beneficial effects.
[0056] A “prophylactically effective amount” refers to an amount effective, at dosages and for periods of time necessary, to achieve the desired prophylactic result. Typically, since a prophylactic dose is used in subjects prior to or at an earlier stage of disease, the prophylactically effective amount will be less than the therapeutically effective amount.
[0057] Dosage regimens may be adjusted to provide the optimum desired response (e.g., a therapeutic or prophylactic response). For example, a single bolus may be administered, several divided doses may be administered over time or the dose may be proportionally reduced or increased as indicated by the exigencies of the therapeutic situation. It is especially advantageous to formulate parenteral compositions in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. Dosage unit form as used herein refers to physically discrete units suited as unitary dosages for the mammalian subjects to be treated; each unit containing a predetermined quantity of active compound calculated to produce the desired therapeutic effect in association with the required pharmaceutical carrier. The specification for the dosage unit forms of the invention are dictated by and directly dependent on (a) the unique characteristics of the combination and the particular therapeutic or prophylactic effect to be achieved, and (b) the limitations inherent in the art of compounding such an active combination for the treatment of sensitivity in individuals.
[0058] An exemplary, non-limiting range for a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of a sulfide containing/coenzyme Q composition of the invention is 0.1-20 mg/kg, more preferably 1-10 mg/kg. It is to be noted that dosage values may vary with the type and severity of the condition to be alleviated. It is to be further understood that for any particular subject, specific dosage regimens should be adjusted over time according to the individual need and the professional judgment of the person administering or supervising the administration of the compositions, and that dosage ranges set forth herein are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope or practice of the claimed composition.
[0059] When the compounds of the present invention are administered as pharmaceuticals, to humans and mammals, they can be given per se or as a pharmaceutical composition containing, for example, 0.1 to 99.5% (more preferably, 0.5 to 90%) of the active combination, i.e., at least one sulfide containing compound and at least one coenzyme Q material, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
[0060] The term “diabetic complications” is known in the art and refers to diabetes and its related symptoms such as cardiovascular diseases.
[0061] The term “atherosclerosis” is known in the art and refers to a disease affecting arterial blood vessels. It is a chronic inflammatory response in the walls of arteries, in large part due to the accumulation of macrophage white blood cells and promoted by low density lipoproteins (LDL) without adequate removal of fats and cholesterol from the macrophages by functional high density lipoproteins (HDL). It is commonly referred to as a “hardening” or “furring” of the arteries. It is caused by the formation of multiple plaques within the arteries.
[0062] Arteriosclerosis is a general term describing any hardening (and loss of elasticity) of medium or large arteries; arteriolosclerosis is any hardening (and loss of elasticity) of arterioles (small arteries); atherosclerosis is a hardening of an artery specifically due to an atheromatous plaque. Therefore, atherosclerosis is a form of arteriosclerosis.
[0063] The term “cardiovasular diseases” is known in the art and refers to arteriosclerosis, coronary artery disease, heart valve disease, arrhythmia, heart failure, hypertension, orthostatic hypotension, shock, endocarditis, diseases of the aorta and its branches, disorders of the peripheral vascular system, and congenital heart disease.
[0064] Additionally, carriers may be included with the sulfide containing material with the coenzyme Q material. Suitable carriers include but are not limited to, for example, fatty acids, esters and salts thereof, that can be derived from any source, including, without limitation, natural or synthetic oils, fats, waxes or combinations thereof. Moreover, the fatty acids can be derived, without limitation, from non-hydrogenated oils, partially hydrogenated oils, fully hydrogenated oils or combinations thereof. Non-limiting exemplary sources of fatty acids (their esters and salts) include seed oil, fish or marine oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, nasturtium seed oil; mustard seed oil, olive oil, sesame oil, soybean oil, corn oil, peanut oil, cottonseed oil, rice bran oil, babassu nut oil, palm oil, low erucic rapeseed oil, palm kernel oil, lupine oil, coconut oil, flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, jojoba, tallow, beef tallow, butter, chicken fat, lard, dairy butterfat, shea butter or combinations thereof.
[0065] Non-limiting exemplary fish or marine oil sources include shellfish oil, tuna oil, mackerel oil, salmon oil, menhaden, anchovy, herring, trout, sardines or combinations thereof. In particular, the source of the fatty acids is fish or marine oil (DHA or EPA), soybean oil or flaxseed oil. Alternatively or in combination with one of the above identified carriers, beeswax can be used as a suitable carrier, as well as suspending agents such as silica (silicon dioxide).
[0066] Non-limiting exemplary fish or marine oil sources include shellfish oil, tuna oil, mackerel oil, salmon oil, menhaden, anchovy, herring, trout, sardines or combinations thereof. In particular, the source of the fatty acids is fish or marine oil (DHA or EPA), soybean oil or flaxseed oil. Alternatively or in combination with one of the above identified carriers, beeswax can be used as a suitable carrier, as well as suspending agents such as silica (silicon dioxide).
[0067] Additionally, limonene singly, and/or with other cyclic monoterpene containing essential oil(s), such as orange oil (which may contain 95% or more d-limonene) can be included with one or more carriers. Non-limiting examples of d-limonene containing oils include Lavindin, Peppermint, Ginger, Camphor, Geranium, Orange, Lemon, Lavender, Tea Tree, and Rosemary.
[0068] The formulations of the invention are considered dietary supplements useful to the increase the amounts of one or more sulfide containing materials, a coenzyme Q material and/or additional antioxidants in individuals in need thereof.
[0069] The formulations of the invention can also be used in cosmetic products.
[0070] Alternatively, the formulations of the invention are also considered to be nutraceuticals. The term “nutraceutical” is recognized in the art and is intended to describe chemical compounds found in foods that may prevent disease. For example, reduced CoQ-10 and antioxidants are such compounds.
[0071] The formulations of the invention can further include various ingredients to help stabilize, or help promote the bioavailability of the coenzyme Q material and/or amino acid(s), or serve as additional nutrients to an individual's diet. Suitable additives can include vitamins and biologically-acceptable minerals. Non-limiting examples of vitamins include vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K and folic acid. Non-limiting examples of minerals include iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, chromium, zinc, molybdenum, iodine, boron, selenium, manganese, derivatives thereof or combinations thereof. These vitamins and minerals may be from any source or combination of sources, without limitation. Non-limiting exemplary B vitamins include, without limitation, thiamine, niacinamide, pyridoxine, riboflavin, cyanocobalamin, biotin, pantothenic acid or combinations thereof.
[0072] Vitamin(s), if present, are present in the composition of the invention in an amount ranging from about 5 mg to about 500 mg. More particularly, the vitamin(s) is present in an amount ranging from about 10 mg to about 400 mg. Even more specifically, the vitamin(s) is present from about 250 mg to about 400 mg. Most specifically, the vitamin(s) is present in an amount ranging from about 10 mg to about 50 mg. For example, B vitamins are in usually incorporated in the range of about 1 milligram to about 10 milligrams, i.e., from about 3 micrograms to about 50 micrograms of B12. Folic acid, for example, is generally incorporated in a range of about 50 to about 400 micrograms, biotin is generally incorporated in a range of about 25 to about 700 micrograms and cyanocobalamin is incorporated in a range of about 3 micrograms to about 50 micrograms.
[0073] Mineral(s), if present, are present in the composition of the invention in an amount ranging from about 25 mg to about 1000 mg. More particularly, the mineral(s) are present in the composition ranging from about 25 mg to about 500 mg. Even more particularly, the mineral(s) are present in the composition in an amount ranging from about 100 mg to about 600 mg.
[0074] Various additives can be incorporated into the present compositions. Optional additives of the present composition include, without limitation, phospholipids, L-carnitine, starches, sugars, fats, antioxidants, amino acids, proteins, flavorings, coloring agents, hydrolyzed starch(es) and derivatives thereof or combinations thereof.
[0075] As used herein, the term “phospholipid” is recognized in the art, and refers to phosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, as well as phosphatidic acids, ceramides, cerebrosides, sphingomyelins and cardiolipins.
[0076] As used herein, the term “antioxidant” is recognized in the art and refers to synthetic or natural substances that prevent or delay the oxidative deterioration of a compound. Exemplary antioxidants include tocopherols, flavonoids, catechins, superoxide dismutase, lecithin, gamma oryzanol; vitamins, such as vitamins A, C (ascorbic acid) and E and beta-carotene; natural components such as camosol, carnosic acid and rosmanol found in rosemary and hawthorn extract, proanthocyanidins such as those found in grapeseed or pine bark extract, and green tea extract.
[0077] The term “flavonoid” as used herein is recognized in the art and is intended to include those plant pigments found in many foods that are thought to help protect the body from cancer. These include, for example, epi-gallo catechin gallate (EGCG), epi-gallo catechin (EGC) and epi-catechin (EC).
[0078] Any dosage form, and combinations thereof, are contemplated by the present invention. Examples of such dosage forms include, without limitation, chewable tablets, elixirs, liquids, solutions, suspensions, emulsions, capsules, soft gelatin capsules, hard gelatin capsules, caplets, lozenges, chewable lozenges, suppositories, creams, topicals, ingestibles, injectables, infusions, health bars, confections, animal feeds, cereals, cereal coatings, and combinations thereof. The preparation of the above dosage forms are well known to persons of ordinary skill in the art.
[0079] For example, health bars can be prepared, without limitation, by mixing the formulation plus excipients (e.g., binders, fillers, flavors, colors, etc.) to a plastic mass consistency. The mass is then either extended or molded to form “candy bar” shapes that are then dried or allowed to solidify to form the final product.
[0080] Soft gel or soft gelatin capsules can be prepared, for example, without limitation, by dispersing the formulation in an appropriate vehicle (e.g. rice bran oil, DHLA and/or beeswax) to form a high viscosity mixture. This mixture is then encapsulated with a gelatin based film using technology and machinery known to those in the soft gel industry. The industrial units so formed are then dried to constant weight. Typically, the weight of the capsule is from about 100 to about 2500 milligrams and in particular weigh from about 1500 and about 1900 milligrams, and more specifically can weigh from about 1500 and about 2000 milligrams.
[0081] For example, when preparing soft gelatin shells, the shell can include from about 20 to 70 weight percent gelatin, generally a plasticizer and about 5 to about 60% by weight sorbitol. The filling of the soft gelatin capsule is liquid (principally limonene, in combination with rice bran oil and/or beeswax if desired) and can include, apart form the antioxidant actives, a hydrophilic matrix. The hydrophilic matrix, if present, is a polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of from about 200 to 2000. Further ingredients are optionally thickening agents. In one embodiment, the hydrophilic matrix includes polyethylene glycol having an average molecular weight of from about 200 to 2000, 5 to 15% glycerol, and 5 to 15% by weight of water. The polyethylene glycol can also be mixed with propylene glycol and/or propylene carbonate.
[0082] In another embodiment, the soft gel capsule is prepared from gelatin, glycerine, water and various additives. Typically, the percentage (by weight) of the gelatin is from about 30 and about 50 weight percent, in particular from about 35 and about 45 weight percent and more specifically about 42 weight percent. The formulation includes from about 15 and about 25 weight percent glycerine, more particularly from about 17 and about 23 weight percent and more specifically about 20 weight percent glycerine.
[0083] The remaining portion of the capsule is typically water. The amount varies from about 25 weight percent and about 40 weight percent, more particularly from about 30 and about 35 weight percent, and more specifically about 35 weight percent. The remainder of the capsule can vary, generally, from about 2 and about 10 weight percent composed of a flavoring agent(s), sugar, coloring agent(s), etc. or combination thereof. After the capsule is processed, the water content of the final capsule is often from about 5 and about 10 weight percent, more particularly 7 and about 12 weight percent, and more specifically from about 9 and about 10 weight percent.
[0084] As for the manufacturing, it is contemplated that standard soft shell gelatin capsule manufacturing techniques can be used to prepare the soft-shell product. Examples of useful manufacturing techniques are the plate process, the rotary die process pioneered by R. P. Scherer, the process using the Norton capsule machine, and the Accogel machine and process developed by Lederle. Each of these processes are mature technologies and are all widely available to any one wishing to prepare soft gelatin capsules.
[0085] Typically, when a soft gel capsule is prepared, the total weight is from about 250 milligrams and about 2.5 gram in weight, e.g., 400-750 milligrams. Therefore, the total weight of additives, such as vitamins and antioxidants, is from about 80 milligrams and about 2000 milligrams, alternatively, from about 100 milligrams and about 1500 milligrams, and in particular from about 120 milligrams and about 1200 milligrams. In particular, the soft gel capsule typically weighs from about 1000 milligrams and 1300 milligrams, wherein the percentage fill is about 50% of the entire weight of the capsule, i.e., from about 500 to about 650 milligrams fill weight. The fill weight includes the active ingredient(s), solubilizing agents, etc.
[0086] Preparation of the Soft Gel Capsules was Accomplished by Methods well known in the art including, but not limited to those described throughout the specification and in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,616,942, 6,623,734 and pending U.S. Ser. Nos. 10/035,753 and 09/825,920, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[0087] For example, a soft gel capsule can be prepared by mixing a garlic oil and a coenzyme Q material to provide a syrupy mixture. The mixture is then encapsulated within a gelatin capsule as described above.
[0088] Tablets, capsules, powders and/or solutions can include one or more of excipients, disintegrants, lubricants, binders, colorants, aggregation inhibitors, absorption enhancers, solubilizing agents, stabilizer and the like.
[0089] Excipients include, for example, white sugar, lactose, glucose, corn starch, mannitol, crystalline cellulose, calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate and the like.
[0090] Disintegrants include, for example, starch, agar, calcium citrate, calcium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, dextrin, crystalline cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, tragacanth and the like.
[0091] Lubricants include, for example, talc, magnesium stearate, polyethylene glycol, silica, hardened vegetable oils and the like.
[0092] Binders include, for example, ethylcellulose, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, tragacanth, shellac, gelatin, gum arabic, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, sorbitol and the like.
[0093] The present invention also provides packaged formulations of a coenzyme Q material, such as reduced CoQ-10 and/or CoQ-10, and a sulfide containing compound and instructions for use of the tablet, capsule, elixir, etc. Typically, the packaged formulation, in whatever form, is administered to an individual in need thereof that requires an increase in the amount of a coenzyme Q material and/or a sulfide containing material in the individual's diet. Typically, the dosage requirement is from about 1 to about 4 dosages a day.
[0094] CoQ-10 has been implicated in various biochemical pathways and is suitable for the treatment of cardiovascular conditions, such as those associated with, for example, statin drugs that effect the body's ability to product CoQ-10 naturally. CoQ-10 has also been implicated in various periodontal diseases. Furthermore, CoQ-10 has been implicated in mitochondrial related diseases and disorders, such as the inability to product acetyl coenzyme A, neurological disorders, for example, such as Parkinson's disease and, Prater-Willey syndrome, migraine headaches and headaches.
[0095] The following paragraphs enumerated consequently from 1 through 48 provide for various aspects of the present invention. In one embodiment, in a first paragraph (1), the present invention provides a composition comprising a coenzyme Q, or a reduced coenzyme Q or mixtures thereof and a sufficient amount of a sulfide containing material suitable to dissolve the coenzyme Q, or reduced coenzyme Q or mixtures thereof.
[0096] 2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein from about 20 percent and about 70 percent coenzyme Q is dissolved in the sulfide containing material on a weight basis.
[0097] 3. The composition of either of claims 1 or 2 , wherein the sulfide containing material is garlic oil.
[0098] 4. The composition of any of claims 1 through 3 , wherein the garlic oil is a purified garlic oil.
[0099] 5. The composition of any of claims 1 through 4 , wherein the sulfide containing material is a sulfide, a disulfide, a trisulfide, a tetrasulfide, a pentasulfide or mixtures thereof.
[0100] 6. The composition of claim 5 , wherein the sulfide, disulfide, trisulfide, tetrasulfide, or pentasulfide containing material is one of diallylsulfide, allylmethylsulfide, allyethylsulfide, diallyltrisulfide, methylallyldisulfide, ethylallyldisulfide, diallyldisulfide, methylallyltrisulfide, diallyltrisulfide, ethylallyltrisulfide, diallyltetrasulfide, ajoene, 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin, 3-vinyl-5H-1,2-dithiin, methylallyl sulfide, dimethyltrisulfide, dimethyldi sulfide, propylallyldisulfide, allylpropyltrisulfide, methylallyltetrasulfide, methylallylpentasulfide, 6-methyl-1-thia-2,4-cyclohexadiene, 3-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-vinyl-1,2,3-trithia-5-cyclohexene, 3-vinyl-1,2-dithia-4-cyclohexene, dipropenyldisulfide, dithio-(propenyl)-propionate, 2-ethyltetrahydrothiophene or mixtures thereof.
[0101] 7. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the sulfide containing material is a purified material.
[0102] 8. The composition of any of claims 1 through 7 , wherein the coenzyme Q or reduced coenzyme Q has the formula
[0000]
wherein n is from 1 to about 12.
[0104] 9. The composition of claim 8 , wherein n is 10.
[0105] 10. The composition of any of claims 1 through 9 , further including an antioxidant.
[0106] 11. The composition of claim 10 , wherein the antioxidant is dihydrolipoic acid.
[0107] 12. The composition of any of claims 1 through 11 , wherein the composition is encapsulated within a soft gelatin capsule.
[0108] 13. A method to increase the bioavailability of a coenzyme Q, or a reduced coenzyme Q, or mixtures thereof, comprising the step of combining a sufficient amount of a sulfide containing material suitable to dissolve the coenzyme Q, or reduced coenzyme Q or mixtures thereof.
[0109] 14. The method of claim 13 , wherein from about 20 percent and about 70 percent coenzyme Q is dissolved in the sulfide containing material on a weight basis.
[0110] 15. The method of either of claims 13 or 14 , wherein the sulfide containing material is garlic oil.
[0111] 16. The method of any of claims 13 through 15 , wherein the garlic oil is a purified garlic oil.
[0112] 17. The method of any of claims 13 through 16 , wherein the sulfide containing material is a sulfide, a disulfide, a trisulfide, a tetrasulfide, a pentasulfide or mixtures thereof.
[0113] 18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the sulfide, disulfide, trisulfide, tetrasulfide, or pentasulfide containing material is one of diallylsulfide, allylmethylsulfide, allyethylsulfide, diallyltrisulfide, methylallyldisulfide, ethylallyldisulfide, diallyldisulfide, methylallyltrisulfide, diallyltrisulfide, ethylallyltrisulfide, diallyltetrasulfide, ajoene, 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin, 3-vinyl-5H-1,2-dithiin, methyl allyl sulfide, dimethyltrisulfide, dimethyl disulfide, propylallyldisulfide, allylpropyltrisulfide, methylallyltetrasulfide, methylallylpentasulfide, 6-methyl-1-thia-2,4-cyclohexadiene, 3-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-vinyl-1,2,3-trithia-5-cyclohexene, 3-vinyl-1,2-dithia-4-cyclohexene, dipropenyldisulfide, dithio-(propenyl)-propionate, 2-ethyltetrahydrothiophene or mixtures thereof.
[0114] 19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the sulfide containing material is a purified material.
[0115] 20. The method of any of claims 13 through 19 , wherein the coenzyme Q or reduced coenzyme Q has the formula
[0000]
wherein n is from 1 to about 12.
[0117] 21. The method of claim 20 , wherein n is 10.
[0118] 22. The method of any of claims 13 through 21 , further including an antioxidant.
[0119] 23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the antioxidant is dihydrolipoic acid.
[0120] 24. The method of any of claims 13 through 23 , wherein the bioavailability of the coenzyme Q, reduced coenzyme Q or mixture thereof is increased by about 15 percent to about 1500 percent relative to a composition that does not include a sulfide containing material.
[0121] A method to treat mitochondrial related diseases and disorders, Parkinson's disease, Prater-Willey syndrome, cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure, migraine headaches or headaches comprising the step of administering to a subject in need thereof, an effective amount of a coenzyme Q, or a reduced coenzyme Q, or mixtures thereof and a sufficient amount of a sulfide containing material suitable to dissolve the coenzyme Q, or reduced coenzyme Q or mixtures thereof, such that the effective amount of the coenzyme Q, or the reduced coenzyme Q or mixtures thereof are delivered to treat mitochondrial related diseases and disorders, Parkinson's disease, Prater-Willey syndrome, cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure, migraine headaches or headaches.
[0122] 26. The method of paragraph 25, wherein from about 20 percent and about 70 percent coenzyme Q is dissolved in the sulfide containing material on a weight basis.
[0123] 27. The method of either of paragraphs 25 or 26, wherein the sulfide containing material is garlic oil.
[0124] 28. The method of any of paragraphs 25 through 27, wherein the garlic oil is a purified garlic oil.
[0125] 29. The method of any of paragraphs 25 through 28, wherein the sulfide containing material is a sulfide, a disulfide, a trisulfide, a tetrasulfide, a pentasulfide or mixtures thereof.
[0126] 30. The method of paragraph 29, wherein the sulfide, disulfide, trisulfide, tetrasulfide, or pentasulfide containing material is one of diallylsulfide, allylmethylsulfide, allyethylsulfide, diallyltrisulfide, methylallyldisulfide, ethylallyldisulfide, diallyldisulfide, methylallyltrisulfide, diallyltrisulfide, ethylallyltrisulfide, diallyltetrasulfide, ajoene, 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin, 3-vinyl-5H-1,2-dithiin, methyl allyl sulfide, dimethyltrisulfide, dimethyldi sulfide, propylallyldisulfide, allylpropyltrisulfide, methylallyltetrasulfide, methylallylpentasulfide, 6-methyl-1-thia-2,4-cyclohexadiene, 3-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-vinyl-1,2,3-trithia-5-cyclohexene, 3-vinyl-1,2-dithia-4-cyclohexene, dipropenyldisulfide, dithio-(propenyl)-propionate, 2-ethyltetrahydrothiophene or mixtures thereof.
[0127] 31. The method of paragraph 30, wherein the sulfide containing material is a purified material.
[0128] 32. The method of any of paragraphs 25 through 31, wherein the coenzyme Q or reduced coenzyme Q has the formula
[0000]
[0129] wherein n is from 1 to about 12.
[0130] 33. The method of paragraph 32, wherein n is 10.
[0131] 34. The method of any of paragraphs 25 through 33, further including an antioxidant.
[0132] 35. The method of paragraph 34, wherein the antioxidant is dihydrolipoic acid.
[0133] 36. The method of any of paragraphs 25 through 35, wherein the bioavailability of the coenzyme Q, reduced coenzyme Q or mixture thereof is increased by about 15 percent to about 1500 percent relative to a composition that does not include a sulfide containing material.
[0134] 37. A method to treat or prevent oxidation of LDL in a subject, comprising providing to a subject in need thereof, a sufficient amount of a sulfide, disulfide, trisulfide, tetrasulfide, or pentasulfide containing material and a coenzyme Q, such that oxidation of LDL in the subject is treated or prevented.
[0135] 38. The method of paragraph 37, wherein the sulfide is one of diallylsulfide, allylmethylsulfide, allyethylsulfide, diallyltrisulfide, methylallyldisulfide, ethylallyldisulfide, diallyldisulfide, methylallyltrisulfide, diallyltrisulfide, ethylallyltrisulfide, diallyltetrasulfide, ajoene, 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin, 3-vinyl-5H-1,2-dithiin, methylallylsulfide, dimethyltrisulfide, dimethyldisulfide, propylallyldisulfide, allylpropyltrisulfide, methylallyltetrasulfide, methylallylpentasulfide, 6-methyl-1-thia-2,4-cyclohexadiene, 3-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-vinyl-1,2,3-trithia-5-cyclohexene, 3-vinyl-1,2-dithia-4-cyclohexene, dipropenyldisulfide, dithio-(propenyl)-propionate, 2-ethyltetrahydrothiophene or mixtures thereof.
[0136] 39. The method of either of paragraphs 37 or 38, wherein the sulfide, disulfide, trisulfide, tetrasulfide, or pentasulfide containing material is garlic oil.
[0137] 40. A method to treat or prevent a cardiovascular disease in a subject, comprising providing to a subject in need thereof, a sufficient amount of a sulfide, disulfide, trisulfide, tetrasulfide, or pentasulfide containing material and a coenzyme Q, such that the cardiovascular disease in the subject is treated or prevented.
[0138] 41. The method of paragraph 40, wherein the sulfide is one of diallylsulfide, allylmethylsulfide, allyethylsulfide, diallyltrisulfide, methylallyldisulfide, ethylallyldisulfide, diallyldisulfide, methylallyltrisulfide, diallyltrisulfide, ethylallyltrisulfide, diallyltetrasulfide, ajoene, 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin, 3-vinyl-5H-1,2-dithiin, methylallylsulfide, dimethyltrisulfide, dimethyldisulfide, propylallyldisulfide, allylpropyltrisulfide, methylallyltetrasulfide, methylallylpentasulfide, 6-methyl-1-thia-2,4-cyclohexadiene, 3-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-vinyl-1,2,3-trithia-5-cyclohexene, 3-vinyl-1,2-dithia-4-cyclohexene, dipropenyldisulfide, dithio-(propenyl)-propionate, 2-ethyltetrahydrothiophene or mixtures thereof.
[0139] 42. The method of either of paragraphs 40 or 41, wherein the sulfide, disulfide, trisulfide, tetrasulfide, or pentasulfide containing material is garlic oil.
[0140] 43. A method to treat or prevent diabetes in a subject, comprising providing to a subject in need thereof, a sufficient amount of a sulfide, disulfide, trisulfide, tetrasulfide, or pentasulfide containing material and a coenzyme Q, such that diabetes in the subject is treated or prevented.
[0141] 44. The method of paragraph 43, wherein the sulfide is one of diallylsulfide, allylmethylsulfide, allyethylsulfide, diallyltrisulfide, methylallyldisulfide, ethylallyldisulfide, diallyldisulfide, methylallyltrisulfide, diallyltrisulfide, ethylallyltrisulfide, diallyltetrasulfide, ajoene, 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin, 3-vinyl-5H-1,2-dithiin, methylallylsulfide, dimethyltrisulfide, dimethyldisulfide, propylallyldisulfide, allylpropyltrisulfide, methylallyltetrasulfide, methylallylpentasulfide, 6-methyl-1-thia-2,4-cyclohexadiene, 3-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-vinyl-1,2,3-trithia-5-cyclohexene, 3-vinyl-1,2-dithia-4-cyclohexene, dipropenyldisulfide, dithio-(propenyl)-propionate, 2-ethyltetrahydrothiophene or mixtures thereof.
[0142] 45. The method of either of paragraphs 43 or 44, wherein the sulfide, disulfide, trisulfide, tetrasulfide, or pentasulfide containing material is garlic oil.
[0143] 46. A method to treat or prevent atherosclerosis in a subject, comprising providing to a subject in need thereof, a sufficient amount of a sulfide, disulfide, trisulfide, tetrasulfide, or pentasulfide containing material and a coenzyme Q, such that atherosclerosis in the subject is treated or prevented.
[0144] 47. The method of paragraph 46, wherein the sulfide is one of diallylsulfide, allylmethylsulfide, allyethylsulfide, diallyltrisulfide, methylallyldisulfide, ethylallyldisulfide, diallyldisulfide, methylallyltrisulfide, diallyltrisulfide, ethylallyltrisulfide, diallyltetrasulfide, ajoene, 2-vinyl-4H-1,3-dithiin, 3-vinyl-5H-1,2-dithiin, methylallylsulfide, dimethyltrisulfide, dimethyldisulfide, propylallyldisulfide, allylpropyltrisulfide, methylallyltetrasulfide, methylallylpentasulfide, 6-methyl-1-thia-2,4-cyclohexadiene, 3-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-methyl-1,2-dithia-3-cyclopentene, 4-vinyl-1,2,3-trithia-5-cyclohexene, 3-vinyl-1,2-dithia-4-cyclohexene, dipropenyldisulfide, dithio-(propenyl)-propionate, 2-ethyltetrahydrothiophene or mixtures thereof.
[0145] 48. The method of either of paragraphs 46 or 47, wherein the sulfide, disulfide, trisulfide, tetrasulfide, or pentasulfide containing material is garlic oil.
[0146] The following examples are intended to be illustrative only and should not be considered limiting.
Methods for Absorption Testing Using Caco-2 Cells
[0147] 1. Cell Culture
[0148] 1.1. Maintenance of Caco-2 Cells
[0149] Caco-2 HTB-37 (human colon adenocarinoma), obtained from ATCC, were cultured in DMEM (Dulbecco/Vogt modified Eagle's minimal essential medium) containing 20% FCS (Fetal Calf Serum), 1% nonessential amino acids, 0.83 mM L-glutamine and 1% penicillin-streptomycin at 37° C. in a humified atmosphere of CO 2 . Cells were grown in 75 cm 2 culture-flasks (T75) and their medium was replaced every third day. As soon as confluency was reached—once a week—they were split using trypsin.
[0150] 1.2. Subculturing Caco-2 Cells
[0151] After discarding the old medium, the monolayer was washed with 10 mL PBS. Subsequently, 3 mL trypsin was added in order to detach the cells. As Caco-2 cells have shown to grow at a slow pace, it is reasonable to split them 1:4 by mixing them vigorously with 9 mL DMEM and leaving 3 mL cell-suspension in the flask which was refilled with 17 mL DMEM.
[0152] The remaining 9 mL cell-suspension was used for experiments and was therefore transferred into a 15 mL falcon. After the cells had been counted by using a Neubauer-chamber, cells were seeded into 6 Well Thin Certs and 6 Wells at a density of 3×10 5 and 6.76×10 5 , respectively. DMEM was added so that the final volume in 6 Wells reached 5 mL and 3 mL in 6 Well Thin Certs. Cultures were used for experiments approximately 14 days post confluency because the marker enzymes, alkaline phosphatase and sucrase show maximum differentiation at this time.
[0153] 2. Experimental Design
[0154] 2.1. Preparation of Emulsion
[0155] CoQ10 was dissolved/suspended in safflower oil, dissolved in garlic oil or in crystalline form, was transferred into plastic tubes and 0.4 g olive oil was added. The sample was vortexed and sonicated for 10 min. Subsequently the sample was left in a water-bath at 80° C. for 10 min. 100 mL 10 mM bile salts in 150 mM NaCl-solution were added. (A 10 mM bile salt-solution corresponds to the average bile salt concentration in the duodenum during digestion.)
[0156] The optimum amount of the emulsifier lecithin had to be determined individually for each sample. A molar ratio of lecithin: bile salts=0.4 turned out to be appropriate in most cases (0.4236 g lecithin was added to 100 mL 10 mM bile salt-solution). Afterwards the sample was shaken vigorously and sonicated at 40° C. Continuous shaking was a prerequisite for adequate dissolution.
[0157] 2.2. Preparation of Suspension
[0158] For CoQ10 in crystalline form also a simple suspension in a bile salt/NaCl solution was prepared and introduced into the absorption test with no further treatment.
[0159] 2.3. Samples Prepared
[0000]
Final conc.
Compound
Solvent
Treatment
Further Treatment
(mg/100 mL)
CoQ10
—
suspension
Dilution DMEM
25
CoQ10
—
emulsion
Dilution DMEM
25
CoQ10
safflower oil
emulsion
Dilution DMEM
25
CoQ10
garlic oil
emulsion
Dilution DMEM
25
(30%)
CoQ10
garlic oil
emulsion
Dilution DMEM
25
(40%)
[0160] The absorption of CoQ10 was tested with various preparations.
[0161] CoQ10 was also made available in its reduced state (ubiquinol) by addition of Dihydrolipoic Acid (DHLA) or Ascorbyl-palmitate (AP) into the garlic oil solution of CoQ 10 .
[0000]
Final conc.
Compound
Solvent
Treatment
Further Treatment
(mg/100 mL)
CoQ10 (30%)
garlic oil
emulsion
Addition od
25 (DHLA)
DHLA. Dilution
5 (CoQ10)
DMEM
CoQ10 (30%)
garlic oil
emulsion
Addition of AP.
25 (AP)
Dilution DMEM
5 (CoQ10)
[0162] 2.4. Cellular Uptake
[0000] Coenzyme Q10-micellar solutions were diluted 1:3 (v/v) in DMEM. Before the addition of 1-1.5 mL test solution, mono-layers of the cells were washed with 2 mL PBS. Cell cultures were incubated at 37° C. for up to 2 h.
[0163] After 30, 60 and 120 minutes, plates (3 plates/time point) were put on ice and the media were collected separately. Wells were washed with 1 mL PBS several times. Then, cells were harvested in 1-2 mL PBS. Cells were then centrifuged at 1,000 g for 6 min at 4° C. The supernatant was discarded. The cells were broken by sonication in the presence of 1 mL 2-propanol/hexane (1/9, v/v). The organic layer containing CoQ10 (oxidized and reduced) was submitted to HPLC-analysis.
[0164] 2.5. HPLC-Analysis
[0165] A reversed-phase column (Spherimage-80) with 5 μm pore size and 4.6 mm in length was used. The elution was isocratic with a solvent containing: 6.8 g sodium acetate, 15 mL glacial acetic acid, 15 mL 2-propanol, 695 mL methanol, 275 mL hexane at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. Coenzyme Q10 (oxidized and reduced) were monitored at 275 nm.
[0166] 2.6. Data Evaluation
[0167] CoQ10 was determined in the media (outside the cells) and in the cells. Both, oxidized and reduced CoQ10, were quantified.
[0168] As the content of CoQ10 is subject to variation depending on the sample preparation the uptake into cells is expressed as relative difference between inside the cells and outside the cells (%-uptake). For all samples in a series the media concentration of CoQ10 at time 0 was taken as reference value. Analysis showed that the content of CoQ10 in the media was stable during the incubation conditions.
[0169] The %-uptake at each time point was then subjected to non-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis (C max , AUC 0-120min ).
[0170] Results
[0171] 1.1. Test Results for the Comparison of Various CoQ10 Preparations
[0172] The results presented below represent the sum of CoQ10 in reduced and oxidized form.
[0000]
TABLE 1
%-uptake of CoQ10 from various sample preparations (See also FIG. 1)
Time (min)
Sample Description
30
60
120
CoQ10 crist., susp.
2.6
4.3
1.5
CoQ10 crist., emul.
5.7
14.5
5.1
CoQ10 crist., oil, emul.
6.8
19.2
6.2
CoQ10, garlic (30%) emul.
12.4
46.3
11.7
CoQ10, garlic (40%) emul.
11.9
47.2
12.5
CoQ10 crist. Susp. = CoQ10 crystals suspended in aqueous medium
CoQ10 crist., emul. = CoQ10 crystals in a stable emulsion
CoQ10 crist., oil, emul. = CoQ10 crystals, dissolved in fat and then emulsified
CoQ10, garlic (30%) emul. = CoQ10 dissolved in garlic oil (essential oil) and then emulsified.
[0000]
TABLE 2
Pharmacokinetic parameters for CoQ10 from various sample
preparations (See also FIG. 2)
Cmax
AUC0-120
Sample Description
(%-uptake)
(%-uptake × min.)
CoQ10 crist., susp.
4.3
278
CoQ10 crist., emul.
14.5
891
CoQ10 crist., oil, emul.
19.2
1152
CoQ10, garlic (30%) emul.
46.3
2621
CoQ10, garlic (40%) emul.
47.2
2678
[0173] As seen, dissolution of CoQ10 in garlic oil yields substantially higher absorption values when compared to CoQ10 dissolved/suspended in safflower oil and to CoQ10 subjected in crystalline form as suspension.
[0174] 1.2. Comparison of Absorption of Reduced and Oxidized CoQ10
[0175] The dissolution of CoQ10 in garlic oil (30%) was further tested after addition of either DHLA or Ascorbyl-palmitate (AP) in a 5-fold excess to CoQ10 (on a molar basis).
[0176] The solutions were left for up to 4 days at room temperature, with continuous stirring and protected from light to provide time for the reaction. After addition of AP, complete reduction (>90% reduced CoQ10) was observed after 1.5 days. After addition of DHLA, complete reduction was observed after 4 days.
[0177] After complete reduction, the incubations were performed as described above. The data analysis consists of the sum of reduced and oxidized CoQ10 found in the samples.
[0178] Table 3 and FIG. 3 provide the %-uptake of CoQ10 into CaCo2-cells.
[0000]
TABLE 3
%-uptake of CoQ10 from reduced sample preparations
Time (min)
Sample Description
30
60
120
CoQ10, garlic (30%) emul
12.4
46.3
11.7
CoQ10, garlic (30%) DHLA, emul
13.1
48.2
12.6
CoQ10, garlic (30%) AP, emul
10.8
39.7
9.86
[0000]
TABLE 4
Pharmacokinetic parameters for CoQ10 from reduced sample
preparations
AUC0-120
Cmax
(%-uptake ×
Sample Description
(%-uptake)
min.)
CoQ10, garlic (30%) emul
46.3
2621
CoQ10, garlic (30%) DHLA, emul
48.2
2744
CoQ10, garlic (30%) AP, emul
39.7
2244
[0179] Prevention of LDL Oxidation
[0180] Human LDL were obtained by ultracentrifugation from fresh human blood, followed by dialysis against in 10 mM PBS (pH 7.4) at 4° C. in the dark for 24 h. LDL (0.1 mg/ml) were mixed with different amounts of active constituents. Reaction was initiated by adding a solution of CuSO 4 (10 μM); samples were then incubated at 37° C. for 22 h. The formation of conjugated diene was measured at 234 nm using a Hewlett-Packard spectrophotometer (Agilent, Palo Alto).
[0181] Data evaluation was performed by comparison of the slope of increase in diene-formation. The steepest slope (i.e. without addition of anti-oxidants) was set to 100%. Results are given as relative %.
[0182] The lag-time until start of diene formation was estimated from the kinetic curves obtained. Results are given in minutes.
[0183] Part 1
[0184] LDL-Oxidation in Presence of Garlic Oil
[0185] Result 1
[0000]
TABLE 5
μL/mL of garlic oil
Residual activity/%
Inhibition/%
0
100
0
5
92
8
10
74
26
50
46
54
[0186] As indicated by Table 5, garlic oil can inhibit LDL-oxidation by about 54% at a concentration of 50 μL/mL in test assay solution (Concentration of LDL was 0.1 mg/ml).
[0187] Part 2
[0188] LDL-Oxidation in Presence of Coenzyme Q10
[0000]
TABLE 6
mg/mL of CoQ10
Residual activity/%
Inhibition/%
0
100
0
0.1
87
13
1
57
43
10
32
68
[0189] As indicated by Table 6, CoQ-10 can inhibit LDL-oxidation (at an LDL concentration of 0.1 mg/ml) by about 43% at a concentration of 1 mg/mL in test assay solution.
[0190] Part 3
[0191] LDL-Oxidation in Presence of Garlic Oil and Coenzyme Q10
[0000]
TABLE 7
μL/mL garlic oil//mg/mL
CoQ10
Residual activity/%
Inhibition/%
0
100
0
10//0.1
54
46
10//1
32
68
10//10
10
90
[0192] As noted in Table 7 and FIG. 6 , the combination garlic oil and coenzyme Q10 inhibits LDL-oxidation by up to 90% at a concentration of 10 μL garlic oil/mL and 10 mg coenzyme Q10/mL per 0.1 mg of LDL.
[0193] According to the data in Tables 5 through 7 and FIGS. 4 through 6 , a synergistic effect of garlic oil and CoQ10 was found to inhibit the oxidation of LDL. For example, the combination of (10 μL garlic oil and 0.1 mg CoQ10)/mL provided 45% inhibition of oxidation of LDL (0.1 mg LDL) which is greater than the sum of 26% and 13% of inhibition of each antioxidant individually.
[0194] Result 2
[0195] The following shows a relative equivalent relationship between garlic oil and CoQ10 by inhibiting LDL-oxidation in presence of garlic oil and/or coenzyme Q10. Based upon parts 1, 2 and 3 noted above, the data in FIG. 7 can be calculated.
[0196] Based on FIG. 7 , 1 mg CoQ10 with garlic oil is equivalent to 10 mg CoQ10 without garlic oil when combined with 0.1 mg LDL per ml of solution.
[0197] Result 3
[0198] Determination of lag time provides the following results noted in Table 8. The data in Table 8 demonstrate a synergistic effect in comparison to the individual components versus the combination of garlic oil and Co Q10 as noted by the lag time to the start of LDL-oxidation (at a LDL concentration of 0.1 mg/ml).
[0000]
TABLE 8
Lag Time (min)
Garlic Oil (10 μL/mL)
121
Co Q10 (1 mg/mL)
146
Combination (10 μL/mL//1 mg/mL)
382
[0199] Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All references cited throughout the specification, including those in the background, are incorporated herein in their entirety. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain, using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to specific embodiments of the invention described specifically herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed in the scope of the following claims.
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The invention describes compositions that include a sulfide containing molecule, such a garlic oil, and a coenzyme Q molecule. The sulfide containing molecule solvates the coenzyme Q molecule, thus enhancing the bioavailability of the coenzyme Q molecule in a subject in need thereof, relative to administration of coenzyme Q devoid of the presence of a sulfide containing molecule.
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This application claims the benefit of provisional application No. 60/322,315 filed Sep. 14, 2001.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to methods of AVO Inversion of seismic data
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Seismic data is useful in addressing certain petroleum exploration and exploitation problems associated with determining quality of hydrocarbon reservoirs. Amplitude Variation with Offset (AVO) techniques have been applied extensively to qualitative interpretations of seismic data. Efforts have increasingly been made to go beyond the qualitative analysis and to try to estimate parameters of the subsurface target layers using AVO inversion. Use of linear equations for AVO inversion results in extensive complex calculations that are extremely time consuming. The use of true non-linear equations becomes unmanageable due to computational limitations. The use of linear equations reduces the complexity of the calculations to computer manageable levels. However, noise-induced errors that occur when linear equations are used for the AVO inversion have limited the accuracy of reservoir quality determinations.
Inversion of pre-stack seismic P-P amplitude data to yield rock property contrast values ΔV p /V p , ΔV s /V s , and Δρ/ρ and the absolute rock property values V p , V s and ρ (density) has been a hotly pursued goal for many years. An object has been to use rock property contrasts and absolute rock property values to predict, hydrocarbon presence and location in underground and undersea formations. Accurate determination of the degree of hydrocarbon saturation, reservoir quality, and the location of bypass pay among other useful information determinations have been elusive due to the inaccuracy and insensitivity of current industry standard techniques and methods including current industry standard AVO inversion or amplitude attribute determination methods. Traditional AVO inversion methods are most commonly based upon the use of unconstrained linear AVO equations, such as Equation 1, as given by Shuey, or other equivalent equations such as those given by Bortfield, Aki or Richards, solved on an event-by-event basis.
Amp(θ)= A+B *Sin(θ) 2 +C *Tan(θ) 2 *Sin(θ) 2 Equation 1
Where
A=(1/2)*ΔVp/Vp+(1/2)*Δρ/ρ
B=(1/2)*ΔVp/Vp−(2/g)*(2*ΔVs/Vs+Δρ/ρ)
C=(1/2)*ΔVp/Vp
The industry standard approach is limited by instability and inaccuracy in the inverted rock property contrasts in the presence of any amount of noise in the seismic data. The inversions also have limitations in the determination of small rock property contrasts. Further, the current inversion techniques are limited to moderate maximum angles of incidence, restricting the amplitudes associated with larger angles of incidence that are commonly present in modern acquisition long cable data sets.
The above-listed limitations hamper the petroleum exploration and exploitation field in many economical and business aspects. Specifically, the limitations make it difficult, inaccurate and expensive to determine hydrocarbon saturation, to detect residual hydrocarbons, to detect bypassed pay, to determine reservoir quality and to detect fracture presence.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention disclosed herein reduces the above-described limitations of prior art AVO inversion methods. The present invention discloses the use of both a non-linear inversion equation in combination with a statistically constrained inversion technique. Both aspects of the present invention add stability and accuracy to the inversion process. The invention produces results with noticeably more accuracy and stability in the face of noisy data than prior art methods using unconstrained linear equations or other traditional approaches.
The present method comprises providing a set of geologically reasonable statistical constraints, such as, but not limited to, Equations 2 and 3. Equation 2 relates the average values of any two of the rock properties to each other, so that the average rock property contrasts over a large window follow the well known rock property trends. The novel approach taken by the present invention involves simultaneously inverting the rock property contrasts for multiple interfaces and constraining the average of the rock property contrasts so that they follow relationships such as Equation 3.
The present method further comprises the use of a more stable and accurate non-linear AVO equations. The use of non-linear Equation 10 in the inversion in combination with the above-mentioned statistical constraints provides a more stable and accurate result than prior art methods.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The patent or application file contains at least one drawing executed in color. Copies of this patent or patent application publication with color drawing(s) will be provided by the Office upon request and payment of the necessary fee.
These and other benefits and inventions can be more fully understood and a better understanding of this invention can be obtained when the following detailed description of the drawings is considered in conjunction with the following drawings in which:
FIG. 1 shows the average relative size of the inverted rock property contrast errors relative to the actual contrast values for a case of a Gulf of Mexico (“GOM”) average caprock over a porous, low-impedance, hydrocarbon-filled reservoir.
FIG. 2 shows the industry standard AVO attribute “Intercept,” determined using Equation 1, for the cases of: (1) a fully saturated GOM pay sand with average cap rock, (2) the same cap rock and reservoir but with 10% hydrocarbon saturation (fizz water), and (3) the brine filled case.
FIG. 3 shows the industry standard AVO attribute “Slope,” determined using Equation 1, for the cases of: (1) a fully saturated GOM pay sand with average cap rock, (2) the same cap rock and reservoir but with 10% hydrocarbon saturation (fizz water), and (3) the brine filled case.
FIG. 4 shows the industry standard AVO attribute “V p /V s Contrast,” determined using Equation 1, for the cases of: (1) a fully saturated GOM pay sand with average cap rock, (2) the same cap rock and reservoir but with a 10% hydrocarbon saturation (fizz water), and (3) the brine filled case.
FIG. 5 shows the Density Contrast resulting from AVO inversion, for the cases of: (1) a fully saturated GOM pay sand with average cap rock, (2) the same cap rock and reservoir but with 10% hydrocarbon saturation (fizz water), and (3) the brine filled case.
FIG. 6 shows the Density Contrast vs. the V p Contrast for the case of average rock property values.
FIG. 7 shows the type of error produced by assuming a hard constraint (one which applies strictly for the rock properties of each horizon) given by Equations 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
FIG. 8 shows, on the left, the resulting rock property contrasts ΔV p /V p and Δρ/ρ of an unconstrained inversion versus the same data inverted, on the right, using a constrained inversion. The constraints that were used are given in equations 2 and 3.
FIG. 9 shows the exact amplitude as a function of angle of incidence signature in as a dashed line (red), the linearized equivalent (given by Equation 1) as hidden line (green) and the non-linear (given by Equation 10) as a phantom line (blue). The data relates to a GOM pay filled reservoir with an average shale caprock. The maximum angle of incidence is sixty degrees.
FIG. 10 shows the inversion error for the linear unconstrained vs. nonlinear statistically constrained case as a function of noise.
FIG. 11 shows the type of geologically reasonable relationships that apply for the average rock properties in an area.
FIG. 12 shows the type of geologically reasonable relationships that apply for the average rock properties in an area. These types of relationships can be used to constrain or relate the rock property contrasts to each other for average horizons.
FIG. 13 shows the type of geologically reasonable relationships that apply for the average rock properties in an area. These types of relationships can be used to constrain or relate the rock property contrasts to each other for average horizons. This figure is illustrative of the statistical constraints used in the present invention
FIG. 14 shows the actual error versus linear inversion error versus non-linear inversion error.
FIG. 15 shows a comparison of the linear and the non-linear inversion error.
FIG. 16 is a color drawing showing a first example wherein the present method (right) out performs the prior art amplitude map (left) in highlighting only the producing wells.
FIG. 17 is a color drawing showing a second example wherein the present method (right) out performs the prior art method (left) in discriminating between areas filled with uneconomic, partially-saturated hydrocarbons and economic, pay-filled areas.
FIG. 18 is color drawing showing a third example of a prior art amplitude map on the left and a prior art AVO map on the right. Both prior art methods proved to be poor discriminators between low and high hydrocarbon saturations.
FIG. 19 is color drawing showing a present method Density Contrast map of the same area as shown in FIG. 18 . The present method clearly shows the areas that are not fully pay-saturated, which the prior art methods could not do, as seen in FIG. 18 .
FIG. 20 is a color drawing showing a prior art amplitude map on the left and prior art AVO map on the right. The maps demonstrate the prior art methods' inability to discriminate between pay-filled and depleted zones.
FIG. 21 a color drawing showing a present method Density Contrast map for the same reservoir as shown in FIG. 20 . The depleted zones stand out as having small density contrast while the two pay-filled zones show a larger contrast.
FIG. 22 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating an amplitude with offset (AVO) inversion method for a geological formation of interest.
FIG. 23 (including FIG. 23A continued on FIG. 23B) is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a non-linearly statistically flow diagram illustrating a non-linearly statistically constrained inversion method.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows average relative size of the inverted rock property contrast errors relative to the actual contrast values for a case of a Gulf of Mexico (“GOM”) average caprock over a porous, low-impedance, hydrocarbon-filled reservoir. The exact AVO signature is generated, noise is added, and then the data is inverted to produce contrast estimates, and the contrasts are averaged. The results are shown. Clearly, the error increases rapidly as the noise level increases. The rapid increase of error in the presence of noise demonstrates the need for the present invention's improvement, since prior art methods were highly susceptible to such error.
The following outlines our identification of problems, shortcomings of attempts at solutions, and our unique inventive solution:
It has been found that certain of these limitations spring from the inability to determine accurately the individual AVO inversion parameters, when the inversion is performed using a linear equation on an unconstrained, interface-by-interface basis. If the amplitudes are restricted to those for angle of incidence less than thirty degrees, only two of the parameters are established with any accuracy and one of the parameters may not be computed at all. If amplitudes for greater than thirty degrees are allowed, estimates for the undetermined parameter might be made. However, the accuracy of calculations using these estimates are sensitive to noise to such a degree that the resulting inversion of the AVO parameters to rock property contrasts produces results that may range from unstable to useless.
Inversion of pre-stack seismic P-P amplitude data to yield rock property contrasts ΔVp/Vp, ΔVs/Vs and Δρ/ρ values, or values of the absolute rock property values Vp (pulse-wave velocity), Vs (shear-wave velocity) and ρ(density) has been found to be desirable. It is believed by applicants that these rock property contrasts, or absolute rock property values, can be used far more accurately and sensitively to predict the degree of hydrocarbon saturation, reservoir quality, hydrocarbon presence and location of bypass pay, than current industry standard AVO or amplitude attributes or methods as examples will show. Attempts to achieve the desired result have been difficult in part because of the instability and inaccuracy of traditional AVO inversion methods (see FIG. 1) based on the use of unconstrained linear AVO equations, such as Equation 1 or its equivalent, solved on an event-by-event basis.
Some of the noted problems with such an approach are as follows
The instability and inaccuracy of the inverted rock property contrasts in the presence of any amounts of noise in the seismic data (see FIG. 1 ).
Limitation of inversions to small rock property contrasts.
Limitation of inversions to moderate maximum angles of incidence, restricting amplitudes associated with larger angle of incidence that are commonly present in modern acquisition long cable data sets (see FIG. 9 ).
The types of desirable business solutions prohibited by these limitations:
Hydrocarbon saturation determination.
Residual hydrocarbon detection.
Bypassed pay detection.
Reservoir quality determination.
Detection of fracture presence.
Proposed responses to the instability problem identified here might be to restrict the inversion process in either of two ways:
First to a solution which results in only combinations of rock property contrasts such as the AVO intercept (intercept=(1/2)*ΔVp/Vp+(1/2)*Δρ/ρ) or AVO slope (slope=(1/2)*ΔVp/Vp−2/g 2 *(2*ΔVs/Vs+Δρ/Σ), Δ(Vp/Vs)/(Vp/Vs), Poisson ratio contrast and others. Intercept = 1 2 [ Δ V p V p ] + 1 2 [ Δρ ρ ] AVO Intercept Equation Slope = 1 2 [ Δ V p V p ] - 2 g 2 { 2 [ Δ V s V s ] + Δρ ′ ρ } AVO Slope Equation V p V s Contrast = Δ [ V p V s ] V p V s Poisson Ratio Contrast
This restriction might be accomplished by using the amplitude data that are inverted only to the data, having an angle of incidence, less than the 30 degrees. This corresponds to using the first two terms of Equation 1 only. Such, two term, AVO inversion results are found to be ineffective in addressing a broad range of critical exploration/exploitation problems such a those described above (and as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 ). The above described limitations spring from the inability to accurately determine all three of the individual AVO parameters, present in known linear equations, such as Equation 1 or its equivalent, when the AVO inversion is performed on an unconstrained, interface by interface basis, as shown in FIG. 1 . If amplitudes are restricted to only those whose corresponding angles of incidence are less than 30 degrees, then the third parameter, C, cannot be determined at all. If amplitudes associated with angles of incidence greater than 30 degrees are present, then estimates for the third parameter can be made, but it is sensitive to noise to a degree that for real data the resulting inversion of the AVO parameters A, B and C to rock property contrasts using Equation 2 gives unstable to useless results as indicated by FIG. 1 .
FIG. 2 shows the industry standard AVO attribute “Intercept,” determined using Equation 1, for the cases of: (1) a fully saturated GOM pay sand with average cap rock, (2) the same cap rock and reservoir but with 10% hydrocarbon saturation (fizz water), and (3) the brine filled case.
FIG. 3 shows the industry standard AVO attribute “Slope,” determined using Equation 1, for the cases of: (1) a fully saturated GOM pay sand with average cap rock, (2) the same cap rock and reservoir but with 10% hydrocarbon saturation (fizz water), and (3) the brine filled case.
FIG. 4 shows the industry standard AVO attribute “V p /V s Contrast,” determined using Equation 1, for the cases of: (1) a fully saturated GOM pay sand with average cap rock, (2) the same cap rock and reservoir but with a 10% hydrocarbon saturation (fizz water), and (3) the brine filled case.
What these figures show is that, although some combinations of rock property contrasts might show some sensitivity to hydrocarbon presence, they are in general insensitive to the degree of saturation. This result corresponds to using only the first two terms of Equation 1. These industry standard, two-term AVO inversion results are inaccurate and ineffective in determination of hydrocarbon saturation, detection of residual hydrocarbons, detection of bypassed pay, determination of reservoir quality and detection of fracture presence. Although some combinations of rock property contrasts show some sensitivity to hydrocarbon presence, they are generally insensitive to the degree of saturation. This insensitivity makes it difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish between small, uneconomic amounts of pay and large, economic amounts of pay when using real data, because real data is noisy data. Applicants consider this identified problem to be one of the most important problems facing the petroleum exploration and exploitation industry today.
FIG. 5 shows the density contrast for the same cases as with FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 , namely: (1) a fully saturated GOM pay sand with average cap rock, (2) the same cap rock and reservoir but with 10% hydrocarbon saturation (fizz water), and (3) the brine filled case. FIG. 5 compared and contrasted to FIGS. 2, 3 , and 4 demonstrates the ability of the density contrast to discriminate between certain uneconomic, partially-saturated cases and economic, pay-filled cases. Without accurate density contrast data there is little discrimination between saturated hydrocarbon layers and fizz water layers. Note the indication of very little difference between a pay-filled case and a 10% saturation case in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 . While the results of prior art methods as demonstrated in FIGS. 2, 3 , and 4 show some sensitivity to hydrocarbon presence, they are, in general, insensitive to the degree of saturation making it difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish between small, uneconomic amounts of pay and large economic amounts when using the type of noisy data, one finds in the real world. What should be clear is that with the density contrast there is sensitivity to not only the presence of hydrocarbons but also the degree of hydrocarbon saturation. Specifically the density contrast can be shown to be directly proportional to the hydrocarbon saturation.
A second limited solution may consists of applying a hard constraint such as Equation 2 that relates two rock properties to each other, effectively reducing the number of data-derived parameters from 3 to 2.
Of the 3 AVO parameters given in Equation 1, A, B and C, the least stable parameter is C. By using a relationship such as Equation 2, the contrast of the two rock layers that follow Equation 2 will be given by Equation 3. Equation 2 shows the type of relationship that is reasonably inferred between the P-wave velocity (V p ) and the density (ρ) for average subsurface layers. This is an industry standard Gardner's-type relationship.
ρ=α V ρ β Equation 2
Of the three AVO parameters A, B, and C given in Equation 1, C is the least stable. By using a relationship such as Equation 2, the contrast of the two layers that follow Equation 2 will be given by Equation 3. Thus, such a second limited solution may consist of applying a hard constraint, such as Equation 2, that relates two rock property contrasts (V p , V s , or ρ) to each other for every interface, reducing the number of data-derived parameters from three to two.
Equation 3 shows the relationship between the rock property contrasts of two average layers. Δρ ρ = β [ Δ V p V p ] Equation 3
This means that only two of the AVO parameters, such as A and B of Equation 1, need to be determined directly from data.
The three AVO parameters, A, B, and C, would then be given by Equations 4, 5 and 6 respectively. A = 1 2 ( 1 + β ) [ Δ V p V p ] Equation 4 B = [ 1 2 - 2 β g 2 ] Δ - 4 g 2 [ Δ V s V s ] Equation 5 C = 1 2 [ Δ V p V p ] Equation 6
Equations 7, 8, and 9 can be used to solve for the three rock property contracts. Δ V p V p = 2 A β ( 1 + β ) Equation 7 Δ V s V s = g 2 [ 4 A β + B 4 ] Equation 8 Δρ ρ = 2 A ( 1 + β ) Equation 9
Still, it has been observed, as demonstrated in FIG. 6, that another type of error will be made using hard constraint assumptions in certain situations such as for a low impedance Gulf of Mexico pay sand. These errors, in general, are large enough to obscure and overwhelm the results, making such methods ineffective for a large class of exploration and exploitation problems.
FIG. 6 shows the Density Contrast vs. the V p Contrast for the case of average rock property values. Rock interfaces made up of average rock types, such as shale/shale or shale/brine sands will have a rock property contrasts falling along the linear trend line as shown in the FIG. 6 . Using a hard constraint, such as Equation 2 and then Equation 3, reduces the parameters that need to be inverted from the data from three to two. The third rock property contrast can then be derived from the other two. The weakness of this method is demonstrated by FIG. 6 . For a shale/hydrocarbon reservoir interface, the large hollow oval point in FIG. 6 indicates the results using actual pay density contrast and V p contrast. The large solid oval point in FIG. 6 indicates the result when using a hard-constrained density contrast with the actual V p contrast. The large error produced by using the hard constraint is obvious. An event which should stand out, the pay case, is reduced to only a slightly anomalous feature using such methods.
FIG. 7 shows the type of error produced when assuming a hard constraint (one which applies strictly for the rock properties of each horizon) given by Equations 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. The error in percent is given for each of the three rock property contrasts DV p , DV s , and Dρ. for good quality reservoirs filled with hydrocarbon versus poor quality reservoirs filled with brine.
The limitations of the method of using hard constraints, lie in the assumptions that must be made concerning how any two rock properties are related to each other. The assumptions are only correct for a limited class of layers. The assumptions might be accurate for the average rocks in a region such as shales and brine-filled sands or another assumption might be accurate for hydrocarbon-filled layers such as pay-filled sand. The assumptions do not hold for both classes. Hence, the results of the inversion will be erroneous for either the majority of layers or for the case that is truly of importance, hydrocarbon-filled reservoirs. Additionally, when using these assumptions, layers that appear anomalous are frequently non-anomalous and layers which appear non-anomalous can actually be anomalous and possibly hydrocarbon-filled.
Both the method of using only a limited angular range for the data and the method of imposing a hard constraint on the calculations produce final results that are extremely limited in their ability to discriminate between partially versus fully-saturated reservoirs, good quality versus poor quality reservoirs and hydrocarbon versus brine-filled reservoirs. FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 demonstrate deficiencies in the two-term inversion method obtained using limited angular data and FIGS. 6 and 7 demonstrate the deficiencies for the hard-constrained inversion.
As a reservoir is produced, small amounts of hydrocarbon are left behind. This residue, or partially hydrocarbon-saturated fluid, cannot be efficiently detected using the traditional AVO methods or by using the proposed solutions as described above. Its an object of the present invention to disclose a method for distinguishing residual hydrocarbon zones from fully saturated zones. Residual hydrocarbons, also known as “fizz water,” are clearly distinguishable from fully saturated zones using the present invention.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for distinguishing between small, uneconomic amounts of pay and large, economic amounts of pay when using noisy data.
The invention disclosed herein removes the above-described limitations of AVO inversion methods. The present invention discloses the use of both a non-linear inversion equation in combination with a statistically constrained inversion technique. Both elements of the present invention add stability and accuracy to the inversion process. The invention produces results with noticeably more accuracy and stability in the face of noisy data than traditional approaches and methods using unconstrained linear equations or methods using hard constraints for applying the linear equation at each target interface.
The present method comprises providing a set of geologically reasonable statistical constraints, sometimes referred to herein as soft constraints, such as, but not limited to, Equations 2 and 3 applied as an average over a range of target layers. In this unique approach, Equation 2 is used to relate the average values of any two of the rock properties to each other, so that the average rock property contrasts over a large window follow known rock property trends in the area of interest. The novel approach taken by the present invention involves simultaneously inverting the rock property contrasts for multiple interfaces and constraining the average of the rock property contrasts so that they follow relationships such as Equation 3.
The present method further comprises the use of a more stable and accurate non-linear AVO inversion equation. The use of a non-linear, such as Equation 10 set forth below, in the inversion and in combination with the above-mentioned statistical constraints, provides a more stable and accurate result than other methods considered as possible solutions to existing problems. Amp ( Θ ) = D00 + D11 · sin ( Θ ) 2 + D12 · tan ( Θ ) 2 sin ( Θ ) 2 + D20 · tan ( Θ ) 4 + D21 · f sin ( Θ ) 2 cos ( Θ ) + D22 · sin ( Θ ) 2 f cos ( Θ ) + D23 · sin ( Θ ) 4 f cos ( Θ ) + D24 · sin ( Θ ) 6 f cos ( Θ ) Equation 10 D00 = 1 2 [ Δ V p V p ] + 1 2 [ Δρ ρ ] - 1 4 [ Δ V p V p ] 2 - 1 4 [ Δρ ρ ] 2 + … D11 = 1 2 [ Δ V p V p ] - 2 g 2 { 2 [ Δ V s V s ] + Δρ ρ } - 2 g 2 { [ Δ V s V s ] [ Δρ ρ ] - 1 2 [ Δρ ρ ] 2 + [ Δ V s V s ] 2 } + 1 4 [ Δ V p V p ] 2 D12 = 1 2 [ Δ V p V p ] + 1 4 [ Δ V p V p ] 2 D20 = 1 2 [ Δ V p V p ] 2 D21 = 1 g 4 { 4 [ Δ V s V s ] 2 + 4 [ Δ V s V s ] [ Δρ ρ ] + [ Δρ ρ ] 2 } D22 = - 1 4 [ Δρ ρ ] 2 D23 = 1 g 2 { 2 [ Δ V s V s ] [ Δρ ρ ] + [ Δρ ρ ] 2 } D24 = - 1 g 4 { 4 [ Δ V s V s ] 2 + 4 [ Δ V s V s ] [ Δρ ρ ] + [ Δρ ρ ] 2 } f = ( g 2 - sin ( Θ ) 2 )
Rock property contrasts are found which simultaneously satisfy Equation 10 for every target layer interface while at the same time requiring equations representing statistical or “soft” constraints, apply to the averages only. Examples of equations for that relate one rock property value to another to produce possible soft constraints are set forth below as Equations 11, 12, 13 and 14: ρ ave = α * V P ave β Equation 11 V S ave = C1 * V P ave + C2 Equation 12 [ Δρ ρ ] ave = β * [ Δ V p V p ] ave Equation 13 [ Δ V s V s ] ave = [ 1 1 + [ C2 C1 * V p ] ] [ Δ Vp Vp ] ave Equation 14
The averages are defined over a range or sliding window over the target layers of interest in a formation centered around the particular event or interface being inverted. Thus, the events for which the linear equation is solved on an event by event basis are subjected to a soft constraint or average parameter over the event layer and surrounding layers in the formation.
FIG. 8 shows, on the left, the resulting rock property contrasts ΔV p /V p and Δρ/pρ of an unconstrained inversion versus the same data inverted, on the right, using a constrained inversion. The constraints that were used are given in Equation 2 (average version for soft constraint purposes shown in Equation 11) and Equation 3 (average version for soft constraint purposes shown in Equation 13). The zone which was inverted consisted of a shale/brine sand interface wherein the rock properties were known to follow the averages given in Equations 11 and 13. The corresponding rock property contrasts should follow a linear trend line falling along the tight cluster of points on the right. This was determined using the well logs. The scatter of the points on the left is a result of instability of the prior inversion method in the presence of noise. The scatter of the points shown on the left corresponds to relative error size of over 100%.
FIG. 9 shows the exact amplitude as a function of angle of incidence, shown as a dashed line, the linearized equivalent (given by Equation 1) as hidden line and the non-linear equation (given by Equation 10) and shown as a phantom line. The data relates to a GOM pay filled reservoir with an average shale caprock. The maximum angle of incidence is sixty degrees. The present method is far more accurate at larger angles of incidence than the prior art method. Accuracy at larger angles of incidence is vital due to the larger angles of incidence commonly present in modern acquisition long cable data sets.
FIG. 10 shows the inversion error for the linear unconstrained vs. nonlinear statistically constrained case as a function of noise. The present statistically constrained AVO inversion method is dramatically more accurate than the unconstrained method in the presence of any noise, as is likely to be present in real data.
FIG. 11 shows illustrative examples of types of geologically reasonable relationships that apply for the average rock properties in an area. Geological formation layers, schematically represented as horizontal lines in FIG. 11, are constrained with statistically accurate average constraints given by Equations 11 and 12.
FIG. 12 shows illustrative examples of types of geologically reasonable relationships that may apply for the average rock properties in another area. These types of relationships can be used to constrain or relate the rock property contrasts to each other for average horizons in the area. Geological formation layers, schematically represented as horizontal lines in FIG. 11, are constrained with statistically accurate average constraints given by Equations 13 and 14.
FIG. 13 shows an illustrative example of the non-linear Equation 10 solved for the rock property contrasts that simultaneously satisfy Equation 10 at every interface and at the same time requiring the statistical constraints applied to the averages only as disclosed in the present invention.
FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 illustrate examples (presented in color as the only way to demonstrate the nature of the results) of the statistical constraints found to be useful in the present inventive method. FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 show a series of layers, most of which follow the equations describing the average properties (the black lines) as shown in FIG. 11 . The smaller number of layers which are shown in red, correspond to the anomalous layers such as pay-filled reservoirs. These layers do not follow the rock property relationships given by Equation 2. The contrast between two average layers is given by Equation 3.
FIG. 14 shows the actual error versus linear inversion error versus non-linear inversion error.
FIG. 15 shows a comparison of the linear and the non-linear inversion error.
FIG. 16, a color drawing showing a first example wherein the present method outperforms the prior art amplitude map in highlighting only the producing wells. The A 5 well is on the upper edge of a bright zone in the prior art produced map, yet the well had residual hydrocarbons only. The A 3 well was in a low amplitude zone on the prior art produced map, yet was the best producing well in the area. The B 1 well, which is in a bright area on the prior art produced map, contained only thin pay and uneconomic residual pay. On the right is the product of the present method. The present method Inverted Density Contrast map highlighted the best wells and showed no anomalies around the A 5 and B 1 wells.
FIG. 17, a color drawing showing a second example wherein the present method outperforms the prior art method in discriminating between areas filled with uneconomic, partially-saturated hydrocarbons and economic, pay-filled areas. On the left is a prior art produced amplitude map showing a number of bright zones. The map does not discriminate between the lower right zone, which is pay-filled, and the upper zones which are filled with partially-saturated hydrocarbons of no economic significance. On the right is the density map which highlights only the fully-saturated hydrocarbon zone.
FIG. 18, a color drawing showing an amplitude map on the left highlighting two zones separated by a fault. On the right is the AVO map also highlighting the two zones. The well drilled into the area showed low-saturation pay. These two maps, produced by the prior art, proved to be poor detectors of fizz water.
FIG. 19, a color drawing showing a present method Density Contrast map of the same area as shown in FIG. 18 . The present method clearly shows the areas that are not fully pay-saturated, which the prior art methods could not do, as seen in FIG. 18 . The Density Contrast map clearly shows the two zones as not having an amonalous density contrast. The map is particulary accurate where the well is actually located. Zones not having an amonalous Density Contrast would be consistent with a zone which does not contain fully-saturated pay, which is consistent with what the well showed.
FIG. 20, a color drawing showing a prior art amplitude map on the left and prior art AVO map on the right. The maps demonstrate the prior art methods inability to discriminate between pay-filled and depleted zones. The survey which produced these maps was made after the wells shown had stopped production, yet the prior art produced amplitude map and AVO map still indicate pay present for zones 1 and 2 . Zones 1 and 2 had been extracted. Zone 3 was drilled but it produced little because it appears the well hit the fault rather than the reservoir. Zone 4 was never drilled. This illustrates clearly that the prior art methods are very poor at distinguishing depleted zones from zones which still contain pay.
FIG. 21, a color drawing showing a present method Density Contrast map for the same reservoir as shown in FIG. 20 . The depleted zones stand out as having small density contrast while the two pay-filled zones show a larger contrast. Clearly, accurate information regarding the location of pay-filled zones would be beneficial to one skilled in the art of petroleum exploration and exploitation.
FIG. 22 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating an amplitude with offset (AVO) inversion for a geological formation of interest. The method includes the steps of providing 100 a geologically reasonable statistical constraint for the geological formation of interest, such that such constraint relates the values of two rock properties to each other; inverting 110 the rock property contrasts for each of a plurality of interfaces in the geological formation of interest; and constraining 120 the rock property contrasts with the geologically reasonable statistical constraint.
FIG. 23 (including FIG. 23A continued on FIG. 23B) is a schematic flow diagram illustrating a non-linearly statistically constrained inversion method for a geological formation of interest. The method 200 includes providing 210 a geologically reasonable statistical constraint for the geological formation of interest, such that such constraint relates the values of two rock properties to each other, the two rock properties selected form the group consisting of density (ρ), pressure wave velocity (Vp) and shear-wave velocity (Vs); inverting 220 the rock property contrasts for each of a plurality of interfaces in the geological formation of interest; and constraining 230 the rock property contrasts with the at least one geologically reasonable statistical constraint. The step of inverting 220 the rock properties contrast in one embodiment includes using 240 a non-linear equation of the form of Equation 10 as follows: Amp ( Θ ) = D00 + D11 · sin ( Θ ) 2 + D12 · tan ( Θ ) 2 sin ( Θ ) 2 + D20 · tan ( Θ ) 4 + D21 · f sin ( Θ ) 2 cos ( Θ ) + D22 · sin ( Θ ) 2 f cos ( Θ ) + D23 · sin ( Θ ) 4 f cos ( Θ ) + D24 · sin ( Θ ) 6 f cos ( Θ )
where: D00 = 1 2 [ Δ V p V p ] + 1 2 [ Δρ ρ ] - 1 4 [ Δ V p V p ] 2 - 1 4 [ Δρ ρ ] 2 + … D11 = 1 2 [ Δ V p V p ] - 2 g 2 { 2 [ Δ V s V s ] + Δρ ρ } - 2 g 2 { [ Δ V s V s ] [ Δρ ρ ] - 1 2 [ Δρ ρ ] 2 + [ Δ V s V s ] 2 } + 1 4 [ Δ V p V p ] 2 D12 = 1 2 [ Δ V p V p ] + 1 4 [ Δ V p V p ] 2 D20 = 1 2 [ Δ V p V p ] 2 D21 = 1 g 4 { 4 [ Δ V s V s ] 2 + 4 [ Δ V s V s ] [ Δρ ρ ] + [ Δρ ρ ] 2 } D22 = - 1 4 [ Δρ ρ ] 2 D23 = 1 g 2 { 2 [ Δ V s V s ] [ Δρ ρ ] + [ Δρ ρ ] 2 } D24 = - 1 g 4 { 4 [ Δ V s V s ] 2 + 4 [ Δ V s V s ] [ Δρ ρ ] + [ Δρ ρ ] 2 } , and f = ( g 2 - sin ( Θ ) 2 ) .
The step of providing 220 a geologically reasonable statistical constraint further comprises the step of selecting 260 a constraint from among the group of equations that follow: ρ ave = α * V P ave β ; V S ave = C1 * V P ave + C2 ; [ Δρ ρ ] ave = β * [ Δ V p V p ] ave ; or [ Δ V s V s ] ave = [ 1 1 + [ C2 C1 * V p ] ] [ Δ Vp Vp ] ave .
Then the method includes the step of obtaining 270 the inverted rock property contrasts volumes.
FIG. 24 is a schematic flow diagram illustrating an alternative method 300 for a non-linearly statistically constrained inversion for a geological formation of interest. This embodiment includes selecting 310 geologically reasonable statistical constraints relationships between two of the rock property elastic parameters selected from the group consisting of density (ρ), pressure wave velocity (Vp) and shear-wave velocity (Vs); determining 320 the contrast form of the selected constraint relationships; selecting 330 a plurality of interfaces in the geological formation of interest as a constraint vertical window over which the statistical constraints will apply; extracting 340 a multiplicity of individual amplitudes corresponding to a multiplicity of traces containing reflections from a common subsurface interface for each of the plurality of interfaces within the constraint vertical window; extracting 345 reflection angles corresponding to the individual amplitudes; inverting 350 the extracted amplitudes and angles of incidence such that the inverted rock property contrasts for each interface satisfies a nonlinear equation while the rock property contrasts averaged over the constraint vertical window satisfy the selected constraint relation ships to obtain inverted rock property contrasts volumes; and writing 360 the inverted rock property contrasts volumes.
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A method is provided for ensuring increased accuracy and stability in analysis of seismic trace data. The present method more accurately determines the location, as well as the saturation level, of possible hydrocarbon reservoirs. The method includes use of more accurate, non-linear equations for the AVO inversion and application of a geologically reasonable set of statistical constraints.
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